Chapter 270: (Arc 14 Epilogue 1) Emi Rune
* * *
In Lairine's mansion on Sealed Island Vera Kenu, there is a basement.
It is a room protected by sturdy white stone materials.
Although it is called a basement, there is no gloomy atmosphere at all.
This is because the cleaning is thorough and the room itself is bright.
Why is it bright?
Of course, there are magic lamps installed on the ceiling, and above all, a transfer magic circle emitting purple light is drawn in the center of the room.
In front of such a shining transfer magic circle, Emi and Lairine were standing.
"I...sniff...have given you usage permission..."
Lairine began explaining with a reluctant tone while sniffling.
The area around her eyes was slightly red and swollen.
It seems she had been crying quite a bit until just now.
"If you stand on this magic circle, you will first be transported to the transfer room on Aave Island...where the Adventurer's Guild headquarters is located... I have a special affairs official named Taiche-chan waiting there for you... She will take you back to Naganahate where you were before... There's another transfer magic circle there... Ah, but before that, it seems Taiche-chan has some business with you, so it will be after that's done..."
Lairine spoke slowly in an even more drawn-out tone than usual, rambling on and on.
Looking at her fidgeting and rubbing her fingers together in front of her chest, who would guess that this woman is the world's strongest adventurer?
In any case, she is full of lingering attachments.
"Got it," Emi said in a matter-of-fact manner.
As always, she had an expressionless face with unreadable emotions.
She had wrapped around her body a pitch-black, stiff cloth she had created with her unique ability.
Even if it looked shabby and eerie, its defensive performance was higher than the average metal armor.
"Hey, Emi-chan... Are you really going to leave now...?" Lairine asked Emi again, moistening her eyes.
"Can't you postpone your departure for another week?"
"No."
"Then, the day after tomorrow?"
"No."
"Ah, tomorrow is fine too, you know?"
"No."
...Lairine wriggled and swayed, trying to somehow postpone their parting, but Emi never nodded her head.
Sighing as if amazed, her white skin dyed by the purple light, Emi said,
"...It was a promise, right? I defeated you. So I'm allowed to leave. The promise you made."
"That's right... That's right... A promise... It was a promise..."
Finally giving up on her persistent invitations in the face of Emi's unyielding attitude, Lairine dropped her shoulders dejectedly and also let out a sigh.
Then... she slapped her cheeks with a "pan" and shook her head vigorously.
Forcibly changing her mood, she put on her usual smile.
"Let cute kids go on a journey... right, Emi-chan?"
"That's right."
"Then, as your mother, I shall see you off. To your new beginning!"
"That's fine."
Here, Emi turned around and faced Lairine.
Lairine stared intently into Emi's black eyes, and then...
"...N-No, I don't like it after all! I absolutely don't like it!! Emi-chan, don't leave!!" She cried out while hugging Emi.
"...Persistent," Emi said in exasperation, but she didn't try to shake off the embrace.
Sighing, she let Lairine do as she pleased.
Emi's bones no longer broke.
Emi had become stronger.
And Lairine had become a little more considerate of Emi's feelings.
* * *
"sniff Well then, it's sad to part, but... it's about time to say goodbye..."
Having hugged Emi for about an hour and somehow coming to terms with her own feelings, Lairine said while sniffling and wiping her tears.
"Yeah. See you."
"W-Wait!!"
As soon as she was released, Emi tried to step into the magic circle, but Lairine grabbed her by the neck and stopped her.
"...Is there something else?"
"Of course there is! I have something I must tell you before you set off on your journey!"
"............"
Staring expressionlessly at Lairine, who said such a thing while correcting her posture, Emi decided to listen to her for now.
Despite living at her own pace, Emi is a girl who possesses a certain degree of dutifulness in such matters.
"First of all! This is not advice as a mother, but as your predecessor..."
After clearing her throat with a cough, Lairine said,
"Emi-chan, you must never become an adventurer."
She said something incomprehensible.
"...Huh? What are you saying?"
Even Emi tilted her head at this statement.
The woman in front of her is the Supreme Commander of the Adventurer's Guild.
Despite being the boss of adventurers, what kind of reasoning does she have to tell her not to become an adventurer?
"Adventurers, once you become one, are ultimately nothing more than pawns."
"............"
"Pawns cannot go against the will of the players. Even I am no exception. In fact, that's how the system works."
"............ 'Players'?"
"............"
Lairine smiled and did not answer Emi's question.
Because she must not answer.
"............"
A brief silence fell between the two.
An overwhelming [Intimidation] was emitted from Lairine, as if to say she would not take no for an answer.
"...Understood."
After thinking for a bit, Emi nodded and said so.
It wasn't that she succumbed to Lairine's [Intimidation].
It was because she somehow sensed the troublesome circumstances lying behind the "adventurer" system.
Emi has Extra-sama with her.
That's why she is more sensitive to such circumstances than others.
Originally, Extra-sama hadn't noticed anything about this matter, but it's best to avoid getting involved in circumstances that seem to involve gods as much as possible.
In hindsight, it may have been good for Emi to have been denied adventurer registration in the town of Yoshanka.
"Thank you," Lairine breathed a sigh of relief at Emi, who nodded more obediently than expected.
"Other than that... Emi-chan, make sure to eat properly, okay?"
"Yes."
"Not just meat, but make sure to eat your vegetables too, okay?"
"Yes."
"Make sure to brush your teeth properly too, okay?"
"Yes."
"Make sure to get enough sleep too, okay?"
"Yes."
"If you ever feel lonely, you can always come back home, okay?"
"...I'm going now, okay?"
"Wait! Wait, wait, wait! This is the last one! It's really the last one!"
Getting tired of the dragging farewell scene, Emi tried to step onto the magic circle, but once again, Lairine grabbed her by the neck and stopped her.
Emi and Lairine faced each other again.
Lairine took a deep breath in and out.
In a slightly timid voice, she asked Emi,
"The next time we meet... will you let me hear about your journey?"
Emi stared intently at Lairine's face, smiling yet looking anxious with her eyebrows lowered...
Then, averting her eyes, she said,
"...I don't mind."
"I'll be looking forward to it!"
Tears fell from Lairine's eyes.
Plop, plop, plop.
Several round stains formed on the floor.
But Lairine kept smiling.
With a happy smile on her face.
She spoke her truly final farewell.
"May your journey be blessed with great fortune. My beloved 'Emi Rune.' Take care... and have a safe trip."
"Emi Rune."
Called by that name, Emi was dumbfounded for a moment, then finally realized it was her current name.
And then,
"I'm off... 'Mother,'" she bid a brief farewell with her back turned to Lairine.
Finally, she hopped onto the magic circle with a "pyong."
At that moment, the transfer magic circle, which had been emitting a faint light, shone even brighter, dyeing the room in a purple hue.
A few seconds later, when the light subsided, the only one standing in this basement was Lairine Rune.
The daughter who was never loved before set off on another journey, seen off by the mother who was never able to love before.
On this day, once again, she departed.
Lairine and Emi.
In the end, I think they were able to take a small step closer to each other.
In their own way.