Chapter 490: The Identity of the Silver-Haired Man

In the middle of this vast plain, there was a decaying ruin.

A building that has become stained and discolored by years of exposure. Cobblestones covered with moss and grass. From the sky above, we can see a circular plaza is surrounded by buildings at equal intervals, which I am not sure for what purpose they were built.

「Is that the pedestal Master was talking about?」

『No, I mean, yes, but it's not the same……』

「What do you mean?」

『The pedestal had disappeared』

That's right. When I woke up, the pedestal that had housed me had disappeared.

Fran pointed to the entire ruin and asked if it was a pedestal. But for some reason, the thing I call a pedestal, which should have been in its center, was not there.

The only remnant of this is a square space in the center of the plaza where there is almost no grass. It was obvious that something had been placed there a while ago, and that it had been removed.

A few months had passed since the pedestal had disappeared, and the grass had begun to encroach slightly on the area, but from above, the difference from the rest of the site was obvious.

『L-let's get down there』

「Nn」

「woof!」

I went down to the vacant lot where the pedestal should have been before. Fran tapped on the cobblestones, and Urushi sniffed the ground, but there was nothing unusual.

『It really had disappeared huh……』

「Are you sure?」

『Of course. I'll never forget this place』

As we were exchanging words, my surroundings turned white in an instant.

But I'm not surprised anymore. It's that space.

『He's here huh』

『Yeah, I'm here』

It's just a voice, but I'm sure of it. It's that guy.

『I can't find the pedestal. What's going on?』

『It's also a sacred object. It did its job, and then it disappeared. Well, now we need it. Tell Fran to back off a bit, and I'll make the pedestal appear』

『U-understood』

A sacred object? As expected, it wasn't just a pedestal huh.

When I returned from the white space, I told Fran and Urushi to back off from the vacant lot.

「Nn」

「woof!」

Immediately after Fran and Urushi took a few steps, a shape of a pedestal appeared on the spot like a hologram. Then, the phantom-like pedestal took on substance and appeared on the spot.

It wasn't a teleport, but rather a mysterious flow of magic that seemed to have sprung from the earth. But the thing that appeared was definitely a familiar pedestal.

『Oooh…There's no mistaking it. It's the pedestal. My pedestal』

It was only a few months ago, but it seemed strangely nostalgic.

「Is this, Master's…Home?」

『Well, no. It doesn't look like a home though……』

「Then, what should we do?」

「That sword――Stick master on the pedestal. Miss Fran」

「Who?」

Fran turned around and saw a translucent, ghost-like being standing in front of her.

「I'll reveal it soon. But first, stick master on the pedestal」

「……」

A man with silver hair, all back, and a kimono-like dress. Fran had never seen him before, but he was familiar to me.

Fran looked suspiciously at the mysterious man who had called her name. Well, he really is look suspicious.

「You don't know me miss, but I know you well, okay? After all, I've been watching you from Master」

「Inside master?」

『Yeah, it's true』

I didn't use the principle of falsehood, but I understood that he wasn't lying. Not on the level of trustworthiness or anything like that, but I can see as a matter of course that he is not lying. I didn't feel the need to doubt the authenticity of the man's words, just as I didn't have to worry about whether my words were false or true.

I wonder what it is? I'm aware of a strange connection between me and the man. It's not something vague like a bond or a connection, but a more direct connection. Or should I say, I’m connected?

I don't know if I'd call this a direct magic connection, but it was close enough.

『Fran, it's okay. Put me on the pedestal please』

「Understood」

At my urging, Fran approaches the pedestal.

『A little more higher huh?』

「Okay」

Without any hassle, Fran grabbed me backhanded and thrust me into the pedestal with great force. At that moment, something warm―――no, something hot is enveloping my sword blade. But I don't feel anything bad from it.

It was hot, but not an aggressive heat that would melt my blade. It was more like a full body soak in a slightly hot bath.

Somehow, it felt similar to when Alistair was refurbishing me.

「Master, you okay?」

『Yeah, I'm feeling rather good』

「I see」

I guess she can hear my voice and decided that there really wasn't a problem. Fran murmured reassuringly. It's a familiar place for me, but an unknown place for Fran. She was still worried.

「Well then, now we're all set」

The man said so and walked over to the pedestal.

「All set?」

「Yeah, prepare to re-enforce Master's seal」

『Reinforcing my seal?』

「It's okay. I'll explain everything today. Well, as much as I'm allowed to though. Now that he's on this pedestal, Master's condition is stable. His memory will be fine」

「Master's? Memory?」

「Yeah. If I tell you what's going on, it might break the seal on Master's memories」

「Is it bad?」

「That will sucks for your Master. Well, I'll explain that too. As long as he's stuck in the pedestal, his memory door should be stable」

「Understood」

『I'm counting on you』

The man snaps his fingers lightly, and the ground rises up to create a chair. I could tell that it wasn't the man's ability, but rather my earth magic activated with my own magic power. Or perhaps I should say, not mine, but ours.

It's both my and the man's power.

「No magic beast is going to approach this place for a while, and it will be somewhat longer. Why don't you take a seat?」

「Nn」

「Urushi, go sit beside her」

「Woof」

Urushi is as quiet as a borrowed cat. Apparently, he understands that the men in front of him are superior to him. Either that, or Urushi considers him as his master too because of his connection to me.

「Well, let me start by introducing myself」

「Nn」

At last huh.

「My name is Fenrir. I'm a former divine beast who went mad after eating an evil god. And I'm an interloper whose soul is sealed inside master's body」

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