A Gateway to Home – Part 01
As the figure standing at the port of Southleaf Island dwindled to a speck smaller than a sesame seed, Hikaru finally exhaled a sigh of relief.
“Was this the right choice?” Hikaru turned to face Lavia.
Paula had already retreated into the cabin.
It was Lavia who told him what to say to Jillarte.
“If Jillarte were to come to the harbor and say that she wants to go with you, please allow her, if you don’t mind.”
Her words had surprised Hikaru. He did not consider himself overly self-conscious, but he was sure that Lavia loved him. It would be unusual for her to willingly bring another woman closer to his side. In that case, perhaps Lavia wanted Jillarte to be monitored closely, since she had learned his identity as Silver Face. However, the look on her face said that wasn’t the case.
“Thank you, Hikaru.” She was smiling with satisfaction.
Jillarte’s return to Einbiest meant she could not be watched. So why did Lavia seem content? Hikaru found it perplexing.
“You know, Hikaru,” Lavia spoke before he could ask questions.
The ship sailed into the open sea, and the swaying intensified. Lavia clung to Hikaru, leaning against him for support.
“Sometimes I wonder: what if by rescuing me, I made you captive instead?”
“That’s not—”
“That’s not the case. I know you’re going to say that. You’re a kindhearted person, after all. So I think it’s just because I lack confidence.”
Hikaru was surprised to discover that Lavia, who was usually composed and occasionally took bold actions, had such a vulnerable side.
“I want to be recognized by you for who I am. I wish to be by your side. Therefore, I don’t want to keep away people who have feelings for you using my current position.”
“…”
She’s strong, Hikaru mused.
It was hard to believe that not too long ago, she was a girl confined to a mansion, with no freedom to venture outdoors. He studied her healthy, sun-kissed complexion. Faint scars marred her hands. No one would think she was a sheltered young woman anymore.
“You’ve become a true adventurer.”
“…What?”
“No, never mind. I’m living life on my own terms. I’m not bound to anyone. But I wouldn’t mind being bound by you.”
“Wh-What?! Wh-Why would you say that? Y-You’re ruining my vow.”
Blushing, Lavia gently pushed Hikaru away, an action that he found utterly endearing.
“Anyway, this means Jillarte knows about my identity as Silver Face,” Hikaru said, a little concerned.
“Don’t worry. She will never tell anyone,” Lavia firmly assured. “And even if your identity were exposed, I’m sure you can pull through with ease. Am I right? I know you. You’ll be fine.”
Once more, Hikaru marveled at her fortitude.
Hikaru’s group took the opportunity to visit various cities on the way back to the town of Pond. About a month had passed since their departure.
“Ah! Hikaru!”
As Hikaru entered the Adventurers’ Guild in Pond, he was immediately spotted by a receptionist, Freya, who ushered him to the reception area.
“Why didn’t you contact us at all? I was so worried when we received no news from you, especially after we learned that the Adventurers’ Guild in Southleaf Island was destroyed.”
“Ah, sorry. Now that you mention it, I forgot to get in touch.”
Lavia and Paula said they would secure lodging and rest first, perhaps anticipating this situation.
Hikaru had come here to report the events in Southleaf Island to Unken and discuss their next objective. Not contacting the Adventurers’ Guild was indeed a blunder on his part.
“I-I’m an adventurer,” Hikaru explained when he saw the tears in Freya’s eyes. “A-And adventurers sometimes don’t get in… touch…?”
“You went there under the guildmaster’s instructions, so you should’ve contacted us!”
“Wh-When you put it that way, I guess so.”
“It is so!”
The trip was Unken’s personal test for Hikaru, so he assumed that it was none of the guild’s concern. Freya seemed to think otherwise.
“Um… Oh, here, I brought souvenirs.”
To make up for his prolonged absence, Hikaru had purchased a souvenir for Freya, which he presented to her. It was a tactic that had proven effective in the past, an attempt to leave a favorable impression through gifts.
“Hmph, you’re not buying your way out of this.”
“Uh… I’m sorry.” Hikaru pulled his hand back.
“But I’m taking it anyway.” Freya promptly seized the item. “Wow, it’s beautiful.”
The gift was a seashell, roughly the size of a fist. Aptly named a rainbow shell, when its inhabitant died, the outer shell peeled off and transformed into a resplendent rainbow hue. Though merely an ornament, such a rare trinket was gratefully appreciated in this world.
Lavia’s astute judgment in selecting this souvenir, taking into account the potential for misinterpretation when giving only wearable items, had proven correct once again.
“Good for you, Freya. I wish I had one.”
Hikaru nearly yelped as Gloria, a devious receptionist, appeared.
Her purple hair was tied on both sides, cascading forward with the tips resting against her ample chest. With her soothing voice and narrow eyes, adventurers in Pond referred to her as the best therapeutic receptionist. But her words carried a hint of darkness, necessitating a degree of caution from Hikaru.
Though currently not present, there was one more receptionist who worked here, a beautiful but mysterious woman named Aurora.
“A souvenir, I see. I’ll take that as you favoring Freya.”
“Th-That’s not true!” Freya protested. “Right, Hikaru?!”
“I got you and Aurora the same thing, too.” Hikaru casually produced two more rainbow shells.
“Oh, my.” Gloria accepted hers with delight.
Freya pursed her lips ever so slightly. She both wanted and didn’t want being favored.
Gloria settled into a vacant chair in the reception area. “So, Mr. Hikaru, could you enlighten us about the events in Southleaf Island?”
“Uhm… Shouldn’t someone be at the counter?”
“There’s no one here at the moment.”
As always, the Adventurers’ Guild in Pond stood empty. The chaos in the capital had subsided with Princess Kujastria’s ascent to the throne, and now the city was revitalizing due to the special demands associated with the new queen’s reign. Adventurers who had departed had yet to return to Pond.
“G-Gloria,” Freya said. “We should give that to him first.”
“Right. We should do that.”
Hikaru wondered what they were talking about.
“The truth is: a certain esteemed individual has sent you a gift.”
During the day, the building shone brightly, at dusk it was dyed with fiery hues, and at night, it illuminated the sky. Though resembling a castle, it was commonly referred to as the Tower due to its owner’s religious position.
The Theocracy of Bios served as the central authority of the continent’s officially recognized religion.
In this world, people believed in the existence of gods, their faith supported by the bestowal of Blessings through soul cards and guild cards.
“A hostage exchange?”
The room was sealed shut, enveloped in darkness regardless of the time of day. Unlike the usual magic lamps, candles were the chosen source of light here. The candlesticks adorning the walls emitted a brilliance comparable to that of magic lamps, but the high ceiling remained untouched by their light. Gemstones embedded in the ceiling reflected the flickering flames, sparkling like stars in the night sky.
An elderly man sat on an oversized chair, flanked by large candle holders. He had long, white hair flowing down, and wrinkles marked his face. His robe, of exceptional quality, possessed a smooth sheen.
Kneeling before him was a man in a robe of fine fabric, albeit of slightly lesser quality.
“How shall we proceed, Your Holiness? Einbiest demands the release of the thousands of demi-human slaves employed in our state. The hostages are the 8th division of the Knights Templar, consisting of a hundred members.”
The elderly man—the Pope, the highest authority in Bios—struck the floor with his staff bedecked with gold and jewels.
The archpriest, having been in the company of the Pope for a long time, knew that striking the floor with his staff indicated the Pope’s irritation.
“Is it possible for the entire 8th division to be captured?” the Pope asked.
“No. It is likely that more than half of them perished in battle. However, they have discerned our aversion to leaving their bodies in the hands of demi-humans, so they may even be counting the fallen as individuals—”
Clack!
The archpriest fell silent. It was the Pope’s habit to strike the staff instead of verbally ordering someone to stop talking.
“We will not negotiate with lesser creatures.”
“Understood.”
“First, set Southleaf Island ablaze.”
“I beg your pardon, Your Holiness, but we may not be able to do—”
Clack!
“…”
The archpriest held his tongue, but no words came from the Pope. The old man did this when, although he interrupted the speaker in frustration, he believed it was appropriate to listen to what they had to say until the end.
“Your Holiness, we have discovered that Southleaf Island houses a dungeon with the potential for substantial profits,” the archpriest continued. “The Beastmen adventurers on the island have shown signs of submission, so I propose that rather than crushing them, we find a way to make them yield.”
“The island is far from Einbiest, yes?”
“It is indeed.”
Although Southleaf Island was inhabited by Beastmen, relying on Gerhardt’s protection was impractical, given the vast land of Bios lying in between. For that reason, adventurers and fishermen feigned loyalty to Bios for their own survival. The Pope recognized this and implied that they could not be trusted.
Meanwhile, the archpriest planned to exploit this to their benefit. Being finicky was not ideal in governing a nation, and the national treasury wasn’t secure enough to ignore lucrative dungeons.
Unbeknownst to them, Gerhardt had prepared pirate ships for emergency evacuation if Bios threatened to attack Southleaf Island. Fortunately, it seemed the contingency plan would not be necessary at this time.
“In that case, the issue lies with our captured knights,” the Pope said.
“Yes.”
“You were the one who dispatched them to Southleaf Island, correct?”
“Yes.”
“No excuses?”
“If you command me to die, Your Holiness, I am prepared to meet that fate.”
“…”
The Pope entered a state of contemplation. With his eyes closed, he appeared as though he were asleep. This could take a while. The archpriest remained still, patiently waiting.
“It is time.” Several minutes later, the Pope opened his eyes. “It is inconceivable for the Theocracy of Bios to meet the demands of demi-humans. They have taken advantage of our temporary leniency. This is an opportunity to teach them a lesson.”
“Yes. In that case—”
“Deploy the entire army, including the Knights Templar. Reduce Hopestadt, the demi-human’s den, to ashes.”
“Understood.”
“As for your fate, I will think about it.”
“I shall bear that in mind as I carry out your wishes.”
The archpriest offered a deep bow, rose to his feet, and left.
Thus, the incident in Southleaf Island became the catalyst that ignited the conflict between the Confederacy of Einbiest and the Theocracy of Bios.
NEXT CHAPTER
RELEASE RATE
Rule Breaker (Light Novel)
Speed up schedule by 10 hours
Current schedule: Every 70 hours
I wonder, the plot of the ‘Gate’ full of evil energy in the basement of the tower will be used? In the WN, they just showed it and then ignored it’s existence.