Chapter 131: Qualification (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 131: Qualification (2)
Kang Geomma and his party returned safely to Castle Sigurd. Their route back was almost identical to the one they had taken when setting out.
However, the atmosphere on the return journey was worlds apart from their departure. When they had first set out, their faces had been bright, despite a slight, taut tension in the air.
But now, immediately after their return...
A heavy, low-hanging atmosphere, like a thick mist, swirled among the three of them.
Because of this, the Sword Emperor and Charon hesitated to speak to them. Among the group, Abel's expression was particularly drenched in gloom. It was obvious that something had happened.
Thus, the Sword Emperor called Shail, who had served as their guide, into his study. Her duties included reporting on the situation inside the dungeon. Shail explained everything to the Sword Emperor in detail, exactly as it had unfolded.
"...And that is what happened in the Undead Dungeon, Lord Sword Emperor."
Shail finished her report, keeping her eyes lowered.
"..."
A long silence ensued. The weight pressing down on her shoulders felt immense. She would have preferred it if he had lashed out with a sharp reprimand instead.
It was no exaggeration; this silence was suffocating her.
Throughout the entire trip, Shail had fulfilled her duties. She had handled all the procedures and administrative tasks, and she had faithfully guided the two cadets.
Yet, a tight, suffocating feeling gripped her chest. Ever since they left the Temple of the Lich King, the young lady's face had been shrouded in darkness...
Shail bit her lower lip. Despite being called a senior hero, all she could do on the field was intercept approaching enemies. Shail felt utterly powerless.
'But still...'
Kang Geomma had been there. He had single-handedly suppressed an army of hundreds of thousands. And that wasn't all.
He had cut down an enemy wearing the guise of Lord Orion—an opponent who must have been at least A+-rank. With his blade, he had granted eternal rest to the man who had been submerged in evil.
Afterward, all the undead had bowed their heads to Kang Geomma. They did not raise their heads until the very moment they vanished, like subjects showing reverence to their monarch.
It was a sight that numbed one's sense of reality. Even now, Shail wondered if that scene had been a dream.
She had even pinched her cheek a few times. The sharp sting had instantly dispelled her daze.
Perhaps she had witnessed a historic moment. Such thoughts lingered in her mind.
"..."
Shail shook her head to clear her thoughts. Just as she was about to look up, the Sword Emperor spoke first.
"I see."
That single, brief response made Shail's shoulders flinch.
She looked at the Sword Emperor. His expression was somewhat stiff, but that was all. There was no further reaction.
The Sword Emperor continued.
"You did well, Shail. This must have been a significant mental shock for you as well, so take a few days to rest and recover. Charon and I will handle the estate's affairs for the time being."
Shail's body tensed at his words. She found it difficult to understand the master's calm demeanor. A shadow had fallen over his eyes, but that was it.
She had just told him that his son had become an undead. Yet, the master's face remained as serene as still water. It was different from his usual self. She couldn't fathom his true thoughts at all.
Thus, Shail asked cautiously,
"May I ask you one thing, My Lord?"
The Sword Emperor nodded slowly.
"Speak."
"Did you... perhaps already know?"
The Sword Emperor's eyebrows twitched slightly. Then, he spoke with a bitter smile.
"Shail, you've always been remarkably quick-witted."
"I am sorry..."
"No, there is no need to apologize. If anything, I should be the one apologizing for hiding the truth."
The Sword Emperor took a sip of black tea. The aroma of dried tea leaves permeated the study. Only after moistening his dry lips did he elaborate.
"Your guess is correct. I knew Orion had met such a fate. And I have known for eight years."
"...!"
"You must have seen the stone tablet in front of the entrance. And with your knowledge of languages, you surely recognized the inscription written in the Rune Language. Am I right?"
"...Yes."
"I was the one who damaged that stone tablet. I was also the one who sealed the passage leading to the underground temple. Well, it was already locked to begin with, so I merely reinforced it. What surprised me just now was not that, but rather that you all managed to break that seal."
Shail gasped. Her lips trembled as she asked,
"If you knew, then why—"
"—Why didn't I subjugate Orion? That is what you want to ask, isn't it?"
The Sword Emperor cut her off. His eyes darkened deeply, and he let out a hollow laugh.
"I appreciate your high opinion of me, but even I cannot face that kind of force alone. That is something only Kang Geomma could achieve."
"T-Then, why did you damage the stone tablet like that...?"
"Let us leave it at that. You must be very tired."
Sip.
With those final words, the Sword Emperor simply raised his teacup. He turned around to look out the window, a clear gesture that he would take no further questions.
Shail let out a soft sigh. Realization caught up with her. There was no reason for the Sword Emperor to explain everything to her.
"I apologize. I overstepped my bounds."
"Now, now. I think of you as my own granddaughter, so don't say such things. In any case, you did a wonderful job. You must be exhausted, so take some time to recover from the journey."
Shail bowed deeply and left the study. A few more minutes passed in silence.
"...So that is how it ended."
The Sword Emperor looked up at the sky, reminiscing about the past.
When he had first faced his son and daughter-in-law in their horrific state, the Sword Emperor had realized the truth.
If the Association ever found out, they would form subjugation squads and launch endless raids.
If that could break the curse, it might be worth it. But the Sword Emperor had felt firsthand that it was impossible for anyone other than the 'Sword Saint' mentioned on the stone gate.
If so, the outcome was obvious. The subjugation squads would be annihilated at the hands of Orion, who was corrupted by magic power. He could clearly picture that horrific scene. He wanted to prevent that at all costs.
He could not allow his son, who was already suffering under the shackles of immortality, to commit any more sins.
It was his duty as a hero, and as a father.
Therefore, he had damaged the stone tablet containing the prophecy. He had strongly demanded that the Association close down the checkpoint as well. He had spared no means to stop people from coming.
Yet, in a corner of his heart, he had harbored a sliver of hope. A hope that one day, the prophesied figure who could save his son Orion would appear.
Then, Kang Geomma had followed Abel into the Catacomb. At first, he had tried to stop him.
He had felt a sense of unease. He felt that if it were Geomma, he might even break the seal and reach that place.
Normally, he should have stopped that journey, but the Sword Emperor had chosen not to.
If it were that boy, who seemed to enjoy the very grace of God...
Perhaps he would be the Sword Saint who could sever this cruel, vicious cycle. That was his hope.
And Kang Geomma had succeeded spectacularly. He had cut away a family's tragic history.
Drip.
A droplet fell onto the surface of the tea. His wrinkled eyes grew red, and a single tear rolled down his cheek.
"Rest in peace now."
Saying so, the Sword Emperor's eyes hardened with determination. He would bestow and help that boy with whatever he could.
Kang Geomma had saved the Nibelung family. It was now his turn to repay him in kind.
* * *
Three days had passed since we returned to the castle. During this time, I had been enjoying some pure, unadulterated rest.
The Sword Emperor had readily suggested that rest was also a part of training, and I had eagerly nodded in agreement.
To be honest, I hadn't really rested properly since arriving in Switzerland. I might as well take this opportunity to loosen up my tense muscles and catch up on sleep.
'It's vacation, after all. This is the perfect time to rest.'
And so, I did absolutely nothing, to the point where I wondered if it was really okay to be this idle.
I had done nothing but work day and night in my past life. Even in this life, there had been very few days when I could truly put my mind at ease.
Until recently, internal enemies had been lurking even within the confines of the Academy. I had lived with my nerves constantly on edge. I had even slept with my sashimi knife tucked under my pillow.
But here at Castle Sigurd, I was free from such worries.
It was the Sword Emperor's private estate and an extrajudicial zone. Unless they were completely insane, no one would dare stretch their claws this far.
That went for the remaining members of the Council of Elders as well, despite them possessing power comparable to the Sword Emperor. Of course, it helped that their teeth had been completely pulled out due to the Cladi incident—
The headline of an article I had seen in a paper newspaper during dinner yesterday flashed through my mind. Since this was a mountain valley where neither Wi-Fi nor LTE worked, the news was always a step behind.
At any rate, the headline read:
『[Hero Association Takes Strict Stance Against Council of Elders] Conflict Intensifies... Talk of Complete Stripping of Council's Power.』
—Things were turning out much rougher than expected. The Association had drawn its sword against the Council of Elders. The exact details weren't published in the article, but it was easy to guess.
'The Association realized that Cladi was colluding with the Villains.'
Honestly, it had only been a matter of time before it came to light.
The circumstantial evidence was incredibly solid, and the Auditore family was continuously pushing forward with their investigation.
No matter how silver-tongued the Council of Elders was, they couldn't play dumb forever.
"The remaining elders probably tried to pin everything on the dead Cladi, though."
It seemed the Association was absolutely furious. The Association President had even threatened to hold a press conference himself and spill the entire story.
In other words, it was practically a declaration of the dissolution of the Academy's Council of Elders, which boasted a long history.
Normally, this would have been unthinkable. The Association's history was a mere forty years. In a world that highly valued tradition and heritage, they faced many obstacles.
But of all things, the Council of Elders—specifically Cladi—had handed them an far too massive excuse on a silver platter.
There was a saying that if your tail is long, it will eventually be stepped on, but the current Council of Elders had gone beyond that.
"They're fucked."
To put it simply, the Council of Elders had received an international death sentence. Naturally, with their influence shattered, they were destined to rot away in some back room.
'Honestly, those trashy elders deserve to rot more than the undead in the dungeon.'
However, it was hard to view this as entirely positive. Because rumors were circulating that the Association would take over the Council of Elders' position.
"...It's just one mountain after another."
I let out a deep sigh.
The Council of Elders was a group that only cared about prestigious, empty titles. They were typically arrogant, wealthy, and utterly incompetent.
But the Association was far more troublesome in many ways.
Their military power, cohesion, and intelligence-gathering capabilities...
...were second to none.
According to what I had heard from Choi Seol-ah before, they even possessed the scientific capability to reprocess and distribute "Artifacts."
The big shots I would have to deal with were also on a completely different level of strength.
The Spear Saint Richard de Myura and the Association President. They were legendary powerhouses from the older generation.
...And I had just heard that this very Association was keeping an eye on me. It was highly unsettling.
"...Sigh."
I grabbed my sashimi knife.
Cooping myself up in my room like this only invited useless worries.
At times like this, warming up my body was the best way to clear my head.
My fingers were itching for some action anyway.
A peaceful period like this would likely be rare in the future.
I might as well use this time to master my 'sheathing' and 'drawing' techniques.
It was then.
Knock, knock.
Two knocks.
I tilted my head.
'Shail always knocks three times.'
Could it be Abel? But she also knocked three times.
I didn't know the details, but knocking three times seemed to be standard etiquette in Europe.
I stared at the door for a moment.
I grabbed the doorknob with one hand and held my sashimi knife in the other. For the record, grabbing my weapon first was just a habit.
I flung the door open.
I flinched slightly at the silhouette visible through the gap. An unexpected figure was standing there.
"Lord Sword Emperor?"
"Well, it's quite hard to see your face even though we live under the same roof. If you have some time, why don't you come with me to the Swiss Central Bank? It also happens to be the treasury of the Nibelung family. Don't worry, it's not some kind of financial scam, haha."
He tossed out a silly joke.
Then, the Sword Emperor stared at me for a moment, his aura completely restrained.
"I have some business of my own to attend to, and there is also something I wish to hand over to you."
"Hand over... What might that be?"
Question marks practically popped up all over my face at his words, until the Sword Emperor spoke again.
"Do you happen to know of Andvaranaut?"
"Yes, I've heard of it."
"Then this will be quick."
Andvaranaut. A relic passed down since the age of myth, also known as the 'Ring of the Nibelung.'
"I figured it was just what you needed."
It was an artifact.