Leave a comment

Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

Eventually, Susie and Henry, who had come to pick her up, decided to have tea at the workshop.

Marsh, who was completely captivated by Susie, couldn’t stop asking her questions and probing her with things like, “If you’re so skilled then I should also adjust your leather armor.” or “I’ll get working on it as soon as I return from the Royal Capital, so bring it next time.” He was making promises for the future himself, and getting overly hyped in the process.

Susie also seemed particularly delighted with the lemon cake Marybell had brought out. She happily ate it while listening to Marsh.

In the end, they left Cope Town around 16:00.

“If we don’t hurry, the sun will go down. Sir Cloud will scold me for this. It won’t be more than an hour before the sun sets.” Henry said, to which Susie chuckled.

“But, it’s my first time meeting a dwarf…” Susie told Henry about her surprise at meeting a dwarf for the first time.

“Oh, I see. That’s not surprising, since there are no dwarves in Amukham right now. Besides, there are other races in Cope Town as well.”

As she heard Henry say that, Susie responded, “Is that so?”

She knew that a species called Glassfoot existed to the west of Amukham, so Susie rarely saw them. However, she had once seen a large group of them coming to help during the wheat harvest. Despite being only as tall as a child, they were considered adults. She had been told that they usually did not wear shoes and were known for their agility.

Having never heard of any other species before, she asked what other species there were.

“Besides dwarves, there are also elves. By the way, Cecilie—the woman who runs the store where you buy your clothes, Miss Susie—is a half-elf.
“WHAT?!”

Susie made a strange noise, surprised that she had already encountered another species.

“Some half-elves have shorter ears than purebloods, so it’s harder to tell them apart, depending on their hairstyle.

(I see… So elves have long ears even here? That’s a relief! I’d really love to meet a pureblood elf!)

Apparently, if one went to Dekenbel, where Will lived, one could find many different races there. And if one went further to the Royal Capital, they’d encounter a melting pot of races…

(Hmph… I don’t know if I want to go there or not now…)

They continued their journey home, engaged in conversation. Along the way, Henry noticed that Susie had been carrying her sword the entire time and suggested that she place it in the back of the carriage.

“Miss Sonia… She told me that I was her second daughter, after Lavi. Sir Howard said that by giving me this sword, I became his daughter too. That’s why I don’t want to let go of it now.”

Susie spoke as she hugged her sword tightly, holding it with all her strength.

“Is that so… So they told you about Lavi?”
“Yes. I can’t replace Lavi, but I was really happy to hear Sir Howard say that to me.”

Susie smiled as she looked at Henry.

“I see… So Sir Cloud said that…” Henry nodded repeatedly, looking pleased. Then, gazing into the distance, he spoke. “I could not save… those two. No, not just them— I could not save any of the villagers…”

“Mr. Henry?”

“But Miss Susie, you have lit a warmth in both of their hearts… a warmth I could never have given them. Due to my pride and selfishness, I once thought that I could save people. But that was nothing more than a conceited thought. As a servant of the gods, I could not have been more ashamed.”

“Y-You are not like that Mr. Henry!”
“But I was like that, Miss Susie. I was pathetic, unable to see that I was powerless… I’m sorry, Miss Susie. This is my penance. And also, my request. Will you please listen to me?”

“Mr. Henry…”

“I believe it was no mere coincidence that you appeared before Sir Cloud. I believe there was a definite intention behind it. What those intentions are, a small person like me cannot know. However, I am now convinced, beyond any doubt, that there is a strong connection between you and the Cloud family. You are family. And you certainly share a bond.”
“Mr. Henry… Thank… you…”

Susie choked up, tears welling in her eyes.

“Please… if you can, cherish that connection, nurture that spark, and if possible share your warmth with the rest of the people of the village.”
“Mr. Henry, I love both Sir Howard and Miss Sonia. I love Miss Elrose, and Gilbert too. I love Mia, Bibi, Corin, Dana and all of the other kids at school! I love Amukham and all of its people!”
“Thank you… Thank you, Miss Susie.”

While riding the carriage Henry expressed his gratitude, his voice filled with quiet emotion.

Henry Jameson had once taught Magic and conducted research surrounding the heroes at the Royal Capital University.

In the modern age, studying heroes was akin to researching folklore, much like diving into folklore studies.

However, folklore was out of line with Henry’s primary field of expertise, magical studies. Despite this, Henry firmly believed that research into heroic lore could lead to discoveries about otherworldly magic and even otherworldly travel.

When he learned that the Amukham Village Temple was seeking a new temple head, he seized the opportunity without hesitation.

From the perspective of those in the royal capital, Amukham was nothing more than a remote frontier settlement. A place no one wished to go to. It was a perilous region, constantly threatened by the presence of Demonic Beasts. The common perception among those in the Royal Capital was that Amukham’s inhabitants must be uneducated and barbaric, as one might expect from those living in such a dangerous land.

But none of that mattered to Henry. Deep within the Amukham Forest, teeming with Demonic Beasts lay a long-kept secret—one that he believed would lead him to the truth about heroes. The unexplored Great Iroshio Forest, also known as the Amukham Forest, was a mysterious region where heroes were said to have appeared throughout history. Why should he hesitate to go there?

Uneducated and barbaric? If that were the case, then it was his duty to guide and teach them. And even if someone were to be gravely injured in battle against a Demonic Beast, he—one who held the rank of Priest—could bring them back from the brink of death. He believed he could become these people’s savior.

With great enthusiasm, Henry accepted the position and was officially inaugurated as the head of Amukham Village’s Temple.

◇◇◇

Henry Jameson would never forget that day.

The calamity that struck the village broke through the temple walls, forcing its way inside and leaving even the sacred altar in ruins.

Henry stood speechless, his breath caught in his throat as he stared at the thick, suffocating miasma—a foul stench of decay and filth that filled the air. A presence unworthy of being on such holy ground. Before Henry could fully process what was happening, the calamity struck him with brutal force, sending him reeling. He survived only because of the life-saving artifact he had been wearing, its protective magic barely keeping him from death.

When Henry finally regained consciousness and crawled out from beneath the rubble, he was met with a nightmarish scene.

Young children lay lifeless, cruelly discarded before the shattered altar—a mockery of the gods’ majesty. Scattered nearby were the bodies of youths. They’d likely fallen in a desperate attempt to protect the young children. Yet whether the youths were dead or still clinging to life was unclear.

Amidst the devastation, one figure stood out—a lone man with graying hair, cradling a girl in his arms. Over and over, he called her name, hoping for her to wake up.

It was Howard Cloud, the man responsible for organizing the Amukham Village Guard. And in his arms lay his daughter, Lavinia.

Henry could do nothing but stand dumbfounded amidst the rubble as Howard’s plaintive cries echoed through the air.

Three days after the tragedy, Henry visited the Cloud family.

In the immediate aftermath, he had snapped out of his stupor and treated Lavinia without delay. While he was able to heal the wounds on her physical body, he had no power over the loss of her astral body and part of her Manas.

Upon entering the Cloud family mansion, Henry caught sight of Howard sitting motionless in the doorway, his eyes hollow and vacant. With just one look, Henry understood what had happened.

Support Us

Unlock Early Access ------- Select Project ------- Project Gender Bender Project Necro ∴ Support your favorite series and unlock chapters before the public release.