Why Lowell ever picked up a sword.
Obviously, it was to protect Rodelin.
‘Father plans to use Rodelin to deal with the Second Legion Commander.’
Was it a desperate misread, or did he really put all his hopes on Rodelin?
I didn’t know which, but one thing was crystal clear.
‘I need to get stronger to protect Delin.’
That’s the whole reason Lowell picked up a sword.
But then.
‘Did Delin pick up a sword for me, too?’
Sure, she probably wanted to save the whole family, too.
Still, the real spark behind her training—me—hit Lowell like a truck.
Lowell took up the sword for Rodelin.
And Rodelin took up the sword for Lowell.
They were each other’s starting line.
“I can throw this life away anytime!”
Rodelin said it flat-out: if killing the Second Legion Commander would break the contract, she’d die without regrets.
I want to say it. I want her to hear it.
That I love you enough to die for you, too.
‘How do I even say that out loud?’
I’ve shoved her away for so long I don’t know how to grab her hand, let alone pull her in.
How am I supposed to get through to this kid while she’s crying like that?
-Pat her head and tell her she did good.
That kid with slit eyes, Zero.
Why was that unlucky bastard’s face and advice popping up now?
No idea. But if this is how I can get my feelings across…
I’ll do it a thousand—ten thousand—times if I have to.
Lowell went to put a hand on Rodelin’s head, but she couldn’t reach.
‘…She’s gotten so tall.’
When did the kid I used to look down on and scoop into my arms grow up this much?
She grew up beautifully, and somehow I missed it the whole time.
Lowell rose onto her toes and gently patted Rodelin’s head.
“You’ve been through so much because of me.”
I realized it way too late.
Love isn’t just a feeling you keep inside.
You have to say it and show it.
“Ah…”
A lone tear slid from the corner of Rodelin’s eye.
It turned into a waterfall in seconds.
“C-Crying over this… I-I’m really not fit to be a soldier…”
Rodelin scrubbed at her tears with both hands.
Hands trained for the sword, yet even they couldn’t dam the flood.
“It’s fine. Cry as much as you want. Soldiers are human too, aren’t they?”
“H-Heuuuugh…!”
Praise her. Pat her. Cheer her on.
Why did I dodge this like it was some hard quest?
It was stupidly easy.
I’m a failure of a sister.
“I really am a lousy sister, aren’t I?”
“Don’t say that. You’re the best sister in the world!”
“No… isn’t that a little much?”
“What are you talking about? I’ll prove it. I’ll send a notice across the whole continent and hold a vote right now…”
“Okay, okay, calm down. It’s scary because I think you’d actually do it.”
Rodelin sulked, muttering, ‘But it is true…’
I have no idea who she got that wild imagination from.
‘Still, if you asked for the best little sister in the world, everyone would pick my Delin.’
Feelings delivered. Now came the hard part—my actual point.
“Delin, I get where you’re coming from. But let me handle anything involving the Legion Commander.”
Rodelin wasn’t bound by the demon’s contract.
She had no reason to chase power, and no need to fight the Second Legion Commander.
‘Why did Father single her out for an exception?’
If she’d been in the contract, none of this would’ve fallen on her.
She wouldn’t be carrying the family’s fate on her shoulders.
“I can’t. Aren’t I family too?”
“Exactly because we’re family. Why should you suffer for us? You should live how you want, happily.”
“If you were in my shoes… you would’ve done the same, Sister.”
Lowell had no answer.
She would have. Even without the contract, Lowell would’ve grabbed a sword.
To protect the sister she loved.
“The way you want to protect me, Sister, I want to protect everyone.”
Rodelin’s eyes shone through the tears, bright with stubborn resolve.
“You know you could die, right?”
“It’s fine. You’ll protect me, Sister.”
“Seriously, you’re way too good with words…”
Zap!
Lowell jolted. Her intuition fired off.
The sense that if she didn’t push Rodelin back right now, this kid would take on a crushing burden.
The warning that Rodelin would be forced down a thorn-choked road of misery slammed into her.
Lowell’s special gut feeling.
It had never once been wrong.
“I-I’m sorry. Did I say something wrong again…?”
Even so.
Squeeze.
Lowell pulled Rodelin into a tight hug.
‘I don’t want to hurt Delin anymore.’
Whatever comes, it will be fine. Even if it’s a thorny path that shreds my feet, it will be fine.
Because I will.
“I’ll carry you on my back and get us across.”
“S-Sister…”
“Is it because we’re in a mine…? It’s crazy humid. Why are there so many drops falling?”
Lowell wiped the droplets running down her face.
Rodelin looked away, pretending she didn’t notice. Lowell cleared her tears and changed the subject.
“Ahem. Want a piggyback ride, like old times?”
She had to take it back instantly—Rodelin was a good 20 cm taller now.
“Tch… why’d you get so tall? I can’t even give you a piggyback anymore.”
“It’s fine. From now on, I’ll carry you on my back.”
“Huh?”
Rodelin turned around and crouched a little.
Then she wiggled her open hands behind her.
-Delin, hop on! Today’s a garden tour!
The exact gesture Lowell used to make before hauling Rodelin around every day.
Lowell climbed on, like she couldn’t say no.
“I’ll do one lap for recon.”
Rodelin took off running. The mine blurred past.
So this was what the world looked like from her back then.
‘Not bad.’
Age, looks, strength— even the one carrying became the one being carried.
A lot changed, but some things didn’t.
Delin’s still cute—then and now. And…
‘We’re still family.’
Lowell rested against Rodelin’s back.
So her feelings right now would get through.
[Casting ‘Predation’.]
The skill [Predation] lets you steal a skill from a named or boss monster.
Annoying, but the demon Orobas and Baron Kelven count as a single body.
Meaning the skill I can snag this time is:
[Unification], [Body Transfer], [Demon Magic — Thorn Tentacle], [Demon Magic — Wandering Storm], [Aura], [Aldart Mana Cultivation Method], [Taijutsu].
Ignoring dupes I already have—[Swordsmanship], [Reflexes], [Dynamic Vision], and so on—I’ll get one of those.
I was watching that black energy sink into me when—
[You acquire ‘Demon Magic — Wandering Storm’ through the power of Predation.]
[The user is a human, not a demon. The prefix ‘Demon Magic’ is removed.]
[You have acquired ‘Wandering Storm’.]
[The penalty of ‘Predation’ activates. The skill grade is lowered to F.]
“…?”
I blinked. Didn’t see that one coming.
‘Since it’s a cheat-tier skill, I was going to park it in Divine Imitation until endgame…’
[Divine Imitation] can hold five skills max.
Swap them in and out depending on the situation.
That’s how you run [Divine Imitation], with one big exception.
‘If I get a cheat skill, it stays locked in.’
Every game has balance-breaking skills, and this one labels a few as straight-up ‘cheat.’
Take Adonis’s [Gae Bolg]. Total busted—no cooldown as long as you’ve got something to throw.
‘[Wandering Storm] isn’t that bad, but for early game? Easy top ten.’
So I was going to lock [Wandering Storm] next to [Gae Bolg] and burn two slots forever.
Even dropping my flex slots to three, [Wandering Storm] was worth it.
‘But still…’
Getting [Wandering Storm] through Predation was wild.
It’s F-rank right now, but if I grind it up, it’ll hit its usual power.
No—
‘It can hit even harder than that.’
The good and bad of [Divine Imitation]:
Any copied skill gets force-fixed at A-rank.
But if I grow [Wandering Storm] into S-rank?
‘Most long-range attacks won’t even matter.’
Freeing up space in [Divine Imitation], plus the chance to push it to S.
Bottom line: my growth ceiling just went up.
“…”
Baron Kelven’s corpse came into view, eyes still wide open.
Maybe death stripped the mask away—Nade’s young face was gone.
All that was left was a greedy old man.
I reached over and closed his eyes.
I got a good skill out of him; the least I could do was that.
“Delin, put me down.”
“Just a second. I’ll set you down somewhere flat.”
Rodelin was poking around with Lowell still on her back.
Trying to find a level spot in this busted mine.
You could feel how much Rodelin treasured her.
‘Looks like that side wrapped up fine, too.’
Guess the 65% roll came up success.
The Trash episode’s over, but there’s no downtime.
What changed, and how it’ll warp the story from here on out—
I’ve got to observe, research, build the puzzle pieces, and prep for what’s coming.
Rodelin and Lowell reconciling.
I’ve never walked this route before, but it doesn’t feel unwinnable.
I’m a vet at this game.
‘Bring it on.’
You never know when or where a puzzle piece will drop.
I pricked up my ears and listened in on the sisters.
“J-Just put me down! The kids are staring. I’m mortified!”
“What if you twist your ankle! Didn’t you always say you couldn’t put me down until you found somewhere safe?”
“I’d rather sprain an ankle than die of embarrassment! And I only said that to keep carrying you longer!”
“Honestly, I’m doing the same thing. I’m enjoying carrying you way too much!”
“T-This is unfair! But even like this, my Delin is cuuuuute!”
…Yeah, I’m done thinking about this.
An older-sister pervert and a younger-sister pervert.
For a normal guy like me, trying to parse pervert logic is a lost cause.
–TL Notes–
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So, Zero has already acquired [Reflexes], [Dynamic Vision].
Likely during lessons as there were not quest rewards, or did I miss something?
Zero still needs to get a Mana cultivation method and [Aura] in order to reach 5-star level
Swordmanship was obtain during normal lesson with Lerang
Dynamic vision and reflex wasn’t mention but if I have to guess it was during Lucia training
You have done it Zero! You have saved Rodelin!
With Lowel alive and reconcile would she let the Lucid family abandoning Rodelin and stamp the slave seal on her back?
She would rather drag the entire family down into the abyss if it mean she can dave Rodelin! Perhaps even disclosing the contract to the Emperor at the cost of her live!
And what a bummer,Why did that bum Kelven not have Kelven family swordmanship!
But Wandering storm is far better obviously,At F-grade it range should be something like 20 meters? Still usable
But Zero,Would A and S rank wandering storm be that different? It would just be the difference between 15cm and 30cm
What kind of crazy ranged fighter would blast you point blank range?