CH 224

{Sword}

――I closed my eyes and shook my head.

That ain’t Luna. No way she is. After all, ten years have passed since then. It’d be impossible for her to look just like back then.

No matter how pretty she might have been, even she can’t stop time. And didn’t Karen, who was a little girl back then, actually grow old? Not even the most beautiful girl can fend off the ravages of time.

While persuadin’ myself like that, I looked in the same direction once more, just to find no one there.

“……A monster, huh?”

Figures. No way she’d be here.

I breathed out.

……Ain’t like I made sure of her death. But, I can only believe that she did pass away.

――Next time I’m gonna invite Indra to try tacklin’ that dungeon. Thought I’d never go back there, but I should go make certain, if somethin’ ’bout it is buggin’ me.

Indra seems to have it easy to get along with Dungeon Cores, so maybe the Dungeon Core or that boss monster might have listened to us back then (if they still remember that is).

――I can’t feel her presence anymore.

And the Ryokus booted up.

“Mr. Sword, are you staying up late?”

“Were you keeping watch?”

“Hmm? Well, yeah. I sensed a monster, that’s why.”

The Ryokus surveyed the vicinity, turnin’ around with mechanical sounds.

“Gone.”

“Should we chase it?”

“…Nah, no need to go that far. It didn’t attack us or ‘nythin’. Probably just came to take a look. …Is it alright for me to leave the rest to you guys?”

“”Ayessir!””

I caressed the Ryokus and then went back to our tent.

＊

{Indra}

In the middle of the night, an enemy attack…no, it sounds like it was a scout. I was told that it immediately ran away after some threatening, and that Sword went back to sleep as there was no real danger.

…But, no real danger? Considering that, Sword was a lot more fidgety and tense than usual, constantly scanning for enemies.

“…Sword, you okay?”

“Hmm? ――Yeah, no problem. Am I actin’ weird or somethin’?”

After I nodded, Sword blinked and then smiled.

“Well… I don’t think we’re in danger, but…how to put it…I just don’t know whether it was a monster or person, kinda.”

I tilted my head in confusion, “…What about it? Something like that would cause you to become so wary?”

Isn’t that totally strange? Regardless of person or monster, there’s not much difference between them other than the question whether they’re harmful or not.

“Mmh… Guess so.”

…I don’t get him!

I don’t get him, but it sounds like Sword got all alert because he can’t tell whether it was a monster or person.

“I’ll handle it the next time it shows up,” I offered, but he shook his head.

＊

{Sword}

――It appears I’m waitin’

For her to visit. For what she’s gonna tell me.

Even if she shows up in front of me after becomin’ an undead, I won’t mind. I just wanna know the reason. No matter what kind of reason it’s gotta be, I wanna hear it outta her mouth.

Her friends havin’ tricked me can’t be helped. Ain’t like I wouldn’t understand if that was the reason for me havin’ a relationship with Luna.

But, Luna…why did you choose me then? If you cherished your friends, wouldn’t it have been better to have chosen them from the get-go? If you didn’t regret choosin’ me, you could have stayed with me.

After spendin’ sweet days with me, you suddenly betrayed me, as if becomin’ someone else altogether, and tricked me. And then you died without me ever hearin’ the reason for it.

＊

“…That’s when my distrust of women started, didn’t it?”

And my hardships with women, too.

‘nyway, just what the hell’s up with all the women approachin’ me havin’ been honey traps? Why did they try to poison or drug me?

Or rather, they probably were all after my money either way.

＊

…When I brooded ’bout that, the presence became stronger ‘gain.

Indra was asleep, and the Ryokus were in the midst of their maintenance.

At such a time, she appeared.

“……Luna.”

She didn’t answer. Only standin’ there.

……No.

She extended a hand.

She’s tellin’ me to take her hand?

＊

“Where are you going?” I heard from behind.

……Indra.

I……

“Don’t leave me behind. If there’s a place you want to go to, I’ll go with you. Even if that place is hell. We’ll duke it out with everyone and take hell over.”

……

“Haha!” I laughed hard.

I see. So she’s goin’ to go with me even if hell’s the destination, huh? And we’ll take hell under our control, eh?

“That doesn’t sound bad,” I said, squeezin’ back Indra’s hand.

Then I looked straight at her… the thing that seemed kinda like Luna, but obviously wasn’t Luna at all.

“Is hell the place you’re gonna lead me to? Well, you probably wanted to take me there ‘nyway. Unfortunately, you alone…no, that’s wrong, I guess your fanboys already went ahead. But, even after waitin’, I didn’t show up, and so you grew tired of waitin’ and came to pick me up, right? …Sorry to say, I got no plans to go there for a good while longer. See ya.”

I drew my sword with my free hand and unleashed a single flash. The water was cut apart with a chink. The water surface shook violently, before gradually settlin’ down.