< Chapter 118 - The Horizon of the Sword >
Chapter 118 – The Horizon of the Sword
I don’t want to die.
I don’t want to be weak.
I want to become stronger.
I can’t stand the reality that I’m getting weaker day by day.
The Guardian said.
The national hero who saved the kingdom from the empire abandoned everything for his own desires – no, his desperate longing.
Abandoning the country, abandoning the king who was like a son, abandoning all the reputation that had been built up.
Jeilgeom nodded at the story of the patriot.
Instead of laughing or criticizing, I just agreed and said that it could be like that.
The Patriot was a human being.
Although I was pushing myself, saying that I had already decided, there was still a part of me that was wavering.
It wasn’t difficult to abandon the country.
It was also possible to wipe out the royal family.
but.
but.
The Guardian held his breath. With a conscious act, he also stopped thinking.
It’s already been decided.
I got things moving.
There was no turning back now.
That’s why the Guardian King looked at the first sword.
I thought about that as I looked at those who had made the same choice as me.
‘Why is that?’
A member of the Ten Swordsmen, just like himself.
No, in a way, it was more than that.
A man who became a swordsman at the young age of just over thirty.
A person with a talent that can be counted on one hand throughout the entire kingdom’s history – no, throughout the entire continent’s history.
I was still young.
He was not at an age where he could feel the presence of death like the Duke of Hoguk himself.
However, the blackest one chose to become a mine.
What could be the reason?
If it’s about honor, I’m sure you’ve already enjoyed it enough.
Money? Status? Power?
It wasn’t like that.
The Guardian could tell.
He has seen many people, having risen from a simple position as an inspector to the top of the royalist party.
Jeilgeom wasn’t the type of person to be obsessed with such things.
No, I doubt if he truly desires such a thing.
On the outside he looks like a bum.
Always a laid-back guy.
A man who likes alcohol and women.
It was all true. It wasn’t wrong.
But the moment he actually faced the First Sword, the Guardian King knew.
To Jeilgeom, alcohol, women, wealth, power, and fame – these things didn’t mean much to him.
If I had to make a comparison, it was only as valuable as a favorite side dish or a favorite color.
I can bear it as much as I want.
Things that are nice to have, but not necessary.
The only things of value to Jeilgeom were the swordsman and the Duke of Spencer.
But Jeilgeom gave up those two things to become a mine.
Why is that?
Why did Jeilgeom decide to become a mine?
Normally, I wouldn’t have been curious.
He was confident that he wouldn’t care what Jeilgeom thought.
But now I wanted to know.
After learning about the First Sword’s desires, and knowing that he was a person with similar thoughts to himself, he felt like he could forgive himself for betraying the Kingdom of Seilun – no, Henry.
But the Duke of Hoguk couldn’t open his mouth.
In the end, he couldn’t ask Jeilgeom out loud why he had become a mine, and why he was obsessed with immortality like himself.
It was already as ugly as it could be, but I didn’t want it to get any uglier.
The best swordsman is the same as the national champion himself.
That young genius also made the same choice as the national hero himself.
So it’s okay.
Anyone else would make a similar choice.
rationalization.
The pathetic self that wants to rely on such things.
So in the end I couldn’t say anything.
He didn’t ask why he became a mine, whether he wanted to live forever like him, or whether he was struggling because he didn’t want to die.
Jeilgeom saw such a patriotic hero.
I understood what the Duke of Hoguk wanted to say and what he was holding back from saying.
However, he did not necessarily give an answer for the sake of the Guardian. He simply put down the glass he was holding and left the place with the Guardian.
It was a bright moonlit night.
There are only a few days left until National Foundation Day.
As he left the villa and crossed the garden, Jeilgeom suddenly looked up at the sky. Then he turned his gaze again and looked far away to the west.
The Duke of Hoguk’s thoughts were not wrong.
Jeilgeom wasn’t very interested in worldly things.
It wasn’t something that was out of the ordinary.
It’s not like I didn’t have any greed.
It’s just because the first swordsman was different from ordinary people.
“I saw it since I was little.”
That distant horizon.
The path to that source, which is questionable whether it can even be reached.
The wine and the women were good.
There was nothing wrong with having wealth and fame.
But everything else was insignificant before that.
The road to the horizon.
The sword was good.
I liked the moment when he showed off his sword skills.
It was incredibly fun to engage in a life-or-death duel with swords.
Because I felt like I was moving towards the horizon.
Because it was actually a process of taking steps toward the horizon.
That’s why Uther and Cordelia were good.
Because through those two people, I was able to feel my horizon more clearly. Because someday, the confrontation with those two people who had become stronger would be the way to get closer to my horizon.
“Just like you.”
The reason why I became a mine.
The reason why I longed for immortality.
“I haven’t reached it yet.”
It may take a long time to reach there.
Horizon of the Sword.
The road to blacksmithing.
The first sword looked west again.
I stared at the distant horizon that seemed within reach, yet was not.
&
After sharing a few more drinks, Uther and Cordelia quietly left the banquet hall.
The two people shared the same intention to cut ties with the First Sword and support Elune, but it was difficult to tell anyone about this fact.
‘There will probably be more people trying to stop it.’
It was still unknown when the battle between the elves of the Shadow Forest and the Prime Minister’s Army would begin or how it would unfold.
Moreover, it was quite a distance to the Shadow Forest.
Even after crossing the border of the empire, it was a place that required a long journey through the area controlled by the Prime Minister’s Office, so it was normal to just try to stop them.
‘Rather than intervening in such a way, it would be better to join us in defeating the main force of the Prime Minister’s army and advancing north to put pressure on the entire Prime Minister’s army.’
Ian McLain, the Golden Sword Saint, would probably say something like that.
So instead of revealing their thoughts, Uther chose to disappear quietly with Cordelia.
“Whoa… That’s a relief. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to fool you, big sister.”
Even if no one else could tell, Adelia’s eyes could not be fooled.
She was the type of person who could tell what Cordelia was thinking just by looking at her back.
“Well… It seems like you disappeared a step ahead of your brother.”
“Anyway, really. What did he say to me?”
As Cordelia grumbled, Uther laughed again.
I thought that way, but it seems that bloodline cannot be ignored.
‘Are we all just beasts?’
“What, what are you thinking about?”
“Pretty and lovely thoughts.”
Cordelia frowned at Uther’s sly answer, but didn’t say anything.
“Anyway, are we leaving right away then?”
“I guess so. Why, are you worried?”
“Of course. After all, we defeated the Seven Thousand Army as soon as we opened our eyes, right? We drank some potions and rested a little, but we didn’t really rest properly.”
Infinite Stamina, infinite stamina, but that doesn’t mean that Yuder truly possessed infinite stamina.
But Uther shrugged his shoulders as if it was no problem and caressed Cordelia’s cheek as he spoke.
“I’m more worried about our princess. Are you okay?”
“I just need to be carried on your back. And you should be careful like that normally.”
“When do you usually do this?”
Instead of answering Uther’s question, Cordelia pouted her lips, and Uther felt her cheek flush against his palm and smiled slyly.
“Anyway, Princess, shall we go together?”
“Yes, Prince. Please stand on your back.”
As soon as Uther turned around, Cordelia jumped up and hugged Uther’s neck tightly.
“Once we get out, let’s transfer to Phantom Steed.”
If you ride Phantom Steed from the beginning, you’ll stand out too much.
“Okay, let’s go quickly. Ilya Ilya!”
“Hehehe.”
At Cordelia’s urging, Yuder let out a whine and unleashed Black Wind. However, instead of kicking the ground right away, Yuder picked Cordelia up and asked.
“But Cordelia.”
“Yeah, Yuder.”
“Did you leave a letter?”
“Oh, I left it.”
Even if I disappeared secretly, I should have at least let people know where I was going.
Uder said with a giggle.
“The day has come when Cordelia herself leaves behind a love letter. It’s truly heart-warming.”
“Huh, I left it once before?”
Like when you come out of the Forest of Eternity.
“Oh, that’s even better. Next time, you’ll show me the content too, right?”
“Hmm… because I saw what you were doing?”
Uther laughed cheerfully again at Cordelia’s sharp answer.
“Then let’s go.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
To the west.
The black gale was accompanied by a golden whirlwind.
&
Time passed.
day.
When the morning sun that rose to end the night sets with the dusk, bringing night again.
Elune sat down on the Red Gate and looked at the white, round moon.
Urgent reports continued to be delivered.
The army of the Prime Minister led by Jeilgeom was advancing towards the Red Gate without hesitation.
The size of the force is at least 40,000.
Considering that all the elves residing in the empire combined were less than a few tens of thousands, it was truly a formidable army.
Can it be stopped?
Vincenzo Lombardi, the godfather of the elves, decided to gather all of the Shadow Forest’s forces at the Red Gate.
Even if you put them all together, it would only be a little over 5,000, but if you depended on the Red Gate, you should be able to hold out somehow.
‘The Emperor’s army must be moved.’
The imperial army continues to stand off from the prime minister’s army in the northern part of the empire.
If the Shadow Forest falls, the very structure of the civil war could be turned upside down, so the Emperor would not just sit back and watch the current crisis unfold.
So, let’s hold on for now.
I somehow manage to hold on and make time.
The fact that they have deployed a force of nearly 40,000 men on this side means that the other side is empty of troops, so the imperial army will also have the capacity to send reinforcements.
Elune turned her head.
I looked at the alien beings that sat on the walls of the Red Gate, humans rather than elves.
Friends of Uder.
The kind and honest Lucas, the playful and cheerful Kaiser, and the shy but cute Scarlett.
All three of them had serious expressions on their faces. So Elune also had a stern expression. Thinking of the fairies who had hidden away in fear, a corner of her heart became heavy.
The wind blew.
A wind blowing from east to west.
There was a different smell mixed in.
So Elune rose from her seat. She stood tall above the main entrance to the Red Gate and looked east.
“He’s a minister.”
The one standing in the east spoke.
The prime minister was still half a day away.
Since it was late at night, it was more likely that they would take a position and attack at dawn rather than attack right away.
But now he was right in front of me.
I arrived at the Red Gate a few steps before the Prime Minister.
“I’ve always wanted to try it. Taking down a castle by myself.”
He slowly drew his sword.
Now, not only Elune, but all the elves on the walls looked at him. Only one of them, but the moment he drew his sword, the elves realized. They quickly blew their trumpets and prepared for battle.
Just one person.
But Elune felt her mouth dry.
It felt completely different from when I sparred with Yuder.
Instead of my body heating up with excitement, my hands and feet became cold.
Sword monster.
Sword Demon.
The first swordsman laughed. He looked at Elune, who was standing on the wall and glaring at him.
A fairy sword that guards the Shadow Forest.
He is the successor to the legendary sword of Velencia.
The confrontation with her will surely push Jeilgeom forward.
“But it’s still far. It’s too far.”
The first sword, muttering as if grumbling, looked at Elune again.
I overlapped her with the horizon beyond.
“let’s go.”
The First Sword spoke to himself. He whispered to Elune on the wall.
A lightly swung sword.
A huge black aura engulfed the Red Gate.
&
< Chapter 118 - The Horizon of the Sword > End
