Rowy really squeezed out all sorts of things from Seilan. The thoroughly fleeced Seilan whimpered, begging him to stop. So Rowy magnanimously let Seilan go.
‘The rest we can talk about next time we meet….’
In the end, Seilan, unable to hold back his temper, hurled curses… but anyway, Rowy was the one in charge. By the time he returned to the inn with arms full of various things he’d received, it was already deep into the early morning. His head hurt, he was sleepy… Rowy kept whining.
“I’m sleepy….”
“Still, I think it would be better if you ate a bit more of this before sleeping. You have too much of a fever.”
Van, who had been sitting perched at the bedside continuously wiping Rowy’s sweat, took out a magic stone from his pouch and put it in Rowy’s mouth. Among the things Seilan had given them, this pouch of magic stones was what Van was most delighted about. As if it hadn’t been long ago that Van was shocked to see Rowy eating magic stones, Van sat beside him nagging for him to chew thoroughly.
“I don’t want to eat anymore. It tastes bad.”
“What do you mean, eating medicine for its taste?”
“It’s chalky. I want to eat ice cream.”
Rowy made a tearful face while chewing the tasteless stones.
“Really… I need to get to the island as fast as possible.”
“If you go to the island, will you get better?”
“Mmhm, because I left my magical tools there.”
Who knew not having magical tools would be such a terrible thing. When he returned, he would absolutely never create a situation where he’d have to take off his magical tools again.
“Tomorrow morning, I’m really leaving. They said it won’t rain either.”
He had already reserved passage on a ship through Seilan. If he delayed any longer, his head would really be crushed.
“Mmm, I don’t want to eat anymore.”
“Please, just one more.”
Thanks to coaxing and cajoling and feeding him enthusiastically, the pouch of magic stones soon showed its bottom. However, Rowy’s fever still burned fiercely. Clutching the deflated pouch tightly, Van lowered his head.
“…This is truly the first time I’ve felt so useless.”
“Mmm?”
“Really, I’m sorry….”
Van knelt before Rowy. At the sudden situation, Rowy’s eyes widened.
“Master getting hurt is all my fault.”
This isn’t being hurt, it’s just a lack of mana. The high-ranking mage Rowy, who feared nothing in the world, thought. However, Van didn’t seem to think that way.
“I should have told you clearly from the start. Instead of hiding it like this.”
“What?”
“About the Holy Sword.”
Van looked at the Holy Sword fastened at his waist. The familiar jet-black sword hung alongside the sword Rowy had bought him. The fact that both were swords Rowy had bought for him dragged Van’s mood even lower. He felt like he had committed a great sin.
“There’s something I didn’t tell you.”
Van grasped Rowy’s hand firmly.
“I am the owner of the Holy Sword. The Holy Knight Commander of the Elysion Order.”
“……”
The sudden confession began just like that.
* * *
“…So. You’re the Knight Commander of the Elysion Order, and originally the Holy Sword was yours, but because you had no money, both the Holy Sword was sold and you were sold too?”
“That… yes.”
At the far too shabby summary, Van lowered his head.
“But actually, you also didn’t like being Knight Commander, so you were just going to live as my slave forever?”
“Not quite that far….”
Didn’t he not say it quite that way? Just, after accomplishing his mission, he felt a bit of emptiness… and it was interpreted like that? Van’s expression became subtle.
“But why? The Elysion Order collapsed anyway, didn’t it? What does God matter now?”
“Collapsed, it’s not quite collapsed to that extent….”
“It’s a tourist site.”
Rowy remembered well what the host had said at the auction.
“They said it’s a tourist site and to go sightseeing.”
“……”
“Well, whatever. It’s no big deal. God or whatever, you’re mine now anyway. It’s natural for an owner to take care of what’s theirs. If there’s danger in the future, call me.”
I’ll protect you. Rowy said, lifting his chin. Van, who had collapsed in the confrontation and hadn’t been able to do anything, couldn’t find anything particular to say in response. Certainly, his master was… a much stronger mage than Van had thought. Recalling the raging violent mana that had surged forth, Van habitually put a magic stone in Rowy’s mouth again. Mmph, Rowy pushed away Van’s hand in irritation.
“More than that, I’m curious about something else.”
“Yes?”
“Have you really killed demons?”
Rowy’s eyes sparkled brightly. Those eyes were similar to the ones that had looked at the demon, making Van hesitate.
“Holy fire, wasn’t it called holy fire? That flame? I want to see it. Can I see it even now?”
“Yes? No, that’s limited to demons….”
Van stammered as he caught Rowy, who suddenly sat up and lunged forward.
“Have you used it on demons?”
“Well… yes.”
“Wooow.”
An exclamation of admiration even burst from Rowy’s mouth. Van laid Rowy back down on the bed, not knowing what to do. However, Rowy immediately bounced back up.
“Right, he was a demon too, right? That goat mask!”
“He’s called a demon vessel. They’re people who offer their own bodies as sacrifices to demons and summon demons.”
“Then, wouldn’t he be dead? Demons don’t die.”
He was definitely someone who kept moving his body until the very end even in a state where a human would have died. In the end, they had let him escape, which made Rowy extremely irritated.
“Since a demon vessel isn’t a demon that has perfectly descended into this world, if the human body died, it probably disappeared as is.”
“That means it goes back to hell, right?”
“Because demons don’t die.”
“Unless killed with a Holy Sword?”
“Yes.”
Rowy’s eyes looked at the Holy Sword hanging at Van’s waist, filled with interest.
‘No matter how much I look, I can’t really tell what’s special about it.’
At those curiosity-filled eyes, Van obediently drew the sword and showed it to Rowy. Lest he get hurt, the scabbard was firmly sealed.
“Hmm?”
Just what kind of principle is it? Would it be possible with mana too? He had no idea at all. Rowy busied himself touching the crimson seal with his hands and examining the sacred words up close.
Before long, light began dimly filtering through the window. Since they had to board a ship in the morning, they really needed to sleep at least a little now. Rowy was still running a hot fever. However, Rowy, who was completely absorbed in the Holy Sword, seemed to have forgotten about his own physical condition.
‘He cries every single night, and yet….’
Such sparkling eyes. What is this, should he tuck a sword into his arms every night? Van looked at Rowy with mixed feelings. Rowy was now practically burying his nose in the seal.
“There isn’t really a demon inside here, is there?”
“Of course not….”
“That’s disappointing.”
What would you do if there was one… Why is he so obsessed with demons? Suddenly, Seilan’s words about Rowy being very interested in demons came to mind.
“Um, do you happen to have a demon you want to kill?”
“Can you kill one for me?”
You really do have one? Van’s mouth fell open. The question of whether you’ve spotted a demon rose to the tip of his throat. Feeling like a truly frightening answer would come back if he let it out of his mouth, Van changed the subject.
“You should sleep now. The sun is already about to rise.”
“But.”
“Doesn’t your head hurt anymore?”
“Mmm, it still hurts though.”
“Sleep for now.”
By Van’s hand, Rowy was forcibly laid down on the bed. Once his head actually touched the pillow, fatigue rushed over him suddenly. Rowy blinked his heavy eyelids and looked up at Van sitting beside him. Even though they had stayed up all night together, and he had even collapsed, Van showed no sign of fatigue as he stayed by his side taking care of Rowy.
When Rowy reached out his hand, a large hand that came close grasped Rowy’s hand in return. And soon their eyes met. Rowy was reflected in those black pupils. He had thought from the beginning that they were such upright eyes, but… to think he was a holy knight. Rowy tried to imagine Van’s past self. The one who wore armor, held a Holy Sword, and confronted demons.
‘Daer, wasn’t it.’
Though he had arbitrarily given him a new name, Rowy naturally hadn’t forgotten Van’s original name. Daer, the Holy Knight Commander of the Elysion Order.
“Van.”
“Yes.”
Rowy impulsively called out to Van.
“…You’ll stay by my side, right?”
“Yes.”
At the voice that came as if it were obvious, Rowy tightly squeezed Van’s hand.
* * *
“Haaam.”
“Is there a need to go back this early?”
“I have to go.”
The next day, Seilan, who met them again at the harbor, grumbled as he watched Rowy yawning continuously. Why are you going back already? Seilan’s face was also full of fatigue, having been busy all night due to yesterday’s incident.
Still, he had things to deliver, and since once Rowy entered the island he rarely came out to the city, Seilan had personally come to the harbor to see him off.
“Once you go in now, you won’t come out again for a while.”
“Mmhm, that’s right.”
“Then, just tell me what else you need then. Right now my slush fund has been completely cleaned out, so I have nothing.”
Seilan said while handing over a box he was holding in his arms. Rowy’s face brightened as he received the box.
“Is this it?”
“Yeah. What you asked for.”
“Wow.”
Rowy, who had opened the box, smiled brightly. Then he looked around for Van.
“Van! Come here!”
“Yes?”
Van, who had been organizing luggage for a while, raised his head at Rowy’s call. Rowy, who had come to the city practically empty-handed, had quite a bit of luggage on the way back, most of which were Van’s clothes. Van, who had been organizing the luggage here and there with a grateful heart, approached at Rowy’s call.
“Is there something you need me to do?”
“Yeah, bend down.”
Van bent down toward Rowy without knowing what was happening. Rowy firmly grasped Van’s neck.
“What are you….”
Van was flustered at suddenly having his neck grabbed. However, Rowy paid no attention to Van and moved his hands around. Soon the crude restraint device that had been on Van’s neck was removed.
“Master?”
“Yeah. Wait.”
And soon, click. A new restraint device was fastened.
“……?”
“Mm, it’s pretty. Seilan has good taste.”
“What is this?”
“Hm? A new restraint device.”
“Pardon?”
Van felt around his neck. Unlike the previous one with its crude finish, it was a restraint device made of very thin material.
“The previous one wasn’t pretty at all, so I asked Seilan. And I had some functions added too. That one just had lightning magic on it, but that level isn’t really anything, you know. It’s just a bit stinging.”
Lightning magic is… just a bit stinging?
“This time I put more thought into it. For example, if you try to leave without my permission, it explodes right away.”
Then your head would fly off, right? Even if you’re the Knight Commander. The face that smiled while saying that was so radiant. Van couldn’t even refute and ended up wearing a bomb around his neck.
“Young master! Let’s depart now!”
Just then, the captain who had finished preparing for departure called out to Rowy. Rowy ran toward the ship with light steps. Van hurriedly followed behind and lifted Rowy up in one swift motion and placed him on the ship, lest he miss his footing. The ship instantly began moving away from the harbor.
“Rowy!”
“Hm?”
Rowy, who had been watching the splitting waves, turned his head at the sound of someone calling him. Seilan was waving his hand widely from the end of the harbor.
“Have a safe trip! Friend!”
“…Yeah.”
Rowy waved his hand back with light movements. Seilan, seeing that, grinned and turned his body. Rowy gazed at Seilan like that. The ship riding the favorable wind instantly put distance between itself and the shore.
“Hmm.”
…This outing had been quite fun. He made a friend too. And….
“Come here. The wind is cold.”
“Okay.”
Led by Van’s hand into the interior of the ship, Rowy looked at the city growing distant.
‘Still, I have to go back.’
The island wasn’t a good place to live, not even as an empty phrase… but still, he had to return. The vigorously blowing wind sent the ship farther and farther away. I won’t come out of the island for at least half a year. Rowy made that resolution and turned his head from the city without regret. …However, Rowy at that time had no idea at all that he would return to this city again much sooner than expected.
