Free Web NovelChapter 24: A Fresh Familiarity
The tunnels were dark and misty, the smell of old moss along with the sewage was slowly going away, assaulting less of our senses.
John was injured, in many places.
"Tsk... Why did you get this beat up?"
"..."
I tapped his armor and continued walking. Whatever the case, this was not a good thing. Both our plans were interrupted by many, many things. The idea of there being a demon was almost confirmed now, and the CEF was also likely looking for a proper corrupted.
The corrupted were formed through demons coming in contact with any of our species after all. Not always, it was very rare, but that was the only thing in common about the corrupted. Someone had come into contact with a demon, and they were unlucky, or worse, they were in contact with someone who was corrupted, in which case their luck ended at the moment they met the corrupted.
We would have a hard time coming back here. For all I knew, Nea would become a rogue too. I hoped she would leave this as an unfortunate incident for her boyfriend...
"There has to be a way. Some way that I can use all of this."
I was deep in thought, walking ahead. The tunnel started turning a slope upward, we were making our way out. As slight moonlight entered through narrow holes in the ceiling, our shadows came into our own view, all three of us.
Three?
John, I.... Under the moonlight, I turned to my side. With a strange tiredness in its covers, a flying book came in my view.
"WOO!" I jumped in shock, then gathered myself. It was Lilith’s Grimoire! The book flying flapped its covers and stopped in front of me. It’s pages flipped, and words rearranged themselves on the paper.
[AAAAAH!] ƒrēewebnovel.com
The Grimoire screamed and bopped up and down in surprise, as if it was equally scared to see me. I swung my fist and drove it into the book. It slammed into the ground.
"Damned asshole! What are *you* getting scared of? That too so late!"
Bastard.
John seemed to be asking if I knew what was happening. He was very surprised to see a flying book. To be honest, I could understand him, I thought the same way. It was me who was weird for being used to this thing at this point.
"I know this thing, yeah. It’s... a magical item for me. That’s the best way to describe it."
"...?"
"Yup. That explosion at the end was thanks to this book. I had no explosive."
"..."
"And you’re right. I still have no mana."
[That thing is not saying anything, you know that right? Are you Schizophrenic?]
"Shut up before I burn you."
Status quo on, we continued walking. After walking for a little less than an hour, we finally found an end to the path. It stopped at a rope from the top, tied to a giant rock. I climbed the rope first, placing my feet on the walls of the underground passage. At the very top, there were two small encavements to work as a foothold and a handgrab. With my hands and legs secured against the wall, I pushed the rock to the side. The outside world was visible again.
When I was out, John grabbed the rope. I pulled him up with all my strength, and my tall friend was out too. After blocking the path, we set off toward the Forbidden Fairy Forest. Being careful was par of course.
"Do you see anyone?"
"Damn it... what is happening in our Serenia..."
"If a demon is really on the run..."
City guards were out and about. The CEF and the Knights would probably be running around too. For all I knew, they could still be fighting. Fuck them, seriously. It would be for the best if they wiped each other out.
We managed to reach the forest after a while. The whole walk was somber, as usual, fairies came out and their mist which people of our realm could experience when fairies moved surrounded us. It was calming, to go near the Grim Palace.
In two years...
It had been two whole years since I ran away from a city like this. A chuckle left me...
"...?"
"Nothing... it’s just, nostalgic."
[Fairies?]
"Nope. Running away."
Though I said that, my heart was racing.
The fairy forest was behind us, the Grim Palace ahead. We walked through the passageways, tired. Every step was taking every single breath out of me.
"Oh...! OH!" freēwēbηovel.c૦m
A voice, from beyond the gates. My eyes widened.
"Phantom sir is back! Delka! Go tell the lady!!"
Treska and a rock golem were sitting near the main gate. Treska opened the door frame quickly for us, and froze.
"W-what happened! Why do both of you look so beat up?! Mr. John!"
A black cat ran behind too, as the door opened again. Delka, the little one, and Jake came rushing out as well.
Yeah...
It was different. In these two years. For the first time, I had run away from somewhere.
That was nostalgic, sure...
"Mister! Sir John!"
"...!"
And lastly, with the cat in her arms and a frown on her face...
Weiss came to the door. Her eyes were narrow, piercing right into me.
"Tsk... what have you made of yourself."
For the first time... I had some place to go back to.
"Come inside."
It was nostalgic, yet so new.
