Late afternoon.
Guston was trimming ingredients, and Scarlet was sitting at a table, puffing on a long pipe, each spending their ti leisurely.
Just then, a boisterous sound was heard from outside.
Thump!
"Co here!"
A rather arrogant guest had arrived.
The guest's blood-red eyes sparkled with mischief.
He looked at Scarlet, and then, holding out one arm, he bent his waist slightly.
It was a posture like a knight elegantly greeting a noble lady.
"This Ashuban of the Half-Sword has co running at the command of my lady."
Scarlet smiled faintly and greeted the guest with her characteristic, languid voice.
"Welco."
And then, she paused.
At the atmosphere that had changed once again from what she had seen before, Scarlet's eyebrow, which had been holding the pipe, arched to one side.
"Ashuban, you..."
The mont she was about to say sothing to him.
A small head popped out from behind him.
It was a white and black head.
Their eyes t.
The pupils were white and black, like the hair color.
"Big Sister!"
A woman, sowhere between a girl and a woman, ca running, her white and black hair flying.
Scarlet stood up from her seat and opened her arms towards her.
"Siri!"
"Big Sister...!"
HUG!
The voice of the one and only saint of light and darkness, Sirila, was choked with tears.
Scarlet hugged her tightly and whispered in a gentle voice.
"Our Siri, your hair has beco colorful while I haven't seen you. It's pretty."
While the two won were enjoying the joy of their reunion.
The burly man, Guston, ca out of the kitchen wearing a very unfitting apron.
He was holding a large kitchen knife in his hand.
"What kind of crazy bastard is this?"
The red-eyed man standing at the door grinned.
"It's , you son of a bitch."
At that, Guston also responded with a fierce smile.
It was a smile that resembled each other, as if they were looking in a mirror.
"You're a spirited fellow. Let's see if you have the skills to back up your big talk."
And then, he suddenly threw the kitchen knife he was holding.
Swoosh!
A rough wind swept through the restaurant.
The kitchen knife, surrounded by an intangible energy, created a storm and flew at Ashuban.
Ashuban stared at the kitchen knife with a grin on his lips.
His hair and clothes fluttered wildly, but he didn't care.
He just stared at the flying knife.
Ashuban held out one hand.
Trrrk—
The Snow White Ice Curtain rose.
The mont he was about to grab the kitchen knife with that hand.
Clang!
The Snow White Ice Curtain shattered too easily, like glass.
And then.
Fwoosh!
The red energy that had been crouching inside the Snow White Ice Curtain rose like a tidal wave.
Ashuban grabbed the flying kitchen knife with his hand wrapped in red energy.
Thwack!
The air burst like a shockwave, and the cutlery holder on the nearby table fell with a loud noise.
"Hmm!"
A vein popped out on Ashuban's forehead.
As if one hand was not enough, the other hand belatedly joined in.
Trrrk!
Ashuban was pushed back about a step, holding the kitchen knife with both hands.
That was how much trendous power was contained in the kitchen knife that Guston had thrown.
"Hooo..."
Ashuban let out a long breath and looked at the owner of the kitchen knife.
Guston's eyes were wide open.
It was a face that said he hadn't expected him to catch it.
"Are you surprised? This is ."
The hand holding the kitchen knife was tingling, but Ashuban didn't show it.
Instead, he gave a very brazen smile, as if it were nothing.
Guston muttered with a reluctant face.
"I thought you would dodge or block it."
"Don't be mistaken. I'm not the sa as before."
Guston let out a breath of "Huh—".
"You crazy bastard. You've gotten even stronger. I heard you beat up an S-rank magical beast in Tundra, did you gain enlightennt in the process?"
"That's part of it. And I also learned sothing while beating up the hero."
"...Hero?"
Guston made a strange face.
"Don't tell , you an the master of the Holy Sword?"
"Is there any other?"
"Don't lie."
"There's a witness here, so check for yourself."
The mont Guston's gaze flowed to Sirila, who was hugging Scarlet.
The smile on Ashuban's lips deepened.
"Carelessness is forbidden!"
The kitchen knife he was holding suddenly froze white, and a blue fla settled on it.
The kitchen knife, wrapped in the Snow Branch Blue Fla, flew towards Guston.
Swoosh!
It also created a gust of wind and crossed the restaurant.
Thump!
Guston caught the flying kitchen knife with one hand.
It was a series of movents that looked so simple compared to Ashuban, who had caught it with both hands and had even been pushed back.
"Tsk."
Ashuban clicked his tongue.
On the other hand, Guston made a more surprised face than when Ashuban had caught the kitchen knife.
"Crazy. What is this."
Guston shook the kitchen knife as if he were shaking off a burning branch, and scattered the blue and white energy that had ford on the blade.
The Snow Branch Blue Fla disappeared with a "fwoosh—" like a candle being extinguished.
Guston switched the kitchen knife to his other hand and repeatedly clenched and unclenched the hand that had caught it.
His palm was tingling.
"..."
Guston, who had been looking at his palm for a mont, raised his head.
A smile that was clearly deeper than before was playing on his lips.
"You bastard."
Ashuban raised the corner of his mouth.
"It's heavy, isn't it? The day I kick your ass is not far off. Wipe your ass and wait."
Guston suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha!"
Ashuban naturally joined in.
"Hahahaha!"
The two, who had been laughing like madn for a while, stopped laughing.
"I'll wipe it clean and wait. Co at anyti."
"You're scared on the inside, aren't you? I know."
"No way. It should be at least a warm-up, but I'm worried it won't even be that."
"Bullshit."
Guston stroked his beard.
"Still, it's not enough to beat the master of the Holy Sword."
"Ah, ask Siri, you magical beast."
At that, Guston's gaze turned to Sirila.
Sirila, who had been in Scarlet's arms, brightened up and ran to Guston.
"Captain!"
Guston quickly put down the kitchen knife he was holding on the next table and then caught the jumping Sirila.
"You little rascal. Have you been well?"
"No!"
Guston chuckled.
"It's good to see you're safe. You've beco a spotted cow while I haven't seen you."
"Hehehe, Big Brother said that too."
"Did he?"
The two looked at each other and laughed, as if they were so happy.
Even Guston, who always had a frown on his face, was disard in front of Siri.
"Oh my, they're so happy. He said he wasn't interested in where she was or what she was doing. Look at him grinning."
Ashuban clicked his tongue.
"That magical beast only likes Siri. He's a terrible favoritist. Isn't that right, Big Sister?"
Scarlet tapped the ashes off her pipe into the ashtray and smiled without a word.
And then, her gaze stopped at one place.
"But why isn't Linda coming in?"
At that, Ashuban looked at the window.
There, Linda was stuck to the window, looking inside with bright eyes.
Her nose, which was pressed against the window glass, was comically flattened.
Ashuban approached and knocked on the window.
"What are you doing there. Why aren't you coming in?"
Then, Linda, with her face squashed against the window, said.
—Devil, look at ! Bweeeh...
Scarlet and Ashuban stared blankly at Linda, who was diligently wiping the window with her face.
Her face was being squashed like clay from mont to mont.
"...Why is she doing that?"
"I wonder. I don't know either."
The two enjoyed Linda's surprise performance for a while.
"Her expressions are so diverse. How can she look like that?"
"She's cute, now that I look at her."
* * *
A welco party for Siri was held.
Guston closed the restaurant and, using his skills, filled the table with all kinds of dishes.
Looking at the types of food served, it was clear who the main character of this table was.
"Wow! My favorite barbecue! And fried food too!"
"Eat a lot."
Siri did not disappoint Guston's expectations and ate heartily.
After the welco party was over, and everyone had gone to bed.
I left the restaurant and headed into the forest where the fog cliff was spread out.
Whoosh—
When I unfolded my movent art, I reached the fog cliff in no ti.
There, the Red Witch, Scarlet, was waiting for , fully prepared.
"You're here?"
"Yes, Big Sister."
"And you're ready?"
"Of course."
"Take this first."
I took the necklace that Scarlet handed .
"Ah, this."
"That's right. It's the gift you gave ."
When I had returned to Maia, I had given Scarlet the gem that the flute-playing magician had had, as a souvenir.
A gem that looked similar to it was dangling from the necklace.
It seed it had been broken into several pieces, as it was much smaller than what I had given her.
"Wear it around your neck. You can't lose it."
"Yes."
I put the necklace around my neck and looked around.
Scarlet was waiting for right in front of the fog cliff.
The ground was densely drawn with a magic circle full of incomprehensible patterns and formulas.
And around it, several magic stones were surrounding it.
Several A-rank magic stones and one S-rank magic stone.
Behind it, the fog, imbued with moonlight, was shining gently.
And...
"You've co."
The fox that had been staring at the fog turned its body and looked at .
It was a silver fox with red around its eyes.
It looked even more mysterious under the moonlight.
"What, when did you get here?"
"I ca first and was waiting."
It was a guy who didn't even yawn, for a change.
Sohow, her voice also seed a bit reverent.
I thought she was sleeping in the hideout.
"What brings you here?"
"I ca to watch."
"What?"
"You, going on a long journey."
"?"
"Don't worry. Scarlet and I will be your guardians so that you can return without getting lost."
I blinked and then looked at Scarlet.
"Big Sister. An explanation, please."
Scarlet smiled brightly and began to explain.
"You're going to ti travel from now on."
"...Pardon?"
What kind of travel?
[Hoo.]
The Heavenly Demon, who had been watching quietly, straightened his posture with an interested face.
"To be precise, you're going on a journey to a past ti."
I was at a loss for words for a mont, and then, I managed to form an answer, my mouth agape.
"Is that... possible?"
"It wasn't easy. It would have been impossible if a certain competent helper hadn't helped."
Scarlet said that and winked at .
"Uh... then the special commission you said you would make to ..."
"It has to be this much to be called a special commission. Don't you think?"
A hollow laugh escaped my lips.
"Yes. It's incredibly special. A ti travel to the past."
The identity of the research that the Red Witch had been so obsessed with was a ti magic that traveled to the past.
I had wondered why the smartest and most knowledgeable Red Witch in the world had been cooped up in a mountain village, suffering from insomnia and so engrossed in it.
Yes, it had to be this much to be convincing.
Thinking about it that way, it didn't feel so strange.
'I've been on a few foreign trips. A ti travel is nothing.'
Peace ca to my mind.
'What the hell. Let's do it.'
I licked my lips and asked.
"So, what do I have to do?"
"Listen carefully from now on."
Scarlet explained with serious eyes.
"You will be going to three different ti periods in the past."
"And when are they?"
"I can't know that for sure either. Fate will guide you, so you just have to entrust your body to that flow naturally. You will drift through ti and space, riding the flow, and you will reach your destination."
"So, you're saying if I just stay still, I'll get there on my own?"
Scarlet nodded.
"When you arrive, there will be a reason why you had to visit that ti period. Be careful not to leave that ti period until you find it and solve it."
Scarlet pointed at the necklace.
"That will guide you."
I fiddled with the necklace around my neck, as if it were sothing new.
"Ashuban."
"Yes."
The low, sunken green eyes looked at .
"What you have to do is an investigation."
"What kind of investigation?"
"An investigation into a forgotten, old secret. An investigation into what happened to this world in the past."
Scarlet's green eyes shone with an unreadable light.
"An investigation into why the demon god died."
"...Pardon?"
(End of Chapter)
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