My Daughter Grew Up to “Rank S” Adventurer - Chapter 57.6
[Edited]
“It’s okay, Bel, listen. I still couldn’t give up on it. Neither could Percy. He became an S-rank adventurer in Orphen. I felt the limits of what I could find in Orphen, so I migrated to the Imperial Capital. That’s where I became an S rank. I had to hang around with some dangerous people to learn about forbidden arts. There were times when I was utilized in a good way. There were times when I fooled myself with a misplaced sense of superiority, like I was letting them use me. But when I was doing something, it was good to take my mind off it. When I succeeded in something, I foolishly imagined that you or Percy or Sati would come out of nowhere and congratulate me on a job well done.”
Qasim smiled with a hint of insanity.
“The irony is that because I was so talented, things just fell into place. I created a new magic formula, and I became a great magician. But…”
His fingertips rapped on the table, scratching.
“I didn’t become what I wanted to be. The more I was praised for what I accomplished, the emptier and hollow I felt inside. The more I was absorbed in something, the more it only served to distract me. I had completely lost sight of what I was looking for. My heart was in turmoil all these while. Before I knew it, I was in a place I couldn’t get out of, like a snowball rolling down a hill. When I came to, I realized that I had almost nothing left.”
As Qasim spoke, tears trickled down his face.
“Time had stopped for me… I’m physically aging older and older… But deep down I’m still a kid inside, hehe.”
Qasim smiled sadly as he wiped away the tears with the palm of his hand.
“Angie is a good girl… That’s Belle’s daughter, you know. After talking to her, I now know that everything you’ve done wasn’t a mistake. You’re still amazing.”
Belgrief stood up and took Qasim by the shoulders across the table.
“… I’m sorry. I’ve given you guys a hard time because of me.”
“Oh no! You’re the one who had it the hardest! You lost a leg! People talked about you behind your back, made fun of you… And yet we couldn’t stop them…”
Qasim scoffed.
“You’re amazing… We were saved because you unraveled the scrolls even though your leg was bitten off. If you hadn’t…”
“Hey, Qasim.”
Belgrief interjected calmly.
“I’ve got to admit, I’ve been a little jealous of you guys.”
“Huh…?”
“Your talents were far superior. I didn’t feel like I could match Percy or Sati with a sword, and I didn’t feel like I could beat you either.”
Belgrief kept his eyes downcast and finally continued.
“You guys were so confident, and I felt like a coward. I had to remind myself that no matter how hard I tried, there were some heights I’d never reach. So I kept stumbling down. I couldn’t accept my own worth.”
“No! That is…!”
“But you know what? Losing my leg was the only thing that allowed me to move on.”
Belgrief stared straight at Qasim.
“I got to meet Angie.”
“…!”
“If I hadn’t lost my leg, I would have continued to be an adventurer in Orphen. Then I wouldn’t have picked up Angie in the mountains of my hometown.”
“Ha, haha… Yeah, I guess so! She really is a good girl, isn’t she!”
” Right? I’m proud of her. She’s brought me a lot of luck. It’s because of her that I was able to meet you today. So I might even be grateful for the loss of my leg.”
Belgrief gently looks down at the sword on his hip.