Chapter 130
Chapter 130
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Holy Sword's Trial
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For safety, should we evolve once more?
Hero slayer slayer slayer.
No, then what else would it look for in a hero if not strength, f**k?
Low-level trash, what hero? Just go farm.
-Zallak! There must've been some mistake! Jane has way more rough edges than that guy?
Holy Sword Elicia outright denied Zallak's statement from the front.
She understood Zallak's tastes(?), and knew just how well her own master, Jane, fit those tastes.
-I know what you look for when picking a master! Vessel! Innate dignity! Jane fulfills all of it! Even those terrifying high spirits showed favor to this guy! A human graced by high spirits—have you seen one since 'that guy'!?
Elf Camilla nodded vigorously, adding weight to Elicia's words.
She then turned to the party's scholar, Bellota.
-Right?
It was a gaze seeking agreement.
"..."
Bellota averted his eyes.
"?"
Unlike the others, he had seen far too much at the investigation team's site.
-Ugh!!! I know, I know! Elicia! I know this friend Jane is a fun one to raise!!!
-Then why are you hesitating!
-Aaaah! It's confusing, so confusing!!! That intense shock wrecked my senses!!! I might not be satisfied with normal stimulation anymore!!!
-Cut the nonsense and decide already!
-Guh. Hey, friend! Jane, was it!? Grip me harder!!! Make it so I can't think of anything but you!!!
Zallak directed this at the hero Jane, who held him.
Hmm.
Hmm!
Hmm!!!
The holy sword savored the touch, letting out careful yet pleasurable hums.
Everyone watched the scene with rapt interest.
Everyone except Rishir.
'What the hell is that. Is it feeling it? No way, the "holy" in holy sword means that holy?'
How long did that state last?
-Ahh, yes. That's it!!! Now I get the feeling! So I was the weird one!? Excellent! What an excellent vessel! So fun to raise!
The Sword of Growth in Jane's hand vibrated as if writhing in ecstasy.
-To think you'd craft a vessel like this at your age!!! You remind me of my friend Belen!!! No, wait!? No! Not quite!!! This one looks even more fun to raise than my friend Belen!!!
Elicia brightened at the extreme praise that erased the prior badmouthing(?) and shouted.
-Yes, that's it! Zallak! You could've done this from the start—clearly there was some mistake. Who did I choose?
Just as Elicia struggled to smooth things over(?),
"Zallak, was it?"
-Yes! Elicia's master! I am Zallak! The Sword of Growth!
"Right, Zallak. I'm Jain. Elicia's friend and master of the Superior Sword. If possible, I'd like to ask you something."
-Speak!
"You just said it. That I'm rougher around the edges than Rishir."
"Wait, Jain!?"
Camilla and Elicia started to voice complaints but froze upon seeing Jain's expression.
A mix of anger and joy.
Jain felt anger at not being acknowledged, yet joy at the chance to prove himself.
Superior Sword.
The superior hero chosen by Elicia—Jain was that kind of man.
"That means you're saying he's more suitable as your new master than me?"
-I'm torn!
"What makes you torn?"
-As I said, you're rougher around the edges than that friend! Meaning you're a master with fun to raise! Conversely, that guy has no rough edges, so no fun in raising! My personal pleasure or my duty as a holy sword! That's what I'm torn between!
"In that case, I recommend myself."
-Prioritizing my personal pleasure over my duty as a holy sword!?
"No."
-Hm!?
"If you truly find joy in the process of growing your master— I can guarantee it."
Jain confidently pointed to himself.
"I'll be more boring than anyone you know."
-Hahaha! What a bold friend! No wonder Elicia likes you!
"Let me say it clearly. Zallak. Choose me. I'm the man who suits you as a master."
There was some kind of charisma in Jain's confident declaration.
It had to be— he was speaking to a holy sword.
The legacy of history's greatest hero.
An existence that elevated not just the master's dignity, but infused extraordinariness into their very fate.
Everyone in the world dreamed of being chosen by a holy sword, ready to endure anything for it.
Most would fawn over a holy sword's whims.
Who could stand as composed as Jain before one?
Who could be as bold as Jain now?
Before they knew it, Jain's party members, as well as Mangnus and Tua, watched him with gleaming eyes.
-Fun! Then how about this! Jain! Rishir! You two take my trial at the same time!
Camilla inwardly cheered at those words.
As a member of the hero's party, she knew how finicky holy swords could be.
By Jain's account, even Elicia—who was now head over heels for him—had taken over a fortnight of trials before fully acknowledging him as master.
To grant trial qualifications right there on first meeting?
Impossible without fully capturing the holy sword's heart.
Camilla saw it as proof that Jain had fully won Zallak over.
"Sounds fun."
Jain was thinking the same inwardly.
He grinned and looked at Rishir.
"Rishir, what do you say?"
It was a perfunctory question.
No one would turn down a holy sword's trial—
"A trial? Tsk... Is there more stuff on top of this?"
"...?"
Jain blinked vacantly at Rishir's apathetic reply.
It wasn't worry over the trial's contents— he seemed to find the trial itself a hassle.
Who in their right mind would react like this to the chance of becoming a holy sword's master?
"...Why? Some problem?"
"Not really, but I've got something important tomorrow."
"Something important...? More important than taking the holy sword's trial...?"
"Pretty much? Actually, uh— embarrassing to say it myself, but. Tomorrow, there's a conferment ceremony in Bondales."
"...And?"
"That's where I'm getting my position conferred."
Do you get what I'm saying?
Rishir looked at Jain with that expression.
"..."
No?
I don't get a word?
What the hell are you even talking about?
Jain replied with that look.
Was he saying some city position was more important than a holy sword's trial?
"What the..."
Jain, Camilla, and even Elicia were left speechless.
-Zallak. What did he just say? That our Jain has more rough edges than a guy like this?
Elicia spoke bluntly to Zallak.
She already thought it was over.
All holy swords held immense pride in their existence.
To treat the qualification they personally granted as a bothersome chore?
Zallak wouldn't stand for it.
-Wh-what!? City position ceremony!? Are you saying you can't join my trial because of that!?
And sure enough.
He cried out in shock.
The holy sword's trial.
It was a grave ritual to verify if one was worthy of becoming its master.
No greater tragedy than a great hero's legacy falling into unworthy hands.
Thus, the trial was no quick affair.
It spanned long periods, pushing the subject to extremes to test their limits.
And here he was, bringing up tomorrow's ceremony.
The next action was obvious.
Zallak said,
-No helping it then!
-Phew. I don't want Jain chosen like this—
-I'll run an abbreviated trial!
-?
-So your important ceremony isn't delayed! So join!!!
-...?