Volume 2 - CH 49

Volume 2

Chapter 49-Return

(TL:By Rafael)

(TL: So let me clear something Nibelung, Lung and Lun are the same person)

In the clear darkness, where you can see nothing but everything, I pull Lung's hand and we continue on.

I am more than a little apprehensive, but I promised everyone that I would return, and I have asked Rooge to take care of Lung.

Giving up is not an option.

After walking for a while, relying on my intuition, I saw a light in the distance.

It was strange, but I was sure that it was the way out.

"Shall we go?"(Yuki)

"Yes."(Lung)

I pull Lung's hand and we head toward the light.

The light, which gradually grew larger and more dazzling, was shaped like a crack, the edges of which seemed to shimmer from time to time.

"Don't let go of my hand, Lung."(Yuki)

"Mmm......!"(Lung)

I pull my hand back from Lung's, who grabs mine, and we plunge into the light.

At that moment, the dazed floating feeling I had had underfoot vanished, and a distinct sensation enveloped me.

'Gabobobobobobo......!'

Coldness, breathlessness, and pressure on my body.

Apparently, I had been thrown into the water.

I pulled on Lung's hand and floated up to the surface of the water, where the light sparkled.

" Lung, are you okay?"(Yuki)

"I'm fine. I was just surprised."(Lung)

I pull Lung's hand, who seems surprisingly unconcerned, and we head for the riverbank.

The water-drenched adventurous costume clung to my tired body, but I still felt a strong sense of security.

At any rate, what I saw in my eyes was a scene that I had become familiar with recently.

A river stretching from Lake Organ, where the labyrinth appeared.

It seems that we have crawled out from the bottom of the river.

"We're soaking wet. ...... But we made it back alive. Can you walk?"(Yuki)

"I'm fine. We'll get back in!"(Lung)

Lung smiles at me, and I smile back and start walking.

We are a little off the road, but it's not far from here to the temporary camp.

The other A-rank parties and those who escaped earlier should probably be there as well.

"Hmm?"(Yuki)

After a few minutes of walking with our wet bodies exposed, we finally see the temporary camp.

I noticed something a little strange about the tentative camp that finally came into view, and tilted my head lightly.

Perhaps because of the disappearance of the labyrinth, the dismantling and retreat had already begun, and the scale of the camp had shrunk considerably.

Even though the labyrinth has disappeared, there are still investigations and confirmations to be made afterwards, but they are working very quickly.

"Hey!"(Yuki)

"......!"(Lalm)

I waved to the researcher - Mr. Lalm - with a familiar face as we approached the entrance, and he froze with his luggage in his hands.

It would be natural for him to be surprised to see an adventurer who has been hiding in the labyrinth coming back soaking wet from a place other than the labyrinth's entrance and exit, but there is no need to be so surprised, is there?

"Yu-Yuki-san and Nibelung too!"(Lalm)

"We are  back. What's going on?"(Yuki)

"What's going on? You haven't been seen for two weeks, so you're listed as 'missing in action'!"(Lalm)

I was so shocked by Mr. Lalm's words that I froze up.

The term "missing in action" is almost synonymous with death in the adventuring community.

Adventurers who do not return from adventuring areas and go missing are usually dead.

"...... for two weeks? Really?"(Yuki)

"Yes. What have you been doing?"(Lalm)

I don't like being told that.

My physical sensation was that it must have been an hour or two at the most.

"Anyway, I have to report. Everyone was worried."(Lalm)

"Is everyone all right?"(Yuki)

"Yes."(Lalm)

I was relieved to hear that.

Lalm-san, seeing me and Lung, let out a small sigh and regained his composure.

"I'll get the carriage out right away. I also have to report to the Marquis and the Guildmaster, so I will accompany you. Please wait here."(Lalm)

After watching Lalm-san's back as he ran away, I looked at Lung.

She looks at me and says, 

"Hey, big brother. What do they mean it's been two weeks?"(Lung)

"Maybe time moves differently in that darkness."(Yuki)

I am guessing, but maybe the flow of time in that "colorless darkness" is different.

After all, it is a place of "nothingness" where the world itself has disappeared.

It would not be surprising if the concept of time itself was twisted.

To begin with, it has been less than a year since I left Simon in the "Colorless Darkness," but according to history, several hundred years have passed since the appearance of the "One Gold" in the "Glad Shi-Im.

It is quite possible that the flow of time itself is different.

Thinking of this, I felt a chill run down my spine.

Under the circumstances, it was not surprising that the destination of the escape from darkness was a thousand years in the future.

It was even possible that our parting in the labyrinth would have been in this lifetime.

Perhaps we should look on the bright side and say, "It only took me two weeks to get here."

"Thank you for your patience."(Lalm)

While Lung and I were pondering, Mr. Lalm appeared in a simple four-seater carriage.

I was a little tired, and to tell the truth, I was glad to see him  bring a carriage since I had been walking all this way.

Mr. Lalm looked back at us from the carriage's driver's stand as it started to drive away.

"I'll take you two to the "Singing Fawn" pavilion first. As you can imagine, it was not possible to explain the situation to them while you  guys are dressed like that, and everyone was really worried about you guys."(Lalm)

"Thank you very much."(Yuki)

According to what I heard along the way, Marina and her team searched for us for quite a while and worked almost tirelessly until Manuela stopped them.

When I heard that they had not returned to Duna until the camp was dismantled, I felt deeply sorry.

"Would they get mad?"(Lung)

"If that happens, I'll apologize with you"(Yuki)

I looked ahead with a wry smile at Lung's concern, and saw that the city of Duna was almost there.

We made it back. ......

I wondered ...... how I would explain this to my friends and the Royal Academy, but a sense of relief that I was home filled my heart.

The first time I've been in town is only a few days, but in my heart, two weeks is even enough time to miss them.

（I miss you all so much.)

I held back my feelings of urgency as I passed through the gates of Duna, where I even felt a sense of nostalgia.

TL Note- Well as someone said the adventure is not over till you reach your home and sadly  Yuki will be learning it the hard way.