196 - Chapter 11: Epilogue
A victory celebration party was held in Baim.
It was held for various reasons. Although Baim had not fought much, the party was held to demonstrate that this battle was, ultimately, Baim's victory.
Executive officers from the participating guilds.
Merchants.
Captains of famous mercenary groups.
Among them, I attended with Vera. The other members were waiting at the mansion. This was because they hadn't been invited.
As I attended as an associate of Vera, the surrounding gazes gathered on me.
In the corner of Fidel-san's resentful gaze, I was carrying out the ancestors' instructions to provoke him by flirting with Vera.
"This is delicious."
Vera looked slightly exasperated as I ate the food. The reason was the reaction of those around us. Since they hadn't expected me to participate, gazes gathered excessively, yet no one spoke to me.
"Honestly. I thought it was strange when you said you wanted to attend the party... Why did you join? It can't be interesting for Lyell."
The atmosphere was different from Zain's victory party, but the food and liquor lined up were all high-grade items.
Looking at them, I said,
"No, I wanted to see Baim's true strength. It's strange that they still have this much power after I made them spend so much."
The Fourth Generation inside the Jewel agreed.
"Indeed. It means we can still squeeze more out of them. Though squeezing it out is quite a chore."
Well, half of me came to tease them after hearing they were throwing a party while ignoring us who worked so hard. The other half was to barge into the venue with Vera to provoke Fidel-san.
If I were to seek a bit more meaning, it was an act of provocation toward Baim.
(...I wonder? From Baim's perspective, aren't I basically a jinx?)
I was the one who succeeded in defending the fortress when they thought it was impossible, causing Baim to suffer losses. A large amount of armaments had been stored in Baim, but I had solved the problem by pushing most of them onto Zain and Rolfis in exchange for magic stones and materials.
However, those actions weren't a significant blow to Baim. Baim had the power to recover those losses quickly.
In the periphery of Fidel-san's vision as he spoke with other merchants, I took Vera's hand.
Fidel-san was chatting with his partner, but the Third Generation was laughing hysterically while watching the scene.
"He's glancing over! He's bothered!"
While enjoying the party and provoking those around me, a young man who looked like a merchant approached with a smile. I had seen this refreshing-looking youth somewhere before. The youth looked at me and said,
"Ah, Holy Knight-dono. I have heard of your exploits in this defense battle. Was my family's support useful?"
He was a member of the family I had requested support from. He was the heir. Just as I realized why his face looked familiar, I smiled back.
"Yes. Thanks to you, we were able to achieve victory. I am grateful."
I thanked him honestly.
The youth continued with small talk and then looked around. In other words—.
(Does he want to show that his family provided proper support?)
He was using me, but I had received sufficient support. Therefore, I didn't find this level of behavior bothersome. Rather, I welcomed it.
However, the ancestors never missed such an opportunity.
Mireia-san said,
"Lyell, hold Vera-chan's hand so this young man can see! Hold it like lovers! With your palms pressed together!"
Following the excited Mireia-san's instructions, I held Vera's hand as directed. While wondering what she was thinking, the youth looked at me and Vera.
"Oops, it seems I was in the way. My apologies. However, are you on good terms with the young lady of the Trace family?"
As the youth asked, the Fifth Generation's voice rang out.
"Oops, here comes the father-in-law."
The one who approached with a laugh, straightening his back, was Fidel-san. Having watched us, perhaps he could no longer endure it, or perhaps he had finally managed to escape the party guests who were flocking to him.
Approaching us, he said,
"Vera, it is fine to invite friends, but aren't you a bit too close?"
To his daughter, he smiled. To me, he directed a cold gaze while maintaining that smile. I greeted him.
"I'll pass, 'Father-in-law'."
Then, Fidel-san stepped on my foot in a way that no one around could see.
The Seventh Generation shouted from within the Jewel.
"You! How dare you do that to Lyell! I won't let this end with just provocation!"
It hurt to be stepped on, but it wasn't unbearable. However, the youth seemed to sense the atmosphere and left the scene with a smile.
Then, Fidel-san said in a voice inaudible to those around us,
"Brat... don't get carried away. Someone like you, I can crush at any time. Just like this!"
Fidel-san tried to put more strength into the foot he was pressing down with, but suddenly he began to break into a cold sweat.
Looking down, Vera was stepping on Fidel-san's shoe with the heel of her shoe.
"Ve... Vera... Father is in pain."
I watched, thinking he was impressive for not letting his expression crumble, and Vera smiled.
"Then you'll move your foot, won't you? Also, if you try to crush Lyell, you'll have me as an enemy too."
Fidel-san, who moved away from my foot, was released from the heel. A heel mark remained on his leather shoe.
"Vera, reconsider. This guy is no good. I cannot forgive him as a man. For starters, he's the kind of fellow who keeps more than ten women in his mansion. What is so good about him?"
In the party venue, it was no longer a situation where only I was drawing gazes. I felt the people around us glancing over, curious about the relationship between me and the Trace family.
Then, a person who looked like a guild executive appeared before us. Not from headquarters, but likely an executive from some branch.
Looking at us, he said,
"Ah, Fidel-dono. Were you acquainted with Lyell-dono?"
I could tell he was wary. Through the skills—All, Search—I felt that the opponent's guard was on alert and, though hidden, was directing hostility toward me.
I showed the hand I was holding with Vera so the opponent could see.
"Yes, we received a great deal of support this time as well. Our victory was only possible thanks to the assistance of the Trace family."
Deliberately emphasizing "as well," I looked at Fidel-san. He likely found it irritating, but Fidel-san did not let his expression slip.
"I am glad to hear that. By the way, does the South Branch not seem to be having quite a difficult time?"
From Fidel-san's words, the opponent must be an executive of the Guild's South Branch.
(The South Branch was like a place specializing in mercenary groups.)
The opponent shrugged.
"Mercenaries make little profit if they are hired and fail to produce results. This time, we were determined to defeat a large number of monsters, but someone interfered."
The executive's reaction changed from yellow to red for just a moment. I looked at the executive with a smile.
"That's a shame. If you had come to the fortress instead of staying shut in, you could have earned plenty."
—I provoked him. Cold sweat was running down my back, but the ones who instructed this were, naturally, the ancestors.
The Seventh Generation, in particular, was very enthusiastic.
"Lyell, tell him. Tell him it's only natural that those who are too cowardly cannot earn. While you're at it, teach him to hide his killing intent better. And finally... provoke him! Provoke him more!"
The Seventh Generation was quite harsh toward the executive, who served as the coordinator for the mercenary groups.
I spoke in a voice just loud enough for the executive to hear.
"You should hide your killing intent better. Besides, the guard next to you has been far too wary of me for a while now."
When I said this with a smile, the South Branch executive's expression did not change.
"I wonder what you mean? Perhaps you are tired from the battlefield? Should you not rest comfortably instead of coming to a place like this?"
He didn't care about this level of provocation. He maintained a facade, but I could tell he was enduring it. This was because the South Branch executive and his guard were displayed in bright red through the Sixth Generation's Search skill.
Additionally, there were many others around me directing hostility.
(...Why did I come to a place like this? Coming almost solely to provoke people is absolutely insane.)
Until the party ended, I pretended to enjoy the venue with Vera.
The next day.
When I woke up in the mansion, a youth named Gols, the grandson of old man Ratata, came rushing in and shouted.
In front of the large warehouse in the mansion's garden, he was pleading with old man Ratata.
"Come back, Grandpa! We got an order for twelve cannons from the Trace family! I'm exhausted, but they're telling me to hurry! And it's gun-related stuff too. We won't make it in time!"
Apparently, because of the equipment I left at the fortress, old man Ratata's smithy was in trouble. Old man Ratata, who came outside in running gear, was holding a cup and a toothbrush, perhaps because he had been brushing his teeth.
However, with a smile, he said,
"Sorry, but I'm living for my hobbies now. Honestly, I thought it was time to dump—no, entrust the work to my son-in-law. Tell him for me: 'It's your era now'."
It was a dazzling smile. Honestly, a master craftsman who dumps his work on his son-in-law to live for his hobbies is just as bad.
Watching the scene from the first-floor window of the mansion, Gols shouted. There was a wooden box next to Gols; he seemed to have brought some luggage.
"Hey, Gramps! You just said 'dump' before you corrected it! Please come back! We can't keep up with the work!"
Old man Ratata gave a cheerful thumbs-up.
"Do your best. Having work is a good thing. Besides, your skills will be polished in such an environment, so it'll be fine."
"Gramps! This happened because you took on weird jobs! Tell the head of the Trace family to do something about the deadline!"
Looking at Gols, who looked like he was about to cry, I felt that I had done something bad. However, even seeing his grandson, old man Ratata seemed more interested in the wooden box.
"So, what's that?"
Gols also looked at the wooden box, sighed, and opened it.
"I serviced the katana that was returned. And I brought a newly made one too. I mean, do I really have to take this request? I've got a mountain of work."
Old man Ratata took the katana out of the wooden box, drew it, and squinted one eye to examine the blade.
"Hmm, it looks better than before. Well, focusing on work for a while should be fine. I'll have a word with that brat Fidel myself. But this is definitely something different from a saber, right?"
Old man Ratata still didn't seem to believe Monica's claim that they were similar.
"...I'm begging you. I mean, I don't have any more time, so it's impossible for a while. Could you tell the client?"
After finishing his business, Gols left the mansion. Then, old man Ratata, noticing I was watching, beckoned me over.
Having received the serviced katana used on the battlefield and a new katana, I tested their usability.
The new blade had a shorter length, making it easier to swing.
I tried swinging it in the mansion's garden; the hilt was also designed for a two-handed grip, making it easy to handle.
Watching this, old man Ratata was noting down points of interest.
"I tried making it according to that young lady's instructions, but this is another weapon that breaks easily. Rare metals or iron are completely useless."
Damian was also watching me swing the katana in the garden.
He came out of the warehouse and looked my way while being attended to by a maid. Rather than the katana, he seemed to have something he wanted to ask about the Valkyries.
"More importantly, about those three. Maintenance is relatively tedious. I plan to simplify them for mass production next time, but do you have any requests?"
Damian was proactive, likely wanting the data obtainable from the Valkyries. In fact, Damian's research had progressed significantly through the development of the Valkyries.
"Ah, I'd like you to reduce the magic consumption on that end. When there are many of them, the magic consumption is no joke."
Then, Damian put his hand to his chin and thought,
"In that case, we'd need to supply magic separately. If we build such a device inside the body, the space..."
Hearing that, old man Ratata added a word.
"Why not make it an external attachment?"
"That's it!"
The two of them burst out laughing and returned to the warehouse. It seemed a new idea had been born, and they were starting work.
I watched the backs of the three automatons following the two of them.
"...Old man Ratata has basically become a live-in resident too."
That's what I said.
Scratching my head in the empty garden, I looked up at the sky.
"I think I'll go hear some stories inside the Jewel today."
Inside the Jewel.
When I entered my room of memories, Mireia-san followed as a matter of course.
I was going to see Septem-san, but this time, the great city was quite devastated. As I walked the streets, emaciated people were sitting, leaning against the walls of buildings.
The sky was cloudy, and there was no vitality; there was only a great city that looked as if it would perish at any moment.
Walking in front of Mireia-san, I frowned at the sight, which was even worse than last time.
"Why did it come to this?"
I knew the reason. And though I knew, I hadn't imagined it would become this terrible. Couldn't something have been done before this? I couldn't help but feel that way.
Mireia-san said,
"Septem-sama supported it all alone. She tried raising disciples of magic, but the disciples were not as devoted to the people as Septem-sama was. Eventually, they abandoned the helpless people and disappeared from here."
And so, those who learned magic took the technology to other countries. Mireia-san told me that this was the beginning of the nobility.
"Thus, the magic users who obtained magic established their own status, using the sight of this great city as a warning. They left descendants with the most excellent individuals, polishing their magic technology even slightly... and a new ruling class was born."
It was the beginning of us nobles. While previous nobles were not explicitly magic users, this became the cause of the trend where magic users themselves became the nobility.
Septem-san's mansion was decaying, and part of the roof was gone.
Walking down the hallway and looking up at the sky, I saw grey clouds.
Mireia-san said,
"Among the various Septem-samas, she was excellent. Too excellent. And she was too kind, which ruined everything. It resulted in more advanced magic spreading across the continent."
When I entered Septem-san's room, the bed was rotting, and Septem-san, not in the form of an old woman, was sitting in a chair.
The young girl, sitting in the chair, spotted us and called out. The atmosphere was certainly that of Septem-san. However, her voice was childlike.
"Oh, the timing is truly bad. In a little while, it would have looped, and the sight of when it was a village would have spread."
When Septem-san said that, I gave a wry smile. And then—.
"I have something I want to ask today."
"What might that be?"
I asked something I had been wondering about for a while. It was how to defeat Septem—Agrissa.
"Three hundred years ago, Agrissa was slain."
"That's right."
"But the method of defeating her is recorded nowhere. To stop Celes, we absolutely need to know the means by which Agrissa was defeated."
Seeing my serious expression, the young Septem-san looked slightly troubled. Did she think we couldn't defeat her? While I was thinking that, Septem-san opened her mouth.
"I'm sorry, but Agrissa can create skills. And a body that can handle them. I can't even imagine what kind of skills she possesses. She might be able to handle everything. ...However."
"However"—saying that, Septem-san stood up from her chair and stood before me.
"The same is true for Lyell."
"Me too?"
Septem-san smiled. Smiling, she told me how much of a miracle my existence was.
"The successive heads of the family held the blue jewel, inherited skills, and changed their bodies to specialize in support. For Lyell, who inherited that, it's natural in a sense that he is adept at handling support-type skills."
Thanks to the jewel the First Generation bought because it was cheap, people of the Walt family find it easy to manifest support-type skills, and those skills become more powerful.
Blood specialized in support, passed down through generations and polished—.
"Lyell, your Experience and Connection are skills that shouldn't originally exist. They look different, but they have one common point. What you, who continued to be robbed, sought was [Experience]—in other words. Experience is about gaining vast experience... in other words, the [Future] that aims further ahead. Connection is about gaining shared experience, the [Present]. I don't know about the third stage yet, but I believe it will lead to the [Past]."
I thought my skills were disjointed and had no common point. But apparently, there is a common point in "experience."
"Somehow, it feels strange that the end is the past. Wouldn't it normally be better the other way around?"
Septem-san laughed.
"True. But the current Lyell has the knowledge and experience of the past—the successive heads—at hand, and he handles their weapons even now. And he seeks to obtain the future. It's the exact opposite of a skill. If you can defeat Celes, Lyell's skills might be the key."
I thought for a moment.
If my skills were things that didn't exist, then Agrissa and Celes shouldn't understand them either. They would certainly be an important key to victory.
Then, Mireia-san patted my shoulder.
Turning around, Mireia-san was looking at Septem-san. When I looked at Septem-san too,
"...It seems the Jewel thinks this is as far as I should convey."
As Septem-san was enveloped in light, the surrounding scenery also turned into golden particles and vanished as if swaying in the wind.
"Eh, wait! I still have things I want to ask!"
Septem-san shook her head.
"Ask that of the next person. Also... this is uncertain, but the Jewel knows the truth. I was not the one tasked with conveying it."
As Septem-san vanished into golden particles while still smiling, my outstretched hand touched nothing.
Only a voice remained.
"It's alright. The next person will tell you... Good luck, my descendant."
Hearing Septem-san's giggling voice, I stood stunned, and before I knew it, I had been teleported to the room of the round table.
"...I see, so I also carry Septem-san's blood."
It was obvious, but I remembered a fact I had forgotten. If Celes inherited Septem's memories, it meant that Septem-san's blood also flowed through me.
Mireia-san looked slightly exasperated.
"Honestly, not even noticing something like that."
"But if I'm talking with the ancestors every day, I just think, 'I'm the descendant of these people'... I can't imagine anything else."
Mireia-san spoke gently to me.
"It's only natural that many people were involved until Lyell was born. It's not just the Walt family. The clans of their wives are involved too. Even if there's no direct relation, there are many ties that led to Lyell's existence."
It sounded like an incredible story, but I was made to realize that it was natural.
Not just me. Every human is like that.
"...That gives me a lot to think about."
"Doesn't it? Now, I wonder what kind of person will come out next. Look forward to it."
From her tone, Mireia-san seemed to know.
(...Come to think of it, I forgot because she's been so enthusiastic lately, but she was the guide for the Jewel.)
This time, I learned many things from Septem-san.
About magic. About skills. About the Goddess.
And—about Novem.
The reason I have a connection to the Goddess is probably because I carry Septem-san's blood, isn't it?
And I also learned that the Walt family happened to purchase a jewel, and thus inherited a body specialized in support-type skills.
(...Is this one of the reasons why the powerful skills of the successive heads manifested? In that case, the jewel gains a new value.)
There were many things to think about, but they wouldn't come together. Looking back at the room of the round table, the ancestors were looking at me.
The Third Generation, as usual, with a smile.
"Was there any progress?"
He asked me. The Fourth Generation, having taken off his glasses, wiped the lenses while looking at us.
"From the way you're talking, it seems the conversation with Septem has reached a conclusion. Now, why don't you let us hear about it too?"
The Fifth Generation still looked uninterested, but when he looked at me,
"Well, tell us. It's much easier than bottling it up alone."
That's what he said. Recently, I've been able to understand the Fifth Generation a little. His usual lack of interest is something akin to hiding his embarrassment.
The Seventh Generation looked at me and then sent a gaze to Mireia-san.
"Come to think of it, Aunt was technically the guide. I forgot because she was making a fuss with the Third Generation. The common point that both of them have bad personalities—"
The Seventh Generation was saying something sarcastic to Mireia-san with a smile, but his words did not continue to the end.
Mireia-san, who was next to me, had punched the Seventh Generation in the face with a smile. When did she move? And surprisingly, Mireia-san started to look like a powerful person. The impression of fragility was wiped away... no, it was never there to begin with.
"Geez, Broad-kun is so mean. Big sister Mireia gets angry too, you know. Even though you were so cute back then."
The Seventh Generation, holding his nose, said,
"I've forgotten about the past."
Mireia-san shrugged her shoulders as if slightly exasperated.
"Same as always. Well, you must have had a hard time as Brother's son."
It seemed the Seventh Generation also carried various burdens. I hadn't felt that when I was alive. However, inside the Jewel, he had said a few concerning things.
It seemed there was a part of him that was stubborn toward the Sixth Generation.
Then, Mireia-san looked at the Fifth Generation's face. When the Fifth Generation noticed,
"What?"
"Father, while we're at it, please show Lyell your memories. Look, there's still an important part you haven't shown, right?"
The Fifth Generation made a blatantly disgusted face and refused with a straight face.
"I refuse. For starters, my memories have nothing to do with Lyell. Right now, I'm prioritizing efficiency."
Mireia-san said with a smile,
"I think it's important. It's something Lyell will need from now on, and above all, you feel responsible, don't you? For the fact that you broke the warm home the Walt family had aimed for during your generation."
The Fifth Generation stood up and returned to his room of memories.
"Um."
"I made him angry."
Mireia-san, sticking out her tongue slightly and closing one eye, said that, and then her expression became slightly sad.
The Fourth Generation seemed to be concerned. Or rather, he seemed to have an idea.
"...I don't think it's good to expose hidden secrets. But I wonder if she still wants Lyell to know?"
Mireia-san nodded. After nodding, she sent a gaze to the Seventh Generation.
—In the neighboring country of Baim, the armies of Ban-Baim were marching.
The knights who entered the former capital, destroyed by monsters, were proceeding with the elimination of the scattered monsters.
The newly acquired land was planned to become a direct territory of Ban-Baim. Eventually, it might be granted to someone as a reward.
In the midst of this, a report came to the general, who had established his headquarters in a building that was still usable in the capital.
"General. According to the report from the scouts sent toward Baim, Baim seems to be safe. They say they repelled the great army of monsters by fortifying key points."
The general, hearing the story, laughed.
"Isn't that amazing? As expected, Baim didn't fall. Well, it would be troublesome if it did. It's a pain to be told to march that far. Besides, they conduct trade, so it would be troublesome in various ways if it fell."
The middle-aged general sat in his chair and smiled while clearing a mountain of documents. He seemed to notice the knight who had come to report.
"General, you seem quite happy about this expedition."
Then, the general looked at the knight's face and nodded. The knight was bothered by the probing gaze, but the general stopped his work, stood up from his chair, and looked out the window.
There, the sight of a city destroyed by monsters spread out.
"Well, it was a job everyone hated. I'm grateful if I can get away from the Central. You weren't from Central, were you?"
At the general's words, the knight nodded.
"Yes. I grew up in a village a bit far from Central. I felt like I was gathered because they said the knights of Central wouldn't be used for this expedition."
The general laughed slightly.
"Ah, I made it so. I sought subordinates who were as uninvolved as possible with Central and the current Queen's faction."
As the knight tilted his head, the general, thinking he didn't understand, gave a wry smile.
"You're at a loss for how to react. But that's the kind of subordinate I wanted. If you're in the current Central, you'll end up thinking that whether you want to or not. Now, shall we get back to work? It's a relief since we're not in Central."
While harboring doubts about the general's words and actions, the knight left the room—."