Bete's message was simple: trust your companions—and stop trying to be a full-time babysitter. Be a guide.
"You can't just think about what's right in front of you. Think farther ahead."
Only after the heat in his voice cooled did he really take in one important fact: the boy in front of him was thirteen. Only a year younger than Bete had been back then. This kid was far more gifted, far stronger—and precisely because of that, Bete refused to let him repeat those years.
"Remember this: the people you treasure need more than protection. They need your guidance.
"You can't handle everything alone—not even with great power.
"So if you want to protect them, teach them how you act. You're careful. You pay attention. Your way of doing things will help them. Got it?"
Tsunayoshi caught something in Bete's eyes—regret for what he couldn't do then, sorrow for what he couldn't change, the ache of what he could never mend—and a fierce hope that Tsunayoshi wouldn't become that former self.
"I understand," Tsunayoshi said.
"Good. Don't wait until you've lost something to feel regret."
Bete emphasized the point, then slowly released his grip. He knew he'd been rough, but rough was better than bereft.
Thinking of the Amazon sisters improved his mood a little. At least those two idiots wouldn't be so easily mauled in the Dungeon now. Lv.5 was the backbone of today's Orario; with Lv.6s scarce and only one Lv.7, a Lv.5 had the strength to survive in a city where "safe" meant little. With the Dying Will Flames added on, an ordinary Lv.5 would struggle to threaten those two muscleheads.
At the very least, that was good news.
He took a long breath and clapped Tsunayoshi on the shoulder. "Pay attention to this yourself from now on. That's it for today. Go talk to those idiots and drill the basics into them. Stop making rookie mistakes."
He spoke like someone who'd been there—cutting words meant to score deep enough to remember. He more than understood the value of the people you hold dear; he'd lost before, and that was precisely why he couldn't forget.
Bete turned and left. He wasn't in the mood to keep training. Old memories had been stirred; he needed time to steady himself.
Watching him go, a golden Grail appeared in Tsunayoshi's hand. In his eyes, the scene around Bete no longer held only Bete: a tall, broad-shouldered man; a woman with a face full of gentle love; a little girl with golden hair; and a chestnut-haired maiden—four souls drifting at Bete's side like guardians.
"Bete-san… your love binds the ones you cherished so tightly they can't yet let you go," Tsunayoshi murmured.
He gave the Grail a small flick; it dissolved into a streak of gold and vanished.
Only after Bete had fully left the Challenge Space did Tsunayoshi turn. "Riveria, your illusions are getting sharper. You were this close, and Bete's nose still didn't catch your scent."
In a stand of trees, Riveria stepped out of an indigo mist.
"My illusions aren't stronger. He just wasn't on guard. Too much emotion dulls vigilance." She glanced toward the way Bete had gone. "Before the slump, the drinking, the self-destruction, he had his share of bad years. Like so many in this world, he became an adventurer out of hatred. When he finally pulled himself together, he lost someone again—and sagged into that jaded shell.
"His tongue is poison he doesn't bother to curb, but it isn't only aimed outward. He curses himself, too."
She didn't elaborate, but Tsunayoshi already understood. He hadn't needed Riveria's words—he'd seen the regret, the guilt, and the grief through Bete's eyes. And with the Grail's aid, he'd seen souls that should have been queuing for rebirth lingering by Bete's side. The meaning of Bete's tirade had been all too clear.
"I know a little of Bete-san's past. Don't worry—I won't take it the wrong way." Tsunayoshi glanced at her. "But you, Riveria—you're not happy, are you? After what he just—"
"Stop."
Riveria had no intention of hearing that word a second time. No matter how deep her composure ran, "old hag" cut a bit too close.
"A dejected wolf's dejected words don't concern me," she said.
Don't concern you? Tsunayoshi nearly laughed. The Dying Will Flames linked to one's spirit; the stronger the surge, the stronger the blaze. Around Riveria he saw Rain and Mist flaring high, their natures fraying at the edges.
"You came looking for me?" he asked.
"Yes." Redirected from the urge to pummel a certain wolf, Riveria steadied herself; the flames about her settled with her breath. "Since she received that power, Ais has always had something to do, so I haven't fretted. But as she grows more proficient… I've begun to worry."
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome]
[Thank You For Your Support!]