196. Catacombs

A young Arisa? Countless weapons that weren't mine?

Blink, blink—I stared at the Flame Emperor without even knowing what kind of expression I was making.

'You don't know?'

Of course I didn't.

The youngest I'd ever seen Arisa was when she was seventeen. And we'd returned to the continent and started the work of purifying the Demonic Energy in the catacombs when I was twenty-one.

I was seventeen when we encountered Gluttony in the Anketin Mountains.

Four years of hitting a wall, crossing into the Demon World, and growing stronger.

Only after that triumphant homecoming did we stop by the Holy Kingdom and enter the catacombs.

But a young Arisa?

I grabbed hold of the faint thread of Magic Power connected to me and asked.

'...How old does she look?'

'Hmm... Even at the highest estimate, around sixteen... seventeen or so.'

It didn't make sense.

At that age, Arisa hadn't even made a name for herself in a small village in the southern Empire.

And she hadn't wielded countless weapons, either.

From the first time I saw her, Arisa had insisted on bare-handed combat.

-Paulo, Luna. You see her?

-That lively person over there? Not that I'm one to talk, but her chest is magnificent.

-Did you fall in love at first sight because of her chest?

-Fall in love at first sight, my ass. Anyway, that girl over there with the pink ponytail. I think she's the vanguard we've been looking for.

-Based on what?

-What made you think that?

-...I don't know. Just, a feeling?

-No matter how you look at her, she's a Martial Artist.

-A Martial Artist. Rejected.

-Sure, she's a Martial Artist, but I'm saying she might not be bad. How about we at least test her? I'll be the one to face her.

-Ronan. Wouldn't it be better to leave someone you've fallen for at first sight in a peaceful land? We're about to stand at the very front of a suicide squad to kill the Demon King.

-It's not like that. I'm telling you, she's definitely strong. Even if she isn't strong now, she'll absolutely become strong someday. I guarantee it.

-Hmm... In terms of chest size, I don't lose either. Or is it the hips? Maybe because she's a Martial Artist, her hip lift is incredible. Ronan, are you an ass man?

-No, fuck! Just shut up. I'll handle it myself.

When I first met Arisa, she was three years older than me. So... when I was seventeen, Arisa was twenty.

Then had she entered the catacombs before meeting us?

Absolutely impossible.

It was a place so thick with Demonic Energy that we could only barely set foot in it after becoming unimaginably strong, and it was teeming with highest-grade Monsters.

There was no way Arisa, who had only been Tier 6, could have gone into the catacombs that we could only endure once everyone had reached Tier 8.

Then what in the world was the Flame Emperor talking about?

"...Master? Eliarnes?"

"Hii...?"

"Ah, ahem. You seemed to be concentrating too hard."

At Stella and Pina's voices, the Flame Emperor dusted herself off and stood.

"First, let us move to where this Flame Emperor is staying. Aren't you supposed to go to the Holy Kingdom once the sun rises? If so, it would be best to relieve your fatigue as quickly as possible. It's only preserved food, but there is plenty, so eat your fill and rest."

I nodded vaguely at the Flame Emperor's words and looked around.

The scars of the battle from when Paulo and I fought... were gone.

What about the other traces we left behind? They'd only be traces left in passing. And the Flame Emperor would have already searched for those.

What had she seen there?

I couldn't ask right now. It seemed better to put the kids to sleep first and then ask separately.

"We brought our own food, so let's all eat that. There's also rose tteokbokki, which you like, Flame Emperor."

"Oh, ooh! Wonderful!"

Seeing the past and eating her favorite food.

The thoroughly excited Flame Emperor and the simply happy Pina moved with light steps.

Stella came up beside me and casually linked arms with me, whispering.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong."

"Then do you also need to go to the bathroom?"

"What am I, you?"

I let out a snort of laughter, pushed Stella away, and started walking.

Arisa's writing carved into the floor felt strangely unfamiliar for some reason.

*****

Purr, purr— wheeze, wheeze—

I pushed away the two girls sleeping while hugging both my arms and got up.

"Can't sleep from needless worry? This Flame Emperor will keep watch, so you may sleep at ease."

The Flame Emperor, sitting in front of a campfire that had no smoke and no heat, smiled softly.

What the hell is that useless campfire?

Did she light it just for the atmosphere?

"No. It's not because I'm scared, I just have something to ask."

"Hmm... Questions are fine, but children must sleep early to grow taller. Especially you, Eliarnes..."

"Ha, I'm not a child, and my height stopped at this point two years ago—almost three years now. I've just given up. I'll aim for it when I undergo Body Reformation soon, I guess."

I laughed with a huff and sat down across from the Flame Emperor, knees together.

"If you say so, then so it is. Now, what is it you wish to ask this Flame Emperor?"

I turned my head for a moment and looked at the kids sleeping soundly.

No sign of them waking.

I wished Sparkle were here, but I'd asked her to do something separately, so she wouldn't come out for at least two days.

I clicked my tongue, smacked my lips, and looked away.

"That vision you saw earlier... no, the past, you know."

"Mm, are you curious about Arisa's younger appearance?"

"No, uh... no, I mean, I am curious, but that's not what I want to ask right now. Before you read the past from that carved writing, you'd seen other pasts of the Heroes too, right?"

"Mm, that's right. Just as you told me before, the catacombs are full of the Heroes' traces."

Then the Flame Emperor folded her fingers one by one and continued with a bright smile.

"Nine. And with the one you told me about, I was able to see ten in total. Truly, thank you."

"No, there's no need to thank me."

I'd sent the Flame Emperor to train with Leona.

And in the process of persuading her, to ease my guilt, I'd told her it was a place where the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Heroes had stayed. So... this kind of gratitude only makes my conscience ache more.

"Anyway, in the pasts you read like that, did you never see Arisa's younger appearance like this time?"

"Hmm... That's right. Not only in the catacombs, but in the traces across the entire continent that this Flame Emperor found, and in the traces of Ge Vihenum, I never saw a sight like today's."

"Is that so."

Crackle, crackle— I stared quietly at the flames burning emptily without the distinctive smell of a campfire.

"You look troubled. Do you have worries? Perhaps you're flustered because the memoirs Arisa left behind differ from the past this Flame Emperor saw?"

"...Yeah, well. Something like that?"

"And not only that—you already know that the stories known to the world differ from the stories you know, don't you?"

"I suppose so."

"Are you confused?"

"A little."

When I'd told her about that place, I'd explained to the Flame Emperor that they were traces left by all the Heroes. So I'd assured her she'd be able to see everyone's appearances.

It couldn't be helped. It was a past that had remained quite intense even among my memories.

No, not just quite intense.

Even now, all the memories of the past remain intense in my head.

But what the Flame Emperor saw was different.

It wasn't the sight of all of us gathered together, chatting and messing around like usual.

A young Arisa. Countless weapons that weren't mine.

She had remained alone and carved her name.

Had someone tampered with my memories during the process of Reincarnation?

No.

I don't think my memories could be wrong.

Even now, their appearances are vivid.

Luna's scathing curses, Paulo's swaggering way of speaking, Kaloso's idiotic curiosity, Arisa's moronic laughter.

Everything is clear.

Sparkle recognized me too.

The Demon who appeared at the Arant Weapons Museum also recognized me. It called me the Calamity Star.

Leona too, and House van Chaser.

They recognized my—Ronan's—techniques.

Eliarnes Eustetia.

In my Past Life, I was Ronan Luzarak, a man who hated being praised as a Hero.

It's certain. There's nothing wrong with my memories.

They aren't the delusions of a mentally ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ill seventeen-year-old pretty girl.

It's a past that definitely existed.

Then what in the world was the Arisa that the Flame Emperor saw?

Well, did she reach a new Realm and undergo Body Reformation again? Did she come to these catacombs in that younger form?

"This Flame Emperor also had a time like yours."

The Flame Emperor's gentle voice broke my reverie.

"The countless Official Histories and Unofficial Histories remaining in the world. The fantasies and expectations born from them. This Flame Emperor, who had embraced all of that, set out on a journey to find the great traces of four hundred years ago."

They call them Official Histories and Unofficial Histories, but honestly, nine out of ten things out in the world right now are unofficial histories.

There's almost no official history that records the facts exactly as they were.

Of course... considering what we were like back then, it's actually right that they didn't record us as we truly were.

We looked less like Heroes and more like back-alley thugs.

So, well... I can predict what the Flame Emperor will say next.

She'll say her fantasies were shattered and her expectations were crushed.

"And before long, all my fantasies were shattered. It was... very, very different from what this Flame Emperor had imagined."

"Well... the Heroes were people too, after all."

"Indeed. In the end, they too were people."

Having said that, the Flame Emperor smiled bitterly and opened the cap of a small bottle. A sweet, sharp fragrance.

"Alcohol? You drink, Flame Emperor?"

"Mm, normally I don't touch it, but after seeing the Heroes' appearances, I always have a glass. It is this Flame Emperor's own... courtesy, shall we say."

Then she took exactly one gulp— and closed the cap again, looking at me.

"Seeing their past, their true appearances, all my fantasies and expectations shattered. And in their place, endless respect and awe were born."

"...All of a sudden?"

"Is it not natural? They were the strongest humans four hundred years ago, beings who killed four Legion Commanders and sealed even the Demon King, however incomplete that peace may be."

"Uh... right?"

"It means that even such great beings were, in the end, ordinary humans. Ordinary humans who laughed and chattered normally, who sang when drunk, who were neither nobles nor royalty, who liked to play pranks and were a little mischievous."

The Flame Emperor's eyes sparkled.

"Is that not why they are even more wonderful?"

The campfire danced and swayed as if in a good mood, and following it, a pure, bright smile like a child's spread across the Flame Emperor's face.

"Those people were not merely giants of legend—they were human. Because they had human weaknesses, their courage shone all the brighter. That is why I—why this Flame Emperor—cannot help but respect them, cannot help but revere their footsteps."

"...Uh, th-that... right, right."

My face felt hot. Had I gone red?

I didn't know, but if I had, it was probably because of the campfire. Who lights a campfire in midsummer?

Right. It was probably because I was sitting close to a campfire in midsummer.

"So, Eliarnes. Even if the history of four hundred years ago and the official histories known to the world differ from the actual history, there is no need to be greatly disappointed."

Again, click.

The Flame Emperor opened the cap of the liquor bottle, took another light sip, and handed it to me.

"Is it not rather more beautiful that they were not perfect? They were ordinary humans like us, but within that ordinariness, within that terrible hell, they made choices that shone brighter than anyone else's."

The Flame Emperor wore a smile brighter and purer than ever before.

"That is why they are heroes, and why they are Heroes. And that is why this Flame Emperor reveres them."

"...Mm."

I averted my gaze.

It was embarrassing to face that pure smile and those pure emotions.

I hated the word Hero.

I hated the word hero.

They were so unbearably heavy that I couldn't like them.

But why was it?

Even though she knew our true selves, hearing her say such things made me feel a little...

"Haha..."

I almost got lost in pointless sentiment again.

I laughed with a huff, pushed away the liquor the Flame Emperor offered, and stood up.

"I'm still a minor."

"Ah, ahem. Th-that's right. And this Flame Emperor is even an academy professor. Recommending such a thing is not something a professor should do—it's wrong. Mm..."

"Still, thank you. Thanks to you, my head ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠feels a bit clearer."

"Then... I'm glad."

I smiled brightly at the disappointed-looking Flame Emperor and lay down among the kids. Then, wriggle, wriggle— Pina's tiny hand burrowed into my armpit.

"I'm glad to have a friend like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you, Flame Emperor."

"This Flame Emperor also thinks it is truly fortunate to have a friend like you, Eliarnes."

I closed my eyes.

It wasn't that the questions had been resolved—what the vision the Flame Emperor saw really was, what Arisa had done.

But still, for now, for tonight at least, I felt like I could sleep peacefully.