Ch. 160
Translator: AkazaTL
Pr/Ed: Sol IX
***
Chapter 160 – The Archipelago (3)
I stepped aside for a while— to listen to the opinions of others.
No matter how many crises I’d overcome alone, outside the way of the sword I was no different from any other young man. I didn’t know the wider world well, and I lacked the insight befitting a “lord.” So—
“Master Arhan, in my eyes it’s a good offer. The Black Archipelago may appear like devils, giving what one needs most and later demanding a price—but their principle of never making an unfair deal is well known. That’s why they’ve survived for so long.”
I had to listen.
“I agree. Even if Sherizik helps us, there’s only me, Tom, Hailyn, and Sherizik. Adding one person at a time won’t be enough to overcome the storms ahead. The territory’s growing—we can build a modest militia—but we still need real backing. The Iron Kingdom isn’t enough. Not even close.”
“The Black Archipelago may be greedy, but they don’t swindle. They’ll squeeze you just enough to make you itch, no more. Later you’ll realize you gave a little more than you should have and mutter, ‘ah, I got the short end of the deal,’ but that’s all. When dealing with them, there’s a saying that always applies: ‘Do you have enough gold prepared?’ It means that without sufficient worth, you’ll pay dearly. But if your worth is great enough, the deal can turn to your favor.”
Even the two perceptive Witches spoke in favor of it.
True, even to me, nothing about the offer felt inherently wrong.
After hearing everyone, the last person I went to was Sancho.
And—
“It’s a fine deal. But… will you be all right, my lord?”
He was asking something different.
“People's safety is indeed important. The land is nothing without them. Seeing the territory being rebuilt, I feel proud—almost nostalgic. If we can ensure their safety, that’s wonderful. But… is that really enough for you?”
“What do you mean?”
“You can’t abandon this land, can you, my lord?”
“……”
“That’s why you stayed even when everyone else left. Even when the place was cursed, even when it turned to ruins—you stayed.”
Sancho struck right at the heart of it.
Yes. I couldn’t abandon this land.
“Some would call it foolish. They’d say: build anew, accept a new title, and start over with your people in a safer place—that’s also a way to carry on the Karavan name. If that’s what you wish, do it. I’ll respect whatever you choose. But… didn’t you pick up the sword so that you wouldn’t have to compromise?”
“……”
“I know you won’t listen to me anyway, my lord.”
Sancho chuckled softly.
“Whatever you decide, I’ll stand with you. Don’t worry.”
…Maybe that was exactly what I wanted to hear.
“I’ll stay with you, to the very end.”
Hearing that, I stepped out of the manor. The cold night air brushed past, and I lifted my gaze toward Liam. There was only one person left whose wisdom I could seek— the First Karavan, who loved this land as much as I did.
“Master, what should I do?”
「Follow your will.」
“I wish to. But… I waver.”
「What wavers?」
“If the world’s flow is heading toward a great war, then for the sake of my trial I must dive into the heart of it. In such a situation, the Black Archipelago’s offer is too tempting. If I relocate my people there, with their full support, everything will go smoothly. I could guard them and still grow stronger through war—freer to move.”
「……」
“But my heart won’t let go of this land.”
I looked up at Liam.
“I feel like I can’t achieve everything I want on my own. Maybe it’s time to compromise, to take a longer route. So I ask—how did you endure alone, Master? How did you achieve Karavan’s glory by yourself?”
The world was racing toward another great war. I didn’t know what Ian Cherville sought, nor what glory drove the other nations to shed blood. All I knew was this— no single person could stop a war. To defy the world’s current, to go against the heavens—was impossible.
I voiced my frustration. Liam answered.
「It is not impossible.」
“Pardon?”
「An individual can defy heaven. Can resist the tide. Can make the impossible possible. The path you walk leads to that very end.」
To defy heaven. To overturn destiny. To make the impossible possible—alone.
“…Swordmaster.”
Yes— only a Swordmaster could do that.
「Young heir, did I not tell you? Once you create your legend and emerge from the Sky Mountains, it will no longer be you enduring the world— it will be the world enduring you.」
“……”
「Do you wish to compromise? Feeling the weight of the world already, little one?」
I wanted to say yes. But—
「Then could you throw it all away? Could you forgive your enemy? Could you live peacefully while Ian Cherville and Carlos conquer the world, praised as heroes? Could you, in your old age, let go of that hatred, call them admirable, and clap your hands? Could you forget the moment your parents died?」
“I could never.”
As I thought— I couldn’t change.
「Of course not. You are like me.」
“……”
「My young heir.」
“Yes.”
「Do not compromise. Do not bow. Do not break yourself. Even if everyone else does, you need not. Steel does not bend.」
Beneath the night sky, Liam’s gaze gleamed like a blade.
「Accept their offer. Gain time. Let the Black Archipelago lend you gold and mercenaries. Be their ‘hero’ for a while.」
“Then…”
「But do not leave this land. Stay here. When the contract ends, when their mercenaries leave, when the endless wars come and this territory seems doomed—fear not. For by then, you will be an absolute being. Able to do anything.」
His voice was heavy— and with it came a killing aura sharp enough to cut the night.
「The Last Karavan, Arhan.」
He called my name.
「The First Karavan will pass to you the true sword of Karavan. Steel will return. And the world will pay for forgetting us.」
The words sent chills down my spine.
「You will become a Swordmaster—before you turn eighteen.」
My master had never once lied about the sword.
「From this moment on, you will prepare for Transcendence.」
Never once.
***
“I knew you’d accept. Even for us, it was a costly offer—one impossible to refuse. From now on, you’ll be our Champion, representing us in the upcoming war on the Southern Continent. We’ll support you fully. Our mercenary legion will arrive soon. They’ll protect your people and help them relocate to the Black Archipelago. Your citizenship papers will also—”
“No. There will be no relocation. I only ask for protection and support. In return, extend the mercenaries’ stay here.”
“…Pardon? What do you mean by that?”
The man frowned.
“This is a golden opportunity, my lord. Are you afraid of the Iron Kingdom’s retaliation? Under our protection, that’s nothing to worry about! Besides, the Iron Kingdom won’t defend this place. They’d plunder it instead.”
“You’re right. But I’ll still protect it myself.”
“You can’t. No matter how great a hero you are, this land’s defenses are pitiful. You can’t protect it from a continental war.”
“I can.”
“How? Unless you plan to fight an army alone—”
“I said I can.”
At my firm tone, the man hummed, then nodded.
“Well, fine. It costs us little to extend the stay anyway. Still, it’s a shame. I hoped to open some trade routes and secure clients here, but I guess that’s gone. This place will fall soon enough.”
“It won’t. Keep the routes open. Our land won’t vanish.”
“I don’t fall for optimism.”
“You’ll regret it later.”
At that, his eyebrow twitched.
“…Regret? Really?”
“If I become someone who can face not just an army but the world itself—what then? If I become someone who can meet any threat, from anyone, with just one sword?”
The man’s stoic face cracked. Then he chuckled—
“Lord Arhan, do you even realize what you’re saying?”
“I do.”
“There’s only one person on the continent capable of that.”
“Yes. A Swordmaster.”
“No. Not even all Swordmasters can. Only one—the greatest of them all.”
“You mean the Master of Ten Swords, Swordmaster Carlos.”
The man stopped smiling.
“Becoming Swordmaster Carlos himself… that’s your goal?”
“It’s always been my goal.”
To kill the Swordmaster— I must become a Swordmaster. To slay the greatest— I must become the greatest.
The moment I succeed in that revenge will be the moment I achieve everything I’ve ever desired.
“Ha… ha-ha, ha-ha-ha!”
The man burst out laughing, as if I’d told the funniest joke. When his laughter subsided, he looked at me half-lidded, amused.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“You’re seventeen. You think you’ll become a Swordmaster and defeat the greatest swordsman on the continent? Do you know how absurd that sounds? More absurd than the first time I got scammed at an auction house—when a man sold me glass beads as diamonds.”
Still smiling, he shook his head.
“Ridiculous. Illogical. And yet… somehow, I like it.”
“……”
“Ah, this is why we wear masks in business—why we’re told never to invest with emotion. But in moments like this… I can’t help it.”
He closed his eyes.
“If I fail, I’ll lose everything—status, wealth, influence. I’ll be ruined, living off soup kitchens in the Black Archipelago. A gamble among gambles.”
“……”
“But if I succeed— I’ll have a bond with the next Swordmaster of the continent, exclusive trade with the strongest man alive, and the chance to be remembered as the investor who saw value before anyone else. It’s the perfect Zeppelin-style investment—buy cheap, believe early, and reap greatness later.”
He murmured to himself, then opened his eyes— and they were glowing gold, radiant enough to blind.
“Good. Decision made.”
“What decision?”
“I’ll invest even more. I’ll pour my personal fortune into this land and pull more funds from elsewhere. We’ll make this territory impregnable—strong enough to withstand even the Iron Kingdom’s Ashen Knights. We’ll expand it from a mere fief to a city-state. If the neighbors interfere, we’ll make it strong enough to stand on its own.”
“…Are you joking?”
“Why would I joke about this?”
It was too good to believe. If he was serious, the Karavan Territory would become a fortress, backed by the gold of the Black Archipelago. No magic corps or petty invasion could breach it.
But— he couldn’t possibly invest without conditions.
“In return—”
Right. There it was.
He pulled a single gold coin from his pocket.
“We’ll decide it by coin toss.”
“A coin toss?”
“If it lands heads-up, I’ll invest as I said. If tails—then no additional deal. Consider it a test of your luck. After all, becoming the greatest swordsman in the world requires divine favor. If heaven won’t bless even this small gamble, why should I believe it’ll bless you?”
“……”
“Heh, you must think this is foolish. But among those who play with gold, superstition runs deep. I’m one of them.”
He flipped the coin between his fingers.
I said:
“It’s not foolish. If I can’t even win this, then I’ll never achieve my goal. Toss it. I won’t complain, whatever happens.”
“Then… ah, one more question before I toss it.”
“What is it?”
“Do you truly believe you can defeat Sir Carlos, the greatest Swordmaster alive? Truly believe it’s within your reach?” His golden eyes gleamed, sharp as a blade.
I didn’t hesitate.
“Yes.”
Ting.
The coin spun high, flashing in the light, then landed neatly in his palm.
“Heads.”
He smiled brightly.
“Then I’ll invest—everything.”
An unexpected windfall.
The Karavan Territory had secured the Black Archipelago’s investment— a gift that felt almost heaven-sent.
“As partners, let me introduce myself properly.”
He extended his hand.
“Zeppelin Gold.”
“…Gold?”
“Yes. That Gold family.”
His golden eyes reflected my face.
“It’s an honor to be your partner. Zeppelin Gold, second son of the ‘Fair Scale,’ one of the Five Great Houses, the House of Gold.”
The descendant of the “Fair Scale.” The ruling bloodline of the Red Bank. The wealthiest among the Five Great Houses. Gold had become my partner.
As I stood dumbfounded, Liam murmured—
「Ho… that impudent brat. So that’s your game?」
I didn’t understand.
「He planned this from the start, it seems. I expected he’d toss something your way once the name Karavan resurfaced, but to hide behind a child and pretend it wasn’t his doing… still as shameless as ever. Still incomplete.」
“Master? What are you talking about?”
「You don’t need to know.」
Liam grinned faintly.
「It’s a matter between old men.」
***
Later, Zeppelin Gold, second son of the House of Gold, sat alone in a remote hut, drawing forth a crystal orb that shimmered with all the colors of light. When he brushed it, the image of a red-haired woman appeared within.
“Godmother! I made the deal, just as you advised.”
「I assume it was a fair one?」
“Of course! Though I added a few… favorable clauses, as you suggested. The rest I decided myself—if this fails, the losses will be enormous.”
He wasn’t lying. The only reason a scion of the Great House of Gold had come to this remote land was because his godmother had told him to. She had said that here, in this forgotten territory, lived someone who could change his life—a descendant of a once-great, now-lost legendary house. The Karavan.
“So… we won’t really go broke, right? If I crash and burn, you’ll at least bail me out, won’t you? You know how impulsive I am—I went all in on this! If it goes south, I’ll be buried in debt!”
「I only gave advice. The decision was yours, boy.」
“Still, it’s nerve-racking.”
「Tell me, did he seem unreliable to you?」
“Hmm…”
Zeppelin hesitated, recalling that moment.
“No, not at all.”
「Why?」
At that question, Zeppelin remembered the coin toss. Because the coin he’d used wasn’t ordinary—it was the enchanted ‘Maiden’s Coin’, which revealed truth and falsehood.
When a question was asked, the coin would show heads for truth, tails for lies. And the result had been—
“He’s a man dreaming a mad dream— and dreaming it sincerely.”
「A mad dream, huh.」
“Such people are the ones you can believe in, hehe.”
Zeppelin grinned brightly.
“Godmother, won’t you invest too? You must be tempted—you told me yourself to be generous with the terms. You said you once owed that legendary house some favor, right? Karvan? Karavan? Hard to pronounce. Anyway, you should invest too!”
「No need.」
“Why? Is it a scam?”
「Tsk, you talk too much. No. I just—”
“Just what?”
On the other side of the orb, the red-haired woman hesitated.
「…I just don’t want him to see my name.」
“Who?”
「Someone. Someone who used to scold me for playing with gold. A vexing old man who mocked me for being foolish. Stronger than me, so I couldn’t even talk back.」
“What insolence! I’ll deal with him myself!”
「Haha. You’re amusing, child.」
“I mean it! No one cares for you like I do, Godmother. My brothers are all obsessed with profit, but I—your devoted Zeppelin—check in every day! Just say the word, and I’ll handle that old man.”
The woman beyond the orb laughed softly.
「…And how will you handle something the Seven Lords and Nine Goddesses themselves could not?」
***
Zeppelin Gold’s aid was invaluable.
The ruined territory was soon restored—no, reborn, shining brighter than ever. He opened trade routes across the continent, and the storehouses overflowed with grain and meat “gifts” for goodwill.
For a moment, I thought—perhaps this man really was an angel sent from heaven.
“The Black Archipelago’s mercenaries… they’re insane.”
The mercenary corps stationed in the Karavan Territory were so elite that calling them “mercenaries” felt insulting. With them in place, the territory reached unprecedented strength.
Thanks to the potions and healers Zeppelin provided, even Hailyn regained consciousness.
Her first words, when she limped outside and saw the glittering new town, were unforgettable.
“Money… money really is the best…”
“……”
No genius administrator could have built such a sight. Only gold could.
Hailyn, still recovering, tried to handle paperwork until Audrey scolded her back into bed.
The two bickered fondly, and even Elizabeth watched with teary eyes.
With Zeppelin’s help, the territory had recovered swiftly from the war’s aftermath. But worry lingered. The true war hadn’t even begun yet. Would this peace hold once the real storm arrived?
No one could be sure.
War devours all.
And so, as always, the answer was simple— to gain more strength.
‘If this were the past, I’d be helpless.’
But now? Now, I could wipe out a Magic Corps battalion alone. Yet still, Karavan could grow stronger. So I would climb higher. Become greater than all.
“Descendant of Steel.”
Of course—
“It’s time you kept your promise.”
Before that, I had something else to do.
“It’s time to retrieve our sisters’ treasure—Thunder.”