Chapter 67

EP.67 Epilogue (3)

Kalt and I were sitting on a bench at the edge of the Harmain Forest, watching the setting sun. As expected, no one would come to such a place.

It was on the opposite side of the forest from where Aphria was, and the knights were patrolling the area around the Harmain Forest with their eyes wide open.

As long as Kalt was in charge of this place, no one would come to this area.

Sitting there, we talked for a while.

About how the incident unfolded, whether there were any problems on your side, and how things were resolved on our side...

As the conversation was coming to an end.

"Hmm..."

Kalt stretched and spoke. He let out a sigh and straightened his back.

"In any case, it seems the incident was handled well."

"It does."

"And it was handled very neatly, I might add."

Kalt was right.

The incident really ended without any significant damage.

The medium, Resty, returned to Aphria unharmed, and in Aphria, only the exterior of some buildings was damaged... I heard there were no casualties.

"Thanks to Lord Laniel."

"Is that so?"

"Shouldn't you show a bit of modesty here?"

"It's the truth, though."

I shrugged.

"Well, even if I hadn't stepped in... Kyle would have managed somehow."

"Still, the medium would have died."

"True. In the early stages of the journey, maybe, but now he doesn't really care about casualties."

He avoids unnecessary trouble.

A hero's reputation isn't tarnished by a few casualties during an operation. Kyle knows this well.

The success of the operation is more important than a few casualties. Kyle must think that way.

So.

'...It could have been saved.'

He probably wouldn't have bothered to save it. When Resty appeared in front of the altar, Kyle would have cut him down.

"That wouldn't have been a wrong judgment."

It would have been easier. There would be no unnecessary risk.

A moment's hesitation can lead to an uncontrollable situation. That's something I learned from the battlefield. Even if you can save someone, sometimes you have to give up.

If you don't have the ability.

If you lack the ability and the means.

"Sometimes you have to know when to give up."

I looked at the sunlight with my chin in my hand.

"Still, if possible... it's better to save as many lives as you can."

"Is that so?"

"Isn't it?"

"If Lord Laniel says so, then it must be."

Lord Laniel, he said.

I glanced at Kalt for a moment.

"Can you stop calling me 'Lord Laniel'? It feels a bit awkward."

"But you said not to call you 'superior officer.'"

"That's a wrong term. 'Superior officer' isn't a name."

Kalt thought for a moment and then spoke.

"How about 'senior'?"

"Senior? Me?"

As far as I remember, Kalt was a knight on the battlefield before I arrived. How could I be his senior?

'Isn't that a bit strange?'

As I tilted my head in confusion, Kalt added.

"Our hounds call anyone stronger than them 'senior.' We don't have a strict hierarchy."

"Oh..."

Listening to him, 'senior' seemed better than 'Lord Laniel.' I nodded slightly.

'That's one thing.'

There was something I had been curious about since last time. I opened my mouth to ask.

"By the way, Kalt."

"Yes, what is it?"

"How did you recognize me?"

"Huh?"

Thinking about it, it was a bit strange.

So far, only the elves and Cardi have recognized me. Skibal's actions were an exception.

'Even my teacher couldn't recognize me at first.'

Aila, the child loved by the stars, Stella, couldn't recognize me. Kyle, the hero blessed by the stars, also couldn't recognize me.

'Thinking about it... isn't this guy a bit unique?'

It was a bit surprising that someone who hadn't received anything from the stars could recognize me.

"Hmm... Senior."

Finally, Kalt answered my question.

"Do you know what my habit is?"

"A dog's nose? Sniffing things?"

"That's... partly true, but..."

Kalt took something out of his coat pocket. It was a small magical notebook made of bound paper. Kalt flipped through it and continued.

"I note down or memorize all the habits and minor movements of people around me."

"...Why?"

"So I can easily identify if someone is possessed by a mind or brainwashed. I wouldn't be called a Tracker for nothing."

As he said this, Kalt handed me the magical notebook. I checked the page he had opened.

"...Wow."

It was all information about me. I returned the notebook to Kalt, who looked proud and shrugged.

"When all these minor habits overlap, it means it's the same person, right? I observed over ten habits from that short battle alone."

"Oh... right..."

This guy has a bit of a creepy side.

I shook my head and sighed.

"Well, since you don't know magic, you could be sure from this."

"Huh?"

"Just a thought."

I glanced at Kalt, who was tilting his head in confusion. Kalt is ignorant of magic. He doesn't know about the structure of deals with the stars. If he did...

'This guy wouldn't have been sure either.'

As a mage, I know.

The fundamental transformation of the body and the corruption of the soul are impossible.

Temporarily changing limbs is possible, but permanently changing the entire body... at least by spell, it's impossible.

For example, if you cut off limbs and graft someone else's instead of regenerating them, mana won't flow through those parts.

The stars have set this rule.

It's a kind of rule and taboo.

'The body and soul given at birth cannot be interfered with in any way.'

The only one who can interfere with that is...

'A being beyond common sense. Something not bound by rules.'

The Demon King.

That black sludge, that's all.

"It's understandable that you couldn't recognize me."

I muttered.

Those who have received something from the stars tend to overestimate the stars. Because the teachings of the stars can't be wrong.

Aila didn't recognize me.

She might have sensed a similarity, but she seems to consider me a different person.

'The stars must have judged it that way.'

Kyle also didn't recognize me.

He might have caught a clue. That's why he provoked me at the end. But he didn't consider me the same person.

'...The stars must have whispered it to him.'

He just looked at me blankly, confused.

'The stars don't consider me Laniel.'

Do they think my soul is different?

I couldn't tell immediately. There was only one person who could answer this question.

Cardi.

Someone who seems to know about the curse on me.

Thinking of the mysterious silver-haired elf, I sighed.

'...I should go see him once.'

There were things I needed to ask.

What exactly is the shadow of the stars?

Still, that's a story for later. It's a problem I can figure out gradually. For now, I wanted to focus on the good resolution of the incident.

I smiled slightly and looked at Kalt.

"Anyway, good job. Kalt."

"Yes, you did a good job too, Senior. Actually, I'll be busy for a while with the aftermath."

Kalt smiled bitterly.

"I'll have to keep a close eye for a while to see if any traitors appear."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, that's why, Senior."

Kalt suddenly asked.

"Is the child chosen as the medium okay?"

At first glance, it seemed like a question about Resty's condition, but considering Kalt's personality... it was a different kind of question.

'Is there a possibility of betrayal?'

He must be asking that. I leaned my chin on my hand and stated firmly.

"He's fine."

"...Is that so?"

"He seems to have made up his mind."

Moreover, I muttered, tapping my eyel