Chapter 224 – The Way Back (3)

Thousand-Year Ice had interacted with Historia for quite a long time in his own way.

However, since he did not actually know much about Historia in detail, he always had many curiosities about her.

For instance, why she, who was from the Eastern Country where only beastmen lived, used the name Historia, which was far from the Eastern Country.

He was also curious about why she lived in such a small forest even though she could lead a very comfortable life if she went to another kingdom or the Eastern Country.

However, at this moment.

The curiosity was only one.

“……Alon Palatio?”

“Yes, do you know him?”

It was about the existence called Alon Palatio.

Thousand-Year Ice did not know about that person.

It was natural.

He was basically stuck in the snowy mountains.

This time, the name Elivan was also something he found out by descending from the snowy mountains after being surprised by the power after being defeated by him.

“Hmm.”

Marquis Palatio, huh.

He had come to ask about Elivan, but now he became even more curious about the person called Alon Palatio.

Just what kind of existence was he that the Sword Saint, who had never once shown a change in emotion, would be so heated.

“……Well, I came to ask about a guy named ‘Elivan’, not ‘Alon Palatio’.”

“I said I know the name.”

“No, what I mean is not that, but I am asking why the name Alon Palatio pops out when I mentioned Elivan.”

“So, do you know anything about Alon Palatio?”

“……I do not.”

Droop.

“……I see.”

When Thousand-Year Ice shook his head, Historia immediately became dejected, letting her swaying tail droop.

Thousand-Year Ice was astonished again at that appearance for a moment.

Because of the unbearable curiosity, he cautiously opened his mouth.

“That, is Alon Palatio a very important person?”

“If you do not know, then fine.”

Historia turned her head away and sat back down in her seat, even letting her ears droop.

Just what is it?

He asked about Elivan.

All the answers return as “questions about Alon.”

However, he would not be able to hear any particular answer even if he asked more about the relationship with him here.

Instead, Thousand-Year Ice thought he should look into Alon Palatio, who had made Historia lively.

“……I can look for him once if you want.”

“Really?”

Historia’s ears, which had been drooping, rose halfway again.

Watching that change, Thousand-Year Ice nodded.

He was still curious about Elivan as well.

It was amazing that a young man who did not even look twenty possessed such nonsensical strength.

The overwhelming difference in martial power stimulated Thousand-Year Ice’s competitive spirit.

But now, it was more interesting to check Historia’s reaction than the competitive spirit.

“It will not take that long.”

“Thank you.”

“Can you at least talk to me if I find out information?”

“Which part?”

“About that Alon Palatio.”

“……Fine.”

“Keep that promise for sure.”

Thousand-Year Ice stood up from his seat after receiving her promise.

####

After Seollang’s intense welcome greeting was over.

Kkamangi, who had been in Alon’s arms the whole time and was caught by Seollang the moment he showed his face for a very brief second, stayed in that state as it was.

“Waaaa, airplane!!”

[Kyuuuuu-!]

“Higher!”

[Kyuuuuuuuuu-!]

He started playing with Seollang.

“Higheeeeer-!!”

[Kieeeeek-!!]

He was not sure if Seollang was playing with him or if Kkamangi was playing with her.

Alon saw Seollang, who repeated throwing and catching Kkamangi into the air several times already.

And he saw Kkamangi in a state of resignation, just letting out screams as if he had accepted the fact that he could not escape once caught by her.

Just how much time passed like that.

“I will let you go next time-!”

[Kyu……]

After repeating throwing and catching in the sky a few more times and putting him down, Seollang smiled proudly as she watched Kkamangi immediately burrow into Alon’s chest.

Alon asked her.

“Seollang, why are you here?”

“I came to see Master!”

“To see me?”

“Yes!”

“You did not come because something happened?”

“Yes!”

“Just to see me?”

“That is right!”

The answer was concise.

Rather, Seollang looked up at him with an expression of “What is the problem?”

Thinking about it, the beastmen she always took around were also not visible.

“……Is it okay to wander around alone?”

“Um, it is not as if it does not matter…”

“It does not?”

“I missed Master!”

Seollang swung her tail vigorously, as if asking, “Did I not do well!?”

At that, Alon felt a bit of a sorry heart.

“I made you come all this way with difficulty. I would have gone if you had waited a little longer.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I was planning to go to the Colony after stopping by the Marquis’s house anyway. I should have let you know in advance.”

“Better this way!”

“……? Is that so?”

“Then I can go with Master again until we go to the Colony!”

At the very positive way of thinking, Alon let out a chuckle instinctively.

After sharing more updates like a reunion of a father and daughter after a long time.

As the day grew late, they returned to their respective lodgings.

The day after taking a comfortable rest.

Alon departed for the Marquis’s house with Seollang.

####

Exactly two weeks after Alon left Caliburn.

Around the time he was passing Lartania and approaching the Asteria border.

“♪♬…”

Alon was enjoying a very peaceful life.

More precisely, a “quiet” daily life.

The reason for that was exactly.

“♩♬♬…”

Because of Seollang, who was sitting on Alon’s lap and enjoying the touch of him pressing down on her ears.

In fact, Alon thought even when he first set out on the road with Seollang.

He thought the journey would become very noisy because of her.

Because he knew well that she not only had an innate cheerfulness.

But also loved playing pranks and had a personality that could not stay still for a single moment.

However, unlike expectation, the journey became quiet as soon as Seollang joined.

First of all, Basiliora hid inside the ring and did not come out.

The guy, who came out to pick a fight with Evan for no reason on the first day and was caught by Seollang.

‘[Kwaaaak! I am a male! A male does not wear this kind of clothes!!!!]’

He wore, no, was wrapped around in a female dress that he did not know why Seollang had.

Even after that, after going through all sorts of humiliation disguised as play.

He did not come outside again, as if he was shocked.

Kkamangi was also in the same situation.

From the first day, he was not sticking his face out of Alon’s chest at all.

As that happened, Evan also drove the carriage while looking at the surrounding landscape more leisurely than usual.

Since Seollang’s main routine was also sleeping while resting her head on Alon’s lap after talking with him for a bit, it could not help but be quiet overall.

“……”

Basiliora and Kkamangi.

The first peacefulness met since traveling with the two guys.

He did not dislike this quietness, but on the other hand, it was also a bit empty.

‘It is certainly good to be quiet, but since it is too quiet, it is a bit empty.’

Back in the days when the two guys were not there, it was quiet like now.

Now that it was bustling without a day passing by, this quiet was a bit unfamiliar.

‘Is this that thing where you do not know if it was not there from the beginning, but if it is gone after being there, it is empty.’

While thinking about such things for a moment, Alon soon shrugged his shoulders.

Because it was not as if the present with Seollang was bad.

Seollang showed an appearance that made Alon feel like a father in many ways.

Even right now, for instance.

“───”

Seollang, who was dozing off languidly while leaning against Alon, perhaps because the sunlight coming through the carriage window felt good.

Just by looking at that appearance, a smile naturally formed on his lips.

Although he often felt it at other times.

When Seollang showed such a defenseless appearance, he felt that she trusted him very much, and his heart became proud.

Alon, who enjoyed Seollang’s reaction while pressing her ears for a while and stroking her head several times.

Then, he habitually closed his eyes and contemplated the interior.

Now that he was used to it, he could check the divinity in an instant even if he did not consciously do it particularly.

Soon, Alon, who was checking the divinities floating before his eyes as usual.

‘……Hm?’

Suddenly, he could confirm that one more divinity had been created.

A divinity that bore a gray light, although it was very weak.

‘What…… is this?’

Doubt filled Alon’s head.

####

The north.

The place where barbarians move to descend south.

And where wars break out constantly for knights to block those barbarians.

Furthermore, recently, rumors circulated that Luraka, the spiritual mainstay of the barbarians who integrated and led them, had gone missing.

As if shouting that it was a false rumor, the barbarians were attacking even more fiercely, so an even more intense battle unfolded.

And in the deep parts of that place.

In the territory of the “Blue Toe” tribe, the largest among the barbarian tribes, which Luraka had led.

“……It, it is all done.”

One man.

Turtur, who was once the adjutant of the great tribe leader Luraka and had now become the tribe leader of the “Blue Toe.”

One woman.

No, he was bowing his head to Yutia Blodia.

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Let me take a look.”

When Yutia stood up from her seat with a calm smile, Turtur stood up urgently as if having a fit and walked ahead.

He guided her to a huge cavern, which was a cliff cave attached to one side of the Blue Toe tribe’s territory and had only been used as a sacred ritual place for selecting the tribe leader in the past.

“It is that place.”

Turtur reported with a trembling voice as soon as they stepped inside.

Yutia slowly moved her gaze accordingly.

She could see a huge statue and a crowd erected at the end of the vast cavern.

A huge statue standing in a dignified posture while wearing a black coat and a red bone mask.

And numerous tribesmen bowing their heads beneath it.

“Heh.”

Yutia examined the expressions of the tribesmen.

Faces that were all pale with a little fear.

“……I am sorry. I will educate them a little better.”

Was it because Yutia was staring at the tribesmen’s appearance?

Turtur, who had been watching her mood, bowed his head hurriedly.

At that, Yutia suddenly wore a smile of unknown meaning and opened her red lips.

“Turtur.”

“P-Please speak.”

“In your view, do I look like I would turn you all into a handful of blood at any moment?”

“T-That is…”

“You can answer honestly.”

In a moment of silence, Turtur answered while forcibly grabbing his pounding heart.

“To be honest, yes.”

Turtur said so and gritted his teeth instinctively.

Thinking that perhaps he had made a mistake.

Perhaps with this, his neck, and furthermore, the tribesmen he had to protect, would become a handful of blood.

Disjointed regret and fear rushed in.

However.

“Thank you.”

“……Yes?”

“Since you spoke honestly, I will also speak honestly. I have no intention of killing you all.”

The answer that came back was unexpected.

Turtur momentarily wore a dazed expression, and Yutia continued speaking.

“Are you surprised? But it is true. As long as you all believe in that person, I have no intention of harming you at all.”

“……Is that true?”

“Yes, it is true. As long as you believe in that person, you are people I must protect.”

“……From whom?”

Turtur’s question.

At that, Yutia still showed a calm smile.

“Naturally, from everyone.”

“Everyone?”

“Yes. From barbarians like yourself, from knights who prevent you from descending south, and perhaps even from the great god Sironia, I will protect you.”

“……”

Turtur instinctively tried to ask back, “Are you sincere?” but closed his mouth.

That thick fanaticism flowing out of her eyes.

Because it made the words trying to come out of Turtur’s mouth into something useless.

Instead.

“……Why?”

“What is it?”

“……Why do you go that far for us?”

He asked for the reason.

Just why she did this much just because they believed in a god.

Because he did not understand well.

At Turtur’s question, Yutia was lost in thought for a moment and then answered.

“Because it does not matter what happens to anything else except for that person.”

“……What does that…”

“It is literally. Whether the knights all die, the priests are massacred, or even if you all collapse the Allied Kingdom, or even if the world suddenly perishes, it has nothing to do with me.”

Only what is important to me, Yutia caught her breath for a moment.

“Is that person, only that one person. Except for that, it does not matter what happens.”

She spoke firmly.

Yutia, who had become expressionless before he knew it, murmured lowly, “No matter what happens.”

Watching her, Turtur instinctively realized.

The fact that the existence before his eyes was fundamentally different from himself.

And that he must never go against her.

Therefore.

“I understand.”

Turtur bowed his head politely.

“I am glad you seem to have understood well.”

“……However, I have one thing to ask.”

“What is it?”

“The name of the person we adore, what is it?”

Turtur asked Yutia cautiously.

As if he had pointed out something very important, she let out an exclamation, “Ah.”

“That is right. Then…”

Soon, with a small smile.

“Let’s go with ‘Star Eater’.”

She declared so.