Reunion (2)
As Godric stopped his steps, the attendants and knights following behind him also came to a halt. The bowing nobles, puzzled as to why the king had suddenly stopped, remained bent at the waist.
The flag that had been fluttering proudly drooped down, the booming sound of drums that had matched the march faded, and the ministers bowing before their lord remained motionless.
In the suffocating silence, it felt as though time had stopped. It was reminiscent of those moments when the writers would manipulate the passage of time on stage as they saw fit.
The only difference this time was that the moment was not tainted by the faded greyness of a world that had come to a halt.
The winter sky was cloudless, and the sunlight, just beginning to set, scattered a sizzling red hue. The colours in the scene were almost overwhelming. Soon, strands of intense light converged, casting an artificial spotlight.
The light collided with his fine blonde hair, spreading out in a rounded pattern, and Godric, standing in the courtyard of the ancient fortress, smiled like a figure painted in a holy image.
[Sub-writer 1: It's good to see you again… Isn't it?]
Despite hundreds of people remaining silent and bowing before him, Godric paid them no mind. It was as if that was the natural order of things. He acted as though it was his rightful place to dominate and subjugate others for a lifetime.
It seemed that even the ongoing scenario note didn't matter to him.
Was he so accustomed to being the writer that he dismissed the intricate stage, made of planks and thread, as just a shoddy background?
'Sigh… How troublesome.'
There was a long silence, but if things continued this way, people would start whispering and growing suspicious.
Reluctantly, I gave a slight nod, and Godric narrowed his eyes and smiled before finally taking a step forward. The drums, which had stopped, began to beat again. Only after the king took his seat on the prepared platform could the nobles lift their heads.
"It's been a while since we last met. I'm truly glad to see you all again."
Godric greeted his subjects with a gentle and kind demeanour. On the surface, his words and manner seemed as warm as spring sunlight, but there was nothing weak about him. The king smiled broadly and added:
"Such large events have been rare since the calamity. However, recently, the corrupt forces have been retreating, and the situation at the front has stabilized, allowing the traditions to be revived."
Then, Godric lowered his lashes in what seemed like a sorrowful gesture and expressed his condolences.
"It is thanks to the efforts of so many, but without the divine favour of the kingdom, it would have been impossible. Had Sir Leovald been here, I would have called on him to commend his contributions…"
'What a show…'
It was as if he was saying this to Leonardo.
To think that he could act so calmly after personally causing someone's death. Compared to the likes of Butier or Orlie, who had no talent for lying or acting, Godric was a born performer. If anything, he might have been better suited as an actor than a king.
I cast a quick glance at Godric, who was provoking everyone around him, then silently brushed the back of Leonardo's hand.
After the king's arrival, Leonardo had been tense, but now I held his hand and gently traced a small circle on the back of his hand with my thumb, offering some comfort. For him, living in a foreign body and facing the culprit of death time and time again must have been an unpleasant experience.
And then, a sudden realization hit me.
'…By the way, has the exact way in which Leovald was killed ever been revealed?'
Whether through the story or by Leovald's own account, there had never been a clear explanation. All we ever got was the vague statement that "Godric betrayed him first."
I hadn't even properly questioned it myself. I had hardly ever thought to ask. I had no knowledge of the method, the way it was done—no details whatsoever.
As I absentmindedly glanced at Leonardo, Godric's voice filled the space.
"Before revealing the details of the Great Hunt for the Leap Year—there is something I wish to show you."
With a flick of his hand, the attendants, thoroughly subordinated by
"Perhaps some of you have already heard the rumours. I issued a gag order to prevent unnecessary noise until it could be confirmed, but some things can't be hidden for long."
The attendants slowly emerged, holding something concealed by soft, glossy fabric. I felt a sudden tightness in my grip. Leonardo couldn't hide his discomfort, his veins visibly standing out from his neck.
'Leo?'
「…!」
He quickly relaxed his hand and let go, but I held on again and faced forward. In that moment of intentional silence, Godric pulled away the fabric.
What was revealed was a peculiar, obsidian-like sword. Its blade was jagged with small, saw-like teeth at the edges, and the hilt wasn't crafted in a traditional manner; it was simply wrapped tightly in leather, functional yet crude in design.
The sword was somewhat short, making it more suited for thrusting at close range rather than swinging.
Godric delicately ran his fingertips over the smooth blade. Pale skin glistened over the dark steel as the king himself gripped the weapon.
"Bring it forward."
At his command, the royal guards moved to bring something forward. It was a wooden wagon with wheels, and when the cloth was removed, everyone collectively held their breath.
Kii-iiik!
From behind the bars, a struggling monster emerged, thrashing violently.
Without hesitation, Godric walked toward the bars. Some nobles quickly shouted "Your Majesty!" in an attempt to stop him, but nothing could halt the king's progress.
What was even more bizarre, however, was that with every step Godric took, the creature retreated to the far side of the bars, as if trying to hide from him, as if fleeing from a fearful presence.
Finally, with a single graceful motion, Godric drove the blade between the bars and pierced the monster's head. The monstrous scream immediately ceased. With its final, anguished cry, the creature collapsed, motionless.
"My God… so easily!"
"I've heard that His Majesty excels in both martial and scholarly pursuits, but… I didn't expect this level of skill."
"That's not it. This blade…"
A ripple of murmurs spread through the nobles. Without a single command from Godric, the royal guards had already swiftly and efficiently retrieved the sword, returning it to the king.
Godric, with a soft smile, glanced around at the nobles.
"Did you all see that? The utility of dragonbone."
"…Dragonbone?"
With ease, Godric spun the blade and balanced it perfectly in one hand. His tone was like that of a scholar unveiling a new discovery, filled with excitement.
"We received reports a few months ago about the rising number of monstrous beasts. The royal family had already been taking great interest in the Vernis Mountain Range, the habitat of these creatures, and had been investigating the area. For a long time, the greatest threat to the kingdom had been the corrupted ones, but do you not recall that our first adversaries were the monsters?"
The dark blade began to slowly spin between the king's fingers.
"And this summer, a great downpour caused the soil of the Vernis Mountains to collapse. It was there, beyond the collapsed earth, that my knights found… I'm sure you can guess what."
With a sly smile, Godric gently placed the sword back onto the velvet lining and then drew another blade from his waist. This one was also dark in colour, but unlike the other, it was a ceremonial sword adorned with brilliant jewels and platinum.
"Except for this sword, which has been passed down through the royal family for generations, there were no swords made from dragonbone."
I can feel the tendons standing out on Leonardo's hand.
"However, we found the remains of the legendary evil dragon at the edge of the cliffs in the Vernis Mountain Range, and after restoring ancient records, we succeeded in processing them into weapons. Amazingly, weapons made from dragonbone proved highly effective against the monsters…"
Godric's gaze slowly moved over the crowd, briefly pausing on Leonardo and me. He smiled.
"In these perilous times, the discovery of the dragon's remains must surely be the will of the heavens. I believe it is the will of my late father, and so I revived the leap-year great hunt. Before the hunt begins, I intend to distribute weapons made from dragonbone."
Excited murmurs spread among the nobles. As soon as Godric finished speaking, the royal guards brought heavy crates, set them down in the middle of the square, and opened the lids.
Though there weren't enough to distribute to the entire hunt group, there were more than enough weapons for the gathered nobles.
I hear Leonardo's small, troubled whisper in my ear.
「This is bothering me.」
Then, Godric opened his hand gently. The weapons with black blades reflected the sunset light, sizzling like heated iron, casting a red glow. His amber eyes gleamed with a similar hue.
"This is a gift, intended for the safe return of all," he said, his tone warm and gracious.
My gaze remained fixed on the box. I knew that unless I was a 'character'—which I clearly was not—my ability to perceive things like the
But if that's dragonbone…
The bones of a dragon, a part of its body…
Perhaps, just perhaps…
The thought crossed my mind that my abilities might actually work on it.
[Attempting to view information about the designated entity.][The rank of the designated entity is higher than the caster's, so most of the information is unavailable.]
Then, a rare notification appeared, one I hadn't seen since I was promoted to a supporting role. The screen flickered with stained text, one by one, revealing cryptic details.
[Attempting to view information.]
Rank – ■■ (Scenario weight ■■.■%)
Role – Vernis, the Evil Dragon
Script – [Leovald's foe], [■■■■■■■...]
Dialogue – None[Unique ability