Chapter 135 - Damn Reincarnation

Preparing for the Hunt

"... Who are you?"

The Black Lion Knights’ Second Division.

Eugene had come here intending to meet Genos, but instead found himself facing an unfamiliar woman. He had visited several times while spending time with Genos before, yet he had never seen her face.

"... My name is Genia Lionheart."

Her narrowed eyes swept over Eugene. Tossing her single braid back over her shoulder, Genia gave him a slight bow.

A very slight bow.

"Ah... You’re Sir Genos’s daughter?"

"Yes."

Her gaze was far from friendly. Had Genos told her something?

'Surely he wouldn’t have told her I’m his Senior.'

Before leaving Black Lion Castle, Eugene had repeatedly warned Genos to keep their senior-junior relationship a secret. Besides, Genos himself probably had no desire to spread that story around.

Especially not to his only daughter.

"... Have you come to see my father?"

"Yes."

"May I ask why?"

"I’m under no obligation to answer, am I?"

Genia’s eyes narrowed further at his answer. After glaring at him for a moment, she nodded and stepped aside.

"Master Eugene."

She spoke just as he passed her.

"I will not lose to you."

"... What?"

"Never."

With that, Genia spun around. As she walked away, he could see her white-gloved fists clenched tight and trembling.

"... Where did that come from?"

Muttering, Eugene continued on his way. He came to a closed door. Simply opening it and walking in would be rude. Besides, there were plenty of eyes watching here. He had no intention of flaunting his status as Senior in public.

KNOCK, KNOCK.

"Come in."

Genos didn’t ask who it was. He would have recognized Eugene from his presence.

"It’s been a while."

Genos rose from his chair. Eugene stopped him and first closed the door.

"... What is it?"

"Just a moment."

Eugene lifted his cloak. Mer poked her head out as though she had been waiting for her cue, and Genos’s startled step knocked over his chair.

"W-who is that child?"

"Stay inside."

Eugene pushed Mer’s peeking head back in. Then he rummaged inside his cloak and took out Akasha.

"Ah... That staff...!"

Ignoring Genos’s exclamation of awe, Eugene gripped Akasha and looked around with his eyes wide open.

'... Simple security spells. An alarm against intruders... Maintaining the walls’ durability, keeping things clean... No eavesdropping spells.'

Akasha allowed him to understand magic. Even concealed magic was visible to him if its formula had been inscribed. Even if it was a spell Eugene didn’t know, he could understand it while holding Akasha.

"... Looks like you’ve been well?"

"Better than you, Senior, I imagine."

As Eugene relaxed his guard and spoke, Genos answered with a smile.

Eugene was a full seven years younger than Genos’s daughter, Genia.

What did age matter? Eugene had discovered Hamel’s tomb and inherited his secret arts. Genos was the head of the family that had inherited the Hamel Style, and he sincerely revered Hamel. Though Eugene was young enough to be his son, to Genos, he was a benefactor who had corrected the Hamel Style after centuries of improper alterations.

"I met your daughter on the way here, Junior."

"She was with me until just a moment ago."

"She seemed... very... hostile toward me. Surely you haven’t told her about me?"

Calling her his Junior’s daughter didn’t sit comfortably on his tongue, but addressing her too casually felt awkward as well. Their senior-junior relationship was strictly between Eugene and Genos. There was no reason to drag Genia into it.

"Of course not."

Genos shook his head in horror.

"You were the one who said we should keep our relationship secret, Senior. I haven’t even told Young Master Cyan, who learned the same Hamel Style."

"... You... still use the name Hamel Style, then."

"Of course I haven’t told Genia either. ... Nor do I want to. If my daughter looked at you with hostility, it was simply jealousy."

"... Jealousy?"

"She’s jealous of the rumors that I favor you."

When Eugene tilted his head in confusion, Genos continued.

"When you came to Black Lion Castle a few months ago, Senior, we met several times and even sparred. Every knight in the castle knows that."

"... Well, yes."

"In particular, when we sparred, we both used the same Hamel Style."

Even after hearing it dozens, hundreds of times, the words Hamel Style still made him feel a tickle in his chest...

"The Hamel Style is my family’s secret art. Even if you belong to the main family, Senior, from our family’s perspective, you’re an outsider. Seeing you use it... made my daughter jealous."

"So she thinks I’ve become your disciple?"

"I denied that. I told her your talent was so exceptional that I had passed on a few of our family’s secret techniques..."

"With your daughter’s temperament, that would only make her angrier."

Genos nodded with an awkward expression.

["I will not lose to you."]

"Your daughter is certainly competitive."

"Not to boast, but she has earned recognition for her skills in Shimuin, a land renowned for its chivalry. She couldn’t join the Twelve Champions because she isn’t a citizen of Shimuin, but..."

He said he wasn’t boasting, but anyone could hear that he was bragging about his daughter. Eugene cleared his throat and sat in an empty chair.

"There’s something more important to discuss."

"What happened in Samar?"

Eugene nodded.

He trusted Genos. But not enough to tell him the truth about the elves’ domain and Senya. His trust in Genos extended only as far as their senior-junior bond through Hamel.

So, as Eugene continued speaking, he watched Genos’s reactions.

"... You’re saying the head of the Council of Elders... tried to kill you?"

Especially now.

Eugene focused on the emotions stirring within Genos.

"I’m not certain."

Eugene put emphasis into his voice as he continued.

"Not many people knew Auxiliary Bishop Kristina and I had gone to Samar. In Lionheart, only three knew: the family head, you, Junior, and the head of the Council of Elders."

"..."

"It’s possible the information leaked from the Holy Empire. But I can’t investigate that myself. That’s why I sent Auxiliary Bishop Kristina."

"... You don’t suspect me?"

"What would you gain by selling me out, Junior?"

"What would the head of the Council gain?"

He needed to answer carefully. Genos knew neither that the founder’s tomb was empty nor that the Holy Sword had acknowledged Eugene.

"I don’t know."

There was no need to force a reason out of thin air.

"That’s why it’s only a suspicion."

Genos stared at Eugene without saying a word.

"If I suspect everyone, I won’t be able to trust anyone. The family head, whom I can trust without reservation, is at the imperial palace. That leaves only you, Junior, bound to me as a fellow disciple. That’s the judgment I’ve made. I don’t know how you feel about it, but to me, the bond Lord Hamel forged between us is stronger than my relationship with the head of the Council."

The Black Lion Knights followed the Council of Elders’ orders. And its head was the Immortal White Lion, who had lived for over a hundred years—a monster who had ruled Black Lion Castle since before Genos was born.

"... I don’t want to believe your suspicions are true, Senior."

The Council head Genos knew was a living legend of Lionheart.

"However, you are right to be suspicious."

A family elder worthy of respect. A powerful warrior worthy of admiration as well.

"Since you’ve said you don’t suspect me, Senior, I will... watch the Council head’s actions during this hunt. If—I don’t want to believe it could happen, but if he attempts to assassinate you..."

GRIND.

Genos ground his teeth. Displaying his anger openly, he clenched his fists.

"As a descendant of the first Black Lion, who punished those unworthy of being Vermouth the Great’s descendants, I will pass judgment on the head of the Council."

Genos revered Hamel because he took pride in his bloodline.

Standing before Hamel’s statue, Genos had shed tears. He had blamed conjunctivitis, but those tears had been warm and sincere.

He had also wept after their spar.

Those were not tears of humiliation at being surpassed in mastery of the Hamel Style by a Senior young enough to be his son. They were tears of reverence for Hamel’s true successor.

That was why Eugene didn’t suspect Genos.

"... Senior."

"I know."

Eugene nodded.

There were no eavesdropping spells. He had also cast a spell beforehand to keep their conversation from being heard outside.

They had finished the discussion they needed to have, and he had received his answer. There was no need for any more dangerous conversation.

Footsteps drew closer. Eugene slipped Akasha, which he was still holding, into his cloak.

A knock sounded.

"It’s Dominic. Sir Genos, Eugene, are you inside?"

The captain of the Black Lion Knights’ First Division. The master of Jigollas, the Crushing Hammer.

The grandson of Doynes Lionheart, head of the Council of Elders.

"Ah, you were here after all."

When Eugene opened the door, Dominic extended a hand with a cheerful smile.

"I heard you’d returned from Samar. I’m glad to see you looking well."

After a brief handshake, Dominic winked at Genos.

"Have I interrupted your conversation? If so, I apologize. But I had little choice. The Council head has been quite insistent that I bring Eugene to him..."

"... Right now?"

"Yes, right now. Is there a reason to delay?"

Dominic asked with a tilt of his head.

That way of speaking. He asked whether there was a reason to delay, but wasn’t waiting for an answer. Dominic stood so that the open door couldn’t close, his body angled aside to let Eugene leave the room.

The only answer he was waiting for was for Eugene to step out immediately and accompany him.

"Let’s go."

Eugene nodded as he answered. Genos briefly met his eyes.

He didn’t offer to follow. Genos understood what assassination meant. Assassination was among the Black Lion Knights’ rarer duties. As the word implied, it was secret work done in the shadows—killing someone without revealing the culprit.

If Eugene died during the hunt, the blame could be laid on monsters or demonic beasts. But this was Black Lion Castle, where there were no monsters or demonic beasts. Assassination was impossible here. It absolutely must not happen.

"You’re quite close with Sir Genos."

Dominic spoke in a lilting voice as he led the way.

"Although he firmly denies having taken you as his disciple."

"He simply offers me various lessons as my senior in the martial arts."

"Senior... Lessons... Haha! I don’t think you’re in a position to learn from Sir Genos."

Laughing heartily, Dominic looked back at Eugene.

"Of course, Sir Genos would win in a real fight. But in that match, you had the advantage in technique, didn’t you?"

"It wasn’t a fair match. Surely an expert of your caliber noticed that?"

It was a provocative remark. Dominic nodded with a smile.

"Thank you for thinking so highly of me."

"You are the captain of the Black Lion Knights’ First Division, Sir Dominic."

"The captains aren’t ranked by their division numbers. In other words, I didn’t become the First Division’s captain because I’m better than Sir Genos or Lady Carmen."

Dominic composed his smile and faced forward again.

"... But I do know there was something odd about that match. No mana... A strictly friendly bout. Sir Genos’s techniques lacked the ferocity of real combat; they were rigid, faithful only to theory."

That was because Genos had wanted to compete using only the Hamel Style.

"Even so, your techniques were more refined than Sir Genos’s. ... You know where his techniques originated, don’t you?"

"..."

"Hamel the Stupid, the great founder’s friend. His techniques are the root of Sir Genos’s art. And you... were the first person to discover Lord Hamel’s tomb."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I’m speaking of the bond that has carried Lord Hamel’s techniques across three hundred years to a later generation. Isn’t it wonderful?"

"Do you think I’m Lord Hamel’s successor?"

"If you wish to deny it, I won’t press you. But is there a reason to deny it? Inheriting Lord Hamel’s techniques is nothing to be ashamed of, and Sir Genos has acknowledged you, hasn’t he?"

Dominic looked back at Eugene again as he spoke.

"Eugene. You try to keep too many secrets."

"... Secrets?"

"I don’t know what happened to you in Samar. But I have a rough idea. You probably went to look for Lady Senya, didn’t you? I simply cannot understand why you went on such an important, dangerous undertaking with only Auxiliary Bishop Kristina. Had you wished it, the Council head would gladly have assigned elite Black Lions to escort you."

"... I think everyone should have a secret or two."

"Why?"

"Because it’s more fun that way."

Unable to answer immediately, Dominic blinked at Eugene.

"... Hahaha!"

Then he burst out laughing.

"You’re right. Yes, a secret hidden from everyone else does offer a quiet pleasure."

The round-table chamber.

Dominic stopped before it.

"But don’t keep secrets from the head of the Council."

He turned to Eugene, all traces of humor gone from his face.

"He sees even a boy’s mischievous secrets as sinister threats. You’ve likely sensed it yourself, but the Council head has been wary of you ever since he first learned of your existence."

"... Yes."

"That makes it all the more important that you keep no secrets from him."

"I’ll take that to heart."

It wasn’t a warning to dismiss. Eugene dipped his head and entered through the door Dominic opened for him.

A broad round table.

Only Doynes Lionheart, head of the Council of Elders, was seated at it. He closed the book he had been reading and set down the glasses perched on his nose.

"It’s been a while."

Doynes regarded Eugene with a kindly smile.

"Did you enjoy your travels?"

"Very much."

Keep no secrets from the head of the Council.

He had taken the warning to heart.

He had no intention of obeying it.

"It was quite an unusual journey. If life here grows dull for you, perhaps you should visit Samar yourself. You won’t have a moment to be bored."

"Hoho... A splendid suggestion, but I’m too old to wander through such remote lands."

Doynes chuckled and tapped the table.

"Did you accomplish what you wanted?"

"What do you mean?"

"We may be in the mountains of southern Kiel, but word of the world reaches us quite readily. I know you brought elves back... and I know what happened in Aroth."

Akasha.

"Why didn’t Lady Senya come with you?"

"She wished to remain there."

Eugene answered with a smile.

"She said she would come to find me when the time was right."

"So the elves’ domain truly exists."

Doynes stood.

"Even after my long life, I must seem like a child compared to the elves. Their paradise. A forest with the World Tree... Hehe. If possible, I’ve always wanted to see it with my own eyes, just once."

"If you wish, I’ll guide you there someday."

"I’ll decline. As I said, I’m too old. This castle and forest are like my home, so they’re fine... But like other old men, I’m afraid to leave the home I’ve grown attached to. And my joints ache."

Doynes’s steps drew closer. For someone lamenting his age, his gait was extraordinarily light. The Immortal White Lion. An old creature who had lived for over a hundred years. Doynes stood before Eugene looking impossibly hale for his age.

"Was there any danger on this enjoyable, unusual journey?"

"None."

Eugene answered without the slightest change in expression.

"We clashed with the natives several times, but nothing I would call dangerous."

"That’s a relief, then."

Doynes smiled and patted Eugene’s shoulder.

"You’ve been through a great deal. I’m very glad you returned safely."

"Thank you."

"I’m sorry for summoning you like this. I simply couldn’t help wanting to hear your story. If the family head were here, we could have spoken in a more relaxed atmosphere... Hoho. I find it rather difficult to converse with someone so much younger than myself."

After patting his shoulder a couple more times, Doynes stepped back.

"You may go now. The hunt begins in two days, so get plenty of rest."

"Will you be participating in the hunt as well?"

"This is my home."

Doynes answered with a warm smile.

"As your elder, I must show the young ones the way, so they don’t get lost or find themselves in danger."