Chapter 322: Ryanga (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 322: Ryanga (4)
"It’s been a while!"
"Ryanga! You’ve grown so much!"
"Of course I have!"
Immediately after their reunion, Alon descended the cliff with her.
As soon as Penia and Ryanga spotted each other, they exchanged warm greetings.
Afterward.
"Let’s head to the hideout first."
Following Ryanga to the Hundred Ghosts' hideout, Alon couldn't help but wear a peculiar expression once they arrived.
"…That is—"
"What do you think, Boss? I carved it myself!"
Listening to Ryanga’s words—which sounded a bit bashful yet brimming with pride—Alon stared blankly at the cliffside within the hideout.
More specifically, he stared at the mural carved into the rock.
It was a relief of a man with his back turned, his black coat fluttering in the wind.
"Wow, you did all of this yourself?"
"Yep."
"…It’s incredibly well-done."
Penia let out a small exclamation of admiration.
Alon was also admiring the mural when a realization suddenly struck him.
‘So that’s why Reinhardt asked if I had some connection to the Hundred Ghosts back then.’
Alon nodded, recalling the words Reinhardt had spoken when he first came to the Ronobelli Jungle years ago.
Though the carving was somewhat beautified, it was certainly a near-perfect likeness of him using his magic.
‘…Wait, but is it really enough for him to have asked so pointedly?’
Granted, the mural did look like Alon. He could admit that much.
However, he wasn't the only mage in the world who wore a coat. He felt it was a bit of a stretch to identify him based on this alone, but he soon shrugged and looked away.
"…."
It was a story from years ago, and it wasn't something worth overthinking now.
‘I suppose it captured the details of my back quite well.’
With that final thought, he looked at Ryanga.
"It’s well-made."
"Right?! I made it look exactly like you!"
"I agree. It’s so accurate it’s impossible not to recognize you," Penia added.
At Penia’s agreement, Alon wondered if it really was that obvious and looked at the mural once more.
It was just a depiction of a back.
Though still puzzled, Alon gave a nod.
"Then let’s go inside. You haven't had dinner yet, right? I’ll cook for you!"
"You know how to cook?"
"Of course! I’ve been practicing!"
As they moved toward where Ryanga was leading them, Alon whispered to Penia.
"Penia."
"Yes, Marquis?"
"Is that mural really so clear that anyone would know it’s me just by looking?"
Penia turned her head back to check the mural again, her face filled with doubt.
‘…I think even a fool would recognize him.’
One could argue that it was premature to identify Marquis Palatio solely by the figure of a man in a fluttering black coat.
If the mural only showed the Marquis’s back…
And if one didn't know that Ryanga was the one who carved it…
Then perhaps one might think it was someone else.
However, one detail stood out exceptionally well.
Two eyes.
Floating above the head of the carved figure were two eyes that one couldn't help but notice even if they tried not to.
Though only one was visible on the current Marquis Palatio…
Penia had naturally recognized him because of them.
…In any case, if someone saw those eyes, there was no way they wouldn't know it was Marquis Palatio.
"Well… if someone has seen you use magic even once, they’d definitely think it’s you."
Penia answered, and Alon nodded slowly with a strange sense of fascination.
"…Is that so?"
"Yes."
He felt oddly proud. Though he didn't show it, the depiction of his back that Ryanga had created was quite cool.
‘Maybe I should try to show my back more often from now on.’
With that silly thought, Alon followed behind Ryanga.
* * *
Ganma, one of the poor Hundred Ghosts who had been getting beaten daily by Ryanga under the guise of "training" until just a few days ago, was currently losing his mind.
‘That… is the Boss?’
From a distance, Ganma watched Ryanga as she clung to a human man—no, to Marquis Palatio, whose name he had heard so many times he’d memorized it.
She was smiling so innocently that she was recognizable even from afar.
"…."
Ganma shifted his gaze to check the expressions of the others.
Some were horrified.
Some were blank.
Some looked like they were about to gag.
Every single one of them was staring at Ryanga.
It was only natural.
They were the ones who had spent hundreds of years with Ryanga. They prided themselves on having seen more sides of her than anyone else and knowing exactly what kind of being she was.
But.
‘That’s… really the Boss??? Seriously?’
The members of the Hundred Ghosts simultaneously recalled Ryanga’s usual self.
…The only things that came to their minds were images of violence.
Her default method of handling things—whether it was hierarchy or disputes—was always settled with her fists.
…Aside from that, her daily routine mostly consisted of lounging around on the cliff all day.
To the Hundred Ghosts members, this version of Ryanga was shockingly terrifying.
"Does this even make sense?"
"The Boss can smile like a girl?"
"…Unbelievable. Do you see what she’s doing? She’s subtly linking arms with the Marquis."
"Ugh—"
"Heck, she sat down right in front of that human man."
"She’s acting cute."
"…I feel sick."
The Hundred Ghosts members made faces of pure agony, unable to withstand Ryanga’s uncharacteristic "good girl" act.
However.
In a split second.
The Ghost King, who had been leaning against Marquis Palatio’s leg while he sat cross-legged, glared at her subordinates with a terrifyingly sharp gaze.
At the same time, they read her lips.
‘You. Are. Dead.’
She mouthed each syllable clearly so that every member watching secretly could see her silent threat.
"…."
Trembling, every single one of them quietly turned around and vanished to a place where she couldn't see them.
* * *
The next day.
"Are you awake, sir!"
""Are you awake, sir!""
"…Uh, yeah…."
Alon, who had been bewildered by the excessive greetings from the Hundred Ghosts as soon as he woke up, met a bright-faced Ryanga shortly after.
"Did you sleep well, Boss?"
"Yes, thanks to you."
"That’s good—if the bed is comfortable, you can stay a bit longer."
Ryanga added quickly. However, Alon shook his head.
"I’m afraid that’ll be difficult for now."
"…Really? Well, I guess it doesn't matter—"
Despite her words, Ryanga pouted her lips, making her disappointment obvious.
Alon couldn't help but smile at the sight.
"Don't be too disappointed. I’m just busy with work right now, so I’ll come visit again soon."
"…Really?"
"Yes. Or you can come find me yourself."
"…I’ll keep that in mind."
Ryanga giggled happily, seemingly satisfied, and continued.
"So, what’s your schedule from here?"
"Hmm, I’ll probably stay in the jungle for about another week."
"A week?"
"Yes, there’s something I’m looking for."
"What is it?"
Alon thought for a moment before answering slowly.
"I’m looking for the Mask of the Walker."
"The Mask of the Walker?"
"Yes. It’s an item located in one of the ruins in this jungle. I need it."
"Hmm—"
Ryanga nodded at Alon’s words and asked.
"Where is it?"
"…It should be in the area where the ruins are clustered."
"Do you know the location?"
"Roughly."
"Can you show me?"
Alon felt a momentary doubt, but he soon spread out a map made by explorers and pointed to the approximate location.
At that—
"Hmm—"
Ryanga stroked her chin, nodded as if she understood, and then—
"Wait here!"
"No, wait—"
Before Alon could stop her, she vanished with a massive sonic boom.
Alon was left frozen with his hand still outstretched.
Penia, who had been watching the whole thing from the side, spoke up.
"…Marquis, Ryanga probably went to go get it."
"It seems so—"
"…If it’s as you described, she’s going to have a hard time."
Alon nodded in agreement.
The 'Mask of the Walker,' the item they were planning to retrieve, was something that could only be obtained after reaching the ruins and solving several puzzles.
In other words, if you didn't know the answers to the puzzles, you couldn't get it.
Because of that.
"…Should we wait?"
"Well… she’s probably struggling right now, so wouldn't it be better to go help her?"
"…Then we’d better get ready to leave."
Just as Alon was about to get up after waiting for about an hour in the direction Ryanga had bolted—
Thump!
With another thunderous noise, Ryanga reappeared.
"…I’m back!"
"Ryanga?"
Ryanga shouted energetically.
As Alon looked at her in confusion, Ryanga wore a confident expression and—
"Here! Take it!"
She promptly handed a mask to Alon.
The Mask of the Walker.
Alon and Penia stared blankly at the mask in her hand.
"Huh? Is this not it?"
At her innocent question, Alon finally snapped out of it and replied.
"No, this is it. Thank you."
"Eyy—between us—"
Leaving the sweetly smiling Ryanga behind, Alon looked at the mask again with an expression of disbelief.
The mask she brought was undoubtedly the Mask of the Walker.
The one that was supposed to be obtainable only by solving several puzzles.
Unable to understand, Alon checked the mask several times before asking dazedly.
"…But, how did you get this?"
"Huh? This?"
"Yes. From what I know, this item can only be obtained by answering difficult questions…?"
‘Did Ryanga somehow know all the answers?’
At Alon’s skeptical question, Ryanga thought for a moment.
"Ah—was that what those were?"
She muttered as if something had occurred to her.
"I just broke in and took it."
She answered brightly.
"…You broke in?"
"Yeah. It just went crunch."
At Ryanga’s refreshing and unhesitating answer, Alon recalled the ruins he had only seen in illustrations.
The stone gate that was described as being dozens of centimeters—no, several meters thick.
Furthermore, it was treated with anti-magic to prevent it from being broken by physical force, and it was protected by dozens of defensive magic circles.
Alon could only stare at Ryanga blankly.
‘…Is this that thing where… if the body is talented, the mind can afford to be at ease?’
He couldn't help but think so.