Chapter 56 (1/2)

Chapter 56

Translator: Luk2048

Editor: Ghost Ape

“I’m not going back . I guess I’ll have to cross the mountains, go to Peryudōna and become an independent adventurer . ”

Sheina started stubbornly refusing to return home . It appears that Rēko spread around the tavern things like “Sheina is doing her best every night . You guys should follow her example . ” She must have believed it was all for the best .

“There’s no helping it, Evil Dragon Lord . Since it came to this, you should take responsibility and turn her into kin . She should gain some confidence as long as she gets enormous strength . ”

“Eh? You’re saying I’m the one who needs to take responsibility for this?”

“After all kin’s error is the head’s error . ”

“The restraint in your behaviour is gradually vanis.h.i.+ng lately, huh . At the very least I don’t think the one who erred should be saying things like that . ”

“So is it not possible?”

“Not anyone can become my kin . Other than you, I probably won’t find anyone else suitable . ”

Incidentally, maybe in order to demonstrate her regret, ever since then Rēko was sitting in seiza . There were no signs of regret to be seen though .

“That’s it… I’ll climb the mountain and start my life anew…”

“Hey, wait! Don’t be in such a hurry!”

Sheina was already starting to shakily climb the mountain, but ahead of her was a sea of flames . Somehow I put a stop to her advance by pulling on her cloak .

“Listen Sheina, okay? There’s a lot of people with a screw loose there, so it’s not really a place worth seeking out actively, you know?”

“But I heard there was a remarkable master’s dojo… Though it seems that person cripples more adventurers than demons…”

“Ah, I know her . There was this time she almost broke me by swinging me around by the tail . ”

Rēko, who was listening all along sitting in seiza, suddenly stood up and moved in front of Sheina .

“Human girl, in other words, it’s okay as long as you’ve enough strength to call yourself a genius with no shame, right?”

“Well yeah, but honestly getting stronger than this will be hard with my own efforts . I concealed it barely, but I don’t possess a lot of magic power . I’ve also almost no special moves other than the sound kind . ”

“Don’t give up . There are ways even if you’ve no magic power . ”

Rēko unsheathed her dagger and took a large swing at the nearby ground . Along with a sharp, sky-rending sound a great fissure arose in the ground .

“This isn’t magic . It’s a vacuum blade born due to a slash . If it’s this, it can be achieved even without magic power . ”

“You really like to make suggestions on a whole different level, huh . ”

“It won’t do . It’s as Evil Dragon Lord said – this sort of thing is impossible unless one specializes in body tempering . ”

“Oh, so it’s not absolutely impossible . ”

It seemed there were many amazing people in this world . Come to think of it, I vaguely remember we got showered with such attacks in Peryudōna . At that time Rēko scattered them with a single roar .

Dap, Sheina tapped the fist on her palm .

“Okay, enough already . After all I’ll go all the way with the genius play and leave this place . I’m leaving the explanations to you . ”

“Ah, you can’t . If you do that I might be made out to be a villain again . ”

“That’s right . You’re quite skilled despite having no talent, but with just that there’s a large number of demons scattered in this world you won’t be a match for . Even the demons that were living in this mountain, if I didn’t scatter their main force I doubt you’d be able to fight them . ”

“Umm… You know exactly where to hit, huh . ”

Sheina shrugged her shoulders as if saying good grief .

“Still, it’s not like I’ve absolutely no leads . I originally planned to leave this place before long… I wasn’t able to become Evil Dragon Lord’s kin, but there exists a way to gain similar strength . I also asked Rēko at the tavern about her method of controlling power as something like due preparation, I guess . ”

“Eh? What? There’s a way to become strong without particularly doing any work? Could you tell me all about it?”

I suddenly jumped in front of her . Because I snapped a bit too fast, Sheina drew a step back .

“Y-You want to know it that much, Evil Dragon Lord…?”

“Y-You want to know it that much, Evil Dragon Lord…?”

“Sorry, I got too curious . ”

I hurriedly fixed my att.i.tude . If such means exist I’d love to try it out secretly .

Ahem, Sheina cleared her throat, then lifted and spun her finger around in the air apparently to establish the setting for proper pontification .

“Let’s see, you two already know about the spirits, right? The beings placed between the G.o.ds and demons that have neither goodwill nor amity towards humans . ”

“Yeah . I’ve lived for a long time after all . ”

I knew the gist of it, besides I remembered Ariante also saying something like that .

“And so! Demons can be found everywhere, and if you offer appropriate prayers in a sanctuary, G.o.ds may also show themselves to you . However, only spirits can’t be seen that easily . Do you know why?”

She spoke as if giving a lecture . She must’ve studied these things in secret too . I couldn’t comprehend why she was embarra.s.sed of doing earnest things .

“I suppose so . Now that you mention it, I also have practically never met spirits . I didn’t really try to look for them though…”

“Uh huh, I know right? That’s because spirits basically lack a sense of self . Living always as one with nature without saying a word or making a sound for hundreds of years―― apparently that’s how spirits are . Well, after hearing so much they may appear like worthless existences which don’t matter, but in some cases that’s not true . ”

Sheina started drawing a picture on the ground with a pebble . A drawing of a huge circle denoted as 『Spirit』as the background of a human figure .

“As I said before, spirits are beings that blend with nature and almost never have a sense of self . However, sometimes―― it’s really extremely rare, but once in a while spirits are found with enough sentience so that a dialogue is possible . And if then one can negotiate well and form a cooperative relations.h.i.+p a.s.similating a spirit inside their body, it’s possible to compensate for one’s own lack of magic power…”

“As I said before, spirits are beings that blend with nature and almost never have a sense of self . However, sometimes―― it’s really extremely rare, but once in a while spirits are found with enough sentience so that a dialogue is possible . And if then one can negotiate well and form a cooperative relations.h.i.+p a.s.similating a spirit inside their body, it’s possible to compensate for one’s own lack of magic power…”

“Are these spirits really that rare?”

A doubtful Rēko interposed herself .

“Naturally,” Sheina immediately replied . “The magicians who were able to form cooperative relations.h.i.+ps with spirits are the specially called spirit users, but they’re so rare only one may appear every few decades . Moreover, ones who could lodge a powerful spirit inside them were few in the whole world’s history . But it’s worth betting on . After all, housing a spirit once is the same as gaining an unimaginable tank of magic power, for humans anyway . ”

“Certainly the presence is faint so I didn’t really notice, but once I focused my mind it was right there . I don’t think it’s really that rare…”

“Eh?”

Both me and Sheina voiced our doubts loudly while facing Rēko . She pointed her finger at the gold mountain which was still burning brightly .

“That . It probably lives as part of the gold mountain . I feel like I can make out something if I strain my ears . ”

“Really?! W-What’s Mr . Spirit saying, Rēko?!”

Rēko turned her ear in the mountain’s direction while nodding in comprehension .

“『The summit is hot, now . 』”