A week has passed since then.
I moved my body a lot, took proper breaks, and then moved again.
That cycle repeated over and over.
Even Aisha, with her high physical abilities, looked very tired at first...
But as we continued the training, she seemed to have gotten used to it, and recently, she's been handling it with relative ease.
It's probably proof that her body has adapted to the intense exercise.
At this rate, we might be able to start repairing the sword in a few more days.
With that hope in mind, I pushed through today's training as well.
――――――――――
“Excuse me. I’m Fate — I put in a request the other day…”
“Yes, Fate Stuart, right? Your request has been completed. Here are the custom polishing compound and refined water, as well as the hematite.”
“Thank you very much.”
I paid the fee and received the items I had ordered.
They were all materials needed for sword repair.
Some of the materials were somewhat difficult to obtain, so I had asked the guild to source them.
The fee wasn’t cheap, but it was worth it if it meant repairing the Snow Crystal Sword.
“Huh?”
Just as I was about to head home, I saw Horn-san.
Come to think of it, I hadn’t talked with him since I got absorbed in preparing for the sword repair.
“Hello.”
“Oh, Fate. Long time no see.”
“Sorry, I’ve been busy with all the preparations for the sword repair…”
“No need to apologize. I also wish for the Snow Crystal Sword to be restored. Rather, I’m sorry I haven’t been able to help.”
“No, that’s not something you should apologize for…”
“…I have something I absolutely must do.”
Horn-san said this with a very serious expression.
His usual calm demeanor was nowhere to be seen.
His gaze was sharp like a drawn blade, making me hesitate to meet it.
At the same time, he seemed troubled, weighed down by something.
I felt I couldn’t just leave it be.
Though I was aware it might be rude, I opened my mouth.
“Um, the thing you have to do… can I ask about it?”
“…It’s not an interesting story, you know?”
“Still, please.”
“…”
“…”
Our gazes met head-on.
The pressure was so intense I almost looked away.
Still, I endured it…
“Phew.”
Eventually, Horn-san let out a small sigh.
Along with it, the pressure eased.
“To say this may be rude, Fate, you’re surprisingly strong-willed.”
“That’s the first time anyone’s said that to me…”
“Well, if you weren’t, you wouldn’t be able to stay with that Sword Saint… Very well. It’s not a cheerful story, but I’ll answer your questions.”
“Thank you. And I’m sorry, too.”
I thanked him for sharing and apologized for intruding on his mind so bluntly.
Horn-san gave a small smile and waved his hand lightly.
“It’s fine. I’m not bothered by it. More importantly, my goal is…”
“Y-Yes?”
“…to fulfill the request entrusted to me by Nonoka.”
“The request entrusted to you…?”
“Yes. Nonoka and I’s last adventure was nearby… It was there that I met ‘that one.’”
Horn-san clenched his jaw, recalling those days.
“…Back then, Nonoka and I were commissioned to gather certain materials. We had to go far, but it wasn’t supposed to be difficult — we thought it would end without issues. However, we encountered ‘that one’… the Purgatory Dragon.”
“Wha…!?”
I was stunned and speechless at the unexpected word.
The Purgatory Dragon.
A monster classified as S-rank.
Its power is overwhelming, to put it simply.
Almost none who faced it survived, so detailed records don’t exist…
Rumor has it, it can destroy an entire country alone.
And that rumor isn’t exaggerated; if anything, it’s an understatement.
…That’s what I heard.
“Sorry to ask this, but are you sure it was really the Purgatory Dragon?”
“Yes, without a doubt. I doubted my own eyes… but it was definitely the Purgatory Dragon. Its power lived up to its name.”
“I see…”
To think they encountered such a terrifying monster…
“Because of it, the request failed. Not only that, many forests were burned, and the plants turned to charcoal. Nonoka was deeply saddened by that.”
“…”
“And she asked me to… someday defeat that creature.”
“…”
I understood that feeling well.
You can’t just ignore it and leave it be.
Nonoka was no longer here…
But perhaps that was why he wanted to fulfill her final wish.
“…Huh?”
I suddenly realized something.
“You mean, this time you’re going to fulfill that request… which means the Purgatory Dragon is nearby?”
“…Yes.”
Horn-san nodded gravely.
TL Note: After each appearance my respect for Horn-san increases.....
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