Chapter 83: The Sin Committed in a Dream - 2

"To use Soul Devouring, you need to get used to Soul Seizure."

"How do I get used to it?"

"You’ll understand once you fiddle with souls a little."

Aurora’s explanation was rather vague.

Because of that, learning Soul Devouring proved fairly difficult.

‘I think I’m starting to get the hang of it.’

Thanks to gaining an aptitude for demonic magic through Echidna’s blessing, I was enough of a genius when it came to dark magic.

I was able to master Soul Devouring far more quickly than someone like me had any right to.

"Try devouring this lizard’s soul."

"Why does it have to be a lizard?"

"Witches usually practice curses on lizards."

"Then isn’t that cannibalism?"

"Want to die?"

"It was a joke. A joke."

There were a few missteps along the way, but I eventually became able to wield Soul Devouring.

[Class: Mage (Lv. 5) acquired.]

‘Having a teacher really does make leveling faster.’

My stagnant Mage level rose along with it.

With this, my mana had surpassed 10.

‘It’s frustrating how little it goes up at a time.’

I glanced at Aurora.

Her highest stat was mana, and it had surpassed 100—the benchmark for a Hero.

If I were to share a Mark of Love with her, my mana would reach superhuman levels in a single stroke.

‘That damn unicorn keeps me from doing anything.’

The higher my mana became, the more things I could do.

In particular, if I absorbed the village chief’s soul, the potential for managing the village would become enormous.

‘You can’t underestimate Farmer Level 20.’

Each class leveled at a different speed.

Farmer, in particular, advanced more slowly than any other class.

That was because it was determined by the amount harvested each year.

‘It’s about time I showed that rich bastard hell...’

But there were still things I needed to prepare first.

"Did you make the medicine I asked for?"

"You ask for too much. Do I have to make medicine while teaching you, too?"

"Didn’t you say you’d do as I told you?"

"Complaining is my right."

"Isn’t that just you acting cute?"

At my smirk, Aurora stuck out her lips in a pout. She looked incredibly cute.

"Here."

"Thanks."

"You’ll need to give it to him with alcohol for it to take effect."

"Don’t worry about that. I have someone else who’ll make him take it."

"That sounds fun. Can I watch?"

"Since when did you ever ask permission before watching? If you want to watch, then watch."

I was about to leave the witch’s house with the medicine when Aurora spoke up.

"Bring me a gift next time you come."

"Huh?"

It was absurd, but I nodded for the time being.

If I said no, Aurora would obviously sulk again.

‘What would Aurora like?’

Thinking over a gift for Aurora, I headed to my in-laws’ house.

‘I wonder if everyone’s doing okay?’

I had stepped out to give the family some time alone together.

But...

[Isabelle]

[Adelia]

[Kate]

Ironically, Isolde—the most important person—was not at my in-laws’ house.

‘Where the hell did that bitch go now?’

I wondered whether she had gone to see John, but Isolde was not there either.

In the end, I had no choice but to ask my wife.

"Isabelle, where did Isolde go?"

"Well..."

At my question, Isabelle fidgeted with her fingers awkwardly before carefully answering.

"She’s still at the cabin by the lake."

"What? Why?"

"What happened was..."

Isabelle explained what had happened.

In short, Isabelle had told everyone about the regression, and Isolde, shocked by the story, had shut herself in the cabin.

"Sigh... I see. So that’s what happened."

"I’m sorry. I brought it up carelessly, and this happened."

"No. It was something that had to be said eventually. If anything, I’m glad it wasn’t too late."

I held Isabelle by the shoulders and spoke in a way that would reassure her as much as possible.

"I’ll go see her, so don’t worry."

"I keep causing you trouble every time."

"It’s fine. This is your wish, isn’t it?"

"Please take care of my sister."

"Yes. Trust me and wait here."

"And..."

Isabelle moved her lips hesitantly before leaning close to whisper in my ear.

"Please don’t hate my sister too much."

"I don’t hate her. I simply can’t forgive anyone who threatens you, Isabelle."

"Then please accept my sister’s feelings, too. She must be suffering terribly."

"That..."

"I’m begging you."

"I suppose I have no choice. It’s the request of my beloved wife, so I should grant it."

"Thank you. And I love you."

Isabelle grabbed me around the neck and kissed me just like that.

. . .

Reina was standing in front of the cabin.

It seemed she had been waiting there in case anything happened.

"Hello, Brother Ian~"

"Reina, sorry for making you go through this."

"It’s okay. I’m doing it because I want to."

Reina approached me as she spoke.

"It’s a nun’s duty to guide lost little lambs."

"I thought you hated Isolde."

"I do. But that doesn’t mean I can turn my back on her."

Reina smiled with her eyes.

She looked so holy and saintly, unlike her usual behavior, that I could not help but admire her.

"And after all the trouble I’ve gone through, you’ll hold me, won’t you?"

"Yeah, I’ll give you as much as you want later."

"Hehe, that’s a promise."

"Yeah. Look forward to it."

"Then I’ll head down first."

"It’s gotten so late. Will you be all right going alone?"

"Oh my, are you worried about me right now? I may not look it, but I’m stronger than you."

"I know. But you’re my woman."

"Hehehe, I really love that about you."

Apparently happy with my answer, Reina beamed.

"Still, for now, please worry about the lost lamb more than me."

Leaving those words behind, Reina vanished in an instant through holy power.

Her holy power had become even stronger than before, which was nothing short of astonishing.

‘She’s only been having sex, so why is she getting stronger?’

It was the kind of setting common in erotic novels, but the fact that it was a heroine ability was ridiculous.

"Well, that’s Reina for you."

Leaving Reina behind, now out of sight, I headed straight for the cabin.

And the woman who greeted me the moment I opened the door...

"I’m truly sorry!"

Was Isolde, naked and prostrating herself before me.

‘Sigh... I knew this would happen.’

. . .

If you did something wrong, you had to be punished.

It was only natural, but Isolde was not accustomed to being punished.

No one had ever thought to punish someone as beautiful as her.

Yet Isolde wanted to punish herself.

Even if it was not a sin that the current her had committed.

‘Thank you so much... and I’m sorry.’

To Ian, she was an enemy deserving of death.

She had repaid his love with betrayal and even become pregnant with another man’s child.

It would not have been strange for him to tear her apart and kill her, yet Ian had willingly sacrificed himself for her.

He had even indulged her childish pleas and kissed her.

It must have disgusted him, but he had not shown it.

Instead, he had stayed with her to the very end, until she could receive her family’s love.

‘Compared to him, I...’

She had merely acted spoiled, wishing for Ian to do everything for her.

When she thought of the pain he must have felt, she regretted the days she had spent committing such sins.

No, she had to atone now, before it was too late.

"Isolde."

At Ian’s call, Isolde raised her upper body.

Her expression was filled with resolute determination.

If Ian intended to rape her, she would accept it. If he intended to kill her, she was willing to die.

She had been certain of that.

But then...

"It’s cold out. What are you doing right now?"

"Ian...?"

Ian took off his outer garment and draped it over Isolde.

"There’s a lot I want to say, but let’s go inside first."

"...Okay."

Ian’s consideration only made Isolde feel as though she were sitting on a bed of thorns.

She would have felt more at ease if he had simply slapped her across the cheek.

"I-Ian."

"What is it?"

Seeing Ian treat her comfortably, unlike before, Isolde gathered her courage and spoke.

"I... I want to apologize to you."

"No."

"Huh?"

"Don’t apologize. Even if you do, I won’t accept it."

Drip.

At his firm words, Isolde finally shed the tears she had been holding back.

"Sob, sob... So I really can’t be forgiven, can I? I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry. I’m sorry I’m alive."

"Sigh... That’s not what I meant."

At Isolde’s reaction, Ian met her eyes and spoke.

"Isolde, are you the kind of woman who would abandon her family?"

"No. No matter what happens, I would never abandon them."

"Then are you the kind of woman who would betray her husband?"

"No. I would never commit adultery, and I would never get pregnant with another man’s child."

"Then why are you apologizing?"

"Huh?"

"I said, why are you apologizing?"

"Because you were hurt because of me, Ian."

"The you from then and the you now aren’t the same person."

"We’re not the same person?"

"That’s right, you’re different. So don’t apologize. You don’t need to feel guilty for someone else’s wrongdoing."

"Don’t you resent me, Ian?"

"Not particularly. I’m not such a small-minded man that I’d take my anger out on another woman."

"But you suffered because of me."

"I did suffer. I loved her enough that I never let her so much as get a drop of water on her hands, but she showed another man a side of herself she had never once shown me, as though it were nothing. It was a complicated feeling. When I found out my daughter wasn’t my biological daughter, it felt as though I’d been hit in the head with a hammer. And when she committed adultery but blamed me for it, all I could do was laugh bitterly."

The longer Ian spoke, the more it felt as though Isolde’s heart were being torn apart.

She knew he had suffered, but hearing him explain it himself felt completely different.

"Well, it’s true that I suffered terribly. But thanks to that, I met Isabelle."

With a relieved expression, Ian revealed his true feelings.

"So I don’t resent my ex-wife now. I’d rather spend that time loving Isabelle."

"...Really?"

"Yeah, so don’t feel guilty for no reason, Isolde. The you that exists now has done nothing wrong."

"Sniff... I see."

At Ian’s answer, tears rolled down Isolde’s cheeks again.

His words telling her she no longer needed to feel guilty allowed her to set down the weight on her shoulders.

But...

"Ian."

"Yeah?"

"If you truly don’t resent me..."

Taking Ian’s hand, Isolde asked as though pleading.

"Could you love me too?"

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