Volume 17 Chapter 4 [Magic Bullet] And [Stop] And [Exploration]
The 'Magic Carriage' was moving at a rapid pace.
It was about 5 times faster than a normal carriage, but it hardly shook at all.
"Hey, Lisa. Can I ask you something?"
Jig looked at her.
Lisa glanced away, avoiding eye contact, from the base of his neck.
"What's 'The Heart of the Stars' anyway?"
"Huh, didn't you know that?! It's way too late to ask now!"
Lisa's face showed surprise.
"No, I just want to confirm. I roughly understand it, anyway."
"That's just an excuse! Otsu!"
"I'm not making excuses. And what's with the 'otsu'?"
"It's a way of saying 'good job' in my hometown. It was popular there."
Her hometown was a small island nation located east of this continent.
It had its own unique culture and was rich in its own expressions.
"That trend is about 20 years outdated, isn't it?"
The woman sitting across from the two of them, with a somewhat drawn-out tone, said.
She had long, bright red-purple hair and a large eye patch that covered the center of her face.
Mary Anne Anneroze.
She was the woman who held the [Exploration]'s 'Relic Holder'.
"Well, it can't be helped if it's outdated. Lisa's actual age is 3――."
"Waa! Waa! No making fun of my age ."
Jig was about to say something, but Lisa hastily interrupted.
"...Is it really that big of a deal?"
"Yes, it is."
Lisa glared at Jig with a sharp gaze.
"I'm Lisa-chan, 13 years old! I'm a cute and lovely beauty, just like I look! See, I'm cute! Lisa is very cute!"
Lisa ended up forcefully asserting herself.
"Thirteen... well, you do look that way, though."
After muttering, a fleeting sad light appeared in his eyes, which Lisa didn't miss.
"Hmm, are you more of an adult than I thought, Lisa?"
Mary Anne asked with a curious tone.
"Can I ask you one thing, Mary Anne?"
Jig said, trying to divert the conversation from the suspicious question.
"Go ahead, ask anything~."
"Why didn't you go ahead alone?"
Jig looked straight at Mary Anne.
He was on his guard.
(Well, I'm on my guard too, for that matter)
The 'Relic Holders' each had their own intentions, and were temporarily cooperating, but ultimately, they were destined to become enemies.
Lisa trusted only Jig, her partner from way back.
"I'm weak, so I can't reach the deepest part of 'The Heart of the Stars' on my own. At best, I can only make it to the second floor or so~."
Mary Anne said in a carefree tone.
"That's why I'm using you guys."
"You're saying you're using us straight out?"
"I guess I said it a bit too directly? I'll just manipulate you to my advantage, and in the end, I'll be the one to benefit, yeah~."
"No, it's even more direct than that――"
"Well, if you put it that way, I suppose I can trust you."
Lisa forced a laugh.
But she didn't trust Mary Anne completely.
Mary Anne had called herself 'weak', but Lisa thought that was suspicious too.
Her 'Relic Holder', [Exploration], had the power to search for and uncover the truth.
But just how far did that power extend?
Lisa was on her guard, thinking she couldn't let her guard down.
...But for now, she felt it was okay to join forces with Mary Anne.
"We'll use each other, and advance together~. And when we reach the final floor of 'The Heart of the Stars', we can compete freely then~."
"Indeed, yeah."
Jig nodded.
"After all, I couldn't reach that far on my own. So, let's cooperate for now――even Goldred and the others started out with that intention, didn't they?"
"But Jig, if we stay together for too long, we won't be able to surpass him, yeah~. We need to cut ties somewhere and move forward. Hehehehe."
Mary Anne smiled.
"And I have one thing to ask you 2."
Mary Anne gazed at Lisa and Jig through her eye patch.
"Why are you guys holding hands~? Especially you, Lisa――isn't Jig just a 'tool' to you?"
"...what's that supposed to mean."
Lisa glared at Mary Anne without thinking.
She looked completely calm.
"You're the one who 'created' Jig, Lisa, right? Like a parent... or a god, maybe."
"Jig and I are..."
Lisa looked down.
"Jig and I are――."
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