Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: I Like the Reason
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‘This time travel is a long one.’
It was already the fourteenth day.
The ruins were vast and deep, and there was no telling how much was left.
“Good work today~ The deeper we go, the more new samples we find. It’d be perfect if we could just get a few more. Right?”
Lorraine said with a bright smile, her words hovering somewhere between encouragement and torment.
The mercenaries, looking as if they’d already given up, just nodded half-heartedly.
The researchers, who had already turned into zombies, wanted to stop her.
“Director… We… don’t have the capacity to analyze any more new samples…”
Of course, it was no use.
“You know how much this research is worth, don’t you? If I could earn a hundred, but I only earn fifty because my employees aren’t capable, wouldn’t I be a little sad?”
Beaming.
But the researchers, who perfectly understood the underlying meaning of ‘I could just fire you,’ cried out, “Eek! We’ll do it! We’ll get it done!”
Even so, not a single researcher said they would quit.
From what I’d overheard, their treatment was the best in the industry, and Lorraine herself was a highly respected Magic Armor developer. Apparently, just learning under her was a great honor…
It was a testament to how important a leader's reputation was in running an organization.
To think the organization could function even when she worked them so hatefully.
Huh?
Wait, this isn’t bad.
Couldn’t I apply this too?
I was already paying a hefty salary, and if I added ‘respect’ to that…?
While I was lost in thought, Lorraine subtly slipped me something sweet, saying, “Good work.”
With the monsters increasing in number lately, she knew full well that I was the reason the exploration was making any progress at all.
But today, this scene was witnessed by Kask.
“Huh? Lorraine? What about me? Give me one too!”
Was it a sense of betrayal?
Kask demanded, his eyes trembling.
But Lorraine's reaction was truly pitiful for the poor guy.
“What are you talking about, kiddo? You gonna keep calling your big sis by her name like that?”
I didn't know what kind of history they had, but Lorraine was particularly casual with Kask.
“Give it! I said give me one too!”
“Here. Now get lost.”
Kask trembled as he caught the snack she tossed at him.
Biting his lip, the corners of his eyes moist… Don’t tell me you’re going to cry?
And yet, he didn't throw away the snack in his hand. He tucked it away carefully.
I could probably bet one of my wrists that he wouldn't eat it and would treasure it instead.
‘Man, that kid. He’s making life hard for himself.’
I clicked my tongue and returned to my quarters.
I came out after a hot wash, but I couldn't go to sleep right away.
There were too many things I'd collected during this time travel, and I had to diligently organize them.
‘Maybe I should translate some of the magic books I got from Kask today.’
I took out the books from my subspace one by one, but soon ran into a major obstacle.
‘What should I even translate first?’
[Theory of the Soul], [Imitation of the Soul: Objects, Nature, Life], [Design and Application of Spell Seeds]
Magic books with titles that gave me a headache just looking at them. I could read the words, but I couldn't understand the meaning.
If I was going to translate them, I wanted to start with the most basic book…
But I had no idea which one was the most basic.
Knock, knock.
Hearing the knock, I closed the books and opened the door to find Kask.
‘This late at night? Why is he here to see me?’
It was an unexpected visit, and Kask's eyes were suspiciously full of emotion.
I could only think of one thing.
‘Don't tell me... he's here because of what happened earlier? Because Lorraine only gave me a snack?’
It seemed too childish to be true, but for Kask, who was crazy about Lorraine, it was possible.
After all, didn't our very first meeting start with him picking a fight because I was talking to Lorraine alone?
If that was the case…
‘Is it time to break his sword in two again?’
As I was thinking that,
“Here.”
Kask held out a piece of paper.
It was a paper with some kind of table and diagrams drawn on it.
“What's this?”
“A curriculum. You… you took them. My books and notes. I summarized what each one is about, and wrote down the order you should read them in, what to reference when you're reading what, that kind of stuff.”
“Uh…?”
What?
I didn't understand for a moment.
Is this… supposed to be a favor?
Showing a favor? To the person who took his treasures?
Kask avoided my gaze.
“I told you. They're precious to me. Those books. Those notes. Every single one is a memory of mine… Since you took them, I'd rather you put them to good use…”
Huh?
“I'm leaving.”
Kask left with only those words.
I don't get it.
I watched his retreating back for a long time.
‘Did he eat something bad in the ruins?’
* * *
Day 17.
The ruins still showed no end.
Strange phenomena among my companions—hallucinations, auditory hallucinations, delusions—grew more frequent. Fine mana constantly poured out, causing sudden paralysis of limbs, chills, and nausea.
What in the world was at the end of this place?
A sense of anticipation, or perhaps dread—the tension steadily mounted.
During that time, I grew closer to Lorraine.
I had to give exploration reports, she would give me private words of encouragement as the team's ace, and there was even the human experimentation.
That day, too, after finishing the exploration, Lorraine called me out.
It was the middle of the night.
The human experiment was scheduled for tomorrow… I wondered what was up, and then,
“Ta-da! Wanna see this?”
What she took out was an artifact from the Age of Mythology that we had brought from the ruins.
It was a rod shaped like a sword hilt, its purpose unknown.
“The moment I saw your physical data, Lansen! This just popped into my head!”
“What is it?”
“It was a magic weapon.”
I stared blankly at the hilt-like object.
A magic weapon?
This thing?
Lorraine seemed to enjoy my incredulous gaze.
“Doesn't look like it, does it? But it really is. Watch closely.”
She connected a Mana Heart to the bottom of the hilt. It was similar to the Mana Hearts used in Magic Armor, but smaller.
“Supply mana with the Mana Heart. And if you press this button here…!”
Fwoooosh-!
The wind swirled violently.
Lorraine's black-gold hair scattered brilliantly.
A storm. At its center was a blade of light extending straight from the hilt.
“What is this…”
I muttered unconsciously, completely dumbfounded.
“…An Aura Blade?”
There was no doubt.
That hilt was sucking up the mana supplied by the Mana Heart and projecting it as an Aura Blade.
Does that even make sense?
Artificially creating an Aura Blade?
With one of these, can any Tom, Dick, or Harry use an Aura Blade?
That’s just… unfair.
Of course, it would be meaningless without the swordsmanship to back it up, but it still felt unfair.
An Aura Blade, something that a genius of Aura with outstanding talent can only forge after countless trials, could be produced with just a tool like that?
As I stared blankly, Lorraine broke into a wide smile.
It was a genuinely happy smile. Not her usual, unsettlingly bright one.
“Amazing, isn't it? Hah…! The Age of Mythology is really something!”
I felt it every time I heard her, but it was unique. The resonance in Lorraine's voice whenever she said ‘Age of Mythology.’ It was sparkling and clear.
Forgetting my sense of injustice, I asked without thinking.
“Do you like it that much? The Age of Mythology?”
“Of course! It's my dream, you know?”
“Why?”
“Hmm—”
Humming thoughtfully, Lorraine swung the Aura Blade in her hand as she strolled beneath the shattered moon.
Uh, you shouldn't just swing that around like that…
“Actually, there's a fairy tale I read when I was young. I liked the story.”
The fairy tale she told me was just that—a fairy tale—so it didn't leave much of an impression on me.
“In the Age of Mythology, they say no one cried, no one was sick, and there was never a dull moment. So I thought, let's study the magic of the Age of Mythology. Then maybe we can become like that too?”
For a story coming from the mouth of Lorraine, the ultimate profit-seeker, wasn't it a bit too beautiful…?
Was that why? I suddenly poked at a flaw.
“But the Age of Mythology was ultimately destroyed, wasn't it? Quite miserably, at that.”
She must have seen it through the video recording artifact too.
I saw it with my own two eyes.
The deeper we went into the ruins, the clearer the traces of fierce battles and massacres became.
Unlike the entrance, which at least had some atmosphere, the depths of the ruins made one feel as if they were being dragged into a subterranean nightmare.
Seeing that, you couldn't help but think: the once-brilliant Age of Mythology didn't have a quiet end. There must have been a fight so terrible it defied imagination.
A civilization that met such an end… probably wasn't all that beautiful, was it?
“Exactly!”
Lorraine said, with considerable force.
“Even the great Age of Mythology was destroyed, so what's to become of us, who are so much less? That's why we have to catch up, even just a little.”
Her characteristic bright smile was completely gone.
It felt like I'd just caught a glimpse of a single fish swimming vividly beneath a frozen lake.
“We have to uncover the truth of the Age of Mythology. We have to watch, learn, prepare, and be ready.”
Was this Lorraine's true self?
It was a moment when this woman, who was always obsessed with money, looked a little different.
“Ahem. Did I look cool just now?”
But Lorraine suddenly relaxed her expression and beamed.
“That was a story from when I was a kid. A kid. I was like that back then, but now? What's the big deal? The Age of Mythology. I like it because it makes money.”
…Or not?
“Do you have any idea how much money you can make by copying even a tiny fraction of the magic from the Age of Mythology? I! Am going to become the richest person in the world!”
It was the usual Lorraine.
The beaming witch who relentlessly pushed everyone for the sake of money.
For a moment I wondered, ‘What was that just now?’ but then I thought, ‘Yep, this is the real Lorraine,’ and let out a chuckle.
Then I was suddenly seized by a strange feeling.
‘Everyone… is living so earnestly.’
Whatever their reasons.
Lorraine, Kask, Eodran, the researchers, the mercenaries of the exploration team. They all lived with such intensity.
And yet, for people who lived so fiercely… there were no traces of them in the era I lived in.
So what did they leave behind?
It felt a little strange.
‘Right… I have to take as many good things as I can. I need to fill my subspace to the brim. If it comes down to it, I'll even steal them secretly.’
I renewed my resolve.
To carry their traces into the future.
* * *
After meeting Lorraine, I was heading back to my quarters when I saw Kask standing in front of my door.
What now.
Did he see me alone with Lorraine? Was he here to confront me again?
‘Is it time to break it in two?’
As I steeled myself.
“Here.”
The kid held something out again.
A cubic crystal and a flat, fingernail-sized bead.
“…What's this?”
“They're artifacts called a Reader and a Bud. Mages use them.”
“A Reader? A Bud? What are those?”
“…They're telepathy-related artifacts.”
Hearing they were artifacts was good, but.
Why give them to me all of a sudden?
“…You said the kid who's going to learn magic can't read, right? If you place the Reader on the book's cover and put the Bud in their ear, the memories contained within are transmitted via telepathy. Since I've read those books several times, it'll be transmitted vividly… they can understand even if they can't read. And they'll learn to read faster too.”
Really?
So if I have this, I don't have to translate them?
I was stunned again.
“Uh… But why?”
I was genuinely curious, so I had to ask.
Honestly, Kask.
Shouldn't you hate me? Why are you being nice? Do you have an ulterior motive?
Kask bit his lip hard.
“I didn't want to go this far either. I didn't, but…”
Kask scratched his head vigorously. His chick-like, pale yellow hair swayed.
“You said she's five?”
“Huh?”
“The one. The person who's going to learn. You said she's five.”
Oh, right. I did say that, didn't I?
Though I was actually thinking of Sea and Asha…
“So. That's why. Hah… Why am I even… Anyway, tell her to use them well and become a great mage.”
Kask hastily wrapped things up and turned his back.
“Kask.”
Watching his retreating back, I called out to him.
“What?”
“No. It's just…”
It was a bit embarrassing, but,
“Thanks.”
Kask's expression twisted. He made a fist and extended only his middle finger.
Ah, I know that gesture. What was it again?
Kask spun around and walked away.
Only then did I remember.
I learned it from the knights in Glowingsteel.
‘It's an insult, isn't it? A rude gesture.’
A really bad one, at that.
Geez.
I said thanks,
and he… curses at me?
‘Break it in two?’
That's what I thought, but.
Actually,
I felt good.
He gave it because she's five.
He didn't want to, but he gave it because she's five…
That's it, right?
That kid.
I like the reason.
* * *
The next day.
Lorraine summoned us first thing in the morning.
Her excitement was palpable from her flushed face.
“I ran a scan with the artifact you all left behind yesterday.”
A scan?
At those words, the expressions of the exploration team's mercenaries changed.
I was no different.
Could it be?
“I've confirmed the end of the ruins. The final exploration will probably be the day after tomorrow.”
I knew it…!
“Now, let's see what's at the very end! Whatever it is that's emitting such powerful energy. Let's find out what secret these ruins from the Age of Mythology hold!”
Her voice was feverish with excitement,
and I was feverish with fighting spirit.
I had a strong premonition.
A fight would be waiting at the end of this.
Perhaps a bloody battle against a powerful foe that would require me to go all out, even in my Magic Armor.
And perhaps, through that experience, I might achieve another level of growth.
Thump.
Finally, the end of this journey was in sight.