One adventure ends, another begins

Leila Vergious ❃ Y-rank ❃ Silver Wolf

Cedar was quite a beautiful town. Leila never truly stopped there to appreciate its wonders until this very moment, which made her slightly regretful. But at the very least she was making up for it now. Her eyes wandered curiously around the scenery as she found herself atop an open balcony of a local establishment.

A restaurant of sorts, though much more private than your average place where people went to eat. Today was a special day so she went ahead and book the entire balcony for a few hours to indulge her company. They were not here quite yet, but she was sure they would arrive fairly soon.

In the meantime, she was free to reminisce about the past. A big smile spread across her face as all the different memories flooded in. The tales of her being born beneath a withered tree in the military state of Stella. Being taken in by a strange traveler who wished to spare her the life of potential slavery in the hands of the local dwarfs.

Her travels with this individual who taught her everything important instead of an actual parent. Their exploration across the near entirety of the continent of Ishgar. They were very fond memories indeed. Ones that she wished she would never ever be able to forget, no matter how much time had passed.

At some point during their travels, Leila started showing magical talent. Certain innate magic that resided within her, a direct link to a fabled realm named Gardens of Eden. A paradise-like place that was near forgotten by humans despite their ancient efforts to try and control this place for their own exploits.

A realm that she now knew very well and treasured her connection to it dearly. But it was indeed a source of confusion and discord at the beginning. Especially when the young Leila stubbornly decided that she wanted to become a mage, no matter what. Her adoptive father did not want this, for he knew how difficult such a job could be.

He merely wanted to spare her the eventual pain that it would cause her. But the girl, in her childish blindness, was unable to see his good intentions and assumed that he merely hoped to control her in some way. After having the biggest argument the two of them had ever had, she stormed away. Ran away.

This happened in Seven, a land of magic. Gathering what little resources she could, the girl decided to head towards the border of Fiore and sneak herself in. The nation surrounded by vast seas was known as one of the metropolises of magic. Though the natural population of wizards was quite low, especially when compared to Seven, many gathered there.

Perhaps this was because the headquarters of Magic council were built there. An organization that oversaw all things magic on the entire continent. Her start in this nation was a humble one, to say the least. But she made do somehow. And her powers started to grow faster and faster as she used them to clear a contract after contract.

Not too long into her journey, the girl met someone else. Another woman named Jiyu Kazehime. The two of them quickly became friends, unknowns to Leila that this individual would eventually become the source of misfortune that her guardian wanted to protect her from so badly. But who could really blame her?

She was smitten by Jiyu, their friendship rapidly growing with each moment they spent together. And as they were both mages in training, earning jewels became quite the simple thing as well with their skills combined. At some point, Leila even fell in love with the other girl, completely enchanted by her beauty and personality.

Alas, things started deteriorating when Jiyu discovered her true nature. An Inugami, a strange 4-faced goddess. But Leila was still determined to work things out, despite her friend now possessing four different personalities, in a way. This all the while she started sorting out her own problems, finally able to visit the Gardens that provided her with her powers.

Showing her talent and capability as a leader, she managed to gain the following of the spirits there. Only to eventually confront the one who created the realm in the first place, goddess Aurora. She seemed… sick, almost. Weak from having her own soul torn into pieces. It was perhaps then that Leila fully realized who she was.

A fragment of the goddess’ soul that was chipped away by a failed spell, one made to evade a contract with a demon. The soul fragment traveled and traveled, until it eventually ended up in Earthland, in Stella. There, a small silver tree grew up on the spot where it landed. And beneath it, Leila was born.

A piece of someone else’s soul that was separated for long enough to become its own entity, to be ‘reborn’. Naturally, Leila did not wish to return to Aurora. She did not want to die, for she now had things to live for. Always had. And with the help of the other spirits, Aurora was defeated, fading into complete obscurity.

For the time that followed, Leila became the Garden’s caretaker. Someone who worked in the place of the goddess while she was gone. But things only grew worse. Jiyu had her own life and found love not in Leila, but in a name named Marshal. Perhaps this was the first time Leila knew contempt and hate. But she wanted to move on.

Alas, as she discovered more and more things about her friend’s past that were firmly kept secret until now, she grew suspicious. She knew not why her friend lied to her and kept things from her, after all. Until it all ended one day. So suddenly as it began. With Jiyu approaching Leila, her body in pain.

Leila helped her friend as much as she could. But the natural process had to take place regardless. Jiyu, as a goddess and someone connected to the element of winds, had her body fall apart and dissolve into that very element. The silver-haired girl knew of the process, so she knew that this was not necessarily the end.

Her friend was capable of coming back, her new body made entirely out of magic. In a way, she would be like a spirit. And from what she heard, she did. But before the two of them could meet, Leila was stolen away into the Gardens. Half a year or so had passed and she was able to return. However, things were different now.

The state of the world changed, at least somewhat. And the people she knew, their guilds included, were gone. One after another, they all wandered off. And Leila was unable to find them ever since. It took a while, but she managed to move on even from that. She overcame the hardships, every bump in the road along the way.

And finally, she was able to reach her goals. Through countless battles, she grew strong. She was named one of the Rising Stars and climbed her way up the ranks, all the way to the spot number one. She never stopped striving for the very best and was eventually even directly contacted by the magic council and given Wizard Saint position.

The spotlight was somewhat difficult to get used to, as she was a wandering nomad nearly all her life. But she managed and even got promoted to one of the Gods of Ishgar. A truly recognizable title, only given to the four most powerful and respected mages of the entire continent. From an abandoned child without parents all the way to the top…

It was a journey she thought never possible. But here she was. Firmly resting in the comfortable chair and looking out into the sea, different ships sailing across it and painting a wondrous picture. Still alive and perhaps better than ever. Even the scars on her heart stopped aching.

After all, she had met someone else who grew important to her. A certain dragoness named Akeya. And though she was rather rough around the edges, she was willing to learn. And above all, they cared about one another, a mutual feeling. Though a quick blush covered Leila’s face as she recounted the last few of their meetings.

One could easily say that they were a couple now. But the silver-haired woman still had to sort all of that out in her head. Thinking about her partner made her heart beat faster, but she knew how to be wary of such things so that she would not be wounded again. Still, she hoped that this time… this time would be the real deal, rather than a childish crush.

“You look truly content. I am glad…”

The voice came from next to the girl, making her slowly turn toward it. In the past, she was often startled by such unannounced appearances. But she managed to obtain a power most curious not that long ago, one that made her… naturally aware of things that were yet to happen. A form of foresight.

She smiled back at the young-looking spirit who was now in the chair next to her. Yuki, her most loyal. And while she wore her usual short yukata of vibrant blue colors, her expression was different. Leila got used to seeing that stone-cold poker face all the time, but it seemed that her spirit was actually properly smiling today.

“Yes… there was a time when I thought this wouldn’t even be possible. I mean… there are still some small stones on the road. I wish I could have stayed in the position of a guild master for Silver Wolf, lead the cubs to a bright future. But even then, the guild is in good hands. I have faith in the current master.”

If anything, it made her feel oddly old, being succeeded by someone else in the guild she herself created. But its members were safe and prospering. So that was really all she could ask for. She needed no more. For she had made the guild as a safe haven for anyone who needed it. A tribute to Golden Phoenix, her previous guild.

One that was destroyed by a dark guild called Savage Skulls… yet another betrayal she had to live through. A dark guild lead by a girl she once knew. Frey Rune… how did such a sweet and innocent child become so corrupt? Was it because her mother was the aspect of death itself? Perhaps. Leila sometimes still blamed herself for it all.

As if she had the ability to stop it if she tried harder. But that was not the right way of thinking and she knew it, so the thought was banished as soon as possible. Looking at Yuki, Leila got up from her seat and stretched a bit, walking over to the balcony’s railing and leaning against it. She didn’t even register her gate opening and the dragoness appearing.

“Do you think he’ll be happy to see me? Proud of me? Willing to forgive me..?”

“I think that he doesn’t know how to not be those things. You two might not be biologically related, but he still sees you as his child. And you see him as your father. That bond is far stronger than you might think. He will always stand by you.”

It was somewhat amusing, seeing a child-like being say such words to an adult woman. At least Leila was aware that Yuki was far older than she looked like in that form of hers. It still made her sight. Though it was a sigh of relief rather than anything else. Sometimes it just felt good to be given some form of reassurance, even if the person giving it had no way of making certain that things would go that way.

“Heh… it really has been a long road. Though, in some ways, I feel like not that much has changed from that day when I went to pick up my iLac or posed in a bikini made out of leaves for the Sorcerer weekly magazine.”

The comment actually managed to make Yuki chuckle, something perhaps even more unusual than her smile. She, too, stood up and moved to the place where her summoner was. She wasn’t tall enough to just lean over the railing, but she still put her hands against it as she relaxed her body a little bit more.

“Everyone grows at their own pace. You have achieved more than some will in their entire lives. And yet, it has been only a bit more than three years since this all started. I think that it’s safe to say that you have most certainly grown in many different ways, even if you yourself are not quite aware of it.”

The words made Leila turn toward her spirit and want to pet her on the head. Which was exactly what she did, running her hand through the soft white locks. Normally Yuki would have reprimanded her for doing something like that, but she let her summoner have it this time around. After all, it was a very special day.

But the moment was quickly interrupted by the doors to the balcony suddenly swinging open, along with a rather energetic voice. “We have arrived at last! Good people of Fiore, behold! The majestic traveling band of slime artisans - Megumi’s menagerie!” “Do you need to announce us like that every single time we arrive somewhere..?”

Leila purposefully tried to block out her foresight when it came to the guests she was expecting. She really wanted the experience to be authentic. Turning around, her eyes almost glazed over with a very clear spark in them, she watched as two very distinct figures entered through the door frame and stopped shortly after.

The energetic voice belonged to a young girl with what could be called traditional witch attire, robes and giant pointy hat included. Something that maybe did not fully match her youthful appearance and long golden hair. Behind her was someone completely different, so tall that he had to bend forward ever so slightly so he wouldn’t bash his head on the frame.

Wearing a long military-grade cloak, only a few of his features were exposed. But even from those, it was easy to tell that he was not human. His head composed of solid brown plating, no eyes present, only a mouth full of plastic teeth. A Machias, living machine with sentience. And someone who probably appeared a bit scary to most folk.

“Father!” The sudden movement of her body made few small tears fly off her cheek as she dashed toward the tall figure, almost tackling it as she embraced the machine. With a slightly distorted laugh, his arms wrapped around the girl’s back as well, the two of them sharing an affectionate hug.

“Oi, I’m here as well…”

“You are welcome in here, Megumi. But please, do shut your pipe for a bit.”

The draconic spirit joined up with the young slime witch and dragged her to the side to ensure that the family of two had some room for themselves. “It has… been quite a while, has it not?” “Mhm!” As much of an adult Leila was, she couldn’t help but bury her face into his torso and not let go.

So while the spirit and the other girl had a bit of their own conversation, presumably about the numerous use of slimes in one’s daily life, the two of them remained like that for a while longer. Eventually, Leila was able to let go and sit down with her father at one of the prepared tables. She was beyond excited to tell him everything.

But first, above all else, she simply had to ask the difficult question. “I… I am so sorry for running away those three years ago. I think I should have listened to you. It only made us both sad. Do you… forgive me..?” The Golem stared at her for a while and then directed his eyeless gaze to the picturesque scenery to the side.

“Now, was it really a mistake? If you listened to me, we would not be here today, having this conversation. You would not have lived through all those adventures, grow strong, make new friends. As far as I see it, I was holding you back by trying to be overly protective. So I do not think there is even anything to forgive. I never blamed you for anything, to begin with.”

What caring parent would denounce their child for something like that? Especially when everything worked out in the end. Leila couldn’t help but let her tears flow, even as she smiled at the answer. Reaching forward, it was not the Golem’s turn to run his mechanical fingers through his daughter’s hair, let her know that he was there and all was alright.

And despite his nature, the touch felt warm and full of love. Minutes past and the girl was able to fully calm down and start enjoying this wonderful reunion with her only family. Ah, that wasn’t quite right… her family was much bigger now, was it not? She was most definitely no longer alone as she was when this journey began.

“I have to say, I never imagined that you would be dubbed as one of the Gods of Ishgar. I do not think there is an adequate way of congratulating you for such a monumental feat. But I have prepared this nonetheless.” Producing a small wrapped up present from his coat, he placed it on the table and slid it toward the girl.

And although Leila was rather curious as to what was inside, she decided that she would open it up later. Right now, she wanted to talk with her father more than anything else. “It was a long and difficult road… it still feels a bit surreal, that everything actually worked out for me in this way. There was so much pain along the way…”

“I can only begin to imagine. But you managed to push through it all and grow, did you not? You are strong, dear. Stronger than anyone, in so many ways. So much stronger than me.” Leila chuckled at his words as she shuffled around in her seat, trying to find a comfortable position to stay in.

“Let’s not exaggerate now. I think I still have a few centuries ahead of me before I can say that I’m even close to your level!”

“Naah, he’s more of a pushover than you might think. His body might be made out of metal, but he’s as soft as an over-sized teddy-bear!”

Megumi’s cut into the conversation deserved a bit of laughter from both the Golem and Leila, as well as a bit of ice from Yuki to make sure the slime witch wouldn’t interrupt the duo too much while they had their heart to heart. But at this point, she was part of the family as well, so neither of them really minded.

“I’d dare to say that your adventure must have been even more difficult than mine, traveling the world with her around.”

“I have to admit, it was far from easy. Megumi is… a fickle being. But I think I finally learned how to work with her, at least partially.”

“Pardon?! I am the mighty slime witch, how dare you speak of me as if I was a burden! I shall-mmmfff”

This time her mouth froze over, it seemed. “But it is true that we covered a lot of ground during our travels. The world is always changing, so it was a good chance to update my records. That said… I think we will be staying here for the foreseeable future. With you. If you do not mind, of course.”

The Golem’s words made Leila’s heart skip a beat as sparks of excitement appeared in her eyes, even making her stand up and slam her hands onto the table. “Are you serious?! You’ll be staying? I, it’s… of course I don’t mind! There is so much I have to tell you still! And people to introduce you to!”

“I’m even part of a team with this dragon! You two should meed at some point, she’s also really interested in researching things so you two should understand one another. And all the things I’ve seen and done in those three years, oh it’s so much! Oh, and I even have a flying ship where you two could be staying!”

The Golem laughed at how fast Leila was spewing all of the information, standing up from his seat as well. “Sounds wonderful. We can start sharing tales already while having a walk around the city. What do you say?” Extending his hand toward his daughter, Leila nodded and took a hold of it.

Much like everyone expected, all of her worries in regards to this meeting proved rather silly. In the end, she managed to accomplish her goal of becoming a proper and recognized mage, someone who could protect those she cared about and strive to always do her best. That part of her life was now over. But where one door closed, another one quickly opened.