Chapter 135: End of Vacation (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 135: End of Vacation (1)
The Sword Emperor and Charon stood frozen in shock for a long moment. Their gazes darted back and forth between Kang Geomma's face and the Andvaranaut.
"To think he actually did it..." the Sword Emperor muttered.
Though he was the one who had proposed this to Kang Geomma, knowing the nature of the Sword Saint's Longing, his faith and doubt had been split seventy-thirty.
A battle against oneself.
It wasn't just a common figure of speech; it was meant in the most literal sense.
Entering a space similar in nature to a subspace to fight one's own clone. Like fighting dogs, they had to tear and bite at each other relentlessly until one of them died.
It was no different from playing rock-paper-scissors against a mirror. However, as the exchange of blows dragged on, the tide of the fierce battle had gradually tilted toward the clone.
The clash had raged day and night for three whole days. Zieg had tried to at least force a draw, but in the end, he had tasted defeat.
It was still vividly engraved in his mind—the pure, unblemished swordsmanship his clone had wielded.
It was clearly Zieg's own sword, but the attacks, pouring down like a sudden shower, were bold, relentless, and incredibly swift. It was a display of swordsmanship that seemed to say, This is what your swordsmanship is supposed to be.
Through this, Zieg had gained a massive realization. He applied that realization to his training in reality, refining his style, stripping away the excess, and polishing it. Thus, at the age of thirty, Zieg finally claimed the title of humanity's strongest.
There is no better teacher than oneself.
That was the true meaning of the "reward" the Sword Emperor had so confidently promised Kang Geomma.
Of course, he also had no intention of sparing material support, and he had put that into action immediately. While Kang Geomma was undergoing the Longing, the Sword Emperor had anonymously wired a massive sum of money to the Joaquin Academy Foundation.
Ten billion won.
An amount calculated with Joaquin Academy's unconscionable cost of living in mind. It was a generous sum, enough to ensure he would face no financial difficulties during his enrollment.
The reason he deliberately kept his name anonymous and sent it to the foundation was because he worried it might offend Kang Geomma. Even if it was pure goodwill, receiving charity could make someone feel like they were being treated as a beggar, causing offense. This was especially true for someone with a prickly personality like Kang Geomma.
But even if Kang Geomma acted like an adult, he was still a teenager who hadn't even reached twenty yet. Since the Sword Emperor didn't know much about a teenage boy's spending habits, he had arranged for the academy's foundation to pay out a monthly living allowance in the form of a scholarship.
The remaining money would be transferred directly to the boy's account when he graduated from the academy.
The Sword Emperor looked at Kang Geomma. The boy was staring blankly into space.
"……."
"……."
He didn't bother calling out to him. The boy was likely retracing the steps of his battle right now.
To think that even after achieving something so incredible, he prioritizes reviewing the match over celebrating.
A faint, dry chuckle escaped the Sword Emperor's lips. Then, he quietly lowered his gaze.
The light on the Andvaranaut gradually faded, and the lid of the box closed on its own. It was as if it possessed a will of its own, like a living creature.
The Sword Emperor smiled bitterly. His mouth felt dry and astringent, as if he had eaten an unripe persimmon.
Does this mean those who haven't passed the Longing aren't even worthy of looking at it...?
But this was only natural. It was a privilege reserved solely for the victor. If shared, its specialness would fade.
The Sword Emperor shook his head, brushing away the lingering trace of regret in his heart.
...On the other hand, Kang Geomma was lost in thought, his eyes narrowed. The gold ring was completely out of his field of vision.
To Kang Geomma, the ring in his hand was a trivial thing. Something far more important had appeared on his retinas.
* * *
[You have acquired the first Memory Fragment of 【???】: 'The Reminiscence of the Girl with Stars in Her Eyes.']
—Flash!
* * *
『There was a girl with eyes that sparkled like stars.
Her status was far from noble.
Her days were spent drawing water in buckets, filling cattle troughs, and milking sheep.
One day, the girl set out on a journey with a single iron sword at her waist. It was a passing whim, but she did not stop walking.
Looking up at the night sky, she forged ahead, using the constellations as her map.
After wandering aimlessly for three years, the girl met a man. He had a dark impression, like the dead of night.
From that day on, the girl chased the man instead of the stars.
And she became his first disciple.』
* * *
[NEW! The system presents a direction for you to move forward.]
[The second Memory Fragment can be acquired by approaching the 'Artifact: Monolith.']
[Try approaching the seven artifacts that exist in this world!]
[If you do, won't you learn more about yourself ^^?]
[※ Total Acquired: (1/7)]
"……."
I stared at the text with a sour expression for several minutes. After a moment, my thoughts were brief.
Damn it.
The status window, which had been quiet for a while, was appearing unusually often lately.
Sure, I could overlook the history-book-like passages. It said it was someone's memory, so it wasn't that strange. It was just a list of pedantic words, but that was just a description, not the core.
I scrolled down with a flick of my eyes.
Approach the Artifact Monolith...
This was the troublesome part. I didn't know the exact location of the Monolith.
How am I supposed to do anything if you don't tell me anything, fuck.
My expression naturally soured. Throwing a quest at me out of nowhere and telling me to find it. And in a world with seven billion people and the Demon Realm Gehenna, no less.
They could have at least given me a clue as to which direction it was in. This was literally like finding a grain of sand in a desert.
And above all, those last two cute sentences. It was unmistakably a mocking tone.
An emoticon? You're laughing?
It was absurd. Looking back, this system... I wondered if it had some sort of cognitive ability, because it had a knack for subtly getting under my skin.
At first, I thought this thing was the 'God of Sword' or 'G.M.' But I discarded those possibilities. I concluded that the former was an entity inside this world, while the latter was an entity from the outside.
However, both of them only appeared in my dreams and had never openly revealed themselves. They only poked and prodded, unable to intervene in reality as if blocked by something.
In that regard, the 'System' was clearly different.
`<God of Sword> <G.M.> <System>`
Because out of the three, only the System influenced reality, unlike the other two.
And...
Not knowing whether they were good or evil was a common trait among all three. Still, the System seemed to be somewhat of an ally... Aside from its subtly teasing tone, it did throw various clues and hints my way.
But that damn emoticon really pissed me off. It was the definition of asking for trouble.
Isn't that woman's voice that echoes every time I activate [Blessing of the Sword God]—saying May the Blessing of God be with you—also the System?
If so, does that System bastard have a human form too? Watching me like some pervert from somewhere, throwing me hints and bait from time to time.
It was a pretty plausible guess.
While I rested my chin on my hand and sorted through my thoughts, Charon asked about my well-being.
"Lord Geomma, are you alright?"
Indeed, standing there like a bump on a log, being quiet for several minutes must have looked strange. In fact, I was impressed he had managed to wait for so long.
"Yes, I think so."
"Then... does that mean you passed the Longing...?"
I nodded. Charon's mouth fell open twice as wide.
"Gasp!"
Charon gasped, his eyes shaking wildly.
Until a few days ago, I thought he was some ascetic monk practicing silence, but he had great reactions. If Speed Weapon's reactions were over-the-top, Charon's were pure, genuine excitement.
He's an uncle who's fun to tease.
Charon adjusted his tilted monocle and asked again.
"Then, has anything... changed compared to before?"
"Ah."
Before answering, I glanced at the Sword Emperor's face. His expression was ambiguous. I turned my gaze back to Charon before speaking.
"It's a secret."
"……."
Charon was stunned by my answer. Seeing the reaction I wanted, a satisfied smile played on my lips. Just then, something I wanted to say to the Sword Emperor crossed my mind.
"Ah, Sword Emperor. Could I ask you a favor?"
"Ah, go ahead."
"It's not that difficult of a favor... Well, actually, maybe it is. Anyway, I really hope you can grant it."
"If it is within my power, I will grant it."
I looked down at the small box in my hand. The reward was one thing, but the experience gained through the Longing was no less valuable.
This isn't something only I need.
I looked away from my hand.
"You know a guy named Leon at our academy, right?"
"If you mean the Hero Candidate, yes, I know him."
I rolled the box around in my palm as I continued. The rusty texture brushed against my skin.
"Since it's an artifact, it probably can't be taken outside, so I'd like you to bring him here once."
"……!"
The Sword Emperor's eyes widened. His snow-white eyebrows shot upward. Then, he grabbed his forehead and burst into laughter.
"You are truly unpredictable, but a true man indeed!"
"Is it possible?"
"It goes slightly against the family rules, but compared to your request, that is lighter than a feather."
A hearty response. I smiled quietly.
"If possible, I'd prefer you didn't tell him that I was the one who asked."
"Understood. I promise you."
My first master taught me to share even a single bean. Besides, it was about time for Leon's growth to slow down. Helping the protagonist wouldn't distort the main story too much. That was the best I, Background Character A, could do from behind the scenes.
* * *
At the same time, the luxury street of Geneva, Switzerland.
A scene where luxury brand stores, whose names anyone would recognize, lined both sides of the street. Even the signs were glittering.
The outfits draped over the mannequins behind the shop windows made one gasp in shock. The price tags on the shoes had seven zeros attached to them.
It was a space of luxury that not just anyone could enter. However, such things were mere superficialities. After all, they say that if a person is a luxury themselves, whatever they wear becomes a luxury.
Here, two women were walking down this street of luxury. They were Abel and Shail. Naturally, all eyes and attention were drawn to them like magnets.
"My lady! Shall we go to that store over there? It looks like they just got new arrivals!"
"Uh, sure."
Shail's eyes sparkled. On the other hand, Abel only felt awkward. It was hard for her to understand spending thousands or millions on clothes.
Wouldn't it be better to upgrade my armament with that money?
Even so, Shail tightly held onto Abel's arm. She spoke in an incredibly excited voice.
"That place looks good too, wait, they already have next year's S/S collection!"
"What's S/S? Do clothes have ranks like armaments?"
If so, she was a bit interested.
"It takes the 'S' from Spring and Summer respectively to make S/S. Simply put, it's a collective term for spring and summer clothes."
"Ah... I see."
Abel felt a slight sense of deflation. Now that she was actually here, there was absolutely nothing on this street that caught her interest.
Still, seeing Shail so happy makes me feel good too.
A faint smile played on Abel's lips. It was when they had been dragged around by Shail, browsing various stores for about an hour.
"Huh? My lady. Look over there."
Where Shail pointed with her index finger, a shabby old woman was sitting on a rug. The old woman was stroking a crystal ball, mumbling some sort of spell.
It was a strange sight that felt completely out of place on this glittering street.
"It looks like she's a fortune teller."
"But would anyone want to get their fortune told here? It's a bit random."
Just then, the old woman whipped her gaze toward them. She glared at Abel and Shail with a sharp look.
Then, she grinned. Her exposed teeth were white and neat, completely mismatched with her wrinkled skin.
The old woman spoke.
"Would you like to get your fortune told by this skilled seer? I've absorbed the energy of the Alps for thirty years. I'm a master, a true master."
The old woman beckoned them over with a gentle wave of her hand. Shail whispered to Abel.
"It looks fun, why don't we try it?"
"I don't know... Most of those street fortune tellers just make wild guesses. I'd rather not waste money on something useless."
While the two were talking, the old woman threw a word at Abel.
"You there, the younger one."
"The younger one... me?"
"You still look so young and green. Anyway, I'll only charge fifty dollars for the fee."
"No, it's not about the money, I just don't believe in—"
"It looks like there's someone on your mind lately."
The old woman closed her eyes and caressed the crystal ball. Then, she mumbled her reading.
"Ah, I see it. I see it. And he has a very peculiar impression. But... tsk, tsk, tsk, there are too many women swarming around him. I've never seen such a fate in my entire life. With people swarming wherever he goes, it won't be easy to squeeze your way through."
"……."
"Ah-ah! But I see it. It's as narrow as a knothole, but I see a way through!"
The old woman opened her closed eyes. Before she knew it, Abel was crouching in front of her. She slid a 50,000 won bill forward.
"...You take Korean money too, right?"
The corners of the old woman's mouth curled up high.
"Of course. Is there anywhere in this world that doesn't accept Korean won?"