Chapter 22 – Ait Blurantë

“In this regard, Yuto will be working with us from now on. I have also reached out to Kuu-chan and her party regarding this.”

Such a letter was sent to Ait as he held a guild member by the scruff of his neck while onboard The Double Winged Sword’s mobile headquarter ship, The Shield’s Perch.

“Hmmm… most of our guild members always move as they like after all. Well, Syltina-san diligently does her work, so I’ll just leave Yuto to her.”

“Master, how long are you planning to keep me like this?” the man who Ait had caught by the scruff of the neck complained.

“Ah, sorry. I forgot.”

“So mean. Anyway, if Sylti’s group will still take a while, won’t it be fine to just let us move freely for now?”

“For someone who had ignored the assembly call that had gone out 2 months ago, what are you trying to tell me, who had even personally come to pick you up?”

“Uh, no, but……”

“No buts. The Two-Name Holders are heading the operations this time, but, The Double Winged Sword only has a handful of people. This plan is particularly important for the future of our guild, so we also need everyone to help out.”

“Fiiiiine.”

Ait chuckled at the carefree reply, since he knew that this guild member would move accordingly for the sake of the guild.

‘Ait Blurantë’ is the Master of the mercenary guild, The Double Winged Sword, a guild that belonged to no country. That is why the people who comprise it are mostly stateless people who do not belong to any country. However, about 10 years ago, through a rare occurrence, a noble lady who held citizenship came to such a guild.

“How do you do? I am Syltina Balratona. I’m pleased to make your acquaintance”, the child, who was still very young, said to the rough and savage-looking Ait, who returned the gesture and smiled at the young lady.

If he remembered correctly, Syltina was about 6 or 7 years old at the time. Standing beside Syltina as if he naturally belonged there, was Jin. Ait remembered fearing that Jin would be able to easily connect with members of the government if he decided to seriously make a move. But, even so, Ait was still satisfied with the status quo at that time.

Since they are stateless, the guild headquarters also served as a ship that went around the world, so, they sometimes stopped by continental states to procure supplies. They receive all kinds of requests from various countries and races. And because of their small number, the guild is tightly-knit.

Each individual’s power was perfect, and The Double Winged Sword became famous around the world.

It’s not that Ait didn’t desire to set up shop somewhere, but he still thought that they could stay like that for the time being. However, the ones who changed their thoughts after all were the youths, mainly Syltina and Jin, who had grown up to the point that they were called the Two-Name Holders.

“Please take me in as one of you!”

Around 8 years ago, Syltina pleaded to Ait while bowing down. With a slightly trembling voice, her eyes held a firm determination. She absolutely wished to be strong.

Of course, until then there was no precedent of a person having a nationality in The Double Winged Sword. Besides, having a ‘nationality’ was considered to only be a hindrance to the members. Therefore, a lot of things had to be discussed regarding Syltina’s registration.

To begin with, Syltina was the daughter of a Duke family that held the most power next to the Royal family. If she registers with the guild, takes on requests, and, if by any chance, something happens to her, then what next? …………It was no stretch of the imagination to think of the consequences.

No matter how many times opinions were exchanged, this and that were still a different story even if they were to treat her as a valued guild member like the others. Unable to make a decision, Ait tries to convince Syltina to think twice about her choice, but, she in turn, decides to tell Ait everything one day.

It was about what was going to unfold……. The future… that one of the Two-Name Holders, the Witch of Foresight, Clarina Hamillee, saw at the time.

“If you know what will happen from now on, then won’t you be able to avoid it?”

Why do we have to obediently accept the ‘future’ that is coming to us and devise countermeasures for what happens ‘after’?

If you know it, then change it. If you don’t want that ‘future’, then change it. Isn’t it that simple?

However, Syltina merely chuckled and shook her head at Ait’s question.

“I can’t do anything about people’s feelings,” she said.

“I intend to devote everything to the future that Kuu-chan — Clarina, had seen. However, as far as I know, it’s not the strategy that matters, but the feelings about someone. I can only believe in the people involved in that future.”

It seems that she finds no trouble with creating lots of ‘allies’ by making use of everything available to her. However, she still cannot do anything about the feelings of the individuals themselves. What’s troublesome is, the person’s feelings, which nothing could be done about, played a major role in the future Clarina had seen.

That’s why.

“I will eventually lose everything that I have now. No matter how many allies I make, or how much I do everything, I still cannot change how other people feel. If the Other Worlder comes to Rideiran kingdom in a few years and manages to capture other people’s feelings, then, I cannot do anything more. Sooner or later, I will be looked down upon and betrayed by the people I loved, believed, and admired. The only thing I can do is to make sure that I do not lose my life in a worst-case scenario. Nevertheless, I cannot give up early on the present me.”

No matter what kind of future awaits her, the present cannot be abandoned for that reason. After all, those relations aren’t so shallow that they can be easily thrown away or cut off. No matter how high the chances of betrayal are, Syltina loves and trusts the people around her that she wants to bet that it won’t happen. That those people will also return the same trust and love given to them.

“How good it would have been if those could be easily discarded……”

The people, country, dreams, ideals, past, future, and even the present. She was unable to throw everything away. But, for Syltina to be thrown away so easily, the people around her loved, were loved, believed, and were believed too unconditionally.

“So, why do you want to be a part of The Double Winged Sword after ‘that’ happens? This guild isn’t that generous, you know?”

“I understand that.”

She laughed at the words intentionally thrown at her.

Smiling, she continues. “Still.”

“It’s sad not to have a place to return to. It’s hard not to have anyone to believe in. I don’t want to have no place to belong. Those are the selfish reasons behind my arbitrary conditions. Nevertheless, I do not want to be alone. …… That’s why if my ‘future’ unfolds as it is…… If it is impossible to avoid that fate, then, I will have to move in advance so that I could have a place to belong to, people to believe in, and a place to return to. And so, I would like that place to be this guild.”

“……You’re very selfish, aren’t you?”

“That’s what I like about you.”

A smile unconsciously broke from Ait at the smiling girl’s bold words.

“You’re selfish.”

“I would like you to call me an egoist instead.”

“That’s not a compliment, you know?”

“I am aware of that. However, isn’t it fine? I like egoists because it makes people seem more ‘human’ after all. Don’t you think it’s more human-like for people to actually be more honest rather than behave like a hypocrite who claims that they are doing things for other people’s sake?”

“Well, it surely is.”

After all, people are selfish creatures. That’s obvious. In order to survive, it’s imperative that one must think of themselves first rather than think of others.

But, she declared it without hiding anything.

“I am an egoist,” she says.

How resolute.

“Haha. Yes, that’s good. Very well, I like you! Welcome, Syltina Balratona-san. In the instance that you lose a place to return to, The Double Winged Sword will take you in.”

“Thank you very much”, smiling, she deeply bows.

And after 6 years, she became just ‘Syltina’ and formally became one of them. However, it wasn’t the only thing happening around her.

After all, when Jin found out about the future where Syltina was going to be deeply hurt, he didn’t expect that the after would occur without a hitch.

After Jin found out about the future that awaited Syltina, he lost no time in formulating the plan that was now being carried out. Although Syltina refused to be a part of executing the plan and spared no cooperation, she gradually made preparations from her side as well.

The plan would change the structure of the guild if it succeeded, but, it was applicable only to none other than the people who agreed to it. Before that, there were various approaches from people such as Jin, Syltina, Alhart, and Clarina, which, if lumped together in a word, would all boil down to if it’s for the sake of our precious comrade Syltina…

The guild who never belonged to any country.

The stateless members who didn’t have any place to belong to.

That’s why their only home, The Double Winged Sword Guild…… the guild’s members, were above all, precious and irreplaceable.

If our comrade wishes for it, then we will lend them our power.

If our comrade is hurt, then we will return the wounds more than two-fold.

That was the guild, The Double Winged Sword, that ‘Ait Blurantë’ built.

“Well, let’s return to the branch for now. You will be helping Karmina and Elaine in the branch, got it?”

“Roger!”

Illusa passed the man who nodded at Ait’s command and disappeared inside the ship, and stood beside the Guild Master.

“We finally gathered.”

“Yes, it took longer than expected, so it would be nice if Jin-san isn’t angry.”

“Originally, the Master was sent to collect the guild members, so I think there’s no problem there.”

“If that’s the case, then isn’t it complicated? I’m a little sad because I was kind of expecting them not to gather. Maybe I should add ‘punctuality’ as one of the guild’s new rules.”

“At this late hour?”

“Yes, at this late hour.”

Ait roared with laughter and prayed for the success of the plan that started in earnest as his blond hair blew along the wind.