Chapter 22 – Cleanup

000

Cleon opened his eyes.

Fluffy and soft sensation that wraps your entire body.

It was immediately clear that the place where he was lying was not the usual lodging or room for use.

When she turns her head or gaze, she sees Sasha sleeping next to her with her face buried in her bed.

Where are you? The smell of medicine stung her nose. It was something she had taken on somewhere.

The silver moonlight pouring down through the open window. It was bright enough for a room that wasn’t lit by a lamp.

My body doesn’t move properly.

The sense of pain… The sense of ‘pain’ that wasn’t paralyzed was screaming all over the body.

“…”

──Slowly organize your thoughts.

He must have fought a duel with Alvein on top of the ruins.

And at the last moment—I used the core of the sword to block the outrageous holy sword—

—The holy sword Caliburn was destroyed.

Thinking that far, Cleon raised his upper body.

Thud! He hears a noise and sees something hit his forehead.

What was there was the board used when filling out medical certificates at the clinic.

“No. Please rest.”

A voice with little emotion.

It’s a voice I’ve heard before.

When Cleon moved his gaze there, he was standing by ‘Perdia’, which appeared from hiding in the shadows.

In the ‘nurse’ outfit I’ve seen before.

However, it was clear that this place was not a member of the House of Representatives.

Spacious rooms, worn-out furniture, yet luxurious interiors.

It was the mansion of ‘Count Gortian’, where Cleon was temporarily living – the count’s room.

“…Ferdia. What the hell is this…”

Cleon, who is laid back on her bed by her, demands a detailed explanation of the situation from her.

Perhaps understanding this, Perdia quietly took out her syringe and stabbed it into Cleon’s arm.

“Full body fractures. Bruises, lacerations, fractures, even burns. Mr. Cleon is now… A living general hospital.”

Cleon is silent at Perdia’s merciless words. No, the angelic magic that Alvein emitted at the end was strong enough to burn his entire body.

That’s why it was able to withstand the impact by covering the entire body with magical energy and using it as armor, even temporarily.

No way. That an attack seeping through the magical powers he didn’t even know had ruined his body that much?

“…Don’t you remember?”

“—What do you mean?”

Perdia puts on a slightly mysterious expression and brings something that was leaning against her window and comes close to Cleon.

-Galatea.

However, unlike before, gold pieces were added to her handles and cross guards.

It was a decoration that reminded me of Alvein’s holy sword somewhere.

“What…”

However, Cleon, knowing nothing about her cause for her being like that, tilts her head silently.

Then, Perdia put on a troubled expression for a while—

“Hey-. I made the medicine.”

A red-haired girl who opened the door to the count’s room and entered.

Lila Flame Watch, with dangerously colorful pills in her hand.

Her face is so pale that she doesn’t know how many nights she’s been up all night.

“Lyla.”

“—Cleon. You’re awake.”

Leila looked at Cleon and made eye contact for a moment as if she had no energy.

She put the vial on her table and put her heavy hips on the chair next to it.

“Huh-ooh.”

Lila lets out her sigh.

If she had been holding a cigarette in her hand, she might have suited her.

“—How many days has it been?”

Cleon asked Lyla.

The circumstances around her were very different from what she remembered.

“Five days. He slept through it.”

“You slept for 115 hours to be exact.”

Hearing the answer from the two, the accident stops for a moment. Then she tries to get herself up again—

Pududeuk-! Along with the sound, the whole body screams in pain.

“…Kuh…”

Somehow, the sound from his mouth was reduced as much as possible, but no matter how much Cleon, he eventually fell onto the bed as if it was impossible to move his body while enduring the pain.

Perdia, who looked at that figure, seemed to feel sorry for her, but she didn’t know what to do.

Lila giggles while holding her belly button.

A woman’s cry sounded in the moonlit room for a while.

—After laughing like that for a while. Lila continued her story, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Albein was captured. ‘Guild’… No, ‘Kingdom’.”

“—Is that so?”

She was somewhat expected. Following her promise to Quon, that she not kill him was a mercy she could bestow upon her, but also a punishment.

However, the hero who lost face to the guild and kingdom- no, in the case of Alvein, who is now a former warrior.

What kind of punishment will I have to pay?

“And——Rutie Sions also said she was giving up her position as guild master.”

“──…”

When Cleon doesn’t respond. Lila tells the detailed story.

“I think it’s the blame for the situation that didn’t stop Alvein. The adventurers protested, but they said it was already decided.”

Cleon listens to Layla while lying quietly. Little by little, Ferdia, who prepares medicine and meals by her side, comes into view.

An uneasy premonition of whether that drug is the type you should drink by any chance—protruded her head.

Seeing that reaction, Layla put her hand on her waist and looked at Cleon.

“You don’t seem to care too much about her?”

Cleon silently looks at Lila and replies.

“You shouldn’t have to worry about Luti on my part. She’s worked too hard in these 10 years.”

It could be the only positive influence Albain has had on the city.

“The fact that you’re here… What about Quon?”

“It’s the kitchen. I keep making side dishes while waiting for you to wake up. I want you to stop using me like a freezer.”

Silence passes between the two for a moment. Unable to grasp the essence of the story, Layla seemed to be hiding something.

Cleon can’t stand it and asks.

“What happened? Exactly.”

“… Ha. I can’t help it.”

Lila once again sits down in her chair and opens her mouth.

Immediately after the hero Alvein was defeated by magic swordsman Cleon—

001

“Haha…”

The area completely turned into ruins in the aftermath of the battle.

The area near the floor was charred by the pillar of light.

Cleon was the only one standing there supporting himself.

With a tired body, Cleon pulled out Galatea stuck in the ground.

The rain had already stopped, but I felt the weight of the water soaking my whole body so heavy.

Just before——a situation similar to that of Alvein, who created the magical blade.

In order to get closer to Alvein and the holy sword, who burns his whole body with the rampant holy sword and unifies with the angel and radiates divine magic.

Cleon poured all his magical energy into making armor to protect himself.

Even so, the armor is being sheared little by little.

Protecting the advancing owner takes damage to the point of being impossible.

To put it simply, divine magic and black magic.

It was also emitted from an angel, not a human, so it was inevitable that Cleon’s dark magic was being pushed back.

That’s why, in order to protect his body even a little bit, he used his mana like crazy.

Depletion of magic power and exhaustion are natural steps.

Cleon let out a sigh and, holding onto it, knelt down on one trembling knee, and all he could do was support himself without falling.

“Whoa…”

─It’s over.

Many strengths filled my mind, but the first thing that came to my mind was this thought.

What will happen to Alban after this?

What to do yourself

There were too many things to think about.

However, for that, Cleon was too tired. Both physically and mentally to think of everything.

At that moment – there was something in his hand.

Rolling on the ground, what he caught in his hand was the ‘core of the sword’.

“…”

Cleon looks down at his hands.

If it was the ‘core of the sword’ that he and Lyla had found in an abandoned mine and activated – it would have already been destroyed due to the previous action.

It was—another nucleus—the nucleus of Caliburn.

When I woke up and looked at Alvein’s holy sword, I saw that it was slowly fading away and being absorbed into the core of the orb.

——The note of a hero found in the count’s family.

Naturally, Cleon thought about what to do with this hack.

Perhaps, I might bump into the user of the holy sword again. Because I don’t know what will happen next.

—Recalling his own iron rule related to preparation, which he always said to Alvein. The moment I tried to grab the nucleus—

“Cleon!”

There was a voice approaching calling for Cleon. A gentle yet mature girl’s voice.

In an instant, Cleon’s mind-concentration escaped from the core of the sword.

Then, as if he had waited, a human figure emerged from his sword—

It swallows the jewel-like ‘core of the sword’.

“…”

Just- what happened?

—Throb.

Cleon is bewildered by his partner’s behavior, which he never had before. Next moment. His body is twisted by the pain welling up all over his body.

Should I say rejection? The feeling of inserting a rod made of heated iron into the body.

You will never feel this kind of pain before or after.

Finally. The winner of the fight, Cleon, also passed out on the spot.

002

“It was pretty flashy. Cleon spurting blood from holes in his body.”

Layla smiles, but Perdia sighs as if she hates Layla and puts her hand on Cleon’s forehead.

Cleon, too, felt that Layla’s tongue was too long. I wanted to cut some.

Ferdia continues her story as if to appease Cleon.

“You have a dark magic area spread all over your body. Mr. Quon was sad because he didn’t have recovery magic.”

Indeed. That’s why, for the time being, he was with Ferdia, who could heal himself with her medicine.

I don’t know whose consideration it is, but I think I took a breather. To say the least, Layla’s bandaging skills weren’t commendable.

“After that, your demonic sword also fell asleep as if you were dead.

Lila shrugs her shoulders. She does She expresses her dissatisfaction to the sleeping Cleon without telling her anything as if there are a lot of things she doesn’t know either.

“I’m sorry about that…”

Cleon was a little doubtful about whether it was his fault, but first of all, he decided to apologize because his body didn’t move.

Perhaps the reason her body has recovered so far is also thanks to the medicine she made.

If you look at Lila quietly. She evers her gaze, momentarily bewildered.

Then, while hesitating, he blushed a little.

“──Cleon. When you’re completely healed—”

Quiet, the girl who spurns her door when Lila brings up the subject of her story about the future behind this.

“Is Cleon awake!?”

A priest with emerald hair. Quon runs in a straight line and charges at Cleon.

When the voluptuous and soft marshmallow-like breasts first come into contact with Kuon’s upper body.

Next is the part of the limbs that are a little stiff.

Kwap.

“Ah.”

Moment. The air in the room is still. The next moment, Cleon didn’t scream.

Layla and Ferdia say it’s a ‘superhuman moment of overcoming’. I couldn’t help but applaud.

003

[Defendant. About the hero Alvein. Due to his cruel nature and betrayal of the kingdom, he is stripped of his position as his as a hero and sentenced to ‘perpetual labor’.]

──The wind of happiness. The judgment of the Knights of the Kingdom, read instead by Luti Sions.

Alvein, who knelt with his body tied with ropes and did not say a word, was sentenced to serve in a ‘labor facility’ managed by the kingdom for the rest of his life.

Under current kingdom law, the death penalty is the next most severe punishment.

In fact, it was tantamount to life imprisonment.

“Hey. Isn’t it the death penalty?”

“Damn it. I never thought it was the death penalty.”

However. The adventurers of the guild who thoughtlessly laughed and talked about such things as if they were okay.

Originally, in this place where there are many people who live day by day thinking that the misfortune of others is their own happiness.

In the case of ‘Alvein’, who has always been condescending and boasting that he is different from others—

After the downfall, it was only used as a side dish for drinking.

Seeing these adventurers, Luti became a bit complicated. But soon, he signs the last document he will review.

It wasn’t the first time that he thought he was unsuitable to be a guild master.

Rather, what he had been thinking about since 10 years ago was finished by Alvein’s runaway.

When her resignation her was announced, the men in the guild burst into tears.

Our idol~! I said the same thing, but Luti is not an idol, but a master. Guild Master.

A new guild master will soon be dispatched from the kingdom.

That person would be a fair person who would not hurt anyone even if he was caught with a weakness like himself.

Saying goodbye to the building of the guild that had been together for a long time, Luti walked out onto the street.

“…”

A black-haired, black-eyed ‘female’ adventurer standing in the plaza was waiting for Luti.

He was waiting for the arrival of the guild master with a rapier of a slightly different shape attached to his waist.

“C-Hmm. Leona!”

“…What’s that name?”

Cleon looks at her as if it’s a little strange at Luti’s awkward change of route.

Luti looked at Cleon like that and only answered hesitantly.

“No. Why. You need a name?”

“Maybe I need to think more properly.”

Looking at Cleon who added, it was Luti who was worried that this man might be enjoying the girl’s dress in her.

The two stare at each other for a while, then walk away laughing at the awkward sensation as if steam is leaking.

“Read Alvein’s verdict. Did you see it?”

“Yes. The fact that the death penalty was not issued is as expected—”

Luti shrugged with a dark face. After moving, the story continued.

“Even if he doesn’t have a holy sword, he has experience as a hero.

“I can’t wait.”

Cleon frowns at such a situation. Of course, the fact that the death penalty was not issued was a good thing for Quon.

Perhaps. Wouldn’t it have been a better ending for Alvein if he had finished it on the spot?

“Ah. Another dark face.”

“…”

Unknowingly, the impression was frowned upon. It was pointed out by Ruti.

“Everything has been resolved at best, so let’s open our faces a little more. We’re about to leave the city. Come on. Come on. Smile.”

The index fingers of both hands lifted the corner of Cleon’s mouth hers. From the side, they are beauties playing pranks on each other.

In reality, it was a picture of a woman making fun of a man the age of her younger brother.

Cleon leaves such Luti alone for a while, and then arrives at the ‘Gateway’, which is the entrance to the city and also the exit at the same time.

– Childhood. I remember coming to this city with Luti and another person.

Her face I still remember clearly. Was he able to live without shame?

Luti, too, quietly looks around the city while being blown by the wind.

“Let’s go, Luti.”

“Yes.”

The two left the city behind.

It was a farewell to him and the place she loved.

004

The deepest part of the living forest. In areas designated as risk areas—

An abandoned mansion now uninhabited is located.

‘Gorthian’s Mansion’. However, according to adventurers, recently——inma like a succubus and its owner have settled down here.

The story of extracting the soul from the victim all night long—

For some reason, it spread like a romance among adventurers in the city.

“Because I couldn’t move my body. I was hanging on all day…”

Cleon scratches his head. I was sitting stretched out on the bed.

The above rumor was what I heard from Luti while she was bringing me here.

I had a guess.

Perdia brought up a story about a suspicious treatment method called ‘Chinese medicine’.

A theory that promotes healing through physical intercourse between a man and a woman.

Laila said the logic itself wasn’t wrong.

To test it right away, he took off his clothes and rushed at him.

After that, Sashana and Quon woke up. Even Galatea, who has regained function.

Taking turns mixing with him. Moaning could not be stopped from inside and outside the mansion.

I don’t know if it’s thanks to that, but my body recovered faster than I thought, and I was able to watch the last appearance of Alvein.

-Albein.

How would this situation have come about if he had done it himself?

If a boy could have stayed a boy.

If the girl hadn’t seen the oracle.

If only the young man hadn’t encouraged them both.

─A little more, wouldn’t a good story come out?

That’s the adventure story of the hero that the boy longed for and didn’t even do.

“…”

Cleon closes the book he was reading and closes his eyes.

‘Imperial Dragon Lutios and the Hero’

The story of the hero who hunted the dragon that Albain once told himself.

It is a fairytale-like story of a child dragon who raises his sword high and flies into the sky to punish the dragon that torments the world.

Even Cleon himself didn’t like this story.

——It wasn’t that I liked a hero who defeated the enemy in style.

Share your heart with the warrior. Even though they clashed with each other. At the end. A story of understanding each other.

Many people think that the hero saved the world by killing the dragon of the evil empire, but the reality is different.

“Whoops…”

Twenty twenty. Something was crawling from the blanket on the side of her lower body.

When Cleon turns his gaze to that direction and pulls off the blanket. Pink hair comes out.

“…”

I am still alive like this.

“Rutie. What are you doing?”

“No. The fact that I was also called to this mansion. I guess it’s about time to do something like that.”

Luti blushed a little, but with a smile on her face, she came close to Cleon.

Luti, who wraps her arms around her, sees the title of the book Cleon is holding, smiles and throws it to the corner of the room.

“Just a little more.”

To Ruti, who was acting childishly and rubbing her cheeks her. Cleon muttered quietly.

“…Haa. It takes a lot of work. Who the hell do you look like?”

“You are. Who does that cynical personality resemble?”

Who do you think of at the same time? Quietly, the gazes of the two crossed. Faces came closer.

“Cleon-sama. I’ll be in charge of the night attendant today. —Ah.”

Perdia opens the door and enters. The same as someday Cleon and Luti’s bodies freeze.

Ferdia stopped for a moment, then quietly closed the door and went inside.

Rutido, after seeing Ferdia like that. I mumbled, and snatched Cleon’s lips.

“Was it a hindrance?”

“Not this time.”

—The night has begun.