Chapter 129

Chapter 129 \nAn audience with Jinya-san, the chief of the beastman tribe.\n

　They didn’t treat me very well and the letter was rejected, but the story about Amako was not bad for us.

　He said that I as a healing magician could meet Amako’s mother, and that Amako could leave the land of the beasts.

　I was prepared for the conversation to get quite complicated, but I was fortunate that it was unexpectedly going in the right direction.

 

“I’m sorry. We were so arrogant to our guests. ……”

“There’s no need to apologize, Hayate-san. Besides, we don’t mind it either.”

“I’m glad you say that.”

 

　I walked out of the room where I had talked with Jinya-san and hurriedly replied to Hayate-san who bowed his head in the corridor where I could see the view outside.

　Jinya-san’s response was not wrong.

　We’re strangers, we’re human beings. It’s impossible to try to get along with us.

 

“The chief has always been a dour and stern man. ……. But I didn’t expect him to react in such a blatantly disgusted way.”

 

　From the past, huh?

　Is it possible that Hayate-san and Jinya-san have known each other for a long time? During the audience, he called Jinya-san, so maybe it is.

　As I was tilting my head at the relationship between Hayate and Jinya, Aruku opened his mouth.

 

“About Amako-dono’s mother, are we going there right now?”

“Yes, I’ll show you right away.”

 

　At Hayate-san’s words, Arc-san put his hand on his chin as if thinking for a moment.

　Was there something on his mind?　

 

“What’s the matter? Arc-san?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Things have been going a little too smoothly, and I’m getting worried.”

“Ah, …….”

 

　I couldn’t help but nod at Arc-san’s words.

　All of our journeys so far have been anything but straightforward.

　The fate of Nack and Meena.

　Nair and the evil dragon.

　The curse of Samaria that consumed Eva.

　Karon, the dragon of Mia Rak.

　Compared to that, things are going too smoothly this time. So I can understand Arc-san’s feeling of uneasiness.

 

“Hoot.”

“Yeah. If there’s nothing going on so far, it’ll make you feel uneasy in reverse, right?”

 

　Nea on my shoulder and Amako next to me also nodded in agreement.

　Hayate-san, who was listening to the conversation nearby, soberly said, “I wonder what kind of journey these people have been on …….”

 

“Well, if nothing happens, we can return to the Lingle Kingdom like this, so let’s rather rejoice.”

“Haha, you’re right. I was a little nervous, wasn’t I?”

 

　That’s right. If I could save Amako’s mother, we could go home.

　And we can finally reunite with our seniors who are traveling in faraway places.

　I wonder if Kazuki is doing well. He has a tendency to be a little overwhelmed, so I’m a little worried about him even though I know he’s fine.

　I’m sure he’ll be fine ……, so I’m not too worried, but I have a lot to say to him when I get back, so be prepared.

　As I was thinking about my best friends in faraway places, Hayate-san spoke to me.

 

“We can’t just stand here all the time, so let’s head out soon. I’ll show you around again, so please follow me.”

“Yes.”

 

　I followed Hayate-san as he walked ahead of me.

　It seemed that Amako’s mother was just a few steps away from the building, and we had to put on our shoes and go outside once we got there.\n 

“Oh, by the way, how is Linka? She couldn’t get used to the customs here, so I had to leave her at my father’s hidden village. ……”

 

　I chuckled at Hayate-san’s question, as if he suddenly remembered.

　She scared me at first, but I know she’s not a bad girl, so I choose my words as best I can to reply.

 

“She’s been very helpful in showing me the way here. Besides, she and Amako are very close, which is a relief for me.”

 

　Amako looked miffed at my words, but I was worried that she didn’t actually have a proper friend her own age.

　So I was secretly relieved to know that she had a like-minded friend like Linka.

　Hayate-san smiled cheerfully, relieved.

 

“Haha, I see. Well, as for me, I was wondering if she’s still playing tricks all the time. That’s all my father wrote to me about, so I was worried about her.”

“Heh, heh …….”

 

　I guess she was quite a tomboy …….

　Kagari-san must have been having a hard time.

　As I remembered the exchange between Kagari-san and Linka, I felt a sense of sadness.

 

“Hayate-san. Um, there’s something I’d like to ask you …….”

“You don’t have to use honorifics. You’re my daughter’s friend, after all.”

“……Oh, okay.”

“So, what do you want to ask me?”

 

　As I was looking at the scenery of the beastman village once again, Amako was asking Hayate-san a question.

 

“Earlier, when you were talking to the chief, you were about to say something. …… Do you know anything about my mother’s collapse?”

“……!”

 

　Hayate-san’s eyes widened at Amako’s words.

　He paused there as if a little lost, but when he made eye contact with Amako, he opened his mouth again as if he had made up his mind.

 

“I don’t know exactly why she collapsed, but I do know the cause of it.”

“You knew that ……?”

“Yeah. It’s a public secret, but I’ll tell you.”

 

　A secret?

　So you’re saying there were circumstances that prevented you from revealing it. ……

　Silently, I listened to Amako and Hayate-san’s conversation.

 

“Your mother …… Kanoko, you know. She’s been doing research on how to seal her own magic into magical tools.”

“Sealing magic into ……?”

“The magic sealing grimoire [Towa]. It’s a research project based on the magic of the hero who defeated the Demon Lord.” TL: Towa-sama!!!

” Towa ……”

 

　I’m not sure if the heroes are involved here too, though indirectly.

　But why would anyone want to create a magic tool that can contain magic?　Did she want to make it so that others could handle it?　

　As I tilted my head in thought, Amako also asked Hayate-san why her mother was doing such research, as if she didn’t know why her mother was doing it.

 

“Why would mother do that ……?”

“It’s for your own good.”

“—!”

 

　Amako looked up vigorously in astonishment.

　Hayate-san words with a sorrowful look on his face.

 

“A user of precognitive magic has to spend most of her life in this village. You know that, don’t you?”\n“Yes.”

“Beastmen who are born with precognitive magic, ‘Time Wingers’, are an important position to warn the beastmen tribe in advance of any external danger that may be approaching, so they are strictly forbidden to go outside. …… In fact, your mother has never been outside this country. That’s why she decided to transfer her own precognitive magic into a magic tool and make it available to everyone so that you don’t have to feel the same way she did.”

 

　So Amako would have lived here forever if she hadn’t left the Land of Beasts?

　She may have had …… freedom, but she might have been living a stifling life.

 

“That’s why Kanoko has been working hard to develop magic tools for you, her precious daughter, and the beast children who will be born with precognitive magic.”

“……, but she failed.”

“Ah.”

 

　Hayate-san nodded with a somber expression.

 

“When our research was at its climax, she activated Towa on her own. It was activated in an incomplete state, and it went out of control. …… Kanoko, who activated it, hasn’t been able to wake up since that day.”

“My mother did that …….”

“To this day, I still don’t know what reason she gave for doing that. But …… we know she wouldn’t do something like that for no reason.”

“…… us?”

 

　He said. It sounded as if there was someone else involved besides Hayate-san.

　I suddenly interrupted him, and Hayate-san opened his mouth with a chuckle.

 

“It’s the Chief …… Jinya. Me, Jinya, and Kanoko were childhood friends, so I was arranging to help him with his research and prepare a place for him.”

“Oh, I see. I’m sorry, I interrupted you. ……”

“No, no, it’s fine.”

 

　Rather, like Hayate-san, Jinya-san was a childhood friend of Amako’s mother. Hayate-san’s daughter, Linka is very close to Amako, so it’s not that strange, but …… I didn’t think Jinya-san was that close to her.

　……When you think about it, it’s probably not unreasonable for Hayate-san to have got emotional over her treatment of Amako, the daughter of a childhood friend.

 

“Usato.”

“Hmm?”

 

　Amako who had finished talking with Hayate-san looked up at me with an anxious look on her face.

 

“Before Mom stopped waking up, she said to me, ‘You can’t be like me.’ She looked at me with a sad face, like it was the last time we would see each other. ……”

“I guess there was a reason for that?”

 

　There might have been something going on with Amako’s mother that I couldn’t imagine.

　Amako seemed to feel the same way, nodding her head with a gloomy expression, but then she continued, “But…”

 

“But,” she continued, “it doesn’t matter now. I just want my mother to get better.”

“……”

 

　I will definitely help her.

　For the sake of this child, and for Amako’s mother, Kanoko-san.

　As I was making such a strong vow in my heart, Hayate-san, who was walking in front of me, stopped.

　It seems he has reached his destination.

　As I looked beyond Hayate-san’s gaze, I saw a building that was a size larger than the surrounding houses. From the looks of it, the structure reminded me of a temple.

 

“…… This is where your mother lived?”

“For two years. She’s been undergoing treatment here. We couldn’t wake her up with our powers, but with healing magic, there might be hope.”

 

　I opened the door and stepped inside.

　It was a bleak room that I couldn’t imagine from the size of the exterior. In the center of the room, there was a woman in a kimono sleeping quietly on a pure white futon.

　She had the same beautiful long golden hair and fox ears as Amako.

　She looked as if Amako had grown up as she was, so beautiful and youthful that she could have been called her older sister.

 

“Amako, is that your mother?”

“Yes.”\n\n“…… systematic enhancing.”

 

　I focus my attention on Kanoko-san as I am tormented by the sensation of magic power being consumed from my body all at once.

　System enhancing is a profound form of healing magic that boasts immense recovery power.

　With sweat beading on my forehead, I relentlessly apply healing magic to Kanoko-san.

　But…

 

“……”

 

　The pain that hit me like an electric shock to my head almost made me lose my concentration.

　I thought I had lost my magic power, but I still had it.

　The systemic enhancing is also working normally.

 

“……!”

“Hooyeh!”

 

　It hurts, but it’s not unbearable.

　However, Nea on my shoulder is not so lucky. I don’t know if it’s because I’m touching her, but I think she’s suffering from a headache and she’s writhing in pain.

 

“Usato!”

“Usato-dono!”

 

　Amako, who noticed me tilting my head and Nea letting out a cry of anguish, put her hand on my shoulder as quickly as she could.

　At that moment, I was tormented by the sensation of something passing through my body, and this time, Amako also held her head to her forehead, just like Nea.

 

“What, this …….”

“Amako, Nea, get away from me!”

 

　What’s going on……? When I tried to pull Nea and Amako away from me, I was met with a headache that intensified without warning.

 

“Amako, run!

 

　I heard a woman’s voice that seemed to echo directly in my head.

　After that voice, the headache stopped, but Amako looked down at her mother, who was still asleep, with a mixture of confusion and astonishment on her face.

 

“A-are you okay!”

 

　Hayate-san is worried about me and Amako’s safety.

　I’m used to mental attacks, but that’s not the case with Amako and Nea, so I’m still holding my head. In the meantime, as I try to cast a healing spell on them with my remaining magic, Amako moves her mouth in a small, trembling voice.

 

“Mother …….”

 

　Was that Kanoko’s voice I heard earlier?

　No, more than that, what does she mean by running away?

　When I tried to call out to Arc-san to ask for his judgment, he turned his face towards the sliding door and his expression turned grim.

 

“Tsk, I didn’t notice until they got this close ……! Usato-dono! We’re surrounded!!!!”

“Haah!”

 

　Just as I turned my gaze to the sliding door in surprise, it was kicked open with a loud bang and blasted in front of us.

　A group of beasts armed with armor entered through the door, but when I spotted the last person who stepped into the room, I really didn’t understand what was going on.

　A large beastman wearing a black kimono.

　Standing behind the beasts with his bow at the ready, he, Jinya-san, looked at us, including Hayate-san, condescendingly, and slowly opened his mouth.

 

“Don’t hit Amako and Hayate-san.”

 

　Instantly, an arrow with a speed that was incomparable to Linka’s was shot at my eyes.