Chapter 184
Chapter 184
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 184
Chapter Title: Miria's Endless Nightmare
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- Miria, Miria!
The echoes of the past reverberated chillingly through the hollow cavern. Ah, was this a nightmare?
- We're about to revive the Demon Slayer now.
- Don't touch those kids!
- Please, please don't kill anyone. I'll go with you, I'll follow you.
- You're not my little sister. Got it?
The next moment, Miria jolted upright in bed, escaping the nightmare.
‘Again...’
Cold sweat turned to chills across her body, her breaths refusing to steady.
‘Eleven years of unrelenting nightmares...’
The dawn moonlight filtering through the window felt oppressively heavy on her face.
She weakly gripped the half-broken sword, the keepsake from her adoptive father who had died in the nightmare.
In a solitude so profound it terrified her, the metallic scent of the blade brought home the realization that she was alone.
‘But, but why...’
Why did she feel the warmth of the hatchling dragon no longer in her arms?
And why, at the nightmare's edge, did she vaguely glimpse the silhouette of a boy in a conical hat?
‘Was that guy really that short?’
His hair color seemed a bit different too. But what did it matter if she recalled it?
She shook her head to dispel the lingering thoughts.
She wouldn't see him again until this was over, and this affair showed no signs of ending anytime soon...
- Awoo!
- Awoo my ass, you prefer women, huh?
- Abat.
Miria buried her face in her pulled-up knees, unaware of the faint smile forming on her lips.
* * *
[<Carsico> convoy departs in half an hour. Boarding pass holders, proceed to the inspection gate...]
A woman's voice, conjured by sorcery, echoed over the <Terbenopl> harbor.
Most passengers using the linked convoy boarded at the docks the night before, before the ships formed up.
But there were no few who boarded at dawn, using the city-owned ferries.
"Confirmed. Come aboard."
Over fifty ships stretched out in a long line. Azure chains gleamed, binding the vessels as one.
The boarding gate for ferry passengers was at the stern of the rearmost whaling ship.
Amid the waterway crowded with the first ferries, Rain glanced back briefly.
‘Now, bidding farewell to the Akrad Continent for a while.’
Family, school, countless connections...
Heading into a world where all would be severed. Of course, not forever, but hadn't he thought the same in his previous life?
- Going straight to the Adrian Continent now would put your life in danger.
Karen's warning rang like a bell in his mind.
But their destination wasn't the Adrian Continent. It was the Tershy Archipelago, the midway stop between the two.
Link, Linkland, Zernix, Slayers, Miria...
With sworn enemy Zernix involved, and Miria and Link entangled, they had to go, wherever it led.
‘Maybe yesterday's letter home was the last one.’
He'd sent letters every week or two, but with the Republic divided, would letters from the Adrian Continent even arrive?
"Boarding pass, please."
A voice called from above.
He held up the pass Valensidis had arranged, and runes from the magical device projected the string of characters in the air.
B3821, B3822.
"Confirmed. Come aboard."
The witch manning the inspection gate used telekinesis to pull Rain and Aki onto the deck.
The pass Valensidis booked was for ship 38, slightly rearward in the convoy's middle—an upper-class vessel.
He crossed the long gangway linking the ships fore and aft, weaving through the crowd of passengers.
"Oooong..."
Aki's eyes sparkled at the iridescent waves lapping beautifully over the sea surface.
Enchanted by the southern sea's charm, Aki stared blankly at the ocean from Rain's arms!
Bwoooo...
As they reached ship 38, a horn signaled imminent departure.
"Look at that, Aki."
At the sound, seagulls burst white from the coastal watchposts—a spectacular sight.
"So many birds!"
As Aki gazed vacantly, something warm settled on her head. Pipi.
"Aki, Aki, Aki."
"Pipidot!"
"Long time, long time, long time."
Pipi hadn't seen Aki in nearly a week, guarding Cora.
"You're here. I was about to think you'd dumped that bird on me and run."
As Aki giggled with Pipi, Valensidis approached Rain.
Valensidis wore merchant guise fitting his cover. He'd disguised the Slime Slayer in a wine barrel for shipment.
No pursuer could track which ship Cora was on.
"Cora?"
"In the cargo hold."
Leaving Aki with Valensidis, Rain descended to the hold.
Packed tight with cargo, sunlight couldn't penetrate; lanterns were needed even in daylight.
Amid stacked wine barrels, one marked specially stood alone out front.
He perched on it.
"Not uncomfortable?"
"If I go out and get caught as a stowaway, it'll be a huge hassle, my friend says."
"Still, you'd want some dignity."
"You're so small, you can rest comfy inside anyway."
True enough.
Cora was the shortest adult woman Rain had ever seen.
"And... it's been years since I slept this easy. Not bad."
Similar to or smaller than the Ain Prisvia. She boasted it was ideal for slime hunting.
But Link was a massive brute—how did such a tiny descendant come from him?
Scratching his forehead at the odd thought.
"You. Do you always act so recklessly?"
"What?"
"That brand on your neck... you could've died from it. Yet you trusted a stranger's word at face value and steeled yourself to die. I couldn't."
With Zernix involved, he'd surely staged an inescapable scenario...
"Well, I'm not fool enough to trust anyone. That was just the trigger."
"Trigger?"
"You've met me before. In <Aurelinopl>, eating with Miria."
"Ah, that passerby..."
"Yeah, me. It'd been ages. Miria smiling like that, so happily."
"......?"
"After that, Miria grew extremely distrustful of humans. Especially men. Making a girl like that smile? Worth betting my life on."
Miria's smile...
Come to think, she was blade-sharp at first meeting. They'd bonded fast thanks to Aki, though.
"She said Miria's in danger, right? Time to hear the details."
As Cora drew a deep breath to speak—
"Aba, witch, witch!"
Aki kept calling, halting the talk. Rain tapped the barrel lightly.
"We'll continue later. The route takes five to seven days."
Outside, a dozen witches flew overhead.
On brooms, red robes billowing, leading ahead. Guardians of the convoy's safe passage.
Aki leaped onto Rain's neck like a horse, waving wildly at the witches.
"Hel-looo! Hel-looo! Hel-looo!"
"Hello, hello, hello."
The witches smiled, waving back. Rain said to Valensidis,
"They're all young."
"Had to be. Most seniors died in the Crimson Mountains."
"Should we help?"
"With what? How? They need experience to become seniors."
Ugh. An uncomfortable groan ended the talk.
The witches landed in 2-3 ranks at the convoy's center flagship, the largest, sturdiest <Terbenopl> warship.
It served as command and helm for the voyage.
[Departing soon. For safety, clear the rails as the ship may rock.]
A novel sight.
Witches' mass incantation whipped up massive winds, filling all sails.
Others soothed currents with sorcery.
‘With dragons fading, humanity adapts accordingly.’
True dragons living this final age... Rain's hand petting Aki felt slightly heavier.
All ships raised anchors in unison.
The lead ship cleaved waves ahead; others followed on sea breezes.
"Aba, sea's moving!"
"Not the sea—the ship's moving."
"Moo-ving, moo-ving, moo-ving."
"Ship's moving!"
"Smaht, smaht, smaht."
"Good girl."
Aki clung to the rail, mesmerized by the seascape for a long while.
Passing cliffs and capes.
Fishermen hauling nets.
Dolphins leaping over waves.
Aki's eyes shone; she shouted greetings to fishermen, asked dolphin names.
"What do dolphies taste like?"
Whether hearing or coincidence, the pod dove deep, never resurfacing.
"Aki's hungry."
Lunch was buttery fish stew and hardtack; Aki ate heartily.
Chattering on, by noon as the convoy hit open sea, yawns came.
Just endless blue sky and sea—no sights, naturally.
"Aba, sleepy..."
"Me too, a bit tired."
"Tired, tired, tired."
Few proper sleeps these five days. Days guarding Aki, nights Cora.
"Rest now, meet later. Talk with Cora then too."
"As you like. I'll guard the hold."
The cabin was a 4-bunk, cramped like 2-person, dim sans sunlight, reeking of booze and vomit.
But in the hammock, the sea's sway rocked him into pleasant slumber.
"Aki, wake me if seasick. No puking."
"No seasick!"
"Good, c'mere."
Side-lying in hammock, Aki curled beside.
Seresia as blanket, hugged tight lest she fall.
Fire dragon incarnate... In that warmth and wintry firewood scent, consciousness faded.
- We gotta breakthrough head-on; Link, you'll step up.
- Link, Link, Link.
- Until Slayers seize our island...
- Link, Link, Link.
- Just for the money. That's it.
Past voices swirled madly in subconscious depths.
Link, Linkland, Miria, Cora.
Twilight fell over the sea; new moon darkness blurred horizons.
As midnight blackened the waters, the convoy rocked violently.
[Bandits sighted. Non-combatants to cabins.]
Witches monitoring via far-sight sorcery scrambled.
Wind-witches switched to barriers; current-soothers conjured fireballs.
Fireballs slammed silently into pirate ships!
"Argh!"
"Gaaah!"
Lead pirates engulfed in flames, lighting the night sea viciously. Burning pirates thrashed into the sea.
"Hey, use some fire yourselves! Gonna take witch hits lying down?!"
Pirates included failed witches due to gender, imperial mages turned thugs for easy life, self-taughts.
Their ragtag spells hit the barrier, cracks spidering its surface.
"Expect boarding! All soldiers to starboard decks."
Barrier vast over whole convoy, durability thinned inversely.
Sustained assault would breach somewhere.
Skilled witches had perished aplenty in Crimson Mountains; response lacked.
"Ready aim! Nock, draw, hold, loose!"
Manorfolk archers' arrows pierced barrier easily, raining on pirates.
Pirates raised shields, but cries rose everywhere.
"Reload! Fire!"
Catapults and cannons on flagship hurled boulders, giant arrows.
Stones splashed waves; hits splintered hulls, pulped pirates.
Sinking and intact pirates tangled, shattering.
"Graaaah!"
"H-H-Hot!"
The melee chaos reached Valensidis, leaning on barrels in hold.
"Ah, headache."
Cora peeked from barrel, rubbing her bruised head.
Cora's hair was slimy green, like slime-dyed.
Splatter over years turned it so, she said.
"What's happening?"
"Bandits."
"Bandits?"
"This sea's Slayers' turf; pirates rarely hit convoys..."
Even if, riffraff couldn't pierce witch sorcery...
Valensidis's eyes narrowed.
Hitting a convoy meant two certainties.
"No fear of Slayers, and confidence to drop the witches."
Implying Slayers joined this raid.
"No easy starts."
Sighing, Valensidis pulled a barrel, opened lid.
Shortsword, dagger, old light armor gleamed sinisterly in lanternlight.
"Your gear."
Cora tried rising, toppled with barrel.
"Oof."
Injuries not fully healed. Valensidis caught with telekinesis.
"Must aid witches. Prep to defend yourself if needed."
Meanwhile, from confused pirate ranks, one charged furiously.
Fireballs lunged to block... but vanished abruptly at its prow?
Arrow volleys? Blocked by house-sized shield on a giant.
"W-What?"
"What the hell?"
Baffled, archers forgot nocking.
Answering, boy atop prow spun odd sword half-turn, bowed courtly.
Black hair whipped by sea wind; sculpted noble features bore playful smile.
"Dur-Morris, Mage Slayer. Death to all mages."
Behind, 3m titan clashed massive wrist-shields, palms together.
"Dul-Mos! Giant Slayer Randoris! Burus to all giants."
Archaic giant-tongue mixed public speech. Mage Slayer amplified voice with mana.
"Relax, folks! We're pirates! No worries! Just grab the runaway bitch, kill and loot the rest! Ahahaha!"
Next instant, boy's eyes blazed crimson, bloomed white flower with four petals.
That was... Bell Sidias?!
Crimson gaze parsed barrier as numbers, spotting weak frames, joints.
"Yeah, you're weak here, huh?"
Boy leered lewdly.
Drew crescent khanjar fluid as water; purple thought-energy writhed along trajectory.
"Wail, Manabane."
Yo-do Manabane activated.
As prow neared barrier, its power lost source, dispersed to mist. Framework severed.
"Now, playtime! 30% spoils to whoever finds her!"
"Yesssss!"
Prow smashed hull; thunderous splintering.
Shock hurled a dozen rail archers to sea. Survivors spat blood, bitten tongues.
Ship listed...
Giant Slayer gripped rail, boarded; ship neared capsizing.
"G-Giant..."
"Aren't giants extinct...?"
Overwhelmed, manorfolk lost fight.
Retreating or kneeling soldiers' throats gushed; Mage Slayer's blade reaped in blinks.
Then, wind-blades slashed at Mage Slayer—dozens.
"Oh?"
Boy spun midair, evading deck-wreckers expertly.
Attacker atop mast: Valensidis.
Erron Ludwig—now Valensidis—licked blood from blade lasciviously.
"Such sexy mana... Can't wait to taste how scorching that blood is!"