“That guy´s height is not good. That one is too bulky. This one is a bit too old…”

Al was resting by the side of one of the main roads connecting the various countries. This road was somewhat far from the capital. Here was where many other roads converged, connecting all those roads to the capital. Somewhat near the place, Al was observing the people pa.s.sing by, being there in the pretense of taking a rest.

He had already bought new clothes from a peddler during his way. The peddler made an ugly face when he saw Al, but even money stinking like s.h.i.+t was money. It wasn´t like it was impossible for it to be used. The peddler still made a sour face though.

“There really isn´t anyone with the traits I need. I can´t be impatient with this, but if their appearances continue to be unmatching, I might need to change my plans a bit.”

Losing a bit of his confidence, Al´s expression became clouded.

“Yeah. I guess there is no other way… Hm?”

A certain person entered in Al´s sight.

“Stature, body shape, age; all the requirements fit perfectly. The rest is up to his nationality, I guess. Right now, I already forgot how many people had it been, but well, let´s check it out.”

Standing up, he started to walk behind the person he spotted.

“Yah, nice to meet you. Could I borrow your fire?”

Having suddenly been talked to, the young man looked at the person who called for him with surprised eyes. He probably understood that those words were being directed to him, but it seems he didn´t catch what that person was talking about.

“….? Ah… I, still, word, difficult.”

“Uhm… Where are you from?”

In response to that, saying as few words as possible, the person slowly spoke.

“…Rus.h.i.+tania.”

The young man guessed he was being asked about where he came from. Hence, the young man answered that. However, the young man didn´t think that the person would know about the name of his country. The traveller who asked him the question would definitely become confused. When the young man was about to sigh…

“”It seems you´ve been traveling for a long time. Welcome to Arcadia.””

“!?”

Suddenly being talked to in his mother language, the young man became the one surprised instead.

“I´ve also been doing some traveling myself, so I am more or less familiar with other languages. Ah, what I asked before was whether I could borrow your fire.”

“H-here it is.”

The young man was surprised. Rus.h.i.+tania was a place located between many other countries. Moreover, it was a small country that couldn´t be compared to one of the seven kingdoms, Arcadia. It was already surprising just by having someone that knows of its existence, but to have someone from outside speaking its language was outside of any expectations.

“Ah, it is very incredible for someone of about the same age as me to be traveling around for so long.”

“No, I´m not that much great. Besides, I think you are much more incredible for being that much proficient in another language at my age.”

“I think Rus.h.i.+tania is much more famous than you give credit. Their wooden handicrafts are very famous among the n.o.bles here, and Rus.h.i.+tania is also many levels ahead in medicine when compared to other countries. It is an amazing country that is incredible at the field of forging, making swords that can´t be compared with the ones of other countries.”

The young man was little by little becoming more open about the traveller, who was now smiling.

“Yes, now that I think of it, I didn´t introduce myself, right? My name is Norman. And yours?”

“Willian. Nice to meet you, Norman-san.”

The young man called Willian now completely dropped his guard  The man called Norman was someone that possessed a strange charm. The fact they were around the same age played a big role too. In either case, Willian already started to think that Norman and himself were a nice match.

“Why is Norman-san traveling?”

“Right. I wanted to see the vast world, so I went on a journey. However, it isn´t easy. Because I had it difficult for getting money to eat, I´ve been doing a bit of a “treasure hunting” sort of stuff, ahaha.”

“Treasure hunting!? That´s awesome! Could you let me hear some of your stories!?”

With how Willian was biting the bait, Norman gave a smile. Seeming like Willian became a bit embarra.s.sed about what he was asking, his face became a bit blushed.

“I don´t mind.   …Right. There was one time I was at one of the seven kingdoms…”

The two talked with each other through the whole night. Becoming good friends, after a few days pa.s.sed, they already decided they would be travelling together to the capital.

A carriage pa.s.sed by the side. Suddenly, Willian glanced at Norman´s head.

“By the way, Norman. Why do you use a bandana?”

Both of them had already dropped any honorifics and already deepened their friends.h.i.+p by calling each other by their names.

“There are many people with white hair. It makes me lose my appeal.”(TL note: 白髪が多いんですよ. It is definitely written that there are many people with white hair. I guess the logic is that it is so common it becomes boring to have it. Even so, I have a bit of the feeling it is the other way around and that the author put many instead of few…. Maybe not? .-.)

“Having white hair at young age… In my country, it is said that having white hair at young age is a sign of healthiness. It is also said that people with red hair like me is a sign of luck.”

“Hou, this is the first time I´ve heard of that. I wonder if I should take off my bandana the day I am travelling to Rus.h.i.+tania.”

“When the time comes, I will show you the place around myself.”

“I will be in your care when I do so.”

At that time, Willian was certain. He was certain that he was going to be able to get to the capital of Arcadia safe and sound. The reason for that was because he was able to make such a good friend.

“I wonder if we can already be considered friends.”

“To me, you already became my friend long ago.”

Willian showed a broad smile with those words.

The night was still cold at this season. The two were close to the fire, pulling through the coldness.

“I have a fiancee. I wanted to become a man worthy of her, so I came all my way here. I will definitely rise in the world, and then, I will triumphantly return to my home. This is my dream.”

Willian started to talk. He was sitting at the other side of the bonfire.

“She said she would only marry with a strong man. That´s why I decided to come here. But even so, that girl… Right when I was about to depart, she started crying. She was telling me not to go and so on. Isn´t this kind of selfish? But I am happy that I am loved. Now, all I need to do is raise military achievements!”

“Willian, is your family wealthy?

Willian started to ponder for a bit.

“Hm, well, I guess it is more to the rich side, but it is nothing compared to the people from the seven kingdoms; the place I live is only a boring place filled with forests and mountains.”

“I see. I want to go have a look there one day.”

“You should come! I will always give you a warm welcome!”

Their conversation started to become lively. Soon, they would arrive at the royal capital. But even so, Willian wasn´t anxious about that. This kind of feeling had vanished a long time ago. Everything was thanks to his friend, Norman.

Those days they had been travelling together were soon going to be over. They were going to arrive at the capital tomorrow at the afternoon.

At that night, Willian was feeling a bit lonely.

“Would it be fine if I went there just for a moment?”

“Where are you going to?”

Norman suddenly stood up.

“Well, it´s that “treasure hunter” thing. Apparently, there is a bandit treasure buried under a certain tree at that forest. The bandits had already been executed in another country, and it is said that only their treasure remains.”

Willian´s eyes started to sparkle. It could be said that he was overflowing with interest.

“Do you want to come with me?”

“Yes!”

Hearing Willian´s answer, Norman showed a smile.

Distancing themselves from the road, the two of them went towards the forest. Obviously, there weren´t any humans pa.s.sing by at that place; it was a place ruled by the darkness of the night.

“It should be here. I will need to dig for quite a bit, so please wait I am digging.”

Taking out all the equipment for digging, Norman stuck the spade into the ground. The sound of the ground being dug could be heard. Without putting a considerable amount of strength, it wouldn´t be possible to dig the wet earth.

“Fuoh, it´s really tough.”

Norman seemed tired. Seeing that, Willian, who had only been watching Norman, now stood up.

“I can help you too. Let me do it, Norman.”

“Thank you very much. Let´s take turns then.”

Willian started to dig. He was surprisingly doing well.

“It´s because I´ve been playing at the mountains since I was a kid. I am very good at these kind of things.”

Willian continued to dig using an incredible amount of strength. In contrast, Norman

“By the way, Willian. Did you leave your luggage at the bonfire?”

“Dig dig*… No, I brought the important things here just in case.”(TL note: えっほえっほ I don´t know how to translate this. It looks like this is the sound you do when you are doing labor stuff, I dunno. Kind of like heave-ho, I guess? .-.  I tried to put the SFX of the moaning* you would do when doing those kind of rough labor work, but they all seemed weird -.-)

“Hohoh, and what do you mean by saying “important things”?”

“Dig dig*, hmm… Obviously money, but also the sword my father has forged for me, and also my identification doc.u.ments. I am going to need those three to be able to live here after all.”

“Oh, could I have a look at the sword forged by someone from Rus.h.i.+tania, the kingdom of blacksmiths?”

“I don´t mind. By the way, until when am I supposed to keep digging?”

“Only a bit more.”

Rummaging through the luggage, Norman found the sword. After finding a certain paper lying next to it, the corners of his mouth rose.

“Dig dig*… Still not yet?”

“Not yet. Oh, that is very nice. It is a very beautiful sword.”

The blade of the sword shone right after it was drawn from its scabbard. How much money was it necessary to get your hands on a sword like this in Arcadia? Except for n.o.bles, it would be impossible to have a sword like this. The combination of beauty and toughness charmed Norman.

“Isn´t that right!? My father isn´t good at using swords, but he is first-rate at making them. By the way, is this still not enough? I´ve already dug a lot. Isn´t it perhaps at another place?”

Digging and digging; even after digging a hole a person could fit in, there was no treasure to be found.

“No, there shouldn´t be any mistake. It certainly should be a bit deeper there.”

“Is that so? A place someone has dug before should be supposed to be a bit easier to dig though. Sorry Norman, I am a bit tired now. Is it fine for us to change turns now?”

Willian said to Norman, who was standing behind him.

“Yes, alright. Let´s change turns.”

Willian was about to turn his head and give the spade to Norman, but…

“From now on and forever, right.”

At Willian´s stomach, there was a beautiful silvery s.h.i.+ne. It was the product of many his father´s drops of sweat. And that was now piercing through Willian. He couldn´t understand. He couldn´t understand the misfortune he had fell into…

“Wh-why?”

Willian was staggering. The viscous blood was dripping from the blade.

“Why did Norman…?”

Willian couldn´t believe Normal had stabbed him. He believed he was his friend. He believed they had become best friends. Even though he had alread

“Haha, Norman, is it? To begin with, my name isn´t Norman.”

The young man named Norman took off his bandana. It was a silky and smooth white as chalk hair. Perhaps, the s.h.i.+ne of the moonlight being reflected on that white hair would normally be thought as beautiful. However, right now, the only impression it gave was of fear. Coupled together with the expression of the young man…

“My name is Willian. I will be taking it from you. Be happy, your name will spread through the world and your existence will reach the top of Arcadia. I will be raising all the military merits. And for that, you will need to die.”

The white haired man thrusted the sword at Willian. That which was made for the sake of protecting Willian was now easily cutting through his body. His right arm was cut off.

“I don´t understand what you are saying! We were friends! Was all that meaningnessssss!?”

Willian shouted. However, his voice wouldn´t reach anyone. n.o.body lived in this forest. And besides that, they were far away from the road. Willian´s lamentations wouldn´t reach out to anybody. Not even to the man in front of his eyes…

“Friends and friends, you say? No, maybe it is impossible. I hate you, and I don´t think I would ever come to like you.”

Willian´s eyes became wide-open in desperation.

“I can see that you were blessed with a good home and was raised with love. You have a family and also have a fiancee. This kind of extravagance…. This kind of happiness… There is no way [we] can forgive you for thiss!!”

The blade of the sword shone brighter. Willian´s left hand flew away. Willian´s screams didn´t reach out to the young man in front of his eyes. The young man´s heart had already been broken five years ago.

“You were supposed to value this happiness! You weren´t supposed to come to a place like this and try to aim for somewhere higher! You overestimate yourself. In either way, someone like you would be dying someday anyway. That´s why you should be thanking me. Just like you wished for, I will have your name thunder through the world!”

Willian´s consciousness was gradually becoming blurred. He was bleeding without stop from his wounds. His life was flowing away. His friend, Norman, had destroyed his hopes for the future.

“Yes, I will also tell you something. That “treasure hunter” talk was all something I took from a book, and Norman was the name of the owner of the bookstore who used to sell books just like that one. And…”

The white demon kicked Willian. Willian fell into the [hole].

“This is your grave, Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilliaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!”

By that time, Willian couldn´t think clearly anymore. All that remained was his happy memories from his hometown. Those memories were going through his head. His memories about his beloved fiancee. The idle chattering he would have with his family. His elder and little brother, his little sisters, the memories of him going through the mountains…

“Oh, I will be taking your head, Willian.”

Cutting off him from those memories, the blade cut off Willian´s head.

“Goodbye, Willan. I have to thank you.”

The fallen head was already a corpse that couldn´t answer back. Picking up the head by the red hair, the young man threw the head inside the hole.

“Fuh, it was unexpectedly… very easy to cut his neck. Or maybe it is because this is that much of a good sword?”

Going back to using the language of his own country, the young man heartily tasted the sensation of having cut the life of a person.

“It´s alright nee-san, don´t worry. Even I am surprised. I thought my heart would hurt at the first time I killed someone…. Yes, it is fine.”

Having a calm expression in his face, the way the young man was acting made it feel like he indeed had something broken about him.

The young man picked up all the parts he had cut into pieces of [Willian] that were lying around near the hole and threw inside the hole. After getting rid of all the vestiges, the young man let out a big sigh.

“Well, it´s fine. Now is the main act. This will be the crucial part of my life-time that will decide whether I will rise up in that kingdom. Now, let´s bury this guy already, shall we?”

The young man started to fill the hole. He didn´t have any expression in his face.

The white haired man, Al, had once again built up his karma.