After-Story Chapter 41: Epilogue (Part 1) - The Second-to-Last of the Realistic Hero's Offspring
—Roughly ten years had passed since Cian’s enthronement, around Continental Calendar 1570.
As is known, the profession of Adventurer existed even before the existence of the Northern Hemisphere world was revealed, but the nature of the adventurer changed slightly as people ventured into and expanded activities in the North. First was the explosive increase in the adventurer population.
To conduct exploration, trade, and other activities in the vast, dangerous Northern Hemisphere, protection by those with self-defense capabilities was essential, driving up the demand for adventurers. Furthermore, after Souma’s world reorganization, the political situation in the Southern Hemisphere stabilized and major conflicts ceased. Martial artists with idle skills flocked to the North to change careers and become adventurers.
Since there was both demand and supply, the increase in numbers was natural. And there was one more factor. A large continent like Landia had not yet been discovered in the Northern Hemisphere. It was an archipelago-type world where islands dotted the sea (presumed to be spread across the entire Northern Hemisphere at narrow intervals, like the Nine-Headed Dragon Islands). Therefore, it was necessary to constantly cross the ocean for any activity.
As a result, in order for adventurers operating in the North to function as a PT (Party), the existence of a means to cross the sea, such as a ship, was mandatory. In fact, most of the Requests (Quests) presented to them included the condition: [Must Own Ship]. A novice adventurer was only considered fully fledged once they joined a team that had a ship, saved up funds, bought a wooden boat, and went independent.
Those who reached intermediate status used large wooden ships made in the Kingdom of Nine-Headed Dragon Islands, and those who became even wealthier used iron-made ships, like retired naval vessels from the Southern world. If they had powerful patrons and could secure a wyvern, they might even use gondolas, balloons, or airships that combined those elements, though these were collectively referred to as ships. However, using wyverns required islands to be connected at a distance that wouldn’t scare the beasts.
Stable air routes in the Northern Hemisphere could probably only be secured by the couriers of the Kingdom of Notung Dragon Knights or by the Kingdom of Friedonia and the Kingdom of Nine-Headed Dragon Islands, which could operate island-type aircraft carriers.
Returning to the topic of ships, securing satisfactory lodging while exploring uncharted islands was not guaranteed, so ships also took on significant meaning as living quarters for the adventurers. For the adventurers in the Northern Hemisphere, their ship was their home, their office, and the signboard of their Party.
This was quite similar to a pirate crew, but any actual piracy, such as attacking ships in transit, would instantly be crushed by other adventurers. Since they were more interested in exploring the land than the sea, they disliked being labeled as pirates. For this reason, the Southern Hemisphere adventurers, also as a sign of respect for the indigenous people, the Seadians (People of the Sea) (who were once called the Demon Race), referred to themselves as Ocean Adventurers (Umincha).
…By the way, this name was reportedly coined by Souma during his research activities in the Northern Hemisphere after his retirement; it was a joke that stuck (a portmanteau of Uminchu [Seafarer] + Adventure). Souma realized it was inappropriate but apparently kept quiet to avoid a lecture from Liscia.
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And here was one such Ocean Adventurer (Umincha) ship sailing the seas of the Northern Hemisphere.
It was a strange vessel by the common standards of this world. It was shorter from bow to stern than a destroyer but about twice as wide, giving it a squat, dumpy form. It appeared to be made of iron, and yet it sailed the sea without sails or being towed by marine creatures like Sea Dragons or Horned Doldrons.
Though it had a small bridge and a token cannon or two on the deck, other Ocean Adventurers looked at it strangely, saying, “It looks exactly like an airship turned upside down.” Most striking was the vessel’s forward section. The rounded part was painted with the face of a comical character that looked like something out of the kingdom’s educational programs.
On the deck of that strange ship, a green-haired boy was lying down alone, basking in the sun.
He was on his way back to the island where the Adventurer’s Guild was located after completing a certain request. With nothing in particular to do, he was fond of this time spent simply resting his weary body.
However, his lazy time did not last long.
“Aww! Big Brother is slacking off again, is that!”
His body jerked at the sudden high-pitched voice. When he opened his eyes, he saw a girl of elementary school age standing there, looking down at him. With her brown skin, silver hair, and prominent pointed elf ears, she stood out.
The boy scratched his cheek awkwardly.
“A-Ah. Good morning, Misha.”
The girl called Misha crossed her arms and puffed up her cheeks in anger.
“It is not good morning, is that! Honestly, is that! Didn’t Master tell us ‘Jouzai Senjin’ (Always be prepared for battle), is that!?”
“Do you even know what that means when you use it?”
“He said never neglect your daily training, is that.”
“Give me a break… I’ve finally been released from Master Mughal’s demon-like hazing days, so surely I can relax a little bit.”
“Master’s wife’s cooking… was delicious, is that…”
Misha wiped the corner of her mouth where drool was about to drip, seemingly having recalled the meals. It was often said that her gluttonous nature resembled her mother’s. The boy, who was still lying down, nodded repeatedly, also recalling the Master’s wife.
“Yeah, Fumi-san was so kind. I don’t know how a master with a scary face like an ogre managed to get such a kind-hearted and beautiful wife.”
“Master loved us too, though, is that.”
“You were loved normally, Misha, but for me, it was ‘Hard Training Love’ (Kawaigari). He broke my rebellious nose about three times.”
“Master also said about you, Big Brother, ‘He has a hundred times more potential than your father,’ is that.”
“Being compared to my non-combatant dad doesn’t help much… Besides, Master said ‘Misha has thirty times the potential of Luka,’ didn’t he?”
“Then that means I have… thirty thousand times the potential of Father, is that?”
“It’s three thousand times. Maybe you should focus on studying rather than martial arts?”
“La-la-la, I can’t hear you, is that.”
Misha covered her ears and shook her head in refusal. Misha was said to have inherited her mother’s slightly weak head, in contrast to her exceptional martial arts sense. Sighing at Misha’s behavior, he flopped back down on the deck again.
“So, anyway, I’m going to take my afternoon nap, my siesta time— [KONK!!] —Gah!?”
A large sphere suddenly dropped onto the spot where his head had been just moments before. Judging by the flashy sound it made the moment it hit the deck, one could tell just how heavy that sphere was. The sphere had a handle attached, which Misha was gripping tightly. It was a heavy weapon that could only be described as an iron hammer.
“T-That’s dangerous, Misha! If that hit, my head would be meat sauce (if you catch my drift)!?”
“Humph! It is because Big Brother won’t listen, is that!”
“Puffing out your cheeks is cute, but what you’re doing is ruthless!”
No matter how much she acted like a small animal, it was nothing but terrifying when she was lightly hoisting a hammer with an iron sphere half her height. Although Misha was only eight years old, few adults could match her physical strength. Misha actually wanted to use a greatsword like her mother, but since she lacked the height to perform the “slashing” motion, she favored the spherical hammer which only required swinging.
“Master told me that if Big Brother slacks off, I should beat his nature back into shape, is that.”
“He didn’t mean that physically! And even if it’s reinforced with enchantment magic, don’t slam that thing onto the deck! You’ll dent it!?”
“My ‘Mothers’ said this: ‘Sometimes it is necessary to spank a man’s bottom,’ is that.”
“If you spank me with a hammer, my tailbone will be shattered!”
“……” (Quietly readies hammer)
“Don’t silently ready your hammer! Fine! I’m up! I’ll behave!”
He sprang up, wrapped his feet in wind magic, and leaped up onto the small bridge. Then, from the roof, he tapped on the front glass and called out.
“Old Man! Let’s hurry back! Increase speed!”
When he called out, the door to the small bridge opened, and a squat, dumpy object poked its face out. It was—(omitted)—Musashibo-kun. This time, Musashibo-kun was wearing a captain’s hat for some reason. Captain Musashibo-kun held up a signboard that read “OK.”
Then, standing atop the bridge, the boy, Luka Minazuki, raised his voice so his sister Misha could hear.
“Alright. Then, Special Submersible Musashimaru, depart for Base Ad-Base!”
