Mushoku Tensei — Chapter 147 - Aisha Greyrat 3
[I want to climb over that high mountain]
[To reach the other side, where the unknown lies]
[No one knows what the future holds. I have no way of knowing either]
[So I must go and find the answer myself]
This year, we went to many places.
Encountered many monsters.
Experienced many interesting things.
For me, at least — that's how it was.
"Lady Aisha, is what you said true? Does a Dragon God really exist in this world? The second of the Seven Great Powers isn't just a legend?"
"Of course."
"You've seen him?"
"I have."
"He must be a powerful figure worthy of the legends, right?"
"Powerful? That word doesn't even begin to cover it..."
"I'd love to meet him sometime~ Has Lady Aisha ever fought him?"
"I have."
"How did it feel? Did you fight him for a long time? After all this past year, I haven't seen a single opponent who could make Lady Aisha draw her sword."
"I would be killed in an instant."
"Really?!"
"Really. In this world, you can make an enemy of anyone. Except him."
"How terrifying..."
Polina didn't say anything more.
I turned my thoughts back to this past year. Everything that had happened.
An ordinary adventure. But an interesting one.
Ah.......
"Miss Aisha, what's wrong?"
Sarah's voice carried concern.
"Nothing," I said. "Anyway, we should be arriving at the commission location soon, right?"
"Yes, almost there."
Commissions.
It wasn't that we lacked money. I'd taken plenty when I left. But sometimes I just wanted to enjoy the thrill of adventuring.
This one was simple.
Kill bandits.
"We're here!"
Bahn brought the carriage to a stop.
It was a bandit stronghold. And Bahn had parked the carriage right at the front gate.
"Hey! Who are you!"
The bandit guards at the gate shouted at us.
Polina and I exchanged a glance.
"Lady Aisha, will you take action?"
"You do it. Let me see how much you've grown."
"Alright..."
Two guard bandits drew their blades and charged. Bahn knocked them both to the ground in a few easy moves.
Polina raised her staff high.
"May the great blessing of flame descend upon the place you seek! Fierce and raging fire, burn the great bounty to ashes! Fireball (Advanced)!"
A massive fireball, like a comet, hurtled toward the stronghold.
This was exactly what I'd been having Polina train toward. Her shortened incantation was honestly terrible, so I'd told her to stop worrying about it and just push her mana output higher instead.
Mages, honestly~
Aside from my brother, there wasn't a single mage who could hold their own in a fight.
That said, mages could serve as strategic weapons.
Like Polina.
That's what all mages should be, really. A wide-area destructive skill they could call their own.
The fireball hit. The stronghold came down.
The screams inside meant some people were still alive.
"Lady Aisha... how was that?"
"Is that everything you have?"
"Half? I used about half my mana."
"Oh~ you've improved."
Sarah drew her bow.
"Alright. Time for cleanup."
One by one, we cut down the bandits who fled from the wreckage. Commission complete.
------
That night, we sat together eating the dinner Bahn had made.
I had to admit, he was good at cooking. Even I had to give him that.
His skill could hold its own against the maids back home.
"Hey! Polina! How can you eat that much! That's your third bowl! Stop!"
"Baldy! You didn't do a single thing today, alright? I'm the one who contributed here. My magic took down that whole stronghold! What's wrong with eating a little more?"
"If you eat everything, what are Aisha and Sarah supposed to have? You little brat, I swear—"
I finished the soup in my bowl and looked at Bahn.
"I have something to take care of. Don't follow me."
"Oh! Off to the bathroom, huh? Go ahead, go ahead. Women are such a hassle."
"Baldy, you're asking for a beating! How dare you call Lady Aisha a hassle!"
"Uncle Bahn, that remark was a bit thoughtless. It's a biological instinct."
I smiled and didn't bother with their nonsense.
I walked deeper into the forest.
When I couldn't hear their voices anymore, I activated the spell.
A letter appeared at the center of a teleportation circle.
Written by Orsted.
[There is an anomaly at the Holy Land of Swords. The next-generation Sword God, Chino Britz, has prematurely united with Nina Farion.]
Just one line.
The Holy Land of Swords...?
Chino... Nina...
Who were these people?
Their union was an anomaly?
And how did Orsted even know about this...?
Could he observe what was happening at the Holy Land of Swords?
Ah.
Right. I remembered now.
The Holy Land of Swords had a teleportation circle set up by Orsted. There was probably someone my brother had sent there.
For a long time now, my brother and Orsted had been sending people everywhere to keep watch. Orsted had explained most of what had happened across his previous loops. But so many things had already changed completely because of what my brother and I had done, so the places they sent observers to check for anomalies were all relatively remote.
The Holy Land of Swords. Remote enough, certainly.
I headed back to the group. Bahn was waiting with a bowl of soup.
Sarah and Polina had apparently already retreated to the carriage to rest.
"Last one," he said.
"Thank you. From now on, let me handle all the night watch duties."
"All of them?"
"Yes."
Bahn looked at me. Just looked at me, without a word.
Then, with a quiet resignation in his voice:
"When you're tired — tell us."
"Got it."
➤ Next: Aisha Greyrat 4