Chapter 423

Chapter 423

“Uh-huh–where?”
“It’s over. Unless you want to burn to death, get up.”
Groaning, Ronan2 opened his eyes. His whole body throbbed as if he’d been stomped by a herd of cattle.
I remember manifesting an Auror against Akasha, and it was completely disconnected at the back.
“You’re not the charred sister——, you’re Instructor Nabiroze, what’s going on?”
“The sorceress Akasha has fallen to the next world. You from the other world went after him, and the Mother of Fire is on her way to incinerate the whole place.”
Nabiroze held out his hand to Ronan2.
He hesitantly took his Master’s hand and rose to his feet. Sita2 was already fast asleep, her arms wrapped around his neck.
“Good job. You did a great job with that weasel, too. He said he wouldn’t have pushed it this far if it wasn’t for you.”
“Not a weasel, but a dreamer–well, he did it. Hmmm, the bastard did it after all.”
Ronan2 smiled with satisfaction. It had been a brief encounter, but one he would never forget. It was thanks to him that I was able to avenge my enemies and that the world was safe.
“Rest assured, I’ll make you just as good of a warrior. It’ll take some bone-crunching, but the plates are the same, so the possibilities are endless.”
“Ugh. I don’t intend to be that strong, and I’ve paid off my enemies.”
“You sound full, and while the situation is certainly under control, I am afflicted with a disease that does not favor the gifted. Brace yourselves.”
“You can be harsh–huh?”
Suddenly, Ronan2 snarled. He rushed forward and leaned in close to Nabiroze.
When they were close enough to touch eyelashes, Nabiroze sucked in a breath.
“—What the hell is this?”
“Instructor, did you cry?”
“What?”
“Your eyes are red, what happened?”
Ronan2 reached out his hand. His ragged index finger gently brushed her tear streaks. There was a gentleness to his touch that was a far cry from his usual crass demeanor.
Nabiroze’s face lit up.
“You’re crazy!”
“Ew! Stop pulling my ears, I’ve been so worried about you!”
“You’re–no, you’re really–!”
She bit her bottom lip, about to say something. She’d been dumped without a kiss three minutes ago, and now she was about to be swayed by a guy who looked exactly like her.
Ronan2, dumbfounded, touched his tingling ears.
“Anyway, I’m glad you’re okay now. Don’t cry if you can help it, it’s a waste of a pretty face.”
“Well, you speak well–I’ll contact Mr. Lorhon. We need to get out of here now, so take those two with you.”
“And those two?”
Ronan2 looked in the direction Nabiroze’s index finger was pointing.
There was a redhead and a werewolf lying on the ground.
“Heroes for their courage at a crucial moment. That werewolf looks familiar, but I don’t recognize him. Take care of him.”
With that, Nabiroze turned his back on the horse for the last time. Ronan2 checked on the two of them. Fortunately, they were only stunned, and did not appear to be seriously injured.
Ronan2 shook Asel’s shoulder.
“Hey lady, wake up.”
“Hmph–the wizard?”
“He’s gone. I hear you guys did a great job, come back and have a drink with me.”
“They ran away…? Ugh… Ughhh… Ughhh!”
Before he could say anything, Asel vomited. A side effect of trying to be too brave.
Ronan2 was caught off guard by an untimely surprise.
“Eek! Where are you throwing up?! You think I’m a woman?”
“Heehee! I’m sorry, but I’m a man!”
Asel screamed and jerked her upper body up. He snapped back to reality.
It was a touchy subject for him, having spent three years in solitary confinement for gender misidentification.
Ronan2 and Asel locked eyes, and Asel was stunned.
“Da, are you the prosecutor?!”
“Alas, he and I are different people, from a place called a parallel world.”
“Parallel worlds—? What is that?”
“I don’t have time to explain the details. I’ll tell you later, but for now, get up. My name is Ronan, young lady?”
“Oh, I’m Asher, but as I said, I’m a man—”
“You wake up, big brother wolf, you’ll burn to death if you stay here!”
Ronan2 woke Didikan before Asel could finish his sentence.
He growled like an animal, then opened his eyes.
“Kkkkkk! You, you!”
“You seem to be introducing yourself a lot today. My name is Ronan, and I’m both the same and different from the guy you saw. I’ll explain more when we get out of here, but if you can walk, follow me.”
Never say the same thing more than once. It was Ronan2’s custom to tell these funny stories in a nice inn, with a beer in front of him.
He left the fortress, dragging the two of them like a pack animal.
Asel and Didikan’s eyes widened at the sight of the world outside the stone gates.
“Far, blue sky, Mr. Didikan, the sky is blue!”
“Really–we’re alive. Why is it that everything around us has turned into a forest, anyway?”
It was a surprise to the two men who had been confined to the fortress all this time. Navarrozé was waiting for them in the castle courtyard with Lorhon and Jaifa.
“Ah, there you are. Good work, Mr. Ronan.”
“Took you long enough, kid. If you had learned the sword from me, you would have been out and resting sooner.”
“Shut up, meow, and don’t lay eyes on my apprentice.”
“Huh—!”
Didikan and Asel froze at the sight.
Archmage, Swordsman, Warband Swordsman, and the only swordsman comparable to the current Swordsman.
The most influential people in the world were casually gathered together.
She glanced at Asel and raised an eyebrow.
“—Hmm? You must be the one the Archbishop was talking about.”
“If you mean the Archbishop, you mean Alicia, I, I was only trapped, I never cooperated—!”
“I know. I’m just a little freaked out because his description is so accurate.”
“Hmph, what, what did I explain?”
Nabiroze shook his head instead of answering. The suggestion that he was a beautiful male and could be taken and used as a pacifier if it suited her fancy was not something a freshly rescued commoner would appreciate hearing.
Ronan2 frowned out of nowhere.
“Huh? What’s that bridge?”
“Oh, no.”
In Nabiroze’s right hand was a human leg. It had been severed just below the knee, and its skinny, pale form was more than a little gruesome.
“Akashara is a mage’s leg. It was cut by you from the Lifeworld, and I thought it might be worth studying. Would you like to take a look?”
“Ugh. I’m good.”
“Okay, wait. Do you mind if I take a look?”
That’s when Didikan interrupted the conversation.
Nabiroze looked puzzled, but obediently handed Akasha’s leg over. After scrutinizing the leg, Didikan nodded.
“Again.”
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s a prosthetic leg, a very elaborate prosthetic leg. This guy, Akasha, was born without legs.”
“What’s that, a prosthetic leg?”
All eyes were on him. No one had ever seen a prosthetic leg before. The bone, muscle, and dead blood vessels exposed by the amputation could not possibly be artificial.
Nabiroze’s eyes widened.
“——I remembered. Weren’t you a blacksmith in Gran Cappadocia, working for Master Doron?”
“Yes. I was kidnapped after my father-in-law Doron died. It was a terrible day.”
“I thought you looked familiar, what a coincidence—so is it true that it’s a prosthetic, that it’s not real?”
“Yeah. Very sophisticated, but definitely fake, and I can’t believe he’s willing to let the blood run, but—wait a minute.”
Didikan’s eyes narrowed. The hairs on the nape of his neck stood up in real time.
He grinded his fangs together nervously and muttered softly.
“That’s–no, that can’t be right. That’s not right.”
“What’s wrong?”
“No, I mean this prosthetic leg, which, although it’s no match for me, is very skilled—.”
Didikan, who was answering Ronan2, interrupted.
He replied, bringing his eyes so close that his corneas touched the prosthetic.
“The finishing touches–it looks like I did it.”
“What kind of fatty is that?”
“Yeah, I think you’re right, Fatty, and I think you’re also an oil slick. Here, I’ll give it back.”
Didikan handed the prosthetic leg to Nabiroze. She and the other three blinked, still in disbelief that the leg was fake.
Didikan looked back at Ronan2 and smiled.
“Anyway, thank you so much, Ronan. Even though you were defeated by Akasha, I saw what you were capable of. If you don’t mind, I’d like to make you a sword as a reward, though I’m sure it won’t be as good as the one you wield from that parallel world—.”
“Oh, come on, you’re going to give me all that stuff? I’m sure I’d appreciate it.”
“Hmph. I’m glad you’re being honest. This human, Asel, is also a great wizard. We’ll have a lot to talk about when we get back.”
“Okay, okay, this is fate, let’s have a snotty drink. You’re coming with me, right?”
“Gee, as far as awesome goes–and I’m a guy.”
Asel waved his hand with an awkward smile.
But Lorhon’s mouth watered as he watched him silently, already recognizing that this was the man Ronan from the parallel world had spoken of. It had been a long time since he’d been tempted to teach just by looking at the precision of the magic oozing from his shoulders.
Just then, Zaifa, who was looking west, slapped the ground with his tail.
“Hey. I think it’s time to head back.”
“—Ah, exactly 20 minutes, you’re so consistent.”
Lorhon stroked his beard as he looked in the same direction.
Five red dragons flew down from the sky. Descending in their true form, the Navardoze looked less like creatures and more like a red storm that swept away everything.
“That’s—!”
Ronan2, Asel, and Didikan were awestruck. It was the first time they had ever seen a dragon in the flesh. They were even more surprised when they realized it was Navardoze and his clan.
Beneath Navarordze’s majestic wings, members of the Fire Dragon clan, such as Itargand and Vnihardo, formed a squadron.
Vnihardo’s tail stabbed Itargand in the side as he flew right next to her.
【Ir. Don’t make a mistake this time.
[Don’t interfere, sister, I’ll do a good job].
It’s not because of you, it’s because I’m ashamed. Maybe not in front of us, but how would you feel if you were caught trying to spit fire in front of all the mortals?
[Ack! Okay, stop it! I can hear you! And I’m not breathing fire today!!!]
Itargand rattled his scales. The dragons who had been listening in on the brother and sister’s conversation hissed.
Above their heads, the uncharacteristically solemn voice of Navarordze rang out.
[Kids. Fire circle.]
[Yes, Mother.]
The dragons’ eyes changed as the instructions were given, and as soon as they had finished, they cast their magic in unison, enveloping the entirety of Sheorn Forest in a force field. The cylindrical columns, open at the top like chimneys, stood hundreds of meters tall.
Gooooooooo—.
The forest shuddered in the wind that their wings created.
Nabirozé flicked a strand of hair out of her face.
“The Mother of Fire has arrived, Lorhon?”
“Okay. Let’s get going. I’ll be damned if I’m going to stay and watch any longer.”
Lorhon grumbled, the Sheorn Forest will soon be gone.
He took one last look at the pale castle and smiled mercifully.
“It’s the beginning of a new era.”
Lorhon snapped his fingers. Space warped, and the figures of six people and one animal disappeared.
Almost simultaneously, Navarordze’s mouth opened, and from the depths of his deep, wide throat spewed a torrent of molten flame.
Kaaaaaaaaaah!!!
In an instant, the storm of fire that filled the shield formed a gigantic molten column that rose deep into the sky. Yet not a single ember escaped the force field.
A maelstrom of the hottest flames on this star, it devoured the Sheorn Forest, the ruins of malice, and any seeds of darkness that might have remained, without leaving a trace.