Episode 36

“Another miss this time too…?”

“So that’s what makes it a rare species, huh.”

“…”

At a certain Adventurers Association branch in the Rent Domain, three young people slumped their shoulders while an older man watched over them.

“Damn it, there’s no time left…”

“Panicking won’t help… though even so, it’s true that we don’t have time.”

“…We should change our approach soon.”

Masfelt Freak, the Sword Saint, lay bedridden with the strange illness known as “mana sclerosis.” In order to save him, Van and the others were searching for the poison dragon basilisk, the key to his treatment.

They had been taking on requests while gathering information at the Adventurers Association in hopes of finding a clue, but the results had been poor. The thought that the illness was progressing even at this very moment naturally filled them with impatience and anxiety.

“Van-san. Have you heard anything about Masfelt-san’s condition?”

“…People from the Freak Trading Company are looking after him, but it sounds like he’s still bedridden. They said his complexion is gradually getting worse too…”

Van hung his head. Even the priests of the Maria Church could do little more than keep the condition from worsening.

“Van, Atri said it too, but with no information right now, running around searching blindly can’t really be called a good strategy. I think you and Atri should stay by your grandfather’s side.”

“…I know. I know that. But making that choice means…”

Giving up on the treatment and spending his final moments together with him.

It was by no means the wrong choice, but Van was not mature enough yet to nod and accept it so easily.

“Idiot, nobody said you should give up. …There’s still one method left, isn’t there?”

“!? And that… has better odds than the basilisk…?”

The remaining method Eris spoke of. A divine miracle known to everyone living in the Kingdom of Diabalet.

“…The Silver Saintess?”

“Yes. If the rumors are true, she’ll surely cooperate. Even if we do our best and find the basilisk, we’d still have to defeat it. After that, we’d have to butcher it, go to the Apothecaries Association and explain the situation, have the remedy prepared, and administer it to your grandfather. At this stage, the option with the higher chance of success is—holy arts, I think.”

It was the answer any citizen of Diabalet would arrive at. But the number of people who could actually make that happen was close to zero.

“But how are we supposed to arrange that? We don’t even know where she is…”

“Leave that to me. You two wait with your grandfather. …Though if possible, it would be reassuring if Glanz-san came too.”

“Ho ho, I don’t mind at all. And so, Eris-san, what exactly do you intend to do?”

“I don’t like depending on others, but we can’t be picky now. —I’m going to beg that guy.”

Van’s expression tightened a little.

“His mouth is truly foul and his attitude is the worst. …But that guy will absolutely help us. Van, you’re fine with that, right?”

“I mean, I’m fine with it, but… how do I put this…”

Van scratched his head awkwardly.

“You still—”

“No, no! It’s not like that. —I picked a fight with him, remember? Then he beat me black and blue… I just don’t know what face I’m supposed to make when I see him. I keep wondering whether he’ll even listen to my request.”

Ever since what happened two years ago, Van had always been conscious of Zeke. He had gained strength to catch up to Zeke, and someday he had wanted to surpass him for certain.

When those feelings ran wild, it had led to Van fighting Zeke in the Lagias Dungeon when they reunited.

“I see… well, of course—he’ll probably bury you in a storm of abuse.”

“Ugh… figures, huh?”

“Obviously. Both of you had your faults, but you were the one who attacked first, Van.”

Zeke’s lack of words had been one reason, but Van had been the one to swing his sword first.

Even if he had been driven by the desire to save his grandfather suffering from illness, Eris pointed out that there had been other ways to handle it.

“You two need to actually talk to each other. Van apologizes, Zeke forgives. That’s where your relationship starts.”

“…Do you think it’ll go well?”

“Let’s see… ‘Hah, you resorted to violence and now, after all this time, you want me to lend you a hand? From whom did you learn to have such thick skin? Is that what you call your swordsmanship? Pathetic.’ —Something like that, maybe?”

With a crisp expression, Eris performed an impression of someone. Van’s face stiffened, Atri shook her head because it sounded nothing like him, and Glanz wore a smile.

“Anyway! You two head to your grandfather right away. Glanz-san and I are going to see him. …Don’t worry. That guy will absolutely lend us his strength.”

Absolute trust radiated from Eris as she answered with complete confidence. It was not irresponsible blind faith, but emotion born from firm trust.

Somewhere outside Van’s knowledge, Eris too must have had something happen with Zeke. Eris, who expressed her feelings directly and openly, looked radiant.

From a step back, Glanz watched their exchange.

Though faced with hardship, the young people did not give up and instead moved forward by cooperating with their companions.

He truly felt that those who would bear the next generation were steadily growing. Glanz decided not to acknowledge Atri muttering, “Dangerous, should eliminate after all.”

“Alright, I get it! …Eris, Glanz-san, thanks for everything up to now. If it had just been us, we would’ve wasted all our time and that would’ve been the end of it. Really, thank you.”

Van lowered his head.

Repay goodwill with gratitude. That had been Masfelt’s teaching.

“What are you saying? This isn’t over yet. You can thank me when your grandfather gets better… and of course, I’ll also take the request fee!”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I’ll give you my treasured collection of famous sword photographs as a present!”

“I don’t want it!”

Van and the others laughed together. Once everything was resolved, the day would surely come when they could all laugh together again. Believing that the greatest happy ending would come, they moved forward.

“…There.”

Atri murmured softly.

Thinking as usual that Atri had no sense for the mood, Van looked toward the entrance of the Adventurers Association, where Atri’s gaze was directed. Eris and Glanz followed suit.

“…………….Hey, what’s the symbol of the Kingdom of Diabalet again?”

“…………….Idiot. Something silver, like that person.”

What entered their view were two figures standing at the entrance of the Adventurers Association and looking around.

One was a woman with slightly strong-willed features and long, clear blue hair.

The other was a woman with a somewhat fragile air, with silver hair that seemed to reflect the stars.

Their beauty drew everyone’s eyes, and the adventurers nearby were transfixed. Van and the others could not look away either, though for a different reason. They were at a loss for words at the appearance of a woman strikingly similar to the Silver Saintess, who had been the subject of their conversation only moments before.

The silver-haired woman, who had been glancing around, looked their way and widened her eyes. The woman beside her likewise turned her gaze toward them. Van’s heart gave a small jump.

“That one’s impossible, give it up, Van. I’ll cheer for you at least.”

“…Spring had come for Van. But right away, deep winter…”

“What are you talking about… you two are gonna answer for that later. More importantly, they’re coming this way.”

As the two women walked, the crowd naturally parted to make a path.

Looking slightly perplexed, they followed that path and stopped in front of one person.

“You are the Sage, Glanz Fort-sama, correct? My name is Ciel Astera. This is my guard, Selen Bloom.”

Selen, introduced by the woman calling herself Ciel, gave a bow.

“You are correct… but what exactly is this?”

“I apologize for this sudden visit. This time, we have come—”

“Selen…”

Ciel was cut off by Selen.

“Confirming the situation takes priority right now. It seems the Sword Saint doesn’t have much time left.”

“—I see… shall we borrow a room from the Adventurers Association?”

A new encounter.

A meeting different from the form it should originally have taken.

Was their meeting a coincidence, or perhaps…

Those who had gathered in the Adventurers Association meeting room. Each one had a different origin, age, and gender. It was necessary to share for what purpose they had gathered and what they intended to do from here on.

“…I understand the situation. Talk about perfect timing.”

“I’m glad you’re quick to understand.”

Hearing Selen’s concise explanation, Glanz showed understanding at once. Though they were supposed to have just met for the first time, communication between them was smooth.

“We must give thanks to Actol-dono.”

“Moderately is fine. He’s not the sort of person who acts out of goodwill alone.”

“—That is fine. For now.”

While speaking, Glanz probed the circumstances behind the scenes.

As Selen had said, he did not think a ducal house would move on goodwill alone. The Diabalet royal family was not a charitable organization. Though now retired, Glanz had walked with the nation for many years in the Mage Corps, and he knew the dimly shadowed side of the Kingdom of Diabalet all too well.

“Though the preface has grown long… we are companions who share the same goal. Let us begin by introducing ourselves.”

Prompted by Glanz, they began introducing themselves one by one.

Some of them already knew each other, like Van and Atri, Selen and Ciel, and Eris and Van, but basically they were all meeting for the first time.

“So you’re the Sword Saint’s grandson.”

“Yeah… but are you really going to cure Gramps? Things are moving so smoothly that it hardly feels real…”

“I only learned about Masfelt-san after hearing of him from the ducal house. —But of course, now that I know, I absolutely want to save him.”

Van could not help but smile at the pure goodwill coming from Ciel. Ever since Masfelt had collapsed, the tension had never eased. His eyes grew moist at the light of hope that had finally come into view.

“I’m happy for you, Van. But don’t let your guard down, alright? It’s precisely when things are going well that you have to stay sharp. That’s an adventurer’s iron rule.”

Van nodded strongly, saying he knew.

“Adventurer… Eris-san, are you an adventurer?”

“That’s right! I’m a D-rank adventurer affiliated with the royal capital!”

Eris puffed out her chest as she answered Ciel’s question. The metal card engraved with her adventurer rank displayed D-rank.

“I’ve heard the Adventurers Association in the royal capital is quite strict about ranks. That’s impressive.”

“You’re well informed, thanks. But I’m not satisfied. There’s an A-rank adventurer there who’s the same age as me!”

Eris spoke as if it were her own matter. Looking delighted, she spoke of the top adventurer’s exploits as though telling a story.

“Eris-san knows Zeke-san too, then?”

“! Come to think of it, that was true for you too. Were you alright? He didn’t hurl abuse at you? That guy’s mouth is really awful!”

“He does have a distinctive way of speaking… but he saved me. Because Zeke-san was there, I’m still alive now.”

Ciel gently pressed both hands to her chest. Her expression, as if savoring the happiness she had received, was full of loving tenderness. Even Eris, another woman, found herself captivated.

“Oh my, I’m someone who fought him while staking my life, you know? …And thanks to that, he stole something precious from me.”

“!? What dangerous kind of thing were you doing!? It’s amazing you got out alive. …And what do you mean, something precious? That sounds suspicious.”

“I can’t tell you that. It’s a memory shared only between us.”

“Selen, that’s unfair. You always make it sound so mysterious…”

The three of them grew animated over the topic of Zeke. They proudly exchanged the Zeke stories each of them possessed. Listening to them, Van was astonished, thinking, That guy’s incredible!

Seeing the young people speaking so cheerfully, Glanz smiled. Though their circumstances differed, the way they faced forward and moved toward the future looked like the brilliance of the stars. —Surely he had only imagined hearing Atri mutter, “Eliminate them all.”

(I cannot believe this meeting was mere coincidence. Zeke-san, what is it that you desire…)

Glanz was calling out to Zeke in his heart, thinking that someday they should compare answers.

“Man~, that really took forever…”

“It really makes me think… you’re different from the rest of us.”

Pariaach and Dex spoke in the dark underground. Standing before a transparent cylindrical container, they were confirming the results of an experiment.

“Well, that can’t be helped. We’re fundamentally different. More importantly, look at this. It worked properly, didn’t it?”

“I never thought this guy could really serve as a substitute for the ‘key.’”

Inside the liquid-filled container, strangely elongated silver bangs swayed. On the chest of Maenof, who carried royal blood, a spell formula written in ancient characters had been engraved.

“Even if he’s rotten, he’s still connected to the royal family. …I thought maybe, but all the others failed, ahaha.”

There were many other people preserved in containers just like Maenof, but all life had drained from them.

“W-What the hell are you people!? This isn’t what you told me!”

The one crying out in fear was Tsaity, who had escaped from the royal capital. He was the second son of the Marquis House of Izosaar.

“Hm? I didn’t lie at all. You’ll fulfill your duty splendidly. As a spare key, that is!”

“N-No way! I’m going home!”

Tsaity tried to run away, but with a dull sound he came rolling back. He had completely lost consciousness.

“…Feluart. He’s the only spare for the key you’ve got, for now. What are you going to do if he dies?”

“Then use that ‘Spearize’ or whatever to duplicate the ‘key’ before he dies.”

Feluart cursed irritably. As if responding to his emotions, the engraved spell formula flashed violently.

“That’s too much, even if he has the aptitude for it. —He’ll die before the grand ambition is achieved, you know?”

“He won’t die… not until every last one of the Lagias line is wiped out. After that, do whatever you want. I’ll become your spare or whatever else you need.”

“You’re sure? If you fulfill your role as the ‘key,’ you won’t be able to exist in the new world, you know?”

“…I can’t understand the way you people think. If my memories disappear, then that isn’t me anymore… and neither are they…”

A dry laugh twisted Feluart’s face. All he could think about was fanning the flames of hatred.

“I see… then I won’t stop you. —We’ll turn that coward into a ‘key.’ That’ll make the second one.”

“Okay, okay. Hope it works out~”

They had no regrets. No matter how many lives had to be sacrificed, there was something they had to accomplish.