WM – Chapter 232: Takatsuki Makoto arrives at Laberintos

“The oracle was to ‘Save Hero Abel’. That’s why I have come to save Abel-san.” (Makoto)

When I say this, Hero Abel opened his mouth wide and froze in place.

“……Eh? Really…? …M-Me?” (Abel)

Hero Abel was frozen for around 10 seconds with his mouth wide open.

But he can’t speak properly.

That’s why I continued on.

“And so…I look forward to working with you from now on as well.” (Makoto)

“……Y-Yes, here as well. Looking forward…to working with you.” (Abel)

Hero Abel nodded continuously. 

Alright, got his approval.

I am in the party of Hero Abel! 

I glance at the Great Sage-sama Momo who is sleeping on my lap.

Momo is the ‘new comrade’ of Hero Abel, so it should be fine for her to come too.

Now what’s left is the Holy Maiden Anna, and the great grandfather of Lucy, Johnny Walker.

At that moment, a question suddenly popped. 

(How long should I be together with Hero Abel?) (Makoto)

“…Makoto…-sama…” (Momo)

I heard the sleeptalking of Momo.

I can’t just leave Momo and go somewhere else.

For now, I will be together with them.

Now that I think about it, Ira-sama also said ‘search for me’, right? 

Let’s consult with Ira-sama. I will be able to know about the future after all.

But uneasiness will remain with the clairvoyance of that Goddess.

When I look, Hero Abel is also leaning on the wall and sleeping.

Looks like he was tired.

“[Clear Mind].” (Makoto)

I eliminate my drowsiness with the Skill and serve as the lookout.

Fortunately, there were no pursuers in the time I was keeping watch.

◇◇

After that, it took us 7 days to arrive at Laberintos.

(Wow, that was far…) (Makoto)

It took a single fly from the Flying Ship of Fuji-yan after all.

In the past, the main movement method was by foot.

Hero Abel is a Hero, so his body capabilities are outstanding.

Momo has become a vampire, so she has endurance.

It took me my all to keep up with them.

“Makoto-san, we will soon arrive at the entrance of Laberintos.” (Abel)

“Makoto-sama…are you okay? Want a piggyback?” (Momo)

“…”

I had no energy to answer.

I could see the giant entrance of Laberintos from afar.

…Laberintos.

(It hasn’t changed…) (Makoto)

Everything was different when I came to the past, but this is the only place that’s the same as when I came before. 

It gives food for thought.

I say that, but there’s no adventurer city before Laberintos, and there’s no highway either.

We pushed our way through the weed and arrived all the way here.

“Wait a moment. It can’t be seen from here, but there’s lookouts. I will go ahead first and tell them about you two.” (Abel)

Saying this, Abel headed to the entrance of Laberintos.

Momo and I ended up alone.

“Makoto-sama… I am a demon. Is it really okay for me to be together with you?” (Momo)

“It is okay, it is okay. If you act like nothing, there’s no one who will notice. Didn’t Abel-san say that?” (Makoto)

This Laberintos hideout has elves and dwarves aside from humans. 

But the races are all over the place, so they apparently won’t care about the small details.

After waiting for a while, Hero Abel soon returned.

“Makoto-san, Momo-chan, I will guide you. Over here.” (Abel)

We entered Laberintos with what seemed like a secret entrance. 

◇◇

“…Waaa, this is amazing.” (Momo)

Momo raised her voice in admiration.

I couldn’t see it from the entrance at all, but a long city spread out in the passage of Laberintos’ upper floor.

There’s stone buildings that must have been made with magic.

There’s a lot of people too. From humans, to elves, to beastkin, and there’s a lot of other races I have seen for the first time.

The common point is that all of them are warriors or mages.

They had weapons of some sort in their hands, and wearing armor or robes. 

Looks like this is a city comprised solely of combatants.

“Makoto-kun~! Momo-chan~!” 

An elf woman hugged me and Momo.

That figure of hers wearing a green armor looked like a completely different person from the last time I saw her, but her face was familiar.

“Julietta-san, so you were safe.” (Makoto)

“I was worried~. Wait, oh my…Momo-chan…that appearance…” (Julietta)

She immediately noticed the change of Momo.

“Julietta-san, can we talk over here?” (Makoto)

I had her move to a place where there’s not much people, and explained the situation.

“Eeeeh?! Momo-chan has become the familiar of the Demon Lord, but Makoto-kun cut the String of Fate?!” (Julietta)

Julietta-san covered her mouth in surprise.

“I couldn’t believe it even when I saw it with my very eyes. The actions of Makoto-san are way out of norm…” (Abel)

“Makoto-kun, what in the world are you?” (Julietta)

“As I said, I am a normal person that received an oracle from the Sun Goddess-sama.” (Makoto)

I explained to Hero Abel and Julietta-san, but they gave me dubious looks.

I am not really lying though.

“Well, fine. I will tell Volkh too. I will hide the fact that Momo-chan is a vampire from the others. By the way, what are your plans from now on, Makoto-kun, Momo-chan?” (Julietta)

“I want to rest for now…” (Makoto)

My legs are at their limit.

“I will be together with Makoto-sama.” (Momo)

Looks like Momo feels the same as me.

“Got it. Abel, the room at your side is open, right? I think it should be okay to use that place. How’s that?” (Julietta)

“…Yeah, that’s an option.” (Abel)

“Sorry about that. This city doesn’t have leeway in places to stay in, so we can’t prepare rooms. Makoto-kun and Momo-chan will have to share a room.” (Julietta)

Looks like Momo and I will be in the same room.

“Is that okay with you, Momo?” (Makoto)

“Of course! Rather, I would prefer it that way!” (Momo)

“? Okay.” (Makoto)

Looks like Momo doesn’t have problems with being in the same room.

“Makoto-san, I will guide you, okay?” (Abel)

Saying this, Hero Abel began to walk and I followed after.

Not long after, we arrived at a simplistic residential building made of stone bricks.

“This is the room. There’s currently no one here, so feel free to use it as you wish.” (Abel)

Abel left after saying this.

Momo and I are now alone in the room.

The room is small, and there’s only a bed and a simple table.

“Momo, it is okay for you to use the bed.” (Makoto)

I looked around the room, and was thinking about where to sleep.

At that moment, I found a small letter on the floor.

When I picked it up and checked the back…

—Olga.

Is the name that was written there.

A familiar name.

I take out the book of the Legend of Hero Abel.

The master of Hero Abel, the Fire Hero Olga.

A famous person.

The daughter of General Tariska most likely got that name from the master of the Legendary Hero.

There’s currently no Fire Hero.

I now understand a bit why Hero Abel had a dark expression.

(I see. So this room is the room of Hero Abel’s teacher, huh…) (Makoto)

This is too much of an honor…

“Makoto-sama…?” (Momo)

Momo spoke to me uneasily after seeing me in thought.

“Sorry sorry. Go ahead and sleep first, Momo.” (Makoto)

“Uhm…I would feel bad to be the only one using the bed, so want to sleep together?” (Momo)

She nervously proposed.

But the bed is small and it is way too cramped for two people.

“It is okay. I am used to sleeping on the floor.” (Makoto)

“B-But if we sleep while hugging each other, we can sleep there even if it is two people!” (Momo)

“Then, some other time.” (Makoto)

“……O-Okay…” (Momo)

I wanted to sleep already, so I laid on the floor.

Momo has laid on the bed too.

It has been a while since I have been in a room with a ceiling, so I managed to sleep without any worries.

◇◇

“Makoto-dono! Momo-dono! I am truly glad you are okay!” (Volkh)

“It is not much, but you are our saviors, so eat a whole lot, okay?” (Julietta)

When I woke up, Julietta-san called us and we came to the cafeteria.

This is apparently the only dining hall in this dungeon city.

Volkh-san is wearing full plate armor. 

There’s a giant axe leaning against the chair.

Is that the weapon of Volkh-san?

There were a lot of warriors aside from us crowding the dining hall.

It is similar to the bar of the Adventurer Guild in the water city.

I finally arrived at a lively place after coming to the past.

“By the way, Momo-chan, it seems like your mana has increased quite a lot since the last time I met you, but have you had Abel use Appraisal on you?” (Volkh)

“No, we didn’t have the leeway to.” (Momo)

“I see. Then, I think it would be better to check it.” (Julietta)

“Uhm…I don’t have any outstanding Skills though…” (Momo)

“Momo-chan, a human turning into a vampire is basically like being ‘reborn’. That’s why their physical capabilities would be enhanced at that time, and there’s times when their Skills would change.” (Julietta)

Julietta-san explains to Momo.

Well, Momo is the Great Sage-sama after all.

“Now then, I will appraise Momo-chan. Please look at my eyes.” (Abel)

“Y-Yes.” (Momo)

Momo answers nervously at Hero Abel.

“Momo-chan’s race is…Half-Vampire. Looks like she hasn’t become a demon completely. Her Status is…outstanding. As expected of a Demon Lord’s familiar. Skills are…eh?” (Abel)

“What’s the matter, Abel?” (Volkh)

“Hey, how was it?” (Julietta)

Hero Abel choked on his words in the middle.

“Momo-chan has…the Sage Skill.” (Abel)

““Wa?!””

Volkh-san and Julietta-san raised their voices in surprise.

“Is it amazing?” (Momo)

“It is! It is a super rare Skill that’s said to only show in one in a million!” (Julietta)

“This is my first time seeing it too…” (Volkh)

“You don’t seem to be surprised, Makoto-san.” (Abel)

All the Heroes were talking in excitement, but I was silently drinking ale, and Hero Abel pointed that out.

Oops, I knew about it, so I was way too calm.

“Man, that’s impressive! Ain’t that great, Momo?!” (Makoto)

“Uhm…Makoto-sama, can my Sage Skill be of use to you?” (Momo)

“Hm?” (Makoto)

I made a barefaced act, and Momo held my hand, looking at me with an upturned glance and closing her body to mine.

Hmm…I want her to use the Sage-sama Skill for the sake of Hero Abel and not me though.

“By the way, what will you be doing from now on, Makoto-kun, Momo-chan? If it is okay with you, how about coming together wi—” (Julietta)

Julietta was about to say something, but a loud voice resonated in the cave.

“I am baaaack!!” 

“The Great Warrior-sama has returned from the heart of Laberintos!” 

“Welcome them back!!” 

“Today’s game is a big dragon!!” 

It wasn’t just the voice of one, but many voices raising cheers.

When I look, there’s elves and beastkin gathering.

Did something happen?

“Aah, looks like that guy has come back.” (Julietta)

The Wood Hero-san frowned.

“There’s no need to show that much hate, right?” (Volkh)

The Earth Hero-san smiled wryly.

“But they are so strong, yet they show no interest in subjugating Demon Lords. Even in the battle of before, if they had cooperated with us, the Fire Hero Olga-san might not have died…” (Julietta)

“Stop it, Julietta. There’s no point in regretting what has already happened.” (Volkh)

“That’s right, Julietta-san. He isn’t a Hero after all…” (Abel)

Everyone’s expression darkens.

Momo and I looked at each other’s faces, and Hero Abel hurriedly explained. 

“Sorry, Makoto-san, talking about something weird…” (Abel)

“No. Can you tell me if you can?” (Makoto)

We will be living here anyways.

I want to get information.

“Makoto-san, there’s a number of factions in this city of Laberintos. One of them is the faction we are in that was centered around the Fire Hero. Our objective is to subjugate Demon Lords. And then, there’s the faction centered around the Iron Hero. This one’s objective is not to subjugate Demon Lords but to survive. In other words, they don’t fight Demon Lords.” (Abel)

“…They don’t fight Demon Lords?” (Makoto)

“To be more precise, it is the people that have fought against a Demon Lord in the past and have given up because they feel they couldn’t win. And…the current state is that they are the majority…” (Abel)

“…”

The people who have given up are on the majority side, huh…

“Then, there’s the last faction. Or more like, the one with the biggest scale. The people who created this dungeon city. It is mostly demi-humans. There’s elves just like me, dwarves, and beastkin… They are the ones who have been living in this city the whole time.” (Julietta)

Julietta-san gulped down the ale in one go.

“Us human Heroes are being sheltered here.” (Volkh)

“I see…” (Makoto)

I understand now.

Or more like, the faction that Hero Abel is in is the smallest group, huh.

I thought for sure that they would all be united when arriving at the base…but it seems that wasn’t it. 

(The future looks bleak…) (Makoto)

I thought there was no need to worry now with Hero Abel after having protected him though.

Looks like the road is still bumpy. 

A tall man came out from the crowd of people.

The remaining people followed. 

Looks like he is the central figure.

Reddish bronze colored hair half-assedly tied in a ponytail, and has a longsword on the waist. 

The people around were frequently talking to him, but the man was walking on as if showing no interest.

A handsome face as if sculpted, and a cold expression as if everything in the world is boring.

“It is him. The Elf Great Warrior, Johnny. The leader that brings together the demi-humans.” (Julietta)

“?!” 

That person is…Johnny.

I have found the Great Grandfather of Lucy.

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