Chapter 809 – Wish

000

Cleon was walking down the street of the shopping district with Noctis, who appeared in an unexpected appearance – no, in some ways he might have been expected.

Even in the noisy streets with children running around, when she walked without saying a word, it was as if a curtain of silence had spread between Cleon and Noctis.

She introduced herself as the head of the Phenexia family.

And, Phenexia is a fairly prestigious noble family.

Even after hearing her words, Cleon could not immediately remember what kind of family she was.

At least for Cleon, it can be said that this is a family that has no connection or reason to be interested.

Noctis, perhaps unaware of Cleon’s thoughts, just walked in front of Cleon and looked around at her street vendor.

Then, Cleon talks while looking at her, who seems to have no sense of crisis.

＂Is it okay for the head of the family not to have any bodyguards or servants with him?＂

“Ah. Are you okay? Because there are no such people in our family.”

Noctis answered Cleon’s question casually, and then she turned to Cleon.

“I don’t have a fixed source of income, so no matter how much I save, I have to save on labor costs. I can do housework by myself.”

＂…＂

It must be a noble family with a common sense, Cleon thinks.

In a kingdom, even nobles maintain their status and dignity by earning income in various ways.

Most people choose to become vassals of the kingdom, but even if they don’t, they basically use their wealth to start a business or invest somewhere.

“It’s an interesting family in many ways.”

＂Right? Well, that has to be the case. The Phenixia family is inherited in one line. There is only one person in the family, and no one gets married. The next generation also takes in orphans or takes in adopted children from other families and educates them. It is not even officially revealed who the head of the family is. So, not even the president of our newspaper knows that I am from the Phenexia family.”

At her answer, Cleon looks at her with a bit of curiosity, wondering if a family like that exists.

“But there must be a reason for doing that, right?”

“Of course. Our Phenixia family is a family whose role has been to inspect state affairs since ancient times. They travel around the eastern countries to observe the lives of the people, and if there are any officials who are carrying out evil intentions, they report it to the central government. In the past, some passionate ancestors sometimes intervened directly in local areas to punish evil officials… And each time, the reputation of the Phenexia family for saving the people spread.”

After hearing Noctis’ answer, Cleon nodded as if he understood that she was working as a reporter for a small newspaper.

For a reporter, it wouldn’t be that difficult to go to a rural area to report.

“So, are you also taking over the family’s work in the same way?”

“No? I told you this before, right? There is no fixed source of income. Although I am the head of the family, I am not yet officially working as a subject of Miyeom-gong. Master Miyeom said he couldn’t entrust such a dangerous task to a child like me. Well, I’m thankful for that too. No matter how much I train, my martial arts skills don’t improve, and I have a very timid personality.”

As Noctis said that, he smiled sheepishly.

“Then wouldn’t it have been necessary to inherit the position of head of the family?”

“What. There is no one like me who becomes the head of a family at such a young age. There are many cases where the position of the head of the family is inherited only after at least 20… In many cases, 30. This job is the same as going into enemy territory alone, so you have to train a lot. But… My predecessor… That is, the person who was my adoptive father… Passed away a little early.”

At her words, Cleon silenced her for a moment.

Although she had expected it to some extent, she couldn’t help but look like she didn’t know what to say when she said it so calmly.

Just from hearing the story, she thought that she was a family that was bound to have many enemies, and it meant that she had a reason to rise to the position of head of the family when she was still young.

“Ah, I’m sorry. It was a festival day, so I said this.”

“No… It’s okay. Rather, are you really okay? Even if you reveal your identity to me. As for me… I don’t know what to say for myself. “I’m just an adventurer.”

“No way. What does a person so prestigious as to be chosen as the protagonist of exorcism say?”

Noctis was shaking her hand and talking as if there was no need to be humble.

“Also, Cleon doesn’t seem like a person I can talk about. And, there is a reason why I told this story.”

＂Reason?＂

Various predictions passed through Cleon’s mind.

A girl who became alone in her childhood, the characteristics of the Phenixia family, and a dead ancestor.

There was only one answer that was derived through various conditions, but Cleon felt it and kept his mouth shut for a moment.

“What’s the point of talking here? Let’s keep moving. Oh, is there a toy you’re curious about? I’ll buy it for you.”

Hehe, Cleon sighed at Noctis’ teasing remark as he smiled.

“Are you okay. There’s nothing to worry about─＂

[Destroy the enemy! Protect the forest! Fairy Dagger Titania DX! Complete Edition!]

At that time, Cleon flinched and turned to the side at the loud sound he heard from next to him.

I made eye contact with the store manager, who was demonstrating a toy in his hand that I didn’t know where it had been imported from.

And the gaze naturally shifted to the dagger (toy) he was holding in his hand, which looked familiar but a little more elaborate.

＂Hmm…＂

Noctis looks up at Cleon and makes a sound of interest.

Then, Cleon suddenly came to her senses and made eye contact with her.

＂Hehe~＂

001

[Holy sword… Baldo! This is a fight to protect nature!]

Every time Noctis swings the toy dagger from the front, a dignified and solemn voice comes out from within.

Is this the voice of the newly released Titania?

At the same time, I thought that the complete edition was definitely not an empty word-

＂Cleon, you like toys like this?＂

＂No…＂

Perhaps Noctis had some strange misunderstanding, but he bought Titania, which he had refused to buy for himself.

“Are you okay. According to my previous research, it is statistically known that there is a certain number of adult men who like this type of thing.”

Cleon couldn’t help but sigh at Noctis’ reaction, not sure if it was comforting or teasing.

Noctis may have found Cleon’s reaction amusing, but Noctis just smiled.

“So? Where are we going now?”

‘A place to talk’ that Noctis spoke of.

As you follow her as she walks towards that place, you will soon see that you have left the long street of street vendors and the number of people passing by on the street has gradually decreased, perhaps because you have moved away from the area where the crowds were concentrated.

Cleon felt a little uneasy as he remembered what Lila had said, but the opponent was Noctis.

She is the type of woman that Cleon himself denied to Laila.

Even if she made a mistake, she was being cautious even if she wasn’t in that mood.

If there is no such thing as going to see fireworks-

“Mr. Cleon, do you know about the fireworks on the second day of the Five Elements Festival?”

＂Kuh…＂

As soon as words flowed out that were contrary to her capital’s thoughts and will, Cleon could not help but spit out her mouth and clenched her fists.

As if Cleon’s reaction wasn’t right, Noctis continued her words.

“The place I’m going to now is, as far as I know, the place where you can see the fireworks of the Five Elements Festival the best. People say that fireworks seen from high up are the most beautiful, but I prefer to watch fireworks from directly below.”

＂Right below the fireworks… Next to the cannon that shoots them?＂

“Ahaha. “If you stay in a place like that, you won’t be able to see clearly because you’ll be covered by the cannon, right?”

When she smiled as if Cleon’s answer was interesting, Cleon scratched her head.

“Well, we’re almost there. It’s right in front of you.”

The place she pointed to, still smiling, was a small boat anchored in a deserted place.

The boat, without a boatman and with two people on board, seemed to make it uneasy to ride, was quietly floating on the river flowing inside Asteris.

＂Ship…?＂

“Yes. This is what I prepared. I’m sorry, Cleon. Do you have any experience rowing a boat?”

Cleon nodded his head at her words.

I had rowed a boat like this a few times at her request, so it wasn’t too much of a problem, but the fact that she guided me here…

“I know how to do that, but… Where are you going to see fireworks?”

“Yes. It’s right on top of this ship. If you row a little, you can look up at the fireworks from the best position.”

When Noctis nodded, she answered that she knew, thinking that it would definitely be a charm.

“By the way, Noctis. “What were you going to do if you didn’t know how to row?”

＂At that time, I was.＂

“… It’s not a good image, so at least I can use magic to move the ship.”

In Cleon’s mind, he could only laugh as he imagined her moving forward, eagerly moving her oar while he himself sat awkwardly.

Anyway, Cleon and Noctis boarded the ship one after another.

Since it was a small boat, the shaking was a bit stronger than when one person was on board, so I was worried that it might accidentally fall into the river, but fortunately, no such behavior occurred.

Cleon looked at Noctis while holding the brass pole of a boat he had not used in quite some time.

Her eyes were looking beyond the river, but her eyes seemed to see something a little nostalgic.

＂Then… Can we move in the direction the bow is facing? ＂

“Yes, please. I will tell you where to stop.”

When Cleon nodded his head in response to her answer, Cleon’s arm slowly moved and the two of them went on the boat.

“Have you ever seen fireworks from the top of a ship like this before?”

“Ah, yes. Of course. Of course, I’m not brave enough to recommend something I’m experiencing for the first time to others.”

She answers while scratching the back of her head and looks at the bright moonlight rising in the sky to replace the fireworks that haven’t started yet.

“After being adopted by my predecessor, he brought me here when I was still unable to adapt to being a member of the family.”

She talks as if she misses it all.

“It only happened once. She was a kind but strict person. There were times when she couldn’t eat dinner if she couldn’t memorize all the sentences she was supposed to memorize that day… Ehehe…”

Excuse me, but isn’t that abuse?

No, of course, Decheck did something similar.

Cleon always had no doubt that the gorilla was strange.

“Ah, but it’s not like I really couldn’t eat anything! There was even a time when he found out that I was hungry and left snacks in front of the room, saying that he accidentally dropped them!”

＂… I guess so.＂

Noctis was talking about her past with that person as if she was really enjoying it, but she blushed and sat back down at Cleon’s answer, as if she was embarrassed that she had gotten a little excited.

“But I thought I was unsuited to be the successor to the Phenexia family.”

＂… Why? You were adopted into his family to become his successor, right?”

＂That too, I just happened to find it. It was.”

She shrugged her shoulders and sighed, looking at her own face reflected in the water.

Just looking at her outfit and makeup, she clearly looked like an aristocratic daughter who wouldn’t be embarrassed to show off anywhere.

However, not all of them were things we were born with, but all of them were things we learned from our ancestors.

“When I was staying at the orphanage, I went through various tests. By receiving high-quality education that would never be provided in an ordinary orphanage. At first, I just did as I was told without even knowing what this meant. Without even dreaming that that was actually a way to find a suitable child to adopt for the Phenexia family.”

As things went on like that, Sanga herself became the successor to her family.

“If there had been another child with a slightly higher test score than me, that child would have become the heir to the Phenexia family. As it happened, I just had the highest score at that time.”

She thought that maybe it was just that there were subjects and problems that she was a bit special at.

Not long ago, she was an orphan and never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined that she would become a member of a noble family and take on an important mission.

So, at first, it may have been because of the change in environment, but she couldn’t study at the Phenexia family mansion like she did at her orphanage.

Even though she passed the exam, she thought she might give up on herself.

“But he didn’t do that. “It might be okay to go back to the orphanage like this, but he tried to convince me that my talents would definitely bring great help to the people of this country.”

Anyone can do it.

There was a time when Noctis thought that way.

“It was during that time that I boarded a boat on this river. The fireworks were not visible from the orphanage or the family mansion, so I had given up on watching them. My father brought me here.”

And when she closes her mouth, she pauses for a moment, except for the sound made by the stirring of the water as she advances –

You can hear children running and laughing on the market street near this river.

And the voices of adults laughing along with those children.

What surrounded the vibrant city were the voices of the people enjoying their daily lives within the city.

“People can smile when they are not anxious and when they feel safe. And what they must do is to strive to create such a country.”

And she raised her palm towards Cleon.

“Please stop here. The fireworks will start soon.”

＂… Ah.＂

Cleon nodded her head and stopped her rowing hand, and she continued her story, looking up at the sky as if waiting for her fireworks.

“As I watched the fireworks unfolding here, I realized what he was trying to tell me. And also, what I should do.”

The next moment, a sound like the wind falling was heard as something quickly rose toward the sky.

And—

Pop! And colorful fireworks decorate the sky with an ear-ringing roar.

As she said, looking up from below, it was a beautiful sight that made her heart flutter, with a glare that seemed to blind her eyes just by looking at it.

“Mr. Cleon, do you know the legend about the finale fireworks that are launched at the end of these fireworks display?”

“Ah. The idea was that my wish would come true before the flames all disappeared.”

When Cleon answered like that, Noctis nodded her head.

“I also have a wish. … But, I just needed to say that I needed Cleon’s help to make that wish come true.”

“─My help?”

Cleon was silent for a moment at her words, but she soon nodded as if to continue.

Then, she takes a deep breath and speaks quietly to him.
“Yes. The last place my father investigated was – Eratus, the city at the end of the earth. It is now the territory of the Descartes family, of which Fleur is the lord. And he said that he had gone to investigate ‘returners’.”

At those words, Cleon closed her mouth once again, taking her breath away.

＂Mr. Cleon. My wish is to avenge my ancestors’ enemies. And Cleon is against the regressors. We definitely think we can cooperate… What do you think?”

Cleon had no choice but to hesitate for a moment, wondering what to say in response to her words.

Clearly, he is in opposition to the returnee.

Also, he knew that the Descartes family was the sponsor of the returnees and that Fleur’s grandfather was an executive of the returnees.

That information, which is not disclosed to the public, is Cleon’s secret that Fleur heard.

“… I don’t plan on hearing the answer right now. The Descartes family is still a family that is highly respected in Eratus, so of course a lot of preparation and determination will be needed. The answer is, it’s okay even after the Five Elements Festival is over─＂

The sound of her words were obscured by the large fireworks that exploded next.

It felt like the sound of firecrackers was getting louder.

“… The biggest firework is going to explode soon. I will make my wish, and Cleon, please make Cleon’s wish.”

As Noctis spoke, he quietly closed his eyes and folded his hands.

Probably, you must concentrate a lot to make your wish come true.

Then, Cleon looked at Noctis, silenced her for a moment, and then scratched her head.

It didn’t create the atmosphere that Lila had worried about, but in many ways, she was able to understand Noctis’ resolve.

She has a goal that she wants to achieve even if she sacrifices everything – to avenge her father.

Well, even if it means borrowing the power of legends and superstitions that are like prayers.

Then – what about yourself?

‘Then even if it is a wish, there is only one.’

Cleon thinks like that, just like Noctis, with his eyes closed.

The ultimate purpose of one’s adventure, and the image of a precious person whom one wishes to regain.

＇Resia…＇

As she called her name in her heart for the first time in a long time – the moment she thought an even louder firecracker sound exploded.

＇I want to meet my precious person once again.＇

─, He made a wish.

And the next moment.

＂Ugh…!＂

Suddenly, Cleon had a bad feeling about something.

Anemia – no, something close to dizziness.

At that moment, she felt the boat she was riding in shake violently and was about to get up, thinking that she had to get out of here with Noctis.

As the front of his vision became distorted, Cleon’s whole body felt weak –

＂Noctis…＂

He fell forward and lost consciousness.

002

＂Mr. Cleon?＂

At the sound of Sasha’s voice calling out to him, Cleon suddenly came to his senses and looked in front of her.

That was because Amelia and Sasha were looking at him worriedly.

＂… Amelia and… Sasha?＂

Cleon let go of his hand when he saw that Amelia’s outfit was different from usual and that they were holding the same swordsman as him.

“Of course, there are too many, right?”

As Sasha said that, she tried to return her sword to Cleon, but Cleon looked like he didn’t know what happened, so he tried to talk to them.

＂This is…＂

“Are you okay! I think we can buy a lot of things with just the amount we have!”

Even before Cleon finished speaking, Sasha said that and took Amelia’s hand.

“Well, see you later!”

＂Ah, ah…＂

─Looking at the scene he had seen earlier with his own eyes once again, Cleon had no choice but to let them go in a daze.

＂… What happened…＂

At that time, Cleon felt that his arm was being grabbed and turned around.

There, Noctis was looking this way with a puzzled expression.

＂How did this happen…?＂

Cleon and Noctis look at each other while saying the same thing as Cleon.

And then she took out her pocket watch from her bosom and spoke to Cleon.

“… Time has gone back. About an hour ago,”