Published at 25th of March 2019 9:40 pm

Chapter 270: A long time ago

Root had that usual friendly smile and was showing good will without hiding it.

However, for some mysterious reason, now that I have obtained a variety of information I didn’t know until now regarding him, I could feel some sort of fuzziness inside my chest.

Being involved with the Adventurers of Origin, learning of the Adventurer Guild, and about Sofia this morning; everything of these had some sort of ‘I can’t accept it’ kind of feeling.

I don’t know about the other members yet, but it seems like Rokuya-san accepts the past even now.

Sofia also…looked happy.

And yet, an unrelated party like me was feeling something that I didn’t like.

Rokuya-san and the others are Wise, in other words, Japanese people, so a part of me does feel like it not just someone else’s business.

Regarding Sofia, considering her relationship with Root, I am an outsider, but I am pretty related to that attachment she had and the end of her life as well.

“Anyways, come to my room. I have something to talk to you about.” (Makoto)

“…Hey, Raidou-kun…” (Root)

“What?” (Makoto)

For now, I don’t intend to follow your will, you know.

“Thinking about the experience of us both, I think bondage play is a bit too fast. Actually, I should be the one leading at first. To tell you the truth, I coincidentally have a blindfold…are you interested?” (Root)

Root who is restrained in midair for now, was cheerfully saying rotten things while blushing.

Right, he is this kind of guy.

Yeah, I am beginning to remember now.

“Not at all! And by the way, this isn’t something to say in the Adventurer Guild!” (Makoto)

“Eh?! This place is practically my house, so it is fine, it is fine.” (Root)

He is the Guild Master after all…

Whatever.

Let’s bring him to the company quickly.

Ah right, before that, let’s ask Toa-san about Aznoval-san while I am here, and if possible, ask her to investigate about it.

“Uhm, it seems like you are in the middle of something, so I will be excusing myself now, okay?” (Toa)

“Please wait. Actually, there’s one thing that I want to ask you.” (Makoto)

“Raidou-san, to me? Of course, go ahead and ask anything.” (Toa)

Toa made a surprised face as she accepted to answer my question.

Well, she currently has no need to hide anything from me after all; including the matter of her ancestors’ dagger.

It helps me out.

Right now there’s other people here that can listen, but…well, even if the name Aznoval is spread from my mouth, it feels like it would have a lot of merits.

No need to care.

I will ask Root later, and in the first place, he is acquainted with them, and not only that, he also knows about their immortality.

“It is about a knight going by the name Aznoval. Do you have some sort of connection with him, or maybe you know someone that is connected with him?” (Makoto)

“!!”

“?!”

Hm?

Both Toa and Root did quite the reaction.

It felt as if they had heard an unexpected name.

But this…it looks like not only Root, even Toa also knows about the name Aznoval.

Rembrandt-san also knew about it, and it might be possible it is only that.

No, this way of getting surprised is strange.

It is different from the time with Rembrandt-san.

“Raidou-kun, you…brought out quite the name again. Well, in Lorel, it is indeed a name that you would hear though.” (Root)

Root was making a hard to describe face as he brings out his voice as if squeezing it out.

He is the very person that made them immortal.

It probably revived some bitter memories and nostalgic memories as well.

“Aznoval… The standard-bearer of the Adventurers of Origin. Knight Aznoval?” (Toa)

“Looks like you know him.” (Makoto)

“My origins are from there. There’s no person in Lorel who hates the priestess or Apple. Same goes for me.” (Toa)

“…Ooh.”

It seems like Root took interest in the nostalgic words of Toa, he voiced it out.

“Before the Union came into existence, they were supporting the people without being double-faced about it. Legendary existences that left their mark in history. Is that what you know?” (Makoto)

“That as well. But for me, Aznoval is actually a bit special. Within the Adventurers of Origin, he is a heroic person that’s described as the representation of muscle and recklessness. And his stories are mostly within those types.” (Toa)

He is the standard bearer, right?

In a leader way.

I am also a top that can’t say much of others, but is that really okay?

Root is smiling in glee.

Does that mean that really is the description of this Aznoval person?

“But he was by no means a stupid man. In a long past, when Lorel had the objective of raising their national prestige by slaying a certain Superior Dragon that slept in the wasteland, the knight Aznoval suddenly appeared at the center of the country and warned them to stop that.” (Toa)

Toa-san speaks as if reminiscing a long past.

Well, it is actually a long past though.

However, for her, that challenge to this Superior Dragon and the stopping of it has warped her life heavily.

That certain Superior Dragon, Shen.

Called invincible, and indulging in sleep… well, it is Tomoe.

She didn’t even remember it until she was asked about it, but it seems the result was a big failure.

Quite the amount of elites had fallen at the wasteland.

Toa’s ancestors as well.

Their heirloom that was an important dagger was lost there, their family chased down to every place and had to move around repeatedly, and because of that, Toa became an adventurer and came to the wasteland to search for the dagger of her ancestors. And as she was about to die, her sister, Rinon, got acquainted with me, and after some twists and turns, Toa and her on the verge to death party members are currently the top team in Tsige.

Well, you really don’t know what life might bring you.

Right now, that dagger has safely returned to her hands, and she has decided to make Tsige her home, continuing to contribute to the town as an adventurer and further polishing her skills.

In its own way, this is a good ending.

“In the end, the grand labyrinth of Yaso-Katsui had erupted at that time, so he had to head there to reduce the damage it would cause, and in that space of time, the foolish expedition was carried out, and…in the end, well, that’s how I am here now in a sense. Because there’s that part as well, within the Adventurers of Origin, Aznoval is the one I like the most.” (Toa)

I see, I see.

So there was that kind of connection huh.

But looking that far in the past and the far future that is now, I don’t think it would be a reason why Aznoval would come to Tsige.

Well, at least it is deeper than her simply knowing, but I feel like it is a bit weak.

Wait, she said something incredible in such a nonchalant manner.

What did she say about the labyrinth?

Erupted?

Isn’t that supposed to be what volcanoes do?

“Please wait there. That labyrinth can erupt?” (Makoto)

I tried asking about it.

There’s no way that’s the case.

In the lines of common sense, that is. But that place doesn’t apply common sense…

“I haven’t lived that long in Lorel, so I don’t have much knowledge about it. But it seems like it is a place where those kind of things happen as well. At that time, he ate two Board Fruits, which are his source of power, pushed through the lava, and opened a deep hole to calm it down.” (Toa)

I do remember hearing that Toa and Rinon were born in a place close to the Empire.

Since they were born, they haven’t gone to Lorel Union once.

So even if I ask her more about it, she wouldn’t know.

It would be dangerous if it erupts while we are inside.

Let’s try asking everyone regarding that when I return.

If there’s any signs of it, we would have to hurry.

Even so, doing things like stopping eruptions, just like Serwhale-san.

Looks like he is quite the person.

The last part about some sort of fruit was probably added in the story, so leaving aside the details, there’s no doubt he did some sort of big exploit to stop the damage.

For some reason, it reminded me of the classic hero that ate spinach from a can to get buffed up. Popeye the Sailor!

“I see…” (Makoto)

“…It feels as if Raidou-san gets involved in the mysteries of the world one after the other. I feel like you are having more of an adventure than adventurers.” (Toa)

“It is certainly true that that’s how it ends up as a result. It is not to my liking, but I can’t deny it.” (Makoto)

“…In those days, there was a Superior Dragon called Waterfall in Limia Kingdom that provided the lake’s blessings; in Gritonia Empire, there’s one named Grount that lived at the desert and provided trials, and anyone that passed those received a blessing; on the other hand, Lorel and Aion were one head lower than the other two within the major powers, but they were in a delicate line that was still enough to consider them major powers, and…because they were in such a delicate line, they were desperate to obtain the power of a Superior Dragon. Really…what a stupid story.” (Toa)

Toa knows about this pretty well.

Is it because it was passed down in the past of his family, or maybe she herself took interest in it and investigated?

Since we are talking about Toa, who personally came to the wasteland in order to recover the dagger, it might be possible.

Anyways, so the reason of that expedition in the past was because they were planning on beating up Shen and bringing her back to the country?

If that’s true, then it really is a foolish story.

If I was there at that time, I might have told them to stop it as well.

Even in Limia, it was only because the lake was within the boundaries of their country; in Gritonia as well, it is not like the White Desert was prepared by the Empire to call Grount there, it was simply Grount being there since the beginning.

Lorel also had Futsu since the beginning, and the labyrinth also should have had Doma as well.

And yet, why did they go through the trouble of going to the wasteland for Shen?

Wait, it seems like the labyrinth already existed by that time.

And yet, Lorel didn’t know that there was a Superior Dragon within their own country?

Is that even possible?

!

Or it could be that, at that time, Doma was not a Superior Dragon…

No wait, that’s questionable too.

“*Whistle~*” (Root)

Root blatantly evades my gaze of suspicion.

He is trying to avoid it.

No, I won’t let you escape.

You are also involved in this?

In the future, whenever it is related to Superior Dragons, I will just place this guy as the number one suspect.

“Is that so. It is not such a pleasant story for you, and yet, I made you speak of it. I am really sorry. Even so, if there’s any other thing you remember of him, can you please contact the company? I want to know about the knight Aznoval and the Adventurers of Origin as much as possible since it is connected to the matter I am involved in.” (Makoto)

“It is already all in the past anyways. I don’t mind. When I return to my house, I will investigate about it again!” (Toa)

Past huh.

I am probably the weird one here.

It is true that this is a past that has already concluded.

There’s nothing I can do this late in the game.

At the very least, Toa, who has already accomplished her own objective, is probably living her life now.

That’s not wrong. It even feels dazzling.

“Thank you very much.” (Makoto)

“Well then, with this, I will be excusing myself. Vegan-san as well, see you later.” (Toa)

“Yeah, thanks for guiding me. Also, sorry. That name is actually fake.” (Root)

“Eh?”

“It was for the sake of safety. There was not a shred of intent to deceive you. I am glad I met you, Toa. The staff of the Adventurer Guild in Tsige and the top adventurers in Tsige are splendid. If every place had this amount of liveliness and tension, I wouldn’t have any complains. As the Guild Master, Falz, I consider this my pride.” (Root)

“Fal—eeeeh?!” (Toa)

“Ahaha. If you want to, I can make the preparations to hire you under the direct staff of the Adventurer Guild. If you are in the mood to, tell the people in charge anytime you want, okay? Well then, Raidou-kun, let’s go to the Kuzunoha Company.” (Root)

What’s that about Falz. That’s also a fake name.

Root really does lie as easy as breathing.

Is he actually the same type as Rona?

However, even if you try to look proper when you are being restrained in midair, your dignity right now is zero.

He said ‘Let’s go’, but he himself can’t even move.

On top of that, Root, your nose is running.

Ah, that’s not it.

You have a nosebleed.

“…Hah…” (Makoto)

“Wait, Raidou-kun, what’s that sigh for? Eh, why does my head feel funny? Ah, it kind of stung. Is this nosebleed? It is nosebleed, isn’t it? Raidou-kun, my nose is bleeding!!” (Root)

Well, your face was punched in after all.

Of course you would get some sort of injury from that, even if it is you.

“Now, everyone, sorry for the trouble here.” (Makoto)

I bow my head once.

I could tell there was an uncontrollable atmosphere in the air.

I won’t take responsibility for this.

Cause I have to talk with this Root now after all.

I will probably not be refreshed with this.

But it would be nice, if even a little bit of this fuzziness inside of me is cleared.

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