It was dusk when Isagi parted with Shuu.
It seems they ended up talking for quite a long time.
Isagi immediately went back to the inn.
Just like he imagines, Amalia make racket like always and Franz tried to calm his big sister down.
It seems that they still prohibited to enter the castle.
After greeted them, Isagi immediately went to his bed while holding his pained hand.
The thing that Shuu had said to him surfaced on his mind.
(G.o.d Disease, huh... Even if he said all of that now... )
Probably the S rank adventurer with green sword that he fought back then at the port in Blackround, also someone who caught the G.o.d Disease.
After all his presence wasn"t that of a normal human.
Shuu said, G.o.d Disease wasn"t something that normal humans could perceive, but he could see those ghastly things surrounding that adventurer with the eye that he possesses.
Now that he thought about it, probably Demon Emperor Anrimanyu also caught that G.o.d Disease as well.
The amount of his magical power wasn"t something that person could possibly have.
However, Caliburnus" magical power already far surpa.s.sed even that demon emperor.
(... What in the world are you trying to do, Shuu?)
Even at this moment, Isagi still couldn"t understand what Shuu"s goal was.
It looks like Shuu doesn"t just simply tried to save the world.
Anyway, He already promised Isagi that he would arrange so Isagi could met with Bardz.
The day would be tomorrow.
Shuu said, there would be a hole in the guard in that day.
For now, that was enough.
Shuu had said that they wouldn"t be able to defeat Caliburnas with the way they were right now.
He said that, despite knowing the true extent of Isagi power.
It means that the G.o.d Disease was that much of terrifying thing.
Isagi closes his eyes.
He doesn"t want to think that all of the things that Shuu had said were true.
However, he understood.
Shuu depended on him.
The sixteen years old Isagi, and the hero who once saved this world Isagi, clashed inside his mind.
Isagi wanted to believe in Shuu.
However, he mustn"t believe in him completely .
With the sound of the siblings frolicking with each other in the background.
Isagi closes his eyes as he thought.
(No, right now, let"s leave it as it is... Either way, I"ll have to cooperate with him...)
As long as the enemy that he had to defeat was Caliburnas.
----
The putrid smell tick the nostrils.
Isagi"s face grimaced.
"You said that you will meet me with Bardz... Now look, Isn"t this the secret pa.s.sage of the royal castle…?"
"The device that was set here 400 years ago still working even now, you know, isn"t that amazing?"
"Don"t you have more smarter way to do it, though?"
Isagi groaned.
They walked through the underground pa.s.sage, with Shuu light his fingertip using sorcery to lit the way up.
It seems that in several generations ago, in the past, Shuu had a chance to become the acquaintance of the King of the Paraberiu.
On that occasion, he heard a lot of secret regarding the royal castle, and this place was one of that.
On the outskirts of the Dynacity, one could find a stone monument, when they moved that monument they could see a stairway that would lead to an underground pa.s.sage, they’d used that pa.s.sage to sneak into the royal castle.
Surely it was a thing that would make one"s heart beat in excitement, but in the end it was still an illegal way to do stuff.
Also, despite saying that he didn"t believe in anyone, Shuu still expose his unguarded back to Isagi. Probably he understood that he couldn"t win even if they have to fight. Even counting that, its show Shuu resolute himself.
Shuu laughed as he turned his head, looked at Isagi.
"But, you"re amazing you know, Iskun"
"Hmm?"
"Even though almost all of my power when I was summoned into this world were gone, but that doesn"t seem to be the case with you, as your power didn"t changed from what you have 20 years ago, right?"
"... Well, I suppose"
Now that Shuu mention it, that time when Isagi used a.n.a.lysis Technique on Shuu, He remembered that Shuu"s stats didn"t really that much different from Renzou"s and Yoshin.o.bu.
At first, Isagi thought that it was because Shuu wasn"t a knight and a sorcerer, thus he didn"t really train his body...
Shuu shrugged his shoulders.
"I suppose that is also one of your tricks, right? My guess is that your eyes that capable to erase all kind of magical power, negating a part of the Summoning Technique effect"
"Yeah, probably"
Isagi stroked his eyepatch.
Never in his wildest dream he thought that his eyes would automatically activates in case something like that were to happen with him.
There were still a lot of things that he didn"t know about the Break Technique.
He just learned how to control its power, as it"s just recently he actually learned about how spell and magic work.
"... Hey, Shuu"
"What, Iskun?"
"If I use Break Technique, can I destroy Caliburnas?"
"I don"t really know much about that power, but I ask, is that power capable of piercing through the Physical world, Magic World, Soul World, until it reached the G.o.d world?"
"No... Even if it"s possible, I suppose the Magic World would be the limit. If I push it until the Soul World, I wouldn"t left unschated"
There is backlash in using the Break Technique.
If he wanted to erase the opponent"s soul in one attack, Isagi had to prepare for his soul to extinguished as well.
If that was the case, then he couldn"t use it.
Shuu said "Hmm" as he nodded.
"Then I suppose it wouldn"t have any effect on a person who is inflicted with G.o.d Disease, right? It"s worth trying though"
"The risk is too high..."
Isagi shakes his head.
Thought it was a forbidden technique that he bet his life with to obtain, it couldn"t be helped.
Isagi looked at Shuu"s back who walked in front of him.
No matter how he looked at it, it was slender and by no means the back of a warrior who already went through long battle.
"Hero Mashuu, eh"
"It"s kinda ticklish to be called by that name, you know"
"In the book that I read, all he had done was defeating bad guy though"
"All of the people who were inflicted with G.o.d Disease could only be seen as the bad guy from the outside, you know. They were just a zombies that could only moves following their desires"
"But it was still a crisis for the nation, right?"
"Well, yeah. But the situation was completely different compared to now. At that time it was just them attacking from foreign countries, but right now, one of the worlds most important person that was affiliated with the organization called Adventurers Guild, is someone infected with G.o.d Disease. Furthermore, he is human supremacist"
"... That"s why he attack Demon race, and the other"s race"
"There is no brake for those people. He already couldn"t thought anything for himself"
"I never heard such story before, thought..."
"After all, I already eradicate that disease from this world 400 years ago. I suppose it couldn"t be helped if there wouldn’t be any written proof left now"
The voice of two boys reverberates in the middle of the dark.
Suddenly, Isagi remembered.
The end of the Hero Mashuu that he read on the book.
It was something that was too cruel for him to ask.
But, since it was something that probably would have made Isagi able to know what was Shuu really had in his mind, He asked anyway.
"Now that I remembered about it, you have a lover, right?"
Hero Mashuu"s lover, Luna.
She suddenly lost her live in the middle of their journey.
Her end was just being stabbed by some villain.
Isagi didn"t know whether it was the truth or not, but it said in the book that how Hero Mashuu"s griefed over her death, wasn"t something that could be described in words.
For quite a moment, Shuu was silent.
The light shook in the darkness.
"... You"re right. But it was in the past. Its already 400 long years ago"
His tone, contain a bitterness in it.
Thought, for Shuu it was something that only happened around a year ago.
After that, the two walked silently through the underground pa.s.sage.
"We will arrive in a moment"
Finally they met a dead end.
Shuu place his hand on the wall, and move a brick.
And so, a stone door silently opened.
Dim light started to sapped into the pa.s.sage made Isagi squint his eyes.
What comes into sight were several knights who were on patrol--- or not, it was just a silent courtyard as far as he could see.
It seems this really wasn’t a trap that Shuu had set for him.
As he felt relief, Isagi also realized that he didn"t actually completely believe in Shuu.
Shuu felt Isagi"s gaze and then warmly smiled.
"I already "discuss" things with the guards over here, you know. After this we could advance smartly, just like how you liked it"
"... You"re amazing, eh, Shuu.When did you have time to do these things?"
"Hahaha, you know, becoming an Adventurers Guild staff in this world is all about being used or using someone"
Shuu made a mischievous smile.
Isagi astonished to see this side of Shuu.
The two of them walked inside the silent castle without being disturbed by anyone.
"... It"s been a long time since I last came to this place, heh"
"Is that so? Its seems no different for me, though"
"Except of the few months of swordsmanship training that I got in this castle when I first summoned three years ago, I immediately got thrown outside. I just came back and forth from my room and practice field, so I completely clueless about the inner structure of the castle"
"The summoned person from your age got really rough treatment, eh. In my case, I was treated like G.o.d the time I was summoned, you know"
"Probably its because the different in the civilization level, right?"
"Maybe"
The two summoned person who came from different age, slowly walked together as they talked about their experience.
Finally, Shuu stopped in front of a big door.
He then slowly knocked the door.
"... It"s Shuu. I ask permission to enter"
Mumbled voice of a man came answering from inside.
"Enter"
Isagi surprised.
Without doubt.
It was the voice of one of his friends who once fought together with him.
There would be no way for him to be mistaken about it.
Finally, they met.
After all this time, finally he arrived.
His heartbeat started to hasten.
He really miss that knight, Bardz.
A man among men, who have a high sense of responsibility and self confidence.
The king of mercenary that everyone depend on and admires.
That manly smile, even now Isagi could imagine it when he closes his eyes.
Shuu slowly opened the door.
Isagi entered the room as he swallowed his saliva.
Inside that room that being illuminated by the lamp.
He could sense the presence of a man.
On the top of that bed, he could see him.
"OOh..."
Voice of admiration leaked out from his mouth.
But, the moment he saw that man"s appearance, Isagi stopped his breath.
"... Is that you, Bardz?"
"Isagi..."
Hoa.r.s.e voice.
That man slowly raised his body.
His steel like body were thinned out, and his appearance now look like a withered tree.
His hair lain receded, there were countless wrinkles under his eyes.
Sitting over there, was the appearance of a tired old man.
Isagi became lost of words.
"Hehe... I got really long live, eh.
To think that we could meet again like this, hehehe"
Isagi slowly walked toward Bardz who laughed as his old body shakes.
There was scar from long ago, could be seen on that laughing face of his friend that grew old.
"... I, will wait outside"
Shuu left the room.
Isagi just slowly walked toward Bardz side like he was in trance.
"... Bardz..."
Isagi couldn"t trembled with feeling of joy again like before as he spoke his name for the second time.
"I heard your story a bit from Shuu. He said that you got summoned to this time from that day that time 20 years ago, eh"
"... Yeah"
"Hehehe... So such kind things also can happen, eh... Anyway, I"m glad that you"re alive, you know"
Isagi sat close to him on the side of the bed.
"There were a lot of things that I want to tell you, though... But the moment I see your face, I just forget all of it, hah"
"..."
Isagi took a deep breath, then let it out.
He needs more time to accept the 20 years difference in time they had.
So such kind of things could happen, eh.
The words that came out from Bardz mouth, keep repeated in Isagi"s brain.
That"s right. Such thing could happen.
Isagi never thought about what would happen to Bardz, all this time.
He just selfishly thought that Bardz would stay like he has always been.
Bardz was just like him, a normal human.
And Isagi just remembered that now.
Isagi Asked.
"... Bardz, I heard that this world is crooked. What in the world happened? Why all of this happened? Please, tell me"
"Aah, that"s right"
Bardz let out a sigh as he exhaled.
"Let"s talk about it, from the beginning.
... The last half of my life.
I want you to hear about this, Isagi"
He mutters so while gazing out the window.
His gaze felt distance.
The way he acts, like an old man who miss the past.
Part 2
After Bardz returned to his hometown, he started to build the Adventurers Guild.
He persuaded the people of Dynacity about his ideal, and after finally received the people"s approval, the guild able to magnificently started.
It was a simple one story house, Bardz went through a lot of trial and error to manage the guild together with his first wife.
"In the first place we were just a merchant. Since we didn"t really know what we should do, but we do our best to do everything that we thought would be useful for other people. Looking for lost cat, Bandit extermination, looking for raw material, delivering medicine, we do a lot of things.
As the time goes, the member start to increase. That time, it was really fun.”
However, in the end, people only saw them as the gathering of bunch of mercenary. There was absolutely no support came from the kingdom or, the n.o.bles. So, there were a lot of things that they need to prepare.
If they wanted to turn their ideals into reality, they needed a ma.s.sive amount of magic item.
Anyway, even in the middle of poverty, they still tried to cut their spending as much as they could.
It was at the beginning of the war against Dwarf Race where things started to change.
“There was a news that Edela Holy Kingdom got attacked, you know, and so under the banner of emergency quest, we deploy every adventurer that we could"
Bardz said that it was Edela Holy kingdom that got attacked first, too.
"... But from what I heard from Demon race, it was Dwarf Kingdom that got attacked by the Edela Holy Kingdom"
"I already didn"t know who did it first. But, the two sides never had any thought to reconcile at all, that was the main problem. That was our biggest mistake.
If we were able to save both sides at the time, things wouldn"t have turned out like this"
Bardz put his hand over his face.
"It was war. The first thing that we had a sponsor, you know. With that, the adventurer guild could become big. I got desperate seeing that my dream could finally came true. I couldn"t let things stay like this forever, that time I thought so.
I thought that it was a chance for us. I would pay reward for every three dwarf soldier that they kill. All we should kill was just soldier, I already tell them troughrouhly that we shouldn"t attack the citizen.If we shave their battle power, surely even that Dwarf Kingdom wouldn"t thinking to resist anymore. It was one sided cease fire deal, but I didn"t want things turned out like when the war against the Demon emperor.
I thought that for the sake of the human race of the Arubarisus. That is true"
He said it quickly.
"Calm down, Bardz... What happened after that..."
Isagi put his hand on Bardz back that kep lamenting as if confessing all of his sins.
Bardz said as he shakes his head.
"... I don"t know where they mistook the order. But they kill the dwarfs. All of them, without leaving even one left. They"ve killed a lot of lives for the sake of cheap money as reward. Everything is my fault. Even though I know how greedy the adventurer is, I. The tragedy that befall the Dwarf race, I was the one who created that"
"Bardz..."
"Finally, I able to say it to someone.I want you to hear my story, Isagi"
Bardz slowly raised his face.
Only his eyes shines brightly like it was in the past.
"The days where I couldn"t sleep continued as they follow after the remnants of the war. Then I realized, you know, I couldn"t stop Caliburnas eminence who were able to push Dwarf race to the extinction in that war. He able to made the n.o.bility and prime minister as his ally, also gather support from the people. He works himself to the bone for the sake of other people.
But, he just goes too far..."
Bardz coughed.
Isagi tried to gave him help but Bardz stopped his hand.
"I"m fine, sorry. The moment Caliburnas earn his fame, he started to change. He also joined hand with the war with the elf race and trampled them. However, he praised as a hero by the society. People wished for the successor of the Brave Isagi that died in the war.
... I don"t know anymore.
Whether me, or that guy is the one that"s wrong.
I felt like I would get washed by a big wave and arrived at some place I didn"t know.
Isagi, please tell me, what I should do"
"... Bardz"
"I already made the Adventurers Guild this big, you know. But, that just make the human race trampled over the other race.
Finally the bronze age meet its end and the second silver age fall upon us. The age where human brazenly claiming for the Suraosha continent as their is finally come.
Actually, I just wanted to say this to you, I finally made the Adventurers guild, look, it"s just like what you"ve imagine right?
I want to be able to say that while holding my chest high when I go over to that side.
I want to show you how great the world have became.
But, Why. Why the thing turned out like this, Isagi"
Hearing Bardz speaking with sadness as if he spoke to the moon.
But Isagi knew, the past 20 years, Bardz had been fighting.
Selder returned to his hometown, and Plea was nowhere to be seen.
But even so, he fights with the world alone.
Isagi took Bardz"s hand.
"... You"ve protected it right? The place where we could call home, Bardz"
Isagi felt like he was about to cry.
Bardz continue to protect Isagi"s little wish to this extent.
He able to hold out while doing all his best to fight against the stream.
"I won"t ask you to forgive me, Isagi. Even that Selder never show his face all these years, you know. I wasn"t able to save pleas from leaving,too. The adventurer guild became the top elite for killing other race.
Look, the world where you put your life on the line to save, end up in this state, heh, what a joke..."
Bardz finally being dominated by his resignation.
However, Isagi deny those words.
"No, not yet. It"s not over yet"
Isagi strongly gripped his hand.
"I came here for stopping the war between the human race and the demon race. Please tell me, Bardz, what should I do"
"Isagi, you... Heh, so that"s it"
Bardz face warped in surprise.
However, he grit his teeth and said.
"It"s impossible. Caliburnus tried to destroy all of the other race except the human race. In the end, I"m sure he will also put his hand on Demon Race and Elf Race as well.
He is just one adventurer at the moment, but he already aiming for the seat of the guild leader… If he is able to get that seat on his hand, I"m sure that there wouldn"t be any race other than the human race will be born in this world anymore"
"So it"s the succession struggle of the Guild master"s seat, eh"
Everything just like what Shuu had said.
G.o.d Disease. Revival Stone. Also, Caliburnas.
Those were this world"s distortion.
Isagi looks Bardz in the eyes, and asked.
"Bardz. Then it means that everything will be alright as long as I could defeat Caliburnas, right?"
Isagi said.
Bardz opened his eyes wide.
After that he tried to desperately reject Isagi"s idea.
"It"s impossible, Isagi. That man is impossible to defeat, even if it"s you"
"Shuu said the same thing, though"
"Thought I am at this state right now... But I have experience fighting with that man at my golden days. However, I wasn"t even at his match. That man is just too weird. It feels like he isn"t even a human like us. You alone won"t be able to win against that guy, Isagi"
"... If you said it to that extent, it"s just make me wanted to try to have a bout with him, though"
"Stop it. Even Claíomh Solais is at his hand right now"
"... Is that, so"
Isagi never imagined that he would know the whereabouts of his beloved sword Claíomh Solais this way.
Even though the time he saw Caliburnas on the top of the horse, he didn"t bring the holy sword with him.
Isagi"s face grimaced.
The man who infected with G.o.d diseases were able to use the holy sword.
Wouldn’t that what you call as peerless then.
"But, everything still alright. Don"t need to be that impatient, Isagi.I wouldn"t die that easily, and Hanofa will do just fine"
"... Is that so"
"Of course, leave it to me. Though all these 20 years my swordsmanship feels like it didn"t grow at all, but I suppose I could do my part in politics just fine"
"That King of Mercenary, eh... humans really did change, huh"
"Of course, you fool. 20 years pa.s.sed, a baby would grow up into a splendid adult, you know"
Bardz laughed slightly.
It was the same manly smile that Isagi remembered in his memory.
"I have one daughter, you know. If there another man out there other than Hanofa that I could trust her future with... I wish I could"
It must be about Amalie.
"How about it? If you"re okay with it, will you please take her, Isagi?If you like, it"s fine to make her your second wife after Plea. If I remember correctly, she should be 15 this year. In this country, that is a legal age for marriage, you know. Don"t worry, her face didn"t resemble me at all, after all. ... Our personality is though"
"A girl that act like you, heh, no thanks then"
Isagi replied with laughter.
Amalie said it herself that she would search for partner by herself.
"Is that so..." Bardz said with regretful face.
Isagi thought, did perhaps Bardz serious about that?
Isagi then remembered.
Amalie said this once.
"In this age, even if you"re a woman, you could raise as high as you want.
Adventurers Guild really is an amazing system, don"t you think?
From now and always, I will keep doing things that will benefit other people"
She and her brother, held great pride on the job their father does.
Probably Bardz did fail at some point.
But, it wasn"t a mistake that he able to raise his children splendidly.
"Bardz, I..."
That moment when Isagi about to spoke something.
Shuu suddenly opened the door and burst into the room.
"Not good, the knight realized that we sneaked into the castle. Lets run away before problems arise, Iskun"
Isagi unconsciously click his tongue.
Someone just pour could water on his meeting with his friend.
"Tsk, alright"
"You"re also a busy person, heh, leader"
"Then, properly invite me next time, you hear me"
"Aah, I"ll make preparation for it"
Isagi put his hand on the window frame.
Just right below them was a ca.n.a.l.
He turned his back.
"Bardz. Let"s continue our talk later. The next time I come here, let"s talk more happ y thing"
"Yeah, I"ll wait. However Isagi, don"t ever try to fight Caliburnas"
"I am obliged to your advice!"
Isagi jumped down.
Shuu then followed after him.
In the end they had to made a hole in the barrier surrounding castle with Isagi"s Break Technique.
It"s absolutely not a cool way to escape.
Parting with Shuu that said his work would be early tomorrow, Isagi finally walked alone on the way home.
There was a little thing that weight Isagi"s mind.
Caliburnas, he seems to be quite a problem . Not only he is strong from the start, he also got a boost from the G.o.d Disease. If I want to change this world, I can"t just leave him as it is
Once again Isagi thought that his aim and Shuu were the same.
However, he felt some kind of bad premonition out of this.
He didn"t know what exactly it is, though.
In the first place, in what way Caliburnas tried to get the seat of the Guild Master?
Isagi wondered if that man tried to a.s.sa.s.sinate Bardz for it.
However, it was in the middle of the war of succession for the second Guild Master.
Caliburnas, Bardz, Shuu, Adventurer Guild, Claidheamh Soluis, Amelie, Frantz, Hanofa, Hero Mashuu, G.o.d Disease, Dwarf Race...
A lot of keyword started to swirl inside Isagi"s mind.
Reached the inn, Isagi walked to the second floor and opened the door to his room.
He then realized some unusual thing happened.
Something that was supposed to be here wasn"t here.
That"s right. The siblings, they weren"t here.
... They"re going out? At this late at night?
No, it’s impossible.
The siblings left their weapon inside the room.
There was no way for a swordsman to just left their weapon when they go outside.
Amalie even bring her sword when she just go to toilet or even the bath.
Isagi then realized something.
"This is..."
He shuddered.
Amalie and Frantz were called by someone.
However, it wasn"t Bardz.
They got called in the name of Caliburnas.
Amalia was a 15 years old, marriageable age girl.
If, Caliburnas were able to marry her, then wouldn"t that made Caliburnas also had the right for Guild Master"s seat?
But in the end all of this just his guess.
Probably, they really just left their sword.
There was a chance that brinng a sword was prohibited as they wanted to go to the royal castle.
However...
The window was opened.
When he looked up, the moon was already high.
This world was too complicated.
Just like how moon would became a guide for travelers.
Isagi thought, that as long as there were a light he could go on.
Thought, for Isagi, that light was too weak and unreliable...
Looked up to the moon, Isagi put his hand over his chest and clench his fist.
... Bardz, thanks for all the things that you"ve done all this time.
Now, it"s my time to protect your home...