Chapter 7: The Point of No Return
“I suppose we should talk about this matter… but there’s something that’s been on my mind. Ichiro-kun, you’ve really grown since the last time I saw you.”
“I’ve been training, you know.”
As I flexed my bicep, Pulmy-san burst into laughter. “What on earth is that?”
“No, really! It’s true… Sensei’s training is no joke…”
Memories of my grueling training days flooded my mind. To put it mildly, it was hell.
“Sensei… Ah, Lady Omi, right? I see. If she’s the one training you, that makes sense.”
In truth, my harsh coach wasn’t just Sensei. The image of Sena in my mind was giving me a deadpan peace sign.
“When I first saw you, I really wondered if you’d be okay. And now look at you, so dependable.”
This sparked a nostalgic conversation between us. I had heard that reminiscing about shared memories helps to confirm our common experiences. Humans tend to fumble through these shared memories, reflecting on those days and finding a way back to them.
Back then, I was laughing too. But if you were laughing, couldn’t you have helped me? I wanted to help, but—
We deliberately avoided discussing those four individuals. To be precise, we couldn’t bring ourselves to touch upon the topic. Yet, there was a limit to that avoidance.
Our conversation spanned from the time we conquered the Light Labyrinth to everything that had happened since. It was necessary to share information and uncover the truth.
Of course, that included the matter of those four.
Inevitably, when the topic turned to Angelica, Pulmy-san’s eyes welled with tears.
“I’m so sorry, Ichiro-kun…”
It was an unwarranted apology. Pulmy-san had done nothing wrong.
“Please stop. It’s not your fault, Pulmy-san.”
Why did someone who had done nothing wrong have to suffer so much? I was filled with a sense of helplessness.
After I finished recounting my journey through the Seven Labyrinths and my retreat to Hidden Mountain, Pulmy-san began to explain what had happened to her.
She felt a sense of dissonance in her memories right around the time I cleared the Blade Labyrinth and left the party. It was then that she realized not only did she possess two sets of memories, but that everyone else’s memories had been replaced with a false narrative: “All achievements belong to Ryuguin.”
The episode where she asked that sprightly prime minister the same question she had asked me was heart-wrenching.
Not only that, but hearing about her gradual mental decline was enough to make my chest ache.
“Do you have any idea what happened, Ichiro-kun?” Pulmy-san asked me.
Naturally, I could only think that some force had acted during the time I conquered the Blade Labyrinth. And there was only one thing that came to mind.
Pulmy-san, who had asked me that question, surely understood that this was the answer.
“It can only be that Ryuguin did something…” I replied.