Volume 1 Chapter 37 The Great Villain Of The World, Dreams
After returning to Hokurin town, the preparations for the journey continued.
Ryougen-kun arranged everything we needed for the trip.
The envoy to send Shouou's mother would be an official messenger to Souma Country.
Because of this, Ryougen-kun's trusted aide was appointed as the official envoy.
I became his attendant.
Shouou, Shouou's mother, and I went to greet Ryougen-kun.
When Shouou's mother learned she could return to her country, she was so happy that tears flowed down her face.
Master Raikou's lodging was empty.
However, the luggage and books were still there. So, it seems Master intends to return to Hokurin properly.
I decided to trust my master and wait.
I continued 'Beast Body Guidance' with Seirei after that.
When I asked about the 'Beast Body Guidance' in a form close to an animal that was mentioned before, the answer was, "We will wait for you to return and prepare thoroughly."
So, we continued 'Beast Body Guidance' as usual, but... during the guidance, I noticed that Seirei had gotten closer. Our shoulders were touching, and we were close enough that our breaths mingled.
According to Seirei, "I feel that this way, the 'ki' energy feels stronger."
As for me, I didn't really feel much difference.
After the guidance ended, Seirei quietly returned to her room.
She held her chest, her face bright red.
Still, the next morning, she came to the room and we did the guidance together again.
...I really don't understand girls at this age.
Anyway, the problem at the northern fortress has settled down.
It seems the Jinkyo Tribe hasn't made any moves since then.
I regularly receive letters from my father and brother. Reading them together with Seirei, Mother Gyokushi, and Hakuyou has become a joy for all of us.
And so, our peaceful days continued――
As we were preparing for the journey to Souma Country, one day――
――I had a dream.
"――Stop it, Seirei! You must not open that door!!"
The town of Hokurin was burning.
Voices from the time of heroes surrounded the castle.
'Defeat the evil king Rouen'
'Take the head of the traitor Kou Tenhou'
'For the sake of all people, bring an end to Aika Country!!'
People were shouting out loud.
They didn't know anything.
What was moving them, or why Aika Country was on the path to destruction.
"Your Majesty Rouen!? It's pointless to go out now! Please escape!!"
King Rouen of Aika Country, clad in deep red armor, was trying to leave the castle.
Why now? There had been plenty of opportunities.
Why would a king who had been too afraid of the Jinkyo Tribe to report from the north decide to act now?
"My wife is scared."
King Rouen looked at me.
When did the king start to have such cold eyes?
He was different when he was young.
He had talent, but he also had eyes full of hope.
"They are the wicked ones who disturb my wife's heart. We have no choice but to execute them."
"It's already too late. We should escape and try to recover!"
"Then I ask you! If we escape, how many soldiers will follow us!?"
"──That is..."
Probably, the number of soldiers who would follow the king is less than 20.
On the way to escape, there will surely be those who aim for the king's head.
If the head of the Aika Country king is offered to the enemy, the reward is certain. The soldiers know this too.
(──Where did we go wrong?)
There were those who incited the people.
This led to local rebellions and the invasion of the Jinkyo Tribe.
So, we had no choice but to suppress it with force.
But we couldn't find the leader of the chaos, and the people's anger only grew.
We tried to get help from Souma Country, but it was too late.
The repeated rude actions of the Aika Country king did not go unnoticed by the king of Souma Country.
The request for cooperation was rejected.
No... the biggest problem was probably Queen Ryuu Seirei.
If she hadn't been twisted, the king wouldn't have gone astray.
"This continent will eventually be devoured by the Four Fiends."
King Rouen spat out.
"What good is it to survive in such a world?"
"Forget about the Four Beasts! Right now, we need to escape──"
"You have done well."
It was a calm voice.
It's so quiet that it's hard to believe we're heading to a place of death.
"You great villain of the world. You couldn't change your fate either. There's no hope left for you now."
"...I didn't have enough power."
"I want you to escape... but it seems impossible. Fate is already closing in."
The sounds of battle are getting closer.
The enemy must have broken into the royal castle.
Soon, the door is kicked open. Those who enter the sacred throne room are armed with bloodied weapons. They are the ones called heroes, who gathered people and led Aika Country to ruin.
"I found you! Evil king! And the great villain of the world!!"
A man with gray hair shouts.
From outside the throne room, cheers can be heard.
The so-called heroes are approaching.
At the front is a young man with gray hair holding a sword.
Beside him is a slender man, the young man's aide.
They are the leaders of the so-called hero army.
"Run away! Your Majesty!!"
'He' steps forward with a dagger in hand.
Someone must survive.
To tell future generations that there were those who led this country to ruin from the shadows.
He cannot use martial arts. He has no 'ki' energy.
Still, he has the responsibility as one who couldn't avoid this situation.
For now, he can only buy time by using his body as a shield.
He runs toward the heroes with the dagger in hand.
"Are you still clinging to your life? Do you have any idea how much the people have suffered because of you!!"
He knows. There was no other way.
To hold back and stop the ruin――
"You're not even worth being cut down!!"
A shockwave hits.
The short knife falls from the hand. The body collapses. The consciousness fades away.
And then――the last thing I heard was――
"Kou Tenhou! You shall face judgment before the people!!"
It was the voices of heroes, rejoicing at capturing the great villain.
"...A dream?"
When I opened my eyes, I was in my own room.
I instinctively touched my body to confirm that I was alive.
"...That was a dream... right?"
It felt real.
As if it had happened in the past.
In the dream, I was in the royal palace.
I saw blazing flames and the back of Seirei moving away.
And then the heroes stepping into the throne room――with the King of Aika Country――and the great villain, Kou Tenhou――
"────Huh!?"
I suddenly felt nauseous and covered my mouth.
I remembered that scene.
It was the last part of 'History of Swordmaster,' where the heroes storm into the Hokurin royal palace.
I had seen it many times in the game.
So, is that why I dreamed about it?
Really?
"But... the Kou Tenhou in my dream..."
He didn't look like a villain.
He seemed to regret that he couldn't prevent the collapse of the country, no matter what he did.
He wasn't crying, but it looked like he was screaming in despair.
...I don't understand.
Was Kou Tenhou from 'History of Swordmaster' really a villain?
What did the King of Aika Country mean by 'Four Fiends'?
I remember it refers to evil gods from Chinese legends, but nothing like that appears in the game.
Is it referring to natural disasters or famines?
Is there really something called the 'Four Fiends'?
"...I hope it's just a dream."
I close my eyes again. But sleep doesn't come──
In the end, I welcomed the morning without getting any sleep.
As time passed, a month went by.
Shouou and I set off towards Souma Country.
It would take us over ten days to reach the capital of Souma Country.
It was a relaxed journey, taking our time and staying at inns along the way.
During the trip, Shouou and I didn't talk much.
That's because Shouou's mother wanted to spend time with her daughter.
Shouou's mother had a bright expression.
She seemed really happy to be going back to her hometown.
She sparkled with excitement at everything she saw and talked to Shouou.
Shouou looked happy too.
But when night fell, Shouou came to my room to talk about her mother
She seemed worried about how her mother would be treated after they returned to the country.
It had been over a year since Shouou left her country.
Plus, the king of Souma had other favorite concubines besides Shouou's mother.
So, she was worried that her mother might be treated poorly.
"I know it'll be okay. The king of Aika Country and Ryougen-kun sent us a letter."
The letter thanked Shouou for her great achievements while staying in Aika Country.
As it said, Shouou had made significant contributions.
After all, we saved Crown Prince Rouen's life.
Aika Country is a big nation.
Receiving a letter of thanks from the king and the prince of that country means a lot.
When the time comes, it will help Souma Country get support from Aika Country.
The king can't treat Shouou, who caused this, carelessly. Of course, he can't forget about her mother either.
"I understand that. But, you know, I feel anxious. I'm sorry, Tenhou."
"It's okay. I can only listen to you, though."
"Isn't that important?"
After talking like that, Shouou did guiding practice with me and then went back to her room.
The journey continues peacefully.
From the carriage, I can see the roads and the surrounding scenery.
It was peaceful.
It's hard to believe that in ten years, this road will become a battlefield.
I hope the world stays calm like this.
I don't want Seirei or Shouou to get caught up in a fight.
Of course, I also don't want the 'Kou Tenhou Destruction End.'
My goal is to live a relaxed life as a civil servant in the countryside.
Because I played 'History of Swordmaster,' I really love historical stories.
Once things settle down, I want to try writing history books too.
I think it would be nice to live that kind of life.
While I was thinking about such things, the journey continued──
Shouou and I safely arrived at the capital of Souma Country.
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