It was a grand funeral, with names etched onto simple tombstones. This memorial aimed to commemorate the fallen exorcists, but it felt like a mere act of discarding their bodies into a pit.

No one would venture to the demon territories' borders to visit these graves, knowing they would likely decay within a decade or two. Even the esteemed exorcists received little recognition in death. While a living elite exorcist held value, a deceased one was considered worthless by the higher-ups. Thus, bestowing special treatment upon a departed exorcist seemed futile.

After the funeral, I found myself standing before Bets' grave, fixated on his plain gravestone.

"Bets," that was the sole inscription on the stone. No mention of his exorcist rank, age, place of residence, graduation, or any notable achievements.

Grabbing a shovel, I began digging. The graves were shallow, a product of lazy work. As I stared at the coffin for a few moments, tears welled up in my eyes. "Come on, my friend, this isn't your place. Not here, among these anonymous graves."

Hoisting the coffin onto my shoulder, I walked away. Along the way, I noticed another man standing by a lavishly adorned grave. Drawing closer, I realized it was the headmaster's resting place.

The man had an unremarkable face, yet there was a nagging sense of familiarity. Since Carpy hadn't mentioned him, I proceeded to stand beside him, the weight of the coffin seemingly unnoticed. We remained in silence until he finally spoke.

"That foolish old man had to die like that," the plain-faced man sighed.

"You knew him?" I asked.

"He did a lot for me when I was younger," the man sighed. "Although the last time we saw eye-to-eye, I left a scar on his shoulder. I could have severed his arm, but I spared his life. He was like the father I never had."

He was capable of harming the headmaster? Or was it an unusual incident? It struck me as odd that I had never heard of this man, considering his absence from the main narrative.

The plain-faced man turned to me, bloodshot eyes scanning the coffin on my shoulder before meeting mine. "You lost someone too?"

"Yeah, my best friend, and I'm not going to let them rot away in some nameless grave," I sighed.

The man chuckled. "You really are something." Then he glanced at the shovel in my other hand and asked, "Can I borrow your shovel?"

I smiled and handed him the tool. He took it and dug with a bitter smile. "I might be a shitty student, but there's no way I'm going to let the old man die here. I never even told the old bastard that I was thankful, regardless of how things ended up between us."

Though we didn't know each other's names, I somewhat understood where he was coming from. I helped him remove the coffin and cover the grave, ensuring no one would suspect a thing. A sense of camaraderie developed between us.

After we had distanced ourselves from the gravesite and camp, he smiled at me and introduced himself. "My name is Piko. See you later, Kon."

With that, he ran off, leaving me a bit perplexed. However, it wasn't unusual for another exorcist to know my name. I wasn't sure if the news of me defeating Otakemaru had spread yet. Hopefully, it would be overshadowed by the reports of Agon sealing Yamata No Orochi within himself and defeating Shuten Doji.

While fame as an exorcist may seem desirable, it was far from it. My abilities would be exposed, and my fighting powers against other exorcists would weaken. There must be ways for people to access personal information, but I imagined one condition would be that the target had to be a celebrity. Such things were not uncommon in this strange yet captivating world.

If anyone were to see me now, they would witness a maniac running with a coffin on his shoulder. Rather than worry, I chuckled at the expressions they would make upon witnessing such an unusual sight.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

…

Nestled along the rugged coastline, the town of Edriz exuded an air of tranquility and seclusion. With a population numbering fewer than twenty thousand people, it remained untouched by the bustling currents of modernity, its remoteness acting as a shield against the encroachment of outside dangers. Here, time seemed to slow down, embracing a simpler way of life that existed in harmony.

The most remarkable thing about Edriz was how boring it was. Nothing ever happened, and there were no prominent individuals nearby.

On the outskirts of town stood a small wooden hut I had built, beside which was a small grave with a life-sized statue of Bets, a bodybuilder frozen in eternal strength. I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

Beneath the statue, a table displayed a chess board with the pieces perfectly replicating the position of Bets and me during our last interrupted match.

This was a good place for Bets to finally rest. Despite his outward appearance, Bets was a gentle soul and he would have liked this place.

Using my special ability, I spent a dozen seconds calculating all the possible moves. "No matter how I move, he had me in checkmate after twelve moves," I realized, feeling frustrated.

Approaching the grave, I placed my hand on the gravestone, which bore his name, date of birth and death, and a brief summary of his accomplishments and teammates.

"Even though you would have won, I'm the kind of petty guy who will count this as a win," I chuckled, reminiscing about the good times.

Sometimes, one doesn't realize they are experiencing the good times until those moments have long passed.

***

Delia watched from a distance as she perched in a tree, her feet dangling off a branch. Her cousin had recently vanished from the war, leaving her family concerned. Standing on either side of her were her father and uncle, both visibly on edge.

"Well, he wasn't easy to find," Delia remarked, attempting to break the tense atmosphere.

Her father's disapproving frown made her wince. Her relatives were upset with her due to a recent plot that threatened their clan's stability.

"We can't afford to stand idly by," her uncle responded sternly. "The Moon Exorcist and his allies may already be launching a counterattack against us."

"That's why we need Kon and the princess to meet by chance and fall in love," her father's frown deepened. "We thought we had years to wait for this, but we must gain control of the royal family as quickly as possible."

Delia knew that eventually, the truth about the Moon Exorcist's opposition to their clan would emerge, and she would be in deep trouble. However, if the Moon Exorcist were to perish before that happened, she could smooth things over.

"Kon has always been hesitant to challenge authority figures, and that probably hasn't changed," her father, the clan head, commented.

"The only thing that seems to have changed is his appearance," Delia joked.

Her father leaped down from the tree and headed toward a nearby small wooden hut. "Well, the chickens aren't going to roost themselves."

What on earth did that mean? Delia wondered, but she decided not to question the eccentric sayings of the older generation.

"Kon, we were worried," her father called out as they approached. Kon turned towards them, seemingly unsurprised by their presence. Did he already know they would come?

"Uncle," Kon smiled, though his eyes remained emotionless.

"Why are you here? This place is too small for someone like you, nephew," her father smiled, an unfamiliar expression that seemed to strain his facial muscles. "I have a splendid city in mind-"

"No," Kon interrupted, shaking his head. "I like it here. It has a beautiful beach, and it's secluded enough for me to enjoy myself."

At that moment, Kon's father stepped forward, taking the lead. "Son, we want you to meet the princess. She is a lovely and sincere girl, and I'm certain you will like her."

Delia intervened, injecting some spice into the conversation. "Yes, yes, let's just pack our bags and move already. This place looks like shit compared to-"

"Hey, I already said no," Kon clarified.

Delia felt an unsettling sensation in the pit of her stomach, like when you're swimming and expecting to touch solid ground, but the water proves deeper than you anticipated.

The Dark Sword Clan Head, her father, frowned and took a step forward. "You are a part of my clan, and we have great plans for you. However, your resistance could jeopardize everything. It's time you behaved like the obedient boy you are, or we may have to resort to more forceful measures."

Normally, her father showed more gentleness towards clan members, but the recent situation had put everyone on edge.

"Oh? Is that so? You're going to force me?" Suddenly, a chilling aura emanated from Kon. "Then I'll kill you all right here."