Chapter 269 : Your Zilentyn Was Awesome

There are two kinds of things in the world.

Things you want to do. And things you have to do even if you don't want to.

What I was doing now was clearly the latter.

—Eeeeng. Are you rejecting me? I'm sorry. Was I too talkative? I'll try to cut it down a bit. ...But throwing me was too much! I think cursing is understandable. You can say the wrong thing when you're surprised. But throwing me with the desk! That's really too much!

I tried my best to ignore the voice I was hearing and gritted my teeth and endured it.

—You son of a bitch! Do you think you're the only one who can curse! I can curse too! You bastard! You bastard! Do you know who I am? I'm the Turquoise Sword, Aurora, one of the nine brilliantly shining famous swords of the immortal master craftsman, Ophosis, you bastard! You should be bowing down in gratitude! Huh? Throw me? Hey! Are you listening to me? Why aren't you answering when you can hear me, you son of a bitch!!

'Not yet? Not yet?'

I was holding the hilt of the sword tightly so that the power of the sword would seep into the dark bracelet.

It was quick with Vlad, but why was it taking so long this time?

—I hated you too, you damn bastard! Ptooey! Live well and eat well! Why should I, of all people, have to live with a scoundrel like you! Get lost!

When the 10 seconds that felt like an hour had passed.

When I felt an intangible force flowing through my hand, I immediately checked the inside of the dark bracelet.

The moment I confirmed that a green line had formed, I let go of the hilt of the sword.

—It was a joke! Don't let go! Don't let go! Take me with youuuu...

Clang!

I threw the sword.

"Heok. Heok."

My hands were trembling and I was sweating.

Such a fierce mental attack.

Even for me, it was not easy to endure.

Even that damn Crimson Sword, Vlad, wasn't like this.

Shiver, shiver.

I was scared.

What if the Knight Frost was also like this?

No, were all the other famous swords also not in their right minds?

Just then, my eyes met with the duke, who had been watching me blankly.

He still had a gloomy expression.

"...Are the other famous swords also like this?"

"I just hope they're not."

"...I see."

I looked at the Turquoise Sword, Aurora, which was lying on the floor and humming, and then I shivered.

Because it felt like the ghost inside it was still looking at me and whining.

While the duke was summoning the terrifying hand of the reaper and sweeping away the magical beasts, to think that the mad sword was inside, going 'hup, hup'... it gave me the creeps.

"Then I'll be going."

I picked up the 30-year-old Zilentyn that was rolling on the floor and ran out of the drawing-room as if I were running away.

Fortunately, the duke didn't stop me, and I only caught my breath after I had left the duke's mansion.

"Heok... heok..."

It felt like I had escaped from a terrible nightmare.

'Was this the reason why the duke tried not to hold Aurora as much as possible?'

The face of Duke Elsbears, who had looked particularly tired after wielding the sword.

His eyes, which had flashed as if he were happy, even at the rude request to hold the sword once.

Only then did it feel like all the puzzles were falling into place.

So, the sword that gained power by consuming mental strength was the Turquoise Sword, Aurora.

Goosebumps ran down my spine.

I had almost been swallowed by the trap.

[All weapons have their pros and cons...]

"That one's cons are too big."

[That's true.]

For even the Heavenly Demon of the world to shake his head.

It was a great fortune that I had only asked to hold it as a reward for the commission.

If I had asked for it, the thought of the duke who would have handed it over with a smile on his face was a nightmare in itself.

"Hoo..."

I sighed and moved my feet.

I returned to the inn where the members would be waiting, holding the 30-year-old Zilentyn, the reward for the commission, in one hand.

Creak—

I opened the door and said as I entered.

"Are you ready?"

When I entered the inn, all the preparations were finished.

"Ugh! Mmph, mmph!"

Sorrow (Hartz) was tied to a chair with a gag in his mouth, and the rest of the Sherwood members were sitting around the table with a grin.

"Good."

I grinned and placed the box I had brought in front of the tightly bound Sorrow.

"Do you see it? This is the 30-year-old Zilentyn that you have been waiting and waiting for."

"...!"

The eyes of the alcohol lover, Sorrow, widened.

"Do you want to eat it? Do you want to taste it once? Is that your lifelong wish?"

Sorrow nodded his head frantically.

I grinned at Sorrow.

"You can't. Because of whom did we go through all that trouble?"

It was a lot of trouble.

We had almost failed the commission, and everyone had almost died.

What would have happened if the king of the magical beasts had advanced to the wall?

At the very least, we wouldn't have been able to sit around so leisurely.

How exquisitely timed was the awakening of the third personality, Hyde.

Just thinking about it again was dizzying.

Therefore, as the captain of the Sherwood Mercenary Corps, I decided to impose a lawful punishment.

And that was, to eat the 30-year-old Zilentyn that Sorrow had so longed for, right in front of him, slurp, slurp, deliciously.

Sorrow would have to just watch as the 30-year-old Zilentyn that he had so longed for disappeared into the stomachs of those who didn't even know the taste of alcohol.

"Our alcohol lover, Sorrow-kun, just watch us eat."

"You're right, little brother. We'll eat your share deliciously, so don't worry."

"Why, there's a saying that just watching others eat makes you full, right? We're that close, right?"

"Hahaha, of course. Of course."

"Hahahaha!"

At our heartwarming conversation, Sorrow struggled.

"Ugh, ugh! Ugh!"

Our proud Sherwood members laughed and teased him.

"What a sight."

"We don't need any side dishes."

"Serves you right."

"Hehe! Serves you right, serves you right!"

Even Big Sister had a pleased smile on her face and was puffing on her pipe.

Creak—

Just then, the inn door opened and a welcome guest came in.

"Hello! I'm not too late, am I?"

"I was a little late because I had to leave the princess. We haven't started yet, have we?"

It was the black mage, Adrian, and Princess Lilia's eternal guardian knight, Sir Monde.

"You came at the perfect time. We were just about to open it."

"Oh!"

"Have a seat."

Sorrow's eyes, seeing the guests, shook violently.

"Yes, you're right. Your share will be eaten by our invited guest, Sir Adrian, instead."

Sir Monde, since he had performed the search mission with us, it was natural for him to eat with us.

But Adrian was not.

"Adrian, a word. Our kind-hearted Sorrow-kun has given up his share."

"Oh! Thank you, Sir Sorrow. No, should I say Sir Hartz? Anyway! I'll drink it well! But what kind of alcohol is this?"

"Ugh! Ugh!"

"Haha, Sorrow says not to feel burdened and to drink as much as you want."

I patted Sorrow's shoulder and looked into his eyes for a moment.

His blue eyes, like broken pieces of ice, held a terrible murderous intent.

Just receiving his gaze made my skin tingle.

It felt as if the indoor temperature had dropped by several degrees due to his murderous intent.

"Oh dear. There's no sign of remorse yet. What a pity."

"Ugh! Ugh!"

"Well, then, shall we have the opening ceremony?"

I was about to open the 30-year-old Zilentyn box right away...

"Huh? Where did the key go?"

"Key? What key are you talking about?"

"The key to open the lock on this box. I'm sure I took it, but where did it go?"

"Look carefully, Devil."

"Tsk. I have no choice. Let's just break it."

"Ugh! Ugh, ugh! Ugh, ugh!"

At those words, the alcohol lover, Sorrow, suddenly went crazy, but it was none of my business.

"Well, here I go."

I held a starlight at the tip of my finger and then blew away the luxurious-looking lock with a flick of my finger.

Clang!

With a clear sound, the lock was smashed.

Clap, clap, clap—

Applause erupted from the Sherwood members who were watching.

"Oh, so this is the 30-year-old Zilentyn that I've only heard about...!"

"It's brilliant!"

"This is worth the commission fee."

"It was worth all that trouble."

"The duke must have made a big decision."

"He must have. He probably would have only opened it when he was passing down the family to his successor."

Putting aside the idle talk, I opened the lid.

"Well, here I go."

Pop!

"Wow, the sound is amazing."

"Good alcohol has a different sound from the start."

"Ooooh! It looks delicious!"

"Well, have a glass each."

"Great!"

Pour, pour, pour—

"Hmm...!"

"The taste is..."

"It's not as delicious as I thought?"

"Zilentyn, it was nothing special."

"Ugh! Devil, this tastes bad. Ugh."

"Mmm. Did I expect too much?"

"Just give me a beer. I don't know what taste I'm supposed to be eating."

By this point, Sorrow was shedding tears.

It seemed he was frustrated and resentful that those who didn't even know the taste of alcohol were gulping down that precious alcohol.

We chuckled and clinked our glasses, using his appearance as a side dish.

"Ah, it's suddenly becoming delicious."

"Burp. Your Zilentyn was awesome."

"Well, watch carefully, Sorrow. I'll show you how it goes down."

"Do you want to smell it?"

"Oops, I spilled it on the floor."

"Ugh, ugh, ugh...!!!"

And so, with the Heavenly Demon's low laughter.

A peaceful day in Tundra passed.

* * *

A late night, with darkness outside the window.

"Hud. Are you feeling better now?"

"No."

"? Then why did you drink?"

"If you had a 30-year-old Zilentyn in front of you. Would you not drink it?"

"Mmm."

"See. You would have drunk it too."

"So. What's your impression of having forced yourself to drink Zilentyn?"

"It was not as good as I thought. I'm a wine person."

"You're something else."

"I didn't drink much, I just tasted it."

"Wait, come to think of it, you weren't even on the search team. You latecomer."

"That's why I said I just tasted it. Do you want to fight? Should I pierce your eardrums for you?"

...What a bunch of arrogant Sherwood members.

They don't lose a single word.

I turned my gaze to Schmidt.

"Schmidt. How are you?"

—I feel much better after taking the medicine Linda made. Oh, and I didn't drink.

I glared at Hud.

"Good job. Even Schmidt, who went on the mission, didn't drink."

"Keum."

Hud looked away, feigning innocence.

"By the way, where's Linda?"

—While drinking, she suddenly said, 'Instead of this tasteless thing, try something delicious,' and went around offering poison to people, so Shushuruta dragged her to her room.

"...She's drunk."

She had disappeared at some point, and it seemed she was drunk and causing a scene.

I don't know why a girl who gulps down deadly poison is so weak to alcohol.

I wonder if she'll have a hangover tomorrow.

"And Dofang?"

Hud answered.

"He was hanging around in front of Sorrow, picking a fight. Should I bring him?"

"No, let's let him enjoy it."

I looked at the people in the room.

"Then... is everyone who's supposed to be here, here?"

In the room were Schmidt and Hudmilla, who had fought the Snowman with me.

And Miho and Scarlet, who had defeated the Half-Dragon.

Coincidentally, they were all those who had defeated S-rank magical beasts.

The reason I had gathered them in one room was not for anything else.

Because the most important agenda was left.

The worst monster wave.

It was about its conclusion.

"Let's talk about what to do with this guy."

I took out the box that had been sealed in three layers under the bed, in front of everyone.

"Big Sister."

At my words, Scarlet placed her hand on the box and chanted something.

Then, the seal was broken, and what was inside was revealed.

What was inside was.

A snowman the size of a fist.

(End of Chapter)