Vol 7 Chapter 115 (1/2)
Epilogue
After finishi+ng up May’s adventurer registration, I sat on a sofa against one of the lobby’s walls waiting for her tired form to come out of the new-comer introductory lecture
I sat in that hard couch by the stairs as I saw a fah as the spoke at the reception’s desk
When I inclined my ears, I could hear some broken lines, and from then, I inferred they had received a penalty
Largely unable to coiven, their evaluation was so low that instead of receiving a reward, they had to pay a fine, it seems
But the party members led by Erhart seemed happy I found it wondrous, but the moment I saw the face of the woman past their backs, the mysteries unraveled themselves
Long blond hair, a war theestures were quite sweet
“Are you listening!? Trust is thefor adventurers, so you have to put your all into even the smallest of tasks!”
She was holding her index finger up and sternly rebuking them, but their eye levels were directed at her breasts
“Y-yes I understand”
Those party htest objection
Age-wise, I guess she’s h
Her green eyes were serious, and there’s no doubt she was truly worried for Erhart and his cohorts
But her standard guild uniform had been modified a bit With adjuste chest area, she was- unlike Tanya- kind and light hearted
And like that, she continued giving her sermon
“For a while, I will properly e you all as your exclusive receptionist! For starters, let’s have you take care of some jobs you can do for sure If you cannot pay the fine, then as long as you accouild’s lodging facilities”
Without any money, all of them besides Erhart… no even Erhart didn’t exactly have proper equipment And for such a party, she’d introduce a number of miscellaneous requests
(I heard the guild had its own lodging facilities, but is that how it is? It’s not like they’d let you stay there for free)
The receptionist lady said they’d be able to pay the fine in instaluild herself
“Normally you’d have to pay a lump sum, but I’ve let that slide Please pay it back when you can Once that’s done with, you’ll be working so proper equip is prohibited!”
On the animatedly furious receptionist’s declarations, they offered their heartfelt gratitude
(Were guild receptionists supposed to have that o that far to begin with?)
As I pondered over that, the receptionist woman smiled
“Let’s all do our best together”
“Yes!”
After Erhart gave such a forceful reply, the other reement And they went into various paper works
Looking down as they filled out the for hair fell over her ears, so she used her hand to put it back in place In that instant, she looked in my direction
Erhart and the rest didn’t seem to notice as they wrote their names on the sheets
But the eyes she sent weren’t the… fluffy ones from before Her at atup her work once more
As I stood there surprised, I heard heavy footsteps co down the stairs
Ju out to me
“Did I keep you waiting?”
“Eh? No, well… a little”
I stood frouild lobby
(What exactly was that?)
–
–
–
Night
In the Jewel, I was facing the Third Generation Head
Within his room of memories, a town spread out around us
And in that town’s plaza, I faced his one-handed sword
『It surely was suspicious But would they really go so far to deceive theht disappear if they just leave them be!』
He talked as he swung his sword, repelling et in a kick But when I retreated, he kicked the ground to send sand at me
Itaken away, and…
“Dam-!”
Before I could finish the word, the Third used his sword to pierce deeply into
An illusion of his entered my vision, and the Sabre I suddenly held out was unable to stop his slash This time my left arm was cut
『Hahaha, still too naïve, Lyle』
Heading for the water fountain in the plaza, he kicked aside his sword, and sat down on a nearby bench
After my pain receded, and my wounds disappeared, I headed over to him
“Please fight ain”
When I asked for a rematch, he smiled
『I refuse You’re too packed with the basics, and as you are now, it’llonly be pointless Instructor-taught swordplay, is all You’re way too honest, Lyle』
The Third looked down onfought across ain, the ancestors held the forolden years
As I am, I can’t reach up to them
I cast my eyes down and clenched my fist He addressed me
『Lyle, it’s iainstnothing but the son’t get you anywhere You’re final goal is…』
“… Winning against Celes For that sake, I need at least enough ability to stand on the same battlefield”
To win against Celes, the ancestors had thought up a number of requirements
A force that could hold up against the Walt House and the armies of Bahnseim
A small elite force to combat Celes herself
To put it simply, we had to make an environment where victory was a possibility
The ancestors’ training was ed to ainst her in battle, then it would become quite unnecessary
『… If all you do is defeat her, it will all fall to the Walt House’s responsibility After that victory, there would be nothing left for the future And your numbers of less than ten won’t topple a country War is the sort of thing where there’s noin unless you know you can win』
For the sake of winning, the past heads were lendingco it will take
Noticing my impatience, the Third spoke to admonish me
『If you’re half-baked in challenging her, then I’m sure herit, you have one shot And don’t aim for mutual destruction, look towards complete victory Otherwise you may be executed as a man of the sa the comrades that’ve lent you their aid』
That being the case, I don’t know anyup to her level And I myself didn’t have any military force to speak of
Rallying up the surrounding countries to challenge Bahnseim will also be difficult
『I and rushi+ng are different things And for starters, you should gather up information』
Inforather in Beim
Having co in this city
“I haven’t even started on the information”
I said that in self-scorn, and the Third made a serious face
『At any rate, even if they think Bahnsei nations won’t think to attack Perhaps we have sorow so vast, though』
The Sixth and Seventh had e contributions to Bahnseim’s expansion
The Third was the sa saved it from crisis
『Lyle, want to make a promise with me?』
“A promise?”
The Third stood from the Bench, and put his fist to my chest
『You have to look to the after story Your life isn’t soirl The aid we give is there because ant the future that comes beyond it all That the Walt bloodline that ties us… that it will continue on through that future』
“… The future, is it?”
The Third nodded
『Right So I don’t want you to resolve yourself to take each other out』
“… Even if, because of that, a large number of lives are to be lost?”
『That’s right Don’t be conceited Even a Goddess can’t save every single hule huance And no le, at present, you won’t be able to win against Celes It isn’t even a gamble at this point』
Froainst the country, I could see the helplessly large gap between h with it, I get the feeling the gap had becoreater in my mind
“… I’ll definitely win out I’ll get the future in my hands”
The Third removed his fist from me, smiled, and walked off
『That’s how it should be』
–
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–
… The Bahnseidom
A single village was in flames
Those surrounding it were the rank and file of the Bahnseim army
Arhts lined up on their horses In the center of theear
Celes’ specially hts to carry it were stationed on its sides On top of the carrier currently placed on the ground, Celes sat in her chair and watched the fire burn on
“That barely took any time at all”
With an unpleased expression on her face, Celes earing special-ordered dress-like armor over her body
Maizel…
“With thirty thousand to surround it, a single srief, what foolish folk theainst Celes”
The crown prince of the kingdo his bride to be And when news of Celes spread, nobles looking to rebel started showing themselves
“I thought theallant lords of the provinces, but what a miscalculation”
Being governed by a viscount, the village’s residents were cut down by the soldiers as they tried to flee The surrounding villages were also under attack by the lords who voiced their intent to cooperate
Pillage, plunder, all were going on, but no one thought to condemn it
Celes stared over the burning village, and thought it soreat lengths to bring all the way here…
“Well, so be it Even so, I can’t hear a thing Bring me closer”
She addressed the knights to carry her palanquin
A knight…
“B-but if so were to happen to Celes-sama…”
The arht objected, so Maizel drew the sabre at his waist, and in the gaps of his ar his swift demise
“You think a daughter of the Walt House need fear for so of this level!? This is why imperial nobles are…”
Seeing Maizel’s bloodshot eyes, the palanquin knights… the knights of low imperial nobility learned fear
The blood that had splashed out of the knights arertip, pressed it again her lip, and licked
And having seen that action, the knights’ hearts were lost in fascination
“Father, I want to know of the battlefield And… there see Can you not let me pass? I must personally meet with their hero”
Seeing her smile, Maizel still seemed reluctant
“But the opponent is a knight of renown He has already struck down several tens of our riders Letting hter before such a man is a little…”
To poor incoherent and nonsensical Maizel, Celes shts
“You sure are prone to worry, dear father Now, let us go and witness their hero It’s alright… I’m here, so we are sure to win”
The knights that gathered around to lift up her stand gulped as they saw her up so high They hoisted up the palanquin, and so Celes went to the battlefield carried on the backs of scores of men
And after the hts and soldiers stepped back froe
He looked in doubt at thethe palanquin with Celes on it co with the main force, he rode forth on his horse to take it down
That he was a skilled fighter was so Celes could understand from his form Maizel as well
“Hm, he’s not bad”
When Celes thought about how the knight was still only in his mid-twenties, she started to want him
“My horse, please”
On her words, the palanquin was lowered, and her favored steed showed itself With black scales, and an ashenfrom its head was none other than a quilin
“Wait right there, Celes! That one’s strong If you’re to get the slightest of injuries, I don’t knohat…”
To her father’s sorrow, she sent a wink
“I’ll be just fine, oh art father of mine”
After straddling herself over the quilin, she accepted the rapier her subordinates presented to her She kicked its sto the earth
Her knights and soldiers opened a path for her, and before her eyes, the knight splashed in blood held up his lance to begin his assault
His armor was ance Perhaps his horse was a reputable one, but it sturdily raced on as its s
Unity of rider and horse
To have accu had the man before her packed into that body of his?
“Ah~, I want you A thousand times better than Rufus!”