Sword Pilgrim

Callius stiffened.

‘I… father?'

He stared at the ceiling of the hut with an empty gaze.

"… Didn't you know?"

"… No."

How am I supposed to know?

I can't believe it even after hearing it myself.

“Uh… then just forget what I just said.”

"As if I can forget about it!"

Bernard coughed at his sarcastic reply. Thinking about it, he let out a bewildered laugh.

"I was going to tell you when the time was right… Why did you do something like this?"

"So it's my fault?"

"Well, it's not a bad thing. You even pierced Emily's divine blood, something that no one else could do! How overwhelming must it be that it was her father who managed it! Now that child has been rid of her biggest anxiety."

Bernard tried to cover up his mistake! How effective! A splendid attempt at lightening the mood.

Unfortunately, Callius was not swept away by the refreshing atmosphere.

"Are you sure it's my kid? A kid I don't even know of, how could it be mine?"

"… I'm sure as can be that she's your child. I heard the story from the Count himself."

Inhaling from the pipe again, Bernard started speaking slowly, exhaling puffs of smoke.

"It was a dawn just before sunrise. A strong and bleak wind was blowing through the North, much like today…"

"Stop blabbering and come to the point. Don't test my patience too much."

"You damn kid."

Bernard, who'd spat out a curse, left the pretence behind and cut to the chase.

"Ten years ago, someone left Emily with the family. The Count immediately searched for the mother of the child that had been left behind, and found her identity."

"Who was she?"

"It was the attendant of a young noblewoman named Ailee who left Emily behind."

Ailee? It's a pretty common name.

"Which family's daughter was she?"

"Berriaren. She was a baron's daughter, Ailee de Berriaren."

Ailee de Berriaren.

"She was from a noble family located in the South, whose lands are famous for blueberries. How did you meet that young girl?"

“…”

That's what I want to ask.

Callius. How old was this bastard…?

‘Callius' age now…'

Twenty-six.

So, he slept with the young lady when he was about fourteen?[1]

Or rather, the one who is now me, did that.

This guy deserved to be called the prodigal son of the Church.

But I don't feel particularly good.

‘I got the responsibility without any of the fun. That's fucked up.'

A passionate night with a young lady, whom I can't even remember.

Emily was born from that joining.

"Ailee… ugh."

All of a sudden, foreign memories come rushing in.

A woman's face.

Her terrible complexion only adds to my confusion.

It feels like my head is going to split.

I'd hoped not, but I guess it's true.

Damn Callius.

"… Does Emily know?"

"She knows. She knows that her father is a maniac who ruined the family name, and is also called the prodigal son of the Church."

"Damn it…"

Callius covered his face with both hands. It was only now that all of Emily's reactions so far began to make sense.

‘No, honestly, she's not my child.'

She is Callius' child.

So, I don't have to feel this guilt and this sense of obligation.

Obviously, that's the case.

But –

‘Now I am Callius.'

Hoo –

He took a deep breath, wiped his face and looked at Bernard.

"What should I do now?"

"Why are you asking me that, you bastard? Now that you know the truth, be nice to Emily."

"That, Ailee… No, where is the young lady Ailee?"

Ssss-haaa.

Bernard, exhaling another puff of smoke, looked at Callius with bitter eyes.

"Seems she died."

"Unfortunate."

Then there was only one person left in this world who Emily could depend on.

There was only Callius.

‘There's no way that Count Jervain would have behaved as her grandfather.'

He could understand why Emily was so close to Bernard. But why did Bernard love that child so much?

‘Because she's my child…'

His thoughts were a mess.

He didn't know how to untangle this tangled web of relationships.

"What are you going to do now?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's not the right time, but you've found out anyway. Since that's the case, you'll have to start getting your act together as a father from now on!"

"… A twelve-year-old daughter suddenly popped up. Do you think I can just accept it that easily?"

To be honest, I don't feel any shame.

Emily is a child born of the original Callius, and she is not mine.

"Hey! How could such words come out of a father's mouth! If you are the man with the dick, you must take responsibility!"

“… How do I become a father? What should I do?”

"I have no idea."

“You must have some idea, don’t you?”

"No, because I don't have children either…?"

"Yes? What did you do all your life that you aren't married even in this age?"

"I devoted my all to the God, Valtherus."

"Damn it, you're useless."

I really thought he could give me some decent advice…

“Hmm… So, why don’t you two have a good meal together? When people eat something delicious, they naturally start talking about this and that, don’t they?”

"In this situation, where anything could happen any moment? "

"Even if war breaks out, we'll still eat. We'll still shit and piss. What difference does it make?"

And –

"Isn't a battlefield a place with an uncertain future? In my opinion, Emily…"

She's not the type to flinch from war. Her body will be itching to test its strength, since her divine blood has just been pierced.

A twelve-year-old girl.

Of course, if we reach the castle, we can stop her, but until then, there is nothing we can do.

"Okay. It's not my place to interfere. You knew pretty late, but you're still her one and only father. Good luck."

Tuk, tuk.

Bernard patted my shoulders and went out for a walk, or to hunt.

"This is driving me crazy…."

As I was pondering the situation for a while –

"Why did you call me again?"

Emily came.

“…”

"Why are you looking at me like that? I heard from Grandpa that you called me… didn't you?"

That damned old man.

I wasn't even mentally prepared, but he called Emily here with this timing?

"What, why are you staring at me like that?"

Looking at her closely, there were similarities.

Emily was also quite beautiful, probably because Callius' face didn't lose to anybody in handsomeness either.

Fiery eyes[2], and jet-black hair.

And the gray pupils that represented the girl's bloodline.

Although she was young now, in time she would bloom into a strong flower, capable of withstanding the harsh northern winds.

"How do you feel?"

"You mean my body? It's good. It feels much lighter and stronger than before. Now, I can even win against the Orcs without poisoning them."

That's not what I was asking.

I didn't know what to say.

Bernard said that she already knew.

But wasn't it a bit strange to suddenly call her my daughter?

"Then… you're lucky."

"Don't worry, I won't hold you back."

"It's not that."

"Huh? Then what is it?"

Callius scratched the back of his neck in bewilderment.

“Have you eaten…?”

"… No. Not yet."

"Then let's have dinner together."

"Suddenly? You usually tell me to go away and not disturb you. I thought you liked to eat alone."

I thought so too.

The only thing I could enjoy in this world was the food.

‘Shit.'

I wanted to turn back time right now, but I didn't have that kind of an ability.

I never thought she would be my daughter.

"I'm giving you a special chance to eat together."

"What exactly is special…"

Emily seemed troubled, as if she sensed the strange atmosphere.

But after ruffling her own hair a bit, she nodded her head.

"Wait."

I went out of the cabin and looked for Bruns in a hurry.

"Bruns!"

"Yes, yes! What?"

"Where's the cloth bag?"

"It's here. But what's going on…"

"I need some food. Is there anything suitable inside?"

“Uh… yes. There is some roe deer and wild boar meat from master's catch last time.”

"That's enough."

"Should I help?"

"No, you keep doing what you're doing."

Bruns was tanning the hide of the horned bear that Emily had caught.

Because of the size, he was even having to work with a few of the nameless Knights, so I didn't ask Bruns to help this time.

‘I have to do it.'

Due to the circumstances, I can't treat you to something great.

Still, it's the first meal the father and the daughter will have together.

It's better if the father prepares the meal himself.

"It's not difficult."

During the past few years, Callius had wandered all over Carpe, and ate well on his own.

Something of this level was not difficult.

Callius immediately lit the fire.

Then, he affixed the whole of the meat and placed it over the bonfire.

The quality of the meat itself wasn't bad.

If so, how would it taste?

The answer was that it depended on the spices.

Because a large part of the flavour of food came from the spices. And Callius had the finest spices, bought in Tristar, in his hands.

A variety, including precious ones like salt and pepper, to delight the senses.

"Perfect."

Now it was just a matter of waiting.

Would this be enough to reach Emily's heart by starting the attack through her stomach?

Seemed doable.

"Oh, Callius. Are you cooking your food?"

"The smell is something else. It looks delicious! Can I have some?"

It was Allen and Aaron.

They thought he was pretty friendly, and they usually talked politely.

But today was not a usual day.

Callius looked at them with cold eyes.

"You'd better sod off."

"Oh, yep."

Allen turned back right away, and Aaron also tried to turn around quickly but stumbled and fell in the process.

"Ugh."

Due to Aaron's enormous size, dust rose in the dry wind.

"Useless bastard. Go away right now."

"Yes, yep! Sorry!"

The dust flew in the air, but as expected, Callius was already far away with the smoked boar meat in hand.

"What's the matter?"

"It's nothing."

"I don't think it's nothing."

“… Eat this.”

Callius sliced the meat with a sharp knife and handed the piece to Emily on a plate.

"Oh, thank you."

"Eat it."

They sat side by side on a fallen log and started eating.

There was no conversation whatsoever.

Only the sound of knives and forks, accompanied by the dry wind, could be heard. The rest was a deafening silence.

‘What should I say?'

Emily was also being quiet for some reason.

They didn't even make eye contact, just stared at their own plates as they ate.

‘This kid must know I'm her father… What is she thinking?'

The more he thought about it, the more he felt at sea.

Fighting an Orc Warrior seemed easier in comparison.

He'd rather ask Emily's attendant what she liked.

"Where did your servant go? I don't think I've seen her in a while."

"She's dead. She was hiding but got hit blindly by an Orc's sword."

“… I see.”

He hadn't known because he hadn't been interested.

"I guess you weren't very close."

"They've been with me since I was little. Nia since I was five, and Wendy since I was seven."

Not anymore, though.

“… Is that so?”

Even so, it didn't show in her demeanour.

Or else he would've found out before now.

Had she been witnessing and enduring, with that small body, the deaths of those she loved?

Even so, she never gave up, but kept swinging her sword and tempering herself.

‘Strong.'

She was one strong kid.

Why was a child so proud that she would accept the harsh storms of the world and the deaths of her loved ones, and quietly endure it all despite the pain?

A child who did not even call her father, father; was afraid of being abandoned, and yet tried to prove herself with a sword.

That child, was his own daughter.

‘If it weren't for that old man, I wouldn't have known for the rest of my life.'

Who would have thought that such a proud child was the daughter of a maniac?

It seemed incredible.

"It's alright, though. Now I won't have let them depart in vain."

Kug.

Emily poked the last piece of meat with a fork, put it in her mouth and chewed.

The child who had been imprisoned in a bandits' den just the other day, became an adult within such a short time.

A child who had gone through a lot at once, grew up to fit with her environment.

But for some reason, Callius felt a pang in his chest at the sight.

"I ate well. It tasted good. If you want, we can do it again next time."

"Fine."

"Yeah."

Emily handed him the plate back and stood up, holding her sword.

"What are you going to do now?"

"Training!"

Was there another twelve-year-old girl in this world who could talk about training with such a bright smile?

"Then I…"

That was then –

Suddenly, the Knights started making a ruckus.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know either. But Master Bernard's signal stopped…"

"Old man?"

Callius, who made eye contact with Emily, quickly grabbed his sword and ran out.

As he widened his senses and found Bernard's aura, a plain spread out before him as if waiting.

Bernard was there.

He was slowly pulling out his sword.

"What's going on…"

Ppuuuu –!!

It wasn't Bernard's voice that resolved Callius' doubts, but the sound of horns from the battlefield.

"It's starting."

The green waves straddling the pure white snow began to invade the gray castle.

The war –

It was about to start.

Editor's Notes:

[1] Koreans count age, as a rule of thumb, one year more than how it's done internationally.

[2] 총기 가득한 눈망 (lit. eyes full of guns), translating from context.

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