Leave a comment

This was a story from before Gizelle and ■■■■■ would drift to Kugutfulm.

“You can speak Dragonian?”
“Yeah. Well, it’s nothing that great. There’s just a little trick to it.”

During their travels, one time when they were resting under a big roadside tree, Giselle brought up that topic.

She pinched her peculiar hair spotted with white and flaxen. The ratio of white seemed to have increased in it… at least compared to the time ■■■■■ and Giselle first met.

“You know, I used to be in the Maltgartz military at one point. I once used this hidden skill to negotiate with a dragon. But those guys went and did a sneak attack on it… The dragon would obviously hold a grudge after that. Toward me, I mean.”

“Because of that, my body carries a curse. It is gradually being eaten away and I probably don’t have much left. And given my state, no dragon would ever trust me again. Thus, they discarded me, and I’m just one unimportant adventurer now. I mean, I’d never wanna cooperate with those guys ever again anyway.”

Strangely enough, Giselle’s words contained neither resentment nor tragic resolve.

She looked innocent like a kid feeling proud after telling an interesting story, which ■■■■■ found strange.

Everything became clear. He whom they chased after turned out to be the former Lucella. It also became clear why Lucella was on the mountain.

“I see. So the Dragonian interpreter…”
“Yeah, it was Giselle.”

They were in the Adventurer’s Guild’s branch’s consultation room that they borrowed. Lucella, Kafal, and Tim were now in that room, which appeared even more coercive with only chairs and a desk and no people in it.

Giselle was an adventurer. And her roommate ■■■■■… in other words, Lucella, despite being a manager, was an adventurer too.

Because of that, Giselle’s belongings were looked after by the Adventurer’s Guild now. That said, other than part of the articles that could become mementos, they had already disposed of everything else.

Currently, Wein and Viola were searching for those items along with the Guild’s staff. Lucella spoke everything he recalled. To Tim and others… In other words, to Kafal too who was with them.

Kafal was looking down in dejection.

Lucella wondered whether she would despair and fly into a rage once she learned that Lucella who she adored like her daughter was actually an egg thief that aimed for her real daughter, but it didn’t happen.

What she was thinking… he didn’t know.

“Giselle was a frighteningly strong adventurer. But the curse had been eating her away for a long time, so by the time we came to this city she couldn’t hold a sword anymore. So then… I started working for her sake… But of course, her situation only grew worse, and then…”

Tim grit his teeth and slammed the desk.

“Gemel, that f̲u̲c̲k̲i̲n̲g…! I knew he was an awful b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲ but I never expected him to be such a scum!! That b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲ and his whole party vanished ever since he encountered you. He probably fled when he learned we would investigate your… I mean, the former you, his situation, whose name has been lost. It would be over for them once everything was exposed.”

Tim burned with righteous indignation as if it was about himself, but Lucella had no energy to even get angry.

He was shocked after remembering about Giselle only to learn that she had died. He felt mortified for failing to save her. And regretted the fact that he wasn’t with her at the moment of death.

Along with all that, he was burning with feelings of guilt for having betrayed Kafal before they even met.

He wished she would just tear him into pieces.

“Leader! Lucella! We found Ms. Giselle’s belongings!”

Viola barged into the room that was filled with the funeral atmosphere.

Opening the box that she brought, there were small articles and personal accessories inside, along with a sealed letter.

“For some reason, only the first sheet of her testament is missing.”
“The first sheet of the letter… That’s where you normally write the name of the recipient, right? Is that why it disappeared…?”

Lucella picked up the remaining part of the will for the time being.

＝＝＝＝＝＝

Anyway, let’s leave the talk about my boring story at that.

My life after I met you was completely different from my previous one.

I had already given up on everything and planned to just live what little life I had left, but because you were there with me, that time turned out to be surprisingly fun and unexpectedly long.

I thank you for that with all my heart.

The time I spent with you was a treasure more precious to me than that of any dragon.

To be honest, I felt quite annoyed and uncertain about you at first.

In this field, you get to save people many times, so I didn’t consider you particularly special.

But you turned out to be extremely obstinate.

You followed me everywhere and even took the manager’s qualifications to help me.

Before I knew it, I felt happy about it, and eventually, instead of what you did, it was your feelings itself that made me happy.

Truly, thank you.

If you’re reading this letter it means that you returned safely, but I failed to live long enough to see you. It saddens me that I can’t meet you one last time, but I’m glad that you’re safe.

But still, I won’t tell you to forget me anymore, but I want you to be freed from me at least.

Your life is yours to live. I died already, so there’s no longer a need to be tied down by me.

If you’re up to it, go back to Maltgartz and seek a man named Shun.

If you mention my name you should get good treatment. You should be able to live plenty well as an adventurer manager.

Finally, I’d like to repay you a little.

The skill to converse with dragons that I kept a secret even from you…

I’d like to give it to you as a present.

I hid it in a place where we shared our first memories of this city. I’m sure you’ll be able to find it.

You’re free to use it however you wish.

Goodbye.

This parting brings me loneliness, but I knew it would come to this eventually.

You’re too kind, so this will probably bring you grief.

But I pray that you overcome that grief and live strong.

With Love – Giselle