Farewell, Second Hotown
Red Wolf Tribe.
The mont I heard those words, I felt my mind reel.
"R-Red Wolf Tribe... that na sounds familiar."
"That is our holand."
At my words, Serena clapped her hands together with a loud snap! Then she jumped in surprise.
"What!?"
Serena, so flustered.
That was exactly how I felt, too.
Why would the Red Wolf Tribe target us? If they were our people, shouldn't it be natural for them to support us?
Is it because we veered off course and didn't finish the 'Journey of Proof'?
"Rugar."
I murmured once more the na that Miriam had ntioned.
"Barkal, do you know a na called Rugar?"
"Hmm."
At my question, Barkal let out a deep sigh. Through the skull helt he wore, his eyes trembled violently.
"I think... I know, but I can't rember."
"Then you don't know, brother."
"No! Wait! I'm sure it'll co back to !"
Barkal started squeezing his head with both hands. But as if he still couldn't recall, he reached out the "World's Precipice" to .
"I need so stimulation, brother!"
"Stimulation?"
"If you bonk! with this, it'll go bam! and I'll rember, brother!"
If I bonk!
and then
bam!
... would it not split in half instead?
"Hurry!"
Despite my worries, Barkal looked quite serious.
"Rather than that, just focus a bit more on the na 'Rugar'."
"Uh, uhhm."
"Brother Dmihtan, is it a na you've never heard before?"
"That's right."
I really don't know it at all.
To begin with, I don't even know the nas of the barbarian friends, so I just called them things like Geodude, bulbasaur, cubone.
"Rugar, rugar... Ru, gar?"
Yes, rugar.
But 'Rugar' sounds like so kind of PokéX, too. Did Geodude or Bulbasaur evolve without noticing?
"I rember, brother!"
Barkal was fiddling with the handle of the "World's Precipice."
He suddenly shouted as sothing ca to him.
"Who is it?"
"Rugar! That's the na of the priest of the Red Wolf Tribe!"
Priest?
Now I rember who he was. He was the one who tried to kill , saying I reeked of the necromancer's magic and necromancy.
Honestly, when he tried to hang , I didn't have anything to say. The priest was right, after all.
"Kuhahaha! Priest Rugar! It's been ages since I've heard that na! How nostalgic!"
"Barkal."
"What is it, brother!"
"He's the one who requested the Disguiser to kill us."
Barkal's eyes shook fiercely.
"The priest! Why!!!"
* * *
Barkal looked terribly dejected at the thought that the priest had tried to kill him.
It was surprising, of course. The priest of the Red Wolf Tribe seed to have acted as priest for quite so ti.
"Being a priest... that's a high position among the Red Wolf barbarian, right?"
Seeing Barkal so downcast, Serena asked out of curiosity.
I nodded.
"He is. A position second only to the chieftain."
"Soone like that... why on earth?"
"Hm."
I let out a short sigh.
I don't know the reason.
But it's a bit hard to just answer like that.
Maybe, the priest was truly thinking of the tribe, and, unable to cast off his suspicions about being a necromancer, tried to kill .
"From even before we left the tribe for the Journey of Proof, the priest saw us as a thorn in his side."
"Was there a reason for that?"
"He said my brother reeked of vile magic!"
Barkal took over the explanation.
"He said he slled the magic of the necromancer and pointed out the Sage precisely!"
"To Brother Dmihtan!?"
"That's right!"
"What a strange person!"
As soon as talk of necromancers arose, both of them started shouting in angry voices.
"There's no way Brother Dmihtan could be trash like a necromancer!"
"That's right!"
"We killed a necromancer together, and even a lich!"
"That's right!"
"And if you are a necromancer, does that an you murdered a companion, a shaless act?"
"Indeed!"
Ahem.
As they exchanged pointless words back and forth, I let out a fake cough.
Serena.
You really don't know, do you?
"To get back to the point, because of that misunderstanding, the priest tried to kill ."
"Do you suppose this request is an extension of that misunderstanding?"
"That's..."
I can't be sure.
"Miriam."
"Yes?"
"Who exactly was the target of the request?"
"Uh..."
At my question, miriam hastily flipped through her notebook.
"It says... Dungeon God."
The target was the adventurer party Dungeon God.
That ans, the priest didn't just want only my head.
It's not certain. This is probably just my guess.
"Still, we've gotten sothing out of this."
The Second Finger's warehouse.
We'd co all the way here with a wagon—if we'd gotten nothing out of it, that wouldn't do.
As I said that, Barkal's face brightened.
"As expected, you can always see the good side, brother."
Barkal turned to the new "Erindal."
Saying honey was dripping from his gaze wouldn't be too much.
"Let's go back."
With those words, we headed back to the wagon we'd co on. Krunga welcod us as if to say "let's return."
Everyone except Barkal, that is.
After all, getting a new axe ant an increased burden for him.
Because of that, krunga glared at Barkal with eyes almost human-like.
"Kuhahaha! Even the beast recognizes it? What a worthy weapon!"
No, Barkal.
It really hates it. Krunga even shook its head side to side, as if it understood Barkal's words.
Even so, Barkal could only burst out laughing.
I can't tell which one's the real beast.
* * *
Having finished our business, we boarded the wagon and returned to Odheim.
When we arrived at the Golden Chain rchant guild, lendorn ca out to greet us. It seed, since we'd been gone so long, he thought we might have already left.
But there was nothing left to do in Odheim or the Rozelia region anymore.
We'd gotten clues about the Player.
We'd found the fragnt.
Things with Serena had also been settled for now.
"At dawn, we'll return to Iushil."
"A-at last...!"
Marcus, who'd been listening beside Lendorn, let out a sigh of relief.
Is he so eager for us to leave the rchant guild? I wanted to ask.
"Kuhahaha! A banquet! I'm in such a good mood today—prepare twice as much!"
Thinking of Barkal's appetite, I suddenly felt sorry.
Even at the Bearded Cat Inn, the owner Hordi had been amazed at how much Barkal could eat.
Well, it was nice for , since it ant less spending.
"T-then, I suppose I'll get going too."
Arriving back in Odheim, miriam also started getting ready to leave.
I approached her and quietly asked,
"Are you going to see to First Finger's business?"
"Huh? Ah..."
At my question, miriam trailed off.
"I don't really like working as a Disguiser... hehe."
Miriam gave an awkward smile.
"For , it's easier to just obey so noble, get by, maybe even open a modest shop and live off that."
"You really are rather frugal."
"That's right. This suits best."
Again, she smiled bashfully.
"If fate allows, I'm sure we'll et again!"
Miriam held out her hand. It seed she wanted a handshake.
I took her hand. Although there'd been a lot of incidents, it wasn't enough to form a grudge.
* * *
Finally back in Odheim, miriam felt as if she had returned to her real hotown.
It was only natural—Miriam didn't really like working as a Disguiser.
The reason she'd left her ho city, armandie, in the first place was to give up her obligations as a Disguiser, even if just a little.
Thus, with a light heart, she headed again to the noble who had hired her—Balthazar de Rancher.
"Seize that wench."
But as soon as she arrived at Balthazar's mansion, what greeted her was a cold voice, like a dagger.
"What?"
Caught off guard by this incomprehensible situation, miriam was bewildered.
"L-Lord Balthazar?"
"Do you even know what cri you have committed?"
So shocked, miriam could only shake her head with no answer.
No way.
Has he found out I'm First Finger? Or, that I'm the Disguiser?
No.
Miriam was sure she'd hidden her identity thoroughly.
The only reason the Dungeon God adventurer party saw through her disguise was the unexpected event where her mask was forcibly removed—otherwise, she would have hidden it still.
So why, then?
"How dare you deceive and collude with Elenora."
Balthazar murmured, lips quivering with anger. But what he said was sothing Miriam couldn't easily understand.
"W-what are you talking about, Lord Balthazar?"
"I heard it from Roan, heinrich's confidant. He said the Dungeon God's barbarian tested you at the training ground."
At first, she didn't understand, but after a mont, she realized.
It was about when Barkal had trained her, along with two errand boys, at the Golden Chain's training ground.
"I heard that when the test ended, only you and Elenora's side's errand runner remained."
Balthazar narrowed his eyes and glared at Miriam.
"So why did you not report a single thing about Dungeon God?"
Miriam was speechless.
She absolutely couldn't explain that she had duties as the First Finger.
Then what excuse could she make?
"The answer is simple."
Balthazar, itching to speak, brushed his hand over his lips.
"Did you act as a diator for Elenora's side?"
"No!"
"Hm."
Even at her denial, balthazar didn't seem convinced—his eyes remained narrowed to slits.
"I'm telling the truth. Please believe , Lord Balthazar!"
But as Miriam pleaded with heartfelt earnestness, balthazar's gaze began to waver.
"I want to trust you too."
"My Lord..."
"So, I'll send soone to Elenora's side to ask. I'll hear directly from their errand runner what conversation took place with Dungeon God."
"If that's so, I...."
Miriam sighed in relief, thinking maybe this would resolve things.
She thought,
Elenora's errand runner, ebel, was actually the Disguiser, and Elenora's side never sent anyone.
Trouble.
If it is revealed that Ebel was the Disguiser, more and more irritating issues will arise.
So, miriam decided.
"If I can prove my innocence, I'm fine with anything!"
Run away.
Before he finds out anything!
As soon as possible!
---
Reviews
All reviews (0)