Chapter 65, To Kill or to Keep Alive

Translator: Barnnn

 

Ize sat frozen, bewildered.

 

“It’s difficult to keep the material intact. If I slip up, I might kill her by accident…”

 

She felt a chill crawl down her spine.

 

“Maybe I should cover her entire head? Just a section wouldn’t be enough.”

 

The conversation between Elene and Odelya — who were supposed to be fixing her hair and makeup — had taken a deeply unsettling turn.

 

Ize sat stiffly as they loomed over her, one in front, the other behind, both wearing grave expressions. Escape routes: none. But really, there shouldn’t be a need to escape. Probably.

 

“The best approach is to wrap it all up, twist it tight, and stab it in completely.”

“Red won’t work — it’d be fatal. Blue is out too… that would just drown her. Keeping her alive is harder than I thought…”

[…Am I really going to make it out of here alive, Hal?]

 

Swallowing hard, she wiped the dampness from her forehead before either of them could notice.

 

◆

 

The moment the duo arrived, Ize did the only thing she could — she apologized.

They had long seen through her disguise, and yet, she had still tried to hide the fact from them. But to her surprise, their reaction was far gentler than expected, their forgiveness offered with almost disarming ease.

 

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” Elene said. “In this line of work, being a woman can be a disadvantage. Traveling as a boy means fewer unnecessary troubles — especially for your brother’s sake.”

“Exactly,” Odelya added. “Look at me — big, muscular, stronger than most men — but because I’m a woman, people still see me as weak. Someone as small and delicate as you should take even more precautions.”

 

Their words were warm and sincere. Ize had braced herself for scorn or at least irritation, but instead, she found herself met with understanding.

 

“Still, I never would’ve guessed you were nearly an adult,” Odelya went on to say. “You’re shorter than my nine-year-old little brother!”

“Last time you saw your brother, he was eight,” Elene corrected. “And your whole family is absurdly big — it’s not a fair comparison. Your older brother, for example, is practically the size of a mountain.”

“I swear, that guy’s not human…”

 

Ize could only blink. Odelya was already so tall she had to crane her neck just to meet her eyes. If even she was calling her brother “not human,” then he must be a literal giant. Ize shuddered at the thought — she had no particular desire to meet either the older brother or the supposedly nine-year-old little one.

 

“Anyway, enough about us — it’s time to get you ready. I brought a bunch of accessories to match your outfit.”

“These are yours, Miss Elene?”

“Not exactly. They’re… gifts, let’s just say. People like to give me things.”

“Elene’s got some devoted fans,” Odelya whispered.

“Huh…”

“Oh, they’re just kind souls. Hehehe.”

 

Ize wisely decided not to pry any further. The trinkets Elene was now laying out on the bed didn’t look like the sort of cheap baubles admirers might hand out on a whim. Then again, without an Appraisal skill, she had no way of knowing for sure — though, in a world without imitation jewelry, these pieces seemed a little too extravagant.

 

“Too many accessories will drown out your natural charm. This yellow one is no good.”

“Elene’s in charge of makeup. I’ll handle the hair. I may not look it, but I’m pretty good with my hands.”

 

Odelya gestured toward the neatly woven braids at her temples.

The first time Ize had seen her, she had thought her hairstyle resembled something from a hip-hop artist — intricate, tightly woven strands that must have taken ages to complete. The precision, the symmetry, the sheer skill involved… It was miles beyond anything Ize could manage on her own.

 

“I’ve never braided my hair before… That’s impressive,” Ize admitted, watching Odelya’s hands move with practiced ease.

“Thanks. This is one of the styles taught by the Sage of Innate Talent,” Odelya said, securing a section of hair with a flick of her wrist.

Elene let out a soft chuckle. “Odelya absolutely adores that Sage. He even published a hair-styling guide, and at one point, Odelya’s head looked like it had been hit by a fireball. It was quite the sight.”

 

She spread her hands wide, miming a head nearly twice its normal size.

 

“That was the legendary Afro — an advanced technique requiring ultimate skill,” Odelya declared, as if recounting an ancient martial art.

“Seroa hated it. Said it blocked his vision,” Elene added with a smirk.

“He’s just picky.”

 

From what Ize could gather, this so-called Sage had originally been a hairstylist before earning his grandiose title. Whether his expertise extended beyond hair was unclear, but Odelya clearly held him in high regard.

Even as they deftly worked — Elene smoothing a cool cream over Ize’s face, Odelya weaving her hair with practiced precision — their conversation never slowed.

 

“I envy your youthful skin and silky hair,” Elene mused, her fingers tracing lightly over Ize’s cheek. “Is this what it means to be young?”

“Hal’s the same, and he’s a guy,” Odelya remarked. “The way he talks, his whole demeanor… He seems like he comes from a good family. There’s something noble about his eyes.”

“His… eyes?”

 

Something in the way Odelya said it pricked at Ize’s curiosity. She lifted her gaze, searching for meaning in her words.

Odelya hesitated just for a moment. Elene, however, shot her a subtle warning glance, as if to remind her to tread carefully.

 

“Ah, no offense meant to your brother,” Odelya finally said. “It’s just… I don’t have the best impression of appraisers.”

“Nobles sometimes keep appraisers at their beck and call,” Elene explained. “They collect ‘high-power’ people and objects just to flaunt their own status. Some appraisers work for the Guilds, but very few become adventurers.”

“But Hal never appraises people unless it’s absolutely necessary,” Ize cut in, quick to defend him. “He says it’s disrespectful.”

 

Odelya remained focused on braiding, her expression hidden from view, but Elene’s lips curled into a knowing smile.

 

“Oh, we’re aware,” she said lightly.

“Hal knew we were close with you, so he sent a letter through Miss Etta,” Odelya admitted.

“Oh? Are you really going to tell her?” Elene arched a brow.

“He never said not to. That’s on him.”

“Fair enough.”

 

There was something about their exchange — casual on the surface, yet laced with an unspoken understanding — that made Ize hesitate. Whatever they were about to reveal, it was clearly something Hal hadn’t intended for her to know.

She wavered, wondering if she should stop them — but in the end, curiosity won out. She remained silent and listened.

 

“The letter thanked us for looking after you and asked us to help pick out your Coming-of-Age Ceremony outfit,” Odelya said. “It was ridiculously polite, too.”

“As payment,” Elene added, “he offered to let us request his Appraisal skills whenever we needed — our whole party included.”

“Do you have any idea how valuable that is? Appraisers who work for nobles or merchants make a fortune! Having one at our beck and call for practically free is insane!”

“Of course, we were happy to help with your outfit and preparations anyway,” Elene reassured her. “But the ‘payment’ turned out to be a lot more than we expected.”

 

As Elene carefully shaped Ize’s brows, she grew momentarily distant, her expression thoughtful.

Something about it unsettled Ize.

 

“Did something… happen?” she asked hesitantly.

“Oh, nothing much,” Elene replied. “Just that all our weapons doubled in effectiveness overnight. Every piece of equipment he helped us pick looked unremarkable at first, but when paired with the right person, the difference was night and day.”

“And after he did that,” Odelya added, “he actually asked if he could appraise our skills. Said it was to check compatibility. That was a shock — most appraisers just examine people without asking.”

“Also, he haggled with the shopkeepers so well that some weapons ended up half-price.”

“The way he speaks, the way he moves, the way he negotiates… He could be a noble or a merchant.”

 

He really had done it.

But he’d done it for her.

Sure, Hal probably enjoyed the negotiation itself, but in the end, every move he made had been for her sake.

A lump formed in Ize’s throat. She lowered her head slightly.

Before she could dwell on it, however, a pair of hands gently lifted her chin.

 

“No sulking.”

“Your brother’s a good man — hold your head high and show off your beauty.”

“We’ll bring out your best and beyond.”

“So leave it to us.”

 

Elene and Odelya’s voices carried no doubt, only conviction. Encouraged by their words, Ize straightened her back.

They were right — uncertainty didn’t suit the dress she wore.

She wasn’t just dressing up today. She had to be strong, to project a presence that would overwhelm anyone who dared to underestimate her.

Today, she was the main act, and she would own the stage.

 

◆

 

The preparations took time, but neither Elene nor Odelya rushed. Every detail had to be just right.

The unfamiliar weight of the earrings felt precarious, like they might slip off at any moment. Ize kept reaching up to check, fingertips brushing against the cool metal. Elene assured her it wouldn’t matter if she lost them, but Ize wasn’t convinced. If she so much as misplaced them, she’d surely incur the wrath of Elene’s devoted admirers. Returning them safely was now a personal mission.

Her hair, which had grown out unevenly at the nape of her neck, had been expertly woven into an elegant braid, its ends neatly tucked away to create a polished updo. Even her bangs, which had lately begun falling into her eyes, were secured with precision, leaving her forehead and the curve of her neck exposed to the cool air.

As a final touch, Odelya plucked a single white flower from the bouquet and tucked it gently beside Ize’s right ear.

 

“Well,” she said, stepping back to admire her work, “that’s about as far as we can take it. Any more, and we’d kill your essence — lose what makes you, you.”

“We could’ve gone for a more mature look…” Elene tilted her head, considering. “But this suits you best as you are now.”

 

Ize took a slow breath, feeling the weight of their scrutiny as they examined her from head to toe. When Elene met her eyes and gave an approving nod, a warm smile curving her lips, Ize felt a quiet sense of accomplishment settle within her.

Elene wasn’t particularly tall by this world’s standards, yet even on her tiptoes, Ize couldn’t quite match her height. She envied that, just a little. But there was no changing it. The Goddess herself had already given her a ‘prophecy’ — her growth had all but stopped.

So she wouldn’t dwell on what couldn’t be changed. She would focus on what could.

 

“Ize,” Elene said softly, “from today onward, you’re an adult. But that doesn’t mean you have to carry everything on your own. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses — and learning when to lean on others — that’s part of being an adult, too.”

Ize tilted her head. “Is it?”

“Absolutely,” Odelya declared, puffing out her chest with sudden bravado, “Just look at me — I can’t cook to save my life!”

 

Beside her, Elene wore the expression of someone reliving a nightmare.

 

“At first, I refused to accept it,” Odelya confessed. “I kept insisting that I could handle it on my own. But, well… it turns out that forcing my way through only made things worse. Eventually, I had to learn to step back and let the people who actually knew what they were doing take over.”

“It took her nearly poisoning our entire party,” Elene muttered, shaking her head in exasperation. “It was an absolute disaster — fever, stomach cramps, vomiting, the works. But at least she finally learned her lesson. So, Ize, take this as an example of what not to do. There’s nothing wrong with relying on those who want to support you.”

 

Ize let Elene’s words ink in. A warmth spread through her chest, unfurling slowly, traveling down her arms and into her fingertips, leaving a tingling sensation in its wake.

She shifted her gaze, her eyes drifting toward the vibrant flowers, their petals catching the soft light that filtered through the window.

 

–Congratulations, Ize. You’re an adult now.

–We’re glad you’re here with us.

 

A certainty settled firmly in her heart. It was a truth she could now embrace — she didn’t have to be perfect. She didn’t have to pretend to be anything other than who she was. Her strengths and her weaknesses would be accepted by those who cared for her. She could grow into adulthood as she was — no masks, no pretenses.

Turning back to face them, she met their expectant gazes, each one filled with a quiet, reassuring confidence. And with a steady, quiet resolve, Ize gave a firm nod.