Episode 130. Summer Vacation (2)

A wide road.

Gray buildings lined up at regular intervals.

“This is… the Republic.”

Iris looked around with sparkling eyes, clearly fascinated.

Indeed, as the Republic is known as the land of technology, each building was tall and neatly constructed compared to those in the Holy Kingdom.

‘Though it feels a bit monotonous since everything looks so similar.’

Swallowing her thoughts, Iris followed Dale, taking small steps.

“Did you live in a place like this when you were young, Mr. Dale?”

“No.”

Dale shook his head slightly as Iris moved closer, their shoulders almost touching.

In truth, it had been so long that he barely remembered his time at the orphanage.

“The place I lived in was much more rural.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. There wasn’t even a warp gate, so it would take days to get here from there.”

“Hmm. That’s a shame.”

“What is?”

“Hehe. I was thinking if I could find some childhood photos of you if I visited the orphanage where you lived.”

Iris smiled mischievously, her eyes sparkling.

“What would you do with my childhood photos?”

“Well… Oh, come on! How can I say such embarrassing things out loud?”

“No.”

What exactly was she planning?

Dale looked at her with a worried expression, and she just smiled sweetly.

He sighed and turned his head toward Berald.

“Is your house nearby?”

“No. We need to take a train to the outskirts of the city.”

“Then let’s head to the station first.”

“Hehe. Follow me.”

Berald walked ahead, leading them to the train station.

As they took the train to the outskirts, the scenery of gray buildings gradually transformed into fields.

After about an hour on the train…

“We’ll get off at this station.”

Following Berald outside, they were greeted by a serene rural landscape that made it hard to believe it was the same country as the bustling Republic they had just left.

“Even though we’re just a bit outside the city, it feels quite different.”

“Hehe. Isn’t it the same with the Holy Kingdom or the Empire?”

“I guess so.”

“Now, just follow me a little further.”

Walking along the quiet countryside path, they soon arrived at a large mansion.

“This is our house.”

Even as a branch family, the mansion was on a completely different scale compared to the other houses in the area.

“I’m home!”

Berald’s loud voice echoed, and a middle-aged woman with a warm expression hurried out.

“Oh my~ Young Master Berald, you’ve arrived!”

“Ahem. I told you not to call me ‘Young Master.'”

“Hehe. I can’t help it. Are these your friends behind you?”

“Yes.”

The middle-aged woman turned to us and bowed politely.

“Nice to meet you, heroes. I’m Anna, the one in charge of managing this mansion.”

“I’m Dale.”

“I’m Iris.”

After exchanging brief greetings, we followed Anna to the reception room.

Aside from Anna, there were no other servants, and the large mansion felt eerily quiet.

“Please wait here for a moment. I’ll bring some drinks.”

“Ah, before that, I’ll go see my father first.”

“…Your father?”

Anna’s expression darkened.

Berald smiled bitterly and nodded.

“…He’s in the bedroom on the second floor.”

Anna bowed her head and carefully stepped back.

“Follow me.”

Berald led us upstairs with heavy steps.

After walking down a long corridor, we arrived at the innermost room. Berald stopped in front of the door and closed his eyes.

“*Sigh*.”

After taking a deep breath, Berald knocked on the door.

“Uhh? Is it already mealtime?”

A childlike voice came from inside, though it belonged to an adult with a deep tone.

“I’m coming in.”

“Huh? Wow! It’s the big guy!”

As soon as the door opened, we saw a middle-aged man with a large build similar to Berald’s.

Lying on the bed, he immediately smiled brightly upon seeing Berald and jumped up to greet him.

“Hehe! Long time no see! How have you been?”

The middle-aged man smiled brightly as he looked at Berald.

Berald clenched his fist, biting his lip.

“…Father.”

“Huh? I’m not your father. My name is Gilbert.”

Gilbert tilted his head, chewing on his finger.

“……”

Berald looked at his father and shook his head.

Suppressing the rising emotions, he spoke in a trembling voice.

“…Right, Gilbert.”

“Yeah! I’m Gilbert! Nice to meet you! Uhh… what was your name again?”

“I’m… Berald. Berald Ryu.”

“Ah, right! Berald! Berald, that’s it! Hehe. You told me before, but I forgot.”

“…It’s fine.”

Berald carefully placed his hand on Gilbert’s shoulder.

His hand trembled slightly.

“I’ll teach you again… as many times as it takes.”

“Hehe! Big guys are always so nice!”

Gilbert nodded with a bright smile.

“By the way, how’s your health? Are you feeling any pain?”

“Uhh… sometimes it hurts here.”

Gilbert pointed to the top of his head with a sullen expression.

“It feels like needles poking me.”

“…Is it hurting now?”

“No, not right now.”

Gilbert smiled at Berald.

“Maybe it’s because I saw you.”

“……”

Berald’s pupils trembled slightly.

“But big guy… who are those people behind you?”

Gilbert’s gaze turned to us, standing outside the door.

“……”

“……”

We exchanged glances, unsure of how to respond.

“Didn’t you say your head hurts sometimes? They’re doctors who came to treat you.”

“D-doctors?”

Gilbert took a step back, startled by the word “doctors.”

“I-I don’t like doctors… they always make me take yucky medicine!”

“This time, it won’t be like that. Don’t worry.”

“…Really?”

“I promise on my name.”

Berald smiled reassuringly.

Gilbert, who had been backing away, hesitantly approached.

“Uhh. Okay… Oh, what was your name again?”

“Berald.”

“Ah, right. Hehe. I forgot again.”

Gilbert walked up to me.

“So, doctor guy, what should I do?”

“…Just lie down on the bed for now.”

“Okay!”

Gilbert quickly ran to the bed and lay down, covering himself with the blanket.

“Ah… I feel sleepy all of a sudden.”

Within seconds of lying down, Gilbert was snoring, fast asleep.

“*Sigh*.”

Berald sighed deeply and turned to us.

“This is my father’s current condition.”

“…Mr. Berald.”

Iris looked at Berald with sad eyes.

“I heard about it, but… I didn’t know it was this serious.”

“…It must have been really hard for you.”

Yuren and Camila also looked at Gilbert, who was fast asleep, with troubled expressions.

“Let me check his condition first.”

Iris crouched beside the bed and placed her hand on Gilbert’s forehead.

*Hummm.*

A white light flowed from her hand and seeped into Gilbert’s forehead.

Her blue eyes turned into a rainbow hue.

“Haah, haah.”

After a while.

Iris wiped the sweat from her forehead and let out a tired breath.

“H-how is he? How’s my father’s condition?”

Berald asked with a tense expression.

“The Holy Mark itself is directly damaged.”

“Holy Mark?”

“Yes. The Holy Mark bestowed by the seven gods contains not just magic power but also a part of the soul and spirit. Mr. Gilbert’s Holy Mark is currently damaged.”

“S-so, is there no way to fix it?”

Berald’s expression hardened.

Iris removed her hand from Gilbert’s forehead and spoke.

“With my current power alone, it’s not enough.”

“Ah…”

Berald let out a low sigh.

“But.”

“…But?”

“If we have an offering, it might be possible to heal him.”

“An offering?”

“Magic stones or magical tools.”

Before Iris could answer, I spoke up.

“Divine magic can amplify its effects by offering sacrifices.”

“That’s right. With an offering, I can use stronger healing magic.”

“S-so, if we get a magic stone, we can heal my father?”

“It means we can try, but I can’t guarantee it’ll work. And…”

Iris continued with a dark expression.

“We’ll probably need at least a high-grade magic stone.”

“Ah…”

Berald let out another low sigh.

Unlike mid or low-grade magic stones, which can be mass-produced, high-grade magic stones can only be obtained by hunting monsters.

And not just any monsters—those of at least the Eight-Eyes rank.

“A high-grade magic stone…”

Berald held his forehead and let out a deep sigh.

Hunting an Eight-Eyes monster was already difficult, and even if they succeeded, there was no guarantee it would drop a high-grade magic stone.

And buying one was out of the question, as a single high-grade magic stone cost millions of gold.

The support from the main family was far from enough.

“Ha.”

At that moment.

A faint chuckle escaped my lips.

“…Brother?”

“I didn’t think it would come to this again.”

“What do you mean?”

I smirked at Berald, who tilted his head in confusion.

“Didn’t I say we should go on a ruin exploration this summer vacation?”

“Yes, but…”

“That’s where we can get it. A high-grade magic stone.”

“……!”

Berald’s eyes widened.

* * *

After deciding to go on a ruin exploration to find a high-grade magic stone, one problem arose.

“Hmm. You said we’re going to Iron Canyon, right?”

“Yeah.”

“There’s no warp gate there, and no transportation either, so we’ll need a magic carriage or something.”

Yuren looked troubled.

“I don’t have a magic carriage license… Do you, Dale?”

“No.”

I knew how to drive a magic carriage, but I didn’t have a license.

“What about Iris and Camila?”

“I don’t have a license yet either…”

“Me neither.”

“Ugh. Berald, you don’t have one either, right?”

“That’s right.”

*Sigh.*

A sigh escaped Yuren’s lips.

No one had a license, and they didn’t even have a magic carriage.

“Then do we have to walk? It’s going to be quite a distance.”

“I’ve thought of something.”

“What’s that?”

I turned on my Hero Watch and smirked.

“Just wait. You’ll find out tomorrow.”

And the next day.

*Vrooom!*

Early in the morning.

The heavy sound of an engine echoed in front of the mansion.

The door of a sleek black magic carriage opened, and a blonde man wearing sunglasses stepped out.

“Ah, Dale! I brought the magic carriage as you asked!”

Juliet, who had spotted me, waved her hand with a bright smile.