Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Chasing the Dream (3)
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The snow that had blanketed the entire city of Nabez finally stopped falling.
Fortunately, those who had fallen into slumber all returned to normal.
Thanks to the Lintria mercenaries swiftly evacuating the citizens, the damage from the disaster was less severe than expected.
The harm caused by the demons was far greater than that of the disaster itself. In particular, Count Margal of Crimson Flame had rampaged briefly, but the destruction he wrought was no small matter.
Still, it seemed they would recover quickly from this and soon regain their former state.
"So, what exactly happened to Sior in the end?"
"He vanished."
"To spend eons trapped in solitude, only to meet death at the end... How tragic."
Having heard the full story, Maria gazed at me with sad eyes.
Truth be told, I wasn't at ease either. After all, this conclusion was one I had written.
[Don't blame yourself too much. You did the best you could, right?]
As Gransesia said, that had been the best I could manage. There was no other way to free Sior from the constraints of his settings.
'No. Even so, I can't turn a blind eye. I resolved to take over Father's responsibilities.'
[Well, if you're okay with it, then fine. But is it really alright to break one of the Seven Heavenly Swords like that? They're essential items.]
'You're right.'
[Then isn't that a huge problem?]
Gransesia's concern was natural.
The Seven Heavenly Swords were forged to ward off disasters.
With one blade snapped and gone, the future suddenly felt uncertain.
I let out a chuckle at the bewilderment in Gransesia's voice.
'Genova was made to cut the other Seven Heavenly Swords from the start.'
[What? What do you mean?]
Genova's setting allowed it to cut through anything.
And the synopsis stated that Fabian carried only a single sword.
From that, I had predicted that Fabian must have used it to sever Solaris.
[What if your guess was wrong? What were you planning to do then?]
'I was certain it wouldn't be an issue.'
If my prediction had been off and Solaris had shattered pointlessly, it would have been a massive problem.
But I was confident that if my guess was wrong, Solaris simply wouldn't have broken.
'Father wouldn't have set things up so sloppily.'
If it came to battling Sior, a clash between Genova and Solaris was inevitable.
I was sure neither blade would break meaninglessly.
Even if my prediction failed, we could rethink our approach—no real loss there.
'And in the end, my guess was spot on, wasn't it?'
==
[Human Sword Genova]
A blade that grows stronger in response to humanity's origins and wishes.
Also known as the Wish Sword Genova.
....
....
[Ability Added]
It can sever all boundaries. However, it cannot defy the world's natural order.
==
The moment Solaris shattered, Genova gained a new setting.
Namely, Solaris's ability.
* * *
A few days later, just as I was thinking it was time to leave Aintban,
An unexpected visitor came to see me.
"Are you the hero who saved Nabez this time?"
Snow-white hair and blue eyes.
Exhaustion was etched into his features, yet he exuded a subtle air of intimidation.
He was dressed like any ordinary village farmer, but thanks to my ability to view settings, I knew he was no common man.
'Why is this guy here?'
Rasir Aintban, king of Aintban.
He had come to see me.
Of all times, right when I was eating.
I set down the spoon I had just dipped into the stew and offered a light greeting.
"It was possible only with the help of others."
"Humble words."
"I mean it sincerely."
He regarded me quietly.
As the king of a nation shattered helplessly by disaster, I had underestimated him a bit, but he truly carried the bearing of a monarch.
'Well, how else could he have held off the Dream Disaster?'
If human strength alone could stop it, it wouldn't be a disaster to begin with.
Even if he had sought the empire's aid a bit late, that didn't make him an incompetent king.
"...Clay, was it? The name matches that of the hero who's recently made a name in the empire."
"Coincidence."
"They say you wield a very special sword."
"That too is coincidence."
"Yes, mere coincidence."
Rasir let out a hollow laugh as he slowly withdrew his piercing gaze from me.
"Then, may I share a bit of hearsay as well?"
I offered no reply to his words.
It meant he could speak if he wished.
"They say the king of Aintban never forgets a debt he owes. And apparently, this time it's a great one."
His tone was casual, but I sensed his sincerity.
"Enough that he would grant any single request."
With that, he rose slowly from his seat.
Then, as if tossing it out casually, he added,
"...Ah, and there's one more thing I forgot to mention."
"What else is there?"
"Word is, Aintban will gradually open its borders."
What?
My expression nearly crumbled, but I managed to compose myself.
I swallowed dryly and opened my mouth as calmly as possible.
"Is this because of the recent incident?"
"No. It's something we've prepared for some time. It's just happening a bit sooner."
He fixed his blue eyes on me as he said this.
It felt as if he were watching to see how I'd use this information.
"That's all I have to say. Farewell for now, young man. Until next time."
With those words, he left the shop with steady steps.
He had phrased it nonchalantly, but every word was groundbreaking.
'An unexpected jackpot.'
Who would have thought the king of Aintban would visit personally and offer any request?
Just once, but used wisely, it could be a powerful weapon.
Being able to move Aintban meant commanding its myriad mercenaries.
Commanding mercenaries meant enlisting the aid of Mercenary King Serhens.
'And... opening its borders?'
Aintban was rich in mysterious specialties.
Monopolizing their trade would yield unimaginable profits.
Conveniently, the Timons Merchant Guild's second-in-command was right here.
Clatter!
"Maria!"
I abandoned my half-eaten stew on the table and dashed up to the inn room.
I had to lay the groundwork before this information leaked—even a moment sooner.
* * *
"Won't you stay in Aintban, Lutia?"
"The Black Skull Mercenary Corps was only a temporary gig anyway, so it's fine."
"You must have grown attached, though."
"It's not a forever goodbye. I'll visit now and then."
Inside the departing carriage, Lutia gazed out the window with a touch of longing as she spoke.
Her role here was complete, so she had decided to return to her family.
Even so, having spent quite some time in Aintban, she couldn't help feeling a mix of emotions.
"But why aren't you calling me by name like before? After all we've been through."
"...I'm not sure what 'we' even are. Besides, the informal speech was only to hide that you're Maria's mother."
Even I show respect to my elders.
Especially with Maria glaring daggers right beside us.
[Then show me some respect too.]
'Yes, of course, Gransesia Grandma.'
[D-Don't call me that! That's too much!]
Ignoring Gransesia's whining, I looked at Lutia, who eyed me with a sly grin.
Her gaze stirred an odd unease in me.
And as I feared, the words from her mouth were beyond imagination.
"What do you mean 'what are we'? How heartless. I might soon be calling you son-in-law."
"Cough!"
"M-Mother! What on earth are you... Oof!"
I choked despite having nothing in my throat from sheer shock.
Maria, equally flustered, flushed red with anger, shot to her feet—and smacked her head on the carriage ceiling with a groan.
"Oh dear, oh dear, is that not it? I know everything. They say you two slept together every single night while in Aintban?"
She usually acted so girlish that I forgot her age, but remarks like this made her seem every bit the meddlesome auntie.
The problem was, I had no rebuttal to her meddlesome claim.
"W-Well, that's true, but..."
I had slept alongside Maria to receive Gransesia's teachings more efficiently during sleep.
But that was purely for training optimization. I swear there was no ulterior motive.
"Mother, there was one more person there."
"Who? I never heard about that."
"..."
Maria knew of Gransesia's existence but couldn't casually reveal it to Lutia, so she fell silent.
Groaning in pain, Maria soon let out a soft sigh and spoke.
"...But who told you all that anyway?"
"Jade."
That slippery thieves' guild master must have sold our info to Lutia.
No wonder I hadn't seen him around lately.
'...He said he'd set up a branch in Banheart territory.'
I'll have to give him a piece of my mind then.
'Still, their relationship seems mended somewhat.'
Watching Maria and Lutia bicker felt like observing squabbling sisters.
Maria had been so cold at first, but living in Aintban must have helped her understand Lutia's side.
"Ah, but you know."
"What now?"
"I just realized—I'm alive."
Lutia chuckled at her own words, finding them amusing.
"Clearly, at the end, I was supposed to..."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Ah...!"
Lutia, speaking without thought, clamped her mouth shut under Maria's icy stare.
"Mother, were you planning to die at the end?"
"Not planning to die... more like destined to. But I survived, so it's fine."
"You're just going to brush it off like that?"
As the two grew noisy, I gazed out the window at the slowly passing scenery.
Amid the bright sunlight and melting snow, fresh green sprouts peeked through.
It was, truly, the dawn of spring.