Ch.28393. Here, Your Master Has Returned (3)

My vision flickered.

As the world seemed to collapse and reform in a process of reconstruction.

That place reminded me of a coastline.

Yet, turning my head slightly, it resembled a soft, barren wasteland.

Turning my gaze further, something that had once been a massive fortress rose prominently in the distance.

…And the area where I stood resembled ruins in another sense.

Without anything burning.

Without even a wisp of gray smoke rising.

From the scattered remnants alone, I could guess the aftermath of the war that had taken place here, the course of the great battle.

Back when we were plagued by the Demon Lord’s army, such landscapes were relatively common.

Lowering my gaze, I saw a round shield lying on the ground.

The part that appeared to be the handle and arm rest had a structure that could be tied with thick straps.

Looking only at the back, one might think it was a wooden shield, but that wouldn’t be the case.

It had a fairly common structure even now, probably made of overlapping or attached iron or metal plates.

“……”

But perhaps even common iron was rare in this era, or perhaps they hadn’t yet figured out its uses.

From the copper-like sheen or deep brass color of the metal, Lueld recognized it as bronze.

They say that once, military units were defined and categorized by their shields.

And Lueld was well familiar with the famous tale of ancient warriors who, forming tight formations with such large round shields and taking advantage of terrain, defeated invading forces numbering in the tens of thousands with just a few hundred men.

The helmet also had a structure reminiscent of that era.

‘Was it called the Corinthian style?’

How remarkable that I remember such things.

Perhaps I unconsciously learned this while searching for ancient relics or divine artifacts.

Even ancient heritage and relics are merely antiques unless divine power resides within them.

That’s why the divine sword and sacred relics Lueld himself possessed were special.

“……”

A battlefield.

And ruins abandoned after the war had ceased.

That’s how Lueld defined the different world unfolding before his eyes.

But.

…That probably wasn’t the right answer.

“Haa.”

At first, I thought I might have been consumed by an illusion due to the Demon Lord’s power.

But that didn’t seem to be the case.

Unless it was the Demon Lord of Wisdom, no being in this world could deceive Lueld with illusions or fantasies.

Unless it was truly some divine being’s mischief.

“Kariel.”

“……”

And.

The only figure standing tall in this space.

It was as dark as a deep valley in a forest at midnight without a moon.

Or like the profound abyss of a dark sea without a single star.

It was pitch black.

As if the undulating shadows were the child’s other true form.

“Now this has truly… gone beyond a mere prank.”

“……”

A prank, he says.

While gazing at Lueld, who was calmly surveying the surroundings, Kariel let out what seemed like self-mockery.

“Unlike you, I’ve never lived a life comfortable enough to attempt what one might call pranks.”

“Kal…”

Lueld’s expression darkened.

Beyond bitterness, it became bleak.

But soon, as if collecting himself:

“What has reduced you to this state?”

“……”

“Was it the Demon Lord? Did she…”

“It was the day after I argued with Patina, shortly before I left.”

Interrupting Lueld’s words.

Kariel continued with what he wanted to say.

“Do you remember what you said to me then?”

“……”

That was…

[Kariel. Did you really… have to go that far?]

[It’s because… she has high expectations for you. It’s been that way since you were young, hasn’t it?]

[Anyway, when people fight, things can get heated and escalate. I don’t intend to criticize that much. But… don’t you think it was a bit excessive to show that scene even to your mother?]

[Because it could be healed anytime. Because you thought if you showed it to Ermina, she would fix it without a second thought. That’s why you committed such a reckless act. You thought it would be better to show her once than to listen to a hundred complaints from Ermina. A smart person like you would have calculated and acted that way. Am I wrong?]

[What a terrible idea? If something had gone wrong and Ermina had been shocked and an accident had occurred…]

[…Kariel. Don’t ever do that again.]

[And explain the situation to your mother and Patina and apologize to them.]

I remember.

Not everything, but most of it.

And.

…The expression you showed me then at my words.

Beyond indignation and bleakness, that expression that seemed utterly devastated.

…And then, just as you were about to harden your expression as if in resignation.

Because the resentment was simply unbearable.

With closed lips, yet gritting your teeth and just breathing heavily.

You at that time…

“Yes. I remember.”

“That’s exactly it.”

Exactly what?

“Right after that, I couldn’t control my emotions and made a request to her.”

It’s quite a funny story.

“Do you know? The Demon Lord, she actually tried to reject my reckless request, suggesting that I should try to reconcile with my family instead, even if it was just empty words. Are you aware of that?”

“……”

[To be precise, I need the power to defeat and crush… to neutralize my opponent. I need the means to do so.]

[What you’ve already given me is more than I deserve. I’m grateful for that. But… with just that, I can’t convince or defeat… my father.]

I remember that too.

Every single bit of it.

It might feel like it was decades ago, perhaps even more than 100 years.

In that immature time, there was a me who couldn’t contain my resentment.

Yet, out of fear, I clutched my trembling heart and pondered and agonized.

Still, I couldn’t give up.

I couldn’t let go, couldn’t shake it off.

Because I felt wronged.

Because I had felt wronged.

Because I felt so wronged I thought I would go mad.

…At that time, she asked me this:

What do you intend to do after defeating your father, Lueld?

And.

The answer that followed.

I remember that part clearly even now.

[If I want to win, does what comes after matter?]

The stage of calculating with my head was long over.

My heart, my heart.

If I didn’t do it, if I didn’t at least try.

…I felt like I would explode and die right then.

I felt like I would stop breathing or be torn apart and die right away.

At that time, I was really so angry…

Now, I can hardly get angry anymore.

Unless something of at least that magnitude happens, I rarely get angry.

So until now, I’ve always measured my anger with reason.

Because I truly wasn’t angry.

…Compared to what I experienced then, most of what I’ve experienced since… was all acceptable or understandable.

“I rarely blame others, but this time I’ll indulge in a bit of childishness.”

The reason I’ve become like this.

“It’s your fault.”

It is indeed your fault.

“……”

Lueld’s expression, as he directly received those words, changed momentarily into something difficult to describe.

But he quickly composed himself.

“Yes… my virtue is lacking.”

That’s something he had never stopped considering since the child left him that letter.

So.

Hearing such words now… nothing would change.

He was already prepared to bear even worse content.

But…

No matter what, this wasn’t what he had hoped for.

If only the child had been enchanted and controlled by the Demon Lord.

…Perhaps that would have been better?

And he felt contempt rise within himself for having such thoughts.

Instead of being happy that his child had returned so impressively with body and limbs intact, and praising him for it…

“But. Even so. You… have put your hand to something that should never have been done.”

Of all people, the Demon Lord.

And not just any Demon Lord, but the Demon Lord of Wisdom, the Golden Beast.

“That’s what I want.”

“……”

“Isn’t it your various actions that led me here? Excuses like your true intentions were different, or that wasn’t your heart’s desire, are of no use.”

A jet-black sword forms in Kariel’s hand.

“If you don’t want to create the situation where the Empire collapses as the Empress’s prophetic dream foretold, it’s now your turn to steel your resolve.”

“…What kind of resolve do you mean?”

“The resolve to kill me.”

And as if to encourage this.

Like an illusion in the void, images of another place began to appear momentarily.

There, the Golden Beast and Lueld’s longtime comrades were precariously confronting each other, the scene displayed as if for all to see.

“?!?!”

“If you don’t go there, I can’t guarantee the lives of those people.”

“Kariel! Everyone there has been worried and concerned about you, no one has put you in danger! Even your mother is there!”

“That’s why you need to exert yourself.”

Hmm.

Taking a long, deep breath, Kariel pointed the jet-black sword in his hand and demanded.

“I’ve already warned you several times. Now it’s your turn to decide.”

“Kariel…!”

“To reach the conclusion you desire, you must prove that all my efforts so far have been in vain.”

Isn’t that right?

“O great hero whom everyone praises, O Knight of Radiance.”

“…Kal. Is a sincere apology from me, in any form, not enough?”

“I don’t want that.”

“Even if I were to offer my neck?!”

“I want that even less.”

It’s not that I want to kill you.

Rather, I hope you live long.

Is it the Demon Lord’s values that have rubbed off on me?

I know that living can be hell…

I want them to live long and well, more than anyone else.

Of course, they won’t experience the constant pain and frustration that I breathe with.

Nevertheless.

Everyone carries their own hell.

My hell is just a bit more vicious, sordid, and miserable.

But that doesn’t mean others’ hells are peaceful and sound.

“You know better than I what kind of being she is, don’t you?”

Even at this moment, the Demon Lord of Wisdom was coloring the world as she pleased.

Perhaps saving the Empire was already a lost cause.

…But.

“Only you, Father, can save them now.”

“……”

“Let’s dance. Didn’t you once tell me?”

At the extreme of swordsmanship.

And when such individuals face each other with swords pointed at one another with one heart and mind.

It would be a more dramatic and thrilling experience than a man and woman dancing.

…You said such things to motivate me in sword training.

But I still don’t understand such nonsense, even now.

If you’re going to dance, then dance; why use swords to try to cut each other’s necks, hearts, skin, and bones, trapped in such useless fantasies under the name of romance?

I truly cannot understand.

I am not a fish.

Therefore.

Your frenzied way of thinking as you freely swim and breathe underwater!

…I absolutely cannot understand it.

So don’t! Force me! To empathize!

Don’t do it!

“Let’s see whether it will be a dance or a slaughter.”

“……”

Becoming talkative might be quite a pleasant thing.

“Draw your sword. Or would you rather watch with me until they are all massacred?”

“…My sin is heavy.”

He looked as if he might burst into tears at any moment, a face I had never seen before.

“…Better late than never to realize it.”

Both you and I, we were just cursed with terrible luck.

If we had settled in some quiet countryside or remote village instead of the capital.

Or if we had secluded ourselves somewhere.

Perhaps our family would have…

Shing!

His divine sword revealed its blade with a noble appearance.

The person holding that sword was still trembling, his emotions unstable.

‘But that will be brief.’

You are not a person who can be shaken by such things.

Even if you yourself are shaken.

…Your god and master won’t let you collapse like that.

‘Neither you nor I…’

Truly, our family was cursed with terrible luck.

Even that is fate, even that is destiny.

…Truly.

The more I know, the more it seems we are a cursed bloodline.