Chapter 107
Alicia, Liam, and Emily are officially starting their training with Charlotte.
Knowing each of their levels and general tendencies, Charlotte assigned different types of missions to each of them.
All the time under the sun hanging in the sky.
Alicia and Emily, as if they were holed up in solitary rooms, immersed themselves in the tasks assigned by Charlotte. The location was the Private Practical Training Ground prepared by the church.
⎯”Charlotte, I didn’t hear what I should do.”
⎯”You don’t have to do anything.”
⎯”…What?”
However, nothing was given to Liam.
While Alicia and Emily were assigned training that seemed excessively difficult, Liam was given no framework at all.
⎯”Liam. Do whatever you want.”
Charlotte said she wouldn’t care whether Liam trained or not. She told him to do as he pleased.
Come to think of it, the time Charlotte selected Liam as her mentee was before the end of the First Semester.
Even Liam himself felt that there was a significant difference in his mental state from then to now.
Because of this, Liam almost wondered if she had given up on him – thinking that caring about his broken self was pointless and just leaving him be.
Yet when he looked directly into her eyes, it didn’t seem that way at all.
“…”
As the heat of the scorching sun disappeared at night.
Deep in thought, Liam quietly observed a stream of moonlight descending inside his room.
Suddenly, he realized that he truly hadn’t done anything all day.
He hadn’t even eaten.
All he had done was lie on his bed, staring at the ceiling or zoning out while looking at the objects in the room.
It was the first time he had been stuck in this novel and done absolutely nothing. He hadn’t even checked the status window he usually kept open as a habit.
Without the transparent window associated with the game popping up, he felt even more uncertain whether this place was reality, virtual, or something else entirely.
Where am I?
And who am I…?
“…”
While looking out the window bathed in moonlight, Liam felt a desire to go outside. There was no reason. He just wanted to.
So, he left the room.
The creaking sound of the hallway echoed.
Squeak. After opening the old door, he immediately felt the rustling texture of the soil reach his ears.
Perhaps it was the remnants of warmth left by the sun during the day; he felt the warmth in the night air. Walking while enjoying the moderately warm and dry scent.
With no thoughts at all.
Just accepting the phenomena as they were.
⎯”Halt.”
Then Liam’s steps came to a stop.
In that path with no destination, a white crescent moon hung above.
And.
There was a woman sunbathing in the blue light.
There is a woman.
Her white hair sparkles, reminiscent of the Milky Way.
As she turns her head, she faces Liam.
“Oh, Mr. Liam.”
The owner of the unreal appearance was Alicia.
She smiles softly at Liam and asks, “Are you out for a walk?”
“No. Just….”
Liam trails off, adding nothing more. He was moving without a purpose, not for a change of mood or a light stroll.
“Sometimes that’s okay too.”
“……”
Yet, results emerge, and the future changes.
Whether that action carries meaning or not.
Whether it’s trivial or monumental.
It’s impossible to simply follow the existing patterns of history.
An awkward but not uncomfortable silence lingers.
Alicia tilts her head back to the crescent moon above.
The moonlight reflects off her translucent skin, making her appear even brighter.
As Liam gazes at her, he unconsciously opens his mouth slowly.
“Are you happy right now, Alicia?”
That was a question unrestrained by atmosphere or flow.
Her subtle smile looked incredibly comfortable, prompting him to ask.
Alicia answers seriously, despite the context being unclear. Her gentle smile blooms into a brilliant flower.
“Yes, very much.”
“…I see.”
Liam didn’t ask what filled that happiness. Even though he couldn’t know everything, it was conveyed to him.
Knowing the situation Alicia was in and how it had changed, Liam vaguely understood the elements included in her concept of happiness.
The fact that she felt happiness now was one of the results brought about by Vargan.
“Alicia… what if.”
Liam brings up a hypothetical scenario about the future, not knowing why he’s saying this.
“What if… Vargan suddenly disappears? If he vanished to a place that you could never find or reach….”
What do you think would happen…?
In response to Liam’s question, Alicia asks back.
“Is it a place that I absolutely cannot follow?”
“No.”
Even with death or dimensional magic.
While he and Vargan might be from outside the story, the characters within could not escape.
Unaware of this fact, Alicia ponders for a moment.
“…I might wander lost for the first few years. Unable to do anything, I’d likely end up in tears when I stop.”
She continues with her fictional tale.
Even if it’s hypothetical or unreal, Alicia’s nature is to take others’ questions seriously.
“Then after a few years, my emotions might settle down a bit. I’d guess the reasons for the Young Master’s departure, do what I need to do, and start walking the path I paused.”
The actions of the Young Master carry deep meanings. After all, he wouldn’t allow me to stand still.
Alicia states, “If the Young Master returns, I’ll make sure to be ready, so he can be satisfied. I’ll ensure he can come back anytime.”
Alicia said she would prepare for Vargan’s return, promising to do her best so he wouldn’t be disappointed when he returned.
However.
“No, Alicia.”
Hearing her words, Liam shakes his head.
“He’s not coming back. He can’t return.”
Alicia’s expression changes as she hears Liam’s words, like flower petals drenched in rain drooping down.
In a dark voice, she says, “I see…”
“Still, nothing will change. Even if you say you can’t go or he won’t come back, that’s also the Young Master’s will. It may be sad, but I won’t stop walking the ‘path of the Hero’ that he opened up for me.”
“…I can’t go, and even if I can’t come back, that is also the Young Master’s will. It’s sad, but I won’t stop walking the path you opened for me—the ‘Hero’s path.’”
Her determination is firm.
“Becoming a Hero and saving people is not only your legacy, Young Master, but also my own wish.”
“…Right.”
With Alicia as she is now.
If she is truly strengthened mentally by Vargan, that might really be the case.
Liam thought so.
“……”
A silence fell again.
“But… the first few years are going to be really tough.”
The conversation that seemed to be over was picked up again by Alicia.
This was something Liam hadn’t considered.
It was the aftermath of those who remained.
“If I barely manage to hold on, I’ll just be able to keep my sanity. To truly start walking, I’ll need to put in many times that effort. …So.”
Alicia expresses her small hope and desire.
For her, it was not a trivial desire.
“I really hope such a future doesn’t come.”
Even just imagining it seems to be a difficult task for Alicia. Her eyes crinkled sadly.
Only after seeing that did Liam realize what he had just said.
“Oh, I’m sorry… I said something strange for no reason.”
“It’s okay. It’s just a family story.”
During their conversation, a presence was felt from behind.
The owner of the footsteps doesn’t hide their identity but walks carefully.
Looking over, a red-haired woman stands awkwardly, smiling like someone caught off guard.
She came closer, curious about what they were discussing at the window.
After chatting briefly with Emily, Alicia speaks as they all prepare to leave.
“…But, Liam, I hope you remember this one thing.”
Alicia delivers the final line to finish that night.
This was a heartfelt concern that hit Liam, who had been stuck and unable to move forward.
“Just as the Young Master is a precious person to me, you too are a precious person to someone, Liam.”
Hearing Alicia’s words, Liam lifts his head to look at Emily.
When their eyes met, she beamed brightly.
“…Yeah, you’re right.”
Then somehow.
He felt like he could understand just a little bit what he wanted to do in this world and what he had to do.
“Thank you, Alicia.”
*
Leaving near Dortmund, the airship races through the sky at high speed.
“Wow, you’re really something.”
Me, Finn, and Helion are aboard.
The only girl in Helion’s team, Canella, gaped at the results I had achieved over the past few days.
The merged Familiar, Shadow Familiar Aduk, and Shackle Familiar Nuldori proudly lifted their heads and howled.
The fur covering Nuldori had vanished, and a wolf’s shadow jutted out in three dimensions.
The power of their abilities had amplified more than double, and both Familiars could use all of their innate powers.
“I mastered double fusion after two months, but you pulled it off in five days. What’s your secret?”
Canella continued to flatter me, saying the blood of Schugenharz was impressive.
Double fusion in five days….
No need to brag about what I had guessed.
I turned my gaze to Helion, who was looking out the window from afar. Not wanting to say much, I figured I’d pass the baton naturally here.
“It’s because I have a great master.”
“I can’t deny that. But still….”
“I can’t deny that, but still…”
As I listened to those unnecessary ramblings, a loud noise suddenly struck my eardrums.
My temper flared.
“What a talent worse than trash! You can’t do more than that? Just go die already!”
“I’m sorry…! I’ll try again, so please just give me one more chance…!”
I spotted Kshanoll, the swordsman ranked 23rd in the Hero Ranking, and Finn, who was clinging to him.
Finn had been begging Kshanoll to teach him for the past few days.
Naturally, when Kshanoll first heard Finn’s request, he cursed and showed his disgust.
He even said he’d rather take in a clueless kid wandering around aimlessly than teach someone like him.
However, Finn didn’t give up.
He threw his pride away far into the distance and repeatedly bowed his head.
Finally, after a tremendous effort, he managed to divert Kshanoll’s attention just enough for him to watch Finn’s stance, but he was soon back to shouting and cursing.
“I’ll work hard!”
But Finn remained undeterred.
In fact, his resolve burned even more fiercely.
“What a damn joke!”
That didn’t lessen the swearing or the beatings he received, though.
⎯”I learned about a place called the ‘Soul Forge Hall.’”
A few days ago, Finn revealed some information he received from Canthurman about the Soul Forge Hall.
It was a major secret, so he wouldn’t tell anyone else but me.
I thought he was just going to cling to Kshanoll and ask for information about the Soul Forge Hall, but it seemed he had some idea in mind for himself.
Or was he trying to build rapport by receiving direct teaching? If so, that’s not a bad plan.
Hmm.
The Soul Forge Hall… It came up in the original story, and although there are heroes like Kshanoll who are also from there, I don’t know its location or detailed information either.
The things I do know are similar to what Finn disclosed.
Only those with mediocre talent below a certain level can gain access, and the difficulty level is incredibly high.
It’s said that unless you have extraordinary mental fortitude, you can’t endure and will end up dead. Not just any ordinary death, but a complete mental breakdown.
⎯Zzuhng.
I turned my attention back to the combined familiar that was a mix of the shadow and the wolf, and released the fusion.
As a result, they returned to their original forms.
I dismissed the two hard-working familiars and sent them back.
Alright, the fusion is done.
Next on the agenda is taming Kry.
Though Kry, the Chimera Familiar, has shown a lot of reduction in vigilance, it’s still not at the following stage.
I shouldn’t give up and must continue to build intimacy.
I can see the outline.
If I successfully tame Kry completely, my familiar magic will reach the level of comprehension.
Then I can learn a new format of familiar magic that Helion didn’t show last time.
“Looks like we’ve arrived.”
Canella, who had been fidgeting in front of me, spoke up. She was observing Helion’s movements while looking out the window.
Then she pointed at me with an air of superiority.
“The Central Church is on a different scale than other churches! Don’t go turning to stone in shock, okay?”
We’ve finally arrived.
The center of the world and the most important place.
“I’ll do my best.”
As I accepted Canella’s fuss, I moved to look out the window.
What filled my view was a magnificent white building.
It was a towering structure that stood proudly, even for a building symbolizing religion.
