Chapter 45

"Bu, Sō no Tenkai..."

When we showed up, everyone in the square twisted their faces in fear. It was a great reaction. As explorers, it’s just right to be feared by our peers.

If we were underestimated, Leon, who was rolling on the ground in front of us, would be proof of the consequences. No matter how excellent an explorer might be, if they show a weakness, they end up being lynched. Even the Heaven-Winged Knights, who were exemplary and never caused trouble for anyone, could be attacked like this. The world of violence is truly bloody.

Well, for someone like me, it’s a very comfortable and easy world to live in.

“What, what do you want?”

I snorted at Edgar, who asked with a trembling voice.

“What, we were just taking a walk. Isn’t that right?”

“Taking a walk,” “Taking a walk, taking a walk.”

When I turned to Kouga and Arma, who were standing behind me, they nodded exaggeratedly.

“F, f*ck you! Why would someone just taking a walk interfere with us!? What the hell are you thinking!?”

Edgar shouted, still holding his right hand, which had lost a finger. He was still more shaken, but he had the presence of mind to glance at the battle axe that had fallen to the ground and the state of his companions. He was probably looking for a way to counterattack. But that was impossible.

“Edgar, you’re too arrogant.”

“What, what did you say?”

“You’re being insolent despite being beneath us. I don’t like it. No, I really don’t like it. How about dying here?”

“What, you, beneath us!?”

Edgar, whose pride was hurt, turned red and picked up the battle axe with his left hand, raising his voice to his companions.

“Pick up your weapons! We can’t just stand by and be disrespected like this! We’ll make Sō no Tenkai pay!”

Edgar bravely commanded, swinging his battle axe. However, his companions, far from being roused by his orders, began to retreat little by little.

“P, please, Edgar...”

“Sō no Tenkai defeated the Heaven-Winged Knights...”

“Moreover, they defeated the Demon Eye Baboon King with just three people...”

“We can’t win against them...”

Edgar’s companions, thoroughly frightened, eventually, one of them turned and ran away like a hare.

“Ugh, ugh, ughhhh!!!”

This was the start, and his companions scattered like spiders.

“Wait! Don’t run! Come back!!”

Edgar desperately tried to stop them, but no one turned back.

I had expected this from the beginning. In reality, if they had all fought together, they would have had a good chance of winning. We weren’t planning to be passive, but the numbers were in Edgar’s favor. However, they overestimated us based on rumors and believed they couldn’t win. The result was a disgraceful retreat.

“You don’t have much popularity, Edgar.”

When I stepped forward, Edgar retreated.

“D, don’t come closer...”

“Don’t come closer? Are you giving me orders? Edgar, it’s time you learned. Who’s in charge here? Me or you?”

“Guh...”

“Answer quickly! I’ll kill you!!”

“H, hii! Wait! I surrender! Please, forgive me!”

When I intimidated him, the broken Edgar dropped his weapon and knelt.

“You’re still too arrogant. It seems you really want to upset me.”

“No, no! It’s a misunderstanding!”

Edgar immediately rubbed his forehead against the ground. The man who had held a twisted pride had become quite honest. Indeed, the human heart is fragile.

I approached Edgar, grabbed his hair, and lifted his face.

“It’s a bit much to make me kneel, but I still don’t like you. What should I do? What do you think is best?”

“P, please... let me go...”

I smiled kindly at Edgar, who was crying and begging.

“Sure, I understand. —I don’t like your nose.”

I quickly drew my knife from its sheath and cut off Edgar’s eagle nose.

“Gyaaaaaaaahhhh!!!”

Edgar, holding his noseless face with both hands, writhed on the ground. I grabbed his head and forced him to look at me.

“Look at me. Look at me!!”

“H, hiiiiii... P, please, forgive me...”

“If you want forgiveness, remember this well. Don’t ever get cocky again. If you break this promise, not just you, but your companions, family, neighbors, women, and the elderly, everyone will end up with the same face as you. Got it? —Got it!!?”

“Y, y, y, yes! I understand!!”

“Go. There won’t be a second chance.”

The moment I let go, Edgar got up and ran down the alley. I smiled at Leon, who was standing there in shock.

“Well, Leon. Shall we talk business?”

†

†

“...Business?”

Leon sat up and looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Yes, business. Leon, become my companion.”

“What!? F, f*ck you!”

From his immediate rejection, it seemed he still harbored resentment towards me. Well, that’s understandable. But such feelings are trivial.

“I’ll welcome you as the sub-leader of the new clan we’re forming. We’re a team that will grow rapidly. It’s not a bad deal, is it?”

“Who would ever become your companion!?”

“Why not?”

“If it weren’t for you—no, if it weren’t for Noel, the Heaven-Winged Knights wouldn’t have had to disband!!”

He had fallen into despair. The mental structure of a cornered person is simple and convenient.

“You’re just like Edgar. Do you understand what you’re saying?”

“Don’t compare me to that guy! I know you were in league with the Explorer’s Guild!”

“True, I was in league with Harold. I’ll admit that. But didn’t I give you a fair chance? You had a good opportunity to win.”

“You’re right! But I also know you incited my companions! That’s why Kaïm... Thinking about his suffering, I can’t forgive you...”

Leon pounded the ground with his fist and shed tears of regret. I laughed at his appearance.

“What’s so funny!?”

“It’s funny. If you understand Kaïm’s suffering so well, why don’t you go reconcile with him? I’m the root of all evil. Even if we can’t work together as explorers, you can still meet him as a friend as much as you like.”

Leon was speechless at my point.

“Leon, you’re afraid to meet Kaïm, aren’t you? Your childhood friend, who you thought understood everything, actually harbored deep jealousy towards you. But you should have been able to understand that with a little thought. Yet, you didn’t try to grasp the problem. That’s a serious dereliction of duty. The party leader would be disappointed.”

“Don’t talk like you know everything... What do you know...”

“I know. I’m in a position to lead people. As a leader, all the party’s problems are the leader’s responsibility. In return, the leader has the right to receive all the glory. Leon, you didn’t fulfill your responsibilities as a leader. Yet, you let the world praise only you. A party like that couldn’t last long.”

Leon was excellent. But he was too excellent and couldn’t understand the weaknesses of others. As a result, the other three became increasingly fatigued.

“...I knew. It’s all my fault. Noel, even without you, we had no future... But if I admit that, everything we did would be in vain... I can’t bear that...”

Leon shook his shoulders and sobbed. I stood in front of him.

“Leon, let’s return to your words from back then. Stand up and fight.”

“What’s the point of fighting? What we’ve lost can’t be regained...”

“No, it can be.”

Leon looked up, and I continued calmly.

“Indeed, if things continue as they are, the glory of the Heaven-Winged Knights will become a thing of the past. No, the world is cruel. The glory will fade, and only the disgrace will remain. And even that disgrace will soon be forgotten. In a year, no one will remember the Heaven-Winged Knights.”

“That’s true...”

“But if you, the leader of the Heaven-Winged Knights, make a name for yourself as an explorer, the name of the Heaven-Winged Knights will also be remembered.”

“So, you want me to fight for that? Just for that?”

Leon twisted his lips in self-mockery, and I nodded.

“Yes. Fight. Fulfill the responsibilities you couldn’t. Make the name of the Heaven-Winged Knights live on. There’s no other way for you to be saved.”

“But if I become your companion, I’ll truly become a traitor...”

“Leon, be a little selfish. Get rid of that half-hearted sentiment. Neither you nor your companions can be saved by such things. If you truly want to make your precious memories eternal, you need to be prepared to give up everything else. In this cruel world, there’s nothing you can gain without a price.”

Leon was silent for a long time. Eventually, he spoke with a determined look.

“Noel, what do you want? Why do you continue being an explorer?”

“To show this world that I am the strongest explorer.”

When I answered immediately, Leon’s eyes widened. Then, he slowly stood up.

“...Can I believe those words? If you lie, I won’t forgive you...”

“Foolish question.”

I laughed and extended my hand. Leon grabbed it with a smile.

†

†

It’s been exactly a week since Harold told me about the Ten Kings of the Netherworld. We paid the mandatory insurance of 20 million fil, registered the address of the clan house we bought, and were officially recognized as a clan.

On our way back from the Explorer’s Guild, we encountered people talking about us at various points along the street.

“Look, it’s Noel and Leon...”

“Is it true that Sō no Tenkai and the Heaven-Winged Knights merged into a clan...? This is going to be huge...”

“Though the number of members is small, they’ve inherited the achievements of the Heaven-Winged Knights. Sō no Tenkai will join the ranks of the top clans right from the start.”

“Sō no Tenkai is making rapid progress.”

“Wait, I heard they dropped the name Sō no Tenkai when they became a clan. The name of the current members is—”

They were all quick to hear the news. Well, I was the one who spread the rumors. I asked the information broker Loki to spread the news of our clan formation throughout the imperial capital. Without a doubt, every newspaper will feature us on the front page today. This will raise our profile. A higher profile will not only lead to a better evaluation but also allow us to receive large loans from the bank.

As I was smirking inwardly, a furious voice called out from behind.

“Noel Stollen!! You demon!!”

I turned around to see Kaïm, his face twisted with anger.

“Oh, Kaïm. It’s been a while. Since the exam, right?”

“Because of you, we... Dieeeeee!!”

Kaïm, aiming to stab me with his spear, was blocked by Leon, who stepped in with his shield before Arma and Kouga could intervene.

“Kaïm, stop! If you do this, you won’t get off scot-free! Put down your spear!!”

“Shut up, traitor!! Wagging your tail to the demon who betrayed us!!”

“You’re right! I am a traitor! So, I won’t let you kill Noel!”

When Leon declared this, Kaïm jumped back. He wasn’t giving up or accepting his guilt. He was just adjusting his distance to maximize the power of his spear attack. Kaïm repositioned his spear and released a powerful killing intent.

“Then, I’ll kill you first!!”

Kaïm’s fierce thrust, with a full run-up, would easily pierce Leon’s shield.

But Leon easily dodged Kaïm’s spear and punched him in the jaw with his right fist. Kaïm was knocked down and fell on his back.

“D, damn it, not even drawing your sword... How much more are you going to humiliate me... Curse you... Curse you, traitor!”

Kaïm cursed Leon from the ground. But Leon, without engaging, turned his back on Kaïm, his former companion.

“I won’t make excuses. I am a traitor. So, I will walk my own path.”

Just as Leon was about to return to us,

“Good luck, Leon...”

Leon’s eyes widened at Kaïm’s words. His eyes turned red, his lips trembled, and he tried to turn around.

“Don’t turn around!”

I sharply stopped him.

“Don’t turn around, Leon. ...Show some understanding for your senior.”

Kaïm didn’t come to kill me. Nor did he come to vent his hatred on Leon. The clumsy senior came to confirm the resolve of the junior who chose a new path. And his only purpose was to say, “Good luck.”

“Let’s go.”

When I urged him, Leon wiped away his tears and nodded.

“Yes, let’s go. Master.”

†

†

Our clan house, which will serve as our base, is a brick building that was previously used as an apartment complex. It has three floors and nine rooms. We bought it on an installment plan, using half the reward from the Demon Eye Baboon King’s defeat as a down payment.

The interior is still in disarray, as we haven’t started the renovation. We need to hire a contractor to do the remodeling. There’s probably a leak, and the floors are likely rotten in places. That’s why we couldn’t enter yet.

“Not bad, a pretty impressive building. Can we really not go inside?”

Kouga, looking up at the clan house, asked me.

“Want to try?”

“N, no thanks...”

Kouga shook his head, looking reluctant, while Arma made a mischievous face again.

“Kouga is a coward.”

“Shut up!”

I’ve gotten used to their bickering. I wish they would get along better.

“Master, are we just here to see the clan house today?”

When Leon tilted his head, I nodded.

“One of the purposes is to see the clan house together. It will boost our morale, right?”

“I guess. What’s the other purpose?”

“To give you this here.”

I took out three brooches from my pocket. All three were the same, shaped like a snake with wings.

“They’re made of white star silver. I had a blacksmith friend make them. This will be our symbol.”

I handed the brooches to the three of them. First, Arma, who joined us first. Then Kouga. Finally, Leon took one.

“Since ancient times, snakes have been symbols of immortality and prosperity. On the other hand, they have also been feared as deceitful and evil beings. This duality suits us. We will aim for the top, traversing the righteous and the wicked, light and darkness, different attributes.”

The three of them nodded with strong determination.

“The application for the clan’s establishment has been approved. We are no longer Sō no Tenkai or the Heaven-Winged Knights. As I’ve already told you, we will go by this name from now on.”

I looked at the three of them and spoke the name.

“Storm-Winged Serpent”

Thank you for reading this far.

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