EFWM 38

Chapter 38

The saint gently extended the back of her hand toward Erika.

It was a hand as pure and fine as snow. Spotless.

No wounds or calluses at all.

“If what you say is true—that you have defeated the King of the Phantom Forest—then you shall surely be a distinguished guest of the temple.”

“……”

“Show your oath before the God’s representative.”

An oath ceremony.

Erika tried to recall what it was. She had heard about it from her master long ago.

Erika knelt down on one knee.

She carefully took the back of the saint’s hand, as if touching a delicate glass bowl.

“What kind of reward do you seek for coming up to the higher ranks?”

“No, Saint.”

The saint was clearly kind to her. Now, Erika could say it.

“I did not come seeking reward. Capturing the Basilisk was merely by chance.”

Erika respectfully kissed the back of the hand.

“Then?”

“…Pecnik Ripsian.”

Saint Hyelia’s fingertips paused.

Erika raised her head.

“I have come to find my master.”

When she saw Hyelia’s widened eyes—

“If he is here, please let me meet him.”

Erika sensed it.

At last, the long game of hide and seek was over.

Was it a few years ago?

Since settling in the southern metropolis of Danters.

After Pecnik took the position of mercenary guild leader, he often went on solo adventures.

At first, he took Erika along, but since his disciple became an S-rank mercenary, he supported her independence.

Pecnik was somewhat restless. He couldn’t stay in one place long.

He often left suddenly and returned quickly.

So Erika did not worry even when her master disappeared.

“…He is in the Sky Garden over there.”

Even though it was the first time in so long seeing him, it felt not so unfamiliar.

She had expected it.

“…Master.”

But was it really just because it had been so long?

Or was it because seeing her biological father, Count Herace, in the temple’s lower levels had stirred her emotions?

“Master!”

Tears welled up.

In the beautifully glowing sky garden, in that blissfully peaceful scene,

she saw Pecnik turn around, his eyes huge.

That old man! Really!

Her lips trembling, she ran full speed.

“What are you doing here, really!”

She kicked up the wind as she leapt.

When she clung to Pecnik, he staggered a bit.

“Ugh, Erika!”

Even though she rammed him with a body charge weighted with all her strength, Pecnik just broke into a full smile.

It was a familiar gesture, like lifting a child.

He held Erika’s thighs and hoisted her up.

Looking into each other’s eyes right up close, Erika opened her mouth wide and laughed.

“Master, Master! I—”

Even while smiling, her eyes reddened quickly. Tears pooled at the corners.

“It’s me!”

I’ve become a Swordmaster.

The first thing she wanted to say upon seeing Pecnik, yet the words would not come out.

Instead, tears just welled up.

Soon she began sobbing, like a child.

All the long-held childishness overflowed.

“Erika, how did you even find out about this place?”

Pecnik patted her back.

His touch brought even more tears. Once the crying started, it wouldn’t stop.

“Master, Maaster!”

Tears dropped onto Pecnik’s shoulder.

Before she could start sniffling, Erika drew her sword from her waist.

“Look at this.”

A brilliant blue light radiated, lighting up their faces.

“What do you think this is?”

Erika asked, eyes wet.

Pecnik made the same expression.

“Well, a bird?”

“No, it’s Aura!”

Erika burst out laughing. Pecnik smiled broadly.

“Congratulations. When did you become a Swordmaster?”

He set Erika down and gave her a tight hug.

Anyone seeing their reunion after decades would have been impressed by the teacher-disciple bond.

Then Pecnik turned his head.

He saw beside him a young man standing stiffly, arms crossed and one leg cocked—a very arrogant posture.

“Who’s this?”

Pecnik asked.

The moment had come! He had feared this moment before, but not now.

Now that he was a Swordmaster himself, he had nothing to fear.

“He’s a friend. His name is Chaud. An S-rank mercenary. We met on the Luigis Wyvern quest.”

“……”

“Oh, he’s also a Swordmaster. Same age as me, pretty impressive, huh?”

Pecnik exchanged glances with Chaud for a while.

“……”

“……”

“……?”

The silence lasted so long even Erika raised a questioning look.

“Erika.”

“Yes!”

“I told you not to hang out with ugly kids.”

“…What?”

Was he really talking about Chaud? Erika’s eyes wavered confusedly.

No matter how you looked at it, Chaud wasn’t ugly.

Master, your eyes are wrong! Just as she was about to reply, Erika changed the subject.

“He’s a good kid.”

Though sometimes annoying, Chaud wasn’t a bad person. She could say that.

“…Good, huh.”

Master’s gaze stayed fixed on Chaud.

Chaud and Pecnik stared each other down like in a duel.

Erika didn’t notice the strange tension.

She only wondered why they were staring so intensely. Wasn’t their faces going to get holes punched in them?

“…Pecnik, sorry to interrupt.”

Then the saint approached.

“You’d better come inside now. It will get chilly after sunset.”

“Hyelia. You’re probably the only one in the world who would call me weak.”

Pecnik smiled teasingly, telling her to shut up.

“……”

Hyelia stared at him expressionlessly.

Then she glanced at Erika.

The child Pecnik boasted about so often.

Seeing Erika face to face, Hyelia’s feelings were complicated.

‘About Pecnik’s condition…’

Though he smiled calmly, inside Pecnik was in tatters.

‘Should someone he cares so much about not know?’

Hyelia felt powerless.

What good is a saint of wisdom when she can’t even decide what’s right at moments like this?

What good is holy power when a longtime friend arrives cursed, and you can’t cure it?

She lamented inwardly, but showed no sign on the outside.

“Pecnik.”

Saint Hyelia was the representative of the Temple of Light.

So she didn’t form personal ties lightly.

Friendship with a saint quickly becomes power, and favors asked from saints easily become political problems.

But there was one person she cared for: Pecnik, who once saved her life when she was young.

The proof of their bond was the Life Stone, also called the Temple Return Stone.

Only given in cases of enormous, unrepayable favors, it contains a portion of the saint’s holy power permanently.

She hoped Pecnik would treasure it. It was not meant to be used.

So that day was a disaster for her too.

When Pecnik shattered the Life Stone and appeared in the upper temple, Hyelia did not enter the prayer room for three days.

She stayed by his side through unconsciousness, day and night.

After Pecnik awoke, hearing about what happened in the ancient ruins, she sank into sorrow for several more days.

An ancient curse even a saint could not lift.

“It’s better to discuss your reunion inside.”

“It’s not very cold.”

“…Please come in. My word is law in the temple.”

Pecnik was weak.

Pain tore his body irregularly so he could not sleep.

His heart area was bruised black, and he felt chained and squeezed.

He calmly called it the price for invading God’s resting place.

It broke the hearts of those who saw him, yet he spoke in an indifferent voice.