Rodwell stood by Theo's side as they made their way to the training hall.
He turned to Theo with a pensive expression.
"Are you sure you're okay with giving that sword to the youngest master?"
Theo shrugged off the question.
"After all, there's no one else who can handle it but him."
"That… is certainly true."
Rodwell had to agree with Theo.
The reason was simple.
So far, Theo hadn't just given Nox the chance to hold the Stormbringer as he did now.
First Garen, then Grine… then Allen and Hartz.
He's given everyone a fair shot.
And the result is….
"Every single one of them lasted less than two minutes before letting go of the blade."
"Perhaps the story would be different if the other masters had grown up."
"No. That's impossible. I have my limits, too."
Rodwell clamped his mouth shut.
Theo was right.
The Stormbringer was a sword that even he, its master, could not fully wield.
It is a sword that grows with its wielder, and you must hold it in your weakest moments. You have to make it accept you as its master.
It's a sword that doesn't mean much if you hold it when you're already strong.
So if Nox, who had just come of age, held it for ten minutes, it was in many ways justified to give it to him.
...In fact, the whole incident was due to Nox's characterization.
A trait he possessed [Time Limit].
It had one more unknown effect: it allowed him to exert power beyond life force in exchange for life, just as he did when he activated [Time of Genius].
This is why Nox was able to hold the sword for ten minutes earlier.
It was because he had all of his [Sword and Martial Arts Genius] at work.
But of course, no one else can see that.
Nox held the sword because he was the genius of the century.
Or so he thought.
This was true even for Theo, one of the strongest.
Theo had almost made up his mind about which son would inherit his legacy.
"Ha, I was expecting you to be a Pathfinder. Is this what you've got?"
Grine glares at me with a smirk. I shrug my shoulders and watch his demeanor.
Grine raises his voice.
"How the hell did you find your way here so quickly? This is the unexplored south! Even experienced guides have trouble finding their way around here, and you expect me to believe that you found your way in one fell swoop?"
Grine seemed to have said all the insults he wanted to say at this point.
But what can I do? I already know the way.
And I can recite a long list of good reasons.
"Look at the floor."
At those words, the eyes of the other knights and soldiers turn downward.
There, they see the marks made by the sharp claws of an animal.
They were probably footprints, but the soldiers didn't immediately realize what they meant.
I decided to explain.
"Those are the tracks of an owlbear. They have the body of a bear and the face of an owl, and they live in the southern borderlands of the Chasers. Look this way."
He bent down and pointed to the tracks in more detail.
"See how there's an owl feather near the deeply fanned claw marks? That's unmistakable evidence that an owlbear has been here. In other words, if you follow these tracks, you'll find your way home in no time."
"...."
Grine was speechless.
This is all stuff you learn at the Eldain Academy.
But it would be hard to apply it in a real-life situation like this.
Anyway, my role as a Pathfinder was beginning to appeal to them.
The fact that they were talking now was proof of that.
"What do you think, why don't you do as I say?"
"…Sure. Ron, lead the men and get them moving."
Luckily, Grine was quick on the upside and quick on the downside.
Anyway, there's no mistaking what I'm saying.
The people were already starting to get agitated, and if I told them I wasn't completely right, I'd lose their trust.
For my own dignity, I have to show that I believe in what I'm saying.
For the sake of his own authority.
"Idiot."
I mocked in a low voice, leading the way.
There was something oddly endearing about having the smallest horse, Carl, at the head of the pack.
Zitri was still prancing around the perimeter eagerly.
This makes me the leader of the procession.
The look on Grine's face must be something to behold.
That asshole. I should've kicked his ass.
"Let's go."
I patted him lightly on the back and spurred him on, and with a grunt, he began to gallop ahead.
The soldiers' faces were brighter than before as we entered the forest.
…Just like that.
They traveled through the forest for about four hours.
Slowly, a ground spider swoops overhead, casting long shadows. I think we're going to have to pitch our tent and rest soon...….
"I think you should pitch your tent over there. It's easier to get water and, most importantly, the least likely to be disturbed by beasts or demons."
Zitri said from beside me.
I nodded and gestured in the direction she indicated.
"We'll all rest there for a day and then move on. It'll be about three more days before we reach the Chasers, so rest well."
"Yes!"
The soldiers replied quickly.
Grine's mood is decidedly uncomfortable. Hagiya, it's only natural. {1}
To me, it would feel like I've stolen his soldiers.
But it's also true that I'm leading them down the right path.
They'll see an opportunity now, and they'll be very eager to do something about me once they have a reason, whenever that may be.
'Well, that's only if I don't give them room.'
I was about to tell Zitri to open the subspace pocket to pitch the tent.
"The tent is up. I've got some immediate supplies inside, so if you need anything else, let me know."
"...."
For some reason, whenever I look at Zitri's ability to get things done, I think of Rona.
The one who was always running around the yard with Carl.
She used to wash my white shirts crisp and return them to me.
She was an amazing worker, and she had the strength to hold her own at House Reinhafer…!
She's unstoppable.
Rona… who the hell are you?
Zitri, who the hell are you?
This is so extreme, I don't know what to say.
"Sue, thank you."{2}
I replied in a stupid voice, then walked lightly through the tent and into the interior.
Zitri was right about the lack of horses around here.
The soldiers had decided to take turns standing guard, and with the number of allies we had, we shouldn't have any problems.
That is, of course, assuming one very special circumstance.
I set Theo's Stormbringer on my bedside table and fluffed up my pillow.
But sleep is elusive.
Is it because I can see what's about to happen so clearly?
I thought, and smiled wryly.
Meanwhile, then.
Zitri was already at the kitchen, boiling water and asking me.
"What do you want me to make you for tea? Earl Grey, again?"
"Damn it! Ron, what the hell is going on?! I told you, you know the geography of this part of the world better than anyone, and what the hell is this!"
A gruff voice erupted from Granger's vast tent.
Ron, standing in front of him, bowed his head.
"I apologize, sir. However, we were not expecting Master Nox to find his way here so quickly either."
"That's what you call a horse?! My brother has never left the estate until now! Even he can't find his way… and you, who have been back and forth so many times, don't know?"
"Don't you know… At this time of year, the other demons are on the move, and man-made paths become meaningless.
Furthermore… in addition to the tracks of the Owlbear, Master Nox has been moving as if he's been memorizing the path the entire time."
Admittedly, Nox's talent as a Pathfinder was unparalleled.
He had memorized every horse that appeared.
It must have taken him days just to store them in his head, and I couldn't believe how the wretch could do it.
"Damn!"
He knew it, too.
It wasn't technically a matter for them.
At this time of year, as Ron had said, the beasts are out in force, and the paths people have made are gone, and the terrain is completely reversed.
Unless you're a very good navigator, you're bound to get lost a few times.
But.
'That Nox guy found his way the first time, and he's supposed to be a talented pathfinder....'
Clearly, he was cutting corners.
It didn't make any sense.
"Hey, Schultz, did you say that Hartz and Allen also fell victim to Nox?"
"Yes, sir."
Schultz, as Grine called him, was his personal butler.
One whose job it was to be in touch with the maids of the house and report back on what was happening there.
A spy of sorts, if you will.
"We'll have to see what he's got."
"I have a good one for you."
Schultz pulled a small cloth pouch from his arm.
Inside was mud of unknown purpose.
"What is this?"
"This is the mud I found in the ogre's nest. If I use it, I will surely be able to attract a large number of male ogres to this place."
"I see… I see what your intentions are."
Grine nodded.
Even if he hadn't excelled at the academy, he hadn't missed a class on monsters.
Schultz pulled out the mud.
It was laced with the pheromones of a female ogre.
Perhaps he was taking advantage of the fact that the ogres were currently in breeding season and using the mud to call out to the males.
They would be drawn to the heavily scented mud.
"We'll sprinkle this over Master Nox's tent, without his knowledge."
Schultz drove a wedge into Grine's thoughts.
His intentions were clear.
Have Nox fight an ogre, a fairly high ranking monster, to see how strong he is.
That way, they would know if he was a threat to Grine's position or not.
It was a near-perfect plan.
"Very well. I leave it to you."
Grine nodded in satisfaction.
Schultz strode out of the tent, confident that this was going to advance his rank, and began to approach the tent where Nox slept in silence.
About four o'clock in the morning.
About the time everyone else went to bed.
I opened my eyes abruptly, reaching for the Stormbringer I'd left on my bedside table.
I could feel the heft of the iron sword, and I could feel the corrupted energy of the demons around me slowly approaching the tent.
"It's starting to happen...."
I muttered, breathing lightly.
Zitri was already awake.
"Young Master."
"You wait here."
"What…?"
Zitri stammered, but I ignored her.
Then, with a faint smile, I realized that the moment I had been waiting for had finally arrived.
I looked back at Zitri, whose question lingered, and added a quiet reassurance.
"Don't worry. I'll be back with him shortly."
Before she could stop me, I ran out of the tent.
Eight pairs of eyes stood out in the inky darkness.
A total of four ogres stood around.
Quite a few… but it didn't really matter to me.
It was a win-win situation.
There are several reasons for this, but the two most important are.
First.
[Artifact 'Stormbringer' responds to your magic and will].
The Stormbringer has begun to feed on my magic, and it's starting to show its teeth.
When I first saw it, it was a crude, toothy sword, but now it's different.
It's an artifact, even if it's low-grade.
That means I can slice through it like it's a small piece of tofu.
And the second reason.
"Hello, my life forces...."
When you defeat these guys…
my death will be postponed by the effects of the Ring of Black Brimstone!
Grine… what an asshole, but well done!
I thanked Grine for summoning the monsters and began to swing my sword.
I take a stance and put my weight behind my sword.
Next.
The swing!
I slowly feel the series of sensations of cutting something.
'Huh.'
I mentally recall the basic sword techniques I first learned at the Reinhafer family.
Then I move my body to deal with the four enemies in front of me.
I decide to do the best I can without using my genius time.
The sword must become my secret weapon.
If I can't get by without it, I won't be able to survive in this world.
Boom! Boom!
The ogre's club smashes into the ground across the junction, shattering it, but I'm already airborne at that moment.
I dodge the kick with my shifting feet, and before I know it, I'm behind him and slashing my sword sideways.
Aaaah!
I move to the center, then spin and slash at two of them.
Cleave! Shear!
The last one is now terrified and tries to bolt, but I don't pause.
"Carl."
Hmph!
I leap, grabbing Carl, who springs to life immediately. I'm going to take out the last ogre that's heading into the forest.
Boom!
The next one was decapitated.
I returned and met up with Zitri, who was waiting in front of the tent, feeding Carl a treat. Zitri is scratching his head in disbelief.
"What the hell is going on? An ogre popping out of the woods at the beginning of a shallow forest like this…?"
"Someone brought the ogre here on purpose."
"…What?"
Zitri asks.
I smirk and stare at the mud on the tent.
"And I think I know who it is all too well."
{1} : Uncle Roger voice
{2} : "수, 수고했다." "su, sugohaessda." – don't know this reference