CH 138

Raidorl closes his eyes in silence as the inevitable death looms.

The rays of light from Granard will arrive in less than a second, and will pierce countless holes in Raidorl’s body. The number of rays might not even leave a piece of bone.

But – strangely enough – Raidorl’s mind is calm.

The surface of his mind was calm, without a single ripple, and he had the clarity of an enlightened ascetic.

It is said that at the moment of death, a person goes back over his whole life like a running lantern.

Raidorl wonders if this is the same phenomenon. For him, the moment before the light reached him seemed as long as eternity.

“Now I can’t defeat Granard in his magic armor. Then ……”

All he has to do is grow to a level where he can beat them. It’s that simple.

It would only take a moment for Granard’s rays to kill him and fill the precipice of the far bank that stretched between them.

“I have to thank that…… battle-crazed emperor. Thanks to him, I know how to knock on the door that leads to the other side”

With his eyes closed, Raidorl opened a door in the depths of his mind.

The door opened as easily as if it had known how to open from birth.

Even after ten seconds, twenty seconds…..and more than a minute, death has not come. There is no light burning, there is no pain, there is no heat.

“………….”

When Raidorl slowly opened his eyes, he saw a strange sight in front of him.

It was a meadow of lush green grass. White clouds swam lazily in the blue sky, and occasionally a bird like a kite crossed the border between heaven and earth.

Beside the table, there was a boy sitting in a chair with his legs crossed, tipping his teacup.

“I’ll interrupt you.”

Raidorl said one-sidedly and sat down on a chair facing the boy.

He picked up the teapot and unused cup on the table and made himself a cup of tea.

He took a sip of it …… and immediately frowned.

“It’s bitter…….Do you have any milk or honey?”

“……You’re really brazen, coming in out of the blue. It’s a bit of a stunner.”

The boy muttered in a high-pitched, depressed voice.

When Raidorl looks at the face, he sees that the boy has a very well-defined face.

His eyes, nose, lips, eyebrows …… and all the other parts of his face were impeccably shaped and arranged on his face in a harmony like the golden rule.

His hair was a pale golden colour. His hair is soft, feathery and has a texture that makes him want to reach out and stroke it.

“Mu ……, don’t touch me. It’s disgusting.”

As if the boy had read Raidorl’s mind, he held his head in his hands and pulled back his chair to get some distance.

Apparently he had missed a stroke. Raidorl shrugs his shoulders and opens his mouth.

“Don’t be in such a bad mood, Dáinsleif.”

The name Raidorl spoke was the name of the holy sword he owned.

It was the first time they had spoken to each other, but Raidorl knew that the boy in front of him was his matchless partner.

“……That’s impossible advice, Raidorl. I’m in a very bad mood.”

The boy, Dáinsleif, waved his right hand with a sultry pout. A pot of milk suddenly appeared in his empty hand and was bluntly placed on the table.

“Oi,oi,oi…..what did I do? I don’t remember I’m being hated by you.”

“What? You’re asking me that!”

As Raidorl poured milk into his own tea, Dáinsleif slammed the table.

“Firstly! You’ve been too rough with me, haven’t you? I chose you to be my wielder, but you neglected me for five years, and then when you finally picked me up, you threw me away without a second thought…! I’m the legendary holy sword! Do you have any idea what an honor it is to be chosen by me?” 

“Aaa, I think I know what you’re talking about. …… I’m sorry, but I didn’t mature up well either. And I’ve got something to complain about too. I’ve been banished from Royal Capital because of you.”

“That’s your brothers’ business! It’s none of my business!”

Dáinsleif says indignantly, crosses his arms and sniffs with a huff.

“So? Why did you come all the way out here to open the door for me? I wouldn’t know if it was a trivial matter, would I?”

“You know what I want. Tell me how to use the holy armour.”

“Fu…nnn…”

At the frank request, Dáinsleif turns condescending. He flicks his finger lightly at the cup on the table and twists his lips sarcastically.

“You talk big, but in the end you need my help? People are so selfish, aren’t they?”

“Selfishness….Sure, it’s human karma. Forgive me.”

Raidorl shook his head and drank the contents of his teacup in one gulp.

Raidorl, with his unusually relaxed attitude. Dáinsleif raises an eyebrow, not amused. 

“You’re taking your time. Aren’t you worried about what’s going on out there?”

“Not much time has passed anyway. I know what I’m doing.”

Raidorl knew instinctively what this place was like.

This is the world of Raidorl’s mind. It is the inner world of the soul, so to speak.

No matter how much time he spent in this place, not a second would have passed in the outside world. Raidorl understands this instinctively, without anyone telling him. 

And as Dáinsleif knew that intuitive understanding and adaptability were the most necessary talents of a holy sword wielder.

“I have to say, you are a genius holy sword holder. The previous wielder would not have come to this place if I had not invited him. Even that knowing-looking emperor wouldn’t have reached these heights in less than a year with the Holy Sword in his hands.”

“It’s a compliment. Then…..”

“But!! You’re being too rough using me! You’re not graceful enough! I demand more care and attention, and more respect for me!”

“Oh come on..that’s a lot of demands. I’m sorry, I’m telling you. I’ll make it right, so give me a break.”

“Of course! You’d better be careful from now on!””

“[From now on]…… I take that as consent, right?”

Raidorl asked, and Dáinsleif nodded disapprovingly.

“……fine, I’ll help you. I don’t like your attitude, but it’s annoying to see my wielder defeated by that holy sword monster!”

“Thanks a lot, Partner.”

“I’m really feeling good….D-don’t pat me on the head! Don’t treat me like a child!”

Raidorl patted the dumbfounded Dáinsleif on the head. The holy sword in the form of a boy resisted indignantly, waving his hands in the air.

Shaking off Raidorl’s hand, Dáinsleif bites back, bared his double teeth and says

“I’m going to help you. If you lose, I won’t be happy! You’ve got to win!”

“Yes, of course. I’m not going to be beaten by my brother, who is a fool to be tricked and used by a witch.”

“Hmph! Then let’s see you win!　I’ll beat that pissant witch’s apostle with ease, without even a paper-thin shred of a chance! My holy armour’s name is ……”

〇　　　〇　　　〇　

“Holy armour, Hvezlung, The twilight trickster!”　　　　　

Raidorl opens his eyes and makes a decisive statement.

At the same time, ‘time’, which had stopped, began to move. The plains and the boy disappear, and a myriad of looming lights appear.

Slightly earlier than the rays of light reached Raidorl, an explosion of miasma erupted from the jet-black holy sword.

An aura of evil enveloped Raidorl’s body for a moment, as if the gates of hell had opened.

However, Granard’s attack did not stop.

Like a tidal wave, it swallowed up the miasma covering Raidorl.

*TL:Hvezlung one of the names for Loki.