Chapter Sixty-Eight
“—This was more than a few hundred years ago. There was a revolutionary. A revolutionary who rose up to protect the innocent people from the tyrannical rule of a despotic monarch. That person was the ancestor of the current royal family.”
Having arrived at the western lighthouse with Ryuuzas, Amses, who had been sitting on the ground with his back to us, seemed to notice our presence. He began to speak in a narrative tone.
“And most of the people who sympathized with and supported the revolutionary’s ideology and philosophy were the ancestors of the current nobles. However, the same people who once united under the banner of ‘a world where everyone can live happily’ are now this. Then, shouldn’t we change things, even if it means killing, just like before? Shouldn’t we change this rotten reign, just like we did before? Am I wrong to think so?”
Amses slowly stood up.
I’ve been waiting.
He stretched for a few seconds, as if loosening his stiff body.
Then, he turned to face me.
“It’s an undeniable fact that this country is currently corrupt. You, who left the Knights Order, should know that well. Former Vice-Commander Ryuuzas.”
“I won’t deny it.”
Ryuuzas was someone who had left the Knights Order, disgusted with the royal family and nobles who supported the country. He was now cooperating to deal with this situation, but that didn’t mean the feelings he once held had disappeared.
“So, frankly, I don’t care whether you kill the nobles or not. I’m not a Knight anymore.”
Since he no longer belonged to the Knights Order, he had no obligation to protect them.
“But I can’t forgive you for dragging Oliver into this for your own self-satisfaction.”
If he were to be killed by Oliver, so be it. For Ryuuzas, who had accepted even his own death due to past guilt, the act of using Oliver was unforgivable.
“It’s our sin that we couldn’t protect his brother. So, if this is your way of atoning for Oliver, I’ll accept it, even if it means my death. That’s what I intended.”
“Then you should have just accepted it.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I would have… if that was Oliver’s true intention. But that’s not the case, is it? Alstead… Barnabas…”
The name Ryuuzas casually mentioned. It was probably Amses’s real name.
But for some reason, I felt a snag. Just a name, something I shouldn’t have any particular feeling towards. But the word Barnabas bothered me, lingering in a corner of my memory.
“Barnabas.”
I muttered and thought. I had the impression I had heard it somewhere before, but that was it. However, the reality before me didn’t wait for me to reminisce, and the conversation between Amses and Ryuuzas continued.
“If you really just wanted to help Oliver, then how do you explain this? Huh? These brainwashed magicians.”
At first glance, it seemed as if Amses was alone at the designated western lighthouse. But as soon as Ryuuzas pointed it out, several adventurer-like figures appeared, as if their presence had been hidden by magic like ‘Perception Obstruction.’ They were probably the people Amses had gathered to defeat monsters.
However, their eyes were vacant, and they didn’t look like they were in a normal state.
“…Did you gather the magicians for this purpose from the beginning?”
I asked, just in case. Amses gave me his usual smile, as if surprised.
“No, that’s not true. I had no intention of laying a hand on the magicians. But something unexpected happened on my end.”
Amses glanced at the several magicians standing vacantly. His gaze was chilling.
“If you could change this rotten aristocratic society, what element would be the key? Do you remember that conversation from this morning?”
“…I remember.”
I had answered “pure strength.”
It was this morning’s conversation. I still remembered, of course.
“Come to think of it, I asked you, but I didn’t answer, did I?”
So, I’ll tell you now.
He brought up the topic he had brushed off as a friend’s opinion.
“Let me tell you the perfect answer. It’s a large number of sacrifices. Sacrifices are the key element that can bring about change!! There’s no other way… but there were people who couldn’t understand that. Even at this stage.”
As if to say these are those people, he looked at the several magicians standing vacantly, and then turned his gaze back to me as if nothing had happened.
“Do you think it’s extreme? But nothing will change otherwise. No, that’s not right. The fact that nothing changed is the correct answer here.”
Ryuuzas’s expression beside me hardened noticeably. He probably knew the circumstances that led Amses to say that.
“So, although it wasn’t my intention, I borrowed their abilities. I can’t be interrupted here.”
He had said it was precognitive, but that was probably a lie. Judging from the existence of the ‘Magician Hunter,’ there was no doubt that Amses’s ability was mental manipulation, a type of brainwashing.
“…So, what are you planning to do? To change this current aristocratic society, you’ll kill the nobles, and then, like the previous royal family, you’ll become the new king as a revolutionary, just like you said? You, a descendant of Barnabas…”
Then, finally, the discomfort I felt about the word “Barnabas” was resolved. I had seen the life of the Star Slayer on my eighth birthday.
All of it was on the battlefield. The memories I saw were almost all filled with conflict. It must have been a turbulent era.
Wars occurred frequently, and death was much more familiar than it was now.
“Well, it’s understandable that you wouldn’t forgive them, to a certain extent. If the ones who overthrew your ancestors, who founded this country, and started a revolution for the happiness of the people, are now mostly corrupt.”
Amses’s relaxed smile distorted slightly.
As if in displeasure.
However, I didn’t have the time to point out that change.
…That’s right. The reason the name Barnabas had stuck in my mind was because I had heard it in the Star Slayer’s memories.
However, the swordsman who was often by his side particularly disliked the name “Barnabas.” Because of that, the Star Slayer rarely used the word intentionally.
That’s why I couldn’t remember it immediately. But now I did.
Barnabas was the name of the country where the Star Slayer was born.
And the swordsman who was often by his side, his best friend. If I remembered correctly, his name was—
“Auguren Barnabas.”
Before I knew it, the words had left my mouth.
Amses, who had been about to answer Ryuuzas’s question, interrupted himself and widened his eyes in response to my words.
“…I’m surprised. You know that name?”
Amses seemed genuinely surprised. He spoke, forgetting even to put on a smile.
However, Ryuuzas, who was beside him, didn’t seem to recognize the name.
He furrowed his brow, a puzzled expression on his face.
“I was about to ask where you learned that name… but ah, that’s right. You were someone connected to the Star Slayer.”
So it wasn’t strange that I knew about him, he concluded. But then, Amses suddenly began to speak.
“Auguren Barnabas was a member of the Barnabas royal family, back when it still existed. However, despite being a member of the royal family, he abandoned the name Barnabas when he was around ten years old.”
I knew. I knew the reason, and what he did after abandoning his name, because I had seen it.
“The reason he abandoned it was extremely simple. He simply hated this corrupt world. He especially hated the royal family, which was its symbol. That’s why he abandoned the name Barnabas first.”
That’s why Auguren hated being called Barnabas, and the word itself.
And at the same time, I felt a strange sentimentality.
I didn’t know how long ago the Star Slayer lived. But now, here I was, trying to become a Star Slayer, face to face with the descendant of someone he considered his best friend.
What a strange coincidence. I genuinely thought so.
“And he himself, while hating the royal family, didn’t agree with the revolution.”
That’s why he and the Star Slayer got along.
—What’s the point of a revolution in the first place? Are we supposed to believe someone who insists that everyone hold hands and create a beautiful world? That’s ridiculous.
That’s why Auguren agreed with those words of the Star Slayer, who had a past of suffering under a half-hearted reign.
“Because he knew that the revolution would only result in the creation of a second Barnabas. And that’s exactly what happened.”
Amses said that, just as Auguren had feared, the future had settled into an unavoidable reality.
“That’s why I thought we should create a world where pure strength reigns supreme. A new world ruled by powerful magicians, far from a tyrannical monarchy.”
Amses extended his right hand, as if inviting me to take it. He said that after destroying the current nobles and royal family, he would create a world where magicians ruled.
“Do you think it’s impossible? No, it’s possible. It will require no small number of sacrifices, but it’s possible.”
The moment he said that, the sound of an explosion came from somewhere far away, loud enough to make me turn around. A moment later, the ground shook slightly.
“…You…”
Ryuuzas glared at Amses, certain that he was responsible.
However, the man himself just laughed as if nothing had happened.
He didn’t even acknowledge Ryuuzas’s angry words.
“Besides, Julius. If you are truly the successor of the Star Slayer, you shouldn’t be able to overlook the current royal family for a different reason.”
…And the conversation would probably connect to the relationship between the Star Slayer and this country that was mentioned in the letter.
“The current royal family completely erased the name Star Slayer.”
Why?
That question briefly surfaced. However, I concluded that it didn’t matter.
“It seems the Star Slayer interfered with the ancestor of the current royal family, who was a revolutionary.”
Revolution. Interference.
Those two words brought a certain scene to mind.
Then, I did have something that came to mind.
Honing his swordsmanship.
I remembered the scene where he turned against an army for that sole reason.
I even remembered Auguren Barnabas laughing and saying, he’s an idiot.
“Well, that’s why his name, and his very existence, were erased.”
Slaying stars.
I only remembered him being resented enough to have his name erased for pursuing that goal.
So I wasn’t surprised to hear that his name had been erased.
However, he was also admired by many people, despite being disliked by many more.
That was the reason I sought justification when wielding my sword.
The Star Slayer’s reasons for picking fights were to protect someone, or to repay a favor.
He might have seemed selfish at first glance, but in reality, he was full of such sentiments. That’s why I admired him all the more.
“—Don’t you feel any resentment? The ‘Star Slayer’ you aspire to be was completely erased by the current royal family. Very few people even know of his existence anymore.”
It was a whisper. But even though he wasn’t shouting, his voice resonated strongly in my mind.
It was a… strange feeling.
“Even those who left such striking achievements are few and far between, even if you look back a thousand years.”
I thought that was undoubtedly true. There might be some upward bias in my perception due to my admiration, but even so, his skill was outstanding.
“Hey, kid.”
For some reason, Ryuuzas called out to me. I didn’t know why.
I didn’t know, but somehow, his expression looked anxious.
He seemed to be saying something else, but Amses’s voice easily drowned out Ryuuzas’s.
Even though Ryuuzas was much closer to me than Amses.
“Nevertheless, his existence was erased. For one reason only: he was inconvenient.”
I know.
“Not content with just causing trouble once, he did all sorts of things. His existence was nothing but a nuisance.”
In the end, the Star Slayer lost an arm. He sacrificed his arm for his friend, who carried the blood of Barnabas. He was blunt, and not very sociable.
But even so, he was a man full of compassion, willing to sacrifice his arm without hesitation for his only friend, even though he dreamed of slaying the stars.
—That’s precisely why this reality, where his name has been erased, is even more unforgivable.
“…”
I shouldn’t have said it aloud. But for some reason, Amses responded to the thoughts in my head with words of affirmation.
It was a sweet temptation, like nectar. Words so comforting that I almost wanted to give in.
…But. However.
“If he were alive in this era, I think he would have said this.”
I said to Amses, who was waiting for my next words,
“…‘That doesn’t matter.’”
I spat out the words. Immediately after, I felt as if a dark veil that had been covering me had been lifted.
Ryuuzas, who had felt distant despite being close by, now felt normal.
Amses’s words, which had been echoing in my mind, were now far away.
As I thought, that had been a strange sensation.
“He wasn’t swinging his sword to be recognized by many. If he really did slay the stars, and that fact was erased, he would be angry. But I don’t think he would care much about anything else.”
I could easily imagine him just saying, “So what?” Because that’s the kind of person he was.
“…Ha, as expected, ‘Mental Manipulation’ doesn’t work on you.”
‘Mental Manipulation.’ That must be the name of Amses’s magic.
However, his self-deprecating remark suggested that he had known it wouldn’t work from the beginning.
“But why don’t you understand…!? Why don’t you understand that if this continues, the country will only become more corrupt?”
Honestly, I didn’t know much about nobles. So I only understood the obvious things.
“…No, to be honest, I think your idea isn’t bad, Amses.”
The nobles were corrupt.
I heard that everywhere.
So the idea of eliminating them probably wasn’t wrong.
However.
“But only if it can actually be achieved.”
“…What do you mean?”
I recalled the Star Slayer’s words.
—Countries are cunning creatures. They are happy to take advantage of the rebellion and impose further oppression. Thanks to them, the outlaws will be even more abundant, and the weak will have nothing but a future of death by malice.
“Is there any guarantee that it will succeed? What if it’s done half-heartedly and ends half-heartedly…? I think it will become a difficult world for magicians to live in.”
If I lived as freely as I did, it wouldn’t be a problem. Even if a difficult future arrived for magicians, I wouldn’t suffer much.
However, what would happen then? What would happen to my childhood friend who had healing magic aptitude—someone like Sofia? Thinking about that—
“Just like he said, outlaws will become even more abundant, and the weak will have nothing but a future of death by malice. I don’t want that kind of world. That’s why I’m still rejecting your idea.”
Amses should have just continued killing the nobles he resented. If that had continued, rumors of evil nobles being killed would have spread, and it would have become a deterrent to some extent.
But he didn’t do that.
Amses, for some reason, didn’t do that.
“…If you’re going to deny my way of thinking, I have no choice but to kill you.”
I had once told Amses that pure strength was essential to change this world.
So, removing obstacles by force to assert my will.
I thought that act was correct.
“Of course. Besides, even if you talk about a new world ruled by magicians, I can’t honestly believe in a world described by someone who manipulates magicians with magic.”
And as if responding to the killing intent directed at me, I muttered, “Sword Creation,” and created a sword in my right hand.
[Translator – Vine]
[Proofreader – Lust]
Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.gg/Eh2ayfR4FB
