The Sword Of Salvation
Ch. 5 — Et Cetera

MARIEL looked at the six individuals before her with the two slightly wet temples. Selena sits right on the sofa in front of her (separated glass table), while her five men stand faithfully behind the girl. And they were all in his room!

How could they enter even if he had locked the room door?

The answer is simple: Status.

Only status.

Selena used her status as a great nobleman and nephew of King Arthur IV to ask for a spare key on the grounds of interrogating suspicious individuals. Although this inn was quite elite, there was no way the owner would dare to refuse the request of a member of the royal family, especially if it was related to the benefits of the kingdom.

If Mariel thought about it, wouldn't he be too unlucky today? Not enough has he almost become a victim of Demon Philia, and now he has to deal with these people? Did Lukhiel leave a curse item inside the cave before he left?

Mariel sighed softly and wished Selena was really serious when she said she just wanted to talk.

If until she wanted a second battle and invited her five men to attack, Mariel had no option but to escape from the window. The five people behind Selena (especially Ferguso) look pretty strong. Facing the five of them (six with Selena) will at once end in defeat.

He could finish them off by keeping them apart. However, realizing that they had seen her power, Mariel hesitated to be able to separate them easily. And he also does not want to be responsible for the damage that will occur; there is no other option but to escape if Selena intends to mess around. But knowing Selena's character, it doesn't seem like she's lying.

“Why are you so tense? I told you, I don't want to gang up and force you to be my man. I just want to talk. Besides, I owe you dinner, right?”

“Tense? No; I'm just being vigilant. Nobles were hard to hold onto his words, let alone him carrying such a troublesome bodyguard. But, I will consider you different for a moment. So?”

“Oh, I'm obviously different.” Selena flicked her bangs with her right hand, wide arched lips knitting a smile full of pride. “So,” starts a moment later, “I have another offer for you. This is different from the two previous offers; more times offers give you freedom.”

“I listened.”

Mariel had no intention of accepting any offers from Selena. He has decided what to do. While adventuring in search of the Tower of Babel with Lukhiel, he would become a mercenary to earn money. No matter how strong a person is, money is always necessary to survive. Being a mercenary would earn him income without any attachments.

But there is no harm in listening. Although the decision will not change, perhaps the offer is attractive.

“I want you to be my personal bodyguard,” explained Selena seriously. “Different from the five of them, I won't tell you to do this job. Your job is to stay by my side and ensure my safety. Ah, this is no different from being a knight of a princess/prince, but this has nothing to do with the kingdom. How?”

Mariel looked at Selena without any glare. “Are you just looking for an excuse to keep me by your side?” her tan was accompanied by a mysterious smile. “I know I'm strong, charming, brilliant, beautiful, cool, and the best young man you can meet. But aren't you being too brave? I feel a sharp look from behind you.”

“Ha-ha-ha-ha. You're funny.”

“It too!” timpal Mariel confirms the girl. “Maybe all the positive things that can attract the passion of the women are in me, but let's put that reality aside. So, that's your offer?”

“True. Regarding the payment, we can discuss it later. The most important thing is your answer first.”

“My job is just to continue to be next to you and ensure your safety?”

Selena nodded.

“Always?”

Selena nodded back.

“Means not free?”

“Ah...free in the sense that you will not be tied to the kingdom. You'll also have a very light job. I'm strong, so you almost don't have to bother yourself. You can even sleep or laze while at work. Free, right?”

“...That's interesting.”

“So?” Selena's expression became brighter, her eyes looking expectantly. “You ready?”

If she really had a certain motive, Mariel could not think of anything other than the auction that she had put out in the beginning. However, there was no way the joke could be more than a joke. Selena is just looking for an excuse to keep Mariel by her side? That's a real joke. Except.he wanted to watch Mariel for the sake of finding the weakness of his ability.

However, putting aside whatever the reason, Mariel's answer was clear from the start.

“ Disappointing a girl as strong and charming as you will hurt any man, but with a heavy heart I must refuse. I've decided, if being part of the Sterminatore is less than promising, I'll become a mercenary. More than that, I want to explore the world.”

The brightness on Selena's face disappeared. “What is impossible to convince you?” tanyanya tried to beat the teenager.

“Why do you look so wanted?”

“You have defeated me with abilities I never imagined, so I want to look for your weaknesses. I don't like to lose; if I lose I will try to pay it back. After I defeat you, I will force you to be mine.”

“Ah...so you want me?”

“Of course. You're the best young man ever!”

…Mariel joked when he praised himself. Everyone knows it's a joke. However, hearing this girl's confident remark, it was likely that she took Mariel seriously. Or maybe, even though he knew Mariel was joking, he thought Mariel was in line with what he was duplicating?

Partly Mariel believed, but some demanded her to be vigilant. Women's seduction is very dangerous, especially if stray from their mouths that have a charming face. It could be that Mariel had been in it without her noticing. Perhaps it was a strategy to overthrow him from the peak of glory, as it had been for great men in the past.

Okay, looks like I should stop paying attention to that warning. If I continue to consider women dangerous, how can I get a wife?

Wait, wait, isn't he too young to think about it?

Seems like he has read too much about women, don't you think?

It's Lukhiel's fault.

“Mariel..?”

Mariel took a long breath. It seemed that he indeed needed to learn from a hermit to be able to control his thoughts. As before, why did he run away from Demon Philia when he himself was recognized as strong by the Primordial Devil Lukhiel? It doesn't make any sense. He is like a man without a brain.

Even if he could be made desperate, there was a Sterminatore that would definitely move as the sound of their fight spread out. Running is a far-reaching decision from the word “tepat”. The fear of unreasonable things really made him a fool.

Mariel gnashing. This is no good. Maybe he should stop trying to be someone who behaves according to circumstances. That's not very good. His mind was not really trained for it. If he forced himself to become like a manipulator and sociopath, the events like before would repeat themselves: he became controlled by his own mind.

Thas right. You just have to be yourself in every situation. Being yourself makes your mind sharper. He also did not need to go to a hermit. Being yourself can make a person more powerful in self-control.

But perhaps, this effect of never interacting with anyone other than Lukhiel?

“Mariel, yes! You mende—”

“Mariel Allvar,” cut Mariel. “My name is Mariel Allvar, but you can still call me Mariel.”

“Huh?”

“To be honest, I haven't interacted with anyone in a long time. This is my first time out of the woods. You know that cliff that's the real boundary between Camelot and Neiracia? I fell from there. To be exact, I was dropped from there after escaping from the mercenaries. I lived a long time near that cliff. So, when you suddenly talked to me earlier, I didn't know how to behave. That's not who I really am.”

“I'm not strong,” continued Mariel. “I'm not charming, not brilliant, not beautiful, not cool, and certainly not the best young man you can meet. I'm just a regular guy, nothing more. An amazing woman like you doesn't deserve to show interest in someone like me. After all, I am from Neiracia. You might get in trouble if you want me as a personal bodyguard, let alone more than that.”

Mariel let her lips curl thinly.

He has said what needs to be said. He has mak—hm..what character is that? Has he behaved naturally, behaving as he normally does? Is his attitude still mixed? Has he confused himself?

“Are you not willing to accept my offer until you say such nonsense?” selena asked with an expression that said she had just seen the worst comedian in history.

It was not only Selena who looked at him that way, the five bodyguards of Selana as well. Even one of them looked at him as if his head had grown two. What did he just say was so obvious his nonsense? That doesn't look natural?

If so, he had previously acted naturally? Is that his natural attitude? It is not behaving as sociopaths and big class manipulators behave, but it is a natural attitude? He's not trying to be someone else?

In that case, the fear towards Demon Philia was not due to her uncontrollable thoughts? Excessive interest (as well as caution) in pure women comes from him? That is, his attitude had indeed been broken from the beginning?

It's Lukhiel's fault, press Mariel inwardly.

“What's up? You can't reply?”

“Kukira I am not shrewd in lying,” said Mariel accompanied by a long breath. “What can I do,” he continued, “I will be frank. I can't fulfill your request because I want to explore the world. Being a member of Sterminatore or a mercenary will make me free in fulfilling it.”

“It just so happens that I'm the same!” exclaim Selena with energetic. “I also need to travel around the world to find Miss Merlin. Ah, but I will only do so after a year of being part of the Round Table Knights. Oh, how about this?!”

“Begin how?”

“I accept your refusal now, but later after I start exploring the world to find Miss Merlin you must be willing. Your wish is fulfilled, my wish is too. Hows it? Very fair solution, right?”

The way Selena says that's a very fair solution is convincing. People with blunt minds will nod in agreement and praise the girl's understanding. But it's very clear that it's still a compulsion. This woman was unwilling to accept rejection, and she did so in a quite elegant manner.

However, as they both knew, Selena would not be able to become part of the Round Table Knights until she was seventeen. And it was obviously impossible for him to cut off Lukhiel's head. So, giving him a satisfactory answer won't be a problem. Because, as long as they do not set foot in Pendragon when the time comes, they will not meet. This deal will be free.

“Alright,” Mariel replied after almost half a minute. “I agree with what you said, but only if you want to answer my question.”

“And that question?”

“Which is stronger among Excalibur, Caliburn, and Rhongomyniad?”

Written information about holy weapons is limited to their names and legends only—excludes even unnamed “Sword of Salvation”. Getting details about their form is also difficult, but not impossible (Lukhiel has it). However, their abilities? There is no written information; only word of mouth.

“Do you think?” ask Selena back, but she says: “I want to hear what you think is most powerful, then I answer.”

“If I think, the strongest Excalibur. But, Rhongomyniad caught my attention.”

Selena smiled at Mariel's reply. “Your answer is not wrong,” is clear. “From attack point of view, Excalibur is strongest. In terms of flexibility, Caliburn is number one. However, in terms of defense, the Rhongomyniad is best. You ever hear of the mysterious Tower of Babel?”

Mariel nodded.

“That's Rhongomyniad,” Further Selena. “Rhongomyniad originally shaped a small spear like a key toy. The spear can be changed into any shape. In the past Emperor Arthur often made it a shield, so the defense is called the strongest.”

Mariel smiled then nodded slowly. He actually wanted to ask more details, but the sharp views of the five Selena men were really disturbing. Mariel was worried that they would feel she had ulterior motives if she asked further.

“That's a very useful ability.”

“I want to take back the spear from Miss Merlin's hand.”

Mariel could tell that Merlin was entitled to the spear after giving so much help to Emperor Arthur. Moreover, weren't all the weapons of the Emperor Arthur Merlin? Has Camelot forgotten that fact? Or, taking back the Rhongomyniad is only Selena's personal wish?

“In addition, is there anything else you need to talk about?” mariel— asked completely ignoring what was passing through her head.

“If we have agreed, it means I'm su—oooh! We still haven't talked about dinner! I owe you dinner at Pendragon!”

Ah, yes, about dinner. Mariel actually intended to charge it before leaving Camelot. But now he changed his mind. He doesn't know what Lukhiel is doing, but he'll take him away after returning to gua—it assumes he didn't meet him first.

“...You can delay paying it until then.”

“Oh, a reason to meet? How brilliant of a way you.”

Of course not, but it would be troublesome if he explained. Mariel only responded with a small smile as she pointed at the room door with her right hand. “If you don't mind,” said, “now I want to rest myself. Please take your men through that door and close it from the outside. No objection, right?“

Various reactions that lead to annoyance were shown by the five subordinates of Selena, but the boss smiled comfortedly.

“Sure,” says Selena. “I'll be here again with dinner.”