Chapter 20: Farewell with the Master
“How are you feeling? Is your body all right now?”
At my master’s words, I take a moment to check my condition again. Well, I don’t feel anything particularly wrong. If I had to say something…
“I’m just a bit hungry, I guess.”
“Ha ha ha, if you can crack jokes, then you’re fine.”
“Yeah, I suppose.”
“Still, kid, it’s a good thing you have the Poison Resistance Skill. Honestly, without it, things could have been really bad.”
“Really? So that was poison after all…”
“It’s a good thing you ate the Desmeg Fruit.”
“Well, it wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience, but I’ve never been more grateful for it than now.”
I let out a deep sigh and manage a wry smile. Life is unpredictable; perhaps there are no wasted experiences after all.
“Thanks to that, you’ve also gained skills in Paralysis Resistance and Instant Death Resistance.”
“Is that so…?”
Paralysis is one thing, but Instant Death? Just how dangerous was that poison…?
“I can’t forgive them… They put Shuu through that… I will never forgive them.”
I hear those words from Rio, who is beside me. Her large eyes are brimming with tears as she clenches her fists tightly. I appreciate her anger on my behalf, but maybe it’s time to calm down a bit. When I reach out to touch her cheek, she snaps back to reality and looks straight at me.
“Do you have any idea who they might be?”
My master’s calm voice echoes in the room. As for my suspicions…
“They mentioned something about ‘another Hero being here,’ so I think they’re probably from the Arclight Kingdom, but beyond that, I can’t say for sure.”
“…Since they sent us to the Forest of Enchantment, they might not want us to live.”
Rio mutters softly, and she’s right. If that’s the case, why not just kill us where they summoned us instead of sending us to the Forest of Enchantment? Are the forces that don’t want us alive in the minority? I had been trying not to think about the circumstances of the summoners, but it seems I can’t avoid it any longer.
“I see…”
My master rests his chin on his hand, deep in thought. After a while, he returns from his contemplation, but he decides that the continuation of this discussion will have to wait until tomorrow.
“I’m sorry to say this, but it’s time for us to part ways.”
“Eh?”
After breakfast the next morning, my master suddenly announces our farewell.
“What do you mean?”
I had a vague feeling that we wouldn’t be able to stay in this house much longer, but I never imagined I would be parting from my master. However, looking at it from another perspective, it makes sense. After four months of taking care of us, our presence led to the destruction of his home. While I doubt my master would think that way, I can’t help but feel guilty.
“I’m so sorry. It’s because we got involved that your home was destroyed…”
Rio seems to have reached the same conclusion, and her words spill out in a rush.
“Oh, that’s not it.”
“It’s not?”
“I’m certainly angry at the ones who attacked us, but I don’t think you two are to blame.”
Hearing my master’s words, I feel a little of my guilt lift, and I let out a sigh of relief.
“Besides, you haven’t gained any new skills lately, have you?”
“That’s true.”
At least, it had been four days since I last gained a new skill, like Paralysis Resistance or Instant Death Resistance.
“Even if your growth rate is high, real-life experience won’t increase it further. Perhaps this is a good opportunity for you to go out on your own.”
“…Where are you going, Master?”
“I’m returning to the Demon Tribe’s country, Bergstein.”
After all, the Arclight Kingdom is a nation that is about to declare war. I don’t understand international relations at all, but I’ve heard that civilians from the human race can’t enter Bergstein right now.
“I see…”
I had wanted to visit, but if that’s the case, there’s nothing I can do. Besides, I don’t even know much about the Arclight Kingdom, so anywhere I go will feel fresh and new.
“Well, this is a chance. It might be nice to travel to various countries besides the Arclight Kingdom.”
That said, if it’s not Bergstein, my options are pretty much limited to the Arclight Kingdom. There’s one other country adjacent to the Forest of Enchantment, but it’s too far from my master’s home.
“Okay.”
“I look forward to seeing how many skills you’ve gained the next time we meet.”
“Ha ha ha…”
But my master’s usual words only bring a wry smile to my face. It’s not like having more skills would be a problem.
“Oh, by the way, regarding the equipment you two have… consider it a farewell gift. You can use it or trade it for travel money; do as you please.”
We’ve borrowed various pieces of equipment from my master, suited for different professions. The idea was that experiencing different things would help us gain skills, which is very much in line with my master’s reasoning.
“Eh? …No, no, I can’t accept something like that.”
In fact, most of it is quite valuable, and I feel guilty about it. Especially the shield made from the scales of the Ancient Red Dragon; it stands out far too much. Its appearance is so dazzling that it’s immediately recognizable as a luxury item.
“Don’t worry about it. They’re just items I’ve kept stored away. It’s better for them to be used. …In fact, take this too.”
Items begin to fly out of my master’s Dimensional Box one after another. Wait, isn’t that a bit too much? Is he trying to clear out his junk during this opportunity? There are quite a few items whose uses I’m not even sure about. And Rio, you don’t need to rush to store them in your Dimensional Box; no one is going to take them.
“Hm, this should do. You can take whatever you find in the Storage Room as well.”
“Ah, okay.”
“I look forward to the day we can meet again. Farewell.”
With those final words, my master hurriedly set off on his journey.