Chapter 119: People of the Sword Saint Family (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 119: People of the Sword Saint Family (2)
The morning after returning to Castle Sigurd, the Sword Emperor summoned me through Karon.
What's going on?
Judging by Karon's tone, it seemed to be a rather serious matter.
Perhaps because of that, my hand grew tense for no reason as I gripped the study's doorknob.
Knock, knock.
"Sword Emperor, it's Kang Geomma."
—Come in.
When I entered the study, I saw the Sword Emperor standing with his back to me, one hand clasped behind him. He stood as still as a stone statue, staring out the window.
...What's going on that he's setting such a heavy mood?
Slightly flustered, I let out a dry cough. Only then did the Sword Emperor slowly turn his head. I spoke in a calm voice.
"I heard you called for me."
"……."
A strange emotion lingered in the Sword Emperor's eyes. It was a look closer to wariness than hostility.
A sense of déjà vu washed over me. The atmosphere flowing through the study felt strangely familiar.
During our first meeting, the Sword Emperor had exuded a similar vibe.
"Haa."
The Sword Emperor stared at me intently before letting out a sigh. A sense of detachment drifted from his breath. He pulled out a chair and finally spoke.
"Sit down. I have a few things to discuss."
"…Ah, yes."
I sat down hesitantly. The moment I took my seat, the Sword Emperor spoke.
"…Before we get to that, what did you do with Abel yesterday?"
"Excuse me?"
A rather absurd question to come out of such a seemingly serious atmosphere.
I blurted out in response. He had put on such a heavy air, only to ask what I did with Abel?
On the other hand, the Sword Emperor stared at me intently. His mouth was shut tight, but his gaze demanded an answer.
I could sense impatience in his occasionally twitching eyebrows. I scratched the back of my neck and spoke.
"…It was nothing special, really."
"What do you mean by 'nothing special'?"
His question was strangely sharp. Though I found the situation highly baffling, I did my best not to show it as I replied.
"We just had dinner and came straight back."
"…Is that true?"
"Yes."
I answered firmly.
Because I didn't want to be swept up in his overbearing attitude any longer.
The Sword Emperor stared at me with suspicious eyes. He gazed into my eyes as if trying to gauge the truth of my words.
From what I knew, the Sword Emperor's intuition was so outstanding that it was even called the Eye of Insight. Staring at me for just a few seconds would be more than enough to determine whether my words were true.
I didn't understand why he was interrogating me like this in the first place, but... I just chalked it up to him being a grandfather who doted on his granddaughter.
"I see……."
The Sword Emperor repeated the words several times. His eyebrows furrowed into a straight line, but then he suddenly burst into a hearty laugh.
"Since you put it that way, I'm relieved. Indeed, friends can eat dinner together, hahaha!"
"……."
"But—"
The Sword Emperor abruptly stopped laughing. He spoke with a sharp gaze.
"Next time something like that happens, I'd appreciate it if you let me know."
"…Understood."
The stiff expression on the Sword Emperor's face completely softened. A gentle smile played on his lips.
What a character.
I asked him what the main matter was.
"Why did you call for me?"
"Ah, right. I almost forgot the most important thing."
Saying so, the Sword Emperor immediately pulled out a few sheets of paper and handed them to me.
"I'll get straight to the point. It's not entirely certain yet, but this could turn into a very serious matter."
"What kind of matter?"
"First, take a look at what's written here."
—〈Personal Information〉—
▷ Name ː Kang Geomma
▷ Date of Birth ː July 7th (Age 17)
▶ Affiliation ː Joaquin Academy, 1st Year, Wolf Class (Enrolled)
▶ Student ID ː G034666M431
▶ H.P. ː Under Calculation
* * *
It was extremely ordinary personal information. Only brief details, which could hardly even be called a background check, were written down.
Cadets of Joaquin Academy are treated as semi-heroes. Because of this, their personal information is automatically registered in the Association's system. This goes for all cadets, not just me.
But a faint trace of anxiety lingered in the Sword Emperor's eyes. He asked in a low voice.
"Do you notice anything strange?"
I shook my head.
"It just looks like the basic details are written down."
"My, you lack an eye for detail. Look here."
The Sword Emperor's fingernail tapped the bottom corner of the document.
『▶ H.P. ː Under Calculation』
A red line was drawn underneath the sentence. The Sword Emperor emphasized those words.
"This part is the core of this document. As you know, cadets are not subject to Hero Point calculations. That is an implicit agreement between the Hero Association and all academies."
As he explained, the Sword Emperor furrowed his brow further.
"But look. Although a score hasn't been assigned yet, your points are under calculation. This is clearly bending the 'regulations'."
"…Is it illegal?"
"No, it's not illegal. But it is certainly unprecedented. As you know, a cadet's primary duty is studying. Individual evaluations are already more than sufficiently handled within the academy."
"Then..."
The Sword Emperor paused for a moment before speaking.
"It means the Association does not view you, Kang Geomma, as a mere cadet."
"……?"
"In the forty years since the Association's founding, no matter how outstanding a cadet was, nothing like this has ever happened. However, we can deduce who the ones behind this are."
"By 'ones,' do you mean there are multiple people?"
"Indeed. Even if it seems minor, the HP department is the largest within the Association. To exert pressure on such a department, they would have to be high-ranking executives at the very least."
The Sword Emperor lowered his voice and added.
"It is highly likely the influence of two people: the Hero Association President and the Vice Association President, Richard de Myura."
The names that came out of the Sword Emperor's mouth were giants who could be counted on one hand in this world.
The Spear Saint and the Association President are targeting me?
To think that prominent giants who had absolutely no connection to me were keeping an eye on me.
It was incredibly sudden and baffling.
…Could it be because of the articles that went up recently?
Clickbait headlines like 'Come Out, All Mute' and 'Sashimi Sword Saint Assaults Reporter'. Just thinking about it made the veins on the back of my hand bulge.
"I apologize for calling you out of the blue and bringing up such a serious topic."
Seeing my stiff expression, the Sword Emperor handed me a teacup. A gentle aroma of tea drifted along with the rising steam.
He then forced a gentle smile.
"Don't take it too seriously. Although it's suspicious that the Association is calculating your Hero Points... we can only assume it's because you caused quite a stir during the festival, Geomma."
"Ah, you mean Mao Rang."
At those words, the Sword Emperor let out a small chuckle.
"Haha, you should have gone a bit easier on her. Now you're the only one who has to deal with the hassle."
"I'm sorry……."
"Why are you apologizing to me? If a problem arises, we just have to solve it. And as your guardian, that is my role."
My eyes widened. The Sword Emperor looked back at me with a warm gaze.
Guardian.
Those words resonated deep in my chest.
To me, a stranger in this world, it was an incredibly unfamiliar word, yet one I had secretly yearned for.
At a time when my parents' existence had suddenly been erased, the Sword Emperor was claiming to be my guardian.
Just like my first master had done for me.
Even if it was just a casual remark.
Because those words accepted me as a member of this lonely world.
It was hard to express my emotions. A lump formed in my throat, and my nose tingled.
A brief silence fell. I brought the teacup to my lips. I could feel its warmth.
"I heard from Karon that in two days, you're going to clear an undead dungeon with Abel and Shail?"
The Sword Emperor's tone softened. I quietly nodded in response.
"I see."
His reaction was calmer than expected. He, of all people, should know what this journey meant.
Moreover, wasn't he the grandfather who had just interrogated me about going out with Abel yesterday?
But the Sword Emperor merely swirled his teacup in the air, offering no further reaction.
…After a moment, the Sword Emperor added briefly.
"Be careful. There is no better experience than real combat. You may leave now. I will call for you again if anything changes."
"Yes."
I stood up and headed toward the door.
Before turning the doorknob, I glanced back at the Sword Emperor.
The old man was staring blankly up at the sky. I quietly closed the door behind me.
* * *
Creak.
The one who opened the study door and entered was the butler, Karon.
The Sword Emperor was still gazing at the clouds with lonely eyes.
Approaching him, Karon spoke cautiously.
"…Will you be alright, Sword Emperor?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
The Sword Emperor wore a faint smile. A subtle sorrow was etched into the wrinkles around his mouth.
"…Why didn't you stop them? It's an undead dungeon. Setting aside the danger, the young lady might receive a shock."
Karon said. Despite his clear subordinate relationship with the Sword Emperor, he raised his voice. It was a departure from his usual gentle demeanor.
"Furthermore, I believe it would have been better if you had gone with them—"
"Karon."
The Sword Emperor cut him off. Karon's shoulders flinched at the solemn word. He quickly bowed his head and apologized.
"I apologize. I lost my composure without realizing it."
"I know well how much you worry about Abel."
Clack. The Sword Emperor set his teacup down on the table. He sat in his chair and continued.
"But that is precisely why we must respect Abel's choice. She is no longer a child."
"……."
"Abel cannot be dragged down by her past forever. I could lend a hand, but that would only stunt her growth. And—"
Karon flinched at the Sword Emperor's belated, confident remark.
"—Kang Geomma is going with her. No matter what kind of enemy appears, they won't pose even the slightest threat to that boy."
"What?!"
Karon gasped in sheer surprise.
"The world calls Kang Geomma an unprecedented genius. Hah, far from it. That boy is not someone who can be defined by such boundaries. In fact, there are times I wonder if he's even human—"
The Sword Emperor's eyebrows twitched. He abruptly stopped speaking, as if slamming on the brakes.
The Sword Emperor was the only person who knew Kang Geomma's true self.
The power Kang Geomma had shown on Avallon Island. The sword strike that had annihilated the 5th Corps Commander, Agor, in a single blow. A realm of mystery that transcended blessings.
It is something that cannot be explained to anyone, nor should it ever be spoken of.
If word of it reached the ears of the demons, they would stop at nothing to eliminate Kang Geomma.
The Sword Emperor casually changed the subject.
"By the way, whoever his parents are, they certainly named him well."
Karon tilted his head.
"…With all due respect to Lord Geomma... it is indeed a rather unusual name."
"Hahaha, the phrase 'living up to one's name' was practically made for that boy. Ah, in a good way, of course."
As the Sword Emperor's laughter echoed, Karon slowly pronounced the name.
"…Geom… ma."
Suddenly, Karon's first encounter with Kang Geomma flashed through his mind.
Pitch-black eyes filled with a fleeting, weary boredom. Jet-black hair unlike any he had ever seen in his life.
At the time, Karon had felt a chill run down his spine. However, he could not afford to be rude to an esteemed guest.
Karon had quickly wiped away his surprise with a poker face.
Nevertheless, his appearance was enough to strike fear into anyone who met him on a dark road—as if he were the very personification of darkness. Whenever their eyes met, Karon would find himself swallowing hard.
A boy who would freeze your body in fear if you met him in the dark.
He was a boy who exuded an extraordinary presence.
Moreover, the fact that he chose a sashimi knife as his armament...
Perhaps he views his opponents as nothing more than fish?
The article he had seen a few days ago, titled 'It's so boring I want to die,' suddenly came to mind.
Karon had scoffed at it back then, but if it was Lord Geomma... there was a very high chance he had actually said it.
Even as a shiver ran down his spine, Karon let out a sigh of relief.
The pieces were starting to fall into place. Normally, the Sword Emperor would never have allowed the young lady to go out with another man.
Waiting outside the door, Karon had expected the Sword Emperor to fly into a thunderous rage.
But in reality, it had ended with a light interrogation.
Even though it was a situation where a roar of anger would have been perfectly natural.
From this, Karon drew a conclusion.
The exceptionally favorable attitude the Sword Emperor showed toward Kang Geomma.
The reason he turned a blind eye to his outing with the young lady.
The more he reflected on it, the more the possibilities narrowed down to a single path.
The Sword Emperor wants Lord Geomma to remain by the young lady's side.
The Sword Emperor's insight was an intuition close to a supernatural ability.
If he had only excelled in martial prowess, he wouldn't have stood above the Spear Saint.
Karon knew. His master's true brilliance lay not in his martial power, but in his keen eye for seeing through people.
Him making a wrong judgment? To a butler who had served the Sword Emperor for nearly thirty years, such a notion was utterly absurd.
Ending his train of thought, Karon let out a sigh of relief.
Though he didn't know whether to be happy or not, he felt reassured.
The Demon of the Blade...
As long as that boy was by her side, the young lady would be safe.
Such a conviction lingered in Karon's heart.
On the other hand, he felt a bitter aftertaste.
Having raised the young lady like his own daughter, his feelings were complicated.
It was something he had prepared himself for from the moment the young lady entered the academy.
Finding a future partner at the academy. For a noble, it was a natural course of action.
However, now that the moment was actually approaching, Karon felt a bit restless.
Is this what it feels like when a daughter brings home a prospective son-in-law?
Especially when it was a child who was the absolute apple of his eye.
Before I knew it, the young lady has grown into a fine lady.
Karon smiled bitterly. He then tilted the teapot to refill the Sword Emperor's empty cup.
"…Please let me know if you need anything else, Sword Emperor."
"Haha, thank you. Indeed, you are the only one who always stays by my side."
With a faint, silent smile, Karon responded.