Dungeon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatte Iru Darou ka Gaiden – Sword Oratoria - Volume 9 - Chapter Ep

EPILOGUE THE MOMENT THAT THE WIND WISHED FOR 

The eastern sky started to grow bright. 
The fog started to clear, and the early-morning air was crisp. The rain clouds had moved away, and birdcalls echoed in the forest. 
Aiz, Bell, and the goddess they had recovered stood in front of Edas Village. 
“Lady Hestia, Mr. Bell, please come again anytime.” 
“Thank you, Miss Rina. I’d be glad to.” 
“Thanks, Rina, and everyone from the village. I won’t forget what you did for us.” 
“That goes for us, too. Father found peace because you guys came.” 
Her eyes still red from crying, Rina smiled at the two of them. 
In the end, they had stayed one more day after the festival in order to help with Kam’s burial and offer a prayer for his happiness in the next life. 
On the fifth day after the incident in the Beor Mountains, all the villagers conveyed their thanks, starting with Rina. 
“Miss Aiz, too—let’s meet again…!” 
“Yes…let’s.” 
Taking the teary Rina’s hand, Aiz flashed a small smile. 
She promised to meet her friend from the outside world again. 
After a little while, they set out from the village, watched over by the large group of villagers who had gathered despite the early hour. 
The sun started to show its face over the eastern ridge, shining on the maze of valleys and forests. They escaped the sea of trees and crossed through a gap in a precipice, listening to the river’s now peaceful burble as they descended the Beor Mountains. 
“That was a nice place, wasn’t it…?” 
“Wouldn’t it be great to visit them again?” 
“…If you go, I want to come with…” 
“Huh? Are…are you sure that’s okay?!” 
“Yes.” 
“H-hey, hold on a second there, Wallensomething! Don’t make promises out of the blue! If you want to go, go with your own familia!” 
As she spoke with them, she smiled. 
Looking at them from the side, they seemed refreshed. What had happened in that village had left several different emotions in her heart, but she felt like it had shown her something as well. 
That’s what Aiz thought as those images from her memory remained in her heart. 
Let’s go back— 
To where everyone is waiting. 
To the woman who said she loved me. 
Having traveled away from the city, through a bit of the outside world now, there were so many things she wanted to say. 
Aiz continued down the mountain path to the city, her eyes twinkling as she saw the giant white tower jutting high into the sky beyond the southern ridge. 
 
A transparent blue sky stretched out into the distance. 
Orario’s sky was so clear that it made the pouring rain just the other day seem like it had never been. Beneath that azure sky were the sounds of wagon wheels and haggling shoppers and the playful laughter of innocent children at play. 
“That dumbass Ares was already caught in the mountains and dragged to Guild Headquarters. Their god was captured, so this pain-in-the-ass war should finally be over now.” 
“It’s because we sent so many adventurers into the Beor Mountains. We managed to pin down their exact location. Perseus, who got called in for support, will probably get a special award.” 
“Would’ve been nice to bring Aiz and those two back as part of the bargain.” 
The peaceful, everyday bustle of Orario came in through the window. 
They were in the office in Loki Familia’s home, the Twilight Manor. 
The leadership group and Loki were mainly discussing the resolution of the war with the kingdom. Listening to the current situation, Finn looked up. 
He glanced over at the high elf, who was standing there without speaking. 
“Riveria?” 
“Hmm…Ah, sorry. Go ahead.” 
“You worried about Aiz?” 

“…Aiz isn’t a child anymore. Worrying about her is a waste of time.” 
She responded as if she was surprised by the silliness of the question. 
“You’ve sure seemed lost in thought for a while now, though.” 
“Riveria’s been spacin’ out a lot lately when she’s by herself, too.” 
“Don’t be silly.” 
The dwarf and goddess grinned at each other when she glared at them. 
“There’s no need to hide it. If it had been five days with no news from us, you’d be worried, too.” 
“My number of Blessings hasn’t gone down, so I can at least be sure she’s alive.” 
“She runs away from home all the time, but it’s the first time she’s left the city. Even if ye try to ignore your parental instincts, it isn’t that strange.” 
Riveria sullenly glared as her old friends said what they wanted. 
But she didn’t try to deny what they were saying. A sigh passed her small lips as she subconsciously fiddled with her golden hair band. 
“…From time to time, I become dreadfully anxious. I start to wonder whether those black flames that still lurk inside her might consume her at any moment. Whether they might take her someplace far away.” 
“…” 
“Aiz has grown, and now she’s one of our core members. The familia’s gotten bigger. We should give her some room to stand on her own. I can hear myself saying it, but…even so. I am still always watching over her.” 
As Riveria quietly opened her heart, they listened in silence. 
You’re not alone. Riveria had let Aiz know, but she wondered if really she wanted to hear it herself. 
She smiled awkwardly, though not quite self-deprecatingly. 
“Even just not seeing her for a little while like this, the uneasiness grows.” 
“That’s just part of bein’ a mother. Nothin’ wrong with it.” 
“Who are you calling a mother?” Riveria smiled as she turned to Loki. 
“—Captain! Captain!!” 
Raul burst through the door and into the office without knocking. 
“Aiz’s back! Just now she came in the north gate and is headed here!” 
Before Finn and the others could open their mouths, even before Raul could finish speaking, her jade hair moved. 
Raul was surprised as Riveria passed him and left the room. The others glanced at one another, holding in a chuckle. 
She passed through the long hallway and down the stairs to the main entrance. 
There, bathed in a bright light, was a crowd of familia members and a golden-haired, golden-eyed girl greeting them. 
“Miss Aiz! I was so worried!” 
“Ah, Aiz made her cry.” 
“Lefiya was really worried without you.” 
“I’m sorry…Lefiya.” 
“Feh, there wasn’t any damn reason to be worried about her.” 
“That’s rich coming from you, Bete. Your tail was fidgeting the whole time~.” 
“It was not!! Quit spouting crap, you stupid Amazon!” 
“What’d you say?!” 
Riveria’s eyes softened at the heartwarming scene and happy voices. That small, beaten-up, lonely little girl was long gone. She was able to smile and had found a place to come home to. 
That gave her peace of mind and a kind of happiness that she would hold close to her heart. 
Finally, the girl noticed her and walked over. 
Aiz looked up nervously, almost like a child waiting to be scolded, but when she saw the smile on Riveria’s face, she smiled again. 
“I’m home…Riveria.” 
“Yes. Welcome home, Aiz.” 
They both smiled broadly. 
Their hair swayed slightly. 
The breeze itself seemed to smile as it flowed between them.