Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: I Have to Get Through This (1)
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“Outrageous. Is this the power of a Sword Master?”
The captain of the Royal Knights, Izmel, stared at the single sword scar stretching from his toes to the city gate.
A trace so unbelievable that it was hard to accept it had been made by a human.
“…It really is incredible.”
The vice-captain standing beside him nodded in agreement.
Even as enemies, they had no choice but to acknowledge it.
Despite wielding the sword their whole lives, they could hardly believe this was possible with a blade.
It seemed the saying that only once-in-a-century geniuses could reach Sword Master was no exaggeration.
“Now there are five Sword Masters on the continent.”
Izmel spoke without lifting his heavy gaze.
“For a very brief moment.”
He acknowledged the man’s prowess.
But he wouldn’t escape the trap they had set.
No matter how strong, he was still just flesh and blood.
His power wasn’t infinite.
“Prepare for deployment and send a messenger bird with a report on the current situation.”
“Yes, sir!”
Even after the vice-captain departed, Izmel stood there for a long while, gazing at the wreckage.
‘As expected of Governor Halent. Everything is going according to his plan.’
The man’s forces were formidable, but the fact that he had broken through their encirclement was exactly what they had intended.
Halent had devised his strategy assuming the man’s strength matched that of the continent’s strongest swordsmen, who could shake the world in this era.
That was why they had deliberately released him into the plains.
A cornered rat will bite a cat, after all.
‘If we hadn’t followed his orders, the casualties would have been immense.’
Halent had warned them not to clash with him head-on.
Meaning, don’t corner the enemy.
If they had fully engaged someone with such power, their losses would have been several times greater.
Their plan from the start had been to let him loose on the plains and harass him day and night until he was exhausted.
To drain a beast’s strength before capturing it.
Even a Sword Master would collapse after days without sleep, tormented relentlessly.
It was all possible because Lordr was holding his ankle.
They could subdue him far more easily once he was worn out.
He might not realize it, but a leash was already around his neck.
No matter where he fled, he wouldn’t escape their grasp.
“I wonder what kind of face he’s making in there.”
They were as curious as the common folk about the age of someone with such power and where he had been hiding until he suddenly appeared.
Izmel raised the corner of his mouth, anticipating their meeting.
“Just wait a little longer. Soon, you’ll kneel before me.”
To capture a Sword Master—the pinnacle of the sword—with his own hands.
As a knight, how could his heart not race?
* * *
An arrow slicing through the wind struck the dead center of the target.
Arrows clustered thickly around that single point.
Their owner, Iriel, wiped the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve.
That was when she sensed an unfamiliar presence.
Someone was entering the archery range.
“Oh, you’re here.”
Iriel silently greeted Cecilia, who approached carrying a basket. Cecilia lifted the basket with a bright smile.
“Have some of this first.”
“Oh, what is it?”
“I made sandwiches.”
Iriel peered into the basket with sparkling eyes, then beamed at Cecilia.
“They look delicious! Thank you! Where are Allen and Mr. Nederman?”
“They said they’ll eat after sparring.”
“Ah.”
Iriel nodded.
The two were off doing sword training separately. Lately, groans hadn’t stopped coming from Allen’s mouth because of it.
And from her own…
She was next in line.
Damn.
Cecilia handed a sandwich to Iriel and said,
“I’ve never seen Uncle Nederman training anyone so diligently. Even when my father asked him to look after the knights, he’d always brush it off as a hassle.”
“Ah, it’s because of Sir Jenes. He told him to raise us to Expert level by the time he returns. If not, he’ll kill him. So of course he’s putting in the effort.”
Iriel chuckled as if it served him right. Cecilia tilted her head.
“You mean the ‘kill’ part wasn’t a joke?”
“Who? That guy? He doesn’t joke. So he has no choice but to go all out.”
“That explains why he’s working so hard.”
Cecilia smiled faintly as she poured tea into a cup and continued.
“Anyway, it’s today, isn’t it?”
“Yeah… it is.”
Iriel nodded slightly. Her eyes were more hollow than usual.
She had barely slept the night before.
“You must be really worried.”
“Huh? Worried?”
Iriel raised an eyebrow. Cecilia pointed at the target, as if she knew exactly what was on her mind.
“Your focus seems off today.”
The arrows that always clustered in the center had several strays today.
They were still impressive, but lacking compared to her usual skill.
Iriel had no more excuses.
“Well, walking into a dragon’s lair of his own accord… yeah, I’m worried. No matter how strong he is, it’s dangerous.”
“Right.”
Cecilia gave Iriel a meaningful smile and stared at her intently.
“What do you think of Sir Jenes?”
“Huh?”
Iriel blinked in surprise, then turned the question back on her.
“What do you think, Cecilia? You’re the one who could marry him, aren’t you?”
“It’s just my father’s wish.”
Cecilia smiled lightly and continued.
“But what kind of person is he?”
“…Pretty much what you see. Rude, obnoxious, quick to threaten. But… he’s not a bad person.”
“That’s the impression I got too. Especially after he helped me in that crisis—it changed how I see him a bit.”
“S-So, Cecilia, are you in favor of the marriage?”
“I considered it since there’s no one I like and he’s a Sword Master, but he doesn’t seem interested in me at all, and his competitors are too fierce, so I dropped it.”
“Huh? Competitors? Who?”
Cecilia smiled slyly.
“Who knows? Anyway, I thought about pursuing him but gave up. He wouldn’t fall for it.”
“He’s the weird one. If I were a guy, I’d have fallen for you immediately.”
“Really?”
“Of course! I’d love to introduce my brother to you. He’s way better than that guy!”
“Iriel’s brother must be handsome.”
“He’s got a gentle personality too. Just look at how he puts up with a sister like me.”
“I see.”
“Why do you get it so quickly?”
“I’m kidding.”
“You’re not.”
“Busted?”
“Big time.”
The two locked eyes and giggled.
Cecilia let her laughter fade with a short sigh and changed the subject.
“But… is it really possible to rescue Lordr…?”
Lordr Heiser was someone she respected too. Her bookshelves were filled with his writings.
“I’d love to meet him in person.”
“He’s never failed once so far, so it’ll be fine this time too. Probably.”
“You think?”
“Yeah. He said it confidently, so he’ll bring him back properly. I’m more worried he’ll make Lordr do chores. That’s just how he is.”
“Huh? No way.”
Jenes was someone beyond her common sense.
He made a dragon hunter do dishes—would he hesitate with a former prime minister?
As Iriel imagined Jenes committing lèse-majesté, she suddenly recalled the Lennon Orphanage director.
Come to think of it, he had spoken politely to her.
“Kidding. He wouldn’t do that to Lordr too.”
Iriel corrected herself with an awkward smile.
* * *
Lordr looked at me.
Before us lay a well-roasted rabbit.
I had cooked it.
“Thank you.”
“Eat up and recover your strength quickly.”
He nodded and tore into the meat.
The arm clutching the bone was as thin as the rabbit’s.
A skeletal frame of bone and skin.
No wonder he couldn’t withstand even a light impact.
First, restore his vitality—then he could keep up or fend off pursuers.
He chewed the meat and his eyes widened.
“…Th-This is delicious. So good I could die without regrets.”
Lordr devoured the meat without pretense.
After ten years in prison eating slop like grass porridge, how could it not taste amazing?
“I go to all the trouble of rescuing you, and you say you could die without regrets? You need to live long.”
At my words, he grinned.
I tore the meat into bite-sized pieces and placed them in the leaf bowl before him.
My master had withered like that before passing too.
Even vast inner energy couldn’t defy time.
Watching him stirred memories of my dying master.
That’s why I’m weak to white hair.
“I never imagined you’d be so young.”
He marveled at me.
It hadn’t been long since he woke from his faint, so this was our first real talk.
“I don’t know much about swords, but you’re a Sword Master, right?”
“Yes.”
Even without sword knowledge, he’d grasp how absurd my feats were.
“From Francia?”
“Yes.”
“Then Francia’s luck hasn’t run out yet.”
He chuckled at me.
A Sword Master’s existence tied directly to national power.
At my age, it was nothing but good news.
“I have no face to show you.”
He smiled bitterly.
“Sorry for leaving you this kingdom.”
His blunt words rang true.
“Born elsewhere, you’d at least eat better than this. Though it’s so good you could die without regrets.”
It was true, considering how Sword Masters were treated abroad.
Whichever nation naturalized one would shower them with wealth and glory.
But that applied to him too.
“The former prime minister is eating it—why wouldn’t a Sword Master?”
“Heh heh heh. Fair point.”
He laughed heartily.
A former prime minister and a Sword Master camping deep in the mountains, gnawing on meat.
The kingdom was thriving.
“One favor?”
“What?”
“If the moment comes where abandoning me means survival, do it without hesitation.”
His gaze was resolute.
All his dignity seemed concentrated in those blue eyes.
A ragged old man, but his burning gaze still held majesty.
I replied dismissively, as if it were trivial.
“Don’t worry about that. If it comes, I’ll abandon you even if you beg me not to.”
“Puhahaha. I like you, young man.”
“So eat up and recover. Think of it as your last meal.”
He laughed boisterously and focused on the meat.
His face truly showed no regrets, even in death.
I watched closely, half-worried he’d keel over.
Tending to him after so long reminded me of Allen.
That kid’s probably lounging comfortably now.
Iriel too.
Or not?
I recalled my strict instructions to Nederman before leaving. I’d threatened to kill him if he didn’t raise them to Expert.
Both were at the cusp of advanced mana user—they could reach it with top-tier guidance.
Nederman was reliable despite his antics.
Maybe they’re suffering more than me.
The thought eased my twisted mood.
“All done?”
Perhaps from the long deprivation, he ate little.
He nodded, and I stood immediately.
“Let’s go. Hop on again.”
“I feel like a newborn babe.”
I hoisted the grumbling man onto my back and secured him with cloth.
Truth be told, we had no time for leisure.
I sensed the encirclement tightening.
From the faint presences alone, it dwarfed the one around Stis City.
A true heaven-and-earth net.
So this is how the Demonic Cult bastards felt.
Suddenly, I understood them.
Must’ve been shitty.
But I’d half-expected it.
Those who knew Lordr’s state would realize I’d slow down traveling with him.
So I’d prepared.
Escaping the city was easier than breaking out of this Parean Forest.
No other way.
Break through swiftly—that was the only solution.
Not difficult for me.
The issue was Lordr’s stamina.
Carrying him, I dashed through the forest again.
And.
Three days passed like that.
I was still trapped in their snare.