Alongside Iris, I advanced further into the cave.
It seemed like I’d killed pretty much all of the Akefaros, as none of them were coming out.
We had a chat about the world while walking.
「Come to think of it, I don’t know anything about your father. He’s the King of Mercury, yeah?」
「My father? Right……」
After giving it some thought, Iris replied.
「To describe him with one wordーーhe’s an ambitious man」
「Ambitious?」
「Yeah. He greatly yearns for a bigger and stronger Mercury Kingdom. He’s the type that would do anything to realize his objectives. That’s why, when Kakeru suggested the paper money idea, it immediately came through. The previous kingーーmy grandfatherーーwould’ve said something like “It’s outrageous to do such a thing to the royal family’s treasure!” instead.」
「Ah……」
I could imagine what kind of man he was with that explanation.
Obstinate people like that exist no matter where you go, huh…
I was aware of this when I suggested the idea of paper money, so I was expecting it to fail.
Iris’ father, the King of Mercury, is the polar opposite of his father.
I see now. Such an ambitious andーーopportunistic person like that should be easy to talk to.
「That’s the reason why you were doing the same thing. Through that marriage, you hoped to take back Kushifos」
Iris nodded.
We kept walking while I asked Iris this and that about her father.
He seemed to be a ruthless, scheming man.
Suddenly, an Akefaros popped out, so I killed it and obtained another 100% drop rate lottery ticket.
Before long, we arrived at the deepest part of the cave.
It was an open space, with an altar-like structure on the other side.
Neatly placed atop the altar was a single sword.
It was emitting a red glow, as if saying, “I’m not just any run-off-the-mill sword, y'know!”
「Is that Kushifos?」
「Probably」
「Why?」
Elenor answered my question.
（Such vanity and bad-taste……It’s been hundreds of years, but it hasn’t changed a bit）
Elenor seemed amazed.
There were probably a lot of circumstances involved, but this was, no doubt, Kushifos.
「Alright, I’m breaking it」
「Please do」
I approached the altarーーhowever…
Along the way, I accidentally hit something, and sparks flew.
「What?」
（It’s a barrier. Isn’t that obvious?）
「……It is certainly obvious. This thing was sealed away, so there must be a barrier around it」
「I haven’t heard about any barrier……」
「Don’t mind it. Elenor?」
（Just do the usual）
「Right」
Having received her permission, I unsheathed Elenor.
I swung her downward, carefully yet casually.
Bachi! Sparks flew, and Elenor was bounced back.
「This thing’s hard」 (TN: That’s what she said -_-)
（Do it properly. It’ll dirty my image if I lose to that thing over there）
「That thing? Don’t tell me this barrier was made by that sword? Even though it was sealed away?」
（It’s most likely a barrier that it created on its own）
「I see」
I’d understood the gist of it.
With a deep breath, this time, I used 80% of my power and swung Elenor down.
Barin! The sound of something breaking could be heard.
「Ohh!」
「Like this, I guess」
（Not yet. Look again）
As told, I strained my eyes and looked.
It appeared to be an empty space, but I could very faintly see the broken barrier healing itself at an incredible speed.
「Self-restoration, huh… What should I do?」
（It’s simple）
Elenor laughed scornfully.
（It doesn’t have limitless powers. Just keep crushing it until it can’t regenerate anymore）
「Yeah, that is simple. Iris, step back. I’m gonna get serious」
「Understood」
Iris took a few steps away from me as instructed.
After Elenor, I unsheathed Hikari and grasped both Cursed Swords tightly.
I gathered my strength with a deep breath.
「Let’s go!」
（Umu）
（Un！）
「UUOOOOHHH!!!」
I kept hitting the barrier, repeatedly.
It kept regenerating, but I also kept breaking it.
Every time it regenerated, Kushifos’s glow became redder.
The glow of the blade pulsed like a heartbeat as the barrier regenerated.
I ignored everything and kept crushing it to pieces. Every time it broke, the interval of regeneration became a bit longer.
At first it only took 5 seconds to regenerate, but then it became 10 seconds, then 20, 30……
At last, it stopped regenerating.
「Alright, looks like we won. Irisーー」
Wanting to advance to the next step, I called out to Iris, but, at that moment, someone ran past me from behind.
His speed wasn’t anything praiseworthy, but the outsider caught me off guard.
Bewildered, I let him pass by without doing anything.
I was also affected by what Iris said.
「Father!」
The man she called “father”ーーthe King of Mercuryーーapproached the altar and grasped Kushifos.
Instantly, a red light spread and engulfed the whole cave in it.
I raised my sword and prepared my black aura to protect Iris.
I was being vigilant, but nothing happened.
「Oooh, OOOOOHHHH! THIS is Kushifos!!!」
Once the light had settled down, Mercury’s King gazed at Kushifos, deeply moved.
It’s safe to say that he was entranced.
「Father! Why are you here?」
「I immediately noticed that you were searching for Kushifos, so I came」
That’s obvious. She made a move with this timing, so anyone would be able to guess it.
「Th-Then why didn’t you stop me?」
「If you move, then the wielder of the Cursed Sword will also move」
「Eh?」
「If the wielder of the Cursed Sword is here, then it’s possible that this impregnable barrier would be broken by him. That’s why I let you be」
（Kukuku, you two got magnificently owned）
It appears so.
「You and the wielder of the Cursed Sword. Thanks for your help!」
「Father……」
Iris made a bitter face.
Kushifos began to shine brightly. The light had become noticeably redder.
「Oooh, OOHH! As expected of Kushifos. It truly is the treasure of our country, passed down by legends. This power……With this power, I’ll be able to return it to the other Kushifos by sheer force」
「Haaaaa!!」
Mercury’s King brandished Kushifos.
With a scarlet explosion, a hole was formed on the ceiling of the cave.
This cave is located under a lake, therefore, the moment a hole was made, water rushed in.
The King jumped out through the hole.
Not caring about his daughter, he escaped on his own.
（Father……）
「Kakeru!」
Iris rushed to my side. She looked desperate.
「Please stop my father. He can’t just go like this! He’s the King of this country! What would happen if he was caught infiltrating Aigina?」
「There’d be some international problems, I’d assume」
「He’d start a war!」
「I figured」
The King of the neighboring country infiltrating with a weapon and stealing something from the inner palace.
It wouldn’t be strange if a war was started.
Moreover, I was struck by that bastard's ambition at such a critical moment.
There wasn’t a shred of doubt that he needed to be stopped right then and there.
「Got it. Hold on to me」
I held Iris’ waist and took out the Warp Feather.
I instantly warped to the surface.
The King jumped out right after.
Not noticing us, the King flew skyward and was about to fly away after confirming the direction.
「I’m going ahead」
「I’ll leave this to you!」
Nodding to the pleading Iris, I also flew toward the sky.
With speed far surpassing Mercury’s King, I cut him off.
「Wha!」
「Stop it right there!」
I used Elenor to strike the surprised Mercury’s King until he landed on the ground.
The King crashed into the ground below. Following a small explosion, he flew out from the hole.
His clothes were dirtied, but he was unscathed.
「Wielder of the Cursed Sword!」
「Sorry, but I’m not letting you pass! I’m also gonna smash that thing into pieces!」
「Why are you obstructing me?! Have you forgotten that I made you a Viscount?!」
Oh damn, that reminds me; I'm a Viscount of Mercury.
I completely forgot until he said that. (TN: LOL) (ED: I'd forgotten too…)
Oh well, doesn’t matter!
「Why?!」
Uhh, the reason is……
The reason I’m getting in the King’s way is……
Well, in order to sleep with Iris, I’ll do anything she requests.
There’d be no end to it if I kept explaining the small details……but, whatever, if I had to describe it in one simple phrase then……
「Because I want to」
It had always been so, and it would continue to be so.