Ch.117117. Homecoming

After the somewhat shocking encounter with the spirit deity Great-Thunderbird.

Corin and I, recognizing that our training was entering its final phase, began preparing to leave this Birdman tribe… and by extension, this New Continent.

[Oh my, couldn’t you stay just a little longer……]

“……Haha. We have our own matters to attend to.”

The Thunderbird tribe expressed their genuine regret at our departure, but ultimately they understood our circumstances, and we were able to conclude our meeting with the Birdman tribe on good terms.

For them, not only had they been satisfied with directly meeting and conversing with Great-Thunderbird, whom they had worshipped as both ancestor and deity, but they had also gained considerable benefits from their direct exchanges with us.

Given that I had imparted some basic druid magic during our knowledge exchange, and specifically gifted them with seeds of several Old Continent crops.

Since both sides had gained significant benefits, we were truly able to conclude this encounter on a positive note.

And so, time passed quickly.

“Let’s rest here for a while.”

“Yes. The Seer agrees.”

After learning the location of a neutral territory not specifically claimed by any faction through the Birdman tribe we had interacted with, we settled there and….

Carefully took out the magical device that Mother had given me for communication.

The magical device that Mother had gifted me, instructing me to use it only in emergencies, was essentially a kind of… pager.

While it only had the function of exchanging signals back and forth, it allowed us to communicate with each other regardless of the situation, making it truly excellent for emergency use.

Holding the fist-sized, pebble-like object in my hand, I slowly channeled magical power into it to transmit a signal and……

[—Gregory! What’s happening?!!]

Through the pebble as a medium, Mother’s voice reached my ears via her communication magic.

[I’ve confirmed your location now. Why are you in the New Continent? Weren’t you in the Desert of Death when I checked not long ago?]

When I contacted my mentor using the emergency communicator, she urgently responded, and upon confirming that I was unexpectedly in the New Continent, she began speaking in a flurry of confusion.

‘Mom. Please calm, calm down. There’s a bit of a situation here…….’

While I could fully understand why she would lose her composure like this, I still wanted to have a more calm and collected conversation, so I began explaining calmly to my m….other.

‘I met a sealed high-ranking divine beast in the desert. That is, a Sphinx.’

[……..A Sphinx? Are you alright now?]

‘Yes. Thanks to my companion Sophia’s efforts, we barely managed to escape.’

Since the Sphinx was once a divine beast symbolizing the royal authority of the ancient empire and thus somewhat well-known, I was grateful for my mother’s concern and inadvertently mentioned Sophia’s name……

[Sophia? ….Son. Is this companion perhaps an animal friend?]

“N….o. She’s a Celestial Convergence Druid…. actually.”

[I see. How did you come to meet her?]

“She… approached me saying she was seeking her destiny. She has a rare talent for observing fate.”

After hearing Sophia’s name and my explanation, the overall atmosphere became quite peculiar, and I sensed something ominous.

It felt as though she had become intrigued, like someone hearing a romance story in a drama or movie, which made me feel both uncomfortable and anxious.

Of course, that feeling was only momentary.

[Son. Now, could you properly explain what happened?]

‘Ah, yes! I’ll continue then.’

At my mother’s request to continue the story rather than interrogating me further, I smiled so brightly that one might call it a look of relief as I continued speaking to my mentor.

‘So we were escaping, and the ruins beneath the Desert of Death collapsed under our feet. ……..Unfortunately, there was a malfunctioning teleportation magic circle below.’

[So you fell into the New Continent due to a teleportation error?]

‘Yes. Since I was already here, I took care of some business… and also met Great-Thunderbird, the tribal deity and spirit god of the Thunderbird people.’

[A god…… Was there any trouble?]

‘Fortunately, Great-Thunderbird looked favorably upon Corin and me. From what I gathered, it seems he wasn’t aware that Corin had been smuggled either.’

Perhaps because my mentor knew better what kind of beings gods were.

As I responded with the most positive nuance possible to my genuinely concerned mentor, I continued my explanation.

‘So, most things have been resolved well. I’ve also made many new animal friends. ……But I have no way to return from here now. So I was wondering….’

[You want me to come get you?]

‘……..Yes.’

Even though I could only hear my mother’s words, I somehow felt that my mentor, who was communicating with me, was looking at me with a fond expression.

And….. after some time had passed.

[Gregory, I’ll come soon. Just wait a little while.]

‘Ah, yes.’

[Good. …..I also need to have a chat with this friend Sophia of yours.]

After the conversation concluded—which would have been cause for celebration with raised hands if not for my mentor’s final remark—

I frowned at the vague uneasiness I felt, and Sophia, who had been watching from the side, approached me with concern.

“……..Is there a problem?”

“No, there isn’t. But my mother said she’s coming personally……”

“Is that so…… But if it’s Gregory’s mother, Al….reynos. Alreynos. ……No way?”

“Yes, that ‘Alreynos.’ You didn’t know?”

“No. The Seer really, really didn’t know! I had my suspicions, but to think it’s really Alreynos…..!!”

I found something strange about Sophia’s reaction. No, even if the surname Alreynos isn’t particularly rare in this world, shouldn’t a druid normally recognize the name Alreynos?

Such thoughts briefly entered my mind, but they soon subsided.

Since Sophia had always been oddly absentminded in some ways, this behavior seemed more like another instance of her spaciness rather than something suspicious.

And around that time.

“……..?!!”

Suddenly, right beside us.

About 10 meters away, there was a sudden amplification of mystery and magical power, as if it were boiling up, and then what appeared was a mound-like structure made of natural elements.

This mound, based on rocks and fertile soil, was covered with colorful wildflowers and grasses, and the flowers and plants growing in rows possessed such intense mystical qualities that it felt somewhat excessive to simply call it a mound.

As everyone tensely focused on the scene where these mystical plants and natural elements had appeared, the mysterious mound finally began to shift and change.

To use an analogy, vines like those of wisteria or grape—thin but still giving the impression of wood—grew to form a circle.

And as plants grew to envelop this circular vine formation, and all sorts of natural elements reinforced it…..

‘……A door, perhaps?’

While I was marveling at what looked like a gateway made from a piece of great nature itself.

Finally, as it was completed, the plant-formed passage naturally transformed into a green light, making the other side semi-transparent, and through that semi-transparent passage, a human figure could be seen.

“……..Mother.”

“Yes, Gregory. Have you been well?”

“Yes. It’s been a meaningful experience.”

Despite not having seen each other’s faces for at least several months, my mother treated me as if it were just like our daily life from years ago, and I spoke to her with sincere feeling.

“It seems you’ve experienced many things. So, how were those experiences?”

“……..They were times that broadened my perspective and allowed me to meet invaluable connections.”

“I see. ……Then what would you like to do now?”

“Wait, let me think about it for a moment.”

I fell into contemplation upon hearing my mother’s question. Along with the concern of ‘what should I do now,’ I continuously pondered while looking at my friends around me, and at Sophia.

And…… after such deliberation, I reached a conclusion.

“I want to explore more of this world.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I’d like to return briefly to rest, and then explore the countless worlds I haven’t yet visited. I still haven’t collected all my animal friends either.”

“……..I see, I understand.”

That’s right. I didn’t yet want to stop. I still wanted to embark on journeys, have adventures, gain various experiences, and continue gathering friends.

And seeing my response, my mother seemed pleased with my answer as she smiled warmly, but then……

“So, is that young lady over there your girlfriend?”

“……..?!! N-n-no…. That’s, that’s not……!”

“The Seer is, the Seer is, the Seer is……”

With that sudden bombshell statement, she sent both Sophia and me into magnificent panic.