Chapter 42 _ At the Edge of the Golden City, Where Souls Become One
Beyond the dusty road, shimmering like a mirage, rose the sleepless city—
Irrablatis.
A city where neon lights scorched the night sky,
where fortune and ruin danced side by side.
Strangely enough, ever since we had left the barrier’s protection,
we had barely encountered any monsters at all.
“Come to think of it,” I said,
“isn’t it odd? We haven’t really felt the presence of monsters since we left the barrier.”
Roger snorted, unimpressed.
“Isn’t it obvious?
Because we’re here—me, Hans, and Frey.
Monsters have sharper survival instincts than humans.
No sane beast wanders into territory it knows it can’t win in.
At most, you’ll see a few goblins dumb enough to misjudge us by numbers alone.”
Once again, I realized just how reassuring it was
to be traveling with what amounted to the strongest combat power in the world.
We stepped into the city.
The roar of gamblers chasing sudden fortune.
The cries of barkers luring in customers.
And in the shadows, the hollow-eyed figures of those who had already lost everything.
Frenzy and despair rose together from the stone-paved streets.
When we were settling into the inn,
Frey suddenly turned toward the exit.
“I’ll sleep elsewhere.
…I’m not so thoughtless as to stay in your way.
You two should enjoy your time together.”
“Wait, Frey,” I said quickly.
“Where are you going?
You were the one who called us friends.
Let’s stay together.”
“Nonsense. I’ve always preferred being alone.
…An extra should make a graceful exit.”
She stubbornly turned her back—
only to be stopped by Iris.
Her eyes shone with a seriousness I had never seen before.
“Master… you understand us, yet you understand nothing,” Iris said.
“You don’t understand how deeply we respect and cherish you.”
Large tears rolled down her cheeks.
“My life was hell every single day.
The ones who gave me light were you and Mario.
I was crushed under the weight of my promise to my mother…
thinking only of death.
You saved me.
Please don’t say you’ll be alone.
…I want you to stay with us.”
“…Iris.”
I gently lifted Frey’s small trembling body into my arms.
“You’re the main heroine of this journey, Frey.
…Stay with us.”
Frey quivered softly.
I could feel it—
the heart that had endured two hundred years of solitude
slowly melting in the warmth of two people.
Later, once things had settled, we headed out for dinner.
Amid the clatter of roulette wheels and shuffling cards,
a man suddenly lunged at me from the side, knife in hand,
aiming for my pouch of jewels.
“Watch out!”
In an instant, Iris stepped forward,
her staff flashing in a clean arc.
It wasn’t magic.
It was pure physical technique.
She struck the man’s arm precisely, knocking the weapon away.
Terrified, he fled into the darkness of the alley.
“…Hmm?” Frey blinked.
Hans and Roger stopped and stared at Iris.
“Mario… didn’t you notice?” Hans murmured in admiration.
“The reason this child could handle my daggers during training.
Before magic talent, she has an innate instinct for close combat.”
“Iris…?”
“She lacks raw strength,” Roger said thoughtfully,
“but eventually, a thrusting weapon like a rapier might suit her well.”
For once, his gaze toward Iris was filled with expectation.
“If Hans and Iris can handle the front line,
I’ll be able to move more freely.
…Mario, you’re a lost cause.
Since you lack talent, train a hundred times harder.”
“I know,” I muttered.
“I’m well aware I don’t have talent…”
“Your magical talent is hopeless too,” Frey added cheerfully.
“Ohoho.”
My shoulders slumped.
“I get it, okay?
I’m useless at both magic and swordplay.
Yes, yes, I know I’m dead weight.”
“…But, Mario,” Frey said softly,
“the fact that you’ve drawn together and bound
this many extraordinary people—
that is your talent.”
“She’s right,” Hans said, her eyes moist.
“You never looked at someone like me—
someone who lived in the shadows—with disgust.”
“…You understand other people’s pain as if it were your own.
The hurt of being avoided, of being called disgusting.
That’s why… this party is my favorite.”
“A leader isn’t someone who just pulls others forward,” she continued.
“It’s someone who brings hearts together.
Mario… you’re a wonderful leader.”
“…Me? A leader?”
“In battle, you’re useless though! Ohoho!” Frey laughed.
“…There it is again,” I sighed.
“Ufufu.
I love this party more than anything in the world too!”
Amid the noise of the casino,
we looked at one another and laughed.
I had no cheat abilities.
No overwhelming power.
But perhaps because I had lived days drinking muddy water,
I could become the wedge that held together
these strongest and kindest companions.
That night,
we truly became a real party—
one soul, bound together.
