Chapter 4: Homecoming (4)

Chapter 4: Homecoming (4)

Elric had a dream.

He dreamed of slaughtering soldiers on a bloody and muddy battlefield.

The stench of blood and the smell of rotting corpses mixed together, causing a numbness in his sense of smell. The soldiers screams made his ears ring. His vision was in black and white.

Frantically swinging his sword, he barely moved forward as the bombardment of flames from the mages, archers, and artillery unit dyed his vision pitch black.

It was as if he was looking into the gaping maw of a giant monster.

Elric stared blankly at the scene, and only at the very end did he manage to

Huhk!

He woke up from the dream.

Groggily, Elric sat up in bed and looked around at his surroundings.

A single desk, a bed, a set of knights armor, and the decorative swords that hung on the wall painted a picture of tranquility.

This wasnt the battlefield. It was a peaceful room where the commotion of the West was not felt at all. It was his childhood room, where everything was just as he had remembered it.

Yes, Im back home now.

With a trembling hand, Elric reached out.

Even though he knew that there were no enemies here, he couldnt relax.

His body broke out in a cold sweat. His heart was pounding like a madman, and his heightened senses were picking up every sound around him, even the chirping of the birds outside the window.

A sword, a sword.

These were the effects of a psychological disorder.

Raised on the battlefield and immersed in its madness, Elric had been afflicted with a disease that made it impossible for him to let go of his sword, even for a single moment.

With a clatter, he found a dagger on top of a nearby cupboard.

Elric cradled the dagger in his arms and took a deep breath.

His heartbeat was slowing down.

It was at that moment.

Sir, did you cough?

Aldio asked from the doorway.

The sound of his voice brought Elric back to reality.

Yeah, I just woke up.

A light chirping of birds was heard.

These were such luxurious accommodations.

After coming in so late the night before and going straight to his bedroom, Elric felt awkward in the morning at the manor.

He had asked for a cold bath and was immediately met with a basin full of cold water.

After washing up, he found that his clothes were already prepared for him, and the fabric was so soft that he almost felt like he wasnt wearing clothes at all. On the battlefield, he had always worn rough clothes that were torn apart every time he fought, so he couldnt help but notice the contrast.

Elric buttoned his shirt and tightened his necktie.

Looking in the mirror, he saw no trace of Kasha the Sword Demon.

For some reason, it felt foreign, and Elric smiled.

This doesnt suit me at all.

As a child, he had often heard that his smiling face was beautiful, but now it seemed too artificial. Perhaps, the reason he had never smiled on the battlefield was because of that.

His expression stiffened.

Elric tore his gaze away from the mirror and grasped his cane.

As he left the room, Aldio was waiting for him.

Shall we have a meal first?

Please lead the way.

Aldio smiled and started walking.

It wasnt long before the question came up.

By the way, what happened to your leg?

He had been looking at Elrics knee all day yesterday, and now he seemed to finally be asking about it.

Elric shrugged.

Im so stupid.

Once again, he had made the same mistake of opening his mouth unnecessarily.

He felt sick to his stomach. If he kept sitting here like that, he would lose his appetite completely.

So, he quickly grabbed half a piece of bread, one slice of bacon, and a handful of fries that were still on his plate, and shoved them into his mouth all at once.

He wiped his mouth roughly with a napkin and stood up from his seat.

Im going to look around the mansion. Take care and enjoy your meal.

Im off. Enjoy your meal.

It was the most casual greeting that he could muster.

There was no way the true meaning behind his words could have been conveyed, and he didnt even think about such a thing.

Elric grabbed his cane and hastily left the table.

Only after the door had closed did Tyria speak.

Yes, have a good day.

It was a very quiet voice.

A faint smile appeared on her lips, barely noticeable if one looked closely, and then disappeared without a trace.

The mansion was bustling after the meal.

Guided by Aldio, Elric began to greet all the servants.

Among them, there were those who existed in Elrics memory, and those who had been replaced by others.

Those whom he met after a long time welcomed Elric warmly.

Elric was overwhelmed with gratitude.

They welcomed him here, even though he was a shameless, reckless bastard who had left without a word and had not come to his fathers funeral.

After each hug, they all, without exception, expressed concern about his knee.

It will heal eventually, Elric assured them, but none of them believed him.

Was I such a useless child?

Elric pondered, as he looked back on the past.

He had to admit that if you were to pick out the biggest troublemaker in Wevin, then the name of Elric Portman would come up without fail. In this respect, at least, there was no denying it.

As Elric struggled to respond, the maid chuckled and asked another question.

Haiya Then, Milord, are you staying for good now?

Haha.

Elric awkwardly laughed.

After all, he hadnt firmly decided on his plans yet.

With his knee injury, hed probably stay here for a while, but who was he to pretend to be the lord of this place now?

His return to Wevin had been purely an accident, a combination of homesickness and other factors that had cleverly came together.

It was just his luck that he had found out about his fathers death at the bar he visited after leaving the battlefield with a knee injury. Even if he spoke about it, would anyone believe this story?

He didnt want to cause any trouble by coming here and disturbing the peace, knowing that this place would function just fine without him.

More than likely, he would return to the battlefield.

Milord?

Well, we can talk about that later, I have somewhere to go.

Ah, well, whatever, the only thing thats important is that youre here. Ho ho! Well have a grand dinner tonight.

Elric turned to Aldio, ignoring the giggles of the gracious maid.

Then, shall we get going?

Yes, please climb into the carriage.

In front of them was a carriage, just the right size for a single rider.

Elric fiddled with the dagger in his pocket.

It was a habit, something he did whenever he felt unsettled.

Eventually, he made his way to the carriage with a thud, step by step.

His destination was his fathers grave.