episode_0099

After descending from Ther, we discovered a plain while heading towards another final village. We were resting for a while, lying under a tree, and taking such a break after a long time filled me with a sense of nostalgia. Honestly, I did miss it…. In the Magrion region, I rested a lot like this, but I couldn’t in the Kryton region. Moreover, as soon as we crossed into the Herlos region, I rested at an inn, and in Ther, I rested at Yuria’s house.

“It feels good to lie on the plain and rest in the wind after so long. Don’t you think, Aria?”

“Hehe… I’m happy anywhere Zeke-nim is~.”

Right…. I knew that answer would come… But looking at Aria, I suddenly feel that she has changed a lot lately. Before, she would have just killed Yuria, but like with Cecilia, when I stopped her, she gave up the idea of killing her…. To this extent, I can say Aria has changed a lot, so I feel a little good. No… Should I say proud?

“Phew… By the way, it’s still a bit far to the next village. We’ll probably arrive tomorrow.”

“Then… if a monster attacks Zeke-nim until then…. I will naturally make that monster into dinner for you, so don’t worry~.”

“… That’s always been the case, so I’m used to it now…”

To this day, Aria has dealt with so many monsters that I can’t even estimate the number she’s turned into food. So, money and food haven’t been a problem…. Yet, I still couldn’t understand why I had gotten used to it. Monsters were originally creatures of terror to humans… but with Aria next to me, they instantly turned into food…

‘If this continues, and I face a monster alone, won’t I also start recognizing monsters as food…? High-ranking monsters are too much for me…’

“….? Zeke-nim? Is something wrong?”

The moment I worried that I, too, would start perceiving monsters as food, Aria began to worry when my complexion darkened. Right, well… as long as I don’t forget. Judging that I just needed to remember, seeing Aria worry about me, I chuckled and said,

“Phew… Alright… Shall we set off again now? We’ve rested enough.”

“Yes, Zeke-nim~.”

Getting up to set off again, I began organizing the contents of my backpack. Then, Yuria’s gem caught my eye. I took it out and turned my head to Aria. Come to think of it… Unlike with Cecilia, Yuria gave me something, and Aria didn’t complain…?

“Aria, I have a question…. Just now, Yuria gave me a gem, and you didn’t complain at all about this…”

“…..”

The moment I was about to ask Aria why she hadn’t complained about Yuria giving me a gem, it dawned on me that Aria was suddenly scowling, glaring at Yuria’s gem I was holding. Ah… it wasn’t that she didn’t complain… but that she just held it in…? Sensing that I could be in danger if I asked any more, I immediately put Yuria’s gem into my backpack and quickly slung the backpack on.

“Al… Alright! Let’s get going!”

“…. Someday, I’ll get rid of that gem…..”

“….”

The moment I said, in a trembling voice, that we should set off again, I heard Aria mutter that she would someday get rid of Yuria’s gem, and I swallowed hard in tension. Won’t I find all the gifts people I’ve met so far have given me gone from my backpack later…? Unable to shake off the anxiety that all my received gifts might vanish, I headed to the next village with Aria.

“Let’s see… The name of the next final village is… Sabra…. A village located in a plain region… This is my first time in a place like this… Usually, villages are built near forests or the sea.”

“Indeed. Hmm…. But do you intend to visit all the final villages?”

“Yes. If I zigzag through the final villages in the north and south, I’ll be able to explore the entire Herlos region. After that, once I’ve explored the Tania region, where we were born… my journey will end….”

The moment I was explaining to Aria that my journey would end after exploring the Tania region last, something flashed through my mind, and I couldn’t continue speaking. Come to think of it…. after my journey ends…

“Aria, but you know what. If I finish my journey, what will you do?”

“Huh?”

Aria said, flustered, at my sudden question. Honestly, I was curious. The reason Aria followed me was to help me with my journey… that is, my exploration. But if my journey ended, I wondered what Aria would do afterward. Well… still, the answer is obvious….

“Hmm… I wonder. I haven’t thought about it yet. Honestly, there were things I wanted to do… but now I don’t want to do them that much anymore.”

“What?”

I was greatly flustered when such an unexpected answer came from Aria’s mouth. I was sure Aria would say she would naturally live with me in Todrua, but Aria’s words that she hadn’t thought about it left me unable to hide my embarrassment.

“What? Really? That’s unexpected… I thought you’d say you’d live with me?”

“Huh? That’s a given, so I didn’t put it on my list of things I want to do.”

…. Ah, so that was it… She had already made up her mind, so she didn’t put it on her list of things she wanted to do… Aria’s slightly flustered reply to my words made me let out a hollow laugh and scratch my head. Hahaha…. It seems I was the one who needed to think about what to do next instead…. Anyway…

“Anyway… Earlier, Yuria said that saints and priests are traveling around this world these days. That means, in the Tania region, the only country with a saint was the Esrad Kingdom, but in this region, there are many saints.”

“Yes. Don’t worry, Zeke-nim. I’ll make sure those foxes don’t lay their hands on you, so I’ll protect you surely.”

“That’s not it…. The fact that there are many saints means… you don’t necessarily need to hide that you’re a saint, do you? The reason I changed your hair and clothes to black was to prevent your identity as a saint from being discovered….”

“No!! I will never change this hair and clothes back to their original color, which Zeke-nim carefully dyed for me!”

When I said there was no need to hide her disguise anymore, Aria adamantly stated she would never do that. Until now, before Aria unleashed her divine power, most people didn’t know she was a saint. But now… her name seems to be known, so I thought Aria no longer needed to be disguised. However, since Aria herself liked this disguise, I chuckled and gave up.

“Alright, if you like it, then there’s nothing I can do. But to think that people from the Magrion region spread news about the Black Saint here… I didn’t expect that.”

“Hmmmm…. Did they? When?”

When I said the story of the Black Saint had spread even to the Herlos region, Aria asked me, looking completely oblivious. Ah, well, of course…. She didn’t pay attention to other people’s cheers at the Last Point Tournament arena, so it’s understandable she wouldn’t know…

“People recognized you at the Last Point Tournament arena. Well… it’s not strange for people from the Magrion region to come here.”

“Hmm… but thanks to that epithet, I might have been able to hide that I’m a saint of the Esrad Kingdom. People who know my face and name know what I look like. But a saint with black hair and black clothes is rare, and it’s completely different from my original appearance. Moreover, my name could be shared by others, making it hard to pinpoint me.”

“…. Now that you mention it, that makes sense… But have you ever used the ‘Sanctified Radiance’ before meeting me?”

“No~ I became able to use it after receiving Zeke-nim’s heart, you know?”

Hmm…. It seems I’ve awakened something deep within Aria’s heart. I still don’t know the principle behind it, but… well, let’s not worry about Aria for now. But I shouldn’t completely drop my guard either. Something big might happen to Aria someday, so I should be careful…. Careful? Come to think of it…

“Oh, right. People from Herlos I’ve met so far said that, didn’t they? That contact with other villages is frequently lost these days.”

“Hmm…. Then I wonder if there’s a destroyed village because we’re going there.”

“…. It reminds me of Bosca….”

Aria’s words reminded me of Bosca, a place I had intended to visit before, but which had been tragically annihilated by twenty mana beings. Well… it wasn’t all bad, but… still, it would be futile if the place was destroyed when we arrived there…

“Anyway! No matter what happens, I will definitely save Zeke-nim, so…”

“I already feel that with my whole body, so I’m not worried at all. No matter where I’m captured, or if I meet a mighty foe…. you always strive for me. I’ve seen all of that until now, so how could I doubt you?”

“….!! Ehehehe… Hehehe…..”

At my words, Aria’s face suddenly turned red, and steam started rising from her head. What is it…. Did she catch a fever because of me? But it’s true, isn’t it? I vividly remember all the difficult requests Aria granted for me until now, so I couldn’t possibly say it’s wrong, even if forced… Moreover…

“As proof of that, you obtained Magnod’s Tear. So, believe it.”

“…. Hehehehe…. I feel very good….. Hehehehe….”

Seeing Aria become flustered by my praise, I chuckled. Ah…. But I don’t know why Aria has been dreaming of trapping me somewhere lately. Thanks to that, I’ve been suffering from similar nightmares recently… Still, it’s a relief that the real Aria acts differently from the one in my dreams.

‘Still, just in case, I should come up with a countermeasure…. Considering that Aria’s heart was swayed by Cecilia’s temptation….’

“Oh my. Zeke-nim, look at that. The sun is setting.”

“Oh? It really is…”

While I was contemplating a countermeasure for Aria, she pointed to the setting sun with her finger, and I decided we should spend a night here. So, we prepared to camp in the forest again. While I set up the tent, Aria was cooking.

‘Truly…. Aria has changed so much…. In the past, she would have stubbornly insisted on doing everything herself…. But now, she quietly takes on her assigned role like this…. It’s good to see Aria, who was always consumed by anxiety, acting so at ease….’

“Hmm hmm hmm~ Food for Zeke-nim~ So Zeke-nim can~ move energetically~ tomorrow too~ with healthy ingredients~”

‘….’

Watching Aria put various herbs and ingredients into water to make stew, I realized something. This joyful cooking from Aria could only be seen when we were camping like this. Seeing her like that reminded me of the first moment I met Aria. The time she caught a boar bare-handed for me, who had collapsed drunk, and served me a meal.

‘Thinking back to that time… truly, so much time has passed. Even after that, Aria served me food… but I’d never seen her so openly joyful like this before… When Aria’s mood improves, I also feel a sense of fulfillment, so what’s this…. It’s not so scary anymore…..’

“Hehehehe…..”

‘….’

A slight chill ran down my spine as I watched Aria cook with a wide grin. That’s because that face… was identical to the expression Aria wore in the nightmares I always had…. It seems I’m still afraid of Aria. But that’s a different side! I’m afraid of Aria’s other side… but since it always appears, it seems I am indeed afraid of Aria in a different sense.

‘Right… Aria makes that expression because she likes me…. I always think that, so why can’t I get used to it?!’

“Hmm? Oh, Zeke-nim. Look at this. Wouldn’t this be something useful for your records?”

“Huh?”

When Aria picked something from the ground and showed it to me, I couldn’t help but be surprised. That’s… Baren Herb, isn’t it? Why is an herb that only grows in rocky terrain like Ogfosria appearing here…?

“It certainly is. Thank you, Aria. Then I’ll transcribe everything I’ve recorded so far into the exploration book.”

“Yes, Zeke-nim~.”

While Aria was cooking, I started catching up on my work. Ther Mountain…. There was a village on Ther Mountain. And a Snow Woman lived there; she was a kind-hearted human who wanted to help others. But the villagers used the Snow Woman, who possessed the mysterious ability to make snow fall, as a tool. The villagers, who created beautiful scenery by making snow fall with the Snow Woman’s power, began to get greedy. Although the Snow Woman knew that if she used her power more, she wouldn’t be able to control it, the villagers didn’t listen. As a result, the village was on the verge of destruction due to heavy snowfall, and the villagers, who would never admit that things had escalated because of them, murdered the Snow Woman’s family. When the enraged Snow Woman attacked them, the villagers spread false legends about her. Thus, the Snow Woman lived a life isolated from the outside world, and this is the tragedy of the Snow Woman of Ther Mountain.

“Sigh…. If the villagers had accepted Yuria, everyone would have lived a happy life….”

“Possessing great power often instills fear or incites jealousy in others.”

While talking about Yuria, Aria said something bitter, and I realized. That Aria had also experienced a similar tragedy to Yuria. Does great power come with a price, then…? But ultimately, it’s something that happens because others can’t accept it. It’s a result of arbitrarily imposing the standards of ordinary people. But…

“From my perspective, I don’t have any complaints about you possessing such power. I might be a little afraid, but… what’s important isn’t the power, but the heart, isn’t it?”

“….!! Wa… Wait… Those words mean…. that Zeke-nim understood my heart, and that’s why until now…. Ehehehehe…..”

At my words, Aria realized that I had kept her by my side because I understood and acknowledged her heart, and she became so happy her mind seemed to reel. Seeing things like that, Aria isn’t a bad person…. Indeed, what’s important is the heart!

“I’m hungry! Let’s eat quickly!”

“Yeeees~ I’ll give it to you right awayyyy~ Hehehe….”

As Aria swayed her hips in a daze of joy, I inadvertently chuckled. Yes…. While Aria is frightening… I don’t fear her to the point of abhorrence. Everyone has a side that can be frightening, so I’m just afraid of that side. After a day of knowing each other’s true feelings passed, the next day arrived. Finally, we arrived at the next village, Sabra, and we were….

“We sincerely welcome you, adventurers!!”

“…. Huh?”

We were greatly flustered by the truly unexpected welcome.