Chapter 40 – The Day The Sunset Burnt Out – Part 1

Translator: Adel

Editor: evelet

Note: Thank you so much for your support in December, Boli. I am embarrassed to have fallen off the Earth for 8 months, however this is a full NHAD chapter. They are very long, nearly 10,000 words. I hope this makes up for it a little bit. Also, Perpetual Dreamers’ website has become defunct. We will be hosting their old translations, so please bear with us while we upload them.

In the morning, I woke up as usual.

I prepared the clothes I usually wore and went through my usual morning routine. I ate only the breakfast items I usually ate: bread with honey butter, tea with plenty of milk, fresh vegetables and fruits from Rueis Village, and fresh yogurt sent directly from Cheddar’s Farm.

On the morning of a day with something special to do, one should not do anything differently than usual. It was better not to improvise and stick to the script. One should not try using types of toothpaste one has never used before, eating things one has never eaten or doesn’t usually eat, nor taking shortcuts and going down unfamiliar paths.

When you did such things, nothing good usually came of it. You might accidentally bite your tongue, get an upset stomach from eating unfamiliar foods, or unexpectedly get caught up in accidents or traffic jams.

That was one of the superstitious taboos that my grandfather and I had often discussed: the things that we absolutely must not do.

Especially if it was the morning of a very important day. The best thing to do was to continue on as usual without change, and keep your heart calm and settled.

This morning’s weather was partly cloudy. Thin, hazy clouds covered the sky, and after searching and searching, I could finally find a glimpse of blue sky between them.

In the morning, I double-checked my upcoming schedule, organized my equipment and luggage, tidied up my room, and sorted and processed the documents that had piled up.

In the afternoon, I had a practice session scheduled with Master Granza. The practice was actually supposed to take place tomorrow, but I had a lot of commitments tomorrow so I asked them to change it to today.

……Well, actually…

It was a lie I told. In order to borrow my master’s strength.

I’m sorry, master. I know it is not something that should be forgiven, so I don’t expect to be forgiven. But still… I’m sorry for dragging you into this.

It pained my heart to think about it, agonizingly so… If only a master, who had experienced countless fierce battles with monsters, had been here… It would have given me tremendous courage and reassurance.

I’ll listen to all your complaints later. You can scold me, insult me, and hit me as much as you want. I’ll make amends, too. So please, I beg of you.

I want you to fight with me.

I closed my eyes and exhaled, before I opened them and shifted my gaze from the documents in front of me to outside the window.

Parked in the Owen mansion’s enormous front yard and porch were two eight-seater carriages, two large wagons, and ten horses with imposing metal armor on their heads and legs.

Around them, knights, magicians, and servants in traveling attire were chatting and unloading and loading luggage. They were an additional force of the Western Border Knights, heading towards the western border of this small country.

And why had they ended up stopping by the Owens’ mansion?

…I was the one who had redirected them here. The trigger for this event was pure chance.

About a month ago, I heard from a knight stationed in the village say, “In response to a report and request from the Western Border Knights, who are guarding the western border, a new reinforcement unit has been added to the force.”

It seemed that up until now, the monsters had all been relatively docile, so a small number of fighters had been enough. But recently, there seemed to be a visibly increasing number of aggressive monsters.

After several knights were seriously injured and forced to return home, the decision was made to carefully select suitable candidates and form an additional unit to assist the knights into the western border.

The personnel selection had been completed, and the preparations for their departure had finally been arranged. They would soon be heading west. When I heard that, I thought… What good timing.

…Although for them, it was hard to say whether it was good or bad. No, it might be a good thing since the monsters would have to break through the western border before they could reach the village.

Sooner or later, the knights would have to face off against a horde of monsters, but by summoning them like this, the time and place they would be able to fight the monsters was pushed back just a little.

Besides, there were a lot of anti-monster traps set up here, as well as plenty of supplies and weapons. Since we could back them up in battle, I thought it was a little better than the border where there was nothing.

…But that was just my own selfish interpretation and excuse.

After hearing the knights’ story, I immediately offered, “In that case, please have them stop by and visit. I would like to hold a send-off party for them at our residence. They are taking on an immense duty, so I would like them to rest their bodies and prepare themselves in our territory before heading for the western border. As a humble gesture of assistance, I would also like to provide them with some supplies. Do you think they would be interested in talking to me about this?”

The knights were overjoyed, said they were grateful for the offer, and went to convey it to the Knights of the royal capital.

I whispered to my father and brother, “If you make a good impression on the knights of the royal capital, your reputation there will skyrocket,” and it seemed to be working just as I expected. The two both looked happy and nodded in agreement.

It was a plan that I came up with on a spur of the moment from just a short conversation I overheard, so to be honest, I wasn’t sure if it would work. Expecting it to be a lost cause, half in hope and half in resignation, I waited for a reply from the royal capital’s knights─

The day after that, a knight messenger from the royal capital came to the Owen family… and sent back a reply with a gold-rimmed thank-you letter saying, “We would appreciate it.”

The date and time of the send-off party were specified by me, but there was no objection or protest as I was also the one making the preparations. The departure date for the unit was decided to coincide with the date and time I had chosen.

Somehow, with a bit more momentum than I had expected, the matter was settled quite smoothly, and the situation progressed in the blink of an eye. And then─

It was around noon that day. Just as planned. The new Western Border Knights arrived safely at the mansion of the Owen family.

So, right now… the mansion was enveloped in an unusually hectic atmosphere as we welcomed them, escorted them to the annex where they would be staying, and prepared for the send-off party.

They were organized to stop damage caused by monsters. They were a unit specialized in combat against monsters.

I was sure… no, I was positive. Even when faced with monsters, they would not fear them and would fight more than adequately with the combat techniques they had acquired.

As for the four knights stationed in the village, when the Calamity began, I planned to have them ride fast horses to the neighboring towns and the royal capital to request reinforcements and warn the general public to evacuate. They would be able to get the word out quicker and with more authority than if I were to send myself or some villagers. They were knights of the royal capital, after all.

The royal knights’ crest, which they wore on their shoulders and chests to show that they were the protectors of the country, was not just for show. Their words would be accepted and trusted unconditionally, so to speak.

To use an analogy from my world, the knights were in a similar position to police officers. There was no ordinary person who would not follow the words of the police unless they were of extremely special status. Therefore, the words of ordinary people like us and the words of the knights had a completely different weight and credibility. They were accustomed to traveling by horse, and they possessed good mobility. There could hardly be anyone better suited to act as messengers.

I looked away from the window and let out a small sigh. All for the sake of today, I had done these sorts of things. I had been telling so many “lies” in these sorts of ways. I had guided people who were not supposed to be involved to this land of disaster.

I believed that one day, I would be punished for leading so many people who should never have been involved into this disaster. The people I led to this place with my “whisper” would face suffering… The physical and mental wounds they would suffer would certainly not be light.

…I couldn’t blame the Goddess. On the contrary, I thought my “whispers” were far worse than hers. Because my “whispers” were going to lead people to a battlefield where death was always close by.

Regardless, I did it all…

Because I wanted to protect this place at all costs. This serene place where time passed slowly… A place that felt like a dream.

＊＊＊

Shortly after noon, a rustling breeze began to pick up. It came from the west.

For some reason, the wind slowly but steadily carried increasing amounts of humidity and felt strangely lukewarm. Even though the wind sometimes blew through hard enough to sway the leaves on the trees, it was strangely damp… and it didn’t feel very pleasant.

The entire sky was covered by thin clouds, but through the gaps torn apart and scattered by the wind, a glimpse of the blue sky was visible, though only slightly. The weather today had been constantly changing since morning, shifting from clear to cloudy, and then from cloudy back to clear again ─ it kept fluctuating.

Just like today’s restless weather, many people and things had been coming and going from the mansion since morning, creating an unusually busy atmosphere.

“…Hmm…”

In the training grounds behind the mansion, my master was training Alfred and me as usual, and after effortlessly deflecting our nearly simultaneous attacks with his sword, he suddenly lowered the tip of his sword. Even though he was in the middle of a match, he looked away from us and turned towards the mansion, scratching the back of his neck and letting out a small sigh.

He seemed to have left himself open, but even if I yelled “Opening” and struck, I would most likely, no… I would definitely be blown away. Knowing this, I decided against it. It seemed like my master had eyes on his sides and back. I planned on casually brushing and touching around different parts of his body one day nonchalantly to see what was going on.

“…I don’t know why… but today, everywhere and anywhere, over there and over here, everyone is rushing around in a fuss… It just doesn’t seem to settle down at all,” my master said.

“…Is that so? Well… we do have a lot of guests today… It is quite hectic.” When I replied with a response that wasn’t a lie, his sand-colored gaze returned from the mansion to me, narrowing.

The blond-haired man sitting next to me averted his gaze from my teacher even though if he were so much as looked away for a little, he would be met with a terrifying counterattack accompanied by a ferocious smile, with my master saying, “Some nerve you’ve got there.” After briefly glancing around the mansion, he turned his sky-blue eyes towards me.

Yet despite the blond-haired man looking away with his guard lowered, strangely enough… there was no retaliatory punishment from my master. In fact, both of them were looking away with their lowered.

It seemed like… Why were they both looking at me?

While receiving the steady, intense gazes of sandy-colored and sky-blue eyes, as if they were about to bore holes in me, I managed to suppress the quickening of my pulsing heartbeat brought on by anxiety and pretended not to notice, returning their gazes with my usual smile. I pulled it off, but it was a struggle.

Seriously…I was really at a loss.

The two of them were, on the one hand, a troublesome old man who loved booze, fishing, and combat, and on the other, a former ruffian who was laid-back and marched to the beat of his own drum. But in reality… they were quite perceptive, their minds were sharp, and they were remarkably… intelligent.

They were the kind of people who, if one let even the slightest bit of speech slip, would quickly find out the truth. You shouldn’t let their listless appearance fool you into letting your guard down.

“…It’s true. Just as little Li said, there does seem to be an unusually large number of customers here today. But─” As he said this, for some reason my master finally put his beloved sword back into the sheath hanging at his waist.

It seemed that today’s practice was over. Then, as if he was thinking about something difficult, he furrowed his brow deeply, groaned softly, and slowly crossed his arms. He gave me a suspicious look.

I felt so uncomfortable that I wanted to run away right away… but I nevertheless managed to calm my racing heart and still somehow mobilized all my facial muscles to continue to smile. The sky-blue eyes were still staring at me.

I tried my best to endure the two’s searching gazes. It seemed that he had either grown impatient with me for not speaking up for so long or had simply given in as my master let out a long, drawn-out sigh, exhaling deeply through his nose.

“…Tch. Seriously, there are times when I just can’t read you… I can see that you’re thinking about something, but I have no idea what it is you’re thinking about. ─It’s like you’re contemplating something far beyond the norm, but I just can’t quite put my finger on it.”

Uaaahh…!! As expected of Master…!

It was so hot that I was about to break out into a cold sweat. Actually, I was already sweating. I could feel my forehead and temples getting wet.

I smiled as I wiped the sweat from my face with my sleeve, casually brushing my bangs aside.

“That’s not true. I’m completely normal. Almost too normal.”

“…Sure…”

My master let out a low, rumbling groan, changing the pitch of his voice in a way that made it crystal clear he was not satisfied. He puckered his lips into a frowning, down-turned expression, and his eyes narrowed to slits. It was as if he was saying, “This guy has some nerve, hiding something from me—his master.” The silent pressure and sharp gaze were more than just a little scary. But I had to endure them. I would do my best. If you showed weakness, you lost.

“─Lian.”

I didn’t know what was going on, but finally the blond-haired guy swung his sword once before sheathing it, then came around in front of me and looked down at me.

“─Is there something wrong?”

I let out a sigh.

Oh, come on. Why were they both questioning me like this? Did they think I knew something? Well, I guessed they probably did think that! My master must have honed in on the one person who knew the most, using his intuition! Impressive, but damn it!

These two were simply too sharp, too perceptive. It was really getting to me. Was it because they lived by their instincts, like wild animals? Sheesh.

To escape the scrutiny of the two-toned dual gazes, I lowered my eyes slightly. If only I could, right here and now, have clung to them desperately, wailing for help without holding back. How easy that would have been.

But I couldn’t do that.

The last bit of pride I had left inside me would never have allowed me to do something so pathetic or to show it to others, and I knew that crying and screaming wouldn’t change anything anyways. There was also my own will and stubbornness, my desire to stand firm and face forward until the very end without losing my composure.

After all, even now… I still thought it would have been difficult to tell the whole truth.

While the somewhat perceptive Alfred might have believed my story, my master and the others… Even if I spoke everything here and now…

Would anyone believe me, a simple person with no renown as a sorcerer, diviner, or astrologer, if I were to explain that a horde of monsters was about to attack? No, they wouldn’t.

Given how peaceful and calm the current circumstances were, desperately alerting them to a crisis would… Well, it was painfully clear to me, as it would have been to anyone without requiring further thought, that getting them to believe me would have been an immense challenge.

They would have likely frowned skeptically, wondering what in the world I was saying. Or they might have given me a concerned look. Or my master might have told me to rest, believing I was too tired. Yes, he would surely have said that. The reactions of the others would likely have been similar. I would have only ended up needlessly sowing confusion, anxiety, and suspicion. So I could not speak of it.

However─

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly and calmly. Raising my eyes, I met theirs.

“Alfred… may know about this, having heard it from Lady Marie. As for you, Master, I’m uncertain if you are aware… but it is said that for the next three days, the gods that keep vigil over the heavens will be taking a respite.”

The two of them looked confused for a moment when they suddenly heard me say something devoid of context. This was the one thing I felt I needed to convey. I had to tell him that─

Oh, right… When Marie in that story spoke those lines… perhaps she felt something like this.

Even if the light were to disappear and the world is plunged into darkness, please, I hope that you will…

“During that time, the world will be shrouded in darkness… and the light that normally protects us from those lurking in the darkness will not reach us. However…”

I beg you.

“Once the long, dark night has passed, the light will surely return to warmly illuminate and protect us once more.”

That’s why, please, until the very end, never lose hope and never give up.

The two of them simultaneously furrowed their brows.

“─Lord Lian!”

I heard the voice of Lowendahl calling me, and as I turned towards the manor, I saw ─

The usually composed elderly butler was standing at the door to the back garden, with an unusually surprised expression on his face. As soon as our eyes met, he straightened his posture and made a graceful, gloved-hand gesture in a bow.

It was really quite unusual. In fact, it might have been the first time I had ever seen the perfect, old butler in such a flustered state before.

“Ah, Lord Lian. Forgive me for the interruption during your training session,” he said.

“No, it’s alright. Lowendahl, what’s going on?”

“Yes… Lord Lian, you have some visitors.”

“Visitors?”

“Yes. It appears that… visitors who claim to be emissaries from the Fortuna Order’s headquarters have arrived in large numbers. No, I should say they have graced us with their presence.”

Emissaries? … In such large numbers?

“That’s─”

My eyes widened as the person who appeared behind Lowendal appeared.

Standing there was a knight clad in sturdy-looking silver armor, shoulder plates, breastplate, and gauntlets. Sheathed at his waist was a sword of nearly pure silver, and under his arm was a silver-colored helm.

A long mantle of calm navy hue billowed in the wind, its trim adorned with patterns resembling white feathers.

The knight’s hair was long, flowing gently in waves down to his waist, and a vibrant dawn-like color. The color of his eyes was the same.

The dawn-colored knight slowly stepped forward to stand beside Lowendahl and turned his gaze towards me. With a hint of delight, he narrowed his eyes and offered a warm smile, before executing a deep bow—one hand placed over his heart in the manner of a knight’s salute.

“─Forgive the delay, Lord Lian. I am Schwede Schutzer, a holy knight affiliated with the Fortuna Order. I traveled here with haste.”

“Sir Schutzer…!”

He came…! He really actually came! “The Knight of the Sword” is here! Just like he promised me back then…!

I was overjoyed, my throat trembling and my eyes growing warm, although I managed to compose myself. I was not one to break down in tears. It was simply an overwhelming sense of surprise and happiness.

“Schutz ─ Huh?”

What is going on?

Schutzer wasn’t the only one coming out from behind Lowendahl.

Farther behind the dawn-colored knight, armored knights, mages, and clerics began filing out one by one, lining up in the order they appeared. One, two, three… I counted up to ten but they still kept appearing, so I stopped counting and just stared at the people lining up, mouth agape.

They greeted me and introduced themselves, but they were all unfamiliar faces. Although, come to think of it, some did seem vaguely familiar, like I might have seen them at the branch before. But I had been so preoccupied back then that my memories were rather hazy, so I couldn’t say for certain.

From their self-introductions, I gathered that these were captain-level leaders of their respective units. Which meant that there were as many units as there were individuals standing before me.

Now I understood why Lowendahl had seemed so flustered.

There was probably an alarming number of cathedral knights, magicians, and monks in front of the mansion right now.

I too, if all of a sudden, an armed military force appeared in front of my house… It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that I’d have been beyond surprised. I might have unintentionally screamed, panicked, gotten flustered, and ended up calling the police. Well, not that there’s a “110¹” in this world.

Turning my gaze from the captains back to Schutzer, the dawn-colored knight shrugged his shoulders wearily and then bowed deeply in apology.

“Oh dear, I do apologize for the delay. We had actually planned to arrive much sooner… but whether this timing is good or bad, just as we were about to depart, an emergency request for monster extermination came in from the branch near the southern border…”

“An emergency… in the southern country…”

“…Yes. But at the time, we still had ample time, and it seemed like a matter that could turn into a greater calamity if left unattended. So, I decided we should address it first, even though the location was southwest of here—quite a distance away. Given the impending disaster, I couldn’t, in good conscience, ignore or be optimistic about it. We proceeded but encountered far more opponents than expected— fierce ones at that… Still, we managed to hand off the situation to others and hurried here with all haste.”

Once again, Schutzer let out a big sigh, tinged with both relief and exhaustion.

“I-Is that so… That must have been… tough…”

The holy knights would respond to the call for aid against monsters, no matter where the request came from. As those who served the Goddess alone, unbeholden to any particular country, they were ready to rush to any corner of the world where help was needed. In a sense, the holy knights were an exceptionally aggressive and highly mobile force.

According to what Schutzer said, the great southern country had been attacked by a horde of monsters, even before the situation here arose.

─No. Perhaps… they were being led to go there.

After all, the first and foremost goal of the great western powers was to destroy the loathsome enemy country they could never settle things with. Although that was just my speculation.

As Schutzer feared, if they were to be attacked from the south after driving away the western horde, then there would be no way…

We would have been fully occupied just defending the western front, leaving the south completely unguarded.

The worst-case scenario started to dawn on me, and I unconsciously rubbed my arms, shuddering.

At times like these, I was reminded that my knowledge was no longer complete. In the story I knew, by the time the protagonist reached that point, the southern nation had already been attacked by the monster horde, so I assumed that happened at the same time. But I didn’t know if that happened before or after the calamity that struck this village. I only knew the events that were shown on the “screen”. I had no insight into the peripheral happenings, the unseen movements.

I didn’t know what was happening behind me or what was going on around me at that moment. There was no way to know. I know it was a pointless request at a time like this… but I felt frustrated when I wished there would at least be a telephone I could use to call someone. In this world, we had no choice but to rely on horses… so information came in painfully slowly.

Additionally, this was a peaceful, remote little nation, far from the constant conflicts. The crisis management capabilities of the people here, including the royalty, were quite lacking. The common attitude seemed to be: “The outside world is in turmoil, but we should be fine.”

I wished everyone would be more vigilant. Please, I beg you.

Schutzer’s decision to put an end to the worries in the southwest first was, in my opinion, the right one. Because a future awaited us, in which we would be struck by an unimaginable, terrible disaster. I had no way of knowing what would transpire, and I couldn’t assure anyone that everything would be alright. Therefore, if one sensed unease, it would be wiser and more expedient to systematically address each concern before it was too late. As the saying went: “Preparedness prevents worries.” It was a favorite proverb of my grandfather and me.

“…Lord Lian.”

As I was lost in thought, Schutzer lightly tapped me on the shoulder. With a troubled yet amused expression and in a tone that seemed to be admonishing me, he called my name.

What was he tapping me for? What was he trying to say? I was not someone who worried unnecessarily. I was just thinking. There was so much to think about. So many things weighing on my mind…

“Come now, look. Please don’t worry. In the distant southwest lands, several squads of holy knights are stationed, watching over the movements of monsters alongside the warriors from the south. It is unlikely that they will be easily breached. This means that they will not get as far as this village. And above all, those gathered here are elite fighters chosen and summoned to protect this village and you. Let us definitely rid this land of its ‘calamity.’ This is not only a request from the archbishop, but also, most importantly, a plea from the Goddess.”

“…The Goddess…?”

When I looked up, his dawn-colored eyes sparkled with a slightly playful, amused look.

“Yes… The Goddess descended upon me in my dreams and personally made her plea. And to those who have gathered here as well. ‘Brave souls who rise to save many precious lives, you must change the fates of the sorrowful. Please gather around the gentle silver messenger who remains the sole one on earth to alter many tragic destinies. Please, fight alongside the messenger to vanquish the terrifying darkness that preys on many lives.’” The dawn-colored knight’s smile deepened.

The squadron commanders standing behind him also looked nervous, but they were smiling and nodded vigorously and widely.

…Ahh… I see, so it’s like that.

It seemed that after the Goddess spoke to me, she went around ‘whispering’ to others.

In this future, I didn’t just want to save myself. I wanted to gather people to fight alongside me.

Thank you…Goddess. Now then ─

“Thank you very much… Sir Schutzer. And everyone else…”

“Hehe. There’s no need to thank me. Dispelling the darkness is also our job. Please do not worry. Now then, the troops are already organized. All that’s left is to deploy them. Lord Lian, you probably know this place better than we do, so could you please give us your guidance?”

I nodded. “Yes. We have set up a barrier against monsters on the western side of the village of Rueis. Could you please deploy vertically from north to south along that barrier? Especially focusing on the center of the western area. We have detailed maps of the western part of Rueis village as well as a rough map of the entire village. Please receive them from Lowendahl. —Lowendahl, please provide them with the detailed map of the western part of the village and a simplified map of the entire village. Also, hand over the evacuation maps that we have been giving to the villagers.”

“Yes. As you command, Lord Lian.”

Lowendahl smiled and nodded. As usual, his smile and mannerism were calm and dandy².

…Hmm. I’d expect nothing less than calm and dandy from Lowendahl.

Even in the midst of such an abnormal situation, at least some things have remained normal. So normal that he gave a bright smile and turned around to leave, as if he understood everything. In front of the heavily armed commanders, he began explaining things with his typical efficiency and poise.

…Maybe he really did know.

No, no. There was no way. But… we were talking about the super-perfect butler Lowendahl, so I couldn’t be sure!

Lowendahl took the lead as he went down the corridor, the commanders following suit. I turned to face him and raised my voice, loud enough that it hurt my throat.

“Really… Thank you so, so much…! I’m so grateful that you came. Extremely grateful! I truly cannot thank you enough. Please lend us your aid!”

The squadron leaders stopped, turned around, and smiled back at me. After that, they nodded vigorously. Some raised one arm high, some raised the corner of their mouth with a grin, some waved both hands, and some even clapped their hands and fists together as if to say “Leave it to me.” So many people, uniting together to defend one front. I was truly grateful and couldn’t thank them enough.

Schutzer, who had been watching them leave, turned around and walked slowly towards me. He stood in front of me and smiled, narrowing his dawn-colored eyes.

“…Once again. It’s been a while, Lord Lian… I’m glad. You seem well, which is a relief.”

“…I’m doing well. Sir Schutzer is also unchanged—”

“Haha. You may call me Schwede. I don’t mind. I believe I mentioned that before, didn’t I?”

“No, that’s…”

There was no way that was possible. He was someone who was at the top of the Order of the Knights Templar.

And before I knew it, a person with blond hair quietly stood in front of me… while forcing his large body to create a wedge between Schutzer and me. His eyes narrowed sharply, like a wild animal on guard.

“Idiot. Your big back is too close to me. I can’t see anything. And seriously, what kind of attitude is that towards a guest?! I do remember what happened back then, and even though I feel that it won’t happen again, I know there is still some underlying discomfort about seeing him. He came here to help us. You need to be more sincere─”

Schutzer cracked a smile and laughed. What was it that I said? What was so funny?

“… Same as always, you³ haven’t changed. Just a slight movement from me and you’re ready to rip my head off. Now, now, calm down. I have something for you.”

Laughing softly, he took the long, vertical package that he had been carrying in his left arm since he arrived, carefully wrapped in a high-quality, thick, shiny purple cloth, which seemed to reach from the ground to around his waist. Using both hands, he held it out in front of Alfred.

Alfred, warily glanced down at the package for a moment, then quickly returned his gaze to Schutzer.

“…What is it?”

“Hehe. Once you get your hands on it, you will understand. There is no reason to be afraid. There is nothing bad in there.”

“…I’m not afraid.” Alfred rebutted the other man’s teasing words, his eyes narrowing even more fiercely, or rather sharply, as he casually grabbed the large package.

… Between these two people, I just couldn’t see any signs of them getting along. This was giving me a headache and a stomach ulcer. What could I do to make this better…

Alfred roughly untied the purple cloth with one hand, and inside… was a large sword. The coloring on the sheath was strange, as if the tones of dawn and dusk had been mixed together. Both the scabbard and the handle were decorated with a strange pattern combining gold and silver. Even to the untrained eye, it was simply too exquisite. The large sword was very grand and luxurious. However, it had a uniquely powerful and awe-inspiring presence that was felt by anyone who looked upon it.

At first sight, my breath caught in my throat.

“…Eh?!”

I accidentally left an audible sound of shock before quickly covering my mouth with my hand.

What, how is this possible? Here, now!?

I looked at Schutzer to see him amused by my reaction.

“Haha. As I thought, Lord Lian. You seem to know exactly just which sword this is.”

“Sir Sh-Schutzer… how… this sword ⁴…”

“This is also a request from the Goddess. ‘Please hand over the sword of the fallen kingdom’s king, sealed in the depths of our sect’s treasure vault, to the ‘Golden Guide.’”

Oh my god. This is… At the end of the original story, Alfred who had then become a hero, obtained the unique legendary sword. The “Sword of Dawn and Dusk”!

Alfred, with a puzzled expression on his face, threw away the cloth covering, grabbed the sheath with his left hand, and grasped the handle with his right hand.

Suddenly, Alfred’s hip pouch shimmered. Multiple times. The light was blinking repeatedly, with varying degrees of radiance. As if signaling to make one aware.

“Alfred, the bag on your waist─”

The person with blond hair glanced briefly at the hip pouch, then shrugged dramatically and let out a sigh.

“…Here we go, again.” Alfred said.

“Again?” I asked.

“Well, you see, when I try to leave this behind—I don’t really get it, but it starts shining like crazy. And then, it kind of starts talking in my head all high and mighty, saying ‘Take me with you.’ It’s annoying as hell. I don’t understand why, but as long as I hold onto it, it behaves. It even told you to have me carry it… That’s why. I ended up holding onto it reluctantly… Actually, I completely forgot about it until just now. It’s been sitting in this pouch the whole time.”

…I really didn’t get it. All I understood was that he had completely forgotten about leaving something in his sturdy leather hip pouch that he often used.

“What is it?” I questioned.

The blond took his hand off the handle, opened the bag, and reached his hand in, rummaging around for something. He grasped something and took it out. With his thumb and index finger, he picked out something with a rather reluctant look on his face. It was a gold ring. On the thick and wide golden surface was engraved with what seemed like a shining sun motif and intricate patterns resembling complex characters…

“Ah…”

I felt like I’d seen that ring before. Or rather, it felt too familiar.

“…The Ring of the Goddess Faltier’s Blessing.” Schutzer muttered the same words at the same time as me. He then stared at the ring and opened his eyes wide.

“What a turn of events… To think that you had it. The ring that was believed to have been lost already…”

“I don’t know. Lian found it and gave it to me.”

“No, that’s not true. Well, it’s true that I was the one who picked it up, but it’s actually yours.”

That ring, if I remember correctly, housed a small guardian spirit born from a fragment of the Goddess. When the rightful owner touched it, the spirit would communicate with them.

“One who holds the qualifications of inheritance. When you grasp the sword of the king and gain the Goddess’s blessing, you shall become the next king.” Sir Schutzer added.

Assuming it was the same as the story.

And yet you forgot about that, you bastard?! The priest who was trying to deliver such an important, once-in-a-lifetime, rare ring to the sacred land… They must have asked the spirit or something to ask you to deliver it instead! ‘Please deliver it in my place!’ You haven’t forgotten about that, have you?! Well, it’s your possession, so it’s only right that you have it! Please, get it through your thick skull! Damn, there are so many things I want to lecture you about, but I can’t say them, which is frustrating.

Schutzer looked back and forth between me and the blond before giving an amused grin.

“I see. ‘The Guide’… Is that right? —Lord Alfred. Would you please try putting on that ring and drawing the sword?”

Alfred looked genuinely displeased, his brow furrowed as he cast a narrowed sidelong glance at the dawn-colored knight.

“Do it. Give it a try!” I also wanted to see it, so I only joined in and reiterated what Schutzer said.

The blond reluctantly placed the gold ring on the pinky finger of his left, non-dominant hand and grasped the hilt of his sword again. And then…

A high-pitched sound echoed in the depths of our ears, and a vivid crimson light ran through the patterns drawn on the scabbard and hilt. Alfred slowly pulled the handle, smoothly and without a sound. The blade appeared. A blade adorned with the mingling hues of dusk and dawn, cloaked in a mysterious coloration, emerged.

“…I can’t believe. The scabbard. The sword was pulled from it…” Schutzer’s eyes widened and he muttered.

I could understand why he was surprised. This sword was one that nobody could pull out, and nobody could use. This is a sword that could only have been drawn by someone who fulfilled certain conditions. The conditions were as follows:

──To inherit the blood of the king of a country blessed by the gods, and

──To possess the ‘Ring of Succession.’

Therefore, only Alfred, who had inherited that blood, could wield the sword that was the symbol of the king.

Seeing it before my eyes, I was moved. The sword I had seen on the screen a long time ago had been beautiful, but the real thing… It was so beautiful that it was incomparable and left me at a loss for words. I never had thought the day would come when I could see it with my own eyes. More than that, this was…

The blade had a mysterious glow as its color slowly changed from sunrise to sunset, and then from sunset back to sunrise.

This is… Isn’t this the sword’s final form?

When first acquired, it should have had a pure white blade. To be cloaked in the light of dawn and dusk… This was the sword’s ultimate form, only obtained after surpassing the trials of the thirteen goddesses. Bestowed upon those brave souls who vowed to confront true darkness and save the world from crisis, the power of the thirteen goddesses and their highest blessings. All of this was encapsulated in the true form of the sword.

…………………Goddess………….

I sighed in astonishment, pressing my forehead and exhaling.

You, as a person, rather, a goddess...

Just as I had said at that time, “Use all the power you possess. Pour out everything you have until there is no strength left. Show your determination and conviction; that absolutely will change things!”

Those were the fierce emotions and beliefs I had conveyed so intensely. Even though she should have been far, far away, for some strange reason I felt as if the Goddess was right beside me, waving her small arms and small body around to cheer me on.

For some reason… even at a time like this, my mouth broke into a smile. The blond still held the blade up and looked at it in wonder. I lightly patted his large back.

“─Alfred. That sword will protect you until the very end. So, take good care of it.”

After all, it was a sword that could cut down not only the Demon King but even the divine beings that humans could never defeat.

The blond head turned around and looked down at me with the same wondrous expression.

“That’s right. And that sword doesn’t just protect you. It’s also a sword to protect the people of this village, and by extension, Lord Lian.” Schutzer came over and looked at me, then at Alfred.

Uncharacteristically, his smile was gone and he looked extremely serious.

“For that purpose, the sword that the Goddess bestowed upon you. Engrave that firmly in your heart: to protect Lord Lian and the others from calamity,” he said.

Come to think of it, I remembered. It had become a distant memory now, and it was quite vague, but when trying to draw the sword, I remembered… that there was an event where the messenger of the Goddess Faltier would descend, questioning the will and qualifications of inheritance, and challenging you to a trial match.

But that didn’t happen. The fact that it didn’t happen meant that maybe the Goddess even skipped over that event. I wondered if she even pleaded with Faltier, or even ‘whispered’ to her.

It’s helpful… but even though she’s the goddess of creation, whispering to the gods of this world for favors… Honestly, does she even know how that looks?! I wonder if it’s okay to constantly ask favors from the gods, even if it’s a godly matter. Isn’t that already pushing the limit? I’m not familiar with the rules of the gods around here, but…

“…I hear that the Goddess Faltier is a fair mediator, a recorder, and a strict judge. Reflect well on the meaning and wish behind the Goddess entrusting the sword to you, still young and immature. Carve it deeply into your heart and show gratitude.” Schutzer said.

Alfred’s brow furrowed in displeasure. He was glaring as if looking at an enemy.

Meanwhile, the mature Schutzer smiled back with ease, exuding an air of amusement and teasing.

Oh well. As far as I was concerned, he was someone who will eventually fight alongside Alfred, so I hope they could at least maintain a relationship without any hostility. Maybe I should subtly mediate their relationship so they could get along… I think most of the cause was probably my fault. I should take responsibility… If Schutzer wouldn’t join us in the future, it would be very troublesome. It would be troublesome for me and for everyone else. It would give me a stomach ulcer.

“…I don’t need you to tell me that.”

“Haha, I see. Well then, I look forward to working with you.”

With a displeased expression, the blond nodded in return, swung the sword once, and sheathed it.

My master, who had been listening to the conversation from a short distance away, chuckled softly. In a way, that was somewhat enjoyable.

“…I don’t really understand why, but the air smells like an incoming war…” His eyes sparkled like a child on the way to a playground, his mouth curled up in a smile. It was quite unsettling because his sharp canines were visible… very ominously. Or rather, frighteningly.

When our eyes met, he squinted slightly.

“Your skin’s all tingly and restless, isn’t it?… Isn’t it, Little Li?” My master spoke to me with a lively voice that conveyed his genuine excitement.

I exhaled as his gaze, filled with certainty and confirmation, was directed at me. Truly, my master had an amazing intuition. That was right. Indeed. I wonder why his eyes sparkled like that.

In the extremely unsettling excitement akin to a child before an event, I felt a bit, just a bit… like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

Seriously… you have some bloodlust.

“…Master, at times like these, you’re extremely… reliable.”

“I see, that’s good,” my master said, laughing out loud.

That was not something to laugh about at all.

“Lord Lian, I came across a church on the way here, and Lady Efa happened to be there, so I gave her something the Goddess had requested. The Scepter of the White Morning Star.” Schutzer added.

“Huh?! Th-that too?!”

Seriouslyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!? Isn’t that the strongest wand that the heroine gets in her hands at the end of the story…?!

It was an extremely sacred staff that was enshrined at the headquarters of the Fortuna Church and was displayed to the public once every ten years for airing out, during which time worshippers offered thanks and then departed.

I appreciate it, but even though it was the Goddess’s request, that’s a bold move…

After all, Efa was still just a young novice of the church and was not even remotely close to being called a “saint.”

If it were me, even if the Goddess asked me to leave it with her, I would be incredibly worried about whether it wouldn’t be returned safely, get broken, or get lost. It would take a lot of courage to leave it with her.

I mean, seriously, it seems like nobody cares about appearances anymore!!! And I can’t even say anything about it, to the people (and the Goddess)!!! Geez. Now that it’s come to this… The Goddess, everyone, they have all done so much for me. I have also given my best. Let’s get down to business.

Also, despite everything that had happened, the fact that various things had gathered here so smoothly, almost as if they were tailor-made, exceeded my expectations. I thought this was a green light for us to keep moving forward.

Grandpa used to say, “It’s best to stop when you encounter difficulties at the beginning, but if things quickly fall into place, then confidently go ahead with a bang!”

Even if it were painful and difficult at the time, you would think later on that it was a good thing that you did it. I thought so too.

When I looked up at the sky, before I could even process it, the clouds had become thin and scattered. The western edge was beginning to turn a faint red.

It’s almost here. When the sky turns blood red…

The last and final chapter of the starting village arc─ begins.

Translator Notes: