Never Saved You

Chapter 84

Translator: Yonnee

—

In response to Abel’s words, Sante replied arrogantly.

“That’s how it’s going to be, right? An old man like you doesn’t have a lot of time left.”

“I do wish you’d learn how to change the way you speak before I leave this world. How have you not learned anything despite all your years.”

“Because I don’t have to.”

He was the head, and a powerful siren in his own right. Would there be a need for him to change for the sake of these uncivilized humans?

“As time goes by, I’m sure you’ll learn. And you’ll realize the need for it.”

Abel’s words flowed from one ear to the other with Sante.

This old man had yet to reach a hundred years, so he was still just a blue chick to Sante. For all the years that the siren had lived, how could Abel’s words even reach him?

But Abel himself was evidently an extraordinary human. And it was especially true, now that Sante looked back on that old man’s words.

Just as he said, Alei became a mage who far surpassed Abel.

Whether it was his innate amount of mana and his understanding of magic, he was absolutely unrivaled.

‘And I’ve also changed a lot.’

Two decades was nothing but a fleeting passage of time to a siren who had such a long lifespan.

Even so, it was during this time that Sante learned how to use his words more delicately, as Abel suggested. He, indeed, had a certain moment of realization for that need.

He couldn’t remember exactly what prompted this, but one thing was clear.

It was the kind of realization that certainly came at least once in a lifetime.

Perhaps humans gained this enlightenment earlier than sirens because they had shorter lives compared to them.

Ever since that realization, Sante had stopped treating humans as if they were uncivilized.

Most especially, when he met this monster called Alejandro, it made him question what kind of difference there really was between races.

Life had become a little empty.

It felt like he finally knew why so many of those old rascals had such contemplative eyes.

If he never had that realization, then he wouldn’t have even thought of becoming friends with Alei from the start. But even if that wasn’t the case, it’s still true that Alei was set apart from the other humans.

Was it because he also knew that he had such abilities that could transcend species?

He was generous with everything. If anyone asked if it’s just because he had a soft personality, then the easy answer was no. After getting to know Alei more, Sante realized what Abel meant before.

Even when Sante was someone who was beyond human understanding, Alei accepted him for who he was. The same was true for all those who despised Alei himself.

Well, of course just because he was considerate to them, that didn’t mean Alei overlooked the things they did out of jealousy.

Even so, the extent of his tolerance and composure could not be seen in just any normal human being.

‘Yeah, I’m sure it was like that.’

But then that Alejandro was being like this?

This guy said that he’d keep his distance from Ophelia, but he couldn’t even do that and went as far as eavesdropping on her like this. It was all so absurd.

Sante snickered.

“No, it doesn’t matter that you heard it—what I want to know is why you’re here doing this. Don’t be so on edge.”

“……”

“How many days has it been? It was like this yesterday and even the day before.”

When Alei started staying away from Ophelia, he told her that he couldn’t stay with her anymore during the evenings. His excuse was insomnia.

—I’m going to ask Cornelli for a potion to help me sleep. If this continues to go on, I’m afraid that my health will get worse.

If he said it like that, then what else could Ophelia have said in return?

Alei knew Ophelia well, so he made an excuse that she wouldn’t be able to go against.

As a result, their evening meetings came to an end, but still, Alei’s insomnia remained.

And even still, he was determined to keep his distance from her.

Alei held his place in this spot all the time.

He watched the sun rising over the horizon from this watchtower, standing still as if he was a stone statue that wouldn’t move even as the sea breeze would blow past his hair.

Of course, Ophelia wouldn’t have known this, but sirens were nocturnal.

To be exact, it would be more correct to say that they rarely slept.

This was because they could turn their mana into physical strength, so there were times that they usually didn’t need to sleep for several days.

Sante was like that. Even Alei.

Thanks to this, Sante usually met Alei at the watchtower after he returned from hunting some laffel during the night.

And Alei had that same look on his face every time.

“…Don’t tell Ophelia.”

Sante observed this expression on Alei’s face, one that said how he couldn’t stand himself.

Sante sharply recognized what was driving Alei to have such displeasure displayed on his countenance.

It was self-loathing.

Alei covered his troubled face with one palm, then he soon sighed and opened his lips to speak.

“I know she’ll hate it. If she thinks it’s terrible…”

“You’ll be thrown away, yep.”

“Thank you very much for the astute observation.”

Though Alei said thanks, his tone was deadpan with no hint of appreciation.

Alei never failed to retort with sharp words back at his friend even at this moment when he looked so pathetic, and it was so funny that Sante had to bark out a laugh.

“I don’t know how many of your secrets I’m already keeping. Why don’t you thank me more, huh?”

“Stop it with the jokes. I’m not in the mood.”

“Then why don’t you just go to Ophelia and talk about it though.”

Sante crossed his arms as he hovered in the air in a sitting position.

Thanks to his mana making it possible for him to float, he looked as if he was lounging leisurely on a rattan hammock.

Then, Sante pointed one finger at Alei.

“Ophelia’s supposed meeting, it’s with you, isn’t it?”

“…How did you know?”

“I don’t know how many times I have to tell you about the many years that I’ve lived. You both always forget.”

Sante laughed bitterly as he muttered how he wasn’t a half-wit like Asello and his siblings.

In his mind, he recalled how Ophelia looked when she spoke of the promised meeting.

—Sante, let’s meet again at sunset.

—Should I postpone the meeting?

—No, it can’t be helped. I’ll meet the other person later after I get back.

As she said this, she stared deep into the western horizon.

Her voice was calm, but her features were so filled with sorrow.

Her yearning was evident.

Perhaps she didn’t even know that she had such a look on her face.

Sometimes, things are more apparent to those from the outside.

And Sante was especially keen when it came to reading such things.

He was neither tactless nor impolite—just that he didn’t seem to know which pieces of information he should just keep to himself.

During all his years that were beyond Ophelia’s reach, he knew all too well due to the many strangers he had met.

Because he once lived amongst humans.

The way he started to immerse himself in human society back then was simple.

Because he killed some people a few times, or because he delivered letters as well, he easily became a confidant of those who held high positions.

One time, he talked to another close aide of a particular high-ranking official.

Towards the official who Sante was helping, the other close aide loved that person and was a very loyal vassal.

The problem was that the high-ranking official loved someone else.

—What are you planning that you’re looking outside like this? I told you already. That bastard won’t come to you.

—I know. But there are certain emotions that just can’t be controlled. Someone like you probably… wouldn’t know.

—Is it a hobby for you humans to treat us sirens like we’re dunces? I’m sick and tired of hearing everywhere that I ‘wouldn’t know’.

—I do recommend that you won’t throw a fit when you’re faced with things that you don’t know about. Siren, the more you do that, the more you reveal just how shallow you are.

The close aide’s tone wasn’t very pointed, but those words truly dug deep into Sante.

It’s been more than fifty years since then, but he could still remember it clearly. It must have been a painful memory.

Perhaps that’s why, even when he couldn’t remember the close aide’s name, Sante could still remember that person’s face.

Even back then, the sun was sinking into the western horizon.

The afternoon sun’s rays illuminated his face in such a way that revealed everything evidently. There were many emotions that Sante couldn’t recognize at the time as he looked at the man’s face while he waited for a person who wouldn’t come to him.

‘It’s been a while since I thought of that.’

It was Sante’s first time being a witness to someone else’s love.

That ambiguous affection and yearning was the same between that close aide and Ophelia.

So, how could he not recognize it?

The only time Ophelia had that expression was whenever she looked at Alei.