Chapter 128: Reunion

「Hey, Fitis, is there something over there? 」

「No, there’s nothing here that could lead to Kyou’s whereabouts…how about you, Lily? 」

「…I can’t find anything either. No leads. 」

A few days have passed since then.

Lily, Fitis, Shin, and Kyou’s other companions had been searching all over the desert to find Kyou, who had gone missing.

However, they still hadn’t found his whereabouts, and the group was walking around the scorching hot desert where the horizon was visible.

「I knew it, because searching for someone in the desert is like grasping the clouds…」

「But that doesn’t mean we should give up. If you’re tired, you can go back first. 」

「Don’t joke, Miss Lily. Would I be a good partner if I can’t help you at a time like this? 」

Even Jack, a monster, couldn’t hide his tiredness from the search under the scorching sun.

But even so, the group continued their search without stopping for the past few days.

「…I guess it’s better to think of some clue rather than just searching around aimlessly. 」

That was Fitis’ impression, who had been searching for the past few days, but everyone there had a vague feeling that it was the same.

However, unable to find any clues, the group was at a dead end.

Just as they were beginning to worry about what to do next…

「…Papa. 」

Suddenly, Rock, who was standing at Lily’s feet, muttered something.

「What’s wrong, Rock? 」

「I can…feel Papa’s presence…」

Everyone there, including Lily, reacted to Rock’s words.

「What does that mean, Rock-chan? Does it mean Lord Kyou is nearby? 」

「I don’t know…but I can feel Papa’s presence more than before…He’s not close, but I can tell he’s closer than before…」

That was the only clue they had found so far, and Lily jumped on it and suggested.

「Then, we should rely on your senses and search! 」

「It may take time, but it may increase our chances of finding him. 」

Shin nodded.

Following suit, the group got on the Kobuda they had brought with them and started searching in the desert, but Rock shook his head.

「…No. I think there’s a faster way…than that. 」

「What? 」

As Lily questioned, Rock grabbed the hem of her skirt and declared.

「I’m going to Papa now! 」

—

「What do you mean…no? 」

The Manticore remained silent in response to my question.

Finally, the words that came out of its mouth were the same as before.

「No. That child will stay here. 」

The Manticore stubbornly told me those words.

But there was a sense of impatience and fear in its eyes. And I could see anxiety.

「Are you…perhaps…lonely? 」

「…」

The Manticore didn’t answer my question.

But in this case, its silence said it all.

「I see. 」

Muttering, I looked at the face of the boy who was still lying on the ground again.

Certainly, it was true now that I thought about it.

This Manticore had lost the child he had with his wife.

Not only that, but it also lost his wife who it had been with for many years.

The only one left was this boy.

Even if the child was a human and not related by blood, the only family the Manticore had left was this child.

If this child were to disappear, the Manticore would be truly alone.

It must have thought that it would be impossible to bear that fear.

Maybe that was why it had asked me to kidnap the boy and save him.

「…But this child won’t be saved if things stay like this. In order to improve his condition, wouldn’t it be better to return him to his family? 」

「…」

Honestly, I thought that was a bit of an exaggeration.

Still, the chances of the child getting better if he stayed here were low.

If that were the case, then I should take him back…yes to where his real family was, even if only for a moment.

Or perhaps Shin…his sister…would come here.

That was what I wished for at that moment.

「…! Wha…what’s that!? 」

「…!? A light is coming from that space…! 」

A light flashed through the space between me and the Manticore, and the air shifted, and in the next moment, someone appeared as if splitting the dimensions.

No, it wasn’t someone. It was my friends that appeared.

「…Papa! 」

「Rock! 」

Rock hugged me as soon as she appeared.

The people on either side of Rock noticed me and smiled.

「I finally found you. We got so worried about you. 」

「Kyou-san, I’m sorry I took so long to find you, but I’m glad you’re safe. 」

「Lily! And Shin. 」

I sighed in relief after seeing the two of them.

It had been a while since I had seen Lily like this, so seeing her made me feel relieved.

「Did Rock use her teleportation to find out where I was? 」

「Yes, that’s right. Rock sensed your presence and used that to teleport. However, it seems that the others can’t teleport unless they’re held onto by Rock, so that’s why Shin and I came along with her. 」

I see. That was what I thought.

When we went to Earth before, my dad said that Semargul’s ability was to travel through time and space, so it wasn’t surprising that Rock, who inherited his blood, could do the same.

In fact, Rock had used that ability during the battle with the Emperor.

「…More importantly. 」

Looking over, Lily and Shin, who had teleported here, noticed the Manticore behind them and aimed their weapons at it.

But as soon as I saw that, I immediately stepped forward to stop them.

「Wa…Wait a second! 」

「Why…Why are you getting in the way, Kyou? 」

Lily was shocked when she saw me suddenly jump out in front of them.

But I had to explain this properly.

「You two, listen. This Manticore isn’t trying to hurt me. It did kidnap me, but it was to help the boy lying over there. 」

As I said this, I pointed to the boy lying in the back of the cave.

Lily and Shin saw it. Shin in particular showed a reaction I had never seen before.

「No way…」

Muttering in disbelief, Shin approached the boy who was still lying there, clutching her hand and calling out to him.

「No way…you’re really…Shin. Are you Shin!? 」

That should’ve been her name, but thinking about it carefully, I realized that it wasn’t the real name of the girl in front of me.

The girl in front of me was the person who took the place of her dead brother.

If that’s the case, then the name isn’t her own, but that of her supposedly dead younger brother.

If that was the case, then Shin’s real name must be something else. The name she was given as a woman, as an older sister.

As I was thinking like that…

The blonde boy who hadn’t shown any signs of opening his eyes up until now…the real Shin… opened his eyes as if drawn by the voice calling his name and called the name of the girl reflected there who looked exactly like him.

「…Sister…Alisha…? 」

That was the real name of the girl who had been using the false name of Shin up until now.

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