Mushoku Tensei — Chapter 71 - Preparations for Departure

"So, that's the situation. I'll be heading to the Labyrinth City."

Early morning. After everyone finished breakfast, I gathered them in the living room and laid out the contents of Paul's letter.

When I finished, silence settled over the room.

"Brother... it'll work out, right?"

The first to speak was Norn.

"Of course."

If this operation has any problem at all, it's the journey itself.

Even at my fastest, it'll take half a year to get there. If I run into trouble or lose my way, it could take even longer. A genuine hassle, any way you look at it.

"Brother, I want to go too! And if you won't let me, then you absolutely have to take Sylphie!"

Aisha raised her hand and made her case.

"To be honest... I was planning to go alone. Aisha, you still have school. And Sylphie is a mage like me, so she wouldn't add much on that front."

"What do you mean! Then just let me go! My swordsmanship is already as strong as Eris's was back then."

"No. The topic of bringing anyone along ends here. Anyone else have something to say?"

Sylphie raised her hand.

"Rudeus, I don't think I'm as useless as you're imagining, you know?"

"Sylphie... that's not what I meant..."

"Rudeus, take me with you, okay? I do have several years of solo adventuring experience, after all."

Her tone was gentle, almost casual, yet just like every other time, I had the feeling that refusing her would lead somewhere bad.

But... even the slightest possibility was enough. I didn't want Sylphie getting hurt.

I knew this kind of thinking was arrogant. Almost like locking her up at home. And we hadn't even confirmed what we were to each other yet.

"Sylphie... I... I'm scared of you getting hurt. I know you're strong and experienced, but..."

When I said that, Sylphie's cheeks flushed all the way to her ears. She still didn't back down.

"My teacher is Rudeus, you know? So... how should I put it... please believe in me, okay?"

"...Fine. How can I say no when you put it like that?"

"Alright, alright! Then it's decided. Brother and Sylphie go together."

Aisha clapped her hands and settled the roster for the trip to the Labyrinth City.

"Ahem..."

The ill-timed cough didn't come from anyone in the living room. It came from Nanahoshi, who had just come down from the second floor.

"Sorry. I wasn't trying to eavesdrop..."

"It's fine. Do you have something to say? About us heading to the Labyrinth City."

Nanahoshi thought for a moment, murmuring to herself.

"The Labyrinth City... is that on the Begaritt Continent?"

"Yes."

"Mm... oh! Rudeus, once your family meeting is wrapped up, come by my lab. It'll help you. I'll go wait there."

With that, Nanahoshi walked straight out of my house.

Right. Next up: packing for the trip.

I'd already gotten used to this easy, unhurried life...

After I finished drawing up the supply list and handed it off to the maid, I turned to the room.

"Aisha, Norn, head to school. I need to stop by the lab too."

"Sure, sure! When I get back this afternoon, I'll have a grand farewell gift ready for Brother!"

"I... I'll prepare a protective charm for Brother too..."

Without thinking, I reached out and patted both of my little sisters on the head.

"Young Master Rudeus, anything particular for dinner?"

"Whatever we usually have is fine. This trip isn't especially dangerous, and Sylphie will be with me. You're all making such a big deal out of it that I'm starting to feel a little embarrassed."

Lilia smiled gently.

"Then we'll have the usual."

Maybe it was because these past few months had been too comfortable. That was why I was scared.

Scared that this journey would break something. Scared that the people I loved would get hurt.

A few years ago, I wouldn't have felt this kind of hesitation.

I'd barely stepped out of the house when Sylphie's voice reached me from behind.

"Rudeus, be careful out there."

"I will."

...

I arrived at Nanahoshi's lab. She was sitting at her desk, studying a diagram.

"So what's this thing you mentioned? The one that would help me?"

"This."

She handed me the diagram. It was a map, but not any ordinary world map. Certain locations were marked on it.

"What is this?"

"Here, here, and here. All of these are teleportation circles. If you use them, you can get from Sharia to the Labyrinth City in 1 month."

Nanahoshi walked me through each marked point one by one.

"1 month...! But where did you get this?"

"The man who killed your sister. He told me not to show it to anyone, but you're basically one of his subordinates too, aren't you? So giving it to you should be fine."

"I see. Thank you. Really."

Nanahoshi waved her hand.

"Saying 'thank you' doesn't mean much, does it? Come back soon and drink with me. That's what I want. And if you're gone, my research is going to stall for a long time. Very inconvenient."

"Noted. I'll be back within half a year, no matter what."

"Want to grab lunch somewhere? You're saying goodbye to your family tonight, right?"

"Sure. Let me go explain things to the headmaster first. Noon, we go to the tavern. Ah, no drinking for you."

"Hm? Why go to a tavern if you're not drinking?"

"...It's the middle of the day. I'm not carrying you home again."

"What? Are you saying I'm a bad drunk?"

"You really didn't know?"

...

After lunch with Nanahoshi and a proper goodbye, I headed home.

I didn't go inside. I cut straight through to the yard.

I made my way to the stables and found Dom, who had somehow gotten even fatter than I remembered.

This guy. All he did was eat and sleep. The yard was wide open and he never ran. Weren't horses supposed to love running?

Could he even pull a carriage at this point? Actually, no. Carrying a person might already be pushing it.

Being this overweight couldn't be healthy, could it...

I was still turning these thoughts over when I heard a startled cry from behind me.

"Brother?! Why are you back so early?!"

"Hm?"

I turned around. It was Aisha.

"I should be asking you that. Don't you have afternoon classes?"

"I took the day off."

"Why?"

"Norn came home too. We were going to prepare a surprise for you, decorate the house before you got back."

"And now that I've found out, what happens?"

"It's fine~ Norn, Sylphie, and Mama Lilia are still setting up. Just stay out here and talk with me for a bit, Brother~ It'd be awkward if you walked in right now anyway."

"Fair enough."

Aisha stepped up and patted Dom on the head.

Dom went completely docile the moment she touched him. He really did know who his real master was.

I looked down at her.

She'd grown. A lot taller than before.

It wasn't hard to picture: Aisha was going to be a beauty, just like her mother.

She was 11 now. In this world, that was already an age when people started dating.

If she ever brought a boy home one day, what was I supposed to do... That was actually a question I needed to think about.

I had 2 little sisters. What if both of them ended up getting swept away by some stranger from who-knows-where?

"Brother? What are you thinking about?"

"Ah... the route. Working out the route for when we leave."

"Honestly~ Don't think about that today."

"Alright."

Aisha kept petting Dom, then spoke like it was nothing.

"So, how are things going with you and Sylphie?"

Honestly, I had no idea what the situation even was.

I'd been in the middle of working up my resolve when Paul's letter arrived and knocked all of those thoughts completely out of my head.

"Same as before, I guess. There are more important things right now."

"True~ Hey, Brother, what would you do if I found a boyfriend?"

Hm. Here it comes.

I'd just been thinking about exactly this. I still hadn't worked out an answer, but the person asking was Aisha. Not some hypothetical.

So I said what I actually thought.

"If he's not better than me, I'll make you break up. And don't even think about dating before you're an adult."

"Eh~ But everyone at the academy is dating at my age."

"Those noble ideas about romance are revolting. I'm not letting you near that."

"Brother, your need for control is showing."

"Take it however you want. I'm not budging. Father isn't here, which means I'm responsible for keeping an eye on my little sisters and making sure they're safe."

Right. Paul wasn't here.

This was the least I could do.

Aisha didn't seem bothered by any of it. She just smiled.

"Brother, let's go out for a walk. They should be done in about an hour."

"Sure."

We wandered through the market together for a good while. By the time the sun was starting to sink, we headed back.

They'd decorated the whole house. It looked like the birthday parties I remembered from my previous life.

"Welcome back!"

I pretended I hadn't noticed a thing and made a show of looking around in surprise.

Come to think of it, when Eris had prepared a surprise for me before, I'd found out about that one too. I still didn't know if that meant I had good luck or bad.

"Brother, Sylphie, sit down. You two are the guests of honor tonight."

Aisha pulled me to my seat. Norn stepped forward and pressed a protective charm into my hand, then handed one to Sylphie.

"Safe travels..."

"Thank you."

"Norn, stop it. You're making it sound like Brother and Sylphie are heading off to die! Honestly..."

Aisha shook her head, then held out her own charms to me and Sylphie.

"Bon voyage!"

I reached over and patted Aisha and Norn on the head, then caught Sylphie's eye. We both smiled.

"Thank you. All of you."

...

After the farewell party wound down, I lay back on my bed.

I turned the protective charms over in my hands. Norn's and Aisha's.

"Better get some sleep."

➤ Next: Reunion