Chapter 51: Trade City Heizen ⑮: Seema’s Work ②

Seema. That was the name of Mineha’s father.

The witch gently asked Mineha:

“Now then, Mineha, how much have you heard about Seema—about your father?”

“Father… when he was in a party, he maintained and repaired the party’s equipment. After the party disbanded, he became Mother’s personal maintenance specialist, that’s about it.”

“Hmm, hmm. That’s right. Not wrong at all. Seema was an excellent maintenance specialist. Especially when it came to weapon repair—there was no one better. After all, it was Seema who restored the [Fairy Phantom Spear] that Kon had found in a dungeon, battered and broken, to almost-new condition. And he was a kind man.”

The witch smiled softly, as if recalling a memory.

“Is that so?”

“He died before I was born. So why has Father’s work become garbage? Also, could Father even make weapons and such?”

“Yes, yes. Seema also made weapons and armor as a hobby. And his skill far exceeded mere hobby level—especially when it came to combining several out-of-place artifacts, he was a genius. And this was despite having no relic.”

“No relic? He didn’t possess one?”

“Yes, yes. Seema had no relic.”

“…That’s news to me.”

She muttered. So Mineha didn’t know.

I see. If she had known, she probably wouldn’t have become such a relic supremacist.

“Well, well, it’s not something to speak openly about.”

“…I suppose. Witch, is it true that this garbage is Father’s work?”

“Yes, yes, can you see what’s engraved down here? This is Seema’s signature mark. Seema always put his mark firmly on his works like this.”

When the witch pointed it out, there was indeed something carved there.

Mineha stared intently at the signature mark.

“Hey, you put these on finished products, right? Does that mean this is complete?”

“Well, well, that’s the mystery. From Kon’s perspective, it doesn’t look complete, but perhaps it was completed over a long time and then broke.”

“Witch. Can you fix it?”

“Hmm, hmm. I’ll try various things. There might be something identical in the bundle of blueprints I received from Seema before he died.”

“Please do.”

“Witch. I’ll help too.”

Mineha spoke with determination.

The witch smiled mischievously.

“Oh my, what wind blows for you to care about garbage?”

“Say what you will. I’ll help because this is Father’s work. Got a problem with that?”

With straightforward words and honest eyes, the witch’s expression changed to a wry smile.

“First, first, we’ll start by removing the garbage and dust.”

“Understood. Give me any instructions.”

“In that case, in that case, put on those gloves there and let’s begin.”

I would probably be in the way. I quietly left the workshop.

As I descended the stairs, I heard voices shouting things like “A dead rat!?!” behind me.

“Hahaha, huh? There was a dead rat inside…?”

I, who had been carrying that in my pouch.

I was slightly shocked.

I walked out of the warehouse, trudging along. The shock continued subtly.

But I’m glad I left. If there had been cockroaches, I couldn’t have handled it.

Before I knew it, I was in front of Berg’s Diner. Someone was there. They turned around.

“Oh, Wof-san.”

“Nabel-san.”

It was Nabel, leader of the explorer party ‘Cerberus Stern.’

A 16-year-old black-haired werewolf boy. A Rank IV explorer.

“Did you come to eat too, Wof-san?”

“Ah, no, that’s not quite it…”

“Huh, it’s closed…?”

“…Seems like it. By the way, where are Koran-san and Plancy-san?”

“Koran-san is checking on the carriage. Plancy-san is buying additional food supplies.”

“Ah, so you’re participating. Forest Wave.”

“Yes. That’s why we came here!”

A spirited reply and gaze.

I could also sense his eagerness to test out the spoils obtained at the Full Moon Bazaar.

“You’re participating from the First Wave?”

“That’s how it works. I didn’t really understand, so I figured starting from the beginning would be better.”

“That makes sense.”

“I did attend a beginner’s lecture at the guild. But I still didn’t really understand.”

“Oh, they have those?”

Hmm, so they do that.

I looked at this guild a bit differently now. I don’t know much about this place.

“So, are you participating, Wof-san?”

“Um, well, probably around the Second or Last Wave…”

“I’d be happy if we could meet!”

His wolf tail wagged vigorously.

I was somehow reminded of Juicy-san.

After that, since we had met, I invited him to the hideout.

He had been intimidated by the witch, but looked relieved when I told her she wasn’t there.

When he heard why, he understood.

“The Full Moon Bazaar incident. It’s only been two days and word has already spread…”

“Of course. After all, one of the Three Great Houses was eliminated. And the witch was the key figure. You know what happened behind the scenes, don’t you, Wof-san?”

“Well, broadly speaking, but not in detail…”

“I understand. Rumors are scary.”

He was probably remembering that monster.

As a result of rumors about me running rampant and swelling in Hydrangea, a monster had appeared.

Hellftu, the imaginary monster that feeds on human rumors and lies.

I and ‘Cerberus Stern’ fought together to defeat this monster.

I still remember how unexpectedly difficult it was.

“Come to think of it, the witch probably did it for Seiran-san.”

“Seiran? The head of the Zensera family?”

“Yes. She’s a friend of the witch.”

“Oh, a friend?”

“The witch said it. Those who are rotten don’t realize they’re rotten. Corruption eats away without one noticing.”

I could relate. Over these past few months, my sense of money had become strange.

Feeling that 1,000 oro is cheap might be corruption.

Breaking several knives worth tens of thousands of oro is undoubtedly corruption.

But you know. The new Elixir Knife won’t break so easily.

This Elixir Skull Knife with its magnificent skull guard—I’ll make it last.

“I… think I understand what you mean.”

“Huh?”

“Our clan is somewhat like that.”

Nabel-san is probably from a noble family.

It’s not unusual for nobles to become explorers.

Rell-san was one, Megadia-san was one, Narcissus-san was one.

Also, Axe-san was too, I think.

“But I think that’s what makes us human.”

Good or bad aside.

Desire. I think having such things is what makes us human.

It remains constantly in all my memories of previous lives.

“I suppose so.”

Nabel-san gave a wry smile.

Then we talked about Koran-san and Plancy-san.

Both of them were very pleased with their new weapons and armor.

Koran-san apparently oiled his too much and got scolded by Plancy-san for being sticky.

“Ah, that’s right. ‘Torquetum’ is in the Heisen Great Forest right now.”

“Huh, that Hydrangea bouquet. ‘Torquetum’ is there!?”

“…Bouquet?”

“Yes! Wow, I’m so happy. Come to think of it, you knew them, didn’t you, Wof-san?”

“Would you like me to introduce you?”

“Really! Ah, I’ve always admired Liv-san.”

“I see. You use a sword, after all.”

“That versatility. That coolness. That beauty. I’m a huge fan!”

“…I see.”

Liv-san certainly looks cool.

But still, Nabel-san’s wolf ears were twitching and his tail looked like it might wag off as he spoke.

In my memories of previous lives, there was a small dog like this… not from my parents’ house.

That’s right. The café.

The tobacco shop behind the café where you can eat authentic carbonara.

That small black winged dog.

That was during the Holy Vriv Period. Around college time.

I didn’t like carbonara, but a half-dragon junior took me to a café saying the authentic version was different.

What did that authentic carbonara taste like…

I vaguely recall my junior playing with that small winged dog.

The taste of that carbonara… I can’t remember.

“Wof-san?”

“Ah, sorry. I was just thinking about something.”

I couldn’t possibly say he resembled that small black winged dog.

More importantly, what was that memory of a previous life? It was a bit different from before.

“So Koran-san is a fan of Lupias-san, and Plancy-san is a fan of Pakira-san.”

“Oh, you split up nicely.”

They probably won’t fight.

“We seem to have a lot of situations like this.”

Nabel-san smiled shyly.

In a way, they get along well.

“By the way, what kinds of monsters are common in the Heisen Great Forest?”

“Huh? Let’s see. Fire spirits. Water spirits. Wind spirits. Earth spirits. And multi-eyed beasts, I was told.”

“Is fire okay?”

Fire in a great forest is definitely bad.

“Apparently the trees in the Heisen Great Forest are thicker and harder than normal, and don’t burn at all with ordinary flames. They’re so strange you wonder if they’re really trees.”

“Well, it’s better than being too afraid of fire to use it. It seems like there aren’t that many types of monsters?”

And probably many of them aren’t very strong.

Nabel-san looked somewhat reluctant to speak, then:

“No, the depths are apparently different. Wof-san, do you know of the High Crystal Gacha Rock Turtle?”

“…What is that…?”

Gacha?

“A turtle monster that lives in the depths, extremely hard, but drops crystals when defeated. And the crystal it drops is different each time.”

“So it’s random?”

Gacha?

“Yes. It’s random. Also, all the crystals fetch high prices, but it’s a difficult monster to defeat.”

It’s gacha.

“…Hence Gacha Rock Turtle.”

“Yes.”

“…Are the crystals different colors or something?”

“Apparently so.”

“Don’t tell me, like blue-green crystals?”

“Those are extremely valuable and rare! They hardly ever come out!”

“…I see.”

“If you get one, you’re rich. A millionaire!”

“That much?”

“That much!”

He emphasized so much. No doubt about it. ‘Torquetum’ is doing gacha.

And it seems they haven’t gotten the blue-green crystal yet.

But from my conversation with Nabel-san, I realized the Heisen Great Forest isn’t normal.

“Ah, it’s here. Turn right here and then left.”

We’re almost at the hideout.

“This way?”

Turn right at the corner and go down a gentle slope.

Then turn left from there. Alright. We’ve arrived.

A circular space large enough to hold several hundred people.

The ceiling and skylights were all stained glass, with light streaming in, illuminated by fantastic colors.

Huh?

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

This is… what?

It’s a chapel. The chapel of the Great Temple.

At the deepest part was a stone statue.

It was placed on a uniquely high, wave-like strangely three-dimensional stone pedestal.

The pedestal was covered in dense golden letters or something, but I couldn’t read them.

There was a statue of a white maiden wrapped in simple cloth.

What was unusual was that parts of it were colored.

First, her hair was purple. A vivid purple.

“Wh-what is… wh-what on earth… is this place…?”

Nabel-san was stunned, trembling with shock, all his fur standing on end.

Appealing to me with his eyes, clinging to me, not knowing what to do.

I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do in situations like this either.

Then, someone came out from behind the statue of the Second Coming of Genesis.

“You’ve come. I’ve been waiting!”

It was Narcissus-san.

Nothing but despair.