< Apiography 15. Boy and Girl >
#A15
“Ugh…oppa. “Where are we going?”
Erin woke up and asked in a half-asleep voice. The surrounding landscape had already changed into a place where institutions were created. The warm spring sunlight was making her pure white hair even brighter.
Her gray hair which resembled neither of her parents was something she had inherited from her savior. Lance who was walking with Erin on his back blurted out.
“Anywhere. “To a place where that person is not.”
“Do you hate your dad?”
“…no.”
Lance frowned as he remembered Ronan’s face. I couldn’t understand her beggar’s indifferent behavior in everything nor could my mother who married such a person. Erin said.
“lie. “In fact I like it.”
“What are you talking about? Why me?”
“You’re just upset because you didn’t come to the entrance ceremony. She was at the top of her class and her name was put on the Phoenix plaque but she couldn’t show it. “I understand but can’t we just let go of our anger and get along like we used to?”
“Ugh…!”
Lance shed confusion. She was as sharp as an awl. Actually if you think about it your relationship with Ronan wasn’t bad from the beginning.
She obviously grew up admiring that broad back in the past. As her son it was a very proud thing to have a hero who saved the world as a father. Moreover Ronan at the time had a very caring side and even taught his son how to use a sword.
However as time passed Ronan spent more and more time away from home. She was so worried that even when I asked her she would never tell me what she was doing.
So Lan Se devoted herself to her sword. Because she wants to mend her relationship with her estranged father. She felt that everyone would look back on her if she achieved results that everyone recognized.
And earlier this year. Lance took the top prize in Phileon’s martial arts department this year but Ronan ended up not coming to the entrance ceremony. He chewed his lower lip as he recalled a bitter memory.
“…It’s because you don’t know what that means. “Get down now.”
“Hmph…Can you carry me a little more?”
“no.”
“Can I ask you this?”
Erin asked her eyes sparkling. The combination of her pure white hair and sunset eyes bore a striking resemblance to her Aunt Iril. Lance who had been silent sighed.
“…just a little bit.”
“Hehe my brother is the best.”
Erin cheered and hugged Lance’s neck. Lan Se walked towards his market. I guess I can kill time by buying and eating various things with Erin and then go back home.
“I hope you grow taller quickly too. “I wish I could be at least like a mother… Are you going to carry me on your back later?”
“I saw you doing it.”
Anyway the weather was nice so I enjoyed going for a walk. Her brother and sister were passing through the square talking about various things. A girl’s loud voice rang from not far away.
“hey! Lance! Erin!”
“Ugh. “I got caught by that annoying guy.”
Lan Se frowned at her. When she turned her head three boys and girls around her age caught her eye. Two short people with blond hair approached first and greeted Lance.
“Ah hello. Oppa Lance….”
“Oh Lance. “Aren’t you going to the academy today?”
The Caravelites were Camilla and Jean the third and fourth of her five siblings. Her brilliant blonde hair even seen when she was standing on her head was something she inherited from her Aunt Marja.
Although his gentle personality seemed to resemble Uncle Asher a little more. Erin who was on her back and stuck her head out said to Jin.
“Today is the weekend. “Stupid Jin.”
“Eh Erin…!”
Jin’s face suddenly heated up. It seemed like I knew what she was thinking about Erin because she just kept her mouth shut without saying anything. At that time one of the remaining girls came striding towards me.
“Where are you two going to get along? “Please give me a piggyback ride too.”
“You can’t do it because you’re heavy.”
“To be rude to a lady. “The world isn’t all about being handsome.”
The girl stuck out her tongue. Her stout physique for her age and her hair as bright red as a bonfire stood out. She was Sechka Caravel the first child of Asher and Marya and the eldest daughter of five siblings.
Unlike Lance who was born with no talent she inherited her father’s magical talent and was also the top talent in the magic department at Phileon Academy.
“What about Aunt Marya?”
“Stay home with dad. He said he had something to talk about for a moment and told us to go out and have some fun. Anyway even if I like Geumseul too much it’s a shame.”
Sechika giggled. Marja’s coin pouch was clinking around her wrist. Lance placed his hand on his forehead and sighed.
“It’s the same as my house… No matter how close we are this cycle doesn’t have to be similar…”
“Honestly it’s still okay. Even if she had one more sibling she would only have three. “There are as many as six people here.”
“What do you mean Sister Sechika? “Have I got a little brother?”
Erin tilted her head. It was still too early to know the situation of adults. The three chicas poked Erin’s cheek as she giggled sinisterly.
“Heung Erin is a kid after all. There is such a thing. To put it simply…”
“Don’t say strange things in front of my brother.”
Lin Se quickly cut her off. Shrugging her shoulders once Sechika naturally changed the topic.
“By the way did you hear? “That rumor.”
“A rumor?”
“There’s no such thing as a fuss between merchants these days. A series of disappearances taking place in the islands. “Didn’t you hear?”
“…I didn’t hear it.”
Lan Se tilted her head. She had no recollection of hearing anything from him. Chika with her eyes smiling continued her words.
“It’s not unreasonable. Because adults don’t want us to be misled by these rumors. “Some of it is still happening only on the outskirts of the system so it’s quiet.”
“Where would you say the outskirts are? “The system should usually be wide.”
“They say it’s near the eastern border but I’m not sure. Anyway according to my information network the scale of the incident seems to be quite large. “If you look at the fact that there are already close to a hundred people missing.”
“…100 people?”
Lance’s eyes widened. Suddenly I wondered what this meant. He glanced back at Erin who was on her back and took her mouth off.
“Erin. “Do you want to come down for a moment?”
“yes? why?”
“That’s because I have something to talk about with Sechika. “Here I’ll give you money so you can buy something delicious with her friends.”
Lance took out the silver coin he received from Ronan. Erin’s eyes widened.
“wow. really? “Can I use whatever I want today?!”
“then. “Please be careful.”
Erin jumped off Lanse’s back. She held on to the hesitant hands of Camilla and Jean and ran to the market. After seeing that the three people had completely disappeared Lance looked back at Sechika.
“so. “What do you want?”
“As expected you’re quick-witted. “Don’t you want to become a hero?”
“what?”
“Honestly I don’t think there will be a chance if it’s not now. Your parents created a very peaceful world. “Isn’t it really awesome to solve a case that even the prosecutor and archmage who cut down the stars couldn’t solve?”
Suddenly the three chicas stretched out their arms and pointed to the center of the square. As I followed his finger I saw a statue made of marble standing majestically.
The man who raised his sword and trampled on the giant’s head looked exactly like the man who had just been sleeping at Lanse’s house with a magazine on his face. Lan Se who was staring at the statue slowly shook his head.
“…Don’t talk nonsense. “My mom would faint if she found out.”
“Did Uncle Ronan and my mom and dad notice my parents? “I don’t think so.”
“This is a different story. “We can become great people without having to take those risks.”
“Wait a minute Ranse!”
After speaking Ranse turned his back. Three Chika urgently called his name but she ignored him. No matter how I thought about it this was a stupid thing to do.
He’s a smart guy so why is he acting like that? Ran Se who was muttering something in his mouth was walking towards the market. The three chicas who rolled up their hands and placed them in front of his mouth shouted loudly.
“Didn’t you hear me?! “The only chance is now!”
“That idiot.”
Lan Se frowned at him. She had a really loud voice just like her Aunt Marya. The attention of those around her was focused but regardless Sechika continued to chatter. Lance ignoring even that was passing by the statue of Ronan.
“You little bastard! Are you going to be trapped in your parents’ halo for the rest of your life!?”
“…what?”
Stand tall. Lance’s legs stopped. Sechika who had not expected him to stop was taken aback.
“What…it stopped?”
Lanse stood blankly like someone who had been hit with a hammer. Parents’ halo. Those words were floating round and round in his small head.
If you think about it it wasn’t entirely wrong. There was a lot of turmoil right now because of the missing persons case and all but the great parents would soon resolve the issue and peace would return again.
I thought that perhaps the reason my father did not come to the entrance ceremony was not because he was busy but simply because he was bored. He slowly raised his head and looked at the statue of Ronan. His father’s marble face seemed to be speaking to him.
– Just look at your expression you coward. Did you poop your pants?
“…shit.”
Lan Se clenched his fists. Sechika was carefully approaching him using her telekinesis to levitate her body. Although he noticed her presence long ago Ran Se did not move until she spoke to him.
****
It was a night when the moon was obscured by clouds. Under a sky where even the crumbling starlight could not be seen only the artificial light created by the street lights remained to illuminate the streets.
And the meeting between the two took place in a back alley where even such artificial light could not reach. It was the moment when Lance turned a narrow corner. A familiar girl’s voice rang out like an echo.
“Hehe. You’re not a coward. “There was no follow-up right?”
At the same time a girl wearing a navy blue robe appeared from the darkness. Two of her men who looked like her beggars were lying fainting at her feet. Lan Se who was looking around her nodded her head.
“I’m sure.”
“That’s great. “It must not have been easy.”
“It wasn’t a big deal. “My father was out and my mother was sleeping with Erin.”
“What about Sita?”
“I went out to play with Ophelia three days ago.”
It’s perfect. The girl who said that took off her hood. Her bright red hair was clearly visible even in the dark. Ranse asked a question to Sechika who smiled brightly.
“So what are those two people?”
“Just a bunch of bullies. “I didn’t handle it roughly so don’t worry.”
“That’s why I’m foaming at the mouth….”
Lan Se clicked her tsk tongue. If you look closely you can see that her limbs were also slightly rotated in a strange way making it seem like she wasn’t doing well. Unfortunately I picked the wrong person to start a fight with.
The three chicas who had been giggling opened their mouths.
“My side is safe too. It was good Lance. “Let’s write a legend.”
“Whatever it is I have to try it. So what’s the plan?”
“It’s already planned perfectly. If you go to the west gate of the island you will find two ghost horses that I borrowed. First ride it… hmm? “Do you have anything in your pocket?”
“huh?”
Sechika who was explaining the plan suddenly frowned. Her eyes were fixed on Lanse’s coat pocket.
“ah. this?”
Ran Se shrugged her eyebrows and took out an item in her pocket. A round sphere was held in his hand.
The color was dull and the surface was rough like shark scales so it didn’t seem like an ordinary object. Se Chika narrowed her eyes.
“huh. that. “I can feel the mana inside.”
“suddenly? “She always carried it with her.”
“You always carry it with you…? “What exactly is that?”
“I don’t know either. “It was given to me as a gift when I was very young.”
Lance said. It was something I received from Ronan when I was very young and I was told to always carry it with me. Lan Se who was looking at his sphere muttered in a puzzled tone.
“Anyway the color of this seems to have changed a bit… Is it because of my mood?”
“It’s okay if it’s nothing special. Then I will explain the plan in detail. First ride the ghost horse…”
Sechika smiled as if it were boring and continued her explanation. As expected it was a meticulous plan as befits the successor to the greatest merchant on the continent. Ran Se was in the middle of listening to her story nodding his head. Suddenly something strange came into his field of vision.
“uh?”
“what’s the matter?”
Sechika asked a question but Ranse did not answer. Something shiny was moving through the darkness of the back alley. This is what it would look like if the Milky Way turned into fog. His brows narrowed.
“What…is this?”
“What is there?”
Three chicas turned their heads and looked in the same direction. But all she could see was thick darkness and two idiots lying down.
“Can’t you see this?”
“I can see it…what are you pointing at now?”
Sechika asked in confusion. Only Lanse could see the sparkling airflow. He was approaching as if fascinated by a strange phenomenon he had never seen before. Step by step. Suddenly what sounded like footsteps echoed from behind.
“hmm?”
Only then did Lan Se come to his senses and turn his head. And he froze in place. Sechika who was behind her just a moment ago suddenly disappeared.
“…Sechika?”
He called out his name but there was no answer. Only her reverberation and the dark sparkling airflow remained maintaining the silence. It was at this moment that Lan Se noticed something was wrong and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
【Hey. Let’s go together.】
“what….!”
An eerie whisper rang in my ear. Ran Se reflexively swung his sword. Sgak! A low sound echoed through the dark alley.
Soon the two boys and girls could not be found where the shining air current died down.
