Chapter 261
Chapter 261
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 260. Southern Supreme Sword (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In my previous life.
While serving as Irina's guard knight, there was one "story" she told me.
"Vale, do you know why your father couldn't unify the continent?"
At that time, though I hadn't gained power, Irina, who was rich in knowledge, smiled brightly and asked.
By then, my prospects for advancement were already gone, so I always responded with indifference to everything.
"Well, I don't know."
Was it because I'd spent my whole life on the northern front and had only just arrived at the imperial palace?
I knew almost nothing about international affairs.
"If we measure strength with your father, the strongest in the world, as 10."
"On a scale from 1 to 10?"
I asked in a relaxed voice to Irina, who was holding up both palms to show the number 10.
Even so, any man would naturally be interested in talk of the supreme warrior.
"Yeah, 10 is unique to just your father on the continent."
The princess said confidently.
Even back then, Irina was a gentle girl who truly loved her father.
"But even if they haven't reached the exact same realm, there are heroes throughout the continent who rival him."
The empire's Second Imperial Princess pointed to the world map on the wall of her office.
The first place she indicated was the Bakal Kingdom, right above the empire.
"Bakal's Mountain King, Barrian."
Then she pointed to the Hawson Kingdom in the south.
They were at the very top and bottom of the continent.
"In the south, there's Captain Archimond, the Southern Supreme Sword."
The Mountain King Barrian, who single-handedly crushed 500 soldiers with an axe.
His power was as immense as befitted the king of the vast war state of Bakal, and it was widely said to be just below Leonhardt's.
"He's the strongest among Swordmasters. Probably around 7?"
"That's still a big gap."
At that level, even I could handle him.
"Right, but since your father only has one body, he'd have to go all out to fight Bakal."
"And in the meantime, the south could invade."
As I played along, Irina spun around with her hands behind her back.
Her silver hair danced beautifully, releasing a rich fig blossom scent.
"Yeah, and their representative hero, Captain Archimond, would lead the vanguard."
After landing lightly from her spin, Irina's expression turned serious.
As if the captain she was about to mention was that dangerous.
"Archimond is the Southern Supreme Sword and the first Swordmaster family on the continent."
To be precise, it was the family that first systematized the concept of Swordmaster.
That showed how sincere they were about their techniques and training.
"He's not someone who reached that realm through special techniques. He's from a wandering knight family who attained enlightenment purely through effort, experience, and achievement."
Irina seemed to highly value this southern hero's efforts, as her smile faded.
Then, in a solemn voice, she continued.
"Captain Archimond was also sent to the battlefield as a child and started from the bottom."
"Similar to me..."
I responded reflexively, feeling an inexplicable sense of kinship.
At that, Irina gave a wistful smile, as if she felt the same kinship.
She too had steadfastly held her position as Second Imperial Princess without any supporting faction.
"Yeah. And that man finally bore fruit."
Captain Archimond was the only southern knight to report a victory in a war against the empire.
He was the one who dealt the undefeated general Valderian his sole defeat, and the general had said he genuinely respected him despite the loss.
It was an achievement accomplished single-handedly, without any spirit elixirs or great family techniques.
And by his side were countless loyal knights who trusted and followed their captain.
"We'll bear fruit someday too."
I comforted Irina's wistful gaze.
In response, the princess nodded silently, as if thankful.
"Right...?"
Irina said she would create her own knight order.
Her own independent army.
"Even though he's an enemy nation's hero, I want to achieve something like that too."
She wanted to rise from nothing like Captain Archimond and become a pillar of the empire.
In a way, he was our role model.
"Proudly, together with the people who follow me..."
* * *
* * *
It came to me.
The name of the hero who had protected the south until the man before me.
"Count Arthur."
"Speak."
The Southern Supreme Sword, dressed like me in just a white shirt and dress pants.
He adjusted his monocle with the back of his hand and looked at me impassively.
"I've heard the Southern Supreme Sword is Captain Archimond. Has it changed?"
"..."
Arthur, with his brown hair, fell silent upon hearing the familiar name.
Then, with his lifeless white eyes, he replied flatly.
"My father yielded the title of Southern Supreme Sword to me. However, he still holds the captain position."
"So, even after ascending to Southern Supreme Sword, you hold no command?"
Come to think of it, Archimond had held the captain position for a long time in the past too.
He was entering his fifties, and despite having such an outstanding son, he hadn't retired...
'Is there something wrong with this man?'
"Yes, he said I'm still lacking to lead an army."
As if answering my thought, the Southern Supreme Sword closed his eyes slowly.
Then, he frankly spat out what had happened between him and his father.
"I challenged him every year and finally won after ten years, but he only passed on the Southern Supreme Sword title."
He was the one who had defeated the hero Irina admired.
Even with a twenty-year age difference, it was an impressive feat.
But he still seemed unaware of the flaw Archimond had pointed out in him.
"Still, you won in the end through effort."
"..."
At my meaningful words, Arthur slowly opened his eyes.
With his dull white pupils fixed on me, he asked.
"Why say that?"
"Just."
I answered shortly and clearly.
And, as if showing respect to the most knightly man I'd met in a long time...
I unleashed my golden aura without restraint, befitting him.
"Just felt a sense of kinship."
The Southern Supreme Sword stared intently at my radiant golden aura.
Then, placing his hand on his sword hilt, he asked one question.
"I've heard the Imperial Supreme Sword is the continent's second Grandmaster. Why use only Swordmaster aura?"
"..."
Honestly, per Lea's orders, I wanted to end it with overwhelming power.
But activating white aura before them would publicly reveal I was a Grandmaster.
And, for some reason...
Before this man, I didn't want to fight using the power gained from my previous life.
I wanted to test it.
Whether I could defeat the one Irina admired purely with my own efforts.
The opponent understood my gaze.
He glanced distantly at the massive spectator stands surrounding us, then removed his monocle.
"A situation where being exposed as a Grandmaster would be bad?"
"Exactly. Today, I'm just participating as one lord's knight."
I drew my longsword and assumed the knight's salute.
It had been a long time.
Showing respect to an opponent before a duel.
"I respect that."
Arthur nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
However, the dull white eyes reflected in his monocle soon filled with killing intent.
"But to limit that power and fight me."
That killing intent wasn't just built from slaughtering many.
It was pure obsession forged from striving to the death to achieve something, to survive.
"Your arrogance will force you to reveal your true power to the world."
The Southern Supreme Sword removed his monocle.
He tucked it into his shirt pocket and said solemnly.
"Whether it's arrogance or not, we'll see."
I smirked, holding my one-handed sword up before my face.
Lea watching from the royal box, and Mago who had retreated to the edge of the arena with hurried steps, both looked on with interest.
It was the first time since the Black Knight Captain Lynn that I'd shown such formal respect to an opponent.
"I'm looking forward to what kind of fight it'll be."
Lea had the excited eyes of a girl.
She covered her red lips with her palm, leaning forward with keen interest.
"..."
At that sight, Luke seemed to feel inexplicable jealousy, as he pursed his lips tightly.
He sighed, regretting that his peak power would be used not on Richard, but on a mere guard knight.
* * *
* * *
The two knights held their swords before their faces, exchanging the knight's salute.
The vast Hawson Kingdom arena fell into a chilling silence at their reverent posture.
The faint trickle of water flowing from the massive boulder plunged into the lake.
That dribbling sound echoed between me and Arthur.
Then, the moment the water flow cut off.
―――!!
The white-eyed man widened his eyes and charged at me in an instant.
With a sharp sound tearing the air, he swung his sword at my neck.
An utterly simple, predictably plain strike.
But it was proficient and steadfast, as if practiced millions of times.
Screeech―――!!
If I'd met it with the leisure I'd shown so far, my neck could have been severed in one blow.
So, I returned to that moment in my previous life when I'd blocked hundreds of knights alone at the entrance to Irina's palace.
With equally bloodless black eyes, I clashed swords.
Precisely near the hilt.
Claaang―――!!
The closer to the hilt, the more advantageous the balance.
Even the seasoned Swordmaster knew this and pressed me relentlessly.
Our blades met with force, sliding until they struck exactly in the center.
He'd shifted his sword to equalize the disadvantaged balance.
Kagagagak―――.
A shrill scream rang out between our blades.
The sword clashing against the emperor's sword Hector was also a famed blade.
We pushed against each other purely with the strength we'd honed, blades locked.
Yet neither yielded easily.
The tendons in our forearms bulged as if about to burst, and the muscles beneath our shirts burned hot.
But neither grimaced.
Instead, as if proving the fruit of our pure efforts, we wore smiles on our lips.