Chapter 184 - A Journey Anew

The question seemed to be mutually unknown between the four of them, Aiko having just returned from her "morning tea time"--adjusting her gauntlets as she sat down on a fallen cedar. 

"Macheo still needs some time to adjust to his arm, and your body is still layered in bruises, Ren."

Iris responded, going over this as she looked down at her hands, circling a strand of her azure hair around her index finger. 

"I'm fine."

"I'm okay."

Macheo and Ren responded in unison, shooting glances at each other at the unexpected synchronization. 

"You--you're not fine, both of you!...Ren, you told me about it, didn't you? Purgatory...it's unforgiving, right? Why're you in such a rush?"

"I was alone before; that's not the case anymore, is it? Part of that hell was....looking for you. I wasn't able to think clearly, but I'm fine now, really, Iris."

"I hate to admit it, but he's right. I was driven into a corner by trying to tackle this place all on my own...It's a world of difference--four of us, together, we have a real chance at this."

Macheo supported Ren's proposal to get a move on, ruffling his own set of golden locks as he didn't seem too happy to copy the young man's resolve. Looking at Aiko for support, Iris could see clear as day that the beige-haired girl agreed with the boys.

While they started off as opposites—they naturally gravitated towards some level of friendship—Macheo and Ren. Each time the two interacted, either bickering or discussing something that usually pertained to magic or "legendary weapons", Iris felt glad she made the choice that she did. 

"I see...If you all really think it's our best move, I can't say otherwise…"

"Come on, Iris...You want to return home as soon as possible, right?"

Placing his hand on her shoulder, Ren gave her a small smile as his words seemed to spark something inside of her. 

"Of course I do...I can't stop worrying about them."

"Worrying? Are you sure you don't just miss them? Come on, admit it!"

Ren teased her, prodding his elbow against her arm as he caused Iris, once again, to enter a flustered state as a blush reached from her cheeks to her ears. 

"...You're so bold now, Ren…"

"Huh?"

The sudden comment snapped him out of his playful aura, looking at Iris as if mishearing the girl, watching as she turned her head away. 

"Anyway, if we're heading out, we should go say bye to Heldjrim, right? I kind of feel bad leaving, the poor guy seems a little lonely." 

"He's got his granddaughter now, he'll be fine."

Iris smiled at Ren's concern, leaving the young man speechless as she fluffed his colorless hair--returning the favor as a slight blush was left on his cheeks. 

"I can't watch this anymore! I'll vomit!"

Macheo suddenly got up in a huff, marching back to the main section of the village as Aiko began to follow behind him, waving off to the two. 

"When did they start to get along so well?"

Placing his hand to his chin, Ren muttered as he watched Aiko attach herself at Macheo's hip; starting to leisurely follow the same path as Iris walked beside him. 

"Well, Aiko is a noble of Akitein, and another annual candidate."

"Ah, so they're pretty much "two peas in a pod", aren't they?"

Looking to his side at the blue-haired girl at his side, Ren still felt as if it were a reality too good to be true. He couldn't remember just how many times he pictured those fluffy, azure locks of hers paired with those ocean-like gems that were his eyes--the image that fueled him through the hellish bowels of Purgatory. 

Without realizing, he fell behind her pace a bit, getting caught in her natural, shining beauty before she turned around, catching his watchful gaze. 

"Nice weather today, isn't it?"

A futile attempt to try and change the subject, caught red-handed staring at the girl, Iris gave a playful sigh before flicking him on the forehead. 

"Come on, dummy."

"Yes, ma'am."

It looked as if tears were on the cusp of leaving the old, withered primorelf's eyes as he looked upon the four adventurers. 

"Ah, so it's that time, is it?...I knew it was coming, but I had hoped you'd all stay here a bit longer."

As he spoke, his wise eyes lingered towards Macheo, who kept himself further behind the other three--he had made an effort to avoid the primorelves as much as possible. 

Iris told me what he did here...I can't really blame him for not being able to face them after doing the things he did, Ren thought, looking back at Macheo briefly. 

"Well, time waits for no one, right? Well...Time does move differently here, from what I've heard, but that's not the point!"

"You're awfully hyper today…"

Aiko commented with a slightly worried smile, seeing Ren frantically move his arms as he spoke with the linguistic speed of an auction host. 

"Ah, I had a few michaberries...A handful. Maybe a lot of sugar in my tea as well."

The two girls and the elder couldn't help but chuckle at the antics of the caffeine-fueled young man, who was sweating already despite the steady temperature that inhabited the cavern. 

"It calms my heart to know that you're able to retain that frivolity in the face of the upcoming trials, all of you. I believe with my entire being that you four will very well surmount this challenge and be victorious--call it the intuition of an old man."

Heldjrim chuckled at his own words, bringing forward the bag he held behind him this entire time, rummaging through it before retrieving a trinket. 

"Aiko--this is for you."

"This is?..."

Slowly accepting the star-shaped amulet, Aiko looked back up at the elder for clarification. The jewel embedded within the copper was pure and radiant; subtly glowing with its emerald form as her fingertips grazed its smooth surface. 

"A magic artifact my people found discarded in the depths of the cavern; it's been waiting here for over a decade now--I believe it's found a worthy owner."

"It's beautiful...What does it do?"

Entranced by the peculiar illustriousness of the object, Aiko's violet irises reflected in its shining jewel, sliding the lace of the amulet over her neck as it rested against her chest. Wanting to get a closer look at it for himself, Ren no longer found that option available to him now that it rested near her chest. 

"A difficult question to answer...It was studied by two different scholars within our village--displaying two, completely different effects between the two men. However, I can say this much for certain--it will aid you on your journey, Aiko."

Heldjrim assured the girl with a smile as he nodded his head, reaching into the bag to retrieve another parting gift. This time, what he pulled from the mysterious sack was not a magically enhanced piece of jewelry, but a book. 

A grimoire? Ren thought.

It instantly caught his eye; the black, featureless design of the grimoire's cover no doubt led it to be pertaining to the element of darkness. 

"I heard from Missus Iris that your affinity was darkness, quite a rare one indeed. Forgive the dusty condition of it...Nobody has really had any use of it since my late brother...I believe you'll be able to put it to good use, Ren. Oh, and I was told you lost one of these so I did my best to replicate one for you."

Heldjrim's words were accompanied by a silken, black cloak he presented to Ren, who graciously accepted it, quickly adding it to his outfit. 

"I-I don't know what to say…"

There wasn't a more perfect gift Ren could think of, accepting the grimoire with utmost gratitude as he felt like a child on Christmas morning once again---swiping the layer of dust from its surface. 

"A "thank you" will suffice."

"Thank you!"

Smiling brightly, the contagious expression found its way to Iris as she couldn't help but giggle at the childlike wonder plastered on Ren's face. 

"What's so funny? Do I have something on my face?"

Ren ran his hand over his mouth, checking if any straggling crumbs of bread or michaberry juices left a trail on his mouth. The seriousness of his attempt to wipe the non-existent blemish from his face only made Iris laugh more, covering her mouth as she shook her head. 

"No, no...It's just nice, seeing you still be the same dork."

"Oh, gee, thanks…"

"It's not like that."

"I know."

Ren chuckled, successfully teasing the girl once more before a cough from the elder primorelf set them straight once again. 

"And this is for you, Missus Iris."

Already holding the gift in his hand, Heldjrim showed to her a silver bracelet, holding a series of small, yet beautiful lapis gems within its circular form. Staring at it for a moment, Heldjrim gestured for her to take it, which she gladly did--sliding it over her wrist before looking at it once more with her mouth slightly agape. 

"Pretty...Thank you, Heldjrim."

"Unfortunately, I can't say for sure what its use is, but I'm sure a distinguished mage such as yourself can discover its purpose."

Parting with them the gifts he had been stockpiling over his time as the wise elder of the village, Heldjrim's smile was chock full of varying emotions--watching as the four began to set off into the unforgiving bowels of Purgatory. 

"I know he won't accept it from me, but please, give this to him…"

Before Iris departed completely with the group, Heldjrim fervently placed something in her hands--a thick cloak, it was the same style of black and red that Macheo wore before being thrashed. Holding it in her hands, it took her a moment to realize it was the restored coat that originally belonged to the boy, nodding her head slowly as a smile came over her lips. Although, there were slight variations made to fit his noble birth; the hems and cuffs of the sable coat were fluffy and frilled. 

"Of course!"

As they waved so enthusiastically--all except Macheo, who kept his eyes forward--it was the marking of a new journey.