Chapter 37

The duel event has come to an end. The results were pretty much what I expected.

The only notable difference was the number of people who challenged Luna after seeing her completely lose to Kara.

Of course, everyone got wiped out. Kara was just too strong; Luna definitely wasn’t weak. It ended up being a rather easy duel for her.

“So what happens with the points? I don’t really care about points, but you do, right?”

“Maybe you’ll go up in points? Given that the defeat is so significant.”

After the duels wrapped up, we were given some free time. Well, “free time” only meant one day, but still.

It didn’t matter much since the next day was the weekend—so it’s the same as a long break. That’s when I arranged to meet with Kara.

As you know, I needed to take Kara to Rod to ask for permission. From now on, she’d be responsible as my guardian.

Responsibility just meant she wouldn’t go around causing violence. Even if she did, it would probably be directed at those worse than beasts.

“Oh, and you’d better grab some candy.”

“Candy? You mean that scorched rice-flavored one Sivar gave back then?”

Kara must have found that scorched rice candy quite impressive, judging by the face she made. It’s definitely a taste that divides people.

“No, no, you don’t have to give me something like that. I’ll eat anything sweet.”

“Really? Alright then. I thought you liked that candy.”

“Sure.”

I replied that I liked it. I’d eaten so much of it that my taste buds had grown accustomed to it.

Kara looked at me with a peculiar expression. Just to clarify, I didn’t hate the scorched rice-flavored candy.

“······Let’s just agree that I like sweet things. Meals have to be buffets every day, right? I saw you eating a lot.”

“Yeah. Otherwise, the meal expenses would be outrageous.”

“Sometimes you should treat yourself to something good. I’ll cover it.”

“Are you alright with the money?”

Luna asked, half surprised and half worried. Given my eating habits, her reaction was understandable.

I usually had a monstrous appetite, and on days I used magic, it surged exponentially.

Recently, I hadn’t needed to use magic, so it was manageable, but it would gradually increase. Naturally, the meal expenses would rise too.

However, Kara waved her hands dismissively, sporting her signature cool smile as she replied.

“Don’t worry. I may look like this, but I’m a princess. I have plenty of money.”

“How much is plenty?”

“Just think of it as overflowing. Our nation earns quite a bit.”

As I explained before, Tartar has developed trade due to its geographical advantages. Initially, it was sandwiched between the Matra Empire and the Granada Empire.

To take the shortest route, you’d have to cross Tartar, which would lead to plundering by the Tartar people.

After establishing the nation, they cleverly utilized this to grow the trading industry.

Moreover, the Tartars also provided escort services, making trade naturally flourish.

“So don’t worry about money. If you need it, I can lend you a couple of times without issue.”

“Sis······”

“But you have to pay it back.”

“Huh?”

Luna responded with a unique reaction, both touched and surprised by the repayment demand. Her pretty face scrunched cutely.

Kara seemed to have predicted the reaction, chuckling softly as she clarified.

“Sorry, but I, like the Tartar people, am strict with money. There’s nothing easier to lose trust over than money.”

“What if I borrow money and don’t pay it back?”

“Then just treat it like a donation. But you’ll lose trust with that person forever.”

That happens even in the Soul World. If you borrow money from Kara and don’t pay it back, your favorability plummets like a rollercoaster.

One reason Kara is far removed from being a water-giving role, unlike Elvin. No matter what, she’s strict with financial matters.

“Sivar.”

“Yeah?”

While I was lost in thought, Kara called out to me. I looked at her with curiosity.

“You don’t know what money is, do you?”

“Money?”

“Yeah. This kind of thing.”

She proceeded to show me something, pinching a round object between her thumb and index finger.

It was predominantly silver, adorned with numbers and figures in the center.

One of the currencies globally used within the Soul World.

‘Come to think of it, I do need to gather some money.’

I had utterly forgotten, as I had never lived a life where I spent money.

Everyone around me had always paid, erasing any sense of financial awareness.

“From the looks of your face, you seem clueless. Just know that collecting these will be more comfortable later. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“I heard you can earn money through hunting or herb gathering?”

Kara directed her question to Luna, who nodded at the inquiry.

“Yes. I tend to go into the forest for herb gathering every weekend. I ran into Sivar then.”

“Surely someone like Sivar must catch plenty of good game, right?”

“Uh······”

The logic seemed sound enough that Luna’s gaze turned towards me. She looked slightly troubled.

Considering the monkeys I had dealt with to save Elly, they were pretty expensive.

“I’ll think about it slowly. Sivar doesn’t know what money is yet.”

“Then until then, I’ll help you out to some extent. You can repay me with your body later.”

That’s quite a statement open to interpretation. She probably meant to solve it through hunting, but the nuance suggested something else.

Noticing something odd, Luna paused before tilting her head towards Kara, saying “Huh?…”

“······Sis?”

“What?”

“That last statement was a bit······”

“What do you mean······”

Kara reacted as if she had said something wrong then stiffened up. It seemed she just realized it now.

Her face gradually turned red, and she sneakily glanced at me. I merely stared blankly.

At times like this, pretending you don’t know is best. They’ll probably think I truly don’t know.

Nonetheless, it was just as embarrassing, so Kara cleared her throat and quietly explained.

“······That’s not what I meant, so don’t think strangely. Got it?”

“Sivar probably doesn’t even know what that means.”

“Then why say something like that! It’s so embarrassing!”

“There are listeners here.”

“Who?”

“Me.”

Luna shot back confidently, leaving Kara at a loss for words. Such a unique demeanor was truly something.

Kara opened and closed her mouth, then laughed in defeat. It was an expression of conceding.

“Okay, fine. It’s a pointless discussion anyway. So where does Sivar live?”

“We’re almost there. It’s right over there.”

With a timely change of topic, we arrived at my residence. No longer just the Chancellor’s office, but my personal dwelling.

Although the Chancellor’s office is in the main hall, Rod also works here. However, I attend classes, so we don’t cross paths.

“The Chancellor lives here too, right?”

“Yeah. I believe he also takes care of his meals here.”

Knock knock—

Luna lightly knocked. From the back, someone approached.

Creeeak—

“Oh, you’ve arrived?”

“Yes. Is there anyone inside?”

“No. Eli is currently in class.”

Rod opened the door and welcomed us directly. He doesn’t have a secretary, so he comes out himself.

Kara seemed surprised that he came out personally.

“So you’re the Tartar princess. Your name is…?”

“You can just call me Kara.”

“I see. Kara, please come inside.”

Rod swung the door wide open, gesturing for us to enter. As soon as we stepped in, a unique fragrance filled the space.

Since two men lived here, they usually light incense to mask any lingering masculine smell.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“No, I’m good. I’m just going to say what I need and head back.”

Kara declined Rod’s offer, seeming to think it would be rude to accept.

Rod didn’t push further and instead prepared tea and light snacks for us.

After all, it’s the Chancellor, and a prominent figure like the Sword Saint personally preparing them made Kara glance nervously.

Just as she was about to help, Rod held up a hand to stop her.

“This is my home and Sivar’s. It’s only natural for the host to welcome guests.”

“But still······”

“Isn’t there a culture of welcoming guests in Tartar too? So just sit down quietly.”

With Rod’s smiling instruction, Kara had no choice but to sit down.

She had boldly stepped up as my guardian before, but now she resembled a gentle lamb in front of Rod.

“And so, you wish to become Sivar’s guardian?”

After a brief while, once all the setup was complete, Rod sat down and initiated the main topic.

As Kara gulped down a piece of a biscuit, she hastily stuffed it in her mouth in response to his question.

“Swallow! Yes. As you heard, I also want to be Sivar’s guardian.”

“I hear a student is assisting Sivar with training. Do you wish to continue overseeing his training even after becoming his guardian?”

“Exactly.”

“May I ask why?”

At that question, Kara opened her mouth with an unflinching tone, as if she had anticipated it. The vibe felt reminiscent of an interview.

“It started with sheer curiosity. I thought I’d just see if it worked or not. However, after the duel, my perspective shifted.”

“How so?”

“It’s too wasteful to misuse that power.”

“··· ···”

That sounded very Tartar-like, considering the standard response would be to teach restraint, saying that such power is too dangerous.

But Kara used a completely opposite approach. Rod seemed unperturbed, as if he expected this.

“It’s too inefficient. It’s fine to charge in, trusting your strong body, but doing so could be disastrous later. Moreover, you need to learn how to ‘subdue’ as well.”

“You might accidentally kill someone, so you’re suggesting I teach control. Is that what you mean?”

“Something along those lines.”

“You’re not telling me not to use force, though.”

As Rod said, Kara stated she’d teach control, but not to refrain from using force.

She had a regular approach, yet fiercely violent mindset. Kara seemed aware of this and nodded.

“You know how it is, right? It’s merely a matter of moderation, but using power is the same across the board.”

“I agree with that. But in civilization, violence is usually not easily accepted.”

“I understand what you mean. But I don’t just recklessly commit violence. I’ll be sure to keep this in mind.”

“That’s sufficient. You seem to have learned well from Hector.”

“··· ···”

At the mention of Hector, Kara paused for a moment. Yet, she didn’t deny it.

As he said, most of Kara’s ideals were learned from Hector—the advice that power shouldn’t be used rashly.

At the same time, it’s also the reason Kara dislikes Hector. She learned from him but was forced to alter her core beliefs mid-way.

“I may not agree with everything, but I stand by this one.”

“Understood. Then······”

Knock knock knock—

Just as Rod was about to continue, someone knocked. It was rather rough.

Had it been Elly, she would have knocked gently. But that knock was undeniably heavy.

“I’ll go out.”

“······Do that.”

Luna stood up from her seat and headed towards the door, which Rod permitted with a low voice.

From how he reacted, it seemed he already knew who was there. Being a Sword Saint, he probably sensed the person’s presence.

I felt the same. While I couldn’t tell who exactly it was, I was certain of one thing.

They were massive.

Creeeak—

“Who······ Huh?!”

Luna began to speak but gasped, stumbling back as if shocked.

No wonder, as the figure at the door was absurdly huge—two heads taller than an average adult man.

The visitor looked puzzled, staring at Luna, then shifted their gaze toward the others behind her. Eventually, they addressed us with a ‘polite’ tone.

“May I disturb you for a moment?”

“As long as you don’t break anything.”

“That’ll be a bit tough.”

The visitor was none other than Hector, the king of Tartar and Kara’s biological father.

“······Father? Why are you here······?”

Horribly caught off guard by the unexpected visitor, Kara muttered with a bewildered expression.

In the meantime, Hector stooped down and stepped inside, given his height was too intimidating for the door frame.

Next, he surveyed Rod’s and my shared residence. Perhaps he found it tolerable, nodding his head.

“It’s not bad. So you live here with your mentor and the boy?”

“That’s the case as of now. Just don’t stand there and take a seat.”

“Then I won’t hold back.”

THUD—

At Rod’s invitation, Hector took a seat next to Kara.

Simultaneously, he was sitting directly across from me, causing our gazes to clash.

His eyes, still filled with interest, felt different today.

For some reason, it conveyed a vibe of openly provoking me. Regardless, it was certainly different.

“Maybe you should lower that axe behind you. Otherwise, it looks like you’re here for a fight.”

“Give me a break. I’m heading back to Tartar soon.”

“But it’s a weapon that returns after being tossed into the sea.”

“If I don’t have it, I’d just be bored.”

Though Hector’s appearance had slightly weighed the atmosphere down, oddly enough, it dissipated quickly.

Luna, who had been timidly lingering at the door, pulled a chair and cautiously sat beside me.

“······So, why have you come?”

While Hector chatted with Rod, Kara finally spoke up. She seemed displeased with the sudden intrusion.

Well, from her perspective, it was understandable to be upset with Hector barging in unexpectedly. However, Hector had words to say too.

“Let me be clear; I’m here for the boy, not you. Have something to confirm.”

“Why would you want Sivar?”

“Mainly because of the power he possesses, but even more so, I’m concerned about those red eyes.”

Those scarlet eyes. I subconsciously touched my eye.

The vividly glowing red pupils. That’s a sign usually associated with the ‘Berserk’ state seen in monsters.

The conditions to trigger Berserk typically occur in a near-death state. There were times before I’d almost died over and over, triggering Berserk often.

But now, while I’ve improved after gaining tenacity, it’s still risky. It even activated during that fierce battle with Porori.

“If he understands human speech, I need to ask him directly. Did you say Sivar?”

“··· ···”

“Are you a beast pretending to be human, or a human possessing the power of a beast?”

A serious inquiry that clearly pierced through to my essence.

Honestly, I couldn’t answer that question. The Wilderness Instinct was turning me more like a beast.

Furthermore, my belief had plummeted, rendering me almost incapable of proper speech. I was a beast wearing a human’s guise.

“If anyone else had got close to my daughter, I wouldn’t have said a word. But······ you are far too dangerous.”

“Dangerous?”

“Indeed. If those red eyes are genuine, you’ll never blend into civilization. In crises, you’ll lose your composure and turn into a beast. Time and again.”

“··· ···”

That’s spot on. Porori had said something similar once.

If I didn’t figure out something to address these red eyes, big problems would surely arise.

The essence of a beast is driven by instinct stronger than rationality. Given the existence of Berserk, that instinct would inevitably surface.

“Looking at you······ what’s this sudden visit leading to? What’s the significance of those red eyes?”

Kara’s voice carried confusion. However, Hector didn’t spare her a glance.

He was fixed on me, and despite facing his scrutiny, I couldn’t help but wonder.

‘Was this the original event?’

After winning against Kara in the duel event, there would be a chance to meet Hector.

Whether you were at your lodgings, a café, or a restaurant, he would suddenly appear and chat about various things.

Mostly saying he wanted me to treat his daughter well, yet keep a safe distance, and so forth—classic fatherly concerns in conversations with their daughters.

“Old man.”

“Speak.”

“Is there somewhere around here that I can break things freely? I recall there’s some forest nearby.”

Sitting quiet without a word, Hector directed his question towards Rod.

Rod squinted slightly at the query and replied in a solemn tone.

“Absolutely not. This is an academy. If you cause a commotion, neither of you gets out safely.”

“Then are we to just stand by? It’s just a check. This kid might cause a fiasco worse than me later.”

“Hmm······”

Perhaps recognizing the soundness of the explanation, Rod turned to me. His deep-in-thought gaze reminded me of a tranquil lake.

He then returned to Hector, calmly probing further.

“And what if it confirms something? What will you do then?”

“I won’t. As you know, I can’t be away for long anymore.”

“Then······”

“Instead.”

Hector interrupted Rod before he could refuse. It sounded like he had alternatives in mind.

BAM!

Suddenly, he unleashed the weapon strapped to his back, placing it atop the desk. Everyone’s eyes shifted to the weapon resting there.

Overall, the weapon resembled an ‘axe.’ However, it was too big to be a one-handed axe and too small to be a battle axe.

It was akin to a fireman’s axe in size. Moreover, its form was intriguing.

One side had a sharp blade designed for cutting, while the other was blunted like a hammer.

As all our gazes honed in on the axe, Hector spoke up as if declaring something significant.

“I’ll lend this to him to ensure he doesn’t show any beastly traits.”

“······ are you out of your mind?”

“Out of my mind? Why······!”

Rod, and even Kara, seemed genuinely shocked at Hector’s statement. Only Luna was confused about everything.

I was maintaining my composure, so I kept a straight face, but inside, I was utterly stunned.

No wonder; Hector’s weapon ranks among the highest in the Soul World.

‘Ragnarok.’

Hector’s personal weapon—a final item of sorts. Yet, it can only display its true power if I continually build my ‘faith.’

So to me, it would serve merely as a sturdy axe. Whether it could withstand my red magic is doubtful.

Lending such an axe to me is quite a significant decision. It borders on excessive.

Yet Hector seemed to have a different viewpoint, his voice steady as he expressed his resolve.

“For safety’s sake, I must do everything possible to prevent him from going on a rampage. This is the best that I can offer.”

“··· ···”

“All I need is verification. Once I ascertain he’s an ordinary human, I’ll kneel and apologize on the spot. I swear to the great Gulrak that I won’t interfere with you in any way.”

A vow to Gulrak carries powerful significance. If he violates that oath, lightning will strike from the heavens.

It serves to signify the seriousness in Hector’s stance. He willingly offered to sacrifice his prized axe for the sake of Kara’s safety.

Rod seemed speechless over the notion of lending out such a treasured item, buried in thought.

Just as Rod appeared stuck in contemplation for a while, he exhaled deeply and slowly spoke up.

“······There’s a forest located at the 6 o’clock direction from my position. Roughly about 300 meters from here.”

“Can I break whatever I want there?”

“Preferably further away than that. Debris may come flying your way.”

“Sounds good. How about you?”

Hector kindly asked for my input. This time, unlike the duel events, it looked as if it would lead to an actual confrontation.

I turned my gaze toward Kara in response to his query. She seemed quite shocked, realizing Hector’s determination.

Luna sported a similar face of confusion, recognizing the gravity of the situation.

“Both.”

With that, I called out to everyone. All their eyes fell upon me.

Then I continued firmly, ensuring they’d feel at ease with my next words.

“I’m fine.”

“······Whoever it is, they taught you well about consideration.”

Hector chuckled at my reply, then slowly rose from his seat.

He then seized the axe, Ragnarok, off the desk and began walking slowly.

I guess I just needed to follow behind him. I readied myself and stood up.

Just as I was about to align my steps with Hector’s broad back:

“Then without delay······”

Hector tightened his grip on the axe.

“We’ll begin right now.”

He swung it fiercely, not using the blade but the hammer portion, aiming to crush.

“Damn······”

Damn. Wait a second.

BOOM!

My body shot up through the ceiling and into the sky.

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