Chapter 287

Chapter 287, A Reunion

After leaving Irene and departing from Beilanea, we reached Radeata, the stopping point before Regalia, in the afternoon.

“Thanks for the ride, Pochi~~”

“Yes, thanks for the ride, me~~!”

“First of all, we–“

“–FOOD!?”

“Well, not NOW, but–“

“–FOOD!?”

“Gah–“

“–FOOD! …Ah…”

“You’re doing that on purpose, right?”

“I actually AM hungry, sir!”

It’s so blatant whenever she complains.

“Well, I guess you’ve been running for a few hours. C’mon, let’s go get something to eat.”

For the next hour, we went around everywhere, with Pochi unable to decide on which restaurant to eat at. Good God, why do I even bother anymore?

In the end, we entered the restaurant named Diarmuid Kitchen. According to Pochi, this particular place has a ‘different smell’ to it.

She shouldn’t have her dog-level sense of smell anymore, but apparently it’s different when it comes to food.

“…OR she’s just making things up so that she gets to eat whatever she wants! Damn it!”

“I mean, we don’t come to this town often, so I wouldn’t know where to beast eat at! Shopping around for the best establishments is a maiden’s favorite pastime, sir!”

And is her insatiable appetite supposed to be a maiden’s pastime as well?

Looking at Pochi’s unstoppable mouth, I saw that she was actually throwing bunches after bunches of vegetables in there.

“Wait, what? I thought you didn’t like vegetables?”

“This place’s stuff is just different! Makes me think of that old T’oued saying… well, I forgot that, but this stuff is certainly appetizing, sir!”

Oh, really…

As Pochi enjoyed her meal, a man who appeared to be the restaurant’s owner happily approached us.

“Welcome to Diarmuid Kitchen, dear customers! If I may ask, how are you liking our offerings?”

He’s got a kind aura to go with his smile.

“Ah, um… my Familiar is eating the vegetables for once, so it must be quite delicious. Ah, I do enjoy it as well, of course.”

“Glad to hear that! We actually opened here just recently, you see. Please do come again, if you have the chance!”

Right, despite the tables and chairs apparently already seeing a lot of use, probably second-hand, the establishment itself still looks fresh and clean both inside and outside.

I wonder if it’s still in business in the future? If they are, I sure would like to come again. Gotta taste the evolution of their recipes.

The owner’s got a nice air around him, too, so I’d like to come here with everyone, in fact — and maybe throw a big party.

“Thank you very much!”

Sent off by the owner’s happy voice, we left Diarmuid Kitchen while rubbing our full bellies.

“I think I’ve found a new favorite, sir! I hope they’re still open in the future, because I’d like to come here again!”

Pochi said while licking around his mouth. Looks like she’s taking quite a liking to this place, too.

“Oh, and did you know that it was run by a married couple, sir?”

“Huh, I didn’t notice that.”

“I was sitting on the opposite side of the table, after all! I think the lady behind the counter is the owner’s wife, sir!”

“Hmm… so you’ve been observing stuff for once?”

“Not quite… some details just happened to catch my eye!”

“What details?”

“The lady’s belly was HUGE! She must’ve been pregnant for months now, sir!”

“The future is looking bright for them, then! Maybe they’re more likely to stay in business in the future!”

“I look forward to finding that out, sir!”

Pochi celebrated, running and jumping around me.

Which reminds me, WHEN will be pop up at when we’re teleported back to our era?

I wouldn’t like it if we appear too far into the future and lose time as a result.

Well, whatever will be, will be, I suppose.

“By the way, Master… What are our plans after this?”

“I’d like to reach Regalia tomorrow in the early morning, or at least morning in general. We should make it in time if we leave town within tonight. Until then, we can get some sleep in, I guess.”

“WITHOUT DINNER!?”

THAT’s what she’s worried about?

“Look, you can just stay awake and get something to eat yourself.”

“Then give me money, sir!”

“Here, take 100 Gold.”

“I’ll starve!”

“It’s enough for a whole week’s worth of food!”

“But I’m a Heavenly Beast, sir!”

Bah, Heavenly Beast’s stomach, more like Heavenly Peak’s stomach.

In the end, I have Pochi 200 Gold, then went to rent a room to get some sleep in.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

[……Hey, Gramps. Long time no see.]

[Hoh hoh hoh, you finally noticed Us. Is Pochi not here tonight?]

[She’s probably eating dinner right now.]

[Mm-hm, good timing for Us, then.]

[What? But you always appear whenever it’s convenient for you anyway…]

In particular, how he’d been avoiding the times when Pochi and I slept at the same time.

[Hoh hoh hoh, so you’ve noticed.]

[I’ve noticed that you’re smirking hard right now, too. Bah…]

[Well, moving on…… What shall we discuss? Well, perhaps the necessary deliveries first would be more appropriate.]

The Divine Messenger held out his hand to me.

[…So this is where you got it from?]

[We suppose it is. You now have the framework for a magic spell that can erase a part of Irene’s memories, don’t you?]

[So at first, you said you erased Tangalán and Charlie’s memories of their encounters with you because they didn’t believe what you told them… and that you were able to do that because you’re the Divine Messenger. But at that time, God’s power is very weak, and shouldn’t be able to do things like altering memories. What you used then was the spell developed from the framework that I’ll be giving you NOW… So, since it’s established as a normally usable spell invented in this era, even the weakened God in the future will be able to cast it, huh?]

[…That is so.]

Saying that, Gramps finally let one of his eyes show through his hood’s shadow — or, to be more appropriate, His hood’s shadow.

[Hello… God.]

[Hoh hoh hoh! You’ve noticed that, too! I knew I was right to choose you, Asley.]

[Anyone who meets you so many times would notice eventually. From all the actions you’ve taken, all the guidance you’ve given… When you threw us back to the era of Holy Warriors, you based your Space-Time Transmission spell on the data of my researches, then used the power saved up from the Pochisley Agency’s before-meal prayers to invoke it, right?]

[Wonderfully observed.]

It’s nothing complicated — the Space-Time Transmission is a spell that anyone can invoke… as long as they have enough arcane energy to.

But at the time, God didn’t have enough power so send me so far back. That’s why He had me help restore his power little by little, until He was eventually able to use it, sending me and Pochi to obtain the Awakening Stone and the Limit Breakthrough magecraft, and to fight the Devil King.

With the death of the Devil King in the past, God’s power returned, and He was able to send us forward to this era — and heal my broken body, too — without even needing a spell or anything.

[By the way, would it be safe to assume that this voice and face is actually yours?]

[No, my power is already waning by now. My usual self is “physically” “young,” but the lower my power, the “older” my “body”. Consider my voice and tone as mimicry.]

That’s not something one would expect from ‘mimicry,’ through…

[Now then, Asley, the magic spell is most important to both you and me. It will not be used in the physical realm, but by this transaction, it will be the spell that creates a new path for the world.]

[……Hah…]

I heaved a deep sigh, sat down, and drew up a Spell Circle.

[Rise, A-rise, Memory Edit. There you go.]

[Hmm… You have my thanks.]

[So, about Irene’s memories… be careful how you use the spell. Cast it the wrong way, and it might mess her head up. And, well… since it can be used under limited circumstances in the first place, it’ll probably be useless in a fight.]

I laid down on the “ground” in the middle of the luminous, white void.

[Hmm, no cushions and tea today… How disappointing.]

[I’m not feeling like it. You still have something to talk about?]

[The people in the original era may be… in slightly more danger than before.]

[What!?]

God’s sudden announcement caused me to stand right up.

[Why’d you not tell me about that earlier!?]

[Calm down. It isn’t as if you will return there any faster either way.]

[Huh!? You mean… whether I return now, or do more stuff in this era first, the time and place I can time-travel forward to are fixed!?]

[…That is so.]

…Holy shit.