Chapter 114
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: Prophecy
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The Owl Bear's carcass turned out to have surprisingly excellent flavor.
The cooking was unexpectedly done by Aiden himself, while Jun merely handed over the seasonings from the side.
"Thanks to you, we enjoyed a splendid meal."
"Heh heh, not at all. If anything, meeting young folks like you has put me in high spirits. It's been ages since I last had a conversation like this."
"Have you been living apart from the secular world?"
"Something like that. I've wandered through all sorts of remote places."
So that's why his clothes are in such a state.
Jun recalled the few spare outfits he had packed.
"Would it be alright if I offered you some clothes?"
"Hm? You wouldn't mind? Then I won't refuse. Haw haw."
Jun gauged his build roughly and handed over an outfit, and now Aiden looked somewhat presentable.
"I owe you one."
"It's nothing. Aren't you the sword that protects the Empire, Sir Aiden?"
"Tch tch. That's old news. I've been retired for quite some time."
For a retiree, he's awfully fit.
And on top of that.
Aiden... wasn't a playable character, but he appeared frequently.
Depending on the story's progress, he could be an enemy or an ally.
So if there was a chance to make a good impression, it was wise to take it.
"Mm-hm."
In the meantime, most of the party had finished eating, but Maya was still going strong.
She was the smallest in the group, yet she ate the most.
"Tch tch. Petite, but she sure packs it away."
"That's... kind of her..."
Petite?
Only then did Jun look over Maya and the rest of the party one by one.
"..."
"What's wrong?"
"That couldn't be..."
"Ah. You're wondering why your illusion magic doesn't work on me?"
That was it.
Currently, Jun had used illusion magic to make himself and Eleanor appear middle-aged.
Aiden around early thirties, and Maya as an average adult woman's build.
Yet Aiden had described the party as young and called Maya petite.
"It was quite a delicate spell, but it doesn't work on me. That's just how my body is."
"...My apologies."
If it hadn't been noticed, it might have been fine, but casting illusion magic on someone without their knowledge was hardly something that could be viewed positively.
"White Whale Mercenary Corps?"
"...Yes."
"Heh heh heh! Now it makes sense. Gaining such massive fame out of nowhere, it's unavoidable. If anything, it was a wise precaution."
But Aiden spoke without a hint of displeasure.
"Don't worry. Your illusion magic was excellent. No one else besides me would notice."
"...That's a relief."
"Yes. It's complicated to explain in detail, but magic doesn't affect my body much."
Hearing that, Jun realized with a start.
Magic Immunity Body.
A physical trait gained by maximizing magic resistance.
In the game, he'd never used a mage character against Aiden, so he'd overlooked that detail.
And as an ally, he wasn't playable, so Jun didn't know his full specs.
"No need to be so tense. I don't expect anything from you all."
"I see."
"Ahem... Now that I've gotten a good look at your group, your reputation doesn't seem undeserved."
With that, Aiden scanned the party members and nodded approvingly.
"If you don't mind, could this old man hear about the adventures you've had?"
As people age, listening to such tales becomes a joy in life, Aiden chuckled heartily.
"Why not? What would you like to know?"
Given who he was talking to, Jun nodded readily.
"The hottest topic in the public eye is probably the Orc Lord."
"Aiden. Why don't you explain?"
"M-Me?"
"As a fellow swordsman, I figure you can describe it best."
Aiden had been carefully managing his expression, but he clearly wanted to keep talking with Aiden.
"Ahem! Then... shall I start from when we discovered the temple?"
The stories continued late into the night.
Thanks to Aiden's presence, the tension had eased somewhat, and Aiden himself listened intently to Aiden's tales.
It was a rather peaceful scene.
If not for the limbless Owl Bear carcass nearby, it might have looked like a grandfather and grandson chatting by the campfire.
It was late, so the party had all gone to bed, and Aiden stepped out alone to get some air.
"Ahem. Interesting young people."
White Whale Mercenary Corps.
When he'd first heard the rumors, he'd thought they were exaggerated.
But meeting them in person, it seemed the hype was justified.
"No wonder that friend took an interest."
Recalling his old comrade, he gazed at the night sky.
"I hope days like these last a long time."
When was it?
In an underground dungeon, Aiden had seen a vision from a sorcerer.
He'd foretold a blazing future for the Empire, and Aiden had ended his long seclusion.
It might have just been the ravings of a mad sorcerer.
But with his years of experience, Aiden could sense it.
Perhaps the emergence of these shining talents was connected to that prophecy.
"The question is where that change will begin."
The winds of change might already be stirring.
Early the next morning, the party set off again.
Before long, Aiden had claimed a spot in the carriage, and Aiden chattered away beside him like an excited grandchild.
"This incline is pretty steep."
Jun, sitting alone at the driver's seat, muttered while eyeing the sharp downhill slope.
But moments later.
"Hold on. Golem, stop."
Something caught his [Bright Eyes].
"What's wrong?"
"I see traces of something falling."
"Huh...?"
Aiden then climbed down from the carriage and looked around.
"Seems relatively recent."
At that, Jun cautiously pulled an artifact called the "Scene Recorder" from his subspace.
"Eleanor. Can you capture this area with this?"
"Got it."
Jun then peered carefully down the slope.
[Bright Eyes] proved its worth once more.
"I think I see carriage fragments down there."
"Ho. Good eyes. Then I'll go check myself."
"No. Let's go together."
"Learned Fly magic?"
Jun shook his head at the question.
Fly magic wasn't great for evasion and consumed too much mana unnecessarily, so he hadn't bothered learning it.
Instead.
[Iron Fist]
An iron fist summoned in midair unfurled its fingers, and Jun stepped onto it.
"Aiden, Maya. Protect Eleanor."
"Understood."
"Yessir."
"Would you like to ride too, Sir Aiden?"
"No need. I'd just throw off your magic."
"You're right. Let's go."
Guiding the floating [Iron Fist], Jun descended the slope and clicked his tongue at the grim sight.
"This is..."
Given the height, the carriage was smashed beyond recognition.
Everyone inside was dead.
Just in case, Jun ran a [Scan], and detected a life sign elsewhere.
"Sir Aiden."
"Ah. Over there."
Beneath a chunk of ceiling torn from the wrecked carriage.
Someone lay collapsed.
"No way...?"
Aiden's eyes widened slightly at the sight.
An unexpected figure was lying there.
"Why are you...?"
A young man with pale gray skin and black hair lay unconscious.
Jun's eyes deepened at the sight of him.
The Third Prince.
Javier.
In the game's story... the Empire's traitor and usurper of the crown.
-Cursed imperial bloodline.
-I despise you.
-You who made me this way, who drove us to this!
-You who crushed the only family I had left in this world!
-I loathe you.
The man who would open the first page of the Empire's tragedy lay on the brink of death.
The old Jun would not have hesitated over what to do with the prince before him.
He would have killed him, obviously.
The fallen prince had been the spark that cracked the Empire's ironclad fortress.
But the current Jun did not choose such an extreme path.
Aiden stood right beside him, and more importantly...
There are holes in the story I don't fully know. Killing royalty based on an incomplete game's plot is too big a gamble.
Having thought that far in moments, Jun said to Aiden,
"Could you wait a moment?"
With that, he immediately checked the prince's pulse.
"Fortunately, his life isn't in danger."
"From that height... He's lucky."
"Mana from the pendant suggests an artifact protected him."
"I see... Good thing. Let's head back up."
"Could I ask you to handle that, Sir Aiden?"
"And you?"
"I'll secure photos of the scene."
He pulled out a spare "Scene Recorder" and documented the surroundings.
"Ah, right. Then I'll leave it to you. Call if anything happens."
"Got it. Please explain to our priestess up top."
"Like this."
Shouldering Javier, Aiden bounded up the slope as if it were flat ground.
Watching the scene, Jun surveyed the area alone.
This is a major turning point.
He knew it instinctively.
The Third Prince involved in an accident? Not something you see every day.
Pushing [Bright Eyes] to its limit and drawing on his past life's memories, he scanned around.
Eventually.
Left alone, Jun stared at the carriage wreckage for a moment.
"..."
Then fixed his gaze on the dead coachman's body.
Jun returned about ten minutes later.
"Sunbae!"
"Ah, Aiden. How's the patient?"
"She says he'll wake up soon."
"Good."
Then he could leave that side to Eleanor.
"Um, sunbae. That guy..."
"...You know him?"
Did Aiden and the Third Prince have history?
"Yes. A little. We knew each other."
"Oh."
Jun feigned nonchalance but was greatly surprised inside.
He'd never seen any story connection between Aiden and Javier in the game.
"Back then... we hung out a bit. Just briefly."
"Didn't end well, huh."
"Yes. Not good memories. Ah, it wasn't his fault. Just..."
Aiden hesitated, glancing cautiously before speaking.
"His mother is... dangerous in many ways."
"..."
Consort Venes.
A woman with a complicated image in many regards.
Realizing that far, Jun rubbed his face.
"Got it for now. Keep an eye on him."
"Understood."
Jun then approached Maya, who was blankly staring into space.
"Back~?"
"Yeah. Maya, do you know anything about this plant?"
What Jun held was a black flower etched with ornate patterns.
"...? Whatcha got that for, leader?"
"Picked it up on the way. Feels familiar."
"Toss it. Nothin' good comes from carryin' that."
"Tell me more."
"Mm. Heard it from the tribe's sorcerer. That flower..."
He was in the middle of hearing the explanation when.
Aiden, who'd gone to Eleanor, shouted.
"Sunbae! He's awake!"
Living as a Mage in the Hero's Party Chapter 115