The Lazy Swordmaster

It was not certain if this place should be called a guest room or an infirmary.

Compared to other places, the place was quiet. Nainiae placed Riley on the bed for him to lie down. It looked like she was feeling they just got past a major problem.

“… This place is a lot better than the cave, right?”

Having heard Nainiae’s question, Sera, who unpacked the luggage on the room, placed a new wet towel on Riley’s forehead and nodded.

“Yes, definitely.”

Riley was still asleep, but Sera assessed that they won’t have to worry about his condition getting worse from the fever.

“Now, the problem is when the Young Master will wake up.”

Almost immediately after Sera said that, Riley uncovered the blanket that was up to his collarbone. He started to struggle.

“… Uu… Uuu.”

It looked as if he was having a nightmare. Perhaps it could be that he was suffering from fever still. He completely crumpled his face and scratched at the bedsheet. Nainiae anxiously bit her lips.

“Young Master…”

Sera also looked concerned as she looked at Riley who was suffering. Sera said,

“I really can’t figure out the cause. If your sleep magic’s effect has run out… then he should wake up. I wonder if we should contact Lady Iris too.”

Sera thought about Iris who was concerned about Riley before they set out for the trip. Sera anxiously bit on her nails and looked at how Nainiae was doing.

“Nainiae.”

“Yes?”

“Is there anything you can think of that might be causing this?”

Having heard Sera’s question, Nainiae looked at Riley, who was struggling, with her right eye. Nainiae, unable to help it, nodded eventually.

“Yes, I do. There is something, but…”

The problem was that the people that Riley was thinking about right now were people who Nainiae could not locate with her eye.

“This problem is not something you or I can resolve.”

Although this was just a guess, Nainiae thought Riley must be suffering because he was dreaming about the people who didn’t live in this world.

‘He was probably thinking about them even before falling asleep.’

Nainiae deduced that the matter regarding these people must be something Riley really didn’t want to think about to the point of giving up sleep for many days. Riley finally stopped struggling. Having noticed, Nainiae pulled up the crumpled blanket back up.

‘Because he sees things he does not want to think about when is asleep, so… That’s why he is trying not to sleep.’

After covering Riley with blanket, Nainiae was unable to lift her head. She started to just look at the floor.

‘… I didn’t notice it.’

Drop…

A water drop fell on the blanket and made a small water mark.

‘No, actually… I was avoiding it too.’

Nainiae was curious about the person Riley was constantly thinking about. However, because Nainiae was afraid that she might get hurt from finding out… She had been avoiding asking him about the truth.

Nainiae thought Riley ended up like this because of her weakness. Nainiae started to shed teardrops.

“Nainiae?”

Concerned, Sera placed her hand on Nainiae’s shoulder and asked,

“Why are you crying?”

“Ah, I am sorry. It is not… the time to be crying like this.”

Nainiae tumbled to wipe off the tears on her hand quickly. To get a grip, she slightly slapped her cheeks and thought hard about what she could do.

‘Is waiting all I can do at the moment?’

Not long after Nainiae started to think hard about this, she could hear two knocks on the door.

“Um?”

After much trouble, they did manage to have Riley rest on a bed. However, this place was Duke Philisneon’s mansion.

To put it nicely, what Nainiae did was to protect a patient. However, to put it harshly, what she did was no different from breaking in. Having heard the knocks, Sera prepared for the commotion that could happen soon. With hardened look on her face, Sera said,

“… Yes.”

In response, the door handle rotated, and the door opened. A woman in dress entered the room.

“Ah…”

Sera recognized who the woman was. She was the daughter of Duke Phillisneon Family who visited Iphalleta Mansion last time. The woman was Princess Reutrina Phillisneon.

“P… Princess.”

Sera lowered her head and greeted the Princess to show respect.

“…”

It seemed Nainiae was not interested about the Princess entering the room. Nainiae just looked at Riley who was lying on the bed. She didn’t move an inch.

“That insolent!”

“… Stop.”

“However, Princess!”

The Princess raised her right hand and made the guards and servants to close their mouths. With deadly gaze, the Princess looked back at them and said,

“Haven’t you heard that this room has a patient? Disrespecting the patient can only be tolerated so much.”

“Still, for you to be so respectful to them, they are!”

“If they are lying or not… How can you be certain? Do you all have blessed eyes like the Priestess Priesia?”

“…”

“I’ll confirm it myself. All of you, please leave.”

“P… Princess! Even so, I think you should at least have the guards!”

“I won’t say it for the second time.”

With violent gaze, Princess Reutrina glared at the servants standing outside the door.

“… Kuk.”

The servants could not withstand her glare. The servants were about to place their feet inside the room, but they withdrew. They all looked concerned.

“Princess, if anything happens, you must scream. We will wait here until you come out.”

Watching the servants stepping back after seeing Reutrina’s eyes, Sera thought it was unbelievable. She looked at Reutrina.

Even if it was the Princess’ order, it was hard to fathom how they would agree to leave her alone in a room full of strangers.

‘Is that… all right?’

It seemed Reutrina noticed what Sera was thinking about. Reutrina looked at Sera and peeked a smile. Reutrina walked toward a pot at the corner of the room and said,

“It’s all right, because you are really from the Iphalleta Family. That is… Your name is?”

“I’m Sera. Her name is Nainiae.”

“Sera and Nainiae… Although we didn’t get introduced to each other, we have locked eyes with each other, haven’t we?”

Feeling awkward, Sera scratched her cheek.

In fact, in hiding, Sera was watching Riley and Reutrina having prospective marriage meeting, and Sera’s eyes ran into Reutrina’s briefly.

“I am sorry. It must’ve been difficult to enter without the invitation, right? It’s because of what happened recently at the Solia Castle, so please don’t think too much about it.”

“Pardon? Ah, yes.”

Reutrina immediately brought up the matter of invitation paper. She then picked up two cups of tea that she prepared. Reutrina walked toward Sera and handed her a cup.

“It seems the mood was quite deadly. I am glad there was no casualty.”

Reutrina also walked toward Nainiae and recommended a cup of tea.

“Would you like a cup of tea?”

“No. I am fine.”

Because Nainiae refused the tea, Reutrina put up awkward look on her face. She then brought the tea cup to her lips and apologized again.

“I don’t know what to say. I am so ashamed. I’ll apologize again for there being so much trouble when you tried to enter the mansion.”

“… Yes.”

“It seems Young Master is… not in a good condition.”

Nainiae was wiping off sweat from Riley’s face using wet towel. Watching this, Reutrina had saddened look on her face. She said,

“I thought he would not come, but he arrived. When I heard the news, I wondered why, but… I was not hoping he could come like this.”

“…?”

Sera tilted her head to the side, wondering about how Reutrina seemed like she was hoping Riley would come.

“Since he came without the invitation, he is not here for the banquet… Right?”

Reutrina turned to look at Sera.

“Ah, yes… The thing is…”

“Ms. Sera.”

Nainiae stopped Sera from talking. Nainiae slowly shook her head toward Sera.

“I… I’m sorry, Princess. I am not at liberty to discuss this without permission, so…”

Having realized Nainiae’s opinion that it would be best to be sparing with words, Sera lowered her head, looking ashamed.

“Um… Are you saying you are not at liberty to say? It’s fine. I can understand that much.”

Reutrina scratched her cheek and said she understood. She put the tea cup back to where it originally was and said,

“I’ll personally talk to other people in the mansion, so please tell the servants at the door if there is anything you find uncomfortable. If it is something I can help you with, I will.”

Sera opened her eyes wide and looked at Reutrina. Reutrina was being surprisingly considerate. It seemed Reutrina noticed what Sera was thinking. She smiled and said,

“Are you thinking the situation is being resolved too easily?”

“Ah, no… It’s not like…”

“Haha. Please do not worry so much. I am interested in Young Master Riley too, so…”

Having heard what Reutrina just said, Nainiae, who had her eyes narrowed, quickly turned to glance at Reutrina.

“Even if Young Master Riley is not here, we have right here the grand mage of Six Circles who killed Astroa of Solia Castle, isn’t that right? I was actually thinking the hospitality of this level is not good enough.”

Sera and Nainiae’s eyes opened big.

“Pardon?”

“…”

It was because the higher ups announced to the public that the grand mage named Astroa was imprisoned in Solia Castle for violating the law about Narcotics.

“Just how do you know that?”

“Well, there are many people who wonder why Philisneon has the title of Duke, but… Unlike what’s known to the people, our family does possess power that makes the family worthy.”

Reutrina placed her fist just below her lips. Reutrina had a mysterious smile as she added,

“Just like the two of you have secrets that you cannot tell me, I also have things I cannot discuss. Ah! A woman’s secret… I suppose I could call it that!”

Reutrina looked at Nainiae who had her eyes big. Reutrina snickered again.

“Well then, I’ll excuse myself for a while. The banquet is still in session, so… I can’t just leave the place easily.”

Nainiae watched Reutrina leaving the room. She then sighed quietly and turned to look at Riley who was still unable to wake up. Nainiae had bitter look on her face.

* * *

There was a human being who was born with the blessing of sword, the kind that happened only occasionally in a very long time. He was the one who could swing the holy sword and cut down evil.

‘We need to leave it to him.’

‘He can do it.’

The brave hero was the human being who was trusted by the people… He was the one who would always place the sense of justice first and help the weak. He must never be defeated by evil, and he must never falter.

‘That cannot be.’

‘He lost? That’s impossible.’

When he didn’t live up to the people’s expectations somehow, he had to prepare to face outcry that was far more than the expectations he received.

‘By any chance, did he lose on purpose?’

‘If he was not here, things would not have turned out like this.’

The boy was thinking about his past life where he made his name known to the world as the brave hero.

“…”

From the birth and to the moment of death… From the moment he grabbed hold of the sword and when he shoot down the demon lord that was attempting to take the sky… Riley was thinking one after another about the events from his past life.

“Just what are you telling me to do?”

When he made moves to save people, he was told not to do it. When he didn’t do anything to save people, he was told to go save them. The boy was watching the brave hero like that from the back.

“They will die this way, and they will that way.”

Because of what people were saying, the brave hero was holding his head with his hands, uncertain about what to do. The young boy was watching him from the back.

“Instead of trying so hard to do something, it would be far better to not do anything.”

The boy had bitter look on his face.

“Lower your body so others won’t be able to see you at all. If there are others who might get in your way, kill them before they become trouble later. Like that, just keep quiet and… live comfortably. That’s better.”

The young boy mumbled, but his former self in his past life seemed like he didn’t hear it at all. The former self only swung his sword.

“… That’s enough.”

The boy said to himself in the past life.

‘If I was faster…’

As if he didn’t hear it, himself in the past life started to criticize himself. The boy crumpled his face.

‘If I was just a little bit…’

Himself from the past life was thinking people died all because of himself. To repent for their death, he had been relentlessly swinging or throwing the sword although his body was being drenched in curses.

“Hey, that’s enough. It’s about time for you to stop…”

Riley extended his arm out to stop himself in the past life. At that moment, something small came flying toward him and started to show off its wings.

“…?”

It seemed like it was trying to show off its beauty. It was constantly flapping its wings. It was a butterfly.

“… Butterfly?”

Every time it flapped its wings, it spread small firefly lights. One thing unique about the butterfly was that its wings were… black.