Ch.302100. Why Does Someone Like You Brazenly Exist in This Land!

…I was surprised.

“Oh, you’re here? It’s been a while?”

I spotted Alesia hanging laundry.

That much was fine, but…

‘……’

Her belly was fully rounded.

She was already a mountain of a woman, but with that swollen belly… the feeling was somewhat strange.

“……”

Mines stared at her blankly for a moment, unsure what to say first.

“Quite the emotional reunion, I see!”

Suhan added an unnecessary comment from the side, but Mines couldn’t care less.

“Being in a place like this, it must have been difficult to contact me or come visit.”

“…First of all, congratulations.”

That’s the right thing to say first, isn’t it?

It was the answer I came up with after racking my brain.

“Oh, right. Thanks.”

Expecting her to be touched or impressed by that was probably asking too much, no matter how I think about it.

We entered a relatively modest house built of large white logs.

Aside from the somewhat crudely crafted table and chairs… there was nothing particularly special about it.

A fireplace for burning firewood and a bed covered with ash-gray fur like a sheet.

Including the two small windows that could be opened and closed, it was a fairly ordinary house.

…It was just the location that was unexpected.

Actually, even that wasn’t strange… looking around, there were several more magnificent buildings visible nearby.

“…I guess Kariel is a man after all.”

“Haha… you know that’s easy for you to say because you don’t know what we went through, right?”

“We? And what hardship?”

“…It’s quite a long story.”

Since the bed was more comfortable than the chair, Mines turned his chair to face Alesia, who was sitting on the edge of the bed.

“So, where should I begin? Do you have enough time?”

“…Did you think I’d just see your face briefly and leave?”

“You never know.”

With that opening, Alesia calmly began to unfold her story of how she came to be here.

Let’s say it was fine up to the point where she parted ways with Mines and came to the Seven Peaks mountain range with Adrian, Delica, and Raymon.

From there it was challenging, but somehow they managed to resolve things and when they entered this place, there were quite a few people they didn’t know.

Suhan was one of them.

From what I heard, after clashing with Kariel, she asked to learn from him.

I don’t know much, but apparently she came to learn something called “Honyeon Taegeuk” in their language, which probably no one but Kariel understands.

Even the impressive Imperial Princess couldn’t grasp it at all, she said.

“…There’s an Imperial Princess here too?”

“She arrived before me. I heard she’s been moving around with Kariel.”

She left two days ago to find some medicinal herbs but should be back by tomorrow at the latest.

Seeing how comfortable she was talking about it, they must have built quite a relationship already.

“So what is Kariel doing here? Is he building up his own power base?”

“Rather than a power base… he’s passing down teachings.”

“Teachings?”

“…In a way, it’s similar to the path of a sage or benevolent person, like his father. I mean… something like Lord Irenes’ path, but also different.”

“…What exactly are you saying?”

Either it’s this or it’s that. To say it’s not one thing but seems like another… what on earth does that mean?

“According to Kariel, the doctrine of original sin and morality that the Church of Irenes teaches isn’t wrong. But he says it’s a comprehensive standard meant to encompass the general public, and for those who don’t fit into it or are slightly askew… it’s like ill-fitting clothes or poison they can’t consume—those principles kill them… is that difficult to understand?”

“……”

No. Actually, I understand it perfectly.

“The point is, your doctrine can’t save those who can’t fit within your boundaries, right?”

“…But the core of our Irenes doctrine is that it encompasses everything?”

“How would I know?”

By your standards, I’m a heretic, right? The heir to the Great Demon King’s legacy, no less.

Or am I wrong? Would I be forgiven if I repented? Am I even someone who deserves punishment in the first place?

This is suddenly giving me a headache.

“Let’s drop this topic. So the conclusion is… Kariel teaches that salvation doesn’t come from relying on someone else or praying, but from cultivating oneself and forming one’s own path to salvation.”

“……”

“Whether that’s true or not, I can’t be certain… but it’s not like I have any right to judge it, right? I have neither reason nor justification to do so.”

“What about passing judgment as a heretic? You are a saint, after all.”

“…A saint is someone who saves and embraces people, not someone who exercises violence.”

“You’ve primarily led with violence, though?”

“That’s because I was placed in that position! On the battlefield, would it help if I shouted, ‘Don’t kill everyone! God is angry! Heaven! The Lord loves you all, what is this tyranny?! He punished the first murderer so-and-so in such-and-such way…’ Would anyone listen to such sermons? Better to knock their jaws off, force them to kneel, and then preach if you want.”

“……”

Her personality hasn’t changed at all.

Getting carried away, her way with words is really something…

“If that’s the case… should I understand that he teaches not just swordsmanship but also beliefs and ideologies?”

“All of it.”

Alesia dismissed the need for distinction.

“But in practice, swordsmanship isn’t his main focus. Kariel… seems determined not to pick up a sword anymore except when teaching.”

“…Is that so?”

“Except when teaching Raymon. And even that’s only four or five times a year.”

“……”

I wonder if there was some change in his mindset.

“He never liked swordsmanship from the beginning.”

“…Really? Kariel said that?”

“Yes.”

Alesia smiled bitterly at that.

“He said his only reason for wielding a sword was his stubborn determination to defeat his father with it.”

“I… see.”

“He must have been terribly resentful.”

How did it come to that?

Whether she was recalling something she’d forgotten or remembering it anew, a hint of regret flickered in Alesia’s eyes.

“Does Kariel still resent his parents?”

“I don’t know. He claims he’s let it go, but…”

It seems he has no intention of facing them again.

“So he plans to stay here, teaching disciples?”

“…I don’t know that either.”

“……”

“Somehow, I feel anxious, like if I don’t keep my eyes on him, he might disappear at any moment.”

“……”

“If you’re really curious about that, you’d be better off asking Adrian rather than me.”

Adrian?

“That child I saw before?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“…What’s so special about him?”

Just as Mines was about to ask how she would know things he didn’t, Alesia preemptively answered.

“After Kariel’s death, that child will become… the leader? Master? Anyway, the head of this organization, he said.”

“……”

“To put it in terms you’d understand… like a prince. Crown prince. That kind of comparison would make it easier to grasp.”

“Is there some special reason?”

“…He is special, that’s for sure.”

Even Suhan, that dragon, treats the child with unusual deference.

Almost like a superior.

“You’ll understand when you meet him. You’re staying here for a few days anyway, right? You’ll see for yourself.”

====

Elhermina returned just before sunset.

“Oh, it’s you?”

She greeted me with an incredibly familiar tone.

It was an attitude I could hardly have imagined from her before.

Even back then, she had tried to be friendly and casual in her own way… but her distinctive piety, dignity, and atmosphere were so… firm that it was impossible to relax around her.

She narrowed her blue eyes and cupped her chin, her red long hair braided into several strands.

Come to think of it…

Elhermina’s outer garment looked quite familiar to Mines.

‘That’s Kariel’s…’

“Since you’re here, you’ll want to see Kariel too, right? You’ll need to stay for a few days then, is that okay?”

“……”

Is there any reason it wouldn’t be?

“Well, good timing. Follow me.”

“…?”

“I was planning to give you a grand welcome as a guest, but since you’re here, how about contributing your talents before you leave?”

…And that’s how Mines ended up putting his abilities to good use, albeit reluctantly.

“Excellent!”

Splitting logs in half.

Using Mines’ power to slide them smoothly and roll them all the way to their area in one go was almost like a game.

“You have to do it while you can. Right?”

“……”

Elhermina effortlessly cut through white trees thicker than her waist just by waving her fingers.

She’s a monster too, no doubt about it.

And…

What’s even more amazing is that while I couldn’t feel the cold to begin with… with her nearby, I started sweating unconsciously.

…That should be impossible.

“This should last us a few months.”

“……”

“Ah, don’t worry, I’m not asking you to finish trimming them. Really. I mean it.”

And all the while, she never stopped talking: how have you been? who have you met here? isn’t it different from what you expected? and by the way, you’re unlucky to have come when Kariel is away…

“I heard from Alesia that he left to gather… medicinal herbs…”

“Oh, I already delivered those long ago.”

She seemed to catch herself for a moment, then shook it off and continued rattling off topics.

…Was she always like this?

As the sun set, the weather turned gloomy.

The snowfall grew heavier, and small raindrops began to mix with the snow.

Plop! Plop!

Hiss! Hiss!

…The strange thing was:

The raindrops that hit Mines turned to crystals and bounced off.

But the raindrops that touched Elhermina all turned to steam, creating white vapor.

“Is it… okay to leave the wood exposed to the rain like this?”

There didn’t seem to be any storage building or warehouse, so I wondered if my question was unnecessary.

“Here, things freeze rather than get damp and damaged. And there’s a solution for that later anyway.”

“……”

I doubt that solution involves natural means.

Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!

…It’s ridiculous, but when she’s nearby, everything becomes dry and fluffy… um, never mind.

“Where have you been?! I’ve been looking all over for you!”

A girl who had been briefly introduced as Ensia waved her hands at them, her eyes shining.

“……”

And then.

Upon entering an amazingly large wooden structure, there was a space as vast as an open field.

…The ground appeared to be carved flat from rock, but all the building materials standing on it were wood.

No, the ceiling seemed to be made of stone? Anyway, something like that.

It was a type of building Mines had never seen before.

“We have an honored guest.”

And.

Mines saw him.

Someone special among the others.

The boy who had seemed ordinary when Mines last saw him appeared to have grown considerably.

But what really caught Mines’ attention was his short hair, a chaotic mix of black and white.

“Please, sit down. The meal has just been prepared.”

Mines took a seat among those sitting in a circle, and before him were several types of fruits, a generous leg of some animal,

and a steaming soup to moisten the mouth, throat, and insides.

“How long has it been since we had meat?!”

“…Don’t make such a fuss.”

“……”

Chomp chomp!

Crunch!

Gulp!

“……”

After watching this for a moment, Mines naturally joined the meal atmosphere.

This kind of gathering wasn’t as uncomfortable as expected.

====

Around the same time.

A woman with a splendid appearance cried out in indignation, half-wailing her grievances.

-Why is someone like you walking freely on this earth?! This is cheating! It’s absurd!

A mysterious woman with hair and eyes the color of verdant foliage.

Moreover, this being was standing naked on the lake, displaying her beautiful form…

“……”

The man in black… faced her seemingly pitiful and heart-wrenching appeal with dry eyes that showed not a hint of carnal desire.

“Haa.”

Even that.

In the end, it was transformed into irritation.

“Wow. It’s real. It really doesn’t work on you, huh? Can I be impressed by this? That’s how it is, right, Kariel?”

And.

A blonde, blue-eyed woman in silver armor with a red banner draped over it.

She stood beside the man in black, wearing an interesting expression with a strangely eerie smile.