Chapter 14

Chapter 14 \nVol 4: Chapter 14\n

La-Fisa was an “eccentric person”.

——Another race has perished, nuri……. We will be next!

That was his stock phrase, which fueled everyone’s anxiety. He was disliked because of that.

La-Fisa went on a journey alone.

The dragonewt who leaves the flock has no choice but to die in the wild. La Fisa was no exception.

La-Fisa decided to die in a dungeon.

At the end of a very long dungeon, La-Fisa fell asleep…

*

「That’s how the story goes, nu.」

I didn’t know what to make of the story told by the leader of the reconnaissance team.

We were still running through the forest. The dragonewt people’s stamina was amazing. I could only keep up with them by using【Healing Magic】and【Support Magic】. They shouldn’t have skill orbs… So this must be the power of the dragonewts who survived natural selection!

「The elders didn’t tell me about this story. Moreover, the ending of this story doesn’t feel like “going to another world” vibe.」I said.

「But that’s how I interpreted the story, nu. It’s more interesting that way, nu.」

「I-I see…」

The strict leader’s eyes were gleaming.

「Most of dragonewt folklore is true, nu. That is why I believe that La-Fisa actually existed, nu. But the elders hate La-Fisa, nu.」

「Why do they hate him?」\n

「It’s because he made ”nuri” popular.」

「Umm, I have been curious for a while. What is up with “Nu” or “Nuri” or “Nuro? I even heard some people use ”Nure”.」

「It is more like a dragonewt feeling,『nu』. Let’s have a cup of drink,『nuru』. And for hopelessness feeling, it is『nuri』.」

「And geezer’s use『nuro』.」

「We young dragonewts use『nure』, after all. The old people get angry whenever they hear that word, though. Kyahaha.」

The leader showed a bitter look when the two other team members were chatting about that. …Oh, the leader is one of the people who doesn’t like ”nure”.

「By the way, did anyone accompany La-Fisa in the story?」

「No, there wasn’t, nu. It wouldn’t be La-Fisa otherwise, nu. La-Fisa is an isolationist deviate, nu.」

People sure regard him in a bad manner here. But that man provided technology which enriched an entire nation of people in the “Front World”, you know.

「But that’s strange, isn’t it? Who added La-Fisa’s final moments into the story then?」

「I think it was just the wishful thinking of the remaining dragonewts of those times, nu.」the leader said.

「That’s quite blunt.」

「If La-Fisa’s story ended in a success after leaving the Dragonewt City, then more dragonewts would leave as well instead of clinging to the city.」

That’s a harsh thing to say about one’s own ancestor, but the leader was laughing, so he seems to be okay. I’m reminded every time that the dragonewts are strong-willed people.

「About La-Fisa… I think he probably came to the world I was from.」

「What! How is that possible, nu!?」

This time, it was the leader who slipped and about to fall. No, he actually fell, rolled across the ground, jumped back up and continued to run like nothing happened. The two younger dragonewts applauded from behind.

「That’s what I wish to know… But I don’t suppose we know where La-Fisa was last seen, do we?」\n「Hmm… I don’t know the exact location, but I don’t think it’s too far away.」

「Eh, why?」

「Do you know that the Dragon City is always moving around?」

I nodded in response. The elders said the city is rebuilt over and over again whenever they escape the attacks of monsters.

「The location where the city is rebuilt is in a rotation. The city is now in the same place as where the city was eight generations ago. We used the remains of the former city to build the current one, nu.」

「Wow! That is actually a great idea.」

「Indeed, our dragonewt people are great, nu.」

Three dry leaves clung to the leader’s head, as he puffed his chest.

So the Dragonewt city is moving to the same former sites, huh… Just like nomads. It is said that when the pasture land is exhausted, the nomad settlement will move to a new location with their livestock and return when the pasture grows again.

「I don’t think La-Fisa reached your world at the end of a very long journey, nu… because it’s ridiculously dangerous to walk through this forest alone.」

「I think so too.」

Moreover, La-Fisa constructed the “Labyrinth of 9 Emotions” after moving to the “Front World”.

If he started constructing the labyrinths at an old age, he would have reached the end of his life before its completion.

The lifespan of the dragonewt race is about the same as that of the human race, so it makes sense to think he travelled to the “Front World” from a location not too far from the remains of the old Dragonewt city. It is worth testing out that theory.

(Come to think of it, why did La-Fisa create the “Labyrinth of 9 Emotions” that connects the two worlds… well, I suppose he must have had a reason.)

A sudden boost of motivation hit me. If the system used by La-Fisa still remains, Asha and I will soon be able to return to the other world.

「—We’re about to arrive at the airship site. Let’s take a break.」

The leader’s words snapped me out of my thoughts.\n\nThe three dragonewts screamed.

「Haa, haa, haa, guh, gah…」

I fell to my knees, sweating profusely and trying to catch my breath.

(What the hell!? The mana consumption is terribly bad! Is it because I’m not using the original skill orb? I’m sure that is part of the reason, but—)

A piercing pain stung deep in my chest.

(It’s not just mana. You can also activate this skill by using your own life force… Isn’t that right,【World Ruler】?)

I don’t think Lark would have that large of a mana pool.

Even so, she was able to freely control this skill and even slashed apart something gigantic like the snake anemone.

「Are you shaving off your own lifespan… Lark?」

I need to return to the “Front World” immediately.

Lark will use that skill orb even if she knows it will kill her.

Not for herself.

But to protect the weak——the weak like me.

I have to return soon.

I have to go back and pull out【Shadow King】from her body.

Lark will not let go of that power no matter what anyone says. She knows she can protect many people with that power.

…However, what if it was me?

I can persuade Lark. No, I definitely will.

There is now another reason to return to the “Front World” as soon as possible.