Book 9 Chapter 4

Episode 203

"Let me ask you directly. Have you ever killed a Special Operations mage?"

On the day everything ended, when the chaotic situation was being brought under control, Doran Slade asked.

"I've killed quite a few people in my life, but I've never killed a Special Operations mage."

Doran looked at Valensidis with a gaze that seemed to be assessing something, then soon looked up at the sky with a wry smile.

"Are you going to judge me?"

"Whether your words are false or true, and judgment regarding your other actions, I'll leave to the gods. And to argue about your faults, your contributions are quite significant."

And he pointed to his leg, chuckling.

"Honestly, in this state, I don't think I could win even if I fought you, so I'm just backing out."

"…"

"And you will be a great help on his journey. It would be a waste to exclude you here."

After Valensidis showed him a left arm constructed with dark magic and offered to teach him the spell, Doran shook his head without a moment's hesitation.

"It's Lyn's teaching never to touch dark magic."

This man, unlike Valensidis, must have walked the righteous path towards light his entire life.

In the past, he had seemed merely suspicious, annoying, and troublesome as an enemy, but that day, Valensidis came to hold a strange respect for Doran.

Wasn't he the man who had walked the path of a mage, which Valensidis had secretly pursued, from childhood to adulthood?

"If not dark magic?"

"…?"

"It's a mixed spell of magic and sorcery, so you'd have to study the chanting-type Altigma, but if you succeed, you could get a leg without using dark magic."

At that, Doran looked at Valen with a puzzled expression, and…

"I never knew there was such loyalty between you and me."

And Valen…

"It's not loyalty. It's just that I thought it would be quite beneficial to put the Special Operations Department in my debt."

Valensidis, having emerged from the thoughts of last night, was in room C182 of the central ward.

"The end of the world."

The archer, Rem, stroked his chin for a moment, then vigorously shook his verdant hair.

"That sounds interesting, doesn't it?"

Lein had just finished explaining his goal to them.

What was there to hide? He revealed Akki's identity and told them about his life's journey briefly and concisely.

Of course, he didn't utter the crazy notion that he was Lyn's reincarnation.

"Are you coming along?"

"I'm worried our playboy will impregnate every woman he sees on his way across the Adrion Continent, so what else can I do but follow and keep an eye on him?"

"Ah, damn it, I told you it's not like that. Did you even listen to the explanation?"

The hoot of an owl could be heard from outside the window, where the curtain of darkness had fallen.

For reference, the Yellow Dragon was on Lein's head, and Akki was asleep in his arms.

Bart, a gigantic man wrapped in bandages, who had been watching the scene with extremely envious eyes, opened his mouth.

"Do you remember what we said last time?"

"Hmm?"

"Hmm? Hmm? Hmm? Hmm?"

"We're friends, Lein. We should help each other when things are tough. The Adrion Continent is a land plunged into chaos; it will definitely be too much to cross alone."

Friends…

The resonance of that word felt strangely good. It was like a word he had forgotten 300 years ago.

As much as the resonance of that word, he liked these two fools. He liked the playful Rem. He liked the dependable Bart.

That's why he couldn't bring himself to ask them to come along.

"Because it's too dangerous a path."

Valensidis, reading Lein's eyes, nodded and pointed to the map affixed to the wall.

"Nearly 60% of the Adrion Continent is under the influence of the Dark Church. Even if they're not Dragon Slayers, powerful individuals swarm there."

"…"

"You'll have to repeat bloodbaths like this one many times over. Especially as you get closer to <Flaming Ten Thousand Li>, that is, closer to Zernix, the danger will amplify to its extreme."

"Amplify, amplify, amplify."

"A being comparable to Zernix is Elamas, the Second Pillar. But we don't know where this monster is. That's why it's even more dangerous."

Just when a moment of silence seemed to settle, Bart snatched up the dragon-bone spear leaning against the wall.

Light elegantly yet fiercely bounced off the dragon bone that formed the spear's framework.

As expected of a Swordsman of Namryun, he possessed considerable superhuman strength, gripping the spear with one hand. Of course, it would take time to wield it as freely as its original owner.

"I understand how dangerous the path is, Lein. That's why we have to go together. I will help you with this spear."

"What?"

"Don't act tough, you punk. Do you even realize that if it weren't for us, you would have already pursued a 'natural meeting' in hell twice?"

He had intended to scare them off… but he felt like he understood why he had liked these fools from the moment they first met.

These fools make him remember.

The days he spent with Rista, Friede, and Kies. They make those days overlap with his everyday life. They even make him laugh at ordinary things.

"And I have to follow you so I can keep using the White Spear Palace, heh heh heh. Before I know it, I'll be the true owner of the White Spear Palace."

Such a cunning intention…

Bart also revealed his true colors.

"But there's a condition."

"?"

"I also want to touch Akki periodically."

That's not something I can allow…

Akki had been extremely wary even when Bart peeled an orange for her. Was it because she was meeting such a gigantic man for the first time?

"Periodically is up to Bart, and for now, well, she's asleep, so you can lightly touch her."

Bart's hand was so large it could cover Akki's head, and Bart, who carefully touched Akki's head, gave a refreshed smile.

"Abboo…"

Akki twitched her eyebrows as if uncomfortable.

Sorry, but Akki only likes my hands. Oh, my cute little one~.

Just as he was about to make a foolish smile, the hospital room door rattled open, and a rival who liked that touch as much as he did entered.

"I'll go too."

The person who said that, surprisingly… he almost blurted out the name Rista in a daze for a moment.

Unlike when she hunted goblins, she was wearing light armor over clothes woven from silk and wool.

Perhaps anticipating battles against beings other than goblins, her arms and legs were reinforced with vambraces and greaves, which strangely resembled Rista's equipment.

He later heard that it was armor newly crafted by melting down the demon slayer's gear from which its power had departed.

"What?"

As if crushing Lein's questions and worries in an instant, Miria drew the sword hanging from the steel scabbard of the sword belt.

It was Gin's sword.

It was a sword with its blade half broken.

The moment he perceived that, a ferocious, blazing crimson aura burst forth, forming the blade.

"Sword aura (Geomgang), huh…"

Bart raised an eyebrow, looking intrigued.

Sword aura (Geomgang), the symbol of a peak swordsman, a secret technique of swordsmen that he himself had only just mastered after arduous training.

Then Miria shook her head and pointed to her arm holding the sword. Just like Mirea in the past, a red light pulsed from its veins.

"This isn't sword aura (Geomgang). It's a fragment of the power the Demon Slayer possessed."

"…!"

"If it's this power that even gave you trouble, then at least I won't be a burden, right?"

"Burden, burden, burden."

"Don't you understand what I'm saying? Let's go to <Flaming Ten Thousand Li> together. I also harbor a dream of adventure, and I have a debt to repay you. And I'd be worried leaving Akki solely in your care."

Aunt Linda was congenitally frail and couldn't travel far.

"Linda, I just saw the Twilight Herb Festival in Seges province…"

That's why Uncle Gin would return from his adventures and tell her about the new and amazing things happening across the continent.

"Wow, it must have been truly beautiful."

Each time, Aunt Linda would listen, smiling joyfully. Perhaps seeing that in her childhood made her dream of adventure.

"You have no objections, right?"

"I don't, but can you really leave the island right away? I don't think I would."

"Because I'm not you."

Even without the Demon Slayer's power, Miria was a considerably helpful force.

More than anything, if that power was with her, he might feel like he was journeying with Link.

But something was strange.

Miria was said to be a child found outside the island. That is, she wasn't a descendant of Link. So how did she get chosen by that power?

Perhaps Rem thought Lein's contemplation was a silent refusal, and he chuckled.

"You were planning to charm every woman along the way, but now that your wife is following you, are you distraught?"

"She's not my wife?"

"Who's his wife?"

The two men and woman, as if perfectly synchronized, glared at Rem simultaneously and spoke in an unenthusiastic tone.

It was a coordinated action that would have been impossible without prior practice. Could he do something like that with Bart? Impossible.

That's why Rem exchanged a dumbfounded look with Bart and replied.

"It was a joke… but actually, isn't she really your wife?"

Two days later, as Rem and Bart's recovery was mostly complete and they boarded the merchant ship, Miria looked down at the docks of <Karsiko> and recalled the past.

On the day they left the green city, <Karsiko>, the docks of the southern canal were bustling with countless people.

Most were islanders from Linkland, and Bart and Rem, who had become heroes of the archipelago, were receiving all their greetings.

Lein and Valensidis had once again concealed their presence. Therefore, all outward achievements became theirs.

"Dad, bring back something delicious when you come!"

Looking down at those docks, Miria smiled wistfully.

A long time ago.

That is, before her daily life was broken.

She too used to come here with her sister and aunt to see Uncle Gin off. Waving her arms vigorously.

"Yes! You have to listen to your mom."

Once a part of warm and beautiful memories is cut away, only cold and lonely memories remain.

"Hah, what kind of slayer do you expect to become like this?"

The days she struggled to become a Goblin Slayer…

Remembering her father's swordplay, following adventurers and learning combat skills as if begging.

Bringing all the money earned from quests to the Slayers… it truly seemed endless, it was truly a path with no end in sight.

"Is it okay to leave without saying a proper goodbye? I'm fine with it, but you don't seem to like this city much, do you?"

This guy.

This guy finished that whole journey.

"Akki needs to make a good impression. Akki, say hello!"

"Akki, bye-bye!"

"Bye-bye, bye-bye, bye-bye."

As Akki waved towards the pier, an explosive cheer erupted! What cuteness! The Yellow Dragon raised a hand, following Akki.

"Aruuu!"

For a moment, an unguarded smile almost formed on Miria's lips. Miria leaned her back against the railing, hiding her expression.

"It's fine. It's not an island I'm particularly fond of, and I wasn't even an islander to begin with. Looking back, there are more terrible memories. I'm just a little worried about setting off on a long journey, but that's all."

Then the guy looked at Miria with a dumbfounded gaze, then chuckled.

"Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle."

When he laughed, Akki laughed along, as if infected by his laughter.

"Why? What's so funny?"

"No, just."

Because I never imagined.

That I would hear the words I once said to Rista, from you, who so strongly resembles Rista.

And that I would relay the words Rista once told me, to you.

"That's what liking something means."

Miria felt her eyes widen dramatically for a moment.

What is this feeling?

Again. Another strange memory is overlapping.

The image of a boy with a straw hat clumsily placed on his head flashed through her mind with the sound of a soul bell. It was then.

"Miria!"

A shout from the crowd pulled Miria's head back.

Mirea, who had come to the dock with Linda, was waving both hands vigorously, just as she had on that childhood day when she saw her father off.

Along with the same shouts she heard in her daily life over a decade ago.

"You know you have to bring back something delicious when you come, right?"

Miria's eyes wavered.

Her bitten lips curled up involuntarily. A hot surge rose in her throat.

There was no reason to cry anymore.

She shouldn't cry.

Her vision, as she turned to wave, blurred and became moist.

"Of course, so Big Sister, listen to Mom well… understood?"

Linda, who also remembered that goodbye, waved her hand, hiding her emotional tears, seeing her daughter off.

And she turned her head, heading towards the main island of Linkland, not visible from here, to the graveyard where Gin's laughter would be sleeping.

Then the wind blew, sweeping the gravel scattered in front of the stone tomb up and down, strangely drawing the pattern of a smile.

"Grandpa, I used to dream that Lyn would come and help me."

"Is that so?"

"Our ancestor supposedly left a message saying that if there was a problem, Lyn would come to help… I guess it was just a futile dream."

As Kora, the Slime Slayer, was having such a conversation with Chief Doss, Mirea turned to them and smiled sweetly.

"She came."

Pressing her fist gently against her chest, she continued speaking with dreamy eyes.

There was no way she could forget.

The voice of the one who came to find her in the pit of eternity and extended a hand to her.

"You resemble Link a lot."

The warmth of that smile.

The affection for an old friend's descendant conveyed through that touch.

"You are Link's friend."

And even the sight of him smiling faintly, placing his index finger over his lips, just before emerging from that pit. As if to say, this is our secret alone.

"Uncle Lyn came and went."

Because he had promised.

He personally came all the way here to keep the promise he made with our ancestor 300 years ago.

'Uncle, that's our secret, right?'