Jinseigyakuten Uwakisare Enzai wo Kiserareta Orega Gakuenichi no Bisyoujo ni Natsukareru [LN] Bahasa Indonesia

 

Chapter 1: The Beginning of the Journey

I was born without power. If that was my lot, I swore I’d at least live with resolve.

So I wouldn't let anything precious slip through my fingers ever again.

A cold wind, carried down from the northern skies, caressed the mountain face, shaking the trees and knocking the morning dew from the branch tips. The droplets turned into silver threads, falling through the forest as it whitened with the morning glow. Directly beneath them, a young hunter crouched in the underbrush.

At the tip of his drawn bow and arrow was a family of rabbits.

The kits hopped around their parent. Lively prey. But haste makes waste. Not wanting to miss, he waited for the moment their movement stopped. Just as he released his hand from the nocked arrow—

Plip.

A droplet fell from a branch and struck the crown of his head. The morning chill burst against his skin.

"Nwah?!"

The arrow flew off in an absurd direction, and the startled rabbit family bounded away.

"Damn it," he muttered, gritting his back teeth. He brushed off the damp soil and stood up straight.

He was a novice hunter with hair the color of dead leaves.

He had just turned fifteen today. Freckles were scattered across his cheeks, leaving traces of childishness on his face. He wasn't particularly tall, either. However, he was toned. One look was enough to tell that his body had been grown by this mountain.

"Hmph, fine then."

I’ll hunt you when you’re nice and fat. Along with that bluff, the breath he exhaled was a pale gray. It was the color of thawing snow, waiting for spring to truly begin now that winter was breaking.

He retrieved the loosed arrow. For a pauper like him, iron arrowheads were precious. He couldn't afford to treat them as disposable.

Then, he glared resentfully at the canopy from which the water droplet had fallen.

The sky peeking through the gaps in the trees was beginning to brighten. It was about time for the morning chores to start. Thinking he needed to prepare a meal, he began to walk through the mountains.

As he walked, his stomach growled emptily. If it were just him going hungry, he could endure it.

But at home, there was one blood relative waiting for his return.

He had a sister.

He arrived at his home, located halfway up the northeast side of Mt. Fuyuze, which stretched from north to south. It was a humble wooden shack. He opened the door, the hinges creaking.

"I'm home."

There was no reply to his greeting.

When he peeked into the bedroom, his sister was sitting on the bed.

She had gray hair, just like her brother. She was a petite girl who had just turned ten.

His sister, Menou, was facing a desk placed near the bed, her hands clasped in prayer. The objects of her prayer were two wooden carvings. One was old, the other still new. She bowed to them twice.

"Mom, Dad... Good morning."

She lifted her face, reached for the mortar beside the statues, pinched some herbs, and rubbed them between her fingertips. A refreshing scent drifted through the air. Then, she clasped her hands again and spoke to the wooden carvings.

"Don't worry, you two. Niichan and I are getting along just fine."

It was her daily prayer. Menou’s profile as she prayed was incomparably peaceful, making one feel a sense of sanctity.

Their mother had died soon after giving birth to Menou. Their father had lost his life last winter, slipping off a snowy path.

The siblings were managing to live, somehow, by supporting each other.

He held his breath so as not to disturb her. While waiting for her to finish praying, he removed the equipment he was wearing—his bow, quiver, waist pouch, and various other items.

Then he took down the parchment pinned to the wall. A map of Mt. Fuyuze left behind by their father.

Several 'X' marks were drawn on it, indicating the main hunting grounds—the territories of beasts. He added a new 'X' with charcoal, slightly below an existing mark. It was the place where he had just seen the rabbit family.

"Moving south... are they?"

For the past few days, the movement of the animals had been strange. It was his first experience seeing rabbits change their territory.

Neither beasts nor humans want to let go of land that is easy for feeding and sleeping. Yet, a change was occurring. It felt like an omen of something. 

Concluding that he would ride around on the horse to investigate soon, he pinned the map back onto the wall.

"Welcome back, Niichan."

Menou stood up from the bed where she had been sitting, her eyes still closed. Leaving the bedroom, she reached the living room by shuffling her feet while touching the wall. She was blind.

Still, she was used to walking inside the house, and she approached him without stopping.

"Are you hurt?"

"Not a scratch... Though it would've been better if I got a catch, even if I got hurt."

"Hmm? Let me see." Menou brought her small nose close, sniffing like a puppy. "It's true, no scent of blood. Did you mess up?"

"Sorry. It's wheat porridge again this morning."

"Hehe, I love the food you make, Niichan."

Menou hugged him innocently. When he ruffled her fluffy hair, she shook her body as if tickled and laughed. She was a cute sister.

"Never mind my injuries, how are you, Menou? No seizures?"

"Nn, I'm fine."

Menou suffered from an unknown disease.

When she was little, she was a tomboy, a spirited child who ran around the fields. But one day, just after she turned five, she suddenly lost sight in both eyes, and subsequently, her lungs became weak. When they had a traveling healing monk examine her, he threw up his hands in defeat, recommending only the suppression of symptoms with medicine infused with magic, and rest in a land with clear air.

So, five years ago, led by their father, the family of three had moved here from beyond Mt. Fuyuze.

Since then, her condition had deteriorated day by day. Recently, mysterious black bruises had begun to appear around her eyes.

"Do you still have medicine?"

"I'm counting them properly."

As she said this, she shook the small leather pouch hanging from her neck. It made a jingling sound. Pills. It was so-called emergency medicine, to be taken when a seizure occurred.

"If you run out, tell me. I'll ride the horse to the next town... no, even to the Royal Capital."

The medicine was precious. It was expensive, and the medicine peddler only came as far as the village at the foot of the mountain. Furthermore, since around autumn, he hadn't even shown his face in the village. The villagers said it was because the invasion of the Jazoku was intensifying.

"Niichan, you say that, but what about money?"

"I'll sell the horse when we get there. The way back, well, I'll run."

Menou looked up at him as if she wanted to say something.

"You know, Niichan, sometimes you say really stupid things with a super serious face."

"I'm serious, you know?"

"That's why I'm saying you're stupid."

Facing her brother, who was singularly devoted to his sister, Menou pursed her lips.

"Well... thanks, Niichan."

It was heartwarming that she responded honestly in the end. He ruffled Menou's hair.

"Wait there. I'll make food now."

When he sent air into the embers of the fireplace, orange flames breathed back to life. He tilted a jar and poured water into an earthen pot. He grabbed a single serving of wheat from a hemp sack and threw it in. Then a pinch of crushed rock salt. He let it simmer for a while. He opened the double doors of the cold storage under the floor and took out a copper vessel. The finishing touch.

"You like sheep's milk, right?"

Menou nodded and let a smile burst forth, but when the finished porridge was lined up on the table, she started fidgeting, pressing her fingertips together.

"Bathroom?"

"No! Jeez, Niichan, you dummy!"

"Then what is it?"

"Uhm, well... You're eating breakfast with me, right, Niichan?"

"Of course. Look."

He tapped his bowl with a spoon to show he was holding it. But Menou slowly shook her head.

"You know, Niichan. The sound is totally different when it has something inside versus when it's empty."

Menou tapped the bowl containing the porridge. It made a wet topun sound. The difference was obvious.

It was exactly as Menou said. There was wheat porridge in that bowl, but his bowl was empty. The wheat he threw into the pot was only enough for one person to begin with. He had intended to feed only Menou from the start.

To hide his agitation, he let out an exaggerated sigh.

"I got caught, huh? As expected of Menou, my cute little sister."

"Moo, enough with that... Why do you lie, Niichan?"

"I'm not hungry. So don't worry about it and eat."

"Really? No lies between siblings, remember?"

"I'm telling the truth, look," he said, slapping his stomach.

Gu-gyuruuu... A pathetic sound echoed.

"Niichan?"

Menou smiled sweetly, applying pressure.

"Th-this is, you see..."

"I'm sad. Even though you were the one who said 'no lies between siblings,' Niichan."

"Ugh," he choked on his words. He had taught her that precisely because Menou was too good a girl and tended to endure things in silence, but to think those words would come back to bite him. He resigned himself and opened his mouth.

"...I'm sorry for lying. It's true, I am hungry. But, I'm sorry. Your big brother isn't a skilled hunter, and I can't use magic to make life easier. I'm just a kid. So, this is the only way."

He clenched his fist as he spoke. He even felt ashamed of his own powerlessness. However.

"Scary," Menou's reaction was light. "I don't expect you to go that far!"

"Eh?"

"Of course, I'm super happy you work hard for me. I love that about you, Niichan. You always help me, think of me... I'm happy. Thank you."

"O-oh..."

"But this and that are different! There's no need to be hard on yourself like some ascetic monk!"

"But."

"No buts. If you don't eat and get skinny, you won't have the strength to hunt, right?"

Menou mimicked the motion of shooting an arrow.

"Ugh... that is..."

"Besides, if we're talking about uselessness, I'm way above you, you know? Not to brag, but I can't hunt at all. In that case, should I not eat? Would it be better if I wasn't he—"

"That's not true!"

"See? That's what you'd say, right? So, it's the same for me."

"Guh," he was at a loss for words.

"More importantly, what I can't overlook is that you lied, Niichan. We're a family of just two now, after all."

Right? Menou tilted her head.

"...No lies between siblings, then."

"Exactly!"

The bowl containing the wheat porridge was held out.

"As long as I can eat with Niichan, that's enough for me."

"You're kind, Menou."

"No. The kind one is you, Niichan. Kind, and strong—Niichan, you are my hero."

Menou said this with a satisfied face. She wore a peaceful expression, just like when she was offering her prayers.

Then, the two of them shared the single portion of porridge. It was a happy time, with Menou smiling the whole way through.

When the bowl was empty, he stood up.

"It's a bit early, but I'm heading out."

To the village at the foot of the mountain for work. Spring was near; jobs were piling up.

"Nn! ...Ah, come to think of it."

When he asked what was up, Menou smiled like a spring flower.

"It's your birthday, right Niichan? I'll give you something good when you get back," she said with a scheming hee hee hee face.

"I'll look forward to that."

As he tried to leave the house, his eyes stopped on the 'X' mark he had added to the wall map. He shook his head to dispel the ominous premonition.

As he began to descend the mountain, the north wind blew with a byuu. The cold air made his body shiver. Still, his steps were somewhat light.

The warmth of the wheat porridge he had shared with Menou gave strength to his body.

Even if porridge filled the heart, money was essential. Magic medicine was expensive.

For that reason, both brother and sister spent their days working diligently. While his sister did piecework at home, the brother would descend Mt. Fuyuze and go to the settlement at the foot—Shishigine Village—to work every day.

"Plowing the fields, continuing the maintenance of the waterways, and Grandma Solya's thatched roof was damaged by the snow..."

In this season where winter was ending, the village was slowly beginning to move toward spring. There was much to do.

Being able to work like this was entirely thanks to his late father.

Ever since drifting to Mt. Fuyuze from a neighboring country, his father had interacted with the village and gained the trust of the residents.

Thanks to that, he could work again today. ...Or so he thought.

When he arrived at Shishigine Village, the atmosphere was different from usual.

A crowd had formed in the plaza. The villagers were surrounding a group of outsiders dressed in unfamiliar attire. He thought a merchant caravan had arrived, but that didn't seem right.

First, they had several horses. Traveling merchants who came to a rustic place like Shishigine Village weren't that magnificent. Most came on foot, or at best, strapped goods to a donkey. And they were rarely in a group.

But the outsiders before his eyes numbered just under ten. And all of them had magnificent warhorses. It was also rare for them to be wearing matching cloaks. One could guess they were some kind of organization.

A man who appeared to be the leader of the group spoke resolutely from horseback.

"We have come this far seeking the 〈Hero's Sword〉."

The man's manner of speaking was as if he were delivering a divine oracle straight from the heavens.

"Is there anyone familiar with Mt. Fuyuze? We wish to request a guide for crossing the mountain."

The villagers were buzzing at the man's words. Voices asked where the village head was, but there was no sign of anyone going to call him. Everyone was deeply interested in the man. After all, he had a strange appearance.

It looked like a pile of rags straddling a horse.

The man wore a soot-colored cloak, and his eyes were covered by a hood, making his expression impossible to read. He looked like a vagrant. But if one looked closely, he was wearing armor under the cloak and had a sword at his waist. To the casual eye, it looked dirty, but a discerning eye would realize it was a masterpiece weapon. Even on horseback, his spine was straight and unwavering.

A wandering knight, one might say.

"The 〈Hero's Sword〉? Why, that's just a fairy tale, ain't it?" one of the villagers asked. However.

"No, it exists. Please believe me."

At his brusque phrasing, the villagers frowned. Wariness toward the sudden outsiders spiked.

"You tell us to believe you, but you won't even show your face clearly? That ain't right."

A chorus of dissatisfaction spread, agreeing with the sentiment. The air grew tense. The villagers glared at the man.

"...Indeed, you have a point."

The man nodded at the villagers' voices, then put his hand on his hood and pulled it back firmly.

A sigh of admiration rose from the villagers. What appeared from under the hood was a handsome man in the prime of his life. His trimmed blond hair shone as it absorbed the morning light. When his fearless blue eyes sparkled, they released a demonic charm that captivated the viewer. He was just shy of fifty.

A handsome gentleman. That was the phrase that suited him.

"I am Mistra. Commander of the Foden Kingdom's First Knight Order, the 〈Knights of Dawn〉."

He pulled a thin chain from his breastplate, revealing a necklace. A large crimson jewel shone brilliantly in the central setting. It was a magnificent necklace.

"This is the proof."

When Mistra breathed onto the jewel, it suddenly began to emit magical light. A crest the size of a palm appeared in front of his chest.

A commotion arose. Likely because most of them had never seen magic before. Above all, that crest—modeled after the light of dawn peeking over the horizon—was something even they recognized.

"The Knights of Dawn... it's the real deal..."

An old woman muttered. The name was known even to residents of the frontier.

"That order? The one since the founding of the country?" "Hero Astera-sama is in it too, right?" "Who was that again?" "Idiot. It's the Hero-sama." "A merchant was talkin' about it. Said the commanders throughout history are royalty." "Wait a sec. Then, this person is also—"

The villagers' gazes fixed on a single point. Mistra nodded without hesitation.

"Indeed. I am one who carries the blood of the royal family, and the Hero Astera is my nephew."

Whoa! A cheer erupted in the plaza.

"He's an amazing personage!" "Goodness, please say so sooner!" "That's right. Sorry, but we couldn't tell just by lookin'."

"My apologies. Since it is a top-secret mission, I needed to disguise myself."

"Disguise?"

"Mm, yes. Think of it as altering one's appearance so one's status is not perceived."

The villagers slapped their knees as if it made sense.

"No wonder you were wearing such shabb... uh, simple cloaks."

"Correct. I hid the golden hair that is the symbol of the royal family, smeared mud on the armor that is the symbol of a knight to dull its shine, and left behind the banner meant to show the authority of my order. It burns me to do so, but it is for the mission."

Mistra gripped the soot-colored cloak.

"To deliver the 〈Hero's Sword〉 to the Hero Astera. That is the content of the mission."

Ooh, the villagers became excited. Seeing that reaction, Mistra put a hand to his chin in thought.

"However, indeed. Asking for help without showing my own belly was somewhat presumptuous of me. As an apology—"

Mistra looked at the villagers with a straightforward gaze and declared with a dignified face.

"I shall do sit-ups."

The handsome gentleman jumped down from his horse, cast off his armor, rolled onto the dirt, and began performing sit-ups.

"We, the Special Task Force, visited this land for a certain top-secret mission, but—"

"S-Sir Knight?!" The villagers were the ones flustered. "What are you doing?!"

"As you can see, I am raising my upper body."

The handsome gentleman's beautiful face would pop up mukuri, only to disappear patan to the back. The people he led sighed, muttering "Again?" in exasperation, or shaking their shoulders suppressing laughter, showing no sign of stopping him.

"Well, we can tell by lookin'! Not that, why do sit-ups as an apology?"

"It is punishment. Traditional Knight Order style."

The villagers put their heads together and began whispering. "The rules of the Capital sure are weird." "What do we do? It'd be disrespectful to scold a big shot." "But lettin' him roll around on the dirt is disrespectful too."

Finally, one villager said, "A great person like you has no need to apologize, sir."

"No, I do. I committed the discourtesy of asking for cooperation without revealing my identity. But, no matter the great cause, slighting the common people one is meant to protect goes against knightly ethics; it is a shameful act."

He declared this without changing his expression, and for the first time, a sigh mixed with admiration leaked from the villagers.

"Is he... noble?" "Hmmm, he's eccentric." "He certainly ain't an ordinary person."

In short, the Knight Commander was foolishly high-minded. While continuing his sit-ups, Mistra spoke.

"I ask again. Is there anyone who can guide us through the mountains?"

Facing the bewildered murmur of the villagers, Mistra added briefly.

"Of course, I shall arrange a reward."

That was the catalyst.

"—I can do it."

When he raised his voice, the gazes of the entire plaza gathered on him at once.

Mistra's sit-ups stopped for the first time. The handsome gentleman stood up with an intrigued look.

"Oh. You are familiar with it?"

"I live in a shack halfway up Mt. Fuyuze... That's right, I have a map too! I hunt as well. I know more about the mountain than anyone in this village."

"A map, how reliable. Do you know how many days it takes to cross the mountain?"

If it was now, with winter ending, the danger was low. He roughly visualized the route in his head.

"Three days... no, if we hurry, two. ...If I do, I get a reward, right?"

"Ah. I will have a suitable amount prepared."

A Knight Commander—a royal—was saying "a suitable amount." Expectations swelled. He could feed Menou her fill of wheat porridge, and he would surely be able to buy plenty of medicine.

"I'll do it! I can go right now if you want!"

Breathing hard through his nose, he instinctively leaned forward. However.

"You should stop."

Words of denial were poured over him like cold water.

It was a girl's voice. From behind Knight Commander Mistra, a small shadow thought to be the owner of the voice swayed into view like a phantom. The figure wearing a cloak removed the hood covering her head.

White hair spilled out smoothly.

But her true face remained unknown.

That was to be expected; the girl wore a pitch-black blindfold covering both eyes. The surface of the blindfold emitted a sheen peculiar to leather goods. A texture that seemed to say it would never let outside light pass through.

"I can see a death aspect on you. If you come on this mission, you will lose your life."

The girl with pure white hair spoke from behind the pitch-black blindfold as if she could see through everything.

---

A death aspect?

Just as he was about to open his mouth to ask what she was talking about out of the blue, shan, a bell rang. Followed by a second and third time. The people's gazes were bundled toward the sound.

There was an old man with a white beard.

The staff he held had several small bells attached like nuts, making a light sound with every step. The village head, the old man, sighed.

"Would someone explain to me. What is going on here?"

---

After hearing the gist of the situation, the village head invited them to his mansion, saying, "You come as well."

It was a two-story building, rare in the village. The first floor was a large living room also used for meetings, equipped with a magnificent fireplace. He was welcomed into the softly warm air.

The village head sat in the central seat, and the Knight Commander, Mistra, sat opposite him. Standing uncertainly, the protagonist was made to sit next to the village head.

The group Mistra led did not take seats; instead, they stood lined up as if sticking to the wall.

They wore matching cloaks, but strangely, there was no sense of uniformity. Their physiques and equipment varied. Some were wrapped in armor, while others carried bows or held staffs. Their appearance was different from a standard knight order.

The village head turned his eyes to them.

"The Special Task Force, was it? You came seeking the 〈Hero's Sword〉."

"Ah. Originally, it was a top-secret mission," Mistra made a sour face. "But circumstances have changed."

"And by that, you mean?"

"We have no time. Maintaining the battle lines on the Northern Great Plains is in jeopardy. Hero Astera is fighting on the front lines, but..." Mistra cut his words off there.

The village head twitched one eyebrow upward. "Could it be that the Hero has been defeated?"

"Impossible. However, there is no sign of the invasion stopping. Astera is running out of swords."

"Running out of swords?"

"Exactly as the words imply. We lack swords. His slash magic is powerful. However, because of that power, there is a defect: the swords cannot withstand it. Until now, we have slaughtered the Jazoku by treating magic swords gathered from all over the kingdom as disposable, but we received contact that the remaining stock is scant."

"Magic swords... swords forged while infused with magic, I believe. Forging them cannot keep up?"

"At the fastest, they break once a day. It cannot keep up," Mistra shrugged. "If the last sword breaks now, it will be only a matter of time before the defensive wall being built at Blade-chip Canyon is breached. If that happens, our country will receive a devastating blow. Many citizens will die."

Of course, Shishigine Village here wouldn't be safe either. Mistra implied as much.

"And if it is the 〈Hero's Sword〉, it will not break?"

"I do not know. But it is a magic sword touted as the sturdiest in history. If that doesn't work, there are no other moves to play."

"Mmm..." The village head groaned.

Silence descended on the place. It was known that fighting with the Jazoku had been continuing in the north for a long time. But to think it was that urgent. With the current story, not just the Foden Kingdom, but even the continent might be in danger...

As if to cut through the heavy air, "However," Mistra said strongly.

"We were not simply waiting with our thumbs up our asses. We began searching for the 〈Hero's Sword〉 several years ago, and finally pinpointed that it is sealed in this land—in a shrine beyond Mt. Fuyuze."

"I see, and for that, you need someone familiar with the mountain."

When he looked up, his eyes met the village head's. A question flew from Mistra as well, along with a meaningful look.

"It is for our country, and by extension, for all the common people. Will you cooperate? I shall give you ample reward."

Reward. Indeed, he needed money. To buy Menou's medicine. That was why he had volunteered earlier.

However, "I..."

Right now, he felt as if heavy stones had been stuffed down his throat. Because...

"Does the prediction of death bother you?"

Mistra's words made his heart jump.

If he helped cross the mountain, the 〈Hero's Sword〉 would be obtained, and the Jazoku could be repelled. The country would be saved, he would get a reward, and above all, he wouldn't have to lose Menou. However.

‘I can see a death aspect on you. If you come on this mission, you will die.’

He could dismiss it as just a tall tale. But he felt something was wrong. It was similar to the agitation in his heart when he marked the change in the rabbits' territory on the map.

He glanced at the owner of the prophecy. When Mistra noticed this, he turned around and beckoned.

"Come here, Laila."

The girl called Laila took a step forward. A pitch-black blindfold, and in contrast, shining silver-white hair.

She was a girl lacking in color.

"Hello," Laila gave a curt bow.

"She is a special mage. After all, she possesses an eye that can predict..."

"Commander Mistra, it would be faster to show him than to explain with words."

As she spoke, she smoothly removed the blindfold. Her closed eyelids opened, revealing—

Alien eyes with black and white reversed. The sclera was dyed black, and the iris was dyed white.

"Gkh!"

He gasped involuntarily. The village head also shook his head slightly as if he couldn't believe it.

Laila announced indifferently, seemingly unconcerned by their reactions.

"〈Evil Eye of Prediction〉—that is what people call it."

"Evil Eye...?"

"Yes. I cannot see your face. I don't know what kind of curls your hair has, or what color your eyes are. Instead, I can see the flow of magic. And even the future that magic traces."

Laila smiled cynically. He felt like he would be confused by the information he was hearing for the first time.

"Wait. I've never felt magic flowing in me."

"Oh? Have you ever felt your blood circulating through your body yourself?"

When he was at a loss for an answer, Laila shrugged, "It's the same as that."

The village head groaned in admiration.

"Hmph, to be able to see through even a person's fate is mysterious indeed. ...So, what is this lad's fate..."

Laila turned her goggling eyes toward him. He cringed biku at the black-and-white reversed eyes.

Before he knew it, a staff was pointed at him.

"Source of power flowing through the four limbs... Vague fluctuations of possibility... Transcend logic and bind his image—"

Magic, he understood intuitively.

Gyuru, a sound like swirling water was heard, and a single impression flowed into his mind.

---

In total darkness, flames were closing in from all sides. His own figure, his stomach sliced open by something like a blade. A face distorted in terror, eyes wide with shock. Massive amounts of blood spilled from his mouth; his eyes had lost their eyeballs, looking just like a skull. His throat, meant to scream in pain, was already crushed. His own flesh melted into sludge, dripping bota-bota to create puddles of blood on the ground. All of it sank into a sea of fire—

A gruesome conclusion of death. The scene of the end illuminated by burning flames.

"Hah...! Hah... hah... hah..."

Before he knew it, greasy sweat was seeping from his forehead. Laila's magic, presumably magic to show the prediction to the other party. He opened his parched throat and asked.

"Will that... really happen?"

"Whether you believe it or not is up to you," Laila prefaced. "This plan to search for the 〈Hero's Sword〉 has been in motion for several years. In other words, we've been searching ever since predicting that Astera-sama's swords would run out on the front lines. But the sword hasn't been found until now, and Astera-sama's swords are about to run out. Just as predicted."

"...You're saying the future can't be overturned?"

"Even for a Hero," Laila smiled cynically. "If you say you can reject a fate of death, I'd like to see it."

Throwing out only those words, Laila sheathed her staff, lowered her eyes, and stepped back.

Mistra tapped the tabletop with his finger, kotsun.

"The 〈Hero's Sword〉 is our dearest wish. It was hidden by successive kings who feared it becoming a tool of political maneuvering; we scoured literature, investigated various lands, and finally discovered it after several years."

That bore fruit, and here they were. Mistra continued.

"As for me—as one in a position who must protect this country—I have no choice but to have you come, whether you like it or not," Mistra said with cold eyes. "But just in case, let me hear your will."

I don't want to die. That was his frank thought.

But.

"I accept."

The village head looked surprised. However, pretending not to notice, he continued.

"However, I have a condition."

"Oh. Let's hear it."

Urged by Mistra, he tried to open his mouth.

Suddenly, gazes from the Special Task Force members waiting behind pierced him. Wariness, dissatisfaction, interest. The colors of their emotions varied, but when the gazes mixed, they turned into pressure.

"Ah, um..."

As he hesitated, Mistra waved his hand at the members and said briefly, "Wait outside." The party wearing matching cloaks left the room in a crowd without disobeying. Laila turned her face toward him as she left, but in the end, she turned her back and went outside without saying anything.

Only three remained: Mistra, the village head, and himself. Pushed by the village head, he took a deep breath and exhaled.

"If you treat my sister, I will accept."

He spoke about Menou's illness. About the expensive magic medicine. And about the black bruises that had recently started appearing around her eyes. Mistra listened silently, then muttered.

"A type of Curse Disease, likely."

"Curse Disease, you say?"

"It's a disease that develops due to an abnormality in the circulation of magic within the body. Laila compared magic to blood flow, didn't she? Just as poor blood circulation causes disorders in the body, poor magic circulation causes this disease. Black bruises are a characteristic feature. I hear victims live to twelve or thirteen at the longest."

Dokun, dokun. He realized the sound was his own heart. The village head muttering "How cruel" sounded distant.

"She has endured well until now. Honestly, it is beyond the scope of what medicine or town doctors can handle."

"Can you cure it? Medicine, spells, anything is fine. If my sister can live longer, I'll do anything. But if that won't come true... I choose to stay with her until the end, at least."

Therefore, even if the country perishes, I cannot cooperate with the mountain crossing. He conveyed this without words.

"Terrifying. To weigh your sister's life against the lives of the Kingdom's citizens."

"No, what I put on the scale was my life and my sister's life. If Menou is saved even if I die, that's fine."

So, how about it? he asked with his eyes.

Mistra tapped the tabletop with his finger, kotsu-kotsu.

"If I say we can cure it—will you really come? You say you aren't afraid of throwing away your life?"

There was no way death wasn't terrifying. But the warm porridge in his stomach gave him courage.

"I am ready. If it's resolve you want."

"Hoh, surprising. I thought you would lose your nerve and refuse."

I would if I could. I don't want to die.

But the world won't allow it. So, I have no choice but to do it.

Hating the unfairness won't change reality, will it? he asked challengingly with his gaze. Then.

"Don't make such a scary face. Even I understand the feeling of caring for family."

Mistra laughed, fuh. It was the first smile the rugged Knight Commander had shown.

"I can put in a word with the Royal Healing Institute. There is a magic doctor who can cure Curse Diseases; I shall write a letter of introduction."

"That means..."

"Ah, negotiations concluded."

Mistra held out his right hand. Grasping at straws, he gripped that sturdy hand back.

Just now, a contract to save his sister was concluded. In exchange for his own life.

"I entrust my sister to you."

"Ah. ...However, there is one condition from this side as well."

"...What is it?"

"If you die, the 〈Hero's Sword〉 cannot be obtained. Don't die until we find it."

The hand of Mistra that he gripped back was too cold for hope, and too warm with blood for despair.

He was told departure was tomorrow morning, and the discussion adjourned. They said they would rest the horses today.

Upon parting, Mistra told him, "You should tell your sister properly."

He understood in his head. But what should he say? You alone will be saved in exchange for your brother's life?

Leaving the village head's house, he was about to head to work when—

"I'm exasperated. You decided to come?"

A voice came from behind. When he turned around, a phantom-like silhouette was standing there. White hair and a black blindfold.

It was Laila.

Surprised by her sudden appearance, he answered.

"Yeah, I've already decided."

"...Weirdo."

Spitting that out grumpily, Laila tried to turn and leave.

"Ah, hey. Are you okay alone?"

He was concerned about her wearing a blindfold. He didn't know what an 〈Evil Eye〉 was, but she had said she couldn't see like normal people. Since blind Menou walking outside was nearly impossible, wasn't she the same?

Then Laila frowned and said, "I'm fine."

"I want to meditate for tomorrow. Why don't you worry about yourself? I don't know for what reason you accepted, but don't blame me if you regret that living peacefully in the village was much happier."

Saying that, Laila walked toward the edge of the village.

"What a difficult person..."

After confirming that the girl with the 〈Evil Eye〉 left with steady steps, he headed to the plaza.

"...Living peacefully was much happier, huh."

Ruminating on the words just said to him, he recalled Menou's words from this morning.

‘As long as I can eat with Niichan, that's enough for me.’

He felt the same way. No, he had felt that way.

It was different now. To let his sister survive, he had begun walking a path where he would be parted from her by death. He had chosen that path without even consulting her.

What should he tell Menou? That was all that echoed in his mind.

Thanks to that, his heart wasn't in his work; he fell into the waterway twice. He was absentminded even while plowing the fields. In the end, he slipped while repairing the roof and nearly died.

---

And then, night. His steps on the way home were heavy. The smell of muddy soil and fallen leaves. The proof of spring announcing the thaw made him think of death, just for now. Crossing his mind was the gruesome scene of flames and a corpse shown to him by Laila.

"...Will I die?" He clenched his fist.

He learned that resolve was not something that erased fear, but something to keep one sane.

He returned home with a somber face. When he opened the door—

"Welcome home, Niichan~"

Menou, illuminated by the dim light of the fireplace, turned a bright smile toward him. Just that alone gave him strength. If his sister smiled, he felt like he could do anything. It was strange.

"Wait, Niichan. I'm almost done."

Menou was sitting on the floor. Surrounding her, plants were spread out in a semicircle.

Dried herbs. Menou made sorting them her daily job.

"You~ go here~. Next one goes here~, fun fun he~"

Humming a carefree tune, Menou picked up bundles of grass, relying on touch and faint scent to sort them quickly. Medicinal herb or weed? Is the condition good? Is the type the same?

Then, she bundled those plants, tied them with ivy, grabbed a few, and stood up. She hooked the bundles of herbs onto protrusions hammered into the wall. The dried plants lined up on the wall in an orderly fashion.

He didn't say, "Shall I help?" He had said it once a long time ago, but she replied, "I'm happy, but don't take away what I can do." In reality, the only help she needed was picking the wild herbs and selling the sorted herbs to merchants who came to the village; she could handle everything else alone.

"Menou is admirable."

"What, all of a sudden? Are you plotting something?"

"No way."

He couldn't say it. That farewell was coming soon. That after one night, he was going to die. He couldn't possibly tell her he was leaving her alone.

He stared at the shadow falling at his feet. The shadow flickering in the light of the fireplace was unreliable.

I wanted to be with you more. Until Menou grew up, together forever—...

"Geho, geho!"

He snapped to attention at the sound of coughing. Looking over, Menou was crouching down holding a bundle of herbs. A seizure.

"Menou! Are you okay? Breathe slowly, slowly."

Intending to take out the medicine, he reached for the leather pouch hanging from Menou's neck. However.

"Geho... I'm fine," he was stopped by none other than Menou.

"What are you saying! Just take the medicine."

"No, it's fine. I can endure this much... goho... so............"

"This isn't the time to endure."

While rubbing Menou's back, he opened the mouth of the pouch that jingled jara, intending to take out the medicine.

"—Huh?"

There were no pills inside the bag. Instead, it was packed with gravel.

He looked at Menou's face. And realized his young sister's small lie.

"Since when has it been empty?"

"...I'm sorry... geho."

He embraced Menou's weak voice. A thin and unreliable body. Such a frail life had kept hidden the fact that there was already no medicine, just so her brother wouldn't worry.

"Niichan... sometimes you didn't eat porridge, so... I thought, I should endure too..."

"I get it. My bad, Niichan was in the wrong."

"Geho... sorry, I'm sorry..."

"You don't have to worry anymore. Today, a great person came to the village; they said he's a Knight Commander. Thanks to that person, Menou will be able to receive treatment in the Royal Capital."

"Is that... true?"

"Yeah. So you don't have to worry anymore."

He stroked Menou's back. Slowly, slowly, drawing circles. After a while, her breathing regained its calm.

"And so, Menou. I'm going to help the Knight-sama. Guiding them over the mountain."

"I see. Hehe... that's amazing, Niichan."

Menou said in a soft voice, sounding somewhat carefree.

"Helping a Knight-sama is an honor that happens once in a lifetime, maybe."

He hadn't thought of it as an honor. He just wanted to protect Menou.

"Act more proud. I think it's cool."

"I'm not cool. I'm not that kind of guy."

Because I can only save my sister in exchange for my own life.

"So, Niichan. When is departure?"

"Tomorrow. In the morning, right away."

"When will you come back?"

"If we hurry, two days."

"Hey."

Menou hugged him gyu, weakly. She pressed the crown of her head against him guri-guri. He couldn't see her face. She wouldn't show him her expression.

"Niichan, you're coming back, right?"

"...!"

Menou's voice was trembling. The sound of sniffing back snot was heard. He knew she was shedding tears without looking.

His sharp sister had realized it from the start. That her brother, intending to head on the mission, had no intention of returning, and what not returning meant.

Witnessing his sobbing sister, he was made to realize how simplistic his thinking had been.

"Sorry, Menou."

He was wrong. He thought he was prepared. But that was the resolve to die. The selfish idea that as long as Menou lived healthily, it didn't matter if he wasn't there. But.

I'll throw away that kind of resolve. Instead, I'll put a new resolve into words.

"I'll come back."

He hugged Menou's body powerfully. Putting a wish for her to be reassured into it.

"I will come back, Menou."

"...No lies between siblings, remember?"

"You're the one saying that?"

"You too, Niichan."

They both made sullen faces at each other, and then broke into smiles together. Tears floated in the corners of their eyes, but they were tears of relief, different from before.

After he patted her head for a while, Menou's trembling eventually stopped.

"I have something I want to give you, Niichan."

Menou picked up a single strand of cord from the bundles of herbs lined up on the floor.

"It's your birthday today, right Niichan? So, this."

What looked like a cord was woven herbs.

"I twisted seven herbs together."

Menou asked for his wrist, so he obediently held it out. Her thin fingers wrapped the grass cord around it.

"In charms, the combination of herbs has meaning, you know. This one means... a bright future."

"Bright... future..."

"Dad said that long ago, Mom gave him one. He said she wove the grass to a song and gave it to him. So this is a talisman for our family."

Menou smiled with satisfaction after finishing tying the herbal bracelet.

Her cheeks were wet with tears and snot was dripping, but it was the most beloved smile in the world.

I will definitely return alive. To live with Menou again.

Then the two of them shared a single bowl, just like in the morning.

No matter how hard it is to part, time turns equally for all. Farewell comes mercilessly.

Morning dew fell potari, announcing the dawn.

Menou stood at the doorway and asked, looking downward.

"Did you forget anything?"

Preparations were perfect. He packed his load in his backpack and waist pouch, and wore his bow, arrows, and dagger. He hadn't forgotten the map his father left either.

"Ah, wait Niichan. Your shoelace is loose."

Menou crouched down sa. Wooden boards were attached to the soles of the shoes he was wearing as anti-slip gear. The mountains during the thaw were slippery. She said the string securing those boards was loose. But.

"Menou, you can't see it, can you?"

"...Niichan, you dummy." Menou, still looking down, poked his shin.

"Hey, wait, that hurts."

"Hmph. I don't know."

"What was that for, jeez."

He started to say At a time like this, but suddenly realized. It's precisely because it's a time like this.

Because as long as she looked down and touched the shoelace, she didn't have to show it.

"Menou, look up."

"No."

"Don't say that. Seeing your face gives Niichan courage."

Menou stood up reluctantly. Her eyes were red. She must have cried all night until they swelled.

He touched Menou's cheeks, wrapping them in both hands. The faint body heat of his young sister was transmitted to him.

"I'm going to say something important now. First, eat your meals properly. Don't hold back for me."

"Un."

"If the wheat and raisins are hard to eat, put sheep's milk in. There's still smoked meat too."

"Un."

"Can I ask you to water the horse and sheep too?"

"Un."

"And don't stay up late. Even though it feels like spring, there are still many cold days."

"U-un... Is there more?"

"Just a bit. Be careful of rain during this season too. The ground is loose from the thaw. If you hear a sound like a large beast growling or trembling in the distance, it might be a landslide. Go immediately to the underground storage—"

"Ah—moo! It's too long, Niichan! Usually at times like this, it's just a word or two!"

Menou finally ran out of patience. Thrusting both hands out to take distance, she puffed out her cheeks, put her hands on her hips, and said.

"Jeez! You're going, right?"

"Yeah."

"Hey, Niichan, promise. Let's eat porridge together again, just the two of us."

"Yeah."

"Let's put plenty of sheep's milk in too."

"Yeah."

"...Well then, have a safe trip."

"...Yeah."

He turned his back and started walking.

Just as he turned, he saw a single droplet fall at Menou's feet. Whether it was morning dew or a tear.

He hurried to the village before his resolve could dull.

The horses and the Special Task Force were assembled in the plaza. One of the knights, who was equipping a horse, looked up.

It was the handsome blond gentleman. The Knight Commander, Mistra.

"Everyone, stop what you are doing and gather round."

At Mistra's single command, the men gathered swiftly. As expected of knights. However, this was not the entirety of the Special Task Force.

"Where is Laila?" Mistra asked.

"Same as always. She said she’s meditating and wants to be left alone," one of the knights replied.

"What about Dilks?"

"He said he would go offer prayers to the villagers."

"...I’ll ask just in case. Zanari?"

"She said to wake her when it’s time to leave and is sleeping on the straw."

Mistra grimaced bitterly. It seemed he had his hands full with some of the squad members. The Knight Commander, who looked like nothing could shake him, showed a hint of trouble.

"My apologies, this squad is a ragtag bunch. Everyone other than the knights is an oddball. I at least wanted Zanari—that hunter—to participate in the discussion, but perhaps we should start ahead..."

Just as Mistra began to speak.

"Yo, Captain! You callin' me?"

A woman's voice, thick and possessing a strong core, rang out. Drawn by the voice, everyone in the area looked over.

There stood a wild beauty. Her large physique was equal to or perhaps even greater than Mistra, who was tall even for a knight. Her brown skin brought to mind the people of the south. A good physique was also a characteristic of southerners.

"Zanari. I assume you are ready."

"Heh. You bet I am."

When he saw her smiling face, he was startled.

White powder was painted powerfully onto her brown skin. It traced the line from her cheekbones to her jaw, curving all the way to her mouth—makeup mimicking the tusks of a boar.

Overwhelmed, he watched as Zanari grinned nika. The tusk design seemed to grin gui along with her. It was ferocious.

"You seeing 'Hunting Makeup' for the first time?"

"Y-Yes..."

"Ahaha! You don't have to be so scared!"

Zanari laughed, shaking her hair. It was reddish-brown hair, rare in these parts. Bone and stone ornaments clattered jara-jara in time with her movements. Looking closely, they were swaying from her earlobes as well. Tribal items, perhaps?

"Um, I'm not scared. It's just, well, I've never seen it before."

"Is that so? Good then. I thought for sure you were spooked, ahahaha!"

There was a glamour to her hearty laughter. She had distinct features that stood out just as much as her flashy makeup and scattered ornaments, and thick, well-shaped lips. When their eyes met, large jade-green pupils sparkled.

The brown-skinned hunter laughed exuberantly.

"I'm Zanari! Nice to meet ya!"

"Nice to meet you. Um, I am—"

"Ah, no need to name yourself. My name is a 'Ryogo'—a Hunting Name—too."

"Ryogo, you say?"

"Right! In my tribe, when you become an adult, you get a name as a hunter. Then you only let close people call you by your real name, and you don't reveal it. That's why I don't ask strangers for their names either. That's my style."

So that's that, Zanari signaled, pointing to the bow on her back.

"Once again. I'm the hunter Zanari. Nice to meet ya."

A hand was offered. It was a large hand. When he hesitantly responded to the handshake, she grabbed him gwashi and shook his hand vigorously. It had a softness peculiar to women, but the strength of a hunter.

After the greetings were exchanged, Mistra clapped his hands as if to restart.

"Now, let me say this again. For the mountain crossing, you will not follow me, but the person who knows it best."

At those words, everyone's gaze gathered on one point.

"...Ah, does that mean I'm giving the orders?"

"It means I want you to think about the arrangements and the itinerary. Think of yourself as a strategist."

The knights nodded at Mistra's words. Their eyes were heated. He could feel their expectations regarding the mountain crossing whether he liked it or not. He felt the weight of responsibility. But since he had accepted, he had to face it.

He put a hand to his chin and thought. He observed everyone's complexion and looked over their equipment.

The knights weren't wearing helmets, but they were wrapped in armor. Next, he visualized the mountain path in his head.

"Um," he raised his hand slightly. "I'd like you to listen without getting angry."

"Let's hear it," Mistra replied.

"Let's have the knights wait in the village."

The moment he said that, one of the knights closed in on him aggressively.

"We came all this way for our mission! Are you telling us to sit here and twiddle our thumbs?!"

"Uhm, that's not it, you see..."

Just as he started to speak, a large hand reached out, grabbed the shoulder of the panting knight, and pulled him back. It was Zanari.

"Hold on, rich boy. Don't panic."

The young knight looked annoyed and brushed Zanari's hand away. She snapped her fingers pachin, unconcerned.

"I get it. Crossing a mountain uses stamina. Even more so in the thawing season. There's plenty of loose footing. Which means knights weighed down by armor are gonna get exhausted."

Right? Zanari narrowed her eyes at the armored men.

"This is an urgent errand to begin with. So it's a better plan for a few elites to cross the mountain and come back immediately."

Zanari stated her deduction as if admonishing them, slowly looking over the knights' faces.

"How about it? Am I right?"

"Uhm, well, yes."

To think she would see through his intentions instantly. He marveled at Zanari's hunter-like insight.

However, the knights were not convinced by that alone.

"Then we just have to take off our armor."

"Uhm... I thought of that too, but the issue is the horses."

"The horses?"

"Yes. Horses are convenient, but they aren't all-powerful. As Zanari-san said, the mountain during the thaw is troublesome. The ground might be frozen, or conversely, muddy. If a horse slips and gets injured, we'll be stranded."

Mistra nodded in agreement, "I see."

"Those children have only been run on flat ground. They aren't used to mountain slopes, is it?"

"Even though we let them rest yesterday, about half of them still have accumulated fatigue. In that case, I thought we should choose horses and people who can move immediately."

"I see. So that is why you are on foot."

"I'm the guide. To verify if it's a path the horses can advance on, it's better to be agile."

Actually, that wasn't the only reason. Horses were assets. So he wanted to leave his behind for Menou. Just as his father had done for them. He wondered if Mistra realized that thought.

"Understood. If you have a plan, we shall follow it."

When Mistra looked around at his subordinate knights and confirmed with a single glance, everyone nodded back.

"Then, assuming Mistra-san and I are decided..."

"To find the shrine, we need Laila with her 〈Evil Eye〉, and one member to undo the shrine's seal."

"Hey, hey, Captain!" It was Zanari. "Take me too. Waiting ain't in my nature!"

"Of course. Considering the worst-case scenario, I'll have you memorize the mountain path."

He met Mistra's eyes. His heart skipped a beat at those blue irises. 'Worst-case scenario' likely meant preparing a substitute guide for the pathfinder whose death had been predicted. As a precaution, it was correct.

But thinking that a plan for when he died was being crafted right in front of him made his heart pound baku-baku.

As if to blow away such anxiety and tension, Zanari put her arm around his shoulder.

"I'm impressed. Looks like you ain't just some kid. I'm counting on ya!"

"Gueh... Y-Yes..."

He was bewildered by the boisterous touch from an older woman, but thinking she was putting familiarity into it in her own way, he responded with a bow. Then Zanari grinned ni.

"Us hunters gotta stick together, yeah!"

Once the discussion found a landing point, Mistra clapped his hands once.

"Call Laila and the others. We depart."

When he finished his preparations and tried to leave the village, shan, the sound of a bell rang out.

Looking back, the village head approached from behind the knights seeing them off.

"Village Head, I..."

He stared at his toes. Reality, like a heavy lump of clay, was stuck in his throat, preventing him from opening his mouth. That he would be parting with everyone in the village. That he was leaving Menou behind. That he was going to die.

Words of farewell, whimpers of regret, groans of anguish—everything mixed in his stomach and wouldn't come up past his throat. Facing the old man who had lived many times longer than him, his small self, which he hadn't shown to his sister, was exposed. His weak, barely fifteen-year-old self.

"I..."

"Leave Menou to me. I will send a messenger once a day. However, only until you return. We are busy with one thing or another preparing for spring, after all."

A phrasing that sounded like he was pushing him away. For a split second, his heart went cold kyu.

But the village head smiled softly.

"So, make sure you come back."

He said it in a gentle tone. Saying he would look after her until he returned was like saying not to worry even if the worst happened.

He almost let out a sob at the warm words. Swallowing it down, he nodded forcefully.

"I'm off."

And so, the five of them left Shishigine Village.

As they entered the forest to hide from the rising morning sun, a gentle slope continued.

The squad, formed in a single file, was arranged so that the one who knew the mountain best took the lead, with the remaining members following on horses.

He looked back to verify if they were keeping up.

This Special Task Force consisted of four people. In contrast, there were three horses. This was because Laila and Zanari were straddling the same horse.

Laila, for whom it was difficult to hold the reins herself due to the 〈Evil Eye〉, was riding tandem, held in Zanari's arms. The horse the two rode was positioned in the middle of the squad as if being protected.

At the very rear was Mistra. As a result of trying to be as light as possible to reduce the burden on the horse, he had left everything except the armor protecting his torso in the village. His armament was simple too, with only a single sword.

Then, the lead horse.

The man straddling it was about thirty years old. He wore black clerical robes, and a Holy Cross was visible at his neck. A monk.

Because he wore his cloak's hood deep, his expression was hard to see. As the protagonist stole a probing glance, their eyes met pachiri. He smiled gently, niko.

"Oh, we haven't introduced ourselves yet. I am Dilks. A Fallen Monk."

"...Fallen Monk?"

"Uhm, it means a monk who broke the commandments. Put simply, a sinner. Look."

Dilks removed his hood. The first thing that jumped into view was a bald head, shaved smooth and clean.

More intense than that was his right ear—or rather, the place where his ear should have been.

"Eh." His heart jumped.

The bald monk had his right ear sliced off. The scar was painful to look at. But it had a heavier meaning than that.

In this Foden Kingdom, having an ear sliced off was proof that one had committed a crime.

As he wandered his gaze, unable to say a second word, a voice flew from the rear.

"Surprising, isn't it?" It was Laila. "Dilks always scares people he meets for the first time like that. He has a nasty personality despite putting on a gentle face."

Laila teased Dilks. Her voice was calm. Because she had given an ominous prediction and difficult replies earlier, creating an unapproachable impression, he was taken aback by a tone of voice like that of an ordinary village girl.

From Zanari, too, a heckle flew: "Even when he's preaching, the shadiness wins out with this guy."

"Oh my, what terrible things to say. Being blessed with such wonderful companions makes me want to thank God."

The monk shrugged and smiled niko-niko.

"Well, a lot happened in the past. Now, to atone for my sins, I am working hard on missions like this."

He's personable—that was the first impression. His demeanor was soft and his tone polite. Yet his response was casual enough not to feel a distance. It was hard to believe he was a sinner.

"H-Hello..."

A gentle monk, a sinful Fallen Monk. Which one is his true face? Just as he thought that.

Gasasa, the bush ahead shook.

"Gh!"

Everyone became alert and directed their consciousness toward the sound. The relaxed atmosphere tensed in an instant.

He readied his bow and held his breath.

"...Just my imagination, maybe?"

The moment he said that, the source of the sound rolled out.

Koron-koron, two wolf cubs appeared. They seemed to have been born recently; they looked like they were fighting, but to the eye, it only appeared as fluffy fur balls playing happily.

Mistra raised one eyebrow, "Hm?" and unclenched the fist gripping his sword hilt.

Dilks let out a breath of relief ho and began to stroke his horse as if to calm himself.

"This magic power, this size... puppies?"

Laila was the one who murmured that. Her tone was wary, but she couldn't hide the slackening of her lips.

On the other hand—

Two people intensified their vigilance.

The one who knew Mt. Fuyuze well, and the one who, although raised in a different land, made hunting her trade.

"Zanari-san!"

"I know!"

At the same time they called out to each other, the bush shook gasa-gasa again, and a single fearless wolf appeared.

"Tch, I knew it—the parent."

Hunters knew. Wolves were not creatures that left their children alone.

For hunters, it was inevitable to be wary of the parent the moment the wolf cubs showed themselves.

The parent wolf growled deep in its throat, threatening them. The two fur balls scurried choko-choko to hide behind their parent.

The distance to the opponent was about twenty steps. Whether for a wolf or a horse, it was a distance that could be closed in an instant.

"Missy, don't shoot!"

Zanari's voice. Looking over, Laila had readied her staff. Did she intend to release magic?

"Why? My magic can take it down."

"Don't be hasty. If you don't kill it in one hit, it'll call its pack."

Carnivores in early spring were starving. Plus, it had cubs. Once they initiated hostilities, it would fight back even at the cost of its life. It would be troublesome if it called fellow wolves. Zanari understood that.

And fortunately, this road had width. If they slipped past them and escaped, they could avoid a fight.

Perhaps disliking the idea of being attacked by a wolf pack, Laila lowered her staff.

Both sides glared at each other. When he gently tapped the nose of the horse Dilks was riding, the horse moved to the edge of the path.

"Good boy. If we run past all at once like this..."

It was the moment his focus slackened.

Another wolf jumped out from the bush. A young male. Likely the father.

It was the horse that couldn't endure the new threat. The lead horse carrying Dilks neighed loudly.

"Whoa, hey, calm down!"

When the horse became frightened and started stomping its feet, the wolf pair emanated bloodlust.

"Hey! I'm really gonna shoot now!"

Laila readied her staff again, taking a combat stance. Zanari supported her while gripping the reins tight.

Mistra placed a hand on his sword hilt. And, just as Dilks calmed the horse.

The mother wolf charged in like a loose arrow.

"Dilks!"

At Mistra's voice, the one-eared monk snapped back to his senses hah. Then, clutching his Holy Cross:

"Oh God, protect us—〈Light Wall Lagzam〉."

A barrier shining semi-transparently appeared in front of the charging wolf.

The mother wolf couldn't react to the wall of light that appeared suddenly and crashed into it. Looking like she didn't understand what had happened, she shook her head, stumbling. Mistra didn't miss that opening and shouted sharply.

"Now! Go!"

With that command as the signal, he began leading the way.

"Follow me!"

He led the squad and broke into a run. The horses followed behind in a panic.

The father wolf barked to protect the cubs, but he did not chase after them.

---

"I was surprised. So monks can use magic."

Around the time they distanced themselves from the wolves and began to slow down, he asked Dilks on horseback.

"No? I cannot use magic."

"Heh?" A confused voice leaked out.

"But, what you did just now..."

"That was a miracle of God."

"Miracle... of God," he repeated like an echo. "I see, so things like that exist?"

There was no church on Mt. Fuyuze, nor in Shishigine Village at the foot of the mountain. As a commoner whose only connection to religion was the traveling healing monks who healed the kingdom's people, he swallowed the idea that if a magnificent person like a clergyman said so, perhaps there was a God who could perform miracles.

"I chanted a prayer earlier, didn't I? offering a wish to God, and offering a part of oneself. By doing so, the invisible Gods in the heavens perform a miracle. Well, what is being offered is mana—so in short, a miracle of God is just magic."

Dilks smiled with plenty of playfulness.

"...Huh?"

It took a beat for him to realize he was being teased.

"So it is magic!"

"Hahaha. No, well, practically the name is different, you see," the monk laughed blatantly.

"It's just a different name!"

"Correct. But what if I told you that mere difference in naming indicates a truly interesting fact?"

"...What do you mean?"

Dilks hid his teasing smile and spoke with a face like a teacher.

"Names reflect how the world is perceived. What people call the 'Arts of Magic,' we in the clergy believe to be 'Miracles of God,' and in distant foreign lands, they call it Shamanism or Curses. Even if it is the same thing, different perspectives are born depending on position, custom, and common sense... Whoops."

Dilks pulled the reins and stopped the horse.

"A fork in the road ahead? Let's save the lecture for later."

"...Yes."

In the direction he stared, the road branched.

He clenched his fist gu. In truth, he had passed this road several times while hunting.

If he turned right and proceeded north, his house was there. But the path they were about to take was a left turn, heading south. A crossroad appearing as if to divide his life.

He stared fixedly at the road stretching to the right. The road leading to Menou.

How did he interpret that short silence? Dilks asked.

"Are you hesitating?"

"...Did you hear something from Mistra-san?"

"Nothing. However, I remember those eyes. Distant eyes, thinking of someone you are being separated from."

He shut his mouth at the awkwardness of being guessed so perfectly.

"You're going anyway, right?"

Of course. I've already made my resolve. He nodded and started walking.

"Let's go, everyone."

He turned left on the path, as if turning his back on Menou. The remaining four followed him.

The mountains grew deeper.

Half a day passed traveling south along the foot of the eastern side of Mt. Fuyuze. Before the sun fully set, the five of them stopped.

"Let's make this our base for tonight."

Halfway up the mountain. It was an open area with a gentle slope.

Mistra and Zanari went to tend to the horses, and Dilks went to cast beast-repelling magic. Because of that, he was left alone with Laila and entrusted with preparing dinner.

He gathered thin twigs and bark with pine resin to make tinder. He took out a flint from his waist pouch and said:

"I'll start the fire, so you rest."

"I'll do it. Why don't you rest?"

"Eh? But didn't you say your 〈Evil Eye〉 can't see things? In that case, it's better if I..."

As he spoke, he noticed Laila getting increasingly grumpy. It seemed he could see her furrowing her brows beneath the blindfold.

Laila held up her index and middle fingers.

"I'll tell you two things. First. It's not that the 〈Evil Eye〉 can't see anything. I perceive the world through shades of mana. Just as mana flows through your body, a faint source of magic—mana elements—flows through all creation. True, depth perception and obstacles are hard to distinguish, but at this close range, I can at least tell where the tinder you made is."

"Y-Yes..." At her torrent of words, he instinctively corrected his tone.

"And the second thing."

Laila readied her staff and said proudly.

"My specialty magic is 〈Ignition Flauma〉."

A fireball appeared at the tip of her staff. Needless to say, he left the role of ignition to her.

Illuminated by the orange light, the two watched the swaying fire.

After successfully starting the fire, they added firewood, and the bonfire quickly stabilized. He poured water he had drawn into a pot and threw in the green beans and wheat handed to him by Mistra. They waited patiently for it to cook. When the night wind blew and the bonfire danced, the shadows of the two also danced silently yura-yura.

Breaking the silence, Laila murmured potsuri.

"Hey, do you want to die?"

Just as he was about to say No way, he looked at Laila sitting next to him and saw dissatisfaction seeping into her profile as she gazed at the fire. It was the same impression as when they spoke in the village. An expression saying she couldn't accept something.

Seeing that, the anger that had started to well up subsided suu.

"Why are you making a sullen face?"

"I'm not sullen."

No matter how I look at it... he started to say, but feeling her sharpness increase, he swallowed the words.

"I don't want to die either."

"Then why did you come? Do you intend to play the savior of the nation and fulfill your life?"

Fulfill my life. It was a grandiose and heavy phrase.

"I'm not thinking that far ahead. It's just for my sister."

"...Sister?"

"My only family. Her name is Menou, and she's smart and cute and—..."

"You have a sister and you left her behind?!"

Laila screamed as if cutting off the flow of conversation.

"You accepted such a dangerous mission and left your only sister behind?! What are you thinking, you're family, aren't you!"

"Eh, ah, well..."

When Laila pressed closer, her hair spilled down smoothly. Pure white hair that one could admire. Pachiri, a spark from the fire burst and flew toward it.

Dangerous. The moment he thought that, his hand had reached out.

"Get back, the fire," he said, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her away from the bonfire. Then.

"Kya!"

A frail scream rose. Startled by the tone of voice, he looked at the owner.

"...What is it?"

Laila pursed her lips as if to hide her embarrassment. Was it only because of the bonfire that her cheeks looked red? To say she was cute—the complete opposite of her harsh attitude so far—would likely make her tongue even sharper. Here, apologizing honestly was the best policy.

"Sorry for startling you. A spark flew, so I just reacted."

"I-I know, I know that! ...But, thank you."

Surprised by her words, which were more honest than expected, the corners of his mouth relaxed into a smile.

"My bad. I'm always taking care of my sister, so it's a habit."

"Are you saying I'm like your sister?"

"No. My sister—Menou—is blind because of a disease. So I just did it out of habit."

"...You left a sister like that behind?"

"...Actually," he began.

He talked while stirring the pot. About his parents being dead. About the Curse Disease.

At first, Laila listened with a solemn face, but when the conversation turned to the negotiation with Mistra, she clutched her stomach and burst out laughing.

"Fufu, ahaha! You threatened the Captain? That's hilarious!"

"That sounds bad. My sister's life was on the line here too."

"Even so? Fufu, against that cold-hearted mission machine... Ahaha, ihihi!"

After laughing for a while, Laila let out a breath fuu and said:

"Well, still, it's just like him not to let you go and make you guide us. Even knowing your sister would be all alone, he dragged you out here," Laila said with a mix of sarcasm.

"It can't be helped. Either way, if we don't deliver the 〈Hero's Sword〉, the Jazoku will invade and it's the end."

He had kept quiet about it because he thought it would be disadvantageous during negotiations, but originally, there was no other path than accepting this request. If the Jazoku breached the defensive wall at Blade-chip Canyon, Mt. Fuyuze, which was further north than the Royal Capital, would be attacked and destroyed first. If that happened, curing Menou's illness wouldn't even be a topic of discussion. That was why he had no choice but to accept the mission, and if he could let Menou escape to the Royal Capital, it was a contract he couldn't have asked for better.

Did Mistra realize that, or perhaps...

When he conveyed those thoughts, Laila groaned.

"Haa... The Captain surely realized that too. It wouldn't be strange for that iron-mask to think it's better to do something 'negotiation-like' to convince you rather than forcefully taking you."

"Is he such a calculating person?"

"It's not calculation. He's a man whose soul is dyed with the idea that he will choose any means to fulfill the mission. A splendid royal, isn't he? When push comes to shove, he'll cut me, Dilks, or Zanari loose. ...Surely even himself."

Laila snorted fun.

"But well, if that's the case, I apologize. Sorry for taking such a terrible attitude earlier."

"I should apologize too. I misunderstood you. I thought you were rebuking me for being heartless at first. But it seems that wasn't your intention."

"Hmph. So how do I look to you now?"

"Hmm... It looks like you're complaining on behalf of us siblings, maybe. You're kind."

I misunderstood because your tone is harsh, he concluded. Then.

"I won't give you anything just because you flatter me."

Laila made a gesture of hugging her own body as if on guard.

"I'm not flattering you," he smiled wryly and looked down at the bonfire.

However, compared to Laila, he thought he might have become too used to enduring unreasonableness. That was why he was happy she got angry as if it were her own problem.

The soup was fully cooked. The disparate ingredients had stewed together into one.

---

"Hey, what is the 〈Hero's Sword〉?"

While eating the finished green bean and wheat soup without waiting for the other three, he asked Laila.

Laila spoke with a voice mixed half in surprise and half in exasperation.

"What's with you? You accepted without even asking that?"

"I thought anything was fine as long as Menou was saved..."

"But," he said, gripping the wooden bowl. "You listened to my story about my sister. So I thought I should know what you are doing too."

"Heh. An admirable attitude."

Laila, now in a good mood, said "Fufun, I'll teach you," giving a lengthy preamble before speaking.

"The 〈Hero's Sword〉 is a magic wand."

He doubted his ears. But her expression, confident enough to be understood even through the blindfold, told him she was serious.

"Oh my, you don't seem to believe me. But you know, magic wands are much freer things."

"Freer? What does that mean?"

"Let's see... What do you think is essential for magic?"

"Uhm, spells? When you showed me the prediction, you chanted something too."

"Close. But that's just assistance. There is something more fundamental—Mana."

"Mana..."

"Yes, the source of power flowing through the bodies of all living things. Of course, there are individual differences in mana capacity."

Differences like being tall or short, skinny or fat, Laila said.

"In that regard, you have an aptitude for magic. Your mana isn't low."

"What? Me, use magic? You're joking."

"No. You just don't know how to handle mana."

"Handle?"

"Mana is just fuel. If you know how to handle and control it, anyone can use magic."

Laila put down her soup bowl and took out her staff. A staff with a metal tip.

"What is necessary is imagination."

"I-Imagination."

"Yes. You need to clearly visualize what kind of magic you want to use."

"Visualize... You mean like thinking 'I want to fly'?"

"You want to fly? What a cute wish."

Being laughed at kusukusu, he felt somewhat embarrassed, so he snorted to show his dissatisfaction.

"Don't laugh."

"I'm sorry, it's just that you say childish things with such a serious face... Fufu."

When he sulked musu and urged her to continue, Laila cleared her throat kohon.

"Uhm, right, what's important is imagination. Spells are strictly just to make the caster's imagination concrete. So, like this—Burn!"

The bonfire flared up strongly bowa. But it was instantaneous. It immediately returned to its original size.

"As you can see, magic can activate even with vague words. But."

Laila pointed her staff again.

"It's unstable, like this."

Even though she chanted "Burn" with more restraint than before, the flames only swelled slightly.

"If you use magic in daily life, it's not much trouble, but in actual combat, it would be a problem, right?"

"Is... that so?"

"Think about it. If the firepower isn't stable, you might burn your allies by mistake, or fail to hit the enemy."

Indeed, that is true, he nodded.

"That is why spells were invented. So that anyone could use magic more specifically and more stably."

Depending on the school, chants differ, and experts can manipulate magic more flexibly without chanting, Laila spoke rapidly.

Anyway, Laila cleared her throat. She seemed embarrassed about talking so happily.

"With this, you can use magic too."

"Eh, already? Me?"

After the surprise, expectation swelled. Magic. He had thought such things were the power of chosen ones.

"Here, point your hand at the fire. Yes, open your fingers. Visualize the scene from earlier. What is necessary for magic is mana, and then imagination."

"I-Imagination... okay..."

"You dress a rabbit you hunted, and everyone surrounds the fire to eat warm food. You're hungry, so you want to start the fire quickly. ...Come on, chant after me."

He reached his hand toward the bonfire as told.

"God of Flame, dance, burst, illuminate all creation—〈Ignition Flauma〉."

"Uhm... God of Flame..."

He couldn't remember it all at once, so Laila chanted it supportively.

"Dance, burst."

"God of Flame, dance, burst... uhm..." "Illuminate all creation." "...Illuminate all creation."

After a faltering chant, sparks scattered slightly in front of his palm.

"—〈Ignition Flauma〉."

A fireball was born.

"Ooh...!"

However. Its size was that of a gnat. It was just burning unsteadily yura-yura.

"Eh, so small..."

The moment he muttered that. With a pachi sound, the fireball vanished.

"While you're a beginner, it's not very good to voice negative emotions toward your own magic. The word 'small' fulfilled the role of a 'spell.' That's why the fireball disappeared."

In other words, because he thought it was small, the fire became small.

"Spells—the power of spirit words—are that strong, and magic is that delicate."

"Mu..."

"Don't groan so discontentedly. Our predecessors were great, you know? Because they came up with an aid for such beginners. Yes—the Wand."

"The magic wand thing?"

"Right. However, even if we say 'wand,' the material and shape are free. Tree branches, ones with metal parts like mine, and even animal horns exist. In unusual cases... let's see, the Holy Cross Dilks used is also a 'wand.'"

"A Holy Cross is a 'wand'?"

"The shape can be anything. What's important is whether it can become a support for imagining magic."

"Then... if I hold a wand, can I use magic well too?"

He picked up a branch thrown into the bonfire and held it like a staff.

"I suppose. But tree branches aren't very compatible with fire magic. I said magic requires mana and imagination, right? Can you imagine a tree branch being strong against the magic of 〈Ignition Flauma〉?"

"Hmm... Seems like it would burn."

"That's exactly it. If you try to use magic forcefully—"

Laila picked up a branch by feel and activated the 〈Ignition Flauma〉 magic. Then.

The branch exploded haze. Laila threw the wreckage of the branch, its tip split in two, into the bonfire.

"—It breaks like this. That's why I use metal on the tip of my staff."

Sudden inspiration struck, and he drew the dagger strapped to his waist.

"I've been using this since my dad handed it down to me. Does this become a 'wand' too?"

"Oh, nice. Why not try it?"

He pointed the tip of the dagger at the bonfire. Borrowing Laila's help, he chanted the spell again.

"Uhm... God of Flame, dance... burst, illuminate all creation—〈Ignition Flauma〉."

Po, a fire was born. The size of an acorn. It was more magnificent than the one earlier, which was only the size of a gnat.

"That is the power of a 'wand.'"

"I see—hm?"

Something snagged in his mind. If a dagger fulfilled the role of a 'wand'...

"Did you realize?" Laila grinned triumphantly. "The 〈Hero's Sword〉 is a sword, and... a magic wand."

And a top-class one at that, Laila said.

"It combines high mana conductivity with a mana amplification mechanism, and on top of that, it's said to be the sturdiest in history."

"Sturdy? Not powerful or anything... sturdy? That's awfully plain."

"True, there are wands that increase magic power or allow the use of special magic. Those are flashier. But the plain and simple characteristic of being sturdy sometimes displays power above all else."

"...?"

"If there is a weapon that can endure even the Hero Astera's slash magic, wouldn't he be invincible?"

Laila said, "That is why we are delivering it."

Mistra and Zanari returned from tending the horses, and Dilks, who had set up the barrier, was drawn to the bonfire as if escaping the cold. Finally, the five of them surrounded the pot. They filled their bellies and went to sleep.

When the night had deepened completely.

It was by chance that he woke up to the cry of a bird.

Thanks to Dilks' beast-repelling magic, there seemed to be no worry of being attacked, but he sat up just in case.

Kiii, a high-pitched cry. He recognized it.

"A hawk?"

The cry was heard from the sky slightly ahead.

Grabbing his bow and arrow, he headed toward the voice. A distance of about several dozen steps. Hiding in the bushes, he strained his ears. Listening closely, it was a cry unfamiliar to Mt. Fuyuze. Did it come from elsewhere?

Just as he was holding his breath.

"Did I wake you?" A voice came from the darkness.

"!?"

He almost let out a scream, but his mouth was covered faster than that. A thick, hard palm. If he kills me, I have absolutely no time to resist. He was made to think that.

"That is my messenger. Calm down."

A low, quiet voice said so. It was Mistra.

In that interval, flapping wings dove down rapidly. Weaving through the gaps in the forest branches and leaves, a large bird approached.

"Come."

Mistra held out his left arm. The bird, wings spread, landed vigorously.

As deduced, it was a hawk. However, one of its eyes was reversed black and white. He recognized that feature.

"Is this—..."

"Ah. This child is a 'Magic Hawk' (Mataka). A hawk possessing an 〈Evil Eye〉."

According to him, it was one of the birds of prey for communication bred and trained by the Knights of Dawn.

"His name is Yatem. It means shooting star in the ancient language."

"Heh. A fast-sounding name."

"A reliable child. He cannot carry heavy things, but I entrust all correspondence with Astera on the front lines to him. He delivers letters in less than a night."

"I see," he let out a breath of admiration, but then realized something.

"Leaving aside the Hero-sama who is always on the front lines, how does he find Mistra-san? You're continuously moving, right?"

"Thanks to the 〈Evil Eye of Farsight〉."

"Farsight... So the 〈Evil Eye〉 isn't just prediction."

"Ah. He uses the magic of my necklace as a landmark, finding it even from afar. A clever child."

Yatem cried pyui proudly. When Mistra gave him a piece of dried meat, he stuffed his cheeks happily. He was quite attached.

In the meantime, Mistra removed the message tied to Yatem's leg and opened it.

As he read through it, he frowned.

"Bad news?"

"It doesn't seem promising. ...Here, let's sit and talk a bit."

Mistra sat on a tree root. Following suit, the protagonist sat on the ground facing him.

"What does the letter say?"

"It seems a sword broke again today."

"'Again'... like one breaks every day..."

"One a day. Well, that is roughly the correct understanding. Though it isn't that regular."

Mistra picked up a twig and drew a picture of a sword on the ground.

"Swords forged infused with mana are called 'Magic Swords,' but the 〈Hero's Sword〉 we are searching for is—"

"Ah, Laila taught me. It's sturdy."

"Correct. But with ordinary magic swords, they break after Astera swings his magic just once or twice."

Mistra drew another sword next to the first drawing and marked it with an X.

"However, the durability of magic swords is not uniform. Just as there are dull blades and masterpieces among cutlery, 'magic sword' covers a variety of performances. Some break in one or two uses, others last for over ten swings."

Furthermore, Mistra continued.

"The cycle of Jazoku attacks is getting shorter. The existing magic swords are all masterpieces, but if swung many times a day, naturally, they wear out more. Averaging that out leads to 'one breaking per day.'"

I see, he understood.

"Even so... Mistra-san just now, you were kind of like a teacher."

"Hm? Astera told me that once, some time ago."

"The Hero-sama did?"

"He's been attached to me since the old days. I taught him both sword and study."

"So you mean Mistra-san raised the Hero-sama?"

"I cannot quite say that. When he was about your age, he was already stronger than me." Mistra smiled fu. "And yet, even after growing up, he goes 'Uncle, Uncle' like a puppy."

"Heh... Then he certainly is attached to you."

"It's written here too." Mistra waved the letter hira-hira. "'Let's drink when this battle is over. On Uncle's tab, of course,' he says. Good grief, that boy."

Mistra smiled softly. The rugged Knight Commander wore the face of an uncle doting on his nephew.

"...Heh. So even Mistra-san makes a face like that."

"I do. What did you take me for?"

"A person who looked like he was born as a Knight Commander."

"That isn't true. I am merely struggling to be a self I can be proud of. ...I still remember the words Astera said to me once."

What did the Hero say? he asked with his eyes. Mistra deepened his wrinkles, looking embarrassed.

"'Uncle is my idol,' he said."

Mistra wrote a reply to Astera, tied it to Yatem's leg, and released him into the night sky. The Magic Hawk flew off without hesitation. The gaze watching it go was not that of a Knight Commander, but colored with thoughts of family.

Somehow, a sense of affinity welled up.

Even though when they spoke in the village, he felt Laila and Mistra were completely different existences.

Now, they felt a little closer. It was a night he felt that way.

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