Chapter 237: Conclusion. 12:37 (23:48)

* * *

He was an orphan.

When he became aware of his surroundings, he was living with slightly older companions in the slums of a certain town.

Sometimes scavenging for leftover food, sometimes committing theft... Desperately living through each day.

These slum children, called "sewer rats" by the heartless adults of the town, were not seen as objects to be cherished and raised, but as targets for extermination.

Therefore, even if a person with a taste for murder invaded their dwelling... something like a small shack made by collecting garbage, and began a massacre, there was not a single person among the town's residents who tried to help them.

The meanest boy who was the strongest in fights, the lying boy who was the fastest runner, the girl who was always absentminded.

The children around him were all slashed to death by that person while laughing.

He was left for last.

The reason being, among the children, he had the smallest body and was weakened by illness at the time, so it was judged that he wouldn't be able to run away.

However, even though it's said he was left for "last," in the end, it was just being "last" in a group of a few people.

His turn came around in less than a few minutes.

"Hm~hm~hm~n, hm~n, hm-hm, hm~n."

That murderer swayed his body and stood in front of him while humming a creepy tune in a natural manner as if what was happening here was just an everyday scene, raising a blood-stained hatchet.

He couldn't avoid it.

He didn't have the strength to run away.

He wished, at least, for it not to be painful, and just tightly closed his eyes.

He couldn't even "wish for a better next life."

Because he didn't even have the concept of the next life.

However, the future of his own death that he had anticipated didn't come for some reason.

When he slowly opened his eyes, there was the dumbfounded face of the murderer floating in the air.

For some reason, that body had been separated from the head and was rolling on the ground, creating a pool of blood.

What was going on?

His heart, completely worn out from daily life, didn't feel any fear.

What in the world was happening now?

First, he sought the answer to that.

And that answer was surprisingly easy to arrive at if he calmly observed the situation.

The murderer's head wasn't floating, but his hair was grabbed from behind, making it dangle in the air.

In other words, he didn't know how, but the person holding that head was the one who killed the murderer and, as a result, saved his life.

"Hm-hm, hm-hm~n."

That person was humming a beautiful tune in a natural manner as if what was happening here was just an everyday scene.

It was a woman.

He desperately narrowed his eyes and captured the figure of the woman, his savior, in his eyes, backlit by the sunlight shining through the entrance of the dwelling.

He had never forgotten the excitement of that moment, not even once in his life so far!

The golden hair shimmering in the sunlight!

That countenance, as if condensing the beauty of this world!

The overwhelming power hidden in that body, which even he, just a slum child, could sense!

That woman was, more than anything, beautiful!

That woman was, more than anything, sacred!

That woman was, more than anything, mighty!

He couldn't remember the name of the town he lived in at that time, or the faces of his slum companions.

But amidst such gray memories, only this excitement still shone brilliantly in a golden color even now!

This was the encounter between him... Geistpfenanjeshiriard and the current Adventurer's Guild Supreme Commander Lairine Rune, his mother, teacher, and the one he yearned for.

* * *

"...Phew."

Finished with his lunch, while taking a break in his office, Adventurer's Guild Vice-Commander Geistpfenanjeshiriard was gazing at the sea.

He liked the sea.

The beauty of the water surface shimmering in the sunlight had something in common with Lairine in its vastness and strength.

In other words, it was wonderful.

The steam rising from the teacup in his hand tickled his nasal cavity.

Enjoying the rich aroma, he sat deeply in the soft office chair and relaxed.

While relaxing like that, Geistpfenanjeshiriard slowly and slowly ruminated on his memories with Lairine.

This was his routine, and such peaceful times were the source of his vitality to live.

"Now then..."

Having finished enjoying his tea, Geistpfenanjeshiriard cast his eyes on the documents on his desk.

It was the beginning of the afternoon work.

"Hmm, a mysterious ruin discovered near the town of Nebo, upstream of the Ahate River... unknown era... incongruous structure...?"

Just as he had read the document up to that point... it happened!

...Thud!!!

A tremendous wave of anger pierced his body like an impact!

Clatter!!!

Creak!!!

The glass of the large window behind him shattered into dust and flew outside, and large cracks ran here and there on the seamless white walls of the Adventurer's Guild headquarters!

"Wh-what in the world...!?"

The moment he muttered that word while shielding his face from the scattering documents with his arm, his instinct sensed the danger of death.

Geistpfenanjeshiriard made a quick sideways jump to evade!

Then, one second later, the door of the office was blown away by a tremendous impact from the hallway side, engulfing his desk and not losing its momentum, breaking through the wall and falling outside as is.

After watching the scene while breaking out in a cold sweat, Geistpfenanjeshiriard slowly turned to face where the office door used to be, like a rusted toy doll.

What was there, even amidst the flying dust, was the beautifully shimmering goddess.

In other words, the Adventurer's Guild Supreme Commander Lairine Rune, his mother, teacher, and the one he yearned for, was standing there.

She was standing there with both hands in her pockets, in a one-legged stance that seemed to have kicked the door and not moved since then.

"Well, well, Supreme Commander. What brings you here?"

Geistpfenanjeshiriard immediately straightened his collar, put on a smile, placed his hand on his chest, and bowed.

"......"

Lairine, on the other hand, was silent.

Her expression had completely fallen off.

...An alarm rang in Geistpfenanjeshiriard's mind!

"...Taiche-chan is... a serious child, right...?"

Lairine put her foot down and began to say such things while directing her beautiful face, like a doll with its expression fallen off, towards Geistpfenanjeshiriard.

"Taiche Special Affairs Officer, you mean...?"

"That child, you know... even though she's probably afraid of me... she came to apologize... 'I lost sight of Emi-san again,' she said..."

"!!"

With those words, Geistpfenanjeshiriard understood what had happened.

And why the goddess was angry.

"I haven't received any report, though?"

"Ugh... ah...!!"

Along with a heavy voice, a tremendous[Intimidation]assaulted Geistpfenanjeshiriard!

The space creaked!

Even for him who was used to it, it was an[Intimidation]that... even if it didn't cause a heart attack and kill him, it would certainly cause mental abnormalities and leave aftereffects!

"Hey, Emi-chan was found, why did you keep quiet about it? You stopped the documents, didn't you? I said I wanted to meet Emi-chan, right? All the time, right? I'll listen to your excuse. Why did you keep quiet? Why did you stop the information? Speak. Why? Why? Why?"

"To!! Scrutinize the information!!"

Geistpfenanjeshiriard forcibly roused his weak mind that made him want to kneel down, continued to stand there with all his might, and shouted!

"Indeed, I did receive a report that a person who seemed to be a girl named Emi had been found. And I didn't tell you, Supreme Commander! But that was for your sake!!"

Geistpfenanjeshiriard's concealment of information is exposed to the Supreme Commander.

It was something that could easily be anticipated, and of course, he had also prepared for that possibility.

He desperately explained the "circumstances."

"If that report turned out to be false, how great would your sorrow be, Supreme Commander!! Thinking of that, I thought I couldn't tell you information whose accuracy was uncertain!! The reason I didn't tell you the information that they had lost sight of that girl again was also to not sadden you!! Of course, I am also currently searching for her, and as soon as new information comes in, I thought that next time for sure, I would protect her and inform you, Supreme Commander!!"

Enduring the[Intimidation]of the Supreme Commander assaulting him, the Vice-Commander explained the "circumstances" he had prepared, almost screaming.

Finishing speaking in one breath, he noticed that he wasn't breathing and hurriedly took a breath.

His heart hurt!

Geistpfenanjeshiriard unintentionally coughed!

"...'I am also currently searching,' using that darkness spirit?"

"Yes!! That's right!!"

"Using a spirit to find that child."

"Yes!!"

"You were going to kill her. Before I noticed."

"Ye-... Eh!?"

Lairine Rune casually pulled out the hand she had stuffed in her pocket.

What was gripped in that hand was... a black ball.

...The darkness spirit Himetal!!

"I heard everything."

"Ah..."

"That's why I'm angry."

"Aah..."

"And I'm disappointed."

"Aaaah..."

Geistpfenanjeshiriard could no longer stand.

He disgracefully knelt down, taking a posture like prostrating.

Lairine, who had slowly approached him, stepped on his head while remaining expressionless.

"...You became quite strong, and compared to those around you, it seemed you would live long. To the extent of a 'Great Mage.' You could do your job well. I thought I had picked up something good. Enough to develop some attachment to."

Crack...

An unpleasant sound came from Geistpfenanjeshiriard's head.

"Aah... Uuh..."

Dirtying his face with tears, snot, and drool, Geistpfenanjeshiriard groaned.

"And yet... this is what happened. I'm sad."

Letting out a sigh, Lairine took her foot off Geistpfenanjeshiriard's head and walked towards the large window that had completely lost its glass.

What spread in her field of vision was the shimmering sea of the southern country.

A warm sea breeze caressed her golden hair.

Splash... Splash...

The sound of waves reached her.

Small, quiet, and modest.

"Because... because..."

Behind Lairine, who was gazing at the sea, Geistpfenanjeshiriard, who had his head on the floor, began to mumble.

"Because Mother called that child 'family'...! Even though I'm here for Mother! I am, I am!! Hic! Even though I'm here!! I!! I have never had Mother direct 'such feelings' towards me!!"

The old man was mumbling while sobbing.

But his voice gradually grew louder, and in the end, he was practically screaming!

Receiving the old man's scream, that youthful and beautiful woman turned around and...

"Disgusting."

She muttered that.

"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!"

While approaching the crying old man again, the beautiful woman spoke.

"I will never forgive you for this. I will absolutely never forgive you. I want to kill you right now. Crush you to a pulp."

She squatted down, grabbed the old man's hair, and forcibly lifted his head.

She brought her face close and met his eyes.

"But that would be too lenient as a punishment for you. Without physical evidence, such a punishment would be bad for appearances."

"Uu..."

The old man couldn't look directly at the beauty of his beloved who had approached him, blushing and averting his eyes.

The woman paid no heed to the old man's state and continued to speak indifferently.

"So, I decided on this."

She suddenly let go of the hand that was grabbing his hair.

The old man's face slammed onto the floor with a thud.

"It's an order."

There was force put into those words.

The old man hurriedly raised his body.

What was in front of him was the back of the goddess with shimmering golden hair.

An overwhelming superior being on a different level as a creature.

A revered existence.

He hurriedly rubbed his face on the floor again, which he had raised once.

He had to prostrate himself and listen to her words.

"Don't take your own life. Work harder than ever as the Adventurer's Guild Vice-Commander."

"!!?"

The old man was so surprised that he raised his face again, opened his eyes wide, and stared at the goddess!

Because, because, because!

Then, nothing would change from before!

It's not a punishment at all!?

...Forgiven?

Because Mother.

Loves me!

The old man thought such a thing.

The woman turned around, stared at the dumbfounded face of the old man, and smiled sweetly.

"In exchange, I will 'completely forget about you'!"

"...Huh?"

"Oh my, Grandpa, your face is all wet. Here, wipe wipe!"

The woman took a handkerchief out of her breast pocket and gently wiped the old man's face.

"Eh? Huh? Eh?"

"Hey, hey! Why are you on all fours on the floor! Stand up straight!"

Smiling and laughing, the woman easily lifted the old man as if picking up a baby whose neck had stabilized, with both hands under his armpits.

But the old man was so confused that he had no strength.

He limply sat down on the spot, staring at the woman's face with a dumbfounded look.

"Oh? Geez, can't be helped! Are you tired?"

Seeing the old man's state, the woman made a wry smile, and this time she carried him to a reception chair that was still intact, unlike the desk and door, and sat him there.

"Grandpa, even if you're busy with work, you mustn't overdo it, okay? Make sure to take breaks, alright?"

"U-um... um! M-Mother! Mother...!?"

The old man was flustered and at a loss, unable to grasp the situation.

Seeing his state, the woman cutely tilted her head.

"...Haha what? Grandpa, what are you saying?"

She said that with a truly puzzled look on her face.

"Ah, Darkness Spirit-chan! I need your help with something, so come with me!"

The darkness spirit tried to approach the old man out of concern for him, but the woman quickly caught it and left the Vice-Commander's office together.

"You see, I want you to guide me! You know, right? The location of my only 'family' in this world... my 'daughter'! Ah, maybe in the future, even 'lovers'!? Kyaaa!"

A cheerful voice faded away.

The old man just listened to it in a daze.

Soon, the voice could no longer be heard, and all that reached his ears was the quiet, quiet sound of waves, rising and falling.

His punishment.

It was to crush what he cherished most into pieces.

What he cherished most.

That was the relationship.

His goddess would probably never call him "Geistpfenanjeshiriard" again.

In the room where no one else was left, he curled up, vomited everything in his stomach onto the floor, and screamed.

Arc 13, concluded!! (For real)

Although he's the Vice-Commander, story-wise, he makes his exit in this chapter.

He was a person who could have even played the role of the final boss of Part 1, but unfortunately, that role has already been decided for someone else.

To the readers, thank you for reading this arc to the end as well.

"The Reincarnated Extra" will continue on and on, truly on and on.

I would be happy if it could at least serve as a way to kill time for you all.

[The Town of Nebo]

It appears in Arc 12.

A town where the Fake Hero event occurred in the[Story of the Red-Haired Hero].

Known for Ahate River Shrimp caught from the nearby Ahate River.

[Great Mage]

A person whose name can be seen scattered throughout the chapters.

Scheduled to appear from Part 2 onward.