Ch.188Chapter 188. Please Take Good Care of My Son~

After joining Tashian, I returned to camp and spent time hearing from her about everything that had happened.

Following the prophecy she had heard before the riot, she had safely escaped the empire, and afterward, even in places teeming with magical beasts, she was able to protect her belongings and ensure her safety…

And that Irie, who remained in the territory, was now indebted to the imperial family.

“So Irie is currently under the protection of the imperial family?”

“Yes, so don’t worry. Since she can anticipate what will happen in advance, she’s probably much safer than we are.”

Indeed, her prophecies were absolute as long as there was no intervention from Transcendents.

The fact that Tashian, who had no combat ability, had arrived here safely was enough to make me realize that worrying about Irie was unnecessary.

But what bothered me was why, knowing everything, she didn’t act together with Tashian and instead split up.

“But why did Irie send Tashian away separately?”

Tashian made a bitter expression at my question and gave me an answer.

“I don’t know the details, but… she’s probably formed some kind of cooperative relationship with the imperial family.”

“Cooperative relationship…?”

“While you were gone, I saw that child talking with imperial people many times, or being directly invited by them.”

The imperial family contacting her…

It’s not that strange to consider. First of all, I’m an important figure to the imperial family, and Irie, though we haven’t officially married yet, is essentially in a position to be called my partner.

Using that position, the imperial side invited her, and in the process, the imperial family learned of her power and requested a cooperative relationship…

Doesn’t that mean Irie is now by the side of that suspicious crown prince?

“I understand your anxiety, but don’t worry too much.”

Just as I was starting to feel uneasy, Tashian handed me a note she was holding.

It must surely be a prophecy that Irie had given me.

Tashian, who had come all this way to deliver it, smiled as she placed the note in my hand, covering it with both of hers.

“That child is much smarter than me, who has spent ten thousand years in futility. I’m sure she’s relying on the imperial family to find the best possible future.”

“The best possible future… you say?”

“Yes, so don’t worry too much and focus on the immediate tasks. Your mother came all this way to help her son.”

She came all this way just for me alone.

Feeling a lump in my throat at those words, I quietly put the note in my pocket and embraced her.

“Yes, then I’ll be in your care for a while.”

“For a while? That’s disappointing to hear.”

Tashian embraced me back.

Then she brought her lips to my ear and whispered in a low voice.

“Tell me if you need any help. The only reason I remain in this world is because you remain in it.”

Even in this harsh world, family exists.

That one fact was enough to melt away the despair stemming from everything I had experienced so far.

No matter what happens in the future, this person will always hold my hand.

And I believed without doubt that she would be there in the place I would return to.

“Well, now that greetings are done, shall we go say hello to the others?”

My sense of relief was short-lived.

After leaving my side, she exited the tent and began approaching the expedition members who were taking care of refugees nearby.

“Wait, Tashian? Hold on, what are you trying to do…?”

“Hello, everyone from the expedition. I’m Hyoseong’s mother~ It seems my son has been indebted to you all…”

“Tashian? Tashian!?”

I jumped up in shock and rushed toward her in an instant.

I felt all eyes focusing on the commotion, but the embarrassment I felt inside was too overwhelming to care about those stares.

“Tashian, wait a moment. What are you doing!?”

“What am I doing? I’m just taking this opportunity to greet the colleagues who have helped my son~”

“Greetings? I’m not a child anymore, why would you…!”

“What a strange thing to say. My son isn’t a child? Don’t tell me you don’t like being called my son?”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

“Oh right, I brought some bread in my luggage that I made. It would be nice to share it. If I want my son to look good, I should help, right?”

“Tashian, I understand your feelings, but please listen to me first.”

“Don’t worry, son. I’ll make sure everyone gets along well with you by telling them all about your good points.”

“Tashian, please!!!”

Damn it, why do I have to experience something I didn’t even go through in elementary school elections in this world?

***

But no matter how embarrassing it was, I couldn’t bring myself to disappoint Tashian.

Despite my desperation, Tashian insisted on greeting the expedition members, and I ended up experiencing in real-time something that I’d only read about in internet stories about family members visiting workplaces.

“Please take care of my son. He has his shortcomings, but he’s a good kid,” and so on…

The sincerity behind those words made it impossible for me to stop her forcefully, but just hearing them from the side felt like torture.

“Hero, I didn’t know you had a mother.”

“Your mother is beautiful. She looks so young?”

“But you don’t look like her at all.”

“Should we ask her why she named her son that way…?”

“Everyone shut up and get back to your positions!”

Only after I shouted did the expedition members hurriedly return to their places.

Even as they were being chased away, they were snickering, clearly planning to tease me about this at the first opportunity.

Damn it, dealing with being called Woo-hyo was bad enough, and now I’ll have to hear “mama’s boy” too.

“Excuse me, Hero.”

But not everyone maintained that atmosphere.

Sanson, who had been particularly stiff when receiving Tashian’s greeting, approached me belatedly and began to ask what seemed to be on his mind.

“Is that person… that drag…”

“You seem to have noticed, but please keep quiet about it. The situation is complicated.”

Come to think of it, all the expedition members had directly seen Tashian’s true form.

Although Tashian didn’t seem to recognize them, conversely, some of the more perceptive ones probably had some idea about her identity.

Given that her identity was on a level that would put most disasters to shame, her claiming to be my mother would be received quite complexly.

“…She’s my most precious family now.”

But regardless of the past, it’s clear that she is my second mother.

When I sincerely expressed this sentiment, Sanson relaxed his tense expression and gave his own answer.

“And she’s our benefactor too. If she and you hadn’t shown up when you did, we would surely have been defeated by the undead.”

“Haha, I guess that’s true.”

So she’s both the family of the leader they follow and the benefactor who saved their lives.

Yes, for now, it would be fine for her to integrate into the expedition from that position. Just as I was about to thank Sanson for his understanding…

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

A scream came from somewhere in the camp.

I immediately stopped our conversation and looked toward where the sound had come from.

The sound came from Fland’s tent. Coincidentally, it was where Tashian had gone to greet her.

“Tashian! What’s happening!?”

“Well, that child screamed as soon as she saw me…”

“Master! Get away! Get away from her right now!”

Tashian looked bewildered, while Fland, trembling all over, was pointing her crutch at Tashian.

The action clearly stemmed from hostility, but the emotion drawn in her eyes as she stared at Tashian was what could only be called fear.

Fear? From someone who had hunted all sorts of monstrosities, toward Tashian?

“Fland, calm down first.”

“How can I possibly calm down! I can’t even fathom how impossibly powerful the being next to you is!”

Despite my attempt to stop her, Fland continued to point her crutch.

The paleness drawn on her face seemed even more serious than when she had seen the abominations in the sanctuary.

“H-how can a being with such presence exist in this world? If she decided to rampage, humanity… no, this entire world might end. To encounter such a being right after leaving the sanctuary, how much more does this world want to drive us to despair…!”

…She’s lost her reason.

From what she’s saying, she seems to have noticed Tashian’s identity, but it appears she’s fallen into this state after being overwhelmed by that identity.

So even after losing her power, a dragon is still a dragon.

If someone like Fland is this terrified, I can’t even imagine what Tashian was like in her prime.

“My, you’re quite injured.”

Tashian approached Fland just as these thoughts were vaguely forming in my mind.

Surprised by this action, Fland stiffened, but she seemed to lack even the strength to swing her crutch, her body merely trembling.

“Eek! D-don’t come near me!”

“Let me check your condition for a moment. Where are you most uncomfortable?”

“W-what are you trying to do to me!? What are you trying to do?!”

“What am I trying to do? I’m trying to fix what I can right now.”

Tashian took out tools from her pocket and tapped on Fland’s joints.

After watching what she was doing to the frozen Fland for a few minutes, Tashian retrieved her tools and began to frown.

“This is quite badly damaged. It will take quite some time to fix it properly.”

“Fix it… Tashian. Can you actually fix Fland?”

“The structure is complex, but not unreadable. With enough time and the right place, I can definitely fix it.”

Tashian answered my hopeful question casually.

Her serious demeanor as she examined Fland’s condition conveyed deep conviction.

So she’s a professional craftsman capable of making Ego Weapons, I see. Even though this was a body that even priests could only watch over.

“However, I can’t do proper repairs here and we’ll need to move to a different location… Oh! Son, would you like to read Irie’s prophecy?”

“Prophecy?”

“The next destination should be written there, and it would be better to do the repairs after we get there.”

Right, since she sent Tashian directly, she must have written about the next destination too.

With that certainty, I opened the first numbered note, and inside I could see the time when I should read the letter and the places I should head to, listed sequentially.

[Please read this right after Tashian joins you.]

The time to read the letter was now.

And the path to the next destination written inside was currently in the hands of the girl trembling before us.

“Hey, Fland.”

“M-master. W-w-w-who did you b-bring? How could such an impossibly powerful being…”

“I’ll explain that on the way, but first I’d like you to answer my question.”

I understand how she feels, but since Tashian has no malicious intent, there shouldn’t be any problems.

Based on what was written in the note I was holding, I asked Fland a question.

“Come to think of it, Fland, you were managing a territory before joining the expedition, right?”

“Y-yes. That’s right. It was technically a cover identity, but…”

“I heard that using that cover identity, you were creating a refuge while you were away. Do you think that refuge is still maintained?”

During the preparations for the succession ceremony, while continuing the pioneering work, she had started work on creating a refuge centered on the territory, just in case of danger…

Recalling the stories I had heard while staying with her, Fland nervously glanced at Tashian and nodded with difficulty.

“Yes, it probably wasn’t affected by the riot. It’s outside of interest and located at the very edge of the empire…”

“Perfect.”

The next destination was decided.

A place to take the refugees, as well as a destination where we could build up strength to prepare for the “great danger” that awaited us.