She seemed to know all the words he couldn't say. She smiled affectionately as if she understood even that. It was pitiful, and tears almost came out. Cleon closed his eyes tightly and groaned, then hesitantly opened his mouth. For some reason, he felt extremely embarrassed to make eye contact with the woman.
"...on."
"Yes?"
“...Cleon, my name!”
When the woman tilted her head, not understanding what he was saying, Cleon forgot his decision to remain calm for five seconds and shouted. Then the woman clapped her hands together and laughed. Cleon, who had been relieved that she understood, had to touch his forehead again in bewilderment.
“Oh, Leo? Leo?”
“No, that’s not it! Are you deaf?”
“Okay, Leo. Do you want to go with me?”
“...You don’t even listen to me. Okay, from now on my name is Leo. Okay?”
After all, it was hard to believe that the wizard who had just defeated a monster in one blow was a self-willed person. Cleon eventually lost the will to correct his name and grumbled. He tried to ignore the fact that his heart was pounding at the sound of the nickname 'Leo' coming out of her mouth.
“Yes. Shall we go now, Leo?”
Regardless, the woman smiled happily and swung her staff, excited to hear Cleon's name. The magic circle that had disappeared earlier floated into the air again. Cleon, who was staring at the moving magic circle in wonder, stopped walking before stepping into it, thinking, "Ah."
“...Now that I think about it.”
"Yes?"
“What is your name?”
“Me? You should call me older sister.”
“Oh, really...!”
After the awkward title of “kid”, she was even called “older sister”. When Cleon got angry, the woman laughed hysterically. It seemed like she was enjoying teasing him. After laughing like that for a while, the woman suddenly stopped laughing and smiled brightly. Cleon’s heart sank again at that smile.
“Alice.”
“...”
“I am Alyssa.”
“...Alyssa.”
It was perhaps inevitable that Cleon would fall in love with Alyssa. The moment he spoke someone’s name, he felt as if not only his heart, but his entire body, and even his soul were resonating. Because she was the first and the last.
Harold clenched his fists and trembled as Cleon fought back. Cleon patted his shoulder before he could speak to him again and walked past him, his smooth brow furrowed in annoyance.
'Those people are just not friendly at all.'
Was this his problem or theirs? Cleon couldn't be sure because he had been hearing people call him 'shameless' since he was young. Was the cold air he felt from them just groundless or not?
‘...Well, anyway, I’m the only one who does that to those people. They probably thought I was easy.’
Cleon glanced back. Then he saw Harold’s group glaring at his back, muttering something. If they had treated Alyssa like they treated him, he would have turned the camp upside down long ago, but Harold’s group was infinitely gentle and cheerful companions to Alyssa. That’s why Cleon was always picking on Harold’s group, even though he was jealous of them. In any case, it didn’t matter as long as Alyssa was safe.
Cleon unconsciously began to accept Alyssa's death. His eyes lost their vitality day by day. He moved his feet out of a sense of duty, but he was no different from a living, moving corpse. Then, with the death of Demon King Basis, the birth of a new Demon King was announced. The new Demon King's name was Alyssa. Since there were many people with the same name in the world, people seemed to simply think it was a coincidence and move on, but Cleon could not.
"They are all people who sacrifice their youth and lives for the peace of mankind."
"Huh? Aren't you tired? But if this can save someone's life, then I'm happy with it."
He was someone who had seen how hard Alyssa had worked to protect humans from the demons. He couldn't stand by and watch a demon lord with the same name as her go around slaughtering humans.
"We must protect humanity, Leo."
Alyssa's voice seemed to ring in his ears. Cleon, with a stern face, gripped his sword tightly and rushed into the battlefield. Not long after he entered the battlefield, people began calling him a 'hero' for wielding a sword and sweeping away monsters. Cleon didn't like the fact that people called him a hero and praised him, but he mingled with them without showing it.
"...on."
"Yes?"
“...Cleon, my name!”
When the woman tilted her head, not understanding what he was saying, Cleon forgot his decision to remain calm for five seconds and shouted. Then the woman clapped her hands together and laughed. Cleon, who had been relieved that she understood, had to touch his forehead again in bewilderment.
“Oh, Leo? Leo?”
“No, that’s not it! Are you deaf?”
“Okay, Leo. Do you want to go with me?”
“...You don’t even listen to me. Okay, from now on my name is Leo. Okay?”
After all, it was hard to believe that the wizard who had just defeated a monster in one blow was a self-willed person. Cleon eventually lost the will to correct his name and grumbled. He tried to ignore the fact that his heart was pounding at the sound of the nickname 'Leo' coming out of her mouth.
“Yes. Shall we go now, Leo?”
Regardless, the woman smiled happily and swung her staff, excited to hear Cleon's name. The magic circle that had disappeared earlier floated into the air again. Cleon, who was staring at the moving magic circle in wonder, stopped walking before stepping into it, thinking, "Ah."
“...Now that I think about it.”
"Yes?"
“What is your name?”
“Me? You should call me older sister.”
“Oh, really...!”
After the awkward title of “kid”, she was even called “older sister”. When Cleon got angry, the woman laughed hysterically. It seemed like she was enjoying teasing him. After laughing like that for a while, the woman suddenly stopped laughing and smiled brightly. Cleon’s heart sank again at that smile.
“Alice.”
“...”
“I am Alyssa.”
“...Alyssa.”
It was perhaps inevitable that Cleon would fall in love with Alyssa. The moment he spoke someone’s name, he felt as if not only his heart, but his entire body, and even his soul were resonating. Because she was the first and the last.
***
After Cleon followed Alyssa to the camp, time passed quickly. It was enough time for admiration and favor to turn into love. During that time, Cleon ate well, slept well, and devoted himself to swordsmanship training with the determination to stand by Alyssa’s side one day. Thanks to that, at some point, he became the tallest person in the camp, and his body also became noticeably stronger.
Bang!
"Ah...!"
For example, just now, those who were picking on him first would have been helplessly knocked out. Cleon looked down at Harold expressionlessly. Harold, who had intentionally bumped shoulders with him, flinched as he rubbed his shoulder while complaining of pain. However, he soon became angry that Cleon had scared him, even for a moment, and mercilessly growled.
“Are you walking around with your eyes wide open?”
“If I can’t keep my eyes open while I’m walking around, does that mean you don’t have eyes at all? That’s too bad.”
"This person...!"
"Ah...!"
For example, just now, those who were picking on him first would have been helplessly knocked out. Cleon looked down at Harold expressionlessly. Harold, who had intentionally bumped shoulders with him, flinched as he rubbed his shoulder while complaining of pain. However, he soon became angry that Cleon had scared him, even for a moment, and mercilessly growled.
“Are you walking around with your eyes wide open?”
“If I can’t keep my eyes open while I’m walking around, does that mean you don’t have eyes at all? That’s too bad.”
"This person...!"
Harold clenched his fists and trembled as Cleon fought back. Cleon patted his shoulder before he could speak to him again and walked past him, his smooth brow furrowed in annoyance.
'Those people are just not friendly at all.'
Was this his problem or theirs? Cleon couldn't be sure because he had been hearing people call him 'shameless' since he was young. Was the cold air he felt from them just groundless or not?
‘...Well, anyway, I’m the only one who does that to those people. They probably thought I was easy.’
Cleon glanced back. Then he saw Harold’s group glaring at his back, muttering something. If they had treated Alyssa like they treated him, he would have turned the camp upside down long ago, but Harold’s group was infinitely gentle and cheerful companions to Alyssa. That’s why Cleon was always picking on Harold’s group, even though he was jealous of them. In any case, it didn’t matter as long as Alyssa was safe.
Then Alyssa’s birthday approached. Cleon, who had gained some skills through training and actual combat, went to the mercenary guild located a little away from the camp. He wanted to buy Alyssa a birthday present with money he had earned on his own, not money he received from the camp.
“I want to work... but.”
He suppressed his original personality and asked politely. Fortunately, he had already become a fairly good prosecutor to the outside world, so it was not difficult for him to find work.
'How many requests do you think would be enough to resolve? Two? Three?'
While Cleon was having a brief interview with the guild leader, he was constantly thinking about buying a gift for Alyssa. After much deliberation, Cleon chose a ring as a gift for Alyssa. However, since Alyssa didn’t wear any jewelry due to her frequent battles, he planned to thread a leather string through the ring and make it into a necklace.
“A leather strap? It’s a gift, so wouldn’t a leather strap be a bit much? It would look at least as pretty as a platinum strap. Our store specializes in that kind of thing.”
However, the jeweler who stopped by to buy the ring was uncomfortable with his words. In fact, he had said this because he wanted to sell Cleon other items, but since this was his first time buying something in a place like this, he was easily fooled by the jeweler's sales tactics. In the end, Cleon returned to the camp a little later than planned because he had to earn money for the platinum chain. However, he really liked the gift. It was just a ring with a small ruby set in a thin gold frame, but the ruby was the same color as Alyssa's eyes. He planned to confess his feelings to Alyssa by giving her this necklace on her upcoming birthday.
“I want to work... but.”
He suppressed his original personality and asked politely. Fortunately, he had already become a fairly good prosecutor to the outside world, so it was not difficult for him to find work.
'How many requests do you think would be enough to resolve? Two? Three?'
While Cleon was having a brief interview with the guild leader, he was constantly thinking about buying a gift for Alyssa. After much deliberation, Cleon chose a ring as a gift for Alyssa. However, since Alyssa didn’t wear any jewelry due to her frequent battles, he planned to thread a leather string through the ring and make it into a necklace.
“A leather strap? It’s a gift, so wouldn’t a leather strap be a bit much? It would look at least as pretty as a platinum strap. Our store specializes in that kind of thing.”
However, the jeweler who stopped by to buy the ring was uncomfortable with his words. In fact, he had said this because he wanted to sell Cleon other items, but since this was his first time buying something in a place like this, he was easily fooled by the jeweler's sales tactics. In the end, Cleon returned to the camp a little later than planned because he had to earn money for the platinum chain. However, he really liked the gift. It was just a ring with a small ruby set in a thin gold frame, but the ruby was the same color as Alyssa's eyes. He planned to confess his feelings to Alyssa by giving her this necklace on her upcoming birthday.
However, when he actually returned to the camp, what was waiting for him was. The news of Alyssa's disappearance.
"...What?"
“...It’s true. Alyssa is gone.”
Cleon asked with a hardened face, not believing his ears. The ring in his hand dug into his palm and a sharp pain occurred, but he did not feel it. However, Harold did not change his words. He sighed with a dark face and handed Cleon a piece of paper. The note was clearly written in Alyssa’s handwriting.
"...What?"
“...It’s true. Alyssa is gone.”
Cleon asked with a hardened face, not believing his ears. The ring in his hand dug into his palm and a sharp pain occurred, but he did not feel it. However, Harold did not change his words. He sighed with a dark face and handed Cleon a piece of paper. The note was clearly written in Alyssa’s handwriting.
“I have run out of materials needed for my research, so I will go to the forest I always go to to get materials. Then I will be back.”
“...”
Cleon silently clenched his fist. The wind rustled the note in his hand. Harold stood up with a rather gloomy face and placed one hand on Cleon’s shoulder. He patted Cleon’s shoulder with a calm and mature attitude that he had never seen before.
“I understand that you must be heartbroken. But it’s already been two weeks since Alyssa disappeared. She didn’t come back for nearly three days, so I searched the forest but couldn’t find her.”
“...”
“It seems like she went further away because she couldn’t find the ingredients he wanted in the forest, but even so, there’s no way she’d be gone for a week. I think she’s dead...”
"Shut up."
Cleon finally crumpled up the note and grabbed Harold by the collar. There was a loud crash, and the papers on the desk were scattered in disarray. However, Harold, who was always quick to pick a fight with him, looked at him with a pitiful expression without even frowning. That face seemed to be telling him that the nonsense he had just heard was true. Cleon gritted his teeth and spat out his words.
“...That can’t be true.”
“The other guys admitted it too. You have to accept it too. That guy is dead.”
“If you ever mention the word ‘death’ again, I’ll rip your mouth off.”
“...”
“It was just your incompetence that prevented you from finding her. You don’t deserve to be called comrades, after only two weeks, when you assume your comrade is dead and give up your comrade’s life. You scum.”
Cleon, who had finished his words with a growl, threw Harold down as if he were throwing him down, and stormed out of the barracks. He picked up his luggage, which he had just left behind, and headed for the forest where he had first met her. That was the last time he saw the people of the camp.
“Alice!”
After that, Cleon traveled the continent alone, raising his voice to find Alyssa. Alyssa's nagging to always be quiet in the forest because making loud noises could attract monsters and demons rang in his ears, but he didn't have the presence of mind to pay attention to that. Cleon frequently faced life-threatening situations while searching for Alyssa, and each time, his swordsmanship skills improved noticeably. Perhaps it was thanks to the desperation in extreme situations.
“...”
Cleon silently clenched his fist. The wind rustled the note in his hand. Harold stood up with a rather gloomy face and placed one hand on Cleon’s shoulder. He patted Cleon’s shoulder with a calm and mature attitude that he had never seen before.
“I understand that you must be heartbroken. But it’s already been two weeks since Alyssa disappeared. She didn’t come back for nearly three days, so I searched the forest but couldn’t find her.”
“...”
“It seems like she went further away because she couldn’t find the ingredients he wanted in the forest, but even so, there’s no way she’d be gone for a week. I think she’s dead...”
"Shut up."
Cleon finally crumpled up the note and grabbed Harold by the collar. There was a loud crash, and the papers on the desk were scattered in disarray. However, Harold, who was always quick to pick a fight with him, looked at him with a pitiful expression without even frowning. That face seemed to be telling him that the nonsense he had just heard was true. Cleon gritted his teeth and spat out his words.
“...That can’t be true.”
“The other guys admitted it too. You have to accept it too. That guy is dead.”
“If you ever mention the word ‘death’ again, I’ll rip your mouth off.”
“...”
“It was just your incompetence that prevented you from finding her. You don’t deserve to be called comrades, after only two weeks, when you assume your comrade is dead and give up your comrade’s life. You scum.”
Cleon, who had finished his words with a growl, threw Harold down as if he were throwing him down, and stormed out of the barracks. He picked up his luggage, which he had just left behind, and headed for the forest where he had first met her. That was the last time he saw the people of the camp.
“Alice!”
After that, Cleon traveled the continent alone, raising his voice to find Alyssa. Alyssa's nagging to always be quiet in the forest because making loud noises could attract monsters and demons rang in his ears, but he didn't have the presence of mind to pay attention to that. Cleon frequently faced life-threatening situations while searching for Alyssa, and each time, his swordsmanship skills improved noticeably. Perhaps it was thanks to the desperation in extreme situations.
One day, after three years of wandering the continent in search of Alyssa, he succeeded in handling magical power for the first time. However, even when he succeeded in adding magical power to the blade of his sword. Even when those who witnessed it named his magical power 'sword energy'. Alyssa could not be found.
"...Alyssa.”
Cleon muttered the name that was now like a breath and walked with blank eyes. It had been several years since Alyssa disappeared. In that time, Cleon had circled the continent three times, searching it as if he was catching a fly. And yet, he was still alone.
"You have to accept it too. That guy is dead."
"No.''
"Alisa? That person, the so-called Archmage? She's been missing for so long, she's definitely dead."
''...No.''
"...You're looking for Alyssa? How can you find someone who's already dead? Stop fooling around and settle down. There are people out there who need you."
...It shouldn’t be. Really, I can’t see you anymore? To meet you, to see your smile in my eyes, to hear your voice in my ears... I can’t... do that?
"...Alyssa.”
Cleon muttered the name that was now like a breath and walked with blank eyes. It had been several years since Alyssa disappeared. In that time, Cleon had circled the continent three times, searching it as if he was catching a fly. And yet, he was still alone.
"You have to accept it too. That guy is dead."
"No.''
"Alisa? That person, the so-called Archmage? She's been missing for so long, she's definitely dead."
''...No.''
"...You're looking for Alyssa? How can you find someone who's already dead? Stop fooling around and settle down. There are people out there who need you."
...It shouldn’t be. Really, I can’t see you anymore? To meet you, to see your smile in my eyes, to hear your voice in my ears... I can’t... do that?
Cleon unconsciously began to accept Alyssa's death. His eyes lost their vitality day by day. He moved his feet out of a sense of duty, but he was no different from a living, moving corpse. Then, with the death of Demon King Basis, the birth of a new Demon King was announced. The new Demon King's name was Alyssa. Since there were many people with the same name in the world, people seemed to simply think it was a coincidence and move on, but Cleon could not.
"They are all people who sacrifice their youth and lives for the peace of mankind."
"Huh? Aren't you tired? But if this can save someone's life, then I'm happy with it."
He was someone who had seen how hard Alyssa had worked to protect humans from the demons. He couldn't stand by and watch a demon lord with the same name as her go around slaughtering humans.
"We must protect humanity, Leo."
Alyssa's voice seemed to ring in his ears. Cleon, with a stern face, gripped his sword tightly and rushed into the battlefield. Not long after he entered the battlefield, people began calling him a 'hero' for wielding a sword and sweeping away monsters. Cleon didn't like the fact that people called him a hero and praised him, but he mingled with them without showing it.
It was faster to kill the Demon King with many people protecting his back than to be alone, and since they were the people Alyssa wanted to protect, he also wanted to get along with them as much as possible.
Several years passed like that. Cleon finally succeeded in stabbing the Demon King Alyssa's heart with his sword.
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