8mi Chapter 398: The Two Sides’ Reunion
Chapter 398: The Two Sides’ Reunion
At that moment, Oru spoke.
[Rinji-san, isn’t that Bigg-san?]
Rinji looked a bit awkward.
[......Yeah.]
The awkwardness———– I felt it too.
It was for the time before we headed to the Golden Demon Zone to level up.
Each Hero group was assigned a mentor.
The Drunken Sword Party wasn’t in charge of my group.
However, I wasn’t completely unfamiliar with them.
Now, I'm about to meet someone who knew the me from back then.
It made me feel embarrassed.
But then, sneaking away quietly here wouldn’t be right.
I decided to muster the courage to call out to Lili.
But......
[Bigg-saaaan!]
Just a fraction of a second before I could speak, Oru called out.
Lili squinted her eyes and looked our way with a sharp look.
The old warrior, Bigg, standing next to her, hearing his name being called......
[......Oru? Are you...... really Oru? And the one next to you is——–Rinji!?]
Lili's eyes widened.
[......Eh? Oru and Rinji......]
Oru waved with a big grin.
[Hey, Bigg-san...... it’s been a while. Umm...... You look well.]
[What are you two doing here!?]
Bigg left their march and rushed over.
Other members of the Drunken Sword Party also joined in.
[Eh? By Rinji-san, you mean...... that guy, right? Along with Lili's dad, the other frontman......?]
[Ahh, right...... You guys joined after Rinji and Oru left.]
Rinji shot a glance at Oru, softly muttering under his breath.
[This b*stard...... calling out before I’m ready......]
He looked disgruntled.
But then he quickly changed to a resigned expression and forced a smile.
Bigg was the first to greet Rinji.
[It’s been a while, former Vice-Captain.]
[......It’s been a long time, Bigg-san.]
[Fumu, you’ve turned into quite a rugged man, haven’t you?]
[And I see you're still quite active, Bigg-san.]
[Hmph, well...... so-so, I guess.]
Lili also approached.
[Rinji-san...... do you remember me?]
[......Isn't it me who should be asking that?]
She smiled coolly and shrugged her shoulders.
[I was still small back then, so my memory is a bit hazy... but I do remember you. It’s hard to forget someone who used to be Dad’s partner.]
Rinji looked awkward.
Looking at him, Lili added......
[Ah, about Dad......]
A tension ran through Rinji’s face.
[He isn’t angry about what happened back with Rinji-san anymore, you know.]
[......Eh?]
[Dad was really rough back then. It wouldn’t have been strange if he had chased after you to half-kill you. Even I, who was still small, remember how wild he was back then.]
[......I can’t blame him. I left the Drunken Sword Party without telling him——— without telling Guaban.]
Listening to their conversation, I gradually started to understand the situation.
Later, I was also filled in on the details.
[We've got this guy——– a High-rank Hero on our side.]
[Heehhh...... We have a Hero from Another World here huh...... ——–Hmm? Looking at you again, aren't you......]
Lili's brows furrowed.
She approached and closed the distance between us.
[We've already met, haven't we?]
Yasu pulled his face back.
[It's——– It’s been a while......]
Rinji looked surprised.
[Arehh? What? You two know each other?]
Lili pointed to me with her thumb.
[Me and the others have been called by Vysis to train them Heroes. Well, we weren't in charge of this kid...... ———-But still...... Who are you?]
[Eh? I'm...... Tomohiro Yasu......]
Lili closed her eyes, her brows furrowing further.
She crossed her arms, desperately trying to pull together the threads of her memory.
[No... I do remember, but somehow, the you now...... seem like a different person from when we were around?]
Yasu averted his gaze.
[Actually, since then...... a lot has happened. So———]
He bowed his head.
[I'm sorry for showing a lot of unpleasant attitudes back then......]
Lili looked stunned, but her expression quickly shifted to one of understanding.
Her gaze caught Yasu's bandages and wounds.
[......Well, you must have had a lot going on too. I’m not interested in digging it up. If you’re going to fight with us as an ally, then I have no intention of saying anything about the past. You seem more likable now anyway. I mean———- regardless of past attitudes, I know your strength. Can I count on you?]
[I- I'll do my best.]
Lili rested her chin in her hand and saying, "That said......", she brought her face close again.
[The Black Flame Hero from back then is the same person as this guy huh...... The same goes for Fly King, it's strange how there are so many discrepancies between my past impressions of people and now.]
(Eh?)
[......The Fly King? Are you talking about Belzegia-san?]
[Hmm? The way you're talking...... have you met him?]
[Yes...... I owe my life to him, so to speak......]
[Heehhh...... We’re alive here thanks to the Fly King's arrangements as well.]
[Um, have you met Belzegia-san too, Lili-san......?]
[Hmm.]
Lili pursed her lips, as if unsettled.
[I mean, we fought him in the past, or rather...... he saved our lives——— no, actually, before that, it seems I apparently met the guy behind Belzegia's mask? Us being saved by him was apparently because he met us back then.]
Yasu was shocked.
[Eh? That means...... you saw his real face?]
[......Yes, but......]
Lili scratched her head as if shaking off a sense of discomfort.
[When I met the boy back then, and then again when I met him as the Fly King...... It’s hard to connect them between each other. At that time, he looked completely harmless......]
A young man.
It seems Belzegia-san’s true self is younger than expected.
[Did he go by the name Belzegia back then?]
[Ah, I didn't ask for his name...... But if you check the name he wrote down during the recruitment for the Mills Ruins expedition, you might find out his real name. Well, there’s a chance he used a fake name there too.]
[....................]
Could it be because of that mask and the Fly King outfit?
He gave off an impression that was somewhat inhuman.
But inside, he was definitely human.
(......I hope to see him again.)
As expected, I really want to meet him again.
Just like with Sogou Ayaka———– wanting to meet him as I am now.
The next chapter is scheduled to be updated on Sunday, October 27th, around 9pm.