Chapter 109 - Fighting Fire with Fire (3)

“Why ten seconds?” Tom had asked.

I had answered his question.

“Because that is enough time for the young master to remember the truth.”

* * *

I went out in front of the barracks in answer to the summons. The army arrayed before the entrance to the Caravan estate was far too large, far too powerful. Had they wished it, our estate would have vanished from the map without even a chance to struggle. Waves adorned the fluttering banners. I could feel the full weight of the name 「Rhapsody」.

“This is insane,” Audrey muttered.

“They brought a force like this to a backwater estate? Anyone else seeing this would think the five families were fighting a Territory Battle against each other. This is enough to bring down an entire small country...”

Her eyes were trembling.

The army that had arrived after ten days had a presence that overwhelmed us at the mere sight of it. Only now did I truly understand Tom’s words. Powerful enough to contend with a nation on equal terms. A family wielding strength equivalent to an independent country.

That was what the Five Great Families were.

“Ugh...”

The elderly guards at the entrance could not stop shaking. Having spent their entire lives in the countryside, they must have been gripped by unbearable terror. 「Rhapsody」’s army made no attempt to conceal its power. Rather, they flaunted it, as though inviting us to be thoroughly overwhelmed.

“Liam, the Sword Demon.”

A war between the Caravan estate and the five families.

The very sentence made no sense.

It was like an egg striking a rock.

“Come out here.”

Everyone could feel it. The army’s presence dominated this place.

As Edan Rhapsody, the family’s second son, called for me, Haylin gripped my shoulder. She gazed at me imploringly.

“Don’t go.”

“...”

“Please don’t go, young lord. You’ll die.”

While Haylin pleaded, the residents looked at me. Everyone who intended to leave had already gone before the army arrived. Those who remained were people who did not know how to flee. People who had spent their whole lives farming, their whole lives in this backwater, their whole lives caring for their families. People who had never even imagined going elsewhere.

“My lord.”

People who had moved here because they heard this was the best place to live in the surrounding countryside. People who had settled here and dreamed simple dreams. People who wanted bread and soup for tomorrow more than gold coins. My people, who loved laughing and chatting with country women more than drinking and carousing with peerless beauties. My residents. My people, who filled my estate with life.

“I haven’t been living on this estate long. I came because of the rumors. They said we wouldn’t have to go hungry here. It was true. For the first time in her life, my daughter ate bread with jam on it. I can still picture her face as she giggled. Just give the word. I’ll take up a sickle if I must. I want to protect this estate. I want to fight, no matter who we face.”

“I’ll fight too. A-anyway, if this place falls, won’t those thugs descend on the nearby villages as well? In the end, wherever we r-run, it’ll be the same. For country folk like us who haven’t got a damn thing, running away won’t make any difference.”

Simple, honest people.

They knew nothing of the world beyond their well.

They did not know that farming tools could never wound a 「sword runner」. They knew nothing of knights who could move like ghosts. They did not know the greatness of the five families. They knew nothing of armies. They knew nothing of war.

“My wife is due any day. There’s no way she can flee over the mountains in her condition. And I cannot run away and leave her behind. I would rather die. I’ll die and go to the gods. And I’ll ask them why they gave us such an ordeal.”

They did not know the injustice of the sword.

They did not know violence.

“My son is too young to have the strength for a long journey.”

What they feared was drought.

What they feared was flooding.

What they feared was the pests that threatened their crops.

What they feared was the wild boars descending from the mountains.

The armies of the five families, a host of knights every one of whom was at least a 「sword runner」, Rhapsody’s second son, a promising candidate for swordmaster renowned across the continent, and the malice they harbored.

These people knew nothing of any of it.

They knew only one thing.

“This is our village.”

They had overcome droughts, floods, the pests that threatened their crops, and the wild boars descending from the mountains. So they believed that if everyone worked together, they could overcome this crisis too. They believed it because they knew nothing of the world beyond their well.

“We’ll fight alongside you.”

A philosopher once said:

As the saying goes, no man is a hero to his servant.

For only a hero can recognize a hero.

“We want to protect it.”

The servants spoke foolishly.

Not a single resident here understood the sword. There was not one 「sword beginner」 among them, let alone a 「sword walker」. Many had probably never held a sword in their lives. And yet they said they would stand against the enemy. Even if every resident here attacked together, they could do nothing against a single one of those knights. Even if every resident here attacked together, they could not touch so much as a hair on Rhapsody’s second son. Even if every resident here attacked together, they could not defeat me alone.

As the philosopher said, servants could not recognize a hero. There was far too much they could not see. Their world was far too narrow. But I believed the philosopher was wrong.

“You don’t need to fight alone, my lord.”

My great Master had defined heroes this way:

Those who could find no answer amid hardship, but refused to give up nonetheless. Those who refused to retreat nonetheless. Master had said that such people were heroes.

“It’s all right.”

Even a servant could become a hero.

Anyone could become a hero.

Every one of them was a hero.

And even servants had a hero.

“Do not worry.”

Master had told me I had the talent to become a hero.

“I will not lose. Never.”

Today, I had to become a hero.

* * *

The mountain behind the Caravan estate.

From this high ground, the estate, which had taken on a respectable appearance but remained cramped, could be seen in its entirety. The beasts that teemed in the mountain had long since fled. Even the birds were silent.

“Hmm.”

Orcs stood there.

Handpicked elite orc warriors who would not lose even against most knights.

“A decent warrior, Father. But he is far too flamboyant to become my husband. A male should be serious and dignified, you know. Those rings, those necklaces... It’s excessive.”

Among the elite orc warriors stood Sherijik, the pride of the orcs, a beauty seen once in a thousand years. She held a beautiful glaive befitting her looks. A glaive that seemed capable of killing even a giant from the mountain range in a single blow.

“Not that one, daughter.”

“Oh?”

“The one on the other side. The human boy with blond hair, blue eyes, and an unremarkable sword. He is the heir of steel.”

At the orc shaman Sherdik’s words, Sherijik shifted her gaze. In the direction he indicated stood a small boy. An insignificant boy compared with the army. Though he had grown quite sturdy by human standards, to Sherijik he was no bigger than a bean.

“His face is rather nice.”

A mere 「sword walker」.

But Sherijik was a true warrior, born of a great shaman’s bloodline and gifted with the talent of a god of war. Her eyes could see the true substance within the boy’s outer shell.

“And I like the soul inside him.”

“Well? Isn’t he just right for your husband?”

“Hmph. He’s still lacking, but raising him should be rewarding.”

Sherijik snorted. At the sight, several elite orc warriors exclaimed, “Beautiful as always,” and, “Even her snorting is beautiful.” Amid their admiration, Sherijik spoke.

“So how much longer are we going to watch? We’ve done nothing but watch for days already. I may be a refined orc who knows propriety, but my blood is starting to boil.”

“Wait a little longer. The stars say it is not yet time.”

“Hmm. The stars are far too leisurely.”

Sherijik shook her head.

Seeing the seething human army made it difficult to contain her surging blood. She wanted to charge in and rampage right then and there. The faces of knights who thought themselves the finest beings in the world. Breaking their arrogant bodies was Sherijik’s refined pastime.

“Wait. Aren’t those pale humans who enjoy spying on others waiting meekly like little girls too? They know as well. It is not yet time.”

Sherdik spoke with a dry chuckle.

An answer came from the dense undergrowth.

“Lowly orc shaman, insult 「White」’s watchers once more and we will not stand for it. We know well enough that orcs have no understanding of honor, but how long do you intend to carry on?”

Another force waited in the undergrowth.

The swords of the north, dispatched personally by the great White family’s Grand Duke of the North. These guardians of order, who bowed to no one outside the north, glared at the orc shaman Sherdik. Feeling their gazes, he chuckled.

“All you whelps can do is run your mouths.”

“Why, this orc really—”

“Shut up. I know winter’s fangs are sharp enough to tear out my throat without you barking so loudly. But are you confident you can handle the consequences?”

“...”

“Kill me if you want. The moment I drop dead, I’ll go find your ancestors sleeping in the spirit world. Some of them are dear friends of mine. You fools. Your ancestors who lived through the Age of War are my friends. Tsk. You ought to be attending to an elder, not persecuting him like this. Once you’re old, you might as well die.”

“...”

“If you want your ancestors to beat the soles of your feet with switches when you die, do as you please. Youngsters these days have no manners at all. Tsk!”

They did not know how long the orc shaman Sherdik had lived. And so, at this moment, the proud swords of the north, who would not bow even before the imperial family that ruled the Heavenly Empire, all had to shut their mouths.

“Daughter.”

While everyone fell quiet before this utterly unrivaled old veteran, Sherdik spoke.

“Can you defeat that human from the five families down there?”

Sherijik considered his question briefly.

“I think I’d have to fight him to know.”

“Then can the heir of steel defeat him?”

Sherijik frowned at the question.

“Impossible.”

“Why?”

“Never mind winning, he won’t even last three seconds. It might be different if the heir of steel had fully awakened his power, but as he is now, even comparing the two is ridiculous.”

“Yes, you’re right.”

Sherdik chuckled at his daughter’s words.

Then he added something significant.

“But you see.”

“The heirs of steel make the impossible possible.”

Something very significant indeed.

“Hundreds of years ago, there wasn’t a soul who didn’t know that.”

* * *

A mighty army.

And an estate in the remote countryside.

Against these two mismatched backdrops, two men faced each other.

“We will make this a duel of honor.”

“A duel of honor?”

“The rules are simple. The duel ends when one side declares surrender or becomes unable to fight. Neither side will be held responsible even if a life is lost in the process.”

“Familiar rules.”

“The victor may demand one of three things from the loser.”

“That is familiar too.”

The duel I had fought to protect Petel’s honor. That, too, had been a duel of honor. But I had fought as a champion then, so in effect, today’s duel should be called my first. How absurd. My opponent in my first official duel of honor was a 「sword expert」.

“Do you have any conditions to propose before the duel?”

“If I propose them, will you accept?”

“If they are reasonable.”

I looked at the man standing before me.

Edan Rhapsody.

Glaring at me from close range, he looked like something other than human. A fortress built of piled stone and timber. He looked like a walking castle. A castle that would not fall no matter what one did.

I spoke to the man who resembled a fortress wall.

“Use only the basic thrust passed down in your family.”

“Is that all?”

“And among your family’s sword techniques, there should be a thrust that resembles a wave. Use only that technique in addition to the basic thrust.”

“What else?”

“Use only three pairs of wings.”

Those were my conditions.

After hearing them, the man answered.

“Nothing else? You may add conditions such as forbidding me to use one arm, continuing the duel after driving a blade into my neck, beginning after punching a hole in my stomach and spilling my guts, or dueling with both my legs tied—conditions like those are welcome.”

“No need.”

“I see.”

The man nodded.

“Go to the far left, insignificant fighter.”

The duel was about to begin.

Having accepted my conditions, Edan Rhapsody received a dueling weapon from a knight under his command. A paltry wooden stick rested in his hand. Calling it a wooden sword would have been laughable. A long, blunt wooden stick. Holding it, he looked at me with languid eyes.

“The duel begins at the signal.”

“Isn’t there something you must do first?”

“Ah.”

But I was not looking at him.

I looked at the man beyond him.

“Toma Rhapsody.”

Toma Rhapsody.

“Look carefully at my face and say it again.”

The cause of this entire situation.

“Did I tarnish your honor in the Endless Duel that day? Was the duel we fought that day unjust? Did I truly slaughter your loyal retainer? Was everything you suffered, every crime you accuse me of, truly my doing?”

The Endless Duel fighter who had made me tremble, whose face I had been unable to see beneath his helmet and armor.

He stood among the many knights.

“Answer me. Look into my eyes.”

Silky blond hair. Blue eyes. A face that looked like a young nobleman’s. It was all exactly as I had seen him in the Endless Duel waiting room. But the emotions in his eyes were different.

“Y-yes.”

His ease.

The boredom that could only be described as arrogant.

His languor and playfulness.

All of it was gone.

“S-Sword Demon Liam. Y-you did it. All of it.”

Toma Rhapsody’s eyes were not clear.

They were utterly clouded.

“Y-you must answer for your crimes. You must answer for them.”

I was certain.

“I see.”

Toma Rhapsody was broken.

I did not know who had done it, but his soul had been brutally broken. The Endless Duel fighter I had known and the Toma Rhapsody standing here were different people. Liam spoke.

「Just as you predicted.」

“...”

「Everything is in place. Now only your part remains.」

Yes, it was just as I had predicted.

“Toma Rhapsody.”

“W-why do you call me?”

“Can you swear to what you just said in the names of the nine goddesses and seven chief gods? That you have not uttered a single lie, and that your retaliation is a rightful exercise of your authority under the laws of the continent?”

I glared at Toma Rhapsody.

His answer came shortly.

“I-I swear.”

The instant Toma Rhapsody finished speaking, I turned away. There was nothing more to hear. Everything was unfolding as expected. Rather than say anything more, I walked to the far left of the makeshift dueling ground. Far away at the right end, Edan Rhapsody was stroking his trembling younger brother’s head as he glared at me. His gaze was languid, but there was a blade within it.

“Insignificant fighter, I warned you before.”

Though he was quite far away, Edan Rhapsody’s voice reached me with perfect clarity.

“That you would not die an easy death.”

Perfect clarity indeed.

“I will see that promise fulfilled.”

It was a chilling threat.

After hearing it, I let out a long breath.

Then...

[“Why ten seconds?”]

At that moment, I recalled my conversation with Tom.

[“Why on earth must you endure for ten seconds?”]

I had answered his question.