NBAA Vol. 8 Chapter 2 Part 2
“Um… do you understand what we are saying?”
“…”
“Hey, what are you talking about? How can you talk to a skeleton? …what!?”
As if responding to Reito’s words, the skeleton opened the lid and nodded, raising only the thumb of his right hand. Everyone was surprised by the sight. The skeleton definitely understands what he was saying.
“Um… won’t you attack us?”
“Clackety-clack…”
Shaking its chin, the skeleton shook its head, raised both hands and took a pose of surrender. Reito and the others look at each other and try to talk some more.
“You can’t speak?”
“…”
The skeleton nodded. It seemed that he could understand words but couldn’t speak, and could only express himself through gestures.
There was no hostility, but there was no doubt that the skeleton was a ghost-type monster.
“For now, can I enter that room?”
“Clack.”
“I wonder if he’s saying no?”
The skeleton shook his head at Reito’s words. After pointing to the floor, the skeleton pointed to the ceiling.
Reito understood from that action that it was a trap set in the room. The skeleton seemed to warn them not to enter the room.
“Does that mean there’s a trap in this room?”
“Clack.”
“Then how did you get into this room?”
The skeleton nodded to Shizune’s first question. In response to the next question, the skeleton leaned out of the box and approached the door, being careful not to step on the magic stones on the floor.
Then he came very close to Reito and the others.
“Clack clack.”
“He’s bowing…”
“He’s intelligent. But why is a skeleton in a place like this…”
Depending on the skill of the caster, Dead Man’s Puppet or Dead Soul Puppet could sometimes retain memories from their life.
Before that, the skeleton behaved like a normal human, except for its skeletal appearance.
“Clack, clack, clack.”
“It looks like you’re trying to tell me something, but I don’t understand.”
“This is troubling…”
“Do you know something, Dain?”
“Even if you ask me… I’ve never heard of or seen a skeleton that can understand human language.”
“Clack, clack…”
The skeleton moved its body and communicated its intentions to Reito and the others with gestures. Reito realized that he (or she) wanted something to write on. Reito immediately activated Space magic and searched for a tool to write on.
“Um… I found it. You can use this.”
“Clack, clack.”
Reito found the notepad he used when he went shopping and handed it to the skeleton along with a fountain pen.
By the way, paper existed in this world. However, it was more valuable than on Earth, and in some areas, parchment was the norm. In the Baltros Kingdom where Reito and his friends live, paper and parchment were used half and half, and this notepad and fountain pen were something Reito received from Maria.
“…………”
“You’re writing something?”
“You can even write letters, that you can?”
“Wh-What are you writing?”
The skeleton wrote on the notepad he was given with his fountain pen at an extraordinary speed, then peeled off a page of the notepad to show everyone.
“Hello.”
“…H-Hello.”
Reito and the others, having read what he had said, greeted him with indescribable expressions, and then the skeleton handed over the next piece of paper in less than a second.
“I’m a Human who lives in this Great Labyrinth. Ah, I’m a Skeleton now.”
“Now there’s a lot I want to ask.”
“Well, rest assured, I’m not a bad Skeleton.”
“He’s writing notes one after another at an incredible speed, that he is!”
Perhaps he possessed the “Quick Brush” skill, Skeleton wrote notes one after another as if he were having a normal conversation, and gave a brief self-introduction and greeting.
“So Mr. Skeleton… Well, it’s hard to say. I’ll just call you Honemin.”
“You suddenly gave me a nickname? Well, I don’t mind…”
“Really?”
“I’ll ask frankly, who are you?”
For some reason, Skeleton, who was half-forcibly named “Honemin” by Reito, folded his arms in response to his question, and eventually pointed to a piece of paper with some writing on it in large letters.
“Bone.”
“…………”
“Wait, I’m just kidding, please don’t pull that sword out.”
Shizune silently reached out for Four Seasons, and Honemin shook his head in a panic.
His reaction made Reito feel like he was talking to Airis, and he noticed that their way of speaking (not that they were actually talking) and personality were somewhat similar.
“Are you a skeleton?”
“How rude! Don’t put me in the same category as those bone dolls!”
“You described yourself as a skeleton earlier!”
“Oh, that’s right, I did say that. I’m sorry, I’m getting forgetful as I get older…”
“Older… How old are you?”
“Um, hih, fuh, mii… about six hundred years old?”
“Six hundred years old!?”
Everyone exclaimed in surprise at Honemin’s words.
If his story was true, he would have been alive since before the current Baltros Kingdom was founded (although the expression “alive” as a skeleton was a bit odd).
Honemin, who was likely a woman judging from her tone and mannerisms, introduced herself earnestly on a notepad.
“My name is Aira.”
“Eh? Aira… you were my mother?! How did you end up with such a skeletal body… I guess it was my fault for only drinking milk!! And you don’t eat meat, which is why you’ve gotten so skinny… my mother’s such an idiot!!”
“No, you’ve got the wrong person! I haven’t had a child, and I’m not even married! This is not the level of being skinny to begin with!”
“Oh, you’re not?”
“Aira… that’s a common name among the elves.”
“Is that so?. It was a rare name in my time… but you can call me Honemin if you want. I don’t really like the name Aira that much…”
“Wait a second. Do you have any memories from your life?”
“Yes, I do. By the way, my real name is Aira Hazuki.”
“Eh? Hazuki…?”
Reito wondered about the familiar surname, but he soon remembered that it was his mother’s family name.
“I’m sure it was the name of a powerful noble family in the elven kingdom.”
“Is that so? Well, in my time, they were lower-class nobles.”
Reito was surprised to hear the surname Hazuki in a place like this. His mother, Aira, and his aunt Maria were also born into the Hazuki household.
In other words, if Honemin’s story was true, Reito would have had an encounter with a relative related to his bloodline… but an even more shocking truth was revealed.
“Eh, wait a minute. Aira Hazuki… isn’t that the same name as the great Elven hero? The great magician who played a major role in the great war between the Elven and Beast tribes, right?”
“That’s right, that hero is me~ I was so successful that for some reason my name became the name of the heir to the family line.”
“What?!”
“A hero… you?”
Honemin readily agreed with Dain’s statement.
“Honemin, were you a legendary hero?”
“Well, I didn’t have much ability myself. I consulted with a certain person and acted accordingly, and before I knew it, I was being called a hero.”
“That’s a little hard to believe… Do you have any proof that you’re really a hero?”
“Even if you ask me for evidence, as you can see, I’m completely naked right now. Iyaa~”
“Hey, don’t be embarrassed now.”
Honemin covered her chest, but she’s not just naked; her bones were exposed. No one would be pleased to see her like this.
Aside from that, even if she presented proof that she was a hero, there was no way to verify it.
For now, Reito decided to ask her the question he had been wondering about.
“Honemin, you said you weren’t a skeleton, right? So… is it possible that you are a Dead Man’s Puppet?”
“Oh, you have quite a keen intuition. But that’s not quite right. I am not a being who was resurrected by the power of dark magic, but by holy resurrection magic.”
“Holy resurrection magic?”
“It’s an ancient magic passed down as a legend. Only the first hero could use it, and he invented a magic spell that could bring back a life lost with holy magic, but could be used only once.”
“Are you saying that you were brought back to life by the power of that magic?”
“It’s hard to believe, that it is.…”
Shizune and Hanzo frowned at the mention of resurrection magic. However, Dain pondered seriously, asking her if she had any idea.