The Lost Demonic Sword Gore
The distance to the Taron Principality was significant, so our journey dragged on, and Elenore and I were inseparable the entire time. When we were staying at the cabin, we were often busy with our own tasks, sometimes not seeing each other for hours, but that wasn't the case now. We shared everything—from sleeping outdoors and building campfires to cook, to one of us keeping watch while the other took care of business, asking each other when to do the laundry, trimming each other's hair when it got too long, knowing exactly when her cycle was, and even getting caught with a "big tent" in my pants in the morning. We shared the most trivial and private of details.
"Elenore, I'll cook tonight."
"No, I will do it."
"Rest today. You've been doing it constantly."
"...Thank, you."
"You don't have to smile so shyly."
"Haeru-nim. I think there are goblins nearby. We High Elves can smell the distinct scent of blood in the forest."
"Let's stand back-to-back. Guard my back. I'll guard yours."
"Yes!"
"It's cold, so wrap yourself in the blanket and sleep. I'll be keeping watch, so don't worry."
"I will sleep for just a little while and then take over the watch."
"You have to wake up when I call you. Just sleep soundly for now."
"It's been a long time since I've been able to sleep while trusting a companion on a camping trip."
"You haven't been able to sleep all this time?"
"When I was traveling alone, I spent every night with my eyes wide open, and even when I was in a party with strangers for commissions, I couldn't sleep well. I was just too anxious."
"Hmm, I see. I understand."
"When I lived in the High Elf village, I heard all sorts of terrible things. Back then, I thought I was a child who shouldn't have been born into this world. It was only thanks to my late parents that I could barely find the strength to go on."
"Did you ever date anyone?"
"No, I haven't."
"Even after coming to the human world?"
"After coming to the human world, my wariness only grew. We are a strange race, and I was terrified of being dragged off to some bad place. Honestly, you are the first human man I've had a long conversation with, Haeru-nim. And it's my first time traveling alone with a human for days on end, too."
"Do you like it?"
"I, I like it..."
"I just asked, why are you smiling?"
"This life is fun. It's my first time experiencing traveling with someone else, so it's fun."
"Rain! It's raining!"
"There's a cave over there!"
"I don't see it, where?"
"Follow me! I'm a High Elf, so I'm good at finding caves!"
"Ohhh!"
"When I give the signal, shoot that guy with your bow."
"Yes."
"I'll go around that way and drive them toward you. It's our dinner tonight, so make sure you hit your mark."
"Leave it to me. Unless I'm injured or sick, I never miss."
"Wow, water! Let's wash up, let's wash!"
"You seem as excited as a child."
"It's been a while since I've had a bath, aren't you excited? Let's swim, let's swim!"
"I will do so separately later. Please go ahead."
"I was hoping to see your chest, what a shame~"
"*Chuckle*, I will never show you."
"*Yawn*. I'm bored, should I open Duchess Diana's box?"
"It only contains blueprints for a new type of cannon."
"We should take those for ourselves~"
"Pardon?"
"If we make a copy, it'll come in handy someday."
I grinned. "That wouldn't be right..." Elenore looked worried, as if she thought it was a bad deed, but she didn't seem to want to upset me, so she tacitly allowed it and didn't stop me.
"You see, a thief likes to take things on the sly. If you don't get caught, it's not a crime."
While she was driving the wagon, I moved to the cargo area and opened the box. I had opened it before, but I hadn't searched through it in detail.
"Let's see, what else is in here..." Amidst a pile of blueprints, I saw something like a book at the bottom.
"What book is this?"
It was written in an ancient language. But I had the ability to decipher ancient scripts. It wasn't perfect, but I had learned it while traveling with the Hero's party. I had used it occasionally when disarming traps or interpreting codes. Besides, demons loved to blather on or write in ancient tongues, so I had used it when exchanging conversations or letters with them.
"The Lost Demonic Sword Gore?" The title was intriguing. A quick glance revealed it was written by a scholar who lived 3,000 years ago. The first page contained an overview of his attempt to estimate the location of the Demonic Sword Gore, which had appeared and then vanished 10,000 years before his time.
"Is it just an interesting book written for kids? Like myths or mysteries... Hmm."
I decided I would read it for fun whenever I was bored on the way to the Taron Principality. I had to return it to the Duchess later, so I'd have to be careful not to make it look like I'd read it.
As I read the book I'd accidentally discovered in my spare time, I found myself drawn in before I knew it. The author wrote in such an engaging way. Suddenly, I felt a surge of desire to find it myself. 'It can even split mountains...' Fascinated by the contents of the book, which detailed the process of tracing the footsteps of the Demonic Sword, my desire to obtain a god-tier weapon grew every single day, and before I knew it, we had arrived at the Taron Principality.
I could see the castle walls in the distance. I had only read 50 pages out of the total 700. The ancient language made for slow reading. I had no choice but to put the book back in the box and close the lid. I felt a lingering regret, but since it had an owner, I had to return it. They would only pay the reward if the lost item was returned without a single thing missing.
"You, take off your mask."
"How rude!"
When we arrived in front of the castle wall, Elenore flared up when a gate guard pointed at me and demanded I remove my mask.
"We are the people who brought the item commissioned by Duchess Diana! Don't give us orders!"
"It's the rule to verify suspicious individuals. If you won't follow orders, you can't enter."
"If the Duchess finds out about this later, your heads will roll!"
"Stop it, Elenore."
I calmly removed my mask. Black hair, black eyes. Seeing my features, which were different from their own, the guards' expressions stiffened even further.
"A Lurker traveling with an elf, that's a rare sight. You go that way."
He pointed to the passage that Lurkers were forced to use, which was present in every castle these days. The entrance was low and narrow, forcing one to bend at a 90-degree angle to enter. It was as if they were trying to humiliate us and demand submission.
"Understood."
"Haeru-nim!"
"It's fine. You go in through that way."
I entered the castle through the exclusive passage for Earthlings without a word. I am an Earthling, but this was a first for me. When I traveled with the Hero's party in the past, I had never once used this passage. Whenever the Hero Arandal spoke, the guards would always step aside, giving us a free pass. It's a shame to lose a VIP-like status like that.
'Anyway, this Taron Principality is quite strict, too.'
It seems there is no freedom for Earthlings here either. Suddenly, I felt a sense of antipathy toward this Duchess Diana. Should I just steal the book? No, let's hold back.
"Are you alright?"
"It's just passing through the gate. Let's go."
Elenore was surprisingly good at taking care of things. She was like an adjutant. She was decent with a blade, too. There were a few sloppy points, but I had no intention of pointing them out. We were just going to part ways after getting the reward. The path I had to take in the future was dangerous, so it would be troublesome if she followed.
"We've come to see Duchess Diana. Just tell her we've brought the item she lost."
"Wow, an elf? Wait a moment."
The guard protecting the mansion went inside and came back out.
"Go on in."
We each grabbed one side of the wooden box to hand over to Duchess Diana and entered the main building. Elenore went into the reception room first to meet the Duchess and explain the situation. The reason I had followed her all the way here was that I had to show my face to explain why all the other hired party members had disappeared and why only Elenore had returned alone. In truth, I didn't want to come. I just wanted to wait outside, get the money, and leave.
"Should I have come in disguise..."
While waiting outside the door, I looked out the window with my mask tucked under my arm. Then, I looked back at the wooden box I had set down beside me.
'The book called The Lost Demonic Sword Gore... I'll have to come back here soon to read this book.'
I'll have to come in disguise. For some reason, I felt like the Demonic Sword might actually exist, and I wanted to finish the book and pinpoint its location to go find it. It really piqued my appetite.
"They said you can come in."
The door opened and Elenore gestured for me to enter. Seeing her bright smile, it seemed the conversation had gone well.
"*Ahem*."
I straightened my clothes for a moment and walked toward the door. Through the wide-open door, I could see the interior. Deep inside, a noble lady stood on a dais, and next to her stood an elegant young lady, looking like an aide... Hmm?
'...The Gigantia Empire's First Princess, Esmeralda?'
I was startled. Why was she here?
'Did she come to visit the Principality? No. Wait. It hasn't even been that long since I faked my death, and I'm already getting caught? This is infuriating.'
I was acquainted with the First Princess, Esmeralda. I had spoken to her exactly once, and that conversation was the first and the last. I remembered her as a quite kind and cheerful young lady. That's why I was in a good mood and gave her the 'Ring of Protection' for free. There had been no other connection since then.
'Will she recognize my face?'
My mind was in turmoil, but I had already encountered her, so I put on a calm expression and walked inside. 'If she recognizes me, I'm kidnapping her tonight...' Of course, I was joking. But jokes can sometimes become reality.