Chapter 69

As the cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

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Standing at the classroom door, Xiaoming took a deep breath and firmly gripped the secret letter from his mother.

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Elcie's longest-serving and world's strongest magician, Cyril, led me into a cozy, atmospheric shop. It wasn't a completely high-end place, just one where you could get away with not worrying too much about a dress code, the kind of place middle-class families might use for a monthly splurge. This level of comfort was just right; too fancy would be exhausting.

As soon as we sat down, a waitress brought us some aperitifs. Cyril simply said, "Leave it to the chef," and the waitress nodded and left.

"Cyril, that was quite a forceful invitation. If you're going to hit on someone, I think you should try with a woman."

I said this, and Cyril shrugged and smiled wryly.

"I'll refrain. I'm a devoted husband and don't cheat."

Then he looked straight at me.

"I apologize for the forceful invitation. I wanted to have a proper conversation with you, just the two of us."

"What's your purpose?"

I asked bluntly. This man is cunning; I probably can't outmaneuver him.

"Right to the point, huh? Well, that's fine. Let's start with the official reason I'm here."

Cyril took a sip of the aperitif. It was a soft, sweet and tangy fruit juice mixed with a smooth alcohol.

"I was invited to the sword-carrying ceremony in Kval Best as Elcie's representative. But that's just a side note."

"Coming as a national representative is just a side note? It sounds like you have a grander purpose."

"Indeed. To me, it's the most important thing."

Cyril smiled meaningfully. At that moment, a waitress brought the appetizer.

A salad generously covered in cheese sauce. The fresh salad paired with well-aged cheese made for a simple yet excellent dish that highlighted the quality of the ingredients.

"It's a bit embarrassing, but it's a family issue. My daughter ran away from home."

I furrowed my brow. It sounded familiar.

"I suggested a marriage proposal to my daughter, thinking it was for her own good, but she got angry and ran away. She's smart, but naive and too kind-hearted, so I was worried. A friend told me she was in the capital, so I came to check on her."

Wait, could this be...

"My daughter's name is Kuna. Her mother is a fire fox, and while she doesn't look like me and is of a different race, she's a lovely girl."

...Kuna, the daughter of the world's strongest magician, the only Rank 6? If that's true...

I realized I was standing up.

"Did you collude in the murder of your daughter?!"

I shouted. The eyes of the surrounding people immediately focused on us. My face turned red. I had messed up. In "this world," the incident hasn't happened yet. I must look like a dangerous person.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but that's quite a violent accusation."

Cyril chuckled softly.

"...I'm sorry. It was a misunderstanding."

I muttered and sat back down. The waitress rushed over.

"Sir!"

"It's okay. There was just a misunderstanding. It's all cleared up now."

"...Understood. Please be careful; there are other customers."

"I will."

Cyril said, and the waitress left.

"I don't know what you misunderstood, but kill Kuna? Impossible. I would protect Kuna no matter what. She's my treasure. For her, I would even deceive and use a god."

"Is that so?"

I looked at him with suspicion. In the world I once experienced, this man colluded with the forces trying to take Kuna. Indirectly, he was the one who led to Kuna's death. That's why, in that world, I bet everything on a challenge... and lost.

I acknowledge Cyril's achievements and admire his strength. But I dislike him. I can't like a man who sacrifices his daughter for the world.

That's probably why. Every time I imagined Kuna's father might be Cyril, I denied it in my head.

"...I understand it's hard to believe, but you've 'experienced' it. There's one more thing I need to do today. I want to confirm my daughter's safety and meet her boyfriend."

Cyril smiled.

"What do you plan to do when you meet him?"

"Well, if I judge that I can't trust you with my daughter, I'll take her back. Of course, it also depends on how you feel about her. What does Kuna mean to you? A troublesome houseguest? A good friend? Or a lover? I want to know."

I don't have to answer. I was about to say that, but his piercing gaze made me speechless. I couldn't run away. So, I told the truth.

"Right now, she's a friend. But I love Kuna. I won't give her to anyone. I'll protect her no matter what. I'll be with Kuna forever."

"Good answer. She's very cute, has a great personality, and is an excellent girl who can handle household chores. But she's also a complicated and troublesome girl. You're handsome and talented. Women are plentiful for you. Why choose a troublesome girl like her?"

Cyril has a point. Kuna has various entanglements. Being with Kuna means dealing with various problems.

"Because I love Kuna so much that I don't care about those things."

The first time I met her in the game world, I was drawn to her beauty. That was just the beginning. As we spent more time together, I grew to love her more and built a strong bond. Then, in this world, I met the real Kuna. She's cheerful and always smiling. Being with her, I fell even more in love.

"If I said I would forcibly take Kuna back to Elcie, what would you do?"

"I would resist with all my might."

"Against a Rank 6 like me, a mere Rank 2 like you?"

"That doesn't matter. A man who stands by and watches his loved one be taken away should die."

Cyril chuckled.

"Then, let's do this."

Cyril put on three milky white rings on each arm. These were the restraints for dangerous criminals, which would be put into practical use two years later. The manufacturing method was highly confidential, and only a few were stored in the Coline Kingdom as a means to kill magicians.

These rings dispersed magic and blessings, making it impossible to gather power. They severely affected the use of magic. For a Rank 3, one ring would reduce their abilities to that of a normal person. Cyril put on six of them.

...I didn't expect Cyril to be the one who developed these.

"You can see, right? With these on, my blessings and magic are scattered. I'm now roughly at a Rank 2 level. And I'll seal my elf advantage of using mana-based elemental magic."

"What are you planning to do with such a handicap?"

"A fist fight. ...To put it bluntly, if you want my daughter, you have to defeat me."

Fighting this man is abnormally difficult. Even at a Rank 2 level, the chances of winning are slim.

"Right into a fist fight. Don't you usually check a person's character first?"

"I'm not too worried about that. If you're someone Kuna enjoys being with, you're probably a good match. I trust her judgment. That's why I want to see if you can protect her."

"You're being arbitrary."

"It's a father's privilege. ...I don't want to inconvenience you, so I'll add a bonus. If you're a man I can trust with Kuna, I'll give you orichalcum, the highest quality... platinum. And I'll teach you the manufacturing methods of Kval Best and Red Sky, the weapons Kuna and Annelotte use. You're a blacksmith, right? Aren't you interested?"

...Despite the situation, I almost swallowed my saliva. Combining my skills with the techniques of Kval Best and Red Sky would create something incredible.

"Why Kval Best too?"

"That sword was made by me. Well, by a very, very distant past version of me. I want to teach it to a man I can trust with Kuna."

A sword from hundreds of years ago? It's hard to believe, but with Cyril, it's not impossible.

"I'll accept the challenge even without those. What if I lose?"

"It depends on how you lose. What happens to Kuna isn't determined by the outcome but by the content. If I think you can take care of Kuna, I'll entrust her to you even if I win. I don't think you can beat me, and it would be too harsh to take Kuna away if I lost."

What a straightforward provocation. But it's interesting. I'll punch this idiotic father of Kuna and make him recognize me. I was already determined to punch the father who made Kuna cry.

"I'll accept the challenge."

I declared firmly, stood up, and tried to leave the shop.

"What are you planning to do?"

However, Cyril was elegantly sipping the newly served potage.

"Huh? To have a duel."

"Isn't it a waste of such delicious food? Let's enjoy the meal first. We'll have the duel after we finish eating."

Looking at Cyril's calm face, I thought, "This is Kuna's father."