The Failed Swordsman Who Became the Strongest After Spamming the 100 Million Years Button

(I don’t know what he’s planning, but this is favourable for me.)

If the other party wants to talk, I’ll play along as much as he wants.

As long as I keep him busy, the others will be free to move.

(So what I should do now is… Prolong the conversation and buy them as much time as possible!)

I decided that and sat down on the chair from across Fu.

「So… What’s this『question from the other day』?」

「Hmm, you don’t remember? Well, that’s fine.」

He cleared his throat and began to talk slowly.

「It was around September of last year when I attacked Thousand Blade Academy with Dodriel. Allen Rodore, you asked me questions about the『Phantom Spirit』and the『content』of Ria Vesteria. But I was on duty at that time, so I said『Let’s talk slowly over a cup of tea on another occasion.』…Do you remember now?」

「…Yes.」

Now that I think about it, there was something like that too.

(But to think he remembered such light talk even until now…)

It seems that Fu has a fairly disciplined personality.

「Being an archaeologist, I like to answer questions from young people brimming with curiosity. This is just my opinion, but the work of a scholar is not strictly research. Spreading the right knowledge and passing on the baton of wisdom to the next generation – I think that is the most important duty. What do you think?」

Fu kept talking without pause and asked a question at the end.

「Eh, ah… I don’t think it’s wrong.」

「Right?」

He smiled with satisfaction and took a sip from his cup.

He is usually silent and expressionless, but when it comes to his field of expertise, he seems to be quite talkative.

「Well, let’s get down to business right away. First of all, we, the Black Organization, are rushing to collect『Phantom Spirits』. This is a general term for the monsters which once plunged this world into the very depths of fear. Several countries seem to have captured them in secret and are hiding them as military assets, but most of them are still drawing breath in some corner of the world.」

「That’s the first time I’ve heard of it.」

「Well, this is not known to the general public, after all. And『inside』Ria Vesteria, the phantom spirit, Fafnir, is sealed. It most likely manifested itself as her soul dress.」

It is true that〈Fafnir〉is the name of Ria’s soul dress.

「Seven hundred years ago, Fafnir appeared out of nowhere, and attacked Vesteria Kingdom. The whole kingdom was reduced to scorched earth by its overwhelming power;『The black flame that burns all creation』and『The white flame that heals all creation』.」

「Something like that happened?」

I became speechless, hearing about the devastating past.

「Well, it’s natural that you don’t know of it. The『study of history』is strictly forbidden by international law, after all.」

Fu said, and continued further.

「One of the Seven Holy Swords who protected Vesteria Kingdom at the time, embarked to subjugate it with the resolve to die – and was tragically devoured. It is said that the defeat of the swordsman who carried the hope of the whole country, knocked Vesteria into depths of despair. However, one woman stood up at such a time. She was born in a distant foreign country, and she sealed Fafnir in her womb by the special power in her blood.」

I quietly listened to the gut-wrenching story that Fu talked about indifferently.

「The『first host』became the hero who saved the country and was later united in marriage with the king of Vesteria. Since then, Fafnir has been handed down to House Vesteria from generation to generation. The host of this generation is Ria Vesteria. I’m sure the predecessor was… that’s right, Liz Vesteria. The girl’s mother.」

After a long talk, Fu took a breather.

「This is what I know about the『Phantom Spirit』and the『content』of Ria Vesteria. Do you have any questions?」

「…No, I’m fine.」

I was desperately processing the sudden storm of information.

(Phantom Spirit is the general term for monsters with tremendous power. Fafnir, which was handed down to Ria, was a Phantom Spirit that once attacked Vesteria… And the Black Organization is rushing to gather it, huh…)

I’m relatively curious about why the Black Organization is collecting Phantom Spirit, but…

(I don’t want to ask the wrong question and start a fight with Fu. And it’s perfectly obvious that it’s going to be for a good-for-nothing purpose anyway…) [TL Note: But the readers want to know why, ma dude!]

And so I decided to hold my tongue.

「By the way, Allen Rodore. May I ask you a question?」

「Aa, go ahead.」

「Have you ever thought about what lies at the『end of the world』?」

Fu asked, with an extremely serious expression.