Chapter 343

Chapter 343

A soft woman’s voice echoed in his ears.
[It’s amazing. It’s really amazing. I don’t know how humans can be so strong].
“—Mmm.”
Nabiroze groaned and opened his eyes.
The impossibly high ceilings of the Flamebowl came into view.
The infernal flames were nowhere to be found.
“This is—.”
My memory was fuzzy, like I’d been hit in the head.
Nabiroze slowly put together what had happened.
Gargarence is definitely dead.
However, as a last resort, it chose to self-destruct.
I tried to stop the explosion with everything I had, but it wasn’t enough, so I decided to go with the flow.
And then—.
‘——!’
Nabiroze’s eyes widened.
I just remembered.
Shortly before the explosion, two of his students had apparently come to him.
She screamed.
“Lance! Sechika!”
A cold sweat trickled down his temples.
He felt like he would never forgive himself if they got it wrong.
Nabiroze was just about to raise his upper body when he stopped.
I didn’t realize it because I was so distracted, but something was pressing down on my body.
Her eyes widened as she lowered her gaze.
“You guys.”
Lance and Sechika flanked him, hugging him tightly.
His posture suggests that he was shielded from the blast.
Even as she lost consciousness, four hands held her firmly in place.
No injuries were visible.
Biting her lower lip, Nabiroze tilted her head upward.
“— you ugly bastards.”
She swiped at the corners of her eyes with a trembling hand.
Maybe I’m just getting older and more sensitive.
It all came back to me.
The explosion was scary to get out of Lance and the shields.
“This is the second time a disciple has saved my life.
If it weren’t for the two of them, I wouldn’t have a clue.
Nabirozze, who had been slapping his face, raised an eyebrow.
“This?”
The sensation under my palm was unfamiliar.
The eyes were deeper, and the bridge of the nose was higher.
Carefully separating the two, Nabiroze picked up Lance’s sword.
She smirked at her reflection.
“—Huh.”
I almost missed the sword.
His matured face was back to his 20s.
Dark eyelashes and a big nose.
His jaws were sharp enough to cut an apple.
And that wasn’t even the most surprising part.
All the scars were gone.
“What the hell is this—.”
Her nearly charred school uniform was draped over her body.
See-through clothing has long since lost its function as a garment.
However, the copper-colored skin on the outside was smooth, without a single blemish.
He could no longer see the scars on his abdomen from his past battles with Zyfa, let alone the burns that had melted his muscles.
His grayish-white hair, charred until it was short, hung down to his waist.
How did this happen?
Nabiroze was stunned.
The woman’s voice echoed in his sleep once more.
[You’re finally coming to your senses].
“What the—!”
Nabiroze turned his head in surprise.
A woman in a red dress was looking at him.
Her hair was red as a blazing fire as she smiled benevolently.
“You.”
【It’s a good thing the molting ended in time. Your injuries were not usually severe. Especially since you would have been out of this world if it had been any more serious.
The woman’s finger was pointing at Nabirozé.
It wasn’t hard to recognize the stagnation.
Nabiroze dropped to one knee and nodded in agreement.
“Mortal Nabirozé meets the Mother of Fire.”
We’re comrades in arms who fought the war against Nebula Clazier together. I’m beginning to feel a little bit sorry for you.
“No, let me preface this by saying that those two did nothing wrong; I’m the only one who cut Gargarence.”
Nabirozé was the first to admit that he had endured Gargarence.
It was something that needed to be addressed.
No matter how sore my fingers were, that stupid lizard was a member of the Fire Mother’s clan.
If anyone was going to be held accountable, it should be him.
It didn’t take long for the answer to come back.
【I know. I know.
“Yes?”
I was conscious during my molting. I have no intention of holding you responsible, but rather recognize that I owe you an apology, so please raise your head.
Navarordze explained that he watched the whole process.
And the fact that if it wasn’t for the molt, I would have stepped in immediately.
She said, her voice cracking.
[Gargarence] The boy was–he was irreparably damaged before Cain cut off his horns. No matter how much I and my children tried to guide him, it was in vain. I should have taken responsibility and dealt with it long ago—but as a mother, it is not easy to kill your own children.
“I understand.”
[Thank you, I only did what I was supposed to do, so don’t feel the slightest bit guilty, and your wound would have healed perfectly—may I ask what you came here for?
“—Yes.”
Nabirozze grumbled.
They’d already found out.
In reality, the fight with Gargarence was just a fluke, with no real purpose.
She explained her reasons for coming to the Firebowl in a simple and clear way.
I woke up and suddenly I was younger, and I wanted to find a solution to that.
Navarordze covered his mouth and laughed.
【Ahaha, so that’s how it happened. I can see why they didn’t put his name on the guest list. It was certainly too cute for the students to see.】
“Ugh.”
Nabiroze’s face turned red.
It was the largest number since we started wearing uniforms.
Navarordze snorted.
【By the way, I’m impressed that a swordsman who isn’t even a mage has reached the point of retrograde. He could defeat Gargarence in a single fight, but I think you’re already back to your old self now.
“Yes, but I want to know why. Why I’m not back to my prime like everyone else, why I’ve suddenly aged again—.”
【You have suddenly grown older, but only because you have pushed yourself beyond your limits. During the battle with Gargarens, you grew another round of growth spurts, and your body grew rapidly. As for why you’re unusually young–well, that’s my theory, but you’ll hear it, I’m almost certain.
Nabiroze nodded.
After all, if the mother of fire didn’t know, no one else would.
Moving closer, Navarordze stroked her hair and said.
[Okay. In other words, you’re back to the days you miss the most].
“—the days you miss?”
[Yeah. The night you want to go back to. It’s not like I haven’t seen it happen before. It is commonly believed that those who undergo retrograde are returned to their physical prime, but this is not the case. The phenomenon of retrograde, a miracle of hard work, is most merciful to those who experience it.
In short, Nabirozze had reverted to being a girl because she wanted to.
Honestly, it was hard to convince me.
What the heck do you miss about that time, when you were probably wandering the battlefield.
Nabiroze repeated in a small voice.
“Do you mean to tell me that I wanted to be a girl again, why—?”
[Hoo hoo, only you would know that. By the way, you have some very nice kids as disciples].
Navarordze smiled,.
Her gaze lingered on Lance and Sechika.
The disciples who guarded the master were sound asleep, unaware of the karma.
[Master—no, I should call him a friend, given the circumstances, for you see, there are not many men in the world who would jump into the fire of a dragon for a friend.
“—I think so, too.”
【I recognize the faces, they are the children of Ronan and Asher. I suppose it’s times like these that blood is foolish. I love to see the goodness of mortals passed down.
She patted them both on the head.
It was pretty cute to watch him wiggle around like a kid.
Then, as he stared at Lance’s face, a flash of lightning flashed through Nabirozé’s mind.
“—Mr. Navarrozze, does that mean I’m going to stay like this?”
[laughs] Yeah. Unless I push my limits again or something happens. Of course, even if I do push my limits and age, I’ll be back to my current form in no time. You seem to be in your physical prime.
“I see——May I ask you a few favors, if you don’t mind?”
[I’m not a bitch. I’ll do anything I can to help you].
Navardozé readily agreed.
I didn’t plan on leaving empty-handed in the first place.
She wasn’t just a bomber, she was a hero who prevented a catastrophe in mortal-dragon relations.
Nabirozze, grateful, picks up the sword.
“Thank you, then.”
And suddenly he cut his own hair.
Voila!
Her long, grayish-white hair fell to her feet in a flutter.
Navarordze raised an eyebrow, puzzled by the sudden behavior.
【Suddenly, why—? It was pretty hair.
“I like long hair too, but Naro’s head was burned in a fire.”
[What’s that—ahhhh].
Navarordze smirked, realizing her intentions in hindsight.
Apparently, the human in front of him was a much better teacher than he had realized.
Nabiroze then began rummaging through the inside pockets of Lance’s school uniform.
“And one more thing. If you don’t mind my asking—.”
Soon after, she pulled something out.
The small, square mechanical device was confiscated from the apprentice Willumph.
The Fire Mother cocked her head at the unfamiliar object.
[Huh? What’s that?
.
.
“Ouch!!!”
It was about an hour later that Lance woke up.
I remembered being caught in the blast, but I couldn’t remember what happened next.
He jumped to his feet as if in a seizure, and shouted, “I’m going to die!
“Se, Sechika, Naro, where’s everybody!”
I couldn’t see the two of them.
An ominous feeling of foreboding washed over me.
I thought the explosion was pretty big.
Suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes, and Lance wiped them away with her sleeve.
He looked around desperately.
“We are here. Lance.”
“Took you long enough. Did you cry?”
Not far away, a familiar voice called out.
Lance’s eyes widened.
In the center of the Flamebowl, two girls sat side by side at a table, enjoying tea time.
“You, you—.”
“Pooh-pooh, were you so worried about me, Sezika, Narotok!”
Sechika chuckled.
She was secretly glad that Lance had called her name first.
Nabiroze approached him as he sipped his tea in silence.
“I’m glad you had a good night’s sleep. Wake up.”
“Me, me–are you hurt?”
“As you can see. You saved my life.”
“That’s good, because my hair is—.”
Lance stuttered.
His mane of long hair had turned into a neat bob.
Honestly, I preferred this one.
“Why, is it bad?”
“Ah, no. That’s definitely not it. It fits! It just took a long time to grow, so I was hesitant…”
“I’m glad to hear you fit in. Now, if you’ve come to your senses, you’d better get yourself groomed and ready to be polite.”
“Huh? All of a sudden that’s not a—”
Just then, a shadow fell over Lance’s head.
At the same time, someone from behind grabbed him lightly by both shoulders.
Lance glanced back reflexively and gulped.
A woman in a red dress looked down at him with a seductive smile.
“Da, da, you are—?!”
【Good to see you. You’re a cute kid. You really do look a lot like your father.
The woman stroked her cheek and Lance froze in place.
He didn’t need an introduction.
Above the crimson hair was a pair of horns.
“I, Navarordje—?”
A shaky voice escaped his lips as he took a deep breath.
Navarrozze was wearing the same red dress she had worn to Pileon’s commencement ceremony in the past.
The very same garment that, with its deeply pockmarked front, dazzled Ronan and even the Emperor.
Suddenly, Lance realized that it was her chest that was casting the shadow over her head.
Completely overwhelmed, he stood there shaking, speechless.
Navarordze replied with a smile.
[Yeah, you said you wanted to take something called a photo with me].
“——!!!”
Lance’s eyes widened.
It was a question for the strongest man on the planet, but he could barely nod, unable to answer.
That’s what makes dreams come true so exciting in the first place.