Chapter 195: Conflict (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 195: Conflict (1)
Flustered, Kang Geomma stared at the Sword Emperor and Medea, his eyes wide and round. The Sword Emperor let out a good-natured chuckle at his reaction.
"Hahaha. My, looking at your reaction, one would think you'd completely forgotten about it."
"……."
"At times like this, you can cheer like someone your age. No need to walk on eggshells just because you're in front of your elders!"
Kang Geomma's silence and the Sword Emperor's laughter echoed in the Academy Principal's office. After this strange contrast lingered for a moment, the laughter finally began to die down.
"...Haha."
A quiet stillness settled over the office. The Sword Emperor gazed steadily at Kang Geomma. The boy's face was too genuine to be an act; he looked almost innocent.
Just in case, the Sword Emperor spoke up.
"Kang Geomma, could you perhaps... have really forgotten about the Seven Stars succession?"
"……."
Kang Geomma remained silent. Whatever he said now would only make things awkward for both of them. Fortunately, the Sword Emperor seemed to read the meaning behind his silence. His chuckle gave way to a dry, hollow laugh.
"Ha, I see. You really did forget."
"...I'm sorry."
"There's absolutely no reason for you to apologize. Thinking back, it makes sense that you forgot. You've had your hands full, haven't you? From the Joaquin Disaster to your exploits at the auction house, which I heard about from Al'tair. Going through all those trials, it's only natural that this slipped your mind."
The Sword Emperor scratched his eyebrow with his thumb. He had known for a long time that Kang Geomma cared little for fame or glory.
But to think he had completely forgotten an event as monumental as the Seven Stars succession. It meant the boy before him prioritized his mission to save others far above any title.
In the few months they had been apart, the boy's depth of mind had become unfathomably profound. The gaze he directed at Kang Geomma grew heavy with awe.
Yes, to a transcendent hero like him, the title of the Seven Stars must seem utterly trivial.
Kang Geomma's divine might easily surpassed his own. He was a figure who could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Hero of the Origin. To someone of his caliber, a Seven Stars hero was nothing more than a firefly before the sun.
The title of the Seven Stars was merely the only position in the modern era that could even begin to fit him. There was no point in playing "what if," but if Kang Geomma had been born during the era of war...
Meanwhile, sitting across from him, Kang Geomma swallowed a groan.
The Sword Emperor seems deeply disappointed.
That profound, lingering gaze was proof of his disappointment. And the reason was exactly as the Sword Emperor had said.
So much had happened lately that he hadn't had a single spare moment to think about the Seven Stars succession.
Come to think of it, boarding at the Sword Emperor's house during the break was part of that preparation.
Not to mention the Sword Emperor's absence from the Academy. He had been running himself ragged to pave the way for Kang Geomma's succession.
When he looked at it that way, the hollow look in the Sword Emperor's eyes made perfect sense. The person who had worked so hard was standing right in front of him, only to find out the beneficiary had completely forgotten about it.
He tried to come up with an excuse, but the words wouldn't come. His conscience pricked too much to let him lie.
The misunderstandings of the two men tangled in the air. Just as the office was about to be completely swallowed by the awkward atmosphere—
Clap!
Medea clapped her hands, drawing their attention. The awkward tension vanished like a passing breeze. Having cleared the air, she quickly spoke to the Sword Emperor.
"Whether our Geomma forgot or not isn't what's important right now. The main reason we're here today isn't just to tell him about the succession ceremony, is it?"
"Was there? I've already said everything I needed to... Urgh!"
A sharp pinch sounded from beneath the table. Medea, maintaining a sweet smile, was viciously pinching the Sword Emperor's thigh. She shot him a warning glare, her eyes curved like crescent moons.
Are you going to keep embarrassing our Geomma with unnecessary talk? Do you want to die?
It was a violent, silent demand to read the room. Wincing from the muscle-crushing pain, the Sword Emperor hurriedly spoke. The word bitch bubbled up in his throat, but he managed to swallow it down.
"H-ha, I almost forgot the most important part. My apologies. Ahem."
"Right, right. It's much worse when a geezer like you forgets something important. Just like you did just now, hoho."
Only then did Medea nod with a satisfied expression. The Sword Emperor ground his teeth and let out a heavy sigh.
Still, her intervention had reminded him of the warning he needed to give Kang Geomma. Rubbing his thigh, which was sure to bruise, the Sword Emperor continued.
"Actually, I hesitated over whether to bring this up, but it's best you know, Kang Geomma. The succession ceremony will proceed without a hitch—as long as there are no 'variables'. As long as there are no variables, that is."
He placed a heavy emphasis on the word 'variables'. Seeing the confusion in Kang Geomma's eyes, the Sword Emperor quickly elaborated.
"Let me make a few things clear first. Only a handful of people voted against your Seven Stars succession. At most, they were lackeys of the Council of Elders. I've mostly taken care of them on my end. Though I wasn't particularly thrilled about it... that fellow, the Spear Saint, lent a hand as well."
"The Spear Saint did...?"
"You've met him, so you know what he's like. Once he respects a man, he backs him all the way. At the same time, he utterly despises those he doesn't—especially those self-proclaimed politicians. He has a habit of paying them visits to harass them day in and day out. He used a similar approach this time."
The Spear Saint had paid personal visits to each member of the opposition, pointing his spearhead directly at them. With a cold blade gleaming at their throats, they had thrown up their hands in immediate surrender. Corrupt men always tuck their tails and run when faced with true power, unable to muster even a shred of resistance. If they had that kind of courage in the first place, they wouldn't have become lackeys for the elders.
The Sword Emperor knit his brows and clicked his tongue. It was true that the Spear Saint's help had been invaluable. For those who couldn't be reasoned with, a physical demonstration of power was sometimes necessary. And the Spear Saint was an expert in that department.
The Spear Saint reasoned with his fists rather than his words. The Sword Emperor had never liked that about him; the man always resorted to crude, almost barbaric methods.
But the real reason the Sword Emperor was displeased with him now lay elsewhere.
To think the Spear Saint is keeping such a close eye on Kang Geomma.
He had expected some interest, but not such active involvement. The Spear Saint was notoriously picky, always babbling about "manliness" and judging others strictly. Yet even he found Kang Geomma to be an incredibly coveted talent.
The cheeky bastard.
The Sword Emperor felt a strange sense of rivalry. He wanted to remain Kang Geomma's sole 'master'—even if the concept of a master was entirely redundant for a cadet as absurdly powerful as him.
Perhaps it was just the greed of old age, but he had no intention of yielding that position to the Spear Saint, even if they had to cross blades over it.
Good grief, I really have grown old.
In his youth, he had scoffed at greedy old men. Now, it seemed he had become one of them. The Sword Emperor shook his head to clear his thoughts.
"Well, with things sorted out, the opposition among the nobles has dwindled significantly. Preparations for the succession ceremony are moving along smoothly. But if there's one wild card left in all of this... it would be the Archery Saint, Saki Kojima."
Kang Geomma's brow twitched. It was a name he had not expected to hear from the Sword Emperor's mouth.
"There's a reason the geezer is bringing this up."
At the mention of Saki Kojima, Medea took over the conversation, her voice dropping to a low murmur.
"As you know, Geomma, Kojima is one of the Seven Stars, but he's also the Prime Minister of Japan. That means his influence extends far beyond the hero community—he holds immense sway over politics and business as well. The problem is, he's been completely silent on this matter."
Medea took a sip of water to wet her dry lips. Then, she raised an index finger to emphasize her next words.
"Let me put it bluntly, Geomma. If you can help it, do not clash with Kojima. If he decides to cast a dissenting vote right before the ceremony, there's no telling how the tables might turn. It won't completely derail the succession, but it will certainly stir up ugly rumors."
"...What kind of person is the Archery Saint?"
"If he were the type to fold under a show of force like the elders or nobles, it would be easy. But threats don't work on him at all. He'd sooner commit hara-kiri."
She continued, her expression clouded with worry as she let out a heavy sigh.
"Honestly, Kojima didn't used to be like that. But after the subjugation of the 6th Corps Commander, he became a completely different person. He cut off all contact with us, his fellow Seven Stars, after that."
"Is there a reason?"
"Well..."
Medea hesitated, her lips parting, but the Sword Emperor placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. He stepped in to finish the explanation himself.
"When a person suffers too great a loss, they sometimes lose their way."
* * *
A traditional house exuding Japan's characteristic quiet, tranquil atmosphere.
In a beautifully landscaped garden of a detached annex, a man paced slowly with his hands clasped behind his back.
He possessed a striking presence, carrying a sharp, blade-like edge that somehow coexisted with a gentle demeanor. A woman dressed in traditional Japanese attire approached him with cautious steps.
"Father, the preparations for your departure in a few hours are complete."
Though she called him father, her overly formal tone and tense posture made it seem as though she were addressing a strict superior rather than a parent.
The man slowly turned around and stared at her. When he spoke, the question that left his lips was utterly cold.
"Hina, why do you call me father?"
The air in the garden instantly turned ice-cold. Swallowing the surge of humiliation, his eldest daughter, Saki Hina, bowed her head with a perfectly composed expression.
"My apologies, Prime Minister. A childhood habit slipped out. Please forgive my insolence."
"……."
The man stared at her in silence before turning away, as if her apology wasn't even worth acknowledging.
Hina bit her lip at the blatant disregard, but the man didn't spare even a glance for her minor show of defiance.
The Archery Saint, Saki Kojima.
This man did not allow any child who fell short of his standards to call him father. There was only one exception: her younger sister, currently enrolled at the Academy.
Saki Ryozo.
Their father acknowledged only Ryozo as his child; everyone else was treated as useless garbage. Yet, in a cruel twist of irony, Ryozo—the sole recipient of his expectations—utterly loathed him.
No one in the family knew why. Then again, none of them ever really spoke to Ryozo. Hina herself had made sure to fire the few servants who had shown the girl any warmth.
While the rest of us endure constant humiliation from Father, that bitch...
It was only natural for the rest of the family to resent the younger sister who acted so high and mighty just because she was smart. No, they detested her. The expectations they all desperately craved, she treated like a plague. To her siblings, her attitude felt like a slap in the face.
If only she hadn't raised Father's standards so high. If only she didn't exist. Then, Hina might have had a chance to take her place.
Family? Ryozo had never considered them family in the first place. Besides, politics was a cold, bloodless game. It was always best to keep one's relatives in check and cast them aside when necessary.
Just then, the Archery Saint spoke, his back still turned to her.
"What of the most important matter regarding our trip to Korea?"
Saki Hina quickly composed herself and replied.
"I have contacted the third, but since there is no reply yet, she seems to be ignoring us."
"I see."
That brief response made Hina's eyes burn with resentment. If she had ignored him like that, she would have been disowned on the spot. Yet all she got was a simple I see?
Her jaw clenched, and a face suddenly came to mind. The very reason her father was traveling to Korea: the Sashimi Sword Saint.
He was the talk of the town, isn't he? And that bitch Ryozo had been cozying up to him for a while now. According to her informants, she was sticking to him like glue.
The girl certainly had a knack for finding valuable things. She probably hadn't intended it, but her actions were now bringing the Prime Minister of Japan all the way to Korea. She was an incredibly irritating sister in every possible way.
Wait.
Her boiling anger suddenly cooled. A sinister scheme flashed through her mind—one that could ruin Ryozo beyond recovery.
A flash of malice crossed Saki Hina's eyes, and a cold sneer played on her lips.
Keeping the image of that black-haired boy in mind, she set off for Nagoya Airport alongside the Archery Saint.