EP8. A New Journey (2)
“…Do you mean that a great adventurer is one who commands monsters?”
As Sean spat out the question, he couldn’t erase the awkwardness of the content. He didn’t know much about the great adventurer, but from what he heard, he thought he was a person worthy of the title of great.
“It would be better to hear from an expert on this matter than me.”
Sean had no idea who the expert he was talking about would be. If Sean’s guess was true, he’d have someone else to take it much more seriously than he did.
“More details will be explained by the president of the association.”
As soon as Shriegel signaled outside the room, the door opened and someone entered. Maybe he was waiting for the conversation to end inside. The man who entered was a familiar figure to Sean and Levy.
“Nice to meet you. Sean. Levi.”
After Dordan’s death, she filled the position of president of the association. The reason Gania was able to trust Raes and leave was because of her older sister who loves the city more than anyone else.
“Mr. Kania…”
“You must have heard the basic explanation from Mr. Shriegel.”
“…Really? That the traces of a great adventurer came from the monster’s nest.”
Kania silently took out something of hers and put it on her desk. She confirmed its identity and Levi muttered quietly.
“It’s a book.”
“Yes. It is the most important clue found in the cave.”
“Is it because of what is written in this book?”
Kania gave a simple answer to Sean’s question.
“This is a diary. Objection to a presumed great adventurer.”
“····So this book. . . . Diary of a great adventurer?”
Seeing Kania nod her head, Sean looked at the book. If so, what was written in this diary? Is there evidence that he ruled over monsters? Before Sean’s thoughts continued, Levy, who was next to her, eventually couldn’t hold back her curiosity and asked.
“But who is the great adventurer? Are you an adventurer from Laes?”
“Ah.”
It was only then that Sean realized that Levy did not know about the Great Adventurer. That’s because when Kania explained the great adventurer, she was alone without Levi.
Kania explained to Levi about the great adventurer simply as she did to Shawn.
“… God’s curse. What did I do wrong?”
“Okay. Because that’s unknown. It’s not even clear that he was cursed by God in the first place.”
Realizing that she was ready for everyone to listen, Kania finally started explaining the book.
“There are a few things you should keep in mind before reading the diary.”
“What is it?”
“First of all, this diary is in an incomplete state. The writing may have been smeared or erased, but there are hardly any parts that can be read properly.”
That wasn’t good. Of course, the more articles you read, the more clues you can find.
“Secondly, it is virtually certain that the owner of this diary is a great adventurer.”
“There seems to be a reason you thought it was certain.”
“Yes. The events recorded in the diary correspond to the great known adventurers. Even more detailed.”
This is the assertion of Kania, who was an ardent follower of the great adventurer, so it is probably true. Watching Shawn and Levi nod, Kania moved on to the next message.
“Third. It’s hard to be sure that a great adventurer used it as a monster.”
“You mean no?”
“I mean… It might not be.”
Levy immediately realized from her answer, which he brought out after a bit of hesitation. The fact that it may not mean that it means that there is a good chance of being hit on the contrary.
Kania hurriedly added an additional explanation as if making an excuse.
“There are traces of people staying in the cave, but I couldn’t find any writing tools to record it. Besides, when you look at the traces of the cave, you must have lived just a short while ago, but I think so because it seems like it has been a few years since I wrote the book.”
Kania’s guess was quite reasonable, even from an objective point of view, except for her own point of view. According to her words, rather than the person staying in the cave writing a diary…
“The man who commanded the monster had the diary of a great adventurer… You mean?”
“I hope so. Actually, there are many strange things. Why did it disappear without erasing its traces, including the diary, where did it disappear, and how it lived inside the monster’s nest…”
After listening to Kania’s words, Levy, who was lost in her thoughts for a while, belatedly asked a part of what she said.
“By the way, how long ago did you live in a cave?”
“Yes. We’re pretty sure it stayed until at least a month or two ago.”
“Um…”
As Levy frowned and pondered over something in her, Shaun couldn’t contain her curiosity and asked.
“Why? Any problem?”
“I was just thinking… Unless you’ve been there a while ago and don’t know who you are. Maybe he lives in hiding in this city?”
“·······.”
Actually, Levy’s question was a natural thing to think about. She just had no time to care because she was covered by the name of a great adventurer. She listened to the girl, and she muttered in agony even to Shriegel.
“····Hmm. It’s certainly possible. No, it might be high.”
“Even if it were, there would be no way to find out right away. So, shouldn’t we look at the contents of the book first?”
“Levi is right. Now let’s look at the contents of the diary.”
“Then I’ll open the diary…?”
Shaun carefully opened the first part of the diary. Why are you so nervous? He swallowed and checked his diary. As Kania said, the first page was smeared and unreadable.
Following page by page until something legible came along, Shawn stopped when he finally found something he could read.
「It was an amazing experience. Who would have guessed that the legend of the lower archipelago sea was true.
Perhaps no one can picture the scene without seeing it for themselves. I’ve had many experiences since becoming an adventurer, but I don’t think I’ll forget this one very easily.”
“…The archipelago below?”
At the name of a place he had never heard of, Sean spit it out unconsciously. Kania told me about him.
“One of the adventure stories of the great adventurer. It’s about the southernmost archipelago of the continent. Stories like that a huge city sunk under the sea holds great treasures and is guarded by a giant deep-sea monster.”
“····That’s not a made-up story, is it real?”
Kania shrugged her shoulders and replied.
“There are many people who do not believe because there is no special evidence. Looking at it now, the evidence seems to have come out.”
“I will continue reading for now.”
Unfortunately, I don’t know if the bottom part has been erased or if it’s not less. There was only a blank space, so Shawn moved on to the next page. It took him a few more pages before he could find the part where the text remained.
「I think I became quite famous after the subjugation of Albus Caelum. There was no one in the city who didn’t know my name anymore.
I didn’t want fame, but I thought maybe it wouldn’t be too bad. If I continue to be famous like this and one day my name spreads across all continents…”
“Ah… It is cut off here.”
“Albus Caelum was the most notorious monster on the continent at the time. Thanks to that, the subjugation was a decisive opportunity to let people know about great adventurers.”
“I must have been a person with a desire for honor more than I thought. Seeing that you intend to make your name known to all continents.”
At Levi’s guess, Kania presented a different opinion.
“Perhaps there was a reason to be known.”
“I would have been able to know for sure if the back part had been left. Let’s move on to the next page.”
「Sometimes there are days when I feel down for no reason.
The adventure that made my heart race, and the secrets of the continent that I want to dig deep. When everything goes backwards.
At such times, I quietly close my eyes and think of my longing hometown. I think of friendly scenery, I think of my friends, I think of my family.
My mother is kind and warm. That’s why he is the one I love the most.
On the other hand, my father is cold and blunt. But deep inside, I realized that he always worried about me and loved me.
When I think about it that much, I think of the situation of parting with my father. It was the memory I regret the most. I could have said goodbye a little better. If we parted while laughing…
····Come to think of it, I couldn’t even stop by my hometown properly because I was absorbed in adventure.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to return to your hometown once this journey is over. And you’d better apologize to your father. Okay. That would be nice.”
“I guess I didn’t get along very well with my father.”
“·······.”
“Because the original parent-child relationship is complicated.”
For a moment, Kania thought of the gray-haired man with a cold expression, but when he didn’t get an answer, she looked at the two in front of her questioningly and asked.
“Why are you both like that? Shawn? Levi?”
“…That’s strange. Even if it seems familiar.”
For some reason, when he saw the contents of her letter, Levy couldn’t shake off the sense of incongruity she felt, and she was still enveloped in frustration. Sean, on the other hand, was even more squeamish than Levy. If Levy was puzzled and frustrated, Shawn was shocked and denied.
***
“Then proceed carefully.”
Sean and Levy sternly refused, but Kania followed them all the way to the entrance of the city and saw them off. She felt empty as she had to leave her beloved today as well as yesterday, but the more she did, the more she tried to let her go with a smile on her face.
“····Me, Kania-san. Finally, can I call her sister…?”
“Levy. It’s really disappointing.”
When Kania said that without hesitation, Levy cried and tried to apologize. But even before that, she added:
“I was disappointed that only Gania called her older sister and I didn’t. I want to have a cute little sister like Levi.”
“····heheheeng. You must stay healthy! Cania… Sister····.”
After Levy’s turn, Sean also said goodbye to Kania.
“I still remember. Sean, who appeared like a prince when he was in danger.”
“Why are you saying that all of a sudden?”
“Just like that. Thank you. Thank you both very much.”
After thinking about it for a while, Sean finally conveyed the words he had prepared to Kania.
“Mr. Kania. Leave it to me.”
“Yes? ····My sister, Levy? Of course, I’ll leave it to Shawn.”
“No. Not that. Therefore····.”
I tried to speak confidently, but in the end I couldn’t overcome the shame and scratched my cheek and opened my mouth.
“…To be a great adventurer. I want you to leave it to me and Levy…”
“Ah…”
At her completely unexpected words, Kania opened her mouth and stood in a daze for a while, then she responded with a gentle smile.
“Yes. I will trust you.”
After saying goodbye, Sean and Levy left Laes. Watching the backs of the two disappear into the distance, Kania stood there for a while.
Even though she can’t become a great adventurer, her own dream hasn’t faded. In other words, she was inherited.
“I don’t know what the road ahead will be, but I will always pray for you.”
In the end, if you overcome even hardships, it’s just a small trial.
From noble mtl dot com.
***
“Shaun. But why did you look so bad earlier?”
At Levy’s question, Shawn recalled the situation from earlier. One possibility that came up after looking at the diary.
Actually, this is nonsense. …But when you think about it, it wasn’t impossible. No matter how great an adventurer is that no one knows on the continent, in the end there will always be a first.
It’s only natural that he has a hometown, friends, and family.
So is it true? Are you really saying that what you think is true?
“Do you remember?”
“Huh? What?”
“Grandpa Paulo.”
“Shaun. There’s no way I’ll forget my grandfather with Paul… Ah.”
It was only then that Levy realized what Sean was trying to say.
“Maybe the great adventurer is the son of Grandpa Paulo?”