Breakthrough with the Forbidden Master

“So, Big brother…… in the worst-case scenario, you might have to fight with Norja, right?”

“Yes. But this is also my problem, and Espie and Slayer have—”

“Don’t say we have nothing to do with this! I’m the one who told Norja in the first place, so I am greatly responsible! So if Norja comes at you by force, me and Slayer will fight alongside Big brother!”

“N, no, even if you say that….”

It’s my problem, so I need to settle it… or so I thought, but Espie stood up in annoyance, leaned forward and looked at me angrily.

“In the first place, the one who pushed Big brother’s Great Magic Spiral into Norja’s rear…… was actually me.”

“Ah, that’s true….”

That reminded me. I had actually stopped at the last minute. Right before reaching Norja’s ass.

But at that moment, Espie, who came flying on a ship, gave the boost to my Great Magic Spiral……

That scream…I’ll never forget it.

In that sense, I can understand why Espie says, “I’m also responsible”.

But that’s not all……

“And …… I don’t want to …… anymore.”

“Huh?”

“It’s not just Norja…… that time with Aonii…… when Hakuki showed up…… with Gouda…… Slayer and I could do nothing but watch during crucial moments…… I don’t want to do that anymore. Slayer and I have grown bigger and stronger. So that we can fight with Big brother. So that we can protect Big brother.”

“Espie……”

“That’s right, for your sake, Big brother, Slayer and I don’t mind turning the whole world against us!”

“Huh!?”

At the critical moments, I had to fight alone.

Partly because I myself had wanted a one-on-one fight, but apparently the fact that they were just watching my fights all the time was too much for these two to bear.

That’s why Espie was determined to not just stand by and watch, no matter what happened.

I guess it’s the same with Slayer.

It’s really reassuring.

“And thus, as it follows… the Young man, along with Espie, and Slayer… shall soon make way unto the lands of Shiznautmy, where humans and demons are undertaking a joint investigation as we speak… is it?”

Then Mr. Chieftain, who had been watching the events unfold in silence, asked.

“Is that so? But right now, it’s not just Norja, it seems Fu’s father is also accompanying them in their investigation of the ruins…… It would be troublesome if we meet…… the matter would probably end up being reported to my father…”

“Benlinerve, huh… Norja said something like she was going to sneak away from Benlinerve and kidnap Big brother ~…… but I wonder if that’s even possible? I guess… Benlinerve is a bit hard to grasp……”

“Really? I have the impression that he’s a gentle, smiling, baby-faced old man~……”

“He’s always smiling, so I don’t really like him… I don’t know what he’s thinking.”

For Espie, Uncle Ben is a comrade-in-arms, a fellow member of the Seven Heroes.

For me, he is my childhood friend’s dad.

To him, I was a friend of his son, Fu, and he treated me as the son of a comrade, so I don’t remember him ever getting angry with me.

So, Espie’s impression of him as a comrade-in-arms would be slightly different from mine.

“Now that I think of it, how long will they be investigating the ruins?”

“It doesn’t seem like there’s really a set deadline. As expected, Norja can’t stay on the Surface World indefinitely, but it seems like the joint demon and human investigation team will set up shop there for a while……”

“Is that so? In that case, even if we ignore the Norja issue, it will be quite difficult to explore the interior of the ruins of Shiznautmy…… I don’t want to use force…….”

“Well, we can’t really fight in the ruins. Although we did fight Gouda there.”

“That’s true. With Uncle Ben there, it’s all a bit chaotic and confusing… but I still want to explore the ruins…….”

To be honest, I didn’t get to explore the ruins that much in the past, so this time I’d like to see more of them.

I’m sure Tre’ainar will be delighted, and I’m interested too.

But from the looks of things……

“Fret not. Espi did rend asunder the main passage ten years past, rendering it impassable to those folk. Yet, as Espie had said, one might still gain entry through another route, employing the likes of teleportation devices or lifts to traverse the side paths. You do bear the Master Key, after all.”

“Mr. Chieftain ……”

“And as for what lies within, how it shall be wielded or to what end it shall be turned, those choices lie with you alone, Young man… I shall not stay your hand.”

Mr. Chieftain, the only one here who seemed to know the full extent of what was inside the ruins, said so.

Come to think of it, in the first place……

“Hey, Mr. Chieftain…… I’ve asked you before… but you just dodged the question then… but would you tell me now?”

“Hmm?”

“In the first place…… Mr. Chieftain, who are you?”

“Ah~…… about that…….”

Yes, that remained a mystery.

Mr. Chieftain had detailed information about the ruins and seemed to know how to use the facilities inside.

Obviously, he must have a “connection”.

In the past, I would have been able to brush it off if I had heard about it, but now……

“Dear~! Slayer has arrived!”

“Excuse me for the intrusion.”

At that moment, his wife called from outside the room, then Slayer opened the door and walked in.

“Oh, welcome.”

“Slayer, good work!”

“Glad you could make it~”

“You must be tired, Slayer.”

Slayer took the Hunters to the town at the foot of the mountain.

Behind him was ma’am……

“Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but Espie…… Brother…… I learned a few things about those Hunters from earlier―――― “

Then, Slayer came in and suddenly started saying something with a serious look on his face.

Those Hunters from earlier? Did something happen with those guys?

Wondering what was going on, we stopped talking and turned towards him.

But……

“Enough of this! Say, reveal it unto me anon!! Dear, Espie, Slayer, Lal…… and you most especially!”

“…… Huh?”

Before Slayer could say anything, ma’am came in and banged on the table.

And, upon closer inspection, it seemed that many elves from the village had gathered outside the house……

“You are human, and yet your visage remains unaltered despite the passage of years—that alone defies belief…… yet Espie and Slayer call you ‘Big brother’ and ‘Brother’ and… and you knew of that secret of mine as well…… hence, you must answer me this if nothing else! Are you…… indeed, the very same man who, a score of years past, arrived at our village with Espie and Slayer…… shielded us from the marauding ogres…… and even gave us the coin to claim this land as ours? Are you truly Tapil Bael himself!?”

“Ah…….”

Apparently, ma’am and the other elves had been waiting for a while, wondering what was going on.

But as we talked for a long time, it seemed she couldn’t stand it anymore, so when Slayer came, ma’am came in too, and asked me loudly so everyone could hear.

“Eeeeeeeeh!!???.”

―― Doka, baki, dogo, bago! ! ! !

“Atta!? Ow, ouch……!”

The cat under the floorboards also seemed surprised by ma’am’s words, and seemed to have hit her head and body against various things.

“Ah~…… well…… this feels like the final blow …….”

“So, I suppose it is…….”

“No, Mr. Chieftain, Lal…… it was too late from the start… I’m sorry……”

Mr. Chieftain and Larou’iph sighed, and Espie and Slayer smiled wryly.

For a moment, I thought about whether or not to change the subject, but still……

“Yes, that’s right. It was me. Well, both Tapil Bael and Ragaan-Man were just pseudonyms I used to hide my true identity at the time, my real name is Earth Lagann… but it was definitely me.”

“”””” Eeh!??”””””

“Using a relic of Shiznautmy…… I traveled through time.”

It would be troublesome if other people found out, but I thought it would be okay with these people, so I told them the truth.

Author’s Note

I hope you are all safe.

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