WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Dionysus
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 231: I'll Be Back (1)
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“Really?”
“An enlightenment?”
Lulu and Kiril looked surprised at Brett Lloyd’s words.
An enlightenment, out of nowhere?
Their surprise did not last long.
‘It could happen.’
‘There’s been a meaningful change in Brother’s state of mind lately.’
As Sorcerers, they understood better than anyone how important the heart was.
They were Airen Farreira’s dear friend and younger sibling, and both cared for him more deeply than anyone.
That was why they had noticed the considerable changes Airen had been going through lately, even if they did not show on the surface.
Lulu had also seen Airen grow rapidly several times throughout their journey.
So this was not such a big deal.
The black cat rose gently into the air and spoke to Brett.
“Don’t make that face, Brett.”
“What’s wrong with my face?”
“Your face says you find him obnoxious.”
“That’s right. This guy is incredibly obnoxious.”
“But this has happened plenty of times before.”
“Does getting punched often mean it stops hurting? It’s still obnoxious no matter how often I see it.”
“Stop bad-mouthing my brother.”
“That’s right. Son, when did your mouth get so foul?”
“How shameful, my son. Jealousy is not good for you.”
“...Is no one on my side?”
Brett sighed and shook his head.
He looked at Airen, then glanced around the room.
“What is it? What happened?”
“It’s the Lord’s party...”
“Did something bad happen?”
The performance had already ended.
The audience should have been leaving, but they could not bring themselves to do so.
The Lord they respected, his wife, and the young lord all wore grave expressions, making them worry that something was wrong.
“...First, we should ask the Concert Hall management for its cooperation.”
Brett recalled something the Hall Master had told him long ago.
When a swordsman who had reached a high level entered their own world, it was necessary to control the surrounding environment as much as possible.
‘If the moment of enlightenment is interrupted by a shock to the body, or even something more trivial...’
For example, if he had the chance to become a Sword Master, only for someone to ruin it by interfering...
He probably would not be able to forgive them.
Unless it was his parents or Judith.
Having thought that far, Brett quickly but calmly took charge of the situation.
He informed the Concert Hall’s manager and canceled the remaining performances, then ensured the audience could leave the building quietly.
The people were curious, but they followed the instructions well. Thanks to that, the group could watch Airen with far more ease than before.
“What do we do now?”
“It should be fine to speak normally. He did not wake up despite the music and the audience’s applause. Still, I heard from the Hall Master of Krono Fencing Hall that, since this is a moment when the heart and body are being reborn, we need to be extremely careful of outside shocks.”
“I see. Should we post guards, then?”
“The territory’s knights...”
“There is no need to call the knights.”
Brett answered his parents, then continued.
“I’ll guard him. As Airen’s closest friend. And as the strongest swordsman in this territory.”
“...”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I was just thinking you’re awfully good at saying embarrassing things.”
“It’s not wrong, so there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”
This time, Philip Lloyd did not pick at his words.
Instead, he looked at his son with a proud expression.
As a parent, he was immensely proud that Brett could maintain that attitude even while watching someone so far ahead of him.
‘I worried a great deal when he was young, but he truly grew up well.’
Lord Lloyd swallowed hard. Along with it, he swallowed the emotion that had started to well up inside him.
This was not a situation to cry over his son’s growth. Just as he calmed himself and nodded...
“I want to stay too.”
“Me too.”
Lulu and Kiril spoke.
Brett nodded.
They were as close to Airen as he was, perhaps even closer. Their skills were also exceptional, so there was no reason to stop them.
But that was not the only reason.
“Brett, watch Airen closely.”
“Hm? Of course I will...”
“Not just to guard him. It might help your growth too.”
Lulu gave Brett, who looked confused, a serious look and explained.
“Moments of enlightenment exist in the world of Sorcery too. No, we have far more of them than swordsmen do. Sorcery values the heart, will, and faith above all else, so it’s only natural. And when one Sorcerer awakens, it can inspire another Sorcerer too... That’s only natural as well. You can watch a heart change and grow in real time.”
“...”
“I don’t know much about swords because I’m not a swordsman. But if you try to find changes in the body, changes in the Aura visible on the surface, or anything else you can understand from a swordsman’s perspective...”
You might be able to break through your current wall too.
That was all Lulu said.
Yet even after a long while, no one spoke.
Because of Brett.
From the moment he heard the cat Sorcerer’s words, Brett’s entire demeanor changed, and the room grew quiet.
The Count and Countess, seeing the swordsman their son had become for the first time, swallowed hard. Kiril, unlike usual, did not make a snide remark either.
“...Good. I’m feeling motivated.”
Brett smiled as he muttered.
Honestly, he envied Airen.
He would have been lying if he said otherwise. Watching his friend grow stronger without limit and pull farther ahead, part of him had begun to understand how Judith felt.
But now, that hot, prickling emotion became passion.
He nodded, then looked to the side.
“Lance, you’re staying too, right?”
“...”
“Lance?”
“Ah, sorry. I was thinking about something else... Of course I’m staying.”
Lance Patterson answered with a broad smile.
Despite his expression, though, he did not feel good.
Forcing a cheerful look onto his face, he thought inwardly.
‘How can he be like that?’
He could not understand Airen.
He could never understand a friend who reached a higher level not while training with his sword or fighting an enemy to the death, but while resting and enjoying music.
He could not understand Brett, Lulu, or Kiril either.
From Lance’s point of view, they were all the same, burning with even greater passion instead of despairing as they watched the absurd existence known as Airen.
Geniuses far ahead of him.
Geniuses he could never catch up to.
Looking at them...
“Of course I’m staying.”
Lance Patterson’s smile deepened.
He kept the feelings he could not reveal tightly hidden.
* * *
‘...’
Airen Farreira opened his eyes.
Not his eyes in reality.
The eyes of his heart.
Regaining consciousness in the center of his Mental Realm, he stared intently in one direction.
It was not the towering sword of Steel.
Nor was it the fiercely burning flames.
He walked forward and looked down into a deep, dark pit.
‘It’s dark.’
The pit he had dug was filled with black, foul-smelling emotions.
They were not as fierce as fire.
They did not show themselves outwardly like fire did.
Yet they weighed heavily upon him. Looking at that suffocating, stagnant pool made his head spin.
Airen clutched his head and looked farther away.
Then, a new energy began to flow in from beyond the world.
Trickle...
It was a clear stream of water.
A fresh, cool stream that had crossed over from someone’s heart.
The slowly flowing feelings continued toward the pit, beginning to sweep away the filthy darkness and push it out.
As that happened, Airen’s body began to change as well.
Sssssss...
The emotions that had stagnated during five years inside the Sorcery Barrier.
The fatigue that had unknowingly piled up even during his enjoyable journey.
The pressure born in the Dark Barrier, which he had been unable to fully shake off even after escaping it, all flowed outward.
At the same time, the impurities accumulated throughout his body were expelled. They turned into black haze and disappeared into the sky.
Airen did not know any of this.
He only felt the unnaturally dug pit fill in and the natural flow created by the stream wrap around his heart.
...Airen opened his eyes in the real world three days after visiting the Concert Hall.
“You’re awake?”
“He’s awake.”
“He’s awake.”
“That’s right.”
“...!”
Airen Farreira looked startled as he came to his senses.
Brett, Kiril, Lulu, and Lance were all looking at him from four directions.
What on earth was going on?
Before he could ask, Brett spoke first.
“As you know, enlightenment came to you while you were listening to the performance.”
“...”
“Your Aura started blooming too. It came in all sorts of colors. Silver-gray Aura, red Aura, blue Aura... At the end, black smoke even started coming out of you. It didn’t smell very good, but I endured it. Kiril Farreira, Lulu, and Lance all endured it well too.”
“Uh, so...”
“Sorry. I suddenly felt a pang of envy thinking that you had gotten much stronger while I gained nothing. So even if my tone is irritating, you should understand because you’re the amazing one.”
“That’s right. You should understand.”
Lance Patterson echoed Brett’s words.
Hearing his friends joke around, Airen finally gave an embarrassed smile.
He had only now realized why they had stayed here.
‘They watched over me like they did when Ignet gained enlightenment.’
“...Thank you, everyone.”
Airen rose from his seat and spoke.
Brett was about to respond bluntly as usual, but stopped before he could say anything.
He had realized that the emotions in his friend’s voice were not light.
Airen’s words continued to pour out.
“Really, really, thank you. I knew how much all of you cared about me, worried about me, and looked out for me... I knew that, but, um... I shouldn’t have taken it for granted. I should’ve expressed it more, and... No, what am I even saying...? Why can’t I organize my thoughts at all...?”
It was rambling on another level.
Airen wanted to say that they had helped him escape pointless emotions, that he would not neglect those around him anymore, and that he would become a better friend and older brother.
But his thoughts would not arrange themselves as neatly as he wanted.
“Stop saying embarrassing things. I know what you mean.”
Brett Lloyd finally cut him off.
A faint smile rested on his face.
Kiril and Lulu were the same. Their faces were filled with smiles as they looked at Airen.
Just as they loved Airen, Airen loved them too.
As friends, and as siblings.
It was a little embarrassing to confirm that again, but it was not an unpleasant feeling.
They could not remain in that mood forever, though.
There was something they were far too curious about.
“So, how much stronger did you get?”
“Huh?”
“You couldn’t explain what enlightenment you gained even if we asked. I’m not expecting that, so hurry up and show us your swordsmanship. Or at least your Aura Sword.”
“Ah...”
Airen nodded.
He was curious too.
He knew something had changed. He knew he had grown stronger.
But he did not yet know how much stronger he had become.
Of course, that was not a problem. He could find out now.
Just as he thought that...
Zzzzzzzzzng!
“...”
“What’s wrong?”
Kiril looked worried.
Airen’s expression, which had been bright the entire time, suddenly hardened as though something terrible had happened.
The others, sensing the seriousness in his face, grew grave as well. So did the few soldiers who had remained behind to run errands.
In that atmosphere, Airen Farreira thought.
Demonic aura had spread far and wide.
What was worse than that...
‘There is not even the slightest intention to hide their malice.’
The young hero, more resolute than he had been days before, clenched his fist tightly.
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