Chapter 57: Talking with the corpse – second part –

Now, how does Tomoe pretend to negotiate with Lich?

“Thank you. That skull over there, no, maybe I should call you Lich. You want to know about the graunts right? In short… wouldn’t that mean you know of other worlds?” (Tomoe)

?!

What?

What did Tomoe say just now?!

“?!!!” (Lich)

Lich clearly shows he is disturbed by the mention of the word other worlds. But that was the same for me.

“Hohoh~. Bull’s-eye huh. You aren’t actually the first one talking about graunts after all. There are two types that have arrived at the existence called graunt. The first ones are the heroes that sought for power. For them, they pile up achievements and get recognized by the Goddess and spirits, and get reborn as their dependents” (Tomoe)

So when you become a dependent of the Goddess or a high spirit, you become a race called graunt huh. I didn’t even know about the word graunt before so I would certainly not be able to answer him.

But then, what does other world…

After Tomoe stared at Lich’s disturbed face until satistifed, she once again connects the words she stopped midway.

“And the other is, the people that know that this world isn’t the only one out there. Questers, is probably what I should call them. From the small seams in this world as well as the records of numerous visitors that have come in the past, people that were originally not supposed to know about the existence of those worlds, some of them ended up travelling to them” (Tomoe)

“!!”

Lich was staring at Tomoe as if wanting to eat her. To the point that it would make you wonder if he could kill people with his gaze. Incredibly intense eyes that could not compare to just a few moments ago.

“You most likely thought like this. Graunts, being a high race of hyumans, were power bearers that could actually travel through worlds” (Tomoe)

“T-That’s right! If it’s a graunt, I can certainly travel the worlds. I can surely move to the world I “want”! Am I right?!” (Lich)

Lich’s words were like a broken dam, with one breath he said it all and poured it onto Tomoe. Even so, Tomoe’s profound look wasn’t affected at all.

I understood that there was no opening for me to enter in between these two’s conversation.

However, I heard words I couldn’t let go.

Traveling through worlds. Moving through the world you want.

That… could it mean that I would be able to return to the world I had given up once, the world where my family and friends are in?

“Wrong” (Tomoe)

Tomoe, what do you know? I am of the same sentiment as him, I want to know.

“W-What did you say?” (Lich)

“You must have researched a lot of books, legends, and documents. I don’t know how long you have lived and how much you must have pumped yourself into in order to do that, it is hard for me to even imagine it. And then, you decided on your ideal graunt” (Tomoe)

“??”

“Just like I said a few moments ago-ja. Graunts are the dependents of the Goddess and the ones that follow her, reincarnated ones and also the ones who traveled through the worlds… no, people that traveled through the cracks of the worlds” (Tomoe)

“???”

“Don’t you understand? In short, graunts are existences that were made anew, a word that points out a superior “one”. It’s not a race, nor do they have the power to travel through worlds-ja yo” (Tomoe)

“Aaah?!” (Lich)

“While in their hyuman body, they found seams of the world in the past and researched on their own, and a number of them threw themselves into it. The ones that half-bakedly jumped into the world seam, some of them saw the other world’s seam as if looking through a kaleidoscope and returned to this world. When they did so, their existences had changed into what is called graunts. I don’t know what they saw, but they just left a number of books without telling any accurate details and died prematurely” (Tomoe)

“Then, what about the ones that didn’t return?” (Lich)

Lich’s words were as if he wringed them out. I don’t know if he actually wants to know, or maybe he doesn’t want to know.

“If they were able to go to the other world, then they are living as graunts. In the case that that person died before it happened, his hyuman flesh would separate and scatter away. If they were  able to change to the other world, it may be possible that the Goddess would know through that world’s God, but the things that happen after the person was thrown into the seam, aside from Gods, there is no one who would be able to know. There are exceptions, but that is probably something that is not related to you” (Tomoe)

“… No way” (Lich)

“People are living beings that look at what they want to look at-ja. They see the fragmented information and connect them in a way they desire. That is something no one would be able to blame. Including your conjecture about the graunts-” (Tomoe)

“Ex… ceptions. That’s right, what about the exceptions?! What kind of situation does it take?” (Lich)

“……” (Tomoe)

Even though Tomoe’s words were stopped midway, she didn’t get angry. She must have felt sympathy as it was just as she predicted would happen.

“I ask of you, please” (Lich)

“There is only one exception I know of, the permission of the Goddess-ja. If for example, the Goddess opens that gate, instead of becoming a graunt, there is a higher chance for the hyuman to transfer as a hyuman. Of course, even if I say there is a higher chance, the success rate is lower than 1 percent-ja na” (Tomoe)

Saying there is a higher chance and it is less than one percent? Isn’t that practically suicide?

Hearing up to this point, I understood that even if Lich eternally wanted to become a graunt, it didn’t mean he threw away being a hyuman.

“Then, that means this one… just what was I trying to…” (Lich)

His eyes looked at the table as if eating into it. I could feel stupefaction in his eyes that were already lacking in will.

“I don’t know what is it you were trying to aim for. Because if you don’t want to tell me I won’t ask you” (Tomoe)

“…”

“But you know, you are a lucky one just as Mio over there-ja” (Tomoe)

Mio, without knowing the reason of why her name was called so suddenly, stared in surprise at Tomoe.

Tomoe, what are you saying? Even though you are the one that ended his pursuit in such a despairing manner.

“Mio also, isn’t that different from you. An existence that should originally remain unsaved. But in front of you, who is there?” (Tomoe)

“… Makoto-dono right?” (Lich)

“That’s right-ja, my master Makoto-sama-ja. What do you think I am? Hyuman?” (Tomoe)

“… Like hell that is possible. There is no way a hyuman that possesses so much knowledge can exist” (Lich)

Disinterested. Lich’s words were as if they would disappear at any moment.

“Then, what do you think I am?” (Tomoe)

“By process of elimination you should be… a Goddess? Maybe a high spirit? Or maybe a superior dragon? Hahaha, just how in the world did you guys turn hyuman shaped and ended up coming to this kind of place” (Lich)

This fellow is impressive. Looking at Tomoe, and thinking about the contents of what she said, one of the answers he gave from the narrowed possibilities was actually correct.

As an ex-student, I look up to these kind of things.

“Here, if you are a Lich you should be able to do it, try to guess it from my magic power. That kind of analysis is your favorite area right?” (Tomoe)

I could feel a presence close to a fighting stance from Tomoe’s body and she was filled with magic power.

Lich quizzically looked at that state, but in the midst of it, his eyes opened wide. Is it really possible to tell apart one’s race by looking at their magic power?

“Dragon. And it is one that is quite powerful. Don’t tell me…” (Lich)

“What an impressive fellow. I am Shen, right now I am named Tomoe though” (Tomoe)

“S-Shen? The mist dragon, that “invincible” dragon?!” (Lich)

Hey hey. He really got it right. And he even knows the name of Shen.

Is it that Lich’s knowledge is impressive, or could it be the reputation of Shen’s name that is impressive?

Tomoe was making such a remote place as her dwelling, so I thought that she wasn’t that known. Lich was previously a hyuman so more the reason.

“So you do know. It’s that Shen-ja” (Tomoe)

“No way. Why is a superior dragon in such a crowded and unclear place” (Lich)

“I just changed my beliefs-ja yo. I have found a person that was more worth to work under than the Goddess you see. The things I talked to you about, I think that any books should have it… well, there is no way they have it, this kind of talk. If it is known that you can go out from this world, it would become a big chaos. The only people that know about this are the ones that I told you a few moments ago, and also, disclosing this is prohibited okay? You would definitely become a purging target after all” (Tomoe)

“Then, why did you tell it to this one?” (Lich)

“It is simple. I was charmed by you-ja” (Tomoe)

Charmed, as in falling in love? No, there is no way. That’s definitely not what she meant. It is that huh, because he was able to awaken the power of the forest ogres or something like that.

She certainly did have a look of admiration. Could it be that this is a plan to awaken the long lost power of the orcs and the lizards?

“Charmed?” (Lich)

“That’s right-ja. Hey, you pitiful Lich that has forgotten his name…” (Tomoe)

With a self-satisfied look on her face, Tomoe slowly said each word out as if detailing each of them.

“Become the follower of Waka” (Tomoe)

And that’s what she said.

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