part2 · 095-ep95

Episode 95: The Value of Magic Stones

The next morning.

Mizuki was getting ready to go out. Today she was headed to the adventurers' guild to take a request for 《Astra》.

"Ren, I'm going to the guild today, okay?"

"...The guild?"

Ren lifted his face from his smartphone.

"Yeah. The adventurers' guild I told you about yesterday. Today's the day I take a request for 《Astra》."

"...I see."

Ren looked at Mizuki for a moment.

"...How long?"

"Huh?"

"...Until you come back."

"Ah."

Mizuki thought for a moment.

"Probably around evening, I think."

"...Evening."

"Yeah."

Ren gave a small nod.

"...Got it."

Mizuki headed for the entryway. Ren watched her back for a while.

For ten years. Ren had never had a life where someone went out and came back again.

Maybe that was why. Mizuki leaving the house bothered him, just a little.

"Well then, I'm off."

Mizuki turned around.

"...Yeah."

"You can enjoy your game, okay?"

"...Got it."

"I'll be back by evening."

"...Yeah."

Mizuki smiled.

"Well then, I'm off."

"...Take care."

The door closed.

Ren stared at the entryway for a while.

"...Evening."

He murmured quietly. And then, he went back to the sofa.

He picked up his smartphone. On the screen was displayed the game he'd been playing since yesterday.

"...One more."

Ren started playing the game.

　　　　　◇

Meanwhile.

Mizuki was on her way to the adventurers' guild. Today was the day she took a request as 《Astra》.

When she arrived at the guild, as usual, many adventurers were coming and going.

"Good morning."

"Good morning, Kanzaki-san."

The reception clerk greeted her with a smile.

"Here to take a request again today?"

"Yes. I was thinking of looking for something for Astra to take on."

"Understood."

The reception clerk checked the request list. Mizuki, too, turned her eyes to the posted requests.

Monster slaying. Escort. Material gathering. Dungeon clearing.

Today too, all sorts of requests were lined up.

After checking a few, Mizuki picked a request that seemed to suit 《Astra》.

"This one, please."

"Yes. Certainly."

She finished the request paperwork.

And then—

Mizuki put her hand in her pocket. A hard sensation met her fingertips.

"......"

What she took out was the magic stone she'd been entrusted with by Ren yesterday.

Yesterday. She'd been shown the massive number of magic stones. From among them, the one Mizuki had picked out and brought along.

"...I'll have this checked too."

Mizuki turned back to the reception desk.

"Excuse me."

"Yes?"

"Could you buy this magic stone from me?"

Mizuki held out the magic stone.

"Yes. Of course."

The clerk took it.

And then—

"......"

The clerk's expression froze.

"What's wrong?"

"...Please wait a moment."

The clerk left for the back, still holding the magic stone. Mizuki watched the retreating figure.

After a while. One clerk returned.

"I'd like to examine this magic stone."

"Please do."

Apparently the specialist appraiser. The clerk took out a dedicated appraisal device.

Placing the magic stone on a stand.

"......"

Measuring its magic. Checking the displayed result.

And then—

"...Huh?"

The appraiser's brow twitched.

"What's wrong?"

"The magic content value is..."

He stared at the screen. But there, the value that should have been displayed was not there.

"...It's not displaying."

"Huh?"

He performed the appraisal once more.

"......"

The result was the same.

"Magic purity too..."

Not displayed.

The appraiser checked by another method.

Even so—

"......"

Nothing displayed.

"Appraisal level insufficient."

The text displayed on the machine.

"......"

The clerk's face stiffened.

"Something like this..."

"Is something the matter?"

"...No."

The clerk stared at the magic stone.

"This is... strange."

"Strange?"

"Yes."

The clerk checked the appraisal device once more.

"Normally, both magic content and magic purity can be confirmed."

"......"

"But this magic stone..."

The words wouldn't continue.

Mizuki silently looked at the magic stone.

Yesterday. The abnormality she herself had felt.

Now, it was about to be proven by the guild's specialists.

"...I'll check once more with a different appraisal device."

"Yes."

Another device was prepared. The appraisal was performed again.

However—

"......"

The result didn't change.

"...It's the same."

The appraiser murmured.

"Magic content... unmeasurable."

"Magic purity, too... unmeasurable."

"Appraisal level insufficient..."

A stir spread among the clerks.

"Has anything like this... ever happened before?"

"Never."

"I've never seen it either."

"And to begin with, an insufficient appraisal level, of all things..."

Listening to those voices, Mizuki stood quietly.

Before long. One clerk turned to Mizuki.

"Kanzaki-san."

"Yes."

"Where did you get this magic stone?"

Mizuki was silent for a moment.

And then—

"...It's something I was entrusted with by an acquaintance."

"By an acquaintance?"

"Yes. They asked me to come and sell it for them."

"Do you know where it was obtained?"

"...I haven't asked for the details."

"I see..."

The clerk didn't press further.

Only—

He couldn't take his eyes off the magic stone.

After that, the appraisal continued. Several clerks checked it.

But. Not one of them could produce a normal value.

And then—

"What happened here?"

A low voice rang out. The air in the guild changed.

"Branch Chief..."

A man walked over. It was the branch chief.

"This magic stone?"

"Yes."

The appraiser held out the magic stone. The branch chief took it.

"......"

He looked at it in silence for a while.

And then—

"《Appraisal》"

He activated his own appraisal skill.

The branch chief's appraisal skill was—

Level 5.

Generally, a level called first-rate.

A magic stone's magic content. Magic purity. Material quality.

Normally, he could read even fairly detailed information.

However—

"......"

He could see nothing.

"...?"

The branch chief's brow moved slightly. He focused his attention on the magic stone once more.

"《Appraisal》"

Even so—

The result didn't change.

"......"

The branch chief's expression changed.

"...I can't see it."

"Yes."

The appraiser nodded.

"Me neither. Neither magic content nor magic purity displays."

"......"

The branch chief stared at the magic stone.

Appraisal skill Lv.5. That was by no means a low level. Generally, an appraisal ability enough to be called first-rate.

Even so. He couldn't read this magic stone's information.

"...Even my Appraisal can't see it, huh."

At that murmur, the surrounding clerks drew in their breath.

Even the branch chief—

couldn't appraise this magic stone.

"...This is."

The branch chief stared at the magic stone for a while.

"This isn't something to be treated as an ordinary magic stone."

"......"

"By ordinary standards, its value can't be determined."

Mizuki listened in silence.

"I'll report this to the higher-ups."

"Yes."

"Gather people with higher appraisal skills."

"Understood."

"Then we'll investigate it again."

The branch chief looked at Mizuki.

"Kanzaki-san."

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, but could you wait a little on the purchase of this magic stone?"

"...Understood."

"It can't be judged by ordinary assessment."

"Yes."

"Once we've investigated it in detail, please let us discuss the purchase again."

"Understood."

Mizuki nodded quietly.

　　　　　◇

After leaving the guild.

Mizuki was walking alone.

"......"

Yesterday. The massive number of magic stones Ren had brought out. One of them.

Even just that one, the guild's specialists couldn't appraise.

Magic content. Magic purity.

Both of them—

Unmeasurable.

The appraisal level wasn't enough.

Something like that had never once happened before.

And then—

Only one person came to Mizuki's mind.

"...Ren."

Until yesterday. Mizuki had thought.

Maybe. Perhaps Ren was Unknown.

But—

Now it was different.

That magic stone. And the Ancient Dragon's magic stone. Ren, who had been in the dungeon for ten years.

And that Ren—

held magic stones like those as if they were nothing.

"......"

Mizuki closed her eyes.

"...Just as I thought."

Within her chest, the conviction grew stronger.

That Ren—

was Unknown.

But. She had no intention of telling anyone that.

Ren had finally come back. He'd kept fighting for ten years.

Precisely because of that.

From now on—

she wanted him to live normally.

"...I won't tell anyone."

Mizuki murmured softly.

　　　　　◇

Around that time.

Ren was at home.

"......"

Sitting on the sofa, holding the smartphone in both hands. Inside the screen, characters were waging a fierce battle.

"......"

Ren's eyes were serious.

An enemy appears. He attacks. He dodges.

And then—

"...Alright."

Victory.

"...One more."

He advanced to the next stage.

After a while—

He looked at the clock.

"...?"

"...It's already noon, huh."

Before he knew it, quite a lot of time had passed.

He made a quick lunch.

And then—

"...One more."

He started the game again.

　　　　　◇

Afternoon.

Ren had been playing the game the whole time.

For ten years. He'd been almost entirely removed from anything like entertainment.

That was why—

Just playing a game. Even that alone was purely fun.

"...It's fun."

He murmured softly. And then, he looked at the screen again.

The time passed in the blink of an eye.

　　　　　◇

Evening.

The front door opened.

"I'm home."

"...Welcome home."

Mizuki entered the room.

Then—

"......"

Ren was sitting on the sofa in almost the same posture as in the morning. Gripping his smartphone.

"...Have you been at it the whole time?"

"...Yeah."

Mizuki gave a wry smile.

"Since morning?"

"...Yeah."

"And lunch?"

"...I ate."

"I see."

Mizuki set down her things.

"Was it fun?"

"...Yeah."

Ren didn't take his eyes off the screen.

"...It was fun."

"Good."

Mizuki smiled.

"How was your day?"

Ren thought for a moment.

Morning. He saw Mizuki off. After that, he started playing the game.

Before he knew it, it was noon. He ate lunch. Played the game again.

And then—

Mizuki came home.

"...The day went fast."

"Huh?"

"...While I was playing the game, it was over in no time."

Mizuki narrowed her eyes.

"I see."

"...Yeah."

Ren looked at his smartphone.

"...It was fun."

"Then I'm glad."

Mizuki smiled.

And then—

"...That reminds me."

"...?"

"About that magic stone from yesterday."

"...Did it sell?"

"Well, about that."

Mizuki smiled with a slightly troubled look.

"They haven't bought it from me yet."

"...Is that so?"

"Yeah."

"It seems the magic stone's quality is too good, so it couldn't be examined by ordinary appraisal."

"......"

"Right now, the guild's upper management is going to investigate it in detail."

"...Upper management?"

"Yeah."

"They said they need to gather people with higher appraisal levels and investigate it in detail."

"......"

"So they want me to wait a little longer on the purchase."

"...Got it."

Ren nodded, showing no particular concern.

"...Yeah."

Mizuki looked at that Ren.

Magic stones like these. And Ren had handed them over like they were nothing.

And even now. He didn't care just how extraordinary his own magic stones were.

Mizuki let out a small breath.

"...You really are amazing, huh."

"...?"

"No. It's nothing."

"...I see."

Ren returned his gaze to the smartphone again.

"...One more."

Mizuki looked at that Ren and smiled.

For ten years. Ren, who had known nothing but fighting.

That Ren, now—

was absorbed in a game.

Just that alone. Was enough for Mizuki.