Mushoku Tensei: Ripples of the Forgotten

[NARRATOR POV]

Having Reida Reia, the Water God, as a patron of Arbalest presented both opportunities and complications.

The advantages were substantial—having the Water God Style Dojo under his banner would allow members to receive proper training in the renowned sword style, far superior to anything Claude could provide alone in that specific discipline.

More importantly, her backing would serve as an umbrella of protection, making cooperation with other organizations throughout the Human Nations significantly easier, especially on the Central Continent.

However, the drawbacks were equally real. There was always the risk that dojo instructors might poach talented members, and having someone more powerful than himself within the organization created potential power dynamics issues.

The political implications were complex as well. While the Central Continent generally respected the Water God Style, the Millis and Demon Continents often preferred the North God Style—those regions were filled with rougher individuals who appreciated the North God's more direct approach.

Each sword style had developed its own cultural associations over the centuries. Water God Style practitioners typically worked within established authority structures, collaborating with governments and official institutions.

North God Style followers operated independently of authority, preferring to carve their own paths. Sword God Style adherents valued freedom above all else, refusing to be bound by anyone's expectations.

Understanding these dynamics, Claude had strategically decided to align with the Water God.

While he had known about Isolte's general schedule from fragments of his 4th incarnation's memories, he had never expected to meet the Water God herself, let alone find her surprisingly amenable to negotiation.

The most troubling aspect was his suspicion that the Water God might be one of the Human God's apostles.

Claude couldn't be entirely certain about this intelligence. Sadogashima Kuro, his 3rd incarnation, hadn't cared much about such political machinations, and this information remained unconfirmed even in the original timeline he remembered.

The source of this particular detail came from fragmentary knowledge—possibly unreliable speculation he'd encountered in his previous life.

Knowing that Dragon God Orsted might eventually become his enemy added considerable pressure to Claude's already burdened shoulders.

Despite this concern, he wanted to maintain cooperation with the Water God, partly because she had been instrumental in saving his 4th incarnation's life.

The 4th incarnation held deep respect for everyone associated with the Water God Dojo, so much so that his final mission had been directly related to the Water God Style.

Unfortunately, Claude still couldn't decipher what exactly his 4th incarnation wanted him to accomplish.

The memory fragments remained incomplete, scattered pieces of a puzzle he was still trying to assemble.

"This is becoming far too complicated," Claude muttered, closing the intelligence report and lying back on his bed. He attempted once again to understand the true nature of his abilities.

It's not as if I'm obligated to fulfill their requests in the first place. The fact that my 1st through 3rd incarnations all asked me to survive the Metastasis aligns with my own goals anyway.

As additional objectives: Alex, my 1st incarnation, asked me to complete my sword training and save as many people from our village as possible. Fred, the 2nd incarnation, requested that I share knowledge about enchantments, smithcraft, and magic with others. I successfully passed that knowledge to Rudeus and my Arbalest members. Kuro, the 3rd incarnation, told me to live life to the fullest and always be prepared for the monsters in those dungeons.

Now that I think about it, only Kuro didn't leave me with a specific mission. Yet he's the one who scarred my mind most deeply with all those death experiences.

The gruesome ways of dying weren't something any child under ten should have to feel or experience, even as memories. The fact that Claude remained functional—let alone sane—after absorbing multiple experiences of violent death was genuinely mysterious. No normal person should be able to accept being killed numerous times in the most horrific ways imaginable.

Then came the 4th incarnation, distinctly different from the others.

Was this the authentic trajectory his life would have taken in the original timeline?

Isolte Cruel herself wasn't a major canonical character. She had been mentioned only briefly in relation to her rank and her friendship with Eris, nothing more.

Mushoku Tensei was fundamentally Rudeus Greyrat's story, Claude reflected. Characters who didn't directly impact his life received minimal development or screen time.

From Claude's understanding, the original story revealed relatively little about the broader world. It was primarily Rudeus's slice-of-life journey and personal drama.

From this point forward, he couldn't rely solely on his knowledge of the canonical future. Kuro's experiences had already diverged significantly from the main timeline, meaning all future relationships and events his other incarnations might share would be fundamentally different from his own path.

Based on what he'd gleaned from the 4th incarnation, the guidance his future alternate selves could provide would likely be less comprehensive than his first three incarnations, since the 4th had been only slightly older than Claude's current age when those memories were formed.

Would this prove troublesome for Claude?

Not necessarily. In fact, it might be beneficial, allowing him to see the world from a different perspective, one less burdened by foreknowledge and more grounded in direct experience.

I control my own fate. My focus should be on what the future holds for me specifically. Since this world has already become something different from my other incarnations' experiences, I should proceed cautiously but confidently.

Claude stood up from the bed and left his room, ready to face whatever negotiations awaited him.

While Claude had been analyzing his situation, C had begun another round of negotiations with Reida.

"Look, we should approach this reasonably," C argued, gesturing with his hands for emphasis.

"Absolutely not! My granddaughter won't be given away so cheaply!" Reida declared with mock indignation. "Shouldn't I be asking for a much more substantial dowry? A girl of her caliber deserves proper compensation!"

"What?! You're being completely unreasonable, Water God! Even Arbalest's treasury would be emptied if we agreed to your demands!"

This represented yet another round in the ongoing negotiations regarding Claude and Isolte's potential marriage.

Watching her grandmother's theatrical performance, Isolte couldn't help but feel deeply embarrassed.

She had only met Claude two weeks ago, and already her grandmother was negotiating her marriage as if it were a done deal.

"Why are you discussing dowries when we haven't even established a relationship in the first place?" Isolte sighed in exasperation, watching the two adults argue like merchants haggling over goods. "This is completely ridiculous."

As she buried her face in her hands from sheer embarrassment, Claude suddenly appeared with fresh food for the table.

"Perhaps we should pause this debate and enjoy a meal," he suggested diplomatically. "We can discuss marriage arrangements in the future, once I've actually received approval from the person whose opinion matters most."

Reida and C glanced at Isolte, then at each other, before sighing simultaneously and taking their seats.

"Just make sure you take proper care of my granddaughter in the future," Reida said as she began eating the meal Claude had prepared.

"I never expected Charles to be so zealous on your behalf," Isolte observed while taking small bites of her food.

"Everyone in Arbalest adores me—after all, I am devastatingly handsome," Claude replied with exaggerated confidence.

"Pfft—devastatingly handsome?" Isolte nearly choked on her food, glancing between Claude and C. "I'm beginning to realize you're quite the comedian as well."

Claude ignored Isolte's sarcastic reaction and smoothly continued discussing their potential marriage, despite not knowing the specifics of her family background.

His persistence made it clear that he had developed genuine feelings for the girl.

Reida simply observed the teenagers with knowing eyes.

In this world, fifteen years marked the transition to adulthood, making engagements or marriages for those fourteen and younger relatively common and socially acceptable.

Even so, Claude had never seriously considered marrying young. Marriage remained a distant dream for him, especially given how uncertain the future appeared.

The 4th incarnation's memories revealed troubling undercurrents—a future that differed dramatically from Kuro Sadogashima's experiences.

In those fragmentary visions, the scent of impending war lingered constantly around the 4th incarnation's memories, suggesting that whatever peaceful period they were currently experiencing might not last much longer.

Claude's casual demeanor during the marriage discussion masked deeper concerns about whether he would even live long enough to see such a future, let alone provide the stability someone like Isolte deserved.

But for now, in this moment of domestic tranquility, he could allow himself to hope—and perhaps even believe—that gentler futures were still possible.

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