The Sword Devil's Proposal (2)
One person had been added.
In the carriage, despite the addition of just one person, the voices refused to quiet down.
"How do you feel about personal grudges? If it's a complex web of cause and effect involved, what then?"
"Grudges multiply by two, hatreds by ten. That is the path I follow. After all, in this world, everyone besides me and my comrades is nothing more than a potential enemy."
"Exactly! Yes! Hahaha!"
Frey and the old man’s conversation left little room for interruption.
Moreover, not even ten minutes had passed since the old man boarded the carriage, and he had already elevated his title from “young man” to “you,” which was absurd in itself. The tone had become endearingly warm as well.
“…….”
“…….”
Lancelot and Ariel stared at the unexpected guest with bewildered eyes.
Both found it hard to believe that this trio was meeting for the first time.
Frey and the old man’s rapport was so seamless that one might mistake them for long-lost relatives rather than strangers who had crossed paths today for the first time.
“You Westerners are said to be cold and blunt, yet upon seeing you I feel my preconceptions have been shattered! Hahaha!”
“How could the world of man be so utterly different? It’s merely that one is a little more indifferent to others and possesses a stronger individualistic streak.”
“Yes! You’re right! How could I not have known such a simple fact?”
The old man who had boarded the carriage gazed at Frey with eyes that overflowed with warmth.
It was as if honey dripped from his gaze—the look of a man who found Frey utterly adorable. The sight alone sparked an inexplicable pang of jealousy.
“At first I simply invited myself to keep the conversation company, but to think I’d meet such a brilliant young talent. I became so engrossed that I forgot everything else. As for these two…?”
The Sword Devil let out another hearty laugh and casually turned his gaze elsewhere.
There stood Lancelot and Ariel, the very people he had forgotten while listening to Frey’s eloquence.
“These two are respectively Lancelot and Ariel. This friend is a swordsman, and this one is a mage.”
“Haha! What a dignified bearing, yet with an innate heroic spirit! And the mage—how long it’s been since I’ve seen one. Their mysterious power truly leaves one’s soul in awe.”
“Ah, hello.”
“Ah, greetings.”
“Polite manners as well. Friends who will surely achieve great things in the future.”
The two men bowed their heads awkwardly.
The old man offered them a few encouraging words, then continued his conversation with Frey.
“You people who treat elders with respect like you and your friends are rare these days.”
“……That’s all because of the rough culture of raising sons in our family, isn’t it?”
“I think the same! Now it makes sense why we get along so well. Values! My life’s path is remarkably similar to yours!”
“Is that so? How flattering.”
“……Hah.”
Lancelot struggled to conceal his astonishment.
He had not known Frey for long.
Yet from his perspective, Frey did not strike him as the type to be so eloquent. No—he had never been one to speak much in the first place.
And yet here he was, endlessly conversing with this old man… truly amazing.
“Haha. Having met such a promising junior, I should be honest with myself as well.”
“Huh?”
“I, as you expected, am from the Eastern Continent.”
The atmosphere in the carriage suddenly grew heavy.
To prevent any fear from the three of them, the old man spoke in the gentlest tone possible.
“And…… from the very edge of the Eastern Continent, the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.”
“The Hundred Thousand Great Mountains…?”
Lancelot’s eyes widened at the recognition.
The old man slowly nodded, accepting his reaction calmly.
“Correct. I am from the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains… the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult of the Eastern Continent.”
“The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult!”
“Y-yes? Really?!”
Lancelot and Ariel cried out in shock.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was no ordinary organization. Not only on the Eastern Continent, but also on the Western, it commanded awe and was a massive faction where every member was nearly at the peak of martial prowess.
It was said that even crying babies would stop crying upon hearing that a member of the Cult had come.
“……Haha.”
The old man, waiting for the expected reaction, chuckled softly.
His gaze returned to Frey, sharp and filled with wonder. Unlike the startled Lancelot and Ariel, only one person stared into the void with an expressionless face.
“You’re not surprised by my origins? I hold significant responsibilities even within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. You are truly impressive.”
Unable to contain his growing curiosity any longer, the old man looked at Frey and said,
“…….”
While listening in silence, Frey appeared deep in thought. It was a stark contrast to his usual composed, self-directed demeanor.
“I.”
At last Frey spoke.
“I believe the opposite of justice is not evil, but another form of justice. I see no reason to fear you simply because of your affiliation, do I?”
“……!”
……Just like that. Nothing more.
Frey’s words caused the old man’s eyes to widen as though split open. His breathing became rough, clearly overwhelmed by emotion.
“Hah, hahaha! Hahahaha! Whew!”
Eyes closed, as if savoring the words Frey had uttered, the old man suddenly burst into laughter.
Was it joy? Delight? The emotion was far greater. It was as if he had gained a profound realization, and his transparent eyes were filled with dense spiritual energy.
Tap.
As if a mechanism had clicked, the laughter stopped. The old man turned to Frey with solemn dignity.
And with an even more serious voice he said,
“……You truly are fortunate.”
“Huh?”
“If I were not currently on a mission… I would have pinned your blood veins and kidnapped you to the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.”
The old man’s voice, stripped of any emotion, echoed coldly through the carriage.
But why?
Frey shook his head. And with the most authoritative voice possible he declared,
“I know that would not be the case.”
“……What?”
“My intuition tells me that even if you kidnapped me to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, you would release me without resistance if I fiercely fought back.”
“…….”
The old man’s face grew even more grave.
“I am the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s Grand Elder. The Sword Devil. Even so, you fear me?”
“Hah, heeek!”
“The Sword Devil? That Sword Devil?!”
Lancelot and Ariel, who had been watching the conversation quietly with tense faces, opened their mouths wide.
The revelation was shockingly impactful. They were in the presence of one of the great experts who bridged the Eastern and Western continents!
Yet.
“Yes.”
Frey’s reply was short. It carried an unshakeable resolve.
“The kind-hearted elder before me is none other than the one I stand before. What more is there to say?”
“Then you will become my disciple.”
“……!”
Was exhaustion setting in from staring in shock?
The two men could only open and close their mouths without uttering a word. The words had been that shocking.
“I will say it again. You will become my disciple. I will pass on to you all the martial arts of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. With your talent, you will surely reach the position of Heavenly Demon within ten years.”
“I’m sorry.”
The old man’s gaze pierced Frey as if asking, ‘What did you just say?’
“Hah, hahaha! You are refusing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?”
“It is indeed an honor that you hold me in such high regard. However, I believe it differs from the future I envision.”
“Haa…… Such a shame!”
The old man clicked his tongue, genuinely disappointed that Frey would not accept.
It was visible in the eyes of the 8th-rank Sword Devil. In the near future, the 5th-rank Frey would shine like the brightest jewel of all.
……Though one unfortunate fact remained.
“……Haha.”
The old man had no idea.
‘There is no way I can hook him here.’
Frey’s true thoughts carried a different intention.
* * *
The sun had begun to set.
The coachman advised camping since the next village was far away. Without hesitation I agreed. The Sword Devil also agreed to spend the night with us.
Tap! Tap!
As evening deepened, the only sounds filling the dark space were the crackling of the campfire.
After generously tipping the coachman, he prepared dinner while the Sword Devil sat lost in thought before the flames.
“I’ll go think for a bit and return.”
Looking up at the night sky streaked with stars, I stood with a quiet voice.
“……Huh.”
“Be careful.”
Perhaps they assumed my worries were heavy? Ariel and Lancelot nodded immediately.
With slow steps I walked.
The darkness that had settled around us was thick. The previously invisible night forest now allowed clear visibility thanks to my expanded perception.
After a while.
I found a wide clearing and, without further thought, lay down on the ground.
The sky dotted with stars formed a shimmering pattern in my eyes. In the exhausting modern society, the night sky that had been impossible to gaze upon was capable of stirring one’s heart simply by looking up.
“…….”
Time passed.
One minute, ten minutes, then thirty.
“Excuse me.”
A quiet voice spoke.
It was the Sword Devil.