episode_0099

A soft, velvety touch.

A sweet scent that tingles on the lips.

Even the warmth felt on the side.

Despite facing the worst adversary encountered so far, I couldn’t gather my senses.

A natural bird kiss without reluctance…

If it weren’t for the urgent situation now, perhaps I wouldn’t have tried to establish a relationship by taking her to an inn.

In the satisfying sensation of patience finally paying off, I called out to the stubborn witch in a low voice.

“Beatrice.”

“Huh?”

She stopped her resistance and turned to me with a bewildered expression.

Suppressing the desire to embrace her tightly, I mentioned the promise she made a week ago.

“Surely, you said, ‘Look at what we’re doing this time.’ The condition for accepting my heart.”

“…Is that important right now?”

“Well, at least it is to me.”

If you try to escape after this is over, I won’t be able to tolerate it.

If you’ve caused this much heartache, you must take responsibility.

Looking at her with a serious gaze, I slowly drew my greatsword and aimed it at the fanatic before me.

“If I capture that woman, will you marry me?”

“M-Marriage all of a sudden? That’s too abrupt, isn’t it? If we were dating, that would be one thing…”

“Then let’s start by dating. You said it yourself, right? If I win, I get to date you.”

“Uh, um…?”

A dazed expression as if hit by a blow.

I wanted to savor that cute expression a bit more, but I had to focus on the aura of power emanating nearby, turning my attention back to the fanatic.

That expression is truly precious, just wait a little longer. She’s like an impatient child anyway.

Dragging my tongue along, I moved forward, and the fanatic opened her mouth with a mischievous smile.

“Has the last bit of playfulness ended?”

“As comrades, yes, the last bit of playfulness has ended. From now on, we’ll be playful as lovers.”

“You speak confidently for someone with a loose tongue. Do you think you can defeat me, who has the power of Poneria?”

“I must win. Only by defeating you can I possess the body and heart of the witch.”

There was no room for doubt.

Having received a definite answer to dating from the person I love, how could I even think of the word ‘defeat’?

Of course, the possibility of defeat was high.

The enemy before me was, as mentioned earlier, a more formidable presence than any adversary encountered thus far.

However.

“I’ve faced unfavorable battles many times before. Battles I thought were impossible, I eventually won.”

Moreover, our lovely witch offered ‘intimacy’ as a condition, didn’t she?

So there’s no way I can lose.

Don’t you agree?

Clang –

The clash of ominous and ashen energies.

Soon, the battle for the witch’s fate began.

——

When I first held a sword, my father asked me.

“Karsian? Why did you pick up the sword?”

The same question my older brother and sister received.

As a child, I answered my father honestly.

I picked up the sword because I admired how cool my siblings looked when they fought.

I even asked my father if it was wrong to pick up the sword for that reason.

To which my father smiled gently and patted my head.

“Admiration… Well, you’re not yet at an age to set a ‘goal’ for the sword. Let me teach you the basics first.”

At that time, I couldn’t understand his words as a novice with a sword.

But my father repeated those words consistently as he taught me swordsmanship.

Set a goal for the sword.

By setting a goal, your sword will become much stronger in the future.

With my father’s teachings, I continued to train, enduring blows from my siblings and even adults, reaching a level that most peers or even adults couldn’t easily surpass.

I still haven’t determined the goal I want to achieve with my sword.

What should I wield my sword for?

Feeling frustrated, I even asked my family.

“Tell me what goal you have in mind for your sword.”

Hoping for a clue upon hearing their answers.

My father replied.

. Wielding the sword for that position everyone reveres.

The eldest brother also responded.

. Wielding the sword to protect the peaceful life they desire.

The second and third brothers remained silent.

. Uttering just that word and then fleeing from me.

Lastly, my only sister, a unique presence, chose .

She simply said she liked the feeling of piercing something with a lance.

The goals seemed simpler than I had thought.

Yet, even after hearing my family’s kind responses, I still couldn’t decide on a goal.

Reflecting on the reasons my family provided, I continued to wield my sword endlessly, but all I felt was a sense of emptiness.

Feeling increasingly stifled, I eventually left the territory with my sword in hand.

Heading outside, I harbored hope that I might be able to determine my goal.

That place happened to be the Southern Great Forest.

Perhaps by continuing to fight for my life, I could achieve something.

Entering with a sense of complacency, I was met not with opportunity but despair.

Deep within the forest, as soon as I arrived at an inescapable location, monsters attacked as if they had been waiting for me.

Though I wielded my sword to survive, my fragile blade couldn’t stand against the relentless monsters.

As a result, I suffered greatly and found myself on the brink of death.

It was then that Beatrice appeared.

The current Beatrice is vastly different from the one back then.

Regardless, thanks to her overwhelming power that saved me, I was finally able to set a goal.

I must repay this favor.

If she ever faces danger, I will step forward to protect her.

Thus, my sword held the goal of .

Comparing it to the goals my siblings had set, mine seemed quite modest.

But I was content. The hollow feeling I had while wielding my sword had vanished completely.

Yes, my sword was a sword for protection.

The more I protected what was precious, the stronger the sword became.

Wielding the sword for what mattered most made me feel capable of anything.

Cagak –

A rough sound of clashing energies pulls me out of my reverie.

To be lost in idle thoughts during battle, I must have been remarkably composed.

Shaking off the mace forcefully, I see my tattered opponent ahead.

The ashen aura still swirls menacingly, but the body is as feeble as a rag.

I adopt a sly expression, starting to probe the opponent’s emotions.

“Why not retreat now? It seems like the tables have turned against you already.”

“Hah, still feeling confident? Instead of worrying about others, maybe you should worry about yourself first.”

“You don’t seem so confident for someone who claims it’s easy. Even the elves are gradually being subdued.”

Initially pushed back by the elves, the zealots were skilled in prolonged conflicts.

Though slow, the tide of battle was undeniably turning.

If a commanding figure had triumphed over me, I wasn’t sure, but I also had the upper hand easily.

It was hard to call it ‘easy’ even in jest.

…Is there a hidden move? But it would be difficult to turn the tide using conventional methods, wouldn’t it?

Cagak -!

Once again, Ora clashed with the ashen aura, but this time, the sensation gripping my hand was different.

While before it felt like cutting, this time it was more like striking something hard?

Feeling an unsettling sensation, I tried to distance myself, but upon seeing the opponent’s smug smile and waving hand, I realized something was seriously amiss.

What could be in the direction I’m flying towards?

There’s nothing but a destroyed statue of a goddess and a ruined temple, right?

No, there is something within the ruins.

Perhaps the seed of evil spirits is targeting it.

After making a judgment, I immediately rushed towards the direction where the seed of evil spirits flew… but when I arrived at the ruins, the seed of evil spirits had already committed an inexplicable act.

“I told you, didn’t I? It’s still quite loose. Hehe… Thank you for sending me with all your might.”

“…The ashen altar, I may not know much else, but I understand one thing—it’s dangerous. I may not know what it is, but we can’t let it succeed.”

Clang!

I drew my sword and swung, but only a dull sound echoed.

Are they planning to endure until they achieve their goal? It seems difficult to destroy it alone.

Despite grumbling, I raised my sword again to strike, but at that moment…

Crash – !

The altar shone brightly in gray, shooting an ashen pillar of light towards the sky.

A breathtaking sight that momentarily halted the attack and left me stunned.

However, feeling an unsettling energy piercing my skin, I took a few steps back.

…What is being summoned? Could it be an evil spirit or something?

Swallowing nervously, I raised my sword to strike the summoning entity, but when I saw the figure appearing on the altar after the ashen pillar vanished, I could do nothing but stop my actions and stare in disbelief.

Anyone would have reacted similarly to me.

As the eerie aura dissipated, the figure that appeared on the altar was…

Munching –

Looking somewhat puzzled while chewing on something that seemed like a snack.

It was the deity, Agathon.