Chapter 190: Brilliance (3)
Chapter 190: Brilliance (3)
The Little Prince did not know his own name.
He only had a vague memory of being called the ‘Little Prince’ in a land far, far away. Based on that lone shred of memory, he introduced himself as such as he wandered. Those who heard the peculiar title never forgot it, and so, they called him the Little Prince.
The Little Prince did not know who his parents were or what land he hailed from. It was only natural; how could he know his origins when he couldn't even remember his own name? His oldest memory was of a crash landing—a memory of falling onto a field of sand he had never seen before in an unknown land.
“That’s not a sand field; it’s a desert.”
He learned the word for that place from an old woman. The Little Prince spent a long time gazing at the desert landscape, seeing it for the first time. He watched the scenery until the sun had set more than forty times. Eventually, he collapsed, only to wake up in the old woman's house. She told him that staying in the desert for over a month without drinking a single drop of water was a death wish. She said he was lucky to be alive.
“I see.”
“Tsk, a bit of a slow child, aren't you? This desert is no place for a young child to travel. If you want to wander, you’d be better off following the pilgrims of the Holy Empire.”
“The Holy Empire, pilgrims… what are those?”
“You truly know nothing. How did you even get here? It’s not like you fell from the sky… Do you even know the name of this city?”
“No.”
“This is Antoine. The City of Stars.”
The old woman gave the Little Prince warm bread and camel milk. He learned then that food provided not only satiety but a strange sense of fulfillment. The old woman was kind, explaining that all the residents of this city were welcoming to travelers. As the Little Prince watched her cover him with a blanket, he asked a question.
“I have a question.”
“What is it now?”
“What does it mean to die?”
The old woman paused for a moment. Then, she answered bluntly.
“To disappear.”
To disappear—he understood what that meant. Hearing her words, the Little Prince thought: The desert, with its shifting sands and burning sun, was a difficult but beautiful place. I have seen the sunset forty times, but I want to see it more. The first food I ever ate was delicious. I want to eat more. I want to try every food to my heart's content.
If there was a desert, there must be many other sights. As much as there was that he didn't know, there would be just as much to learn. Feeling these desires, the Little Prince made a decision.
“I don't want to disappear.”
“Indeed. No one does. So don't do dangerous things that whittle away at your life. When day breaks tomorrow, I will show you the way to the Holy Empire. A land flowing with milk and honey…”
“Huh? Why did you stop talking?”
“Never mind. Don't go tomorrow; go in a week.”
The old woman smiled at the Little Prince.
“You poor, ignorant little traveler. You said you sat there for a long time, enchanted by the desert, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll show you something much more beautiful than that.”
“There’s something like that?”
“In six days, the priests will sing the Song of Stars.”
The Little Prince tilted his head. “Is the Song of Stars more beautiful than the sunset?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Why?”
“Because the Song of Stars is the dream of this city.”
“A dream…? What is a dream?”
The old woman answered clearly. “That which does not disappear.”
That which does not disappear. For some reason, those words struck deep into the Little Prince's heart. He desperately wanted to see the Song of Stars. He wanted to see this 'dream' the old woman spoke of with sparkling eyes.
“Go to sleep now. Your body hasn't recovered.”
But the Little Prince was too excited to sleep. In the middle of the night, he slipped out of the house. When he asked people on the street where he could see the Song of Stars, they pointed to the tallest building in the city: the observatory. The Little Prince arrived there with a flushed, expectant face.
“Oh.”
However, the observatory was not as beautiful as he had imagined. The structure, a mere pile of high-reaching wood, was not as beautiful as the sunset, nor did it look like something brilliant that would never fade. Greatly disappointed, the Little Prince wondered if he should simply return to the desert.
“Are you a traveler?”
Someone walked up to him as he pondered.
It was a woman. She had long, flowing hair and was younger and more beautiful than the old woman who had cared for him. But her most striking feature was not her youth, but her eyes. The Little Prince could not look away. Her eyes were like stars embedded in the pitch-black night sky—sparkling gems far more beautiful than any desert sunset.
“It’s been a long time since a young traveler has visited. What should I call you?”
“The Little Prince.”
“The Little Prince? Are you royalty? That’s a peculiar name.”
“What’s royalty? I don't know about that.”
“You don't know what royalty is, yet you call yourself a prince? You’ll get in big trouble.”
“Why would I get in big trouble?”
The Little Prince truly did not know.
The woman seemed to think his question was a joke. She let out a short sigh and prepared to stand. Not wanting the beautiful woman to leave, the Little Prince carefully grabbed the hem of her clothes.
“Your... your name too.”
“Pardon?”
“Tell me your name, too.”
At his childlike request, the woman's expression softened into a chuckle. When a smile blossomed on her face, the Little Prince felt an indescribable joy.
“Frey. My name is Frey.”
Frey. The Little Prince was certain of one thing.
Even if he were to forget his own name again, forget the desert sunset, forget the bread and camel milk, and even forget the old woman and this world—he would never, ever forget that name.
“You are a peculiar person,” she said.
“…Am I?”
“Yes. You’re pure, so you’re lovely.”
“You’re lovely too, Frey. You... you aren't peculiar.”
“Is that so?”
“You are special.”
The Little Prince smiled shyly. Frey smiled once more.
“Are you already wooing a lady?”
“Wooing? If wooing means confessing love, then yes. Perhaps I’ve just fallen in love. You are more beautiful than the desert sunset. Mmm... and bread! Even more than bread and camel milk!”
“Hahaha! What is that? Little Prince, I like your innocent wooing, but you are still too young. How about you come back when you’ve grown a bit more?”
Frey spoke playfully, finding the boy's confession cute. But the Little Prince spoke without a hint of hesitation.
“Then can I come back tomorrow?”
“Can you grow up that quickly?”
“Tomorrow, I will be one day older than I am today. The day after that, I’ll be another day older. I will keep growing without stopping.”
“All right. Come again tomorrow, Little Prince.”
“At what time?”
“Four in the afternoon. That should be fine.”
The Little Prince smiled brightly. His smile was as radiant as the woman he found so special.
“Frey.”
“Yes?”
“If you are coming at four in the afternoon, I will begin to be happy by three.”
Frey laughed. “Then will you be unhappy if I don't come?”
“No. Then I’ll be anxious and restless. But I won't be unhappy. Because I’ll be waiting for you, knowing you will come to meet me someday. Those moments will be special, different from any ordinary day.”
Frey simply stroked the boy's hair. The next day came, and the Little Prince sat in front of the tall observatory, waiting for her. But unlike her promise, Frey did not come. Not after three o'clock had passed, not after the sun had set, and not even after the night of harsh winds had gone and the hot sun rose again.
Frey finally appeared the next day at 4:44 PM.
*
“Looks like our kid is doing well.”
The master of the Needle, the mercenary swordswoman Mary, looked back and chuckled.
The power contained within 「Brilliance」, the new sword Arhan had swallowed, was special. Arhan likely wouldn't finish the digestion process as easily as before. The former master of 「Brilliance」 possessed a unique power, making them different from any soul Arhan had absorbed until now.
Of course, even if the process was arduous, there was no danger. No matter how long Arhan drifted within the memories of 「Brilliance」, they would protect him.
“Let’s protect him. We can't let a handsome kid die without even getting to use that face of his.”
“Why are you acting like the leader, you fire-scarred mercenary wench?”
“Since I was the first blade the kid ate, it’s only natural that I’m the leader, isn't it? Among mercenaries, we rank ourselves by the order we joined.”
“Don't make me laugh! Do you take Orcs for fools? What group is more meritocratic than mercenaries! They rank by ability, regardless of when they joined!”
“Tsk, you’re pretty smart for an Orc.”
“Orcs! Are! Not! Ignorant! Woman!”
The sword souls, manifesting in the Middle-world for the first time in ages, bickered with each other. There was one being watching them from a distance.
「…As expected, you are like me, yet different, young descendant.」
It was Liam.
「That blade would not have been of use to me. I merely reign over swords; I have never thought of harmonizing with them. But you… you are different.」
Liam looked at the vivid sword souls.
「You are the only Caravan loved by the sword.」
He saw the souls, each and every one of them vibrantly alive.
「For someone like you, the blade named ‘Brilliance’ will become a massive weapon. You will gain a power that only a being loved by the sword can possess.」
The power within 「Brilliance」, the sword the golden star had brought to Arhan, was special. It was the power to call forth into the world a being that had disappeared and remained only as a soul. However, this seemingly god-like ability would have been useless in the hands of any other Caravan. 「Brilliance」 became special only when held by Arhan Caravan.
Because that sword could only call forth those who loved its master.
It was an abstract and incredibly difficult condition. Yet, Liam's young descendant had satisfied it. And he had done so for every single sword he held within him.
“Hmph, how annoying. Well, since we’re out in the world for the first time in a while, why don't we settle the ranking here?”
“Do you think you can handle me, woman! Weren't you just a mercenary wench who was a mere 「Sword Beginner」! Kuhahahaha!”
“A Sword Beginner… I was, wasn't I?”
If the conditions were met, 「Brilliance」 gave a gift to the souls called into the world.
“But I’m not anymore, am I?”
The souls summoned by 「Brilliance」 did not possess the power they had when they were alive; instead, their power was adjusted to match that of the sword's master. Thus, the mercenary swordswoman Mary, who had ended her life as a Sword Beginner, was at this moment…
“Hah, this is nice.”
A 「Sword Runner」 with eight pairs of wings.
“…Hegel would have liked to see this.”
For a moment, Mary's eyes grew distant, but she quickly brushed away the lingering attachments of the past. Sharpness was all that remained in her gaze, devoid of sentimentality or sadness. Like a true mercenary.
“Well. He’s probably watching from somewhere.”
Having erased her emotions, Mary looked at the three warriors glaring her way. They were stronger than the knights of the Steel City Ferma who had humiliated her in the past. It might even be an insult to compare them to those men. But not a hint of fear touched Mary's eyes. Ever since she had taken up the Needle, she no longer feared fire or the world.
“…A strange trick. Shamanism? Magic? No, it cannot be explained by such things. This is truly like a mirage.”
“Hmph.”
“Rabbit, since you lost an arm, you deal with that woman. Eagle, you take the Orc. I will handle that one—the Ronin who exudes an unusual aura.”
“What, why are you acting like you’re doing me a favor? How annoying.”
Mary spoke irritably with a huff.
“Because you, fire-scarred wench, look insignificant at a glance.”
“What?”
“Even the blade you hold is pathetic. Is that not a needle rather than a sword? A needle that looks like it couldn't cut through anything.”
At the leader's words, Mary smirked.
“There were many who said things like that.”
“…”
“Hey, man of few words, let me tell you one thing. A sword…”
Mary's eyes flashed with a lethal light.
“Whether you swing it or thrust it, as long as you can aim it, that’s all that matters.”
* * *
「Name: Brilliance」
「A sword imbued with the love of a boy called the Little Prince.」
「Contains the Mystery of Mirage.」
「- Can temporarily call forth a soul that loves the wielder into the world. The power of the summoned soul is adjusted to the same level as the master of ‘Brilliance’.」
.
.
.
「Digestion is in progress.」
「The completion of the wings is near.」
「Prepare to don the armor.」