NOVEL ONLINE FREE Ch55 - Discussion 2
Chapter 55: Discussion 2
This was their third visit to the “Blue Grotto” Labyrinth. Lena was finally getting used to the floating sensation of falling through the Labyrinth’s entrance. Soothed by the beautiful blue scenery, the group headed straight for the Dryad’s sprout. Luca cast the light magic [Purification Purge], and Sylphine’s fingertips finally returned to their original pale pink. Sylphine happily kissed her fingertips and, her vibrant green hair dancing in the wind, began to twirl with the Shabon Fish.
“Thank you, Light Child♪”
“You’re welcome.”
The Dryad sprout, which had previously borne ten small leaves, now had its jewel-like leaves tightly closed, its stem significantly smaller. It had reversed its growth. Sylphine seemed capable of manipulating her sprout’s growth to some extent. One hoped it wasn’t due to Lena’s [Rare Class Change Constitution]. At first glance, it looked like a slight mound of earth with the tip of a sprout peeking out, giving the impression that a new tree would grow there eventually.
This was to avoid attracting attention and having a barrier erected if a new Dryad sprout was discovered. Sylphine had decided to conceal her sprout of her own volition.
While they could have informed the Guild Master of the situation, they hadn’t told anyone yet. Explaining how they could see the spirit would necessitate revealing Lena having given her blood and Luca’s ☆7 Magic Eye, which made them uneasy.
The people of Anees deeply revered spirits. While they hoped they wouldn’t be condemned for letting a spirit drink blood, since Sylphine couldn’t explain herself, the risk of speaking now was too high. They hadn’t yet built a strong enough relationship with the Guild Master. In such a situation, suggesting they let a Dryad sprout drink blood without solid evidence would only result in reprimands. Besides, the Guild Master’s inability to handle the cunning new Guild receptionist was a slight concern. It would be disastrous if Luca became the target of her sharp intuition. Unbeknownst to Lena’s party, the Guild Master was earnest and sincere in matters of the heart, so he was bewildered and overwhelmed by the receptionist’s flirtatious and manipulative nature.
Well, it’s the spirit’s will! …With that convenient excuse, they stopped dwelling on the awkward aspects. They planned to properly report the discovery of Sylphine’s sprout to the Guild once the incident was resolved.
Bid farewell by the Shabon Fish’s vibrant dance, the Monster Tamer and her party left the Labyrinth.
For several days, Lena and her party took it easy, hunting only near the forest entrance and occasionally taking on herb gathering quests. There was no point rushing to Sylphine’s sister; they could do nothing for her now. Rushing might even lead to injuries at the hands of the sorcerer, preventing them from hunting cursed animals altogether. Frustrating as it was, they chose to wait for the nationally affiliated high mage.
Luca used [Clairvoyance] from town to observe the area Sylphine had indicated. He saw that priests and high-ranking adventurers were stationed near the barrier, periodically performing purification rituals, albeit as a mere formality. The area around the barrier, likely the most tainted, had been purified, which was a relief. Luca performed this long-distance viewing while sipping mana replenishing drinks and receiving eye heals from Lena. However, the strain of seeing so far was considerable, so they spent the rest of the day relaxing at the inn. They apparently had a blast watching videos on Lena’s smartphone.
Luca’s Magic Eye had revealed that the black-robed sorcerer was currently far from the barrier, harassing lower-ranked adventurers as if toying with them. His true motives remained unknown.
Based on the brief glimpse of his stats Luca had caught when they were attacked by the Tzutsuki, he appeared to be an incredibly powerful dark magic user.
“His name is Ivan. An 18-year-old who’s only been a sorcerer for about a year. The reason for his rapid growth is likely due to his astonishingly high base physical abilities and a powerful Gift. He seems to have been leveling efficiently by hunting monsters alone. He dislikes groups. Well…someone like him would inevitably stand out in a crowd, and larger organizations would try to recruit him to the side of good…so it’s not surprising. The world of Lanash is volatile. I said that before, right? If those aligned with darkness gain power, the laws of the world might change to suit them. To prevent that, those with good souls strive to maintain order. Recruiting powerful individuals and rehabilitating dark magic users are part of that effort. I could only see some of his information, but I’ll write down Ivan’s visible stats. Everyone, remember this.”
As Lena and her familiars gulped, Luca neatly wrote on a piece of paper. Sensing the mood, the slimes whispered, “Good job, good job.”
“Guild Card:
Name: Ivan
Occupation: Sorcerer Lv. 34
Equipment:
Aptitude: Dark Magic [Darkness], Green Magic, Yellow Magic
HP:
MP:
Speed:
Magic Power:
Luck:
Skills: [Magic Power Enhancement], [Observant Eye], [Farsight], [Frenzy Curse], [Corruption Curse], [Contagion Curse]
Gifts: [Prodigy] ☆7, [Parallel Thinking] ☆4
Titles: Kinslayer, Former Swindler, Former Thief, Popular Handsome Man”
“…! I-Isn’t he too overpowered!? And…those titles…”
Lena gasped, her face twisting as she fought back tears. The “Kinslayer” title brought back the pain of losing her parents. Then, considering Luca’s situation, her expression became complex.
“He’s an incredible threat. I didn’t expect him to be this strong… I’ll explain the key points. His ☆7 Gift [Prodigy] multiplies learning ability until adulthood. So, its effect has already worn off. However, I didn’t have time to see the details, but since he had enhanced physical abilities until adulthood, his current stats must be considerably high. It’s a ☆7, after all. The ☆4 [Parallel Thinking] allows him to think about many things simultaneously. Scholars often have this Gift. If a combat-oriented person has it, they become incredibly difficult to outmaneuver.”
“Wow… That’s scary. Someone with that much power spreading curses with malicious intent.”
“And a ‘Kinslayer’…?”
“Yes, that’s what I saw. This is just my guess, but…being a prodigy means he was exceptionally talented as a child. His parents likely pushed him hard. He probably grew tired of it and killed them. …Something like that. I hear that when intelligence develops quickly, personality forms early, even in children. He could also be inherently evil.”
“…”
Sylphine, floating closer, pointed at the electronic device the slimes held.
“What’s that?”
“Oh, that’s Lena-sama’s servant, Smartphone-san! It can show videos! It’s a fun magic tool from Lena’s homeland!”
“Sylphine wants to watch the old story anime tonight too?”
“Yay! I want to watch!”
“Tonight’s episode will continue from where the familiars left off this morning. Lena, can you tell me what happened in the previous episode, ‘Kachi-Kachi Mountain’?”
“Um… A mischievous tanuki turns an old woman into a meatball for tsumire soup and tricks the old man into eating her. A rabbit, a friend of the elderly couple, gets angry and punishes the tanuki. It burns the tanuki’s back with fire, rubs mustard on the burns, then sets it adrift on a mud boat to drown.”
“Brutal…! …As always, the folktales from your homeland are harsh. It explains your brutal strategic thinking. A frightening people…”
“Hmm, I think they’re all quite ordinary strategies.”
“Unaware. There’s a nation of Asura where this is normal…”
The conversation had digressed significantly, but it was a welcome break from the heavy topic. They were grateful to the familiars.
The detailed information about the green-haired sorcerer was duly conveyed to the Guild Master the next day.
Meeting Lena’s inquiring gaze, Luca raised an eyebrow and gave a wry smile. He spoke about his homeland unprompted.
“I don’t think the Garalagele Kingdom orchestrated this incident. Sheratonica is the current ruler, right? She’s only interested in her own beauty, so there’s no reason for her to cause trouble in Anees. She’s probably busy squandering the national treasury on cosmetics. The nobles she appointed as officials are likely under some kind of mind control. At the very least, they wouldn’t act against her interests. I suspect she’s not accepting any advice right now so she can fully indulge in her beauty regime. She was quite cautious as a princess. She wouldn’t let others control politics or military power without her oversight. …Based on that, I believe this is the work of the sorcerer alone.”
“I see. I’m relieved it’s not related to the kingdom. Um…I’m sorry for making you talk about painful things.”
“Don’t worry about it. I have no attachment to my blood relatives, and honestly…I don’t feel sad about what happened to my parents.”
Luca lowered his gaze, ending the conversation about his homeland.
The others, unable to find the right words, fell silent, their expressions troubled. Luca licked his lips, sweetened by the scone he’d been given, and smiled brightly.
“You know, I’m really enjoying life right now.”
Lena and the others stared at the former prince in surprise.
“Because you’ve welcomed me into such a warm place. Delicious food, a soft bed, kind people who call me their friend. You taught me all of this. I’m truly grateful. I love you all very much. …So, please don’t look so sad. It would help if you smiled like you always do. …Thank you for being my emotional support.”
Is this what being positive is like? Luca asked shyly. He expressed his gratitude, saying he was happy they cared and that he was okay now. The shadows that had once haunted his face were gone.
The news of Garalagele’s regime change must have been a shock to Luca, a member of the royal family. Even Lena and her group, who had been targeted and pursued, were shaken by it. The former prince, long confined within the kingdom, must have been deeply affected. Yet, he could smile brightly now because he had found emotional support. Because he had realized the simple joy of having unconditionally kind companions by his side.
Luca, who had learned to say “thank you” instead of “sorry,” seemed to have overcome his painful past and moved forward, laughing with his friends.
Because he had found his own happiness, he wanted to help the spirit who sought their aid, just as they had helped him, Luca said. His companions smiled and agreed to help Sylphine.
Finally, the nationally affiliated high mage arrived in Lachelle. The adventurers, including Lena’s group who had vaguely claimed to be good at searching (and thanks to Lucky), were assigned to escort the defensively weak mage to the barrier protecting Sylphine.
…As a side note, Lena’s smartphone had evolved further, now boasting cinema-quality projection and high-fidelity speakers, surprising everyone. Perhaps the smartphone, already diligently pampering its master and seniors, had a big brother complex?