Chapter 331

Chapter 331

“Woof—Brother. Where are we going?”
Erin awoke with a start, her voice groggy from sleep. The landscape around her had changed to the low hills of the islands, and the warm spring sunlight was making her snow-white hair even brighter.
The graying hair, which resembled neither of her parents, had been inherited from the Savior in a fit of rage. Lance, walking with Erin in tow, spoke bluntly.
“Anywhere. Where he’s not.”
“Does your brother hate your dad?”
“—Hate.”
Lance frowned as she remembered Ronan’s face. It was insensitive behavior, and she couldn’t understand her mother marrying such a man. Erin said.
“Lying. While liking the truth.”
“Mu, what do you mean, why would I do that?”
“You’re just pissed because you didn’t show up for commencement and you got your name on the Phoenix plaque as valedictorian and you didn’t get to show it. I get it, but can’t you just let it go and get along like you used to?”
“Ugh—!”
Lance flushed with embarrassment. It was a point as sharp as an awl. Actually, now that he thought about it, his relationship with Ronan hadn’t been bad to begin with.
I grew up admiring that broad back, for sure. It was a proud thing for a son to have a hero for a father who saved the world. What’s more, Ronan had a kinder side to him, and even taught his son how to use a sword himself.
But as time went on, Ronan spent more and more time away from home. I got worried and asked him, but he would never tell me what he was doing.
So Lance focused on the sword. He wanted to make amends with his estranged father. He hoped that if he could prove himself to everyone, he would be rewarded.
And earlier this year. Lance had managed to win the head of Pileon’s martial arts department this year, but Ronan hadn’t come to the commencement ceremony after all. He chewed on his lower lip at the bittersweet memory.
“—You don’t know what that means. Now get out.”
“Hmph—can’t you lift me up just a little bit more?”
“No.”
“Even if I ask you this?”
Erin asked, her eyes sparkling, the combination of white hair and sunset eyes strikingly reminiscent of Aunt Iril’s. Lance sighed after a moment of silence.
“—just a little bit.”
“Hee hee, my brother’s the best.”
Erin cheered and hugged Lance around the neck. Lance started walking toward the market. Maybe she and Erin could buy a few things to kill time and then go inside.
“I wish you’d grow up soon. I wish you were as big as Mommy—will you still carry me?”
“Because I see you doing it.”
Anyway, the weather was nice and I was in the mood for a walk. My brother and sister were walking through the square, chatting about this and that. Not far away, a sassy girl’s voice rang out.
“Hey! Lance! Erin!”
“Ugh. I’ve got that pesky bastard.”
Lance frowned. She turned her head and saw three boys and girls about her age. The two blondes and shorter ones approached first and greeted Lance.
“Ah, ah, hello. Big brother Lance—.”
“Hey, Lance. Aren’t you going to the academy today?”
Camilla and Jean, the third and fourth of five siblings in the Caravelle family. She inherited her lustrous blonde hair from her Aunt Marja, who could see her handstand.
Though his gentle nature seemed to resemble Uncle Asel a bit more,” Erin said to Jean, her head poking out from under the covers.
“It’s the weekend. Stupid Jean.”
“Eh, Erin—!”
Gene’s face flushed. His mouth agape, unable to say anything, seemed to indicate what he was thinking of Erin. Just then, one of the remaining girls rushed over.
“Where are you two going, I need a ride.”
“You’re heavy, so no.”
“Don’t be rude to a lady. There’s more to the world than being a little handsome.”
The girl stuck her tongue out. She was strong for her age and had hair as red as a flame. She was Cecica Caravel, the first child of Asel and Marja, and the eldest of five siblings.
Unlike Lance, who was born with no talent, she inherited her father’s magical talent and was the head of the magic department at Pileon Academy.
“And Aunt Marja?”
“I’m at home with my dad. He said they needed to talk for a while, and then he wanted me to go outside and play, but I’m not sure I like him.”
Sechika giggled, the coin pouch Marja had given her jingling on her wrist. Lance pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed.
“It’s just like home—we’re so close, but we don’t have to be this close to have this cycle.”
“Honestly, you’re still good,” I said, “because even if you have another brother, you’ll still only have three siblings. You’ll have six.”
“What do you mean, Sechika, I’m getting a sister?”
Erin shook her head. She was still too young to know about adult matters. Giggling conspiratorially, Sechika poked Erin in the cheek.
“Hmph, Erin’s a kid after all, there’s such a thing as—.”
“Don’t say weird things in front of my sister.”
Rinse quickly interrupted her. Shrugging her shoulders once, Sechika naturally changed the subject.
“By the way, did you hear that rumor?”
“Rumor?”
“It’s not like the merchants aren’t having a field day these days. A series of disappearances in the islands. Haven’t you heard?”
“—I didn’t hear that.”
Lance shook his head, he didn’t remember hearing that at all. Sechika smirked.
“It’s not unreasonable, the adults don’t want us to be fooled by these rumors, and it’s still happening on the fringes of the system, so it’s kind of scary.”
“Where’s the fringe? The system is usually wide.”
“Somewhere near the eastern border, but I’m not sure. In any case, my sources tell me it’s a pretty big deal, with close to a hundred missing already.”
“—one hundred people?”
Lance’s eyes widened. He glanced back at Erin, who was still on the ground, and his mouth dropped open.
“Erin. Can you come down for a second?”
“Huh? Why?”
“Cechika and I need to talk to you alone. Here’s some money so you can go get something to eat with your friends.”
Lance held out the silver coin Ronan had given him. Erin’s eyes widened.
“Wow. Really? I get to do whatever I want today?!”
“Well, then. Be careful.”
Erin leaped off Lance’s back. She grabbed the hands of a squirming Camilla and Jin and ran toward the market. Lance looked back at Sechika when he realized the three were gone.
“So. What do you want?”
“You’re so perceptive. You know, Lance, don’t you want to be a hero?”
“What?”
“Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever get a chance if it’s not now. My parents have created such a peaceful world, and solving a case that even a star-slashing swordsman and a warlock couldn’t solve would be pretty awesome, wouldn’t it?”
Out of nowhere, Sechika stretched out her arm and pointed to the center of the plaza. I followed his finger and saw a marble statue standing majestically.
The man with the giant’s head crushed, sword raised, looked exactly like the man who had been sleeping sprawled out in Lance’s house with a magazine over his face. Lance stared at the statue and slowly shook his head.
“—Don’t be ridiculous. My mom would faint if she knew.”
“Do you think Uncle Ronan and my mom and dad would have gotten caught by my parents? I don’t think so.”
“That’s a different story. We can be good enough without taking that risk.”
“Wait a minute, Lance!”
After speaking, Lance turned away. Sechika called his name urgently, but he ignored it. No matter how he thought about it, this was stupid.
What’s wrong with him, he’s so smart,” Lance muttered under his breath as he walked toward the market. Rolling up his hands and holding them in front of his mouth, Sechika shouted out.
“Didn’t you hear me?! This is your only chance!”
“That idiot.”
Lance frowned. She sounded so much like Aunt Marja, and her voice was so loud. Despite the attention, Sechika continued to chatter on regardless. Ignoring her, Lance drove past Ronan’s statue.
“You little shit, you’re going to be stuck in your parents’ halo for the rest of your life!”
“—What?”
Towering. Lance’s legs stopped, and Sechika, who hadn’t expected him to stop, flushed with embarrassment.
“What, what…it’s stuck?”
Lance stood dazed, like a man who had been beaten with a hammer. Her parents’ halo. The words floated in circles in her tiny head.
In retrospect, they weren’t entirely wrong: it was a missing person’s case, and there would be a fuss, but the great parents would sort it out, and peace would return.
Perhaps his father hadn’t come to the commencement ceremony because he was busy, but simply because he was bored. Slowly, he raised his head and looked up at Ronan’s statue. His father’s marble face seemed to speak to him.
– Look at your face, coward. Did you shit your pants or something?
“—Damn.”
Lance clenched his fists. Sechika was cautiously approaching him, telekinetically levitating herself. Though he’d sensed it coming, Lance didn’t move until she spoke to him.
****
It was a night when the moon was hidden by clouds. Under a sky devoid of even a crumbling starry sky, only artificial light from street lamps remained to illuminate the streets.
And their meeting took place in a back alley, out of the reach of even the most modest light. Lance rounded a narrow corner. A familiar girl’s voice echoed down the street.
“Hoo-hoo. You’re not a coward. You weren’t followed, were you?”
At the same time, a girl in a navy blue robe emerged from the darkness. Two men, both of whom appeared to be women, lay unconscious at her feet. Lance nodded, dazed.
“I’m sure.”
“Great, that can’t have been easy.”
“It was no big deal, my dad was out of town and my mom was sleeping with Erin.”
“Sita?”
“I went out with Ophelia’s sister three days ago.”
Perfect.” With that, the girl removed her hood. Her bright red hair was clearly visible even in the darkness. Lance questioned the smiling Sechika.
“So what are those two?”
“Just a bunch of sassy bullies, don’t worry, I didn’t treat them roughly.”
“That’s biting off more than it can chew—.”
Lance clicked his tongue, and if you looked closely enough, you could see that his limbs were a little oddly rearranged. He’d picked the wrong person to argue with.
Sechika giggled, but then stopped.
“My side is safe, too. All right, Lance. Let’s write a legend.”
“Whatever it takes. So what’s the plan?”
“I’ve already got it all planned out. If you go to the front door of the system, you’ll find two ghost horses I’ve borrowed, so you can ride them first and then… Hmm? Do you happen to have anything in your pocket?”
“Huh?”
Sechika snorted as he explained the plan, her gaze fixed on Lance’s coat pocket.
“Oh. This?”
Lance arched an eyebrow and reached into his pocket. A round sphere was clutched in his hand.
The color was dull, and the surface was crackly like shark scales, so it didn’t seem like a normal object. Sechika narrowed her eyes.
“Yeah. That. I could feel the mana inside.”
“Suddenly? I’ve always carried it with me.”
“You’ve always carried—? What exactly is that?”
“I don’t know. It was a gift when I was really young.”
Lance said. It was a gift from Ronan when she was very young, and she was told to keep it with her. Staring at the orb, Lance muttered in a puzzled tone.
“By the way, this looks a little different color–is it my mood?”
“That’s all right, then I’ll finish explaining the plan. First, we’re going to ride the ghost horse—”
Sechika explained, sounding giddy with excitement. It was indeed an elaborate plan, as befits the heir to the most powerful man on the continent. Lance listened, shaking his head in disbelief. Suddenly, something strange caught his eye.
“Huh?”
“What’s wrong?”
Sechika asked, but Lance didn’t answer. Something shimmered in the darkness of the alleyway, something that looked like what the Milky Way would look like if it turned to mist. His brow narrowed.
“What is this?”
“What, what’s there?”
Turning her head, Sechika looked to the same place. But all she could see was darkness and two fallen idiots.
“You don’t see this?”
“What do you mean you can see–what are you pointing at?”
Sechika asked, puzzled, the shimmering air currents only Lance could see. He approached, mesmerized by the strange phenomenon he had never seen before. Thud. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed from behind him.
“Hmm?”
Lance turned his head, finally coming to his senses, and froze in place. Sechika, who had been behind him a moment ago, had vanished into thin air.
“…Sechika?”
He called her name, but there was no answer, only her echoes, darkness, and shimmering air currents, keeping the silence. Sensing something was wrong, Lance placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
[Hey, come with me].
“What the—!”
An eerie whisper rang in his ears. Reflexively, Lance swung his sword. A muffled crack echoed through the darkened alleyway.
Soon enough, the glowing air currents died down, and the two boys and girls were nowhere to be seen.