Episode 131 Qualification (2)
The Ganggeomma party safely returned to Castle Sigurd. The route was almost the same as when they set out.
But the atmosphere when we left and when we came back was completely different. Even when we were just starting out, there was a little tension, but the faces were bright.
But now, right after I got home… … .
A low, smoke-like current of air hovered between the three of them.
The swordsman and Charon were unable to speak to him. Among them, Abel’s expression was particularly gloomy. It was clear that something had happened.
So, the inspector called Shail, who was the guide, to the study separately. Her duties also included reporting the situation in the dungeon. Shail explained everything to the inspector in detail, as it was.
“… That’s what happened in the Undead Dungeon so far, Your Majesty.”
Shayle finished speaking with his gaze down.
“… … .”
There was silence for a long time. My shoulders felt heavy. It would have been better if I had just given him a sharp reprimand.
It was not a metaphor, but this silence was suffocating her.
Throughout the entire trip, Shail was fully committed to his duties. He was in charge of all procedures and tasks, and he also diligently guided the two cadets.
But this suffocating feeling that squeezes my chest. After the Lich King’s temple, the girl’s face darkened…
Shail bit his lower lip. Even though he was a senior hero, he could only stop enemies who approached him. Shail felt helpless.
‘still…….’
There was a strong swordsman there. He single-handedly subdued the power of tens of thousands of men. It didn’t stop there.
He cut down the enemy who was wearing Orion’s mask, who was probably at least A+ level. He brought peace to that person who had fallen into evil with a sword strike.
Then, all the undead bowed their heads to Kanggeomma. They did not raise their heads until the moment they disappeared. Like a subject bowing to his monarch.
A landscape that paralyzes reality. Shail had always thought that the scene was a dream.
Occasionally I pinched my cheek. The stinging sensation disappeared along with the dizziness.
The thought lingered in his mind that perhaps he had witnessed a moment in history.
“… … .”
Shail shook his head. And just as he was about to raise his eyes, the one who opened his mouth first was Geomje.
“I see.”
A word came back. Shail’s shoulders shook greatly as he received the words.
I looked at the swordsman. His expression was somewhat stern, but that was it. There was no further reaction.
The inspector continued speaking.
“You’ve worked hard, Shail. You must be mentally shocked as well, so take a few days to recover and rest. For the time being, Caron and I will take care of the affairs of the estate.”
At those words, Shail’s body froze. It was difficult for her to understand the lord’s indifferent attitude. There was a shadow at the corner of his eyes, but that was it.
It was said that your son had become an undead. However, the face of the lord was as calm as a mirror. It was different from usual. I couldn’t guess his thoughts.
So, Shail asked cautiously.
“May I ask you something, Your Majesty?”
The inspector nodded slowly.
“Tell me.”
“Did your Majesty already know about this?”
The inspector’s eyebrows twitched slightly. Then he spat out bitter words.
“Shaila, you’ve always been very perceptive.”
“sorry…….”
“No. What do you have to be sorry about? Rather, I should be the one who is sorry for hiding the truth.”
The sword master took a sip of his black tea. The scent of dried tea permeated the study. He moistened his dry lips and added a comment.
“Your guess is correct. I knew that Orion would be like that, and that was eight years ago.”
“… … !”
“You must have seen the stone tablet in front of the entrance. You must have recognized the inscription written in runes, if you are well-versed in languages. Isn’t that right?”
“…yes.”
“I was the one who damaged that stone tablet. And I was the one who sealed the passage leading to the underground temple. Well, I just added some extra touches to the originally locked area. What surprised me a little while ago was that you guys broke the seal.”
Shail swallowed a breath. She asked again, her lips trembling.
“If you knew, why―”
“―I was wondering if I had subjugated Orion.”
The inspector cut her off mid-sentence. His pupils sank deeply and he smiled hollowly.
“I appreciate your high evaluation of me, but no matter how much I am a country, I cannot stand up to that power alone. That is only possible because I am a strong swordsman.”
“Then, why is the stone slab like that… …?”
“Don’t stop here, you’ll be really tired.”
sniffling.
With that, the inspector simply lifted his teacup. He then turned around and looked at the conductor. It was a gesture indicating that he would not take any further questions.
Shail sighed faintly at that. Realization came belatedly. There was no reason for the sword master to explain everything in detail.
“Sorry, I got off topic.”
“Oh, I think of you as my granddaughter, so don’t say things like that. First of all, you’ve had a hard time. You must be tired, so take a break from the hangover for a while.”
Shail nodded and left the study. A few more minutes passed like that.
“… So that’s what happened.”
The swordsman looked up at the sky and reminisced about the past.
When he came face to face with his devastated son and daughter-in-law, the inspector realized.
If the association finds out, they will form a punitive force and attack endlessly.
If that were the only way to break the curse, then so be it. The sword master had personally experienced that it was impossible for anyone other than the ‘Saint of the Sword’ mentioned in the stone gate.
If so, the result was obvious. The punitive force would be destroyed by the hand of Orion, who was imbued with magic. That horrible scene was vivid in my mind. I wanted to prevent that at least.
He could not allow his son, who was suffering in the shackles of immortality, to commit further sins.
It was my duty as a hero and as a father.
So, he damaged the stone tablet on which the prophecy was written. He strongly demanded that the association close the communication center. He did not hesitate to use any means necessary to stop them.
But on the other hand, he held onto hope. He hoped that one day, the prophetic figure would appear to save his son Orion.
And Kanggeomma followed Abel into the catacombs. At first, he tried to stop him.
I felt anxious. It seemed like I could break the seal and get there.
Originally, the journey should have been blocked, but the sword master did not do so.
If that boy seems to be blessed by God.
There was a hope that there would be a saint of the sword who would cut through this cruel vicious cycle.
And Kang Geum-ma did it as expected. He cut off the tragic history of a family.
Exactly.
A drop of water fell on the surface of the teacup. The wrinkled corners of her eyes turned red, and a single tear slipped down.
“Rest in peace now.”
As he said that, the sword master’s pupils hardened with determination. He would do anything to help the boy.
The Nibelungs had been saved by the Ganggeomma. It was time to repay them accordingly.
* * *
It’s been three days since I returned to the castle. During that time, I’ve been getting some complete rest.
The inspector readily recommended that I take a break, saying that it was also part of my training, and I nodded quickly.
To be honest, I haven’t had a proper rest since coming all the way to Switzerland. Let’s take this opportunity to relax some of those tense muscles and get some sleep.
‘It’s vacation. This is the time to rest.’
Yes, I did nothing, to the point where I wondered if it was really okay.
I’ve worked day and night since my previous life. It’s even harder to spend a day in peace in this life.
Until recently, there were internal enemies lurking even within the boundaries of the Academy. I lived my life on edge about everything. Even when I slept, I put sashimi under my pillow.
However, Castle Sigurd here is a space free from such concerns.
The personal territory of the sword master and an extra-legal area. Only those who are not crazy can extend their reach here.
Even the remaining elders, who are the power group equivalent to the swordsman, also have their teeth completely pulled out by the Claude Gun―
Last night while eating dinner, I came across a headline I had read in a paper newspaper. This is a mountain valley with no Wi-Fi or LTE, so news is a bit slow.
Anyway, the title of the article was this.
『[Strict response to the Hero Association’s Elders] The conflict between the Association and the Elders intensifies… There is even talk of completely stripping the Elders of their power.』
―Things are getting much tougher. The Association has drawn its sword against the Elders. The exact details aren’t in the article, but it’s easy to guess.
‘The Association has noticed that Claude is in league with the villains.’
It was only a matter of time before the truth came to light.
Because the circumstantial evidence is solid and Auditore is continuing the investigation.
No matter how long-tongued the elders are, they cannot evade their duty forever.
“The remaining elders would have tried to place the blame on Byeonjin Claude.”
The association seemed to be very angry. The association president appeared at a press conference and threatened to reveal the whole story.
In other words, it is a declaration of the virtual collapse of the Academy’s long-standing senior council.
If it had been the same as before, it would have been absurd. The history of the association is only 40 years. In this world that values tradition and legacy, there were many obstacles.
But the elders, or to be precise, Claudy, provided such a huge excuse.
There is a saying that if the tail is long, it will be caught, but the current elders go a bit further.
“That’s fucked up.”
In short, the elders have been sentenced to death internationally. They are destined to rot in a cell with a power that is inferior to that of the former.
‘It’s true that the old trash bastards rot more than the undead in the dungeon.’
However, it was difficult to accept this in a positive light, because there was a rumor going around that the Association was taking over the position of Elders.
“…What mountain is that beyond the mountain?”
I let out a huge sigh.
The elders were a group of people who only had shiny hats. They were always arrogant, rich, and incompetent.
However, associations are much more challenging in many ways.
Force, cohesion, information power.
It is a force that does not lag behind in anything.
As I heard from Choi Seol-ah before, they even have the scientific power to reprocess and distribute “artifacts”.
The big shots who will get involved are also strong people who are going their separate ways.
Richard de Murat, the founder and president of the association, is a former fist fighter.
… but I just heard that such an association is keeping an eye on me. It’s quite creepy.
“……ha.”
I picked up some sashimi.
If I just stay locked in my room like this, I can’t help but feel troubled.
In times like this, you need to warm up your body so that you don’t have distracting thoughts.
My fingers were already itching.
A season as leisurely as this one will be rare in the future.
While we’re at it, let’s learn how to use ‘Napdo’ and ‘Balgeom’.
That was when.
-Knock, -Knock.
Two knocks.
I tilted my head.
‘Shaila always knocks three times.’
I thought it was Abel, but he also knocked on the door three times.
I don’t know much about it, but in Europe, it seems like knocking three times is considered good manners.
I stared at the door for a moment.
I immediately grabbed the doorknob with one hand and the sashimi with the other. By the way, grabbing the knife first is just a habit.
Bam.
I opened the door. I flinched at the silhouette that appeared through the crack in the door. An unexpected figure was standing there.
“Your Majesty?”
“Well, it’s hard to see each other under the same roof. When you have some time, come with me to the Swiss National Bank. That’s also the Nibelungen treasure trove. Don’t worry. It’s not like it’s some kind of financial fraud, haha.”
A silly joke blurted out.
Then, the inspector looks at me with a determined attitude.
“I’ll take care of my own work as well, and I also have some things I want to transfer to you.”
“Transfer… What are you talking about?”
At those words, question marks flashed across my face until the inspector opened his mouth again.
“Do you know Andvaranaut?”
“Yes, I have heard of it.”
“Then, the story will be quick.”
Andvaranaut. Also known as the ‘Ring of the Nibelung’, this relic has been around since mythical times.
“I just thought you might need it.”
It was an artifact.
