15. O Sole Mio (5)
15. O Sole Mio (5)
The first time I heard the name Sollemio, I imagined a vast, scenic landscape with a small fortress rising over sprawling farmland.
Wasn't it the title of a famous Italian song back on Earth?
Seeing it in person, it turned out to be a large city, nothing like that image at all.
If someone asked whether it was a bustling city, I'd definitely say no. But if they asked whether this was the average size for a medieval metropolis, I could answer with certainty that it was... 'big and sturdy.'
"That's because this place is both a city and a fortress, mage-nim."
"A fortress?"
"Yes. Long ago, this area was so thick with dungeons that they couldn't subjugate them and had to use them as a national border line."
Gyeonghan gave a fitting answer to that question of mine.
Sollemio's location was on the kingdom's border, facing a large river to the southeast and a high mountain range like a folding screen to the southwest.
Two hundred years ago, when dungeons first began appearing, they said people didn't know how to deal with them, even as they sprouted across the continent.
Because they didn't understand the relationship between a dungeon core and its lord, they frequently caused dungeons to rampage, and there were even cases where nations lost their ability to function because they were so overrun with rampaging dungeons.
In this kingdom's case, it wasn't that bad, but they couldn't handle so many dungeons at once, so they used this very Sollemio Castle as a border against the dungeons.
After the war with the dungeons ended, relations with the nation beyond the river soured, so they maintained the fortress to use it as a frontline.
But since the roads weren't well maintained, nor was it a suitable location for trade, it seemed it just remained a remote fortress city.
"I see. Thank you for the detailed explanation."
"Oh my. If there's anything else you're curious about, just say the word!"
Having heard he'd picked up all sorts of things by fate (緣), he was like a walking encyclopedia, responding immediately to all my various questions, which was incredibly convenient.
Just by answering my questions so far, he'd been a great help in grasping the current state of this world. If he ever found himself in mortal danger without having attacked my dungeon, I might just save him once.
Of course, he only knew what he knew and didn't know what he didn't, so a more detailed investigation was necessary.
"It's evening now, so Sonia and Lady Angelita, it would be best for you to head to the inn first. I will go to the mage guild first..."
"Wouldn't it be better to go together? Without Miss Sonia, the conversation won't proceed, I imagine."
"That's true, but..."
Hearing my words, Maria raised her voice while gauging Sonia's reaction. I, too, followed her gaze and observed Sonia.
Sonia looked even more haggard than before she had met Maria.
At the same time, her dependence on me had grown stronger, to the point where she couldn't sleep without me nearby. Because of that, Seth and the others had taken turns keeping watch during the journey.
It was a relief that it had only been a few days. If it had lasted longer, the three adventurers who were otherwise fine would have suffered considerably.
My body was comfortable, sure, but the common sense from when I was human still lingered, making it just as uncomfortable for me.
In the first place, a dungeon lord's body didn't need much sleep, so just spending long hours lying down had been a chore from the start.
"Miss Sonia."
"... Yes, Seonsaeng-nim...?"
Sonia hadn't paid any attention at all to the conversation up to that point, only lifting her head when she heard me call her.
Whether she found Sonia's state pitiable or simply strange, Maria was making an odd expression from across the way.
I met her eyes and subtly signaled her to fix her expression, then whispered quietly into Sonia's ear.
"We can go find your friends now. We just need to go to the mage guild and ask for help."
"Ah...!"
The scene that unfolded afterward was like a kind of magic—like a wilted flower suddenly regaining its vitality and blooming in an instant.
In a flash, light returned to Sonia's eyes and strength filled her body. She grabbed both my hands and squeezed them.
It was a strength unlike her usual self.
"L-Let's go quickly...! Seonsaeng-nim!"
"Alright. Let us go quickly."
She acted as if Maria wasn't even there.
I didn't bother to point out that attitude, and instead nodded toward Maria and spoke.
It was a strange situation, as if I had somehow become her spokesperson. But knowing that she leaned heavily on me after I treated her following her friend's death, Maria didn't seem particularly upset.
"I'm glad Lady Angelita is here. If not, I don't know what would have become of Sonia..."
Perhaps she lacked the mental energy or confidence to worry about it, and was simply grateful that Sonia wasn't depending on her.
She herself was likely in a situation where it was hard to even grasp the reality of her younger sibling's death.
Without confirming the 'evidence,' it was normal for human cognition to struggle to accept death and loss easily.
Unless one was too accustomed to it, or had a natural 'talent' for it.
"Here it is."
The first mage guild I saw after coming to this world was extremely bizarre.
'Is there a mirror or something up there?'
Its overall shape was a five-story building in the form of an inverted truncated cone that gradually widened toward the sky, but there was a strange sense of brightness above it, making me wonder what was up there.
It was like that odd sensation you see in anime, where the reflection of light on a bald head happens on a huge scale above a building.
Moreover, whether it was the emblem of the 'Truth-Groping Eye' guild or not, there was a large eye embedded above the main gate, with the shape of a hand groping the pupil embossed above it. The eye even actually moved, making the sight outright grotesque.
'Does this give me the right to call the demon tribe's tastes horrible?'
It wasn't a major issue, so I quickly looked away, but honestly... it was a design I'd hate to visit twice.
- Where do you come from, guests?
And to make matters worse, a voice was even coming from that eye.
"A problem has occurred with Miss Sonia, a trainee guild member here, and her party. We require the cooperation of a mage."
Cheolkeok!
- Come in, quickly!
The moment Maria finished explaining, the door opened without another word.
And with an urgent voice, at that.
"Could this be..."
"It seems that way, doesn't it?"
Maria, who met my eyes, seemed to be thinking the same thing: they already knew something here.
"Miss Sonia!"
Before we had taken more than a few steps through the door, a man came running out from inside.
He looked like the textbook image of an old-fashioned scholar brought to life by fate (緣), seemingly just barely into his thirties.
He nearly fell while running that short distance, which only reinforced that image, but perhaps because of his expression, it didn't look pathetic.
It was a face etched with the worry of someone who genuinely cared for another.
"Senior..."
"Miss Sonia! Thank goodness! You're alive!"
The man who had rushed over grabbed Sonia by the shoulders, pulled her into a brief embrace, and then pulled back to examine her body all over.
Even from the side, he did it so swiftly and meticulously that it felt like he was inspecting every single inch of her without crossing any major lines of impropriety.
Then, without paying any mind to the rest of us standing there, he pressed her urgently.
"What in the world happened? Why have you been completely out of contact... You're a whole week later than planned! I thought something terrible had happened to you, Miss Sonia..."
He clearly seemed like someone who deeply treasured Sonia. Whether that was as a man to a woman or as a senior to a junior, I couldn't be sure yet.
But he definitely had feelings for her.
"Uh... uh... Senior...?"
Sonia was just flustered by the unexpected situation and couldn't say anything about it, so she wasn't any help in figuring it out.
I could at least tell one thing.
That the relationship between these two was not the kind where you could just casually embrace someone.
"Wait a moment. Mage-nim. Sonia is in very poor condition right now. Pressing her like that..."
"Wh-Who are you people?"
"I am Maria Olas, the older sister of Lemia, who was Sonia's friend and colleague."
"I am Angelita, Miss Sonia's guardian."
"Guardian...? Ah... P-Please, come in. This way."
He had been so forceful with Sonia, but this scholar seemed completely lost when dealing with strangers.
As I followed him inside, I realized one unusual thing.
'There's no one here.'
A mage guild was, after all, a place where mages gathered for fellowship, study, and activities like directly procuring all kinds of essential materials.
So there could be two reasons why only one mage was visible in this large place.
Either they used something like spatial magic so only one mage was on duty to receive guests, or else...
"I'd like to offer you something to drink, but for now, I only have the kind of tea I drink myself. It's a bit bitter; is that alright?"
"Water is fine for me."
"I'd like to try it, actually."
"M-Me too..."
The mage nodded and disappeared into the reception room, then quickly reappeared with three cups of tea in his hands.
It was as if he'd had boiling water prepared in advance. If it wasn't prepared beforehand, it was probably just magic.
"If it's too bitter, please take a candy from here."
"Thank you."
"Thank you."
The man set down the tea and sat across from us. The tea had a scent that made a person feel at ease.
However, during the time it took me to drink my tea, he couldn't settle down at all and still seemed restless.
And Maria was the same.
"May I ask your name?"
"Ah, my apologies. I didn't even give my name. I am Leonis Den, a senior mage belonging to the guild. I am Miss Sonia's senior brother, serving under the same master."
"Yes, that's right... Senior Leonis is the eldest senior brother, and I'm the youngest, but..."
'Lion', huh... A name that really doesn't suit him...
Even at a glance, the gap between the two of them seemed vast. Though Leonis Den had delicate features, his face was definitely that of someone in his thirties, while Sonia had just turned twenty.
And that Sonia still couldn't hide her surprise. She was clutching my sleeve tightly and had the air of being subtly wary of her senior.
I had thought his feelings seemed one-sided, but had Sonia not noticed at all?
Regardless of Sonia's state or my own thoughts, Maria and Leonis steadily proceeded with their conversation.
"It looks empty here."
"Yes. Right now, I'm the only one here."
"Damn. ...My apologies. That slipped out."
Rough words immediately burst out from Maria.
Hearing them, Leonis's eyes narrowed. He had just been a delicate-featured man until now, but suddenly there was a slightly sharp edge to him.
"...I thought so. Something did happen."
"Haah. Is the reason the mage guild is empty because of this 'expedition'?"
"That shouldn't be information an outsider would know."
"I had someone with me who's well-informed about rumors."
"...Goodness. I thought you definitely knew about it. So you'd heard it somewhere. Since it doesn't seem like the time to hide it, I'll just tell you straight: you're correct."
Whether it wasn't a secret the guild considered important, or whether he considered Sonia more important than that secret, Leonis confirmed it, more readily than I'd expected.
"Our guild is currently providing active support for that expedition. Right now, the master and most of my senior and junior brothers have already left with the advance party."
"I thought as much."
"Now, would you please tell me? What happened to Miss Sonia."
"... Ha."
Maria glanced at Sonia briefly as if asking for permission, then told Leonis everything about the situation from her perspective.
It was an explanation that only began after I had prodded Sonia again to get her to speak properly. It didn't take very long, but Leonis, listening to the story, seemed to age five years in that time.
That was probably why he didn't take long to make a decision.
"I'll go."
"Senior...? But then the guild..."
"I can just seal the doors for a while and move. Miss Sonia. Don't worry about guild matters. We have to find your friends."
"Uh... But... can you?"
"Of course. They're the most precious people to you. We must find them a peaceful place to rest as soon as possible."
"Thank you..."
"Don't mention it."
Just one of the common tragedies in this world.
But similar to what Maria felt as a relative, he too seemed to genuinely feel pain and empathy for what Sonia had gone through.
Setting aside his feelings for Sonia, he was clearly a good person. In this world, there were plenty of people who couldn't even empathize with the suffering of others by fate (緣).
Sonia, Maria, Daniel, and Leonis.
They were all equally good people.
'How should I deal with them.'
And those good people were prey for a dungeon lord, who grew by devouring people.
I looked down at Sonia.
"Seonsaeng-nim... You'll help us too, won't you?"
"Of course. Miss Sonia. If I don't help, who will?"
She was finally smiling with relief.
Savoring my touch as I stroked her head.