The Tale of Gerald Vader, the Heretic Knight’s Rampage Through Another World
“……………Huh”
Lord Kensei’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“Do you even know what you’re talking about when you say “kill”?”
The relaxed atmosphere from moments ago vanished instantly.
Barely holding back the intense killing intent hammering down from the altar, I forced out the words.
“…Of course.”
Of course I do.
I understand perfectly well what I’m saying.
“Your anger is justified. But naturally, I’m not referring to the gods of this world.”
“……………….”
After a long silence.
Lord Kensei’s killing intent finally subsided.
It seemed she understood what I meant.
“…If that’s the case, you’ve certainly taken quite a bold step.”
She remained seated on the altar, slowly crossing her white legs.
Then, with a small sigh, she spoke.
“So it’s the ‘Sword that Slays Evil Gods’, is it?”
“…That is correct.”
—Evil Gods.
Gods who came from another realm.
An existence that blasphemes, plunders, defiles, and utterly annihilates everything in this world.
Of course, left alone, the Demon God would eventually be defeated by the protagonist.
That is the ‘fate’ of this game world.
However… that is only if the story progresses according to the canonical scenario.
If the world I am in now is heading towards someone’s… say, a certain heroine’s ‘death ending’ scenario.
The protagonist will never gain the power to oppose the Demon God, and this nation will fall.
Then, it’s only natural I’d want to at least secure a weapon to oppose the Demon God myself.
“But no matter how much you wish for it… do you really think I would grant you such a dangerous sword? And why are you so certain I could even forge such a blade in the first place?”
“You can forge it, and you will grant it to me.”
Accepting the Swordmaker’s perfectly reasonable objection, I locked eyes with her and declared.
“The invasions by the ‘Gods of Another World’ that occurred roughly 3000 years ago and roughly 1500 years ago. The crises threatening these worlds were averted each time by heroes who were granted the ‘God-Slaying Sword’. And at the very least, regarding the hero from 1500 years ago, it is undeniable that they received the sword from you, Swordmaker. After all, the ‘Hero’ who saved the world at that time is the origin of the Vader family.”
“…Huh.”
Kensei sama’s eyes, which had seemed doubtful until now, widened.
Then, as if reminiscing about the past, she gazed into the distance.
“Well, well… you remember events from so long ago. I thought no one remembered them anymore.”
“The mansion’s library housed many ancient texts. Among them were historical records.”
It was a lie.
Or rather, half lie, half truth… perhaps that’s more accurate.
After all, there were a few lines describing it in those ancient historical texts.
But I first learned of this sword’s existence through gaming knowledge.
This game, Blaze of Glory, was mainly aimed at gentlemen, but they put an absurd amount of effort into the flavor text for items and such.
The creator was probably quite the perfectionist.
The history of this ‘Godslayer Sword’ was also written out in considerable detail in the weapon’s text.
Among the weapons the protagonist can obtain, it’s one of the strongest.
A sacred sword that slays evil gods.
Naturally, it’s the key item for the final battle.
There was no way I could skip reading the flavor text for such an item.
Incidentally, the ‘Godslayer Sword’ the protagonist obtains was supposedly slumbering in a dungeon deep within the mountains, far from the Vader territory.
Either way, it’s an ultra-high-difficulty dungeon visited near the end of the story. It’s not a place I could reach before turning 15.
“…Very well. I shall bestow the ‘Godslayer Sword’ upon you.”
Whether my sincere feelings(?) reached her, the Sword Maker nodded—but added, ‘However’.
“To grant you a sword that slays a demon god requires a fitting price. Can you offer something of equal worth?”
“I’ll do anything within my power. If the offering isn’t enough, I’ll find a way to scrape it together.”
I said this while kneeling at my feet.
Of course, I meant it.
If a huge sum of money was needed, I’d have no choice but to beg Father, but I was prepared to do anything my body could manage.
If you demand I prostrate myself, I’ll do it jumping or sliding.
If you order me to lick your feet, I’ll prpr until my skin wrinkles.
Ah, though the latter feels like a reward… but dwelling on that means defeat.
Anyway, I’m prepared to give her everything but my life.
Anything.
“………………”
“………………”
A long silence passed.
Kensei sama looked down at me kneeling for a while, then finally spoke with solemn gravity.
“…That’s a good attitude. In that case, I shall take everything from you.”
“E-Everything?”
“Yes. Everything.”
Her eyes as she said that clearly fixed on me like prey.
…Between that tongue-licking earlier and this… did I maybe pick the wrong option?
No, but even so, I’d be in trouble if she went and ‘devoured me whole’ right here??
My death flag… was it planted here all along?!?!
But Lady Swordmaker, ignoring my instinctive defensive stance, rose from the altar and murmured happily.
“Hehe… It’s been 500 years since I last bestowed the ‘Sword-Granting Trial’ upon someone.”
As she spoke, Sword-Maker-sama smoothly thrust her arm out to the side.
A faint light filled her hand, and a sturdy sword appeared.
Indeed, it looked like a sword that would cut well.
“Now, take it.”
“Y-yes.”
She held the sword out to me.
I stepped closer and took it.
The sword felt solidly heavy, yet it fit my hand perfectly.
“Is this the ‘God-Slaying Sword’?”
“No, this is just a ‘sword that cuts well’.”
Huh?
“But you said you’d ‘bestow a blessing’ earlier?”
“No. What I said was ‘the trial of sword bestowal’.”
“The trial of sword bestowal.”
What the hell is that?
But Sword-Maker-sama didn’t answer my question, continuing instead.
“Of course, I’m all for granting you ‘Sword-Maker’s Blessing’. I’d very much like to welcome you as my companion. But that’s solely my opinion, you see.”
“Huh…? Wha…!?”
‘mine’?
And what the hell is a ‘companion’??
I can’t keep up with all this!?
Just then.
Deep within the temple, on the wall beyond the altar, I felt the carved sculpture crack and shatter.
It was one of the many enormous lizard (?) sculptures carved into the wall.
…No, it wasn’t my imagination.
The lizard sculpture cracked open, and a red-hot light began leaking out from the fissure.
Then, its surface began flaking off in pieces—
‘――――――――’
Thud. A massive body crashed onto the stone floor.
Its body surface was slimy and glossy black.
Its abdomen glowed red-hot like molten iron.
Its head was large and squat.
At first, I thought it was a giant lizard, but this was probably a salamander.
And a monstrous one at that, likely over 10 meters long.
And from its slightly open, enormous jaws, sparks crackled and sputtered.
Ah, I see. ‘Sword-made’—meaning a symbol of the smith and the forge. That would be a salamander.
Seriously though, it seemed weird that only this dungeon had a cute girl as its core!
I mean, the protagonist—well, his first blessing aside—had been fighting giant monsters like this every time he cleared a dungeon!
Still, so I’m supposed to take down this monster in front of me with this ‘sword that cuts well’?
“Hah… Seriously?”
Sure, it might be better than a hand axe… but honestly, all I can manage is a dry laugh.
But hey, I can’t just turn tail and run now that I’ve come this far.
“Allow me to introduce him. His name is ‘Sara’. You could say he’s my sibling. Ah, don’t worry about it. As long as you are in this dungeon, he won’t die even if you kill him. Fight him to your heart’s content.”
She said this, then thrust one hand forcefully into the air and declared:
“Gerald Vader, I hereby bestow upon you the ‘Sword-Granting Trial’. Prove to us that you are not merely a conceited fool!”
“Aaaaaa!!”
At the same time, the salamander’s “Sara” roared.
Within its wide-open maw, a massive fireball could be seen.
…Damn it, I’ll show you!!