Chapter 14
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: The Second Guardian Spirit
Siegfried spoke with a meaningful expression.
"Brunhilt is not a magician."
The inaugural family head of the magic renowned Glazer Family, a half-human, half-demon said to possess the knowledge of the gods.
She was not actually a magician. It seemed like this was what he wanted to tell me.
"So?"
"......Huh?"
"Whether Brunhilt is a magician or not. She's stronger than anyone, right?"
"W-Well, that's true."
"Then that's fine. My goal isn't to learn magic. I just want to get stronger."
My current objective was not to become a magician.
It was to grow strong enough to kill a dragon, the unfinished business from my previous life.
Bringing her on as a Guardian Spirit was merely one step toward the next level of strength.
"Fine! Do whatever you want with Brunhilt!"
"Yes, I'll do as I please."
"...You never back down, do you?"
"What's winning or losing between us? Just think of it as me speaking my mind."
"Ah, yes. My principled disciple. Do whatever you want."
Siegfried grumbled as he floated up into the air, then lay on his side and pointed at Galsvint's necklace with his finger.
"And... that girl's got a bad temper, so be careful with every word you say."
"Like you, Master?"
"Exactly... Wait a minute. What did you just say?"
"That Brunhilt has a bad temper."
"No, no, not what I said. You. What did you say?"
"That I have to speak carefully, just like you, Master."
He rolled his eyes for a moment, then tilted his head.
"Did I?"
"You did."
"Anyway! When you call her, you'll see. Buttering her up to learn techniques isn't easy at all."
Think it'll be harder than with you? I almost said, but instead just nodded slightly.
I'd already experienced plenty of that in my previous life—flattering to learn skills.
Canceling lessons if he didn't like something was one of Siegfried's specialties from back then.
He'd even refuse to talk if there was anything remotely displeasing.
I held up Galsvint's necklace and replied.
"Well, I'll manage."
"Yeah, you'd manage anything. Then I'll step out for a bit, so... have a good time with Brunhilt in the meantime."
"Why are you stepping out?"
"It's been a while, so I'm nervous. Gotta go take a leak or something."
"Ghosts don't pee..."
"Hey, man! Can't souls piss?!"
I shrugged lightly.
"Fine. And I'm not summoning Brunhilt right now anyway."
To be precise, I couldn't summon her.
"Huh? Why not?"
"This stone. It's tougher than I thought; I can't break it."
"Break the stone?"
"You know since you're a Guardian Spirit too. To make a contract, I have to release the seal."
"Ah! Can't you just slash it with a sword?"
"Yes, I tried slashing it with a sword. Even tried hammering it. It didn't budge."
"Did you try Aura?"
"Yes, and Mana too. No! You saw everything from right beside me. What are you asking? Didn't you hear the banging earlier?"
Siegfried scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"I was sleeping."
A deafening roar right next to his head, and he was sleeping. The Sword God's realm was impressive in every way.
Still...
It really was incredible. I knew it was protected by high-level magic, but I didn't expect it to be this tough.
"So, found a way to break it?"
"Thinking about it."
Of course, my "thinking" wasn't about how to deal with this necklace, but when to release it.
I already knew how to get Brunhilt out.
"You think answers come from just thinking?"
"No rush, so I'll take my time. The necklace is in my hands anyway."
"True... But since you have it, wouldn't it be better to hurry and let her out?"
"Yesterday you said you didn't want to see her. Why the sudden rush?"
"No, just... Never mind! Do what you want."
I couldn't tell if Siegfried hated Brunhilt or liked her.
His thoughts were impossible to pin down. What on earth had happened between them?
Curiosity arose, but I didn't ask. He'd just ramble on endlessly with useless stories anyway.
Besides.
It was too early to bring out Brunhilt. Her presence becoming known in the castle was one issue, and if they learned I was a dual awakener, my brothers' scrutiny would intensify.
I needed to lay low until I could leave this castle and go independent.
"By the way, you know we have sword training today, right?"
"Of course! Anything you want to learn?"
"How to slash a dragon."
"Hey, man. Haven't I told you over a thousand times? That technique is still too advanced for you."
"Just tell me. The sooner, the better, right?"
"No, starting too fast isn't good. I learned that the hard way."
"Then what will you teach me? Not the basic drills we practice every day. Teach me a secret technique only you can do."
Siegfried pondered for a moment, then snapped his fingers.
Snap!
"You talked a good game. Fine, I'll use my generosity today and teach you one of my secret techniques."
Siegfried landed on the ground with a 'whoosh!' and drew a long red longsword from his waist, mimicking a downward slash toward the earth.
Shaaak-!
"Ever heard of the 'Aura Blade' technique? It's for turning the tables against an unbeatable foe by pouring everything into one strike. I created it myself, so only I can use it."
"Yes, Aura Blade. A bit dangerous to use, but an excellent technique."
Aura Blade.
A double-edged sword of a technique—dangerous, but capable of immense power—one of Siegfried's secret moves.
In my previous life, he'd only shown it off, never taught it. Why was he handing it over so easily this time?
I didn't know the reason, but it was a golden opportunity to grow stronger. I nodded emphatically at Siegfried.
"Sounds good."
-Roooaaar!
Knight in silver armor rode through the forest on horseback. Their numbers were roughly in the hundreds.
Whatever had them in such a hurry, they didn't stop, charging past the Strange Family's territory woods into the uninhabited canyon beyond.
"Hya!"
The lead knight yanked the reins.
Neighhh!
The following knights slowed in formation and began scanning the surroundings.
They searched the canyon thoroughly for a while before halting between some long-stretched rocks.
An entrance leading somewhere. Some kind of barrier was up—unless you focused, you couldn't perceive it at all, and an instinctive ominous aura emanated from it.
Normally, they never would have found the place.
"The compass points here, Gunter."
The middle-aged man who seemed to be the knight captain reported the compass direction.
Gunter raised his hand overhead in signal, and the knights raised their swords and shields, entering combat readiness.
"From now on, annihilate every monster you see."
The knights in the canyon replied in unison.
-Yes, sir!
"This is a danger level '4' battlefield. Attack immediately upon sighting enemies—no orders needed."
-Understood!
"No exceptions. Slash down old men, children—anything deemed an enemy."
As Gunter finished, the knight captain had a subordinate blow the horn.
Toot-! Toot toot!
At the signal, the knights charged between the rocks with a roar.
-Roooaaar!
The Strange Family's emblematic knights—bearing crosses—soon reached the ogre fortress.
They began mercilessly cutting down the ogres.
The unprepared ogre fortress crumbled in an instant.
Their chieftain, 'Galsvint,' fought desperately but could barely fend off the foes right before her.
"Capture that one alive and bind her."
The Strange Family's eldest, Gunter, eyed Galsvint—his gift to the Glazers—with cold eyes.
He didn't enter the fray himself. Two men at his side handled everything.
The two men who received the order approached Galsvint.
One was so massive he barely qualified as human, wearing a helmet with two horns; the other was gaunt enough for his armor to hang loose but freakishly tall, ogre-sized.
"As you command."
"Leave it to us, Young Master."
The two men charged at Galsvint simultaneously.
Soon, the fortress became a sea of flames, and Galsvint was bound and dragged away by the Strange knights.
It was utterly one-sided. A fight too overwhelming to call a war.
The Strange knights showed exactly what 'annihilation' meant.
There was no mercy in how they treated enemies. They killed those who lost the will to fight and surrendered, even beheading pleading elders and children begging for their lives on their knees.
Toot toot!
At the horn's call, the knights began to withdraw. Even on the way out, they stabbed fallen ogre corpses with their weapons.
Thud, thud!
Thus ended the Strange Family's ogre fortress raid. As the fortress fell silent after the battle...
Creak.
The largest hut's chest opened.
"...Is it over?"
A boy with emerald eyes cautiously peered through the chest's gap.
"Yeah, Mom."
Confirming no one was around, he emerged and stepped outside the hut into the devastated fortress.
The horrific scene before him.
Just hours ago, these people had been laughing and talking together—all dead now.
The boy couldn't believe his eyes. After surveying the fortress for a long time, he clutched his head with both hands and screamed.
"Aaaahhh!"
His legs gave out, knees slamming into the ground.
Thud.
"Th-This can't be..."
Everywhere—front, back, sides—burning huts and ogre corpses.
He ran with all his might searching for his mother, but it was futile.
She was gone. In despair, the boy sobbed. Yet even then, he tried to grasp the situation.
Who the hell attacked us?
Fortunately, he heard the answer from a surviving ogre.
"Strange..."
"Strange?"
"Yeah... Knights from the Strange Family..."
His mind flashed.
The continent's top swordsmanship family, Strange. Wasn't that the house of the kid who visited the fortress earlier?
The green-eyed boy, Rox, clenched his fists in rage.
Crunch.
Hard enough for his nails to dig into his skin and draw blood.
"Humans really can't be trusted."
The boy vowed.
He would never trust humans.
He entered his home and picked up the warhammer his mother had used.
"...Strange. Berddin, was it?"