Chapter 776: Maliet Hister’s Heritage Site (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 776: Maliet Hister’s Heritage Site (6)
Jin and Valeria walked along the beach.
Outside the Heritage Site, the sea surrounding Honka Island was dyed in the colors of sunset, a jewel-like red light dancing upon the crest of every wave.
—[I... have never... seen it. But I heard... the island's evening and night scenery... is beautiful. Successors... go out... get some air and wait. It is... cluttered in here.]
Those were the words the Golem had spoken shortly after the Rock-Paper-Scissors test ended. Zen and Teben had made a fuss, claiming the communication devices needed a few last-minute adjustments before they could be handed over.
Neither Jin nor Valeria minded the unexpected stroll.
Their footprints stretched out behind them across the wet sand. The pleasant scent of the sea tickled their noses, and a cool breeze ruffled their hair.
“I think I’ll dip my feet in.”
Surprisingly, it was Valeria who spoke as she took off her shoes. Jin nodded and stepped onto the finely breaking waves with his own bare feet.
Walking together like this inevitably stirred fond memories from his past life.
The days when they had wandered the world—sometimes as teacher and disciple, sometimes as friends, and sometimes with a feeling even closer than that.
But looking back, he realized that even then, they had both harbored a loneliness they never showed the other.
Jin had been consumed by a thirst for revenge against his family and a resulting obsession with success. Meanwhile, Valeria, burdened by the Hister clan's mission, had always carried herself like someone who could leave at any moment.
It was because neither of them wanted to get hurt.
Jin had lost Gilly when he was exiled, and Valeria had lost the Gray Owls as a child. Having lost their families, both had instinctively avoided opening their hearts too deeply to anyone else.
But it was different now. They were walking together, their hearts completely open to one another.
“I feel like I’ve been feeling ‘good’ a lot lately. I’d forgotten what that was like for a long time, until I met you and the others.”
“That's because revenge against Zipple and your mission as a Hister were everything to you.”
“Of course, those are still the most important parts of my life. But I’m realizing that you're not meant to go through the world alone. If I were walking here by myself, looking at this beautiful scenery, I wouldn't feel this good. I think I’d just feel lonely.”
Valeria had experienced many such moments. Wandering the world as a fugitive from a young age, she had often explored all sorts of mysterious, untouched places by herself.
Yet no matter how spectacular the sight, she had never been as moved as she was now. The most beautiful places had felt like colorless landscapes.
Jin had never seen this honest side of Valeria, not even in his past life. A strange feeling tickled his chest, and he briefly turned his gaze toward the horizon.
“You've changed a lot. From when we first met in Mamit until you settled in Tikan.”
“Let's just say I was going through a late puberty. I get a little embarrassed thinking about how I acted back then.”
“So you’re going to try opening up to the others now?”
“I’m going to try. They were all so kind to me, even when I first arrived and was completely uncooperative.”
“Oh, really? How are you going to try? Think you can manage it?”
“Stop teasing me.”
“Alright, alright.”
Small crabs scurried away from their feet. The two sat for a moment to watch them, then stared blankly at the sun as it slowly sank into the sea.
“Jin.”
“Yeah?”
“Sometimes, meeting you feels like destiny.”
Jin almost coughed at the unexpected remark.
“...Destiny?”
“In Mamit, the moment I saw you, I said your name. Do you remember?”
“I remember.”
“Back then, you were already a celebrity because of the Holy Kingdom incident, so you didn't seem surprised when I called out your name like we knew each other. But the truth is, I’d seen you even before you were known to the world.”
“...You were watching me?”
“I had dreams. At some point, I started dreaming about you almost every day.”
Are you just going to keep lying there?
>
Get lost.
>
How pathetic. Jin, your illustrious brothers would love this.
>
Who are you? How do you know my name?
>
The fact that you're still asking questions means you have lingering attachments to this world. Follow me. I'll forgive you for pointing a sword at the throat of someone offering a helping hand.
As Valeria described the contents of her dreams, Jin’s eyes widened.
“You kept having... dreams like that?”
The dreams were a perfect replay of the first time Jin had met Valeria in his past life.
“Furthermore, among the records I found in past Heritage Sites, there was one that foretold the future—or what was the future, back then. It said that someone looking for me would come to Mamit in the years 1795 and 1799. That person was you, too.”
“A record foretelling the future? Is that even possible?”
“With a perfect mastery of Record Magic, it's possible, though limited. But unlike Az Mil’s precognition, seeing a future record doesn't lock it into place. If I had seen the record but chosen not to wait for you in Mamit, we never would have met.”
Jin couldn't help but be increasingly shocked.
If what Valeria said was true, it meant there were records that transcended even his own regression. Valeria’s dreams were records of his past life, and the record of him coming to Mamit was a record of his current one.
“You look very surprised.”
“I can’t help it.”
“I used to think those dreams and future records were all part of a destiny arranged by my ancestors. Perhaps the future records they saw indicated that I would need you to reach the end of my mission.”
Finding the roots of the Hister clan, the clues about the Fairy Race, and meeting Ruet—none of it would have been possible without Jin.
“And after meeting you, sometimes... I got the feeling that you knew me very well.”
—Steamed lamb with plenty of peppers and onions, and beef tripe stew. Make that one extra peppery. And...
Before they went to the Wantaramo Forest together, the food Jin had ordered at the restaurant had been the favorite of the Gray Owls. Naturally, it was also what Jin and Valeria had frequently eaten together in their past life.
While the combination wasn't unheard of, it was certainly strange that Jin had ordered those exact dishes, down to the smallest detail.
Valeria stopped walking and turned to look at Jin.
“Jin. You have a secret too, don't you?”
Jin met her eyes, wondering how to answer.
But Valeria hadn't asked for an answer. She was thinking of the record she had seen—the one that said Jin had ‘died once.’
“Whatever that secret is, I'm certain it's not something that would harm me or the world.”
“Valeria.”
“And I think I'll eventually look through all the records about you. When that day comes, I hope you won't reject my magic, even if it's a little embarrassing.”
The sunset was fading.
Valeria stood there, bathed in the final, brilliant rays of the setting sun, and gave him a bright smile.
At that sight, Jin momentarily forgot everything he had just heard.
Forgetting even to breathe, he simply couldn't take his eyes off her. The scent of the sea in her hair was suddenly vivid, making his head spin. Everything in his vision blurred except for her.
He took a step toward her. Then, without realizing it, two steps, three steps, until they were so close their noses almost touched.
Valeria opened her arms and pulled Jin into an embrace. Where their cheeks touched, their skin was hot enough to melt. As the sun finally sank below the horizon, a gentle darkness draped itself over the island.
“...I’m so glad I met you, Jin.”
“Me too,” Jin replied, a lump forming in his throat for some reason.
*
It was nearly dawn by the time the two returned to the Heritage Site. Only then had Teben and Zen finished their work on the communication devices, and Honka and Shuri brought them the news.
—[You... waited... a long time, Successors. Did you... have... a pleasant time?]
Jin and Valeria, feeling somewhat embarrassed, gave the Golem a vague answer.
—[Hmph, who goes for a walk for nearly ten hours? That’s called a date, Golem. The successors are just making us work... well, we’re the losers, so we have no complaints.]
—[Yeah, we really don't have any complaints. As long as you tell us in detail exactly how you two, who look like total novices at this, spent all that time.]
—[Asking... such things... is not... polite.]
—[What? Polite? Try staying in a Heritage Site for three hundred and fifty years like us! You’ll see how interesting a story like this becomes!]
—[I... have also... only been... in the Heritage Site. And... for longer. Also... other people's... love lives... are always... interesting stories.]
—[Teben, I hate that Golem!]
—[I hate him too!]
—[If you... hate me... then attack. I will... take you on... anytime.]
Zen and Teben huffed and puffed, then sheepishly avoided the Golem’s gaze as they brought out the communication devices.
They were square, plate-like objects, three in total.
—[These are Ultra-Long-Distance Communication Devices. They are items that allow lovers to talk even if they are at opposite ends of the world...]
—[Ugh... the thought of you two being all lovey-dovey with these makes my stomach churn. But be happy! Descendant, you must have walked a lonely path until now.]
“I don't intend to use them for that purpose, but thank you, Ancestors.”
—[What!? You won't use them for that? Then I can't give them to you. Lovers should talk often!]
—[You can't give them? You’re being a sore loser again, Teben. Do you still not know how to accept defeat? You're unbelievable.]
Jin and Valeria couldn't help but chuckle at their harmless, childish bickering.
—[The instructions for use and the manufacturing methods are all written in detail in this manual. There are only three for now, but if you have the materials and a high-level engineer, you can make more. Now, go! We’re going to dedicate ourselves to Rock-Paper-Scissors training again.]
—[Now that we’ve passed on this long-held burden, we can finally be at peace, kuku.]
Jin looked over the manual, then held out one of the communication devices back to Zen and Teben.
“I think you two should have one to communicate with us. Along with the Golem.”
“We’ll tell you stories of the outside world whenever you’re bored. That seems to be the only way we can repay you for now, Ancestors,” Valeria added.
At those words, Zen and Teben’s expressions became choked with emotion, as if they were about to burst into tears.
—[Is that true?]
—[We’re just pathetic losers... and you’d show us such kindness?]
“You aren't pathetic at all, Ancestors. We’ve gained so much in this Heritage Site thanks to you. Compared to the three hundred and fifty years of hardship you both endured... I’ve done nothing.”
—[Our descendant is the best!]
—[Neither of you is my descendant, but you’re both the best!]
Teben and Zen hugged the two of them and danced for joy. Then, Valeria met the Golem’s eyes.
“I’ll give you a name.”
—[Oh... finally... a name... for me. Please... please... decide... quickly.]
“Iello Hister.”
The Golem remained silent, motionless for a long time.
Valeria worried for a moment that he might dislike being given Iello’s name to honor Maliet, but there was no need for concern.
Mana was flowing from the Golem’s eyes like tears.
—[The name... of the child... who received grace... from my Master. And... the family... name. I am moved. I am now... Iello... Hister. A member... of the Hister clan.]
“I’m glad you like it. I look forward to working with you, Iello.”
The Golem—no, Iello—scratched the back of his head shyly and shook hands with Valeria. Then, he reached into his chest and pulled something out.
—[This is... my... blueprint. Please... make... a brother for me. And the other... is my Master’s... Secret Magic Tome.]
Along with the communication devices, they received Iello’s blueprints and the Secret Magic Tome.
Their time in Maliet's Heritage Site was coming to a bountiful end.