Chapter 135
Chapter 135
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: The Ancient Ruins
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[135] The Priority (6)
Back then, he'd been too terrified to step in, but in his heart, he had felt the same as Shirone.
But when Shirone reached out to Amy, and when Amy accepted his hand, Jis was jolted from his dream.
He could never be Shirone.
"Hmph, acting all high and mighty for a commoner."
If Shirone had been the type to show off just because he'd learned a little magic, Jis wouldn't have felt an ounce of jealousy. After all, when dealing with arrogant nobles, he sometimes felt glad he was a commoner.
But Shirone was also a commoner. And he had the courage to give up something precious for a friend.
Jis recalled the sad smile Amy had worn in the carriage. Did Shirone know what that smile meant? No, he couldn't possibly know. She had only revealed her true feelings because he was there—a nobody to her.
The thought made his stomach twist with bitterness again.
"Damn it! Of all things, a commoner? I can't even make up an excuse! What the hell is with that guy?!"
Shaking off his frustration in front of his house, Jis opened the door and went inside. Seeing a candle lit in the back of the main room, he figured his younger sister had been waiting up for him.
"Brother, why are you so late? I was worried something happened to you."
"Yuna, why aren't you asleep? How are you going to get to work tomorrow?"
"You expect me to just go to sleep when you're not home? Did something happen?"
"No. It was nothing. I just got busy, and time flew by."
Jis knelt down in front of Yuna. It wasn't just because she was his sister; she could hold her own anywhere. Moreover, though she lacked a formal education, she was wise and kind-hearted.
Yuna was Jis's pride. That was why he couldn't let her live a meager life like his. He didn't wish for grand success for her; she was the kind of girl who could meet a good man and build a happy life.
"Why do you look so haggard? Tell me the truth. You can fool everyone else, but you can't fool me. Or I'm not making you breakfast tomorrow."
"Haha! Oh, I'm so scared. I just had my pride wounded a bit, that's all. But I'm okay now."
"Jeez, is that pride of yours always getting hurt? It's going to rot and be useless. Anyway, go wash up. You really reek of sweat."
A warm look came into Jis's eyes. Just looking at her put his heart at ease. So what if he wasn't as great as others? As long as he had Yuna, he envied nothing in the world.
Jis pulled Yuna into a hug. The familiar family scent they shared washed away the weariness of a day spent in fear.
"Ugh, you stink! What are you doing all of a sudden? I told you to wash up first!"
"Just wait a little longer, Yuna. Your brother is going to become the ruler of the port."
"Hmph! You're still on about that? What's so great about being the 'ruler of the port'? It's not like anyone would even care."
"Haha! That's true."
Yuna chuckled and snuggled into Jis's embrace. In truth, she didn't mind the smell of his sweat. After all, every single drop had been shed for her.
"I really hope that day comes. I know you can do it, brother."
"Yeah..."
Jis gazed at the moonlight pouring through the window. It was a perfect night for watching the sky.
The Ancient Ruins (1)
Shirone's group was busy from the break of dawn. While the girls washed up, the boys cleaned the house. When the boys went to take their baths, the girls sat before the mirror, drying their hair and getting ready.
Shirone and Rian, fresh from their baths, peeked into the girls' room and thought time had stopped. Amy and Tess were still occupied with something in front of the mirror.
With no other choice, the boys ate breakfast first. By the time they finished a simple meal with food they had bought in town the night before, the sun had risen.
Only then did the girls begin to choose their clothes. Every time they stepped in and out of the room, their outfits were completely different.
Rian was convinced Tess and Amy were testing him.
Changing into another outfit because you didn't like the first one—fine, he could let that slide since they were girls.
But what kind of game was it to change out of an outfit you clearly disliked, only to come out wearing it again a moment later? Were they trying to pick a fight? It felt like a direct challenge to his memory.
"Ah, just wear anything already. Are we going to hunt a dragon? Why fuss so much over a piece of cloth that offers zero protection?"
Tess stared at Rian, her eyes wide with horror.
"Ugh, you're so crude! The reason we dress up more is because you guys don't care about your appearance. We're doing this for your benefit, so just shut up."
Amy came out wearing a sky-blue dress.
"Shirone, does this look weird?"
"No, it's pretty! I think you look good in anything, Amy."
"Really? Hmm."
Amy didn't seem to pay his words much mind and returned to her room. Tess could only watch her with envy.
"Seriously, you should learn a thing or two from Shirone. Ugh, you're so infuriating."
As Tess slammed the door and went back inside, Rian pouted. What on earth had he done to deserve that? Speaking one's mind was a swordsman's virtue, a point of pride.
"Shirone, how do you come up with things like that so quickly? You have to teach me."
"Huh? It's simple. You can't just say she looks weird in whatever she wears, right?"
"Bwahahaha!"
Rian clutched his stomach and fell backward, roaring with laughter.
11 AM.
The girls, finally dressed, checked their backpacks. In case of any unexpected situations, they had meticulously packed emergency rations, a knife, a compass, and a rope.
Satisfied after a final look in the mirror, Tess clenched her fist and shouted.
"Alright! Ready for the ruin exploration!"
"So, should we go to bed now? We should definitely make sure to leave tomorrow morning."
Tess's face turned red at Rian's pointed joke.
"It's not like I took that long! Besides, Amy was getting ready with me."
"Why are you suddenly bringing Amy into this? Is she some kind of hostage?"
"And you! Do you really think that sloppy outfit and that brutish greatsword look good on you? From a distance, you look like a total caveman! You should know your place."
Amy fulfilled her duty as a hostage.
"Rian, I'm sorry. It was actually me who was late. Tess was ready before I was."
"Haha! It's fine, Amy. It's obvious you took a long time to get ready."
Tess's eyes turned sharp as an axe.
"What? Are you saying I'm not pretty at all?"
"Hmm, let's see..."
Rian looked Tess up and down.
Well, he had always thought she was pretty. She was beautiful even without dressing up.
But today, she had clearly put in a lot of effort. Unlike usual, she had even put on perfume, so even Rian, who had no eye for aesthetics, could tell how much work she'd put in.
"Yeah, well. I guess you're pretty enough for me to say it."
"Huh?"
Tess's mind, which had a mountain of comebacks at the ready, was instantly disarmed.
She had never dreamed that the word 'pretty' would come out of Rian's mouth. Her face turned red, and then it turned even redder at the fact that it was red.
"D-do you think I dressed up because I wanted to hear that?! You idiot! Caveman!"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Now can we please get out of here? We won't be able to see anything if the sun sets."
Rian herded his friends outside. And so, five hours after waking up, Shirone's group was finally able to set off on their trip.
Shirone's initial plan had been to investigate the ruins with Amy alone. But as his friends had grown closer than expected, it had become impossible for them to go their separate ways.
They hailed one of the carriages lined up on the white sand beach and headed east.
It was an arduous journey, as they had to travel from the western tip of the island to the eastern tip. But the four of them, chatting away in the carriage, lost all track of time.
"Huh? Guys, look over there!"
Shirone shouted, pointing out the window. About two kilometers from the road, a mountain covered in a dense forest came into view.
A mountain range stretched out like a camel's hump, and according to what they'd heard, the Kergo Ruins were located at the end of that range.
"That must be Mount Toa. I heard from my brother that Galliante was originally a volcanic island. It was formed by lava seeping up from under the sea and hardening. After an eruption 500 years ago, it's now dormant, but there's always a possibility it could become active again."
"I see. I also heard the Kergo Ruins are half-buried in volcanic ash."
"That's right. The Galliante Autonomous Government proposed restoring the ruins, but it was canceled due to opposition from the natives. We'll probably be able to see how much is buried when we get there."
"Why would they oppose it? Wouldn't restoring the ruins be a good thing for the natives?"
"I don't know either. But they must have their reasons. Maybe there's a secret they don't want to reveal. After all, the Galliante Autonomous Government has only been on the island for less than a hundred years."
"When you put it that way, it does seem to hold a lot of secrets. It's not just a typical tourist spot, is it?"
"I suppose not. It's extremely rare for existing ruins to be managed directly by natives. The Kergo Ruins are also highly valuable from a historical perspective."
Based on Amy's explanation, Shirone studied the mountain again.
The jungle of Mount Toa belonged solely to the Kergo people. It was said that even the Galliante government stayed clear of the native autonomous zone.
Shirone suddenly felt a chill.
Was it just his imagination, or could he feel a wild gaze from deep within the mountain?
The carriage stopped about a kilometer away from the Kergo Ruins. The driver informed them that he couldn't operate the carriage any further.
Shirone got out of the carriage and looked around. He saw numerous shops. It seemed there was an exclusive agreement between the carriage association and the local merchant guild.
"What is this? I paid for this carriage, so why can't we go all the way? What am I supposed to do with all this luggage?"
A pot-bellied, middle-aged man from a carriage that arrived after them was yelling at his driver. His wife and two daughters, who had also gotten out, wore expressions of dissatisfaction.
"But that's the contract with the transport company, sir. There's a paid storage facility for luggage, so you can leave it there."
"You bunch of highway robbers! The road is wide open, so what do you mean you can't go? You think I'm going to spend a single penny here?!"
"There's nothing we can do about that, sir. I apologize. Please enjoy your trip."
The driver, acting as if this wasn't the first time, responded in a business-like manner, turned his horse, and drove away.
In the end, the middle-aged man headed for the paid storage facility, carrying luggage in both hands. Then, when his daughters pointed at a snack shop, he put down his bags and bought them some treats.
Shirone felt he could sympathize with the man's plight.
"If we had known beforehand, we would have packed lighter."
"Does it matter? I doubt a tourist spot holds any major dangers, but it's still better to be thoroughly prepared. Our purpose is exploration, after all."
Rian watched the middle-aged man walk away. His mood seemed to have lifted thanks to his daughters' charms, as he let out a hearty laugh and headed toward the ruins.
"It's shameless, but clever. Tourists have no choice but to spend money."
"That's true, but you can't just see it as a business tactic. If the tourist economy doesn't thrive, the natives can't afford to maintain the site."
Agreeing with Amy's point, Shirone's group started walking.
As expected of a place hailed as a historical treasure, there were many tourists. The crowds grew as they approached the ruins, and when they reached the ticket booth, a bottleneck had formed, creating a sea of people.
"Wow, see that? There are people from other countries, too."
"It's a world-famous place. See the man standing by that arch? I think he's probably one of the natives."
Shirone looked where Amy was pointing. A man of medium height was guarding the entrance. His clothes were civilized, but his gaze, staring straight ahead, was unmistakably wild.
Tess, uncharacteristically, wore a frightened expression.
"Ugh, he looks scary. He has tattoos on his face, too, doesn't he?"