Chapter 110 : Chapter 110
Chapter 110. Bahel Batra (2)
“You look unhappy?”
Aran visited West Villa when sun slowly setting.
He asked frowning looking at Simurtr who opened door.
“Dream got longer.”
“What dream?”
“Dream when died.”
“…Still dreaming?”
“Dream every day. But lately got longer.”
Simurtr crumpled glabella.
Previous life death. Moment always rising when sleeping, when dreaming. Traitors in front of eyes clear, familiar.
So not much feeling. Rather happy. Isn’t unconsciousness proof still not forgetting that moment.
Dream repeating every day might be signpost instinct giving worrying losing way.
Simurtr thought so. Master would have interpreted so clearly.
“But anything to get longer? Dreaming past.”
“Bastards running mouth comes out more. Originally just passed roughly. Why?”
Conversation chattered with them clearly faint.
Lately not. Getting clearer, longer. Things not wanting to recall pop out.
“Isn’t it because met Akarr Bahab.”
“Is it?”
Simurtr tilted head.
Certainly. Maybe because met traitor in reality. Clear thing now became concrete.
So instinct excited. Enough to remind useless things.
‘Master would have interpreted so.’
Good omen.
Decided to think so.
“…Unexpectedly peaceful. Heard Bahel visited.”
Aran changed subject.
To him too that moment not wanting to recall.
“You came late. Aran, you should have seen Bahel bowing too.”
“Why watch bowing to Young Master.”
Aran organized West Villa messed up because of Bahel personally, but didn’t get angry.
Blockhead just did blockhead thing. Bahel was friend’s son, disciple Aran cherishes most.
“Bowed to Meram?”
“Really?”
Aran’s eyes went round.
Hard to believe that Bahel bowed to magician.
“Told you.”
“Live long and see. How much liked Young Master.”
“Drink alcohol?”
Still bright. Wind cool, August evening atmospheric.
“Drink alcohol too?”
“Nothing can’t drink…….”
Urkel or Lete Dujeu enjoyed drinking. Often matched them.
“Bit burdensome to drink with current body. Aran drink alone.”
Even ordinary alcohol would worry.
This alcohol will only harm current body.
“What fun drinking alone.”
“Said stay together?”
“Forget it.”
“Know Akarr Bahab hobby drinking?”
Simurtr put hand in subspace.
Alcohol bottle looking luxurious at glance came out.
“Makes personally too. Swelling Flame usage truly diverse. Said personally distilled famous liquor.”
“…How obtained?”
“Said going home just gave?”
Bottles quite many.
Aran swallowed saliva.
“…Waste to drink alone.”
“This guy drank alcohol truly well. Before becoming swordsman, no matter how much drank next day ate meat from morning well.”
Sword Master’s graveyard.
Former 1st Head of the Sword’s favorite sword is huge greatsword.
Poured one bottle fully to wet without gap.
“One bottle seems insufficient.”
“This much enough. Dead guy coveting living person’s alcohol.”
“Heartless.”
“Probably sick of alcohol now. Drank so much and entered so right to be so.”
“Aran, not because you want to drink all?”
Aran poured one more bottle.
Pouring halfway, turned bottle to mound stuck right next.
“Fortunate this guy didn’t like much.”
Former Black Head of the Sword’s grave.
Aran wetting favorite sword stuck there with remaining alcohol sat facing two graves.
“Come to think Serepes quiet. Any contact?”
“Message came to Raphaelo but, no special content.”
“Close?”
“Ill-fated relationship. Situation aging together anything special…… Raphaelo cherished Grand Duke Lushuala a lot from old times.”
Similar to Simurtr and Aran’s relationship.
Just that side became Grand Duke in end.
“Lushuala still in Aitentel?”
“Probably. If not message came.”
“Takes long.”
“Forbidden land for nothing? Suffering a lot.”
Simurtr never experienced Aitentel but heard from Serepes Grand Duke.
Forbidden land where even Archmage goes crazy entering, all disasters and confusion gathered.
Observation of such forbidden land, task of Serepes handed down generations.
“Didn’t know would become Grand Duke. Wasn’t former Grand Duke’s children quite many?”
“Seven. All living well.”
“True. Lushuala not kid to kill siblings.”
“Probably kill Young Master if meets. Raphaelo grinds teeth seeing me still.”
Just as expulsion, breaking off engagement one-sided.
Mectera did so, Simurtr picked up fact in some mercenary pub.
Lushuala hates Mectera too, Exa too.
Former proceeded work arbitrarily, latter no contact after that then suddenly reunited on battlefield.
“Eh. Doesn’t know it’s me.”
“Did you think of will?”
“No not yet. What say, that.”
Don’t know if still so…… but nothing changes. Sorry but probably made up will useless content.
“How about loved?”
“Crazy.”
“Will like.”
“What nonsense. When went Serepes Mountain Range expedition almost got knife in back.”
“But if will insignificant Grand Duke will be disappointed a lot.”
“Think more. Done?”
“Yes.”
Even if useless content must have sincerity.
Don’t want to hurt Lushuala for no reason.
“Come to think first time sitting at drinking table with Young Master.”
“Drink a lot.”
Simurtr smirking poured alcohol in Aran’s cup.
Alcohol Akarr gave still left a lot.
“Actually drinking alone not fun thing.”
“So I pour.”
“If sat together earlier, could fill Young Master’s cup.”
“Was busy.”
“No matter how busy if by side drank often.”
“I don’t like alcohol much.”
“Still had seat often with Baperr.”
“Envied Baperr?”
“Place to answer honestly?”
“Should. First time.”
“…Often. No, sometimes did.”
In wartime.
Many swordsmen remembering Exa hoped he return to Mectera.
Impossible thing. Gerehk refused, Exa himself had no will.
Aran imagined leaving Mectera entering Baperr rather.
“Said hated because I changed due to Baperr.”
“…Knowing all why ask.”
Didn’t want to see Young Master changing?
Packaging ugly jealousy with effort.
Mectera, Baperr, any shabby mercenary corps. Aran just needed to be by Young Master’s side.
“If now would have gone.”
Repeated regret.
If opportunity given again Aran will follow Simurtr. Aran ready to lay down 6th Head of the Sword position right now.
“Probably not.”
Simurtr smirked.
“Aran. You heart weak so no.”
Even if expulsion unavoidable.
Opportunities Aran leaving Mectera existed several times. Medeoban and Gerehk blocked? Ignoring or secretly fleeing enough.
“Can abandon Naor? 6th Sword Order kids, Bahel or swordsmen you taught personally?”
“…Of course.”
“No. Aran. Mectera robust in Doom War, thanks to you not Gerehk. You know?”
So Aran didn’t leave.
Instead of choosing Baperr, tried to appease Exa.
“Without you many died.”
Born in Mectera, raised in Mectera.
Entered main family became swordsman and soon Head of the Sword.
Mectera’s giant tree. Aran not heart to ignore swordsmen deployed to battlefield. They needed person to lead.
“…Now changed a lot. Mectera too, me too.”
“Don’t do too much. Burdensome.”
***
Feeling intoxication truly long time.
Didn’t touch alcohol, but actually nothing as fun as other drunk.
Simurtr watching excited Aran giggled. Side dishes (stories) too many. Aran drinking from bottle entirely.
“Hahaha. Bahel said so? Honestly if Young Master really unfair adopted son, no guy as reliable as Bahel.”
“That right too. Kid kind. Just doesn’t look like it.”
If Simurtr experiencing discrimination following bloodline, ordinary unfair adopted son, Bahel would have become benefactor.
Reason Meram cannot hate Bahel. Bahel’s action problem, but heart not wrong.
“Just appearance problem? If just became like Baperr’s Urkel I retired already traveled looking for Young Master.”
Bahel became 1st Head of the Sword, but still General Head of the Sword in emergency is Aran.
Unique idea and flexibility commander should have absent in Bahel.
“Eh. Compare with Urkel, that bastard. He stupid same.”
Comparison object Urkel too far.
“Sense excellent. If just that degree kids commanded wish nothing more.”
“At least life guaranteed?”
“Right. What more important than life.”
“That right too.”
Simurtr nodded.
Like birth, Urkel guy with developed instinct. So hit it off well.
‘Thought wrong.’
Aran cursing last raid implicitly.
Before leaving raid, Urkel stopped Exa. Suppressed Urkel trying to ruin operation making fuss with power.
‘Go Captain dies said.’
Raid ended.
Exa mocked Urkel’s instinct.
Raid ended but lived.
‘But didn’t know die like that. Surely.’
Solo raid targeting Doom Species castle.
Actually that…… not so desperate operation.
Don’t know others but Simurtr knows that fact, truth.
Don’t know why record became like that, and war ended nothing to say…… anyway.
Important thing in this life not Doom Species.
‘Traitors. Didn’t know those bastards so unreasonable.’
If meet someday apologize to Urkel too. Shameful. Shouldn’t have mocked.
“But that guy. Originally like that? Bahel mean.”
Simurtr changed subject.
Aran’s glare mentioning life stinging.
“Originally sturdier than sword.”
Looking closely at Bahel’s scalp, small scar exists.
Knife mark Exa left when young. Hit by sword on bare head but only skin scratched.
“Bald spot still there?”
“Of course. Who left.”
Don’t know origin because orphan, Exa had superior Strong Body than Bahel father and son.
“I wasn’t blockhead though.”
“Outside harder than stone.”
“Anyway. Knew he blockhead…… something changed a bit. Originally not guy obsessed or forcing like that.”
Bahel remembering and 1st Head of the Sword Bahel quite different.
Blindly believing Mectera same, but not this reckless. Guy knowing respecting other’s opinion.
“To Meram can do so. Since magician. But I adopted son finished Selection Ceremony? If I hate, regret but passing is normal.”
Blockhead grew a little so became like that?
Guy confined envoy in Harkinwagen attacked Black Land. Flexibility generated, able to use trick in own way.
Stone became slightly soft. Front and back don’t match. Coming to Mectera again, no harder didn’t he.
“Didn’t I tell. If Young Master really ordinary adopted son Bahel would be big strength.”
“That know. But mean not guy to force.”
“That because Young Master adopted son this time too.”
“What?”
“Bahel figured out Young Master in own way, found problem. Magician existence suitable justification to justify Mectera.”
“That right too.”
“Phantasmal Ability Swelling Flame came out so no excuse.”
To Bahel Mectera had to be right, eventually became so.
“Real blockhead doesn’t think of fixing to use. Think of throwing away.”
So.
If original Bahel should have thrown away there.
Furthermore person several times harder to fix.
“But Bahel didn’t abandon Young Master. Tried to fix.”
“That because I look genius.”
“That too but…… Bahel not guy to coddle just because talent excellent.”
Correct words.
Since making scar on Bahel’s head…… Exa didn’t spar with Bahel.
Bahel wanted spar every day but never threw tantrum like this.
“Why such guy became stubborn like that.”
Bahel Mectera, hates spell-caster.
Indifferent to things other than Mectera. If same side, Bahel doesn’t force what opponent hates.
Doom War too Bahel never mentioned return to Exa.
“Because Young Master adopted son.”
“Exactly.”
“Precedent main family adopted son expelled existed.”
“Me.”
Only Exa expelled in thousand years history.
“Right. Bahel still couldn’t forget Young Master. 17 years old. Coincidentally age same as current Young Master.”
Not just age.
Same adopted son, mana nature looks similar to others’ eyes.
“Saw me recalled Exa?”
“Yes. Relationship how good. Seeing current Young Master recalled work of time. Back then this guy rebelled quite long too.”
Aran tapped former 1st Head of the Sword’s favorite sword.
“What nonsense. Just because ideology.”
“Both. Ideology best swordsman become Sword Master played big part, but not all.”
“Head of the Senate of Elders wouldn’t think up to there.”
“What saying. Bahel, how much that bastard hates me. Met again on battlefield what first word that bastard said know?”
“Heard. Expulsion was just.”
“Right. Seeing me welcoming former 1st Head of the Sword, said cannot understand father.”
Battlefield overlapped rare. Outbreak all over continent, busy that much.
Plus Gerehk hated Mectera and Baperr overlapping.
Rare meeting but…… incompatible with Bahel. Thinking about it, might be simply because Bahel hated this side.
“If can’t believe, ask directly.”
Bahel visible at graveyard entrance.