Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: The Judgment Sword
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In front of Jerban's treasury.
The engravings and ornate sword motifs carved into the massive stone door were impeccably maintained, free of even a speck of dust despite the ravages of time.
The history of Jerban from the north, which had stood since the kingdom's founding, was enshrined here.
"But you came to guide me, is that it?"
"Yes."
In front of the treasury.
Kallias eyed Nohitel with a complicated gaze, as if sizing up an unwelcome intruder.
"The armaments housed in this treasury have existed for ages untold. Without a resilient spirit, they will devour you instead. Among them are particularly perilous treasures, so I shall guide you while excluding those."
His words were firm and clear, but Kallias rejected him outright.
"No need."
"You will need it."
"Insolent. I said no need."
"But..."
"Step back."
"Young master, it is unprecedented for me to guide anyone through the treasury. Even so, the family head broke with tradition for your sake."
"I never asked for that."
Kallias regarded Nohitel steadily. An elderly butler who appeared utterly ordinary.
Yet he was anything but.
Who else but an insider could guide through the treasury that held Jerban's history?
No matter how many years one spent in Jerban, an outsider could never do it.
Thus, his existence defied the ordinary.
"You are no blood of Jerban, yet how do you know the armaments of the treasury?"
"Because I have devoted my entire life to the north, to Jerban."
Entire life.
Even so, could a mere butler know the resting place of Jerban's successive family heads?
It defied common sense.
"Then when does your next lifetime begin?"
"...What do you mean by that?"
Nohitel's eyebrow twitched.
Kallias let out a scoffing laugh and gestured dismissively for him to leave.
"If you won't speak of it, then no need for guidance. Begone."
The old man's eyes gleamed sharply in the shadows but soon dimmed.
"...Understood. Please take care."
He melted into the darkness like a shadow.
'Shady fellow.'
Once he was gone, Kallias drew the key at the treasury door.
'Did I prod him unnecessarily?'
Nohitel was no ordinary human.
Too calculating for a dragon, too virtuous for a demon, too frail and bound by pact for a giant.
Yet far superior to a human.
A fairy.
"That's not the priority now. I'll think on Nohitel later."
First, inside.
*Click.* He inserted the key, but it wouldn't turn. He might have panicked if unaware, but Kallias knew better.
He infused pure divine power in one breath, and it spread along the door's grooves like tree roots.
Rumble rumble rumble!
With a grating roar, the grand doors of the massive treasury swung open.
Torches and glowing stones dispelled the darkness, their faint divine glow revealing...
"Bigger than I imagined."
Seeing in person the treasury he'd once designed stirred fresh emotions.
A vast cavern lined with imposing armaments of every kind.
Nothing was missing.
From minor artifacts like rings and trinkets to gauntlets, boots, and full plate armor.
The treasured weapons of past family heads were all arrayed here.
Of course.
"Swords forged from them, too."
No phantom sword rivaled Storm Sword-Callis here. Yet spirit swords brimming with potent might were present.
Favoring light armor, Kallias picked up a thin suit interwoven with leather and chain.
Leather exterior, chain interior—a unique piece, lightweight and flexible. Perfect.
One corner of the treasury held another ornate door, dusted over.
He forced it open with effort; it ground open with a screech of stone on stone.
Clack clack.
The deeper he went, the fewer artifacts appeared—unlike the main chamber. Instead, swords appeared before him, enshrined with reverent solemnity, like holy relics.
Each bore its name, inscribed like an epitaph.
『16th Family Head Lokelanta von Jerban』
'Encompassing Sword-Lokelanta, huh.'
Encompassing Sword-Lokelanta's ability was storage.
It absorbed and stored an opponent's armament ability for use.
Clashing it with Thunderclap Sword would let it wield Thunderclap's lightning once.
A sword that could deliver a fatal blow, depending on its use.
『14th Family Head Rikel von Jerban』
'Wave Sword-Rikel.'
It whipped the air to send shockwaves inward, striking organs.
Tempting indeed.
Even clashing blades could twist innards or daze the mind.
More swords greeted Kallias beyond.
『13th Family Head Kruma von Jerban』
'Crystal Sword-Kruma.'
It formed razor-sharp crystals along the blade to launch.
A ranged attacker.
Fired via sword energy, invisible shards embedded, causing pain and bleeding.
And others.
『12th Family Head Mahad von Jerban』
'Silver Moon Sword-Mahad'
Silver Moon Sword, resembling a silvery moon.
『10th Family Head Baun von Jerban』
'Vampiric Sword-Baun'
Impressive swords abounded.
Not all were present, of course.
"Lightbug Sword, Flying Sword, Great Ice Sword, and a few more are missing."
Spirit swords of higher caliber than these were absent.
The 1st family head's sword, Storm Sword-Callis, was with Elverton, but 2nd through 6th were gone—likely lost or claimed by other Jerban bloodlines long ago.
"What sword did Violet take? Can't quite recall."
The missing ones were regrettable, but those here were formidable enough.
Some might outshine Thunderclap or Divine Possession Sword in utility.
Kallias's gaze swept the swords and halted on one.
A blade transparent as blue sapphire.
『9th Family Head Mida von Jerban』
"This one. Stands out, as expected."
Its innate ability held little combat value.
Stronger swords abounded.
Yet for his future path, none promised greater utility.
'If needed, I have Thunderclap or Devouring Sword in subspace.'
Once repaired, Divine Possession Sword would be mighty too. Now he needed versatile utility.
A sword he could wield openly before crowds.
'With this, the heresy inquisition will pass with ease.'
The inquisition had prompted this choice from the start.
No matter their manipulations, it would prove the truth— no issues.
'Being a Heretic Inquisitor opens many doors.'
Corrupt officials. Corrupt nobles.
To excise and uproot them required a fitting sword.
"The north's most beautiful sword."
And the most ruthless, known as the Judgment Sword.
Judgment Sword's innate ability discerned truth. Its transparent blade pierced ugly lies, perfect for lancing rotten roots.
For him now.
No sword suited better.
* * *
A new dawn rose over the north.
Kallias moved briskly from early morning.
"Off somewhere early in the morning?"
"Much to do."
Dexter, summoned by letter, would arrive in days, along with merchants.
Best handle urgent matters first.
"By now, they're forging corpse swords."
"Going to see?"
"No harm checking their progress. Once done, they'll accompany to the church anyway."
Step step, toward the castle outskirts. Guards saluted crisply.
"We greet Kallias!"
"Open the gates."
"Yes! To witness the corpse rite? We can guide—"
"No need. Which way?"
"Straight east!"
"Open them."
"Yes! Open the gates!"
Rumble. Pulleys turned; massive gates parted.
A short walk later, a mountain of corpses reeking of blood greeted him.
"Doing well."
He traced the holy sign, invoked the god's name, and emanated sacred aura.
Thus, a lump of meat became a sword harder than steel.
A miracle of god.
Worthy of divine authority.
"You've come."
Raibun greeted Kallias.
The other captains ignored him entirely.
Rifling through the corpse pile only.
'I expected as much.'
He'd come to monitor them for that reason.
Even as Heretic Inquisitor, they were priests of Sword God Valterus.
Before superior swords, inquisitor or captain meant nothing.
With the corpse rite underway, stronger corpses were better.
They were likely hunting fallen great warriors or warlords.
'Fools.'
The north, Jerban, weren't idiots.
Great warrior and warlord corpses had been secured long ago.
Thud.
"Many collapsing."
"Borrowing divine power isn't easy. Even ordinary pilgrims tire after two or three times a day."
It demanded vast divine power—hence the mishaps.
Normally, it required focus, lengthy divine incantations—arduous work.
Borrowing god's power consumed divine and vital energy alike. Naturally taxing.
"Don't you manage effortlessly, my lord?"
"Shut your mouth, Brans."
"Yes, sir!"
Kallias, of course, needed no such effort.
Player's privilege.
"How many days?"
"Factoring their stamina, generously a month."
Ordinary pilgrims maxed at one or two daily.
Here, four hundred inquisitors at two each.
Theoretically two weeks, but risky—thus a month.
Acceptable.
Orcs numbered vast, worked for free; no need to rush.
"Good work."
"...Not at all."
Enduring this for no gold—furious, no doubt. But not Kallias's concern.
"Three in ten corpse swords should yield twenty thousand gold."
Enough to repair shattered walls and villages.
"And the rest?"
"Grant to knights, store extras for loan if needed."
"True, some fool always breaks or loses granted swords."
Raibun joined in.
Kallias eyed him distastefully before looking away.
Not because of the broken Divine Possession Sword. Raibun simply irked him.
"But why here? Not to monitor us. Seeking a sword?"
He already had one.
The warlord's corpse was long secured in subspace via Elverton.
Orc warlord flesh held promise, but not for hasty forging here.
It awaited Patalite's sanctuary, brimming with pure divine power.
Thus, not here for swords.
"Not for a sword."
"Then what brings you...?"
"Captains on this seems a waste of manpower."
No need for cattle knives on chickens.
Different knives for each.
"Care to hunt with me?"
"Hunt... you say?"
『Epic Quest』
〈Sprout of Future Trouble〉
Rank - A+
-Remove the sprout of future trouble.
"Thinking of catching a wolf."
Kallias's gaze turned to the Heretic Inquisition captains.
'While at it, prune some rotten roots from the Heretic Inquisition too.'
Perfect timing to hunt the Thunder Fang Dragon.