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Translator: M.S
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: How Do I Get Home?
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But that wasn't the end of it.
“That Laitena... I recommended some good kids to him, but he rejected them all... only to take in trash like this? For a Grand Duke, his eye for people is terrible. I really should have inherited the family title...!”
The bald man's words had crossed the line, and then some.
Iodine, who adored her master, couldn't hold back her anger.
“Uncle! There are many eyes on us! It is improper to address our master so disrespectfully!”
“What? Are you trying to lecture me?! Just because Laitena named you his successor, you think you're the Grand Duke already?! Can't you even see your own uncle?!”
“That's not it...!”
“Not it? What do you mean, not it! You think you can look down on me! This is why I say Laitena's judgment is garbage! He picks up a beggar girl who was starving to death on the street, makes her human, and she doesn't even know how to be grateful! If your character is that rotten, you should at least be a good swordsman! But you're not even that!”
“I was wrong. But at least when it comes to our master...”
“Shut up! Who do you think you are! I don't acknowledge any of you! A beggar! A vagrant! And the new one is a lower-level Expert, I hear? He's insane. Rejecting all my recommendations to take in trash like this... Laitena must have lost his mind!”
“Uncle!”
Ugh, my head hurts.
Kashmir charged forward, snorting like a mad boar, while Iodine floundered.
'So the Grand Duke is human after all.'
He seemed like a transcendent being, above worldly affairs, but I guess he couldn't sever the bonds of blood. To leave a degenerate like that be.
But that's the Grand Duke.
I'm not.
“Uncle. In that case, would you like to see for yourself? Whether our master's eye is sharp or not.”
“What?!”
He's not my real uncle anyway, and he's the one who crossed the line first, so I have the moral high ground. It's not like I'm going to live here for a thousand years.
I have no reason to put up with such an ugly sight.
“Why waste words when we have perfectly good swords? If you doubt our skills, let's have a match. If I lose, won't that just add more weight to your words, Uncle?”
“Junior!!”
Iodine tried to stop me, but I kept my eyes fixed on Kashmir.
He flinched.
His shoulders trembled.
He narrowed his eyes.
He seemed to be trying to gauge my strength.
So predictable.
You really hate fights you think you might lose, don't you?
So, what do you see? Think you can beat me?
A moment later,
the result was clear.
His scalp flushing red, he scoffed.
“Insolent brat! Who in the world spars with a whelp young enough to be a disciple? How vulgar. I will take this rudeness directly to Laitena!”
You,
you weren't sure you could beat me, were you...?
It made sense.
By the standards of this ancient era, my swordsmanship was at a low level, but I could directly wield Aura.
He was afraid of being humiliated by an unknown power.
But he shouldn't underestimate the taunting skills I honed while rolling around in Roverland.
“Why? Isn't it simple? You can silence everyone with that skill of yours, which is so lacking in... *growth*.”
I stretched out my fingers and pointed at his shiny, bald head.
For a moment, Kashmir blinked, not understanding, but then his face turned crimson as he caught on.
“You...!”
Just as he was about to explode in anger, I cut him off.
“Why? Am I too... *fully grown* for you to take on?”
*Thrust.*
This time, I pointed a finger at my own thick, blue-black hair.
“Hah...! Hah...!”
Kashmir forgot even to be angry, letting out only a hollow laugh.
Just then,
“Ahem! Hm! Sir Lansen. No matter the situation, using a physical weakness... ahem! That is not right.”
Brook Denar cut in, attempting to mediate.
But the laughter leaking out between his coughs... Wow, Mr. Brook was a really bad person.
In the end.
*Pfft...*
*Pfft! Kff-pfft!*
The sound of laughter burst out from all around.
It seemed even the shameless Kashmir found this hard to bear.
“You... you bastards...! Laitena must have put you up to this! To humiliate me like this! I'll be watching to see how long you can keep up this arrogance!”
Spouting paranoid delusions to the very end, Kashmir hastily fled the scene.
Right. Run away. That's your level.
As I watched his pathetic retreating figure, Iodine approached with a worried expression.
“Junior Lansen...”
Ah, even without her saying anything, I felt it too.
“It's fine.”
That narrow-minded, pot-bellied bald man will probably pull some stunt during this exchange event.
Some trick to humiliate me.
But even so, it didn't mean much to me.
What do I care if I'm humiliated or not?
The only thing that has meaning to me right now is the sword.
Only the sword.
*Shing.*
I drew my sword and asked Iodine.
“What shall we start with today?”
Iodine looked at me with a complicated expression before shaking her head and drawing her own sword.
Now,
the exciting day began again.
* * *
After a full day of training, night came again.
I hadn't slept much lately... even for a robust body that had reached Sword Master, I needed some sleep now.
But sleep wouldn't come.
“I'm starting to worry...”
It's already been twelve days since I came here.
I've been completely absorbed in sword training, but I'm starting to feel uneasy.
“How long will I be here? How... do I get back?”
The time ratio during my last trip through time was 6 to 1.
If it's the same this time, two days have already passed in my original timeline.
Two days is fine.
With the Count suddenly beheaded, everyone would need time to grasp the situation.
They'd be cautious, knowing one wrong step could get their own heads chopped off.
But any longer than that would be dangerous.
Rumors would spread that I was the one who beheaded the Count.
People would grow suspicious when they realized I was nowhere to be seen.
The territorial army, the Family... the reckless ones would surely start spinning all sorts of happy delusions.
'Lansen and the Count took each other out!'
'He killed the Count, but he was gravely injured and became a cripple, just like before!'
'If I play my cards right, I could make a fortune out of this opportunity?!'
In the face of greed, such rumors would soon be accepted as fact, and those who had been keeping their heads down would start to raise them one by one.
I could clearly picture Kushan City turning into a chaotic mess.
My family's strength is not to be underestimated, and Rivera Pietro, now on our side, has great power and connections, so they won't be in immediate danger.
But the more time passes, the more unpredictable variables could arise.
There are just so many crazies in Kushan City...
So I'm worried.
Because I have no idea what the condition is for returning.
*Shing-*
I took out the Book of Fate from my subspace.
I opened it and scanned through; there were exactly two pages I could read.
One was the page from last time, starting with 'The secret chapel of the cultists...', and the other was this time's page, which read, 'Master has returned after seizing the cultists' treasure.'
Strangely, even though I could now use the ancient language and script, I couldn't read any of the other pages.
Whenever I tried, the meaning would slip away, like nonsense exchanged in a drunken stupor.
“Anyway, it seems to have something to do with cultists...”
Last time, I returned after killing the leader of the secret chapel.
So what about this time?
'There must be something about that treasure the Grand Duke brought back...'
The treasure that even that pig Kashmir had shown curiosity about.
But there was no way for me to see it.
The Horizon Knights, not to mention the male and female mages who came with the Grand Duke, were guarding it strictly.
“How frustrating.”
Even if I did see it, it would still be a problem.
What do I have to do to return?
Do I have to destroy it?
Or... do I have to protect it?
My mind was a mess, and sleep was far away.
I went for a walk to get some night air.
In the distance, magical lanterns shone brightly from the buildings, and moonlight poured into the Grand Duke's garden.
Beneath the moonlight, a blonde woman was sitting on a rock, looking up at the sky.
She had her hand outstretched, as if measuring a point in the heavens.
“Iodine...?”
I called out her name without thinking, and her blue eyes turned to me.
“Junior Lansen...?”
“Watching the moon?”
After saying it, I realized my mistake. *Oops.*
I'd casually dropped the honorifics.
Is she going to nag me again...?
But Iodine didn't seem to mind and answered casually.
In the same informal tone as me.
“No. I was watching the stars.”
“...You're not going to scold me for speaking informally?”
She glanced around before answering in a low voice.
“There's no one else around right now. I'm not completely shameless. You're the one who saved my life, right? I'm not going to get on your case for dropping the formalities.”
“Ooh~”
My genuine admiration was met with, for some reason, a sharp glare.
“...Anyway, I know it's late to say this, but thank you for back then. Thanks to you, I lived. And thanks to you, I was able to save the children.”
“Are the kids doing well?”
“Yeah. I sent them all home. They send me letters every holiday.”
Iodine smiled pleasantly.
I felt a sudden urge to be mischievous.
“In that case, how about you start using formal speech with me in private? I'm your savior, and I'm three years older than you, aren't I?”
“...Even so, using formal speech with a junior is a bit...”
I chuckled and sat down next to Iodine.
Iodine shifted slightly, making space for me.
“Do you like watching the stars?”
She shook her head at my question.
“Not just any stars. I like watching the Thirteen Ruling Gods.”
“The Thirteen Ruling Gods?”
“Honestly... You really lack common sense sometimes.”
She let out a short sigh and pointed out the stars one by one.
“All the stars move. Did you know that?”
“...The stars move?”
“Yes. They rotate around the center of the sky.”
I didn't know that.
It's not like I had much reason to look at the sky.
“All the stars rotate around the center of the sky... but there are thirteen stars that don't move and always stay in the same place. Those thirteen, named after the ruling gods, are what we call the Thirteen Ruling Gods.”
“Aha... But why do you like them?”
At my question, Iodine raised her hand again, just like before, and aimed at the nearest ruling god's star.
“That star is Mibabar, the goddess of wisdom. The only place in this world where Mibabar rises directly overhead at this exact angle is right here. Because that star doesn't move.”
“Hoh...?”
“So, through the ruling gods, I can know my place in this world. I'm here now. I've come this far. This place, where Mibabar looks down from this exact angle, this is the place I must protect. The place I belong. The purpose of my life.”
...Come to think of it, Kashmir said it, didn't he? That Iodine was an orphan.
For an orphan girl to become the disciple of the greatest sword under heaven, there must have been an extraordinary story.
Perhaps that's why her expression as she gazed at the stars was so earnest and poignant.
*Jump!*
As if embarrassed by what she'd just said, Iodine shot to her feet.
She turned her back, hiding her slightly flushed ears.
“Anyway, I'm leaving now. I have to prepare the special lecture for the exchange event.”
She walked a few steps, stating her business when she didn't have to, then turned back to emphasize.
“Formal speech in front of others!”
“Yes, yes, Senior.”
I watched Iodine walk away, then looked up at the sky.
'They really don't move...'
After staring for a while, I could see it too.
Amidst the slowly flowing starlight, thirteen stars remained fixed in place, unmoving.
In this world where everything changes, were there things that didn't?
'I guess I have them too.'
The people I must protect even if it costs me my life, the children I want to protect.
To me, they are like stars that will never change.
Thinking that, I smiled bitterly.
*Sigh*... I really need to get back soon, but how?
Mired in a question with no answer, I trudged back to my quarters.
* * *
A few more days passed.
I still had no clue how to get home.
Finally, the day of the exchange event dawned.
Iodine, whom I met early in the morning, was a bundle of nerves.
“Okay. The special lecture is perfectly prepared. I've finished memorizing the trainees' information. Junior Lansen. You're ready for the swordsmanship demonstration, right?”
“Perfectly. But...”
“Okay. What else... I've prepared all the expected answers for the Q&A... Oh, right. Hair! Yes, my hair is perfect today too. Right. Everything's ready. It's perfect. Let's be calm. All I need to do is stay calm.”
As if her messy hair from last time had left her with trauma, Iodine patted her head to check its condition, then took a deep breath and began to control her mind.
But...
Uh, Iodine?
Your hair isn't the problem right now...
“Senior.”
“Don't talk to me. I'm controlling my breathing.”
“No. Senior.”
“Just a moment.”
“That's not it. Your clothes. Look at your clothes.”
“Huh?”
Iodine finally looked down at her clothes.
Between her blonde hair, her round ears turned bright red.
“Uh... uh... Uwaaaah!”
Iodine shrieked and ran toward her bedroom.
Her yellow chick pajamas fluttered in the wind.
Seriously, she was so worried about her hair she didn't even realize she came out in her pajamas?
She's so consistent.
Seems sharp, but she's always clumsy about one thing or another.
And chick pajamas, on top of that...
Holding back a chuckle, I cast my gaze toward the training grounds.
The trainees should be gathering by now.
*Hoo...*
I took a breath, stretched, and finely tuned my body.
Good. Perfect. Ready for battle.
“Well then... shall I get a little nervous now?”
I calmed my mind and broadened my vision.
With the mindset of heading to a battlefield.
I hadn't placed much meaning on the exchange event until now, but things are different.
Not that I'm doing this to leave a deep impression at the event...
I just thought about it a little.
The last day of the month-long exchange event.
Today was one of the few special days when outsiders were allowed this deep into the lord's castle.
If the Book of Fate isn't sending me to random times, but specifically to times when an incident related to the cultists occurs...
And if I have to resolve that incident to go home,
then that incident will probably,
on the last day of the exchange event,
when hundreds of outsiders enter the lord's castle,
happen today.
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