My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 256

“It’s been five years, huh?”

The ruined village I visited five years ago was now far more consumed by nature. Weeds were overgrown, and the grasses were entwined, threatening to swallow the buildings whole.

Walking deeper into the village, I couldn’t help but feel that time had indeed passed, showing a different face compared to five years ago.

“It feels like some sort of courage training.”

“Courage training, you say…?”

That was a statement one might hear in a different world.

“Are there things even spirits fear?”

“After the Demon King has fallen, do you think there’s still anything to be afraid of? Haha!”

“That laughter… it feels a bit unsettling.”

Despite trying to lighten the mood, Ariel was fidgeting anxiously. It seemed she couldn’t calm down due to her anticipation of seeing Pasma again.

To be pining after a man for decades… I couldn’t help but admire that. This was pure love!

As I nodded my head with a smirk, Yggdrasil came to a halt.

“I’ve found it.”

“Where?”

“Over there.”

She pointed towards the dark depths of the village.

Looking in the direction Yggdrasil indicated, I spotted something red floating in the darkness.

“What… what is it, World Tree?”

“I can see Praus because he is my contractor, but Ariel won’t be able to.”

“Ah…”

Ariel sighed, expressing her disappointment.

“It’s not like I haven’t talked to Pasma without seeing him for a day or two.”

“Huh?”

I glanced at her with interest, pulling my lips into a smile.

“Just like always, you can talk to me.”

“Right.”

Finally, Ariel smiled.

Until the Revenge Sword breaks, I have always been right there between them. I listened in on their conversations up close. Now, there’s no reason to feel shy about it. Of course, it would be a bit strange to say ‘I love you’ directly to Ariel.

[Could it be… Praus?]

Whether it heard our conversation or not, the red will-o’-the-wisp was now floating right in front of us. However, it was no longer in a human shape like before.

It floated like a flame, like a will-o’-the-wisp.

“I’ve come to meet you. It’s been a while, Pasma.”

[So you still remember me.]

Mixed with his voice was a hint of sorrow. I let out a chuckle.

“We’re friends, after all.”

[Friends…]

He fell silent for a moment as if digesting my words. Was he touched?

“Because of you, I was able to come this far. There’s no way I could forget a benefactor and a friend.”

[Is that so… Is that so…?]

With every word from Pasma, the flame flickered, releasing faint sobs.

[You truly… keep me hoping until the end.]

“Is this enough for you? You haven’t tasted true happiness yet, have you?”

[What do you mean?]

I grinned, observing Pasma’s reaction. Perhaps he didn’t quite understand, as he expressed confusion.

“I’m thinking of giving you the gift of life again.”

[Li, life? Are you saying something like reincarnation?]

“It’s a bit different from that. World Tree, explain it.”

“You are Pasma. Nice to meet you.”

Yggdrasil stood beside me, waving her hand. The flames tilted slightly towards her and began to shake violently.

[Huh? Is it really the World Tree?]

“It’s real.”

[But why do I feel the same energy from Praus’s body as I do from the World Tree?]

“Because Praus is my contractor.”

Pasma fell silent. He seemed pretty shocked, as his flames were flickering up and down in reaction.

[So that’s how it is… So that’s why you are able to possess such vast mana.]

“Exactly.”

“Anyway, that’s not the important thing.”

I intended to pass the baton to Yggdrasil to explain my point, but the topic strayed elsewhere.

“That’s right. The important thing isn’t this.”

Was she finally going to get to the main point?

“I find it quite rude that you took away my daughter-like Ariel. Quite impressive of you.”

[Ah, ah! I’m sorry!]

“…?”

What are you all doing?

If you think about it, the World Tree isn’t really much help.

“Hey, back off.”

Eventually, I couldn’t hold it in any longer and pressed down on Yggdrasil’s head as I spoke.

“Ah! Praus, isn’t that a bit too much? I am the World Tree that governs this world, you know?!”

“You’re not being helpful.”

“That was due to causality being unavoidable! I’m also aggrieved!”

“Enough, you go to the Spirit Realm for now.”

“Wow! You’re going too far!”

Even while grumbling, she was obedient and had already conjured the gate.

“Ah, before you go, it’ll take at least a month to become a spirit. So finish what you need to say now. Hmph!”

With a cute snort, the World Tree vanished, and Pasma’s voice sounded softly.

[What do you mean by becoming a spirit?]

“Pasma, I’m going to use the power of the World Tree to turn you into a spirit.”

[Turn me into a spirit?]

“Yeah. You’ll become a spirit like Ariel. If that happens, you could live with Ariel for all eternity.”

[Is that really true?]

“Yes.”

The moment I confirmed it, he started to choke up.

[Thank you. Truly… Thank you for bringing me back, Praus, my friend… Thank you so much…]

This time, he couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst into tears. While it wasn’t a great wail, it was clear he was moved to tears.

“Ariel, what is Pasma saying?”

“He’s crying.”

“…I see.”

Ariel, too, was tearing up while smiling. It appeared she felt happy, knowing her feelings weren’t alone.

*

As we waited for Pasma to calm down, I heard sniffles.

[Praus, you… seem to have grown softer.]

“What?”

[Your speech and demeanor have changed quite a bit.]

“…This is my original way of speaking.”

[Is that so? Then, was it all an act until now?]

An act.

Somehow, I couldn’t find the words.

Perhaps it was because I was still playing the role of Praus in this very moment.

Moreover, Expression Management had always operated independently of my will, making it tricky to call it acting.

“Well, who knows…?”

[…?]

The flames swayed as if puzzled by my ambiguous answer.

“By the way, your revenge must have been fulfilled, yet you’re still not at peace. Isn’t that fortunate?”

[The fact that you are here means that Peremus has died, right?]

“Yeah. Our student did quite well.”

[He wasn’t exactly a student, but that’s quite impressive.]

Pasma said with a satisfied tone. Then he adopted a rather serious voice.

[Truly, as you said, originally, when Peremus died, I would have resolved the reason I became a vengeful spirit. But it seems that being with you has given rise to new attachments.]

“New attachments?”

[My small… no, far too great desires.]

“Desires?”

[I want to speak to Ariel directly, to touch her directly, and nurture our love further.]

“Those are desires you’re allowed to have.”

If Pasma had no attachments to this world, we would have never met again, and they wouldn’t have been able to fulfill their mutual wishes. Even the World Tree couldn’t bring back those who had fully died in both body and spirit. Otherwise, my wishes would have been meaningless.

“Ariel, what is Pasma saying?”

Ariel, seemingly unable to hold back her curiosity, interrupted our conversation with an eager expression.

Ugh. Saying the word ‘love’ from my lips feels a bit… odd…

Will using Expression Management help? After all, I can harden my face!

[Activating skill “Expression Management.”]

“Ehem! Ahem!”

I cleared my throat awkwardly for the conversation ahead.

‘He says he wants to hold your hand and talk directly while nurturing love even more.’

“I want to have sex with you.”

“Huh?”

Huh?

“What are you saying, Praus…?”

“Wait! That’s not what I meant!”

I quickly turned off Expression Management and shouted. Damn! The Expression Management skill really dropped the ball this time!

“No. What I meant is—”

“I see. Yeah. That makes sense. After all, Pasma is a man too. I understand…”

[Praus…! I didn’t mean to say that much! Clear up this misunderstanding!]

“Ugh, I know. Just give me a moment. Let me fix this.”

“If Pasma thinks that’s great, then I don’t mind… I love you.”

[Praus! Are you trying to make me out to be a lecherous man?!]

“No! Wait, I’m explaining! Hey, you guys!”

It’s been said that all men are lecherous!

“I’m joking! Please don’t take me seriously.”

“Then, are you saying Praus wants to…?”

“No! Absolutely not! Don’t make me trash!”

I hurriedly covered Ariel’s mouth and shouted.

“Puhaha! I know. I just wanted to tease you.”

[Hehehe.]

Is this even something to laugh about? This is NTR! It’s a genre shift!

“Praus isn’t someone who genuinely says that kind of thing, right? I don’t know what you were thinking to say… such a crude thing, but it was definitely to lighten the mood.”

What could have been a completely chaotic conversation was naturally reconciled through Ariel’s misunderstanding.

Damn it. I was hoping to smile warmly while witnessing the first happy ending. You just took that moment from me!

“So what did Pasma truly say?”

“He said he wants to speak directly to you, to touch you directly, and to nurture his love further.”

In the end, I had to say it myself.

“I see. I also, I also want to honestly… share love with you, Pasma.”

“Is it okay to say such things while I’m here?”

“Eh? Why?”

“I’m asking if you’re not embarrassed.”

“I am embarrassed.”

While she said she was embarrassed, her voice was quite composed.

“But Praus has heard all of our ‘stories’ already, right? All of them without exception. I think it’s weirder to suddenly feel embarrassed.”

“…Is that so?”

Just like Ariel said, I may have been the closest witness to these two people’s episodes. Such stories could never be told in the game.

And it wasn’t just about these two; it was the same for the heroes who should be sleeping at home now.

I had gained the chance to experience things that could never happen in reality. The moment I reached that thought, I couldn’t help but murmur.

“Indeed, this is ‘reality.’”

It felt like I was finally settling into my decisions.