Chapter 180
Fragnts of hazy mories.
……It was sothing that happened in the very distant past.
The gigantic wolf beast was threatening by its sheer size alone, and thus beca a major nuisance to the people.
When rumors spread that this wolf hard humans, people began calling it a ‘monster’.
They rushed at it with weapons in hand, and the beast fought back, injuring people in return.
It was an era where only misunderstanding and hostility repeated themselves.
Then, one day, a man ca to the beast without fear.
Unlike the others who pointed their weapons, he held out a single flower.
He was a tall man wearing a robe, holding a staff in one hand.
“You’re not so kind of monster. Your na is…… yes, that’ll do.”
The man thought for a mont, then answered like this.
“Polia. That’s the na you’ll be called from now on.”
He gave the beast, who was called a monster, the na ‘Polia’.
“Polia, you must continue to survive. You’ll be loved by people, and you’ll beco a Guardian Deity who protects this land. I really want to see that.”
He alone blessed the beast—who had been persecuted by people—with hope.
At first, the beast thought it was the rambling of a madman.
But as ti passed, ‘Polia’ defeated monsters one by one, and with each victory, the misunderstandings with people gradually unraveled.
Before long, just as the man had said, Polia ca to be called a ‘Guardian Deity’ and beca a being loved and blessed by the people.
And along with that, fragnts of hazy mories that brushed past.
The final mory with the man who believed in her until the very end.
Before leaving, the man said this.
“Polia. I’m not going to die. Soday, I’ll co back to et you again.”
As if making a promise, he added,
“Until then, please wait for .”
The Guardian Deity slowly opened her eyes.
It was a mory far too old.
So old that she could no longer recall the man’s face.
But why was that?
From the boy before her, she felt an atmosphere similar to the man who had given her the na ‘Polia’.
That man had made a promise.
That soday, he would definitely co to et her again.
Of course, hundreds of years had passed since that promise.
The people who lived back then had all reached the end of their lifespans and died. Several generations had flowed by since.
Those who rembered and praised her as the Guardian Deity of Kirhen gradually dwindled away.
In this era, the only one who still rembered Polia as a Guardian Deity…… was probably Bedervel alone now.
Even so, that was fine. If it was for the sake of eting the man again, it didn’t matter if no one rembered her.
She simply stayed here, protecting the land, hoping that the man would return.
But, too much ti had passed. The man who had given her the na ‘Polia’ must surely have died.
Even so, the Guardian Deity held onto hope.
“I am Polia. The Guardian Deity who has protected Kirhen for 300 years.”
That the boy before her had co to fulfill that faded promise in the man’s stead.
She held onto such a small hope.
“I want to confirm your potential.”
The na Polia was not Bedervel’s alias.
It was the na of this enormous wolf—the Guardian Deity of Kirhen.
More importantly.
“……Potential?”
I couldn’t imdiately understand what the Guardian Deity’s words ant.
‘……What is this? So kind of quest?’
However, it was a developnt that could never have existed in the ga.
‘Right. In the first place, you couldn’t even talk to the Guardian Deity in the ga. In the ga, our first eting happened after the Guardian Deity was already contaminated by mana, with her mind eroded.’
I had never seen the Guardian Deity completely purified and revealing her white mane, not even in the ga.
‘And I only found out just now that this wolf’s na was Polia.’
I had thought it was simply the na of a famous adventurer, but it was a na Bedervel had borrowed.
Perhaps she had borrowed the na and lived as an adventurer, hoping that the na of the Guardian Deity she regarded as her father would spread far and wide.
That was rely my speculation.
“……My daughter.”
Polia turned her gaze toward Bedervel.
“Teach that boy my swordsmanship.”
Bedervel’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“……Father. Is that really okay?”
“That boy will be fine.”
Polia closed her eyes.
“It has to be that boy.”
Once those words fell, Bedervel no longer hesitated.
She imdiately stepped in front of .
“Boy. You asked before if I’d take on a disciple, didn’t you?”
“……I did.”
“It’s been ten years since I learned the sword from my father. That was when I realized my father’s mind was gradually being eroded by mana contamination.”
Bedervel continued calmly.
“There was no one around to inherit that swordsmanship except , so he taught it to temporarily. The reason Father taught his swordsmanship was so that, soday, I could pass it on to the one person he permitted.”
Bedervel’s blue eyes shone with solemn resolve.
“……Just now, Father permitted you.”
Hearing those words, I bit my lip and clenched my fist.
‘It’s here.’
It was the mont I had wanted most.
As a gar, there was no way my blood wouldn’t boil.
After all, this was a situation where a hidden piece—one that remained completely concealed and could never surface even in the ga—was unfolding.
“Father and I could say that we lived for this very mont. That’s how much learning this sword ans risking your life.”
The beautiful swordsmanship that couldn’t be learned because it was never recognized as a legitimate school, even in the ga.
……The opportunity to obtain it had arrived.
I couldn’t let it slip away.
“From now on, for one month. I’ll pass on the Wolf’s Swordsmanship to you. And then. One month later.”
Following Bedervel’s gaze, I realized that sothing massive was embedded beside the wolf.
At first, I thought it was just a pile of rocks, but it wasn’t.
It was an enormous ‘greatsword’, far too massive for a human to wield.
A weapon that looked as though it could only be swung when the wolf clenched it in her jaws and slashed.
“……You must duel Father.”
A wolf several tis taller than .
A being who had lived for hundreds of years.
The fact that he had survived such a long ti ant he was an extraordinary powerhouse.
If anyone were to face this gigantic wolf, they would be terrified and flee.
“You know what a duel ans, right? It’s staking your life, boy.”
Bedervel paused briefly, then added,
“I understand. You’ve worked hard enough. If you’re scared, it’s fine to run away. I’m truly grateful to you for purifying Father. I don’t want to drive you, my benefactor, to your deat—”
Before Bedervel could finish, I lowered my head.
There was no way I was scared.
If anything, it was an exciting proposition.
Learning the ‘Wolf’s Swordsmanship’—sothing that didn’t even exist in the ga.
It was exactly what I had longed for.
It was worth learning even if it ant taking on the risk of staking my life.
I hated gambling. If there was risk to my life, I was always suspicious first. Above all, my life was the most precious thing.
……But there was a clear reason why I was so confident now.
A sound, as if cheering on, echoed within my heart.
Bam-bam-bparabam-!
Thump thump special event!
Conquer the four mountains of Kirhen!
As proof of conquest, please defeat the ‘King’ that exists on the largest mountain in each direction!
King of East Mountain - 1/1
King of West Mountain - 1/1
King of South Mountain - 1/1
King of North Mountain - 1/1
Congratulations! You conquered the entire mountain! A special reward was granted to you, who had lived diligently!
Learning Device - Learning Machine 486 ( One-month Rental )
‘Yeah, this is it.’
The reward I had been waiting for. I couldn’t suppress my smile.
When I reached my hand toward the hologram and grabbed it as it was, so kind of ‘object’ was caught in my grasp.
It was a chanical headband-type device that attached to the head, the quest’s reward.
Learning Machine 486
Your burning heart to protect your animal friends transford into high concentration and academic zeal for a certain period of ti!
You could learn anything well!
If I had just this.
Even in a short period of ti, I was confident that I could completely absorb the swordsmanship Bedervel taught.
I raised my lowered head halfway.
“Please take care of for the next month.”
I steeled my resolve while looking into her blue eyes.
“Master Bedervel.”
“…….”
Bedervel closed her mouth when she heard call her ‘Master’. I thought I saw a strange smile, and it even felt like I heard a short laugh.
“……This is a matter where your life is on the line, yet you decided all at once. You’ve got guts, boy. Training starts tomorrow. Co up here to Spitz Snowy Mountains every night at this ti.”
“Understood. But Bedervel—no, Master. You have to keep your promise. You promised Rapin too.”
“……?”
Bedervel blinked her eyes.
“Don’t tell you’ve already forgotten? What you said about having a at party with Rapin.”
“……Ha.”
After hearing my rather out-of-the-blue answer, Bedervel finally couldn’t hold it in and burst into laughter.
“Hahaha…….”
She probably couldn’t even imagine leisurely having a at party in this situation.
“……Fine, alright. Let’s do it. When should we?”
Bedervel nodded, looking amused.
“Let’s do it now. Please wait just a bit. I’ll bring Rapin. It’ll take ten minutes.”
“……Ten minutes?”
Leaving behind Bedervel, who wore a puzzled expression, I used Shuck’s ability and swiftly descended the snowy mountain.
After descending from Spitz Snowy Mountains, when I first saw Rapin, she looked like this.
“Billet, you’re late.”
Perhaps she had been worried since I hadn’t co down until late at night. She had wrapped her entire body in a blanket like a rolled gimbap, leaving only her face sticking out, and puffed her cheeks as if sulking.
Her eyebrows were shaped like the number eight (八), making her look full of intent to scold severely.
“Rapin, let’s go have a at party.”
“Okay.”
At my sudden remark, Rapin instantly cald her expression and let go of her anger.
“Where are we going? Is Polia unni there too?”
“Yeah.”
I had an item I had made so ti ago.
A ring made from an Ice Dragon’s horn. It was a magic item that allowed instant movent within a 10km range.
‘I did think about using it while climbing the four mountains.’
But using this item to climb a mountain didn’t count as conquering it, which was why I hadn’t used it. However, this ti was different.
I wasn’t going up for the purpose of clearing a quest, but simply to have a at party.
‘Open.’
When I activated the ring’s ability, a hologram-shaped door appeared before my eyes.
Without the need to struggle up the mountain, just entering this door would bring us to the summit of Spitz Snowy Mountains in the blink of an eye.
Before stepping through the door, I spoke to Rapin in advance.
“Rapin. I’m sorry, but I think I’ll have to stay at this lodging for about one more month.”
“Okay, that’s fine.”
Rapin accepted it surprisingly readily.
I continued speaking, feeling a bit flustered.
“Aren’t you going to ask why I have to stay? You’re not even giving a chance to explain?”
“It’s okay. You must have your own reasons, Billet.”
……She was quite cool about it, Rapin.
As I looked at her with admiration, she told the reason she had so readily accepted my suggestion.
“I also still have places here that I want to adventure to. If I stay for a month, I think I can visit them all.”
It seed she wasn’t simply sacrificing herself to wait for —Rapin had her own goals as well.
That put at ease.
“Alright, let’s go in.”
As I threw myself toward the door, we arrived at the summit of Spitz Snowy Mountains.
“So it’s true, you used a magic item? That must be a precious item.”
Seeing us co through the door, Bedervel let out a note of admiration. Rapin approached Bedervel and greeted her.
“Nice to et you, Polia unni.”
Hearing that, I answered Rapin instead of Bedervel.
“Rapin, call her Bedervel now, not Polia. Polia is…… that big wolf over there.”
“……Bedervel? Polia?”
Rapin walked straight up to the enormous Polia without hesitation. She showed no fear at all.
“So fluffy.”
She touched Polia’s arm with great interest, then spread her hand wide.
“Paw.”
“……!?”
It must have been a first-ti experience for both Polia and Bedervel.
Who would ever say ‘paw’ to a Guardian Deity?
As I expected, their eyes widened in flustered surprise, but—
“…….”
Realizing there was no malice in Rapin, Polia very carefully placed her paw on Rapin’s hand.
“Good job, clap clap.”
“…….”
The Guardian Deity had completely fallen into the position of a re puppy in front of Rapin.
Anyway, as intended, we prepared for the at party.
I took out a barbecue grill from subspace and placed Wild Boar at I had obtained from West Mountain on it.
Sizzle—!
The at grilled while giving off a delicious aroma, and Bedervel was the first to eat a perfectly cooked piece.
“Ahh, it’s delicious……!”
“Mm…….”
Rapin also trembled after eating a piece. Wondering if it was really that good, I put a piece of the fully cooked at into my mouth as well.
……It lted the instant it touched my tongue. It was fantastic.
“Father, you should try so too!”
“I…… I’ll pass.”
“No, it’s really delicious, Father. Try it.”
“…….”
Unable to refuse Bedervel’s repeated urging, Polia reluctantly opened her mouth and accepted the at.
“How is it? Tasty, right?”
I wondered if she could feel any taste at all with that huge body and such a small piece of at, but Polia cleared her throat and spoke.
“……It seems that now that the curse has been lifted, my sense of taste has returned as well.”
I figured that roughly ant it tasted good.
Since the Wild Boar at stored in subspace was piled up like a mountain, we kept grilling without worry of running out.
While the four of us were in the middle of eating, Bedervel—who had sohow gotten hold of beer—took a sip and smiled at .
“Boy, today is a festival, but from tomorrow on, you’d better be prepared. My lessons won’t be easy.”
“That’s exactly what I was hoping for.”
……And so, the night of the festival grew deeper.
The next day, under the night sky with the moon risen.
Using Shuck’s ability, I quickly climbed to the summit of Spitz Snowy Mountains.
Sitting there alone was a woman with fluttering white-silver hair and blue eyes.
“I was waiting, boy.”
She, who stood with wolves under the moonlight, drew the sword at her waist and spoke.
“Let’s begin the lesson.”
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