episode_0055

It has been 20 years since entering the space of sighs.

Alaina is now at a level where she can easily defeat dragons.

Anyone who does one thing for 20 years becomes a master, let alone Alaina, the protagonist of the original work.

Descending the stairs lined with layers of dragons, Alaina brushed off the dust from her body and returned to Eonel City.

“Thank you, brave one!”

The soldiers guarding the outer gate of the city greeted her.

“I wonder if they ever get tired of it. Coming back like that every time after being defeated.”

“Yes, indeed. It’s about time to give up.”

Giving a casual response, Alaina entered the city.

Eonel City. This is where Alaina trains as a base in this ‘season.’

The world of the void has changed five times over the past 20 years.

Each world is made up of completely different natural environments and civilizations, and during the total of five changes every four years, Alaina learned various skills and increased her combat power.

“Welcome, brave one. I just finished baking bread.”

Having bought some bread from the bakery, Alaina entered the inn where she had been staying for four years.

After washing up and sitting on the bed in her undergarments, Alaina tore into the bread, lost in thought.

It’s been four years here too. It’s time to move on to a new world.

What kind of place will the next world be?

Will there be a world more troublesome than one where dozens of dragons come every day?

Falling in and out of love, this is quite an unreasonable situation.

Listening to the noise of the street, Alaina thought so.

However, one wizard can create five vivid worlds like this.

That is what the female wizard said before entering here.

Perhaps it makes sense that reality is a world created by someone, and I am the protagonist of that world.

Even now, Alaina sometimes finds it difficult to distinguish between the void of sighs and reality.

When she asked others out of curiosity, they treated her as if she were crazy.

The fictional characters in this world all believe that this is a firm and unchanging reality.

The external world that I believe to be real could also be a fictional reality created by a genius.

If so, then what about the man who sees all these things in that world?

A god who created the world? A traveler returned from the future?

That must be it. Otherwise, the owner of the potion shop in the starting village wouldn’t know about such things.

My strategy guide is not just a strategy guide; it is a magical book containing the secrets of the world or even prophecies.

If I meet him, I’ll have to ask. Who is he, and why did he choose me?

To do that, I have to finish my training and leave this space of sighs.

But when will I leave? If I can catch dragons with just one sword stroke, isn’t that enough?

And if I go outside, can I return to my original form?

Alaina sighed in front of the full-length mirror on the guest room wall.

If I return in this body, the old man probably won’t recognize me.

If I return as I am, Alaina will be in her mid-thirties.

I don’t know the old man’s age, but he’s probably in his twenties, so I would become like an older sister.

I don’t like that…

“Perhaps he would prefer that appearance more?”

Turning around, Alaina saw the female wizard smiling at her.

“Oh? Did you come in here?”

“No, you came out.”

“I…?”

Alaina looked around slowly, feeling a bit dazed.

The crackling fireplace, frog decorations, small and cozy interior.

And the cabin chair where Alaina sat twenty years ago.

“Sigh, I should die….”

The sigh of the witch of sighs coming from the other room.

What’s going on…? Have I returned? Without any warning at all?

Looking down, she was dressed in her usual leather armor instead of the underwear from earlier.

Same height, same body. It was the body from 20 years ago, no, 20 seconds ago. “Thank goodness.”

The female wizard smiled as she watched Alaina breathe a sigh of relief.

“How was it over there?”

“It wasn’t bad. It was tough, but I think I’ve reached the level I wanted in the end.”

“Well, that’s fortunate. Should we leave again now?”

“Already…?”

Although she had spent 20 years in the otherworld, in reality, it had been barely thirty minutes since she entered this cabin.

It was a sudden parting, but in truth, there was no reason for Alaina to stay here any longer.

“What can you do? I’d like to have a meal together, but because of my mother…”

“Sigh… How many years has she been starving…?”

Alaina, hearing the witch’s sigh, suddenly straightened up and bowed deeply.

“It’s okay. I’m very grateful just for opening the otherworld.”

“Just a moment. Want to see what’s in the bag?”

When Alaina opened the bag, food suitable for travel like bread and cheese flew out of the kitchen and into the bag.

“It will take time to get out of the forest, so if you get hungry on the way, eat.”

“Thank you… I’m sorry for just receiving.”

“Making an otherworld is nothing, giving food is nothing either. Since we won’t see each other again in the future, don’t feel burdened.”

“We won’t see each other again?”

“That won’t happen, right? You go your way. I’ll be stuck here in the forest with my mom, doing boring magical research.”

“Sigh… Whether it’s magic or nonsense, one must die….”

As the female wizard moved her fingers, a frog statue next to the fireplace suddenly leaped forward.

“Ah?!”

“Follow that. It will guide you out of the forest.”

The long tongue at the end of the frog’s mouth glowed brightly. Like a lantern.

“Goodbye. I can’t see you off. Actually, before you came out, my mom went crazy asking for food. So goodbye, little one.”

“Sigh… I’d rather starve to death….”

“Alright, Mom. I’ll prepare the food now.”

As the female wizard headed to the kitchen, the frog pushed Alaina’s leg with its body and went out the door.

“Oh, thank you! I will never forget this kindness!”

“Finish your work and live happily with that gentleman.”

“Understood! Thank you!”

As she stepped outside the cabin, once again the eerie atmosphere of the secluded forest enveloped Alaina.

However, it was not the same feeling as when she first entered the forest.

A bright light emanating from the tip of the frog statue’s tongue, crawling clumsily a few steps ahead, pushing away all the bad things around.

Turning back, the cabin was barely visible amidst the trees, rocks, and moss.

Yes, Alaina. Let’s go back.

Having grown strong enough over the past 20 years, let’s move forward again!

And someday, return to that gentleman!

* * * * *

The imperial wizard left, and we eagerly awaited the arrival of the vigorous jury.

However, even after two weeks passed, there was no news.

Could it be that the imperial wizard ignored my request and left? That couldn’t be true.

No matter how arrogant wizards may be, they are not inherently evil.

Just in case, I made another original, but transporting it by land would take too long….

I’m contemplating sending Reberone again, but as I pondered, knights patrolling the village rushed to the hall.

“Jack, who has come?”

“Who?”

“Well, the administrative official from Odelin City has come to see you.”

“Odelin City? Suddenly? How many people came?”

“Ten people, including the guards, so practically it seems like one person.”

One official from Odelin City brought nine guards.

No matter how much I think about it, there is no reason for someone from Odelin City to visit our village.

The administrative officer looked around, scratching his head with a puzzled expression.

“Sir, is it the audit season by any chance?”

“No… Regular audits come after the autumn harvest is over….”

“Then is it a special audit? But there’s no such thing, right? Didn’t we send a formal notice that our city would be promoted last time?”

“We did….”

“Well, whatever. Let’s just go with it for now.”

As he rose from his seat, a young man entered as the conference room door opened.

“Hello. Are you the administrative officer?”

He suddenly extended his hand towards me and pointed to the side.

“This person here is the administrative officer. I am the deputy administrative officer.”

“Oh, I see. Nice to meet you, sir. I’m Vice Mayor Odellin Bush.”

“I’m Administrative Officer Bellamy of Startown.”

I thought I was going to faint at the mention of vice mayor, but the administrative officer stood up straight and shook hands.

Now that I look, the administrative officer is quite tall.

But why did Vice Mayor Odellin come all the way here?

“I heard about the city upgrade application for Startown.”

The man who observed the administrative officer’s appearance turned back to me and spoke.

“I see. That’s right. We can’t continue to endure discomfort in the village forever.”

“A valid point. However, there seems to be a procedural issue.”

“What kind of issue? You’re not suggesting that Odellin City, under administrative control, didn’t need separate approval, are you?”

The vice mayor smiled.

“You sent the application promptly. That poses a problem.”

“According to the robust administrative regulations, there is no need to obtain separate approval from the city under administrative control when applying for an upgrade. Because once the town becomes a city, the various benefits obtained through administrative control diminish, so they will never approve it.”

“I’m mentioning regulations, but in reality, I am a top graduate of the Imperial Civil Service Exam. There probably isn’t anyone who knows the regulations better than me. It seems like you don’t know much being in this small town….”

“How many exams have you passed…?”

When the silent administrative officer next to him asked, the vice mayor proudly puffed out his chest and replied.

“I am the top scorer of the 65th Imperial Central Bureaucracy Examination, sir. So, I’ve risen to the position of vice mayor at this young age. Oh, of course, you don’t have to feel pressured. I’m not trying to intimidate you or anything….”

“These days… the juniors don’t even keep track of their seniors’ progress….”

“I’m from the 61st batch….”

“I see…?”