Book 6 Chapter 25

Chapter 149

"I came here expecting someone extraordinary, a guardian of dragons, but it turns out you're just like everyone else, only capable of mocking."

Lista… no, the Goblin Slayer, glared at me with piercing eyes, arms crossed as if dumbfounded.

I couldn't say anything.

Wondering if it was a hallucination, I momentarily opened Bell Cidious to examine its inner workings, but not a single trace of abnormality was mixed in. In other words, it was real.

"Well, shall we try it?"

Perhaps because I had even opened Bell Cidious and stared blankly, the Goblin Slayer gripped the hilt of her dagger and frowned with displeasure.

"You, you… how are you alive?"

That's what I said then.

There's no way she could recognize me now that I'm Rain, not Lin. I had lost my composure to the point where my mind went completely blank.

"I heard she only hunts goblins, but I wondered how she got so strong…"

Lista, it's Lista.

I managed to force a sound from my throat, but she merely glared at me with unconcealed wariness.

"What nonsense are you talking about, 'how am I alive'? I've never died."

As I stood dumbfounded, doubting my ears, Pipi, who had been tilting her head repeatedly, circled around her face, barking.

"Genuine? Genuine? Genuine? Genuine?"

"Genuine? What's this parrot talking about?"

Pipi then landed on my shoulder and opened her beady eyes with a huff.

"Fake, fake, fake, fake."

"You're just like your master, completely lacking in manners. My name isn't Fake, it's Miria. Mi-ri-a."

A moment of wariness made me step back half a pace.

The name Miria could be a pseudonym, so I might have overlooked it, but her not recognizing Pipi was a serious problem.

Is she an imitation created by a dark wizard through human alchemy, like Libeny and Rivadin?

'But that doesn't make sense either.'

If that were the case, when I cornered her at the branch earlier, I could have just finished her off, so why bring her all the way here?

'But her being real makes even less sense.'

Joshuah said that Lista was dead, and her intact corpse was preserved in the Papal Crypt. Dragons don't lie.

'No, looking closely…'

Even though they seemed minor, there were enormous differences.

In the moonlight, her hair color had appeared white, but upon closer inspection, it was blonde. Her eye color wasn't golden, but a green that held the color of jade.

Yet, when a Fayqualier imbues themselves with a dragon's soul and modifies their body, their hair turns pure white and their eyes change to the dragon's golden eyes.

Moreover, Lista's skin color, befitting an imperial noble, was as white and translucent as milk, but this person had the distinctive dark, bronze skin of a North Republic citizen. So I muttered to myself:

'It doesn't seem like Lista…?'

At that moment, the great True Dragon's eyes gleamed.

"Grrr…"

It seemed to glare intently at the Goblin Slayer, then "A-woong," shook its head as if it had mistaken someone, and then, "Da-bu!" suddenly its eyes widened. Honestly, I had no idea what it was trying to do.

The Goblin Slayer, who identified herself as Miria, let out a low sigh as if exasperated, then scanned us up and down.

"Staring blankly in a group and spouting nonsense, you don't even realize how rude that is. And it's *my* side that's baffled, do you even know me?"

Yes, I know you better than anyone.

In the midst of my frantically pounding heart, an echo of my soul resounded dizzily.

Miria, who couldn't possibly understand such feelings, pressed her temples.

"You're completely stunned. That's how men are. They always get like this when they see my face."

"…"

"If I'm being honest, you'd better wake up from your dream. I dislike effeminate faces, but more than anything… I detest men who enjoy toying with people, like you."

Miria's voice, as she narrowed her sharp eyes, was as clear and refreshing as a mountain stream. Just like Lista's.

"This… don't you recognize it?"

Finally, just in case, I took out a jewel from Seresia's pouch.

The Fire Jade Ring, with a dazzling, flame-like light shimmering on its surface. It was a memento of Fride, the Fire Dragon Priestess.

While she intently watched the ring, I stole a glance at her expression, but there was no change whatsoever. In fact, it grew even colder.

"It certainly looks expensive. Were you hoping to gain favor by flaunting your wealth? That might work in the Empire, but wake up."

Just then, hearing crows caw in the distance, Miria flinched and put her helmet back on.

"The crows smelled us because you're doing useless things. Don't you know we're being chased right now?"

It was just that.

She had only put on her helmet.

The light that illuminated the deepest part of my heart extinguished in an instant, and a cold darkness enveloped my entire body, sending shivers down my spine.

"Follow me. If we delay any longer, the black witches on broomsticks will appear."

Miria turned her back without hesitation and walked into the cave that the goblins had supposedly dug.

Superimposed on her back were fragments of memory… Lista's face, carrying the supreme holy sword Schurpen on her back, always walking ahead, glancing back at me, and smiling brightly.

A treasure I cherished deep within my soul, that smile that felt like it would shatter my heart every time I recalled it…

- The severed chain of fate shall be reconnected.

The Water Dragon Yeriserika had certainly said so.

That's why I naturally assumed it was Lista, but if it's not Lista, then what exactly happened?

Then who exactly is this person?

* * *

"Oh, Hero."

Hero Lista Alter Schurpen was able to find the magic tower of the Osarius Faction seven years after Lin's last message arrived at the tower.

If you ask why she came only now, after seven years, it was because she simply couldn't bring herself to face them…

However, as her lifespan was nearing its end, she mustered her courage to fulfill her final duty and sought out the Osarius Faction.

The Osarius Faction had developed luxuriously, to an incomparable degree since her previous visit.

The number of disciples seemed to easily exceed two hundred, and with the procession of patrons coming from all over the Empire, the faction's ceremonial robes had also been unified.

It was a black monk's robe with a blue kāsāya, identical to what Lin had worn throughout her journey. Lista offered a bitter smile.

"Lin loved it very much."

"Did she?"

"Yes, she said the dean personally bought it for her. Her clothes were often torn during battles, but instead of buying new ones, she insisted on mending and wearing them."

"Oh dear."

"It was Lin's most cherished treasure. Along with her conical hat."

A mixed smile of sadness and joy formed on Dean Atlante's wrinkled lips.

"If I had known, I would have bought her something much better to wear…"

The two exchanged sad smiles and walked along the faction's corridor.

The disciples recognized the hero and bowed deeply. Seeing them, she felt something was missing.

What was it? Her attire was exactly the same as Lin's… Ah.

"The staff is missing."

"The staff?"

"Sir Joshuah had given Lin a staff. I later taught her staff martial arts so she could wield it… Ah, if it's alright with you, shall I compile those staff martial arts into a book for you?"

Atlante simply waved her hand with a serene smile.

"I couldn't possibly ask such a favor of someone as distinguished as you."

"No, *I* want to! I really want to do it!"

"If it's a simple act of goodwill, I'd gratefully accept it… but if it's an action born of guilt, I won't accept it. Lin wouldn't want that either."

At that moment, Lista felt a pain like her chest, her heart beneath her chest, was tearing apart, and she clutched helplessly at her heart area, wrinkling her clothes.

"Dean… Lin, for Lin… I am so sorry I couldn't bring her back…"

"…"

"I shouldn't have taken her… No matter how capable she was, such a young child…"

"It was I who asked you to take her."

"But in the end, I was the one who took her. Lin must resent me, too…"

She could feel tears of sorrow welling up in her unbearably hot eyes.

Instead of embracing Lista or comforting her by saying she was more to blame, Atlante silently led her to the dean's office.

Then she took out a wooden box she had kept treasured in a drawer. When she opened the lid, countless slips of paper rustled.

"These are letters Lin sent whenever she had a moment. Would you like to see them?"

Lin…?

Come to think of it, whenever Lin had the environment to send letters, she would always write them at night.

[Dean, I've arrived in the southern part of the Empire. As you said, it's incredibly hot. The conical hat you gave me is helping. Just a little.]

[Dean, I've now crossed the Republic border. Perhaps because there's no social hierarchy in the Republic, people seem definitely more lively than in the Empire.]

[Dean, today I'm boarding a ship to cross from the Akrad continent to the Adrion continent. I think I'll be fighting often now. I'll do my best.]

So like Lin…

The sentences revealed Lin's personality so clearly that I couldn't help but smile. Even without being told they were Lin's letters, I would have known instantly.

"As you can see, at first they were short, reluctant-sounding letters, but as the years passed, they matured."

Indeed, as the second year approached, the letters grew longer.

From the third year, she began to fill the entire stationery, and from the fourth year, it was as if… someone else had written them.

[Dean, today Lista got angry for me. Honestly, even now, I can't really understand it. Crying or getting angry for others. But for some reason, I thought it was cool. Dean, someday I want to become a cool adult like Lista. Do you think I can?]

So she had these feelings then… A corner of my heart warmed with emotion. Among them were a few funny letters.

[Dean, I picked up a troublemaker. Just like you did for me, I gave it a name and taught it some magic, and now it follows me around calling me Master. Looking at this one makes me think about how little trouble I gave you, being so quiet and even clever, so I feel like you should be grateful to me. Just kidding.]

I had barely suppressed the welling tears, but the moment I saw the last letter, my vision blurred so much that I couldn't see the words.

[Dean, it's already been five years. The expedition is now nearing its end. I don't think I'll be able to tell you honestly if I see you in person at the magic tower, so I'll write it in this letter now. Dean, thank you. Thank you for letting me leave with Lista. Thanks to Lista, I saw many things, heard many things, and felt many things. When I return to the magic tower, I plan to be even nicer to those ignorant but not unlikable classmates. I only grew one handspan. My face hasn't changed much either. Even though I don't like it, there's no way you won't recognize me, Dean. Have the classmates given you so much trouble that your face has many more wrinkles? I'm a little worried you might not recognize me if you've become a grandmother.]

Tears streamed down her cheeks, merged at her chin, and endlessly dripped onto the floor.

"Neither Lin nor I ever resented you, Hero. That child followed you and found true happiness."

Atlante gently placed a hand on Lista's shoulder.

"I understand. She was like a son I raised… A child who couldn't honestly express her emotions ended up writing and sending such long letters."

"But, but Dean, if I, if I had done better—"

"—Thank you so much, Hero. For taking Lin that day."

For teaching Lin about the world.

For allowing Lin to grow into such a wonderful adult… Tears fell at Atlante's feet as she bowed deeply, leaving stains.

"Thank you, truly…"