< Chapter 97 - Interlude #3 >
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Three months is by no means a short time.
The territory of Uther and Cordelia has undergone many changes over the past three months, but the area around Mount Damos has undergone the greatest change.
It was a long time ago that the land was virtually abandoned because of monsters.
Now, it was practically the core of the County of August Bayer.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A clanging noise was heard near Mount Damos. It was the sound coming from Black Town, the home of the Black Horn Guild, which had begun to revive after hundreds of years.
Sometimes lighthearted, sometimes heavy.
And it was the same with the carriages going up and down the street.
Every day, dozens of carriages would travel up and down Mount Damos.
It was to transport not only high-quality equipment made by dwarves, but also underground resources that were dormant in Mount Damos.
As new industries entered the market, people gathered, and as people gathered, commerce became active again, and as a result, people gathered again.
Of course, it had only been about three months, so it was only a small village that had become a large town, but even that was a huge change for those who had spent their entire lives near Mount Damos. Furthermore, it would still take a lot of time for that virtuous cycle to reach its limit.
“Isn’t the new lord amazing?”
“Wow, that’s amazing. Who is to blame for the transformation of Mount Damos? Soon, this place, the entire August Bayer County, will be greatly developed.”
Although it was still early, the market was packed with people.
Two men were talking over a simple snack in front of them, one of whom appeared to be a local resident, while the other, judging by his appearance, appeared to be a peddler.
“Is it very different from other estates?”
When the young man sitting next to him, eating skewers, asked a question, the peddler nodded as if he had been waiting for it and began to tell a long story.
“It’s different, it’s different. It’s been a long time since I’ve had such a good estate. When development happens so quickly, taxes also go up a lot, right? I’ve never heard of such outrageous taxes. Where I used to live, if the weather was clear, they’d collect taxes, and if it rained, they’d collect taxes, and it was quite a sight.”
“Huh, is there a place like that?”
“Yes, there are. Ears that are crazy about money- no, anyway, there are crazy people everywhere. The toll fee alone is no joke. I admit it when I cross a bridge, but after that, every time I pass through a gate, I collect a toll fee, and there are more than one or two gates. I’ve even seen gates that weren’t there before created because of the toll fee.”
“Heh heh.”
As the residents of Mount Damos blinked in bewilderment, the peddler shouted even more excitedly.
“How about here, on the other hand? They do collect tolls, but they are very cheap, and it’s a town—no, it’s a city now. Yes, they only collect them once when you enter and leave the city. That’s how people gather. If they start collecting tolls from the beginning, there won’t be anything left, so why would they come here? It’s thanks to the new lord’s skills that we’ve developed this much in just three months, so praise him to your heart’s content.”
Those around him simply chuckled at the peddler’s words, but no one really objected.
Although they were not as openly praising him as the peddlers, everyone was satisfied with the new lord.
“I heard that thanks to the new lord, all the monsters around Mount Damos have disappeared? Is that true?”
When the young man asked again, this time the resident of Mount Damos nodded.
“Of course. Thanks to you, life has become really comfortable. In the past, I couldn’t even go near Mt. Damos, but now I go inside and even collect firewood.”
Of course, since all the mountain’s resources belonged to the lord, even providing firewood required permission, but the new lord had temporarily opened Mount Damos to the public.
Perhaps it was to show off that all the monsters had really disappeared.
“There are a lot of new jobs, so life has become better.”
“As the village grew, the young people’s nonsense about moving to other places also subsided.”
As he added words here and there, the young man nodded again and said.
“By the way, didn’t you say the new lord is really handsome?”
“Ah, what can I say? You are truly handsome. Even in the capital city, it would be difficult to find a man as handsome as your lord—no, even in the entire Kingdom of Seilun, it would be difficult to find a man as handsome as your lord.”
“I heard that the young lady is also incredibly beautiful.”
“That’s right. There are quite a few young people in the village who have collapsed from lovesickness.”
The atmosphere was actually better than when we were talking about taxes.
And this was only natural.
After all, he was our lord and our lord’s wife.
First of all, if you are good-looking, cool, and someone worth bragging about when you go to other regions, you tend to feel good about yourself and your mood improves.
“Hey, and the new lord is so strong? I heard that the lord’s wife is an angel, just like Lady Lena the Archangel.”
“I’ve heard a lot of good rumors here and there. They’re all true. There’s talk that the king will soon be promoted to the Ten Swordsman.”
“Ten Swordsman? Isn’t our lord still in his teens?”
“That’s why it’s amazing. Where else can you find a genius like this among geniuses?”
“There, Madam, you are an angel.”
“i envy you.”
“Haha, look at this guy. Be careful what you say. It’s the lord and his wife.”
“Ahem.”
“But I still envy you, I envy you.”
“admit.”
“Oh, I admit it.”
The residents who had formed a consensus burst into laughter again, and the young man who had been talking a few more words in the friendly atmosphere stood up from his seat.
“I really enjoyed listening to your story. Let’s each buy ourselves a drink.”
“Ohhh?”
“A young friend is very desirable!”
“It will be a great reward.”
The young man, who had been responding appropriately to the compliments that had been pouring in, paid for his drinks and left the store.
And a few more steps.
A cold voice rang in the young man’s head.
[Lending, it’s ugly.]
Spreading rumors praising yourself with your own mouth.
But after checking that the Polymorph magic device was working properly, Yuder answered shamelessly as always.
‘I just added a little bit of excitement to the public sentiment. I didn’t say anything out of the blue.’
Because it was all true from start to finish.
Uther himself was handsome, and Cordelia was incredibly pretty and even an angel.
The story of the Ten Swords was also true.
[Dear friend, do you know the saying that the more rice ripens, the more it bows its head?]
‘But it’s necessary… Especially when you come to an unfamiliar place, you have to first win over the people’s hearts. Becoming friendly with the locals makes operational activities easier. The peddlers didn’t do it for nothing.’
Belencia, who had been quietly listening to Uder’s words, blinked her eyes inside Uder’s spirit and body.
Because I thought I just heard something strange.
[Wait. Wait, wait, posterity. Are you releasing the peddler?]
‘Yes, I hired a few people to spread the word, through the proper channels, of course.’
It wasn’t that the peddler who came to do business didn’t do the business he was asked to do, but instead sat around in a bar and praised the lord.
‘Because the right hand and both feet need to know what the left hand is doing.’
As Yuder continued to talk nonchalantly, Belencia blinked again.
I thought I had adapted a lot over the past three months, but it was still quite a challenge.
[The generations, the generations really are like snakes.]
‘So you don’t like it?’
[Look at what he’s saying.]
When Belencia laughed in disbelief, Yuder followed suit, but only for a moment. He soon had other thoughts.
‘i love it!’
If Cordelia was there, she would have definitely answered that way.
[Please, please bear with me for a moment. We agreed to meet today, didn’t we?]
‘Yes, so I’m trying my best to be patient.’
In fact, I wanted to go all the way out of the city – no, all the way to the mansion where Cordelia was staying – to pick her up, but I couldn’t do that. In the first place, wasn’t I the one who had even overlooked Cordelia’s birthday?
‘You must have been very upset.’
Unlike now when he could roam around the city, it was Cordelia’s birthday – a couple months ago, he was locked in a room and couldn’t do much.
It was so abnormal that he only later remembered that Cordelia’s birthday had passed.
[But thanks to that, I’ve become a lot stronger, so I guess that’s okay. Sword Origin has also grown beyond what I expected. The dwarves of the Black Horn Guild would be surprised if they saw the current Sword Origin.]
‘Thank you for saying so.’
Although it still needed some adjustment time, it was a sword origin that had been strengthened – no, evolved – into the Awakening Mythic Sword.
[The proficiency of the Snow Flower Twelve Swords has also increased. It may be a new thing to say, but it is a really interesting swordsmanship.]
Of course, what Yuder learned was the Snow Flower Twelve Swords transformed to fit the Sword Origin.
Velencia had so much fun changing her swordsmanship into martial arts with Kamael that she brought up the story of the Twelve Swords of the Snow Flower whenever she had the chance.
[Later, will you meet Kamael again?]
‘Yes, we should meet again.’
In fact, it wasn’t just Kamael.
Landius and Lena had also left the August Bayer County.
In Kamael’s case, there was the matter of the Holy Cross Guardians, and Landius and Lena were to track down Archbishop Manuela as they had been doing until now.
[Okay, then, posterity. Let’s go back quickly. It’s time to get checked by Cassius. After getting checked quickly, we can meet Cordelia.]
‘Yes, yes. I understand.’
They say in martial arts, a teacher is like a parent, but at some point, it was Velencia who started nagging.
[Your Majesty, aren’t you thinking of something rude just now?]
‘No, not at all.’
Yuder, who was laughing, hurried his steps toward the lord’s mansion built on the slope of Mount Damos.
And an hour later.
As a carriage passed along the street, Yuder stood at the front gate of the mansion and swallowed dryly.
I just straighten my clothes, dust off my shoes, check my pockets, and then straighten my clothes again.
Normally, Belencia would have said something, but this time she was silent. She knew why Uder was acting like that.
[I think we’re almost there.]
At Belencia’s words, Uder took a deep breath and raised his head to look straight ahead.
Sure enough, a carriage was coming at a terrifying speed.
A carriage bearing the emblem of Count August Chase.
Uder waited, trying hard to suppress the legs that wanted to kick the ground right away, and the carriage door finally opened.
And then there was this girl who came pouring out.
A girl with impressive red hair with a hint of pink.
She looked up and saw Yuder.
Uther also looked at her and exchanged glances for the first time in a long time.
“Ahem.”
The girl tried to calm herself and straighten her posture before walking away with graceful steps.
Originally, I was supposed to wait until Maia and Dahlia got off the carriage, but that was simply impossible.
It was the same for Yuder too. He had to stand still and wait, but his stomach kept throbbing, making it difficult to do so.
And then one moment.
In the end, it was Cordelia who burst first.
She shook her clenched fists and kicked the ground in one breath, then spread her wings wide. She shouted as she tried to get closer even just a second faster.
“Hey, Yuder!”
Just about a second.
Cordelia, who had arrived in front of Uther before she could even finish calling, jumped into his arms, and Uther hugged her so tightly that she was crushed. He held her by the waist and lifted her high, spinning her around.
“Our beast!”
“Ugh! Ugh!”
It was an exchange that seemed like it would have made everyone watching feel embarrassed, but it didn’t seem to be the case for the two of them.
No, to begin with, it wasn’t a situation where I could see my surroundings.
After spinning Cordelia around a few more times, Yuder held her tightly in his arms again, and Cordelia sniffed around in Yuder’s arms. It was to enjoy the scent of Yuder that she hadn’t smelled in a long time.
“It’s true, it’s true.”
It’s not a delusion or a fake. It’s the real Yuder.
The moment she thought that, Cordelia shed tears without realizing it.
It was because the emotions had become strangely strong.
“Nose, Cordelia?”
But instead of answering, Cordelia buried her face in Uther’s chest. She sobbed and expressed in short words the feelings she had suppressed for three months.
“i love it.”
My heart is so swollen I feel like it’s going to burst.
Uther hugged Cordelia tightly. His heart was pounding so hard that it was hard to keep his composure, but he tried his best.
A year and a few months ago.
So, what would they say if they saw their current selves right after awakening from their previous life?
No, what would Cordelia say if she told them about themselves a year from now?
‘What is that crazy guy talking about?’
Uther suddenly started laughing as he recalled Cordelia’s face, who was speaking casually with a calm expression, and Cordelia, who had been crying while clinging to his chest, raised her head. She blinked and looked at Uther as if asking what was going on.
“Yuderya?”
Instead of answering, Uther covered Cordelia’s slightly parted lips with his. Instead of asking more, Cordelia quietly closed her eyes and greeted Uther for the first time in three months.
And everyone else except the two of them looked at each other, coughed in vain, and without saying who would speak first, they all smiled bitterly.
“Is it really that good?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
What else needs to be said?
Maia and Dahlia shrugged and waited for the two to finish their reunion, eventually giving up after about 30 minutes.
After forcibly tearing the two people who were still clinging to each other away, he entered the mansion.
&
Uther was holding Cordelia in his arms.
He held her body, which was still warm, and said nothing.
However, Yuder was aware of his surroundings as he always had been. It was the effect of the Nine Heavenly Gates that had reached a certain level. After opening the Seven Gates, Yuder had to be aware of his surroundings, even if he didn’t want to.
Uther slowly raised his head. Instead of raising his voice through his dry, cracked throat, he simply looked at the door of the church that stood far away.
It was a familiar sound of footsteps.
As I counted the numbers in my head as if it were a habit, the church door opened as if it were a lie and a familiar face appeared.
“Uder.”
It was Lucas who opened the church door and appeared.
He is the successor to the Holy King’s Cross Sword, and although he became one-armed after a fierce battle with the Red Wind, he is now stronger than before.
Instead of answering, Uther lowered his head again and looked at Cordelia, and Lucas gritted his teeth.
Because he knew the relationship between the two better than anyone else.
“Uder.”
Lucas called Yuder again.
Cordelia didn’t ask whether she was dead, whether this was the end for her, whether she had returned to being human at the last moment. These were things she shouldn’t have asked.
“Uder, Kaisa’s injuries are serious. Scarlett has broken through the Western Front.”
The Crimson Witch.
One of the new seven plagues.
Even within the Holy Cross Order, only Yuder could be certain that he could fight and win against her.
That’s why Lucas was standing here now. As a rival and a friend, he wanted to give Uther time to mourn, but he had to stop Scarlett.
Uther didn’t close his eyes. He wanted to look at Cordelia for a moment longer. He spoke softly, recalling her smiling face.
“Adelaide.”
“Block Leon. He’s not good enough either.”
Leon Gadriel.
A sword monster who was on par with Maximilian in the realm of swordsmanship.
Now that Maximilian is dead, he was the strongest swordsman on the continent. Even Yuder couldn’t guarantee victory in a fight with him.
Uther was silent for a moment.
Actually, I already knew what Adelaide was doing.
They also knew all too well that the situation was hopeless and that their actions were nothing more than a desperate struggle.
In the end, humanity will perish.
By the time the Great Summoning could not be stopped, the fate of the world was virtually decided.
“Uder······.”
“Lucas.”
Uder spoke softly. He tried to force a smile, but in the end, his face was a mess as he continued to speak.
“Just a moment, just a moment, let me be alone with you two.”
Commander of the Order of the Holy Cross.
The strongest swordsman in the world.
The world’s last hope.
No. It wasn’t something so grand. What was in front of me now was a small, fragile person who had lost half of himself and was on the verge of breaking apart, and who looked like he would burst into tears at any moment.
So Lucas closed his lips. Instead of saying anything else, he turned around and left the church.
The door closed. Darkness filled the church again. Finally, Uder burst into tears and hugged Cordelia and sobbed. He caressed the engagement ring that had been on her hand even after she became a mine, and that had prevented Uder from ever giving up on her, and shed his last tears.
“Cordelia.”
He breathed holy power into her flesh, which was soaked in blood. He shared a final kiss with her as she gradually turned to ashes.
The world will be destroyed.
The battle between the demons of hell and the angels of heaven will leave nothing left on earth.
Struggling will eventually end in just struggling.
The ashes scattered.
Cordelia was no longer there. And at that moment, Uther clenched his teeth. He embraced the empty space, suffering from terrible fear and emptiness. He despaired at the thought of never seeing Cordelia’s face again, which had turned to ashes. He hated himself for killing Cordelia and burning her body.
How did it end up like this?
Why does it have to be this way?
Uther held Cordelia’s ring in his hand.
I prayed to a god who had already disappeared. I couldn’t stop even though I knew that my prayer would not be answered.
I hope we can meet again someday.
I hope we can be together again.
“Cordelia.”
Uther, clutching the ring, stood up.
Now, I took weary steps forward, facing a world that was truly ashen.
&
< Chapter 97 - Interlude #3 > End
