“What did she mean by that?”
I pounded my fingers on the desk in my office, pondering. I smell similar to her. When I asked her to clarify, Natalie gave me a puzzled look and shook her head, telling me not to worry. The look of surprise on her face bothered me. I wondered what she meant.
“Do you have any guesses?”
I asked, staring at the Holy Sword leaning against the desk, her shaky voice echoing in my head.
(I don’t know, and I believe it’s best not to ponder it.)
“But it’s been getting on my nerves.”
I grumbled and began to organize my messy desk. Papers had accumulated while I was away. One by one, I read, stamped, and categorized them. A dizzying array of letters I hadn’t seen in a long time. I felt like I needed a pair of glasses.
“This is a list of backers…and this is from the Adventurers’ Guild.”
Thank you notes, ambassadorships, invitations to associations. Everything was related to politics. Cunningly evading the Queen’s stern warnings, trying to keep me in their grasp at all costs. Politicians are sneaky, and they stick around when they can. They look for symbols to appeal to people and are thirsty for support, but they are mostly shallow. Their ambitions are always focused on power rather than on ideals.
“It’s a shame. I wonder what drives these people.”
(It’s human nature.)
I clicked my tongue, gathered the letters, and put them in a container. I’d burn them later. When I was done sorting, I pulled out the letters I’d kept in another pile, labeled as something I’d take the time to read. Most of them were plain, unadorned envelopes.
“This is from Rhea.”
I smiled faintly, remembering the faces of the trio of adventurers. They were in this battle, too. With their impressive feats, they must have become quite the celebrities among the adventurers. They said they were glad to have helped and always rooted for me. I told the Adventurer’s Guild I’d try to sneak by soon. I’d love to visit one day.
“This is from Robin the Blacksmith.”
She said she was working on a weapon to fight monsters. I write back, thanking her for forging Null. So many letters and thanks. I spent some time in silence, reading and responding to them one by one.
“…This.”
I pulled out a soaked and tattered letter envelope. Somehow, the letter inside was intact. Turning the envelope over to read the sender, I frowned slightly.
“I wonder why he’s writing to me out of the blue.”
Arjen Elmion. I set it on my desk and stared at it. The handwriting was neat, the exact opposite of Arjen’s temper. Some letters were smudged, but I had no trouble recognizing them. It was short. I ended my hesitation and began to read the letter carefully from the beginning.
「I had been hunting for evil worshippers and the doomsday cult they spread.」
The letter began with a bang. I read the letter in Arjen’s cold and stiff voice.
「I thought it would be quick, but I was mistaken. For a mercenary, tracking opponents is a necessary skill. Whether you’re the one being hunted or the one doing the hunting. For the man dubbed the King of Mercenaries, it is as natural as breathing. But they are not easy opponents, for their way of thinking and acting is vastly different from that of humans.
They were better at cutting off their tails than hiding. It’s hard to know where to start and where to stop. The Bishop and I killed as many as we could. We tried capturing the worst of them and interrogating them, but they all found their way out. Eventually, I just found my sword in those who turned into monsters.」
It was kind of like a confession. I straightened my posture and read further.
「There is no thrill in killing people. I know they’re going to die and go to hell. But I felt frustrated. The people I wanted to kill weren’t dead, and those I didn’t care about were dead. The Bishop didn’t say anything about it. I don’t blame him.」
…So that’s what happened.
I let out a long breath. I wondered if he was having a change of heart. His words seemed confused.
「The hunt will continue. Even after you destroyed the Meteor and captured the homunculus, they were relentless in hiding, shifting from one base to another. Pulling on their tails and reaching their main body was futile, but the situation changed. They’re cornered, one Disaster away from annihilation, and their forces have been greatly diminished this time.
I don’t know why I went down this path. Just that I didn’t know where I was supposed to be. I wanted to prove myself to a life and world that had come to know nothing, but I was constantly denied and could accomplish nothing. This journey is my chance to reach the end. Whether it’s my life, thoughts, or evil worshippers. I will leave you the place where I gathered my fortune. I trust you will make good use of it.」
The letter ended with the location of the vault. I sighed as I folded the letter.
“[This is another troublesome situation.]”
“I’m sure the Bishop is with him, but there’s no way to know where these people are now. I’ll have to make another trip to the Holy Land.”
I sank into my chair. I knew Andrei would protect his life, but I couldn’t say the same for Arjen. I can only hope he brings good news. After that, if the Mercenary wants to settle the score, I’ll gladly oblige. As long as he doesn’t do anything stupid.
“Why did you leave me the money?”
I just hope he doesn’t throw his life away. He’s someone I’ll have to talk to at length someday. The paperwork was done. I slumped down onto my now-clean desk. Exhaustion washed over me. The streets of the Capital are still quiet. It was a cold summer, the breeze carrying the warmth in and out of the room.
“The Seventh Disaster….”
When I’m alone, I think about the remaining Disaster. I have no memory of the ‘Origin.’ My memory of the original stops at the Sixth Disaster. It seems to have glossed over it or ended on a cliffhanger.
(Forget about it now; there’s no guarantee it will appear now.)
“Its wording is vague. What does ‘origin’ even mean?”
(I don’t know everything, Elroy.)
Origin. I don’t know what it is, and I don’t know what form it will take. But I have to finish it. I’ve already done so much.
I sighed and stood up from my desk, a pile of replies in front of me. I sighed but smiled bitterly as I looked at them. I left headquarters and dropped them in the mailbox one by one. I checked to ensure they were addressed to the right person and had the proper stamps.
“You look busy.”
A familiar voice said. I turned my head.
“Very.”
Georg shrugged with an awkward smile.
“I wanted to talk to you about something, so I came to ask if you had a few minutes to spare.”
“You’re just in time. I was thinking of taking a break.”
“Great, let’s go inside.”
I said it half-jokingly, but Georg didn’t react to it. I sighed and followed him into the headquarters.
“What are the letters for?”
“Replying to those who wrote to me. Some people I miss.”
“…I see.”
Georg plopped down on the couch in the foyer like he was at home. It had been a while since he’d worn anything other than his armor. He was the typical guy next door who likes beer and working out. I fetched a cold bottle of beer from the basement, carried it upstairs, and handed it to Georg. He popped the cork with his teeth and gulped it down.
“Thank you. I’ve missed this quite a bit.”
Georg sighed contentedly and set the bottle down.
“So, what do you want to talk about?”
“I know you want to get rid of me quickly, but isn’t this too much?”
Georg said slowly, resting his head on the back of the couch. I watched him ponder, sat on the sofa across from him, and opened a beer. It was cold enough to make my head throb. I exhaled a breath similar to Georg’s.
“How are you feeling? I’ve heard you’re fine, but with your personality, I’m sure you’re hiding some stuff.”
“I’m fine, and how could I hide my condition from Iris? If you wanted me to get medical attention, I got it, you bastard.”
It was a sharp response, but Georg shrugged once.
“You’ve been through a lot, so if you insist, so be it.”
Georg picked up his beer again and downed half of it.
“I’ve been in many battles and wars, but this is the first one I’ve been in where none of the men around me died. That’s not normal, and it hurts me knowing that it’s only because of you that they’re alive.”
Georg lifted the bottle repeatedly, and a quarter of the beer disappeared. Georg stared at the empty bottle and tapped it. I took a sip and asked.
“Don’t be a dick and tell me. What’s going on?”
“The wedding date has been finalized.”
I gulped down my beer and narrowed my eyes.
“What. I thought something bad had happened to you, and now you’re back with good news?”
Georg chuckled as if he’d succeeded in surprising me.
“I’ve noticed you’ve been strangely busy lately. But isn’t it too quick?”
“I think there was a sense of urgency in both families. Since we didn’t know what else we might be called upon to do, we agreed to have the wedding in peace and quiet.”
I nodded, intrigued.
“That’s great. When’s the ceremony?”
“The end of this month. It sounds like baking beans over an open fire, but there’s not much to consider, so the preparations are going well.”
“Maybe I should get you some furniture. Or do you have that already done?”
Georg chuckled and held out his hand.
“There is no need for that. But anyways, I’d like you to officiate.”
‘Officiate?’ My eyes widened.
“What, you’re okay with me?”
“I’m not asking you to officiate because you’re the Hero. I’m asking you as a friend. Of course, you could refuse…”
I shook my head.
“I’ll do my best. But don’t expect anything special, okay?”
“I’m just grateful that you accepted. I’ll be in touch.”
Georg smiled and rose from his seat. I watched him leave the headquarters with light steps.
A man’s story was entering a new chapter.
