["I wish you would never venture out into the world."]

Toma Rhapsody recalled something his father had once told him.

["I know this place is far too dull for you. None of those instructors ever fights you in earnest, and everyone here would sooner die than wound you, wouldn't they?"]

["..."]

["So you must always be terribly sleepy. Life must hold no joy for you. You must find yourself wanting to go outside. I understand all of it. But... even so, I wish you would spend your whole life here."]

His father had spoken before a beach that sparkled like jewels.

["Unexpected things are always bound to happen in this harsh world."]

["Are you saying I'll die as soon as I leave?"]

Toma Rhapsody had found his father's words difficult to understand.

He was a powerful swordsman without an equal among his peers, a full-fledged 「sword runner」 with three pairs of wings. Moreover, the Naseon Sword swordsmanship he had inherited was so superior that it allowed him to hold his own even against swordsmen of a higher rank.

He believed the time when he needed someone else's protection had long since passed. And objectively, he was right. What 「sword runner」 in the world lived under such painstaking protection? His present life was fit for a dazzlingly beautiful nobleman's daughter or a princess suffering from an incurable disease...

["Perhaps you won't."]

His thinking was not merely childish bravado.

Objectively, he was right. Indeed, some of 「Rhapsody」's retainers had said that Toma needed to venture outside, gain experience, and broaden his horizons. They had added that if things continued this way, he would grow up like a sheltered hothouse flower in the family head's shadow. He would become a burden who could do nothing on his own.

Toma agreed with them. He needed experience. He needed time to see the wider world and hone himself.

["Then why..."]

Besides, at this rate, it felt as though that dreadful drowsiness would engulf him completely. Lately, Toma had been spending more than half of each day asleep. Even awake, he still felt as though he were dreaming, and things had reached the point where he could barely taste the finest delicacies. There was no pleasure in his life.

He wanted to escape his family's shadow and find joy in life beyond it.

["Because there is no telling what might happen in this vast world."]

But his father would not relent.

It was ridiculous. He wasn't proposing to go to war; he only wanted a little experience of the world. What was there to worry about? Rather than worrying about Toma Rhapsody, his father ought to worry about the people at whom Toma would point his blade.

["My son, I never want to lose you."]

["..."]

["You are certainly an excellent swordsman. And you will become an even better one. But the world doesn't operate on such simple logic. Whether you're a sword runner or a sword walker, what swordsmanship you've inherited... none of that matters. There are people on this vast continent who can disregard such things without a second thought."]

Toma thought his father's concern was excessive. He believed that his father's overwhelming love for him had become an obsession. At the time, he was driven half by the fear that he would remain locked away for life and half by the rebelliousness typical of an adolescent boy. Longing to see the wider world, Toma heard about the upcoming Endless Duel. A fight in which everyone's identity was completely concealed, where they competed as equals on skill alone. In his view, that duel would be more than enough to prove to his father that he was a swordsman in his own right.

Besides, he had heard that most gladiators in the Endless Duel were 「sword walkers」, and that even the strongest were no higher than 「sword runners」. None of the 「sword runners」 entering would be particularly impressive, either. A famous and skilled sword runner would occupy an important post in a prestigious knightly order or already possess a great deal. There would be no reason to participate in such a lowborn contest. And so Toma Rhapsody came to the Endless Duel.

Toma began watching from the second contest, the War Duels, and felt that his assumptions had been correct. The fighters drawing attention there were, at best, 「sword runners」 with a single pair of wings. Even the 「Valkyrie」 who put on a respectable performance looked to him like a third-rate swordswoman whose only assets were petty tricks. Only the last duel was even worth watching.

It was a fight between a swordswoman using extraordinary techniques and a fighter called the Sword Demon, who wore an old helmet. Yet even that duel, which sent the spectators wild, seemed dull to Toma. He couldn't understand why they were so excited over so little. Thus, he was certain he would easily win the final Endless Duel.

But...

.

.

.

"Hah...!"

Toma Rhapsody opened his eyes, gasping for breath.

When he came to, he was inside the 「Arena」's recovery room. Waking on an old bed, he panted and looked around. There were no other patients in the room. He sat up and looked down at his arms. Both were still attached. His legs? They were attached, too. Yet his pounding heart would not settle.

Were all his limbs really intact?

He checked again and again because of his last remaining memory. The fighter who had banished his drowsiness, the bizarre sword that strange fellow had wielded. Those attacks had been so heavy that it felt as though he were swinging an enormous mountain rather than a blade. The horrific sensation of every bone and muscle in his body being crushed remained vivid. It had felt as though even his soul was breaking, not merely his flesh. And then there were the flames that had wrapped around him each time he met that sword. He could not forget those flames, burning as though they would swallow everything whole. His proud wings, his Naseon Sword swordsmanship, the 「paths」 and 「mana heart」 that extended through his body like blood vessels. Everything that made Toma Rhapsody a swordsman had vanished helplessly before those flames.

As though he had become an insignificant creature before the vast world...

"Are you awake?"

As Toma steadied his breathing, a man slowly approached him. It was someone he knew well.

"I was very worried, young master."

"... How did you know I was here?"

"Thankfully, the Arena contacted me first."

Joseph, the 「Rhapsody」 family's butler.

The familiar old man who had always watched over Toma like a shadow was there. Just as he always did at the Rhapsody mansion, Joseph offered him some warmed milk. Toma took it and drank. The temperature was pleasantly just right.

"You truly gave me a fright this time. Running away without a word, and even entering the Endless Duel, where all those lowborn people gather."

"..."

Joseph watched Toma drink his milk in silence. Seeing his slightly downcast expression, he refrained from further scolding and asked instead,

"So, did you enjoy yourself?"

"A little."

"If you enjoyed it only a little, did coming here serve no purpose?"

"That's not it."

"Then?"

Joseph sat beside him and quietly listened to his story.

"I was scared. It was dangerous, too. If that old man hadn't intervened, I might have died."

"That must have been quite serious."

"Yes. But the fellow who nearly killed me was a 「sword walker」. He used some strange technique at the end, but he was definitely a 「sword walker」 without wings..."

Toma chattered like a child before Joseph. Joseph listened with his eyes closed, nodding. Then he spoke.

"A worthwhile little escapade, then."

"Yes. Father was right. There's no telling what will happen in the world, and everything I have could disappear in an instant."

"So will you never venture out again?"

"No."

Toma grinned.

"It was frightening, but that meant I wasn't sleepy."

"..."

"I'm definitely coming out again. By then, the fellow who brought me to my knees will be stronger. Next time, I want to win instead of losing. If I train with that in mind... I don't think I'll feel sleepy. At least not until I fight him again."

Joseph smiled back at Toma.

"You've grown up."

"I'll still get scolded by Father, though. He'll go berserk when he hears about this. He might lock me away for more than ten years."

"No, it will be all right."

"What do you mean?"

Joseph took the cup Toma had emptied and said,

"I knew you would worry, so I came here alone. If we return now, the family head won't know a thing. At most, he'll think you slipped away for a picnic."

"Joseph..."

"Now, if you've recovered, let's be on our way. We shall keep this little escapade our secret."

Toma smiled at Joseph's words.

The butler had been with him ever since he was born. Their bond ran deeper than a simple relationship between a butler and his employer. In a sense, Joseph was like an uncle to Toma, or a second father.

"There's no one like you, Joseph."

Toma smiled as he hauled his heavy body upright.

He had some regrets, but this had been enjoyable enough, too.

He could see the duel through another time.

It would not be like this then.

'Yes, it'll be different then...'

And so one boy set off with another boy in his heart, imagining a romantic future.

But.

"You're leaving in quite a hurry."

The world is not as romantic as a boy imagines.

"... Young master, step back."

"Joseph? Why—"

"Quickly—!"

"Hmm."

Not at all.

"You're well over eighteen."

* * *

The Endless Duel ended, and the winner was announced.

But I never made it onto the podium or received that glorious applause. All because of the damned side effects of 「Lantern」.

"F-fuck."

Immediately after the duel ended, I collapsed, feeling as though my body were falling apart. By the time I came to, most of the ceremonies were already over. In the recovery room, Seolyun told me that the 「Endless Duel」's closing ceremony had been magnificent. She also added,

"'The gladiator known as the Sword Demon, who never appeared even at the very end, seems an exceptionally free-spirited man. To turn down the chance to bask in the glorious applause and attention of the steel city's citizens without a second thought—he is a fighter of unprecedented manliness. Ironically, by spurning the opportunity to spread his fame beyond the Iron Kingdom and across the continent, the Sword Demon has become even more famous...' Apparently."

"Did no one mention that I couldn't attend because I was lying down recovering?"

"As if the Arena's planners would say anything like that. It looked to me as though they wanted to turn you into a hero from the Age of War or the protagonist of some chivalric novel. Even the Valkyrie was shouting that this was just what she'd expect of the Sword Demon. And the orcs gathered there made a scene, insisting that judging by his actions, the Sword Demon must be an orc, not a human."

"... Thank goodness I stayed in bed."

It sounded like utter bedlam. Had I been there, I would have lost my mind ages ago. If the orcs had kept shouting, "Sword Demon Liam is an orc!" I might have snapped and hacked three or four of them to death in the stands. Even then, those green lumps probably would have applauded, saying, "What a very orcish thing to do!" Fuck.

"It feels as though it all passed in an instant."

「Yes, you managed to get through it well enough.」

In any case, the storm that was the Endless Duel had finally drawn to a close. My body was a wreck, but I still had a firm grasp on the clue to growth I had found at the end.

'Flame.'

A clue to wings.

That alone meant I had successfully accomplished my original purpose in entering the Endless Duel. Now I could build on that clue and gradually advance. Lying in the recovery room's bed, I quietly replayed the final fight. Even that helped. The wings that had sprouted from me, if only for an instant; the mysterious flame that had allowed me to face Rhapsody's overwhelmingly powerful descendant; and the sword of Caravan that I had wielded with my own hands...

There was far too much to sort through in my head.

"The Arena asked you to visit once you've recovered enough. They said you need to collect your prize now that you're the overall winner of the Endless Duel."

"Understood. I hope it's something expensive."

"Don't get your hopes up. They'll probably make do with fame or honor or something."

With that, Seolyun slowly rose.

She seemed to be giving me a chance to rest comfortably.

Before leaving, she added one more thing.

"Oh, come to think of it, the Hall of Fame's caretaker said he wants to speak with you."

"Tom?"

"Yes. I hear you agreed to take him back to your mansion after the Endless Duel? He said he'd teach you how to care for the weapons you took from the Hall of Fame..."

Ah.

"Apparently, he's even taking leave for you, after not using any for decades. He said he was worried that such a fine young lord who loves historical weapons might mishandle them."

I had completely forgotten.

"Fuck."

The problem my past self had left for my future self had finally blown up in my face.

'... I can't throw them back up, can I?'

Those weapons.

They were all in my stomach.

"Anyway, focus on recovering for now. They said you don't have any serious injuries, but you have no strength left at all. It could be because you've been pushing yourself too hard. Relax and get some rest."

"... Yes."

Having reminded me of that terrifying business I'd forgotten, Seolyun strolled off without a care. How was I supposed to relax after hearing that? I was lying in bed, and my head was already throbbing. In the silence, I wanted to fall asleep forever. Damn it.

And then.

"Have you been resting well?"

Another person appeared to unsettle me.

"You fulfilled your promise admirably. To defeat the Lazy Idler's sword with that paltry swordsmanship... It has been a long time since I saw anything so entertaining. Truly, a most entertaining sight."

The Iron Prince.

Ian Chervil.

"You entertained me, so I've come to give you your reward, as promised."

An uninvited guest had arrived.

"You won't be disappointed. Certainly not."