Sword Devouring Swordmaster

Translator: AkazaTL

Pr/Ed: Sol IX

***

Chapter 161 「Thunder」 (1)

「Young Master Zeppelin. Have you perhaps been scammed?」

“Not at all. Do you really think I’m the sort to be conned?”

「It sounds like you were conned a lot. Last year you visited the Arman Union and bought what you called a spirit beast from the Sky Mountains — wasn’t it actually just a fox with pretty fur? Because of that the housemaster told us not to trade for a while…」

“Ah, well, that, that was unavoidable. My eye for merchandise was a bit poor, wasn’t it? But this time I invested in a person — a person. My eye for people is good.”

「Really? Before you bought a bunch of magic books and elixirs claiming you were investing in a promising talent, but it turned out the kid had zero magical talent. It came out that the magic university dean staged it to attract investment and it was a huge mess…」

“C-cough! That was because it involved magic! The fellow looked knowledgeable. This time was different! He’s a swordsman, you know? He’s a descendant of Steel, a descendant of Steel!”

「…He probably has talent. But Young Master Zeppelin, you’ve never liked sweating — you’ve never even held a sword before, have you?」

“Hmph! Hmph! Do you really distrust me that much?”

「We all trust you, of course. Who’s kinder than Young Master Zeppelin? But honestly, you don’t seem cut out as a businessman or investor. To be frank, I don’t think you’d keep someone like yourself as a subordinate.」

“Uh, that’s true.”

「Hahaha, Young Master Zeppelin. Anyway, this won’t work. It’s too dangerous. A big war is coming soon — tying up funds somewhere is a huge risk. Weren’t you trying to recruit heroes for that very reason? Plans that go against the current are always risky.」

“But risky plans have big returns, don’t they?”

「That’s true. But the Red Bank is a group that doesn’t need to take unnecessary risks.」

“Phew, I wasn’t going to say this, but actually this was told to me by the Godmother.”

「T-the Godmother told you directly?」

“Yes. See, unlike my brother, I kept in regular contact with the Godmother and it paid off. Heh heh, I borrowed the wisdom of the great Godmother who built Red Bank as it is now.”

「Goodness. Then it can’t be wrong! Is the era of Young Master Zeppelin finally coming? Oh, I thought I’d be supporting you my whole life and then my blood pressure would burst! If the Godmother says it, we can trust it!」

“Did you usually think of me that way?”

「UHAHAHA! The Zeppelin boom is coming!」

“Um, stop changing the subject….”

***

Zeppelin Gold’s investment — or rather, the enormous influx that could only be called patronage — had made the Karavan territory prosperous.

I had heard migrants were pouring in from surrounding regions. As a result, the composition of Karavan territory’s population, which had once been summarized as elderly and farmers, changed somewhat. It had become a land overflowing with young people and children. People had come here not only from the Verdí region but from other places as well.

“Other regions’ situations were similar.”

“Is it similar?”

“The Iron Kingdom abandoned places outside its major cities. Aside from this place, the rest were occupied by the Mage Corps or were destroyed by the Iron Legions. Those who came to the Karavan territory were the ones who barely escaped, or those who fled preemptively for fear of what would happen.”

Yes. Karavan territory had been unusual. Other lands could not have withstood the Machine Empire’s raids. Thus countless refugees had flowed in, and among them were people with usable skills. The influx of new people — the land was recovering and gaining vitality.

“So this is the place—”

“No! We have to do it like this!”

A genius at managing a domain.

Even after nearly dying, Hailyn worked feverishly and took on all manner of administration. With Hailyn and Audrey active, the territory somehow kept running.

The Black Archipelago’s mercenary corps, besides guarding this place, had even built a fortress.

The refugees who could fight helped, and the work became easier. After normalization and the beginning of new development, I gathered the neighbors helping me and said,

“We must depart again.”

“If we leave?”

“In exchange for Witch Elizabeth’s help, we had promised to find the witches’ treasure as soon as the territory returned to normal. We even swore we would not delay, so we had to go at once.”

Right. We had to leave almost as soon as we arrived. Those who heard me were disappointed, but most agreed.

“In the end, you moving out there is right. Since you returned from the Sky Mountains your spirit has become incredibly strong. With the Red Bank’s investment, the domain should be fine.”

That was reassuring. But I could not shake my unease. Hailyn, who saw me, said,

“Don’t worry and come back safely.”

“Next time, don’t overdo it — if it’s dangerous, run.”

“No. I won’t run. Above all, I realized we needed to be able to survive without our lord. I found that magic learned from Audrey alone was insufficient. So I’ll refine a power that suits me more. Of course, I won’t neglect domain management!”

“What will you refine?”

“Shamanism. The orcs’ shamanic arts.”

Hailyn’s eyes sparkled.

“Sherizik said she would stay here and help me a little. She said she would teach the star rites. Forgotten black magics too.”

Forgotten black magic, star rites. I glanced at Sherizik.

“Is that really okay? It sounds dangerous.”

“It’s dangerous. If the Sky Empire finds out, they could come and execute us.”

“Eh?”

“If we don’t get caught, it’s fine.”

Hmm.

“That’s true.”

She had a point.

“My body will recover soon. This old man might be an old man, but in my prime I would have taken a few of those Ashen Knights as traveling companions.”

“Taking them as traveling companions? Please live long and well.”

“Fortunately, the Ashen Knights won’t chase us any more. I showed them this old man was not to be trifled with, and even if I was only a half-Sword Expert, they would have to risk a lot to deal with me. Cunning lot.”

Tom, still not fully recovered, smiled brightly.

Tom, wounded, and Audrey decided to remain in the territory. Sherizik also stayed this time to teach Hailyn. This journey would be one I had to take alone.

“Go, young master.”

Tom patted my shoulder. Then he delivered some welcome news.

“You won’t need to worry so much. When I went up to the city briefly to ask the corps for help, I heard some news from the Eastern Continent. The Great Land is quite stirred up right now. A certain swordsman who appeared there is tearing up the Great Plains.”

“……”

“The Easterners call that swordsman ‘the Black Bride.’”

The Black Bride.

“She will return soon, much stronger than before.”

***

The Witches’ treasure.

It had been quite some time since I had accepted that request. I gained several things from taking the witches’ contract. For one, Audrey, a dependable magic force, joined my party and helped, and I had absorbed the legend contained within 「Flight」 and grown. If I had not absorbed the legendary adventurer’s soul, or if Audrey had not been with me so far, many situations would have been difficult. Now it was time to pay the price.

“…You really solved Labyrinthos?”

“It wasn’t a difficult cipher. It was difficult because there were no rules. It was a design that only the person who made it could solve. No hints, no clues.”

The old owner of 「Flight」.

The cipher had been made by Icarus, the son of the old adventurer. Icarus was a genius inventor famed even in the Sky Empire; the cipher wasn’t complex. It was simply unsolvable. He had made it to remember the last moments with his father. It wasn’t made to be solved by someone else, but to be treasured — like the puzzles he and his father pieced together when he was a child.

“So if we match this, the location is…”

“The Krevelin Great Forest.”

Krevelin Great Forest. One of the continent’s reserved regions alongside the Sky Mountains.

“The Witches’ treasure was hidden in the ‘Storm River’ located in the northern part of the Krevelin Great Forest.”

“No wonder we hadn’t meddled with it until now.”

Yes. The ‘Storm River’ was a dangerous place. Just as danger varied within the Sky Mountains — another reserved region — the vast Krevelin Great Forest contained particularly perilous areas. One of them was the Storm River: a place where storms always raged and countless dangers lurked.

‘Besides, Krevelin Great Forest was the land of the fair folk.’

I had a bad relationship with the elves.

‘High Elf Nadin.’

When the capital of the Iron Kingdom, the Blade City Cherville, had been attacked, the old high elf had seen through my identity. High Elf Nadin, thinking of ‘Karavan,’ had said that the very flow of Steel Blood was a sin and that I should never have appeared in the world. He had even taunted me.

‘I even provoked him by saying, “When I get stronger later, we’ll meet again.”’

Yes. It was a clear provocation. At the time I thought we wouldn’t meet for a while. But—

‘I’m still not strong enough yet.’

If we met again. Could I win?

‘No.’

The answer was impossible.

‘That mad old elf’s rampage messed up our journey. He was like one with the forest. That lunatic old man who alone entered the Iron Kingdom’s capital, ran riot, and returned alive….’

My head spun. But unlike me, Elizabeth smiled.

“That’s fortunate. The Krevelin Great Forest was dangerous, but it was still a part of the forest. And the descendant of Steel had a treasured sword with part of the Earth Spirit King Gaia within it, didn’t you? The Sky Father would surely help.”

“……”

“Phew! Unless you committed a great wrong against the fair folk or were marked an enemy by the beastkin, it’ll be a piece of cake!”

Hmm.

“Can’t we send someone else?”

“Eh? This is something the descendant of Steel would do best. Besides, you have the specific memories of the legendary adventurer — you going is the most certain thing.”

“I’m not on good terms with those fair folk.”

A piece of cake. I didn’t think I could eat it.

“…Tell me the details.”

Elizabeth’s bright face crumpled. When the story ended, Elizabeth put her hands on her head.

“No, why, why does nothing ever go right?”

“I’m sorry.”

“You are the embodiment of misfortune. Your mere existence is ominous. From now on, the continent’s scholars will designate you, not a raven, as the symbol of misfortune, print it in textbooks, and make the seven races of the continent know: ‘Arhan Karavan is the very symbol of ill fortune…’”

“……”

“I never thought I’d see a person who provoked High Elf Nadin in my life.”

Ah. I said sorry.