Chapter 180
Chapter 180
Fragments of hazy memories.
……It was something that happened in the very distant past.
The gigantic wolf beast was threatening by its sheer size alone, and thus became a major nuisance to the people.
When rumors spread that this wolf harmed humans, people began calling it a ‘monster’.
They rushed at it with weapons in hand, and the beast fought back, injuring people in return.
It was an era where only misunderstanding and hostility repeated themselves.
Then, one day, a man came to the beast without fear.
Unlike the others who pointed their weapons, he held out a single flower.
He was a tall man wearing a robe, holding a staff in one hand.
“You’re not some kind of monster. Your name is…… yes, that’ll do.”
The man thought for a moment, then answered like this.
“Polia. That’s the name you’ll be called from now on.”
He gave the beast, who was called a monster, the name ‘Polia’.
“Polia, you must continue to survive. You’ll be loved by people, and you’ll become a Guardian Deity who protects this land. I really want to see that.”
He alone blessed the beast—who had been persecuted by people—with hope.
At first, the beast thought it was the rambling of a madman.
But as time passed, ‘Polia’ defeated monsters one by one, and with each victory, the misunderstandings with people gradually unraveled.
Before long, just as the man had said, Polia came to be called a ‘Guardian Deity’ and became a being loved and blessed by the people.
And along with that, fragments of hazy memories that brushed past.
The final memory with the man who believed in her until the very end.
Before leaving, the man said this.
“Polia. I’m not going to die. Someday, I’ll come back to meet you again.”
As if making a promise, he added,
“Until then, please wait for me.”
The Guardian Deity slowly opened her eyes.
It was a memory far too old.
So old that she could no longer recall the man’s face.
But why was that?
From the boy before her, she felt an atmosphere similar to the man who had given her the name ‘Polia’.
That man had made a promise.
That someday, he would definitely come to meet her again.
Of course, hundreds of years had passed since that promise.
The people who lived back then had all reached the end of their lifespans and died. Several generations had flowed by since.
Those who remembered and praised her as the Guardian Deity of Kirhen gradually dwindled away.
In this era, the only one who still remembered Polia as a Guardian Deity…… was probably Bedervel alone now.
Even so, that was fine. If it was for the sake of meeting the man again, it didn’t matter if no one remembered her.
She simply stayed here, protecting the land, hoping that the man would return.
But, too much time had passed. The man who had given her the name ‘Polia’ must surely have died.
Even so, the Guardian Deity held onto hope.
“I am Polia. The Guardian Deity who has protected Kirhen for 300 years.”
That the boy before her had come to fulfill that faded promise in the man’s stead.
She held onto such a small hope.
“I want to confirm your potential.”
The name Polia was not Bedervel’s alias.
It was the name of this enormous wolf—the Guardian Deity of Kirhen.
More importantly.
“……Potential?”
I couldn’t immediately understand what the Guardian Deity’s words meant.
‘……What is this? Some kind of quest?’
However, it was a development that could never have existed in the game.
‘Right. In the first place, you couldn’t even talk to the Guardian Deity in the game. In the game, our first meeting happened after the Guardian Deity was already contaminated by mana, with her mind eroded.’
I had never seen the Guardian Deity completely purified and revealing her white mane, not even in the game.
‘And I only found out just now that this wolf’s name was Polia.’
I had thought it was simply the name of a famous adventurer, but it was a name Bedervel had borrowed.
Perhaps she had borrowed the name and lived as an adventurer, hoping that the name of the Guardian Deity she regarded as her father would spread far and wide.
That was merely my speculation.
“……My daughter.”
Polia turned her gaze toward Bedervel.
“Teach that boy my swordsmanship.”
Bedervel’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“……Father. Is that really okay?”
“That boy will be fine.”
Polia closed her eyes.
“It has to be that boy.”
Once those words fell, Bedervel no longer hesitated.
She immediately stepped in front of me.
“Boy. You asked me before if I’d take on a disciple, didn’t you?”
“……I did.”
“It’s been ten years since I learned the sword from my father. That was when I realized my father’s mind was gradually being eroded by mana contamination.”
Bedervel continued calmly.
“There was no one around to inherit that swordsmanship except me, so he taught it to me temporarily. The reason Father taught me his swordsmanship was so that, someday, I could pass it on to the one person he permitted.”
Bedervel’s blue eyes shone with solemn resolve.
“……Just now, Father permitted you.”
Hearing those words, I bit my lip and clenched my fist.
‘It’s here.’
It was the moment I had wanted most.
As a gamer, there was no way my blood wouldn’t boil.
After all, this was a situation where a hidden piece—one that remained completely concealed and could never surface even in the game—was unfolding.
“Father and I could say that we lived for this very moment. That’s how much learning this sword means risking your life.”
The beautiful swordsmanship that couldn’t be learned because it was never recognized as a legitimate school, even in the game.
……The opportunity to obtain it had arrived.
I couldn’t let it slip away.
“From now on, for one month. I’ll pass on the Wolf’s Swordsmanship to you. And then. One month later.”
Following Bedervel’s gaze, I realized that something massive was embedded beside the wolf.
At first, I thought it was just a pile of rocks, but it wasn’t.
It was an enormous ‘greatsword’, far too massive for a human to wield.
A weapon that looked as though it could only be swung when the wolf clenched it in her jaws and slashed.
“……You must duel Father.”
A wolf several times taller than me.
A being who had lived for hundreds of years.
The fact that he had survived such a long time meant he was an extraordinary powerhouse.
If anyone were to face this gigantic wolf, they would be terrified and flee.
“You know what a duel means, right? It’s staking your life, boy.”
Bedervel paused briefly, then added,
“I understand. You’ve worked hard enough. If you’re scared, it’s fine to run away. I’m truly grateful to you for purifying Father. I don’t want to drive you, my benefactor, to your deat—”
Before Bedervel could finish, I lowered my head.
There was no way I was scared.
If anything, it was an exciting proposition.
Learning the ‘Wolf’s Swordsmanship’—something that didn’t even exist in the game.
It was exactly what I had longed for.
It was worth learning even if it meant taking on the risk of staking my life.
I hated gambling. If there was risk to my life, I was always suspicious first. Above all, my life was the most precious thing.
……But there was a clear reason why I was so confident now.
A sound, as if cheering me on, echoed within my heart.
Bam-bam-bparabam-!
Thump thump special event!
Conquer the four mountains of Kirhen!
As proof of conquest, please defeat the ‘King’ that exists on the largest mountain in each direction!
King of East Mountain - 1/1
King of West Mountain - 1/1
King of South Mountain - 1/1
King of North Mountain - 1/1
Congratulations! You conquered the entire mountain! A special reward was granted to you, who had lived diligently!
Learning Device - Learning Machine 486 ( One-month Rental )
‘Yeah, this is it.’
The reward I had been waiting for. I couldn’t suppress my smile.
When I reached my hand toward the hologram and grabbed it as it was, some kind of ‘object’ was caught in my grasp.
It was a mechanical headband-type device that attached to the head, the quest’s reward.
Learning Machine 486
Your burning heart to protect your animal friends transformed into high concentration and academic zeal for a certain period of time!
You could learn anything well!
If I had just this.
Even in a short period of time, I was confident that I could completely absorb the swordsmanship Bedervel taught.
I raised my lowered head halfway.
“Please take care of me for the next month.”
I steeled my resolve while looking into her blue eyes.
“Master Bedervel.”
“…….”
Bedervel closed her mouth when she heard me call her ‘Master’. I thought I saw a strange smile, and it even felt like I heard a short laugh.
“……This is a matter where your life is on the line, yet you decided all at once. You’ve got guts, boy. Training starts tomorrow. Come up here to Spitz Snowy Mountains every night at this time.”
“Understood. But Bedervel—no, Master. You have to keep your promise. You promised Rapin too.”
“……?”
Bedervel blinked her eyes.
“Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten? What you said about having a meat party with Rapin.”
“……Ha.”
After hearing my rather out-of-the-blue answer, Bedervel finally couldn’t hold it in and burst into laughter.
“Hahaha…….”
She probably couldn’t even imagine leisurely having a meat party in this situation.
“……Fine, alright. Let’s do it. When should we?”
Bedervel nodded, looking amused.
“Let’s do it now. Please wait just a bit. I’ll bring Rapin. It’ll take ten minutes.”
“……Ten minutes?”
Leaving behind Bedervel, who wore a puzzled expression, I used Shuck’s ability and swiftly descended the snowy mountain.
After descending from Spitz Snowy Mountains, when I first saw Rapin, she looked like this.
“Billet, you’re late.”
Perhaps she had been worried since I hadn’t come down until late at night. She had wrapped her entire body in a blanket like a rolled gimbap, leaving only her face sticking out, and puffed her cheeks as if sulking.
Her eyebrows were shaped like the number eight (八), making her look full of intent to scold me severely.
“Rapin, let’s go have a meat party.”
“Okay.”
At my sudden remark, Rapin instantly calmed her expression and let go of her anger.
“Where are we going? Is Polia unni there too?”
“Yeah.”
I had an item I had made some time ago.
A ring made from an Ice Dragon’s horn. It was a magic item that allowed instant movement within a 10km range.
‘I did think about using it while climbing the four mountains.’
But using this item to climb a mountain didn’t count as conquering it, which was why I hadn’t used it. However, this time was different.
I wasn’t going up for the purpose of clearing a quest, but simply to have a meat party.
‘Open.’
When I activated the ring’s ability, a hologram-shaped door appeared before my eyes.
Without the need to struggle up the mountain, just entering this door would bring us to the summit of Spitz Snowy Mountains in the blink of an eye.
Before stepping through the door, I spoke to Rapin in advance.
“Rapin. I’m sorry, but I think I’ll have to stay at this lodging for about one more month.”
“Okay, that’s fine.”
Rapin accepted it surprisingly readily.
I continued speaking, feeling a bit flustered.
“Aren’t you going to ask why I have to stay? You’re not even giving me a chance to explain?”
“It’s okay. You must have your own reasons, Billet.”
……She was quite cool about it, Rapin.
As I looked at her with admiration, she told me the reason she had so readily accepted my suggestion.
“I also still have places here that I want to adventure to. If I stay for a month, I think I can visit them all.”
It seemed she wasn’t simply sacrificing herself to wait for me—Rapin had her own goals as well.
That put me at ease.
“Alright, let’s go in.”
As I threw myself toward the door, we arrived at the summit of Spitz Snowy Mountains.
“So it’s true, you used a magic item? That must be a precious item.”
Seeing us come through the door, Bedervel let out a note of admiration. Rapin approached Bedervel and greeted her.
“Nice to meet you, Polia unni.”
Hearing that, I answered Rapin instead of Bedervel.
“Rapin, call her Bedervel now, not Polia. Polia is…… that big wolf over there.”
“……Bedervel? Polia?”
Rapin walked straight up to the enormous Polia without hesitation. She showed no fear at all.
“So fluffy.”
She touched Polia’s arm with great interest, then spread her hand wide.
“Paw.”
“……!?”
It must have been a first-time experience for both Polia and Bedervel.
Who would ever say ‘paw’ to a Guardian Deity?
As I expected, their eyes widened in flustered surprise, but—
“…….”
Realizing there was no malice in Rapin, Polia very carefully placed her paw on Rapin’s hand.
“Good job, clap clap.”
“…….”
The Guardian Deity had completely fallen into the position of a mere puppy in front of Rapin.
Anyway, as intended, we prepared for the meat party.
I took out a barbecue grill from subspace and placed Wild Boar meat I had obtained from West Mountain on it.
Sizzle—!
The meat grilled while giving off a delicious aroma, and Bedervel was the first to eat a perfectly cooked piece.
“Ahh, it’s delicious……!”
“Mm…….”
Rapin also trembled after eating a piece. Wondering if it was really that good, I put a piece of the fully cooked meat into my mouth as well.
……It melted the instant it touched my tongue. It was fantastic.
“Father, you should try some too!”
“I…… I’ll pass.”
“No, it’s really delicious, Father. Try it.”
“…….”
Unable to refuse Bedervel’s repeated urging, Polia reluctantly opened her mouth and accepted the meat.
“How is it? Tasty, right?”
I wondered if she could feel any taste at all with that huge body and such a small piece of meat, but Polia cleared her throat and spoke.
“……It seems that now that the curse has been lifted, my sense of taste has returned as well.”
I figured that roughly meant it tasted good.
Since the Wild Boar meat stored in subspace was piled up like a mountain, we kept grilling without worry of running out.
While the four of us were in the middle of eating, Bedervel—who had somehow gotten hold of beer—took a sip and smiled at me.
“Boy, today is a festival, but from tomorrow on, you’d better be prepared. My lessons won’t be easy.”
“That’s exactly what I was hoping for.”
……And so, the night of the festival grew deeper.
The next day, under the night sky with the moon risen.
Using Shuck’s ability, I quickly climbed to the summit of Spitz Snowy Mountains.
Sitting there alone was a woman with fluttering white-silver hair and blue eyes.
“I was waiting, boy.”
She, who stood with wolves under the moonlight, drew the sword at her waist and spoke.
“Let’s begin the lesson.”