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Those who are accustomed to killing know this well: killing is easy, but disposing of a body is hard.
However, this doesn't apply in a world of swords and magic. In this world, people die every day, and slavery is even permitted by various nations. In such a place, the concept of human rights is nothing more than a luxury.
Disposing of a body isn't difficult because there's no need to go out of your way to "dispose" of it. Corpses can simply be discarded anywhere.
Whether it's the filthy ditches outside the city or the slums in the secluded corners of the city, both are perfect dumping grounds for nameless bodies.
But Allen couldn't just "discard" the bodies casually. After killing, his initial intention was to destroy the evidence immediately. However, upon realizing how troublesome it would be to deal with the scattered body parts, he abandoned the idea and decided to make a quick escape.
At that moment, in the depths of the forest outside the city of Riegert, an unexpected helper arrived—someone who no longer regarded Allen with half-lidded eyes or a cold expression.
And so, not only were the bodies disposed of, but the entire camp was burned to the ground.
When it comes to killing and disposing of bodies, having a man and woman work together often makes the process frighteningly fast.
The bandit stronghold outside Riegert... had completely vanished from the world.
Before long, it would become nothing more than an unnoticed ruin.
...
That's how it should have been.
But what if, from the beginning of the hunt to the final act of destroying the evidence, someone had been watching the entire process from afar?
Would the spectacle of hunting the mane wolves have been etched into their memories, along with the now-vanished bandit stronghold?
As the flames died down, two slender figures leaped down from a cliff halfway up the mountain, near the edge of the forest on the other side of the lake.
The flickering light from the burning camp licked at their figures.
One was an elderly woman named Reida Liah, the pinnacle of the Water God Style swordsmanship and Allen's master.
The other was a young girl named Isolte Cruel, Allen's childhood friend from the Water God Dojo since he was four years old.
"I wondered who had angered Darius so much that he went to such lengths to set up an ambush. I thought it might be some master swordsman trying to take his life... but it turns out it was Allen."
"It seems he didn't flee to Sharia but stayed hidden in the Asura Kingdom... Is he seeking revenge against James? That boy hasn't changed at all. He still can't stand being wronged..."
Reida's words carried the cadence of someone of high status, exuding the dignity of a noble and a master swordsman. At first glance, her movements seemed like those of an ordinary old woman, but to a skilled swordsman, her posture revealed no openings.
Isolte followed behind her, her soft, straight black hair—cut in a princess style—fluttering in the wind. The firelight danced through her hair, revealing a faint blue outline at the tips.
Unlike Roxy's half-lidded eyes and thin lips, which gave her a cold appearance, Isolte's features were striking even though she hadn't fully matured. Her large, round eyes with slightly downturned corners gave her a gentle aura, while her high nose bridge added a touch of stubbornness to her otherwise soft demeanor.
Tall for her age, she was almost as tall as Reida. Her long years of swordsmanship training had given her excellent proportions.
When Reida mentioned Allen, Isolte's eyes curved into a gentle smile.
"Yes... It's been almost half a year since I last saw him, but he's still as sharp as ever. Though his features have softened a bit... His swordsmanship..."
At this point, her expression shifted, and she frowned.
"...He's still a genius. I knew he was holding back with the North God Style, but the Sword God Style... He's even mastered the Silent Sword... And he's solved the biggest problem with the Rock Stance."
A playful smile appeared on Reida's wrinkled face as she turned to look at Isolte.
"He's already on the verge of mastering 'Flow.' There's no doubt he's a Water Saint. Don't blame me for stopping you earlier. Even if you had gone down there, you wouldn't have been able to bring him back to the capital."
Isolte lowered her gaze.
"If you had intervened, Master, it would have been no problem, right? Don't you want him to return to the capital? Last year, you even said that the position of Water God... would eventually be his..."
Reida looked at the charred remains on the ground, her expression unreadable.
"We've discussed this several times over the past few months. James couldn't have mobilized so many experts to ambush Allen at the Red Dragon's Jaw. Now it seems that Darius was also behind last year's assassination attempt..."
Isolte, after all, was still a young girl. Despite her upbringing in the noble circles of the capital, she couldn't hide her panic.
"...Are you saying you'll kill him for Darius? This..."
Reida sighed and raised her hand, cutting Isolte off.
"I've heard that Allen often looks after you because he feels sorry for you, thinking you're alone after losing your parents. And since Tantris isn't much of a brother, always so stern, Allen has been kind to you. But it's not because he has feelings for you. Remember when you spent days picking out a sword hilt for his fifth birthday? All he gave you in return was a few pieces of candy."
Isolte's mind flashed to the image of Roxy standing beside Allen earlier. Her bangs covered her eyes, and her expression was unreadable in the flickering firelight.
"...Master, I was asking if you would kill him... What are you talking about? I don't understand..."
Reida narrowed her eyes at Isolte's hand, which was gripping the hilt of her sword.
"What am I talking about? Look at your reaction! If Allen weren't so handsome, would you still feel this way about him...?"
"!! Grandmother!!"
Reida smirked helplessly.
"You don't need to worry... I won't kill him. After all, he's my disciple. Darius may be my savior, but Allen doesn't know that Darius is the mastermind behind all this. So, he poses no threat to Darius."
"Then why not bring him back to the dojo..."
"Even though I don't know the reason, Darius wants him dead. Even if I brought him back to the main dojo, he wouldn't be safe in the capital. For his own safety, I'd have to keep him hidden deep within the dojo, training him in secret as a hidden swordsman until he's strong enough to protect himself. But... do you think he's the type to stay hidden until he's mastered his swordsmanship?"
Isolte glanced at Reida, cautiously asking,
"Then if I can convince him... or even force him to come back, wouldn't that work?"
Reida sighed and reached out to stroke Isolte's black hair.
"...You rely on him too much... Is that really good for him?"
"...I don't know. But... if it's possible... would you agree?"
"I would."
"Then I'll go after him right now!"
Reida drew the golden sword at her waist and blocked Isolte's path, her eyes gleaming with a hint of triumph.
"Of course, it's your responsibility to bring back your childhood friend. But with your current swordsmanship, are you strong enough?"
Isolte had already taken a step forward, her hair fluttering with her excitement. But at these words, her bright expression faltered.
"...I'm not."
Reida smiled and placed her hands behind her back.
"Come back to the dojo and train. When you reach the level of a Water Saint, I'll let you go. Whether you can bring back your beloved will depend on your skills then."
"Alright!... Wait! What do you mean by 'beloved'? Grandmother!!"
Isolte, who usually maintained a dignified and aloof demeanor in the capital, always lost her composure whenever Reida teased her about Allen.
Reida stopped her teasing and turned away, her expression immediately becoming serious.
'If that day ever comes, and Allen returns to the dojo to train in seclusion... the day he discovers Darius is the mastermind and seeks revenge will be the day we cross swords... I won't kill him, but if he wants to kill Darius... he'll have to step over my corpse.'
'If he can't kill me, he won't be able to take his revenge. If he can kill me, he'll become the next Water God.'
Reida had no intention of revealing this cruel future to Isolte. Though Darius had fallen from grace, he was still the one who had saved her life.
Repaying a debt of gratitude, even if it meant bearing a tarnished reputation—that was Reida's resolve.
"Let's go back to the capital."
"Alright... Wait! Please, just a moment!"
Isolte ran over to a charred piece of debris and, under Reida's slightly exasperated gaze, began rummaging through it with her sword.
The stench of burnt flesh filled the air, and soot stained her face.
Time passed as she searched, but finally, Isolte's eyes lit up. She pulled out a sword hilt from the debris and carefully cradled it in her hands, examining it closely.
The hilt was broken, and dried blood clung to it, crumbling in Isolte's palms.
In the night breeze, her eyes shone with determination.
"I'll definitely bring him back to the dojo!"
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 110 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 100 power stones I will publish the next chapter.