Chapter 72: Lies Don’t Hurt, the Truth Is the Sharp Knife
Lisa clenched her fists. Her whole body trembled like a kite with a broken string. The shadow of death still lingered in her mind.
She raised her head blankly and met Anna’s frowning gaze.
“Lisa, don’t tell me you think staying silent will let you avoid responsibility. If I remember correctly, before we set out, I asked you how things were. And you confidently told me everything was fine. But because you hid the truth, we almost all died. Lisa, I’m not blaming you on purpose. But this time, you really disappointed me.”
“I… I…”
Lisa grabbed the hem of her dress tightly, leaving red marks on her skin. Tears flowed out of her eyes.
“It’s my fault. All of it is my fault. Is that enough…?”
Anna frowned. “Is that how you reflect on your mistakes? I’m not asking you to cry here for no reason.”
“Then what do you want me to do?!”
Lisa suddenly stood up.
“I drew plans for you, and I even… secretly took magic scrolls from my family. If it weren’t for those scrolls, you would’ve died just now!”
“Not necessarily. Don’t speak so absolutely.”
Anna clenched her fist angrily and punched a tree.
“You’re a mage, holding scrolls, and you still got pushed into that situation by a Red Tiger. I saw it, you were scared out of your mind. If I hadn’t used magic to save you in time, I’d be thinking about where to bury you right now. And yet you say something like that to me? Lisa, if you really can’t handle this, then quit. If you think the Dawn Guild isn’t good enough for you and want to leave, I won’t stop you. You’re also from a noble family, you don’t need to suffer doing this kind of hard work every day.”
“Why…”
Lisa stood there in a daze, slowly stepping back.
“Why can you say something like that so easily?”
Anna took a deep breath and looked at Lisa, who was starting to act unstable.
“So, you still don’t want to quit, right?”
Lisa widened her eyes. Seeing Anna’s suddenly softer attitude, she wiped her tears.
“I don’t want to quit. We said we would always stay together. Look, our names are still written in the guild handbook.”
Lisa raised the guild handbook. At the corner of the page were several handwritten names.
Behind each name was a small drawing.
Even though the ink had faded, the content was still readable.
Behind Anna’s name was a shining crown. Behind Lisa’s was a magic hat, symbolizing the academy.
Stella’s was simple, a greatsword made for her by Peiya. And in the corner, there was a slightly faded name…
Lisa wiped it gently. It was the small words “Peiya.” Behind it was a carefully drawn potion bottle.
The others also opened their handbooks and saw the signed names.
Anna looked at the uneven handwriting on the page, her feelings becoming more complicated.
“He chose to leave on his own. Don’t bring him up again.”
“But…” Lisa struggled to stand up. “When Peiya was still with us, when were we ever this miserable?”
“So, you think driving him away was a mistake?” Anna widened her eyes. “Back then, the one who most wanted him gone was you, Lisa.”
Anna sat back down.
“Don’t think that just crying now will clear all your responsibility. We won’t pity you so easily.”
Anna took out several bottles of magic potions.
“I’m the leader. If you don’t accept my management, fine, I don’t care. Even if you think kicking Peiya out was a mistake, I’ve never denied it.”
“Not denying it doesn’t mean you’ve admitted it!” Lisa’s voice suddenly rose.
Anna bit her lip in anger.
“So what are you trying to say? Are you trying to pressure me using him? I may not be as good as him, but I’m a noble, and he was just a commoner, understand? Even if he worked his whole life, he would only be working for me. Why would I feel sympathy for him? He’s just a servant. I’m his employer. His status is nowhere near mine…”
“...I’m the noble, so why should a noble like me be judged by a commoner? Do you even know what status a duke has? Someone like him could never compare. And even if we ignore my noble status, in the Dawn team, I am the leader. He was just a member, a normal member. Why is he the center of everything, while I’m the one you all use to vent your anger? If I wasn’t being tolerant in this team, which of you would dare speak to a duke like this?”
Anna held back from mentioning the “stand-in.” That was a secret only between her and Peiya.
Once they defeated the Ice Bear King, her “white moonlight” would return. Then she would finally live together with the prince she had always dreamed of.
But for some reason, even after letting all that out, Anna didn’t feel any better.
She was about to meet the person she had been longing for day and night… yet her body couldn’t help but want to run away.
A strange feeling of resistance rose inside her.
Lisa held her staff, listening to Anna’s complaints. A strange smile slowly appeared on her lips.
She had always thought that if she pleased Anna, she could rise quickly.
But in the end, Anna’s mind was full of Peiya…
All those times she spoke so humbly, turns out, in Anna’s heart, she had no place at all.
Hehe~
From beginning to end, she was just the joke. Like vinegar prepared for a whole table of dumplings, only there to watch her embarrass herself.
Hahahahaha.
Interesting. Really interesting.
Lisa laughed coldly. Her whole mood suddenly changed, from gloomy to strangely excited.
She stood up and, under Anna’s shocked gaze, walked to her side and whispered into her ear.
“You actually care about him a lot, don’t you, Anna? The way you try so hard to prove yourself, it’s really embarrassing~ And Anna, aren’t you a noble? Then you should act above everyone else. Why get angry over someone like him? You can’t let it go, can you? Or is it that you really can’t let it go? You don’t actually think fighting the Ice Bear King is for our sake, right? After so many missions, there’s no way you don’t know how strong Stella and I really are.”
Lisa glanced at Stella, who remained silent.
“You want to defeat the Ice Bear King just to prove that without Peiya, Dawn Guild would be even better. The reason is simple, you care about him. That’s why you’re so stubborn, like a child throwing a tantrum, trying to prove you’re right.”
Anna suddenly lifted her head and saw Lisa’s smiling face.
“Well? Did I get it right? The one who really can’t live without him is you, isn’t it? Using your noble status to hide your true motive, it’s just a way to make yourself feel better. Anna, if I’m guilty, then you can’t escape either. And you’re his biggest hater, you were the one who personally drove him away. We’re all accomplices. You don’t actually expect him to forgive you, do you? But it’s fine. Even if we go to hell, we’ll go together. After all… we’re the Dawn Guild that never disbands~”
Lisa’s crooked smile widened, and she even started clapping.
“So? Is this what a ‘leader’ is supposed to be like? And Stella, do you really think you can pass your next swordsmanship test? Without Peiya, you’re nothing.”
After saying all that, Lisa sat by the fire and began warming herself.
“By the way, didn’t you want to defeat the Ice Bear King? I still have scrolls here, and Anna, you probably have some too. Let’s go fight it now, go on, let’s go fight the Ice Bear King you’ve been dreaming about. Let’s go fight the one that has thrown Dawn Guild into chaos. And Anna, you even have some royal blood, right? So you should at least have some hidden strength. When the time comes, we’ll use items, plus Stella’s ‘invincible bloodline,’ and take down the Ice Bear King. Don’t worry, it’ll definitely work. If we all go together, we’ll at least scrape off some magic as loot, right?”
“Lisa, calm down.” Anna looked at Lisa’s strange expression, pressing her left hand against her chest, speaking seriously. “You’re not unimportant to me. You matter to me too.”
“Really? Then I’m truly touched.”
Lisa wiped away a few forced tears.
“But Anna, you misunderstood me. I’m actually fine. It’s just…”
Her voice quickly became softer. Her whole body returned to that earlier tired state. The slight smile on her lips faded, and she looked up at Anna with difficulty.
“It’s only when I act crazy and foolish like this… that you’re willing to tell me the truth, right?”