Chapter 142. To Abandon Being Human
Contrary to the confident words I had spoken, a shadow of concern crossed Sir Zeke’s face.
“Hmm…! Would it not be better to reconsider?”
“Is there a reason?”
At my question, Sir Zeke bit his lip.
“Without doubt, you will not see a pleasant sight.”
In other words, I would see an unpleasant one.
He offered no further explanation.
Well, of course. To explain it in detail would amount to logically describing, ‘Our Lord is an absolute bastard.’ Naturally, that’s not something he could put into words.
The reactions of the others were similar.
[Wicked creature. Think again. It is the Lord of Lorutel. He is on a completely different level from those you have met thus far.]
Shine, unusually, showed a troubled expression. Even Parun, who had left the choice up to me, expressed his concern.
[It is not a good choice. Though Lorutel is a family of knights, the family head is different. Surely you know this.]
Yes, I did know.
A family head of that rank would not be like the others.
What was once the highest virtue, honor, would now serve merely as a convenient excuse to bind the family. And God? A cumbersome façade.
What does that mean?
‘It means they might treat us like treasure goblins and strip us of everything we have.’
Especially since this meeting had been arranged in secret, there would be even less hesitation.
Still, I did not retract my decision. This was not solely because of Sir Zeke.
‘After all, I never really had a choice to begin with.’
The Young Lord’s promise? The Third Sword’s pride?
What good are those?
The Lord of Lorutel.
Before him, the Young Lord is just that, a young lord, and the Third Sword is merely one among ten. No matter how great their talents, if the master of Lorutel wills it, there is nothing they can do.
And yet, to ignore an invitation from such a man? Would the Lord sit quietly?
‘He’d crush me beneath his heel rather than ever let it go.’
Therefore, I had no choice.
I looked at Sir Zeke and asked, “Sir Zeke, did the Lord summon all three of us?”
“…?”
“In other words, I am asking if it would be all right for me to go alone.”
“That is…”
Sir Zeke trailed off for a moment.
Perhaps he was trying to discern the Lord’s intent, but before he could, my lips moved first.
“I’ll go alone. These two are just riffraff anyway. I imagine that should be sufficient, shouldn’t it?”
Sir Zeke remained silent for a while longer.
No doubt he was conflicted. He had already resolved himself to let all three of us go, but now, bound by the Lord’s command, he had to carry it out. Taking only me might not sit right with him.
Still, I didn’t wait for his answer. I had already sent a message spell to Shine. Even at that moment, her voice rang sharply in my ears.
[Are you insane? You wicked creature! Do you know where you’re walking into? The one you’re facing is the Lord! The Lord…!]
[Tch. You’re so noisy. What else am I supposed to do then?]
[If you’re going, then at least take us all together—]
[Who knows what kind of trouble you’d cause? Enough. Just take it as it is.]
[Take what as it is…]
Click!
I cut off the noisy message spell from Shine.
That was when Parun’s voice came through, calm as ever. Thankfully, unlike Shine, he was composed.
Simply…
[Will you be all right?]
He asked, sounding slightly worried.
I nodded calmly.
[Well, not like I have much choice.]
[…That’s true enough.]
[Don’t loiter near the castle. Head to Mount Phlik first. You know the secret path, right? Drag Shine along if you have to.]
[…Understood.]
Parun hesitated to reply, but I ended the message.
Shine might resist, but Parun, who could think rationally, would do as I said.
While I was imposing my will on them, Sir Zeke seemed to have reached a conclusion as well.
“For now… very well. I suppose it should be acceptable.”
“Thank you.”
“…”
At my easy response, Sir Zeke pressed his lips together.
I too kept silent.
It was almost comical. A naive cow thanking the butcher’s errand man as it’s being led to the slaughterhouse.
Of course, Sir Zeke wasn’t silent because he was holding back laughter, but still…
“Wait, allow me a moment to say goodbye.”
“…Very well.”
After getting permission from the Third Sword, I had another brief exchange with my companions via message magic. It wasn’t the typical “See you safely” kind of talk. Rather, it was discussion for contingencies, plans for if something went wrong.
When we had just about finished,
“…It’s time to go now.”
“So it seems. Go, then.”
I said farewell to Shine and Professor Parun.
“Oh, right.”
“…?”
“…?”
I stopped after a few steps and turned to look at them.
“In my hometown… hm. There’s nothing much to say about that. Then, let’s see. I was planning, after all this was over… hmm, actually, I hadn’t really thought of anything.”
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
At Shine’s question, I shook my head.
“Nothing. I’ll be back.”
The jinx was perfect.
No fiancée left back home, no unfinished business waiting for me once this was over. And just as I was about to follow Sir Zeke again…
Suddenly, I remembered something I’d put off.
‘Right, I was going to raise a wyvern.’
Wait… does that count as a jinx?
* * *
I followed Sir Zeke through the side gate of Lorutel’s inner castle.
Had he cleared the place out in advance? There wasn’t a single guard in sight.
“Hide your presence and follow.”
Sir Zeke said, concealing his own aura.
I didn’t really see the need… but perhaps our illustrious Lord desired secrecy above all.
‘That must be it.’
Still, a question rose in my mind.
‘Even if this is a secret meeting, is there really a need for this level of discretion?’
Even if we entered quietly, no one would question the Third Sword bringing in a guest.
But that thought passed quickly.
‘…Well, whatever.’
If our noble, majestic Lord of Lorutel wished it so, then so be it.
If he wishes, it shall be done, that’s what it means to act in accordance with human nature. But that phrase, human nature, literally means, the natural emotions of a person.
And the key word there is person.
So then?
“I abandon being human.”
“…?”
Sir Zeke flinched at my sudden declaration of inhumanity. But then, his face turned to one of shock.
“What… what are you doing?”
What do you mean, what am I doing?
I said it, I’m abandoning being human.
Zzzzzt!
Like a familiar habit, I released the aura I had always kept suppressed. No, not just released, unleashed.
It started small.
Pzzzt, Crackle!
Like water seeping through cracks in a dam, fierce, but minuscule in amount.
But then…A burst of overwhelming force swept through the air.
BOOM!
Like water gushing from a collapsed dam, the wave of magic power surged and spread violently around me!
I walked forward, pouring every ounce of my presence into the air.
“Wh-what is this…?”
Sir Zeke froze in shock, but I didn’t care.
In a way, it was like dismissing the butcher’s errand boy and walking into the slaughterhouse myself.
‘Not bad.’
Yes, not bad at all.
Though, I was curious.
As my aura intensified with each step, Lorutel’s knights began to appear one after another, responding to my presence.
The first to rush out were…
“An intruder!”
“Take your positions!”
Clatter! Clank!
Knights in armor bearing the Lorutel crest appeared, fully armed even in the dead of night. Their eyes were filled with hostility, and Sir Zeke immediately grew busy.
“Restrain your killing intent!”
Before the knights could draw their swords, he intervened.
I understood his intent.
‘He’s trying to prevent bloodshed.’
Not because I was a guest invited by the Lord of Lorutel, but because he didn’t want this to spiral out of control.
The ordinary knights looked confused.
“Sir Zeke…?”
“You, of all people?”
Their eyes were doubtful.
The Third Sword had ordered them to stop, so they held back, but they clearly didn’t understand what was happening.
While this uneasy standoff continued, I stopped and curled my lips into a smile.
Was my grin what alarmed them?
“You should stop as well.”
Sir Zeke’s cold gaze turned toward me, his aura pressing down.
But I had no intention of stopping.
‘My curiosity hasn’t been satisfied yet.’
And then, the atmosphere grew even heavier.
Rumble…!
The air trembled with violent energy.
“Khuh!”
“Hhup!”
Lorutel’s knights faltered under the sudden surge of power.
I expanded my senses, extending my aura field across the surroundings. Then, there it was. A massive energy signature.
‘That level… must be a division commander.’
Just as I thought that…
Whooosh!
A distant presence hurtled toward me, closing the distance in seconds.
‘…!’
I quickly raised my barrier.
The impact followed immediately.
BANG!
The shock rattled my body, forcing blood up my throat. Even with the barrier, it hit that hard. But surprise only lasted a moment. I straightened up and looked ahead.
Beyond my shimmering barrier stood a man. Unlike the ordinary knights, he wasn’t fully armored, but his presence alone radiated immense power.
“…Commander!”
Hearing the shout from the knights, I confirmed my guess.
‘So, a commander it is.’
“Who the hell are you?”
The unknown commander glared at me, eyes brimming with killing intent.
But then…
“Commander Ekst, wait. Sheathe your sword.”
“…Sir Zeke? What in the world…”
“I’ll explain later. For now, withdraw your aura.”
Sir Zeke’s sharp tone halted Commander Ekst.
He looked bewildered, but seeing the firm resolve in Zeke’s eyes, he reluctantly stepped back.
Sir Zeke approached me, face hardened.
“Enough. I don’t know what you intend, but stop this now.”
No, it wasn’t over yet.
While I steadied my battered insides from the commander’s strike, I ignored Zeke’s plea and let my aura flare even higher.
‘I managed to draw out a commander, but…’
Was it still not enough to summon the Lord himself?
‘This is about my limit.’
So be it.
I resonated the circle within my core.
Wuuuumm!
The circle vibrated as it charged, a different kind of power flooding out…
And then.
“Enough of this.”
A deep, weighty voice.
From beyond the crowd stepped an old knight.
“It’s the middle of the night. Must you make such a ruckus?”
Was this the Lord? No.
“Sir Hamellan!”
Hamellan. Yes, I had heard that name before.
The First Sword of Lorutel in this era.
No wonder I hadn’t sensed his approach. Even now, standing before me, his presence was nonexistent.
‘So, the Lord doesn’t come, but the First Sword does.’
Damn it. In that case…
‘How much more must I do to make the Lord show himself?’
No, at this rate, Lord or not, my head would be rolling first.
I thought Zeke’s presence would be enough to keep things under control, but I never imagined the First Sword himself would appear.
Just as that thought crossed my mind…
“Thinking of something else while standing before me?”
Flash!
A blinding light flashed before my eyes.
“…!”
My vision blurred for an instant.
When it cleared, I was met with a chilling sight.
A sword tip, stopped an inch from my eye.
Clink! Clink!
It trembled, trying to pierce through, but something held it back.
As I widened my vision, I realized who held the sword—and what stopped it.
The wielder: Hamellan, the First Sword of Lorutel.
“Hm.”
He smiled faintly, expression unreadable, as he looked at the one who had stopped his strike, Sir Zeke.
Zeke’s hand was bleeding as he gripped Hamellan’s blade tightly, forcing out his words.
“First Sword… please, sheath your blade.”
“Why not draw yours? You nearly lost your hand just now.”
“It is forbidden by family law for two of the Ten Swords to cross blades without sanction.”
“Oh? So you can follow that kind of rule so rigidly, yet show no flexibility otherwise.”
“…?”
At the biting remark, Zeke looked puzzled.
Then…
Crackle!
Ether flared along Hamellan’s sword.
“Khuh…!”
“But do you know? I have no desire to cut you. I seek only to cut down the intruder of Lorutel. So tell me, will you still not let go?”
What did that mean?
He was saying that, even if it meant severing Zeke’s hand, he would cut me down.
