CH 60

After twenty years, Souya was reunited with his acquaintance, the dwarf blacksmith Doga, and was shown to a stone table in the reception room of the workshop.

He opened the bottle of 20-year-old whiskey he had brought to celebrate the reunion, poured it straight into two shot glasses, and quietly toasted with him.

Souya had already broken the spell of transformation and had returned from his high school appearance as the silver-haired boy Rei to his normal form as the Chief.

Before undoing the transformation, I wondered if I should check my younger form once in a hand mirror, but in the end, I decided not to. I’m sure I’ll die of embarrassment. I would not be able to drink in a happy mood.

“Rei …… Nevertheless, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you. I didn’t know you were still alive.”

“I’m calling myself Souya now. I wish Doga-san could say the same. You can assume Rei is dead. At least, in my mind, he is.”

Souya remembered that he had been killed by the Silver Demon, and that he had been called by that name when he had been reunited with the goddess Eris in the garden. In the future, every time he met an old acquaintance, he would be called Rei, and his expression would fade a little as he realized that he would have to dig up his old memories. Perhaps this was just retribution for the past.

Twenty years have changed the person known as “Soya Rei” greatly. The only thing I could do to pretend to be my old self was to pretend to be Rei, as I had just done to Doga at the entrance.

“I’ll call you Souya then. What’s with the stiff black hair? Your way of speaking is strange, too. And, Doga-san …… being so serious all of a sudden. Did you really change from a magician to a merchant?”

Doga, while looking at Souya in an uncomfortable manner, gulped down a shot of a glass of whiskey and poured a second shot from the bottle. 

At this pace, the bottle of fine whiskey that Souya brought in, which cost a nickel in gold, would be empty in a few hours.

“…… Yes, I guess I’m a merchant. I’ve been in the business for a little over a decade, and I’ve been thoroughly trained in the etiquette and manners of the business. I think I’ve mastered it, even if it’s not for me.”

Souya smiled thinly and gulped down a shot glass of whiskey, following Doga’s lead.

Although I had just drunk last night at the party that Merylou had treated me in, I had kept it in moderation, so fortunately I didn’t have a hangover.

Today, I was drinking with a dwarf. If I want to go along with him, I have to be prepared to drink a lot.

“So, as Souya, you’re starting over from Bronze-class? What happened to the platinum-class adventurer’s card you had? What a hassle.”

“I lost it. Well, I didn’t need it. Since I haven’t been heard in twenty years, and I haven’t paid my guild dues, my Platinum-class adventurer Rei has probably been expelled.”

Souya told Doga that he had no qualms about any of his old adventuring exploits.

This was also something that Goddess Eris had pointed out to him. The game sense of enjoying the second time around may not be cultivated in this world.

“You’re really strange …… Well, I guess all you people are. Your group of people was the hero, the saint, and the colored ones, after all.”

“The colored ones …… so that’s what Doga-san thought of them.”

Souya smiled wryly, remembering the faces of his old friends and the adventures they had taken in the past.

A Hero with fresh Anselm blood, and a strong and gentle saint of the supreme god Luminous. The two beautiful men and women who had been the faces of the group came to mind first.

In addition, there was a pink-haired wood elf girl with a piercing personality, a young dark knight in black armor, a boy with a foul mouth and a bishop of Esther, the god of knowledge, and a boy who was him, a magician from another world. The four followers who support the heroes and saints, who could easily be described as the colored ones’ group.

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(The hero, the saint, and the colorful ones …… huh. He’s right.)

Souya nodded as if he was strangely convinced. And then he decided to ask Doga about something that had been bothering him.

“Speaking of the hero and the saint, did they ever get married? I remember that they were engaged, but…”

“Hmm. It’s not long after you disappeared. You and Vlad are the only ones in the group who did not attend the wedding.”

“Hahaha, I’m glad I’m not the only one who didn’t attend …… Well, I’m sure Vlad won’t be there.”

Souya muttered as he thought of the young man in black armor.

The Dark Knight Vlad. He is one of his former companions, and he was a top-notch warrior, despite his position as Dark Priest of the Chaos God Seraen.

Although they were companions who traveled together on adventures, he and the saint were inherently incompatible, and they witnessed many clashes. Since Souya was a good match for him, he often acted as a balancer of them.

“…… By the way, Souya. If you’ve come to my workshop, you need a weapon, don’t you?”

“Yes, that was the intention of my visit. Although I don’t think I can order anything too expensive due to the cost.”

Souya nodded to Doga who asked the purpose of his visit.

Although he had received unexpected extra income from the subjugation of the Silver Demon, he had only just finished two adventures.

He doesn’t have enough money to buy Doga’s masterpiece, which is probably one of the top five blacksmiths in the world. Souya was hoping that he would be able to acquire something that could somewhat withstand future adventures.

“What happened to one of my masterpieces, the Demon Bane’s mithril shortsword that I made for the final battle? I don’t think you’ll need anything else with that.”

“I gave it to Rosalind as a parting gift. I was living in a safe place where I didn’t need a weapon, after all.”

Souya mentioned the name of an old friend and fellow adventurer, the pink-haired wood elf girl.

He didn’t tell him he was from another world, but he wasn’t lying when he said he was in a safe place. In the country where Souya lived, he was not even allowed to carry a weapon.

“…… Well, I suppose you can make do with magic and hand-to-hand combat …… Speaking of which, have you met Rosalind? A few years ago, she came to visit me in my workshop. It seems she was looking for you ……”

When Souya heard Doga’s statement, he immediately felt sorry.

He had said goodbye to them without much explanation, and had spent the last twenty years of his life with all of his memories of this world sealed away.

And I don’t think she really searched for me, but if she said she was looking for me, I can only say that it was a waste of time.

“No, I haven’t seen her. I’ve just resumed my adventures after a twenty-year absence. You’re the first old acquaintance I’ve met again.”

“I see. I always thought that you and Rosalind were going to get married, though …… Well, I honestly didn’t know if you get along or not. I guess it’s a cultural difference between different species.”

“…… Originally, we never really got along. You know that we were always fighting. So how is Rosalind doing now?”

In response to Souya’s question, Doga stroked his beard curiously with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

“I’m more curious to know what kind of environment you’ve been in …… One of the top adventurers in the adventurer’s guild. Rosalind the Rose, a Mithril-class adventurer, is probably the most famous adventurer in the world. I’m sure she’s based in the Royal Capital and Yggdrasil Forest …… Aren’t you going to go see her?”

In response to Doga’s question, Souya could not give an immediate answer and fell silent.

There was a bit of hesitation there. It’s not more than a week’s drive from Ilstadt to the capital. If he wanted to go see her, the possibility of seeing Rosalind would not be low.

However, it seems that she is now the world’s most famous adventurer of the mithril-class. I’m sure she’s extremely busy. Moreover, I don’t have any confidence that I could talk to her if I went to see her.

Souya shook his head and opened his mouth to break the silence.

“…… I’m not going to force myself to see her. And if she sees me now, I’m sure she’ll be disappointed.”

Souya muttered unsurely, poured whiskey into his empty glass, and began to drink his second glass.

Doga had already had four drinks, but the Dwarves have an exceptionally high resistance to toxicity, and no matter how much they drink, it is impossible for them to become intoxicated. It would be dangerous to accompany them to drink at the same pace.

“It’s a shame that someone like Rei has become so timid. Souya, where’s that invincible feeling you used to have?”

“That’s the unwarranted confidence of youth. You can also call it pride. I don’t have that kind of strength or courage anymore. But I don’t have that kind of energy or courage anymore. Isn’t it true for you too? You seem to be very defensive about your work.”

Souya pointed out that Doga was limiting his work.

It was like an excuse for himself, but Doga had his own thoughts about his current job, so he didn’t take the topic any further.

“Hmph …… Oh, by the way, it was mentioned in your letter of introduction that you’re a rising star rookie who has become a demon slayer.”

“It’s true, for a change. I just got lucky. I brought the horn with me.”

“I’m glad to see that your ability at least didn’t get rusty. Speaking of demon slayers, there is another one in Ilstadt…”

When the two of them were talking about the Demon Slayer, they heard a doorbell ring from the entrance of the workshop.

“–Is old Doga here? If you’re here, I’ll let myself in.”

The young man’s voice continued.

The clear voice was familiar to Souya.

“Hmph. Speak of the devil. I’m sorry, Souya, but it seems that a little boy I know has arrived …… I’m in the reception room! Come here!”

From the reception room, Doga called out loudly to the young man who had come to visit.

The sound of a door closing. The sound of footsteps echoing down the hallway was cut off in front of the reception room.

“– You are …… Souya-san?”

“…… Oh, Seran-kun. Thank you for last night. I guess you’re acquainted with Doga-san too?”

The one who appeared in the reception room was Seran, a demon slayer youth, carrying a one-handed bastard sword on his back and wearing a long black coat.