Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Finally Alone
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“Finally alone.”
Even after returning to the estate, Kallias was busy without a moment’s rest.
He had to issue orders to Orkal to dig into the remaining corrupt nobles. Orkal’s Third Squad was currently carrying out missions under Kallias’s direct command.
‘I should give Orkal some kind of reward.’
He felt a bit sorry for beating him up and then working him nonstop without respite.
Even though Orkal had harbored ill intentions first, if you used people without any compensation, efficiency would naturally drop.
“The first proper finished TD Potion goes to him.”
If they produced a highly concentrated TD Potion as discussed with Beatrice, it would become a miraculous elixir that money couldn’t buy.
It was a potion mixed with dragon and troll blood, after all.
Of course, even at peak concentration, it would only reach about 0.003 percent.
But if that doubled, tripled, and they added herbs to boost efficiency exponentially, it would be a different story.
It would become a true spirit elixir.
‘It won’t surpass holy water, but the healing effects will be outstanding, and it’ll strengthen bones and muscles too.’
Of course, there would be side effects until a proper version was made.
But those would improve over time, so minor issues.
Worst case, it might kill him, but life was like that—fall backward and break your nose.
The doomed died from a cold, while survivors lived through gut wounds or poison.
“Orkal’s fine, Orphin’s doing well. The Sixth Squad got wiped by the Golden Lion Knights and they’re training hard now.”
Pedro had pulled himself together and was focused on guard duty and instructing the kids.
Having seen Jenos’s skills up close, he seemed to have gained some insight and was training diligently.
“The kids are handling their own training, so nothing to worry about there.”
Esther was guiding the children’s swordsmanship, so no need to intervene.
From Flora’s perspective, Linie and Riban had shown up and beaten her, and now even meeting Emily led to more losses, so she was throwing herself into sword training even harder.
“The rest is Beatrice’s underground workshop and estate expansion... Expenses keep piling up.”
But these were investments, so no need to skimp.
It started to draw in Flora, but seeing the kids train diligently next to sweaty men wasn’t bad at all.
The Sixth Squad trained even harsher with the kids watching.
“Hard to find time.”
Only after handling the major tasks did he finally get personal time.
The moment he finished sorting papers, Kallias sank into the office chair, then sat up straight as if nothing happened.
He reached into empty air and pulled out a sword.
The sword with Gide’s severed hand still attached.
[Lament]
Grade - Spirit
Soul Within - Hundred
Unique Ability - Cold Fury
-A sword called Lament, forged by the growing Gide. Born from a hundred knights fused into one blade, unable to fully merge.
「Cold Fury」
-Power grows when anger is felt without excitement. Conversely, the sword’s power diminishes with excitement.
「Unmerged Souls」
-Not fully unified. Feed it sufficient fresh blood, and the souls will merge, raising its rank.
「Haunted Sword」
-Those without strong mental fortitude who grasp it will succumb to hallucinations and auditory illusions.
“So many descriptions on a sword. First time for this.”
The unique ability was intriguing too.
「Cold Fury」.
Usually, swords that responded to anger grew stronger with it.
“Swords that react to emotions do exist.”
Such swords were called sword hearts, and this seemed one of them.
Its origin as Lament influenced this ability, which was fascinating.
Anger without excitement.
Since becoming Kallias, his impulsive wastrel personality emerged when excited, so he’d lived suppressing emotions.
「Cold Fury」 fit him perfectly.
Excitement brought the wastrel out, risking death, so Kallias always restrained himself.
In early fights, the unfamiliar wastrel emotions nearly killed him multiple times.
Thus, while training the sword, he learned emotional control.
“‘Unmerged’ means proper merging raises the rank.”
Next, 「Unmerged Souls」.
Feeding fresh blood unifies the souls.
Similar to his Devouring Sword, but that consumed souls while this drank blood.
“If I slash this with Devouring Sword, it might absorb the souls and become a soul sword.”
No intention to try.
Why gamble on how a soul sword Devouring Sword would change?
Still, a growth-type sword held promise.
Powerful as is, imagine it as a soul sword.
“And...”
Finally, 「Haunted Sword」.
The most troublesome part.
Even now, he held Gide’s arm, not the sword itself.
Reaching for the hilt brought ghostly wails to his ears.
Before even gripping, and fully grasping would bring hallucinations and voices.
Ominous and uncomfortable.
Still.
“Gotta test it.”
He tossed Gide’s hand aside, surged divine power through his body, and gripped it.
Instantly, ear-splitting wails assaulted him.
‘Manageable.’
5 seconds, 10 seconds passed, unknown voices thickening around his ears.
Suddenly, hazy shapes appeared, outlines sharpening.
“Grotesque.”
Melted in a furnace beyond recognition, the knights’ forms were brutally repulsive.
Mouths fused, they couldn’t speak properly, emitting eerie sounds.
At 15 seconds, they swarmed everywhere, scenery shifting abruptly.
At 20 seconds, he was swinging the sword.
Feeling unknown emotions, slaughtering the knights’ twisted forms.
Calm fury.
There, he released the sword.
Ching.
“Can’t use over 10 seconds.”
The dropped sword vibrated with a reluctant hum, frost already forming around.
From the swinging hallucination?
His office was frozen like winter.
Lost in illusion, he’d unconsciously unleashed power.
Usable time without major penalty: about 10 seconds.
For now, only for critical moments.
However.
“10 seconds is plenty.”
He had many swords.
Use in combat gaps—no harm.
Just the room-freezing showed potential. Proper ice use might outdo Thunderclap Sword in large battles.
“Thunderclap Sword, a demonic sword, isn’t easy to use here.”
Lament would fill that gap.
Thoughts done, he stored the sword and flung open the windows.
“Need to have Brans clean up.”
As frost melted, humidity rose.
Couldn’t let sorted papers get wet. While organizing,
He found a letter.
“The royal seal.”
A pair of curved wings like a tiara stamped the letter.
Reading it,
Amid flowery language, he grasped the purpose.
“About time.”
Many nobles had died.
Leaving many seats vacant. Border skirmishes continued, knights earning fame.
This letter was an invitation.
For rewarding merits.
Formally starting as a ball—debut into high society.
“So that’s why the Golden Lion headed to the palace.”
Next week.
No reason to refuse.
No real rank in Sixth Squad or church orders to solidify position—embarrassing, but as count, merits accumulated.
Merits? Debatable, but he wanted to meet the king.
‘Clara von Agata Bright.’
Timid king, Clara.
Left alone, she’d die in civil war—fated queen.
Her killer: her sole blood kin, the prince.
Kallias wouldn’t let a queen die without ruling.
Queen lives, kingdom lives, swords live.
“Hope she’s as I imagine.”
Only hope.
* * *
Time flew relentlessly.
Helena’s introduction led to Beatrice’s underground workshop construction—solid progress. Sixth Squad training smooth.
Kids trained diligently on their own.
Unsure why without orders, but desire to grow fired young and old alike.
“Caladi has knight academies for kids, yet ours keep growing. Why?”
“They charge ten silver a month. And teaching sucks.”
“You know well.”
“Count, know why Emily knows?”
Linie.
“Soon as she arrived, wanted to see Caladi swordsmanship—smashed the academy first. Beat their strongest squires too?”
Linie finished; Emily averted eyes, sheepish.
She’d stormed the academy for dojo-breaking.
No peers could match, even six years older squires lost—natural kid influx.
Free too, parents pleased; kids got ample instruction.
Sixth Squad nearby gave clear motivation.
Wiped by Golden Lions, but to kids, they were rare elites.
‘Might grow bigger than planned.’
Just kids anyway.
No real issues.
Vivi worried more.
“No sign of waking.”
Slept endlessly.
No food, no water—just sleep.
Near death.
Tail wagged briefly near me, then deep sleep again.
Checked for illness—nothing.
“Vivi dying?”
“No. Healthy.”
Grew during sleep.
Small to medium dog size, now large breed.
“Hibernating?”
“Yeah. Wakes stronger.”
But wild instincts would deepen.
Pray not force him to kill Vivi.
Patted Vivi, boarded carriage.
“Be back.”
“Going to see the queen?”
“Yeah. Bring gifts on return. Want anything?”
“Nope. Grandpa gives money—I have plenty.”
Grandpa Bernard? Or Elbeton?
Didn’t matter.
Flicked Emily’s forehead.
“Be good.”
“Not a kid.”
“You are.”
Grinning at her rubbing forehead, boarded.
“Count’s carriage!”
“Count! Safe travels!”
“Bye~”
Kids waved eagerly. Pedro, Sixth Squad, knights saw silently.
Stared back, ordered coachman.
“Depart! Hya!”
In racing carriage, eyed receding estate, smirked.
“Gathered quite the bunch of misfits.”
Not a bad feeling.