MUSHOKU TENSEI

Volume 5 Side Story - Return of Roxy

Part 1

Roxy Migurdia returned to her hometown.

The circumstances of the village hadn't changed at all.

Her acquaintances in the village as well as the members had almost not changed at all.

The number of inhabitants had increased, but the way it was eerily quiet was just the same as in the old days.

Formerly she would never have thought it was eerie, but after traveling all around the world if you were to ask Roxy, this village is abnormal.

Just silently, even though there's no one speaking any words, the people of the village are just living while understanding their purpose.

Once they saw Roxy they just kept staring at her.

Roxy knew it.

They were using the Migurd races special ability, telepathy, to try and talk to her.

However, Roxy can't hear it.

She could hear something like a little bit of noise, but just that.

Roxy could not respond to their words.

After a little while, the figures of her parents appeared.

The first time seeing her parents in a while and again they had not changed at all.

They were delighted to see Roxy who had returned and welcomed her.

What she had been doing until now, or where she had gone by herself, they asked her with worried voices.

Elinalise and Talhand were waiting outside of the village.

It seems they thought something of one's return home.

Roxy told of her journey until now in an indifferent voice.

Her parents, while listening to her story, were surprised and made relieved faces.

They said for her to do as she likes.

However, Roxy felt alienated.

The words of worry and the words of welcome, to them they were a foreign language.

The truly important words for them, they would never speak with their mouth.

Especially, whispering words of love.

It could be the case that they are truly worried from the bottom of their hearts.

However, that was not transmitted to Roxy.

For I who cannot use the Migurd races ability, they are things that are not transmitted to me.

Roxy feels lonely about that matter.

If I were to stay here any longer than this it would just be painful.

It would just be confirming that I'm nothing but a failure in regards to the Migurd race.

After thinking that Roxy decided not to stay long and to quickly depart.

She quickly made preparations for the journey.

"You're already going to leave?"

"Yes."

"At least stay for one night."

"No, we're in a hurry on this journey, I was just stopping by for a bit."

Roxy shook her head with an expressionless face to her father who was making a worried expression.

"When is the next time you'll return?"

"I don't know. I might never return again."

Roxy said it honestly.

Then her mother standing next to her father made a worried expression as well.

"Roxy? Come back at least once every 20 years."

"Okay, I guess?"

She responded with a half-hearted answer.

"I may return within 50 years."

"Really? It's a promise."

"Yes."

Roxy vaguely nodded and her mother started crying.

"Ah, mother…?"

"Oh my, sorry. Even though I decided not to cry, I'm sorry…"

Tears.

After seeing that, something inside of Roxy started to move.

Unbeknownst to her, she was being hugged by her mother.

Then, her father embraced both Roxy and her mother at the same time.

That time, Roxy finally understood it.

That it's not something only said in words.

In the end, she stayed in the village for about three days.

For the first time in a while she spent those days taking it easy.

Part 2

"The Owner of Dead End".

Its true identity was Rudeus Grayrat.

In order for Roxy to accept that fact required a number of hours.

After entering the Magic Continent, and moving north and further north while seeking information about Rudeus.

The further north they got, the more they heard the name Rudeus.

They were approaching it.

About the same time they thought that, they realized something strange was going on.

"Fake Dead End" information and Rudeus sighting information were awfully mixed together.

The young human race boy who can use voiceless incantations and "The Owner" of the fake Dead End.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they are already the same person, on the way Talhand said it a number of times.

No, it was something she realized from the start.

She just didn't want to admit that they passed right by each other without realizing it.

However, after making it to this Town of Rikarisu, she had no choice other than to accept it.

The "Dead End" incident that happened two years prior.

The testimony from one who used to be her old party member, Nokopara.

And then the testimony from her parents in her hometown.

After compiling all of those, Roxy finally accepted it.

That "The Owner of Dead End" is Rudeus Greyrat.

Part 3

"I see… Bureizu died did he…"

"Ah, it seems that a Red-Fang Cobra swallowed him whole."

It's been several years since I left Magic Continent.

There should be a number of things piled up to talk about, but all we talked about were things of the old days.

Roxy closed her eyes and remembered things about Bureizu.

With a face like a pig, and a bad mouth, the moment Roxy made any sort of mistake he would start with the abusive language.

However, he wasn't a bad guy.

He was a reliable man in terms of warriors.

It seems that until he died he managed to make it together with a veteran party of B rank members.

He was the leader of a B rank party on the Magic Continent.

That sarcastic guy became a fine person.

However, the party name was Super Bureizu.

It seems that his naming sense hadn't changed from the past.

It seems that the opponent who wiped out that veteran party, was effortlessly defeated by Rudeus and the party he just formed a short while prior.

Soon after he started his adventure he subjugated an A rank monster.

It was something the old Roxy would never have been able to outdo.

However, that as well is just like Rudeus, thus Roxy laughed weakly.

"Roxy has changed quite a bit."

Nokopara said that while slowly drinking the specialty strong impact alcohol of the Magic Continent.

Roxy looked at the cup in her hand.

She looked at her own face reflected on the surface, and wondered if that was the case.

"I don't really get it myself though…"

"No, I mean you've become quite adult-like."

"What is that supposed to mean, are you treating me like a fool?"

During the time with Nokopara and the others were adventuring, Roxy had already reached the adult form of the Migurd race.

After that, there have been almost no changes to her figure.

I haven't changed at all, is what Roxy was self-conscious about.

"I'm not taking you for a fool. How do I put it, the atmosphere. The old you used to be more childish."

"Even though my outer appearance hasn't changed, I've been properly living after all."

While saying that Roxy was crunching away at some roasted bean snacks.

These beans are the seeds from Stone Treants.

With Roxy's sense of taste, she would never think they taste good.

Just, somehow or other she's moving them to her mouth.

It's a flavor that becomes a habit.

"In that sort of way. In the old days you were always desperate to be seen as an adult. If it were the old you, you would have been flying high from my words you know?"

"Is that the case?

…there may have been that sort of period."

We're talking about the time when I didn't want to accept my body height.

In the old days I didn't want my surroundings to think I was a child, so I gave it my best so that no one would underestimate me.

I'm a magician, there are no elements that I'm bad with, I made it public that I could do anything.

Before I noticed, that assessment had reversed, and my name alone started walking on its own.

Around the time I started being called "Water Saint Class Magician" things that I couldn't do were always being forced upon me.

In regards to the Magic Continent as well, the fact that I was Rudeus' teacher was a fact they were awfully surprised about.

It seems that Rudeus was going around saying, "It's the result of my shisho's teachings" at every chance he could.

Thanks to that, they even started to think that Roxy could use voiceless incantations.

Even though there's no way she could use something like voiceless incantation magic.

Once upon a time, I wonder if my own teacher felt this way about me is what Roxy was wondering.

If that's the case then she feels she did something bad and wants to reflect on it.

The agony of a shisho who has disciples that are too superior.

It's not something you could understand until you actually experience standing in that position.

It's a feeling of pride, while at the same time a feeling of shame.

Although, as mysterious as it is up to now, she's never felt that she doesn't want to be called shisho.

Rudeus is protecting what he said, the fact that he's making public that Roxy is his shisho simply makes her happy.

"Nokopara hasn't changed a bit."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, other than your appearance."

The fact that he's greedy for money, how he aims for the weak, it's just the same as the old days.

That she doesn't want to turn Nokopara into an enemy is something Roxy thought a number of times in the old days.

"What is that, is that an indirect way of saying I've grown old?"

"I guess you could say that is true. Nokopara has grown old."

"You've become able to say it haven't you."

Nokopara laughed in a nihilistic way with a hihin sound.

"How nostalgic…"

"That's right."

In those days there were two more here.

A boy who would spout abusive language every time Nokopara said something and a boy who would say "Oh my" and sigh every time a fight started before attempting to break it up.

Already those two are gone, the ones remaining were just these middle-aged two.

Although, thanks to their race one of them isn't really all that old?

Passed days will no longer return.

That day, until Nokopara drank himself unconscious, those two let old memories bloom.

Her parents and an old friend.

Just the fact that she met these two gave meaning to her return here.

With those feelings, her chest has grown one cup.

Part 4

Rudeus should have arrived in Milishion about this time.

It's been six months since we passed by each other in Wind Port.

Even though it managed to overlap with the rainy season, the Holy Sword Highway is a path with nothing on it.

As long as they don't stop by villages of the elves or dwarves then they should have arrived in Milishion.

After all, as expected there was no need for us to come looking.

Just as Paul had said in his message, he was alright.

The girl named Eris who was teleported along with him.

With her alongside he easily passed through the Magic Continent.

Even though normally there would have been somewhere they were unable to progress, extremely simply and easily.

Moreover, with a Superd race who made Roxy helplessly afraid as an ally.

"Roxy's disciple sure is excellent huh."

"Really. It's hard to imagine that he is Paul's son."

Elinalise and Talhand praised him while saying that.

Though Roxy was thinking whose disciple or whose son are unrelated.

Rudeus was a genius before she met him.

Even if she hadn't met with him, he most likely would have been able to do this much.

Putting that aside.

"What are we going to do from here on out?"

After hearing Elinalise, Roxy started thinking.

For the time being, she wasn't able to meet with Rudeus which was her objective.

However, he has most likely already arrived in Milishion.

She really wants to meet him, but she shouldn't mistake what her objective was.

"Let's search the Northwest area of the Magic Continent."

Rudeus was found, but the remaining three were still missing.

Along the way up until now, they'd found a number of refugees from Fedoa region.

Therefore, there should be some in the Northwestern area as well.

"Is it fine if you don't meet with your disciple?"

"I don't mind."

After Talhand asked that, Roxy shook her head.

For starters, now that she knows they passed by each other without even realizing it, she doesn't have the face to meet him.

She's already in a miserable state as his shisho.

"There are still plenty of towns on the Magic Continent. Just as we have until now, we'll go through each of them one by one."

The two exchanged glances and had a small laugh.

Roxy Migurudia's journey continues on.