Chapter 2: Chaos Rumbles with Thunder
1
“—《Slash》!! …Hah… hah… Still, not good enough. Back then, Luke was much more…”
I’m starting to grasp the feeling. But… it’s different. I can’t even hold a candle to Luke. That swordsmanship I couldn’t take my eyes off of, even from a distance, that I couldn’t help but admire…
“Hah… hah…”
For a moment, my vision blurred, and I staggered with a slight dizziness. My body feels heavy. My sword movements have become quite dull. Maybe I’ve reached my limit for today… No, just a little more. Let’s keep going for a bit longer. Just a little more…
“…If I don’t push myself at least a little, I’ll never catch up. —Besides, I finally understand now.”
This power that I’ve always felt but couldn’t quite grasp.
I had a feeling it was different from magic. But I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.
Seeing Luke’s techniques in person, feeling them firsthand, it finally became clear. This power grew larger through training to master, by pushing myself to the limit.
The power is definitely there. I can feel it. But… I still can’t control it.
“I’ll definitely learn to master it too—”
“—Abel.”
I heard a voice calling my name from behind. This is the training ground attached to the guild. It wouldn’t be strange for anyone to come here. But that was a very familiar voice.
“Lily…? What’s wrong?”
“…………”
This might be an expression I’ve never seen on Lily before. If she has something to say, she says it. That’s just how she is, it’s only natural for her.
But this time, she seemed a little hesitant to speak. I don’t understand why. So, while catching my breath from training, I waited for her words.
“…Maybe I shouldn’t say this. But… I want you to listen.”
“…………”
I don’t understand. What Lily wants to say.
“Abel… you can’t become [Luke].”
“…!”
The moment I heard those words, my heart skipped a beat. It felt like it was being squeezed tight.
“I know you admire Luke. A lot. But… trying to walk the same path as him, at the same pace… I don’t think it’s good. Sorry for saying this so suddenly…”
“…………”
Indeed, I admire him.
I have no intention of hiding it. Luke always exceeds my expectations.
— [The symbol of absolute strength].
For me, that’s not the master or Mr. Blood. …It’s Luke. The master and Mr. Blood are incredibly strong, to the point where I can’t even fathom how strong they are. But somehow… you’re still my [symbol of absolute strength], Luke.
“You’ve been pushing yourself too hard, haven’t you? Not just since the ice dragon defeated, but ever since you met Luke at Aslan Magic Academy… all this time. I know Abel is amazing. You were accepted into this country’s top academy even though you can’t use elemental magic. That’s truly incredible. But Luke is… I’m sorry. If you keep pushing yourself like this, I feel like you might break soon, and I—”
“—Haha.”
Why can’t I understand right away? I’m such an idiot. I finally get it, what Lily wants to say. She’s usually so assertive, always pulling me along, but now she’s being considerate, choosing her words carefully. It doesn’t suit her.
All just to—avoid hurting me.
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She’s worried about me.
It’s always been like this. I’ve been blessed with people. Found in that village, surrounded by people who love me, raised by them. Meeting a master who guides me, even making friends who genuinely care about me.
Haha, is it really okay for me to receive so much? …But that’s exactly why I want more.
The power to protect these treasures, to never lose them again—.
“Thank you, Lily. For worrying about me.”
“I-It’s not like I’m worried or anything! …I just thought I’d feel a bit bad if something happened to you, that’s all.”
You’re so kind. Even though I’m just a commoner, she, a noble, talks to me as an equal. This is by no means something to be taken for granted.
“But don’t worry. I won’t break.”
“Huh?”
“All I can do is try my best, but I’m actually pretty good at [pushing myself]. Someday, I’ll show you that I’ve become strong enough to protect even you, Lily. …Or is that trying to sound too cool? Ahaha.”
I laughed to hide my embarrassment. But there’s no lie in my words. I don’t just vaguely think that tomorrow will be the same as today.
Unreasonable things happen suddenly. That’s why I need to get stronger.
“…Wh-wh-wh-what…”
“Hm? What’s wrong…?”
When there was no response, I looked at Lily, and she was staring blankly at me. And then—
“Cheeky… cheeky cheeky! Not cool at all! You’re just a messy-haired idiot!”
“…Eh?”
Suddenly shouting, Lily ran away from the training ground. Inevitably, I was left alone. The training ground felt oddly quiet.
“Ah, well… I wonder what Luke would do at a time like this…”
Thinking [What would Luke do?] when faced with a wall of difficulty has become a habit of mine lately. But this time, all I could imagine was Luke looking just as confused as me—.
§
“My village isn’t far from this city, so the rumors of the [Dragon Slayer] have already spread… sigh“
“Well, that can’t be helped. It’s quite an achievement. Why the long face?”
Mockel and Zack. As the sun begins to set, the two A-rank adventurers quietly sip their drinks at the tavern inside the Adventurers’ Guild.
“All five of my younger brothers are looking up to him now. Red, the one right below me who wants to become an adventurer, keeps begging me to let him meet the [Dragon Slayer] just once.”
“Hahaha, that’s troublesome. …Hey, don’t you dare ask me for that, alright?”
“…Zack, we’re peers, right? You haven’t forgotten the day we first knocked on the guild’s door together, have you? You won’t abandon me, right?”
“I haven’t forgotten the day I first brought Lord Luke to the Adventurers’ Guild. When all the guys here, who I thought were comrades, abandoned me.”
“…………”
Mockel can’t say anything back. Because he certainly did avert his eyes at that moment when Luke suddenly said he would join Zack’s party. Unable to say anything in return, he can only glare, and then brings the mug of ale to his mouth.
“Seriously. Why does everyone admire these so-called [heroes]?”
“What do you mean? There’s nothing wrong with admiration itself, is there?”
“That’s why, I think. People who want to become adventurers should first consider that [they might not be special]. It’s not uncommon to lose your life pathetically when you first face a dangerous monster. It’s too late to learn from experience in this profession.”
“No, Mockel. That’s the thinking of a worn-out old man who’s seen too much reality. Everyone starts by admiring heroes, thinking ‘I’m the one!’ when they first knock on the guild’s door. Someone with such a pessimistic thought like ‘I might not be special’ wouldn’t become an adventurer in the first place.”
“…Grr. You have a point.”
“More than just a point.”
Zack and Mockel both lead A-rank adventurer parties.
Being peers, they used to clash often during their rookie days, always conscious of each other. But now that they’re both over thirty, their rough edges have smoothed out, and before they knew it, they had become drinking buddies.
Being in the same position as party leaders, they naturally face similar experiences and worries, which makes it easy to empathize and keeps the drinks flowing. Also, although neither would ever say it out loud, for those in the unpredictable profession of adventurers, old friends like this are irreplaceable.
“Well, I can see where you’re coming from.”
“Right? I think the most important thing for an adventurer is [the instinct to run away].”
“Come on, Mockel, give me a break. I’ve heard that story five thousand times. Every time you drink, you tell the same story.”
“What’s wrong with that? Being able to run away as soon as you think ‘This is bad’ – that’s the most important thing. But at times like these, fools who think they’re [special] hesitate to run away. Their pride gets in the way. They misunderstand that adventurers must face everything head-on, confusing bravery with recklessness. It’s too late by then. If you die, it’s all for nothing.”
“Yes, yes, that’s right, Your Highness. Oh, miss! I’ll have the Giant Lizard karaage!”
“Certainly! One Liza-kara coming up!”
“…Hey, Zack. Go easy on the greasy stuff. It’ll affect you tomorrow.”
“Shut up. Mind your own business.”
The tavern gradually becomes livelier.
It’s the time when all the adventurers finish their daily activities and recharge for tomorrow.
“The reason a mediocre guy like me made it to [A-rank] is because I always kept this instinct to run away working. Oh, do you remember? You know, when Lord Luke first posted that hellish request at the guild.”
“…Even if I wanted to forget, I couldn’t.”
“I had a bad feeling about that request too. …Well, I ended up accepting it and it became traumatic. I guess you shouldn’t let money blind you. [Purgatory] ended up disbanding after all. Even though the Guild Master tried so hard to persuade them.”
“They admired S-rank more than anyone else, can’t be helped. If it wasn’t for Al, I might have gone back to my village to do farm work by now.”
“As expected of the [Dragon Slayer], I suppose.”
“Even so, Lord Luke was only about ten years old and had just started using a sword back then, right? It’s too much, really… sigh. It feels like it was so long ago.”
“Hahaha, certainly—”
“Aaaaaah!! Abel, you idiot!!”
Suddenly, a scream echoes.
“Huh? What’s that?”
Zack and Mockel. As they both turn their heads, a blonde girl with an air of refinement that seems out of place for an adventurer runs out of the guild. It’s Lily.
“That girl is, ah, one of the two who recently came to our town from the royal capital…”
“W-wait, Lily! Ah, um… Sorry for the disturbance!”
Abel, who arrived a bit late, bows his head and immediately chases after Lily.
Zack turns back to the table, thinking, “Come to think of it, those kids seemed to know Luke.”
“…Zack, listen carefully. That black-haired brat, my ‘run away’ sensor reacted slightly. You’d better be careful.”
“What’s that? He looks completely harmless to me.”
“Nah, I won’t be fooled. You gotta be ready to run at any time.”
“You’ve got your own problems. …By the way, where’s Liza?”
The adventurers’ guild is a bit noisy. The two continue to enjoy their drinks. But about thirty minutes later, a change occurs. The guild door opens without warning. Several gazes naturally turn to look, and those who see the person entering hold their breath.
“Hahaha—”
“You look well, Zack.”
“…Huh?”
The moment he heard that voice, Zack felt his brain shake.
His pleasant tipsy feeling completely disappeared.
“Ah… L-Lord Luke… Hello.”
“What, were you drinking alone?”
“Eh, no, Mockel is here—Huh?”
When Zack turned around, there was no one there. As if no one had ever been there, without a trace.
(That bastard! What happened to your ‘run away’ instincts, you piece of shit!)
“Well, um, yes… I was in the mood to drink alone today…”
“I see. Well, that doesn’t matter. It’s still a ways off, but I’m going to the Empire, and you’re coming with me. Got it?”
“Ah, I see, the Empire… Huh?”
Once again, Luke’s words came out of nowhere.
Zack thought this was no different from a natural disaster, but he couldn’t say it out loud.
“Um… What kind of business do you have in the Empire…?”
“I’ll tell you about that later.”
“…I see.”
“That’s all for today. See you.”
“Yes… Take care…”
Luke turned on his heel and walked away from Zack’s table. Then he opened the guild door and left.
“Sigh… I don’t mind going to the Empire, but… I have a bad feeling about this.”
Thinking about the seemingly bleak future, Zack took a gulp of his drink.
Then, someone placed a hand on his shoulder.
“…”
When he turned around, there was Mockel, who had somehow evacuated earlier.
“Zack, this is the sense for running aw—”
“Go to hell!”
“—Buheh!”
Zack’s sudden dropkick exploded on Mockel.
Seeing this scene, the surrounding adventurers started cheering, “It’s a fight! It’s a fight!”
—This is just another scene in the life of adventurers.
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