Reincarnated as Twins: And Then, I Was the Only One Abandoned - ☆27 On the Way Back ①

☆27 On the Way Back ①

We returned to the guild and reported the resolution of the recent disaster. 

The receptionists and even the nearby adventurers expressed their gratitude. As they had already begun to notice the fading of the miasma that Asmodeus had spread. 

Our reward this time was seventy silver coins. 

Well, considering how rundown this town is, I didn’t expect anything more. 

Besides, the main goal of this mission was Elysia’s contract. 

After completing the necessary paperwork at the reception and retrieving Rubis, we finally started looking for an inn for the night. 

With Rubis perched on my shoulder, we wandered around for a bit and eventually found a decent-looking place. 

The lobby had some comfortable-looking sofas. So we sat down to take a breather. 

That’s when Yuna, looking exasperated, spoke up. 

“I had heard from Lady Elysia, but… your mana is just unfair. Seriously, what even is that inversion ability? At this point, my presence here was completely unnecessary.” 

“Hey, all I did was invert things… Without your support, things could’ve gone south real fast.” 

And I genuinely meant that. 

Even if I could reverse poison, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything if some other kind of healing was needed. 

“Noah’s lightning attacks were incredible too. And Elysia wasn’t lying about her training—Agni lasted much longer than before.” 

“Yeah, but even at full power, all I managed was to stall him for a moment… That was disappointing.” 

Noah’s face held a faint trace of frustration at his own shortcomings. 

“No, without that attack, we would have been stuck in a stalemate and eventually worn down. Don’t forget, our opponent was a Demon God—an entity far beyond human comprehension.” 

Elysia’s serious words made Noah give a small, wry smile. 

By the way….… 

“Still, after all that effort, just seventy silver coins, huh? How many more of these jobs will I have to take before I can pay off my debt?” 

“Hmm, who knows? Maybe even a lifetime won’t be enough.” 

Elysia flashed a mischievous smile, completely disregarding reality. 

All I could do was let out a strained laugh in response. 

◆◆◆

The next morning. 

We left the inn early and began our journey home. 

Though traces of Asmodeus’ lingering miasma still hung in the air, at this rate, it would likely dissipate completely within a few days. 

We boarded a carriage and headed west. 

Rubis dozed on my shoulder. Its small body was glowing faintly red. 

The carriage moved leisurely along the road. And I enjoyed the scenery of Silenia through the window. 

Even in my past life, I had always liked idly watching landscapes pass by from train or bus windows. 

That night, we stayed again in the same village where we had rested on our way to Rivandel. 

Like before, the village was wrapped in silence, as if time had stopped. 

Only the whispering of leaves in the wind could be heard. 

The next morning, I woke up to the pale light of dawn. 

After a warm breakfast, we got back on the carriage. 

The silence seemed even more profound now. 

The rhythmic creaking of the wheels against the cobblestone road was oddly soothing. 

As we left the village, the road gradually narrowed, and the scenery began to change. 

We passed through lush forests, accompanied by the gentle murmuring of a stream. 

Eventually, the path led to a series of low hills. 

As the carriage climbed the slope, the view transformed completely. 

Beyond this point lay the borders of the Valhalion Kingdom. 

◆◆◆

After traveling for a while, we came across a child collapsed by the roadside. 

We hurriedly jumped off the carriage and approached to check their condition. 

The child was barely conscious. They weakly murmured, “Help…” 

Sweat drenched their face, and they looked to be in distress. 

Then— 

A presence surrounded us. 

“Alright, alright, good work there. Now, why don’t you leave all your valuables behind? Stay quiet, and we won’t have to hurt you.” 

From between the trees, a boy about my age stepped out. 

At the same time, more figures emerged from the shadows—boys and girls, forming a semi-circle around us. 

There were about ten of them. 

The girl who had been lying on the ground suddenly stood up as if nothing had happened. She flashed a cocky grin. 

“A band of child bandits, huh? How pathetic.” 

Noah sighed. He was shaking his head as he drew his sword. 

“Oh? You wanna fight? I wouldn’t recommend it. We don’t hold back, you know.”

The smile vanished from the boy who seemed to be the leader. His expression turned serious. 

“If you can’t even gauge your opponent’s strength, you’ll lose your life all too easily. Maybe I should teach you a lesson—one that’ll make sure you never try something like this again.” 

As he spoke, Noah unleashed his mana. He surrounded himself with crackling lightning. 

“…Haah, well, can’t be helped. I did warn y’all, didn’t I? But since you chose to ignore it, don’t go blaming me now.” 

Gathering the other boys and girls around him, the Kansai-accented boy also released his mana. 

The energy flowing from his hands writhed like a living thing. It expanded outward. 

A dazzling light surrounded him. It formed what seemed to be a barrier. 

The group of young bandits, now enveloped in that light, shifted into combat stances.