Volume 2 Chapter 74 The Conflicting Moon And Sun II
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Beams of sunlight pierced through the cloudy sky.
The chalky white cliffs were an unreliable footing.
When he leaned out as if crawling over the thin protrusion, what lay before his eyes was the vast ocean extending to the horizon.
The imposing sound of the sea reached his ears.
It was loud, endlessly relentless.
Standing there with an olive branch clenched tight, he was constantly reminded of how minuscule he was.
Before a scene resembling the end of the world, his golden hair swayed in the sea breeze.
The sea was a symbol of invasion.
The usurpers always attacked from beyond the rough waves.
The damp air brought forth the sound of rowing songs from afar.
Humans, like malevolent demons, who abducted crops and children.
It bore the merciless and self-righteous scent of Azrael.
”Oswald”
* * *
”Oswald, you’re finally here.”
The phantom of his sister from distant days overlapped with the image of a red-haired noblewoman.
Oswald’s mind rapidly returned to Eleonora and her retinue of knights.
His current location was the stone steps before the Coliseum.
The time was just right for the ceremony to begin.
”────”
After the morning scene.
Moving to this waiting area had left him a bit mentally drained due to the constant stream of guests.
Though physically robust, dealing with the fox who sought to ingratiate themselves with the future Knights of the Sun was not particularly enjoyable.
Of course, there were friends like Eleonora who genuinely celebrated Oswald’s impending title, and thanks to them, he managed to keep his spirits up.
”Oswald?”
The red-haired noblewoman tilted her head.
She was dressed elegantly, holding the Holy Sword of the Sun.
The ceremony would begin with the transfer of the holy sword.
”No, it’s nothing. I was just lost in thought. My apologies.”
”Hehe, what’s the matter? That’s not like you. Are you perhaps nervous?”
”To some degree. I’m not so out of it as to lose my senses. I’m not Lady Eleonora, after all.”
”Oh, you said it? …As usual, I can’t put you in a headlock. You’re in armor, and I’m in a dress. Our heights are completely different now.”
Eleonora said this and approached Oswald, measuring their heights with her hand.
The heels of her shoes lifted.
The hem of her dazzling white skirt also floated.
When she first met Oswald, he was the one looking up at her, but now the roles had completely reversed.
”Time flies, doesn’t it? The kid I used to dote on has turned into such an old man.”
”Don’t forget that you’re getting older too.”
”Haha, that’s true. I’ve reached an age where I can no longer call myself a maiden.”
”However, it’s also true that you’re maturing beautifully with each passing year. I hope you can catch a good man before you return to the countryside.”
When Oswald said this, Eleonora smiled wryly.
”I may attend social events, but surely there’s no one who would want to marry me. The moment I marry, I’ll be stuck in the countryside, helping my father while tilling the fields. The reward will be a woman who’s not very ladylike, having missed her chance at marriage.”
”That’s quite self-deprecating. If your hopes are that low, should I introduce you to someone?”
”The people you introduce will all be into men, won’t they?”
”Well, that seems likely.”
As Oswald replied, he caught a glimpse of the knights bustling about in the underground.
It seemed they were still searching for Guillaume.
(I had received reports that a substitute had been chosen, but I hadn’t heard anything since I were busy dealing with those who came to greet me. Who on earth would be chosen for the role of ‘Thorn Demon’? Given McCutchen’s thoughts, it would likely be one of Waterman’s subordinates or a member of the Adventurers Guild.)
”It’s been noisy for a while now. What are they moving around for?”
”They’re probably checking things before the ceremony starts. We should just prepare for our respective roles without worrying about it.”
”Hmm…”
Eleonora furrowed her brows, sending a glance to the knights who seemed to want to say something, but when Oswald kept his gaze straight ahead, she reluctantly followed suit.
(It was a rule to fight with all one’s might, but there were no specifications on the swordsmanship to be used. Today, I would employ the knightly swordsmanship of the Franz Kingdom. It suited the ‘Knights of the Sun’ better.)
Moreover, Oswald was clad in golden armor from head to toe.
It was heavy armor, inappropriate for his original combat style, Azrael’s Dance Swordsmanship.
Well, if one was a decent practitioner, they wouldn’t die easily.
Though they might accidentally singe the hair on the back of their head while clutching their neck with their arm.
”────”
Oswald closed his eyes and envisioned the seaside village that was the original landscape of his heart.
He also pictured his sister, waving grandly with the sun at her back.
He just wanted to go back.
To that place.
To that time.
He would do anything for that.
That was all.
However, like most people, Oswald had changed over time.
Before he knew it, he had formed important bonds with others.
He had come to bear the wishes of those who had died.
The Oswald who found joy in rising to power, gaining wealth, and seizing the nation was born at some point.
Now, he instinctively sought conflict and victory.
(My desires seem to know no bounds. Even now, they continue to swell without limit.)
They had grown monstrous, threatening to engulf the land one day.
Like the ‘Thorn Demon,’ they might distort and break everything.
Yet, Oswald fully embraced his greedy nature.
What was wrong with seeking power?
(The title of Knights of the Sun will be mine from today. The next desire that arises should guide me forward. I must understand myself well through this ceremony and show my subordinates the nature of desire. The journey continues. Until this body withers and burns out, eternally.)
In the distance, the sound of a trumpet echoed.
The cheers of the audience resounded.
The ceremony was about to begin.
”Let’s go, Oswald.”
”Yes!”
Together with the red-haired noblewoman, he stepped into the sunlight.
The ceremony was the culmination of his life thus far.
And it was also a touchstone for the life that lay ahead.
Oswald plastered a charming smile on his face and waved at the surrounding audience.
The voices echoing in the coliseum grew louder.
It sounded like the ocean, reminiscent of that fateful day.
* * *
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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