Ch.282Encounter (5)

The mysterious figure who appeared by the lake, completely covered in a robe, was… an enormously large person.

Standing at least 2 meters tall. Despite being concealed by the loose-fitting robe, his broad shoulders were visible, but what particularly drew my attention was the intense presence he exuded.

Wildness. He radiated a primordial wilderness that went beyond merely giving off the scent of the wild—he embodied an overwhelming savagery, as if his very being was composed of wild power.

The atmosphere was like dozens of beasts compressed and layered into human form. The powerful wave of force he emanated was truly overwhelming, existing in a realm that transcended even high-ranking ancestors….

【….You’ve come.】

He addressed me in a distinctive male voice that somehow felt deep and rumbling.

“Who… are you?”

【I am the rightful successor of the guardian, the agent of power. For now, that is sufficient, and nothing more is necessary.】

His appearance, strongly emanating a ‘knowing would hurt you’ aura, was impossible even for me to ignore. I swallowed hard before carefully opening my mouth to speak.

“Then… why am I here?”

【You wished for it. You desired it. And your patron wished for it. ….Then the guardian must follow that, mustn’t he?】

“….Patron.”

Actually, just hearing the word “patron” gives me that peculiar feeling of not understanding what’s going on, but thinking carefully, there is one element I can guess.

If we’re talking about my patron… someone who could call themselves my patron, could such a person exist besides Lord Jephtal?

“….Is it Lord Jephtal? The one who sent you?”

After I asked the question born from my suspicion and curiosity, the answer that came back contained a clear affirmation.

【Yes. Lord Jephtal guided me to this place. Though it’s not originally my role…. in the end, this too is the duty of a successor.】

Clearly affirming his statement while continuing his calm narrative, he now turned his face directly toward me and began to speak.

【So, is there anything you wish to ask? You must have many questions, without a doubt?】

“…Yes, I do.”

【Good. The time given isn’t very long, but one or two questions should be fine.】

“….Thank you.”

His unexpectedly kind attitude, when I thought he would maintain a mysterious demeanor throughout. In this very curious situation, I carefully asked what I was most curious about.

“….Where is this place? And what about the reality I left behind?”

Having abruptly entered this strangely atmospheric forest from that hideous otherworld, there was no guarantee that my mind hadn’t been transported here while my body remained behind.

To this carefully raised concern, the sage-like figure answered me with that somewhat growling voice:

【This is, as you suspected, a non-material space existing within your mind. Only your consciousness has been transferred to reach this place.】

“Then… what about reality?”

【It has stopped. At least until you return, it won’t move. This space is not bound by material or physical laws.】

“….I see.”

Not only did he confirm what I had roughly guessed—that this space wasn’t reality—but he also proved that this non-material space was quite free from the laws of physics.

Having instantly resolved my biggest question, he observed my understanding expression, then took a breath and….

【Now then, shall we get to the main point?】

“….?!”

Suddenly producing an ancient wooden staff and aiming it at the center of the lake. The dreamlike, cosmic-glowing water of the lake disappeared, and from within, a certain sword rose gently.

This sword, characterized by a scabbard and handguard primarily in gold, blue, and white colors, was incomparably more beautiful than the Unicorn Longsword I had previously used.

The handle, which would normally need leather wrapping for grip, was adorned with beautiful golden reliefs and wrapped in mysterious magical power, ensuring it would never slip from the hand of a worthy wielder.

Additionally, the pommel at the end of the handle continuously emitted a sacred light, displaying the presence of what it contained within, and despite being covered by the scabbard, the blade inside revealed itself by changing colors 30 times per second with a radiant glow.

Truly a ‘divine object.’ As I was inadvertently captivated by this beautiful sword that seemed to prove it wasn’t created by human hands with its flashing brilliance, the sage watching me addressed me.

【That sword is ‘Joyeuse.’】

“….Joyeuse?”

【Yes. To you, it is the sword used by the first king of the Frankish Kingdom, a weapon personally forged and bestowed by ‘Golden Hand’ Jephtal.】

As he said, Joyeuse was famous as the weapon that Charlemagne de Frank, the first king of the Frankish Kingdom, received directly from Jephtal, the god of light and justice.

And now such a divine object had appeared before me. In this utterly incomprehensible situation, I stared blankly at him, my mind struck by the shock….

【Take it. Now that it has been bestowed by Him, it is truly yours.】

“….What?”

Wondering if my ears had somehow deceived me, I asked again, but the answer came back completely unchanged.

【I said to take it. ….Do you not want it?】

“O-Of course I do!”

Who could possibly refuse when being personally offered a divine object?

So in this strange atmosphere, as I very carefully reached out to grasp the floating Joyeuse.

‘….Huh?’

My consciousness blurred, my mind distorted, my feelings became distant—

【May you accomplish what you wish to do.】

As my mind gradually faded away from this mysterious space, I seemed to hear a voice that was both familiar yet strange.

※ ※ ※

“—Phew.”

At the moment when my consciousness, which had briefly flown somewhere, returned to reality, the situation hadn’t actually changed much.

No, rather than not changing much, it was as if nothing had progressed from that point at all.

The opponent was still looking at me with eyes mixed with strange affection and hatred. At the same time, her expression suggested she would never let me go, so I ultimately had to change the current situation through selection and concentration….

‘….With this, it’s possible.’

As if proving that my recent experience wasn’t a lie, I traced the lingering resonance of ‘it’ that had settled somewhere in my mind, and finally summoned Joyeuse, for which rightful ownership had returned to my hand.

‘That sword….!!’

The lady-dressed woman who still showed no signs of disappearing from before me seemed quite surprised to see the sword in my hand, but nevertheless, there was no significant change in the hostility she displayed toward me.

In fact, no matter what divine object I held, given the extreme difference in power, it was only natural that I couldn’t kill her by any means….

But from the beginning, I had never once thought of killing her.

Gripping the sword, I opened my ‘eyes’ wide. I had only one chance. In a situation where failure would mean immediate death at the hands of that being, I needed to be extremely careful.

‘….Is it possible?’

For a moment, a human voice whispered in my mind, bringing forth delusion, but perhaps that wasn’t even worth considering.

The time to debate whether this was possible or not had long passed, and all that remained was to act according to my will and execute it.

With the sacred blade that gleamed in 30 different colors naturally revealed as the scabbard disappeared though I hadn’t removed it, I raised it above my head and now stared directly at the enemy, pushing the power of my ‘eyes’ to the limit.

The Eye of Cessation. Drawing upon the power of those eyes that I hadn’t obtained long ago, I stared directly at the enemy and, at the cost of completely losing the power of my mystic eyes, bestowed the power of cessation.

-….Splatter!!

As blood leaked from my eyes and the foundation of that power—the mystic eyes—permanently vanished. This ‘Gluttony’ froze in place for just a brief moment.

And I, who had no intention of missing this opening, thrust the sword into that shell—

“—Come out, Mother!”

Swinging the beautiful blade that emitted sacred flashes of light with all my might, I cut away the ‘my parent’ identity from its essence.