Chapter 10: The Night Before the Final Battle
I am constantly amazed by the capabilities of Anon and Kuroe. It was said that traveling from Bordaf to the Royal Capital would take nearly ten days, even with the use of a wyvern. However, it seemed that such a lengthy journey was unnecessary.
Thanks to them, personnel had already been sent ahead to the Royal Capital, where they had set up the Crane’s Guidance and even conducted a test run to see if it could transport us directly from Bordaf to the capital.
The main concern regarding the large-scale movement this time was the Mana and consumables like Magic Stones required for using the Crane’s Guidance. But since I could supply the Mana and we had an abundance of Magic Stones, we could easily provide whatever was needed.
With that in mind, we arrived at the Royal Capital around midday, a day before the summons, with a bit of leisure to spare.
Upon reaching the Royal Capital, I dropped off my belongings at the inn we had prepared in advance and flopped onto the bed. That day—the day I left the party—came to mind naturally. I had been utterly exhausted from being with them. In the midst of it all, when Eris also went to Ryuguin, I felt despair. To survive, I had no choice but to escape from the party.
Of course, it was true that I gained a lot from running away. In the Hidden Mountain and Bordaf, I encountered invaluable friendships and many acquaintances. However, the losses I suffered from fleeing were significant as well. I… I—
When I woke up, it was completely dark outside. Realizing I was hungry, I stepped out of the inn and was taken aback by the number of streetlights. Despite it being night, the town was bright, and the sounds of people filled the air. There were hardly any children in sight; instead, the drunken revelers stood out, likely letting off steam in preparation for the next day’s energy. It was not a bad sight.
Bordaf was one of the most developed towns I had seen, but the Royal Capital surpassed it.
That reminded me; it had been nearly two years since I last set foot in the Royal Capital. Yet, I felt no nostalgia. My time spent there was brief—only about a month—during which I had stayed in the palace, consumed by training. I hardly had the chance to wander around the town.
With the excuse of searching for a place to eat, I continued exploring the Royal Capital with a fresh perspective. I had been doing this for about half an hour when I muttered to myself, “I should decide which shop to enter soon.”
That’s when I saw him.
A back I had seen countless times before. There was no mistaking it. Dressed in gaudy clothing, surrounded by several beautiful women, laughing and clapping his hands, he was just as he had always been. No matter how much we suffered thinking about the past, it had nothing to do with him.
—Master, I wanted to be by your side.
He showered kisses upon the cheek of a woman whose waist he had wrapped his arm around. I caught a glimpse of his profile. He wore a smug expression. The last kiss he planted was particularly intense, leaving a mark on her cheek. He looked satisfied, boasting about it.
“This kiss mark is a gift from me, the Hero of the Ages. By this time tomorrow, I will likely be a duke. With this, I can say that all statuses in this world—’Violence,’ ‘Power,’ ‘Wealth,’ ‘Honor,’ ‘Women’—are maxed out!”
—I… I love you.
As they regretted the past and shed tears, this was what he was doing.
—It was all, all, all my fault.
He remained unchanged. I felt a strange sense of relief at that fact. Thank you for not changing, Ryuguin.
“But, well, considering I’ve guided the ignorant masses until now, it’s only natural for me to receive such honors…”
I noticed my body trembling. It wasn’t from fear or tension; it was from anger. The fury surged within me, burning endlessly in my heart.
If you had acted even a little noble, I might not have thought about completely crushing you at tomorrow’s summons.
But because of that, I’m grateful you stayed just as you are. By this time tomorrow, you won’t be able to wear that smug grin anymore.
Ryuguin disappeared into the street lined with taverns, accompanied by a large entourage. Once I confirmed that, I turned my back and left the scene.
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Of course, among the women Ryuguin is with, Kiki and the others are included. How pitiful…