/
“Yes, the Demon King.”
“He has a very nasty personality. But at the same time, I am also grateful to him.”
“…”
Shael tilted her head. Because Duke Ezran was talking as if he personally knew the Demon King!
“Then, do you also know about the legend that the Demon King can even bring the dead back to life?”
“Are you referring to the legend where one has to pay a certain price in return?”
Shael nodded her head.
The two continued talking about such a ridiculous legend in such a serious manner.
I mean, at this point, even I became a bit interested.
The legends about the Demon King.
As far as I knew, it was a very simple legend where someone had to pay a great price to save their beloved with the power of the Demon King. They were allowed to turn back time and save the person they wanted to save.
However, it was all suspiciously convenient, there was no way that a Demon King would be that kind.
So, of course, that wasn’t the end. As expected of a Demon King, he continued to inflict all sorts of trials on the person.
Thinking about the legend, Duke Ezran muttered with a frown, “That legend…”
It was the first time I saw his expression change.
In the end, Duke Ezran didn’t finish his words.
And, the awkward meal continued.
***
Once again, at the Baslett family’s training ground.
I was still swinging my sword to master the Aura.
Shael was observing me as she did before.
“Why are you working so hard?”
I had no choice but to work hard. Because time was running out!
Although there was still some leeway before Clie attacked the Azbel family, there was no guarantee that everything will go as expected.
I couldn’t rule out the possibility that Clie might attack the Baslett family right at the moment.
So I decided that today would be the last day of my Aura training. If I didn’t succeed in mastering the Aura by tonight and failed to destroy  the bracelet… I was planning to take Shael to a distant place and hide away for a while.
If Clie attacked the mansion, I could use the teleportation circle to escape while the knights hold her back.
I wasn’t exactly sure if the knights of the Baslett family would be able to buy me enough time.
“The Aura… I have to succeed somehow.”
Before swinging the sword, I thought back to the conversation I had with Duke Ezran some time ago. Of course, it would be wise to follow the advice given by the head of the famous swordsmanship family.
[Create a mental image, then project it on the sword.]
That was the only advice Duke Ezran gave me. But, suddenly another memory appeared in my mind.
[Father, how on earth do you use your Aura?]
[I use it while thinking of Daria.]
[So you think of mother. Then should I think of Shael?]
The memory ended with Duke Ezran’s laughter.
Shael looked at me and said, “What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“You look sick. How about stopping and taking a break?”
“I’m okay. I can’t rest until I succeed.”
Ignoring my aching head, I raised my sword.
“Then, be sure to succeed this time.”
The sword I had lifted remained facing the sky. Because my head started aching again!
[This time, be sure to succeed. Because I want some dessert.]
[Haa, I don’t think I’ll ever succeed if you continue to bother me.]
[What if you still succeed? Would you like to make a bet?]
[The one who loses will fulfill the winner’s wish.]
In my memory, the other Eran was also raising his sword to the sky. After that, he struck down his sword to vent his anger at Shael. And, the sword that cut through the air contained a blue Aura!
[See?]
The Shael in my memory proudly sneered at Eran.
And with that, the memory ended.
“…”
My head hurt!
I was in great pain.
But I still kept my sword pointed up at the sky.
Then, I lowered my sword, based on the experience in that memory.
I though of Shael, who was playing pranks on me and it made me feel emotions that I couldn’t understand.
Chwaaang!
What I saw, was a blue Aura!
It was the thing that I thought I would never be able to succeed in. But here it was, blanketing my sword as it cut through the air.
It was something worthy of being called the ultimate weapon of a swordsman.
I was immediately convinced of something. With this, I now had the power to destroy Clie’s bracelet!
“Let’s go to my room.”
After taking Shael to my room, I took out Clie’s bracelet that I had previously hidden.
The bracelet of divine power gave off a soft glow.
Hoping that the Crown Prince hadn’t used the reinforcement scroll on it, I took out my sword.
“Please…”
The moment of truth had finally arrived.
It was time to see if the Baslett family’s Aura was really as powerful as it was said to be.
After imbuing the blue Aura on my sword, I hit the bracelet with all I had.
Clang!
As expected, the Crown Prince really didn’t use the reinforcement scroll on the bracelet!
The bracelet started to crack before I knew it.
So I swung my sword again.
Clang!
The bracelet finally broke apart!
I let out a sigh of relief and sat down.
But that wasn’t the end of it all.
The faint holy power left in the bracelet began to surround me.
I didn’t try to dodge it. I didn’t know why, but I didn’t feel any danger from it.
I was gradually losing consciousness due to the effect of the holy power, but I was sure that it wasn’t something harmful.
[Does this make sense?]
[Wha… what!]
What I saw was Shael and me. The memories were faint, but they started to come back again and again.
‘Is it the memory of Eran Baslett from the novel?’
That seemed right. But more than that… I was sure of another fact.
These were the memories of Eran Baslett, a character from the novel.
And at the same time, these memories also belonged to me.