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Chapter: 298

Since then, Arthur and I talked about various things.

Stories that happened after I left. The tales following the stabilization of the Romania Empire.

Not long after I departed, there was the story of Vivi, who quit being the Dragon Priestess, married a man, and started a family. She lived happily with her husband, had several children, and peacefully slipped away as if falling asleep.

Of course, I already knew about these things. After all, I was the one who allowed Vivi to quit being the Dragon Priestess. Naturally, I had to know.

By the way, Vivi is currently lounging around in Paradise. It seems her husband was disappointed he couldn’t join her, but what could be done? Even if the trials in the Underworld have gotten easier, it’s not something just anyone can pass.

After that, Arthur’s stories continued to unfold.

He recounted how the throne of the Romania Empire was passed to Vivi’s son, and he himself had begun to quietly live in seclusion.

After seeing how Juliu, Vivi’s child, was managing the Empire well, he felt at ease and started wandering the world, having left Sirius behind.

As I listened to all the things Arthur had experienced, I let out a small sigh.

This kid… Did he always talk this much? No, that can’t be right. He wasn’t this much of a chatterbox.

Maybe it’s because he had accumulated a lot of stories during that time.

“Well, you see. In a small country northeast of Romania, they say they collect blood as taxes.”

“Blood?”

The tales from Arthur about the world were enough to pique my interest.

There were stories about how the governance of the Elves was slowly changing, Dwarves settling in various mountain ranges, the old king and queen of a small country that collects blood as taxes not aging, and how if you go further north from the plains, there’s a snowfield where no creature can survive, along with the increasing numbers of Lizardmen settling around a considerably large river.

Arthur, with his endless stream of stories… looked like a child who had played outside for too long and came home to share everything they’d experienced with their parents.

This child… might just be lonely.

“By the way, what in the world is that armor made of? It doesn’t look like metal.”

“Oh, this? Well… if I tell you, you might get angry.”

Arthur was glancing at me, seemingly gauging my reaction. What on earth could make me angry?

“I won’t get angry, so just tell me.”

“Really? You won’t get angry?”

“It’s just armor, right? What’s there to be angry about?”

Only then did Arthur begin to speak.

He was still watching me carefully!

“Um, didn’t my Master leave behind that physical body as a statue when he departed?”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

When it was first made, it was a crude body made by roughly piling rocks together. However, since it had been used for quite a while… I had developed some attachment to it.

It felt wrong to just leave it behind, so I turned it into a statue before leaving.

“Remember the parts that broke off from my Master’s body aside from the statue?”

“Yeah. A lot broke off.”

Quite a bit fell off, in fact! Cleaning all that up must have been quite the task! All those were stone fragments, you know.

But why is he bringing this up all of a sudden…?

“The pieces that broke off… were definitely rock, but they were of an unusually hard material.”

Hmm. Since they were parts of the body I used, if my magical power seeped into them and changed their nature… they could have easily become much harder than regular stone.

Wait, harder?

“I collected those fragments and made this armor.”

“What… did you just say?”

Looking closely at Arthur’s armor again… it was true.

I had thought it was armor made of strange metal polished to a shine, but upon closer inspection… it was actually armor made from the stone that had been transformed by my magical power.

No, what’s this armor! It’s not surprising that a stone exposed to my magical power for a long time would change, but to turn that into armor and wear it?!

“Hey you…! No, Tia. Don’t suddenly shout like that! I understand your feelings!!”

“You said you wouldn’t get angry!”

Arthur was looking at me cautiously again. I had to forcefully swallow the words that were about to escape my lips.

This kid… wearing armor made from pieces of my Master’s body… What in the world was he thinking?!

Look! Even Encia is freaking out!! Her face is turning pale!!

“I feel sick…”

She even went as far as to say she felt sick!

“But I couldn’t help it! I gave it to a certain curious Dwarf, and they went wild!

They said it was light, hard, and even if scratched with metal, it wouldn’t leave a mark, saying it was perfect for making armor!”

“No, even so, how can you want to wear something that was once your Master’s body as armor?!”

“Well, I was hesitant at first… but despite being full-body armor, it’s surprisingly light and sturdy…

Plus while wearing this armor, I feel like my Master is somehow… ahem. Beside me….”

“Yikes! Pervert!”

That wasn’t my comment. It was Encia who blurted it out.

“I’m disappointed! I thought you were a good person, but you’re such a pervert!”

“Calm down, Sia.”

“Who do you think I am?! Even if it’s just a vacant body, turning something that was Tia’s into armor! That’s not something a normal person would think of! A pervert! An unparalleled pervert in the world!!!

This kind of pervert needs to be taught a lesson!!!”

I couldn’t bring myself to deny Encia’s words. I had thought it was a bit much.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Are you thinking of getting rid of that armor at least now?”

“I’m sorry, but… I’ve gotten completely used to it now… It feels oddly unsettling without it.”

“I can’t let this go. This guy. If I don’t do something…”

That was my line.

Seriously, how did this kid turn into such a pervert? What did I teach him wrong? Or was it my leaving right after hearing his feelings that was the problem?

I have no idea. I even entertained thoughts of needing to turn back time for a moment.

The concept of having to go through everything I’ve done so far again made me give up right away.

Instead.

“Arthur.”

“Yes, Master.”

“About that armor… I’m not saying you have to get rid of it… Tia?! Are you serious?! With that kinds of perverted armor?!”

“Sia, don’t suddenly speak your thoughts while delivering the message. It’s confusing Arthur.”

“No, but still!”

“It’s just part of the physical body that was once mine. I’ve already discarded and left it behind. How Arthur uses those fragments is not my concern.”

Though I felt a bit hesitant… what was that game where you made armor or weapons from the materials of monsters you hunted? I’ll just think of it as something similar.

I never dreamed that my body would become that material.

“Really… Tia. Sometimes you need to be strict. Being kind all the time isn’t the answer.”

“Sia, I have more experience raising children than you do?!”

Of course, I couldn’t say that they all turned out well… but I raised quite a few!

No, to be honest, those kids grew up fine on their own, and I only taught them a thing or two.

“Oh right. Tia is the Goddess of Life, so you must have plenty of kids!”

Cough!

Arthur suddenly started coughing as if he had choked on something because of Encia’s comment.

“Ah, kids?!”

“Why are you so surprised? You’re talking to the Goddess of Life, right?”

“No, that’s….”

“In this world, the Goddess of Life who gives birth to all life must have had children at some point.”

Um… I haven’t, though.

No, mythologically speaking, as the deity who governs life, it’s customary for such beings to have children!

But I’ve never done that!

“Well, well, that might be true. But there is nothing like that in the scriptures of the Church of Life…”

“Think about it logically. Tia is the Goddess of Life and the Mother of All Earth, right? That means, metaphorically, Tia created all life on this land, which is equivalent to giving birth.

How could the Goddess of Life, Tia, create life on this land without having birthed anyone?

Would you have her create life from molding dirt? Or would she carve a tree into a human?

Logically, wouldn’t it make more sense to assume Tia gave birth?”

No, I’ve never given birth. I’ve never even dated anyone, so what are you even saying?

“Sia.”

“What is it, Tia?”

“I’ve never done that.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“I said I’ve never done that! I’ve never given birth!!! I’ve never dated anyone!!! I’ve been single my whole life!!!! I never even planned to date anyone!!! And I won’t in the future!!!!!!”

“What? Now, that’s….”

Arthur appeared ready to say something but glanced at me and then stared at the ceiling before quietly saying,

“Uh, I’m sorry. It seems I touched a sensitive topic.”

“Master? What did you say?”

“Oh, nothing. Just that Tia scolded me a little.”

Encia chose not to reveal what I had said to Arthur.

“Ahem. Anyway, let’s move past this topic for now. It seems to be a sensitive issue for Tia too.”

“I still think it’s a bit suspicious.”

Arthur was only looking at Encia with a doubtful expression.

 

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