"It's a sword."
A simple answer.
"A relic?"
Enkrid asked back. From the name attached to the sword and other clues, he could tell it wasn't an ordinary object.
He had heard that Ragna had come to get it, that the family head had it, and that he had asked for it, but he also knew that the family head wouldn't quietly hand it over.
If he reasoned it out, there must be something to prove or conditions to meet in order to receive this thing called Sunrise.
This much could be understood just by looking at the unfolding situation.
'If Krais had come, would he have made a fuss asking to see it just once?'
It looked like something you couldn't even get a glimpse of for just a few gold coins.
"It's a family heirloom passed down through generations."
"...You want to take a family heirloom and return to the Border Guard?"
"Yes."
Ragna had not a moment's hesitation. His tone was no different from when he had said it was a sword.
Enkrid knew his own personality was a bit unusual. He was a bit more stubborn and straightforward than others.
To some people, that unusualness might be an element that made him seem like a somewhat peculiar person.
'But not to this extent.'
This one was definitely crazy.
He wanted to take a family heirloom back to the Border Guard—who would allow that?
Without realizing it, Enkrid's eyes narrowed. Noticing that gaze, Ragna said.
"That's unpleasant. Why are you looking at me like you look at Rem?"
Along with his words. Splash—water poured down, wetting Ragna's hair and shoulders. He had already taken off all his clothes while they were talking and was speaking while scooping water to pour over his body.
Enkrid also poured water over himself and answered. Black water flowed down to his feet. It had been a while since he could properly wash, so it was a refreshing moment.
"Think about what you just said."
Ragna immediately replied.
"There's nothing wrong with it?"
Enkrid was about to shake his head left and right but gave up and answered self-deprecatingly.
"It's the Madmen Knights because it's full of madmen."
If it had been the previous Ragna, he would have let it pass because it was bothersome, but the current Ragna was exploring what he wanted to leave behind. Therefore, he couldn't just let wrong words pass.
In fact, even when everything was bothersome, he often couldn't just let such words pass.
There are words that stick in your mind and irritate you so much that you absolutely can't let them go.
What Enkrid had just said was exactly that. So Ragna provoked him as he had learned.
"Isn't that a name that stuck because the captain only goes around breaking women's hearts?"
Enkrid shifted his gaze to Tri-Iron, which was standing to one side. It would be perfect to loosen up his body lightly after washing.
Ragna leaned his back against the edge of the large wooden bathtub, arrogantly lifting his chin and continued.
"At least the captain left behind the legend of destroying women's hearts."
Even though he wasn't Ragna's mother, Enkrid was somewhat impressed by his growth.
'His provoking ability has improved compared to before.'
But that wouldn't represent his sword skills.
Could Ragna escape without even a hair being harmed by Wave and Flash? Would now be a good opportunity to test what he had realized during the journey?
'Yes.'
Enkrid judged so. There was no reason. He was doing it because he wanted to.
Objectively speaking, it was truly insane. They had been told to wash and come eat, so he should endure it.
But as Enkrid, hadn't he also been stimulated by seeing Ragna's father and mother?
In crude terms, his blood was boiling.
Splash.
Enkrid pulled out his hand that had been submerged in water. Using water as a sheath and his hand as a sword. He straightened his fingers and put strength into them. It was a form that shaped a blade with his hand.
Splashing water droplets, steam filling the bathroom pressed heavily around them, and cool air flowing gently passed through. Enkrid thus used his hand as a sword and drew a line. Drawing a line that fell straight from top to bottom.
"Crazy bastard."
Ragna spat out part of his inner thoughts and raised his hand to meet it. His hand and Enkrid's hand crossed and met.
Smack!
Water droplets splashed in all directions around the two.
Ragna saw blazing blue eyes.
The reason for suddenly attacking now? He didn't want to know or question it.
Hadn't he always disliked this bastard for doing such things?
It was the same now.
Enkrid was a madman who lived each day as if he would die tomorrow. This perspective on life was what Ragna had learned most from him.
'A today that is never wasted in any situation.'
This was the life he was now pursuing.
'What do I want?'
He didn't know. He couldn't know the answer. But just because you don't know the answer, should you stop there?
"If you don't know, roll with not knowing. Do what you can do now."
Enkrid always said this. Even if he didn't say it with his mouth, he spoke through his actions and conveyed that meaning through his attitude. Ragna now accepted that meaning and said.
"Let's dye the bathtub with blood."
Enkrid caught those words.
"It'll be your blood?"
With an expressionless face, Ragna denied it.
"No."
The noisy and tumultuous washing time passed.
Anyway, after washing and coming out, they shook off their dust-covered clothes and put them to one side, and attendants placed clean clothes in front of them.
"What did you two do when I told you to wash?"
Grida said, wringing out her wet hair with her hands. From her perspective, it was naturally something worth saying.
Ragna's hair near his forehead was cut as if torn, and Enkrid had a blue bruise on his cheek from being hit wrong.
"Conversation."
"Splashing around."
Their answers were different, but there was no particular need to ask more.
Enkrid answered roughly and examined the clothes he had put on. They were gray pants made with firmly processed cloth as the outer material and soft cloth as the lining, and a stiff beige shirt.
The rest—gauntlets or gambeson—he separately carried the light green vest undergarment made by Fairy craftsmen, specifically Druid artisans, and also took his sword belt and armament as they were.
Since he never let these leave his body, Grida didn't say anything special about it.
Also, since carrying swords within Zaun was everyday life, everyone would think it was natural.
This was a place where people gathered who carried twin swords even when cooking. If you were a guest, wouldn't it be natural to wear a sword?
Anne also changed into a dress-like outfit with a wide fit and only carried one bag that came to her waist.
Unable to tie up her wet hair, she shook it out and let it hang down to her shoulders. After combing her hair with her fingers a few times, Anne took a deep breath.
She also had a purpose for coming here. She would have to bring up that topic at the dinner table, so she was nervous.
"Let's go."
Grida led the group again. Heading to the dining room, a savory and sour fragrance stimulated their noses.
He looked forward to it since he hadn't had a proper meal all along. And entering the dining room, Enkrid tilted his head.
Among the people sitting at the oval wide table, one person caught his eye. It had been so long since he'd seen him that he forgot the name, but it was definitely a familiar face.
Enkrid searched his memory to recall his name.
"Ray?"
The other person also recognized Enkrid. He opened his eyes in surprise, then frowned and answered.
"...I never revealed my name. Enkrid of the Border Guard."
He was momentarily clearly surprised, but such an absurd statement came out that he naturally responded.
Brown eyes and ordinary-looking appearance—someone who had once visited the Border Guard carrying a rapier. He had also left words asking Enkrid to follow him.
His torn-shaped eyes remained in his memory. Just looking at his eyes, he might seem fierce, but overall he gave a soft impression—a strange fellow.
While looking at his face and searching his memory, he also recalled that he had long arms and used a fast sword.
"Hey there."
Enkrid casually raised his right hand in greeting.
"I don't think we were close enough to greet each other that warmly."
From the other person's perspective, it had been a long time, so Enkrid remembering was quite remarkable.
"Was that so? My memory's a bit hazy."
So he spoke honestly, and the other person moved his lips a few times before answering.
"Right, you could forget."
This man had already heard news about Enkrid, so he was only surprised by the fact that they met here.
'Why are you appearing here?'
Such a question arose, but he knew about the things Enkrid had accomplished after becoming a Knight.
'I thought it was half exaggerated.'
It didn't seem that way at all, which was endlessly fascinating. But what was there to say about it here?
Not everything in the world flows as expected.
He believed he was excellent at predicting and inferring the future, but he didn't think he was a prophet.
'Still, it is surprising.'
Looking now, he wasn't just any Knight, and his level seemed quite high. Of course, he couldn't examine it in more detail with his own insight. It was the limit of his discernment.
"Well, now that everyone's here, let's eat."
The family head said.
'The son who left long ago brought guests.'
The eyes of the man occupying one seat at the table swept over Ragna.
'Was that one a child of the Zaun family?'
Well, his outstanding talent was visible even then.
'He followed his son.'
He didn't know the purpose, but he could roughly guess the process. Guessing was guessing, and various thoughts crossed his mind.
It would be fair to say that you never know how things in the world will turn out.
He never expected to meet in this place someone he thought would quickly break with a heart full of romance chasing dreams and suffocate in the swamp of frustration.
"You seem to be acquaintances?"
Ragna's mother asked, standing up to greet the guests.
"He came to the city and stayed before, and then he tried to entice me to go with him."
Enkrid answered based on the memory he recalled. It was a simply summarized statement.
"That's the kind of work he originally does."
Alexandra said nonchalantly and offered seats, with the family head sitting first.
Next, the long-unseen man with torn eyes sat, Ragna sat opposite the family head, Anne sat next to him, and Enkrid's seat was next to her. Grida was next to Alexandra, and Magrun was not visible.
Taking his seat, Enkrid asked.
"What do you mean by that kind of work?"
The man had no reason to hide his identity here and no reason to do so, so he spoke honestly.
"I'm a talent recruitment officer for the Empire."
"Recruitment officer?"
"My job is to travel the continent and make special offers to those with outstanding talents."
Enkrid recalled the moment when that man had once told him to come with him.
The Empire's recruitment officer spoke first to avoid misunderstanding.
"The offer I made to you wasn't expecting military strength, but was for my successor. I saw that you had a good head and ability to handle people."
Having the skill to say what the other person wanted to hear in advance was probably why the Empire gave him the position of talent recruitment officer.
He told Enkrid something worth being curious about. He also revealed his honest inner thoughts.
By saying it wasn't based on seeing potential, he eliminated any possibility of misunderstanding, but Enkrid had no expectations anyway, so he just accepted it.
He already knew long ago that his talent was terrible.
When he had barely started holding a sword, on that day when the genius kid punched a hole in his stomach.
"Interesting connection. Let's eat."
The family head suggested, and no one particularly observed formalities.
Enkrid first tore into a well-roasted turkey leg. Grida sprinkled powder seasoning on well-cooked meat from one side.
Feeling the juices and savory taste of the turkey leg in his mouth, Enkrid saw what Grida ate and followed suit.
Whether it was the northern way or Zaun's way, he didn't know, but it was a form of eating lamb with powder sprinkled on it.
The powder was a combination of several seasonings, mixing spicy, sweet, and refreshing tastes.
'Not bad.'
Overall, it was a meal with large portions and mainly meat. In a way, it was a natural menu.
The people of the Zaun family were said to be a gathering of people who spent all day swinging swords and repeatedly training.
Hadn't he seen it on the way here?
They lived in stone buildings, had personal training grounds in front of them, and there was also a large open space right in front of the castle.
'It seems like everyone gathers there and mingles too.'
Indeed, several people were hanging around with dull swords that weren't sharp.
So everyone would prefer a meat-based diet. But it wasn't a table that ignored balance. Here and there, he could see mashed egg salad, herbs with olive oil and vinegar, cheese, and such.
"It's not alcohol, but it'll be thrilling."
Ragna offered a yellowish beverage. When Enkrid swallowed the drink in the copper cup down his throat, a sour fragrance pierced his nose and invaded his head, followed by the rich flavor of mountain-grown fruit swirling greatly in his mouth.
"It's made by diluting and aging vinegar made from wild strawberries. It's hard to taste easily."
It was alcohol made only from yellow wild strawberries that grew only in nearby areas, and only on cliffs.
"I said I came because of an important proposal, but you brought outsiders."
It was the recruitment officer who had been eating halfheartedly.
"It doesn't matter if they hear."
The family head immediately answered. Then he picked up a napkin and wiped the seasoning from his mouth.
"Really?"
"Of course."
The recruitment officer maintained a brief silence and then opened his mouth.
"From now on, what I'm saying is a proposal from His Majesty the great Emperor of the Empire. Please become a Shield Duke. Tempest Zaun."
Since Enkrid didn't know the situation, he just listened. Well, the Emperor of the Empire was mentioned, but he wasn't surprised.
It was within his expected range from the beginning. Even before the rapier swordsman said he was the Empire's recruitment officer, he had deduced that his origin was either the great nation of the south or the Empire of the north.
If it weren't one of the two, it would have been difficult to propose going together.
'Probably for a long time, recruitment officers from the north and south have been roaming the central continent.'
There would have been many cases of taking away talents.
So this wasn't surprising. If you knew how to observe the continent's political situation to some extent, it was within a predictable range.
However, it was just fascinating that this fellow he met again after a long time had a scent he hadn't smelled before.
'Strange.'
That scent was the fragrance that came from mages.
It wasn't a thick herbal smell, but mages had also attacked their party several times on the way here.
He hadn't properly brought up the topic to the family head yet, but that was the truth.
And the family head answered.
"No."
It was a firm, definite answer that still felt insincere because no emotion could be felt in it.