"So you are saying that you were that guy all along?"
"....Er, yes."
Arriving at Virith-Anash, before continuing our journey back to the Empire, Delilah granted us a few hours of rest. This wasn’t rely due to her kindness, but also because so of the cadets needed so ti in order to recuperate from the long teleportation.
I was generally fine, but I did feel a little nauseous.
Long-distance teleportation took quite a heavy toll on a person’s body. I could only imagine how big of a toll Delilah’s body took.
’Is she okay? I’m sure she’s fine. She didn’t show much of a reaction. But what if...?’
Before I knew it, I found myself worrying about her. This was sothing that I couldn’t help.
In general...
These couple of hours would do good for too.
But there was still one issue.
"So you’re also that weird Lazarus guy who these people claim to be a rchant pirate?"
"You beca a pirate?"
...The sudden onslaught of questions was starting to get to . The emotional reunion that I had expected never materialized. Rather, I was imdiately strangled before suddenly being reminded of my ti back when I was here.
Back when I was Lazarus the rchant, who sohow ended up being a pirate, and a sort of legend within this city.
’The one who defied the Light.’
Was what they called Lazarus.
Just thinking about it made wince.
’Wait, how do they even know all of this?’
Actually, thinking about it, it probably wasn’t hard to know.
In the end, we all managed to enter a more spacious bar where all the cadets sat around as they bombarded with questions.
"Kek."
"...Kuk."
Of course, the topic still lingered on my pirate days.
"So what did you do as a pirate? Did you go to other ships and take their loot?"
"Haha, I bet that you managed to get a lot of loot."
"Yeah, a lot of..."
Right then, everyone paused, and the previous smiles suddenly faded as realization dawned on them. Staring at their reaction, I imdiately got a bad feeling as I shook my head.
"No, I didn’t loot anything. I have my own morals."
I could tell from just a glance that they were eyeing my money. But no. I wasn’t going to give it to them.
"Then what about all the bones you were selling not too long ago?"
My lip twitched as I looked at Leon.
The more I looked at him, the more useless he seed to . I was just about to open my mouth to say, ’I should’ve sold you’, and whatnot, but recalling the ti when he insulted in the past, I hastily shut my mouth.
’Right, he’ll just say I overuse my jokes, and how I wasn’t funny and all that...’
For clarification, I didn’t.
...And even if I did, it didn’t matter. What mattered was my delivery, and my delivery was great.
At the very least, it was leagues better than Leon’s.
"So? You seriously didn’t plunder any unlucky soul? If you don’t have money, how did you manage to survive? No, how did you even get here before us?"
At Aoife’s sudden question, the atmosphere turned quiet.
"Right, how was he here before us?"
"...It makes no sense at all."
Looking at everyone and seeing the confusion on their faces, I replied rather quickly.
"Actually, I was on a secret mission."
I had been thinking about how to explain the entire ordeal to them for a while, knowing that I was going to reunite with them eventually. The answer was simple.
"The Chancellor sent on a mission to scout the area before you guys. It was part of my graduation mission. The reason why she sent first is because, as the Black Star, my evaluation is a bit different."
"Ah, that makes sense."
"...Right. Why didn’t I think of that?"
Many of the cadets bought my excuse as they all snapped up their fingers in understanding. Of course, that was rely for those who were unaware of my supposed ’death’. Those who were aware all looked at in silence, their gazes digging into .
I could only pretend not to see their expressions as I talked with the other cadets.
However, staring at everyone who was speaking to , asking questions, so smiling, so laughing, I couldn’t help but feel that the scene was strange.
’Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that this would happen in my first year.’
I thought back to my first year in the world.
Those had probably been my hardest days. During those days, it felt as though the entire world was against , and I was fighting against it in order to survive. I shut everything around and just focused on myself.
But then...
Sowhere, so ti, everything changed.
The cadets no longer appeared scared of . I was also not scared or against interacting with them. Looking at the comfortable smiles as I talked to them, I realized just how much had changed since the first year.
Was it them who changed, or was it ?
’Maybe it’s both.’
Whatever the case was, this was... kind of nice.
*
"Ugh."
While the atmosphere was nice and all, it still ended up tiring out by the ti the second hour clocked in. Feeling a headache starting to form, I excused myself and went out of the bar, wandering about the city that I had once lived in for a bit of ti.
mories of the ti I was Lazarus resurfaced in my mind as I walked around the bazaar, now a lot quieter than before, until I eventually ca to a stop in front of a familiar place.
"This was where I worked for a while. I called it the Gray Chamber rchant Group. I sold a lot of things."
"...So you did end up making a lot of money."
"I lost it all."
Feeling my lips pull up, I turned around to see a pair of gray eyes staring directly at . While his appearance was a little different since we were outside, his eyes were still the sa, and so was his voice.
"I take it that you’re here because you’re not satisfied with the answer I previously gave?"
"The one about you being here on a secret mission?"
"Ha."
I let out a soft laugh.
"...I take it that I’m right."
Well, this didn’t surprise . The excuse wasn’t exactly the greatest, and knowing Leon, he was probably curious as to why I had to fake my own ’death’.
I thought about telling him the truth, but...
’I don’t know.’
Leon. Leon... I thought back to how his na was Noel, inverted, and everything that Noel had done to him in the past. From teaching him to guiding him to so extent.
I knew that Noel wouldn’t simply na him Leon and guide him for no reason.
He had plans for Leon, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.
’Perhaps, when I get back, I should consider asking Noel.’
But whether Noel would give an answer or not was an entirely different matter
That bastard...
"Nope. I’m not interested in knowing what you did."
Surprisingly, Leon shook his head, prompting to raise my brow.
"You aren’t?"
"No, not really."
Leon scratched the side of his neck as I replied.
"You probably have your own reasons, and I’ve been quite busy recently. Life as a prince isn’t as easy as one might think."
"Oh, right."
I was suddenly reminded of this guy’s other identity.
’Right, right. He is a prince, isn’t he?’
"A lot of politics and attempted assassinations. Life without you was quite hectic. You can say that this trip to the mirror dinsion has been one of the most relaxing tis of my life."
"Is that so?"
Good for him, I guess.
"In that case, do you want to be my knight again?"
"No, fuck that."
"That’s..."
There was not even a hint of hesitation in Leon’s voice.
That...
It kind of hurt.
’It’s not like I treated him badly or anything like that.’
Save from the occasional, ’I’ll sell you’, comnt, I felt that I treated him well. The one who treated him badly was the other Julien.
"Even if I wanted to be your knight, now that my identity has been revealed, it’s impossible. It’ll create a ss of the Verdant Empire. The chaos will be pretty big, and..."
Leon suddenly stopped mid-sentence, covering his mouth as he looked at .
"Now that I think about it, that does sound pretty entertaining."
His lip pulled up slightly as I took a step back.
’What the hell is going on?’
I thought he hadn’t changed while I was gone, but he certainly did. Looking at him and seeing the expression he was making while thinking about the possible chaos his actions would bring, I started to have a bad feeling.
"Say..."
Leon looked at , his eyes flickering.
"On second tho—"
"Fuck that."
I cut him off before he could even get his words out.
"You’re fired."
"I’m not even hired."
"Doesn’t matter. You’re fired. Don’t even think about it."
"Tsk."
Leon clicked his tongue, and then the two of us paused. Briefly after that, we both smiled.
Well...
Only briefly, as we both started to cringe.
"...Ukh. Never again."
"Yes."
By the ti it was all said and done, the two of us returned to the group, and we soon headed back toward the eting spot where Delilah was waiting. The eting spot was located a little bit off the main city, in a more desolate area near the cliff where one could still hear the raging waters of the Crimson Sea smash against the cliff. As I stood by the group, I saw her gaze linger over everyone but as she snapped her fingers.
"Is everyone ready?"
The mont Delilah asked the question, she was t with several nods as so of the cadets paled, so even holding onto their stomachs.
Not that Delilah seed to care as she suddenly raised her hand and snapped it.
Snap!
One by one, the cadets began to fade before my eyes, disappearing right in front of . I stared at the sight, waiting for my turn to inevitably arrive, but as the cadets faded one by one, I felt a sinking feeling.
One that beca glaring the mont everyone disappeared from view, leaving behind a pair of obsidian eyes staring directly at .
Splash! Splash!
The crashing of the raging water against the cliff echoed louder than ever as I stared at Delilah.
A question arose in my mind at that mont.
’To jump, or not to jump?’
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