Academy’s Weapon Replicator

Odyssea (44)

At Aten’s joke, Frondior burst into laughter.

Indeed, this incident had left him indebted to too many people.

But he didn’t feel bad about it.

‘Right.’

The moment he first asked many for help.

‘This is trust.’

Frondior had mostly solved everything on his own until now.

He had only entrusted something to someone during the war. Frondior couldn’t be in multiple places at once.

Even that made him anxious, fearing it might go wrong, so he realized how much worry he had within himself.

Frondior had trusted many comrades who had been with him.

However, that trust had not been entirely sufficient.

Those who had watched Frondior must have felt the same way.

Seeing him trying to solve everything on his own.

Seeing him trying to endure everything alone.

“…Everyone.”

Frondior looked around at the countless people gazing at him.

Many people came to help at his request for assistance.

Frondeer now understood that it was not just simple camaraderie.

“Thank you.”

Frondeer bowed deeply.

“Really.”

Elodie let out a hollow laugh.

“You’re the only one who would go through that much trouble to help others.”

“That’s right. This is something I should be grateful for.”

Selena said as she took Frondeer’s hand.

“Thank you, Frondeer. I won’t be able to repay this kindness.”

Selena’s sparkling eyes. Frondeer felt a bit awkward and scratched his cheek.

“…Ahem. Sorry to break the mood.”

Rethe, who had been quietly watching, cleared his throat.

“It’s not over yet. The final process remains.”

“Grace.”

“That’s right. This time, it’s your turn, Frondeer.”

The three stages to transform a beast into a spirit.

The last one is grace.

“As I mentioned before, everything done so far has been a preparatory process. It’s groundwork to become a spirit. To truly become a spirit, a switch that can manifest that change is needed.”

“Is that what grace is?”

“Exactly. And grace can only be bestowed by the divine.”

Rethe pointed at Frondeer with his finger.

“Right now, only you can make that possible.”

“…Alright.”

Frondeer slowly walked into the magic circle.

He looked at Sergio and asked.

“How do you feel?”

“Well, I can’t say much has changed.”

Sergio looked around his body.

The thoughts faded, and the sins were gone. There was a clarity in his aura that felt too pure to be a beast.

However, it seemed that Sergio himself was not very aware of it.

“Well, I think I feel a bit lighter.”

That could be because it was himself, or perhaps because it was close to how Sergio felt when he was still human.

Lethe said.

“Now, to perform the grace,”

“Oh, it’s fine.”

Frondior extended his hand.

‘Everyone has helped up to this point.’

If I fail, it would be an ugly sight.

“I think I know what to do.”

Frondior placed his hand on Sergio’s head.

* * *

The leader and captain of the Odyssey, Aster.

He was advancing smoothly with his party. They were making a temporary base while taking minimal precautions.

It became easier with Basileo’s arrival. Of course, Basileo had deviated from the front line at Frondior’s request not long ago, but he had brought along Pielot and Dier when he first came. Those two were the strongest combo, and watching them fight even made Aster tense.

“……Hmm.”

Aster stopped in his tracks. The rest of the party did the same.

Before them stood the familiar sight of soldier-like monsters they had seen several times already.

‘It’s awkward every time we deal with them.’

Aster pursed his lips. Even knowing they were monsters, he could not dare to imagine what their fate had been when they were clearly once human.

However, no matter what kind of life it had been, it must have been painful, so even now, as monsters, he hesitated to take their lives.

‘But I have no choice if I want to move forward.’

As Aster made a firm resolution and gripped his sword.

Suddenly.

The monster soldier in front of him stood at attention.

“……?”

He saluted Aster.

“What, what is this?”

“……Writing?”

Ridwid was at a loss for words at this phenomenon, and so was the entire party.

The soldier who saluted turned coolly and walked away.

Aster, stunned, watched the soldier grow distant.

Pielrot, who was beside him, asked, “……What was that? It felt different from before.”

“Hmm, he looked no different from the soldiers we met earlier,” Aster replied.

This time, another member of their group, Ludovic, answered.

However, the unusual events did not end there.

Kugugugu…….

A vibrating sound echoed from afar. Aster, who heard it first, took a stance.

Soon realizing that the sound was that of hooves, Aster looked far ahead.

“……An army.”

Aster tensed up. The others did as well.

The strength of the beast soldiers they had fought before was considerable. An army of them was charging toward them. It was naturally a tense situation.

But above all, the most dangerous was the man at the forefront.

‘What is that beast?’

Even from a distance, that fierce aura sent shivers down his skin.

Aster felt a long-lost tension. This was not an opponent to be taken lightly. Any slight mistake could be perilous.

“Hey—!!”

However, the approaching beast shouted first.

What did it just say?

Did the beast call me?

“Are you Aster?”

At first, Aster thought he might have misheard the beast’s shout, but it was the commander of the unit calling him with very precise pronunciation.

He came to a stop right in front of Aster. The horse stretched its body, and the man sitting atop it looked at Aster, half engulfed by sunlight.

“Just by that stance, I can tell! You must be the commander of the alliance called Odysseus?”

“……I am not the commander, but as a vanguard,” Aster replied.

“This kid is indeed the commander,” Ludovic interjected, countering Aster’s words.

“By the way, who are you asking? How can a beast…… No, wait.”

Until that moment, Ludovic’s one eye had narrowed suspiciously like a crescent moon, but soon he examined the face of the opponent.

It was a familiar face.

And a face that was so, so dearly missed.

“……Come on, yes….”

“Whoa!”

Sergio, as if just realizing it, smiled at Lidwi.

“Isn’t that Lidwi! You’ve aged quite a bit, haven’t you? Hahaha!”

“……Sergio.”

Lidwi spoke as if he were dreaming.

Seemingly pleased with that expression, Sergio nodded and said,

“I’ll explain later. From now on, we will help Odysseus.”

“We?”

Dier asked back, and Sergio pointed behind him with his thumb.

That meant Sergio’s subordinate troops.

“……Huh.”

Lidwi was left speechless. Sergio looked at Aster and asked,

“Hey, Aster. Can you ride?”

“I can ride.”

“Good.”

As Sergio said that, a horse came forward without any soldiers.

Aster was surprised to see that. Just now, this horse came forward without even being commanded, didn’t it? Such intelligence was impossible unless it was something like Cassian.

“Oh, don’t be surprised. The intelligence of the horses is quite ordinary. It’s just that my will was conveyed directly.”

“……I see.”

Aster pondered which was more surprising, ultimately deciding to think about it later and mounted the horse.

Lidwi and the rest of the group also mounted their horses, and Sergio turned to look back at the direction they had come from.

Thud!

Then, the soldiers who had followed scattered to the left and right, creating a path for Sergio to pass through.

‘……The unit moves as one body.’

Aster swallowed hard. That movement just now could not have been achieved through training. Right now, Sergio and his unit were literally one body.

“Now, follow me.”

Sergio said, looking at Aster and the group.

“Prondior is waiting.”

“……!”

“Indeed, that guy was involved!”

Aster’s eyes widened, and Lidwig shouted.

Sergio spoke.

“Yes, that guy turned me, a monster, into a spirit. Truly an amazing friend. If someone like him had existed in our time, peace would have come much sooner.”

After speaking, Sergio’s eyes sparkled.

“Of course, if he is my daughter’s match, he must be of that caliber!”

“……Huh?”

“Excuse me?”

The group made strange faces at Sergio’s words. Sergio looked at the two and said.

“Oh, you might not have known, but my daughter is Selena. She is Prondior’s girlfriend, as you all must be well aware.”

“……Ah, no. That is surprising, indeed.”

Aster shook his head, unable to keep up with the situation.

“Selena, Prondior’s girlfriend?”

“……What?”

Sergio’s brow furrowed.

“So, you’re telling me that a guy who isn’t even her boyfriend came all the way to me, gathered all his people, and rescued me? I went through quite a dangerous ordeal because of that?”

Hmm. Aster closed his mouth.

There was one thing that everyone else knew, but Sergio did not. He hesitated to speak it out loud.

But he had to say something.

Instead, it was Pielot who spoke up.

“Prondior-senpai is like that originally.”

“……Huh.”

Sergio’s expression turned to one of disbelief, and then he looked straight ahead.

“I can’t believe it. I need to ask him directly.”

Vroom─

In an instant, a surge of aura rose. That aura spread like an infection, enveloping the entire unit.

“You said it was part of expanding the Empire’s territory. It should be fine to do it a little faster, right?”

“……Of course, the faster, the better.”

“Right!”

Sergio raised his voice.

“Everyone!”

At that single shout, the movement of the troops momentarily halted, and it was certainly not a mistake on Aster’s part.

“We march westward! Along the way, defeat every monster we encounter! The path we take will be the path that protects humanity! Let all the monsters of this land know!”

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The soldiers struck their weapons against the ground, clashing shields and swords, their killing intent swelling.

“Banié has returned—!!”

* * *

After Sergio succeeded in becoming a spirit.

Philly looked around and thought.

‘Hmm, not bad.’

She spoke to everyone.

“Everyone, I have a suggestion.”

The Empress’s suggestion.

It was more of a command than a mere suggestion.

“After all, talents from both empires have gathered here. Right in the middle outside the walls.”

Everyone nodded at Philly’s words.

The people gathered here had set aside their tasks to arrive at the request of Frondior. There were no issues with Terstni or Palmani.

“How about we also participate in the Odyssey?”

“Oh……!”

Everyone reacted joyfully to that.

Though they had come at Frondior’s call, most had only been watching without providing much help.

It would be a waste to return like this.

“That’s a wonderful suggestion, Your Majesty!”

Zodiac Monty said, pounding his fists together. Moreover, everyone’s eyes were ablaze with excitement.

“What do you think, Frondior?”

Philly asked Frondior, her expression somewhat playful.

Reading the meaning in her gaze, Frondior smiled faintly.

“If everyone is willing to help, it would be something I could only wish for.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

Philly smiled, seemingly satisfied with the answer.

It was time to discuss strategy.

Philly, Ospreet, and others skilled in tactics gathered to begin planning the operation for Odyssey.

Meanwhile, Frondior stood idly, turning his gaze in a certain direction.

There was nothing in the direction Frondior looked.

It was simply to the west.

“Is something wrong, Frondior?”

Selena approached and asked.

“…I have something to check.”

Frondior said this and looked at Selena.

“I’ll be back shortly, Selena.”

“Where are you going?”

Selena spoke with slightly anxious eyes. Frondior often did unexpected things at times like this.

Frondior replied with a smile, as if to reassure her.

“To the sea.”