Chapter 175: The Scent of the Mortality Dilemma
"A long time ago, there was a great Archwizard named Keele. He fell in love at first sight with a noble's daughter who had come to town for a walk. But, he knew that such a love was impossible, so he devoted all his time to his training. Time flew by, and finally, he became the most outstanding Archwizard in the country. And then he saw that young lady again—"
"Alright, alright, that's enough. Don't say any more. After that, you kidnapped the young lady, were hunted down, then were forced to become a Lich, and have been one ever since, right?"
Kobayashi, completely ruining the mood, interrupted the long-winded story of the Lich on the chair, who was eloquently recounting his own past, and concisely summarized the entire tale.
They were currently in the deepest part of the dungeon. To be precise, a hidden room.
There was only a small bed and a cabinet, as well as a simple table and chairs.
There was an oil lamp on the table. Under the lamp's light, they could finally see the other's figure clearly. It was a skeleton in a long robe, its hood pulled down low, wrapped in a layer of dry skin.
His expression was very dejected.
"How cruel, Kobayashi-senpai," his companion, Satou Kazuma, spoke up, reprimanding him. "This great Archwizard (Lich) is telling his glorious past. Even if he really has no talent for storytelling, and even if it's a love story that doesn't match the gloomy environment, we should still listen with emotion, shouldn't we?"
This kid's words are even crueler than mine.
For a moment, he couldn't tell if he was being serious or sarcastic.
"Because this is a widely known, poignant love story. Although it's moving and touching, after hearing it dozens of times, I just don't have that moved feeling anymore. You see, it's like a song you love to hear. After listening to it dozens of times, you don't feel anything anymore."
"Even so..."
Kazuma was a little convinced, but out of respect for the other's status as a powerful Archwizard, he felt it was better to show him some respect. Otherwise, if the other party got angry, they might really get into an unnecessary fight.
Fortunately, Keele was not angry.
He made a rattling sound with the bones in his throat and waved his hand. "Alright, alright, I'm not angry. But, this gentleman here said my story is widely spread outside. Is that true?"
His inquisitive gaze turned to him.
"It's true."
"Hehe, as expected of me," he said proudly.
Kazuma scratched his head, puzzled. "Really? Why haven't I heard it?"
"Because you haven't been in this world for long. Besides, don't you check the intel before you come to a dungeon? This is Keele's Dungeon."
"Oh, oh, so that's how it is!"
"You're only just realizing that now? It seems you still need to accumulate more experience, Kazuma-kun."
He sighed helplessly. As everyone knows, it's common sense to know the relevant information, legends, and background stories before doing a quest. Otherwise, if you don't know what to look out for, you'll suffer.
But he was more interested in something else.
"Keele, you said you've been sleeping all this time?"
"Yes. Because an undead cannot end its own life, I have been in a long sleep."
"No wonder."
Seeing Kazuma's puzzled expression, he said to him, "You see, they're both Archwizard Liches. Keele is already dried up, but Wiz is still so... 'fresh.' What's that all about?"
"Oh, right! Now that you mention it, that's true..." It seemed he had also noticed something was wrong.
"What do you think is the reason?"
"Don't tell me it's because she's always eating vegetable leaves?"
"Or maybe they're a different type?"
"Or maybe it's differential treatment?"
The two of them began to discuss, as if no one else were there.
Keele, who had been listening silently, seemed to have realized something and interjected, "From what you're saying, there's a lich who has maintained the activity of her flesh? And she even eats?"
He and Kazuma looked at each other. "That's right. She's maintained the activity of her flesh, and she even eats."
"No, no, I've never heard of such a lich."
"Right? That's why we're so puzzled."
That poor shopkeeper (Wiz), what in the world is going on with her?
The three of them complained in unison.
After a pause.
He took the initiative to change the subject. "We'll talk about this problem later. Keele, you must have a request for us. If I can help, just say the word."
It wasn't just because he had known this from the start.
If you thought about it carefully, this was a dungeon known as "essential practice for beginners." It had already been visited by countless adventurers. And when the two of them appeared, the master of the dungeon, Keele, had also appeared. It was impossible that he didn't have a request.
"Yes, I do have a request."
Keele looked at him and Kazuma, as if confirming something.
Then, he scratched his head in embarrassment. "I was originally planning to wait here until I rotted away, but then I felt an extraordinary divine power, which not only woke me from my long sleep. I thought a great Archpriest had come down, but..."
He and Kazuma... both of their classes were the most basic "Adventurer." There was no Archpriest.
Keele couldn't help but wonder if he had made a mistake.
"Divine power...?" Kazuma turned to look at him. After all, between the two of them, only the leader had all sorts of strange powers.
"That's a strange look, Kazuma-kun," he said, feeling that he had misunderstood something. Then he pulled out a blue crystal necklace from his neck. "The divine power you sensed should be coming from this."
"Mmm... no wonder."
Kazuma looked at the necklace speechlessly. He knew about this necklace, so he wasn't surprised at all after seeing it. After all, Aqua was always causing them trouble in strange, random places. He was already used to it.
"That's right. That is the divine power," Keele also nodded in confirmation.
That was it. He had sensed this power just now, which was why he had awoken from his deep sleep.
"Well then... Keele. I can find the owner of this necklace. What do you need?"
"I would like to ask Her to do me a favor."
"What favor?"
"Could you... purify me? If it's the one who made this necklace, she should be able to do it."
Keele said this very calmly.
Everyone has a pillar to support their life. When that pillar collapses, they lose their will to live.
Keele's pillar was the noble's daughter. For her, he was willing to give up his human body and become a Lich. To be honest, it was a little cool.
And a man like him, after the noble's daughter had died, had lost his pillar and had actively fallen into a deep sleep, waiting for his own decay.
He had no reason to refuse.
"Kazuma-kun, could I trouble you to bring Aqua down?"
"...Okay, I understand."
Kazuma nodded. It seemed he had also been moved by Keele's story and sincerity, so he was willing to do him this small favor.
He turned and left.
Keele held the hands of the noble's daughter, which had already turned to white bone, and stared at her affectionately. And he stared at the affectionate Keele.
As if sensing his gaze, Keele said in a low voice, "How about it? Isn't she beautiful? Especially her collarbone, the line is so beautiful."
"...Ah."
"It was truly perilous at that time. I was seriously injured and had no choice but to become a Lich. I made an enemy of the kingdom and fled all over the world, finally breathing my last in this dungeon. But even in such an inconvenient flight, she never complained, and always had a happy smile on her face."
"...Ah."
"Kachakachaka. That time was the happiest time. Can you feel it? That kind of happiness."
"...Ah."
He hated poignant love stories, because he always unconsciously got immersed in them, no matter how many times he heard them. So the best way was not to listen.
However, in the end, he was still infected.
He unconsciously grasped RyuZU's hand.
"Master Kobayashi..."
Feeling his extremely tight grip, her hands gently enveloped his right hand, as if to say that she would always be by his side.
After waiting for a while, Kazuma and Aqua arrived at the lowest level, only they were both covered in dirt and looked pathetic.
It seemed they had been through a lot.
But there was no time to ask now. He briefly told Aqua what was going on and asked her to help.
And the Archpriest, who was also a part-time Goddess of Water, readily agreed upon hearing this request. After all, helping others (purifying liches) was her divine duty.
Then, she began to draw a magic circle in the room.
Logically speaking, the magic circle only needed to be large enough to purify Keele, because the noble's daughter had long since ascended to heaven. But Aqua, as if to prove something, put all her effort into it and enveloped the entire room, including the noble's daughter's skeleton.
After the preparations were complete, she chanted the spell, as if savoring it, word by word. A soft blue light welled up, illuminating the entire room.
Keele murmured, "I wonder if I really made her happy..."
"You did! You've already made her very happy!"
He gave him his affirmation.
Kazuma did the same.
Even Aqua, with a gentle expression that they had never seen before, revealed an incomparably bright smile that was full of a goddess's aura.
Wait, who is this?!
Under his dumbfounded gaze, she said to Keele in a gentle voice, "Keele, the great Archwizard who defied heaven's will and willingly became a Lich. In the name of Aqua, the Goddess of Water, I absolve you of your sins... When you open your eyes again, there should be a goddess before you with an unnaturally protruding chest, named Eris. If you don't mind the age gap, and are willing to be by her side in any form, even if it's not as lovers... then pray to her. Ask her to let you see that noble young lady one more time. She will surely grant your wish."
I'm serious, who in the world is this?! Is this a goddess? Has a goddess descended?
He and Kazuma looked at each other, both seeing the look of disbelief in the other's eyes.
While the two were being foolish, Keele, in the room filled with light, gave Aqua a deep bow.
When the light faded, the room returned to its darkness. The Archwizard Lich named Keele was no longer there. And for some reason, the noble's daughter's skeleton had also disappeared.
The four of them, in an indescribable atmosphere, fell into a period of silence.
After a long while.
Kobayashi spoke quietly. "...Let's go back."
On the way back to the surface, Kazuma seemed to be a little unable to let go of Keele's ending. Without any regard for the possibility of being discovered by monsters, he kept asking Aqua about what would happen to Keele. After getting the answer that Eris would find a way to help, he finally let out a long breath, as if relieved.
And he, carrying the treasure he had gotten from Keele, silently followed behind the two of them.
"Master Kobayashi, you don't look well."
"...I'm fine."
I just haven't come out of the story yet. But his emotional management was very strong. He would soon be back to his usual self.
However, he could still smell the scent of the mortality dilemma.
The so-called mortality dilemma is the future where deep emotions seem pale and regrettable before the relentless passage of time.
He had thought of RyuZU, and of Aqua, which was why he felt anxious and sad.
He even had an extreme thought.
Just as you won't empathize if you don't listen to a poignant love story, as long as you don't get entangled with them, you won't care about the mortality dilemma. If that's the case...
"Master Kobayashi, you should train your courage."
"Hmm???"
"I know you are very afraid of the dark, which is why you are holding my hand so tightly. But if you continue to be so timid, not only will you be laughed at by others, but it will also lower my reputation."
"Sorry."
He made a show of letting go of her hand.
RyuZU, on the contrary, quickly grabbed his hand, and after holding it in a reverse grip, as if making an oath or a statement, said calmly but firmly, "It's fine, Master Kobayashi. I will always be by your side, until the day my gears stop turning."
"...Thank you, RyuZU."
His heart warmed slightly.
Aqua also said in a cheerful tone, "Rest assured, Kobayashi! I'm a goddess! Whether it's zombies or liches or other undead, they're all no problem in front of me! And even if you die, I can resurrect you! Whether it's a hundred times, or a thousand times, I can do it!"
"...No, let's just forget about that. No one wants to die a hundred or a thousand times."
He couldn't help but retort.
The idiot goddess's comfort was very surprising and touching, but her guarantee was a little... resistant. He would have to pass on the death thing.
"What are you talking about, you idiot Aqua!" Seeing the atmosphere lighten, Kazuma also joined in.
"Huh?! Why are you calling me an idiot!"
"Because you are an idiot! Just think about it, who would want to die that many times! Besides, you're the one who's always causing trouble! How are you any help?!"
"What did you say?!"
"You deny it?"
Seeing that she still didn't know where she had gone wrong, Kazuma narrowed his eyes and said in a low voice, "You don't know yet, do you? Before you came down, Keele said that he had woken up because of an extraordinary divine power, and in the end, it was found that the source was the necklace on Kobayashi-senpai's chest. That's right, the sapphire necklace you gave him."
"Wh-what are you trying to say?"
"So! The reason we had such an easy time encountering undead monsters on our way down here... don't tell me it was because you were here! Because, Kobayashi-senpai and I didn't run into this situation!"
"——!!!"
Hearing his question, she couldn't help but tremble, standing rooted to the spot.
After a long while, she finally managed to squeeze out a sound and then gave an extremely ambiguous answer. "Wh-wh-wh-what are you talking about? There's no such thing!... Probably..."
"Come to think of it, when we were fighting the Dullahan, the undead seemed to be particularly fond of gathering around you."
Seeing her tremble again, Kazuma silently created distance from her.
Just at this moment, the roar of some creature came from the darkness of the dungeon in the distance. It was probably attracted by the lingering energy on her.
—[Stealth].
Kazuma used his skill without any hesitation and quickly disappeared.
"W-wait!"
She reached out, but couldn't stop him. Then she turned her head, her eyes watery, and looked at the believer she was so proud of.
"Kobayashi, don't abandon me..."
Her whimpering appearance had no goddess-like dignity at all.
Seriously, who was that person just now?
(End of Chapter)