Chapter 68: Sword Emperor Siegfried (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 68: Sword Emperor Siegfried (3)
When I entered the Principal’s office, an awkward silence greeted me.
The Sword Emperor and the Principal were staring at me across a round table. Medea’s face was etched with clear surprise, while the Sword Emperor was leisurely sipping his tea.
A heavy tension seeped into the walls. Sensing the unusual atmosphere, I awkwardly checked the wall clock. The hour and minute hands pointed exactly to noon.
“…Did I get here too early?”
“O-oh? Ah, no! You’re right on time.”
As I spoke while scratching my eyebrow, Medea quickly wiped the flustered expression from her face. She personally pulled out a chair and gestured for me to sit.
Something’s strange.
I leaned back in the chair, glancing between the two of them. Many questions rose in my mind, but the atmosphere wasn't one where I could easily speak up.
It feels like they were in the middle of a very serious conversation.
After a while, once the air in the office had cleared somewhat, the Sword Emperor placed his teacup on the saucer with a soft clack. He started to cross his arms, but realizing he only had one left, he let out a sheepish smile.
“I thought I’d gotten used to it by now, but after living with two arms for seventy years, I keep forgetting now that I’m a one-armed man! I even get confused when I’m trying to flush the toilet, haha!”
“…….”
It was a joking tone, clearly intended to lighten the heavy mood. However, I couldn't even muster a polite smile. After all, he had ended up this way while protecting me.
I feel like I’m sitting on a bed of needles.
As distress clouded my face, Medea clicked her tongue and spoke.
“Hey, you! Of all the jokes to make, you choose that? Can’t you see Geomma is uncomfortable? And for someone who’s always preaching about ‘dignity’ and ‘decorum,’ what’s all this talk about flushing toilets?”
“Medea, you lack a sense of humor. Don’t you know this kind of black humor is trendy among the youth? For an educator who spends her time with young people, you really are… tsk tsk.”
“Ha, black humor my ass. My vision is turning black just looking at you, you old geezer.”
“Ahem!”
The two of them bickered informally. It seemed Medea was still unfamiliar with the Sword Emperor’s now-mellowed attitude.
Medea clutched her forehead and let out a deep, heavy sigh. Then, her gaze settled on me. Her lips parted as if to speak, but she hesitated, struggling to find the words.
She brushed her hand over her mouth, seemingly lost in thought for a moment, before finally speaking cautiously.
“I just heard from Sieg. Geomma… that you subjugated Agor, the 5th Corps Commander….”
“…Ah.”
I sifted through my thoughts, unsure of how to respond.
While it was true based on the circumstances, it was difficult for me to readily confirm it when my own sensations of that moment were so hazy.
The memory was clear.
However, because the physical sensation was so faint, I hesitated to explain the situation. It didn't feel right to explain something to others that I hadn't even fully processed myself.
As I let out a low groan, Medea hurriedly added more.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Geomma! Really, what am I saying to a kid who just got out of the hospital… I must be more flustered than I thought. You probably haven't even recovered from the shock yet.”
Her expression was filled with genuine apology. Even for me, the person involved, the facts were hard to believe.
Therefore, I could understand Medea’s reaction to some extent. I cleared my mind and responded in a mature tone.
“It’s alright.”
Medea blinked at my response. Then, as if she had calmed down, her stiff expression relaxed slightly. She glanced at the Sword Emperor and spoke in a low voice.
“Sieg isn't the type to tell such a lie, and since you’re acting like this too, Geomma… Sigh, honestly, I still can’t believe it. Oh, I don’t mean I don’t trust you! It’s just that my head is a mess.”
“But it is the undeniable truth.”
The Sword Emperor, who had been keeping his mouth shut with a heavy expression, spoke with strength in his voice.
“Of course, I was there when Agor was subjugated, but fundamentally, it was Kang Geomma’s solo achievement.”
The Sword Emperor moistened his dry lips with black tea and continued his point.
“I apologize for only revealing what happened on Avallon Island to you today, Medea. But I had no choice but to wait and watch for a while.”
“What do you mean?”
Medea’s voice trailed off as she looked into his golden eyes, which were filled with a firm resolve.
“By now, the demons must have sensed that something is wrong. Medea, you of all people should know that there is no hero among current humanity capable of standing against a Corps Commander-class Majin. I do not know how Agor infiltrated the human realm, but it clearly had a specific purpose. As if it were trying to prevent something from happening in advance.”
Medea listened intently, swallowing hard. Beads of sweat formed on her fair skin.
“However, if we just stay quiet like this, the situation will only worsen. Demons are an impatient lot. They act primarily on instinct. But beyond that, they possess a cunning intelligence and power. It won't take them long to realize what happened here.”
The Sword Emperor paused. The brief silence made the atmosphere even more solemn.
“…I predict that within a few years, there will be a clash with them. One that cannot be compared to what happened half a century ago.”
“…….”
Medea, who had been listening quietly, turned pale. She bit her lower lip as if trying to swallow a groan.
The Sword Emperor’s words were perfectly logical. If he had acted rashly after that incident, there was no telling how the situation would have spiraled.
If the fact that Agor was subjugated were made public, the demons might use it as a pretext to declare war. It’s likely because the Sword Emperor kept his mouth shut that they haven't shown any significant reaction yet.
His sharp insight was like a prophecy. Furthermore, his uncharacteristically light behavior was likely intended to ease Medea’s worries, even if only a little.
Though the two of them were always at each other's throats, they were comrades who had spent decades together, allowing them to read each other's true intentions. I was inwardly impressed by the Sword Emperor’s profound depth.
I realized that the reason humanity respected him wasn't just because of his martial prowess.
“Ah, and actually, the reason I gathered you and the Principal here today was because there was something I wanted to say.”
The Sword Emperor’s eyes grew somber. As he stroked his empty left arm, the sleeve fluttered weakly. He closed his eyes tightly for a moment before opening them again.
“I have become a man who can no longer stand on the front lines. As it stands, I will not be able to fulfill the roles I have been given until now.”
The Sword Emperor’s tone was detached. At that, Medea furrowed her brows fiercely and jumped up from her seat.
“Hey, Sieg! What’s gotten into you all of a sudden? Are you going to talk like your life is over just because you lost an arm!?”
“I don’t regret losing an arm at all. Rather, there was something I gained because I lost it. I feel grateful for that. It’s nothing short of a blessing from God.”
The Sword Emperor gave me a weary smile before shifting his gaze back.
“However, the survival of humanity depends on the problems that lie ahead. An old man like me can’t keep nesting forever.”
The Sword Emperor faced Medea and recited softly.
“‘To foster upright heroes and bequeath a better era.’”
It was the motto the Hero of the Origin had inscribed when the Academy was founded.
“Medea, that is also the reason you are serving as the Principal.”
“…….”
Her eyes soon turned red, but she pressed down her emotions. She abruptly turned her back. The Sword Emperor gave a faint smile and spoke as if it were no big deal.
“I will soon be stepping down from my position as a Seven Star Hero.”
“Sword Emperor!”
I stood up, startled by the sudden bombshell. Medea remained turned away, her shoulders trembling slightly in silence.
“Calm down, Cadet Kang Geomma. This isn't just the sudden whim of an old man. It’s a conclusion I reached after much deliberation during the two weeks you were hospitalized. And I don’t mean I’m withdrawing from the front lines entirely. It means I will do what I can do from now on.”
At those words, Medea turned her head halfway.
“…The global media won't leave you alone, Sieg.”
“Well, I was planning to accept interviews in the near future anyway. Wouldn't it be better to do them all at once to save time?”
As if she couldn't win, Medea shook her head.
“Ugh, how can you be exactly the same as you were fifty years ago, even after getting so old!”
“Isn't that proof that I’m living a youthful life? Haha!”
“You brat!”
Vitality returned to the once-depressed atmosphere. Seeing that scene, one corner of my mouth curled up in a pleasant smile without me realizing it. I felt once again that I was a part of this world.
Until now, I had struggled desperately just to prevent the distortion of the original story. I would break into a cold sweat whenever characters from the game acted unpredictably due to the ‘Miracle Blessing M.’
But thinking about it now, I was also very selfish and self-centered.
These aren't just characters in a game; they are people living their lives with their own egos.
Their words and actions are imbued with will. From now on, whatever choices they make, I will accept them humbly and overcome the situation accordingly.
Because covering one’s eyes and denying reality is nothing more than the tantrum of an infant.
It was just as I was solidifying that thought.
In the middle of their harmless bickering, Siegfried suddenly leaned forward and looked at me.
“Ah, I almost forgot the most important thing.”
“I feel like my lifespan is shortening just from what I’ve heard today. What else are you going to say, you old man!?”
Medea frowned. For her, it must have been a series of shocks.
On the other hand, the Sword Emperor looked at me calmly. His irises sparkled like amber, resembling the midday sun.
“Cadet Kang Geomma.”
Medea also slowly turned her head. Soon, the gazes of both people were fixed solely on me.
The Sword Emperor took a deep breath before opening his mouth.
“I shall bequeath my position as a Seven Star Hero to you.”
““…….””
A bitter silence flowed. Until my mouth opened.
“Pardon?”
* * *
Medea stared blankly at the door. Sieg and Geomma had already left.
‘…….’
It felt as if a typhoon had swept through the Principal’s office. She had received so many shocks that the back of her head felt numb.
Medea scanned the office once.
Only the midday sunlight seeped warmly through the window frame.
“Ha.”
A sigh escaped her lips involuntarily. Medea rested her chin on her interlaced hands.
She muttered her complex thoughts aloud. She felt that only by doing so could she organize the shocks swirling in her mind.
“First, I need to monitor the demons’ reaction, and I have to approve the interviews the media requested from Sieg…. Above all—”
The words Sieg had used to drive in the final stake.
“Bequeathing the Seven Star Hero position….”
Medea sank deep into the sofa. A sound of escaping air followed as her body was halfway submerged. She recalled what the Sword Emperor had said just before leaving.
‘Ah, of course, not right this second. It’ll take at least a year just to prepare. Shouldn't he enjoy his academy life while he’s here? Hahaha!’
The old geezer’s laughter echoed in her ears. At that moment, a surge of anger reached the top of her head, and she snapped her upper body upright.
“Senile old man.”
She said those words, but in truth, she fully understood the Sword Emperor’s intentions.
When a vacancy occurs among the Seven Star Heroes, it causes an upheaval in hero society. To the point where it could even lead to friction in diplomatic issues with the demons.
The prestige of a Seven Star Hero lies in the symbolism of being humanity’s hope. They shoulder a heavy responsibility, but it comes with even greater honor and wealth.
‘Just look at that Kojima fellow, who took over the Archery Saint’s status and has been the Prime Minister for life for forty years.’
Therefore, those who coveted that symbolism and position would swarm like jackals.
However, if the Sword Emperor himself personally designated a successor and acted as a sponsor, there might be dissenting opinions, but no one would be able to step forward and openly oppose it.
‘The problem is that it’s too sudden.’
Even if they started the process now, it would take well over a year just for the formalities. They had to obtain the consent of the other Seven Star Heroes and the Hero Association.
“It looks like we’re going to have a reunion.”
While she was close with the Sword Emperor, she had an awkward relationship with the other two. Whether they would agree with the Sword Emperor remained to be seen.
Unlike the recluse Sword Emperor, the influence of the Spear Saint and the Archery Saint was powerful. She had to keep in mind the possibility of those two putting on the brakes.
“Oh, my head.”
Medea let out a groan and buried herself in the sofa again.
Our Geomma….
She wondered if they were placing too much of a burden on a boy who was only seventeen. If it were up to her, she wanted to step forward and argue against it, but.
There are few people as suited to be a Seven Star Hero as Geomma.
The path Kang Geomma was walking had already surpassed being shocking. Due to various complex circumstances being tangled like vines, they couldn't make it public, but if the events thus far were revealed, the world would literally be turned upside down.
A genius who had descended from the sky as if dancing. Kang Geomma was stepping into the realm of legends.
“…Balor Joaquin.”
Suddenly, the name of the Hero of the Origin escaped from between her crimson lips. Medea shook her head to clear her thoughts. Her green hair sparkled like sapphires in the sunlight.
As her thoughts subsided, a sense of lethargy washed over her body. Then, Kang Geomma’s request suddenly crossed her mind.
“Asking me to investigate his own personal background… what a strange request. Well, I’m sure he has a reason for asking.”