261: Under Running Water (5)

The Runtel great Magician, Yprene Slick was generally fearless.

His great abilities coupled with his background played a role in that, but the main reason was because he could analyze magic and understand it.

So, he was someone who knew a lot of things…especially things related to magic.

Even if he didn’t, he was the kind of person who wouldn’t rest without finding out what it was and learning it.

In other words, it could also be said that he was the type of person who feared the ‘unknown’ the most.

“How…”

From that point of view, Airn Pareira’s current actions stimulated great fear into the Yprene.

The colorless and odorless secret magic which even he could barely feel after releasing it, was detected?

And what’s even surprising was that the young man in front of him grabbed onto that magic with his hands.

As if he was grasping dozens of threads, Airn swung his hand and Yprene’s magic moved along with it.

Impossible!

It was a realm which he had never seen or heard, truly beyond the common sense of a magician.

From Yprene Slick’s mouth spoke the word he hated the most.

“Sorcery…”

“Hmm.”

Airn Pareira looked down at his hands.

In fact, he didn’t consider his current skills to be sorcery. He just considered it to be swordsmanship. Swordsmanship powered by the will to protect the world.

And if it was to be narrowed down, it was his will to protect his loved ones.

He was able to mold it into the form of swordsmanship. It was the Sword of the Hero he had learned from Ignet.

‘Something that is able to resist the devil’s desire to destroy… a swordsman’s no, the strongest power of man.’

However, that didn’t mean that Yprene Slick was wrong.

At the time, it was overlooked, but now that he thought about it, the swordsmanship of Airn wasn’t fully about swords.

It was usually the case where his will and mind were strongly intertwined to such things.

Perhaps the ‘Sword of Heart’ was a combination of sorcery and swords.

But.

This wasn’t important now.

The reason why he could catch Yprene’s magic.

The reason why he, who was completely unfamiliar with this magic, was able to grasp the opponent’s magic.

It was because of malice.

A dark and terrible energy that wasn’t lacking in comparison with a real devil… Airn saw it clearly.

Shhh…

A golden flame erupted from Airn’s hand.

It was aura. A completed aura with the same density as when he used his sword. It was the first time he was using it on his hand, but it wasn’t too difficult.

It was thanks to the growth he had undergone in recent times, but there was also a feeling of stepping into something higher because of the anger Airn felt inside him.

But this wasn’t a complete growth.

Because emotions, instincts and intuitions tend to volatilize easily. However, the fact that he had experienced it was what was important.

But again, that wasn’t the point now.

As the young hero clenched his fist, the golden aura instantly obliterated the magic inside his palm.

Puah!

Rumble!

“Uh! Uh!”

Yprene Slick screamed.

It was because of the fear and panic which had been affecting him.

That wasn’t the only thing he was feeling.

There was anger and hate.

There was hostility too, and the Great Magician, who felt that, raised his hands ready to cast magic. The entire carriage had magic circles on it.

But everything was in vain.

Airn, who appeared in front of Yprene in an instant, gave off a strong pressure.

Wheik!

“…!”

There was no physical violence.

Instead of using his fists or kicking him or even drawing the sword, Airn only used his energy to express his emotions.

The golden aura flowed not just from his right hand, but from his entire body.

And that light…

It was a light so intense that even ancient devils had suffered before.

The dazzling light which had cleared the curse after the devils death, as well as a warm flame that gave hope to people.

However, Yprene Slick’s heart didn’t think it was warm.

A scream erupted from his mouth.

“Kuak…”

He wasn’t a demon.

His self-esteem had blocked out all the whispers from demons. No matter how great a demon or devil was, it couldn’t make a proud man like him into their slave.

But was his heart a human heart?

No.

It was unavoidable. After the disappearance of the devils, there were an increasing amount of people who were human but still harbored a non-human heart.1

No.

Maybe such people existed had even back when the devils were still running around.

… recalling the conversations he had with Tarakan, Karakum and Kuvar, Airn regained his strength.

“Huh, Uh, Uh…”

“As you can see from experience, your tricks don’t work on me. Not just on me, it won’t work on the people around me either.”

Airn said.

He had a much firmer and colder voice.

However, his eyes weren’t raging.

Yprene who looked at those expressionless eyes and cold words, was shocked, and it felt like the golden light from his body was burning his heart.

“Whenever you are in the mood to try something like this, remember what happened today. And remember who I am today.”

“…”

“There is no need to see me off.”

With that, Airn walked out. There was no need to hear his answer.

His eyes which could look through the hearts of other people told him this.

Yprene would never try to touch the Hale Kingdom or the Pareira family again.

Step.

On the way out, he saw the 64 magicians.

He could feel their gazes on him, but Airn didn’t respond, rather they bowed their heads to him.

Watching them as he walked out, Airn thought.

‘That man was one among the best?’

He couldn’t figure it out.

2 years ago.

He felt it when he first came out of his mansion, so that he could travel and gain experiences. The world was full of uncertainties. It was then that he realized that there was no such thing as a correct answer, and he had felt like the world was filled with regrettable incorrect answers, just tormenting everyone.

It was the same this time.

No, this time, was even more difficult.

It was because it wasn’t a matter which only involved Airn, but something that involved his nation and family too.

It was important to do the right thing against injustice.

Which was why after raising the sword, Airn never backed down.

He raised the sword in front of Karakum for Kuvar.

He aimed the sword at the clown for the expedition team.

However, if because of his choices, his loved ones were going to be harmed…

Was that still the right path?

Or should he endure injustice for the sake of his loved ones?

‘Neither is the right answer.’

The same was true regarding the disposal of Yprene Slick.

There was something he had talked about with Tarakan a year back.

There would always be people in the world who agree with you and those who don’t agree with you. And there were people who wouldn’t agree with each other and don’t even try to understand the other party.

However, the most dangerous beings in the world were those who used violence to carry out their will…

The danger from such people was nothing less than that of the devils.

‘This magician was the same…’

By Airn’s standards, he was truly a villain on the level of the devils.

However, because he wasn’t a real demon, he had no choice but to think things through in his head.

‘Is it right for me to punish humans too?’

‘Even if they are entitled to punishment, am I confident enough to take responsibility for it? If possible, I can stop it with just intimidating Yprene, but…’

‘Would this method be right?’

‘Regardless of whether it is right or wrong, can’t it be seen that the actions I took were the result of a compromise I made unwillingly with Runtel?’

Such thoughts constantly attacked his mind and hurt him.

Along with that, emotions which seemed heavier than usual, sank into the young man’s heart.

… no, this isn’t it.

Phew.

He took a deep breath and exhaled.

Then, the emotions submerged in his mind, started to flow again. Instead of getting caught like before, they moved forward.

‘Thinking is a good thing. We need to think hard, ponder and come up with the best answer for the future.’

However, he couldn’t move forward if he was going to be stuck on a single choice he had to make…

It was a realization he got when he tackled the clown devil, and also something he got at the Lloyd mansion.

Airn, who found peace of mind relatively quickly, smiled.

‘… I need to work harder on my swordsmanship training as well.’

Just as the mind affects the body…

The body also affected the mind.

The same applied for swordsmanship and aura. Good circulation of it would promote overall growth.

A new energy began to settle in Airn’s heart, who made a promise to himself.

Dddd.

And that energy…

It was natural like water.

It didn’t even have a presence or show up.

It was less conspicuous than the energy of steel, which had a very strong presence, or the blazing flame.

It just lay there.

But above all, it felt spacious too.

It was stable. It didn’t move here and there, and it made a way for the stream of water in his heart to spread more widely.

It was the fourth energy of the five spirits.

Earth.

Airn Pareira, who became a much more reliable and stable being than he was when he had first picked up the sword, appeared again in the caste.

“… Master Pareira?”

“Ah, commander. You are here for me? What is the reason?”

“Uh. That…”

“What? Sir Airn Pareira. Hm?”

Oswaldo rushed ahead and Hill Burnett came a bit late.

The two couldn’t even talk and another one came in soon after them.

Something felt different.

It wasn’t about the feel of a swordsman.

Until now, Airn was a great and respectful young man whose age was unbelievable.

The present state was more…

‘It feels like the bowl of growth in this person has grown…’

‘No, why am I feeling like this? Did he…’

Was it because of the duel with the great Magician?

The two thought and nodded.

It was thought that Airn’s ability wouldn’t solve the problem alone, but seeing the duel with their own eyes, they couldn’t help but feel reassured.

Was that it?

The two couldn’t say what they wanted to say, and more important people appeared one after the other.

“Airn.”

“Brother.”

“Father. Kirill.”

The young hero looked at the two with a bright smile.

He seemed to be more honest in expressing his emotions right now, than before.

Oswaldo Odone didn’t know but Hill Burnett could feel it.

“Ahem. You did a good thing today, so I guess I’ll leave you to your family. Excuse me,”

“… me too. Have a nice time.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

Seeing them leave so quickly, Airn was puzzled.

It seemed like they had a reason to come, but then they left so suddenly.

But he didn’t think much of it.

It was because he wanted to be with his family even more.

And Harun Pareira felt the same way.

‘… he has grown so much.’

Looking at Airn who was smiling brightly, Baron Pareira’s eyes turned red again.

It wasn’t because his son was a Sword Master.

But because he seemed much stronger than before.

Seeing his son standing in front of him with a reassuring face, there was nothing more he could hope for.

No, If he thought hard about it, he could think of one thing, and with an awkward smile, he said to his son.

“Son.”

“Yes, father?”

“By any chance, are you planning to get married or not?”

“Huh?”

Arin Pareira couldn’t even answer properly.