The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 204

204

“Rin, say hello. This is Kies. The best archer in the Empire.”

The beginning of the journey 300 years ago.

So, when I met all my companions at the Holy See, Rista took the initiative to introduce us to each other.

“Kies, this is Rin. He’s making a name for himself as a genius mage in the Empire right now.”

When I first met Kies, he seemed to be nothing more than a wreck, reeking of alcohol and with a gaunt face.

If I had only judged by his appearance, I might have formed strange prejudices.

But thanks to Rista’s brief introduction, highlighting only his strengths, I was able to quickly build a good rapport.

“We are now companions. We must help each other whenever we need each other.”

As members of the group, knowing each other is more important than you might think.

So, Rain decided to give them time to get to know each other, just like Rista had done. I am the leader now, too.

Water scales were scattered all over the bow of the merchant ship heading to the Adrion continent, and Aki widened her eyes as she watched the dazzling sunset.

“This shady-looking guy here is Valencidi. He’s a black magician who’s more useful than trash, and he’s our party’s healer. Don’t ever trust him; you never know when he’ll stab you in the back.”

“Aruu.”

“And this giant here is Bart. He’s a reliable warrior.”

Bart gave the other two a light nod. Valencidi narrowed his eyes as if he found it ridiculous.

“Interesting. My treatment is quite different, isn’t it?”

“Different, different, different.”

Lightly ignored.

“And this green-haired guy is Rem. He’s a pathetic guy who mistakenly believes he’s the best archer in the world.”

“What the hell?! Say that again!”

“He’s a pathetic guy who mistakenly believes he’s the best archer in the world.”

“That’s not what I meant, you jerk!”

Wasn’t it?

But it’s important to introduce him accurately. Isn’t that kind of eccentricity Rem’s strength?

While Rem grabbed him by the collar and shook his face wildly, Rain pointed over there.

“And over there is Miria. She really likes goblins.”

As soon as he said that, an icy gaze pierced deep into his eyes. Even though it was backlit, he felt Miria’s eyes flashing strangely.

“I’m really curious what kind of garbage has to fill your brain to come to that conclusion.”

As he was being beaten by Valencidi, Rem, and Miria, he felt something strange.

“I’d like you to summarize the reasons why you think I’m useless in three sentences.”

“I’m a pathetic guy? Huh? Do you really want to taste some drunken fist [a martial art style] today?”

“Shall I give you a direct experience of how bad goblins smell?”

Oh, why?

The atmosphere is a bit strange.

I thought there was a really warm atmosphere 300 years ago.

“Hmph……”

I guess I’m still far from catching up with Rista. As he scratched his nose with a faint smile, the intensity of the violence increased even more!

“Aruu……”

Even the Yellow Dragon in his arms looked up at Rain with a dumbfounded look. It was then that a voice ended the group violence.

“Aki is Aki!”

The baby dragon had been waiting and waiting to be introduced, and when its turn didn’t come, it introduced itself.

‘Cute.’

‘Aki is always cute.’

Rem and Miria’s faces flushed slightly as they watched Aki stretch out her hands and shout.

“Cute, Aki!”

On the other hand, Bart expressed his feelings loudly like a real man. Feeling that it was a competition, Aki raised her voice even louder.

“Aki is not cute, Aki is Aki!!!”

“Intelligence shattered, intelligence shattered, intelligence, intelligence, intelligence.”

“Aki is not intelligence, Aki is Aki!!!”

Watching the scene where the deck was instantly turned into a sea of laughter by Aki, Rain smiled gently.

‘I couldn’t do it even when I acted while recalling the past with Rista.’

You are different from me, Aki.

A heart as pure as a flame, your very existence lights a warm fire in the hearts of the tired and sad.

Yes, you will surely become a great dragon like your mother…….

“Are you tired? Let’s go inside.”

Hugging the Yellow Dragon, who had begun to doze off in his arms, he went down the stairs leading to the cabin. He could leave the harmony of the party to Aki and Pipi.

‘Rista, I guess I’m not fit to be a leader after all.’

* * *

When I came to my senses, I was in a world of black smoke.

I was definitely sleeping in the cabin, but strangely enough, the Yellow Dragon followed me into this fantasy world in my arms.

In the center of the world, the Black Sun, Karenden, sat on a chair made of mist, reading a book, and turned to look at me.

「Oh, you’ve come.」

I replied with a listless smile.

It’s all thanks to you.

Isn’t it all thanks to Karenden-nim [honorific title] that the Slayers couldn’t revive Link?

「I didn’t do anything. Those who dream of the sky and accumulate virtue ascend to the sky, and those who are intoxicated by the abyss and stained with evil are bound to the earth.」

I needed some time to think.

The memories I had with Kies and Link passed through my ears like the sound of a bell.

「You can be proud of your friends. None of them were intoxicated by the abyss and ascended to the sky. It’s proof that they all lived noble lives.」

I’m so late.

I wonder if they hated me for promising to come back and not being able to…….

I felt that all those worries and concerns were meaningless, as was clearly revealed by this reunion.

Karenden pointed to the Yellow Dragon in my arms with his finger.

「That child’s name is Setsunen. It means a heart that grieves, that is, affection (哀情).」

Setsunen…….

I knew it; this child came into my arms not by chance, but by your doing.

「Coincidence, the fact that I created the Three Divine Dragons was also just a coincidence that came out of making war weapons. But now that I look back…….」

The mist that made up the chair split into three shapes. They were three baby dragons, each with a different appearance.

I’ve seen one of them in this space before. It was the Water Dragon Yeriserica. That means.

Are they the Fire Dragon Bel’dakidun and the Light Dragon Haraderiman, respectively?

「I can affirm that the days I spent with those children led me to the truth. There is no such thing as coincidence in this world.」

Karenden’s face, scratching the chins of the baby dragons, was hidden by the black light.

But for some reason, I could tell that he was smiling happily, nostalgically, and sadly.

Karenden raised his head and looked at me. He still seems to be smiling.

「It will be of great help to you on your hundred-year journey. Both spiritually and physically. Now, call Setsunen’s name.」

I hesitated for a moment because I didn’t know why, but had Karenden’s words ever led to strange results?

Setsunen.

The moment I called that name, Setsunen’s body suddenly soared into the sky in a dazzling flash.

「Since Setsunen is fundamentally a flying dragon, it must be fused in that way to borrow the power of the Philosopher’s Stone.」

And it struck my body like lightning, and I couldn’t help but gasp for a moment.

When the flash cleared, I suddenly had gauntlets on both hands.

Woven with particles of light, the current shimmering in gold on the surface was brilliant and elegant.

It wasn’t without weight, but it felt sturdy, not heavy at all.

‘The gauntlet on the left hand doesn’t have armor covering the palm. Is it to avoid covering the runes of the mental barrier?’

Is that all?

A new stroke has been added to the rune of the mind engraved on the left palm.

With a mysterious sense of fulfillment that spreads a clear thunderous sound to the heart, the main meridian, and the clear brain.

‘Crooked strokes, just like lightning bolts…….’

At the same time, a butterfly landed on my shoulder.

Rudian.

As the magic butterfly lightly fluttered its wings, the index of transcendence was summarized and displayed in front of me as a string of characters.

Camitishia.

Analyzing the circuit…….

ㆍ Additional magic properties have been identified: ‘Red’ -> ‘Red’, ‘Yellow’.

ㆍ A new connection point between the origin and the magic circuit has been discovered: ‘Thunder’.

For the first time in a long time, I could feel my heart pounding with excitement.

Thunder.

Thunder, you say.

Wasn’t my main attribute and the attribute that represents the Osarius School the lightning attribute?

‘Can I use it again?’

Although its power is weaker than Fire, the strength of Thunder lies in the speed of the magic that is manifested.

The power of light speed that the Dragon Slayer wielded freely was the power of this Yellow magic, the power of Thunder.

If I can use the lightning attribute, I can combine and use magic more flexibly than now.

As I smiled at the overwhelming feeling, Karenden suddenly placed a friendly hand on my shoulder.

「Akirea is a blood relative of Alakish, and Mirngardia contains fragments of your disciple. But Setsunen has nothing.」

That’s for sure…….

「So, dye that child with your color. I have great expectations for you.」

With that, the black smoke that had been rising from all directions disappeared, and the darkness of the cabin returned.

A familiar scent and a still unfamiliar scent prick the tip of my nose at the same time.

The scent of firewood warming the fireplace on a winter day must be Aki’s, who is now puffing up both cheeks and glaring at me as if dissatisfied.

“That’s Aki’s spot! Aki, Aki’s!”

When I looked closely, she seemed to be glaring at Setsunen, who was curled up on my chest.

Then, embarrassingly…… she flicked Setsunen’s head.

Tears welled up in Setsunen’s eyes, and as soon as she was about to cry, I was so surprised that I grabbed Aki’s shoulders.

“What did you just do, Aki? Why are you hitting your sister?”

“…….”

“You’re her older sister. You have to protect your sister. Apologize now.”

At my scolding, Aki just stared at Setsunen with a sulky expression, and then quickly ran out of the cabin.

“Aki, hey, Aki!”

What kind of trouble is this…….

I was going to teach her Setsunen’s name and tell her to take good care of her.

“Why are you doing this, Aki…….”

I can’t walk the same time as you, but Setsunen is the one and only companion who can walk the same time as you.

* * *

“Why do you have such a grumpy look on your face?”

It was Miria who spoke to Aki, who was sitting on the mast, listlessly looking at the dark, vast sea.

“Daddy hates Aki.”

“Rain? Why?”

“Daddy hates Aki! He only hugs her all the time. He doesn’t like Aki anymore.”

Words spat out carelessly while hugging her knees.

Miria knew better than anyone that she didn’t mean it, so she gave a sad smile.

That’s why, that’s why, I don’t want this child to repeat the same mistakes as me.

“Do you remember how high the Red Mountains are, Aki?”

“……?”

“Can Aki run to the top without stopping?”

“It’s hard. Why do I have to do that?”

“When Aki was captured, that guy ran all the way to the top like that. With a body that wasn’t even healthy. Even though he was gasping for breath like he was about to die.”

“……!”

“That’s how much he cherishes and loves you. Aki, a person’s time is limited. No one knows when the relationship will end. Did you just fight over something trivial? You’ll probably regret it for the rest of your life.”

Because the ‘tomorrow’ doesn’t come as usual, as expected.

If you have an easygoing mind that it’s okay because it’s not my true feelings, and that my heart will be relieved someday…… you will have a past that you will regret for the rest of your life.

Instability. That is the time of man, the life of man, the destiny that mortals must bear.

“I don’t know what it means to have a relationship end.”

“It means dying.”

“Die?”

“People, you know, die someday. And when you die?”

The sea breeze swept across the dark sea, shaking Aki’s red hair.

“You can never see them again.”

The dragon’s mind was still too young to realize the weight of death, that is, the severance of relationships.

But perhaps because the smile Miria gave at that time, that smile looked so sad…… Aki felt a pain somewhere in her heart.

Then, a voice was heard from below the mast.

“Aki, hey, Aki! What are you doing there so dangerously! Come down here now!”

Aki kicked the mast a few times and landed on the deck with a light movement.

“Aki landing!”

As the sailors whistled with cheers, Aki approached Rain.

Just as Rain, startled, tried to lift Setsunen high so that Aki’s hands couldn’t reach her, Aki bowed politely.

“Daddy, Aki was wrong. I won’t do that again in the future.”

To be honest, I was going to scold her sternly, but if she comes out like this first, what am I supposed to say?

After staring blankly at Aki, I finally chuckled.

“No, it’s my fault for not teaching you how to treat your family.”

“How do you do it?”

I remembered the conversation I had with my companions a long time ago, asking what I would do if I had a family.

“It’s not difficult.”

And Rista smiled and told me something.

“Cherish them a lot.”

After carefully placing Setsunen in Aki’s arms, he placed his hand on her warm head.

“Your younger sister’s name is Nen. She’s a family member who will live the same time as you.”

“Nen!”

“Yes, Nen. Can you cherish her?”

Aki, who was looking up at Rain with a somewhat excited look, nodded and rubbed her cheek against Nen’s head.

“Aki will cherish her a lot!”

Ah, just seeing your pure smile makes my heart feel warm.

– It’s not difficult, Rin.

And, it makes me realize what kind of heart my companions had when they said those words to me a long time ago.

– Cherish them a lot.

And also, when I hear your clear laughter, I feel unbearably lonely.

The reality that I have to part with you on the day the journey ends makes my heart so sad. It makes me want to hug you without realizing it.

“Yes, good girl. Aki is a good child, so I’m sure she can do well.”

Miria, who was smiling as she looked down at the scene, frowned once again at the sense of déjà vu that was creeping into her mind.

‘Again.’

I’ve heard that before somewhere.

Who said that?

Did Gin-ajusshi [term of respect for an older man] say that? No, no. A long time ago than that…….