Chapter 389 – To face forward!

After the purifying light homunculus disappears, the body of the Weakest Seventh seat on the ground slowly crumbles and turns to dust.

And the cold wind blowing takes even that away.

But this also reveals a magic stone, the only proof that the Weakest Seventh Seat once existed.

The magic stone that looks like a transparent crystal ball rolls slowly on the ground, and ends up near Ahri.

Ahri pulls back her spear, and picks up the magic stone while not letting her guard down one bit.

“Master Rust, here.”

Ahri hands me the magic stone in a very matter of fact way.
Her expression seems stiff too.

“No, it’s yours.”

“I shouldn’t have this.”

Ahri says, sounding stubborn.

It looks like Ahri is back to being herself quite a bit, but…

“As a hero who killed a demon, you have the right to take this.”

“That’s not… I am not worthy.
And by the time I killed it, the demon was nothing more than a puppet of that homunculus, wasn’t it? You killed the homunculus, so you should have it.”

Ahri walks over to me and pushes the magic stone against me.

But I raise both hands and refuse to take it.

“You’re definitely worth it.
I told you on the way here too, but you do a great job.”

I continue, while thinking back to when I quit the alchemist association and went to work for Kalin.

“I believe people can work to get something back if they lost it.
Of course, the thing itself might not come back, but isn’t it fine if they get something else in return?”

My voice then becomes lighter.

“And I can’t take it either.
I didn’t even kill the homunculus, it was Aroma Vine.
Look, Seilook is here to get us.
It’s cold and we have no business here anymore, so let’s go back.”

“Ahh… Give me a break.
Aroma Vine is your transmuted beast and…”

I turn and get on top of Seilook without taking the magic stone.

“Geez… All right then.
I will hold on to it for now…”

“Yes.
We can leave the decision to Kalin too if you’re not satisfied.
You’d be happy with that, right?”

I propose a compromise just before Ahri gets on top of Seilook too, but behind me.

I feel her grabbing my clothes, and then something hard hitting my back.

“Thank you, Master Rust.”

Whispers Ahri quietly, with her forehead on my back.
I don’t know how to respond.

I honestly don’t think I’ve really done anything worth thanking.

“Yes.”

Is all I say.

And then Seilook takes off, and we fly in silence.