Volume 1 Chapter 8 ACT.7 The Day the Avenger Was Born (II)
And so, a year has passed since the [Aldra Rebellion].
Following the incident in Rai's village, it was reported that the rebellion was swiftly subdued due to the efforts of 5 Black Holy Knights, who managed to take down the instigator, Aldra.
Despite the severity of the situation, the relatively quick resolution resulted in the public acknowledgment of the necessity and usefulness of the Black Holy Knights specializing in Heretic Hunting──the Purge Knights.
However, even though it was a "relatively quick" resolution, the damage was immense.
Four northern villages had vanished from the map, and a city was driven to the brink of being captured.
Rai's hometown was one of those villages that had ceased to exist.
After that, the rescued Rai was taken to an orphanage run by the Holy Church of Benetonash, guided by the very Purge Knight who had saved him.
At the orphanage, he felt a profound sense of loneliness.
This wasn't because he was bullied or mistreated there.
Instead, Rai spent his days mostly isolated, hardly interacting with the other children.
The reason was simple.
Since arriving at the facility, Rai hadn't once allowed himself to "play" in a way that matched his age.
Whenever he had a moment to spare, he would practice swinging the wooden sword he had bought with his meager allowance, tirelessly rehearsing at the edge of the garden.
Concerned about this, the headmaster decided to consult someone.
A few days later.
An unexpected visitor arrived at the orphanage.
It was a Black Holy Knight bearing a cross.
The very Purge Knight who had rescued Rai in that village.
'Look at you, growing so tall.'
With that, the knight approached Rai, who was diligently swinging his wooden sword in the shade at the edge of the garden.
"You're... could you possibly be──?"
'Ah, it's been a while, boy.'
Upon hearing the knight's voice, Rai instantly recognized him.
This dark knight was the one who had embraced him in the village──the very knight who had avenged him after that, the Purge Knight.
—And the one who had avenged him afterward in his place, the Purge Knight.
"──Ah, um, that time, sorry about that."
Rai averted his eyes and mumbled the words awkwardly.
For him, the knight's presence was a rather complex matter.
He harbored a sense of unreasonable resentment, wondering, "Why didn't you help us? Why didn't you make it in time?" alongside a sense of gratitude for the knight who "took revenge on my enemies in my stead," 2 conflicting emotions swirling within him.
But the knight, too, carried a similar burden of complex feelings.
'Mm, um...'
Then, an awkward silence fell between them.
Eventually, Rai could no longer bear the discomfort and spoke up.
"Do you need something from me?"
Despite the rudeness of his words, the knight answered without taking offense.
'Why don't you play with the other children?'
The knight lowered himself and locked eyes with Rai as he asked.
In response to the knight's question, Rai answered with a determined gaze.
"I'm, I don't have time to play."
'What are you in such a hurry for?'
"I want to get stronger, faster. That's why I don't have time to play."
There was a unique resonance in Rai's voice.
The knight was aware of the emotions embedded in that tone.
Regret, guilt, a sense of atonement──these were not feelings a boy of barely ten years should bear.
"If I had the power, maybe things could have changed. Maybe I could have protected them."
'That's not your responsibility.'
"It's not about responsibility. It's just that if nothing changed, if I stay weak, I can't forgive myself."
The knight sensed the danger in that.
What Rai was feeling was akin to what in another world might be called "survivor's guilt."
The guilt survivors of disasters, incidents, and accidents feel for having miraculously lived through them.
To wipe away the guilt of being a survivor, Rai was trying to become stronger by any means necessary, in his own way.
It was a dangerous symptom, bordering on self-harm.
Upon realizing this fact, the knight deeply regretted it.
Ahh... I thought I'd saved this child, but in reality, I hadn't saved anyone.
Not even one small boy from that tragedy.
I cursed myself.
That's why, naturally, the knight spoke those words.
'If you want to become that strong, I'll train you.'
"──Eh?"
Rai wasn't the only one surprised by those words.
The knight who spoke them was also surprised by himself.
But at the same time, the knight felt there was no other choice.
He thought that by training the boy within his sight, he could prevent him from going astray.
And if, in that process, he could wash away the boy's pain from his heart, then perhaps only then could he truly say that he had saved someone from that tragedy.
The knight made up his mind.
'If you truly want to become strong, come with me.'
"──Then I really could become strong?"
'I guarantee it. Because...'
For a moment, the knight hesitated to say his name.
That's because the knight is the Purge Knight, who must hide his true identity.
But since he had decided to face this boy head-on, he resolved to reveal everything and took off his helm.
There, under the helm, was a stern face with streaks of white in his cropped black hair, a face that looked to be nearing 60.
The knight──the old knight──introduced himself to the boy again.
"I am Purge Knight, Rank 4, Aslan Aldabaran. I am the 4th strongest knight in this country. If you're willing to come, tell me your name, boy."
And he fixed Rai with a stern gaze, as if testing his resolve.
Rai flinched at the direct gaze, no longer hidden behind the helm, but he gathered his determination and answered.
"──Rai. My name is Rai Conwell."
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