Overlimit Skill Holder - Book 6: Chapter 26.2

「…I can’t believe it. We’re already so far away from the Holy Kingdom.」

Mimino-san said while drinking warm milk mixed with plenty of honey.

Asha had mulled wine while I had the same as Mimino-san.

The inside of the store was quite crowded, but we were able to slip in with the crowd.

After all, the Keith Gran Federation is a country which is partial to the human race. Halfling Mimino-san and High Elf Asha will inevitably be conspicuous.

「So… There is a lot I would like to ask you about, but first of all, are the dragons allies?」

We couldn’t talk calmly on the back of the dragon, after all.

I nodded to Asha’s question.

「Yes… I think so. At the very least, I trust the dragons.」

I talked to Asha and Mimino-san about the sage, and also about Lark. .

Why are the dragons going against the goddess?

——Nature should return to what it should be.

The “Sage of Medicine” said when I reunited with him in Canion.

For too long as “mediators”, they have reigned control over the world.

Sometimes fighting against people, sometimes fighting against beasts.

I can’t imagine all the thoughts they have accumulated over that extensive period of time.

However, I know that the sage saved me, and if they wanted to kill the goddess, there was no reason to doubt it.

「What are the dragons doing now? Are they heading to Lake Brunstalk the same as the Shadow Dragons?」

「No, they said they had no power to oppose the goddess. That was the contract they made with the goddess before the world was divided into two.」

The contract was enforced when the dragons became a “mediator”.

It still seems to bind the dragons.

Of course, the Vision Ogre, who is also a “mediator”, is in the same position, but the dragon said that he did not know what the Vision Ogre was thinking.

For now, it seems that he is waiting to see what happens, but perhaps he will choose to join the goddess’ side.

At that time, the Vision Ogre — will have to fight the dragons.

「In any case, the dragons will only provide support. We need to fight the goddess directly.」

「…But isn’t the goddess a dreadful being?」Mimino-san said.

「Yes, but we still have to fight.」

A being that claims to be a god even though it is not a god.

A world which is manipulated by the goddess’ brainwashing… is a dystopia.

Perhaps wars will disappear and there will only be peace.

However, every living being will be domesticated.

It is almost like the goddess is a player who is playing a simulation game.

Perhaps there are some who would wish for such a world.

But beginning with the Pledgers, the goddess has begun to brainwash the populace of the world.

And that is something I don’t think should be allowed to happen.

「Reiji-kun, here you go…」

Mimino-san placed a familiar dagger on the table.

I first received it from Border Earl Mule. After usage in frequent battles, the blade had become loose, so I entrusted the repairs to Dante-san.

「Is it repaired!?」

「Yes. I am told it was modified with a fairly special forging method to increase the robustness. It seems that they had a hard time finding a blacksmith who can fix the distorted blade.」

「Wow……」

The weight of the blade felt so familiar in my hand. As I removed the scabbard, the blade appeared while emitting a dull light.

Border Earl Mule’s name was engraved as it previously was.

「Hmm. The luster on the blade is a little different.」I said.

「Apparently, the blacksmith introduced by Gurgio, the guild master of Valhalla, is an eccentric dwarf–」

「…W-Wait a minute. What was that?」

「Eccentric Dwarf.」

「Not that! You asked the guild master to repair the dagger!? The hero of the continent!?」

「Yes. Gurgio happily introduced the craftsman when he heard that this dagger was used by you.」

「…………」

Wow… my dagger has met a bigshot.

「The blacksmith dwarf is an eccentric. Saying that it was boring to simply temper the blade, he enhanced it with sorcery.」

「I see… I thought there was some mana flowing in it.」

「Mitril was added into the hilt and a sorcery circuit was engraved onto it.」

「…………」

Mithril?

The rare metal managed by the government?

The same as the mithril cane used by the Pope?

The same strategic substance in which the gnome race and the dwarf race are in conflict over?

「Gurgio seems to have taken a liking to Reiji-kun.」

「…………」

Where did Gurgio’s evaluation of me come from?

「A brilliant luster which befits Reiji-san.」Asha said, with an enraptured look.

「Indeed. It is a weapon perfect for Reiji-kun.」

Mimino-san looked like a proud mom.

「…I guess I have to live up to your expectations.」

And then I sheathed the dagger and we left the store.

I was worried about fighting without a weapon, but I unexpectedly obtained an outstanding weapon.

「Good night.」

「Okay.」

I parted ways with Mimino-san and Asha at the inn corridor.

While standing alone in the dark corridor, I pondered on things.

I am now carrying the expectations of numerous people.

「——Reiji?」

Right then, Lady Eva came out into the corridor.

「Young lady… what’s wrong?」

「I just woke up. Are you going to go to bed?」

「Ah, yes……」

She seemed to have sensed the hesitation in my voice.

「——Let’s talk for a little bit.」she said.

**

The inn was large. There was a balcony at the end of the corridor.

From there, you can overlook the quiet boulevard.

The lady was wearing an unfamiliar traveling outfit. She, obviously, wasn’t able to bring change of clothes on this trip.

「I am getting used to this kind of life.」she said.

The young lady was growing more strong-willed.

Even on such a tough journey, she still maintained her cleanliness and dignified beauty

We stood on the balcony.

The moon shone thinly in the sky. It was just about the period for a new moon.

It was late at night, so no one could be seen in the street below.

「——Reiji, what is stressing you out?」

「Huh?」

The young lady asked, peering intently at my face.

「I can tell that something is bothering you.」

「…………」

I have lived as the young lady’s escort for about 3 years.

During that period, I always kept a watchful eye on her. As she is prone to doing crazy things out of the blue.

(It seems that I wasn’t the only one who did the watching.)

The young lady had also been watching me.

「Talking about it can make it easier, Reiji. At least this time, it isn’t a problem that you can carry all on your own. I know that I am no longer your lord, but I still want you to talk to me. So, I will say it like this——Talk to me, Reiji. Share your burden with me.」

I am simply no match for the young lady, and I am not saying that because I’m a commoner and she’s a noble.

Lady Eva must have been born with the power to carry others’ burden as if they were her own.

Perhaps that is exactly why she has the “Magic Eye of Inspire”.

「Do you remember El-san, the special priest?」

The lady nodded in response

El-san was discovered in a scorched state in Lake Brunstalk.

Following that, El-san’s secret study was found, and there was a note saying that I might be eliminated by the goddess.

「I heard from the dragon that El-san was a mediator created by the goddess in the past.」

「That person was a sorcery-based lifeform?」

「Correct. The dragon said that rather than choosing a race like dragons or Vision Ogre, the goddess originally wanted to establish her own creations as the mediators. However, there were several problems with that.」

The mediator is responsible for monitoring and preventing violations of the Covenant after the world is divided into two.

However, the goddess could not predict when the two worlds would once again be rejoined at the time of dividing.

Therefore, sorcery-based lifeforms had difficulty with shouldering this responsibility due to deterioration over time and abrasion of its catalyst.

In the end, although El-san was created—according to the dragon, there were dozens of other creatures similar to El-san, but after hundreds of years almost all of them stopped working, and only El-san miraculously continued functioning — it was decided that long-lived races would be more suitable to act as the mediator. And so, dragons, who could pass down their memories to the next generation even if they die, and the extremely long-lived Vision Ogre were chosen to be the mediators.

During that long period of activity, El-san gradually lost his memory of the past, was involved in the founding of the Kruvan Holy Kingdom, and eventually became the administrator of the First Altar.

「…When the goddess descended, along with the Pledgers and Mediator, I was also summoned, as a reincarnated person from another world. I didn’t notice immediately, but El-san was also summoned by the goddess… El-san also participated in the discussion for “World Union” at Brunstalk.」

I told the young lady about his last moments.

He was scorched while trying to protect me.

「…Why did El-san save me? Why did El-san, who was created by the goddess, act against the ​​goddess? I don’t know the answers to that question, so I can only make assumptions. I’m sure El-san… wants me to stop the goddess.」

If El-san wasn’t there at that time, I would have died.

Because I am an obstacle to the goddess.

El-san wanted me to live even at the cost of his own life.

When I think about it, it weighs heavy on my heart.

Even Gurgio-sama, the adventurer’s guild master, has expectations of me.

I just feel overwhelmed by all those feelings.

「Reiji, you saved me when I was in a pinch.」

After some time had passed, the young lady opened her mouth.

「And if you are ever in a pinch, I will try to save you even at a cost to myself. If such a thing ever happened… I would never want you to feel burdened.」

「Young lady……」

「I do not know what El-sama was thinking, but Reiji, you just have to be yourself. That’s the Reiji who El-sama wanted to protect, after all.」

I felt that each word was full of kindness.

She has always been looking and thinking about me.

「Be myself, huh…」

The young lady laughed softly.

「Act as you want, Reiji. That’s why the dragons and everyone here wants to fight alongside you. Just be yourself. That is why I too–」

The young lady closed her mouth mid-sentence.

「Young lady?」

「Let’s go to bed. We need to save up strength to fight the goddess.」

As the young lady said, it was already quite late at night.

I was a little worried about what the young lady was about to say, but decided to return to my room.

The weight on my heart lessened considerably, and I slept soundly.

The next day, we started moving early in the morning, and lodged overnight along the way.

Although we were still a little far from Lake Brunstalk, the places without the goddess temple were limited.

The morning of the decisive battle was coming upon us.