#054 Name
#054 Name
Creeeak.
The door opened.
Lucius's mouth went dry under the intense stare of the branch manager, who was looking straight at him.
This man.
He's strong.
He was bald, but it seemed he hadn't been put in charge of the Normance branch for nothing—he appeared to possess considerably formidable combat power.
"As expected of the swordsman who felled a Sandworm in a single strike. You read my presence right away."
"Ah, that's..."
He couldn't help but feel it, since he was currently wreathed in the Holy Sword's power.
If he withdrew the Holy Sword's power, his body would probably go rigid with killing intent or tense up badly.
"...Let me get straight to the point."
Lucius took a deep breath and clasped his hands together.
Covering the ring on his left hand, he gathered power beneath his outstretched hands and quietly recited inwardly.
O wind.
BANG!
The golden Holy Sword that appeared in an instant drove itself into the floor.
The guild master, watching the Holy Sword that had split the red carpet and instantly carved through the marble floor, stroked his chin with his hand and studied the sword warily.
"A sword summoned from subspace...? What in the...?"
"It's only natural that you might not know of this. Now that I think about it."
Since this hadn't been its form for the past 500 years, it was only natural for him not to know.
"You must not be surprised by anything I tell you. Promise me, man to man."
"......If it's a man's promise."
"I am the Hero of the Wind Holy Sword."
"......."
The guild master's mouth fell open in silent shock.
Lucius returned the Holy Sword to its original state and placed a hand over his chest as he continued.
"I am the sole survivor of the Holy Sword Village, and the red-haired witch—the Crimson Mage—chose me as the Hero. The Holy Sword in the Holy Sword Village was real, and I, who was a resident of that village, became its owner."
"......."
The guild master silently clenched and unclenched his fist, punching at the empty air.
His mouth stretched in a silent howl, like a beast roaring, and veins bulged on his gleaming bald head.
"My teacher—the Crimson Mage, the one who guided the Wind Holy Sword to me—told me this. That the reason she awakened and released the Wind Holy Sword again was because she sensed the Great Demon King's energy from 500 years ago."
"......!!"
The guild master shoved his own fist into his mouth and groaned.
He struggled desperately to make no sound, so much so that deep red teeth marks were left on his hand.
"I'm not good with words, so it would probably be best for you to discuss the details with my teacher. I was simply chosen; my teacher knows the specifics."
"......J-just a moment."
The guild master reached toward Lucius with a trembling voice.
"Th-the Great Demon King...?"
"Yes. Belphe—"
"Stop."
The guild master pressed a hand to his face.
"......My life is ruined."
* * *
"By the way, Bareness, don't you feel anything from in there?"
"Why do you ask? Are you worried the guild master might do something strange to Arthur?"
"...He's bald."
"That's prejudice."
He'd released the Holy Sword once, so you'd think he'd notice something, but fortunately that didn't seem to be the case.
Creeeak.
While I was outside half-listening to Bareness's preaching, the conversation between Lucius and the bald guild master ended.
"Um, Master."
"Hm?"
"The guild master would like to speak with you for a moment."
"I know what it's about."
I rose from my seat and gestured to my spot for Lucius.
"Sit there and talk with Bareness for a bit. Hearing how the Mercenary King exterminated those monsters will be a good experience."
"Understood. Still, if anything dangerous happens, please tell me. I'll come in immediately."
"As if anything's going to happen."
I switched places with Lucius.
The kid sat where I'd been sitting—between Rosemas and Bareness—and nodded at me as I'd instructed, and I entered the room where the guild master was waiting.
"Hello?"
"......Hello."
A far more deferential posture than before.
He looked like he might kneel before me at any moment, and for the sake of his honor—and to score points by pretending to be considerate so I could use him more favorably—I snapped my fingers.
'Human Silence magic still breaks when the door opens, I see.'
Creeeak.
I closed the door and immediately cast Silence magic.
The guild master flinched, startled that I'd cast magic before he could, but soon straightened his posture and bowed to me.
"It's an honor to meet you, Crimson Mage."
"Pleased to meet you too, Guild Master. So, can you handle it now?"
"...I'm bewildered by how enormous this situation is. I heard a brief explanation from Lucius, but please confirm whether my understanding of the situation is correct."
"All right."
The guild master took a deep breath and asked me.
"Did the Wind Holy Sword awaken because the Great Demon King has been resurrected?"
"Belphegor."
"......."
The moment I said my name, the guild master went pale.
To feel terror from a name alone.
It seemed the fear of how I'd nearly conquered humanity 500 years ago had indeed been passed down clearly to this day.
'Belphegor is a warm lord to the Demon King Army, but a cold and cruel existence to enemies.'
From the perspective of humans who hadn't been incorporated into the Demon King Army, there was no terror like it.
"There's no need to be so shocked. If the Great Demon King were a flawless existence, maybe, but he's someone who was once defeated by a Hero."
There's no reason to be afraid.
"Don't be so frightened by the name of a loser."
"R-right. Hoo, hoo. I apologize. It's a trauma from childhood—my mother used to say, 'If you cry, the Great Demon King will take you away'..."
"Pfft."
"This is no laughing matter. The remnants of the Great Demon King—the number of people Acedia has abducted exceeds thousands per year."
"Whoa."
That's a far bigger number than I thought.
"What were people doing while Acedia was causing all that chaos?"
"They move with extreme meticulousness. They may be called remnants of the Demon King Army, but they retain the Demon King Army's most vicious tactics."
"Hmm... I see. Well, the reason I went south was because I felt a sense of déjà vu, after all."
The plausibility of going south while crows were rampaging in the north—secured.
"I thought, 'This is how the Demon King Army would move.' I went with that thought, and it paid off."
"Yes. Acedia is using the Demon King Army's tactics. It's only natural, I suppose. The Demon King's tactics are effective in nearly every situation..."
Why can't they properly catch Acedia?
Because Acedia freely exploits the Great Demon King's legacy.
A power that wages battles of wits against humans—a power so mighty that demon swords or powerful weapons can't even compare!
"What do you think, Witch? Is Acedia truly made up of remnants of the Demon King Army?"
"Five hundred years have passed, so I can't say for certain. Ah, did Lucius tell you about me?"
"...He didn't go into specifics. He said you sensed the Great Demon King's emergence, broke your seal and came out, and chose him as the Holy Sword Hero."
"That's roughly right. I was a member of the Hero Party that set out to defeat the Great Demon King. Well, I don't want to go into the specifics either..."
The real Crimson Mage and the version I was portraying had different endings.
The real her was captured by me and died locked in a prison.
But the version I was portraying had helped the Hero wielding the Wind Holy Sword escape from prison and then sealed herself away.
So there would be no need to talk about me in detail.
"I simply awakened because I sensed the Great Demon King's energy. Whether three hundred years passed after I fell asleep, or a thousand, it wouldn't have mattered. I sealed myself so that when the Great Demon King opened his eyes, I would naturally emerge into the world as well."
"Guh, Crimson Mage... hng."
Whether he cried from being moved or not, all he needed to know was that I was the guide leading the Hero.
"I don't yet know whether Acedia summoned the Great Demon King, or whether there's someone else who summoned him. But the Great Demon King—whatever other Holy Swords he might overlook—will come running to eliminate Lucius the moment he notices the Wind Holy Sword. Though, honestly, if word about me spreads too, it'd be a bit troublesome..."
"So the Wind Holy Sword must be hidden at all costs! Understood."
"Thank you for understanding."
As expected.
I thought the bald man would be competent.
I'm glad he's a competent bald man.
"Understood. I will do everything in my power to assist you, Crimson Mage. However, Crimson Mage—do you intend to completely hide the Holy Sword Hero?"
"Yes. If a time comes when he must be revealed, then reveal him we must, but not now. At least, not until we find traces of the Great Demon King, or locate an Acedia executive and learn what they're scheming using the Great Demon King."
"I see... Understood. I, too, will keep silent in accordance with your wishes, Crimson Mage, and the Hero's wishes."
The guild master made a zipping motion over his mouth and grinned.
"There may not be much I can do to help you, Mage, but I know a way to raise an adventurer's rank straight to B Rank. Would you be interested?"
"Oh. That's nice. I'll think about it. Um..."
It was a little awkward to ask after saying all that, but....
"Your name...?"
"Ah, I haven't introduced myself."
The guild master bowed with a graceful, almost noble movement.
"I am the branch manager of the Normance branch of the Adventurers' Guild, 'Francis de Emery.'"
"Excuse me?"
"Francis de Emery."