Chapter 339: Late Questions

Chapter 339 - Late Questions

"No~...... astonished I am. Never did I expect that by chance the Young man I encountered would pick up my Master Key......."

"Y, yes...... then, I better return this..."

"Hmm~...... No, noo. Once lost and feeling parted from it, to find myself holding it anew... it feels amiss."

"But......."

"Young man, I extend thanks for the varied aid...... even concerning the Ogre, this time as well...... Thus, I shall repay your kindness. I shall pen the Destiny series aplenty, and use this Master Key for whatever benefit it may bring you, right?"

The Master Key originally belonged to the Chieftain.

I thought I should return it, but the Chieftain refused, looking somewhat conflicted.

I could tell that he had some deep feelings about something.

"Hey, Chieftain...... you...... who are you?"

"Hmm~?"

I tried to ask the question that came to mind.

Tre'ainar seemed to be concerned about that, too.

But the Chieftain turned away with a blank look on his face......

"Very well, then. Let us promptly make our way to the teleportation device, Ah~, what relief to forego the lengthy trek under a covert shroud~"

"Chieftain!"

The Chieftain clapped his hands and announced to everyone.

"Instant teleportation, dear, does such a device truly exist?"

"Indeed. Or should I say, it's quite near on foot. Come now, let us proceed forthwith."

Was he not willing to answer my question?

When I thought so......

"I am no fruit of love between two beings...... but rather an experiment spawned by sinister entities to test their craft......"

"...... What?"

"Across the vast expanse of time... fleeing, fleeing... yearning for freedom."

The Chieftain muttered with a faraway look in his eyes.

The meaning of his words was beyond me.

But I could tell that he was saying something very important.

"Haha, seems beyond comprehension, I suppose. Yet I can't clarify...... or rather, it would be challenging...... So for now, deem me but a humble writer. There is no falsehood in that, and even if I knew of Shiznautmy, I'd harbor no intent to wield such technology to alter this world. It's beyond me...... It seems that they meant not to pass it down through the ages either......."

"Wh, what the hell ......?"

"In that sense, I find you a curious soul as well, Young man. You seem an ordinary being...... yet there is an aura of extraordinariness about you...... Young man, who are you?"

"...... I'm a normal person...... I do all kinds of things...... I'm shy around the girl I like...... I rebel against my parents ......."

"Ahahaha! In these turbulent times, what constitutes 'normal' is quite the conundrum, isn't it? On the other hand, I do wonder what sort of environment you grew up in to consider yourself ...... normal. However, rebellion against parents or affection for a maiden...... it seems you are in the throes of adolescence, indeed."

In the end, the Chieftain doesn't seem to be willing to reveal anything.

But I know that he's not normal.

And that's when I realized something.

Or rather, it's quite late now, I've neglected to ask about this for a long time......

"By the way, Chieftain, what's your name?"

"Eh? Eeeeeh? At this hour...... what do you ask? Oh, wait! Come to think of it, everyone does address me as Chieftain."

Yes, I hadn't heard the Chieftain's name. It was really too late.

"Oh, but...... the books in the Destiny series...... the author's name is...... 'Bamboo Shoots'."

"No, no, no, no, no! That's but a pen name! Though I do wonder why I chose such a moniker... Well, you may continue to call Chieftain, as you have been."

Saying this, the Chieftain looked embarrassed...... I mean, if you're embarrassed, why did you choose that name?

"Ah, but as you have asked, then likewise, your name ―――― oh, everyone! Look! The large boulder, there!"

"Eh? Is this it? Chieftain!"

At that moment, the Chieftain asked me my name.

Not good. Thinking over it, I can't just casually give my name in this era, and I haven't even revealed my name to Espie and Slayer.

I only gave pseudonyms, like Ragaan-Man or Tapir Bael.

But before they could ask for my name, we apparently arrived at the destination.

It looked like a huge boulder in the woods though......

"Is this the place, where lies the technology of Shiznautmy?"

"That's a big rock, Big brother."

"But is this really it? Brother, what do you think?"

"Even my senses cannot detect any magical power...... Chieftain, are you sure this is it?"

"Say ...... dear."

It just looked like a big rock. As expected, It was very hard to believe this had anything to do with such extraordinary technology.

It was the same for everyone, including Tre'ainar.

Then, the Chieftain stood in front of the huge boulder......

"Well, let us behold. Young man, apply the Master Key unto this grand boulder."

"Uh, y, yeah......."

I took out the Master Key and held it over the boulder as I was told.

And then......

[Master Key Confirmed]

"""""Eeeeehhh!!???"""""

The boulder spoke.

"Hold on!?"

"The rock spoke!?"

"No, or is there someone inside...?"

"Nu, wh, who in the world is it......

Suddenly, the boulder uttered words, and everyone present jumped away.

Me, Espie and some others couldn't help but brace ourselves.

Simply......

『...... Child...... that voice.』

"Tre'ainar?"

『The voice just now...... tis the same voice as that watch, is it not?』

"Watch? ...... ah!"

It finally dawned on me when he said that.

It was true.

The item that seemed to be the cause of our arrival in this era.

"Wh, what do you mean......?"

"Hey, Big brother, that's the voice from the watch that time, right? Please charge or something."

"A watch spoke? What are you talking about, Espie? Brother, what's wrong?"

I took the watch out from my pocket.

But, unlike the rock, this watch was still as silent as ever.

"Hmm? ...... whaaaaaaaaaaat!? Y, Young man! Huh? That's ...... Young man."

"What?! What is it, Chieftain? Do you know this?"

"No, I know nothing about it...... ah...... Oh~~~~~, ah~~~~~~, oh~~~~~~~! ...... Is that how it is...... Ah~......"

The Chieftain looked at the watch and uttered a cry of astonishment, like when he saw the Master Key.

Do you know about this too?

And while the Chieftain shouted, "Ah~", he gradually nodded as if he was somewhat convinced.

"Wait, what ails you? Say, this rock speaks, hey, dear!"

"Chieftain!?"

From the perspective of the other elves, the situation makes no sense at all.

But the Chieftain didn't answer the question, he just stared straight at me......

"Say, Young man. From whence do you hail...... Future? Past? Which one?"

"Eeehh!??

『This one!?』

I and Tre'ainar both felt the greatest shock at that question.

"...f... future..."

"Oh. Then, I don't wear it. Mine is in the past."

"Huh!?"

"This will require some careful discussion with you, Young man, to ensure that it does not cause any inconvenience....... But for now, let us focus on our journey ahead."

Not good. My heart was racing.

The Chieftain was not an ordinary elf...... There's something else, something more incredible......

[Door Unlock Password, Please]

"""""It spoke again!??"""""

At that moment, the boulder spoke again.

I don't know what's going on anymore.

In the midst of all this, the Chieftain calmly raised his hands towards the boulder......

"For the time being...... Kohon ......"

Coughing lightly, he raised his hands......

"Lo, gate, heed my call and open the ancient doors sealed shut! Ah... 'Open Sesame'!"

[Password Confirmed. Door Unlocked]

The next moment, the boulder shifted backward on its own, revealing a staircase leading to a pitch-black basement beneath it.