Chapter 27 Lolicons abound!?

ED: Another week has gone by and its time for another dose of Mira’s adventures! Wooohooo! Hip hip Hooray! As always feel free to comment below on any mistakes you find or any awkward places.

Real t.i.tle: The Goal Of Mira

Zef moved away from the mirror and without a word closed his eyes. Right now his face was probably worse than Takuto’s. It wasn’t clear if he was able to answer if someone called him now.

Probably understanding this, everyone exchanged glances and decided to leave him alone for a while.

“Well, the mirror does work.”

Saying that, Mira returned to the original topic. The Mirror of the Dark Aid properly displays deceased people. They just proved it.

“Then I wonder, why didn’t it work for Takuto?”

Recalling that it didn’t work the first time, Emera voiced her concerns.

Takuto’s parents did not appear. It was clear now since everyone could see Lyrica. And no one saw anything in the mirror when Takuto tried.

“Could it be because he called them both together?”

Frica started building such a hypothesis.It could be that the Mirror of the Dark Aid can only summon one deceased at a time. And since Takuto tried to call both parents, there was no response.

“It’s not entirely impossible.”

With those words, Asbar moved his glance to Mira.Mira nodded and, gently embracing Takuto, placed him in front of the mirror again.

“Now try to call one of them, either dad or mom.”

Hearing that, Takuto nodded and painted the image of his mother in his head.

“Mom! Lyne!”

Takuto put all his feelings into this call.

…….

Yet the mirror of the Dark Aid without any reaction continued to keep its silence.

“Dad, … Ashley …… father ……”

Tears started to overflow in Takuto’s eyes again.n.o.body appeared, no matter how much he repeated the call.The thought that his parents surely don’t want to meet him spread in his chest, painting it with sorrow.

…….

“Hick……sob……sniffle……”

The Takuto in the mirror with a gloomy face was still staring with a sliver of hope.

He thought that they can finally meet again.

Both his parents went on a journey when he was even younger than he was now.

He feared that his memories will fade while he was living in his grandfather’s house.

And the report saying that they died left him in despair.

Then the rumor about the existence of the mirror that allows one to meet with the deceased he heard about gave him a hope to meet them again.

However, this hope was all in vain, he wasted time and the mirror did not reflect his parents.

“Looks like they won’t come out…”

At those words dropped by Asbar, the voice of Takuto raised in pitch and he started to cry.

Due to its timing, Asbar became fl.u.s.tered because he thought he made him cry.Mira fell into a panic, not knowing what to do, and embraced Takuto, calming him.

Her warmth slowly made Takuto to regain his mind.Still, his tears still did not stop flowing, and in that state he couldn’t even try to speak.

“I wonder why it didn’t work now.”

Emera circled around the mirror, inspecting it.She was hoping to find some explanation, yet there was no trace of anything that could cause that.

“Seems like it’s not because of the one-at-a-time limitation.”

“And it’s not broken.”

Frica peeked into the mirror and touched the surface.Asbar regained himself from the panic and, along with Frica, peeked into the mirror. They racked their brains, looking at the surface without a single scratch.

And Mira too was trying to think something out.

The mirror of the Dark Aid is a quest object that allows one to meet with deceased people. When it became reality, it was not bound by the system anymore, as the case with Lyrica showed.

Then why did the parents of Takuto not appear?

Could it be they were actually refusing to meet him?

But Mira refused that possibility. No parents would do that to a child who craves to meet them so much.

Then why?

Mira reached for the most simple guess that also was the most believable.

“Aren’t the parents of Takuto still alive?”

At those words, everyone froze and slowly started to turn towards her and Takuto.

First of all, they went to the hall of the Dark Aid to let Takuto meet with his parents.At least, the members of the Ecarlatte Carillon believed it was their goal.

Yet the guess of Mira means the end of their mission.Still, that answer fell in their thoughts, causing ripples.

“Ahh, so. Wasn’t it all started when they were considered dead in action after five years pa.s.sed?Then they can still be alive.”

Looking convinced, Emera instantly removed all the worries that were on her face and merrily ran up to Takuto.

“Considered missing for five years. Those are the rules of the Union.Indeed, that explains everything.”

“Oh, are there such rules? It means that it’s not like anybody confirmed their bodies.”

It was the first time Frica and Asbar, and even Zef heard that.Emera only told that a boy wants to meet his deceased parents, and a newbie girl ranked C is going to take him along, so she worried about them and asked them for help. That was all she said.

“Takuto.”

Mira released Takuto whom she still hugged and looked straight in his eyes.Takuto, feeling her seriousness or not, looked back into her eyes.

“Listen carefully, thou know that the mirror of the Dark Aid shows deceased people, right? In other words, it doesn’t show anybody who is alive. Have thou got it, Takuto?It means that maybe thy parents are still alive.”

Maybe alive. This words strongly resonated in Takuto’s heart, who had given up already, and brought a ray of hope to his already closed up chest which was shrouded in darkness.

“But… Grandpa says they are dead. And that I should give up.”

The hope started to glimmer again but then he recalled how his granddad who raised him for five years said such thing with a face he hasn’t seen before, and started sinking down again.

“And people in the Union say they’re missing, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then couldn’t it be possible? I mean, n.o.body actually saw the death of thy parents. And the mirror doesn’t reflect them too. Don’t thou think they’re most likely alive?”

After that Mira gently smiled.

“If they’re alive, you’ll meet them for sure.”

“So, Lyne and Ashley. If I happen to meet them, I’ll tell them about you.”

“They are alive for sure. The mirror proved it. Isn’t it great,Takuto?”

Unexpectedly, Asbar held tears at corners of his eyes. Frica took a notepad and wrote ‘To look for the parents of Takuto’.

And Emera, leaning over to match her height with Takuto, took out a towel and gently wiped his remaining tears.

“That’s right, boy. You should hope they’re alive. Kids shouldn’t show such a face.Smile more. Your dad and mom prefer it for sure.”

Zef peeked at his face as he spoke. His eyes were still red, but Takuto was already calming down and tried his best to smile. Zef gently brushed his head.

“Sure, thank… you”

Despite the fact that he was still was sobbing, Takuto answered with the best smile they saw from him. He was sincerely grateful that everybody accompanied his, a complete stranger’s, selfish desire and took him to this dangerous place.

And everybody here, like that grat.i.tude was enough for them, nodded and brushed his head.

When the atmosphere calmed a little bit, Mira looked at Zef, like she recalled something. Whether he was set adrift by circ.u.mstances or not, he had just gotten over a resolution to his past trauma.

And the scene where Zef, completely ruining first impression of him, cried so much, flashed back in her mind.

“By the way, Zef. Are thou fine already?”

After her words, everybody turned to Zef.

Suddenly being turned into a center of attention, Zef nimbly winked and lifted his index finger.

“I’m back!”,

loudly declared he.

Some shadows still remained on his face, but it was already returning to his usual casual feel. Asbar, who knew about this situation, was still worrying about him, yet seeing him now, calmed down for this time.And Zef himself regained his demeanor after managing to give voice to all the feelings wriggling around deep inside of him.

That’s why he, with a serene face, gently bid farewell to his sister, floating in his mind.

Mira approached him, and tiptoed to reach his head with her right hand.

“What’s wrong, Mira?”

Her hand touched the head of Zef who was directly expressing his confusion.

“I’m glad for thee too. I have no idea what exactly happened, but it seems thy heart cleared.”

At those words, the mask of Zef broke and, with a sincerely relieved face, muttered “thank you” so quiet n.o.body except Mira could hear him.

For a while, Zef let Mira spoil him. She obviously looked younger than him, yet he felt some motherliness hidden in her.

“Well, the task is over, how about returning?”

Emera found the moment to say that after they ate lunch right in the hall since monsters do not appear here.

“Ah, the outcome was unexpected, isn’t it a happy end?”

“For Takuto it’s just the beginning I guess.”

“Sure, I will work hard to become an adventurer like you all, and then will look for dad and mom myself!”

Zef became himself and Frica gently grinned while Takuto happily proclaimed his future plans.

“Speaking about unexpected, doesn’t it apply to you, lolicon? I worried about what happened, and was relieved since you seemed to have gotten over it”

“What? 　I have a feeling that there was really an unexpected word. Well, I misheard it for sure.”

“Asbar, it looks like you already knew about Zef. I had no idea! 　I am the vice-captain yet I don’t understand the worries of the members!”

Asbar got the impression from the scene between Zef and Mira and simply put it into an appropriate word instead of nickname. Obviously, Zef tried to argue, yet having a feeling of “why not”, his protest ended halfheartedly.

Contrary to that, Emera was really worried about her lacking skills as the vice-leader. n.o.body cared about that, and n.o.body ever thought a vice-leader should have a grasp of the sorrows of party members.

“They are funny…”

The commotion here made her pull a wry face, yet felt somewhat pleasant for her.

“Well, since you are already going to return. Can’t you bring Takuto along? 　I still have some business at the 6th floor.”

At first, Mira was going to return here the next day after she had finished with Takuto. But now, when she got so many party members and the monsters are gone, there shouldn’t be much danger for him. Thus, she can leave Takuto to them and finish everything today.

“Speaking of that, your pa.s.s to the Ancient Temple started everything.”

Emera recalled how it was. Takuto begged Mira to take him along into the Ancient Temple because she herself started mumbling about the pa.s.s. It means that bringing Takuto to the hall of the Dark Aid wasn’t her goal, and she had another reason to come here.

“Wait, miss, have you had any business at the 6th floor?”

“The 6th floor? 　I heard that only a castle stands there, and that even monsters don’t appear and there is nothing there.”

“I heard that too. Thousands of people came here, but n.o.body had found anything at the 6th floor.”

As Frica and Zef said, the 6th floor was a bit special in this dungeon. Instead of the usual scenery going till the 5th floor, stairs ran along the walls and exited to a vast underground s.p.a.ce. And in this s.p.a.ce there are a lake and a large castle at the center.

Nothing changed since it was a game. And, speaking of peculiarities, there is one more thing that hadn’t changed: the reason this floor existed.

There is nothing. The only meaningful thing, the castle, lacks an interior and doesn’t have any furnis.h.i.+ngs. Actually, it even lacks doors, and even the place that is supposed to be the treasure room is wide open and, obviously, empty.

No treasures, no monsters, no events.

A self-proclaimed archaeologist player examined every corner there just to come to conclusion it was in vain.

However, Mira says she has some business there. Zef had no idea what she could want in that empty place.

“It seems interesting so I’m going with you.”

He expressed his desire to go together. Instantly, everyone’s gazes pierced him.

“He’s actually a lolic…”

“I don’t remember him being like that.”

“I’ll not give Mira to you.”

“I’m telling you I’m not!”

His almost screaming voice vanished, unable to reach anybody’s heart.

“Everybody saw it, right? Mira-chan’s ability. I just thought that if she is seeking something there, it shouldn’t be that empty as it seems. Without any ulterior motives, of course.”

After making such excuses for about 10 minutes, Zef managed to make them half-believe in that and, without any particular expectations, agree to accompany him.

Actually, the members of Ecarlatte Carillon for sure were interested in Mira, and, even knowing it’s meaningless, wondered if there actually can be something,

“So, Mira, how do you feel about us going together?”

With those words Emera sought the agreement of Mira, who along with Takuto was busy with apple ole and apple pie in a corner of the room.

“Fine then. I don’t exactly know what is ahead and want you all to return, but… Well, it shouldn’t be an issue.”

She is going to meet one of the 9 wis.e.m.e.n, Soul Howl of The Giant Wall. And, considering his nature, his hobbies aren’t exactly good, at the worst it can become a trauma for them. But, after thinking about that once, she concluded that in case of any problems she can just make them stay on alert.

Mira herself came to like being with them, and thought that it was not that bad to stay together with them for a little bit longer. Although the hobbies of Soul Howl are terrible, it’s definitely nothing like a.s.saulting people. And the difference here is basically the difference between making a haunted house loaded with gimmicks and hanging actual corpses around a haunted house.

Mira opened the door to the 6th floor ladder. From this point on, since monsters don’t appear and since everyone was following Mira, she went first.

As they proceeded down the pa.s.sage, the road quickly ended, exiting to a vast s.p.a.ce. It had the shape of an upside-down bowl, stairs descended along the right wall and the scenery started to change.

“Yay! Is it going to be like that from now?”

Zef timidly peeked inside. The 6th floor was illuminated. Countless crystals s.h.i.+ned which were placed at the dome-shaped walls, they lit up all the vast s.p.a.ce here.

Mira ceased her spell light, and the rest of the party extinguished the fire in their lanterns.

“Well, well, I wonder how he’s doing.”

Muttering that to herself, Mira took the left hand of Takuto and proceeded down the stairs.

“Hi..high…”

“It happens kinda often.”

“The captain is probably going to faint.”

After a little peeking down, Emera, sticking to the wall, followed Mira. Asbar already put on a light wry smile, but quickly regained his composure and started descending the stairs. Frica knew a shapeless skill to reduce the falling speed so instead of faltering she had time to worry for the leader of the Ecarlatte Carillon.

Zef was fine with the height and was primarily busy with teasing Emera.