The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 206

As soon as I stepped off the ship onto the pier, the changed continent began to stimulate my senses.

‘The exotic spice scent mixed with the warm breeze… and all the strange languages I hear are Southern dialects?’

Originally a dialect of the Republic language (the Imperial language is also a dialect), it seemed to have diverged further over the past 300 years, now appearing as a completely separate language.

Still, perhaps because it was the entrance to the continent, the Republic language, often called the common tongue, could be heard quite frequently.

Valenciadis pulled his hood down and turned away first.

“I’m going to gather information about the current situation for a bit. I’ll join you later.”

“Information, information, information.”

As if to accompany him, Pipi landed on his head.

They seemed to have become closer since the Ringleland incident, but don’t be fooled. Pipi is closest to me.

Despite all the gossip, he’s quite reliable in moments like these.

“I’m going to update my ID tag. Gosl, you?”

“Me too.”

It might not have been planned, but Miria and Rem were grouped together. As expected, being the same gender, they seemed to become friends faster than others.

Miria seemed quite burdened by Rem’s quirky and straightforward personality….

The name Gosl was an arbitrary abbreviation of Goblin Slayer, and she had started calling him that from some point on.

“I’m going to see the Rista Party statue.”

“Aru.”

“Aki’s going too!”

Only Bartman disappeared somewhere without telling us his destination.

“Since there are so many people, hold on tight so you don’t get lost.”

“Don’t know what ‘lost’ is, dat!”

“It means you’ll be separated from me and we won’t be able to meet again.”

Aki’s eyes widened as if they would pop out.

“If Aki disappears, will Papa die?!”

Why that conclusion…?!

Aki jumped up, hooked his feet on my shoulders, and snatched my bamboo hat. It had become quite heavy, but it wasn’t an unbearable weight.

And so, with Setsunen in my arms and Aki on my neck, I crossed the port district where the fish market was located.

“Crocodile, dat!”

“It’s an eel.”

“Aru!”

“Dog, dat!”

“You mean crab?”

“Aruuu!”

“Mixed, dat!”

“It’s a mussel.”

“Aruru!”

Alakish, this is the current state of Aki’s intelligence… He’s growing up healthy, so it’ll be fine, right?

‘But still, a fish market….’

The scenery is so different from 300 years ago, which reminded me of the end of the century. Everywhere I look, there’s vitality. Back then, there was only despair everywhere I looked.

‘People were lining up to ask Freede for prayers.’

There were also quite a few people approaching with faces gaunt from starvation.

In the very place where that fishmonger is now holding up a flapping sailfish to attract the attention of passersby, there were children dying of disease.

And over there, there was a swarm of flies gathered in the shape of a person. When I took a step, they all buzzed and flew away.

‘Come to think of it, back then, the only smell was like the stench of sewage, the rotting smell of corpses and feces….’

Back then, the rear was truly a city of the sick.

In fact, the situation in villages and cities that weren’t in the rear was even better.

It was a natural phenomenon, as refugees from all over the continent flocked to the rear.

– Let’s start after we’ve taken care of the city’s situation.

Freede stayed up for three days and nights, caring for all the sick, and Rista distributed all the food she had brought on the warships.

– We have enough local supplies.

I followed Rista’s orders.

I gathered and sorted the corpses scattered throughout the city with telekinesis (the ability to move objects with your mind) and cremated them to prevent the disease from spreading further.

And I put the remains in urns and distributed them to the families, and that was the first time someone had bowed their head while shedding tears.

– Thank you so much, magician….

I was just embarrassed, ashamed, and awkward, so I just waved my hand, but it didn’t seem like a bad experience.

– You’ll learn along the way where and how to use the power the gods gave to Rin….

I felt like I remembered what Headmaster had told me before leaving the Magic Tower. I also felt a surge of heat in my chest.

“Grilled fish, dat!”

“Two, please. Small ones.”

After leaving the fish market, we didn’t walk far before we arrived at the famous ‘Square of Beginnings.’

‘It’s the same as back then.’

The square was bustling with merchants traveling to and from the continent, and even in the midst of that crowd, the statue towering high in the distance was clearly visible.

‘It’s the place where our journey truly began.’

Rista, holding the Supreme Star Sword Shirpang high.

And Freede, Keyes, and… me, following behind.

Not the merchants, but the citizens residing in this city would gather their hands respectfully and offer a moment of silence whenever they passed in front of the statue.

“Thank you.”

While muttering that.

For a moment, a sense of déjà vu caused dizziness, painting the noisy surroundings completely white.

The faces of my companions, made of stone, gained life and led me to the depths of my memories with their respective voices.

– I want to create a world where everyone can laugh comfortably.

Rista, who wanted to be remembered as someone who could spread laughter at any moment, in any era, was indeed smiling on every statue.

Were my eyes unfocused for a moment?

When I came out of my memory, I could see Aki on my shoulders and Nen in my arms, staring up at the statue.

“Aki, Nen.”

“Papa?”

“Aru.”

“People are remembered in the future by building up their current actions.”

She smiled at everyone.

She smiled in any situation.

Just as Rista, who spread light to the war situation that had been plunged into despair with that smile, is now remembered as she was back then.

“How do you want to be remembered in the future?”

And just as Alakish, who fulfilled his mission and died in the millennium, was remembered more vividly than a flame in my heart.

These kids too.

I hoped that these kids, who would have to live in the last era… would live a life that would leave beautiful footprints for many people.

“I just wanted to be remembered as a good uncle to the children I wanted to protect.”

It was Bart who answered my question, casting a long shadow with his massive frame in the crowd.

Whether he had just arrived or had been there all along… he was looking at the statue with a somewhat sad look in his eyes.

“I didn’t want to be a hero like those people. I’ve never had such delusional dreams.”

“What are you talking about, Bart?”

“It’s just a lament about my pathetic self.”

Bart had originally been a woodcutter in the eastern mountains of the Empire, taking care of children abandoned in villages or mountains.

He made a simple but happy living with about twenty children, cutting firewood and selling it.

I learned later that the reason Bart liked children was because his wife had died with the baby during childbirth.

“The problem started when I went down to the city to sell firewood and came back a day later than usual.”

It was a time when monsters were rampaging due to the stirrings of the Abyss [a dark and chaotic dimension].

The monster attacked the cabin, devoured all the children, and destroyed the house.

The moment I saw that, I felt some kind of power. It was as if a dormant sense was awakening….

“I had never learned swordsmanship before… but when I came to my senses, I was holding a dull axe. The monster was lying in front of me.”

I don’t know how many days and nights I cried, hugging the blood-stained clothes of the dead children.

– The dead do not return by crying. Let them go now.

Later, the elder of the Southern Wheel Sword Sect [a martial arts school], who had been tracking the monster’s presence, calmed Bart down, cleaned up the destroyed house and the children, and took note of his talent and recommended swordsmanship.

– If you couldn’t protect your own daily life, become someone who can protect the daily life of others. The era is only getting worse.

That elder is the current Moon Lord of the Southern Wheel, Taiwyn Esrad. Bart learned swordsmanship from Taiwyn for 5 years and became the top disciple before descending the mountain.

“I followed that teaching and became an adventurer, taking up the sword….”

So that’s why.

Rein thought. The reason why Bart could give a smile that reminded him of Rista the moment they first met.

It was because of that mindset.

“I guess I can’t do anything alone, now or then. I’m utterly pathetic.”

That was the case with the Rat-Spider Queen, the Ant Tunnel incident, and this incident.

I’m just full of talk without any skill.

If you hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have accomplished anything, even though I said I would help.

“For someone like me to be Platinum rank… it’s truly laughable to stand in front of those people.”

For some reason, the flow of people passing around us seemed to be speeding up.

Nevertheless, that self-deprecating voice mixed with regret was clearly audible.

If I had heard such a rant before meeting Rista, would I have just ignored it? Before any thoughts could form, my body was reacting first.

“It’s not laughable.”

I’m the one who’s been helped countless times. I’ve relied on you like a spoiled child at important junctures.

I dared to do that.

Just like I did to those guys 300 years ago.

“The fact that you can sincerely fight for someone makes Bart a truly great person.”

It took me years to reach that realization.

If it hadn’t been for Headmaster and the days I spent with Rista, I might never have known.

And if it hadn’t been for those 5 years, I wouldn’t be here now.

“Maybe those kids think so too.”

Just like I thought when I looked at Rista… Aki and Nen chimed in.

“Think so, dat!”

“Aruuu!”

At that moment, was it a confusion in processing emotions? For a moment, the smiles of the dead children flashed before Bart’s eyes.

– Uncle!

– Bart Uncle!

What came to his lips was a bitter smile.

And what remained in his eyes was….

“I really hope so.”

Bart smiled as if he would break at any moment, looking at the illusions of those children.

I hope so.

Really, I hope so.

And after looking at the statue once more, he turned his body towards the other side of the square.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to renew my ID tag to Platinum rank.”

Looking at his back, Rein scratched his temple.

My vocabulary is still too lacking to convey my sincerity. I don’t have Rista’s kindness or Freede’s eloquence….

As I swallowed a bitter smile, Aki leaned down and brought his face upside down into my view.

“Like Papa!”

“Huh?”

“Want to be remembered like Papa, dat!”

Aki’s eyes, wide with a bright smile, shone goldenly. Even though there was no reflected light, they shone like flames, so dazzling that it was blinding.

No, it’s not blinding.

This feeling of something warm and touching settling in my heart, the feeling I had when facing Headmaster, Rista, or Alakish.

“No, Aki.”

I lowered my head slightly and pressed my forehead against Aki’s forehead. It was as warm as a stove on a winter day.

You will surely be remembered as someone so great that you can’t be compared to a magician like me, who failed even on his journey and couldn’t keep his promises.

You shouldn’t become like me, someone who just makes everyone in the world gain strength just by thinking of you.

“Aruuu.”

At that moment, a tingling current ran through my chest.

Setsunen had pulled on my collar, and those eyes, the same as Aki’s, were looking straight at me.

The eyes of the absolute life form, which seemed to look into the depths of my soul, seemed to be saying something.

No….

I don’t know if he’s really saying that or if my delusion is just imagining it, but I just let out a weak smile.

“Oh dear, I don’t know who’s taking care of whom at this point.”

In true regret.

Why didn’t I say a warm word to Headmaster or my mother in those young days?

I’m so happy that it hurts, indescribably….

I’m learning little by little.

The heart of a parent from their child.

A fragment of truth not written in any book in the world.