Old Memories Come to Mind (13)
Just moments ago, we'd been in the dank, humid depths of Semada Forest, but in an instant, we were standing in a idyllic garden bathed in blazing sunlight. At first, I wondered if I'd lost my mind. Had using an overtaxing technique in this child's body caused hallucinations as a side effect?
But it wasn't just my imagination. Brione let out a shriek of awe, spinning around wildly to take it all in. It was bizarre... No dimensional gate, no teleportation. The scenery had simply blurred and reformed around us, and suddenly, here we were. What the hell was this...? Magic, obviously. So this must be Mideronde's research lab? But no matter how I looked, it felt less like a mage's lair and more like a sleepy rural farm.
We stood in a spacious yard carpeted with fine grass. Wildflowers dotted the ground here and there, and small yellow and white butterflies fluttered about chaotically. In one corner, a fountain half my height sprayed water endlessly into a small pond, where colorful fish swished their tails as they swam. Lush-leafed trees rustled, birds chirped lazily. A cat lounged indolently, while a hen led her chicks on a stroll.
"Where the hell is this...?"
"My research lab," Mideronde said, pointing to a modest two-story wooden house. Overgrown with ivy, the simple structure looked utterly divorced from anything grandiose like magic. It was the kind of home where a gardening-loving country auntie lived cozily with her old husband—smiling and greeting neighbors, chimney puffing smoke as she cooked for visiting kids.
"So we've left the forest?"
"No, this is still Semada Forest. The deepest part."
"What...?"
I scanned the surroundings again. But calling what lay beyond the low fence encircling the yard a "forest" felt off. Past the fence stretched gentle grassy hills, white clouds drifting slowly overhead. Farther still, snow-capped hazy peaks lined the horizon, giving the illusion we'd arrived somewhere scenic like the directly ruled Montroe or Rosan. This was the heart of that eerie Semada Forest?
Watching me gawk in disbelief, Mideronde explained. "My specialty is spatial magic. I warp the space around here—no one can find it from outside, and the same holds within. Explaining it properly would take days, so let's leave it at that."
She glanced at Idi, cradled in my arms, sweating coldly with half-lidded eyes. "Treating that black mage comes first. We'll finish the rest after she's healed, little one."
Suddenly, Idi's body lightened, floating up from the ground. She lay suspended in midair as if on an invisible stretcher, gliding slowly toward Mideronde. As I moved to follow, the elf raised a hand.
"Wait here. Forcibly dispelling black magic requires powerful spells. It's dangerous to be nearby."
"If you try anything funny..."
"Don't worry. Thinking back to how close I came to losing my head still chills me. If you hadn't held back, I'd be dead."
She had a point. If I'd kept attacking, that elf's head would be rolling on the forest floor right now. For now, I'd trust her. No other way to treat Idi came to mind, and I still held cards to subdue Mideronde if needed.
"How long?"
"Not long. Full recovery will take time, but lifting the curse won't."
"I'll wait."
I watched Idi drift toward the research lab behind Mideronde.
As the lab door shut, Brione shuffled hesitantly toward Bertrand.
"Bertrand... Sorry... I wasn't any help..."
"Apologize to Idi when she wakes up."
"O-okay..."
Bertrand's cold reply silenced her. He was probably mad at her. The mage she'd brought along had done nothing but get herself cursed by the lich instead. And when Mideronde appeared, she'd foolishly charged in blindly, putting him in danger and forcing him to use his immortality temporarily. Brione knew that ability strained his body severely.
"Still, I'm sorry, Bertrand... Because I'm useless..."
Bertrand said nothing, just stared at the closed lab door.
But Bertrand wasn't angry for the reasons Brione assumed. Back in their hero days, at the inn reunion, and now on this journey—she still treated Idwild with disdain and contempt. Even after Idwild got cursed trying to save her, Brione hadn't spared it a thought, obsessing only over what Bertrand thought of her. Dismissing it as "all mages are like that" didn't cut it—not when Bertrand cherished Idwild so deeply. Considering she'd taken leave and come along to help, he held his tongue. But no matter how clever and capable a mage she was, the selfish, arrogant Brione couldn't guess that far.
"Huh...? The Holy Sword..."
Gazing at Bertrand in mounting anxiety, Brione pointed at the sword. Too distracted to notice before, the blade now glowed white-hot. Was there a monster nearby?!
As Bertrand's face darkened at the sight, Brione blurted desperately, "I-I'll check it out...!"
Eager to make up for her failures, she wrapped herself in mana and dashed behind the lab.
I considered letting Brione go alone but decided following was wiser. Slinging the Holy Sword over my shoulder, I ran after her.
Just as I rounded the lab, I saw her with arms thrust forward, potent mana surging in her hands, poised to unleash a barrage of attack spells.
Ahead loomed a massive monster resembling a rhinoceros, standing on all fours. A Tene Gano...?!
Famed for its tough hide, the Tene Gano was a docile herbivore despite its ferocious looks—never aggressive unless provoked. Hunted mercilessly by the Demon King's forces for its skin, it was now nearly extinct.
Why was one here? And munching hay so peacefully...? Hay, like for a barn ox? A mountain of yellow hay sat before it, which it chewed slowly. Calves clustered under its belly, suckling.
"Brione! Stop!"
Startled by my shout, she dispersed the forming spell and turned. "Bertrand...! It's a monster!"
"I know. But it's harmless. No need to kill it needlessly—especially with young ones."
She looked reluctant but didn't argue since it was me.
Still, why was it here? With hay like it'd been provided, and suckling calves... Only explanation: Mideronde was raising it.
"Another monster over there...!"
Where Brione pointed, a capybara-like beast—pig-sized—emerged dripping from a stream. A Uzgashi, prized for "virility-boosting" bones (a myth), now rare due to overhunting. Like the Tene Gano, it was gentle and sociable, making it easy prey.
Shaking water from its fur, it splashed us thoroughly. Brione recoiled in horror; the Uzgashi eyed her curiously with glossy black eyes. Others swam leisurely or basked in the stream.
Staring dumbfounded at their relaxed vibe, I glanced beyond—and froze. What the hell is that...?!