Thump, thump.
Solemnly striding forward –
With reverence in his gaze, Lutheon fell to one knee.
“I greet the honourable saint of the empire.”
He dared not even look up at her.
A woman who’d risen to Master rank, as well as a representative of the God whom the empire served.
One envied by anybody who wielded a spear.
With extraordinary divine power and unbelievable spearmanship talent –
She was a woman who was flawless in her virtue and charity as a saint.
“Lutheon. Long time no see."
It was Ailee, the saintess of the Holy Empire.
“I-, do you remember me, My Lady?”
"Of course. How could I forget a scion from one of the four great houses of the kingdom who came to the side of the spear? You know how rare your situation is.”
However, most people here welcomed Lutheon, despite his origins.
With a physique that’d already received the grace of the sword, since he’d now turned to the proper and righteous God, he would naturally be more blessed than others.
“I’ve already forgotten the family I left behind.”
"I know. Am I not the one who brought you here? How could I not know?”
"Yes."
Lutheon naturally remembered their first meeting.
While he was wandering around, aggravated by his family and disillusioned with his own life, he ran into her.
As if fate had willed it so.
It was all for her sake that he could endure the severe training and harsh discipline after defecting to the empire.
Lutheon was looking at the saint’s pink hair in a daze, when her question snapped him back to attention and made him stiffen.
“You met Callius, I hear.”
“… Yes."
It wasn't a name he ever wanted to hear coming from her mouth.
“How was he? Strong?”
“…”
“See how you aren’t saying anything, he must’ve been quite strong. Don’t the rumours say that he isn’t any good?"
“I just fell for his tricks.”
“Tricks are also a part of one’s strength, though.”
“I think he must’ve hidden his skills before, or he’s had some kind of fortuitous encounter and got his hands on a relic.”
It was still a mystery.
Callius’ strength –
Where did it spring from?
“I’m curious.”
"Yes?"
“I’d like to meet him at least once.”
“What… He's not somebody who deserves your attention, My Lady Saint. I suffered a loss because the troll showed up, not because he’s skilled or anything.”
“I know, I’ve read the report.”
“Then why…”
“It’s fun. Isn’t he famous for his looks?"
“He’s not any better than me.”
“Mmm, sure, sure.”
Lutheon's brows furrowed.
‘Why are you so interested in him? You, a saint of the empire…'
The Masters of the kingdom deserved her attention, instead of such a small-time idiot.
She was somebody who could destroy a castle with her own power.
Her first action after becoming a saint was to destroy a small country that’d rebelled against the empire.
Lutheon didn't know why a saint who’d accomplished such a great feat would show interest in a two-bit country bumpkin.
“It’s just a matter of personal interest. You might say, I’m a bit of a fan?”
“Fan… What does that mean?”
The saint only smiled in response.
She didn't give him an answer.
“Lutheon.”
"Yes."
“Anyway, in the end, you failed.”
“…”
“Everyone fails one day or another. What’s important is to never fail the same way again.”
The saint threw a letter to Lutheon.
“The archbishop of the kingdom has contacted us. He says he’s ready to move. It’s a pity, but for the sake of the prosperity and well-being of the Holy Empire, Carpe has to be destroyed.”
And therefore, you have to take up that burden.
“Because you are the best choice to stand against them. So, Lutheon –”
"Yes!"
“Help the archbishop overturn the Kingdom of Carpe.”
Lutheon stood up, grabbed his spear from his back and brought it to his chest.
“All for the sake of the empire!”
“And for our God, Lactus.”
On the road back to the capital.
As I kept reading Gid’s notebook, that was somewhat similar to a diary and described his thoughts on how to cast a carcass, his skills and essence were reflected inside my mind.
The vicious deeds he’d committed were clearly described, and simply reading the details of those atrocities gave me a headache, making me close the book time and again.
But I still opened it back up each time.
Because there was useful information in it.
‘To purposefully leave a carcass ritual unfinished to make an ingot – it’s a very interesting idea.'
I'd never made a setting like this.
It was another mark against this world being just a game.
The nurturer faction I’d created as part of the game was just an NPC element to make and strengthen swords within the system.
My plans never had such a detailed setting for them.
‘This is a method born out of accumulated knowledge and experience over many years.'
I kept reading Gid's journal, enduring the occasional flash of surprise or bewilderment.
I was trying to sort out the useful parts and organize them, excluding methods that were too cruel or inhumane. That dwarf who was working in the North, Dexter, would surely be happy with this knowledge.
‘It wouldn't be a bad idea to arrange a meeting between Dexter and Tal.'
Last I heard, he was making swords and armour for the knights of the North as a pastime.
Since there was no news about my Strong Sword, he seemed to be struggling quite a bit.
I closed the book, turning my gaze back to Carradi in the distance, and drove my horse forward.
Soon I reached the villa.
Although, it was now more appropriate to call it a mansion rather than a villa.
Because construction was progressing slowly here and there.
In the grounds behind the villa a place was being made for Beatrice to live in, and the other side was serving as a training ground for the sixth squad.
The villa grounds had already been large enough to accommodate a noble’s mansion, so it wasn’t very problematic.
“Oh, you’re back?”
It was Peter who spoke.
Peter, a former assassin and fake guardsman who was now apparently really working as a guard.
Judging from his improved condition, he seemed to be living well.
“Did you meet Genos, by any chance?”
“Yes, I survived thanks to him.”
“Good. When did you start working as a security guard?”
“It suits me. Besides this, I’m also teaching the children swordsmanship, so please don’t think I’m not earning my keep[1].”
“It’s not that.”
Peter was a talented guy, so him taking care of the security of this place was a relief.
Screech.
As I entered through the opened gate, I could hear the sound of children training.
“I’ll have to set up a separate training ground for them.”
The mansion was becoming too noisy because of the kids’ hustle and bustle.
“It’s nice to see the place getting noisy, I think.”
"Is that so?"
“It’s not bad to see children playing after watching so many people die.”
Well, maybe so.
The kids were still too noisy, though.
And –
“Who’s that?”
A certain dark-haired woman was teaching the children.
"Good. Keep this posture and repeat the strike I taught you a hundred times!”
Her voice was familiar.
“Why are you here?”
She was the person destined to become a legendary paladin, often called the next saint.
Esther Sol Ciliad.
“Oh, ah, are you back?”
“… Long time no see.”
“Yes, it’s been a while. Well, I came here by accident…”
An explanation seemed necessary.
The moment I was about to say something –
“We greet the Lord of the North!!”
Suddenly, Allen and Aaron popped up from somewhere.
“Why are you two here…”
Wait a minute.
Since they were here –
“Ah, hello. It’s me."
– Emily was here too.
I shook my head as I watched Esther sip her tea while sitting on the sofa in my office.
“I see.”
Esther said she’d run into Emily while she was wandering around killing bandits.
She’d recognized the sword I’d given Emily, Lucen, and got to know that she was my disciple…
‘But why did you take a liking to my disciple?'
Didn’t Esther hate me?
Why would she suddenly take liking to my disciple Emily?
It was a little weird, but I decide to simply ignore it.
Esther thought Emily was a disciple of mine and wanted to check her skills, but when Emily called me ‘Dad’ she realized that Emily was actually my daughter, so she accompanied her here.
“When I saw the children training, I thought it was a good opportunity for me to teach.”
"Oh?"
“I’m now a special instructor of the Royal Academy, and the term begins in a few months. I've never taught anyone before, and I have no experience teaching children…”
So she was teaching the children here to get some experience at it.
Even though she must’ve been forced by the Church to become an instructor, she was a woman who did her best at everything she did, with all her heart and sincerity.
“Your daughter is a very talented child. If you teach her one thing, she can realize ten things from it. I've never seen her like. She said she’s still only twelve?”
“She’s a genius who also works hard.”
"Yes? Ah, right…”
That wasn’t what I was getting at…
Esther thought as she fell silent.
She never knew Callius had such an aspect of his personality. He really doted on the kid. People said Jervain's blood ran cold, but it didn't look like that to her.
Even within that short response, Callius’ fondness and affection couldn’t be hidden.
“Anyway, as I was saying, if you don’t mind, I want to come and teach the children here from time to time.”
Callius realized that she’d already made friends with the children.
Esther was fond of children by nature, and her name was also quite famous from the children's point of view. It wasn’t a loss for any of them, so Callius was happy to welcome her.
Emily would gain a lot from her instruction, and the sixth squad would hopefully also learn something from environmental osmosis.
Esther wasn’t part of the Five Stars, but that was purely because she didn’t have a suitable sword, not because she lacked the skills.
“Do as you like.”
"Alright, then."
Esther got up from her seat and was about to leave, but she stopped at the door for a moment.
"But…”
Did she have something more to say?
Esther was hesitating about something.
"What is it?"
Callius was a little confused and directly asked.
"Really… is she really your daughter?”
"Right."
"That… that's right. All right. By any chance, do I know her?”
“Who are you talking about?”
“Emily’s…”
Was Esther talking about Emily’s mother, by any chance?
“She died a long time ago.”
"Ah. My apologies.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
"Then…”
“Yes, farewell.”
Allen and Aaron came in next.
“Sir, you seem stronger than the last time I saw you.”
“You’re still getting stronger… that’s great.”
The two had come down from the North as Emily’s escorts.
They were both exceptionally loyal, and Callius had known them for some time, so he didn’t hate them either.
So Callius decided to give Aaron the sword that had been Arpen’s heirloom, Galaximund.
“Are you really giving this to me?!”
“If you think you can handle it.”
It seemed tough right now, but Aaron should be able to handle it soon. His strength had seen him through quite a few crises on the battlefield.
“It’s unreasonable right now, but I think I’ll get used to it with time.”
After lifting it a few times and swinging it around, Aaron said so. Even the members of the sixth squad found it difficult to even lift this sword, but Aaron did it without difficulty.
Callius had pondered it for a while, but handing it over to Aaron was the right decision.
Callius himself wasn’t that familiar with greatswords, and he’d already gotten his hands on another new sword this time.
‘Having too many swords is also a problem.'
A carcass is not just a weapon.
Since it is made by smelting soul and body, it also affects the user.
Callius had a subspace, so the influence was relatively small, but that didn’t mean it was absent.
It was more efficient to quickly dispose of weapons that had degraded or didn’t suit him.
Rather than selling them or throw them away, it was better to hand them over to subordinates who’d sworn allegiance to him.
Besides, Allen and Aaron were knights who’d accompanied him from the battlefield of the North.
They were trustworthy.
“And Allen, this book is for you.”
“Wait, is this a technique for senior knights?”
"That’s right."
Unlike the one given to Joseph, this book was complete, with both the upper and lower volumes.
Contrary to his appearance, Aaron was from a now-extinct noble family line, so he had his own training method, but Allen did not.
"Thank you! I will definitely live up to your expectations!”
If Callius had to create a force exclusively loyal to him, he had to invest in his subordinates. Becoming strong on his own wasn’t enough.
“You should stay here for a while to train. Bruns?”
"Yeah!"
“Give them a room… And go bring Emily.”
"All right."
After a while –
"Hello."
“… I was going to bring you over here after some time, anyway.”
What should he say now?
The silence between Callius and Emily stretched on for a while.
Originally, he’d indeed planned to bring Emily here. But now was too early.
He’d wanted to wait until at least the storm of civil war calmed down.
‘It can't be helped.'
He still had some breathing room.
It was just a matter of letting her stay for a while before he shipped her back to the North.
“Grandpa was scolding you.”
"Why?"
“You didn’t write him a single letter.”
“I was busy.”
He’d have to slowly try sending one or two from now on…
… Well, depending on his mood.
“I heard from the kids as soon as I came to Carradi. That you cut off the heads of some nobles.”
“… It was all for Carpe.”
“I thought it must be, too. Oh. And I heard from Rinney, that you signed me up for the academy? They say it's hard to get in."
"Yeah. It’ll be a good opportunity for you.”
"Thanks."
“… Don’t mention it.”
With his position as a count, it wasn't that difficult to write a letter of recommendation.
“So you met Esther. What’re your thoughts?”
“She’s strong. Stronger than I thought.”
“Did you learn a lot?”
“Yes, I want to learn even more.”
“That’s good.”
Esther would be able to teach her many things. Callius was glad the two had met.
“I also played against Rivan recently.”
“Who won?”
“Me, of course.”
"Well done. And what about Rinney, her too?”
“Yeah, Rinney has a lot of cheap tricks, so it was difficult, but I won. Oh, and I also had a fight with a girl called Flora.”
“How was she?”
“She’s nothing special right now, but she gives off a good feeling. I think she'll get stronger soon. The rest of the bunch are just crybabies though.”
A monotonous question-and-answer session followed, with Emily talking and Callius responding.
But neither Emily nor Callius felt that it was boring.
Their facial expressions didn’t fluctuate, but any bystander could tell that they seemed happier than ever.
Editor's Notes:
[1] 녹봉, old term for salary given to retainers or civil servants in exchange for service.
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