Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou Zero - Volume 4 - Chapter SS4

The Day He Bade Farewell

A lone man sat in the middle of a large, quiet workshop. His eyes were closed, and his breathing steady. He looked like a prisoner mentally preparing himself for his execution, or perhaps a hero steeling himself for the final battle. After a few minutes, he opened his eyes, revealing the determination hidden within his gaze.

He looked down at a sheet spread out before him. Resting on that sheet was a blade. The man solemnly picked up the blade and raised it until it was level with his eyes. Its edge was sharp enough to cut with ease, and the metal glinted dully in the light. The man turned the blade around in his hands, inspecting it from every angle for dents or nicks.

“Acceptable,” the man muttered. He sucked in a deep breath, then said, “Now let us begin.”

He pointed the keen blade toward his own head.

This all happened on a day long before the theocracy declared war on the republic. After returning from their humiliating defeat on the western seas, Araym Orcman had thrown himself into his training. After another day of harsh drills, he staggered tiredly down the halls of the main cathedral. As he was walking, he sensed his commander, Laus’, presence beyond the next corner. He fixed his appearance as best as he could, and straightened his tired back. Though he was beginning to have doubts about his commander, discipline took precedence. He refused to appear disheveled before his commanding officer. But while Araym was still in the middle of straightening his hair, Laus turned the corner.

“Lau—!?”

“Araym? From the looks of it, you’ve been training quite hard.”

Normally, Araym would have quipped back with something like, “Very perceptive of you, sir,” but he was too shocked to reply.

“Hm? What’s the matter, Araym?”

“N-Nothing, sir! My apologies. I was simply musing about hair. And how divine it is.”

“I see...”

Araym was visibly shaken. Though he managed to croak out a reply, he was still staring intently at Laus. Specifically, at Laus’ eyes. He felt as though he’d be killed on the spot if he raised his gaze any higher. For a few seconds, the two men stared at each other. In truth, Laus was hoping Araym would comment on the state of his head. He wanted to hear other people’s impressions, but it seemed obvious Araym wouldn’t make the first move, so he decided to break the ice.

“I shaved my head,” he said simply.

“Ah! So you did, sir!”

“Mhm.”

The two men stared at each other again. Sweat started beading on Araym’s forehead.

“I feel a lot better now, honestly.”

“Th-That’s wonderful.”

“Mhm.”

Silence fell for a third time and the two men stared at each other yet again. But this time, Araym broke eye contact after a few seconds. Feeling a bit disappointed, Laus bid farewell to Araym and walked off. A wave of relief wash over him as Araym leaned against the wall.

“Wh-Why did he shave it off?”

He looked back at Laus and saw the sunlight reflecting off his commander’s bald head. Just before Laus could turn the corner, Mulm showed up.

“L-Laus, what did you do with your hair!?”

“Hello, Mulm.”

Mulm Allridge, the commander of the Paragons of Light, pointed at Laus’ head, aghast.

“I shaved it off,” Laus replied simply.

“But why!? Oh, is it because of what happened on the western seas?”

“No, absolutely not!”

“Huh!? It’s not!? Wait, why are you denying it so vehemently!?”

Mulm had been certain Laus had shaved as a way to show his remorse for losing at Andika, so he was surprised Laus was denying it.

“I’m not worried about what that little girl said at all...” he muttered to himself. He then turned to Mulm and said, “Mulm.”

“Wh-What is it, Laus?”

“Hair is unnecessary. It’s just that many people don’t understand that yet.”

“Well, I definitely don’t understand what you’re saying.”

Laus and Mulm looked into each other’s eyes for a few seconds. Finally, Laus muttered, “I see,” with a despondent look on his face and walked off.

Is he that depressed over his loss in the west? Mulm thought, genuinely worried about his fellow knight.

Some hours later, Laus started on the road home. His subordinates and comrades had been staring at his head all day. But at the same time, few actually voiced their opinions on his new look, as if it was some sort of taboo topic. He was tired of the negative attention and wanted to hurry home back to his beloved son, Sharm. But just as he left the cathedral, he ran into the person he was least interested in seeing.

“Lord Barn.”

“Oracle.”

Ainz Arsalk, Ehit’s divine oracle, stood before him. Her beauty did nothing to hide her emptiness. She was wearing her nun’s habit and a veil over her face, which was why no one else had taken notice of her yet. Laus broke out in a cold sweat and desperately tried to find a way to end the conversation as soon as possible.

“Are you on your way home?”

“Y-Yes.”

“I see. Be sure to treasure your family. You’ve had little opportunity to see them since you returned from the expedition on the western seas. I recommend spending the rest of the day with your loved ones.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

Normally, Laus would have been thinking something caustic like, As if you mean a single word you say, but he didn’t at that moment. It wasn’t because the oracle was being sincere for once, though. No, it was because she, too, was staring at his head.

“My lady, is there something on my head?”

“Whatever do you mean?”

Though she sounded confused, the oracle had been staring at Laus’ head since the moment she’d seen him and hadn’t looked away from it even once.

“At any rate, please excuse me, Lord Barn.”

“Of course.”

However, even as the oracle walked past Laus, she turned her head to keep staring at his hairless scalp. It scintillated in the evening light, reflecting the orange-red glow of the sunset. The oracle stared at it like a child captivated by a beautiful butterfly.

“D-Does it really look that bad?”

All I did was shave my head... Plenty of other priests and bishops do it... so why is it everyone’s staring at me like I’m some strange creature?

Confused and a little depressed, Laus returned home.

“F-Father, you lost your hair! Sharm shouted as he walked through the front door.”

“Y-Yeah. I decided to shave it off. Does it look weird?”

“Nope, it looks cool! You look way stronger now!”

Those words were all it took to clear away Laus’ doubts. His wife, Ricolis, refused to meet his eyes for a few days, but as long as Sharm liked his new look, he didn’t care.