210 209. Departure.txt (1/2)

The next morning.

Perhaps because I was woken up in the middle of the night, I was a little late getting up.

However, in order to fulfill Nosfi's selfishness, I immediately expanded the 《Dimension》.

Leaving the detailed preparations for the labyrinth search to Ryner, I look for the Lord. If possible, I would like to finish the request of the example before the labyrinth search.

However, before finding the Lord's figure, he discovers an anomaly in the castle.

To be precise, there was a crowd of people outside the castle - in front of the castle gate.

At the head of that group was Beth's figure. She is looking at the inside of the castle with a very anxious face. The other townspeople were also buzzing with the same expression. Since the word ”Lord” was in their conversation, I decided to head to the castle gate first.

When I appeared in front of the castle gate, the first thing Beth-chan, who was leading the charge, called out to me.

''Knight Commander-sama!　Good morning!　Um, I don't see Master Lord coming out of the castle!　Do you know anything about it!

Beth looked terribly impatient and worried about Lord.

Without waiting for my answer, she added one word after another.

'Actually, I had promised to meet Lord-sama last night. But he didn't come yesterday for any length of time. ......!　I thought it was strange that he didn't come out this morning, and so--!

The people around them seemed to feel the same way, and they were voicing their concerns without pause.

''What on earth is going on, Lord-sama ......?''

I've never been sick in my life.

It's been a long time since Master Lord hasn't been flying around in the morning: ......

I could tell from his voice that Lord was adored by the people. And I also know that he was in town every day without fail.

But I have to wonder.

I look at the gates I just came out of.

There stands the gates, liberated without any refusal.

I understand what you all want to say. But if you're so worried about it, why don't you go inside the castle?

'What?　Because we're not from the castle. So we're in trouble.

It wasn't just Beth, but everyone else had the same expression.

Even if, no matter what, the people are not allowed to enter the castle. That's the law (rule) of 'here', he implied.

' ...... okay. I, the Knight Commander, will go check on the Lord, so you guys can wait here.

After noticing the uniqueness of this space, I undertake to search the inside of the castle on behalf of the girls.

''Thank you, Sir Knight Commander ......!

Leaving Beth and the other townspeople who bowed their heads as much as they could, I hurriedly returned to the castle. As I walked, I extended the Dimension to the vault where Lord was yesterday, but there was no one there. There's no one in the courtyard or the Watchtower either.

I thought that maybe he was outside the castle when I licked out the places that the Lord seemed to like. However, just before I turned my attention outward, I found Lord's figure.

The Lord was in the center of the castle. The place that Lord least liked to be in.

The king's audience room.

Behind the throne - the throne at the far end of it - she was fiddling with her gym seat.

And muttering to herself.

She was chanting the same words over and over again, endlessly.

”'I do not choose the path I walk,' 'I am the wind' -- and 'Mistresses are accelerating souls,' 'accelerating,' 'accelerating,' 'accelerating' -- ......

It was immediately clear that it was 'chanting'.

However, there wasn't any magic being exercised, nor was her Midori's magic power being increased. However, some kind of 'price' has been paid by that 'chanting'.

It was an act of gaining nothing, only losing it.

When I entered the king's audience room, I approached Lord while deliberately sounding footsteps instead of knocking, and called out to him from a distance.

'Lord, is that 'chanting' okay ......?'

'Yeah, it's okay ....... It's like a curse to make you feel better. ......

The Lord of the Hundred Warriors had noticed my approach long ago.

He answers the question without much agitation.

'Beth's worried about you and she's coming outside.

'Oh, by the way, ......, did I promise to play with Beth? ......

It's not just Beth. They're all here.

...... guys, you're here. Yeah.

There is no power in his reply.

I seem to be in despair that the world I thought would last forever is crumbling.

It's going to be hard to cheer this up, but I'm still going to do what I can do. I'd rather regret it after I've done everything I can than regret not doing it.

'Yeah, I'm here because I'm worried about Lord. So why don't we at least go out and see him?　Seeing everyone else might change my mood a bit.

”Everyone's coming to worry about The Lord?　Haha, 'The Road'. Oh, right, 'The Road': ......

Self-mockingly, Lord repeats his name.

At the end of it, he mutters weakly and winces.

'I wonder which 'Lord' it is ....... Even though we all know who the real child is: .......

The muttering wasn't directed at anyone, it was just a monologue.

You can't guess all the meaning.

Barely enough to know that it was a situation that was not meant for Lord.

'Hey, Kanamin ....... A child (strawman) doesn't want to go to earth......

Yeah, I know that.

'If you go, I'm sure you'll be expected to go back to the child (straw) ....... I hate that .......

I just continue to feel weak.

'I hate ...... because my body gets heavy when it's expected of me. I hate the ground: .......

I chastise myself for being so vulnerable, not long ago.

Now I'm sure of it.

There is no treachery in Lord. He doesn't have a trace of cunning as a demon king.

What I see here is just a weak child.

I knew that the only way to save this child was to hold her hand gently and squarely.

'Oh, okay. No one is going to tell me to go to earth anymore. I won't let Nosfy tell me to go to earth either. So don't look at me like that anymore.

What?

Everything was affirmed, and Lord was puzzled to the contrary.

He didn't expect such an answer to come back. He asked back with a trembling voice.

'So, but ......, what the child (wawa) is saying is that ......

We've got some time before this place falls apart. I'll give you that time to do what you want. It's all over. No one has a problem with that.

'Can you solve the child's unresolved problems ......?　Canadians?

To be honest, I'm not absolutely sure.

But I continue to affirm it powerfully to cheer her up.

'Yeah, so don't worry about it anymore. I'll get your brother back 'here' in no time.

...... Huh?　Are you bringing the id?

'Oh, I talked to Mr. Reynand about it, and I thought it would be the best thing to do. Now I have no memory of what happened a thousand years ago. That's why I can't understand everything about you. So, we thought it would be best to bring someone who had a memory of you from a thousand years ago and was close to you. The family (the one with the id) would be the perfect fit for that.

But when the id is here, you can go back to ....... Also--

I think the reason you two are guardians is so that you can see each other again in a thousand years, that's what I think. Yes, that's right. Family is the most important thing. Family is the one thing that knows your family best. You just need to talk to the Aide and figure out what you're still holding on to. That will help you get rid of your hang-ups.

I assure you with certainty.

I exaggerate a little to give you hope, but mostly I don't pretend to mean it.

The family - the reunion of the sisters and brothers - will resolve their unresolved issues.

That's what I said ...... with that in mind.

Don't do it, Kanamin. That's a very bad idea.

What came back was a straightforward denial.

Lord contorted his face and shook his head behind his throne.

'I don't want to ......, I don't want to see Aydo ......'

But Ayde is your brother. He understands you better than anyone.

I don't like it!

Without waiting for my words to finish, Lord shouted.

Then he stood up and peeked out from behind the throne.

He gripped the edge of the throne tightly and slammed the reason to me.

'Because if I meet Eid now, I'll have to play the perfect king again!　It took a thousand years for the Lord to forgive the Lord's children.　We'll be back to normal again!

With a crunch, the end section of the throne was crushed. Nevertheless, the Lord still continues to shout.

'Oh no, not another king!　I don't want to carry that expectation on my shoulders again!　Because the child (warawa) haha, the child (warawa) haha--!

There was a thin layer of tears on his eye lids.

If this was the case, the tears would spill out of Lord's eyes. But before that could happen, Lord turned his face down and put his forehead against the throne.

He didn't want to cry with his emotions.

His voice turned into a chest-clenching voice, as if he was hiding his heart.

''If you continue to live in 'here', that's all you need to make the child (straw) disappear. ...... So there's no need to have an id ....... The peace of this viiisia is what the child (warawa) wants now. ......

And then it comes back to Lord's first wish.

He hangs on to a wish that was meaningless after a thousand years of 'here'.

'Kanamin don't do anything extra ....... If you're not willing to stay 'here' with your child, leave me alone .......

Lord collapsed from his knees and wiped the tears away with his sleeve.

The words naturally escape my mouth at the sight of a girl who cannot be described as a 'ruling king' no matter how you describe her.

Even though I know it's a vice, I can't help but say it out loud.

''You can't leave me alone, you idiot ......!　Lord, I'll definitely help you out. So just wait a little longer. ......!

Is it because he has activated the skill 'The Pledge of the Deepest (Di Cavernator)'? Or is it because he promised Nosfi that he would cheer up the Lord? Was it simply because he wanted to help a girl who was crying? Is it because he felt like it was his mission--

--I can't pinpoint one reason, but I couldn't abandon them anyway.

'Helping a child (strawberry) ......?'

Yeah.

Again (...), like that time, you mean Uzumi will help the child ......?

Yeah.

Lord looks up.

And his cheeks broke out in a smile, as if he had found a glimmer of hope.

This one, too, seems to have finally found a clue.

If you want to cheer up, it's now or never.

Make sure you don't misspell the words and show the future that will fulfill Lord's wishes.

The point is, as long as the guy with the id doesn't expect you to do anything about it, you're good to go. Then Ryner and I are going to beat the crap out of Ayde. After that, I'm going to make sure that Aide knows not to expect anything from the current load. I'll make sure to bring my brother who doesn't expect you to do anything. Then there's no problem, right?

......!

Lord's eyes widen.

It's obvious that this lonely man wants to see his family (Ayde).

So among the paintings in the vault, the one from Ayde's childhood was still in its original form. Above all, the life I've spent with this guy to this day is one answer.

I think you need a 'family'. You can't get rid of it forever because you don't have anyone to trust. That's the only way I see it.