Chapter 136
Chapter 136
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 136
Chapter Title: The Trial One Must Endure (3)
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-Daddy.
Whenever he closed his eyes, he heard a voice calling out to him.
It was a voice that had now become a memory. Tracing the sound echoing in his ears, he slowly opened his eyes.
-Daddy, are you listening to me?
The voice ringing in his ears grew clearer.
"I'm listening. What is it, Armel?"
"Why won't you teach me the sword?"
"Huh?"
Draka blinked.
Before him stood a lovely girl with her hair braided into twin tails. She bore no resemblance to him at all, having inherited only her mother's beautiful features.
'Armel.'
Looking at his daughter, Draka gave a bitter smile.
It was quite a bold question. From the crack of dawn, with her cheeks puffed out, she had barged into his study and demanded to know why he wouldn't teach her the sword.
'What's got her upset today?'
Draka soothed his daughter in a gentle voice.
"It's hard to understand. Asking for sword lessons out of the blue? What are you talking about, Armel?"
"I want to learn the sword too. The boys at the academy tease me. They say it doesn't make sense for the child of a famed swordsmanship family to not even handle a sword properly."
Draka furrowed his brow.
His precious daughter, raised like fine gold and jade. He had sent her to the academy, only for it to seem like more than a few male students were smitten by her beauty.
'They probably just approached her with nonsense like that.'
Draka clicked his tongue. His hand instinctively reached for the wooden sword hanging on the wall.
"Who are those insane brats? Just tell me. Your father will go deal with them right now..."
"You got banned from the academy last time too. The adults said you shouldn't interfere in kids' matters."
"Ahem, but..."
"So teach me the sword."
Armel declared confidently.
"I'll wield it myself."
"Who does she take after to be like this..."
Draka shook his head.
In truth, Draka knew the excuse his daughter was giving now was just that—an excuse. From a young age, she had wanted to be like him.
'She begged to learn the sword time and again.'
This time was no different.
And every time, Draka had refused his daughter's requests. He might be a doting father who melted at her every word, but above all, he was a swordsman. When it came to the sword, he allowed no compromise.
"Armel."
Draka cleared his throat and opened his mouth.
Draka didn't bother saying, "Swordsmanship isn't mastered in a day or two." He certainly didn't say, "You have no talent for martial arts." That would only disappoint her.
Instead, he spoke softly.
"Do you really need to learn the sword?"
"...You're doing it again."
Armel looked disappointed.
"...Why won't you teach me? Wouldn't it be good for me to learn some self-defense? You never know what might happen..."
"Even if something unexpected happens..."
Draka cut her off.
Then he thumped his chest and smiled.
"Your father is here, isn't he?"
"......"
"No matter what happens, I'll protect you. That's what a father is for."
"Really?"
"Of course."
It was a vow he had made before his wife's grave—his daughter's mother. Draka didn't voice the rest. Burying it in his heart was enough.
"I swear it on my name."
Armel shook her head as if to say he was hopeless.
Draka said he'd escort her to the academy, grabbed his overcoat, and stood.
The door creaked open.
Armel stepped out first. Draka paused in place, watching her. He took in her retreating figure for a moment... then lowered his gaze. He looked down at his own body.
"......"
The fine overcoat he had donned to see his daughter off was gone. In its place, a tattered cloak draped his shoulders. Instead of hands callused but unscarred, rough hands stained with blood and pus filled his vision.
Time to wake from the dream.
As if someone whispered it, the study dissolved. His daughter's form melted away. Turned into black sludge. Daughter, study, even the territory.
He was all that remained.
A sneer curled on Draka's lips.
'Draka van Haroct.'
A name from long ago.
Recalling the name he could no longer utter, having failed his vow, Draka closed his eyes.
He had failed to keep the vow.
His daughter had been brutally murdered.
She hadn't even died as a human.
'She melted away, merging with filthy magic beasts in death.'
Draka opened his eyes.
Back in reality, he looked ahead. The cardinal awaited his story. Holy knights filled the church.
Right, that's how it was.
He had been in the middle of telling it.
How far had he gotten? Sorting through his jumbled thoughts, Draka picked up the thread.
"Cardinal."
Draka said.
"This time, I'm seeing it through to the end."
The time had come to end this long hell.
Draka pulled something from his ragged clothes. What he drew out was a weathered wooden box.
2.
A blizzard raged. It raged, but it wasn't that cold. I exhaled a short breath and took a step. With every step, the blizzard grew fiercer.
Screeeeech!
How long had I walked like that? Sensing it impossible to push me back, the snow wind stopped shoving. Instead, it clawed at me like talons.
'Feels like thin blades.'
The phrase "knife-like wind" fit perfectly.
I must have veered off course a bit...
"You're trying hard."
All I could do was laugh.
No matter how fierce the blizzard, it was just snow and wind. To me, who had eaten and slept in the ravine of the black dragon Belial, where demonic energy stormed like a tempest... this was merely a refreshing breeze.
'I endured before the Demon King himself—what's this?'
No matter how rough, it had its limits.
Something at the sanctuary's heart seemed desperate for me to turn back, but that was out of the question.
'How can I hold back my curiosity?'
Human psychology is like that.
A button that says "don't press" begs to be pushed. A sign saying "keep out" only draws you in deeper.
'I can't go back. No, I won't.'
At this point, curiosity alone wouldn't let me.
What could be at the center to block intruders so fiercely?
'I think I heard a weapon was embedded there.'
As I recalled, even the trial of the holy sword—the Star Sword—that Kyle overcame wasn't this intense. So maybe a weapon on par with the holy sword was stuck there?
'Whatever it is...'
I'd know when I saw it.
"Hoo."
I exhaled shortly.
The blizzard obscured my vision completely. I considered blasting it away with pulverize, but... no matter what, I couldn't demolish a family sanctuary called holy ground.
Step.
How long had I walked?
I halted for a moment. I had reached my destination. Stopping, I narrowed my eyes.
The blizzard cleared.
A lush green meadow filled my clear view.
"...Hm."
It was quite mystical.
One step back and the blizzard howled, yet the sanctuary's heart was verdant meadow. It felt like stepping into a place detached from reality.
'Mana density is even higher.'
It looked like the trial had ended, but the mana was thicker than ever. My chest felt a bit stuffy.
Crunch.
I took a step forward.
Green grass crushed under my shoe. Like leaving footprints in pristine snow, I walked untouched emerald meadow.
Squelch.
A stream wound through the meadow, seemingly leading to the 'unfrozen spring.' I followed it.
'This must be it.'
The streams converged in one place.
There, massive statues stood in a circle. Over a dozen, bases submerged, encircled something.
It almost looked like a grave.
As if the statues guarded a tomb.
'...Wait, a tomb?'
I paused.
If this really was a tomb... as an outsider to the Grace family, I shouldn't intrude.
'But I'm curious...'
I knew I shouldn't, but curiosity burned.
'...Just a peek wouldn't hurt, right?'
Morality versus curiosity.
As the scale tipped toward curiosity...
"...Huh?"
I narrowed my eyes.
Something caught my sight. I traced the pattern carved on the statue with my finger. It was unique... and familiar.
"This is..."
I muttered unconsciously.
"The emblem of ash."
The symbol of the Ashen Mage Tower, the one I'd embroidered on my robe as an Ashen Wizard.
'Why is this here?'
Something was off.
I turned my head. Reached past the statue. I needed to check what lay hidden inside.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 「Unauthorized individual.」 「Step back.」 Thud, boom.
The statues began to move.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The wooden box Draka had placed down.
The cardinal staring at it asked.
"What is this?"
"A kind of map to find where the remains of the First Saintess are buried."
Draka opened the box.
Inside the opened box was a small, pure white bone fragment. The cardinal's eyes widened at the sight.
"This is..."
The cardinal swallowed hard.
The holy power contained in this mere fragment was clear to his eyes. Even the holy power flowing through Saintess Sara, blessed by the stars, paled in comparison.
"Where on earth did you..."
The cardinal's voice trembled.
Draka shrugged at the sight.
"Found it in the kingdom reduced to ashes. Deep in ruins buried under ash."
"No expedition has ever found it. We've explored those ash-buried ruins several times..."
"I said deep inside."
The cardinal fell silent, and Draka spoke.
"A place tainted by the Demon King's traces. The deepest part of the ruins, where poison vibrates."
A place where stepping foot alone burned away lifespan, untouched by any.
"Went in with 98."
Draka said.
"Came out with 126."
What that number meant.
The cardinal didn't ask. He knew the answer without asking.
"Sacrificed that many at the altar to barely escape. That's the prize. Cardinal, let me tell you two interesting facts."
Draka extended his index and middle fingers.
Folding his middle finger, he said.
"One, holy relics resonate with other holy relics. Especially those linked to the First Saintess... they show even stronger resonance. Sorry to say, but I found this bone over a decade ago."
"No, how could you..."
Why hide it until now?
And why reveal it only now?
To the cardinal's unspoken questions, Draka answered.
"I've only just found it."
Draka smirked.
Folding his remaining index finger, he continued.
"The saintess's remains point north. No matter where I was, it always indicated the north. Even at the Holy Kingdom, the Delorhim Order's main headquarters."
Before the robes said to have been worn by the First Saintess.
Before the holy water she used.
This bone always pointed north.
'What does that mean?'
The cardinal gulped.
"It means her remains are buried here. Remains no one has found until now."
"...Where exactly?"
"Getting ahead of yourself, Cardinal."
Draka leaned back.
He smiled leisurely.
"First, can you uphold your promise?"
"...Of course."
The cardinal snapped his fingers.
The holy knights guarding the old cathedral's door stepped back. The door opened, revealing children in pure white robes.
"Children."
"Children whose disappearance no one will question."
Draka nodded.
He inspected them like merchandise. Expressionless, as if brainwashed—perfect condition for use.
Inspection complete.
Now it was time for Draka to give the answer.
"What this bone points to is......"
3.
Thud, boom!
The statues crumbled. The red glow in their eyes extinguished. Grabbing and ripping off the headpiece of the statue, Raniel slowly lowered her gaze.
She had smashed three statues.
She knew she shouldn't trash another family's sanctuary... but she had no leisure for such thoughts right now.
Thump.
Raniel's heart pounded hard.
"......"
Stone fragments floating on the spring.
Remnants of the shattered statues.
Beyond them, a small plot of land at the spring's center.
Barely enough for one person to stand, something was embedded there. Like a stake anchoring the spring's mana.
'Like the great tree at the heart of the Harmain Forest.'
It was a sword. A blade that retained its sharpness despite ages passed.
"...What."
Raniel's gaze shook as she stared at the sword.
Its form was familiar. She had seen it only a handful of times, but she could never forget.
A massive blade.
A hilt slender compared to the blade.
A greatsword too heavy for an ordinary person to lift. Cloth wrapped around its hilt fluttered. Faded and worn, it bore an emblem, but it didn't register in Raniel's vision.
"This."
Holes pierced the blade.
Platinum starlight leaked from them.
"Why is this here?"
Ganikalt, the Blade of Death.
The sword synonymous with its existence.
A sword just like it was embedded at the spring's heart.
Author's Note: Packed it generously :D