Chapter 365
If you get out of here, you will see the lake where you are currently stationed, and after that it will be divided into three fields.
The first is the Aribeona Estuary.
It is a route that goes along the river leading to the lake where the waterfall pours down. If you follow this route, you can reach the Dragon Mountains, the center of the Dark Continent, the fastest way… ‘Bellarios comes out from
here.’
In the final training, the place where you can supply the essence that will be responsible for exorcism is the Dragon Mountains.
Well, since it’s a patrol team, I won’t have to go there this time.
anyway.
The second field is a jungle that stretches east of the estuary and is called the Great Forest.
Since it is so wide, it is divided into several fields and differentiated, but the official name is that.
And…
the ruins of Pantelion, located west of the third estuary.
It consisted of about 30 people and was also the destination of the 4th Patrol Unit to which I belonged.
“Forward the whole army!”
Arriving at the entrance of the ruins, the patrol team reorganized their formation and entered the field in earnest.
Of course, the purpose of the patrol was an active defense against unexpected surprise attacks, so they did not go deep into the ruins.
But…
“Ahead of the avant-garde!”
“Establish a shield wall!”
It’s because there are so many monsters here in the first place.
[Kurrureu……!]
Starting with modified beasts with bodies made of steel like golems.
coo-! coo-!
A huge magic golem.
Whii-i-!
Even mechanical flying monsters that fly like drones.
Monsters that have been sleeping all over the ruins detect intruders and jump out.
However, the monsters broke through the shield-wielding avant-gardes and did not reach us.
Aaaaaang-!
Monsters blocked by a huge wall made of people.
It’s a little strange seeing it for some reason.
I never thought the day would come when I saw someone’s back from this angle.
‘This is what the kids usually see.’
While caught in a strange mood, as soon as the attack command was given, he smashed the monsters that escaped to the side with a hammer.
「The character has cast [Swing].」
「You have killed Giga Wolf. EXP +4”
Even on the 7th floor, the average level at the entrance to the Pantelion Ruins was not that high, so no one could withstand a single blow properly.
Maybe it’s because they’re machine-modified, so their hand taste is unique.
Kakagak Kwazijit Kwajik-!
After all, it’s very convenient to just swing a hammer.
“To the side of the avant-garde!”
Soon, the patrol commander shouted and at the same time, the tankers holding shields moved in perfect order and opened the central road.
As a result, the monsters came out to the front, but…
“Riona er Epura!”
The joint magic has already been completed in the rear.
Whiyong-!
A ray of light was fired from the center of the formation, penetrating dozens of large monsters, and the confrontation collapsed and the remaining monsters were quickly cleared.
‘…… Certainly hunting is easy because they go in raid units. There is a fuse, so the potential is stable.’
It was said that the average rating was low, but it was about a hundred monsters, and it took less than 10 minutes to organize them all.
Well, since there are over 30 people here, it’s only natural.
Even if you caught a hundred, if you divide it by the number of people, the income from this battle won’t be that great.
“Essence has not come out, so I’ll just collect the magic stones and resume the movement!”
Soon after, the patrol team followed the pre-planned route and continued hunting… no, patrolling around the entrance to the site.
And…
‘Hey, even today’s canned experience is over 100.’
There were over 20 new monsters killed during this patrol.
Although the level of the monsters that appeared was low, there were many unique objects that only inhabited this field.
“Then everyone suffered a lot.”
After patrolling for about 10 hours, we handed over to the next shift and returned to the base.
And I received one ticket from the executive officer.
Is it a table that proves the share of the spoils from hunting today?
It seems that if you go back to the city later and submit it to the Ministry of Merit, you can get a settlement…
“Hey, friend.”
After receiving the ticket, I turned around and a man started talking to me with a grunt.
I couldn’t help but tilt my head.
“…Who are you?”
Not only do I have no memory of having a friend like this, but when I first met this man—
“What’s the reaction like seeing that for the first time. Wasn’t he always by my side when we were fighting?”
How was it?
Now that I think about it, I think that’s the case…
In my experience, it’s best to move the subject roughly at a time like this.
“Oh so what are you doing?”
When I asked why I had approached, the unknown man tapped me on the shoulder as if he were a superior.
“Looking at it earlier, they fought ignorantly well, didn’t they?”
Um, did you come here for the purpose of friendship?
Thinking about that, I uttered words of humility.
“It’s hard to believe that you’re fighting so well.”
“what?”
For some reason, the man frowned.
It wasn’t something I cared about.
Therefore, I quickly removed the hand that was on my shoulder.
Took.
I’ve been in a bad mood since before.
If you want to get close, come with your eyes open.
“So what’s the matter?”
When I asked again, the guy also erased the pretentious smile.
And…
“I thought I might give you one piece of advice.”
came up with something unexpected.
“…advice?”
“Looks like you’ve grown ignorantly, but if you eat essence that way, you’ll be in great danger someday.”
The guy who said that took out a dagger and cut his forearm.
“Can you see? It doesn’t cut well even if you apply your strength. I don’t know if an explorer is balanced like me, rather than just using strength—
”
“……?”
“I’m sorry. I’m only thinking inside.”
Even though I apologized like a man, he flirted with me with a hardened expression like a young boy.
It looks like it will break if you hit it.
Where are you bragging about your rat-sized physical resistance in front of me?
“What’s your name anyway?”
Still, I didn’t know, so I asked for the name.
“Meliber Eltane.”
It wasn’t even Hans, was it?
“I see. See you again someday.”
“Mister, what are you doing there?”
“You’ve seen it, but now the party has arrived.”
I left the place, roughly erasing the name I had just heard.
***
So, my name is Meliber…….
‘What was it?’
I don’t remember very well, but unfortunately, I never got to see him again.
After that, I continued to take on patrol missions, but it was because I joined a different patrol unit each time…
The reason for doing so was simple.
Because one patrol patrolled only one field fixedly.
Well, it was a reasonable move from the commander’s point of view.
If a patrol unit is in charge of an area, they will get used to the terrain and will naturally fit together.
Originally, it was impossible to change it every time like this.
Unless there is a backbone in the upper echelons of the military.
[The Raven 11th patrol unit said they were going on patrol deep this time…]
[Okay. I’ll write you a letter of recommendation.]
[Thank you.]
Thanks to Raven’s help from behind, I was able to visit not only the first patrol site, the Pantelion Ruins, but also the Ariveona Estuary Great Forest and accumulate experience points.
Of course, since all of them were only in the beginning, they must be full of monsters that I haven’t met.
Still, whenever he changed patrols, the experience continued to accumulate.
And time flows endlessly, and it is now.
“The character’s level has risen.”
“Soul power has risen by +30.”
“Maximum absorbable essence has increased by +1.”
Finally, the longed-for level 7 was reached, and the number of columns increased by one more.
It means that you can add new synergies to your current combination.
‘The money issue has been practically resolved, so there will be no need to participate in the next battle. I’ll have to work on the water purification next time.’
Oh, in order to do that, you have to save the ship first, right?
As I was wandering around thinking about this and that, I suddenly realized that the surroundings were quiet.
“Raven.”
“why.”
“Where did Erwen and Emily go?”
“The woman went out to sleep in the barracks earlier, and Erwen… I don’t know. Didn’t she follow me shortly after she left?”
“Um, is that so?”
“So the question is, is that over?”
Having said that, Raven had already taken her eyes off me and was reading the papers.
Could you give me some time to answer that?
‘Come to think of it… It looks like I’m alone with him.’
I didn’t talk to him anymore so as not to interfere with his work, and he stepped back.
After all, when I met Raven after the reunion, Amelia and Erwen were always by my side.
‘I’ll have to take this opportunity to ask what I’ve been curious about.’
“There Raven.”
“Why again?”
“What did you mean by ‘that thing’?”
When I asked cautiously, Raven’s hand that was moving the pen twitched and stopped.
Also, Raven turned her gaze and glanced at me.
“Is that the case?”
Pretend you don’t understand.
“Didn’t you tell me in front of the barbed wire at that time. After entering the Mage Tower, ‘that thing’ happened soon after…”
“…I don’t want to say much. It’s not important.”
“…Is that so? Then it can’t be helped.”
No matter how much I usually pretend to be a barbarian, I had no intention of being rude to this point, so I gave up my curiosity.
And…
“Then mother? How are you?”
I decided to just chatter and shake.
This may also be a bit sensitive topic, but it’s not that I’m not related to it at all.
“I wonder… did you know something…?”
“huh?”
When I tilted my head at the strange reaction, Raven quickly evaded his words.
“It’s nothing. But… Mother… Why is it all of a sudden? Just looking at the cancer, it doesn’t seem like it’s something you’d be curious about.”
Whooping, I knew you would draw the line that way.
“Why isn’t that something to be curious about? I was the one who convinced your mother to send you to the Magic Tower.”
Raven was taken aback at the words he spat out.
“……What do you mean?”
“I don’t know if you remember, but there was a time when you came to the library after being beaten by your mother. At that time, you cried like a child and begged me to help—” “I’ve
never had anything like that!!”
“Huh? You said you don’t remember much about that time?”
“But I still have the belief that I… couldn’t have been.”
“Oh is it?”
“I’m not in the mood to do that, so I’m kidding. Tell me. Is what you just said true? You want your mother… I persuaded you?”
“Yes.”
I talked about things that happened in the past while I was in the middle of the day.
At that time, I didn’t have time in prison, so I skipped it and skipped it. I wanted to have a time like this
at least once.
Should I have wanted to know if it had an impact?
Yes, I don’t know again. I wonder
if the day will come when I will be able to write ‘Fragments of Records’ one more time.
‘Ah, but I’d rather not talk about that.’
However, while talking about the old days, I omitted some of the conversations I had with my mother.
This is also a very simple reason.
[The child will abandon me.]
[Sooner or later, he will become a proud person and look down on me. Then, in the end, he will leave for his own world. It’s because he’s blood, just like he was that day…]
[Isn’t something wrong? Why is life so easy for that child? I’ve never seen it. But… But why is that child…] How can I
tell such a dark story.
Even in front of the person in question.
. What conversation did you have with your mother that day?”
“It’s nothing. I will pay all the necessary expenses, so I persuaded him to send you to the Mage Tower, and you were rejected.”
” Rejection…?”
I heard someone was sent from the Magic Tower a few days ago. It seemed like you were noticed when you were young and carried your magic to everyone.” ”
I see… So that’s why my mother suddenly changed her mind…
” In a way, I’m also your benefactor…?” I
implicitly appealed for that point, but Raven didn’t respond and just ignored it.
“…….”
People should feel ashamed.
“So… what about your mother? How are you getting along with each other now?”
I quickly changed the subject again, and Raven answered coldly .
“Even
if I wanted to,
I can’t. ”
“… Huh? ”
“Ah uh… is that so? I’m sorry. I didn’t think there was a health problem…” I
was really flustered for the first time in a long time, stuttering and trying to sort things out, but I couldn’t undo the water that had already been spilled.
“It wasn’t a health problem. It wasn’t even an accident. It’s not even that his lifespan has ended.”
“…Then?”
“He hanged himself. By yourself.”
“…….”
“It must have been about a month after entering the Mage Tower? I had to go home after a week because of the homework given by my master…”
Raven calmly said as if reading a long-ago diary hidden in a corner of the storage room.
“The bedroom smelled rotten. That was my last memory of seeing my mother.”
“…….”
“Don’t make that face. It’s because it was all brushed off a long time ago anyway. It’s not that surprising that people die.”
Rather, Raven looked at me at a loss and said such words of consideration, but I really couldn’t say anything. It’s
because the
more I did, the clearer it came to my mind. [Isn’t it strange? What I’ve worked all my life It’s all about this one room in the gutter.]
The last conversation I had with my birth mother.
And after the conversation was over.
[What the hell was my life like?]
The back of her as she stumbled into a back alley like a person exhausted. .