Chapter 13: You Who Have Changed
On that day at the Guild Training Grounds, Eris touched the tip of her sword. However, it would still take a considerable amount of time before she could freely wield the swordsmanship she displayed then.
Her sword technique had reached a significant milestone.
It combined fierce, unyielding strength with a fluid, almost watery softness. In essence, it was a sword technique that transcended the contradiction of ultimate strength and supreme gentleness.
I named it the “Ultimate Double-Edged,” while Eris insisted it was the “Double Edge.” Neither of us was willing to concede.
“What kind of disciple doesn’t yield to their master’s opinion?” I questioned.
“Well, you see, the bond between me and my master is not something that can be simply expressed as a run-of-the-mill teacher-student relationship. It’s a deep, profound connection, a special relationship where we’ve sworn to share our futures together!” she replied.
“You sure talk a lot.”
And those of you reading this probably understand that I’ve never sworn a future with Eris.
Back to the topic at hand. Her swordsmanship had become so refined that it could be called a complete original. To put it elegantly, it could be referred to as either “Gladius Style Swordsmanship” or “Eris Style Swordsmanship.”
Isn’t that pretty cool? Not that I’m envious or anything. Nope, not at all.
One day, after finishing our training, we went out to buy some food. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow over the two of us.
“Eris, do you have any goals beyond mastering the sword?” I asked casually, not thinking too much about it.
“A goal, you say?”
“Yeah. For me, it would be returning to Earth. For example, don’t you want to join the Order of Knights or something?”
“Well, yes. Joining the Order of Knights was my dream.”
“‘Was’ your dream? So, it’s different now?”
“Yes. Before I met my master, I wished to become a knight greater than my father and someday become the Knight Commander of the Arcana, a sword that protects the nation.”
She looked into my eyes and said, “I wish to spend my life with the master I believe is worthy and, if possible, serve him for all my days.”
Her gaze was too dazzling for me to handle.
“I see. Ah—changing the subject,”
I knew it was a sudden topic shift. However, even a dense guy like me could sense her feelings. I couldn’t give her a half-hearted response.
So, despite the awkwardness in the flow of conversation, I decided to share a plan I had in mind with Eris.
“I’ve been focused on you lately, so I’m planning to conquer a Labyrinth nearby.”
When I announced this, Eris smiled brightly.
“When shall we depart?”
“I’ll prepare tomorrow, and we’ll set off the day after. We should arrive three days from today.”
“Then let’s take a break from training tomorrow and prepare for the Labyrinth exploration!”
“Hey.”
“Yes!”
“Not just a response…”
“Yes! What is it?”
She tilted her head slightly, looking adorably clueless. She could be a bit of a ditz, but those gestures were incredibly cute.
“Are you seriously planning to come with me?”
“Huh? What are you saying…? Master, do you have a fever or something?”
“I don’t have a fever! Well, I won’t tell you not to come. But the dungeon I’m heading to is the Newly Constructed Ultimate Labyrinth, and it’s far more dangerous than your average dungeon. I can’t guarantee I can protect you 100% if something happens.”
“I understand the risks. I can protect myself.”
“But—”
“The place where I am is where my master is! Where my master is, that’s where I am! This is the natural order of things, the natural order!”
And more than anything, she continued, “I don’t want to leave you alone—”
She declared it clearly, standing tall and resolute.
At the inn where the Ryuguin Party was staying, I was overwhelmed by an urge to claw at my chest when I thought of them. So, I decided to keep my message brief.
“I’ll be diving into the dungeon at noon three days from now. If you’re coming, then come.”
I wrote only that in a letter and handed it to the innkeeper to deliver.
I had managed to avoid an unexpected encounter with them, which had been my biggest concern. As I distanced myself from the inn, I realized I felt a sense of relief.
I desperately wanted to see Eris’s face.
“Long time no see, Yamada! Let’s fight together for the sake of this world!”
Ha ha! A handsome guy with an annoyingly charming voice laughed heartily.
Ryuguin was just as he always was. He didn’t feel any inferiority towards me. Even when my close friends, Puffy, Mika, and Ange, looked at me with an indifference I could never have imagined before, he didn’t seem to care. He treated me as if that was the norm.
Ange, draping herself over Ryuguin’s arm, declared, “I will annihilate any insignificant beings that stand before the Hero!”
Having fought alone for so long, Ange was seeking comrades to stand with her. Having been oppressed in her solitude, she was the loneliest of souls, cherishing her companions more than anyone.
Mika, who stood by her side, ignited her competitive spirit, saying, “Then I shall protect the Hero from all the pain that torments him!”
Her innate compassion—something I lacked—was something I respected deeply. Mika was a woman who could give everything for a stranger.
“Come on, you two are adorable! Don’t fight over me! Harmony is beauty!”
It was an utterly hollow statement, considering I had two women by my side. Ryuguin then turned his gaze to Eris, standing next to me, as if he were appraising her from head to toe.
“Perfect timing.”
“Perfect timing?”
I asked, momentarily confused about his intent.
“Yes, perfect timing. Don’t you think Yamada is just right?”
Just what? As I was about to respond, I felt a glimmer of something lewd in Ryuguin’s eyes.
“Hero. Saintess. Mage. Sword Saint—it’s just like a Hero Party from a story!!”
Ryuguin shouted with an exaggerated voice, spreading his arms wide like a bad actor, laughing uproariously as if he found something amusing.