The Great Sage Who Did not Remain in Legend - 3.3

Three years ago—

Mergin woke up in the forest near the royal capital.

“Ugh… What… What happened… I was fighting the Demon King…”

As Mergin regained consciousness, he searched his empty mind for memories.

“The Demon King… What happened to the Demon King…”

As he tried to ask his companions about the Demon King’s fate, his consciousness became clearer.

“I see…”

Mergin had been part of the hero party to defeat the Demon King. After exhausting almost all of his magical power in an attack on the Demon King, he had been petrified by his companions due to magic depletion.

Later, he would learn that he had been petrified for at least over a thousand years.

Not knowing where he was, he searched for a town and eventually reached this royal capital. But he was told that he couldn’t enter the city because he had no means to prove his identity or use the money he had on hand.

That’s when Tabasa helped him.

“Oh, are you a foreigner?”

“Yeah, it seems so. Apparently, the money I have isn’t usable here.”

“I see. Your hair color is unusual. Tell me some stories from your homeland. Guard, I’ll pay the entry fee for him.”

“Tabasa, are you sure about this? He doesn’t have any identification…”

“It’s okay. He doesn’t look like he’s up to anything suspicious. Am I not enough of a guarantee?”

“No, it’s fine. Um, could you shake hands with me?”

“Haha, my handshake is worth more than the entry fee.”

“Thank you very much!”

Tabasa smiled at the guard and shook hands with him. It seemed the entry fee was no longer necessary. Who was this woman? She was quite beautiful and alluring.

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Mergin. Sorry for the trouble.”

“Don’t worry about it. You have nowhere else to go, right? Just come along.”

Mergin followed Tabasa as she suggested, heading towards what seemed to be a nearby red-light district from the gate.

“Um… Tabasa-san, is this perhaps…”

“Yeah, it’s a red-light district. Is this your first time in a place like this?”

“Well, um… I don’t have any money, so…”

“Hahaha! I knew you couldn’t even pay the entry fee.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Mergin scratched his head nervously.

The brothel they were guided to was said to be the largest and most luxurious in this red-light district. Tabasa was akin to a courtesan from old Japan, where even if you paid a lot, you could still be refused if she didn’t choose you.

“Tabasa, just because you’re you, don’t go picking up strange guys.”

Ignoring the glare from the old woman who seemed to be the madam, Tabasa replied vaguely and led Mergin to her own room.

“You don’t need to be so nervous. I’m not going to devour you or anything.”

She laughed lightly, brewed some tea, and smiled at Mergin, urging him to talk.

Mergin explained how he had been a member of the party that defeated the Demon King, only to be betrayed by his comrades, turned to stone, and awakened in the forest.

“That’s an interesting story. You sound like the protagonist of a fairy tale.”

Tabasa seemed to take Mergin’s story as a fairy tale.