Overlimit Skill Holder

Book 1: Chapter 31

「I have to go…」

I felt that the more time passed, the further Lark would get away from me. If she knew that I was safe and secure, there would be no more reason to stay over and protect me.

「Lark…!」

I pulled out my shirt and put it on. The shirt that Mimino-san patched together for me was tattered, but it was still wearable.

I heard the voices of Mimino-san and Non-san from the adjacent room. It might be due to 【Hearing Enhancement】. Both of them were in a bright tone, so Dante-san should be fine.

If I told them about going outside, there’s no doubt that they’d stop me. So, I used 【Sprinting Technique】 to erase my footsteps and went out — the sky was still dark, just before sunrise.

…Did I sleep for more than half a day? Thinking so makes me hungry, but there’s no time for that now.

I checked the area around the inn. Nobody was there. As I ran down the quiet street, I saw some people who seemed like they were going to the market to stock up. Although there was such a big incident yesterday, the city was trying to move on as usual today. It made me feel as though it was all just a bad dream.

But I realized it was not a dream, because the battle scene was just nearby.

The smell of smoke was still strong. Since most of the buildings were stone-made, it did not grow into a large fire, but there were certainly numerous buildings that were burnt black in the vicinity.

As I approached the battle scene – as I walked through the street I tried to escape once, my heart started beating faster and faster.

Lark was at the battle. There’s no doubt about that. But the battle took place yesterday, so it was unlikely that Lark would be there anymore — but there was no other place to look.

A soldier stood nearby, stifling a yawn. Most probably a security guard posted at the battle site where the “Skill Administration Bureau” building collapsed, as there might still be unrecovered skill orbs.

However, since he was standing alone, I could slip through easily. I erased my footsteps and slipped past the guard while hiding in the shadows.

「Ah…」

As soon as I turned the corner, it was the battle site. Still smoldering white smoke rose from within the debris, and the scent of burnt meat mixed in the air was nauseating.

…Endure, endure.

I looked around. But — as I suspected, Lark was nowhere to be found.

「No good…」

There was no dragon’s corpse, nor Raikira-san or Crysta’s body. They were probably carried out.

I walked towards the spot drenched in a large amount of blood, guessing that was where the dragon died.

「Hmm…」

At that moment, one piece of stone caught my attention. It was about the size of a roof tile and it was flat. The other debris was covered in blood, but that stone alone was on top of the blood.

As I lifted and turned it over – I saw letters carved onto the stone.

『Someday Somewhere』

It was too short and badly written.

Which reminded me, whenever I asked old man Hinga to teach us a few letters, she would almost never follow along, saying that she hates studying.

「Lark… You were here, after all…」

My chest tightened and my eyes were about to start gushing out tears. But I stopped myself.

…I must not cry.

I rejected the helping hand she gave me. It would be too selfish of me if I cried thinking of Lark despite that.

…I understand, Lark.

…I’ll see you someday somewhere. We two are siblings, after all.

「–So the possessor of the 6-star skill was here?」

At that time, my ears caught someone’s voice.

Startled, I looked around and hid in the shadows.

Then, several soldiers and a person who seemed to be a superior walked to the battle site.

「It seems to be true. It was a black sword skill that no one had ever seen before. I think it’s the same skill used against the mine chief after the death of His Excellency.」

…They’re talking about Lark. Are they looking for her? Since 6-stars is such a rare skill?

「Hmm… None of the mine soldiers survived, and there was not much else reported from the mine.」

「They must have reported considering the priority of the information. No, or perhaps, the impact of the skill must have been that shocking…」

「That’s quite possible. And the eyewitness report that came up from the castle gate yesterday… Was there really a black-haired, black-eyed slave?」

「Yes. It seems that he was allowed to pass because he was an adventurer’s slave. According to the record of mine slaves, there were only two child slaves. The slave who now possesses the 6-star, “Lark”, and a black-haired black-eyed slave, “Unnamed”. It is entirely possible that the two would be together after the escape.」

My heart was beating fast and loud.

…So, they have already researched to that point.

「–Okay. First of all, search the city. A thorough search for any traces of slaves. I will talk to the Adventurer’s Guild and ask about the black-haired, black-eyed slave.」

…This is bad. It’s only a matter of time before they reach Silver Balance once they’ve checked with the guild. I changed my hair color, but my eyes are still black. And they can easily find out that I dyed my hair.

(…I can’t be a burden to them.)

If I tell them the whole truth about my circumstances, they would most likely say, “Let’s escape together”. But Dante-san is seriously injured and shouldn’t be moving around.

…If I am to escape, it should be today. Before the entry and exit of the city is blocked.

When I started walking with the intention to escape, I saw a cut-off, expensive piece of cloth in the corner of my field of vision. I immediately knew that it was part of Crysta’s cloak, but what caught my attention more was… the gleaming silver light concealed by the cloth.

「Is that…?!」

I noticed, as I drew closer.

…Crysta had his upper body torn off and sent flying. I suppose this was also torn and sent flying together.

The mithril-rank adventurer’s registration card reflected the dawn sky while maintaining a deep silver color.

(This is the last material…!)

I didn’t know which street I took or how fast I walked, but by the time I realized, I was back in the inn. The adventurer’s card I had in my hand was sticky due to my palm sweat, and I shoved it into my pocket, afraid that someone might see.

I returned to my room and found that no one was there. I placed the adventurer’s card on the table, while worried that Mimino-san wasn’t there.

『Adventurer’s Guild : Issued by Adventurer’s Guild in Keith Gran Federation Geffert Kingdom Royal Capital

Name: Crysta-La-Crysta

Rank: Mithril

Party:-

This registration card is to prove the affiliation of the above-named person to the Adventurer’s Guild. In addition, the above-named person should be allowed to pass without delay or hindrance into the country or territory in subject.』

It was so carved on the surface of the plate. Perhaps mithril was special, as the letters radiated a slight blue colour.

Looking at the words, it’s almost like a passport.

…Well, since adventurers move around a lot, I guess it’s a necessary validity?

Since the country manages the distribution of Mithril itself, I’m sure the Mithril used in this guild registration card should not be taken without permission.

However, I just took it.

–The leaves which look like autumn leaves and the tip is further divided into five. (Leaf of Life Tree)

–A deep silver metal. (Mithril)

–A squirming earthworm-like creature. (White earthworm)

This was the last material.

「Let’s see… white earthworms, white earthworms…」

I found my tool bag at the same place where my shirt was placed. The tool bag was also tattered but it was still usable. I took out the leather bag that contained the leaf of life tree and the white earthworms.

「Hmm…?」

When I opened the bag, I saw sticky strings stretched inside. According to 【World Ruler】, this seemed to be the mucus spit out by the white earthworms that ate the leaf of the life tree.

…Gross.

However, it was not something I could complain about, and there seems to be no problem according to World Ruler-sama. So I placed the guild registration card on the table and turned the leather bag upside down — And a sticky lump fell from inside on the registration card at a slow speed.

「Wha?」

When it came into contact with one part of the Mithril, that part turned black and spread to the entire Mithril.

「I-Is this all right…? Hmm, seems to be so…」

According to 【World Ruler】, this very thing was the medicine. I gained conviction that it was the medicine to cure Dante-san’s petrification.

「………」

I slowly reached for the registration card. When I touched it, what was supposed to be metal, was as soft as a wet cardboard, and it was wrapped with sticky stickiness. The number one worst sushi roll in the world was complete. Well, you don’t really have to eat it, though.

…Mithril really is a fantasy element, huh. I’m not even sure if it’s a metal or not anymore.

I knocked on the adjacent room, but there was no reply. When I opened the unlocked door, I was greeted by a stinging odor of medicine. Lying on the couch, Non-san was covered in a thin blanket, and was in deep sleep.

And on the bed, laid Dante-san, who was heavily bandaged.