Chapter 79. It’s Because You Can’t Even Eat Gruel
In the end, I pulled out a fairly large robe from my Subspace and held it out to the Death Knight.
‘There really are times when Kalahen’s hoarding habit helps.’
Among the random junk collected as spoils, there happened to be a robe that fit the Death Knight’s build.
Good thing I didn’t throw it away.
Anyway.
“Let’s introduce ourselves. Who are you, from what house? If you’re a Master Knight, you were probably from some big-shot house, right?”
[You’re short-sighted. If I were from some big-shot house, would my grave have been dug up like this and I end up an undead?]
“It could’ve fallen.”
[It did fall. When I was alive, that is. It was Imperial Year 137. It was a day when it rained a lot—]
“Ah, enough.”
I cut it off quickly, because it felt like this was about to become a history class.
But why?
For some reason, the single flame-light of the Death Knight seemed to blaze fiercely.
Like… yeah.
Like the look someone makes right before beating a rude little brat.
“Ahem. Imperial Year 137?”
[That’s right.]
“You lived a long time ago.”
[What year is it now?]
“It’s Imperial Year 374.”
[……Huh.]
Maybe it was the emptiness of time passing.
The Death Knight let out a low breath.
No—since it couldn’t actually breathe, I guess it just made a sound.
Watching a dead thing act like the living was enough to make you lose your mind.
[Then what about Lortel?]
“It still exists.”
Lortel is a swordsmanship great house.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say: if there’s Deculan for magic, there’s Lortel for swordsmanship.
Of course, compared to Deculan—who do dirty and filthy things—their power is a bit weaker.
Anyway.
[Then…… did Shamid become Head of House? I mean, what is the name of the 13th Head of House?]
“Go to House Lortel and ask.”
[Then what about House Dolanpe?]
“It’s fine— no, hey, you tin-can gentleman.”
[……Gentleman?]
That fierce flame looked oddly warm, so I warmed up my tone too.
“Mr. Tin-Can?”
[……Tin-can?]
“Ha, f*ck.”
This Death Knight is worse than Senior.
Senior is at least a mage—if you corner them with logic, they lose strength in a subtle way.
‘But this one… you can tell it’s not a clueless swordsman for nothing—those eyes…….’
I wanted to make its eyes kind, but I, broad-minded as I am, held that impulse back.
“Well, let’s at least ask your honored name. What is your honored name?”
[Yeah, that’s how you should ask. But are all you youngsters these days as rude as you?]
“I’m about average. There are worse ones, too.”
[……Mm. Seems manners only get worse as time goes on. I was curious, so now my curiosity is satisfied.]
The Death Knight nodded like it had realized some great truth.
I looked at that with a cold gaze, and then our eyes met.
[Mm. Your eyes are kind.]
“I like kind eyes.”
[Like?]
“……I do. Anyway.”
I couldn’t stand it anymore and sprang up from my seat.
[Up? Up? The way you’re talking right now—]
“Forget how I’m talking. Who are you?”
I’m not a man who bows to authority.
Even if you’re an ancestor of an ancestor and a Master Knight, my presence doesn’t die.
Except……
[Huh. There sure are a lot of usable clubs around here.]
“To serve you properly, I need to know your honored name, don’t I? It comes from a loyal heart, so please understand.”
I only bow to violence.
[That was such a commendable heart?]
“Yes. So how frustrated do you think I am? I want to know your honored name as soon as possible.”
F*ck.
Is this how a Senior who threw away the name tag of Headmaster and escaped the academy prison acts?
Truly f*cked up.
F*cked up, and yet……
[Fine, then I’ll tell you. I don’t know if my name has survived to this day, but…….]
The Death Knight’s flame rippled as if satisfied.
And then.
[My name is…….]
That name was quite shocking.
No—more than “quite.” Very. Extremely—hard to believe even after hearing it.
[So? Do you know it?]
Of course I know it.
……Hundreds of years ago.
In the Empire, there was a vile criminal.
The crime was treason. A challenge against the Imperial throne that had held a firm prestige for a long time.
And the accomplice was only…… one person.
Shine von Lehmann
If we’re being precise, it was less “treason” and more an imperial assassination incident.
After hundreds of years, it shouldn’t even be something people talk about anymore.
But.
Shine von Lehmann stormed the imperial palace alone and succeeded in putting a blade to the Emperor’s neck.
And then declared—
- Now I am the Emperor.
A mad proclamation.
- Thunk. Roll, roll.
The head of the most noble person on the Eastern Continent rolling across the floor.
Of course, Shine von Lehmann never became Emperor.
They themself sat on the throne and died lonely, unable to overcome their injuries.
So……
“You’re that crazy bastard?”
[What?]
“……Damn it.”
So, basically, it’s this.
“Well, let’s at least ask your honored name. What is your honored name?”
[Yeah, that’s how you should ask. But are all you youngsters these days as rude as you?]
“I’m about average. There are worse ones, too.”
[……Mm. Seems manners only get worse as time goes on. I was curious, so now my curiosity is satisfied.]
The Death Knight nodded like it had realized some great truth.
I looked at that with a cold gaze, and then our eyes met.
[Mm. Your eyes are kind.]
“I like kind eyes.”
[Like?]
“……I do. Anyway.”
I couldn’t stand it anymore and sprang up from my seat.
[Up? Up? The way you’re talking right now—]
“Forget how I’m talking. Who are you?”
I’m not a man who bows to authority.
Even if you’re an ancestor of an ancestor and a Master Knight, my presence doesn’t die.
Except……
[Huh. There sure are a lot of usable clubs around here.]
“To serve you properly, I need to know your honored name, don’t I? It comes from a loyal heart, so please understand.”
I only bow to violence.
[That was such a commendable heart?]
“Yes. So how frustrated do you think I am? I want to know your honored name as soon as possible.”
F*ck.
Is this how a Senior who threw away the name tag of Headmaster and escaped the academy prison acts?
Truly f*cked up.
F*cked up, and yet……
[Fine, then I’ll tell you. I don’t know if my name has survived to this day, but…….]
The Death Knight’s flame rippled as if satisfied.
And then.
[My name is…….]
That name was quite shocking.
No—more than “quite.” Very. Extremely—hard to believe even after hearing it.
[So? Do you know it?]
Of course I know it.
……Hundreds of years ago.
In the Empire, there was a vile criminal.
The crime was treason. A challenge against the Imperial throne that had held a firm prestige for a long time.
And the accomplice was only…… one person.
Shine von Lehmann
If we’re being precise, it was less “treason” and more an imperial assassination incident.
After hundreds of years, it shouldn’t even be something people talk about anymore.
But.
Shine von Lehmann stormed the imperial palace alone and succeeded in putting a blade to the Emperor’s neck.
And then declared—
- Now I am the Emperor.
A mad proclamation.
- Thunk. Roll, roll.
The head of the most noble person on the Eastern Continent rolling across the floor.
Of course, Shine von Lehmann never became Emperor.
They themself sat on the throne and died lonely, unable to overcome their injuries.
So……
“You’re that crazy bastard?”
[What?]
“……Damn it.”
So it’s like this.
‘The craziest bastard in history is right in front of me right now?’
Seriously, today……
No—forget it.
It wasn’t even noon yet. It was still morning.
Anyway.
“……You’re really that crazy bastard Shine von Lehmann?”
[Crazy bastard? Hmm. You could see it that way. But it seems my name has survived, after all.]
“Survived? Of course it has.”
At my affirmation, Shine… or what had been Shine leaned forward, as if deeply intrigued, heavy body tilting closer.
[Yes—how has it survived? I’m curious.]
“How, huh…….”
Like I said, Shine von Lehmann was recorded as an unprecedented traitor in history.
In other words……
‘King Slayer’
Strictly speaking, it should be Emperor Slayer, but that’s how it’s passed down.
There were quite a few other titles people used for Shine.
- A genius without equal in the age.
- A born warrior who mainly used the sword, but was also proficient with all weapons.
And lastly……
- A tragic genius who went mad as House Lehmann fell.
That talent was hard to match in the continent’s history.
‘They reached Master Knight at eighteen, so that says it all.’
Master Knight isn’t an officially recognized rank in the Empire.
Literally, it’s a name for a kind of realm you’re given when you reach the peak as a knight.
In terms of magic, it was a realm on par with an archmage……
Yeah—this comparison made it easy to understand.
‘Paharen.’
A supreme mage who reached the ranks of the strongest in history.
‘Even that genius only reached the realm of archmage when they were nearly thirty.’
People said that if Shine von Lehmann had lived to old age, they would have etched a line across the continent’s history.
I relayed a brief, trimmed explanation to Shine.
“……Well, broadly, that’s what’s known.”
[Hm. That’s too thin. Is that really all that’s passed down?]
There is more.
‘It’s just annoying to say.’
How many great houses did Shine von Lehmann disgrace?
They fought House Dolanpe in martial combat and defeated its Head of House, and for a great house that mainly used the spear, Shine used the spear and forced them to their knees.
No matter which great house they crossed blades with, they were famous for using not their own main weapon, but the opponent’s weapon.
‘It’s a nasty hobby, really.’
But—
“……Wait.”
[Oh? Why? Did something else come to mind?]
“You bastard. You’re not Shine von Lehmann.”
[Huh…… your mind seems to be going in and out, and now you’ve finally gone crazy. If I’m not Shine, then who’s Shine?]
At the old-fashioned tone, I half-lidded my eyes and stared at them.
“Shine von Lehmann.”
[Why are you calling me.]
“A lunatic of legend who infiltrated the imperial palace with unprecedented force and beheaded the Emperor. The last words you left were…… ‘I am the Emperor.’”
[That’s right.]
“And the age when that legendary madman died was—”
History records Shine’s age at death as follows.
[Shine von Lehmann]
- Age 18. Ascends as a Master Knight.
- Age 19. Disappears along with the fall of House Lehmann.
- Age 20. Reappears and attempts rebellion, and the age of death is……
“Twenty.”
[Hmph.]
“Shine died at twenty, but what? You’re Shine?”
Just going by the way you talk, you’re Senior’s age.
The voice is hard to gauge since you’re a Death Knight, but your behavior says it all.
As I stared with eyes blazing, the Death Knight slowly looked up at the sky.
[Back then, if you were twenty, you were treated as an elder.]
“Bullshit.”
[No, but you little—! Hey, how old are you? I’m still older than you. Just looking at you, you look like you’ve lived a bit more than half my life!]
How old am I.
If you ask, the proper thing is to answer.
Arms crossed, I tilted my head way back and looked down at Shine as I spoke.
“Twenty-two…… no, twenty-three.”
[Twenty-three?]
“That’s right.”
[No, what kind of impossible nonsense—]
So are you really Shine.
You react sensitively to the age issue, don’t you.
Watching that, I curled one corner of my mouth upward and spoke.
“Like you said, it’s because I couldn’t even eat gruel. I was in my growth period and I couldn’t eat. So I didn’t grow.”
[What…… You’re obviously a mage. What kind of mage can’t even eat gruel? Magic is something only rich people learn.]
Of course, that’s true.
That’s exactly why most magic great houses focus on businesses and expanding influence.
To learn magic, you need a lot of auxiliary funds.
But—
“That’s prejudice. The mages of this era are poor.”
[……Hah. What kind of ridiculous nonsense—]
“Nonsense?”
[No, no— hm. No matter what, I’m your ancestor! Don’t you have a mother or father?!]
To Shine, shouting in outrage, I replied brightly.
“Yeah. I don’t.”
[…….]
“I’ve never even seen their faces.”
I was born a Black and White Zone vagrant—I’d never even seen what “family” was.
And since I didn’t marry in my previous life, I never saw descendants, either.
At my words, Shine pressed their mouth shut.
[I’m…… s-s-s-sorry.]
“Fine. I won’t demand honorifics. But speak with respect.”
[…….]
Well, the hierarchy issue was more or less settled.
‘This one is Shine von Lehmann……?’
They said, hundreds of years ago, older was automatically better.
The moment I stated my age, they bowed cleanly.
Then that means……
‘Maybe I can use them.’
Now that I knew the underworld’s situation through the Geumma Mages,
our enemy wasn’t only Destrow.
Naturally, we also had to keep in mind the Geumma Mages preparing to awaken Destrow.
‘I need more strength.’
In that sense, Shine was a perfect tool—no, an ally.
Well, it’s not like I’m trying to work them for free. It’s about both of us benefiting.
“Kid.”
[No, no matter what, I—]
Ignoring Shine’s thoroughly shriveled voice, I leaned my upper body forward and smiled.
“Let’s do a job together.”
[……A job?]
“That damn black mage who woke you from rest. Don’t you want revenge?”
That was when Shine’s presence changed.
Fwoooosh—!
A terrifying killing intent spread out in an instant.
Maybe as they regained reason, they recovered some of their living realm. Or maybe their hostility toward the Geumma Mages was just that intense.
‘……That stings.’
Even I would have my shoulders shrink if I didn’t consciously brace.
“That’s a lot of hostility. You didn’t look like you cared.”
[I thought they were already dead. How would you feel revenge toward something that’s turned into a chunk of meat. So…….]
Shine’s head snapped around toward the corpses sprawled over there.
[They’re not dead? Then what are those?]
Here, I worked my brain for a moment.
“Mm. Lackeys.”
[Lackeys?]
“Ah, looks like you don’t remember. You were a tool. You got used like you were worse than a skeleton rolling around on the roadside.”
[……How dare they.]
The killing intent grew stronger and stronger.
My smile deepened.
“What did they say? That you were too weak to be useful? I think I heard something like that.”
[To the point they’d just leave it to lackeys?]
“Yeah.”
The moment my words ended—
Bang!
Shine kicked off the ground and stood.
[Where are they.]
“Why?”
[Why? You ask what’s obvious. I must tear them apart and kill them with these hands.]
Shine von Lehmann, thoroughly provoked.
I looked at them and smiled.
“Hmm. It won’t be easy to find them, though…….”
[……You say that like you can find them?]
“Sure. I can. But doing it empty-handed is a bit much. Yeah? You know. The world doesn’t work that easily. And I happen to have business with them, too.”
[…….]
Maybe they noticed something was off.
Shine von Lehmann eased their momentum a little and looked down at me.
“Well, if you don’t want to, fine. I was just trying to give you a chance, but if you don’t want it, then…….”
At my tone that said I had nothing to lose, Shine gathered their thoughts for a moment, and then—well, they don’t have a mouth, but anyway—
they spoke.
[……Feels like I’m being played. Fine. If I can catch them, I’ll cooperate with you.]
“Really?”
[……Yes. I was going to follow you around for a while anyway. That’s why.]
“Sure you were.”
A great piece of self-justification.
It feels like you’re being used, but you deceive yourself nicely into thinking you’re not.
Well, it wasn’t like you were being used one-sidedly.
“Then let’s do well. Shine von Lehmann.”
[……It better not be a lie.]
“As if.”
I held out my hand.
Clank.
Black armor clasped my hand.
‘Reassuring.’
Knights are this easy.
‘Brainless sword-swingers.’
Anyway.
“Now let’s go see my companions.”
[……All right.]
I led Shine forward.
‘Until we lift the curse, I can buy some time.’
Shine was a card to use against the Geumma Mages, and a solid spare card that would replace me until the Thirteen Sins were resolved.
Not a bad haul.