Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Rebuilding the North
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We had been basking in the glow of victory for quite some time.
It was the year we finally fulfilled the long-cherished dream of recapturing the North, a feat we hadn't achieved in eight long years.
But when we snapped out of it and lifted the curtain of triumph, all that remained was the scorched earth left by war and the grim, murky reality that loomed over our future.
Before we could even discuss the future of the Northern Kingdom and its people, we were thrust into a desperate struggle just to eat and survive.
Many residents had become wanderers.
Most of the population consisted of former camp slaves, and the orcs' ruthless extermination policies had left them without homes to return to.
Food supplies were naturally delayed for a while, forcing Springhold, which had taken in the refugees, to continue rationing for the foreseeable future.
We were so desperate that we hadn't even planted seeds for next spring—we were too busy worrying about how to make it through the winter.
The eagerly anticipated entry into the capital was naturally canceled, and Snow-Covered's coronation was postponed until next spring as well.
But I wasn't overly worried.
Because we had an extraordinary prime minister who had built a kingdom from bare earth.
'My king, may you live ten thousand years.'
Confirming that her daughter was alive and well, Remembering Bird knelt in tears.
And pledging her heartfelt loyalty to Snow-Covered, she gladly accepted the role of prime minister.
'Hmph.'
Returning to the palace office for the first time in nine years, she tied back her long-grown hair tightly.
With a face as if she'd returned to her active-duty days, she took command of the kingdom's domestic affairs.
The most important thing was to put out the fires first.
Deployed as a firefighter, Remembering Bird began by gathering all the scattered information.
'Bring me everything. Production figures from each territory, farmland records, population counts—even the number of baskets.'
The haphazardly managed administrative records and documents from that time were all transferred to the capital.
The prime minister compiled them into systematic documents, standardized the forms, and bolstered all future administrative work.
Like tidying a cluttered room, she boldly discarded what needed to be thrown out and meticulously organized what required sorting.
Missing supplies and manpower that had been tangled, lost, or vanished slowly found their places, and the Northern Kingdom began operating at full efficiency.
She truly possessed abilities on another level.
Feeling once again the talent even the elves had coveted, I did my utmost to assist with the administrative tasks.
And so a month passed, then two.
As the hectic days dragged on endlessly, stability finally settled over the North.
There were still barren farmlands and many who had lost their homes, but we had averted large-scale chaos.
Hope grows by feeding on the nourishment of patience.
The people of the North, having safeguarded the seeds for spring, glimpsed the latent abundance amid their austere poverty.
Mother North, be eternal.
After that truly grueling winter passed, a warm spring arrived to melt the frozen snow.
Kiiik, clunk.
Snow-Covered, who had slipped out of the office with me early that morning, shivered.
"Prime Minister is so scary."
"Haha."
I'd been roped into helping with administrative work under the pretext of learning it, and Snow-Covered and I had to assist the prime minister diligently for a while.
But as the kingdom stabilized, we had some spare manpower.
Using the excuse that the coronation was approaching, Snow-Covered and I were finally set free.
How long had it been since I'd tasted freedom?
Grinning from ear to ear, Snow-Covered and I headed straight for the palace training grounds.
I hadn't taught her the sword in ages, using busyness as an excuse.
Today, I'd introduce her to the palace grounds and spar a bit.
It had been nine years since they were last opened—should be fine.
I pushed open the heavy doors with all my might, revealing the familiar training grounds.
"Wow...! Master, this is so cool."
Red Iron had said that mysterious, arcane powers were infused during the construction of the grounds.
And true to that, the palace training grounds looked exactly as they had nine years ago.
Pure white marble floors like fresh snow, beautiful windows shimmering with aurora-like light.
A fresh breeze from somewhere kept even musty air and the passage of time at bay.
It was truly a sacred place for martial arts.
I stepped onto the smooth marble and walked steadily to the center.
"Did the Knight King train here too?"
"Yes, without fail, every single day."
This vast palace training ground was open to anyone who wished to handle weapons.
Even the Knight King at his peak was no exception; on days without war, he rose at dawn to visit this place.
What nostalgic times.
The youthful days when countless people gathered to spar and debate passionately.
Suddenly overcome with longing, I smiled faintly and slowly drew my sword.
With a serious expression, I asked Snow-Covered the question I'd been holding back.
"You've achieved Aura condensation."
"Yes, Master."
"Well done. As expected of my disciple."
Snow-Covered, who could only sense Aura before, had finally entered the condensation stage.
She had shaped her Aura and received her Martial Name from Mother North.
I nodded and swung my sword.
Chaeng!
Snow-Covered reacted as if she'd been waiting.
But her stance now held a flexibility and rigidity utterly different from before.
Faster, stronger.
My disciple, absorbing my techniques at a rapid pace, was now on the verge of mastering the fifth form.
Genuinely impressed, I continued the sword dance with Snow-Covered.
The training grounds, silent for nine years, filled with the clash of steel.
Chaeng! Chaeng!
Parr...
Swing, block, thrust, slash.
Simple actions, but every form is built from repeating them.
Just as one truth pierces all worldly matters, simplicity forms the foundation of all realms.
And Snow-Covered had realized this not from others, but through her own insight.
The king's heir, blessed with innate talent and the diligence to build upon it.
No—now she could truly be called the king.
Chaeng!
Buoyed by surging pride, I added more power.
Snow-Covered bit her lip, met my blade with utmost seriousness, and effortlessly condensed Aura like folding a finger.
Jijijijijik——!
The Aura was white.
Its Martial Name was clearly engraved, proving it no parlor trick, and its sharpness far surpassed any steel blade.
But Snow-Covered's face fell at the indecipherable Martial Name.
Something was clearly troubling her. I sheathed my sword lightly and asked why.
"Something bothering you?"
"...My heart's unsettled."
Snow-Covered usually pondered things alone and found answers later.
But bringing it up first meant it weighed heavily on her.
What could trouble her so much that even her beloved swordsmanship faltered?
After chewing her lip for a while, she sheathed her sword and asked me.
"Is the Martial Name our future path?"
"...It's not absolute. Nor is it mere fiction."
The Martial Name is a name bestowed by the world.
Like the Gray Wolf changing his name, it can halt or reverse one's fate.
Could it be explained in such brief words?
Snow-Covered nodded with an inscrutable expression and asked one more thing.
"I want to become king."
"Everyone acknowledges that."
"Will the Martial Name recognize it too?"
The previous Knight King's Martial Name was famously "King of the North."
No—a legend confirmed by the heroes present at his ascension.
A sacred Martial Name symbolizing the Knight King's legitimacy above birth or pretext.
I belatedly realized what worried Snow-Covered.
"You're concerned about the coronation."
At the impending ceremony, Snow-Covered would receive both the king's crown and a knight's Martial Name.
It was the qualification of a Knight King—knight and ruler in one.
"...I'm afraid people will be disappointed."
The girl who usually acted so mature turned childlike at times like this.
I patted the head of Snow-Covered, who hung her head dejectedly.
"Even if you don't receive it, it won't matter."
A good Martial Name is nice.
But failing to get one wouldn't alter her destiny.
Because everyone knew.
The efforts she'd made, the path she'd walked.
"You've proven yourself."
"...Master!"
She perked up instantly and hugged me.
She'd been a tiny thing once, but now she felt properly heavy—like a king.
Chuckling, I scolded her for still lacking decorum, then drew our swords again.
"Let's train. The road ahead is long."
"Yes!"
On the long-neglected training ground floor, a fitting pair of footprints danced.
"Swallow this."
Sip.
"Now spit it out."
Fuu.
With her hand on my chest, Remembering Bird listened to my heartbeat and breathing for a while.
Apparently done with the exam, she let out a small sigh and wiped her flawless forehead.
When counting the kingdom's finest healers, Remembering Bird was always top.
I often entrusted her with checkups, but today marked nine years since the last one.
I hadn't mentioned the symptoms beforehand.
Yet, true to her unrusting expertise, she pinpointed the issue immediately.
"Your heart and lungs are greatly weakened. You've felt short of breath or suffocated during battles, haven't you?"
"Well, swinging a sword naturally..."
"No, normal knights don't."
About two years ago, fighting Aura users made my heart feel like it was tearing, leaving me unable to breathe for moments.
Not frequent, so I'd ignored it, but it had worsened noticeably over time.
Was it some grave illness?
With a sorrowful face, Remembering Bird explained the cause.
"It's from Aura exposure. Sword Saint, you lack Aura to protect your body."
"You mean internal injuries."
"No, slightly different. Those can be managed—this cannot."
Ah, now I understood.
Aura, shaped by the user's will, becomes sword or arrow.
Aura that cleaves steel effortlessly—what chance does flesh have?
Invisible shards must have pierced me like needles.
Was I living up to "Broken Sword"?
I knew my sword might break, but not my body.
Sighing, Remembering Bird said,
"I'll brew some medicine. But it won't solve the root."
"Any other way?"
"Avoid fighting Aura users as much as possible. This isn't just advice."
Steer clear of Aura wielders.
It meant abandoning everything my swordsmanship had pursued.
Even Remembering Bird, who knew better than most, wore a pained expression, underscoring the injury's gravity.
Even the sharpest blade rusts with time; an aging human must eventually forsake one path or the other.
I took a deep breath, donned my outer coat and sword.
And thanked her for making time.
"Thanks for this. At least I know the cause now. No issues on your end?"
"...Thanks to Sword Saint and Your Majesty."
"It's all thanks to that kid."
Fortunately, little Snowflake seemed to be adapting well without lingering effects.
Hoping the newcomers to new homes fared well, I opened the office door.
"See you at the coronation."
"Take care, Sword Saint."
Her soft voice fading behind me, I stepped out into a much warmer breeze that brushed my snowy white hair.
Early spring held its silence.