Chapter 6 : A child born with the destiny of a warrior

William Fernandes, the Crown Prince.
As the first Crown Prince of the Fernandes Empire, the most powerful nation on this continent, he was also in line to be the next emperor.
Such a figure visiting this rural village, and moreover, seeking out a retired officer like me, could only make me wary.
If, just in case, he was targeting Rona……
And if he intended to suppress us with his authority, I would have no means of resistance.

“Then let us move locations.
Would you be able to guide me to the place where the light fell directly?”

“……I will.”

Fortunately, it seemed he hadn’t noticed Rona’s existence yet.
To distance him from Rona even a little, I accepted his proposal and headed towards the place where the light had fallen.

The place we arrived at was the wide pit I had discovered when I was gathering herbs before.
That place, believed to have been formed by something crashing down, was still untouched and abandoned, looking no different from when I first discovered it.

“Hmm, so this is the place where the light fell.”

“It seems to match the coordinates as well.”

“It has to be.
It has to be, for my personal visit to be worthwhile.”

Crown Prince William entered the pit and carefully examined the inside.
While the soldiers accompanying him searched and guarded the perimeter, I had no choice but to stand far away and watch the process.
Facing what was practically a natural disaster, all I could do was pray that this moment would pass without incident.

“Oh dear.
I brought you here and left you unattended for too long.
My apologies, I’m the type of person who loses track of time once I concentrate……”

The Crown Prince approached me and apologized after some time had passed.
His superficially slick attitude seemed like a veil, making it impossible to fathom his true intentions.
‘Yes, even though he seems friendly on the surface, he might be suspecting me.’

“……Did you find anything of interest?”

Then, I should confront him directly instead.
With the intention of at least finding out why he came here, I opened the floor for conversation, and he laughed it off as if it were nothing and returned an answer.

“Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any peculiarities with the naked eye.
It’s only natural when you think about it.
It’s already been at least a month since the light fell here……
What was it like when you first came here?
Did you discover anything unusual?”

Is he really asking out of curiosity, or is it just a probing question?
Hiding my intention that I had no intention of answering him honestly either way, I asked him a question in return.

“Before I explain that, I dare to ask……
What is this light that fell here, that Your Highness, not just any investigator, has personally visited this place?”

“Ah, come to think of it, have I not explained it yet?
My apologies.
To ask questions without even explaining what I came here to find……
Well, it would be best to first figure out if whatever you discovered is related to what I’m looking for.”

The Crown Prince took on a posture of being convinced by my question.
Then, he glanced around at his surroundings and subtly narrowed the distance between us, whispering carefully in my ear.

“Originally, this matter is top secret, so I should keep my words to a minimum……
But you, who witnessed it from the closest point, cannot be called an outsider, so it would be better to tell you.”

Top secret……
Yes, it wouldn’t be to this extent unless it was top secret, for the Crown Prince to come all the way here himself.
But what is his intention in telling me, who is a person of suspicion, about this?

“Are you aware of the existence of a being called the Demon King?”

Before I could even fathom that, at the unexpected words that followed, I felt doubt and questioned him back.

“Demon King, you say……
Isn’t that a being that only appears in fairy tales?”

“Yes, I too was often read fairy tales about Demon Kings by my nanny when I was young.
The incarnation of evil who plunged the world into ruin, leading countless hordes of evil, he would be a being that could truly be called a disaster for humanity.
If that being really existed……”

Crown Prince William trailed off, and glanced around again.
The words that followed were spoken after confirming that the soldiers were guarding the perimeter well.

“Yes, the Demon King exists.
In fact, in this era we live in, there have been eyewitness accounts of traces of demons, who are the Demon King’s lackeys, being faintly seen all over the continent, and that is proof of it.”

“…….”

“……Oh dear, you have quite the stiff expression.
I suppose the fact that a being from fairy tales actually exists is something you cannot overlook either?”

‘Of course I can’t overlook it.’
That Demon King might be related to Rona.

“Is the war that the Empire led a few years ago also related to that?”

“Yes, the reason why Father Emperor sought to unify the continent through war was also because of that.
The Demon King, and the ‘Demon King Army’ he leads, would be a disaster that cannot be overcome unless all of humanity on the continent unites.”

‘Perhaps.’
‘Perhaps the extraordinary abilities Rona showed are related to the Demon King, or derived from his lackeys……’
Such anxiety began to stir in my heart for a moment, but what followed was about something completely contrary to that.

“And it is because of such sincerity that I have come to this place.
Following the traces of a prophecy that foretold the current era, to find the ‘traces of the Hero’ who will descend somewhere on this continent.”

“Hero……?”

“Similarly, it’s a story that also often appears in fairy tales.
A hero of humanity, hope, savior…… who fights alone against the great disaster called the Demon King.
Something related to that being is written in the prophecy to descend somewhere on this continent and join the fight against the Demon King Army.”

“And according to that prophecy, this place where the light descended is likely to be that place……”

“Has the Hero, actually descended?”

“I do not know even that much.
Whether the Hero himself is descending, or a part of him, or perhaps a weapon he used or the source of his power.
My guess is that the Holy Sword used by the Hero fell here, and the one who draws it will be chosen as the Hero, and I came personally to see if that was the case……
But as you can see, that guess went wide of the mark.”

The Crown Prince shrugged his shoulders with a tone of disappointment, shaking his head.
Then, as if something came to mind, he raised his head and turned his gaze towards me.

“Ah, there is still one possibility left.”

As if guessing that the possibility he just thought of was related to me.

“Could it be you?”

At the question that originated from that, I held my breath and couldn’t help but contemplate how to respond.
If he already knew everything and came here, should I tell him directly?
Or should I deny it to the end and hide that child?

“Did you draw the Holy Sword?”

But contrary to such worries, what followed was a story unrelated to Rona.
Relieved at that, I quietly returned an answer without showing any reaction.

“……If I had drawn the Holy Sword, I would have reported it to the guild first.”

“Hmm, I suppose so.
Even I, if I had drawn the Holy Sword, I would have boasted about it first.”

Hahahaha!
The Crown Prince laughed heartily and patted my shoulder.
Just as I was feeling burdened by his attitude that showed no sense of distance, the Crown Prince’s escort knight approached and reported.

“Your Highness, after having the soldiers search the area, they have reported that no abnormalities were found in the vicinity.”

“Just in case, let us stay in this village for a while and observe the situation.
It seems that the seawater has increased near the village, so it would be good to have the soldiers help with the seawater control as well.”

“Understood.”

The knight, receiving his orders, left to convey the instructions to the soldiers.
The Crown Prince, watching him go with a satisfied smile, turned back to me as if he still had business left, and spoke.

“With that being the case, I plan to stay in this village for a while.
You, of all people, should be able to understand what this means, right?”

His slender eyes gradually became narrow and sly, and the pupils within them turned towards me.
A smile stretched long like melted cheese.
The golden eyes revealed along with it had a sharper glint than any blade I had seen on the battlefield.
The Crown Prince left me with those last words.

“If you discover anything belatedly, come find me.
I will generously compensate you for it.”

‘I’m giving you time, so if you have anything to reveal, reveal it yourself.’
Words like a warning, containing such meaning, that I couldn’t dare to take lightly.

After parting with the Crown Prince, I returned home with heavy steps.
No, in reality, shouldn’t I see it as him having let me off?
He himself speculated it was the Holy Sword, but if he wasn’t a fool, he would surely guess it.
Even if he wasn’t certain, he would be anticipating Rona’s existence, and that I was hiding her.
Him staying in this village was also just a postponement to gauge whether he should give me a reward or punishment.
In such a situation, I couldn’t help but feel conflicted about what to do with Rona’s safety.

If the light that descended here was ‘something related to the Hero’ that appeared in the prophecy……
That would mean that Rona is the child born with the destiny of the Hero.
Reincarnation, or blood relation, or something else……
Whatever it may be, if the extraordinary abilities that child showed were the power that Heroes are born with, then it would be understandable enough.
And if she was born with such a destiny, then that child will one day stand at the forefront of humanity confronting the Demon King Army, and engage in a bloody battle with the Demon King.
Even though she is still a young child, even though she still can’t speak properly, someday……
No, that time might be right around the corner, without even giving her time to grow up.
Informing the Crown Prince of that child’s existence would mean pushing that child’s back with my own hands, forcing her into such a destiny.
Is that really acceptable as a parent?
A destiny more cruel than what I experienced on the battlefield……
Is it really something forgivable to force upon my own daughter directly?

“Ppabpui!!”

While I was in such conflict and returned home, Rona, as if she had been waiting, ran to me and hugged my leg.
From her scene rubbing her cheek against my leg, I could feel that Rona was very happy to see me.

“She’s been looking for you ever since she woke up.
Saying she has a gift to give you.”

And Erina, following behind Rona, gave me an explanation.
At that, I glanced down at Rona, and Rona put her hand into her pocket and started rummaging around for a moment.

“Nya!”

And soon, along with her hand that was taken out, a stone of mysterious color was presented to me.

“Ppajjippajji.”

“…Pants?”

“Ppajjippajji!!”

“I think she’s saying it’s a sparkling stone?”

Sparkling……
Yes, the stone Rona gave me was shining with a radiant color.
A stone that anyone could feel was special at a glance.
Conversely, it was just outwardly special, but still an object whose value I didn’t yet grasp.

“……You went into the forest to find this?”

“Yes!”

To find such an object, Rona had gone into the forest alone.
To give it to me at this moment, for my sake, Rona herself, even risking danger directly……

“Self harm?”

Looking up at me so innocently, I felt a lump form in my heart for a moment.
Even though we weren’t connected by blood.
Even though it had only been about a month since we met.
The fact that this child had prepared a gift for me felt both joyful and heartbreaking.

“Thank you for the gift, but it’s hard to just say you did a good job.”

Should I give such a child a piece of advice, or should I scold her sternly……
In such contemplation, I realized that the conflict I had felt until now because of this child had been momentarily forgotten, and I let out a bitter laugh and gently hugged Rona’s body.

“……Don’t leave without saying anything next time.
When you have to leave, you must tell Mommy and Daddy, okay?”

Yes, Demon King or Hero, such things are secondary problems.
The most important thing is that this child is my daughter, and if I call myself her father, then everything of mine must be devoted to this child.
If it’s something that threatens this child, I will block anything, and if necessary, I will be prepared to antagonize all of humanity.

“…Okay.”

Feeling gratitude even towards the small child who was embracing me, prepared to do that, I carefully embraced her body and established one calling in my heart.
If this child really was born with the destiny of a Hero, I had to prepare for the time when she would inevitably have to stand on the battlefield.
If the world forced such a destiny upon her, we might unwillingly have to part with this child, and whether that time came sooner or later, I, who had become this child’s father, had to prepare for it.

“……Come to think of it, I’ve never directly taught Rona anything as her father.”

So, at the very least, I will directly lay the foundation for her.
The proposal that followed originated from such a desperate feeling.

“Rona.
If it’s alright with you, would you like to learn swordsmanship from Daddy?”

“….Ho?”