0. Grond
-Fila>Coupin, the mid-sized city beside Kervall, was in an uproar. It was because Kervall had been destroyed by the invasion of a massive monster.
Fortunately, the Magic Association announced that they had utilized a prepared Warp Gate magic circle to kill that monster.
Everyone cheered. As expected of the Exile Grand Magic Association. It was a shame that Kervall had fallen, but if that monster had not died, countless additional casualties would have occurred.
Furthermore, the one that died this time was found to be a six-horned specimen upon investigation. Its corpse offered endless possibilities.
Though losing Kervall was regrettable, everyone unanimously praised the Magic Association, saying it was thanks to them that matters had concluded at this level.
Few knew the truth. There were almost no survivors.
Most of the survivors had gone mad. People concluded that they had lost their minds from the shock of seeing the monster.
Of the few who knew the truth, six were in Coupin.
“So… I was thinking of going home first.”
Sian said this suddenly to Steel. It was a decision he had made after thinking things over last night.
It wasn’t that he was quitting his journey. He simply planned to stop by the capital for a moment to deliver the gifts he had bought, and because he had to pass through Tian to reach his next destination. And he missed his family.
Unexpectedly, Steel accepted it readily.
“Oh… Little brother, but you’re not going after them?”
“Hm? After whom?”
“Hehe. Little brother, don’t pretend you don’t remember. You definitely shouted like that. ‘I’m going to kill every last one of the bastards who opened this thing!’”
Steel cackled, imitating a howl.
At those words, Sian flushed and replied.
“Ah, well… I only said that because I was so angry… I’m not going after anyone, really.”
That was the truth. While it had been the Exile Grand Magic Association who opened the Red Sphere, according to rumors, that summoning circle had not originally been designed for that purpose; it was said to have been mistakenly opened due to a miscalculation.
Even if the Exile Grand Magic Association had intended to summon the Red Sphere, the hulking figure that had attacked him and the beasts inside the Red Sphere were ones he had killed himself, so there was no reason to make an enemy of the Grand Magic Association.
This time, anyone could see that he had simply been swept up by bad luck.
Going off to slaughter everyone in the Grand Magic Association just because he was a bit angry would be nothing more than venting his frustration.
“Hehe. Sometimes you seem too rational, little brother. You could act on your emotions. Well, do as you please.”
Steel looked at Sian and smiled, as if she had expected this.
“Yes. Then, Steel, will you be returning to Talan?”
When Sian asked back, Steel opened her eyes wide, asking what nonsense that was.
“My! What nonsense. Just because little brother is going home doesn’t mean I have to go home too.”
“That’s true. Where are you planning to travel?”
Sian asked, curious.
“Tian.”
“…….”
“Roa-Tian.”
“…….”
“The direction is the same anyway, so we can go together, right?”
Worry rose first in Sian, but thinking about it, Steel had never caused an accident before, so he decided to go with her. The fact that he had grown quite attached to her during the journey also made him feel that something would be missing without her.
“Well… I suppose it won’t be bad. I look forward to traveling with you.”
“Hehe. Yes, yes. Guide me around when we get there.”
And then Sian looked at the one man and three women standing blankly beside them.
“Ah… and everyone.”
“Ah… yes… what is it?”
“Thank you for looking after me yesterday. As for the necklace issue… I’m sorry it turned out that way, but I believe I repaid it in my own way.”
Sian offered his gratitude because he remembered that they had tended to him while he was unconscious yesterday.
“Not at all. We are grateful just that you saved us. Then, we will take our leave.”
The demeanor of the four was much more subdued than yesterday. In truth, the four had wanted to leave this place somehow. If the woman called Steel had not dragged them here by force, they would have left the city long ago.
It wasn’t only because the man before them was terrifying.
A monster that destroyed a city. A superhuman who beat such a monster into submission.
Walking with such people made them feel too shabby to bear; they wanted to leave these unrealistic people behind and return to reality.
“Huh? What, you’re not taking these kids?”
Steel had realized from using these four yesterday that having servants was quite convenient.
Unfortunately for the four, that is.
Indeed, the moment they heard those words, they visibly flinched.
Sian sighed upon seeing this and said.
“I must go my own way now, Steel. I suppose this is where we part ways with all of you. I wish you well in finishing your journey.”
Having bid farewell, Sian turned around and led Steel toward La-Shar-Roa.
“Hehe. Little brother, aren’t you too kind? It’s hard to find children of that caliber anywhere.”
Steel smacked her lips as if regretful.
In truth, to serve a powerhouse of Grand Vander’s level, servants had to be strong as well. They wouldn’t be able to keep up with his movements or whims. To avoid dying from even a pillow thrown by Steel in anger, they would need to be at least on the level of those three women.
“We’ve traveled well together until now; why would you say that? Isn’t it nice for the two of us to travel intimately?”
“Hehe… Intimately… I’m touched, little brother.”
Sian had thrown out the words without much thought, but Steel seemed to be in a good mood because of it, grinning as she walked.
☆ ☆ ☆
As he could not bring an unrelated woman into his house, Sian returned to the capital, arranged lodging for Steel, and came home separately.
“Mother! I’m back.”
“Oh my! Sian, you’re back so early. Weren’t you supposed to be traveling for much longer?”
Sian had left home saying he would be gone for a year, so Celine spoke with a surprised expression at his early return.
“Hehe. Something came up. I came to stop by home for a moment. Have my brother and father not returned yet?”
At that, Celine smiled and said.
“Hehe. You don’t know yet, do you? Your brother and father are not in the capital right now.”
“Eh? If they’re not in the capital… have they been deployed to the border region?”
“Ah… much has changed while you were traveling. Sian, let’s talk slowly first. Have you eaten? Come in and have a meal.”
“Yes, Mother. Ah, and this……”
“What is this, Sian?”
“Hehe. It’s incredibly delicious meat. Please try cooking with this.”
‘Thank you, Steel.’
Sian gave his thanks to Steel, who had meticulously packed the meat of the bull-headed creature, and went in to eat.
And inside, he heard astonishing news.
“Brother… became a babysitter?”
“Dear me… what’s a babysitter? He’s an instructor at
‘Isn’t that basically the same thing……’
Sian muttered inwardly and asked another question.
“And… he’s in Lagrang now?”
“That’s right. Hoho, so what I’m saying is……”
Watching his mother talk ceaselessly, as if she had much to say, Sian fell into thought.
‘Ah… what is all this out of nowhere… suddenly an academy, an instructor… does that mean I have to go all the way to Lagrang to give him the gift……’
Sian had to exert all his strength to understand the situation where so much had changed in his absence.
☆ ☆ ☆
“Hehe. Are the talents being recruited well?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Grond-Fila is progressing steadily.”
After unifying the Lagrang region, Narasha, who had found the area’s potential for development too precious to waste, established an academy there to train warriors.
The name of that academy was Grond-Fila. In the ancient tongue, it meant ‘Growing Pillars’—the wish for them to grow lushly and become pillars that support Tian.
In truth, until now, the concept of an academy had not existed in warrior society except for Exile’s Grand Magic Association.
Vander-Roa was the secret of secrets. Because if it were carelessly spread around, one never knew when a knife might end up in one’s back.
Therefore, they only gathered blood relatives they could truly trust and passed down Vander-Roa. A mighty power that could not be trusted was worse than useless.
And there was another reason. No one wanted to provide their Vander-Roa and secret sword techniques to an academy. If one offered theirs while others did not, it meant revealing one’s own weakness and only bolstering the opponent’s strength.
But King Narasha thought that this could no longer continue. The days of merely digging burrows downward were over. To advance, they had to emerge from their caves and unite.
So after discussion with the three Grand Vanders, he decided that they would start first. If the highest echelons did not lead by example and do their utmost, no one would participate in the new academy.
Thus, they decided to provide and teach to the academy the great training method, Vander-Roa, which had made them Grand Vanders.
What was even more surprising was the decision to accept foreign talents without reserve, not just Tian’s own.
Rumors even circulated among the people that His Majesty the King was too arrogant, believing too much in his own power.
In truth, while many of the Seven Kingdoms had attempted the concept of an academy, nowhere besides the Grand Magic Association had successfully introduced it. Considering the unique nature of the Grand Magic Association, this was tantamount to saying everyone else had failed.
But those who knew King Narasha well whispered behind his back.
That old fox definitely has some scheme cooking in the background again…
And indeed he did.
“Hehe. The Lagrang region is too precious a land to simply hope that fine stock grows there by chance. It is a place where one must sow good seeds and tend to them personally.”
After unifying the Lagrang region, the first thing King Narasha implemented was establishing an academy on that land.
A place so abundant in Vander flow that one might say it was blessed by the Sun God.
There was no way King Narasha would leave such a place—where the finest talents would be born even if left alone—idle. From the very beginning, Narasha had planned to first establish an academy upon unifying the Lagrang region.
It was not a mere academy. From there, all the talents who would support Tian would newly grow.
“The talented children of each noble house are also participating quickly. They must be thinking that they cannot be left behind.”
“Yes… The era of leaving talent cultivation to each house and picking from them is over. When you do that, those bastards are too selfish and difficult to use.”
Through this Dragona incident, King Narasha had keenly felt something.
The method of entrusting talent cultivation to each house had the advantage of fostering better talents through competition between houses, but it had a greater disadvantage.
Their mutual competitiveness was too fierce, and they did not unite well.
Moreover, whenever there was an opening, they moved for the benefit of their house or their own advancement rather than the whole, making them the most difficult sort to use from a leader’s perspective.
And it was hard to say they were stronger than those raised gathered together like this. Without a rival right beside them, people tended to grow lazy. The stress of competition was one of the methods that made talents stronger, after all. Those weaklings who could not overcome that stress would naturally be filtered out.
“The educational programs and the recruitment and training of teachers and instructors are nearly complete as well.”
From the very beginning, King Narasha had planned to operate an academy first upon occupying the Lagrang region, so even during the war, he had assigned dedicated administrators and aides to proceed with the plans in advance.
That was why the academy could be constructed so quickly.
“Yes… Nothing out of the ordinary?”
“There are proposals coming in that accepting students from other countries is too dangerous, but……”
“Ignore them. That is the most important matter, yet they would block it, tsk……”
“And… there is talk that sharing Romanga’s techniques or the secrets of the Kirain Sword Technique is going too far.”
“See that they are appeased. Those fellows know well enough that doing so is better, but they’re just testing the waters.”
Narasha sighed, picturing those sly, serpentine nobles.
“Understood. And Lord Sian has returned.”
“Hm… I trust nothing is wrong?”
“According to reports, he has returned with a beautiful woman.”
“Hoho? Has he perhaps brought home a bride candidate?”
King Narasha wore expressions of relief and worry simultaneously.
The expression of relief was because that child would now have more things tying him down, and the expression of worry was because he feared the entirety of Tian might be thrown into turmoil by the affairs surrounding that woman.
“It does not seem to be that. Seeing that he did not take her home... If she were a bride candidate, he would have taken her to show his parents.”
“That is true... Just in case, have someone investigate that woman.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Ah... And were you able to find out where this child went this time?”
“If we investigate the movement records and other traces of the La-Shar-Roa... It seems he came via Margaran and Kerval.”
“Margaran and Kerval... Do you mean those Margaran and Kerval that I was briefed on yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“Those Margaran and Kerval that were turned to dust in a single day?”
“You know precisely.”
“.......”
While King Narasha was making a complicated expression, another administrator entered from outside.
“Urgent news, Your Majesty.”
“What is it?”
“We have heard that Lord Sian von Roman boarded the La-Shar-Roa and headed toward the Ragran region.”
“...Isn't that Lian child at Gron-Pilla right now?”
“Yes. He is there in place of Count Roman.”
Count Roman was not at a level to merely go as an academy instructor, so Lian von Roman had gone as an instructor to pass on the secret techniques of Count Roman's house, including the 'Path of the Lion.'
“It seems he went to see his older brother.......”
Having heard of Sian's movements, King Narasha suddenly began to feel incredibly anxious.
The scenes of Margaran and Kerval kept projecting onto the Ragran region. 'Nothing will happen...' He is a child who cherishes his brother so much; surely he wouldn't cause an accident there, would he?
King Narasha tried to console himself and moved on to discuss the changing situation in Karan, but he could not easily concentrate.
☆ ☆ ☆
“This guy... seems to be determined... even installing new La-Shar-Roas...”
The La-Shar-Roa, which costs an astronomical amount of money to install even a single one.
King Narasha had begun construction of this La-Shar-Roa immediately after occupying the Ragran region, and with the help of the Grana, he was able to complete the construction in a short time.
It was a telling example of how much King Narasha cherished the Ragran region.
“Hehe. Since people from other countries are coming too, it would be rather troublesome without La-Shar-Roas. If they sweep in from the outside, there is a concern that gates or strategic points might be scouted. Rather, if I pull them straight inside like this, it is easier to monitor, isn't it?”
From beside him, Steel added a kind explanation.
“Hoo, that makes sense too. But why is he dragging in talents from other countries like this? From what I have heard, they teach high-level Vander-Roa.”
It was no insignificant level.
Secret Vander-Roa including the Roman Count's House's 'Path of the Lion.'
The Kiraine Sword Force that created it, and the Vander-Roa 'Blue Honor' created by the Kiraine Sword Force—besides these, countless secret techniques and Vander-Roa were being shared and bestowed.
Moreover, this academy was not something only nobles could attend.
Although classes were operated separately, commoners could participate together as well. The content taught was identical.
An academy that was groundbreaking in many ways. So groundbreaking that even those who truly respected King Narasha were divided in opinion.
“Hehe. That child is looking far ahead. That brat Stantal will really get devoured if he does not work hard.”
“Looking far ahead?”
“He is giving them strong stimulation. He seems to intend to raise them quite fiercely.”
King Narasha intended to fill the empire to the brim with talents befitting it. To make it so, he was fiercely stimulating them, even accepting risks.
This was the goal for which King Narasha established this academy. A message to those who had until now only clutched Vander-Roa and strived to protect their vested interests.
Do not forget the spirit of Tian. Run like mad, devour, and survive.
Gathering foreign talents was a means to stimulate the talents within Tian.
And there was another meaning as well.
What King Narasha worried about when first creating the academy was excessive internal competition. Competition stimulates one another and raises individual efficiency, but conversely, there is a risk of decreasing the strength of the whole.
So he decided. Even if he had to accept some risk, he would bring in outsiders.
The simplest way to unite the inside.
Create an external enemy.
“Oho... A simple but good method.”
“Right. Patriotism is not something that can be ignored, after all.”
“But will other countries send talents too?”
“Well... There is some risk, but in the end, other places will send many of their talents too, because opportunities like this are rare.”
Places and opportunities to temper oneself while competing with talents of a similar level to oneself are rare.
Therefore, each country would send talents corresponding to Tian's Haron. If King Narasha was in his right mind, he would not take merely Haron-class talents as hostages.
“What if they betray us?”
“Hehe. Those who will betray will do so whether they have strong power or weak power. Rather, it is far better to gather them all together in a visible place and monitor them from the start.”
King Narasha was steadily proceeding with plans to extract all the power of selfish noble houses and use it for the country.
If things went as King Narasha thought, this country would be able to continuously produce excellent talents in the long term.
An organization where competition and cooperation are balanced is powerful. And in Steel's own eyes, that brat Narasha had sufficient capacity to do so.
And if that power accumulated and accumulated until it reached the verge of bursting... war would break out once more.
Steel said nothing more than that.
“Hmm... Then Masters and such people won't come?”
“Haha. What would they learn coming here? At that level, they should handle things themselves. Or else come to teach.”
“That is true. Ha... But my brother really seems full of motivation. An instructor... how does he do such a thing, really.”
“Hehe. It's nice to see you cherish your brother so much, little brother. You came all the way here to give him a gift, didn't you.”
“Ha... Something I felt while traveling this time.”
“Hmm?”
“The world is too dangerous. Even I nearly died. In my brother's case, he could face a life-threatening crisis just going out to buy food.”
“.......”
“Perhaps because I have only been inside the capital, I seem to have not known at all how dangerous the world is until now. That in the world... outside, freaks like Straggler No. 1 and Bull-head wander around commonly. To meet such things twice in a month... If I had continued traveling, I would have met even stronger ones someday, right?”
“.......”
Steel realized this child had some serious misconception, but she had no idea where to even begin correcting it, so she listened silently.
“Since Brother is outside the capital now, that could happen. I think I will feel at ease only if I give him this gift as quickly as possible.”
“Little brother, I'm hurt. You're not giving one to me?”
“Huh?”
“I could also face a life-threatening crisis.”
“...You, Miss Steel?”
“Of course, of course.”
“...By whom?”
“Hmm... Surely there must be someone? That bull-headed bastard from last time said I was in danger too.”
“I don't think you need to worry. You ran away at truly tremendous speed, after all.”
Perhaps remembering that situation, Sian spoke sullenly, and Steel answered with an embarrassed expression.
“Hm... Hm... Little brother, I said I was sorry. And you said you had to save those four. Did you forget I was keeping those four safe?”
“...Well, let's say that's true. This Covenant Necklace... I wish I could have exactly two more of these made.”
“My... Little brother, one is for me, and who is the other?”
Steel had been about to ask which woman, but swallowed her words because it seemed too vulgar.
Then Sian looked at her with an expression asking what she was talking about.
“One is for Father and one is for Mother.”
“...How cruel.”
Steel and Sian, who had been bickering as they walked, arrived at a huge wall.
The academy was not composed of a few huge buildings.
Inside this district, every space was Gron-Pilla.
Academies were built separately for each district, and desired talents could choose their own instructors or teachers for classes other than those they had to regularly attend.
There were diverse classes prepared not only for armed warriors but also political science, diplomacy, military science, oratory, and even liberal arts education.
In the case of sorcery, they could not surpass the academy level of the Exile Grand Magic Court, so it was not established separately, and in the case of Exer, it was not a field where classes could be unified, so it likewise was not created.
Since they were not simple armed warriors but talents who would have to take responsibility for each household, classes other than warrior training were popular as well, and Count Kerbel's
They were so busy that they conducted classes only once a week, so even though the academy had not been founded long ago, the lecture halls were always bursting every class, and recording crystals of their lectures circulated around.
“I thought it would be quiet, but it is incredibly crowded.”
Sian spoke while looking at Gron-Pilla, filled with vitality despite not having been established long.
“Hehe. It seems that child Narasha had been preparing this from the start. Seeing it grow explosively as if it had been waiting.”
The system and teachers prepared in advance, and excellent internal structure. On top of that, active publicity and efforts to bring in talents.
It was not strange at all that it had grown in a short time. And it would grow much larger in the future.
Even the turtles currently watching from the sidelines would actively jump in once they realized they were starting to fall behind.
“But if you gather foreign talents and even commoners like this, won't fights break out?”
“Hehe, surely that brat Narasha would have foreseen such a situation—”
Crash. Bang.
“Die! You crazy bastards from Karan!”
“Get out of our country!”
“Where do you bastards think you're picking a fight!”
While Steel was speaking, a shop was smashed to pieces and a group of people tangled and tumbled out.
“What were you trying to say, Lady Steel?”
“I was going to say that brat Narasha probably hadn't foreseen this situation, little brother.”
“I don't think so.”
“Hu... hehe, you don't think so.”
'Strange... There is no way that brat Narasha wouldn't have foreseen this.......'
If you gather all reckless youngsters of a hot-blooded age who don't know the height of the heavens, it is strange if accidents don't happen. She had thought he would have put some controls in place because if they fight too much and grudges deepen, unity becomes difficult.
Sian and Steel were able to witness such scenes once or twice more until they passed through the outer residential district of Gron-Pilla and reached the area where instructors and teachers conducted classes.
Sian, having asked where his brother's class was held, headed that way and opened his mouth.
“By the way, everyone is at a hot-blooded age. To think they overflow with energy like that.”
“Hehe. At that age, that is normal.”
“I don't think my brother was like that.”
“Your brother definitely has a competitive spirit too. It is just that there was no opponent worthy of him, that is all.”
An armed warrior cannot develop without a competitive spirit. Just having an excellent opponent by your side who stimulates you is a great help in itself.
Sian would think his older brother had no competitor, but... 'It must have been you, Sian, who was the greatest stimulus.' His little brother.
But that massive power and heaven-sent talent that cannot be expressed in words.
When people see something they cannot catch up to, they display one of two impulses.
They either despair and lose interest, or they desperately chase after it, knowing full well they cannot catch up.
The child named Rian had surely chosen the latter.
"By the way, my brother being an instructor… I can't quite picture it."
"Why? Your brother is more than qualified."
He is young, but he has considerable experience and is a Master. What's more, he's from Romanga. His qualifications as an instructor are more than sufficient.
*Could it be that he thinks Brother is weak?*
"It's just that my brother wouldn't be good at enforcement through coercion. If they don't listen, you have to use the rod; if they rebel, you have to administer some punishment to get them to participate properly in class, but Brother wouldn't do that."
"Hmm… That might be true."
"Even back then with Dragona, he kept trying to talk to them when they wouldn't listen. I wanted to step in for him."
"Hehe. That's a wonderful thought."
Steel felt that, for the first time in a while, she agreed with her younger brother Sian. An instructor who is too soft cannot fulfill their role, no matter how strong they are. There are matters for words and matters not for words; in armed combat classes where one must build up harsh martial prowess, it had been proven over the years that the rod works fastest.
But when they arrived at the zone where Rian was in charge of classes, Sian saw a sight slightly different from what he had expected.
"Hey, you maggots! You're insects!"
Thwack! Smack! Thwack!
"…."
"Oh my… Brother, it seems you didn't know your brother very well."
Sian felt the necklace he was holding fall to the floor with a clink.
"You're insects! Say it!"
"Your mental state is completely rotten!"
"What do you think you can accomplish when this is all you can do!"
The training ground assigned to Rian's zone was utter chaos.
Men and women alike were sparring without rest, and in the corners, Sian could see people struggling while holding strange postures that could have been punishment or something else entirely.
And Rian was in the corner, constantly beating on people. Quite a few talents had already been beaten and collapsed in the corners.
"Hehe. Now I understand what you learned from watching your brother. I see. The skill with which he beat me was no ordinary thing."
Steel smiled, seemingly pleased.
"…There must be a reason."
"Isn't that just what you want to believe?"
"…Let's wait until it ends."
Since he couldn't interrupt the class, Sian decided to wait from a distance. His brother still didn't know he had come.
Once his surprise had subsided somewhat, Sian scanned the students taking the class together with Lady Steel.
There were all sorts of students. Some followed his brother's lead desperately, while others fell behind, unable to keep up.
One peculiar student caught his eye. He couldn't help but catch the eye. Not only was he the only one still standing, but he was keeping up with Rian's harsh class entirely at ease, so it was impossible not to notice him.
But Steel and Sian, watching this, wore expressions that said they had seen all kinds of people.
"Lady Steel, didn't you say that the Granain live separately?"
"That's right. They may be allies, but their ways of life and culture are completely different. It's hard for them to live intermingled."
"…Then why is that friend in there?"
"Beats me."
The reason Sian was bewildered was because a Granain was mixed in among them.
If he was a Granain, he was different from humans, so such differences should have been even more pronounced, yet there he was, mixed in and listening intently to his brother's lecture. He didn't seem to have reached the Master stage yet, but the skill gap between him and the others was considerable, so the training intensity tailored for the others had no effect on him whatsoever. It looked like he was right on the verge of Master.
"Well, it shouldn't be a problem. It seems Brother has grasped the situation."
"Right, right. Hehe. By the way, from listening to you, I thought he was a gentle gentleman. Seeing that, I suppose genetics are a real thing."
"If anyone heard that, they'd think I'm violent. And there must be some circumstances behind this."
Still unable to believe it, Sian let Lady Steel's words go in one ear and out the other and waited for the class to end.
☆ ☆ ☆
"Haha… Sian, you're here. When did you arrive?"
"Um… about an hour ago?"
"Oh dear, you must have waited a long time. I'm sorry."
Rian welcomed Sian with an apologetic expression.
"But who is the beautiful lady beside you?"
At that, Sian turned to Steel with a startled expression. It was because Steel did not consider anyone below La-Bander to be human.
But Steel's reaction was slightly different from what he had expected.
"Hehe. Hello. Please call me Steel."
"Nice to meet you, Lady Steel. What sort of relationship do you have with my brother……"
"We are companions traveling together."
*For now, at least……*
Unable to know Steel's inner thoughts, Rian looked at his younger brother and put on a sly expression.
"Goodness! Sian, could it be……?"
"It's probably not what you're thinking, Brother."
Though Steel's unexpectedly polite reaction was suspicious, Sian decided to let it go, thinking that all was well that ended well.
"By the way, Brother… about earlier……"
"Oh… if you came an hour ago, you must have seen everything. Haha! This is embarrassing."
Sian mumbled, not knowing what to say, and Rian answered with an awkward laugh.
"Uh… Brother, are you under some stress that I don't know about lately… or could it be a sadistic instinct you've been hiding……"
"Absolutely not, Sian. I was simply doing exactly as His Majesty the King instructed."
"Hm? That old man?"
When Sian made an expression of incomprehension, Steel finally made an expression of understanding.
"Aha!"
"Hm? Lady Steel? Did you understand something?"
Sian looked at Steel and asked.
"We saw it on our way here, little brother Sian. Those gangs fighting fiercely among themselves."
"Yes, that's right."
"Didn't you find it strange then? That they would let them keep fighting like that at a school like this."
"…You thought that too?"
"…."
"…."
When Rian and Steel looked at him simultaneously, Sian wore an expression as if to ask what the problem was, urging them to answer quickly.
"So, they create a common enemy for the students."
"Lady Steel, that is exactly right."
"Hehe. It's nothing to make a fuss over."
Rian looked at Steel with an admiring expression, and Steel put on a humble expression.
Then, looking at Sian who still didn't quite understand, they added further explanations, and only then did Sian make an expression of understanding.
"Hmm… So the instructors, including Brother, are deliberately playing the role of villains?"
"That's right. Hehe. How effective do you think it would be to try to force people that age to become friends?"
Sian thought of the gangs he had seen on the way and nodded. No matter how hard they tried, it seemed difficult to make them close.
"I suppose so."
"At times like this, the simplest thing is to create a common enemy. The simplest would be an external enemy, but since there's no such thing at the Academy, the instructors take on that role instead."
"Aha! Then the students will band together."
"Well, they'll fight for now, but it will gradually decrease. It's more effective than forcibly suppressing them."
"But then won't the instructors be hated too much by the students?"
Then Steel answered with a smile.
"Hehe. A superior who only hears good things from subordinates is not someone who helps the organization."
After that, Rian added a word.
"I learned a lot from the last time with Dragona. Even if I get cursed at normally… if they grow stronger, their chances of survival increase significantly in the end. If that is the case, I can endure playing the villain as much as needed."
Sian made an expression as if he were looking at an apostle of justice. Though he was worried, this was the reason he liked his brother.
"Well… then I'm relieved. I was worried something had happened to you, Brother."
Once the reason for his brother's changed appearance was revealed, Sian made a relieved expression. And he remembered his original purpose.
"Ah! Right, Brother. I have a gift."
"Oh… What is it, Sian?"
"Here, this."
Sian held out a small necklace.
"Put this on."
"Hm… What is this, Sian?"
Knowing his younger brother wouldn't give him a simple accessory, Rian asked back.
"Um… It's nothing much, but if you find yourself in a dangerous moment, this will help you."
Sian was a bit embarrassed to explain at length, so he only stated a simple purpose.
"Haha. Sian, I'm grateful for your concern, but I wonder if there will ever be an occasion to use such a thing."
The Lagrang region, designated as a strategic military point under the protection of the Granain, was one of the most thoroughly protected areas.
"No, Brother. I went traveling this time… and there are truly terrifying things in the world. Make sure to wear it."
"Haha! Understood. Since it's from you, I should accept it gladly. Thank you, Sian."
Rian smiled and put the necklace around his neck, and Sian finally made a relieved expression, as if somewhat reassured.
"Always wear it, Brother. By the way… isn't it hard being an instructor this time?"
Though his brother had always done everything well, Sian asked out of worry because he had seen him struggling while teaching Dragona.
"Hehe. I'm doing fine. Rather, training here is activating my energy, so my condition is good. Ah, since you're here, go see Lady Celine as well. She has been quite bored without you."
"Hm? Lady Celine is here too?"
"That's right. If I came to pass on Romanga's secret arts, Lady Celine came to pass on the Kira clan's secret arts."
"Then I should see her since I'm here."
"Yes. If you go straight this way, you'll reach Lady Celine's training zone. It should be almost over by now, so go say hello at least. I have my next class, so I must go in. Let's talk more in the evening."
"Understood. Brother, good luck."
With no urgent matters for the time being, Sian planned to stay here, in Gron-Filla. Since he had come to see his brother anyway, he needed time to adapt to the new power he had obtained this time.
To be precise, he needed time to check exactly what he was now capable of.
The meteorite crater they had smashed while fighting last time would probably be enough. No one would approach that place.
*I should go see Lady Celine and then check it out……*
"What will you do, Lady Steel?"
"Hm… I have somewhere to go for a bit. Hehe. See you later, little brother."
With those as her last words, Steel leaped away, and Sian shrugged his shoulders as he moved to the zone where Lady Celine was.
*Huh… That guy is here too……*
Sian saw the Granain from earlier and made an expression of wonder.
*Does he have some other motive?*
He couldn't understand, but since he didn't know the underlying circumstances, he couldn't judge rashly, so he quietly watched.
But after watching a little longer, he realized a few things.
*He seems extremely curious……*
The Granain was pouring out an enormous number of questions, so curious was he.
While the other students were struggling just to keep up, the skill gap was so great that he was at ease, giving him time to ask such questions.
*Goodness… He seems to be hated already. But for that……*
The students around him were looking at him with obvious displeasure; as if things weren't already hard enough, here was someone standing out all by himself.
The curious thing was that, despite this, no real friction was occurring.
At an age when blood ran hot, if there was someone you disliked that much, and on top of that from a different species rather than just a different nationality, it was normal for a quarrel to break out somehow.
Hadn't they just seen talents of different nationalities fighting in the streets earlier?
Yet it was strange that they only glared and didn't pick fights.
Even if there was a difference in skill, the other students were all renowned talents in their own right; if they ganged up and beat him, it was a difference they could somehow manage.
The reason for Sian's curiosity was revealed shortly after.
"Urk!"
“Hey, hey, Rodebal! Stop, stop!” ‘Wow… he’s a beast, a beast.’ Come to think of it, Sian remembered something he had heard on his way here. Rumors about the Granain, who had helped King Narasha and played a crucial role in occupying Lagrang, had already spread far and wide.
The Granain had crossed the Great Northern Forest, fighting the Harijans over hundreds of years. It was said that among those who had encountered their ferocious momentum during the war, there were still people who could not sleep at night. ‘But even so, this is too much…….’ Even though it was only a sparring match, he charged at his opponent as if he meant to kill him, so the others feared this Rodebal more than the difference in skill alone warranted.
The best thing to do with a mad dog was to avoid it.
Especially if it was not a small dog, but a savage hound.
That Granain named Rodebal already looked as though he had been isolated, but he himself did not seem to care in the slightest. ‘Well… it’s none of my business…….’ Seeing that class had ended, Sian approached Celine.
“Miss Celine, it has been a while.”
“Huh, Sian? Why are you here? I heard you went traveling.”
Celine looked at him with a face full of expectation.
“I returned for a short while, partly to see my brother. And please do not look at me with such an expectant expression. I did not buy any gifts.”
“Your brother… And that’s not what this is, you idiot.”
Looking at Miss Celine, who for some reason seemed angry, with an expression that said he could not understand her, Sian opened his mouth.
“By the way, who is that unusual fellow?”
“Who? Ah, you mean Rodebal?”
“Yes. His momentum is intense.”
“Mm… I think he came because he said he wanted to learn about human society.”
“Oh, human society?”
“That’s right. The Granain are powerful, but they can’t live while ignoring humans. It must be important for them to understand us as well. In that sense, this academy is an excellent place. It seems that this fellow Rodebal is the start.”
“Then… more and more of them will come gradually.”
“Probably. But I’m worried. Normally he’s incredibly docile, but once it turns into a fight, he becomes like that…….”
Celine looked at him with concern.
“Then could he not simply skip armed training? With that level of skill, he is already at the stage where he should train on his own. Besides, the Granain’s average level of combat power is far higher, is it not?”
“That would make sense… but strangely, he’s very interested in human martial arts. He listens especially hard to Sir Rian’s lectures.”
“Well… I am sure they have their own circumstances.”
As they were absorbed in conversation, there was someone watching them from the training ground.
It was Rodebal, the Granain who had come to learn about humans. ‘So that man is Sian von Roman…….’ Rodebal, who had been staring closely at Sian and Celine—especially Sian—turned and disappeared.☆ ☆ ☆
Sian greeted Steel as she returned to their lodging.
“I did. Hehe. By the way… now that I’ve come back after so long, a lot has changed. Hehe.”
“Come to think of it, where did you go during the day?”
“Hehe. I went to see the guys I traded blows with last time. I thought it might be proper to at least say hello.”
“Ah… those people… I believe they were called the Granain. Are they doing well?”
Having heard stories here and there, Sian knew the identity of those he had fought in the past. And their purpose as well.
“They were still in a festive mood. They must be awfully happy to have found the spring again.”
“The spring… Come to think of it, what exactly is that spring?”
Sian asked with a curious expression.
“Mm… in other words, those guys can do something called reincarnation. When they die, their souls seem to return into it. And their corpses rot away, leaving only bones.”
“Oh, and then?”
“If those remaining bones are buried beside that spring, flesh forms on the bones, blood vessels appear, the soul enters, and they come back to life.”
At those words, Sian wore an expression of disbelief.
“Then is it not truly a treasure among treasures? Why does everyone not use that spring to come back to life?”
“From what I heard… only the race called the Granain can be revived that way. And they say they cannot come back to life unless the bones are their own, matched to their own soul. It seems to be picky in all sorts of ways.”
“What a mysterious spring. But why does that spring have such mysterious effects?”
“Who knows. They didn’t know either. Apparently it’s been that way for thousands of years. Since they don’t record history, I can’t really say.”
“Why do they not record history?”
Sian asked as though he found it fascinating.
“What for? The guys who remember the history from those times all come back alive. Though it seems those kinds of guys were dragged into the Empire’s war and are no longer left.”
Hearing that, Sian looked intrigued.
“Huh… There really are many wondrous races in the world. The Kal
-Gul are the same……. But how do you know such things so well, Miss Steel?”
Since Miss Steel, who was not that close to the Granain race, knew far too much in detail, Sian asked back with a curious expression.
“Back when I lived in Lagrang before I met my younger brother, I lived beside that spring.”
“I see.”
“If you look closely at that spring, you can communicate with the ones inside it. Those guys told me back then.”
“Oh, so there were Granain remaining inside that spring.”
“Of course. Maybe because they’d lived so long, but they were all La
-Vanders. Three of them were even stronger than me. Though there wasn’t anyone on my younger brother’s level. Hehe.”
At those words, Sian wore a puzzled expression.
“Then why do they not revive? If they reached that level, they could have kept coming back to life using their bones as a basis.”
La
-Vanders had lifespans too. But if they were that strong, there should have been no opponent powerful enough to keep them from recovering their bones, and even if they died because their lifespan had ended, all they had to do was use their bones as a basis and revive again.
“Hehe. I thought the same, but… flesh, muscles, skin, and blood vessels are all regenerated by a mysterious power, but the bones that serve as the foundation gradually weaken and lose that power. The bones don’t regenerate, so they have to keep using the same ones.”
“Then when those bones all crumble away, they too can no longer come back to life.”
“That’s right. But it lasts a truly long time. It probably easily exceeds hundreds of years, and there were souls thousands of years old inside it too. Though perhaps because their souls had been worn away after such a long time, they had no reason and remembered nothing.”
“That is a span of time humans cannot even imagine.”
Sian spoke as though in admiration.
“They’re remarkable races. They’re called demi-humans, but if you look only at their characteristics, it wouldn’t be strange to call them higher races.”
“With such powerful races existing, it is surprising that humans rule the world like this.”
The Kal
-Gul race that destroyed the Empire.
The Granain race, who reincarnated from birth until their bones crumbled away, growing ever more powerful.
The beastmen, who possessed the strength of beasts and the intellect of humans.
Beyond them, there were far too many powerful races with abilities humans could not even imagine.
And yet the race that ruled this continent, the one that survived until the end, was ultimately humanity.
The Kal
-Gul race had, in the end, perished in their battle against the Empire.
The Granain race had chosen the path of harmony with humans.
The beastmen, despite their mighty power, could not unite and hid away in the Con
-Tian Mountains or the Broshan Mountains.
In the end, the race that filled and ruled the continent was humanity.
“Who knows. Well… it’s not as though being strong necessarily means you survive. Or there might be something we don’t know. Hehe. It’s not important, younger brother. By the way, didn’t you say you were going to practice this evening?”
“Gah!”
Sian had lost track of time listening to Miss Steel’s story and realized he had forgotten something important.
“Let us go at once, Miss Steel.”
“Sure, sure. Going to the place where my connection with my younger brother began makes my heart race. Hehe. My younger brother really beat me so satisfyingly.”
“…
Please forget that already.”
“Well. I’ll see how you do.”
The two bickered as they headed to the Lagrang region, now the site of a legendary fierce battle.
“It feels like something has changed…….”
Steel tilted her head at the area where they arrived. Seeing that, Sian looked dumbfounded.
“Of course something has changed. Originally, this terrain had about two more ridges of mountains.”
“Younger brother, do you think I’m an idiot? Not that.”
“Hmm… Then?”
“It feels like the energy has become a little more active… but I can’t tell exactly what it is.”
At Steel’s words, Sian also wore a subtle expression.
“Mm… Was the flow of Vander and Exar in this place not more active than in other regions to begin with?”
As far as Sian had heard, the energy here was far more fluid than in other regions, and there was more of it as well. That was also why Tian had established Gron
-Pillar here. Because of that, Sian had not thought much of it. If it had been that way from the beginning, there was nothing surprising about it.
But Miss Steel, who had spent a long time here, seemed to sense something different.
“Mm… I think it’s a bit more active than before. Is it because we traded blows?”
“That seems quite likely. It should be helpful to the school below.”
Since they had struck each other enough to change the terrain, it was not strange for changes to occur in energies like Exar or Vander. It was a good thing for the students of Gron
-Pillar. The activated energies would help them build their skills quickly.
“Well… anyway… younger brother, hurry and show me.”
“…
Please do not ask me to show you with that expression. You look like a pervert.”
Perhaps burdened by Steel’s gaze as she looked at him with a flushed face, breathing hard and staring with strange eyes, Sian said a word.
“What am I supposed to do, then? I’m really excited.”
“…
Could you please refrain from saying things like that too?”
Sian wore an expression as if she was hopeless and took another step toward the deeply sunken pit.
“Now then… what should I try first?”
“By the way, younger brother, don’t you feel a little regretful about things from before, like Gran
-La’s Hand or the War God’s Spear?”
Steel tossed out the sudden question toward Sian as he warmed up.
“Mm… It is a pity. They were useful.”
“…
Useful?”
“Yes. They were capable of making me stronger. To be honest, it was fascinating. To think there existed items that could make me stronger. If not for them, I probably would have died in that strange world.”
“That’s a relief, younger brother.”
Steel asked cautiously, wondering if she had perhaps brought up a painful memory.
“No. I returned alive, so that is enough. In any case… you asked whether I regretted losing them, yes?”
“Yeah. And the Great Armor of the Seven Planets too. That was destroyed as well.”
At those words, Sian gave a meaningful smile.
“Hehe. I no longer regret it. Since I have decided to use my power anyway, I can show you.”
The space around Sian’s body began to distort. One layer, two layers, three layers… before long, dozens of veils rippled around his body.
“Huh… that?”
Steel cried out in surprise.
“Yes. It is similar to the one you had, Miss Steel, is it not?”
It was more than that. The Great Armor of the Seven Planets, true to its name, had wrapped seven layers of dimensional veils around the body.
But around Sian’s body, more than ten veils were already rippling.
“And…….”
After finishing his words, Sian gathered power at his fingertips.
Soon, a brilliant golden light wrapped around his left hand, and a pitch-black veil that seemed capable of swallowing everything wrapped around his right.
“Phew… This works too. Next…….”
Seeing Sian, who looked slightly strained but seemed to have stabilized and was about to move on to something else, Steel wore a dumbfounded expression. Wrapping dimensional veils around his body was surprising, but understandable.
But doing several things at once like that was an entirely different matter. Even for a superhuman, the laws and coefficients within the body were adjusted in one direction, so they could not do many things well at the same time. Of course, they could do several things, but if they tried to face another superhuman with a different power that did not suit their own “path,” they would be sliced apart in an instant.
To draw out that many different powers, and with such tremendous might at that, meant one of two things.
One was that her younger brother had reached a level where he could easily draw out that much without even needing to do his best.
The other was that the ‘Path’ was specialized in drawing out various powers.
The first was far more incredible, but the second could not be ignored either. Being able to exploit an opponent’s affinity was a tremendous advantage.
Had he not won despite having stepped into the realm far later than Ribias, simply because he held the advantage in the ‘Path’s’ affinity?
Small wonder he had no regrets about lacking artifacts. If he could manifest artifact-level performance with his bare body—and stronger at that—why would he need artifacts?
Sian, who had been experimenting with one thing after another, shot his hand through the air and struck the ground, trying out this and that.
Each time, the sky split cleanly apart, and the earth was gouged out so deeply that the bottom was nowhere in sight. Power was concentrated to the extreme, so not even a sound emerged where his hand swept past. Everywhere he went, the background faded away as if the void itself were being erased with an eraser.
A chill ran down Steel’s spine. ‘So when he said he went easy on me during our last fight… he really went easy on me, didn’t he…’ Unable to contain his curiosity, Steel asked Sian.
“Little brother, how do you do that?”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
Sian, who had been demonstrating dozens of techniques with his entire body, did not know what Steel was asking about and looked back at him.
“You know, activating multiple ‘Paths’ simultaneously….”
“Hmm… this? This isn’t multiple.”
“Then what is it?”
“This is a single ‘Path.’ I couldn’t use it until I hit a wall, but after passing through it, I can use it much more easily.”
Steel’s prediction was wrong. It wasn’t one or the other—it was both.
“That’s really amazing. Little brother, you might never be able to cross that wall your whole life….”
Seeing that, becoming stronger through training seemed far more probable. According to his little brother, one had to overcome who knew how many life-and-death crises to reach the next stage beyond the Rabande.
But who on earth could kill him?
“Hoo-hoo. That is the most ideal situation I could hope for. I intend to live out my days in quiet contentment just like this.”
“Hoo-hoo. While tearing down cities as a hobby, you mean?”
“…
Why do you say such things? Someone might get the wrong idea if they heard.”
“Regardless, that’s amazing. I feel like you could even catch the legendary seven-horned Harijan.”
Steel blurted this out because he could not imagine anything in human form stronger than his little brother.
“But that’s something that only appears in legends. Even if it did appear, I would run away without a second thought.”
‘He doesn’t say he can’t win.’
Watching Sian chuckle airily, Steel snorted with laughter. To be that strong yet possess such a mindset. That bizarre attitude was all the more endearing.
Then Steel suddenly remembered something and asked.
“Ah… by the way, little brother, why did you call me?”
“Huh?”
“It doesn’t look like there’s much I can help with.”
“…
Ah… that’s….”
“…
Little brother, you called me because you wanted to show off.”
“…….”
“Hoo-hoo. You don’t need to be so embarrassed. Who would appreciate it if not me? Don’t be shy and show me more.”
Only a superhuman can recognize a superhuman’s skill. Showing off one’s strength in front of ordinary people is nothing more than a meaningless spectacle.
“…
Shall I? Heh, then I won’t hold back.”
Steel laughed with delight at the childlike demeanor he hadn’t seen in a long time.