Part 2 – Episode 12
Day 17.
The boy returned to the tent.
“Live in that crumbling building? No way. I’m going to live here in the tent. This is the land where my brother is buried. It may be shabby, but I need to guard this place until I grow bigger and stronger.”
I’d seen people living next to a grave, but this was the first time I saw someone living right on top of one. Truly, this kid’s approach was unique.
The boy was more lively than ever before. Perhaps he’d had a change of heart, his swordsmanship became much more natural and sharp. As I thought, teaching him really paid off.
There seemed to be a change in his mindset, and his swordsmanship became much more natural and sharp. Teaching him really was fun.
Day 20.
I handed over the notebook I had organized over the past few days to the boy.
“…What’s this?”
“I’ve written down the moments I struggled with while training with the sword and how I overcame them. Of course, you’re different from me, but sometimes being different can be more helpful. Look at it if you need help.”
The boy, with a strange expression, quickly flipped through the pages of the notebook.
“How to deal with a sword that feels dull… with grit. Is this really supposed to help me?”
“It might not resonate with you now. It’s advice that becomes part of your bones and flesh.”
Doubt sprang up in the boy’s blue eyes. But true to his cute personality, he held on carefully to the book despite grumbling endlessly.
“You’re going to watch over me anyway. What good will this be? Still, I’ll keep it, I guess.”
I couldn’t continue to keep watching over him, so I made something like a cheat sheet for him. Today was the day Rue promised to come back.
‘I should tell this guy in advance.’
No matter how tough he was, it bothered me to leave him alone in a place like this.
‘I can’t come often, but I think I could visit at least once or twice a year…’
I should ask Rue to lend his house to the boy for a while, or take this guy to Penrotta.
Although considering how stubborn the boy was, I wasn’t sure if he’d listen.
“What are you doing? Hurry up and show me… what was it, that sword technique with the embarrassing name, the ‘Street Thief Swordsmanship’ or whatever. I’m ready now, you know? If I learn for about three more years, I’ll catch up to you in no time… Ugh! Stop hitting me, you’ll mess up my hair!”
What a brash fellow.
* * *
Day 23.
I opened my eyes suddenly.
Tick-tock. Besides the sound of the second hand of the clock moving and Ash’s breathing, no other noise reached my ears.
The dawn was still.
The air was cold.
But I definitely felt something.
‘Presence…’
Could it be called that? It wasn’t entirely wrong, but it wasn’t the same..
This was not a ‘presence’ but an ‘aura.’ I had definitely felt a similar sensation before. At the moment I achieved the unity of body and mind after crossing the fourth wall.
‘Rue.’
I’d understand if it was his aura. But I was sure this was not Rue. So who else would boast such an aura?
I left the house and caressed my pearl earrings.
And walked slowly.
Crossing the empty market bridge, climbing the trash hill, and standing in front of the dry forest, I looked back with a sigh.
“Boy. Go back home.”
The boy who had followed me, trying hard to conceal his presence, and after a brief hesitation, he rose from beyond the bushes.
Of course, the ‘aura’ I felt was not from the boy.
“…Where are you sneaking off to at this hour?”
“Go back.”
“Hey, just so you know, I didn’t follow you with any strange ideas. I absolutely wasn’t going to attack you from behind or exploit your weaknesses to mess with you…”
“You.”
A call had power.
A verbal call, as well as a gaze, had the same power. Those who had reached a certain level of mastery could imbue this call with even more explicit power — enough to crush someone’s fighting spirit with just a look.
‘Ha.’
However, my intention had not been to use that power against the boy.
I crossed the withered bushes and stood in front of the boy. The boy was sitting down with a frightened face. It seemed in my vigilance of the surroundings, I had unknowingly scared him.
“…What was your name again?”
Perhaps he felt wronged by being unable to speak under pressure. The boy raised his trembling legs with difficulty and shouted.
“What was it ‘again’? I never told you in the first place, you fool!”
Indeed, this guy had grit.
I was contemplating calling out again with force when that happened.
“I’ll tell you my name just once, so listen carefully. My name is…”
“Bow down.”
“…Huh?”
I pressed the boy’s head, who was standing there, down to the ground.
Whish-
A sound like a whistle passed over the top of his head.
Boom, Bang!
Intense flames flew, and the area was dyed red. The dry winter ground instantly became fuel for the flames. The heat of the air wrapped around us.
“Th-this… what is…?”
I pulled the boy up and ran towards the forest.
Whish-
With a single gust of wind.
Whoosh-!
Trees that were tall enough to obscure the sky now leaned weakly.
“Geez, what the hell is that!”
Despite the early morning hour, the forest was brighter than midday. Flames blazing in the darkness were brighter than the sun, swallowing the moon and burning fiercely.
‘Who is it aiming for?’
Me or the boy?
It was clear that the opponent was the owner of that mysterious aura and a powerful sorcerer.
‘We can’t keep going up like this. If the forest fire spreads further, it won’t just be this area but the entire Banahel Kingdom that…’
At that moment, the boy, who had been following me, albeit clumsily, pulled me by the hand.
“Look over there! The side of the trash hill…”
Rising black smoke.
An acrid stench, more pungent than the smell of the burning forest, carried by the wind.
I heard a long scream from somewhere.
Not only the mountain but also the residential areas began to catch fire. At this rate, the entire neighbourhood would be consumed by flames and completely burn to the ground.
“Hold on tight. We’re going to jump.”
“Wait, just a moment!”
Holding the boy in my arms, I leaped from the cliff. I passed through the bushes that were now nothing but charred remains and headed towards the deserted base of the bandit group. Towards the center of the formidable aura that awaited me.
There stood a man.
The man’s hair and eyes were black.
His long, braided hair fluttered in the wind. The roughly worn shirt with a chaotic pattern seemed to shout to the world that he was the source of this forest fire.
“Hello, Daisy.”
And that expression, as if he knew everything.
I put the boy behind my back and shot at the man.
“Who are you?”
The man then smiled, revealing his white teeth, as if he had been waiting for that question.
“I am the god of the Southern Continent, Daisy.”
What the hell was he saying?
“I am the god of the Southern Continent, though?”
“It’s me.”
“It’s me.”
“I am the god of the Southern Continent.”
“No, I said I am the god of the Southern Continent.”
After a brief silence.
The man, who claimed to be the god of the Southern Continent, bent his back greatly backward.
“Hahaha! Yes… that fearless spirit is certainly pleasing. Do you want to have the Southern Continent? But how can you? That land is mine. There is nothing in the south that you can have.”
“Where does it say that the land belongs to you or me?”
“Haha… where does it say? I didn’t know you could be so naïve that basic conversation wouldn’t even work.”
His leisurely voice made me notice something fresh.
‘How long has it been since I’ve had such a relaxed opponent in front of me?’
Confidence that didn’t know defeat. It clearly came from…
“Even if the opponent is of a similar level to me?”
Was he also someone who had achieved the status of a demigod?
“Find a role as a teacher somewhere else. Find another land, newcomer. Ah, you won’t be able to find it, will you?”
The man raised his chin with a smile.
“Because It will end here for you.”
Whistle-
I quickly drew my pearl sword as soon as the whistling sound was heard.
By holding my breath and concentrating, I could see the lines of wind drawn by the sorcerer’s magic. A brief exclamation burst out as I swung my sword to cut through all the lines.
“Why are you targeting me?”
“You’re indeed a genius who has achieved the unity of mind and body at such a young age. Damn it… This is why I hate geniuses.”
Stop talking to yourself.
“I would like to hang out here with you a little more, but I’m a bit short on time. Haha… Well, it might be better to finish it quickly, even if it’s a bit of a stretch.”
The man who had been laughing and chattering to himself knelt down and touched the ground.
Kwoong.
Something rumbled beneath my feet.
Daisy can’t catch a rest, dammit. What about the wedding we were promised, Skuld? It’s already been three months T-T
Thank you for the chapters!
Now in standard stories Rein would run after feeding rapidly approaching Rue but THIS novel always sucker punch you. I don’t think that the kid can survive being caught in demigods battle… Unless! He is transformed Sophia the Pervert!
*Spolia