Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Orsia Family
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Ha-ryeong unhesitatingly popped into her mouth some unknown reagent rolling around on the floor—one personally concocted by that runaway hag from Ludelra Magic Tower who kneaded corpses like dough—without so much as a twitch of her brow.
Like a food critic sampling and evaluating a dish, Ha-ryeong chewed thoughtfully on her lips for a moment, lost in contemplation. Then she crouched down right there, straightened out the completely collapsed Sword Dragon, and checked his condition.
“Might not be Sword Dragon so much as Sword Retard.”
Confirming that Sword Dragon had lost consciousness, Ha-ryeong muttered to herself. She swallowed the mystery reagent she'd been working around in her mouth, then stood and examined the reagents on the display shelf.
“He won't actually die, will he?”
She asked, unable to shake her worry. If Sword Dragon kicked the bucket here, it wouldn't be Yuri or Ha-ryeong's fault. It'd be a tragic accident brought on by Sword Dragon's own carelessness in gobbling up some random unknown crap.
But the Orsia Family wouldn't see it that way. Misunderstandings could pile up, leading to false accusations.
“If it were the culprit, he'd be dead, but this retard won't die.”
She'd only swallowed a few drops, but her mouth still tasted bitter. Ha-ryeong turned her head aside and spat before selecting a few reagents from the shelf and standing in front of the workbench in the corner.
“His body's in peak health, his constitution's excellent, and his internal energy's profound. Thanks to this retard pulling such a brain-dead stunt, we got some valuable intel.”
“What intel?”
“Sword Dragon won't be easy to kill with poison.”
Not impossible, just difficult. The Tang Family's deadly poisons could take down even Sword Dragon.
Yuri approached Ha-ryeong at the workbench as she combined reagents. She dripped a few drops of the selected ones into a clean flask and mixed in powders from her pouch. Yuri mirrored her serious expression as she watched Ha-ryeong work with focused care.
He didn't know the exact ratios, but Ha-ryeong was from the Tang Family.
Whatever her story was that led her from the Tang Family's domain to the Killing Guard Sect, she clearly excelled not just as an assassin but in poisons too.
It was a bit surprising. The Tang Family's poison arts were renowned in both reality and the game, but Yuri had rarely seen Ha-ryeong use them seriously.
Coating daggers with deadly venom or using truth serums? Those counted as poison use, sure, but they lacked the profound depth of true Tang poison mastery.
‘How profound does poison use really need to be, anyway?’
He had more than a few questions about Ha-ryeong, but he didn't pry. Once he started, she'd no doubt turn the tables with her own awkward questions.
“What're you staring at?”
Ha-ryeong glanced at him while gently swirling the flask in her hand.
“Feeling unexpectedly charmed by my intellectual side?”
“Just curious, that's all.”
“Curious about me?”
Ha-ryeong asked abruptly. Her expressions were hard to read, she spouted nonsense often, but sometimes she hit with sharp questions like this.
“I'd be lying if I said no. But I won't ask first.”
“Why not?”
“Because I figure you'll demand a secret of mine in exchange for sharing yours.”
Her lips twitched slightly at the honest answer. That pinched expression was probably a smile.
“Still got a lot of secrets, huh?”
“Yeah.”
[The letter earlier. You said you'd explain later?]
The question came not aloud, but via transmission.
[The Chaos Church is hunting a certain Possessor.]
[The one that tongue-fireball mentioned? The church's saint, that Possessor? Is that you, Yuri?]
[No.]
[Smells like a lie. The Possessor's name is awfully weird and obscene—Cat Panties.]
[W-Well, technically, that's not the name. More like... a nickname... or something...]
[What the hell have you been up to for a nickname like Cat Panties? Don't tell me you went around showing off cat panties back on Earth?]
[Don't talk crazy.]
[Nickname makes it even more baffling. That Dancing Rabbit Under the Moonlit Night. Bunny Princess, Usa... It's all so hard to grasp. Padrip Immunity? What's padrip?]
[No idea.]
Her face hadn't flinched even before the Full Moon Ceremony's serenade. Yuri maintained a poker face even cooler than Ha-ryeong's as he replied.
[Yuri.]
The corner of Ha-ryeong's mouth lifted slightly.
[I won't tell a soul that you're a Possessor. Whether you're Cat Panties, UsaUsa... mi? Bunny Princess? Padrip Immunity, whatever.]
[...]
[Our bond with you and Miss Elena is part of it, sure—loyalty and all that. But the biggest reason is my own greed.]
[What greed?]
[That I share a fatal secret with you.]
Yuri didn't grasp the meaning right away. As he tilted his head, Ha-ryeong chuckled and set down the flask.
[That fact makes me pretty happy. Not bragging, but my life was pretty miserable, inconvenient, unpleasant, and boring before. Thanks to you, it's exciting and thrilling now.]
[I... see?]
[Yes. If I didn't know your secret, I wouldn't feel this way. I want to savor these days for a long time, and relish the special thrill of being the only one who knows your fatal secret.]
Only then did Yuri understand Ha-ryeong's "greed." He never could've imagined it'd be something like that, so he could only blink dumbly.
“Hmm.”
Ha-ryeong studied his face for a moment, straightened her slightly upturned lips, and turned back to the workbench.
“It's ready.”
She gave the still-unconscious Sword Dragon a pitiful look, pried open his mouth, and slowly poured in the flask's contents. Then she swiftly tapped his acupoints with her fingers.
“Gahk.”
A little time passed before Sword Dragon came to. Clutching his chest, he staggered up, coughing harshly before snapping his head up.
“You okay?”
His mind was back, but not fully spinning yet. Sword Dragon blinked blankly, then tremblingly raised a hand to caress his cheek.
“...”
The situation slowly sank in. His face flushed red as he stammered on.
“I-I did something stupid.”
“You know it. Why'd you swallow unknown crap?”
“In my judgment... it was a potion. Suspicious, yeah, but I figured I'd be fine.”
“Why would you be fine? And even if it was a potion, why chug it out of nowhere?”
Sword Dragon hesitated at the sharp rebuke.
“...The color... was cool. Got curious what it'd taste like...”
Yuri was speechless at the response.
The reagent Sword Dragon ate was orange.
“What, thought it'd taste like orange?”
“Not that great. Thought it'd be sweet, but it was just bitter.”
“Most poisons couldn't afflict you anyway, Sword Dragon, but you were too overconfident.”
Ha-ryeong clicked her tongue.
“If you want true poison immunity, you build it up step by step.”
“I was too careless.”
Sword Dragon let out a long sigh and bowed his head deeply.
“If you and Thunder Cloud hadn't been here, I'd have paid for my carelessness and stupidity with my life. So you're both my saviors.”
“I didn't do much, repay the favor to Ha-ryeong.”
“If not for Yuri, I wouldn't even be here, so repay it to him.”
Hearing them pass the credit back and forth, Sword Dragon chuckled shortly.
“I'll repay you both. Speak freely if you want anything. On top of dismantling the heretics' gathering and killing their bishop, you saved my life, so I'll open the Orsia Family vault if need be.”
The Sea Corpse Ghost Conclusion etched with the Eternal Exhaustion ritual alone was an insane boon, and now he'd throw in more from the family vault.
“Elixirs for me.”
Ha-ryeong spoke up after the perfunctory deference.
“Anything you want in particular, Yuri?”
“Hmm...”
The game had plenty of farmable items from the Orsia Family. Top was the epic skill Sword Saint Form dropped by Sword Emperor—long wind-ups were a drawback, but its power was the strongest sword skill in Seronis.
Barring that, equipment. Orsia Knight Order armor, Sword Emperor's blade, etc.—endgame stuff for sword builds.
Sadly, Yuri wasn't a swordsman. He didn't need armor either. He pondered other epics but nothing jumped out as must-have.
‘Martial arts manual?’
Orsia was a martial house. Swords were famous, but they'd have others—collected or stored, at minimum unique-grade given the family prestige.
“Elixirs for me too.”
After some thought, Yuri chose elixirs. Sword Shadow, off with the vice-leader, had pointed out his "lack of internal energy."
Blame the Veil of Deception. To lure complacency and prove he'd only started martial arts a bit over two years ago, he always hid over half his energy with it.
In truth, thanks to high mana affinity and Heavenly Principle Annihilating Evil Art's effects, his energy wasn't lacking—it rivaled same-realm peers.
‘Eat elixirs when you can.’
He'd long passed energy-based realm breakthroughs; higher realms weren't decided by energy alone.
Still, to avoid nitpicks about profound energy later, stocking up on elixirs was smart.
“Elixirs, got it.”
Sword Dragon nodded firmly.
“But Thunder Cloud, what's that you're holding?”
When Yuri handed over the crystal orb and directive scroll, explaining them, Sword Dragon's eyes trembled.
*
Two days after leaving Zone 4's Reeking Fragrance.
They crossed the outer zone—city-sized itself—and reached the gates of the real Pantheon.
Crowds thronged the gates: citizens from Zones 1 and 2, tourists from other cities, out-of-towners without trade permits waiting for entry.
Not as massive as Lutran, but a city's stature wasn't just size. With Orsia Family, Selvis Magic Tower, and other prestigious houses, Pantheon was among the continent's most prosperous.
Non-citizens faced screening and entry fees before entering, renewed past a month's stay.
Pantheon's law, but not absolute. Qualifications could waive screening and fees.
For Yuri and Ha-ryeong, friendship with Sword Dragon sufficed.
“Young Master Estor!”
Ignoring the crowds, they approached the gates like it was natural. Several figures leaped down from the walls.
Uniformed chests bore a star-sharp blade. Orsia knights. Worried faces blocked Estor's path.
“Not a word left behind, gone over a week—where have you been?”
“Do you know how furious the family head is? One more day, and half the knight order would've mobilized to find you!”
The weakest-looking knight was 4th realm.
Obviously beyond that. Orsia knights were like that.
“Went to Zone 4.”
Sword Dragon faced the anxious knights calmly.
“Zone 4... Reeking Fragrance?”
“Why go to that filthy place!”
“I'll tell the family head myself.”
Brushing off the knights' fuss, Sword Dragon turned to Yuri and Ha-ryeong.
“These two are my friends and saviors. Treat them as you would me.”
Curious, wary eyes turned their way. Yuri just stood blankly, not introducing himself.
“Understood.”
The eldest-looking knight bowed.
“Straight to the family seat?”
“Don't ask if you're gonna drag me anyway, Sir Dryst.”
“Drag you? How could we—but the family head's wrath is real, so I advise returning at once.”
“Urgh.”
Even Sword Dragon's calm cracked at "wrath."
“Made a fool of myself.”
Riding in the carriage, Sword Dragon sighed.
“Didn't expect them waiting at the gates.”
“You're the family favorite.”
Yuri, across from him, glanced out the window. The carriage glided through the sky, not ground, without a bump.
“Favorite? I call it overprotected.”
Sword Dragon gave a wry smile.
“I get the family head's feelings, but I'm not a kid anymore.”
25 years ago.
Sword Emperor passed headship to his son, Sword Lord. He'd overcome senescence via Rejuvenation, but to refresh the generation and hone his sword further.
New head Sword Lord's blade wasn't his father's match but superb. Already 7th realm, he was tipped to reach Sword Emperor's heights given time.
He didn't.
20 years ago, Sword Lord and wife vanished, leaving a letter of severance.
Reason for the top martial house's head to abdicate and declare severance—even abandoning infant son? Rumors swirled, truth unknown.
Sword Emperor, retired to the sidelines, had to resume as Orsia head.
Sword Dragon Estor remembered no parental faces. They left when he was just 2.
Grandfather Sword Emperor raised him, taught him the sword.
“The family head will take great interest in you.”
Sword Dragon spoke, watching the blurring scenery outside.
“He always said the finest among the era's young talents was me. Never doubted it—seemed true to me. But now I know it's wrong.”
“No need to say wrong. Between you and me, who's better? Unknown.”
“That's why I want to find out today.”
Sword Dragon grinned at Yuri.
“Thunder Cloud. Spar with me?”
“At the Orsia Family?”
“Want to ask the family head to officiate.”
“You're putting me in a spot. Telling me to beat up his grandson in front of Sword Emperor?”
Sword Dragon blinked at the grumbling reply.
“Hahaha!”
He burst out laughing.
“Said it's unknown, but looks like you've already concluded in your head.”
“Not quite a conclusion.”
“You won't be in trouble, so don't worry. He dotes on me, true, but he's a true martial artist. He'll scold my loss and praise you to the skies.”
Sword Dragon spoke with conviction.
“Another reason for his officiation: Thunder Cloud, I think you're a man worthy of the 'Dragon' title. No—you must be called Dragon.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm Sword Dragon.”
He grinned.
“But titles, especially 'Dragon,' can't be self-proclaimed. The world must recognize it. Thunder Cloud, you're unknown now... but word of Reeking Fragrance alone will bring fame.”
Fame. Yuri felt mixed.
Power in this world naturally drew fame—a double-edged sword for Possessors like him.
“Like most high-realm masters, the family head loves promising youths. He might be the first to dub you 'Dragon.'”
“Honoring, sure, but you'll get Sword Emperor's advice from the spar too, right?”
“Exactly.”
That meant Sword Dragon already anticipated the outcome. He'd proposed it, but figured his win odds under fifty percent.
Sword Dragon had never lost to a peer. But defeat didn't scare him. Raised under Sword Emperor and family knights, he'd learned from losses, filling gaps.
“Better to show the spar under his officiation than explain my loss myself.”
The skybound carriage began descending slowly.
They'd arrived at Orsia Family.