Chapter 119: Your Eyes in Your Hand 7
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Erika is talking about something with Elza.
She keeps showing her left hand to Elza, so maybe she’s making a request about the ring’s design or something.
The ring Elza made was really just a simple loop, so Erika might have some thoughts about it.
Well, it’s something Elza made with magic, so it’ll disappear if the magic is dispelled.
Let’s prepare the real one after we return to Hecate.
As for me, after having my organs nearly crushed, my memories blown away, almost getting a hole punched in my head, nearly having my head lopped off, and then almost causing the Longdagger Family, which only has history to its name, to be wiped out because of my own slight inferiority complex, I was utterly exhausted. I watched the scene unfold while sitting down on the ground.
Incidentally, Shara is jumping around shouting, “Yahoo! Thank you, God!”
She’s saying something about hell being over, but you didn’t do anything, did you?
Elza and I were the ones who fought the Blackened Jewelhead Dragon.
No, but really, I’m glad from the bottom of my heart that it went well.
Thinking about it calmly, I don’t think Erika could have maintained that anger all the way from here to Faltar, so I imagine she would have calmed down somewhere along the way.
But telling someone to stay calm in front of that Erika is asking the impossible.
Dad, thank you.
I thank my father back home.
I don’t know the reason now, but that’s what Dad did when he and Mom had a rare fight.
That thing where he knelt down and put a ring on her finger.
Just by doing that, the two who had been fighting made up. If anything, they became even more lovey-dovey than usual.
In other words, the act of giving a ring has that much effect.
If that’s the case, then couldn’t I expect it to have enough effect to at least calm Erika down, even if it was me doing it?
That’s what I came up with.
I want to praise myself for managing to think of that in front of Erika, who was beside herself with anger.
Well, honestly, it was completely on impulse, and partly out of desperation, but as long as it worked out, it’s fine.
Adventurers value results.
Right then, I should probably stand up soon.
I stand up, giving myself a pathetic pep talk internally.
Now that I think about it, my whole body hurts.
Not just my muscles, but my bones ache.
I grit my teeth against the sharp pain that resonates with every movement.
This often happens when you overuse Physical Enhancement, but this is the first time my bones have hurt.
Maybe layering those two Physical Enhancement Magic Circles really is dangerous.
Then again, considering my memory gets blown away when I go all out, is it too late to worry about that now?
Erika and my female disciple notice me standing up and approach.
Erika seems to be in a remarkably good mood.
Did they manage to come up with a nice ring design?
“Huh?”
I tilted my head, looking at the ring that still looked like nothing more than a simple iron loop. Nothing had changed.
“Is something wrong?”
Erika asks me as I tilt my head.
“No, I just thought you were asking her to change the ring’s design or something.”
“Ah, no, that’s not it.”
Erika glances at Elza.
“It seemed to be made of magic, so I was asking her not to dispel the magic until we reach the City of Hecate.”
Elza nods in affirmation of Erika’s words.
“As expected of someone from the same school as Shin. I’ve never seen a user of Material Creation Magic before.”
I nod vaguely, thinking, Aren’t you a user of the Supreme Skill called Water Creation Magic?
But still, if that’s the case, will Elza be okay?
“Is that alright with you, Elza?”
Maintaining the ring until the City of Hecate means Elza will also be going with us to the City of Hecate.
I don’t know Elza’s objective, but does she have the time to stop by Hecate with us?
“No problem. Hecate is Elza’s destination.”
I was thinking I’d have to ask Erika to give up on it if it interfered with Elza’s objective, but…
Apparently, it’s fine.
“It’s unusual for you to take a request that takes you to a foreign country, Elza.”
Like Master, she basically never leaves Faltar, where strong Monsters appear.
In that case, could it have been a direct request from the Guild?
Elza is a higher Rank than me, so she often received direct requests from the Guild.
Maybe this time is the same.
“Helping Master.”
–Huh?
“Th-that’s rare. Master asking someone for help.”
I try to keep my voice from cracking at the sudden mention of Iniquity (Master).
At the same time, I forcibly swallow down the sense of crisis rising in my throat.
“Master asked me to scout the way to the City of Hecate.”
Does that person even need scouting?
I tilt my head, unable to imagine a situation where Master would need to worry about what lies ahead.
I can understand the “to the City of Hecate” part.
Regardless of whether scouting is necessary or not, I already know that Master intends to come to Hecate.
I heard about it from Merseja, the adventurer hired by Erika’s father, the Prime Minister, so I’m not surprised.
But what does sending Elza out as a scout mean?
“Master and Elza are currently on a designated escort request.”
As I murmur “Oh,” a bad feeling pounds against my throat.
Even though Master is… like that, she’s Rank 9, the pinnacle for active adventurers.
She’s the Faltar Adventurers Guild’s greatest asset, their ace in the hole, their trump card.
Because Master is indifferent to money, being able to earn as much as she wants if she puts her mind to it, the Guild sets the fees for designated requests for her quite high, considering the balance with other adventurers.
Furthermore, Elza is participating in addition to Master.
Trying to hire those two for an escort to another country could easily cost enough money to buy a house in the Royal Capital.
Rather than the cost involved, I’m more concerned about the level of the escort target that would necessitate hiring these two.
The bad feeling hits my throat again.
I make an effort to keep my voice steady. It’s bad to dwell on bad feelings at times like this; they often turn out to be right.
So I ask as if it’s nothing.
“An escort request for Master, huh? That’s rare. Is it an object?”
Elza shakes her head.
“No, a person.”
Oh.
“Lady Maiden of Light.”
“Pardon?”
The one who spoke up was Erika.
I was dumbfounded by the unexpected name.
I had tried not to think about it, dismissing it as a bad feeling.
But I had actually suspected Master’s escort target might be the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister, having lost patience, storming into Hecate.
Considering the situation with the church, that would be an extremely troublesome development.
Compared to that, if it’s the Maiden of Light, things shouldn’t get that complicated.
She just came to see her friend (Erika) who went off to a foreign country.
From the church’s perspective, the assassination target going to meet the attempted assassin must be nerve-wracking. No, wait, is that even more complicated?
Well, whatever, they can worry themselves sick for all I care.
As I felt relieved that I wouldn’t have to deal with the Prime Minister, whose head is full of thoughts about his beloved daughter, my eyes met Erika’s.
For some reason, she had a troubled look on her face, touching the ring on her left ring finger protectively with her right hand.
For some reason, I felt I had to say something immediately, and my mouth opened.
“Also.”
But before I could speak, Elza continued.
“The Prince of Faltar.”
–Wha!?
My voice overlapped with Erika’s.
What on earth is the Prince coming to Hecate for?
I’m confused by this unexpected person.
I instinctively look towards Erika, but she just looks back at me with the same expression.
In other words, a face that says, What is that damn Prince doing here?
“Also.”
There’s more!?
I’m startled by Elza’s voice.
“The Pope.”
–You… you…
Is this what being speechless feels like? I think, my mouth opening and closing. I’m too confused to speak.
“–You…”
Finally, my voice comes out.
“That’s too much information!”
I shouted.