Chapter 181
It was a place that was incomparable to where they were a moment ago.
The place was so s.p.a.cious and the height was high. Rather than tens, hundreds of people might be able to enter. While looking at such a place, the feeling of fears came first probably because Aina knew well where this was.
She knew that her father was planning something, but she didn't expect that this was the place. Surely, it was 'just right' in a sense, but… she still didn't expect it.
When she looked around while thinking about that, her father, Iori seemed to look proud. When Aina looked at her father while enduring the urge to throw a single spell, Soma also turned to his father with a pitiful glance as if he had noticed.
Sheila was a bit difficult for Aina to understand, but… did she understood since Sheila was tilting her head? Perhaps, that was the case…
"Is this… a spatial transition?" (Felicia)
A voice reached Aina's ear when she tried to move her line of sight.
It was Felicia who was trying to figure out what happened. Her voice sounded surprised, and that seemed to be the case.
However, it wasn't unreasonable. Although Aina was used to it, Soma who saw it for the first time was also impressed. Perhaps, Sheila was impressed for the same reason, and it was normal to have such feelings after experiencing it.
Of course, they were transferred to this place in an instant by the spatial transition Felicia murmured. If she had to say about this, yes, it was true, but what her father did was something different.
Anyhow, the spatial transition required not only a unique talent to use, but also required considerable advanced knowledge and skills. The user must be able to have firm image on both current location and future destination, and by able to recognize them, that user could cross the s.p.a.ce on it. This required extraordinary concentration and a reasonable amount of time.
If the user used magic tools or something similar, the magic tools would take over most of it, but there was nothing could be done about the time. Something like a momentary transition couldn't be done in an instant like that.
Moreover, as long as people crossed the s.p.a.ce, there would be some spatial sickness. This was also something unavoidable, but that didn't occur. Later, they were very surprised to know what ordinary spatial transition was.
Anyhow, since it was such a unique spatial transition, it wasn't something that could be used by ordinary means. It was one of the main privileges of this castle. Although it was somewhat misleading statement, it seemed to be like a huge magic tool. This unique spatial transition was limited to the inside of the castle.
However, the authority to do it could be given to others, and Aina had it for the time being. In addition, it was strictly limited authority and it couldn't be transferred to a specific place. The hidden room that Aina's father was hiding this time was one of them, and there was a time when she couldn't find it no matter how many times she searched for him.
Moreover, there might be other rooms like this. She decided to tell the chief butler to inform her mother about this matter. While thinking about this, she made her eyes went around and sighed to his father who still looked proud of himself.
"Sorry, but… are you sure it's fine? I mean to use this place…?" (Aina)
"Isn't this a good place to report?" (Iori)
"Well, it's a good place in a sense. I thought you were thinking about something not good, but… it was so unexpected that you would take us to the throne room." (Soma)
Yes, the place Aina's father brought them was the throne room of the castle. The place might be appropriate in a sense to give a report, but it definitely wasn't a good place for personal things such as what were happening recently. Her mother would probably be angry if she was here, and she would be angry as well.
Although she was thinking so, she felt amazed only. Actually, she was thinking something that was rather strange. Surely, she already got used to her father's extraordinary behavior, but…
"The throne, is it… speaking of that, he is a unique person, isn't it?" (Felicia)
"You don't have to speak vaguely, you know. You can just say that he is a weird guy." (Aina)
"…Yes, but somehow, his action is similar to Soma? Honestly, I'm not really surprised." (Sheila)
"…Aah, I see." (Aina)
Aina was convinced. If anything, Soma was worse. Since she was used to it, she was merely surprised if it was at this degree.
"You… are you imitating me?" (Soma)
"Haa? Aren't you the one who is imitating?" (Iori)
"Yes, yes, it doesn't matter. I'll report on the recent situations right away." (Aina)
She tried to fulfill the purpose as her father and Soma were about to start a silly quarrel. Or rather, she was about to decide which one was the more foolish person.
"Phew, it looks like my win…" (Soma)
"Kuh… I guess I have to accept my daughter's decision…" (Iori)
"Let me correct that. Both of you are just idiots. Or rather, Tou-sama should sit on the throne. How am I supposed to give report to you?" (Aina)
"Eh, am I sitting down? Isn't too expensive and narrow over there. Plus, it's tiring to sit, you know. That's why I don't use it." (Iori)
"Then, why did we come here…?" (Aina)
"Hmm… if it so, do you mind if I sit there? I want to sit there at least once." (Soma)
"It doesn't make sense if you sit down there!" (Aina)
Both of them let out a long sigh. When I Aina looked scornfully at them, it seemed they were really motivated. No, it was doubtful whether they were really serious, but… for the time being, her father headed to the throne, and she sighed again when looking at that appearance.
"…By the way, it's fine to give a report here, but what should we do in the meantime?" (Felicia)
"…Yes, it's true. If Aina kneels down to give report, should we do that too?" (Sheila)
"I don't feel like kneeling down while reporting, you know?" (Aina)
"Yeah… that's why I'm standing there. Alright, how about this?" (Iori)
At the moment she said it, the father snapped his fingers once.
Immediately after that, there were four chairs appeared in front of Aina's eyes. Moreover, it was a small chair that was easy for them to sit on.
"Hoo, you also can do this, huh? It's very convenient." (Soma)
"Well, yeah. Now, there's no problem, right?" (Iori)
Certainly, the problem had disappeared, but it felt like another problem existed. However, Aina couldn't help think further than that, so she gave up and sat quietly.
Then…
"So, it's not like we're going to talk about it again, but I'll start it properly… I wonder where I should start talking from…" (Aina)
If she really wanted to tell the whole story, she should start with the story of the journey just after leaving this place. But to be honest, she hardly remembered it, and if she told him about it, it felt like a guess.
The reason why Aina purposely went home to report the recent situation wasn't because of a grudge. It was just that she wanted to see everyone's face and told them that she was already doing well.
In that case…
"That's right… I wonder if everything started when I first met this fool here. It was probably the beginning of everything." (Aina)
It was a half joke, but that was also the truth. She met Soma. She was able to meet him.
It was surely the first sign that she could reach the degree where was at right now.
Beginning with this point of time, Soma and Aina began to interact. Aina, who was a bit distrustful toward human, was a bit worried in many ways whether such a thing could be done.
Then, as she continued to interact with him for a year, Aina's worried surely began to disappear little by little. From that particular time, she thought that the situation had become particularly intense.
She met Lina, and met Albert soon afterwards. Next, she was rescued by Soma. When she realized, she was traveling with Soma and others.
She was forced to walk through the Neumont territory together, going to the ancient ruins that were there, and got caught up with strange things as always. When she thought about it over again, she met Sheila and went to another ancient ruin again. Moreover, it was more troublesome. The Evil Dragon was revived, but after all… Soma defeated it without problems.
But because of that, Soma wasn't able to continue the journey, and… he had no intention of continuing it. Aina knew that he wasn't lying, but she had a feeling that he wanted to continue. After thinking about all sorts of things, Soma decided to stop the journey, and… it might not be related to Aina either. She was also able to stay in that temporary fort because she knew that if Soma wanted it, it would happen. Soma didn't seem to understand how effective he was in her circ.u.mstances. (TLN: This is talking about how she stay in the fort of Kraus Neumont territory in chapter 73.)
This seemed to be right now, but she thought Soma said that because he wanted her to remember it now. It was a family that had been pushed into the bottom. They were clumsy with each other, but they were certainly a family. She looked at them and saw how they were.
There was a possibility that she was over thinking.
Anyhow, there were peaceful days as well as noisy days. Then, she went to the academy. She didn't expect to go to school, but she really appreciated it. That allowed her to go to the same place as Soma.
It was said that they got in because of their own strength, but that wouldn't have come true unless they took the exam. Aina couldn't thank you enough, really.
Life at the academy was fun and rewarding, but there were also a lot of unexpected things. It went without saying who was involved in most of them. They wouldn't get into the same cla.s.s together… No, that might have been expected beforehand.
However, she made friends, and there was no difference that it was fun. But then, that incident happened.
Aina was surely out of the mosquito net from the start to finish. She felt like she was involved only once, but that might be her imagination after all.
She didn't even know where and how it started, and it was over when she realized it. And the end of it was Soma's disappearance.
Soon after that, a long holiday came, and Sheila went home. So, Aina decided to go home. When she was just a few more places away from this castle, she met Soma again.
If she thought about it, her journey began with Soma and ended with him. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that this fool was all about Aina's journey… No, it might be really an exaggeration.
Then, Aina finally finished talking about everything. It took a while since she had derailed a bit on the way, but it ended well before the time of dinner…
"Oi Soma." (Iori)
After listening to all of the stories, her father glared and Soma for some reason and called him.
In contrast, Soma tilted his head and was wondering, but that was also within her expectation. Anyway, it was probably because Soma was there. However…
"What is it?" (Soma)
"Give me a bit face. I feel like wanting to punch you, rather than scolding you as her parent." (Iori)
She was wondering what her father would say, but this time, she didn't get it right. It was because Soma had narrowed his eyes when the father told him so.
"…Do you realize how unreasonable you are right now?" (Soma)
"Shut up! If you say unreasonable, it goes beyond logic already!" (Iori)
"I see… I will let you retract your unreasonableness with my unreasonableness!" (Soma)
"Try it…!" (Iori)
Soma greeted her father who jumped down from the throne, and the scene immediately began to appear chaotic.
She turned her eyes to Felicia and Sheila reflexively, but the only thing she got in return was shoulders being shrugged. Sheila was unusually acted that way, so… Aina wondered if it was directed to her.
No, it was probably her imagination. She was telling facts that it wasn't a big deal, so she tried to find excuses. However, she turned her eyes back to her father to escape the look of the two. There was a scene that didn't make sense like how the two of them quarrelling like children. Then, she let out a sigh as if she was taken aback.
However, she thought of this suddenly. She didn't know the relations.h.i.+p between them.
It was obvious that Soma and his father had known each other since before they met here. That was surely coming from the atmosphere.
She thought the same thing when Soma was with Hildegard. However, the question that Aina was having right now was the point of time when they met each other.
Anyhow, since her father became the Demon King, he shouldn't have left the castle. She remembered hearing such a thing once that he had to do everything.
So, when, where, and how did he meet Soma? No matter how she much thought, she couldn't think of any answers.
Despite such doubts, Aina sighed. She didn't want to stop thinking about it for some reason.
Rather…
"…Well, he is Soma after all." (Aina)
So, what could convince her of this situation?
She thought about how many times she had to sigh today. Despite feeling troubled by this, a wry smile showed up on her face.