365 Fire Responsibility (3)
The 7th-tier Dark Continent’s entry barrier, ‘Gully of the Ghosts’.
When you exit here, you will find the lake where you are currently stationed, and thereafter it will be divided into three fields.
The first is the Aribeona Estuary.
It is a route that follows the river that leads to the lake where waterfalls pour, and if you follow this route, you can reach the Dragon Mountains, the center of the Dark Continent, the fastest… … .
‘Bellarios comes from here.’
The place where you can receive the essence that will be responsible for the resistance to magic in the final training is the Dragon Mountains.
Well, it’s a patrol team, so we won’t have to go there this time.
Anyway.
The second field is a wide jungle to the east of the estuary, and its name is Great Forest.
Because it is so wide, it is divided into several fields within it, but the official name is so.
and… … .
Third, the ruins of Pantellion, located west of the estuary.
It was made up of about 30 people, and it was also the destination of the 4th Patrol I belonged to.
“All troops forward!”
Arriving at the beginning of the ruins, the patrols reorganized their formation and entered the field in earnest.
Of course, the purpose of the patrol squad was to actively defend against an unexpected surprise, so they did not go deep into the ruins.
However… … .
“A vanguard forward!”
“Build a shield wall!”
It’s because there are so many monsters here in the first place.
[Creepy… … !]
Start with the modified beasts with bodies made of steel like golems.
Koo-! Koo-!
A giant magic golem.
Whoa hey-!
Even a mechanical flying monster that flies like a drone.
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Monsters that were sleeping throughout the ruins sense the intruder and run away.
However, there was no way the monsters pierced the vanguards with shields and reached us.
aa-!
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Monsters blocked by a huge wall made of people.
It’s a little strange looking at it somehow.
I never thought the day would come when I would see someone’s back from this angle.
‘This is a scene that children usually see.’
While possessed by a strange feeling, he smashed the monsters that came out as soon as an attack command was issued with a hammer.
「The character has cast [Swipe].」
「You have defeated Gigawolf. EXP +4”
Even on the 7th floor, the entrance of the Pantellion ruins had an average grade not so high, so no one could withstand a single room properly.
Because they were modified by machines, the taste of their hands was also unique.
Kakagak, quajiit, quajik-!
After all, it’s very convenient because you only have to wield a hammer.
“Aside the vanguard!”
Soon, the commander of the patrol corps shouted, and the tankers with shields moved in unison, opening the way in the middle.
As a result, the monsters escaped to the front, but… … .
“Liona Erepura!”
Joint magic has already been completed in the rear.
Hwi-Yeong-!
A beam of light was fired from the center of the formation and pierced through ten large monsters, which broke the confrontation structure and was able to quickly organize the remaining monsters.
‘… … I’m sure it’s easy to hunt because you go in raid units. Since there is a priest, the potential is also stable.’
Although the average grade is said to be low, almost 100 monsters rushed in, and it took less than 10 minutes to sort them all out.
Well, there are more than 30 people here, so it’s only natural.
Even if you catch a hundred, if you divide it by the number of people, the income from this battle won’t be that big.
“There is no Essence, so I will collect Mana Stones and resume the movement!”
Soon, the patrols continued to hunt by going round and round the entrance to the ruins along the pre-planned route… No, I went on patrol.
and… … .
‘Hey, today’s can experience alone would be over 100.’
There were more than 20 new monsters killed during this patrol alone.
Although the level of monsters that appeared was low, there were many unique objects that only inhabit this field.
“Then everyone suffered a lot.”
After patrolling for about 10 hours, we returned to the garrison after handing over to the next shift.
And I got one ticket from the administrator.
Is it a ticket to prove your stake in the loot that came out while hunting in the party today?
It seems that if I go back to the city later and submit it to the Ministry of Merit and Merit, I can get a payment… … .
“Hey, friend.”
When I got my ticket and turned around, a man came up to me with a smirk.
I couldn’t help but tilt my head.
“… Who are you?”
I don’t remember having a friend like this, and in the first place, this guy was the first to meet—
“What is it, that reaction as if you had seen it for the first time? You were always by my side when we were fighting.”
Uh, was it?
Now that I think about it, it seems like that… … .
In my experience, in this case, it is best to move around and move around the subject.
“Oh, so what are you doing?”
When I asked why I came, an unknown man tapped me on the shoulder as if he had become a superior.
“Didn’t I see you fight ignorantly?”
Well, were you here for socializing?
With that in mind, I spit out a word of humility.
“You fight so well, you have low eyes.”
“What?”
For some reason, the man frowned.
It wasn’t my concern.
So, I quickly removed the hand that was on my shoulder.
tuk.
I’ve been feeling bad ever since.
If you want to get to know each other, even open your eyes properly.
“So what’s the dragon?”
As soon as I asked him again, he also erased the pretense of laughter.
and… … .
“I just wanted to give you one piece of advice.”
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Made an unexpected statement.
“… advice?”
“Looking at it, it seems that you only increased your strength ignorantly, but if you only eat the essence in that way, you will be in great danger someday.”
Having said that, he pulled out a dagger and injured his forearm.
“Can you see it? It doesn’t cut well even if you apply a lot of force. I don’t know if an explorer is more balanced like me than just counting strength—”
“What, it was just an asshole.”
“… … ?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m only thinking in my mind.”
Even though I apologized like a man, he looked at me with a hard expression on his face like a jjomsaeng.
Heck, it looks like it’s going to explode if you hit it.
Where are you bragging about your physical resistance figure in front of me?
“By the way, what’s your name?”
Still, since I didn’t know him, I asked his name.
“Meliber Eltaine.”
What, wasn’t it Hans?
“I guess so. See you again someday.”
“Uncle, what are you doing there?”
“As you can see, the party has arrived now.”
The name I had just heard was roughly erased from my memory and left.
***
So, my name is Meliber… … .
‘What was it?’
I don’t remember very well, but unfortunately, I never met him again.
After that, I continued to entrust the patrol team, but it’s because I joined a different patrol squad each time… … .
The reason for doing so was simple.
Because one patrol patrolled only one field on a regular basis.
Well, it was a reasonable measure from the commanding point of view.
If a patrol team is in charge of an area, you will get used to the terrain, and it will naturally match up.
In the original case, it was impossible to change it every time like this.
Unless there is a backbone in the upper ranks of the military.
[Raven, I heard that the 11th Patrol is going to patrol in depth this time… … .]
[I see. I will write a recommendation letter.]
[Thank you.]
Thanks to Raven’s help from behind, I was able to gain experience by visiting not only the ruins of Pantellion, the first patrol site, but also Aribeona Estuary and the Great Forest.
Of course, all of them are only at the beginning, so there are plenty of monsters I haven’t met.
However, whenever the patrol squad was changed, the experience points continued to accumulate.
And time goes by without end.
“The character’s level has risen.”
「Spirit power increases by +30.」
“The maximum absorbable essence is increased by +1.”
Finally, the long-awaited 7th level was reached and the Essence slot was increased by one.
This means that new synergies can be added to the current combination.
‘The money issue is practically resolved, so there is no need to participate in the war next time. I’ll have to try the essence nogadana on my next expedition.’
Oh, do you want to save the ship first?
As I was beating myself up thinking about various things, I suddenly realized that the surroundings were quiet.
“Raven.”
“why.”
“Where have Erwen and Emily gone?”
“She went out to sleep in the barracks earlier, and Erwen… I do not know. You followed her shortly after she left?”
“Um, right?”
“So the question is over?”
Saying that, Raven had already looked away from me and was reading the documents.
Well, give me time to answer.
‘Then… It’s like I’m alone with him.’
As I stepped back without talking more so as not to interfere with my work, this time was unfamiliar to me all over again.
That’s because Ameliana Erwen was always by my side when I met Raven after the reunion.
‘I’ll have to ask you something you’ve been curious about on this occasion.’
“There, Raven.”
“Why again?”
“I said then… What was ‘the thing’?”
When I asked carefully, Raven’s hand that was moving the pen froze and stopped.
Also, Raven turned and glanced at me.
“Is that the case?”
Well, pretend you don’t understand.
“Didn’t you say that in front of the iron bars then? Shortly after entering the tower, ‘that thing’ happened…”
“… … I don’t want to say much. It’s not important.”
“… Is that so? Then there is nothing you can do.”
No matter how often he pretended to be a barbarian, he had no intention of being rude until this time, so he simply stopped his curiosity.
and… … .
“Then what about your mother? How are you?”
I decided to just gossip and shiver.
This may be a sensitive topic, too, but I’m not completely unrelated right now.
“Perhaps… I knew something… … ?”
“yes?”
As I tilted my head in response to some strange reaction, Raven quickly faltered.
“it’s nothing. by the way… mother… Why all of a sudden? Just looking at cancer, I don’t think it’s something you’re interested in.”
Whoops, I thought I could draw lines like that.
“Why aren’t you curious? I was the one who convinced your mother to send you to the tower.”
Raven was startled by the spit.
“… … … … What, what?”
“I don’t know if you remember, but there was a time when you came to the library after being beaten by your mother. Then cry like a child and ask me to help—”
“Hey, I’ve never done that!!”
“yes? You say you don’t remember much about that time?”
“Still, I… I have the belief that it could not have happened.”
“Oh, is it?”
“I don’t feel like that, so I was joking, so let’s talk. Is what I said before true? you mother… Did you convince me?”
“okay.”
I talked about things that happened in the past.
At that time, I didn’t have time in the iron cage, so I skipped it.
I’ve always wanted to have a time like this.
Exactly, should I say I wanted to know how positively my existence had a causal effect?
I don’t know again
Will there ever come a day when I will be able to write ‘Fragment Stones of Records’ once more?
‘Oh, I’d rather not talk about that.’
However, some of the conversations I had with my mother were omitted while talking about the old days.
This is also a very simple reason.
[He will abandon me.]
[Someday, I will become a handsome person and look down on me. Then, eventually, you will leave for your own world. Just like he was that day, it’s that person’s bloodline…]
[Isn’t something wrong? Why is life so easy for him? It’s definitely the child I gave birth to, but I’ve never met anyone in my entire life who helped me for that reason. But… but why is that child…?]
How can I tell such a dark story?
Even in front of the parties.
“What happened with me at the library is over now, so stop and tell me. That day with my mother… What were you talking about?”
“It’s nothing. I persuaded you to send you to the tower because I will pay all the necessary expenses, and you were rejected.”
“refuse… huh?”
“Oh, to be precise, he refused the money. Well, I heard they sent someone from the tower a few days ago. It seemed that you were noticed when you were young and carried your magic with anyone.”
“I see… So that’s when my mother suddenly changed her mind… … .”
“Hey, it’s a little hard to say with my mouth, but in that sense, in a way, I’m also your benefactor… … ?”
He appealed to that point implicitly, but Raven didn’t respond and just ignored it.
“… … .”
put people at ease.
“therefore… How is your mother? Are you okay with each other now?”
As soon as the topic changed again, Raven responded coldly.
“I want to, but I can’t.”
“… yes?”
“Because he is already dead.”
For a moment, there was a moment of silence and he was speechless.
“Ah oh… him, is it? I’m sorry. It didn’t seem like there was a health problem somewhere, but… … .”
It’s been a long time since I was really embarrassed, so I tried to clean up the situation by stammering until the end, but I couldn’t get the water back that had already been spilled.
“It was not a health issue. It wasn’t even an accident. It’s not even the end of my life.”
“… … then?”
“I hung my neck. yourself.”
“… … .”
“Was it about a month after entering the tower? I had to go home after a week because of the homework that Master gave me… … .”
Raven spoke calmly, as if reading an old diary that was hidden in a corner of the warehouse.
“The bedroom smelled rancid. That was my last memory of seeing my mother.”
“… … .”
“Don’t make that face. After all, it was all over the place a while ago. It’s not surprising that people die.”
On the contrary, Raven looked at me and said such kind words of consideration to me, but I really didn’t say anything.
The more it happened, the clearer it was in my mind.
[Isn’t it strange? The only thing I’ve worked on all my life is one room in this gutter.]
The last conversation I had with my biological mother.
And after the conversation.
[What was my life like?]
The back view of him staggering towards the back alley as if he had run out of energy.
Sadge