The Retired Supporting Character Wants to Live Quietly
Chapter 201

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]

Chapter 201 – Kirrin’s Black Forest (24)

Lormane rubbed her eyes and looked again.

“Lormane!”

Dian waved his hand.

It was definitely Dian.

Dian, at the Grand Temple at this hour? Did something urgent happen?

“Sir Dian?”

“Ah, Lormane. You’ve been well, I hope?”

Sweat beaded on Dian’s forehead as he greeted her with a smile.

“Welcome, Sir Dian. Would you like a cold drink?”

“That’d be great. It’s ridiculously hot today.”

It was summer—midsummer, at the peak of the heat.

In the Grand Administrator’s office, Dian wiped his forehead with a handkerchief as he drank.

“It’s hot. Seriously, way too hot.”

“Well, it is summer. But… what brings you here?”

“Someone needs saving.”

At his sudden words, Lormane tilted her head.

Saving someone?

“Could you be more specific?”

Dian explained the situation from beginning to end.

A large-scale brawl had broken out in Kirrin’s Black Forest, with many casualties. Kirrin’s father was critically wounded.

Whether it was paralytic poison or neurotoxin, he’d taken too many hits. His heartbeat was slowing, and it seemed he wouldn’t make it through the day.

“Kirrin’s father… don’t tell me, you mean Nemara?”

“That’s right. That Nemara.”

The current head of the only dark elf clan trading with the Empire.

Known as the Emperor’s Dagger—and one of the reasons the Second Princess couldn’t move rashly against the Emperor.

A dark elf of significant political weight in the imperial arena—now on the brink of death?

“Is there anyone else who knows about this?”

“No. You’re the first.”

“I see…”

“There’s no one else I can ask. Priest Maya wouldn’t be able to handle Nemara.”

Poison could be cured with divine power—on the surface, a simple task.

But Nemara’s life wasn’t a simple matter.

His death could shake the very power structure of the Imperial Capital.

That’s why Dian was saying Maya couldn’t be the one to do it.

Only Lormane—a former member of the Demon King Slaying Unit and current third in command of the Church—had the weight and authority for this.

If this incident caused a ripple effect, only she could contain it.

“Alright, Sir Dian. Let’s go.”

# # # #

It was Lormane’s first time entering the Black Forest.

The earth, the trees—everything was cloaked in black.

Though it was the blazing heat of midday in summer, this place was dark and chilly as midnight.

On top of that, the stench of blood from last night’s battle hung thick in the air, making it hard to breathe.

Lormane cloaked herself in divine power, her body glowing like a small sun, lighting the area around her.

That’s better.

As she followed Dian further, they were met by several dark elves.

A man with a massive build, another with a leaner frame, and a sturdy-looking dark elf woman.

“They’re Kirrin’s siblings. This is Drebren. And this is the Grand Chief Administrator of the Church.”

“Greetings, Grand Administrator.”

Drebren and the others bowed their heads to Lormane.

They already knew who she was.

After all, finding someone in the Empire who didn’t know Lormane would be harder.

“Let me see the patient first.”

Inside the dwelling, the first thing she saw was Kirrin dozing off in a chair.

Her face looked pale—she must’ve stayed up all night.

On the bed beside her lay a dark elf.

Nemara.

Lormane had seen him once, years ago, in the Imperial Capital.

Back then, Nemara was a man of commanding presence and a powerful build for his age.

Now his black skin had gone ashen, and he was barely breathing—looking like death itself.

It was a textbook case of paralytic poisoning. Easily treatable with divine healing.

But instead of starting right away, Lormane hesitated.

Nemara had sided with the Demon King’s army and killed countless people.

As a priest, was it right for her to save a man like this?

But Lormane quickly shook her head.

If it came down to blood on our hands, we weren’t much better.

If the Demon King’s side had won, we wouldn’t be heroes—we’d be unforgivable war criminals.

As Lormane stood beside the bed, the presence roused Kirrin.

“Huh…? Grand Administrator…?”

“I’m here to treat your father. Just wait a moment.”

Her hand glowing with divine energy touched Nemara’s forehead.

The faint, barely-audible breathing grew stronger.

“Hrrmm…”

Nemara inhaled deeply—his chest rising—and slowly exhaled.

Then, he opened his eyes.

“He’s awake…!”

Drebren gasped.

Nemara’s eyes slowly scanned the room, stopping at each face.

Finally, they landed on Kirrin.

“Dad…”

“Kirrin.”

Nemara spoke her name briefly and said nothing more.

“Looks like everything turned out well, seeing you alive.”

“We’ve dealt with all the traitors—Morkan, Nishira, the rest.”

Drebren, standing behind, reported.

“It was all thanks to Professor Dian. Without him, none of us would’ve survived.”

“…I see. Thank you, Professor Dian.”

“Please repay me soon.”

Dian joked, but Nemara didn’t even crack a smile.

“The one you should thank is the Grand Administrator. She’s the reason you woke up.”

Nemara turned slightly toward Lormane.

“Thank you for saving me. I thought I’d die when my dead wife appeared before me.”

“You saw Maman?!”

Zakrion jumped in, startled.

“What did she say? Did she ask about me?!”

“She told me to come back later.”

Nemara answered flatly.

“Said it’s not my time yet.”

“Oh… I see.”

Zakrion deflated a little, clearly disappointed.

“…I’m tired. Everyone, come back later. I need more sleep.”

As everyone stepped outside, Nemara spoke again from behind.

“Kirrin. You stay.”

Kirrin, halfway up from her seat, sat back down.

Nervous tension showed clearly on her face.

Nemara stared at her in silence.

As Kirrin lowered her gaze under that intense look, Nemara finally spoke.

“Kirrin.”

“Yes, Dad.”

“Shouldn’t you be returning to the Academy?”

“Yes… vacation’s over…”

She was expecting a scolding.

From the start, her father hadn’t approved of her coming to the Black Forest.

And now that vacation was over and she still hadn’t returned, it made sense he’d be angry.

“Kirrin.”

He called her name again, and Kirrin flinched.

“I—I’m sorry… I’ll pack and go right away…”

“How’s the job as Headmaster treating you?”

“…Huh?”

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Kirrin stared at him, mouth half open.

Her father had never asked about her work at the Academy.

In fact, he had never really asked her anything.

Everything had always been orders—decisions made and handed down.

And now… he was asking about her job?

Did she mishear?

“Is the work hard?”

“Um… I mean…”

Hearing him ask again, Kirrin realized she hadn’t misheard.

Her father was really asking.

She didn’t know how to respond. It was so unfamiliar, she was confused.

“It’s… fine. I’m managing.”

“I see.”

And that was it.

The conversation died there.

They’d never talked this long before, so it was awkward for both of them.

“Kirrin.”

“Yes, Dad?”

“If…”

Nemara fell silent, eyes fixed on the ceiling.

“If…”

After a long pause, he spoke again.

“If the job as Headmaster is truly too difficult… you can quit.”

“…What?”

Kirrin blinked.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean if it’s too hard, you can step down.”

Kirrin just stared at him, speechless.

Nemara continued speaking, eyes still on the ceiling, not meeting hers.

“You can come back to the Black Forest… or do something else you want. There’s no need to suffer just to hold that post.”

“If I quit… then the clan won’t be able to enter the city anymore.”

“We never planned to leave in the first place. Dark elves belong in the Black Forest.”

“But…”

“I sent you to the Academy because you didn’t have talent as an assassin. No—because you had talent in another area.”

For the first time in her life, Nemara said something positive about Kirrin.

“I made a promise to your mother. That I would make sure you lived happily.”

After a brief silence, he spoke again.

“That’s why I betrayed the Demon King, sent you to the Academy, and asked the Emperor to make you Headmaster.”

“And that… you thought that would make me happy?”

“I believed it did. At least, that’s what I thought. But now… I regret the past.”

Nemara blinked slowly—his eyelids trembling slightly.

“I regret not asking you anything along the way. Even just once… I should’ve asked what you wanted.”

“Dad…”

“Kirrin.”

He called her name again.

“I…”

His lips quivered, as if he wanted to say more—but the words didn’t come easily.

Still, he found the courage.

“I just want you to be happy.”

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]