Episode 19.3

"So, so, Baa-chan."

Apparently, Eda has decided to call Shira Baa-chan now. <TLN: An affectionate form of grandma.>

"What's wrong, Eda-chan."

"Can you tell Lecan's age?"

"Not Lecan, no. I could see his Mana Pleats, but the way its wrinkles are formed differ a bit from this world's humans. To begin with, the length of a day and a year in Lecan's former world likely isn't the same as that of this world, there's no point in determining his age."

"Former world? This world?"

"Lecan is a <Descender>. He's not a human of this world."

"Ah, okay then. I see, I see."

"Lecan-dono."

"What."

"How Shira-san and Eda-san are able to have a pleasant chat over tea about such an astonishing content make them look like residents of a faraway world to me."

"I'm quite shocked myself, got my secret so casually talked about out of blue like this."

"You don't look the part at all though."

"But you know, Eda-chan. You can't tell anyone about how Lecan is a <Descender>, okay."

"Why?"

"Because it'd attract attention of weird people. Some people might try to confine him. Some might regard him as a dangerous character. You don't like it if people hate Lecan even though he hasn't done anything wrong, do you?"

"I got it. I'm gonna keep it a secret."

"Good girl. By the way, Arios. Are you maybe, Muduc and Shoun's grandkid?"

"Are you acquainted with my grandfather and grandmother?"

"Sort of. Are they still kicking?"

"Yes. In fact, I plan to go meet them after this. I shall tell them of my meeting with Shira-sama."

"They probably won't know that name. I went by the name Mazara Wedepasha when Shoun was around."

Arios stood up, and bowed down with his knees on the ground.

"It is my highest honor to be in the presence of Guide Mazara. I humbly apologize for my insolence in spite of my ignorance."

"I dislike formalities. Stand up, sit on your seat and talk like you usually do now."

"Yes. If you'd excuse me."

"And also. Mazara is dead. Do keep that in mind."

"Acknowledged. I shall never mention anything about Guide Mazara in any capacity elsewhere."

"So Arios-kun's grampa and grandma's is baa-chan's friends."

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

"Oh it's an old story."

"Lecan-dono. I'm shocked. I had decided to never get surprised by Lecan-dono, and here I am once again."

"You're saying that again."

"I'm not trying to surprise you."

"I was shocked when Lecan-dono handed over that gigantic magic stone as a souvenir just like that, and again when Shira-sama casually took it. And then, finding out Shira-sama's previous name shook me to the very core."

"You don't look shocked though."

"Well, err, I just don't know what kind of face to put on anymore."

"Baa-chan."

"Yes?"

"What's a life force?"

"A power of your body. A human will die if they're completely exhausted of this power. Someone who's only got 10 life force will die if they receive 10 worth of damage. Someone with 100 life force won't die if they take 99 damage. Well, that's about sum it up."

"Is that something you can measure?"

"Those who have the ability, or more like the sense can tell the rough size. However, in reality there are humans who have a strong resistance against magic, and those who don't. If there are those who get easily cut by blades, there are those where blades don't work on them. Hence, in practice, the size of life forces is only one simple form of measuring tapes."

"Ooh, I see. Then, is there a way to measure my life force, and Lecan's?"

"Back then, after I gave an explanation on the concept of life forces to a Longlifer old woman, Yacklubend, she went and invented a magic tool that could express life forces in numerical values. Well, that too is one of many measuring tapes."

"Please wait. Do you mean Yacklubend-shi is a Longlifer then?"

"She is. She's a Grand Elder. Seems to be of a different lineage than your kind however."

"Grand Elder? It can't be. It can't be, does that mean Lord Yacklubend Tomato is one person?"

"That's right. She's been alive before this country's founding it seems."

"But then, how old would you be to know about that?"

"Lil' boy. You don't ask a woman her age, you just don't."

"Please pardon my rudeness."

"Anyway, keep this a secret. It'd be bad for even Yacklubend if public finds out she's a Longlifer."

"Baa-chan. What's so bad about Longlifer?"

"Royal Capital believes Longlifer are spies sent by enemy nations. If they found one, they'd catch them, lock them up and pry information out of them."

"Ooh, okay."

"My grandmother told me that you're not a Longlifer yourself."

"I'm not a Longlifer."

"Eh?"

"At the very least, I'm not of the same race as your kind."

"Baa-chan. Does that mean there's no problem about Longlifer if you just don't go to the Royal Capital?"

"That's not how it works. Orders from the royal capital reach every part of this kingdom. Besides, another problem is the temples. If they find a Longlifer, they'd try to designate whether that Longlifer is a god's messenger or a devil's envoy."

"Would be okay if it's a god's messenger, but getting called a devil's envoy would suck."

"No, both are bad. You'd get locked up in the temple if you're a god's messenger, while devil's envoy gets eradicated."

"Uwaa."

"Every temple has their own standard to decide on the designation, it's all over the places, I don't really know much myself."

Meaning, if Shira's long life is ever known to people around her, she could end up being designated as a devil's envoy and risk getting eradicated. The temples are Shira's antithesis.