Ch.242Chapter 242 – The Tale of Masks

“Then we’ll be going.”

“I’ll try to finish it as quickly as possible.”

With those words, Sera, Asam, and Beatrice rose from their seats.

In Sera’s hand was the shell collected from the egg where Chris had been.

“How long do you think it will take?”

“I can’t really promise anything… but I’ll try to finish as quickly as possible.”

Sera answered Mask’s question.

Then Asam shrugged his shoulders and said.

“There should be dwarf craftsmen here, right? If dwarves with knowledge in this field join in, it might be quite fast.”

“Well, we’ll manage somehow if we pull a few all-nighters.”

Beatrice also spoke lightly, apparently prepared to miss some sleep.

And watching them, I quietly asked.

“Anything I can help with?”

“No. You rest. And while we’re at it, Mask should rest too.”

“Since we don’t know what might happen tomorrow,” Beatrice added casually.

At those words, Mask, who had been about to step forward, scratched his head slightly and backed away.

Meanwhile, I heard Sera puffing her cheeks slightly as she looked at Eve and spoke.

“I’ll leave it to you.”

“Yes. Leave everything to me.”

“Absolutely. Absolutely make sure he rests and doesn’t overdo it.”

“Of course.”

“And as I mentioned in Albheim, later…”

“Yes, of course.”

What kind of conversation are those two having?

I felt a slight chill, but Sera and Eve were finishing their conversation with smiles.

So the three of them began to go somewhere with Dodo’s guidance, and watching them, Mask quietly muttered.

“They’re gone.”

“Yes, they are.”

As Lorona slipped into the conversation, Mask immediately turned to her and said.

“…Aren’t you doing anything?”

“My sisters and I are keeping our senses focused around the village.”

“It’s not like we have any exceptional knowledge in making magical tools. It should be enough to let the dwarves help out.”

Lirina also said this while keeping her eyes closed.

However, I could feel magic flowing from the four hatchlings and spreading around, suggesting their words weren’t false.

“Let me know if anything happens.”

“Of course.”

Lorona answered lightly.

Moving a bit away from Lorona, I carefully sat down in a chair set up in a corner of the house.

‘All that’s left is to wait.’

I can trust Sera, Asam, and Beatrice to do a proper job.

Still, it would take time, so for now, all I could do was wait.

-Scrape

Suddenly, I heard the sound of a chair being dragged.

Looking toward the sound, I saw Eve pulling a chair over and soon sitting down next to me.

“Eve.”

“Would you like to get some rest?”

Eve made such a suggestion, probably thinking I was tired.

I smiled slightly at her words and quietly said.

“I’m not particularly tired right now.”

“Even so.”

Eve smiled and spoke quietly.

“Resting is important. Especially for you, Kay.”

“…I’m fine, really.”

I knew Eve was saying this out of concern for me, but I really was fine right now.

However, Eve seemed a bit dissatisfied with my answer and puffed her cheeks slightly, unlike her usual self.

“If you won’t rest…”

Somehow, Eve looked at me with slightly scary eyes.

“…I’ll have to make sure you can’t hold out without resting, won’t I?”

With those words, Eve rose slightly from her chair and pressed her body against mine.

Immediately, Eve’s weight and body heat transferred to me.

“Um…”

“…How can you still be embarrassed by this much when you’ve already seen everything there is to see?”

For some reason, Eve had an expression like she had won.

Soon she brought her face close to mine and whispered softly.

“…Would you be able to sleep well tonight if I became your blanket?”

“No, that’s…”

“You don’t want to?”

Suddenly my field of vision became brighter.

Eve had removed my helmet with her hands while pressing against me.

Looking down in slight confusion, I found Eve’s face very close to mine.

‘…Her lips.’

Right now, if I just lowered my head a little…

To Eve’s lips, which were looking up at me teasingly…

“…Shall we?”

Eve asked in a really small voice.

I unconsciously swallowed slightly.

And like a water-soaked cotton, my head slowly moved downward…

-Scraaape!

The sound of metal being scraped rang out.

Feeling as if cold water had been splashed on me, I quickly raised my head away from Eve.

Eve also seemed a bit surprised, with a flustered expression, and after our eyes met once, we both turned to see Mask sharpening his greatsword with a whetstone and, for some reason, Eina watching us while half-covering her face.

“Wow…”

Eina’s face was flushed red.

And Mask grinned as he lifted the whetstone.

“Hmm, quite a good whetstone.”

After saying that, Mask soon noticed both our eyes focused on him and chuckled before speaking.

“It’s a bit sad when you treat the people around you as if they don’t exist because you’re lost in your own little world.”

“…Sorry.”

“Well, I was just watching quietly because it was nice to see, but…”

Mask said with a smile.

“I’ll gladly turn a blind eye to whatever you do after this, but do it where others can’t see. There’s such a thing as atmosphere, you know?”

“…Yes.”

We got scolded.

“I got a bit excited, unlike myself.”

Eve also seemed a bit embarrassed as she cleared her throat and quietly sat down in the chair beside me.

And then a very uncomfortable silence descended.

For a while, only the sound of Mask’s whetstone could be heard.

And at some point, Mask stopped sharpening and looked at me, saying.

“Aren’t you going to maintain your weapon?”

“I don’t think the edge has been damaged much.”

As for cleaning, the dwarves had done it right after we fought off the monsters.

They said there was no need for maintenance, so I was leaving it as is.

“If the craftsmen say so, it’s probably fine, but if you’re bored, I think it’s good to sharpen the blade a bit more.”

“Alright.”

I nodded as I said this, and Mask casually tossed me the whetstone he had been using.

“That one is particularly good quality, so I recommend it.”

“Thanks… but where did you find it?”

“It was lying around the house.”

So this is Dodo’s property.

Mask chuckled and said.

“I got permission, so just sharpen away.”

“I will.”

I unstrapped my halberd and began sharpening the blade.

For a while, only the sound of me sharpening my weapon filled the space again, and Eve watched me with her chin resting on both hands.

Then, as if suddenly curious, she looked at Mask and spoke.

“Mask.”

“Yes?”

“I have a question, may I ask?”

Mask pondered for a moment.

“Well, alright. It must be boring.”

She nodded, and Eve quietly asked.

“Then I won’t hold back since I have permission. Mask, where are you from?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Just curious. Since you wear a mask, I’m not quite sure which region or country you’re from.”

At Eve’s question, Mask chuckled.

And then he quietly said.

“…If I had to say.”

Mask looked down at his greatsword and said.

“I’m not from anywhere around here.”

Mask quietly said.

“I was born and raised in the demon realm.”

Mask said with a smile.

For a moment, Eve and I stopped what we were doing and stared blankly at Mask.

And soon Mask chuckled and said.

“What? Does it sound like I’m joking?”

“Well…”

“I really am from the demon realm.”

Mask looked at us and said.

“Haven’t you heard that I’ve been called a half-demon for quite some time?”

“No, I did hear that, but…”

I thought you were born here.

However, Mask seemed to have easily guessed what I was about to say.

“Well, certainly. I’ve heard that demons who cross over to this world have children for various reasons, and there are villages where half-demons quietly live together.”

At those words, I looked at Eve once, and she nodded.

It seemed this was common knowledge in this world.

“Conversely, in the demon realm, there are places where demons with human blood live together.”

“How…?”

“There are various reasons. Being kidnapped during ancient demon wars, being sent to the demon realm as prisoners… sometimes demons who come here send them to the demon realm, or very unluckily, they end up crossing over to the demon realm through randomly occurring gates.”

Mask quietly said this, then looked at us and continued.

“Either way, the probability is low. However, it’s not something that doesn’t exist at all.”

“I see.”

“And I was from a small village where such people who had crossed over… and demons who had been influenced by them lived together.”

At Mask’s words, Eve seemed slightly surprised and quietly asked.

“Influenced?”

“It happens occasionally. A demon who falls in love with a human they kidnapped and acts for that human’s sake… well, just call them eccentric or foolish demons.”

Perhaps lost in old memories?

Mask spoke slowly.

“…Anyway, members of such villages inevitably live like family. After all, they’re a very small minority in the demon realm and lack power. So they share and help each other beyond race, homeland, and age…”

With a voice full of nostalgia, Mask quietly said.

“I grew up in such a village.”

“Sounds like a nice village.”

“It was a nice village.”

Mask said with a smile.

And I felt a slight ominousness in her words.

“Was…?”

“…A famous clan in the demon realm, saying they didn’t like the place, tried to annihilate it completely. It was definitely the Baphomet clan.”

Mask quietly said.

“Baphomet?”

“You probably already know, but to explain simply, they’re demons with goat-like body parts. They have excellent physical abilities. Since one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the old Demon Lord was from that clan, they’re also a very powerful clan.”

Mask said that much, then added as if remembering.

“By the way, those born there always attach the name Baphomet after their own name. It’s close to what you would call a family name.”

“I see.”

“…I know one crybaby from that clan… anyway, most of that clan tend to be violent and rude.”

Saying the conversation had strayed, Mask cleared her throat lightly.

“…I happened to be playing outside the village, so I avoided death… but I had to leave the destroyed village and live as a wanderer.”

Mask’s quiet words echoed.

And I quietly bowed my head toward Mask.

“…I’m sorry.”

I immediately apologized, feeling like I had stirred up her painful memories.

However, Mask smiled and said.

“No need to apologize. It’s from a very long time ago, and you didn’t know when you asked.”

“But it’s still a painful memory, isn’t it?”

“It is painful. I’m okay now because I’m older… but I still miss it sometimes.”

Mask quietly said.

“And in truth, that’s the kind of place the demon realm is. Resources are scarce, so taking from others is frequent, and even without that, people kill each other just because they don’t like each other. It’s a barren and desolate land.”

“……”

“Still, I think I was lucky. With a sword in hand, training myself to be strong while wandering, I met reliable comrades and had a good time.”

Mask said with a smile.

“Looking back, that was a happy time for me.”

“I see.”

“Ah, before I cause any misunderstanding, let me say this. They are still alive. …They might be imprisoned somewhere, but they’re alive.”

Saying they’re not the type to die easily, Mask smiled and spoke.

Looking at Mask, I quietly nodded.

“I see.”

I didn’t know how her comrades ended up in prison, but I decided not to ask.

And Mask looked at us once and quietly said.

“…After that, I forcibly passed through a gate that opened by chance, and after various things happened, I drifted here. Well, that’s my story.”

Mask looked at me and Eve for a moment and quietly said.

“Boring, wasn’t it?”

“Ah, well.”

“Sorry. I’m not very good at storytelling.”

Mask said with a smile.

“There’s no need to pity me too much. I’ve lost some things, but there are still things I haven’t lost. And…”

“And?”

Mask hesitated slightly before quietly saying.

“I think I might be a natural wanderer by nature, because I’m enjoying this moment of traveling with new comrades too.”

Mask quietly looked at me and said.

“…What remains is to get them back.”

“I see.”

By “them,” she must mean the comrades who were imprisoned.

I nodded quietly and said.

“If I can be of any help, I’ll help you.”

“Would you do that for me?”

“Yes. Well, I need to solve my own problems first, but…”

As I lightly touched my heart and said this, Mask quietly nodded.

“Indeed. Your problem is truly urgent.”

“And many people are worried about it.”

As I said this and looked at Eve, she too had a slightly worried expression.

And Mask smiled and said.

“Then it’s right for you to take care of your business first.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for? I’m really grateful just for you saying you’ll help.”

Mask said with a smile.

“I’ll help with your business, and you’ll help with mine. We can both end up well.”

“I see.”

“That’s right.”

Mask nodded vigorously and said.

“Even if it’s difficult. If you don’t give up and keep moving forward, you can achieve anything. Whatever it may be.”

Mask quietly said so.

And at Mask’s words, I nodded and said.

“That’s good advice.”

“Isn’t it? Even though I said it myself, it is good advice.”

Mask answered with a smile.

“Well then, let’s go in and rest now. The hatchlings will take care of the watch.”

Although they hadn’t previously discussed this, Mask nonchalantly looked at Lorona and passed the guard duty to her.

And Lorona sighed before nodding, agreeing that they would take on the task.

“Kay. Shall we rest then?”

“Yes.”

At Eve’s words, I also got up.

I was fine, but if I could sleep now, I did want to get some rest.

And suddenly remembering, I looked at Mask and asked.

“By the way, where did you hear that saying from?”

“I just made it up.”

Mask quickly retreated into her room.