Chapter 11: The Last Piece
Under normal circumstances, after neutralizing the Sealed Labyrinth, I would have used a magical device to send up a celebratory signal and called for a warm welcome, taking my time to chat and wait. However, things were not that simple. The situation was still unfolding, and time was of the essence.
So, I hoisted Angelica onto my shoulder and sprinted back home.
“It’s a bit exhausting, but just hang in there, okay?”
I was running at full speed. This wasn’t just a little jostling; it was a full-on dash. In fact, I could hear a mysterious groaning sound coming from her, something like “Bi, Bidan, Borojide,” from her throat.
“Keep your mouth shut, or you’ll bite your tongue.”
Even as I advised her, Angelica continued to emit those strange sounds. I mean, I told her to close her mouth!
After about half an hour of this, we finally arrived at the Town of Bordaf. I could have carried Angelica all the way to the Guild headquarters like this, but she started smacking my back. Even I, who can be a bit dense, understood what that meant. This was her way of saying she was embarrassed to be carried like a child.
“Alright, alright, here you go.”
This was what she wanted, right? I set Angelica down so she was sitting on my shoulder.
“Hey! Stop it! Everyone’s looking over here! What’s with this way of carrying me? Stop! It’s embarrassing! Put me down!”
“What’s wrong with this way of carrying you?” Angelica didn’t seem to understand such a simple thing. I sighed and explained succinctly.
“This is Toguro-sama carry.”
“Toguro…? Huh? Huh?”
“I’m Toguro弟, and you’re Toguro兄.”
Not satisfied with my explanation, Angelica thrashed around, her face flushed with anger, and forced herself down to the ground.
“What’s with this Toguro nonsense! Who’s the brother here? Are you out of your mind?!”
She was right!! Now that I thought about it, I felt a bit ridiculous myself.
“What’s with the ‘I see!’ clapping your hands like that?!”
After a round of shouting, she buried her face in her hands and yelled.
“Ahhh!! Enough already!!”
“It was just a little joke… You don’t have to get so mad…”
It had been a while since I had a proper conversation with Angelica, and I was unsure how to approach her. The action I took was the result of my confusion. I could only think that my head was a bit off.
“No! That’s not what I really wanted to say!!”
I braced myself for more insults, but she waved her hands dramatically, as if to deny it. Huh?
“Ah… enough already…”
“What is it?”
“You know, let’s put aside the fact that you cowardly ran away from the party—”
To say I cowardly ran away from the party was quite a statement, and I felt a bit irritated inside, but—
“Thank you for saving us in the Sealed Labyrinth.”
Angelica took off her hat and bowed her head to me.
“If it weren’t for you, me, Mika, and Eris would all be dead.”
There was no doubt about that.
“I can’t thank you enough for allowing us to survive like this.”
I felt truly relieved. If her gratitude and apologies were directed solely at me, I would have been left with a lingering unease moving forward. She pressed her hat to her chest and continued.
“I want to apologize directly to Holy Knight Ashley for belittling him.”
Angelica, who had been looked down upon, had always insisted she would never do such a thing. I felt a sense of nostalgia for the time when she was with me back then.
“We have all the time in the world, as long as we finish the series of events concerning the Sealed Labyrinth.”
Her gaze fell, perhaps reflecting on my words. I pretended not to notice and said to her,
“Let’s hurry to the Guild.”
With that, she pulled her hat down low and chased after my back as I dashed forward.
Upon entering the Guild, I headed straight for the room assigned to Anon, who I was sure would be there at this hour.
“Yo!”
When I called out, he looked momentarily stunned before exclaiming,
“Ichiro!!”
He leaped at me with enthusiasm and hugged me tightly.
“I’m so glad you’re safe!!”
“Yeah! I’m unscathed!!”
Noticing Angelica behind me, Anon asked,
“What about everyone else? Are they okay?”
In an instant, he regained his composure and asked with a serious tone.
“Yeah, we managed to get by.”
“What’s with that vague response? Is there something you need to tell me?”
Anon sensed something was off and pressed further.
“I don’t have time for a detailed explanation. The Sealed Labyrinth that appeared near the Noble has been neutralized, but the Labyrinth itself hasn’t disappeared. The area currently facing the greatest turmoil is likely the one protected by Holy Knight Nelly Virtuous.”
He silently urged me to continue.
“I’m heading to Virtuous with Angelica now. So, Anon, please prepare Crane’s Guidance as quickly as possible!!”
It was a rather convenient explanation. However, I was sure he would understand with just that.
“Got it. Ichiro, leave everything to me. We’re close enough, right?”
He understood my intentions without needing to ask further. I really appreciated Anon for that.
“More importantly, Ichiro, it’s going to be tough with just two helpers over there. Alright! I’ll find someone suitable to join us.”
Due to the personnel limit of Crane’s Guidance, we could only take one more person, maybe two at most.
“I’ll gather the members and get everything ready. Just wait five minutes.”
With that, Anon dashed out of the room.
Before even five minutes had passed, Anon returned, and he brought an incredible ally with him.
“This is the famous Twin Swords wielder—Orphelia Verite, the Sword Dance master. She will undoubtedly be a great asset to you.”
He proudly introduced the dual-wielding warrior standing before us, puffing out his chest.
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Ichiro-kun seems to be feeling a bit better now.