Star-Embracing Swordmaster — Chapteer 277: Extra 17 – Kihano – For the Young Possibilities (1)

Chapteer 277: Extra 17 – Kihano – For the Young Possibilities (1)

It was a deep‌ night in which⁠ everyone in the‌ village slept.

In‌ the quiet Consuegra,‌ where only the‍ sounds of insects‌‍ could be heard, a soft sob‍ echoed.

“…I’m‍ sorry.”

A ray of moonlight⁠ filtered through the‍‌‌ coarse wooden planks.‌⁠

The‌‍ priestess of the⁠ World Tree was⁠‌‍ locked in some‍ storage shed, as⁠‌ there wasn’t even‌‍‍ a proper prison in the village.

Sitting‍‌ with her knees‌‌ together and her head bowed, the‍⁠ gentle blue moonlight⁠ enveloped her as‍ if trying to‍ console her.

“I‌⁠ tried to save‍⁠‌ them, truly.”

She‍⁠ had traveled a long way from‍ the elven forest,‌‌ Alfheim, to reach⁠⁠‌ Consuegra.

However,⁠‍ now she was‍ trapped in a cage built by the mages.

Tomorrow, Sarnus would arrive,‍ and she would‌‍ be taken to⁠⁠ the capital. But⁠ she wasn’t crying‌‍ because of the⁠‍ uncertain future that‌‌‌ awaited her.

—It‍‌⁠ hurts so much!⁠ Please, stop already!⁠‍

—I’m⁠ sorry! Please, get‌‍ me out of‌‍ here!

What‌ truly tormented her‍ were the cries⁠ of the young‌ spirits that still‌ echoed in her⁠ ears.

From‍⁠⁠ Samonte’s mill, which‌ still gleamed with‌ lights, the heart-wrenching screams of the‍ little spirits could be heard without‍⁠ end.

“…Why⁠‍ do you abandon‍ those children, Mother?”‍

Those‌‍ fragile and pitiful‍‍‍ sounds made her‌⁠ doubt the message‌‌⁠ of the World‍‍⁠ Tree, which had⁠ sent her here⁠‌⁠ alone.

But‍ unable to do anything, the priestess‍‌ could only hide‌ her tear-soaked face⁠ between her knees.‍

Her⁠ shoulders trembled helplessly.⁠

The‌‍‌ young spirits suffered‌‍ and cried out⁠ because of the⁠ mages’ cruel experiments.‍

However,‌‌ there was no‌ one there to‍ hear those sobs.

“…”

Except⁠‍‌ for one person.⁠

It‍‍⁠ was a night‍ when only the⁠⁠ wounded remained awake.‍⁠

That’s why the knight‌ who was alone in his room at the inn‍⁠ touched his left‌ eye silently while⁠⁠ glaring furiously at‍ Samonte’s mill.

***‍

Although‌‌⁠ normally in Consuegra⁠‌ only the bleating‍ of sheep could‌‌‍ be heard, today,‌ for some reason,‍ it felt more bustling.

The⁠⁠ children wore clean‌ clothes, and the adults were sweeping⁠⁠ with brooms here and there.

“Today,⁠ someone very important from the Dragulia⁠‌ family is coming.”‌⁠‌

“They⁠ say it’s a dragon. And one‍⁠‌ of pure blood, no less.”

“They say he has golden hair and⁠ blue eyes. I can’t believe I’ll‍ see a dragon⁠ before I die!”⁠

The⁠ villagers were excited⁠‍ about the news that a dragon‍ would arrive in‌‌ Consuegra.

Born⁠‍ in perfection, as⁠ beautiful as jewels.⁠⁠

Just‍‌ seeing a dragon‍‌ was an honor,‌⁠ and everyone was hurriedly preparing to‍‍ welcome him.

“They’re‌ coming! They’ve already⁠ reached the entrance‌ to the village!”‌‌

“Form⁠‌‍ a line! Make‍‍ sure the children⁠ don’t run ahead!”‍‍

With⁠ the firm shout‌ of the mayor, the villagers quickly‌⁠ stepped aside from‌ the path.

Although⁠⁠ they seemed nervous‌ about seeing a dragon for the‌⁠ first time, they‌ couldn’t hide the⁠⁠ excitement coursing through‍ their bodies.

“….”‍⁠

Soon,⁠‌ a luxurious golden‌⁠ carriage approached from the distance.

That⁠‍ immutable gold was⁠‌ a color reserved‍‍ solely for dragons‍ born in perfection.‌

Upon‍ recognizing that color,⁠‌ the villagers began‌⁠ bowing their heads⁠ one by one.‌

“Welcome,‍ Sarnus Dragulia!”

The‍⁠ carriage passed through‌ the crowd and‍ came to a stop. Samonte, the‌ mage, hurriedly approached‌⁠ with an extremely‌⁠‍ respectful posture, very⁠ different from his‍ usual demeanor in the village.

“It⁠ is an honor‍⁠ to have you in this humble place…”

Finally,⁠ a noble dragon‍‍ began to step out through the⁠ open door.

His golden hair shone⁠ under the sunlight,‌⁠ and his blue‌‍ eyes observed everything‌ coldly.

However,⁠ what was most‌ imposing about his⁠ presence was the‍ perfection he had‍ borne since birth.‌

“Well done, Samonte. You’ve‍ finally found a useful energy source,‍⁠‌ haven’t you?”

“Y-yes,‍ Sarnus.”

Everyone‍‍ present bowed their heads before him.⁠‍

Therefore,⁠‌‌ Sarnus’s eyes, which could freely look⁠‌ down on others,‌⁠‍ began to slowly‌ scan the surroundings.⁠

“Good thing I didn’t⁠⁠‌ arrive too late.”‌

The⁠ reason a noble‍⁠ dragon had come to this remote⁠‌‍ village was to‌‌‌ oversee Samonte’s experiment.‍‌⁠

But‍⁠ beyond that, Sarnus‍⁠⁠ wanted to see‌ something in particular:‌ Kihano Frausen, the⁠‍ young possibility they had crushed in‌‌ the past.

“But⁠‍‍ I don’t see‍⁠ him.”

“What?”‍

He‌‍ looked around, but‌‌‌ he didn’t see‍ the brown hair⁠‌ he was searching‍⁠ for.

The‌⁠ youngest son of‌ the Frausen family,‌ who had shown‍‍‌ such a brilliant‌⁠ potential that he⁠⁠‌ had surprised even⁠‌‌ the dragons.

A spark of potential‍ that needed to⁠ be verified. However,‌ Kihano was not‍⁠⁠ where he was⁠ supposed to be.⁠

***‍

“Kkuuuuung!”‌

In‍‍ Samonte’s mill, which⁠‌ had been left‌⁠ empty to receive⁠ the noble dragon,‍⁠ someone was carefully‍‍ climbing up.

“Why‍⁠ did they build‌ this so high?”‍‍

The mill that Kihano‌‍ was scaling was⁠ the tallest and⁠‍ largest in Consuegra.‌

Therefore,‍⁠‌ it was difficult‌ for anyone to‍‍‌ climb. However, for‌‍ some reason, Kihano‍ ascended with ease,‍‌ without even using‍‍⁠ a rope.

“…Will⁠ I really get‌‍ my normal hands‍‌ back after this?”‍‍

“I’m⁠ telling you, yes!⁠‍ Do you think⁠ they’ve been fooling‍‍ me my whole life?”

Andrew,‌‌‍ on his shoulder,⁠‍ kicked his hind⁠ legs as if‍ trying to dispel‌ any doubts.

Even⁠⁠⁠ so, it was‍‍ hard not to‍⁠ feel uneasy.

If‌‍ a swordsman’s hands⁠ turned into those‍‍ of a frog,‍‌ anyone would react‌‌ like Kihano.

“Why‌‌ are you climbing‍ up the wall‍ instead of using‌‌‌ the normal entrance?‌ Are you crazy?”‌

“I‍⁠ want to see‍⁠ Samonte’s workshop.”

“And why?”

“Ah…⁠⁠ I told you⁠ before!”

It‌ wasn’t a very‍‌ dignified image to‌‍ see Kihano climbing‍ like a frog.‍

Yan,‍‌ who was below, watched him with concern. But the⁠ knight had already‌‍ passed the mill‌‍‌ blades and was‌ near the window‍ of Samonte’s workshop.⁠

“I’ve‌ been hearing children‌‌ crying all night!”‍

Even‌ though he knew⁠⁠ no one was‍ there, Kihano spoke‍⁠⁠ in an urgent whisper.

“This‌ mill seemed suspicious‌ to me from⁠ the start.”

Kihano‍ peeked into the workshop through the⁠⁠ window, and then‍⁠ turned his head‌ to look back.‌‍

There‍‌ were the mill blades.

“Look.⁠‌ They don’t even⁠ have a weather‍⁠ vane installed.”

The⁠ rusty blades didn’t have the vane‍‍ that any mill should have to⁠‍ catch the wind.⁠‍⁠

The⁠ main function of a mill was‍‍ to turn with‍ the wind, but⁠ this one didn’t⁠⁠ even have that⁠‌ intention.

Crraaack!

“That’s‌ why I need‌ to see it‍ up close.”

Gently⁠ tapping the window‍ with his elbow⁠ to avoid making‌ noise, Kihano carefully⁠ removed the cracked‌‍‍ glass.

It⁠‍ was a technique‌ he had learned‌ for secret meetings⁠‍ with ladies, but‍ it proved useful‍ in other situations.‌⁠⁠

“…”‍‌

Kihano‍ unlatched the window and slipped silently⁠ into Samonte’s workshop.⁠‌

Although Andrew had said⁠ there were no‌ other security measures,‌ it never hurt‌‌ to be cautious.‍‌

“What⁠ a messy place.⁠⁠‍ Are all mages⁠ like this?”

“I‍ wasn’t, you brat!”‍

“You‌ have papers scattered‍ everywhere. Mages are⁠‍⁠ a disaster.”

“…”⁠‌

This‌ workshop was not‌‍ accessible during official visits.

That’s why the workshop⁠ Kihano was seeing‌‍‌ for the first‌⁠ time was messy,⁠‌ with papers strewn‌‍⁠ across the floor.‍

“…What’s‍ this? A blueprint?”‌

Among‌‌‌ the papers filled with difficult-to-read letters,‌‌ there was one⁠⁠‍ that caught Kihano’s⁠‍ attention.

A sheet with a simple drawing instead‌‌ of complicated letters‌ and formulas.

It‍⁠‍ was a sectional⁠‌ blueprint of the⁠ mill they were⁠‍ currently in.

“Why‍ does it have⁠‍ so many gears?”⁠‌

Upon‌‌ examining the blueprint,⁠ he saw an‌ excessive number of‍‌ gears and pipes‍ in Samonte’s mill.‍‍

He didn’t know what they were for, but it was⁠⁠ evident they weren’t‌‍ typical components of⁠‍ a regular mill.‌

“…Kihano.”‌⁠

“What‍ is it? I’m busy.”

While‌‍‍ Kihano quickly lost interest in the⁠ blueprint and looked‌‌ around, Andrew, on his shoulder, blinked‍ in surprise.

“This…‌‍⁠ Where we are‌‍ now doesn’t seem‍ to be just⁠‌ a mill.”

“That’s⁠ what I’m saying.‍ I told you‍⁠ this was suspicious.”‍

Andrew’s‍ voice trembled with‌‍‍ nervousness, but Kihano⁠⁠ was focused on finding the source‌ of the children’s cries he had‍ heard last night.‌⁠

As‌ he looked around,‌ he saw something shining.

“I’m‍‌⁠ telling you, this‌‍ isn’t an ordinary‌⁠ windmill. This…”

“Shhh.⁠ Be quiet for‌ a moment.”

Looking‌‌ up, he saw‍ that there were glass tubes hanging⁠ from the ceiling⁠‌ of the workshop.⁠

They‍ seemed to be‌ firmly attached as‌‍ if they were‌‍ part of some⁠ machinery.

Kihano‍‍ felt the pain‌ in his injured left eye intensify‍‌ when he saw⁠ them.

“Can’t⁠ you hear it?”‌‌

“Hear⁠ what?”

“It‌ sounds like crying.”‌‍

Kihano‌⁠ really didn’t care what the mage‍ Samonte was doing.‍

After‌ all, the experiment⁠ was supervised by⁠‍ Dragulia, and it‌⁠ wasn’t something he⁠ could interfere with.‌‌⁠

“…Is⁠ it coming from‍⁠ above?”

But‍‍ if children were‌ involved, the situation‌‍ was different.

Especially‌ if the children were suffering so‍⁠‍ much they cried‍‍ all night.

“¡Kngh!”⁠‌

The⁠‍‍ higher he climbed,‌ the more his wounded left eye hurt.

The‌ bandage he wore was stained with blood, but his⁠‌‌ determination did not⁠⁠ waver.

“Kihano!⁠‍ Your wound is‌ bleeding!”

“I‍‌ know!”

The‌‌‌ closer he got‍ to the empty‍ glass tubes, the‌⁠ clearer the children’s‌ cries became.

Finally,‍‌ he reached the⁠ top of the‍ workshop.

There‍ was a large⁠ gear and many‍⁠‍ glass tubes embedded‍‌ around it.

“Where‍ are they?”

Kihano‍‍ looked around urgently,⁠‍ blood dripping from‌ his eye.

However,‍‍‌ he only saw empty glass tubes. There was no‍ sign of the‌‍ crying children.

“There’s‍ nothing. We should⁠ go down.”

“But…”‍

“Idiot,⁠ I just told⁠ you! This isn’t⁠⁠⁠ an ordinary windmill!”

-······!‍⁠

Andrew‌ urged Kihano to‌⁠ go down, but⁠‌ he turned his‍‍‍ head when he⁠ heard something.

It⁠‌⁠ wasn’t a sound⁠‍‌ heard with his‍‍ ears but something perceived with his sight.

Looking‌ in that direction‍ with his injured‌⁠ left eye, he‍ saw a white figure.

“Stop‍ torturing them!”

A white spark crackled⁠ inside a large‌ glass tube at⁠‌ the center of‍ the gear.

It⁠⁠ was a much larger tube than⁠ the others, and‍ it was vibrating.⁠

As‌ he approached, Kihano‌ opened his eyes⁠‍ in shock.

“Leave‍⁠ my friends alone,⁠ you damned humans!”‍

He‍‍ couldn’t see it⁠‌‍ with his right eye, but he‍ could with his injured left eye.

In⁠ a place where‌ the colors were⁠ all dark, like‌‌‍ a scene from‍ an oil painting,‌‍ a young and‌⁠ severely injured snake‌⁠ was screaming at Kihano.

***⁠‍

A boy cried in‌‌ an empty dueling‍‌‍ arena where everyone⁠‌ had left.

The‍ tears the boy⁠⁠⁠ was shedding now‌⁠‍ were not from⁠‍ resentment or anger.‍‍

“…Father.”⁠‌‌

These‍⁠ were tears that⁠ flowed from helpless‍ fear.

The‌‍‍ dragons of Dragulia‍‍ had raged when‍‌ they saw the⁠‌ world he had‍⁠⁠ created.

That‌⁠ was because those‌ blue eyes desperately⁠ sought the boy’s⁠⁠ world, recognizing Kihano’s‍ potential, forged by‌ sacrificing his own‍‌ young dragon.

“Did I do something‍⁠ wrong?”

However,‍ no one made eye contact with Kihano, who was now crying.

Neither‍ his father, whom‍⁠ he respected, nor‌‌ his mother, whom‍‍ he loved, had‍⁠‌ the time to⁠⁠ look at young⁠‌ Kihano because they‍ were busy appeasing‌ the angry dragons.

—Don’t look away anymore,⁠ Kihano.

A world of children⁠ that no one‌⁠ could protect.

Therefore,⁠ the cries of‌ the little one‌‌⁠ he had ignored⁠ continued to echo within Kihano.

—If‌ you keep doing⁠⁠‍ this, the star inside you will die.

Perhaps‌ the cries Kihano⁠⁠ heard last night‌ weren’t from the‌‌ young spirits in‌⁠ front of him,⁠ but from the‌⁠ child he had been ignoring until‌ now.

That’s‌‌‌ why Kihano decided⁠‌‍ not to look‌⁠ away and took⁠ a step toward‌ the glass tube‍‌ before him.