Chapter 331: To the Future (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 331: To the Future (1)
Sunlight and a cool breeze slid in through the window. As I drank rum paired with the grilled meat from the store across the street, I couldn't help but exclaim, "Yeah, that's more like it."
How long had it been since I'd been able to enjoy a normal day like this? Maybe it was because I'd been in drab Noark for several months, but the change was unbelievably satisfying. Not that I didn't have any worries on my mind, though.
It's already been a week.
Seven days had passed since that chaotic night all those big names crawled out of the woodwork to keep me busy: Auril Gavis, Lüchenprague, and Jerome the Knight of Light.
Sigh.
I was still stuck in this time period.
"When is this thing going to activate?" I took out the Fragment of Records Stone and fiddled with it out of habit, but there were some good things about having extra time. At the very least, I had time to dispose of the equipment I collected.
I also have a few guesses as to why this thing is still silent...
Anyway, for that reason, we decided to take a break and found a place to stay aboveground. Just one room, by the way. I tried to find two separate rooms, but Amelia scolded me and said that there was no need for that, and to be honest, I accepted her reasoning. After all, we had lived as practically a single unit for several months already. It was much too late to argue for a separation of sexes.
"Drinking again..."
"Oh, you're here."
"I told you to keep the door locked when I'm not here." Amelia returned from her outing and unceremoniously threw her coat on the coat rack. I didn't bother asking where she'd been since early morning. It was obvious. She probably went to stalk her sister to see how she was doing again.
"Nagging as soon as you get in?"
"I'm not nagging—"
I quickly changed the subject. "So, how's Laura?"
Perhaps because of the powerful effects of the Blessing of Lethe's prototype, Laura had only opened her eyes three days ago. After being diagnosed with memory loss by the priest who was volunteering at the first-aid station, she started to believe the name on the identity tag was her own.
"It's not Laura, it's Shannon."
"Ah, right."
Shannon Ellaura was the new name we created for her. We were a little reluctant to use the tag that the old man had given her. Swapping the old tag with a new one in the patient's box of belongings and even correcting the patient records written at the first-aid station one by one, Amelia had been quite busy the past few days.
"So, how is she?"
"Unfortunately, she has attracted the attention of the priest who was there as a volunteer. She was taught to read for the first time today and she's learning really fast. The priest seems to think that's a sign that her memories will return soon..."
"Don't worry. That won't happen."
"I'm not worried about that part. It's just that since the priest is from the church, his attention bothers me."
At first, I was confused about what she meant, but I quickly understood. "Because of her essence?"
"Yes. It'll come off as suspicious for a child who isn't even an adult yet to have an essence."
If left alone, Laura-slash-Shannon would probably live her whole life without ever knowing that the power of an essence resided in her body. Her stats could be explained away as her being a naturally fit person, and without her memories, she would never be able to activate her special skills.
"That definitely makes me nervous too. Catching the attention of the volunteer priest wasn't in the plan."
If she lived a life closely linked to a religious denomination, that would change things. As churches were places that had the power and authority to erase essences, that raised the possibility that the existence of her essence would be discovered.
"...Since losing one's memory is a rare occurrence, it seems she has unexpectedly caught their attention."
"Then what will you do now?"
"What can I do? It's not like I can forcefully remove it." Amelia bit her lip unhappily and said she would just keep an eye on things for the time being. I agreed with her opinion. With that, that conversation came to an end.
"Anyway, don't you think you should change the way you talk?"
When I started in on her, Amelia gave me a wary look. "...What about it?"
"Your tone is too stiff for a conversation between clanmates."
"Clanmates?"
"Why are you looking at me like this is the first you're hearing of it? You're not thinking of pretending you forgot or something—"
"No, I remember. Just... I don't know what that has to do with how I speak."
"Hmm, it doesn't have anything to do with it, actually. I was just curious how you'd sound in a different tone."
"...What?" Amelia gave me a long-suffering look before letting out a deep sigh. "You... really..."
"What, I can be curious, can't I? Given the way you spoke when you were young, it doesn't sound like you always spoke this way."
"That's..." Amelia trailed off, which I wasn't expecting. In the past, she would have just ignored me or asked if I was making fun of her. "I will try to work on my tone."
"Huh?"
"No, I will... work on it. Are you satisfied? No, is...that good?"
What do you mean good?
I genuinely got goosebumps, which was why I was still speechless when Amelia began to contemplate her tone with a serious look on her face. "Hmm... does 'okay' sound nicer than 'good?' Which do you think is better?"
"W-Wait. Aren't you changing it too easily?"
"You're the one who told me to change it, Yandel."
"Yeah, but still."
"Don't misunderstand. This is an issue I've been thinking about recently too."
"You've been thinking about it?"
"...Laura would have wanted this for me. Besides, since you brought it up as well, that must mean there really is a problem with me."
Ah... I was just joking around with her before we got down to business to lighten up the depressing vibe in here...
I decided to quickly sort this out before it got to be too late. "Now that I think about it, I don't think you have to force yourself to change anything. Who cares about the way you talk? What's important is what's within."
Amelia didn't seem particularly moved by my speech at first, but when I told her she could trust me as someone who had a romantic history with Missha, who talked differently than most people, she nodded.
"So that's the relationship between you two."
"Ah..."
Why did I say that? I haven't told anyone that.
"That definitely makes me nervous too. Catching the attention of the volunteer priest wasn't in the plan."
If she lived a life closely linked to a religious denomination, that would change things. As churches were places that had the power and authority to erase essences, that raised the possibility that the existence of her essence would be discovered.
"...Since losing one's memory is a rare occurrence, it seems she has unexpectedly caught their attention."
"Then what will you do now?"
"What can I do? It's not like I can forcefully remove it." Amelia bit her lip unhappily and said she would just keep an eye on things for the time being. I agreed with her opinion. With that, that conversation came to an end.
"Anyway, don't you think you should change the way you talk?"
When I started in on her, Amelia gave me a wary look. "...What about it?"
"Your tone is too stiff for a conversation between clanmates."
"Clanmates?"
"Why are you looking at me like this is the first you're hearing of it? You're not thinking of pretending you forgot or something—"
"No, I remember. Just... I don't know what that has to do with how I speak."
"Hmm, it doesn't have anything to do with it, actually. I was just curious how you'd sound in a different tone."
"...What?" Amelia gave me a long-suffering look before letting out a deep sigh. "You... really..."
"What, I can be curious, can't I? Given the way you spoke when you were young, it doesn't sound like you always spoke this way."
"That's..." Amelia trailed off, which I wasn't expecting. In the past, she would have just ignored me or asked if I was making fun of her. "I will try to work on my tone."
"Huh?"
"No, I will... work on it. Are you satisfied? No, is...that good?"
What do you mean good?
I genuinely got goosebumps, which was why I was still speechless when Amelia began to contemplate her tone with a serious look on her face. "Hmm... does 'okay' sound nicer than 'good?' Which do you think is better?"
"W-Wait. Aren't you changing it too easily?"
"You're the one who told me to change it, Yandel."
"Yeah, but still."
"Don't misunderstand. This is an issue I've been thinking about recently too."
"You've been thinking about it?"
"...Laura would have wanted this for me. Besides, since you brought it up as well, that must mean there really is a problem with me."
Ah... I was just joking around with her before we got down to business to lighten up the depressing vibe in here...
I decided to quickly sort this out before it got to be too late. "Now that I think about it, I don't think you have to force yourself to change anything. Who cares about the way you talk? What's important is what's within."
Amelia didn't seem particularly moved by my speech at first, but when I told her she could trust me as someone who had a romantic history with Missha, who talked differently than most people, she nodded.
"So that's the relationship between you two."
"Ah..."
Why did I say that? I haven't told anyone that.
"Hmm, since speeches like that are hard to find fault with, I'm sure it's not empty words this time. All right. For now, I'll put the issue on hold."
"...Okay, good idea." This was a rather uncomfortable topic for me so I quickly moved on to the point I had been trying to get to earlier. "Anyway, since we've rested long enough, I think it's time for a serious conversation."
"Conversation... all right." Amelia sat in the chair across from me and we began the meeting we had been postponing for a week under the guise of a break.
The first item of the meeting was this. "Do you really have no connection to the Order of the Rose?"
"I don't. And that conversation was over a long time ago."
I learned several days ago that the reason Lüchenprague had pursued Amelia so persistently was because he believed she was a member of that group. It seemed he held some sort of grudge against them that was not known to the public.
"That way I can show you what loss feels like."
Considering the guy said that at the time, he must have lost someone precious to him. But that didn't matter.
"Why are you bringing this up again?"
At the time, I looked past it as a strange coincidence, but now that I was taking a moment to think about it, a possibility came to mind. "You said you learned how to use your aura from a woman you met by chance at Castle Noark, right?"
"Yes, she taught me a few things, saying she liked the look in my eyes. Of course, she only helped me build a basic foundation—it was much later that I actually awakened the aura. But... I'm sure we've talked about this already, too."
"That is true." Earlier in the week, we concluded that this woman must have been a member of the Order of the Rose, but... "Is there a possibility that that woman was you?"
"...What?"
"It just suddenly occurred to me. There's no way a strange woman would show you such kindness."
Amelia, who had been quite perceptive ever since she was a child, understood exactly what I was trying to say this time. "Are you thinking that that is the task we still have to complete?"
"Yes." Creating the basis of an aura for Amelia F, who had been left alone in this world, might have been our remaining homework.
"Don't worry. That can't be the case." Amelia flatly rejected the possibility. I asked her to provide evidence but she just told me to trust her on this one and didn't go into detail.
The way she's talking, I guess I really have it wrong...
If that was true, that was good news for me. If we had had to follow history as it unfolded, that would have meant we would have had to stay here another two years.
"Then let's get on to the next item on the agenda." The second topic that I brought up was Auril Gavis. What kind of variable would this suspicious old man be going forward? We discussed this for a long time, and to little avail. It ended with me getting scolded.
"Why did you do such a dangerous thing? It could have been a good thing to part on good terms."
"What do you mean? Are you saying I should have revealed my name and face?"
"Even if you didn't, I'm saying there was no need to mock him in the end."
"Ah..." That was true. At the time it felt good, but thinking about how furious the old man must have been afterward did make me shudder a bit.
"You're great and all, but you need to behave yourself better."
"...All right."
"Since you're agreeing, I won't say any more on the subject... But be careful. Becoming your comrade also means I'm entrusting my life to you." I was very pleased by that declaration, which went beyond trust.
...But didn't she say she wouldn't say any more?
"Ahem." I broke up the conversation with a cough and moved on to the next item on the list. It was none other than the point of this meeting: how to activate the Fragment of Records Stone. "To be exact, I want us to discuss what exactly the homework we might've been given is..."
"You sound like you have something in mind."
Of course, I wouldn't have brought this up without any thought. Aside from providing the foundation of an aura for Amelia F two years from now, there were a few more potential assignments. The first was this.
"The Genesis Treasures...?" Amelia seemed confused as soon as the Genesis Treasures were mentioned, but I couldn't shake the possibility.
Well, I couldn't be the one who would steal the Genesis Treasures twenty years from now, but I may have a little bit to do with it in the future. Like the barbarian heart fiasco, for example—the fallout would come much later, but I could end up being the catalyst.
"True, you said the Genesis Treasures are particularly important items to evil spirits. In that respect, that makes sense. You're also an evil—"
"Shh."
"Ah, my bad. You told me not to mention that."
Although this was a sore spot for me, since Amelia apologized right away, I let it slide with a yellow card. On to the second possibility. "The GM... that's the nickname of the man who took over the gathering from Auril Gavis."
"Yes. But what about him?"
"This is exactly around the time he took over the community."
You could say it was a bit too coincidental. Perhaps I needed to meet with him in the past and do something to get back to our original time.
"That seems plausible too. Do you have a third?"
You think I don't?
I immediately told her my last theory. "Hide everything I collected here so that I can deliver it to the future. Perhaps that is my final task."
"That's... just something you want to do anyway, no?"
Uh, I don't have anything to say to that...
"Then have you come up with any ideas?" I asked. "On what it is that we have to do?"
"W-Well... I'll tell you when I think of something."
I thought she might have a good idea. This was a bit disappointing, but embracing the shortcomings of a comrade was a mark of good leadership. "Anyway, so did you sell all of the equipment?"
"More than half. At a reduced price, I could sell it all sooner—"
"No, it doesn't matter how long it takes. Sell it for full price."
"There were some valuables among them—isn't it best to keep a few of them?"
You really don't know?
When it came to equipment, maintenance was essential. The value decreased over time. Besides, trying to sell equipment from twenty years ago in the future would only invite suspicion as to its origins, so aside from Demon Grinder, it was best to get rid of everything.
The problem is where I can hide this to keep it safe...
I was about to run through potential solutions for the millionth time when Amelia said, "Ah, I have something to tell you."
"Huh?"
"I heard this when I went out today. They say a rank-three essence will be auctioned off at the Central Exchange."
"Huh, a rank-three essence? Why not at the Sky Auction House?"
"It seems the Alminus Trading Company is trying something new."
Hmm, are they trying to gentrify the Central Exchange? Even if they are, they won't be able to beat Sky Auction House.
"So what essence is it? Ah, or is that also kept quiet until the day before the auction, like at Sky Auction House?"
"It is, but I already know what essence it is so it doesn't matter. It was a very famous auction at the time."
Yes, this was the benefit of being a time traveler.
When I urged her to speak, Amelia opened her mouth. "It's the essence of Vol-Herchan."
Is this what they call fate?
Coincidentally, this was an essential essence for my plans.
"Hmm, since speeches like that are hard to find fault with, I'm sure it's not empty words this time. All right. For now, I'll put the issue on hold."
"...Okay, good idea." This was a rather uncomfortable topic for me so I quickly moved on to the point I had been trying to get to earlier. "Anyway, since we've rested long enough, I think it's time for a serious conversation."
"Conversation... all right." Amelia sat in the chair across from me and we began the meeting we had been postponing for a week under the guise of a break.
The first item of the meeting was this. "Do you really have no connection to the Order of the Rose?"
"I don't. And that conversation was over a long time ago."
I learned several days ago that the reason Lüchenprague had pursued Amelia so persistently was because he believed she was a member of that group. It seemed he held some sort of grudge against them that was not known to the public.
"That way I can show you what loss feels like."
Considering the guy said that at the time, he must have lost someone precious to him. But that didn't matter.
"Why are you bringing this up again?"
At the time, I looked past it as a strange coincidence, but now that I was taking a moment to think about it, a possibility came to mind. "You said you learned how to use your aura from a woman you met by chance at Castle Noark, right?"
"Yes, she taught me a few things, saying she liked the look in my eyes. Of course, she only helped me build a basic foundation—it was much later that I actually awakened the aura. But... I'm sure we've talked about this already, too."
"That is true." Earlier in the week, we concluded that this woman must have been a member of the Order of the Rose, but... "Is there a possibility that that woman was you?"
"...What?"
"It just suddenly occurred to me. There's no way a strange woman would show you such kindness."
Amelia, who had been quite perceptive ever since she was a child, understood exactly what I was trying to say this time. "Are you thinking that that is the task we still have to complete?"
"Yes." Creating the basis of an aura for Amelia F, who had been left alone in this world, might have been our remaining homework.
"Don't worry. That can't be the case." Amelia flatly rejected the possibility. I asked her to provide evidence but she just told me to trust her on this one and didn't go into detail.
The way she's talking, I guess I really have it wrong...
If that was true, that was good news for me. If we had had to follow history as it unfolded, that would have meant we would have had to stay here another two years.
"Then let's get on to the next item on the agenda." The second topic that I brought up was Auril Gavis. What kind of variable would this suspicious old man be going forward? We discussed this for a long time, and to little avail. It ended with me getting scolded.
"Why did you do such a dangerous thing? It could have been a good thing to part on good terms."
"What do you mean? Are you saying I should have revealed my name and face?"
"Even if you didn't, I'm saying there was no need to mock him in the end."
"Ah..." That was true. At the time it felt good, but thinking about how furious the old man must have been afterward did make me shudder a bit.
"You're great and all, but you need to behave yourself better."
"...All right."
"Since you're agreeing, I won't say any more on the subject... But be careful. Becoming your comrade also means I'm entrusting my life to you." I was very pleased by that declaration, which went beyond trust.
...But didn't she say she wouldn't say any more?
"Ahem." I broke up the conversation with a cough and moved on to the next item on the list. It was none other than the point of this meeting: how to activate the Fragment of Records Stone. "To be exact, I want us to discuss what exactly the homework we might've been given is..."
"You sound like you have something in mind."
Of course, I wouldn't have brought this up without any thought. Aside from providing the foundation of an aura for Amelia F two years from now, there were a few more potential assignments. The first was this.
"The Genesis Treasures...?" Amelia seemed confused as soon as the Genesis Treasures were mentioned, but I couldn't shake the possibility.
Well, I couldn't be the one who would steal the Genesis Treasures twenty years from now, but I may have a little bit to do with it in the future. Like the barbarian heart fiasco, for example—the fallout would come much later, but I could end up being the catalyst.
"True, you said the Genesis Treasures are particularly important items to evil spirits. In that respect, that makes sense. You're also an evil—"
"Shh."
"Ah, my bad. You told me not to mention that."
Although this was a sore spot for me, since Amelia apologized right away, I let it slide with a yellow card. On to the second possibility. "The GM... that's the nickname of the man who took over the gathering from Auril Gavis."
"Yes. But what about him?"
"This is exactly around the time he took over the community."
You could say it was a bit too coincidental. Perhaps I needed to meet with him in the past and do something to get back to our original time.
"That seems plausible too. Do you have a third?"
You think I don't?
I immediately told her my last theory. "Hide everything I collected here so that I can deliver it to the future. Perhaps that is my final task."
"That's... just something you want to do anyway, no?"
Uh, I don't have anything to say to that...
"Then have you come up with any ideas?" I asked. "On what it is that we have to do?"
"W-Well... I'll tell you when I think of something."
I thought she might have a good idea. This was a bit disappointing, but embracing the shortcomings of a comrade was a mark of good leadership. "Anyway, so did you sell all of the equipment?"
"More than half. At a reduced price, I could sell it all sooner—"
"No, it doesn't matter how long it takes. Sell it for full price."
"There were some valuables among them—isn't it best to keep a few of them?"
You really don't know?
When it came to equipment, maintenance was essential. The value decreased over time. Besides, trying to sell equipment from twenty years ago in the future would only invite suspicion as to its origins, so aside from Demon Grinder, it was best to get rid of everything.
The problem is where I can hide this to keep it safe...
I was about to run through potential solutions for the millionth time when Amelia said, "Ah, I have something to tell you."
"Huh?"
"I heard this when I went out today. They say a rank-three essence will be auctioned off at the Central Exchange."
"Huh, a rank-three essence? Why not at the Sky Auction House?"
"It seems the Alminus Trading Company is trying something new."
Hmm, are they trying to gentrify the Central Exchange? Even if they are, they won't be able to beat Sky Auction House.
"So what essence is it? Ah, or is that also kept quiet until the day before the auction, like at Sky Auction House?"
"It is, but I already know what essence it is so it doesn't matter. It was a very famous auction at the time."
Yes, this was the benefit of being a time traveler.
When I urged her to speak, Amelia opened her mouth. "It's the essence of Vol-Herchan."
Is this what they call fate?
Coincidentally, this was an essential essence for my plans.