S-Rank Adventurer Betrayed by His Fiancée in the Hero’s Party Sets Off on a Journey to Heal His Broken Heart ~The Strongest Betrayed Adventurer Ends Up Forming a Harem Party~ - Chapter 56: Conversation

Chapter 56: Conversation

The day after Raynare sank her fangs into me.

By morning, she was acting like nothing had happened—and just like that, she dragged the three girls off for training.
Thanks to that, Elmie and the others didn’t suspect a thing… though for some reason, Raynare herself was unusually quiet. 

What was up with that?

“So that bat dragged those girls off to train, huh?”

“They asked her themselves. I just made the arrangements.”

After seeing the Oathsworn Radiant Swords off, I headed over to Granny Crim’s place.

In the garden, we set up a little spot to chat—an armchair, a table, even a brand-new chair. 

I’d stocked up on snacks, so everything was ready.

“You could’ve just asked me, y’know. I would’ve trained them.”

“Yeah, but getting training from a dragon? That’s gotta be the height of luxury.”

…Though, I supposed a certain vampire Progenitor wasn’t far off either.

Still, Granny Crim didn’t have a Job or Skills. That kind of thing only applied to human races. She was a dragon—technically a magical beast—so none of that worked for her.

“So? You came all the way here just to chat with an old hag, huh? Must be nice.”

“Of course. I’m an S-Rank, after all.”

“Heh-heh-heh! To think that little brat back then would turn into someone this important…”

“Didn’t think it myself.”

I took a sip of the tea she brewed—it was absolutely delicious.

Granny Crim nibbled on the cookies I’d brought as a gift, and the two of us reminisced about the old days, back when we’d first met.

“Never thought you’d make it all the way to S-Rank. Back then, you were just pushing yourself for your girlfriend.”

“Yeah… I guess that was the trigger.”

“Still, reaching it in only three years? That’s something even I didn’t see coming. And I bet you never saw the whole ‘girlfriend cheating on you’ part coming either, huh?”

“Guhhh—!?”

I choked on my tea the instant Granny Crim suddenly brought up Millia.

“Cough—cough…! Cut it out, I’m still not over that!”

“Love is always like that. Sometimes you cling to it forever, and sometimes, with just a little push, you forget it completely.”

“…Is it really that simple?”

“Well, maybe not for a young pup who hasn’t even hit twenty yet.”

Yeah, yeah… when you’ve lived for thousands of years, I guess you’ve tasted every flavor life has to offer.

Granny Crim laughed heartily, but there was a strange gentleness in her voice.

“Your childhood sweetheart just didn’t know how to pick men. She let go of a good one.”

“I’m not that great. Honestly, I’m kind of boring.”

“Hah! Listen to you. One of the strongest humans alive, calling himself boring? It’s not just your strength either—you’re the kind of man I would’ve marked as mine if I were younger.”

“Don’t say gross stuff like that, Granny Crim.”

“What’s gross about it! Back in my youth, I had herds of males chasing after me, y’know!”

“Yeah, and how many centuries ago was that?”

Please. It wasn’t just centuries—we were talking millennia, you ancient grandma.

“Anyway. The best thing you can do is forget that woman already. Nothing hits harder than being forgotten by the man you let slip away.”

“You make it sound so easy… I staked my whole life on loving her. You think I can just erase that overnight?”

“Then let someone else overwrite it for you.”

“Huh? …Wha—!”

“Instead of that cheating woman, you’ve already got plenty of good girls sticking by your side.”

Damn this nosy old hag…!

The worst part was, if I ever truly let go, things probably would turn out exactly like she said.

I had no comeback.

So frustrating…!

“I worried when I saw the newspapers, but bringing those girls who might end up as your brides? That cleared at least one regret of mine.”

“Regret—wait, brides!?”

“You’re not blind to their feelings, are you? Well, it’s just a shame I’ll never get to see your kids. Humans grow up fast, so I thought maybe… But still, I figured my twilight years would be boring. Turns out, not half bad.”

“Don’t go saying unlucky stuff like that again…”

“Why not? It’s true. I really thought I’d just fade away quietly, with nothing left behind.”

Granny Crim closed her eyes, sinking back into her favorite armchair as it rocked gently.

“It was around the time I grew old that I started thinking. About what meaning my life had.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I wondered why I was alive—what I was even here for. And the answer I came to was simple… to enrich the world.”

Her voice carried the warmth of nostalgia.

I stayed silent, listening to Granny Crim’s words.

“See, dragons are creatures that keep absorbing mana from the moment they’re born until the moment they die. Even stagnant mana.”

“…Wait, does that mean—”

“Exactly. Your black magic sword—the source of that cursed power? Dragons can erase the very conditions that create it.”

Mana was said to exist in all things—flowing from object to object, circulating endlessly.

But under certain conditions, that flow could stagnate.

And when mana stagnated, it festered—turning into a negative force that pushed life toward death.

The very power my Chronovale sword wielded.

“To keep mana from stagnating, we dragons gather it from everywhere… and when we die, we release it, creating fertile, abundant lands. That’s our role. That’s the meaning I found in living.”

“…Living just to die? Doesn’t sound too inspiring.”

“Heh-heh-heh. That’s why I enjoyed everything I could while I still lived. Did what I loved, even as I grew old. After that, I figured my only job left was to fulfill that role. …And that’s when you showed up.”

Granny Crim looked at me with the gentlest eyes I’d ever seen from her.

“…It was fun. Watching you grow into the strongest swordsman in the world. I’m glad I could be part of what pushed you forward.”

“…Really, I’m the one who’s grateful. Thank you.”

“No, the gratitude’s mine. Because you gave me a new purpose… the role of guiding you onward.”

—But you know…

Granny Crim added softly.

“—You’re still not there yet. You’ve got a long road ahead. You haven’t even come close to your limits.”

“Well, yeah… I’m still young. I’ll probably get stronger bit by bit, but—”

“Not just that. It’s the magic swords. If you wield an even stronger one, there’s no telling how far you’ll go.”

And then, she added:

“The mana Carina’s after? That’s meant to enrich the land. But you—Abel—I’ll give you something else. The power of this old dragon. I’ll forge my Ice Dragon Magic into your sword.”

“…You serious?”

That was what Granny Crim said.

The kind of ancient, polished magic only dragons possessed—honed over thousands of years. She was offering it to me.

“If that strength can keep supporting you even after I’m gone, then my life will have meant even more. Heh… passing things down really is a wonderful thing.”

“…A meaning to live, huh…”

To me, she’d already given more than enough.

Because of her, I’d survived countless battles.

Because of her, I was able to save Millia… and Elmie and the others too.

“Granny Crim, I… I still don’t want you to die.”

“Heh-heh… can’t be helped. Even dragons can’t beat old age.”

“But still—”

“None of that gloomy talk. I don’t like it.”

She cut me off, sharp and final, before I could say more.

“Make sure the end’s a lively one, will you? You’ll be fighting my granddaughter soon enough. No dragon’s gonna sit around sulking before that.”

Granny Crim gave me a sly grin.

…Seriously, she never once cared about my mood. What a hopeless old hag.

“Fine, I get it. But you know—it’s not exactly easy for me to stop your granddaughter without killing her.”

I deliberately brightened my tone, half protesting.

“You know my weak point better than anyone, Granny Crim.”

I was proud of being the strongest swordsman alive.

If I went all out, I could take down even Elmie without breaking a sweat.

But that didn’t mean I was flawless—there were still things that were hard for me.

“Carina looks pretty strong. If I don’t finish it quickly…”

“What’s this? Can’t do it after all? Guess the world’s strongest swordsman isn’t all that.”

“I can do it! Stopping a rampaging dragon? Please, that’s child’s play!”

Granny Crim cackled, and I shouted back at her with all the confidence I could muster.

Just like always when I came here—our back-and-forth banter, lighthearted and familiar.

I savored every second of it.

“Well then, you better be at your best! You brought me all that kraken and whale meat, and it’s piling up. I’ll cook something up, so eat plenty!”

“Alright. Honestly, you’re way too lively for an old lady.”

“Heh-heh-heh! I’ll eat it all before I die, just you watch!”

Together, we headed inside for lunch.

And just like that, we spent the rest of our time together.