I Tried To Be Her Loyal Sword

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186th Episode. Side Story 7

“Ah, Shushu! You’ve come!”

I moved towards the usual meeting spot behind the mercenary guild. Karasho, leaning against the wall, spotted me and brightened up. The laughter spreading from her wrinkled lips sparkled brilliantly, as if it would never fade.

“I’m really sorry for being late.”

“Haha! It’s fine. You must have had your reasons. I’m just worried that Zigmund hasn’t arrived yet.”

Considering the events with the Baron on the street, I was pretty late from the appointed time. I bent my back apologetically, but Karasho waved her hand with a hearty laugh. She looked concerned when mentioning Zigmund.

“Don’t worry about Zigmund. I was with him just a moment ago. He said he’d be a bit late due to some urgent matter.”

“Then we’ll have to ride this time. It’s a pity since teleportation is so convenient, right?”

Karasho nodded in agreement and playfully replied. She didn’t ask for reasons or details; she just accepted it as if it were a given.

‘What has Zigmund gone to do?’

A sudden question popped into my mind. Even though I had known him for nearly a year, he was still a rather mysterious person. I had no idea where he came from, who his parents were, where he sent his earnings, or who he kept in contact with. Lost in thought, I impulsively asked Karasho.

“Has Master ever doubted Zigmund?”

Karasho didn’t fully know Zigmund either. He didn’t speak about himself. I was curious how she could place complete trust in someone so surrounded by mystery.

‘Ah, did that sound like I was trying to sow discord?’

I realized the nuance of Karasho’s expression shifted as she looked at me, and I panicked. It was a statement without malice but could easily come off as malicious. Just as I was about to hurriedly clarify, Karasho spoke up.

“I too am a flawed person. I may speak wisely, but there are times my heart is tumultuous. I doubt and suffer too.”

Karasho, with her earnest face, gave me a gentle shock.

To me, her wise words seemed far beyond my reach, and her strong back appeared as solid as a mountain.

So I had momentarily forgotten that she was human too, just like me.

Karasho had also lived a very rough life. Born in the warm South, she forged her own path entirely alone. She was the one who broke my stereotype that all who lived harshly were rough around the edges.

“I always say I trust Zigmund, and I genuinely try to believe it, but I can’t control the thoughts that swell up deep inside. To be honest, yes, sometimes I inevitably doubt. Who exactly is this boy? Am I still an untrustworthy mentor? Those thoughts trouble me.”

What followed was Karasho’s very human confession.

Yes, it made sense since she was human. I nodded heavily, trying to shake off the shock. The years had etched wrinkles around her eyes that now drooped weakly.

“No matter how much time passes, one cannot become perfect. I am still a person who is growing and lacking. But I have learned from many years. How to love without regrets in a short time and how to take responsibility for my choices.”

Karasho’s dark eyes began to shine again as she momentarily sank into thought. She looked directly at me.

“You never know when Zigmund might leave us. So we must love more while we can be together. You too. We don’t know what the future holds, so I want to love you all with my utmost during this moment together.”

The realization of being loved filled me with overwhelming emotion. My nose tingled, and I slowly exhaled.

Perhaps, it was because I feared that loving could lead to pain, and I hesitated to fully accept Zigmund.

“…But what if Zigmund is really a terrible person?”

“He’s not that kind of child.”

“What if he is?”

“Then that would mean my judgment is wrong.”

Karasho’s response was straightforward. I wanted to emulate that refreshing attitude. I bit down on my lips and looked at her.

“Knowing that love will surely lead to suffering, how can you go on?”

How many more years must I live and what must I experience to have such a mindset like hers? It felt far-fetched to become someone like Karasho.

At my moist question, Karasho beamed widely.

“We live knowing we will die someday. To love means to be ready to shed tears. That too is my responsibility.”

It was hard for me to understand, but even so, it struck deep within my heart. As I gazed at Karasho with complicated eyes, she laughed heartily and began to mess up my hair.

“It’s okay if you don’t understand yet. The day will definitely come when you will.”

I quietly accepted her rough but warm touch. If love were to take a physical form, it would surely feel just like this warmth. I smiled faintly and closed my eyes.

Unbeknownst to me, that ‘day of understanding’ was fast approaching.

“Cough”

“Oh dear, are you cold? Here, wear this.”

As I absentmindedly sniffled in the cold weather, Karasho, looking worried, wrapped her thick cloak around me. I tried to refuse, but her expression wasn’t ordinary, so I pouted and obediently put it on. The sunlight tickled my nose.

The North was the coldest during the end of December. Moreover, this winter seemed particularly harsh. The pure white snow piled up quickly and now engulfed our ankles. Karasho and I trudged through the falling snow. It was the worst environment for monster hunting, but it was bearable because we were together.

“Zigmund is really late. No contact at all.”

Karasho sighed deeply as she fiddled with the silent communication device. The worry plastered all over her face made me resolve to kick Zigmund in the ribs when I see him again.

“That guy will show up sooner or later. It’s more urgent for us to find the cave to stay in.”

I grumbled unnecessarily as I scanned the surroundings. Although our task was complete, the heavy snowfall obscured our sight, making it hard to find a place to stay.

Karasho chuckled softly and nodded.

“Right. Zigmund will be fine on his own. Let’s head that way.”

I moved in the direction Karasho pointed. My breath froze, taking on the shape of fog, and as I tried to conceal my freezing body, the white snowflakes stuck to my feet like sugar-coated churros.

Bang.

The ground shook violently. I flinched and stopped in my tracks; it was such a massive vibration it felt like a tree might topple.

‘Is this area prone to earthquakes…?’

Having experienced an earthquake for the first time in the North, I blinked in confusion. Then, the ground shook again, this time even stronger. I swayed dangerously, feeling the seriousness of the situation, and hurriedly turned to Karasho.

“Master, is this an earthquake…?”

I trailed off, my eyes wide as if I had seen a mirror reflecting my own panic.

Karasho’s face had turned eerily tense.

It was the first time I saw her lose her usual composure. Just that made me realize the situation was more serious than I thought; a sense of dread overcame me for foolishly believing I would be safe as long as I was by Karasho’s side.

“Shushu, listen closely.”

Karasho, who had stiffened like a salt pillar, turned to me, gripping my shoulders tightly. She had regained some of her usual composure but looked determined.

She seemed just like someone anticipating death.

“It’s too late to run… Staying by my side may be safer. You must be behind me at all times. Don’t stray away.”

“What… what is happening?!”

My instinct was blaring danger signals like my head was about to burst. I looked up at her, feeling more anxious about her strange demeanor.

Karasho’s sigh spread like a fleeting breath and disappeared into the air.

She smiled. It wasn’t a sincere smile. I noticed her lips slightly trembled.

Karasho was afraid too.

Yet she smiled to reassure me.

“A disaster is coming.”

Kraaaak—!

With that whisper, the rumbling that had been shaking my body ceased, and a massive roar echoed as if tearing the sky apart.

Chills ran down my spine. Like ants sensing a coming storm, or snakes fleeing from the king of serpents, the Basilisk, I instinctively felt I had to escape. Trembling, I turned my head towards where the growl was coming from.

It resembled a dog but was roughly ten times larger than a grown man. Its glistening red eyes held no warmth. A stench of blood and decaying flesh pierced my nose.

“M-Master, that is…”

“That’s the colossal monster, Debera. It’s also known as the hunting dog crawling out of hell.”

I gripped the hem of Karasho’s clothes in fear as she answered calmly. Even though Karasho tried to maintain her composure, tension was evident in her voice as cold sweat poured down her body despite the frigid weather. My trembling lips parted slightly.

“W-Why… is there not just one?!”

Ten monsters. Not just one horrible creature, but ten.

“Indeed. Debera isn’t a species that usually lives in groups… but they can’t all just be feeding on us.”

Karasho voiced her confusion while trying to lighten the mood. It was evident she was desperately trying to ease my tension.

Grrr…

The apparent leader of the Debera slowly approached us, followed by the others. It felt like watching a colossal wave about to crash upon me in slow motion.

‘I’m scared.’

Tears threatened to spill. I didn’t want to appear weak in front of Karasho, but the primal fear wasn’t something I could overcome at that moment. My hand reaching for the sword trembled like a leaf.

I wanted to run. I was now in my mid-teens, barely surpassing 150cm in height. I had reasons to live, and my beloved younger sister was waiting for me today.

I had thought I was not afraid of death, but facing this disaster twisted my thoughts.

I didn’t want to die right now. I wanted to live longer and leave my name in this world. If I died now, the only person who would remember me would be Aria. I didn’t want to be lonely in death either. I didn’t want to make Aria feel lonely.

I wanted to live longer…

“Shushu.”

With a gentle voice, warmth wrapped around my frozen hands, seized by cold and fear. It was the warmth that had saved me before. Blinking my moisture-filled eyes, I gazed at her dazed.

“I’m sorry, a child like you has to face such a disaster. It’s my fault as an adult for not giving you a better world.”

Karasho poured out her words as if confessing her sins. Her face, confessing something she was not guilty of, appeared sad, lonely, and resolute. It was the perfect image of an adult.

It might have been then that I developed a sense of duty to create a better world.

“I’m truly sorry. If only you hadn’t had to grow through such trials… I’ve pushed you into this dire situation.”

“Th-This isn’t Master’s fault…”

“But I will protect you without fail.”

Karasho’s black eyes locked onto me.

Her eyes, far from noble black pearls or mystical obsidian, instead carried the wear of time in a rough and forlorn way.

Indeed, they looked like rough coal.

“Please believe me. I won’t let your youth perish here. Just once, let’s go together.”

Karasho drew her sword. A white light more brilliant than the snowflakes covering the snowy land began to rise from the silver blade.

Her eyes held diamonds, and the sword silver that I loved the most.

“We’re going together. Are you okay with that?”

‘Together.’ It was the decisive word that eased my fear. The belief that she would be with me was enough to make the trembling of my sword-gripping hand stop, making it possible to look directly at the approaching Debera.

“…Yes.”

I learned how to confront fear. Karasho smiled brightly at me and turned her head. The shiniest black in the world gazed calmly at the disaster.

“I will take the lead. I ask for your protection!”

Karasho made a powerful leap forward.

Boom!

A brilliant white lightning struck down onto the impending disaster.