Chapter 67 – Friends, Allies, and Enemies (13)

Friends, Allies, and Enemies (13)

The atmosphere in the tavern was ripening.
In a place where everyone was laughing and chatting, there was one woman who stood apart.

Her greenish-blonde hair framed her face.
The girl with long ears and fierce eyes was a sight to behold.
Her name was Chloe.
She should have been enjoying a pleasant time with her childhood friends, so why was she wearing such an expression?

Chloe took out a letter from her pocket.

‘This is the last letter Troka left, it’s sealed but make sure to open it. Who knows, maybe it contains his apology to you?’

And then she remembered.
The suspicious words of Flan.

Ha…

What the hell with this damn letter.
He didn’t really think I would read it, did he? For me to read Troka’s letter? Knowing full well what kind of relationship we had, Flan?

There must be another trick up his sleeve.
It’s not just about delivering a letter. He hasn’t left Myluman yet. It might not even be Troka’s letter to begin with. Then why give it to me?
Considering he mentioned Rapi, he must have come with some plan in mind….

Surely, Troka isn’t still alive, is he?

I had that thought, but I still can’t forget the sight of his corpse.
The hero is dead.
The feelings I still have from that day are those of a definite death. It’s hard to believe he’s alive. Unless Flan smuggled Troka away and faked his death, maybe.

“Chloe, are you okay? You haven’t touched your drink for a while.”

“…Ah, yeah. I’m fine.”

I barely regained my composure at my friend’s call.
After finishing the conversation with Flan, I headed straight back to the original tavern. But I couldn’t fully focus on the time that should have been happy with my friends, because of Flan’s inscrutable actions.

I hadn’t said a word for quite some time after returning to my seat.
I seemed deep in thought, idly spinning beans with my fork and staring into the distance.
Realizing what I was doing, I picked up a bean with my fork and put it in my mouth.
I couldn’t taste it.

“If you’re reacting like this… did you get a confession?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Then it’s a love letter. Haah… I’m jealous… Some people have no luck with men, while others can wander around and still…”

“It’s not!”

My friends laughed off Chloe’s torment.
It didn’t feel too bad. It was an interaction that could only come from intimacy.

“Alright, alright. If it’s nothing, then have a drink.”

“Hmph.”

I took a sip with a faint smile, quenching my dry throat.
Time with precious friends is always enjoyable.

Right, let’s not think about Flan for now.
It’s about enjoying the moment.
This peace was hard-earned by everyone’s efforts.

When Myluman was invaded, a traitor opened the gates, leading to the massacre of my family. Most of my friends died too. Those were tough times, but things have gotten somewhat better thanks to everyone’s hard work.
The heart and the village, everything is returning to normal.
There are parts that haven’t healed, like the destruction of the World Tree, which is regrettable. But it seems like everyone has somehow overcome that now.

So let’s drink.
To celebrate.

We’re enjoying this luxury thanks to those damn old fools.

And so, I found joy again.

I felt a strange energy outside the window.
It was a familiar power.

Huh, that’s…

Silver hair shimmering beautifully in the moonlight.
The normally beautiful pale face is filled with fear and anxiety, emitting a foreign atmosphere.
There are no other companions around.
The forest keeper’s sense is accurate. There are no companions. I can sense a foreign scent, but right now, she’s traveling alone.
And it’s a face I know.

Cecilia?

The saint is hurrying somewhere.
Wasn’t Cecilia supposed to be moving with Flan?
If not…

I almost got up in that moment.

If it weren’t for the suspicious conversation with Flan, I would have definitely ignored it.
But even now, I couldn’t get up. Because I remembered the purpose of meeting with my friends.
I had a strong desire to ask why the saint, rumored to have been kidnapped by Flan, was with him. And more importantly, there was an even more urgent issue to resolve.

The purpose of today’s gathering was to reveal the truth about Troka.

The vile truth about Troka, who was considered an idol by all.
I’ll spill everything, leaning on the drunkenness.

I need to focus.

Dawn is approaching, and I need to speak before then.

I’ve made up my mind, but it’s not easy. However, I must speak. I’m the only one who can reveal the hero’s truth to the world.
Aeon doesn’t seem to care, and Cecilia… honestly, she seems to act without thinking, so I’m not sure. Bella is in a similar situation to me, but she seems to be moving with a subtly different purpose, so the chances of cooperation are slim. Flan, to begin with, was someone who supported Troka, albeit weakly.

In other words, there’s only one person in this world who can reveal that vile truth.

The friends who have gathered after a long time seem to have climbed to fairly high positions. Even the elders who hid Rapi’s death couldn’t easily stop them. It wasn’t intentional, but somehow, only such friends had gathered.
If I expose the hero’s atrocities, it won’t be long before everyone knows the truth.

Phew, sigh.

Calm down.

And…, let’s begin.

“Hey, what do you guys think about the hero… Troka?”

And so, in the deepening night of Myluman, an irreversible tale begins to spread.

* * *

The scenery is new.
Everything that comes into view feels like a painting.
When I visited before, I was immediately thrown underground, so there was no time to appreciate the landscape. Besides, the last time the demons had taken over, the view wouldn’t have been very nice anyway.

There’s definitely a big difference from when I saw it through Mind’s Eye. I can tell how cracked the buildings are, distinguishing the damp wooden vines from mere ropes. I can see everything.
Seeing with your own eyes is indeed the best.
Being able to see in front of you is an immense blessing.
Having once lost my sight, I feel this moment is all the more precious.

I’m not sure how long this state of my body will last, but I hope it holds up at least until I leave Myluman.
Losing it now would double the despair.
So, don’t get cocky just because you’re healthier, and take care of your body. With one or two swings of a holy or cursed sword, you’ll be back to your original state anyway.

The place I’m heading to now isn’t dangerous, after all.

As I proceed along the main road of Myluman, a giant tree begins to come into view.
Green leaves, glossy brown bark, a tree protected by a sacred blessing.
The heart of The Great Forest, the World Tree.

Originally, the World Tree could have been seen throughout The Great Forest, but it burned down once during the invasion of the demon king’s army, so what can be observed now is a 1/10 scale model that imitates the original.
Even being a model, it’s made quite realistic.
It couldn’t completely replicate the original’s grandeur, but it’s decent enough to admire.

The closer you get to the World Tree, the tighter the security becomes.
Even though I’m still quite a distance from the World Tree, forest keepers are already patrolling around.

And a large man wearing a mask would naturally be subject to the forest keepers’ scrutiny. But I was fine.
Now, I’m not the harmful Flan but the harmless Flan.
Since I’m wearing a mask, I made sure my clothes were clean to disguise myself as much as possible to not look suspicious. I also paid close attention to my movements, making sure not to draw any attention.

Thanks to that, the people nearby seem to think of me as just another tourist passing by.
Occasionally, I get a suspicious glance, but I was within the safe zone.

And so, I was able to arrive near the World Tree.

The World Tree.
Now artificially made after being burned, but it’s prestige remains intact.

The guardians of the World Tree also continue their noble lineage proudly. Naturally, meeting them is difficult, but it’s not impossible to even try.
Of course, if you walk straight up to the World Tree, you’ll get a free pass to the checkpoint.
I need to move a bit more cautiously.

The method I chose was to use a secret passage nearby.

A house located at a certain distance from the World Tree.
There lies the passage.

Using the passage, I head towards the underground of Myluman.

What? Wasn’t I supposed to go to the World Tree?
Regrettably, plans have changed.
Now that my body has somewhat healed and Valkvogel has returned, I must move in a way that minimizes future complications.

To do that, I go to the underground of Myluman, where the resistance once operated. There, I search for irrefutable evidence of Rapi’s betrayal.
That is my current goal.

The reason I need to find information about Rapi is as follows:

If I meet Chloe and tell her that Rapi was the traitor who opened the gates of Myluman and that Troka hid this fact for your sake and executed Rapi, how would she react?
Naturally, she’d think it’s all bullshit and lash out violently.
That’s why I need evidence to quell any backlash.
If I present solid proof, at the very least, they can’t dismiss my words as lies.
They would come to know the real truth.

And there’s another reason.
It’s related to Troka’s affairs.

‘The truth lies there.’

I’m following a hint presumably left by Troka.

There are several suspected locations that this scant piece of information could lead to, but my intuition tells me.
The truth is in Myluman.
It’s not certain from a logical standpoint, but emotionally, I’m convinced.

Call it the ramblings of a madman if you will; I have no particular rebuttal.
But I have no intention of changing my destination.
The place where Troka directly and indirectly fell apart, where Chloe joined—that’s right there.

The underground of Myluman.
Where the past sleeps.
So, I believe the truth lies there. At least, that’s what I think.

So, I head there.

As for Chloe…

Well, it’s alright to wait a little longer to meet her.
Meeting her now doesn’t seem like it would open any letters anyway. And fighting with Chloe now would be too much for me.

A deserted plain.
A house in a suspiciously odd location.
I pull on a light bulb hanging alone in an empty room.
A clunk, a deep rumble. The sound echoes, but this place is quite secluded. Just by looking at the dust accumulated on the floor, it’s clear that it’s been a long time since anyone has passed through here. No one else is likely to come.

Still, I remained vigilant.
Having eyes sure is convenient.

Before long, three wooden planks sink into the floor, crisscrossing.
Dust slowly drifts into the air.
And the lingering scent of the past grazes my nose.

It was nostalgic.
With that nostalgia, I moved towards that place etched in my memory.