52. Emperor (3)
52. Emperor (3)
The moment Yuma picked up Balmung, he felt a sound reverberate inside his head.
-The Sword of Wailing and Annihilation, Balmung. Activating.
It was a sound reminiscent of a modern gentlemanly male AI voice. Yuma's brow furrowed.
"...Is this an Ego Sword?"
-My heart trembles at being activated for the first time in a thousand years.
"What are you talking about."
Hadn't the god Inkrinu been swinging it around all he pleased just yesterday?
-This Ego was in the hands of a god who had no interest in the sword itself. 312 years crammed inside the divine pouch of that ignorant, cold-blooded fucking God Inkrinu. Most of that time was darkness itself... At last, I have come into the hands of a human-nim.
Balmung continued.
-And not just any hands, but those of the deicide-nim who slew that very God Inkrinu. I am most pleased. Most cathartic.
He didn't know what exactly, but this thing was definitely a weird one.
-Please, do make use of me, Balmung. You need only perform the master ritual.
This bastard, something about him was unsettling.
"What abilities do you have?"
-If I were to list this Ego's magnificent abilities, the first is the power to swiftly detect long-range and extreme-range attacks based on magic power or Aura, and to discern their direction, angle, position, trajectory, and the like.
Yuma almost blurted out that he'd use him right away but barely suppressed the urge.
A power that would allow perfect defense against long-range attacks.
It was a power Yuma sorely needed, but first, he needed to learn more about this guy.
"Other abilities?"
-All the swordsmanship of the swordsmen who have wielded Balmung until now has been recorded. The swordsmanship used by five super-first-class Grand Sword Masters. Their stances, sword force, and footwork are all archived.
'This isn't an ability I need. It's a power that Bel needs.'
But if he handed it over to Bel for that reason, the radar-like ability just mentioned was too essential to him. And that ability probably wasn't something Bel particularly needed.
Even without such a thing, if danger approached her, she'd detect it with her ki sense.
A heaven-sent martial genius.
That was Bel.
'The swordsmanship of Balmung's previous masters, each one undoubtedly the strongest of their era.'
While Yuma was mulling it over, Balmung's voice continued in his head.
-And though it is likely a function the current owner, the deicide-nim, does not require, I can also deploy a barrier-type defensive magic using the magic power embedded within me.
But astonishingly, the function that most appealed to Yuma was that last one...!
Yuma felt his thoughts clicking into place.
First, he reached the conclusion that he himself must become Balmung's master.
'Not enough.'
The Evil God.
If another bastard like Inkrinu manifested next time, in the end, he would have to step up. Because Bel and Cloné's growth hadn't happened yet.
'I just have this feeling that the one who saves this world at the final, final moment won't be me.'
It didn't suit him.
The 'clearing' of this world. His 'Parrying' did not suit the salvation of this world.
Yuma thought so. That someday, Cloné and Bel, who were powerless before the Evil God now, would fully awaken their power.
'Until then, I'll have to protect them.'
To properly carry out that mission, Yuma decided to become Balmung's master.
'As for the swordsmanship and other knowledge Balmung knows, I can just pass it on to Bel.'
He didn't even need to demonstrate it; if he simply wrote it down like a sword manual and gave it to her, Bel would completely grasp the essence of those techniques on her own.
Because she was, quite literally, a heaven-sent genius.
"How do I conduct this master ritual?"
-Simply drop a single drop of blood onto the small gem set upon my hilt.
-Once you become my master, I will only be capable of communicating with my master. Even if another person holds me, they cannot converse with me.
"Once I become the master, can it not be dispelled?"
-I am not a demonic sword. You may dispel it whenever you wish. However, once dispelled, you cannot become my master again.
"Understood."
His blood, already inside Yuma's body, should be beginning to change into the Ten-Thousand-Poison Immune Blood, but he didn't conveniently cough any up. In the end, Yuma called a servant standing in the hallway and procured a needle.
Drip...
A single drop of blood fell onto the small gem on the hilt.
The gem emitted a brilliant light.
-You have become my master. Master.
Balmung continued speaking.
-For two-way communication, you must hold me and speak as you do now, but I can deliver information to you unilaterally at any time.
"Right. Do not open your mouth unless there's an emergency. Like an attack flying in from afar."
Balmung's words did not emanate from the sword.
They continued to resonate inside Yuma's head.
And that was not a particularly pleasant sensation.
No reply came to his command.
"Answer."
-...I am disappointed. Master.
"Answer."
-Understood. Master.
Balmung scanned its master's physical condition.
And discovered a shocking truth.
-You have no Mana Heart. Master. Aura... you do not use Sword Aura?
Even through the mechanical AI-like voice, a noticeable dismay was apparent.
"It's the body of a mortal. Completely devoid of any talent."
Yuma gave a brief explanation.
If he successfully parried an opponent's attack, he could return damage exceeding that attack power back to the opponent.
-With that... you slew a god? Just what kind of life have you led, Master?
"Disappointed?"
-No. I am deeply moved. For I have never met this kind of master before. I am very deeply moved.
This bastard.
He seemed genuinely moved.
Which made him a little terrifying.
As Yuma conversed with Balmung, he confirmed a few more things.
How to deploy the barrier magic.
And how the swordsmanship knowledge was stored.
Unfortunately, having only seen the outside world when Inkrinu used it and remaining in the divine pouch the rest of the time, it knew nothing about the whereabouts of the other Evil Gods.
The conversation continued. And the day flew by quickly.
"...He was just a bit tired. That's what he said?"
Brigitte looked at her head attendant Roian, who stood beside her.
The middle-aged head attendant, Roian, bowed his head to the 1st Princess Brigitte.
"Yes, that is what he said."
Brigitte could not lift her fork in front of the pasta the chef had already laid out.
Similarly, Bel and Cloné on either side of Brigitte also could not lift their forks.
Slurp!
Except for just one person, the nineteen-year-old Hestia of the Cat Tribe.
"Mmm... He did say he wanted lunch! Isn't he probably okay? He has good reason to be tired."
Hestia's words were reasonable.
Recalling yesterday's events, it was only natural to want a full day of undisturbed rest alone.
Even if nothing was particularly hurting.
"Yes, Yuma certainly has reason to be tired."
But her already fallen appetite did not return.
'...The Emperor.'
Am I.
Truly someone qualified to be Emperor?
Brigitte found herself deep in thought.
Yuma.
It had all been a result exclusively produced by Yuma.
It was Yuma's power that had completely overturned the extremely unfavorable succession struggle.
'What weak thoughts am I having.'
If no one else were here right now, Brigitte would have slapped her own cheek.
'Yuma was confident even before a god.'
Yet now that she had finally grasped the position of Emperor she so yearned for, to be struck by fear now.
'I will ascend.'
Like an Emperor.
I will become the Empress of the Great Empire of Astes.
'I will prove it.'
To the people of this empire.
To the nobles.
─And to Yuma.
She must show them that their choice was not wrong.
The 1st Princess Brigitte's blue eyes gleamed brightly.
Cloné slowly rose from her seat.
"I don't have an appetite. I'll eat dinner. I'm sorry."
With a faint smile. Cloné bowed her head and then walked briskly down to the first floor.
'I am far weaker than Bel unni.'
Her destination was the training ground.
'I will become useful to Yuma-nim.'
She would stand by his side, without fail.
Cloné whipped herself onward.
Bel was hanging her head, her brow slightly furrowed.
-So he really did just bring me along because of the oracle.
'Why did I say something like that?'
To the savior of her clan. To her own savior, she had uttered an impertinence she never should have. Before Yuma's sword, which had seemed so overwhelmingly great, she had fallen alone into a sense of inferiority.
Bel continued to berate herself.
And then, following Cloné, she headed to the training ground.
***
Early morning.
Sssk sssk...
Bel hastened her steps as she watched the falling leaves scatter.
Taking a walk each morning was a routine she had kept even when she was confined within the castle of the White Night.
After completing one lap and re-entering the entrance of the Imperial Princess's palace, Bel's eyes flew wide open.
Because she saw Yuma walking gracefully ahead of her.
'He went for a walk first.'
Should she ask to go together starting next time?
Bel trailed after Yuma with her pink eyes.
Keok─!
Bel halted her steps abruptly.
It was a rather sharp coughing sound.
'Is he sick? Yesterday too...'
Worry welled up inside her.
At that moment, Yuma's low, deep voice burrowed into Bel's ears.
"Not much time left..."
After saying that, Yuma walked up the stairs.
Confirming that Yuma had gone all the way up, Bel slowly walked forward.
And stared at the stair railing Yuma had just been holding.
A very faint red hue stained the white handle.
"...Blood?"
Bel's face went pale.
-Not much time left.
"...Uh."
The words Yuma had just muttered lowly echoed repeatedly in her ears.
Her mind began to go blank.
-You will definitely become a greater swordsman than me.
A violent headache crushed down on her brain.