Chapter 147. Is This, Perhaps, My Grave?
After everything was settled, I went to Mount Frik, gathered the group, and returned to Lorutel. For reference, Shine and Parun were found in Lorutel’s underground passage.
“…Why did you go in there?”
“Ahem, even if you croaked, we still had to find the Sword God’s tomb, did we not?”
“That’s a lie. You were panicking and flailing around saying it was too dangerous. I barely had time to stop you before— oof!”
“Silence! When did I ever—!”
Shine hurriedly clamped Parun’s mouth shut.
Clang!
The sound of her gauntlet striking his teeth rang out. It was the moment Parun’s hatred toward Shine rose sharply.
Meanwhile, I looked at Shine with a new sort of stare.
‘Panicking and flailing around?’
This damn brat…
‘She’s even more of a scoundrel than I thought.’
While her comrades were risking their lives rolling around in the dirt, she was throwing a fit just to find the Sword God’s tomb?
Well, I couldn’t say it was completely incomprehensible.
If she missed this chance, who knew when she’d ever get to visit the Sword God’s tomb again. From Shine’s point of view, the situation must’ve felt plenty dangerous. But still…
“Pft.”
This is why they say you shouldn’t take in black-haired beasts. Anyway, I left my disappointment in Shine behind and led both beast and human back to Lorutel. It had been a rather nerve-wracking moment, personally.
‘If I’d been just a little later, it would’ve been bad.’
When I’d told them to head for the secret passage earlier, it was meant as the designated rendezvous point.
To escape from Lorutel, Mount Frik was the most viable route, and the only shared terrain we knew of was the secret tunnel there.
However.
‘I told them that if anything happened, to just run instead of waiting, and yet they crawled into the passage?’
If they’d been caught, never mind Infinite Chai, the head of the house himself would’ve taken their heads. It was only because Shine couldn’t find the small opening midway through the tunnel that things didn’t go completely south. One wrong move, and we would’ve had to fight through a second Lorutel pursuit.
Incidentally, that small hole in the middle of the secret passage, it had apparently been repaired by someone, leaving no trace behind. That’s why they got lost, but to me, that was fortunate.
Later, Parun told me…
— “They’d hidden it with a mechanism.”
— “A mechanism?”
— “Yeah. I found it, but didn’t bother mentioning it.”
An excellent decision.
At any rate, we decided to stay in Lorutel for the time being. That was thanks to Young Lord Sion’s consideration.
After all the commotion during the night, attention would’ve been drawn to Lorutel, so he arranged a secluded residence where we could avoid prying eyes.
Ah, and regarding the Impir family matter, that would apparently be handled gradually over time.
When I asked if the traitor wouldn’t notice, I was told that the elder, either Wyvern or Paherun, whichever, was already imprisoned in the underground dungeon.
Though, I wasn’t sure what to call that whole “handling.”
“He’s already in the underground prison. They said they caught him while you were making a racket.”
“…Already?”
“Yes. He didn’t know about the Impir affair, but it seems your father had been watching closely. In a way, the information you brought was the spark that lit the fuse.”
Listening to that, I couldn’t help but fume inside.
‘You rotten…’
So in the end, they were going to do it my way anyway, yet they scammed an innocent mage while talking about being ‘disappointed’?
Why are all these noble house masters such thieving bastards at heart?
Thus, the turbulent night passed.
The next morning.
I answered the summons of the First Sword, Sir Hamellan, and walked toward the small garden adjoining the dueling yard.
“What’s the occasion?”
Hamellan’s opening remark was, as always, formidable.
“Watch your tone.”
“…”
“Even if I’m an old senior, you speak rather short, don’t you?”
“I’m a mage. So technically, a knight isn’t really my senior…”
“Are mages immune to blades, then?”
“…Then how about ‘sir’ instead of ‘senior’?”
“I don’t think we’re quite at the age to call each other ‘brother.’”
In the end, we settled on calling him “Sir Hamellan.”
Normally, I might’ve tried flattering him by speaking more politely, but I had a strong hunch he’d just cut my head off if I did, so I humbly bowed to power.
“What brings you here, Sir Hamellan?”
“Walk with me first.”
He led me strolling through the small garden.
It was a languid morning. The sunlight was dazzling, as if last night’s chaos had been a lie. Birds chirped among the well-kept trees, and a cool summer breeze played through my hair.
“Nice garden, isn’t it?”
“Yes, quite.”
“Of course, the Lord himself used to stay here back in the day.”
As we walked, Sir Hamellan reminisced fondly.
“Let’s see… There was a time assassins broke in, right about here. The Lord lay collapsed here, and over there the assassins were strewn about.”
“……”
“Maybe around this spot? The leader’s head rolled here. And over there…”
When the Lord was seven, he did this.
When he was ten, he slew several assassins.
On that side, such-and-such happened, and over here, something else entirely… All of his recollections were from when the current Lord had still been the Young Lord, and most of them were equal parts bloody and glorious.
Then, as he was explaining the seventh attack under a large tree, I couldn’t help but ask,
“Is this, perhaps, my grave?”
“…?”
“If possible, could it be somewhere sunnier than here…”
“……”
Apparently not the right guess?
Sir Hamellan looked at me with a dumbfounded expression, then asked in a weary voice, “What exactly do you take Lorutel for?”
“About… 0.5 Dekulan?”
Meaning, about half as gloomy as Dekulan.
“If the Lord had heard that, he’d have had your head chopped off.”
“Yes, sir.”
Even I had to admit that was too honest an answer.
‘I should’ve compromised at, say, 0.25 Dekulan.’
And so, with the conversation derailed, silence drifted between us.
Rustle!
The leaves swayed softly in the wind.
With wistful eyes, Sir Hamellan stroked the great tree and spoke again.
“The Lord has lived such a life, you see. Even after being appointed Young Lord, he fought constant power struggles with his brothers. Can you imagine? All this, under the name of Lorutel.”
I couldn’t help but be astonished.
The Lorutel he described was nothing like the Lorutel I knew.
The Lorutel I knew, at least, was dirty, petty, and cunning, but they still upheld a line of honor befitting a noble house.
“The Lord once said this, after ascending to the seat.”
— “Honor and pride are merely carrot and stick.”
“When he sat there, the honor and pride he once revered as a knight looked merely like tools to control knights.”
There was no such thing as chivalric romance in Lorutel. The image of ‘a house of knights’ was merely a mask the upper echelons wore to control their order.
However…As I listened to his story, a thought came to mind.
“So… are you telling me to understand the Lord? To forgive him?”
To me, everything Hamellan said sounded like he was trying to justify or beautify the Lord’s actions.
But Hamellan tilted his head.
“Why would you?”
“…Pardon?”
“Why would you understand the Lord? And forgive? Who’s forgiving who? Are you above the head of Lorutel? Forgiveness belongs to the strong.”
It was an oddly unsettling thing to hear from a knight’s mouth, but he wasn’t wrong.
Forgiveness was the privilege of those with power. Sure, the weak could also forgive, but only if their hearts were endlessly magnanimous.
“So what are you actually trying to say?”
In other words, why drag me out here for this?
That’s when Sir Hamellan’s eyes suddenly hardened.
“I’ll soon be leaving for Baidun Village.”
“Yes, I know.”
Even if the trade was to be canceled, to make an official announcement, he’d have to leave around today anyway.
But then, why mention it?
I tilted my head in confusion, and then he spoke words that shocked me.
“I’ll declare there that Infinite Chain was handed over to the Tower and the Sword Garden.”
“Are you insane…?”
“Listen till the end.”
What he meant was this:
“Lorutel will, in name, protect the Tower and the Sword Garden.”
“…Do you know what that means?”
“Because of the Heavenly Origin Art? Hah, ridiculous. We merely passed Infinite Chain to the Tower and Sword Garden. The Heavenly Origin Art? Never heard of it.”
“That will put you at odds with Dekulan…”
That’s when his voice cut sharply through mine.
“Then what are we?”
“…”
That one line was enough explanation.
Right. Because they’re Lorutel.
Still, I couldn’t understand it.
“No matter how you look at it, that’s…”
“From Lorutel’s point of view, a pointless clash? The clash is inevitable either way. The Impir family, you know that, don’t you?”
So in other words, if conflict is unavoidable anyway…
“You’re trying to erase the debt by protecting the Tower and Sword Garden?”
“Exactly.”
“Why?”
I simply couldn’t make sense of it.
Dealing with the Impir family matters and doing that while protecting the Tower and Sword Garden were completely different matters. From Lorutel’s perspective, that was needless sacrifice…
Hamellan answered my question.
“The Young Lord’s Lorutel will be a true house of knights.”
Therefore…
“I’d like the Tower and the Sword Garden to become steadfast allies of the Young Lord’s Lorutel.”
I just stared blankly at him.
“Are you insane? Based on what?”
For us, it was an incredibly favorable offer.
But why would he?
“I’m not trusting you. I’m trusting the Lord’s judgment. I don’t know much about the power the Tower and Sword Garden possess, but… one day, you’ll grow far greater.”
So that was it.
‘Trusting the Lord’s foresight and betting on the low odds, huh?’
Of course… I knew the truth. This wasn’t a risky bet, it was a guaranteed win.
As long as I didn’t die, the Tower would rise high above the world, ultimately becoming the continent’s greatest library.
Not just any library, but one hell of a combative one. In other words, the strongest library in the world. For Lorutel, that meant securing the world’s strongest library as an ally, with a single sentence.
Even so, I couldn’t fully understand.
“You villainous cur! Where are you?!”
Shine’s voice echoed from afar.
“Think it over till noon. I’ll send someone then.”
Sir Hamellan turned away after saying that. His goodwill was appreciated, but…
‘Maybe it’s just my twisted heart talking?’
Still, unprompted kindness always made me wary.
* * *
Putting Sir Hamellan’s proposal aside for now…
I met up with Shine, who’d been running around like a colt gone wild trying to find me.
“Tsk, you’re not even busy, so where the hell have you been wandering off to?”
“Did you ever think that maybe I’m wandering because I’m not busy? Anyway, what do you want?”
“The Lord sent someone. He said he’ll grant us access to the Sword God’s tomb.”
No wonder she seemed a bit exhilarated, she was finally getting the chance she’d been craving.
But wait a minute.
“You didn’t happen to meet the Lord yourself, did you?”
“That pompous brat? Ah, he must’ve been passed out and missed it. Around dawn, maybe? Sent for me at the crack of dawn, that one. Tch, kids these days.”
Shine grumbled in irritation, clearly unimpressed by being summoned so early by the young Lord, and I couldn’t help but wonder…
“Did he say anything to you?”
Sir Hamellan’s sudden proposal…No matter how I thought about it, there hadn’t been a clear reason for it, so I suspected Shine might have something to do with it. And sure enough, my hunch was dead on.
“Didn’t say much… oh, right, that brat puffed himself up and put all this force in his eyes, then asked me to show him my swordsmanship.”
“…Your swordsmanship?”
“Are you talking about that brat who only knows how to act all high and mighty? Ah, you must not have noticed since you were sprawled out sleeping. It was around dawn, I think? That kid must not even know how to sleep in, sending someone over at the crack of dawn… Tsk, youngsters these days.”
“And then?”
“What do you mean ‘and then’? I showed him, of course.”
“…And after that?”
“No idea. He just closed his eyes. I took the hint and left. Damn rude kid, I even crossed swords with his ancestor, you know. Tsk.”
Shine grumbled and complained under her breath.
I just stood there, staring at her back in silence. So, they weren’t looking at me, they were looking at Shine and decided to invest in her?
No, that wasn’t even the main point right now. That voice still echoed clearly in my ears.
— “I’m disappointed.”
One gets ‘disappointed,’ and the other…
As I thought that far, Shine suddenly turned around.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming?”
“Go alone.”
With slumped shoulders, I trudged away. Shine shouted something behind me, but I didn’t hear it.
If I’d known it’d turn out like this, I would’ve sent her yesterday too.
…What a damn miserable day it was.
