Chapter 88
Chapter 88
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: Birth of the Dragon Sword (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As the new year dawned, Arieta set out on a long journey with her younger brother for the first time in ages, leaving the royal palace behind. This time, their entourage numbered over two hundred.
Arieta let out a sigh from inside the carriage.
“I wonder if Master won’t blow his top over this.”
Arieta and Seiga were currently on their way to the Tarantos Duchy for a vacation.
At the strong insistence of their mother, the Dragon Demon Queen, the two had agreed to take a half-year break from their duties as members of the Dragon Demon royal family. It was something that would never have been permitted under normal circumstances, but repeated kidnapping attempts by Dragon Demon Worshippers had put their lives in danger, so even the royal family had approved.
Of course, it was a vacation in name only. Their real purpose was to resume training under Kairen. Seiga wasn’t the only one— Arieta, too, felt the urgent need to grow stronger.
Seiga gave a wry smile.
“But, big sister, it couldn’t be helped, so I’m sure Master will understand.”
The reason they had two hundred escorts was the fear that the Dragon Demon Worshippers might attempt another kidnapping. The royal family had made it a non-negotiable condition, so a few of Arieta’s direct subordinates and personnel selected from under Seiga’s command had come along.
“I hope so. We can’t just send them all back the moment we arrive… Well, you handle explaining it to Master, Seiga.”
“You’re passing the buck to me?”
“I only brought fifteen with me, and the rest are all your people, aren’t they? When it comes to facing Master’s wrath, it has to be your side.”
Arieta still hadn’t fully assembled her direct organization. She was gathering capable people with help from the Dragon Demon Queen and Seiga, but their numbers were few. And besides…
“On top of that, you handpicked those people to leech off the Tarantos Duchy’s know-how, and now you’re pretending otherwise? Do you think Master will just play along and ignore your scheming?”
“Mm. Well… no helping it.”
Seiga scratched his cheek.
She was right. Since it was going to be a long stay anyway, Seiga had selected personnel with the ulterior motive of asking Kairen for some guidance on the side and proposing joint training with the duchy’s knights to boost their forces.
Arieta said,
“Come to think of it… he might still be there.”
“What?”
“Sir Azel.”
“Ah. He probably is.”
Seiga had already sent a messenger ahead midway through the journey to share the news and casually inquire about the situation.
“Word is, Master’s been so engrossed in sparring with him lately that he’s neglecting everything else… Hmm.”
Seeing her brother’s expression turn subtle, Arieta spoke up.
“You can’t quite believe it, can you?”
“Honestly, no.”
“I think it’s plenty believable. I heard he made a major contribution when Master rescued you…”
“I heard that too, but I didn’t see it myself. No one witnessed it except Master.”
Kairen had said Azel fought a dragon one-on-one and won. But even if it was from someone as exalted as his master, Seiga couldn’t bring himself to believe it. If only subordinates had been there to see it…
“There’s no way a human could do that. Especially not someone so young…”
“I once thought the same.”
At Arieta’s words, Seiga looked up. She continued,
“But… after seeing Sir Azel, I changed my mind.”
“……”
“If he’s still with Master, you’ll get to see his skills too. It’ll probably be a good experience for you.”
Arieta smiled at her bewildered brother.
The thought of seeing Azel again filled her with joy. It had been over half a year since she last saw him— how much had he changed in that time?
Arieta and Seiga wanted to pay their respects to Kairen right upon arrival, but Head Butler Hasban told them he was out and to wait a bit. When they asked why, Hasban looked troubled as he replied,
“Well… Sir Azel, the guest, dragged him off for a spar, and they still haven’t returned. I did tell him you two would arrive today and to come back early, but…”
At that, Arieta and Seiga left their lodging arrangements to their entourage and followed a servant’s guidance to the back mountain where Kairen and Azel were said to be. There, they found the two at the edge of a frozen lake…
“They’re fighting on the water?”
Seiga’s eyes went wide.
Azel and Kairen were dashing across the lake’s surface, clashing swords. It wasn’t because the lake was frozen in winter. The two had shattered the ice and were battling atop the rippling water.
What was astonishing was that from the moment they spotted them from afar until they drew close, neither had set foot on land— they kept fighting on the water the whole time.
Arieta clicked her tongue in amazement.
“Incredible. It’s not just kicking off the water for propulsion— they’re actually walking on it.”
“Huh?”
At her words, Seiga startled and looked down at their feet.
Seiga could fight while running on water too. But that relied on Dragon Spirit Arts to compress and burst air for continuous leaps via repulsion— it wasn’t truly walking on water.
Yet, upon closer inspection, Azel and Kairen were genuinely treading the water as if it were solid ground. Sometimes they stopped and swayed with the waves, sometimes walked, slid, ran, and collided with each other— all so naturally it looked utterly unreal.
Shwaaaaa!
As the two circled and clashed, spray erupted. At the same time, Kairen’s body dipped sharply below the surface.
In contrast, Azel merely skidded back a couple of steps on the water. Before Kairen could recover and surge back up, he followed with another sword strike.
Clang!
The recoil sent Kairen sinking below again. The water displaced by the prior clash returned, swallowing him up.
Azel leisurely unleashed a barrage of strikes from above.
“Ptooey! Y-You’re playing dirty like this!”
As Kairen coughed up water, Azel replied,
“You’re one to talk— the one who tried to catch me off guard with a surprise attack before we even started…”
“That’s that, and this is… Ptoo! Ack!”
In the end, Kairen couldn’t escape and sank fully. Azel chuckled and smoothly retreated. The next instant, the surface exploded in a massive spray.
Shwashwashwa!
From it burst Kairen, looking like a drowned rat. He gnashed his teeth.
“Damn! It’s freezing cold!”
“It’s winter, so of course.”
A normal person would be fighting for their life just from falling in. Kairen glared.
“Too cold for underwater combat?”
“No. I can handle it as much as you want, but let’s call it here.”
“What’re you saying? We’re not done!”
“Guests have arrived. It’d be embarrassing to show such a disgraceful sight in front of your disciples, wouldn’t it?”
Azel pointed to Arieta and Seiga at the lakeside. Kairen furrowed his brow.
“Time’s gone by that fast already?”
“Didn’t I say earlier I was hungry, so let’s eat and continue?”
“No memory of that.”
“Wow, you’re getting bolder by the day.”
At Azel’s jest, Kairen snorted and began walking toward the shore. Heat rose from his body as he strode across the water like it was land, evaporating the moisture.
It all looked so effortless. By mastering the techniques Azel taught him, he was growing stronger every day.
Reaching the shore, he grinned at the two.
“Long time no see. Glad you made it.”
5
“It hasn’t even been a full year since we last met…”
Arieta eyed Azel with wonder as she spoke.
“You look like a completely different person. How is that possible?”
“Good food, ample rest, and a great environment— put them together, and it happens.”
Azel flashed a grin. Arieta chuckled.
“Thanks for the amazing secret. Anyway, good to see you again, Sir Azel.”
“Same here, Princess.”
“Enora’s talked about you a lot.”
“Princess, when did I?”
“Didn’t you agonize over whether to write him after hearing he was here?”
Enora, standing primly beside her like a proper royal maid, flushed red. Azel laughed.
“Wow, to think Miss Enora did that— I’m honored.”
“You’ve gotten cheekier while I wasn’t looking.”
“Must be Duke’s personality rubbing off. I wasn’t like this before…”
“Tell it to someone who’ll believe you.”
Enora huffed and turned away.
Perhaps because she was at that growing age, Enora had shot up noticeably in the mere seven months since he last saw her. She was taller and seemed more mature. Still just a young girl, though.
Azel addressed the man seated beside Arieta.
“Sir Zail, looks like life as the princess’s direct knight suits you. Your face is fuller.”
“Think so? Compared to when we were stuck at the Western Border, it’s worlds better.”
Zail had changed a lot too. Not his features, but he looked more refined and dignified than before. Just dressing to match his role as the Dragon Princess’s direct knight made a huge difference.
Azel asked,
“What about Sir Boer?”
“He’s doing great these days. I’ve been getting a lot of help from him.”
Boer had improved his interpersonal skills, earning much better reputation. His already strong position from his family’s influence had solidified further, benefiting Zail greatly. Without Boer’s support, Zail— suddenly thrust from border soldier to royal knight— would have struggled to adjust.
Of course, it wasn’t one-sided. Zail had passed on the Spirit Order secrets Azel taught him to Boer as well. Their frequent sparring sessions had greatly honed their skills.
After hearing the updates, Azel said,
“By the way, two hundred people— that’s quite the entourage.”
“The higher-ups wouldn’t let us come without that many, so no choice. Seiga, of course, used the chance to sneak in his own crew.”
Seiga was off getting an earful from Kairen, who’d just learned the situation. Normally, the royal detachment would stay briefly and leave, but bringing their own people meant the duchy now had to house and feed over two hundred long-term— naturally infuriating.
Azel said,
“His Highness seems really passionate.”
“Greedy is more like it. Retire from prince and he’ll snag a generalship.”
“And you, Princess?”
“Me? Leisurely retirement. No more battlefield, no more dealing with people— sick of the hassle. World’s laziest sloth is my goal.”
“Jealous-worthy aspiration.”
“Right?”
After sipping her tea, she asked.