Chapter 87 – Debt

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“Reverse Age. Reverse 4 years!”

Like every other year that I used the skill, my body seemed to glow just a little.
…
…
However, there were no signs of my leg having changed.

“Status Open.”

When I checked my status, my displayed age had changed from 27 to 23. So the Reverse Age had activated without a doubt.

“So it didn’t work…”

I leaned against the boulder and looked up at the sky.

It was too bad.

It had always been nothing but an idea based on no evidence at all. As for my 23 year old body, it maintained the same strength I had at 27.

Besides, now that I think about it, long ago, when I was 23 on earth, I had not looked like the trained warrior that I was now. But still, using Reverse Age had never weakened me.
Reverse Age. That was exactly what it did, and nothing else. It did not turn back the clock on your body.

I had mostly known it. But I wanted to hang onto that hope.
And so I could not help but feel disappointed.

Slap.
Still, I slapped my face, put the prosthetic leg back on, and got back to my feet.

“Well then…”

While I was disappointed, I could not allow it to defeat me. Besides, there were still other ways to get my leg back. All this meant was that this one little whim I had, had not worked.

And now I could turn my attention to another possibility.
A possibility I had not considered when I first lost the leg.

It was what I thought while fighting the wyvern after acquiring light magic, and when fighting the horned deer after acquiring Mine Breaker.

‘If I keep fighting like this, I will probably be able to save up the 3 platinum coins I need for treatment, before I learn Regenerate.’

I did not expect to be thinking about Plan B at this moment. It was like I was going down the main street and suddenly turned into an alley.

I had thought so much about regrowing it. And did not really think at the time that I would be able to fight to this degree, when I had a prosthetic leg.

However, the reason that I acquired light magic was to get my leg back on my own. And so there was a part of me that wanted to continue in that direction. I would have to think carefully about what I would do now. There was no time to be sad.

I took out the shoes I had purchased in Nelral, and gently placed them on the boulder. It had been too early to buy them.

At the same time, I took out some dried meat and chewed it. Then I untied Mulze’s reins and jumped on, feeling the agility of my younger body.

I pulled the reins and led Mulze back to the main road. There was something strangely comforting about Mulze’s calm trot.

And so returned to my goal of heading to the farming village. I had to find out whether or not the rumors had reached it.

As I swayed on top of Mulze’s back, I heard a rustling sound from the forest. Just in case, I pulled on the reins to make Mulze stop. As I stared into the forest, I noticed several eyes looking at me.

There were many eyes, but only one body. So it’s you.

I got off of Mulze and unsheathed Mine Breaker.
Well…I had been wanting to fight in this younger body. Besides, I have a bone to pick with your kind.

As I slowly walked towards the forest, the monster also showed itself.
It was a black, giant spider that was about 2 meters. It’s been a while! Giant spider!

As it rushed towards me, I swung Mine Breaker.

Clang!

Both of us bounced back as the hard sound rang. It really was hard. Like a sand scorpion.
The giant spider retreated while jumping from side to side. It realized that I would be a tough enemy, and was trying to lure me into the forest, where it would have an advantage.

Such an obvious bait… But I’ll bite! After all, there is a debt to pay!

And so I advanced into the forest without hesitation, and the giant spider jumped up into the trees. It lept from branch to branch, occasionally attacking me, and so I blocked it with my sword.

But no matter how many times I blocked it, the giant spider continued to jump between the trees. And then finally, it stopped in a certain spot. It was in the air, between two trees.

And I could see webs shine at its feet. It looked like it was walking in the air as it slid along the webs.
It began to move around over my head as if searching for an opening. And so I changed my angle so that I faced it.

Just then, Mine Breaker became heavier as if it was being pulled. Apparently, it had been caught by a web that I couldn’t see. So…I was already inside of the spider’s nest.
Without missing the opportunity, the giant spider leapt into the air towards me.

So you finally come! This was the attack that I was waiting for.

With all of my power, I filled Mine Break with energy, and raised my sword into the air. I felt the web ‘snap.’

“Hyaaaahh!!”

And as the Giant Spider jumped towards me, I swung downwards with the sword.

Clang.

The sound was surprisingly small as the giant spider fell to the ground. Its head, along with its front legs, were cut in two.

“Phew.”

I sheathed my sword and sighed.
As I carved up the giant spider, I thought back on the fight. My body had been able to move without any trouble. If anything, it felt better than usual.

However, I could not deny that it had been reckless to rush into the enemy’s trap.

Part of it was that I grew passionate, because I was holding a grudge. But it was possible that having a younger body also affected my mentality. Your mind and body could not stay unconnected.

I would have to be careful. The old man in my heart warned.

“Brrrr.”

It could have just been me, but even Mulze looked exasperated.

After I finished carving the giant spider, I returned to the road. And just as the information I had gathered suggested, I arrived at the next village before sundown.
I then showed the gatekeeper my Adventurers plate. I felt quite nervous when doing it.

“What’s your business in the village?”

The gatekeeper asked with a doubtful expression.
But he didn’t react or ask about the name, so I was relieved.

“I just want to stay the night, that is all.”

“In that case, there is a house in the village that offers room to travelers. You can see it from here. The roof is three triangles. You should go there.”

“Thank you for telling me.”

I bowed my head and entered the village.

The house that was recommended was a little larger than the others. I knocked on the door and a middle-aged woman appeared.

“I’m sorry to bother you so suddenly. But the gatekeeper told me that I could find a room for the night.”

“Oh, are you an Adventurer? I haven’t prepared anything, so the food will be simple. But if you still don’t mind, it will be three silvers. And one silver for the stables.”

“That’s fine.”

“Good. Then you can leave your horse there and come inside.”

I left Mulze in the stables and entered the house. It really was like an ordinary home, that was slightly larger than usual. I was guided to a room, and while I put down my things and started to remove my armor, there was a knock on the door.

“Dinner will be soon.”

A voice from the other side.

“Yes, I’ll go at once.”

I answered, and then headed to the dining hall. Dinner was a kind of rice porridge and fried meat and vegetables with a yellow sauce. I would have preferred bread.

“There’s more, so just let me know if you’re still hungry.”

“Thank you.”

I set my true feelings aside and offered my empty bowl. The innkeeper smiled a little.

“Yes, yes. You are still young, and must eat a lot.”

She said, and it felt strange. In this world, I didn’t hear people being called young once they passed their twenties. By then, you were an adult. And I was twenty-three.

“I’m not that young.”

“Oh, only young people say that.”

She said with a laugh.

As I felt like I was being teased, I kept quiet after that and ate my food.

When I was done, I asked for some hot water and returned to my room. But when I got into bed, I remembered.

(Now that I think about it, I myself have treated people around twenty-three as if they were young as well.)

Even if my age changed, the world I saw was the same. The innkeeper would actually be younger than me, and so perhaps it is difficult to see her as someone who was older.

Once I realized the reason that it bothered me, I was able to fall asleep.

Next Chapter

Ossan Boukensha no Jimichi na Isekai Tabi