〈 Episode 280: Constellation (1) 〉

*

Time on the battlefield passed swiftly, and it was time to return to the Royal Capital. The schedule had been pushed forward unexpectedly, but since the main objective had been achieved, there was no big problem.

“Seems like the atmosphere has changed a bit, huh?”

“Really?”

“Yeah. A lot.”

“I guess it’s because I’ve learned a lot about various things.”

At my words, Chloe grinned widely.

That smile was just like always, but the mana flowing within Chloe seemed a bit clearer.

‘She looks a bit brighter too.’

Before coming to the battlefield, her expression often showed signs of worry… but now she seemed to have found some answers, appearing much more relaxed.

About a month spent on the battlefield.

During that time, Chloe saw and learned a great deal. Through observation and learning, she had grown. Seeing a disciple grow is always a joy. And this case was especially so.

“I’ve come to understand a bit clearer what it means to be a hero, and what I need to become…”

Since Chloe had achieved mental growth.

Growth isn’t just about being able to handle mana well or drawing a few more circuits. It’s also a definite growth to solidify one’s goals and have convictions.

‘It may not be a visibly manifested growth…’

Perhaps, that’s what makes it even more important.

The fact that Chloe achieved such growth made this month’s journey meaningful. That was the purpose of bringing Chloe to the battlefield in the first place.

“That’s great.”

I smiled.

It was indeed great news. Seriously.

“Well then, shall we go?”

We had finished what we needed to do on the battlefield.

Now it was time to return to the Royal Capital. Not many people came to see us off quietly leaving the battlefield, and among them was Destel.

“…What the hell are you wearing?”

“What do you mean?”

Blinking in surprise at the sight of Destel, I noted he looked a bit different from what I remembered. Perhaps I wasn’t the only one thinking this, as Galahal cast a sideways glance at Destel, looking confused.

I raised my arm and pointed at Destel’s clothes and hairstyle.

“What’s with that outfit and hairstyle?”

His frizzy hair was slicked back across his forehead, and instead of his usual disheveled attire, Destel was clad in a properly fitted hero’s armor… it looked extremely strange.

‘Is this really Destel?’

As I tilted my head in confusion, Destel clicked his tongue.

“I gotta look cool in front of my juniors, right? Can’t you just pretend you don’t notice? Seriously, you’ve got the same lack of tact as my brother.”

“What?”

“Let’s not talk.”

With a sigh, Destel brushed past me and approached Chloe, slightly bending at the waist to match her gaze.

“Chloe.”

Draping the hero’s armor over his shoulders, Destel called out to Chloe with a soft voice, not the tired tone he usually had.

“You worked hard for the last month.”

Destel smiled.

Watching this from the side, my eyes narrowed. That smile wasn’t entirely unfamiliar.

‘It’s similar to before he was labeled a coward…’

It was the natural yet somehow strange smile he used to wear when he was considered the most realistic hero, rivaling Galahal.

“Do your best going forward.”

“Yes, Destel.”

Chloe nodded vigorously.

Destel chuckled softly and took a step back. Then, he looked at me with narrow eyes and smirked.

“What? Does it look weird?”

“…”

“Is it so weird that you can’t even speak? I know. I wouldn’t fit in like this either.”

I slowly opened my mouth.

“You should walk around like that more often.”

“…What?”

“Stop grinning slyly and try to carry yourself properly.”

I chuckled lightly.

Leaving Destel, who looked at me as if I were absurd, we boarded the carriage. The carriage, carrying the three of us, glided smoothly toward the Royal Capital.

Chloe had grown.

Now, it was time to prepare for the hardships that were right around the corner.

2.

After returning to the Royal Capital, a few events took place.

Among them, a significant occurrence would be Kalt, screaming after hearing about the events from the battlefield.

“At this point, aren’t you just a walking disaster? Wherever you go, it’s nothing but trouble…”

After a few punch-ups and a swollen eye, Kalt sighed and muttered.

“I’m just joking; I’ve heard the rumors.”

There was no need to ask what rumors.

It must be about that undead wearing Uncle Kuntel’s hide. Kalt sunk deeply into his chair and murmured.

“I should have gone too.”

“If you had been there, we might have caught it. We were just a step away.”

“…Was it strong?”

Strong, you say.

I chuckled hollowly as I replied.

“Yeah, completely insane.”

“Even with the Holy Knight Karioth, who is close to superhuman, and Hero Galahal, along with you, the fight wasn’t easy.”

“It wasn’t just hard. I almost died, and I might have lost an arm.”

The shoulder that had been stabbed is still aching.

The injury has healed, but the last moment when that undead showed its movements was… beyond imagination.

Cutting through radiance and unleashing a silvery-white sword beam while disregarding its own body proved undeniably incredible.

“I’ve got to train harder.”

Kalt sighed and wiped away the sweat from his eyes.

I glanced at him, then pulled something out from under my robe and placed it on the table in front of Kalt.

“…What’s this?”

Kalt blinked.

I pointed to the sword that was set on the table.

“It’s the sword Uncle Kuntel used to carry. And it’s the sword the undead was holding.”

The sword that was lost in the encounter with Death’s Blade.

It had once been broken, but somehow it had been reborn as a complete sword.

“I’ve looked into it, but there didn’t seem to be any issues with the sword itself. There’s no active magic on it.”

I pushed the sword toward Kalt and said.

“I think you should keep it.”

Kalt picked up the sword silently.

The blade drawn from the sheath shimmered silvery-white. As expected of a sword forged from rare metal, the blade wouldn’t break or dull in a chaotic battle.

A razor-sharp glint from the blade.

Looking at it, Kalt said.

“It’s wrought from the forging techniques of Kirmelt Canyon.”

“…Really?”

“Yes, I’ve heard about it from Kuntel. There was a master there who forged swords from rare metals and engraved wave patterns into the blade.”

Just like this one.

Kalt twisted the blade. The glimmering edge reflected light at an angle, and wave patterns were carved on the sword.

“…It was a broken sword, yet the wave patterns are intact as if it was forged anew. It’s strange.”

Muttering this, Kalt carefully returned the sword into its sheath.

“Is it okay for me to keep this?”

“No one else would really use it. I thought about giving it to the Sword Demon, but it looks different from the swords he usually uses.”

“His swordsmanship is more about deadly follow-ups than having heavy hits…so it is a bit different.”

As Kalt stared at the sword, he said,

“I’ll use it well.”

With a complicated expression, Kalt gazed at the sword for a while.

After handing the sword to Kalt, no special incidents occurred. There were just about ten days left until Chloe would take on the trials of the hero, and I often went to the Black Tower where Chloe stayed to hold special lectures.

On a particular morning of that continued routine.

Early in the morning, I was having a meal with my Master and taking a stroll in the garden when I spotted a familiar figure standing at the front door of the mansion.

“Galahal?”

“Oh, Rania.”

This was the first time Galahal had come to the mansion.

Since returning from the battlefield, I’ve had no idea what Galahal was up to, but he seemed to have been busily coming and going. When I asked what brought him here, he suddenly handed me a poster.

“About this exhibition. Would you like to go together?”

The poster I received had ‘100 Heroes Who Shone in the Kingdom’s History’ written on it in big letters. It was truly a theme that Galahal would likely enjoy.

“The statue of the Hero Ganyr, the one who saved us, along with his autobiography, will be revealed for the first time…”

“Are you planning to go then?”

Galahal nodded, smiling awkwardly.

“I’ve wanted to visit for a long time, but I missed all of the exhibitions because I was on the battlefield. Such exhibitions only take place in the Royal Capital.”

And he said.

Muttering this, Galahal looked at me.

“I thought of what I wanted to do, and this is what immediately came to mind.”

“Well, you do love tales of heroes.”

I returned the poster back to Galahal.

“I don’t mind going with you, but don’t you feel a bit shy in crowded places? I mean, all those eyes on you.”

“I’m a bit worried about that. If it’s this scale of an exhibition, it’ll probably draw quite a crowd…”

I chuckled softly.

“Then why don’t we just go right now?”

“Right now? But the exhibition is in three days…”

“Stuff like this is usually prepared a few days in advance. The only thing that’s timed is the reveal. I’ve prepared stuff like this a few times at the Tower; I know there are ways to make it happen.”

Galahal, who only knows how to make money but doesn’t know how to spend it. I rummaged through my robe’s pocket and drew out a small rectangular card.

A card that shone in golden hues.

I waved the gold card—my entire wealth—in front of Galahal with a smile.

“When it comes to money, it’s all possible.”

3.

“Excuse me? The early preview is typically…”

“■■■■■■■■.”

“Even if you spend some money…”

“■■■■■■■■■.”

“Goablldllll.”

“■■■■■■■■■■.”

It didn’t take much money to buy the conscience of the exhibition’s manager. As the amount increased, the manager’s breaths became shorter. When Galahal appeared next to me, he ultimately nodded.

“…If you’re with Galahal, things are different. Galahal is practically part of this exhibition.”

“Me? I’m part of the conversation?”

“Of course. If you have time, it would be great if you could leave at least one autograph in a related corner.”

The manager smiled and let us into the exhibition hall. We had booked the place for the entire day before it opened, and we wandered freely within the exhibition.

“Whoa…!”

Galahal’s eyes sparkled as he busily went around the exhibition. He took multiple commemorative photos in front of statues as if he were a child.

“This is the statue of the hero, Epta, known as the master archer. It’s rare to see divine weapons take the form of a bow in history, and among them, Epta’s weapon…”

I chuckled as I watched Galahal ramble on with explanations every time we passed by a statue.

100 heroes who shone in the kingdom’s history.

Naturally, most of them were heroes or companions of heroes. Following the line of statues representing the heroes arranged throughout the ages, we continued our walk.

Portraits, statues, and models of weapons used by the heroes, along with tales of their remarkable exploits.

“Hero Ganyr of salvation.”

I stopped in front of a statue bearing that title. A hero who had saved many during the burning great city, thereby earning the title of salvation.

“Is this your idol?”

At my question, Galahal nodded.

“Yes, it is.”

Galahal stood in front of the statue reading the autobiography supposedly penned by Ganyr.

“There are parts that differ from the fairy tale, but indeed, he is worthy of being called a Hero of Salvation.”

After taking a few more photos in front of the statue, Galahal moved on. Each step forward felt like years had passed, and as we walked for a while more, we no longer pointed to the past.

What lay ahead were heroes living in the present. Heroes, who had yet to die, were busy writing their own stories.

[Hero, Kyle Toven]

Seeing the name as soon as we entered made me frown, but I kept it to myself while scanning through the stories related to Kyle.

There were many achievements listed, but the most glaring was one labeled ‘Black Dragon Subjugation.’ The statue of Kyle depicted him stepping on the head of a massive black dragon.

“Oh, here you are too, Rania.”

Galahal pointed to one side of the statue.

Not far from Kyle, my own statue was also present. Standing in front of it, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

[Wise One, Raniel van Trias.]

The statue wore a serious expression.

I pointed at the nearby portrait or photograph and asked Galahal.

“Did I really look like this?”

“Pretty much.”

“I look like I could stab someone to death.”

My eyes looked fierce to the point of being lethal.

For some reason, while gazing at the unfamiliar past photographs of myself, I turned my head. Galahal was standing still in front of another statue.

[Hero, Galahal.]

A statue of a hero holding a sacred spear.

Galahal stood before his own statue, looking at it silently.

“It’s a strange feeling.”

He said.

“To stand here alongside all these heroes… bearing names of those I dreamed of during my childhood. It feels quite surreal.”

“Is that so?”

I stood beside Galahal.

Before us were the achievements he had built up over time. How he had saved numerous people in battle, how much he had achieved.

And how he came to be called as such in the end.

[The most heroic of heroes.]

I pointed at the boldly written phrase, poking Galahal in the side with my elbow.

“Do you see that text?”

“Yes, I can see it. Please stop poking me.”

“You look happy.”

Galahal, who’d had to force a smile, eventually burst out laughing.

“Yeah, I truly…”

He genuinely looked happy as he laughed.

“I guess it seems I’ve already achieved my dream.”

*