Chapter 178 : Chapter 178
Chapter 178: Hunting (1)
“Why did you leave home, Miki.”
At the meal we shared after sending the reply to Etian, Gabriel suddenly asked straightforwardly.
Miki, who flinched for a moment at this, seemed to hesitate slightly, but soon answered with a bitter smile, perhaps thinking there was no longer any reason to hide it.
“I happened to hear Father calling me a failure.”
“What…?”
Perhaps because he had unburdened his heart to some extent, he did look a bit more comfortable than when he first spoke to us in Tiaria.
Of course, it was all relative, and it probably didn't look that way at all in his brothers' eyes.
Especially Raphael, who was focusing on his meal in the seat next to him, stopped his fork immediately and looked back at Miki.
“Father…?”
Both of them had expressions of disbelief.
“But the biggest thing was that I felt so pathetic for being unable to deny those words after hearing them.”
Miki spoke as if it was all in the past now, especially after receiving recognition from the two older brothers he respected, but the two brothers hearing this story for the first time were wearing very complicated expressions.
“I-It's okay, brothers! It's all in the past now!”
Miki, noticing this immediately, waved his hands urgently and spoke, but their expressions didn't change.
If anything, they seemed to feel even more pity at Miki's attempt to force a smile.
“Thanks to that, I was able to grow as a knight. It probably would have been impossible if I had stayed at home.”
Perhaps trying to reassure his brothers, Miki continued speaking in an even more nonchalant tone.
“Coming outside, I was able to find the answer to the path I must take as a knight. Of course, it would be a lie to say it wasn't hard at first…”
Then he suddenly turned to me, and subsequently looked at his companions one by one.
“Since I met people who changed my life by acknowledging me as a knight, I actually think it's a relief now.”
Wearing a faint smile.
“And honestly, I don't really have much resentment towards Father. It wasn't something he said directly to my face, but just something I happened to overhear, and above all, it was true.”
“Miki, Father…”
Then, Raphael, who was listening to Miki, tried to say something, but.
“…Rapha.”
When Gabriel shook his head and stopped him, he eventually couldn't continue his words.
Miki tilted his head for a moment at his brothers' reaction, but he didn't pry into it.
“You still don't hold a weapon.”
“Ah, yes. That's right.”
“Is it because you can't kill other people.”
“…Yes.”
“…Is it because of that incident after all?”
“…….”
At Gabriel's question, Miki, who had been acting nonchalant to avoid worrying his brothers, shut his mouth and couldn't answer for the first time.
Instead.
“…The knight I think of is one who protects, not one who kills.”
He opened his mouth with difficulty and gave an answer that was slightly off from the question.
But the two brothers, knowing that it wasn't such an off-topic answer, looked at each other for a moment and then smiled faintly.
“Since I was defeated in a fair duel by you who didn't hold a weapon, I suppose I have no right to say anything.”
“And I have no intention to.”
“More importantly, during the duel, you showed movements we never taught you.”
“It wasn't the movement of an ordinary knight.”
“Ah, yes! I received guidance from Lord Mistral, the Grand Priest of Daian!”
“Oh, if it's Grand Priest Mistral…”
“You mean the person who personally suppressed the rebellion in Daian?”
“Yes! I learned the basics of martial arts from him!”
“No wonder. You learned from an excellent teacher.”
“Actually, I think I just got beaten up the whole time though!”
The two brothers chuckled, perhaps thinking Miki's words, spoken with a bright smile again, were a joke, but Miki was only stating facts without any exaggeration.
Since the time was so short, he just did a ‘pounding’ lesson to teach as much as possible.
Literally.
Starting from the answer to the question of how he received guidance from such a person, Miki began to tell his brothers about the adventures he had been on with us.
As if he was returning the favor for when they used to tell him all sorts of heroic tales for him when he was young.
Then, if there were times when delivery was difficult or explanation was lacking, I intervened appropriately to pique interest in Miki's story.
I'm a Bard, after all.
That kind of thing is my specialty.
Then, the two who had initially asked out of curiosity about Miki's well-being soon showed themselves listening attentively, purely immersed in our adventure story.
Like that, the last night spent inside the Wall became a boisterous drinking party for the first time in a while.
***
The next day.
The messenger who had brought Etian's letter inside the Wall──a familiar in the form of a small bird──brought Etian's reply back here just half a day after leaving with Gabriel's reply.
“It's just as Mr. Bin said. They accepted our conditions.”
A content stating they would bring Johannes near the Wall.
Instead, asking that only the two Irons come to the ‘negotiation site’.
Naturally, I had no intention of keeping that condition.
In the first place, I didn't really intend to make a deal either.
And that side probably already knows that we would act like this.
Since they are considering it a constant rather than just considering it as a variable, they won't feel particularly betrayed even if the negotiation falls through.
Rather, matching our conditions like this was akin to revealing himself saying, ‘Try it if you dare’.
That at best, three Irons would just die on that spot.
Right.
In short, he had already predicted that something would pop out.
He just predicted what would pop out very wrongly.
Rumble──
Finally, the large gate began to open.
The single gate, the only way to walk in and out of this Wall.
“I wish you luck in battle, everyone.”
And watching the eight of us starting to walk out slowly through the opened gate, the commander of the guard patrol who opened the gate himself spoke calmly.
“Please make sure to come back alive. Otherwise, my position becomes difficult.”
Beside him, Sapphire spoke with her arms crossed.
She is the person who persuaded that we are not going to surrender to the Demon King's army or convey information──so-called ‘act of treachery’──but that we must cross the Wall undertaking a ‘special mission’.
“Ah, of course, I hope you don't betray us if possible.”
So, although it looked like she was joking relaxedly, it was clearly a statement mixed with some sincerity.
“I'll try.”
When I raised the corners of my mouth and answered just as slyly, Sapphire immediately burst into hearty laughter, going “Haha!”
“Ah, please do.”
She probably took it as a joke, but at the point where the ‘Primordial Demon King’ resides in my body, it wasn't completely a joke either.
Effort would actually be needed.
To not betray the ‘Humanity’ side.
Well, of course, that's a story for when we arrive at the Demon King's Castle.
First is Etian.
Starting with the guy who has no idea what is coming for him, I must ring the bell.
──Ah.
Finally.
Announcing who has returned.
It's home.
The first moment I finally crossed the boundary called the Wall, leaving the ‘World of Humanity’ and stepping into the ‘World of Demons’, the ‘Beginning’ inside me muttered in a somewhat deeply moved tone.
‘Still, I'm a fairly useful vessel, right? I brought you all the way here after all.’
Hmph.
Acting all high and mighty when you only did what you ought to do as a subject.
‘Ah, am I not a vessel but a subject now? I've moved up in the world, huh?’
Well, there's no reason I can't accept you as one.
Of course, you received the help of my mighty power and vast knowledge, but anyway, coming this far is also due to your own strength.
‘…What. You're actually admitting it meekly?’
I am a King who admits what needs to be admitted.
You may take pride in being acknowledged by me!
‘I don't know about power, but I think the help of knowledge is quite open to dispute.’
Eeiit!
Acting arrogant again without waiting a moment!
As expected, cancel, cancel!
You fit perfectly as a vessel!
Just be my vessel for the rest of your life, you punk!
‘What? Did I just get confessed to? You want to live with me for the rest of your life? Wow, it's troubling on how to reject this…’
Like hell, you idiot!
……No, rather than that, why are you rejecting it first?
‘……? What, is it a real confession? Why are you hurt? Don't reject it?’
I said like hell, you idiot!!
I just felt unpleasant at the very imagination of a punk like you rejecting this body!
My pride is hurt!!
Complex and subtle emotions.
But well, on one hand, I think I kind of understand.
‘Is it like, you feel bad for no reason when someone you didn't even care about misunderstands and goes "You're a bit…"?’
Yes, that's it!
You, who doesn't even know your place… Would this body take a punk like you as a breeding partner?
Ha! Dream on.
What kind of confidence does a weakling like you have, with nothing to look at but your face.
‘…I didn't even mention it, but you're already imagining breeding? Just how much do you like me? If we weren't in the same body, would I have been pounced on already?’
Haa…… Fine, babble however you want.
‘Do you know I've never thought it was a relief that you're trapped in my body like now?’
I told you to babble however you want, but you're really babbling however you want……
And in the first place, do you still not know that you and this body are not a matter of rejection or whatever?
Anyway, once I take over your body, you will become this body, the ‘Beginning’ said.
It wouldn't be enough even if you considered it an honor.
Tsk tsk.
Anyway, what an arrogant punk.
Since this statement alone was a fact with no room for refutation, I didn't say much either.
In the first place, since I already know it well, I don't intend to borrow the power of the ‘Beginning’ ever again either.
As I said last time, I can practically borrow the power of the ‘Beginning’ only twice, and I had already used those two chances in the battle against Luce and the battle against Pariah, opponents I couldn't catch at my current level.
If the ‘Beginning’ possesses my body once more after this, my body will become the ‘Beginning's’ just like that.
That's the reason why the words “I'll try” I said while crossing the Wall earlier weren't just a joke.
Anyway.
Hurry and take this body to the Demon King's Castle.
In short, the Demon King had to be caught by ‘me’, not the ‘Beginning’.
I am already looking forward to the moment I drag down that arrogant descendant who dares to impersonate the Demon King while this body is alive and well, and sit in the place where we should be.
Kuhuhuhu.
To do that, first, I had to grow a bit more than now.
Well, before that, I'll have to deal with the guy who doesn't know honor, taking hostages and making a fuss first.
‘I completely share the same thought on that part.’
And if it's a Demon King's army executive, he will serve as very appropriate ‘experience points’ for that growth.