Chapter 223 – The Way Back (2)

“Is this what you were trying to obtain?”

“Yes.”

A huge cavern located deep within a cave in the snowy mountains.

Alon nodded at the question from Evan, who had followed behind, and gazed at the object before his eyes.

‘It is good to see it after a long time.’

An item he had always collected whenever he played Psychedelia.

‘Linked Round Dance.’

Linked Round Dance, shaped like two rings woven together by a chain that bore a strange light.

As Alon stared at it silently, Evan, who was beside him, spoke.

“It does not look particularly distinctive.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. It is a bit unusual for two rings to be attached by a chain, but the design of the chain or the rings does not really feel like something I have never seen before.”

“Well, the appearance itself is not all that unique.”

“So, where do you use that?”

[Hmph. You do not even know that?]

It was not Alon who answered Evan’s question, but Basiliora.

“Then do you know?”

[Do not think of me as an ordinary existence like yourself.]

“So, what is it?”

[Why should I tell you?]

“If you are not going to tell me, then why did you act so cocky, you snake head!”

[Hmph. To mock a human wretch who lacks even the slightest scrap of knowledge.]

As expected.

As soon as the door to conversation opened, the two began to fight over a useless quibble.

Alon, who was silently watching the now too familiar sight, soon turned his gaze back to the Round Dance.

Linked Round Dance.

This item, called Round Dance for short among players, was simply put, a mana conversion adapter.

It possessed the function of replacing the mana of the partner wearing the rings together with one’s own mana.

‘Of course, there are limits.’

Since the player’s magic damage became much higher than that of other companion characters as Psychedelia progressed toward the later stages.

Warriors aside, most mage players used this artifact.

Because even if there were limits, it could prevent the player’s mana shortage.

In particular, it was even more necessary for glass cannons who ruthlessly increased only magic damage at the moment they should have increased both magic damage and MP capacity equally.

‘……In a sense, it was an item I needed from the beginning.’

Nevertheless, there was a reason why Alon went out of his way to retrieve this item only now.

It was because the Linked Round Dance was an item that could only be used properly in a game.

To use this artifact, the partner must always be by one’s side.

While the mana was being delivered, that partner became completely defenseless.

In other words, it was effectively creating a walking mana tank.

One never knew when or where an attack would come.

It was an arduous task to fight while protecting a person who had become defenseless to hand over mana.

Moreover, unlike in a game, it was very difficult to find a person who would always wear a ring and go around together, bound within the range of the chain in reality.

In a game, one just had to have companions equip it.

In reality, a sudden battle had broken out, and it was not an easy task to find a partner who had enough courage and trust to defenselessly hand over mana while believing in Alon.

The range of the chain also did not look like it was even one meter.

Since it was an item with various Constraints.

He had retrieved the rings only now.

Although it was difficult to use in battle.

It was useful for filling the mana of ‘The Night that Runs Through the Past’, which only operated when the mana of the person trying to use it was filled.

Having finished his thoughts that far, Alon headed out of the cave, taking Evan and Basiliora, who were glaring at each other as if they would kill one another.

“I really feel this every time, but how do you know all this?”

“What do you mean?”

Evan, who until just a moment ago had been fighting with Basiliora while gritting his teeth, looked at Alon with wonder.

It was a natural reaction.

The cave Alon and Evan were currently walking through was.

“This is a maze, is it not?”

Because it was a maze.

Alon naturally turned his gaze and looked to the side.

The sight of dozens of stone bridges laid out in an orderly fashion as if connecting cliffs.

It looked so complicated that those who did not know the ‘Maze of Vertigo’ where this Round Dance was located would all click their tongues.

In addition, below and around the cliffs, along with monsters that only appeared in the snowy mountains.

Things that could clearly be called aberrant species, though weaker than those in the jungle, were wandering around, which also doubled the sense of despair.

However, the reason Alon could be unfazed even while seeing such things.

Was because he knew the strategy for this Maze of Vertigo.

In fact, it was laughable even to say he knew the strategy.

Because if one just consistently insisted on only the path heading to the right from the starting point of the cave, one could reach the end without difficulty.

Thanks to the very simple strategy, Alon was able to come to the cave without much burden.

“You just have to go to the right.”

“No, that is not what I was asking… Well, fine.”

“What do you mean, it is fine?”

Evan tried to ask something, but soon shrugged his shoulders.

“I just briefly forgot that I should simply accept it, I did.”

Alon felt a bit strange at the reaction he had seen after a long time.

[Kyu?]

Kkamangi, who was inside his chest, tilted its head cutely.

####

Alon, who came out of the cave, no, the Maze of Vertigo, headed to Caliburn by carriage.

“It is finally Caliburn.”

Alon, who arrived in Caliburn again after about a month.

He examined the knowledge he had gained from this trip to the north in his own way and organized the things to do in the future.

‘First, the very first thing to do is reach the 5th Rank, then ask Kailus about the Horizon and Reverse Heaven. And going to the Colony to ask the dragonkin to repair the ruby… is that about it.’

While Alon organized his to-do list like that, he thought once more about the word he had been thinking about for the past few weeks.

“Anomaly……”

When he first heard it, he just let it pass.

After hearing it at the Horizon as well, he gradually began to be bothered by that word.

Even Alon himself did not properly know why he was bothered.

However, just like something was caught in his throat, it came to mind even if he tried not to think about it.

And Alon intuited.

The fact that this word was very important to him.

Moreover, he had even begun to feel a sense of déjà vu from the word ‘Anomaly’ recently.

Like the sensation he felt when looking at Yutia standing among the evening primroses that bloomed profusely last time.

Just what is it.

Alon, who was briefly lost in thought.

“Master!!”

Poof!

Felt someone embracing him as soon as he got off the carriage.

He could not even check the face because they clung to his waist and hugged his body.

[Kkyuek!]

Kkamangi, who was in his chest, also made a bizarre sound at the unexpected attack.

However.

“……Seollang?”

With that characteristic cheerful voice, Alon easily guessed the identity.

“Master! It has been a long time!”

As if waiting for him to recognize her, she hugged his neck.

He stroked the head of Seollang, who was rubbing her cheeks like a puppy.

At the same time, he wore a doubtful expression as to why she was in Caliburn.

It was about six weeks after coming down from the north.

####

Northwest.

A giant wall built between the Allied Kingdom and the Empire.

A small house situated in a small forest where that was visible before one’s eyes.

Inside the house, which boasted a scenery as beautiful as if it came out of a fairy tale, a man and a woman were looking at each other.

One was a barbarian of the north and one of the Seven Great Powerhouses talked about by people in the Allied Kingdom, Thousand-Year Ice.

The one sitting across from him was a girl who looked to be just about twenty, with giant fox ears naturally drooping.

Long silver hair reaching down to her buttocks and an outfit characteristic of the Eastern Country.

The girl was staring straight ahead with her characteristic nonchalant face.

Thousand-Year Ice, who was silently facing that appearance, asked while scratching his head as if it were very embarrassing.

“That, am I not a very pleasant guest?”

“No.”

She, who answered in a single word with an expressionless face, said while naturally putting her fox tail, which looked fluffy even at a glance, on top of her thighs.

“Welcome.”

“……Are you really welcoming me?”

“Yes.”

A dry, single-word answer that fell once again.

Thousand-Year Ice scratched his head again with an expression of groaning.

She said she was welcoming him, but.

From Thousand-Year Ice’s perspective, it was excessively difficult to notice her true intentions.

Because she was basically nonchalant and nonchalant about everything, then and now.

‘I wonder if she really has emotions……’

Thousand-Year Ice thought so and looked around the interior.

“Anyway, you are living in the same place then and now.”

“Because there is no need to move.”

“……Instead of staying in the forest like this, wouldn’t you be able to live much more comfortably if you just belonged to another place? If it is your ability, the Kingdom would be anxious to welcome you.”

Thousand-Year Ice’s words were true.

Although she was living alone in the forest now.

Because she was a person who had reached the ranks of the strong just like Thousand-Year Ice.

Even among them, since there were only two at most who could equal her, no, the Sword Saint.

In fact, among the seven strong people, she was a master within the top three.

“Aren’t you also living alone for saying such things?”

“Well, that is because I cannot help it due to the person I serve. As for other people, I do not even know if they are alive or dead, and although the people I can at least contact each have their own reasons, you are not like that. You do not have anything in particular you are taking responsibility for.”

The girl retorted without even a twitch.

“It is just because it is bothersome.”

“Then wouldn’t it be fine if you went to the Eastern Country? If you go there, you would be treated as a noble person immediately without anything particularly bothersome.”

At those words, the Sword Saint, Historia.

Silently looked at Thousand-Year Ice for a while.

Soon.

“So why did you come?”

A voice breaking the silence that settled in the air.

It was a topic completely irrelevant to Thousand-Year Ice’s question just a moment ago.

It was a slightly strange conversation, but Thousand-Year Ice shrugged his shoulders as if it could not be helped.

Because he knew that her avoiding the answer itself.

Meant she had no intention of talking about this subject.

Thousand-Year Ice soon began to continue the conversation to match her intention.

“It is not anything else, but I came because I have one thing to ask.”

“Which part?”

Historia tilted her head.

Thousand-Year Ice recounted in detail what had happened when he met Elivan previously.

“Anyway, such a nonsensical guy has come out into the world, but since there is no information at all, I came thinking if you knew anything.”

“I have not gone out of here for over 10 years.”

“I naturally know that. But what I am saying is if you have overheard anything in the past. Although I have investigated personally, no matter how much I think about it, his track record is suspicious for having such strength.”

‘Of course, I have not investigated everything either,’ Thousand-Year Ice muttered.

“Anyway, even if you do not move well, you know many strong people and live, so I asked just in case. Because it does not seem like such a monster would usually appear under an ordinary person.”

He added that.

And Historia, who was still listening without any change in expression, threw a question.

“What is his name?”

“His name?”

“Yes. If you do not tell me anything, I cannot even think.”

A name, huh.

Thousand-Year Ice opened his mouth while recalling the information he had heard from the contact person a while ago, but.

“He seems to have the name Elivan…”

He could not finish his words.

Because Historia, who until just now had been sitting nonchalantly without anything to do.

Suddenly kicked the chair and stood up.

“!?”

In addition to that.

As if when had she been expressionless, both her ears were standing up sharply while her both eyes were wide open.

Thousand-Year Ice was very surprised at that appearance.

Because she had never once shown such a rich expression of emotion.

No, not just in front of himself.

Even Black Tiger, who had known her for the longest time, said he had never seen her change of emotion and expression.

But such a vivid change.

‘You definitely know something……!’

Thousand-Year Ice was certain that she knew Elivan.

Further, he was certain that Historia had a very deep relationship with Elivan in some form.

Because there was no way she would react so intensely otherwise.

Therefore, Thousand-Year Ice asked with anticipation, but.

“Do you happen to know anything?”

“I only know the name.”

“……?”

At the answer different from expectation, he momentarily became dazed.

“……You say you only know the name?”

“Yes.”

“……That, why are you so surprised when you only know the name?”

No, isn’t it so?

It is not a reaction that can be shown just because one knows a single name.

“Alon.”

“……Yes?”

A single name that suddenly dropped.

Historia twitched her ears and put that name into her mouth once more.

“About Alon Palatio, don’t you know anything?”

Thousand-Year Ice had no choice but to be even more appalled than before.

Swish, swish.

Because Historia’s long tail was swaying incessantly while being full of anticipation.