Ch.7424. If You Feel Wronged, Just Chase Me Well. (3)

“My master should have seen my performance!”

A child staying at the chapel. Having already learned that he was an orphan…

I thought if I wasn’t going back to where the sword was stuck, this must be the place to go. And sure enough.

“I was quite surprised myself when he demolished the building wall with his bare hands.”

As Luciri spoke with an incredulous tone, Leo just nodded in agreement while laughing heartily.

With both hands on his hips and chest puffed out, Luirin looked exactly like a sturdy and innocent child his age.

In fact, he quickly became friends with some of the children gathered at the chapel.

…Though Luirin himself didn’t seem to think of it that way.

“It’s natural for the weak to be drawn to the strong. Besides, I’m a promising female!”

…Like that.

Luciri, who happened to overhear this, took Luirin to a corner of the chapel with an exasperated look, though I’m not sure how that went.

“If you don’t have a suitable place to stay… humble as it is, perhaps here…”

Not long after, Luiness returned from checking on the children.

As she expressed her gratitude to us repeatedly, she made this offer.

“Oh, would that be alright?”

Luciri brightened up as she accepted the offer.

Despite Somern Village having two inns, they were apparently already full, leaving Leo and Luciri without a proper place to rest.

“We can rent rooms at the Edenlevan Alliance branch, so please don’t worry about us.”

Luirin spoke up, seemingly trying to ease the burden, but… the problem was how she cut in with that attitude.

“Luirin. Even with good intentions, how you deliver a message affects how it’s received. In situations like this…”

The way Luciri pointed this out and explained patiently reminded me of an older sister teaching her younger sibling.

Luciri herself seemed like someone whose confident and dignified attitude might be misunderstood, but she appeared well aware of this potential issue.

“Then at least join us for a meal… though it won’t be much, I really want to host you.”

“Well…”

Seemingly unfamiliar with this kind of situation, Luirin glanced at me with a look that seemed to ask for my opinion.

“We’d be delighted. But since there are many of us, we’ll bring the ingredients.”

“No, if you go that far…”

Only after finally convincing the repeatedly protesting Luiness were we able to leave the chapel.

“You still like doing good deeds, I see.”

“Because those good deeds can become great joy, comfort, and memories for someone.”

The value of bread given to the hungry versus bread given to the full… is like the difference between gold and common roadside stones, wasn’t it?

…That’s what my mother always said when she was busy with volunteer work and donations.

That’s why she taught me never to treat even a single loaf of bread carelessly.

Those who have often forget. Or perhaps they never knew.

That even a small act of giving can bring great joy to someone.

However, those who receive must also not forget.

The preciousness of what they receive.

That it is not a right or something to be taken for granted.

That it is a precious grace imbued with someone’s dedication and sweat.

That they must work toward a better tomorrow based on that grace.

“But if someone gets used to being helped… when are they supposed to become self-reliant?”

“Accept that not everyone can mature as quickly as you. Not everyone is as exceptional as you are.”

“…That sounds like a compliment, but somehow I don’t like how it sounds.”

“It is a compliment. But just as the world has both wildflowers and showy blossoms, everyone is different.”

Some flowers grow slowly, while others bloom overnight.

Some flowers withstand all kinds of storms,

While others wither quickly in heat or cold.

“If you don’t accept differences, then every moment becomes a battle. Pushing your will and opinions ultimately means breaking the will and opinions of others.”

“You’re getting too serious again. Is this really something that warrants such a lecture?”

“…Do as you please.”

She might be right.

Perhaps I’m trying too hard to treat her like an adult.

Because I held expectations for her, consciously or not, I ended up giving unsolicited teachings to help her meet those expectations.

“…”

Is this also arrogance?

Or is it pride?

Or perhaps…

…

Upon arriving at the Edenlevan Alliance branch building, I finally decided to act on something I’d been thinking about.

“So you’re finally going to repair that, I see?”

As I picked up the bent sword, Luirin added a comment.

“…Yes. I should.”

There’s no particular meaning to it, but…

…if I’m going to carry it around, I should fix it.

Or dispose of it.

====

Some distance from Somern Village, there was a mausoleum, and nearby, a small cemetery and columbarium occupied the same area.

In reality, after one grave was established, people began burying their dead in this area as if by agreement, leading to its current designation.

Due to different burial methods across religions, even within the cemetery, there were distinct sections with notable differences.

The lord of this region was relatively tolerant in such matters.

Known as a Jarl in their terminology, he was equivalent to a count in the Empire.

However, it would be wrong to view him solely in those terms.

Even though the Empire was the first to optimize and subdivide the noble class system, that was by Imperial standards.

For these people, the Jarl—simultaneously meaning chieftain, lord, military leader, and warrior—was an important title establishing the power structure of the Ice Sand Sea people.

This sometimes led to misunderstandings about whether the kingdom was actually a feudal state or a military chiefdom, despite having a monarchy.

In reality, the Kingdom of Dabas officially denied this characterization,

While Metran, surprisingly, neither confirmed nor denied it.

Anyway, the Jarl ruling this region, Lutengar, was a generous lord who tolerated the autonomy and culture of each village reasonably well.

He only cared about whether taxes were paid, respect was shown, and conscription orders were followed when needed.

Naturally, they also conducted periodic monster hunts, during which he would summon troops to serve, thus reaffirming their loyalty each time.

That’s why Somern Village had a garrison in addition to the vigilante group.

Though numbering less than a hundred, they maintained a professional military class specifically for this purpose.

Venus headed to one such place.

A shabby hut located a short distance from the cemetery.

Upon entering, he was greeted not by warmth but by a chill, despite the sun not having fully set.

“Hah…”

The inside of the hut was surprisingly gloomy.

“You came?”

A man who had just removed a wooden cup from his lips asked, tapping his ashen mustache with his index finger.

“Of course I came. Did you think I’d fallen off somewhere?”

“I, I… see you still can’t speak politely.”

“Just tell me why you called me.”

“How was it?”

“…”

Venus’s face contorted with anger.

“Userph. Stop making me want to punch you and get to the point.”

“This is part of the point.”

“Read the room before you provoke someone.”

“Hmm? Is this provocation? I just asked for your impression. How does that count as provocation?”

“…”

The pot-bellied man played innocent while touching his half-bald head.

“They’re different from us.”

“Well, that’s obvious.”

“Fundamentally different. And as I’ve told you before, that sword is mine.”

Then, with genuine curiosity rather than mockery, he asked Venus:

“Even though you can’t draw it?”

“If it’s drawn, I’ll just cut off whatever hand holds it and take it.”

“You’re not a child throwing a tantrum over a stolen toy.”

“What did you just say?”

“Hehehe.”

He tilted his cup and played dumb.

Though Venus wanted to kill him on the spot…

Even this man once followed the same person he did.

Some realized the truth and turned their backs,

But these people stubbornly maintained their positions despite knowing the truth.

…If that weren’t the case,

He would have killed them long ago.

“Why was Lueld’s brat chosen?”

“That’s for the divine to know. Or perhaps Lord Grandeus foresaw it.”

“…”

“If even Rupert doesn’t know, how would we?”

The power to glimpse the future.

Even Rupert, who directly inherited related tools from Grandeus, knew only fragments.

Even he was frequently wrong.

Despite revering prophecies and omens, he had many shortcomings in interpreting and understanding them.

That’s why… he needed his friend of ten years by his side.

Not just to support him, but to strive to fulfill prophecies in the desired form.

That was Userph’s role.

Simultaneously, he had accumulated considerable wealth based on these prophecies.

And with this wealth, he could extend his eyes, ears, and hands to various places.

“Each has their role.”

Didn’t Grandeus himself say this?

I am a messenger.

I am a conveyor.

I could not become an executioner, a revolutionary, or a judge.

But the next generations, if they wish, could become such.

“…”

But.

That wasn’t meant for Userph or Rupert, or himself.

Even the various members of the recently formed Salvation Knight Order, each with their assigned roles…

…might be no different from the many beasts pulling carts and wagons.

“But you gave sufficient warning, right?”

“…Yes.”

Originally, this news shouldn’t have reached here so quickly.

However, it was made to happen that way.

By the man before him.

And what does he say? That he gave warning to allow minimal response? To exchange greetings?

He’s clearly out of his mind.

“Why is that bastard connected to the Demon Lord? And what kind of Demon Lord is he anyway? There are so many Demon Lord rumors across the continent right now.”

“I don’t know that much either. I’m just piecing together rumors that have reached me.”

“Let’s set that aside. Why are there suddenly rumors of Demon Lords appearing here and there in the middle realm? Is this your doing too?”

“Of course not. Don’t paint me as some absurd conspirator. You’re young, so you might not understand… but what an individual can accomplish is extremely limited. I consider it a miracle that I managed to get that child to leave the islands… or rather, the system.”

“…”

“Seeing how many collaborators there were… it would have happened even without my intervention. Personally, I feel sorry for that child. That’s sincere.”

Venus snorted in disgust.

“How pathetic.”

“Still, I honestly don’t understand why… how that child came here. Without some kind of guidance, how could he have targeted this place? Is this also an effect of prophecy? That doesn’t make sense.”

Userph’s words were inconsistent, just as he had expressed.

But for those bastards who use prophecies as their guiding light, such inconsistency is hardly surprising.

After Grandeus’s death, the Salvation Knight Order split into several factions.

Currently, there are just three factions.

The First Star faction that Venus belongs to, and the Snake Eye faction of Userph and Rupert.

And those who knew the truth but, precisely because of that, insanely claimed to carry on that noble will.

The Savior faction.

Including the Savior faction within the Salvation Knight Order seemed somewhat ridiculous… but what could be done when they insisted?

Or more precisely, they claimed to be the only legitimate Salvation Knight Order, which was simply absurd.

It would be impossible to silence their nonsense without eliminating them all.

…Since they haven’t been eliminated, they continue to operate among many others.

But even they were on high alert about the prophecy that Grandeus’s sword would soon be drawn and his successor would emerge.

…For someone like himself, stuck in this area like a native trying desperately to draw the sword each cycle, they all seemed like irritating, contemptible creatures.

“The Saviors are actually showing great satisfaction with Kariel’s actions.”

“…We should have killed them all.”

Hypocrites.

With their narrow view of justice.

Pretending to be righteous while living in the delusion that they’re doing good.

Truly contemptible and disgusting.

“Perhaps it’s time you admitted that your ideals have become as skewed as our desire for world purification.”

“What’s wrong with my determination to destroy the privatization of power?”

Corrupt power.

The atrocities of invading Demon Lord armies.

The essence is the same.

Then, corrupt power must also be eradicated like Demon Lord armies.

Without leaving a trace.

“Power and authority are instincts of all living beings, including humans. Even if you suppress them, something will emerge to replace them in some form. So your efforts are clearly in vain.”

While admiring his twisted belief system, which was even more distorted than their own, Userph couldn’t help but shake his head at the futile notion—like trying to empty a desert of sand or a sea of water.

The child who would have become a hero met Grandeus and witnessed his benefactor being killed by the greatest hero of the time.

This made him hate heroes.

That’s why that child could never become a hero.

Despite having all the qualities for it.

…This too.

‘Must be fate.’

Userph tilted his cup.

Though it had been empty for a long time.

He habitually, routinely kept tilting his cup.

‘I’m sorry.’

There’s nothing to be done.

If Kariel, that boy, somehow discovers the truth about the various malice and conspiracies directed at him, whether later or soon.

When he comes to hate and perhaps kill him and Rupert as part of those responsible.

He, Userph, was willing to accept that fate willingly.

‘If that fulfills our long-cherished wish.’

I would die a hundred times over.

For someone who experienced the most horrific era and lost everything because of it,

This world was, then and now, still blood-red and ash-gray.

Adding another drop of blood to it.

What is there to fear?