**Chapter 107: Night Talk**
Night fell. The blood-red moon had already risen into the mid-air. The dim, flickering light and shadows of the distant magic lamps constantly twinkled. The night in Rogue Encampment always gave people an exceptionally peaceful feeling.
In a spot in the North District, beside Kashya's small tent, a small bonfire burned, occasionally making a "crackling" sound. Splashing sparks shot onto the roasted meat skewered on several javelins beside the bonfire, making a "sizzling" sound. On the golden-brown roasted skin, a layer of tempting ingredient was applied, and the fragrance emanating from it made people mouth-watering.
According to Kashya, she had a lot of fun today, so she specially invited me to eat roasted meat. Now it seemed it was indeed correct for me to come along. Kashya's roasted meat skills were the best I had ever seen; even Auntie Shari couldn't compare at all.
At this moment, the two of them sat silently beside the bonfire, both pairs of eyes staring intently at the roasted meat, shining brightly under the illumination of the flames. The pervasive fragrance made their stomachs occasionally rumble. How could they still care about talking? Even Kashya, who loved wine like her life, had temporarily forgotten the wine bottle in her hand and hadn't taken a sip for over ten minutes.
"Hoo..." I half-lay, leaning against the tree behind me, patted my round belly, and licked my lips, still wanting more. The lingering fragrance on them made me almost unable to resist taking another bite. This taste was simply excellent grade.
Kashya also drank the fine wine in big gulps with a satisfied expression. I really suspected if that wine bottle had been expanded by Fara using Space Magic; otherwise, how could it hold so much wine?
"Oh right, Lady Kashya, what level are you exactly?" I suddenly remembered what Kashya said during practice, that she was also an Amazon.
"Huh? Well, forget it," Kashya said, scratching her hair casually and yawning. "Anyway, there's no need to hide it from you."
"Let me reintroduce myself. I am Kashya, a Level 78 Amazon Warrior. Kid, please guide me more in the future."
Uh... please guide me more... guide... guide my ass!!
I looked dumbfounded at Kashya, who seemed completely unaware of her shocking statement. A Level 78 Amazon Warrior, what kind of concept was that? No wonder I felt like a child in front of her, beaten without any ability to fight back. Thinking this way, I immediately breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't that my strength had a problem, but that the enemy was too powerful!
No, this isn't the time to be thinking about this.
"Level 78, shouldn't... shouldn't you have already gone to the Third World? Ho-how... how...?" I stammered as I asked.
"Sigh, if you were the leader, you would definitely kill many people," Kashya sighed and said. "Don't you know that Rogue Encampment serves as the main fortress for all Humans? Therefore, for the training camp for novices, if there isn't an expert overseeing it, what would happen if a major accident occurred?"
I scratched my head in annoyance and said, still unconvinced, "You could teleport some experts back from Harrogath!"
"Do you think teleporting back to Rogue Encampment from such a distant place doesn't take time and manpower? By the time they return, the camp might already be finished."
Right, so long-distance teleportation takes a lot of time. I've learned something new again.
"Lady Kashya has stayed in Rogue Encampment for so long. Have you been hiding it from others all this time?"
"That's right."
Kashya poked the red coals in the bonfire with a stick, with a hint of loneliness in her eyes. "According to the rules, we are not allowed to act unless it's absolutely necessary," she said. "We can't let everyone develop a mentality of 'It's fine as long as Lady Kashya and the others are here' in their hearts."
"..."
A Level 78 Amazon expert, yet she had to silently hide herself in Rogue Encampment, possessing strength but not allowed to use it, and live an ordinary life like this? I didn't understand what Kashya was thinking at this moment. But if it were me, I would be very sorrowful.
Seeing my silent appearance, Kashya suddenly smiled faintly. "What? Do you think it's very pitiful?" Without waiting for my answer, she continued.
"As for me, I am more greedy and ruthless than other Class Changers. While they yearn for strength and fight desperately for the entire Sanctuary, I, however, hope to drink more wine and live a more peaceful life. Therefore, when I finally returned to Rogue Encampment to be a manager, my mood wasn't actually that bad. Abandoning the sweat and goals I had strived for decades, although I was very unwilling, I could live the ordinary life I hoped for. I myself couldn't describe the feeling anymore."
"I think the job of defending Rogue Encampment is not as unbearable as Lady Kashya said. As an expert, to be able to put down all of one's skills and resolutely return to Rogue Encampment, how many people can do that?"
"Kid, you're quite good at comforting people."
Kashya had a faint, bitter smile on her face. "I should be content," she said. "Many things in this world cannot be chosen. If they could choose, no one would want to fight Hell. I was able to choose for myself and also achieve a part of my goals. I am already very lucky..."
"However, I didn't expect Lady Kashya to be a Level 78 Class Changer. Speaking of which, Sister Sharna is really pitiful. She must have troubled you before." Sigh, when did the topic become so heavy? Let's quickly change it.
"Haha, you mean that little girl Sharna!" As expected, when Sharna was mentioned, Kashya immediately beamed with joy. The gloomy expression on her face instantly turned into a big smile, and a hint of doting flashed in her eyes, which were full of smiles.
"That little girl is indeed very interesting," Kashya said haltingly, holding back her laughter. "She usually looks smart and clever, but she often has moments of being foolish, haha..."
"I remember it was early last year. At that time, I saw that her strength was almost sufficient, so I let her go kill Blood Raven alone. It was those words I told you before, do you remember?"
I nodded, but in my heart, I fiercely gave Kashya the middle finger. That Annual Warrior Best Medal, only a fool would believe that!
"I didn't expect this foolish girl to actually believe it," Kashya said vaguely, patting her head. "Not long after, she foolishly ran to the Burial Grounds and killed Blood Raven. The funniest thing is, haha... after getting that thing, what was it called again?"
"Annual Warrior Best Badge," I reminded her with a face full of exasperation.
"Right, it's the Annual Warrior Best Medal," Kashya said. "After she got it, she actually hung it on her chest. And when buying things, she righteously demanded a discount from the stall owner, haha... it killed me."
After laughing for a while, Kashya's words were not finished. "With the title of Witch that that foolish girl earned in Rogue Encampment, how would those stall owners dare to say no, haha... As a result, she held that broken medal for quite a while and extorted those poor merchants for several months before discovering the fact, haha..."
It's all your fault.
I also finally understood why Older Sister was so exasperated and went to trouble Kashya at that time. Let alone her, who has a strong personality, even if I encountered such a thing, I probably couldn't help but want to "spar" with Kashya. What a demon! I made up my mind that in the future, besides training, I would try my best to keep my distance from her, lest I accidentally fall into her trap sometime.
"However, I think Sharna is quite suitable for you," Kashya said to me with a serious expression after laughing for a while, suddenly changing the topic. "Are you really not going to consider it?"
"Cough cough... Huh?? Lady Kashya, what are you talking about! Sister Sharna and I are just older sister and younger brother." Kashya's jumping thoughts almost made me bite off my tongue, and I quickly said.
"Is that so? Even if that's the case, what about Lin Ya? She's also quite good. Her talent is extremely high, and she's a direct heir of the Edward Family. I don't understand why you would choose an ordinary little girl. Although she is indeed very cute and has a lot of charm that attracts men, but Sharna and Lin Ya don't seem to be any worse than her, right?" Kashya tilted her head and looked at me with a puzzled expression.
What is she even talking about? What do you mean "even if that's the case"? I'm not that kind of person, okay? And why did the topic suddenly shift to feelings? Could it be that Kashya also finally couldn't resist the erosion of time and turned into one of those gossiping Middle-aged Obasans?
"Why do you know all this?" I suddenly discovered the most surprising element.
"Hmph. That little girl named Sha La, you openly brought her from home to the training camp. And your relationship with Sharna is also known to everyone. As for that little girl from the Edward Family, please, when you are spending time together, could you please find a place with fewer people?"
"Haha... This is a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding. I don't have any thoughts about Sister Sharna and Lin Ya." I straightened my face and said with a righteous and stern expression.
This time, it was Kashya's turn to give me a disdainful look. "Alright, even if that's the case," she said. "Then, do you really want to spend your life with that little girl named Sha La?"
"What, is that not allowed?" I asked, scratching my head. Does Sha La have some problem?
"It's not that it's not allowed, it's just, Wu, are you serious?" Kashya said to me with a seriousness she had never shown before. "You should know, with that little girl's level, becoming a mercenary is already her limit. As for you, honestly, I have never seen such a strange Class Changer like you. But there is one thing I can assert: if you can grow in the future, you will definitely not be inferior to Tal Rasha by much." This was the first time she called me by my name and the first time she praised me like this, which made me feel a bit uncomfortable.
"So, let me tell you the truth," Kashya continued. "With your aptitude, if that little girl follows you, she will only hold you back. Perhaps, what you need should be a more realistic love."
"Perhaps that's the case," I said as soon as Kashya's words fell. Imitating Kashya, I picked up a twig and slowly poked the charcoal in the bonfire.
"But what does that matter?" I continued. "Why should I mind being held back? Is that important? To be honest, I don't have any epiphany about saving Sanctuary. Lady Kashya's meaning, I'm afraid, isn't about holding me back, but rather valuing my potential and thinking she is holding Sanctuary back."
I replied calmly, ruthlessly stripping bare the meaning behind Kashya's words. I hated her statement. Although I knew she wasn't being snobbish but was thinking for the entire Sanctuary, I just didn't like this tone. Why did it have to be like I must sacrifice something for Sanctuary? Haven't I already paid enough?
"Heh heh, are you angry? You're not stupid, kid." Kashya wasn't embarrassed by being exposed, still maintaining that casual appearance.
"Perhaps. Maybe you don't like hearing this, but when I embarked on the Path of Training, it was actually more just to protect her and my friends. I didn't have the ambition to become a Savior. I am a very selfish person. Compared to a distant dream like saving Sanctuary, I would rather let myself and her live a happy life, that's all." Since the words have been spoken openly, then I have nothing to hold back. If you want to use the inexplicable reason of saving Sanctuary to make me sacrifice, you'd better give up that idea early.
"You are really honest," Kashya said. "However, perhaps this is also the thought of most Class Changers. If just because of a passionate phrase like saving Sanctuary, countless people would sacrifice their lives and shed blood, this situation would actually be more worrying. Compared to passionate and reckless Justice heroes, I would rather have more selfish and calm Strongest Experts." Being able to say such surprising words was indeed like her style.
"However. It's truly incredible," Kashya said. "You and that little girl Sha La have only known each other for a short time, right? And haven't spent much time together, yet you are already in love to this extent?"
"Huh? I'm not very clear about that."
I hesitated for a moment. Actually, I don't quite understand my own feelings. In the beginning, perhaps it was just because she was Lars's daughter, so I wanted to protect her. Later, I thought she was very cute, like my own Younger Sister. Then there was the semi-forced engagement. This feeling also unknowingly began to change. Perhaps even now, my feelings for Sha La are still complicated: Love, Family Love, Friendship, affection, Sense of Responsibility...
Kashya didn't interrupt my contemplation. She was a very good listener. Although she liked to tease people, her heart was actually very warm. Moreover, her experience and insight were very mature. This is also probably why I trusted her and opened up to her.
"Haha, thinking about it this way, it really is quite complicated!" I shook my head, thinking of Sha La's angelic smile, her sweet expression when calling me Big Brother, and how she was always the first to greet me when I returned...
"Perhaps this feeling is very complicated, but in my opinion, human feelings are inherently very wonderful things. When two people are together, it doesn't necessarily have to be pure love. As long as they can be happy together, that's enough. I only know that when I am with her, my heart is very peaceful and warm, and I can almost forget all my troubles. I want this, I want to stay like this, together for a lifetime, that's all."
After speaking, I raised my head, only to see Kashya sitting there blankly, holding the fire-poking stick like she was sleepwalking and gesturing mechanically.
"What's wrong? Is there a problem with what I said?" After a long time, I finally couldn't help but ask.
"Ah, no, of course there's no problem," Kashya said as if she had suddenly been startled awake.
"It's just that I didn't expect you, kid, to be able to say such mature words," Kashya continued. "Perhaps you are right. In fact, for many things, just fully enjoy the result. You don't necessarily have to pursue 'why'. We Old Monsters who have lived longer are instead less able to see through things and think about some useless messy things, heh heh..."
"Not at all," I replied. "It's just because I am a person with a relatively simple brain. It's not that I don't want to, but that I can't."
"You are indeed a simple person," Kashya said. "Honestly, it even makes me a little envious. Since you've said that, I won't force you anymore. However, I still hope you can give Sharna a chance. She is really a good kid, you know? The story just now actually has an ending. When she finally discovered that the badge was completely useless, she stubbornly returned all the money to those stall owners. In fact, it was only a 5% discount, so for those stall owners, there was no loss to speak of. This is also why, although she has a bad temper, the people in the entire Rogue Encampment still respect her so much. It's not just because she is strong! And over the years, you are the only one who has been able to truly approach her. I originally thought you two... sigh, I didn't expect..."
Seeing Kashya constantly speaking up for Sister Sharna, besides being interested, I was more curious. Why was Kashya so enthusiastic about being a matchmaker? Looking at her appearance, she was clearly very concerned about Sharna. What exactly was the relationship between the two of them? Could it be?!
However, I then denied my own idea. Although both of them were Amazons, it was just that their classes were the same. Kashya was clearly not an Amazon person, and the two of them didn't look alike.
"Lady Kashya. Could you tell me about Sister Sharna's past? I really want to know."
I didn't know much about Sister Sharna's past. I had only occasionally heard a few sentences about it in the tavern. Who would dare to openly discuss the Witch's past in public? Even Lars and the others I could ask privately weren't very clear.
"Sharna's past?" Kashya said. "Well, where should I start?" My words made Kashya lose herself in thought for a while, and a hint of sorrow flashed in her eyes.
"Speaking of which, she is also a very pitiful child," Kashya continued. "You've probably also heard some rumors. For example, that she is the offspring of an Amazon and an Elf, or something like that..."
I nodded, indicating for her to continue.
"This is actually not just a rumor," Kashya said. "I believe seeing Sharna's beauty that closely resembles the Elf Race, most people have this idea. And the fact is indeed so. Sharna's mother was an Amazon, but her father was an Elf. The story is a bit cliché - in the Amazon Tribe, there is a tribal rule: Unless they can become Adventurers and go out for trials, otherwise, no woman within the tribe can fall in love with a man. Because in the eyes of the Amazons, men are merely low-level animals used for enslavement and reproduction. Especially men of other races, they are even more taboo."
"However, Sharna's mother, being an ordinary Amazon woman, met, fell in love with, and had Sharna with an Elf man known for being mysterious and rare. The matter was exposed not long after. Those Stubborn Elders immediately issued a Wanted Warrant. As a result, this poor Couple couldn't escape. During the pursuit, Sharna's father disappeared, while her mother was captured and brought back. Fortunately, Sharna's grandmother, being one of the Amazon Elders, used her status to exchange for the safety of both mother and daughter."
Again, is it a conflict and transaction of power and interest? What a headache-inducing cliché plot.
"However, did Sharna's father really disappear?"
"Who knows?" Kashya sighed and continued. "The Warriors responsible for the pursuit and those Elders all spoke with one voice. The real truth is probably only known to them."
"After that, Sharna's grandmother and mother also passed away one after another. Sharna, less than four years old, had already become an orphan. Possessing the beauty of the Elf Race, she was an existence detested by her tribesmen. From then on, she always survived by picking up Leftovers thrown away by others, living a life more lonely and desolate than a beggar. Until two years later, her appearance, which gradually blossomed with the beauty of the Elf Race, finally aroused the dissatisfaction of those damned Elders. She was expelled from the tribe when she was six years old."
"The period of experience after being expelled from the village, only she herself knows. She has also never mentioned it to others, so I am not very clear. Until two years later, a Soldier reported to me that a 'Little Savage' had appeared near Rogue Encampment, often sneak attacking the herdsmen's livestock. They spent a lot of effort but couldn't catch this 'Savage'. After hearing this, I became interested on a whim and personally caught this 'Little Savage' and brought 'it' back. Now you should also know who 'it' is!"
I nodded gently. My heart felt like it was being cut by a knife. I didn't expect Older Sister's childhood to be so unfortunate.
"Honestly, when I first saw Sharna," Kashya said, gesturing with her hands, her tone filled with excitement and indignation she had never shown before. "I didn't know how to describe my feeling. She was only the size of an 8 or 9-year-old. Her entire body was covered in bloodstained scars. She was only wrapped in a tattered beast hide. The whole person was filthy. You couldn't even tell if it was a boy or a girl. However, her eyes, I can still see them vividly even now. Like a frozen ocean, her deep blue pupils were clearly so beautiful, yet completely lifeless, more gloomy and cold than a Demon. It's not that I haven't seen such eyes. It's just that I never expected their owner to be such a small child." After a good while, she took a deep breath and calmed down slightly, and continued.
"So, after I discovered she was a little girl at that time, I decided to raise her. And this information was only found out after I took a trip to her hometown. Her hometown is a full thousand miles away from here. I really don't know how this child managed to walk all the way to Rogue Encampment."
"Therefore, you should now also understand why Sharna would go on trials alone and be able to survive safely, right? Although she has a reclusive and strong personality, she is actually not as strong as you see her. So, kid, do you know what to do from now on?"
So Kashya and Sister Sharna had such a teacher-like and mother-like relationship. I also didn't expect Kashya to travel thousands of miles to inquire about information for Sister Sharna. No wonder Sister Sharna would believe Kashya's lies without hesitation, the kind that even a fool could hear.
"Lady Kashya, don't talk as if you are entrusting a legacy," I said, winking at Kashya and speaking with full confidence. "You can rest assured, I am quite protective." Having finally found an Older Sister in this Other World, how could I let her be sad?
"That's good. Since you have already chosen someone else, I can't do anything about it," Kashya chuckled. "But don't blame me for not reminding you, don't be casually merciful. If that girl really accidentally falls in love with you, maybe a very exciting scene of wedding crashing will be staged when you get married!" She was probably already imagining the chaotic scene in her mind. This Middle-aged Obasan who fears the world won't be chaotic enough!!
However, given Sister Sharna's personality, this possibility seems quite high. Sigh, it seems it's better to be careful.
"Also, let me tell you," this boring Middle-aged Woman seemed still not satisfied, she leaned her head over and whispered softly in my ear, "on that little girl Sharna's [Censored] part, there is a small scar left from childhood, it's very cute."
"Don't worry, I will definitely not let you see that day, La-dy Ka-shya!" I said loudly, my face flushed red. "As for you, hurry up and find someone to get married too, you're already..."
Before I finished speaking, I heard a "snap" sound, as if something had been pulled apart. By the time I reacted, Kashya, who had just been smiling, had completely turned dark and was staring fiercely at me.
"Oh, kid, you've got some guts," Kashya said. "It seems your energy is still very abundant. Very good, I will make you Burn Out tomorrow."