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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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Clatter, clatter.
The sound of cutlery clinking against plates increased from two sets to three.
And while meals used to be quiet affairs, they were now filled with lively chatter.
“You won’t believe what this kid did…”
“Allen? Really?”
Mostly, it was the innkeeper and Weiss who did the talking.
Still, the atmosphere was far more pleasant than when it was just me and the innkeeper.
Especially watching the innkeeper excitedly sharing stories made me wonder how he had managed during the month I was gone.
“Yes, Allen was such a scaredy-cat…”
The stories the innkeeper told were about Allen, not me, technically.
But since Allen’s memories remained, I still felt a tinge of embarrassment.
“Please, stop it…”
Just as I was about to stop the innkeeper’s ramblings…
“A scaredy-cat? That’s hard to imagine now.”
Weiss’s gaze pierced through me.
What? Why was she staring at me like that?
“Come to think of it, he does look quite delicate.”
I frowned, hoping to deter her.
Instead, she burst into laughter.
That wasn’t the reaction I was hoping for.
“Yes, this frail-looking boy suddenly went into the mountains one day and beat up a wolf! And then he completely changed.”
The innkeeper’s eyes took on a distant look.
“Like a different person. Even more so after his journey.”
I gulped.
I had always suspected that the innkeeper might have noticed my possession.
But this was the first time he had explicitly mentioned it.
“Well, that’s what growing up is all about for boys!”
He chuckled, waving his hand dismissively.
Perhaps I was lucky.
I awkwardly smiled, trying to brush it off.
“So, what were you saying about Allen being scared?”
“Oh, right. You see, Allen…”
Honestly, these two…
‘But still…’
I watched them, their faces animated with excitement.
‘I suppose I can leave with peace of mind now.’
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Spin, spin.
Several coins danced in the air, effortlessly controlled by my Wind Manipulation.
With my ability at Rank B-, manipulating multiple objects was no longer a challenge.
It still required a considerable amount of focus, but there wasn’t much else to do while I was confined to the inn.
“My arm is almost healed…”
I muttered, watching the coins twirling in the air.
“It’s almost time…”
A voice interrupted my thoughts.
“Wow, you’re levitating quite a few now.”
“Whoa!”
The coins plummeted to the floor.
When did she get here?
Even though I knew she wasn’t the Demon King anymore, these sudden appearances still startled me.
“Wh-What is it?”
“I wanted to ask you something. Would you like to go for a walk? Just outside for some fresh air.”
I couldn’t refuse a simple request like that.
I got up and followed her outside.
The air was still chilly, as it was early spring.
While I didn’t mind the cold, Weiss, wearing a thin shawl, seemed to shiver slightly.
“Are you cold, Weiss?”
“I’m fine. It was even colder than this in Ice Valley, even during summer.”
It must have been a harsh environment.
Since Ice Valley was already destroyed by the time the game’s story began, I rarely encountered any information about it.
A surge of curiosity washed over me.
“What was Ice Valley like?”
It wasn’t crucial information, but knowing wouldn’t hurt.
“It’s… difficult to describe. Having lived there my whole life, it was simply my home.”
“Ah, right.”
“If I had to explain… It was a harsh land, perpetually cold and encased in ice. Only the areas surrounding hot springs were habitable.”
She pointed towards the sky.
“But the sky… it was as beautiful as it is here.”
“The sky?”
I looked up.
The sky was perpetually shrouded in a reddish barrier, day and night.
That was why the Basil region was also known as the Land of the Setting Sun.
All the regions inhabited by humanity were protected by barriers.
And the color of each barrier was determined by the Barrier Stone at its core.
Basil’s red barrier was one example, but the most extreme cases were the Leim Kingdom and Sac.
The Leim Kingdom’s Barrier Stone possessed the attribute of light, making the land perpetually bathed in sunlight.
On the other hand, Sac’s Barrier Stone possessed the attribute of darkness. The barrier blocked out all light from the outside, shrouding Sac in eternal darkness.
‘What about Ice Valley’s barrier?’
I knew nothing about it, except that its collapse led to the kingdom’s destruction.
Weiss answered my unspoken question.
“Ice Valley’s barrier was a pristine white, like frost. So, at night, the moon and stars would shimmer through it, creating a breathtaking spectacle.”
It sounded beautiful.
A scenery lost forever.
“…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked about Ice Valley.”
“It’s okay. I’ve come to terms with it.”
She offered a bright smile.
As I had thought, she was a strong woman.
As I stared at her, mesmerized by her smile…
“But… Allen.”
“Yes?”
“Are you planning to leave this place?”
Her question caught me off guard.
While leaving was indeed my intention, I hadn’t voiced it to her.
“How did you know?”
“The innkeeper told me. He said you were thinking of leaving.”
It made sense. The innkeeper likely knew.
Just how much did that old man talk about during our meals?
“It’s true.”
I didn’t want to lie.
There was no need to. I was bound to leave eventually.
“I have to go. There are things I need to do, things I can only achieve outside of this village.”
I enjoyed the peaceful life here.
There was a reason why Gwen yearned for an ordinary life.
Perhaps there was no greater happiness than this.
I had even stopped the 71st Demon King’s invasion.
In the original game, Allen usually left the village after its destruction. But not anymore.
If I wanted to, I could stay here forever.
However…
“I have something to prove.”
I had to prove it.
Could I have achieved something if I hadn’t given up?
Could I achieve something if I persevered?
I had to prove it, as Allen.
That was the reason why I raised Allen 101 times.
『Objective: Become a hero.』
For now, becoming a hero was my priority.
But I wouldn’t stop there.
I would keep going, as far as I could, without giving up.
“That’s amazing.”
Weiss smiled at me.
“I envy you, having something you want to achieve.”
“It’s not something to envy…”
“I guess I didn’t have to worry after all.”
“What?”
She pointed towards the inn.
“The innkeeper asked me to help you. He said you wanted to leave but couldn’t bring yourself to do it. He wanted me to give you a push.”
“Why would he ask for something like that…?”
I shook my head.
“No, wait. Thank you, Weiss.”
It was true that I had been putting off my departure, growing comfortable with the routine of daily life.
But her words had reignited my resolve.
“Well, I would love for you to stay. It would be nice to have more company. But since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t stop you.”
She looked wistful, a hint of sadness in her eyes.
“But could you do me a favor?”
She removed the bracelet from her wrist and held it out to me.
“If you happen to meet Finn somewhere, could you give this back to him?”
I hesitated.
I couldn’t accept this.
It was a gift from Finn to her.
“Why? Is it too much to ask?”
“It’s not that. I just think it’s better for you to keep it. If he returns and finds out you don’t have it, he might be disappointed.”
“You have a point.”
She nodded and put the bracelet back on.
“Well, then, could you at least tell him about me?”
“Tell him about you?”
“Yes, tell him… I’m waiting.”
Another impossible request.
But I didn’t want to weave more lies on top of the ones I had already told.
I had to take responsibility for my actions.
“I can do that much. I promise.”
A genuine smile lit up her face.
At that moment, a gust of wind blew past us.
Weiss shivered.
“See? It’s cold.”
“Yes, a bit.”
“Let’s head back inside before you catch a cold.”
That’s how our last night at the inn passed.
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“He’s gone.”
“He left so quickly… I’m a bit sad.”
“Me too.”
The innkeeper and Weiss stared at Allen’s empty room, still bewildered by his sudden departure.
They hadn’t expected him to leave that very night after their conversation.
“He didn’t even say goodbye.”
“I told you, he’s a scaredy-cat.”
“Scared?”
“He couldn’t bear to face us and say goodbye. So, he chose to slip away in the middle of the night.”
In a way, he understood Allen well.
“He’ll come back, right?”
“I don’t know when, but he’ll be back. He always said he wanted to inherit this inn.”
The innkeeper chuckled, shaking his head.
“And he won’t forget his time here. He seemed genuinely happy.”
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‘This is awful.’
The food in this world was truly terrible.
I took a bite of the bland stew served at a shabby diner in the neighboring village.
Weiss’s cooking must have been from another world entirely.
I glanced towards my hometown, a wave of nostalgia washing over me.
The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the familiar landscape.
‘I already miss it.’
I missed Weiss’s delicious cooking.
I missed the soft, cozy bed in my room at the inn.
I even missed the grumpy yet kindhearted innkeeper.
But I couldn’t go back, not now.
I had rested enough, enjoyed the peaceful respite.
It was time to move on.
‘I’m full enough.’
I left half of the stew untouched and got up from my seat.
‘Time to go.’
I had to keep moving.
‘To Sac.’
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