Arifureta After III   Tortus Travel Journal ⑨

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Hajime collapsed before their eyes.

「「Hajime!」」

Shuu and Sumire spontaneously rushed toward him seeing that scene.

They kneeled beside him and reached out their hand, but those hands passed through their son’s body and wandered in empty air.

「Tou-san, Kaa-san. I’m over here.」

Hajime approached Shuu and Sumire while smiling wryly. Yes, the real Hajime was.

The two gasped and turned their gaze. They saw the figure of their son holding up Myuu there and let out a long sigh in relieve. And then, they made a similar wry smile.

At the same time, before their eyes the past Hajime who was wounded all over melted into thin air and vanished.

This place was the true Orcus Great Dungeon――floor 100. The final destination of the abyss, the place where the hideout of Oscar Orcus was located, and then, the location where the strongest guardian the Hydra was lying in wait.

Until now Hajime and co were watching the grand last boss fight that Hajime and Yue got into.

Even though they understood that it was nothing more than projection, it was a fight for survival with impact that couldn’t be compared with a mere 3D movie.

The hydra’s roar, the fatal breath attack, the counterattack using magic and gunshot……

And then, Hajime who covered Yue and got swallowed by the fatal light.

His right eye was evaporated, a part of his body was carbonized, and he pitched forward falling as though he had no strength left.

In order to protect Hajime, Yue dashed forward holding Donner with one hand in her condition that only had meager magic power.

The scene was a storm of light  bullets trampling through space like a meteor shower couldn’t help made the parents but stiffen up even though they knew that it was just a projection. In fact, if Kaoruko and Akiko didn’t receive magic that increased their mental resistance from Tio, they would have fainted more than dozens of times about now.

The sight of those light bullets hitting Yue hard until her body became tattered was something hard to believe looking at her current invincible queen like self.

At the same time, her figure that was gritting her teeth without taking even a single step back no matter what, risking her life in order to protect Hajime looked so noble it shook them. Sumire and Shuu too, they couldn’t help but hugging Yue tightly while watching the projection.

Before long the fatal light of judgment was fired. Before that attack that was unleashed in order to annihilate the insolent intruder, Yue was staring straight ahead, however……

Hajime revived in a hair’s breadth.

Everyone spontaneously cheered 「Oo!」. But, they immediately understood from looking. That Hajime didn’t revive or anything. It was only his guts supporting him. Hajime’s figure that was visibly in appalling state vividly displayed that he almost wasn’t even healed at all.

However, from there it was a dramatic development. It was overwhelming, astounding, and miraculous. It was like a tale of a legend.

The two nestling close to each other within the meteor shower was slipping through as though they were dancing. The light of annihilation was already like it was nothing more than a splendorous lighting illuminating the two.

Running through the air, smashing the ceiling and dropping it, transmuting an improvised smelting furnace. The blue flame of demise was unleashed with harmonized beat of the two.

The scream of death agony of the last guardian echoed.

When everything was over, Shuu and other parents, no, even Shia and the others who were watching that sublime scene that could be mistaken as a part of a myth forgot to even breath due to the intense deep emotion they couldn’t describe with words inside them.

Like that, when Hajime said 「I’m spent」 and fell flat, all of them finally returned to their senses.

「Amazing right?」

Hajime’s words that sounded somewhat elated echoed.

Shuu and Sumire’s eyes turned wide hearing that.

If pushed to say, all this time Hajime had no motivation in showing his past projection all this time, but now he wasn’t even really alluding anything like 「It’s just something of the past」 about this scene, instead he looked proud……no, just from looking it could be seen that he was being smug.

In the middle, Myuu who was being hugged clung to Hajime tightly, so half of his face was covered by the little girl, but the other half of his face was clearly showing his smugness.

「That’s unusual, for you to make such self-satisfied look when it’s not about your invention.」

「Because it was that kind of deadly battle. ……The cheat recovery item that was the god water, a weapon that can fire excessive fire power regardless of the state of the user, and then a partner with cheat-like magic ability. I wouldn’t be able to survive if even a single one of those was missing. It was a battle that was literally putting up everything I and Yue had.」

In a sense, perhaps it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that everything began from this victory.

「Above all else, my partner did her best here. The victory of this battle, well, there isn’t any need to be humble about it. It’s my and Yue’s――pride.」

Saying that, Hajime gently patted the head of Yue who had come to his side unnoticed. Yue’s expression became loose and soft, as though a voice 「funi~」 would leak out from her mouth somehow.

Shuu muttered 「Is that so……」 while narrowing his eyes from the dazzling sight, while Sumire too was saying 「I see」 with a gentle smile.

「Even so, that was truly intense Goshujin-sama.」

「Yes……it far surpassed my imagination.」

Tio and Shizuku’s words served as the beginning. After them the other people also started saying their impression.

The parents couldn’t hide their excitement, while Shia and others were oozing out some envy and admiration. Shia alone was knocking her fist together while saying 「I want a one-on-one fight. How far I can go in a handicap battle using only my fist, I wish to test myself desuu! Won’t the monster pop up again?」 with her rabbit ears shaking wildly.

The wild rabbit couldn’t stop herself from swinging her fist after knowing there was such a formidable enemy.

The hopeless rabbit of the past who wasn’t good with strife……had died!

「Now that she said it, Hajime. The monsters of the labyrinth can pop up again right? It looks like the hydra doesn’t come out though……」

「Aah, perhaps because it’s the last boss. It won’t pop up when I or Yue are here.」

‘I see, so if I’m alone I’ll be able to have at it with that guy then!’ the fighting god rabbit said with her rabbit ears swinging wildly. Leaving the rabbit aside, Tomoichi was turning his gaze to deeper inside with shining eyes.

「So Hajime-kun, the hideout is behind that splendid door?」

「Yes, that’s right. How about we go there right away?」

For Tomoichi, it seemed that this last boss room was actually really interesting and attracted his attention.

The pillars in the pillared corridor had splendid engraving applied to every single of them, displaying a solemn atmosphere. The double-leafed door standing at the inner part itself was also a work of art. In that case, the hideout was surely a place that would charm the heart of an architect without a doubt, Tomoichi thought.

By the way, it seemed regeneration magic was applied to this place, so the trace of the fierce battle had been automatically fixed. In a sense, this large space itself could be called an artifact that possessed automatic recovery function. It could be perceived clearly that Oscar’s skill was godly.

「……Nn, before that, please watch the training scene of Hajime without fail.」

This room after the battle versus the Hydra became a good training place for Hajime and Yue during the two months after the dungeon conquering.

It seemed that Yue wished to show everyone that the current Hajime’s fighting ability and precise shooting that made everyone shudder weren’t something that were easily obtained. She wished to show Hajime’s effort here.

Tomoichi said 「Hmph……very well, let me take a look of it」 while he sent the gaze of “evaluation of worthiness to become son-in-law of who knows how many times it is” toward Hajime. He received an elbow on his side from Kaori.

「Actually I’m really interested. That shooting skill isn’t normal. I’m curious what kind of training he did to learn it.」

「His martial art too. It’s not systematic but, it has a really rational movement……I understand that it’s something cultivated in real battle but, as expected, I’m also extremely curious at his training too.」

It seemed that this was an extremely fascinating event for Shuuzou and Koichi. The eyes of the two were shining blazingly. Next they moved forward in order to secure the front seat with rough breathing. They received a strike from the back of Shizuku’s katana.

「……Nn. Then……around here I think?」

Yue muttered while at the same time she adjusted the time axis and snapped her finger.

What was projected was the firefight between Yue and Hajime.

From what they could see, Hajime was exhausted from excessive training while Yue was looking worried. Even so, Hajime said that there was no meaning in training that wasn’t surpassing the limit and he asked Yue to be his opponent.

Yue nodded to respond to Hajime’s determination. Hajime yelled to her.

――’Now, no need to hold back. Come! Magic cheat!’

――’Nn-. Eat this, the violence of quantity!’

It was the violence of quantity. It was flame bullets in number that covered the sky. And then, for some reason the bullets were heart shaped. Yue-sama, seeing the heart shaped fire bullets got their magic core fired through and dispersed, her chest tightened *kyu-!* and she prattled something like 「I was shot through」.

Her feeling toward Hajime, was 3000 Celsius♡

Something like that. In addition, it was a tyrannical number that showed no end in sight.

「Yue-chan……Okaa-san, doesn’t hate you okay?」

「Tsk-……」

「Yue-san……」

「As to be expected from thee, Yue.」

Gazes that were filled with exasperation stabbed Yue. There was just a single person clicking her tongue.

「……Nn-. I made a slight mistake.」

It seemed she mistook the time axis. She tried to show the training in a different time axis while feeling slightly flustered but……

Putting aside Yue’s behavior, the unfolding scene was intense. The storm of magic bullet that even resembled the meteor shower of light bullet before this was shot through by the two handguns Hajime wielded. He continued to stave off the attack just barely.

Concentration power to the degree that made his speech became halting.

Super high speed midair reload using super fast gun spin. Precise sniping that was like aiming at the approaching grains of rice which made the heart of the spectators skipped――firing through the magic’s core.

Like that……

――’Then, itadakimasu’

――’Wai-, sto-, aaa—–!!’

Hajime-san who was unable to resist was overcame, or rather he was pushed down and devoured deliciously――

「Disintegration-」

The past projection was disintegrated along with the magic power and it dispersed.

「Yue you pervert! Saying it’s a training while doing such envio――impure act! Unbelievable, completely unbelievable! What’s more, to think that you would assault Hajime-kun who was completely exhausted and couldn’t move, how envi――terrible!」

「Kaori, your real thought」

Just as Shizuku pointed out, Kaori-san, her real thought was completely leaking out. She was slightly drooling. Tomoichi san was looking at faraway. It seemed that he decided that he didn’t see anything.

「……Nn, I’m sorry. Assaulting Hajime became a daily occurrence so」

‘That ain’t any excuse at all……’ Everyone thought. And then, the male faction thought 「So he was assaulted routinely…….」 and looked at Hajime with a complicated expression. Hajime threw his sight to really faraway.

Like this and that, for a while they watched Hajime who trained until he collapsed every time, Yue who would nurse Hajime who became unable to move in various senses, and Kaori who would go ‘Disintegrate-‘ every time the nursing looked like it would become R-rated.

By the time Shuu and others started to show comprehending expression of Hajime’s current strength seeing how he continued to train absurdly, the training showflirting show ended and the group finally stepped inside the hideout.

「This place……is it underground here?」

The one who unconsciously muttered that was Tomoichi who was looking forward to it the most. It seemed that the whole group had the same feeling like that leaked out sentiment.

Spacious area, artificial sun shining at the ceiling, one side of the walls inside became a waterfall, there was also a river and also fruit trees and vegetable field.

And then, a three storey mansion that looked like it was created by directly scraping off the rock wall was being illuminated by the artificial sun, showing its white wall gorgeously.

「The sun will become like a moon when night comes. By putting this artificial sun into practical use, I created the sun convergence laser weapon――Hyperion.」

「……Hajime-kun. As an adult, I think there is something that I should say to you who thought of a mass destruction weapon when seeing a sun of blessing but……sorry. I cannot find any word.」

「No, Tomoichi-san, even if you apologize to me with that kind of creeped out face……」

「Papaa–! Myuu also want a sun as present for Myuu’s next birthday nano!」

「No, Myuu. Even if you begged me with such smile that is like a sun……」

Although, Myuu was also a girl at that age. Perhaps she would need a weapon soon……

Putting aside the hopeless Hajime papa who was pondering such thing, Yue took the initiative to act as guide.

「……Right, everyone. This is the residence of me and Hajime in Tortus. This is our love nest.」

「This is Oscar Orcus-san’s hideout isn’t it!」

‘Aa?’ ‘Oo?’ Yue-sama and Kaori-chan glared at each other. This was a scene where anyone would definitely want Self Restraint-kun to put censor on the face of the two. That was just how terrible the two were making the expression that beautiful girl shouldn’t show.

‘Okay okay, break it out you two~’, Shia & Shizuku separated the two. While that was going on, Hajime invited the parents inside the mansion. At the end of the line Yue and Kaori were being dragged by their respective best friend.

Tomoichi let out a long sigh.

「How beautiful…….What’s more, to think that the building doesn’t have any joining point.」

「Oscar was a transmutation master like me. This residence was also created using transmutation, so it’s style is very different from a normal building.」

Tomoichi was earnestly letting out sigh of admiration seeing the strange architecture style that he had never seen before. His eyes were sparkling bright, like a child that was visiting an amusement park for the first time. Kaoruko was watching her husband who was like that with a warm gaze.

After that, Hajime showed around the living space and workshop, the treasure warehouse where many of Oscar’s creation were still left behind, and the site of the storage place of the “Oscar’s prototype – succeeded by Hajime” maid golem that was burned and destroyed by Yue in the past.

There were only novel things inside. The parents were excited from start to finish.

Especially when it was times like when they found “Prototype – Dragon Killing Sword” (Named by Oscar) in the treasure warehouse, all the men went into festive atmosphere where they all tried swinging it.

By the way, for some reason the one who handled and looked the best with it was Kirino-okaasan.

「And then this place here…….it’s where we obtained the first age of god magic and learned the truth of this world.」

After opening the thick door at the third floor and entering inside, it was the room where the magic circle for inheriting age of god magic was inscribed.

Hajime showed a thinking gesture for a bit. Shuu asked him while his eyes were shining seeing the magic circle.

「Hm? What’s the matter Hajime?」

「……Aah, I’m thinking that I might as well introduce everyone.」

「Introduce? Who do you mean?」

「Of course, I mean the liberator who was the creator of this great labyrinth. The extraordinary transmutation master――Oscar Orcus.」

Saying that, Hajime sent an eye signal to Yue.

Right after that, a silhouette emerged in front of the chair placed at the back of the room. A black clothed youth――Oscar.

『You did well overcoming the trial and arriving here. My name is Oscar Orcus. The person who created this great labyrinth. Perhaps you will understand if I say that I’m a rebel?』

The entrance of the intellectual looking young man wearing glasses with his black hair tied behind his neck gathered the attention of all the parents who were curiously looking around inside the room.

「It’s the recording medium Oscar left behind. It’s something like his last will. When entering the magic circle after clearing the trial, he will show his figure to the dungeon conqueror. Right now it’s just a past projection though.」

Even while Hajime was giving explanation, Oscar was continuing his talk with deep intellect and firm will behind his eyes.

The truth of the world, the path they had taken, and then their wish.

「……They were, unable to win against the god. But, they didn’t lose the battle.」

Yue talked with narrowed eyes. Unusually a deep respect could be seen in her eyes. The parents felt a bit surprised at that. Someone who Yue genuinely and deeply respected from the heart was extremely few.

Kaori formed her words after her.

「They themselves were no good. But, they didn’t give up the future. Believing that someday people who will inherit their power will appear, they vanished to the corner of the world. They even parted from their comrades.」

「That became our strength. Kaori was able to survive was also thanks to what they had left behind.」

With deep emotion Shizuku let out her words tremblingly filled with deep thought of gratitude. Aiko also spoke with a voice that was filled with similar deep gratitude.

「Everyone was able to return to Japan was also thanks to them leaving behind their strength.」

「Truly, they art worthy to be described as brilliant. Even in the long history of the dragon race, there were none who persisted in such firm and striking way of life like them.」

Tio closed her eyes as though praying for the dead’s happiness in the next world and she silently gifted them with the greatest eulogy.

Shia lowered her rabbit ears solemnly and opened her mouth.

「Someone like Miledy-san was seriously annoying, but she even turned into a golem and continued to live……a thousand years, ten thousand years? Throughout a long period of time that no one know about, by herself alone……she was annoying but, she helped up, saved the world, and died a noble death.」

「……Nn. She went out with a smile. She was an annoying person but, she was a strong person who was worthy of admiration.」

「O, oi. Shia, Yue. You don’t need to keep saying annoying every time……no, she was really annoying just as you said but……」

Usually Hajime would deliberately not read the atmosphere, but now that he was reading the atmosphere for a bit he was making that kind of statement, though naturally he was ignored.

『I pray that from here on you will live under free will.』

Oscar finished with that and vanished.

A tranquil atmosphere silently filled the room.

A beat later, Shuu and Sumire came forward. Tomoichi and others also came forward as though they understood what they were going to do.

All the parents put their hands together before the place where Oscar was standing and prayed silently. Their prayer was filled with gratitude and respect, and various other thoughts.

――’Nn. What to do?’

――’Hm? Nothing particular. In the first place, we were summoned by the god as he pleased and got told to go to war. That god is nothing but trouble. I don’t give a damn what will happen to this world.’

Everyone went 「Hm?」 hearing that conversation. Hajime and Yue leaked out their voice 「……ah」.

――’Yue, are you bothered about it?’

――’My place is right here……I don’t care of anything else’

After the last will of a deceased person, what’s more it was the last will of a great person, for some reason a pink colored space was formed. Kaori’s eyes turned hollow.

Not just the gaze of the parents, even the gaze of Shia and others toward Hajime and Yue became complicated.

Yue tried to end the projection right away, but Kaori took it over in the middle. Yue tried to protest 「What are you doing!」, but before she could,

――’Aa~, for now, this place is already ours, let’s clean up that corpse’

――’Nn. Fertilizer for the field’

Next, Hajime-san took the ring that was the proof of conquering the dungeon from Oscar’s finger.

They had conquered the dungeon so it was only natural to take it but……

The figure taking off the ring without any hesitation was the figure of a pure outlaw who didn’t possess the very concept of compassion or sympathy itself. Furthermore, that figure said 「Does this guy has anything else on him」 while rustling the black clothes around. Like a vulture.

The doubtful gazes of the parents and the wive~s were becoming reproachful eyes that made even Yue turned pale.

Hajime and Yue turned their gaze to the beyond with harmonized movement.

But, Shuu grinned widely and clasped his hand on Hajime’s shoulder. And then, he spoke with a voice that was scarily lacking in intonation.

「Hajime. Do you know what is Tou-san thinking right now?」

「E, e~rr……Tou-san, you know, though not much, I at least made a proper grave.」

「I see. Then I want to offer prayer in front of the grave, so show me the place after this.」

「Ro, roger. Then right away――」

Hajime immediately tried to turn around to gloss over the matter, but he didn’t manage it. His opposite shoulder also got clasped by a hand. Whose hand? Sumire’s.

「Hajime? Don’t you have anything to say to Okaa-san and Otou-san I wonder?」

「Anything, to say?」

The smile of Sumire-okaasan became really deep. Hajime thought, 「Ah, this, it’s that thing huh」.

That hunch was right on the money! Right after that, the eyes of Nagumo married couple slanted upward with great momentum.

「Don’t treat the dead rudely-, this stupid son!」

「That person wasn’t your enemy or anything right! Far from that he was someone who gave you important gift! This idiot son!」

Indeed, it was completely as they said. *Bam-*, Hajime-san received clenched fists on his head.

It was absurd to expect such emotion and common sense from Hajime of that time, there were various excuses he could make.

Although, now that he was harboring a definite respect toward Miledy and others the liberators, looking back at his action then, even he himself was thinking that perhaps it was a bit unforgivable……

Because of that,

「So, sorry」

He honestly showed remorse.

「Go, Goshujin-sama art apologizing!? A dream! This art a nightmare! Shia! Help me to wake up!」

「Leave it to me! Shaoraaa-!!」

Thunderous sound.

A full swing of the war hammer. A silhouette flew into the wall and went through it. And then, the voice of happiness saying 「Thank you very much!」 with echo.

Shuu and Sumire turned their gaze to Yue as though nothing had happened.

「Yue-chan too! Your generally cold reception toward non family, well we don’t mind it but, an act that is blaspheming the dead, Okaa-san cannot admire that at all!」

「……Ye, yes. I’m sorry.」

「Well, considering the situation at that time it might be understandable but……treating the dead as fertilizer even though he didn’t do anything bad to you, I don’t think Otou-san can overlook that.」

「……Ye, yes, Otou-sama. When I myself watched that scene anew, I think that perhaps it’s a bit unforgivable.」

‘I’m really reflecting……’ Yue-sama was downhearted. ‘Otou-sama and Okaa-sama scolded me……’ She was seriously depressed.

The demon king and his legal wife who achieved being the world’s strongest for real were reflecting. It was an extremely miraculous situation. If the people of Tortus saw this sight, they would go crazy or faint, or perhaps they would revere and worship the two parents similar like the mother of a certain goddess of bountiful harvest, no doubt about it.

There was nothing that was representing Oscar on the chair inside the room but……

Hajime and Yue somehow got the feeling that he was laughing wryly at them.

After that, they offered prayer in front of Oscar’s grave, pulled out the dragon woman who was stuck on the field, and then the group activated the past playback everywhere in the hideout while getting a glimpse of Hajime and Yue’s life at that time.

It was truly a sugary livelihood where they could only be called as newlywed spouses.

Extremely high sugar content. The scenes that would undoubtedly give anyone sugar diabetes in one shot made Kaori’s tongue clicking to generate like machine gun.

And then, Yue was looking smug even while feeling embarrassed. A flash of silver grazed her cheek.

「U~n……」

「? What’s the matter?」

Shizuku looked like she wasn’t convinced somewhat. Aiko tilted her head and asked her.

「How should I say it……some footage flew in here and there unnaturally……somehow it’s like I’m looking at an edited recording……」

「Ah, certainly, there is that kind of feeling.」

It seemed it wasn’t just Shizuku who was feeling that something wasn’t right. Aiko also clapped her hands in agreement.

There, Sumire pointed at a door deeper inside the room and raised a questioning voice.

「Hey, Hajime. We haven’t go there. What is behind that door?」

「Aa~, that place, it’s that. The bathroom. It’s connected to an open air bath.」

「My! That’s great! So there is also bathing custom in another world! Or perhaps is it the personal hobby of Oscar-san?」

Saying that, Sumire turned her step toward the bathroom energetically. Hajime spoke toward his mother who was like that.

「It goes without saying but, we won’t activate the past replay there.」

「I get it. There is also Yue-chan here, there is no way I’ll be so sad that I’m going to intentionally watch my son being stark naked.」

There was one reaction to Sumire’s words. However, everyone entered inside the bathroom while no one was noticing it.

「Ho~, it’s a splendid bathroom!」

「There is like a waterfall coming ahead of our gaze……it looks like Oscar-san was also talented when it come to architecture design.」

Shuu and Tomoichi were in admiration. Hajime poured his magic power to activate the Merlion hot spring version to show how the hot water came out from it.

But, at that instant,

「Aaa, my hand slipped~」(monotone)

Kaori-san, it seemed her hand slipped and activated the past replay.

What would slip inside a bathroom should be the foot, and even if the hand slipped why would the age of god magic got activated? But putting aside those questions, what got projected by the careless magic activation was the figure of Hajime relaxing in the hot spring at night.

「My, nice body.」

「!?」

「……Oh my」

「!?」

By the way, the top was Kirino, and it was Koichi who turned toward her in a flash. The bottom was Akiko, and it was Aiko who turned toward her in a flash.

「Hey-, Kaori! What do you mean your hand slipped! Dispel it right away!」

「……」

「Don’t stare hard at it like that! It’s nothing you hadn’t seen before! Aah geez, you aren’t listening huh. Shizuku! Hold down that secretly perverted childhood friend of yours right away……wait, why even you are staring hard at it like that huh!」

Hajime lightly slapped Kaori’s cheek *pechi pechi* to return her to her senses while demanding her to dispel the magic once more.

「Come on return to your senses, hidden pervert meister!」

「I’m not a hidden pervert or a meister!」

「Who cares about that, just dispel it right away.」

「E, err, it feels a bit difficult! It’s because my hand slipped! My hand keeps slipping!」

「What do you mean your hand keep slipping!?」

「Like this, like a bobsleigh!」

「Bobsleigh!?」

While the meister and Hajime were doing their comedy skit, the situation that Hajime feared finally arrived.

「Yue! Hide it!」

「……Nn-」

The one who finally came was the past Yue. She immediately projected a swimsuit illusion above her past projection. The eyes of the male faction got protected just in the nick of time.

「Kaori」

「Uh, I’m sorry.」

Hajime was oozing out cold sweat at the accident that almost happened while sending Kaori a reproachful gaze. Kaori too reflected on herself that she was messing around too much while dispelling the magic.

But, for some reason the projection didn’t vanish. Inside the projection, Yue-sama who was scattering around a bewitching atmosphere in full blast for some reason was standing before Hajime.

‘Why didn’t itt vanish!?’ Hajime’s expression was flustered, however, he immediately discovered the magic power stream using his magic eye stone.

The culprit, was the hopeless dragon.

「SHIAAA!」

「Ah, yes! SHAORAAA-!!」

「Thank you very much-」

The hopeless dragon vanished into the other side of the waterfall.

But, it seemed the projection cut off too late.

――’I’m getting out!’

――’You won’t escape!’

――’Wai-, wait, ah, AAA——!!’

There, the projection dispersed as though something precious had scattered.

*Shii~n*, a really awkward silence was flowing.

There, Yue’s cheeks flared up bright red while she reported once more.

「……Nn. Otou-sama, Okaa-sama. Let me apologize beforehand. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.」

「Ah, yes, sorry that we can only prepare such meager meal?」

「No, Sumire, I think that’s not the right thing to say.」

The awkward atmosphere became even more awkward. Shia and others were showing complicated expression that felt like saying 「Aa~, it was this timing……」.

「Papa~. What delicious thing Yue-oneechan was eating nano?」

「……Ask Remia about it later.」

「!?」

The question of a child that was troubling parents was completely thrown toward the mother by Hajime-san. His life gauge was at the red zone.

「I, I see. The past projection that looks edited is because something like this.」

「……The projection got really heavily edited.」

That was how many daily scenes that were in the category of “We cannot show it okay!’. The blushing Shizuku and Aiko were restlessly looking around with indescribable expression.

Kaoruko and Kirino said 「Aa~, to be young」. They felt awkward, but they also gave a slight teasing atmosphere. On the contrary, the atmosphere of Shuuzou and Koichi felt half awkward and half lukewarm.

And then, Tomoichi was,

「Tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk-」

「Ka, Kaori……」

His expression was shuddering in respond to his daughters gatling tongue clicking that came from her grand self-destruction due to replaying the past as he pleased because of curiosity.

「……It will be, lunch time soon, let’s eat.」

「……Nn-」

Yue was still bashful and fidgeting. Hajime had a distant look while announcing the end of the morning part of Orcus tour in order to change the atmosphere somehow.

Hajime and co easily returned to the royal palace using a gate. A long time had passed without them noticing while they were doing the Orcus tour. The time had gone long past noon.

Perhaps because they were shown various things, they forgot about their empty stomach. But now their empty stomach abruptly began to declare their existence. Hajime and co took lunch that was prepared by Hellina along with Liliana who almost cried because she got left behind while doing her work in desperation.

They had fun talking about various memories, which caused Liliana’s teary eyes to become increasingly sullen.

At the same time, she was also showing a superhuman technique of listening to Kaori’s complaining 「Hey, listen to me Lily! That stupid Yue! That stupid Yue! She was an erorist-san! Hey, are you listening? Lily!」 that was like a machine gun while acting sullen while she was doing her work and also calming Kaori down at the same time, furthermore she was doing it while eating with a beautiful table manner.

Hajime slightly consoled such Liliana while the group finished their lunch.

「I never thought, that I would be left behind for real……」

「No, my bad Lily. But you see, the power of Hellina’s gaze was terrific. It told me 『There is, work. Taking, princess away, absolutely no good (monotone)』.」

「What’s with the halting language. Or rather! I – a – mm! The princess! Hellina, is the maid! Why does Hellina get prioritized!」

「……Haha-」

「Why are you laughing!?」

Hajime looked aside with a face that seemed to say ‘The after meal tea, is delicious~’. Liliana glared at him with a resentful expression. Though she got teary eyes so that expression not only lacked impact, rather it looked cute.

Liliana directed a tearful glare to the culprit who was her exclusive maid. Hellina bowed respectfully.

「My deepest apologies, Liliana-sama. However, in order to accompany the trip of Lord――cough-, Hajime-sama’s trip starting from tomorrow, it is also necessary to finish within today all matters for the next couple of days that needs Liliana-sama’s decision.」

「Pe, perhaps that’s so but……no wait, just now, didn’t you say lord just now? You just referred to Hajime-san as your master didn’t you!? Hey, Hellina!?」

「Today the destination is Orcus Great Labyrinth. This Hellina know what is inside Liliana-sama’s heart so well it’s painful, but I believe the place Liliana-sama should accompany them to should be the imperial capital that will be the destination starting from tomorrow.」

「Uu……I cannot deny that……but, I want to know about Hajime-san’s past in the great labyrinth……also, you casually ignored my question didn’t you?」

「If Liliana-sama wish it, it will come true someday. The thing that has to be done right now should be done right now. I will sort out the work that can be postponed for later. If Liliana-sama’s work get delayed, the lord surely will also feel worried for you.」

「……You’re right. I understand, Hellina. Also, now you aren’t even hiding how you are calling him lord anymore. Please come to my room for a bit later. I will teach you once more who is your master!」

Hellina bowed respectfully. Shuu turned his gaze toward Hajime while feeling a bit concerned about the crisis the relationship of the master and servant.

「So Hajime. What are we going to do in the afternoon?」

「For the time being I’m thinking of going to Raisen Grand Canyon.」

「That’s where the encounter with me happen isn’t it!」

The rabbit ears moved *myon myon*. Shia looked really happy.

But, Kaori put a halt on that.

「Shia, sorry. I want to go to Orcus one more time before we go to Raisen Grand Canyon. Is it okay?」

「Hoe? I don’t mind that but, is there still anything else to see there?」

They would use up the majority of their schedule here if they were also going to watch the minor detail. Shia tilted her rabbit ears, thinking that they should have seen all that should be seen.

「You see, the time when we reunited……I want Otou-san and everyone else to watch it.」

‘I see’, Shia nodded.

In this trip, it felt like Tomoichi and Hajime had closed the distance between them by quite much, but as expected, Tomoichi was still holding a strong reluctance toward Hajime. That was why Kaori wanted to show her father the time when she was rescued.

「Yeah, I also want to see that no matter what.」

Shizuku too seemed to recall something about that time. She glanced to Hajime while blushing slightly.

Hajime turned expressionless just for a moment from receiving that glance. But, that too really only happened for an instant.

「……I guess. The time after we came out from Raisen Grand Canyon would also be fine but……there was also that scene huh.」

「……Hajime. It’s alright.」

Beside him Yue sharply noticed. She said “it’s alright” not with a questioning tone, but with a tone that was filled with conviction. Hajime looked fondly at Yue in respond and caressed her cheek. As though to say “I’m fine”.

Hajime smiled wryly at Shuu and others who were tilting their head in puzzlement while gulping down his tea all at once. Then he announced their departure for the afternoon part of Orcus tour.

While getting seen off by the princess who had bloodshot eyes as though to say ‘Even if it killed me I’m gonna finish all the pressing work for these few days within today for suree~’, Hajime and co returned to Orcus Great Labyrinth.

Their destination was the surface level of Orcus Great Labyrinth――the floor 89.

Kaori’s gaze slightly wandered off to empty air as though to look back to that time while she started talking.

「At that time, we advanced until the next floor, the floor 90.」

「I think it was around four months since Hajime fell into abyss.」

Shizuku added.

The place they arrived at while giving that explanation was the place where Kaori and co once fell into a desperate situation in the past. They were at a spacious space with octagon shape located in floor 89.

There was a large hole still gaping open at the ceiling and wall. At the ceiling was the trace where Hajime smashed through using pile buker. The tunnel at the wall was the improvised hideout where Kaori and others escaped for dear life while carrying the wounded.

There was a regenerating function for the stone bridge at floor 65 that was a destination for a trap, but the majority of Orcus Great Dungeon’s surface level didn’t have regenerating function. And so, the trace of battle from that time was remaining clearly.

Kaori performed the past replay. The time axis was seemed to be when they escaped from floor 90 into this room.

With Kouki in the lead, the pale looking hero party, Nagayama party, and Hiyama party showed up from the passage deeper inside. After having some words, Nomura Kentarou who possessed the vocation earth mage started opening a hole in the wall.

「We were ambushed at floor 90. By a demon race woman and a lot of monsters. All of the monsters were unthinkably strong.」

「Two of us were petrified, Suzu was also heavily wounded. The mental shock and the exhaustion from going through losing battle, where, it’s just as you can see there.」

Hajime and Yue and the others also didn’t know about the detailed timing when the demon race woman――Cattleya attacked. And so, they were watching with great interest at Kaori and the classmates who were escaping into the improvised hideout at that time.

Then, ahead of where Hajime and co were watching, Nomura and others were starting to talk to each other. And then, they were staring still without any word at one of the four passages inside the room.

「? What are they doing? ……Hah!? Kaori, replay the scene just now for a bit!」

「Eh? Okay but……」

Kaori rewound the scene slightly. And then she resumed the scene.

This time she noticed. A black silhouette was soundlessly vanishing into the passage.

「It’s Endou! Endou is there!」

「……Nn-, as expected from Endou! He couldn’t be noticed just with a single playback!」

「Endou-san is really absurd isn’t he. As expected from the man who could travel through the dungeon without getting noticed by the monsters even once desuu! That thinness of shadow cannot be copied!」

「Umu. It’s truly a mystery. Even the projection of past replay inadvertently failed to notice him……even within the long history of the dragon race, someone with shadow that thin art the first time.」

「Endou-kun……I’m sorry that I always forgot to call your name when taking absence in the class! Sensei cannot forget Endou-kun’s despairing expression when you got told 『Your number of attendance days is lacking』 by the first year’s head teacher!」

A wailing resounded from earth……it felt like that.

By the way, Endou-kun had perfect attendance. He had never even arrived late.

Anyway, all the parent~s thought of Kousuke and his parents and cried.

「E~rr, Kaori? Why did he go off alone?」

「E, e~rr you see, Endou-kun he, how should I say it, his presence, should I say that it is weak, anyway he is a person with constitution that is hard to notice. It’s to the level that even monster will completely ignore him even though he is right before them.」

「……Such human exist for real?」

「……He really exist. I think that it’s mysterious though. It’s not a skill or magic. It’s a constitution that he has since before we were summoned.」

「Even earth was relatively filled with fantasy huh. Otou-san didn’t know……」

Anyway, thanks to the man who was nonchalantly within the category of mankind’s strongest and could escape from the dungeon to the surface just by himself, the reinforcement that was Hajime made it in time. The parents were given that explanation.

Tomoichi and others understood that he too was one of the benefactor of their daughters’ lives. They asked to rewind the projection slightly and expressed their gratitude.

They couldn’t find him just like how hard it was to find Wall○ though. (TN: Ask google-sensei about find Wally)

‘Eh? The projection has been rewound, so he should be right in front of us shouldn’t it? Where?’ While thinking that.

‘Find Endou!’ After spending a bit of time for that, the past projection displayed the attack of the monsters that were led by Cattleya.

The entrance of the hideout that was camouflaged was blown away. Kouki resolved himself and rushed out.

From there the situation developed quickly.

The hero’s power that used Limit Break was absurd, however, Cattleya used Meld as hostage and sealed it.

Unable to retreat or fight, Kouki was defeated against a monster called Ahatd that was in a different level from other monsters. Cattleya offered a deal which was responded by Shizuku with a grave expression.

Shizuku desperately string together her words in order to find a path of survival somehow. Then, Meld who recovered his consciousness put his life on the line for the last struggle――he tried to explode himself.

「So he is Meld Logins-dono.」

「I see……he is a magnificent warrior.」

Shuuzou and Koichi who were staring so hard at Shizuku’s figure they could open a hole with their gaze saw Meld who got mentioned in the talk at the palace and raised voice of admiration.

But, right after that, even Meld’s determination for death was sealed and ended in futility. He received a fatal wound and tumbled down on the ground. Seeing that, the expression of Shuuzou and others warped in grief.

The one who snapped seeing that was Kouki. Inside the projection, he displayed an astounding strength and cornered Cattleya once.

But, the matter couldn’t be resolved that easily. At the eleventh hour he finally noticed that “he was turning his sword toward a person” and Kouki’s sword turned dull. Regarding the matter of killing a living being, not to mention having the resolve for that, Kouki didn’t even have the self-awareness of it. Cattleya laughed at that.

Like that the table was turned.

In the place of their trump card Kouki who became unable to fight, it was Shizuku who stood at the front line.

Although it was the period of time where she was unskilled compared to the present, her speed and sword skill were astonishing. Seeing their daughter in a genuinely desperate battle in another world, Shuuzou tightened his lips forming a thin line, while Koichi was clenching his fist hard.

And then, Kirino quietly grasped Shizuku’s hand.

Right after that, Kirino’s hand grasped so strongly that Shizuku felt pain.

――’Shizuku-chan!’

The scream of Kaori. Shizuku too also suffered defeat. She was literally vomiting blood and crouched down. As a mother, it was undoubtedly a sight that Kirino couldn’t endure to watch.

「Ah, Kaori!」

「Kaori!」

The two who unconsciously yelled were Tomichi and Kaoruko. Ahead of the two’s gaze, Kaori recklessly rushed out alone by herself from the party’s formation that crowded to each other in order to protect themselves.

――’Ka, Kaori……what are you doing……go back quickly. You mustn’t stay here’

――’No. It’s the same anywhere. If that’s the case, then it’s better to be at Shizuku-chan’s side’

――’……I’m sorry. I couldn’t win’

――’It’s me who should apologize, for being unable to do anything than this. My magic power is nearly spent’

It was like their last words. No, those were truly their last words.

They were helpless. It was a complete checkmate.

Ahadt approached as though to engrave that on their body.

The parents trembled seeing the sight that had gone past being urgent and could even be said as despairing……

「It’s here! Otou-san Okaa-san! Everyone pay attention! Here! Here!」

Kaori-san was greatly excited for some reason. Her fingers pointed out straight and asked for attention.

「……Kaori. That’s, don’t copy……my act before this.」

「Silence! It will be an important scene after this! After all it is Hajime-kun and my, yes, Ha – ji – me – kun – and – my! Scene of reunion!」

「……Nn-, you don’t need to emphasize! Stupid Kaori!」

‘Or rather, Kaori, you remember most of Yue’s speech huh……’, a lukewarm atmosphere flowed among them. At the projection Kaori and Shizuku were snuggling on each other where they were just a step before death, but the tension was completely dispersed.

Then, the next instant the ceiling burst. A giant stake with crimson spark running on it pierced Ahadt along with the despair and pulverized them.

From the smashed ceiling, Hajime descended and landed lightly.

His back was turned toward Kaori and Shizuku as though to protect them, and he looked toward them across his shoulder.

――’You two are really close like usual huh’

Hajime smiled wryly while saying that to the dumbfounded duo.

Instantly.

「KYAAAAAAAAAAH♪ HAJIME-KU~~~N!!」

「……Kaori, noisy!」

Kaori grabbed Yue’s shoulders and shook her back and forth while raising a shrill scream like a big fan accidentally encountering a celebrity.

It seemed she didn’t even hear Yue’s protest. Yue was already in a jostled state. Her reproachful gaze was rapidly evolving to become a super reproachful gaze.

「Otou-san Otou-san! See see!? It’s moving right!? That’s Hajime-kun see! And then, the one getting protected there, is me! Kufuu!」

「Ah, right, I’m watching. I, it’s really moving」

‘If only Kaori doesn’t act so high spirited a bit creepily like this.’ Tomoichi-otousan added inside his heart. Kaoruko put her hand on her forehead and her expression turned as though she was watching a troubling child.

And then, the Hajime-kun in question was covering his face with his hands. If there was a hole he would want to enter inside.

On the other hand, the other involved person which was Shizuku was

「……」

She was staring at the paused projection of past Hajime’s face from the side with a somewhat dazed expression *pohee~*.

「She fell in love.」

「So she fell in love here.」

「I see now.」

「!?」

The words of Kirino, Koichi, and Shuuzou caused Shizuku to twitch. She wouldn’t deny that at this late hour, but just in case she mumbled「At this time, it’s not like, I have self-awareness of it or anything……」 with a small voice.

Gentle gazes showered down on her. Unable to stand it, she wrapped her ponytail around her face. Ponytail guard activate. Don’t look at me!

Kaori who was in a good mood hugged Yue’s head from behind and she nuzzled it in delight while saying.

「Theeen, I’ll put the scene in the loooop~」

「……Bakaori, don’t get carried away.」 (TN: Baka + Kaori = Bakaori)

Yue lightly slapped *pechi pechi* the cheek of Kaori who was hugging her while she was going to forcefully end the past projection.

「Yue, my bad but keep the projection playing.」

「……Nn」

Yue obeyed Hajime’s words and forcefully advanced the past projection ahead. Kaori was annoying, so she reflexively wanted to end the scene.

Due to a curbstomp fight that would put off any ordinary person watching it, the powerful monsters were easily turned into mince meat. Just in case, faint mosaic were applied to the image by Yue’s miraculous feat so the scene was kind to the eye compared to the reality.

Like that, that time finally arrived.

A single dry gunshot sound. It resounded excessively loudly.

Shuu and others didn’t speak any word. They couldn’t say anything. It was like there was a solid lock closing the box where their words were stored.

Fresh blood danced within their sight.

――’Why, why did you kill her. Is there any need to kill……’

Kouki’s words echoed.

「If you are watching then you can understand, the demon race is undoubtedly “person”. What was done just now, was without a doubt a “murder”.」

Shuu and Sumire silently looked back to Hajime who said that. Tomoichi and other parents covered their mouth and went pale.

Shuu walked toward Hajime. And then, in opposite of the time when Hajime carelessly treated the corpse of Oscar before this, he clasped his shoulder gently. He massaged the shoulder as though to loosen something stiff.

「Thanks for showing us that.」

Shuu only said that. He didn’t say anything else.

Sumire was also the same. She only stroke Hajime’s hair messily, then she only silently watched the continuation of the past image.

Things that should be asked had been wholly asked that time when Hajime returned home to them. What they wanted to say had also been wholly expressed in words.

There was nothing that they wanted to discuss once more, to say nothing of wanting to admonish Hajime or anything. They simply wanted to watch his experience with their own eyes. That was all.

Hajime didn’t understand what should he call the deep emotion dwelling within Shuu and Sumire’s eyes. However, somehow, he thought that the emotion resembled ocean.

While Yue and others were watching over them, Tomoichi and other parents snuggled close to Kaori and Shizuku, and then Aiko too.

Within the projection, Kaori was being shocked by Hajime’s complete change, even so she said her gratitude that he was alive.

「Otou-san, I was only lucky.」

「……I see. No, you’re right.」

Tomoichi looked at Hajime. With Japanese people’s sensitivity, no, with a human’s sensitivity, the act that occurred before their eyes where something that was hard to accept right away.

However, Tomoichi, and also Kaoruko and the other parents too were certainly feeling emotion that couldn’t be measured with just ordinary common sense or ethics.

「Shizuku. You had done your best. You did great surviving.」

「Otou-san……」

「You fought well in order to protect your friend. I’m proud of you.」

「Ojii-chan.」

Koichi and Shuuzou naturally noticed. Shizuku was scared at the bottom of her heart, however she faced Cattleya with a definite killing intent.

Both of them caressed Shizuku’s head with clumsy hand manner. Shizuku wanted to cry slightly but then Kirino gently hugged her.

Like that, Tomoichi and others faced back toward Hajime and spoke out their thanks once more. Their words were short, but their words were filled with the deepest emotion until now.

The projection ended and silence returned.

For a while, everyone were entrusting their body and heart to the silence in order to sort out their heart.

Before long, unexpectedly it was Tomoichi who breached the silence perhaps in order to return the atmosphere to normal.

「Even so, when I imagine that my Kaori will get turned down after this……yep, I want to punch Hajime-kun flying until the end of the earth once more.」

「Shouldn’t that feeling be past its expiration date soon?」

「There is no expiration date to the feeling of a father who is thinking of his daughter you know, Hajime-kun.」

The atmosphere of the place softened just as planned from that conversation.

After that, Hajime and co looked around at the happening in Orcus for a bit more. Somehow it felt unfitting to come out from here and then go right away to a new destination and had fun there.

Within their chest there were complicated emotions that were transparent, complicated, clear but heavy, such contradicting emotions were jumbled within them. They wanted to keep hold to those feelings for a bit more.

And so, the group visited the sealing room once more with an atmosphere like taking a walk. It was Hajime’s idea.

What he showed them there was the event before the legendary decisive battle.

――’Let’s take her back, without fail’

――’Yeah. We’ll take her back, without fail’

Kaori and Hajime were talking about their memory of Yue, and then they showed a determination that was like blazing flame.

Yue writhed while leaking out strange voice「Nfuu」. Kaori blushed for some reason while also incomprehensibly acting tsundere saying「I, it’s not like I like Yue or anything, I’m telling you there is no way it’s like that!」.

They also replayed past projection in Oscar’s hideout once more, showing the time axis before the legendary decisive battle.

――’I wish for my life and death to be together with Yue-san’

Shia’s resolve was displayed to Hajime. In order to take away the option of letting only her survive. If they were unable to save Yue, then she would rather die together with Hajime, so she wished.

‘Obviously, rather I won’t let you get away’, Hajime responded with a smile.

Yue leaked out a voice「Nuwaa」 as though she was in the verge of death. Shia blushed and said「Do, don’t misunderstand, I simply super love Yue-san!」, inflicting a straight punch directly on Yue. Yue died in agony. She automatically revived though.

Through various things like that, everyone’s feeling recovered their calm. Around that time.

「Now then, let’s continue the trip.」

Hajime ordered that with a gentle voice. Gentle voices of agreement resounded.

Like that the group headed to their next trip destination――the Raisen Grand Canyon while looking forward to the encounter with a hopeless rabbit.

–

AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.

With this, Tortus travel journal Orcus arc is over.

I’m thinking to write another different story next time.

I hope that there will be another chance to write the continuation of this while feeling the nostalgia slowly.

Best regards!

–

PS

The story of training time in the abyss that appear in this chapter is an excerpt from a part of the LN volume 1’s extra chapter.

For example, like Yuuka’s standing that is based on the LN (the female student who was saved from the Traum soldier), this after story sometimes would reference material from there.

It will help if you readers can be magnanimous.

–

PS 2

Dragon Killing Sword => It’s reimported from Nichijou lol