There’s an awkward mood in the air, in a not so big room of Sakuya’s house.
Reina is next to me, and Snow is holding on to her like a koala with her face buried in her chest.
I can’t see her face, but the way she’s not moving at all tells me she might be sleeping.
Xellos and Merlin are sitting in front of us, and to the side are Noname and an old man.
“Hum, first of all, can you tell me what happened, Reina?”
“Y-yes,”
She keeps peeking at Noname.
“It all started when Gyes came over from the demon gods’ village…”
“He said a human showed up there, and we recognized the name.”
Reina, Xellos, and Merlin all explain.
The old man’s name is Zephir Antman. He’s the second seat of the seven great mages, and his power earned him the nickname Imperial Lightning.
Apparently he’s their superior.
When he came to, he was on the ground close to the demon gods’ village.
“Yes… And I was helped by people of this village.”
He was on a boat in the sea, but he was on a mountain before he knew it.
He figured if he wasn’t just sleepwalking, then some sort of special power was at work. And so, he decided to simply get what information he could first.
And when he was attacked by a vicious monster, a warrior of the divine gods saved him.
“After all I have heard, I am fairly certain this is the faraway island we were trying to get to, but…”
“You couldn’t do anything?”
“Y-yes.”
He sounds a little evasive, but… Maybe that’s just me.
Even Reina, Xellos, and Merlin, members of the seven great mages, were at a disadvantage against monsters of this island.
Lately they have been getting stronger by training with people like Tiltue, but if they came across a reasonably strong monster, the best move would be to run.
“That happened a week ago, and some passing demon gods told me about it.”
“Eh?”
“What?”
Noname and I react, and Reina looks at us with a puzzled expression.
“What’s wrong?”
“Well, I found Noname yesterday, and she had just washed up on the shore.”
“Well, it did seem like it.”
“Ahn? That does seem weird…”
Let’s try to piece this together.
First, a week ago, Zephir suddenly appeared close to the demon gods’ village.
And since acting on his own would be dangerous, he’s been living in their village.
“And so, you all gathered here yesterday?”
“Yes.”
So they came here when I found Noname on the coast…
“There’s a big gap here. I think she’d die if she wandered around on the beach for a week…”
“I was unconscious, but I don’t think I was adrift for such a long time either.”
“Yes…”
Then again, maybe we shouldn’t think too deeply about what happens on this island.
There are much bigger mysteries. In fact, the ecology as a whole is weird.
“Well, but that’s what happened with us. We rushed here when we heard about the old man.”
“I see…”
Then their eyes fall on Noname.
“I should ask. Is she also…”
“Yes, she is the first seat of the seven great mages. The Monster of the End. The most powerful mage in the beginning. And…”
My master. Says Reina with a very displeased expression.
◇ ◇ ◇
It turns out Noname’s real name is Edinburgh Emil Edelheid.
I’ve heard all sorts of things about her, so I feel like she’s feared by the other seven great mages.
“So she’s the master Reina mentioned so much.”
“Yes. I never thought I would see her here though…”
Everyone’s tired, overloaded with information.
Sakuya takes notice of this, and prepares places where we can stay.
We’re staying with Snow in the same room, because she insists, and after changing into a yukata, I look down at the lights of the village through the window.
By the way, Snow is already sleeping on a futon.
Zephir said he will look after Noname… Edinburgh Emil Edelheid, so they’re in a different room.
“I’ve talked about it before, but she really was an unbelievable master.”
“Hahaha…”
She’s talking about when she was training.
When she was young, she was left in places crawling with dangerous monsters, and made to use her magic energy until she was half dead…
She said this crazy training repeated over and over.
“It really, really was absurd!”
“Hn… Mommy, too noisy.”
“Ah, sorry.”
Snow sits up and rubs her eyes with kind of an angry expression, and Reina apologizes.
And as we watch her go back to sleep, we laugh a little.
“Well, I’m surprised about her being here… But even more about her memory loss.”
“Yes.”
“And it seems Snow likes her…”
The Noname I know… Edinburgh, is a nice person.
At the very least, she’s nothing like what Reina described, so it’s puzzling to me.
“I hope her memory stays gone…”
“Ha, hahaha…”
In any case, there’s a clear difference between knowing her for a day like me, and knowing her for years like Reina.
“You look a little happy though.”
“I do not!”
“Mommy…”
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
“Hn…”
Sleepy Snow gets angry again.
“So, what now?”
“…We should leave her with Zephir for now. He’s been with her for over a hundred years, like her right hand man.”
“A hundred years?”
I’ve only lived close to thirty years, so I can only wonder what being with someone for a hundred is like.
Always together, or maybe there’s something between them they can’t get away from…
“I guess she really isn’t bad.”
“I don’t know how you reached that conclusion, but I’m sure there will be trouble again if she regains her memories.”
“Hahaha. Well, you said again.”
But Edinburgh isn’t the only issue.
According to Zephir, they were with other members of the seven great mages, along with the hero’s party they met before coming here.
They’re seasoned warriors too, but…
“I hope we can find them.”
“I hope the saint and the others are safe but… Cara and Seti… I don’t care.”
“Hahaha…”
I knew she didn’t really like them, but I didn’t know it was to the point of wanting them dead.
Anyway, I’ll start looking around the island tomorrow.
They might have ended up somewhere far from the coast, like Zephir.
“Looks like we’ll be busy again starting tomorrow.”
“It’s not like you have to be involved, Arata.”
“Still.”
I want to get everyone on the island together in a big banquet and laugh with all of them. That means I don’t want anyone to end up a casualty.
“I’ll do my best.”
“…That’s just like you, Arata.”
She says, as her face looks troubled for just a moment, before turning into a gentle smile.
Reina puts her shoulder on mine, and I just take it.
And then, we spend the night here in the demon gods’ village.
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