Old Memories (14)
Behind them stretched low hills and a lake where all sorts of monsters lounged in naps or wandered lazily in an utterly bizarre scene. Creatures with necks and tails stretching several meters long crossed the lake in herds, while flying monsters with massive wings circled the clear sky. Over a dozen other species spent their time peacefully, each according to their habits. Some I recognized from my knowledge of monsters, and others were species I'd only seen illustrated in bestiaries, now extinct in the wild...
The pastoral, serene sight melted away my worries and stress about Idi for the moment. But Brione didn't seem so relaxed. She turned to me with an anxious look.
"Bertrand... this place isn't... a hideout for Demon King remnants, is it...?"
"Remnants? I don't remember leaving any."
"One whole legion of the Demon King's army vanished... The ones who commanded those monsters, hiding under a mage's protection or something..."
She meant Ammugar's legion. In the final battle, Ammugar had judged total annihilation inevitable against me and betrayed the Demon King to spare his subordinates pointless deaths, fleeing while disbanding his forces. The demons and monsters under him scattered to the winds. I had no idea where they'd all ended up. Rumors said intelligence agencies had tracked the demons' locations, but that was none of my concern anymore.
But those monsters down there weren't from Ammugar's legion. They were all incredibly docile breeds with almost no aggression. Exaggerating a bit, even ordinary folk could tame and raise them. No one had, of course—their house-sized bulk and insatiable appetites made it impossible.
So why were they gathered here like this? As I watched them amble and play under the warm sun, I sensed footsteps behind me. Turning, I saw Mideronde had approached silently, gazing at the same view.
"It's always a soothing sight, no matter how many times I see it."
She was so tall that child-sized me had to crane my neck way up to meet her eyes.
"Mind explaining what's going on? I've seen a lot in my time, but nothing like this."
"I'm sheltering endangered monsters. If left alone, they'd vanish from the world entirely."
Mideronde smiled faintly and continued.
"I've lived a very long time. Elves live long, but I'm exceptionally old even among them. Holing up alone in the forest gets lonely."
"So you started raising near-extinct monsters?"
"Exactly. Some down there are probably species already gone from anywhere outside this forest."
"That's... quite the scale for a hobby."
Mideronde just chuckled, her eyes full of affection as she surveyed the monsters.
"What about Idi? Is she okay?"
"She's fine. I lifted the black magic curse. But it drained her stamina badly—she needs rest. She's sleeping now, so don't worry."
With that, Mideronde summoned an illusory mirror before me. It was like a magical window to any location; I could see Idi's peaceful sleeping face on a bed.
"Thanks. Without you, she'd be dead."
"No need. You caught that troublesome lich for me—this is the least I could do. You two seem close, though. Sister? She doesn't look like you."
"She's a waitress at my inn."
Mideronde said nothing, just looked down at me. She probably thought I was joking. Come to think of it, I'd come here for business with this elf mage.
"About this."
I pulled the black orb from my pocket, and her smile vanished.
"I got it from Lurtjog's nest. This turned me into... this. I know you made it, and only you can undo the spell."
Mideronde reached out, taking the orb. She examined it briefly before speaking.
"Let's sit and talk."
With those words, we were suddenly seated in chairs. A table appeared before us, holding a yellowish bottle of liquid and three glasses.
"Eek...?!"
Brione let out a weird yelp at the astonishing magic. Mideronde poured the drink into each glass from the bottle.
"Apple cider. Obviously no poison."
To ease any doubts, she took a sip first. I knew a mage of her caliber wouldn't bother with childish poisoning, so I drank without hesitation.
"From Lurtjog's nest? So you're a treasure hunter?"
"Told you—I killed the bastard. It's legitimate spoils."
"Tell me everything."
I recounted Lurtjog's tale: torching Myanfeld to a crisp, chasing Atergar all the way to Rosens, how I'd slain him, his little-dragon fetish, and the hatchling bones in the treasure chest. Mideronde's face hardened in shock.
"That's... true? Lurtjog did... that..."
She fiddled with the black orb, seemingly lost in disbelief. Brione and I waited, sipping cider.
"Long ago, Lurtjog came to me," she said at last. "Polymorphed as a shy, awkward young man. He begged me to make this 'Parbulus' for him, saying..."
"What?"
"He'd found love, but as a long-lived dragon, his partner needed to stop aging to live eternally with him. He wanted a spell to keep getting younger. Revolting, in hindsight."
What nonsense was that? And this mage bought it and made something so dangerous?
"I didn't know then. Dragons are honest, boisterous creatures—I believed he couldn't lie."
But that wasn't true. Atergar lied through her teeth all the time.
"If I'd known he'd use it for that, I never would've made it. Should've killed him then."
Speaking of slaying a dragon so casually... She was no ordinary mage.
"Anyway, you can lift the spell, right?"
"First... one question."
Mideronde leaned on the table, eyeing the Holy Sword that glowed white, detecting monsters.
"What's that sword?"
"Just a magic sword. Or holy sword."
"Holy sword... I sense immense holy power condensed in it. But why does an innkeeper have something so rare?"
"Circumstances."
"Fascinating. I've never seen or heard of its like... And your skill with it—you nearly died."
She studied me, then asked.
"Are you... the human who annihilated the Demon King's army?"
I didn't answer right away. Brione tensed, glancing between us. Deciding honesty was best—Mideronde already suspected, and no need for secrecy with a reclusive ancient elf mage—I nodded.
"That was me."
"You stopped the Nullbarak volcanic eruption too?"
"Yeah."
"Sank Dortargel Island?"
I nodded, and her eyes widened. She rattled off more feats she knew, confirming each one: slaying the archdemon in the Al-Jasha desert kingdom and Kundrumtz mining city, driving out Red Dragon Atergar, massacring the barbarians around Eshibagon, collapsing the Teptai Empire, and on and on.
Damn, she knew a lot. And thinking back, I'd done a ton. All for a measly retirement payout and pension? Suddenly pissed.
"I suspected. Impossible events piling up lately... But all by yourself? Unbelievable."
"Luck."
"Indeed. Like Blavan Balder reborn. He racked up legendary feats too."
I didn't respond. Too distant an ancestor to boast about, and explaining was a hassle.
"Storytime's over. Lift the spell already—I came all this way."
"Right. My misjudgment in making this for Lurtjog caused so much suffering."
As she finished, the black orb in her hand cracked in two. Instantly, my neck and limbs tightened. My body reverted, outgrowing Marim's clothes. They tore raggedly, leaving me half-naked in tatters on the chair.
"Phew. Back to normal."
I flexed my arms, unconcerned about my exposed body—including my junk. Mideronde was an ancient elf, and Brione had seen me naked once before. No big deal. But Brione panicked, shrugging off her windbreaker to cover me.
"Thanks, mage. Any chance you can magic up some clothes?"
As Mideronde opened her mouth, a scream from Idi erupted from the lab.