Chapter 73: Chapter 61: Momentary Thoughts Part 9 Part 1

This NPC, Setsuna-san, looked at us in such a way that could not simply be made out of zeroes and ones. It was as if she was full of hope but still couldn’t believe what she was seeing……

For a moment out there both Katsu and I exchange glances, and then we look back at Setsuna-san and introduce ourselves.

「Ah…… It’s nice to meet you. I am Pencilgton’s acquaintance, my name is Sanraku. This little fella here is Emul.」

「I’m Weissash’s child, my name is Emul!」

「My name is Oikatsu, another one of Pencilgton’s acquaintances.」

「Think of them like Idiot #1 and #2 plus an adorable mascot.」

Hey, you asshole. What was that just now?

After looking at each and every one of us for a moment, Setsuna-san finally opens her mouth.

「I don’t know what to say…… You’ve managed to gather some really interesting people, Arthur.」

「You know, they may seem like small fry right now, but I can promise you that they are going to be splendid warriors by the time of the decisive battle.」

「That’s not what I’m talking about.」

Setsuna-san then points at me specifically…… Or wait, was she pointing at the curse marks covering my chest?

「I have never witnessed someone who would be marked twice by Kuro-chan…… And Weiss-chan’s child…… This brings back so many memories……」

「Umm……」

「Ahh, don’t worry about it, guys…… It’s just that she’s like that sometimes…… She likes to swim in nostalgia……」

Judging by Pencilgton’s words it was something that was typical of that woman, so it wasn’t a shady flag being raised or anything like that…… At ease, Katsu.

「She may already be dead, but thanks to you it seems that she remembered something good from her life. Thank you guys.」

「Eh? Ahh, yeah, you’re welcome, I guess?」

I answered just like that because for now we had very little to work with. In the meantime, Setsuna-san’s eyes became sad and pouty. It seems that she didn’t like it when people weren’t listening to her. I prompted Pencilgton to look at her and then he continued his story.

「…… Set-chan, why don’t you tell those guys the things that you told me?」

「…… I understand.」

“WOULD YOU LIKE TO START THE UNIQUE QUEST EX: FROM FAR AWAY WITH LOVE?”

Of course we want to do that. Both Katsu and I pressed the “Yes” box without a second’s thought and Setsuna-san started to spin her story.

「He…… Wezaemon used to be my beloved one. But ever since the day I died he has changed…… He would protect my grave from that point forward and was…… slowly driven mad by this self-proclaimed duty.」

「I see, so that’s where the “Gravekeeper” stems from.」

「I don’t know just how much time has passed since I passed away, but before I even realized it I was just like this…… A being that is dead but is still bound to this world.」

Setsuna-san looks at the tree behind her back, a withered and empty husk compared to the spider camellias growing all over the hill we were currently standing on.

「Death is final. It is the end. And someone who’s already ended shouldn’t taint somebody else’s present…… nor the future. That is why I just can’t stand seeing how that person is still bound to me, guarding my grave and refusing to go on with his life.」

Then Setsuna-san shifts her gaze from the withered tree to the full moon hanging in the sky.

「He used the program that I built…… Umm, erected a barrier here using very powerful magic. Sent my grave to the other dimension so that no one could interfere with it or try to desecrate it. Only the light of the moon can invert the coordinates of the other dimension and lead the way to my grave.」

So, if I understand it correctly, this place was basically like a coin, right? We were on the tails side, while the Gravekeeper was waiting on the heads side, correct?

「Only the night of the new moon holds the power to break the barrier…… The night when the moon’s light is at its weakest. Only then the path shall open.」

「So we wait for the path to open, and then jump in and fight with the Gravekeeper.」

Katsu mumbles to himself, while Setsuna-san looks at us with pleading eyes.

「Please, I beg of you! Wezaemon…… Please, let that man finally rest……」

As she said that, Setsuna-san bowed her head down. Now that that’s been taken care off, Pencilgton smiled brightly.

「Now, now, Set-chan, please raise your head. We aren’t like every other guy that came this way. I promise you that we shall erase the curse that’s bothering you so much.」

Hearing Pencilgton’s honest and sincere words, both Katsu and I were deeply astonished by his behavior in front of Setsuna-san.

Was it really the same old Pencilgton that we knew? The same old Pencil Warrior that would drag the King of the domain in United Rounds behind his own carriage or hang the Princess from the chandelier just to attract people’s attention towards himself?

「Who would have thought that the demon-like Pencil Warrior would casually chat with NPCs? What a world we live in! Or maybe something happened to him that made him regain his human nature!?」

「Sanraku-kun, that was rather rude of you, don’t you think?」

「This feeling….. So this is this “heart” that everyone speaks of……?」

「Oi, Mister Professional Gamer……」

There was a few seconds of really awkward silence between the three of us now. Pencilgton, although smiling as usual, had his ears bright red so much that we were sure there would be smoke coming out of his ears at any moment now. Huh? Seriously?

「Right, so as to not go back on my words, I am going to train you until the battle with the Gravekeeper comes around. Let’s make sure to drive some of that delicious upper tier violence into those thick skulls of yours!」

I wonder, was it Setsuna-san on her own that smiled at Pencilgton just now or was it just the work of the godly programming of this game that would imitate the emotional expressions of people so flawlessly? Thoughts like that are currently running through my head.

I tried to remember all of my past experiences with both NPCs and strong enemies, not just from ShanFro but also from other games…… Hm? What’s that sudden light?

「Omagh! What are you trying to accomplish here, attacking us with weapons like that! That was dangerous!」

「This isn’t good! Sanraku! His eyes are really not looking so good right now! He looks about ready to commit PK here!」

「Piyaaaahhhh!? What the hell are you trying to do!? You maniac!?」

In spite of our loud protests, Pencilgton continued to pummel us until about ninety percent of our HP bars were gone. All the while, Setsuna-san just stood at the side and watched it happen……

「Good grief, how can you hope to survive the battle against the Gravekeeper if you can’t even avoid me almost killing you five times over?」

「Hear that, Katsu? This here is the real Pencilgton. Without a shred of doubt.」

「Aah, it sure feels good to be back to my old self from time to time. And come on, don’t you think I was pretty generous with you? I left you with a whoopping ten percent health!」

「You call ten percent being generous……?」

As Pencilgton was still in a mood to continue the fight, both of us raise our hands in the air in a gesture of surrender.

「Talk about being a pushover here…… We are all comrades with the same aspiration here, so you could have at least talked with us before you went straight for our throats without any warning!」

「Sanraku-kun, don’t you think that you are in no position to call someone else a pushover?」

「Maybe he’s like that, but I personally don’t dislike his style.」

「Could you guys stop already? You make me look like a bad guy here……」