Chapter 163 - Sanctuary and Snake Eyes (3) (1/2)

My body was tossed about.

My brain was shaken.

My rapidly moving vision and flickering consciousness.

Regret and sadness.

And questions swirling around in my chest.

I’m at the mercy of my body and mind, and I don’t know what’s happening to me anymore.

Tell me, Mother.

Why did you look like that, why were you in that place?

Why didn’t you come with me?

Tell me, Alba.

What do you know, and what are you hiding from me?

Why didn’t you tell me anything?

Tell me, father.

Did you know that mother was living in a different form?

Did you know, and didn’t tell us?

No one will ever tell me the truth.

Shouhei and I, we’re not told anything.

I don’t know what’s going on anymore.

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

I found myself in the wilderness.

“… What the hell?”

I don’t know how to break it down and understand it.

I don’t know where this wilderness I’m in right now is, or where I was until just now.

Was that white girl I met really my mother?

For a while, I couldn’t muster up the energy to stand up, and I savored the feeling of pebbles rolling around on the ground.

I wonder if people’s thoughts freeze when they are in a situation they really don’t understand.

I had no idea where to start thinking.

I slowly got up, sat up, and looked at the sky.

There was not a cloud in the sky, and the moon was bright and full.

I’m under a small group of stars that I can clearly see.

“You’re awake, aren’t you?”

I heard a voice.

It was a female voice.

I couldn’t even react to the sudden voice, which would normally have startled me.

I looked around and saw only one large rock.

There it was, on a rock as tall as I was.

“Hmmm, it’s just a human being. I waited all this time to wake up, but nothing interesting seems to be happening. I’ll ask you anyway, who the hell are you?”

A rather pompous voice emanated from the silhouette on the rock.

I looked at the silhouette for a while.

The backlight of the moonlight made the shape vague, but as my eyes got used to it, the shape gradually became clearer.

“… Snake?”

It was a snake.

It was a black snake with a bright red jeweled charm on its forehead.

The eyes of the snake caught me straight and did not let go.

The red eyes swayed, and I felt as if I were being sucked in.

“Hmm? Wait a minute? What’s going on inside your…? How can you live with that? Oh, I’ve seen that technique before.　Oh I see, he’s related somehow. This is going to be interesting.”

What is this snake talking about?

I mean, why is the snake talking?

Give me a break.

My brain, which has a limited capacity, is already full to the brim.

I’ve had enough of incomprehensible things.

I want to see Jaja and Nana.

But for now, I’ll reply back.

“…Hey, where am I?”

I asked the snake as I sat on the ground.

One important thing at a time.

If you’re an idiot, be an idiot and don’t panic.

“Is this it? We’re near the ruins of a shitty old place called the Tomb of Dailan.”

The royal tomb…

Ah, so the place where we were originally headed.

Good. It’s not like we don’t know the place at all.

As long as I can meet the people of Dailan and get in touch with Prince Atol, I’ll be able to manage somehow or another.

“I’ve been sent here all of a sudden. Oh, I forgot. My name is Kazamachi Kunpei. May I ask for your name?”

Yes, it’s important to introduce yourself.

The relationship changes a lot depending on whether you can call them by name or not.

“Name… my name, huh. In the past, I was called ‘the last one’. It’s been changed a few times since then, but nowadays it’s mostly ‘mother’, I think.”

“Hmm? No, I don’t really understand. That’s not a name, is it?”

“I never really cared about names. Oh, but it’s still better to have a name. Hmm.”

The snake began to move.

It dexterously climbed down the rock and came to me.