novelraw Chapter 357: Childhood Friends - Liberation
Chapter 357: Childhood Friends - Liberation
356-1. Childhood Friends - Liberation
“G-GAME OVER! The winner is Rev Bizaine!”
Rera Ainar gazed blankly at her opponent, who had pinned her down.
The startled shouts of hundreds of spectators echoed around her. She lay on the hard floor, her back feeling the solid surface. She had no idea when she had fallen. Everything had happened the moment the whistle blew.
She thought she had briefly lost track of her opponent’s position. But that was it.
Yet somehow… she had lost.
Her mind was in a daze.
Only then did Rera Ainar take a closer look at her opponent. The young man had one foot on her shoulder and a sword pointed at her neck. He looked young.
A warrior from the Orun Kingdom, was it? She had thought to be cautious of his low stance since he was short, but…
“Ugh.”It was only now that the pain began to surge through her body.
Her wrist, which had been mercilessly pinned down, throbbed with pain, as did her shoulder, which had been slammed into the ground. Oddly enough, the foot that had stomped on her shoulder didn’t bother her at all.
“...”
Was he savoring the thrill of victory?
The young man, who had been briefly locking eyes with her while looking down, finally removed his foot. He reached out his hand, offering to help her up.
Instinctively, she grabbed his hand.
She hadn’t wanted to take it out of pride, but his gesture reminded her of the times Ray had reached out his hand to her after a duel. Her body had moved on its own—what a mistake.
As she dusted herself off and stood up, the crowd’s cheers grew even louder.
Rera gave a polite bow to the victor, who bowed back, then turned and descended the arena steps.
Step by step, as she made her way down, the reality of her defeat finally hit her.
But how?
It wasn’t arrogance or overconfidence.
The difference in physical prowess was significant, and she had the blessing of mana. Even Uncle Noel had praised her skills, saying she was more than ready to become a knight.
This tournament, where the prize was a chance to join the knightly order, wasn’t supposed to have anyone strong enough to defeat her.
By all logical reasoning, it was a competition she shouldn’t have lost.
“Boo~! Acting all high and mighty, and then you lose like that?”
“You thought you’d win the whole thing when you couldn’t even block a single strike? How did she even get a seed ranking?”
As she stepped off the stage and into the passage leading to the waiting area, jeering remarks from the nearby crowd reached her ears.
Rera considered snapping back at them but eventually lowered her head.
The softness of the victor's palm, which she had felt when they clasped hands, was too vivid in her mind. She couldn’t help but feel humiliated, even at her own thoughts.
The Maunin-Reti Tournament opens its doors to spectators starting from the round of 16.
In other words, Rera had just been eliminated on the first day the matches were made public.
She had stood out during the preliminary rounds and had earned the B-1 seed, advancing directly to the round of 16. Together with Ray, she was hailed as one of the dark horses who would stir up the competition.
To the spectators, she must have seemed adorable—a daughter of a great warrior from the Ainar tribe, standing amongst the battle-hardened warriors in the tournament.
On top of that, she had boasted that she would meet her boyfriend, who had earned the C-1 seed, in the finals and claim victory. It was no wonder she had captured the attention of the crowd, as she confidently declared her dream of winning while being an unusually pretty warrior from a native tribe.
But the reality was that she and her boyfriend, who were seeded in separate groups, could never meet in the finals.
At most, they could face each other in the semi-finals.
The citizens of Barnaul had laughed so hard their sides hurt. They flocked to see that charming young lady.
How embarrassing!
As Rera walked through the passage, she went beyond self-pity and into full-blown mortification.
This is humiliating. I’m going to die of shame!
Alone in the dim corridor, she stomped and jumped around like a child throwing a tantrum.
She eventually slumped into a corner, covering her flushed face.
Her face was so red she looked like a ripe persimmon.
Just then—step, step—
As if fate were mocking her, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the corridor.
Rera glanced up, cursing her strong nerves for not letting her faint from sheer embarrassment. She looked toward the person approaching.
Thankfully, it was Ray. Come to think of it, his match was right after hers.
“R-Ray… I…”
“It’s fine. Anyone can lose…”
“I’M SO EMBARRASSED I COULD DIE!!”
Rera clutched her face, letting out a pitiful wail.
She collapsed into his arms, blaming herself for being so conceited, then begged for revenge.
“Ray, you have to win this matChapter Win and climb up, then crush that skinny fish of a guy for me. If you don’t, I’ll be too ashamed to live!”
“Uh… yeah. I’ll do my best.”
“You have to! You have to, okay?!”
…But her wish would not be granted.
Despite her desperate pleas, begging him to win no matter what, Ray also lost to that same warrior.
No way!! This is ridiculous!
But at least Rera’s honor was somewhat restored, as Ray and Rev Bizaine put on a jaw-dropping performance in the semi-finals.
Each clash shook the arena with a thunderous roar. Their swift and precise movements left even ordinary spectators in awe.
With the intensity of their battle, one would expect their swords to break and the pace to slow, but the two warriors pushed each other to the brink, not letting up for even a second.
With a match like that, Rera’s defeat no longer seemed like an upset.
...Damn it.
Then, in the finals, the "skinny fish" won again, demonstrating overwhelming skill and taking home the championship.
What had once been mockery for Rera's loss was now retold as part of a legend in the making.
Damn it. I became part of someone else’s legend!
Contestants who failed to reach the semi-finals could still participate in the consolation bracket.
Grumbling, Rera prepared for the consolation matches.
At first, she hadn’t planned to participate, too ashamed after Ray’s loss. But with Ray having reached the semi-finals, she realized that if she won the consolation bracket, she could stand as a knight alongside him.
It was embarrassing, but it was her dream, and it was right in front of her.
So, Rera stepped onto the stage of the consolation bracket.
“Go, Miss Ainar! You can do it!”
The citizens of Barnaul, now far more supportive, cheered her on.
She put on quite a show under the watchful eyes of the tournament champion, the king, and the people.
Rev watched with a faint smile and a hint of guilt.
Unlike earlier, Ray didn’t forfeit this time. He had fought his way to the semi-finals. But Rev knew that next time, Ray would have to compete in the consolation bracket too, so he mentally apologized in advance.
It was then that the king’s voice boomed.
“The outcome is decided. Champion, come forth.”
But Rev Bizaine didn’t obey the king’s summons.
He pretended not to hear.
Instead, he watched Rera as she faced off against her opponent, Kali Toluca.
She won.
“Kyahhh! Ray! I won!!”
Rera’s joyful scream echoed throughout the arena.
Overflowing with joy, she ran, leaping toward Ray with all her might.
Rev felt a lump in his throat.
That’s it, he thought.
This was the "proper ending"—the one where she hunted the Noguhwa, stopped the {War} event, and defeated Malhas before finally reaching her engagement scenario with Ray.
It had taken so much to reach this simple, happy moment.
Though he knew this ending would change once more, Rev took it all in with quiet reverence.
As he reflected on the many endings Rera Ainar had gone through, his eyes grew misty.
He wiped his eyes and turned to leave, but a royal guard approached him.
“Did you not hear the king’s call?”
A crisp, heavy voice.
A Critically Handsome Man, Yet Still a Mere Guard: Count Jacob Mordred
Count Jacob Mordred, a man so lethally handsome that it could be considered a crime, but still serving as a mere royal guard.
Like Sir Bart, it seemed that he too had failed to become a Swordmaster. Still, considering that his jawline had remained intact, perhaps it wasn’t a complete loss.
“...My apologies. The wind got in my eyes,” Rev muttered, turning his back on him with an excuse so obvious it was almost laughable.
Before him lay the grand hall, where the king sat on the throne, graciously forgiving the rude actions of the tournament’s champion. Prince Arnulf stood at the forefront, flanked by the royals of the Klaus dynasty, all adorned in formal attire and exuding nobility.
The descendants of King Maunin and Queen Reti, who had once been torn apart by civil war, had finally reclaimed their former glory.
Unfortunately, Pablo de Klaus, the former prince of the Aster Kingdom, was nowhere to be seen. But Rev had a rough idea of where he might be.
He had fallen in love with a common woman from Manubium.
Fate is fate, after all. Even for the Holy God, love might be just another chain of fate.
It was then that Rev's vision was suddenly obscured by a familiar message—a message he hadn't seen in so long that it almost felt nostalgic. It might even be the last message he would ever receive.
The message was something Minseo had once grumbled about, saying, “How could this even be possible?! How could it not exist?!”
[Achievement: King 6/6 - The "Inspire Morale" ability is granted to Leos. time(1y)]
An was included in the message.
Rev thought to himself that if Minseo ever found out about this, he’d probably breathe fire in sheer frustration.
He didn’t use the active skill. He left it untouched.
And so, amidst the noisy exclamations of spectators, the Maunin-Reti Tournament concluded in triumph.
“Let’s get married! We’re getting married!”
***
After the tournament, Rev took Lena and headed even further north.
Crossing a sea that was already frozen solid despite it only being autumn, they set foot on an island known as the "Ice Island." It was here that they settled down. By the time they arrived, Lena's belly had become noticeably round.
The chieftain of the Aviker tribe, who made their home on this island, warmly welcomed them.
“It’s my first time seeing a warrior bring a pregnant woman with him. Come, welcome. If you’ve come seeking endless trials, then you’ve arrived at your final destination.”
“Thank you. But I’m only staying until my wife gives birth.”
The island was infamous for the countless monsters that surged onto its shores on nights when the Blue Lotus Moon rose.
Rev had come to rack up his monster achievement counter. While spending the winter here, he achieved his goal.
***
By the following spring, Lena was nearing her due date. Two women from the Aviker tribe, Ran and Anne, both experienced in childbirth, volunteered to be her midwives.
At dawn, Lena’s labor began. As night fell, anxiety hung heavy in the air.
And then—
“It's a beautiful baby girl!”
For the first time in his life—in fact, across all of his lives—Rev held his daughter in his arms.
He could finally hold her.
“How did she come out so clean? There’s not a single wrinkle on her face!”
Awkwardly, Rev held his daughter, standing stiff as a board, unable to move.
He felt as if he would be sucked into her face. The soft movement of her tiny lips made his heart ache, and the feathery weight of her small body felt unbearably heavy.
This… This is my daughter.
“...What did I tell you? I said she’d be beautiful, didn’t I?”
Lena, utterly exhausted from the pain of childbirth, spoke with a pout. Even so, Rev couldn’t take his eyes off their daughter.
Their daughter’s name had been decided from the start—Noa—which, in the local language, meant "overcome."
And at that moment, Rev burst into tears.
Their second child, a son, would be named Soa, meaning "happiness." Together, these names marked the feeling of reclaiming a life once shackled by the Holy God’s whims.
Yes. This is my destiny.
Whether Lena had become a priestess of the Central Church or not, whether she had stayed or left, that boy from the mountain village of Demos would have ended up marrying his childhood friend.
Because Lena would have waited for him.
She would have accepted him with open arms.
Rev and Lena left before the sea thawed.
***
On their way back, they stopped to visit Lutetia, and when Lena became pregnant with happiness once again, they finally set foot in their hometown.
It had been exactly two years since they’d left. After traveling across the continent and circling back, they returned home carrying their daughter.
The villagers went wild with excitement. They insisted on holding a wedding right away, but Lena stubbornly delayed it until the following year.
She wanted to wait so Rev could see their second child, Soa, for himself.
And so, after finally cradling their newborn son, Rev prepared himself for the end.
At long last, their wedding ceremony was held.
“Thank you all for attending this holy marriage ceremony. Before us stand two young souls making the most important vow of their lives. These two lovely young people have known each other since childhood…”
Time had certainly passed.
Hans, who had once received starter funds and information on “The Rules of the Back Alleys,” was now a proud merchant. Meanwhile, thanks to the fall of Cardinal Mihael, Leslie had risen to the position of monastery head.
As Leslie delivered the wedding sermon, Rev turned to look behind him.
There, nestled among the villagers, stood his father—a man who had always kept his distance from others.
His mother was alive, too. She was whispering quietly to Aunt Hans, chatting away with ease.
These were the scenes he had fought so hard to reclaim.
Everything had returned to normal.
But knowing that what lay ahead would not be normal, Rev let out a sigh through his nose.
Holding Lena’s hand, he whispered to her.
“Lena. Thank you… for following me this time.”
“...”
“Next time, I’ll come to you. I’ll travel across the whole continent to find you. Every step I take, I’ll act as if I’m already by your side. Like you once teased me, I’ll be like a puppet on a string.”
“...”
“But I won’t feel ashamed. Not even a little. No matter how much you tease me or laugh at me, I’ll happily be a puppet if it means coming to find you. Lena… let’s meet again.”
“...Yeah! See you next time!”
The beautiful bride pulled her groom into a tight embrace.
She wept tears of joy on this happiest of days, and the ending had finally arrived.
But then—
Huh?
[Lena has gotten married. Congratulations!]
[Thank you for playing Raising Lena!]
For Rev, the message did not appear.
As the ending unfolded, his perspective floated up into the sky.
Suspended in midair, he saw only Minseo reflected in the orb of light.
Below, the church and peaceful village slowly faded from view.
At the very center of it all, Rev stood with Lena in his arms.
Looking up, he gazed at the sky with confusion. But suddenly—
Ha… hahaha… HAHAHAHAHA!!
He laughed.
Bright, radiant laughter.
He lifted Lena’s face, cupped her cheeks, and kissed her.
As the choir's hymn of blessing echoed through the air, the peaceful village and church grew distant.