170. Festival of the Sword (13)
#170
The day dawned. As always Farzan’s sky was a clear blue. The wind that had been blowing strong all night had calmed down.
The participants started walking as soon as they finished breakfast. The last base was located not far from the summit so we had to climb the mountain for quite a long time.
This time the leaders of the procession were Ronan and Nabirose who walked quickly. Ronan opened his mouth with his eyes focused on the summit where the shrine was located.
“This hike is over now.”
“There is still a shrine left. Of course based on the last base if you fall your nose will be within reach.”
“It was like that.”
“By the way you came home quite late last night. What happened?”
Nabirose asked a question. Ronan was taken aback by the sudden question but he tried to keep his expression as if nothing had happened. After drinking and drinking all night long he returned to base at dawn. Ronan who was quickly thinking hinted.
“Uh…I just came back to get some air. “Someone asked me to teach them how to use a knife so I taught them.”
“I see. Did you enjoy the time you spent with that cat?”
“Well it’s okay in its own way…huh.”
Ronan took a deep breath. Nabirose was still walking straight ahead with a grave expression. Ronan swallowed a thick spit and opened his mouth.
“…did you know?”
“It’s strange not knowing. “How many times do you think I competed with that cat?”
“sorry. “I’m afraid they won’t like it if I tell them.”
Ronan scratched his head as if feeling embarrassed. I didn’t know if all swordsmen had good senses or if only people with good senses became swordsmen. Nabirose who was silent for a moment opened her mouth.
“It’s done. You say you want to be friends but it can’t be helped. But it would be good to keep in mind what I said before.”
“What did you say? “Ah I heard that Jaifa is a dangerous guy.”
“okay. Just remember that I’m not saying this because I simply hate that old monster. Who caused the canine night? Hatred is like a plague and is easily contagious.”
“hatred?”
Ronan tilted his head at the meaningful-sounding words. Butterfly Rose did not respond but walked ahead of him. He said it was okay but he seemed displeased with playing with Jaifa. I was wondering how to solve it. A familiar voice came from behind.
“hey.”
At the same time someone’s palm was gently stroking her buttocks. For some reason it seemed like his hands were becoming more sinister. Ronan turned his head with a look of disdain. Sure enough Rin was putting her hands on her hips.
“Aren’t you going to take your hand off?”
“I couldn’t ask you yesterday. “Do you like me that much?”
“What does that mean all of a sudden?”
“I know everything. “You were trying to impress me.”
“So what?”
“It’s weird. “I caught a hundred fish by myself during yesterday’s test.”
Rin poked his side with her elbow as if it was her way. Ronan laughed. It seems to be true that people laugh when something is so absurd.
“Did I eat something wrong?”
“Hmph. It was old-fashioned but it didn’t have a bad appeal. “I will consider your proposal positively.”
Lin smiled. It seemed obvious that she had picked up something strange and eaten it by herself in the morning. Ronan slapped her ass as she walked ahead. Before she knew it Schlieffen who had come up right next to her was passing by and muttering.
“I feel sorry for the student council president.”
“Why the fuck are you doing this?”
They arrived at the final point in the afternoon. It was similar in size to the bases I had visited so far but the facilities were the best. Ronan seeing several people already walking around shrugged his eyebrows.
“It looks like they came first.”
Regardless of age or gender the spirit was extraordinary truly befitting a survivor who had passed three tests. However the overall atmosphere was dramatically different from that of the participants from Gran Farzan.
He spoke little and had no one to go around with. The fact that he was walking around with a stiff expression on his face gave the impression that he was intimidated. People who noticed the difference whispered.
“Why is the atmosphere like that over there?”
“I heard there is a scary guy. Is it because of him?”
“Shouldn’t I take the blade away? “I feel like I’m going to commit suicide at any moment.”
She was definitely weird. Ronan shook his head as if he sympathized with her.
Now that I think about it the guy who is supposed to be the devil hasn’t been seen yet. I think it would be good to at least see their faces before the sparring begins. Ronan who was looking around caught a man walking nearby and asked him a question.
“Hey. They say there’s a scary guy over there. Do you know where it is? “The one with pure white hair.”
“…Why are you looking for that bastard? “I don’t know!”
Her man swung his arm as if to shake her off. Ronan frowned at her unexpected nervous reaction. He suddenly noticed that other participants from Aran Farzan were glaring at him.
“What are you looking at?”
Even if I suddenly pulled down my pants and peed I didn’t think they would look at me like that. Russell who saw that muttered as if he was talking to himself.
“I think it’s worth trying at this level….”
“ok?”
Russell’s eyes were quickly scanning the participants of Aran Farzan. It sounded somehow suspicious. Ronan asked.
“What’s worth trying?”
“hmm…? Ah the participants over there were intimidated so they said they would be able to pass the final exam with ease. “If that happens you lose before you even fight.”
Russell smiled and answered. It was a smile that seemed somehow awkward. Ronan said as if warning.
“Don’t make a fuss. “It will all be over tomorrow anyway.”
“Would it be possible? Come on let’s go unpack first.”
Russell picked up her backpack and took the lead. The dumbfounded participants followed him one by one. Ronan kept walking even though he felt uncomfortable. Just as he said everything would be over tomorrow.
****
It was evening. The prediction that he would not be able to exchange a single word with Aran Farzan was spectacularly wrong. The woman who was sitting across from Ronan and talking opened her eyes in admiration.
“Ah you were the one who caught a hundred fish in the third test. We were wondering what was going on because they took some monsters with us. “It’s amazing.”
“It wasn’t a big deal. “Who caught the most there?”
She was one of the contestants from Aran Farzan. Throughout the restaurant participants from both sides were naturally conversing. Because Ronan finished training a little late and came separately the other party members were not visible.
What contributed most to improving her mood was also a fermented barley drink. As we naturally mingled and drank a glass or two of beer each conversation became more natural.
There were several lodgings but there was only one restaurant so the participants had to eat together. It also helped that the devil didn’t show up at the restaurant because he was living off the dew. The woman who had been pausing opened her mouth.
“…You know the devil. “It was the last order and we slaughtered all 97 animals that remained.”
She twisted her mouth as if she was tired of women. This young lady seemed to have a fairly stereotypical nickname considering what the devil was doing. She took a swig of her beer as if trying to wash away her terrible memories.
“What have you done that has so many people curled up? “That one looks pretty strong too.”
Ronan said pointing to her necklace she was wearing. A piece shaped like a blazing flame was crafted in silver. It was the symbol of the Flame Knights one of the ten most powerful military groups in the Empire.
It was one of the few knights that Ronan knew from her previous life and just by belonging to it her skills were already proven. I think I’ve been eating Kalbap for quite some time. The woman fiddling with her necklace smiled wryly.
“Ahaha… I thought so too but it was a different level. “You should have seen it for yourself.”
“Where are you now?”
“As soon as I arrived I locked myself in my dorm and didn’t come out. It was always like that. “It’s rather fortunate.”
She described in detail what the devil had done during her three trials. In the first test the wrists of all the remaining participants were cut off and in the second battle for the flag not only the opposing camp but also allies who got in the way were killed under the pretense of an accident. Because she cleverly killed using her sharp sword she was not subject to any sanctions.
And in the third test she said as she had just heard she killed 97 monsters and the carnage was so horrific that she couldn’t even open her eyes to see it. Indeed as Russell said his actions were worthy of being called the devil. The woman continued taking another swig of her beer.
“Puh…one thing is clear: he is related to the explosive sword Croden.”
“Croden? “That guy who was a sword saint?”
Ronan raised his eyebrows at the sudden sound. She clearly remembered talking about it with Schlieffen during her first exam.
Because she wasn’t chosen for the Holy Sword she killed all the other contestants. She is the culprit who made the identification process so thorough that it was annoying. Her lady nodded her head.
“yes. Everyone who remembers him is sure of that. Either a disciple or a hidden child. Otherwise it is impossible to look like that. Even his monster-like skills are convincing.”
“Why are they so similar?”
“Everything.” “The way he wields a knife his cruelty and his appetite for eating only raw meat…the only thing that makes him different is his quiet personality.”
In a voice filled with anger the woman unraveled the story related to the torrent sword. Ronan chuckled as the story progressed. It was not because she was funny but because she was so vicious.
She did not hesitate to burn down one of her rural villages on the false accusation of hiding the devil or to rape the woman she liked. She was also famous for her unusual eating habits eating only raw meat dripping with blood and there were even rumors that she was a cannibal.
At this point I felt like I could understand why Nabirose who brought Croden down from his position as a sword saint was revered so much. After finishing her explanation the woman clapped her hands and said.
“That’s right I heard that Nabirose participated. Is that true? By the way you said he was from Phil Leon Academy right?”
“yes. “We came up together.”
“Kyaa! Who are you in reality? We can meet tomorrow right? I never had a chance to see him in person because he was entrusted to the knights since he was young. Thanks to that person I have a sword…”
The woman’s gloomy expression instantly brightened. Seeing her change into someone else I felt quite envious of her. She was in the middle of praising her Butterfly Rosé. Someone shouted from a corner of the restaurant.
“Riley leave it at that! “You were in a meeting!”
“Ah okay!”
The woman answered nervously and stood up from her seat. She smiled at Ronan and spoke in a voice filled with regret.
“sorry. “I think I should go soon.”
“It was fun.”
“Ahaha…me too. “I hope to see you at the sacred place.”
The woman turned her back to her. Ronan turned her head in the direction she was walking. In that corner five men and women were whispering. Judging by the unfamiliar faces of all of them they seemed to be participants from Aran Farzan. Except one person. Ronan narrowed his eyes as he spotted an unexpected person.
‘When did that bastard become that close again?’
Russell was talking intently even making hand gestures. A woman named Riley sat between them. Ronan clicked her tongue as if feeling pathetic. Now she’s conspiring with her to figure out what she’s going to do.
He quietly emptied the remaining glass and returned to his dorm. He was wondering how to free Rosé the sulky butterfly and he was glad he did. It would be a little better if I told them that I had found a devoted follower.
Ronan after a quick wash lay down on the bed. Perhaps because his hike was long he felt drowsy as soon as he closed his eyes.
****
“Uhm….”
Ronan opened his eyes. My body was cold probably because I had slept with the blanket kicked all night. He raised his upper body looked around and sighed.
“…I woke up too early.”
The dark blue night sky was shining outside the window. Judging by the faintly bright colors it seemed like the sun would rise soon. Schlieffen who shared the same room was fast asleep in his bed.
Ronan left the dormitory with quiet steps. I was planning to go in and light a cigarette. The moment I opened the door the air suddenly became cold. While rummaging through his pockets he let out a curse.
“Shit.”
There were no pipes. Only then did I remember having my cigarette pipe stolen from Nabirose. At the time I just passed it on because I was in the mood but when I think about it there was no such absurdity. Ronan who had been kicking a small stone and muttering was relieved of her anger only after recalling her naked body.
“…Because there was no damage.”
Ronan had his hands in his pockets and did not take any steps. Since I was awake anyway I thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to go for a walk. As he took a deep breath the dawn air swept through his lungs. Ronan looked around the silent street and muttered quietly.
“It was long.”
It was finally today. Once this exam is over I will step on that famous shrine. The secret about the devil would be revealed in just a few hours. Ronan wandered around aimlessly remembering her conversation with Jaifa the night before. It was the car he had been wandering around in for about ten minutes.
“…hmm?”
Ronan sniffed his nose. The wind that passed by her nose was filled with a mixture of foreign scents. Ronan turned her head in the direction from which the wind was blowing. Before long the wind came again. His eyebrows furrowed.
“…the smell of blood.”
There was no way I was confused. It was an intensely familiar scent of fresh blood. Ronan changed direction and walked quickly. A premonition that something was going wrong pricked my temples.
‘What the hell happened again?’
Ronan who was walking faster and faster eventually started running. The sound of his footsteps echoed across the silent street. The smell of his blood was getting stronger.
“Huh…fuck.”
Ronan finally stopped and raised his head. A log cabin that served as a food warehouse was built in a row. The scent of blood was coming from inside. It would be nice if you were taking care of a freshly caught wild animal.
Ronan took a deep breath and pushed open the wooden door. The unlatched door creaked and opened his mouth. The accumulated bloody smell covered Ronan like fog. A side door leading to the meat warehouse caught my eye with sacks of food sacks stacked up to the ceiling and shelves filled with ingredients.
It was the car that Ronan was about to step into. Something touched his feet. Ronan’s face hardened as he lowered his gaze. One of his hooded heads was rolling around on the floor.
“Russell.”
Ronan reflexively opened his mouth. It was definitely Russell. Next to his head a headless corpse was strewn about like trash. His heart started beating so fast it felt like it was going to explode.
His face was so distorted that he seemed to have suffered terribly before he died. Both hands were missing from his body lying in a pool of blood.
Russell was not the only corpse. A total of six corpses were lying around the warehouse. His head and both wrists were cleanly separated from his body. Among them was a female knight named Riley who had been talking to Ronan last night. A sharp dagger had pierced her mouth and exited the back of her head.
“This…what the hell…”
The sword marks left on the cut surface were familiar. Squeak – At that moment the side door inside the warehouse opened and a young man walked out. His lips were constantly gurgling as if he was eating something and the corners of his mouth were covered in blood. His white hair was wet with blood and stained a little red. It wasn’t that difficult to figure out the young man’s identity.
“hmm?”
The young man who noticed Ronan belatedly turned his head. The two people’s eyes met. He swallowed what he was chewing and spoke in a grumpy tone.
“What are you?”
“You fucking bastard.”
The presence or absence of sparkling mana was not important. Anger almost instinctive moved my body. The demon’s eyes widened as Ronan grabbed the hilt of her sword. The sound of metal clashing with sword shattered the silence of the dawn.
