44. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Unlike the first floor, where the space was extremely wide, the second floor was extremely spacious. It was compressed. The second floor of the castle, which would have originally boasted a complex structure, was now only about the size of a room at most.
Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Unlike the insignificant monsters on the 1st floor, what greeted us upon entering the 2nd floor were dozens of warriors in an orderly formation.
The black heavy armor firmly protects the body, and the disciplined prayer can be felt from the posture with the sword drawn. The two figures at the head of the armed group were rather lightly dressed.
Hana, who seems pretentious, wears twin swords around her waist, and on the other hand, Hana looks like a martial artist without any weapons. There was tension between the two groups.
“An enemy?”
“I don’t know. Still, it’s hard to believe that those who show up here will be benevolent.”
However, they only showed a bustling atmosphere and did not say anything or attack. The leader, who had been whispering for a while, pointed out one of his subordinates and sent him forward.
Though the knight died, he cautiously moved towards the mysterious group. In that gesture, he sent one warrior out of the opponent as well, as if he hadn’t read hostile intentions.
A knight in silver armor and a warrior in black armor took one step closer to each other. They looked like twins.
“Over there.”
“·······.”
The two cautiously stopped at the distance just before the swords could touch each other. However, even though the knight continued to talk, no answer came back. There was only an empty echo.
“Captain, what should I do?”
The mysterious group just stared at us and showed no intention. A thought crossed my mind as I watched the knight struggling with the black armor that looked just like his own.
[Those things, no way…]
“I can’t seem to get out of the way, so I have to do it.”
As the knights, led by the leader, pulled out their swords, the opposing faction also took up a combat stance against them. The knights and warriors in front retreated like a bounce and returned to each other’s camps.
The battle soon began. Although their appearance was bizarre, the knights displayed a fighting spirit against humanoid enemies. Swords clashed everywhere, and blood splattered.
And I was convinced.
[Those are mirror images.]
“A mirror image?”
[You don’t have to think hard. You attack weakly once.]
Cream followed me. She fanned a small ball of fire from her fingertips, then tossed it lightly into the space where her warriors were congregating.
At that moment, the shadow of the twin swords, which had been still, threw fireballs at him. Fireballs thrown by each other fell towards the place where the knights and warriors were gathered, respectively, and exploded.
“Kuuk!”
But the screams came from only one side. The warriors made of shadows were fine even after being swept away by the explosion, but the articles that were made of cloth were damaged by the flames.
And the warriors, who were fine until the flames swept away, began to limp only after the knight was injured. Anyway, something really special is coming out.
It’s not as great as a doppelganger. At most, the image reflected in the mirror. There is no harm in itself, but the moment you attack the mirror image, all of its power is reflected and harms you and your teammates.
In fact, the best way to deal with a mirror image is to just ignore it. Because if you don’t attack the mirror image, the mirror image can’t attack the original either. But this time they’re blocking the way.
[You should use some strength.]
“Yes.”
[Choco falls a little from us.]
As Choco fell from Cream’s side, the figure of the martial artist who guarded the shadow of the twin swords also withdrew. After that, Cream reached out to the shadow.
I like that this is how my thoughts go through. Even though I didn’t elaborate, Cream he knew what he had to do.
A flame whirled from the fingertips. Even as the knights hurriedly evaded, the shadows of the twin swords, which had remained still, stretched out their hands as if to confront them only when the flames approached.
A flame equivalent to that of the cream swirled in the shadow’s hand. Soon, it consumed the flames of the cream and returned to us with increased firepower.
Looking at it carefully, Cream reached out and grabbed its reins. Then, it gave stronger power to the flames and sent them back to the shadows.
It must have been easy since it was originally his own power. I can’t believe that the hero makes mistakes in controlling his power. Just like playing ball, how many times must they have exchanged strength with each other?
The cream was compressed and compressed, and once again hurled flames that were no longer red, burning bloody at the mirror image. The image that was only projected did not back down even in the face of the destructive flames.
[Gi yi yi!]
No, it would be more accurate to say that you cannot back down. It’s just a mirror image. The moment the flames swept everywhere and exploded, the mirror image, no. The mirror’s scream rang out.
All the shadows engulfed in flames melted away. As if it was a lie that they had been fighting so fiercely a while ago, the warriors who were fiercely dueling with the knights also faded one by one.
Soon there was nothing left in its place. Beyond the place where the mirror image was guarded, the exit to the third floor was revealed.
[Tsk.]
But before heading to the third floor, I looked back for a moment. There were knights who were wounded and bleeding from fighting the mirror image. It wasn’t one or two.
It’s been a while since the exploration started, and it’s already like a defeated soldier. To be honest, did you ever get in here and the knights were helpful? I was holding my ankle the whole time.
[Let’s throw it away.]
This is the end of being patient. Originally, I was going to shake it off through the stairs to the second floor. With the feeling that the space is cut off and there is nothing you can do about it.
But I had no choice but to come back to the 2nd floor to get chocolate, and after that I started to act like Eoyoung and Booyoung. If this continues, there is a high probability that they will act together in the future.
[That’s why, let’s just do activities by ourselves comfortably.]
[·······.]
The holy sword, which would normally get angry when I said something like this, was now quiet. Oh, has he already given up?
I’m sorry, but our companionship ends here. Cream was also frustrated, so he went to the captain and notified him. There was no room for persuasion in that resolute statement.
“Such……. Yes, I understand. Instead, if you find the Viscount, please make it your first priority to rescue him.”
I wonder if he felt a solid wall from Cream’s words, or if he himself had the perception that they were a burden, the captain protested, but quickly accepted it.
Well, it’s questionable how long they’ll survive without the hero’s protection. It’s none of our business anymore. It was then that the holy sword, which had been silent until now, opened its mouth.
[Hero.]
“Huh?”
[Can’t you protect them?]
That was a word worthy of a holy sword. Think of others, be kind, and so on. To put it in my own way, it was a frustrating remark, like eating a hundred sweet potatoes.
[Ha, are you still out of your mind?]
[What else are you trying to say, Karbal?]
[It’s because it’s ridiculous. A guy who doesn’t care about the sacrifices of others for the sake of the hero, why is he doing this now?]
At the beginning of the adventure, it was a holy sword that made a bloody proposal to conquer the underworld. Her goodness was a virtue that was displayed even when the hero was not involved.
When I absorbed souls and broke God’s taboo, I was so angry, but didn’t the Holy Sword also deceive many people with its words? She’s not trying to be right or wrong.
It’s just that I couldn’t understand why the Holy Sword, who had been so devoted to the hero despite being treated badly, now made a choice that was unfavorable to the hero.
[Hero, I am a sword.]
However, the Holy Sword began to talk out of the blue with my doubts in front of it.
[Not a map or a compass, but a sword. It is not a tool for guiding the path, but a tool made to cut down the enemy of the hero.]
[Who knows that.]
[So, even though I claim to be the hero’s first companion, I don’t reveal my intentions. A sword is only a bell, and it is the choice of the person holding the handle who decides what to cut. The only ones who want to control my master are those who are like demonic swords.]
In spite of my tackle, the Holy Sword’s voice was impeccably sincere. Cream, who was moving away from the knights’ camp, stopped for a moment and pulled out the holy sword.
A white and smooth blade without a speck of dirt. The light from the blade was weaker than usual, so the warrior’s face could be seen reflected in the blade.
[Even if the hero holding me chooses evil, if it’s my own choice, I respect it.]
“What do you mean, want to do, say, say?”
[But the hero doesn’t know.]
Cream also has her own set of values, but that is not goodness, but goodness. It is not a universally accepted idea, but it is based on oneself as the basis for judgment.
[I know what is good and what is bad, but what is good and what is bad. You don’t know.]
[Is that important?]
Somehow, I growled in place of Cream, who was silent. It doesn’t matter. None of that matters. The important thing is not vague notions like good and evil,
Strength. The power to force one’s judgment on others. That’s it. The hero had enough strength, but no holy sword. So that’s why you’re just messing around with your mouth.
[You said you don’t want to be like a demonic sword? Then why don’t you stop trying to manipulate the owner?]
[You must be the one possessing the hero.]
[hahahaha, I don’t know what you mean? You know that. No matter how great the magic sword I am, I can’t touch the hero because of the god damn protection.]
A will filled with resentment came from the holy sword. I lightly let go of all those feelings with a light shrug.
[There is not only one way to deal with people.]
[Then what do you mean by that? Are you saying that the hero you serve will be swayed by others?]
“So.”
Our conversation, which had been overheated in a strange way, was cut off. With a voice as smooth and hard as marble, Cream instantly chilled the atmosphere.
“What are you talking about?”
[I want the warrior to know good and evil.]
The holy sword trembled briefly, like a sob. I sneezed out a little darkness as if mocking, then took it back.
From noble mtl dot com
[At least, I hope you know the meaning of that action. Even if you choose evil in the end, I hope it is at least your will. It’s not like I’m being swayed by the magic sword.]
That must have been quite a courageous statement from the point of view of the Holy Sword, who almost worshiped the hero. He reacted so sensitively when I made fun of Cream.
[That’s why I couldn’t stay still either. There are many things that teach the hero evil, but no one teaches good.]
[Are you trying to be a teacher for just a sword?]
[Yes. Like you said, I’m just a sword. No ability to do so. Still, I lived a long time. Enough to find a way for a lost child.]
It was clear who the lost child was pointing to.
[I respect the warrior’s choice no matter what. However, the choice must be yours to the last. The meaning of that choice should be known by yourself, not by anyone else.]
There was silence for a while. I tried to spit out some mental waves, but I couldn’t because the cream was holding me tight.
Cream was speechless, not knowing what he was thinking. The starlight streaming from her pupils dimmed for a moment, then she burned with a more vivid radiance.
“······Is that, that, that, important?”
However, what came out of her mouth was an ordinary question. Innocent like a child, and even childish in some ways.
It was to the point where the argument between me and the Holy Sword was indistinct. However, the holy sword didn’t care about the fainting words and spoke with her firm will.
[Important.]
“Why?”
[Crime, you are a warrior.]
The holy sword called the hero’s name for the first time.
It wasn’t the voice of the usual stern and pouty girl, nor was it the voice of a female warrior who adorned herself solemnly to cheat her.
A strange voice of a girl and a female warrior mixed with guilt and relief. Perhaps, even though she had known the holy sword for decades, the mask she had never taken off was slightly distorted at this moment.
[Because it is you, not anyone else, who chooses the demon king.]