"I like the way you smile, Bear.



　--I hated the sky.

　I kept digging, digging, digging.

"Hehe, he's completely asleep. I guess it was worth it to mix alcohol and pills. I didn't realize how easy it was to make your own sleeping pills. It might be a lethal dose, but I don't care.

　I stole all the money I could from the sleepy priest.
　He made the priest take a sleeping potion he had prepared in advance and stole the money.
　With only the most expensive items in his pockets, Bear continued to dig in the cave.

　What a way to hide a tree.
　As instructed by Eina, Bear returned to the orphanage and found that the nobles had staked out the place, so he hid himself in the escape route he had prepared.

　However, there were still few people looking for him.
　They probably didn't think that the child who ran away would return to the Cape Orphanage.

　There was nowhere to run when they came here.
　They had every right to assume that. They don't know this cave.

　If we can get out of this hole and into the city, we win. They won't be able to follow us out in the open.
　We have money, we have food. The rest will take care of itself.

My calculations said by this morning. Well, it could be twice that. Oh well, it is what it is. When we get to the city, we'll be staying out in the open on the first day, no complaints, right?

　I asked my back as I continued to shake the shovel I had made.
　The hole is only big enough for a child to get through. We both researched the length of the shovel that we could swing with all our might in the hole.

The food was ...... enough for a few days, I guess. I'm not sure what to do with it. We can buy things with money now. No need to steal.

　There's a town a short walk from where we're supposed to leave, where we can get cleaned up. We'll take a ship to another continent and then we'll figure out what to do.

　That's what you promised me.

You're going to put on those ugly, pretend clothes again, aren't you?　I don't care what ...... you wear. It's best if you look decent. I'm not sure if you can see it.　You can't see it. You can't be as classy as you are.

　I spent a year hiding and digging a hole. A little breeze, a little sunshine, a little dirt from my homemade shovel. And sunlight.

　Oh, the sunset was so bright. The joy of escaping from that hell is beating in my chest.

　Nothing. Nothing resonated.

"...... Look. Here we are. We're outside. Hey, ......, Eina.

　I turn my back, and there, right in front of me, is a peaceful, sleeping face.

"Answer me, please.


　I bit my lip and took a step forward.

　My feet sank to the floor.
　I clicked my tongue, "Muddy?
　I couldn't read the condition of the soil where I was going.
　Sure, it had rained last night, but it was like a swamp.
　She didn't have proper rain gear, and her feet were covered in mud and gravel.
　But that was no reason to put down the heavy load.

"Huh. ......

　One step, then another.
　It was hard, painful, agonizing. I've experienced such feelings many times.
　I'm not weak enough to break down now.

"I promise."

　I want to go out.
　Her will is strong and her thoughts are endless.
　On a cold night at the orphanage, we huddled together to keep each other warm.
　We can't feel that warmth anymore, but...

　You said you'd always go outside.
　We vowed that we would go outside together.

"What I want to do when I get out. What I want to do. We talked a lot. "Education," right? Get it. Crawl out from under all this mud. Be stronger than anyone. ......"

　No money, no guarantees.
　Nothing the world can give you.



　But...

　But still. Even if you're less than a man crawling out from under the mud.

　Yes.

Even if it was a shura.

　The dry, reddish-brown palms and the taste of iron still stuck to my face.

　She didn't even wipe it off.
　It was the last thing she'd shed.

"Those bastards. Everything that's coming at me. Everything, everything. Let's kill them and watch together. Someday we will. The ...... top.

　I'm sure the view of the heavens will be more beautiful than anything you've seen after crawling up from the depths of the mud.

　I'm sure it's more beautiful than anything else, Eina said.

　That's why she said she would acquire all kinds of strength and one day reach the top.

　Her dream is to marry a prince.

I'm not going to do that because I don't want to do that.

　But.

　I'm ready to take on her life with her.


　I walk out into the light.

　In the sunset after the rain, the ground is muddy and the gravel hurts my feet.

　Taking a breath, she looked around.
　Trying to determine if the terrain matched the map.


　--I gulped.


"...... haha. There it is. There it is, Eina.



"This is so... ...... It's in the mud that the flower blooms, my dear.
What?　It's not going to grow.
It will grow. I know it.


　A large purple flower, illuminated by the setting sun, was blooming in the mud.
　That's what I told the mute girl on my back.













　--The Klingbloom residence.

　Maybe they looked like one another.
　Mion and Richter. I'm not sure what to make of that.

"...... Why are you still standing?
You're crazy. ....... I'm sure you'll be more than happy to see me stand.

　The knife that had been thrust into him would never be shallow.
　If you're not sure what to do, you can always ask for help from your doctor.

　If the treatment is delayed. If he lost too much blood...
　He wouldn't make it.

　He touches the knife with one hand as if to hold it down, but the other hand doesn't let go of Gladius.
　His staggered stance, looking straight at Arawn, was, quite frankly, incomprehensible.

　If this was a contest between people who wanted to fight, I could understand.
　If he was angry and wanted to avenge Mion's death, I would understand.

　But it's not.
　The look in Arawn's eyes was hostile, but not murderous.

　It's as if he's not the same man he was in the fighting tournament.
　It's as if he doesn't recognize his sword as a killer.

I told you it was distracting. I can't prove my strength in this game, I'll just have to kill him and get it over with. It's just a job.
"Don't tell me that .......

　Richter relaxes the corners of his mouth.
　The blood dripping from the edge of the mouth is probably not from a cut in the mouth.
　I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea.

I'll tell you about it.

　Or .
　I'm not sure what to say.
　You'll be able to find a lot more information on this subject in this article.

　I want to talk to you.

　There was no falsehood in his words.
　There were many things he wanted her to say.
　But I can't help it. I don't think I can force her to talk anymore.

　If that's the case, it's better to talk to her first than to keep her in the dark.
　That's what I decided to do.

Red lead.
"......

　There was no clear response from Arawn.
　He had said he had researched her past, so it was only natural that he would know where she was born and the "nobles" involved.
　In response to her bland attitude, Richter continued while holding in the pain in his abdomen.

I didn't know about the nobleman. Well, I've got my hands full with this country. So I could only find out that they were all murdered a few months ago.


"......, is that right?
Oh.

　--Perhaps it was .
　She was on her way to the kingdom after a battle in a war zone.

　Aylin looked away from Richter's gaze, as if he was not interested in what she had done.

Is it over in your mind?
"Yes, it is. Yes, it's over.

　"Yes, it is.
　I suppose it is, he thinks with a sigh.

　--For her, revenge on the noblemen who oppressed her was no longer a reason to stop. I'm sure she had no reason to stop.

You say you're Shura and you only want to keep fighting and winning. But ...... are you sure about that?
"What do you mean?
Well, let me ask you this: ......

　Close your eyes.
　I closed my eyes and thought about an incident that has yet to be resolved in the east.

It was a few months ago. A few months ago, a serial killer went on the rampage in the Eastwood estate after a string of kidnappings and murders of young girls, mostly children.
......

　Eastwood.
　A name that has yet to fade in King's Landing.
　Conrad Eastwood.

　In his own domain, he was a brutal outlaw who kept and killed, mainly children.

　Fortunately for him, he'd already made it to King's Landing.
　Many of Eastwood's nobles were murdered.

"Sure, it was a battle against a powerful man. But ......

　Do you remember that Aylan, the Shura, was once captured?

　The only reason he went on such a rampage was because he knew the abomination that was the nobility.
　That's why the lowlifes didn't get the information, and that's why they ended up so stupid.

You couldn't let that happen, could you?
".......
I'm sure you've seen people in similar situations being abused, and you can't forgive them.

　His eyebrows twitched.

　I'm not sure if you've heard of it, but I'm sure you've heard of it.
　The blood flowing in a steady stream is painful.

I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but I'm sure you're aware of it.
...... What do you mean?
Nothing. It's simple. Suppose a murderer goes on a rampage and manages to escape. What's their future? In the end, they'll have to live in Eastwood's shadow. They have nothing to fall back on. After all, their families sold them out.
"............ has nothing to do with this. I did what I did. I did what I did.
Don't be so quick to confess, .......

　I'm not trying to get a confession from you, but...
　If the interrogation is going to be this easy, I'd like to see His Highness reveal some of his misdeeds," he said, his thoughts wandering off to the side.

　Richter shook his head.

I did what I wanted to do. I subdued those who acted like strongmen. Now you want to live, you're on your own. That's all very well. But, Aylin.
"......
It must have been hard for you, living on your own.
...... What?

　She shakes her head, "It's not that.
　It's true, she's fought her way to this point alone.

　Learning, thinking, fighting.
　All by herself. That's no lie.

But you must have felt powerless at first. And you shouldn't have let that happen in the first place." The orphanage you were in should never have been built in the first place.

　"Look," Richter says, as if to admonish.

There's something else you can do, isn't there? The strength you should have is not that of a shura. There must be another way. There has to be--
Shut up.
"...... Aylin.

　For the first time, Aylin looked at Richter with colored eyes.

　Richter's face was pale.
　He was already in a daze, so he might not have long to live.
　Still, I acknowledge his strength to stand on two legs and continue to stand in front of me.

　But what does that matter?



"They were grateful to you.

　Aylin clenched his teeth at that comment.
　Aside from the fact that he's saving them without a second thought.
　I don't like your admonishing tone, your persuasion from on high, your outstretched hand, but most of all, I don't like the idea that you're going to use your sweet words to control yourself as a Shura.

"Shut up! I'm not sure what to make of this.　I don't know.　I don't like the idea.
I'm not saying I can or can't. I don't know much about Miss Eina.
Then you think you do!
But!

　But!" She tried to raise her fist, but Richter raised his voice in front of her.
　He didn't care that she was coughing up blood, he was going to slam the words down on Arawn.

I know what I can do!　I found a record of a girl from a demolished noble family who was bought by that region. Even if it wasn't there, I could tell you!
What?
The Master Eina, the woman who taught you how to behave, at least!




At least the woman who taught you how to behave was a noblewoman!




"......
You've probably never heard of her profession. Didn't you?

　He coughed and coughed.

　Still, Richter stood with his hands on his knees.

I can only imagine that he didn't want to reveal that he was in the same position as Red Reed.
"......, yes.
"And yet . Even though I haven't seen Mistress Eina, I can tell you that she was a much prouder and more respected aristocrat than the Red Reeds. Do you understand why?
"............


　I didn't want to answer.

　I didn't want to know.


"Bear, you've been smiling all this time.


　Because I didn't know.


Shut up, ......!
That's...
Shut up!

　I don't care how many times you tell me to shut up.
　Richter never stops talking.

I can feel the pride in you, the way you act with her.
"Shut up!

　Aylin shouts and clenches his fists.

　Aylin shouted and clenched his fists. Even though he knows he's dying, he still won't stop admonishing her.

Don't call yourself "Shura" and try to exclude yourself from people. You're one of us, and you've got the heart to be strong enough to move the world!
Shut up!

　Oh, apparently .

　Richter raises the corners of his mouth loosely.

　I always suck at persuasion.

　Leading people is always hard.

　Raised fist. Richter smiled loosely at the sight of Arawn looming before him.

　That smile slightly slows Arawn down--that moment.



I'm not sure what to make of this.


　A dull, iron sound.


　Both sides clashing.



What do you want with a borrowed sword, Champion?

Same as you, Arawn. I had a reason to borrow it. ...... Or rather...


　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

　I'm not sure what to say.


You can find a lot of people who have been in the business for a long time and are now looking for a new job.