This phrase appeared after the system called Brushel was mentioned. Of course, since Lyla had copied down the engravings on the burial site bit by bit, they were missing some words in between. However, the spaces between the missing words were short, and it seemed fully reasonable to think that the phrase was talking about the Brushel System.
“Do you think that phrase is talking about the limits to the regressions?”
“Yeah,” Lyla said. Zich looked at the writings again.
“With just this, it’s hard to tell what this limit is.”
“That’s true. We don’t know if there’s a limit in the number of times you can regress, such as if the regressor undergoes some changes, if it leaves some kind of effect on the world, or if it has a completely different side effect.”
“That side effect could be me regressing instead of Glen Zenard.”
“That could also be a possibility.”
“Hm.” Zich stared at the words that seemed to warn about the limits of regressing and turned his gaze towards the words “Brushel System”.
‘So, is this the name of the thing that causes regression?’ They had simply found out the system’s name and didn’t know what the system exactly was. Yet, one thing came to Zich’s mind with the word, “system.”
“Lyla, you know the Brushel System…when I first met you, the guys chasing after you called—”
“They called me the Core.” As if she had already thought of it, Lyla cut him off. Her voice didn’t sound pleased; it was understandable since she had to contemplate being part of a mysterious system.
“Like the monster made out of lumps of meat we saw before and the way those guys called you the ‘Core’, it seems like your past isn’t ordinary by any means.”
Although she tried to act indifferent, Lyla couldn’t help but feel down. “If I am really part of a system that causes regression, then the knowledge I have might not simply be possibilities of the future.”
“Are you saying they are memories of the multiple times you regressed?”
“There’s a high possibility,” she said and bit her lips. Zich could clearly read the thoughts on her face.
“Don’t worry.” As she tried to clear the indescribable gloomy feelings that seemed to dampen her mood, she heard Zich say, “No matter who you are, you’ll just be my companion, Lyla.”
Lyla stared at Zich.
“You know I don’t care that much about what kind of person someone is, right?”
“…Yeah, I know that well.”
“Before the regression, I was the guy who hung out with all kinds of Demon People. What you are doesn’t matter to me.”
“…Ah, haha! That’s true,” Lyla chuckled softly. “Aren’t you so nice, Zich? Did you become nicer?”
“Well, aren’t I supposed to be a kind person? This much is nothing,” Zich snorted. He said this because his thoughts for his companions had become bigger after Tim Platt’s death.
Without erasing the smile on her face, Lyla replied, “Wait, so since you regressed, you must have lived much longer than how you look. Doesn’t that mean you are much older than me? Should I start using honorifics for you now?”
“No need. It’s not like I’m the type of person who follows the rules of hierarchy strictly. Moreover, I wouldn’t be happy to hear honorifics suddenly from you. It would actually scare me.”
“Yeah, I mean, if I think about it, I don’t even know how old I am either. Who knows? I might have lived a really long time.”
“Should I start calling you grandma now?”
“Don’t you dare.” Lyla gripped her fist and shook it.
“Okay, so is this about everything we got from the translation?” Zich scanned the translations that were filled with the past achievements of Clowon’s emperors that he wasn’t even interested in.
“We didn’t gain much.”
“Yeah. What do we do now?”
Although it was good that they had decided to earnestly uncover Clowon’s identity, they couldn’t think of the next course of action. After all, they had placed a lot of hope in Clowon’s writings but it didn’t give them much besides the Brushel System and the limits of regression.
“Do you want to go to the Violuwin’s cemetery again? If we decipher all the writings there, we might be able to find a clue.”
“Hm…” Zich stroked his chin at Lyla’s suggestion.
It wasn’t a bad suggestion; although most of the engravings there were probably about the achievements of Clowon’s emperors, there could be other writings that could lead to more clues.
“The problem is those shadows and the statues.” They were also the reason why they had failed to copy down all the engravings there.
“How is it, Zich? Do you think you can handle them?”
“I might be able to kill off the shadows, but the shadows are still too much to handle.”
“Then let’s leave that method as our worst-case scenario. It’s too dangerous.”
However, they couldn’t think of another method besides that. Zich and Lyla both fell into contemplation, and a deep silence circled around the room.
“…Shootuol.”
“Huh?”
Lyla responded to word that came out of Zich’s mouth, “Shootuol? What’s that?”
“It’s the name of a city. A pretty big city.”
“Why are you suddenly bringing up the name of a city? Do you think there’d be a clue about Clowon there?” Lyla asked expectedly, and Zich wondered how he should explain this. Truthfully, he was hesitant to bring this matter up. Shootuol was the city that came up in his extremely chilling dream he had from time to time about the ‘justful Zich.’
‘They said it was a city that a Demon Lord swept away.’
Zich thought the dreams he had might have some meanings, but at the same time, he thought they could also simply be nightmares he had after hearing about the future with the hero Zich from Lyla.
“Zich?”
At Lyla’s call, Zich shook his thoughts away.
“Ah, to tell you the truth, it might not make any sense.”
“Just tell me first. The things we’ve endured and heard until now don’t make much sense anyway. It’s fine if they are trivial. What we need right now is any sort of clue.”
“Okay.” Zich told her a dream he had and told her the conversation that the very just and honorable Zich from his dreams had with his other companions.
“You were having dreams like that?”
“Yeah, at first I thought they were just some disgusting, stupid dreams. But these days, I am starting to think that they might mean something.
“Shootuol. Shootuol…” Lyla repeated the name a couple of times.
“Does the name ring a bell somewhere?”
“No, it doesn’t.” Lyla shook her head pitifully. “I am curious though. Maybe your regression awakened some of your memories of Zich Brave.”
“Ah, damn it!”
“Why? Is it because of the last name, Brave?” Lyla smirked. She was clearly teasing him, but Zich couldn’t refute her. To Zich, the existence of Zich Brave was truly his archnemesis.
“You said Shootoul is the city that fell under a Demon Lord, right?”
“Yeah, that’s what I heard in my dream.”
“A Demon Lord during the time of Zich Brave, huh?” Zich had already told Lyla the description of the Demon Lord he heard from his dream, including the Demon Lord’s abilities and exterior appearance. He also confessed to her the inkling suspicion he had.
“So, you are saying the Demon Lord could be me?”
“At least from the descriptions of the Demon Lord I heard from my dream, you are the only one who fits them perfectly. Among all the figures called the Demon Lord I knew from before the regression, there was no one with such characteristics.”
“If your suspicions are correct, that’s the first clue we have about my past.” Lyla made a complex expression. Although she had imagined all kinds of things about her past, she didn’t expect to hear the title of Demon Lord, especially as the one who antagonized Zich Brave during his time.
“Well, we will become more certain as we find more clues,” Lyla said after a deep sigh.
“You are calmer than I expected you to be.”
“I am surprised. Very.”
“Isn’t your response too bland for that?”
“I know I don’t really express it, but do you realize how much I think about my past? Among the thoughts I have, they are plenty that is absolutely mortifying. A Demon Lord is nothing compared to those.” Besides, Lyla also had another reason. “Moreover, weren’t you also called the Demon Lord? And I see how well you are living right now. Considering that, I don’t think it would matter that much that I used to be the Demon Lord too.”
“That’s a relief to hear.”
“Like you said, let’s head to Shootuol. We don’t have any clues besides Violuwin’s burial site anyways.”
Like that, the group’s next destination was decided. After finishing this serious conversation, Lyla looked at Zich with a sparkle in her eyes. “Can you tell me more about those dreams you have been having? What kind of guy was Zich Brave? I mean, even his companions were different from the ones you have right now.”
“Ah, damn it! Why are you curious about something like that?” Zich shivered, but Lyla was stubborn.
“There could be a clue about Clowon in those dreams. It’s not just because I’m curious. I am asking you because it’s necessary to uncover Clowon’s identity.”
“You can’t fool me.”
“Whatever it is, can’t you just tell me? Who did you say was among your companions? I am sure I heard the Saint was in there.”
“Why don’t you rummage through your memories? I thought you had memories of the time I used to be a hero.”
“Why would I ask you if I remember it? I am asking you because I can’t remember it properly.”
“Ah, just quit it. Those guys don’t have any connection to Clowon. I can bet on it.”
Even afterward, Lyla persistently bothered Zich with questions about the dreams. He evaded these questions, but after some bickering, Zich had no choice but to tell Lyla the companions he saw in his dreams.
* * *
After making the decision to head to Shootuol, Zich and his companions moved without delay. The reason why they had stayed in Janmapli for so long was to give Lyla time to decipher Clowon’s writings in the first place, so now they no longer had a reason to stay in the city. After sending a message to Joachim and Evelyn that they were leaving, they packed their luggage.
Although their difficult training and travel would commence again, Hans and Snoc had no complaints. While Zich was gone, the two enjoyed a very comfortable rest at Janmapli and were now even getting a bit bored by the inaction. Elena had also made significant progress in her recovery after what had happened with her grandfather and father. Thus, the next day, Zich and his crew headed outside of Janmalpi’s castle walls.
“When can I meet you again, Sir Zich?” Joachim asked as he had come to greet them off. Evelyn stood closely beside him.
“I’m not sure. We kind of wander around everywhere without staying in one specific place, so I can’t give you a clear answer. Maybe we will meet again if fate allows it.”
“Haha! I hope that’s the case.” Joachim laughed heartily and bowed his head. “I received a truly big favor from you Sir Zich. I want to thank you again.”
“I also want to thank you too,” Evelyn also bowed her head.
“When are you planning to send someone to the Rouge family?” Zich asked.
“We’ve already sent someone. I don’t know how they’ll respond to the news, but I don’t expect it to be positive. However, we won’t give up after seeing a possibility.” Joachim and Evelyn smiled while looking at each other. Their tightly clenched hands seem to display their love.
“I know I’ve said it before, but I sincerely wish for you both to be happy.”
“We will be happy.”
The two shook hands. After the rest of the group bid their farewells, Zich’s party left Janmali. Evelyn and Joachim watched their backs until they disappeared out of view; and like that, Zich’s party headed towards their new destination: Shootuol.