"My name is Kenma. Three years ago, after my family was killed by a group of hilichurls, I continued my life as a nomad, seeking revenge while continuingmy family's traditions. Aside from the time I stayed in Zahara during the Aurellio-Gerthania war, I rescued a total of six people like Yuuji on my journey. In fact, the reason I went to Zahara was my desire to learn more about the hilichurls' past. This country, where humans, hilichurls, and hybrids live together, has a much higher education level compared to other countries. Since the most prestigious academies on the Terranova continent are located in this country, I hoped to learn something, but I found out that the information and resources about the hilichurls' past are not publicly available in Zahara. An elderly professor at the academy told me that I could find what I was looking for in Breton. I was planning to slowly make my way to Breton, but a lot of things happened, and now I'm here."
Kenma enters the dining hall of the mansion. Yuuji is chatting with Yachi, while Selena is writing something in her notebook. Selena:
-"Good morning, Kenma."
-"Good morning."
Yachi had already told Selena about the conversation she had with Yuuji last night. She also tells Kenma that she is actually from a noble family and that she has arranged a private meeting with the king:
-"(...) So, after breakfast today, we will go to the palace and have a meeting."
Kenma remains silent for a moment, then calmly says, "I understand," and sits down.
Yuuji, jokingly:
- "What's wrong, Kenma? Are you excited to meet the king?"
Kenma averts his gaze:
- "No, a-actually... I was going to say that I won't be coming. I have something I must do..."
Selena joins the joke:
- "You really must be excited, huh, Kenma?"
Not wanting to make the situation more difficult, Kenma replies:
- "Haha, I guess so. Sorry, you should go ahead without me. I'll stay here."
Yachi:
- "No problem, Kenma-san! We'll go and handle the meeting, and we'll inform you when we get back. The maids will be here, so you won't be alone. If you need to go out, just take one of them with you so you don't get lost."
- "Alright, thank you."
The four of them finish their breakfast. An hour later, Yuuji, Ichika, and Selena are ready to leave, and after saying their goodbyes, they head out. After they've gone, Kenma approaches one of the maids he encounters:
- "I'd like to go to the library. Can you take me there?"
- "Of course, sir."
- "What was your name?"
- "Nilou, sir."
- "Nice to meet you, Nilou-san."
- "I am at your service, sir."
Kenma hands his swords to Nilou, and they set off together. As they walk, Nilou, who is slightly taller than Kenma, thinks to herself:
"Ichika-sama's friends are just as respectful and kind-hearted as she is. None of them see me as a slave or someone inferior. I'm so lucky to serve the Yachi family. I only wish my brother had ended up with a family like this..."
Nilou, a 19-year-old hybrid with short orange hair, was captured with her brother in the forest 10 years ago, and later brought to Breton. After being held captive for months, Nilou's brother was bought by someone, but because Nilou was ill, she wasn't taken along. Left behind and on the brink of death, Nilou was eventually purchased for a low price by Ichika's father, who took great care of her and made her a maid in his mansion. Although there were many animal maids, none were treated poorly in this mansion. Nilou, who grew up there, has never been able to find any trace of her brother.
They arrive at the library:
- "This is the library, sir. I'll wait here for you."
- "Alright, Nilou-san, thank you."
Kenma enters and finds a book about the Hilichurls, then begins reading:
'Centuries ago on this continent, Terranova, only skaldars lived. Compared to humans, these skaldar beings were inferior in size and intelligence, but their ability to use magic was far superior to the humans. The Skaldar King, Zaroth, was incredibly strong, very intelligent, highly skilled, and also kind-hearted. He loved his people, guided them, and protected them. The skaldars loved him in return; they wanted to serve him and protect him, but the king needed no protection. He was stronger than any creature that could stand against him. Still, he did not ignore the wishes of his beloved community. He chose six skaldars from among them. Through a special ritual, he made these skaldars larger and stronger, and granted them six weapons containing six of his own abilities. These were called the Holy Weapons:
1- Katana: Represents the king's mana capacity and the ability to absorb mana from enemies he touches. It stores the mana of the target and allows the user to utilize it.
2- Wings: Represents the king's ability to fly and teleport.
3- Ring: Represents the king's ability to break barriers and absorb elemental techniques.
4- Rod: Represents the king's shapeshifting ability. It can alter the form, scent, and even mana flow of the user or anything around them. The only must is that the target must have been alive recently.
5- Chestplate: Represents the king's mind control ability. It imposes the user's will on others, forcing them to obey.
6- Medallion: Represents the king's ability to enhance physical strength and mana capacity. The wearer of this pendant experiences a significant increase in physical power and mana capacity.
These Skaldars became the king Zaroth's guards. They were known as 'the Skaldar Guards'. Although the king did not need their protection and preferred to travel alone, the Guards accompanied him on special days and ceremonies. Then one day, a boat from the ocean arrived at the only coastal region (known as Breton today) of this continent, surrounded by mountains, cliffs, and rainforests . The boat contained some humans which were about to die. The Skaldars were afraid, as these unfamiliar beings might be dangerous even if they were injured. However, King Zaroth welcomed them with hospitality. These humans were the last survivors of a shipwreck in a storm. Zaroth made an agreement with them and allowed them to live there. The humans gradually multiplied and built their civilization on this land. Over time, the Skaldars came to love the humans, cared for them, and taught them magic and elemental techniques. However, humans were ungrateful. As human civilization grew and became dominant, they saw the Skaldar King Zaroth as a threat. They tried to devise a plan to kill him. However, it was not possible to kill a powerful creature like Zaroth; so they found a solution by poisoning and weakening him, then sealing and throwing him into the depths of the ocean. They applied hundreds of seals and curses to King Zaroth; the one who embraced the people and shared the lands they lived in. With their most trusted protectors defeated, the skaldars became subject to humans. Over time, they forgot about King Zaroth since they are simple beings. Some migrated to the mountainous region known as "Skaldmara," while others continued to live among humans. And the Skaldar Guards were disappeared.
Kenma looks at the drawings and information about the holy weapons on the next pages:
'Holy weapons have stages. It is known that advancing these stages to the highest level depends on the user's skill and experience. Although there is not much information about the stages of the holy weapons, the drawings of the weapons are available on the next pages.'
While Kenma examines the holy katana and wings, which were used in the killing of his family, his eyes catch a weapon on the next page:
-"I've seen this medallion somewhere…"
He remembers the medallion he saw at Yachi's mansion, feels a surge of anxiety, and quickly closes the book, heading swiftly towards the library exit.
-"That medallion... Why is it at Yachi's house? No, this might be better though. I need to return to the mansion immediately. The medallion shouldn't be left alone…"
As Kenma exits the library, the attendance stops him:
-"Sir, have you completed the borrowing procedures for the book?"
Kenma pauses for a moment, then asks the attendant to wait and hands the book to him. He immediately goes to Nilou, handing her a money pouch:
-"Nilou-san, take this money. I've left a book to the attendant; buy it and come directly to the mansion. I need to get back there immediately."
-"Y-Yes, sir. What about your swords?"
-"Give them to me."
Nilou hands the swords to Kenma. He takes them and attaches them to his belt before running off. Nilou, confused, watches him leave and then goes back into the library to pay for the book.
...
Meanwhile, Yuuji, Ichika, and Selena have arrived at the royal palace. Ichika talks to the guards at the grand entrance:
-"Hello, I am Yachi Ichika. We have come for a meeting. I sent a letter yesterday, so you should be aware."
The guard recognizes Ichika and opens the door:
-"Welcome, Yachi-sama. Yes, we are aware, but the king is currently not here. The meeting will be held with the Royal Commander Zhou Liang. He has the highest authority in the king's absence."
-"I understand. Let's proceed without delay then."
-"Of course, madam."
Escorted by the guard, they pass through the magnificent courtyard of the palace and enter the main building. They arrive at the special room designated for the meeting, where the commander is waiting:
-"Welcome, Ichika-kun. And welcome to all of you."
Selena introduces themselves:
-"It is a pleasure to meet you, Zhou-dono. I am Selena Laurent, one of the three commanders of Aurellio. This is Yuuji Kageyama, one of our honorary knights."
Yuuji nods and greets. Zhou Liang (24):
-"It's a pleasure to meet you. If you're ready, let's begin the meeting."
They sit at the table, and Laurent starts explaining the situation:
-"(…) Because of this, we thought it would be more logical to form an alliance before making a decision and came here. Aurellio is currently in a very weakened state due to both the war losses and the death of the Grandmaster, and cannot face such a serious situation alone."
Zhou:
-"I understand. I wasn't realized the seriousness of the situation. Our king is currently on a trip to another continent, so the authority to make and implement decisions rests entirely with me. Here's what we'll do: Since you've traveled a long way and must be tired, we'll handle this matter for you. First, I will send an envoy to inform Gerthania about the situation. The envoy's return will take at least four days. During this time, we will send exploration teams to detect any hilichurl activity around Breton. What you've described matches the characteristics of the Hilichurl Guards precisely. The glowing katana, the wings, and the rod… When they disappeared long years ago, it was thought they had vanished due to the king's being sealed. However, if they have reappeared after such a long time, the situation could indeed be very serious. We should also send a team to Skaldmara. Since it is a region that humans does not live in, we have no information about there."
Ichika interrupts Zhou:
-"Well, Liang-san, if it's acceptable, we would like to accompany the operations as well."
Yuuji continues:
-"Yes! We may have traveled a long way, but we are not tired! Ichika-san treated us very well yesterday, and we've fully recovered. We're ready to do everything we can."
Selena:
-"Indeed, we didn't come here just to sit. We came to resolve this issue no matter what."
Zhou smiles:
-"I understand. The Yachi family is very hospitable and warm; I'm sure you were received well. Ichika-kun must have welcomed you with the same warmth."
Ichika blushes and smiles modestly:
-"No, no, I didn't do much. Thanks to Yuuji-kun's nourishing healing technique, everyone is refreshed! With this magic, Yuuji not only alleviates our fatigue but also replenishes our depleted mana; so, it's really not much to do with me."
Zhou is surprised:
-"Hmm, 'Nourishing Healing Technique'? That's interesting. I haven't heard of such a name or a similar technique before. Did you invent it yourself, Kageyama-kun?"
Yuuji:
-"Y-yes."
After thinking for a moment, Zhou speaks:
-"Hmm... Since you're eager to contribute, how about we undertake the Skaldmara exploration together? I'd like to work with Kageyama-kun."
The three of them look at each other and nodded their heads. Zhou:
-"Great, then let's add one more person to the team and head to Skaldmara with five members tomorrow. It's quite close from here, so if we leave in the morning, we will be arrived by evening. What do you think?"
Selena:
-"That sounds excellent, but we don't need to find a fifth person. We already have one more team member who didn't come to this meeting. We will introduce you tomorrow."
Zhou:
-"Alright then, I will start preparing the documents."
Selena:
-"I can help with that, Zhou-dono. We can exchange ideas and work out a thoroughly reviewed plan, and I also need to write and send my report." She turns to Yuuji and Ichika. "You two can head back. I'll explain the details to everyone this evening."
Yuuji and Ichika thank her and leave the two commanders to focus on their work. As they exit the palace courtyard, Ichika says:
-"Uh, Yuuji-kun... Since we're alone now, w-would you like me to show you around Breton? I mean, just the two of us... uh, I-I mean..."
Yuuji:
-"Sure! Let's go!"
As they head towards the port, they saw Nilou walking anxiously. Yuuji waves and calls out to her:
-"Nilou-san! Hey, over here!"
Nilou stops immediately upon hearing Yuuji's voice and approaches them with a visibly worried expression:
-"Yuuji-sama, Ichika-sama... I'm glad to have found you here!"
Ichika:
-"Nilou-san, is something wrong? You seem anxious."
Nilou takes a deep breath and speaks quickly:
-"We went to the library with Kenma-sama. He went inside, and I waited outside. Then he came out in a hurry, gave me money to buy a book he left inside, and rushed back to the mansion. I didn't quite understand what was going on."
Yuuji knits his eyebrows, taking the situation seriously:
-"Kenma being flustered is unusual. What's this book about?"
Nilou pulls the book from her bag and hands it to Yuuji. Yuuji:
-"'The History of the Hilichurls'? He must have found something important. We need to get back to the mansion immediately."
Ichika nods. Though he's a bit disappointed at losing the chance to spend time alone with Yuuji, the current situation was more important:
-"Yes, let's go back right away. If Kenma was this flustered, it must be serious."
They quickly return to the mansion, only to find Kenma has already left. He has packed up his belongings and left a note:
"I'm going to Skaldmara. Read the book I left with Nilou carefully. The medallion in the dining room is with me and safe. I will return."
Ichika:
-"Hey, what does this mean? What does he plan to do alone?"
Yuuji:
-"Calm down, Ichika-san. If Kenma is doing something, he must have a reason. Let's examine this book."
-"Y-you're right..."
They carefully read the book. They are stunned by the information about the Skaldar race, which they had previously known as 'Hilichurls', and the history they've learned. As Yuuji reads the section about the holy weapons, his calm demeanor shifts to concern and anger:
-"That idiot! What does he plan to do alone?"
Ichika:
-"Yes, I was said the same thing earlier..."
-"Ichika-san, I'm going after Kenma. You take this book and go tell Selena and Zhou about the situation. Since we were all going to Skaldmara anyway, just think of it as me going ahead with Kenma. If we don't encounter each other, I'll come back here."
-"But it's very dangerous! At least let me send someone with you!"
-"Don't worry. By the time I find Kenma, I won't be alone."
-"O-okay. Please be careful, Yuuji-kun."
Yuuji goes to his room to pack his belongings, while Nilou prepares a horse for him. Ichika approaches when Yuuji was mounting the horse:
-"Yuuji-kun, before you go..." She hands over a small, blue stone ftom her pocket. "One of the magician friends of my dad has applied this magic as a precaution for a potential theft. If you get close to the medallion within a certain distance, you can sense its location by channeling mana into this stone. There's a separate stone for every valuable item in the house."
-"This is a very useful spell! Thank you, it will be very helpful!"
-"Have a safe travel, Yuuji-kun."
Yuuji reins in his horse and sets off towards Skaldmara, the 'Home of the Skaldars' to find his friend.