Chapter 120
Chapter 120
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: Sword King's Return
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Valentine de Strange emerged into the castle garden, cradling a small bird in her arms.
As soon as she appeared, the clouds obscuring the sun parted, pouring light down, and the guards who had been standing watch amid the fog snapped to attention the moment they spotted her.
'When did she get all the way over here?'
The knights were astonished by her sudden appearance.
They hadn't sensed her presence at all, yet there she was, already seated in the middle of the garden, gently stroking the bird's head.
Thud, thud, thud.
Heavy footsteps echoed as Bess appeared.
He removed his helmet and gave a light nod before lowering his posture and asking Valentine,
"Did you get some rest?"
"No, sleep just won't come."
"You should rest at least a little before the war begins."
Valentine looked at Bess and gave a small smile.
"It seems like the one who needs rest isn't me."
Her response left Bess looking flustered.
"I heard you've been awake for four days straight already. If you don't take care of yourself, your body won't hold out until the war even starts."
"...With you personally looking after us, Lady Valentine, we don't know our place."
"Enough. I'll guard this place, so get some sleep. The Glazer fools won't be moving for at least two days anyway."
"Two days?"
"Fenrir headed east. Blocking that thing alone will keep the Glazers plenty busy."
"I see."
"Yes."
Their conversation was as rigid as rock, focused solely on their objective.
Perhaps because of that...
Bess tried changing the subject to close the distance with Valentine even a little.
Thud.
Bess took a step closer.
"What is that bird?"
Had it been an ordinary bird, he wouldn't have asked.
The creature in her arms was one even Bess, who had spent many years in the south, couldn't identify.
About the size of a puppy, it had red feathers and eyes, and unlike typical birds, its four legs—positioned front and back—gleamed like gold.
"A griffin."
"A griffin?"
"Probably. I saw it in a book about divine beasts in the library when I was young."
Bess took another interested step forward.
Thud.
"Then, may I ask where you obtained this griffin?"
"From Berddin's room."
"From the Family Head's room?"
"Yes. There was an egg with suspicious energy, so I checked it out, and this little one was hatching from the shell."
"Ah..."
Valentine lightly grabbed the griffin's nose and shook it as she replied.
"I didn't know what it was and was about to kill it right away, but then I saw the message Berddin left for me and decided to spare it."
"Berddin left a message?"
"Yes. He said it was a divine beast meant to accompany him, so not to touch it. I don't know where he got it, what abilities it has, or why he brought it to the castle, but..."
She pulled the griffin tightly to her chest, as if she liked it, rubbing her face against its back feathers.
"If Berddin needs it, I have no choice but to look after it."
Bess mirrored her smile in response, staring intently at the griffin as he took yet another step closer.
"I see. Then I'll inform the guards not to attack if they spot the griffin, in case they mistake it for a monster."
"No need. They couldn't catch a divine beast with their skills anyway."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. And I have a question for you."
"Please ask."
Valentine set the griffin down on the ground and gripped the sword at her waist as she spoke to Bess.
"Who are you?"
"...What do you mean?"
"Bess left for the capital this morning on my orders."
Whoosh—
Valentine's aura enveloped the surroundings.
"And he never comes within five steps of me. No, no Strange knight would ever approach within the reach of my shadow."
"......"
"Entering my space is a direct challenge to me."
Bess, who had a stern expression, suddenly let out a sleazy laugh and shrugged one eyebrow as he replied.
"Oh, is that right? I guess I should have looked into you more, Lady Valentine. What a blunder on my part."
"Who sent you?"
"I can't tell you that. However—"
The impostor tore at his own face.
Splat.
His fake face peeled away, revealing a bald middle-aged man covered in countless scars.
Swish.
"Too bad. One more step, and I could have ended your life."
"Rothschild, huh."
"How did you know?"
"I saw you once, long ago. I remember you trying to climb the tower with my father."
The bald man clapped in surprise.
Clap!
"Oh? For the Judge herself, Lady Valentine, to remember me—this is an honor for my family."
"...Why have you come this far?"
"Just to say hello."
"Hello?"
"War's about to break out soon. We might not even see each other's faces before one of us dies."
"......"
"So I came to kill you myself. Leaving you alive, knowing the secrets of the Rothschilds—"
The bald man charged at Valentine.
Flash!
"—is far too dangerous."
Clang!
While everyone watched the Timeless Clock Tower with anxious eyes, after ten minutes passed, the door began to rattle.
"Oh? It's finally time for Lord Berddin to return!"
No sooner had Timeless finished speaking than the clock tower door swung open.
Boom!
At the same moment, pure white mist poured out from within, wrapping around them, accompanied by a murderous aura so chilling it sent shivers down their spines.
The overwhelming pressure from the unseen figure was enough to make everyone hold their breath.
Thud, thud, thud.
Someone stepped out.
The shadow illuminated in the mist was larger than Berddin should have been.
It looked like it had at least one more head than Alfredo, who stood facing it, so Rox, unsure of its identity, thrust his mace forward in guard.
"Who goes there."
As he tensed, the figure approaching through the mist chuckled deeply.
"Who do you think."
The voice was identical to Berddin's.
But Rox didn't lower his guard. Before their first adventure, Berddin had warned him.
Anyone can mimic appearances or voices, so be careful.
If someone tries to deceive you, or if you're truly unsure who I am, just charge right at me.
'I'll handle it, no matter what.'
Rox recalled that conversation for a moment. Then he channeled mana into his mace and shield and charged into the mist.
"Raaah!"
"Well done, Rox."
"Huh?"
"You didn't forget my advice."
With those words, a purple flash erupted before Rox's eyes.
Bang!
The impact split the mist, opening a path. And there, before everyone, stood a blond young man who looked at least twenty years old.
"But you remembered one thing and forgot the rest. I told you if you're charging at me, go all out. Half-ass it, and you might die."
Rox clutched his face in frustration.
"Argh! You crazy bastard, Berddin!"
Berddin looked down at Rox, smirking.
"Been well?"
Rox jumped up as if nothing had happened and stood before Berddin.
Unable to believe Berddin's sudden growth, he placed his hand on top of his own head, stretched it forward...
"...W-What the hell. You're really Berddin? Why'd you get so tall?"
He shook the hand now reaching Berddin's abdomen and continued.
"You're a full-grown adult now!"
"Had to be. I spent ten years in there."
"Ten... years?"
"Yeah, I told you before going in. Ten minutes here is ten years inside."
Whoosh!
Timeless flew through the air, bowing deeply.
"You've arrived, Lord Berddin. Oh... you've become so impressive? As expected of the one called Sword King!"
Berddin tossed his tattered cloak onto Timeless's face.
Thwack.
"You kept your promise."
"Of course, Lord Berddin. And you kept yours to me."
"Indeed."
"How was the trip? Did everything go well?"
"Would you have come back fine? After ten years in that godforsaken place."
"Well... There have been people who stayed a hundred years before? To save their comrades, they said."
"That's their problem."
"True enough. So, what now? I'd love to have you take on my trials again, but..."
Timeless slowly backed away as he continued.
"Looking at those two, it seems impossible right now."
Berddin looked at Cynthia and Theresia in turn. They were unchanged from before he left.
Unlike the ten years he'd spent, the ten minutes here had been far too short.
"If I come back, which floor do I start from?"
"Amon will send you to the 29th. You've already cleared half the trials, and it doesn't matter if it's floor 1 or 9 here."
"...Got it. Then send us out of the tower now. I'll take the rest of the trials when I return."
"Yes, yes, as you wish. That's better for me too."
Timeless mimed opening a door in empty air.
Creeeak—
The sound of hinges grinding rang out as a square door connected to another dimension appeared.
"I'll be waiting."
Whoosh—
Berddin gazed at the rainy Legion beyond the door and replied.
"...Hold on, I haven't gotten my answer yet."
"What answer?"
"I said in exchange for giving you ten years, I wanted to know someone's fate."
Timeless shrugged.
"Ah! That's nothing at all. Whose fate do you want to know?"
"My mother."
"Lord Berddin's mother?"
"Yes, my mother. Verdandi de Strange. I want to know if she's alive."
Rumble!
Thunder and storms raged across the continent.
In Legion's streets, dark as night despite the daytime, figures in black robes charged toward the tower in unison with the thunder.
Thud thud thud—
One of them accelerated, pulling up beside the leader.
"Is it alright to use magic?!"
The leader at the front slowed slightly to reply.
"Doesn't matter. Use any means necessary to kill him—magic, whatever."
"Lord Hagen gave permission too?"
"Yes. No matter what we do here, Rothschild will back us up."
"U... Understood. Then we'll stay here and set up the magic barrier!"
Three robed men dispersed into a triangular formation around the tower. As they chanted spells, lines connecting them etched into the ground, emanating mana.
Shhh—
One robed man pressed his mana-filled hands to the earth.
Crack!
In an instant, he froze all the imperial soldiers guarding the tower's entrance.
"...Berddin, this time I won't let you escape."