Rachel"s Research
Daniela and I sat around the low table and waited for Rachel to come out.
"What now? It was very rude of you to disturb me like this…"
"Sorry. We were struggling with the use of the key."
"Ah, I don"t believe I told you."
And so Rachel instructed us on the use of the key. It was a magic tool with the dimension affinity. In fact, there was a small block of compressed dimension ore on the head of the key. I hadn"t even noticed it. Sending magic into the key and inserting it into s.p.a.ce created a connection. We had found this out ourselves…
"This place is under my control. The magic contained in it, time, everything."
"By that, you mean that time moves as you see fit?"
"It means just that. Usually, it is at a standstill. But I could accelerate it if I wanted."
Like time travel…?
"I can jump to the past and the future! However, nothing changes even if I go back. And I am unable to do anything in the future."
"What do you mean?"
The b.u.t.terfly effect? Time paradox?
"I cannot get involved. If I change the flow of time and leave this place, my body remains here and my soul is thrown out into the world."
"Huh. Creepy…"
"Well, it only takes a few minutes for the body to pull my soul back into it."
It was still eerie. Like a ghost… I wondered what would happen if her soul didn"t return.
"In fact, I was in Lambrusen to do research on this very thing."
"Ah, you mean the palace sourcerers."
"I heard that a dragon vein with the dimension affinity flowed there."
That caused me to look at Daniela. We didn"t say anything, but the same thoughts were likely running through our minds.
"Hm? What now? Why are you staring intently at each other…"
"The thing is… We have something to tell you about that dragon vein."
"Let"s hear it then."
And so I told her about what we found in the mines and the giant dimension ore we had found at the end. Rachel was even more interested than I would have imagined. She was even scribbling notes in a book. From what I could see, she was writing in j.a.panese.
"I see. So you descended quite deep… Hmm, I had heard about the stampede incident in Spiris, but did not think it important. Not that anyone was talking about it much. As it was just something that had been prevented."
"Well, we were quite frantic at the time. And so we kept going, instead of returning to report it."
"Yes, that was a great trial… Though, it was the return trip that was the hardest…"
Daniela and I said as we reminisced. It really had been horrible… We hadn"t known how to get back, and so Daniela had to blast through the ceiling with earth magic… Still, there were some fond memories.
"Who cares about any of that nonsense! I hope that you are not lying to me about this dimension ore?"
"Yeah, it"s there. I talked to Matsumoto about it, and we agreed to leave it. That"s also when I first heard about you."
"Aye. Matsumoto said that the palace sorcerers might be able to do something about it, but that they could not leave the castle."
"That is the result of a misunderstanding and we should leave it at that… But in any case, you have helped me decide my next destination. And for that, you have my thanks!"
Rachel stood up and there was a flash of light. In a second, she went from looking like an old man in odorous pajamas to an impressive witch. A tall, black hat and black robes. Jewels and chains could be seen as well. There were even bones dangling. The pin on her robe was shaped like a wolf.
"Is that a fenrir?"
"Yes. I am a fenrir, after all."
"Cool…"
The name alone was cool… But there was a lot of weight behind it knowing that it took one thousand years. I wish I had good name…
"Hehe… Asagi. Do you like fenrir?"
"Hmm? Well, I won"t say that I don"t. I was a little obsessed with Norse mythology as a kid."
"Hehehe… You must like me then?"
"Not really. But I don"t quite see you as a stranger either, since we"re both from j.a.pan. And I don"t hate you. Still, you have to stop throwing me into the sky. I almost had a heart attack!"
I had forgotten about it until now, but that was horrible. In fact, complaining about it had been my main objective for coming here… These d.a.m.n fenrir…
"No one cares about that!"
"What…"
"More importantly, Asagi. Why do you not quit being Beowulf"s thrall, and serve me instead?"
"Your thrall?"
"Yes. The wolf G.o.d. You can be a servant to a wolf G.o.d."
They sounded similar, but these were wolves of completely different status. My skill would probably be overwritten, and I would have "Legs of the G.o.d Wolf," or something. And…it sounded pretty cool?
That much was true…
"Sorry. But I don"t see myself working under another woman. I"m loyal to the one right here."
"Asagi… I do not mind, you know? It sounds rather advantageous…"
"Yes, yes, exactly. I am the wolf who drank in the world. Serving the G.o.d wolf will be taking a step into the realms of deities."
For some reason, Daniela was taking Rachel"s side on this matter.
"That may be true and all, but I don"t quite like the fact of being your thrall. I"m not saying that I hate you or anything. I just don"t feel like it."
I hadn"t minded until now, as it was Beowulf who gifted me "Legs of the Forest Wolf." But it would be different with Rachel. I didn"t want to think about her every time I used the skill. It had nothing to do with any kind of paranoia over Daniela, okay?
But, more importantly…
"I"m not really interested in the realm of the G.o.ds. I just want to continue doing what I"ve been doing. Traveling the world with just Daniela. That"s all."
"Hmph. These j.a.panese are so boring with their lack of ambition."
"Sorry to disappoint you."
"Then you should accept my offer!"
Daniela watched us with a little confusion. We looked at her and couldn"t help but chuckle.
"Well, I understand you now. I am sorry for trying to pressure you."
"Don"t mention it. And hey, I"m not exactly a weakling right now. I"ll protect Daniela."
"Aye, I can trust Asagi to have my back. He deserves the trust I put in him."
My face turned a little hot. It was rare for Daniela to praise me with such abandon.
Well… I think it"s time to go, Daniela?
"Yes. Asagi looks like he is about to burst. We should leave."
"Daniela!?"
"Indeed. I will be leaving soon myself. Now, get out! Out you go!"
Rachel smiled mischievously as she shooed us away. I picked up my shoes and went to the window.
"Hey, Rachel. You"ll be sorry if you throw me into the sky again."
"I won"t. Just get out!"
"You better not. Don"t even try!"
"Asagi, you are in my way. Hurry up."
"Grrr…"
I clutch my shoe and brace myself as I jump out of the window. However, this time I landed on the ground just fine. I sighed with relief.
"Well, I could easily reverse gravity from where you are now."
"Don"t you dare."
Daniela used the key again and opened a door back to the Babbling Brook. Yes, time had not pa.s.sed. If you move backward or forward, your body would not go with you… But perhaps if Rachel was successful in her research, we would one day be able to travel through time.
"Hey, Daniela."
"What, Asagi?"
"This time travel she talked about… If you could do it, would you?"
"Would I be able to return to the past?"
"Of course."
"Then… There is only one place I think that I would go."
Daniela"s hands tightened into fists.
"Father and mother… I would save them from the dragons."
"I see…"
The stampede that had altered her life… And for the worse. She would probably not hesitate to return to it. And not for her own sake, but for her parents.
"What about you, Asagi?"
"Huh?"
"What would you do, if you could travel forward or backward?"
"I…I…"
What would I…
"I think I"d return to my first day in this world and do what I could to speed up our meeting."