Part 15 — Accumulation

“You have had to shoulder much of the burden this time. I wanted to come here and apologize to you directly.”

That the current Lord Batterabbe has come calling to Lady Douve’s estate was perfectly understandable. After all, I’m Lady Douve’s bodyguard, and all the rest wasn’t part of my job description.

In spite of that, I’ve had to shoulder a whole range of issues, starting with training House Batterabbe’s new son-in-law. In particular, the whole project surrounding the use of berserkers is something that can’t happen without my help.

“My son and daughter have unwittingly placed a heavy burden on you. While they’ve probably realized that by now, I also wanted to apologize on their behalf.”

“There is no need to concern yourself on that front. I’m rather proud of the outcome, myself.”

Lady Douve appears satisfied that I was able to easily handle the berserker in front of the masses. I feel like she might eventually start running coliseum fights as a business. If that ever happens, I’m going to consider finding new employment.

“If anything, Tahlan’s simply become too attractive of a man... That’s what’s been hardest on me.”

As Lady Douve fondly mentions Tahlan, both Blois and I relax. It’s good for both of us that they’re getting along well.

“That fight was a good motivator for him. It only looked like a one-sided beatdown to me, but it appears it was entertaining for the gentlemen.”

Yeah, I’m sure that’s what it would have looked like to an amateur. Since that was partly what I intended, there’s nothing wrong with that. Having witnessed that, I doubt anyone would think berserkers are so dangerous that they need to be put down immediately.

“I went incognito to watch the display. There’s something extremely tempting about seeing things that were once only mentioned in legends.”

Lord Batterabbe then turns and looks at me with a gaze of awe. I can’t help but feel a bit embarrassed at the attention.

“With that in mind, it’s somewhat daunting to think of how impressive your master, Suiboku, must be.”

“As for that... Yes, I agree,” Lady Douve says, while Blois also nods wordlessly.

I don’t know what he was like in the past, but Master Suiboku is now a very calm person. He’s certainly much stronger than I am, but he’s also no longer the sort of person who might cause problems in the mortal world. I’d like to reassure them on that point, at least.

“Well, then, Sansui, what do you think of my son and the berserker girl?”

“They both seem to be enjoying their training. Although, I’m not directly instructing them at present. I’m simply reading the sensations of their sparring from afar.”

Honestly, they seem to be getting along. Putting aside the fact that they were almost guaranteed to work well together while in their berserker states, they also seem to be getting along well in terms of their thought processes, as well. They’re also both plenty impressive right now, and have only each other to spar against.

“At the very least, I don’t think there’s a risk of either of them losing control just now. I believe it’s rather comfortable for her to have someone to vent her overflowing aggression on.”

“I see... As a noble, I’m happy to hear that. As a father, perhaps not so much.”

I imagine that Happine’s probably grousing about that to him. Her fiance is off enjoying himself by constantly sparring with another young woman... No doubt there are some complicated emotions involved there.

“In terms of holding back their uncontrollable rage, they’re still feeling it out. Right now it’s better for them to remain off the battlefield rather than try it in actual combat. I believe you understand the reason for that better than I do.”

“Soldiers who are too caught up in their emotions to follow orders... Yes, that’s quite a problem.”

As I demonstrated, the appropriate judgment is much more important than optimized movements. That’s particularly true on a tactical level, far more so than on an individual level. This is something that House Sepaeda teaches and that I strongly agree with. Of course, House Batterabbe must also realize the importance of that.

“This is probably not a great way to phrase it, but all of ‘you’ seem to share a certain set of cultural characteristics. Of course, it’s not that I know the five of you very well, but at the very least, you don’t seem inclined to actively betray people. At least, that’s how it seems. Even for the man who took down the Empire.”

There’s a certain degree of trust in me behind those words. Though, really, there must be something faintly creepy about an entire group of individuals with absurd power levels also being relatively placid. I suppose it’s a form of acceptance.

“Your master described berserkers... Ah, right, they’re called the Marked in the Magyan regions, yes? But he described them as those who had too much of the Tainted Blood, correct? Because the effects of the Tainted Blood constantly affect them, they’re in a permanent state of heightened emotion. That’s natural, I suppose. If anything, society is likely to view you with suspicion more than it does them.”

I suppose it’s a fundamental compulsion for men to wish to do as they like because they’re strong. Even if there’s nothing waiting beyond that, it’s one of those childish desires, and no doubt women can be like that as well. Lady Douve, for one, even if she’s careful who she acts that way with. And while it’s truly troublesome for people to live that way, it’s also perhaps more understandable.

“I live as I please, and am allowed to act as I see fit. At the very least, thanks to House Sepaeda.”

“I apologize for the problems we’ve caused you. However, I’m thankful that you act with a certain degree of reason. It’d be problematic if you were dedicated to a particular ideology and acted based upon it. What I’m trying to say is that, while you may be viewed as oddities by those around you, I want to assure you that you’re acting properly.”

Despite being the strongest individual in this nation, I’m still a retainer to a spoiled princess. No doubt that appears odd to people around me, especially given how young I look.

“Even Lord Ukyou is like that. While he showed little inclination to compromise on the matter of revenge, the cause that he fought for, that of a free and equal society, he intends to continue using more as a banner rather than impose it universally. In terms of policies, he’s working to reduce taxes and restore order. Those are his highest priorities. As for the political system, he’s basically restricted himself to changing who is in charge, not how they’re in charge.”

That was completely understandable. If the Empire was an oppressive regime, no doubt the literacy rate among the population was low. There’s no way to solve that overnight. Liberal democracy requires an enormous amount of effort and expenditure to implement. I can’t imagine that it’s something they can afford to do while the people are struggling to eat. If asked to choose between a progressive political system and low taxes, the masses would probably choose the latter. It’s a form of logic that even a dog would understand.

“You aces are strong, certainly, but more importantly, no one around you can keep up with your strength. In politics and in war, we’d like you to leave as much to us as possible. There’s too much friction on both sides, otherwise. That is... If you feel you need to do something, we’d like you to discuss it with us first. For you in particular, we burden you with our problems regularly. With that in mind, we’d like you to feel free to ask certain favors of us, when necessary.”

No doubt Shouzo made that point for them more than anyone. He has an extremely obvious and nation-threatening amount of power. If he were to acquire convictions and the motivation to act on them, the result would be catastrophic. That’s probably true of all the other aces, too.

“Arcana is different from Magyan; the heads of the martial houses aren’t overwhelmingly strong. That is why the only thing we can do is trust. I suppose you might think that it’s a form of dependence.”

“Then I’d like you to do something about the Regent. I feel I’m lending Sansui out to her far too often.”

Lady Douve’s request is extremely self-centered, but also right. Just as Lord Batterabbe was apologizing earlier, my job is to be Lady Douve’s bodyguard. It’s normal for me to be by Lady Douve’s side, and all the rest is supposed to be ancillary.

“That’s certainly true. I’ll make sure to have a word with her. She’s feeling rather desperate, but that’s all about her own concerns. If you end up disliking her as a result, that defeats the whole purpose. No doubt she’s aware of that, and therefore always teeters just on the edge.”

Since it was an obvious point to bring up, Lord Batterabbe nods with the slightest of hesitation. Even if our displeasure is to be expected, I suppose he can also understand the Regent’s perspective.

“However... I’d like you to have a bit of sympathy for her. The Regent is quite elderly, and she may very well die tomorrow. In a sense, she has nothing to lose, but at the same time, she doesn’t want to take any regrets with her to the grave.”

There’s a bit of envy behind the look Lord Batterabbe directs my way. The grey in his hair has started to show more recently, whereas I haven’t changed at all in the last five years.

“While you’re here, while she herself is still here, she wants to create as many openings as possible. That’s something I can understand.”

This is a problem unique to cultures with a developed magical tradition. In countries where being able to use magic is a fact of life, for those from families wealthy enough to educate their children, an inability to use magic is a source of feelings of inferiority. Even putting aside questions of practicality, there’s no doubt that they’d be treated harshly by those around them.

“Of course, there aren’t many children who can’t use magic at all, but they’re hardly rare. The rate is about ten out of every thousand. Still, it’s true that, other than those who can use the Mystic Arts, the remainder do struggle. I suspect that the person who feels that pain more acutely than anyone is the Regent, even though she’s a first-class mage.”

Children from all over the country who can’t use magic gather here. If they have no talent for the Mystic Arts, the only thing they can do is give up. As a teacher, she must have been watching that for a long time.

“While she doesn’t have any actual combat experience, until the Divine Punishment appeared she was the greatest, most powerful mage in the kingdom. That is why children of that sort gather from both within and outside the kingdom in search of a ray of hope. Until now she couldn’t do anything for children who didn’t have a gift for the Mystic Arts. At least, until you and my son appeared.”

If a human being with a limited lifespan can’t master it, it’s not swordsmanship, it’s an Immortal Art. Those are my master’s thoughts, evidently. And while it’s only part of it, my students have shown that the sword techniques developed by my master can be picked up by anyone. However, the Regent wasn’t able to do that.

“Even if they have a talent for the Hex Arts, they probably would prefer not to know. Even if we know they have a talent for Spirit Summoning, politics makes it impossible to teach them. And even if they have a talent for the Immortal Arts, not everyone can leave the mortal world behind. It’s an open question as to whether those who learn they have a talent for becoming a berserker would ever want to become one.”

At the very least, my master and I would stop them from becoming an Immortal, because it’s a complete waste of a life. Well, I suppose if Lain had a talent for the Immortal Arts, I might have raised her as one, thinking that it was fate.

“However, the children who have the talent for Shadow Summoning now have an opportunity to learn it. At the very least they’re no longer considered ‘talentless.’ It’s something that she couldn’t have ever accomplished until now, no matter how hard she struggled. And now, it might be possible to learn even more Rare Arts, in the form of things taught as martial arts in that village. It’s understandable that she’s become even more ambitious. At the very least, neither I nor the previous Lord Sepaeda can come down too hard on her for it.”

The Sage, this kingdom’s greatest mage... It’s possible that she could even do something for my child, who can’t use magic. I suppose I can’t fault people for feeling that way, and in the end, they might make a request of their liege lord, but they will be told by the Regent there’s nothing she can do. No doubt there have been many examples of that up until now.

“It would be one thing to become a mystic, but I can’t imagine all the children would want to become a berserker or a martial artist.”

As a simple fact, in this kingdom, the only available Rare Arts are the Mystic Arts and the Hex Arts. In the past there was evidently something called Divination, but that’s been lost. Unless something is considered a necessary art, it’s normal for them to cease to be practiced, and at the very least, there aren’t many Arts that are as effective and in demand as the Mystic Arts.

“The Regent is well aware of that, but she still carries the guilt of not having been able to even provide them an opportunity. It’s true that it’s not as though they die because they can’t use magic, or that they can’t study because of it. However... Even if it’s just a sense of inferiority, when it all adds up, it can be very difficult to cope with. Not everyone can simply accept things as they are.”