Chapter 222 – Travel (6)

A morning with ice ducks chirping noisily outside the window.
I was leaning against the back of the bed and staring blankly at the pouring sunlight.
The events that happened in Nova’s room last night couldn’t leave my mind.
The lewd sound of water, the soft skin, and even the way he expressed affection for her hand movements as if he was possessed by something.
The whole thing was so sudden and confusing that I had no idea how to look at her face.
However–

“Nova left first thing at dawn.”
“What?”
“I guess Yongyong came to visit at night. “She said she was so lonely that she had no choice but to go to the meeting place first?”
“…”

Terra answered calmly, drying her hair with her towel, and unfolded her map on her table, unaware of my shocked mood.
The cities attached to the Sakel Alliance were spread out across the eastern part of the continent, and our destination was the easternmost of them.

“You said you would get there if you ran all day today, right? “I’m going here.”
“There’s nothing written on the map? “It’s just a mountain range.”
“That’s because it’s an unexplored area right now. “It’s a land that’s more barren than it looks because it’s full of monsters and there’s no useful minerals or wood.”

Does ‘now’ mean that it wasn’t in the past?
It was quite far from Luvier, the capital of the Acetaria Empire.
Suddenly, I became curious about how Terra had found the location of Sacreure, who had been the subject of numerous gossips from celebrities.

“How did you find it? “She was in a place no one knew where she was.”
“Do you want to know~?”

Then she rested her chin and looked at me intently.
The blonde hair, bathed in sunlight and giving off a flowery scent, landed on her desk.
When I couldn’t answer, Terra smiled and folded her map and put it in her pocket.

“I’ll tell you everything later.”

As always, she seemed to have many secrets.

***

“Ruler! “Then, let’s cheer up and start today too?”

Before we knew it, it was just the two of us on a trip.
After passing through the crude gate, the carriage picked up speed more than before.
Terra naturally sat down next to me, but remembering what happened with Nova last night again, I got up and ran to the seat across from me.
She just smiled lightly and didn’t ask why.

The journey is so long and boring that I am now tired of even looking out the window.
In this situation, where you are trapped in a wooden box, the only place you can’t help but focus your attention is on the beautiful wizard in front of you.
Terra, as if she had a lot to do other than spinning the Magic Cube, which she couldn’t solve like me, had her knees somewhat together and her book open.
Are you practicing magic?
The beautiful ring of light waving at her fingertips performed amazing tricks, moving like a screen saver on an old monitor.

“You used to like this kind of thing a lot, but it hasn’t changed at all.”
“I?”
“Yes, you kept begging me to show you.”

As I was looking at her as if I was hitting her bulge, she spoke to me.
Maybe it was when you first saw magic?
Anyone would be amazed, especially young boys.

“Especially like this Paba Bak! “When I attached a flying flame to a tree branch and shook it, it made me very happy.”

I don’t remember exactly, but it must have been right after I was summoned, before or in the early stages of entering the demon world.
Because it was dangerous to create a firework that openly announces the location like that.
Unlike me, who only had memories soaked in blood and demonic energy, Terra still had many memories.
And the kindness with which she constantly reminded me of such moments was what made her truly endearing.

A favorite loved by the world and magic.
I’m sure it was the luckiest thing in the world to have her by my side.
I watched quietly until the glowing flame in my hand died out.
As the sound and light died and only the sparkling afterimage remained, blocking my vision, I gained the courage to tell a story that was difficult to say face to face.

“I had an incident with Nova yesterday.”
“…”
“That’s probably why he left first today.”
“What happened?”

As always, Terra listened to my concerns with a gentle smile.
Like a sister, or like a mother.
It was not like an enemy ship handing its own water bag to a traveler looking for water in the desert.
My teacher, colleague, and second dearest woman in the world.
I remember last night Nova confessing her feelings and saying her name.

“He says I am the brightest star to him.”

For no reason, I tap the holy sword that emits a soft light from my waist.
The afterimage effect created by the flames still remains, blocking the view.

“They say it’s okay to go blind as long as you’re next to me.”

Did Nova also feel this way when she spoke out?
It’s a shameful feeling.

“Hmm~ That’s a childlike expression.”
“What do you think?”
“What about Nova? Or about you?”
“…”

In fact, the answer had already been given the previous evening, but I didn’t answer.
If I look back on the fact that I left Hublett behind and the affectionate courtship I have received from them so far, I cannot come up with any other answer.
Maybe I don’t have the courage to listen.
No matter what kind of relationship developed, it was a kind of change to my immature self to have my relationship with colleagues who I had considered as my spiritual support change in a different way.

“Lewis, have I ever told you where I’m from?”

However, Terra was considerate and kind until the end.

“No, it’s just that I’m not from a noble or magic family.”
“That’s right. It’s really nothing. She was the daughter of a farmer who ran a ranch in a small town south of Penheim. “She was just a milkmaid.”

She closed the curtains on her window and took the seat next to me before the light returned to my eyes.
Then she gently hugged her head.

“Of course, the talent was extraordinary. She liked tinkering with tools more than cutting grass, and she could use magic. “After realizing that my talent was at a dangerous level, I immediately left my hometown and traveled the world to learn magic.”
“…”
“You know what? There is as much magic in the world as the stars in the night sky. “There are more than 10,000 spells corresponding to the White and Black Magic spells recorded by the Kingdom Library and the Seven Magic Towers.”

Then I realized.
Who was the first to do this to me, where I calmly surrendered myself with peace of mind?

“Thousands of sacred magic professed by the Holy Kingdom, the five great dukes’ own seasons created through unique magic, the 1,327 unique magic spells I have, and the twelve and one magic I gave you.”
“…”
“Did you ask what you meant to me, Louis?”

From the time I was writhing in pain in a pit of blood.
From the time when my heart was dry on the battlefield of the demon world.
All the while keeping me from going crazy.

“If to Nova you are the brightest star, to me you are the one and only magic.”

This was how she hugged me the whole time.

“A knight with a nobler soul than anyone else, a boy with a sense of justice that cannot be broken even when broken. “If your presence, bringing light to this terrible world, is not magic, what is it?”
“…”
“I really love you, Louis.”

I had no answer to that earnest sincerity.
Perhaps embarrassed to have confessed her feelings, in her slightly watery voice she reveals one more secret of hers.

“You asked how I was able to find Sacreir’s location? It’s simple. “Every place you’ve ever walked is marked on my lighthouse.”
“Really… ?”
“Yes, that’s why I was able to come to you straight from Baldur’s nightmare. “There is a record of our stay in the mountain range we are currently heading to, even if it was only for a short period of time.”
“…”
“I’m sorry!! Just thinking about you being left behind in the demon world makes me so worried… !!”

I now know that in addition to the thirteen unique magic spells, I also placed a spell on my body.
In general, it was a type of insurance to recognize immediately when life was in danger.
Of course, it wasn’t that I didn’t understand because I thought that the spirit I had cultivated with care might be pushed to extremes during the ten years we were apart.
But I don’t need it anymore.

“Release it immediately.”
“… Oh, can’t I solve it?”
“…”
“Or just say sister once…”

After threatening her the entire time her carriage arrived at her destination, I was finally able to dispel the tracking spell on her.
A little later than scheduled.
We arrived at a small village called Saddam, located on the eastern edge of the Sakel Union.

***

“Welcome, you two. The room was just right for the number of people…”
“Well, I only have gold coins… Here you go.”
“There is only one left. “Business is doing well these days.”

In a deserted village where most adventurers had left for the north, the innkeeper waved his hands, saying there were no rooms available.
In the room we climbed up the creaky stairs, there was a bed that was rather large for two people.

“Let’s rest today and go to Sacreur tomorrow.”
“Okay…”
“Have you made up your mind? Or not yet?”
“…”
“Don’t worry too much, Louis. I cherish you more than anything else in the world. “If my relationship with you changes and you lose your peace of mind, I will bury my love deep in my heart until the end.”
“After all is said, what are you talking about?”
“You can erase as many memories as you like. “Because we care about you that much.”

As she unpacked her luggage, she took out a small pouch from her pocket and assembled the cigarette pack inside her.

“I’m going out for a bit, so take a break.”

Those words sounded like a message telling me to prepare my heart.
In the room where Terra left, I lay alone and lost in thought.
Although they now say that they can easily make it up to something that never happened, the concerns and inner feelings of the two people would have been completely opposite.
Because I’ve been patient with it ever since I was in the demon world.

If Eris existed… What did she say?

“Ugh… !!!”

At that moment, my chest tightened strongly.
A tearing pain struck my heart, and my breath became entangled.
I tried not to think about it.
When you’re stuck with two people like this, you can’t help but think about it.

“Kkkk… !”

I tried to get up, but immediately fell back on the blanket.
The few seconds I had to somehow crawl through the white net felt like an eternity.
Craddangtang! I fell next to the bed and barely managed to reach out and grab the holy sword that was standing in the corner.
Then, little by little, his breathing returned and blood began to appear in his face.

“Huh, ha, huh… !”

The hand holding the sword as if it would break, the head dropping to the floor.
Tears and saliva fall endlessly.
It was so painful.
However, in exchange for the pain, there was also a long-ago memory and a word of permission.

“…”

I flopped down on the floor.
Yes, I was as weak as ever.
I couldn’t let the feelings of Terra and Nova, who had cared for me and embraced me, go away like this.
I got up, washed my face, gathered myself, and waited for Terra to come in.
And after a while——

“Did you wash first?”
“I decided.”
“… I see “How is it?”
“Sacrer will be leaving the day after tomorrow.”

Even though she was an outstanding magician who mastered the laws of the world, Terra was unable to hide her anxious expression as she pursed her lips.
Seeing her expression brighten as she waited for my answer, I thought she wouldn’t regret this choice.

“Really… Is it real?”
“That’s right.”
“Oh, I understand. Then wait there for a moment!”

However, contrary to my expectations that he might lunge at me, Terra threw away his cigarette and went outside again.
Then, after some time, footsteps, believed to be those of two people, were heard through the wooden door.

— Did you really succeed?
— Is that so? Lewis, I’m going in!

And the moment I met Terra, who had entered her room with Nova, who had left this morning.

“Huh… ?”

I realized that I was in a situation I had never experienced before.