Neta Chara Tensei Toka Anmari da!

“W-well…if you shave your beard you might still pass as an uncle, yup.”

“Then, hmm, do something about that rough chin?”

“That’s even worse.”

“Just kill me already…set me free…”

Actually, although not the worst, Duran was pretty rough overall. Face, hair, muscle, atmosphere, you name it, from all of them it would be easily mistake his age. Even if he said he is in the latter half of his thirties people would readily accept it. It seems it was not only because of placing himself on the battlefield.

While Nacht tried to correct herself, Duran took the tip of the broken sword.

It was pretty unbelievable for him that this sword could not even scratch Nacht’s white bare skin.

“So it broke huh…Well, I guess it’s fine.”

He remembered the face of the man he cut. He did not know him. Their only interaction was only cutting at each other during coup d’etat after all.

But he was diligent and sincere, or in other words, stupidly loyal, that was the impression left in Duran’s mind. He was pretty big and wear knight armor, with a superficial smile on his face.

Just now he remembered the words that man left on the verge of death.

–Please, look after the princess. As someone who could defeat me, I believe I could leave it to you–

In the end Duran never really did.

He left her at one of his acquaintances and forget about her.

When he saved her, she was five. She must have forgotten about him now and living her own life.

And the memento of that man was broken when Duran was defeated. Maybe it was inevitable.

“That sword has served its purpose I suppose–Hmm, let me prepare a replacement.”

“The name is Paraselene. This was a Legend-class weapon that only shows its form in the hand of those who has the qualification. Right now it showed a beautiful blade, but if I let it go–it would disappear as if an illusion–just like someone’s heart, right?”

Of course, it was sarcasm for Duran.

“!??”

Leaving Nacht’s hand, the blade disappeared, leaving its small handle and a broken blade, just like an illusion. Duran could not believe his eyes.

“I will give it to you. I could not use it, and I plan to give my comrades a better one. So currently this one is ownerless.”

Nacht said it lightly.

“Do you believe I would accept those crap!?”

But apparently, Duran could not accept it readily.

He has challenged Nacht with the intention to kill, nonetheless he was defeated, and instead of killing he was given a royal treasure class weapon, or maybe even better than that for free. There’s no way he could readily accept that fact.

“What? You can’t accept it? It’s the truth that I broke your sword. And it must be pretty precious for you. That’s why you should just accept this sword as a replacement.”

“There’s no way I could accept that! Don’t you know how precious your sword is? Additionally, I was the one who lost. You should be taking something from me, not the other way around.”

(Precious huh… Of course, I know the value of this sword, this was a piece of mid-tier equipment, which would mean it was meant for a player up to level 80. Above that this equipment would be worthless. Pushing it a bit it still could be used until level 100, but above that, it should be changed with other legend class items. Of course, I believe I am the one who knows how precious this item is. In the first place, I am a magic specialist and thus I don’t have the physical skill, even more, a greatsword skill, so basically this item worthless.)

(It worth 700k if sold to the shop, but in the free market it should at least worth 20m if sold properly).

Parselene was a rare drop from low-level area boss. Since it was not pretty hard to farm, there were a number of it in the free market.

For someone whose total asset was around 2G (2.000.000.000), it was nothing but an item that could be sold for a paltry sum for Nacht.

“Parselene would lend its power to the weakling, however for now you were too weak to even wield it.”

“Ugh… But even if you told me that…”

“Additionally, it’s not like I gain nothing if I give it to you since I would be using you as a test experiment after all.”

“Experiment you say? No, it doesn’t matter, do as you like…”

What appeared in Duran’s head when he heard the experiment was the kind of experiment where a mutation of mana poured inside the body, the kind of forbidden arts.

Nacht sighed at Duran who looked prepared from some kind of danger.

“Well, I did say experiment but Duran, it’s actually just whether you could use Parselene or not, that’s all, you know?”

“Ha….?”

Duran’s level if seen from a game perspective should be around 30.

It was around the time when the first job reached the max level.

Or to be more precise, it should be after completed 10 levels of novice job, choosing warrior type first job and reach level 20. After that choose a specialist job great sword user and level it up for a bit until almost 30 and about to change job. That is Duran’s current ability.

“Let’s get this straight first, for me you are nothing but small fry.”

“Khh.”

“But even so, from the bandits, I could get that although you might not be the strongest in this world, you should be among the strongest. In another world, you have reached the height that only the chosen one could reach. That’s why you should be among the most talented in this world.”

“Well, although it is not something I could brag in front of you…”

The fierce Duran could not be seen anywhere, only a dispirited man was there.

“Hahaha, don’t be so disappointed. You are talented, and thus I would use you to experiment on how much stronger people in this world could become.”

To use Paraselene, Duran should reach at least level 50. It could be more if he lacked STR.

“If you could use Paraselene then the experiment passed, if not then failed. With a goal, you should be able to work hard too, right?”

And it could be used to check whether second and third jobs exist in this world.

Test to check the limit of strength, Duran was the first guinea pig.

Nacht by no mean the strongest. Her rank would be easier to count from the bottom of this is real-world online.

That’s why she would need a benchmark in this world.

Even if Duran could master Paraselene and reach level 100, that’s not a problem. It won’t become a threat for Nacht who almost reach the level cap and have tons of paid and rare items.

That’s why giving Duran one of her unused items would not hurt Nacht in the slightest.

“I have other reason too. This is a present, as the first person who fought against me and survived.”

That’s a lie.

Nacht wants to reward him because he has proved to her that this world different from the game.

Dragon’s Might is a skill that forcefully makes monsters under level 45 to be inactive, in other words, unable to attack. That would mean, normally Duran would never be able to attack Nacht with that skill on.

However, Duran attacked her.

“It’s fine, just take it. I said I give it to you, as the loser you have no right to deny.”

“I guess, that’s true..”

Duran answered as if giving up, or simply abandoning thinking. He accepts the bladeless Paraselene.

Nacht looked satisfied and nodded at him.

And as if her business here is over, she turned her back from him and started to walk away with Aisha in tow.

One step two-step, as if she remembered something, Nacht turned around and said casually.

“Ah, that’s right. This is a piece of advice from an elder, you should stop running away already–the answer you seek does not exist inside the battle.”

“!!!”

That words drive straight toward Duran and make him quiver and make him unable to look at Nacht again.

“Battle is not mean to run away. Why are you fighting? For whose sake? Next time when I see you, I will have you to answer that questions.”

After saying what she wanted to say and feel satisfied Nacht once again going on her way.

In the cavern that was colder than usual, only their steps could be heard.

TL Notes:

If I’m not mistaken in the manga Paraselene depicted will turn into stone when Nacht releases it from her hand, but in the WN the blade would disappear.