Chapter 336: To the Future (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 336: To the Future (6)
"We'll be able to return tomorrow? What do you mean?"
Amelia avoided my eyes at that question. "It's not a guarantee, but there's something that's been on my mind from the beginning."
"From the beginning...?" My mind went blank for a moment.
Is that why she always looked uncomfortable every time we talked about how to get back?
It hit me that the feeling of wrongness I'd felt in previous conversations hadn't just been my imagination, but there was still something I didn't get. "If you had an inkling from the beginning, why didn't you tell me earlier?" When I stared at her, Amelia glanced at me again and averted her eyes. In the end, I had no choice but to be blunt. "Is it... because you don't want to go back?"
"That's..." Amelia trailed off before shaking her head. "That's absolutely not the case. I just thought it wouldn't be bad to stay here a little longer..."
"What? But why?" My head tilted involuntarily, but when I thought through it calmly from Amelia's perspective, it made sense.
"Th-that's—"
"Ah, I see. Okay."
"Okay...?"
"You felt bad about leaving your sister."
When we left, Laura would have to live on her own for the next twenty years. It was natural that Amelia would want to do what she could from the sidelines to help her live a better life and at least see what kind of life it would be before she left.
"You could have just been honest with me. But I guess I might not have been trustworthy enough to you."
"Ah..."
"We're comrades. Just tell me these things."
"...I will. I'll tell you first thing from now on."
"Okay." I quickly resolved the misunderstanding between us and moved on to the next item on the agenda, which might have been the most important part of this conversation. "So what's your hunch that you think we can return so quickly?"
"Ah, that." Amelia was brought back to reality by that question and explained what she was thinking. I listened intently, even asking some questions in the middle, and nodded.
Hmm, definitely...
It was plausible. No, to be honest, as soon as I heard it, I had a gut feeling that this was it—our last remaining task.
***
The next morning, after checking out of our inn early, we headed to a nearby restaurant. There was a place Amelia wanted to go. As for me, I just wanted to finish our job and hurry back.
"This restaurant closes down in twenty years... Ah, of course, if you think it'll be inconvenient, I don't mind returning right away."
How can I not go if she's going to put it that way? Yeah, we won't have time to take a break once we get back. And she's been busy working hard every day.
Amelia even looked embarrassed by her own request. It seemed she was self-conscious about expressing such a mundane desire, but in my mind, it was a positive change worth celebrating. It meant our bond had gotten strong enough that she felt like she could ask something like this.
"Let me know if there's anything else you want to do."
"Then... can we stop by the Arandeje Art Gallery in District Nine?"
"...Art gallery?"
"There's a piece of art I want to see. Um... I've been wanting to see it but I couldn't in the future. It seems it was sold to a wealthy nobleman."
Anyway, for that reason, we headed to the museum after our meal. Amelia stood in front of the artwork she had been wanting to see and stared at it for over thirty minutes.
"...Do you mind if I look at something else?"
"Of course."
Then we walked around the gallery and admired the other paintings and sculptures. To be honest, this was a bit unexpected.
I never suspected she had a hobby like this.
Just by the look in her eyes, I could tell she was genuinely having a good time. Well, that was a separate issue, though.
"Amelia, this is nice and all, but I'm starting to get hungry..."
A look around told us it was already midday, so we had a meal at a nearby restaurant.
"Yandel, can we stop by one last place?"
At Amelia's request, we rode the carriage again. The place we arrived at was the Church of Reatlas' orphanage, where Dwalkie stayed as a child.
This place and I have a strangely deep connection.
Rather than enter the building, we sat on a bench across from it and watched Laura through the window. Recovering from her stint in the hospital, she sat at a desk doing paperwork. Apparently, she had gotten a job at the orphanage through the priest.
"I thought she was just helping with chores but seeing as she's doing paperwork, it looks like she's already reading," I said, before wondering aloud if there was a chance she hadn't lost all of her memories.
Amelia just smiled ruefully and shook her head. "That couldn't be the case."
"How are you so sure?"
"Laura... didn't know how to read."
"...What?"
Then after just a few weeks of learning from the priest, she can already do administrative work?
This was a surprise but not something I couldn't wrap my head around. People like her did exist.
"...She's a genius."
"I didn't know my sister was this smart, either. I knew she had an extraordinary memory, but..."
"And the priest? Didn't the priest who taught her find this strange?"
"That woman simply considered it a sign that her memories are coming back. My sister thought so too."
Perhaps these sisters' true talent didn't lie in something like killing people. It was just their environment that made them that way. I wondered what Amelia would have grown up into if she had been born into an ordinary family. It seemed she liked art, so maybe she would have become famous for it.
"What is that look?"
Ah, was I staring too hard? "...It's nothing. Anyway, how long are you going to watch? Looks like your sister is finishing her work now."
"We should... go now."
Once Laura finished her paperwork and put on her coat, we stood up.
Creak.
Then we picked the lock on the sewer system and walked down. This was the only way to Noark.
"I didn't think I'd be heading down here again. Nothing bad will happen, right?"
"It should be fine. There's another way to sneak in besides the cemetery."
In the past, we went the official route and entered the city through a broker because we needed legal identities in Noark, but there was no need for that now so we instead entered illegally through a path Amelia knew about. Apparently, this path was connected to the castle.
Anyway, for that reason, we headed to the museum after our meal. Amelia stood in front of the artwork she had been wanting to see and stared at it for over thirty minutes.
"...Do you mind if I look at something else?"
"Of course."
Then we walked around the gallery and admired the other paintings and sculptures. To be honest, this was a bit unexpected.
I never suspected she had a hobby like this.
Just by the look in her eyes, I could tell she was genuinely having a good time. Well, that was a separate issue, though.
"Amelia, this is nice and all, but I'm starting to get hungry..."
A look around told us it was already midday, so we had a meal at a nearby restaurant.
"Yandel, can we stop by one last place?"
At Amelia's request, we rode the carriage again. The place we arrived at was the Church of Reatlas' orphanage, where Dwalkie stayed as a child.
This place and I have a strangely deep connection.
Rather than enter the building, we sat on a bench across from it and watched Laura through the window. Recovering from her stint in the hospital, she sat at a desk doing paperwork. Apparently, she had gotten a job at the orphanage through the priest.
"I thought she was just helping with chores but seeing as she's doing paperwork, it looks like she's already reading," I said, before wondering aloud if there was a chance she hadn't lost all of her memories.
Amelia just smiled ruefully and shook her head. "That couldn't be the case."
"How are you so sure?"
"Laura... didn't know how to read."
"...What?"
Then after just a few weeks of learning from the priest, she can already do administrative work?
This was a surprise but not something I couldn't wrap my head around. People like her did exist.
"...She's a genius."
"I didn't know my sister was this smart, either. I knew she had an extraordinary memory, but..."
"And the priest? Didn't the priest who taught her find this strange?"
"That woman simply considered it a sign that her memories are coming back. My sister thought so too."
Perhaps these sisters' true talent didn't lie in something like killing people. It was just their environment that made them that way. I wondered what Amelia would have grown up into if she had been born into an ordinary family. It seemed she liked art, so maybe she would have become famous for it.
"What is that look?"
Ah, was I staring too hard? "...It's nothing. Anyway, how long are you going to watch? Looks like your sister is finishing her work now."
"We should... go now."
Once Laura finished her paperwork and put on her coat, we stood up.
Creak.
Then we picked the lock on the sewer system and walked down. This was the only way to Noark.
"I didn't think I'd be heading down here again. Nothing bad will happen, right?"
"It should be fine. There's another way to sneak in besides the cemetery."
In the past, we went the official route and entered the city through a broker because we needed legal identities in Noark, but there was no need for that now so we instead entered illegally through a path Amelia knew about. Apparently, this path was connected to the castle.
"But what's going to happen to Noark now?"
As we walked, we talked about Noark. After the big incident involving the palace, Orcules, the castellan, and even the fourth faction (us), I was curious how things would play out.
"The new castellan will be busy smoothing things over right now."
"Smoothing things over?" Of course, I knew that this all ended up somehow being swept under the rug, but I was curious about the how. "They were the ones who teamed up with the palace and lost, how can they smooth that over?"
"Because Orcules needs this city too."
I questioned why Orcules couldn't just seize the city for itself, but it sounded like there was logic behind its decision not to.
"In order for the portal connecting Noark and the labyrinth to open, it requires the blood of the castellan's line."
That was why the new castellan killed everyone in his family as soon as he learned of his father's death. It seemed he was worried the group would take over the city by turning his weaker brothers into their puppets.
He really is one heck of a dude. To think he could make that call at a moment like that.
After that, the new castellan conceded a part of Noark to Orcules to bring about a truce, and gradually stabilized the city. This was according to the full account that would exist in twenty years.
"We're here."
After traveling through the sewer system for a while, we arrived at the castle and snuck away from the eyes of the guards to leave its walls. Passing through city streets that still smelled like smoke, we arrived in front of a small mansion.
"Yandel, will you wait here a moment? I will go alone."
"I will."
It was Amelia's house.
***
There was no reason to knock. Back then, she never lived with the door locked. She had given up, had wanted to let whatever was going to happen just happen.
Creak.
Amelia opened the door and glanced around the house. Although it only had basic, simple furniture, that made it feel more like home to her. The house the alchemist grandpa provided for her remained in this condition up to the day she left it as an adult.
Sensing a presence, the girl huddled against the wall raised her head and looked at her. "Miss Emily...?" Her dull pupils began to shine. Amelia didn't have any mind-reading abilities, but because this was her past self, she could clearly see what this girl was thinking, could see the rising hope that maybe her sister was alive. "I-Is..."
"Your sister is dead."
"Ah..." When Amelia spoke sharply, the girl's head dropped. The light that had appeared in her eyes disappeared.
Amelia forced the girl to stand her ground. "Before long, you will enter the labyrinth. And you will continue to live a life in the gutters, encounter many people, and kill them."
"...So?" It seemed the provocative words had the desired effect, as the girl who looked like an empty doll raised her head in defiance.
Amelia reached out a hand toward her. "Promise me that you won't kill any barbarians."
"...Why should I do that?"
Amelia's response left no room for doubt. "Later on, a day will come when you will think to yourself that choosing to keep this promise was the greatest stroke of luck in your life."
"But what's going to happen to Noark now?"
As we walked, we talked about Noark. After the big incident involving the palace, Orcules, the castellan, and even the fourth faction (us), I was curious how things would play out.
"The new castellan will be busy smoothing things over right now."
"Smoothing things over?" Of course, I knew that this all ended up somehow being swept under the rug, but I was curious about the how. "They were the ones who teamed up with the palace and lost, how can they smooth that over?"
"Because Orcules needs this city too."
I questioned why Orcules couldn't just seize the city for itself, but it sounded like there was logic behind its decision not to.
"In order for the portal connecting Noark and the labyrinth to open, it requires the blood of the castellan's line."
That was why the new castellan killed everyone in his family as soon as he learned of his father's death. It seemed he was worried the group would take over the city by turning his weaker brothers into their puppets.
He really is one heck of a dude. To think he could make that call at a moment like that.
After that, the new castellan conceded a part of Noark to Orcules to bring about a truce, and gradually stabilized the city. This was according to the full account that would exist in twenty years.
"We're here."
After traveling through the sewer system for a while, we arrived at the castle and snuck away from the eyes of the guards to leave its walls. Passing through city streets that still smelled like smoke, we arrived in front of a small mansion.
"Yandel, will you wait here a moment? I will go alone."
"I will."
It was Amelia's house.
***
There was no reason to knock. Back then, she never lived with the door locked. She had given up, had wanted to let whatever was going to happen just happen.
Creak.
Amelia opened the door and glanced around the house. Although it only had basic, simple furniture, that made it feel more like home to her. The house the alchemist grandpa provided for her remained in this condition up to the day she left it as an adult.
Sensing a presence, the girl huddled against the wall raised her head and looked at her. "Miss Emily...?" Her dull pupils began to shine. Amelia didn't have any mind-reading abilities, but because this was her past self, she could clearly see what this girl was thinking, could see the rising hope that maybe her sister was alive. "I-Is..."
"Your sister is dead."
"Ah..." When Amelia spoke sharply, the girl's head dropped. The light that had appeared in her eyes disappeared.
Amelia forced the girl to stand her ground. "Before long, you will enter the labyrinth. And you will continue to live a life in the gutters, encounter many people, and kill them."
"...So?" It seemed the provocative words had the desired effect, as the girl who looked like an empty doll raised her head in defiance.
Amelia reached out a hand toward her. "Promise me that you won't kill any barbarians."
"...Why should I do that?"
Amelia's response left no room for doubt. "Later on, a day will come when you will think to yourself that choosing to keep this promise was the greatest stroke of luck in your life."
At those words, the girl pursed her lips. Although she had no outward expression, Amelia knew what her younger self thought after hearing that.
I don't know why this woman is telling me this but... I don't think she's lying. No, I think she's actually giving me sincere advice. Like my sister, who's no longer here...
Squeeze.
Amelia took the girl's hand and clasped it. Then she squeezed and released it three times. It was something the sisters used to do when making promises.
"This... how did you...?"
Amelia did not answer the girl's question. She just released her hand, turned around, and walked to the door.
Step, step.
When Amelia stood in front of the door again, the girl spoke up in an exhausted-sounding voice. "If... What if my life ends up in danger because I don't kill that barbarian? Do I still have to keep my promise then?" It was a question typical of her younger self. Thinking of her older sister, who always told her how important promises were, she was not going to make a promise she could not keep.
But Amelia said confidently, "Then you can do as you want."
Because that won't happen anyway.
Then Amelia opened the door and left. "Ah, one last thing. Keep the door locked." With that, she quietly closed the door and turned around.
She could see a barbarian waiting for her in an alley a little distance away. "Are you done talking?"
"Yes."
The promise would be kept. Though her younger self did not know why they had worked so hard to keep her sister from dying, the fact that she had been on the receiving end of their help still remained. And her sister had taught her to always repay someone for their help.
"Amelia, that blond kid has been looking at me since earlier... Should we deal with him?"
Amelia followed the barbarian's gaze and saw a boy with a familiar face. "Ah, no wonder he looked so familiar. Is that Guardweaver Drous?"
"Yes, that's him. His real name is something else, though."
Even as she spoke, Amelia felt strange. That boy would later tell her about the existence of a treasure called the Fragment of Records Stone. After seizing it, he would betray her and run off alone, turning into an enemy. That was when the scar on her ear was made, too, and was also the reason why she had been forced to make an oath to not commit murder inside Noark to the castellan. Well, that agreement had an exact range of dates so it didn't apply to this era. Anyway, that wasn't important.
I feel nothing, almost to the point that it's bizarre.
Even as she stared into that face, she did not feel angry. It was like the old fury and hatred in her heart had disappeared.
"Shouldn't we do something?"
At his concern, Amelia realized what the source of her serenity was. "No, it doesn't matter. Leave him."
"Leave him?"
Looking back, even the pain she went through after getting entangled with that boy was all part of a single, continuous journey to meet this man in the future.
"...What the, why are you laughing all of a sudden?"
"I didn't laugh."
"You did laugh."
Amelia ignored the barbarian's persistent questions and walked forward.
The barbarian hurriedly caught up. "Hey, but why is it not activating?"
"I don't know. I'm sure it will soon."
"But what if it still doesn't work?"
"Then we'll have no choice but to live here together. I don't mind that."
"Uh... that's kind of... Not that I don't like you, but..." The barbarian trailed off like she had cornered him.
Amelia found herself chuckling again—not the awkward, stilted laugh she practiced in front of the mirror, but a real one.
Whip.
When Amelia stopped walking and turned around, she collided with the barbarian following behind her. At that moment, the world was dyed with white light.
Flash!
***
Iron Mask...?
It was a complete coincidence that the blond boy happened upon them. Wandering around the streets looking for a drunkard he could rob, these people entered his line of sight. Although he wasn't wearing an iron helmet like the stories said, there was no other person in this city with such an enormous form. No, there were probably only a few in the whole world, unless they were barbarians.
More importantly, the red-haired woman next to him...
It was definitely the famous Iron Mask and Emily. The boy saw the woman enter a house and hid nearby to watch them. Before long, the woman came out of the house and rejoined Iron Mask. But did they sense his gaze?
The boy felt like their eyes met and ducked out of view. That was the moment a brilliant light burst out and brightened this underground city.
Flash!
The flash lasted a fleeting moment. When the light subsided, chaos overtook the deserted streets. Drunkards jumped up, and people inside nearby buildings hurriedly opened their windows.
"W-What was that?! That light!"
"...Magic?"
"It didn't do something weird to my body, did it?"
Everyone looked around in bewilderment, trying to figure out what had happened, but the blond boy who hid in the alleyway was different.
Iron Mask disappeared...
They disappeared, but the boy did not question why. The boy, who had had to survive in Noark from the moment he was born, ran forward, relying purely on instinct.
...This stone! The light came from this stone.
The boy picked up the rock that had fallen on top of their clothes and quickly hid in the alley.
"There! The light was from over there!"
"I saw it from that window over there. There was a light, and people disappeared!"
The guard who came to see what the commotion in the middle of the night was all about started hearing witness statements. With them, he was able to figure out the identities of the man and woman at the center of the light.
"A man who looked like a barbarian and a woman with red hair?"
"Iron Mask! It was Iron Mask! The man the castellan is looking for! Look through their belongings!"
"Identity tag! There's an identity tag among the clothes!"
"Rank-six adventurer, Nivelles Enze... Is this Iron Mask's real name? What about the woman's ID?"
"Unfortunately, it wasn't found!"
"Captain, they say some kid stole something that was left behind."
"What? Where did they say they went?!"
The guards rushed to the alley the boy had disappeared into, but they were unable to find him.
At those words, the girl pursed her lips. Although she had no outward expression, Amelia knew what her younger self thought after hearing that.
I don't know why this woman is telling me this but... I don't think she's lying. No, I think she's actually giving me sincere advice. Like my sister, who's no longer here...
Squeeze.
Amelia took the girl's hand and clasped it. Then she squeezed and released it three times. It was something the sisters used to do when making promises.
"This... how did you...?"
Amelia did not answer the girl's question. She just released her hand, turned around, and walked to the door.
Step, step.
When Amelia stood in front of the door again, the girl spoke up in an exhausted-sounding voice. "If... What if my life ends up in danger because I don't kill that barbarian? Do I still have to keep my promise then?" It was a question typical of her younger self. Thinking of her older sister, who always told her how important promises were, she was not going to make a promise she could not keep.
But Amelia said confidently, "Then you can do as you want."
Because that won't happen anyway.
Then Amelia opened the door and left. "Ah, one last thing. Keep the door locked." With that, she quietly closed the door and turned around.
She could see a barbarian waiting for her in an alley a little distance away. "Are you done talking?"
"Yes."
The promise would be kept. Though her younger self did not know why they had worked so hard to keep her sister from dying, the fact that she had been on the receiving end of their help still remained. And her sister had taught her to always repay someone for their help.
"Amelia, that blond kid has been looking at me since earlier... Should we deal with him?"
Amelia followed the barbarian's gaze and saw a boy with a familiar face. "Ah, no wonder he looked so familiar. Is that Guardweaver Drous?"
"Yes, that's him. His real name is something else, though."
Even as she spoke, Amelia felt strange. That boy would later tell her about the existence of a treasure called the Fragment of Records Stone. After seizing it, he would betray her and run off alone, turning into an enemy. That was when the scar on her ear was made, too, and was also the reason why she had been forced to make an oath to not commit murder inside Noark to the castellan. Well, that agreement had an exact range of dates so it didn't apply to this era. Anyway, that wasn't important.
I feel nothing, almost to the point that it's bizarre.
Even as she stared into that face, she did not feel angry. It was like the old fury and hatred in her heart had disappeared.
"Shouldn't we do something?"
At his concern, Amelia realized what the source of her serenity was. "No, it doesn't matter. Leave him."
"Leave him?"
Looking back, even the pain she went through after getting entangled with that boy was all part of a single, continuous journey to meet this man in the future.
"...What the, why are you laughing all of a sudden?"
"I didn't laugh."
"You did laugh."
Amelia ignored the barbarian's persistent questions and walked forward.
The barbarian hurriedly caught up. "Hey, but why is it not activating?"
"I don't know. I'm sure it will soon."
"But what if it still doesn't work?"
"Then we'll have no choice but to live here together. I don't mind that."
"Uh... that's kind of... Not that I don't like you, but..." The barbarian trailed off like she had cornered him.
Amelia found herself chuckling again—not the awkward, stilted laugh she practiced in front of the mirror, but a real one.
Whip.
When Amelia stopped walking and turned around, she collided with the barbarian following behind her. At that moment, the world was dyed with white light.
Flash!
***
Iron Mask...?
It was a complete coincidence that the blond boy happened upon them. Wandering around the streets looking for a drunkard he could rob, these people entered his line of sight. Although he wasn't wearing an iron helmet like the stories said, there was no other person in this city with such an enormous form. No, there were probably only a few in the whole world, unless they were barbarians.
More importantly, the red-haired woman next to him...
It was definitely the famous Iron Mask and Emily. The boy saw the woman enter a house and hid nearby to watch them. Before long, the woman came out of the house and rejoined Iron Mask. But did they sense his gaze?
The boy felt like their eyes met and ducked out of view. That was the moment a brilliant light burst out and brightened this underground city.
Flash!
The flash lasted a fleeting moment. When the light subsided, chaos overtook the deserted streets. Drunkards jumped up, and people inside nearby buildings hurriedly opened their windows.
"W-What was that?! That light!"
"...Magic?"
"It didn't do something weird to my body, did it?"
Everyone looked around in bewilderment, trying to figure out what had happened, but the blond boy who hid in the alleyway was different.
Iron Mask disappeared...
They disappeared, but the boy did not question why. The boy, who had had to survive in Noark from the moment he was born, ran forward, relying purely on instinct.
...This stone! The light came from this stone.
The boy picked up the rock that had fallen on top of their clothes and quickly hid in the alley.
"There! The light was from over there!"
"I saw it from that window over there. There was a light, and people disappeared!"
The guard who came to see what the commotion in the middle of the night was all about started hearing witness statements. With them, he was able to figure out the identities of the man and woman at the center of the light.
"A man who looked like a barbarian and a woman with red hair?"
"Iron Mask! It was Iron Mask! The man the castellan is looking for! Look through their belongings!"
"Identity tag! There's an identity tag among the clothes!"
"Rank-six adventurer, Nivelles Enze... Is this Iron Mask's real name? What about the woman's ID?"
"Unfortunately, it wasn't found!"
"Captain, they say some kid stole something that was left behind."
"What? Where did they say they went?!"
The guards rushed to the alley the boy had disappeared into, but they were unable to find him.