Chapter 69: Lit hesitates and decides
Translator: Tseirp
The Spirit Drake in the sky was exceedingly quick .
“That’s not an ordinary Spirit Drake . A spell or something has been done to enhance its movement speed . ”
In terms of pure speed, I believed that I was moving at the same pace but the difference was that I was on land .
I had no choice but to slow down when turning around corners and my speed would drop in an instant if I ran off the road .
“I want to believe that Ruti is fine . ”
Ruti was immensely stronger than me . I felt that I did not have any need to worry about her .
However, as expected, I just couldn’t calm down when, right in front of me, a suspicious opponent was heading toward the mountain that Ruti was on .
After running for a while, I spot two running drakes in front of me .
“Hn, so I’ve caught up . ”
There was no way I would mistake Lit’s figure from behind even when she was a distance away .
“Lit! Tise!”
“Red!”
The running drake looked at me with interest as I ran beside it and it cried out curiously .
Water and Wind Spirits were drifting around the running drake .
As I didn’t know any magic and didn’t have any skill that analyzed magic, I could only infer that the Water Spirit treated fatigue while the Wind Spirit raised movement speed .
As suspected, they had raised their speed using magic .
“Lit, did you see the Spirit Drake in the sky?”
“Yeap, I saw it . But there isn’t anybody in Zoltan capable of summoning that . Even Mistome-shi from the previous generation B-rank party can’t do it . ”
As Zoltan’s strongest adventurer, Lit had accurately grasped the ability of the strong individuals living in Zoltan so that was probably the truth coming from Lit .
“Someone from the outside huh?”
Not only did Danan appear, but another individual holding a magic-field Divine Protection with Divine Protection level comparable to the Hero party also came to Zoltan?
Was it a coincidence?
“Oh right, Danan is here too he’ll be catching up soon . ”
“Danan!?”
Lit raised her voice in surprise and Tise’s eyes were also wide open .
“Red, you met Danan?”
“Yeah, at the harbor . Apparently, he came to look for me . ”
After Lit heard that, she hesitated a little before,
“I see … sorry, but actually I have met him too . ”
She said with slightly downcast eyes .
“Lit met Danan?”
“Yup . He came to drag Red back . But he found that Red was living a peaceful life and decided to treat it as if he didn’t see anything so I didn’t tell Red . ”
Danan did? That guy wasn’t the kind to say such things .
That guy was a muscle brain that wouldn’t be able to comprehend the concept of happiness that came from living peacefully . He would probably say without any hesitation that if we enjoyed living together, we could just subjugate the Demon Lord while being together .
He would easily drop the element of peace that was crucial to our happiness . He was that kind of a person .
Furthermore …
“When did that happen?”
“Erm, I first met him when I was searching for the production base of the Devil’s Divine Protection …”
That’s strange .
Danan mentioned that he arrived in Zoltan today . There was no reason for Danan to lie in that situation .
However, Lit did not have a reason to lie as well .
“Lit, did that Danan have any strange features?”
“Strange features? Nope, I don’t recall anything in particular … well, I did not speak to Danan that much so I won’t be able to tell that well . ”
When Lit entered as a member during the time we were breaking through the Forest of Deceit, Theodora and Danan had remained in Logavia to defend . In exchange, we called in reinforcements which were Yarandorara and Lit .
That was why Lit did not talk to Danan much .
… Even though she did not, it was unthinkable that she would not see the huge difference in Danan .
“Did Danan have both his arms?”
“Eh? I don’t understand your question …”
“It’s exactly as I worded it . Right and left arm, did he have them both?”
“Ye-yeah . ”
“What’s wrong?”
Tise had also tilted her head sideways due to the incomprehensible question .
“The Danan I met had lost his right arm from the elbow down . ”
“Danan-san has only one arm!? What in the heavens happened!?”
“Bu-but I am certain Danan had his right arm when I met him …”
” … Lit, I understand if you will be surprised and I still do not know the exact details either but,”
“I’m already surprised!”
“There’s something even more serious . Danan … apparently, it was Shisandan that ate Danan’s right arm . ”
Lit’s body stiffened .
The running drake felt the hesitation in its rider and was about to stop in confusion but I pulled the reins and urged it to continue running . The running drake turned its black pupils to look at me uneasily but it obediently continued running .
“It’s impossible . I was convinced that we killed Shisandan that time!”
“Certainly . I believe Lit brought Shisandan’s head back and buried it in Logavia . ”
To Lit, he was a hated opponent that killed her teacher . She probably could not accept that the opponent who she thought she had exacted vengeance upon was actually still alive .
Burning hatred flickered across Lit’s expression for an instant .
“Shisandan … was the Asura Demon that Ruti-sama fought in Logavia?”
I nodded to Tise’s words .
“I have not actually seen him so I don’t know for sure . I have merely heard about it . ”
“Maybe it was some kind of a mistake?”
“I don’t know . But Danan will not forget about an opponent he fought against before . I believe that it has high credibility if Danan claimed it to be so . ”
We ran in silence for a while .
“The Danan I met …”
“Was probably Shisandan . He ate his right arm and copied his appearance . ”
There were many mysteries revolving around the ability of the Asura Demon race which was the only race that did not possess Divine Protection in this world .
I did not know that they could transform without killing their opponent .
“If only I told you sooner … if it was you, you would have noticed that he was a fake . If that happened, I … could have swiftly . ”
“Kill him?”
” … Yes, I might no longer wish to continue as an adventurer but that guy is an exception . ”
Lit was feeling conflicted but I could understand .
She wishes to treasure the daily life we have and to continue running the shop together .
That feeling was definitely genuine .
However, obtaining revenge was an entirely different matter .
It was Shisandan who deceived and killed her teacher and many of the royal guards and Logavia Adventurers that trusted Lit .
” … Although we do not know if Shisandan had anything to do with that . ”
Captured in my line of sight was the Spirit Drake flying in the sky .
The distance between us was gradually getting wider .
“I’ll fight alongside you if that is Shisandan . Even if that is somebody else altogether and Shisandan is still at Zoltan, I will still fight him with you . This time around, we will get revenge for Gaius . ”
“But Red …”
“True, I have already decided to no longer fight for the sake of the world . ”
That was the reason for the bitter expression on Lit’s face .
I chose to live with Lit over traveling to save the world .
Lit felt that if I had resolved to do that, she should also put aside her grudge with Shisandan and her fighting to live with me . Those were Lit’s thoughts and she was suffering because she could not make that choice .
“If Lit has a reason to fight, I will fight alongside you . Our lifestyle is not exactly a binding curse . No, we will not let it bind us . There is no reason to avoid fighting and leave behind bitter regrets . ”
” … Sorry . ”
Tears surfaced in Lit’s eyes for a little before she tightened her facial expression .
“If we meet Shisandan, I will return to being Hero Lit for a little while . ”
She turned her determined gaze toward the Spirit Drake in the sky .
“Thank you, I am all right now so Red, you should go on ahead . ”
“Okay . ”
Once again, I channeled strength into my legs .
From here onward, the roads leading to the mountain would gradually become worse so I would probably have to reduce my speed . I will not be able to catch up to that Spirit Drake .
But I should be able to arrive within a ten-minute difference .
“Be careful as well, Lit and Tise . ”
The running drake was surprised when I raised my speed even further and tried to not be outdone but I quickly pulled ahead .
“Gya!”
While hearing the cry of frustration from the running drake behind me, I rushed on ahead to reach Ruti’s side .