Episode 89: An Old Promise
“Ten minutes are up! Alright, that’s it.”
“Woo! You really held on there, Contractor. You’re truly impressive.”
“Phew, that was nerve-wracking, but it worked out. Congratulations!”
Voices like these pierced through my throbbing mind.
With eyes swollen so much they wouldn’t open properly, I looked up. The Three Fates were hovering above me, giggling and bouncing around.
Right afterward, a fanfare sounded, and an announcement window materialized, obscuring my vision.
[Class Advancement Successful: Official Knight → Night Stalker]
[Succeded in “The Fates’ Trial” (Hard Difficulty).]
[Stat Bonuses: Strength +10, Agility +30, Intelligence +15]
[Additional Stats granted due to Trial difficulty.]
[Stats: Strength +30, Agility +50, Intelligence +20]
[Health and Mana increased by 300 points each.]
[Learned the Job Skill “Faster than Sight”.]
[Learned the Job Skill “Hunter’s Mark”.]
[Learned the Job Skill “Shadow Chains”.]
“… Heh. Hehe.”
Only after seeing that announcement did I finally realize I was still alive.
‘Really… Ten minutes felt like ten years.’
It was a memory I’d rather not revisit. Reminded me of the time during school when I accidentally slashed a thug’s luxury jacket. It’d been years since I’d been beaten up like this.
[Health fully restored.]
[Mana fully restored.]
Relief from having survived and profound fatigue sank into my bones, rendering me immobile. Though I could feel the return of vitality as stated in the announcement, I couldn’t bring myself to rise.
For quite some time, I lay there sprawled on the ground like Yamuchi after being self-detonated by Zabaiman.
“… Ow…”
After about ten minutes, I managed to finally push myself up slightly. Truthfully, I wanted to rest longer, but my circumstances wouldn’t allow for luxury.
Shakily, I stood up and approached the Fates. They stopped their mischief and focused their gaze on me as I neared.
“Ah, you’re awake.”
“Sleepyhead.”
“Did you sleep well?”
Their fresh greetings made an impulse to lash out arise briefly, but I dismissed the impulse because it’d be undignified.
Looking at them as if nothing had happened, I bowed my head first—out of gratitude.
“…Anyway, thank you for everything so far. You helped me grow stronger.”
“Ah? It’s nothing.”
“Awkward.”
“It was our duty, really.”
True. They know that. Though it feels a bit late.
But realistically, it’s thanks to them that I’ve grown stronger. The Black Wings of Evolution are entirely a product of their kindness—and their abilities are monstrous. It wasn’t easy to create such an item, I’m sure.
In my current situation, where I need even the tiniest bit of power… having something like this is an incredible advantage. I should bow deeply in appreciation.
I chuckled faintly as I observed the three, who seemed a bit embarrassed.
“Well, I think I should get going now. I have things to handle.”
“Uh? Already?”
“How about staying a bit longer?”
“You don’t want to stay with us?”
The Three Fates blinked in surprise and then their expressions turned gloomy. They came closer and grabbed my sleeves, tugging on them insistently.
Hold on. Those scythes are getting dangerously close! Can you control them a bit? I don’t want to crack my skull!
Terrified by the giant scythes swaying above my head, I flinched and coughed nervously before speaking.
“S-sorry, but… I need to do something immediately. Once that’s done, I’ll visit again soon.”
“Umm… really?”
“Are you telling the truth?”
“Promise?”
They looked like children parting ways with Santa Claus. The luminous, pale eyes staring at me were somewhat burdensome.
While reaffirming with a nod, I couldn’t help but ask curiously.
“Anyway… why are you all so kind to me? Haven’t we met before?”
At this question, the Three Fates seemed momentarily startled.
In the same posture, they thought deeply and then simultaneously opened their mouths at the same moment and timing.
“Hmm… because we felt like it?”
“Because you remind us of someone?”
“Because you’re pitiable and cute like that person?”
…That person must refer to ‘Han the Witch Knight,’ right? Do I really resemble him?
No. Originally, if the Witch Knight was once a hero of another world… it might be the atmosphere, not appearance. People here usually have prominent noses, so it’s unlikely for someone to resemble an Eastern Asian person.
‘But this reaction feels… strange, right?’
Minerva… or should I say, “Diaper Head?” She clearly disliked the Witch Knight Diana and even the Knight Han.
That’s definitive. The look of disdain on her face, when she accepted my mission from Lucy, was not something that could be feigned.
‘Yet from the attitudes of the Fates…’
The Three Fates don’t seem to dislike the Witch Knight.
In fact… they even appear to have some good feelings towards him. Quite strong ones, it seems.
The sole reason they’re good to me is that I remind them of him. That says a lot.
“So… why do you all like the Witch Knight?”
As soon as I asked this question, I regretted it.
The atmosphere shifted instantly. Upon hearing my question, the Fates smirked and then suddenly opened their lethargic eyes, glaring at me.
Srrrllinggg. Their scythes, which had been hovering above, slowly began descending. Before I could react, the Fates all reached for their weapons.
Why the scythe? What are you trying to do with it?
“Because… he’s our only friend.”
“We promised to believe in him.”
Without giving me the time to grasp the meaning of their words,
CHI! The scythe wielded by the Fates cleanly cut me in half.
“Eh, eh…?” I could only mutter in confusion as I stared at my body split at an angle. When I met their gaze, they were smiling faintly, but their expressions held a hint of sadness.
“You can keep dying to find out.”
“Contractor… you will eventually meet him.”
“Don’t break yourself and live long, Contractor.”
In their farewell greetings, I felt a strong sense of déjà vu.
My eyes suddenly widened.
“Please… don’t destroy yourself, I don’t want to have a rough night.”
A dark blonde beauty briefly crossed my vision in the fading darkness.
I realized now she too had that same sorrowful expression.
*
“Keuhk!”
I awoke with a sound like splitting peanuts. Quickly patting myself down with both hands, I was relieved to find no traces of being split in two.
Breathing heavily, I scanned my surroundings. I was inside a dark building. A colossal mirror extended before me.
After staring at it for a while, I realized this was the inside of the Temple of Kern.
“Ah, you’ve… returned.”
As I did, another figure abruptly appeared from the corner of my vision.
It was the skeletal-looking priest with stuttering speech and white hair—Flick.
“Q-quite a long time has passed… I was w-worried that something might have gone wrong, hero.”
Seeing his face reminded me.
The scythe that split me in two must have been the portal out of the illusionary world. If it’s a portal, then why not give a heads-up instead of slicing someone to pieces like that!
Bringing up the Fates’ cheeky faces briefly, I asked Flick.
“How long have I been gone?”
“Eh… A-about two hours, I think.”
“More delay than expected…”
I looked away from Flick and examined my surroundings again since I couldn’t find my “buy-one-get-one-free item.”
Lucy was easy enough to spot. She was standing stiffly in front of the altar, gazing at it with keen interest.
“Hmm… A witch versus the first hero. The death of the saint… and betrayal. Fascinating stuff indeed.”
She muttered to herself as she read from the altar.
I glanced at the altar but couldn’t decipher the curly script inscribed on it. It seems the hero system’s translation function doesn’t support this writing system.
“Hey, Lucy.”
“Hoh… Hmm….”
She didn’t hear me call her, too absorbed in the altar.
I continued approaching her and called again.
“Hey, Lucy.”
“Ah, indeed. It all unfolded this way.”
“What are you looking at?”
“Hmm… Next comes…”
“Are you annoying?”
“Kyaaah! What’re you doing!?”
With that exclamation, I harshly pinched Lucy’s cheeks.
Confused by the sudden pain, she wriggled about, trying to escape. While still holding her cheeks, I turned her face towards mine.
Our eyes met. Hers, red and teary, looked directly into mine.
“Uhkek? Wh-when did you return? If only you’d said something! Why did you start by pinching my cheeks! What nonsense is this!”
“…”
I spoke, but she was too preoccupied to hear me. At this point, it wasn’t worth continuing.
Engaging in meaningless arguments with Lucy only causes pain in the mouth and ears. In the end, I always resort to pinching her cheeks.
Cutting out the middle steps, I continued my usual strategy.
“Aaah! I’m sorry! Please stop! It hurts! It hurts! Please forgive me!”
As usual, when Lucy begins her apologies in respectful language, I let go of her cheeks.
“Tch… Ugh… my cheeks are burning…”
Incidentally, the frequency with which respectful language comes out from her mouth seems to be decreasing.
Whether her strength is increasing or her dignity is thinning—either way, it’s good progress for me.
I roughly ruffled Lucy’s hair and took the lead in walking away.
“Mission at the temple is done. Let’s move on to the next plan.”
“Uh… Ah, okay.”
I strode confidently towards the temple entrance and gave a nod to Flick before leaving. Flick, looking slightly bewildered, reciprocated the greeting.
“…What a strange duo involved in such strange events… Who exactly is that person…?”
Unclear Flick’s murmurs followed us.
He seemed to be muttering to himself, but I heard every word, Uncle. I smirked before stepping out of the temple.
Maybe because I’ve been in the dark for a long time, the bright sunlight outside caused me to unconsciously wince.
I continued marching along Kern’s main road when a sudden thought came to me.
“Hey, Lucy.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“What were you so intently examining on that altar earlier?”
“Ah. That…”
Lucy is fundamentally uninterested in all matters.
Maybe because she’s an immortal, even now with all her powers and mana gone, she shows little emotional fluctuation and rarely gets excited about anything. Except when we squabble.
Yet, she was so absorbed in something that she didn’t even hear me calling. This alone was intriguing enough.
“It’s… just.”
“Just?”
“The old stories were inscribed there. About my mother, Necromancer Diana Espada.”
“…”
“It seems to be a record of human history. Since I didn’t live in those times anyway, it was quite interesting.”
“I see.”
“Especially the Witch Knight. That guy is unpredictable, making it more entertaining.”
There it goes again. That name crops up again.
Is the unsettling feeling that arises whenever that name is mentioned… just the result of my hypersensitive nerves?
No. That’s it. He is, after all, one of the absolute evils of this world’s history. Thinking about it, it’s natural that his name would surface frequently.
‘Let’s just focus on our current tasks.’
I shook my head and dismissed the intrusive thoughts. It was to focus on survival.
The task ahead… there’s a high chance it won’t go as smoothly as it has been so far.
“Kern’s council meeting… It would be nice if this went off without a hitch.”
I smiled wryly, recalling the face of the old raccoon.
