Chapter 245: The Sword Saint, Ha Yuri
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 245: The Sword Saint, Ha Yuri
“Excuse me… Sword Saint, it is time for you to go out.”
“I understand.”
With an incredibly tense expression, Kim Hyuncheol waited outside for the ruler of Aia, the Sword Saint Ha Yuri, to emerge. It was his first time assigned to attend to Ha Yuri, so it was only natural for him to be nervous. Having been a rising star in a good clan, he had always believed he would climb the ranks someday, but he had never imagined the opportunity would come so soon.
Seeing the tense expressions on his seniors' faces, he felt a bit relieved that he wasn't the only one, but he still couldn't stop his legs from trembling.
This was the Sword Saint, Ha Yuri—the powerful figure who controlled the West with a single finger. To ambitious people like him, who wanted to climb to the top no matter what, she was naturally a figure straight out of a dream.
Before long, the Sword Saint Ha Yuri slowly began to emerge from the room.
He didn't know if it was a trait of her class, but the divine power subtly radiating from her body seemed to speak of her immense strength. More than that, she looked incredibly holy. Her beautiful features seemed almost otherworldly, yet her simple attire spoke of her usual frugality.
‘Just do as I was taught… Just as I was taught…’
It was nothing special. His only job was to protect the Sword Saint in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
All sorts of thoughts had been racing through his mind, but the moment he saw her gentle smile, his mind went blank. Then, the Sword Saint's voice quietly emerged.
“I don't believe I've seen you before?”
“No. He's a new recruit. The one who came in last time…”
“Ah. Yes. I understand. Could you give me a brief introduction?”
“Yes. He is a promising talent from the Cross Clan. His name is Kim Hyuncheol, and I've heard he was summoned not long ago. His innate talent is exceptional, so he was recommended and transferred to the Saint Knights Order. He is still lacking, but he is a talent with great future potential.”
“Hmm… He seems like a decent person.”
Although her voice sounded as if she were appraising him, he naturally didn't feel offended. Instead, strength entered his back and legs, and Kim Hyuncheol unconsciously straightened his posture. He wanted to leave a good impression.
The Arbiter, Jeong Ji-young, who could be called one of the top five powerhouses in the Saint Knights Order; a champion of the West who always stood at the forefront to eliminate the Sword Saint's enemies; a man whose martial prowess was enough to easily handle one or two small or medium-sized cities. Seeing such a person sitting in the same room as Ha Yuri made his knees weak without him even realizing it.
What he saw before him was the Sword Saint approaching.
“I look forward to working with you.”
“Ah… Yes! Y-You can count on me!”
It was only natural that his voice came out in a shout. Kim Hyuncheol nodded, moved by the sight of her showing consideration even for a low-ranking member. Although it wasn't a combat mission, simply walking around the city with the Sword Saint was a glorious enough task.
As they slowly made their way outside, he could hear the conversation between Jeong Ji-young and Ha Yuri.
“By the way, what happened with the matter I entrusted to you?”
“Ah… You must be referring to the North and the East.”
“Yes. That's right.”
“It seems they have ultimately decided to walk a different path from ours. Especially regarding the recent disappearance incident, the Queen of the East has remained silent… And… it appears the North is preparing to make a serious move.”
Kim Hyuncheol was also aware of the disappearance incident. It was the case where a large number of dignitaries from the South, who had gone to propose an alliance with the East, vanished in the swamps. It had happened quite some time ago, but the problem was that the truth had yet to be uncovered. The South was continuously applying pressure and protesting, but the Queen of the East consistently feigned ignorance.
There was no evidence. Rumors circulating through back channels suggested that the Spider Clan was involved, but the truth had not yet been revealed.
As a result, the West was also lodging direct protests with the East, but the East responded by forming an alliance with the North, sending significant ripples across this small continent.
The stance of the West and South was that the East, which still illegally trafficked slaves, and the North, which lacked proper order, were no different from barbarians. The West was trying to avoid war as much as possible, but with continuous news of military provocations, the atmosphere in Aia had recently become very somber.
‘A war could break out.’
He wasn't the only one who thought so, which made the subdued atmosphere seem only natural.
“I see… The North again…”
“Perhaps it is time we made our move. We must also make our position clear. Simply conceding like this…”
“I feel the same way as you, Sir Ji-young. I want to, but… when I think of the citizens who will suffer because of war… it's difficult to make a decision.”
“You must also think of the Summoned in the East and the North, not just those in the West. They are also people who need our help and protection. Especially the slaves who are suffering…”
Even to Kim Hyuncheol, Jeong Ji-young's words made sense.
Even at this very moment, people in the East and North could be suffering. From a broader perspective, he thought it was right for the Saint Knights Order to act. But he had no say in the matter. Seeing the Sword Saint wrestling with the decision, her face continuously furrowed in thought, Jeong Ji-young began to feel a pang of sympathy for her.
She was still young to be the ruler of the entire West.
The burden she carried must be incredibly heavy. An ordinary girl who would have been living an ordinary life back on Earth. Looking at the Sword Saint, his heart began to ache for no reason.
He couldn't imagine how heavy the weight must be on her slender shoulders.
“That may be so, but…”
“You must make a decision.”
“Please give me a little more time. If possible, I want to resolve this through dialogue. If it's something we can handle amongst ourselves, I want to end it that way. Involving innocent people is…”
“Yes. I understand perfectly.”
“And please refrain from such talk outside the Guild House. There are many listening ears. If the citizens were to overhear, they might become anxious.”
“Yes. I will be more careful in the future.”
Leaving the Guild House to patrol the large city was one of the Sword Saint's daily routines. The city's situation wasn't good, but this was to give strength to the poor and to pay closer attention to the city's security.
Once outside, he could see the Summoned turning to look at them, just as he'd expected.
It was only natural for Kim Hyuncheol's shoulders to tense with pride. The procession led by the Sword Saint always drew attention. The thoughts of the many Summoned watching them were probably the same.
‘I want to be like them.’
They must surely be thinking this.
Seeing the Sword Saint make eye contact and greet each person she passed, Kim Hyuncheol gasped in admiration.
It was enough to make him think she was a blessing sent to Aia from the heavens. Aia was not a prosperous city. This continent was not a safe place. While the city wasn't without income, the cost of military supplies was so enormous that many inevitably went hungry.
Setting aside the monsters, all the damage from the North's frequent provocations was also being covered by the West's finances.
They were receiving support from the South, but that too had its limits. The experts' predictions that the West would soon face a major upheaval, one way or another, were likely not wrong.
As they continued to walk, various scenes came into view. The bustling streets where large guilds were concentrated. Adventurers preparing to go on hunts with small and medium-sized clans… But he also saw the lower class who had already lost their will to live, and prostitutes selling their bodies.
Just then, the Sword Saint Ha Yuri slowly began to walk forward.
Kim Hyuncheol grew tense for no reason. Of course, the Sword Saint was strong, but her heart was soft, so she might not be able to act decisively against these people if a situation arose. He began to emit a small amount of magic as he followed, guarding the Sword Saint, and someone came into his line of sight.
Her destination was a man who was passed out asleep nearby.
The Sword Saint quietly held out a gold coin to him and spoke. The sight of her casually taking the hand of a filthy vagrant—a hand so dirty it was nauseating just to look at—was quite a shocking scene even for Kim Hyuncheol.
“Someday, we will create a world where people like you can live well. Please keep striving. It's not much, but…”
“I… I can't believe this… Th-Thank you.”
“No, it's nothing. If you ever need help, please visit the Guild House anytime. Our Saint Knights Order will always support you. I am truly sorry that this is the only way I can help.”
“N-No, not at all. Th-Thank… Thank you. L-Lady Hayuri.”
Seeing the man's dazed expression as he clutched the single gold coin, his hands trembling, Kim Hyuncheol let out a sigh. He figured the man would most likely squander the gold coin on gambling or alcohol.
He understood her sentiment, but this kind of help was meaningless.
Besides…
‘Trash-like bastards…’
The eyes of those nearby were stained with greed. If emotions could be given form, this area would be filled with the greed of prostitutes and vagrants.
That man might even be killed for it. He glanced at the Sword Saint and saw that she was smiling happily, as if she were truly pleased. It was perhaps the purest smile Kim Hyuncheol had ever seen. A person who could smile while giving to others… He could hardly believe someone so naive existed.
She was still young, after all. Too young and too soft to navigate this harsh world. That was why she needed help.
Kim Hyuncheol unconsciously gripped his sword tightly.
‘I want to help her.’
That feeling had sprung up within him. Just as he expected, vagrants began to creep closer to the Sword Saint. Kim Hyuncheol released his magic. It was a threat, warning them not to come any closer.
Naturally, the beggars froze on the spot, unable to move a single step. It was a warning not to approach, but it was also a command to forget what they had just seen.
He didn't want the Sword Saint's pure goodwill to be tainted by greed. He wanted to say something to her, but he wasn't yet permitted to speak.
“It is time to head back.”
“Ah… Yes. I understand. Please, always stay strong. I, too, will always do my best from the same position as all of you.”
Seeing her bow to the lower class until the very end, he was left speechless. No queen bows her head.
A war might break out soon. Kim Hyuncheol made a silent vow to himself.
He wouldn't be fighting for the city. He thought that he might have been brought here for the sole purpose of protecting this delicate girl.
Soon, the Sword Saint turned and began to move toward another area. Kim Hyuncheol shot a warning glare at the men still staring at the one who had received the gold coin, then slowly followed.
He was glad he had joined the Saint Knights Order. He wanted to rise through the ranks and stand proudly by her side. He wanted to protect her. With such thoughts, Kim Hyuncheol nodded to himself.