Chapter 153: Return (5)

Loriel began to seriously wonder how a simple celebration of her Master's return had turned into this situation.

'We were definitely celebrating Master's return together... Then Master suddenly lost focus and stretched out her fingers...'

Realizing why she was thinking about this, Loriel first responded to Rin's words.

"...So, that's how big it is."

"Y-yes, that's right. B-but isn't this abnormally large?"

Seeing Rin look dizzy while staring at her own hand, Loriel too wore a similarly dizzy expression.

After all, before this conversation started, Loriel had heard from Rin about what had happened.

'Whether it's asking to touch it because you can't believe it, or actually letting someone touch it...'

After briefly thinking that neither is normal, she spoke to Rin, who seemed to be starting a new worry (?) even though her long-held wishes had been fulfilled.

"...It is big, indeed."

Loriel, who was reluctantly made aware of Kim Hyunwoo's size (?), mumbled with a slightly sour expression.

"But even so...it shouldn't cause any problems."

"R-really?"

"Yes."

"It's this big, though?"

Seeing Lin's expression, which seemed to ask, 'Is that really true?', Loriel responded.

"It's fine. Similar things fit too."

"It f-fits?"

"Yes. It fits."

"Th-then, how do you know that?"

"......"

Loriel, who had been speaking well, suddenly closed her mouth.

It was because she couldn't bring herself to say, 'I know because I've seen and experienced it firsthand', in response to Rin's question.

Besides, Loriel thought that Rin might be exaggerating a bit.

After all, the size Rin had mentioned was larger than what Loriel had recently learned about another species.

'...Could humans be bigger than beastfolk?'

Turning her gaze elsewhere, Loriel cleared her throat unnecessarily and looked off into the distance as she spoke.

"Ah, anyway...it fits."

"I-I see..."

Seeing Rin's lack of further questioning, as if she had asked out of pure curiosity without the intent to probe further, Loriel cleared her throat and spoke.

"But Master, what should we do now?"

"What part are you referring to?"

"Now that you're no longer in the Calan Kingdom, we don't have any reason to stay there either."

Loriel had been active under the name "Five Swords of Calan", but the only reason she was in the Calan Kingdom was because of Rin.

The same was true for the other heroes.

The cumbersome title "Five Swords of Calan" was merely a convenience for carrying out tasks within the Calan Kingdom, and they had no emotional attachment to the Kingdom.

So when Loriel asked, Rin, who had been confused just moments before, quickly calmed her expression and began to think seriously.

"...First, gather everyone and collect their opinions. You all always follow me, but your opinions might differ."

She soon said those words.

"Understood."

With that, Loriel bowed her head and left the room.

In the depths of the abyss.

Loria was walking in that place, where one couldn't tell up from down, in pitch-black darkness.

With a playful smile on her lips, she walked through the empty abyss and soon arrived at a massive door.

Despite the place being seemingly empty, the massive door, with a huge tree engraved on it, appeared as if it had been waiting for her when she stopped. When Loria lightly placed her hand on the door.

Rumble...!

The massive door began to open with a loud rumble, as if resonating with her touch.

And beyond the opened door, there was nothing.

Just like the abyss she had walked through, there was nothing visible but endless blackness, with nothing special in sight.

Yet, despite that, Loria stepped into the dark mire without hesitation, as if this was the correct path.

Crack!

As soon as she entered, a cracking sound echoed, and the abyss before her began to slowly disappear.

As if it had always been meant to happen, the darkness receded, revealing the chamber beyond the door.

There was nothing in that chamber.

All that remained were the floors, which had been shattered and cracked over thousands of years, and the round table on it.

And the man in massive armor sitting on it.

Loria approached with a smile.

The armored man did not move.

However.

[Why have you awakened me from my long slumber?]

He simply opened his mouth and spoke, to which Loria responded with a smile.

"I thought we could make a deal."

[It's the first time a ragtag like you has asked for a deal.]

"Don't be so prickly. This is a very good offer for you too. In fact, it's an offer you're sure to accept."

[......]

The armored man looked up at Loria without a word.

As if to hear what her proposal was.

At the same time, he grasped the sword beside the round table.

A clear expression of intent to attack if he didn't like what Loria was about to say.

But even in the face of that, Loria remained completely unfazed, smiling leisurely.

"I'll let you out. From this place."

[What?]

"You won't ask how, right? With your eyes, you can see exactly how I'll get you out of here."

The armored man did not respond.

Indeed, his eyes could see exactly how Loria planned to release him.

Therefore.

[...What is your goal?]

The man quietly asked.

"I'd rather keep that hidden. But I promise you, I'm not going to use you as a pawn. What I want is similar to your goal, but different."

With that, Loria gave her answer.

"So you just need to go back out and achieve your goal. The Kingdom of the Otherworld."

Smiling, she made that proposal.

The next day.

Kim Hyunwoo, who had stayed here for several days, summoned Adria, who had also been staying here for quite some time.

"You look especially tired today."

"Haha... I've been busy with work. So I've ended up staying in Lartania a bit longer."

"Feel free to stay as long as you like."

A simple greeting.

Although, in truth, Adria didn't look very well...

As Kim Hyunwoo thought that, he looked at Adria, who then asked.

"So, what brings you to call me today?"

At Adria's question, Kim Hyunwoo hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Actually, I wanted to ask... The one who protects the Tienus Merchant Group is a Red Dragon, right?"

"Ah, yes. That's correct, but why do you ask...?"

At Adria's question, Kim Hyunwoo took a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking.

"I think I mentioned it to you once before. Do you remember? There was a half-human, half-dragon hero in Lartania."

"Yes? Ah, yes, that's right."

Adria, who had a slightly dazed expression at Kim Hyunwoo's words, quickly responded.

Kim Hyunwoo felt a bit puzzled by her reaction but continued speaking.

"If it's not too much trouble, could you ask that Dragon, your guardian, about the half-human, half-dragon? Although I'm not sure how your guardian might feel about a half-dragon, since she's a full Dragon."

At Kim Hyunwoo's words, Adria had a dazed expression for a moment before quickly regaining her composure, clearing her throat as she replied.

"Uh...um, it's not a difficult request. My Guardian isn't as overbearing as other Dragons. But- may I ask why you're looking for Her?"

"Oh, it's just that if I could meet him again, there's a lot I'd like to discuss."

Kim Hyunwoo paused after saying that, thinking for a moment before speaking again.

"To be more blunt, I'm thinking of offering to re-recruit her."

"Re-recruitment?"

"Yes. It's a bit complicated to explain everything, so I might not be able to tell you the full story, but that's the situation, and I'm trying to find her quickly."

"I-I see. Ah, understood. I'll ask Her right away."

Seeing Adria's bright smile mixed with a confused expression, Kim Hyunwoo nodded and spoke as if something had just come to mind.

"Oh, and."

"Yes?"

"This isn't something I'd ask your guardian, but rather you personally. Do you happen to know anything about the Beast King?"

"The Beast...King?"

And then.

"Yes, she was also affiliated with the Lartania territory, so I'm trying to re-recruit her and find out where she-"

Kim Hyunwoo's sentence was cut off.

It was because, before he could finish-

Crash!!!

Merilda crashed through the window and rolled into the office.

"...?"