novelraw Chapter 69 : Chapter 69
Chapter 69 : Chapter 69
Chapter 69: The Tunnel-Digger (1)
Inside the pitch-black vision, Elaine instinctively sensed that she would have a dream.
'This is not the time for this.'
I have to go and check on the two people Shura told me about, the ones who might be the Tunnel-Digger.
But Elaine felt an irresistible current. If a dream came, she had to dream it, and if she wanted to wake up, the dream had to end.
The current swallowed Elaine and flowed on.
The place it stopped was a tavern. Ellen was sitting at the bar, having ordered the most delicious appetizer and the strongest liquor in the tavern.
That tavern was familiar. The face of the proprietor who took her order with a smile was also familiar.
It was the Snow Leopard's Footprint. The Mage whose Origin was a Ripple served her food and drink.
-Thank you, as always.
Ellen said to the tunnel broker with a smile.
That is to say, it was Ellen. Not Elaine.
She had been enjoying her escapades even in her dreams.
And she was a regular at the Snow Leopard's Footprint, just the same.
'Well, tsk.'
It wasn't that strange.
It's my dream. It's likely to be based on reality.
It was when she had finished one bottle and was lighting a cigarette.
The proprietor brought out a new bottle of liquor.
-I didn't order this.
-It's a gift for your 5th anniversary as a regular.
At their conversation, Elaine let out a hollow laugh.
It meant that the Ellen in the dream had been deceived for a full five years.
The scene flowed quickly. Ellen happily accepted the liquor and drank it, then smoked a cigarette. She gobbled up the magic-infused appetizer, saying it was delicious, and then ordered more.
'Stupid bitch.'
Elaine sneered at such an Ellen.
She couldn't draw a line and call it a nonsensical dream.
If it hadn't been for Harad, reality wouldn't have been much different.
Never mind the existence of the tunnel under the tavern, she wouldn't even have known that the proprietor was a Mage.
'What was the Harad of that time doing?'
In the dream, Elaine and Harad were close.
It couldn't have been like that from the beginning.
When they first met, Elaine had mocked Harad, calling him a moron.
The Harad of reality had retorted by mentioning the family education of Serzila.
'The Harad in the dream just trembled in fear.'
Was that all? The Harad in the dream had been forcibly taken across the tunnel by the 2nd Knights. He had just cried for a fortnight in the Boundary.
In the dream, the early Harad was a coward, the kind the North detested the most.
'The difference is not me, but Harad.'
What if Harad had been incompetent.
The dream seemed to be showing such a premise.
'If it's the 5th anniversary, she must be 24.'
Elaine had started frequenting the Snow Leopard's Footprint when she was 19.
It meant that in the dream, she had had no contact with Harad for at least four years.
Since Harad had been brought as a hostage when he was 20.
'I don't know anything.'
The 24-year-old Ellen in the dream seemed to be ignorant of not just the tunnels, but the Boundary as well.
At best, she would have gone out on hunting days.
'I've already been to the Second Stage Boundary.'
It was when Elaine was comparing reality and the dream.
The tavern door opened. It was a man unfamiliar to Elaine, and it seemed to be the same for the Ellen in the dream.
Even for the Inner Flesh Proprietor of the Flower District.
-I haven't seen you before.
The proprietor offered a smile to the man sitting in front of the bar.
-It's my first time.
The man ordered, stammering.
He looked quite awkward. His social skills didn't seem very good either. And yet, the fact that he had come to the tavern alone properly piqued Ellen's curiosity. She struck up a conversation.
-Where are you from? You don't look like a Northerner.
-...I am, a Northerner.
He was an extremely thin man.
Only bones were visible on his face, an impression that was hard to believe for a Northerner.
-Really?
-Yes. I lived in the southwest district.
The man's voice sounded somewhat uncomfortable.
There was phlegm in his throat, and his breath was very shallow. He sounded just like an old man.
-That's quite far from here. How did you find this place?
-The person who helped me recommended this place. He said it was very unique and delicious.
Just then, the food arrived.
The man devoured it voraciously.
It seemed that he was thin not because he didn't eat, but because he couldn't.
-Eat slowly. No one's going to steal it from you.
-...I'm sorry, it's been a long time since I've had a proper meal…
-Did someone bully you?
The man's hand, which had been scooping up the food, stopped abruptly.
The man's hollow eyes turned to Ellen.
-Why are you so surprised. Anyone would think so, looking at you.
-...I see.
-Do you need help? I can help you.
Ellen took something out from her bosom.
It was a badge that proved she was an agent of the Serzila Intelligence Bureau. Seeing it, the man's body flinched.
-I-it's alright. I've already received help from someone else.
-The person who recommended this place?
-Yes, yes. That's right. I think I should be going now.
The man stood up as if he had urgent business.
-Already?
Ellen pointed at the man's food.
Half of it was still left.
In Elaine's eyes, the man was sufficiently suspicious.
But the Ellen in the dream didn't think much of it.
-...I can't eat anymore anyway.
The man was too thin and shabby to be suspicious.
His powerless voice sounded like that of a dying old man.
-Take this.
Ellen pressed the Intelligence Bureau agent badge into the hand of the departing man.
-If you need help, grab any soldier and show it to them. Along with my name. Ah, I'm Ellen.
The man looked back and forth between Ellen and the badge.
As his head moved back and forth, the moisture in his hollow eyes deepened. It was impossible to tell what kind of emotion it was.
-Rick... I'm Rick.
That was the last of it.
"...This dream is a bit strange."
Elaine, who had woken up from the dream, muttered.
It was quite different from the dreams she had had until now.
Harad had not appeared even once.
Instead, the Harad of reality was visible.
He was staring intently at the awakened Elaine.
"Will you listen? I had another dream."
"I'll listen later."
"Why? Come to think of it, where is this?"
It wasn't Kubel's annex.
It was outdoors. The sun, visible through the blizzard, was high in the sky.
"We're in front of their house."
"But I was sleeping?"
"I carried you on my back."
"Who?"
"Me."
"Ah."
"You snore more than I thought."
I do?
Elaine barely held it in.
* * *
Russell was a fur merchant from the great northern plains, and he was particularly renowned for his skinning skills.
The leather shop that Russell had set up was quite well-known in the southwest district of Serzila.
"Your skill is the best, as expected. If you could handle Magical Beast hides, the Inner Fortress would have scouted you."
"Haha. You flatter me."
"Do you have time today?"
The burly and hairy customer made a gesture as if having a drink.
Most of the mercenaries who couldn't obtain Magical Beast hides were Russell's regulars.
"Oh dear, I can't. I'd like to have a drink too, but..."
Russell trailed off, glancing at the inside of the shop.
"It's your mother, I see. You're such a dutiful son."
Russell had an elderly mother, and perhaps because of that, Russell rarely engaged in outside activities.
"If I catch a good Magical Beast, I'll bring it again."
The mercenary left the shop, disappointed.
And then another new mercenary came.
He was holding a wolf that had died not long ago, its blood dripping, and Russell naturally took it inside and skinned it.
He wasn't a customer who brought in much money, but Russell didn't care.
He ran his shop as if he had no greed for money.
The mercenary who received the hide left as he was.
The foul-smelling tannery was on the outskirts of the domain.
As soon as he was about to take a short breather, another customer came in. And so, Russell skinned one more hide, and sold five.
As soon as Russell sat down on the chair, the door opened.
It was a customer he had never seen before. He was tall and slender. An appearance that was rare in the North.
However, he did not look weak.
The customer was wearing short sleeves in this cold weather, and his well-defined arm muscles looked very solid.
Russell couldn't take his eyes off the customer.
It wasn't just because he had a duty to serve him. That man had a power that drew one's gaze.
"Oh. The shop is quite serious."
The man's amber eyes were particularly impressive.
Those eyes scanned the inside of the shop and then turned to Russell.
"Are you the proprietor?"
"Yes, yes. I'm Russell."
Russell responded with a smile.
It was a way of being looked down upon in the North.
"Don't you get ignored if you do that?"
"That's why only certain people come."
"I see. A statement only someone confident in their skills can make."
"You flatter me."
Russell smiled modestly.
"No. I'm serious. That's why I didn't know until now."
The man's amber eyes shone.
That's how it looked to Russell. That strange light was quite intense.
"Your skill is amazing."
Many hides were displayed in the shop.
Russell hadn't worked on all of them, but distribution was also a skill of his, if you could call it that.
"It's really seamless."
But the man was not looking at the hides.
He was looking at Russell's face.
"Is it a type that only requires magic when putting on the mask? Then there must be a duration."
"Pardon?"
"But you've been running this leather shop for 10 years. That must be your only legal identity.
You must be doing your main job with a different face."
"What do you mean by that..."
"Do I have to burn that face with fire for your real face to come out?"
"The Church!"
Russell shouted reflexively.
The statement about burning a Mage with fire was what the Church said the most.
The Sun and the Moon, and the judgment loved by the Sun among them.
Russell stretched out his hand. A dagger was in his hand.
* * *
'He was empty-handed.'
I slightly tilted my head to dodge. I grabbed his wrist and twisted it.
"Ugh."
The scream was short. His gaze was fierce. His left hand was approaching. It also held a dagger.
"I see."
I grabbed Russell's left hand as well and twisted it upward.
When I shook both his hands, two daggers fell. The two daggers that fell to the ground turned into gloves.
"So you're the Masker."
He had put a mask of a dagger on the gloves.
It wasn't just a person's appearance that could be changed.
Indeed, it was a novel Origin.
Thud! Russell kicked the table. The table turned into a rock and covered me.
There was no need to manifest magic. I blocked the rolling rock with the sole of my foot.
"You're weaker than I thought. You're skilled in fighting, but that's it."
I tilted my head.
"Well. That makes sense. There's no way something like a mask would be strong."
It was just that the table had become a rock.
That was all there was to the mask's magic.
"Are you from the Church?"
"A much greater place."
At that, a strange light appeared in Russell's eyes.
As long as it wasn't the Church, it seemed to be fine.
"Do you know who is behind me?"
"Who is it?"
That confidence. I became extremely curious.
Who on earth was behind him.
"Well, for one, the Grand Heir is behind me."
Just then, the door in the corner opened.
It was the room where Russell's family was.
"I'm curious too."
Elaine walked out, holding an old woman's neck.
"Who on earth is behind you."
Russell's face, who had recognized Elaine's face, turned even darker.
"Serzila...!"
"Why are you so surprised. This is Serzila."
Elaine had a rarely seen angry face.
"Don't tell me you thought you wouldn't get caught?"
* * *
Because he said it wasn't the Church.
Russell had suddenly become confident.
"Is my true nature less scary than the Church?"
It seemed that that was what was bothering Elaine the most.
"Mages are usually like that."
"You too?"
"If you wish, I will be scared."
"Hmm. Never mind. Don't do that. Come to think of it, I don't like it. Nothing good comes from ruling with fear."
"Yes."
It was when Arika was binding Russell with chains.
"Hah... haah..."
The old woman let out a loud breath.
It seemed like she was talking too.
"Was she like this inside as well?"
"She seemed to have trouble even moving."
The old woman seemed to have trouble even standing up on her own.
It was the reason she wasn't bound with chains. It felt like she would stop breathing if she was tied up too tightly.
"Strange."
I also nodded my head.
Russell was the Masker. The old woman must be the Tunnel-Digger.
'He put a mask of an old woman on him.'
The gloves had become a sword, and the table a rock.
The Tunnel-Digger, with the mask on, would be an old woman.
And one who can't even move on her own.
'Why an old woman of all things, it would only be a hindrance.'
Isn't that the current situation?
Russell had at least tried to attack, but the Tunnel-Digger was captured without being able to do anything.
"Hah! Hah, hah!"
The old woman continued to pant.
Only then did I realize that it was not breath, but words.
"Take it off, the mask."
I said.
At that, Elaine slapped Russell's face.
She had lightly slapped him with her palm, but his teeth came pouring out. For some reason, Elaine's expression was stiff.
"Pl-please spare me..."
A woman's voice flowed from Russell's mouth.
It seemed that the mask had broken from Elaine's hit.
'He gives up quickly.'
Russell, the Masker, did not seem to have a very strong will.
"If you don't take it off, you'll really die."
As soon as the words were finished, Russell's face changed to that of a woman.
It was a woman with particularly white skin and freckles clinging to her face.
"I-I'm Isotta."
Russell. No, Isotta even blurted out her name without being asked.
"Take off that person's mask too."
"..."
The old woman had turned into a middle-aged man at some point.
The identity of the Tunnel-Digger was a skinny man.
'A man but a woman. An old woman but a man.'
Indeed, Shura's eyes were accurate.
It was then.
The Tunnel-Digger suddenly knelt before me and Elaine and bowed his head.
"Pl-please kill me."
To me, it looked like a scene of confessing a crime.
That wasn't what was important.
"Rick?"
Elaine knew the Tunnel-Digger's name.