Chapter 538: Jealousy is My Power (38)
Chapter 538: Jealousy is My Power (38)
"I refuse."
Inside the workshop, which reeked of medicinal herbs, those were the first words the Elder Sword Duke and I heard upon visiting the Great Witch.
At that blunt refusal, I let out a deep sigh, having expected as much. The Sword Duke, on the other hand, looked like he was about to burst with indignation.
"Listen here, you old hag… have you truly gone mad?! Do you have any idea what it’s like for a man of my age to be called a 'bitch' by his own grand-niece?!"
The girl—the Sword Duke’s current form—even thumped her chest in lamentation, showing just how wronged she felt.
As her desperate plea suggested, the request the Great Witch had flatly rejected was related to the Sword Duke. Specifically, the demand that it was about time he returned to his original body.
I had brought it up myself because of the promise I’d made to him, but in truth, I hadn't expected much. Indeed, the Great Witch was now reciting the exact reasons I had anticipated.
"The incident hasn't even been resolved yet, so what 'original body' are you talking about? You still have plenty to do, you sword-obsessed maniac."
"No, but still...!"
"Tsk, tsk. At your age, you should have learned some patience."
The Great Witch exhaled a cloud of tobacco smoke and shook her head slowly from side to side. Her gaze held a very blatant emotion: utter patheticness.
The Sword Duke, feeling even more slighted, was about to raise his voice further, but the Great Witch was faster.
"Don't worry so much; your original body isn't going anywhere... You only asked me because you weren't sure yourself, weren't you? Wondering if it was really okay to go back yet. So, just endure it until this incident is over."
The Great Witch’s persuasion was entirely logical—so much so that even the furious Sword Duke had to simmer down and pull a sour face.
Still, unable to let it go completely, he grumbled in a sulky tone.
"……Good grief. How much longer must I play along with this childish house-playing?"
"Don't be too disappointed, Elder."
I didn't miss this chance to soothe the childish old man’s feelings. I wanted to make sure he wouldn't cause any trouble, at least until the plan was finished.
"I’ve managed to secure some fairly solid information. If you can just hold on a little longer, you’ll be able to return to your original body just as you wish."
"……Hmph."
The Sword Duke snorted, but he didn't bother to argue. In fact, he even went so far as to subtly talk me up.
"I shall trust your word, then. See to it that you do not disappoint me."
"Yes, yes… of course."
Watching our exchange, the Great Witch let out a short, mocking laugh. Her face said she could see right through the Sword Duke’s inner thoughts.
"You don't need to be so defensive, you sword maniac."
"Wh-What?! What do you mean, defensive!"
"I'm saying there's no need to put on a show of deep mutual trust just because you're in front of me. Tsk, tsk. Did your brain turn into a young girl's just because your body did? You don't have to be so anxious; I'm not going to steal him away."
The Sword Duke’s body stiffened. It was a completely different reaction from a moment ago when he was jumping up and down denying her words.
After hesitating for a moment while glancing at the Great Witch, the girl finally let out a cautious question.
"……R-Really?"
Her voice sparkled with innocent anticipation.
It was a look so earnest that it would have been awkward to retract the statement even if it had been a joke. The only problem was that the person she was talking to was the 'Great Witch.'
"Of course it's a lie. You're as dim-witted as ever. Puhuhu!"
There was no way a transcendent being who had lived for hundreds of years would bother to spare someone else's feelings.
Having effortlessly crushed the girl's heart, the Great Witch burst into cackling laughter for quite some time. Enraged, the Sword Duke looked ready to draw his blade and go on a rampage, but thanks to my desperate intervention, the clash between the two Masters was postponed.
In truth, the Sword Duke probably didn't intend to actually fight. If he did, he would have started by slicing the Great Witch’s body into pieces long ago.
While the Sword Duke panted, trying to control his temper, the Great Witch’s gaze slithered toward me. It was a complex look.
"Hmm, so… you are……."
"You can call me 'Kid.' That’s what the Elder Sword Duke calls me."
I said it without much thought.
Nevertheless, the Great Witch exhaled smoke with a look of dissatisfaction. I couldn't fathom why she was acting that way. I mean, hadn't she called me 'Kid' just fine the last time we met?
The Great Witch seemed to realize this as well, seeing as she clicked her tongue and shook her head.
"Tsk, fine. I suppose I should. But Kid, you……."
Trailing off, the Great Witch began to scrutinize my face intently. Her gaze was intense enough to be somewhat burdensome.
"……Have we met somewhere before?"
I responded with a tilt of my head instead of an answer.
The one who burst into clear laughter was not me, but the Sword Duke.
"Pfft… Ahahaha! Wh-What… what kind of outdated pick-up line is that? I suppose living for hundreds of years does make one feel lonely? How could you say that to a boy who’s still wet behind the ears……."
"Wh-What are you talking about!"
The Great Witch couldn't properly handle the Sword Duke’s counterattack. She jumped up from her seat and tried her best to deny it, but her face was already flushed bright red. It was a suspicious sight in many ways.
"I-It’s just that he felt somewhat familiar for a first meeting… I only asked because I thought it was strange! What! What kind of nonsense are you spouting!"
However, the Sword Duke, having seized the initiative for the first time in a while, was merciless. He even raised his voice as if he were enjoying her denial.
"Ex-Excuses… Puhuhu! To think I’d live to see such a rare sight. The great Great Witch using a h-honey trap…. A honey trap……?"
The girl’s voice, which had been flowing mockingly, suddenly froze.
The silence didn't last long. The Sword Duke’s expression distorted, and he immediately shouted.
"Oh, for heaven's sake! Do you have to go that far to steal the Empire’s pillar? Absolutely not!"
"I told you, that’s not it!"
The Sword Duke was now standing in front of me, practically growling.
Things were getting out of hand. I decided it was time to sigh and wrap things up.
"……Um, can we get to the main point now?"
Of course, no permission was given.
Even so, I quickly began to state my business before another argument could break out.
The bickering between the Great Witch and the Sword Duke finally stopped when the topic of the 'Vampire's whereabouts' came up.
When I added the explanation about the 'artificial body,' the Great Witch’s expression darkened slightly. As she exhaled tobacco smoke, a strange sense of loneliness emanated from her.
"I see. I wondered how they escaped, and that was it……."
"You didn't know?"
"There aren't many left who know the techniques to create an 'artificial body.' The Holy Kingdom doesn't particularly like it. If those God-fighters saw that guy’s current state, they’d try to smash him to pieces immediately."
Hearing that explanation, I recalled the creation myth.
The Heavenly God Arus created shining reason, and the Evil God Omeros built the flesh to serve as its vessel.
That is why sin remains in the flesh. The instinct to commit sin, unable to overcome desire, remains within the body.
This meant that the act of creating a vessel to hold reason was deeply connected to the Evil God. It was no wonder the Holy Kingdom reacted so sensitively.
"If the 'Great Sage'… if that old man were still alive, it might be different, but now the people who remember that technique can be counted on one hand."
The 'Great Sage' was a legendary figure who had been in seclusion for over ten years. Once a Master of the Empire, he had suddenly vanished after entrusting the future to the Sword Duke. Officially, it was said he had reached the end of his natural lifespan, but who would believe that? He was a genius of magic who had lived even longer than the Saint.
However, the Great Witch didn't seem particularly interested in who had passed on the technique. In fact, it might have been because there was no answer even if she thought about it.
Instead, the Great Witch’s interest lay elsewhere.
"……By the way, where did you get that information?"
It was a question I had heard several times already. And it was a difficult one to answer carelessly.
I couldn't exactly say, 'My younger sister is the Saintess of the Dark Cult and "Greed" of the Seven Deadly Sins, and she decided to give me intelligence because of an internal power struggle.'
Especially when the price was 'taking off my shirt' or sleeping together.
I was terrified of what kind of misunderstanding that would cause. Even if I somehow convinced the Great Witch or the Sword Duke, if word reached the Saintess staying in the Holy Kingdom, I’d probably be beaten until my back was shredded.
Is this the sorrow of a married man?
Feeling a drop of cold sweat run down my spine, I stammered out my words.
"Th-That… it’s difficult to explain in detail……."
"Then forget it."
But before I could even continue my excuse, the Great Witch gave a surprisingly cool response. I was left blinking in confusion.
"What? You have some circumstances you can't talk about, don't you?"
"W-Well, yes, but……."
It was good for me, but...
As I was struck by a strange sense of déjà vu, the Sword Duke added in a skeptical voice.
"Hag, have you finally gone senile? Since when were you so trusting of people?"
He was right.
The Great Witch and I had only just met. In such a situation, for her not to even question the source of such critical information was unthinkable in a normal relationship of trust.
Nevertheless, the Great Witch simply pouted and grumbled.
"……Hmph, it’s my choice."
"Hmm." The Sword Duke crossed his arms, his mood souring in real-time.
The atmosphere suggested another fight was about to start. Fortunately, the Great Witch seemed to have reached a conclusion before I had to step in.
"You, come with me starting tomorrow."
Naturally, that 'you' wasn't the Sword Duke, so it didn't take long for the girl's face to contort.
Not that she could win against the Great Witch’s rhetoric, though.
The girl quickly lost her spirit after being persuaded by the logic that since the Sword Duke had been given time, the Great Witch should also be allowed to share my time. It was a sound argument with no room for rebuttal.
The only remaining problem was one thing.
"Hueee……."
At that faint groan, everyone’s gaze shifted.
On a bed in the corner of the room lay a beautiful girl, asleep. Or more accurately, 'unconscious' would be the right word.
One could tell just by looking at her eyes, which were spinning in circles.
It was my junior, Seria Yurdina.
When I sent a look of slight resentment his way, the Sword Duke let out an awkward cough.
"Ahem, I didn't expect her to charge in so recklessly……."
Unlike the Sword Duke, the Great Witch seemed interested in something else.
After observing Seria for a long time, the Great Witch exhaled a cloud of smoke with a sigh.
"……Let’s take that brat along too."
I nodded silently, and the Sword Duke, while grumbling, decided to allow me to accompany the Great Witch for now.
On the condition that we have a duel tonight, of course.
It was around the time I stepped out of the building.
The Great Witch, who was personally seeing me off, flicked her eyes toward a certain spot.
"Is something wrong?"
"Hmm… It’s nothing."
I knew all too well that wasn't the case.
After entrusting Seria to the Sword Duke, I went alone to the spot where the Great Witch had glanced.
Sure enough, there was a pair of dainty buttocks that hadn't been quite hidden in the bushes.
How should I put it?
Unable to resist the inner voice boiling up inside me, my hand swung out and smack!—I slapped those buttocks.
Immediately, a pointed hat popped up from the bushes.
"Hieeeeeek?! No, what kind of crazy bastard… Is it you again?!"
It was 'Senior Elsie.'
I shrugged and asked the obvious question.
"What are you doing?"
"Obviously, I’m… k-keeping watch……."
The way she trailed off was suspicious.
Soon, my eyes scanned the direction Senior Elsie had been looking. There stood a familiar building.
The Great Witch’s residence.
"Ho-oh," I let out a soft smile and nodded.
"Say what you will, but the bond between master and disciple is a fearsome thing."
"Wh-What are you talking about… Why on earth would I miss an old hag like that?!"
Her voice trembled slightly as she shouted with clenched fists, making me let out a hollow laugh.
There was one fact that never changed, no matter how much time passed.
And that was that Senior Elsie was never honest with herself.
Instead of answering, I grabbed Senior Elsie by the scruff of her neck and hoisted her up.
"Then let’s put it to the test."
"What test… Hey, hey! Let go of me! Where are you taking me?!"
Where else?
I happened to have some things I wanted to ask Senior Elsie anyway.
It was time for a 'Master-Disciple Reunion.'