More than half of the kingdom's population lived in Ravigion. Upper class people grouped these people together and called them commoners, but wealth disparity also existed in Ravigion. Explorers and freelancers who ran prosperous businesses found their homes in the downtown region and on the main streets near the square. Those places were safe to live in and had a pretty good environment.
So I used to live here when I was young.
The situation was different in the large alley block away from the main street. There was little security away from the guards' eyes. The buildings were old and worn, and were even divided into dozens of rooms. Each room was rented. The bathrooms were shared, as were the kitchens. Even the barbaric accommodation that cost 500 stones a night was on the outskirts, but not in a place like this.
When I entered the alley after Raven, the wary eyes of the residents focused on me. It was a similar experience to Bifron. Everyone was on guard, but no one approached first to start a fight. Rather, they looked away.
Gosh, have you never seen a barbarian?
Although this made me realize the advantages of being a barbarian, I realized the bad environment Raven lived in. That was because it wasn't a busy street with many people. These people would be fully aware that he was following her.
But none of these bastards are showing up, huh? So it's none of your business, huh? Well, whatever. I also have no intention of keeping Raven here for long.
Crujido. Thud.
Soon, Raven entered a building and closed the door. At first, I didn't even know it was a house. It was just a wall with a door hanging.
So should I wait here a little?
After getting home, I spent the time resting against the wall. It was about twenty minutes later when Raven's birth mother showed up after work. It wasn't difficult to recognize her. Her hair was far from bright blonde and much taller, but her face was at least exactly the same as Raven's.
«Are you the straw of Arua Raven?»
«I am... Wh-who are you...?» The age difference between her and me wasn't big enough to say she had been a beauty in the past. He looked to be about 20 years old at most. So, had you had a child in your early twenties?
As I stared at her, feeling strange about it, Raven's mother asked anxiously: «Did my son cause another accident...?».
«This is not the place. Let's talk outside».
«...Okay.»
I went out to the main street with his mother and entered a cafeteria that served as a cafeteria at this time.
"Good..."
I felt great incongruity when talking to her. His face was the same as Raven's, but his way of speaking and stuff were completely different.
«Order what you want to eat. If not, I'll order it myself».
Thanks to my experience gathering friends, it wasn't difficult to order off the menu without the help of a woman. Our food arrived quickly, as befits a tea house. Of course, neither the woman nor I touched her.
Where do I start?
«First, let's clear up the misunderstanding. I'm not here to argue about an accident that Raven caused».
«Excuse me? Then...»
«I'm friends with Raven.»
«Barbarians don't care about age.»
«I see...» The mother nodded, although she still seemed confused. I thought I had a rough idea of what his personality was like. He was the complete opposite of Raven.
«Today I saw her for the first time in a long time. He had a wound on his face».
«Ah...» Realizing why I came to see her, the woman's face turned white. But thinking about it again, he seemed to consider it unfair. «That... is none of your business.»
She might have been afraid to even speak all this time, but she drew the line here. Certainly, my comment was fundamental. It was a ridiculous world where you were sentenced to death if you couldn't pay taxes. It was not a problem for a father to beat his son for disobedience. No, rather, it was more abnormal to rebuke that.
«Business? Don't use difficult words». However, I was a proud member of the barbarian tribe who knew nothing of it. «All I know is to take bloody revenge for my friend».
When I said this calmly without any emotion, the woman froze. Right, when would she have heard something like «bloody revenge»? From what I heard, she only worked in a kitchen.
«...So what do you want from me? Stop hitting him in the future? Is it enough for you?»
«No, let her go.»
«What do you mean by that?»
«You should know. Raven has the talent to become a powerful mage.»
«... She has her bloodline, after all.» The woman pursed her lips after that. There was a clear light of hatred in his eyes. She seemed to be thinking about the husband who abandoned his family after an affair... but that was none of my business.
«I can't afford it».
«I will pay all necessary expenses».
«...Why would you do that?»
«I just want to do it».
The woman was silent for a long time at my response. Then he muttered strange words. «That child will abandon me».
¿Eh?
«One day he will become a great person and look down on me. Then, at the end, he will leave for his own world. Just like he did that day, since she is his blood...»
Ah...
«Not bad? Why is that girl's life so easy? I probably gave birth to her, but I've never met anyone to help me for a reason like that in my entire life. But... why that girl...?». After that, all kinds of sorrows poured out of the woman's mouth in the form of disordered words. «Come to think of it, I didn't have any talent. She was also slow to read. But that girl learns and uses magic at her age».
Her husband and daughter were the only issues, but ultimately it was about regret and dissatisfaction with the life she had lived. I listened to her in silence. Her trauma was caused by her husband's affair; His hatred was too complicated to conclude with such a short sentence, and he reached a state beyond bitterness.
After who knows how long, I asked him: «Are you done?».
She replied: «Good. I will send her to the magic tower. Anyway, the only thing he gets from me is his face. I'll be calmer if he disappears from my sight completely. Clear. Me too... I want to be comfortable now».
«That's all, then.» As soon as the conversation was over, I got up from my seat and paid the bill. Then, as I left the store, I tried to give the woman money, but she refused.
«I do not need it. A few days ago someone came from the magic tower. They said they would fully support her, so at least send her there to get tested. I guess using magic wherever I go at such a young age caught their attention».
«...Ya veo.»
«Isn't it strange? All I've ever gotten in my life is this room in this ditch».
After that, Raven's mother staggered towards her house in the back alley like a person with no energy in her body, and I watched her leave. It wasn't because he felt compassion. But despite that, the woman's last words were still running through my head.
«What was the meaning of my life, then?»
***
After that, time passed quickly. Raven's mother took her to the magic tower as promised, and Raven was recognized for her abilities for several days. For reference, I was able to learn in detail about the process from Raven, who came to the library once every two days.
«Yes, I like the grandfather over there. He doesn't despise me for being a kid».
Was it then as old Auril Gavis said? She thought that her future would change if she was sent to the magic tower from a young age.
Come to think of it, I don't even know when he entered the magic tower...
I was sure it would have been over ten years old. That was because when I met her, Raven said she had become an administrative magician. I assumed he had changed his mind at some point in the future.
«But what does that expression come from?».
«It's nothing. Anyway, it's good that you entered the magic tower».
«...I'm a little worried. I don't know if I can do a good job».
«You will be a great magician. I can guarantee it».
«Hehe, really?»
Anyway, the conversation with Raven was not limited to the magic tower, but also about his family. Apparently, his mother had suddenly become nice. It seemed like his mother hadn't told him anything about knowing me.
After chatting for a long time like that, it was time for Raven to go home. «Then I'm leaving. Oh, and I can't come here anymore. I have to go live in the magic tower from now on».
«I probably can't come after tomorrow, anyway.»
"¿Por qué?"
«Something has come up». Tomorrow I had to go to Noark with Amelia. I probably wouldn't be back until we reached our goal.
«...Ya veo.»
Before I parted ways with Raven one last time, I gave her some advice. «Once you reach the tower, don't speak rudely like now and be careful».
«The same goes for everyone else. There is no need to go around making enemies».
«...I'm not afraid of any of that».
«Even if you don't have it, do what I tell you. Not only will you make enemies, but you will make people who try to be your friend flee. With that kind of attitude, you can only be alone».
«Have I offended you too?..». Raven asked carefully and after a short pause, I replied that I had been a little offended. But I figured that made her realize something. «Alright. I won't do it anymore».
«Do what?»
«...analyze people».
Yes, you are like a little child now.
«But don't you have to leave now?»
«Sí...»
After that, we finished our last conversation, left the library, and parted ways with no plans for next time.
«So, see you!» Words of promise, where neither time nor place were fixed. Where had he put the honorifics?
I smiled satisfied and responded: «Yes, until next time».
Although then you won't even remember me.
After saying goodbye to Raven, I headed to a certain place without hesitation. Like now I accepted it.
Yes, Dwalkie... cannot be saved.
I went to the orphanage under Reatlas Church. When I got ahead, I stood still, unable to open the door for long. The reason was simple. Although the desire to go in and talk to Dwalkie one last time blossomed inside me, I also wondered what the point was.
After who knows how long, someone called me from the side. «Mr. Enze...?»
«Emirn?» She was the woman I met working as a volunteer the other day. At dinner last time, she and I also exchanged a strange conversation hoping to have courage. «What brings you here?»
«To be honest with you... my son is here».
...¿What?
«Luckily, things worked out and I was able to bring him home. Thank you so much. If it weren't for you, Mr. Enze, I would have doubted forever».
My body stiffened at the truth that I instinctively realized, but I had to check it.
«Is your son's name Riol?». Riol Warb Dwalkie, and Warb Emirn.
«Ah, it's true». Surprised, Emirn blurted out words of affirmation. So Dwalkie's middle name had been taken from his mother. «But how did you know?».
«Only... because you look something like him».
«Haha, is that so? It's true, you often talked to that child». Emirn smiled happily at my words. But did he want to get Dwalkie home quickly rather than talk to me? «Then I'm leaving».
«Oh, sure...»
Then Emirn hurried to say goodbye to me and entered the orphanage. I stood motionless at the entrance like a statue, unable to move. All kinds of thoughts passed through my head for a few minutes.
Dash.
I climbed the orphanage wall and entered. Dwalkie was sitting where he always was, reading a book. «Oh! Hello». Dwalkie greeted me.
«Yes... it's been a while».
«What brings you here?»
«I... just arrived».
Dwalkie tilted his head like I was weird, but he didn't seem suspicious, perhaps because of all the time we spent together.
Slip.
I turned my head and looked inside the building window. I could see Emirn handing a stack of documents to the staff at the counter. That's when I realized that Dwalkie would now live with his biological mother. He would become an administrative wizard, but he would not be able to give up his dream and would enter the labyrinth.
«Thank you all for being my teammates».
I would die.
Is that... all my fault?
I felt a deep sense of responsibility. At the same time, I also felt like a speck in the dust of the universe. A feeling of helplessness stuck in my body. The desire to resist also flourished. Maybe it wasn't too late. If he acted now, perhaps he could avoid that future. Yes, if he kidnapped that child right now, something had to change.
Damn sea.
Even as I thought that to myself, my body didn't move. The same scenes were repeated in my head: Emirn's face, when he came to ask me for courage; Dwalkie's voice when he remembered his biological mother during the days of Team Half Wit. I kept seeing and hearing them.
What... should I do? Does the future really change like this? What if my actions have no effect and I only reduce your time of happiness with your mother?
A squeeze.
A small hand caressed my unintentionally curled hand. It was Dwalkie's. «It's big... Oh, I'm sorry. For suddenly touching you».
«...You don't have to feel it».
«Will mine ever be this big? Enough to protect someone precious to me in the future?»
To that question, I spoke with difficulty. «Don't worry. You will become a great man».
Even if your body is thin and short, you will be bigger than me. Actually, more than anyone I've ever met.
I jumped over the walls of the orphanage as if I were running away from something. Then I hid in an alley and watched.
Crujido.
After a while, I could see Dwalkie and Emirn walking out the orphanage door.
«How come you're my mother?»
«That's... a long story, Dwalkie. Let's go. There you will learn everything...»
The two left, holding hands too awkwardly to be considered a mother-son relationship.
«Adiós, Dwalkie.»
I was just looking.