310
"Jin!"
"Young Master, are you okay?"
Jin's companions approached him.
Jin handed the broken sword and the shadow force marble to Jet and smiled bitterly.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Whew...
The shadow force gathered in Jin's palm. The dark energy soon turned into a single flower. Jin placed it on the ground and his companions also bowed their heads in a silent tribute.
It was a moment of silence for Sarah. Murakan and Cuicantelle couldn't hide their complicated feelings.
‘Rest in peace, Dame Sarah.’
Olmango still stood on the surface of the sea, waiting for the group.
Olmango used his authority to create an invisible staircase, and the group followed the god and made their way to the beach.
[By the way, who was the fellow inside, Jin Runcandel?]
Olmango asked when they arrived at the beach.
"It was Dame Sarah Runcandel."
[Sarah, Sarah Runcandel…]
Olmango repeated her name several times.
However, Olmango couldn't recall any memories of her despite how many times he repeated her name.
[I felt somewhat strange and nostalgic, but I can't recall any memories of Sarah Runcandel for some reason. It's probably because Zipfel erased her from history.]
"Are you sure you knew Sarah? Mister God of Clams."
Olmango nodded his head in response to Murakan's question.
[Yes, I knew her. I wouldn't be feeling this much pain if I did not.]
"But if Zipfel completely erased her from history, then shouldn't she have been erased from memories of Mr. Murakan and Ms. Cuicantelle, right?" Alisa spoke.
[Zipfel's ability to manipulate history is not perfect. We would have never met each other if their history manipulation were perfect. Even with my abilities, it was impossible to completely hide the second tomb of Temar again.]
Murakan and Cuicantelle nodded.
"He is right. Zipfel has always been erasing enemies they have defeated from history, but it has its limitations. That’s why Runcandel have been able to maintain their lineage with only their history of being Magic Swordsman erased."
It was also the same reason why Chenmi's magic tome being left in the world, and Schugiel Hister's magic tome and how Valeria was still alive.
"But even if it's not perfect... I couldn't easily recall Sylderay and Sarah until I faced the guardians of the tomb. It means that my memories are somewhat influenced by their magic too."
"Oh, it's hard for me to grasp all this. Erasing history, can that really be done through magic? We're not talking about gods or anything..."
"It's a tremendous and dangerous power that humans shouldn't possess. We have to fight against those who have such power."
There was a brief silence after Cuicantelle's explanation.
The bystander.
Sarah called her that, but the Cuicantelle of the present was different from a thousand years ago. She was now fighting alongside Jin.
That meant that her god, "Olta," wasn't rejecting her involvement in Jin's battles.
Although they didn't get a detailed explanation, everyone understood that Cuicantelle felt a sense of guilt towards Sarah. As the guardian dragon, she couldn't possess "absolute free will" like a human.
She had to follow her god's choice, even if she didn't like it. And she could sacrifice herself blindly at any time for the sake of her contractor.
That was the life of a guardian dragon.
‘...But Murakan was trying to kill Temar.’
No one could imagine how difficult that was for Murakan, even though a thousand years had passed.
"Kid."
"Yeah?"
"So, what did you see on the recording device this time? Tell us."
Jin turned to face Olmango and his companions.
He needed to do it for sake of Murakan.
"...Everyone, please give us a moment."
Olmango and the others silently tried to step aside, but Murakan raised his hand.
"Those present here are all our companions, Kid. You don't need to hide whatever you've seen. Just tell us everything as it is."
[Hmm... Should I leave?]
Olmango glanced at him, and Murakan playfully nudged his shoulder.
"You also join us. It was frustrating that Solderet didn't leave a word for me, but either way, it seems you were quite close to my old companions as well. You've been good at hiding the second tomb of Temar."
Jin nodded. "What I saw was you trying to kill Temar."
Upon hearing this, all of his companions inadvertently opened their mouths. Murakan and Cuicantelle, however, maintained a composed demeanor.
As Jin began to provide a detailed description of what he had seen inside, the expressions of his companions shifted between fascination and sorrow as they heard the intriguing stories of old days.
Murakan let out a sigh when Jin finished the description.
"Temar... I distinctly remember fighting him when he lost control and getting stabbed in the heart, which led me to a long slumber. But..."
As expected, Murakan had no recollection of "Leader of Kinzelo." He didn't remember the enigmatic tower in the Black Sea either. He had no memory of the day when he, along with Sarah and Padler, had visited the tower.
"What the heck is that strange guy, and what was the tower in the Black Sea? To my knowledge, Temar was never weakened to that extent."
The most baffling part for Murakan was how he easily subdued Temar.
"You're saying I encountered Leader of Kinzelo a thousand years ago...? And here I was, thinking he was just a demon who heard a thing or two about me. Seems like he does have some connection to me."
Surprisingly, Murakan wasn't all that perplexed. He had come to terms with the fact that there was an issue with his own memory. Moreover, Solderet had left behind the recording device for this very reason.
"I guess my stubborn god must have left the recording device because he anticipated the possibility of my memory issues. No, he was certain of it. If we retrace our steps and investigate each detail, we might eventually confront the truth of that time."
"But Murakan."
Cuicantelle spoke up.
"What?"
"In the scene, Leader of Kinzelo said something about the orphans. Something about orphans."
"Are you referring to the part where he talks about offering goodwill to the pitiful orphans, as one vastly troubled with great fortune?"
“Yes, doesn’t that sound familiar?”
"Well, I'm not sure. But it exactly sounds like something an obnoxious person might say to weaker individuals quite often."
"The phrasing just feels oddly familiar."
"You know demon bastards have a tendency to use flashy phrases. It's probably nothing, but if it bothers you, let's investigate it once. Are there any demons currently active? I've heard that the Kid's elder sister slashed one in the past."
The "pendant" Luna had given Jin back in the Storm Castle as a birthday present was originally an item of Demon Beast King Orgal. She had obtained it after killing a demon.
Murakan received the shadow force marble from Jet.
"Hmm, I really don't want to. But it seems like we should meet Misha soon. I need to ask about what this marble is used for and if she has any information about the scene you saw. There's still some vacation time left, right?"
"About a week."
"Great, let's go right away. We should have plenty of time to stop by Picon and drop the piece of Sarah's sword. See you later, God of Clams."
[What?]
"Thank you for guarding that fellow's tomb."
Murakan scratched his head as though he found it awkward to say, and Olmango merely shrugged.
[No problem, it was Solderet's request, so of course I had to help.]
"Still, it couldn't have been easy. Who knows what kind of ordeal you would have faced if you were exposed to Zipfel."
At that remark, Olmango gave a slight nod while clearing his throat.
[Indeed, it wasn't easy. If you're so thankful, can I make one request in return?]
"Go ahead."
Once again, Olmango lightly looked around at Jin and his companions.
[Cookies...]
"What?"
[Um, can you get more Latrie cookies? Seriously, the taste is unbelievably good...]
"Hey, come on. You're a god. You should not act like that over cookies! That’s why people don't see you as a powerful god, you know. You can walk on water and handle incredible seals, but then you're obsessed with cookies. Show some dignity."
[Try living on seafood alone and see how it goes.]
"I will make sure to have someone sent to to get you cookies regularly, Mr. Olamago."
At this, Olamago's eyes sparkled.
[Really?]
"Of course."
[Oh, I'm so grateful. I can also generously feed my contractor, Clamshell. I was quietly feeling sorry because I almost ate them all by myself.]
Jin chuckled and exchanged glances with Olamago.
"But, Mr. Olamago."
[Yes?]
"Do you know who has the key to the third tomb?"
[No, I don't.]
***
Jin and Murakan visited Picon and handed over the broken sword of Sarah (Picon had no additional comments regarding the scene Jin had seen in the second tomb). They then headed off to see Misha.
“Please show me your identification.” A neatly dressed waiter spoke with an expressionless face.
The place the two came to meet Misha was a high-end bar in the Kingdom of Mila.
This bar, operating under the name of ‘Tabernacle’, was strictly operated on a membership basis, and the entry was not possible without a recommendation from an existing member.
Even the royalty was not allowed to enter without permission.
Elite members of global factions like Runcandel, Zipfel, or Vermont could enter freely just by presenting their clan symbols or crests, but Jin and Murakan were in disguise.
"We are here to see Lady Grace Schilz."
Jin mentioned the bar owner's name, which was known by only a select few among the members. The waiter immediately changed his attitude.
"You're the guest of the owner. I apologize for my rudeness. I'll escort you inside."
The waiter led Jin and Murakan to a private room and then returned to his spot. A black-haired woman was sitting alone inside the room, and sipping her drink.
"Long time no see, Jin. I hope you've been well."
This woman, Grace Schilz, was none other than Misha under a different name. She was the owner of the Tabernacle bar. Tabernacle was one of her many safe havens.
"It's good to see you again, Ms. Misha. It's been a while since the West Sea battle. I apologize for not visiting sooner."
"If you came to offer empty gratitude, I would have kicked you out."
"Hmph, you still have damn temper of yours. If we didn’t find you here, we might have given up. How many hideouts do you have?"
They had crossed more than twenty transfer gates while searching for her secret hideouts with the information Misha provided to Jin. Thanks to those transfer gates, Murakan had a pale and exasperated look on his face.
"I can hear you begging for a beating? Damn? Did you say, damn?' right now? Come here, I'll twist your jaw in six different directions."
After a slightly rough greeting, Jin handed her two shadow force marbles.
"Cough, cough, kuhuh..."
Blood trickled from Murakan's lips as Misha grabbed him by the collar. She held him in place and fixed her gaze on the shadow force marbles.
"Where did you get these?"
"I visited Temar's tombs."
"Tell me more."
From the day he met Picon until his recent encounter with Olmango, Jin explained everything in detail. Misha maintained a serious expression throughout his explanation.
Just like Murakan, she was also unaware of the fact that Solderet left "arrangements" in the form of Temar's tombs.
"Jin."
"Yes, Ms. Misha."
"These marbles you brought are recording devices. I've heard about them, but it's the first time I've seen one in person."
"These are recording devices?"
"Yes, the scene you saw was likely a result of these devices being activated. The unstable nature of the recorded scene was due to damage to the devices."
"Can you fix them?"
Misha replied to Jin's question.
"It's impossible for me."
"Hey, Misha. What do we do if you can't fix them?"
"You just shut up... Jin, I guess you need to meet that girl Arya Aulhart."
Jin's eyes widened. He hadn't expected Misha to mention his teacher’s name first.
310
"Jin!"
"Young Master, are you okay?"
Jin's companions approached him.
Jin handed the broken sword and the shadow force marble to Jet and smiled bitterly.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Whew...
The shadow force gathered in Jin's palm. The dark energy soon turned into a single flower. Jin placed it on the ground and his companions also bowed their heads in a silent tribute.
It was a moment of silence for Sarah. Murakan and Cuicantelle couldn't hide their complicated feelings.
‘Rest in peace, Dame Sarah.’
Olmango still stood on the surface of the sea, waiting for the group.
Olmango used his authority to create an invisible staircase, and the group followed the god and made their way to the beach.
[By the way, who was the fellow inside, Jin Runcandel?]
Olmango asked when they arrived at the beach.
"It was Dame Sarah Runcandel."
[Sarah, Sarah Runcandel…]
Olmango repeated her name several times.
However, Olmango couldn't recall any memories of her despite how many times he repeated her name.
[I felt somewhat strange and nostalgic, but I can't recall any memories of Sarah Runcandel for some reason. It's probably because Zipfel erased her from history.]
"Are you sure you knew Sarah? Mister God of Clams."
Olmango nodded his head in response to Murakan's question.
[Yes, I knew her. I wouldn't be feeling this much pain if I did not.]
"But if Zipfel completely erased her from history, then shouldn't she have been erased from memories of Mr. Murakan and Ms. Cuicantelle, right?" Alisa spoke.
[Zipfel's ability to manipulate history is not perfect. We would have never met each other if their history manipulation were perfect. Even with my abilities, it was impossible to completely hide the second tomb of Temar again.]
Murakan and Cuicantelle nodded.
"He is right. Zipfel has always been erasing enemies they have defeated from history, but it has its limitations. That’s why Runcandel have been able to maintain their lineage with only their history of being Magic Swordsman erased."
It was also the same reason why Chenmi's magic tome being left in the world, and Schugiel Hister's magic tome and how Valeria was still alive.
"But even if it's not perfect... I couldn't easily recall Sylderay and Sarah until I faced the guardians of the tomb. It means that my memories are somewhat influenced by their magic too."
"Oh, it's hard for me to grasp all this. Erasing history, can that really be done through magic? We're not talking about gods or anything..."
"It's a tremendous and dangerous power that humans shouldn't possess. We have to fight against those who have such power."
There was a brief silence after Cuicantelle's explanation.
The bystander.
Sarah called her that, but the Cuicantelle of the present was different from a thousand years ago. She was now fighting alongside Jin.
That meant that her god, "Olta," wasn't rejecting her involvement in Jin's battles.
Although they didn't get a detailed explanation, everyone understood that Cuicantelle felt a sense of guilt towards Sarah. As the guardian dragon, she couldn't possess "absolute free will" like a human.
She had to follow her god's choice, even if she didn't like it. And she could sacrifice herself blindly at any time for the sake of her contractor.
That was the life of a guardian dragon.
‘...But Murakan was trying to kill Temar.’
No one could imagine how difficult that was for Murakan, even though a thousand years had passed.
"Kid."
"Yeah?"
"So, what did you see on the recording device this time? Tell us."
Jin turned to face Olmango and his companions.
He needed to do it for sake of Murakan.
"...Everyone, please give us a moment."
Olmango and the others silently tried to step aside, but Murakan raised his hand.
"Those present here are all our companions, Kid. You don't need to hide whatever you've seen. Just tell us everything as it is."
[Hmm... Should I leave?]
Olmango glanced at him, and Murakan playfully nudged his shoulder.
"You also join us. It was frustrating that Solderet didn't leave a word for me, but either way, it seems you were quite close to my old companions as well. You've been good at hiding the second tomb of Temar."
Jin nodded. "What I saw was you trying to kill Temar."
Upon hearing this, all of his companions inadvertently opened their mouths. Murakan and Cuicantelle, however, maintained a composed demeanor.
As Jin began to provide a detailed description of what he had seen inside, the expressions of his companions shifted between fascination and sorrow as they heard the intriguing stories of old days.
Murakan let out a sigh when Jin finished the description.
"Temar... I distinctly remember fighting him when he lost control and getting stabbed in the heart, which led me to a long slumber. But..."
As expected, Murakan had no recollection of "Leader of Kinzelo." He didn't remember the enigmatic tower in the Black Sea either. He had no memory of the day when he, along with Sarah and Padler, had visited the tower.
"What the heck is that strange guy, and what was the tower in the Black Sea? To my knowledge, Temar was never weakened to that extent."
The most baffling part for Murakan was how he easily subdued Temar.
"You're saying I encountered Leader of Kinzelo a thousand years ago...? And here I was, thinking he was just a demon who heard a thing or two about me. Seems like he does have some connection to me."
Surprisingly, Murakan wasn't all that perplexed. He had come to terms with the fact that there was an issue with his own memory. Moreover, Solderet had left behind the recording device for this very reason.
"I guess my stubborn god must have left the recording device because he anticipated the possibility of my memory issues. No, he was certain of it. If we retrace our steps and investigate each detail, we might eventually confront the truth of that time."
"But Murakan."
Cuicantelle spoke up.
"What?"
"In the scene, Leader of Kinzelo said something about the orphans. Something about orphans."
"Are you referring to the part where he talks about offering goodwill to the pitiful orphans, as one vastly troubled with great fortune?"
“Yes, doesn’t that sound familiar?”
"Well, I'm not sure. But it exactly sounds like something an obnoxious person might say to weaker individuals quite often."
"The phrasing just feels oddly familiar."
"You know demon bastards have a tendency to use flashy phrases. It's probably nothing, but if it bothers you, let's investigate it once. Are there any demons currently active? I've heard that the Kid's elder sister slashed one in the past."
The "pendant" Luna had given Jin back in the Storm Castle as a birthday present was originally an item of Demon Beast King Orgal. She had obtained it after killing a demon.
Murakan received the shadow force marble from Jet.
"Hmm, I really don't want to. But it seems like we should meet Misha soon. I need to ask about what this marble is used for and if she has any information about the scene you saw. There's still some vacation time left, right?"
"About a week."
"Great, let's go right away. We should have plenty of time to stop by Picon and drop the piece of Sarah's sword. See you later, God of Clams."
[What?]
"Thank you for guarding that fellow's tomb."
Murakan scratched his head as though he found it awkward to say, and Olmango merely shrugged.
[No problem, it was Solderet's request, so of course I had to help.]
"Still, it couldn't have been easy. Who knows what kind of ordeal you would have faced if you were exposed to Zipfel."
At that remark, Olmango gave a slight nod while clearing his throat.
[Indeed, it wasn't easy. If you're so thankful, can I make one request in return?]
"Go ahead."
Once again, Olmango lightly looked around at Jin and his companions.
[Cookies...]
"What?"
[Um, can you get more Latrie cookies? Seriously, the taste is unbelievably good...]
"Hey, come on. You're a god. You should not act like that over cookies! That’s why people don't see you as a powerful god, you know. You can walk on water and handle incredible seals, but then you're obsessed with cookies. Show some dignity."
[Try living on seafood alone and see how it goes.]
"I will make sure to have someone sent to to get you cookies regularly, Mr. Olamago."
At this, Olamago's eyes sparkled.
[Really?]
"Of course."
[Oh, I'm so grateful. I can also generously feed my contractor, Clamshell. I was quietly feeling sorry because I almost ate them all by myself.]
Jin chuckled and exchanged glances with Olamago.
"But, Mr. Olamago."
[Yes?]
"Do you know who has the key to the third tomb?"
[No, I don't.]
***
Jin and Murakan visited Picon and handed over the broken sword of Sarah (Picon had no additional comments regarding the scene Jin had seen in the second tomb). They then headed off to see Misha.
“Please show me your identification.” A neatly dressed waiter spoke with an expressionless face.
The place the two came to meet Misha was a high-end bar in the Kingdom of Mila.
This bar, operating under the name of ‘Tabernacle’, was strictly operated on a membership basis, and the entry was not possible without a recommendation from an existing member.
Even the royalty was not allowed to enter without permission.
Elite members of global factions like Runcandel, Zipfel, or Vermont could enter freely just by presenting their clan symbols or crests, but Jin and Murakan were in disguise.
"We are here to see Lady Grace Schilz."
Jin mentioned the bar owner's name, which was known by only a select few among the members. The waiter immediately changed his attitude.
"You're the guest of the owner. I apologize for my rudeness. I'll escort you inside."
The waiter led Jin and Murakan to a private room and then returned to his spot. A black-haired woman was sitting alone inside the room, and sipping her drink.
"Long time no see, Jin. I hope you've been well."
This woman, Grace Schilz, was none other than Misha under a different name. She was the owner of the Tabernacle bar. Tabernacle was one of her many safe havens.
"It's good to see you again, Ms. Misha. It's been a while since the West Sea battle. I apologize for not visiting sooner."
"If you came to offer empty gratitude, I would have kicked you out."
"Hmph, you still have damn temper of yours. If we didn’t find you here, we might have given up. How many hideouts do you have?"
They had crossed more than twenty transfer gates while searching for her secret hideouts with the information Misha provided to Jin. Thanks to those transfer gates, Murakan had a pale and exasperated look on his face.
"I can hear you begging for a beating? Damn? Did you say, damn?' right now? Come here, I'll twist your jaw in six different directions."
After a slightly rough greeting, Jin handed her two shadow force marbles.
"Cough, cough, kuhuh..."
Blood trickled from Murakan's lips as Misha grabbed him by the collar. She held him in place and fixed her gaze on the shadow force marbles.
"Where did you get these?"
"I visited Temar's tombs."
"Tell me more."
From the day he met Picon until his recent encounter with Olmango, Jin explained everything in detail. Misha maintained a serious expression throughout his explanation.
Just like Murakan, she was also unaware of the fact that Solderet left "arrangements" in the form of Temar's tombs.
"Jin."
"Yes, Ms. Misha."
"These marbles you brought are recording devices. I've heard about them, but it's the first time I've seen one in person."
"These are recording devices?"
"Yes, the scene you saw was likely a result of these devices being activated. The unstable nature of the recorded scene was due to damage to the devices."
"Can you fix them?"
Misha replied to Jin's question.
"It's impossible for me."
"Hey, Misha. What do we do if you can't fix them?"
"You just shut up... Jin, I guess you need to meet that girl Arya Aulhart."
Jin's eyes widened. He hadn't expected Misha to mention his teacher’s name first.
