The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 143

143.

The beastmen, under the protection of the White Dragon Legion, crossed the strait to the continent, heading towards the Land of the World Tree.

I wanted to thank Eldevih personally, but he had vanished after the work was done. He must have returned to Harvadonia.

Just before their departure, Gryphon, Opus, and Beduel, among other representatives, came to bid us farewell.

“Now we must part ways.”

Why did those words, even though I knew they were coming, weigh so heavily on my heart?

“I don’t know how to thank you all enough.”

“I didn’t do anything…”

I had talked a big game, but I hadn’t actually solved anything significant.

Kiran resolved the issue at the barrier, Alakish dealt Shar’Kass a fatal blow and sealed him away, and Yeriserika guided the beastmen to the continent.

It felt like I had gone through a lot, but much of it seemed meaningless. As I was about to offer a wry smile, Beduel embraced me and then Kasena.

“Be happy. I will always pray to the gods for your happiness…”

“Chieftain, please rest comfortably in a warm land now.”

Surrounded by the Durankus tribe, who had gathered before I even realized it, Kasena’s face was instantly wet with tears as she received their farewells.

Watching this with a sense of satisfaction, Gryphon approached and knelt on one knee before me, meeting my eyes directly.

“Take back those words.”

“Pardon?”

“You said you didn’t do anything. That’s not true at all. If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have been able to cross the barrier; we would still be wandering above as slaves of the White Tyrant.”

“Defeating the White Tyrant was—”

“—You. Lane Ludwick, son of Kevan. You were the one who shed tears for us, the one who went to the barrier for us, and the one who came back for us. You were the one who fought for us, again and again.”

Meeting his noble gaze, memories of the past six months flooded my mind like countless fragments, and my eyes began to sting.

Even though it felt like I worked hard, I couldn’t really do anything…

“For the sake of our honor, we will never forget what you have done. I, and all of our people, will remember.”

Then, Gryphon removed a fist-sized, silver-blue gem from around his neck and placed it in my hand.

I could feel a dormant but immensely powerful force swirling within it.

What on earth is this? Judging by how Black Sheep Lin [referring to Lane’s unique magical signature or connection] is reacting, it’s definitely not an ordinary object.

“Cheonghyun (Clear String). A relic left by the hero Enuel to our ancestors.”

“Pardon?”

“It is said to be a gem attached to the base of the True Holy Sword Sharilion, and it has been passed down to those chosen as the great chieftain.”

“Why, why are you giving that to me? Take it back. I can’t accept this. Absolutely.”

“No, you must accept it. This is not a gift. It is entrusting it to you. As a token of covenant.”

“Covenant…?”

“I promise. Whether it is you, your descendants, or anyone who comes to us with this gem and asks for help, the entire beastmen race will unconditionally assist them without question, regardless of the importance of the matter. Our friend.”

Beastmen value honor above all else, and they never make promises lightly. They risk their lives when they make a promise, and they keep their word until their last breath.

Realizing the weight of the words spoken by the great chieftain, and the significance of handing over Cheonghyun, tears streamed from my tightly closed eyelids.

“You are a great warrior, Lane Ludwick. Do not bow your head. Do not shed tears either. Warriors do not show tears when they part.”

“…!”

“They bless each other’s future and send each other off with a smile. So that when a friend becomes a ghost, they can remember the last smile and find peace.”

Barely maintaining my composure, I managed a smile and grasped the large, calloused hand that Gryphon extended.

The warriors applauded enthusiastically, as if in agreement with Gryphon’s sentiment.

At that moment, Kasena, her eyes red and swollen with tears, grumbled with a pout.

“Why don’t you give me one? Give me one too! I want something like that to remember you by!”

Then, not only Gryphon but all the beastmen scratched their heads, looking confused.

“No, aren’t you two one?”

“One?”

“You’ve been together day and night, so I naturally assumed you were married.”

A moment of silence hung in the air.

Aki, sleeping soundly in my arms, sneezed in her sleep.

Kasena’s face flushed bright red as she understood the implication of their words, and she began waving her hands frantically.

“No, no! I’m much more precious! What nonsense! It’s outrageous! Why would I marry someone like Lane! Huh?!”

Her psychokinesis surged… Pebbles on the ground floated up and rained down on the warriors. The warriors scattered in terror.

“Stop! I was wrong! I understand! Even if Kasena’s descendants bring that, we will help with all our might!”

“Don’t make it sound like a bonus!”

It was Beduel, the chief of the Durankus tribe, who finally stopped Kasena’s rampage. Beduel handed Kasena the ring he wore on his index finger.

“It’s severely lacking compared to Cheonghyun, but this is a symbol passed down only to the chief of our Durankus tribe.”

“…?”

“Kasena, this is a token that we are friends. Will you accept it?”

While the Durankus tribe cheered, Kasena bit her lip sadly as she put the ring on her thumb. Was she desperately trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill again?

The beastmen quietly paid their respects to Aki, an avatar of Alakish, and then began to cross the divided sea, led by Gryphon.

That’s how we parted ways with the beastmen. It was truly a series of miraculous events, from our transfer to Harvadonia until now.

And the Durankus tribe was the tribe that warmly welcomed us… and the tribe where Barsen was.

As I blankly watched their figures receding into the distance, the faces of my old hero party members overlapped with them, and tears streamed down my cheeks.

The pain of severing a connection, the feeling that I might never see them again… Just as I reached out my hand, Kasena shouted, her voice thick with sobs.

“We can meet again!”

“Pardon…?”

“After graduating from school, we can visit and meet once a year! Right! We can just meet again! It’s not like we’re parting forever!”

Yes, that’s right… Kasena’s words, meant to comfort herself, warmed my heart.

We can meet again.

Because we will be able to meet again.

As I watched the procession of beastmen waving goodbye disappear into the darkness, someone approached from behind.

“Kasena.”

A heroine as beautiful as Kasena, but taller and more dignified in every movement: Madelia Page.

“Mom.”

Madelia’s expression twisted with pain at the word that came so naturally when she heard her name, and she hugged her daughter tightly, sobbing without regard for her dignity.

“How… could you make me worry so much, because of you…”

She had planned to scold her when they met again, feeling as though she had aged decades because of her. She was going to cut her off and refuse to accept her stubbornness any longer.

But the moment she felt her daughter’s warmth again,

the moment she smelled her daughter’s scent again,

the moment she heard her daughter’s laughter again,

all the words she had rehearsed on the journey here vanished, replaced by endless tears.

“Lady.”

“Lady Kasena.”

“We are so glad you are safe.”

The magic guards and escort knights of the Page family, who had served and protected Kasena since she was young, wiped away their tears and paid their respects.

“You know, beyond the barrier, I met a lot of beastmen! Also, I learned magic from a wonderful true dragon named Alakish, huh? But it’s strange; there were so many things I wanted to say when I met Mom, but I can’t speak well…”

Kasena found it strange that her mother was crying while hugging her, not realizing that her own throat was choked with emotion.

Watching the scene from a distance, I felt a pang in my heart.

That’s why I had no choice but to look up at Pipi, perched on my head, and whisper a strange question.

“If I could have returned 300 years earlier… would those guys have cried like that too?”

“Friede often cried. Cry, cry.”

“Really?”

In the past, I would have simply swallowed my sadness, but now that Yeriserika had said that the severed chain of fate might be reforged…

“We’re going south, Pipi.”

“South? South? South?”

“I have to take Aki to . Will you come with me?”

Pipi flapped her wings vigorously, as if the answer were obvious, landed on my shoulder, and rubbed her face against my ear.

“Friede said, Pipi, tell Lynn when you’re ready to leave, I’ll be waiting in .”

“What…?”

“Success, success, if you succeed, I’ll be waiting in . Friede said.”

Success… what does she mean by succeeding…?

In an instant, Friede’s smiling face, blowing cigarette smoke in my face and laughing, flashed through my mind.

It’s probably something from 200 years ago, so there’s no chance she’s alive. Still, even so…

“Lane Ludwick.”

Around that time, the sound of approaching horses was heard, and Crown Prince Raida Eigin appeared, riding a white steed.

“You’ve had another child in the short time I haven’t seen you. They say someone like you is a king of stamina?”

“No, Your Highness, this is…”

My appearance was quite comical.

Aki was in a sling, and Mirngardia was in a basket that Alakish used to use, carried on my back.

Raida teased me with a playful smile.

“I know. I was just joking. The Water Dragon has issued a gag order to the Imperial Army and adventurers, but I don’t know how well that will be kept in this era.”

He must be talking about me taking care of Mirngardia.

Aside from the beastmen, Madelia and Raida are the only ones who know Aki’s identity, but Mirngardia is in the state of a dragon egg, so there was no way to offer a plausible excuse.

“Of course, I will do my best to keep it confidential. But don’t expect too much.”

“No, it’s not.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Pardon?”

“I talked as if I would solve everything, but the person who actually solved everything is someone else.”

“No, it’s not! If it weren’t for Your Highness, we wouldn’t have avoided bloodshed, and the beastmen’s position would have been greatly weakened. So would mine.”

“I’m grateful that you say that, even if it’s just a pretense. Then let’s meet again later if we have the chance.”

As Raida turned his horse’s head towards the Imperial Army camp, I shouted.

“I will seriously consider it.”

“Hmm?”

“The position at the Magic Tower… I will seriously consider it.”

Raida raised his eyebrows, and then, the next moment, he laughed loudly and nodded. As soon as Raida left, Sageon, the Archmage who had been following him, pulled the reins in front of me.

“Ludwick’s grandson, Lane Ludwick. I look forward to the day when we compete again for the position of Archmage.”

“I’m just thinking about it, so don’t expect too much.”

“Hmph.”

By the time Sageon left chasing after Raida, the swamp, which had been filled with chaos, was now quiet.

The Imperial Army, with the orderly sounds of spears, swords, and armor, was boarding the warships, the beastmen, exuding the scent of beasts and roaring, were crossing the sea, and the White Dragon Legion, scattering sacred energy, was leaving one by one.

I glanced at Kasena, who was sharing a tearful reunion with Madelia, and smiled bitterly.

‘It’s time for us to part ways too, Kasena.’

* * *

In Bellewyn, the Ludwick family’s mansion, a formless darkness always lingered after that day.

The laughter that had once filled the mansion had long been silenced, and the maids and butlers lived each day holding their breath, fearing they would be consumed by the gloom.

“It’s getting cold. Let’s go inside…”

Brim Ludwick, the mistress of the Ludwick family, always visited her dead son’s grave and spent the night in tears.

She hardly ate or drank, and her body was becoming emaciated… Was it because she wished to join her son in death?

“Was he happy?”

“…?”

“Did we ever make that child happy…?”

As Brim Ludwick burst into tears again, Kevan Ludwick let out a tearful sigh and patted her back.

“Of course, he was happy. He had a good mother like you… Now you have to take care of Brand, don’t you? He’s only four years old now.”

It was around that time that the mansion became noisy.

With Seri Ludwick, the family’s rightful heir, having left for the Rivarden Magic School, the mansion should have been eerily quiet.

The commotion persisted, and just as I was growing annoyed, a maid ran over.

“Lord! Madam!”

Something was wrong. Since Lane Ludwick’s death, all the servants had been careful to restrain their behavior and never caused such a disturbance.

The maid, nearly tripping several times, finally reached the two, her face beaming as she gasped for breath.

“He’s back, he’s back! He’s alive, he’s back…!”

Kevan was so dumbfounded that he couldn’t even bring himself to reprimand her.

Come back? Who?

Did Seri Ludwick return? Or his father? Or his younger brother, back from university?

“Lane, Master Lane… just came back! He said he was hungry, so I immediately served him a meal…”

Kevan’s eyes widened.

For a moment, he wondered if it was a cruel prank, but why would a maid risk her life to play such a joke?

“What are you saying?”

He couldn’t believe it. The fact that his son’s name was being spoken again by the maid, the fact that his son’s actions were being reported through her.

Why wouldn’t he?

These were things that could only happen if that child was alive.

“That child is… alive?”

He simply repeated the maid’s words in an uncontrollably trembling voice. At the same time, Brim’s sobs ceased.

“Yes, Lord. He’s in the banquet hall now. With Master Brand. Oh, um, and…”

“…?”

“I don’t know how to say this. Master Lane’s daughter is also with him…”