──୨୧──
Hayato woke up to an empty cave. His memory was blurry, his thoughts scattered, yet he forced himself outside. At the entrance, the turtle was waiting for him. But what stunned him most was not its presence, the fact that it spoke.
──୨୧──
I called out behind it, not really expecting an answer. I almost thought I had imagined it. But the turtle turned, staring at me in confusion, looking me over from head to toe.
Turtle:
"What? Can this kid understand me? Hmm... his aura's changed, but he doesn't look like to cause trouble."
Hayato:
"Yeah, what... but I'm glad you can talk—"
Turtle:
"Who? Me? Of course I can talk. The thing is, how can you understand me? I'm sure you couldn't earlier... Is this some kind of magic?"
Although I couldn't make much sense of what the turtle said, I somehow understood it, and it understood me too. Still, I wasn't sure if this had anything to do with me.
Hayato:
"N-no, I can't use magic. I don't even know if I have any mana for that. I thought that was your power... But wait, that's it? You chased me all day just to toss the book back and leave? I really thought you were going to eat me!"
Turtle:
"What? Why would I even eat you? I only wanted to punish you for that little disrespect... And no mana you said? You're giving off almost the same mana I have. You're no weaker than a boss-level monster!"
Hayato:
"A boss-level... monster?!"
Then it hit me, what happened wasn't a nightmare, it was probably real. There was no point in denying it anymore. Feeling down, I tried to confirm it.
Hayato:
"So, then... can you tell me? Do I seem weird or something? Like, I don't know... creepy vibes, evil energy, maybe even, haha, not that it's possible, but a demon... or even a Demon Lord aura... or anything?"
The turtle squinted and walked around me, sniffing now and then like it noticed something but wasn't sure. Then it stopped, turned, and spoke.
Turtle:
"Now that you mention it, you are strange. On the outside, there is a wild and destructive mana. But inside, there's nothing, just a simple, naive kid. Something about you feels... off."
A wild and destructive mana, and out of nowhere I could talk with a giant turtle... put together, there was only one conclusion, and it made me very uneasy.
Hayato:
"I get it... here's the thing. While you were chasing me, I ran into the cave and met the Demon Lord, or rather, a fragment of his soul, as he said. He... tried to take me over. Then things got out of control... I know it sounds insane when I say it like this, but—"
Before I could even finish, the turtle turned its back and started walking away. The indifference stung, and desperation pushed my voice louder.
Hayato:
"Hey, where are... I'm telling the truth! Wait... STOP!"
Then, all of a sudden, it stopped. I didn't know why, but the way it stood sent a chill through me. The gentle creature from moments ago was gone, replaced by something unreadable. It spun around in anger and began shouting at me.
Turtle:
"Listen, I'm done with the Demon Lord and anything tied to that filthy monster. If you're connected to him in any way, get as far away from me as possible!"
Hayato:
"No, no, you've got it wrong. Please... just listen, okay?"
I told the turtle everything, from the goddess sending me to this world to being possessed by the Demon Lord, sharing all that had happened. At first, it seemed doubtful and unwilling, but the more I spoke, the more surprised it became.
After I finished, an awkward silence fell. We both didn't know what to say. Then the turtle exhaled deeply and spoke in a calm, motherly tone.
Turtle:
"Alright, it seems like you've been through some rough times. But what do you want from me? Is there even anything I can do?"
I hadn't expected this, well, I had hoped for some help. But when it asked like that, I froze. I didn't know what to say, or even what kind of help I needed. I was completely stunned.
Hayato:
"Like I said, all I had was a book I couldn't read, and now I don't even know what's happening. I suddenly understand you, but I have no idea what's next. With no knowledge and no luck, I'm completely lost in this world."
Turtle:
"Well, that's probably because of the Demon Lord… but I can't say much, since even I don't really understand it myself."
Then I remembered the unfortunate moment when, without meaning to, I had thrown the book at the turtle. I bowed respectfully and apologised.
Hayato:
"By the way, I'm really sorry about earlier. You looked like a solid rock, really, and I was so angry at that moment to recognize—"
The turtle gently touched my chin, lifted my head, and signaled me to continue with an understanding nod.
Hayato:
"Honestly, I... I don't even know where we are right now. Maybe, if you could tell me the nearest town or something, I could at least try to make a start."
Turtle:
"Where we are..."
The turtle looked at the surroundings in a sorrowful tone, then took a deep breath and continued in a faint voice.
Turtle:
"Right now, we're in the Demon Kingdom... or at least it used to be. It was once a paradise with fertile lands and gushing rivers, but that vile Demon Lord and the so-called hero's long-lasting war left only this dry, empty wasteland."
Looking around, it wasn't so hard to see how brutal the war had been, and I felt deep sorrow for the countless lives lost. Seeing this, the turtle changed subject.
Turtle:
"As for what you asked, the nearest town is quite far from here. A few days' walk. But no problem, I can teleport you there—"
Hayato:
"Whoa? You can teleport? That's amazing!"
Turtle:
"Yes, I can do that, but first we need to solve a small... or rather big, problem with you."
Hayato:
"W-what kind of a problem?"
Turtle:
"Well... if you go there like that, it's basically declaring war, so be ready for trouble from the start."