79 Absence and the Search for Its Reason

Even after all the a.s.sa.s.sins have been finished, Dy didn't show himself.

‘Wanting to rest', probably means that he should be left alone.

Since the sun is about to set, we decided to go in the shack located at the lake's bank tonight.

We thought it was just a normal cabin until we got in, we found a stone staircase leading towards the underground after entering.

It's a well-made staircase that doesn't fit in the shack.

When Ragna searched lightly, an indistinctly bright pathway glowing in blue continued all the way to the interior, but he said the there doesn't seem to be any danger.

If it wasn't dangerous then we decided to rest here today.

I covered myself up with the blanket I brought, and while listening to the three people's breathing, I was incoherently thinking.

Dy, that guy, I wonder if he's alright… During times like this, how should I call out to him?

I lightly stroked the bangle the demon is residing and closed my eyes to sleep.

I woke up earlier ahead of everyone else the next morning, and I stretched my body while looking at the cleared up sky and lake and the Ambureza Mountains.

I thought that it's a very beautiful place even when we came here yesterday, but it's as if the air is even clearer today which is very pleasant.

The same time that the crystal disappeared, Duirio's acc.u.mulated magic power in this area vanished, the barrier also went out and we're able to use magic again.

It's a good thing that strong monsters don't get attracted by the magic power, but clearly understanding that Dy's younger brother is no longer in this world, it becomes a miserable feeling.

[Dy, are you awake?]

There's no response. He's the type of person who is rarely active in this time of day in the first place, should I wait until night time and try to call out to him again?

[Rei!]

Aleph waved his hand and called me. Even with the shack as his background, he's still extremely refres.h.i.+ng.

Personally, I think Aleph fits the morning the best. The sunlight and refres.h.i.+ng air in the morning excellently supports Aleph's ikemen scale.

[Good morning, Aleph.]

[Yeah, did you sleep well?]

[I slept properly. But because it's after something like that happened, it makes me think about a lot of stuff.]

[… The Demon King, too, if only he properly discussed with us a long time ago, perhaps we could have met a different future. Although, it's meaningless to say that now.]

His words come to a halt and my eyesight naturally goes to the bangle. For some reason or another, it felt as if the red gem's color was getting darker.

[But after being swung around like that, to disappear without saying a single explanation, what a selfish fellow.]

Aleph indifferently criticizes Dy. Although Dy would usually be annoying and talk back, he is currently quiet.

I suddenly feel like I need to follow up and I open my mouth.

[…Well, it's not that I don't think that it would have been fine if he talked to me about it. But Dy probably has various circ.u.mstances going on.]

[Rei is too soft.]

[Really? Aleph is too hard on Dy.]

Aleph moved his eyes from the lake towards the bangle and frowned.

[The Demon King is using Rei. I love Rei and I want to protect your body and your heart, but the Demon King does not. He simply wants your magic power. He couldn't even face us properly and call us by our names, frivolously laughing… Why is Rei bothered by someone as insincere as him?]

So Aleph has been viewing Dy in such a manner?