Nozomanu Fushi no Boukensha

「……."Mysterious being" you say. I really want to say "A story that's too good to be true" but……….」

Here she stopped talking, looking at my body and then, slowly shaking her head.

「This appearance.  Is unbelievable. But, never I though since we meet a long time ago that you will………………….. Become an Undead」

Saying that will looking at my fully exposed body after taking off my robe with serious look, the meeting between me and her, Lorraine Vivier, the scholar――From long time ago.

Her long hair that bundled irresponsibily under her uncouth robe, she's a woman who's fully surrounded by listless atmosphere but, even that become a mysterious charm of her.

I've been acquaintances with her for a long time, maybe it's already around 10 years, it's from the time I just come to Malt city.

Though it turned into an almost inseparable relationship lately, the result of her research always saved me, even for today consultation, I couldn't think of anyone but her who's the most suitable person.

In fact, even if she hears my story, and despite looking at my current condition, she didn't deny me after the surprise from the first meeting.

On the contrary, maybe she's pondering about various things.

「I CaN'T BelIEVe IT ToO BuT…………………… WHy Do YOu THInK I BECoME LIkE THis…………..」

Lorraine's nodding when I said that.

「That might be true……….. Who will think that you'll become undead when you're eaten by "that thing".  But, "mysterious monster" huh…………. There's such creature in that labyrinth.  Is it still there now？ 」

「N, O………..When I woke up, I…………………. DIdn'T SEe It AnyMOre………… WeLL, SincE It'S NoT TheRE, MAyBE IT's NO LonGER TheRE………..」

Though we might have to reporting it immediately to the Adventurer Guild if it's still in there, that just how powerful it is but, it's gone when I woke up.

As if it's just a haze or a dream, it's trace completely vanished.

How that dragon can appear in that place, and then dissapeared.

Though I don't know the reason, if it can appearing and then vanished as it's liking, just being cautious is futile.

Though it's better to do an investigation for the time being, I know that it'll be treated as a lie if I'm reporting without even giving an  evidence.

Though it might become an evidence if they're looking at me who became like this because I met a dragon, I who become like this must made a resolution to face a danger to my own body, in the first place, even I won't be able to answer if being asked why I become an undead when I meet that mysterious monster.

In short, there's very high possiblities that it can't be helped since there's no strong basis for that story, I can't even think what should I do if my body exposed to danger.

Therefore, now I feel that I have no choice but to leave it as it is.

She also nodding when I say that to Lorraine.

「That might be the right resolution. No one will believe if you say that a dragon suddenly appearing. Though I know that you're not someone who will spout that kind of lie since I've been acquainted with you since long time ago……….. As for the other person. Though I think they want to believe it, as expected, no one will believe it when it turned into that kind of story.  In the first place, you'll become a subjugation target immediately if you're exposed with such appearance.  SO give it up on that」

Lorraine's laughing while waving her hand.

Nevertheless, the action of Lorraine is truly bold in front of me who's nothing but undead and yet, if you were to ask why she's like this, in the first place, maybe because Lorraine is bold, her most prominent characteristic is not minding about petty details.

And the other reason is, it can be said that it's truly suitable since main topic of her research is about magic and demon.

It seems she's really interested with the reason and the theory for a human to turned this way, so her thinking about various things since some time ago also not entirely for my sake.

Part 2

「But, the undead the more I see it closely the more it look like Lent.  Though I want to ask this……….. Are you still the same Lent as previous one？ I don't know whether you was a counterfeit or something closely resembling him？  」

I'm also have a really hard time to answering this question.

Anyhow, it's not something that I know.

Though I'm fully aware the fact that I'm Lent, maybe I have no doubt about it since I'm dead as the food of a monster.

Anyhow, at first I was only made of bones.

In spite of that, I have similiar memories and consciousness with the me when I'm still alive.

I really want to say that my memories and consciousness is the proof when asked whether current me and, the previous me really is an identical existence but, with me being such kind of undead, I get this feeling that I might be called as different existence.

That's why nothing I can say but "I don't know".

When I'm telling that to Lorraine, she who also showing understanding face,

「Certainly, we might neot be able to know the truth just by pondering about it. Though from my own view, I can feel that this kind of reply is definitely something that will come out of Lent, since you have similiar memories and personality, if you say something like "same kind of existance"………….  Then it'll be a different story. Yup, I don't know. Let's leave this problem for the time being. Let's think about it later. That aside, Lent. What are you going to do after this？ That's the most important matter for now right？ 」

Before I know, the talk advanced immediately, not even concerning about the other party.

And then. the matter she say is, exactly the reason why I visited her.

So I say.

「I thINk, I wANt To CONtInuE LIVinG As An ADVentUREr………. BuT, I Can'T Go TO The ADveNTuREr GUilD………..」

「As for the matter of being subjugated………. In that case, will you okay if you're receiving a comission for me and supplying raw material？ You can come for that reason right？ 」

As as result of being acquinted with me for a long time, know what I want to say with just that much.

But, I feel slightly guilty when she easily accepting it.

「……….. Is tHat aLRiGHt？」

So I ask her.

Lorraine reply for this is,

「I'm not really mind about this. It won't take great amount of labour time. But, if I say this in a straight way…………. You, will be cooperating in my research」

「Why？」

「What, it's an easy story. You also know what I'm reserching about right？」

Part 3

「MoNsTeR And EvOlUtIoN, RigHt？」

「That's right. Naturally evolution of monsters also included amongst this. In reality, it's not just me, the study regarding evolution existence of demon isn't advancing that much. But, I'll be able to understand various things if you're here, Lent」

「……. NoThINg, Is It SafE, SomEThING LikE InsuRGEmenT is A NO？」

「For you to say something like that, just how much do you take me as mad scientist？ Well, I'll ask for your flesh or skin though」

「……」

Aren't that already mad scientist enough, I missed my chance to say that.

But, I'll be troubled if I'm disagree with this negotiation.

But, the evolution existence of monsters are unknown due to the lack of study on that field.

Though it doesn't mean that I'm well informed in it too and there's things that I know by myself too, I think that I'll know even more in the place of a specialist.

After saying so, Lorraine,

「Actually, though it's limited I also gained understanding on something after cooperating with Monster Tamer.  But, in the first place Monster Tamer is special skill, it's also few in number.  Moreover, for some reason, most of the monster subdued by them have lost their evolution existence. That's why the degree of the commission to capture a small monster with as little wound as they can by making the use of the specialist ability. The post processing is the territory of a scholar, it have various degree of difficulties, that kind of feeling」

It seems that it's more difficult than what I thought.

Though when I think that I might be able to do something about that situation, Lorraine is,

「In the first place, things such as gaining cooperation of the monster is impossible. Moreover, Aren't you already going through evolution existence once before. In short, you might be able to gain evolution existence again in the future.  You need to give a report to me when you're experiencing such things, I think you'll be okay with that. Well……. Though it might be difficult announcing it in some respect since circumstance are circumstance, it might become a clue to understanding the theory behind it since you're personally experiencing it」

「BEcAUSe oF Me？」

「That's right. How you'll be evolving after this, I'll also thinking about that matter. Even you, in regard to monsters are more knowledgeable than normal adventurer as you read the book in this place but, I eat that three times in a day. Don't you think that I'll be able to give you many advice*？