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“You’re…”
The giant Mountain Dwarf in front of me looked at me with a horrified expression and started to rise from the sofa. …Well, I can imagine what he’s going through. Being the leader of an adventurer party must be tough.
Aria, Kitty, and I cleared the large-scale Dungeon.
I thought that spirit might complain after we defeated the Chimera, but unlike humans, it didn’t seem interested in things that had already passed. Aria and Kitty didn’t have any particular wishes, so we were able to exit the Dungeon safely.
But perhaps “safely”… isn’t quite the right word? Aria couldn’t move for about two days at the inn, and Kitty didn’t come out from Aria’s shadow either.
If even those two were like that, I was bedridden for over five days. …I ended up having to drink Aria’s special medicine again.
My attributes have gone from six to four, and the Magic Stone inside me should be getting smaller from now on, but I have a feeling it might end up a bit larger than a normal four-attribute one.
It can’t be helped since I synthesized attributes. Still, it should be smaller than a five-attribute one, so I’ll just be happy that my time with Aria has been extended a little.
“No good? Dolton.”
When Aria asked the Mountain Dwarf… Dolton of the “Rainbow Sword,” he sank back into the sofa and glared at her with a troubled expression.
That can’t be helped either. No matter how you look at it, this is clearly a troublesome matter.
Once our… well, mainly my, physical condition had recovered enough for me to move, we first headed to the mansion of Dolton, the leader of the “Rainbow Sword,” in the Royal Capital.
The other members weren’t there, but Dolton was home, and Aria introduced me to him as ‘the high-rank Magician the party had been looking for.’
Dolton was surprised, but so was I… because I hadn’t thought she was serious.
“Aria… I understand what you want to say. But still…”
Saying that, Dolton shifted his glare from Aria to me. My hair color has changed, and the dark circles under my eyes have faded considerably, but it seems people who knew me before still suspect something. He and I weren’t particularly acquainted, but perhaps it’s precisely because he doesn’t know my face well that he senses a connection?
After the battle in the Royal Capital, Aria disappeared with my body, and then a few months later, she brings a high-rank Magician. I think anyone with good intuition would figure it out.
“If Viro quits, our combat strength will be unbalanced. If I move to a skirmishing role, won’t we be short on Magicians with just Mira?”
“It’s true we were looking for a Magician… And a Rank 6 at that? And you two cleared a large-scale Dungeon by yourselves? What were you thinking, you two?”
“Not two. Three of us, with Nero.”
“…What kind of party is that…”
Dolton, making the large sofa creak as he looked up at the ceiling, seemed not only troubled but, more so, exasperated.
“I also think it’s questionable.”
“Snow?”
Aria and Dolton turned their gazes towards me at my words.
Aria must have thought about it a lot and reached this conclusion, but she doesn’t explain things enough. I’m the same, but that’s a flaw of ours, having always operated individually.
“The Royal Capital hasn’t recovered yet. If I, the culprit, am alive, it will cause trouble for your comrades.”
It’s not like me to mourn the dead at this point, and I don’t have a shred of regret for killing my adversaries. That’s precisely why it’s impossible for me, a villain, to join Aria’s party.
“I’m a ‘villain,’ so there’s a ‘way of life’ suitable for me.”
I’m grateful she saved my life, but I don’t want to be by her side if it means causing her trouble.
But—
“Don’t run away.”
Aria looked at me intently, her expression unchanging.
“Take responsibility for what you’ve done. Your life of revenge is over. After that, you can live as you please. But before that, you need to draw a line. This party can make use of your power.”
Aria was telling me to come out into the open world, not to become like Serejyura, who could only survive by killing in the underworld. She stood up from the sofa, came before me, and leaned down to look into my eyes.
“Don’t be afraid. If you stray from the path, I’ll kill you again.”
“…Yes. If it’s by your hand, I don’t mind.”
The same promise as before. But what’s different is that I want to die for your sake.
“Haaah… Alright.”
Dolton, who had been listening to our exchange, let out a long sigh and turned to us, his brow furrowed.
“Snow… is that alright?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
“Honestly, it’s hard to trust you. But if Aria is going this far, I’ll brace myself. It’s true that it’s better to keep you where I can see you.”
“It’s alright. I won’t betray Aria.”
When I smiled sweetly, Dolton’s expression soured instead.
“Aria!! Keep a close eye on her! And get a full set of equipment made at Gelf’s place! As for the others, you persuade them… no, find them and bring them here.”
“Understood.”
“For the time being, we’ll keep the fact that she’s a Rank 6 Magician under wraps. Her attributes too. Snow will be registered as a Rank 5 with four attributes: Light, Dark, Water, and Wind. Got it?”
“That’s fine with me.”
Dolton really has it tough. He seems so used to it, as if he’s only ever had strange members until now.
It seems everyone will go for the party registration. I wonder if they’re all going to intimidate people to cover things up.
“I’m a noble, after all, so I can’t leave the Royal Capital while it’s still recovering. Even so, we still get requests. Until now, I’ve been sending whoever was free, but this time, you guys take one and leave the Royal Capital.”
“It’s true that it’s better for me not to be in the Royal Capital right now,” I replied, and Dolton sighed again.
“…Why do all our Magicians end up being problem children? While you’re on the request, have Samantha teach you how the party operates.”
Ah, I’ve heard of her. The retired Magician from the Rainbow Sword, the Sand Dust Witch, was it?
“Understood. In that case, can I leave Snow here?”
Aria, having nodded at Dolton’s words, stood up once more and said that.
“Oh, are you going somewhere, Aria?”
“I’m going to Elena’s place. If I explain things, she shouldn’t treat her badly.”
Ah, it’s true, it’s better to talk to her.
But… I wonder if she’s angry?
When Aria arrived not at the main gate of the royal castle, but at the gate for authorized personnel, the gatekeeper, who had already been instructed by the Princess and the Prime Minister to let her through with top priority, hurriedly called someone who knew her by sight, and she was led directly to the Princess.
“Aria… is there anything you want to say?”
“I’m sorry…”
Seeing Elena’s smile, who looked a little thinner than the last time she saw her, Aria apologized frankly.
Even though Snow had been resurrected, Elena and Count Melrose, the Prime Minister, had apparently gone through considerable hardship due to the disappearance of the person involved. More than that, they must have been quite worried.
“Go and get a proper scolding from Count Melrose too.”
“I will.”
Aria’s childlike honesty somewhat softened Elena’s anger. She looked around and clapped her hands lightly.
“Please clear the room.”
Since Aria had been the Princess’s guard for over three years, there were no particular issues, and only close aides who knew the circumstances, such as the handmaiden Chloe and the butler Joseph, remained.
Then, starting with Elena’s complaints, the events up to this point were discussed, with Elena scolding Aria here and there.
She spoke of how Elena had become the Crown Princess. How Elvan’s only fiancée was now Clara, and the two had become lords of a viscount’s territory in the Dandole Region. How Mikhail and Roakwell had formally become her aides.
And then, when it came to Aria’s story…
“…This has turned into something outrageous, hasn’t it?”
Elena pressed her temples as if she had a headache, and for the time being, decided to not pursue the matter… or rather, to keep it to herself as something that couldn’t be made public.
“Just as Dolton said, it’s better for you to leave the Royal Capital for a while. I won’t need a guard for some time, but I’d be happy if you’d take on requests from the Shadow Unit.”
“Understood.”
After that, the two chatted idly for a while. When it was about time for Aria’s grandfather, the Prime Minister, to come rushing over, Elena continued, as if suddenly remembering something.
“Aria, a rumor has reached us through the Shadow Unit. It seems a ‘Hero’s’ ship from another continent has arrived in the Meલ્સ National Union, in the north of the continent.”