Chapter 142
Chapter 142
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 142
>Chapter Title: Giving Up on Being Human
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Unlike my bold declaration, Sir Zeke's face was clouded with worry.
"Urgh...! Why not reconsider this?"
"Is there a reason?"
At my question, Sir Zeke chewed his lip.
"You'll surely regret it, no doubt."
In other words, it wouldn't end well.
But there was no further explanation.
Of course. Even if he went into detail, it'd just be a logical breakdown of how much of a bastard our patriarch was.
The reactions from my companions were similar.
[You fool. Think again. He's the head of Lortel. He's on a whole different level from anyone you've met so far.]
Shine rarely showed such disapproval.
Even Parun, who had left the choice to me, voiced his concerns.
[It's a poor choice. Lortel may be a house of knights, but the patriarch is another matter. You know that, don't you?]
Yeah, I knew.
Once someone reaches the position of patriarch, they're nothing like ordinary knights.
Honor—the greatest virtue—becomes a convenient excuse to bind the family together, and gods are just cumbersome pretenses.
What did that mean?
'They might see us as treasure goblins to strip bare.'
Especially in a secret meeting arranged like this—they'd have no qualms.
Still, I didn't back down.
It wasn't just for Sir Zeke's sake.
'There was never any choice to begin with.'
The young patriarch's promise? The pride of the third sword?
What use were those?
The master of Lortel.
Before him, the young patriarch was just that—a young patriarch—and the third sword was merely the third among ten blades.
No matter how much they flew high, if the master of Lortel willed it, they could do nothing.
Trust such people and ignore the invitation?
Would the patriarch just sit idly by?
'He'd crush us without a second thought.'
So, I had no choice.
However.
I looked at Sir Zeke and asked,
"Sir Zeke, did the patriarch request all three of us?"
"......?"
"I mean, is it fine if I go alone?"
"Well......"
Sir Zeke trailed off for a moment.
He seemed to be gauging the patriarch's intentions, but my mouth opened first.
"I'll go alone. These two are just baggage. That should be enough, right?"
Sir Zeke's silence stretched on a bit longer.
He was clearly conflicted.
He had braced himself to release all three of us, but now he had no choice but to carry out the patriarch's orders. He was wondering if bringing just me was appropriate.
But before I could hear his answer, I sent a message spell to Shine.
Even now, Shine's voice was ringing loudly in my ears.
[Are you insane? You fool. Do you think you can just waltz in there alone? He's the patriarch! The patriarch......!]
[Tch. Shut up with the nagging already. So what do you suggest?]
[If you're going, we all go together......]
[What if you cause trouble? Quiet down and just accept it.]
[Accept what......]
Snap.
I cut off Shine's noisy message spell.
It was then that Parun's voice echoed in my ear. Fortunately, unlike Shine, Parun was quite composed.
He simply asked,
[You sure about this?]
With a hint of concern.
I nodded calmly.
[What choice do we have?]
[......Fair enough, but still.]
[Don't linger near the castle. Head to Flick Mountain first. You know the secret passage? Drag Shine along.]
[......Mm.]
Parun hesitated to reply right away.
But I ended the message there.
Shine might not, but sensible Parun would follow my instructions.
As I made my intentions clear to my companions, Sir Zeke seemed to finish his deliberations and spoke up.
"For now...... very well. It should be fine."
"Thank you."
"......"
At my ready response, Sir Zeke clamped his mouth shut.
I did the same.
It was ridiculous.
Like a naive lamb being led to the slaughter, thanking the errand boy sent by the slaughterhouse owner.
Of course, Sir Zeke wasn't biting back laughter, but still.
"Hold on. Let me say goodbye."
"......Go ahead."
After getting permission from the third sword, I exchanged message spells with my somewhat calmed companions.
It wasn't some perfunctory "see you safely" talk.
We discussed contingencies, just in case.
By the time we wrapped up,
"......It's time to go for real."
"Guess so. I'll be back."
I bid farewell to Shine and Professor Parun.
"Oh, wait."
"......?"
"......?"
Before taking a few steps, I stopped and looked back at Shine and Parun.
"If I return home...... Hm. Nothing much to say about home. Anyway, see you then. I was planning to...... Uh, nothing set in stone after this either."
"What nonsense is this?"
At Shine's question, I shook my head.
"Nah, I'll be back."
Perfect jinx.
No fiancée waiting back home, no postponed plans after this.
As I turned to follow Sir Zeke,
One postponed matter suddenly came to mind.
'Right, I was going to raise a wyvern.'
But this......
Didn't break the jinx, did it?
* * *
I followed Sir Zeke through a side gate on the outskirts of Lortel Castle.
Had they cleared the area beforehand? No sentries in sight.
"Hide your presence and follow."
Sir Zeke said that and concealed his own aura.
Was it necessary? But...... probably our esteemed patriarch wanted it discreet.
'Figures.'
A question arose here.
'Even for a secret meeting, does it need to be this secretive?'
Slipping in quietly with the third sword wouldn't raise eyebrows.
But such doubts were fleeting.
I thought,
'......Whatever.'
If our noble and dignified Lortel patriarch wished it so.
If he wished it, we'd oblige—that's just human nature.
But what is human nature? The common sentiments of people.
The key word being 'people.'
So?
"I'm giving up on being human."
"......?"
Sir Zeke flinched at my sudden declaration of inhumanity.
But that shock was brief. His face twisted in alarm.
"You...... what are you doing?"
What was I doing?
Giving up on being human.
Zzzzz—
I released the aura I'd habitually suppressed. Not just released—I unleashed it fully.
It started faintly.
Pzzzt, pzzzzzt!
Like a tiny stream leaking from a dam's crack—intense, yet pathetically small in volume.
But then.
Boom!
An explosive aura swept the surroundings—like a torrent bursting from a collapsed dam, a massive wave of mana raging outward!
I stepped forward, projecting my presence with all my might.
"Wh-what......"
Sir Zeke froze in shock, but I ignored him.
In a way, it was like leaving the slaughterhouse errand boy behind and marching into the slaughterhouse on my own two feet......
'Not bad.'
No, not bad at all.
Still, I was curious.
My aura amplified with each step, and at some point, Lortel warriors began responding in kind, leaping out.
First came the grunts......
"Intruder!"
"To your positions!"
Click, clack.
Ordinary knights in armor emblazoned with Lortel's crest.
Fully armed even in the dead of night.
Their eyes blazed with ferocity, forcing Sir Zeke to spring into action.
"Sheathe your killing intent!"
He intervened before the knights could draw their swords.
His intent was clear.
'He wants to avoid bloodshed.'
Not because I was a guest invited by Lortel's patriarch...... but to prevent an irreversible incident.
Meanwhile, the ordinary knights couldn't hide their bewilderment at the sky-like third sword's restraint.
"Sir Zeke......?"
"Why are you......?"
Doubtful glances.
With the third sword holding them back, they didn't charge, but they were clearly baffled by the situation.
Amid the awkward standoff laced with confusion, I stopped in place and curled my lips into a smirk.
Was that so shocking?
"Enough of that."
Sir Zeke shot me a cold glare.
But I had no intention of stopping.
'My curiosity isn't satisfied yet.'
The aura dominating the area surged even stronger right then.
Rumble—!
Violent air currents. The atmosphere churned.
"Urgh!"
"Hup!"
As Lortel's knights wavered under the sudden amplification,
I swept the surroundings with my senses, expanded to match my aura. That's when I detected a massive presence in its range.
'This must be...... a captain?'
The thought had just crossed my mind.
Screeeeech!
A distant presence closed in rapidly.
'......!'
I hastily raised a barrier.
The impact hit immediately.
Boom!
A jolt shook my body, making me spit blood. Even with the barrier, this much force.
But the shock was brief. I straightened up and lifted my gaze.
Beyond my barrier stood a man.
Not fully armored like the grunts, but radiating an aura impossible to ignore.
"......Captain!"
From the grunts' cries, my guess was spot on.
'Sure enough, a captain.'
"You. What the hell are you?"
The unnamed captain glared at me with murder in his eyes. But only for a moment.
"Captain Exrt, wait. Sheathe your sword."
"......Sir Zeke? What is......"
"I'll explain later. Stand down and withdraw your aura."
Sir Zeke restrained Captain Exrt.
Exrt looked utterly baffled but awkwardly retreated under Sir Zeke's firm gaze.
It was then that Sir Zeke approached me with a hardened face.
"Stop this. I don't know your intent, but end it here."
No, it wasn't over yet.
I steadied my churning insides from the captain's blow and ignored Sir Zeke, flaring my aura even higher.
'I even drew out a captain.'
Was this still not enough to summon the patriarch?
'I'm nearing my limit here.'
No helping it.
I resonated the core's circle.
Woooom—
The circle vibrated, preheating.
A qualitatively different energy was about to overflow—
That was the moment.
"That's enough."
A deep, resonant voice.
An elderly knight pushed through the crowd.
"Isn't this a bit too noisy for the middle of the night?"
Was that the patriarch?
No, it wasn't.
"Sir Hamellan!"
Hamelan. Right, I'd heard that name before.
Lortel's first sword in this era.
No wonder I hadn't sensed him approaching at all. Even now, face-to-face, his presence was utterly absent.
'The one who called isn't coming......'
Instead, the damn first sword showed up.
Shit, so then.
'How much more do I need to draw out the patriarch?'
No, forget the patriarch—my head was about to roll first.
I thought Sir Zeke would cover for me, but who knew the first sword would appear.
The thought reached there.
"Daring to think of other things with me right in front of you?"
Flash!
A gleam slashed before my eyes right after.
"......!"
My vision blurred for an instant.
I blinked.
When my sight cleared, I faced a chilling sight.
A sword tip halted an inch from my retina.
Grind, grind!
It thrashed to pierce but seemed blocked by something, trembling nonstop.
Expanding my view beyond it, I realized whose sword it was—and what blocked it.
First, the sword's owner: Hamellan.
Lortel's first sword.
"Hmm."
He gazed at the one blocking his blade with an inscrutable smile. It was none other than Sir Zeke.
Blood dripping from his hand, Sir Zeke gripped Hamellan's sword and forced out words.
"One Sword...... sheathe it."
"Why not draw your own? Nearly sliced your hand off."
"Dueling among the ten swords without permission violates house law."
"Oh? You follow such rigid orders so faithfully."
"......?"
As Sir Zeke looked puzzled at the barbed remark,
Pzzzt—
Aether rose from the sword.
"Urgh......!"
"But do you know? I'm not trying to cut you. I'm after Lortel's intruder. What say you? Still not letting go?"
What did that mean?
Even if it meant severing Sir Zeke's hand, his intent was to cut me down.