Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Sleep Peacefully
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Rain danced. The raindrops, which had fallen straight down vertically, scattered in the wake of the two knights' movements within this deep abyssal cavern.
-Splash!
-Clang!
Fernandez moved, cooling his overheated, dazed mind from successive deaths with the rainwater. Even if he wouldn't die, how could his survival instincts be absent? With every sword strike, every exchange, his heart throbbed fiercely.
-Thump, thump, thump.
-Clang!
He swung his sword in a wide circle, and another blade blocked the strike, deflecting it upward. Distinguishing whose sword was attacking or defending held no meaning.
Their movements were astonishingly similar.
-Crack!
The disparity in their weapons grew ever more pronounced. King Dane's sword bore no traces of damage from impacts or destruction, but Fernandez's ceremonial greatsword—the gap in durability and quality was destroying it.
'It'll break soon.'
Fernandez was so heightened that he could visually track every raindrop his blade sliced through, every one that scattered. He gazed at the spiderweb of cracks along the edge and thought.
Rough swordplay was too much. But still. The madness settled in King Dane's eyes had not faded.
-Kwa-crack!
Fernandez's sword raked across King Dane's armor. It was already covered in scars from blade strikes. The same went for Fernandez. Now, both ignored defense entirely, devoting themselves to offense.
-Puuk!
Before Fernandez could recover his sword, King Dane's blade pierced his body. The ninth death. Fernandez awaited the approaching visions with surprising calm.
King Dane's experiences. And his karma.
*
The moment he slew the hill giant, sorrow overshadowed the thrill of victory and conquest. God's bastard child. For a being who had endured a childhood unloved by his kin, Fernandez felt a profound kinship.
He too had lost his home to monsters and demons, wandering desolate mountain hamlets and corrupted cities day by day. Until he met the dragon by the lake, his own life had been unwelcome among his kin.
He had a mother who was also his teacher and pillar. But this ill-fated giant had not.
Standing atop the giant's shoulder, driving his sword into the nape. Feeling the giant's final, hot breath. He closed his eyes and prayed.
Our comrades slain by this giant, my brothers and my vassals. Like those countless souls. May this giant rest as well. I will carry on your karma.
Even if I cannot bear all the world's sorrows, I will ensure none are left alone and hesitant.
Dane of the Hills, Knight of Mercy in the dragon tongue. That day, the youth became a king.
*
Fernandez swung his sword to pull back from King Dane and steadied his stance. Their gazes crossed. Wary of each other's prowess. King Dane no longer pressed the attack recklessly.
A being's quality matched the achievements of its life. Feizashi's groan echoed.
-Souls are mingling, and karma blends as well.
'With the king?'
-With you too.
King Dane said nothing, merely leveling his sword and standing still. Beneath the pouring rain, he suddenly spoke.
[You are not Bellawin. Then again, Bellawin died that day.]
"Are you yourself again?"
Fernandez asked cautiously. Had it worked? If the king regained his reason and returned to his grave, there would be no need to fight further.
[This world is no longer mine.]
". . .This battle holds no meaning, Your Majesty. The living have their own lives. Rest now."
[Young knight. Aged wizard. I have seen your life.]
Just as Fernandez had experienced King Dane's life, in the moment their souls mingled, the king could not escape the process either.
The king raised his sword. An overhead stance that cleaved space—his frayed, weathered cloak lifted amid the raindrops.
True masters drew mana into their blades. Fernandez assumed the same stance and slowly closed his eyes. The sound of rain grew louder.
-Rumble.
Far off, the sound of a giant rampaging. With greater focus, he could even hear screams and wails. Fernandez could no longer discern whether the sorrow and pain he felt in this moment belonged to King Dane or himself.
He was no longer a separate entity. By sharing quality, inheriting karma, mingling souls—Fernandez's own soul was changing.
[You too endured hard times alone, young knight. I will not deny your life. I simply wish to test you.]
Fernandez's eyes snapped open. His hair trembled and scattered slightly. Amid the black strands, blue eyes gleamed. Straight toward the king. 'Come.'
Beneath the king's helm lay only a cold skull. Yet somehow, the ghostly blue glow of the departed seemed to smile softly.
-Kwaaaang!!
The two knights' swords rent space as they collided.
Chains linked.
*
Dead knights had returned to burn his city. The Lion Knight, the Sun Knight, the Cross Knight. His cherished brothers and vassals. The great knights of the Round Table Council.
King Dain took up his sword against the undead who had not fully perished. Rivers of blood flowed. Soldiers fallen in battle rose as foes anew within ten minutes.
An endless war of attrition dragged on. When all were exhausted, a dragon plummeted onto the plain. Amid the deepest enemy lines, a massive shockwave erupted.
Dragonfire scorched the plain, and knights' blades pierced dragon scales. The Burial Cult's core forces were annihilated in the dragon's desperate stand, but the dragon emerged unscathed no more.
Assailed by the Death Knights, the dragon sustained wounds that courted death. The Knight King, his mana spent, raced through the dissipating undead to reach it.
Blood streamed from the dragon's blue eyes.
"Mother, Mother! You mustn't leave like this!!"
[Huhu, my child. Worry not. This is nothing to me.]
". . .Mother."
[My child. Do not cry. Your tears belong to your kin.]
The dragon smiled and tousled the Knight King's hair, just as she often had in his youth.
[Achieve what I could not. My son. Lead your people and weep for them. I am glad you shed so many tears.]
"Mother. Mother!"
The dragon's closed eyes never reopened. For three days, the Knight King stood vigil by her head through rain and wind. Gazing at the starry night sky, he finally rose and raised his sword.
His face reflected on the blade. Dain, Mercy in the dragon tongue. He caressed his name, crookedly etched along the edge.
"Mother, you bade me pity the deaths of kin, but what of yours?"
*
-Kwajijik!!
The sword tips that had cleaved space shattered under the pressure. Technique, experience, quality—all fell short. Fernandez stared blankly at his disintegrating blade.
In the end, he had come one step shy.
-Kwaduk!
At that moment, King Dane's sword halted mid-air. The blade, plummeting like a golden line across the sky, froze. Through that gap, Fernandez's broken sword thrust forward.
-Kwajik!
King Dane's armor shattered, a deep gash tearing from left shoulder to chest. With his sword buried in the king's chest, Fernandez reeled in confusion.
The king had deliberately taken the blow. Fernandez stared into the fierce glow of King Dane's eyes right before him.
He was smiling.
[Fine swordsmanship, young knight. State your name.]
"I am Fernandez of Cerned, Your Majesty. Forgive me, but I am no knight."
[Does that matter? Very well.]
-Tuk.
King Dane twisted the blade, lightly tapping Fernandez's shoulder with the flat.
[Fear not before your foes. And take courage always in upholding your justice.]
-Tuk.
Once more, the other shoulder.
[Meet all things with truth, and face death with transcendence.]
King Dane raised his arm high and lightly tapped Fernandez's head.
[Protect the weak. No matter your oath, pity those who fall upon that path. With this, you hold seat at my Round Table Council. Now, Round Table Knight Fernandez—fulfill your duty.]
With those words, King Dane drove his sword into the ground. As Fernandez looked at it, the king smiled and ruffled his hair. Fernandez wordlessly gripped the hilt.
It was heavy. Not beyond the strength of Religiosa Demonica, but the weight of its karma and quality pressed palpably.
[I am prepared. The living have their lives, after all.]
"Shall I offer a prayer?"
[Shaildsi, bless this young knight.]
"Your Majesty's karma I shall inherit. Sleep peacefully."
-Slice.
Fernandez swung, severing King Dane's head. The helm split roughly, and the light in the king's eyes faded.
Fernandez planted the sword in the ground and stood bowed, eyes closed. Holy Pantheon, grant your blessing. May this great king find rest at last.
-Rumble . . .
Far off, the heavy footfalls of a giant. Vibrations shook the cavern. With the king's death, the fires of the undead he had raised extinguished, and darkness blanketed the cavern once more.
-Fwoosh.
Behind him, the crackle of a torch. Fernandez straightened and spoke without turning.
"Kirhas."
"Yes, benefactor."
The torchbearer, those who followed with flames. Kirhas gripped a sword stained with mages' blood in one hand, her torch illuminating Fernandez's side.
Fernandez turned to meet her eyes, brimming with worry.
"You've endured much hardship."
"You as well, benefactor."
Kirhas gazed into his fatigued eyes. She picked up King Dain's fallen cloak from the ground and draped it over Fernandez.
"The night is cold, benefactor."
"Religiosa Demonica do not fall ill to chill. Kirhas."
"My heart sickens with your cold—please heed your vassal's concern."
"Thank you."
Fernandez stroked the Knight King's cloak. Frayed and worn by ages, yet maintained warm by descendants' care. The wool fabric carried the reverence of those who came after.
Beneath the rain-soaked cloak, Fernandez recalled his birthday spent camping alone.
He stroked Kirhas's head. She flattened her ears and let out a small whine. Her eyes brimmed with worry, on the verge of spilling over.
-Rumble.
The vibrations intensified. Fernandez secured the Knight King's sword across his back and headed for the tomb's entrance.
"Now, let's bring this to an end. It's been a long journey."
"Yes, benefactor."
Kirhas raised her torch to light his path as she followed. Lined beside them lay the coldly stilled corpses of the Burial Cult mages. Impressive work. Fernandez could tell each had fallen to a single stroke.