Chapter 519: Devil’s scar
A second meeting with King Jedha was to take place as early as the following afternoon.
“No disrespect intended. I am a subordinate of Rainer-sama and I have no duty to the king of this country. ……If you are too obvious, the heroes and others will not take kindly to you”
Leyla advises us as she leads us to the palace.
“Hee, is that your stance towards the king?”
“What do you mean, human girl? ……Also, I’d like you to remove those strange gauntlets. There’s no guarantee that you don’t have any hidden weapons”
“No, my master has met quite a lot of great people, but even if he treats them as an equal, he values his outward position. Dragons are a nation. They say things that disrespect the head of state”
……No, no, I thought that Laila and Maia would not be so reserved just because they are great people, but Tetes would not just be a spoil sport, would she? I wondered if it was some kind of charade and sure enough, Leilyla started muttering interesting things while looking a little bitter.
“……For me, it’s a little hard to understand that in a small community like this, Rainer-sama is indulging in being a single escort”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. It would be understandable if it were larger countries, such as those to the west or south, whose territory extends far beyond the horizon. ……The people are ignorant, the land is poor and the government does not require special leadership. ……In such a withered country, why would Rainer-sama, who has the capacity to subdue dragons, follow a man like that……?”
“You don’t really understand, do you, Leyla?”
“……Wh, What?”
“Yaa, I guess we can get along even if we don’t understand what each other is thinking. It’s not uncommon in the military, but from what I’ve seen from my Master and Maia, it feels like we’re all one in the same. So”
When Tetes says this, Maia nods her head while holding my hand. Are you feeling a little superior? Seeing this, Leyla made a blatantly regretful face. I had the impression that dragons were quite aloof, with exceptions like Sahul……but I guess it depends on the individual.
“……Rainer-sama is not like your master. From an early age he had to be strong, and he was in a position where he had to look at great things. Even a dragon is not so blind to everything.l”
“Well, maybe that’s true”
Before Tetes speaks, I’ll be the first to chime in. There’s no point in bullying Leyla relentlessly. It would be sufficient to confirm that there is a discrepancy.
“Besides, it is said that the other dragon over there abandoned you and flew away last night. Isn’t that the one who hasn’t taken the dragon’s reins yet?”
“……Well, maybe you’re right. He doesn’t listen to me sometimes……which is good because I have Maia”
‘Huh. The fire dragon is said to be emotionally unstable”
Inwardly, I was relieved that my instructions had been properly conveyed, but she didn’t even eruct, making a slightly bitter expression on her face. Leyla looked like she was getting back at it. Maia looked like she wanted to say something, but I held her hand and silenced her. Maia wouldn’t be able to stomach the fact that Laila would be called evil, but there was no need for her to reveal that she went out of her way to gather reinforcements.
Everyone, including Neia and Apple, rode into the royal palace.
“I’m sorry about the last time things got hectic”
In the audience chamber, five warriors, including Rainer, stand split to the left and right. And next to King Jedha, seated on his throne, stood a beautiful elf girl.
“Let me introduce you. They are the pride of our Kalwin, the Hero Alliance. Some of you may know them through Neia”
King Jedah lifts his hand lightly from the railing and urges them to do something. The hero closest to the king bowed with a blank expression, as if he had been painted on and hardened.
“First Knight of the Kalwin Kingdom’s Hero Alliance, Flame Knight, Hermann Kidd. Please make my acquaintance”
He is about as tall as Sir Bonaparte. He was a very large and handsome hero. He had no flab and was equipped with the scaly armor. He looks old, but I guess he’s not that old, given the system of heroism.
“My name is Second Knight, Flash Knight Richard Grans. Pleased to meet you”
And the flash knight, who seems to be Neia’s successor, is a kind man who wears something very similar to Neia’s hat on his chest. This was a boy with a childish face, clearly in his teens, but also with a never-less-seamless demeanor and brown hair lightly lengthened and tied.
“Richard……you are”
“Yes. I am the successor to the name. If only I knew you were still alive…….”
“No. The crest suits you”
Neia and him seem to know each other after all. He doesn’t seem to be jostling for a seat and he speaks calmly.
“I am the third knight, Thunderbolt Knight, Rainer Exeliza”
Rainer just says so curtly and lowers his foot as he takes a step forward. Well, this guy doesn’t need to be told now, does he? Shario and another silver-haired girl were standing behind him, keeping a distance so as not to attract attention. Is that the last one that signed a contract directly with Rainer?
“……Sea King Knight. Beatrice”
“Hey, Beatrice. Say your name properly”
“……Fourth Knight, Sea King Knight, Beatrice Tresia”
And it was this fourth person who differed from the information. A dark-haired girl, almost the same height as Neia, was the fourth knight. I believe the name was Evander. The fifth person next to her scolded her and she reiterated her words, which seemed a little cute.
“Has Evander passed away?”
A slightly upset Neia asks Richard, the new flash knight from earlier.
“……Yes. About six months ago”
“A man as hardy as he is……no. I know there are no absolutes”
“…………”
Richard looks away a little awkwardly. For Neia, the man named Evander was probably also a reliable comrade. Immediately realizing that she had neglected the girl named Beatrice, Neia panicked and followed up.
“You must be very skilled to have followed in his footsteps, even as a woman”
“……Don’t like it”
“Eh?”
“I don’t like you. Now you’re sneaking up on me…….”
“Beatrice”
The fifth person next stopped the girl who was about to swear at Neia. Apparently, she was in charge.
“……Fifth Knight, Wolf Fang Knight Brian Luo. Good to see you again, Neia”
The fifth person was a man with naturally permed brown hair that had spread out in a loose bun. His face is not intimidating, but even these guys are strong. Bronson of the crossbow team also has a round face and stringy eyes, like a souvenir doll.
“Well, that’s all done. Let me introduce you one last time. My daughter, Stana”
The girl behind King Jedha bowed gracefully. She was a beautiful elf girl with the air of a pure-bred princess, something that didn’t suit this country. She’s probably a lot older than me though. One generation’s kingship lasts for 300 years.
“Well, then, Neia and Andy Smithson. Let’s hear what you have to say about the past year”
“Y, Yes……”
“First of all, Neia. Why did you disappear a year ago? I’d like to hear more about that”
“Haa. ……It’s a long story. May I?”
“Yes”
Neia looked around at the heroes around her and then began speaking in a harder voice than usual.
“Hmm. So you ended up completely annihilating the demon god of the labyrinth……Orn, is that right?”
“Haa. By drawing on the power of the flash sword, I was able to do that. It is largely due to the cooperation of people from other countries, including Smithson-san. That was last year, at the beginning of the snow season……in late autumn”
Neia says and then cuts off her explanation once more. Some of the heroes listened attentively, others stroked their chins in admiration. Beatrice from earlier is looking on the sidelines, seemingly uninterested.
“I see. If she has defeated Orn……does that mean that Neia has avenged her predecessor……or rather her predecessor’s flash knight?”
“Yes”
Brian Luo, who has a natural perm, is here, along with Rainer, the same or older generation as Neia. After they understood the situation, the royal family and the heroes seemed to be impressed once again. Except for Rainer and Miss Beatrice.
“I didn’t know that the flash sword could be so powerful”
King Jedha says dependably.
“Haa. This is a secret law that can only be passed on between the parties of the Flash Knight. It is a tradition from the first generation that it must never be divulged in order to prevent misuse”
Neia says this and takes another bow.
“No, no, I’m not accusing you. I am not a warrior. It is no use knowing how to draw strength from me”
King Jedha allows it with a smile.
“So, of course you will teach Richard, Neia?”
“……Haa”
The king implicitly presses Neia to 「Give up as a hero」. We raise the tension a little. There is no point if Neia is taken away from us. But there seemed to be nothing more than that on the spot.
“Now then……I’ve made each of you take your time. Anyway, Neia is back, and she’s told us her story. Tonight we’re going to have a drink for the first time in a long time. There hasn’t been much good news recently. Tonight you will have something good to eat and you will be well rested”
Everyone curtsies as they are told and they start to move to different places. We are a little dazed, not knowing where we are going, when Neia tells us in a whisper.
“It is customary for meals to be prepared in a place called the dance room. Us too”
“Oh, I see”
We are about to follow it……when we notice that King Jedha is left staring at us and we stop to look at him.
In the flow, I, Maia following, and the smart Tetes. And only King Jedha remains in the audience chamber.
“……Isn’t it unhelpful for the king to be the last to remain?”
“Personal guard is seldom needed, you know. It would be bad enough for all of us if they lost me”
“……Don’t you think we’d think things up?”
“Hehehe. That’s fine. It’s not so bad to do that once in a while”
King Jedha didn’t seem to feel threatened by my behavior.
“This country is always maintaining its balance on the edge”
“I’m listening……”
“The food producers can’t afford to be idle. Armaments are only for the brave. Of course, as a ruler, I don’t have replacements ready if something is missing. There is no one else who can fulfill the role”
“…………”
“Preparedness is, on the other hand, futile. It is the act of deliberately creating and accumulating waste for the unforeseen. Right?”
“……Well, in theory”
The king laughs silently, then slowly stands.
“……Devil Orn. That’s a long time ago. I’ve seen it too”
“……Really?”
“Surprising, eh? Three hundred years ago, everyone was on the run. I am no exception. I was sometimes bloody wondering if I might be safe in a dying country or in a labyrinth”
He then turned his smile to the ceiling as if recounting a very good memory.
“So it’s a pity. That devil Orn. It’s no exaggeration to say that it was my encounter with him that made me what I am today……”
“……What are you talking about?”
“Have you ever had the feeling of absolute death? Have you ever walked through a space filled with death?”
“…………”
What is it? It’s strange. Why does this person talk about such things so happily? The voice does not match the content. I feel almost inebriated.
“When you get too used to the idea of living, it dulls you. Life is ugly when you take for granted that you are alive. ……Oh, how he must have felt when he died. I wonder how he greeted the last moments of life”
“……You?”
“I do. ……He taught me that and I survived. So, you know, I. I built a beautiful and joyful country”
And.
“I mean, isn’t death something fun? Waste is something ugly, isn’t it?”
Beyond the king’s back I see. There, I see a vision of that face. The face of that pale devil with the deafening laugh…….