Volume 6 Chapter 13 To The Capital With Cain
Cain's eyes sparkled with pure excitement as he stared out the window.
"There's no way such an incredible golem exists — the 'hero's master' must be truly amazing!"
The roaring rush of the iron box racing ahead was a clear sign of how far their civilization had come.
For anyone with a curious mind, the noisy hum and steady thunder of the engine were an endless source of thrill.
Inside, the space was far more comfortable than a horse-drawn carriage. Every magical appliance felt top-notch — as if the entire vehicle was a marvel of engineering and enchantment combined.
Cain spoke again, his voice full of awe.
"Even though we're moving, this is way more comfortable than when I was in the royal capital."
Rivela, nibbling on her cheesecake, nodded with agreement, clearly sharing his excitement.
"Yeah, after the Blood Duel Cup, I honestly don't think I could live without this kind of ride. It's just that good."
"By the way, Ms. Rangella used this during her journey to defeat the Demon Lord, right?"
Cain asked. Rivela replied thoughtfully.
"Back then, it wasn't as powerful as this one, but even so, it was far more comfortable than a normal carriage."
Cain grinned.
"I get it. For adventurers, the body is everything, so being comfortable on the road matters a lot."
Rivela chuckled softly.
"More than just on the road... it was even more comfortable inside this than staying at an inn."
Cain shook his head in disbelief.
"The difference in technology is just insane..."
Rivela smirked.
"Well, yeah, when you put it that way, it's pretty convincing."
Whether called an iron box or a camping carriage, to Rangella and the others, it was their mobile base.
Originally, this vehicle was managed by Tiaris — whose official title wasn't "head maid" but "chief of the mobile base."
For the Luster Report team, this iron box was huge — thanks to it, no one got sick or hurt on their long journey. That much was certain.
* * *
Cain's voice lowered, filled with wonder.
"...You guys traveled the world on this and defeated the Demon Lord. I've stayed in a remote village with my younger brother until recently, and when I was called to the royal capital, I barely knew anything about the world."
Rivela tilted her head slightly, curious.
"Not knowing about the world is one thing, but you've never led troops, despite being the Knight Order Commander?"
Cain's smile faded a little.
Rivela's tone became more serious.
"Is that really okay? There haven't been wars between nations these last ten or so years, but monster outbreaks happen often. Not leading troops in that time sounds like a real problem."
Rangella's voice cut in, matching the conversation's weight.
"In theory, it's the same as Ms. Rivela's situation. No matter how many monsters appear, if one person can wipe them out alone, safety can be guaranteed."
Rivela frowned but nodded in agreement.
Though she was an SS-rank Adventurer and the leader of the island-wide community 'Muspelheim,' Rivela was still only eighteen years old.
Her 'soldiers' were the Adventurers she managed on the island, but she had little experience actually commanding them in battle.
That didn't matter much, though.
The Great Flame Sword Surtr she wielded gave her an overwhelming power — enough to destroy entire armies of monsters on her own.
If she could wipe out a massive threat at once, she guaranteed safety for everyone.
But that meant something else entirely.
Rivela's sharp gaze met Cain's.
"So, Cain. You're saying you're 'equal' to me. To be equal to an SS-rank Adventurer like me, and considering you've been stuck in a village all this time... you haven't even properly swung a sword, have you? What do you think about that?"
Cain paused, thinking carefully.
"I believe I can win against Ms. Rivela."
Rivela raised an eyebrow, amused.
"Oh? You're quite confident."
Declaring you can defeat an SS-rank Adventurer right in front of one? That takes guts.
Sumeragi, calmly eating udon with dipping sauce nearby, spoke up.
"Well, if you don't believe you can win here, what's the point of joining the Blood Duel Cup? Officially, only one winner is crowned, and the Diamante Kingdom hosts the event."
"True," another voice added.
"If the Knight Order Commander fights and loses badly, it's a shame for everyone. Then, it's natural that someone with real skill gets chosen."
Sumeragi smiled wryly.
"I'm not sure how much His Majesty is thinking about all this, but it's probably something like that."
Why Valzeil decided Cain would participate? That was a mystery.
Being Knight Order Commander didn't always mean being the absolute strongest.
What mattered most was leadership and charisma.
In times of crisis, they could pull strong Adventurers from nearby branches.
Maintaining friendly relations with those Adventurers was part of the job.
For a long time, the Blood Duel Cup wasn't held, but sometimes the Knight Order Commander didn't show up.
Instead, a promising swordsman from the knights was sent to compete.
Because it was an event to decide the true strongest, sometimes it meant the Knight Order Commander of the host country would lose — a hard truth to accept.
Handling the public's feelings in such cases was difficult.
Sumeragi shrugged.
"It's rare for the Knight Order Commander to participate. The Blood Duel Cup hasn't happened many times, and this is probably the first time the Commander shows up at its restart."
Rivela laughed softly.
"Sumeragi, you may look young, but you sure know a lot about the past."
Sumeragi smirked.
"Heh, that's just how it is."
By the way, Rivela didn't know Sumeragi was the 'God of Iron-Cutting.'
Though the names of the 'Five Divine Gods' and their titles were well-known, their actual names weren't.
God of Provisions Arzent. God of Sealing Shildress.
Even if their nicknames were common, saying their real names aloud didn't carry much impact.
So even an SS-rank Adventurer, leader of an entire island's community, might not know the full story of the Five Divine Gods.
But that was a topic best left for another time.
Cain sighed and spoke thoughtfully.
"There are many forces at play in the world. One of the biggest was Ms. Rangella's journey to defeat the Demon Lord... Come to think of it, I heard the Demon Lord's power attracts men, but not women, right?"
Rivela shook her head.
"The Demon Lord is very beautiful, but she doesn't have that kind of charm."
Rangella frowned in thought.
"Then why didn't Ms. Rivela take on the Demon Lord herself? The Great Flame Sword Surtr is rumored to be extremely powerful..."
Rivela's expression darkened.
"Of course, there are reasons."
She began to explain with a hint of resignation.
"The biggest feature of the Great Flame Sword Surtr is its ability to control explosive flames freely. Those flames are basically impossible to block with any defense."
Rangella blinked.
"Impossible to block?"
Rivela nodded.
"Yes. Surtr is equipped with advanced analysis magic — very precise and wide-ranging. This magic lets it create flames that no defense can stop... Do you understand so far?"
Rangella smiled.
"I think I know where this is going."
Rivela looked at her, surprised.
"Eh? What do you mean? Explain, please."
At that moment, Horace stepped in.
"When they say 'advanced analysis magic,' it means the core of this magic involves 'male will.'"
Rangella raised an eyebrow.
"I heard that once the Great Flame Sword Surtr wants to unleash flames, it can do so instantly. That means the analysis magic is always active. So if a Demon Lord appears near the island, would Surtr recognize it and stop working?"
"Well, what happens if the analysis isn't finished, you said? Do the flames go wild, maybe?"
Rivela didn't reveal all details about the Great Flame Sword Surtr yet but said,
"But it definitely affects the future of Muspelheim."
Horace gave a small smile.
"Your reasoning is impressive."
Rivela chuckled dryly.
"Horace, you tend to create things that make no sense, so I had to sharpen my reasoning skills just to keep up."
Horace grinned.
"Sounds like Mr. Ivan's just unlucky."
Rivela shot him a glare.
"Don't say that with a smile."
Laughing at the tangled history and stories around the Demon Lord, the group pressed on toward the royal capital.
Character Notes:
• Cain - A 14-year-old beautiful boy with short, light purple hair. Newly appointed Commander of the Diamante Kingdom Knight Order. Highly talented and efficient, tasked with managing the 'Forest of Souls' dungeon and participating in the Blood Duel Cup. Twin brother of Abel.
• Rivela - Leader of 'Muspelheim' and wielder of the 'Great Flame Sword Surt.' She is 18 years old, energetic, and a participant in the Blood Duel Cup. She earned the nickname 'Unscalable' for creating a huge wall of flames during a monster rampage.
• Ran - A silver-haired, busty, and beautiful young girl with a dominating spirit. She is one of the 'Four Source Maidens' and is deeply affected by her mother's disappearance.
• Tiaris - Blonde, busty maid with a charming smile. Manages the mansion, prepares Horace's workspace, and works independently. Grateful for being raised by Horace, dedicates herself to serving him.
• Sumeragi - One of the Five Divine Gods, known as the 'God of Iron-Slicing.' He introduces himself with a pleasant smile and seems to have a purpose in meeting Horace.
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