Chapter 85
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Alen, Sia.
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"Hah! Hah! Hah!"
"That's enough."
As I lay there panting, drenched in blood, Cain called an end to our sparring. The instant I heard him, I collapsed flat on the ground.
Ever since Cain started correcting my movements, his instruction had grown even harsher.
No gentle explanations—just the basics of tapping my body with the flat of his blade to force proper posture, or slicing shallow cuts into my skin while demanding I halt my strikes a hair's breadth from hitting him. He taught through action alone, swinging his sword first and foremost.
What kind of method is this...?
It was downright barbaric, but every time I absorbed one of his lessons, I could feel the gaps in my swordsmanship filling in. I'd just hit level 4, and the awkwardness in my strikes had steadied; the link between my mana flow and swordplay felt natural now.
And during the training, I finally got a good look at Cain's sword. It had sliced into my flesh countless times, leaving me a bloody mess, yet not a single drop stained its pristine, transparent blade.
...Insane. It's just glass?
At first glance, I'd thought it resembled glass in its transparency, but up close with a moment to breathe, I could tell. The blade itself was made of glass.
...Didn't Alensia use that same sword against me earlier?
I might have understood if he'd infused it with mana, but I sensed not even a trace from the sword he wielded. He was cutting me without shattering the glass, relying on swordsmanship alone—no mana reinforcement. And I had confidence in my body's durability...
Still, even as blood soaked me from head to toe, I pressed harder to learn just one more thing, charging at Cain's blade more fiercely. Getting bloodied was routine by now anyway.
And as he watched me keep coming, something shifted in Cain's eyes.
"Heard my runaway daughter brought some guy home... Looks like he's got potential."
"Huh? Pardon? Daughter?"
I froze mid-charge, blurting out the question like an idiot. His blade bit deep into me from halting so abruptly, but I ignored the blood and stood there dazed.
At this timing, only one person came to mind whom Cain might call 'daughter'... No way Alensia was Cain's kid? They didn't look alike at all. Their races were different to begin with.
"I can guess what you're thinking, but Sia's my adopted daughter."
...Adopted daughter, huh. So that's why the Swordsmanship Guild members had been so friendly earlier? Made sense if she was the guild master's kid.
But that conversation from before hadn't exactly screamed 'father and daughter'—it was ice cold...
"First off, let me thank you. Looks like you healed my daughter's condition."
"...You can tell?"
"I can see it."
You could tell just by looking...? Well, thanking me for the healing suggested he really was her father.
"I'll be blunt. Stop treating Sia."
"..........Why?"
What he said next was so far from gratitude I couldn't have imagined it. I stared at him blankly, my voice slipping into anger without thinking.
"Simple. Once her injuries fully heal, she'll head back into the Labyrinth."
"......Why would she..."
"What father sends his daughter to her death?"
".........."
I shut my mouth after hearing that.
"I told her plainly when she returned from the 35th floor with her mana circuits shattered: never set foot in the Labyrinth again. In exchange, I'd stake my name as a committee member to procure an Elixir and heal her."
"......."
"But Sia refused me, quit the Swordsmanship Guild, and joined the Labyrinth Guild."
Unlike his consistently cold tone and demeanor, Cain's words brimmed with worry for his daughter, Alensia.
"You've probably taken payment for her treatment. Maybe even signed a contract. I'll handle all of that. And if you stop treating her, I'll teach you the sword myself in her place."
"...You, Cain?"
"Yes. This spar was a taste of it. I heard you're learning from Sia? With her mana circuits broken, she has limits teaching you. To advance to higher swordsmanship, you'll need techniques that incorporate mana eventually."
"......."
"I'm begging you. As Sia's father."
".........."
In truth, Cain's real goal in agreeing to meet 'Ian' at the committee meeting had been this all along. For checking 'erosion,' the third seat—that woman—would be more reliable anyway.
Of course, he'd probed during the forced 'imprinting' of sword techniques just now, but no traces of erosion.
And seeing the trinket on the guy's wrist, it looked like the third seat had already taken interest.
With nothing more to say, Cain dismissed me.
Unable to answer right there, I left the Swordsmanship Guild in a daze.
Stepping out of the training grounds, I found Alensia waiting at the Swordsmanship Guild's main entrance. We exchanged no words as we headed back to the mansion.
Not a single conversation passed between Alensia and me from the guild to the mansion.
And when we arrived,
"Ian, you must be exhausted. Get some rest. I heard the restrictions are lifted, so starting tomorrow, you can head back into the Labyrinth..."
"Alensia."
In the end, after agonizing over it, I decided to hear her out.
"What will you do once your injuries are fully healed?"
"...I'll enter the Labyrinth. Form a new party and push deeper once more."
"Why?"
"........"
"Adventurers all have their own reasons for diving in. Money for some, fame for others, power..."
"......."
"But it doesn't feel like that's yours. Alensia, why do you want to go into the Labyrinth?"
"...I..."
Meeting my serious gaze, Alensia hesitated for a moment before cautiously beginning.
Sia hated her forest. More precisely, she hated the village built on her parents' sacrifice.
"...We will never forget the sacrifice of the two Guardians..."
The adults always said it. They wouldn't forget her parents' sacrifice. Her parents would live forever in their hearts.
"Look! The World Tree's branches are laden with fruit again today..."
"Wow! I got the [Spirit Arts] skill today!"
"Anyone wanna bet on archery with me?"
But through her eyes, not one villager truly held her parents in their hearts.
Because if they did, they wouldn't laugh and live so carefree.
"Sia, what're you doing?"
"Brother Alen..."
The one who supported her was her sole remaining blood kin in the world. He wore a cold expression and rigid demeanor before others, but always spoke kindly to her.
To him alone could she voice her true feelings. That she hated the villagers. That she resented the village built atop her parents' sacrifice.
That she wanted to escape this cramped forest.
"...I understand, Sia."
For her sake, Alen abandoned his role as Guardian and set off on a journey with Sia. All to show her the world beyond their tiny birthplace forest.
They visited other elven forests, the volcanic lands of the dwarves, even the newly established demonkin nation.
In the process, the siblings' bond deepened, and Sia—once filled with resentment toward her forest and the world—gradually fell for its beauties.
"Sia, where do you want to go next?"
"Labyrinth City!"
As Sia brightened, she inevitably grew curious about a place called 'Labyrinth City.'
A city built around the 'Labyrinth' at the continent's center. Teeming with mighty warriors, a melting pot of races.
At her wish to go there, Alen stiffened briefly but ultimately headed for Labyrinth City to grant it.
And what the siblings witnessed upon arrival was...
"Heh, talk about a windfall. Two pretty little elves wandering in..."
"Gasp... Ack..."
"B-Brother..."
The darkness of Labyrinth City. The eastern district.
Unaware of the city's dangers, the naive siblings headed east—where a clan took interest in their looks and ambushed them to sell at the slave market.
Outside, Alen could have protected them easily, but...
"Ack... Gasp!"
"Brother!"
"Whoa, not bad? A guy from outside Labyrinth City with this much skill... He'll fetch a higher price."
Those empowered by the Labyrinth wielded power on another level from outsiders. The siblings nearly became slaves, but...
"Trash."
"S-Sword Saint?!"
A man appeared out of nowhere, swinging his blade. Every head there fell—save Alen and Sia's. Later, they learned he'd come for a routine 'cleanup.'
"Pl-Please take me as your disciple!"
"Brother?"
Having his life saved, Alen stared entranced, then dropped to his knees, begging discipleship.
The man scowled coldly but surprisingly didn't refuse. He took them to a building marked 'Swordsmanship Guild.'
"Guild master? These elves?"
"Picked 'em up in the eastern district. They wanna be disciples—add 'em to the roster."
That day, they became part of the Swordsmanship Guild family.
Word was, Sword Saint Cain occasionally scooped up stray kids like this. And they all became his disciples.
Time passed...
"Hey! Sia! You're back! How'd it go?"
"Brother Alex! I advanced to intermediate!"
Among Cain's disciples, Sia—cheerful and lively—monopolized the affection. Like the others, she took up adventuring, wielding her master's swordsmanship. Her prodigious talent propelled her to intermediate adventurer swiftly.
"What about Brother Alen?"
"Sia, if you called me brother instead of big bro..."
"Brother Alen?"
"Sigh... Your brother's back too, apparently. Reached the 28th floor, they say... Hey, listen to the end!"
"Brother Alen~"
As a former elven village Guardian with solid skills, Alen soaked up Cain's teachings like a sponge on his sword talent, nearing advanced adventurer status.
"Oh? Sia! Heard the news—you're intermediate now?"
"Yeah. Slower than Brother, but they say it's still crazy fast!"
"Of course. Whose sister are you? Huh? Sia, what's that you bought...?"
"I-I'm heading to my room!"
Back then, Sia lived brightly. Sneaking adult toys like a normal teen, always smiling.
"You're back?"
"Father!"
"Call me guild master."
"You came, Father?"
"Who said I'm your father."
Alen especially adored the guild master. One day during training, he declared he'd serve Cain as father—and for nearly a decade living at the guild, he called him that consistently.
"Father!"
"Sia, you too...? Sigh."
Sia followed her brother's lead, playfully calling Cain 'father' to show closeness. Before long, she truly saw him as one.
Time flowed on. She met party members, formed the fixed party <Erdas>, cleared past the 20th floor, aiming for advanced adventurer.
"We're back."
"S-Sia!"
"Huh? Brother Hexon, why so shocked?"
"S-Sia. Please. Stay calm and come in. Alen........."
"..........What?"
Then came the news of Alen's death.