Chapter 327
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Seven Holy Swords (2)
-Grrrrr...
Holy Sword Zarak of the Advancing Hero.
Admitted to the infirmary.
Reason: Overexertion.
-Th-this can't be...! This can't happen!!! Just when Rishir was finally starting to rely on me— Ah, aah!!! Spirit of the World Tree, are you mocking me!?
-Mommy!?
The holy sword, its body faded and cracked in places, was clutched like a toy in the green girl's hands.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
The green girl giggled merrily as she swung the holy sword this way and that.
Surprisingly, this was the site of the holy sword's repairs.
The World Tree's abode, grown by feeding on Rishir's energy.
In other words, Rishir's room.
Zarak could feel his condition steadily improving with every moment spent there.
That was why he was screaming.
The fact that his condition could still improve meant his current state was far from perfect!
-Rishir was right after all...!!!
Zarak recalled that parting moment that still ached in his chest (though he was a sword, anyway).
=Zarak, you don't look so good, so you should rest here for a bit.
=No! I can't do that, Rishir! Who'll protect your empty hands without me!!!
=Blue Lotus, Beast, and if it's urgent, Roera's holy sword—
=Gaaaaah!!! Stop!!! Rishir!!! I'm fine!!! Really!!! I'd rather crumble to dust than leave you alone!
=I'm not alone, okay? Just rest with Dingding.
=Rishir! Rishir!!!
-Ah!!!
Zarak let out a desperate sigh, as if jolted awake from a nightmare.
-To think that I, a holy sword, would tire out and collapse before my master!!! What a humiliating disgrace!!! Don't you agree, Spirit of the World Tree!?
-Mommy!?
-Urk...! Yes, yes, it must be...!!! I don't have what it takes to be Rishir's holy sword! You think so too, don't you!?
-Mommy!!!
-Gaaaaah!!! Affirmation!!! Please, deny it!!!
The green girl just kept gleefully swinging the holy sword around.
And so, the solemn repair of the holy sword was in full swing.
-Hm!?!
Zarak's eyes widened.
Though he was a sword, anyway.
-Girl!!! Take me to the window, to the window!?
-Mommy!
Pat pat pat!
She was a good, obedient World Tree.
The green girl hugged the holy sword to her chest and dashed to the window.
With a hop, vines appeared from somewhere to catch her body.
The green girl showed the holy sword the view outside the window it had longed for.
-Ooooh, th-that's...!!!
Zarak cried out in awe.
Familiar faces had gathered in the mansion's inner courtyard.
Other holy swords.
His own master, Rishir, naturally stood at the center of it all.
Zarak's chest swelled with emotion.
Though he was a sword, anyway.
-Aaaah— Rishir!!! Is that it! Has the time finally come!
The Holy Sword of the Advancing Hero had a gut feeling.
Rishir.
The moment his master ascended to greater heights had arrived!
Immersed in that感動—
-...Wait!
-Mommy!?
-If Rishir becomes the master of all holy swords, what happens to me!?
-Mommy!!!!!
-What!? Just one among so many holy swords!?
Zarak fell into anguish over whether it was fitting for a holy sword—
But that moment didn't last long.
-Huh!?
A wave of light expanded, swallowing the surroundings—
And whisked Rishir and all the holy swords away somewhere.
Leaving only that one Holy Sword Zarak behind.
-Gaaaaah!!! Rishir!!! N-no!!! Don't leave me behind!!!
Zarak snapped out of his wild fantasy and screamed immediately.
-Mommy, mommy~!!!
The green girl swung him even more vigorously to cheer him up.
-No. There's no need to be confused. Zarak is here with us right now.
The figure of light.
It, which had been silent for a while, finally spoke.
"...Ah!"
Rishir mulled over that meaningful statement for a moment.
Then his eyes widened as he nodded vigorously.
He thought he understood what it meant.
'It knows I'm connected to Zarak and can summon him anytime!?'
Surprise showed on Rishir's face.
To see through him in such a short time.
"..."
Rishir unconsciously looked around.
A mystical space filled entirely with light, yet he could sense its vast scale.
He felt the energy composing the space brushing against his skin.
'It's not just an illusion...'
Another world that unfolded when all the holy swords gathered in one place.
And in it, the figure of light waiting for him.
Thump!
Rishir realized his heart was pounding fiercely.
Facing a wondrous aspect of the world he had yet to know exalted him.
His eyes gleamed.
A strong gleam that even the all-encompassing light couldn't hide.
-It seems you're prepared.
As Rishir looked up with such eyes, the figure of light spoke as if it had been waiting.
-If you're ready, follow me.
The figure of light that had been gazing down at Rishir from the sky.
It landed and began walking on two feet.
Its receding back felt like a guiding hand.
Rishir followed behind it as if entranced.
-First, as duty demands, I must reveal my name. I am—...
"..."
Tension gathered at the corners of Rishir's eyes.
The words from the figure of light sounded muffled and slurred.
Fortunately, focusing his ears allowed him to hear it clearly.
Lu-Rah.
That was the figure of light's true name.
'Lu-Rah...'
Rishir tried to give his own name as he followed it— or her.
However, the reason for revealing the name wasn't mere introduction—
He continued without hearing Rishir's name.
-Hero.
As if true names meant nothing before that title.
No. As if that was the true name from now on.
-I ask you.
"...!"
Rishir's gaze, chasing Lu-Rah's back, shifted elsewhere.
The six holy swords.
They floated around Lu-Rah, borne by an intangible force.
-What do you seek to achieve with the holy swords.
Rishir recalled his conversations with the previous heroes.
Until then, he hadn't considered becoming the master of multiple holy swords at all.
Even the talk of 'wanting to pit two more holy swords against a magic sword' came from that context.
To Rishir, holy swords were merely heavy burdens he had reluctantly shouldered— or useful tools.
He had no grand ideals or convictions to pursue through them like the other heroes.
"That's—"
And.
Even now, after being acknowledged by the other heroes as a true hero, that hadn't changed.
Rishir still lacked a sense of identity as a hero.
He had no will to achieve specific goals through the holy swords.
Of course—
Separate from that, he did feel a strong sense of responsibility.
Because he understood the weight of heroes entrusting their holy swords to others.
"..."
As his thoughts dragged on, Rishir's feet stopped.
Lu-Rah didn't wait.
The figure's back gradually receded.
Along with the holy swords floating around them.
-What do you seek by confining yourself within the frame of holy sword master.
But that voice was still by his side.
No, it drew even closer, pressing him.
"The reason I want to be a holy sword master..."
"Ah...!"
The hero let out an involuntary sigh.
The holy sword he believed was fully his own was drifting away.
Along with the nameless figure of light.
And as the holy sword receded, the doubt drew nearer.
The hero hurriedly reflected on its question.
"I—..."
He.
What did he seek by confining himself within the frame of holy sword master.
What for, did he seek to become a hero.
"..."
The hero's face was colored with anguish.
The weight in that question bore down on his shoulders fiercely.
The hero remembers.
Those who were holy sword masters.
The stories each holy sword held.
Their ideals. Their convictions.
"..."
Heavy.
Even one was a burden too grave to bear.
Such a burden—
And he was trying to take them all on.
It was natural to feel crushed by the weight.
"I—"
Yet he endures.
Because becoming a holy sword master—
Becoming a hero is such a thing.
Soon.
A smile rises on the hero's stiffened face.
An ideal wishing for all darkness to vanish.
Insight to illuminate all darkness.
Seal to contain all darkness.
Courage to face all darkness.
Unyielding to overcome all darkness.
Blessing knowing all darkness will recede.
And—
Advancing to leap beyond all darkness toward a better tomorrow.
The hero's smile held all those ideals and convictions.
Yes.
The hero was prepared to bear them all.
Thus, prepared to achieve it all.
Because he was a true hero.
"The reason I want to be a holy sword master is—"
The hero answered the given question with conviction.
And so—
-I see.
He reached the wrong answer.
The light filling the surroundings cleared—
And the figure of light vanished.
Along with the holy swords.
The hero's pupils shook.
No. The man's pupils shook.
He was no longer a hero.
"Z-Zarak!? Posena!? Elisica!!!"
He had no holy swords left.
-Strange. Is that question so difficult? Does it require such prolonged anguish?
-I ask once more. What do you seek by confining yourself within the frame of holy sword master.
"..."
Lu-Rah's urging pulled Rishir from his thoughts.
"Haa."
Instead of continuing his musings, Rishir let out a sigh laced with resignation.
True hero.
He tried to come up with an answer befitting that grave role—
But fell short.
No matter how he thought, no fitting answer came to mind.
Precisely—
Among the many options that arose, he couldn't choose one that truly captured his heart.
No matter how much responsibility he felt—
No matter how he shifted his perspective—
The core remained unchanged.
Thus, Rishir answered.
"I have no intention of doing so."
-...
Lu-Rah's receding back stopped in place for the first time.
He turned to face his counterpart directly.
-No intention? What do you mean?
"I have no intention of confining myself within the frame of holy sword master."
But.
Just as Lu-Rah opened his mouth.
Rishir added on and continued immediately.
"Since I've become a holy sword master anyway, I do plan to make the most practical— and honorable— use of them."
-No interest in a hero's duties, but coveting the power of holy swords— is that it?
"A bit extreme, but you could interpret it that way."
-Then. Instead of bearing a hero's duties, what do you seek to achieve. By 'using' these children, that is.
After a brief moment of thought, Rishir said.
"For now, I'm subjugating demons."
Silence descended once more upon the vast world of light.
And—
"Huh...?"
Rishir looked around.
The holy swords Lu-Rah had recalled were now hovering around him.
'I don't know exactly, but... did I pass?'
Rishir was bewildered.
'Why did I pass?'
He couldn't fathom why his answer— lacking any sense of heroic responsibility or weight— had pleased Lu-Rah.
-May I ask one thing?
"Yes? Ah!"
Rishir jumped back in surprise.
Lu-Rah.
The figure of light was now standing right beside him.
He pointed at Rishir's waist.
At the demon sword (?) Beast.
-How did that child end up like that?
"Ah—"
The moment Rishir started to explain the demon sword.
-Zarak.
"?"
That name came from Lu-Rah's mouth.
Rishir looked back and forth between him and the Beast in confusion.
"Zarak?"
-Yes. I can unmistakably sense the Advancing Hero's aura from that child. Holy Sword Zarak of the Advancing Hero. What circumstances led to one I created changing so beyond recognition?
"Uh—"
Rishir was at a loss for words.
Calling the Beast Zarak.
Claiming he made it.
The meaningful words turned into a storm of information, scrambling his mind.
"W-wait a sec! There's some misunderstanding here— this sword isn't Zarak!"
-Of course you'd think so. But that sword is definitely Zarak. Do you think I can't recognize one of the swords I made?
Rishir thought of the best way to sort out this chaotic situation.
He extended his left arm forward, gripped the air—
And pulled it out.
-This!? This!?! Ri, Rishir!!! You didn't forget me after all!!!
Thus, Holy Sword Zarak of the Advancing Hero was summoned.
"See? The real Zarak is right here."
Rishir showed the deluded Lu-Rah the Holy Sword of the Advancing Hero.
Then—
Was it his imagination?
An expression seemed to appear on the figure's face.
-...How did you do that?
"Pardon?"
The one conclusion—
No, question Lu-Rah reached in the end.
The holy sword's creator was thrown into extreme confusion.
Remote summoning?
I never added a function like that?