Chapter 632 – Requests and the Light of the Ring

000

After finishing the story, Bourbon shrugged his shoulders and looked at the red adamantite sword hanging from Cleon’s waist.

“The sword that my brother wielded. And, that posture was very similar to that of Talcheck, which is vivid in my memory. You were the man who inherited his sword. I mean- is he dead?”

Unless he died, there was no way he would pass that red sword to someone else.

No matter how much he cherished the disciple, that sword would have been a sword he would not let go of until he died.

The reason he was able to understand it was because, in that short but intense memory, Bourbon could feel everything about Talchek, a human being, even at a young age.

“…That’s right. He showed me the sword and the path he wielded throughout his life. And I got a lot from him.”

After Cleon came to this country of the East, he met Lesia and her companions, especially the strong traces left by Tal Chek several times, and naturally recalled the time he spent with them in his mind.

Memories with them, the blurring of memories will never come back.

Even if it scatters and someone changes differently than before.

“I came to look for traces of Gaios, and I heard a story related to Talcheck in an unexpected place.”

And, it will certainly not be a mere memory.

First of all, was it called Kwon Seong, the bald man who tried to kill Bourbon?

His identity was not difficult to guess.

Because the name came directly from Bourbon’s mouth.

Did you say Dharma?

His characteristic appearance was the same as that of the assailant he dealt with directly.

There seemed to be a bit of a difference in personalities and things like that, but there shouldn’t be any differences in skills.

If it was possible to make that Talcheck fall to the ground even once, then the strength he showed in that battle would be understandable to some extent.

And the skull mask that he retrieved was the enchanted demon before his body was remodeled—or, even after his body was remodeled, he still considered that mask his pride, I don’t know.

Even at that time, the two were on the same side, and at the same time, it is a story that they were moving under Adam’s command.

─The most important information.

At that time, when Dharma attacked Cleon and Quon, he was completely careless.

His original skills – It was hard to imagine that after 30 years, he would have lost his skills like a wild horse.

If so, it would be better to assume that even now, he still possesses the power and skill that made Talchek retire, even half of his body.

“…If I don’t think of something.”

Even if Cleon thinks to himself, he still doesn’t think that his swordsmanship skills have surpassed the Tal Check of his time.

Talcheck is still a distant existence for him.

Although, as if he could not be himself, even if he could imitate him.

[Hey.]

As Cleon was thinking so seriously, a voice came from behind him.

Hearing the voice mixed with concerns about whether it was okay for him to open his mouth, Cleon turned to see a dragon with excellent durability sitting in his seat and looking this way.

[…Is the old story over? It’s a little exciting story, so I kept my mouth shut without realizing it. Soon, why don’t you use that horn?]

“…Ah. Yes.”

Come to think of it, the horns were already in my hands. It’s just a small piece, though.

Cleon nodded and brought the horn in his hand to the ring. The horn intensified the soft light it emitted, then melted like a liquid and was sucked into one of the ring’s two empty slots.

This creates a translucent gem that is slightly more orange than gold, but slightly smaller than other gemstones.

“Is this… A pumpkin?”

When Bourbon, who watched the change closely, said so, Cleon gave a small nod of his head as if agreeing, then closed his eyes and concentrated on the jewel.

The magical power flowing from the jewel was clearly flowing in a certain direction.

And at the end, maybe- another trace of Gaios. No, I had a hunch that Gaios himself would be there this time.

“Can you feel something?”

“Huh. Finally, I think I can meet Gaios.”

Feeling that the long chase is about to end, Cleon sighs and protects his horn, looking back at the gargoyle he handed over.

“Thank you Gargoyle, thanks to you—”

Cleon’s words to express his gratitude stopped because the gargoyle at the end of his gaze as he looked back – the body of the dragon with the highest durability was slowly disintegrating.

Even if it collapsed, it wasn’t something like turning into powder or melting.

Like a golem whose magic has been released, the pieces of adamantite that make up its body began to fall with a thud.

“…”

[Good. I’m glad it seems to have gone well… Then, this is the end of my mission~. Is it ~]

The gargoyle’s voice sounded a little regretful, but also a little calm.

“Is it. Gargoyles are magical creatures originally created to “Protect something”. It is natural for it to disappear once its mission is fulfilled.”

When Bourbon nods as if he understands why his body is collapsing, Cleon approaches the gargoyle whose body is collapsing and talks to him.

“…Thank you. These horns you have been protecting will surely connect Gaios with the humans of the East.”

[I hope so, the dark demon’s sensor. However, you have to be careful. If all five dragons regain their strength and gather, he will move.]

When Cleon, who is worried about something and hears his warning, twitches his eyebrows, the gargoyles talk to him.

[In this world, a dragon slayer who hates dragons more than anyone else. Dragon Slayer.]

“The dragon’s shooter…? For a moment!”

As soon as Cleon said that and tried to grab the gargoyle’s paws, traces of magical power completely disappeared from his eyes, and the magical energy that formed his personality and ego disappeared.

“…Before you disappeared, you left behind something very troubling. Dragon slaughter shooter, he has an ugly name.”

“Did you mean to say that Gaios… Was hiding himself by avoiding him? The story I told you earlier about Gaios being chased by someone…”

As Cleon muttered, he put his hand on his ring with an anxious feeling of foreboding.

But soon, Cleon shook his head and raised the ring while looking at the remains of the gargoyle, which had become a completely simple lump of ore.

Then, as the light spread from the aisle that Cleon and Bourbon had been walking through, it was known that the magic power felt there had reconnected the aisle.

“I should have been able to get out with this.”

“That’s good. Good. Then let’s get out of this dark place quickly.”

As if agreeing with Bourbon’s words, Cleon takes a step forward towards the aisle.

And Bourbon, too, tried to run after him on short legs, but then looked back with a swish.

There, after looking at the ruins of the gargoyles that had collapsed, he stretched out his hand towards it.

Then, he filled the Adamantite ore as much as possible into the helmet he had slung behind his back.

“Whoa… If this is…”

In Bourbon’s head, the drawing paper naturally unfolds, and the magic pen dances while conceiving the blueprint-

“Bourbon? I think we can keep this passage only if you get out first!”

Hearing Cleon’s voice coming from the aisle, Bourbon, who suddenly came to his senses, exclaimed “Okay!”

Then, he threw his body towards the magic passageway maintained by Cleon, and exited the space.

001

Shuung! If you think you heard the spinning sound of magical power, a semi-transparent ellipse is drawn on the empty wall, and the border is made of magical bands, connecting this place with other spaces.

I couldn’t see where beyond it was, but as if passing through a wall, Bourbon’s body appeared one step ahead.

As she landed on the ground with a thud, she looked around her and let out a sigh of relief after confirming that she had come to the correct place before moving.

And, Cleon, who appeared after Bourbon, also erased the magic of the ring after passing through the passage, eliminating the passage through which he passed.

“I was able to come back properly.”

“That’s right. …Huh?”

When Cleon looked down at her as she answered her Bourbon’s reassuring words, Cleon smiled wryly at the sight of her carrying a load of ore in her opaque glass helmet.

“Surely, did I say that his body is special compared to other adamantite?”

“That’s right. With this, I can make ‘that’ I was trying to make.”

“That? …Rather than that, can you also process adamantite?”

When Cleon says that, Bourbon shakes her head.

“I can’t. All I can do is Daza, who is currently in the forge. Instead, you can make drawings. I’m going to ask Daja to make it.’

Making it has been a long-time dream of mine. At Bourbon’s words, Cleon shrugged her shoulders.

“If I told Herti, wouldn’t he have made it in the first place?”

“Not with plain adamantite. To some extent, I needed a guy with special magical power… But now that I have this, I can make it.”

When Bourbon said that, Cleon seemed to understand, and he himself looked at the ring.

“…Good. Now that we’ve accomplished our purpose here, let’s go back to Hertie. It’s been about an hour… I’ll worry if it’s later.”

And then, when Cleon moves his legs once more and tries to return to Bourbon’s camp, where Hertie will be waiting.

“For a moment! I have something to tell you before that.”

Bourbon stopped Cleon while saying that.

“Huh? Can’t we talk as we go?”

“No, Cleon, it’s something you should think about a little. I want you to tell me now and think about it while I go.”

The expression on Bourbon’s expression, which he had seen today, looked more serious than any other on her face, so Cleon met her eyes as he said yes.

“I intend to go back to Asteris with you. As I said earlier, I have to entrust this ore and blueprints to Daja.”

“Okay…?”
“…After I was attacked by that bald head when I was young, I really only occasionally returned to Asteris. And even then, I asked Herti to make it as inconspicuous as possible.”

At her words, Cleon nodded her head as if he understood the reason.

Like Talcheq, she must have thought that Dharma would be alive.

If so, if she did not hide her own identity—the characteristic appearance of being a mixed dwarf and human—she would never know when she would be attacked again.

“However, I think I will stay in Asteris for a little longer this time. And I could tell from what happened earlier. Now, something big is about to happen in this Asteris.”

After Bourbon said that, she caught her breath for a moment, then continued her words while looking straight into Cleon’s eyes.

“So Cleon. I want to hire you as my escort.”

“…”

Cleon’s eyes widened slightly at her words.

That means- the fear of the man that was inside her all this time. He was talking about needing Cleon’s help to overcome his fear of Dharma.

“Nobody else- took over Talchek’s sword that cut him once in front of me. I am asking you.”

“Indeed.”

Then, Cleon nodded and held out her hand to Bourbon.

“If it’s like that, I can’t help but accept it. Your escort, me and my party will accept.”

“Company… That’s right. You, too, must have a party like Talcheck.”

Bourbon also nodded to Cleon’s words and held his hand.

“If you are a colleague who believes in me, then I should believe in you too. I beg you, bro. Of course, I plan to pay the commission fee.”

“I was relieved to hear that.”

When Cleon jokingly replied, Bourbon smiled and held Cleon’s hand tightly.

It also meant that she entrusted her own life to her Cleon.

002

After the two of them returned to Bourbon’s camp, they felt a momentary foreboding run down their spines in the stillness so clean.

“…It’s too quiet.”

“Herti?”

Cleon called her name first, but the answer he was supposed to return did not come back, and Bourbon hurriedly looked inside the tent, but she was not there either.

“Wait… I can’t even see, where did he go…!”

When Bourbon’s voice becomes urgent in an instant, Cleon looks down at his palm for a moment.

The pattern that Herti handed over was engraved there.

‘Hey~ Ong.’

At that time, thinking that he heard a cat cry somewhere, Cleon quickly straightened her legs and stood up.

“Why is that, bro?”

“Just now. The cat’s cry… I thought I heard Bahamut’s cry.”

After Cleon answers Bourbon’s question, Bourbon tilts her head for a moment, but she tells Cleon as if she understands.

“Let’s go. It should be at the entrance of the mine. If you come with Herti, he’s always there.”

And when the two of them rushed to the entrance of the mine with a sense of urgency,

There, with Bahamut sitting on the floor and crying, Herti collapsed on the floor and lost consciousness.

“Herty!?”

When Bourbon screamed her name, she and Cleon ran close to her.

Cleon quickly raised Hertie’s upper body as if accepting it, and Bahamut next to him licked Hertie’s cheek.

Perhaps there is something wrong with Herti’s body, and when I try to trace her body with a worried heart-

“…Cool…”

Cleon and Bourbon were relieved of the tension that seemed to stop their hearts at the sound of her breath coming out of her mouth.

“…Sleepwalking…”

“It looks like you fell asleep while waiting for us and walked all the way here…”

Then, when Cleon remembered that she hadn’t slept properly, she would say ‘ahh’, and she would feel a tingling sensation somewhere in her mouth.

Because it was because of you.

“What’s the matter?”

“Ah, no. Nothing. Let’s wake up.”

At Cleon’s words, Bourbon nodded her head and shook Hertie’s shoulder to try to get her up, Hertie didn’t open her eyes, and her regular breathing was disturbed. …’ In a voice as if searching for her consciousness.

“Uh… Did I fall asleep?”

“Yeah… I should have slept in my tent when I was tired.”

Bourbon blew her beetle on Hertie’s forehead in a stupor, then let out a sigh.

“I’m sorry… Last night a little…”

Cleon was nervous that Hertie would unconsciously bring up such a story, but Hertie also cleared her throat as soon as she noticed her, and talked to Bourbon and Cleon.

“So, two people? Were you able to find traces of Gaios?”

“Ah. Got it right With this, it will be easier to find Gaios.”

At Cleon’s words, Hertie nodded while holding hands as if it was really good.

“I wish I could have seen Herti. A splendid ring with four jewels on this guy’s hand. Was it the dragon ring? They say that with this, you can follow the traces of Gaios.”

Saying that, Herti grabbed Cleon’s wrist with both hands and lifted it to the same height as Cleon was chasing Gaios’ trail earlier.

Naturally, the finger with Cleon’s ring in front of Herti – the dragon’s ring was approaching.

Then, as if the ring judged that it was an action to follow the traces of Gaios once again, magic power flowed from the amber made of Gaios’ horn pieces and appeared as a guide.

“…”

“Ugh…”

Then, Cleon was silent, and Bourbon had no choice but to watch the scene for a while, giving out a panicked voice.

The ocher-colored traces of magic that flowed from that ring pursued those two in front of them.

Because it was Herti and Bahamut.