Chapter 49

Arti placed the cup of tea on the table and said .

「Why do you think so?」

「I can tell by looking at your face」

「I never thought I had such an easy-to-read face」

Then Arti took a deep breath .

「The thing is… there is something that is bothering me」

「I wonder」

I picked up and hugged Shiro, who was gently head-butting Arti’s foot .

Then, I placed him on my lap and stroked his back .

「Is it about the part right before we entered into the fight with beastkin?」

「Yes . However, if you have determined not to reveal it just yet, then I don’t wish to hear about it」

After having Tina and Rosetta escape, I contacted Xenovia through the Transceiver Ring .

At that time, I abandoned honorifics when speaking to Xenovia .

Moreover, I slipped out the name of Tenebris while Tina and Rosetta were still around .

I am extremely annoyed by that fact, and should reflect on it .

With this much information at hand, even Arti would start to realize my true identity .

「Yeah, I think it would be alright to tell you, Arti」

Xenovia left it up to me about when and how much information I wished to reveal to Arti .

I responsibly thought about the extent of information I wished to disclose to Arti .

Hiding the information poorly might bring about an undesirable outcome .

Losing Arti’s trust is the last thing I want .

「You may find this hard to believe… but I am Xenovia’s Master」

「…Master?」

「It is a story from my past life」

「In other words, Will’s past life is Edelfuss-sama?」

「Yes . You may not believe me but don’t reveal it outside」

Arti held up her cup of tea with trembling hands, and took a single sip .

「I was surprised, but I am convinced . I believe you」

「I see, thank you」

Although it was an extremely rare phenomenon, there are others besides me who have reincarnated .

Those who recall the memories of their past life were even rarer than those .

However, such rare cases occurs about once in the span of a few hundred years .

Normally, if you say 「I have regained memories of my past life!」 people would laugh scornfully at you .

However, Arti believed me .

This speaks volumes to the trust in her master, Xenovia, rather than the trust in me .

「By the way, Shiro, Fluffy, and RunRun who isn’t present here, are all god-beasts」

「So that’s how it is . I didn’t think they were simple beasts but, I am convinced if you say they are god-beasts」

Moreover, I told her about training in the World of Gods, and being reincarnated as the Apostle of the Gods .

I briefly explained about the process from the moment I died to the moment I reincarnated .

「Will, can I ask something?」

「Ask me anything」

「Why did you reincarnate instead of becoming a god?」

「…to defeat Tenebris」

And then, I bowed to Arti .

「Arti, I don’t know exactly when, but Tenebris will surely resurrect within a few decades」

「Yes」

「At that time, will you fight together with me?」

「Are you okay with someone like me?」

「Yes, of course」

「…I am honoured . I will do my best」

「Thank you, I am grateful」

I was able to recruit Arti as a comrade .

This is a very crucial incident in the fight against Tenebris in the future .

「Pigii!」

Fluffy jumped onto Arti, in order to welcome her as a new comrade . It moved from my lap onto the top of the desk and then to Arti’s lap, and started wiggling .

「Fluffy, thank you」

「Pigi!」

Then, Shiro too ran towards Arti . He went through under the desk and got up on the chair Arti was sitting on .

「Mee!」

He cried out and climbed up on Arti’s shoulder .

「Shiro, thank you too」

「Meee」

Shiro was trying to climb from Arti’s shoulder to the top of her head .

「Shiro, please do it moderately . Arti, I am sorry about Shiro」

「No, don’t worry」

Arti took Shiro down from her shoulder, and hugged him close to her chest .

「Mee」

Shiro was calm while being hugged . He might actually enjoy hugs .

From now on, I shall hug him too .

I drank my tea while thinking about it . Then, I remembered something important .

「Oh right, I did promise Arti to make a better sword next time」

「Yes, but I love the sword you gave last time because it is very easy to wield」

That is why I don’t need a new sword she implied .

The sword fastened at Arti’s hip right now, is the one I formed with magic before the fight with the beastkin .

「I’m glad you liked it, but it was made in a hurry . So, it has low endurance」

「Is that so? But I don’t notice much of a difference…」

「I’m happy that a swordsman like Arti would praise it as such」

Arti is a first-rate swordsman . If she says that the sword has high endurance, then it must be so .

「It would also be training for me . Please let me create one for you」

「Thank you」

After that we moved to Arti’s room, where she showed me all the swords she has wielded before .

I measured the length of Arti’s arm and her back, and make a guess of the optimum weight and length for the sword .

「Let’s try a mock battle at the end」

「Alright」 Arti agreed .

Arti and I moved to the courtyard and had a mock battle .