NOVEL NEXT chapter 28
28. The Disappearance of Elgu 2
When I woke up, I found myself in a room.
There was only a semi-double bed, a desk, and a chair—
a simple room with just me in it.
“Where is this… exactly…?”
I tried to trace back my recent memories, but…
Recent… memories?
—
“…What was it again?”
I tried to remember, but I couldn’t recall anything specific.
“Well, for now, should I try to get out of this room?”
I attempted to open the door, but
Click, click.
“Oh, it won’t open?”
A sense of danger crept over me.
“This is bad. For now, I have to force it open!”
I tried to use my body enhancement to pry it open, but whether the lock was secured from the outside or not, it wouldn’t budge.
Not to mention, even though it was supposed to be a wooden door, it was way too hard!!
“W-What the hell is going on!?”
In my panic and frustration, I tried to kick the door down.
Boom!
“It just echoes, and not a scratch on it…”
I’m an A-rank party’s holy knight, you know…
And yet, I can’t even do this…
“Wait? Was I a holy knight and part of an A-rank party?”
For some reason, fragmented memories started to resurface…
But I couldn’t remember anything about myself or my friends.
“Ugh…?”
I heard the sound of the door clicking open, and I braced myself.
White magical energy surged through me due to my body enhancement.
“Oh? You’re awake?”
From the door appeared an intelligent-looking man with green hair.
I felt a sense of goodwill towards him, and his robe made it clear that he was a magician.
“W-Where is this? Who are you?”
Upon hearing my words, the man looked a bit dejected, as if he had messed up.
For some reason, I felt an unusual urge to protect him because of that expression.
“I’m sorry, I messed up again… I truly apologize…”
—
And then she began to cry softly.
Her figure overlapped with that of a certain girl.
“Hmm? What is it this time…?”
Seeing me recall something again, the man
went from a sad expression to one of regret, saying,
“Ah, well, I’ve grasped the gist of it to some extent, I guess I’ll just have to call back.”
I felt an overwhelming sense of fear at those words,
and I started to run toward the door the man had opened,
but my body froze once more.
Again? Have I experienced this…?
“Hey, don’t run away, look this way.”
I complied and turned to face the man.
He raised his hand.
It overlapped with a dream I had seen before.
“Stop, stop it.”
At that, I lost consciousness.
◇◇◇
In a certain tavern, a hooded woman was meeting a man.
“Hmm, so you want me to lend you a hand, huh?”
The man had yellow hair with black highlights, and his eyes were yellow. His disheveled clothing gave him an elusive air.
“Ugh, no matter how you look at it, this is bad news. I came to hear about a profitable scheme, you know.”
The man dramatically placed a hand on his head, glaring at the woman through the gaps between his fingers.
“Hey? The Chancellor of the Magic Empire, Guildia, right?”
At those words, the woman replied calmly,
“Oh, so you knew it was me all along.”
As she said this, Guildia pulled back her hood.
“Well, you’re quite famous around here too.”
The man raised both hands dramatically and said,
“You’re sharp, then the conversation will be quick. You understand the meaning, right? The best bodyguard in the Holy Kingdom, Lightning’s Rainer.”
—
Gildia glares at Rainer with a fierce look.
“So, you’re bringing up that name, huh? Well, I can’t help it; I’ve got a debt to you, so let’s call it even.”
Rainer extends his hand, seeking a handshake.
Gildia, wary, narrows his eyes even further.
“What’s this? Just a handshake, you know. Once the contract is established, I’ll do as I said.”
As Gildia reaches out for the handshake, Rainer releases a jolt of electricity from his hand.
ZAP!
“Ah!”
Though Gildia feels no pain, he flinches in surprise, pulling his hand back.
“Ouch, what a hasty person you are.”
Rainer pretends to rub his hand dramatically.
“What’s your goal?”
Gildia says, still glaring.
“Oh, it’s just a little charm, nothing to worry about.”
Despite his glare, Gildia checks the details of the request.
“I’ll say it again: you will cooperate to bring the Great Sage back to his senses! Got it?”
Rainer laughs lightly, looking rather flippant.
“I get it.”