Memoirs of the Returnee - Chapter 23



Only Krnovel

＃Returner’s Notepad Episode 23

Mine (2)

… … 10 minutes ago.

Solliet Arcne is walking down the tunnel alone.

Sticky, mana-mixed dust flutters in the dark passage. All kinds of dirty and harmful substances stick to the entire body. She is as irritated as she is dirty and unpleasant, and her expression is the same as before.

Silently moving through the tunnel.

So, just as her red hair was turning black, she reached the dead end wall.

“… … hmm.”

Solliet silently grabbed the pickaxe. Her red magic blazed in her grasp and clung to the pickaxe.

She swung it hard.

Sigh-!

It was driven into the wall and exploded.

——Kwagwagwagwagwang!

The entire area was devastated by deep-separated magic power.

At that time, when all kinds of rubble piles were falling apart and only the magic stones that were rolling out of them were picked up and collected.

—Hey, is there anyone there?

A voice comes from the other side of the dead end.

“Yes, there is someone.”

—… … Soliet?

With just two words in his voice, he recognized who he was. Solliet frowned slightly.

“Who are you?”

—Zion Ascal. know?

“yes. I know.”

Zion Askal. This is the subject of her swordsmanship report.

-Oh! really?

Sigh! At that moment, a hole opened in the wall.

Solliet took a couple of steps back. Her eyeball appeared through a small gap in her hole.

“… … “We meet again like this.”

It was Zion Askal. He smiled and completely broke through the wall.

Crispy—!

Beyond the collapsed wall, he looked at himself and said.

“thank you.”

“… … .”

Solliet tilted her head.

What are you grateful for?

“I was trapped. Suddenly the wall collapsed. “I survived because you broke it.”

He pointed behind me. The road was buried with dirt.

“Is that so.”

“Oh, again, that time too.”

Shion scratched the back of his neck and slightly lowered his gaze. For some reason she seemed embarrassed.

“Even back then. “Thank you for showing me the way.”

“… … road?”

“The wall of the women’s dormitory. “I passed it by mistake.”

“Oh, was that you?”

Was that pervert at that time also this person?

Solliet said while looking at the magic stones in his basket.

“Did you dig up quite a bit?”

“Oh this? “It’s easy once you know the trick.”

“tips?”

“uh. All you have to do is find the core of the magic stone with your eyes. Shall I tell you?”

“it’s okay.”

Soliette declined.

“no. I’ll let you know. Let’s see… … .”

Shion said no and looked around.

“There are also points in mines. It’s the core of Mamac. All you have to do is stick the pickaxe in there and—!”

Then he stuck the pickaxe into the wall.

bang-

There was a sound of something hitting metal.

“… … ?”

That was the end. There were no significant changes or tips, and Shion rolled up his arms as if embarrassed.

“Ah, this seems a bit hard. wait for a sec.”

I took out the pickaxe and used it again.

Cheaeng—!

A slightly stronger sound rang out than before.

That was the end.

Shion said, wiping the sweat from his temples.

“It’s a bit too hard. This is a huge step. “Isn’t it?”

Soliet crossed her arms. She looked at the wall with slightly squinted eyes.

“… … There’s something ominous about it. Is that okay?”

“are you okay. “You just have to do it one more time.”

Shion struck down the pickaxe again.

Sigh——!

This time it definitely got stuck. He smiled.

“after. done. now… … .”

Suddenly the conversation stopped. Her smiling face hardened. He craned his neck and looked back at Solliet.

“… … Oh wait. “What did you just say?”

“yes?”

“What did you say?”

“I said, ‘Is that OK?’”

“No, before that.”

Solliet responded obediently.

“‘Something is ominous.’”

Gulp – Shion swallowed. He asked back, licking her lower lip.

“Is that true?”

“I still don’t know if it’s true or false.”

“Your feelings, your feelings.”

“The feeling is right. “It’s ominous.”

“Oh shit-”

Shion hastily pulled out the pickaxe.

It was that moment.

—————!

Something exploded inside the wall. Solliet immediately grabbed Shion’s arm and pulled her to deploy her technique. Magical power took the form of fabric and wrapped around the two people.

It was an advanced magic spell, “Defense Art: Guard Curtain.”

* * *

I opened my eyes. The first thing I felt was pain in my stomach.

“Ah… … .”

I stood up clutching the back of my head and looked around. Fortunately, Solliet was also nearby.

“… … Eh.”

Likewise, his face looks as if he had just woken up.

she asked, looking at me.

“Is there a problem?”

“Sorry. my mistake.”

“What a mistake.”

I should have quit when Soliette first said it was ‘ominous’.

The “intuition” that was like a ghost before returning seems to be still true even now, even though I am only in my teens.

“Look at this.”

I pointed to the magic stone fragment that I had split in half. A magic stone with the color and texture of steel.

“I guess this was a ‘strong magic stone’.”

Not all magic stones are the same.

Hard magic stone, water-based magic stone, synthetic magic stone (this is illegal), Mars magic stone, etc… … .

Among them, Gangseong is a particularly dangerous magic stone. Because the magic core is so strongly bonded, if you forcefully hit it, it explodes just like before.

Soliette shook her head.

“It’s impossible.”

“what.”

“Don’t you know why rigidity is rigid? “It won’t break unless you put some steel on the pickaxe.”

“… … .”

In magical terms, this is correct.

If only I hadn’t strengthened the pickaxe with “Perion” and hit only the magic core accurately with “SZX-9500” without any error.

“… … okay. “Then I guess it exploded on its own.”

It’s my fault, but there’s no need to grit your teeth and correct me when I tell you it’s not my fault.

Solliet sat back against the wall and closed her eyes.

“Rest. “The rescue team will arrive soon.”

“Aren’t you mining magic stones? Just looking at this place, it looks like there are a lot of magic stones.”

It seems to have fallen at the bottom of a mineshaft, somewhere similar to a dead end, and there are clear blue dots everywhere. So it is not dark at all even without a ray of light.

It is said to be a magical place.

“yes. “I don’t like it.”

Solliet took out a candle from her inner pocket and asked. When she put her finger on it, it caught fire.

He seems indifferent to things like grades.

I looked up at the empty ceiling and muttered.

“but. “Because you have no interest in college.”

The stomach is very high. It looks like he fell about 30 meters, but there were no special injuries. It must be thanks to Solliet’s magic spell.

“… … Why am I not interested in college?”

Solliet asked dryly. It was said to be somewhat annoying.

I lowered my gaze. Her eyes narrowed crookedly.

“The college board is forcing you to do it because your family told you to do it.”

“… … .”

Then Solliet’s expression became cold. The smoke from her cigarette flowed like her breath through her clenched teeth.

“at that time. I think she said the same thing when she broke into the girls’ dormitory… … .”

Soliet said, rubbing the tobacco that had only been smoked once on the ground.

“Don’t be shy.”

A voice filled with hostility. A clear warning not to cross the line.

I think I made a bit of a slip of the tongue.

“… … Foot.”

It actually makes me smile.

It’s been a long time since she spoke like this. The speaking style and voice are the same as before and now, so good to hear that it brings tears to my eyes.

Solliet furrowed her brows.

“What are you doing to split it? Did you turn?”

I shook my head and asked back.

“What happened? Then let’s ask. “Do you like your family?”

Soliet Arcne.

Before returning, she ranked 2nd overall on the College Board on the continent, but did not enter any universities and instead disappeared into hiding.

It was a shocking deviation that splashed the media at the end of the year and the beginning of the year.

“… … .”

Soliette did not answer. She clenched her fists instead. She tap-tap-moved her neck from side to side and she made threatening noises.

“No.”

Now, I’m trying to cross the ‘line’. They are trying to trample on it as if to show off.

To Solliet, a teenager who is much rougher, more vulnerable, and more sensitive than Mirae, and to José, a guy I’ve only seen twice.

Can not help it. I’m a guy who only cares about revenge, so I’m not particularly good at social skills.

“You, your family is like X.”

The purpose of this life given to me is only to complete cause and effect. Everything else—especially interpersonal relationships—is nothing but worthless trash.

but.

Even if that is my only goal, I don’t want to miss the ‘opportunity’ in front of me.

“Did that fucking family send someone to you?”

Solliet’s tone became serious.

“no. Would Arcne hire someone like me?”

“but.”

Then, without any doubt, he nods. For some reason, it was a strange feeling of understanding.

“Then why do you keep fooling around? Do you want to search?”

I looked at Soliet, who was becoming more and more foul-mouthed. The wall she was leaning against was studded with her magic stones. They illuminated her brightly.

Blue light spreads across long red hair. Two eyes as clear as jewels, lips closed with resolve and determination.

“what… … .”

I loved this beautiful girl.

That existence was like a star to me, and I never didn’t think of it every time I looked up at the sky.

It was a feeling that was too insignificant and limited by the time limit.

“just.”

However, the time given to ‘us’ is too short to confess this feeling and to live while loving someone.

“I need money.”

I took out a flyer from my inner pocket. She held it out to Solliet.

[I will do it for you]

Solliet laughed in amazement.

“… … Was it you? “Someone called an ‘expert’?”

“Well, right?”

I am a pseudo expert. An expert who fell and fell even in the crazy society of the underground world where laws and ethics do not exist. Delivery, cleaning, driving, background investigation, tailing, search… … When I think about it, it’s all just chores, but whatever.

“Get out. “If you keep fooling around like that without knowing anything, I might kill you.”

Scream—Soliet burned the leaflet. The ash rushed into my face.

“I don’t know. “I know?”

I spoke naturally.

“Why do you keep trying to escape from your family?”

“… … mouth.”

Soliet put her finger on her mouth. There was a sharp edge in her eyes, and her air became even colder.

“Watch that mouth. “This is your final warning.”

That’s it.

Now, if we go one step further, it is a reverse.

Does not matter.

Whether it’s a final warning or something, we’re running out of time now.

Soliette is now wearing out worse than me.

It has already been worn down to some extent.

I hope not.

I hope she doesn’t die.

Although recovery may be greedy, I hope that you will at least stop self-harm.

The miracle of ‘return’ that I experienced was the opportunity to save her.

therefore… …

I said.

“It’s because of Knightmare.”

That one word.

The atmosphere suddenly changed with just one word.

Uncontrollable magic flowed out of her body and shook the cave, and Solliet expressed her anger in hexadecimal letters.

“——You fucking bastard.”

She got up. She glared at me with her eyes burning like flames.

Her life-like appearance doesn’t scare me that much. It’s rather cute, but there’s just one thing that bothers me.

The eye level does not match.

I’m still smaller.

“I don’t mean to make fun of you. “I can help.”

I was sincere, but Solliet’s complexion was already as cold as ice. She even concentrated her magic power in her two hands.

Could it be to me?

Whirring whirring——!

Soliet ejected a lump of magic upward. It stretched out like a harpoon and stuck to the ceiling.

“Rot here for the rest of your life.”

As if chewing on her brain, she soared up. Like some kind of rocket.

“… … woah.”

I looked up blankly and muttered.

“It would be 30m.”

You can extract magical power as far as 30 meters and use it like a wire. Anyway, a real monster is a monster.

“… … .”

I was alone and scratched the back of my head. I bit my lower lip for no reason.

I actually got caught up in it and committed it, but I was a little worried.

Was it a good thing?

With my efforts, will I be able to make Solliet Arcne move even just one step?

“… … “I have to pray.”

One time, I was told that I was carrying a disease. I once heard someone say, ‘I became unhappy because of you.’

Now that I think about it, I wonder if it was really true.

People I liked, loved, or respected in my past life.

People who liked me, helped me, or thought of me.

Everyone who was by my side, for whatever reason, got hurt or died.

Soliette was one of them.

Before returning, she sympathized with me and pitied me. It was no different from dealing with a stray dog ​​or cat, but I was okay with it.

Because I loved her.

Because she gave me permission too.

… … Was it because of that?

Soliet Arcne.

Seven years from now, she committed suicide.

“-oh.”

For a moment, a voice came from the darkness of the mine. A popular act that breaks your thoughts.

“Oh my goodness.”

Pretending to be surprised, looking at me with exaggerated hand gestures as if to listen——