Chapter 131: 【Story of the Red-Haired Hero】The Fortress City of Liheid

131　【Story of the Red-Haired Hero】The Fortress City of Liheid

* * *

“Whoa…!”

Gazing at the beautiful moss-covered stone cityscape, the numerous stalls and food carts lining the narrow alleys, and the many adventurers and peddlers coming and going, the red-haired boy… the hero Torch exclaimed in amazement.

“You shouldn’t be gawking around like that, Torch. They’ll take you for a country bumpkin.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The one who admonished Torch was a petite blonde woman clad in the white vestments of the Holy Church of the Holy Goddess.

She is Chiron Heeksight, Torch’s traveling companion who serves as a priest and healing mage.

While it may be hard to imagine from her smaller stature compared to Torch, she is actually already an adult claiming to be a “lovely older sister.”

…Although, while warning Torch, her own eyes are wandering to the fruits being sold at the stalls and the meat being grilled at the food carts, making her look just like the young girl her appearance suggests.

“Shishishi! With this many people crowded together, it’d be a cinch to pickpocket to my heart’s content here!”

The one laughing while saying something slightly dangerous is Zydeo, the scout.

This lean man has a shady past, having been a thief before, but after being reformed by Torch, he now accompanies the hero’s journey as atonement.

“Geez! Zydeo, there you go saying those things again! Repent! Repent!”

As a prim, proper, fastidious, and lovely older sister, Chiron won’t allow Zydeo to even hint at committing crimes!

Two swift punches are immediately driven into Zydeo’s stomach!

A cutting body blow!

“Ow! H-Hey you brat! I was just stating my thoughts, not sayin’ I actually wanna pickpocket… Ow! I said it hurts!”

“I’m not a brat! I’m a lovely older sister! Hyah! Hyah!”

Chiron’s fists won’t stop pummeling Zydeo!

The lightning-fast chain of blows is a sight any aspiring martial artist would surely be amazed by!

When she first met Torch and set out on this journey, she was merely a powerless priest and healing mage, but after continuously punching Torch’s master Arcus (because she disliked him) who was somewhat hopeless with alcohol, tobacco, and women, she achieved remarkable growth (probably in the wrong direction for a priest and healer)!

“Ow! It hurts! Stop punching for real! Please, stop! I’m begging you, please! Ow ow ow!”

“Ahahaha!”

“Don’t just laugh, Torch! Help me stop her—!”

Engaging in their usual friendly banter, the hero’s party advances through the fortress city of Liheid.

* * *

“Phew…! But man, there sure were a ton of people! The streets are narrow like a maze too. I feel like I’d get lost if I walked around alone in this city.”

Having finally secured a cheap inn room, Torch sits down on the hard bed and sighs in relief.

“Ahaha, Torch, are you still not used to crowds? Let’s take a breather and have some sweets! Here you go.”

Chiron seems to have already bought a box of the town’s famous confectionery at some point, her cheeks already puffed out like a squirrel’s.

The sweet Torch is offered resembles what would be called a steamed bun in his previous life.

Each one is somewhat large, about the size of a fist, and when he splits open the spherical pastry wrapped in a light brown skin, he finds it densely packed with a yellow filling inside.

Taking a bite, it has a simple sweetness.

And a pleasant, familiar aroma.

“Ah, this is chestnut.”

Remembering the flavor from his previous life, Torch lets those words slip out.

“Not chestnut. It’s kirkree. Use words correctly!”

Chiron points out in an older sisterly manner, her mouth still stained yellow.

“Kirkree?”

“You don’t know? You’ve seen it many times since entering this town too. Look, over there. Try looking out the window.”

Having returned to the room after negotiating the lodging fee with the inn staff, Zydeo interjects into the conversation.

Following Zydeo’s prompting, Torch peers out the window and sees a large tree vigorously extending its branches through the moss-covered stone pavement of the town.

Indeed, there were quite a few of these trees growing throughout the town.

Breaking through the stone pavements or nestling against the outer walls of the town.

These large trees harmonized magnificently with the fortress-like stone scenery of Liheid, adding color to it.

“You see, those trees grow these spiky shells. And inside, there’s a sweet nut packed in ’em.”

“So it’s chestnut.”

“It’s not chestnut. It’s kirkree.”

Chiron starts shadow boxing while staring into Torch’s red eyes.

Better be careful not to misspeak.

“Well, anyway, that kirkree is the local specialty around here. Since it’s in town, there are only a few scattered trees, but apparently in the Ranrananga Mountain Range to the north of this town… the entire area is covered in kirkrees.”

Zydeo leans out the window and points in the direction where large mountains loom.

That is none other than the Ranrananga Mountain Range.

A land where powerful monsters that can easily slaughter humans gather…

Torch gulps nervously.

“There’s even a theory that the monsters in those mountains originally gathered there in search of kirkree nuts.”

“So it’s a troublesome plant? Even though the nuts are tasty.”

“Tasty things aren’t troublesome.”

“…It’s thanks to the monsters gathering that adventurers gather too, and the economy of this town keeps running. Shishishi, things aren’t always so simple to label as black and white, Torch.”

“……”

While rationally understanding Zydeo’s point, Torch’s feelings on the matter are complicated.

His hometown was… destroyed by monsters sent by the Demon Lord’s Army.

Although he usually puts on a cheerful demeanor, there is a large scar left in his heart from that time.

He just can’t emotionally accept Zydeo’s argument of “thanks to the monsters.”

“…Well, let’s leave the kirkree talk at that. Shall we get to the main topic?”

Noticing Torch’s clouded expression, Zydeo changes the subject.

“…Yeah. It’s about where to find ‘Tezonkania,’ right?”

“Kid… Chiron, no new divine oracles have come, right?”

“Yes. In the first place, divine oracles don’t come that frequently.”

Chiron makes a troubled face while swiftly punching Zydeo’s stomach once.

…’Tezonkania.’

Finding this entity that they only know the name of is the current objective of the hero’s party.

The ancient ruins of ‘Saikanedon’s Tower’ in the Tezonka Kingdom.

The silver dragon Herensia, an apostle of the Holy Goddess who resides there, has been afflicted by an unknown illness.

She is the guardian sacred beast protecting the ley lines in this surrounding region, and if she continues to weaken and pass away like this, this land will lose its defensive keystone and likely face even greater invasions from the Demon Lord’s Army.

To prevent that, and above all, to save the silver dragon Herensia who has become a close friend, Torch and the others have come to this land.

According to the divine oracle given to Chiron by the Holy Goddess, to cure the silver dragon Herensia’s illness, something called ‘Tezonkania’ is needed, and it seems to exist in the northern part of the Tezonka Kingdom… in other words, around here.

“Well… in that case, what we need to do hasn’t changed. Let’s start with the usual information gathering. I heard there’s an adventurer’s guild branch across the canal from this inn. Let’s head there first.”

“We also need to pay our respects to the Margrave who governs this land. Torch is the hero, and we have a letter from the King of Tezonka, so we shouldn’t be turned away at the gate.”

“Okay, then… break time’s over!”

“Yes!”

“Yeah!”

The three of them leave the inn and begin their activities.