Chapter 502: Jealousy is My Power (2)
Chapter 502: Jealousy is My Power (2)
Several pieces of news had recently taken the Continent by storm.
Most were stories related to the Dark Cult. After breaking thousands of years of silence, the power of the Evil God, finally baring its claws, was terrifying. Traitors were found lurking within the leadership of various nations across the Continent.
Even Fiends and subordinates of the Evil God were appearing one after another.
By now, no one doubted that the long era of peace had shattered.
The Dark Cult, led by Delphirem, had returned. This meant that a war for the very fate of humanity was imminent.
It was a conclusion that inevitably cast a shadow over the faces of the common folk. Nevertheless, the reason chaos remained at a minimum was that the troubled times had called forth heroes.
The 'Morning Stars,' spearheaded by 'Ian Percus.'
Their exploits, combined with the yearnings of a public desperate for hope, were inflated and refined. Even praises that would normally be considered cringeworthy were treated as nothing more than standard tributes when directed at them.
The pinnacle of these heroic tales was the 'Mountain Court.'
A knight’s bloody struggle to save his innocent lover was a classic theme for an epic. Furthermore, the story of a Saint whose strength could shatter a mountain with a single blow, and a Saintess who personally proved the existence of the Heavenly God, deeply moved many believers.
A hero who fought the Evil God is protecting us.
The Heavenly God has not yet abandoned humanity.
There was no need to discuss how much comfort these two facts provided.
The Continent's gossips asserted that the Mountain Court would be the sole topic of conversation for some time. Under normal circumstances, it was a major incident that would be talked about for years.
In fact, creative works imagining the aftermath of Ian and the Saintess were already circulating in the markets.
However, the tide of the era, which had begun to flow relentlessly, would not stop.
As another rumor spread, the Continent fell beyond mere commotion and into a heavy silence.
The eyes of the entire Continent were focused on every single move of a certain individual. Even among countless celebrities, those who could wield such influence could be counted on one hand.
These were the absolute beings whose mere existence could decide the fate of a nation.
One of the only three Masters on the Continent was taking a heavy step forward.
"The weather is quite warm today."
These were the words tossed out along with a puff of pipe smoke.
The bored tone revealed the woman's irritation. At first glance, she appeared to be a girl in her mid-teens, but the way she smoked her pipe suggested she was no amateur.
Her brilliant green eyes, which looked as if they had been carved from starlight, were tinged with dark fatigue. Even her gait was leisurely to a fault; she was a person whose appearance and behavior did not match at all.
At the very least, it was not the demeanor of a child.
Rather, she gave off the strong impression of a cynic who had mastered the ways of the world.
Dozens of people surrounded the girl. However, none of them dared to answer her monologue.
They were all dressed in elegant attire. Despite their clearly noble births, they seemed to find it difficult to even strike up a conversation with her.
And for good reason.
The girl's true identity was not something that could be measured by mere social status.
The Great Witch of the Southern Kingdoms.
She was one of only three Masters on the Continent and the woman known as the Matriarch of the Southern Kingdoms.
"Warm weather... are you in your right mind, Elder? The Empire is in an uproar because of this abnormal heat!"
Of course, there was at least one person among them who didn't walk on eggshells around the Great Witch.
The middle-aged man grumbling his rebuke had graying hair. Judging by his sturdy build and overall appearance, he was a swordsman who looked much older than the Great Witch.
Yet, he consistently used respectful honorifics toward her.
The Empire's Sword Duke.
He was also a powerhouse who had reached the rank of Master, but he knew how to show proper courtesy to his elders.
Between the Great Witch and the Sword Duke lay a chronological gap of several hundred years. It was an age difference that even the Sword Duke, once known as the 'Mad Dog' of the Empire, could not ignore.
Though the Great Witch herself didn't seem particularly pleased to see her junior.
"Hmph, 'Elder' indeed... your mouth is as lively as ever. It feels like only yesterday you were running wild like a brat, poking your nose into everything across the Continent."
"That was decades ago, wasn't it...?"
"The memory of that day is still vivid. You came all the way to the Great Forest with nothing but a single sword, so I wondered what grand ambition you had. And then you asked for a duel? Ha, you didn't know your place."
The Sword Duke let out a groan, crossing his arms.
He had said it was decades ago, but it seemed the memory of that day remained vivid for him as well. The person who sensed the strange atmosphere was the old man walking alongside the Sword Duke.
"So, what happened?"
"Ahem."
The Sword Duke’s tone dropped slightly at the old man's question.
However, neither the Great Witch nor the old man seemed to care. Instead, the Great Witch wore a faint, amused smile.
"Naturally, he was beaten to a pulp and kicked out. Even if I was maintaining the Great Barrier at the time, did you think I'd lose to a kid who wasn't even a Master?"
"Hahaha! So even my uncle had such days."
The Sword Duke looked somewhat indignant, but he soon swallowed a faint groan and raised both hands.
It was a sign of surrender.
It was a harmonious atmosphere.
Nevertheless, the reason this procession felt stiff was that everyone except the three conversing was walking with rigid, tense steps.
After all, those three were figures from a completely different world.
The Great Witch, the Sword Duke, and even the one playing the role of the youngest among them was the Emperor of the Empire.
There was no way anyone else could chime in.
In the end, it was the Sword Duke who brought up the next topic.
"......So, what brought this on?"
A silence so deep that not even the sound of breathing could be heard descended.
At the single question posed by the Sword Duke, dozens of people held their breath and listened intently.
The Great Witch, however, simply exhaled a puff of smoke.
"What do you mean?"
"There must be a reason you suddenly left the Great Forest. For the past few hundred years, you've never strayed far from the barrier except when there was a major incident in the Southern Kingdoms..."
"Don't worry too much."
In a perfectly nonchalant voice, the Great Witch summarized the Sword Duke's question.
"A barrier like that will be fine for a few years even if I'm gone. Selecting a disciple is more important than that."
"A 'disciple,' you say..."
The Sword Duke shook his head, letting out a hollow laugh.
He had already heard the circumstances.
However, there was a specific part the Sword Duke was truly curious about.
"I'm asking why you suddenly decided to pick a disciple at the Academy. Didn't you usually just snatch up whoever happened to wander into the Great Forest?"
"......Hmph, because I felt like it."
With that, the Great Witch stuck her tongue out slightly.
The way she provoked the Sword Duke with both eyes closed was exactly like a young girl. The Sword Duke could only grumble inwardly that this old woman was failing to act her age again.
The next one to speak was the Emperor.
"Is that rumor true?"
"What rumor? Does the Imperial Family teach you to always use ellipsis when asking questions?"
"The rumor that you intend to pass on your 'Secret Art' to your new disciple."
Silence once again.
Now, even the sound of people swallowing dryly could be heard.
A 'Secret Art' was the core technique possessed by an organization or a martial artist. What kind of power would a Secret Art passed down by one of only three Masters on the Continent hold?
Depending on one's effort, it wouldn't be strange to reach the level of High Expert in a single bound.
The Great Witch, who had been feigning ignorance by looking away, finally opened her mouth after a long pause.
"......Yes, that's right."
The atmosphere of the group heated up instantly.
Everyone was trying their best to remain silent, but they couldn't hide their excitement. They were already too old to enroll in the Academy, but some of their acquaintances or family members were currently students there.
What if they could become the Great Witch's disciple?
It would be the glory of the family, and furthermore, they might be able to share in the Great Witch's Secret Art.
Even the Emperor showed a hint of expectation.
"Hahaha! I'm looking forward to it. I'm glad I decided to follow you to the Academy."
"Hmm, I suppose so. But why on earth are you going to the Academy?"
At the Great Witch's counter-question, the Emperor simply gave a meaningful smile.
"It so happens that my daughter is a student there. She's a child who inherited the Dragon's Blood... I wonder if she might be able to become your disciple."
"Ho, 'Dragon's Blood,' is it?"
For once, a rare spark of interest appeared in the Great Witch's eyes.
It meant she was intrigued. The Emperor, pleased by her interest, wore a warm smile.
"Two of my children have already gone to the Academy ahead of her. Vilteon and Iris... it seems they both hope Cien will become your disciple and inherit your Secret Art."
"How blatant. You're not even hiding it anymore."
With a huff, the Great Witch took another puff of smoke.
Contrary to her words, she didn't seem particularly displeased. It was an obvious story, after all.
If they could collect the Great Witch's Secret Art, the Empire would become even stronger.
Perhaps they could even possess two Masters.
It was a situation every leader dreamed of. Furthermore, the two competing for the next Imperial succession would surely want to achieve something to catch their father's eye, no matter what it took.
It was a mess.
The Great Witch clicked her tongue and gave a blunt observation about how even a short outing could cause such a stir.
"That child 'Cien' is going to have a hard time."
To be caught in the middle of a succession battle.
Even the Great Witch, who had lived for hundreds of years, felt a pang of sympathy.
However, the Emperor still had one more objective.
"And also, there is one more young knight I must meet..."
"Elder, have you heard of 'Ian Percus'?"
The person who committed the rudeness of cutting off the Emperor was none other than the Sword Duke.
It was an act of blasphemy that even a royal, let alone a noble, could hardly imagine, but the Emperor simply shook his head with a bitter smile.
Who could stop the Sword Duke?
There was even a hint of excitement in the Sword Duke's voice.
"He's a fellow who's been standing out among the young knights lately. Hahaha... I don't mean to brag, but he seems capable enough to claim he's the future of the Empire. He landed one blow—no, two blows—on that old fossil from the Holy Kingdom...!"
"......I see."
But in the next moment.
The Sword Duke, who had been speaking excitedly, clamped his mouth shut.
The look on the Great Witch's face as she exhaled smoke was unusual.
A sinister smile was etched on the lips of the woman who had been perfectly composed until now.
"Ian Percus... of course I've heard of him. I received a message from that Divine Brawler of the Holy Kingdom not long ago."
'The Divine Brawler of the Holy Kingdom.'
It was a derogatory term, but the three Masters who reigned as the Continent's supreme powerhouses surprisingly communicated often. They used such belittling expressions for each other as nicknames.
It was a title referring to the 'Saint.'
However, the reason the Sword Duke remained speechless was that he couldn't think of a reason why the Saint would bother contacting the Great Witch.
To the Sword Duke, who was standing there blankly, a sudden question was posed.
"Have you ever passed on your Secret Art?"
"No, well... a promising candidate has appeared, but I'm still thinking about it."
"Me too."
Echoing the Sword Duke's bewildered reply, the Great Witch showed an even more sinister smile.
"But if a Secret Art that I never passed on is circulating out there, what would you do?"
"Well, obviously, I'd first beat the—ahem, I'd have to look into the circumstances."
"That's why."
Puff. The smoke scattered into the air in clouds.
It was a statement that no one except the Great Witch could understand. Nevertheless, she alone wore a chilling smile.
"That's why I've come."
All the way here.
The end of a journey that was short if short, and long if long.
The faint silhouette of a building began to be reflected in the Great Witch's green eyes.
It was the Academy.
*
And in the middle of that Academy.
Ian was reading a letter with a serious expression.
Across from him sat a girl wearing a pointed hat.
The girl sipped a cold drink through a straw and asked.
"So, our junior..."
In her dainty hand was a small newspaper clipping. Judging by its state of preservation, it looked as if someone had intentionally cut it out.
The sub-headline was bold and intense.
[SHOCK! Elsie Lainella makes a 'Pet Dog Declaration' to the second son of a Viscounty?! The dark reach of Ian Percus, targeting the Flower of the Academy!]
A single drop of sweat rolled down the man's forehead.
With a beaming smile, the girl asked Ian once again.
"What could this be... hmm?!"
Thus, another present and future were intersecting.
Though the atmosphere wasn't exactly pleasant.