24. Happiness is not far away
“Whoa… Whoa… Kahak…! Hwa… Sure, that’s great yeah… hehehe…”
“…Well.”
When the knight’s right arm was swung once, blood oozes from the blade of the sword as black and transparent as the night sky.
“Eternal life is not allowed to beings who disturb the law of causality.”
“Khehehehe… Cough!… That sounds funny… Yeah… Did that unlucky b*tch… Say that…?”
“…The truth that has been passed down from the beginning. Ignorance is a sin. Foolish and arrogant being.”
“Haa… Cool! What you’re saying… Maybe you’re right. Couldn’t you twist the expected ending…”
Predetermined ending.
A predestined ending?
This is a really ridiculous statement. It’s a predestined ending.
“Trusting in such a delusion is also a piece of ignorance. Get to know the subject.”
There was no emotion in the knight’s tone.
As if the fierce battle that had been going on just now was a lie, the knight’s calm breathing and unhesitating movements were enough to instill some emotion in the man struggling in front of him.
Fear.
Horror.
And awe.
He broke the mold of being a mortal. Transcended the limits.
At this level… Even if you fight head-on against a wirebreaker, wouldn’t it be hard to decide who is superior or inferior?
“…Amazing, knight who transcends humanity. Even with my eyes that transcend all things, I cannot see only your future.”
From noble mtl dot com
Now, with only one eye wide open, Callas, commander of the Demon King’s Army’s 2nd corps, knelt in front of the knight.
I can’t see anything. Nothing.
The right eye that tore the dimension apart had long since been taken away by the knight’s sword.
The left eye, which had been able to see through all things, was aiming at the knight without the slightest movement, but when he tried to look inside.
“It is a pitch-dark night. It’s to the point where I’m afraid it might swallow up the sun.”
That’s a mistake. A perfect mistake.
He has eyes that transcend everything, but he does not transcend himself.
“To you who defeated me, I will give you a special piece of advice.”
“…Tell me.”
I entrusted the task to Huntly, the body collector, but now I wonder if even that Huntly will be able to revive Callas.
It is such a law to stand up to an existence that transcends limits.
“Be careful not to block the sun, Knight of the Stars. All beings have their proper place.”
“…The hero is none of my business.”
Saying that, the knight slowly raised his jet-black longsword.
“Kuhh… That’s arrogant. Do you really want to touch the devil at least with the tip of your sword? You haven’t surpassed the limits of the stars.”
“…Arrogant.”
After hearing Callas’ words, the knight suddenly raised his finger and pointed at the star-filled night sky.
“There is only one thing you overlooked.”
“…I overlooked it. What…”
“The stars are in the sky.”
– Sudden!
“With the palm of your hand, you cannot cover the sky.”
Only once. As the blade descended like lightning, Callas’s head rolled on the floor, staring blankly at the sky.
“…The sun.”
The knight muttered in a calm tone, brushing off the blood on the sword, and looking at the sun poking her head out from the east.
…From what I’ve heard at first glance, they set out on a journey in pursuit of the sun.
I heard that the tomboy-like child who asked for instruction saying he wanted to become a knight became a full-fledged adult before he knew it and took up an important position in the Royal Guard.
A child like a daughter.
Although she wasn’t a child with him, she was like a daughter to the knight.
A daughter who is not connected by blood.
“…Let’s see each other for the first time in a while.”
To see the clear-eyed boy who asked for another teaching at the same time.
* * *
I was so excited that I had succeeded in escaping Cologne that I was so tired that I left Robin to guide her and stared blankly at the scenery.
The temperature is just right, neither too hot nor too cold, and a vast meadow swaying like waves in the cool breeze.
Ah. So good.
This is healing. This is life
Happiness? No big deal. If you just live as you please, happiness will naturally roll in.
At least if you live like that, you won’t lose.
“Hmm… I think this one is right… isn’t it?”
I turned my head at the sound of a grunt and found Robin, who had been looking at the map since earlier, scratching his head.
“I can’t see… Woo…! Seniors! What kind of graffiti did you scribble on the map so much!”
“…Ugh. Give it to me.”
It’s not too dirty, but the overcoat is shaking.
Snatching her map from grunting Robin…
…Is it dirty?
“This, that…that. That.”
“…Is that it?”
“No, why… you know. When I was at the warriors’ party, there was no paper or parchment to take notes on. So, as well as marking important points on the map, like this…”
“No matter how much it is…! This is too much! I can’t even see the map! Besides, no matter how many times I erased and rewritten, the paper was so tattered…”
“Yes, yes. I’ll just show you the way, so you can rest.”
I looked down at the map, trying to ignore Robin, who was still muttering something with his mouth pouting.
“……”
– Deulgeureok Deulgeureok
The silence came in an instant.
Princess Alexis and Luna, who were lying against the door of the carriage, seemed to be mentally exhausted from the great exodus just a few hours ago, and no one knew who was carrying them.
Only the sound of the wagon’s wheels rolling on the dirt road and the rhythmic sound of breathing filled the wagon quietly.
“…Senior.”
At Robin’s words breaking through the drowsy melody of everyday life, I rubbed my forehead and turned my head.
“Why?”
“Senior… How did you come out of the party?”
“…Didn’t I tell you?”
“You said you would tell me later, but you haven’t even mentioned it until now.”
Did I be too insensitive?
Robin, who is cutely angry at me, didn’t like the way he was hiding something from himself.
“…Well. In detail, I have to tell you everything about the past three years, but…”
“Um… Come to think of it, I don’t think you need to listen.”
“Hey sh*t… no, just to be brief.”
Why did I leave the party?
“…It’s just that we didn’t get along.”
There is no need for a long explanation, that’s it.
They and I were at odds with each other, like cogs that don’t mesh.
Starting with food, clothing, and shelter, everything including combat.
“There was a big difference of opinion, a different way of fighting… It just didn’t work out. It’s just… that’s what human relationships are all about.”
As if the god of fate had foretold it, there are ties that fit perfectly together, and there are also bad ties that cannot be backed down from any boundary.
From noble mtl dot com
Now, that’s just what I was thinking.
They should have been looking for chores, not scouts.
“Sometimes they leave me with all the chores, and when I go scouting, they treat me badly… Uh…”
Cook rice. Do the laundry what do you replace
“…You’re suddenly out of temper, b*tch. These aren’t b*tches behind on their mother.”
The more I remembered the time when I was at the warrior party, the more I felt that I was getting more and more goals.
I wasn’t originally a person with such a rough mouth.
…It’s real.
“Uh… I think I know roughly.”
“I wish I knew.”
After hearing my story, Robin nodded her head with a delicate expression on his face.
“Senior. By the way… Can I leave the party on my own like this? Anyway, it’s His Majesty’s order to deal with the demon king…”
“I don’t know. Well, if His Majesty seduces me, he’ll arrest me. I will live my life thinking of myself.”
“…Why did you join the hero’s party in the first place?”
That’s a bit of a sharp question. After all, it’s like a hound that I taught myself.
“Okay. Like wanting to travel around the world, wanting to go on an adventure with people other than the Rangers… There are many reasons, but the most important one is… This.”
As I curled my index finger and thumb, I felt Robin’s gaze at me cool slightly.
“…Was it just for the money?”
“It’s just money. Don’t you know how much money plays in your life?”
As I licked my lips, Royman’s voice suddenly came through the window on the driver’s side.
“Brother… I’ve been telling you for a long time, but you need to truly have faith. Our doctrine that excessive greed eventually returns as a sword is…”
That’s it again. Also.
When I was 7 years old, I felt like I was nagging at her mother when she saw me becoming covered in dirt.
Everything Royman said was stereotypical, outdated thinking.
“So what I want to say is… Brother. Are you listening?”
“Uh… Huh? I’m listening. Then. Keep talking.”
“…What I want to say is, money can’t buy happiness. If you have a pillar that supports your life, you can live happily. First of all, starting with going to church with me and taking faith as a pillar…”
“Royman… you don’t know what.”
Anyway, all these friends seemed to view money as a pebble on the side of the road.
“Money can’t buy happiness. If you have money, you are happy. Am I wrong?”
“That’s… No, that’s right. Yes.”
“Robin. Carve it into your bones too. It’s a lesson that becomes blood and flesh. It is also the motto of my life.”
“…Senior is really. You have lived your life right.”
“I’ve had a pretty cool life. Happiness is not far away.”
I didn’t know how much time had passed, and as I shared these silly things, Royman, Robin, Luna, and Princess Alexis had settled down in a corner of my heart before I knew it.
Isn’t this what a real colleague is?
Beyond the horizon at sunset, a scarlet light like the color of Robin’s hair bathed the sky.
When we get to Mettelheim… We should stop by the instructor’s sister at the Ranger first.
“…Come to think of it, what is that man doing…”
A knight uncle who showed off his wonderful swordsmanship skills while making a strange noise that he had traveled all over the world chasing stars.
I was immersed in the nostalgic memories of the past, looking at the sun slowly disappearing with blush on my face.