The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 236

236

The Solond Kingdom was quickly recovering.

Though everyone’s mind and body had been battered by the plague, the people, inspired by the young prince’s struggles, united with a shared purpose.

We were all exhausted on the first day due to the accumulated fatigue and injuries, but those who recovered from their sickbeds helped rebuild the palace.

“Hehe, this friend is quite strong, isn’t he?”

“He’s my subordinate. His name is Bart. Please spread the word! Our Rem and Bart’s Heart-Pounding Money-Making Adventure Group is incredibly amazing.”

Those trivial, everyday scenes.

The kind of sight you only see at the end of a journey’s sub-chapter, so similar to the days I spent with those fools 300 years ago.

There was no way to hide the sad smile that often crept up on me.

It might have been even harder if Miria, who looked exactly like Rista, was here, but she disappeared somewhere every morning, saying she was training.

“I, I hab a big day.”

“What do you mean by ‘big day’?”

“I think he means the coronation. Hmm, now that you mention it, it’s true. The throne has been vacant for too long.”

Obin said, rubbing his fingers together as if embarrassed.

He said that the kingdom’s circumstances were not good, so the process would be simplified a lot, but he wanted to invite us all as honored guests.

I was worried that Obin might be troubled by the opposition from the nobles who valued the royal customs and ceremonies, but…

“All the major officials at the center of the Tae Sung Jin are dead. The corrupt vested interests have collapsed. It can be seen as a very suitable environment for reform.”

That, that evil guy.

Just like a black magician.

“Hmm, anyway, a coronation…”

It would be a good experience for Aki and Setsunen as well. Attending a coronation as honored guests is not an experience you can easily have anywhere.

And the coronation of the Solond Kingdom takes place in a historically significant place.

That is Mayyadure, located on the sacred mountain north of the Sun Castle, Bara.

As if the gods were also celebrating the new enthronement, the morning mist was thin that day, and the forest was filled with the scent of dew.

Numerous people and soldiers attended the coronation, and everyone was quiet without anyone maintaining order.

Before the coronation began, I showed Aki and Setsunen the Mayyadure Valley.

“This is Mayyadure.”

“Ooh~ It’s very crow-like.”

“Vast.”

“It’s vast, dat!”

“Vaaaaast.”

“That’s right. Do you know what this place is? The Moon of Creation, Mayan, offered fervent prayers and turned the swamp of death into the Mayah River.”

“Mayaaaaaah?”

Perhaps because of the mental growth that came with sympathizing with Aki, Setsunen has also grown quite a bit. Now she can speak in a mix of babbling.

“Aki, Nen, you guys will become incredibly strong someday.”

“Aki will?”

“Neeeeen?”

“Yes, to the point where even this genius magician can’t dare to do anything about it.”

Mayah preached love and service, so the miracles of Mayah that the fairy priests talk about are all stories that capture her image.

“When that happens, okay? I hope you become dragons who can wholeheartedly pray for others like Mayah.”

I don’t know how long I’ll be with these kids, and all I have to teach them is their mindset.

It took a year and a half to get from Harvadonia to here, but it’s already Solond.

I’ll be able to take Aki to [a distant land or destination] within a year. That means we’ll be separated within a year.

“Will Daddy be happy if Aki becomes like that?”

“Of course, I’ll be very happy.”

“Then Aki will become like dat!”

“Daaaaaaat!”

When Aki raised her hand, Setsunen raised both hands and shouted, as if she wanted to follow her sister.

Then Aki picked up Setsunen and smiled brightly.

Yes, I will never forget until the day I die.

The sound of laughter you burst out while looking down at the Mayah River in the Mayyadure Valley that day.

The trembling of the soul that brushed through the depths of my body.

* * *

“Let’s begin.”

I felt a different kind of emotion from that at the coronation. Rem whistled.

“I forgot because he was wearing such shabby clothes and stuttering when we first met. Obin, that guy was a prince, right?”

Still, when he wore the royal attire and decorations befitting a king, his dignity came to life.

Originally, he was wearing the neural bandage I made, but now he was wearing a crown with the magic circle engraved on it by the royal jeweler.

He still kept his eyes down and his cheeks were flushed, as if he was embarrassed.

In a similar way to the fairy apostles, the Solond royal family first poured oil from a horn cup on their heads before receiving the crown.

“May the King live ten thousand years.”

When the priest who poured the oil said that, the people willingly raised their hands and repeated the words.

If.

Just a hypothetical.

If I could have returned to the Magic Tower, could I have prepared such a welcoming ceremony for my fellow students?

“Lane Ludwick.”

While I was clapping and indulging in vain imaginations, Valencidice, who was sitting next to me, said.

“I have something to say.”

* * *

“A-Already, you’re leaving?”

Now that he’s king, he doesn’t need to use honorifics with us anymore, but Obin still stuck to the old ways.

At this point, it’s more uncomfortable for us.

And we’ve received enough. Bart also had new armor forged, and Miria received several pieces of equipment. There’s also a sword belt with Shurpeang on it.

– Are you going to take that?

– Then what? It was lost anyway, so what’s the problem with taking a little more to ?

Hmm, that’s true…

He’s subtly similar to Rista in that he often breaks the rules.

“I don’t have time to stay long. And if we stay here for too long, someone worse might come looking for us.”

If the third pillar, Elamas, was this skilled, what would the skill of the second pillar, Zernix, be like?

And I’m sure of one thing after this Elamas incident.

I need to part ways with Aki as soon as possible. So that there is no lifelong longing left in Aki’s life, so that she doesn’t collapse.

“But don’t be too sad. The slick teacher Valencidice will stay here.”

I had already discussed this with my colleagues, which I heard directly from Valencidice at the coronation.

– I want to stay here.

There may be remnants of the Dawn Brigade, and the kingdom may be at risk of being exposed to bandits or pirates.

– I want to teach as much as I can until the end of my strength. And I want to help make this country truly great.

For some reason, when I saw Obin and Valencidice, I thought this day might come, but when I heard it directly, I felt a little lonely.

– I’m already too much of a burden to be a force on the journey. My only intact hand has just the right thumb and forefinger. Serwayvon will take over the work of healing instead.

– ……

– Half of my face is melted and I have to wear a mask for the rest of my life, but I think it’s a good thing. I’m not someone who can confidently show my face anywhere.

Since the other colleagues had a short relationship with this guy, they all easily agreed, but…

The first impression was the worst.

The days we spent together in the student council were worse than the worst, and the companionship after we parted ways at the Papal Court and met again in the Red Mountains was…

“You look sad that I’m not going with you, Lane Ludwick.”

“Nope.”

“Well, that’s to be expected. Now you can’t use the ‘Please help me, senior’ chance whenever you’re in trouble.”

“Shut up. I’m so relieved that a piece of luggage has fallen off that I can easily eat hundreds of bowls of rice in my current state.”

We exchanged sarcastic remarks, but it seemed like we both had smiles on our faces.

This is the end of our long and short relationship, the beauty of the end.

I was the one who reached out first, and Valencidice grabbed my hand with his thumb and forefinger.

He gave up his left arm to save me, and he lost the three fingers on his right hand while protecting Obin.

“It was fun, Valencidice.”

“Yeah, don’t forget me. Train your trash dragon to remember my name accurately.”

“Aki will try to remember Valencidice’s name, dat!”

“Tssiiiiiiii!”

“Don’t get too angry, Valshirendis. They’re kids.”

“My name is Valencidice…”

I could see Valencidice shaking his hand and suppressing his anger.

Among my colleagues, Pipi was the only one who gave a proper farewell.

Pipi, who landed on his shoulder, rubbed his face against Valencidice’s iron mask.

“Valen, Valen, Valen.”

He tried to stroke Pipi’s head, but stopped. As if his negativity would rub off on him.

Self-hatred is deeply rooted in this guy’s heart.

What can I say to him as a senior at this time? If it were Rista and Friede, they would have looked at each other and offered wonderful comfort, but.

“Obin.”

I can’t do that.

Maybe it’s because I’m not that mature yet.

“The unfortunate life and circumstances you had to endure at such a young age will now become a great asset in your life.”

So, I’m trying to convey comfort to someone else. So that the comfort can be conveyed to the guy I really want to give it to.

“Because you couldn’t speak, you were able to meet people who recognized the value of your inner self.”

Just like I was born an orphan.

And was able to meet the Dean of Atlante and join the Rista party.

“Looking back, they may be sad things, but with that experience, you have come to know the pain and sorrow of the common people more than any other royal family, right?”

“……!”

“That will surely give you great strength in becoming a great magician. And so what if there have only been sad things so far?”

I’ll put my hand on his shoulder and tell him the comfort I’ve received and the enlightenment I’ve gained as I’ve lived my life.

“It means that you can only fill your life with happy things from now on. Your life starts now.”

Tears streamed down Obin’s eyes.

Did it reach that guy too?

While patting Obin on the shoulder and getting up, I didn’t hear anything from Valencidice.

“…Great Senior!”

And as I turned around to head to my colleagues waiting at the entrance of the palace, I heard a faint, trembling cry.

“The grace of giving great teachings to a junior who has no qualifications or value…”

Kneeling down on both knees.

With his only remaining hand on the carpet.

“I will never forget it even in death…!”

Pressing his forehead on that hand, shedding tears through the eyeholes of his iron mask.

“May you have a long and healthy life on your way…”

Is this the end of our story, where we were wary of each other and had conversations?

If we showed this 모습 [Korean word for appearance/figure] to us back then, would we be able to believe it?

How nice would it have been if we could have ended our relationship with Tureina with such beauty?

Perhaps because he was a formal disciple of my disciple, Tureina’s 모습 overlapped with Valencidice’s 모습 as he bowed…

The day I decided to accompany Valencidice, I thought I wanted to see a different ending with Tureina from this guy.

Did that choice that day lead me to this scene? I felt warmth seeping into the story of disconnection that filled my life.

I couldn’t stop the complex emotions from welling up and blurring my vision.

“Valencidice, let’s meet again sometime if we get the chance. It’s not difficult for friends to do that, right?”

I can’t meet the friends who are beyond the era of 300 years anymore, but we are living in this era together now.

So.

We can meet again without any problems, as if it were natural. That’s how it will be.