V2C50 (2/2)

Even though their words were a hundred times less suitable compared to the words from the mountain-like pile of non-employment reply letters I received in Japan, it caused an incomparable calmness in my heart. They will definitely always continue living just like that.

Happy people will bring happiness to those around them.

However, they also caused people to feel slightly irritated and more times than not the people around them could not keep up with their energy.

Be happy … huh.

“One has to live happily huh.”

I looked at Carol … and felt that I have to let her live happily.

Which was why, I easily turned back on my resolve to part with Carol in this town. My brittle wall of resolve collapsed and I constructed a new wall of resolve.

Let’s purchase Carol.

Then, I was taken aback when I looked at her finger.

“I forgot to return the Friendship ring.”

” … Should we chase after them?”

With Haru’s nose, it’s possible for us to chase after them but I shook my head.

“We’ll most likely meet them again, we can return it at that time.”

It was just a hunch. However, I found out that the hunch was not mistaken in the near future.

Then, I asked Carol.

“Carol, do you wish to travel with me?”

“Eh?”

“We’re on a laid back journey. The reason is not anything meaningful. I have an item bag and you can level up your Peddler level so, would you like to travel with us?”

“But, Carol is a slave.”

“If it’s the money to purchase Carol, I’ll do something about it. I’ve gotten gold from Oregeru and I have items that I can sell as well. Moreover, with an item bag, I am able to earn more money compared to other peddlers so I would be able to get earnings straight away.”

” … But.”

“I didn’t say you have to give your reply right away. We’ll still remain in this town for slightly longer to put our equipment in order and I plan to leave tomorrow … rather, is it alright if I decide it on my own, Haru? Is there anywhere you want to go?”

I suddenly felt uneasy and asked Haru but she shook her head with a smile and said: “I leave everything to what master’s heart dictates.”.

So, we’ll be leaving for our journey tomorrow.

“Carol, during that time, please slowly think about it.”

“Yes … thank you very much.”

Various thoughts must be crossing within Carol’s small head currently.

I wish that her reply would be chosen for the sake of her own happiness.

I thought as we 3 headed toward the slave trading post.

~Side Story~

A land where the 6 pillar Goddesses can descend upon … there is a hill that can be called that.

Kyupilas Hill.

With the great sacred shrine Kyupilas erected on it 1200 years ago.

There, the hero Alessio Magnal is under house arrest.

House arrest, the use of that term is meant for a person who was arrested due to treason toward the church … it may even lead to execution if the punishment was severe.

But, the hero Alessio considered the position he was in as being under house arrest.

Subduing the Demon Lord, he became a hero in the truest sense of the word.

Raised as a hero by the church since birth, he set off on a journey when he had grown up, at the young age of 14.

Demon Lord extermination journey, it may sound exceptionally admirable when referred to like that but he, a 14-year-old boy, was only granted a silver sword and 3000 sense by the church.

“There are other heroes. You are not the only hero.”

That was what he was told. In reality, the friends, or rather, the alumni that he spent time together with were all heroes. Those who must become heroes due to the destiny they were born with.

Hence, they did not question their own circumstances at all.

He thought of, no, he was made aware of how strange it was when he met his companions.

Magician Hag. Magic Engineer Daijiro.

If he did not encounter them, hero Alessio would amount to nothing more than ‘a single hero chess piece’.

Without seeing his ability to move freely, he would have continued to be held captive as a hero chest piece that can’t move out of the chess board.

However, during his journey with his companions, he found the true meaning of his own existence as a hero. That is how it seems to him now.

Which is why he can’t tolerate the ‘role’ of the hero the church ingrained into him.

To only have practice ingrained into him, to not have the permission to go out on his own or to drink the cheap ale he wanted to try when he reached adulthood.

He thought of escaping.

Then one day, he came upon a turning point. When the Magician Hag visited.

Even after 10 years, his face did not change much.

However, the long hair that he was proud of had all fallen off and he had become bald. He felt that it would not be appropriate to laugh but he could not help his line of sight from straying upward. (TL: It’s uncertain lol Hag can be a woman or a man with an unfortunate nickname/name.)

“Stop staring at other people’s head Aleo. Putting that aside, I came today because I have something I want to tell you.”

Hag sighed at the gaze directed at his own head as he told Alessio.

” … A seal of the Demon Lord has been released. It’s that guy from the Arundel Kingdom.”

” …… !?”

Taking into consideration the meaning of those words, Alessio was shocked.

Just a couple of decades, just waiting for a few more decades and everything should be over but the reality was that the seal was already released.

“Is it the work of the demon race?”

“No, there’s a highway located nearby there so … there’s a possibility someone discovered the hidden labyrinth by chance and coincidentally succeeded in releasing the hidden door and took away the demon beads.” (TL: It’s the beads/marbles beside the magic bag behind the hidden door Jofre and Elise found in the hidden labyrinth.)

“That sure is a chain of chances and coincidences.”

Even so, the trap laid there is a classical one so it should have been effective.

Moreover, he conveyed to Hag that it was crafted such that the door would not open within a year if the invader was wrong once. They should have a year to somehow plan their strike.

“Even so, I see. Demon Lord’s seal huh, that sure is troublesome.”

” … You look quite pleased though.”

Hag did not miss the loosening of Alessio’s cheeks.

” … Defeating the Demon Lord is what you think of when you refer to a hero after all. Have you told Daijiro?”

“No, not yet … since Mallegory, where he is at, is far away … or rather, it is in the opposite direction from Arundel. If so, we should directly set off to see the situation.”

“That’s true … very well, I’ll go speak to the Holy Father (sensei) … let’s set forth immediately.”

Alessio said so as he abandoned all the chores that he was assigned to and left the office.

Thus, Alessio Magnal … for the 28-year-old, his second journey had begun.