Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: The One Reborn from All Mixed Races
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"Did you just call someone like me 'us'?"
"Shut up, you... half-dwarf."
Rondnel had muddied the point a bit, but it was a valid observation. Humans couldn't stand on their own pride, so they relied solely on the knight orders. The knight orders inherited their swords from the Holy Brazier.
That meant humans could only have pride if everyone could inherit a sword.
"You're right. There must be something twisted from long, long ago."
Bulki squeezed his eyes shut and muttered to himself. Then why wasn't the Holy Brazier open to other non-human races? It was surely made by Miplas and Mir for everyone on this continent.
"First, we need to learn more about the millennium-old pact that's missing from the myths, and the Holy Brazier born when the gods died. We also have to explore ways to liberate the swords, as Shainelius suggested, to expand the knight orders. I think the answer lies on Haipoji Mountain."
"Looks like you've been pondering the extermination of the demons on your own! That's the worry of a Hero who will lead the world! Your righteous friend, the Hero's companion, will join you!"
Gil slapped Bulki's back heartily as if to say not to worry, and Bulki gave a reluctant smile.
"Thanks, friend."
The sun fairies' millennium-old pact, Sional who created the Holy Brazier in the myths, and humans who possessed the Holy Brazier and had the largest population. Each race had its own troubles, but from now on, the Hero's party would ponder them together, each in their own way.
"2nd Knight Order Senior Knight Elis Hope reporting! The Joins start moving at dawn, so we should take shifts guarding the horses and Glory Mir, and the rest should get some sleep quickly..."
"Oh? Another friend working hard?"
"Pardon?"
Gil stood up and literally picked Elis up, plopping her down next to Bulki. Bulki smiled warmly and said to her,
"Cheret don't sleep anyway, so no need for extra guards, Elis. And if you keep treating us like this, Gil won't stay quiet."
"We're all knights! Fairies, dwarves-it doesn't matter. We're all aiming for the same sword tip, so speak freely! That's the righteous teaching of Captain Graveheim."
"Quite right, Elis. Under Captain Graveheim's walls, we're all equal. Of course, under Goddess Miplas, all our races are. And the most important thing is."
"We're all part of the Hero's party?"
"Exactly, Hero Duke."
Elis panicked, sweat pouring down her face, while Gil and Rondnel laughed at the sight. Shainelius grumbled midway about the noise, but the laughter continued for quite a while. Bulki thought of Nia and Saint Holden.
He was proud that they, included in the party, were his friends.
And he was equally proud that he hadn't forgotten the worries of his most beloved friend and was sharing them now, as much as he missed that forgotten friend.
But his friend, right at that moment, remembered nothing of him at all.
***
In the western continent of Gehenna, in the deepest underground level of the Demon King's castle Tehom in the Forgotten Lands.
"Awaken, my proud Demon King."
A massive, dark mass of something unknowable-how it connected, where it began-no one could tell. And even more grotesquely repulsive than that.
Before it appeared the black woman Iveldra and the great Demon King Lucifer van Ivelhac.
"The experiment is over. You're my perfect puppet now. Even the head you brought has been preserved. Now, to revive her, all you need to do is obey me and kill the princess."
As Lucifer approached, shaking his massive horns like a clown, the mass trembled.
"I can feel it."
Fear, or agony, or hatred greater than all of that combined. Nothing but such emotions emanated from the mass. Then, an eye in one corner of the black mass-the new Demon King's flesh-opened.
"Well, we need to give you a proper form. Now, open your eyes."
At Lucifer's words, a sorrowful scream filled the cavern, reaching the ends of Tehom. The mass rose, shaking off chunks of flesh from its hideous body, slowly standing. Something-poison or black clouds blotting the sun-continuously spewed from its flesh.
"Now sorrow will come. The time has arrived. The time to right this world's distortions, to correct the lies from the beginning. I'll share my horns with you, so set out, wretched sin."
The great Demon King shone the Eye of Sin as he approached and bestowed his horns upon the one mixed from all races.
"Go and kill them all."
Thus, the wretched sin, the one who lost its name and would kill the Hero, the most dangerous Demon King hidden in all tales, awoke.
"My Iven van Ivelhac."
Unaware that this would later be recorded as the Demon King's final campaign.
***
In the northeasternmost part of the eastern continent, snow eternally fell in Sional, painting the black sky and earth white. Footsteps clanged with metal striking snow, leaving prints in the softly piled drifts.
"It always snows in Sional. Day or night, it never changes."
"But the snow doesn't accumulate. Why is that, half-dwarf?"
"Oh, how can I hold back my answer when you ask about the place I was raised? The land of Sional burns, making it possible. The boiling lava from Haipoji Mountain creates geothermal heat, so the falling snow melts away as fleetingly as my anxiety vanishes when your eyes meet mine, refusing to look into my heart."
Elis, hearing this, couldn't hide her expression as if she'd seen a rotten corpse and stared at Rondnel. Bulki wore a similar look but soon removed his hood and asked,
"We've been out for a week. Take us to the nearest inn first, Rondnel. These buildings all look like round rocks; I have no idea where to go."
"I'd like to try that famous Haipoji Mountain clear liquor too."
They'd spent a week outdoors, and even after brushing off, they were covered in dust and blood. The metallic, bloody stench clung thickly to them. Their bodies, hidden under knight armors' cloths and robes, were in poor shape.
"Don't worry! Though I'm from the frontier Magen, I grew up in Sional, so I know the way like the back of my hand. Sional's-well, the landmarks are right there in the patterns on the roads."
As Rondnel said, the ground patterns seemed easier to spot than the snow-obscured surfaces. Rondnel swept the ground with his foot and continued,
"I'll guide you to an inn first. While you tidy up personally, shall I head to Magen by tomorrow morning and buy some gear? Our Magen blacksmiths pride themselves as the best on the continent-no, the world."
Rondnel hid none of his joy at returning to his homeland after so long. Bulki, recalling the seaside village of Brawn, fully understood.
Bulki checked the house shape Rondnel had swept clean on the road and handed over half the gold from Guva, asking him to handle the gear.
"The Joins' feathers would suffice, but I'll pick well anyway. Tell me if you need anything specific after tidying up. Now, to the inn."
***
"Hero, what are you doing up instead of sleeping?"
Late at night, Elis asked Bulki, who sat at the inn lobby table sorting something.
"Oh? Elis. No, I'm reviewing the diplomatic terms we can seal when we meet Lord Sherpandnel tomorrow. Administratively, I'm proposing effective tax reductions on goods distribution from Sional, and more market rights. Of course, we'll emphasize our aid in defense and the benefits of the alliance itself."
Bulki was pondering and noting scenarios for each clause. Elis fidgeted before him. Noticing, Bulki asked,
"What? Something to say?"
"May I sit for a moment?"
"Sure."
In her knight full plate, it wasn't noticeable, but in casual clothes, she looked every bit the girl. Bulki wondered briefly why she'd chosen to be a knight. As his thoughts wandered, Elis cautiously asked,
"If I'may ask, Hero, why did you decide to become a knight?"
Amused she'd thought the same, Bulki smiled and answered.
"I lost my family in the 2nd demon invasion. Luckily, I got the chance and decided to become a knight with my friend-friends. I didn't want to lose anything precious anymore, back then. You, Elis?"
"I just wanted to get stronger. So I'made myself my goal, doing my best every day at what I could."
Elis's eyes sparkled for a moment. Bulki felt a familiar glint in them.
"You're strong enough already. I can vouch for that."
"No. I still fall short of my goal. I rely too much on my sword. Without its immense power, I probably couldn't have risen from the abyss of myself. Without it, I'm not even knight material."
"Your sword... He said something similar."
"I don't know what to work on. Please guide me through this plateau, like that guiding star."
Bulki recalled his friend's words again.
They crashed over him like waves, slowly battering, breaking, and eroding the isolated island that was Bulki. Words hating his own sword. What if his sword were as strong as Bulki's. And finally, calling his sword Bulki.
Bulki selected stories of his forgotten friend to tell Elis.
"My most precious friend..."
Bulki calmed his heart gazing at the falling snow and willingly entered his memories.