Vol 3 Chapter 23

#(2)

Kapros gently pulled the string on the paper Ilumine had given him. As he carefully unfolded it, afraid it might crumble at any moment, he saw a familiar magic incantation and name, just like before.

[I desire that you break free from your existence and reveal your breath in this moment to move for me. - Aerial Servant]

The moment he saw the spell with a proper activation phrase, Kapros felt a surge of joy and almost gripped the paper too tightly. What Ilumine had given him was indeed completely different from Superior's. It was the same type of magic he had been learning until now. As his heart pounded, wondering what kind of magic it would be, he raised his head, feeling Kran's gaze on him as he fussed about training his skills with his sword drawn.

"What?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing."

Flustered by Kapros's question, Kran rolled his eyes around before carefully opening his mouth in a low voice.

"Is magic... fun?"

Despite the content being enough to make the listener feel deflated, Kran's expression as he asked was infinitely serious. So Kapros changed his mind from initially wanting to ignore it and decided to give a proper answer.

"If it wasn't fun, I wouldn't be playing this game."

"Yeah... I guess that's true. Your expression just looked so lively that I couldn't help but..."

"Hm?"

"No, I was just asking. Sorry for interrupting, keep training! I'll go outside to do mine."

Kapros couldn't hear the last part clearly as Kran trailed off, but Kran patted Kapros's back with a big laugh, his face and ears bright red, and dashed out of the room. Soon after, Kapros heard the front door open and close roughly, and even long after that, he was still trying to figure out what had just happened when the front door creaked open again.

'What's he up to, leaving and coming back...'

It was typical of Kran, but... As Kapros waited, inwardly exasperated, he could tell from the footsteps that Kran wasn't entering the room but seemed to be lingering just outside.

'I don't know why he came back, but he must be feeling a bit shy too.'

Finally, unlike before, as the door was slowly and silently pushed open, Kapros threw out a comment expressionlessly.

"If you forgot something, just say it quickly."

At Kapros's words, the door that had hesitated for a moment swung wide open. Looking in that direction, Kapros was momentarily taken aback and closed his mouth. Standing in front of the door was not Kran, but Un-o.

"..."

The one who broke the awkward silence first was the other person.

"I'm sorry."

"No. I should be the one apologizing for the misunderstanding. I thought you were Kran..."

As Kapros replied, feeling a bit embarrassed, Un-o smiled slightly and came fully inside.

Kapros was considering what to say, but unexpectedly, Un-o spoke first again, making it unnecessary.

"Have you been well?"

"Yes. And you?"

"I've been well."

It didn't seem like just small talk. The last time Kapros had seen him, Un-o had looked very tired, but now his complexion was good. It seemed there really had been some changes for the guy during this time. Kapros hesitated before carefully opening his mouth.

"How's your younger sister?"

As he asked, Kapros thought Un-o, who had been sensitive about his sister, might change his expression and respond sharply, but the answer that came back was calm.

"There's still no significant change, but she's okay."

So the change in this guy wasn't because of his sister. ...But, come to think of it, despite being told to speak comfortably, this brat was subtly using formal speech.

Not being the type to advise on the same matter twice, Kapros nodded and asked about something else.

"I see. By the way, you seem to have changed a bit. Did something happen?"

"In a good way?"

"Of course."

When Kapros answered firmly, Un-o laughed with a deflating sound. That face finally looked truly nineteen years old.

"Just... various things happened."

"...Here?"

When Kapros emphasized 'here,' referring to the world inside THE MIST, Un-o nodded.

"Yes."

Ah... so that's it. You too...

Kapros smiled as he examined Un-o's brightened face. It seemed he could understand without further words. It meant that, like the many changes that had come to Kapros, changes had come to Un-o as well, albeit a bit later.

Like the many people Kapros had met, Un-o too had met others who had shared something with him. It was as if he could see the guy who had always seemed precarious now firmly planted on the ground, having lowered the heels he used to walk on.

"Actually, I visited the dojo master recently."

After that, with the atmosphere completely relaxed, Kapros was able to have a comfortable conversation with Un-o for the first time.

"It was shameless of me, but since I couldn't attend the dojo regularly, I asked if I could use it for about two hours when no one else was there, and he gladly agreed."

So that had happened. Kapros wasn't sure how Un-o interpreted his surprised expression, but Un-o's lips curled up.

"I don't see a clear path yet, but I intend to keep trying. Both me and my sister."

"..."

When Kran returned much later, he froze in place like a statue when he saw the two of them sitting face to face, amicably discussing their quests.

"Uh...? Uhh..."

"Why are you just standing there? Come and sit down too."

"K-Kap. Was that really you talking and smiling just now? W-what... what's going on here?"

Despite his astonished gaze and fearful expression that seemed to say he couldn't understand the situation, Kran approached hesitantly and sat down at Kapros's words. Soon, true to his sociable and simple nature, he quickly adapted to the conversation.

"What? You met a quest user before who was an assassin?"

"Yes."

"Kek. That sly, supremely unlucky, prince disease bastard, to think he's still alive and wandering around... What has Caesar been doing, not catching that guy first?"

"He was certainly unpleasant."

"Right? But you were probably fine. You're quite ill-mannered yourself."

"...That..."

"It's a compliment, a compliment. Of course it's a compliment."

It was fortunate that they were getting along much better than expected. Every time Un-o squinted his eyes at something Kran occasionally said, Kran would pat Un-o's back and move on. To Kapros, it seemed like Kran was happy to have found someone he could tease.