Chapter 50. < 23. Facing a Past Life (2) >
'What's with that kid?'
Morgan, who had been waiting for his meal, looked at the boy who had made eye contact with him.
He didn't recognize the face, but the other person was looking at him persistently, as if he had something to say.
Then suddenly, the boy headed toward the counter and borrowed paper and a pen. And began writing something.
'What is he doing?'
Curiosity surged as he continued watching, and that same boy approached again. Then he handed him a note.
Morgan's eyes naturally turned toward it.
[I know that 20 years ago, you got food poisoning in the Samara Jungle and shit your pants.
Additionally, I know that 17 years ago in the Harunda Desert, you were bitten by a venomous insect and spent three days and nights repeatedly vomiting and having diarrhea... omitted... I also know about various other things.
If you're curious how I know these facts, follow me. Let's talk in a quiet place.]
"......."
Morgan's expression stiffened.
Lumian nodded. That reaction was inevitable.
The contents written there were all things that happened when only he and that guy had carried out missions together. No one else knew the facts written there. Yet some unknown boy came and handed him such a note, so he would have no choice but to follow, if only out of curiosity.
Lumian realized too late that this had been a naive thought.
Whooom!
"Hup!"
A powerful fist flying toward his jaw!
Lumian quickly stepped back to avoid it. He was afraid that merely tilting his head to dodge would leave him vulnerable to follow-up attacks.
Morgan, who had extended his fist, wore a slightly impressed expression.
"You dodged? You look young, but you dodged my fist?"
"No, why suddenly..."
"What do you mean suddenly? Where did you hear about what was in the note?"
"Well, let's go up to my room now and quietly..."
"Never mind. Let's start by fighting."
Morgan approached with steady steps.
Lumian wore a troubled expression.
'Right. He was always that kind of guy.'
Come to think of it, that was true. Like Boomer, that guy had a simple and crude side, with a strong tendency to solve things physically.
In his past life, he was the guy's older brother, so he could live without issues even if he forgot that side, but now the situation was completely different. Lumian swallowed hard and raised his aura with full power.
'How do I calm him down?'
Before he could finish thinking, another fist flew. Much faster than before.
Lumian stopped deliberating and moved his body quickly.
Boom!
Booom!
Each time a fist extended, the sound of air bursting could be heard. It was a chilling sound. Shock flashed through the eyes of the onlookers.
However, what was even more surprising was the fragile-looking boy who was dodging all of Morgan's fists.
Moving quickly, fluidly, this way and that, barely visible to the eye, Lumian's movements as he evaded the attacks were not at the level of an ordinary mercenary to anyone watching.
Those with discerning eyes were even more surprised. Of course, the most surprised of all was Morgan himself.
'What's with this kid?'
It was absurd.
Right now, he was moving at a speed incomparable to the beginning.
If the first fist was at the level of a light flick to discipline a disobedient child, the current fists were at a level where even a decent knight would be helplessly taken down.
Morgan, just in case, increased his speed even more.
This time, it was an attack that would be difficult to dodge even for someone who had reached Expert rank.
Pop!
Thud-!
'He deflected it?'
Moreover, this time he had even deflected the fist.
It wasn't simply made up for by the amount of aura.
Perfect timing, delicate movements, and excellent aura control—a perfect defense where all were present.
Morgan stopped his attack and stared blankly at the boy.
A low voice flowed from his mouth.
"Are you acquainted with Brother Ryan?"
"You could say that."
"A hidden child... probably not. An adopted son?"
"Calm down, let's talk. I'll tell you right away."
"...Lead the way."
Phew, Lumian let out a sigh.
It was a relief. At his current skill level, it would have been hard to hold out any longer against Morgan.
Indeed, ten years was a long time.
Lumian smiled as he looked at Morgan, who seemed much stronger than he remembered.
'He might really have kept his promise.'
Unlike Lumian, who was in a good mood, Morgan didn't like this situation.
He couldn't even view the kid's smile favorably. Those eyes, which somehow seemed to look down on him, were extremely irritating.
But after entering the guy's room and talking for about 5 minutes, such thoughts completely vanished.
After about 30 minutes of conversation, doubts began to gradually fade, and after over an hour, conviction began to form.
Two hours later.
Morgan, who had completely accepted that the boy before him was Ryan Promhart, who had passed away 10 years ago, shed tears and tried to hug Lumian Callard.
"Sob, brother!"
"Get away."
Lumian didn't accept him.
What he could allow with a man was a handshake at most. Hugging was too much.
Even if he was a sworn brother, it was no use.
Of course, that didn't mean he wasn't glad.
To Morgan, who wore a dumbfounded expression, Lumian said with an embarrassed smile.
"It's been a while."
***
"Reincarnation... to think such a thing was possible."
"Right? Even I thought it was a dream when I first woke up in this body."
"When some random kid came and threw a note full of my embarrassing secrets at me, I wondered what on earth was going on."
"Man, didn't you think it might be someone related to me?"
"Well, I'm not exactly smart... I did think of that later. I thought maybe a child you were supporting, or an adopted son..."
Morgan, who had been speaking, suddenly started laughing with a "heh heh."
Lumian, watching that sight, also burst into laughter with a "haha."
Thus, the two laughed facing each other for a long while. Their laughter was filled with various emotions—surprise, absurdity, joy, and delight.
Of course, laughter alone couldn't express all the emotions that had built up.
The two spent a long time with only conversation, without alcohol or side dishes. Mostly Morgan spoke, and Lumian listened.
Lumian would ask questions first, and it was also because it was difficult to briefly recount the events of the 10 years he had been absent.
Nevertheless, there was a key point.
His sworn brother Morgan had finally reached the realm of Sword Master.
Lumian said with a serious expression.
"Show me."
"Yes, brother."
Morgan, nodding his head respectfully, drew a dagger from his waist. Then, with a suppressed shout of "Hup!"
Along with a humming sound, a red aura burst forth.
It was on a different level from Lumian's aura sword, which was like a flame flowing over oil, wavering unsteadily.
Seeing it rise solid and sharp, as if a solid substance was covering the blade, Lumian nodded.
"Congratulations. This is definitely a completed aura sword."
"Thank you, brother. Hehe... I really shit blood all this time to keep that promise."
"Well, you said it hadn't even been a year, right? If you had slipped up a bit, you would have gone over 10 years."
"If I had known brother would come back alive like this, I would have tried even harder."
Morgan said while laughing. Of course, this was just something he said.
Currently, his age was 48, meaning he had reached the realm of Sword Master around age 47.
It was fast enough to rank among the quicker ones even if all the Sword Masters across the continent were lined up, so he couldn't have tried any harder than that.
Of course, Lumian had reached the realm of Sword Master much earlier. At thirty-two.
Morgan also knew that fact.
Yet even so, Lumian's current achievement felt absurd.
His current growth rate... simply didn't make sense.
"No, you haven't even been awake for half a year and you're already a Sword Expert... what did you do?"
"Hahahaha."
"That doesn't make sense, does it? Not even a beginner Expert, but at a level where you could chew up and spit out decent S-rank mercenaries or veteran knights... did you take some kind of elixir?"
"I ate one Power Ball."
"One Power Ball isn't going to... haah. Don't tell me you're becoming stronger than before?"
At Morgan's question, Lumian nodded as if it were obvious.
"Probably so. I had a small realization recently... I think I can recover my former realm around age 20?"
"......."
"Perhaps by age 30, I might reach Sword Master, or even beyond."
"...Those words should be a joke, but they don't sound like a joke at all."
Morgan said with an empty expression.
He was originally a monster. The tremendous feats he showed in his past life flashed through his mind.
Thinking that that realm would be displayed from the body of a 20-year-old kid, his goosebumps wouldn't stop.
'Even if the Demon King invades again, it would be fine.'
This also didn't feel like a joke at all.
Because it would probably be true.
He gave up evaluating his brother's martial prowess any further.
'He's already outside my common sense.'
Instead, he glanced at Lumian to change the subject to something else.
And he also briefly glanced at his groin area. Very briefly.
But Lumian didn't miss that brief moment.
Smirking, he opened his mouth.
"What. What are you curious about?"
"...Haha. It seems you already know."
"Well. Should I show you? Like you showed me your aura sword?"
Suddenly Lumian stood up from his seat.
Grabbing his waist as if he would pull down his pants right away, he said boldly.
"Don't be surprised. Mine's big. It might be bigger than the aura sword you showed."
"No, it's fine! You don't have to show me! I believe you, I believe you! Geez, you weren't like this before, your personality has become much lighter. Is it because you've become younger?"
Morgan exclaimed and stopped Lumian.
Actually, he had guessed to some extent.
The firmly built muscles, different from his past life, and the thicker voice.
The fact that this life's brother was a 'real man.'
'He said so many times that he wanted to be reborn with a big one...'
It was a secret only he and his brother knew, that the Zenas nobles didn't know.
In any case, he felt very good to hear that his wish had been granted.
Morgan truly respected and cherished his brother.
His current self becoming the best mercenary was more than half thanks to his brother. Even apart from that, he had received countless help and favors.
That was why this moment, when he could repay that grace, was extremely moving.
He said with a faint smile.
"By the way, brother."
"Now that you've gained a large... thing, have you met many women in the meantime?"
"......."
'As expected.'
Seeing Lumian unable to answer, Morgan nodded with an expression that said "just as I thought."
At this, Lumian flared up.
"What's with that 'of course' expression. Do I look ridiculous to you?"
"No, it's not ridiculous... but I thought that would be the case."
"What the hell, kid?"
"After all, brother hasn't been with a woman for 60 years. Naturally, you wouldn't know how to approach or deal with them... considering brother's personality, I thought it would be difficult."
"......."
"Besides, you secretly have high standards too, don't you?"
"How did you know that too?"
Lumian muttered as if grumbling.
Unfortunately, everything Morgan said was true.
Over the past semester, he had tried various things, but the results were a bust.
Of course, he could say he had built a foundation to show his prowess by escaping his bad image, but that kind of excuse was something anyone could make.
'Eh, why bother saving face with my closest younger brother.'
Lumian gave up on saving his pride.
One of the reasons he had approached him in the first place was to get dating advice.
With an expression that had let everything go, he asked honestly. How he could successfully seduce women.
Hearing those words, Morgan wore a confident expression.
"There's a really easy method."
"Really?"
"It has a 100% success rate. I guarantee it."
"Ooh..."
Lumian wore an interested expression and moved closer to Morgan.
His sworn brother, who had seduced countless women despite his not-so-outstanding face.
With him making such a bold declaration, he was extremely curious.
He sent an urging gaze.
Ahem, Morgan cleared his throat and began his explanation.
"The way to date women is really simple. First, go out to the street and find someone you like."
"Yeah."
"Then confess and ask them to date you."
"......?"
Suddenly, what kind of bullshit is this.
Such a thought crossed his mind, but Lumian stayed quiet for now. He didn't know what he would say next.
But it only got more ridiculous.
"If they say yes, you date happily."
"And if they say no?"
"You say 'It was a joke, you bitch,' and find someone else."
"......?"
"If you repeat that until it happens, eventually you'll be able to date someone."
"......."
"That's it."
Morgan looked at Lumian Callard with an expression asking what the problem was.
An extremely confident attitude.
It didn't feel like a joke at all.