“You’re saying… I’m going to die?”
“Yeah. If I succeed when I’m weaker than that guy, you might think it’s easy… but it’s a bit different.”
Charlotte, tapping the desk tap tap as she chose her words carefully, spoke up.
“The intensity of the trial differs for each person, I suppose.”
“Isn’t that the same with Erdain’s trials?”
“That’s a different feeling… Hmm. Of course, I’ve never experienced Erdain’s trials myself, but from what I’ve heard here and there… it’s about facing your traumas, whereas this is—”
Charlotte couldn’t finish her sentence.
In that moment, the door suddenly swung open bang…
“Excuse me!”
A small… kiddo came running into the office…
“…Great Sword?”
The first thing that caught my eye was a kid with black hair like Noah’s… and red eyes.
And there it was… a Great Sword hanging at their waist, just like Noah.
What was different was… their appearance, perhaps.
Their gaze was sharp, and they had a bob haircut barely touching their shoulders.
And… those pointy, protruding fangs were quite noticeable.
Their outfit was… just like any ordinary adventurer’s, or maybe it looked even more worn out.
“Nice to meet you! Are you Charlotte?”
“What are you…?”
“You’re Rubia, aren’t you?”
“…Who are you?”
Ignoring our questions entirely, the kid swaggered in and casually closed the door behind them.
With each little step they took pitter patter, I could hear the Great Sword dragging on the floor, reminding me of Noah.
“Then, this guy lying around is… Hmm…”
The kid, who had been quietly checking Noah’s face, started to scratch their chin and tilt their head in confusion.
“Hey… kiddo. Who are you? Wait, how did you even find my hideout? I’ve hidden it with an artifact.”
“Hehe! I know all things!”
“What, are you some kind of moron?”
“Hey! What’s with that language to me!”
The kiddo, who had been smiling merrily, frowned pout at Charlotte’s harsh words.
“Damn it… Listen up, kid. I’m the princess of this country… and you’re talking as if you’re above me?”
“Hmph. Isn’t that obvious?”
“What…? Then what’s your name?”
Upon hearing Charlotte’s question, the kiddo crossed their arms proudly, lifted their chin, and with an expression that begged for a smack on the head, spoke in an awkward tone that definitely didn’t fit their appearance.
“Don’t be shocked! My name is… ‘Sirin’!”
Sirin?
I’ve definitely heard that somewhere…
“Master… Sirin?”
Charlotte’s trembling voice jogged my memory.
Ah.
That was the name of the person who was supposed to reach Master for the tenth time, according to Revuze.
Then, this kiddo is…
“Hehe! That’s how the world tends to know me!”
The instant Sirin nodded, Charlotte’s flame flared up.
I too sharpened my Divine Power to the maximum and hugged Noah tightly.
“Eh… why are you hostile…?”
“Right after defeating Kalt… if another Master came looking, isn’t the purpose painfully obvious?”
“I’m not interested in such trivial matters…”
Sirin’s gaze, which had softened slightly, scanned me and Charlotte before landing on Noah.
The hand enveloping Noah’s body began to tremble severely.
My back was already soaked with cold sweat, and my breath became ragged.
The terror I felt facing Kalt… was starting to resurface.
Still.
No matter how beaten I become, I will protect Noah…
“Do… don’t even think about touching them.”
“Hmm… I guess it would be nice to clear away those terrifying things first… but you probably won’t listen to reason, right?”
Sirin swirled their hand in the air.
In that moment…
“Huh?”
Charlotte’s flame extinguished, and my Divine Power, which had embraced Noah and me, also scattered into the wind.
“Hmph, finally feeling a bit at ease. Now, let’s have a slow chat.”
Sirin, who had committed such a ridiculous act, casually approached the sofa and plopped down thud, then…
“Ahhh! So this is what they call coffee!”
They shivered with delight at the aroma of the coffee.
“Wh-what the hell just happened… what did you do?”
“Because you all looked so frightening, I had no choice but to exert a bit of power. Now, take a seat.”
Ignoring the casually smiling Sirin, I tried to summon my Divine Power repeatedly.
But.
Nothing gathered at all.
Internally, I could control it, but the moment I tried to bring it out, it scattered away.
“Cha, Charlotte. Can you… use yours as well?”
“Oh, I can’t… my Magical Power itself isn’t… moving at all.”
“Damn it! How long are we just going to stand around talking?!”
Sirin, sitting on the sofa and swinging their legs swing swing, suddenly shouted loudly.
At that, Charlotte and I exchanged glances and, reluctantly, sat down.
“Hmph! Now we’re finally in a conversational posture!”
“…So, why are you here?”
“I came to talk with you.”
“What kind of talk?”
“Hmm, to be honest… I had something to discuss with that guy lying there, but it seems he’s deeply asleep.”
Sirin’s red eyes focused on Noah.
Up close, I could see his pupils elongated and the eerie energy swirling within them.
“You came to see Noah for something… important, I gather?”
“You’re holding him as if he’s really precious. Hehe.”
Sirin, who looked pleased just watching me, turned her gaze back to Noah.
“It’s not anything too important; just thought I’d pay a visit after a long time… Well, it hasn’t been that long. Anyway, I just wanted to see his face, but how disappointing.”
A long time…?
Same hair color as Noah.
Same weapon, a Great Sword.
And… that expression that seemed to reminisce about the past…
Is this the mentor Noah used to mention?
“Are you… Noah’s mentor?”
“Huh? Me, that guy’s? Hahaha! Mentor? Who knows how that causality will turn out… but I guess it could be something like that this time! Hahahaha!”
Sirin burst out laughing, rolling on the floor in joy at my words.
What does she even mean by causality?
And what’s with “it could be something like that this time”?
“What on earth do you mean…?”
Come to think of it, when I heard Sirin’s name from Revuze, Noah didn’t react at all.
Is she not his mentor, then?
Then what about that line about “a long time” and that expression?
“Haaah… Ahh… Thanks to you, I had a big laugh for the first time in a while. Truly, thank you…”
Sirin wiped away the tears that had trickled from her eyes and smiled brightly.
“I want to tell you so many things, but I can’t breach the contract, so just hang tight for a bit.”
“Hey… Rubia. I can’t comprehend a single thing that kiddo is saying… do you get it? So, is she Noah’s mentor or not?”
“Well… I have no idea either…”
“Hey! I’m not a kiddo!”
“Then what? Are you a grandma?”
“Hmm, by your standards, I guess that could be so.”
Tilting her head again, Sirin chuckled with a smile.
“That aside, it seems you’re fine after such a big event. It appears the Elixir I gave you worked well. That’s a good thing.”
“…Elixir?”
“Yep! The Elixir I gave to the one-eyed guy! I assumed you were there at the same time?”
Right now.
Understanding what Sirin is saying is tough.
No. Accepting it is difficult.
“One-eyed guy means, you’re talking about… Luchi… right?”
“Ah! Luchi! That’s right, that guy’s name was Luchi. Unfortunately, he’s dead now… but he completed all his tasks before dying, so it wasn’t in vain.”
“What… the hell…”
“What’s up, kiddo… I mean, Sirin, do you know Luchi?”
“Of course, I know him very well. I helped him a lot when he was wandering! Plus, I even handed him the Elixir. Hehe… Though I never thought he would use it like this.”
Sirin smiled again as if delighted and took a sip of coffee.
At that moment…
The door burst open bang, revealing Yuria’s distorted face.
“What are you…”
“Hmm? Oh! You’re awake too—”
Before she could finish, the creaking sound of wood creak echoed as roots shot up from the floor, cutting off Sirin.
Just like with Kalt, the vicious roots shot toward Sirin, but…
Sirin nonchalantly waved her hand.
“…What the hell…”
Just like that, Yuria’s unique ability also turned to dust and disappeared.
“Tsk tsk… young ones these days have no respect for their elders… What a strange world we live in.”
And then, that dust gathered at the ground, perfectly restoring the broken floor.
“Wh-what… did I just see?”
Charlotte dropped the Magical Herb she had been chewing.
I too, almost lost my grip on Noah from shock.
“Hehe… Are you impressed?”
“Impressed? It’s way beyond that…? What in the world are you?”
“Didn’t I just say? I am Sirin!”
“I know your name… but… Hey, Yuria. Calm down for a sec. She doesn’t seem to have any intent to attack us…”
Yuria, who had been blankly staring at the floor, nodded slowly at Charlotte’s words.
“Hehe… Yuria, since you’ve seen it, I guess it’s about time to get up.”
Yuria’s head tilted.
Charlotte and I had no choice but to lean in.
“Hey, kid… uh, Sirin. What the hell are you? How did you know to come here? Who are you, and why did you give Luchi the Elixir, and you’re talking like you know us… What’s all that about… Ah, damn, give me at least one answer—”
“I know things are frustrating, but soon enough, you’ll figure it all out. So just don’t be too hasty.”
Sirin scanned us with a carefree smile.
“Still… since I’ve been served coffee, I’ll tell you at least one thing.”
Then, she turned her gaze back to Noah.
“Soon, ‘the Eyes’ will fall. Be careful then.”
In a voice that had been completely subdued, she said.
“Especially you, ‘Challenger’ Yuria… you need to be extra cautious.”
