Chapter 121 – Gift

Stella and Yurasia’s faces turned pale.

Regardless, I took out what I was going to give to Stella.

“Here, Stella. This is for you.”

“…What is this… a bone?”

“Oloraxsis’s bone.”

Stella didn’t understand what I was saying. Instead, Yurasia understood.

“Oh… Oloraxsis… is that, the one in the hero’s story… the Aurora Dragon, right?”

“Aurora Dragon… Yeah. Well… I guess so.”

Aurora Dragon. That’s Oloraxsis’s epithet in novels and fairy tales.

But then, why the hell am I Ronan, a martial artist?

Stupid book.

“Aur… Au… Auror… Aurora… Dragon…?”

“Yeah. It’s tough enough that you could probably kill someone just by swinging it at their head. Well… anyway, what goes on top of it is this.”

From my subspace pouch, I took out the magic stone with the greatest power.

The moment it was out, the slightly dim private room instantly brightened.

That wasn’t all; the lights flickered, and the hand holding it started to tingle.

Maybe it’s welcoming me, or maybe that’s just how this heart fragment works.

“Oloraxsis’s heart. Of course, it’s not whole. It’s just a fragment… but even so, for you right now… hmm, actually, for almost half your life from now on, just using this will be enough.”

“H-huh… Ha…? Eek…”

“Of course, I’ll have it specially commissioned too. I can’t leave it to the capital. The duchy… well, the duchy’s a bit iffy too, but I can trust that person.”

I poked Stella’s chest with the bone, who was barely breathing, and continued.

“There’s more. Elixirs. They’ll boost your total mana, purity, clear your channels, and expel impurities. There are five of them, and I’ll tell you the order to take them, so don’t just gulp them down and die.”

I handed the elixirs to Stella.

“Next, Yurasia. I really struggled over what to give you. If I gave you the wrong thing and you lost your edge, that’d be bad. But… I decided to trust you, Yurasia.”

Yurasia’s expression was half fear, half excitement.

What’s there to be scared of? Just enjoy it.

Chuckling, I rummaged through my pouch.

Among the items, I gripped the handle of the sword I cherished second most.

I cherished it second most, but in terms of performance, it was the best.

“Hmm…”

A familiar, dearly missed feeling.

The sword’s image flashed through my mind.

It was plain. So plain, it was almost pitiful. Nothing on the pommel, no crossguard on the grip.

Just a perfectly straight sword.

A sword made purely for cutting, as if it refused to allow for any defense, a wild, arrogant sword.

The sword that had once cut down the Demon King.

“Severing Sword.”

The moment I drew it from the sheath, I felt as if the air itself had been sliced.

It really was. Maybe the others didn’t notice, but for a moment, I couldn’t breathe or hear a thing.

I wasn’t surprised. I was used to it.

Seeing the sword, Stella started sneaking glances at Yurasia. Why? Because what Pina and Stella got looked much fancier in comparison.

But Yurasia didn’t react like that.

She already knew.

If you’re from the Eustetia Knights, you’d know.

“…Miss, this is…”

“That’s right. This, ahem. Lady Arisa Eustetia… used this sword to behead two legion commanders.”

Of course, the world didn’t know about the encounter with the Demon King, or that we’d cut him down.

Of five thousand soldiers, we were the only survivors.

There’s no way that would have been put in a fairy tale.

But it’s not like I didn’t behead the legion commanders. I did it with the Severing Sword. It was the sharpest, so I used it the most.

As for where I got it… It was from a dragon’s lair, but not Oloraxsis’s. Another dragon’s lair. A dragon named Gleria, who lost her kin to the Demon King and was dying.

After saving her hatchling, staying by its side, witnessing Gleria’s end, and burning her body, I received it as a keepsake.

After that, even when I visited other dragons, I could never learn the sword’s true origin.

The Demon King recognized it.

“But, you can’t actually use this in real combat yet. You’re not ready for it, Yurasia. So, hmm… don’t draw it until I say you’re ready. The reason I’m giving it to you now is to motivate you. Got it? Take it for now. I’ve got more for you.”

After that, I took out five more swords.

None had special names like Severing Sword.

But among the swords I had, these were among the sharpest.

And each one was inscribed with the name Arisa Eustetia.

“Uh, miss. This is… too much.”

“They all look different, right? This one’s a Zweihander, this one’s a scimitar, this one’s a claymore, this one’s a rapier, and this one’s a short sword. Notice how the short sword’s blade is special? That’s for breaking an opponent’s weapon.”

Yurasia, holding all of them in her arms, instantly wore a dazed expression.

“…I get it, but I can’t use most of these. At best, I can handle daggers or a greatsword…”

“You’ll be able to handle them all from now on.”

“Uh…”

“What do you mean, uh. I’ll teach you. Don’t worry. It’ll be tougher than before, but there’s nothing bad about learning.”

Watching Yurasia blink, I laughed and took out six elixirs.

“These all have their own effects, but the first two are for after you reach the sixth rank, and the other four you can take now. I’ll tell you the order, so don’t eat them on your own. Take them wrong and your body’ll burst and you’ll die.”

That was the last thing I gave, and I closed my pouch.

Though the pouch hung empty at my waist, for some reason, my heart felt full.

Hmm, with this much…

Yurasia’s famed swift sword might, for just a moment, even surpass me.

But as for the mages, Stella and Pina, I’m not sure how things will turn out.

Well, Pina’s got Sparkle, so she’ll manage.

Stella… calls herself a genius, so she’ll figure it out.

“That’s it. Let’s go see that play I reserved earlier. We’ll be late.”

I clapped my hands and stood up.

The three left behind still looked dazed.

—

On the way out of the restaurant, I ended up putting the gifts I’d given them back into my subspace pouch.

They were so scared of carrying such terrifying items themselves that I had no choice. They said they’d hide them securely in their dorm safes once they got back.

But Yurasia insisted on keeping the short sword I gave her on her belt. So, she had three swords hanging from her waist:

Diana’s sword. The Eustetia Knights’ sword. The short sword I gave her.

Seeing that, Yurasia wore such a happy smile that she almost drooled.

And then Yurasia, Pina, and Stella.

The three of them kept thanking me nonstop.

They even pooled their money to buy me a meal.

At first, I nodded in satisfaction once or twice. But then three, four, five times, 

When it didn’t look like they’d stop, I got annoyed.

So, before they could take anything back, I snapped at them to cut it out.

After that… well, we just chatted as calmly as before. The difference was, now their voices were filled with huge anticipation.

A moment ago, they were trembling at the thought of becoming accomplices, but now, really simple kids.

Not that I dislike it. Actually… I like it even more.

It’s got that refreshing feel of being teenagers.

“…What’s with you?”

“What.”

“Just now… you had a total mom smile.”

“A mom smile? What’s that?”

“…You know, gentle and, um… never mind. Anyway, it was a mom smile. Why are you looking at us like that?”

“Wow, you’re even complaining about my expression now?”

“Ugh… Could you at least talk nicely?”

“Not my problem.”

“…You’re so annoying.”

And lately… Stella’s reactions have changed in a weird way. Her comebacks feel way weaker.

…Did she finally grow up after struggling once?

Or was it after seeing me bleed all over?

Whatever it is, I don’t really like the change.

Pina’s changed a bit too… She gets scared more easily. Last time, she was looking up information about Ronan Lujarak in the library and got caught by me.

That time, I think Pina let out the loudest scream she could manage.

Anyone would think I was about to eat her.

“But, um… Miss.”

“Yeah?”

“How come the way you answer Yurasia and the way you answer me are different?”

“Do you think you and Yurasia are the same?”

I grinned and popped a candy into Stella’s mouth. Then I looked back at Yurasia.

“Did you want to say something?”

Yurasia looked between me and Stella with a strange expression, then finally spoke.

“Ah, yes. If you give us all this… Miss, aren’t you left with nothing?”

“Aha…”

Such a commendable question.

And when Pina and Stella heard that, they both gasped in shock.

Seriously, why is Pina surprised when she knows how many elixirs were in there?

Anyway, Yurasia really is thoughtful and kind.

I got on my tiptoes and patted Yurasia’s head.

“Hehe. I’m fine. I have plenty for myself.”

“Really…? Are you sure?”

“Yeah. So don’t worry, ”

At that moment.

A chilling shock wrapped around my whole body.

It felt like invisible flames were closing in from all sides.

I immediately pulled Stella and Pina behind me.

“Miss, get behind me.”

Yurasia was a step slower but sensed it too.

She moved to shield me with her own body and placed her hand on her sword.

“…Who are you?”

Yurasia’s voice was like a growl.

A red-haired woman answered.

“Flame Empress.”