Chapter 292: Big Fish (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 292: Big Fish (4)
Ravigion was home to more than half the kingdom's population. People of the upper class grouped these people together and called them all commoners, but a wealth disparity existed in Ravigion too. Adventurers and self-employed people who ran prosperous businesses found homes in the city center and on main streets near the square. Those places were generally safe, nice places to live.
So this is where she used to live when she was young.
Things were different in the large neighborhood a block down from the main road, which you could only reach through a dark alleyway. There was poor security away from the eyes of the guards. The buildings were old and run-down. Each one was divided into dozens of rooms, and every room was rented out. Bathrooms were shared, as were the kitchens. Even the barbarian inn that cost five hundred stones per night was on the outskirts of the city center, not in a place like this.
When I entered the alley after Raven, the wary eyes of the residents all honed in on me. It was a similar experience to my time in Bifron. Everyone was on guard around me, but no one approached me first to pick a fight. Rather, they all looked away.
Jeez, have you never seen a barbarian before?
While this once again reminded me of all the pros of being a barbarian, I was also realizing what a terrible neighborhood Raven was living in. This wasn't a busy street with lots of people. It would be obvious to anyone watching that I was following her.
But none of these bastards are coming forward to stop me, huh? So it's none of your business, huh? Well, whatever. I don't intend to let Raven stay here for too long, anyway.
Creak. Thud.
A short while later, Raven headed into a building and closed the door. At first, I didn't even realize that it was a house. It was really just a wall with a door hanging on it.
Then should I wait here a bit?
After reaching her home, I passed the time leaning against the wall. About twenty minutes later, Raven's birth mother returned from work. It wasn't hard to recognize her. Her hair was far from her daughter's shiny blonde and she was a lot taller, but her face, at least, was exactly the same as Raven's.
"Are you Arua Raven's mother?"
"I am... Wh-who are you...?" The age gap between the two of us wasn't big enough that I could say something like 'she would have been a beauty in her prime.' She looked to be somewhere in her late twenties at most. Did that mean she had had a child in her early twenties?
As I stared at her, feeling weird about that, Raven's mother grew anxious. "Did my child cause another incident...?"
"This is not the place. Let's go talk somewhere else."
"...All right."
I headed to the main street with her mother and entered a tea shop that also served as a café in the present day.
"Don't worry. I'll pay."
"Right..."
I felt incredibly odd talking to her. Her face was the same as Raven's, but her manner of speaking and things like that were completely different.
"Order anything you want to eat. If not, I'll order it myself."
From experience, it wasn't difficult to order off the menu here without much help. Our food arrived quickly, fitting for a tea house. Of course, neither I nor the woman touched any of it.
Jeez, where should I start?
"First, let's clear up a misunderstanding. I'm not here to complain about something Raven did."
"Sorry? Then—"
"I am Raven's friend."
"Friend...?"
"Barbarians don't care about age."
"I-I see..." The mother nodded, although she still looked confused. I thought I had a rough idea of what her personality was like. She was just the exact opposite of Raven.
"I saw her for the first time in a while today. She had a bruise on her face."
"Ah..." Finally realizing why I came to see her, the woman's face turned white. But then she took a moment to think it over again and apparently came to the conclusion that it was unfair of me to call her out. "That's... none of your business."
Despite being scared to even speak this whole time, she chose to put her foot down here. By all means, my remark was rather foolish. This was a ridiculous world where you got sentenced to death if you couldn't pay your taxes. A parent beating their disobedient child wasn't an issue here. No—rather, it would be even weirder to criticize them for doing so.
"Business? Don't use complicated words." However, I was a proud member of the barbarian tribe who didn't know anything about stuff like that. "All I care about is getting bloody revenge for my friend."
When I said this calmly without any emotion, the woman froze. That was fair—when would she have ever had cause to hear something like "bloody revenge" in normal conversation? From what I heard, she just worked in a kitchen.
"...So what do you want from me? For me to stop hitting her in the future? Is that enough for you?"
"No, let her go."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You should already know. Raven has the potential to become a powerful wizard."
"...She does have his blood, after all." The woman pressed her lips together. There was a clear glint of hatred in her eyes. She seemed to be thinking of the husband who abandoned his family after having an affair... but that was none of my business.
"Send Raven to the Magic Tower."
"I can't afford that."
"I will pay all the necessary expenses."
"...Why would you do that?"
"I just feel like doing it."
The woman was silent for a long time at my answer. Then she said something strange in a low voice. "That child will abandon me."
Huh?
"She'll become a great person one day and look down on me. Then, in the end, she'll leave me behind for that world of hers. Just as he did that day since she's his blood..."
Ah...
"Isn't this unfair? Why is that child's life so easy? I gave birth to her, but no one in my entire life has ever helped me for that reason. But... why that child...?" After that, all kinds of sorrows fell from the woman's lips in an unorganized jumble. "Come to think of it, I didn't have any talent. I was slow to read too. But that girl is learning and using magic at her age."
Her husband and daughter were the topics of conversation, but ultimately the underlying thread was regret and dissatisfaction about the life she had lived. I listened to her in silence. Her trauma was caused by her husband's affair; her hatred was too complicated to be resolved with brief platitudes and went beyond festered.
After who knows how long, I asked, "Are you finished?"
"Fine," she answered. "I'll send her to the Magic Tower. The only thing she gets from me is her face, anyway. It'll be easier for me if she completely disappears. Sure. I also... want to be comfortable now."
"Sorry? Then—"
"I am Raven's friend."
"Friend...?"
"Barbarians don't care about age."
"I-I see..." The mother nodded, although she still looked confused. I thought I had a rough idea of what her personality was like. She was just the exact opposite of Raven.
"I saw her for the first time in a while today. She had a bruise on her face."
"Ah..." Finally realizing why I came to see her, the woman's face turned white. But then she took a moment to think it over again and apparently came to the conclusion that it was unfair of me to call her out. "That's... none of your business."
Despite being scared to even speak this whole time, she chose to put her foot down here. By all means, my remark was rather foolish. This was a ridiculous world where you got sentenced to death if you couldn't pay your taxes. A parent beating their disobedient child wasn't an issue here. No—rather, it would be even weirder to criticize them for doing so.
"Business? Don't use complicated words." However, I was a proud member of the barbarian tribe who didn't know anything about stuff like that. "All I care about is getting bloody revenge for my friend."
When I said this calmly without any emotion, the woman froze. That was fair—when would she have ever had cause to hear something like "bloody revenge" in normal conversation? From what I heard, she just worked in a kitchen.
"...So what do you want from me? For me to stop hitting her in the future? Is that enough for you?"
"No, let her go."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You should already know. Raven has the potential to become a powerful wizard."
"...She does have his blood, after all." The woman pressed her lips together. There was a clear glint of hatred in her eyes. She seemed to be thinking of the husband who abandoned his family after having an affair... but that was none of my business.
"Send Raven to the Magic Tower."
"I can't afford that."
"I will pay all the necessary expenses."
"...Why would you do that?"
"I just feel like doing it."
The woman was silent for a long time at my answer. Then she said something strange in a low voice. "That child will abandon me."
Huh?
"She'll become a great person one day and look down on me. Then, in the end, she'll leave me behind for that world of hers. Just as he did that day since she's his blood..."
Ah...
"Isn't this unfair? Why is that child's life so easy? I gave birth to her, but no one in my entire life has ever helped me for that reason. But... why that child...?" After that, all kinds of sorrows fell from the woman's lips in an unorganized jumble. "Come to think of it, I didn't have any talent. I was slow to read too. But that girl is learning and using magic at her age."
Her husband and daughter were the topics of conversation, but ultimately the underlying thread was regret and dissatisfaction about the life she had lived. I listened to her in silence. Her trauma was caused by her husband's affair; her hatred was too complicated to be resolved with brief platitudes and went beyond festered.
After who knows how long, I asked, "Are you finished?"
"Fine," she answered. "I'll send her to the Magic Tower. The only thing she gets from me is her face, anyway. It'll be easier for me if she completely disappears. Sure. I also... want to be comfortable now."
"That's it, then." As soon as the conversation was over, I got up from my seat and paid the bill. Then, before leaving the shop, I tried to hand the woman some money but she refused.
"I don't need it. Someone came from the Magic Tower a few days ago. They said they'd support her fully and that I should at least send her there to take the test. I guess using magic everywhere she goes at such a young age caught their attention."
"...I see."
"Isn't it strange? Everything I've accomplished in life is in a single room in this dump."
With that, Raven's mother staggered toward her house in the back alley like a person with no energy left in her body, and I watched her go. It wasn't because I felt sympathy. But despite that, the woman's last words kept lingering in my head.
"What was the point of my life, then?"
***
Time passed quickly after that. Raven's mother took her to the Magic Tower as promised, and Raven's potential was noticed over several days. For reference, I was able to hear about the process in detail from Raven, who came to the library once every two days.
"You got to join the Altemion School?"
"Yeah, I like the old man there. He doesn't look down on me for being a kid."
Was it just like that old man Auril Gavis said, then? I thought that her future would change if she was sent to the Magic Tower at a young age.
Come to think of it, I don't even know when she entered the Magic Tower...
I had been confident it had been above the age of ten. That was because when I first met little her, Raven said she intended to become an administrative wizard. I had assumed she must have had a change of heart sometime in the future.
"But what's with your expression?"
"It's nothing. Anyway, it's good that you got into the Magic Tower."
"...I'm a little worried. I don't know if I can do a good job."
"You will be a great wizard. I guarantee it."
"Hehe, really?"
Anyway, my conversation with Raven wasn't limited to the Magic Tower but also to her family. Apparently, her mom suddenly turned nice. It sounded like her mother hadn't told her about meeting me.
After chatting for a long while, the time came for Raven to go home. "Then I'm going. Oh, and I can't come here anymore. I have to go live in the Magic Tower from now on."
"I probably can't come here after tomorrow, anyway."
"Why?"
"Something's come up." Tomorrow, I had to head down to Noark with Amelia. I probably wouldn't come back here until we achieved our objective.
"...I see."
Before parting ways with Raven for the last time, I offered her one piece of advice. "Once you get to the Tower, be careful—don't be as rude as you are now."
"Huh?"
"That goes for everyone you talk to. There's no need to go around making enemies."
"...I'm not afraid of anything like that."
"Even if you aren't, do as I say. Not only will you make enemies, but you'll scare off people who are trying to be your friend. With that kind of attitude, you'll only end up alone."
"Did... I offend you, too?" Raven asked carefully, and after a moment's pause, I admitted I had been a little offended. It seemed that made her come to some sort of realization. "Okay. I won't do that anymore."
"That's it, then." As soon as the conversation was over, I got up from my seat and paid the bill. Then, before leaving the shop, I tried to hand the woman some money but she refused.
"I don't need it. Someone came from the Magic Tower a few days ago. They said they'd support her fully and that I should at least send her there to take the test. I guess using magic everywhere she goes at such a young age caught their attention."
"...I see."
"Isn't it strange? Everything I've accomplished in life is in a single room in this dump."
With that, Raven's mother staggered toward her house in the back alley like a person with no energy left in her body, and I watched her go. It wasn't because I felt sympathy. But despite that, the woman's last words kept lingering in my head.
"What was the point of my life, then?"
***
Time passed quickly after that. Raven's mother took her to the Magic Tower as promised, and Raven's potential was noticed over several days. For reference, I was able to hear about the process in detail from Raven, who came to the library once every two days.
"You got to join the Altemion School?"
"Yeah, I like the old man there. He doesn't look down on me for being a kid."
Was it just like that old man Auril Gavis said, then? I thought that her future would change if she was sent to the Magic Tower at a young age.
Come to think of it, I don't even know when she entered the Magic Tower...
I had been confident it had been above the age of ten. That was because when I first met little her, Raven said she intended to become an administrative wizard. I had assumed she must have had a change of heart sometime in the future.
"But what's with your expression?"
"It's nothing. Anyway, it's good that you got into the Magic Tower."
"...I'm a little worried. I don't know if I can do a good job."
"You will be a great wizard. I guarantee it."
"Hehe, really?"
Anyway, my conversation with Raven wasn't limited to the Magic Tower but also to her family. Apparently, her mom suddenly turned nice. It sounded like her mother hadn't told her about meeting me.
After chatting for a long while, the time came for Raven to go home. "Then I'm going. Oh, and I can't come here anymore. I have to go live in the Magic Tower from now on."
"I probably can't come here after tomorrow, anyway."
"Why?"
"Something's come up." Tomorrow, I had to head down to Noark with Amelia. I probably wouldn't come back here until we achieved our objective.
"...I see."
Before parting ways with Raven for the last time, I offered her one piece of advice. "Once you get to the Tower, be careful—don't be as rude as you are now."
"Huh?"
"That goes for everyone you talk to. There's no need to go around making enemies."
"...I'm not afraid of anything like that."
"Even if you aren't, do as I say. Not only will you make enemies, but you'll scare off people who are trying to be your friend. With that kind of attitude, you'll only end up alone."
"Did... I offend you, too?" Raven asked carefully, and after a moment's pause, I admitted I had been a little offended. It seemed that made her come to some sort of realization. "Okay. I won't do that anymore."
"Do what?"
"...Tase people."
Yeah, now you sound like a pouty little kid.
"But don't you have to go now?"
"Yeah..."
After that, we ended our last conversation, left the library, and parted ways without making plans for our next meeting.
"Then, see ya!" It was a promise that set neither a time nor place for fulfilling it. Hey, where did that polite, formal manner of speaking go?
I smirked and answered, "Yeah, see you later."
Although you won't even remember me then.
After sending Raven off, I headed in a certain direction without hesitation. I'd kind of accepted it now.
Yeah, Dwalkie... cannot be saved.
I headed to the orphanage run by the Church of Reatlas. Arriving in front of it, I stood frozen for the longest time, unable to open the door. The reason was simple. Though I was flooded with the desire to go in and talk to Dwalkie one last time, I also wondered what the point of doing so was.
After who knows how long, someone called out to me from nearby. "Mr. Enze...?"
"Emirn?" It was the woman I had met while working as a volunteer the other day. At dinner, she and I had exchanged an odd conversation asking me for courage. "What brings you here?"
"To be honest with you...my son is here."
...What?
"Thankfully, things worked out, so I was able to bring him home. Thank you so much. If it weren't for you, Mr. Enze, I would have hesitated forever."
I stiffened at the instinctive realization that washed over me, but I had to check.
"Is... your son's name Riol?" Riol Warb Dwalkie and Warb Emirn.
"Oh, yes, that's right," Emirn blurted in obvious surprise. So, Dwalkie had taken his middle name from his mother. "But, how did you know?"
"Just... because you look sort of like him."
"Haha, is that so? True, I noticed you often talking to him." Emirn smiled happily at my words. But did she want to get Dwalkie home as soon as possible more than she wanted to speak with me? "Then I'll be going now."
"Oh, right..."
Emirn hurriedly bade me farewell and entered the orphanage. I stood there at the entrance like a statue, unable to move for several minutes. All sorts of thoughts ran through my mind.
Dash.
I climbed over the orphanage's fence and entered. Dwalkie was sitting where he always sat, reading a book. "Oh! Hello." Dwalkie greeted me.
"Yeah... It's been a while."
"What brings you here?"
"I... just came."
Dwalkie tilted his head like he thought I was acting strange, but he didn't seem wary, perhaps because of all the time we'd spent together.
Slide.
I turned my head and glanced into the building through the window. I could see Emirn hand a stack of documents to the staff at the desk. It was then that I realized that Dwalkie would go live with his biological mother now and hear about the ocean. He'd become an administrative wizard, but he wouldn't be able to give up on his dream and would someday enter the labyrinth.
"Everyone, thank you for being my teammates."
He would die.
It's... all because of me?
I felt a deep sense of responsibility. At the same time, I also felt like a speck of dust in the vastness of the universe. A sense of helplessness filled me, followed closely by a desire to defy fate. Maybe it wasn't too late. If I acted now, I might be able to prevent that future from coming to pass. Yeah, if I kidnapped this kid right now, something would have to change.
God damn it.
Even as the thought came to mind, my body didn't move. The same scenes kept running through my mind: Emirn's face as she came to ask me for courage; and Dwalkie's voice as he recalled his birth mother during our Team Half-Wit days. I kept seeing and hearing them both.
What... am I meant to do? Would the future really change if I took him? What if my actions have no effect and I just reduce the amount of time he gets to live in peace with his mother?
Squeeze.
A small hand patted my clenched fist. It was Dwalkie's. "It's big... Oh, I'm sorry. For suddenly touching you."
"...You don't have to be sorry."
"Will my hands be that big someday? Big enough to protect the people I care about?"
To that question, I replied, voice rough, "Don't worry. You'll become a big man."
Even though your body may be skinny and short, you'll be bigger than me. Actually, bigger than anyone I've ever met.
I jumped the orphanage walls like I was running away from something. Then I hid in an alleyway and watched.
Creak.
After some time, I could see Dwalkie and Emirn come out of the orphanage door.
"How come you're my mother?"
"That's... a long story, Dwalkie. Let's go. I'll tell you everything at..."
The two of them left, holding hands much too awkwardly to be considered mother and son.
"Goodbye, Dwalkie."
I just watched on.
"Do what?"
"...Tase people."
Yeah, now you sound like a pouty little kid.
"But don't you have to go now?"
"Yeah..."
After that, we ended our last conversation, left the library, and parted ways without making plans for our next meeting.
"Then, see ya!" It was a promise that set neither a time nor place for fulfilling it. Hey, where did that polite, formal manner of speaking go?
I smirked and answered, "Yeah, see you later."
Although you won't even remember me then.
After sending Raven off, I headed in a certain direction without hesitation. I'd kind of accepted it now.
Yeah, Dwalkie... cannot be saved.
I headed to the orphanage run by the Church of Reatlas. Arriving in front of it, I stood frozen for the longest time, unable to open the door. The reason was simple. Though I was flooded with the desire to go in and talk to Dwalkie one last time, I also wondered what the point of doing so was.
After who knows how long, someone called out to me from nearby. "Mr. Enze...?"
"Emirn?" It was the woman I had met while working as a volunteer the other day. At dinner, she and I had exchanged an odd conversation asking me for courage. "What brings you here?"
"To be honest with you...my son is here."
...What?
"Thankfully, things worked out, so I was able to bring him home. Thank you so much. If it weren't for you, Mr. Enze, I would have hesitated forever."
I stiffened at the instinctive realization that washed over me, but I had to check.
"Is... your son's name Riol?" Riol Warb Dwalkie and Warb Emirn.
"Oh, yes, that's right," Emirn blurted in obvious surprise. So, Dwalkie had taken his middle name from his mother. "But, how did you know?"
"Just... because you look sort of like him."
"Haha, is that so? True, I noticed you often talking to him." Emirn smiled happily at my words. But did she want to get Dwalkie home as soon as possible more than she wanted to speak with me? "Then I'll be going now."
"Oh, right..."
Emirn hurriedly bade me farewell and entered the orphanage. I stood there at the entrance like a statue, unable to move for several minutes. All sorts of thoughts ran through my mind.
Dash.
I climbed over the orphanage's fence and entered. Dwalkie was sitting where he always sat, reading a book. "Oh! Hello." Dwalkie greeted me.
"Yeah... It's been a while."
"What brings you here?"
"I... just came."
Dwalkie tilted his head like he thought I was acting strange, but he didn't seem wary, perhaps because of all the time we'd spent together.
Slide.
I turned my head and glanced into the building through the window. I could see Emirn hand a stack of documents to the staff at the desk. It was then that I realized that Dwalkie would go live with his biological mother now and hear about the ocean. He'd become an administrative wizard, but he wouldn't be able to give up on his dream and would someday enter the labyrinth.
"Everyone, thank you for being my teammates."
He would die.
It's... all because of me?
I felt a deep sense of responsibility. At the same time, I also felt like a speck of dust in the vastness of the universe. A sense of helplessness filled me, followed closely by a desire to defy fate. Maybe it wasn't too late. If I acted now, I might be able to prevent that future from coming to pass. Yeah, if I kidnapped this kid right now, something would have to change.
God damn it.
Even as the thought came to mind, my body didn't move. The same scenes kept running through my mind: Emirn's face as she came to ask me for courage; and Dwalkie's voice as he recalled his birth mother during our Team Half-Wit days. I kept seeing and hearing them both.
What... am I meant to do? Would the future really change if I took him? What if my actions have no effect and I just reduce the amount of time he gets to live in peace with his mother?
Squeeze.
A small hand patted my clenched fist. It was Dwalkie's. "It's big... Oh, I'm sorry. For suddenly touching you."
"...You don't have to be sorry."
"Will my hands be that big someday? Big enough to protect the people I care about?"
To that question, I replied, voice rough, "Don't worry. You'll become a big man."
Even though your body may be skinny and short, you'll be bigger than me. Actually, bigger than anyone I've ever met.
I jumped the orphanage walls like I was running away from something. Then I hid in an alleyway and watched.
Creak.
After some time, I could see Dwalkie and Emirn come out of the orphanage door.
"How come you're my mother?"
"That's... a long story, Dwalkie. Let's go. I'll tell you everything at..."
The two of them left, holding hands much too awkwardly to be considered mother and son.
"Goodbye, Dwalkie."
I just watched on.