Sure, I’d tried to kill him...but was that really enough of a reason to try to screw me over this badly? I mean, come on. I was just trying to look out for his younger brother. He didn’t have to go and make such a fool of me.
I decided that I’d head back to my dorm for now and wait out the storm for a while. I could apologize to Claus once his temper had cooled.
Once I cleared up any misunderstandings and let Claus know that his brother and I were on good terms, I knew he’d probably understand.
I tried to reassure myself of that as I headed back to my dorm room, rubbing my aching back.
The four heroes who had been blessed with the sword god affinity had all accomplished incredible feats.
The first slew the evil dragon Bahamut, as well as the original demon lord that had ruled over all the demons in the land. And he hadn’t stopped there; after slaying the demon lord, the first hero continued slaying demons to ensure lasting peace.
He was an exemplary hero, so much so that every hero to this day was held to his standard.
The stories and legends of that first hero that I would hear as a kid used to set my heart aflutter. Even when I reread them now, I’d secretly plan how I’d look for his relics.
The most famous of the first hero’s relics was his weapon. Its name was Vendettatyne.
It earned its legendary status because it was created from Bahamut’s remains, and it enabled whoever wielded it—even, say, a saint—to use dark magic. It was said to be sleeping in a cave in the mountains just north of Edestolle, one of the kingdom’s three major cities.
Although the legends pinpointed the sword’s location, no one could actually verify its existence—an odd discrepancy that owed to the dangers of trying to retrieve it. Theoretically, since the sword was made from Bahamut’s remains, it emitted an evil energy that gave birth to powerful monsters who now overran the mountains.
What’s more, the long years’ worth of evil energy had produced a deadly pool of powerful poison that kept anything living from being able to enter the cave.
My dream had been to one day perfect the art of detoxification magic and get my hands on the first hero’s sword.
Then, one day, the first person in centuries received a sword god affinity as his ceremony blessing—the same affinity that the first hero had been blessed with.
That person was Claus, a boy in my class. So, I had to make absolutely sure that I didn’t ever get on his bad side.
I wanted to make up for my blunder yesterday, so I headed to Claus’s door again first thing in the morning.
I immediately began to try to clear things up.
“I think there were some crossed wires yesterday. Perhaps you misinterpreted the letters I gave you,” I said.
“Didn’t I tell you to never show yourself in front of me again?”
“I can’t make a promise like that when we go to the same school. So, at least let me explain the situation.”
Claus was silent. He looked angry, but he said nothing in response. So, I forged ahead.
“Chris and I are actually good friends. We’ve talked about all sorts of things, including even our pasts. I’m sure his letters contained all kinds of—”
“I will seriously kill you, you know. Just try me. Talk about him more and see what happens. Or I can just tell you what’ll happen: I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth, and then I’ll end your life.”
Claus unsheathed his sword and pointed it at me.
Judging from his expression, he meant what he’d said. The moment I said another word, he would actually kill me.
I reflexively readied my magic at the threat, but I knew that I couldn’t even think about using it right now if I wanted to leave here alive.
I managed to suppress the urge, and with a bow of my head, I left him.
I had apparently bitten my lip without realizing it—and with a fair bit of force, because I tasted blood pooling in my mouth.
Now I’m really done for, I thought.
Now that I’d cemented my place on Claus’s bad side, I’d pretty much ruined any chance of climbing the ranks.
Actually...there was still one other way. I could always try to get in good with the princess, who wasn’t a part of Claus’s faction. In fact, she had a faction of her own.
That would take me on a completely different trajectory than the one I’d been aiming for, but it would still give me a chance of getting to the top.
The only problem was that it meant I’d have to butter up the stupid, strong-willed princess...and that I’d have to find a way to get along with her ridiculously doting admirer from the Royal Guard.
Nope. No way. I can’t do this.
I’d rather die than serve that meat-headed princess.
I was desperate to avoid having anything to do with her. That was exactly why Claus’s party had been my only option.
As I replayed what had just transpired in my head, I felt like I was watching my best-laid plans fall completely apart. My life was ruined, and it was all thanks to Chris. I was quickly coming to despise him.
Judging from Claus’s reaction to just hearing Chris’s name, I could only conclude now that they hated each other’s guts.
I could see now that trying to get on Claus’s good side by claiming to be friends with his brother had been the completely wrong tactic.
I knew it had been a mistake to immediately trust him upon first meeting, especially after I’d just tried to ambush him, but I still couldn’t forgive Claus’s idiotic older brother for the part he’d played in all of this.
How dare a farmer like him try to screw over a sage like me? I’ll make him regret this, I swore.
To distract myself from my unfortunate fate, I decided to track him down and get my revenge.
Little did I know that several months later, when I finally did track him down, I’d find nothing more than an empty husk: a long-vacated room at the Shangri La Hotel.
And when that time came, I would let out a wail of anguish over all the time and energy I had wasted on finding him.
But that was for future me to know, and current me to find out...