The Second Purpose

Back in the days when I lived as a sword.

He was the third among my twelve companions.

The warrior Bennett said,

"The best way to keep a secret is not to share it with anyone."

― What if you need to share the secret?

"Then make sure it doesn't spread."

― Bennett, which method do you prefer? Bribery? Threats?

"Neither."

Bennett raised his thumb and drew it across his neck.

"If no one who knows the secret remains in this world, that's how you do it."

If two kids of the same age just died in this little territory, it would cause a big commotion, Bennett.

And besides,
I don't want to get rid of these kids.

At least, not yet. It's still quite fun.

I'll take measures if they seem like they're going to tell.

I approached Milo and Vanessa, who were still staring at me blankly.

"Milo, Vanessa. Can you promise to keep what happened today a secret?"

"Huh? Yeah...."

"Y-yeah. Evan."

Thankfully, Milo and Vanessa kept the secret well.

In return, I had to sometimes go into the southern forest with them,
and had to show off tricks like high jumping or catching wild animals.

That was the price of secrecy.

But I think that's quite a good deal.

* * *

Time flowed quickly.

Before I knew it, I was twelve years old.

The Baron and Baroness, who used to worry because I was a little different from the other children, seem not to be so concerned these days.

That must mean my acting has improved that much.

Suddenly, I had a question.

Now I was human—so why do I have to pretend to be human?

What is the difference between them and me?

It wasn't hard to hide my different physical abilities while breathing with nature and mingling with kids my age.

Milo and Vanessa did a good job keeping my secret, too.

More importantly, this wasn't the fundamental difference between them and me—

I'm just a little stronger than my peers.

The real problem was emotions.

A thousand years of living as a piece of metal didn't disappear from my mind so easily.

During twelve years of living, I've come to understand human emotions a lot,
but I still don't feel like I share the same feelings as them.

Understanding and sharing emotions are two different things.

I guess I need to work on it more.

And.

Humans sometimes do things that make no sense to me.

They turn a blind eye to their own losses and even deceive themselves.

Sometimes, they choose incredibly inefficient paths.

They do things that are obviously going to turn out badly as if it's nothing.

Especially, they agonize for a long time over trivial things and end up making a half-hearted decision.

Like what Flory Brooks, baroness, is doing right now.

"Oh dear, since it's the village festival for the first time in a while... I want to dress up my son nicely. Make him look like the coolest boy, you know."

Wouldn't dressing him in nice, pretty clothes achieve that?

A mother wanting her son to stand out is only natural.

But then—

"But not this outfit. The fabric is too expensive. All the territory people will be there together; there's no need to make them feel deprived."

We're the lord's family and they're poor peasants.

Not just this properly-sized castle, but the whole fief outside belongs to Baron Austin Brooks.

It's natural for our family to wear different clothes from them.

"Mom, then I'll just wear those clothes."

I pointed to the plain clothes I usually wore when playing outside the fief.

If you don't want to make the peasants feel deprived, just wear the same clothes as them.

Simple problem.

"But today's special—it's the festival. Let's wear something a little nicer. Daddy is here for the first time in a while too."

After a long selection process,

we settled on clothes that were neither luxurious nor shabby.

The most nondescript outfit in the wardrobe.

Such a middling and inefficient decision.

Still, I quietly followed Baroness Flory Brooks' opinion.

"I'll wear this."

"My sweet Evan, how are you so well-behaved? You never complain even once, always listening to your mother. How did I get such a wonderful child?"

From your womb.

Look at my eyes.

Even at twelve, my eyes look exactly like yours.

"Let's go. Daddy's waiting for us."

As I left the room, there stood a man in the wide hallway with the same nose as mine.

"Dear, Evan."

"Dear, you didn't wait long, did you?"

"Daddy!"

I rushed toward Baron Austin Brooks.

He knelt on one knee and embraced me.

Austin Brooks loves this moment the most.

Behind me, I could hear Baroness Flory Brooks' grumbling.

"He likes his daddy so much! He always runs straight to him."

He's the one who likes it the most.

"Whenever Daddy's home, I'm always second place."

But I spend more time with you, don't I, mom?

We eat and sleep together every day.

I'm just balancing things out fairly, I think.

The love from both parents toward me is probably similar.

As always, baron Austin Brooks knelt on one knee and hugged me tightly.

This is his favorite moment—

and, well, I don't exactly dislike it either.

While Baroness Flory Brooks' embrace is warm and cozy,

Baron Austin Brooks' arms are wide and reassuring.

"Let's go."

Holding Flory Brooks' hand in my left, and Austin Brooks' in my right, I followed them down the long hallway and the stairs.

Today is the day of the fief festival.

On the Monday after every harvest's end,
our fief holds a festival.

"Evan, your tutor says you're especially good at engineering?"

I'm not interested in studying.

Engineering was a little less boring just because it had clear, definite answers.

Since my sword days,
I've liked things that are clear.

Just as I only accepted companions with clear goals and principles.

"My son, you're going to be an engineer like Daddy, right?"

I have no intention of becoming an engineer.

I haven't told my parents yet,

but when I come of age, I plan to travel the world freely.

"I'm not sure yet. I don't know what I'll do when I grow up."

"Aww, really. Darling, Evan is only twelve. Are you already pressuring him to follow in your footsteps?"

"No, no, it's just—his tutor said he's especially talented at engineering. Evan, daddy isn't forcing you. You can do whatever you want."

"Thank you, dad."

You definitely said I could do what I want, baron Austin Brooks.

I'll wander the world.

That'll be my second purpose, as a human.

When we came downstairs, the carriage was waiting.

BOOM! BOOM!

"Looks like the fireworks already started! Let's hurry, Evan!"

According to Baroness Flory Brooks, bright flashes were bursting from the direction of the village plaza.

But...

The sounds of the fireworks were different from last year.

Was there always that much smoke?

* * *

That night,
my parents and all of our relatives were murdered.

The castle where I was born and raised was completely burned down.

Not just the servants, but most of the townspeople were killed.

Even Milo and Vanessa, who were like friends, both died.

Thanks to Baron Austin Brooks' quick thinking, I was the only one who escaped the castle.

"Evan! Listen carefully. Go through this door and you'll find an underground passage. Don't look back—just run. And when you see the way out, go outside and run again, understand? After that, daddy will come to..."

Most people would have chosen words of hope.

But Baron Austin Brooks told the truth.

He was an engineer who pursued clear facts and evidence.

"... Daddy can't come for you. Neither can Mommy, nor Uncle, nor the butler. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Once you're out, you absolutely must not be seen for a while. Remember this... it's crucial."

"Yes."

"You have to survive. Evan. Evan Brooks. My beloved son."

"Yes."

Clunk.

Baron Austin Brooks closed the secret passage door behind me without hesitation.

My second purpose as a human was to say farewell to my family and wander the world on my own after coming of age.

Suddenly, I had achieved that goal.

Except now,
I had another purpose.

To send those who had done this—to the ones who, as a gift from my last companion Rex, made my first-ever family in a thousand years end like that,
and prevented me from fulfilling my first goal as a human—

I'll send every last one of them to hell.

Just as they did to my first family.

Every single one involved.

Not even missing one.

I'll throw them all into the fires of hell.

From this moment on,

I am a sword again.

* * *

"Evan!"

"Yes?"

"You bastard! How many times did I tell you to keep the bedding neat!"

Thwack!

Dylan's kicks started up again.

Using my not making the bed properly as an excuse.

As if there's anything to tidy up when all we do is cover ourselves with a pile of badly sewn-together leather scraps.

Actually, nothing would've changed even if I had made the bed well.

No matter what, he finds something to nitpick and roughs me up every night.

It's already been a week since I hid in the bandits' group to stay out of their sight.

Thump!

Another kick from Dylan sent me rolling across the floor.

"How does this Evan brat not even utter a groan when he's hit? What a tough freak!"

Whack!

I feel no pain.

Did Aurum Drago's dragon jewel not work right?

Am I not completely human?

"Why are you standing there with those eyes again?"

Whack!

This time, the target was Bastian.

He's my age, and I heard he's been in the bandits' group for over four years.

Ordinarily, his seniority would've spared him the daily beatings.

But he's the stubborn type and always glares at the seniors and gets beaten up.

He must've been glaring at Dylan, who was hitting me for no reason, out of displeasure.

A week ago,

He was the one who found me lost deep in the woods and brought me here.

If it hadn't been for Bastian, I might've been killed by those guys in the forest that day.

"Hey! All of you, get over here and stomp! Today I'm gonna teach these two a lesson they'll never forget!"

At Dylan's command, a dozen cronies surrounded Bastian and me and started kicking us.

I saw Dylan stomping to the wall, panting, probably looking for a club to use as a weapon.

Crack! Smack!

The barrage of kicks continued.

Doesn't hurt.

No way those half-hearted kicks will break a bone.

Maybe I'll get a few bruises.

That's not my concern.

Crouched down, I was lost in other thoughts.

A week.

The search around here must be over by now.

For some reason, they didn't try to come search this bandit hideout.

Maybe the bandit chief is just too strong?

Well, it doesn't matter.

What matters is—

it's about time I left this place.

I asked Bastian, who was getting stomped beside me.

"Bastian."

"Urgh! Ngh! What, Evan?"

"I'm asking because you helped me—what's your reason for living?"

"What the hell are you talking about, all of a sudden!"

"Do you have a rule you live by?"

Even while getting stomped and choking, Bastian glanced at me.

Locking eyes, I asked again.

"Tell me your purpose and your principle."

"What the hell are you talking about!"

"I'm giving you a chance to become my companion."

"A companion?"

"Yeah."

One of the bandits kicking us shouted,

"Hey, Big brother Dylan! These two brats are talking!"

"Are they tough brats? Haven't beaten them enough! Hit harder!"

"Yes, sir!"

Thwack! Thwack!

The kicking intensified.

"Answer me."

"If... ngh! I become your—argh! companion, what's in it for me?"

"First, I can get you out of this beating."

"How?"

Simple.

"Just kill them all."

"Damn! What am I, stupid for taking you seriously?"

"This is your last chance. Bastian, what's your reason for living?"

"You crazy—hahahaha! Yep, you're out of your mind."

After making up his mind, Bastian took a deep breath.

"My goal is to become a military officer! ... Urgh!"

He is a determined one.

At the very least, he wanted to declare his goal without whining.

He passes so far.

"And your most important rule?"

"Rule? Ngh!"

"Yeah, a rule. One you'd never break, not even if your life depended on it."

"I never... Urgh! thought about that. Ngh!"

"Think about it now."

After a brief pause, Bastian answered.

"Don't... nggh! beat my subordinates."

Hmm....

The goal sounded decent, but the rule was a bit lacking.

Just not beating your subordinates, huh?

But, well.

Better than nothing.

And since he helped me first, I'll give him extra credit and show him mercy.

"Bastian."

"Agh! Why do you keep talking to me?"

"Congratulations on becoming my companion."

"Crazy... ngh! bastard."

I lifted my head slowly.

Though I had the wretched body of a twelve-year-old boy,
once,

I was the strongest sword in the world.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
The fuck?
That came out of the left field....
【(⩌_⩌ )】