The Last Place Hero’s Return - Chapter 89

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 89. An Ordinary Day (1)
Empire Borderlands.
A single carriage raced swiftly down a rural road scattered with vegetation and stone fragments.
Vwooooom.
Though called a carriage, it was not the antiquated sort drawn directly by horses.
Its official name was a mana-driven carriage.
Crafted using the Republic’s technological prowess, it was a form of magical device that drew power from mana stones rather than the strength of horses.
When first developed, its exorbitant cost meant only a select few—Empire nobility, high priests of the Holy Kingdom, or Republic magnates—could afford to operate one, but with mass production of mana stones now possible, it had become the most popular means of transportation alongside warp gates.
Of course.
For those who couldn’t even afford to belong to that ‘popular’ class, a mana-driven carriage was as foreign as technology from another world.
“Phew. Driving on rural roads really isn’t easy.”
Professor Elisha, seated at the wheel, flicked tobacco ash out the window and squinted her eyes.
The Imperial Capital and major cities all had smooth paved roads that made driving effortless, but on rural roads like this, one had to endure jolts and bumps second after second throughout one’s entire body.
“Would you like me to drive instead, Professor?”
“Hmm? Do you have a mana-carriage license?”
“…Ah.”
Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t possessed a license during my Candidate Program days.
Those were times when I had no living expenses and had to ration even convenience store bread—how could I have obtained a mana-carriage license then?
I only obtained my mana-carriage license long after graduation.
‘And even then, the Mercenary Company commander forced me to get it by making me work as a driver.’
In any case.
Currently, I possessed neither a license nor even a provisional license certificate.
“I don’t have a license, but I do know how to drive.”
“That’s a remarkably reassuring statement.”
“I really do know how.”
“I appreciate the thought, but I’ll have to decline. We’re not far from the village now anyway.”
At Professor Elisha’s words, I shrugged my shoulders.
“Well, at this speed, we should arrive in about two to three hours from here.”
“Yes, that should be about right to arrive… hmm?”
Professor Elisha tilted her head and turned to look at me with questioning eyes.
“Weren’t you from the Republic, Candidate Dale?”
“Ah, yes, that’s correct, but…”
“Then how do you know how long it takes by carriage to reach such a remote corner of the Empire?”
“….”
At Professor Elisha’s pointed observation, I clamped my mouth shut firmly.
‘How would someone from the Republic know the geography of a remote Empire village, she’s asking.’
Having wandered across the entire Continent searching for the Primordial Flame for thousands of years, there was no way I could be unfamiliar with whether it was some remote corner of the Empire or a sacred sanctuary of the Holy Kingdom.
Of course.
I couldn’t possibly tell Professor Elisha that fact.
“I studied hard during first-year basic geography class.”
“For someone like that, your grades are… ahem. Well, never mind. It’s not important anyway.”
Elisha shifted her gaze toward the window, seemingly uninterested in pressing the matter further.
Bushes swayed in the breeze, and the gentle murmur of flowing water drifted from the ordinary rural path.
“….”
Elisha gazed at that unremarkable landscape, her eyes distant and wistful, as if lost in memory.
“Now that I think about it, you mentioned you’re from a Rural Village yourself, Professor Elisha?”
“Well… yes.”
Elisha nodded.
“From one of those common, ordinary small villages scattered throughout the Empire Borderlands.”
Perhaps she was recalling childhood memories.
Elisha slowed the magical carriage as she continued softly.
“A place where all the villagers combined barely numbered a hundred, where people scraped by with farming and hunting… that sort of place.”
“Isn’t the place we’re heading to similar?”
“It is.”
Elisha gradually reduced the carriage’s speed and brought it to a stop along the nearby roadside.
“Let’s have a simple meal here before we go.”
“Hmm? Won’t we arrive at the village in a couple of hours anyway?”
We’d reach the village in two or three hours, so there was no real need to eat on the roadside like this.
“That’s true, but….”
Elisha smiled wryly and continued.
“People from small villages like this tend to harbor both fear and reverence toward outsiders. Especially when they’re in a position to receive help, they’ll try to offer more hospitality than necessary.”
Excessive hospitality, indeed.
“So you have no intention of emptying their already meager village warehouse.”
“We’re not in a position where we need to go hungry, are we?”
“Ha. Well, that’s true.”
It was a thoughtful consideration that seemed at odds with her cold, piercing impression—the kind that wouldn’t bleed even if pricked with a needle.
‘I heard from Vincent that she even runs a Foundation personally.’
Recalling what Vincent had told me, I stepped out of the carriage.
“What food did you bring?”
“Nothing at all.”
“…You didn’t bring anything?”
I looked at Elisha with an incredulous expression.
‘If you were going to do this, why didn’t you tell me to bring something?’
Since Elisha had told me to come with just myself, I hadn’t brought any food either.
“Well, we’re surrounded by food everywhere. Why bother with the hassle of bringing something?”
Elisha chuckled and made her way down toward the Stream flowing beside the road.
Snap.
As she flicked her hand lightly, thin strands of silver thread shot into the stream water.
Splash! Splooooosh!
The silver threads churned violently through the stream water.
In an instant, the tangled silver threads formed into a small net shape.
“Whoosh.”
Flap, flap!
As I pulled the net made of silver threads, two fish the size of my forearm came out with it.
“How about that? Wasn’t I right?”
Elisha held up the two fish thrashing inside the net and shrugged her shoulders.
Watching Elisha catch the fish so effortlessly, I stifled a laugh.
“So spiders are fishing for fish these days.”
“Evolution is a creature’s greatest strength.”
Elisha skewered the fish from the net onto a sharp branch and turned to face me.
“Would you light a fire for me?”
“Of course.”
I gathered nearby branches and started a small campfire.
In the meantime, Elisha was rummaging through the nearby brush.
“What are you doing over there?”
“If there’s a meal, there should be dessert too.”
With those words, she returned to the campfire with her hands overflowing with colorful fruits no larger than a thumbnail.
“Simple fruits good for a light palate cleanser. I used to pick these often near my home when I was young.”
“…You have more practical skills than I expected.”
The sight of a beautiful woman in a neat black formal suit picking fruit from the brush created an odd sense of incongruity, as if a noblewoman were tilling a field.
“Hehe. How about it—do you feel a different kind of charm?”
Watching Elisha shrug her shoulders, I nodded with a slight smile.
“I definitely prefer this to when we first met.”
“This is troublesome.”
“What is?”
“I never expected to receive a proposal from a greenhorn Candidate.”
“That’s not—”
What is this woman talking about?
“I’m joking.”
Elisha took a bite of the perfectly grilled fish, her cold expression belied by a playful smile.
* * *
After finishing our simple meal, Elisha and I got back into the magical carriage and headed toward the Rural Village.
After driving for about two more hours along the bumpy rural road, the silhouette of the Rural Village appeared in the distance.
Hearing that we were coming, an elderly man stood leaning on a cane outside the Rural Village, waiting for us.
“Are you perhaps the heroes who have come to subjugate the magical beasts?”
As I stepped out of the magical carriage, the old man approached.
“We are.”
“Oh! Th-thank you! Thank you so much, heroes!”
The old man bowed repeatedly, his expression filled with gratitude.
“And you are?”
“Ah, my apologies for the late introduction. I am Oliver, the village chief of this Rural Village.”
“I see. Would it be alright if I looked around the village for a moment?”
“Of course! Ah, have you eaten? If you tell me, I can prepare a meal right away….”
“No. I’ve already eaten, so there’s no need to prepare anything.”
“Is, is that so? I wanted to show our gratitude to you heroes, but it seems that won’t be possible.”
Despite his words of regret, a light of relief flickered in Oliver’s eyes.
“Please, come inside.”
Following Oliver into the Rural Village.
A gloomy atmosphere hung thick over the small Rural Village, whose population seemed to number fewer than a hundred.
A person peering this way with only their eyes visible through the gaps of a weathered window.
A person who hastily retreated into their home upon meeting my gaze.
A person sitting blankly on the ground with a haggard face.
It felt less like entering a Rural Village and more like stepping into a cemetery.
“Haha… I’m sorry. It wasn’t like this originally….”
Oliver turned to survey the Rural Village with sorrowful eyes.
“Is it because of the demonic beast?”
“…Yes.”
Of course.
With an eighth-rank demonic beast abducting the villagers, it was inevitable that the atmosphere would grow so bleak.
“When did the demonic beast first appear?”
“About… a week ago.”
“How many people have been abducted in total so far?”
“Seven people.”
“Seven, you say.”
Elisha furrowed her brow and continued.
“Is it taking one person every day?”
“…Yes, that’s correct.”
Oliver clenched his fists, his lips trembling.
“That vile demonic beast toys with us as if we were playthings, abducting one villager every single night!”
His eyes trembled with rage.
Oliver’s weathered cheeks quivered.
“…Yet you remained in the village without fleeing?”
“Where could wretches like us possibly flee to in the Empire? If we lose this Rural Village, we would….”
For villagers who scraped by through farming and hunting, abandoning their home and going elsewhere was tantamount to a death sentence.
“Hmm.”
Elisha crossed her arms and swallowed a low murmur.
“I heard there was someone who witnessed the demonic beast.”
“Ah… Yes, that’s right.”
“Where are they?”
“Th, this way, if you please.”
With those words, Oliver entered the nearby house.
Inside the dilapidated wooden structure sat a man.
He appeared to be around forty years old.
For someone living in such a remote Rural Village, he cut a surprisingly neat and composed figure.
“I-I’m Harris.”
As I stepped through the door, Harris rose hesitantly to his feet.
“Are you the one who witnessed the Demonic Beast?”
“Yes, yes!”
Harris nodded, his expression taut with tension.
“Describe the circumstances and the creature’s appearance in as much detail as possible.”
“I-it’s just as I wrote in the report. Around 1 AM, I heard a commotion outside and stepped out for a moment… A Demonic Beast that looked like a crocodile standing on two legs was dragging a villager away with its long tail wrapped around them.”
“Did it drag them away alive?”
“Y-yes, it did.”
“Which direction did it go?”
“Toward the Mountain behind the village.”
“Any other witnesses?”
“There were others who saw it, but… they were all too frightened and hid inside their homes.”
“I see. So that’s how it is.”
Elisha nodded thoughtfully.
“Very well. We’ll take our leave now.”
“P-please! I beg you, please slay that terrible Demonic Beast!”
Harris dropped to his knees, his head bowed in supplication.
“We’ll do our best.”
Elisha answered curtly and turned away.
“H-Harris, try to calm yourself a bit.”
While Oliver stayed behind to console the weeping Harris, Elisha and I stepped outside the house.
“Phew.”
Elisha withdrew a cigarette from her pocket, placed it between her lips, and exhaled a deep sigh.
“Is something the matter, Professor?”
“That man Harris.”
Click.
The lighter’s flame ignited the cigarette’s end.
“He’s lying.”
Elisha’s violet eyes gleamed as she exhaled smoke.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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