HRB 26

The holy sword, Albatross, had lived for a very long time.

“Lived” might be a strange term—perhaps “existed” would be more fitting.

Throughout that long existence, it had met quite a few masters. Though “quite a few” might be an overstatement, considering Albatross’s fastidious standards and the long span of time.

At the end of those years, Albatross had formed several definitions about humans.

Humans are weak.

They crumble easily.

It was ironic considering that most of its masters throughout the ages had been human, but they were special humans strong enough to be worthy of Albatross—different from ordinary humans.

Most humans, excluding its masters, fit Albatross’s perception perfectly.

Weak, easily broken, and weak again…

“If I were the holy sword’s master…”

And insidious.

Albatross couldn’t tolerate someone who wasn’t its master daring to touch it.

“Ouch!”

Despite the intense, stinging force that struck him each time he touched it, the human called Arthur would reach for Albatross whenever he had the chance. As if he desperately wanted to be acknowledged, even just once.

“Stop that foolishness.”

“I know, I know.”

A fool who couldn’t stop despite Boram’s rebukes.

It was utterly pathetic. It was already a sword with a master, and Arthur was far below Albatross’s standards.

Ketron knew Arthur coveted Albatross but didn’t particularly react. Albatross, too, didn’t show much discomfort about Arthur’s desires.

After all, both Ketron and Albatross were far too high and distant for someone like Arthur to aspire to.

Albatross detested weak humans. As a spirit residing in a weapon, that seemed only natural.

Naturally, the man who had become Albatross’s current master was far removed from human weakness. Sometimes he was even so cruel that the holy sword thought it excessive, which only made Albatross more satisfied.

That was why Albatross found the current reality even more unacceptable.

A hero? That idiot?

The fact that this idiot had pushed aside its true master and taken his place was utterly intolerable.

Moreover, because of that betrayal, its master was dying.

Even with an extraordinary mindset and strength, its master was still just a child who had lived only twenty years.

The shock of being forgotten by everyone in the world seemed too much to shake off; even its master was visibly crumbling under the burden.

My master is dying.

Since realizing the betrayal, its master had been dying day by day.

Both physically and mentally.

After finally reaching the Empire and witnessing their betrayal with his own eyes—seeing that his glory had been taken from him—he seemed so precarious that he might die at any moment.

If Ketron wanted to destroy the world, Albatross would follow that wish. It would prefer to use its power to save the world, but in the end, it was a spirit residing in a sword.

A tool only waits to be used as its master desires.

But its master seemed on the verge of collapse before it could be properly wielded.

「Ketron, snap out of it.”

Albatross had been constantly talking to Ketron, trying to help him from falling apart, but there was only so much that words alone could do.

Fortunately, just before Ketron completely broke down, he was saved by someone kind.

Even to Albatross, which had existed for ages, the man had quite an extraordinary appearance.

Being with that man, Ketron gradually improved. Not just his injuries, but Albatross could see that his tangled insides were slowly unwinding.

Day by day, his expression improved.

He seemed to be finding stability bit by bit.

「…Hmph.」

When that man who occasionally visited Ketron’s room touched its body (the hilt) lightly, Albatross generously accepted his touch.

Since he had saved its master and was unusually good-looking, this much was acceptable.

But that didn’t mean settling into this reality was what Albatross wanted.

「Are you really going to become a cat as that man says? How long will you stay here doing nothing?」

Once Ketron seemed somewhat stable, Albatross began to express irritation. Though it would never really happen, it worried about a master who appeared to be getting comfortable with this reality.

Of course, this place was warm. Peaceful. It seemed free of any conflict.

But that shouldn’t be a reason for Ketron to settle down. He needed to move. He needed to reclaim his lost glory.

[Ket’s]

The moment it saw him neatly folding and storing the paper with his name written by that man, Albatross could no longer contain its anger.

「Are you really going to do this? Are you going to settle for this?」

It was then that Ketron, who had been ignoring Albatross’s complaints all along, finally spoke up.

“I know what you’re worried about.”

His voice was calm. It was a heavy voice that made it hard to believe he was the same young man who had cried and clung to that man after meeting Augustine the night before.

“I haven’t forgotten.”

He had never forgotten. The moment of betrayal, the moment he realized the betrayal, and even now.

“I’ve never forgotten.”

He had just been stacking it up inside. Solidly, and more solidly.

The meeting with Augustine was painful, but at the same time, it added another sturdy tower atop the anger he had been accumulating.

His closest friend had forgotten him. Forgotten their past, treating him like a complete stranger. All their memories, all the friendship they had built—everything had become nothing.

What am I now?

He had lost his friends, lost people, lost his past.

Ketron had never forgotten for a moment whose fault this was. His blazing anger was excellent fuel. Ketron was willing to burn it all.

But a person cannot move on anger alone. If he had moved solely on anger, Ketron would have burned his own body as fuel too.

And in the end, he would have collapsed. One way or another.

But now he was confident he wouldn’t fall apart.

[Ket’s]

Ketron’s black eyes rippled as he stared at the paper Eddie had written.

“I will bring Arthur down.”

Finally, the answer Albatross had been waiting for. Though it seemed obvious, Albatross was relieved, having worried that Ketron might settle into complacency.

「Yes, that’s right.」

Once he had made up his mind, that was enough. Though the timing was uncertain, his master was a man who always accomplished what he set his mind to.

With his determination set, there was no need to rush, but fearing he might not get an answer for a while if not now, Albatross hesitated briefly before asking:

「When?」

If he simply wanted to strike, he could do so right now, but since things were already delayed, it would be better to cut off his breath at the perfect moment.

Indeed, Ketron seemed to have given this thought as well, answering without hesitation,

“When he is laughing the hardest.”

When he thinks he’s standing at the top and is most off-guard. When he believes he’s happiest with what he’s stolen.

That’s when Arthur will be brought down.

Yes, until then.

“You can stay here as long as you want.”

A gently smiling face appeared in Ketron’s mind. The voice that told him he could stay here as long as he wanted, whenever he wanted.

There had been plenty of people who treated Ketron well. After all, he was the hero. Despite knowing he was still a young man, there were many who tried to seduce him, perhaps due to his already mature physique.

Because he was the Hero.

The one who would save the world. The one who would achieve great glory one way or another. And what about his appearance?

Ketron knew very well how he looked to others. He distinctly remembered how he was treated when he caught the eye of such people while wandering the back alleys.

Those who were excited thinking he would fetch a high price, or those who tried to lay hands on him while he was young, or those who blushed looking at him once he had grown more.

It would be stranger if a handsome man with a guaranteed future wasn’t popular.

But now, that future was gone. Everyone had forgotten his handsome face. A man with nothing but hidden sword skills was no longer the object of everyone’s admiration and dreams.

But Eddie, that man, was the only one who reached out to Ketron in his most wretched moment.

A kind person even when Ketron wasn’t someone great. A person who knew “Ketron.”

Someone who wouldn’t forget him.

[Ket’s]

Through the thin Post-it note, he could see the face of the person who had written these letters by hand.

[Ket’s]

Mine?

Murmuring these words unconsciously to himself, Ketron suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of peace.

Mine.

He murmured again.

For some reason, the letters before him were immensely satisfying. He didn’t care about the fact that it was just a simple arrangement of letters stuck on snacks he had given him. That didn’t matter.

Whatever it is, it’s mine.

It didn’t occur to him that such a thought might be strange.

Narrowing his eyes as he stared at the letters, Ketron quietly said,

“So wait.”

He was speaking to the holy sword. The two strands of thread attached to the holy sword rippled pleasantly.

「Understood.」

Albatross obediently replied, then fell silent. As everything around became quiet, the sounds of animals crying and insects buzzing outside became clearer.

Ketron quietly closed his eyes.

The goal was set. When the opponent is even higher, higher, higher… so that when he crashes to the ground, it will be more painful and agonizing. He would wait a little longer.

And when the time comes, just as you did to me, I will drop you into that bottomless abyss.

So he could stay here a little longer. He could settle into this reality a bit. He could pretend to be docile by that person’s side.

Because that’s what he had told him to do.