ISEKAI? More like I See Crap!
Chapter 314: Ghosts of the Past ( 314 )

Chapter 314: Ghosts of the Past ( 314 )

Far ahead, just out of earshot from Hazuki and Ellyn, Syaria tightened her grip slightly around Ridan’s misty form as they floated behind a low ridge.

"...Ridan?" she asked, her voice quieter now, no longer teasing.

"Ugh... what is it now?" he muttered, still averting his gaze.

"Why did you disappear back then? After we became a couple? After everything... why did you just vanish?"

Ridan’s cloudy form stiffened slightly. "...I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"You’re lying," Syaria snapped, her voice rising. "You had another woman, didn’t you!?"

"What!? No!" Ridan spun toward her, clearly caught off guard. "Don’t be stupid."

"I searched for fifty years! I gave up everything!" she trembled, the edges of her spirit flickering. "We were nearly engaged, Ridan! You promised! So what happened!? Why didn’t you come back!?"

"I told you, you don’t need to—!"

"I do need to know!" she shouted, her spirit aura spiking. "I suffered! I waited! And all this time, I thought you left me!"

"...I didn’t leave you," Ridan muttered.

Syaria blinked. "Then why!?"

"...Because I was sealed," he finally said, his voice low. "That’s why."

"Sealed...?" her voice faltered. "No one back then could’ve sealed you. Not even the demon generals."

Ridan looked away. "...Someone did."

"Who?" she pressed. "Who could’ve possibly—"

"...It doesn’t matter."

"It does to me!" she shouted. "You think I turned myself into a spirit for nothing!? I bound myself to this world just to find you, Ridan! And now you won’t even tell me the truth!?"

A long silence followed.

Ridan, for once, looked tired.

Still floating. Still cloudy. But tired.

"...You won’t believe it, even if I tell you."

"Try me."

He exhaled slowly, closing his eyes.

"...I was sealed... by someone from our own party."

Syaria’s eyes widened.

"You mean... one of the summoned heroes?"

"...Yeah."

Ridan narrowed his eyes, his voice low. "Don’t you dare tell them about this, Syaria."

Syaria blinked, confused. "Why?"

"Just don’t." Ridan’s tone turned sharp, but pained. "I was betrayed... by the hero. The same one we used to fight beside. Remember Kenjirou?"

Syaria’s expression darkened. "The sword hero. The one obsessed with leveling up, power... and nothing else."

"He’s the one who killed me," Ridan said, eyes distant. "And sealed my spirit. Burned all my research. Every spell tome I spent my life developing. Gone."

Syaria’s eyes widened in shock. "What!? Seriously!?"

Ridan nodded slowly. "I still don’t know what he was thinking. Maybe it started back when we were supposed to save that village, the one being attacked by the Rogon."

Syaria’s voice softened. "The giant flame-titan... with one eye?"

"Yeah. That one." Ridan clenched his jaw. "That day, Kenjirou wanted me to cast my strongest AOE spell to weaken it."

Syaria’s eyes narrowed. "But the villagers were still there. You refused."

Ridan’s fists tightened. "Right. I told him the blast radius would kill everyone. I wouldn’t risk it."

"I remember," Syaria said bitterly. "And then he asked me to bless him instead, to buff his attack."

Ridan nodded. "He didn’t wait for your reply. He just launched a massive spell on his own. Took out the Rogon... and everything else. The whole village burned."

Syaria’s voice trembled. "He blamed you, didn’t he?"

"He did. Said I failed the mission. Said I got in his way," Ridan muttered. "Then... not long after, he ambushed me. Said I was too dangerous to leave alive."

He looked up at the sky, his voice quieter now.

"At that time... you weren’t there," Ridan said quietly. "I don’t know what he told you, or what mission they claimed you had."

His voice lowered, almost bitter.

"They said they needed my help. Said I was the best wizard they had. They told me there was a cursed cave, dangerous, and filled with monsters, and they needed me to blast it open so they could clear it."

Syaria remained silent, eyes wide as she listened.

"Kenjirou, after what he did to that village, he claimed he was too afraid to attack again. Too shaken by the deaths his own magic caused. Said only I could handle it."

Ridan clenched his floating hands, gaze distant.

"I trusted them. I believed them."

He looked at her, eyes tired and ancient.

"I followed them into the cave."

He paused, voice growing colder.

"They said the same kind of monster, the Rogon was inside. Kenjirou said his attacks wouldn’t work this time, and asked me to cast my strongest spell."

Syaria covered her mouth, sensing what was coming.

"And just as I was preparing the chant," Ridan said darkly, "the assassin from our own party stabbed me. Poisoned the blade. I felt my body weaken immediately."

His fists trembled.

"Then that bastard, Kenjirou, struck me down. Slashed me across the back while I was kneeling."

He looked up at the darkening sky.

"I don’t even know what kind of sealing spell he used. Something ancient. Something forbidden. He must’ve found it in one of the ruins... or worse, stolen it."

Ridan’s voice fell into a low, bitter whisper.

"But I remember his words. Every. Damn. Word."

He clenched his jaw.

’You’re a disgrace. A threat to our mission. To our goal of defeating the Demon King.’

"He said I was too powerful. Too unpredictable. That I might ’get in the way’ again."

Syaria’s hands tightened over her chest, her entire body trembling.

"You weren’t the threat, Ridan..." she said softly.

"...They were."

Syaria’s hands tightened over her chest, her entire body trembling.

"Ridan... I didn’t know..."

"It’s in the past," Ridan muttered, glancing away. "Doesn’t matter anymore."

"But... I do care," she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. "They lied about you. They said you left the party... because you found another woman." Her voice cracked as the tears spilled. "I... I hated you. I cursed you. And all this time...."

"Oi," Ridan cut in, side-glancing at her with a frown. "Enough of that."

"I’m sorry... I’m so sorry, Ridan..." Syaria sobbed, reaching for him.

"Yeah yeah... whatever. And stop crying already, it’s annoying." He huffed, floating away just a little. "You’re still the same crybaby from back then."

"I... I just..."

"I said that’s enough." Ridan’s voice sharpened. "I don’t want that idiot human or that bratty girl, who’s been lying to him about being a kid when she’s already a full-grown adult hearing this and ruining their own drama."

Syaria blinked at him through her tears.

"I thought you abandoned me," she murmured. "I waited so long... and all I ever wanted was the truth."

Ridan stayed quiet for a beat.

Then, without turning around, he muttered, "...We’ve met again, haven’t we? Isn’t that enough?"

Syaria sniffled and nodded slowly. "Mm... okay."

Syaria slowly floated closer and wrapped her arms around Ridan again.

"Ugh... you’re so annoying," Ridan muttered, looking away.

"No, I’m not! I just missed you!" she said with a playful pout, nuzzling his cloudy cheek.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever..."

She tilted her head, eyes narrowing slightly. "So... why’ve you been following that black-haired human? Hazuki, right?"

Ridan let out a small grunt. "Hmph. He’s the one who broke my seal. My spirit’s been stuck in that cheap ten-silver sword he carries on his waist."

Syaria blinked. "Huh? That short sword? But the silver-green color... wait, it’s fused with a slime crystal, isn’t it? A low-tier monster that barely drops anything. But if it’s that slime crystal, then you know what that means, right? That crystal is—"

"Shhh!" Ridan quickly raised a hand, cutting her off.

"What?" she blinked in confusion.

"Don’t talk about that," Ridan said firmly, glancing around despite no one being near.

"Why?" Syaria asked, puzzled.

"Remember those two guys... from a thousand years ago?"

Her eyes widened. "Ah... you mean—"

"Shhhhhh!!" he hissed again, eyes sharp. "Don’t say their names. Don’t even think about it."

Syaria stared at him, realizing how serious his tone had become.

"Let’s just say... they gave me a mission. And I’m not allowed to talk about it."

"Oh... okay," she nodded slowly. Then suddenly smiled wide. "Well, I got you now, anyway~ mmmm~ Ridan~~~"

"Ugh! Quit clinging, dammit!" Ridan flailed in frustration, but Syaria only tightened her hug, humming happily.

"Ridan!?" Hazuki called, squinting around the dry terrain.

Ridan, still floating with Syaria wrapped tightly around him, groaned. Ugh... now he’s calling again.

He muttered under his breath before shouting back, "What!?"

"I don’t know which one is Fire Grun!" Hazuki yelled, arms out, looking frustrated. "All these plants look the same in this damn oven!"

Ridan lazily pointed a finger toward Ellyn. "Ask your future bride there!" he teased with a sly grin.

Hazuki blinked. "Huh? Ellyn, you know what Fire Grun looks like? I thought these herbs were ancient, only known to old spirits and forgotten alchemists."

Before Ellyn could respond, Ridan barked.

"Oi! Not old! Genius! Ancient spirit! Master of knowledge and wisdom!"

He puffed up proudly, floating higher in the air, only to get dragged back down by Syaria clinging to his leg.

Hazuki sighed, muttering, "Yeah, yeah... and also master of clinging girlfriends..."

Syaria stuck her tongue out. "I heard that, you smoky weedhead."

( End Of Chapter )