NOVEL NEXT Chapter 61
“…What kind of nonsense is that?”
[…I don’t know either.]
“Then, what about me? No, what about the ancestors of Eustetia? Did they all come to life all of a sudden?”
[I have no idea either! But, well… Arisa asked me to tell you that.]
I haven’t gotten married.
For life… I will be forever… a, a… virgin.
I really don’t understand what that means. I am… Eustetia is a descendant of Arisa.
The hair color, eye color, history…
Everything indicates that I am a descendant of Arisa Eustetia. But the fact that I haven’t gotten married, or done anything… well…
“Did I get hit hard in the last battle? Am I going crazy? Am I suffering from dementia…?”
[That can’t be… From what I saw, she seemed fine…!]
Indeed… there was no information about the first head of the family, the human who became Arisa’s partner, anywhere.
Of course, there was no information about Arisa herself either.
However, while it seemed strongly intentional that Arisa’s information had been erased, the information about her partner was so clean that it might as well have never existed from the start.
What the heck happened in the last 400 years?
Kalosso’s betrayal.
The Seal of the Demon King.
The disappearance of Paulo and Luna.
Rebirth.
“…Hey. Flora. Is rebirth something that’s generally possible?”
[It’s impossible, right…?]
“Is it impossible for you too?”
[Ah, not ‘you’! It’s ‘the World Tree’!!]
Wak! Flora bit my finger.
I don’t know if she has no teeth or if she’s just weak, but it felt really soft.
“Right. Is that World Tree lady also impossible?”
[I don’t know about that. But… she said that meddling with human life like that is… a ‘taboo.’]
“…Taboo.”
Such a taboo… Could Arisa be involved?
No, not just Arisa.
Luna, Paulo, that bastard Kalosso, all of them… seem to be related to my rebirth.
Did they make a deal with the Demon King?
Or was it Yurpia?
The only beings with the ability to reincarnate someone who has already died into a new human are the Demon King and Yurpia.
In the first place, it’s hard to say that Yurpia even exists.
From what Luna said, she definitely claims that Yurpia exists, saying you can tell by the miracles she creates… But, well. I can’t believe it.
Still, for now… let’s assume Yurpia exists, and if we summarize it, the only two beings who could achieve such nonsense would be—
You could genuinely call them ‘gods.’
So, why would those guys want me?
What on earth do they want?
What would they get in return?
[R- Ronan… Are you okay?]
“Uh, what could possibly be wrong?”
[Your expression is scary… Whenever Ronan makes that face, he always gets into trouble… so…]
“You see me as a total delinquent.”
[Well, it’s the truth.]
“So, you’re desperate to return to the arms of the World Tree lady you love so much, huh? Want me to break your neck and send you there in one go?”
[I already know you wouldn’t do that!]
Crossing my arms, Flora sharply turned her head, but then stole a glance at me and asked again.
[So… why do you have such a sad face?]
“Sad face, my ass. I’m just frustrated.”
[Frustrated about what…?]
“That I don’t even know what’s been done to me behind my back is frustrating. And it’s frustrating that they’re hiding it all tightly, and it’s frustrating that in this goddamn fairy tale, I’m written as ‘Ronan, the Martial Artist.’”
And, and…
The most frustrating thing is—
“That I feel like I’m being manipulated by something, which is incredibly… frustrating.”
[Hmm…]
Poke-poke. Slowly approaching me on both feet, Flora climbed onto my shoulder and started rubbing her soft body against my cheek.
“…What are you doing?”
[Comforting you.]
“Unnecessary.”
That said, I didn’t push her away.
I also liked the soft texture and warm temperature, so I just left her there.
“…But I understood something important. Those guys played some tricks with my reincarnation.”
And.
“The World Tree lady knows something.”
[Not a lady!]
Bok! Flora’s tiny fist pressed against my cheek.
“Is the lady healthy right now?”
[Ugh… Yeah. She’s very healthy. After all, it’s… the age of peace, right? So, she’s finished recovering early.]
“If I go, will she meet me?”
Even if she refuses to meet me, I’ll just barge in.
I’ve saved that lady’s life countless times; if she treats me like a stranger…
I don’t know, I’ll break everything. Really.
That day is the day when all spirits die.
[Actually, the World Tree lady said she wanted to meet you. She has a lot to say… she said that.]
“Uh… okay?”
[Yeah. That’s why I came here. Just in case I might get the chance to meet you and pass on her words.]
“Then, are you going back now?”
[Yeah. I’ll be staying inside Pina’s soul. But I can’t always come out like this. Right now… thanks to you catching the demons, I was able to sneak out!]
For a demon, the existence of a spirit is comparable to that of a potion for humans. It means they’re on fire with excitement looking for spirits.
So, Flora appearing like this means that there are no magical-related beings around here.
“Why can’t you come out?”
[Pina hasn’t grown enough to be able to hide spirits. But it won’t be long! Maybe in about half a year, she’ll be able to come out often, if not always!]
Flora, who had been rubbing against my cheek, scurried back over my head and peeked down to look at me.
[So, when are you planning to visit the World Tree lady?]
“Not yet. I’m not ready.”
The land of spirits.
The place where we planted the World Tree is located to the north. And from the north, you can only find it by crossing the land of perpetual night.
Also, the north has a high density of mana.
If I go there with this weak and flimsy body, I’ll surely collapse right at the entrance of the snowfield.
So, it’ll be possible only after two or three years at best.
[When I go to the World Tree lady, you’re taking me with you, right?]
“You’ll have to be there to find the way.”
[Then Pina has to go too!]
“Why Pina?”
[Because Pina and I can’t be separated!]
“So, you want me to lead that little girl across the north?”
[Yeah, so please take care of our Pina! Don’t tease her too much!]
“Why are you pushing your duties onto me?”
Flora chuckled mischievously.
[Because you’re Ronan.]
“I’m Eliaernes right now.”
[Right, Eliaernes Eustetia. But isn’t it true that I trust you the most… the one all spirits and the World Tree lady trust the most, was Ronan Luzarack?]
“…Don’t think of me as your errand boy.”
I carefully picked up Flora, who was sitting on my head. She felt soft and cozy.
“Are you going back now?”
[As sad as it is… I have to.]
The glowing aura surrounding Flora began to fade gradually.
“Before you go in, let me ask you one last thing.”
[Hmm?]
“…Uh.”
I opened my lips, then closed them again.
Can I ask this?
Why am I curious about this?
I don’t know. I don’t know, but… just, um.
Right. A last wish.
Since I left a last wish.
It’s probably the desire to confirm that.
Definitely, that must be it.
“…How was Arisa? You know, her expression, the atmosphere… things like that.”
In an instant, Flora’s eyes widened.
Then, she hesitated for a moment and carefully opened her mouth.
[…She never smiled once.]
Then she shook her head and gave a bitter smile.
[But… when she talked about you, she smiled.]
I didn’t reply.
I just nodded.
I have no idea what expression I had on my face.
Was I smiling? Frowning? Grinding my teeth? Twisting my face? Anger? Annoyance? Frustration? Confusion?
I don’t know.
But Flora only looked at me sadly.
[Well then, I’ll be going. I won’t be able to come out for a while. So… while I’m gone, please take care of Pina for me. Don’t torment her too much!]
“How well do you think I treat her?”
[Ahihi. Yeah. Got it. Then, see you next time… Oh, Ronan! Be careful in the underground.]
“Underground?”
[Yeah… should I say underground? Sewage? Below the ground? I’m not sure, but I feel a very unsettling presence there.]
If a spirit says something is unsettling, it must be nothing but a demon.
But is there a demon in the underground of the system?
[Even if it’s you, Ronan, that presence could be dangerous for the current Ronan. So… don’t think about anything weird and stay away from the underground!]
“…I’ll keep that in mind.”
[I’m not just saying this! Seriously, don’t go! Promise! I didn’t want to say anything, but just in case… in case you might get into trouble without knowing, that’s why I’m telling you. So, absolutely! No matter what happens! Don’t go underground!]
“Okay, okay. Stop rambling and go inside quickly.”
[Ugh… After all I told you! You really—]
“Whoa? Creak.”
[Hik… Ah, okay. I’ll go in. See you next time… goodbye, Ronan.]
With those final words, Flora slipped into Pina’s body.
And I was left sitting there for a moment, staring at the faint moonlight coming into the room.
I learned a lot.
With that, there’s a lot more to think about.
But for some reason.
My head was clear, and my heart was not heavy.
And a smile crept onto my lips.
I don’t know what kind of smile it was.
But… this whole situation seemed funny.
Chuckle-chuckle. I laughed as I wobbled over to the bed.
And then, I pushed Stella, who was drooling in her sleep, and the calmly resting Pina, to the corner.
I too closed my eyes next to them.
“Well… a chimpanzee definitely couldn’t have gotten married. Ha…”
Stella’s drool-soaked pillow felt slightly damp.
But not caring about such things, I soon fell into a deep sleep.
*
The morning that followed was quite chaotic.
“You, you!!! Hey!!!! Eliaernes!!! This is too much! You tied me up… Oh? Wait, but when did I fall asleep? Where’s Yurasia? Huh?! Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
Stella, who had been hugging me like a pillow, screamed as soon as she opened her eyes.
“Eek, eek…”
Pina poured out tears and burrowed into my arms.
And I said, “…Shut up; it’s noisy.”
Facing the sudden pain all over my body, the only thing I could do was shout at them.
“Also… just bring me one priest. I… can’t move.”
I was suffering from pain so intense I felt like my body was about to break.
But that wasn’t the end of it.
Crash—!
“ELI!!!Arenes!!!”
Leona burst through the door, smashing it entirely, forcing my mouth open, and poured down a potion that tasted horrible.
“Lady Eliaernes. Are you feeling okay?”
Adele Baros, my homeroom professor who provided a lot of information last night, came to see me.
“Ah, Young Lady! The Eustetia Knight Order is visiting the Academy tonight…!”
Yurasia rushed in, having come in a hurry without washing up, delivering the news I least wanted to hear.
“…Sigh.”
It looks like the princess I promised to handle quietly has probably died overnight. Shit.