Farewell and a Promise

Rikarisu City was a little smaller than Port Wind.

Its walls were built of gray stone and weren't particularly high, about as tall as two Rujierds stacked on top of each other. A wooden sign hung above the city gate, carved with words in both the human tongue and Demon God Language. I recognized the Demon God Language characters. Master Roxy had taught them to me years ago.

The guard at the gate glanced at Rujierd, and his expression stiffened. The ruby on Rujierd's forehead drew that reaction wherever he went, but Rujierd merely returned the guard's gaze calmly. The guard looked away and waved us through.

"The Superd Race's presence really is too much for even a guard to handle."

The streets in the city were narrow, lined on both sides with low stone houses with dark-tiled roofs. People sold dried meat and herbs at roadside stalls, and a pungent smell filled the air, mingling with the smell of horse dung and the toasted aroma of flatbread. A child ran past us, nearly bumping into me, clutching a filthy cat.

Rujierd stopped beside a well.

He tied up his horse, patted its neck, then turned to face us.

His expression was no different from usual. Calm and composed, like an immovable rock. But I knew he was going to say goodbye to us here.

"This is where we part ways."

He said it bluntly. Rujierd never wasted words.

I froze for a second.

Even though I had known this day would come sooner or later. From the day I met him on the Demon Continent three years ago, I had known he had his own path to follow. His goal was to find the surviving members of the Superd Race scattered across the world and clear his people's name, which the demon spears had sullied for four hundred years. Escorting us back to the Central Continent was only one part of his journey.

But now that the moment had come, it still felt as though something was lodged in my chest.

"Rujierd..."

"After the Teleportation Incident, my people were likely transported to other continents." His voice was low and steady. "I have to find them."

He paused.

"Then I'll make the people of this world understand that the Superd Race aren't demons."

I looked at him. He had borne this burden alone for four hundred years and had killed his own wife, parents, and sisters with his own hands, before finally piercing his own child. But it hadn't been his fault, and I couldn't even bear to imagine that kind of pain. Yet, as always, his tone was as calm as if he were commenting on the fine weather.

"Mr. Rujierd, I'll help you too," I said.

Rujierd turned his head to look at me.

"Once I've found my family and settled down, I'll find a way to let more people know the truth about the Superd Race. Paul... my father has connections too. One person's voice is quiet, but if lots of people speak together, it'll grow louder."

I didn't know if I could do it, but I didn't intend to make empty promises. Rujierd had saved me more times than I could count. He had kept watch every night on the Demon Continent, and whenever we were at the end of our strength, he had stood in front of us.

He had helped us for three years. What I owed him couldn't be repaid with a simple "thank you."

Rujierd watched me for a moment, then nodded.

"I believe you."

Just three words. But coming from him, they carried more weight than anyone else's.

"I'll make sure I do it."

Then he turned to Eris.

Eris stood beside me, silent the whole time. Her hand rested on the hilt of the sword at her waist, as it always did, but I noticed her fingers tightening slightly.

Rujierd looked at her.

"Eris."

"Yeah."

"You're better suited to protecting him than I am."

His tone was serious as he said it. It was the conclusion of a warrior who had lived for five hundred years, reached after careful consideration.

Eris said nothing.

I saw her lips move, as though she wanted to say something, but no sound came out. Her eyes were red, plain to see in the sunlight, but she didn't cry. She bit her lower lip and forced the tears back.

"Eris..."

I started to reach for her shoulder, but withdrew my hand halfway there. I knew she didn't like showing weakness in front of others.

Rujierd said nothing more, only smiling with relief.

He swung himself onto his horse in one smooth motion. His trident hung beside the saddle, its tip glinting in the sunlight.

He turned the horse to face the city gate.

Then he stopped.

"Rudeus."

"Hm?"

"Take good care of her."

With that, he squeezed the horse's flanks and rode off without looking back. Hooves clattered along the stone-paved street, growing more distant.

"Hey, you make it sound like a father-in-law giving his daughter away at her wedding!"

I stood there, watching him ride away. His back was straight in the saddle, just as it had been when I first met him.

When I first arrived on the Demon Continent and met Rujierd, I too had thought he was the man-eating demon Master Roxy had spoken of. But after getting to know him, I realized how gentle he was. He was one of the gentlest people I knew in this world.

The hoofbeats faded into the distance. His figure grew smaller and smaller, until he was a black speck beyond the city gate, disappearing at the end of the road.

"Goodbye, Rujierd. Have a safe journey."

People still came and went along the street. The dried-meat seller called out to customers, and the smell of flatbread still drifted through the air. The world hadn't stopped for one person's departure.

But it felt much quieter to me.

Three years. I had grown used to the three of us traveling together. Rujierd walked in front, and Eris and I followed behind. He watched the road, kept watch at night, and dealt with strangers. I cooked and did the thinking, and Eris handled the fighting.

"Okay, we say we split the work three ways, but most of the time Rujierd did the work of two people by himself, and even I didn't really want to eat my cooking."

Now he was gone, and the place in front was empty.

Something tugged at my sleeve.

I turned to see Eris standing behind me. Her fingers gripped my cuff, her knuckles a little white from the force. She wasn't looking at me; her eyes were fixed on the ground in front of her toes.

"Hey, Rudeus."

"Hm?"

"Where are we going now?"

Her voice was a little quieter than usual, with a hint of tension.

Eris was nervous.

Eris, who had drawn her sword and charged the slave traders alone to protect the beastfolk children in the Great Forest. Eris, who hadn't shed a single tear when we were trapped in a poisonous swamp on the Demon Continent for three days and nights. She was nervous now.

"Probably because from today on, it's just the two of us. Honestly, I'm a little nervous too. It's the first time in three years that it's been just us. Without Rujierd in front of us, we'll have to do everything ourselves."

I took a deep breath.

The air smelled of dried meat and herbs, with a faint tang of horse dung. The sunlight was bright, washing the stone pavement in white.

"First, we'll look for my family," I said.

Eris raised her head to look at me. Her red eyes were bright in the sunlight.

"My father, Paul, must be waiting for us somewhere. After the Teleportation Incident, he must have been looking for people everywhere, and he must have left messages at the Adventurers' Guilds. Let's go check the guild."

My voice was much steadier than I'd expected as I said it. Probably because Eris was still with me. If I'd been alone, I probably would have panicked for a while.

"Your family..." Eris looked worried. "Are you sure they're still alive?"

"I'm sure," I said.

The truth was, I wasn't sure. Anything could have happened after the Teleportation Incident, but I had to believe Paul and the others were still alive. If even I didn't believe it, who else would look for him?

"Paul... isn't the kind of person to give up easily. No matter what happens, he'll keep going."

Eris looked at me for two seconds, then nodded.

"Let's go."

She let go of my cuff and stood beside me, shoulder to shoulder.

I took my first step toward the Adventurers' Guild.

The shops lining the street had their lights on, someone was sweeping outside a door, and children were running after one another. An ordinary morning in an ordinary little town.

But for me, everything was different from today onward.

Rujierd was gone.

It was just Eris and me.

"This time, I'm going to live seriously and protect the people close to me. I won't let anyone leave me again."

I clenched my fists. Both hands were warm.

Eris walked to my right. Her steps were a little slower than usual, probably to match my pace.

She didn't rush me.

I took a deep breath and quickened my pace.