Chapter 133: The Sword Saint's Longing (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 133: The Sword Saint's Longing (1)
"W-Well then, please have a comfortable time. If you need anything, just let me know through that pager, and I will attend to it immediately."
The bank manager pointed to a round button on the table. He then scurried out of the room, backing away like a court eunuch.
He didn't look particularly despicable. Having lived in South Korea, he just looked like a typical middle manager to me.
Anyway...
I rolled my eyes and scanned the room. It was a sealed chamber where all the decorations were made of glass, and the walls and floor were made of metal.
It was so tightly sealed that breathing felt uncomfortable. According to the departed bank manager, only a minimal amount of oxygen was pumped into the room. I felt like I would get dizzy if I stayed here for even an hour.
I lightly tapped the wall with the toe of my shoe. Clang, clang. It was an unusual sound for metal. It certainly wasn't an ordinary material.
Is this seriously made of something like Vibranium?
It was just a joke to myself, but it wasn't entirely a wild delusion, considering the process of getting here.
We had passed through more than ten security doors. The bank manager had bypassed security starting with a digital lock, followed by fingerprints, irises, face, and voice recognition. It was a security system straight out of a sci-fi movie.
It felt unfamiliar at first, but it made sense. Considering they were storing an artifact, this level of tight security wasn't excessive.
As I looked around the room with curious eyes, the Sword Emperor called out to me.
"Come over here, Cadet Kang Geomma."
The Sword Emperor and Karon were standing in front of a glass table. On the table sat a wooden chest heavily stained by the passage of time. It was charred, with mold thickly encrusted on it. It looked like an incredibly old box.
I stepped closer. Only then did the Sword Emperor place a hand on the chest and briefly explain.
"Inside this lies Andvaranaut. It is an artifact also known to people as the 'Ring of the Nibelung,' but no one knows if it is actually in the shape of a ring—including myself. To be honest, I am curious too. I have always wondered if it really is a ring."
"……?"
The actual owner, the Sword Emperor, didn't know? All he had to do was open this box, which was barely the size of two palms. Was there some tradition passed down through generations that forbade opening it?
As if reading my expression, the Sword Emperor continued.
"Do you think I never thought of opening it? Far from it. The very first thing I did after becoming the head of the Nibelung family at twenty-six was try to open this chest. However... I failed. To be precise, I only half-succeeded."
"What do you mean by half-succeeded?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. Opening it was no trouble. However, my memory of what happened after opening this chest was completely wiped. That is proof of my failure. Even though I tried to open it several times after that, it wouldn't budge."
The Sword Emperor shrugged nonchalantly. Yet, the brief glances he cast toward the box burned with a fierce, passionate spirit.
Though he was already an old man, the Sword Emperor's fighting spirit remained unchanged. He soon averted his gaze from the chest and looked straight at me. Then, he spoke in a low voice.
"The previous heads of the family were the same as me. So it is not as if I am the only unfortunate one. Of course, it is regrettable, but what can I do? My ability fell short."
The Sword Emperor wore a bitter smile. Regret lingered around his wrinkled mouth.
The Sword Emperor closed his eyes once and opened them. Then, he exhaled a deep breath, as if shaking off his lingering regrets.
"But our family's long-standing longing will also come to an end today, hahaha."
The Sword Emperor laughed out loud. Though it was a low laugh, the sound echoed loudly, bouncing off the metal walls of the sealed room.
As the laughter echoed in my ears, a thought crossed my mind.
I had a rough idea of why the Sword Emperor had brought me here. I also knew that this artifact was no ordinary item.
But that wasn't the point. The Sword Emperor had clearly told me to 'fulfill the Sword Saint's longing.'
So, I asked the Sword Emperor.
"...But Sword Emperor, what does opening this box have to do with the Sword Saint's longing?"
"Hmm? Isn't that obvious?"
Instead, the Sword Emperor tilted his head.
What was with that expression, as if I obviously should have figured it out? Just what kind of existence did this old man see me as?
The Sword Emperor soon answered my question.
"Since it is something even the Sword Saint, Aaron Nibelung, could not achieve, wouldn't the term 'the Sword Saint's longing' be perfectly fitting?"
"……."
"Anyway, Karon and I will wait outside. Although I have a burning desire to watch from the side, they say none of those who did so escaped without repercussions. Once you are finished, press the pager the bank manager mentioned earlier. Well then."
Without waiting for an answer, the Sword Emperor immediately opened the door.
Following behind him, Karon gave a quiet cheer of "Good luck" with an awkward expression, and then closed the door.
…….
Left all alone in the perfectly sealed room with the small box, I stared at it blankly before letting out a dry chuckle.
"Do they really think I can achieve something even the first Sword Saint couldn't?"
Just how bloated were the Sword Emperor's expectations of me? He was rating me higher than his own ancestor. And that ancestor was Aaron Nibelung, the one hailed as the Sword Saint.
"...Sigh."
A sigh escaped my lips. I wanted to just flatly refuse and say I couldn't do it, but the Sword Emperor's words about 'a reward more valuable than any material compensation' lingered in my throat.
The word 'reward' made me hesitate to reach for the pager button. Being weak to those two syllables was a natural instinct for a Korean gamer.
"...Well, it's not like the Sword Emperor brought me here out of boredom."
Let's just try it. After taking a moment to steady my breathing, I placed my hand on the chest.
At that moment, a status window suddenly flashed before my eyes.
Flash!
* * *
`[NEW! Emergency Quest Triggered.]`
Fulfill the Sword Saint's longing!
`[※ You can acquire the Memory Fragments of 【???】. Total Acquired: (0/7).]`
`[※ Additional rewards can be expected.]`
`[※ Note: The quest will automatically end if the chest is closed.]`
* * *
Would you like to accept the quest? (Y/N)
`[🕛 Time remaining until acceptance – 00:03]`
* * *
"……."
My hesitation was brief. I threw the lid of the chest wide open.
Creak.
The sound of rusted hinges grinding together. Immediately, darkness enveloped my retinas.
·
·
·
(Y/N)
▲
* * *
At the same time, Castle Sigurd.
"...Hmm, is this how you wrap it?"
Prior to her personal training, Abel was wrapping bandages around her hands. So-called hand wraps to protect her hand health.
Normally, Abel wouldn't have minded calluses, but lately, she had been paying a lot of attention to these things.
The uneven calluses embedded in her palms, and her nails, which were always trimmed short. They were nails that had never once been touched by color.
The lines of her hands were certainly elegant. However, compared to other girls her age, they were rather rough hands.
"Mmm."
Abel squeezed her hands for no reason. Her palms felt as rough as sandpaper. The more she touched them, the more her eyebrows knitted downward.
"Should I buy some hand cream...?"
Knock, knock, knock. Three knocks. It was Shail.
"Come in."
"Yes, Milady."
Shail opened the door and entered. Since she was on leave, she was wearing casual clothes instead of her usual maid uniform.
Shail was beautiful even with a bare face. But dressed in a ribbon blouse and wearing makeup, she was a stunning beauty who naturally drew everyone's gaze.
For reference, Abel's makeup during her date with Kang Geomma had been Shail's handiwork. That day was the first time in Abel's life that she had applied anything other than moisturizing cream to her face.
Admiration flickered in Abel's eyes as she looked at Shail. Shail, who felt like an older sister to her, seemed exceptionally distant today.
"...Um, Milady. I was thinking of going out today. But since the Sword Emperor isn't here, I came to let you know first."
"Ah, really? Grandfather, who absolutely hates going outside, has been going out quite often lately. Come to think of it, I haven't seen Karon today either... Do you happen to know where they went?"
"I only heard that he took Master Geomma and went out to the city early this morning. I haven't heard anything more precise than that."
"...Ah, Geomma went out too?"
A faint look of disappointment appeared on Abel's face as she spoke.
I was going to ask Geomma to help me with my training since Grandfather is out...
So she thought. However, the disappointment Abel felt was of a slightly different nature.
Perhaps training was merely an excuse. Subconsciously, Abel wanted to talk to Kang Geomma more. Because since returning, she rarely had a chance to run into him properly.
Kang Geomma rarely came out of his room except during mealtimes, much like her grandfather. He was a promising shut-in.
Tsk. Abel smacked her lips quietly. Then, she replied to Shail with a smile.
"Okay! I'll tell Grandfather or Karon that you went out when they return. Have fun~"
"Yes, Milady, you too..."
Shail trailed off. Her gaze briefly lingered on Abel's hand, which was clumsily half-wrapped in bandages.
That's strange. Had the young lady ever used hand wraps before? Previously, she had taken pride in her calluses, calling them a swordsman's badge of honor.
Shail fell into thought for a moment before a realization struck her. A new hypothesis had quickly flashed through her mind.
Milady is in her teens right now.
No matter how dense Abel's personality was, she was still undeniably a young girl. Caring about one's appearance was only natural at that age.
Furthermore, there was a member of the opposite sex staying under the same roof. None other than Kang Geomma.
Though the young lady, a complete novice in romance, was likely unaware of it herself, Lady Abel was highly conscious of Master Geomma. No, it wasn't just being conscious of him.
To Shail, who possessed master-level intuition in romance, it was a dead giveaway of her affection.
Well, Master Geomma might be a madman on the inside, but he does look quite decent on the outside.
Strength, looks, personality. A boy who was inorganic in many ways. Had the young lady's heart swayed toward him because of that? A slight sense of anxiety crept in.
It was the worry of an older sister. But regardless of her thoughts, Shail's lips curled upward. The tip of her nose tingled, and her tear ducts pricked.
Milady is finally showing interest in a man...!
Shail cheered inwardly. Abel stared blankly at her. A question mark floated over her innocent face.
Step, step.
Shail closed the distance, sticking close to her. Abel flinched.
"Huh?"
Soon, Shail gently took Abel's hands. A pink flush bloomed on her cheeks and the bridge of her nose.
"Milady, would you like to go down to the city with me?"
"Uh, sure..."
Abel hesitated. Shail squeezed the hands she was holding.
"Let's drink coffee and go shopping, just the two of us girls. I, Shail, am quite confident in my fashion sense, you know?"
"……."
Silence filled the room. Abel subtly shifted her eyes to examine Shail's outfit. It was beautiful.
Abel, who had kept her mouth shut, began to unwrap the bandages from her hands.
"Mmh, come to think of it, I haven't really hung out with you outside much. I don't care much about clothes, but let's go together to make some memories."
"Yes!"
Shail nodded repeatedly with a bright smile. It was a smile so pure it almost brought tears to her eyes.
* * *
"...What is this?"
The moment I opened the chest, darkness pierced my eyes. A sensation of being sucked downward, as if falling into a deep abyss, washed over me.
And that brought me to the present. I was standing in some open field, a plain that was close to a desert.
However, it wasn't hot or dry at all. The occasional breeze was actually quite pleasant.
At that moment, a familiar message flashed across my retinas once again.
Flash!
* * *
`[Emergency Quest: The Sword Saint's Longing.]`
A true swordsman must win the battle against oneself. Only then can one be reborn as a true master.
- From a letter sent by Balor Joaquin to Aaron Nibelung.
`[※ Reward - Fragment of 【???】, and the 'rank' of one of your blessings will be randomly upgraded by one tier.]`
* * *
...!
A moment later, the status window vanished with a flash. My gaze then shifted past where it had been.
"No, shit. Is this what it meant?"
I stammered reflexively. Then, I immediately drew the sashimi knife from my breast pocket.
"Damn it, no wonder even that Sword Saint couldn't win!"
A guy who looked exactly like me—or rather, Kang Geomma—was running toward me, gripping a sashimi knife.