Chapter 64 – Reward

I stared at Fabiana, who was smiling from ear to ear, as if she were in a great mood.

“…Did something good happen?”

“Khehe… Ah, my apologies.”

“No, well… There’s no need to apologize…”

As I glared at Fabiana, who kept chuckling despite her apology, she spoke first.

“Eliaernes.”

“Yes.”

“Khem, hmm… You’re seventeen years old this year, aren’t you?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then why… khe-hem! Hoo… Why do you send messages like that?”

“…Messages?”

I tilted my head.

How did I send the messages?

I just… thought I sent them fine. I added a little emoticon that looked like a smile, because sending only the main point seemed rude.

I didn’t know how to use spaces, so I just used dots. Was that weird?

“Goodness. You don’t even know what the problem is, do you?”

After having a good laugh, Fabiana widened her eyes and her lips trembled slightly.

“The Duchy of Eustetia isn’t some backwater village, you know… This is just ridiculous.”

“Well… Was there a problem with my messages?”

“Problem, you ask? There was no problem. Yes, there was no problem at all. It’s just… kahaha! It’s just that your way of speaking was similar to that of the old professors at the academy.”

Old professors…?

If my way of speaking was similar to that of the old professors, wouldn’t that make me sound mature and nice?

“But… why is it so funny?”

“…Perhaps… Have you never exchanged messages with other students?”

I asked a question and got a question in return.

That’s my least favorite way to respond.

My eyes narrowed reflexively.

“…No, I haven’t.”

Despite my rudeness, Fabiana gave a hearty smile and nodded.

“Okay. In that case, it’s better to hear about it from someone else than to have me explain it. And besides, we have a lot of other things to talk about.”

It was a suspicious and unpleasant reaction, but since I had a lot to say as well, I had no choice but to nod.

“Okay. First… I need to get something to drink.”

Fabiana stood up from the mountain of documents that made me want to throw up just by looking at them.

“I don’t enjoy tea, so there’s nothing particularly special in my room. So you should just drink whatever I give you.”

“I’m not picky either, so it doesn’t matter. But… is Your Highness going to make it herself?”

“Do you doubt my skills?”

“No. I was just wondering how much I could get if I sold tea made by the First Imperial Princess.”

“Even that wouldn’t be enough to compensate for the weapons at the museum that you destroyed without leaving a trace.”

“Hmm…”

I scratched my cheek, feeling bitter for no reason.

“Were they… very expensive?”

“They’re priceless.”

“They were pretty cheap, for… ahem.”

I quietly closed my mouth at Fabiana’s sharp glare.

After glaring at me sharply for a moment, the princess let out a half-formed chuckle before smiling heartily again and shaking her head.

“Even so, compared to the value of saving me and my sister’s lives, they’re nothing but specks of dust. So don’t worry about it.”

“Hmm… Then, I won’t hesitate to sit here.”

“A proper noble should know how to show some restraint.”

“I’m not one to refuse something given by a superior.”

“You’re quite the brazen young lady.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Fabiana, who didn’t seem to mind my presumptuous answer, smiled and handed me a cup of light reddish… black tea? She leaned back on a large sofa.

“Eliaernes. Both you and I have a lot of questions for each other. Right?”

“Yes.”

“Then, it’d be best if we took turns asking them.”

I shrugged and took a sip of the black tea.

“Ugh…”

It was so bitter… dry, and bland.

It was the kind of taste that made you want to frown.

“You look like you hate it.”

“Can I be honest?”

“Of course.”

“It’s absolutely terrible.”

“It has herbs in it, so it’s supposed to taste terrible. Judging by your condition, your body is a mess. Just shut your mouth and drink it all.”

Herbs… if it has herbs, then that’s different.

But… this…

“Hmm… there are some clumps at the bottom of this, too. Isn’t that a little… wrong?”

“Do you think I’d try to assassinate my savior?”

Fabiana chuckled and took a sip of a tea that was completely different from mine.

The aroma and the flavor were completely different.

“Then why are you drinking a different one?”

“Because I hate that terrible tea.”

“…And me?”

“Are you going to reject tea made by the First Imperial Princess of the Empire?”

“Sigh.”

I chuckled and ignored Fabiana as I dumped a lot of sugar cubes on the side of the table into my tea.

Then, I stirred it roughly with my finger and sucked my finger clean.

Hmm, it’s now a little better.

I took a few more sips to wet my throat and then looked at Fabiana.

“You can go first.”

“Okay. Then I’ll ask.”

An odd smile crept onto Fabiana’s face.

“Why don’t you use weapons?”

“Is that a personal question?”

“Personal… yes, let’s leave it as a personal question. You don’t seem very interested in the political situation of the empire.”

She was saying that she wasn’t going to get my power involved in the dirty power struggles of the nobility.

It wasn’t such a bad condition.

As I was wondering how to answer, Fabiana spoke first.

“When I looked at you, Eliaernes, it didn’t seem like you don’t use weapons, it seemed more like you can’t. Was I right?”

I blinked at her words, which were right on the mark.

“The weapons at the Arant Museum were all very old weapons with deep histories.”

With that, Fabiana pulled a few pieces of paper from a pile of documents behind her and held them out to me.

“The Sword of Desolation. A sword imbued with holy power, used by the commander of the holy knights 400 years ago.”

That’s the sword used by the stubborn old geezer who kept coming at me even after I beat him countless times. The holy power was from an enchantment that I won from Luna in a bet.

That enchantment came in handy during the recent fight with demons, too.

“The Iron Wall Cudan. A shield that the First Imperial Knight Commander, known for being the bravest man 400 years ago, held onto until his death.”

That geezer was too scared and always hid behind his shield. Of course, his defensive ability was as exceptional as his fear.

And, he didn’t hold onto his shield until his death, but rather he died without having a chance to let go, since he had a heart attack after seeing the Commander of Wrath.

This was a big problem when the demon had it, but I managed to smash it with Hakhal’s siege hammer, thankfully.

“The Dragonhorn Bow. A bow used by a great Beastkin warrior 400 years ago. It’s named that because the arrows made of magic form the shape of a dragon’s horn.”

The arrows weren’t made of magic. They were made from branches of the World Tree, which made them incredibly powerful.

Without those arrows, it’s just a slightly stronger bow. I was so surprised when I held it.

“The Piercing Spear. A spear that can pierce through anything, even distance. Used by the mercenary king of 400 years ago.”

It didn’t pierce through distance. It was just that guy’s will that moved so fast.

It moved incredibly fast.

So fast that even the wielder couldn’t control it.

So, it’s just a normal spear in my hands.

That’s why I just threw it and broke it.

“And then there’s the Dragonblood Staff. A staff imbued with the blood of a noble dragon. This was used by Sedil Mershdoff, a great mage from 400 years ago, and the ancestor of the current headmaster of Karela Academy.”

It wasn’t a noble dragon, it was just a normal dragon.

So there was no blood either.

Still, the reason why it was named “Dragonblood” was because when all of my weapons were broken and I could no longer fight, I stole that old man’s staff and used it to smash the skull of the dragon.

At that time, I swung it like crazy.

It was so durable, it was more durable than the dragon’s skull.

People were chattering about something, and I think it was probably “Dragonblood.”

Of course, it also broke in the recent battle.

“These are… more or less the weapons that represented the Arant Museum. These weapons with such great histories, they all shattered as soon as they passed through your hands. And so, I came up with a hypothesis.”

Fabiana’s platinum eyes were fixed on me.

“You, your mana, it seems to have the ability to destroy all weapons. And so, you’re unable to use them. Am I right?”

She was right.

Although it wasn’t entirely the truth.

It was also true that my mana caused some problems, but with the subspace pouch that Paulo had, it wouldn’t be such a big problem.

The weapons with those names had to be swung at least a dozen times in my hand before they would break.

So, if I had weapons of a high enough grade, it would solve my mana’s fundamental problem.

That’s why my mana isn’t the fundamental reason I stopped using weapons.

The reason I stopped using weapons was because their limitations were clear. The heights I could reach with weapons were insignificant.

Of course, now, using weapons is far stronger than barehanded martial arts.

Even though it was a half-demon, I was able to take it down without getting hit even once.

I got a lot of help from the magic effects imbued in the weapons, but I could still take down a demon even without them.

But that’s the end of that. I can’t kill a Legion Commander.

So, I definitely can’t kill the Demon King.

On the other hand, if I trained in martial arts, if I polished my talent to the point that even I would be amazed, then it’s clear I’d become stronger than my past self.

I’d be able to kill not only a Legion Commander, but perhaps… perhaps even the Demon King.

That’s why I gave up weapons.

Right now, I don’t have any companions.

The people I met in my past life. The people who made up for my shortcomings, who had my back, my sides, and my front.

Of course, I think they might be alive somewhere.

But it’s not certain.

So… I can’t afford to be picky right now.

Magic, martial arts, whatever it is, I need to grab onto every single way to become stronger.

And so, I abandoned weapons.

I chose the fastest and strongest path that I could take.

So.

“No. I’m not unable to use them. I choose not to.”

It was my choice.

Not an inability, but a choice.

“Eliaernes. I don’t know what your goal is, but if you wish to become stronger with weapons, I, Fabiana de Hermann, the First Imperial Princess, will have your back.”

Fabiana chuckled softly and tilted her teacup.

“In other words, I’m saying that I’ll provide you with a variety of weapons that can withstand your mana, and replace them even if they break.”

“…I… don’t need them.”

“Are you serious?”

“…Yes. I… I’m stronger barehanded.”

“Choosing to go barehanded, even if you can use weapons, is no different than giving up on being human.”

Her words were right a hundred, a thousand times over.

I, in my past life, I also said those same words.

But now, I’m in the position where I have to argue against it. Damn it.

“…Um, a body that has been trained to its limits… is sharper, heavier, and harder than any weapon in the world.”

“If you train to your limits while using a weapon, you’d become even sharper, heavier, and harder. Not only that, Eliaernes, you don’t discriminate when it comes to weapons, do you? So that means you’ll be twice as strong as others.”

“No. Even those weapons will break eventually.”

“Weapons made of rare metals don’t break easily. And those weapons are made to cut through a person’s body, so they can easily slice, break, and tear apart a human body.”

“…Um, a body that has been trained to its limits can overcome even that.”

“Martial artists. I greatly respect martial artists who have reached a high level. It’s only natural. Martial artists tend to lose limbs before they reach the 6th tier. Arms, legs, it’s difficult to keep all four intact. Yet, there are those who surpass the 6th tier while keeping their limbs. Fighting against such martial artists would be… a truly terrible battle. That’s why I respect and fear them.”

Fabiana was right.

In order to rise through the ranks, one must also have a lot of battle experience. Martial artists who have gone through those battles using only their bare hands cannot be weak.

Even I have to acknowledge that.

The bodies of high-ranking martial artists are… well…

Even if they’re all superhumans, their bodies are just on a different level.

Arisa was like that.

She healed quickly, and nothing gave her indigestion, even poison, which she could digest.

So naturally, she never got sick, never gained weight, and was ridiculously durable.

Later, she could dent adamantium just by pinching it.

“But with weapons, you can become stronger faster and easier. That’s the way of the world.”

…She keeps saying things that make sense, so I don’t know what to say.

“Even so, you’re going to walk down the path of martial arts?”

“…Yes.”

“Well… It’s not such a bad choice. I felt it when I stopped your fist that was going to smash Shibria’s skull. Your talent is chilling. But I also felt your talent for weapons was just as extraordinary. Is there another reason why you chose martial arts?”

There was no need to answer that question.

But, considering the question I was about to ask, playing along with Fabiana’s mood seemed like a good idea.

“…I, um… I really respect, and admire… Ronan Lujarak. I think he’s a great person. So… yes. I want to become a cool, and strong… martial artist, like Ronan… sir.”

Damn it.

What am I even doing?

Am I just gilding my own image? No, wait.

In my past life, I used to gild my own reputation like that.

No? It’s not gilding.

I really was strong. Why is it gilding when I’m just stating facts? I’m just telling the truth.

But, now.

Why… do I feel so strange?

Is it because I’m saying this to someone who is much younger… a descendant, a kid?

Or is it because I included Ronan’s name when complimenting martial artists?

It feels… really embarrassing, humiliating, and shameful.

“Heh… It seems I won’t be able to change your mind.”

“It’s not stubbornness…”

I gritted my teeth, fanned my suddenly warm face, and bowed my head.

“Fine. If that’s your choice, then so be it. Alright. It’s your turn. Ask anything you’d like.”

I drank some more of the sweet but tasteless tea, and let out a sigh as I asked.

“Do you know the whereabouts of the holy relics, Humble and Sacred?”