Chapter 124 : The Lost Hope & New Encounter (Part 1)

After days of journey, Iris and her companion came back to their homeland Human Kingdom, Luxion.

Along the way, they stopped by the Aven Town.

When they came, everyone knew of their accomplishments since this news was spread everywhere around the Kingdom.

And when they arrived in front of the Adventurer Guild, they were greeted by the Guild Master—Hughes Farhill.

Of course, he greeted them with such a joyful smile along with the Vice Guild Master—Miranda Farhill.

As if they have expected them to come back sooner or later.

But...

"...?!"

The state when they found on them was...

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a grievous look from both parties.

They looked injured, especially the state that they are in was far away from being happy or joyful.

Hughes and Miranda who saw them couldn't help to feel both worried and confused.

[What happen to them?]

That what they thought it together.

As they decided to bring them inside the Guild and aided their injuries, after that they came into the Guild Master's room and sat down so they could talk about what happened.

[What in the world is happening?]

Finally, they delivered the news after they heard the first question they have expected it.

[On our way home...]

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[We were attacked by the "King of Destruction"]

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[...and..]

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[Crimson stayed behind to stop him].

"...?!"

When they heard it, their heart felt like it just dropped down to their gut and their face went pale.

"It can't be..."

It was very shocking to them.

Hughes found it hard to believe as he almost fell from his chair, Miranda couldn't help but felt the same way.

"To think...that he stayed behind to protect you all..."

Hughes clenched his fist.

"That idiot...he should know how reckless he is."

But he then he slowly relaxed his hand, "But...I guess that's the part of him that wouldn't change."

Hughes began to spoke as he knows about Rei's true nature.

"It has been a few months since he arrived in this town and became an adventurer."

He began to talk.

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"He was just like any other adventurer around us...but he was also the one who made the most change in this place."

As if he reminiscence about the past.

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"From training these guys."

"To fighting against some strong monsters..."

"...and even helping the guild to root out every corrupt adventurer around here."

Hughes spoke as he covered his eyes with his hand.

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*DRIP*

"Idiot..."

And tears began to streamed down his face.

Upon hearing his story, Fang and Andrew did the same, followed by the others who couldn't hold back their tears.

Iris just sat there in silence with her maid and guard standing behind her and couldn't utter any words.

Albert was the same, he didn't say anything and could only look down.

Iris then stood up from where she sat and...

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"Hughes-sama—No, Guild Master...I..."

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...bowed her head in front of him.

"I....truly apologize for what happened...it was my fault to let it happen." Iris apologized.

That surprised everyone in the room.

"If I were a bit more stronger...I could aid...Ra—Crimson-san in his fight."

With her small features, she looked like she shrunk when she bowed like that.

That made him feeling distasteful to see her in that state, "No...you don't have to apologize, it was his decision."

"I am sure...he managed to escape because I cannot believe he's dead yet." Hughes spoke while wiping his tears.

He and the others knew that the chances on surviving against that monster is low, but...

They still hoped that he managed to survive.

And that...made Iris flinched for a bit upon hearing those words.

"We will put on a quest to search for him now, it seem we have taken your time for so long, I bet you need to rest."

"We will deal this ourself since he is one of us, so I thank you for coming...Iris-sama." Hughes thanked her while he get up from his seat.

But Iris lifted her head.

"No."

That made Hughes stopped from turning his back at her.

"Then let me help you with your search. It will be easier."

Iris made a brave look, despite her eyes swelling and her nose reddened from crying, she was holding it pretty well.

But there's something strange in her look.

Her eyes...

Hughes could only smile a bit and nodded his head,

"Then I appreciated the help...for his sake, let's do our best."

Afterward, Hughes bowed his head at her.

"Thank you once again."

Everyone there bowed their heads as well, especially the adventurer team who felt more lost and desperate about his well-being.

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When they left, Hughes had a deep thought while looking at the window from above his room, and watched Iris getting into the cart together with her servant and brother.

One question remain within his head.

'Before she left, were her eyes always of two different colors?'

At that moment Hughes realized...

Iris had two different colors in her eyes.

Red on her right eye...

...and Blue on her left eye.

*******

Afterward, the four of them went to the place where Rei always came by.

Starting from the blacksmith workshop.

*CREAK*

A sound creaking from the door could be heard as Iris opened the door.

"Welcome to my workshop, how can I help you?"

Then a dwarf greeted them while approaching them, with his usual dirty attired from the way he looks.

Iris looked at him and bowed her head sligtly, "Are you sir Gudmund?"

It suprised him to hear someone calling him that, "Sir? I am not that honorable to be called like that, beside...who are you? and how do you know my name?" and that also made him to looked at them suspiciously.

But his keen eyes managed to assess the situation,

'Hmm, two noble kids based on their attires, a maid who seems to hide her capabilities on swordsmanship and a guard who looks plain but have tremendous aura.'

'What an odd group.' Gudmund chuckled.

Then Iris opened her mouth, "I happen to know this place from a certain adventurer who always came by."

"An Adventurer? Hmmm...the only one who keep going here is only him."

"So is it that lad with a weird personality who wore his armor all the time?"

'Calling him weird is...kinda true.' Iris thought of it, "Yes it's him..."

"Tsk," Then he clicked his tongue. "So that guy babbled some info about me to the others."

'Did he clicked his tongue? Uhhh...is he really acquainted with Ray?' Iris having some thought since the way he was rude.

"Just so you know I cannot forge a weapon for you even if you are acquainted with him."

"And why is that? Sir Gudmund?" Iris decided to ask.

"Tsk...like I said, don't call me sir, but since you insist, I shall tell you this." Then he acted more rudely.

"I cannot trust someone even you know him or met him, but I will not allow someone take advantage of him because..."

"He is my friend." Gudmund spoke while folding his arms.

Iris was surprised to hear those words, 'I take that back...' and it made her think twice and smile for a moment.

"I see...a friend, but unfortunately, I don't plan to order or to buy anything."

Gudmund raised one of his eyebrows, "Huh? then why did you come here?"

"I...no, we have something to tell." Then when she spoke, her face looked grim.

Gudmund had a bad feeling about it.

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As they all walked inside and sat down, Gudmund listened to what they wanted to tell, from their journey with Rei, the fight and the result.

The story of his journey was able to made him smile and laugh hearing how outrageous he sounded when he fought against those monsters from the way he bravely stopped the demon cultist plans.

He even looked shocked and amazed when he heard about him defeating a dragon instead of running away.

But after all that...

"So? Where is he now?"

The most anticipated question was finally thrown at them.

They looked grim all of sudden, and that confused Gudmund who saw their expression.

"Did...something happen?"

Gudmund noticed just from their expression alone but he didn't know the whole story yet.

Until...

They answered him just like how they brought the news to Hughes and Miranda.

"...?!"

And that shocked him the most, his body wobbled and he had to lean his back to his seat, and his face grew pale.

"No way..."

As if he had lost something.

But then he looked up to her.

"Did you put a quest to search for him?"

Iris nodded her head, "Yes...the Guild Master had already requested to make a quest like that."

...slowly, he smiled.

"I see."

As if he was relieved to hear that, but that made Iris clench her fist a bit trying to holding in something within her again.

"I know he will be fine...since that guy promised to show me some good materials together after he comes back." Gudmund spoke with such a weary smile.

He sounded like he still had a little bit of hope.

"Indeed."

Iris replied, but despite agreeing with him, she still felt guilty and sad with her bitten her bottom lips.

"But well, thank you for telling me, little gal." Gudmund suddenly bowed his head at her.

That suprised her out of nowhere, "N-no, it's okay. The feeling is the same."

Gudmund smiled a bit, "But now I just hope...that guy won't be saddened about this news." Gudmund spoke.

That piqued her interest, "That guy? Is there anyone else he knows?"

"Oh, well we only just met a few times when we were working on those lad weapons." Gudmund spoke.

"Working on his weapon? Is he a blacksmith?" Iris looked at him in surprise, 'Is there someone like that?'

"Yepp, despite being young, his skill was top notch and we learned a lot by sharing our knowledge!" The mood shifted to something brighter when he talked about this person.

"Who is this person you mentioned?"

"Oh, his name? Hmmmm, if I remember...his name was Ray Houston." Gudmund spoke.

Iris stood up from her seat in reflex.

"No way." Iris looked at him in shock

'To think…he forges his own weapon for his own fight...'

"Is there something wrong?" But that surprised Gudmund as well from her sudden action.

"No, it's just...the name sounds familiar to me" Iris lied.

Of course, Albert, Silvi and Harson who stayed there remained silent.

"I see, that fellow is sure are lucky to have a lot of friends including a noble like yourself." Gudmund nodded.

Iris bit her lips again and felt guilty, this helpless feeling that she always felt in the past.

[It's so bitter...]

"Gudmund-san, thank you for your time." Iris slowly bowed her head.

"No, I should be thanking you...for telling me about that lad." Gudmund bowed his head in response.

Of course it made her almost teared up due to the overwhelming feelings that she had been trying to suppress.

Finally, they left the workshop together and went to one more place.

The Hatchler Inn.

They received the same look and response but with a bit of hope.

Which said...

[He will be back...]

Because they believe in his strength, despite him only staying there for six months.

It was enough to leave an impact that caused many changes to others' lives.

Which Iris didn't know about, in the past.

Finally, the day was over and they decided to stay for one more night in the Hatchler Inn, before they could continue their journey back to the capital this time.

After bidding their farewell to their comrade from the adventurer guild, somehow…the burden on her small body lightened up a bit, but still remained because of the guilt of being weak.

******

When they arrived at the capital, Iris and Albert were greeted with smiles from their family upon returning to the Welford Household

Iris and Albert were hugged and embraced by their father—Henry Von Welford and their mother—Eliza Luth Welford, telling them how proud they were.

But that...

Made them cry in silence, even Albert, the oldest of the siblings cried in the arms of his mother.

Their parents were confused seeing their young children who just achieved such a feat were crying like…well, a child.

As if they lost something precious to them...

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They calmed down and went to their room.

Silvi and Harson stayed there to report about their journey and fight in the Elf Kingdom.

"I received your report well...Silvi, Harson, but..." Henry spoke as they all sat down in his office room on the guest couch and Eliza was sitting next to him.

Henry sighed, "To think that the super rookie adventurer that I have been hearing about, was this kid my daughter fell in love with..."

"What's more, hiding his identity as the [Crimson] who dealt with one of the [Underworld Six Kings], [The King of Bandits, Banzana] in such a young age is rather hard to believe." Henry spoke while ruffling his hair.

But his gaze went at the two of them,

"But what do you think? I want to hear from the two experts who were once a former S-class Adventurer and the Student of my former teacher."

Henry asked as he wanted their answer.

Silvi bowed her head slightly to respond to him first,

"In my opinion...it is impossible for a child that was the same age as Ojou-sama to grow up in such a short span of time."

"Ohhh...then what about you? Harson."

Harson slightly bowed his head, "Ha! I think that growth seems to be the result of his hard work."

"Ohh, different opinion, but what it makes you think like that?" Henry asked him.

"It is hard to believe but from the way I see it...I can feel his effort and everything he had done for these past years after we met again."

"Since this is coming from myself a Swordsman who had no talent and received guidance from Master Rowan himself, I can feel it." Harson explained it.

"From his sword performance he does by using [Vertical Slash] and [Horizontal Slash] in such a calm manner when defeating the cultist subordinates...I found him to be..."

"A really strong individual." Harson spoke.

"Hmmm, I guess he is...since using only [Vertical Slash] and [Horizontal Slash] can be easily dodged, but to think he defeated it with only that like he was using on a training doll."

Henry speculated it and explained it.

"But is that all? anything else?" Henry asked one more time to them.

But they were quiet since they don't know how to answer that.

"Hmmmm, then I have a question for both of you." When Henry spoke about that, Silvi and Harson lifted their heads.

"If you both fight against him alone...can you both be able to win?" Henry asked them once more.

Harson seemed reluctant to answer, but Silvi decided to bow her head first.

"If we fought against each other...especially to the death."

"I think...

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we will lose and die first." Silvi answered them.

Her response surprised them.

That made Henry looked serious, "And what made you say that? For someone like you to be able to said that."

"Ha! I assume it came from his strong will...to survive and to protect someone he cared for."

"A will to survive you say...and to protect someone he cared for." Henry repeated her words.

"Even though you said that his growth was abnormal." Henry argued about her opinion from before.

"Ha, this is only a speculation based on his actions recently which is not related to his growth."

"Hoo, then what makes you said that before? Which part is the abnormal one." Henry asked.

"...." At first Silvi went quiet, until she answered him, "That young man he is...

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Someone who was capable of wielding different kinds of weapons."

"...?!"

Henry and Eliza were surprised to hear that.

"From Sword, Spear, Bow, and even using Shield as his weapon, he can use them all very well without a problem." Silvi added more.

"Which we all know...using multiple weapons is a taboo and if someone tries to use it, they will receive a backlash that might ruin someone's future." Harson then decided to add more explanation.

"But that young man...he managed to do it all and fighting against the odds, and I think that's all I can say about him." Harson stopped his talk.

That made them quiet for a moment, as the clock keep ticking with Henry tapping his index finger on the side of their seats.

Having him organizing his thought after hearing their statement and story,

Finally, he sighed. "Hmmm, now I get it how he was able to fight those monsters."

"Even I wrecked my brain, I wasn't sure how did he managed to defeat them all."

"From fighting a newborn Dragon that evolved from a monster which is considered impossible to defeat unless you have a large army to raid."

"Until to be able to stand face to face with that [King of Destruction]."

"It is hard to believe to hear you both couldn't do anything against him, but instead my daughter and this young man managed to do so."

Herny chuckled, "Heh, it does sound weird but the will to survive is something that I knew very well...before meeting the love of my life." Henry spoke while holding onto Eliza's hand.

"But it is indeed abnormal to be able to be that strong in such short span of time." Henry become serious on this talk,

"We might even deal someone who might become stronger than that [King of Destruction] himself in the future since he had showed of how he is capable to do all the impossible things." As the talk went down like this that made Silvi and Harson nervous of his decision.

Until...

"But now...I changed my mind."

Henry smiled, then he immediately stood up from his seat,

"From now on...I order you both, we will assist the Adventurer Guild to find this young man! Call the soldiers of our land and find this honorable young man who saved my daughter at all cost!"

Then Silvi and Harson knelt before him, "Ha! We accept your order sir!"

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After that, the two of them left them alone in the office.

Henry slowly sat back down as he sighed, shils quiet for a moment.

"Is there something wrong...dear?" Eliza asked as she stayed by his side this whole time and listened to their story as well without uttering any words.

Now she noticed her husband's behavior.

"No...it's just…to think our daughter is the same as you, falling in love with a commoner like him and myself." Henry spoke while rubbing his forehead.

Eliza giggled after hearing his grumbling, "Fufufu~ well this noble lady still in love with this commoner who captured her heart in a single sight~" Eliza suddenly embraced her arms around his left arm.

"A-ahem, stop teasing me already...we're already this old."

"Ara~ but I think you are still as lovely even at your old age now~" Eliza embraced her husband tighter, while Henry had a worried look on his face.

"It's unfortunate for that young man to face such a monster like that alone." Henry spoke.

Eliza, who noticed his expression, immediately knew what he was thinking. "Is it about that day?"

"Yes...it was about that day, where...

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[The Six Underworld Kings] were born." Henry closed his eyes.

"It was a day where I was the Commander in the army, we were given a mission to capture someone."

"A single man."

"I didn't question what kind of man that needed to be captured with this many soldiers I was given."

"But there was a reward and it spread around the Kingdom."

"Many adventurers joined us since this man got a big bounty after killing several important people all over the place."

"So we teamed up with the Adventurers and began our hunt to search for this man."

"Many days went by, finally we got information about where that man lived."

"Since the Adventurers were the ones who found it first, we let them fight against this man to see if they could weaken him before our arrival."

"But...when we arrived at the designated place..."

"For the first time in my life..."

"I met a true monster."

"The Adventurers who faced this man—no...a young man, their dead bodies were scattered around the places."

"Not a single one was alive."

"Meanwhile that young man, as his body was covered with injuries that could lead to his death...he looked at us and stood before us with a smile."

"And said..."

[Another one? Truly, what a fun day].

"Then we fought...the soldiers began to fall one by one as I was left to fight against him to stop him from killing—massacring all these soldiers."

Then Henry's face looked serious, "When we fought...that young man, he was playing with me."

"All my attacks were deflected with his fist and body only, he didn't care about all the injuries he received while looking bored out of his mind."

"He had the opportunity to kill me on the spot....but he looked at me and said."

[So boring...I am going to rest].

"He fled and left me alone with the remaining soldiers as we had heavy losses."

Henry finally finished his story and Eliza listened to his story patiently.

"He was strong...maybe the second strongest after the Hero whom we fought together."

"And that young man...killed thousands of our soldiers and adventurers. Thus...he claimed his title as..."

[The King of Destruction].

Henry spoke the story of his past to his wife, even though he knew this might be an embarrassing past that he didn't want to tell to someone other than his own master.

But he wasn't scared or embarrassed, rather than that…he was calm.

"And after hearing their story and report, I was about to convince myself...that young man might be dead already."

"But knowing the power he possesses, he will probably survive." Henry spoke while his lips curved into a smile.

Eliza smiled in return as she leaned her head against his shoulder, "I see, does that mean you acknowledge him as your son in law?~"

"W-what?! Who said that?! I mean true...he has proven himself to be strong enough to stand against something that he cannot defeat to protect her."

"A-ahem! But I haven't approved of him at all!" Henry denied.

"Ara~ to think a doting father like you would allow your daughter to be engaged with a commoner young man much like your past self~"

"Ugh—But still! I won't approve of him yet!"

"The same as me!" Then suddenly Albert showed up after barging through the office door.

"...?!?!"

It shocked the two of them,

"You idiot son! Don't give us a heart attack like that!"

Albert didn't listened and approached them, "Father, I have a request."

"Huh?? What is it son?" Henry were confused from the sudden appearance of his son.

"Could you teach me a sword technique."

"Sword technique? You do know you can learn it from Master Rowan."

"No."

Albert slowly stood before him, "I don't want a teaching from the [Sword Saint] but..."

Then he bowed his head in front of his father, "I want it from his former disciple and former S-class Adventurer, [The Black Beast]." Albert spoke while looking at him.

Then Henry began to look serious once again.

******

Meanwhile, Iris was in her room.

She was just standing in the middle of her room, in front of the mirror desk. Her room was dark but with the help of the moonlight which shined through her window, it brightened the place a little bit.

Then she looked straight into her face that was reflected in the mirror.

"I know...you have woken up, Hanamachii Yomi." Iris spoke as her blue eyes glowed in the dark.

"You noticed." Then Yomi finally began to talk.

"How couldn't i...since you are living in my body right now." Iris spoke.

"Then I apologized for staying quiet the whole time."

Iris sighed, "You don't have to apologize, besides...you didn't do anything at all."

"I needed some time to reorganize my thoughts." Iris sat down on her bed and laid herself on the soft mattress while covering her eyes with her right forehand.

"Even now..." Tears began to fall down her cheeks again.

"I still need it..." She was holding onto her feelings this entire time, trying to act tough and strong in front of her servants and comrade.

With her many experiences and death, she learned how to hide those feelings that she didn't want to show to anyone else.

The feeling of regret, sadness, despair and anger.

But now she couldn't hold it anymore after she came back to this room and lost someone very dear to her in her last life.

Yomi silently watched her through her mind, "Iris..."

Iris gritted her teeth,

"I should be the one who stayed...Ray didn't deserve to die like that."

"Iris, we shouldn't think negatively like that." Yomi tried to comfort her with the same words as everybody else.

But...

"Are you thinking straight right now?!—" She responded with anger.

"Everyone keeps saying he will survive or he can escape! But that man! That man..." Her bottled up feelings kept pouring down and couldn't stop as she rejecting the fact that Ray would be still alive.

"[The King of Destruction] is the one we are talking about here!"

"But we aren't sure...—"

"—You! Stop saying that as if you knew about my entire life!" Her words began to twist.

"I-i didn't mean to...—"

As if Yomi had become her target to vent all her feelings.

"I know this world is a game for you! but this world is everything for me!" Her feelings continue to pour down.

"If you learn more skills and practice this won't happen!"

"I-i..."

"You don't know how much I have achieved, since you only know the part of my story in that stupid game of yours!"

"I have been living here for hundreds of years waiting for my peace! After dealing with all the shits that the world gave me!"

"And that peace....

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was him." Finally she calmed down.

"If you had been strong...we could have defeated that man or retreated together...we could have saved him." And her crying continued.

"I don't know...what to do."

"Iris." Yomi, who listened to her venting, couldn't help but to be silent.

She felt guilty as she bit her lower lips, "Yeah...indeed. It was my fault...if I had been stronger, if I had trained more under Matilda and Rowan these past few years instead of gaining knowledge and preparing our fund."

"This wouldn't happen..." And took all the blame that was thrown at her.

Iris then listened to her words this time, as she gritted her teeth and grabbed a pillow just to throw it down to the floor.

"Agghh!!!—" She screamed in anger.

She hiccupped and squeezed her eyes shut as she rubbed them harshly, "Ughhh...Ray....why did you leave me like this?"

After that question...

*PING*

A notice board showed up in front of them.

"Huh...?"

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When she looked up.

She saw a word showing up from that board.

[I can answer that question].

Someone spoke to them.

"What..."

[For a matter of fact, what I can say is...]

[The person you are talking about...]

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[...is still alive].

To be continued…