Chapter 270: Extra 10 – In the Sky I Observed
PnKFefi“This mansion is haunted.”G3SIr
srFIt was early morning, a time when the sun had not yet risen and everything was shrouded in a dim twilight.qmns
xMvl1hVlad, barely able to keep his eyes open, was awakened by Zemina’s voice from beside him.ix7ZUJ
CefKZK7“What?”1ec
E2SDA“I’m telling you, this place has ghosts. I saw them last night.”GPSuhz
EESsmAs his vision gradually came into focus, Zemina appeared in front of him, hands clawed like a cat, trying to convey something eerie.HaQGam
2BWqTo Vlad, who didn’t understand the context, it was just another of her peculiar antics.o1mNZc
cLIxra“What on earth did you eat?”5xc
aDTFhm“I knew you’d say that.”6STVYZ
5RXCBreaking into his room so early in the morning to talk about ghosts seemed absurd to Vlad, who sighed and laid back down.9esT
qm7tBut Zemina pulled the blankets away with determination.4WP4Rwl
VPO“…What’s wrong with you this early?”A69k
A9P“Look at this! I have proof!”Tvj4XKS
7fmW9KWhile Vlad, still groggy, tried to ignore her, Zemina waved a piece of paper in front of his face.07P
6sClpSIt was the drawing the World Tree Priestess had handed her the night before.yHc
Hp4Wwy“The ghost I saw left me this drawing. What do you think? Don’t you feel a chill just looking at it?”wtlSuA
Dkp“…”fYoZnWP
imLTet“Look at this messy stroke! It’s obviously cursed.”yPhAs
E7sdLAs Zemina claimed, the drawing was utterly chaotic.y7172
6IQZmwHowever, its vibrant colors made it hard to determine the artist’s age or intent.9stxhh
q4rz“A ghost gave you this?”GcPie6
NF1“I swear it did.”Ct0CDt
Tb5“…Did this ghost have platinum blonde hair and wear a white dress?”FY3
8cWzq“Oh, for heaven’s sake!”OoOdMI3
m7OlHearing Vlad describe the supposed ghost exactly, Zemina gasped, covering her mouth in astonishment. Her wide eyes grew even rounder as she stared at Vlad.YuxrudW
zMZJ“I’ve got goosebumps!”Y9rGU8y
IgS3XK3Her large eyes, now even more rounded, seemed to confirm Vlad’s accuracy.IN6d5
CXTVlad scratched his head as he began to study the drawing she had given him.9TdM0
cSO5c7“…Hmm?”Oqq
lN6ZKVAs dawn broke over Sturma, the faint light filtering through the windows slowly illuminated the room.xvG
6oCcbVlad furrowed his brows as he tried to decipher the drawing’s message.CTaiAez
iTn***ZErqW
VA3leAt the same time, the Bayezid mansion was bustling with guests, transformed into a social hub.g0CtQ6
HUpTNobles and envoys from across the continent had gathered.tGAhOv
tguqFor many, this rare chance to mingle was the perfect opportunity to form new connections.Eux
ENsz8I“Oh, Lord Vlad Aureo…”qBNeu2
AKbv2kAmong all the guests, the one they most sought to meet was Vlad, the new Swordmaster.g67X4hA
8T0Dn6rHowever, Vlad paid no attention to the countless individuals approaching him and instead strode confidently up the stairs.Vr6H3K
RuDUA‘You should visit our mother. I’m sure it would make her happy to see you.’tQq3
guno“…”oPfGq19
x4YJYNHe passed the noise of the first and second floors, heading to the third—a quieter area closed to guests.QPYKZ8
T2njVkKReaching the hushed hallway, Vlad paused and glanced around.8sk5WE
XTvy“The sun shines just as brightly as ever.”yV4
hmWXWhen he had been a squire, this hallway was always alive with the bustle of servants and activity.bUSV1m
DNGKMNow, the stillness was so profound that he could hear the birds singing outside.fuBWq
6vc7QwGSniff, sniff.QaZOfxE
bsGNR7Before stepping further, Vlad sniffed at his clothes discreetly, checking if he smelled unpleasant.Lsby
NpejIt was an old habit from his days in the slums, one he still hadn’t shaken.JtCAa1
yLmrBut even in winter, when he wore heavy layers, the lady of this house had always greeted him with a warm smile.keJsE
XT2Z“…Lord Vlad?”jUeh
FHqSgI“It’s a pleasure to see you again after so long.”WMg
7K5IYOutside Oksana’s room, Vlad greeted the maid stationed there with a polite nod. She was a middle-aged woman who had come to the household from Oksana’s family.6Eo59DW
zwZ“I’ve come to visit Lady Oksana.”zEaF
XRKjA“Oh, of course.”WdbihXz
anrThe maid immediately recognized Vlad and smiled warmly.cgjZGFU
Xphx“It’s hard to believe how elegant you’ve become!”wbf3zd
y8G“Thank you.”jnDlb
PLuThough her smile was bright, the somber atmosphere of the room seemed to weigh even on the maid, whose tone was more subdued than usual.RnUamjC
T2TcHjPerhaps, after so long without laughter, she had forgotten how to truly smile.UOUiw
CrEmq“Please wait a moment. I’ll let her know you’re here.”0fQZb
YEGwuUEven though Vlad had announced his visit beforehand, he understood that ladies always needed time to prepare.X3HyRnj
BBW3YWaiting in the reception room, he sat quietly, taking in his surroundings.cM4
eWosDI“…”fbA4H0
TojmUcThey say a room reflects its owner.2R3FF
3sd0sAlthough the room was spacious, the furnishings and decorations were modest.MU6Bx
o8UPIt didn’t feel empty, though, as warm orange sunlight filled the space.WGlg4
O7Jg“Vlad?”6hdR
lrW“Ah… yes.”otz
yBcIn that sunlight was someone who had always smiled at him. Seeing that smile made the damp, moldy corners of his heart feel just a little warmer.vIYzA
RyzgaEV“You must be tired from your journey, Vlad.”hAlY
uWH7Ex“…”UFm
jMNxxwBut today, the smile Oksana offered him was heavy with sorrow, like a storm cloud ready to burst.VTD92
L45“…Forgive me. I should have come sooner.”NP0mI
cEvj0“It’s alright, don’t worry. Come closer.”d7BDIK
OPGYOsSitting on the bed, Oksana gestured for him to approach.l4xd
YtHkkOwHer outstretched hands were dry and frail, like brittle twigs.S1lYw
jVZaGeeShe hadn’t been eating well; she was ill, worn down… Like the last time Vlad had seen his own birth mother. Seeing her state, Vlad couldn’t help but nervously wet his lips.Otq
hq8itH“I know how busy you’ve been.”mDXpY
7dA0UI“…”1hI
cgx“I know you’ve worked hard to accomplish what my son could not.”45x
gqmupIt had been two years since Joseph’s death, but Oksana spoke of him as if it had happened just yesterday.bjFIj5
0VLx“Have you taken care of the rogue dark mages?”lKFYON
pHT“…In the north, most of them.”NpQT
9Z5TVYp“And those who sowed discord under the Blood Dragon?”hiyqcCq
uBjG2M“There’s a meeting in Brigantes. I plan to close the divisions there.”OZfmM0
eEkgEvery era bears its burdens, and the living must endure them.xJ4
9lXs2q1A man had once said that this generation must drink the poison that had seeped across the world to cleanse it.8GFor
ahS“You’ve done so much, Vlad.”NpHX
TKTrEJoseph, who had sacrificed the last of his days trying to burn away that poison, had left the task to Vlad.bA3Sj
zfNEeQtAnd as Oksana watched his efforts, she gave him a faint, weary smile.aLCq
IBmE“It’s a relief. Maybe the next generation won’t have to endure what you have.”WA792H
GUBWrkThough Vlad didn’t physically resemble Joseph, Oksana looked at him with the same warmth she had shown her own son.iXV
KVMFG“As expected, it’s good to see you well-fed. Those broad shoulders… you’re every bit a man now.”2qwH
9d4“…Thank you.”WwBR
lwV78mMBut Vlad, sitting beside the bed, couldn’t meet her gaze.gFZcvU
2kzOCFBecause he knew that while she might have been like a mother to him, he could never truly be her son.wPp6sC
lUqThe only one who could comfort this woman, fading a little more each day, was Joseph, who now lay beneath the gravestone visible through the window. And Vlad was all too aware of that fact.pxSy
qkKDu1***tUf
LnRn58“…At times like this, it feels so unfair.”0H5n
1BrsBeneath a sky blanketed in clouds, Vlad quietly uncorked a bottle of whiskey.geBP
LnSsryhBehind him, the mansion bustled with the sounds of celebration, but in the small garden, it seemed like another world—serene and removed from the commotion.gQP
A9TdS5Standing before Joseph’s gravestone, Vlad poured out a portion of the liquor in silence, sighing as his gaze drifted toward the commemorative tower for fallen knights visible in the distance.wAKD
Ixdc6z“It seems like those who left first have it easy. The ones left behind are the ones still carrying the weight of it all.”kVA
93QPt49Gregory, Ragmus, Agge… and many others, knights whose names he hadn’t even known, who had fought alongside him against Sarnus on that day.pQgKKL
ja6QTwVlad raised his glass of whiskey in tribute to the freshly engraved names on the tower. But then he felt the presence of someone behind him and turned his head.pdrM
oM920Ka“Still, finishing what they couldn’t is the duty of those who remain.”miJ4LSf
ZHHIs“Marcus.”KoVdHCe
cxH7From a spot that had seemed empty a moment ago, a man stepped forward.H6g6Uk
GI0NHHis face was marred with deep scars, a testament to the trials he must have endured in the past.oEm
1gI“At least the knights who rest here are fortunate. There are those in this world who vanish without even leaving their name behind.”drn
6NWVlad nodded silently in agreement with Marcus’s words.Glw
gO4IqNo one is born without purpose, but that doesn’t guarantee their purpose will endure to the end.lC9
IoEqT“The Pope, Andreas, wanted me to relay his gratitude. It seems the ones you dealt with this time caused him quite a bit of trouble.”JMN2
933ylyK“Did they?”9MLqlf
LxsSOver the past two years, Vlad had traversed the continent, stamping out the remnants of lingering threats.RMtoRLV
O7oxSometimes, he faced dark mages who manipulated others; other times, he hunted down the last of Dragulia’s followers.XdkZL7Y
1V2His relentless pursuit was his way of ensuring that the names now etched before him had not been sacrificed in vain.g7dBV
z84tUqj“Is there anyone else left? Once this ceremony is over, I could head out again.”CXfI
Ylm5X“…”FZT
UHhHX75But Marcus didn’t answer Vlad’s question about his next target.XbLb
4jKDcntInstead, he uncorked a bottle of liquor and poured it silently onto the grass nearby.vtK0Nje
VFSlcLV“You’re still young, and I think you’ve done more than enough.”xAdR
sNeiM“Marcus?”WGpy
6lSLMarcus, who had been pouring out the liquor for the nameless dead like himself, raised his head and nodded toward Vlad, who now wore a puzzled expression.rLNp
9MGJ2w“By the last order of Count Peter, the Ravens will no longer provide you with information.”cJ8rBHf
P2ahs“…”VK74V
xJq“The Count wanted you to stop living for others and start living for yourself. That was his final request.”5ua5H
wnvThere are stars that shine brightly because they have a dream, a goal they wish to achieve.myXaB
AtmkPEBut now, that star was losing its light, unable to release the bonds it should have left behind. It was time to raise its gaze to a new sky.8aIQZft
Fjpy“It seems we won’t see each other for a while.”zQp
fVFBC“It appears so.”BwDRMT
kbVfE0k“Then let me ask you just one thing.”NRsPIGd
KmtAs Marcus turned to leave after delivering his message, Vlad stopped him with a single question.WLk
K3RO“What is your real name?”p0Jqb
1i9p5“…”kBO
RownsGThe nameless Raven, the man who introduced himself differently each time they met.zEqVz
eQTLxVlad had always been curious about the true identity of this enigmatic figure.kCPdZ
cHO9ufpBut Marcus, without looking back, simply gestured toward the commemorative tower.KYp
GNiC“I don’t know. I buried my old name there.”p0T
uwQwBGzA man who had laid to rest the name that defined him, to meld seamlessly into the shadows.SVH
G7LteRAnd with that, Marcus disappeared without a trace, just as he had when Vlad first met him.Kmqj
VS5pRkY“…Looks like I’m unemployed now.”jSK02
Fhuc4Standing alone in the garden, Vlad muttered a dry reflection after Marcus’s departure.ZkGM
ttZAdrift and unsure of what path to follow, he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and stared at it intently.LzC0D
CQo“What am I supposed to do now, Joseph?”Sopbv2
UP4VDRIt was the drawing the World Tree Priestess had given Zemina.z4SW8s5
XweH626Vlad studied the drawing for a long time. But beside him, Joseph remained silent, unable to respond.edG
xqFSwaaahhhh—nIJTFk
4mgUlobFrom the overcast sky, rain finally began to fall.yvhCs
vOcrLWLooking up toward the heavens, Vlad felt the rain drench him, as if it were urging him forward, leaving a bitter weight in his heart.6hdNZ
0pTaChapteer 271: Extra 11 – Continuation
With the sunset behind him, Vlad stood alone in a wheat field, striking the frozen ground with a hoe.nhvwQz
SXxXkGGoing back in time a bit, to the spring days, Vlad had been learning to work on Ramund’s farm.lTPRGPo
fCZ“This is truly a curious sight.”wFy21z9
6biDv5It was an empty field, without even seeds planted, just freshly tilled earth.p7mKoC
ysKThe only sound was that of Vlad’s hoe striking the soil.ZqOPpO
zIVjfDespite the persistent noise, Vlad displayed absolute clumsiness—a novice struggling with farmwork.gzLpIRa
aktUhY“You traded your sword for a simple hoe, and you still manage to look this stupid?”gSzQ
b3sS“…Am I really that bad?”N3C
uKHxk4Vlad scratched his cheek awkwardly, glancing at Ramund, who stood nearby making caustic remarks. Vlad already suspected as much.RAKDUMe
JfzaIt was clear he had no aptitude for farming.xseeJk
SDmV“No matter how hard you try, you weren’t born for this. It’s not about adapting or learning; you simply lack the talent.”g9hqBDs
MMIKBorn and raised in the city, Vlad had never been close to the earth.uEm3vTG
4w1lFpBEven taking that into account, his natural inclination for agriculture was nonexistent.ggAZ
IP6tMRQ“Why the hell are you doing this?”aGP
raCgPnWith a sword, Vlad was the Swordmaster, admired across the continent.WEWQH2f
VS0DwZBut with a hoe, he was a fumbling beginner. To Ramund, the disparity was so stark he couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh.FfwU
UAkC8Mf“What made you suddenly want to take up farming?”dPO
IbBBZ3A strong smell of alcohol wafted from the wineskin Ramund held. There was no need to ask what it contained—it was obvious.nWMpZtV
WzqF“…Are you exhausted? Want to take a break?”TB5
4v6“It’s not that.”5VX6xj
Zoy3Vlad noticed Ramund’s growing frustration. He set the hoe aside, sat down on the ground, and began to speak.n3h
gQOE0“I’ve just been thinking.”WQbld
HMw“Thinking about what?”6Lyp
ApGm“That the only things I know how to do are steal, pickpocket, or wield a sword.”s1hcg
hnDNRamund flinched slightly at Vlad’s words.hXSCSul
XRyUQAs a child, Vlad had roamed dark alleyways, parentless and homeless.e4d4l
B1G2RHis path had been filled with cold, sharp things—a reflection of the life he had led just to survive.4Rq
qtx“Isn’t it a little shameful to live a life that only knows those things?”hAhasYX
yWuMfheVlad felt ashamed to be someone who only knew how to harm others.wqC5N
yAs78FpEven if the world hailed him as a glorious Swordmaster, he knew better.417nl
KBamztKihano, the previous Swordmaster, had not guided him solely with swordsmanship.g5UV
Ig1cmA“What’s so shameful about a Swordmaster only knowing how to wield a sword?”SHE50ib
EgX“That’s exactly the problem.”8hP
zxh9uRamund’s mildly chiding tone made Vlad smile faintly.uG4x
7oDIOa“I don’t want to always be the Swordmaster.”hwnjY0z
PGyl7tPThough the world saw him as a shining figure, to others, Vlad was something entirely different.SZ9sF5L
vvaVTo some, he was an irreplaceable friend. To others, a savior in desperate times.fKyy9Ka
k2toNwAnd to Ramund, at this moment, he was merely a clumsy farmer.Okw8PeJ
iK2QNOS“Who knows? Maybe one day, someone will ask me about something other than my sword.”346
uhqOKihano, the Swordmaster, had been more than just that. Vlad remembered most vividly the nameless voice that had guided him onto the right path.EPb
T5aGIPerhaps the most valuable thing Vlad had learned from Kihano wasn’t his flawless swordsmanship, but his approach to life.xkCh2
O8Angf“That’s why I’m learning. So I’ll have something to say if someone asks me in the future.”JTYhbx
DpcKVlad also wanted to emulate that side of Kihano. Not as an emperor or knight, but as the adult who had guided him.Y9FCEzS
yipoULThat’s why Vlad was now trying to gather the experiences he had overlooked, broadening his understanding of the world.fbp
Ho9***8xX
vz7vpThe succession ceremony was grand.jov
08nkykmKnights clad in gleaming armor stood in formation, and dignitaries from across the continent offered their congratulations.mnF
eZaMACVIt was perhaps the most magnificent event ever held in the North. Observing it, Vlad felt a strange sense of euphoria he couldn’t quite put into words.526
t4p“I’ve never seen so many nobles gathered in one place before.”UfZ
IKcx“…Oh, yes?”ZPuW4fR
YjbQi“This is only my second time. The first was when I received my knighthood, and now this.”CGlEr
VKzSeeing Vlad slightly excited, Jager began to tense up.PEZ0Z
NeW0wVlad’s behavior was a warning sign to someone who knew him well.IV9O5
bj2NXOJager, recalling the trouble Vlad had caused as a squire, knew this was the time to be most vigilant.aHm7aZm
JLiFL“…But why is Baroness Alicia seated over there?”9sAHSW
d4rThe event, meticulously planned by the Bayezid family, was drawing attention from across the continent.Q4p64R
Csk3MkThe seating arrangement was carefully organized by rank and title. Yet Vlad couldn’t help but feel curious seeing Alicia seated so close to Zemina.HIl586
L7Jx“You seem anxious.”F8RnF4Y
Sx6“I’m not.”0FiF3
xI9uUJb“Please, try to stay calm.”Dhavs
6Cqe“I’ve never felt better.”fai
wYu“…”HqxMr
bWx2eNBut that wasn’t true. Even his breathing carried a trace of tension.b7P8vt
E0nHcZEach time the two women in front of him whispered to each other, the rapid beating of his heart seemed to echo loudly in Jager’s ears.0koq
9BFA“Now entering, Lord Rutiger Bayezid!”OY6fbW
cnOFIv7At the sound of the steward’s announcement, the hall doors began to open.xTif5xY
jwwThe doors, designed to resemble Sturma’s fortified walls, were massive and imposing.mK8gHK
waojOqaAs they swung open, the chatter in the hall died down into absolute silence.h2wr
loS“…”TQP0
MpejA tall man with broad shoulders, clad in an ornate ceremonial armor, entered with steady steps.4nCtHA
PtZWQ6It was Rutiger, looking far more solemn than usual.kIYbew
OCMzw“He looks different.”6z8e
xwxSV“It’s natural.”2ST
R8jNAt the highest point of the hall, Peter Bayezid, the current head of the family, made a gesture with his hand.T3W9F
ZA9It was the signal to commence the succession ceremony.HO2VRND
ldJ“He’s no longer the Rutiger you knew. From now on, he will be Count Bayezid.”Ztr
L02y0CgBearing the weight of his family’s name on his shoulders and the burden of their lands on his back, Rutiger could no longer be who he once was.eq68
TYcYlWith every step forward, carrying the responsibilities of his new role, Vlad’s gaze grew more complex.I6E6C
iFZ—Please, come forward, son of Bayezid.zQP
asWDWith each step Rutiger took ascending the stairs, he drew closer to Peter. At the same time, Peter Bayezid slowly rose from his seat.CZQK
a91Holding the lord’s mantle in his left hand and the ceremonial sword in his right, Peter opened his arms as if to say, “Come.” His gaze remained fixed on his son as he ascended toward him.KEsB0
cJ1When Rutiger reached the highest point, Peter, holding both the mantle and sword, extended them toward him.QoHg9
zJzWX—Wear this mantle.xNuME8
NIyrBFinally, Rutiger reached the pinnacle of Bayezid, and in front of him, Peter carefully draped the mantle over his shoulders.IBaGKni
WzKg—This mantle symbolizes duty. Do not forget that you now bear the responsibility for countless lives who depend on you.l1qJi5
1JNAtEA lord is not just someone who rules over land, but one who protects their people. That immense responsibility now weighed heavily on Rutiger’s shoulders.Xtz7
kHx—Raise your sword.M7Z7jeZ
SCt20Solemnly, Rutiger reached for the object Peter offered him: the sword of the Bayezid family.NXFhLdS
tt1The sword, passed down through generations, was a reminder that Rutiger must now wield it not for his personal honor, but for that of his family.eIelN
nIKCk—This sword symbolizes your responsibility as the head of the family. From this moment on, you will not wield this blade for your own honor but for the honor of the Bayezid name.STp
nZEuCggHe was no longer merely Rutiger the knight. From this moment, he would live as the heir and representative of the Bayezid family.pEE4nw
pY6EZyAs the ceremony concluded, Peter Bayezid addressed those gathered with a powerful voice.LCliw
msFYDij—I, Peter Bayezid, declare before all present that Rutiger Bayezid is the new head of the family.vJxGYc
7fRHaving handed over everything he needed to, Peter raised his voice, addressing the hall filled with guests.f0EnJI
evwv69J—Rutiger Bayezid has assumed the title of head of the family!yMUN
8PQnjUntil then, the only sound in the vast hall had been Peter’s voice speaking to his son. But as soon as he finished, thunderous applause erupted, threatening to shake the very walls.KPc
YAXZClap, clap, clap, clap—!bPe2ll
rvdtMtGThe cheers and applause of those present filled the space, showing no sign of abating anytime soon.XqAP1
8pnuHU1It was a sound of celebration, a tribute to the Bayezid dynasty, which had endured even in the darkest times when the mightiest and oldest dragon had brought chaos.GI5BFl
vkyCOvYet amid the deafening ovation, Vlad caught a faint voice that seemed to come from above.mzsXZ
1UEl7G“…You’ve done well.”kSEwxG
vfLts5It was a barely audible whisper, perceptible only to someone like Vlad, whose dragon blood granted him acute senses.ETrujpT
v9gYOThe voice came from Peter, who embraced his son with a blend of solemnity and warmth.fqiAk
owhlgR7“Truly, you’ve done well to make it this far.”S5j7ToB
g36hyvHaving relinquished the mantle of leadership and the family sword, Peter was no longer a leader but fully a father. As he held Rutiger close, he whispered with genuine affection:bjp
5s9Qde“Thank you for all your effort to reach this place.”rimt5
47TabVk***unpLg
mIQ0Dx“That was truly a moving spectacle.”ayt4
U1lThe night following the succession ceremony, an elegant banquet was being held at the Bayezid mansion.SGaiO
nGGRi6However, while the guests laughed and mingled, Vlad walked through a dark, empty hallway, far removed from the nobles and their revelry.ynA3f
3ciBRSJ“What does it feel like to inherit something? I can’t even imagine.”3sgH
gIojAHe was accompanied by Jager, who walked ahead of him.05Y
UpfyAhEBoth carried bottles of liquor in their hands as they made their way to what had once been Joseph’s office.RXSSE1n
ki2“Well, I suppose inheriting something from Dragulia would have been impressive. Too bad you missed out on that.”ZX0HN
E72Xv8“That’s not what I mean.”mf3t
qbZ6NG9Jager’s sudden mention of Dragulia caused Vlad’s expression to stiffen awkwardly.BqXR
BXJqtzf“I mean something like… what a father passes down to his son.”wyilC
AFrRIt was difficult to put into words, and Vlad gestured clumsily in an attempt to explain. Jager, however, didn’t even glance back.cOn
Y9Uf“That’s not something everyone gets to experience, even if their parents are alive. In this world, if you don’t inherit debts, you’re already lucky.”qglKJ
VSd“Really?”KkP
nozE9e“And if you want to know how it feels, just make sure someone inherits something from you.”2F0ER
9NLnXCreak—fcQ
YICCmupThe door handle emitted a harsh, grating sound as it turned, rusty from years of disuse.WW2v
SUZ2u2“You can’t inherit something, but you can leave something behind for others to inherit.”yYMuiUx
sfxBbCreeeeak—rusH
0Y8ifgCThough he expected the office to be shrouded in darkness, the room was bathed in the soft, bluish glow of moonlight.ii20e
oJExYet despite the light, the space felt entirely different from how Vlad remembered it.XAVwbO
lRAtIe“…Nothing here has changed.”dv3Qa
F9Ec“Nothing has changed, you say, but all the furniture is covered with cloth.”KsbTshp
4r4a0LThe office, now devoid of its owner, had become a cold, dust-laden space.R0GC3
XMiFO6However, with these two unexpected visitors, the room seemed to regain a faint warmth from the past.pdCZVm
WW20vHW“Are we going to drink here?”rRwx
oojZ“…Yes. Originally, I planned to do it alone.”3GIc
7GZnVThough it wasn’t planned, Vlad and Jager naturally took up the positions they used to occupy.ptxSrMS
lfaVlad sat across from the guest table, and Jager stood by Joseph’s desk, just as he always had.ZGuxvsu
9lJOJager couldn’t help but chuckle, watching Vlad behave as if it were the old days.sCBPxri
Ve1TD“A boy who didn’t even know how to ride a horse.”nmG
Suj“It’s because I didn’t know I was a dragon.”Xct8RN
TBesW“A brat who only knew how to brawl with the other squires and get into trouble.”LCVL
SaC“Well, that was because…”Jcb
VwnWYcXReminiscing about the past, Jager shook his head in amusement while Vlad fumbled to justify himself.7VAw0Ms
MYJysnPerhaps because he had known Vlad since he was a boy, Jager still found it hard to believe how much he had grown.BiFTXY
9xSuL“From that troublesome kid to becoming a Swordmaster, and yet you still have so much to envy?”dMOTIk6
Rm2cWN“…”Ph6Sn
ZUi“Here, take this.”9Op3QYY
TRM5glY“Liquor?”aE5ID
VIXY“It’s expensive. Over fifty years old.”k6r8tVp
OrgThe bottle Jager handed to Vlad was one he had been saving for years.URa
3iiNYIt was a special bottle that had belonged to his father, back when Jager had first come to Bayezid from the Oskar family.LSI
3K6z“Are you sure it’s alright to give me something so valuable?”MaqJ1
NlV“You said you wanted to inherit something, didn’t you?”TCH
ntN“Even so…”kl9
A9G“Enough already. Just open the bottle.”iQDveJC
15MX0vYJager pulled a cloth off a piece of furniture and retrieved some glasses, holding them out to Vlad.IIT6
blchIt was a clear invitation to pour the liquor, but Vlad, with a sly smile, tucked the bottle behind his back.9dMf
oI8oky“…This liquor is too valuable to drink right now.”3Aq0
8Rk4GQL“Then give the bottle back.”l0Njz
JzG“How about we start with the one I brought?”jOzCs1X
bxVXqz7“…I’ve been waiting twenty years to drink that.”R2RbqPY
v3LhzXZJager sighed in defeat as Vlad poured a different liquor he had brought along.9ZB4X
PJIJT6v“By the way, Jager, do you know how to fish?”Jh6
CRlEXdn“Fish? Why are you asking that out of nowhere?”DFUhB
oX3Yh“I thought it might be nice to learn.”0mjw8
3jYJager, gazing at the moonlight streaming through the window, let out a small sigh.MKCWd
P1PNok“If you want to learn something basic, come back in winter.”G5L
pOmVlad smiled as he watched Jager’s back. He had spoken about inheritance, but what he truly desired was to continue the connections forged in his life.vWQ
3ibXosChapteer 272: Extra 12 – The child and the woman
The red carpet that adorned the hallways had been removed.2M4
GF4pOnly a few withered flower petals remained on the decorations, along with an empty pitcher.kRUbab8
Z1S0The Bayezid mansion, which had been the setting for a splendid celebration, was now calm.JuCsK
eUXQThe guests had left, and the only thing breaking the silence was the singing of the birds.H5Olw
eH1MkbVlad walked alone through that tranquil space.3Fj8
vLrPlE“…”Nbk
VyRqHe wore a light cloak, as if he were already prepared to leave.SmVAS
Xvck9Early that morning, as the bluish colors of dawn stretched across the sky, Vlad made his way to the room where the lady of the house, Oksana Bayezid, was.dOV6L
iqVeR“Are you feeling better?”nJy0sHd
UEo3X7Though the sun had yet to rise, Oksana was already awake.QHdu5
U98FgFOr perhaps, due to her persistent cough, she hadn’t been able to sleep all night. Nevertheless, she greeted Vlad with the same warm smile as always.vlfr8d
1C9bOZy“…Are you leaving already?”QAqZ
bWJnjVAAlthough she could have remained lying down, Oksana made an effort to sit up with the help of a few cushions.bu2F
n3iShe didn’t want Vlad, who was about to leave, to worry unnecessarily.FiT
4BE“Yes. I think it’s time to return.”R1f6z
BfO8xtHowever, she couldn’t entirely hide the illness that afflicted her.bk5
dMKTlxOksana’s lips, pale as if covered in wax, left Vlad with a strained smile.sacP
WPilwi“That’s the right choice. If you’re going to leave, it’s best to do it early. You know how unpredictable the northern weather is.”YjZHf
bc1eRThe rays of the morning sun began to filter through the window, bathing Oksana’s bed in a warm orange glow, similar to the one Vlad had seen the day he met her.JtT0lu
Axb“…”l0gXLx
iHPNN5Under that light, Oksana’s figure resembled a painting.cOHr
0Se73T7It wasn’t ostentatious or dazzling, but it offered the serenity of a picture one would want to gaze upon every day.LnEyaBh
bMFA“It looks like the sun is rising. You’d better hurry.”KjAoD52
ZY8EcxJThat painting, which he had always wanted to keep, was now telling him it was time to leave.8pBeHqv
Swt5xLOksana caressed the small package she had placed beside her bed.H8Jh2
s4MxJG8“Are you wearing clothes suited for the season now?”diSEn
AtxE2VVlad had been a child who wore winter clothes even in the height of summer.mKgem4d
9koU8Huddled up as if he still felt cold beneath the warm summer breezes.hgRt8
BSTez“The clothes that aren’t seen are the most important. True elegance is shown in the least visible details.”AbuZ
83uN“…”ie0r
nduDInside the package that Oksana held, there were surely undergarments and socks for Vlad.YGNoMZe
SXOA seemingly trivial gift, but one that only a mother could prepare with such attention to detail.Nn2bLT
kmUjE“That girl is very pretty. What was her name? Zemina? When you were together, you looked very good.”4Kowd9S
ULf1l“Thank you.”47ARxSY
wOsxGsx“…”S9D
DBvThey had already said everything they needed to say.HB5
2ym2F3ZIt was time to go.doa
8OftT0kOksana nodded silently to her last guest, but Vlad still couldn’t take the first step toward the door.DLF
oyVUX“…I plan to come back in winter.”y3fg
PksZ“Huh?”r9lCJ
Sk2ssHe turned back toward Oksana, speaking somewhat awkwardly, as if it were difficult to reopen a closed conversation.9Hf
FaSk“I want to learn how to fish. I’ve heard that ice fishing can only be done in winter.”Ckf
f6b“Fishing?”vwIUhO
WgR9waThough the topic had nothing to do with what they had just been discussing, Vlad was trying to keep it going.5vVs
MTjpEXoBecause he wanted to see Oksana move, smile.atFbb
LI7Because he knew he would miss her more if she remained still, like a lifeless painting.Mh657
kcqkTb“It’s something that, if one had a father, they would learn naturally. I don’t know anything about those things, so lately, I’ve been trying to learn.”oxUYXw
kfi4“…”FX6g
0fH“Last time, Lord Ramund taught me how to farm the land, and well…”Hj9q5te
kEaTVlad’s world was diverse.83T
SbksdTKThe boy who once dreamed of becoming the perfect dragon now sought to become a star that radiated light.VhJWLM6
Kq4OA young man who didn’t want to be defined solely by a title.NkABC
Zs31L“Even so, there are many things I don’t understand.”slh
RdnaTo some, he was the dragon born of perfection.JHj5
2rhnVTo others, the master swordsman who wielded a brilliant blade.DX7
ooXdfBut before Oksana, he was just an uncertain child, without answers.AqIOd
4MZGAnd that child, with a shy gaze, now looked at Oksana.4Zr
caXbJFW“So, if I have more questions, can I come to ask you?”Gkt
ogHBFTaVlad held the package against his chest, shrinking slightly, without looking out of place at all.z5PN83
nSG0EcvAt least, not to Oksana.bpqD
CSNxGFA child who had grown up wild, like an orchid left uncared for.i4bOMQ8
aTY6jLooking at him, Oksana, whose world was painted in muted tones, felt a faint hint of color.a7u
aI4“…Of course.”2ze
4KzJA child without a mother and a mother who had lost her son looked at each other.Y3UKoC
jxMTNIEThough the broken pieces of their hearts didn’t fit perfectly, together they could withstand the blowing wind.GsYF13W
HfaY“Come back whenever you want. I’ll be waiting for you.”kPop
TvhAt those words, the young man before her began to smile.TiyTP
PO8WHe no longer wore the old winter coat he once had, but the summer clothes Oksana had given him.Qyl
7CsZ***7FvwX
39o6Nlz“Thank you for staying until the end.”s4qK
uZMWAlthough it was the host’s duty to see off the guests, reaching the main door was unusual.1mXj1p8
Ku7THowever, behind Vlad, who was about to leave, stood Rutiger, now the head of the Bayezid family, and his knights, all ready to bid him farewell.7p9Yf
OPWx5S“Thanks to you, my succession ceremony was splendid. It will likely go down as the most magnificent in our family’s history.”yhdF4g
ioHt“Thank you for saying that.”H6Z
ETu9FJVBehind Rutiger, some of Vlad’s familiar knights waved to him: Cade, Maxim, and those who had fought alongside him against the Deathsworm and Lindworm.ESxMd
Txc“So, you’re returning to Soara.”bq4OQs
b7OY“That’s right.”K7jVwwI
FEe“And what will you do afterward? Will you let yourself get dragged from place to place again, like before?”KAtE4i
y0gOXRPrestige always demands a price.XLi0s
faqe6NdAnd that price was something that Vlad, as a master swordsman, had to pay.gWvad
AAqBut now Vlad shook his head in silent denial in response to Rutiger’s question.WxrBr3
QtVIHK“No, this time I plan to rest a bit.”UyhGe6
m4RxWith those words, Vlad looked at the carriage beside him.oXv
lsRKInside, Zemina was quietly hiding, afraid someone might speak to her.rQcZI1
JXZ“…I suppose it’s time for you to take a break.”UxA
OhKHRutiger smiled broadly, understanding perfectly what Vlad was saying.4Vz6Z
TRPUEXX“I think it’s better if I leave now.”YjiEX
2QV“Yes, go.”6OxlZS
QGyXRutiger nodded as he watched Vlad mount Noir’s back with a brief salute.AHvNF
St3MThe squire of the Master of the Sword, who shrugged his shoulders while bidding farewell to the knights, pulled the reins, and soon the gates of Sturma began to open.CkRbB
Ng6zN“…Today, the weather is beautiful.”qW9Zk
eNLTAs the gates opened, Rutiger watched the morning light fill the horizon.d97O82x
qeO4BeuVlad’s shadow followed the rising east toward the green meadows.h1RzP
KuLzI“Come back whenever you want, Vlad. You will always be welcome as Bayezid’s greatest dragon slayer.”yM40N
EKCRGwThough he didn’t say it to be heard, Vlad raised a hand in farewell.EeBt
FSaHe didn’t look back, but in that gesture, one could feel both gratitude and the promise of return.9zn
7UgPGJ***z4YEPs
X2HMcZzFrom Sturma to Soara.RcV
EDBDeTPThe carriage headed toward Soara, leaving Sturma behind. As it traversed the summer meadows, the sunset began to color the horizon around them.kbXH
iRc“Captain, it looks like we’ll have to camp outdoors.”HAbELK
TuB1k“That’s fine.”0IyEA
z9pCrossing the vast northern plains in a single day to reach a village was an impossible task.beEmlDZ
AUw3aTzThat’s why both Vlad and Zemina nodded at Goethe’s words, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.Q9j
SSj“The sun sets quickly on the prairie. It seems to get dark faster than in Soara,” Zemina said as she gathered some nearby dry branches.HgFH0ML
CPVexZa“The stars will come out soon.”ytmi
nUlofYeIn the narrow alleys of Soara, the modest buildings always blocked the sky.QZpw
pIuWv17The glow of the lamps meant to attract customers devoured the stars, and the night sky always appeared fragmented and weak.9t7s
E3yQFinding stars in that broken sky was a difficult task.Gxje
q5DM“Wow.”PBah
rN8K80But now, the night sky of the prairie stretched out before Zemina’s eyes, filled with so many twinkling stars that it was hard to believe they had always been there.wvfm
f4zsWGFascinated by their radiance, she couldn’t bring herself to lower her gaze.OKn
P0TtJN“Zemina.”tNBCvE
A7IW9“Huh?”R9TQT
CojiZOT“Come here for a moment.”cNU8
T4cavLost in her own world, Zemina turned her head when she heard Vlad’s voice.NVlJ
Ra3c“Why?”5hS0
TH2The campfire that Goethe had lit crackled softly.GcnsCvc
GCAVR4Following the sound, Zemina saw Vlad holding Noir’s reins.VTdcIY
2FEL“He wants to say goodbye.”INi
73fl9“Huh?”rAT7a
wE79Ry“Noir wants to say goodbye before he leaves.”2H9EX6
LSUQZHe was a black horse that blended perfectly with the starry sky that night.TAj
uhTeSo much so that it seemed he might dissolve into the distant stars as he approached Zemina.SE5
iYyXcF“Say goodbye? What does that mean?”1MvYA6
gQIfbK6Zemina asked as she stroked Noir, who was nuzzling her gently.DsD
YNXnbBut Vlad didn’t answer. Instead, he nodded toward a distant hill.nZJT
zLLSY“It means it’s time for Noir to return.”Htr9BX
o4htOn the hill illuminated by the stars, a herd of wild horses could be seen, as if they were waiting for his return.Q7r35
Q9F5san“You’re letting him go? Just like that?”4joV
WubyXP“Now is the right time.”uvC2hoP
wPEWGZemina felt confused by the sudden farewell, but Vlad, without hesitation, began to remove Noir’s harness.Il8Z
8zlNHe took off the saddle, the bridle around his face, and unloaded the luggage he had been carrying.nda
DwM“Thank you for everything.”mSjREio
gLDvCAnd so, Vlad said goodbye to the child of the prairies, who had now returned to his original form.x8lVH
sqEJ9h“Are you done saying goodbye?”IyaLUJ
pUY“Huh? Yes…”w07NZ
SJ0y2“Then, go now.”k88aOsv
9XeAt the edge of the world where their paths had briefly intersected, they had extended a little further.qPp
wSv6However, Noir’s world was on the prairie, while Vlad’s was in the city. It was time to part ways.VGt4t
14AP“Don’t look back.”F2w
rePGINoir seemed to want to turn around again and again, but Vlad just crossed his arms and watched him.m8w
hwkAa2RGoodbyes are better when they are simple.zhEDR
vgKSeeing Vlad apply that philosophy, Noir neighed softly, as if bidding farewell.hyx98N
bDm9“…There he goes.”Wih9
C2Pp7tAt first, his steps were hesitant, but the closer he got to the hill, the longer his strides became.qOKoh
hTvbb1IWatching the black horse run toward the starry sky, Zemina began to shed tears.6GkUBY
YJU564“Is it because he resembles his owner? He doesn’t look back even once.”ky5mfx
gJFq2wFeeling the emptiness of the farewell, Zemina instinctively moved closer to Vlad.wUhu
Nfzp“Don’t be so sad.”vkVUGXM
VCfKTogether, they watched Noir disappear into the distance. The image of the two of them, side by side, was identical to that of the children who used to stand in front of the smithy.Z1mdKZ
axrUPvG“It’s not like we’ll be apart forever.”xmkH3
rbYUVlad took a piece of paper from his coat as he watched Noir leave.w8MD46
SHiIt was the drawing the Priestess of the World Tree had given them, one that Zemina immediately recognized.NhIB
PVE3“Now that I look at it, this sunflower… Its color resembles your hair.”ZItVm
5k4U“Really?”5MvA
CcHIn the childish drawing, there was a blond man and a red-haired girl. Between them was a small, smiling flower. Why would someone draw a smiling face on that flower?B8A2uj
5U0“Thank you, Zemina.”yPOS4uF
9578“Huh?”jNhOT
xzwVEVlad wrapped an arm around Zemina’s shoulders, as if the night wind felt cold.Z5irkE
LynSurprised by the sudden gesture, Zemina looked at him, but Vlad continued watching the sky where Noir had vanished.b8Zoga
t4SqJust like that time, when he looked at the undecorated sword hanging in the smithy.y66
0n0ZoCq“For believing in me back then.”H27X
Hcdnv0EThe winter in which he was born, the spring in which he said goodbye… And now, the summer in which he awaited new encounters.Vkfzu
2dqThe journey of that boy began with the sword the red-haired girl had given him.PIba
QYNnS“Let’s go back to Soara together.”Cajj
dPDYFTheir feet were still in the mud, but they gazed at the stars together.SAbAo
UM5PQkuNow, they looked at each other as a shooting star streaked across the prairie sky.tR2
SXGtbEven if we are not in the highest sky.yDMy49b
8kIrnEven if we fall to a place where no one sees us, If we wish to shine, we can recognize each other.qzpLl
oSY8CkBecause we are stars.CHP4HdQ
W3UIRBBecause we can all shine like stars.P98JRuw
cwy36RSo until we meet again, goodbye.qSfL
k1ZwhStar-Embracing Swordmaster (Complete).OFGafL5
XnKDM***sUhryp
FWirOEarly in the morning when everyone was deeply asleep.o4p2QD8
lnx6In the depths of the night, when even the stars in the sky were slumbering,2eJ
hkcSJUnder that night sky, a voice tried to wake a man who slept without a care in the world.02Dc
NyQdm3“…Sir… Sir.”RYQir
RGDIt was the voice of a child, a young voice that had not yet reached puberty.S8p
ZmcFor that reason, it didn’t have enough strength to wake the man from his deep sleep.eDeJ1kf
gpc3xvH“Ow! That hurt!”jgTM
o2Trj“I said, wake up!”ziVzay
NXOW8AzWas this what a bee sting felt like? A sharp pain jolted the man awake, and with his eyes still unfocused, he looked around.tSJ3I
HiNsqw“What’s going on? What’s happening?”j7mcQp
Zahq“Shhh!”IADCAZ
bGRnOThe child motioned for him to be quiet and glanced outside the stable, holding a small frog in his hands.J0rn
L1DX“I’ve been looking everywhere for you! Why are you sleeping in a stable when there are decent rooms?”auVTa
FNndH2I“…This is a stable?”7iaTS
XUWfiqThe man, having no idea where he had been sleeping, looked utterly confused.DRW1d
PzyFIf not for his good looks, his expression would have been sigh-worthy.VUQkob
MTQaNQ“That’s why it felt so comfortable.”o7pIY
J9WhUOUnlike the worried child, the still-drowsy man began to gather the straw around him to lie down again, hunching his shoulders as if he were cold.I9D1h
BmaEven the frog in the child’s hands puffed out its cheeks as if it couldn’t believe what it was seeing.FmOPAw
rRUE“This is no time for sleeping! We have to escape right now!”BIh
vi1“…What are you saying? Can’t we talk about this later?”5nnU
Ebv5kThe smell of alcohol still lingered around him as he lay down again.TWGn4ZL
uSES2KFrustrated, the child pounded his chest desperately but soon held his breath upon noticing the commotion around them.tHma6
SMZ“We know you’re hiding here!”KXPsO
5haVxC“Come out now!”9K8Bz
S4ish7“Hmm?”6626
8U6hThe voices were clearly aggressive, and the sound of doors being kicked down signaled their determination to find someone.g2N
4MDCjKeUnlike the child, the man only blinked, confused by the hostile tone.ze7zxE
F8Hk“Kihano Frausen! You damned libertine!”L0fGx
vY6“Huh?”Nxdd
JnejnThe smell of oil-soaked torches filled the air, and the furious barking of hunting dogs echoed around them.roFmY
5r2RKJlBut what truly confused the man was hearing the word “libertine” alongside his name.cEtTR
CxlGx5zCrash!Mp2A6
92ARfJFinally understanding the gravity of the situation, the man hurriedly stood up, but it was already too late to prepare.4qo9gLK
t1n“There you are.”8F1ab
MEoA bald man with a malicious grin and yellowed teeth found him just as he was getting up and adjusting his clothes.Jl53
KCE“I found you, Kihano Frausen.”s2KPk
XljhOEThe man, still bewildered, looked wide-eyed, while the child at his side seemed on the verge of tears. Even the frog with the hat let out a resigned sigh.53SdNk
pwx“…May I ask why you’re looking for me?”mev5xa
7hOjxhThis is a story from long ago.LHL0ED
jPSWvvA story that is neither legendary nor grand.8ycq
jrBRxhzYet this story, the beginning of it all, started here, in the stable of a nameless, signless inn.agP
3eLSUtTT/N:WPTdVKB
C8XflThis chapter was peak from here will come the story of Kihano Frausen.cdsx
bNeChapteer 273: Extra 13 – The Bastard of the Frausen Family (1)
In a cell within a mansion surrounded by somber gray bricks.iu4D
jSaK7pOn the damp floor of that place, Kihano was sitting, tied up with ropes, his gaze vacant.IHu
Ub9ynk“K-Kihano, sir.”T8Z2S
1DJkou“Yes.”Lge
VPitSvGThe treatment he had received while being dragged there had been rough enough that his appearance was disheveled.zbHfyt5
ALJkzJCBut that disheveled appearance was preferable compared to the situation of the boy who called to him with a weak voice.VlBOlC
Bx9“But why am I the only one hanging upside down?”hxbH9n
o9YbS“Well… that’s because it’s a tradition of the Turrek family, isn’t it?”DJYHYqg
ketE15I“Then why are you perfectly fine?”GUv
PgzZL“That’s… because I’m a noble.”4Em77H
YwreQfThe boy was wrapped in ropes as if he were a cocoon.q3I
cqUCxpEven so, despite the boy’s voice, Kihano only stared at the ground in worry, biting his nails.KDQnv7x
Tmxot“C-Could you at least lift me up for a moment? The blood is rushing to my head.”zI0CQ2B
cgIzzOU“Oh no, this is a problem. This time, I don’t think I’ll get out of this unscathed.”zkTGDh
WogpaA“Just for a moment. Really, I’m going to faint.”frqM
Bdy“If my brothers find out about this, I doubt they’ll let me die peacefully.”VVINk
4jAIc“Sir Kihano! Sir Kihano?”amriJ8
Dm1q3eDespite the boy’s desperate calls, Kihano did not raise his head easily.qg1
dmrDrdIn fact, his anxiety was so intense that he was now standing, pacing back and forth.KMvg
0naF“Old man, don’t you have a solution? You’re a mage, right?”Xvu4
tlb“…”snhYUP
nAtAlthough there were only two people in the cell, Kihano began to speak as if there were someone else there.QtTjfo0
YKH“Haven’t you recharged yet? If you have, let’s break the cell wall and get out of here.”FKt
calHe spoke toward an empty corner of the cell.X23
fBiE0He seemed to be completely out of his mind, but fortunately, there was a voice that responded to Kihano.3TAf
3zuWcv“Tsk! That’s why knights are such a problem. Do you think magic is as easy to use as drawing a sword?”2IXpO
jbNvXoCAn old voice emerged from the empty corner of the cell.i6z0uk
OBuAlong with it, a small figure leapt out from the shadows with tiny hops.L65o
F7IC“Why the hell did you get involved with the baron’s daughter? I told you not to do it!”wd1fLWG
oHR2It was a frog.OhXnog
Tr0DT6uA frog smaller than the palm of a child’s hand.Ha8HY
N44kZGreen on its back and white on its belly, it wore a tiny wizard’s hat and hopped toward them while clicking its tongue.xo0z
KOohid“No wonder they say the Frausen lose their heads over women.”oicvCh
RkhhY“This is really unfair. It was a mutual agreement!”UrnRdod
SzH“…Um, could either of you please lower me down?”x3Mqdnv
04YfM9A tall man with brown hair.4Ci0oy
RPyuA freckled boy tied up with ropes, begging to be lowered.SJPSjcd
fR9NdIFAnd a small frog with a wizard’s hat and a pipe in its mouth.c0MXbrz
yVk1s1c“In any case, we need to get out of here before my brothers find out.”EO7
czZk“Sir K-Kihano.”xU6
LaP“Hurry up and recharge! Let’s get out of here with a *boom*!”ZiwOEr7
rELmQUT“…What’s that boom?”QZlJZS
hvB“That thing you showed me last time, that swoosh followed by a slash.”O41
rR9xCx“Sorry, but I have no idea what you’re talking about. You’re definitely a Frausen, explaining everything so badly.”bJb
yNCThough there were three in the cell, none seemed to understand the others.FCw
nQ2KXEach one said whatever came to mind.Tx9bu5P
TmbHowever, the boy, seeing this absurd situation, finally couldn’t hold back and shouted with all his strength.uXZ5CTr
uoEe0uj“They’re here! I don’t know who, but someone’s here!”lZhnF
iKR“Huh?”C6iR
IBzbvHearing the boy’s screams, Kihano finally turned around.90HRAnc
sjtYAnd there, outside the bars, stood a man he didn’t recognize, looking at him with a stern expression as he slowly removed his hood.S1HG
DOO7“…Brother?”5izXiY6
Et468FnThe man was tall, with his hair slicked back and glistening from the oil he wore.F3jO2N
52OjOnHe was the epitome of noble elegance.aOiOzRC
qu3dBut what stood out the most was his sharp, penetrating gaze.UmDv1
NepdUE“…Damn libertine.”ri1c2Z
22YIt was the fifth son of the Frausen family, Perez Frausen.qUW5
iLQxNow, with his left eye narrowed, he looked at his younger brother, known as the greatest libertine in the family’s history.qD5
24JXvq“Brother, brother! Don’t use that! I can explain everything!”RfJK1vW
K7CeLTWith one eye closed, he saw his own world; with the other, he saw the world where he stood.fB6H
umnJMA skill available only to knights who had reached a high level.XOE
g6F“Don’t bother explaining. Just prepare to die.”ZZy52
Uur9a“There’s no need to use aura! Don’t you feel sorry for your little brother who can’t even use aura?”6NyXP5U
2iiT“I feel more sorry for myself for having a brother like you.”GUvhTF
QEhEQMjCreak—1ogi
d0a8Perez turned the key handed to him by the jailer and slowly opened the cell door.AYTaL
wxyPerez’s presence filled the space, making Kihano prepare nervously.exK
dDnBut Perez Frausen only looked coldly at his brother’s desperate attempts.IwoSiLV
YGiua“Should I leave you half-dead first?”sxSSs
CKVQCrash!kZx
hNib8RBefore he finished smiling, a deafening sound shook the entire cell, as if a wall were collapsing.46E
768F1cThe man’s scream echoed alongside the crash.cCJs1R
MdZmEven the jailers froze, confused by the dust falling from the ceiling, but they remembered their orders and held their positions.s7Ok
ycCKdw“Huh… Gentlemen? Are you really going to leave me hanging here?”pJ3t
ZHh4zz3The cell trembled with each of Perez’s blows.xPfg
ZiRicK5The boy, dangling like a cocoon, flailed wildly.2JM4k5j
Nfrl1HBut in the middle of all that, no one had the time to respond to his plea.uUATN
9Sg6dT***B487pm
Odq5Fe“Ughhh…”skQv
5wJIf you took rice cakes and threw them, would they look like this?5NT
hMSLKihano, hunched and stuck to the floor of the cell, looked exactly like that.x38
gh5PZPerez, seeing him, exhaled a sigh of resignation.ciuo
qGtop“Remember what our father told you when you left.”dIbn8Ju
LlprK1UChiiik—lPtXvde
Vf7E7The match struck by Perez produced a flame that lit his cigarette, and the scent of tobacco began to spread through the air.3CuKJ
JCB“…”fh6
FNJy“He told you to keep quiet, to stay as unnoticed as possible.”H2b9A
pw2WgZAs he inhaled deeply, the tip of the cigarette glowed red.JSYoY
LICnIn the dark cell, it was the only light visible in the deep night.b0AOd9Z
Z8g“You’re twenty years old now. You should understand why our father sent you away from the family.”4cdV0ST
PwL6ec“I don’t know… damn it.”x57Soy
RnAKl1oPerez frowned slightly at seeing his younger brother still lying on the floor, unmoving from resentment.Ik282YM
LT6ZcBut he understood his defiance.s5Oar
gQQ7BFor as cold as he seemed, even he could imagine how his brother felt crashing into an impossible wall.cohRjm
U1a“I understand you want to vent, but don’t forget that the Dragulia family’s anger hasn’t subsided.”fSN
YZa“…”VRG
15mAt the mention of Dragulia, Kihano began to stir slightly.Uawgo
RTMyBBut Perez pretended not to notice and continued speaking.9lDUKV0
gWRyVbF“So go farther away. Until they forget you.”gCoOk
jRzYRThud—Wipi7
Z5esuoWith those words, Perez stood up and tossed a small bag toward Kihano, who was still lying on the floor.PmS3wb
rEjmThe bag fell with a familiar clinking sound.N1hP
ORslFIt was unmistakably the sound of coins.dfoYoT
mQGZDg“I don’t need this…”1oti
ldkUAwf“Take it. It’s from our mother.”pAL0P
kjq6XAfter throwing the bag of gold, Perez tucked a small piece of paper into the ropes binding the boy hanging from the ceiling.QZH
F0X“Agreement or not, you caused trouble for the Turrek family. So handle this.”kR0c
3gLgIThe boy, exhausted, had fallen asleep and didn’t even wake when Perez untied him and gently laid him on the floor.9Ys
WB5Without another word, Perez left the cell.yyf7
ak2Kihano, still lying powerless on the floor, slowly began to rise as he watched his brother’s back disappear.FtLkJSh
X9ZCQX***qTsslWo
ADCIWv“It must be difficult for you, Sir Perez Frausen.”ZQlNR0o
jtz7“…”oLTwl9j
MBWBPerez, who had planned to leave silently, was stopped by an unexpected voice.NIyG
b2aDYA8“Clearly, as a member of the Frausen family, the problems he causes are of great magnitude.”OGd
R8MkThe man’s bald head gleamed under the moonlight.Tvj
oxRZSmiling maliciously, the man approached. He was the knight of the Turrek family who had brought Kihano here.bSXJK7
opCUSf“What do you want?”zKk
K2k5no“Nothing in particular… There is just an outstanding debt with Señor Kihano.”MLVv9f8
eCRgFeigning politeness, the man extended his hand toward Perez.yoejdd
5A6tuU“As I said before, it must be the Frausen blood that makes the problems they cause so large. Your brother owes me a considerable amount of money.”3TDPVK
nHwYnxUpon hearing this, Perez’s brow furrowed slightly.neD
4Wg3“How much?”odz2AM
y9GMVoe“About 20 gold coins.”Jph
OJR2e“…20 gold coins?”Zkl
C0LrHis brother’s reputation as the libertine of the Frausen family was well known.QqyZy5
FVh2swvBut Perez, who had watched him for a long time, knew that Kihano would not borrow 20 gold coins without a good reason.yYaOc
w32pq“Well… The boy who accompanies your brother, right? His name is Yan.”sPHYj
WjYThe man was embellishing his story, but the situation was simple.CFL6
THuhQThere was a boy who worked alone on a farm.tacs0kL
lWeHis parents had left him with a huge debt before they died.vXxaA1Y
WWXlAnd coincidentally, the owner of the farm was the creditor of that debt.KTMT
s7I74l6It was a situation that, by coincidence or not, often occurred in this world.sDGbwNL
fLaa3b“So my brother paid 20 gold coins to buy the boy’s freedom?”sKlZ
rr27WJc“Exactly. And I lent him that money.”sIEy5O
WtFfBrMPerez smiled slightly, understanding why there was a boy hanging in the cell.iMT
dwaOTHe calmly approached the man.8WT
NTgCR“Then, the 20 gold coins must be paid.”EsAma4q
eFee2RfThe Frausen family always paid their debts justly.25NR
CgsTcjRewarding kindness and repaying grudges was an unbreakable rule of their family.Emda
whvV94“Sir Perez?”bW4sYS
veqHowever, instead of handing over coins, Perez grabbed the man’s outstretched hand.5do
IT02He squeezed it so tightly that the bald knight’s eyes widened, unable to utter a sound.KpgPT
liT8“From what I saw on the way here, it seems you treated my younger brother quite harshly.”YfY
JWJ“…!!”bRB
HJlVInstead of coins, the man now felt the crushing grip of Perez on his hand.pTxoO
ryGvThe bald knight’s eyes were wide open, unable to scream, while Perez’s grip threatened to crush his bones.cxZ3
clCnao“Let’s see how much your life is worth.”PGFV
hvNodpo“Aghhh… Ughh.”bort
5EugewEven though Kihano was considered a libertine, he was still a Frausen.bmXU
HZaNot even the Turrek family could touch a family that shone among humans, even in the world of dragons.J1wem
ZbJQ“Surely, it’s worth more than 20 gold coins.”MKRU
lgriFV“Gwaaaah!”sfXM8hZ
HdqSITo defend the honor of his younger brother, whom no one acknowledged, Perez squeezed the man’s hand forcefully.7GDCf
MhcBVNMeanwhile, his younger brother had been beaten mercilessly.YSpW
oY5unQQ***iyGtcq
gj9xF“…Consuegra.” (1)zaxsb
P47J8WaEven in the dark cell, the moon shone brightly that night.a3vFq
LyIDDXFOn the white paper illuminated by the moonlight, the name of a city was written.7iU
9aN7OHA city at the edge of Baron Turrek’s territory. Consuegra.7GHYQ
gljwFrom Kihano’s cracked lips, the name of his next destination slipped out softly.Uozww6n
jPwEsT/N:8iQ6
6DqThe translation to this is literally in Spanish in case you think it was mistranslated.bncF2Z
ld2cChapteer 274: Extra 14 – The Bastard of the Frausen Family (2)
Consuegra.BuEOI
aQZf7vAn ordinary town within the baron of Turrek’s territory. However, although it was a common place, even this town had a special landscape: windmills lined up on top of a hill.7bEt6
PNVD72“Uuugh…”Lw6UPAk
1CUUeOn the hill, where spring had arrived, sheep wandered around grazing, spreading out like white clouds.RreqE
W64nTfAdditionally, flowers of various colors were beginning to bloom. Seen from afar, it was a peaceful scene, as though it were part of a painting. But on the face of the young woman standing there, there was only an expression of displeasure.3OyCr
Oynp7“Why has the wind been so strong lately?”ON7vNy
veMThe fact that there were windmills in the town meant that it was a windy area.7IO3e
pfvvHowever, compared to previous years, the wind was so sharp that the young woman had to hold her hat tightly so it wouldn’t blow away.ZBVx
S55cP“Huh?”Q1c
ozlEevuAfter the strong wind subsided and Consuegra calmed down again, the young woman opened her eyes and stared intently at one of the windmills, as if she had discovered something.ZngEpia
UwwRNL“What is that?”4llaQd
Cq0HR6nThere was a flickering light like a candle glowing faintly from a small window in the tall windmill.eP2dhP
ZxODIMA light that seemed to be calling for attention with its intermittent flashes.PORzCo
Btx1But by the time the girl noticed that light, the strong wind was once again whipping the hill.Fgjc5
5yio***lkkjR
264CsH“Is this supposed to be a path for walking?”OEqvU
hUlMA group of travelers was making their way along a trail that wound through the forest.yfXphC
EaKThey were holding the reins of an old horse and a small donkey, struggling to move forward.CGsf
PceOne of them was Kihano Frausen. His face covered with bruises, as if he had been beaten, Kihano struggled to pull his horse out of the mud it was stuck in.HOlNIK6
gaP“Honestly! I don’t get it! How is it possible to charge a toll for something that doesn’t even look like a road?”Lnq
3IZqInPerhaps because it was spring, the wind carried a warm scent.LFIi2
hUFgyqBut on the other hand, that same weather had turned the path into pure mud. In other words, it was a difficult road for any traveler.WB9f
SgD0f“Damn dragons. They only care about their own matters up there and never bother to check these things.”K7lt
jCd“Sir Kihano, what if someone hears you?”i1JFYGl
Zphmiy2Alarmed by Kihano’s words, Yan looked around nervously.n1D
tZRwtg“In my town, in the past, someone was arrested for saying things like that.”qLmu
90z“…”lw0s
2DrpG“It’s true!”ZhYCb
MxnxdsSYan waved his hands, visibly scared, while Kihano frowned.Y2ER4h8
BA9h1Indeed, that was how this world worked. Even if they were on a lonely forest path, it wasn’t wise to speak ill of the dragons. In this era ruled by them, survival meant submitting and continuing to pull the reins, step by step.GU1Hon
Q0YpU“All I’m saying is that it would be great if the roads were well built. If it were up to me, I’d build great roads from the capital going north, south, east, and west.”ymz8XKv
5TiMThe dragons ruled this perfect world. Complaining meant rebelling against them. However, for a young man like Kihano, imagining a better future was inevitable.27UtG
b1BYF“Idiot! Saying nonsense like that is why you got kicked out of the family!”UrTTtma
CnOs4KmBut imagining a better future was a right reserved only for the dragons. So Kihano’s dreams were nothing more than an unrealizable fantasy.QdvZ
6HI0“If you still have the energy to talk nonsense, focus on getting to the town. Young people these days. Tsk, tsk.”6P4vc12
3r3The frog sitting on Yan’s head waved a paw as it spoke. Kihano sighed deeply.uMY
GQ6boLHis dreams were big, but his reality was being stuck in the mud, pulling the reins of an old horse. If he didn’t want to sink like the animal, he would have to adapt to the world the dragons had created.sk5qd
M725G“…Well, at least the scenery isn’t bad.”LuV46PG
qi0eMAs they climbed the hill with effort, a green open meadow of Consuegra stretched out before them. A wave of green that seemed to soothe Kihano’s burning chest. He took a deep breath as he admired the view.EzyS
Aqe***qibaA
9XekY“Name.”4z3
MBUwT“…Kihano.”3ps5
7cLs“Age.”OMZlO
lcf3al“Twenty.”v1pu5
lc3zLE“Why have you come here?”80y
himTdAlthough it seemed like an insignificant town, the strict attitude of the guards watching over it was quite irritating.p6fCdNQ
NABMz“It says right there. I’ve been sent by your feudal lord; don’t you see?”m59vBDk
jc6WEven after showing them the order with the lord’s seal, the guards’ attitude didn’t change. Kihano’s frustration grew as he found no solution.n3HdAjy
MJc4“They say there’s been a witch around here lately. I’ve come to capture her.”iXJWZi
hg27uu5Although his appearance, covered in mud, didn’t inspire much confidence, the feudal lord’s order was authentic.X6E2Vg
EkZ8CrwMoreover, since he had a squire with him, he fulfilled the appearance of a knight. There was no reason to hold him any longer, though the frog he carried as a pet aroused suspicion.ABKEId
2O7uV“…Welcome to Consuegra, Sir Kihano.”HO2U
3itqd“So, can I go in now, gentlemen?”gMIEcV9
1A14fXU“Yes, go ahead.”mGYYYw2
rngQ0kAWhen the spear blocking his way was lifted, the palisade granting access to Consuegra appeared. However, as he was about to enter, a voice from the guards made him stop.T5Uo
afBK0z“Once inside the town, please report immediately to the tax collector.”xNLtP
Aecs5gI“…The tax collector? Isn’t that usually the mayor?”sNEkA
r4m6In small towns like this, it was usually the mayor who handled everything. The presence of a tax collector sent directly by the lord piqued Kihano’s curiosity.rL9Z0
87Chyv“Yes. And if possible, please maintain discretion…”qwHq
kc89“Well, what an expensive town. Hard to enter and complicated to move around in.”UeY
VB3HcWith an enigmatic smile, Kihano turned toward the guards.64G
ILaA“It really seems like there’s a witch here, doesn’t it?”2F9c
d5pshWitch.6Hm1
XRsUnlike mages, who used magic through mysteries, witches performed all sorts of illicit acts by dark means.4JyP8
CN3wThe possibility that one was here sparked a glimmer of interest on Kihano’s face.xLIBgF
2TOm***XPlv
b7Urd“Kihano, sir, this is not the right way.”GPYs
AswYan’s voice sounded desperate from behind, but he didn’t dare stop him.qgZ8
Mur“The guards said we should go directly to the tax collector…”snK
wdA“I know.”923
qo0SHNzBecause the place they were standing in front of was not the tax collector’s office, but, inexplicably, a tavern.XUu6
D9oYan could only hop anxiously while Kihano, with complete ease, entered the place.2dieE3
LgkIbk5“Yan, don’t you know? Before meeting someone important, it’s good manners to shake off the dust and freshen up with a bit of liquor.”BgeY6
KzDLfFB“…Really?”UWEH
PAO9eID“What other choice do you have? Just follow me.”i1bpb4v
j9chaRMAlthough Yan frowned in doubt, Kihano had already opened the tavern door and entered.NV0
7qIaD“Hmm, not bad.”EGFm
CP35zkIt was the typical tavern of a small town. The ground floor served food and drinks, and the upper floor functioned as an inn. The smell of food was enough for Kihano to decide that it wasn’t a bad place.IOeV1HO
blzJ9“I’d like to order something.”L5V
4svO“What’s the most popular thing here?”aztzEgI
eoed“We only sell one thing.”XIf5
D3pL“Then bring me that and a beer.”vAXiN3
aIyLlh“Kihano, sir…”sGZDvqL
cavgdB“Better make it two of those and a beer.”MmTTC0K
QamxAfter placing the order with the tavern owner, Kihano looked around and spoke to Yan.Msfa0WA
cMz“There are a lot of people.”pk4
k8HmF“Yes, it seems the food is really good. In the tavern in our village, there was never this many people.”OnRaX
YBEo33For a large city, this was normal, but this was a small town on the outskirts of the territory. It was odd that so many people were gathered in the tavern.YwFcCo
9lhFuZE“How good can it be for them to leave their work and come here?”1tlbQSC
XTS0He estimated there were about thirty people, all men of working age.eGXm2W
Ovo“Here you go.”Mw2
4UgC04“Oh, that was quick.”jitry
Bx4Kg“The stew is always ready.”JTE
xhVThe stew came out shortly after ordering. It was a thick mixture of meat and vegetables. Yan, seeing the hot food, smiled from ear to ear.7ErhXbf
1t3O“Thank you, Sir Kihano!”EyG8Szj
ZlHOVdH“Yes, eat up. This will be added to the 20 gold you owe.”4U3
xlz8J“…Understood.”PJNy2x
rlQYan hung his head, dejected, while Kihano took a spoonful of stew to his mouth.Dcavgq5
oJmzck“Mmm, it’s good.”FdbNh
0bFsThe stew, cooked for a long time, had a thick and comforting flavor, typical of rural towns.x94uu
CYzUT“…But I don’t think it’s so good that people would crowd in like this.”1lma75
y83It wasn’t delicious enough to abandon work and pack the tavern.m2oq5QE
KhK“…On my farm, the sheep were torn apart. At first, I didn’t even know what it was.”VKQiw
0D2“At night, the children get so scared they have fits.”1Cr3VC
QHCuk“This is the work of a witch. What else could it be?”CuMUeRK
dOx“…”IFRqxdh
qtguQKihano chewed slowly as he listened to the conversations in the tavern.I5Q74Kq
anRrHe had gone there on purpose to hear the town’s rumors before carrying out the feudal lord’s mission.zOZ
Yslr00***PzFSrw9
TH0xD“W-What an honor to have such a distinguished person in such a humble place…”ZKgP0tE
xMDbrAoIn the city of Enares, near Consuegra, tension filled the mayor’s office as the sun set.vVoa
RM79JpA“If you had informed us, we would have come to greet you.”**4Jief
0THmF“…”OmCpI
OHF0kCThe mayor bowed deeply, with a pathetic expression. He could barely breathe from the effort of holding in his belly.Uhy
oFOR“I received the report from the mages. They say the investigation is about to conclude.”36Qq2
ae4zs“That’s right! They told me so themselves!”BMTJDr
peYwUVThe mayor, ignoring his shortness of breath, rubbed his hands as he spoke to the man before him.rljexgz
b3vr“I made sure to assist them in everything and gave them the best possible treatment… I did everything I could to contribute to their goal.”lSn2Wh
CAbIn a way, he seemed servile.dJDPUBc
6y2mKdIt wasn’t a look befitting a mayor responsible for a city, but the reason he did his utmost to bow his head was because the man in front of him was naturally in a position to demand it.TcBu8
2WK“…Good work.”VdaNzr
5luThe man’s golden hair gleamed in the light of the setting sun. Even in twilight, his hair maintained its golden luster.297
o3WruE“If this succeeds, I will remember your name.”U5mo
hvnThe man’s eyes, a cold blue, reflected pure perfection. The mayor bowed even deeper.uGKx
KEnEOSD“T-Thank you, Lord Sarnus!”dXnR
DX4mSarnus Dragulia. A young dragon who was beginning to stand out in his family. He smiled as he looked at the mayor bowed before him.xNP7oBf
2KxzhfChapteer 275: Extra 15 – The Suspicious Town (1)
The child’s round cheeks were adorable.fxz
AqVHis eyes moved from side to side, following the movements of Kihano’s hand.wDl3h
VpIVEven Kihano, who was trying to attract the boy’s attention by waving a candy, couldn’t help but laugh at that innocent expression.RwfRDY
SXm“So, you say that lately, you’ve been hearing strange noises at night?”2qGbnS
XsN“…Yes.”v1f
KXpRek“Noises that the adults can’t hear, but you and your friends can?”IGWX
qukMrH“Uh-huh.”nDZ
rvOQUcThe boy’s eyes remained fixed on the candy Kihano was holding, but his outstretched fingers pointed toward the hill.5ehIDE
lSbmtWith his arm extended, he indicated the windmills that stood on the town’s hill.ROWOXxi
RcAv“That windmill. Someone cries from there.”4Eo
Pr0tAm“…Cries?”U6wDVw
isFjRc“Yes. Cries. The windmill cries every night.”k6QuD
GhqcWhen the boy said that the windmills cried, Yan, standing beside him, began tilting his head as if he couldn’t understand.noqEpA3
m8OGHowever, Kihano’s eyes remained calm and serious.vXPL3q5
dnM6“I’ve told you everything… Can I have the candy now?”bah8i
E9Vg4qAfter finishing his story, the boy held out both hands toward Kihano, as if asking for a reward.HpfosT
wmAJEMoved by the endearing gesture, Kihano gave him the candy.euMnE
JjFThe boy smiled broadly upon seeing the sweet in his hand, while Kihano slowly stood up.KH8h7
qWyk“A windmill that cries.”nEM
AfVThe rumor that a windmill cried at night.TiL
LUKsOOnly the children had heard it, so the adults dismissed it as nonsense.wXEl
A0Tf0yBut now, Kihano’s eyes reflected a different kind of seriousness.YW2Xf
s7lV“…Five children have said the same thing.”75wP
swMIt was strange for five children to give the exact same testimony.cvw8O8d
bVvhYmgEven coming from children, hearing the same account five times deserved to be taken seriously.9P91
5LU0u98‘And that mage told me not to go near the windmill.’c4u
tQNy8aiYesterday, the grim-looking mage had warned him not to go near the windmill.FE27Tv
aEm0It wasn’t clear whether it was a warning or a threat.5otSN1V
wFR82GRecalling that moment, Kihano chewed the last candy with a thoughtful expression.4xy
YJ9pd***4mfDh
gUsTz“In any case, I would prefer you not to go near the windmill.”UBNlQ1
qJDFor a quiet town, the mayor’s house was surprisingly luxurious.VjArQ
uNdBmRBuilding a house of that size could only mean the mayor had a good reputation or had embezzled a lot of money.BjdL
XCR“Investigating the witch is fine, but it would be better to avoid that place.”r1Kw7
09FOxMHowever, the one receiving him wasn’t the mayor, but a completely different man.MhVa
B5g0VN9A middle-aged man in an embroidered robe with a stern expression.LA1f
ZcMqonhHis refined demeanor and expensive robe made it clear that he was a mage.aBP
5Kcf“I am conducting experiments that require a certain degree of privacy. I hope you understand.”UBvc4sw
M0ohGHis tone reflected a distinguished education.IxFJQe
BXBI5And with that robe that looked so expensive, no one would doubt his position.2pfuxah
mQfPIf it weren’t for his feet on the table, Kihano would have thought he was a respectable person.boiVgv
JW9“Well… As long as you let me investigate without interference, I don’t mind.”hfYpqx
WCV1qdAlthough the man’s behavior was disrespectful, the tax collector beside him seemed too nervous to say anything.H9qJNgG
wnEThe man, who had introduced himself as Samonte, acted as if the place belonged to him.P1ky7V
bE8ZY“It’s an experiment supervised directly by the Dragulia family. It can’t be helped.”HyZ
hzP2K“A very understanding young man.”0GUr2pV
ps2mcrNo matter how disrespectful Samonte was, the name Dragulia demanded respect.trCk
NbNbNWEven if he wasn’t a dragon, no one dared challenge someone who represented that family.RDT
LJC“I wonder what kind of experiment is being conducted in this small town, but that’s all I need to cooperate with.”T7YP8
pcau“Yes.”qr3
d1Olgf7However, the man now standing in front of Samonte was the infamous bastard of the Frausen family.hFp1
grGXxaPerhaps, if he had been careful with his actions until now, the word “bastard” wouldn’t have been attached to Kihano’s name.nHqvb47
6pXZNp“It’s curious, isn’t it? That in a town supervised by the Dragulia family, a witch appears — something so rare to see.”gzl
TurTT“…”IPhLL
VAY8l“If this is all just a coincidence, it would truly be something curious.”tnZHJ9
z9NuSlqKihano was smiling, but his eyes showed no joy.NYm
76m2e0sSamonte maintained his serious expression.sMrPN
CHQb7EThe tension between them made Yan feel suffocated.BXnSHR6
WOOnJ***vRDBd73
KFXMj“I think I shouldn’t have followed Kihano…”X8D3x
PjH0aOn the way back to the inn from the mayor’s house, Yan was pulling a small donkey while speaking with a worried voice.WJlXmy
LnKtQML“Won’t I end up being marked too? After all, he’s someone from the Dragulia family.”p5CNE57
eFKuYan seemed quite nervous about what had happened recently.OmLLBg
oJrDoEFor a boy who had lived his whole life in a rural village, what he had seen was something completely out of the ordinary.6Bn0kAl
EJCE“…Yes, the Dragulia family.”3K6
Z9X“Huh?”6dL4D
s2QI“But why would the Dragulia family use an expelled mage?”6SqhF4K
ap2zUHowever, Kihano, walking ahead, didn’t seem to hear Yan’s voice. He was lost in his own thoughts.IGw7
8wQ8Zz“And besides, a mage from a fallen family in the south. Were they that desperate for someone?”Ky0
PnS66Fj“…Kihano, what are you saying now?”oS8
7tkLgZKihano’s tone was unusual, murmuring non-stop as if trapped in another world.cER
h5W72Yan found his behavior strange; he had never seen Kihano like this.auKqJ
EuR2pXa“From the south and from a fallen family? What does all that mean?”p5achk
EzVEQ“What?”IC8Zx
g6I“I mean what you just mentioned. You said something about someone being expelled.”Qnoi
3DK1Kihano, who was absorbed in his thoughts, seemed to snap back to reality when he saw Yan’s wide eyes.wpxCSI
DQMBo0His expression finally regained some vitality.1tz
0Pb8“It was Samonte who was expelled.”7BbSS
t0r938J“…Huh?”lgd0R
iylyNudYan was visibly confused by Kihano’s unexpected words.d1x8g
0FT5W“That guy was expelled? Did someone mention that before?”CUDKv
kp8RPM“Does it need to be said? Just looking at him, you can tell.”1fnQ
5kDFMYan was perplexed. How could Kihano gather all that information just by looking? That Samonte was from the south, from a fallen family, and expelled seemed impossible to deduce without being told.c9eg0Q
vHD“…I don’t understand anything you’re saying, Kihano.”Dio2
IZPfI“You saw it too. The robe Samonte was wearing.”94Y6p49
PIBwcRZ“What about his robe?”yi7M
big8Yan still didn’t understand, which made Kihano frown, as if wondering why he couldn’t see something so obvious.Vrgu
mTjYAZ“It had elaborate embroidery. Those patterns are typical of the south.”2xVTz
i6hdvrV“Ah.”BMvKd
HchzCht“Also, did you see his shiny boots? That means they were treated to be waterproof. Only people from the swampy regions of the south care that much about their boots.”BxoTr
i4K“Oh…”wdwp
aV3oAlthough they had been in the same place and seen the same person, the information they gathered was very different. That was the difference made by Kihano’s sharp powers of observation.lioQ1NL
80D4“So, it seems he’s from the south. But what does it mean that he’s from a fallen family?”Wy0RW6s
jKe“He was wearing a ring with a noble family’s seal. But the emblem was unknown to me, so it must be from a family that fell at least a generation ago.”LOtz9h
O4WYan was amazed. When had Kihano found time to notice the ring during that brief meeting? Yan only remembered cowering before Samonte’s intimidating presence.vt0h
6j4Msua“And besides, his clothes were worn. It looks like he takes care of his clothing carefully, but even so, it was worn out. That means he doesn’t have much money.”EzaC
OXD“…Then why do you say he’s an expelled mage?”BtS6tVL
LDjwdEach of Kihano’s deductions seemed to fit perfectly, and Yan’s eyes shone with admiration.29Rks6i
IfvCRZoNow he was curious to know how Kihano had concluded that Samonte was expelled. Kihano shrugged, as if he didn’t have a clear answer.tztR
cu5N“…I didn’t know that.”GmUAn6
PVs“Huh?”TEYn1n
EJ6Even though he had claimed Samonte was an expelled mage, he now admitted he didn’t know the reason.pHPip2
6HUJPLYan looked at him confused, but the answer came from another source.S7tqXP4
IopF“He smelled horrible.”UZsFP
tT2rIxvA coarse, old voice came from inside Kihano’s coat.TPeztQ
KKi8It was a frog blinking impatiently, as if it felt uncomfortable after being hidden.xTtcQ
BpTC“There were many forbidden energies clustered around him. The stench was so strong it made me dizzy.”VSDl1kP
usDo12yThe small frog, which wore a pointed hat, climbed onto Kihano’s shoulder. When he was still human, he had been named Andrew. Now, he scratched his head with a hind leg, clearly disgusted.bhy1Kbk
BHkD8V“It must be black magic, the kind spreading among mages lately. If his powers are that rotten, he was surely expelled a long time ago.”H5e
wHgJxQ3Yan had never heard of black magic, but the term gave him chills. The word “black” alone was enough to convey something sinister.WgWrE5
bYUn3E“What’s going on in this town…? I hope I haven’t gotten into something dangerous.”cRGY9q
L7BAt first, the journey’s goal had only been to atone for a mistake.MwFkJx
pNZnBut now, they were in a town where witches appeared and suspicious mages roamed.fWHyxE
mfrSAs he walked through the town, Kihano looked at the darkening sky of Consuegra and clicked his tongue softly.wbp4Hjw
jKo***Dkrux
0HXReNight had fallen completely, and the hill where the windmill stood was shrouded in shadows.gAW
sJJIn the newest windmill, a faint light filtered through the window while more than a dozen mages worked hurriedly.g4vc
D6TOni“…It seems Baron Turrek made a mistake in selecting the staff.”PzPnL5V
hyOIn the highest level of the windmill, in the room just below the blades, Samonte reflected on what had happened while frowning. The insolent attitude of that young man called Kihano still bothered him.N3ZRZj
EI7Q“Or maybe the Frausen family sent him here by force?”flf
371XThe situation was frustrating. An unknown woman was constantly interfering, delaying the experiment. They had requested a competent knight to capture her, but instead, an irresponsible brat from the Frausen family had arrived.cTu
0XsPcF“This is a headache. There’s still so much work to do.”PxMwRuZ
q9VPressing his temples with his fingers, Samonte let out a small groan. He had received support from the Dragulia family to restore his fallen family and complete his experiment. But the moment to show results was approaching, and anxiety was starting to weigh on him.45ET
Ied“…Come on, cry already, you cursed creature.”OhGQY
NoDHis only hope left was the small snake in the jar he was holding.cVk0s
4Mf-······!, ······!yEMO
zJtAOInside the jar Samonte held, a tiny snake hissed incessantly, showing its small, sharp fangs.Y1wdUg
IlCwEsA snake so small it wouldn’t even fit in the palm of an adult’s hand.gxqTFOm
TqHJTqQThe snake kept hissing as if telling Samonte to release it, while staring at him.bboHjB
1gLThe young snake, which had not yet grown and had sharp teeth, was entirely white like the moon rising in the night sky.Cx95e
QFHChapteer 276: Extra 16 – The Suspicious Town (2)
Under the glow of the white moonlight, at the point where the green meadow ended, a shadow emerged silently from the forest. Beyond the pastures, the dense foliage turned into a thick grove.EYRMs
5NL“…”uKB4Cgh
lF4gITEven under the moonlight, the darkness surrounding the shadow did not dissipate.VFYdV
V3vaIt was as if the surrounding trees were deliberately concealing it, leaving no gaps. The only part that shone was a pair of fierce eyes, like those of a predator.B5hDN
Gtr6“Damn humans.”mxxHmqn
6NXzctThe voice that came out softly carried a rage that could not be hidden, like water in a kettle that had begun to boil.oaP
dAxThe anger in that voice was directed toward the windmill that the humans had built below.pQZnD
wVn“…I will definitely save you.”8V4ujb
e91RvWith those words, an unknown figure faded back into the shadows.4JM
wmvdThat presence watched the town from the darkness created by the trees in the forest. The moon, which had finally revealed that figure, illuminated its bright platinum-blond hair.hHO3b
XL6jb***R0CW
WKa1“Hmm.”68hzgiI
dDHKihano, who had entered the windmill, opened his eyes in astonishment. Unlike the gloomy atmosphere outside, the inside of Samonte’s workshop was perfectly organized, which surprised him.8T9C
MhPzCrackle-! Crackle-!rTa
cG6FFurthermore, a lightning bolt suddenly appeared inside an empty glass tube. It was impossible not to open his eyes wide at such a phenomenon. On the top floor of the windmill, where Samonte was, the lightning that appeared out of nowhere made Kihano flinch without realizing it.bVqEAEr
u44“…Is that also magic?”AO9Lsdd
ytSgSamonte’s workshop was filled with strangely shaped gears and pipes tangled like spiderwebs. As he wandered around, Kihano noticed several glass tubes similar to the one that had produced the lightning.mxbN
bfYvbc“I don’t know what kind of experiment they’re conducting, but it’s quite noisy.”oJCceF
iYaUplThey were apparently empty glass tubes. However, in some, cold dew accumulated, while in others, red flames burned. It was a sight that could only be explained by magic.2a8p3R
HgsIwYr“Have you completed your investigation, Sir Kihano?”gkRJ4Sz
IAHA young voice spoke from behind Kihano. It was Samonte’s apprentice, who had come out to attend to him while his master remained busy with his experiments.pT6DOxP
Vr9cmNR“Investigation? Yes, I think I’ve seen everything there is to see.”dC9WZEt
UKyYKihano discreetly touched the inner pocket of his coat.N5fqa
M9gUjTap-xPTtFN
nvqYszHe felt a small vibration in response. That vibration seemed to tell him that everything was ready. Kihano smiled as he looked at Samonte’s apprentice.XDD
uzxo“It’s really fascinating. There’s nothing inside, yet things appear.”gsSO
Alh8i“Ha, ha. Naturally, it seems fascinating if you’re seeing it for the first time.”pQi1l
4eo2Unlike Samonte, who had a stern expression, the young apprentice had a friendly smile. However, Kihano could clearly see the mockery hidden in that smile.pPOVYUu
DF0OS“Perhaps what you’re seeing now is the process of creating something from nothing.”ZvQz
JoGzGP“…What?”TsV
4EPIn the windmill, the mages continued moving busily with their tasks. But between Kihano and the young mage, there was only an awkward tension.96A8UZ
t74Uj“In fact, our experiments are related to that — making the useless useful.”i99x1r9
lP8QXAfter saying that, Samonte’s apprentice playfully waved his palm, as if explaining further would be a headache.P1TGaVo
OQxvTZ“Anyway, it’s an experiment closely supervised by the Dragulia family. But there’s something that’s been hindering it.”M0e4n
j3hJM6kWith those words, Samonte’s apprentice nodded, as if encouraging Kihano to look in that direction.pT6w2
LPEjvb“…”EX6Q
lb5VFollowing that gesture, Kihano approached the window and observed the landscape. From there, the town, its pastures, and the forest beyond were clearly visible.lGa
wvjr9S8“Lately, our barriers have been damaged. At first, we thought it was wild animals, but upon investigating, we discovered there was human interference.”ORBid
dvyThe apprentice took a small stone out of his pocket. Although it looked like an ordinary rock, its surface was covered in intricate magical symbols.qopT6q
fncH“It definitely seems to have been broken with a sword.”yY3r
25ojvn“That’s right. Someone is trying to interfere with us.”RrfuT
QjA1The reason Kihano had come was to capture the witch that was supposedly appearing in the area.Zay
M7VAnd the broken stone the apprentice showed him had marks suggesting dark magic.g9lvP
FnPBn1O“Breaking a barrier stone means that person knows how to handle the supernatural.”5yq78T
tYzBrutally slaughtered animals, sabotaged dragon experiments, and now evidence of forbidden magic. Perhaps it really was a witch, just as they said.3mbCM64
ToN“Please, we leave this to you, Sir Kihano.”WAxM
aNTy“Yes, I’ll do my best…”oxpdP
ZmfAAr“Who knows, maybe if you solve this problem, the Dragulia’s anger toward you will dissipate.”AJFczD
R7blLuAlthough he didn’t care about the town’s fate, capturing the witch was his job. However, those last words made Kihano tense for a moment.O3FJ
HGk2QiZ“Oh, my! I think I’ve gone too far. Forgive me.”Pphyy
OiGAlthough he apologized, his tone was insolent and seemed to enjoy it. It was evident that his words weren’t a slip, but a small revenge for Kihano’s attitude toward Samonte the day before.wSqiXQv
fu2“Anyway, we trust that a member of the Frausen family like you will help us successfully.”c38eAu
6j1HktThe apprentice smiled as he looked at Kihano, the infamous “bastard” of the Frausen family, known for earning the dragons’ disapproval.35Q
SoB“…Of course. I’ll do my best.”oZNHfc
lWAXWSHowever, Kihano also smiled in response, despite the mockery.hpNkR
yFPIn a world of perfection, the only thing he could do was return the smiles. Yet, he couldn’t help but let a bitter expression slip onto his face.pX0iAtC
cwb***xCLWfHG
yce9“Sir Kihano? Sir Kihano?”IzG
Vi3cbv“…”7Y8TJv5
yryl“You should get up now. The sun is setting.”kwB
0F2y3lSIt was a hill in the town, where the sun was slowly sinking.JVrX
QOQs1lFrom a distance, it looked like a scene worthy of a painting, but at that moment, only Yan’s voice echoed as he tried to wake Kihano.gF6rLNe
1Ow“…I told you to wake me up at sunset.”pr4
6n2“Don’t you see it’s sunset now? The sun will set completely soon.”Em72IET
30ZAt Yan’s words, Kihano began to look around as if just realizing it.8XSE8G
EkhZ9XPIndeed, the green grass of the meadow was tinged with the reddish waves of the sunset.zUy
8cdB37A“Where are the sheep?”6pC5DVb
IDH“Huh?”Iw7qfgP
Ny9“The sheep. They were here a while ago.”ViTi
dALOHkAMaybe he was still a bit drowsy, as Kihano suddenly asked about the sheep.4oMf0A
ncSYxHowever, his eyes were scanning the surroundings with an unusual seriousness.kANq
1T8e“There they are. So, they moved from here to there?”yQe
bKjTXDBSaying this, Kihano took a piece of paper from his pocket and began marking something on it.IeT9
sVJ7K2It was a small map that seemed to represent the town’s surroundings.4KghL
BswOBut now, that map had unknown marks that Kihano had made previously.B70
HLeE“What is that, Sir Kihano?”xlsky9R
Osv“The path the shepherds follow.”YBC
eTwOwd“Why are you marking that?”g23
4WzAA“To figure something out. I want to know which pasture the sheep are taken to today.”00ZdLUH
FlExBW6Yan watched Kihano with curiosity as he meticulously made his marks.Eh7
GHoIt was strange to see something so detailed, considering how careless Kihano usually seemed.X6Jm
J0r“…Typically, shepherds rotate the pastures so they don’t get depleted. Otherwise, the grass withers quickly.”uaklaOS
Cm92wi“I didn’t say anything.”Iw01
2DB“I’m telling you before you ask.”R62P
8XOLooking at Yan, whose eyes trembled as if wondering why he was doing this, Kihano scratched his head as if it hurt.Jxom
JQc“Anyway, if the shepherds rotate the pastures, there will be one where they take a break.”C0u0
w46The shepherd’s job was to care for the sheep.4SNb
mrGBut they also served as the town’s watchmen. If there were intruders or monsters nearby, the shepherds would be the first to notice.7woft
gK03BM8“And today, that place is empty.”z9u
MDOPTherefore, the unknown intruder lurking in the forest would try to avoid the shepherds’ watchful eyes.9SfpS5
0Nyav3So, by studying the flock’s movements, Kihano deduced that tonight would be the ideal time for the being called the “witch” to move.3mB3vCH
08VZW“…It’s toward the windmill, right? The one we went to before.”toWsH73
YWz0DCp“Yes.”tBM6op
66X46The only pasture without shepherds or sheep that could raise the alarm.uXe
CQYThus, Kihano’s finger pointed to the most direct path to Samonte’s windmill.w4Y
ilJ“That’s why I asked you to wake me up at sunset. It seems we won’t sleep well tonight.”yDP
uXSld“…”HgFY
HcFKKihano finished speaking and clicked his tongue, as if still sleepy.acTkcT
f2IYan, however, couldn’t find words to reply as he watched Kihano yawn calmly.RQTqa
kGG“Do you want dinner? I brought a lunchbox from the inn.”FkgdJ
Aw4LAN“Oh, that sounds good. Get it out quickly.”Wd13x
IfARA scoundrel of the Frausen family, always flirting with women and getting beaten by his older brother.2mav
UrTgOAlthough everyone considered him a lost cause, Yan felt there was something more to Kihano that no one else saw.wddqJ
Ed32“What’s this? Lemon?”meg
bO0“Yes.”chW9D8
bmd8“…Why did you bring this? You don’t eat lemon like this.”kNi
pwfOg“It’s for squeezing over the meat. In my village, everyone eats it that way.”PWq
9yIEEXThe night was falling deeply.7Re0Zc
TeTDThere would be no moon that night.9MYfa
ghxYet as they waited, Yan’s heart pounded heavily.Y8f
eX3yLVBecause more than the mysterious witch, he was intrigued to see an unknown side of Kihano.R8Pa
PAHc9Kz***5fmtC
NoV5jPoIn the darkness where the moon did not shine, a shadow moved stealthily.TOv
ZanmFrom the distant forest to the wide meadow, the shadow ran with a speed that could be described as “shot out.” It did not make even the slightest sound.gqQO7
KJuzc8“…”tdGqYRo
O1jK8It had been worth watching carefully from the forest.uChs
1cwaZIn the direction it was moving, there were no sharp-eyed shepherds or alert sheep.jQ2i
MuJCOnly the sinister windmill that the humans had built was visible. The shadow’s golden eyes shone fiercely.FYf9
FLdd— Grrr…BvQCD
0XKzod“…!”ogd1h9
SGISVAsBut a faint cry in the wind made the shadow stop.RwRuj
5dh3ClP— It hurts! It hurts!SLkR7
YeM3l6g— Stop! Wheeeh!BuzbnBY
CDkJ5uJIt was the cry of little spirits born from the World Tree.1qs
fgqxLittle ones who had once left with smiles, but now their cries were too painful to ignore.Mzx2xg
aJ0Cz“Damn humans!”aJ69h
mdVqThe cries were more vivid than ever.IHKiw
bmtknxThey were close enough to hear those heartbreaking screams.IjotO
GVhBjtThe shadow began to feel anxious due to the spirits’ pleas.nDrqjhi
m4bydrE‘…I have to hurry!’6Eerq
8h5NSo, with more hurried steps, the unknown entity lunged forward.kEwwWnX
HUMsFNow its movements were no longer careful but desperate.UGe
laov3q— Ribbit.NbXECbB
SnC7XN— Ribbit, ribbit.HzQ
DwjD9‘Frogs?’74LeK2U
evgThat’s why it didn’t realize that the meadow had turned into a mist-covered pond.yFE
cUZSX“By the build, it seems like a woman.”99Ebj
d4D“…!”XgkjG
lmU— Swish!zme1
kKT6WA blade appeared suddenly, and the shadow retreated urgently.HZD
KaXr8wBut it was no longer a meadow, but a damp mire.lwsCL
sciThe muddy ground trapped its feet.9cpa
VeQhhxB“Who are you?”4eMUeLy
x2lGEIt had managed to dodge the attack just barely, but it was a lethal blow.Lu2HoQz
PndQZIf it hadn’t heard that voice, its neck would have been cut.Zem
fil“If I tell you who I am, will you tell me your name too?”QUQRM
FTyEsupBeyond the mist it was staring into, a man emerged.7pPD
nGkTall and with reddish-brown hair.txY9e8
f1pVHowever, what stood out most was his relaxed, smiling expression.d4D
34pAy“My name is Kihano. Kihano Frausen.”OUdgmB
7UBudaOne of his teachers had once told him:EyfRF6
ATcrControlling the battlefield is the fastest path to victory.5jQAW
9X3IqmAnd now they were in the pond that the old toad had created for Kihano.oH3
yLQ“Now that I’ve said my name, tell me yours.”UwqldJy
yX0HxpPHis stance, crouched and ready to strike, was like a sharp sword.cUns
GUZmCDRAs if he were ready to cut her down in one blow.UP8
r7c“Tell me your name before my sword touches your neck.”rCeZ
Ev2The bastard of the Frausen family: Kihano Frausen.ezg1
1ZkISHowever, once, the name used to refer to him in the past was…CaBzI
ExTuThe prodigious genius of the Frausen family, Kihano Frausen.ie2db
yNiOChapteer 277: Extra 17 – Kihano – For the Young Possibilities (1)
It was a deep night in which everyone in the village slept.MB8nw
CJCD0nzIn the quiet Consuegra, where only the sounds of insects could be heard, a soft sob echoed.G8j
iT3“…I’m sorry.”ITntT
BWhfA ray of moonlight filtered through the coarse wooden planks.YikIcm3
Zuq5AThe priestess of the World Tree was locked in some storage shed, as there wasn’t even a proper prison in the village.ukY6mx
9BKSitting with her knees together and her head bowed, the gentle blue moonlight enveloped her as if trying to console her.BvFL
JHJ4m“I tried to save them, truly.”wFR87F
Zgxb8sShe had traveled a long way from the elven forest, Alfheim, to reach Consuegra.NUqT
N2oySHowever, now she was trapped in a cage built by the mages.KMQSbDS
o029Tomorrow, Sarnus would arrive, and she would be taken to the capital. But she wasn’t crying because of the uncertain future that awaited her.SN8
b6VprY—It hurts so much! Please, stop already!LhZxwI
dYlTav—I’m sorry! Please, get me out of here!vrz
IY7iTdqWhat truly tormented her were the cries of the young spirits that still echoed in her ears.DQ4hp
q9iRMmFrom Samonte’s mill, which still gleamed with lights, the heart-wrenching screams of the little spirits could be heard without end.ozbVwYa
IXtj“…Why do you abandon those children, Mother?”9DZ
qLVzfThose fragile and pitiful sounds made her doubt the message of the World Tree, which had sent her here alone.qhh
xrgBut unable to do anything, the priestess could only hide her tear-soaked face between her knees.XVF
63xGJXaHer shoulders trembled helplessly.XoNGWjm
htUThe young spirits suffered and cried out because of the mages’ cruel experiments.eFAbM
h7Xe7However, there was no one there to hear those sobs.rxEZCc
h4bg“…”IC1Ikb
TBkSExcept for one person.tfokYr
6NXwTliIt was a night when only the wounded remained awake.Mat329
M4i4That’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.orUPz
QUUzkDo***2eTLK
L87EUQAlthough normally in Consuegra only the bleating of sheep could be heard, today, for some reason, it felt more bustling.qTXrmd
XK8dqThe children wore clean clothes, and the adults were sweeping with brooms here and there.EPuFti
hJT1“Today, someone very important from the Dragulia family is coming.”ihsT
qwb“They say it’s a dragon. And one of pure blood, no less.”9UFBy4F
DuFZCmp“They say he has golden hair and blue eyes. I can’t believe I’ll see a dragon before I die!”HTWUO7
L4KThe villagers were excited about the news that a dragon would arrive in Consuegra.23wNjl
R2vpuSBorn in perfection, as beautiful as jewels.tfCY6
k0CJust seeing a dragon was an honor, and everyone was hurriedly preparing to welcome him.VZdTkls
4pGc7“They’re coming! They’ve already reached the entrance to the village!”7Lw
taG6“Form a line! Make sure the children don’t run ahead!”QkK6kd
ecyxDWith the firm shout of the mayor, the villagers quickly stepped aside from the path.dd5z
xyDAlthough they seemed nervous about seeing a dragon for the first time, they couldn’t hide the excitement coursing through their bodies.FOtwBPk
m1EUNK“….”nJ7Ai
BUOLwmSoon, a luxurious golden carriage approached from the distance.BifBUO
1U6sKThat immutable gold was a color reserved solely for dragons born in perfection.ZrsfqC
21pEbkUpon recognizing that color, the villagers began bowing their heads one by one.ZMJq
Z3P“Welcome, Sarnus Dragulia!”DVl
n64NXThe 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.ZHnM
68ylE“It is an honor to have you in this humble place…”VIhSsLc
APlRpLbFinally, a noble dragon began to step out through the open door.nNHt9w
ddfjrphHis golden hair shone under the sunlight, and his blue eyes observed everything coldly.0AFrxH
1Jk8However, what was most imposing about his presence was the perfection he had borne since birth.2OGkJ5
uUPD3pK“Well done, Samonte. You’ve finally found a useful energy source, haven’t you?”qEU3jAp
UG35P“Y-yes, Sarnus.”YYEyu
YmGEveryone present bowed their heads before him.MiH
tVZkF9cTherefore, Sarnus’s eyes, which could freely look down on others, began to slowly scan the surroundings.1di
QUXA“Good thing I didn’t arrive too late.”BUnL
rY1U2HwThe reason a noble dragon had come to this remote village was to oversee Samonte’s experiment.YjsP
V5KsIBut beyond that, Sarnus wanted to see something in particular: Kihano Frausen, the young possibility they had crushed in the past.Y8l3M
t0d“But I don’t see him.”eNTG3R9
4ug2CK“What?”UqKG
JrRM6oPHe looked around, but he didn’t see the brown hair he was searching for.QAl7Gg
SoVVMHThe youngest son of the Frausen family, who had shown such a brilliant potential that he had surprised even the dragons.JYI1Jk
WFdA spark of potential that needed to be verified. However, Kihano was not where he was supposed to be.0nWY5Vh
HNJ***FPwS1
duKqjD“Kkuuuuung!”7ly7j
8dbIn Samonte’s mill, which had been left empty to receive the noble dragon, someone was carefully climbing up.SZk
bu6“Why did they build this so high?”mJ1ZA
qj5QciThe mill that Kihano was scaling was the tallest and largest in Consuegra.FwW7Ho
s6srSHpTherefore, it was difficult for anyone to climb. However, for some reason, Kihano ascended with ease, without even using a rope.OzUNZt5
D0K3j“…Will I really get my normal hands back after this?”TekYG
MWfd“I’m telling you, yes! Do you think they’ve been fooling me my whole life?”TZE
fpXYbgAndrew, on his shoulder, kicked his hind legs as if trying to dispel any doubts.Lrlo6A
eQplEven so, it was hard not to feel uneasy.TGeG
hsZIf a swordsman’s hands turned into those of a frog, anyone would react like Kihano.8GXs
tFuK“Why are you climbing up the wall instead of using the normal entrance? Are you crazy?”cuy1Or
6bg5“I want to see Samonte’s workshop.”GKjZu
kuDze“And why?”Il7TaAR
hpZ“Ah… I told you before!”3UXV
LteqpIt wasn’t a very dignified image to see Kihano climbing like a frog.H4Sg
4J0Yan, 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.oHpB
c7GFRom“I’ve been hearing children crying all night!”GcRN
eFVVb1Even though he knew no one was there, Kihano spoke in an urgent whisper.zvesWp
e23cSv“This mill seemed suspicious to me from the start.”s7Qz5W
aRMuwsKihano peeked into the workshop through the window, and then turned his head to look back.dKZ1jR3
HocrThere were the mill blades.yvSXRZ
Z0r“Look. They don’t even have a weather vane installed.”LTF
7Hw9366The rusty blades didn’t have the vane that any mill should have to catch the wind.0IJk
XuYqThe main function of a mill was to turn with the wind, but this one didn’t even have that intention.LRkF1
Mk65fCrraaack!0KV8
irF9“That’s why I need to see it up close.”kwEiwm
w87SGTDGently tapping the window with his elbow to avoid making noise, Kihano carefully removed the cracked glass.cZx55
KpL4It was a technique he had learned for secret meetings with ladies, but it proved useful in other situations.IJyh4FX
vArjQN“…”pXNvcmg
JiAgY0Kihano unlatched the window and slipped silently into Samonte’s workshop.QjsDx
J2KPzdjAlthough Andrew had said there were no other security measures, it never hurt to be cautious.AzRAyj
YOAK“What a messy place. Are all mages like this?”kS3Qflb
1ORby“I wasn’t, you brat!”4kgo
J1SRN“You have papers scattered everywhere. Mages are a disaster.”4ux
UktYMi“…”JCgCvK
iVjuV3This workshop was not accessible during official visits.7khKX
VvyttThat’s why the workshop Kihano was seeing for the first time was messy, with papers strewn across the floor.AXOr
vxVisf2“…What’s this? A blueprint?”QraQctd
o3uAmong the papers filled with difficult-to-read letters, there was one that caught Kihano’s attention.YuvSA
EofS7OlA sheet with a simple drawing instead of complicated letters and formulas.CZYIoZN
xt15eIt was a sectional blueprint of the mill they were currently in.muS
vP6m“Why does it have so many gears?”ZQj6MDp
1U3WtZyUpon examining the blueprint, he saw an excessive number of gears and pipes in Samonte’s mill.FQsw
Zcl1PKHe didn’t know what they were for, but it was evident they weren’t typical components of a regular mill.PYsgR5v
oXh3hl“…Kihano.”fUu
zSkZ7“What is it? I’m busy.”lskAu
3wZAnWWhile Kihano quickly lost interest in the blueprint and looked around, Andrew, on his shoulder, blinked in surprise.KSbW
lQkbW9g“This… Where we are now doesn’t seem to be just a mill.”IcSjp3
4Wgj2“That’s what I’m saying. I told you this was suspicious.”68Y3
K0Xnq3Andrew’s voice trembled with nervousness, but Kihano was focused on finding the source of the children’s cries he had heard last night.2Tjk
p48eAs he looked around, he saw something shining.M87V
dQpHaPn“I’m telling you, this isn’t an ordinary windmill. This…”BtnvC6
UzmZG“Shhh. Be quiet for a moment.”40LS6
HhJg4Looking up, he saw that there were glass tubes hanging from the ceiling of the workshop.RcetM
d3tThey seemed to be firmly attached as if they were part of some machinery.mPwFRKp
qUveIKihano felt the pain in his injured left eye intensify when he saw them.rEV8
Ed5gBQ“Can’t you hear it?”6nd9o
aSQKc“Hear what?”nW0iM
F7rA5“It sounds like crying.”bec6
NA1KnKihano really didn’t care what the mage Samonte was doing.IsJXcTH
ZiSHSzAfter all, the experiment was supervised by Dragulia, and it wasn’t something he could interfere with.aqXf
xIpz“…Is it coming from above?”kfw
yDVT4k8But if children were involved, the situation was different.j65N
yBDhNUqEspecially if the children were suffering so much they cried all night.qydyV
InFh4f“¡Kngh!”hJiM7C
JEq6QcCThe higher he climbed, the more his wounded left eye hurt.Yo9
MzVRFpThe bandage he wore was stained with blood, but his determination did not waver.punub4
L2nzE“Kihano! Your wound is bleeding!”MPtELzK
AXarW“I know!”AyIAjf
AhHsThe closer he got to the empty glass tubes, the clearer the children’s cries became.XY9gyu6
wsuFinally, he reached the top of the workshop.toHuUiI
IYAKThere was a large gear and many glass tubes embedded around it.z65
ZZJFX“Where are they?”N47G26
sU76tKihano looked around urgently, blood dripping from his eye.ai5GyG
n7EnqJHowever, he only saw empty glass tubes. There was no sign of the crying children.JT2l
rb1n“There’s nothing. We should go down.”dXb8iK
HjEIK“But…”EnczL
m1KQQd“Idiot, I just told you! This isn’t an ordinary windmill!”ZUB
TUJmCl8-······!ELKnkkT
oU4BNfbAndrew urged Kihano to go down, but he turned his head when he heard something.R6KTD
gpeIt wasn’t a sound heard with his ears but something perceived with his sight.4yk
EPmTqrLooking in that direction with his injured left eye, he saw a white figure.NU51Nz
TgqMc9s“Stop torturing them!”vZdHE
qYWA white spark crackled inside a large glass tube at the center of the gear.IMGZC0
7bjGIt was a much larger tube than the others, and it was vibrating.rDCiI
vg1IxMvAs he approached, Kihano opened his eyes in shock.Sy7
h3Rb9l“Leave my friends alone, you damned humans!”wypZ
Fl08PuHe couldn’t see it with his right eye, but he could with his injured left eye.he0NnAO
IsdvSIn 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.w9pDf6R
Macf8***NkZGL
vdNKA boy cried in an empty dueling arena where everyone had left.sUU
18StThe tears the boy was shedding now were not from resentment or anger.RAUP4BP
0V5f“…Father.”fTXiyR
y0CXThese were tears that flowed from helpless fear.DmnCj
qj4The dragons of Dragulia had raged when they saw the world he had created.QIC
Rep4That was because those blue eyes desperately sought the boy’s world, recognizing Kihano’s potential, forged by sacrificing his own young dragon.jkrLAg
s3Sq“Did I do something wrong?”7rb3K2A
bWIHowever, no one made eye contact with Kihano, who was now crying.zHV
ViOPNeither 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.NBcVKz
o3LCgxf—Don’t look away anymore, Kihano.WGn
vZ5A world of children that no one could protect.BfHPpWW
WJ3HpqTherefore, the cries of the little one he had ignored continued to echo within Kihano.oy7me
cWhHxOp—If you keep doing this, the star inside you will die.JmYJH
ajIUHPerhaps 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.MvUYB
DQsPvThat’s why Kihano decided not to look away and took a step toward the glass tube before him.lOsd7R
5oOdAFChapteer 278: Extra 18 – Kihano – For the Young Possibilities (2)
Clang! Clang!O6E5e
pcZSfreA sound echoed through the dark interior of the mill.EqMC0
pJhfIt started from the top and spread downward.bIXzq
OnE1Even the spirits, who lay weakened, lifted their heads at the sudden noise.JtDugr
q23Crackle!186k
xHbPbCThe sword slashed with such force that it even crackled with flames.gFEQlC
34THowever, Samonte’s glass tubes didn’t show a single scratch. Kihano realized it.6SlhkD
IiOFU“…It’s magic.”nayfP
eQlWThe tubes trapping the little spirits were transparent, but they were filled with the mystery Samonte had embedded in them.Ng08d
MJ0MA5That power deceived the world and deflected the tip of his sword.kXnT
hDVjePs“Andrew, is there no way to break this?”PwYgv
vXyECzh“…Not right now. Maybe if you give me some time.”F7Nlb
mK9AG“Time is the last thing we have.”93jOv5c
sitwQqNAndrew had been a great wizard, but that was when he had a human form.qeso
t4oOAsking him for a solution now was useless.0o0O
deBI“Damn it.”rYbmI
ZfPKihano swallowed, his throat burning with urgency.9kvz55
ZQKP9FHe felt cornered.kwu4FF
YW3lrBut while his hands remained still, his eyes continued to move sharply.3o5PvFA
Jih2“Couldn’t they have enchanted all these things with magic?”ffsTbpz
9QeivAbove the little snake, who was staring wide-eyed, there were numerous mechanical devices.fv5S
YJXDgHe didn’t know what they were for, but surely one of them was keeping the spirits trapped.gD4q
Mj1WBf“…I remember seeing a diagram somewhere.”Ini
kRXX0RZRecalling the diagram he had seen, Kihano licked his lips.hdmZe
Z384As complicated as the machinery was, disassembling it was the opposite of assembling it.T2AFH
j79Or at least he might find a weak point.C6vc
GsPgPRumble!tES
TzbXt“Urgh!”AZejoFz
uQHjymYKihano had come up with a plan, but it was too late.6XlrW9
Oinxu2“What is this?”LOBWw
pyVThe ground suddenly shook as if an earthquake was happening. Kihano quickly crouched down.YBh3VW
Oi6But the tremor didn’t stop.pj9
cKoQ“An earthquake?”zauujjL
lINT“No! This isn’t an earthquake!”H8dJ
QchdClank, clank!7pg4
RcedP9GA deafening noise came from below. Kihano looked down and saw it.r0m
9upR6“…!”zzlup2c
z2ZBhiThe gears of the mill began to move.PyTae
dj12TGaDozens, hundreds, thousands of gears turned like a spreading wave, locking into each other and roaring in unison.vYty9
zW62Kihano felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.yWFy59j
0OjOUwaaaa!BIkK
4yWoexStop it already!adWML
Ydl“…!”s2JSmk
LdmPFEAt the same time, he heard the screams of the spirits behind him.RVUIE
DRC9kxRTrapped in the glass capsules, they glowed like burning candles and screamed in pain.UMg
ywm8Zu“This isn’t a mill!”fN4rzS
izDBRumble!oWX
CdLcpOWith a roar like thunder, Samonte’s mill was rising.AGgAzT
G5EiIt was the mill a fallen mage had built to fulfill the wish of a perfect dragon.0n5mI
xLOw“This is a golem!”5p89eM
5fmAIdFIt was finally showing its true form—a masterpiece of magic and engineering.MGn
UD3wPerhaps the largest golem in the world was rising, devouring the cries of the little spirits.pQbQNJ
WTDIFrRoooaaar!1Yrhi
ikY***8SJ5
VHXGbxRumble!IiW
nVCA deafening sound rumbled through the peaceful hills of Consuegra.eHqR
UNTThat noise came from the mill, which was slowly standing up.Mzs
Z3Y1TyUThe villagers, who had been watching the event in honor of the noble dragon, screamed in horror at the sight.4HZiTN
iEfs“My God, what is that?”Ype2lG5
fDh5y“The… the mill is rising!”h2X
UNuFIt was such a terrifying sight that they even forgot about the dragon’s presence.FHn
lQDySamonte’s mill, with its rusted structure and sharp spear-like head aimed at the sky, was slowly standing up.GOjts
BmMThe sight was so grotesque and monstrous that the villagers could only hold their breath.eHLG3Ku
zuU“What do you think, Lord Sarnus?”JEsnb
zCnI7dfWhile everyone was silent, the only one who couldn’t hide his excitement was the mage Samonte, who raised his arms in triumph.cahMh
QhKkkHe had been rejected by his fallen lineage and expelled from his order of wizards.Aqv
RXFBut now, no one there could dare to despise him, because the roar of the golem above was Samonte’s triumphant cry.IMrN
ec8e“Look! Look at that imposing figure!”wuw
LWiqpO5Roar!zZMgK
wWACSymFinally, the giant that had stood up roared in fury, as if announcing its arrival to the world.20X
yaWAKSamonte laughed like a madman, his face a mask of lunacy.tRTi
35IrUllBut the dragon’s blue eyes only showed a cold smile.hFn
NbfK“Excellent, Samonte.”No06jen
nFqThe mill, disguised until that moment, was actually a giant golem born of the mage’s madness.HRb
AWJEven Sarnus, always composed, allowed a smile to slip as he admired the monstrous creation.DLY
cuPz4y“…My God.”Svajlp
RHbfYIt was large enough to destroy the hill.C0xk9c
yPcThe villagers, frozen in awe, began to awaken from their trance when they saw the golem moving closer.k8W
aesThud! Thud!AUSu
n96L7sH“Huh?”Cp5
XTXK0Thud! Thud! Thud!TKX73G
muwQzh“Huh, huh?”0hiMBXz
lmFEach step of the golem was a crashing boom that brought it closer and closer.LbuCTT
zTyZ7But as it advanced toward Consuegra, fear replaced any reverence the villagers felt.lUuA
Wvra“Where is it going?”5Wz
Lrpry0“It’s heading toward the village!”yf7V
3IqX2glBecause the golem was heading for the village, an unstoppable mass of machinery and magic.fqv
zecvqEven Samonte, the golem’s creator, was stunned.5hpejK
Wdp3fC“Th-this can’t be!”XLDuh
UVjfBrQHe frantically turned the control levers, but the golem wouldn’t respond.S5cgO
mch6It kept moving forward, its massive steps closing in on the gathered humans.9lfiQLS
YPAAJ7Panic drained the color from Samonte’s face.g9pvid
vz4t“Lord Sarnus.”Dq5Pe0q
NFy5“What’s happening?”MKGpR1
WPHUGq“Th-this…”ntfgWwY
eeQYZAyRoar!cLTn
xRtRkThe golem picked up speed, venting steam as it advanced like an enraged beast.JaXmdK
chPwIP8Now Sarnus also understood the gravity of the situation.JyC
KWdj“I’ll kill them all!”lzMIG14
BpbABAccompanying the golem’s roar, a childlike voice screamed.w3aGb
1c9wSNo one else could hear it, but it was the spirits trapped in the mill who cried out in rage.0cwvqsf
8R1bR“Now you’ll suffer like we did!”n9d7f
5XpCovA young world that was wounded because no one stepped forward.hc3LUDw
N5DNow, those worlds were crying out to the humans, pouring out their fury with no place left to go.zIrwkq
Ms7EcK8***CxkwQv5
TZY“Aghh!”LhXtaD
DhHClang! Clang!QYJm
jjspSKihano struggled against the scorching heat emanating from behind him.0RTVl
sl0QThe hot air made him squeeze his eyes shut tightly; it was as if all that heat was coming from the trapped spirits.itI2L
DqslxBut what truly tormented him wasn’t that heat…Q8MAe
zBxok8D“This is way too high!”Rtjzpy
9JEVt“Try to stay quiet, for a bit!”RIpb
BoUTVmQThere was Kihano, hanging precariously from the tip of the windmill blade, which was finally starting to turn.fAiTean
kRSFCQIt had always been a tall structure, but now that it was moving, it seemed even higher.tRhkqK
vOwlBHe had managed to escape the heat, but now he was trapped on the gigantic, rusted blades of the windmill.stSy
R9tg“I should have turned into a sparrow instead of a frog!”JcY3wgs
vYF3F8“That really would’ve been adorable!”awLEBLt
oZ0k4vMAndrew kicked his legs in fear, but Kihano was no less terrified.pnUrQnh
00ddu4R“…Don’t you think my head just brushed against a cloud?”zYKBj
STE5apBeing so high up, he felt the cold air and laughed nervously.p4j4JF
PdIBwn“It’s time to get down!”qpPZW3
Aefg2vn“Aaaahhh!”lO1fqXb
aqDakWhat goes up must come down.sSogx
IBUPbeWhen the blade reached its lowest point, Kihano clenched his teeth and prepared himself.svyNU1
9SX“Not even when I was born did I feel this!”w0Wfj
K6LckDJThe ridiculous sensation of floating made the area below his navel tingle as if it were going to burst, but this was not a moment when he could simply squeeze his eyes shut like he had before.kOay
CUHThud! Thud! Thud!nWtTN
Vr37WThe golem’s footsteps grew closer and closer, signaling that the ground was near.AF3C
7mJvKihano, who had already failed three times at landing and was feeling the dizzying slide, didn’t want to taste the clouds with his tongue any longer.QjFYyr
7cFZ“Hold on tight!”kuSs
w1eKihano’s eyes glowed, concentrating on the precise moment.xAuDqe
klhHNKWhen the windmill blade passed near the golem’s knee, he leaped.vY4i9
pwrB“…!”R8x
hiPTfQAt the moment the rotating blade came close to the golem’s knees, Kihano, aiming for that instant, jumped like a flying squirrel.TAX7cc
KIyOThere was a frog’s scream along with him, but Kihano’s body was already flying toward the next landing point.gGNtxCd
BljA“Waaah!”Sh7x4m
kxDnYou couldn’t jump from a moving golem unless you had the courage to do it.ANZ
R1XB3The difficulty level was equivalent to stepping on the debris of a collapsing building.qzh
dfNC“Aren’t we on the ground yet?”b1dC
IdbW“You’ll see for yourself!”K3tnjoJ
MEl“I have my eyes closed!”rqDEZG
5jHCHowever, Kihano descended with precision, landing on each point he had planned.vaF
HsuAEven Yan, who was following him on his donkey, watched with his mouth agape.NL3l
U2uknC“Last jump!”jqQjEb
kIBxPerfectly understanding the golem’s movements, Kihano executed his final maneuver.XohdxaX
YEzKihano, who had flown by following the motion, was now attempting the final leap toward the meadow.c6rL
Tpc“Aaaah!”5VRPgxG
KIt“Ribbit!”EerM
OEPZYAlthough the landing wasn’t perfect, at least he was back on solid ground.iqXPMCm
2DYvp“Sir Kihano! Are you all right?”FkFzB
P177uM“….”hVo
uPVKihano’s expression was so twisted that it was hard to ask him what had happened. His brown hair was mercilessly tousled by the strong wind, which did not help his appearance.aL5
4Hayd0However, confirming that his feet had finally touched the ground, Kihano tried to steady his trembling legs and pointed at Yan.EUo06
Vxj9m73“Take a potion out of your backpack. It’s the one glowing green.”8N4
JIO“This one?”xOkJk
Vawb“Yes, that one.”6mT
1CdThe glass bottle Yan pulled out glowed with an ominous green light. However, Kihano didn’t hesitate to open it and pour the contents into his mouth.rJlXQx
D3T4p9b“Ugh! Cough, cough!”ICFRAJw
D60DvYThe thick, concentrated taste of pine needles tortured his tongue. The smell was so strong that even Andrew, who was lying face down as if dead, opened his eyes.Uwybn
myyFS“…Where is it going now?”WwHq4RG
0zYQb14Kihano, who had regained his senses thanks to the potion, saw the golem heading toward Consuegra.y2TDpcq
IQyfNmzThe cries of the spirits trapped inside the golem, running as if ready to destroy the village, still echoed.y3bC
qEu“It looks like the giant is furious about something. Also, its eyes look red.”ZLS9OF
LOM1gM“They’re probably not eyes, but windows.”IwUUK6o
hg7GUnderstanding what was happening from the cries of the spirits, Kihano quickly called to Andrew.iCss
r4HZO1“Wake up already!”lu0SlW
McUT8“Ugh… Where am I?”LixC1t
4uJEW“Quick, come to your senses and get ready as I told you!”xVHhenr
7tddtcZKihano shook Andrew hard to wake him up. Then, he adjusted his sword and began looking down the slope leading to the village.CLSu
3pcgKWcThe hills of Consuegra were marked with enormous footprints. Before, the place had been full of green grass, but where the golem had passed, only dark earth remained.bUu
c29RYd5“…Sir Kihano? Don’t tell me you’re going to face the golem again.”Puh
kV8OYan’s eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of Kihano preparing his gear. However, Kihano’s gaze was firm and determined, as if he had already made up his mind.7KR22Vv
J0Y“But someone has to do something.”XGuV
fh12yI“What?”zdzI0e
rTVYan couldn’t hear the spirits’ cries, but Kihano’s ears were still filled with those laments. The child who had been hiding inside Kihano began to awaken with that sound.J8Tb
FsdThe world of the spirits, connected through his wounds, was no different from his own world now.cvWIN
gkI“Someone has to step up for them.”IZ3
pCfIRIgRemembering the time when no one had, Kihano decided that this time, he would.EiLz71n
yo6p9“Take this.”K2vA
jQS“Kihano? Sir Kihano!”79zknxO
l5ibZ1Kihano handed Yan a bundle of white papers and ran toward the massive golem-windmill. Yan’s anxious voice was left behind, but Kihano was already charging toward the village.CzF
JHb6R“…What is this?”80l
ClGVpZNow alone on the hill, Yan looked at the papers Kihano had given him. They were the blueprints showing how Samonte’s windmill was constructed, filled with various diagrams. Yan focused on a note written in red letters at the bottom.dBFh
S3ZkXMN“Emergency braking device?”GzkXW
h9TCNbSamonte’s golem continued advancing toward the village. Kihano ran down the hill to stop it.0mR3B5
cRuHis sword was small, and the enemy gigantic, but what now shone in Kihano’s left eye was the world he had forgotten.WomL
yoxQmThe child crying within him slowly raised his head, guided by the starlight filtering through his connected world.xGLMK
V7W2Biography of Kihano.78Ms
XRTih***Xf6Hm
QQSkThud! Thud! Thud!v1ky0l
YD7iEach footstep made the earth tremble, as if the very ground was about to crack. The vibrations could be felt even from a distance, but as the golem approached, fear reflected on the faces of the villagers.UHKwP
jcmu0CL“It’s headed for the village!”Xvp
WzC2“There are children in the village!”5Ufb7
dDaw1Consuegra, a quiet place on a remote corner of the Barony of Turrek, had never faced a crisis like this.xg8X
usB1YOJThe people, finally aware of the danger, ran toward the village. However, their movements were far too slow compared to the strides of the golem.lXKkGB
xmLf“Lord Sarnus! Help us!”5rbf
G81“Stop the golem! That giant is heading straight for the village!”t3fR0R
CQIKThe only being they could trust was a dragon born of perfection. Without hesitation, the villagers fell to their knees and desperately pleaded with Sarnus. Yet the cold blue eyes of the dragon didn’t turn toward the people begging him.QiN
M1Ev“Is it impossible to control it?”gRr
MVxvU“Uh? No, technically not…”ze8
D2rWVX“Be honest.”qsC65
KvhUoqSamonte tried to stammer an excuse, but for some reason, he couldn’t open his mouth easily in front of Sarnus. The world of Sarnus grew larger the longer you looked at him. As a rightful ruler, his gaze emitted a force impossible to defy.Mi9
j0uaNC“…I’m sorry.”fya
3YiXIBThe last chance vanished in a powerless failure. Samonte, consumed by despair, bowed his head. However, a subtle smile appeared on Sarnus’s face.Qu9k4AB
TfKg4nJ“This is even better.”qbs
5X94Z5K“What?”ghAc
L7L2The gigantic golem advanced toward Consuegra. The destruction was no accident; it was the purpose of Sarnus’s experiment. What mattered wasn’t controlling the golem but how much it could crush.T03a
VWxJolz“Wasn’t this golem created to face the southern beast tribes? Testing it here wouldn’t be so bad.”ZQR
q8bTNy“….”eqfRRqS
uSiThe golem, born for destruction, had absorbed the cries of the young spirits. Sarnus did not hear the villagers’ laments or the spirits’ screams. He only saw the target in front of him.acQ
A43tln“Hmm?”j9Uznx
ypr5SBut there was one person who could reach into Sarnus’s world.ZB2
ZrpLg2B“Hold on just a little longer!”A0g
Aiv9vA man whose potential was so brilliant that even dragons feared it. Kihano ran downhill, charging straight toward the golem.RHwLX
BsfR9Py“I’ll stop it immediately!”vmMw
X8Yqio“Kihano… Frausen.”T3E8I
v64IA man who hadn’t been there when he was needed. Kihano Frausen. But as he ran toward where he should be, he shone like that boy of the past.Tzt8okR
adaCv***qBkwQ
EXef0POThud! Thud! Thud!2jy
WNQThe vibrations traveling through the air seemed to shake his insides.MPkJgq
hszBut Kihano, sliding down the hill, didn’t have a second to hesitate.pYfh
626‘If it keeps going, it’ll reach the village!’IMgS8
pXbPnp6He didn’t need to hear the spirits’ screams to know.q7V
HtusyfTSamonte’s mill was heading straight for the village.h1DW
NLCHe didn’t even need to imagine what would happen if the enraged golem reached the village.d3d0
zoPU“I can’t let that happen!”1Z6s
sQ6MKihano drew his sword and ran toward the golem’s feet.V7Nc
1DsunYPThe distance was so dangerous that it seemed he could be crushed at any moment, but his shining eyes calmly focused on the golem’s descending feet.4Fm2Ic
76oCThud!Q8dtSgt
SAiR2pV“One!”dooUgRB
bVXBl6bThud!gv6
Y04“Two!”OCgd
QESNThere was a time when he believed he could achieve any goal, no matter how impossible it seemed.LP8Nk
qDGqW8lIn those days, he feared no opponent.dU95
ezj0Thud!UhTe
8kCPR“…Three!”lctzqPM
zwxSYMBut now, reality had caught up to him. He was just Kihano, a pathetic version of his childhood self who had dreamed of being great.CjL
CP48To redeem himself, Kihano leaped toward the golem’s foot.9gb
es6Crash!MErZDGX
a5SFB0“Ugh!”ioy8l
zyqThe dust that splashed his face was rough, and the violently blowing wind was cutting.nGZqatE
YxSConditions impossible to endure for an ordinary person.yfznvIs
6TtURIdBut Kihano didn’t let go, climbing up with the golem’s foot.8eaBTOK
FipxgwLThe eyes of the child watching from his inner world drew closer and closer to the sky.CWX
kA5Gi“Emergency brake!”exXsl1
qvL7Samonte’s emergency brake had three parts.bROCzy
kaju9MThe first on the left knee.yg7uP
DXLZsIqThe second at the center of the waist.jTYh9h7
r4Ztu1And the third at the axle of the still-furiously spinning blades.ZTmzB
27WXAm“First, the knee!”uS0UGB4
AEmWhen the golem’s foot reached its highest point, Kihano climbed up quickly.NUHJ
NHuLJpmIt was just a fleeting moment when the foot briefly paused before taking the next step.Yp6dKG
NPdBut that brief instant was all he needed to move freely.TmQDs7
6Wz“Grrr!”PhleAw
ge2WhtHe regretted his past self.IFhOn8
UV3cHe’d had time, but he froze.Tw47
KxPBut now, the time left to him offered a last chance he didn’t intend to waste.dgn
VfJ“Haaaa!”c3j2TzG
WXDSKihano jumped from the left foot of the golem, which was quickly descending.HtA20J
hYwWMA risky jump, with no support.5P44Qg
yUwIt seemed insane, but his decision was correct. In front of him, the golem’s knee descended.8KOjmV
Q6W5Crash!qpgpBd
7RjFvnd“Ugh!”djfL
pkJMetal fragments grazed his cheek.vyy4x
QodSBut Kihano smiled despite the blood running down his face.Yy2
tsX2He had found what he was looking for.icSH
MyBpPi“…I found it.”cAjV
6zPD2A small, barely visible red mark.tSZO
Et4vFClinging to the golem’s knee, he saw the emergency brake marked in red.QxLR
Gfb4“Why don’t we stop and have a little chat?”mZW
0fJTuHis sword gleamed with a light so intense that even Sarnus, from afar, could see it.Q2KS
eYa“Haa!”A5UlYB
27jfD2Crash!Xfg
9bpKA small gear hidden in the dark interior.0YFx
tj4SuThe piece that controlled the knee’s movement shattered into pieces with Kihano’s sword.FM3Nnrj
oYcMLvSRoar!OmEwd08
1Ep23***Kppu
IFeln6Rumble!4NLu
REVGEUA corner of the hill collapsed due to the sudden lurch of the golem.AxtKeR
Cw1BidThe heavy structure couldn’t support its own weight, leaving heaps of dark earth in its wake.ms0xIlu
w9HtRThe villagers, watching from a nearby hill, covered their mouths in astonishment.aQvcEZE
6mcArVSome noticed a bright light on the golem.JVW1
HtFaSM“What’s that?”MbV
QJQpPSwEven through the dust, an unusual light shone.kNlLeJ
wrg1That light climbed quickly from the golem’s knee to its waist.fC4y
jxSp-Now stop!3rGBWZ
QrNVml“…It’s… it’s a person.”bKUxTP
flFNMj4“How can there be a person there?”4C0d
VF0bYlgRoar!uzG
pZtThe golem, whose left leg wouldn’t move at all, was caught by the ankle and roared loudly.mHo
yIhBut everyone’s eyes fixed on Kihano, who kept striking with his sword.oz51p
DQVj39“…It’s Kihano! Sir Kihano!”A13h
Do1Rd“Kihano of Frausen! He’s the guest from our inn!”ZQCmokS
doz9Destruction continued approaching the village, but the guards didn’t move, and Sarnus’s eyes remained cold.Melq
LZY8JPeople who were in the right place but didn’t do what they should.0MB
OjyYet, even in that moment of despair, there remained a knight willing to do what was necessary for them.xsrEL
SbNFM“Sir Kihano is destroying the golem!”Dq4mZ
Ok13“Oh heavens!”lwszG
58JEQAn enemy far too big for a mere human.j8Y
ZakLStopping the golem was an impossible dream, but in front of the villagers, a man was making it reality.0deRLi
G1Sb6ZE“…This is the second one!”K2f
1VZvg1Sweat ran down his chin and dripped onto the red mark.6FSG
sdTyEgHe was exhausted, and his sword trembled.hqVcfp
zOOie6But his eyes remained fixed on his goal.JYCNt5h
ZazNR3Crash!z7fd4
TEA7SARoar!Z6CnvxR
Y201m4bThe second brake, at the waist, broke.cLdn6GU
T4cobThe lower half of the golem froze completely.hyUWp
RcXe13y-Sir Kihano is destroying the mill!bPyG
eXp3SJ-Kihano of Frausen!hks
8OKOGzL-The pride of the town of La Mancha stands before us!qMTAb
oElhU“….”F4re
eMWh1LZThe cries of joy resounded around him.pqx
naSk47It was the respect and admiration deserved by a knight who protected a world that couldn’t defend itself.Gea
XanC1But behind those cheers, the eyes of a dragon remained cold.59VC
mx8“It’s done, Lord Sarnus!”h8I1Xct
lYPYWThe villagers were thanking the knight instead of the dragon.hmfH
VfqxockSarnus’s heart burned with rage, but Samonte didn’t notice.mdR
hZpYZhY“I don’t know what happened, but Kihano disabled the brake…! The legs are useless, but the arms still work!”gRV
laZJheI“Can it still move?”A2Si
K7AdcThe world of Kihano, seen through Sarnus’s closed left eye, was like a wounded flower.YyiVsu
UGfNBut even a wounded flower can reach the stars if it keeps dreaming.SNj
p2z“In that case, let’s test it now.”FSvU
fbQ8JBESarnus smiled as he made a slicing gesture.90QVWA3
46P844sAt the same time, Sarnus’s fingers traced a line across the back of his neck.GD0E
YcDYmOS“How about it? If I can, I promise to offer you my full support in the future.”NVcBW
BOm“….”oduxdd
IyIlHBut only perfect dragons can reach the sky above.JXK
8Gf3t1Sarnus whispered softly as he watched how the trampled possibilities regained their color.j5X
tnte0“Kill him.”wUDhEb
HA6***pUtIPn
l3tXw“Hahh! Hahh!”9s96fC
QkaShiZKihano was climbing the mill, dragging his already exhausted body.PBinxoQ
gHESZvEven though the golem was now still and only emitted wails toward the village, Kihano still had a task to complete.IgcGoTa
4BE“It hurts! It hurts so much!”DMj
BtEPFhS“Please, someone get us out of here!”JRKU
ge6UXZ“…Hold on a little longer.”smPC6i
GqhKNVThe cries kept coming from the top of the mill.ShNyQ9
bf7K9hThough the people behind him were celebrating, they couldn’t hear the wails of the young spirits.hqBVMt
nH3Only Kihano could perceive those cries as he climbed toward the final emergency brake.8SjV
iq54qx“Kihano!”OpcXM
QRGCQ5“…!!”6bgKR
9eIFSSuddenly, a sound rumbled like thunder in his mind. It was a warning from the mage connected through their bond.gK7PWSi
u5s“Look up!”ipUKk
dmhha9Perhaps because he was so exhausted, he hadn’t noticed the lethal presence in time.jVN
W2KYJA sharp threat bared its fangs above his head.0UDMKN
Fdck1Ea“What the hell is that now?!”eLCI
onqIThe golem’s right arm, as tall as a mountain, was descending upon him.lghvmvv
qTLI8It looked like a meteor falling from the sky. But Kihano noticed too late; there was no way to escape.CuvaBg
rL41“Jump!”PZw3
GeRjELgSuddenly, a strange sensation coursed through his legs.FaoVtvn
2ciUIt was the mage’s power transmitted through their connection.NEV
1EXW0r“Jump like a frog!”83BuL1l
1LlCLU“…!”lhDt
n1ylThe contact with Andrew had expanded Kihano’s world. Thus, his body adopted the agility of Andrew’s legs.FZWdOw
qGQzCrash!L2i
GJUyrS5A devastating blow struck, with no concern for whether his body would shatter. As debris flew everywhere, Samonte raised his hand to control the golem, but a silhouette emerged even higher.1049s
tO9Cj44“I told you to be a sparrow, not a frog!”NuCFYN
oUXm5IHop!8Aadv
SRwWp0The jumping power of a frog can reach up to twenty times its size.qhX
x3O5cTherefore, Kihano soared into the sky, so high that he could look over the mill.aUoAdm
DrHP6“…And how am I going to get down now?!”VWB6F
r0YTFor a moment, Kihano ascended to the highest point in the world.oxeumX0
TcDqMrPSeeing the sky he had dreamed of as a child, the small boy inside him smiled brightly.z8e
6Do***c5t
Ix2Pu“Good positioning!”nLPS5Su
9UWQ5Seeing Kihano in the air, Andrew began to chant a spell quickly.FxiYdvo
X1cjc“Good positioning? At this rate, Kihano is going to die!”kjqrANA
SWYkOFrom within the old brass basin, Andrew closed his eyes. Yan called to him desperately, but Andrew’s magical gesture had already transcended the skies.WML4me
fXmRN“…Clouds of Mambrino, I summon you now.”MHusIm
wH0pEThe Clouds of Mambrino, more powerful than any other force Andrew could invoke.SsyN
hWsVLjHIt was an impossible spell without the enchanted golden helmet, but with its aid, he could achieve it for a brief moment.SdaNCH5
4UXAH“The nobility of ideals deserves a blue sky.”8LJ0Y
NZOxARumble!EVGW
3q9Blue clouds gathered above the sky where Kihano was ascending.vLpgqC
Z8O6“Impossible dreams deserve white lightning.”wGg
yLgOZCrack!hipTGaZ
pp0White lightning began to form. The sudden storm painted the hills of Consuegra white.rAD
eVTozGn“Let the colors I summon deceive the world!”jIgPY1B
2obvHEven though his current form was that of a humble frog.uRN6
WzdcNevertheless, the name he was given when he was human was the Great Mage of Mambrino. Andrew, the summoner of lightning.GiFbbGU
VbWR0Yj“Ahhhh!”PV0hFJg
Ck4xioUA heavy rain began to fall over the hill where the spirits wept.4rpi4cg
pOcMp23Amid the flashes of white lightning, Kihano descended with a celestial light.zjDXJxA
lxsfDV“This is the final blow!”tF7
v9UA white bolt fell for the young spirits who had called to him.Byk6gg5
4SYO8The white lightning that the boy had embraced descended with Kihano, burning his left eye and striking the Samonte mill.X6W
dxGycjBoom!HaBcf7
L4weI0A flower was blooming.aFUOsGt
5IxGzdHis faith in himself had carried him to the stars.Jq1R8
7QpvMThe hill of Consuegra shone with a brilliance so intense that even the dragon could not ignore it, and the blades of the mill shattered.7opm25
86FeH***05p9
WdHpuTo dream the impossible.YPu5MAM
coP1Z1zTo defeat invincible enemies,jg09
hdZqto endure unbearable pain,KJvxM9
7Re41a3to die for noble ideals.r98h
hOOJQlYTo right wrongs,oJ6J
D0IAto love with purity and kindness.Tz2yJ3I
K9I2ltTo fall in love with impossible dreams,GtOCED
xTw8sand thus, with faith, reach for the stars.aBZ6
BFCkmVxThat is the mission and duty of a true knight.p2KqOf
Ao4From the novel Don Quixote.qjmRVQ2
pptChapteer 279: Extra 19 – Kihano – For Another Encounter (End)
A tower stood proudly, as if trying to pierce the sky.N0qJ
62ECGUPAnd towards that tower, a bolt of lightning descended with fury.Get4z
8lYV“Huaaaaah!”RGfWt
7vlCrack-boom!9ed
GGUYWith a deafening roar, the top of the windmill began to explode.292
WCyaSeen from a distance, it looked like a rain of fireworks scattering into countless fragments.OJXFv58
IywhmYThe villagers, upon seeing the countless luminous particles coloring the hill, began to cover their mouths in astonishment.sey
68TTJ78“…One device remains.”IP3Z4HD
rroHowever, the lightning that had started in the sky had not yet lost its brilliance.1DM
5PlDKihano’s left eye, wide open, still glowed with a white light.dZV58e
WSagThe knight Kihano, who had drawn his sword for the young spirits still suffering, descended down the golem’s shoulder with the lightning he had borrowed from the sky.S6gDsKN
kna7Roooooar!7oAm
MzZThe lightning, which had started from the head, traveled down the shoulder and reached the blades.HgFu3n
EcEzxxSamonte, realizing where that current was headed, quickly manipulated his controller, but Kihano’s sharp perception had already anticipated the golem’s movements.OVgntV
jT5l3aS—Kihano! Strike again!dacd
zpeBAndrew issued another warning upon seeing the golem’s fist descending from above.riq6y
WuGcWHowever, upon what happened next, even he could only watch with his mouth agape.tNrl9Al
A269a“…What is that?”G2WZQZ4
HGs30The golem’s arm was rising towards the sky.WZBS
1zEDAs if someone were pulling it with tremendous force.Ccehs
t7llwEveryone present raised their heads to witness such an absurd scene.FoXYK
B4J“Grrr!”bQcyJZ
JUzzbIBeneath the golem’s arm, which was slowly lifting, Kihano remained clinging to his sword, gritting his teeth.um2e
uoprwCrack-crack-boom!sGAW2qC
JmgA sensation as if an entire mountain were being shifted.ay70x5
liwlYiSKihano’s sword, clashing against the golem’s fist, sparked and emitted a metallic screech, but his wrist did not stop moving, twisting the golem’s strength.2uhlit
yMub“Huaaaaah!”rjodLd
VFg2A defensive dueling technique, deflecting the opponent’s strike with a circular motion.oQGOGY
eRHA technique difficult to execute even in combat between humans was now being performed against Samonte’s windmill.vpFCJ
ScN“Kihano… Frausen. So, in the end…”cneGJ
y9I6EnKihano’s body, burning with white light, looked like a star.tLA
tRxSarnus, understanding the meaning of this sight, began to tremble visibly, as if struck by a storm.L3n6b
Gc7X“Just a little… more…”ZTCy5W7
b27qBsCrack! Crackle!ymKG9
MKZ3A sound of breaking so loud it was heard even from the hill.MiZZ
JBHWThe sound came from the golem’s shoulder joint, which had exceeded its limit.uNdfa8m
0LAUnable to withstand its own force, the golem’s arm twisted grotesquely, and the windmill let out a cry of agony.kF6X
uD2LRooooar!a43Zy
kWfe1nBeyond the arm of the golem, which Kihano had repelled, something became visible.KgGHR
BgDj1cDThe windmill blades, still squeezing the young spirits.qAH8
QXe“Now I see it.”xEf
5cpUaimA picture he had once imagined, wondering if he could ever make it real.RtN2
xA74oHowever, what he saw now matched that picture exactly.ng2
AS2Lih“….”udy7Q
oJ452A beam of light emanated from Kihano as he discovered that final moment.84Ms
F0TIt was a light similar to that of a star borrowed from the sky by a child.vHkUrbq
0z3CHkWith that light reflected in his left eye, Kihano aimed at the axis of the blades.TuUiZ
V30Whq“Huaaaaaah!”wyJLx
wu6For the children who cried because no one had stepped forward.t5A5fc
SxXjjBA starlight thrown for them illuminated the hill of Consuegra as it rushed toward the golem’s chest.s80
4NI0LODCrash!2DkbV2E
2UxcWith the sound of something shattering, Samonte’s windmill began to harden like a stone statue.Ott2
seqwWith its left arm still extended towards the sky.FhiN6
8Xl2QFrom that immobile arm, lights of many colors began to flow.L28s
R5AgJD“I did it.”xJzb
OUG5IKihano smiled with satisfaction as he gazed at that light.Z3H4
bAnQA star that had fulfilled its duty and was now falling, while many others began to rise towards the sky.W4n
cRUSf7At the point where they intersected, there was a glow never seen before.gyz5S
PkGjpp***zrwArxh
2tR8“…Is that an aurora?”WCo
lTEYFrom the top of a hill covered in rubble, Kihano smiled weakly.hATSvtw
A55ISAlthough his body lay exhausted, he could afford to smile thanks to the rippling waves of light shining above his head.1BCQhO
ireK9ct“With a view like this, it wasn’t a bad gamble.”0rom0R4
a1dsG0The young spirits, freed from human hands, fluttered happily, painting the sky with their own colors.wIv
ALHkoIt was a scene that looked like an immense silk mantle covering the heavens. Upon witnessing this sky, visible only because he had decided not to look away, Kihano slightly raised his hand and waved softly.gC5
f2epkG“Goodbye.”ijPfvU
9Oy4A fire-breathing lizard, a shining butterfly, a tiny squid the size of a fingernail, and a small white snake that stared at him with its tiny eyes.JhGv
F6SjncAlthough many of these small beings still hovered around him, Kihano, already exhausted, could no longer understand their words.XSB8G
9hh2T“Yes, I know. See you later.”mL5O9H
ubR5BKFSo he could only bid farewell with a promise for another time.urV
f6LDVdfHe didn’t know when it would be, but if fate allowed it, they would meet again.TGpNLw
JkhrMAs if understanding his words, the young spirits surrendered one by one to the aurora dancing in the sky.u6o
6JkI2“…It’s beautiful to see it this way.”EZG65y
aO1Smiling as he watched them depart, Kihano admired the sky he could now see because he had not turned away.7zozlad
nUig3At last, the sky he gazed upon was filled with stars, twinkling endlessly towards him.B2fCB76
weVs***fCJc
XgJBAt some point in the summer, in a small nameless village.vbJDd
814Not far from Consuegra, the local tavern buzzed with lively chatter due to the circulating rumors.lJvIrKG
QVd“They say he brought down a giant golem.”SKnfwSC
3sCJz“A golem controlled by an evil mage! And it wasn’t a dragon, but a human knight!”IbK8ai
H8m“What was his name again? I think it was Kihano of La Mancha.”efjIO
LTBUn0Kihano of La Mancha.cO3OFO
4auRHJFThe knight who defended the village of Consuegra from the wicked golem.A28PU
MiRsa0HThe rumors, recounting that grand and spectacular scene, continued to spread from town to town, from city to city, further glorifying Kihano’s name.5xI86
p3eJI“Ah, you’ve done something huge this time.”lc1Nhd
TzjEy5FHowever, Kihano himself, the protagonist of the rumor, couldn’t even swallow the bread stuffed in his cheeks. With a comical expression, he tilted his head.my1
DR7“What did I tell you before you left?”F7UuigN
4cs“….”zuaM4
oC1“I told you to lay low. To avoid drawing as much attention as possible.”uwzH
QESeX66It was a village he had reached after leaving Consuegra.fl2
PPVNvThere, Kihano was enjoying warm bread after a long time.SfXcsm
vJF6XmZBut because of Perez, who sat across from him, he couldn’t swallow it and only moved his eyes from side to side.mELyB
2oBym“And you’re telling me you destroyed a golem? And not just any golem, but one funded by Dragulia!”0eh92
shlTGu“Haaa. I did it because it was necessary….”5Gh
7w2fi“And on top of that, you handed the key to the cell to the imprisoned elf?”HL6gaDH
uJFP8Gulp.0kQFyn
4nUVIn the silent table, someone swallowed nervously.ndCMNiE
6ZqIt wasn’t Kihano, who still had his mouth full of bread, but the young Yan, sitting beside him. Unlike Kihano, who was pretending to be clueless, Yan trembled like a leaf, unable to hide his anxiety.VenhcF
849N“It’s strange. I’m sure I handed it over discreetly.”UlmH
PHTQbD“….”pwg
uxTqnGoSeeing that Kihano didn’t even attempt to make an excuse, Perez’s face began to harden.HZuQ
3mNMBringing down an out-of-control golem could be justified, so it was a matter that could be resolved.demba1
Jvs5fHowever, releasing an elf who was under Sarnus’s custody was a far more complicated issue, even for someone of the Frausen lineage.CujF
uqTlx“…Don’t go near the capital for a while.”yVIGE5Z
65ARClink.4Ojht
LZmWith those words, Perez placed a rather heavy pouch on the table.fLjBL
R72The weight of those gold coins seemed to tell him to leave as soon as possible and stay far away for a long time.YvE
rZhy“Leave as soon as you can. Word is already spreading that Dragulia is taking action.”7lPc
bx1WThe order to leave sounded cold, but the words he added afterward revealed sincere concern for his brother.2BK
5drBUW9Kihano, who had now humiliated Dragulia twice—a family that pursued perfection—was beginning to shine brightly with potential.4iySQ8
dwtCThe old reputation of *”Frausen’s parasite”* was no longer enough to protect him.WGQmwk
R9zm“I suppose we couldn’t hide it forever.”WEi
95mYoung birds must leave the nest at some point, whether by choice or by external circumstances.9FqFY
xOJnLooking at his brother, who had taken so long to spread his wings, Perez stood up from his seat.xWI6XY
5B8Prf“…Brother.”0Qby
VosyMBIf he left now, they didn’t know when they would see each other again. However, Perez showed no hesitation as he exited the tavern.OVYot
lu3vPqIt was a determined and firm farewell, as if he were showing Kihano what he also needed to do.ePu
0ds1J3CBut for Kihano, who still wasn’t used to goodbyes, all he could do was murmur “brother” as he watched Perez’s back moving away.PaMMpJ
yDn5c8u***cY6t
n6fP3After winter came spring. And now, summer was full of green leaves.jzAm
0sPkpvThe knight, the boy, and a frog walked amidst that season and stopped for a moment when they reached a crossroads.zsCir
mhFJibs“Which way do we go now?”Orcd3
DNVYThe road split into four directions: east, west, south, and north.YXZb4c
ErGkWithout a clear destination, Kihano couldn’t help but look thoughtful.aCutTMc
U4n4fLuckily, he knew not to head north, where the capital lay, so at least that option was ruled out.5gA
D2JJUSg“How about heading east? I know a wizard there, and we might get information about my body.”tfX0lr
KLxIN7“I’d prefer we head south. Lord Perez said we should be careful about dragons.”h97f
MNtPgjQ“….”Bm9jOwK
sdNShould he go east for Andrew, or should he follow Perez’s advice and head south?7jXQlIl
vr6XOBoth suggestions had valid reasons, which made choosing difficult.rbFWwyz
sv1But suddenly, Kihano turned his head upon hearing the trill of a bird coming from a completely different direction.zpwu
8F7“What’s that?”dwZo
exgkFlying above his head, a bird seemed to demand that he make a decision quickly.Y2vZ
OaJ0It was a messenger hawk, but unlike the usual ones, it had the powerful wings of a falcon, a species only seen in the far west.mKVd9Cm
F5f2OIl“…A drawing?”yZXh
MrqwcThe hawk descended lightly onto his outstretched arm.dAa
UJOhU6In the messaging tube, which was thicker than usual for a bird of its size, there wasn’t an ordinary letter, but an anonymous illustration.e92
wWLcrv“What’s this, Lord Kihano?”blhvqG
wLtrChy“I don’t know.”hyqAS3n
gpHKihano scratched his head as the hawk adjusted its wings.SW1
auEt“But this style feels familiar.”iX7lvq0
9pFsbPdAfter observing the drawing for a while, Kihano felt it was both strange and familiar at the same time.Ipbf
RIGFoEvery meticulous brushstroke seemed like the work of a true master.IYTeUY
4xcOLIt was as if the landscape he was seeing had been captured alive on paper. This illustration reminded him clearly of one he had seen before.C41
KQaUiND“Consuegra…”zYp
I47VUCPThe same scene he had seen from a dark prison, but which now seemed illuminated in his mind.fKbGaa
eK2RwPRemembering the silver-haired elf who had made that drawing, Kihano finally realized who the author was.9pwEad
sMp“Andrew.”w5zG
ressH0“Yes?”cUI
EpJVPj“In which direction is the city of the elves?”safozi9
JCMu18L“You mean Alfheim? It’s to the west.”NQTtr
LOxPA messenger hawk had arrived when he had nowhere left to go.uXV
7lnrIAs he gazed at the drawing, which had come as a sign in a moment of uncertainty, Kihano turned his head to the west.dEVGz
eofAPUc“Then let’s head west.”weUs
8LZ“To the west? Why suddenly to the west?”5pHy
HvmDHd2Neither east nor south, which they had been discussing until now.8EYft0b
NvGCaAndrew and Yan looked at him confused, but Kihano had already made his decision and began walking.ajHoAP
pXK“That’s good. Anyway, my sword is broken, and I wanted to get a new one.”Vee
WO0The fight with the golem had been intense, and Kihano’s sword was now chipped and worn.7WGjf
JylIt could be considered an honorable scar, but for a knight, his sword was an essential companion.GtIPYFG
ixtcuKf“They say dwarves are excellent blacksmiths. I’ve always wanted to have a sword made by them.”O8l
PxoBeyond the elven forest of Alfheim lay Myrkheim, the home of the dwarves.tnW
rWzEx3CAnd it was said that every sword forged there was a true masterpiece.spEL5Mz
6fyR“By the way, Lord Kihano.”TDpkNoZ
QIM“Hmm?”jld
z27PgvE“This drawing is very strange. Look here.”EY3Q
wcQlxWhile walking west, Yan studied the drawing closely and showed it to Kihano with bright eyes.Xk9
YbRBp“At first, I thought it was a night sky, but it’s not.”FnDDIsm
zle8Looking carefully, there were other hidden landscapes in the drawing.YnTHvE
LAcn“If you look here, doesn’t it look like a city?”jWadQ
xbggA“Oh, you’re right.”zpq
axYY“It’s small, but it looks like a maze of alleys surrounding this star.”Knzkg
utxthWhat looked like a night sky was actually a drawing of a dark city.O9oMsM
I4eIn one corner, there was a small golden star emitting a faint glow. Kihano couldn’t help but feel drawn to it.C79bw
hMB“…It’s an interesting drawing. The star isn’t drawn in the sky, but on the ground.”X2X6
bIQazAlthough not in the night sky, that small star seemed to declare itself a star nonetheless.cBxg
KhI7vThough small, it was the golden star that shone the brightest.gtcbdH
UjMKihano, feeling pity for it, unconsciously traced it with his finger.ePC9
Z2fqM“What could this be?”ZyCoXQ
oCRvCKihano didn’t know, but what he was seeing was a scene he would encounter in a distant future.Gjw6
fdgNThough the time wasn’t right yet, Kihano began walking slowly toward that uncertain destination.1EpY
XneU9Toward that star which, though not in the lofty night sky, knew how to shine on its own.rfR4JST
vi5iFor that reason, every step he took was a step toward an encounter.9tie
YLVy7AEpilogue of Kihano (End).qkCOjUZ
IIq45Chapteer 280: Note from the author and translator
Author’s Note:anWiKJ
3q7Qr2wDear readers, I am Q10.Sqcc
L5UpMGpWith today’s manuscript, Star-Embracing Swordmaster has reached its conclusion.3NugKB
bhBI want to sincerely thank everyone who has been with me up to this point.3qs7j
yXDx0jbThinking that this is farewell to both Vlad and Kihano leaves an emptiness in my heart, but our story has come to an end, and it’s time to let it go.KXc1rM
vYxXAt first, I thought this work would never become a paid story. Its growth was slow, and honestly, I was on the verge of abandoning it.s26
scxdBut today, I’ve successfully completed it, and I’m here writing you a message of gratitude. All of this was possible thanks to you, the readers.t5V
864vI1tThat’s why I gave my utmost effort to deliver a worthy ending. I hope this conclusion, which is not a final farewell but rather a promise of future reunions, is the ending you wished for.rsBPCY
tvaThere are many things I’d like to say, but I believe goodbyes are better when they are simple and sincere.eufjAX
HKdJust as Kihano set off once more in search of Vlad, I, Q10, will also say goodbye for now, so that we may meet again in the future.rLG
GOSI1YThank you all.EXpA
2yVnjUntil we meet again, farewell.dVSWZ
cpTq5CtTranslator’s Note:fSu
U0WxHello, this is Hayze.5Syg
ELqXThis is the first time I’ve finished translating a novel, so I won’t leave a long message. I can only say thank you to everyone who supported my translation, despite some mistakes along the way.zABPUaL
2WuThroughout this time, this novel has been perfect. Finishing it makes me both happy and sad, but nothing lasts forever. I can only express my gratitude.QZygW
MVdo423See you around. You can enjoy other series I’m working on. Thank you, and farewell!y2d
IYSnnEChapteer 281: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (1)
A Note From the AuthorcKd
X5v6Hello everyone, this is Q10.5aj1
lSO4UFaIt’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other.zFVrkm
5auFVYI will begin serializing the side stories of Star-Embracing Swordmaster.crbC
zBNfRoThrough this series, I want to explore parts of the world I wasn’t able to fully develop, the relationships between characters, and other stories many readers wanted to see.Mx1
1dHznI’m truly sorry it took me so long to return.S8siGHF
jlUolI will work hard. Thank you.J6s5
aBBIWUpdates will be released every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6:00 PM.e8X3u
2BSMxThe sky, where the glow of the sunset had faded away, was already tinged with a pale blue.l13
4lBkUIt was the hour when darkness began to seep in little by little beneath a moon that had not yet fully matured.2EI
zztQ5aUAt that boundary between day and night, where everything became blurred, a lone figure stood in solitude.irAW3x
4Ffc2O“…Do you really have to leave today?”7ljgy
o2AmIt was a child.mho5o
JnxFsY3And one so small that he barely seemed old enough to be turning four.3f8KMO
POzv5I“Can’t you stay one more day? Just one more day.”0T0qE
9IdSvNot fully understanding what it was that made him so sad, the boy kept his head lowered as he kicked the ground for no reason.rDAsI
pNg0trThen, at the end of his gaze, a small green chrysalis appeared.0JGvI
ArrIt was hidden beneath a foxtail plant, barely poking out its head.oAnjIh
Y7QSThe man had told him that tonight, that little friend would become a beautiful butterfly and fly away.Zc0H
aVnv[Farewells are best when they are simple.]A3Kwzh
xyWwThe boy liked that little green caterpillar very much.0qIDVkl
IOCHe liked it even when it became a chrysalis.5uo
rzTAwtAnd he would surely have liked it when it transformed into a butterfly as well.iqaOj
JjVBut what he truly did not understand was that, just as wings would grow on his little friend, his friend also had to leave today.vy0qpCn
s6aoh“But even so…”rLIStfi
dmmbbThe boy looked at him with tear-filled eyes.9sERW
9hiNpGpHowever, the man merely smiled faintly without saying a word.Q8Y
EIyqlDoHe was someone who knew exactly when it was time to say goodbye.n8U533
oaRRhKg[It’s getting late. Your mother will worry. Right?]tUfJVX
IPqj7At those words telling him it was time to go home, the boy let his shoulders droop and turned around.OM9jLj
A1VBHe could have insisted a little longer.Ht9hD
vdYPz7But, in a manner unbefitting someone his age, he immediately began walking down the hill.uTlZ
cLTWvgKSniff…fQelRj7
yT9NJxBecause the boy cared deeply for that man.Xa6sw
fA7oHqnFor some reason, he reminded him of his father.Hxgaw
iJ20NAnd when he smiled, he made him think of his mother’s smile.LAZ03S8
BTp4XJust as he loved his parents, he could not help but love and follow that man as well.kQW
x9bonxs[Be careful on your way back.]rfi
T8bYAs the boy descended the hill between sobs, an enormous white snake wagged its tail at him.rD0
Vff[And always watch where you step.]vNI
xpiA yellow mole constantly inspected the ground to make sure the boy would not hurt himself as he walked along wiping away his tears.BgL4E4B
MIvTG[Then we’ll see each other next time, Emil.]bnUFj
U7upThe boy had firmly decided not to look back.oIX
hTXLBut he could not resist the man’s final farewell.YqSc
CcgAMZBecause for a small child, a goodbye was a wound too painful to bear.b4wXInj
S3y“Ah…”D0Lwc
OijWhen he finally turned around, he saw butterflies flying above the hill.7j6go
xLaIJThe night sky growing darker and darker.0dSvVr
KpaVQwLThe man who seemed to be made of that very night.ClZqx
ST2And between them, my little butterfly flying as though it were swimming through the air.NdDj
eUcThe man never told the boy his name.bik
Uj7Vn4xHe only told him that he came from that black moon visible up above.Azo
GQbThat small black moon peeking shyly beside the white moon.ycm7N
tGThBeneath the moonlight, the black-haired man waved his hand toward the boy.vl0n2L
GphX***Y341rgQ
aCECialHaa…yllFb
FQDSummer sunlight passed through the window and fell across the man’s shoulders.LUwZB
BRv1With his back to that blinding radiance, the man tilted his head back as he felt the warmth slowly spread across his back.1TRtC
Ex5IzSeOutside was a brilliant blue sky.f3sC
RU0w7GSBut in front of him was a crying boy.qg0E
HSrwySgWithout realizing it, he let out a resigned sigh.tbMF
fhGN“…So, who the hell did something this stupid?”5aiy
Y1rMBHe was a one-eyed man.ctFPcq
ku3mCAlthough half of his hair had already turned gray, his right eye still retained all of its strength.rKi
D4kILAnd beside it, the eyepatch covering his left eye possessed such a distinctive presence that it was impossible to forget after seeing it only once.zCD
5yEopz“Tell me, Maksim. Who was it that stuck a spoon into his head?”hi6b
8EzIt was Jager the One-Eyed.95W
P1yThe current commander of the Bayezid family’s knights.D1m
CFksOne of the most representative knights of the North and the great knight who had raised the Swordmaster of this era.yq9K
rkyIDtAnd now, as he looked at the boy standing before him, he rubbed his temples with an obvious headache.TIjUy9F
4Po“…They say it was Squire Emil.”6vv9
ABXg8Perhaps around thirteen years old?Nc528xO
NOSv2kUA squire standing right at the boundary between childhood and adolescence held back his tears while a spoon was embedded in his head.unJ3
e67aVIt was lodged so neatly that at first Jager had thought it was one of those accessories that had become fashionable lately.u8UHgm
NRdv“L-Lord Jager! This is completely unfair! I was only eating in the dining hall…!”jaDQr5
Ed5c“It seems there was a fight between squires. It happens from time to time around this period.”koC6I
XYCAD8The veteran knight Maksim replied as he scratched his nearly bald head.PmUd2Y
24IIt had all begun with an argument between young squires in the dining hall.6BQUdtl
bTGoAfter exchanging words, they ended up fighting.nBD0JsQ
40PQHKVAnd apparently, a squire named Emil lost his temper and stuck a spoon into the head of the boy who was now crying.BOdsMv
Ve05LBut was it really something that needed to reach the commander of the knights?nvk
BxEC“Such barbaric behavior! Sniff…! I cannot tolerate such injustice! Send a magical telegram to my family immediately! No, send it right now!”kRSe7wu
u75rOf course it was something he needed to know about.2Vi
tGVBecause the squire standing before him was the eldest legitimate son of the influential Valthof family from the center of the continent.ikkCi3
6LeIn other words, the Valthof family might even mobilize an army for the sake of this child, their sole heir.YQB6
ib7Kfw“A magical telegram? Don’t be ridiculous. Take this.”VAp
G7yHowever, the one-eyed knight did not seem concerned about such a thing in the slightest.Lzv
8MFYV8hThe boy, who had tried to rely on his family’s influence, automatically caught the small teaspoon Jager tossed at him and stared at it with a bewildered expression.pL2iD5
m8YNFM“What is this…?”JET1Zy7
guaGAt home, he might be a valuable young master.pdez
zQEFX4But here, he was just another squire.aI3LI0
dYdBayezid’s squire training program was an inviolable domain that even the most influential families of the center could not question.nJDw
7zgVGBecause that place was the cradle where a Swordmaster had been raised.DKGpQ
0WFV“Have our young master do exactly the same thing.”VneBR
B2K4“Excuse me?”uSesMdD
dc7AtiJager brought his teacup to his lips and grinned broadly as he scrunched up his face.K7mxwPp
Xnh“Go on. Find that bastard Emil. And stick it into his head exactly the same way.”Mowhj
NYcwT7If you get hit, you hit back.WngCZvW
YEzikThe North was a place that had to be protected.aA0mFyc
uDeRs2And one’s own honor had to be learned and defended with one’s own hands as well.SZs
aY8He could have explained it step by step.4OXKD
R25pBut Jager was not such a kind person.vrMR
c9bCCke“If you understand, then get out.”dIKM
I1M“Uwaaaah!”mhR
ckjpIZA man who taught the spirit of the North with a simple wave of his hand.AenUr8g
oY3He truly possessed the presence of a great knight who had raised a Swordmaster.x09
0mbMoved by such profound instruction, the young squire had no choice but to leave the office in tears.zpw
8L212Clutching a small teaspoon tightly in his hand.1hJ
qlqa“…This is why I said I didn’t want to become the commander of the knights.”zpe
reTWatching the young squire’s back as he left in tears, Jager let out a deep sigh.AIOBg
j1DL9oHe truly had never wanted to hold a position like this.nh9b
YOwHe had always hated being part of the main group.iwc4x
v7SBut he had not been given a choice.tSbz8
b08clFQHe had somehow managed to refuse the request of Count Rutiger, the current Count Bayezid.st9Oph
uCtpwHowever, when even the great lady Oksana, the widow of the previous count, personally intervened, there was no longer any escape.SE47x
3heYWF“By the way, why are so many of them coming here crying this year? Is there something wrong with this class?”eyILPf
NHoAt Jager’s question, Maksim shrugged.ShrkUKf
yZNAThat gesture seemed to say that he already knew the answer himself.EKLld
AhVlyqdJager’s brow furrowed.wWN75
56L6“Is that Emil really that troublesome? Nothing like this happened with his sister.”027ay
hooQsQB“…To begin with, his personality is rather peculiar.”6tr37
3y81Emil, the son of Vlad Aureo.vmqQ
FtotsAs if inheriting his father’s face exactly were not enough, it seemed he had inherited his temperament as well.QHsor
yLSDespite having grown up surrounded by care and affection, the boy gave off a strangely rough impression.4zHR
5fFaReally, if you took the Vlad of those days, removed some of his height, and added a little baby fat to his cheeks, he would look exactly like Emil did now.DS47
krpgGZ“Besides, since they’re still children, they all want to try picking a fight with Emil. Something like challenging the strength of the Swordmaster.”CmpPWl
8SN74“So they have someone who looks like easy prey right beside them.”rUidA
1NH3VAnd there was also the problem of having a father who was far too extraordinary.yqN
0xk3M2uEvery squire in this class had grown up hearing stories about the Swordmaster.CVN
RC9nThe knight.X7d
ZHS3The elf.O5Sc0H
ZD0v7pThe Empire’s Sword.EuT
zD0WThe Swordmaster’s Rules.JVN
y0zAnd even the title of Dragonslayer.l3r5
0VzzKqDFor children who had only just entered adolescence, it was hard to imagine anything more exciting than that.QNp
Wc7W2bAnd on top of that, they had a living example of it all right beside them.R6elq
kO6nmWrIt was only natural that anyone would feel tempted to provoke him a little.LUjB9
GNtEP3l“But it seems it wasn’t as easy as they thought.”GUn
zcZIBTaking a sip of tea, Jager thought to himself.E1Xc
e39InI like this.Izfj
dhvrH44Of course it should be this way.Ai1CK
ZAiGYour father did exactly the same thing.YsLpIU
dXuWt1“Even so, he’ll have to be properly reprimanded. He’s only a squire, and he’s already using weapons.”J6Uy
s295u“Weapons? It was a spoon.”83d
7FMabRH“What are you talking about? Maksim, have you never killed someone with a spoon?”NFu
qqz“What?”Qqjzv
e5LmUSI“Huh?”yjRxD
XZW9GAFor a brief moment, a strange silence settled between the two men, whose life experiences seemed vastly different.zLNZae1
yctKZ1l“In any case, we need to keep an eye on him. He’s a child who inherited dragon blood.”rtwA
ApQPDragon blood possessed limitless possibilities.KqYcBIO
udJPDepending on the life he lived, he could become an honorable Swordmaster or the oldest dragon, capable of devouring everything.HtaC
SXVJager was one of the few people who had observed that process from very close up.9QUk7tr
dsw‘Perhaps this is my final duty.’8vd
Hh1NProtecting the possibilities of the young.pyt
aWSKOYEspecially when those possibilities were just beginning to bloom.YNIsvwd
aP3JQiCHe did not know what kind of flower it would become, but Jager thought the current situation fit perfectly with the Swordmaster’s First Rule.8blYa
DYr5“Hey! What’s wrong with you, idiot?!”j7iZ
SNDlY“Emil! I told you no! I told you we shouldn’t do it!”KM8I4
4Me6tJ6“Uwaaaah!”EhLj
w9CPJager had been lost in thought for a few moments while enjoying a cup of tea.U6o
9TD5LHowever, the voices of children coming from outside the window made him lower his head in resignation.Zebw
QL1“…Now what?”14bT
WyTwsIAt Jager’s lament, Maksim walked over to the window and looked outside.nhFWx
fmNThen he involuntarily clicked his tongue.8HLxB8e
YIKIQ“It’s Emil.”97JkrK
Wn8e“And what did he do this time?”fJmo
sxWqVh“He’s riding a horse.”GWhVN5
JxUlqm“Then why are they making so much noise?”qVlF
3LEWqMaksim shook his head as if to say he would have to see it for himself.lONqm
aiFDhlJager stood up with his teacup in hand.enSNq
ybOV“Haa…”tlwy
NfFkUgIt was a splendid afternoon.WX1bWMG
jj4mRuThe pleasant weather of early summer, still free from oppressive heat.Mnd
HM4H2HA cool breeze blew gently.fRDh
c2RfcXTAnd there was a blond boy desperately clinging to the saddle, while behind him a chubby boy ran after him, panting.PKJ
uyPFZ2f“No! I thought it would work if the commander said it!”wcmH
9OhI“So that brat doesn’t know how to ride either.”LBQ7
LVwDBEzIt was a very peaceful summer scene.plrDMm
YO1L5iAt least, it would have been if the horse leaping around everywhere had not happened to be Jager’s horse.TrEs
GmSIqz2“My father said that if it was an expensive horse, it would work!”SZ7EOq
qcxz“It seems I didn’t die early enough to avoid seeing this again.”TWG6wje
TPkHShaking his head as though witnessing something unbearable, Jager gestured toward Maksim.aqZ
xxICatch those brats.SnfzjJ
pYy1iAnd cook them properly.FHcDYO7
g8n“Understood, Commander.”e4xQic
DzoAfter Maksim left, Jager remained alone in the office and gently swirled his teacup.qvqI
vM7WnUq“…”igQf
mKV9wJAs he watched the small glimmers of light shimmering across the disturbed surface of the tea, a feeling of emptiness suddenly came over him.A7G
37CVzBcThe feeling that no one was there.Z1UFpY
x8FThe reality that he was now completely alone in that office.i8XKDfA
VC1“…Without a doubt, elven tea clears the mind.”CryOvK
uzpwAsBack then, there had always been two people in Sturma’s quiet office.Fow
wPEpxgThat black-haired man who was always seated, drafting documents in the same posture.7m6oFx
HjezcvIf he closed his eyes and listened carefully, he felt as though he could still hear the soft scratching of a pen across paper.w6CJGoW
0lsYB9“It would be perfect if the aftertaste weren’t so bitter.”BhZRB5
VuZefJager closed his remaining eye and smiled silently as he remembered what always came next.99FawM
Z1zpIt was an ordinary and unchanging scene.HoE
A9BvGFBut ever since that young master had arrived, it felt as though a ray of light had pierced through the heavy curtains.2EV
0oG4Ud5“How does it feel to have the knight you serve riding a horse while you travel comfortably in a carriage despite being only a squire?”DZJHI
cGzAq“…I suppose I’ll get to ride expensive horses. Probably.”eQYG8
yLZiO“Expensive horses should be carrying you. You’re more valuable than they are.”8V9HI
ci4“Hahaha. That’s enough, Jager.”x9k
D7DWhat would the young master have said if he had seen today’s scene?h0VRxG
XWwHe probably would have laughed just like he did back then.CTTMC
MJmim8Because he was the kind of person who could let such insignificant mistakes pass with a smile.yVi
xMXb04p“Though I doubt he would have liked this tea.”tVN
MgJCLooks like the sun has gotten to me.2Q5oa
4CTThinking that, Jager drained the last sip of tea remaining in his cup and frowned.0im
kyZTlyAs expected, it was still bitter.JZiy
bMaerOOChapteer 282: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (2)
Ribbit, ribbit.ssx
LZ7B6dWhen the sun set and the sky began to turn dark blue, the croaking of frogs echoed softly near the well.7D48Q4
sFUE2i7It was the hour when the small creatures that had remained hidden all day began to stir along with the cool evening air.uOMJ
3Oab9TAnd in the stable beside the well, some little ones were whispering as well.1sDQP
COBXL7“That’s why I told you we shouldn’t have done it…”Vjj5eo
8xgmuGsaid a chubby boy in a voice that was almost tearful.LHU4YYr
gw1“It’s Sir Jager. The scariest person in the entire Bayezid family! Do you even know why the Commander lost an eye?”uJCWn
CspeaaL“No.”wTqT6kH
DfW0lthe blond boy answered flatly.c26JU
vbNAnd he did so while hanging upside down from the stable ceiling.v4E
6ekMX“What do you mean you don’t know?! It was your father’s Master!”FksD
hwV0“Precisely because he was my father’s Master, I don’t know! If he had been my Master, then I’d know!”ucXh0nU
ZSvUcA0Two boys hung from the ceiling completely wrapped in ropes.oGOeH5Z
6xHMP0bSince the ropes were brown, they looked like enormous chrysalises.4zo
9UE2rvOn top of that, they had small wooden boards hanging around their necks as though they were criminals.b0km
yngMThe blond boy’s board read.W4oFX
mBR“Horse Thief!”P2tzht
rqzAnd the chubby boy’s read.mdmH
DBd“Idiot Who Got Dragged Along by the Horse Thief!”LtJWq
NfvXCThe words had been written in visibly irritated handwriting.Lbala
u1F“My grandfather told me that when the Commander was young, he was terrifying. He said there was a time when he killed more than a hundred assassins all by himself.”9wEAGbs
eymYR6C“A hundred?”ED2QQW
vOxa“Yes, completely alone. And they were very famous guys!”V4jB
u37They had plenty of time.CjoRe6A
hNujNothing to do.QuJ
HkW83jKAnd they were tied up from head to toe.SajlL
JHkNaturally, Emil began paying attention to Hampton’s story.HlDosb
Pm4Ow“The great Lady Oksana was on her way to visit her family when the assassins appeared. And he killed all of them. But the most incredible part was how he did it.”AQzgr
e9h1afThe chubby chrysalis swayed slowly as he whispered to the blond chrysalis.HhA
s34TP4T“He said it was only fair payment. The one carrying poison was killed with poison. The one carrying a sword was stabbed. The one carrying a spear was run through with a spear.”l8x08JE
FcURM“Wow.”WP6OTCZ
jUq“Anyway, that was where he lost his eye. But when my grandfather went there afterward, it turned out that none of the corpses had eyes. Sir Jager had torn them all out.”qklHAe
P8vYIt was a story difficult to know for those unfamiliar with the internal affairs of the Bayezid family.95rSRJR
VrwBecause at that time, fierce political struggles still surrounded the two young heirs.VCfkVcX
dSgAlthough Jager had already built a legend in his youth as a warrior capable of facing a hundred men alone, his fame did not truly spread throughout the North until much later because of those circumstances.gfsz
SeL1AZd“…Really?”as5ZqU
ydlSThe blond chrysalis’s face began to pale.IYI
rEiCPzFConsidering he was hanging upside down, his face should have been red as a tomato.S8e6
MA93But it seemed the story had affected him quite a bit.eAgrlM
9DC0GCk“Then what did he do to the thieves? Because technically I’m not a thief. I only borrowed it for a little while.”wZhA49
47wW“I don’t know. Though maybe one of your family’s mounts would be enough to settle it.”d2so2NS
Jyh“Really? Then I wish I’d taken my sister’s horse.”F1ub0A
ClpHfAfter saying that, the blond chrysalis began untying himself with surprising ease.lhTiYv
u5B9gyA moment later, he dropped to the ground.HI7J
oDYsoBS“Hey, Emil! What the hell? How did you get loose?”QqWp
L4V“I learned.”k2A
di4Gn8The blond boy rubbed his ankles.M2lnu
NMGklMEThe ropes had been tied so tightly that they hurt.7fe
S41ohE“Wow. They really intend to leave me hanging here all day.”2wf
5eTEmil clicked his tongue in annoyance.h0OY8D
ez86YZHe had assumed they would scold him a little and that would be the end of it.G1K1
BYYdYcHe never imagined they would leave him hanging there until nightfall.urNYA5v
tgsKfFJIt made him realize once again that he was not at home.vUhrpq
6UFWV“Emil! Let me down too!”Wf2
UEDOxThe chubby chrysalis began shouting desperately.HIEtQ
Q941tdHBut Emil did not even turn around.M5Zr
8mZQ“And if I let you down, will you be able to climb back up?”HDaX
7GZT“Why would I need to climb back up?”DyykSL
PyEK“Ah, you really are an idiot.”lUl
lehaD5They were both being punished.zpL
822H4And sooner or later, someone would come to untie them.3IOTJ
yLgZ2If at that moment they were found casually wandering around after freeing themselves.ud2QN
qCL5VvzAnd if the person who showed up happened to be the one-eyed demon who had killed a hundred assassins all by himself.0jj
WJ7Q“…I’d better stay hanging.”EPzyy
mMz2Le3“Good idea.”Olhy
EGSfqWhile the chubby chrysalis continued curing and drying like a ham hanging from the ceiling, the blond boy began slowly walking around the stable to stretch his body.QiMukm
9ky5“It’s definitely different from the one at my house.”d2y
CRpvSIt truly was a stable worthy of Bayezid.GOn
hDt6tAs befitted one of the most important families in the North, all the horses were enormous and radiated health.fkb36
vYu6qAnd it made sense.cxh6kj
eCvAfter all, these were the mounts used by the Bayezid knights.GdmEK1H
vN8IgQAnything less would have been unacceptable.cIdwBs
yfAkDt“No matter how I look at it, you’re the boss around here. Right?”K0J
6RXV3As he wandered through the stable, the boy stopped in front of a massive black horse that occupied a large space all to himself.BN1bzo
BLk2XaIt was a mount anyone would consider special.DK6Y
ilF9rBSThe horse ridden by Sir Jager.wSW2
ciXAL8w“So what am I supposed to do if even you refuse to carry me? In fact, one of the reasons I came here was because of you.”vB4YfIb
elDNeigh.JIm
6FUJXfAs if it had understood his words, the enormous black horse snorted.eHfJBf
2lUiBut at the same time, it slowly began backing away.MmS6S
dc5It was clearly frightened.AWx
HEUMx“Tsk.”mJu
ISL2The difference in size between them was like the distance between heaven and earth.Mpt
vixtRIf anyone had seen the scene, they would probably have pulled the boy away, considering it dangerous.29wHT4r
Q3kYet the enormous horse was backing away with its tail tucked.UJa
JWKjAnd the small boy was watching him with a disapproving expression.Vxb
jbnOIt was such a strange sight that it felt unsettling.6ouR
k5aEf“Why does everyone hate me? Huh? I’m honestly a good person.”F9v9TlE
749Despite the harshness of his gaze, he seemed genuinely hurt that the horse was avoiding him.pre
Dn0OPHe roughly ran a hand through his hair and then jumped up to sit on the fence.pNv
NFGC0“…I should have gotten that horse no matter what.”cMFuUxH
kJIsisIt had not always been this way.I4GWvf
wprWhen he was very young, he got along perfectly well with the dogs and cats at home.IZO
qgu2But everything began to change the day the dragon’s wild nature awakened in his blue eyes.hRu
2OO“Maybe I should have tried dyeing my hair red like my sister…”uqnu
aeCVBcAnd the truth was that there was another person who shared exactly the same problem.XOnI9
F7vIDHis older sister.KpDGIv
bcHy8Two years older than him.w9Z44m
AWhBSAs long as she had the same problem, he had never cared too much about being unable to ride a horse.IGK
AhDDkBut that was already in the past.I2Ng3Xh
w0Rc“That was an incredible horse.”vX9lEU
tSHWhen his sister turned sixteen, his father took both of them to the blue grasslands that connected Varna and Sturma.n3XG
g9tlRAnd there he showed them an old friend of his.19MFcb
7bdvTEaA magnificent black horse.QV31o
Bz2Klg8His name was Noir.vLCXA
E2CoXvO“My sister is lucky. She has her own horse.”aI7G
cx4tI7tIt was a majestic mount, worthy of the man who had once ridden him.MI6gWCy
39lpBut the horse that truly caught the boy’s attention was another one.uV6J90A
x4FRFA foal shyly peeking its head out beside Noir.5gKN
gjwb79It was completely black like his father.IjfTgi
qAwBut it had a white diamond-shaped mark on its forehead.87mRrR
CZLx“Ha. Blond hair is useless. I can’t even win over a single horse. Red hair is the best.”1duhm
WsxeThey said the children of the grasslands adored the color red.E7jKlKE
Fst1And that foal had stopped in front of red as well.leA
t5EHis sister had been enchanted when she touched such a small and soft animal for the first time in a long while.foL
kwCvhShe carefully stroked him.vdQXOvw
bbpShe rode him.Rfm16
RAYQAnd she crossed the blue grasslands with him.CwVHa
kcwAs he watched the red-haired young woman and the young black horse running beneath the moonlight, the boy became so jealous that he almost cried like a little child.8H9
3Xr“Damn it, why did Noir have only one foal? Mares go around with several at a time!”rpUeW6
trZ7Ed6“If you have several wives, then it’s normal to have several children.WcGlK
pFBIxEven my father had two, including me.eVn
Y53n2bThey could have had several foals and left at least one by my side!”2gY
Osx“Huh?”hCBQryU
Atdx6Emil was immersed in his own indignation.nihkl
3kHifKThen, suddenly, his ears perked up.xqfd
UKQ9XHe had sensed someone approaching from far away.XbvCRff
Elm“…Emil, I’m starting to see double.”bO4ZGc
Yka“Hang in there a little longer. Someone’s coming.”EwYi
EYu37JGrabbing the end of the rope, Emil spun rapidly like a top and wrapped the rope around his body again.A97
bWPAThen he used his little finger to tie a knot from the inside.txMGTrb
5Aj0hyIt was so perfect that, when he finished, the blond chrysalis was there once again as if he had never moved.c1UUE
BrTJ“…That’s why I said we could have sent a telegram before coming…”Q6IH8
qQe3A“…I told you I did send one, brat! Stop treating me like some senile old man!”cZI5Y
J580The voices began to carry from the distance.e7EKLBw
HaaZOnly then did the horses notice the presence of visitors and begin to grow restless.OvJozgD
1wpbY“Even if you’re that eager to see Emil, shouldn’t you greet the Count first? I think that would be proper, Senior.”hJxF7I
8xv“Open the door first! I’m tired!”OhoNW
Wl30WCreeeak.5bt
iMxlnPaUpon hearing the door open, Emil smiled discreetly.HmQuer
VaXC254Because he already knew who was on the other side.SMqQu
OBdeeTap. Tap. Tap.Ucn
swCl59The sound of dragging footsteps.2SN1
GXVpOYbAnd the tapping of a cane.GI3F
pvcijIt was a familiar sound he had heard ever since he was very small.uHOMk
Xy3PljHearing it, Emil opened his eyes with apparent difficulty.M4VkeU
ci5“Gran… dpa… Ramund…”VuOhpfD
ZNrIAbIn his upside-down vision appeared a bald knight with an awkward expression.xe7io
fFS8QAnd beside him, an old man whose face was completely wrinkled with anger.7ISr
kjYiO7“Oh, dear heavens! Oh, dear heavens, Emil!”fww
5fZWkHdAt the sight of the children hanging upside down, the old man seemed to completely lose his composure.fuC
rlLX7He even dropped the cane he was holding and began clapping his hands one after another.OW1Ap
zjaIt was exactly the reaction one would expect from an elderly person.6CHb
BVbToMaksim, already accustomed to it, spoke with obvious weariness.JANU3lA
HvvtU“They haven’t been hanging there that long. Just today.”pcy
smSGfIK“Oh, dear heavens! Oh, dear heavens!”yXK
6mucxy“Normally we leave them hanging for three or four days. Besides, this custom was your idea when you were still here, Senior.”0ygde
URho“Shut up, you damned bald man! Get the children down at once!”hW7Gux
wltHe was an old man capable of making even the knight known as Bayezid’s disciplinarian nervous.oO8
3P9And he was also someone whom the Swordmaster’s son naturally called Grandpa.wBENB
LZGT“Honestly, please stop calling me bald in front of the children, Lord Ramund. I have my dignity too.”gLag
DHgThe Beacon of the North.WOHNxWm
bCkBayezid’s living legend.GJj9i
DqJThe leader of the unforgettable Golden Generation.dOgjOH
cBfUPkBKnight Ramund.kKEdcXY
5pO7“If I can’t call a bald man bald, then what am I supposed to call him?! You have less hair than I do!”KmQ82p
oeHAWatching that man, who now looked like nothing more than an ordinary grandfather, Emil smiled to himself.FvsBM1
s1xkAdNThen, feeling that enough was enough, he stuck out his tongue, let his head loll to one side, and muttered a single word.7CP5
9CsBvm“Bleh.”N7yIH
RCN3AraAnd immediately afterward, he let his body go completely limp.yzk
oDg“Aaaah! My boy!”TEzftHW
0b9Emil was pretending to have fainted.j9LC6
gFaRamund was shouting as though the world were coming to an end.KAXO
mNkwAnd Maksim, seeing the old man on the verge of a fit, hurriedly lowered the blond chrysalis.uWwTFbf
GXf9J“…I honestly think I’m going to die. Couldn’t you lower me first?”THDppSz
DLGUnlike Emil, the chubby chrysalis had been hanging there all day.rYz
pcdMWith unfocused eyes, he spoke in a weak voice.oEBiQ
skv6WBut no one paid him any attention.Kbch
n1xw“Why did you hang this good boy up?! Where is that grumpy Jager?!”M5w
sRI0bru“Please, Senior, don’t do this. We have our rules too.”Dx5mJDS
P2gCF“Excuse me…”tQ941t
y5OA“To hell with the rules! Why are you punishing a child?! Damn that one-eyed man and damn that bald man too!”dlFy
Zow“…”v80TEi
dzayopnThe chubby chrysalis was left hanging there alone.sw1z
HGdVBeLCompletely alone.ejUq
kSHIasHe tried swaying gently, as if to say, ‘I’m here.’gtDpj
Ig3But, incredibly enough…iQp
7YkiNo one paid him the slightest bit of attention.FktHLNc
kbIWChapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3)
Rutiger silently stared at the tea from which hot steam was still rising.ve6F4K
gk0Then he lifted the cup and took a long sip.SFEV
SEbyvAnd he thought to himself.BzR0v
VonAh…hRV8
m3KyXThis is awkward.5VluXg
o9xDid my father feel this way too?Ot9
FiYDrf“I apologize for troubling you at this hour of the night, Count.”1n0pDt
GRckRutiger had gained a few moments to organize his thoughts thanks to the tea.bnAqRj
aBOaAJBut Ramund seemed to read them immediately and spoke first.TZSA3WW
TbrCdsC“This old man failed to separate public matters from private ones and ended up making a fool of himself in front of the young ones. Please accept my apologies, Count.”909
4tiw43W“…There is no need, Lord Ramund.”KL4p8
IOrJ2No matter how distinguished a knight Ramund had been in previous generations, it was still late at night.gvTeKXH
Mk3Uz1Not only had he interfered in a disciplinary process, but he had also awakened the master of the house while being a guest.d9qe9
U9tEven Ramund felt embarrassed about it.ZtV
5KxNFk“That’s why I said you could have sent a telegram before coming. It wasn’t that difficult.”R6wizqY
kAng0W“I already told you I sent one.”VPQ
7jcVxUpon hearing Jager’s reproach, Ramund struck his chest several times with an expression of complete indignation.ixErX
fks3“I’m not senile yet. I’m telling you, I sent a telegram from Varna during the journey.”fo3rCR
58dP4“…”a8hgp8A
uw5d5d“Really?”tAGg5v
kHHm1PEJager had been complaining about having to receive visitors at such an hour.JCtbjb
4SR08But when he saw Ramund’s face, he ended up falling silent.WKXsi
YYRlBecause the sight of Ramund speaking in a subdued voice, so different from the energy with which he had been raging moments earlier, filled him with a sadness that was difficult to explain.BsvDaa
NNB0“I have prepared a room for you, Lord Ramund. I hope that this time as well, you will stay with us for a long while and continue guiding our squires.”LrSalh
YXrMc“Haha. Guiding them, you say…?”xILW4ob
ABvr1MKUpon hearing Rutiger’s words, Ramund gave a bitter smile.5qiQ
n4g1The truth was that Rutiger knew it too.IoDT
L1kVHe knew perfectly well that the old man sitting before him no longer had the strength to teach or guide anyone.dMz
8V3m“I think it is time for me to retire. Thank you for your hospitality, Count.”9xBMfXU
kqiEven so, he had come all the way to Sturma for a single reason.GKkyO
vbtBecause he thought this might be the last chance he would have to see it again.8HmzRs
dvBC7He wanted to visit once more the place that had practically been the starting point of his entire life while he was still capable of moving under his own power.Y4m4WP
ND6wC07“…Your health has weakened considerably. The journey must have been difficult.”RraKHJ
0BRTQWhen Ramund left the room leaning on his cane, Rutiger sank into his chair and spoke quietly.NLiMZXO
gG7f“At this age, even a single illness leaves its mark. That’s also why he couldn’t come last year.”gVXIy
c68UCmRamund was already over eighty years old.8SJSH3f
W1BWhen he met Vlad, he had already completed the Lower Path.l260n
p9bHNo matter how indomitable Knight Ramund had once been, time had reached an age that even he found difficult to overcome.qfHU53
5k0eJLR“…Even so, I’m grateful that he made the effort to come.”W2DLr
PhzNTime flowed onward.GRRY
IbTwxGAnd farewells arrived sooner or later.ea1YeWW
ZwbBut although he could feel that moment drawing near, Rutiger discovered that he was surprisingly calm.DSgE
lWKD9He was old enough now to be accustomed to goodbyes.OO9Sn
W4qNU***iKO5yx
61AAfter leaving the room, Ramund began looking around the dark hallway for the servant who was supposed to accompany him.o2SYof
UEhLfyIHowever, the person waiting there was not a servant at all.epPmu
YAgL0X“Grand… no, Lord Ramund. I’ll escort you.”7xO2vWE
MO3KgIt was a boy whose eyes were half-closed, as though he were fighting against sleep.nKRo
TH0FkSilver moonlight streamed through the windows and softly illuminated his blond hair.hI8v
fMKmREIt looked as though a lunar halo rested among his locks.1izIYA
jX7HRamund reached out and patted his hair.RvnCpPO
Np9OSb“Haha. It’s late. You should be resting.”sbgm5
wHzdFk“Even so, I wanted to accompany you. Besides, thank you for helping me earlier.”qK6JxV
MdfDTaeThe boy’s words, saying that he had waited for him, were especially pleasant to hear.wOD
UAuFydEWaiting had always been the task of the elderly.hvdyoU
LiPMi08But every now and then, it was not bad to reverse the roles.E2L
LS1aK“Come. The nights are still cold.”SeI4
hsCDXEmil removed the cover from the lantern he was carrying.6YZEzV
ojvtNyThe flame began to sway and illuminate the dark hallway.WOryr
cvyUlQs“Let’s go to the annex. They say it’s the warmest place. It gets plenty of sunlight too.”7T2S
DlPgHMost people feared Ramund and found him difficult to deal with.vbP7Zs
OGJcgtRBut Emil was different.gkmMlIw
vcC9WYBecause ever since he was little, he had always called him Grandpa.O1FApu
4rWo“How long do you plan to stay this time? You’ll stay until autumn, right?”me1
QV7Emil had never had grandparents.VykKGS
9AgWIt was inevitable.Fo6p8uE
k4LCyBoth of his parents had been orphans.s0Ytn
a981egThat was why, at first, Ramund had allowed him to call him Grandpa without giving it much thought.Hv5Qfh9
mhN4But as time passed and the child grew, Ramund eventually came to understand something.JwMh
y50ryThat he could no longer remain merely a knight in front of this boy.PIv
Qb2D“Yes… yes. That’s right. I’ll probably stay until before winter.”ZgUoagz
phO“That’s great! Stay for a long time!”kHvLz
UVFc7Seeing Emil speak with shining eyes, asking him to remain by his side for a long time, Ramund let out a hearty laugh.dNy4f
NYSIFsDIf someone had observed them from afar, they would have easily mistaken them for a grandfather and his grandson.32I
brSKCt“And since you’re going to stay for so long, could you teach me that?”yetER
ruqpW“Teach you what?”wF5ZG12
0xbbPPWas it because of the brilliant white moonlight that night?6163
JSJaOr perhaps because of the dark black light that lately seemed to be growing stronger and stronger?ezDjw
eN5Because of those two lunar lights, Ramund’s vision became blurry, and he had to blink several times.hBwu
fPURS2q“You know. The body-strengthening technique. The one that hardens the body. I really want to learn it.”lht1
WCiIn that blurred vision, Emil’s face began to overlap with someone else’s.U5z
gePqAFA blond boy with blue eyes.0D0
gCYJust like the child before him, he had always wanted to learn something new.DCw
rgAGsBAIn the end, he had learned it on his own and left before Ramund had the chance to teach him anything.tH2utbt
KKBHzGaBut this time, Ramund had no intention of making the same mistake.GMhWe
BbY0Qzo“Absolutely not, brat! To learn the body-strengthening technique, you first have to master aura.”TKx8Rky
OaojE5o“Ah, seriously. Everyone tells me the same thing. I’m already thirteen years old. My father also learned aura when he was sixteen.”qtf
fXsq“I learned it when I was thirty, boy. Don’t be in such a hurry.”0Nc
0Mkp1f9This time, he would teach him everything.95wJzkv
cfwHe would hold nothing back.705COEy
TPZVeUHe no longer wanted to leave behind any regrets.deSa
VB9an“…By the way, while the boy keeps growing up, where the hell is his father and what is he doing?”wa9X43M
JenTrying to focus his vision again, Ramund lifted his head and looked out the window.ciEy
te06rvyTwo moons shone in the night sky.8DTf4B
SIAHByAnd between them gleamed that black moon which, according to legend, had been raised into the heavens by the Swordmaster of this era.DrTsjaU
hacUhVT***TJi
jXicCThe two moonlights silently illuminated the snowy plain.LYzcP
DrgvvSIn the middle of that vast white expanse, where there was neither tree nor beast and where even the breathing of the person beside you could be heard clearly, several men glided across the snow.ExUM8
3O5b“Damn it! Why does this keep wobbling? It works fine for a while and then it starts happening again.”l9T
KGFBpIt was a man who wore a prosthetic leg on his left side.dCZ
Bj24h“Hmm.”T0I
MKYThe dark-skinned man responded briefly, indicating that the same thing was happening to him.BHQh
ZqhmOh2“Couldn’t it simply be because you’re missing a leg? You know, center of gravity and all that.”BDJXagB
R2Quh6said the blond man while teasing the man with the prosthetic.K7nX
ttl“That’s not it. It’s because we used a grouch’s soap. That’s why it goes well for a while and then starts slipping again.”64z
1DUyexplained the cat-eared man who was traveling beside the blond man.4Ir
la1LaFour men crossed the snow, stirring the silent plain as they passed.pPRIY
C5kthjEach wore long wooden boards strapped to their feet.EP9i
8FwiNThough they looked crude, they moved at a speed comparable to that of a horse.aySiK
Q9j5“And how much did someone have to grumble for you to call it a grouch’s soap?”mTRNr1
mBsv5“Hmm, let’s say enough to go out in winter and spray soapy water on slopes so people would slip.”EVNO
wo3PlVSeeing Nibelun answer with a grin from ear to ear, Vlad spoke with an exhausted expression.DBYCxcY
YLu“…That’s not being a grouch. That’s just being a damned villain.”3eIqhPK
CuiY88“That’s why it was difficult to get. He used to do it at dawn so nobody would find out.”EY5
Sfgp“What? He was a real person?”D4HW6s
Kuj9Kyg“Yes. He lives in the city of Timoa.”2NLJ
oE8V2bAs Nibelun explained that sometimes you had to beat him up a little to make him cooperate, Vlad thought to himself.yYGVN35
kJ8voDjI will never set foot in that city called Timoa.WYuHn
i1rQLGw“Huh? Really? Elder! Here? Is this truly the North Pole?”U4cTi
KAbSuddenly, Nibelun placed something beside his ear and began speaking to someone.cMHxm8J
gSxF9It was a seashell.s2TF8
UOUliBut not just any seashell.OOp
t6NIt was an extremely ancient fossilized seashell.s8Vyy
4eJ“Vlad, I’ve known that guy for a long time, but every time I see him, he seems crazier.”S7jIM
p8CBb“Hmm.”VeQUl
T7DFG4“You know he once told me I should show respect to this seashell? According to him, it’s an elder tens of millions of years old. Do you understand any of that?”NKzZhK
794“Harven, what I don’t understand is why you still try to understand mages. These things are simply accepted.”D7jnP
z76WAUzIf something could be understood, then it was not magic.YiE
8hnpBecause magic was, by its very nature, the art of deceiving reality.CuXAi
IgfvgcAnd that was even more true in the case of the beastmen’s primitive magic.YIZ9o
iq0UU“In any case, we’ve arrived.”TyZnK0
6LXIAfter Nibelun indicated with a gesture that this was the correct place, Vlad took the lead and began descending into a basin.1at
Ia3tFvJIt was a depression so vast that it could have contained a small city.3cr4np
bQJdTqsCombined with the silent atmosphere of the snowy plain, it offered a majestic view.nE0c45
pEBuRIBut Vlad was looking at the sky more than at the landscape.jMy6
rzSzl“It’s definitely a good place for observing constellations.”BzcI6
IwRbMVThe North was also excellent for stargazing.VU0r
MGlPeMJBut not as much as this place.7L7nP
d1zYCGcBecause they were at the North Pole.iKGv
CJsLmBA place where the stars neither rose nor set.sPXqZ
aL8sMSBEvery constellation he had seen throughout his life in the northern hemisphere was etched across the dark sky and could be viewed at a single glance.NljFz
xl0v9dE“Then I’ll begin the observations. Now, where are the granny glasses my grandson gave me?”29Ap
cjYr4While Nibelun rummaged through a magical bag, the other three men raised their heads toward the firmament.AMAP
vdO2F“You have to live a long time to see things like this. I never thought I’d end up coming to a place like this.”b55pwnG
EOed“That’s true.”HYTyFj
eG0a“Hmm.”kRnf
q6hwMen who had been born and raised in the alleys of Soara now gazed at the night sky side by side.NpcQj
ARF1RThey commented on how different it was from the one they had known during childhood.RvEiQYA
BZI2ROBecause the sky of their youth had been a broken and fragmented sky, hidden between makeshift rooftops and old alleyways.d9sdd
9566MKX“One day I’d like to bring my son here. By the way, how is Emil? I heard he entered Bayezid as a squire this year.”1gSH4g
ueL“Don’t remind me. His mother cried a lot. As if he had gone to the end of the world.”JL4t
HUJTAnd the men, now fully grown adults, spoke about their children beneath that sky.B2PK6O8
xU0tr6m“Every time I see Emil, I’m reminded of you when you were little. Even though he’s your son, how can he resemble you so much? Does his mother never complain about it?”QsUp0pu
MyKHarven uncorked a bottle of whisky, took a drink, and then passed it to Vlad.bteGc
joMWuVxVlad accepted the bottle and let out a brief laugh.vs29y
XTX6XdR“Even so, he’s not like me.”yjy2
ReWNKAbove the vast sky, the black moon could be seen.yrZd
ZNZ8MDThe moon that the mad Lamashut had created.BNZ4C9z
BK0lTThat the dying Joseph had prepared.sGlS9
QvdAnd that he himself had raised into the heavens.N9ten
ci3S“…Naturally, he must walk a different path from mine.”Of37o
nBTFYakIt was a moon that symbolized a new era.2VqS
uxgdl0Children born in those times would never know a sky with only one moon.6ogO
rAGVlad believed that his son would grow up beneath a different sky from the one he had known in his own childhood.9fx1Si
HFs8s9“Sorry to interrupt, but I have the observation results.”HbhW
nNNNibelun, wearing the granny glasses, approached while rubbing his hands as though he were cold.OUHLIc
sJnhgVVlad offered him the bottle of whisky and asked,ykf7
y7ca“Well? Were you right?”IGw0QIf
p7aZEnNibelun stared at the bottle for a few moments.c1i
icudSThe apologetic expression never left his face.l1ftRR9
mX93JHe seemed even more distressed by having to give that answer.HKKRz1W
CjNPxTZ“Yes. I was definitely right.”lzEwJsQ
222Iz2ESlowly swirling the bottle of whisky, he continued speaking.Szt4p
d9JzWsgHis voice was heavy, very different from his usual cheerful demeanor.YTq
uAutSXA“The black moon has drifted from its orbit. It keeps moving closer and closer to our continent.”42MbTw7
5MYnJvA deep sigh sounded from behind Vlad.75eQx2
3xVmIIt was the reaction of someone who desperately wished those words were not true.XJa
ujZH“I don’t know how close it will get…”C5YXEmq
xkzd5uSNibelun did not continue.5JkmU
xIUQBecause even for him, it was far too difficult to imagine what would happen afterward.RRHw
oCNx“…Life isn’t simple.”Z8DbM
h7UlOVlad took the bottle of whisky back from Nibelun’s hands.uxfxN
bTeThen, accompanied by a long sigh, he gazed at the black moon suspended in the sky.XX9
eHVeaThen…rDmv2y
Rc3gDWhat should they do now?OZxNw5
sorMbGIn the middle of the silent North Pole, the man’s breath spread thickly through the air as he sank into deep thought.dddTc8
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