Division -5-
The sword aura falling from the sky began to shake the battlefield.
-Boom...!
-Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-boom!!
-Kwaaaaaang!!!
Rowen's aura, bathed in moonlight, roared across the land and tore the battlefield apart. Screams echoed across the ground.
"It's the Empire's Sword..."
The moment Rowen's sword aura struck the earth, the cultists plunged into chaos, shrieking in terror. The falling blade rippled outward, spreading razor-sharp waves across the ground. It was only a single stroke of the sword, yet—
-Craaaaaack!!!
—it dyed the earth red. Because Histania swordsmanship is a technique that cleaves the world itself.
"[Nameless.]"
The cultists' eyes, already gripped by confusion, flooded with fear. The Empire's Sword had come. Run. Cheonoechon. Their hearts pounded violently beneath Rowen's blade, which transcended human limits.
Amid the clash with Hanna, the Archbishop of Envy discussed retreat.
-Damn it, didn't the other Apostles say they'd buy us time?
-We should withdraw for now. Envy.
-Krrgh...! Just a little longer...!
-Behind you, Greed! Watch your back...!
-Krrgh!! You bitch!
Above Shyartia, who was overwhelming Luin, voices promising future vengeance rang out.
-Next time I'll tear you to pieces.
-Cough... Screw off.
Valac, standing atop the cultists' corpses, looked up at the brilliant sword aura raining from the sky and let out a small laugh.
"A monster."
The Empire's sword aura, unchanged even after eras had passed, drew genuine admiration. He had thought that through bloody effort he had reached the level of a powerhouse, yet the Empire's blade existed beyond that category entirely.
"I can't keep up."
Valac chuckled dryly and severed another cultist's neck. His massive greatsword danced forward, moving toward a familiar face. Toward his benefactor.
"..."
Watching Rowen's sword aura descend from the heavens, I let out a hollow laugh.
A monster, indeed.
How should I describe the realm of the Empire's sword as depicted in the novel? Like a single ferocious beast, perhaps. I could mimic the form, but not the flawless essence behind it. Another laugh escaped me.
"Crazy bastard."
Words failed me. The explosive might of his martial prowess far exceeded anything I had imagined. It was as if the very presence of the Empire's Sword was declaring itself on this battlefield.
Still... I think I can reach it.
Smiling faintly, I began moving to clean up the battlefield. The war wasn't over yet.
I sensed a familiar presence approaching from behind. The heavy, violent footsteps of a man drew near.
Guess he made it.
I slowly turned and met the man's eyes. The moment our gazes locked, I offered a gentle smile and greeted him.
"It's been a while."
"..."
"Judging by your complexion, things went well, I take it."
"..."
Valac, gripping his greatsword, reddened slightly around the eyes before nodding. Seeing such a burly man grow emotional wasn't exactly pleasant, yet the peaceful look on his face brought a smile to my own.
Valac spoke in a trembling voice.
"Thank you."
"..."
"I don't know how I'll ever repay this debt..."
His hand holding the greatsword shook. I smiled softly and raised a finger to my lips.
"Shh. Let's clean up first."
I kicked off the ground lightly and left the spot, heading toward Hanna, who had fought with everything she had.
"Butler!"
Supporting Hanna, who had just driven her sword into the Archbishop of Greed's heart, I smiled.
"You did well."
"...I knew you'd come!"
"You were magnificent."
"Hehe... Not really."
"You faced two Archbishops. That's incredibly impressive."
"I didn't do anything special..."
Hanna, cradled in my arms, grinned and rubbed her face against my chest. She hadn't managed to finish off the Archbishop of Envy, but thanks to her, many lives had been saved. If even one Archbishop had been free to act on this battlefield, the casualties wouldn't have ended here.
I patted her head, gratitude in the gesture.
I didn't expect her to actually kill Greed...
See? I told you she had talent.
Smiling at the rising moon, I turned my gaze upward.
*
"Current casualties confirmed: around eighty. No fatalities."
"That's a relief."
"It's a miracle."
After quickly setting up a makeshift camp, I gathered Malik, Rowen, and Valac around a single campfire to talk. It wasn't much of a shelter, but it was enough for us to discuss matters calmly amid the cleanup.
Arms crossed, Rowen lowered his head and sighed.
"My late arrival was the mistake."
"..."
"I tried to come as fast as I could, but the Chancellor held me up."
"We're grateful you came at all."
Rowen shot me a glare, then snorted and laughed.
"You're everywhere, aren't you?"
"Our paths simply happened to align."
"Did you come for the Holy Sword too?"
"I was just sightseeing."
"Pfft... I've never met anyone as strange as you."
Malik nodded in agreement. The atmosphere felt harmonious. It was the first time I'd felt any warmth from the Histania family.
He's changed.
Looking into Rowen's eyes, I could tell many things had shifted. There was warmth in the way he gazed at Hanna. He didn't tell her to quit the sword. Instead, his worried expression as he watched over the fallen girl brought me a strange sense of relief.
Malik slowly rose and began reporting on the situation.
"Our side's losses are worse than expected."
"..."
"We never even reached the temple. Eighty percent of our forces are injured..."
"..."
I shook my head at Malik's words.
"Perhaps it's fortunate the damage stopped here."
"Fortunate...?"
"If this many had entered the temple, only a handful of us would have survived."
Rowen gave a small nod of agreement.
"That's certainly true."
I turned my head toward Valac, who stood with his greatsword planted beside him.
"And we have someone who can give us detailed information on the cultists' 'losses.'"
"..."
Rowen regarded Valac with suspicion. Even though he'd seen the former cultist fight against his own kind, he couldn't dismiss the possibility of a trap. Meeting my eyes, he asked,
"Can he be trusted?"
Valac nodded at Rowen's open distrust.
"The Empire's Sword."
"...You're calling me?"
"Yes."
"Speaking so casually on our first meeting is rather rude."
"..."
"Speak."
"Do you have children?"
At Valac's question, Rowen nodded in my place. Valac exhaled and continued slowly.
"Thanks to this man, I was able to save my daughter's life."
Rowen nodded again.
"I see."
"..."
"Can you swear that on your daughter's name?"
-Nod.
"Very well. I'll trust you this once."
"I thank you for your trust."
Valac began explaining the cultists' situation.
"Approximately one hundred and thirty cultists were deployed for this operation. Eighty of them are dead. That's about sixty percent casualties. The cultists have taken significant losses as well."
Good news. We'd dealt a blow to their forces.
"Thanks to the female student lying over there killing the Archbishop of Greed, their morale should be at rock bottom."
"...She's my daughter."
"Bragging, are we?"
"I am."
"I'm jealous."
I nearly burst out laughing. Rowen's lips curved into a proud smile as he casually boasted about his daughter. Suppressing my own laughter, I focused on Valac's words.
"The retreating Archbishops won't be able to return to battle anytime soon. They all suffered severe injuries from your sword."
"I just swung wildly and hoped for the best. Looks like I hit something."
"Are you serious?"
"No."
"..."
"Anyway, their chances of returning to the battlefield are practically zero. Black mages can only be treated by mages with special properties."
"..."
Which meant—
"We can still win this."
Valac shook his head.
"No."
"Why not? All the Archbishops are injured, their numbers are halved. If we push now, we can seize victory."
"That's true, but..."
Malik smiled bitterly as he looked toward the temple.
"There are Apostles."
"...Apostles."
"Half the damage we took in the last battle was caused by the Apostles."
"..."
"And there are three of them inside. Do you really think a frontal assault is possible?"
"..."
"Even if we make it into the temple safely, a surprise attack from three Apostles would be catastrophic."
"..."
"My opinion is that now, while the cultists' morale is low, is our best chance to retreat."
I raised my hand.
"Excuse me."
"Speak."
"Don't I count?"
"...Hm?"
Rowen nodded at my words.
"That's right. We have you."
"If the purest-hearted person in the world participates in the exploration, we might even obtain the Holy Sword."
"...?"
"...?"
"...?"
"What?"
Facing their massive question marks, I smiled awkwardly and lowered my head.
"It's embarrassing when you all stare like that."
"..."
"What?"
Rowen let out a dry laugh and began organizing the situation. Valac's assessment meant time was running out.
"Then we need to move immediately to recover the Holy Sword."
"Exactly."
"The injured..."
"I'll have Valac lead them to a safe location first."
"Then let me ask again."
Rowen looked me straight in the eye and repeated his earlier question.
"Can that man be trusted?"
I met Valac's gaze and answered with certainty.
Job: Archbishop of Despair
Favorability: 100
Likes: Daughter, Benefactor, Revenge against the cult, Sword, Faith, Repaying kindness
Dislikes: Cult, Distrust, Disease, Shackles
I smiled with conviction. I'd planted the seeds knowing this day would come.
"He can be trusted."
"Hmm..."
"..."
"Understood."
Rowen looked at the now-awake Hanna and spoke in a cold voice.
"We'll send the severely injured down first."
Hanna shot upright, her voice panicked.
"Me too...! I can go too!"
"..."
"Just wait a little. If I take a potion, I'll be fine right away...!"
"No."
I firmly rejected Hanna's plea. The moment things went wrong, the danger would exceed all expectations. Honestly, we might secure the Holy Sword, but with three Apostles and two surviving Archbishops still inside—even with Elysia on our side—the weight of facing the Apostles was too heavy to risk a reckless decision.
"Why..."
Hanna bit her lip hard. Seeing the moisture welling in her eyes, I sighed softly and nodded.
"Next time, let's go on a date. Just the two of us."
The team entering the temple: four people. Rowen. Yuria. Ricardo. And Mikhail. We moved with the resolve to destroy the Holy Sword if necessary.
Of course, Malik had—
-Take me with you too.
—thrown a tantrum and been sent away.