Chapter 93: Territory (1)
Chapter 93: Territory (1)
In step with the feverish excitement ignited by the "Infinite Duel," the Arena hosted various main events. Numerous fighters showcased their skills to the gathered crowds. Ironically, the quality of the matches held after the Infinite Duel concluded was actually higher than the duel itself.
Perhaps that was only natural.
The Infinite Duel had long served as a gateway for nameless fighters to gain fame. Established fighters already possessed renown befitting their skills, and since famous fighters had much to lose, they had no reason to participate in the dangerous and unpredictable Infinite Duel. At most, the Species Duel was where the truly powerful gathered—dwarves who participated with specific goals, or orcs who simply loved to fight regardless of whether they lived or died.
In any case, the petty officials of the Arena did not look kindly upon the Sword Demon, Liam, who had rejected their first proposal offered as a victory prize. From the Arena's perspective, turning Liam into a star was a win-win deal. The Arena would benefit by having the Infinite Duel winner serve as their poster boy to draw more crowds to main events, and Liam would benefit by establishing himself permanently rather than being a flash in the pan.
To the Arena, Liam—who had rejected a proposal that would make everyone happy—was nothing but an ignorant, sheltered moron. They viewed him as a fool blinded by youthful bravado. If he continued as a fighter, he could live as a celebrity in Steel City, earn a fortune, and gain honor; why on earth would he refuse? Furthermore, being a fighter didn't require putting one's life on the line like in the old days. Since everyone had much to lose, they fought moderately, respecting certain boundaries. Fighters with Platinum Medals or higher were especially famous for playing it safe.
For fighters at the Platinum Medal rank or above—who were at least "Sword Runners"—their bodies were their capital. The moment they were seriously injured, they had to take a long hiatus, and if an injury left lasting aftereffects, they had to consider retirement. Thus, it was an unspoken rule to compete without using lethal techniques. Some spectators cursed them, claiming the high-level leagues were rigged, but the audience for the upper leagues was always large. Where else could the residents of Steel City witness the rare sight of Sword Runners dueling?
"Is the Sword Demon not coming out?"
"Tsk. I came all this way to see the winner of the Infinite Duel."
"The Arena's scouting ability has gone down the drain. It's the end of an era."
"But I heard 'Taesan' is appearing this time?"
"Taesan? That heavy-hitter is coming out? Then who's his opponent?"
"Well, there are rumors it's 'Black Gold Star'..."
"Oh, then it might be worth watching even without the Sword Demon..."
.
.
.
"The Arena's still got it!"
In the end, the Arena's audience consisted of people seeking immediate stimulation and thrills. Thanks to the plants embedded by officials, intentionally leaked rumors, and the heated atmosphere, public sentiment shifted in an instant. It didn't take long for the winner of the Infinite Duel to be forgotten. The Arena officials smiled with practiced ease as they watched. Yes, this was nothing new. The audience was like a herd of cattle. Manipulating public opinion was a piece of cake for the Arena's planners.
"Sword Demon Liam. Even if he left like that, a young brat like him will surely squander his fortune in no time and come crawling back to the Arena. When he does, let's show him how terrifying we can be. Junior planners, I want each of you to write down twenty ways to screw him over and submit them. I'll review them all..."
As usual, the Arena planners were busy being petty and idiotic. While these foolish schemes were unfolding behind the scenes, one of the spectators gathered in the amphitheater spoke up.
"Huh? I've never seen that place closed before."
"There? Was there something there originally?"
"Yeah. The Hall of Fame. It was like an exhibition hall for old weapons."
"Now that you mention it, I think I've heard of it..."
"I never noticed it before, but it stands out now that it's closed. Even though no one ever paid attention to the Hall of Fame, there was always an old man there, meticulously polishing the items and guarding the place. He showed up every single day for over ten years; I wonder if something happened to him..."
The Hall of Fame sat on one side of the amphitheater.
The place that usually garnered no interest was exceptionally dark and lonely today. It was because the diligent caretaker, who always stood guard, had taken a vacation for the first time in a very, very long while.
* * *
The big event I intended to use as fertilizer for my growth into a Sword Runner—the Infinite Duel—had finally come to an end. I had gained many things through those three consecutive duels. The 'me' before coming to Steel City and the 'me' now were different in many ways. Yes, this trip to Ferma was definitely helpful. As expected, the path Master suggests is always right. The only problem is that it involves suffering every single time.
"I am looking forward to this, Young Master."
"Ah, yes."
"The swords you borrowed... those blades were all items I personally cherished. Especially 'Fang'; it's a sword steeped in a poignant history. Are you familiar with the current Six Free Cities, Young Master? Strict order is maintained there now, but it wasn't always so. Much blood was shed in the process of them reclaiming true freedom, and 'Fang' represents the origins of the 'Brotherhood,' which holds deep historical significance..."
...However, the level of 'how screwed I am' this time was quite high, even among all the things I'd done. I glanced at Caretaker Tom, who was prattling on about stories I hadn't asked for with a benevolent face. The kind-looking old man continued to speak with a very joyful expression.
「Tsk, tsk. You've been flapping that tongue of yours so excitedly without even wetting your lips. Now you shall pay the price for the deeds that mouth has wrought. You should have behaved yourself, shouldn't you?」
Liam's words only grated on my nerves further in the midst of my irritation.
「My young descendant, do you not know how terrifying collectors who love antiques can be? He is smiling happily now, but what will happen when he finds out you've shoved all those precious things down your throat?」
"..."
「I guarantee he won't let it slide easily. Collectors tend to lose their minds when it comes to the things they love. Tsk, tsk. A young lad like you is going to get a sound thrashing from an old man. Or perhaps he'll challenge you to a duel, demanding you vomit up the blades that are like his own children. Then your life is over. How does a greenhorn swordsman expect to survive a fight against a Sword Expert...」
"Shut the hell up..."
I muttered through gritted teeth, glaring at Liam, who kept picking at my temper. But Liam, clearly enjoying himself, didn't stop. Every time Caretaker Tom spoke about how much he loved swords, I felt like I was being stabbed. While I was forcing a smile, Seol-yoon spoke up.
"But didn't you eat them?"
The atmosphere froze for a moment.
Tom tilted his head as if asking what she meant, and I hurriedly shook my head while glaring at the innocent-looking Seol-yoon. However, Seol-yoon possessed zero social skills to interpret body language.
"Eat? What do you mean, eat?"
"Ah, that's... it's because she hasn't been away from the Eastern Continent for long, so her language skills are still clumsy. Logically, how could one eat a blade? She likely meant 'eat' in the sense that I deeply ruminated on and understood the profound history and the valiant fighters associated with those blades—"
"Aha! So that's why she used the expression 'eat.' Ho ho, that's quite poetic! I heard people from the East love nature and enjoy free, poetic expressions, and it truly is impressive."
"Hahaha."
"In that case, I suppose I've 'eaten' all the swords in the Hall of Fame as well! Haha, I like that expression. Then the time spent studying them would be mealtime. That's quite fun and sophisticated—"
Fortunately, I managed to clean up Seol-yoon's slip of the tongue. While Tom continued to add unfunny jokes to his non-stop chatter, we eventually reached the outskirts of Steel City. By the time we got there, I had prayed several times in my head that Tom's vacation would be canceled and he'd have to return immediately. Weren't there plenty of idiots among the Arena officials? I hoped one of those idiots had messed up the paperwork so the Hall of Fame caretaker couldn't leave. But no such thing happened. Far from being canceled, the Arena had even provided him with extra travel expenses to celebrate his long-awaited vacation.
'I'm screwed.'
I could no longer rely on luck.
As always, I had to prepare my tongue to fix the situation I'd caused. Fortunately, that was one of my specialties—packaging something to make it look "okay" and settling it. I racked my brain, coming up with excuses.
However.
"Found you at last."
My headaches didn't end there.
"That's right. The man with Steel inside his body... and there's even a Great Being beside him. I was worried I'd gone to the wrong place again."
"...?"
"Why do you keep moving around? I almost got in trouble with the sisters."
The outskirts of Steel City, Ferma.
Just before we departed for the territory, a girl approached our group. A small girl enveloped in an awkwardly large robe. Her features were thoroughly hidden by a thick cloth wrapped around her face, visible beneath the hood of the robe. The only things visible were her eyes, but the glimpse I caught revealed them to be incredibly beautiful. So much so that one might lose their soul just by looking at them for a moment.
"Who are...?"
"Me?"
I barely managed to snap out of it and ask, only to receive a blunt voice in return. The girl pulled out a bundle and some old documents from her wide robe and showed them to me.
"Didn't you hear? The sisters said they told you in advance."
"If you mean the sisters..."
"Did you forget? They said I'd help you decode the cipher. Tsk, this is why they said we shouldn't ask swordsmen. It would have been much better to commission the Imperial Family or the Magic Tower. What would swordsmen know? They're just ignorant brutes who forget a promise made just the other day."
"...Ah, I know who you are now."
I realized it the moment I heard her tone.
"Are you the one sent by the Witches? To interpret the cipher on the treasure map."
"You finally remember? What a great memory you have."
Witches.
Magical beings capable of making a person furious with just three or four sentences.
"But if you knew, why did you keep moving? Are you just a young man so full of vigor that you can't control yourself? I've been looking for ages. And who are this old man and the black-haired girl? Are they people you hired to serve me? An experienced old man and a girl my age? Then I'll pick the girl. Old people always have a nasty smell. But then again, I don't like Easterners with black hair either. They feel ominous."
"..."
"..."
In less than ten seconds since her appearance, the Witch had succeeded in making everyone dislike her. Her talent for picking only the most obnoxious things to say was truly akin to magic...
* * *
Right, to be honest, I had forgotten.
Hadn't there been a lot going on?
In the midst of all the headaches, I thought it was understandable to briefly forget a verbal promise made to the Witches. Anyway, recalling the promise made back then, it went like this:
The Witches possessed a very precious treasure. That treasure hadn't been in their hands until recently, when they acquired a map indicating its location. However, no matter what the Witches did, they couldn't find a way to crack the map's cipher. The only way to decode it was to delve into the memories of the legendary adventurer who had created the map. In other words, I was to "eat" a blade used by the now-deceased legendary adventurer and provide them with the answer.
The Witch had brought the sword of the legendary adventurer named "Ascension," just as promised. At first glance, the sword looked unremarkable. Rather than a weapon for killing, it looked like a tool for explorers to use in various situations—a multi-purpose blade used for cutting vines or skinning animals. The moment he saw it, Liam spoke.
「My young descendant.」
"Yes."
「This is a sword you cannot eat right now.」
A sword I can't eat right now? Why?
When I asked, Master replied.
「Not only does it not harmonize with the blades you have accumulated thus far, but the soul contained within this sword is excessively powerful. That Witch was not lying.」
"What does that mean?"
「A Legend is contained within this blade.」
A Legend.
「It is far too early for the current you to devour it.」
It was the first time Liam had said such a thing.
I relayed Liam's words exactly to the rude Witch.
"If it's the word of the Great Being..."
The Witch didn't act rude this time.
After pondering for a moment, she finally replied.
"Then I'll accompany you until the time comes when you can harbor this sword."
"Why should I agree to that?"
"We had a promise. Besides, I'm the best asset you could have in your party."
The best asset in the party.
She was right. Wizards were rare assets, and among them, Witches were considered top-tier assets proficient in various magical mysteries. But regardless of her usefulness, I really didn't want to travel with a Witch. They were the kind of people who were very useful but whom you'd hate to have around...
'My blood is boiling after just a short while; how much will she grate on my nerves if we travel together?'
However, my will didn't matter much.
"I don't care, we already promised. And I've come all this way! I'm going with you. Hurry up and leave, hurry!"
Right.
The promise had already been made.
It was exhausting, but I couldn't just abandon the Witch. In the end, the Witch, who had managed to earn the dislike of everyone in the group, became our newest companion.
"Then, what should we call you, Lady Witch?"
"Audrey. Call me Audrey."
"Ah, then..."
"But is there no wine? And this carriage is too old. Are all three of you beggars? If so, tell me. It's a waste to spend it on a swordsman, a dying old man, and an Eastern girl, but I'll gladly open my wallet. I could line up carriages much better than this."
"..."
The new companion.
I really couldn't bring myself to like her...
* * *
Caretaker Tom.
Seol-yoon.
Witch Audrey.
The journey to the territory with these three was dizzying. Seol-yoon was naturally quiet, and whenever Tom brought up stories about blades, Audrey would grumble that it was boring. Upon hearing it was boring, Tom wouldn't argue that she was being rude; instead, he'd get bogged down by the word 'boring' and become dejected, thinking, 'Is telling these stories in front of kids these days really too old-fashioned?' In the midst of the silence, only Audrey chattered incessantly like a child, asking for wine, asking when we'd arrive, and saying she was hungry.
I had only just finished the Infinite Duel, but instead of getting a moment's rest, tasks were piling up. I had to persuade Tom as soon as we returned to the territory, reach the rank of Sword Runner through training, and fulfill the Witches' request as soon as my realm increased. Furthermore, I was supposedly included in the 'whirlwind' the Iron Prince would stir up. There was no time to rest. Truly, no time at all...
In the midst of that chaos, I first came up with several excuses to present to Tom. Excuses that were at least somewhat plausible. I didn't know if they'd work, but I had to try.
"Oh, we're almost there."
While I was racking my brain, we arrived at the territory before I knew it.
And...
"O-oh, you're here! You s-should have told me in advance—! Ah, r-right, there's no way to contact us here. Hehe."
As soon as we arrived, Hailyn came running out in a hurry.
However, Hailyn's appearance was quite different from before. Originally, she was a girl who looked half-dead and like a beggar, but the current Hailyn... well, she exuded quite an air of nobility.
'What's this?'
Can a kid change this much in an instant?
While I stood there dazed for a moment, Hailyn smiled brightly and spoke.
"P-please, come in. The territory has changed a lot."
"Changed?"
"Y-you sent so much support! D-didn't you send support through the Red Bank? Plus, I r-received all the things you sent as the Infinite Duel prize money."
Ah.
I did do that.
Worried that Hailyn might starve while managing this place alone, I had deposited money in the Red Bank and asked them to deliver a portion of it to the territory. But it shouldn't have been that much money? Did she spend it all on her own food and clothes?
'Well, she's still a kid, so I guess that's possible...'
Wasn't she the kind child who stayed behind to guard the territory alone even after Seol-yoon and I left? I could understand that level of immaturity. Besides, there was actually too much money piled up in the bank. It was a level of wealth I could just laugh and scatter around.
"W-welcome, guests."
"Oh."
So, I didn't expect much.
A territory that had changed a lot?
I figured the layout had just become a bit cleaner at most.
But.
"For a rural estate, this is quite impressive, Young Master."
"..."
"Young Master?"
"...?"
The scenery that met my eyes.
It had changed far too much.
"...??"
...Is this really our territory?
"Hehe, I decorated it well, right?"
I looked at Hailyn, who was giggling.
At the same time, I thought:
'There was another genius besides Seol-yoon.'
It seemed.
I had discovered a genius with a natural talent for territorial management.