Vol 7 Chapter 121 (1/2)
Chapter 121: Estia’s past
Translator: Tseirp
We exited from the cave leading to the Dwarf Kingdom and the vicinity became completely bright and sunny.
“And so, why are you laying in ambush?”
Estia was at the entrance to the cave.
” … Do you know me!?”
“Estia right? I suspect “Thank G.o.d~” you?!” (TL: Estia interrupted him mid sentence)
Estia began to cry loudly.
” … Luciel-sama, is this person the Estia you spoke of?”
” … She’s only a girl nya.”
” … Did we originally know her as well?”
As expected, Lionel and the others did not remember anything about Estia at all.
Leaving that aside, couldn’t she have escaped without others noticing when she became a slave? It only served to deepen my suspicion toward Estia.
However, she’s crying and staying behind … no, crying can be an act too so I can’t ease my attention … I began speaking with that thought in mind.
“She’s Estia without a doubt. Estia, crying will not clear the suspicion on you. Why weren’t you together with the former slaves in the slave’s resting area?”
“By manifesting the Darkness Spirit’s power after a long time, everyone forgot about me …”
“So?”
“Darkness Spirit-san was angered and tried to attack everyone so I left the place.”
“What did the Darkness Spirit do?”
“Inside the cave? It can’t appear unless it becomes night time.”
Sounds plausible … but, it’s way too dangerous and there’s not a single merit to bring her along to Rockford.
“Well, since you’re no longer a slave, do your best and live.”
“Please help me.”
Estia’s expression was as if she was seriously at her wit’s end.
I decided that there might be a chance that I would be cursed if I leave it be so I decided to listen for now.
” … The other … the Earth Spirits said that they are afraid of Estia. Could you explain why?”
Mentioning that the Spirits were afraid of Estia … the instant I said that, her body trembled, she gave a surprised expression, and she once again began crying.
“Even though I just want to get along well with Spirit-sans … ”
Her excuse was that apparently, she does not want to manipulate the Spirits.
However, when she senses danger towards herself, she will unconsciously borrow power from Spirits but the actual fact is that she s.n.a.t.c.hes the Spirits’ power without permission huh.
” … If that’s true then you are quite a dangerous existence.”
” ……… ”
She stiffened as she continued casting her eyes downward.
“If you request of the Darkness Spirit, can’t you train so that you won’t steal the powers?”
” … I was told that when the time comes, I will be able to control it.”
“Told by the spirits?”
“No, by the person who raised me. Darkness Spirit-san gives a sad expression whenever I talk about that …”
Is it normal to not be able to control it? Or maybe … the person who raised her huh.
It would be Instructor Broad in my case.
If she’s a reincarnated individual, I’m curious as to where she learnt that combat technique from.
“Estia’s age?”
“I’ve turned 17.”
… Eh? Did I misread it?
” … When did you become able to see and speak to Spirits?”
“When I was a child … in the past, I had a body that was so weak that it would not be strange if I died anytime.
And even now, I can still somewhat remember the time I was sold … when my parent told me to go to a place where I can get treatment.
I was forced to drink various medicine that was said to be for an experiment, forced to swing the sword even when I had a fever and I was always full of bruises.
Furthermore, I was always lonely.
That continued for a couple of years before one day, I became able to see Darkness Spirit-san.
After that, my body’s condition became better.”
… Meaning she summoned the Spirits herself? Or was it that she originally had the talent? Or is it the effect of the medicine she was forced to drink … eh? I directly asked the question that was on my mind.
“Even though you were sold as a slave, isn’t it strange to be caught as a slave again?”
“Because I was released from slavery once.”
” … You sure get released often.”
“That time, I was surprised when it was easily done when I wished to be released from slavery but it seemed that it was done by Darkness Spirit-san.”
” … It’s been on my mind the whole time, did you use a memory lapse magic when you left the king’s audience? To not leave a trace of it behind … furthermore, why didn’t the Earth Spirits notice the Darkness Spirit’s presence?”
” … That’s because of the price of the power?”
“Price?”
Estia made a gloomy face and continued.
“At the place we fought with the queen ant, my defence instinct flared and I ended up using Spirit-san’s power.
Because I s.n.a.t.c.hed the Spirit-sans life magical power, other than Darkness Spirit-san which is my contracted spirit, the others were resting to regain their power.
Conversely, Darkness Spirit-san became healthy and ended up causing a concealment effect to trickle down to the surroundings.