| Author: Eltria | Original Source: Syosetu |
| Translator: Mui | English Source: Re:Library |
| Editor(s): Robinxen | |
Alone, I went to help my father, receiving both gratitude and reproach simultaneously, experiencing for the first time in my life being scolded by my mother. Strangely, her scolding, directed not only at me but also at themselves, my parents, felt very much like her, and despite being scolded, I felt a warm sentiment, which was a precious experience.
My father underwent detailed examinations at the military hospital, with no major issues, and the next day, the three of us could sit around the dining table together.
“Thanks to Leafa, I can enjoy Natal’s delicious meals again. I can’t thank you enough,” my father remarked.
“…That may be so, but I really hope such things won’t happen again,” my mother interjected.
Seeing my parents smile as they spoke, I felt genuine relief. It was incredible how they managed to make me, who had distrusted others, think otherwise. They truly were an amazing couple.
“…Thank you, Father, Mother.”
As I gazed at their smiles, gratitude overwhelmed me, and the words spilled out of my mouth. They truly were my irreplaceable parents. Leafa was undoubtedly their child.
“No, it is I who should thank you… Thank you, Leafa. When I heard you had ventured out alone into the storm, I felt like my heart had stopped,” my mother said, taking my hand and squeezing it, as if to confirm my presence. My father’s hand rested on top of ours.
“But now, here we are, alive and well. We can never thank Leafa enough.”
“Yeah…”
A tear trickled down my mother’s nodded head. Upon closer inspection, I noticed my father’s eyes glistening as well. I was surprised to see grown-ups, especially men, cry, but before I knew it, my own eyes blurred with tears.
I guess being emotional runs in the family1.
◇◇◇
Several days passed, and the storm receded, bringing back peaceful days.
Armed with successfully crafted Darklight and the mercury needed for the ritual, I set out once more towards the forest outside the town. Mercury, unaffected by aether, was the most suitable material for drawing magic circles. It has long been widely used in alchemy, and I, too, found its fluid yet metallic properties convenient.
The urgency of the ritual stemmed not only from my reluctance to leave the Darklight crystal untouched for too long but also from the recent storm incident. I strongly felt the need to retrieve the grimoire “Ars Magna” back into my possession as soon as possible. Upon reevaluation, I realized that traveling to the world of truth or even retrieving the grimoire I had authored myself were not taboos in this world. It was simply a change in the direction pursued by alchemists.
However, as a precaution, I decided it would be best to avoid involving Alfe and fabricated a suitable excuse to deceive her. And so, I set out alone with Arkecius, leaving the town behind, or tried to…
“Leafa, I found you!”
“Alfe!”
For some reason, Alfe was waiting at the town’s exit.
“Why are you here…?”
“I saw you carrying the Darklight onto the Arkeshius. I thought you were trying to leave without me…”
Alfe had been observing the pre-departure inspections, but I hadn’t expected her to be paying attention to such details.
“Hey, Leafa. Are you going to the ‘World of Truth’ alone?”
“…Yeah, only those with the qualifications can enter there.”
I decided to omit the details as it would take too long to explain and simply relayed the information to Alfe.
“However, I’ll be back soon.”
“Really? When? What time?”
It seemed that Alfe had doubts about whether I would return from the other world, as she repeatedly asked me questions, changing her words but not her skepticism.
While I had planned to perform the ritual alone, the unknown territory for Alfe and the limitations of explaining it solely through words made me reconsider. Moreover, since I had already involved her to this extent, I thought it would be better to provide some explanation. Therefore, I decided to allow Alfe to accompany me.
◇◇◇
Above Arkecius, Alfe was singing a tune, as usual, from her usual spot. It was quite unsettling to have Alfe’s singing accompany me on these outings. It wasn’t a habit during my time with Glass, but it has become something of a switch between Leafa and Glass within me, which was amusing in a way. Plus, Alfe sang beautifully, and her soothing voice might help ease the tension of the ritual. Still, despite being reborn, I couldn’t deny the exhilaration of performing a ritual after three hundred years.
“Hey, Leafa… That rabbit is still here.”
“Oh, did it stray from its group?”
Around the time we left the town, a small, long-eared magical beast called a Chateau Rabbit had been following behind Arkecius. Alfe, with her keen eyes, pointed out its presence after spotting it in the shadows.
“Isn’t it afraid of the Subordinate Units? They’re probably hunted by hunters, so it’s unusual to find one so used to humans.”
“…Is that so?”
Alfe tilted her head on top of Arkecius upon hearing my explanation.
“I mean, Chateau Rabbit meat is really delicious.”
“Oh, I see. I’ve heard that. It’s considered very high-class!”
I accidentally blurted that out, but as Leafa, I hadn’t actually eaten Chateau Rabbit meat before. I had grown accustomed to life in the town and let my guard down, but I needed to be more cautious outside the town.
“Oh, really…”
Alfe didn’t seem to notice my slip of the tongue and continued staring at the Chateau Rabbit while saying so. Alfe preferred fish over meat, but perhaps she was curious about this kind of thing too.
“Do you want to try eating it?”
Feeling curious about her intense gaze, I asked Alfe. She shook her head at my remark and once again focused on the Chateau Rabbit.
“It’s not that, but it seems like this rabbit has more aether than its body…”
“Aether larger than its body…?”
I wondered what Alfe’s Pure Eye was seeing. The strangeness of her statement sent a shiver down my spine.
“Yeah… Oh, it kind of looks like a woman. I wonder if it used to be human before becoming a rabbit?”
Alfe’s innocent answer hit close to home.
It’s the goddess!
Alarm bells were ringing in my head. Encountering the goddess at a time like this, in a place like this, was unthinkable.
“Alfe, let’s pick up the pace a bit.”
“Huh? Oh, sure.”
If our opponent was a Chateau Rabbit, maybe we could outpace it with Arkecius’ maximum speed. But since Alfe was sitting on it, I couldn’t use the vernier thrusters.
“Grab on!”
However, even as we increased our speed, the Chateau Rabbit raced across the rugged terrain at almost the same speed, clearly intent on chasing us. It seemed to have no intention of hiding anymore. What could its purpose be?
As I pondered this, desperately continuing to pedal the footboard, it happened.
“Aaahhhh!”
Alfe’s scream echoed through the cockpit via the audio receiver. The approaching Chateau Rabbit began to swell and grow larger and larger. Its appearance shifted from that of a cute little animal to a menacing, evil beast with red eyes, baring its predatory instincts.
“It’s after me, Alfe, run!”
Alfe was too terrified to even scream at the sight of the Chateau Rabbit overtaking Arkecius. However, she managed to use levitation magic to fly off Arkecius and escape into the sky.
“Over here, come on!”
The Chateau Rabbit ignored Alfe and continued chasing after Arkecius, piloted by me. Activating the vernier thrusters, I maneuvered while checking the monitor to locate Alfe. I saw her collapsed, unconscious, on a high rocky outcrop.
Perhaps due to the giant Chateau Rabbit, there were no other magical beasts in sight. For now, at least, Alfe would be safe in that location.
The problem is myself.
If I’m not safe, I won’t be able to bring Alfe back from that place far from the town. Whatever the goddess’ purpose may be, I absolutely must survive and return to the town with Alfe.
“…What should I do…? What is your purpose, Goddess…”
My inner voice overflowed with frustration. At that moment, sharp gusts of wind blades passed through Arkeciu’ flanks one after another.
“Ah!”
The trees in front of me fell one by one, blocking my path. As Arkecius came to an abrupt stop, the Chateau Rabbit slowly approached.
“…I know you’re not just an ordinary magical beast… What do you want from me, Goddess?”
In response to my inquiry, a calm female voice emanated from the enlarged Chateau Rabbit.
“It’s been a while, Glass2.”
“That voice… Aurora?”
