< Chapter 68 - National Foundation Day Ball #5 >
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What happened?
Why is Jeilgeom taking the side of the Guardian King?
The original’s best sword.
He was not in the royal capital.
Since the sword banquet itself was not held in the first place, I only took care of a few errands in the royal capital and then returned to the sword room.
What happened after that?
There wasn’t anything major to get involved with.
He was more of a background character, like Princess Daphne or Prince Dion.
The Kingdom of Cailun was virtually destroyed, and he too lost his life when the Swordsmen were destroyed by Georg the Slayer, one of the Seven Plagues – that’s all that was known.
Even Uther and Cordelia, who were rotten water, had no way of knowing things that were not known in the original work.
It was the same reason why Lena died and why I didn’t know where Belkian and Fran were and what they were doing at this time.
‘But, but even so.’
I couldn’t even imagine.
This is because although the actions of the first sword that were indirectly revealed in the original work were brief, there was nothing particularly strange about them.
‘Moreover, the reason for the betrayal.’
The reason why an inspector of that level turned against the devil’s followers.
I knew why the Guardian King betrayed me.
He was afraid of death.
To be exact, I wanted to live longer and enjoy it.
But he didn’t want to become an undead with a rotten body.
Rather, he wanted to regain the body he had in his prime, and there was only one way, as far as he knew, to achieve his wish.
‘Minhwa.’
Becoming one with the devil.
By doing so, he becomes an immortal being who transcends humans.
The Guardian King wanted to unite with the Great Demon, not an ordinary demon, but one who would elevate his existence to the highest levels, and the Devil’s Hand demanded the extermination of the royal family in return.
Uder understood the patriotism.
Rather than sympathizing with his thoughts, I rationally understood why he had such thoughts and why they motivated him to betray the country he had protected his entire life.
The background of the growth of the guardian deity can be summarized as the law of the jungle.
His personality was formed because of that.
Obsession with life.
It was once strong, but is now in decline and is considered the weakest of the Ten Swordsmen, etc.
But the first sword was different.
He was still young.
It was ridiculous to call him young when he was older than his previous life, but it was hard to understand why he would betray his country because he was afraid of dying of old age.
Moreover, he was a genius recognized by everyone.
What on earth was missing?
Why did he betray the Kingdom of Seilun?
Wasn’t he the one who saw Maximilian and Leon’s talents and worried that the kingdom also needed such talents?
‘There are two possibilities.’
One is that the butterfly effect of the past six months has led to Jeilgeom taking a completely different path from the original.
But the chances were low.
The other case was much more realistic.
There was a possibility that he was connected to the devil’s followers from the original work.
Among the Ten Swordsmen, there were some who turned to the side of the demon followers after the fall of the Kingdom of Cailun. Most of them abandoned their old names and took on new names.
The first sword is also like that.
It’s a fabrication that he died while guarding the checkpoint, and if he started using a different name from that day on.
‘It doesn’t matter right now.’
One breath.
No, maybe a little longer than that.
Yuder, who had numerous thoughts going on at the same time, did not continue with them for long.
“It’s no use.”
Cordelia said, and Uther agreed.
The reason why Jeilgeom betrayed.
The relationship between the First Sword and the Devil’s followers.
If we figure them out, maybe we can change the mind of the First Sword.
Couldn’t we make a better suggestion so that his sword can be pointed at the Guardians again?
It was a crowd.
Even Uder himself could tell by looking at the current first sword.
The first sword’s eyes were shining.
He had a bright smile on his face and his eyes sparkling like a child who had just been introduced to a fun toy.
“I’ll leave it to you.”
The Guardian turned around and started running again.
But neither Yuder nor Cordelia, nor even the First Sword, looked at him.
This was because the two people in front could not let their guard down for even a moment, and the person in the back was more interested in the task at hand than in the defense of the country.
“I originally didn’t plan on getting involved.”
The best swordsman himself and the guardian of the nation.
Are they really colleagues? Is this a relationship that can be called a proper colleague relationship?
Jeilgeom had no intention of interfering with the plans of the Guardian King.
The Guardian King did not ask for help, perhaps because of his pride, and the Devil’s Hand did not make a strong request either. There was a separate contract between the First Sword and the Devil’s Hand.
‘So, until that day comes… I tried to live quietly as the best swordsman.’
The Kingdom of Seilun.
The royal family of Seilun.
To begin with, Jeilgeom’s loyalty to the royal family was not that strong.
Unlike the other Ten Swordsmen, he was not a royal knight, but the First Sword of the Swordsmen.
‘I think Cornwell is a bit misunderstood, though.’
When I told them what I felt in the empire, they misunderstood it as my loyalty to the kingdom.
It was a pretty plausible misunderstanding, so it was put to good use here and there.
‘To those kids right now.’
The good children believed me when I spoke to them with serious faces about the future of the kingdom.
The first blacksmith, who had been giggling, looked at Uder and Cordelia again.
The sword banquet that I thought would never open.
Two people met there.
Children who further amplified the ideas started by Maximilian and Leon.
“You know, Uder, right? That I like you and Cordelia.”
I was sincere.
The two people I like the most are the following.
It wasn’t a lie that I stayed in the capital because of those two people.
Because I wanted to see you once.
What will these kids do?
And what will happen because of that?
‘I wanted to see the ball, too.’
And the results are very satisfying.
Cordelia was so beautiful, and the innocent love between the two was so cute and lovely.
‘Enough to make me want to break it.’
Just like the desire to dirty the pure white snow field.
I want to violate you.
I want to get dirty.
I want to trample on it.
‘Yeah, that’s what you were hoping for.’
A moment like this when we face each other as enemies.
Because I wanted it from the moment I first encountered it.
Because I wanted to trample on both of them.
“I won’t kill you.”
Because you guys are good.
It would be a shame to kill you here.
Cordelia didn’t swear like she usually did.
Instead of rushing in or running away, Uther opened his mouth to speak.
“Do you know what will happen…?”
When all the royal family dies.
Because of this, the barrier disappears, and the Holy Sword Clausolas falls into the hands of the demon followers.
“Oh, I know. The general idea.”
“Really? Do you really know? The barrier, the guardian circle, is not just a simple application of color.”
A barrier that reveals the true nature of the mines and allows you to capture the location of any evil energy released.
It suppresses the power of demons and prevents the summoning of demons in the royal capital, and even the creation of mines.
But it wasn’t just that.
A properly activated barrier could do much more.
“Yeah, so those devil followers are also trying to destroy the barrier. And in the midst of all this, they’re using polite language, which I like.”
The first blacksmith smiled brightly, and Uder made up his mind.
It was no longer possible to waste time talking.
“I like it as expected.”
The first sword spoke. And the light blazed forth.
There was no sound.
The sword, faster than the eye, simply cut through space.
‘Five numbers.’
It was the same as the sword banquet, but different.
Back then it was just a test, now it’s the real thing.
But the only thing that was the same was that the first sword was not giving its all.
Don’t kill.
Put a number that doesn’t kill.
The anticipation is lacking.
The speed of sword strikes is also slightly slower.
Tsutsu!
The space above my head was torn apart.
Rather than dodging the attack, Yuder flew away as if running away, lowering his body to the ground and looking at the first sword. The moment his second sword was swung, he kicked the ground.
First wind of trust.
Lightning before the wind.
But it was visible to the eyes of the first swordsman.
As a seasoned inspector, he was able to read Yuder’s calculated movements.
Moreover, there is one thing that Uder overlooked.
‘Yeah, definitely worse than usual.’
Because it’s a measure to avoid killing.
But even so, I am the Sword Saint of Light, right?
The sword strike that was unfolding suddenly changed course.
Uther saw it. He read its trajectory. But he could only avoid it by a hair’s breadth.
Even things that were a little slower than usual were fast.
No, because the difference was not just in speed but in absolute skill.
My cheek was cut.
The tip of the shoulder was cut off a little, and hot blood flowed out.
But Uther couldn’t stop.
I had to buy time.
The third sword of the First Sword should not be pointed at Cordelia.
Once again, a new level of trust.
But it was too late.
The moment Uther groaned in pain, Cordelia rushed towards the First Sword.
Three consecutive hastes.
It was a speed so incredible that it was unimaginable for a wizard, but it was the best sword that could even read the super wind.
He swung his sword.
He wanted to hurt Cordelia in the same way he had done with Uther.
And Cordelia saw the path of the First Sword.
Without reading or calculating, he understood the moment he saw it. He instinctively did something that Yuder had not thought of – no, he had thought of it but had not even thought of doing it.
‘I won’t kill you.’
Take advantage of that statement.
Cordelia trusted in the power of the First Sword. That’s why, instead of dodging the sword’s path, she put her neck into the most accurate path.
“Cordelia!”
Uther screamed, and the First Sword was taken aback by Cordelia’s sudden action. He quickly changed the path of his sword, which resulted in exposing an opening.
And Cordelia never missed that moment.
beast.
fielder.
A monster that instinctively reads the flow of the battlefield.
Blood ran down Cordelia’s pure white neck. Cordelia dove into the First Sword’s embrace, and before he could make a move, she unleashed pure magic.
bang!
Push the first sword away.
After crashing into the wall, continue pushing.
Because that’s what Uther wanted.
Because Yuder wanted time.
“Ahhhh!”
Double casting, echo of orders, high-speed chanting.
He didn’t use Akeimon’s secret weapon. He just poured the magic he had created in an instant onto the First Sword.
“asleep!”
I knew it was impossible.
But still, I was sincere.
And then Uther flew, grabbing Cordelia by the waist and rolling on the floor.
Black ink.
A blast of light cut through the magic.
A pure white light passed through the place where Cordelia had just stood.
“Shield!”
Cordelia shouted, and a blast of light struck the translucent membrane.
Can’t stop it.
It is not the best sword that can be blocked by shield magic or something like that.
But still Cordelia cried out.
To buy even a little bit of time.
The shield is split.
It slightly dulls the anticipation of a sword strike. It slows down the speed of a sword strike.
And at that moment, Yuder opened the door.
The entire space was shaken by the release of explosive energy.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sword twisted. Uder rushed towards the First Sword, and Cordelia fired a barrage of magic. The smile on the First Sword’s face disappeared for a moment.
The sword cuts through space.
No, it covers it.
Instead of attacking, Yuder released the Black Dragon’s energy for defense, and the Nine Heavenly Gates and the Five Gates gave Yuder the power to block the First Sword’s strike.
However, Jeilgeomdo did not just stand still and swing his sword. He used his unique swordsmanship to close the distance with Yuder, and Yuder, who had expected it, threw a punch.
A true brain storm.
Although it was fast and powerful, the first sword’s hand pushed away Yuder’s fist. The first sword grabbed Yuder’s wrist and pulled it tightly, knocking Yuder off balance.
But it wasn’t.
Uder complied with the pulling force. Instead of resisting, he gave in to it, and approached the First Sword faster and deeper than expected, and opened his own chest with the Sun-Jeon-Sim-Gyeok.
A type of penetrator that was already used on Scarlett, originally intended to strike the energy of the sun directly into the enemy’s flesh beyond their armor.
Applied.
Uther unleashed the power of the sun beyond his own chest!
“Huh?!”
Even the First Sword could not help but be flustered by the attack coming from a complete blind spot.
But that was it.
As soon as he released Yuder’s wrist, Jeilgeom twisted his body and swung his sword again, sending a slash through the Sun’s Heart.
“Light!”
At that moment Cordelia screamed.
It was to take away the first sword’s eyesight with an infinite amount of light, like the solar circle that Uder had used a while ago.
But Jeilgeom’s reaction was faster.
He closed his eyes and swung his sword following Yuder’s movements.
It doesn’t kill.
But I don’t spare even one arm or leg.
Uther’s arm was badly cut.
It was a serious injury that was hard to call a miss, but instead of complaining about the pain, Uther kicked the ground and threw himself toward the secret passage. Cordelia flew towards Uther and they hugged each other in the air.
The First Sword’s sword cut through the air. With the fairy’s footsteps, Uder and Cordelia were able to nullify the First Sword’s sword once, and fell to the ground. The First Sword flew towards them once again.
And Uther didn’t even think about escaping.
Because I calculated it.
Because Cordelia had a gut feeling.
The reason for the delay.
The reason why I threw myself towards the secret passage.
And one more thing.
Unlike Jeilgeom, he was someone who could ask for favors in advance and even deliver certain items.
The first sword bounced off.
It wasn’t a brawl like Uther and Cordelia had done.
A black aura shot out from the secret passage.
The winds that blew one after another!
Kakang!
Sword clashed with sword.
Light and wind swirled, and Jeilgeom looked straight ahead in ecstasy.
I faced the man who was standing in front of Uther and Cordelia, who had fallen down while hugging each other.
“Count Bayer.”
One of the Ten Swordsmen.
The swordsman of the north.
Another name he has.
A title that was once clearly his, though he gave it back on his own accord after a past defeat.
“The Sword of the Wind.”
Count Bayer did not bother to respond verbally.
Showed the sword of wind.
< Chapter 68 - National Foundation Day Ball #5 > End
