Chapter 18: The Remembrance of Eris
The wasteland where we stood was marked by countless swords thrust into the ground. These were the grave markers of those who had fallen to him and vanished into oblivion. The situation was dire. Our party had been completely fragmented, and if my predictions were correct, he had only grown stronger since that time—
I let out a sigh and lowered Gram, which I had pointed at her.
“Sword Saint Elise Gladius—”
I couldn’t take my eyes off the neck of the girl I had just threatened with my sword. Of course, not in a lewd sense. Even though my visibility was limited, she appeared unnaturally pale.
Elise was originally a petite girl, but she had once exuded a healthy vitality. However, the girl before me lacked any trace of the cheerfulness or brightness she once had.
That realization made my heart ache.
“Are you eating properly?”
I thought it unnecessary to ask such a thing at a time like this. Yet, before I knew it, the words had escaped my lips. Elise looked at me with a puzzled expression. She seemed oddly youthful, reminiscent of the expressions she wore when we had adventured together. While her dignified demeanor as a Sword Saint was indeed her, there was also a youthful innocence that belonged to her.
“Ah, um, eating? Are you referring to the meal we had earlier?”
Seemingly at a loss for how to respond, Elise mumbled something. It seemed she thought I was asking about the food that Ashley had divided among the three of us earlier.
“I was told by Holy Knight Ashley that it was made by you, Yamada-dono. I apologize for the delayed gratitude. Thank you very much. It was delicious.”
Elise smiled faintly.
“That’s more than enough.”
Honestly, I was pleased. However, I answered in a way that concealed my feelings. My tone turned brusque.
“Do you know where everyone went?”
“No… I don’t know either.”
She shook her head in response to my question.
“So that means, from here on out, it’s just the two of us, Sword Saint, who will have to tackle this together.”
Upon hearing my words, she grimaced as if enduring unbearable pain, letting out a small groan. It seemed she was struggling to contain something as she spoke.
“I have fully grasped your strength from our battle with the boss on the second floor. Let’s set aside past grievances and join forces.”
It was Elise’s proposal. Her earnest words caught me off guard.
“Do you know who I am, Sword Saint?”
Elise, her brow glistening with cold sweat from the pain, wore a solemn expression as she struggled to respond.
“I have heard about what kind of person you were.”
I silently listened, my ears attuned.
“I have been told many times by Hero-sama and Mika-sama. Decadent Indulgence is a given, and the rewards shared among the party were always squandered. You are a lazy coward who dislikes training and discipline, and in the end, you fled from the party, tail between your legs, in tears—”
Such slander made me want to cover my ears. It would be a lie to say it didn’t hurt.
“I have only met you once—when we delved into the Blade Labyrinth last time.”
From our previous interactions, it became clear to me that what Pulmy-san had said was true. The memories that someone who should have had a reasonable acquaintance with me held—were distorted.
“Since we’ve only met once, I can’t truly know what kind of person you are.”
The time I spent with her had been rendered meaningless.
—Master!! Where are you going?!
She always walked closely behind me.
—I will never leave your side!
That was her stubborn claim of a disciple’s duty. Although the time we spent together was not long, it was an irreplaceable gem of a memory for me.
Regardless of my feelings, her harsh words continued—
“From just one glance, I hesitate to say this, but on that day, you left the fighting to Hero-sama and us, shamelessly protecting only yourself from the back. To me, you were a coward in the truest sense.”
No, that’s not true!!
If I could, I would have shouted it out. Yet, I managed to hold back, thanks to the support of Sena and Sensei.
Moreover—if I were to be honest, I understood Elise’s feelings. In her perception, I must have been the kind of person who would do such things. If such a person existed, it would be better for them to perish…
In the first place, the act of running away during the boss battle was something Ryuguin and Mika, along with Ange, had done. I had barely triumphed against Claiomh Solais, and Elise had engaged in a fierce battle with the Dragonbone Swordsman. Yet—
“Well, I suppose it’s not surprising to be seen that way…”
I responded with a reply that bore no connection to my heart or memories. If I could, I would have denied everything and set the record straight. But could I really claim that it wasn’t me, that it was all Ryuguin’s doing, when I had no recollection?
In the end, was I to engage in a futile argument here, hurling accusations back and forth?
“But—”
Elise interrupted my thoughts.
“I am confused. No, I am in a position to be confused now.”
“What do you mean?”
“I have seen not only you but also your party. Along with Holy Knight Ashley, there is the person you call ‘Sensei.’ From the three of you, I sensed a deep trust.”
And so, Elise continued.
“Is it truly the case that you are the foolish person described by Hero-sama and the others, or—”
A rush of warm blood surged through my body, which had felt as cold as lead.
“—is the true you the one I see before me now?”
Elise glanced at the Holy Sword.
“Regarding those two options, I do not have a clear answer about your true identity—”
Therefore—Elise continued,
“I wish to ascertain your true self once more with my own eyes.”
In her expression, I felt a glimpse of the past—at least, that’s what I thought.
I didn’t feel bad. Though it was only for a brief moment, I was able to converse with Elise. Even if she didn’t remember me, and even if our relationship had faded, perhaps we could rebuild a trusting bond from the ground up.
That’s why, right now—
Having formed a cooperative relationship to defeat the boss, we took one step, then another, toward the dwelling of the Sword God, retracing our previous steps.
“—He’s coming.”
The moment I warned Elise—
A man radiating an explosive sword Qi, enough to make an ordinary person faint, appeared before us.
He drew a sword from its sheath that looked strikingly similar to my Demon Sword Gram.