darklydivergent

No matter how many drinks I had, I just couldn’t get drunk. Even so, my head was still spinning enough to make me sick.

Licking my lips, I let out a sinful laugh. Playing up being drunk, it was easy to link arms with my companion and cling tightly to them.

Despite being a citizen of the West Country, this man who said he was close to Nicholas was fairly unassuming and quiet.

He looked at me scornfully when I repeated my badmouthing of Nicholas. ‘Oh…he’s a good guy,’ was all I could think.

It was nice to see this man definitely liked Nicholas a ton, even as a foreign soldier.

I wanted to ask about the two of them, but still hung up on my bad-mouthing, he’d started complaining about Nicholas’ situation.


Nicholas’ friend: Nicholas just gave in to depression. It was like he came from the East, not Central.

Nicholas’ friend: Apparently his life along with all of his honor was finished. And it was mostly all because of that contest.

Cain: A contest?

Nicholas’ friend: You-how do you not know? A young knight from the countryside, he said, was hastily made to fight against him.


I was quiet and just listened to him talk. Most likely, that young knight….is me.


Nicholas’ friend: I heard he was a talented young man, and someone in the royal court just suddenly had him participate.

Nicholas’ friend: Well, a little, um, it was like something to create some spectacle, make an example maybe. No one thought he’d be able to win against Nicholas.

Nicholas’ friend: But Nicholas lost. To someone who was in his teens. And that’s when his life was changed forever.

Nicholas’ friend: The idea of their esteemed general losing to some kid was a terrible look for the Central authorities.

Nicholas’ friend: So, Nicholas was driven from his position as the general, and suddenly ordered to study magic science, which is what brought him to the West Country.

Nicholas’ friend: It was like they were replacing old, sullied bits of a machine for new ones, tearing him out and throwing the scraps away.

Nicholas’ friend: He was passionate about studying magic science, but he never really looked happy.

Cain: Oh, really……


I muttered this while maintaining an uncaring facade, but in the depths of my heart, I was horribly shaken.

Had I….really caused such a disgrace to Nicholas? Did I steal away the honor from a man I respected?

Then, was that why Nicholas went to that extent, summoning the moon and declaring he’d been completely ruined?

But what was I supposed to do in that situation? Lose on purpose??


Cain: (If…if Nicholas…)

Cain: (If that’s how it would’ve turned out for Nicholas, maybe I should have. He was kind and considerate-and he would’ve hated stealing away someone’s honor.)

Cain: (I was so caught up in challenging someone strong and wanting to test my strength…that I didn’t think about anything like honor.)

Cain: (In the first place, why would you lose your honor just for losing a fight? You just go back to training, and win the next one.)

Cain: (I was just happy in my own triumph, not looking down on you. Nicholas….)

Cain: (I admired you so much. I was still just a kid on the other end of the sword, you bowing your head and thanking me as an equal….)

Cain: (In spite of everything, I could never forget what happened on that day.)

Nicholas’ friend: You look terrible. Are you okay?

Cain: Yeah…no, actually, I’d like a little water….

Nicholas’ friend: Okay, I’ll call for the waiter. So where were we?

Cain: …Um, coming to the West Country….

Nicholas’ friend: Oh right. Well, since he was supposed to come to the West Country, his engagement was called off.

Cain: Engagement?

Nicholas’ friend: Yeah, he was supposed to marry a noble’s daughter, but I heard that he voluntarily ended it.

Nicholas’ friend: Because, well, the ex-general studying magic science was essentially a demotion.


My head was spinning. Without waiting for the water to be brought, I drained my glass in one go.

The eye that Owen had forcibly inserted in my head became hot and began throbbing in pain.


Nicholas’ friend: That’s why I was relieved when I saw Nicholas together with a new lover.

Cain: Lover….?

Nicholas’ friend: Yeah, a beautiful, distinguished looking woman. She had pale skin and hair…I wonder how she is doing now.

Cain: Do you know this lady’s name?

Nicholas’ friend: No, never caught it. I only know that after, he went on a trip to Borda Island with that woman.

Cain: Borda Island…..the tourist attraction in the West Country?

Nicholas’ friend: Well, it didn’t seem like only tourism. The woman was a scholar and seemed to be investigating Adams Island or something.

Nicholas’ friend: He was told Adams Island was an island that was sunk by wizards several hundreds of years ago.

Nicholas’ friend: Nicholas didn’t seem like he knew anything about Borda Island or any of that. Just…

Nicholas’ friend: He said if everything went well, his wish would be answered, and he could finally be able to begin a new life.


What Nicholas wished for……

I had heard it from Owen. He had wanted to become a wizard.

He was driven out of his position as the knights’ General, and the true form of the knight that had caused all of this, was a wizard…..

Whatever he thought about it, he sounded eager to become a wizard himself.

A dark feeling spread through me from the depths of my heart. Suddenly, my companion leaned in close, and whispered in my ear.


Nicholas’ friend: Hey…aren’t you fed up with it too? Central’s way of doing things.

Nicholas’ friend: ‘For the sake of the country’ they tout, ripping your knight’s honor away from you like you are weeds, it’s utterly ridiculous.


Yes, you surely got it in one. A hot, terrible feeling now surged up from the bottom of my chest.

He looked like he wanted praise for his righteousness, and then took me by the shoulders to shake me.


Nicholas’ friend: I’m also a military guy. I can understand your frustration and bitter feelings well. You must not give rise to a second Nicholas.

Nicholas’ friend: Am I wrong?

Cain: No, no, you got it.

Nicholas’ friend: Then we should make a change-for the glory of the Central Country’s hero.

Nicholas’ friend: I can tell you want to try and change the system from within. However, I can give you a chance to change it from the outside.

Nicholas’ friend: The current Central regent Vincent is deeply sympathetic to the West Country’s course of action.

Nicholas’ friend: I’m trying to gather similar-minded comrades for this goal. Would you like to join?


I shut my mouth tight before I could say anything stupid. The flow of the conversation had clearly changed there somewhere in the middle.


Cain: (Is his intention..to seduce me into being a spy?)


‘Give me a break’, I wanted to say. Maybe even a little while ago that might have been what I replied with.

But I remembered Owen’s words. No one here would open their hearts to an honest man.

It was only after demanding a bribe had they started listening to me.


Cain: (I’m in no mood to degrade myself even further as a ‘traitor’. If I step even once over this threshold, I might never again be able to regain my honor.)

Cain: (No…I’ve already lost my honor a long time ago. On top of that….)

Cain: (The only thing I can do to help that Oz can’t already, is this. There’s no other choice.)

Cain: (Nothing else I can do for Arthur and Central’s sake-)

Cain: (Other than….this.)

Cain: Well, why not….

Cain: Why don’t you tell me more?

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