Ch.248EP.55 – The Knight Do Not Speak Falsehoods (4)

When I was barely five years old, I believe I once said this to my father as he gave me a piggyback ride.

“Father, I want to be a hero like Mother!”

Looking back now, I was so naive.

I should have said I wanted to be like my father, but tactlessly said I wanted to be like Mother instead.

But back then, I was too young to notice my father’s bitter smile.

“Is that so? That’s a splendid goal.”

Still, my father affirmed my childish wish.

“Hehe!”

I think I was delighted by his affirmation.

During those pure days when I still had many dreams.

I definitely set “her” as my goal.

“Hmm, do you like your mother that much, my son?”

“Yes!”

“Haha, well, she is a radiant person. But son, remember this. If you chase the light too eagerly, you’ll end up suffering greatly.”

“What does that mean?”

“You’ll understand when you grow up. Someday.”

…Yes, now I understand, Father.

‘You were worried I would end up like this. You truly were a wise man.’

His father’s teachings, understood only now at this age.

He smiled brightly like an adult reminiscing about childhood and hummed a tune as he recalled the past.

‘You knew it. That I might break someday. Indeed, my creative abilities and financial acumen must be blessings I received from you. Thank you, Father.’

Expressing gratitude and respect for his long-deceased father, he looked up at the sky and spoke.

“Do you remember, Mother! Father loved days like this. Days when the sky is clear and the stars and moonlight are vivid.”

“……”

“Haha, you won’t even answer me?”

“…My son doesn’t laugh like that.”

“Did you have the intelligence to know such differences? This is the first I’ve heard of it, haha!”

“How insolent…!”

Sling!

Felinshia was enraged, and though she merely raised her aura, the chilling blade energy slashed through the surroundings.

It seemed as if she would cut everything down at any moment, and it was truly a terrifying display of sword energy, but…!

“-You still can’t hide your emotions well. This rejuvenation thing really has severe side effects, doesn’t it?”

“…!”

He instantly saw through Felinshia’s outburst of anger as a facade.

“It’s a fatal flaw for a swordsman.”

To be clear, for a superhuman, rejuvenation is undoubtedly a misfortune, not a blessing.

Why?

“Your ‘will’ is wavering, isn’t it? When the maturity appropriate for your age disappears, it’s quite an unseemly sight. —Mother.”

“You bastard!”

Felinshia exploded with rage and drew countless swords.

Dozens, no, hundreds of swords soared high into the sky at Felinshia’s will, moving like a meteor shower.

“-Give me back my son.”

Kwaaaang!!

They rained down.

“Hmph!”

In that dizzying, life-threatening moment of crisis, the man swung his sword.

Almost languidly.

But the next moment, the sword that the man, Iliad, unleashed…

“As expected, your sword is weak, unlike you, Mother.”

Slash-!

Cut through the meteor shower.

* * *

Subduing the rebellious swordsmen was easy.

Clang…

“I surrender.”

Most of them surrendered quickly.

Many had seen Gardin, the center of the rebellion, surrender without even drawing his sword, and after witnessing Ihan’s combat prowess overwhelming the legendary vampire, they lost their fighting spirit.

The process afterward was simple.

The imprisoned Ophen swordsmen were released and suppressed or re-imprisoned the anti-magic faction members, while volunteer pursuit teams were formed to catch those who fled. The incident was quickly resolved, and it could be said that the situation had ended, but…

“Do you have any idea where those folks might be?”

He wasn’t particularly concerned with how Ophen would recover, and simply asked where the rotten yokai and fairy tale writer might be playing around.

“Hmm…”

Arno pondered Ihan’s question, trying to guess where they might be.

Despite such a large commotion, the whereabouts of the family heads remained mysterious.

Given that there was no trace of them anywhere, one might assume they weren’t in the vicinity, but…

“…They should be nearby.”

“Nearby?”

“Yes, I suspect they might be in the Forest of Magical Beasts.”

“But there was no one there?”

He was the very person who had flown through the sky over the Forest of Magical Beasts.

Yet he hadn’t sensed even a hint of the Sword Master’s presence, which made Arno’s statement puzzling.

“It’s ‘spatial concealment.'”

“?”

“It sounds grand, but it’s essentially like a barrier created using aura. By spreading aura in all directions, one can conceal all traces and power of oneself. This allows you to hide your presence and prevent your techniques from affecting the surroundings, minimizing damage caused by yourself—my grandmother said it’s a useful technique.”

“I see…”

Ihan understood the existence of such a technique from the explanation about concealing power and minimizing damage to surroundings.

Indeed, if an aura user of that caliber were to rampage freely, it would be an incredible nuisance.

It makes sense that such a technique would exist.

“So, you’re saying that lady is deliberately hiding right now?”

“Y-yes, that’s how it could be seen.”

Arno was visibly flustered at hearing his grandmother referred to as “that lady,” but Ihan had no mental capacity to be considerate about his speech right now.

After all…

‘Could this be what I think it is?’

‘I… I don’t really know.’

‘You must have some kind of feeling about it.’

‘Umm…’

Ihan and Derrick displayed the remarkable ability to communicate with just their eyes.

It wasn’t because they were particularly close, but because they happened to be thinking along the same lines.

Derrick had said:

‘Iliad was supposed to be dead.’

Based on this premise, the situation looked ominously foreboding, as one might expect.

‘…We need to find them quickly.’

If only to alleviate his disciple’s anxious gaze.

Just as a hint of impatience was setting in…

“Instructor, Kunta speaks!”

“You mean you have something to say?”

“Correct!”

“…?”

The strong laborer—no, the barbarian exchange student—who had been helping the family members clean up the scene suddenly ran over, saying he had something to say.

Curious about what he wanted to say, Ihan looked at him, and Kunta pointed toward the direction of the forest.

“Kunta feels something strange from there since earlier. Kunta scared.”

“There?”

“Body all trembling. Kunta feels presence similar to ‘White-Feathered Serpent’ seen when young.”

“…I see.”

Some might find this statement incomprehensible, but Ihan was neither foolish nor indifferent enough to misunderstand his disciple’s meaning after nearly a year together.

Particularly, the ‘White-Feathered Serpent’ must be the earth deity worshipped by the barbarian tribe living in the mysterious forest far from civilization.

Similar to the Dark King of the North.

In other words, the White-Feathered Serpent was a transcendent being comparable to an aura user in terms of presence, and Kunta’s claim that he sensed something similar was credible.

Some might wonder how Kunta could sense something that even Ihan couldn’t, but…

‘There’s a reason they’re called mysterious races.’

Mysterious races.

Those who possess mysteries beyond ordinary human understanding.

Their senses must operate on an unprecedented level that Ihan could never match, no matter how exceptional his five senses might be.

Therefore.

“…Can you guide us?”

“Kunta was best guide in our family.”

Ihan wasn’t at all embarrassed to rely on his disciple.

Rather, he showed unwavering trust.

“Hoho! Kunta helps!”

And naturally, the disciple was excited by his master’s genuine trust.

* * *

“This way!”

Despite this forest surely being unfamiliar territory for Kunta, he chose paths without any hesitation, as if it were his own bedroom.

He was literally guiding them by instinct alone, and if a professional guide saw this scene, they would curse in disgust, wishing for death.

After all, they were recklessly venturing into a forest teeming with magical beasts.

But Ihan followed Kunta without any complaints, just as he had from the beginning.

If there was anything he found disagreeable…

“Why are you all following me?”

It was the disciples trailing behind him like ducklings that were the problem.

“This concerns my family, doesn’t it?”

“We should help Master with his errands.”

“I might be of some help? Healing skills, I mean, medical knowledge might be needed…”

“…Such busybodies.”

From what he’d heard at faculty meetings, students these days don’t listen to their teachers and treat their masters worse than pet dogs, but our kids are just…

‘It’s problematic when they’re too diligent.’

Who would have thought that children being too kind and diligent could be an issue?

‘They’re so admirable that I can’t tell them to go back.’

When they showed such resolute determination to lend even a small hand, Ihan wasn’t bad enough of a person to firmly say, ‘You won’t be of help, so go back.’

Just as he was barely hiding his bitter smile…

“Here, Instructor!”

“…Here?”

“Yes, here.”

“……”

“R-really…”

“I’m not doubting you with my silence.”

To reiterate, Ihan trusted Kunta, or more precisely, his abilities.

Although what lay before them was nothing but ordinary bushes, with nothing unusual in sight…

“—.”

Ihan observed the forest intently, and suddenly…

Shiver!

“-Everyone get behind me.”

“What?”

“Quickly.”

“Ah, understood! K-Kunta, come over here!”

Ihan shouted firmly, positioning his disciples behind him.

If this were just intuition, that would be fortunate, but if not, then what lay ahead…

Crack!

“!!?”

Before Ihan could finish his thought, the forest suddenly distorted, and he hastily swung his sword.

Whoosh!

Plum Blossom Sword—.

The blooming plum blossoms, like buds before flowering, enveloped him and his disciples.

Just as the plum blossom bud was completed…

Whoosh!

-A rain of blades pierced through the forest and struck them, covering even the flower bud.

“!”

Ihan felt a momentary dizziness.

An enormous impact had hit him, and despite blocking with the Plum Blossom Sword, his skin was burning.

‘It hurts even though I blocked it?!’

Ihan was bewildered, but as if mocking him for not having time to be bewildered, gradually—.

Crack!

The Plum Blossom Sword was pierced, and as soon as Ihan saw his shield breaking apart, he immediately raised his sword energy.

Whoosh-!

The sword energy, imbued with formidable destructive power, not only neutralized the rain of blades attacking Ihan but completely erased it, and the next moment when everything was cleared away…

Whoosh…

“-Ah, isn’t it Instructor? Why are you in a place like this?”

“……”

‘He’ was standing in front of Ihan.

“Well, this is a surprise, isn’t it? I almost cut down even you, Instructor.”

“……”

“Still, it’s fortunate. Your skills are truly remarkable. To think you could block that even with a casual swing.”

“……”

“Ah, I should apologize first. I’m sorry for swinging my sword again—.”

Whoosh!

“…It seems you’re quite angry.”

“…Not particularly.”

Ihan swung his sword without the slightest hesitation, and the man couldn’t fully block the sword strike, causing blood to flow from his cheek.

Despite seeing this, Ihan felt not the slightest remorse.

After all…

“F-Father…?”

Grab!

“…Derrick?”

“D-don’t approach him, Arno. T-that person… He’s not your father.”

“What…?!”

“The skin might be your father’s, but what’s inside is no longer your father. That is…”

Gulp…

—A complete ‘Demon Person.’