Special chapter

P/N let me know if there's any mistakes and I will try to fix them

REMINISCENCE OF JUSTICE

"Ideal and reality? What, Leon? Has Alize or Kaguya been putting

strange ideas in your head again?"

The girl was sitting in a chair, swinging her short legs in evident

enjoyment.

Several days had passed since Lyu's argument with Kaguya. After

stewing over it for a while on her own, the elf had brought it up with

her fellow familia member Lyra.

The prum, who measured less than 120 celches, had spread a

collection of strange instruments on the table. She was in the

process of disassembling and repairing them, and her nimble fingers

worked incessantly. Without lifting her head to look at Lyu, she

offered her a silly grin.

"Instead of making that serious expression, you should just nod and

smile. If you jump in bed pretending you've figured it all out, the

strange thing is that all your worries simply up and vanish!"

"Come on, Lyra, I'm being serious. Just because Kaguya is so

confrontational doesn't mean I should ignore what she says. That

only narrows my own view. Alize's words really stuck with me, too. I

feel like I need to hear more opinions if I'm ever going to sort this

out…"

"Oh man, are elves ever annoying…"

Lyra rudely brushed away Lyu's concerns. The prum's words were

incredibly out of sync with her tender, innocent eyes. Surprisingly,

she was two years older than Lyu. Her short hair was dyed peach

(which was "super-cool," according to the prum herself), and a crafty

smile constantly played on her lips.

As her appearance and behavior suggested, Lyra the prum was quite

the cynic.

"Why do you have to be the one who has to come up with an answer

anyway? Let alone an answer other people think is correct."

At first glance, she seemed a poor match for this elf who was the

very picture of an upright soul, but whenever Lyu was troubled by

something, she tended to go to Alize first, then Lyra. Lyra's opinions

were always honest and unreserved, and sometimes unexpected for

Lyu. Within the familia, her sharp words were always respected.

Although Lyra didn't seem serious about life on the surface, Lyu was

frequently startled by the perceptive way she got to the heart of

things, and unconsciously found herself depending on the prum

quite often.

"Just take everything with a grain of salt. That goes for what Kaguya

says as well as Alize."

"Lyra, that's a bit…"

"The truth completely changes depending on the person."

"!"

"Ultimately, you are the one who decides what is true. You are the

one who creates your own truth. Take everything with a grain of salt,

think about it all, and fashion yourself a truth you can be satisfied

with."

It was unlike Lyra to sound so much like a walking proverb. Perhaps

that was because for once this master liar was actually speaking her

own truth.

"…I wish you always talked to me like that."

"What are you talking about, Leon? I'm the most serious and kind

person around here!"

"I'd like you to put your hand on your heart and think back on what

you've taught me in the past before you make a claim like that…"

It was true.

The prum was always teaching Lyu the most unrespectable things.

Skills like how to see through a lie were fine, but then there were

things like the art of using blackmail to negotiate, lessons in

intimidation, and to top it all off, she also taught Lyu how to always

win at gambling as well as how to cheat.

If you're gonna beat the scumbags, you've gotta understand how

they think…Pretty words won't do much in the fight for justice…Lyra's

teachings may have had some logic behind them, but they certainly

weren't befitting the familia of justice.

After five years in the familia, Lyu had acquired more than her share

of unnecessary knowledge.

"I've been looking after you since you're such an innocent little elf."

"If we're comparing me to you, I can't argue with that…"

Lyra smiled teasingly and finally looked up at Lyu, who was standing

beside her.

"Listen, Leon. Knowledge is a weapon. Information is a meal ticket.

What I've taught you may have been improper and random, but it

will all be helpful one day. Remember it all and use it all."

Remember it all and use it all.

That was Lyra's favorite saying.

"Use your brain until blood comes out your ears. If you don't have

equipment or items, scavenge what you need from the Dungeon,

and if that's not possible, rely on drop items. Make your own

substitutions. Even if something is useless on its own, it might be

incredibly useful in combination with something else."

"Use your head, right…?"

"It may not come easy to you but study the subtleties of human

nature. They're not just key for negotiating—they're incredibly

important in the Dungeon."

The characteristics of monsters, improvised weapon-crafting, survival

skills, the inner workings of her party members…That day, Lyra had

boasted that by knowing all these things and using them in

conjunction, it was possible to obtain something important for

succeeding in the Dungeon.

She had spoken teasingly, but she was dead serious about planting

this seed in Lyu.

"All this random knowledge might have been annoying and time-

consuming for you to learn, but it's better than being ignorant. It

might take a while, but now you have to turn what you know into

wisdom."

"Turn knowledge into wisdom…?"

"Once you can do that, you'll be able to help someone beside

yourself. You'll be a crazy-strong elf that everyone looks up to. Not

even Kaguya will be able to call you green, then."

Lyra looked part mischievous child, part big sister.

"…Is that how you got so strong?"

"Yep. I mean, if I don't use my head, I'll die. I'm a prum, after all."

"…"

"Anyway, take this with a grain of salt, too. Just remember what's

useful to you."

The little prum, who was physically weaker than Lyu, ended her

speech with a shrug of her narrow shoulders. Lyu never forgot a

single word she said that day.

"It's not proof of anything, but look at me. Here I am, a respected

Level Three adventurer, and I got to where I am through cunning and

fast-talking easy prey like you. I'm a rising star among the prums."

"I have a feeling you just said something very important."

"It won't be long before Finn Deimne, that budding hero of my race,

will be dropping to his knees with a proposal ready. Hee-hee-hee…"

"If I remember correctly, Braver was avoiding you recently…"

Lyu sighed as her friend, who dreamed of marrying into wealth,

laughed wickedly.

That, too, was a scene from a bygone era.

Among the most important memories that rose in Lyu's mind, this

was a more sentimental one. Lyra's words and all she had taught her

were rooted deeply in Lyu's heart.

All the words of her companions, all the assets of Astrea Familia,

were alive and well within Lyu.

But…

Lyu wasn't sure if she had properly inherited their will.

She didn't know if it had survived in her after all her loss—after the

loss of justice.