Elric had a dream.
He dread of slaughtering soldiers on a bloody and muddy battlefield.
The stench of blood and the sll of rotting corpses mixed together, causing a numbness in his sense of sll. The soldiers screams made his ears ring. His vision was in black and white.
Frantically swinging his sword, he barely moved forward as the bombardnt of flas from the mages, archers, and artillery unit dyed his vision pitch black.
It was as if he was looking into the gaping maw of a giant monster.
Elric stared blankly at the scene, and only at the very end did he manage to
Huhk!
He woke up from the dream.
Groggily, Elric sat up in bed and looked around at his surroundings.
A single desk, a bed, a set of knights armor, and the decorative swords that hung on the wall painted a picture of tranquility.
This wasnt the battlefield. It was a peaceful room where the commotion of the West was not felt at all. It was his childhood room, where everything was just as he had rembered it.
Yes, Im back ho now.
With a trembling hand, Elric reached out.
Even though he knew that there were no enemies here, he couldnt relax.
His body broke out in a cold sweat. His heart was pounding like a madman, and his heightened senses were picking up every sound around him, even the chirping of the birds outside the window.
A sword, a sword.
These were the effects of a psychological disorder.
Raised on the battlefield and imrsed in its madness, Elric had been afflicted with a disease that made it impossible for him to let go of his sword, even for a single mont.
With a clatter, he found a dagger on top of a nearby cupboard.
Elric cradled the dagger in his arms and took a deep breath.
His heartbeat was slowing down.
It was at that mont.
Sir, did you cough?
Aldio asked from the doorway.
The sound of his voice brought Elric back to reality.
Yeah, I just woke up.
A light chirping of birds was heard.
These were such luxurious accommodations.
After coming in so late the night before and going straight to his bedroom, Elric felt awkward in the morning at the manor.
He had asked for a cold bath and was imdiately t with a basin full of cold water.
After washing up, he found that his clothes were already prepared for him, and the fabric was so soft that he almost felt like he wasnt wearing clothes at all. On the battlefield, he had always worn rough clothes that were torn apart every ti he fought, so he couldnt help but notice the contrast.
Elric buttoned his shirt and tightened his necktie.
Looking in the mirror, he saw no trace of Kasha the Sword Demon.
For so reason, it felt foreign, and Elric smiled.
This doesnt suit at all.
As a child, he had often heard that his smiling face was beautiful, but now it seed too artificial. Perhaps, the reason he had never smiled on the battlefield was because of that.
His expression stiffened.
Elric tore his gaze away from the mirror and grasped his cane.
As he left the room, Aldio was waiting for him.
Shall we have a al first?
Please lead the way.
Aldio smiled and started walking.
It wasnt long before the question ca up.
By the way, what happened to your leg?
He had been looking at Elrics knee all day yesterday, and now he seed to finally be asking about it.
Elric shrugged.
I rolled down a steep hill and hit a rock. I wasnt careful enough.
He couldnt talk about getting shot in the knee on the battlefield.
After all, it would take ti, but it would eventually heal.
He didnt want to cause anybody unnecessary worry.
Oh my youre still a ss.
Dont call a ss. It makes feel like a little kid.
They chuckled and exchanged teasing remarks, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the dining hall.
But, as the door opened with a thud, Elric stopped dead in his tracks.
Have you been coughing?
Inside the not-so-small dining hall was another person.
A woman with hair the color of golden wheat, droopy eyes, and red lips that stood out alone against her white skin.
Elric belatedly rembered that Tyria was also living here.
He had seen her yesterday, but the eting had completely gone over his head.
Good morning.
Elric offered an awkward greeting and made his way to the table.
His knees ached, as if hed been up all night. He tried to compose his face, but it didnt quite match his state of mind.
Finally, he just struggled to pull the chair out and sit down.
And, as soon as he sat down, he noticed that her gaze was directed towards his knees.
Ah, never mind it. Its not a serious injury.
How ugly would it have been if he had co ho as a la man who only whined like a child.
Elric wrapped his hands around his knee to shake off her gaze.
I see.
Tyria took a seat.
Soon the al was served.
Eggs, soft bread, and three slices of bacon.
It was a nostalgic al. A simple, light nu tailored to his fathers taste.
Although, it was ironic that the man who created it wasnt here anymore.
With a clatter, Elric picked up his fork and knife.
Tyria picked up her utensils as well.
Elric watched her movents as they started their al.
She was uncannily quiet. The glass and iron utensils didnt make the slightest clink, and the way she sliced, diced, and brought her food to her mouth was graceful.
She chewed her food quietly, so much so that there was no sound of her mouth opening, a stark contrast to Elric way of eating.
Scarfing down the dirt-covered ergency rations on the battlefield had beco a habit, and Elric had forgotten all the dining etiquette he had learned before.
In an instant, their eyes t.
Elric hesitated for a mont, then turned his head down towards his own plate.
He coughed loudly and raised his head, wondering, Why am I avoiding eye contact with her?
She was still staring at him.
Elric put on his trademark haughty smile.
Whats wrong?
Nothing.
Her gaze shifted downward again.
It was an uncomfortable al.
Still, as they were sitting at the sa table, it felt too awkward to remain silent, so Elric cautiously spoke up.
Are you going to inspect the wheat fields again today?
Yes.
Hmm, I see.
Tyrias index finger slightly twitched.
Regretting opening his mouth, Elric wondered if he was being a bother.
Im so stupid.
Once again, he had made the sa mistake of opening his mouth unnecessarily.
He felt sick to his stomach. If he kept sitting here like that, he would lose his appetite completely.
So, he quickly grabbed half a piece of bread, one slice of bacon, and a handful of fries that were still on his plate, and shoved them into his mouth all at once.
He wiped his mouth roughly with a napkin and stood up from his seat.
Im going to look around the mansion. Take care and enjoy your al.
Im off. Enjoy your al.
It was the most casual greeting that he could muster.
There was no way the true aning behind his words could have been conveyed, and he didnt even think about such a thing.
Elric grabbed his cane and hastily left the table.
Only after the door had closed did Tyria speak.
Yes, have a good day.
It was a very quiet voice.
A faint smile appeared on her lips, barely noticeable if one looked closely, and then disappeared without a trace.
The mansion was bustling after the al.
Guided by Aldio, Elric began to greet all the servants.
Among them, there were those who existed in Elrics mory, and those who had been replaced by others.
Those whom he t after a long ti welcod Elric warmly.
Elric was overwheld with gratitude.
They welcod him here, even though he was a shaless, reckless bastard who had left without a word and had not co to his fathers funeral.
After each hug, they all, without exception, expressed concern about his knee.
It will heal eventually, Elric assured them, but none of them believed him.
Was I such a useless child?
Elric pondered, as he looked back on the past.
He had to admit that if you were to pick out the biggest troublemaker in Wevin, then the na of Elric Portman would co up without fail. In this respect, at least, there was no denying it.
As Elric struggled to respond, the maid chuckled and asked another question.
Haiya Then, Milord, are you staying for good now?
Haha.
Elric awkwardly laughed.
After all, he hadnt firmly decided on his plans yet.
With his knee injury, hed probably stay here for a while, but who was he to pretend to be the lord of this place now?
His return to Wevin had been purely an accident, a combination of hosickness and other factors that had cleverly ca together.
It was just his luck that he had found out about his fathers death at the bar he visited after leaving the battlefield with a knee injury. Even if he spoke about it, would anyone believe this story?
He didnt want to cause any trouble by coming here and disturbing the peace, knowing that this place would function just fine without him.
More than likely, he would return to the battlefield.
Milord?
Well, we can talk about that later, I have sowhere to go.
Ah, well, whatever, the only thing thats important is that youre here. Ho ho! Well have a grand dinner tonight.
Elric turned to Aldio, ignoring the giggles of the gracious maid.
Then, shall we get going?
Yes, please climb into the carriage.
In front of them was a carriage, just the right size for a single rider.
Elric fiddled with the dagger in his pocket.
It was a habit, sothing he did whenever he felt unsettled.
Eventually, he made his way to the carriage with a thud, step by step.
His destination was his fathers grave.
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