Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Where All Races Gather
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"There are two ways to get to Sional. One is to pass through the Granblad Great Canyon-where I did my knight errantry-once heading west, then again to the north. The other is to descend to the terrain below the Granblad Great Canyon and cut straight diagonally across the Helred continent!"
Elis spoke up as she slowly led her horse at the front of the group. True to her status as a senior knight, she had some leeway in her armor's form and fit, so she wore a plated skirt that covered her down to the toes like it had been doubled up, along with a helmet fitted with a larger visor than those for regular knights to cover the horse's rump with a crupper.
The sword slung across her back was disc-shaped, and she hadn't yet explained its purpose. Bulki was secretly curious about how something like that could serve as a weapon.
"Young knight, what do you think would be the better path? I'm a bit worried myself."
"Gil's right. Crossing the canyon wouldn't just make us more vulnerable to the Joins there? Their talons are like iron, and their feathers are so stiff they're not much different from demons, or so I've heard?"
The two from the 2nd Knight Order, riding horses far larger than the others, chimed in. As they said, Joins were closer to beasts than other beastkin when compared.
They barely even spoke a common tongue-it was more accurate to see them as giant birds that occasionally walked on two legs. They nested on the cliffs between the great canyon's walls and lived by hunting or raiding anything that passed above or below.
"If I'may be so bold as to advise the Hero's party, I recommend taking the route below the great canyon. With Shainelius's archery and my experience leading the way, we should reach Sional faster than the other path, without much trouble!"
"Experience? If we trust a rookie knight like you, I'll end up shooting arrows till I drop?"
Shainelius, the sun fairy at the very rear of the group, spoke with a feigned smile. It wasn't mockery-it was a smile of pure confidence.
Bulki paused to think at the sight, then addressed the party.
"We'll take the path below the great canyon all the way straight to Sional."
The Glory Mir Cheret let out a cry and surged to the lead. Bulki trusted his companions completely.
And so, the Hero's party followed him into the Granblad Great Canyon.
Towering cliffs shot straight up on either side, and suddenly Bulki recalled crossing the bridge up top with his friend to reach the Sonain Empire-and everything that had happened after. To shake off the stray thoughts, Bulki asked Elis.
"From what I know, knight errantry means knights who have named their swords set out to hone their strength and wisdom, right? So why choose the Granblad Great Canyon of all places for yours?"
"Ah, my sword, well..."
"Hold on-Joins."
Shainelius hushed everyone to a stop.
"They're at the entrance already? Ugh. Can't we just pass by? Joins are my natural counters anyway."
Rondnel grumbled. And rightly so-for someone with a massive shield like him, fighting flying Joins meant he could only hunker down on the ground and take it.
"Three Joins with black feathers, visible to the naked eye. The other one's probably in the nest. Black-feathered ones don't flock together. Hero, this seems like a perfect chance to show you my sword. Mind if I take the lead?"
"Ho, a true genius, eh? You've got some spirit!"
"You sure about this?"
Gil laughed heartily, and Bulki asked with concern. In that moment, Elis's eyes sharpened as she replied.
"Leave it to me."
With her helmet on, Elis lowered her visor to cover her purple eyes and gripped the large round sword on her back.
"My sword's name is [Rachab]-Piercing Clouds Sword, as the name implies."
As she named it, the disc she held clicked from the center, spikes jutting out sharply until it formed a long lance.
Elis advanced slowly on horseback, drawing the massive lance like a whip-and it looked for all the world like a giant iron fortress on the move. The Joins pulled back, rising high into the sky.
"My training was still incomplete back then; I could only slay evil that crawled on the ground. So I came here wondering how to deal with aerial foes. That was a year ago. I can't compare to Captain Graveheim, who brings the sky crashing down, but I've learned how to pierce it."
She raised the small shield attached to her left gauntlet to block ahead, pressed her right arm to her side, and leaned her upper body back as if lying atop the horse. Quietly, she intoned.
"Knight's Lance that Pierces the Heavens."
In an instant, Elis thrust that long lance toward the three Joins as if to bore through the sky itself.
Quaaack!
Purple energy shot from her lance like a beam of light, wiping all three Joins from the air in one go.
Click-the sound of something reloading, and heat haze rose from the lance. In that form, like the very incarnation of war and victory, the Hero's party couldn't help but be awed.
"Overwhelming power."
"Impressive."
Elis removed her helmet again and replied to Gil and Rondnel.
"Not at all. My training's still lacking-I have to wait for the sword to cool before I can fire this technique skyward again."
"Wait!"
In that moment, the remaining Join burst from the nest, talons outstretched toward Elis. Before she could turn and thrust her lance, a massive arrow pierced its body.
"Watch your back, rookie knight."
Shainelius said as she lowered her bow.
"Thank you. I'll strive to be more humble going forward, Shainelius!"
Bulki stepped up to praise her martial prowess as well.
"Amazing! So that's your style-going for a one-shot with plate armor specialized for defense? It'll be a huge strategic asset."
"Ah! Thank you! With Join blood scattered in the air now, the scent will keep others away for a while. If we only fight like this once a day, we can reach Sional in under a week!"
Elis placed a hand on her chest and spoke joyfully, and Bulki smiled back.
"Right, then-everyone, let's move out again!"
***
That night, while Elis stood watch near the horses, the party found a small cave, lit a campfire, and rested. That's when Bulki asked Rondnel.
"Rondnel, I've never been to Sional, so could I ask you to guide us?"
Rondnel, still clad in his round Magen traditional armor, replied.
"Of course, Hero. As one who bears the traditions of borderland Magen and dwarf blood, I swear to deliver our party safely to the great lord of Sional, Sherpandelnel."
"You, the short round knight-are you really a dwarf? You don't look it."
Shainelius asked as she fletched an arrowhead.
"You're... speaking to lowly me first?"
Rondnel asked again, deeply moved, and Shainelius shook her head like she couldn't deal with him.
"Keep talking about Sional!"
"Ahem, got it. You knights might know, but I'm a dwarf half-breed. So I claim both the Sonain Empire and Sional as my homelands. Sional especially is the home I'must return to someday. As you all know, it's ruled by Sherpandelnel, the Hero of the Second Demon Invasion seven years ago. When demons rode mountain giants from the western continent to ravage the eastern shores, he supplied not just war chariots but heavy siege guns and landmines, even leading his own guard to block every demon entering Sional. He's worthy of the title 'great dwarf,' and under his reign, Sional-the land of great dwarves-has flourished as a nation in commerce and trade."
"I see. Hero, let me add something: Sional's relations with us sun fairies of Deinaus Forest aren't bad, thanks to Sherpandelnel. He's a dwarf, but he respects the forest's sanctity. Our queen graciously allowed diplomatic ties because of it. I get it, but I still don't like it."
Bulki listened to them both, feigning worry as he removed even his breastplate. Then Gil approached him.
"Why? If he's truly righteous as they say, diplomacy with us should be no issue."
"No, Gil-that's not what worries me. The Empire, and humans, rely far too much on knight orders in fights against demons. Think about what they just said. The dwarves defended their entire western coast on their own, and the sun fairies of Sun Forest have the forest's blessings. As long as they stay within it, they can protect themselves and maintain their pride. In other words, they have no reason to ally with us because of demon invasions. In this sun-obscured era, humans are the only race that can't stand alone."
"True. Even if they hold an edge in commerce and trade over other races, constant demon incursions make weak defenses a huge drawback in alliances."
Bulki's thoughts were solely on exterminating the demons, and the goal of this alliance-though called a grand union of races-was ultimately to fight demons, the point of his sword.
"Unions must grow stronger in the shadow of demons. Simple trade and diplomacy won't stop their invasions."
"Then the answer is simple, Hero. Liberate the knight orders' swords."
"Liberate?"
Shainelius, having tuned even her bowstring, grew annoyed at Bulki's repeat question. She stood and moved to a distant corner before answering.
"The Empire's problem lies in the Holy Brazier's monopoly. It'seems the interspecies pact from a thousand years ago discussed each race's development, but it all vanished with the Holy Brazier's emergence. No records remain for any race but witches. That's the task-and destiny-we must unravel."
In this gathering of different races, the most fundamental answer dawned.