Chapter 1054 – Encounter in the Rain
000
What Laplace led us into was a dark and damp cave at the bottom of a nearby cliff.
It was a cave large enough for a person to enter, but it was clear that it was not a cave created naturally.
The reason is simpler than you might think; when you look at the wall with a light from your hand, you can see traces of claws or horns carving the rock wall here and there.
And, as soon as he went a little inside, he heard the sound of Nemeia’s nose ringing, and Cleon also raised his hand and brought it close to the nose.
What you feel is a bad smell.
It is not caused by a rotting corpse, nor is it felt due to mold growing.
It was such a bad smell, caused by the acrid ash that flew every time you took a step.
When Uni covered her mouth and nose with her hands as if she had smelled the same smell, Cleon opened her mouth.
“Is this really a den where animals used to live?”
“Didn’t you check it yourself before coming in? No matter where you look, it’s a place where animals stay. Animals that are rather large and strong enough to carve rocks with their claws and horns. No, it would be better to call them demon beasts.’
“…”
Cleon did not miss the way Uni’s expression darkened even more at Laplace’s words.
Perhaps, Yuni had an idea of whom the demon that stayed in this cave was, but what was more important than that was of course.
It is a trace of the indelible ‘fire’ felt in this cave.
Aside from the foul-smelling ash, there are scorch marks visible here and there.
It may have been quite some time since these marks were created, but it was still strange to see traces of ‘fire’ in a place that was presumed to have been untouched by human hands.
Perhaps, it could be assumed that, like them, humans came and spent the night to escape the rain for a while, or as overnight guests.
On the contrary, the problem was that it was difficult to find traces of where humans had stayed.
Above all, if it were a human being, it would not have left scorched marks all over the cave.
In a space littered with problems that are still incomprehensible, Cleon tries to ask him if he knows something.
Soon, he shakes his head and unties the swords he was hanging on his waist.
Laplace quietly observed Cleon’s reaction, but when he saw that he had accepted the rest in the cave, he stopped fluttering and hung upside down from the ceiling of the cave.
“Well, I guess I can avoid the rain here without any problem. This body of mine can’t just fly around all day. I’ll just rest like this.”
At his attitude of speaking as if there was no problem, Cleon frowned, but carefully laid Nemeia down on the ground.
Because the stone floor was cold, Cleon took off his coat and tried to put it under her, but it was difficult to support her entire body with Cleon’s coat.
“… I think it would be a good idea to make a temporary bed. Before it rains too much, let’s pick up some tree branches from around the area. I think it would be a good idea to make a bonfire so that we don’t catch a cold in the cave.”〈 Br〉
“It’s okay for me, but Cleon is a human… Yes, I understand. Then, I will come with you.”
When Cleon, who had put Nemeia down, said that and tried to go out of the cave, Uni also stood up as if she was going to follow Cleon.
However, Cleon shakes his head.
“No, please stay next to your friend. Having you with me will help me recover from my wounds… And I will feel relieved mentally.”
As Cleon said so, she left Caliban with her.
Caliburn will take human form and stay by her side.
Instead, it is Galatea who follows Cleon.
When they step outside the cave, what surrounds them is the sound of raindrops falling across the silence of the night.
At the coldness running through her hair, Cleon instinctively ran his hands over her head.
“Hehe. It looks like more will pour out at any moment.”
When Cleon said that, she reacted as if she disliked the rain, but Galatea, on the other hand, looked a little nostalgic.
“It feels like it’s been a while since I’ve been caught in the rain in such a dark mountain.”
“Huh? Ah…”
Well, even up until a few months ago when I was actively working as an adventurer, there were times when I had no choice but to choose to live homeless even if I hated it.
If you were unlucky, there were times when you had to walk through the rainy mountains until you reached the next village.
Of course, Galatea at that time had not yet awakened, so even if she got caught in the rain, she would have been hanging on Cleon’s belt and in her sword sheath.
“You know what? When it rained, Cleon was afraid that I would rust if I got hit by the rain, so he pulled me towards him and covered me with a cloak or overcoat.”
“Well… That’s right, taking care of weapons is a natural thing to do as an adventurer.”
Cleon says so in response to Galatea’s words.
Cleon also knew that the magic sword was a sword that did not rust, but it was still the magic swordsman’s instinct to care about his precious sword.
“Well, that sort of thing disappeared after Lila joined the party.”
When Cleon says that, it reminds me of the moment right after Lila joined the party.
Even now that I think about it, she is so nervous and hysterical that I can’t say she has a good personality.
She holds the title of head of the academy, and even though she is not a noblewoman, she does care somewhat about her own grooming, so it was impossible for her to be walking around in the rain in her mountains.
Not only does the mud under her feet make it difficult to walk, but her favorite shoes also end up covered in mud.
If her body gets wet, it will smell bad, and staying overnight in a cave that may be full of some animal’s excrement to avoid the rain is not recommended.
So, when it rained, Lila would unconditionally spread a flame shield and surround the entire party.
If water hits the protective film she creates, it cannot withstand the heat of the flame and evaporates.
In addition, it shines brightly under the dark sky, making it easy to observe the surroundings.
I wanted to say that it was a flawless and excellent technique in that it avoids rain and provides visibility at the same time –
As everyone knows, Lila at the time was a damned little girl whose personality was comparable to anyone else’s.
Harassment such as deliberately creating a shield large enough to barely touch the top of Cleon’s head so that the top of his head was almost scorched, or reducing the shield a little to only the back of Cleon, who was walking behind when he came to his senses, so that a part of Cleon’s coat was on fire. It was suffered.
“… I feel sick thinking about it…”
Cleon would have a grumpy expression on his face and cover his mouth with his hand.
Of course, it wasn’t a good memory, but when she thought about her current relationship with Lila, it wasn’t a memory she wanted to pursue deeply or sink into her memories.
“Aha, if I told Lila about those days now, wouldn’t she react the same way?”
Galatea smiled as if she could easily imagine it.
Anyway, all they had to do was not walk and chat + get caught in the rain, but build a bonfire in the cave and, if possible, gather enough sticks to keep Nemeia from lying on the cold floor.
Fortunately, there are trees galore in the mountains, so Cleon will probably wander around looking for fallen tree branches near the forest not far from the cave.
It would be quick to break off the branches of a living tree, but even if you didn’t do that, in a place with so many trees, the ones scattered on the ground would be enough.
─ Was it a mistake to think that?
“… Nothing.”
After confirming that no tree branches had fallen, Cleon muttered in disbelief.
That’s right.
Tree branches tend to fall to the ground for seemingly innocuous reasons.
For example, when it snows and piles up, it cannot withstand the weight.
Or, animals running around.
Their fate was to fall off naturally, no matter how windy or rainy.
Of course, fully grown branches would not break that easily, but since the ones I was looking for were branches that had not, the absence of those things was an incomprehensible phenomenon.
“Who cleans it regularly?”
“In a mountain like this? Who…?”
Cleon shook his head as if he couldn’t understand what Galatea said.
“Well… Tree branches are also wood. There are returnees on this mountain now, right?”
“…”
Then, what about those guys?
The moment Cleon thought that, something different sounded, mixed with the sound of raindrops hitting the leaves from a little distance away-
No, I heard a melody.
‘Singing sound?’
As soon as Cleon heard that sound, his expression changed, and he held out his hand to Galatea.
She also read Cleon’s intention in an instant, and as soon as she and Cleon held hands, she looked like she always was-
It will take the form of a beautiful black long sword.
Lower your posture and hold your breath.
What was visible in the direction from which the sound came was a bright light.
Torchlight? Or, magic that creates a light source?
Either way, the mere presence of a being moving and singing in the rainy mountains was more than enough to raise Cleon’s alertness to the maximum.
That’s right, this is the Sarong Mountains.
There was a need to first suspect that everything that moved except themselves was an enemy.
Then, you feel the singing voice and lights gradually approaching your direction.
[What should I do? Cleon? Should we attack first?]
At the words of Galatea, who recognized the existence as a potential enemy, Cleon would have quietly shaken her head.
It would have been okay if his power had been intact, but now Cleon has less than half of his stamina and magic power.
Moreover, Caliburn and Slash were left in the cave.
Even if there is a battle, it would be better to go back to the cave and bring back those two swords.
However, there was no need to fight, and what they needed right now was rest.
That’s why, hoping that the other person won’t notice, you don’t even hear the sound of breathing.
Fortunately, as the rainwater began to increase little by little, it seemed that even the slightest rustling sound could be erased by the rainwater.
And as the light that slowly, slowly moves between the trees gets closer, it feels like I can recognize its identity.
At the same time, Cleon would not have been able to hide his surprise.
He said if what he was seeing was correct ─
As a result of analyzing the information that can be judged through those eyes, the identity of the light coming towards him was magic.
However, it is not the ‘light source’ magic that was expected, but a thin film of flame in the shape of a sphere of a certain size.
In other words, it is a flame shield that protects the wizard from rain by evaporating rainwater that falls from the sky.
[Cleon, that…]
Galatea will probably react in surprise after realizing that.
That’s right, because just a little while ago we were talking about the guy who used the same shield.
So is she ‘Laila’?
Unfortunately, it would be difficult to be sure unless you get close and check for the wizard beyond.
However, what passes through Cleon’s mind is the presence that blocked his path when he reached the top of Mt. Chukryong.
Guardian.
She called herself S (Sigma) and her face resembled that of Sasha, who was a little older and more adult.
Cleon, who had too many things to call it a coincidence… Thinks about one possibility.
Could it be that other guardians resemble people they know and have abilities similar to them?
“─♪”
While I was worrying and doubting, that singing voice slowly came closer.
Did you notice this?
Or, just follow your heart?
Cleon calmly, without panicking, remembering in his head how to respond when he encounters one.
He then figures out what he has to do.
Even if you meet face to face, try not to provoke the other person as much as possible.
Because I learned from the guardian of Mt. Chukryong that a guardian does not intentionally try to attack an opponent who does not violate the rules he or she has set.
“…”
Cleon thought about that and clenched his fist.
No, no.
Maybe the premise itself is wrong.
The reason why Guardian-S could communicate well was perhaps because he resembled Sasha.
If she were to come this way… As she thought.
If you have a tendency to resemble the ‘Red Devil of the Academy’, can we continue the conversation?
Perhaps, as soon as she looks this way, her expression turns grim, and she snaps her fingers, causing an explosion of red flames to blow up the surrounding area.
‘Was the best time to run away when I first noticed its existence?…’
Cleon regretted his mistake in judgment, but it was already too late for him to move and leave.
‘… We meet!’
The action taken by Cleon, who felt the light approaching right in front of her, was to take a step back and at the same time show a guard while holding Galatea.
“Kya…!”
Rustle! With her shouting, Cleon suddenly jumped out from the bushes, and it seemed like she hadn’t expected it.
Cleon was momentarily taken aback when he saw a more surprised reaction than expected from inside the flaming flame shield.
And, if you check the appearance of the person who is maintaining the protective shield beyond the flames.
There, a woman with long red hair stood holding a mechanical cane with an elegant design.
As expected, he leaned his body back slightly, as if he was embarrassed by Cleon’s appearance.
“W-who are you…?”
And, she carefully asked questions in this direction.
Both Cleon and Galatea could not help but be embarrassed as they checked the appearance of the person in front of them.
This is because in their minds, they had already predicted that a guardian with the characteristic appearance of the Red Devil would appear.
Ruby-colored twin tails that shine red like a blazing flame.
On the contrary, eyes like sapphires shine with an intelligent color.
A slightly shorter height compared to people of the same age, and a body that, if you’ll excuse me, has almost no curves.
A face that tries to look confident and mature, in contrast to its youthful appearance.
All of these are the characteristics that make up the girl named ‘Laila Flamewatch’.
But the woman before her eyes was different.
Although not as tall as Cleon, he is tall enough to be called tall.
And her long, wavy red hair was braided and passed in front of her shoulders.
Her eyes were wearing a visor, but her mouth had red lipstick shining on it, probably because she was wearing makeup.
What is different above all else is the curves of the body.
Even though she is wearing a wide red gothic dress, her chest swells more than any other figure Cleon has ever seen-
Perhaps, it may be even bigger than Kuon.
Cleon must have muttered as soon as he saw her, the exact opposite of Lyla in everything except her hair color.
“… No…”
“… Yes?”
She asks, as if to say, what does that mean?
And Cleon raised his voice loudly.
“Isn’t this Lila!!?!”
Due to the sudden cognitive dissonance, Cleon fell into a state close to panic and raised his voice.
