Chapter 1: After the Fierce Battle
In the Paladia Kingdom, at a hilly area near a farming village thirty kilometers west of the capital...
The entire area was completely destroyed. The ground was gouged open, with slabs of soil turned up everywhere. But contrary to the disastrous sight, a fantastical spectacle was taking place in the surroundings. Water hung in the air as mist, creating a rainbow. Rio walked beneath such a sky with Lucius’s corpse burning brightly behind him. He walked until he reached Christina in her tattered dress and the feverish Flora who had fallen unconscious.
“Is Princess Flora okay?” Rio asked Christina as he sheathed his sword at his waist. Christina had been staring at the mystical sight of Rio passing under the rainbow in a daze, but snapped back to her senses to explain Flora’s symptoms.
“Oh... Umm, she was bitten by a venomous spider in the forest and has a fever.”
“A venomous spider... Have you tried casting Purgo?”
“Y-Yes. But it isn’t a poison that can be treated with magic...” Christina regained her composure a little and examined Flora’s state with a pale face.
“I see...” Rio looked down at Flora’s fever-flushed face.
Detoxification magic can only decompose harmful substances inside the body into harmless substances, which means her body is being attacked by an infection rather than a toxic substance. She may heal if I strengthen her natural recovery with spirit arts, but...
There was another recovery method that would have a more immediate and reliable effect. And so, Rio decided to use that instead. He reached into the pocket of his coat and moved his mouth faintly to chant a spell.
“Dissolvo.”
The space beneath his coat immediately distorted and a small bottle appeared in his hand. Rio grabbed it and took his hand out of his pocket. To Christina and the other figure standing nearby, it looked like Rio had taken it out of his pocket normally.
“Take this. It’s a powerful magic potion that can be considered a panacea. She looks fairly exhausted so it may take some time before she regains her stamina, but it should treat the poison right away,” Rio said, holding the bottle out to Christina. It contained a secret recipe made by the spirit folk, so its effect was guaranteed.
“Are you sure...?” Christina blinked in hesitation.
“Of course?” Rio cocked his head, unsure of why she was asking such a thing.
“Th-Thank you so much,” Christina said with her sincerest gratitude and accepted the bottle.
“It’s fine. More importantly, your injuries...” Rio asked, looking at Christina’s appearance.
Her bare, dainty feet were peeking out from under the tattered hem of her muddy dress. They were clearly stained with blood, making it obvious that she was injured. There was a magic-sealing collar around her delicate neck, adding to the tragic sight.
“I-I’m fine. I was walking through the forest barefoot, but it isn’t anything major.” Christina moved her hands to cover her dirty feet in a fluster.
Rio reached inside his coat pocket once more and whispered the discharge spell to retrieve another bottle. He then offered it to Christina. “Pour this over the wound and drink the rest. It’ll ease any pain you have in your body. I’ll remove that collar later.”
“Umm, magic potions are meant to be fairly valuable items... Please use it on your own wounds before me,” Christina said hesitantly, looking at Rio’s bloodstained coat.
However, to Rio, it was something he could mass-produce, and he had no qualms about using it. “I applied some minimal treatment to my wounds while I was fighting, so I’m fine. The more pressing matter right now is the person approaching from over there, so I’m going to deal with that while you treat Princess Flora.”
Rio half-forced the bottle into her hands before turning his gaze to the approaching third party—the Paladia Kingdom’s first prince, Duran. His gaze wasn’t entirely hostile, but Rio placed a hand on his sword handle warily. However, Duran held both his hands up as he approached, expressing his lack of intention to fight.
“Stop. I do not wish to fight you.”
“But you were Lucius’s ally, no?” Rio asked.
Duran was the one who had told Rio of Lucius’s location while he was in the capital. He had even accompanied Lucius here to spectate the battle; there was plenty enough reason to conclude that the two of them were allies.
“We were comrades in arms who had fought on the same battlefield before, but I’m a prince and he was a mercenary. We were bound by no more than a contract in the end. There’s no way I would consider retaliating just because he was killed—all the less after seeing you fight just now. I’m not that reckless of a fool.” Duran recalled the sight of Lucius fighting Rio and laughed with a hint of exasperation.
“Why were you here with Lucius, then?”
“He asked me to lure you here, but after meeting you in the capital, you piqued my interest. That’s why I wanted to watch your battle with him—I’m no more than a curious onlooker, really. Ah, but I did agree to accept one of the royal sisters as a reward for my assistance,” Duran answered honestly, turning his gaze to Christina, who was feeding Flora the medicine.
Rio’s gaze grew sharper. “So you want the two of them?”
“There’s no way you would allow that, no? As I said, I do not wish to oppose you.” Duran’s attitude remained as carefree as ever.
“In that case, would I be right to assume you have no problem with me taking the two of them away from here?” Rio asked, searching Duran’s expression.
“Sure, I don’t care,” Duran replied, nodding readily. “But I’d like to negotiate with you a little first.”
“...About what?” Rio asked with suspicion. Duran’s connection to Lucius alone was enough to make Rio cautious, so those words immediately made him suspect an ulterior motive.
“Don’t be so wary. Like I said just now, I don’t need those two. Instead—what was your name again? Rio, or Haruto?”
“Rio is a name I have discarded. Please call me Haruto,” Rio answered with a glance at Christina and Flora.
“I see. Then, Haruto. Would you have any interest in working for Paladia...? In working for me? I want you more than those two,” Duran said, suddenly making an unexpected proposal.
“...Huh?” Rio made a bewildered face at the topic at hand, which surpassed his expectations.
Duran began his headhunting pitch with an entirely serious expression. “I’m asking that you work for me. I can give you whatever you want, be it money, power, or women.”
“No, I will not,” Rio declined clearly despite his bewilderment.
“Give it some careful thought before you give an answer. You may be wondering what I’m going on about so suddenly, but I’m being completely serious. I’m not trying to trap you into anything. I also don’t have an ulterior motive,” Duran appealed persistently.
“Even if you say that... What made you bring this up?”
Just what is his goal?
“A most reasonable point. How about we discuss this more at the castle over some alcohol and a seat?” Duran nodded solemnly, coming closer to Rio.
“I humbly pass on that offer.”
The Paladia Castle was where Duran had the greatest amount of power. There was no reason for Rio to go out of his way to visit such a place.
“Come on now, don’t be like that.” Duran was extremely persistent.
Rio stepped back from him. “N-No thank you. I’ll listen to whatever you want to say here.”
“Hmph... What a killjoy. But I guess there’s nothing I can do—I don’t want to overstep my boundaries and antagonize you.” Duran sighed dramatically and accepted Rio’s words with reluctance. With that, Rio could see Duran really didn’t have any ill will.
He really throws me for a loop... Rio’s guard relaxed for the first time.
He lowered the hand he had over his sword and sighed.
“Let’s get back on topic, then. Do you have an interest in working for me?” Duran said, encouraging Rio with an eager look.
“Honestly, the fact you got along with Lucius as comrades in arms is enough reason for me to decline.” There were myriad other reasons he couldn’t explain well enough, so Rio chose to answer that way.
“Hmm. So you consider me to be the same as Lucius?”
He already knew he would never work for him, so Rio spoke his thoughts without bothering to hide the truth. “Not exactly—but I cannot trust you.”
“Ha ha ha! I see you really hated that man a lot. Well, that’s only understandable after he killed your mother... But if he was walking the road of heresy, then I’m walking the road of domination. Power is justice—I take whatever I want with my own hands. I suppose I’m similar to Lucius in that way, and I won’t deny I have the temperament of a tyrant, but my tastes aren’t as terrible as his. Thus, I’m not the same as him, but we were similar enough for me to find some parts of him tolerable.”
Duran showed no offense at being compared to Lucius and instead started rambling fluently about himself. He even grinned when he called himself a tyrant. It was probably his way of making himself sound appealing to Rio as an employer.
“...You speak very frankly.”
If Duran really is trying to scout me, he should have phrased his words a little more nicely, Rio thought.
“That’s because I’m seriously trying to employ you. If I lied to you now, what would I do once you’re actually hired?” Duran answered openly.
“A just reason. But even then, I still question your decision to hire a stranger who just killed your acquaintance,” Rio argued back.
“We’re not complete strangers, and one needs to be open-minded to walk the road of dominance. Whether you killed a friend of mine or not, I want what I want. That’s why I’ll say it one more time—I want you more than the two princesses. Will you work for me?” Duran tried to persuade Rio once more.
“We’re going around in circles,” Rio said with a wry smile and a shrug.
Duran chuckled. “Well, we’d be done right away if you’d just agree.”
“I’m flattered by the offer, but why do you have such a high opinion of me?” Rio sighed at Duran’s tenacity.
“Bwa ha ha! Why, it’s simple—I love strong people. I want them for myself. That’s why I want you. By any means possible.”
“Why are you so desperate for strong people? Is it for the dominance that Your Highness spoke of earlier?”
Dominance—the power to subdue others and make them obey. The fact they were talking like this meant Rio was being dragged into Duran’s pacing already, but Rio decided to ask anyway.
“It’s my ideal way of being, but it’s not completely related. In short, I believe in the need to look at things more broadly.”
“By which you mean...?”
“My kingdom is merely one of many small kingdoms. That’s why the kingdom needs enough power not to be looked down upon by other kingdoms in a diplomatic sense. I pride myself in being able to do the work of a thousand foot soldiers, but there are skilled warriors in other kingdoms, and we’re no match for the resources of a major nation. That’s why we’ve formed an alliance with the Proxia Empire, but we’re still a small kingdom in their eyes. I cannot stand for my kingdom being seen as the weak to be eaten. For the future of the kingdom, I need to overturn that view. Do you understand?” Duran looked at Rio with fire burning in his gaze.
“You need military power so that other kingdoms won’t look down on you?”
“That’s right,” Duran nodded smugly. “There are countless small kingdoms crowded around us, and they’re constantly in a restless state. I personally don’t want to pick fights with nothing to gain, but war could start at any moment depending on the major nations backing them. Thus, I’m constantly in search of strong people.”
“When it comes to conflict, there are times when words cannot solve everything. I agree that strength is required in such cases.”
However, the way Duran phrased his words made it sound like he was willing to start war when there was something to gain. Rio couldn’t agree with a stance like that.
“A nonaggressive defense approach. The act of proactively avoiding conflict as long as the other party doesn’t make a move, huh? But there’s a countless number of small kingdoms around us, so we cannot exist without interacting with them. Once you consider the scheming of powerful nations on top of that, there’s no way we can use naive methods of nonaggressive defense. In order to feed the people, we have to pursue the profits of the kingdom before anything else.”
“I’m sure you do. However...I do not wish to be associated with any particular kingdom,” Rio uttered tiredly, truthfully.
Duran laughed heartily. “Hah! You have that much strength, yet you don’t want to be associated with a kingdom. Here I was thinking you were pursuing the path of justice, when you actually seek detachment from the real world. Do you intend on becoming a hermit?”
“Who knows? Perhaps I may,” Rio chuckled lightly, dodging the question.
“Hmm... Has the demon haunting you been exorcised now that you’ve exacted your revenge? You have no spirit. Overly ambitious subordinates are a problem, but completely apathetic ones are troublesome as well. They’re terribly difficult to motivate.” Contrary to his words, Duran stifled his hearty laughter as he spoke.
“In that case, please give up on recruiting me.”
“Mm... No. I won’t back down that easily. I can see you have enough strength hidden to overthrow a battlefield. No, an entire kingdom.”
“I’m technically an honorary knight of the Galarc Kingdom...”
Will you continue your recruiting attempt in spite of that? The Paladia Kingdom is on the side of the Proxia Empire, hostile to the Galarc Kingdom, no? Rio implied.
“I am aware. That’s why I can’t leave you as is. As long as Paladia is part of the Proxian side of things, I fear we could face you on the battlefield one day.”
“In that case, you can be at ease. I do not intend on standing on the battlefield.”
He hadn’t wanted a title in the first place, which was why he was made an honorary knight. He had no obligations to the kingdom, but all the benefits—it was a special case.
“Even if you have no intention yourself, the state of affairs may not permit such a thing. You might also change your mind. For example, if someone close to you is taken hostage. Considering how you walked the path of revenge, it’s a perfectly realistic possibility, no? You may seem like a coldhearted person at times, but you’re not heartless. Those two princesses there weren’t close to you, yet you protected them to the end perfectly,” Duran said, looking at Christina and Flora behind Rio.
Flora was still lying limply, but Christina had finished feeding her the medicine. She’d also finished her own bottle Rio had handed her and was quietly listening to their conversation.
“...” Rio denied nothing, remaining silent with a conflicted face.
“It’s a hardship, but wouldn’t it be easier to separate yourself from those close to you if that were the case? There’s no one close to you here in the Paladia Kingdom, no?” Duran appeared to be a brute military man, but he actually seemed to have a broad perspective and deep insight. Rio himself had also considered leaving those dear to him, after all.
“Indeed, you make a fair point.” Rio nodded with a strained smile.
“Right? Now that you’ve fulfilled your revenge, you need a new goal in your life. I’ll be able to provide you with one. Major nations are fussy about social status and tradition, but my kingdom will allow you to rise as far as your abilities extend. You can have any wish of yours fulfilled once you’re officially appointed.” Duran’s recruitment speech was truly persistent and skillful. He valued Rio highly and brought out all his favorable conditions at the perfect moments.
“It’s a very tempting proposal, but... I’m not sure about a life goal, but I do have somewhere I wish to return.”
Rio’s feelings hadn’t changed. The wariness he had at the beginning disappeared over the course of their conversation, and he found Duran to have a very charming personality, but the people he wanted to be with were somewhere else.
“So I cannot sway you...” Duran stared at Rio’s face, then sighed sadly.
“My apologies. If that’s all you wanted to discuss, I will be taking the two princesses into my care.” Rio glanced at Christina and Flora behind him.
“If you desire it, I can invite the three of you to my castle as guests.”
“I’m still technically an honorary knight of the Galarc Kingdom, and the two princesses cannot afford to create a debt to the kingdom allied with the Proxia Empire.”
“...Can you carry the two injured princesses alone?” Duran asked.
Rio returned the question boldly. “Did you think I couldn’t?”
“Goodness. There’s absolutely no weakness to pick at here. Should I just threaten you with the crime of ruining my kingdom’s land?” Duran argued back, though he didn’t have any intention of doing so.
“If you did, I’d threaten you back for the Paladia Kingdom’s involvement in abducting the two princesses...”
“I figured. Just so you know, it was Lucius who planned the whole thing. All I did was help Lucius face you after he had already kidnapped the princesses.”
“But you accepted the opportunity to receive one of the princesses as a reward, no?”
Duran chuckled. “That plan was suspended, but it sure makes me sound bad.”
“If you allow me to leave this place quietly, then I will personally refrain from making unnecessary statements regarding the Paladia Kingdom.” Rio presented a bargaining chip and glanced at Christina.
“...We will follow Sir Amakawa’s lead. As long as your side doesn’t act upon this incident, I do not intend on pursuing your kingdom for any further responsibility,” Christina said.
“Goodness... Ugh, fine. Do as you wish.” Duran ruffled his own hair in frustration.
“Thank you for your generous consideration.”
“Hmph. Just so you know, I’m unsatisfied with this. But if I cannot negotiate to bring you to my side, then I have no choice but to let you leave quietly. I already know what will happen if I try to stop you with force.”
“While this isn’t a trade by any means, feel free to take Lucius’s sword back with you.” Rio looked at Lucius’s sword, which was stabbed into the ground nearby.
Duran replied after a long pause. “...I see no reason for me to accept it. It’s the sword of the man you defeated, so it rightfully belongs to you.”
“I will conduct a minimal amount of cleanup, but I’ve caused a lot of trouble for this land and the village. Would you consider it compensation for that, as well as a bribe for your silence regarding my name?” Rio said, offering reasons for entrusting Lucius’s sword to Duran.
“I see...”
“That enchanted sword probably has the ability to release the wielder’s magic essence as slashing attacks, the ability to teleport the blade within one’s field of view, and the ability to teleport oneself within one’s field of view. If Your Highness is seeking military power, then it shouldn’t be a loss for you to keep.”
“Indeed, it isn’t a bad deal... But don’t you think it’s a little expensive for hush money? That’s probably a top-class enchanted sword, you know?” Duran said, laughing.
“I don’t mind. I have no interest in swinging around the sword of my enemy.” Just looking at the sword was enough to remind him of Lucius’s face.
“Hmm... Fine. I shall accept it.”
“Then it’s a deal.” Rio smiled in satisfaction, turning around as though to end the conversation.
“Wait,” Duran called Rio back.
“What is it?”
“This isn’t a recruitment, but a pure invitation—the next time we meet somewhere, have a meal with me as a friend.”
“A meal...as a friend?” Rio cocked his head curiously.
“I’m saying we’ll have drinks. Don’t tell me you can’t handle your alcohol?”
“No, I can drink in moderation...”
“Then it’s decided.” Duran smiled in high spirits.
“...All right.” He doubted they’d ever have such an opportunity, but there was nothing Rio could do but nod.
“Well then, I’ll be taking Lucius’s sword and leaving. I’m curious as to how you’ll go about cleaning this place up, but a promise is a promise.” Duran shrugged.
I don’t know what effect is instilled in his enchanted sword, but it’s probably that strange sorcery he used during his battle with Lucius. I’ll investigate that further the next time we meet, he thought to himself.
“Take care.”
Duran quietly walked over to where Lucius’s sword was stabbed into the ground and pulled it out. It was common courtesy to clean up after oneself, after all. He then turned and set off in the direction of the village. This left only Rio, Christina, and Flora behind.
Now, then...
Rio checked that Duran was out of sight, then drew his sword from its sheath. He stabbed it into the soil and poured magic essence into the ground through it. The ruined land started to stir as though it were alive. Dirt and stone wriggled until the land returned to a flat state.
“Wha...” Christina watched the sight with her jaw dropped. She had witnessed many outlandish sights during the battle with Lucius, but this was something to behold as well. This was something she couldn’t recreate with Strahl magic.
Rio adjusted the terrain in roughly ten seconds or so, then looked around the area. “...That should do,” he muttered, sheathing his sword back at his waist.
“...” Christina blinked at Rio’s face with wide eyes. He turned back to her.
“Sorry for the wait,” he said.
“Ah... R-Right,” Christina replied, snapping back to her senses.
“Can you stand up?” Rio offered Christina his hand.
“Yes...” Christina accepted his hand nervously and let him pull her onto her feet.
“That collar needs to be removed,” Rio said, reaching for her neck. Christina couldn’t see it happen, but his hand glowed faintly before the collar unlocked with a clack.
“It’s off.” Rio grabbed the collar and tossed it to the ground.
“Huh? Oh... Thank you very much.”
How did he do that without using disenchanting magic? That was the question clearly showing on Christina’s face. Confused, she reached up to confirm that the strangling sensation around her neck had disappeared.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“N-No. Everything’s healed thanks to the potion you gave me.”
“Great.”
“What about your injuries, Sir Amakawa? You said you at least stopped the bleeding...” Christina noted, worried about Rio’s injuries.
“Yes, it seems like the bleeding has stopped. There shouldn’t be a problem if I treat myself after I’ve transported the two of you, so we should get moving soon. I’ll get you to a place where you can rest peacefully—we can discuss everything else there.”
He could feel a dull pain, but the blood attached to his coat was already starting to dry. Rio touched the area that Lucius had cut as he thought to himself.
That aside, I hadn’t expected the black wyvern leather to be cut through so easily. I wonder if it can be fixed...
Lucius’s sword had the ability to teleport through space, so perhaps cutting through space itself had an effect on what the sword could slice through.
“You haven’t healed yourself yet, so you shouldn’t be moving around... Will you at least take the time to cast Cura properly before we depart?” Christina suggested worryingly.
“But we can’t stay here either, right? Prince Duran left, but there’s a possibility he might return to check the area. I won’t be moving that strenuously, and it’s only a short distance, so I’ll be fine.”
“In that case, allow me to treat you while we’re moving. I can use Cura, so...” Christina said with a frown as she suggested the second-best plan.
“No, I can cast healing magic myself while I move, so I’ll be fine.”
He needed to place his hand directly on the affected area in order to heal efficiently, but it was possible to stop his wound from bleeding without touching it while running or flying in a physically enhanced state. Because he had needed to use his spirit arts to continuously detect magic essence across a wide area to predict where Lucius would teleport during their battle, he hadn’t had the leisure to focus on healing. However, now he could spend that share of his focus on healing.
“No, please let me heal you. It isn’t enough to thank you, so I just want to do something—anything—for you. So, please... Allow me.” Christina lowered her head, pleading.
Rio looked up at the sky in discomfort. “I understand... In that case, could you please do so? And raise your head, please.”
“Thank you very much...” Christina’s voice and shoulders trembled as she kept her head bowed down.
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