The Seven-Branched Sword
“Eh? You’re coming with us too, Sir Jubern? Suddenly why….”
Teraden tilted his head in clear confusion as he watched Jubern nod in agreement. “I don’t see why not. I’ve been waiting for you to say something.”
“Uh, well… while you’ve all been staying at the National Academy, there hasn’t been much need for me. But my original duty was to protect you all. So accompanying you is only natural, isn’t it? If my presence is any inconvenience or bothersome, please tell me.”
“Oh no, of course not! But if you put it like that, what does that make me…?”
Teraden shook his arms wildly, mimicking the flapping of bird wings, and Jubern, who had been watching him quietly, smirked and lifted the corner of his mouth. “Then shall we take that as your approval and depart?”
“Of course.”
And so, Haru, Maru, Teraden, Blanser, Junior, and finally Jubern. Six of us in total left the National Academy and headed toward Arirang Church. I had heard from Lan earlier that the distance from the Academy to the church was roughly half a day’s walk on foot. To save time, we hurried, and thanks to that, we reached our destination well before lunch. Mirpia, who had been informed in advance, waited for us in the distance with her escort from the last time. “Oh my! Welcome, welcome! I’m so glad you came. But… why so late?”
Her clear voice suddenly lowered as if in jest. Her face was hidden behind a mystery veil, so her expression was unreadable, but I was sure she must have had quite delicate eyes. “Ah, work piled up, so I—”
“Hehe, I’m just teasing. You came perfectly! Well then, shall we go?”
Mirpia’s eyes sparkled with joy at our visit, and she led us forward with a faint smile. As we followed her, we soon arrived at the main temple of Arirang Church. This place was quite different from the capital or the National Academy I had stayed in before. As befitted those who served the gods, many wore neat white robes, but the color white was not the only thing that stood out. The buildings themselves were all white, with round roofs and walls full of openings. The architectural style was both highly unique and unfamiliar. The thought crossed my mind that such open designs might make it unbearably cold in winter, but soon enough I realized my worry was pointless. As we drew closer to the center, the golden light cast by Mirpia’s ability—used earlier to heal Haru and Teraden from their injuries—bathed the entire area. Stepping into the golden realm, I saw not only the fatigue vanishing but also the climate itself warming. Her ability clearly did more than just treat wounds. The outside was the complete chill of winter, yet inside it was mild and soothing, with leaves quivering as if alive, and a warm aura washing over us. We didn’t need thick coats. The gentle splashing of fountains and the faint songs of small animals echoing from the quiet meditation grounds completed the scene. Truly, this was worthy of being called the headquarters of the continent’s greatest religion. “Oh… You’ve been here before, haven’t you? Do you remember?” Mirpia asked, looking at Blanser, who stood wide-eyed in wonder at the sight before us. “Hm? No, I don’t remember anything. Noona.” “You were just a baby then, so of course you don’t. Hohoho! I bet you caused my uncle a lot of trouble back then, didn’t you?” “W-Well, that’s…! C-Cough!” The mention of his past indiscretion made Kwan-yoon’s face flush as he kept clearing his throat. …What exactly had he done to cause such a big scolding? “From now on, I’ll personally show you every corner of this place. Maru, would you like to hold my hand?” “Yes! I love it!” Maru beamed and took Mirpia’s offered hand. “I… Noona?” “What? Why…?” Just as Mirpia began to lead again, Blanser, clutching his stomach, stopped her. “We haven’t eaten yet, so we’re starving. Can we eat first?” “Ah, of course. After lunch, we’ll tour the place. This way.” “Kyaaa!” At the mere mention of food, Blanser leaped forward with a ground-shaking thump, chasing after Mirpia like the first one. * * * “Hey, I’m not done yet… Come on, everyone!” After the meal, the real exploration of the grounds began. Wherever she pointed, the rabbit-like eyes of first-time visitors searched every inch with insatiable curiosity, just as I had done when we first arrived in Seo-Wangdo. “It’s been a while since we had guests, and you seem to be enjoying yourselves too.” Haru and Kwan-yoon, who never left Mirpia’s side, smiled gently as they watched her gesture animatedly toward various spots. After roaming around for a long time, one thing caught our attention. It was only natural that the headquarters of the continent’s largest religion would be bustling, but here there was not a single outsider in sight, no matter how hard we looked, and even the residents numbered only about a hundred at most. “It seems surprisingly empty and spacious, doesn’t it?” Sensing our gaze, Mirpia opened the topic before we could ask. “The number of people we’ve seen here hasn’t even reached a hundred. The reason the continent’s people revere our church isn’t just to honor our ancestors; it’s because the church possesses such overwhelming power.” “Hehe, I can understand your curiosity, Haru. I’m sure you were wondering how such strength could be built with so few people.” “Yes, that’s right.” “Our church and the Hanrang and Byulmuban warrior groups that protect the continent are each fewer than a hundred strong, but every single member is a master of at least the rank of count. We’re not even the small elite; we’re the tiny top tier.” A hundred-plus Jubern-level masters? Considering there are fewer than forty barons in each of the east, west, north, and south kingdoms outside the Empire, just Hanrang and Byulmuban would equal the combined strength of three nations. “Um… but, Your Holiness. May I ask a question?” Teraden, who had been lost in thought, quickly snapped back and turned to Mirpia. “Of course, go ahead.” “Everything is fine, but why did you call us here?” Teraden had asked the question we had all been wondering, and I hadn’t noticed it while my mind was still on the tour. It wasn’t exactly a big deal, but Mirpia hadn’t seemed to be waiting anxiously for our visit just to show us around. There must have been another reason. “Um…” The instant Mirpia heard Teraden’s question, her lively expression vanished. “Showing you around was just a surface reason. The real purpose for inviting you is something we’re about to head toward.” The serious atmosphere rolling off Mirpia made Teraden break into a sinister smile. “Your Holiness, why didn’t you say that sooner? It sounds fun—let’s go quickly!” With that, Mirpia led us to the deepest part of the church’s central area. From the moment we started moving toward the center, she slowed her steps, her actions becoming perfectly composed, as if she were performing some ritual. After a fairly long walk, we reached a long, rectangular building. Unlike the rest of the church, this one had an unusually strict perimeter, and the guards stationed there were far from ordinary. Passing through the guarded zone and stepping inside, rows of rare and precious weapons were displayed. “These are the legacies left by the heroes who protected the continent long ago.” Mirpia’s calm voice echoed through the corridor. After a brief explanation, she continued past the displayed weapons, and we followed. As she kept walking, she stopped in front of a door that looked firmly locked. Creak. Click, click. The door, unused for a long time, opened with a harsh metallic groan. Inside the spacious room, there was only one sword hanging on the wall, and its shape was quite unusual. A sword was normally divided into a blade, a grip for holding it, and a guard to separate the two. But this one had no guard and not even a grip. Just a single, heavily rusted blade stood alone, giving it a dull, flat feeling that no edge could erase. If it weren’t for the sharp point at the tip, it would have been more like a crude iron rod. “This sword is one of the few holy relics passed down since the Great War, the Seven-Branched Sword, along with the Ouparts.” “Seven-Branched Sword? Seven branches… But this sword only has one blade. Why is it called that?” “Insane, even here it’s seven.” Teraden muttered quietly. “The continent reveres the number seven because of them. There are seven pillars, and many other reasons, all connected in the same way.” Mirpia answered Teraden’s murmur. “The Seven-Branched Sword was forged at the very end of the Great War, with the cooperation of the great Seven Stars.” “Noona, are you saying… you’re giving this to us?” “Of course not.” The excitement in Blanser’s voice was unmistakable, and Mirpia gave a firm reply. “If someone without the true owner swings it, it’s just an ordinary iron rod.” “Eh? What happens if it has an owner?” “Once the Seven-Branched Sword is released, six blades will sprout, and it will truly have seven branches, just as its name suggests. The last owner was approximately three hundred years ago—Arirang Mangho, who was the One of that era and wielded the same bright light as Teraden.” After finishing her words, Mirpia carefully took the sword from the wall, wrapped in silk, and offered it to us. “According to legend, it carries a part of the Seven Stars’ authority and chooses its own owner. That is why I invited you here—to find out which of you will be the true owner of the Seven-Branched Sword. Would you like to try it?” “Wow! Let me go first, Maru!” “It’s simple. Just hold it lightly. But Maru, there’s no grip, so be careful. You might hurt yourself!” “Yes, Your Holiness!” Maru’s face lit up with a smile as she took the sword, but when nothing happened, she immediately had tears welling in her eyes like chicken pips. “C-Cough… snivel!” Aigoo… After her, it was Junior’s and Blanser’s turn. One by one they tried it, but not a single reaction came from the Seven-Branched Sword. “Fine, my turn. Let’s see… oop! Oop! Give it here!” This time, Teraden rolled up his sleeves and even spit on his palm, but the sword didn’t budge at all. Well, it had been without an owner for three hundred years, so of course none of us would suddenly become the chosen one. “Hah… now it’s your turn.” In the end, Teraden handed the sword to me with a disappointed look. And all eyes turned toward me. The others seemed to expect something from me. Especially Blanser stared at me with bloodshot eyes, as if he had swallowed a fly. There was nothing particularly special about me, after all. But right then, in the midst of everyone’s gaze, I gently gripped the sword. TUP! “……” The eyes of those who had been holding their breath suddenly widened.