Translator: AkazaTL Pr/Ed: Sol IX
***
The Little Prince did not know his own name. He only vaguely remembered the fact that he was called ‘Little Prince’ in a distant land, and based on that memory, he introduced himself as the ‘Little Prince’ as he wandered. People who heard the peculiar nickname never forgot it and called him the Little Prince.
The Little Prince did not know who his parents were, or which land he came from. Well, that is natural. How can he know his birth and origin when he doesn't even remember his own name? The Little Prince’s oldest memory was a crash landing. A memory of falling onto a sand field he saw for the first time in his life, in an unknown land.
“That is not a sand field, but a desert.”
He heard from an old crone that the area was called a desert. The Little Prince watched the scenery of the desert he saw for the first time in his life for a long time, merely continuing to watch the scenery until the sunset passed over forty times. Then, the Little Prince, who collapsed, woke up in the old crone’s house. The Little Prince heard from the old crone that it is very dangerous to stay under the desert sun for over a month without drinking a single drop of water. That he could die doing so.
“I see.”
“Tsk, you are a somewhat lacking child. This desert is not a place for a young child like you to travel. If you wish to travel, follow the pilgrims of the Holy Empire instead.”
“Holy Empire, pilgrim…… what are those?”
“You know nothing at all. How on earth did you come all this way? You wouldn't have fallen from the sky…… Do you know the name of this city?”
“I don’t know.”
“This is Antoine. The City of Stars.”
The old crone gave warm bread and camel milk to the Little Prince. The Little Prince learned that something called food gives a strange sense of fulfillment along with satiety. The old crone was very kind, and it was said that all the residents of this city were kind to travelers. The Little Prince asked while looking at the old crone covering him with a blanket.
“I have something I’m curious about.”
“What are you curious about again?”
“What is dying?”
At the Little Prince’s words, the old crone paused for a moment. Then soon answered bluntly.
“Disappearing.”
Disappearing, he understood what that meant. Hearing the old crone’s words, the Little Prince thought. The desert with sand and hot sunlight is difficult but a beautiful place. He saw the sunset over forty times but wanted to appreciate it more. The food he ate for the first time was delicious. He wanted to try eating more. He wanted to eat other foods to his heart's content too. If there is a desert, there must be many other sceneries, and as there are many things he doesn't know, there must be many things he can learn. Feeling such desire, the Little Prince thought. He does not want to disappear.
“I do not want to disappear.”
“Right. Everyone is like that. So do not do dangerous things that whittle away your own life. When the day breaks tomorrow, I will tell you the way to the Holy Empire. Where milk and honey flow…….”
“Huh? Why do you suddenly stop speaking?”
“No, go not tomorrow, but a week later.”
The crone laughed while looking at the Little Prince.
“Young traveler who is lacking and ignorant. You said you sat there for a long time because you were captivated by the beautiful desert scenery, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I will show you something much more beautiful than that.”
“Is there such a thing?”
“Because 6 days later is the day the priests sing the Song of the Stars.”
At the old crone’s words, the Little Prince asked.
“Is the Song of the Stars more beautiful than the sunset?”
“Yes, more beautiful than the sunset.”
“Why?”
“Because the Song of the Stars is the dream of this city.”
“Dream……? What is a dream?”
The Little Prince’s question. To that question, the old crone answered clearly.
“Something that does not disappear.”
Something that does not disappear, those words for some reason lodged deep in the Little Prince’s heart. So the Little Prince desperately wanted to see the thing called the Song of the Stars. Also the thing called a dream that the old crone spoke of with sparkling eyes.
“Sleep now, your body must not be well.”
Because he was so excited, the Little Prince could not fall asleep. So in the middle of the night, the Little Prince came out of the old crone’s house. When he asked people on the street ‘where do I see the Song of the Stars’, they pointed to the tallest building in this city, telling him to go to the observatory. The Little Prince arrived at the observatory, laughing with a flushed face.
“Uh.”
But the observatory was not as beautiful as the Little Prince expected. The structure, which was merely piled high with wood, was not as beautiful as the sunset, nor did it look like something radiant that would never disappear. Greatly disappointed, the Little Prince pondered whether he should go back to the desert.
“Are you a traveler?”
Someone walked up to the Little Prince who was pondering so. That person was a woman. The woman had long hair, and was younger and more beautiful than the old crone who took care of the Little Prince. But the most beautiful thing she had was not her youth, but the look in her eyes. The Little Prince could not take his eyes off the woman for a moment. Her eyes were like stars embedded in the pitch-black night sky. Twinkling stars are much more beautiful than the desert sunset.
“It has been a long time since a young traveler came. What should I call you?”
“Little Prince.”
“Little Prince? Are you royalty? That’s a peculiar name.”
“What is royalty? I don’t know such things.”
“You call yourself a prince without knowing royalty? That could cause big trouble.”
“Why would it cause big trouble?”
The Little Prince genuinely didn't know. However, perhaps thinking the Little Prince’s question was a joke, the woman sighed briefly and tried to get up from her seat. Wishing for the beautiful her not to leave, the Little Prince carefully held onto the hem of her clothes and said.
“You, your name too.”
“Yes?”
“Tell me, your name too.”
At the Little Prince’s childlike question, the woman softened her expression and smirked. When a smile bloomed on her face, the Little Prince felt indescribable joy.
“Frey. My name is Frey.”
Frey, the Little Prince was certain. Even if he forgets his own name again, forgets the desert sunset, forgets the bread and camel milk, and forgets the old crone and even this world, he would never forget that name forever.
“You are a peculiar person, aren't you?”
“……Am I, a peculiar person?”
“Of course. You are pretty because you are pure.”
“You are pretty too, Frey. You, you are not peculiar.”
“Is that so?”
“You are special.”
The Little Prince smiled shyly.
Frey smiled once again at those words.
“Are you already courting a woman?”
“Courting, if it is courting, do you mean confessing love? That's right. Perhaps I might have just fallen in love. Because you are more beautiful than the desert sunset. U, um. Bread! More than bread and camel milk too!”
“Hahaha, what is that. Little Prince, I like your innocent courting, but you are still too young. How about you come find me again when you grow up a little more?”
Because the hesitating boy’s confession felt cute, Frey said so. At her words, the Little Prince spoke without a single inch of wavering.
“Then can I come find you tomorrow?”
“Can you grow up that quickly?”
“Tomorrow I will grow one day more than today. The day after that I will grow another day, and I will continue to grow without stopping.”
“Alright. Come again tomorrow, Little Prince.”
“At what time?”
“4 PM. That time should be fine.”
At Frey’s words. The Little Prince smiled brightly.
The boy’s smile was as bright as that of Frey, whom he felt was special.
“Frey.”
“Yes.”
“If you come at 4 PM, I will begin to be happy from 3 PM.”
Frey laughed at the Little Prince’s words.
“Then if I don’t come, will you become unhappy?”
“No. Then I will become anxious and restless. But I won't be unhappy. Because I will be waiting for you who will come to meet me someday. Special times different from an ordinary day will flow.”
At the Little Prince’s energetic answer, Frey simply patted the boy’s head. The next day came, and the Little Prince waited for Frey continuously while sitting in front of the lofty observatory. However, contrary to the promise, Frey did not come. Even after 3 PM passed long ago and the sun set, and the night with harsh winds blowing passed, and the hot sun rose again.
Frey appeared at 4:44 PM the next day.
.
.
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“It seems our brat is doing well.”
The owner of 「Needle」, Swordswoman Mary, looked back and smirked.
The power harbored by the new sword, 「Radiance」, which Arhan swallowed, is special.
Perhaps this time Arhan will not be able to finish the digestion process easily like before. As much as the former owner of 「Radiance」 harbored special power, it is different from the other souls Arhan had absorbed until now.
Of course, even if that digestion process is arduous, there will be no danger. No matter how much Arhan drifts within the memories of 「Radiance」, these ones will protect Arhan.
“Let’s protect him. So that the handsome brat doesn't die without even getting to use his face.”
“Why are you acting like the leader? You burnt mercenary wench.”
“Since the blade the brat ate first is me, isn't it natural that I'm the leader? Originally among mercenaries, you see, rank is determined by the order of joining.”
“Don't make me laugh! Do you take Orcs for fools? Where is a bunch as meritocratic as mercenaries! Regardless of joining order, rank is determined by ability!”
“Tsk, quite smart unlike an Orc.”
“Orcs are! Not ignorant! Wench!”
The souls of the swords manifested in the Middle World after a truly long time bickered with each other. There was one existence watching that sight from afar.
「……As expected, you resemble me but are different, young descendant.」
Liam.
「That blade would not have been helpful to me. Since I only reign over swords and have never thought of mingling with them. But you are…… different.」
Liam looked at the vivid souls of the swords.
「You are the only Karavan loved by the sword.」
The souls that were all lively and alive.
「To such a you, the blade named ‘Radiance’ will become a very great weapon. Since you will gain power that only an existence loved by the sword can possess.」
The power harbored by the sword the Golden Star brought to Arhan, 「Radiance」, is special. The power to call upon existences that have disappeared leaving only souls into the world. However, this power that looks immensely powerful would have become a useless ability if it fell into the hands of another Karavan. 「Radiance」 becomes special only when harbored by Arhan Karavan.
Because that sword can only call into the world. An existence that loves oneself. An abstract and very difficult condition.
Liam’s young descendant satisfied that difficult condition. To all the swords he harbors, at that.
“Hmph, annoying. Then since we're out in the world after a long time, why don't we determine the rank here.”
“Can you take me on, wench?! Weren't you merely a mercenary wench who was just a Sword Beginner?! Kuhahaha!”
“Sword Beginner…… I was.”
And if the condition is satisfied.「Radiance」 gives a gift to the souls called into the world.
“But not now, right?”
The souls called into the world by 「Radiance」 possess not the power from when they were alive, but the same power as the master of the sword. In other words, Swordswoman Mary who ended her life as a Sword Beginner, at this moment is…….
“Hya, this is nice.”
Possessing eight pairs of Wings. A Sword Runner.
“……If Hegel saw this appearance, he would have liked it.”
Swordswoman Mary, who had a wistful look in her eyes for a moment, soon shook off the lingering attachment to the past. Soon only sharpness remained in Mary’s eyes without any wistfulness or sadness. Like a mercenary.
“Well. He must be watching, from somewhere.”
Mary, who erased her emotions, looked at the three warriors glaring this way. They are stronger than the knight of the Iron City, Ferma, who humiliated Swordswoman Mary in the past. Comparing them to that man itself might be rude. However, no fear lodged in Mary’s eyes. Because ever since she picked up Needle, she no longer feared fire and the world.
“……A bizarre trick. Shamanism? Magic? No, it is not something that can be explained by such things. This is truly like a mirage.”
“Hmm.”
“Rabbit, since you lost an arm, you deal with that woman. Eagle, you deal with the Orc. I will deal with that guy. The one exuding an unusual aura…… that Ronin.”
“What, why express it as if it is yielding me? Annoying.”
Mary said annoyed with a hmph.
“Because of the burnt wench, you look insignificant at a glance.”
“What?”
“Doesn't the blade you are holding as a sword look trivial to begin with. Isn't that a needle rather than a sword? A needle that looks like it can't cut anything.”
At the leader’s words, Mary smirked.
“There were many things that said such words.”
“…….”
“Short-spoken bastard, I’ll teach you just one thing. A sword is, you see.”
Soon. Mary’s eyes flashed sharply.
“Whether swinging or stabbing, it’s enough as long as you can aim it.”
***
「Name: Radiance」
「A sword melted with the love of the boy called Little Prince.」
「The Mystery of Mirage is lodged within.」
「- Can briefly call upon a soul that loves oneself into the world. The power of the summoned soul is adjusted to the same level as the master of ‘Radiance’.」
.
.
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「Digestion is in progress.」
「The completion of the Wings is near.」
「Prepare to don the Armor.」