Chapter 161

Back when Werner was 19 and Airi was 8, their conflicts were at their worst. Their fights always started over trivial matters, as usual.

“But Master, what do you think is the strongest magic attribute in the world?”

“Well, it depends on the situation, but if we’re talking about practical combat value, it’s undoubtedly lightning, followed by darkness, and then either ice or earth.”

“…What about fire?”

Fire attribute magic was Airi’s most confident magic. But since Werner didn’t even mention fire, she seemed quite upset. Of course, Werner, who had zero tact, didn’t notice this at all.

“Honestly, unless it’s an area-of-effect spell, it’s almost useless in fights between strong opponents. Any swordsman can slice through fireballs, and they’re so slow that most people can dodge them. So, unless you’re a top-tier mage, fire attribute magic is just for beginners…”

Werner rarely used fire attribute magic. It was hard to use in chaotic battles, and he was already a master of lightning attribute magic. Plus, he knew Airi was confident in fire magic, but since insulting fire magic wasn’t the same as insulting her, he thought it was fine. He was clueless.

“Fine! Master, you’re just a stupid idiot!!”

“Hey, you brat… Airi, come here! How dare you talk to your master like that…!”

Airi, furious, lit the wooden cup she was holding with magic and threw it at Werner. He, hit squarely on the forehead, rubbed the bump and got angry. Both were immature.

—

Werner hurriedly went out to look for Airi, but finding her in the crowd was harder than finding a needle in a haystack. He scratched his head in frustration.

“Ah, damn it! I’m sick of babysitting! I can barely take care of myself, and now I have to deal with this brat! If you weren’t my sister’s daughter, I’d have dumped you in the mountains, you little brat!”

Werner went home to relax. He took out the expensive snacks he only gave Airi when she did something praiseworthy and enjoyed them with tea. Later, he took out some fine wine he had hidden and drank it with ham as a snack, all while cursing Airi.

“I don’t need any of this… I’m the beloved younger brother of my brothers and sisters… They’d do anything for me… Why do I have to put up with your tantrums, you little brat…”

When he ran out of snacks, Werner reluctantly got up, staggering.

“I guess I’ll have to go to the butcher shop to get more… Damn it…”

Despite the rare moment of relaxation, he wasn’t happy at all. The snacks he used to enjoy with Airi tasted dry and bland when eaten alone, and the wine he drank while she slept was just bitter.

“Hey, drunk lady! Want to hang out with us?”

“I’m a man, so shut the hell up. Besides, I’m a mage. I’ll turn you into a roasted chicken if you don’t get lost.”

“Come on, don’t be like that. Let’s hang out. And you like magic? That’s for nobles. Real men use swordsmanship or martial arts! We’re famous adventurers known for our swordsmanship and martial arts…”

Werner suddenly got furious when his specialty, magic, was insulted. Only then did he understand why Airi had been so angry with him.

“Why are you staring into space? Let’s hang out…”

His anger at himself and his guilt toward Airi exploded in frustration. He was about to use magic to kill the two troublemakers, but…

*Thud!* The two thugs collapsed, and Werner was stunned.

The one who made the noise was an old beggar in tattered robes.

“Hohoho… Blocking an old man’s path is rude… Learn some manners.”

Werner froze in shock at the beggar’s appearance. The beggar, seeing Werner, laughed and said:

“Hohoho… Don’t carry your anger to bed… And unlike wine, emotions rot the longer you keep them… Remember that…”

The old beggar disappeared into the crowd, and Werner desperately started calling Airi’s name.

—

Airi, who had gone out, used Werner’s stolen wallet to indulge in desserts at a restaurant she usually only visited on birthdays, watched a circus she only saw on special occasions, and bought a large teddy bear from the toy store where she and Werner had bought a small doll when she first succeeded in magic.

“Hmph, it’s so nice without that stupid master!”

Airi dragged the large teddy bear through the park, cursing Werner. Normally, he would leave his clothes everywhere, burn pots while cooking, and almost made poisonous mushroom stew by mistake. It was a complete mess, but Airi could handle it.

But when he got into a fight with a cat-loving organization for feeding stray cats near their house and tried to bury them alive after shocking them with lightning magic… Airi bit her lip, remembering how she cried and made a scene, thinking Werner would go to jail.

“I don’t need a master like that! I can just go back to my mom and dad! I’m tired of living like this!”

Despite enjoying things she normally couldn’t, Airi was still full of frustration.

The desserts she ate alone weren’t sweet, the circus she watched alone was just noisy, and the teddy bear she bought instead of the one Werner would have chosen was unnecessarily expensive and scratchy.

Then, some shady-looking guys blocked her path.

“Hey, kid, we’ve been watching you. You stole an adult’s wallet, didn’t you? That’s not good. Hand it over, and we’ll take care of it.”

They tried to take Airi’s wallet. Terrified, she closed her eyes, but nothing happened.

When she opened her eyes, a shabby old beggar had beaten the thugs with a stick. The beggar, whose face was hidden under his robe, laughed and said:

“Hohoho, young lady… Everyone makes mistakes… So go and have a serious talk. Some people won’t understand unless you explain properly…”

Airi then realized how clueless Werner usually was. When the youngest daughter of the flower shop confessed her heart raced when she saw him, he took her to the doctor. When a singer confessed she felt like she was on fire when she saw him, he splashed water on her.

Remembering how much he cared for her, Airi hurried back home.

The two, desperately searching for each other, finally met in front of their house, where they spent most of their time. Both had things they wanted to say, but when they faced each other, they couldn’t speak.

“Airi, uh…”

“Master, I…”

Even though they wanted to apologize, their hearts were so fickle that their lips seemed glued shut. But both, uncharacteristically, found the courage to speak.

“I’m sorry, really…”

“I was wrong…”

They stared at each other in surprise, then held hands. They understood each other’s feelings, and further fighting was meaningless. However…

“Hey, Airi, that’s my wallet! Give it back… How did you spend all that money, you wasteful brat!”

“Master, you have cookie crumbs on your mouth! Those are my cookies! Why are you eating my cookies without permission!”

A new fight had begun. The old beggar, watching this, could only sigh.

—

That night, the lights in Werner and Airi’s house went out, and the city of Bekem’s lights also gradually dimmed, eventually plunging into complete darkness.

And there were those who welcomed the darkness. Goflit of the Black Round Table and Caradoc stood on a mountain peak, looking down at the darkened Bekem, and smirked.

“So, if we just capture that toothless mage in the city, we can get promoted to upper management?”

“Yeah. And I found out he lives there using my subordinates, so it’s reliable.”

“Then we’ll burn the whole city, take his disciple hostage, and kill him. Then we’ll…”

Just then, their subordinate interrupted their happy, dream-filled conversation.

“Goflit! Caradoc! Someone’s here!”

“What? Someone trying to steal our prey? We came here without telling anyone from the Black Round Table…”

“It’s not another executive… It’s some shabby beggar…”

“Then just kill him! Don’t bother us with such trivial matters…”

At that moment, the shabby beggar appeared right in front of them. He tore off his fake beard, fake skin, and tattered robe, revealing…

“You’re…!”

Zig Draghinty, known as the Hero of the Holy Sword.

“You’re not the first to target my brother and daughter’s lives. And you won’t be the last.”

“Damn it, our luck is terrible! Of all times for that monster to be here…!”

“Strange talk. The result would have been the same no matter when you came.”

He had been traveling between the capital and Bekem every day without fail since Werner and Airi came to Bekem, protecting them. For nearly three years, he hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep, not even a nap.

“I’m a bit tired… but that’s my duty. Protecting my daughter is a father’s duty…”

He drew the Holy Sword. It was a plain, unadorned hilt without a blade.

“Protecting my brother… that’s an older brother’s duty.”

Relieved by the unexpectedly shabby appearance of the Holy Sword, Goflit and Caradoc charged at him.

“Look! It’s just a hilt! What can you do with that!”

“Today, we’ll take Werner and the Hero of the Holy Sword’s heads! Our luck is great!”

Zig smirked and infused the Holy Sword with power.

“Holy Sword Form Transformation.”

The plain hilt began to glow.

“49th Form, Sword of Hellfire that Judges.”

That night, rumors spread about a massive pillar of fire piercing the sky outside the city, but they were dismissed as the ramblings of drunkards.