Return of the Unrivaled Spear Knight

Side Story Chapter 267

Badump! Badump! Badump!

Kireua stood alone with only the sound of his heartbeat to keep him company. With the number of times he’d been here, this empty white space was becoming familiar.

“…For goodness’ sake.” Kireua scratched the back of his head in frustration. He couldn’t help but think that he was a weakling given how often he was getting dragged here. Once after meeting the power of Greed for the first time, once when losing control of his body to the Dark God, and once when encountering the demons in Arcadia.

“…But why am I here again all of a sudden?” he wondered.

No matter how hard he tried, Kireua couldn’t think of an answer.

“No, maybe Grand Duke Lucifer did something to me before he died…?”

-Kireua.

Just when he’d managed to answer his own question Kireua thought he was hearing things. The sound was similar to that of a telepathic message, not an actual voice, but it turned out that Kireua had gotten it backward.

“Kireua.”

Kireua whipped around to face the voice and he almost fell on his bottom in surprise.

He had already been worried about the possibility of going through another battle in his subconscious realm. Supposing that Kireua was right and the opponent in front of him had the same martial prowess as the actual person…

‘...I can’t win.’ Kireua swallowed. He didn’t need to give it a second thought because his opponent was close to a god.

“…Hey. I don’t know if it’s the power of Wrath or someone else, but this is too much. Are you telling me to train in my subconscious realm because I’m too weak? Gosh, if that’s your plan for me, then the least you can do is adjust the difficulty level. You can’t start with this.”

The figure stopped listening to Kireua and took a step forward. Kireua tensed.

“…I can tell that you’re misunderstanding something here, but we don’t have time. I’ll get to the point.”

“Drop the act already. You can’t fool me,” Kireua scoffed.

“You’re like a dam on the point of breaking. You already have difficulty handling the power of Greed, but you also have Wrath now… Perhaps your condition is more serious than I thought.” The image of Kireua’s father narrowed his eyes.

Only Kireua’s father would know what Kireua was going through in such detail.

“Is that… really you, Your Majesty?” Kireua asked, his lip quivering.

“You don’t have the capacity to handle two Evil Sins right now. Focus on keeping Greed and Wrath dormant and controlled so that they won’t run wild, and then concentrate on one Evil Sin. No, my explanation is too abstract. Give up on becoming stronger,” Joshua said in a serious voice.

“Give up? What…?” Kireua tilted his head skeptically. The identity of the man standing in front of him was in question again.

The wish to become stronger was a very natural human desire, so why would Joshua tell him to abandon it?

Joshua smiled faintly. “All humans, especially martial artists, wish to be stronger. It isn’t bad thing in and of itself.”

“Then…”

“You should learn to be content with the strength you have. Even medicine is poisonous if you overuse it. Reaching higher is important, but you should reexamine the path you’ve walked down too.”

Joshua’s words mesmerized Kireua.

“You’re already strong. Too much desire will cause you to obsess over gaining more power and eventually it will make you arrogant. The nail that sticks up gets hammered down. Always be humble and control your desires. You’re still growing up, so it’s very important to remember this. Become like a rock to put the minds of your people and those of Avalon at peace.”

Kireua realized then that the Joshua in front of him was the real Joshua. Otherwise, Kireua wouldn’t be able to feel the paternal love in his every word.

“I’m sorry. I’m your father, so I should have been more attentive about stuff like this.”

“Y-Your Majesty…”

“I wish you the best, Kireua. I mean it.” Joshua gave Kireua a hug before he took several steps back again. “It’s time for you to go back.”

“A-Already?”

“Your people are waiting for you.”

“B-But…”

Kireua wished he could stay a little longer. He rarely had a chance to spend time with his father. He might never have another chance with the fate of the continent hanging by a thread.

“Remember what I said when you go back,” Joshua reminded.

“...I will,” Kireua answered.

He bit his lip. Joshua was right—Kireua didn’t have much time left, so clinging to this moment was a luxury he couldn’t afford, even for just a little longer. More people were dying even at this very moment.

Joshua beamed proudly.

“I love you, my son.”

* * *

Kireua inhaled sharply.

The first thing he saw was Cain, who fell on his butt in surprise.

“Y-Your Highness?” Cain stammered.

“…What are you doing?”

“W-Well. You suddenly stopped breathing, so I was trying to resuscitate you…” Cain trailed off sheepishly. All of them knew that beating on Kireua chest wasn’t going to him with what had gone through.

“I told you to wait numerous times, didn’t I? His life wasn’t in danger because his heart kept still beating even though he stopped breathing. Tsk, tsk.”

Kireua turned to look at the new voice and chuckled. “You’re here, Tower Master. ”

“Well, I got a request from an important business partner of the Magic Tower,” Theta answered. He pointed behind him. “You’re right on time. I’ve finished installing your teleportation gates just now.”

“Thank you. I assume that you’ve already finished your negotiations.”

“We’re on the clock, so let’s exchange greetings later and start splitting your group.”

“I believe payment comes first,” Kireua refuted.

“Huh?” Theta blinked but just shrugged. “I guess you’re in less of a hurry than I thought.”

“I’ve been taught to settle the bill first no matter how much of a hurry I’m in.”

“Your parents taught you well, didn’t they.”

In truth, Kireua was worried about something else. Even though Theta was a close friend of the Emperor of Avalon, business was still business. It would be quite troublesome if Theta asked for too much from Avalon after the chaos settled down.

“Since we’re talking business…” Theta took a look around and cleared his throat seriously. “I heard that you dream of becoming the next emperor of Avalon, yes?”

“Yes, that is correct.” Kireua nodded.

“Then…”

Everyone tensed as they waited for Theta’s next words.

“...can you go on a blind date I set up some time?”

No one could have expected his answer.

“A what? A blind date?” Kireua couldn’t believe his ears.

“Do you already have a lover, by any chance?”

“N-Not really.”

“Well, it doesn’t really matter.” Cain shrugged.

Kireua gaped blankly, struck dumb by the unexpected turn of events, but someone else flew into a rage.

“Hey, hold on, Tower Master! You can’t do that!” Anna jumped off of the tree branch she was sitting on. She’d volunteered to stand guard after Theta had confirmed that Kireua’s life was in danger—she’d checked several times herself as well. It would be problematic if Swallow found and attacked them.

‘After all I’ve gone through to lose that girl, the Tower Master shows up out of nowhere and—!’

Isaac fresh on her mind, Anna quickly approached Theta and Kireuak, frowning and waving her hands.

“Wait a moment. Did I hear you right?” she asked. “A blind date, as in a meeting with a prospective marriage partner?”

“You heard me right. After this war is over, I’ll introduce a woman to you. Try talking to her, and we can consider the price for helping you with teleportation as good as paid.”

Theta’s tone changed back and forth between casual and formal.

Anna's face crumpled up. “What is there to think about it? Wake up! You’re the Second Prince of Avalon. The Tower Master is trying to take the entirety of Avalon for helping you one time!”

“…Well, I think it’s a reasonable price…” Kireua mumbled.

“What?” Anna held up her fist threateningly.

“Good choice,” Theta quickly interrupted. “It never crossed my mind that a prince would be so cheap after all the work I’ve done for you. Besides, I’m just asking you to meet her, not marry her.”

“That’s still wrong!”

“Anna bel Grace, why do you keep interrupting our conversation? The Prince himself is fine with it.”

“What? W-Well, it’s because I can see what you’re trying to do here—!”

“Wait a minute…” Before Anna could finish making her excuse, Theta grinned.

“Wh-What?”

“No, that can’t be it. He’s young enough to be your son. There’s no way you would have romantic feelings for him.”

“Huh…?! Y-Yeah! You’re right! It’s because he’s like my son! My son! No mother would just watch someone trying to do something funny with their child!”

Theta just shrugged and then turned back to Kireua. “So do we have a deal, Prince Kireua?” he asked.

“Sure. All I have to do is meet her, right? But I’m curious as to who she is. Why are you so insistent about setting up a blind date between me and her?”

“Hehehe. Just look forward to it. Ah, I feel like I’m almost ready to die now. Your father… Excuse me. I was very disappointed when the Emperor of Avalon got married.” Theta guffawed and then moved toward the teleportation gates. “I guess I got too sidetracked. Let’s get to work on the issue at hand.”

“Yes, I agree.”

“Divide your group into two, just like I told you earlier. The one on your left is to Arcadia, and the right one is to Swallow,” Theta explained.

In truth, Theta wondered who Kireua was going to choose. Was it going to be Kireua’s family or the teacher to whom he was indebted?

‘His best move right now is to send the Combat Emperor to Swallow and return to his family, even if it’ll make him the bad guy... But the Combat Emperor doesn’t look so good,’ Theta thought.

Even to a mage’s untrained eye, Cain’s injury looked serious, so asking him to go to Swallow was the same as pushing him off a cliff.

‘Show me your insight, Kireua Sanders.’ Theta’s eyes gleamed.

Kireua slowly opened his mouth.

“...I’ll head to Swallow on my own.”

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