《Reincarnation of the Sword Master》 Chapter 1 - Prologue Chapter 1 ¨C Prologue Translated, Edited and Proofread by : betterdays He was ten years old when he first held a sword in his hands. It was a wooden stick that was gifted to him by his younger sister that could barely even qualify to be called a ¡®sword¡¯. But, that was all he needed to start swinging the sword. It¡¯s not that he devoted too much of his time to practicing with the sword, that it would interfere with his everyday life. He was still able to get some reasonable hours of sleep and made sure to eat all of his daily meals. His parents didn¡¯t comment on his excessive devotion of time towards the sword, nor did they outright take it away from him. However every second he spent when he was all by himself, was with the sword. He didn¡¯t take breaks to rest his body in between, nor did he play with the other kids his age that were playing the neighborhood games. Even when his parents grew mad at his sister for giving him, a ten year old, a sword as a gift, he didn¡¯t stop. He trained and trained till the blisters on the palms of his hands burst into bloody lumps. But after a year or two, his parents saw that despite their initial thoughts and displeasure with him learning swordsmanship, he was serious and incredibly tenacious about it. When he asked them eventually if he could leave to see the world beyond his town with his own sword in hand, they gave in and let him travel. He left and finally entered a prestigious academy that had produced the Great Swordmaster Heinz. Even in this place he did not stop or hesitate in his resolve to swing the sword. He spent 4 years there. At the academy, he had become famous among the other students. All he did was swing his sword all moments of the day, and the other students called him names and shunned him for being weird. Among all these nicknames was one that truly stuck out. Dunjae. He was slow paced. Though he practiced harder than anybody at the academy, he was still weak. Even after graduating, his record in duels was a losing one. His classmates mocked him, his juniors despised him and looked at him as if he were a degenerate, his seniors thought that he was gutter trash. Despite all of the hardship he faced, he still swung his sword. After the 4 years he spent at the academy and graduated, he came back home to his parents. When they saw him return home, they were utterly delighted at the fact their son might have found a new passion for something else rather than swinging a silly sword. But, nothing had changed and they grew desperate to ensure their son would have a decent future. Regardless of any expectations or worries that others placed on him, he continued to just swing his sword. 5 years had passed. His appearance was no longer that of a young boy, but rather a young man. Some said if you devoted yourself to one thing and one thing only for ten years, you could make it your craft. But, it didn¡¯t seem like that saying applied to him. He was weak, slow and untalented. It wasn¡¯t as if it was like his skills didn¡¯t improve at all¡­ it¡¯s just his pace was slower than a snail¡¯s. His parents grew sick of his obsession with the sword and felt he was going absolutely nowhere with his life. They wanted him to take over the family business and live happily. But, even then he refused. He continued to swing his sword until finally, he found some results. He passed the admissions for becoming a basic Guardsman. It was basically just a post that guarded towns and local areas. Him securing this job was the result of his accumulated 11 years of swinging his sword relentlessly. The test that was given to the aspiring-to-be high ranking imperial guards, was nothing short of brutal. Even if you passed, you would be stuck there in that position for 2-3 years due to the contracts needing people that would not leave the position and work sincerely. An ordinary person would have committed suicide they said due to the incredibly harsh life they lived and their conditions stated. But, he just swung his sword. He didn¡¯t mind the job at all and actually enjoyed that he could swing his sword freely. His colleagues weren¡¯t too bad and the food was edible. One day, an order from the top rewarded him with a plaque for his exemplary service. He was someone to be a role model in the workplace due to his diligence and compliant attitude. But he just gave it a shrug and continued to swing his sword. He remained there and ten years had passed since then. In the time that it took nature to go through several cycles of life; eroding the ground and the earth below it, and countless cycles of plant life, the young man turned into an official imperial guard. But, not once did he forget to swing his sword. One day there was a countrywide summons within the Empire. A Demonic Dragon was rampaging the fields in the West of the Empire and ruining a massive portion of the Empire¡¯s food and livestock. Due to this, several swordmasters and wizards were mobilized. After two whole years of trying to hunt the dragon down, the Empire and its forces had won. The one who slayed the Dragon, was rewarded with the title of Count and received the lands they had reclaimed from the East. But, he just swung his sword. Another 10 years had passed. He had become Captain of the Guards. They told him that it was enough time, and that he should take a break. But, he just smiled and told them he wasn¡¯t too old to be able to take care of himself. So he just swung his sword. The rumors circulated that the Demon King had reappeared from his slumber of 300 years. All those who were proficient in any field of their own were conscripted. Even some of the guards under his command were forced to prepare. After 10 years of fighting, The Demon King fell. The warrior who had taken the Demon King¡¯s life, lifted the severed head of the fallen king and cried out that peace had finally come. That warrior had gotten close to the Princess throughout all this time, and was able to marry her and live happily. The day when the marriage happened, which was known as the marriage of blessings, felt like it was right out of a storybook. However, he just swung his sword quietly by himself like always. And yet, another 10 years later. Following the Dragon Slayer and the Warrior who bested the Demon King, several and numerous heroes appeared. The legendary sorcerer of the Tower, The King of the East, the Queen of the North Seas. and the Druid of the deep Forest. Among all were the absolute Grandmaster of the Sword who could truly cut the sky. Countless heroes shook the world, sparking the flames of excitement within young men to chase their dreams. The era of adventurers and heroes had officially begun. Nobody clicked their tongues at him anymore. Nobody gave him looks of disdain. Only respect and reverence remained for the man who swung his sword countlessly for years and years almost religiously. 20 years. He had retired from the position he held as the Captain of the Guards. This was because his body was now too old and unable to perform the duties he used to be able to fulfill with his once youthful body. The Empire had compensated him well. He had received a good pension and even a house to himself. Most would think he would finally give his old body a rest and hire a housekeeper to keep the house clean for him, while he would sit on a rocking chair watching the neighborhood children play in peace. But, no. Against all expectations, he continued to swing his sword. His body was getting old and could not move properly like it used to. He was at the age where one normally used a cane to just walk straight rather than be wielding a sword. His body would become exhausted in just the span of 100 breaths. Even so his resolve did not waver. Then again, another 10 years had passed¡­ Those who had lived and grown up in the same era as him, had met the end of their time and were sleeping 6 feet under the ground. The world was surely and slowly forgetting about him. But, he just swung his sword without hesitation. Pat- The sword fell out of his wrinkled hands and hit the ground. He couldn¡¯t overcome the body¡¯s limits when it came to old age. He picked up his sword again and used it as his cane. He brought it to his waist and assumed a neutral stance, ready to swing once more and he did. And one more time, he fell again. But, as always he continued to pick himself back up. As he picked himself up, he had a thought. It was a thought he had never really had brought up. ¡®Why am I doing all of this?¡¯ He had no talent. He swung the sword all his life, but he couldn¡¯t even reach the mid-stages of mastery, let alone the pinnacle. He had numerous amounts of small enlightenments, but they were negligible. He received disdain and mockery most of his life. But never. Never did let go of his sword. He just liked the sword. All his life, he looked at the rusted and dented stainless-steel sword in his hand. It was worn down and looked like it could break or snap at any moment. His sword was his everything. ¡°Huh?¡± His old wrinkled face cracked into a subtle smile. It was something he picked up with time and old age. He had seen it all, all the flows and mannerisms of the sword. At least he thought so. As always he once again wielded his sword indifferently. Hundreds and thousands of movements and trajectories of movement unfolded in his mind as his body followed naturally. But something was fundamentally different this time despite the exact same movements as before. ¡®What?¡¯ Wshh- A pure, white flame shone brilliantly as it enveloped the sword in it¡¯s warm embrace. For the first time in his life, embarrassment filled his eyes. It was the tell-tale sign of something incredible. The passionate fiery energy that was unique to individuals who attained that level that could burn through everything. Aura. Throughout the entirety of the Empire, there were only 10 people that had attained the level he had finally reached. Only 10 people from vast millions. A Swordmaster. Sssizzz- The blazing white fire that seemed it could purify the entirety of the night fizzled out. He dropped his sword unnaturally. He gurgled and spat out dark red liquid into his hands as he laughed bitterly with a satisfied smile. He could feel it instinctively, he was dying right now. It had been less than an hour of finally attaining aura, and yet his time was up. He slowly fell to the floor. His body started to lose its strength and his vision started to blur. Even now, he didn¡¯t stop thinking of the sword. The only thing in his mind was the image of the sword. He wanted to engrave it for all its entirety and beauty into his mind when he passed. He then closed his eyes, taking his final breath. He suddenly opened his eyes again. He saw a wooden stick. It was more appropriate to call it a tree branch since it wasn¡¯t even properly maintained. He blinked. He woke up in embarrassment and was amazed. His body¡­ it felt light. As he brought his hands over his arm, he could instinctively differentiate the differences and that he was in a child¡¯s body. ¡°What?¡± Even the voice just now was strange to him. A child¡¯s unique, energetic and light-hearted voice. He looked around his surroundings and his gaze fell on the ¡®stick¡¯ The memory was so old and faint, but he knew the moment he saw it. It was his sword. It was the very first sword he picked and held in his hands. As he reached his hands out he picked it up in his hands and felt the familiar roughness and dextrous edge to the wood. He then raised his sword. Chapter 1 ¨C Fin Chapter 2 - Reincarnation (1) Chapter 2 ¨C Reincarnation (1) Translated, Edited and Proofread by : betterdays As he looked around his surroundings, he saw the hallway. Holding his wooden sword in one hand, he observed the colorful patterns on the wall and the vases laid down on the tables. When he looked at the railings and corners of the ceiling that were laden with bricks he pondered for a moment. He frowned, it felt awkward to put it simply. This couldn¡¯t be reality. It had to be a fantasy. But, yet his senses were screaming at him that this was real. He took his steps carefully and approached the end of the corridor and came out the entrance of the building he was in. As he came outside a young, teenage girl came and approached him. ¡°Hello Asher.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­¡± He looked at the girl silently, her nose was sharp and small along with vibrant red hair. She probably turned several boys heads¡¯ around her age, but to Asher it just looked cute at best. He knew that if she aged further and matured she was sure to become beautiful and capture any man¡¯s heart. She wore clothes that were easy to work with and donned a sword at her waist. Seeing her, Asher realized that he had beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He drew the conclusion from the girl¡¯s attire and his sweaty forehead that he must have been exercising recently. Seeing Asher¡¯s visible confusion, she looked towards him with an ambiguous face. ¡°Did you wake up late? Are you skipping your chores now?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±, Asher continued to stay silent. She clicked her tongue wistfully as she contained a look of disappointment in her golden eyes. ¡°Fine do whatever you want, The adults will do it eventually anyways.¡±, the girl spoke as she left him to go back to the building he had just come out of. ¡°Asher..¡±, he muttered to himself. The girl had referred to him as Asher. It seemed that was his name, and though it seemed impossible; he seemed to have died but come back to a time when he was younger or some kind of alternate reality. As he tried to think more in depth about it, he felt a sharp pain from the searing headache he was suffering from. Instinctively he looked at the wooden sword in his hand out of reflex. As he did, the pain slowly dissipated. Gathering his wits about him, Asher moved. He left the mansion¡¯s premises and walked out to the bustling street. As he looked out to the street and it¡¯s several activities, He felt enamored as he looked at the several groups of people intermingling with each other. The uncle that was selling fruit at his stand. The kids around him that were laughing with bright smiles on their faces, playing tag. A baker handing out warm bread to some children and their mothers with a gentle smile. The neighborhood grandpa who leaned against the rocking chair he was sitting in while feeding the pigeons. It was obviously all familiar to him, yet awkward at the same time. Asher blended into the crowd and walked around. Some people clicked their tongues as they looked at him with contempt and scorn, but eventually just ignored his presence and kept walking. Soon, he arrived at the gates guarding the entrance to the town he lived in. ¡°What do you want Asher?¡± The guard that was guarding the entrance frowned with contempt at him. But that didn¡¯t deter him from stating what he had come for to the guard. ¡°I want to go to the back mountains.¡±, Asher stated in a brusque manner. ¡°It¡¯s too late to go, but it¡¯s not like it¡¯s my business anyways. It¡¯s getting incredibly dark and I won¡¯t be able to see too far and save you if you get caught up in something. I won¡¯t say anything since the Lord protects you but, don¡¯t think for once second that applies to the townsfolk or even me.¡± The guard spoke with a firm and disrespectful tone towards him. ¡°What that lady shows is simple interest in you. Don¡¯t assume it means anything else.¡±, the guard continued his rant. ¡°¡­ ¡­¡± Asher remained silent. There was really nothing more to be said anyways. As he moved past the guard, the muscles in his feet and legs started to tense up as he darted forward with the old movement technique he used in the past. It was a bit sloppy but, there was little to no hesitation in his movements. He was unused to using his experienced movement techniques in a younger body frame, but he started to adjust since his mind and soul remembered and ingrained every movement into his mind in the past with diligence. After a while, he came to a clearing in the middle of the mountain and stopped his movement. ¡°Hooh¡­ huu..¡± Asher caught his breath since his endurance still wasn¡¯t up to par with this underage body of his. As he leaned against a tree, he glanced around with his longing eyes. It was a place he had always practiced at in the past. An empty patch of forestry that he practiced in all his life, but right now none of that was here. It was filled with trees and shrubbery; barely any room to swing his sword. He had spent years here in this place in the past and had fonder memories than when he was in his own home. Yet, it wasn¡¯t quite the same which was odd. Nothing really had changed though, as he took in the distinct smell of the air and let the cool breeze hit his skin. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Asher took in a deep inhale of air and focused his grip around the rough and stiff wooden sword. He then swung down in a swift and sharp motion. Booung- There was a sound of air pressure resisting slightly against his hands and sword through the motion and he frowned. He took note and knew he needed to go again, but with a much more simpler and delicate touch while keeping the firmness within the slash. Imperial Swordsmanship. It was the representative and unique form of sword art that represented the Empire. All citizens of the empire were given a fair chance to learn and practice this form. The Emperor who ruled 50 years ago was a man who believed in simplicity and minimalistic errors. Through this, a sword art based on his beliefs and tendencies was created and widely distributed to all local and prestigious academies throughout the empire. Because of the mass distribution and implementation into the academies learning, this time was called the ¡®age of knights¡¯. The movement of the sword in Asher¡¯s hands made strange movements, but moved incredibly smooth and unhindered in the air. It was obviously a high-level form of swordsmanship for any 10 year old boy to be making despite the errors and flaws Asher could see. Any swordmaster could see the diligence from practice in Asher¡¯s swings and would praise him for it. But, it would just end with a compliment because of the limitations of the art. Since it was based on minimalistic movements and simplicity, it was a defensive type of art in nature, making no apparent flaws. But because the art was so simplistic in nature, it didn¡¯t make any sophisticated moves and there was little-to-no explosiveness in the form. It was also called marketable swordsmanship since it was so plain and had no defining characteristics, making it somewhat of a base swordsmanship for swordsmen to build their fundamentals with. Asher moved his sword once more. This time, the sword moved with a brusque but firm movement that cut into the space around him and expanded his domain of movement. It was to secure his distance properly. Asher had practiced this swordsmanship all throughout his previous life. From the age of 10, right until death. There was a nickname for imperial swordsmanship among other swordsmen. It was the ¡®sword¡¯ itself. The practice and art of imperial swordsmanship had clear and definitive limits to it¡¯s capabilities. Many others throughout Asher¡¯s past life had told him to practice other forms of swordsmanship, and he had just ignored them. It wasn¡¯t that he was prideful or arrogant. If anything, his reasoning was quite modest and humble. ¡®I simply didn¡¯t have enough talent.¡¯ He slowly moved his arms methodically, and drew a circle in the air that maintained its absolute perfect symmetry. The wind coalesced and moved in direct accordance to the sword¡¯s movement and the grass moved and trembled seemingly in accordance to the motion. It¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t even try to learn other forms. In fact becoming the captain of the guards gave him multiple opportunities to learn more dynamic and acute forms. However, he tried them all for about a month before ultimately giving up on them. It wasn¡¯t like he lacked any effort. It was just the same answer as before. He lacked talent. He continued to turn his body slowly along with the sword¡¯s trajectory as if painting a canvas and using the air around him as the brush. It surrounded the sword effortlessly at this point and the grass slowly tilted around silently. Despite the simplicity with imperial swordsmanship, it was made for those who could surpass and transcend human limits. He had no talent in any other form or sword art so he simply practiced the one he was good with. The leaves shook with vigour in the wind. The small circle he was drawing earlier with the sword started to pick up a natural current around him that swirled like a vortex with him in the center. Hoooowukkk- The air and leaves around him swirling in the vortex suddenly pushed out in all directions as Asher burst out into laughter. ¡°How can this even be? Hahaha!¡± Even when he had met the unknown girl who seemed to give him a sorrowful and almost pitying gaze, even when he met the guard who scorned at him openly as well as received looks of disdain like before. Even when he looked around at the same place and town with completely different people around him it didn¡¯t mean anything until he confirmed it with his sword. And he had done just that. It was clear as day what it meant. This was reality. ¡ª ¡®Just what is happening then?¡¯ Asher looked quietly at his hand. No, rather it was the hand of a boy who had not practiced the sword at all. There were no calluses or signs of his old self anywhere to be seen. Even swinging the sword around lightly just earlier had made his palms sting and his fingers red. Absolutely weak. His physical constitution was abysmal in this body. In the past, he had never missed a single day of training. There was no useless fat on his body and his muscles were toned and definitive. But, on this body it was like working with a twig that could snap at any given moment. Asher decided to focus on trying to piece together what was happening right now. He closed his eyes and thought deeply. He was certainly in reality since he had completely confirmed it with his sword. He felt somewhat awkward due to the adjustment he needed with this body and the fact that the places and people were somewhat similar but had clear and defining differences from how he remembered them to be. ¡®I died.¡¯ His life was certainly over. And he thought about it, it was certain he had lived a long life. He was over 80 years old. He had outlived many people he knew. His friends died off much younger than he did, and not many people in the entire continent had lived that long. But none of that mattered now. ¡®And now I¡¯m alive.¡¯ He let out a small laugh subconsciously as he could not believe it. No matter how real and crazy it all was, it was staring him right in the face. Did he get to start a new life from scratch? Was it the afterlife? Or was he in a completely new world? ¡®No way.¡¯ His surroundings had seemingly changed a lot, but this is the place he grew up when he was a child. He couldn¡¯t believe it, but the evidence was there. It was some kind of rebirth. To live his life again. But why? Suddenly, an old fairy tale that he was told as a child came to mind at that moment. A young man had died sorrowfully and was given a chance to go back and relive his life over again. He righted all the wrongs he made and used it to solve all his regretful decisions he made in his past life. ¡®I didn¡¯t live such a wild and passionate life. At least it wasn¡¯t much of a life to leave behind regrets.¡¯ Others might say otherwise, but he certainly thought so. He swung his sword all throughout his life. He didn¡¯t reach the realm of sword mastery or the pinnacle but it was satisfactory to him at least. ¡®Wait no.¡¯ He had achieved the qualifications though. Aura. It shone with a brilliant white luster. A purifying and beautiful color. It was the realm of all possibilities. The realm of the Swordmaster. He had spent decades after decades swinging his sword without stopping and made do with what he had in terms of lacking talent. ¡°Ha..Hahah..HAHAHA!¡± A satisfying laughter spilled out and erupted from the corners of his mouth in a huge smile. Tears flowed freely as he cried. He had done it. Against all odds, when everyone thought he wouldn¡¯t ever do it and even he himself didn¡¯t. He somehow had done it. ¡°I thought I had given it all up. But it¡¯s still there.¡± There was the question of why his aura was white, since no one had the color of white aura among those who had been able to attain it. But he didn¡¯t care about that. He just wanted to be happy with what he had been able to reach. He thought about all the feelings that were surfacing and looked at the wooden sword in his hand. It was just a gift that his little sister had bought him in his past life for his tenth birthday. But it had shaken him to the core, and made his life worth living. ¡°¡­ ¡­¡± Asher did not know why he had been given a new life. Maybe it was some trick played on him by the Gods, or maybe somebody wanted to see what he would do when given purpose and a chance. But none of that mattered. He knew what to do. No. There was only one thing he had ever done and was the only thing to do. He raised his sword confidently and his hair fluttered in the wind. Chapter 2 ¨C Fin Chapter 3 - Reincarnation (2) Chapter 3 ¨C Reincarnation (2) Translated, Edited and Proofread by : betterdays Buuong Buuong The wooden sword swung freely through the air and split through the flow of the breeze. Asher turned his foot on a pivot and hit his foot on the ground with a firm discipline in his movement. There was a popping sound that cracked in the air with a harsh sound. ¡°Huh, what?¡± A girl¡¯s voice resounded at the entrance to the mansion. Ignoring her, Asher continued to swing his sword and practice with focused eyes. As she came closer with a quiet and meek voice her figure became visible in the periphery of Asher¡¯s eyesight. ¡°¡­ Asher what are you doing right now?¡± ¡°I am practicing my swordsmanship, Miss.¡± Even though Asher did not know this girl at all from his memories of his past life, the answer came out naturally as if it was something habitual for him. ¡®Is that kid my employer or something?¡¯ Ignoring the useless thoughts in his head he turned his gaze away from her and focused back on practicing with his sword. As the girl with red hair heard Asher¡¯s blunt response, she turned her gaze and looked at her sword in her hand with ambiguous eyes. It was the same girl that had berated him yesterday for ¡®skipping his chores¡¯. ¡°I can see that clearly, but why are you doing that?¡±, she asked him as if his actions were completely unexpected. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡±, he responded with a flippant attitude. As she heard his response and saw him continuing to swing his sword uninterrupted, her mouth opened and once again spoke with a despondent voice. ¡°¡­ Something is weird. Who are you?¡± ¡°I am simply Asher, Miss.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, the Asher I know never practiced with the sword and wouldn¡¯t even be able to look me in the eye when trying to talk to me. Not only that he never had this kind of confidence.¡± The girl grabbed her sword with vigilant eyes. With just a glance Asher could tell her posture was solid and her foundations were well-built. ¡°Who are you really?¡±, she asked warily but with slight hostility apparent in her voice. Asher panicked. It was clear that the girl was picking up on the differences in personality between the real ¡®Asher¡¯ and his previous life. If he stood still and didn¡¯t try to defend himself, she would really stab him. He quickly wiped the sweat from his forehead and faced her trying to hide his confusion. ¡°I think I¡¯ve lost some of my memories.¡± ¡°¡­what?¡± ¡°Since I woke up this morning, I¡¯ve been trying to remember memories that are feeling incredibly faint to me. Everything is jumbled in my head and it feels like my memory is fading away. The only thing I can really remember are bits and pieces like your name, Lady Reika.¡± How would she react to this clumsy excuse? Asher observed the girl closely with his guard slightly up. As he woke up and came out into the lot to practice his sword early in the morning for his regular routine from his past life, the memories of ¡®Asher¡¯ were slowly coming to him. It was as if his soul and Asher¡¯s soul were steadily merging together their experiences. But only names of people and places that were relevant to Asher surfaced to him. No matter how much he tried to pry further into the mess of memories the old Asher contained, nothing came to mind for him. He contemplated outright lying to her, but it seemed like the previous owner of this body had some kind of deep relationship with the girl in front of him, so it would be quite unfortunate if he tried to lie and she caught him on it. So his solution was to tell the truth from the beginning, albeit mixing and hiding some important facts about his true identity of course. He wasn¡¯t quite sure if his manner of speaking was weird or didn¡¯t match with the culture or timeline here. If anything, he was just worried about talking like an old man of sorts, so he tried his best to remember how to talk like a child once again and decided to try his best to match the age of his current body. The girl stuttered with a confused look and lowered her guard a bit, noticing the truthfulness in his words. ¡°Oh, you lost your memory?¡± ¡°Yeah, for some reason I thought that if I tried to wield the sword, my memories might come back to me, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be the case. I keep drawing a blank on my memories right now.¡± ¡°¡­ Last year at KangKaid Lake.¡± Asher stared wordlessly at the seemingly random words the girl had just spoken. Seeing his stoic expression, the girl frowned. ¡°It must be true, seeing that you have no response.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Just something you would at least show a reaction about if you had your memories.¡± Reika frowned seeing Asher tilt his head in confusion at her. It was something that Asher would never forget if he had his memories. ¡°It was the case with the horse stables.¡± ¡°What exactly happened again?¡± ¡°You almost burnt down the horse stables. You were trying to shoot off fireworks and got in huge trouble.¡± Asher didn¡¯t know exactly what he did there at KangKaid Lake, but the fact the previous body¡¯s owner tried to burn down the horse stables was no joke. ¡°I wasn¡¯t kicked out of the mansion¡±, Asher muttered to himself. ¡°My parents, the nobility ruling over this mansion blocked the news from spreading across to other towns and avoided us being disgraced. Anyone else would have been fired if they did what you tried to do but, you¡¯re a little¡­ different than the other employees we have employed. And well, my mother specifically covered for you.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Asher nodded and understood at that point just why the entire town looked at him with scornful gazes. Being an employee that did not follow an employer¡¯s will and almost ruined the employers public image. No matter how much the power structure was fading, the nobilities still held some power. But trying to burn the local stables was a crime that should definitely be punished for. ¡°Did you really lose your memory?¡± ¡°Is there any reason for me to lie?¡± ¡°No, but¡­¡± Reika glared at him with a questionable face. It was totally reasonable to not want to believe something so unusual like losing one¡¯s memories. ¡°But you just don¡¯t seem like you..¡± ¡°Are you talking about doppelgangers? If you want to call a priest for a blessing to check, you¡¯re more than welcome to do so.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case. Besides, why would a doppelganger be dwelling in you when they don¡¯t even exist anymore in this day and age? That would just be weird.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± As Asher spoke slowly, noticing that there were some stark differences from his previous life like the existence of doppelgangers, he saw Reika¡¯s eyes turn somewhat wary and guarded again, but at least now they weren¡¯t hostile. ¡°Okay sure. You lost your memories, but that still doesn¡¯t explain why your personality is all of a sudden so easygoing.¡± ¡°Because of the very act of losing my memories, I think my mind is just unfocused on other aspects of my life as I¡¯m just solely trying to recover my memories at the moment. The best thing to do is just try and retain my normal routine. I had something I had been meaning to ask you anyways, Miss.¡± ¡°What is that? ¡°If what you said is true, then why are you having a peaceful conversation with me right now? Wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to despise me like everybody else?¡± While the previous owner was employed by the estate, he had acted as Asher in a disgraceful manner to the Lord. As an employee or servant, he represented the image of Reika¡¯s parents. And if he acted disgracefully as she had said, then it would be more reasonable for her to despise him like everybody else. ¡°Your behavior only affects my parents¡¯ image and not my own. I have no reason to even care about such trivial things.¡± As she said, it really didn¡¯t mean much in reality but most nobles were quite petty especially growing up as children. ¡°I don¡¯t know about the details, but that case was still within the acceptable range of tolerance it seemed with my parents. You knew that as well and it seems you have adjusted your behavior slightly as a result to be somewhat less troublesome. I don¡¯t know why my parents bother keeping you around but as I said, it¡¯s not my business.¡± Asher noticed that it seems his excuse had paid off and that if the old owner was remorseful for anything that he had done, then his behavior might match his current one as a mature, adult-like presence. But Reika did not seem to care and was somewhat detached from her emotions regarding him. She just saw him as something not worth her time. ¡°Hmph, you¡¯ve lost your memories? Well at least this might actually be something good and maybe you¡¯ll stop your childish antics. Now please stop bothering me now Asher.¡± She was rather cold with him, but he didn¡¯t really mind. Asher smiled bitterly realizing the view she had of him, or at least ¡®Asher¡¯. It was neither hate, nor contempt but rather, complete disregard for his very existence. It was an emotion that wasn¡¯t typically seen at a girl her age. Most people that had that cynical view on life, were further along in their lives. But as she said, it didn¡¯t matter now at all. In fact it rather might play off well and be seen as Asher turning over a new leaf. He could live freely as he did in the past since nobody had any expectations for him anyways. ¡°Then, thank you very much for your time Lady Reika.¡±, Asher spoke as he bowed slightly. ¡ª ¡°Eh, this isn¡¯t the time to talk, what a complete waste of training time.¡± Reika drew her sword close to her body. She took stance and started her swing. The tip of the sword shook strangely and proceeded in it¡¯s trajectory. The form of the sword moved like a snake. Asher muttered under his breath. ¡°It¡¯s Lepenia¡¯s swordsmanship¡± ¡°Oh, you know what kind of swordsmanship this is?¡± ¡°It seems like my memories regarding the sword didn¡¯t disappear. Seeing your movement Reika, you must have been learning for a bit over 4 years?¡± Reika furrowed her brows and looked at Asher with a confused and cynical look. ¡°Even if you lose your memories, how can you know so much about swordsmanship all of a sudden? It seems like I should lose my memory once or twice seeing that it¡¯s doing wonders for you.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t recommend trying to lose your memories. Anyways, I have something to ask. Are you satisfied with that swordsmanship as it is?¡± ¡°Well.. It¡¯s all I have to practice at the moment¡­¡± ¡°That swordsmanship.¡± Asher pointed at her sword and chuckled lightly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it incomplete?¡± ¡°¡­What¡­ how so?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you a solution for it, but in return I want you to lend me some time to talk after the training session.¡± ¡°Huh, what do you want to talk about?¡±, Reika took a step out of her stance to catch her breath as Asher shook his head to clear any misunderstandings she might have. ¡°It¡¯s not anything weird. My memories are still jumbled up. I just want to know what the current time is like and the things about this place. Things like that.¡± ¡°Ah, okay. I can tell you later if it¡¯s only that much.¡± ¡°I want to know as soon as possible really. Wouldn¡¯t you like to take a break anyways?¡± ¡°Well¡­ okay. What are you curious about?¡± Reika put her sword down ash Asher started to get a little nervous about what to ask. Well first. He decided he needed to know what were the biggest differences between his timeline and this one. Essentially, he needed to filter and sort out his information. ¡°The name of this empire is under the Inak lineage, is that correct?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Reika replied as if that was pretty much obvious. Her soaked red hair with beads of sweat shook as she spoke. ¡°It¡¯s just a normal town by all means. No heroes, no famous names from our town in the history books. Not even any mines.¡± ¡°Yeah, I think I know that much as well.¡± Asher nodded his head and closed his eyes. This place was pretty much similar in that aspect to the place he lived in his previous life. The land was ruled over by the Inak Principality and it seems he had been forgotten as the Captain of the Imperial Guards. But it didn¡¯t hurt his ego. If anything, being the captain of the Guards here was nothing special in the first place. ¡®Well it seems in both lives, this place is my hometown.¡¯ Was there a purpose or reason for this? He tried to think about it deeply to see if there was anything he could dig up, but there was nothing special in either of his memories. ¡°What¡¯s the current year?¡±, he asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s been 10 years since Inak III has been crowned emperor.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you sure?¡±, Asher asked reluctantly. ¡°Then what is his majesty¡¯s full name?¡± ¡°It was the first child born from the Hemenian concubine. The 4th prince, Inak Vocaitos.¡± Asher felt flustered. He knew the name of the emperor but, he just couldn¡¯t understand the political landscape at all right now. ¡°Is the second generation still alive right now?¡± ¡°What?¡± It couldn¡¯t be possible right now. It was just a decade or two after his death. The emperor during the time he was alive in his previous life was Vocaitos¡¯ father and was the ruler of the second generation. That man was ambitious and eager to conquer. Regardless, it wouldn¡¯t make sense if he died, since he would have been too young if Vocaitos was the current ruler. ¡°Vocaitos-sama couldn¡¯t have been earlier than 10 years old¡­¡± , Asher muttered to himself. He even remembered hugging Vocaitos on the day of his birth because of his duty as the captain of the Imperial Guard to keep the family safe. If Vocaitos was truly in power he had to be extremely young right now. He could still remember those tiny hands and the wails of a baby as if it were in front of him right now. Reika however, who had heard Asher mutter under his breath thought he was being outright delusional as he was spouting utter bullshit. It was impossible for this servant boy to speak as if he had met the current and reigning emperor. ¡°I think my head hurts a little right now. I know this isn¡¯t something I should be complaining about in front of you, who just lost his memories but, you¡¯re talking as if you¡¯re 30 or 40 years old right now.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±, Asher remained silent at Reika¡¯s whiny voice. ¡°What is that expression? Are you feeling ill? Should I get you a priest?¡±, Reika observed Asher¡¯s seriously complicated expression and got worried. ¡°No.¡± Asher barely acknowledged Reika¡¯s presence right now since he was trying to figure out just what the current timeline was right now. Just a month before his death, He had visited the Emperor out of goodwill to see the newly birthed Vocaitos. If Reika thought he was talking as if 30 years or so, then¡­ it must have been 20 years since ¡®he¡¯ had died. Chapter 3 ¨C Fin Chapter 4 - Reincarnation (3) Chapter 4 ¨C Reincarnation (3) Translated, Edited and Proofread by : betterdays ¡®Twenty years.¡¯ He had a gap from the death of his previous life to his new one that had lasted 20 years. What exactly had changed during these 20 years? If one simply thought about it, they would be confused. But since reincarnation itself was not even heard of in either of his two lives, there was nothing strange really nor was there anything normal about it. But, Asher doubted that there was any special reason for it. He didn¡¯t have some revenge he was unable to fulfill or any grand purpose he failed to reach. He really was satisfied with his previous life. To him, reincarnation seemed not to be luck, but rather it was still unknown. ¡°Your expression is looking really serious¡­ Are you okay?¡±, Reika asked hesitantly. Asher brought his hands to face to feel his jawbone and mouth. They were clenched tightly for some reason. ¡®I thought I wasn¡¯t too emotional of a person, but maybe I am?¡¯ Asher smiled lightly. ¡°My memories are still jumbled up in a mess and it¡¯s still hard to sort them together, but I¡¯m okay with it for now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Do you have any more questions?¡± ¡°Ah yes, there are two more actually. Your last name is Halvark isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡±, Reika nodded in response. It was the same lord of the territory from his previous life. For some odd reason, it brought a little bit of a sense of relief throughout all the new information he was receiving. ¡°And the second question¡­ How did Inak II die?¡± ¡°He went out for a battle of conquest in the West, and died in battle.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Asher muttered to himself with a mixture of emotions. It was the emperor he had taught whole-heartedly in the past before he had started to seriously age. That child was one he taught the sword to and imparted all his knowledge and understanding of the imperial swordsmanship to. But ultimately, it was only because it was the request of his old friend the First Emperor to teach him. Though he taught the child earnestly, he didn¡¯t grow attached to him. ¡°Thanks, I think that¡¯s all the questions I have for now.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re tired then get some rest, I¡¯ll let you take the day off.¡± ¡°No I have to uphold my part of the deal as your employee, Miss¡± Lepenia¡¯s Swordsmanship. It was said to have been made by Lepenia, the ruler of the North. She was quite popular with the female swordsmen because she was one of the few female heroes of her era. However, the amount of people proficient with the swordsmanship itself that were capable of actually teaching it properly, could be counted on two hands. People thought the reason it was so difficult to master was because it was a matter of talent. They weren¡¯t completely wrong in that conjecture. The Lepenia Swordsmanship was made for those who master it, to transcend their limitations of a human. There was nothing aside from talent that could allow one to completely master it. But, there were other reasons as well. It wasn¡¯t just a problem of talent when it came to the learner. ¡°It would be better to slow down the movement in two of the moves.¡± ¡°Which part? Is it slow enough now?¡± ¡°This part right here. This is one of the more typical mistakes made with this swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Reika gently lifted the sword. Recalling Asher¡¯s advice she brought the tip of the sword forwards and it bent smoothly like a snake. It was slower than before, but much more stable. Reika¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°¡­Really how could this be?! There was no such instruction in the book!¡± ¡°Well the creator of the art actually uses a faster speed like the one you were trying to imitate earlier, but their movement speed is way beyond the speed of average people.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ that¡¯s¡­. Uh¡­¡± Asher stammered since the reason the way the sword art was like that, was because the creator made this swordsmanship whenever they whined while being drunk. Asher couldn¡¯t possibly say that to some ten year-old girl, so he just laughed it over and avoided directly answering the question. Nevertheless it was trivial, since Reika smiled brightly and hugged Asher tightly. ¡°Thanks Asher!¡± ¡°Uh. well.¡±(TN : Reika used hug¡­ it was super effective!) There was a gentle smell of perfume lingering in the air that permeated around Asher. He felt both their bodies touch and embrace while noticing the body heat. For some reason he could feel his heart beating loudly. ¡®¡­Are you telling me my mind is still that of an old man¡¯s but my body won¡¯t listen?¡¯ The arousal was too much for the body of a young boy and Asher took her off of him. ¡°Well most people can¡¯t replicate what you just did since that kind of talent is only found in 1 person out of 100. Only someone as talented like you, young miss, could do something amazing like that.¡± Although Asher had no talent in his past life, he still had the eyes to see what those geniuses saw. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I am not talented.¡± It wasn¡¯t as if he didn¡¯t try to at least learn Lepenia¡¯s swordsmanship at least once. It was just that he couldn¡¯t find the fluidity and move his body naturally in such angles to pull off such movements to match the sophisticated swordsmanship. In the end, he had only stuck to the imperial swordsmanship and honed it to the heights and limits it was capable of. He hadn¡¯t really improved since he was a young man, but through time and aging he had learned subtle differences he could apply and improvise to make the swordsmanship a bit more capable. But that was it. The swordsmanship itself would not change. ¡®No¡­ it couldn¡¯t be different. Could it?¡¯ He was born in a completely new body. Talent was something that was innate within one¡¯s body. Suddenly, Asher¡¯s heart started to beat with excitement. He had thought that he had met his limits long ago, and that he would never be able to learn different styles of swordsmanship in earnest. But now? There was a possibility that was never there before. It wasn¡¯t guaranteed he would have any talent. In fact the chances were still slim. However, he started to get excited and anxious. He wanted to swing his sword and see for himself. ¡®But, first things first.¡¯ Asher shook his head and calmed himself down a bit. The excitement was still there, but he just cooled his thoughts to think more rationally. He needed to train this body from the ground up. He wouldn¡¯t even be able to test himself to see if he had any talent until his body was capable. Asher moved a bit farther away to gather a space around him and swing his sword. ¡°I felt it from before¡­ Are you really not talented?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Asher responded. ¡°Your swordsmanship is too disciplined and refined.¡± Asher smiled and shrugged his shoulders. Despite his hands being soft and the calluses not visible, his skill remained with him. ¡°This is just imperial swordsmanship, it¡¯s only used for self-defense¡±, he calmly stated. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right. Wait! What time is it right now?¡± ¡°Lunchtime seems to have already passed.¡±, Asher responded. ¡°Ah shoot!, I had an appointment! See you later Asher!¡± Reika turned and rushed out of the courtyard. Asher looked at her as she left. She was such a cute little kid he thought. He would always have a soft spot for children and smile. But sometimes, he felt like he might have regretted it. Not getting married, having kids and starting a family that is. Would his life have been different? ¡°Hmmm..¡± Asher picked up the sword and brought it in the air. There was nothing to think about, he was not possibly a changeable person by nature. As he thought that the air cracked and split apart with the fierce strike from the sword. ¡ª Asher grabbed the wooden sword in his hand. Taking a step back and formulating his stance with a firm grip, he swung widely and then retracted the tip of the sword. Twisting his wrists, he suddenly changed the trajectory in a sharp manner and burst through the air with an edge. Hooowuk!- The breeze was forced to split apart into two seams, and the leaves shook wildly in the air around him. Asher smiled slightly at the feeling of light pain in his forearms. ¡®Is it starting to reach a basic level of composition?¡¯ Muscles had begun to start taking shape and form slight curves on his body. It was a pretty good result for only a week¡¯s worth of relentless training. It wasn¡¯t even close to his previous bodys¡¯ level of muscle composition but it was ridiculous to even compare the two in the first place. ¡°Huu¡­¡± It was time for Asher to start his work for the day. He crouched down and picked up a fair-looking log from the pile and seated in on top of a tree stump. He then searched for his axe and gripped it in his hands and brought it above his shoulders. Swinging downwards, the log was split clean in two. ¡®What a waste of time.¡¯ His total working hours amounted to 10 hours a day. Compared to other employees on the estate, this was nothing. But it still took up a large portion of the day that he would rather use to train his body. ¡®Even when I worked as a measly security guard, I was able to train at least on the job.¡¯ In the first place, as a guard the job¡¯s role would naturally allow him to even train on duty since it was a guard¡¯s position after all. Even though cutting firewood was tedious and he was able to find some time to get a few minutes in, it was not nearly enough. After adjusting to his body for over a week, he was able to roughly tell how his new body worked. Asher wasn¡¯t originally hired through the normal process like other employees. He was found abandoned as a child in front of the Lord¡¯s Estate. At that time, the Lord¡¯s first housewife who was unable to give birth to any kids, saw the young abandoned baby known as Asher and wanted to raise him. After 3 years, the housewife was finally able to give birth to the eldest son and second daughter, but she still cherished Asher. Although the family could not adopt Asher formally due to concerns of the succession process getting entangled, she still raised him like any of her other children. So even after the previous ¡®Asher¡¯ was a constant misbehaving problem child, he was still allowed to live at the estate. Thanks to the job he was given, he was able to earn spending money while still being treated to the public as an employee of the estate and not some illegitimate child. At least that was the hope for it, but people still noticed the special treatment he received. The Lord¡¯s family were good people after all. Quassik!- The axe fell through the air once more and split a log in 2 clean halves. The axe lodged itself neatly on the stump below it and Asher clicked his tongue as he wiggled the axe out of the self-inflicted groove. ¡®That¡¯s weird.¡¯ Asher knew from a physical standpoint, this body was not developed or trained at all. But, it should only have the strength to cleave the logs in two; not go further than that, and even start wedging into the stump. Qua-deuk!- But yet here he was, seemingly exuding more strength than what was capable. In fact, he was swinging full strength, but he didn¡¯t feel any resistance from the wood. His movement felt unhindered, like a knife flowing through butter. ¡®I guess this body is full of new things I have yet to find out about.¡¯ Asher reached out for the last log he needed to cut, but found out that he had already cut all the required firewood for today. Seeing this, he picked up his axe and settled it on his work belt as he descended down the mountain. As soon as Asher reached the bottom of the mountain and entered the town, he could feel the gazes of others filled with contempt and disgust pointed at him. Asher casually passed by through the town square in the center of the plaza. As he grew older in his past life, he became less sensitive to these kinds of gazes since he could defend himself just fine if anybody tried to act on it. Most kids his age would be frightened, but Asher could care less, since he could defend himself just fine. ¡°The trash is passing!¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ Asher heard a loud voice shout in his direction, which was a bit abnormal since most people wouldn¡¯t have the gall to act so brazenly. It was a young teenager that looked to be around 16 years of age. His rather colorful choice of attire made him look more like an overdressed peacock than a noble. Asher spoke politely as he bowed respectfully to the teen, ¡°Hello, Master Luke.¡± ¡ª The eldest son of the Lord, heir to the title in fact. He was able to carry quite a bit of political power at such a young age within his own territory. ¡­And like everybody else in the town, he did not like the existence known as ¡®Asher¡¯ at all. Even though he would moderate his behavior at the appropriate times, he held a large amount of disdain for Asher. Luke came closer and tapped his finger on Asher¡¯s shoulder in a condescending manner. ¡°I can¡¯t stay too long around you to give you a proper farewell, It just so happens that my eyes hurt when I look at trash so early in the morning. Shouldn¡¯t you know that commoners like you are obviously a sore sight for eyes to somebody like myself?¡± The residents listening in, frowned slightly at the arrogant and demeaning words from Luke. However, Luke was too self-obsessed to even notice. He was like a typical, spoiled nobleman; he was ignorant of his people¡¯s well-being and overconfident in his so-called ¡®abilities¡¯. Asher nodded with no disappointment on his face whatsoever. ¡°I see, I am sorry Master Luke.¡± ¡°Even my father is blinded for some reason. I don¡¯t know why our house even bothers to keep someone as pitiful as you.¡± ¡°I am grateful for the undeserved grace.¡± Asher lowered himself even further and bowed at an almost 90 degree angle. He knew how to deal with these types of people without making a commotion. You just had to act subservient and flower them with words they want to hear. In his past life, he learned the hard way when he let his emotions dictate his actions. A smile spread across Luke¡¯s face at Asher¡¯s behavior. However, it turned quickly from a normal and gracious smile, to a completely villainous grin. ¡°Hey garbage, I¡¯ve been hearing an interesting rumor that you¡¯ve been starting to practice the sword! What do you think you can do with it against me, a noble? Are you thinking that you could somehow kill me with that thing, let alone beating me in a duel?¡± ¡°I wonder if it is possible indeed, Master Luke.¡± ¡°What gibberish! If it wasn¡¯t plotting to kill someone, then why would someone as trash as you even train with the sword? As a gracious noble myself, I can¡¯t bear to even look at your so-called swordsmanship!¡± It was clearly a forced situation where Luke wanted to use an excuse to harm Asher. Anybody watching could clearly see that, but they couldn¡¯t say anything against the son of the Lord. The self-proclaimed noble then raised his hand. ¡°However! I am a generous noble after all, so let¡¯s take a look why don¡¯t we? If you can beat these two next to me, then I won¡¯t hinder you anymore in the future. If you¡¯ve been practicing swordsmanship, then you should be capable of that much at least, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± The two lackeys standing next to Luke came forward and drew their swords, pointing them at Asher. ¡°Young master¡­ I really want to fight right now hehe¡­¡± ¡°Young master, can I kill this one too? Are you sure you can clean it up like you did last time?¡± ¡°Just kill him!¡±, Luke shouted in disgust at the two lackeys and ordered them. It was clear that Asher, who hadn¡¯t even reached young adulthood, could possibly be a match for two fully-grown men. One of the men streaked forward with his sword and brought it down towards Asher¡¯s body. Asher brought his sword up with smooth movements and parried the blow as screams echoed in the surroundings from the frightened villagers. ¡®I don¡¯t like this at all.¡¯ Asher knew he wouldn¡¯t be a match for them with raw strength so he took the axe out from his belt with his free hand. Flicking his wrist of the hand holding the sword, he re-directed the man¡¯s sword away and brought the handle of the ax up in a sharp motion, slamming the back of it into the lackey¡¯s uvula. (TLN: the uvula is basically where the Adam¡¯s apple is. What just happened could effectively crush the man¡¯s esophagus.) ¡°Keep going! What are you doing?¡± Luke yelled out in anger seeing one of his lackeys being played for a fool. ¡°Crazy bastard!¡± The other lackey who was acting leisurely up till now, shouted in anger as he saw his friend get smashed in the throat, rolling on the floor writhing in pain. In response to the incoming threat, Asher twisted the blade of the axe and swung it swiftly, at a speed imperceptible to the watcher¡¯s eyes, at the incoming man¡¯s head on reflex. Spurtttt- The lackey choked up as blood spurted from the incision made by the ax blade lodged in his skull. The onlookers shouted out with surprise as they looked at the impossible outcome with their eyes wide. Luke was no exception but, he had a slightly different reaction¡­ ¡°Wait.. What?!What???!!!¡± Luke stumbled and took a few steps back in utter shock. He couldn¡¯t believe this! How could two grown men be played with like fragile dolls in front of a young boy who was no older than 10 years old or so. Chapter 4 ¨C Fin Chapter 5 - Reincarnation (4) Chapter 5 ¨C Reincarnation (4) ¡°Y-You! How dare you try to attack a noble?!¡± Luke was screaming with his eyes bulging like a bug¡¯s. Luke wasn¡¯t the only one surprised, as Asher was surprised too. But his interest was about something entirely different. ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to do this.¡¯ Asher was trying to adjust his power as much as possible, but his killing intent leaked out at the end. Resulting in all of this, Asher also revealed an incredible amount of skill that should be impossible for a 10 year-old boy to have. He meant to attack lightly, but it just came out by reflex. ¡®Ah, back when I was still alive this was lightwork.¡¯ Asher lifted his head and reminisced about his past life when he could swing his sword as much as he wanted. In the background, Luke was still yelling. ¡°The Death Penalty! You deserve the Death Penalty!¡± ¡°Young Master Luke.¡± No use crying over spilt milk. Asher decided there was no use complaining if the situation couldn¡¯t be helped. But, there was still a way to change the outcome of what was to happen later as a result of it. Asher walked towards Luke with the ax spinning in his hand round and round in circles. ¡°Le-Let go of that thing, boy!¡± ¡°Young master.¡± Asher gripped Luke¡¯s arm. Luke tried to scream and get out of Asher¡¯s grip but, Asher stood firm like a tree rooted firmly in the earth. ¡°Young Master.¡± ¡°Uh- Ahh¡­¡± Asher clarified himself once more with calm eyes. Seeing how frightfully calm Asher was after killing a man, Luke¡¯s face grew pale. ¡°Young master.¡± ¡°Go away!¡± ¡°Young Master, I did not try to hurt you. Don¡¯t you know that this was just self defense as an employee?¡± ¡°You dog, quit spouting bullshit¡­¡± ¡°Young master.¡± Asher came close and whispered into Luke¡¯s ear. He used a low and soft voice. One that was almost like a parent comforting their child. ¡°I sincerely did not try to hurt you, please understand.¡± Asher repeated the words once more while making direct eye contact with Luke. He saw the bright yellow irises of Luke¡¯s trembling slightly. Asher chuckled slightly with a light smile and Luke¡¯s face turned pure white. ¡°What- What do you want from me?¡± The answer from Luke this time was completely different. He knew instinctively he should not mess with Asher any longer. Because he knew when he looked Asher right in the eyes. Asher¡¯s eyes were completely stoic; emotionless without a shred of remorse. Fear stricken, Luke knew he had messed up. ¡°Young Master, what do you really think happened here?¡± ¡°Ah! I don¡¯t know, I swear! Please just let me go!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Asher retracted his grip from Luke¡¯s arm and observed Luke as he scrambled away from Asher like a frightened cat. Luke shot back one last glance to make sure Asher wasn¡¯t following him, whilst trembling violently in fear. ¡°Hm..¡± Asher tucked the ax back to the belt on his waist. It had been a long time since he had used such a coercive method. It was just a suggestive tone he had used back when he was younger as a Guard when dealing with children who were caught being mischievous. He was worried it might not work with Luke, but it seemed like everything went well. Asher suddenly realized that his surroundings were completely silent. When turned his gaze to observe what was going on around him, he was met with several pairs of eyes staring at him from the villagers. There was not a look of contempt on any of their faces right then. ¡°Ah, I hope I wasn¡¯t bothering any of you.¡± Asher mumbled and bowed slightly towards, and moved his feet quickly since it was time to get to work. ¡ª Tatatata- Reika¡¯s footsteps echoed in the hall with an anxious bounce in her step. Everybody in the hall who saw her stopped what they were doing, and either bowed or curtseyed to show respect. The girl didn¡¯t even bother to return the acknowledgement however, as she moved quickly towards the big door leading to outside the Mansion. Bang!- ¡°Asher!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem, young miss?¡± Reika heard a relaxed and composed voice respond to her. A boy with Ashen gray hair was reading a book with a nonchalant expression while laying on a heap of hay. Reika frowned as she observed Asher¡¯s behavior. ¡°A book? You can read?¡± ¡°Ah yes, I learned.¡± ¡°In less than a week?¡± ¡°There were so many gaps in my memory, so it seemed appropriate to fill them with some new memories and experiences.¡± ¡°You are so weird¡­. Just what happened today?¡± Reika asked Asher the question with an awkward and troubled face as he closed the book he was reading. ¡°Is there anything I should be aware of?¡± ¡°There are rumors circulating within the village, Asher! They say an employee of the estate threatened the son of the Lord. What happened?!¡± ¡°Ah they threatened me. He tried to have me killed so I defended myself appropriately, if I¡¯m being accused as the aggregator then it¡¯s completely false and unfair treatment.¡± Reika narrowed her eyes at Asher. ¡°Be honest, what are you scheming?¡± The ending of this argument had already been settled. Luke had been held responsible by the lord, and there was no punishment for Asher. It would be impossible for him to continue living there if he directly threatened the successor of the estate. If Asher had directly confronted and threatened Luke, then the Lord would have not been sitting still. The punishment would be carried out without any hesitation. If Asher left Luke alone though, Luke would have just blabbed and tried to get Asher punished under any excuse he could come up with. If that happened and Asher was to be punished, he would be forced to escape. And although the power of nobility was indeed weakening, it would still make it hard for Asher to move safely. However, Asher did not leave Luke alone but neither did he openly threaten him. He just suggested Luke the appropriate response and left Luke to make the best judgement. Luke obviously was frightened by Asher and spoke of the incident as if Asher was in fact the victim. Asher made it easy for Luke since he didn¡¯t want to be caught up in a petty squabble with him in the future, and said it was all just a misunderstanding. ¡°Thanks to my brother¡¯s unusual behavior, the story somehow ended with you having no punishment whatsoever. Is this the result you were expecting?¡± ¡°Hahah, young miss.¡± Asher laughed casually. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean, I¡¯m just a child who¡¯s barely over the age of 10, do you really think I could meticulously plan all that out?¡± ¡°No.¡± Reika pondered to herself for a moment. The Asher before her had changed so much since he lost his memory. She can¡¯t even view him as the same human being as before. ¡®This is the better version of him.¡¯ Could humans possibly change this much? Asher since losing his memory, had become incredibly skilled in swordsmanship, spoke in an old-fashioned and outdated way of speaking, and had stopped being such a troublesome individual in general. She had once heard that people who lose their memory, can have severe personality changes, but this was her first time actually seeing it in person. ¡°It¡¯s just.. This new version of you is much more approachable and friendly, I just don¡¯t want you to suddenly go away right when you¡¯re becoming such a changed person.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± Asher immediately replied. He had no intention of leaving until adulthood. He first had to hone and train this body to its physical limits. ¡°Well, now that I¡¯m here, we might as well get some training in.¡± Reika spoke as she drew her sword. She took a pose and swung her sword eloquently with the Lepenia Swordsmanship. Like a snake, the sword¡¯s tip bent fluidy and contracted in a smooth motion. The flow was incredible to the naked eye that it appeared like a blur. Asher saw this and cracked a smile. ¡ª ¡®She has some incredible talent.¡¯ He gave her some small advice on her form just a few days ago. That was precisely what was so astonishing however, since it was such a short time to show any development. Yet watching Reika wield her sword, her body movement and trajectory of her sword were moving in total synchronization with one another. There was no proper swordsmanship instructor in such a small town like this, so she probably never had anyone to properly develop her talent. She probably practiced only by reading out of the book, so she didn¡¯t have anyone to correct her for the minor flaws she did have if she was practicing incorrectly. In Asher¡¯s previous life, he had seen many prodigious talents; enough to almost make him bored, but he still admired this girl¡¯s work ethic paired with her talent. The most impressive thing was that when Asher saw these talents, he never felt an inferiority complex and rather tried to help them grow further. Asher drew his sword from his waist and lowered his posture. Reika, noticing this, stopped her swing. ¡°Are you going to practice as well?¡± ¡°There¡¯s still some time left before you must go back, are you thinking of stopping already just because I¡¯m joining in as well?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just-¡± Reika put her sword back at her waist and sat her butt down on the heap of hay that Asher was sitting on earlier, and turned her gaze towards Asher¡¯s figure. ¡°-I like to watch the way you swing your sword.¡± Asher noticed her eyes. They were eyes of excitement and anticipation. He didn¡¯t receive such gazes often. It was awkward. Asher raised his sword in the air and swung it with a practiced motion. Booung! The sword drew lines in the air. He bent his wrist and brought the tip of the sword inwards like winding up a spring. Then, he lowered his body weight and shot forwards. His wrist unwound itself and moved at an incredible pace that pierced the space in front of him. It felt awkward still. He felt out of focus because of the imbalance in his body and mind. There were two ways to go about his dilemma. Either focus on training the body to the level of his previous life, or let his mind adapt to the current state of his body. Both of these methods took long periods of time to successfully integrate. But now while he was still young, he had lots of time. Asher withdrew himself and took a step back, bringing the sword upwards in a slicing motion. Reika watched him silently in awe. She was still immature and although she was talented, she had no teacher and had never experienced any real combat. Not only that, but she had only witnessed one type of swordsmanship which was Lepenia¡¯s swordsmanship and had no other types to even learn or hear of. Despite all of this, she still admired Asher¡¯s movements. His movement was completely unhindered. It reached the maximum efficiency of minimal movements and was trained to such a high level, that even somebody who had never seen a sword be wielded, would know just how skillful he was. Reika muttered out loud. ¡°You are incredibly talented.¡± ¡°Ack!¡± Asher nearly lost his footing and completely lost his focus as he heard the sudden comment. He was perplexed and massaged his ankle as a result of twisting his balance unnaturally. ¡°I don¡¯t think I heard you correctly since I heard you say something impossible.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talented.¡± ¡°Hahah, what a joke.¡± Reika hopped down and tried to prop Asher back up, but he pushed her hand away and stood up on his own ignoring her goodwill. Seeing this, Reika pouted. ¡°Are you serious right now, Asher?¡± ¡°Of course I am, I¡¯ve just been holding the sword for a bit longer than you but I can tell from this past week that you¡¯ve been growing by leaps and bounds. If anyone here is talented it is definitely you and not me Reika. Being proficient in the imperial swordsmanship is nothing compared to the swordsmanship you are learning now and in the future.¡± ¡°¡­Are you sure I¡¯m talented with the sword?¡±, Reika muttered. Reika found it hard to believe and have self confidence with herself, especially when comparing herself to Asher. She had only been practicing in earnest with him for a week and was seeing tremendous results in her own right. But, when she compared herself to Asher, it felt like she was staring at a Master at the edge of his peak. This was to be expected since she was still a child, and it was inevitable for children to compare themselves to their peers. But Asher paid no mind to it, and instead encouraged her. He knew he had no talent. It honestly felt terrible when he was told he was something he was not. Since he knew in his previous life, he had absolutely zero talent and probably was going to be the case in this life too. ¡°Alas Asher, I wish I had a talent like you.¡± ¡°Young Miss, you are the one with talent, do not be confused.¡± ¡°I always heard that from others, but there¡¯s no way for me to even confirm such a thing since there are no proper teachers or instructors in this area.¡± ¡°Well then if nobody else will, then I will guarantee it for you. The young miss is definitely a talented swordsman. I can say this because I do not have talent, and can see your immediate results.¡± ¡°If this is talent within me, then what is that?¡±, Reika pouted pointing at Asher¡¯s sword. ¡°I am telling you right now. What I have is not talent.¡± Asher was certain. But it wasn¡¯t as if he could properly explain that he had trained for decades and decades mastering only one swordsmanship in a previous life to Reika. He had gotten to his current level through sheer effort. It didn¡¯t feel good to be called talented and it felt even worse when he couldn¡¯t properly explain to even a child his circumstances. ¡°Young miss, if anything please take what I¡¯m about to say into your mind for the future. It is not good for your own growth to envy the talents of others. If you do, you¡¯ll stop growing and never be happy with yourself.¡± He had seen countless people distort their perception of themselves just because they met somebody more talented than themselves and destroyed their egos and swordsmanship because of it. Although he wasn¡¯t talented, he didn¡¯t try to feel depressed about it and rather fueled himself to work harder with it. But for the young miss, he didn¡¯t want to see her tread down the wrong path. ¡°I know Asher, it¡¯s something anybody should keep in mind regardless of what kind of talent they have. Ah! I forgot to ask! What kind of book were you reading earlier?¡± ¡°Ah it was a history book, I was just reading over the history of the past 20 years or so.¡± ¡°Why would you do that? Do you think that will help in recovering your lost memories?¡± ¡°Hm? Oh.. yes.¡± Asher muttered to himself, ¡°Everything has changed.¡± Chapter 5 ¨C Fin Chapter 6 - Training (1) Chapter 6 ¨C Training (1) Translated, Edited and Proofread by : betterdays ¡°What would reading about the past 20 years have anything to do with helping you recover your memories?¡± ¡°It will help me gain some perspective.¡± For those who were born and raised in the past 20 years it would be their entire lives. However for Asher, who had lived in times and generations prior to that, it was a necessary thing to research because it would help him in deciding the route to take in the future. ¡°But it¡¯s still just a history book, those are just things that tell us the stories of the times before us. It¡¯s got nothing to do with us.¡± ¡°Right, haha.¡± Asher nodded his head and laughed. It felt sad that he didn¡¯t see his name recorded in the history book, but he was just the captain of the imperial guard. His name wasn¡¯t worth remembering in the first place. Reika suddenly hopped up from the heap of hay she was sitting on and brushed her bottom to get the remaining pieces of straw off. ¡°Ah. Asher I have a request!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Accept me as your disciple!¡± Reika spoke while pressing her gleaming face right in front of Asher¡¯s. With her sparkling eyes, she came to a distance where he could feel her breath. Asher quickly backed away and pushed her back with one hand. ¡°No.¡± ¡ª ¡°That¡¯s not fair¡­¡± Reika muttered with a blank face. She tried to contest Asher¡¯s spirit, but his will was firm. Almost all of the guards in the empire had once been taught by him briefly at one point, but he almost never taught individually to solely one person for an extended period of time. He was just in the realm of being able to give little tips of advice here and there, but it was clear to him that he was not at a level capable of teaching anybody. He had only practiced imperial swordsmanship, but that was also the only thing he could possibly teach. It was an incredibly simple swordsmanship that even a disabled kid could learn. In other words, he wasn¡¯t a suitable teacher for Reika. She could reach a necessary level of mastery in imperial swordsmanship without needing to be taught. At least that was Asher¡¯s idea of it. ¡°But still, can¡¯t you at least consider it?¡± ¡°Then are you willing to learn imperial swordsmanship?¡± As Asher laughed out loud and asked her that question she stopped her pleading for a moment. She didn¡¯t intend to learn imperial swordsmanship at all. Among those who walked the path of the sword, very few made imperial swordsmanship their preferred style of swordsmanship. Reika was the same as the many others who didn¡¯t plan on it. ¡°A disciple who does not want to learn their master¡¯s swordsmanship. Can that person even be called a disciple? What laughable logic.¡± ¡°¡­Still there¡¯s a saying that one can learn from even their disciples!¡± ¡°I? Learn from the young miss?¡± Asher laughed sarcastically. It was obvious mockery. ¡°You¡¯re laughing when I¡¯m trying to be serious here!¡± ¡°I-¡± Reika was clenching her fists and mad that Asher was ignoring her, but in fact it was quite the opposite. Asher was the one frustrated at himself for being unable to learn other styles of swordsmanship or even teach others. ¡°I can¡¯t learn anything from you as it is right now Reika.¡± Those who were talented, would never understand the struggles of those who were not. Eventually those who were talented who take what they had for granted and give up like a bunch of spoiled kids. The same could be said for those who were untalented and took a defeatist attitude from it. ¡°It would also be a waste to try and teach you in a swordsmanship style I am not proficient with, and I don¡¯t even have the time to do so if I wanted to.¡± ¡°However, that doesn¡¯t mean you should give up.¡± Asher confronted Reika who was sitting with a despairing face. Reika turned her head up to look at Asher with a confused look. ¡°If you go ask and get permission from the lord, I can definitely consider it.¡± Shocked and confused, Reika nodded blankly. ¡ª The trajectory of the sword danced beautifully in a wide arc through the air. His tight grip around the handle glided in the air like a kite. ¡°Hm. What to do, what to do.¡± He stopped swinging my sword and brushed the sweat off his forehead. He turned to look at the woman who just spoke. She was beautiful, but had unpleasantly, emotionless eyes. She shook her head in disappointment. He looked at her with a puzzled look that contained a bit of irritation. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±, she said picking up on his queue. ¡°Then are you going to leave me be? I need to train.¡± He spoke indifferently trying to get her to stop interrupting his training, and began to swing his sword again. But, she didn¡¯t move from her spot. She just stared at him with those same emotionless eyes. ¡®How annoying¡¯ Her presence was annoying, but his sword did not stop moving. He already had seen her the past few days, standing there and making crude comments at him. More specifically, at his swordsmanship. He already knew she was not the type to walk away with simple gestures. He tuned out his surroundings and continued to practice with his sword diligently. It was 20 years. The experience and training with the sword for 20 years was spreading throughout his fingertips as he continued to wield the sword. ¡°Hey. Why do you keep doing that?¡± She blurted out for the seemingly millionth time. ¡°What do you want?¡± He replied, and proceeded to continue his practice. His eyes could visualize the strokes of the sword, but his body was repeating the same engraved memories and movements. He lowered his body and turned it sideways, propelling his sword forward with the recoil from his movements. She continued to speak bluntly. ¡°You aren¡¯t talented at all.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­¡± It was true. He wanted to say something or try to refute her, but he knew it was the truth. He just paid no mind to her and continued once again. If it were anybody else hearing this woman speak to them like this, with these words, they would probably throw their sword at her in resentment. However, he didn¡¯t respond. It wasn¡¯t the first time he was hearing those words after all. He then stopped for a breather and replied coolly, ¡°So what?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to doubt it, since I¡¯m the one saying it, you should definitely believe it. You aren¡¯t talented in the slightest.¡± He just looked at her indifferently and she continued to speak. ¡°You¡¯ll probably go through your entire life only being able to practice imperial swordsmanship. Of course as time passes and you accumulate experience with it, you won¡¯t be called weak by any means. But your talent with the sword will never change. Do you really want a life like that?¡± ¡°So what? Should I look for another job?¡± ¡°Yes. Then maybe you can actually find something you¡¯re talented at.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather eat dogshit.¡± He replied bluntly and began to continue swinging his sword with the practiced movements. He continued to speak. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m talentless with the sword. Even if you find some random kid by the side of the road, he¡¯d probably have more talent than me, but why should I care?¡± This was the path he had chosen. If he had caved in from being talentless with the sword, he would have given up years ago. Probably even when he graduated from the academy. But his resolve was, and always would be in the sword. Continuing, he spoke once more. ¡°I do this simply because I want to. So stop making fun of me and go away.¡± ¡°Hm okay, it¡¯s your life anyways.¡± ¡°Why? Every day you come and say the same words to me. Every. Single. Day. Why?¡± ¡°Well, because my job just recently ended and I felt like taking a vacation to come and see the rumored man. And I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re the man from that rumor.¡± ¡°What a joke. You must be more famous than anybody on the continent right now.¡±, he replied. He stopped swinging the sword. He couldn¡¯t quite remember the name, but he knew more or less who the woman in front of him was. The genius of the sword. The most monstrous talent to ever exist. The Youngest Swordmaster. These were all the titles she had. ¡°Oh, you knew? I thought you didn¡¯t, seeing how stubbornly you¡¯ve been swinging your sword the past few days.¡± ¡°Should I shower you with praises or something? You¡¯re just as stubborn as me seeing how you don¡¯t know how to take a hint.¡± For the first time in the past few days, her expressionless face changed slightly into an annoyed look. But she smiled right after and laughed, as if this were fun to her. ¡°At least all the people who practiced the sword did. They praised me and revered me. Either that, or they looked at me with jealousy or hatred. But you¡¯re peculiar. You don¡¯t look at me with either of those two things. I would say it¡¯s complete indifference. It was definitely worth the vacation to come see you. Can I ask you for your name?¡± ¡°¡ª¨C.¡± ¡°Okay ¡ª¨C. I¡¯ll tell you one thing.¡± She laughed out loud and then turned her face towards him. A twisted, and completely crazy smile was directed at him. ¡°You will not achieve anything because your talent is absolute garbage and utterly worthless. You¡¯ll work the rest of your life trying to pick up wheat with a sore back and then eventually die from some silly disease without even becoming a 3rd rate swordsman. That¡¯s your future mr. handsome.¡± He looked at her blankly. ¡°Okay. Then what¡¯s your name?¡± He asked with a stoic face. Hearing this, she smiled genuinely with complete happiness etched all over her face. ¡°Lepenia. Lepenia Harlest.¡± ¡ª Asher opened his eyes. ¡°¡­ ¡­¡± He lifted the blanket draped over him and raised his upper body. His youthful body felt starkly different compared to the one in his dream. He shook his head lightly to wake up. ¡®It was a dream.¡¯ It had been a long time. Besides, it was the dream from his previous life. He tried to remember the way he was speaking in the dream to help him speak somewhat youthful. Lepenia. Even when they grew old, she had never changed. She was still beautiful, and carried that twisted smile of hers. What would she be doing if she were alive right now? He sighed deeply with a hint of sorrow evident. It was time to get going. Reika was probably waiting by now for him. ¡°Heh.¡± Suddenly Asher let out a small giggle and then broke out into a laugh. She had always told him that he was never talented and that he would never achieve anything in his life. But now what? He was somehow living another life, and was about to go teach someone who was as talented as she was in with her own swordsmanship. She could even be called a successor of sorts. It was so funny, Asher couldn¡¯t contain his laughter and burst out into a complete hysterical fit. When was the last time he had laughed like this? 30 maybe 40 years ago? It had truly been a long time. ¡°You were wrong Lepenia, I knew I was right in the end.¡± He went out of the room whispering to himself. Chapter 6 ¨C Fin Chapter 7 - Training (2) Chapter 7 ¨C Training (2) Translated by : betterdays As Asher made his way to the training grounds, Reika was sitting there waiting for him already. She looked at him and shouted. ¡°You¡¯re late Asher!¡± ¡°I had some rough sleep last night, sorry Reika.¡± Reika was upset and came straight up to Asher. Seeing Asher stare at her blankly, she felt flustered and spoke. ¡°Ar- Are you my seonsaengnim now?¡±(T/N : For those of you who don¡¯t know korean, this means teacher) ¡°Well you are my disciple now, and I am your teacher¡­ Do you want to receive honorifics?¡± ¡°Huh? I¡¯m not sure yet¡­¡± ¡°Well we need to come to a decision sooner, rather than later.¡± Whatever the case was, he was living under the new name of ¡®Asher¡¯. He was no longer an old man who was counting his days till death. In this life, he wanted to remain faithful to whatever he did. Even if that was teaching a disciple for the first time. Because of this, he allowed Reika to make her own decisions about whether she wanted to drop or keep the honorifics of a teacher and disciple attitude, since it would contradict their status outside of training. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it feel uncomfortable though?¡±, Reika asked. ¡°Well it doesn¡¯t matter when and where we use honorifics. I¡¯ll use them properly as you want me to. It still won¡¯t change the fact that your family is my employer.¡± ¡°Hm, still feels weird. But, whatever! What are we going to train today? The rapier? Lepenia style? Imperial swordsmanship?¡± Asher could visibly see the stark change of facial expressions from Reika more often these days. Just like right now, Reika¡¯s eyes were full of excitement. He could guess that it was only natural since it was the first time she had ever learned from someone directly in regards to swordsmanship. Asher just shook his head at Reika¡¯s barrage of guesses as to what they would do. ¡°No. First we spar.¡± ¡°Huh, Why so suddenly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. I don¡¯t know the extent of your fighting experience or skills yet. As a teacher, it¡¯s necessary for me to know my student¡¯s limits and capabilities.¡± Swordsmanship and fighting experience were different. One could always practice swordsmanship as long as they had a sword. However, it was only being able to implement that swordsmanship in duels where your life was on the line, that made the clear distinction of which was more of a priority to learn. ¡°You don¡¯t know my skills either Reika, and this will be a good chance for you to learn both your limits and my capabilities.¡± ¡°Should I know them? Aren¡¯t you just a bit stronger than me?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see for yourself. Take your posture.¡± Asher didn¡¯t say much more and went into position, nodding to Reika to do the same. ¡°Swordsmanship is different for everyone. Their attitude, skills, practicality of their movements all differ from one another. It¡¯s an entirely new world you are dipping your feet in. The easiest way to get immersed in this as quickly as possible, is to practice.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Reika was still a little confused but still lifted her wooden sword in her hand. Seeing this, Asher nodded his head with a smile and lifted his own wooden sword. Asher took a look at the wooden sword in his hand. It was the sword his sister had given him when he turned 10 years-old in his previous life and had carried it with him all the time back then. But, there was no reason for that same exact sword to be in his hand right now, 20 years after his death. He had asked Reika about where the lord had found the sword, but she said she nor her parents knew anything about how it got there. This greatly confused Asher, but he cleared his thoughts about it. ¡®I can always try to find out later.¡¯ He closed his hand and blinked his eyes slowly, then spoke. ¡°Come.¡± ¡°Ar-Are you sure?¡± Reika looked towards Asher with careful eyes. Seeing this for a moment, Asher let out a laugh. ¡°Why are you looking at my sword with such anxious eyes Reika?¡± ¡°Well, you only know imperial swordsmanship¡­ Wouldn¡¯t that make it difficult for you?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Noticing that Reika still did not seem to comprehend that he was levels and levels above her in terms of skill, Asher clicked his tongue and shook his head internally as Reika seemed to think that just by knowing Lepenia¡¯s swordsmanship, made her much stronger than most. ¡°It will be better if you experience this firsthand what I¡¯m about to do. Come.¡± ¡°Okay, Whoa¡­¡± Reika after hearing Asher tell her once more to essentially stop worrying so much and attack him with seriousness, focused her eyes sharply. Her muscles tightened up and prepared themselves to explode at any moment and surge with momentum. However, she also kept a well-balanced guard. ¡°How much power should I use?¡±, Reika asked. ¡°All of it, of course.¡± Asher replied once more with a nonchalant and indifferent expression as if to taunt her and say ¡®try your best already¡¯. ¡°Okay then.¡± With the wooden sword in hand, Reika shot forwards at Asher. In the span of less than a second, she immediately closed the gap and brought her sword over the top, swinging in a downwards motion with assurance. It was fast. And it was sharp. Asher admired Reika¡¯s swordsmanship inside of himself. He had guessed her full level of strength roughly, but it seemed that was not needed as she was already above his expectations. If she continued to grow like this, she could. Yes. If it was her, she might be able to reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship. But not right now. Asher drew his sword and lowered his posture in one gesture. His body moved like a blur for Reika and her face, for the first time, showed fright. BANG! Asher purposefully went to parry her sword even though there were several gaps he could have exposed at that very moment. It wouldn¡¯t be productive if he defeated her in less than 1 move. As the two wooden swords collided, Reika¡¯s center of gravity was shaken and she didn¡¯t hesitate to step back and retreat from the sudden shock that was transmitted to her body through the single strike from Asher. However, she noticed something off with her body from that blow. ¡°¡­Urp-¡± ¡°Your motion was great.¡± Asher subtly commented while giving her some time. ¡°Ergh¡± Reika gritted her teeth as hard as she could to suppress the raging nausea she was feeling at that moment. Soon she decided she needed to continue her attack no matter what. Her pride would not allow her to be made a fool without even taking one blow properly. Darting back at Asher, Asher took one of his hands off the sword to reduce the amount of force in his blows to allow Reika to show more. However to Reika, this seemed to be as if Asher were simply making fun of her. The sound of their swords clashing rang out once more throughout the courtyard, as dust flew about the entire training area from the pure ferocity being displayed in Reika¡¯s strikes. Asher smiled faintly. If it was a contest of displaying her raw strength, she wasn¡¯t doing too bad. He remembered Lepenia¡¯s ruthless words. He had no talent. He knew that. That was the reason he could only practice imperial swordsmanship. But that only applied to swordsmen who focused purely on their types of swordsmanship and practiced moves and sought the pinnacle of all swordsmanship. He also shared that commonality. But when it came to being a warrior on the battlefield¡­ It was a completely different story. ¡°Reika, I thought you were going to teach me as well?¡± Asher said in an almost mocking tone. He wasn¡¯t doing it to be rude. He was simply humbling Reika. Reika¡¯s strikes were incredibly fast for the common eye and even for her, she thought she was putting pressure on Asher. But, every single stroke of her sword was moving as slow as a snail in Asher¡¯s eyes. Asher had enough. It was time. He reached out with his left hand abruptly and grabbed Reika¡¯s hand gripping the sword. Reika had no time to even react or be shocked. He ruthlessly snapped and broke her wrist. Reika realized what had just happened, and tried to kick her feet away to retreat, but Asher simply stuck a leg out and she tripped her leg movement. He then took his hand gripping her broken wrist and turned her around and pushed her right over. Embarrassing. That was all that could be said as the result of Reika¡¯s confidence of thinking she was close to Asher¡¯s level, or that she could even teach someone who had actually reached the realm of a swordmaster, albeit briefly, in his past life. ¡°Kak!¡± Reika rolled on the ground and let out a cry of pain helplessly. ¡°¡­.What nonsense.¡± Asher was simply stating the truth for her. She looked at her hand with shocked eyes. She was thinking about displaying the full might of Lepenia¡¯s swordsmanship, but couldn¡¯t even form a proper move from the style since Asher had just deflected her balance slightly in each and every clash. ¡°Sparring and battle are completely different than practicing a swordsmanship Reika.¡± He muttered as he crouched down to her eye level. Reika was by no means weak. In fact for her age, she was incredibly strong. She had even reached such a level of strength compared to any kid her age with absolutely zero teaching and only learned out of a book. It was a monstrous talent that had no equal. This was true since it was the most monstrous level of talent that Asher had ever seen in either of his two lives once he got to see her up close. Not even Lepenia was as talented as the little girl in front of him. But she was weak. Pitifully weak. Learning and applying swordsmanship in a real battle was what set aside true warriors from show-boats who just flashed their sword around willy-nilly. As a result, the evidence was displayed clearly for Reika to see. All it took was a simple trip of the legs and grabbing of the wrist to make her monstrous talent crumble in front of someone who was deemed as completely talentless. ¡°That¡­¡± Reika bit her lips in bitter resentment and spat out venomously, ¡°That was not swordsmanship!¡± ¡°But you¡¯re dead.¡± Asher spoke as if it already had happened with a smile. It was clear she would have been if Asher attacked her with the intent to kill her. Just because reality was cruel, didn¡¯t mean that Reika enjoyed it. It was a result that was hard to accept. She didn¡¯t want to believe that practicing swordsmanship styles and successfully applying them in battle were a completely different matter altogether. But¡­ if she didn¡¯t want to die in the future being stubborn, she had to accept this and learn from it. Asher, seeing her change in attitude smiled once more and then kicked her leg slightly. Immediately Reika responded and raised her sword in a hurry and tried to catch him off guard. The two swords clashed once more. ¡°You are strong Reika. Skilled even. But, between practice and application, you have a long way to go.¡± While saying this, Asher slightly twisted his wrist to redirect the sword to slide off of Reika¡¯s intended trajectory and smacked her forearm. ¡°AH!¡± (T/N : This just sounds like torture, not practice lmao) Immediately after feeling the searing pain, Reika grit her teeth and pulled back immediately. However, this time she didn¡¯t let go of the sword. She was growing in real-time. She had the skill, Asher was just straightening out her mindset. And it seemed like it was effective. Now all that was left¡­ was growth. ¡°What you need is practicality and flexibility. Simply put, do not let your emotions dictate the way your sword moves.¡± What was the probability that an incredibly talented person survived their first life and death duel? Asher had seen many talents die early on the minute they were placed in a real life-or-death scenario. Those talents let their instinct and emotions take over their actions when their lives were on the line. But that was what dug them deeper into their impending doom. True talents would adapt, and learn to control their emotions letting them become less predictable. A good and experienced warrior, would always be able to exploit someone who relied on their emotions in battle. The sounds of the wooden swords colliding as Reika tried to keep up and parry Asher¡¯s heavy blows, rang out in the surroundings. However, they became too heavy for Reika to handle and she was becoming light-headed from all the blows shaking her very body every single time she tried to parry them. Asher saw a gap as Reika was becoming less and less stable from the flurries of blows, and he rushed in with his shoulders leaning forwards. ¡°Kak!¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to abandon the habit of blindly trusting a swordsmanship style when the real battle is in front of you. That alone, will never help you survive on the battlefield.¡± Reika was an absolute mess as she heard Asher¡¯s words. She turned her gaze back to see Asher standing about 3 feet away from her. His hands and clothes were completely dirty and stained. His face was scratched up and his hands became calloused. She once liked him like that. But now, she was filled with eyes of hostility and doubt. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°You¡­ Who are you?¡±, she stuttered while maintaining a fierce gaze locked onto him. ¡°Well-¡± The Captain of the Imperial Guards? The troublemaking boy who was employed here and only was a hindrance to others? The identities clashed together quite a bit and even he was trying to figure it out. What and who, was he really at this very moment? He thought about it for a brief moment of silence and then opened his mouth. ¡°Well, first off I am the Young Lady¡¯s teacher.¡± That would be all he needed to say for now. Reika flinched at the words, but then hardened her face with determination and raised herself up with her sword, while she rubbed her wrist and arms that were in pain. ¡°But this doesn¡¯t make any sense. If swordsmanship is this useless in battle, then doesn¡¯t that mean practicing sword arts and styles are meaningless?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not entirely true.¡± Swordsmanship was made to become flexible for those who can utilize it best. Those who can pursue swordsmanship with talent and adaptability, become fearsome existences that are known as swordmasters. ¡°It is because you are too inexperienced, Miss Reika. You have the talent to become much stronger than even me.¡± ¡°Then I just blindly relied on it too much? Was it because I didn¡¯t come up with any kind of variations of my own?¡± ¡°Why did you blindly rush in to an opponent of whom you know almost nothing about, thinking you could overpower them because you simply had a higher tier of swordsmanship?¡± He had lived in the era of heroes. In those times, there were countless and numerous amounts of battles of which several lives were lost. He himself had been on hundreds if not thousands of battlefields, and survived during that bloody era. He would never lose to some child who had just started learning swordsmanship, no matter how talented she was. He desperately wanted to pursue the sword even in that life. So what if he was a seasoned warrior? He wanted to walk the path of the sword. So what if he had reached the realm of a swordmaster at the end of his life? It was useless that he could never fully see what was on that realm despite having just reached it for a brief moment. Emotions raged throughout his chest. That life was over. He had this one and he would pursue the pinnacle of swordsmanship once more. ¡®I will forge my own path.¡¯ He thought to himself. His resolve would never change. Rubbing her body, and trying to support her weaker limbs, muttered. ¡°Ehhh, this will be at least a few days of rest to heal my muscle pain as well as sprained arms and wrists.¡± ¡°Sure. It will actually be better if you take a rest and don¡¯t come back for a few hours. But after that, make sure you come back as fast as possible to resume your training.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Reika shouted out in surprise. Asher laughed at the pure and honest reaction of such a little girl trying to take the easy route. ¡°That was a test, but did you think that was all there was to it? First the measurements of your reaction time and adaptability, which we measure are complete. Now it¡¯s time for physical training.¡± ¡°Um¡­.¡± Reika broke out into a cold sweat and her eyes darted around. ¡°I¡¯m actually feeling a bit sick¡­ and um¡­ my shoulder feels a bit funny as well, maybe my bones¡­¡± ¡°I purposefully avoided direct contact with your bones and ligaments, you may have thought them to be broken, but I purely hit your muscles which are most likely in pain right now.¡± ¡°Fuck..¡± Reika mutturred the most profane word she knew; unbefitting of the young lady of the estate. ¡ª The Halvark Manor was still standing tall on the estate even after the past 100 years it had been through. It wasn¡¯t an incredible estate compared to most other estates of nobility, but it wasn¡¯t negligible either. It was average in the very sense of the word. Some of the younger generation complained that the Manor was too traditional and old-fashioned with it¡¯s lack of renovations. But the older generation knew that the traditionality and consistency of the surroundings around the manor were quite tranquil. It was an influential family, since it was located quite close to the Capital of the Empire. And it¡¯s geographical advantages were quite enviable by other city lords. But mostly the very dull and tranquil atmosphere was due to the Lord of the Halvark family. It was quite a moderate family with their actions and political stances within the Empire. He hated quarrels and unnecessary troubles that could be brought to the estate. He would also rule fairly with whatever resources he currently had. It was quite a humble family among the other nobilities. Lord Halvark was amicable and had a high praise from his citizens. However, his son Luke was¡­ a bit radical to say the least. However, Lord Halvark hoped that his son would eventually change for the better. ¡°Whoo-¡± Venicia, the Lord¡¯s Wife sighed and put the spoon down. She stared at Reika who was still drinking the soup prepared for her, with anxious eyes. ¡°..Reika.¡± ¡°Yes mother?¡± Reika flinched and rose her head from the bowl of soup. Venicia sighed once more. Venicia was so proud when she first gave birth to Reika. Though she shed tears of sorrow when she found out the baby was a girl, she was prideful that her daughter was growing up to be quite a beautiful young girl. (T/N : Sexism was incredibly common within the feudal eras, I do respect this author for actually having knowledge of this compared to most novels. But it is quite sad nonetheless to see.) Eventually Venicia could not hold in her thoughts any longer and spoke out. ¡°¡­ You strongly insisted with your tenacity and I will respect your decision no matter what the results of it turn out to be¡­¡± Exactly one month ago, Reika had come to Venicia asking for her to give Asher the laboring boy, the freedom of schedule in his work. At first Venicia did not understand why this was being requested from Reika. Reika and Asher¡¯s relationship had one of simple indifference. It wasn¡¯t like the relationship between Luke and Asher which consisted of enmity. It was simple indifference. Because of this, Venecia¡¯s interest was piqued and allowed her request to be granted. Then a bit later on, Reika had requested for a couple of training swords. When Venicia asked her about why she needed them, the answer she got back was ¡°He said he will teach me swordsmanship¡±. Venicia thought it was simply someone else teaching her that had stopped by on their way to the capital and allowed her to do so. But when she found it was Asher¡­ she was quite surprised to say the least. But, Venicia recalled a certain rumor that was floating around the estate the past few days. It was that Luke had challenged Asher to a duel, yet the results were far from the expected outcome. The most surprising thing was that Luke¡¯s attitude which had been rampantly disturbing until then, was curbed to the side with a form of humility. Lord Halvark and Venicia herself, were quite pleased and surprised with the fact their son Luke had a change in nature. Whether it would only be temporary or not, it was not known, but still pleasing to see. At this opportunity laid in front of Venicia, she thought Asher and Reika could become quite close with each other. But perhaps, that might have been the wrong decision to make. Venicia anxiously opened her mouth once more and spoke. ¡°Have you been okay with it?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Reika laughed with a big smile on her face. But what Venicia was concerned about was all the dirty specks of dirt and scratches on Reika¡¯s beautiful face. Her hands had also become rough and calloused; unbefitting of a young noble lady in the Empire. ¡°It¡¯s been like this for over a month now. You leave me with no choice but to be worried.¡± Venicia thought it would be some simple thing that Reika requested that perhaps came from a little bit of a romantic emotion from Reika. However, it was clear that it had been over a month now, with the opposite intended result. This time her gaze turned into one that was firm as she glared with disappointment evident across her face, at Reika. Reika, noticing this, quickly stuffed her food in her face and hurried out. ¡°Well thanks for the meal mother, but I¡¯ve heard enough of it. I¡¯ll be back later!¡± ¡°Reika!¡± Standing up abruptly out of her chair, Venicia shouted out at Reika who was already off and running to the training grounds. In the dining room the other 3 of the family were still there. Luke, then stood up and bowed as he spoke. ¡°Well then father and mother, I will be taking my leave as well.¡± As Luke departed, there was silence in the dining hall. Lord Halvark who was eating quietly, spoke with a calm tone. ¡°Reika is a clever and gifted child, it will be okay I think for her to do what she wants for now.¡± ¡°But honey¡­!¡± Venicia bit her lips. She was a great mother and overall amazingly capable woman. However, her soft side was always shown when it came to children. Lord Halvark smiled at the scene and spoke. ¡°If you still have qualms about it, how about you go and see Asher for yourself?¡± ¡°I.. myself?¡± Venicia quickly shook her head. ¡°No I can¡¯t, if I go the citizens and other workers will think I am showing unreasonable favor once more. I¡¯ve already been watching over him quite a bit, but if I make a mistake, the discipline in the manor¡­¡± ¡°Asher has changed.¡± Lord Halvark smiled at Venicia. She had spoken as if it were a problem to go check on Asher due to favoritism, yet her body was already facing the door to go see the changes for herself. It was a child that Venicia treasured dearly, and raised from the shadows. Although she couldn¡¯t show it much due to the implications it had on the line of succession, she cared very deeply for the boy. ¡°I see.. Then I shall go ahead and see for myself.¡± Venicia nodded, turned around and left promptly. Lord Halvark¡¯s smile, abruptly contorted into suspicion. He picked up his wine glass and took a sip. ¡°Charon.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± The butler from behind him approached forwards and bowed his head in respect. ¡°Go and follow after Venicia and report to me in detail whatever happens there.¡± ¡°As you command, sir.¡± Charon had then left, leaving nobody else within the dining hall other than Lord Halvark. He played with his wine glass and put his hand to his forehead as he fell into thought. ¡®I should see for myself if it really is true.¡¯ As a lord, Lord Halvark had seen many people change supposedly but then revert back to their old natures. They would betray, use others and lie. That wasn¡¯t all of them, but it was a high chance. ¡®A troublemaking boy suddenly turns into a respectable and dutiful swordsman?¡¯ If Asher had truly changed, then to what extent? And if so.. How would Venicia react? ¡®He better not be plotting to use Venicia¡­ because if he is, it won¡¯t just end with being kicked out of the estate.¡¯ Lord Halvark glared at the door with a cold expression as he played with the wine glass in his hand. ¡ª Chapter 7 ¨C Fin Chapter 8 8. Training (3) ¡°It¡¯s hard to even eat during my meals¡­.¡± Reika said with a sulky face. Asher turned the edge of his sword and opened his mouth. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What the hell Asher! My mother is trying to pry into every little detail of our training! ¡®What¡¯s wrong with your face? Is your time together going well?¡¯ Stupid questions like those! It¡¯s killing me!¡± Reika shouted, covering her head in embarrassment. She liked to eat. Her mealtime was one of her favorite things to look forward to every day. But now she couldn¡¯t even bear to sit at the table. The only thing she could do was eat in a hurry and get out of the hall as quickly as possible to avoid her mother, Venicia, and her prying questions. ¡°I¡¯m going to have an upset stomach at this rate¡­ I don¡¯t even eat proper portions anymore¡­ It¡¯s getting dangerous¡­.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Asher closed his eyes. The lady of the lord, Venicia. This body¡¯s original owner was raised by the Lady of the Lord, Venicia. It was due to her, that even though the previous owner of this body was constantly causing trouble, that he didn¡¯t get kicked out already. ¡°It¡¯s going well for me.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not talking about you Reika. Stop complaining and grab the sword again.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Reika grumbled and gently lifted her sword. It was just light grumbling, but Asher knew how diligent she really was. Whenever he asked her to do something or perform a certain exercise, she would do it without fail. ¡°You said that you ran into a problem with your technique yesterday, right? Let¡¯s review it again.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Reika collected her breath and thrust her sword sharply. The speed of Reika¡¯s stab was impossible to follow for an average person. But Asher critiqued it sharply. ¡°It¡¯s too fast.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it better if it¡¯s fast? It would make it hard for my opponents to respond to my attacks.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine when you¡¯re up against someone who¡¯s not very skilled. But you¡¯re the one who will suffer if your opponent is skilled and parries your speed with power. If it is not used correctly, your form will snap like a twig.¡± Asher picked up a thick and blunt club. He stood in front of Reika and clapped his hands. ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°Ughhhhhhhhh.¡± Reika groaned with an annoyed face, but her body was already in position. She was done with trying to act like she knew it all in front of Asher. He could clearly subdue and make a fool out of her at any time he wanted to if he chose to. ¡°Hut!¡± Reika stabbed forward once again the sword. Asher looked closely at the tip of her blade. She was still immature and at the very basics, but her talent was absolute. The speed in which she was thrusting at, if trained well, would be so fast in the future, that even his previous life would have trouble trying to track her movements. But it didn¡¯t matter as of right now. Asher swung with the club. The weight of the club easily destroyed her form and she covered herself as she rolled on the ground. ¡°Cough¡­cough!¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this. No matter how fast you are, any skilled swordsman can guess the trajectory of your strike just by looking at your posture and shoulder movement. They don¡¯t even have to react nearly as fast as long as they see through your sloppy form. If your swordplay is going to be speed-focused swordplay, you will have to learn different variations of swordsmanship, but it cannot just be Lepenia¡¯s swordsmanship alone.¡± Lepenia¡¯s swordsmanship was more based towards flexibility . Swordplay that twisted and bent it¡¯s movements. If Reika wanted to focus on speed, it was necessary to learn other styles of swordsmanship as well. Reika spat out. ¡°Well gee thanks to you, at least I can definitely feel it!.¡± Reika finished her sarcastic remark as she spat out her red tainted saliva. Her mouth was a bit bloody and swollen. ¡°Can¡¯t you just go easy on me?¡± Asher was excellent as a teacher. Even Reika, who is new to learning from someone, could tell. As the captain of the imperial guard, he taught a lot of people, so he was quite used to helping someone improve and pointing out their flaws. It was no exaggeration to say Asher was an ideal teacher for most. But if there was one problem in all of it for Reika¡­ ¡°I get training my hardest every time, but can¡¯t you avoid giving me cuts and bruises? I¡¯m still part of an aristocratic family and it¡¯ll be hard to get married if this kind of thing becomes common.¡± ¡°You asked me to teach you, and now you¡¯re making a fuss? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t hurt you.¡± ¡°I know that. But my mom is worried about these scars. There¡¯s a limit to how much my weak body can take.¡± Reika grumbled. But Asher didn¡¯t intend to teach any differently. Only when the body was imprinted with scars from battles and training did one remember the pain and improve. But that wasn¡¯t the only reason. Asher¡¯s reputation with the previous body owner was abysmal, hence why everybody was on edge thinking Asher might try something terrible again. That¡¯s why he would also allow the others inside the mansion to watch their training. ¡°Then today¡¯s training ends here. The rest of it you will be able to do yourself.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°As always, I¡¯ll be continuing and doing the same as I always have.¡± Asher began to wield the sword. Clean, perfected movements in his swordsmanship. Looking at Asher¡¯s movements with the sword, Reika dropped her jaw blankly. The more and more she learned about the sword, the more she realized just how impressive Asher¡¯s swordsmanship was. His proficiency was unreal with the imperial swordsmanship. Perfect swordsmanship. Movements with zero flaws in them. That was Asher. ¡®What¡¯s that supposed to mean if you¡¯re already so perfect?¡¯ Reika grumbled inside. Not knowing about the fact he had reincarnated into the body of Asher, she had no choice but to be cynical. Of course in the back of her mind, she still felt like some kind of heavenly swordsman might have taken over Asher¡¯s body. (T/N : LOL) When she finished training with Asher in the morning, and came back in the evening after he did his chores, Asher was resuming the same intensity in his training as his morning sessions. It was no exaggeration to say that he was always holding onto his sword except when it came to eating and sleeping. But even at those times, she couldn¡¯t be sure if he was hiding his sword and secretly holding on it. Asher was crazy in her eyes. It didn¡¯t seem like Asher was practicing or wielding the sword to achieve something, It was like it was more like the sword was his life. It was phenomenal and felt different. But one thing was clear. Asher had definitely changed ¡°¡­why are you always practicing so hard?¡± Even when Reika asked, Asher laughed. Why did he practice so hard? There was no reason. Asher said calmly. ¡°Just.¡± ¡°¡­just?¡± ¡°There¡¯s just no reason.¡± It was the same as when he had first picked up the sword. The same question every single time. Why did he try so hard, what was he trying to accomplish with his abysmal talent? He just wanted to live with the sword. He just enjoyed his life much more when it was with his sword. If there was a reason though¡­ perhaps it was because he wanted to see the end. The very pinnacle of swordsmanship. He felt that if he could see it, he might understand why. ¡°¡­that¡¯s why you¡¯re so strong.¡± ¡°I¡¯m weak.¡±, Asher responded in a matter-of-factly manner. ¡°When will you stop speaking such nonsense? If it¡¯s not nonsense like you say it is, then give me a reason why it isn¡¯t!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Asher narrowed his eyes. He was still weak. It was an undeniable truth. But more than that, the present time that he had been reincarnated into was in a vulnerable state. ¡®Is it because it was peaceful compared to the amount of wars and battles in my previous life?¡¯ The previous generation that he lived in, was the age of heroes. Everything that threatened humanity was brought down by those who represented the most powerful beings of humanity back then, the heroes. Thanks to this, mankind had found peace, but it was inevitable that if disaster struck, it would be incredibly difficult for humanity to survive with how complacent it was right now. The same could be for other places around the empire. It wasn¡¯t a terrible state, but something about this dull peaceful era¡­ bugged something within Asher¡¯s subconscious. Suddenly Asher started to feel like something vitally important that he was missing, was coming back to him¡­ The door opened before the thought continued. A maid came in and bowed curteously. Reika frowned. ¡°I told you not to come in while I was training.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss.¡± ¡°Get out of here right now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so mean. This poor maid was just showing me around.¡± Reika trembled at the sound of the voice that could be heard from behind the maid. She looked at the person coming in with her eyes widened. A fine-looking, middle-aged woman and a knight stood there. Reika groaned. ¡°¡­Mother?¡± Venicia chuckled in a low voice. The maid slowly closed the door and exited the training hall. *** ¡°I thought you said you were doing fine my dear.¡± Venicia took a step forward. Reika stepped back without realizing it. Venicia was still looking at her with friendly, but stern eyes. ¡°I wanted to come here at least once. Think of the worries I might have as your mother.¡± ¡°Ha. Haha¡­¡± Reika laughed awkwardly. Looking at those two, Asher thought. ¡®So, the lady has finally shown herself?¡¯ It was the person that had been helping the previous body¡¯s owner live here despite causing so much trouble. Asher had not met her yet since reincarnating, but it was thanks to this woman that he had not been sold off or kicked out of the estate. But she didn¡¯t even come to see Asher today. Not only that, he couldn¡¯t just brazenly start a conversation with her. He was an employee and was at the grace and mercy of her actions. He should not overstep his boundaries, he thought. I mean but it also made sense for Venicia to come eventually. If her only daughter was constantly covered in scratches and wounds at the dinner table, she had no choice but to be worried and come check up on her. Even if Venicia vented her anger at him, Reika would try to defend him now since he had started to teach her in earnest. But she could have also come to see Reika as an excuse to see him. Asher looked at Venecia. She turned her eyes after finishing the conversation she was having with her daughter. What kind of emotions were in her eyes, Asher thought? Anger? Suspicion? His gaze met with Venicia¡¯s, and Asher flinched. ¡°Hmm. Hmm. Asher. It¡¯s been a long time.¡± She corrected her posture with a fake cough. However, his body was restless and was shaking as if he wanted to jump and go hug her right away. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®What the hell is going on with this body?¡¯ Asher felt incredibly weird but suppressed his body¡¯s twitching and his rising emotions as he bowed his head in respect to Lady Venicia. ¡°Are you sick? You got a fever, don¡¯t you? Let¡¯s see.¡± She walked over to him and rubbed Asher¡¯s forehead. The warm body temperature of Venicia¡¯s hand, made Asher slightly uncomfortable and he retreated quickly. Venicia flinched at Asher¡¯s sudden behavior. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was being too outspoken.¡±, she muttered with a disappointed and apologetic look. ¡°Oh, no that¡¯s not it¡­¡± Asher shook his head. What was wrong with this stupid body? He couldn¡¯t control his emotions. Whenever he saw her warm eyes, his hands kept trying to move. He took a deep breath in to relax his nerves and spoke. ¡°Long time no see, Miss Venicia.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®Miss Venicia¡¯?¡± Venicia made a slightly disappointed expression once more at Asher¡¯s words. She clicked her tongue and shook her head. She had spoken affectionately as if she were referring to her own child. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to call me that when we¡¯re the only ones here. Although whatever your circumstances may be now, I still raised you like my own son. Why don¡¯t you try speaking like you used to with me.¡± She looked at him with warm eyes. ¡°Okay mother.¡± Suddenly Asher was surprised at his own words and felt a tier drip down his cheek. ¡°Ah.¡± At that moment he realized. He had never received parental affection even once in his two lives. In his childhood, his household was poor. And like most commoners, the eyes that his parents looked at him were not ones of affection, but the eyes of those who looked at goods that needed to be sold for other uses. Even when they sent him to the academy, they had only agreed in hopes to find himself a suitor and marry a richer woman so they could live better off. It was no different even after he entered the imperial guards. After working there so long, he started to recognize the gazes of those who look at him. They were gazes of either, admiration, reverence, ridicule, or murderous intent. There was never a time in his two lives that he truly received a genuine look of affection and love. All but a few were able to actually understand him, and those happened to be other orphan children he would sometimes bring food for when he was an imperial guard. Funnily enough, this was the first time he had ever received a gaze of genuine affection and it had melted his cold heart, allowing a tear to emerge from his eyes. Venicia saw this tear however, as something had truly been wrong with Asher¡¯s health and she yelled at the knight. ¡°Charon! Call the doctor now!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Oh, my goodness mother.¡± His mouth was feeling itchy as if he had eaten something bitter. Calling someone mother was foreign to him, and yet oddly comfortable at the same time. It wasn¡¯t a bad feeling. He laughed. Venicia shifted her gaze with worry at Charon with a serious face and signaled with her eyebrows to get moving. Charon looked unhappy, but he calmly stepped back and left the two be. ¡°¡­Is there a problem Asher??? Just tell me, I¡¯ll listen to you as much as I can.¡± ¡°I¡­.¡± He could technically cheat here. She was giving him the leeway to do so. She probably somewhat already heard the situation from Reika and was just making it easier for him to say it. But he¡­ didn¡¯t want to. He didn¡¯t want to deceive anyone who showed such feelings of genuine affection towards him. It felt wrong. But¡­ he also didn¡¯t have much of a choice. ¡°I think I¡¯ve lost my memories.¡± He laughed bitterly. How would she react? Asher¡¯s throat started to become dry. Chapter 9 - Swordmaster (1) Chapter 9 ¨C Swordmaster (1) Translated by : betterdays Asher shut his mouth quietly. How would Venicia react? She wouldn¡¯t believe it no matter what, he thought. Who would believe such a weird thing coming from a 12 year-old troublemaker of the estate? Maybe she¡¯ll be on guard. Asher¡¯s anxiety started to bubble up. IHe slowly looked up and looked at her face. As Asher saw her expression gradually, he was surprised. ¡°What?¡± Venicia was crying. Asher was incredibly embarrassed. In the numerous situations that were played out just now in his head, crying was not one of them. ¡°Oh, my God. Oh, my God.¡± She hugged Asher. Asher flinched again at the warmth of Venicia¡¯s body. She hugged him tightly and patted him on the back. ¡°You must have been having such a hard time. Are you okay? Since when did you start to lose your memories?¡± ¡°¡­it hasn¡¯t been more than two months.¡± Asher turned to Reika with a perplexed face. He said that he had lost his memory, and she was feeling sorry for him? He couldn¡¯t understand the thought process of the two women next to him. However, Reika looked sullen as if she had guessed this would happen. Her mother cared about him too much. ¡°Mother, get away from him. He¡¯s flustered.¡±, Reika interjected. ¡°Flustered? Why?¡± ¡°He just told you he lost his memory, didn¡¯t he? How could he possibly remember you mom?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± At the words, Venecia wiped away her tears and stepped back. Asher carefully helped Venicia stand properly as she was bending down to hug Asher¡¯s rather small figure. ¡°Don¡¯t you doubt me?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°That I lost my memory.¡± ¡°Why would I doubt it? There¡¯s no reason for you to lie to me.¡± Venicia smiled warmly with her eyes displaying absolute trust, Asher avoided her gaze since it still felt uncomfortable for him. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not the kid you know anymore.¡± His memories had become jumbled together with the previous body¡¯s owner and he was still uncomfortable with adjusting to his reincarnation. He had also never had somebody show him affection, so Asher naturally tried to push her away from him with rough words. ¡°You said you raised me. But I don¡¯t have those memories. Not only that, but your face, your name¡­ I forgot all of those things. To me, you¡¯re someone I¡¯ve never met before.¡± She was nothing to the current Asher, he was trying to get that point across to her and set a boundary with her. However, both of them in their bodies felt a platonic sense of love and affection for one another, so an uncomfortable silence ensued in the training hall. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know if you remember, but long ago before any of the younger ones were born, I was unable to bear any children.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Venicia could not give birth to any children for a long time, and when she finally had her first child, she was already in her mid-twenties. Although wealth and influence were nice, having a blood descendant was a necessary must for nobility. The deities and gods that she prayed to, left her calls unanswered until one day¡­ she found a little boy abandoned by the side of a river. ¡°I was the first one to find you.¡± She laughed as she recalled the time she had found the young baby boy, named ¡®Asher¡¯. On a day when she was ridden with stress and shame, Rebecca, her maid, recommended her to take a walk. She didn¡¯t quite have the strength to do that, but while walking through the hallways of the estate and out in the grassy areas of the plains with a sorry heart, she heard a very high pitched wailing sound. ¡°I brought you back into the mansion with me. I was embarrassed because it was my first time holding a baby in my entire life. I tried to get you a maid that night to help get you to sleep, but you grabbed my finger and held onto it.¡± The young baby at that time stopped crying and started to giggle. Fiddling with Venicias fingers, he burst into a fit of giggles. The abandoned child laughed in her arms as soon as he was brought to the estate. At that moment, Venicia¡¯s world changed. She raised the child in spite of the opposition. She saw the child growing slowly, suffering on his own as an employee of the estate, not leaving his well-being in the hands of a maid. Although she could not adopt him, she poured more love into him than anything else in her life as Asher grew up. ¡°Why do I trust you? Why do I love you? Isn¡¯t it obvious? Because I think of you as my own child. I raised you and loved you with all my heart. Even if you don¡¯t remember anything, even if you don¡¯t think of me as you did anymore, there¡¯s no problem for me at all.¡± Because she loved him. She was her child. Her eyes were saying so. ¡°I¡¯m not someone you know anymore.¡± Those loving eyes were not for him. Those were for the original Asher. It was directed at the original owner of this body. ¡°I don¡¯t care, you¡¯re still my child.¡± No. He was not her child. Even though he knew that, could he really view her with such eyes and accept such unconditional love? Asher shook his head. ¡°Okay, Mother.¡± Even when he spoke the words, his bitter and guilty feelings did not disappear. Venicia smiled brightly at the words. *** ¡°It¡¯s heavy.¡± Reika, who was still listening, said with an uncomfortable face. She knew that the events would flow like they did, but seeing it in person felt completely different. It was hard to accept what had just happened in front of her. Reika, although young, could feel that Venicia loved Asher more than her. And Reika was her own blood-related daughter It hurt quite a bit for her. ¡°Anyway, has everything been alright for you since then?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Asher answered Venicia quietly. When their talk seemed to be over, Karen approached. When Charon coughed slightly, Venicia cleared her throat with surprise as if she had just realized something. ¡°Hmm. Hmm. That¡¯s right¡­ I forgot to say why I¡¯m here today¡­.¡± She explained slowly. After hearing what she said, Reika clicked her tongue as if she knew this would happen eventually. Venicia looked at her with worried eyes. ¡°No matter how good you are with the sword, shouldn¡¯t you at least take care of yourself? I mean¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯m going to be practicing more comfortably from now on.¡± It was a bluff from Asher to see how Venicia felt about their training. But Benesia showed absolute trust in him. From now on though, it was true that Asher and Reika could train a bit less rough since he had gotten a basic foundation set up for her. ¡°Oh, really? Then it¡¯ll be okay. But when did you start practicing swordsmanship so much?.¡± ¡°It was the very next day after I lost my memory.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Venicia tilted her head. It had been less than two months, and he was already teaching someone? Even Venicia could feel that was a little odd, and not only that, but how peculiar could it be that Asher started training with the sword the very day after he lost his memories? Reika grumbled at Venicia¡¯s questioning since she just wanted her to leave them already. ¡°It seems you had a talent for swords.¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± Venicia seemed to have the wrong understanding, but it seemed like the only plausible explanation for everyone who saw someone of such skill by only training a little more than two months ¡®Ignorance is bliss.¡¯ He knew he didn¡¯t have any talent, or at least was convinced that he didn¡¯t in this body as well, so he felt guilty for lying to Venicia who was showing him such doting affection. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t let you believe that statement, Miss.¡± Charon, who was listening quietly, twisted his mouth. *** He didn¡¯t hear that Asher had lost his memory two months ago, but Charon knew what Asher was like in the past and had met several of his trouble-making kind. He despised Asher to no end. Asher was a waste. He never put any effort into anything, had no willingness to abide by the rules of the estate. He was a bug in Charon¡¯s eyes. That was his assessment of Asher. If it wasn¡¯t for the protection of Venicia, Asher would have been beaten and kicked out of the estate long ago. And now he was shamelessly claiming to be the teacher of the young miss? Charon¡¯s muscles swelled up and his face contorted with anger. He was a knight. He was faithful to the nobility of the Empire and his sword. He had trained for years and years, and this was like an utter disgrace to him. ¡°You¡¯re talented? And because of that, you¡¯re suddenly qualified to teach Miss Reika?¡± A few years ago, Charon was thrilled to see Reika start wielding the sword. As a knight who spent his very life, practicing the sword, he could notice Reika¡¯s talent in a heartbeat. Although impressed by her talent, he did not give advice or dare try to teach Reika. It was because he was afraid of carelessly stunting her growth with the sword and having her create blemishes in her swordsmanship since he was not qualified to teach others.. But for this disgusting and lying bug to be ruining Miss Reika¡¯s unparalleled talent?! The hand that was gripped on the handle of his sword was strengthened. Charon wanted to kill him right away, but Venicia was watching. Charon drew the sword while trying to suppress his murderous intent. ¡°You said you were talented. Talented enough to somehow start teaching the Young Miss after picking up the sword only two months ago, correct?¡± Charon spat out venomously at Asher. That trash must have twisted his tongue and fed lies to Lady Venicia and Miss Reika. Anybody who had no education with the sword would have believed it. Asher had no shame in the eyes of Charon. ¡°Then beat me in a duel. I¡¯m sure if you can beat me then anybody would acknowledge you are truly talented enough to teach others. Pick up the sword.¡± ¡°Sir Charon, what are you talking about?!¡±, Lady Venicia tried to interject as she noticed something clearly awry. ¡°This was the Lord¡¯s order. I can¡¯t and will not stop no matter times you ask me to stop, Lady Venicia¡± Venicia was forced to shut up at Charon¡¯s words. Charon pointed his sword at Asher. ¡°If you can¡¯t take responsibility for your words and claims, then just beat it. You are nothing but a lowly commoner and have no place being here.¡± ¡°Charon¡­¡± Lady Venicia was feeling downhearted since she couldn¡¯t do anything if it was truly the Lord¡¯s order. Not only that, it was clear to her that Charon was also using this as an opportunity to vent his anger at a child. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Asher stepped forward, patting Venicia on the shoulder to relax her. He then locked gazes with Charon. Only contempt and hostility could be seen in Charon¡¯s eyes. ¡®It seems this was an order sent by the lord of the estate. Hm¡­¡¯ Unlike Venicia, It seemed to Asher that the Lord had some bitter feelings and opinions about Asher¡¯s presencel. Well, it was weird in the first place that a nobility like Venicia would even try to raise a commoner boy as her own son in the first place, but Asher felt indebted to her since she was the first person to have ever shown him eyes of affection. He could not let her feel down. Asher lifted his sword slowly with a resolute and fierce gaze in his eyes. ¡°What will you do if I win?¡± ¡°¡­I won¡¯t meddle with you or your affairs anymore. If I win, you¡¯ll shut your dirty mouth about being the teacher of Miss Reika, yes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine with me.¡± Asher nodded and then shifted his steps. *** ¡°So that¡¯s what happened.¡± Lord Halvark leaned against the chair and muttered to himself. He was having a headache just listening to the story and pressed his hands to rub his temples. ¡°You challenged Asher to a fight¡­ and you lost?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Charon bit his lips. His face, whose lips and cheekbones were colored in black and blue with bruises, looked rather funny. ¡°I don¡¯t remember telling you to challenge Asher to a duel.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Charon bowed his head. However, Lord Halvark did not rebuke him. As a result, Charon¡¯s actions actually brought forwards some important information. ¡°¡­It¡¯s been said he has training with the sword for less than 2 months, and even Reika corroborated the truth of that matter. But I still can¡¯t believe he beat you.¡± Charon was incredibly strong. He became a knight of Lord Halvark¡¯s small estate to repay the kindness he received from Lord Halvark long ago, but he was originally a well-known knight in the Empire. He was not a person who would be beaten by even the most talented of children who had been learning swordsmanship from birth. But for some child to beat him¡­ and one that had been only training for 2 months? ¡°And you couldn¡¯t even raise your hands because he overwhelmed you to such an extent?¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± Charon replied in a gloomy tone. There was no room to refute what happened since the rumors had already spread from all the staff in the estate to even the villagers of the town. If Reika and Venicia hadn¡¯t stopped Asher in the middle of their so-called ¡®duel¡¯, Charon would have beaten bloody till he was crippled. Charon trembled at the thought of such a monstrous kid. ¡°Hmm.¡± Lord Halvark narrowed his eyes and tapped his fingers on his desk. He couldn¡¯t even try and guess what else happened to Asher since losing his memories. Everything he heard was completely opposite to Asher he once knew. ¡°It¡¯s like a completely different person¡­.¡± But that clearly couldn¡¯t happen. In the end, Lord Halvark only got more of a headache trying to figure it out. ¡°How does his relationship with Reika look?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t look bad.¡± ¡°Clearly Asher is brilliant. If I had noticed sooner I could have made a plan-¡± Lord Halvark mumbled and was suddenly cut-off. ¡°You¡¯re telling an interesting story.¡± An old man¡¯s voice suddenly rang out from behind them. Charon immediately flinched and turned around, drawing his sword at the ready. Since when did this person get behind him? There was an old man standing by the window. Charon was shocked. He was in a small room together with Lord Halvark, and he who was an Empirical knight couldn¡¯t even notice this man¡¯s presence? ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡± ¡°You are in no position to question me as a servant.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know who you are, but if you have come all the way here just to sneak into the Lord¡¯s room, you¡¯d better be prepared!¡± Charon yelled as he stomped his foot on the ground with strength and shot forwards ¡°Wait Charon¡­.¡± Lord Halvark tried to stop him, but Charon¡¯s sword had already drawn a trajectory in the air. All of a sudden a flash of light lit up the dark room where the three of them were, and Charon¡¯s sword was blocked ¡°Hmmm¡­ the speed is good.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Charon looked at his sword with an incredible face. The unknown old man was holding onto his sword with two fingers. The old man chuckled. ¡°Go away.¡± Boom- ¡°Cough!¡± The shock struck Charon¡¯s body. Charon collapsed on the floor throwing up blood and slowly managed to lift the sword with trembling hands as a cane. The old man whistled. ¡°Oh you didn¡¯t let go of the sword? What a waste. You would have been worth raising if I were a little younger, but I¡¯m too old these days to teach.¡± ¡°You really are too much..¡±, Lord Halvark sighed. The old man approached Lord Halvark with a grin. ¡°Your knight will get better in two days. I can protect you while he¡¯s getting treated, so what¡¯s the problem? There¡¯s no one better that you could possibly have for a personal guard than myself.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on this time that made you want to visit?¡±, Lord Halvark asked in a tired voice. ¡°I was just going to drop by for a while, but I heard quite an interesting story while listening to that guy over there. Yeah¡­ that¡¯s right. You say a boy who hasn¡¯t even trained with the sword for more than two months beat this guy over here?¡± The old man spoke, pointing to Charon. As the old man saw it, the level of Charon was quite high. Even those with great talent from birth, would not be able to defeat Charon unless they trained diligently and with motivation regularly. But some young boy had beaten this knight of the empire after picking up the sword only 2 months ago? He was definitely not going to miss this interesting story. ¡°You are¡­¡± Charon looked up at the old man blankly as he spoke with shock in his voice. The old man¡¯s facial features were that of a man in his early 80s, but his body was one of a stout young man in his 20¡¯s. In addition, the most unusual thing was the color of the old man¡¯s hair. As if the old man had rejected the passage of time, his beard and hair was pitch black instead of gray and white. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­.¡±, Charon muttered. ¡°Oh it seems you know me. I thought I¡¯d be forgotten since it¡¯s been such a long time since I was active.¡± ¡°How could I not know who you are sir¡­!¡± There was a desire in the eyes of Charon. The old man in front of him, was a man anybody who followed the path of the sword would revere and want to learn from. Lord Halvark got up from his seat and leaned over. ¡°It¡¯s been 20 years. We welcome your visit. High Count Van Ester. The master of the Halvark family, and the sword of the Empire. Thank you for your visit, Swordmaster.¡± Chapter 10 In the Empire, there was a tacit law that nobility should never bow to anybody but the Emperor himself. He was known as the Sun of the Empire and the nobility should only ever bow to this man alone. But¡­ Here was Lord Halvark, bowing to the man known as ¡®Van Ester¡¯. However, nobody would be surprised to see such a sight. This man was a swordmaster. The amount of swordmasters within the Empire counted no more than 10. They had mastered the way of the sword and were pivotal existences to maintaining the current peace and wellbeing of the Empire. They deserved respect beyond their titles and rank. ¡°How come¡­¡± Charon looked up at Van Ester with clear admiration in his eyes. High Count, Van Ester. He had been a swordmaster long before Charon was even born and was the known Family Head to the Ester Family. ¡°How come you¡¯re here¡­.?¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh, I don¡¯t know since it¡¯s been about 20 years.¡± Van Ester nudged his head to point to Lord Halvark when he was asked by Charon. ¡°I was his guardian for a while due to his father.¡± ¡°What?¡± Charon looked at Lord Halvark with a confused and shocked face. He had never heard such a thing before in all his time serving as a knight for the Halvark Family. Lord Halvark just laughed bitterly. ¡°Because I didn¡¯t have a need to say around saying such a thing. Being his guardian didn¡¯t mean it was such a close-knit relationship. It was just that I came to check up on him, since it¡¯s been 20 years and all.¡± ¡°Your father¡¯s friend¡­¡±, Charon muttered as he looked at Lord Halvark. ¡°You¡¯ll never know who his father was even if I told you. He wasn¡¯t that famous. Only people like myself know, and people like yourself wouldn¡¯t even know he existed.¡± Van Ester¡¯s face looked bitter when he spoke the words. Lord Halvark lowered his head in sadness as if he had guessed why Van Ester was truly here. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±, Van Ester smiled bitterly at Lord Halvark. ¡°Huh? No. It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s already been 20 years since he died. And you would have visited the funeral had you not been undergoing missions for the Emperor. But¡­¡± Lord Halvark frowned. There was a separate reason why he didn¡¯t talk about his relationship with Van Ester. ¡°Where the hell have you been? You suddenly disappeared twenty years ago, so I thought you were dead.¡± A few months after the funeral, Van Ester disappeared. There were rumors circulating in the Segan Empire that he went to find a place to die, or to find a new place to practice and train with the sword, but Van Ester did not appear anywhere else and completely fell off the map. And so¡­ he was gradually forgotten. ¡°I needed time to myself.¡± ¡°¡­for twenty years?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been all the way to the edge of the continent, and I¡¯ve traveled all over the world. I didn¡¯t find out everything I wanted to see, though. But, my God. The world is a mess.¡± Van Ester laughed in vain. The laughter was so bitter and depressing that even Lord Halvark could tell that Van Ester was still mourning the loss of his friend, Lord Halvark¡¯s father. Van Ester¡¯s eyes then shone, as he carefully opened his mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that¡¯s the end of that story, but why don¡¯t you just finish what you were talking about. A boy that has been practicing the sword for 2 months beat him?¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Charon replied solemnly. Van Ester suddenly grinned. ¡°Tell me the details.¡± *** ¡°Hmm.¡± The story was over. Van Ester slightly smiled as his eyes shone with excitement and wonder. He slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Oh, my God.¡± The corners of his mouth were slightly curved upwards. His voice had completely changed from the solemn tone earlier, to one of pure curiosity, admiration and wonder. ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡± ¡°Yet, I have a headache about it¡­.¡± Lord Halvark clenched his forehead with annoyance. Van Ester laughed with joy. ¡°But it¡¯s actually an interesting story. Did you say your name was Charon?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Charon replied, holding a close attention to whatever Van Ester¡¯s next words may be. Van Ester did not stop his laughter and continued. ¡°You¡¯re strong. It would be hard to even fight you unless one was a first-rate swordsman. But you couldn¡¯t use your hands properly against this child? A kid who hasn¡¯t even practiced the sword for more than two months? Oh, boy, let me ask you a question.¡± Van Ester pushed his face closer towards Charon¡¯s. His deep black eyes approached Charon who was nervously fidgeting with his fingers. ¡°What did you feel when you fought with the child?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Charon was silent. Asher was strong, Though Charon did not want to admit it at first, he did know Asher was good with the sword. But the strength he faced in the ¡®spar¡¯ was something completely different than what he saw from the sides when he spectated him. The swordsmanship Asher practiced was only the imperial swordsmanship, but it was disciplined to the limit, and whenever Charon showed a gap, Asher did not miss it and struck like a vicious snake. It was if¡­ ¡°It was like seeing a trained veteran.¡± ¡°A veteran. A child with the looks and build of a boy, but the instincts and swordsmanship of an old man.¡± At the same time that Van Ester raised the corners of his mouth and spoke, suddenly his aura gushed out spread around him in excitement. Lord Halvark stepped back and Charon held the sword with a pale-white face. Van Ester waved his hand apologetically. ¡°Oh, It¡¯s not for you, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Lord Halvark swallowed his saliva. Wasn¡¯t the target obvious if it was not directed at them? He didn¡¯t know why Van Ester was going to kill the child. ¡°I¡¯ll have to meet him somehow, we¡¯ll need to make up an excuse for me to be here.¡± ¡°Are you going to try and meet him?¡± ¡°Yep. Oh, and I¡¯ll see your daughter before that. If she¡¯s really that talented, she¡¯ll enjoy being taught by me.¡± ¡°Oh, my¡­!¡± Charon shouted without realizing it. A Swordmaster¡¯s direct teaching. Charon knew Reika was talented, but he didn¡¯t know she was that talented. Van Ester then clapped his hands. ¡°Guide me.¡± *** ¡°Wow. So refreshing.¡± Reika smiled as she shook off the drops of water in her hair. Nothing was as refreshing as a bath after training. She had been in a good mood lately. It was because Asher¡¯s training became more comfortable for her. After meeting with her mother, Venicia, Asher had been refraining from directly violent and arduous spars. He still stabbed her in the heart with his words, but so what if he did? As long as it didn¡¯t hurt her or degrade her. She wasn¡¯t weak enough to fall apart over harsh, but constructive criticism. ¡®I think I¡¯m improving, too.¡¯ She patted her arm with delight. It had already been a month since she had started training and she had gained a little muscle. She realized that she was getting stronger. ¡®I can hold on for a minute now!¡¯ It may seem shabby to others, but it was a great improvement for her. It was the moment she walked lightly down the hall. Her eldest brother Luke, was walking from the other side. ¡°Bye, oppa.¡± Reika waved nonchalantly. She wasn¡¯t interested in Luke at all. She didn¡¯t like her brother¡¯s personality, and when he would become the owner of the estate, she decided that she would leave. She wasn¡¯t going to be under such an ignorant and arrogant idiot anyway. Luke crumpled his face at her. ¡°¡­did you play with him again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not playing. It¡¯s training.¡± ¡°Pft, what training?¡± Luke jeered. He didn¡¯t like Reika being around with Asher. ¡°Is it now called training when men and women frolic around together? That¡¯s great then!¡± ¡°Think as you please.¡± Reika ignored him and continued to walk away. She was too lazy to talk to him. Luke¡¯s face contorted in disgust with her attitude. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no way he¡¯s talented in that humble thing. He must be great with throwing a stick around by now since he¡¯s been doing such a stupid little thing for months now. That¡¯s the only way for commoners to think they can wield a sword.¡± Reika stopped walking. She frowned. She could ignore it as always, but she didn¡¯t like something this time from Luke¡¯s words. ¡°¡­Asher is talented with the sword.¡± ¡°Ha, you¡¯re defending that lowly bug. You¡¯ve really gone crazy now.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Reika spat out sharply. Asher was her teacher. She could have ignored it if Luke was cursing her, but she couldn¡¯t stand someone so disgusting and vile cursing Asher. Luke¡¯s corners of his mouth curled up even more as if he had caught onto a weakness of Reika¡¯s. ¡°Get a hold of yourself. My sister, you¡¯re an aristocrat, and he¡¯s a commoner. The noble are the only ones who have the right to give to others. You should never learn or take teachings from a dirty commoner. You¡¯re degrading our nobility.¡± ¡°I said shut up.¡± Reika picked up a wooden sword. Luke opened his arms and burst into laughter at her attitude. ¡°Ha! You¡¯re gonna hit me? Me, the eldest son and heir to the lordship? Okay. Hit me. Let¡¯s see what happens!¡± Reika bit her lips. Luke was the successor. If she hurts his body, even the daughter of the Lord could not avoid punishment. but¡­ ¡°¡­I guess I¡¯ll do as you please.¡± Reika approached Luke. Luke stepped backwards suddenly, his false bravado completely gone, and a pale white face to replace it. ¡°You¡­you! If you hit me, Things won¡¯t end nicely!¡± ¡°Oh you just told me to hit you and now you want me to stop?¡± Reika laughed and held the sword. To hell with her future as a bride to some fat and oily noble with a personality like her brother¡¯s. Luke fell on the floor. As she was about to try and strike the sword, a voice rang out. ¡°The eldest daughter is trying to hit the eldest son. Now this is a rare sight.¡± Reika looked away in a hurry. Luke exclaimed, ¡°Oh, my god Father!¡± An old man was smiling and looking at them speaking the words, and Lord Halvark was pressing his forehead as if he was utterly annoyed with something right behind him. Reika groaned. *** ¡°What a fun and exciting family.¡± ¡°¡­please say any more.¡± Van Ester spoke in a cheerful and jovial manner while Lard Halvark looked fatigued. Reika flinched at the sight as her behavior ended in failure luckily before something terrible happened, but it was not something that could just be overlooked. Luke pointed his finger at Reika, sticking behind Lord Halvark like a leech. ¡°Father! Reika dared to beat your successor, ME! Hurry up and scold¡­¡± Luke, who was shouting in crisis, suddenly stopped shouting and shut up on the spot. The old man Reika first caught a glimpse of and that was standing next to her father, was staring at him. Luke was unconsciously discouraged by the penetrating and stern gaze. ¡°You¡¯re not even worth being seen as a successor in my eyes.¡± Luke¡¯s body trembled at the heartless words. He tried to point at the man and jeer at him, but Lord Halvark hurriedly blocked him before Luke did anything more idiotic than he already had done. The old man walked toward Reika without even caring about Luke. ¡°Oh, hello there little miss?¡± Reika stepped back without realizing it. She could tell from his appearance that he was not an ordinary old man. Perfectly straight, jet-black hair, beard, and a muscular build that didn¡¯t fit his age. There couldn¡¯t possibly be any kind of normal old man like that. In addition, her father was hiding Luke who was about to jeer at him like he was trying to protect him. Above all, Reika¡¯s instincts were screaming at her at that moment. The old man in front of her was dangerous. Her senses continued to scream and yell at her to run away, and the grip in her sword unconsciously strengthened. The old man looked at her in admiration. ¡°Huh. That¡¯s more than I was expecting. I¡¯ve never seen a kid quite like you before.¡± The old man reached out with a smile. His hands suddenly shot out in a fluid motion toward the neck of Reika. Reika held her sword reflexively and followed her screaming instincts. She lowered her posture and slashed at the stretched out wrist, giving the old man a look of surprise as he quickly dodged it with ease. The old man smiled. At the same time, the tip of Reika¡¯s sword turned flexible and wound around in a curved trajectory like a snake. It was a way for her to strike back, avoiding any possible strikes from the man¡¯s palms. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± The old man shot his hands forwards ignoring her sword completely and once again dodging with ease, grabbed her wrist in admiration and twisted it. Reika dropped the sword, holding back the pain. ¡°Hahaha!¡± The old man kicked the sword on the floor away from her. Reika quickly thought about her options in that split-second. What did Asher tell her to do at a time like this? ¡®Oh. I remember now.¡¯ She pulled herself back towards the man in reverse, doing the opposite of trying to run away and tucked her other hand in a palm strike, aiming for his chin. When the old man put his arm in between and blocked it, she immediately dropped her body, rolled away and grabbed the sword that was on the ground. Somersaulting back onto her feet, she kicked off the ground and struck at the man¡¯s achilles tendon. A dull sound rang out. ¡°¡­huh?¡± Reika groaned. It was hard. It wasn¡¯t the feeling of a sword and flesh hitting against each other. It was like the feeling of punching iron with a bare fist. ¡°¡­this is ridiculous.¡± The old man mumbled, his arm clasped. What he just did to Reika was one of his bad habits. Whenever he saw a fairly talented youth, he would pressure them and see their reaction. But so far, not one of these ¡®talented¡¯ youth had endured his first gesture. But Reika not only withstood his first gesture¡­. She didn¡¯t get flustered unlike the many other youth he had tested with this little game, but actually counterattacked with incredible split-second decision making. It was a possible counterattack because he hadn¡¯t expected it and dropped his guard naturally since it was a child, but¡­ to have his gaps exploited? By a child? One of whom he had expected nothing better than the average so-called ¡®talent¡¯. ¡°Who are you?¡± The old man pushed his face towards Reika with curiosity. Reika murmured with a pale face. ¡°I am Reika Halvark, but¡­.¡± ¡°Not those superficial things. Well, I already could tell who you were with that sword strike.¡± The girl in front of him was strong. It was unbelievable, This was a talent he had never come across in all his years as a swordmaster. If she continued with great teaching and this unparalleled talent¡­ she could completely surpass the maker of the swordsmanship she was using. And¡­ the mysterious boy that had piqued his interest, was the self-proclaimed teacher of such a child. ¡°Oi Halvark, this kid¡¯s teacher is him, right?¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Van Ester grabbed the sword. There was no need to even ask about the location. He took a quick step and kicked off the ground, covering an incredibly long distance with just that one step and arrived at the training area. Holding the door knob at the entrance, he smiled lightly. His hand was shaking with anticipation and excitement for the first time in over twenty years. The door opened¡­ and he saw a boy wielding a sword diligently inside the training area. Van Ester¡¯s eyes opened wide. Chapter 11 Inside the training area, there was a boy wielding a sword. Van Ester was completely silent. Those who were following him caught up and tried to talk to him, but Van Ester just looked at the boy as if he were possessed. ¡°Ah.¡± Van Ester groaned. The boy was wielding the sword in a familiar style of swordsmanship. In fact it was one he knew very well. The Imperial swordsmanship. It was not special or strong, it was a style for perfect all-rounding abilities and was incredibly minimalistic. But¡­ it was the boy¡¯s movement that caught Van Ester¡¯s eye. It was perfect. Every time the boy¡¯s arm moved and the sword drew a trajectory, Van Ester burst into admiration. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh¡­¡± Van Ester¡¯s eyes were getting hazy. That was one point of reach. one of the areas where human beings could arrive only in their finest moments. It was fascinatingly beautiful for him. The act Van Ester had devised and planned with Lord Halvark to try and confront and talk to the boy, was completely thrown out the window as he watched the simple boy and his sword. At that moment, the sword stopped. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Van Ester sighed in disappointment without even realizing he did. A deep sense of loss filled his heart, but he tried to shake it off. The boy was looking right at him with completely indifferent eyes. ¡°Hmm. Hmm. Good to see you kid.¡± ¡°You. Who are you.¡± (T/N : yes author put a period not a question mark) ¡°Hmm? I¡¯m¡­¡± Van Ester paused. What should he say? Should he just introduce himself with no pretenses and admit to being a swordmaster? No. That was just showing off. The boy in front of him was in a completely different dimension than anybody he had ever seen except the other swordmasters. His swordsmanship had already achieved a certain threshold that was nigh impossible to reach. To call himself a swordmaster to a boy like that? Van Ester¡¯s face became flustered with embarrassment just imagining trying to say it. But then what should he say? ¡°You¡¯re High Count Van Ester aren¡¯t you?¡± Asher then spoke up, breaking the silence. ¡°Oh, you know me!¡± Fortunately, the boy called his name out first. While he nodded happily, the boy was still looking at him with indifferent eyes. *** High Count, Van Ester. A master of the sword, one of the few Swordmasters within the Empire. He was one of the people who had been alive in Asher¡¯s past life, and Asher knew him well. Because he was colleagues with him when they were nothing but simple guards. Van Ester and Asher enrolled and became guards on the same day. They had talked often because they were in the same group of guards and on the same post as well as sharing their favorite hobby in the entire world : the sword. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean the two were similar. Van Ester was clearly talented, and he wasn¡¯t. Before long, they had split and walked opposite paths. However, it was not that their past relationship had become estranged or anything like that. Van Ester liked Asher¡¯s company, who did not envy or hate him, and Asher also maintained a good relationship until he was too old. That was because Van Ester had gotten close to becoming a swordmaster and Asher left him to focus on his path with the sword. Asher was flustered. Though he was seemingly insensitive, Asher was quite taken aback right now. He couldn¡¯t believe he was seeing a friend of his previous life. As he glanced towards the door, Reika and the current Lord of the estate, Lord Halvark, were standing behind Van Ester. ¡®¡­ come to think of it.¡¯ Was it because of the former relationship Van Ester had as the guardian of the Lord? Asher couldn¡¯t help but feel emotional as he carefully opened his mouth. ¡°¡­I heard you¡¯ve been missing for over twenty years.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just been traveling around. I wasn¡¯t missing. By the way, child.¡± Van Ester¡¯s eyes were blinded with excitement. At the same time, Asher took a step back. He was close to Van Ester. It was no exaggeration to say that he was an extremely close friend to Asher. Therefore, he knew almost all of his small quirks,personality and hobbies. What was Van Ester doing in this situation? There was nothing to think about for Asher, it was blatantly obvious to him. Van Ester slowly stretched out his arms. ¡®How predictable you can be sometimes with that bad habit.¡¯ Asher sighed, and then moved his arms quickly and fluidly like a snake wrapping himself around Van Ester¡¯s outstretched. A scream from the surrounding spectators rang out. ¡°Uh?¡± Van Ester was embarrassed. This time it was true embarrassment unlike when he tried his little game with Reika earlier. Asher broke Van Ester¡¯s momentum with his wrist and kicked Van Ester¡¯s ankle to break his center of gravity within a time frame that was incredibly unexpected. Naturally, Van Ester had no choice but to pause for a moment because of the fluid movement of Asher that flipped him up into the air. But it was really just a moment. Soon, there was an instinctive movement from Van Ester whilst midair in those few milliseconds. Van Ester stepped on the ground with his opposite foot and kicked Asher as he fell by twisting his hips sharply. His center of balance was something that didn¡¯t rely on common standards in the first place. Asher dodged the kick leaping quickly in the air, and then swung his fist with a brutal and clean movement. The fist from Asher flew towards Van Ester¡¯s face. But¡­ Van Ester quickly moved his arm, looking at Asher¡¯s fist flying blankly. And then an afterimage was drawn from Van Ester¡¯s movement. Poong! Asher was hit at an incomprehensible speed that only swordmasters could pull off. A scream rang from behind once more, but Van Ester stared blankly at his hand. For a moment, he realized he got serious. He, a swordmaster, who didn¡¯t even get serious with some of the oldest warriors in the Empire, was forced to get serious with a child who wasn¡¯t even 15 yet and had only been practicing the sword for 2 months. ¡®Is it still this much?¡¯ Asher woke up having such thoughts, as he wiped the blood off his mouth. There was no particular reason for him to respond to Van Ester¡¯s prank so seriously. It was to find out how far he could go with his currently underdeveloped body of a teenager. And¡­. the result was not bad! It was not nearly as powerful as he was in his prime, but he was able to move sincerely and with smooth mechanics. When Asher turned his eyes slightly, Reika was staring at him with a blank expression. The knight who had a fight with him yesterday, Charon, had his jaw dropped practically all the way to the floor. Asher looked at Lord Halvark whose eyes were wide open in shock. ¡®You grew up well.¡¯ Asher thought as he looked at Lord Halvark. In his previous life, he was unable to visit this child of his often, he if anything had neglected his duties as a father. But that little boy was old, wrinkled had become the owner of the land here. It reminded Asher once more, just how much time had passed in between his two lives. ¡°Hey kid.¡± Van Ester, who was looking at Asher with complicated eyes, spoke. The emotions in his eyes were mixed with sorrow, hope and regret. ¡°Are you his student?¡± Him. Asher could immediately guess who Van Ester was talking about since it was himself from his previous life. Asher shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know who this person you¡¯re talking about is, but I don¡¯t have a teacher.¡± That fact had never changed even in his past and nor would it change in his present life. Van Ester grinned at Asher¡¯s response. ¡°Then it has to be you. Be my student.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Mr. Van Ester!¡± Charon shouted, as his neck veins bulged. A Swordmaster¡¯s disciple. That was anybody¡¯s dream if they practiced the sword. Asher replied. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡± *** ¡°Huh?¡± Van Ester was embarrassed and confused at what he just heard for a moment. He was a swordmaster, and the child in front of him was also training the way of the sword. So it was obvious to think that any rational child would accept it, but the answer he received was a completely flat and indifferent ¡°no¡±. Of course, Asher didn¡¯t mean to honestly sound like such an arrogant or idiotic child. But how could he become the disciple of one of his closest friends? That wouldn¡¯t even be remotely funny. Above all, he genuinely believed could not learn anything from others. It wouldn¡¯t change even if it was a swordmaster trying to teach him. ¡°Oh, Asher!¡± Reika, who was watching blankly, screamed and ran. She stood in front of Asher and pulled out a sword at Van Ester. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but what kind of behavior is this? I can¡¯t believe you just attack people all the time like this without any thought!¡± ¡°Hmm. Well, uhm.¡± Van Ester was stuttering. Strictly speaking, Reika was not wrong, but there was nothing he could refute. He smiled awkwardly and held the sword. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who doesn¡¯t know me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zzt- zzzzzzt- It was a spark at first, but then it became more than a couple, and then eventually an entire flame emerged out of thin air. However, it was no ordinary flame, as the color of it was pitch black and the sword Van Ester held in his hand was coated in it. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Reika¡¯s eyes shook. Black flames engulfed the sword in front of her. It shined brilliantly and dazzled her eyes. There was no sign of magic being used, so there was only one answer. ¡°Oh, my¡­¡± ¡°Yes, this boy is a talented kid and I¡¯m a swordmaster.¡± The Master of the sword, the swordmaster. The goal of all the swordsmen in the entire world who pursued the pinnacle of swordsmanship. Van Ester just laughed. ¡°Someday, you will be able to reach this level if you continue to grow.¡± *** Since then, the estate had been in chaos. Lord Halvark made it known extensively that Swordmaster had visited, and the residents of the Halvark territory were turned upside down. They were commoners and didn¡¯t dare dream of having another opportunity to see a person like this in their lives. Young children and teenagers came to the castle each day and were stopped at the gate, shouting and begging for Van Ester to accept them as disciples, making Lord Halvark¡¯s ears hurt. Meanwhile, a strange rumor circulated throughout the townspeople. The Swordmaster was trying to take in the trash of the Halvark estate, Asher, as a disciple. ¡°So, are you sure you don¡¯t want to be my student?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have said no if I did.¡± tsk- Van Ester clicked his tongue nervously at Asher¡¯s indifferent answer. Asher ignored him and just swung the sword. Van Ester was once again impressed and lost all his thoughts by the unwavering movement and discipline in Asher¡¯s sword. ¡°Perfect, as expected. I¡¯ve only seen such talent about 2 or 3 times in my life.¡± ¡°Are you not leaving yet?¡± Asher frowned with annoyance. It had been hard to concentrate on the training since Van Ester, his close friend had been sticking to his side for days and whining to be his student. ¡®Is this what he¡¯s like these days?¡¯ Asher remembered him being more serious and tight-lipped before Van Ester got older. Did his personality seriously have to change this much after 20 years? Asher groaned inwardly. ¡°If you¡¯re a Swordmaster, you¡¯ll have a lot of people begging to become your disciple.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no place for an old man like me who¡¯s been gone from the Empire for 20 years. It¡¯s been a nuisance to have to keep up with politics and what not.¡± ¡°You must be joking¡­¡± There was no kingdom or Empire that would refuse the services of a swordmaster. When the news would get to the Empire that he had returned, it¡¯ll turn the nobility and political factions upside down. A delegation was bound to visit soon. Van Ester wrinkled his nose in annoyance at such thoughts. ¡°But it won¡¯t last long. I will make you my disciple before the annoying bastards come to find me hahah!¡± ¡°Then in the meantime, look at her and not me. It¡¯ll be much more fun to teach her than me.¡± At the end of Asher¡¯s gaze, Reika was looking at Van Ester with a cat-like blade. At that remark, Van Ester clicked his tongue again. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you I did ask her. But she politely refused. She¡¯s said she already has a teacher, so she can¡¯t learn from others. In fact it¡¯s rare to find such a polite kid these days.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Asher didn¡¯t expect that. Van Ester was a swordmaster. If taught by him, Reika would undoubtedly become strong, and if anybody else heard this they would also flip out. But she had refused the High Count Van Ester, the swordmaster, for him. ¡®You don¡¯t have to do this Reika.¡¯ Reika was talented. It would honestly be better to learn from such a skilled person. In fact, Asher planned to find a swordmaster if possible and introduce them to Reika so they could take her in formally. ¡°More than anything, she¡¯ll be strong enough anyways. It doesn¡¯t mean much anyways since I wanted you as my disciple in the first place.¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± Asher said in a single line, Van Ester bowed his head sullenly. It was embarrassing to see him begging and whining like a child for someone as old as he was. Asher sighed. Thanks to him, Asher had found intense motivation to train incredibly hard for the past few days. But it wasn¡¯t just that. Asher recalled a memory that was incredibly vivid albeit short in his previous life. The sensation he felt from the brilliant flames, Aura. The senses, the power from it, the movement, the quality was all different from what Van Ester¡¯s aura was like. Asher remembered vividly when he had awakened as a swordmaster in his final moments of his previous life, and the sensation of the aura he created. It would be clear to him just what the exact differences were if he could resummon that aura, but the aura within him that he could feel, was like a blocked pipe with water that couldn¡¯t be released. ¡®Am I really a Swordmaster?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t have made an error in his memory. The aura, which had been released from his body and sword at that time, was definitely much different than any other aura he had seen from other swordmasters. In addition¡­ there was a strange power he could feel from his aura. What was even more important to realize for Asher, was that Van Ester could not even recognize Asher as a fellow swordmaster. All he did was admire Asher¡¯s swordsmanship. That in itself, was odd since swordmasters could instinctively sense each other¡¯s presences and identify if one was a swordmaster. All of a sudden, it felt that everything he knew had become awkward. He was suspicious of just what that so-called aura he had drawn out of himself was. If Swordmaster couldn¡¯t even tell, then was it a power greater than aura? Or was it something just fundamentally different? The pinnacle of swordsmanship He would find his answers once he reached that point. His purpose had not changed. If anything his purpose was that much more clear. Chapter 11 ¨C Fin Chapter 12 - Swordmaster (4) Chapter 12 ¨C Swordmaster (4) Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 ¡°Oh, this is a good sword.¡± Van Ester touched the sword on the rack with admiration. He was now looking around at weapons in the armory of the estate. He murmured satisfactorily, ¡°This is much more practical than most standard longswords. Is it because the period of peace has put smithies on the decline? Some of the places I had visited on the way over here, had smithies where they didn¡¯t even see that some of their swords on display were rusted.¡± ¡°Because it was my father¡¯s will to always have good swords left nearby¡­.¡± ¡°This one¡¯s good enough. It¡¯ll be good enough to hang in there I guess..¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®hang in there¡¯?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask me when you already know, just make sure to keep these in good condition and take care of them.¡± ¡°Even if you say so¡­¡± Lord Halvark replied, scratching his nose. Van Ester took a sword and spun it around. Feeling the balanced weight, he nodded his head with a satisfactory look. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll take this one today.¡± ¡°Are you still doing that every day?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what their decision will be¡­¡± Lord Halvark sighed. It had already been two weeks since High Count Van Ester had started staying at the estate. All he had done so far, was mess around and train with Asher and Reika. Even if it was messing around, it was a bit extreme for the two poor kids, Lark Halvark thought. ¡°I know she¡¯s talented. But I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s really got what it takes to become a swordmaster. That¡¯s a statement that doesn¡¯t get thrown around easily.¡± ¡°Of course she¡¯s worth it; she can definitely become a swordmaster if she puts the work in. Her talent is otherworldly even when compared to some of the other swordmasters I¡¯ve met. But she¡¯s not who I¡¯m interested in.¡± ¡°Is it Asher?¡± Lord Halvark frowned. It was hard for him to understand. ¡°The troublesome child.¡± The Asher that Lord Halvark hadn¡¯t paid attention to, had changed so much. The fact that Asher even picked up a sword, even if it was for one day would be a miracle. But he had been swinging the sword with dedication for over 2 months now, and even Lord Halvark could guess just how high-leveled Asher¡¯s swordsmanship was. The boy, who was the epitome of trash itself, suddenly reached the ¡®threshold¡¯ with the sword. Above all, his attitude had incredibly dramatic changes compared to what it used to be like. (1) If previous Asher saw him with hostility and distrust, he now showed goodwill and affection towards Lord Halvark. It was the same gaze that his father gave him when he was young, so it felt all the more uncomfortable for Lord Halvark to face him. Van Ester stroked his chin. ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve told me the story about that child, and I¡¯ve been thinking about it. Human beings don¡¯t change very easily.¡± ¡®So you tried to kill him.¡¯ The small murmur from Van Ester, made Lord Halvark step backwards reflexively. Van Ester waved his hand. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t what I thought it could be, so don¡¯t worry. Whatever it is, he¡¯s definitely a human. Such swordsmanship cannot be carried out by those ¡®outsiders¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­what exactly have you been doing for the past 20 years?¡± asked Lord Halvark, swallowing his saliva. Van Ester gave him an empty and bitter smile. ¡°I saw the world go on in more ways than you can imagine.¡± *** ¡°I hate him.¡± Reika murmured with a sulky face. Asher, who was moving slowly, sighed and relaxed his muscles. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you again? Those with the title of a swordmaster, deserve to be called masters with the sword. Shouldn¡¯t you show some respect?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look at him with respect, do you?¡±, Reika shot back, ¡°Well.¡± Because Asher had already reached the realm of the swordmaster in his last life. Well, did he reach it? He didn¡¯t know anymore. Asher laughed bitterly. ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s nothing bad about him. There¡¯s a lot to learn from such a person.¡± ¡°But you are my teacher.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not even a proper teacher, don¡¯t you know? Ask High Count Van Ester to accept you as his disciple. He¡¯ll probably teach you.¡± It was impossible for even a swordmaster to not recognize Reika¡¯s monstrous talent with the sword.. Van Ester must be interested in her. But, he was still showing interest in Asher, which could be said to be a complete anomaly, but that interest would disappear soon. Reika bit her lips. ¡°¡­You¡¯re the one I¡¯m aiming for.¡± ¡°What?¡± Asher¡¯s body stopped moving. Reika¡¯s expression was completely serious. ¡°I want to be like you.¡± Her eyes contained a hint of envy and admiration. But they also contained respect. Asher slowly opened his mouth. ¡°¡­it¡¯s no use to aim for me.¡± ¡°How come?¡± ¡°Because you and I are completely different.¡± That was the undeniable truth. Reika had talent, and Asher didn¡¯t. Talent was absolute. The day when the gap would decrease between them would surely come one day. But, Reika scratched the ground roughly with her toe in a circle. ¡°It has nothing to do with that. It¡¯s just what I want to be.¡± She looked at Asher with burning eyes. Asher shook his head. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t try to copy me¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± Asher paused. Reika¡¯s words contained a strong will. She continued, biting her lips. ¡°You are my teacher. Whatever the decision to be made is, it¡¯s my choice. It doesn¡¯t matter if it has to do with talent. I respect the person you are and that¡¯s why I want you as my teacher.¡± Asher¡¯s sword skills, and his attitude towards the sword. Both those two things were something absolute in Asher¡¯s very being. Reika saw that and couldn¡¯t help but admire those traits and want to become the same. Reika continued to speak hurriedly, ¡°So please don¡¯t belittle yourself. I don¡¯t know about anyone else, but I respect you. So please¡­.¡± The response didn¡¯t come and silence lingered. Asher looked at Reika with a complicated face. He was nothing. That;s what he thought. But why was she, who was now aware of her monstrous talent, looking at him with such a look of admiration and determination? ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯ He had lived a long life, but he had never encountered something like this before. The door opened. Van Ester came in with a spear on his shoulder. He then looked over the atmosphere between the two kids for a moment, and laughed. ¡°What? Is it a lover¡¯s quarrel?¡± ¡°No.¡± Asher lifted the sword. This was what happened to those who had a weak mindset, he thought. Then Asher rushed at Van Ester. *** Asher had no intention of becoming the disciple of Van Ester. So Van Ester gave up on his nagging for now, and decided to ask Asher if he wanted to spar. There was nothing wrong with that. He said he would also train and spar with Reika, but the difference in basic skills was too big for the two of them to compete. If Asher didn¡¯t start to learn how to move his body properly, He would become incredibly rusty. Asher naturally agreed since having a swordmaster as a sparring opponent was the best he could possibly ask for, and one he agreed, he and Van Ester had been sparring every single day. The sword moved. Asher measured the gap in the space between them by bumping his tip of the sword and counting the seconds Van Ester took to launch a full offensive. At that moment, Van Ester¡¯s spear fell in a flash. Asher deflected, avoided, and strok back all in one sequence. Van Ester turned the sword around and waved his arm in a whip-like motion. Avoiding by a fingernail¡¯s length apart, Asher dodged with complete minimalistic fluidity in his movements, and continued to maintain an unbelievable center of gravity whilst doing so. Van Ester admired the awareness of space that Asher had for a while. ¡°Oh, my God, you¡¯re even better than me when it comes to pure mechanics and battle instinct.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I have.¡± Asher swung his sword roughly like a wolf¡¯s paw. At that moment, Van Ester shook his wrist. The spear started to bend in a curve, seemingly in slow motion. Then, it¡¯s image blurred and an afterimage was all that was left. Asher hurried to defend himself. Boom! With a thunderous collision, Asher¡¯s body bounced up from the ground and groaned painfully. Van Ester tilted his head. ¡°But¡­ you¡¯re incredibly untalented with swordsmanship. It¡¯s inexplicably weird no matter how much I look at it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re right. I¡¯m not talented.¡± Asher rose up, holding his throbbing wrist. As a warrior, his battle sense was almost unparalleled. But in the realm of swordsmanship, he was incredibly unfortunate, having not been blessed with an ounce of talent. He was hopeful at first with this new body when he reincarnated, and he tried other forms of swordsmanship just in case, but the result was completely the same as his past life. Van Ester twirled the spear. ¡°Is this all you have for me today?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even swing a sword with this wrist.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯m warmed up. So get ready.¡± Van Ester approached with a sly smile, that was unique to those of old age. ¡°What was the deal with the atmosphere earlier? A lover¡¯s quarrel? Well. You two are pretty close. What do you think of her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± Asher clicked his tongue. Van Ester had become such a mischievous man throughout old age. Asher missed the past Van Ester that was rather serious and tight-lipped. ¡°Why. You¡¯re young, so you must be interested in that way. She¡¯s cute and fresh.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Reika was cute even objectively. Maybe in three or four years, she would be as beautiful as a royal princess. But the age difference was far too big. Even if his body was young, his mind was old, so naturally he felt like he was looking at his granddaughter. So he didn¡¯t pay attention to Van Ester¡¯s incessant nonsense. ¡°A woodcutter? So what the hell was that job even for in the first place if you were this proficient with the sword?¡± ¡°There¡¯s not much of a reason really.¡± Asher avoided answering the question. He needed some kind of job to fill his time at the estate and cover his shifts. Not only that, it was perfect for muscle training. ¡°¡­you look just like him.¡± ¡°Who are you talking about¡­?¡± ¡°There was a man I knew once, a man just like you and had mastered the Imperial Swordsmanship. He had been known to have no talent, a defeatist attitude, and was completely pessimistic.¡± Asher couldn¡¯t agree with Van Ester. He wasn¡¯t pessimistic, he just spoke the cold, hard truth. Van Ester smiled bitterly and spoke. ¡°Thinking for oneself is each individual¡¯s own freedom. None of us thought he was talented either. But now¡­ I don¡¯t even know what talent is anymore.¡± At the last words Van Ester mentioned, Asher looked at him in surprise. In the past, Van Ester had completely believed in the widely-known concept of talent. He knew he was talented, and he never once took it for granted. He thoroughly treated it as a blessing and matched it with hard work. Thus, whenever Asher had spoken to him in his previous life, Van Ester would always talk about how he wanted to match his talent with Asher¡¯s hardcore work ethic and devotion to the sword. Asher couldn¡¯t believe Van Ester was saying this. ¡®What happened to him in these past 20 years?¡¯ Asher had known him for more than 50 years, and one¡¯s values did not change easily, especially as one became older. Thus, Asher couldn¡¯t understand just what had happened to Van Ester. ¡°So I have a proposal for you.¡± Van Ester grinned and shook the speartip. The spear rode it¡¯s course smoothly like a water current in a stream. ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to be my disciple anymore. I already know now that you have nothing left to learn. Instead, I¡¯ll give you one thing.¡± ¡°It depends on what you intend to give me.¡± ¡°I originally made it for a friend who looked like you. They already died and I¡¯ve never tested it, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be useful to you.¡± ¡°In that case, I shall accept it.¡± Asher nodded. He wasn¡¯t surprised that Van Ester made it for him in his previous life. At that time, there was a bet among his acquaintances about who could somehow teach him something new with his poor talent. There was no winner. Well Van Ester was probably not going to try and teach him swordsmanship. But, it didn¡¯t really matter. If there was anything new for him to learn, there was no reason to refuse. Van Ester murmured something though at the end that was barely audible. ¡°You both look alike¡­. Hm.. the Ghost of Swords¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Nothing, I¡¯ll be here for another week anyway. So I can¡¯t spend more time than that.¡± Van Ester chuckled. It was a smile of craziness and joy. ¡°Is that so?¡± Asher got up. Van Ester asked when he saw him leaving the door. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Outside for a while.¡± ¡°You¡¯re gonna be training anyway, right? Why would you want to go out there if you can do it here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s something I can¡¯t show to others.¡± Especially for Van Ester. It could be different if he showed it to him since he might understand if anything, but the anxiety factor was still greater than their friendship. Van Ester nodded roughly as if he understood he shouldn¡¯t pry any further. ¡°Bye, I¡¯m getting ready.¡± Asher closed the door. He lowered his hand. He had been training at the estate for only two months now, but he had already started to develop calluses, and he couldn¡¯t find any soft parts on his hands. Asher clenched his fist. After training his dexterity with his hands, the only thing left to train was the body. He moved himself and left the grounds of the estate. As Asher walked along the road, he felt several gazes land on him. Suspicion, hostility, and even some rare curiosity. But the emotions in the gazes settling on him were mostly negative. The gazes of the townspeople varied, however none of them dared to get close to him after they had seen what he did to those two grown men that Luke had been ordering around. Above all, Asher had changed a lot since the reincarnation. Normally people would not hesitate to call him names or scoff at him. But Asher¡¯s matured facial expression showed a sense of indifference along with a hidden sense of tension that could strike to anybody that harmed him. Thus, the townspeople did not try to incite a reaction out of him. When Asher got to the gate, the guard saw him and his facial expression hardened. The day when Asher had first reincarnated, this very guard had looked at Asher with eyes of scorn and contempt. ¡°What do you want¡­?¡± ¡°I wish to go outside.¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± The door opened as the guard looked up at the spire and gestured. Asher didn¡¯t bother with the guard and moved forwards outside the walls of the territory. ¡°¡­Is the rumor true?¡±, the guard suddenly opened his mouth. ¡°What rumor are you talking about?¡± ¡°The rumor around town is that you¡¯ve become the student of a swordmaster.¡± Did the rumors of Van Ester trying to recruit him as a disciple spread? Asher looked at the guard indifferently and studied the guard¡¯s face. There was jealousy in the guard¡¯s eyes and was clenchin his teeth. ¡°¡­you¡¯re a piece of crap anyways. Good luck, being the student of Swordmaster. Do you know how lucky you are?¡± Asher¡¯s eyes sank at the answer. He murmured in a melancholic tone of voice. ¡°Is it luck?¡± ¡®it is you lot who are the talented ones.¡¯ Comparing his talent to anybody could make an average joe look like a stellar student. If such a person was to say he was lucky, they were the ones better off knowing they didn¡¯t pursue anything with their lazy attitudes. He may have had no talent with the sword but Asher wasn¡¯t as dimwitted to acknowledge how much time he had put in with the sword regardless of that fact. But it still didn¡¯t make sense to be jealous of him. This put Asher in a foul mood. Asher¡¯s emotions started to fluctuate and the air sunk heavily while a leering and ominous killing intent leaked out of the atmosphere around him. The guard¡¯s face turned pale as he tried to raise his spear quickly. Asher then realized what was happening and shook his head to calm down. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve felt like this.¡¯ Except for his childhood, Asher¡¯s emotions had never fluctuated this erratically. But, even as old and composed as he was in his mind, he was still a warrior that had walked several battlefields. And when someone like him, let out their killing intent, it could be dangerous. ¡®Is it because of what Reika had said?¡¯ She said that she admired him. She said that he was her goal. She, probably the most talented individual he had met across his two lives, admired him, who had abysmal talent. ¡®I don¡¯t understand it.¡¯ He moved slowly down the dirt road away from the territory. Chapter 12 ¨C Fin Chapter 13 - Enlightenment (1) Chapter 13 ¨C Enlightenment (1) Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 ________________________________________________________________________________________ Asher climbed the mountainside near the estate and off the premises of the territory. He took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air of the forest. This was the place where he always wielded his sword by himself when he needed time to think on difficult things. It was his second home. The fluctuating emotions in his heart gradually subsided and his breathing became steady. His worries and stressors washed away from the calmness brought to his mind from his surroundings. ¡°Whoa.¡± If he were to hold a real iron sword, he could have done it at the training camp on the estate, but there was a reason why he came all the way out here. When he strengthened his muscles, his entire body became firm and elastic. His muscles expanded and then compressed beyond the normal limits as white energy coated itself around his body with a light sheen. It was not normal, and if anyone could recognize the clear difference, He and possibly other swordmasters could tell immediately that it was not something brought forth by aura. He did not become able to summon what others defined as ¡®aura¡¯ but it was something similar yet different in its entirety. Asher swung the wooden sword in his hands with the same amount of pressure he always would, though this time with the white energy surrounding his body. He swung the sword at the nearest tree lightly, and the tree exploded into tatters. Quang! The tree could not withstand the huge and frightening force within Asher¡¯s body and sword as it was completely decimated. It was as if a cannonball had been shot point blank and smashed the tree from the stump upwards as it fell. The leaves from the branches shook violently as the trunk fell with a thud. Asher looked down at the fallen tree. It was quite a large tree. If one were to use this tree for firewood, it would last easily for a few days. It was a tree that would normally require him to chop down about a dozen times with an axe with his current body. Yet, he hadn¡¯t just knocked this tree down with a single blow. He had decimated it. It was clearly not a force that other humans could dare to reproduce. ¡®What kind of power is this?¡¯ Asher narrowed his eyes. In his previous life, he didn¡¯t have this kind of power. Other swordmasters only awakened aura, which was something that could be transferred into weapons and could be sensed with killing intent. But strength that could transcend human limits, was something that had never arisen for these masters with the sword. It was a power that he had never seen before and seemed that only he had. He swung the sword again. Asher swung the sword with all the force within his body at an opened up path. Kwoong! Asher¡¯s feet slid and rotated with his hips as the sword swung down with might. The air distorted it¡¯s flow and a large power gushed out and destroyed the path. It was a single path but had been completely destroyed in the wake of his simple slash. It stretched onwards farther than his eyes could reach. ¡®I really don¡¯t know what it is.¡¯ It was a type of strength that was unseen before. Yet it was also something that was incomparably different to aura in the sense that it was much more versatile¡­ and stronger. Although Van Ester was his friend from his previous life, there was no way he could tell him what this power was, or even try to explain how he had reincarnated into this body. But it didn¡¯t mean he would ignore this power or dismiss it. If it was something that could save his life, he needed to know the cusp of its limitations and full strength. ¡®Once I use it¡­ It strains my muscles to an incomparable degree.¡¯ Funny enough, it could be said that it was a force that transcended human limits much like aura did, but instead of it being something within one¡¯s core like aura, it was the muscles that were strained to a burning degree. His muscles creaked whenever he used this strength. Even now, his entire body was screaming just by swinging three times. Asher clicked his tongue and squeezed his body¡¯s limits. He had just barely started to train his body for the past two months, and if anybody were to compare the progress he made in two months compared to any training program within the empire for knights, they would say his progress was ridiculously fast and almost inhuman. Yet¡­ all it took was three swings for him to be completely exhausted and in a vulnerable state. He knew the power was incredibly useful, but the consumption of his stamina was too dangerous and large. Asher closed his eyes and thought for a moment. To what extent could he withstand this transcendent strength with the body of his previous life? ¡°About ten times.¡± That would be the limit of a completely trained human body. In addition, the stamina in his body was used up as well as his physical strength at any given time, so it was nothing he could think about using for an extended period of time. It could be a blow to completely turn the tide of a battle or finish one, but that was it. Only one blow could be used¡­ maybe two if it was his life in danger, but any more than that and he would surely die in a battlefield. Moreover, in this world, it was not uncommon for humans to transcend their human limits. In that sense, it was not a very useful force compared to most in terms of efficiency, but it¡¯s output of power was ridiculously incomparable. But Asher laughed. Even if he trained his body to his previous life¡¯s limit so what? He would just focus even more and try to transcend his body¡¯s limits. Even if it would take a long time, he was no slacker when it came to hard work and effort. He would alter his training to meet his goal of finding the pinnacle of swordsmanship. And this power was just the thing that might help him do so. It wasn¡¯t like he gained heavenly talent all of a sudden, but he had finally been granted a means. He no longer had to stay stagnant and in place any longer. He could finally reach new heights. All that was left for him to do, was training his body to the limit. *** It was late in the evening when Asher finally returned to the estate. He didn¡¯t even bother to go back to his living quarters and just went right back to the training camp. To no surprise, Van Ester was there waiting for him. ¡°Where¡¯s Reika?¡±, Asher asked. ¡°She¡¯s already gone. She really does admire you, you know.¡± ¡°Have you been talking with her?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s quite fun actually.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s like that.¡±, Asher grumbled. Reika was talented. If she really did use all the means around her, she would most definitely become a swordmaster like Van Ester, he just couldn¡¯t understand her still. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her admiring you?¡± ¡°You know well that I¡¯m not talented.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there any kind of law that says one can only admire the talented?¡± Asher paused at Van Ester¡¯s words. Van Ester smirked at Asher. ¡°A child will often respect their parents, a respectable king will often seek advice from a beggar. Sometimes even a swordmaster will be enlightened by a snoring dog on the side of the road. There is nothing that defines us to think the way we think..¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You are just like him, he also had the same characteristics as you. He was too pessimistic about himself despite working harder than anyone else and following his sword stubbornly. The gift of swordsmanship is appreciating one¡¯s talent? Don¡¯t make me laugh, that doesn¡¯t make a difference.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± He wanted to be a swordmaster, a true swordsman. He wanted to walk the path of those great ones before him who had found enlightenment at the pinnacle. But Asher had no talent. He couldn¡¯t even make a step onto the road. But he was someone else¡¯s target of admiration. Van Ester shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to you, but you don¡¯t have to push her away. Even if you do, that child¡¯s respect for you will not change.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Asher was silent. His head felt complicated. Van Ester spoke bitterly. ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about this. I told you a few hours ago that I have something for you.¡± ¡°Yes, but I¡¯ve told you many times, I don¡¯t have talent to receive any kind of lesson or the sorts.¡± What a Swordmaster gave him wouldn¡¯t mean much to someone talentless with the sword. That was an undeniable truth. It was the equivalent of putting pearl¡¯s on a pig¡¯s neck. Van Ester had talent, but Asher didn¡¯t, so what was the point? Van Ester waved his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Thanks to him, I know people like you down to the bone. I said one thing after the other, but nothing would stick due to a lack of so-called talent. That much is for sure. All you can learn is the imperial swordsmanship, and it¡¯s highly doubtful that will change.¡± The swordsmanship in the world today, was made by heroes of the past. Every swordsman and adventurer wanted to learn those styles of swordsmanship or magic and be like them. But Asher wasn¡¯t like that. He had no talent. Therefore, only ordinarily made swordsmanship by people that were not transcendent heroes could be trained. Van Ester grinned. ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t just use swordsmanship, can you?¡± ¡°Well.. I can use the spear, dagger, shield¡­ you know, this and that.¡± Imperial swordsmanship was just to lay the groundwork. There was no mystery in it, since the footwork and style was minimalistic. Due to this, the swordsmanship could really be applied to other blade arts and weapons. That was why Asher was so versatile with his range of weapons. ¡°Of course. That¡¯s your strength as a swordsman who trains in the imperial style of swordsmanship. The thing is, that kind of variety though is typically hard to bring out as a strength in battle since it¡¯s not like you can just bring multiple weapons with you into battle.¡± ¡°So what are you trying to say?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s simple. If you can use multiple weapons, you definitely should.¡± Van Ester then, threw something. When Asher caught the item and checked it, he saw that it was a black-colored armament that was equippable on the wrist. The material was made of a sturdy iron. ¡°A wrist guard?¡± ¡°Try it on.¡± Asher was wondering exactly what was so special about, but decided to first attach the armament on both arms like Van Ester had told him. Except for the somewhat heavy weight, there was no real problem in his movement. ¡°So, you gave me this to train with? I think I¡¯ll need more weight than this in order to do that.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s much more interesting than that. Put some strength into your arms and imagine a weapon of any choice.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of¡­¡± Asher closed his eyes and tightened and flexed his arm muscles regardless. He thought of a weapon, then more specifically a dagger. At that moment, a dagger popped out of the wrist brace and flew in the air. Snap! Asher hurriedly snapped his wrist and grabbed the falling dagger. He then blankly lowered his hand that caught the dagger. Van Ester chuckled. ¡°Fortunately, I was able to get pretty much anything that you would need stored inside. I didn¡¯t think of anything weird when I put them in though.¡± ¡°¡­what is this?¡± ¡°What do you think? It¡¯s going to be fun to see you use it. We made it for him. But he died before it was successfully crafted.¡± Asher looked at the dagger in his hand. It was double-edged and had luxurious red and gold patterns engraved onto it. The thing was not just for show though, as it was sharp and deadly as it was beautiful. ¡°Is it magic?¡± ¡°Yes, spatial magic.¡± Van Ester replied with a smile. He nodded his chin. ¡°If you want to put it back in, just imagine putting it back in. Then tada- it¡¯ll go right in.¡± Asher closed his eyes and formulated the thought as instructed to him. At the same time, the dagger quickly disappeared. Asher frowned. ¡°This is¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your first time using it, and you¡¯re already good at it. I¡¯ve had a pretty hard time adjusting.¡± ¡°¡­is it an armory of weapons stored in here?¡± ¡°Well, what do you think? It¡¯s gonna be useful, right?¡± Asher did not answer and reimagined a sword. At the same time, the sword popped out on the wrist brace. Asher caught the sword in the air. ¡°For now, almost every type of weapon should be stored. Oh, you can¡¯t put anything other than the weapons a soldier would use. It¡¯s hard to make a space without that kind of restriction, even if that would be useful.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s alright.¡± It wasn¡¯t alright. The sword disappeared when Asher thought of putting it in. It was no exaggeration to say that the speed of appearance was fast, and the speed of disappearance was immediate. He groaned. ¡®This.¡¯ If he used it well, he would have incredible efficiency in practice and in battle, for someone like him, it was an understatement to say it was useful. There would be no opponent who wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Asher swapped weapons mid-battle. To him, it was a great gift. But, it wasn¡¯t practical to anybody in the entire Empire. ¡°Why did you make such a grand and useless thing?¡± The majority of swordsmanship styles were useless, in fact to master a weapon was no easy task, hence why there were only 10 swordmasters in the entirety of the Empire. Mastering more than one weapon was unprecedented and impossible. It was surely a meaningful gift to anyone who received such a thing, but the recipient of the gift would also be confused as to why they received it. Eventually, Van Ester spoke up ¡°Asher, most will surely have no use for such an item. Anybody can see that¡­. But it¡¯ll definitely be useful to you won¡¯t it? Are you obsessed with the form of a weapon when it comes to battle?¡± ¡°No way.¡± He had no talent. He could barely survive by using the weapon available to him. He only chose the sword since it was the easiest to handle, but he was not held or bound strictly to the form of a weapon. He was said to walk the path of the sword, but that was just one thing. If anything Asher, was someone who used all weapons possible and was headed towards a much higher plane than a simple swordmaster, if only he had the talent though. ¡°Yes, you are different from us. That¡¯s why we made it in the first place, but it was made for him originally.¡± ¡°¡­ Were you two close?¡± Asher was frankly embarrassed. He considered him close to Van Ester, but he didn¡¯t ever show much emotion towards him. Not only that, but it was also true for all of the heroes, too. He had no talent and there was no value for untalented people in the Empire. That¡¯s what Asher thought, and was thus how he acted. But Van Ester¡¯s expression was awkward. Asher saw this and had never seen such a reaction out of Van Ester in all their time together. ¡°Well, I thought we were close, but¡­ I don¡¯t think he felt the same. I always kept myself at a distance from him. But¡­ yes I truly did consider him my friend.¡± Van Ester murmured with a longing face. ¡°He didn¡¯t complain. He accepted that he had no talent, but he also never gave up. He just walked his own path calmly. He was that kind of person, so how could one possibly hate that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Van Ester had the wrong impression of him. It was sad, since Asher did not walk his own path calmly. It hurt every time he was given such stares or words of contempt. It hurt when others shoved him down and called him trash. But he hid his emotions deep within him and never acted out. It was sudden but it was sad. Asher sighed lightly. Ever since he had reincarnated, his emotions felt more out of control than before. Asher reached out his hand and a spear appeared on the palm of his hand. ¡°Then let¡¯s practice.¡± ¡°How¡¯s your wrist?¡± ¡°I just need a little time, but I¡¯ll get used to it.¡± Asher made a posture. Van Ester grinned and held the sword. Then they kicked the ground with their feet, rushing at each other. *** A week had passed since then. During that time, Asher fought with Van Ester without skipping a day. Thanks to that, he felt fully adapted to the use of his new tool. However, his relationship with Reika felt awkward to him now. Reika viewed as a teacher and her goal still, but Asher felt perplexed with how to deal with her. Asher could not possibly understand her, and she did not understand why he felt such a way around her. If neither of them approached each other on the topic, nothing would change. After some time, eventually the convoy from the Empire came. ¡°The Knight Commander of the Imperial Order meets the Great Swordmaster, High Count, Van Ester.¡± The Knight Commander kneeled down in front of the carriage and dozens of soldiers behind him followed suit. Reika was amazed at the sight and her jaw dropped in awe. ¡°You¡¯re here after all. What a bother.¡± ¡°The Emperor wishes to seek an audience with you, esteemed Swordmaster. Please come back to the capital with us.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± Van Ester frowned. Firstly he did not want to go back to the Empire in the first place even if it was his home. However, there was no justification to refuse if the Emperor himself ordered it. ¡®But. Is it time?¡¯ However, Van Ester was also thinking of going to the capital at least once, so it wouldn¡¯t be bad. He nodded his head. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master of the Great Sword.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t changed in these past twenty years. I thought the captain of the imperial guard would come by the way.¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s busy doing other things.¡± ¡°I was wondering who succeeded him. We¡¯ll see who when we get to the Empire.¡± Van Ester moved on. He stood in front of Lord Halvark and waved. ¡°It was nice to see you after a long time. Make sure you don¡¯t die too early before we see each other again.¡± ¡°Goodbye¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, and you child. You are¡­¡± Van Ester¡¯s eyes naturally turned to Reika. Luke next to him didn¡¯t even get so much as a glance from Van Ester. Luke clenched his fist at the attitude of being openly ignored and humiliated like so. His body trembled with anger and his gaze contained sheer contempt at Van Ester, but Van Ester didn¡¯t care. ¡°You¡¯ll see one day what it means to become a swordmaster. I don¡¯t know what path you¡¯ll take to get there though.¡± Reika nodded quietly. And then, Van Ester looked at Asher. He sported a playful smile at Asher. ¡°Okay, what about my two disciples?¡± ¡°!!¡± The driver, who was in denial at the words, hurriedly raised his head. The soldiers behind them were the same. Feeling the shock in it, Asher sighed. ¡°I said I wouldn¡¯t be your disciple.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve learned this and that. I even gave you a gift. Let¡¯s just say you¡¯re my temporary disciple.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you for such a thing though¡­.¡± ¡°Just accept it. The gift is not bad, is it?¡± ¡°¡­. I guess.¡± It was true he did receive a lot of help from Van Ester. And it seemed Van Ester was trying to hint at something. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Van Ester flinched at the words. His eyes sank, but only for a second. He smirked and whispered in Asher¡¯s ear. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Asher nodded gently. Van Ester then, turned round and stepped forwards. ¡°That¡¯s the end of the story for today. It¡¯s getting late already, so we¡¯ll leave tomorrow. Go and get somerest.¡± ¡°Oh, well¡­ yes, sir.¡± The Knight commander panicked as he looked between Van Ester and Asher, but then bowed his head politely and gathered the rest of the soldiers to get situated for the night. Later that night, Asher opened his eyes silently. The Halvark territory was quiet. It was natural because it was time for most people to be sleeping. He lifted himself up and attached the wrist brace as he stepped out. He was heading towards the training ground. When he got there, Van Ester was waiting for him. ¡°Are you finally here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here because you called me. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t see each other for a long time after this. I¡¯m only your ¡®temporary disciple¡¯. You two should have a good time in the capital.¡± Van Ester spoke playfully, but Asher remained silent. Van Ester¡¯s face sank slowly. He spoke emotionally. ¡°I tried to kill you before I met you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Asher nodded. The feeling Asher felt when Van Ester first saw him, was a murderous intent. ¡°But I didn¡¯t. The moment I saw you, I knew you were different from what I was worried about. Of course, that awkwardness hasn¡¯t changed, but¡­ But you¡¯re definitely human.¡± Van Ester knew that Asher was hiding something. His movements, his swordsmanship, his battle experience and values. None of it befit the nature of a teenager. But he didn¡¯t pry. Not only that, but he had given Asher a lot of things, like sparring practice, a wrist brace he had prepared for his old friend amongst others. He just had one small request. ¡°What do I want from you? Nothing much. It¡¯s a confirmation of sorts from this old man¡­.Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s funny?¡± Van Ester laughed. It was a smile that looked somewhat empty. ¡°You and he were talented as a warrior on the battlefield. He survived with only one technique his entire life. But he was not talented with the sword, or so they said. Does that make sense to you?¡± ¡°Because swordsmanship is made to transcend the human limits.¡± There was only one other way to transcend human limits, other than swordsmanship. Van Ester laughed bitterly. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s funny. Swordsmanship is made to transcend the human limits! I traveled far and wide for the past 20 years and there were many things that I had seen.¡± Haivan laughed loudly. A vain laugh echoed through the training camp. ¡°Through those 20 years, I was looking for something. It was to find contradictions to our common sense as humans and find new possibilities in this new world. I wanted to find those exceptions. Those anomalies. That¡¯s why I¡¯m even more interested in you. Thanks to you, I got a sense of what I was looking for.¡± Van Ester¡¯s enthusiastic eyes turned to Asher. The emotions contained in it, could make even those who had courage tremble, but Asher calmly looked at Van Ester and opened his mouth. ¡°What were they then.¡± ¡°You¡¯re curious as to what else I found?¡± Grrrrr- Asher suddenly heard the low growl of an animal. Something moved abruptly in the darkness around them. Asher¡¯s senses heightened to the limits as he narrowed his eyes. kikiki!! The beast laughed almost mockingly. Spreading his senses, Asher looked at Van Ester with a confused face. Asher knew what it was. But it was impossible. However, Van Ester also was calm and continued to talk. ¡°This is what I have found from my twenty-year journey¡­. They¡¯re trying to stop us from digging up secrets again, and they¡¯re coming after us.¡± ¡°¡­an Umpert.¡± The beast that fed on human shadows from the abyss of hell. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t expect you to know what this thing was.¡± ¡°¡­they should have been eradicated to the last one by the heroes.¡± There was a Hero who killed the Devil who had invaded the continent. At the same time, the darkness in the world was driven back. Thus, came the era of peace. That was the truth known to the world, and the history Asher had gone through himself. ¡°¡­It¡¯s all a lie.¡± Van Ester spoke with a grave tone. Chapter 13 ¨C Fin Chapter 14 - Assassin (1) Chapter 14 ¨C Assassin (1) Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 The sun shined brightly outside the window. The bright rays of sun spread their warmth on the face of a grey haired boy. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He had a face that could be called a boy, but his indifferent eyes and body said otherwise. His eyes looked like they were war-torn and had seen everything there was to life, and his body was densely packed with muscles under his sleek skin. ¡°¡­Have I been in this body for half a year now?¡± He had fully adapted himself into this world¡¯s current timeline and his body. The boy, Asher, rose himself out of the bed with a smile as he snapped the dark wrist brace onto his arm. *** ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Reika, who was practicing with her sword at the training area, waved her hands as she saw Asher coming. Asher nodded to answer her and waved his hand back. Before he knew it, a dagger popped out and was in his hand. ¡°Whoo-wee. It gets more and more amazing every time I see it.¡± ¡°So, where are you in your training today?¡± ¡°Check this out.¡± Reika brought her arms down that were holding the sword with a firm swing. The sword shook, and an afterimage blurred from her movement. In an instant, four or five images of swords were drawn up in the air. Asher nodded. ¡°Good. You¡¯ve improved a lot.¡± This half year was incredible for both Asher and Reika. He was surprised to see just how fast Reika learned and applied information he taught her. He did not expect for her to reach such a stage with Lepenia¡¯s swordsmanship in such little time. Reika tilted her head as she looked at Asher with a somewhat disappointed look. ¡°Is this really so great?¡± ¡°At least in terms of swordsmanship, no one your age could possibly be at your level.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that¡­. Plus all the swordsmen around me are way stronger than I am!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just an unusual case.¡± Reika knew three other swordsmen in her life. Asher, Van Ester the Swordmaster, and Charon, the knight of the estate. Charon was a famous Knight from the Empire, and Asher was an exception. In addition, there was also Van Ester, who was a Swordmaster. She only had met ridiculously strong swordsmen in her young life. ¡°Your eyes are set too high right now.¡± ¡°Even if my sight is set too high¡­ It doesn¡¯t change the fact that they¡¯re stronger than me.¡± ¡°I understand how you feel, but people out there aren¡¯t as strong as you think. There¡¯s surprisingly a lot of weak people.¡± Reika would still be considered a prodigy for her age even in the era of heroes and wars. Now that the times had come to an era of peace and quiet. Someone like Reika, truly outshone even the prodigies beyond her age. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Asher suddenly remembered what had happened three months ago. Van Ester had shown him the secrets that had been hiding in the world. He had been traveling for 20 years and had seen what was being hidden in the darkest corners of the continent. The demons were back and were chasing him down. ¡®They¡¯re chasing after me since I caught a glimpse of something they didn¡¯t want me to see. Since they¡¯ve been chasing after me, I didn¡¯t know if one of them was a demon inhibiting your body. Hence why I thought about killing you at first.¡¯ The black aura from Van Ester¡¯s sword had slashed through the Umpert that night and dispelled the spell on him to show Asher what was coming after them. ¡®What is this thing we call talent? What is the purpose of human life? The world is being too narrow-minded, Asher. I only decided to believe in what I can see with my own two eyes.¡¯ Would Asher just watch from the sidelines, or would he train and rise up? That was what Van Ester wanted to leave him with. ¡®I¡¯m going to go to the Empire and let them know what happened during my travels. I¡¯m going to go search for the missing hero. If you hear anything or any news, just come find me. I¡¯ll always welcome it if you come by to visit.¡¯ After that last bit, Van Ester had left. Thanks to Van Ester¡¯s words, Asher had been stuck in his room contemplating these words. He was in a need of a direction to move. He felt the creeping anxiety about the past war era coming back. So he was out here today just doing what he did best. He was just swinging his sword like usual. ¡®Ian the Brave¡¯ When the world had been in strife due to the demons¡¯ invasion, several heroes died, but one of them had come forth and slain the Demon Lord. He was named ¡®Ian the Brave¡¯ and went missing shortly after. Asher knew what the man was like since he was the Captain of the Imperial Guards. Due to this position he was invited to social events and drinking parties to guard the Imperial Family on several occasions and had even seen Ian in person from afar. He was a sociable and overall amazing person, Asher thought. He was like a true hero, right out of a fairy tale. However, it seemed that that false sense of peace that happened only in fairy tales, was nothing in front of reality. Van Ester¡¯s proof was more than enough to concern Asher. ¡°Did the hero escape the Empire?¡¯ Asher was not there when Ian the Brave, drove out the Demon Lord. He was busy protecting the Imperial Family like always, so he had no way of knowing what happened to the hero afterwards. ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯ It was interesting since Ian the Brave had also disappeared 20 years ago. It was a legendary warrior who had driven out the Demon Lord, but the rumors were saying he abandoned his family, his lands, his country and so forth. But if he really did do all that¡­. Where did he go? There were many questions Asher had. Did the Hero actually kill the Demon Lord? Was he injured? Did he get taken down together? What happened to him after the fight? Asher shook his wrist with the dagger and it twisted it with a curved trajectory. ¡°But some things don¡¯t change¡­¡± Asher murmured in a low voice. He only wielded the sword. Whether or not he would find out what the secret was, he would always be with his sword. ¡°Do you have a lot of worries these days Asher?¡± ¡°Eh¡­. well moderately I guess.¡± After a month of keeping his relationship with Reika relatively delicate, it had gone back to what it used to be. He just focused on teaching her as best he could. ¡°How¡¯s the lord? I think he¡¯s busy these days.¡± ¡°They were training the soldiers. The Swordmaster must have told him something. Thanks to him, the soldiers are practically dying from discipline training.¡± There were no threats these days coming to Asher. Ever since he was accepted in name, as the Swordmaster¡¯s disciple, nobody dared to anger him. This was because disrespecting Asher, meant disrespecting a swordmaster. Which could easily lead to one¡¯s death. Especially since Lord Halvark was now active in protecting Asher, the soldiers around the estate had picked up hellish training to not fall behind a little kid like him and Reika. ¡°Then what about the young heir?¡± ¡°Luke? He¡¯¡­s um¡­.¡± Reika paused and said with a reluctant look. ¡°He¡¯s been acting a little weird.¡± *** ¡°AHHH!¡± Crack! The glass was breaking. The little girl in the corner and her mother trembled in fright. Luke was screaming and howling violently. ¡°Drinks! Bring me more¡­NOW!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± The middle-aged woman rushed to the kitchen with her daughter¡¯s hand clenched. Luke was shaking with a bright red face. ¡°Oh, my God¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t get rid of his anger. Whenever he felt miserable or angered, he would always come to the town¡¯s bar and vent his anger. However, he had been coming more recently, and he¡¯d been getting much more violent. ¡°Yes sir, here it is!¡± The middle-aged woman hurriedly put the glass down on the table. In the process, a few drops of alcohol splashed on Luke¡¯s hand. His face was distorted even further in that very instant. ¡°You bitch!¡± ¡°AHHH! Crunch! Luke kicked the table and threw the glass bottle of alcohol at the lady. The glass immediately shattered on her head upon contact. Luke got up and shoved her to the ground and started to kick her violently. ¡°How dare you! A mere commoner! I am a NOBLE, and you DARE to stain my shirt with alcohol!¡± ¡°AHHGH! I¡¯m sorry! Please spare me!¡± The woman screamed and cried loudly, but Luke did not stop. He kicked her in the stomach with a sadistic look. As he was kicking her and she was coughing for air, her little girl burst through the back door from the bar and yelled. ¡°Mom!¡± The girl hugged the woman who was being beaten while crying in tears at the sight of her mom. The small body of the girl couldn¡¯t cover even half of the mother¡¯s body, but she tried to block the impact as much as possible. ¡°Don¡¯t hit my Mom!¡± ¡°This¡­.¡± Luke¡¯s hand was lifted up for a moment, but it went down soon. He kicked the chair roughly and moved on. There was a sob coming from behind. ¡°These rotten commoners¡­¡± As Luke went outside, He could feel the eyes around him settle on him in fear. His face crumpled and shouted. ¡°What are you looking at, you bastards!¡± He quickly turned himself away from the stares and walked away angrily. Luke, who briefly turned away, went into the alley. He felt like he was hearing somebody giggle at him in his drunken stupor. ¡°I¡¯m like a dog.¡± Everyone seemed to despise him now. He was worthless and disgusting in the eyes of his own people. Those words hit him inside where it hurt. He clenched his fist and his eyes shook violently. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Luke knew himself well. He was not talented with swordsmanship like his sister, nor was he as gentle as his father. Had it not been for his title being the only son of the Halvark nobility, he would have been beaten and kicked out long ago. But it was okay. It was because of the fact that he was the only son of the Lord, that he was the heir and felt he was irreplaceable. No matter how much trouble he made, he would never be kicked out unless he killed someone. Above all, there was a bigger trash than himself in the estate. Asher. He was the walking definition of trash in Luke¡¯s eyes. He was stupid, illiterate, caused trouble for everyone, and was like a lecherous dog that left his shit everywhere. Luke was relieved to think of him. There was always more hate and talk about Asher. No matter how much he was gossiped about, he was never as trash-like as Asher. It was an ugly feeling of self-comfort, but Luke was satisfied with it. It was good that there was a bottom lower than himself. But one day, Asher changed. He had stopped causing trouble and only practiced with his wooden sword all day. At first, Luke thought it was just Asher acting. So he provoked him into a fight. He didn¡¯t mean to actually kill him. If he threatened him moderately and made him freeze up, he would be exposed as the town trash again. Luke thought so and started the quarrel, but he was beaten up and scolded by his father and mother instead. He acted as if he had really changed since then. He was recognized by the Swordmaster that had visited and even had excellent swordsmanship. The territory¡¯s most notorious trash came to be widely recognized as someone that was turning a new leaf. But who was the next to be labeled as the town¡¯s trash if Asher was no longer the bottom feeding trash? Luke was now at the bottom of the ladder. ¡°What the¡­.¡± His eyes shook violently. It was all because of Asher. If he just stayed as trash, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. Luke would have been satisfied with his life. Luke continued to giggle drunkenly as he wandered through the alley into a dark and separate area. ¡®Hehe.. Everything that will happen, is all your fault.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s only been less than three months. You¡¯re quite the hasty young man aren¡¯t you?¡± Luke turned around in surprise at the voice he heard behind him. Behind him, stood a man who was draped in an all black robe. Luke felt nervous looking at the being in front of him. It felt as if the man were there right in front of him, but it also felt like the man was perfectly hidden in the darkness and his surroundings. ¡°If you¡¯ve called us, it means you¡¯d like us to kill someone.¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± Luke nodded. He knew this was a crazy thing to do. But he had already reached his limit with patience. He wanted to regain his former pride, and so he spoke. ¡°Hm.. Is it Asher?¡± Luke smiled contorted. ¡°Yes.. Asher.¡± The robed man smiled lightly. His voice sounded younger than Luke thought it would. He was drunk, but if he had to guess the man¡¯s age, he would think it was a man in his mid-twenties. Luke fiddling with the purple bottle of liquor in his hands. ¡°Are you talking about the boy that¡¯s been in the rumors?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Luke swallowed his saliva and nodded. ¡°If there¡¯s someone you want to kill, you should remain honest with your feelings. I like that about you.¡± The man in front of him came to Luke about 3 months ago, a week after Van Ester had departed for the capital. As per normal, the awkward silence unused between the man and Luke, as Luke started to drink more of his alcohol to numb himself. At the time, the man had told Luke that he was part of an assassin¡¯s guild, and that they would be in town for a while. Luke said that he would need the man to avoid him getting punished by the Lord of the Estate if he did kill Asher successfully, and that Luke could not be traced to the incident. In common sense, it was natural for the underworld to exist, even in peaceful places like the Halvark territory. The man also hadn¡¯t gone to his father first, since Luke thought for some reason that the guild of assassin¡¯s would need permission to stay in the territory, but they had gone to Luke instead to ask for permission in staying here. Luke didn¡¯t realize the dangers of having such a mysterious and dangerous group inside the territory, but his ego felt great since the man asked him instead of his father first, making him feel like a true heir to the estate. In the process, the man thanked Luke for letting them stay, and told him that if Luke wanted anyone to be killed, he should just ask as a favor from their guild. ¡°The disciple of a Swordmaster. You¡¯re making quite a big request.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s impossible to do?¡± ¡°Well.¡± ¡°¡­is it because it¡¯s a mediocre guild at best?¡± You can¡¯t even kill a kid?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The man who was talking calmly up until that point, stopped at Luke¡¯s words. He spoke in a rather interesting and conniving tone. ¡°I forgot, we didn¡¯t mention our guild¡¯s name to you yet, have we? Haven¡¯t you heard of the Motorola¡¯s Assassin Family?¡± ¡°MO¡­Motorola?¡± Luke¡¯s eyes opened wide. He had definitely heard of the name. A historic guild that appeared in the world about 50 years ago run by one family of Assassins. No one knows where or how it appeared. However, they became the world¡¯s most notorious Assassin¡¯s Guild and the Motorola Family¡¯s name, spread far and wide. ¡°¡­why would a guild like that¡­ be here?¡± ¡°What an idiot you are. Think about the timing. We came three months ago. What do you think happened then?¡± Luke swallowed his saliva at the words. Three months ago. At that moment, Luke exclaimed, ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°The Swordmaster¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s about as good as it gets.¡± ¡°How come.¡± ¡°Do you want to know why?¡± The mouth of the man covered in the darkness, drew a quiet and evil curve. Luke flinched at the smile and shook his head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Good choice. If you did want to hear, I¡¯d have to make sure you would never be able to hear again.¡± The man grinned. Luke¡¯s body trembled. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Huh?..What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll accept your request. The disciple of the Swordmaster, I thought I¡¯d kill him anyways.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Luke mumbled with joy but fright at the same time. Asher would finally disappear from the world. Nothing fundamental would change with his death, but Luke would be very satisfied once it did happen. ¡°I¡¯ll be doing the request tomorrow.¡± ¡°So soon?¡± ¡°The sooner the better, isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The sooner the better. Luke agreed with that. He swallowed his saliva. It was time to negotiate now, and he couldn¡¯t afford to offend this assassin. ¡°Then the price¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need a price for this one.¡± ¡°¡­no need?¡± ¡°Yeah. If you know about us, you must have heard the rumors.¡± ¡°Yes¡­. I didn¡¯t think it was real though.¡± The Assassin Guild run by the Motorola Family, accepted their first requests of the region they stayed in at any given time, at no cost. It was an unverified rumor, so nobody knew the authenticity of it. But Luke didn¡¯t expect it to be real. ¡°Then get ready. I¡¯ll be seeing you later tonight.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Luke nodded vigorously and ran down the alley. The man murmured lightly at the excited appearance of Luke running. ¡°I¡¯ve already received the payment¡­. Something very expensive. huhuhuhu!¡± He laughed. At the same time, the darkness around him, enveloped him as the alley became empty and quiet once more. Chapter 14 ¨C Fin Chapter 15 - Assassin (2) Chapter 15 ¨C Assassin (2) Translated by : betterdays __________________________________ ¡­ ¡°The long-awaited request has come.¡± The assassin entered the abandoned building and opened his mouth. Then darkness surrounded him, spread out and encapsulated the space around him. [It¡¯s him.] ¡°That¡¯s right, he¡¯s a fool. He didn¡¯t even need any kind of stimulation or coercion to make the decision. He came on me on his own.¡± [Thanks to him, I think the purpose of coming here will be solved much quicker.] ¡°That request.¡± The man frowned slightly. He looked around and shook his finger. ¡°Are you sure I had to come out this far? There¡¯s only one kid. Isn¡¯t one or two of my kids enough?¡± [It¡¯s the student of a Swordmaster. I think there¡¯s enough reason to move forward with the plan.] ¡°But it¡¯s just a little boy. It¡¯s a child with no talent and he¡¯s only learned one swordsmanship which is only imperial swordsmanship.¡± In the assassin¡¯s view, he felt the guild¡¯s reaction was overactive. He didn¡¯t think there was a good reason for him to even come here in the first place. [But the kid is dangerous nonetheless. You cannot forget the past. When our organization first appeared in the world, the one who brought us to the brink of extinction was also a master of imperial swordsmanship. We must remain vigilant with this order. If this boy turns out to be much more skilled and grows, we cannot let the past repeat itself.] ¡°The man wasn¡¯t that skilled back then though. And he wasn¡¯t alone, if he was, he would have never been able to do what he did back then. ¡° The assassin spoke as if he were protesting against the order, finding it troublesome. He was young. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t know exactly what had happened in the past. Above all, he was confident he could assassinate some meager kid who had no talent, and didn¡¯t even have the swordmaster to protect him on the estate! ¡°Imperial swordsmanship is for the weak.¡± The assassin spoke with confidence. ¡°He¡¯s going to fall by my hand. I am the successor to the great martyr. I¡¯m not so weak as to be defeated by Imperial Swordsmanship from a child.¡± *** ¡°I always feel this way.¡± Reika murmured with a disappointed face and rough scars across her arms. ¡°Why can¡¯t I beat you?¡± She had always felt confident with herself. She had talent and she was starting to finally recognize it herself. She was learning the swordsmanship of one of the great heroes in the past and was making good use of it. However, against Asher, she had not won a single victory. ¡°I can¡¯t even give you a proper would!¡± ¡°It may not be a proper strike, but you¡¯ve still been able to scratch me and reach me with your sword. It¡¯s more surprising to me that you¡¯ve come this far in such a short amount of time.¡± Asher couldn¡¯t believe Reika had hurt him after only half a year of learning properly. He had seen monstrous talents in the past, but even with talent alone they could not harm him since they relied purely on their talent. Reika was adapting with talent much higher than those he had seen in the past, and was even applying proper tactics for battle! She was not someone that could be placed in comparison to even swordmasters of the past in terms of her learning curve. ¡°It¡¯s still too soon for you to try and beat me.¡± Swordsmanship is absolute and higher-level styles of swordsmanship were bound to overcome another, but no matter how talented one was, it took time to get to the threshold and defeat others of higher mastery. In the first place, a person with transcendent talent would have to devote their life to achieve such a feat over Asher. No matter how talented they were, it would take such time to defeat Asher, who might have not been talented with the sword, but had extreme experience in several life and death battles. Above all, Asher had not just defeated talented individuals, he had killed and slain many monsters and demons in his past life across the several battlefields he had endured. He had even sparred against swordmasters. He was not someone that would go down to such a child. At least not yet. It was also the same case for any child, but it seemed Reika was threatening that belief with her growth. ¡°Also, you¡¯re so difficult to deal with since you can change your weapon whenever you want to!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Asher tapped on the wrist brace. At the same time, the spear in his hand disappeared. It was very satisfying. He was still getting used to it, but he was already proficient with almost all of his new movements and attack patterns he could pull off with it. It was incredible for Asher, as he felt that this was the start to a whole new set of limitations that couldn¡¯t be measured for himself. ¡°It¡¯s about time to finish up anyways.¡± ¡°Oh, It¡¯s already time?¡± The sun was sinking beyond the horizon. Reika waved her hand and nodded that it was getting late. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too impatient, you have plenty of time to get stronger.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± When Reika left, Asher was the only one left at the training area. Asher, who was standing for a while, picked up a sword and began to swing. ¡°Is it nighttime already?¡± It had been three hours. It became dark before he knew it. Asher wiped off his copious amounts of sweat and headed to the bathhouse. As Asher headed to the bathhouse, he ran into Luke on his way there. ¡°Good morning, Young Master.¡±, Asher spoke respectfully. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Luke stared at him silently. Luke opened his mouth as Asher tried to pass him into the dressing room in the bathouse. ¡°Tomorrow.¡± Asher turned around at the odd word choice of Luke and looked at Luke¡¯s stiff expression. ¡°Tomorrow, Go to the address written here at midnight.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an order. Do you, as the employee refused to obey my order?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Asher accepted the letter from Luke¡¯s outstretched hands. Asher smiled lightly as he read over the contents of the letter. It was a secluded alleyway which seemed to be in the slums. It was rather obvious what this meant. ¡°Okay, I shall do so, Young Master.¡± ¡°Make sure you go. If you don¡¯t, I will surely have you kicked out.¡± Luke spouted roughly and strode past Asher, bumping his shoulder. Asher looked briefly behind him once Luke left, and then went into the bathroom. *** ¡°Hey Asher, how are you doing? Are you ready to start training?¡± ¡°Luke gave me an order today I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Huh. Why?¡± ¡°He asked it as a favor.¡± ¡°¡­Luke, asked you for a favor?¡± Reika gave Asher a strange look. That¡¯s how ridiculous it sounded to have Luke ask for Asher for a favor. ¡°What exactly did he ask you to do?¡± ¡°He just wanted me to stop by somewhere. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± ¡°Really? It doesn¡¯t look weird to you at all?¡± ¡°Eh, no way.¡± Asher waved his hands to show that it wasn¡¯t that concerning to him, at Reika¡¯s worried expression. ¡°¡­I hope nothing goes wrong. It sounds fishy seeing that it¡¯s coming from Luke¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m an employee of the estate right now. I have to follow orders that are given by the master or young master no matter what. Plus I already have an idea of what it¡¯s about.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I¡¯m training alone today.¡± ¡°Do you have to go, though? I¡¯m still worried.¡± ¡°I have to.¡± It was time. Asher stepped outside the estate and walked down the streets of the territory. He could feel the odd gazes of the townspeople as he walked through the streets. Ignoring it, Asher took a turn and stood in front of the alley that Luke had mentioned in the letter. Asher walked to the ¡°delivery spot¡± and he saw an engraved pattern of a cross that was covered up with dust. Asher took his hand and wiped down the dusted floor and the pattern became clearer to him. It was the shape of a circular cross pattern that he recognized from the past. ¡°¡­Oh, my God.¡± Someone had called him here through Luke, and it turned out to be these guys. ¡®Should I back off?¡¯ No, no. These guys were persistent and disgusting as weeds. In that case he needed to take them out from the roots. Asher slowly went deeper into the alley. Asher could feel the gazes of several hidden assassins lurking in the shadows. The assassins seemed to think they hid their presence well, but it seemed like this assassin was overconfident in his skills and incredibly immature. As Asher walked for a few more minutes, he saw the end of the alley nearing him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come out?¡± Srr. Darkness enveloped the space around him. Several assassins dressed in black walked from the corners of the dark alley. ¡®Fourteen. That¡¯s a lot.¡¯ ¡°Ah I see, what do I owe the pleasure of meeting with the Motorola Assassins?¡± ¡°!¡± All of the assassins flinched for a moment. Then one person amongst them made a clap, gathering their attention. A singular man wearing a black robe came up, clapping his hands. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t expect you to know who we are.¡± ¡°Who else bearing the emblem of that cross, can be other than the Motorola Assassins Guild?¡± Their organization was smashed decades ago, but it seemed he and the others had failed to destroy their roots, seeing them here now. Despite nearly destroying them in the past, it still didn¡¯t bode well with Asher to be seeing them here and now. The man in the robe grinned. ¡°Even if your teacher is a Swordmaster, you¡¯re saying that you, the student of a swordmaster, know of us? What an endearing teacher of yours ¡­hahah!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear about your guild from him. This is my own information. I can¡¯t believe you were stupid enough to send me a note to meet in an alley. Isn¡¯t it too obvious? It was so obvious I was thinking it might even be real, since assassins aren¡¯t usually that stupid.¡± ¡°¡­you¡¯re more talkative than I thought.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Asher mumbled casually. It seemed this would be his first fight with this body. His mind wouldn¡¯t falter under the pressure, but the body might be different. He couldn¡¯t expect the best, due to the body¡¯s influences. ¡°Well seeing you come and act so brazenly around us, it makes sense you¡¯re so arrogant.¡±, the man spoke in a haughty tone. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, since this will be your grave.¡± Asher murmured at the man¡¯s words. The assassins¡¯ darkness then spread out with a mass of killing intent. It would be a massive oppressing force to anybody. A swarming sensation of murder and death surrounded Asher. At that moment, one of the assassins jumped out of the dark and shot forward, aiming at Asher¡¯s back. As soon as he tried to stab the dagger, Asher turned around. He swung his hand in a curved manner around the assassin¡¯s outstretched arm. Asher immediately broke the frightened assassin¡¯s wrist and grabbed the falling dagger. Taking the dagger, Asher brought his hand gripping the dagger in a diagonal swing, going so fast that it looked like a flash, slitting the assassin¡¯s throat immediately. With the flowing movement, they couldn¡¯t even figure out what happened. ¡°The demons and assassins from the shadows were pushed back to the edge of the world years ago. What¡¯s funny is, if you can¡¯t get permission from your master, you ugly rats can¡¯t even step out into the public. That¡¯s probably natural, since you¡¯d be swept away helplessly like ant¡¯s in the face of a storm if you did.¡± ¡°¡­you.¡± The man¡¯s face hardened for a moment. Asher pulled out the dagger from the assassin¡¯s neck. Blood splashed on Asher¡¯s face and dyed his eyes and hair a bloodthirsty red. ¡°Who are you really..? And how do you know our secrets!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what matters. I¡¯m just your assisination target for today. That just means there¡¯s one thing left to do.¡± Asher took out the sword from his spatial subpocket. (T/N : working with this term instead of wrist brace since it¡¯s much easier, directly referencing the spatial magic embedded within it.) *** Van Ester was walking down a colorful hallway. Gold decorations and embroidery hung everywhere on the walls and ceiling. The extravagant decorations caught the eye of Van Ester and other past guests. The colorful patterns clearly announced the identity of the person who owned the palace. The ruler, the great sun, that ruled atop, any and all persons within the entire empire. When Van Ester opened the door, he could see a middle-aged man sitting in a chair by a table inside the room. Van Ester grinned and sat down with a chair. ¡°Long time no see, Van Ester, son of the Empire, master of the sword.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been more than 20 years.¡± The man looked at Van Ester with zero emotion as he said so. Van Ester was the same. Neither truly respected each other for their positions at all. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be emperor. I thought you were brilliant, but I thought you¡¯d be kicked out of the succession race early on.¡± ¡°Well, I just killed them all. So naturally, it just became mine.¡± The man replied with tired eyes as he touched the crown above his head. Van Ester smiled bitterly at the stoic eyes of the current emperor. It was depressing to see a once, brilliant and bright child, crushed by the weight of reality. ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to be alive these days? You want some candy?¡± (T/N : Van Ester 10/10 savage moments) ¡°Ah, still showing no courtesy or respect for costumes to the royal family from even before and now.¡± ¡°Oh really?¡± Haivan smirked. ¡°I am a man who walks on the path of the sword. That means I am a man who deviates from the customs and bullshit of discrimination by race, creed or color¡­ As long as it has to do with my and my sword, I could care less. ¡°I know. I just checked how long you¡¯ve been gone. Twenty years of absence is enough time to forget your duties for a little, and have your vacation.¡± ¡°Twenty years¡­ yes. The Empire seems to have changed quite a bit.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much change.¡± ¡°Well, isn¡¯t there the change of the Imperial Guard Captain?¡± ¡°Ahhhh, you¡¯re right.¡± The Emperor nodded his chin at Van Ester¡¯s words. Van Ester just laughed, as if he was having fun. ¡°Not to mention anything else, that child alone, is sufficiently amazing to fill the shoes of the old captain. I didn¡¯t think the current imperial guard captain was so talented, despite being so young.¡± ¡°Well the Empire is the stronghold in the world, things like race, creed, religion, have nothing to do with competence and loyalty. It doesn¡¯t matter if the guard was an elf or an Orc. If they¡¯re loyal and reliable, then it¡¯s only obvious they can reach that position.¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s just funny, how you can say that when it¡¯s not something that¡¯s necessarily true with humans, as we¡¯re discriminatory by nature¡­. Also what about the opinion of the kid who received the position? Are they sure they want it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what he wanted. He could have been given a much better position with his accumulated merits, but he was obsessed with the position, being the captain of the Imperial Guards.¡± ¡°I suppose that makes sense.¡± Van Ester stroked his chin. He seemed to be pondering for a while, and then soon grinned. ¡°It would be fun to meet that kid.¡± ¡°Enough about that. I heard you were on the outskirts of some territory in the empire. Why did you come back there?¡± The emperor did not even know the name of the Halvark estate. It was close to the capital, but it really was a small estate with nothing valuable and small in population. It was not worth the Emperor¡¯s knowledge. ¡°Yes, I saw an interesting boy out there. But what¡¯s so important about it? Do you want to meet this boy?¡± Van Ester couldn¡¯t wait. He found this current Emperor, bearing the Inak household name, a very interesting child as well. He looked just like the previous Emperor, but Van Ester did not know much about him, and wanted to use this as an excuse to see how the Emperor would act. ¡°Hmm.¡± The emperor leaned his back as if he was not interested in Van Ester¡¯s silly shenanigans. He gave up everything he had just to succeed as the emperor, he couldn¡¯t afford to be interested in such silly little meandering jokes. Even if it was a swordmaster talking to him. If a swordmaster simply said it was fun, then it at least wasn¡¯t anything threatening to him. Therefore, he would just rather press onto more difficult topics. ¡°Let¡¯s stop chatting and get to the point.¡± He did not appreciate such irrelevant stories. Suddenly the Emperor sat up in his chair and his eyes glistened. His gaze locked with Van Ester¡¯s and the eyes of a tired child crushed by reality were no longer present. A cold and heartless ruler, who would do anything for his empire replaced his tired visage. ¡°The things you said¡­ they must be true.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Van Ester nodded. The emperor gave a dry smile. ¡°The great hero had done a great job of cleaning up the remnants of the Demons around the world. I can¡¯t believe he completely left his country and people to do such a thing and not even return.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to curse him too much. He must have had a hard time.¡±, Van Ester spoke in a calming voice. ¡°But this is the result. The cracks in the fissure were eventually re-opened, and the darkness reappeared. As a result, even you¡¯re being chased right now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not weak enough to die from silly things like that. My first priority is to find a new hero. However, if I do, I wish the Empire would cooperate with him.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The emperor touched the crown. An emotionless voice rang out. ¡°No, there will be no support.¡± ¡°¡­what?¡± At that moment, Van Ester¡¯s face was distorted. At the same time, a crushing and heavy pressure swept through the room, emanating from Van Ester. The knights behind the emperor didn¡¯t even have the willpower to pull out the sword from this pressure, but the emperor¡¯s face, which received the full brunt of the force, did not change a single bit. ¡°You must be kidding. You know what¡¯s going on right now and how dire the situation is.¡± ¡°This Emperor can¡¯t joke with you sadly, High Count Van Ester.¡± Van Ester gripped the sword. The guards tried to move out and surround him, but they couldn¡¯t even lift a finger because they were suppressed by the intangible pressure that was building more and more. The emperor calmly opened his mouth, although the atmosphere seemed to burst at any moment. ¡°That¡¯s not the only problem. Funnily enough, I actually can¡¯t afford to do so.¡± Van Ester slowly relaxed his strength at the sight of the emperor¡¯s tired face that had reappeared as if he found the whole situation a nuance. The suppressed groans burst everywhere. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The majority of our Empire¡¯s heroes disappeared more than two decades ago. We weren¡¯t able to say anything¡­ Naturally it brought chaos to the world.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ because I was the first to leave¡­ Don¡¯t tell me the others left as well!?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t realize? You must have been truly hiding in the corners of the continent to not be able to realize that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Van Ester was silent at the emperor¡¯s words. The emperor waved his hand. The guards¡¯ movements relaxed and their images disappeared. The space around the two distorted and the Emperor released a magic spell. There were only the two of them within this secluded space. ¡°Not all the heroes have left, so it was still somewhat peaceful on the outside looking in, from the civilians perspective that is. Ian the Brave was one of them. But now¡­ they¡¯ve become the problem.¡± ¡°¡­what¡­.do you mean¡­.?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just that the heroes of the past have died. Some are no longer¡­ how do you say it? They no longer wish to bear goodwill towards humanity.¡± The Emperor spoke calmly as he dropped the heavy words. Chapter 15 ¨C Fin Chapter 16 - Assassin (3) Chapter 16 ¨C Assassin (3) Translated by : betterdays ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°Oh, my God.¡± The corners of the mouth went up on the lead assassin. He spoke as if he were having fun with the situation. ¡°Originally, I¡¯d kill you straight away, but it seems that will have to be put on hold first. I¡¯m going to have you tell me how you know of our organization so well.¡± ¡°Try me.¡± As soon as the words were finished, Asher moved his body. It looked like a leisurely walk, but an after-image quickly took place of Asher¡¯s position standing before him. Asher quickly arrived in front of a nearby assassin. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The random assassin stepped back in surprise, but Asher was too fast to be avoided. Asher brutally gripped the arm of the nearby assassin and brought the sword down, slicing the arm off cleanly. Then, he quickly repositioned the blade and grabbed the elbow and stabbed into the gushing artery. There were thirteen assassins but now there were twelve in Asher¡¯s eyes. The rest were looking at him blankly as if they still couldn¡¯t figure out the situation. ¡®What a bunch of Idiots.¡¯, Asher thought to himself. Asher dashed forward to another assassin who was standing there blankly. Bringing the sword in a diagonal movement, he slashed the neck so fast, none of the assassin¡¯s could even process what happened as the head slid off the shoulders and dropped to the floor. Eleven left. Only then did the assassins hide themselves in a hurry as they realized they had provoked a monster. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s really enough to prevent me from killing all of you?¡± Asher sneered at the vain attempts of the assassins to gather themselves. Asher¡¯s body accelerated once more after chopping the head off of the last assassin. The shadows moving in the surroundings, shook and trembled as the assassin¡¯s felt the ominous and eerie presence within Asher¡¯s words. Their eyes showed a brief gap of hesitation at his threat, and Asher did not miss the chance to capitalize on it. Kagak! There was a brash sound of iron clanging against iron. Asher grabbed the next assassin¡¯s arm and deflected the blade of a dagger thrown at him. The moment he tried to stab the heart of the assassin he was concentrating on, the body of the assassin became dark and disappeared. However, Asher did not panic and turned around to throw a dagger. The forehead of the assassin who moved behind his back was penetrated viciously with the dagger he threw. Asher muttered, kicking the falling body. ¡°Did the Lord allow you annoying bastards to settle here? Eh, probably not. It¡¯s to be expected, seeing how annoying your god is.¡± ¡°¡­how do you know that.¡± An uncontrollable irritation and anxiety sprung up in the lead assassin¡¯s voice. Worried about the true identity of the boy in front of him, he threw a couple daggers from the robes of his sleeves looking for an opening in Asher¡¯s defense. But naturally, Asher did not even panic from the daggers and deflected them with ease. Irritated with the lead assassin¡¯s endless questions and aloof expressions from earlier, Asher spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of this silly talk. If you can¡¯t get used to the fact that information is for the winner, then you¡¯re an idiot.¡± Asher took a step back as he moved her foot. At the same time, an assassin on the wall ran out and wielded a knife where he was stepping back. Asher paused his feet and kicked upwards. Crunch. The neck of the assassin broke and the neck bones shattered as Asher kicked at the man¡¯s neck with force. ¡°Just because you haven¡¯t told me who you are, doesn¡¯t mean I have my own means of acquiring information on you. So stop acting as if you¡¯re hiding some big secret that needs to be kept hidden.¡± Asher explained just how flawed the lead assassin¡¯s thinking was as he attacked. There were now only nine assassins left. One of the assassins noticed there were no weapons in Asher¡¯s hands all of a sudden as Asher had left the sword in the elbow of one of the now deceased assassins, and yelled out loud. ¡°¡­He¡¯s no longer armed! Kill him!¡± The dark shadows moved once more. Five or six assassins rushed around Asher at once and encircled him. Several assassins came forward with daggers in their hands, killing intent eager in their hands at the defenseless Asher. Then in a flash, a sword appeared in Asher¡¯s hand out of thin air. The assassins were frightened at the sudden appearance and paused, but it was the worst possible choice they could have made at that moment.. The sword made a smooth circle motion, and six heads flew in the air. ¡°Is it three now? How simple.¡± Asher said with an annoyed face. It was too easy for him. The period of peace hadn¡¯t just made the overall population dull with their swordsmanship, but even these assassins were incredibly dull in their movements, nowhere near the level of the assassins Asher had fought against in the era of strife and war. Asher threw the sword into the air. Asher shakes his arms small as the assassins¡¯ eyes turn to the sword. Two daggers ran out from under his wrists, and Asher grabbed them and threw them immediately without a pause in the motion. The assassins were taken down without being able to let out even a grunt. ¡°It¡¯s a lot easier than I thought.¡± Asher grabbed the sword with a satisfied face and tapped his wrist bracelet with pleasure. He had already deemed that this tool would be incredible through his practice, but it was even more useful than he could possibly imagine, now that he was using it in real combat. His test with the bracelet¡¯s effectiveness was over, and the lead assassin finally stepped forward, applauding Asher and clapping his hands at the display of his dead comrades. ¡°That¡¯s amazing. I never thought you could kill all the assassins here by exploiting a simple trick of yours.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not enough in real fights, I know that much.¡± ¡°Yes it¡¯s obvious.¡± The man nodded his head. He stopped clapping and pulled a sword out from inside his black robe. ¡°You managed to kill all of these assassins with no display of swordsmanship whatsoever, and by only using simple tricks to fool the eyes. How wonderful!¡± The lead assassin giggled and pulled the sword close to himself as he dashed towards Asher. ¡°But that¡¯s all it amounts to in the end. No matter how good you are at exploiting gaps with simple tricks, those will only go so far. You are nothing when compared under the guise of a talented swordsman.¡± The assassin sped up and accelerated his movement. A shadow devoured the man¡¯s sword and blocked Asher¡¯s view at the same time. The pitch black sword aimed directly for Asher¡¯s neck, drawing a thin line in the air. Crnnng! The sword from Asher and the lead assassin collide and the sound of iron rang out in the surroundings. Asher twisted his body, parrying the slash and released his tight grip on his sword to stab the sword rapidly at the chest of the lead assassin. The man flipped his back to avoid the stab and swung himself roughly, bringing the sword back. At that moment, the man¡¯s sword shook and a dark haze covered the sword¡¯s appearance as the blade disappeared. ¡°Tch-¡° Asher lightly clicked his tongue and stepped back. ¡°Ha ha! Even if you¡¯re an untalented brat, you must be able to tell that this is great swordplay!¡± The lead assassin bursts into a haughty laughter. The hidden sword, re-appeared and suddenly scraped against the wall. Asher put the sword back inside his spatial pocket without further delay, and took out a spear. Twirling the spear in a circle around him, he focused on defending himself from all angles and looking for an opening to stab with the spear. Finding it, Asher¡¯s muscles exploded and tore the air apart. The dark sword of the assassin shook, and the air trembled at the fierce incoming attack from Asher. A sword appeared behind Asher¡¯s neck like a snake twisting and writhing in the air. Asher ducked and avoided the strike as the assassin twisted the trajectory to follow Asher¡¯s forehead. Asher raised the iron wrist brace and blocked the strike. Bingggg! Asher widened the gap again. The man grinned and shook the sword with his hand. Again, the shadow wrapped around the sword and disappeared. ¡°Oh, do you know how to respond to this? Of course, that Swordmaster must have been really interested in you. If I kill you, I wonder how he will react?¡± Asher touched the wrist brace while looking at the amused expression on the face of the lead assassin. There seemed to be no abnormalities on the surface. Asher took the stance symbolizing the raw defensive prowess within his imperial swordsmanship ¡°You learned a troublesome swordsmanship, indeed.¡± Asher responded. It was a swordsmanship that moved like a shadow, unpredictable and untraceable. Asher knew that swordsmanship and he knew he had a hard time dealing with it. Thanks to its finicky nature, it was swordsmanship that almost everyone knew to be dastardly to deal with. ¡°Haha! My sword is the swordsmanship of our Great God!¡± The man shouted loudly. ¡°This is the swordsmanship of our founder of Motorola! Would you truly dare to confront me!¡± *** ¡®I never thought I¡¯d see this swordsmanship again.¡¯ Asher clicked his tongue lightly. Motorola¡¯s swordsmanship. If Lepenia¡¯s swordsmanship was known to move like a snake, Motorola¡¯s swordsmanship was a sword embodying the shadows. The sword disappears, and travels in the darkness to aim for the opponent¡¯s vital points. Distance and form were meaningless in front of it. As one became proficient with the swordsmanship, the range of the swordsmanship increased, and the shape of the sword could also be freely transformed. Thanks to its characteristics, it was very difficult to deal with in terms of how many angles there were to attack with it, so it was the natural enemy to imperial swordsmanship. If the Imperial Swordsmanship represented balance, Motorala¡¯s swordsmanship embodied stealth and complete offensive maneuverability. But it was just a meager advantage if one was only comparing the styles of swordsmanship. It didn¡¯t apply any further than that. And for that reason alone, Asher grinned. ¡°It must be tricky to learn, but you must be quite talented if you were able to learn it.¡± ¡°Hahah Yes! I am one of the 13 Great Dark Stars under the Motorola Name.¡± ¡°The Dark Stars? Are you still calling yourself that? What a childish name.¡± Asher muttered. The man heard Asher¡¯s muttering and disrespect in his voice as he closed the sword into the shadows once more and moved. ¡°Then die. It shouldn¡¯t be such a terrible death seeing how you¡¯ll be dying to the natural enemy of your own swordsmanship. You only have yourself to blame for this as a swordsman.¡± ¡°As a swordsman?¡± Asher twisted the corners of her mouth grimly. The lead assassin sped up and then disappeared, only to reappear behind Asher on the wall behind him and stabbing at Asher¡¯s back. Asher hurriedly blocked it, but his front side was defenseless thanks to it. The lead assassin didn¡¯t miss this as he disappeared and then re-appeared in front of Asher¡¯s front side exploding forward with strength in his sword. Boom! Asher bounced the blade of the assassin quickly off the iron wrist brace on his right arm. The assassin clicked his tongue and shook the sword again. The shadows surrounded Asher once more. ¡° I¡¯d rather die than lose to some crummy and untalented swordsman with the imperial swordsmanship.¡± ¡°¡­why is Motorola here in the Halvark Estate?¡± Asher, who staggered up, asked suddenly. He snorted at the ridiculous taunt from the assassin. ¡°How crazy, what assassin would I be to tell you the motive?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to die anyway. Can¡¯t you grant the dying child his last wish? What brings you here to this little estate in the countryside?¡± ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± The man made a distorted smile. ¡°It¡¯s polite I guess to honor your wish. In the first place, we came to this country estate just to kill you.¡± ¡°¡­kill me?¡± ¡°Yes, the order has come down from above.¡± ¡°From above¡­¡± Asher muttered. The man said proudly. ¡°At first, it didn¡¯t seem like I needed to come, but¡­ It must have been a hard request seeing how well you¡¯ve been standing up till now. Congratulations. I do recognize your strength now, and that I was needed to come, aren¡¯t you happy to be recognized by one of the 13 Great Dark Stars? Hahaha! However, you will pay the price with death for this. ¡° ¡°Ah yes, you did step up to come after me personally didn¡¯t you.¡± Asher straightened up. His trembling body was already finding stability in it¡¯s balance. The assassin grinned. ¡°Yeah. Did you get enough information for your dying wish?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Congratulations. It truly is like a dying gift, isn¡¯t it?¡± The assassin shot forwards once more. ¡°If it is¡­then it¡¯s time for you to die.¡± The sword burned and melted into the shadows. Asher pulled out the spear as if he was bothered by the ridiculous words and didn¡¯t bother to even use his sword. Boom! ¡°Kurk!¡± The man bounced off this time. He threw up blood and looked at Asher as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°What¡­ how¡­?¡± ¡°Of course, you knew I was just prying for information, but you didn¡¯t know why I did so did you? Or why I had the confidence to ask you in such a so-called precarious situation.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± The man clenched his teeth and grabbed the sword. Asher was holding onto the assassin¡¯s sword before he knew it, rendering his motorola swordsmanship useless. ¡°You are not wrong. It¡¯s true that Imperial Swordsmanship is insignificant swordsmanship compared to others. It¡¯s also true that Motorola¡¯s swordsmanship is top tier.¡± But that didn¡¯t mean the assassin was strong in Asher¡¯s eyes. Motorola¡¯s swordsmanship was the natural enemy and predator to imperial swordsmanship. But Asher was not simply a swordsman who stubbornly relied on his swordsmanship alone like a prideful child. He was a warrior. A warrior who had survived many battlefields and endured wars that nobody would believe how bloody they were. He would easily abandon a weakness if it did not help him. Asher could know this well because he saw and even sparred with many heroes in his years. Men and women who were talented. That much was clear to him. However, he had also killed some of these heroes that turned rogue in the past as he was under orders of the Emperor. He wouldn¡¯t fall to some meager assassin. He had killed some of the strongest men and women to walk the earth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. You already said it didn¡¯t you? My Imperial Swordsmanship is nothing but a weakness¡± ¡°Bring it you bastard!¡± The man raises himself up like he was possessed with rage. The shadow wrapped once more around the sword and he rushed in. Asher turned his body and hit the sword down with a simplistic movement that required no skill. It was a very simple strike. A 3-year-old toddler could do it without any kind of experience with the sword. It was a move from the Imperial Swordsmanship that the assassin despised so much. ¡°Huh?¡± But the man was overwhelmed by this simplistic strike. It was as if a huge wall was approaching him. He couldn¡¯t even react to the blow. It was so ridiculously simple, yet there were no flaws in it. The assassin met the sword with his face and was crushed from the impact. ¡°uk-¡° The assassin backed away in a hurry as he hit the ground. Asher approached slowly and lifted the sword again. This time, it was another simple hit. But, just like before, the man was overwhelmed again. The assassin brought his sword up in a hurry, but it was completely destroyed with the single strike. ¡°You don¡¯t even have¡­any talent¡­¡± The man mumbled, stuck on the floor kneeling on one knee. He couldn¡¯t fathom it. His great swordsmanship¡­ was being utterly defeated¡­ by Imperial Swordsmanship of all things! The assassin raised himself up, denying the reality. He threw up blood violently and swung the sword. And¡­ it broke again. I bounced out of his hands and snapped like a twig. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The lead assassin looked at Asher blankly. Why was he losing? His sword skill had been polished over years and years of training and several assassinations. The man raised himself up, denying the reality once more. He managed to perform motorola swordsmanship with trembling hands. It was his pride, his everything, the collection of life he had built. The shadow wrapped around the sword and the man wielded the dark haze around the blade of the sword. But¡­ it broke again. ¡°Ah.¡± The man was stuck groveling on the ground. It had been a long time since Asher truly had performed his imperial swordsmanship in earnest when it came to a duel. Waving his sword around his body, Asher thought. He always fought using basic stances of imperial swordsmanship, but he always added his own variations that he had developed over the years to cover the flaws of the swordsmanship. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t do this.¡± The assassin mumbled, stumbling back. The robe was torn and his face was visible for the first time. The man cried desperately. ¡°You can¡¯t do this! This is ridiculous! How-How-! How dare you do that to me! ¡°The Imperial Swordsmanship does not lie.¡± Asher nodded gently. Imperial swordsmanship was weak. There were no high-difficulty variations or complicated movements. It was just a simple direction of power and momentum. ¡°And you can¡¯t even believe it still. After being shown and knocked down repeatedly, you deny the reality.¡± It was humans who created the imperial swordsmanship, it was not a swordsmanship created to transcend human limits. It was not a complicated swordsmanship in the slightest. ¡°Apparently, the training period was too short for you as an assassin. What, three years at most? Of course you wouldn¡¯t be a match for me. You probably would have even lost to Reika who has only been training for one year at most.¡± The assassin flinched at the words. It was true. He knew he was talented. So he was revered by his peers, and had gotten drunk on the emotions of feeling powerful. He had never trained sincerely. And this was the result. ¡®Am I¡­ able to run away¡­?¡¯ The man swallowed his saliva. Before Iheknew it, cold sweat was trickling down his neck. He had to run away. He didn¡¯t want to admit he was weaker, but he didn¡¯t want to lose his life. Darkness surrounded the assassin, enveloped him, and he soon disappeared. ¡°Hmm.¡± The assassin disappeared. He probably went to the guild. Asher approached where the assassin was last standing. The remaining darkness was blocking the view of Asher¡¯s eyesight. ¡°It¡¯s annoying if I let these guys run away¡­.¡± Unrestricted teleportation to a particular region. Even though it was a God-Given power, it should be used moderately. But this was too much. Thanks to this, Motorola¡¯s influence as a god would diminish the more his power was abused. (T/N : so confused here but it¡¯s still coming together for me.) It was the heroes¡¯ jobs to deal with Gods, and it was the Gods¡¯ job to deal with humans. Asher caught the dark. ¡°What a stupid kid.¡± Asher was pissed. He wanted to capture the man alive, but he couldn¡¯t do anything about long-distance spatial teleportation. ¡°Marena¡­ Show me where he is going.¡± Then the darkness expanded. Chapter 16 ¨C Fin Chapter 17 - Processing (1) Chapter 17 ¨C Processing (1) Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 ¡ª¨C ¡°Huk-¡­. Huuuah¡­.. huuu¡­¡± The lead assassin that had fled from Asher sat down by the trunk of the tree and collected his breath. As he put his glove marked with the insignia of the Motorala Assassins on the trunk, a crevice formed in the trunk of the tree and revealed stairs leading down to a room. A dark voice rang out as the man entered the room. (T/N : multiple unidentified people are speaking in the following dialogue) [Results¡­Hm, I guess I don¡¯t need to be briefed.] [I knew it would be too much. There¡¯s no way a Swordmaster could possibly pick some random child out with no talent. The kid must have been a prodigy, hiding his talent.] ¡°Shut up!¡± The lead assassin shouted harshly. He clenched his teeth at the sight of the dark figures that filled every corner of the room. ¡°Those old cowards gave the order and didn¡¯t even bother to do their own dirty work¡­!¡± [Silence, respect your elders.] The lead assassin snorted at the words and giggled maniacally. Elders? Respect? What did they do to deserve that? ¡°You old bats are talking nonsense.¡± [Calm down, it looks obvious, but I¡¯ll still check first¡­. What was the result?] ¡°¡­it¡¯s a failure.¡± The lead assassin spoke in a rough voice. His pride as an assassin¡­ no, even as a swordsman, had been shattered to pieces. Not only that, but he didn¡¯t have the willpower to even pick up the broken pieces of his ego. ¡°What is he doing? Why is he so¡­.¡± [I told you. You are still immature. You had enough talent to learn the great motorola¡¯s swordsmanship, but you¡¯re not mentally ready to face difficult opponents. In your state, it would be difficult to win against even the easiest of opponents.] ¡°Then why did you send me¡­.¡± [I thought you would be able to handle it and gain experience.] The lead assassin paused at the words that resonated in the dark room. Eventually a different, yet calm voice rang out in the room from another cloaked figure. [You are weak. He might be talented, but that¡¯s only a possibility. You were too absorbed in your own talent and ego to realize anything. But what is the reality of the situation? You have the talent and swordsmanship to defeat any great swordsman. All you need is the effort.] ¡°¡­okay.¡± The lead assassin nodded his head. Yes, he could be strong. Incredibly strong at that. The problem was that he had been too absorbed in the image of himself in the future that would become great, and hadn¡¯t been realizing that he needed to put in the hard work to get there. [We have high expectations for you. You¡¯re not supposed to collapse and fall like this from one setback. By the way¡­ you said the opponent used Imperial Swordsmanship?] ¡°Yes.¡± [¡­How did it feel to go against it?] [Aren¡¯t you overreacting? Imperial swordsmanship itself is a common swordsmanship. There¡¯s nothing special about it for him to ¡®feel¡¯.] [I don¡¯t know about you but I don¡¯t have any good memories when it comes to the Imperial Swordsmanship. Remember that Swodmaster, the kids master? That swordmaster was good friends with him.] [Oh, my god. Don¡¯t worry about him. He¡¯s already dead. It just means someone who knows our weaknesses is gone from the world. It¡¯s not like that man can come back to haunt us.] It was a wary voice yet, also one of relief that rang out when he was mentioned. He was the one that chased them down. That man had torn them from the roots up and forced them into hiding. The Imperial Guard Captain. The master of Imperial Swordsmanship. There were only bitter memories of when he was alive. [He was only a human being. He didn¡¯t transcend, and he didn¡¯t leave behind any successors. You¡¯re being worried for nothing.] [Hmm¡­ how was it anyway? Tell me.] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The lead assassin was silent. The silence continued. When the dark figure who asked the question couldn¡¯t bear the silence any longer, lead assassin spoke up. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± [What?] ¡°I don¡¯t know. Are you sure he was really a kid? That was the question that ran through my mind the most during our fight. No matter how hard I looked at it, he wasn¡¯t some kid. He¡­ had experienced swordsmanship¡­ It was perfect. He knew the imperial swordsmanship to perfection, but also knew to improvise and kill like it was nothing.¡± It was like he had faced a bloodied and wounded warrior. They took advantage of their opponent¡¯s psychology and dug traps without panic even when surrounded. Even an inexperienced man like the lead assassin could know. It wasn¡¯t normal. In addition, the lead assassin was no fool when it came to telling the level of ability of another¡¯s swordsmanship. And that boy¡­ no that thing¡­ he knew his swordsmanship like the back of his hand. ¡°And he seemed to know about our abilities and identity.¡± [What?! He knows?] ¡°Yes, he knew who we were and what happened in the past¡­. Wait- What the hell? Did that swordmaster even know that?¡± [Hmm] The murmurs between the cloaked figures spread as the anxiety and worry could be felt in the room, while several groans of annoyance, disappointment and wariness were heard. [¡­We¡¯re in trouble.] [We are going to need to kill him first. We manipulated the information and erased our traces for a reason. If the boy truly knows everything, it might grow beyond just a headache. Send support and kill him by any means¡­.] ¡°You think I¡¯m just going to sit by and let you do that?¡± [!] ¡°Ugh!¡± The door opened. A boy walked into the dark room. He looked around with a stoic and indifferent expression and looked at the dark figures within the room and grinned. ¡°Nice to meet you, leaders of the Motorola.¡± *** [¡­¡­.] The dark figures shut up. The lead assassin stepped back in fright. Asher stretched out his arms. ¡°Your target is walking right into your own base. Why are you staring at me? Wasn¡¯t it your pride not to miss the chance to kill me? [¡­how did you get here?] Their location was hidden. In addition, it shouldn¡¯t have been possible to find it this quickly because it was connected to the wisps of spatial essence created by their god¡¯s power. Asher made a mocking look. ¡°Is it weird that I can find it through a warp permitted only by your so-called god?¡± Asher rubbed his fingertips and mumbled lightly. ¡°If you know the name of your God, it¡¯s a power of transport that opens up to anyone.¡± [¡­no, it can¡¯t be. Everyone who knows of our god is dead.] ¡°Clearly there¡¯s one. And that one happens to be speaking to you, standing right in front of you at that.¡± Asher talked leisurely and tooks some steps forward stroking his fingers against the dust on the wall. ¡°What a nuisance. You weren¡¯t supposed to be able to set up base in the Halvark estate, so why don¡¯t you tell me how you did it? No, I already know how. You probably just convinced the brat, dodging the laws like you did in the past and then called that the lease.¡± The dark figures flinched when Asher¡¯s words continued. ¡°But that¡¯s just laws. Those never meant anything to you. You don¡¯t have to build a nice building or shrine like any other god to make a branch out here, you just put one of your ¡®holy instruments¡¯ in and you¡¯re done. But that doesn¡¯t mean I can just kick you all out of here in a second.¡± (T/N : I¡¯m gonna go out on a limb and think that these bodies of theirs are just incarnations and not physically manifested bodies. Explaining how they were somehow at the estate. It seems they¡¯re only there through a connection through a holy instrument or artifact.) The dark figures in the room were astonished by Asher¡¯s murmur that sounded like he was sick and tired of their methods. As¡­ As if he already knew how their powers operated. But there was nobody who could have known them. No, there was. But he had died¡­ died a long time ago. [¡­Who are you?] ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s important.¡± Asher tapped the floor with his shoes and laughed. One of the dark figures, who seemed to be the ringleader of the others shook as he noticed what Asher was about to do and then shouted. [Hurry up and stop him!] ¡°It¡¯s too late.¡± Asher stomped his foot. The muscles in Asher¡¯s body exploded with power and smacked the floor. At the same time, the floor collapsed. The walls started to tremble, shake and then, fall as the room itself shook like it had been hit by a giant hammer. The dark figures had their shadows begin to fade one by one. (T/N : So.. I¡¯m gonna guess I was correct. Tsk- this author really made me do some work here.) ¡°See you later, then.¡± [Hey!] Quaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! The room collapsed. Asher lifted himself up, clearing away the pieces of wood. He lifted his foot from the debris and looked at what was under it. A broken ring was shattered beneath it. ¡°Is a ring the ¡®holy¡¯ object this time?¡± Asher put it in his pocket. He was sure they would use it again if he didn¡¯t take it. ¡®You¡¯re still alive.¡¯ Fifty years ago. The voice heard from one of the shadows was the same voice he had heard over 50 years ago. It was an understatement to say this bothered Asher. ¡°Cough! Cough!¡± On the other side, a wooden board broke and a man lifted himself up from the debris. The room that had been there, disappeared like it was all a lie. There was nothing except the tree bark and branches left. ¡°Our base¡­.¡± ¡°And.. now you¡¯re all alone.¡± ¡°!!¡± The man looked at Asher in a hurry and freaked out. Asher kicked the assassin¡¯s body to wake him up from his reverie. The man clenched his teeth and opened his eyes wide. ¡°Why¡­ Why!¡± ¡°The branch has collapsed, so you can¡¯t move. You¡¯ve been deprived of this land now.¡± Crunch. Asher pressed down on the man¡¯s head stuck in the ground with his foot. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it. Who asked you to do this? I can already guess, but I¡¯ll base it off the conviction that should come out of your voice if you want to die painlessly.¡± ¡°¡­kll! I¡¯ll kill you- you bastard!¡± The man gritted his teeth and shouted. Asher clicked his tongue. ¡°These days.. Tsk tsk. Seems you young people take life for granted.¡± ¡°Torture is no use on me! You¡¯re better off just killing me now!¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± The assassin had already been trained for torture. He was determined to not open his mouth. At the words, Asher muttered with an ambiguous face. ¡°The men who said that in the past, they were always the quickest ones to open mouths.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The man swallowed his breath for a moment. Asher pulled out fingernail from the man¡¯s fingers. The man twisted his body in pain. ¡°Urkk Ag..AHHH¡­!¡± The man twisted his body in pain. Asher had also been familiar with the Motorala assassins¡¯ ways of torture. For the most part, Asher knew they most succumbed once their fingernails were torn out and their bones broken one by one. That¡¯s exactly what he planned on doing. Asher gave strength to his hands. ¡°Ah! Ahhhh!¡± One by one, the lead assassin¡¯s nails were pulled out. The man struggled and screamed in pain. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to overcome pain even if you¡¯re trained to do so.¡± Asher mumbled and grabbed the pinky nail of the other hand. The man flinched at the sudden change of hands. He looked up at Asher with tears in his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look of self-pity. I¡¯m sick and tired of seeing that face when you expect mercy from someone you tried to kill.¡± The screams didn¡¯t end. *** Asher waved his hand in front of the man¡¯s eyes that were unfocused and blurred from all the pain. Asher took out a water bottle and threw the cold water on the face of the lead assassin. The man was startled and his eyes woke up from their reverie. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s start talking. If you answer correctly, I¡¯ll give you some peace before you go.¡± ¡°What¡­.¡± The man quivered and asked again as he was frightened at the hidden meaning behind the words. The man was ready to answer all the questions Asher could possibly ask. ¡°It¡¯s nothing big, just answer them truthfully and you won¡¯t die in more pain than you¡¯re already in.¡± Asher shook his hand. He didn¡¯t cause much pain to the assassin compared to others of the past. The assassin had fainted from only having all of his nails from his toes and fingers pulled out, and Asher sprinkling salt on the wounds to make them bleed out in more pain. Yet, even the assassin who was trained in case of torture, couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡®Of course. If everyone endured pain through training, why would they bother with real torture? Mental strength is the most important thing to have, but the mental strength of this arrogant assassin was something that was simply a result of his lackadaisical foundation. ¡°The one who commissioned the hit on me. Was it Luke Halvark?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± Asher nodded his head in understanding. Luke¡¯s behavior was in accordance with it. Now the question was how to punish Luke for what he did. Asher was lost in thought and the man trembled. ¡°Did the real order for the hit though come from above?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± Again this time, the man nodded gently trying to gain just even a bit of sympathy from Asher with his actions. People often in the past would have placed mind-blocking magic on assassins or informants. But even back then it wasn¡¯t common believe it or not. Most informants would kill themselves immediately before getting captured, or they would have poison pills to take out the assailants with them. But, in terms of mid-blocking magic, there weren¡¯t enough high skill wizards in the continent to be used for such a tedious thing. Most of all, the assassin in front of him, didn¡¯t seem to be a true believer of the Motorola Assassin¡¯s religion. Motorola was a god-like figure to them, and there would never be a need to even tell a non-believer anything important. ¡°How many numbers are there in the Black Stars of your organization right now?¡± ¡°12¡­.¡± ¡°12? That many?¡± Asher was surprised and asked back as he didn;t believe the man¡¯s words earlier in the alleyway that there were really so many. The Black Stars of Motorola were like the direct apostles of Motorola himself. In the past, there were at most three. There were now at least quadruple the number, but Asher wanted to believe the quality and strength had probably diminished for quantity. ¡°But, your organization must have disbanded over 50 years ago.¡± ¡°Since then, we¡¯ve been hiding¡­ We waited for our God¡¯s instructions and waited until the light disappeared from the world¡­ And the light has finally disappeared ¡­ During this time, we reached out and expanded our influence¡­.¡± ¡°¡­what¡¯s the number of branches active right now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ There are ten in each country¡­.¡± ¡°¡­shit.¡± The number had increased considerably compared to the past. Asher didn¡¯t even know whether to call this bothersome or enough to call it a true worry. Asher clicked his tongue. He remembered what he had barely overheard once he had arrived as soon as possible to the branch. It seemed the lead assassin had already told the elders that he knew of their history and how much information Asher truly had. It wasn¡¯t a great outcome overall. He would no longer be in danger within the Halvark territory since he had destroyed their base of operations, but the minute he left the territory, it was likely they would swarm after him like flies. ¡°I need the location. Where is your ¡®God¡¯. You;ve told me how many branches there are, but I have no interest in those small things. I need the real location of it all. Where is your ¡®God¡¯ located? ¡± ¡°You¡­ what the hell¡­are you planning to do with me¡­.?¡± The man looked at Asher with fear. He didn¡¯t know the answer and he was frightened at what was about to come. ¡°There were parts I can understand you don¡¯t know information about. But wait for the light to disappear? What does that mean?¡± ¡°Twenty years ago¡­ All the heroes¡­ they disappeared¡­.¡± ¡°What?¡± Asher frowned. Twenty years. It was the same time as when he died. Just what exactly had happened? Chapter 17 ¨C Fin Chapter 18 - Processing (2) Chapter 18 ¨C Processing (2) Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 * * * ¡°We don¡¯t know why¡­ But our ¡®God¡¯ gave us his trust and prediction of the future, and so we prepared¡­¡­ then one day, the prophecy came true, and the heroes from all edges of the continent disappeared like a lie. And that was our cue to go forth.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Asher shook his bloodsoaked hand, and the droplets of blood spattered onto the ground. He wiped his face with a towel and looked at the bloodied man in front of him. ¡°Twenty years ago.¡± The heroes disappeared the day he died. If that was the case, some of his friends might have even disappeared. He wondered what this was all related to. But yet¡­ his friend Van Ester had been a hero who had disappeared 20 years ago as well, and had come back. There must be more, he thought. Asher continued afterwards, to ask more questions but the man didn¡¯t know anything important. In fact, Asher even tried a little bit more torture just to be safe, but the man really didn¡¯t know much more. ¡®Why did he disappear?¡¯ Van Ester, his friend had shown him a bit of why he had left, yet there was still a lot more that wasn¡¯t said. His true reason for leaving in the first place, was shrouded in mystery. ¡°¡­was it because of him that you targeted me?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ about half a year ago, a prophecy came from our ¡®God¡¯¡­ to kill all those who are related to the past..¡± ¡°Half a year ago¡­?¡± Once again¡­ it didn¡¯t seem to be random this time. Things were lining up too well, Asher thought. It was the time of his reincarnation. His thoughts became complicated. ¡°And¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°The order.. To kill you¡­ it was a direct prophecy that we must kill you. It wasn¡¯t anything ambiguous like the ones in the past¡­. Our ¡®God¡¯ clearly marked you as a target needing to be killed at all costs.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Asher squinted at the man. So their so-called God was after him. Did they possibly know about Asher¡¯s reincarnation? ¡°Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh¡­.¡± The man was chained up and breathing heavily. His mind had reached its limit with fear and shock as he spasmed uncontrollably. ¡°Now¡­ please¡­.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Asher scratched his chin. He grabbed the chain with a suspicious face. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give you some rest.¡± Asher lifted the sword. The man opened his eyes wide and struggled. ¡°Me, kill me?¡± You lied! I thought you said I could go peacefully!¡± ¡°I never said I¡¯d save you. You were mistaken.¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°You¡¯re an assassin and you¡¯re begging for your life¡­. How ironic is that?¡± The man¡¯s body shook and trembled, as he tried to call forth the power from his god, but to no avail, Asher stood calmly with the sword, and swung it down in a straight line. *** It was getting dark already. People started to go back to their homes, organizing their workplaces and hitting the taverns for liquor. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here?¡± Reika spoke, sweating. Asher nodded politely in response. ¡°Hm. I¡¯m sorry it took a bit longer than expected.¡± ¡°It has been a long time, I was starting to get worried. Everything¡¯s fine but¡­ huh-? There¡¯s a smell of blood.¡± Reika stiffened her face and stepped backwards as she was approaching Asher. ¡°What the! Why do you smell like blood?¡± ¡°Does it smell that bad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s awful.¡± Reika frowned. ¡°I think it¡¯s even more smelly because my sweat is all over the place as well.¡± ¡°Even with a bath, this kind of thing will never fade Reika. If you¡¯re going to live as a swordsman, you¡¯re always going to have a light smell of blood and iron on you.¡± ¡°What happened to you¡­?¡± The village was quiet the entire time Asher had been gone. The incident didn¡¯t blow out of proportion. And Asher had never gone out with the smell of blood that thick on him. ¡°Just a thing or two. Where¡¯s Luke?¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably at a bar in town. He¡¯ll be back soon. You aren¡¯t going to tell me, are you?¡± ¡°He is well aware of what happened, actually. But, it¡¯s still too early for you to know.¡± When Reika was ready to go out and see the world for herself, and find out the cruel harsh reality that lay outside the Halvark manor surrounded by aristocracy, he would tell her. But she wasn¡¯t ready yet. If he did tell her, then she would just be scarred and be torn apart mentally. ¡°I need to go back to the village for now, Reika. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. And since we took a break from teaching today, I¡¯ll make up for it with some intense training tomorrow..¡± ¡°¡­wait.¡± Reika blocked him with a stiff face. Reika remembered that Asher had said he was following Luke¡¯s orders. And yet, he came back with a bloody smell. Reika grabbed the sword. ¡°I can¡¯t let you go.¡± ¡°Oh, you still care for him it seems?¡± Asher smiled. She didn¡¯t mean to stop him from doing anything like that. Reika shook her head. ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t just care about you. I¡¯m worried about you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Asher paused at the unexpected remark. She was worried about him, and not her family. ¡°Honestly, whatever happens to that bastard doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± She had little affection for Luke. She was originally a sincere and steady person, so she couldn¡¯t have liked Luke who always made trouble and bothered the residents. The emotion exploded last time, when Luke made fun of Asher and tried to humiliate him, and now she didn¡¯t even want to be on speaking terms with him. So, she didn¡¯t care for him. In the first place, Reika was going to leave the manor eventually. This estate was too small for her, who was determined to walk the path of the sword. She was worried about her parents, but she was the eldest daughter anyway. There was no birth right for her to succeed the title. It would be better for her to leave on her own will, rather to be used as a political chess piece for some other family that forced a marriage onto her. ¡°Asher, I know how you feel. But you¡¯re a commoner. If you touch an aristocrat, it¡¯ll be hard for my parents and I to protect you.¡± *** ¡°Hahaha!¡± Asher was probably dead by now! Luke grinned. He knew Asher had been acting differently for the past few months. But his opponent was a famous assassin, and one from the Motorola family at that!. Even if Asher was strong, their levels had to be different. It was obvious to Luke that Asher would die miserably. ¡°slurrrrrp-.¡± ¡®Ah, I feel so good. I¡¯ve never felt so good in my life.¡¯ Luke gloated as he was feeling as if all his stress had been thrown away. It was hard to think about how Asher would have sullied his glory as the heir to the Halvark estate in the future. ¡°Ahhhh- Okay.¡± Luke eventually left the tavern to enter the manor, and arrived at his room. He locked the door and lay on the bed as he closed his eyes. ¡°Oh, here you are.¡± As soon as Luke was about to fall asleep in a good mood, he heard a voice next to him. Luke hurriedly got out of bed and shouted in shock and fright. ¡°You! You! Who are.. you?!¡± ¡°Calm down, Master Luke.¡± In the dark, the owner of the voice gradually approached. Luke¡¯s pupils dilated when he saw the dark figure¡¯s face. ¡°Asher?¡± What? Asher had assumed him to be dead. Luke raised his head and opened his mouth blankly with all kinds of negativity. ¡°How come¡­?¡± ¡°Why? You make it sound like I¡¯m not supposed to be here.¡± Asher approached a step forward with a smile. Luke flinched and took a step back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Master.¡± A whispering voice echoed throughout the room into Luke¡¯s ears. Luke shivered. He felt like he was going to die. The fear of death struck him, and then soon disappeared as he gathered his wits about him. ¡°¡­Oh, no. I¡¯m just surprised.¡± ¡®Cause you¡¯re supposed to have shown up in town.¡¯ Luke smiled rather brazenly. Yeah, there was no evidence. An assassin doesn¡¯t tell his victims who his client was. Even if the assassin did, he couldn¡¯t touch him without evidence. Luke was an aristocrat, and Asher was a commoner. It was that simple in his mind. Luke shouted confidently. ¡°How dare you come into the sleeping quarters of an aristocrat? Get out right now! I¡¯ll punish you later.¡± ¡°Oh you, punish me?¡± Asher muttered without bothering to hide his laughter. Luke flinched at the smile, but didn¡¯t loosen up on his stance. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you already did? I went to the place that Master Luke wanted me to go, and I was attacked by a bunch of thugs, and they happened to say Master Luke was the one who ordered them to do so.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡®You worthless things!¡¯ Luke spat out a curse in his head. He couldn¡¯t believe that the assassins were called mere thugs, and that they were beaten by Asher. Not only that, but they had given up his identity as the client! ¡®Motorola is full of trash idiots.¡¯ Though quite flustered, Luke recollected his expression, feigning ignorance and then distorted his face in anger at the indirect accusation. ¡°Are you implying that I commissioned assassins in the Halvark territory?¡± Luke clenched his fist. ¡°How dare you say such nonsense!¡± There was no evidence except for the assassins themselves. Since it came down to this, Luke figured he could just press it down with his power as the successor. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you insulted myself, a noble! I will have this brought to my father and you will be punished immediately! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be kicked out of the town with this!¡± ¡°Master.¡± And Asher called out to Luke in a soft voice. ¡°Do I look like an idiot?¡± The calm air around Asher completely disappeared with those words, and a heavy pressure started to exude from Asher¡¯s figure. ¡°Huh¡­? Luke couldn¡¯t figure out the situation and spoke with a stupefied expression. ¡°Go right now, how dare you¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Master.¡± Asher slowly moved on to Luke. ¡°I don¡¯t want to have a dirty argument with you. It didn¡¯t have to be this way, but it seems you wish for it to be.¡± Luke¡¯s face turned pale. When Asher approached him closely, the concentration of the pressure became more intense. ¡°Ah-ahhh¡­¡± ¡°You are nothing to me.¡± Asher pushed Luke¡¯s chest lightly. Luke fell and sat down on the bed. ¡°I also want to be nothing to you, just like you want.¡± The intangible pressure Luke was feeling started to press down on Luke firmly and he paled. A cold sweat trickled down the back of his neck as his eyes widened in fear. ¡°Do you understand?¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± The pressure then disappeared. Luke held his chest and exhaled. Tears and snot flowed out of his eyes and nostrils, followed with a nauseating pressure. ¡°Wow¡­.¡± Asher looked down at Luke. ¡°You will be the lord one day and I¡¯ll be out of this town. And I¡¯m leaving it at that. That¡¯s it for our relationship. You don¡¯t need to have any worries beyond that.¡± In Luke¡¯s mind suddenly he realized Asher wanted nothing to do with his power as the successor. Luke¡¯s face turned brighter than before, perhaps he understood Asher¡¯s meaning. ¡°Give me a chance¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to beg for anything.¡± Asher patted Luke on the head. ¡°Let¡¯s just be indifferent to each other. Like watching a bug passing by, without any interest. Do you agree?¡± Luke furiously nodded his head. Asher put his hand down. ¡°All right.¡± Asher stepped back. His body gradually began to disappear into the shadows. ¡°It¡¯s like a contract of sorts, do you understand me. I¡¯m not going to visit you anymore and you should do the same¡­.. But if you try to break it this ¡®contract¡¯¡­¡± Asher disappeared, leaving the last word. ¡°I¡¯ll be back for you.¡± Chapter 18 ¨C Fin Chapter 19 - Unintended Opportunities Chapter 19 ¨C Unintended Opportunities Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 * * * Asher twisted his arm mid-air. The sword in his hand drew an arc and stabbed at his opponent¡¯s neck. Reika tilted her sword in trajectory, blocked Asher¡¯s stab, and hit it away. Asher ducked and avoided her then flurry of blows that followed directly after. As Reika concentrated on trying to land a blow on him, he turned his body low and kicked out with his leg, sweeping her balance underneath her. ¡°Ugh.¡± Reika took a step back with a dull and trembling pain in her ankle that was hit. She grit her teeth fiercely, holding back the pain and gripped her sword tightly. Then, her sword shook and split into several images in a blur as they shot out at Asher. ¡°Whoa.¡± Asher took in a deep breath and adjusted his footwork and stance to the basics of Imperial Swordsmanship. Avoiding with minimal movement and narrowing the gap, he dug and swung the sword wide in an arc. The several images of swords vanished, and all that was left was the frightened expression of Reika panting with her sword in tow. ¡°And¡­this is the end.¡± Asher swung the sword with one hand, grabbed Reika by the shoulder with the other hand, and hooked her foot. She groaned as she collapsed onto the ground. ¡°I lost again¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gotten used to it.¡± Asher held her hand with a smile. It was not a smooth hand due to the numerous callouses from practicing so much swordsmanship, unlike any aristocratic daughter¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯d like to win at least once.¡± Reika groaned. Her face was scratched up and had dirt all over her clothes, but showed zero discomfort with it. Asher picked up her sword for her while thinking to himself. ¡°It¡¯s been a year since I started learning from you, right?¡± ¡°The same goes for me.¡± Asher shrugged his shoulders at Reika¡¯s grumbling words. From her point of view, yes, she had a point to be upset about. However, his experience and efforts had been decades, not just one year. ¡°Well, it won¡¯t all change in a mere day or two. There¡¯s nothing to despair about for right now. You¡¯re right where you need to be.¡± Reika had been swinging the sword with a loud and powerful sound, yet with a much firmer and compressed grip. Asher glanced at her. It was quite different from when he had first been teaching her. Although she was still young, her beauty had been gradually becoming, more and more apparent. And it seemed that in just two years or so, Asher predicted that every man who she would walk past, would definitely turn their heads back around and stare at her. ¡°It¡¯s already been a year¡­¡± Many things had happened after he had reincarnated, and a year had passed. He had turned eighteen and Reika had turned fifteen. (T/N : Wtf finally get an age here that¡¯s substantial.) ¡°A year? Oh, you mean when you lost your memory?¡± ¡°Yes, time flies by doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, I think I¡¯m just rather slow on the uptake¡± From Reika¡¯s point of view, too many things to keep track of had happened. To think Asher would lose his memory one day, suddenly show a monstrous talent for the sword, be asked to become the disciple of a Swordmaster¡­ but to even reject an apprenticeship from that very Swordmaster! There were a lot of things that had happened over the course of the past year. ¡°The sense of time varies from person to person. Anyways, Reika¡­.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Reika corrected her posture. Asher had been teaching her for over the course of the year, and had been correcting her shortcomings as well as growing her strengths properly. ¡°Your swordsmanship is about at the halfway mark to becoming completely mastered. The downside is the rest of the mastery over it will be more of a¡­ personal problem for you, but I can¡¯t do anything about that. You basically, tend to be too wary in general, when fighting. The opponent doesn¡¯t know anything and everything about you as a swordsman, Reika. With Lepenia¡¯s swordsmanship, it¡¯s meant to be aggressive. Not to be submissive in nature is how the swordsmanship is meant to thrive as a high-tiered swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Even¡­ if you want me to be bold, you aren¡¯t bold yourself with your swordsmanship either.¡± Reika looked at Asher with an ambiguous face. Her swordsmanship and mentality when sparring with the sword was Asher. That meant her habits stemmed from Asher¡¯s own style of swordsmanship. ¡°You know almost everything it seems when it comes to the sword Asher. When to approach, when to recede, when to parry. It¡¯s like you have the perfect answer for every scenario possible. It¡¯s hard not to want to be like that.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t set me as a reference point. You and I had a lot of duels and you should know the imperial swordsmanship is completely different from Lepenia¡¯s in nature and is a reactive style of swordsmanship.¡± Asher cracked a smile. Their tempo was incredible. Asher could count at least 300 different sets of variations the two of them had mastered over each other¡¯s swordsmanship from the past year of practice. ¡°I can¡¯t even think of how many variations we have developed together. I can¡¯t wait to apply this against other people.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re still immature. But you¡¯re still developing pretty well. To be honest, I didn¡¯t know it would be this fast even for someone as talented as you.¡± The pace of Reika¡¯s growth for the past year had been¡­ questionable. Even if he compared her to others of the past century, even counting his first life, he didn¡¯t think there was anyone in the same realm of growth and talent as her. ¡°And I heard you beat Charon a few days ago.¡± ¡°Oh, I did.¡± When Charon was defeated by Reika, his face looked quite funny. Reika said in a way that it had happened, but it was never going to be taken as well as she had pictured it in her own head. Charon was a well-known knight in the empire. A knight of such ability who would be greatly pleased if he swore loyalty to someone, but to lose to their daughter who had only been learning under someone the knight disdained? And be defeated by that same daughter in less than a year of her picking up a sword? If anybody had heard of this story, Charon would be ashamed and try to lie that it never happened. ¡®This is real talent, no matter how you look at it.¡¯ The absolute power that could trample on time and effort with ease. He was amazed, and Asher was slowly coming to terms with it. Although he wasn¡¯t losing to her now. The story would most definitely change in a couple years. Once upon a time, he too was jealous of such a thing. But, he had given up on it. He knew even in this life he didn¡¯t have such ¡°talent¡± but, it would never change the fact that he would still swing his sword with diligence. ¡°Hmm.¡± Asher remembered those times and smiled bitterly. It wasn¡¯t a very interesting story really. It was just funny to him how childish he was back then, and how childish he still was about certain things regarding talent. ¡°But, I don¡¯t understand Asher.¡± Reika glanced at Asher. She had been training with him for the past year but still didn¡¯t understand Asher in one aspect. ¡°¡­why do you have so many muscles?¡± ¡°Personal reasons.¡± ¡°Yea sure¡­.¡± Asher¡¯s body was so muscular that it could not be seen as an average 18-year-old¡¯s body. It wasn¡¯t overly bloated to the point of being disgusting or huge, but the muscles were developed in every area of the body down to the most minute of details and to every small and miniscule muscle being worked out an even amount as the others. It was literally an ideal body in every sense of the word. Asher pressed his arm muscle, he felt a firm and elastic stretchiness to his body.. ¡°It¡¯s also just for training, you do realize that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s still a little too much.¡± Even In his previous life, he did not gain this much muscle mass. No. it was about the same, but it was not nearly as evenly distributed and was more bulky back then. However, Asher¡¯s body had never been toned with only a year of training back then. His body had taken years of work to get to where it was back then, and yet he had reached a more ¡®ideal and perfect¡¯ state if you will. ¡®Is it because of this strange power?¡¯ It was definitely not aura. It looked similar, and had similar effects in terms of power to some degree. But¡­ it was far more destructive and transcended human reason at the expense of mere stamina. It was a ridiculous power in reality. The only reason Asher saw it as ridiculous, was because even if he fought against swordmasters with this power, he felt like he could definitely defeat them with it in his prime. ¡°Oh, come to think of it, I¡¯ll definitely get the answer out of you this time.¡± Reika suddenly pressed her face closer to Asher¡¯s with a straight face. It came close enough for them to feel each other¡¯s warm breath. Asher slightly took a step back in embarrassment. ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°Half a year ago. What did you do to my brother?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Asher smiled awkwardly. Reika frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t try to brush it off again. What the hell did you do to make him so calm all of a sudden?¡± When Asher left to meet Luke, Reika couldn¡¯t calm down that night. She knew what was going to happen. No. She thought she did. However, the next day Luke and Asher returned, Luke was quiet. No.. not just quiet. He didn¡¯t even go outside. He was either stuck in his castle and studied, or he was stuck in his room like a dead rat. Then, whenever he saw Asher from time to time, he ran away scared like a prey in front of it¡¯s natural predator. Her parents and the other employees of the estate had smiled at this development and thought Luke had finally come to his senses, but Reika knew it wasn¡¯t like that. Luke was afraid of Asher. To the point where Luke was frightened to be even seen by Asher. ¡°It¡¯s not bad though. For both you and for all of the Halvark Territory residents¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Do I have to pay attention to that?¡± Asher said with a gentle smile. The smile made Reika flinch. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t talked to him, he¡¯d definitely be more aggressive. Then one of us would be dead. Isn¡¯t this for the best?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Reika bit her lips. She wanted to refute it, but there were no proper words that could come out of her mouth. ¡°I can¡¯t make a world where everyone is happy.¡± That was the work of heroes. And Asher was no hero. Discarding the useless thoughts he had, he turned around and spoke. ¡°How¡¯s the land these days? Is everything going well for you?¡± ¡°Well.¡± Reika frowned slightly. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with my parents.¡± *** ¡°Is Luke still here today?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Charon nodded at Lord Halvark¡¯s question. Lord Halvark sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he hasn¡¯t been outside for over half a year.¡± Luke changed about half a year ago. After the incident with Asher, he had locked himself in a room and didn¡¯t come out. He even had all his meals in his room. But Lord Halvark didn¡¯t give a shit about Luke. ¡°I never would have thought it was Motorola.¡± The Lord was also the village administrator. He already knew that something had entered his estate without permission. He had just been leaving them alone because he didn¡¯t know who they were or what their intentions were at first. But it was terrible. It was the Motorola Guild of Assassins. They were every Lord¡¯s worst nightmare to have entered into a territory. Lord Halvark rubbed his temples lightly ¡°Luke, that fucking idiot.¡± ¡°If he did something wrong, the whole estate would have been in danger.¡± ¡°Thinking about it, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s okay since it looks like he¡¯s found a sense of self-reflection. He¡¯s going to be the Lord one day, anyways. He will have to go through things like this or even worse someday, right? ¡° Lord Halvark glanced at Charon. ¡°Have you ever fought with Motorola?¡±, Lord Halvark asked Charon with an inquisitive look. ¡°I did a long time ago when I was journeying the continent.¡± ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°¡­they were anomalous, dangerous and radical people. The villages and areas where they settled collapsed because of their influence dirtying the overall population and atmosphere.¡± Lord Halvark smiled bitterly at Charon¡¯s words. If it had not been solved and nipped in the bud quickly, the Halvark Estate could have ended up the same way. ¡°I must thank Asher.¡± ¡°¡­what the hell is he really?¡± ¡°Even I don¡¯t know sometimes, Charon.¡± Asher had changed too suddenly. His personality, his moral values, his sword skills. Except for his appearance, it was safe to call him someone entirely different. Besides, not any normal person could kill over 10 Motorola assassins on their own. Both Lord Halvark and Charon both knew how difficult of a task that would be. It was¡­ too peculiar. ¡°Hm¡­ I don¡¯t know either.¡± Charon murmured. ¡°No matter how much the Swordmaster had taught him¡­. It¡¯s just not something I can fathom.¡± ¡°I feel the same way too.¡± Lord Halvark didn¡¯t trust Asher just yet either. ¡°¡­It¡¯s too radical. Hm¡­It¡¯s definitely as if¡­ he¡¯s someone else.¡± Charon lifted his head slightly at Lord Halvark¡¯s strange murmur. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s a demon spawn?¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ but I suppose I can¡¯t exactly still rule it out completely.¡± ¡°The Swordmaster denied it himself though.¡± Charon was a top-notch knight and a very devoted swordsman. To him, Van Ester was a legendary hero. It was impossible for Van Ester to be wrong in his eyes. But Lord Halvark was an aristocrat, an administrator and fought on political battlefields, not real ones. ¡°Swordmasters are human beings as well. It¡¯s not like they would know everything, no matter how great their glory is, there are definitely some things that even they will acknowledge, they don¡¯t know.¡± Lord Halvark laughed out loud. ¡°Could you believe that Asher was reincarnated?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Charon was silent. They both knew the kind of person Asher was from the past. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t possibly trust the current Asher. ¡°I mean it¡¯s just a light joke. But.. I still don¡¯t understand just what his goals are.¡± Lord Halvark stroked his chin. Charon opened her mouth after much deliberation. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s hostile to us at the very least.¡± ¡°Yes, there have been many opportunities to strike at us in the back, but he didn¡¯t move to harm us at all, and rather¡­they helped us. So we¡¯ll need some kind of¡­ opportunity persay, to be sure. And it just so happens that I have that very opportunity.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­ ? Oh!¡± Charon burst into exclamation. Lord Halvark spoke with a pensive expression, furrowing his brows. ¡°It¡¯s an unintended opportunity for certain.¡±, Charon added. ¡®¡­I mean it¡¯s a strategy if anything.¡¯ Lord Halvark was silent as he thought of what he had in mind, positively. Chapter 19 ¨C Fin Chapter 20 - The Hero (1) Chapter 20 ¨C The Hero (1) Translated by : betterdays Proofread and Edited by : ch17175 * * * ¡°No.¡± Reika refused with a stoic expression. Lord Halvark sighed. ¡°Reika, you¡¯re fifteen years old. You¡¯re old enough to get married.¡± It was rather late. The fact that Lord Halvark had not allowed suitors to come meet Reika, was already proof that he had cared deeply for Reika¡¯s wellbeing. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to get married yet.¡± ¡°I know how you feel. That¡¯s why I turned down the other households¡¯ proposals to introduce their heirs.¡± But this time, Lord Halvark couldn¡¯t help it either. ¡°But, you know that. If you do, then what is the target of this political maneuver?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Reika bit her lips without saying a word. Lord Halvark spoke in a sad but firm tone. ¡°Let¡¯s just meet him for now. Maybe he¡¯ll be a good guy. You¡¯re totally free to think however you want at least once you¡¯ve met him.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Reika left the room. She left and went to the training area as she trudged along with a sulky expression. As she entered the vicinity of the training area, the sounds of a sword whistled. ¡°Hey, Asher.¡± ¡°You¡¯re late today.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still the same.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t skip training or you¡¯ll become dull.¡± Asher shook off the sweat. Reika grabbed the sword with a melancholic look. ¡°I didn¡¯t like where my life would head, so I picked up the sword with you. But¡­ in the end, it still ended up like this.¡± ¡°Is it marriage?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The whole village had been having a gloomy atmosphere recently as well. It was because of the suitor that had come to propose to Reika a few days ago. It also was coming from a place that not even the Halvark Estate could reject. No matter how much she tried to resist it, the suitor who was proposing had been moving large weight in the political scenery, in terms of power. The Townspeople knew this and also had a very high appraisal of Reika¡¯s character, hence why the atmosphere was tense and melancholic. ¡°Is from a place that is higher in nobility?¡± It was not yet known exactly where the suitor had come from. Lord Halvark was a decent sized household and it¡¯s name was rated highly enough to refuse someone of a slightly higher status. However, in front of the higher nobilities and crown themselves, the Halvarks did not have much of a chance without disgracing their name. ¡°Yes, you know of the Belturia Nobility?¡± ¡°¡­Belturia?¡± Asher stopped swinging the sword. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s pretty much forced one-sidedly, isn¡¯t it? Reika sat down with her hands clasped atop her head. ¡°Why would a hero want anything to do with our small little estate? There¡¯s nothing to gain from marrying into our family¡­.¡± Belturia was a place that Asher knew of. Well more accurately, it was a person he knew, a hero from back in the day. ¡®Is he scheming something?¡¯ Asher furrowed his brows. He thought of the Lord of the Belturia Territory, Balbaca Belturia. He wasn¡¯t that great of a man. His frame was weaker than a farmer¡¯s and rather poor academics as well. Nevertheless, the reason for being called a hero was no big deal. It was because Balbacca was a perfectly virtuous and righteous man for the Empire. ¡°Is he expecting the Lord to marry you?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s the son. No matter how disgusting he may be, he can¡¯t marry someone at the age of fifty.¡± Reika shivered as if she felt like vomiting. ¡°I¡¯d rather run away than marry him.¡± ¡®That¡¯s weird.¡¯ Balbaca and Asher used to talk all the time back in the day. He had boasted that he would let his son marry whomever he fell in love with and not force the marriage. Balbaca was called a hero because he practiced righteous virtues, although it was difficult as he was born as an illegitimate child. Suddenly the words of the lead assassin came to Asher¡¯s mind. ¡®Most of the heroes disappeared abruptly 20 years ago, was it?.¡¯ ¡°¡­the Lord of Belturia is Balbaca, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Did he ever have a brief period of abrupt leave or a sudden disappearance?¡± ¡°Huh? he never did that. Oh wait. I think about twenty years ago, they said he was missing for about a week. The Lord disappeared without saying a word, and there was a little bit of commotion.¡± Asher closed his eyes. 20 years ago. Missing heroes. What did it all mean? ¡°So what are you going to do about the marriage?¡± ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯ll have to visit the Belturia territory in the near future, talk with him, and schedule a time to meet again. I have no other justifications to possibly refuse.¡± Reika was the daughter of a noble. It was her bitter fate that was damned to be met one day. Reika laughed bitterly. ¡°I can¡¯t help it.¡± Her laughter contained a sad acceptance. She was mature beyond words and her age. Asher respected her for that. ¡°I¡¯m already going to see the suitor soon. Goodbye.¡± If she was to be used as a political chess piece, it was likely that the two of them would never see each other again after this. Reika bitterly smiles as she waved her hand. ¡°It¡¯s been fun.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s have a final spar before you go.¡± Asher lifted the sword. Reika stared blankly and burst into laughter. ¡°You¡¯re going to stay the same till the end?¡± She grabbed the sword with a smile. ¡°Yeah. You won¡¯t even hold a sword anymore, so it¡¯s good to at least leave everything in the sword before you go.¡± She rushed at Asher with determined eyes. *** After the duel, Lady Venecia appeared when Reika was sobbing and lying on the ground of the training area. ¡°My poor child.¡± She caressed Reika as she could see the tears in her eyes. Reika lifted her head and stopped sobbing. She noticed she should comfort her mother, since it seemed that her mother was even more disappointed and affected than she had thought. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Mother, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s a good person.¡± ¡°But still¡­.¡± ¡°He was an illegitimate child but, he¡¯s still a good person and does good deeds.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of his father once. But, I haven¡¯t ever seen him in person.¡± ¡°They¡¯re a family of heroes, what could possibly go wrong? If anything, this is the chance for us to establish a great relationship with another household like theirs.¡± It was only after Reika held on firmly that she would be alright, that Venicia regained her stability. Her eyes were on Asher this time. ¡°Asher, I have a favor to ask of you.¡± ¡°Of course Miss, just ask.¡± ¡°In a few days, Reika will have to go by there to meet the man. Could you go with her on the trip and make sure she stays safe?¡± ¡°¡­Myself, Miss?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Shouldn¡¯t there be someone else for Reika to go with her that she feels comfortable with? I don¡¯t think she¡¯s that lonely, but you¡¯re still the closest to Reika.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Asher agreed because there was no justification to refuse. ¡®It¡¯s good that I might get the chance to meet him in this life.¡¯ Balbaca Belturia. The hero of the past. And one of his closest friends. *** ¡°It¡¯s uncomfortable.¡± In the carriage to the Belturia estate, Reika murmured with a sulky face. ¡°You two are too quiet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not particularly talkative.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Inside the carriage were Reika and Asher, and the knight of the estate, Charon. Reika clicked her tongue at the two men who were used to silence. ¡°Why did you do this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a matter of your safety.¡± ¡°I know that. The question is, why are you both here?¡± Charon had been absolutely thrashed by Asher before he could even properly swing his sword. The uncomfortability and strained relationship between the two could not be described with words. She couldn¡¯t possibly fathom why both of them were sent together in the same carriage to act as her escort. ¡°That¡¯s just how it was arranged.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point in complaining any further anyways.¡± ¡°Nonsense, there has to be a reason for this. My father wouldn¡¯t do things like this without a reason.¡± The Lord still was wary of Asher. Even though Van Ester had accepted him as a disciple in name, the Lord still remained suspicious even after half a year. Lord Halvark was a prudent man. And such a man needed certainty, not ¡®what-if¡¯s¡¯. ¡°They just want to find out whatever they think I¡¯m hiding.¡± At Asher¡¯s words that hit the nail on the head, Charon flinched for a moment. The eyes looking at Asher sank narrowed even further. ¡°Ugh.¡± Reika groaned as if she couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡°I¡¯ll go get some fresh air for a minute.¡± She stepped out of the carriage as if she were running away from the situation entirely. The carriage stopped. Charon was still staring at Asher with his mouth shut. ¡°You.¡± Charon glared at Asher, as arch-enemies would at each other. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Asher.¡± ¡°What a bunch of bullshit.¡± Charon dismissed the possibility entirely. He gripped the sword handle tightly. ¡°I don`t know who you are. But I will not stand still if I try to hurt the Lord or her for that matter.¡± Thick eyes of distrust were directed at Asher. Asher replied briefly. ¡°You? harm me?¡± Charon had already been defeated by Asher. However, with a confident face, he gave strength to his hand holding the handle. ¡°The role of knights is to give their lives and loyalty to their Lord.¡± Charon was determined to give up his life. ¡°Remember, I don¡¯t trust you.¡± ¡°Feel free to think whatever you want.¡± Asher answered nonchalantly, but was slightly surprised inside by Charon¡¯s blatant distrust. ¡®You¡¯re still suspicious?¡¯ He understood that Lord Halvark would still be suspicious, but Asher thought that Charon might be a little less distrustful since he was a knight and was devoted to the sword. He idolized the Swordmaster, Van Ester, and Vane Ester had confirmed that Asher was not a harmful person. Yet, Charon still did not trust him. ¡®I¡¯m getting curious again.¡¯ What kind of person was ¡®Asher¡¯ before he had reincarnated into this body. The reactions were simply too hostile to be directed at a mere little troublemaker of the territory. It piqued his interest. ¡°What¡¯s with the tense atmosphere?¡± Reika, who came back into the carriage, murmured with a hint of annoyance as she looked at Asher and Charon. No one answered the question. ¡°¡­okay, let¡¯s just go.¡± Reika sighed as if she had given up. *** It had been two days since the carriage left the territory. Reika asked Charon, twirling her feet in the seat in boredom. ¡°How much longer do we have to go?¡± ¡°Now that we have entered the territory of the Count¡­ We¡¯ll be there in about two days.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that far away.¡± It had only been two days after they had left. Due to this, it seemed it would be a 4 day trip to reach the Belturia territory. ¡°Why didn¡¯t the two territories interact prior to this even though they¡¯re so close to each other?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because there was not much profit to do so for them. It may be an estate from the family of the hero, but they didn¡¯t have any need to make connections with us and neither did we.¡± There was no need for the Halvark and Belturia territories to associate with each other since they were both more than satisfied with their own estates. There was no reason for them to interact as long as there was nothing left to be desired between them. ¡°Most of all, about 20 years ago, the Belturia estate had ceased to interact with the outside world.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know. It¡¯s still unknown to this day. We don¡¯t even know how the territory had been managed up until now, since there were no representatives sent between the two of us during this time. That¡¯s why this sudden request was all the more surprising.¡± After twenty years of complete silence, the estate suddenly discussed political marriage with their neighbors. It was bound to be strange for anyone looking at the situation. Reika clicked her tongue. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it for some time, but I need to know something before we get there.¡± ¡°Ask me anything.¡± Charon replied with a smile. ¡°I know that Balbaca, the lord of Belturia, was called a hero. But why was he named a hero?¡± Balbaca was a hero. He did not defeat a dragon nor defeat the demons. There was no notable feat recorded in history for any kind of world-saving deed like the other heroes. Thus, very few people knew that Balbaca was a hero. And that was because there was only one reason why Balbacca was called a hero. ¡°It was because Balbacca was a good man that transcended his status of nobility.¡± ¡°¡­because of that one thing?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Of course he would be a dog of a hero¡­.¡± Reika murmured in disappointment. She couldn¡¯t understand how a man could be called a hero just because he was nice. ¡°Balbaca was a perfectly good-natured man in every way. He was like a saint of sorts.¡± Balbaca was born as an illegitimate heir to the Count title, as the son of a concubine. Although he was able to live a life of nobility, he abandoned his title and walked around the world to experience the misery of the warring era with his own two eyes. When he returned to his estate and became the lord, Balbaca had made a decision. ¡°He had decided to make his territory a safe haven for all under his umbrella regardless of status and background.¡± And Balbaca practiced his will without holding anything back. ¡°He gave land free of charge to all who came, and the taxes were the smallest amount possible that was required by the Empire. He himself also, decided to live in the same conditions as a commoner.¡± Born as the son of a concubine, he took care of the people and made a place for the poor. He gave land to war refugees with nowhere to go, and sent those who wished to gain education, to the Academy for free. They dismantled the city, sold all the ornaments and items of value within the estate, and paid for the weak and poor with that money without sparing a cent. ¡°The Belturia was a Noble Household without having a proper household. The Lord himself had farmed as a commoner and only ate what he had grown himself.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Reika blinked her eyes repeatedly in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s what he did?¡± Recently, the status system had weakened amongst the nobility, but decades ago, there was an absolute gap between the aristocracy and the common people. As such, Balbaca was a complete outlier to the old system. ¡°That¡¯s why he was called a hero. When the world heard of the rumors, and bandits and troublemakers seeking a profit came, they ended up being appalled with just how sincere he was, and gave up their ways.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Reika¡¯s face turned a little brighter. Such a good man could not have been such a bad suitor even if it was arranged marriage. Charon smiled lightly. ¡°The land was a place where there were no bandits or murders. It wasn¡¯t like some sort of paradise on earth, but everyone was more or less, happy.¡± All of a sudden Coooong! Neeeeigh~ As soon as Charon finished talking, the carriage stopped. The horseman called for Charon in an urgent tone. ¡°Sir Knight, it¡¯s bandits!¡± ¡°¡­bandits?¡± Charon¡¯s face distorted in confusion. Reika opened her mouth in a shaky tone. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there wasn¡¯t crime or thievery here?¡± Chapter 20 ¨C Fin Chapter 21 - The Hero (2) Chapter 21 ¨C The Hero (2) Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 * * * ¡°Wait here.¡± Charon stepped out of the carriage with a stiff expression. Asher followed suit. ¡°You stay here.¡± ¡°Why? I¡¯m not weak enough to be beaten by bandits either.¡± ¡°This is not a matter of how strong you may be with your sword, it¡¯s a matter with how tough your mind is.¡± Reika was not ready to kill people yet, and Asher knew that would only be a hindrance right now. Asher came out and closed the door. Charon frowned at Asher, but he looked at the bandits without saying anything. ¡°Well.¡± Charon was flustered at the sight of the so-called bandits. The bandits that were blocking the carriage¡¯s way were holding farming tools and dirty rags. One of the bandits reached their hand out and begged. ¡°Oh please, I just need something to eat.¡± He was so skinny that Asher could break his bones even if I tapped him lightly. Half of the members were women and children. They were clearly farmers who had fled and were begging to survive and in need of food. Charon¡¯s eyes slightly shook at the sad scene but then strengthened his resolve as a knight. Boom- Charon brought his sword out it¡¯s sheath and stabbed it in the ground, stomping his foot with a loud sound. The farmers trembled at the display of strength as the ground slightly shook from Charon¡¯s stomp. ¡°Back off. This carriage is property of the lord of our estate, Lord Halvark. I will cut down any of you who dare to come closer.¡± The reality of the knight¡¯s cruel words scared the farmers. The women and children especially paled their faces. But they didn¡¯t move out of the way. With eyes full of desperation, they still tried to break through the line and reach the carriage where the food was kept.. Charon clasped the sword with a firm grip and cold expression. As soon as he tried to move, Asher pulled him back the armor placed around his neck. ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°Cough-!¡± Caron violently coughed by choking himself on the armor for a moment. He then turned around with a riled expression at Asher. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°All you know is fighting because you¡¯re an ignorant knight.¡± ¡°Are you insulting me?¡± The attention of Charon and the farmers turned to Asher. It was a glare from charon that emitted a cold and dense pressure of killing intent, but Asher shrugged it off and patted Charon¡¯s shoulder with nonchalance. ¡°If I am, are you going to continue and try to shed blood in front of her?¡± At Asher¡¯s words, Charon paused. He soon opened his mouth as if to protest. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t intend to. I¡¯m only going to make them run away.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t run away and you know that. They¡¯ll die either from your blade or starvation, are you prepared to do that?¡± The people who had collapsed from Charon¡¯s stomp earlier, slowly rose up, but they were still blocking the carriage. Chron clenched his teeth. ¡°So you want to make a deal with¡­ bandits?! As a knight of the great Halvark territory, you can¡¯t¡­.¡± ¡°For the dignity and pride of your servitude as a knight, you should never compromise with bandits.¡± Asher took out the gold coins and threw them at the farmers and then spoke to them instead of Charon. ¡°If you go to a nearby village with it, you¡¯ll get something to eat.¡± The farmers seized the gold coins in a hurry. They shook their heads gratefully and got out of the way. ¡°But I¡¯m just an employee of the estate, so I have no honor¡­.¡± ¡°¡­then¡­ that would be your money, that you¡¯ve saved up..¡± He was being paid because he was an employee. Asher spoke in a profound way. ¡°There¡¯s no place to spend it anyways.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± They went back into the carriage. Asher followed behind Charon and Reika asked with a bored face. ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°It worked out well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Though, why did we meet thieves if we just entered the Belturia Territory?¡± Reika grumbled and Asher closed his eyes and recalled something. The clothes the farmers were wearing were familiar to him. They didn¡¯t come from a distant area. They had escaped from the Belaturia estate. ¡®What¡¯s going on, Balbaca?¡¯ *** It had been two days. Fortunately, the group had not encountered any more bandits as they reached the Belturia Estate. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say they didn¡¯t have a proper manor or estate?¡± It was Reika¡¯s first impression of the large, white buildings with spires. It was clearly a noble household, which also went against what Charon had mentioned earlier in the trip about Balbaca Belturia not owning a small castle or manor like most nobles. Charon stuttered. ¡°Oh¡­what¡­ how?¡± ¡°Charon¡­.¡± ¡°No, miss. It certainly wasn¡¯t there in the past.¡± ¡°When was that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about the time twenty years ago.¡± ¡°So it was before I was born. Then, I¡¯m sure he made one in the meantime it seems.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it.¡± Charon muttered as if he had just lost complete faith, but the carriage continued to approach the tall-standing property. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Balbaca Belturia did this¡­.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The door opened. A young man, who appeared to be in teens, approached Reika with several guards. The man reached out to Reika with a smile. ¡°The eldest daughter of the Halvark estate. Are you Reika Halvark?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I humbly welcome you to our estate and am glad for your visit. I¡¯m Boros Bellaturia. The young heir to the Belturia name.¡± Reika let out a small exclamation. She soon realized the identity of the young man before her. ¡°Then you must be¡­¡± ¡°Yes, your fiance.¡± Boros smiled bitterly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°What?¡± Reika was flustered by the rather unwelcome atmosphere that Boros suddenly had created. Charon took a step forward as if he were protecting Reika behind him. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is the Belaturia estate.¡± ¡°Oh, how impolite. What¡¯s the name of the knight? ¡°The Knight of the Halvark family. It¡¯s Charon.¡± ¡°Charon?¡± Boros frowned and soon burst into admiration. ¡°Ah¡­ it¡¯s you. I was wondering where you went, and it seems you were wandering around on that estate.¡± Charon¡¯s expression hardened slightly. Boros continued with an expression of interest plastered across his face. ¡°The Headmaster of the Academy said you were the most talented swordsman to graduate in your knightage. Every family wanted your loyalty, but you suddenly disappeared and left everyone wondering where you went. I personally didn¡¯t even expect you to still be in this Empire.¡± ¡°¡­you seem to have good ears in the right places.¡± Boros just laughed at the stoic words from Charon. ¡°You have to get information to survive.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If I remember correctly, haven¡¯t you met my father?¡± ¡°It was 20 years ago, the last time.¡± ¡°Then you know my father. You¡¯d better erase those memories.¡± Boros said with a gloomy face. ¡°Because now my father is nothing but a simple monster.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± For the heir to the lord, the words from Boros that were directed at his father were too harsh for him to say, but Charon shut his mouth. Boros turned his eyes away to face the young teen boy looking at him indifferently. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Asher, I¡¯m an employee of the estate.¡± ¡°Is that so? Oh, I didn¡¯t greet you out of courtesy up until now.¡± Boros bent down in a restrained position. ¡°Welcome to the Belturia Estate then.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± There was no reply. Reika¡¯s expression began to sway from the different atmosphere that felt unexpected. Boros turned familiarly without being flustered by such a reaction. ¡°Then come inside. I¡¯ll show you to the state of the territory.¡± The group went into the carriage together and traveled through the estate at the command of the driver in accordance to Boros¡¯ directions. The first thing Reika saw were dirtied, naked and skinny people. The children were looking up at the carriage with their fingers in their mouths. Asher frowned at the pitiful sight. ¡®It¡¯s¡­ too different.¡¯ In the past, Belaturia was a place full of energetic life, even though it was poor. There was no concern about the people¡¯s wellbeing and everyone was happy. But now Asher felt like he was looking at a slum. The people¡¯s eyes were dead and their movements were lifeless. Every now and then, there were people yelling and crying at others. When Reika looked at the village¡¯s condition, Reika¡¯s face became dark and Boros opened his mouth with a bitter face. ¡°You¡¯d better be careful. The atmosphere is not good because there¡¯s been rumors of a murderer targeting women, and the atmosphere is not good.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Reika replied with a distraught and saddened look. *** ¡°What is this!¡± Reika, who was guided to the castle¡¯s quarters, shook the hem of the dress roughly. ¡°This is the hero¡¯s territory? What a slum!¡± ¡°Uh, Miss¡­¡± Charon was still fumbling in embarrassment to regain his surprise as well from the visit. Reika sat roughly on the bed. ¡°I think it would be better to just live in the middle of a battlefield than to live here.¡± Reika rubbed her hands on the covers of the bed. A soft touch wrapped around her hand. ¡°The rooms are luxurious to no end. I heard they always looked at the common people from the same place of mind. What a load of crap.¡± ¡°But in the past, he really did.¡± ¡°Not now, What does the past matter anyways if it isn¡¯t the present?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it either.¡± Asher bushed his fingertips over the smooth walls of the room. The bright red linen on the wall was embroidered with gold jewelry that could easily be sold for high amounts of gold in an auction. ¡®yeah¡­different.¡¯ In the past, Balbaca Belturia¡¯s relatives begged Balbaca every day. That as a lord, he always should protect the minimum amount of dignity at the very least. And Balbaca refused, holding a potato in one hand and a plow in the other, asking if dignity would make him a wholesome human being. ¡®It¡¯s weird.¡¯ ¡°But hopefully the Lord will be gentle.¡± Reika murmured with light hope in her voice. Balbaca was a good man with the title of a hero, right? She had the expectation that such a man couldn¡¯t be too strange. The very next day, they met with Lord Balbaca. ¡°Welcome to this place.¡± Reika¡¯s first emotion when met with Balbaca was disgust. Balbaca spoke at the table with a wrinkled face without even looking at Reika. ¡°You must have had a hard time coming all the way from that country bumpkin estate.¡± Charon and Reika¡¯s faces hardened at the rude words that could not possibly be meant to be spoken in hopes of a political marriage. ¡°I told you not to ask me to do this, Boros. Take care of them yourself.¡± ¡°But shouldn¡¯t the Lord see the guests of the estate at least father?¡± ¡°Ugh.. words of a dog.¡± Balbaca spat out with disgust at his son Boros. ¡°I¡¯m already busy, Starleena¡­.¡± Asher narrowed his eyes. It was so different. There was not much of a difference looking at Balbaca from a physical standpoint. The Balbaca in front of him, was just moderately aging as he should be. But the atmosphere was very, very different. In the past, the atmosphere was humble, soft even. But, now a cold, heartless, and disgustingly impolite Balbaca had seemingly replaced the old Balbaca he once knew. ¡°Bring me a drink, Starleena.¡± A maid at the side of the dining table shivered and brought a bottle of liquor. She spilled a little bit of alcohol while pouring the liquor into Balbaca¡¯s glass. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry!¡± The maid kneeled immediately as she pressed her face as hard as possible on the ground. If it were Balbaca in the past, he would have laughed and said it was okay, but Balbaca¡¯s face contorted in rage. ¡°You don¡¯t need a hand that can¡¯t work properly. Guards take her hand and cut if off.¡± ¡°Lord, my lord!¡± The maid lifted her head in a hurry. ¡°I have been with you for twenty years!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been serving me for 20 years and you can¡¯t even pour alcohol? I don¡¯t need a maid like that. Shut up and take your punishment.¡± ¡°Lord! Lord!¡± The maid kept struggling as she was dragged by the guards. Boros grabbed the guard¡¯s arm with a stiff and cold expression of disgust. ¡°Stop it.¡±, Boros spoke out. ¡°I am the Lord. Boros, get out of the way.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t behave like this in front of the guests, father. I think it¡¯s a good idea to keep your manners to some extent.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter with¡­ Ah yes¡­¡± Balbaca stopped after a long pause. He looked at Reika. Reika stepped back unknowingly at the glance that seemed to be eyeing her entire body up and down. ¡°¡­yeah, okay.. let her go. You, what¡¯s your name again? ¡°Re, it¡¯s Reika¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, I see now.¡± Balbaca made an insidious smile. Reika was terrified. *** ¡°What!¡± Charon shouted harshly. Shortly after his meeting with Balbaca, Reika was assigned another room. To the room near Balbaca. It was an assignment that clearly showed ill intent and malice. Charon bit his lip. ¡°What the hell is going on? Mr. Balbaca, why would the hero¡­.¡± ¡°I guess he¡¯s not a hero anymore.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Charon stared at Asher with blazing eyes at Asher¡¯s easy words. ¡°You can say that because you don¡¯t know the Balbaca from the past at all.¡± ¡°Well.¡± There was nothing he didn¡¯t know. If anything, he knew the Balbaca of the past better than anyone. ¡°Why the hell is this happening¡­ What happened to that good old man I once knew?¡± ¡°People change over time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to be funny. Balbaca is not the kind of person you are.¡± ¡°Then for at least for another reason¡­ he¡¯s definitely changed.¡± Asher smoothed his hand over the wrist brace. Chapter 21 ¨C Fin Chapter 22 - The Hero (3) Chapter 22 ¨C The Hero (3) Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 * * * ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do about it.¡± The Belturia Estate was the estate that belonged to a Count. The size of the land and weight of the title, was not comparable to that of the Halvark estate since it was a smaller nobility. If Balbaca had been as gentle as before, it wouldn¡¯t have been a big deal to refuse the marriage proposal. The Balbaca of the past was a good and gentle man. But now, Asher didn¡¯t think it would end like this so abruptly. ¡°It¡¯s not bad for you either, is it? If you accept the deal and proposal, I can help you increase the Halvark territory¡¯s earnings with my name.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± Charon grated his teeth. ¡°Both myself and my Lord, did not wish for this marriage to happen.¡± ¡°It would be good for the territory though.¡± ¡°Do you see Lord Halvark as a man who desires political power?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± From generation to generation, the Halvark¡¯s had less desire than other noble households and were satisfied with what they had. Luke was a bit of an exception to this, but Lord Halvark remained unchanged to the tradition. ¡°The Lord is content with his estate and political standing. He would never sell his daughter to gain power.¡± Charon crumpled his face. ¡°First of all, she doesn¡¯t even want to marry. She wants to walk the path of the sword. Not the path of a housewife.¡± ¡°Bah, Is she even talented?¡± ¡°Talented is not even close enough to describe her potential as a swordsman¡­¡± Charon spoke with fury hidden in his eyes, yet also admiration of Reika¡¯s great work ethic and talent. With enough time, he was sure she could become one of them. A Swordmaster of the Empire. Charon was a talented swordsman himself, and he knew it. Therefore, he could definitely know just how amazing Reika¡¯s future could be if she continued to walk the path of the sword. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you can¡¯t even notice how talented she is.¡± Charon clenched his fist as he held back his curses at Lord Balbaca. However, even though he was angry, nothing changed. For the next few days, Balbaca continued to approach Reika and try to court her. Although Boros stopped him, Balbaca was the owner of the estate. There was no way he would listen to his son and face embarrassment like that. Reika¡¯s expression darkened day by day, and Charon¡¯s face continued to swell red with rage. In that situation, Asher headed to the village below the castle. He had something to buy. The more he walked around in the village, the more miserable townsfolk he could see with his own two eyes. It was a stark difference. The townspeople¡¯s expressions that he remembered compared to the ones now, were completely different. Not only that, but the difference between the luxurious estate of the Belturia Family, compared to the miserable looking town that was pretty much in rags, was saddening to see. As Asher examined the differences in his head, eventually, someone stopped him in his path. ¡°Give me your money.¡± The owner of the voice was a boy who didn¡¯t even look older than ten. The boy was holding a knife and trembling as his frightened expression didn¡¯t match his words. ¡°I¡¯m going to stab you if you don¡¯t.¡± Asher looked at the poor and dirty boy. The boy faltered as if he was under pressure from Asher¡¯s indifferent eyes, but he clenched his teeth and stood his ground. The boy tightened his grip on the knife. ¡°Stop it.¡± Boros grabbed the boy¡¯s arm with a gloomy face. The boy was startled and let go of the knife. ¡°Master Boros¡­.¡± ¡°This is our family¡¯s guest that is currently visiting the estate. I have a duty to protect him.¡± Boros took some coins from his pockets and put them in the boy¡¯s hand. ¡°This should be enough for you to buy some medicine for your sister. Go.¡± ¡°Th-¡­Th-thank you Master¡­.¡± The boy nodded his head and ran away. Boros smiled bitterly at Asher. ¡°That¡¯s not how it always was. Did you say your name was Asher?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve shown you a terrible situation.¡± Asher was an employee of the Halvark Estate and Boros was a nobleman, but he was respectful and courteous to Asher. ¡°You should apologize to someone else, not me.¡± ¡°You mean¡­ Miss Reika, don¡¯t you.¡± Lord Balbaca wanted his own son¡¯s fiance. Even the most vicious and arrogant aristocrats did not do things like that. Boros dropped his head without saying a word. Asher opened his mouth gently. ¡°As long as I am the owner of the Belturia Nobility, it does not matter if you are poor, rich, talented, or talentless. If you are loyal to me, I will trust in you from the bottom of my heart.¡± an unexpected remark came out of Asher¡¯s mouth, and Boros¡¯ mouth shook as his eyes trembled for a moment. ¡°How could you say something like that¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Balbaca often said back in the day.¡± Those were the words Balbaca of the past, the one known as a hero, had once said to his people. It gave Asher goosebumps how genuine Balbaca was whenever he said those words. ¡°However, I think things are a little different right now.¡±, Asher continued. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Boros smiled bitterly without saying a word. Asher continued his steps, approaching the castle, and turned back around as if he had forgotten something. ¡°Mr. Boros, may I ask you a favor?¡± ¡°Yes, please ask.¡± ¡°I need something, but strangely they don¡¯t sell it here. Even though it¡¯s not that hard to get, I was wondering if you could save me some?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Asher told Boros of the goods he needed. Boros tilted his head curiously. ¡°What are they for?¡± ¡°I need it for something personal.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ it¡¯s not that big of a deal to get those for you. I see. I think I can arrange it for you by tomorrow.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Asher gave Boros a slight bow, and began to return to the castle. *** ¡°Balbaca, the once hero, who covets women and despises the common people¡­.¡± Asher mumbled as he walked around the castle¡¯s garden. In the past, everyone used to laugh at him for being a trash and a scum, but now there are no words that fit the current Balbaca than the words once described when talking about Asher before his reincarnation. Asher touched the blue rose petals that were blooming beautifully in the garden. These roses were a rare breed, and had to be cultivated carefully. They had the same weight and value as jewelry in the Empire. It was a symbol of wealth that adorned the gardens of arrogant and greedy nobles. The garden was full of these aforementioned blue roses. Asher tightened his hand and crushed the rose in his hands without hesitating. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°¡­.My name is Asher.¡± Asher replied. Before he knew it, Balbaca was staring at Asher with a very confused expression. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t remember. I saw your Lordship with Miss Reika and Knight Charon by my side.¡± ¡°What? Oh, yeah! Are you a servant of the Halvark family?¡± Asher nodded, but it was not exactly a courteous look that he gave Balbaca. ¡°Do you know me?¡± asked Balbaca. With a confident and arrogant expression. ¡°I know Balbaca Belturia. The one that was a hero of the past.¡± ¡°Yes, I am a hero. I am a great man. It would be an honor for your family to be associated with me like that.¡± Balbacca continued with an insidious smile plastered across his face. ¡°Go tell your Lord for me. The great Balbaca wants Reika Halvark as his concubine. It would be better for her to marry me than my ugly son.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a complete snob for a hero.¡±, Asher said without batting an eye or changing his indifferent look that he gave Balbaca. Balbaca snorted. ¡°Heroes are always like that.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ then, may I ask you a question?¡± Asher asked in a subdued voice that hinted with slight mockery, but Balbaca didn¡¯t pick up on it. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°On my way here, I saw bandits fleeing the Belturia estate. There were even some children and women among them. I would like to know what happened.¡± ¡°Yes, they ran away from my city. I sent a search party, but they couldn¡¯t find any traces of those bandits you speak of.¡± ¡°Why did they run away?¡± ¡°They said that they wouldn¡¯t live in my city. Rude fucking peasants.¡± Balbaca clicked his tongue with a distorted face. ¡°It¡¯s always the commoners ridiculous stupidity that makes them run away from the nobility. They know that if I catch them, I¡¯ll mutilate them and kill them on the spot.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Asher let out a laugh. ¡®I may be nothing but a retired Captain of the Imperial Guard, but I know better than anyone that this man is not Balbaca, let alone a true noble of the Empire.¡¯ Asher recalled his memories from the past, and looked at Balbaca with an unusual grin. ¡°May I ask you one last question?¡± The indifferent eyes turned towards Balbaca. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about you stupid servant?¡± Balbaca smiled in vain. ¡°I am Balbaca Belturia. The master of the Belaturia estate and a great hero.¡± There was no hesitation in the words spoken. ¡°Balbaca Belturia. I see.¡± Asher mockingly spoke. He lifted himself up. ¡°Let me tell you something interesting then ¡®Mr. Balbaca Belturia¡¯.¡± *** ¡°No!¡± Charon hit the table with a red face. Fragments of wood shattered and flew everywhere. ¡°You can¡¯t do this Lady Reika! How can Balbaca do this?!¡± Balbaca was becoming more and more blatant as time went by. Boros, who had already been the target of the political marriage at first, had long been placed as a backseat driver. And today, Balbaca even called Reika to his room separately. Charon grabbed the sword. ¡°I can¡¯t stand this!¡± ¡°Then what can you even do?¡± Asher clicked his tongue at Charon, who was about to run to Balbaca¡¯s room right away. ¡°Are you going to start a feudal war with the Belturia estate? Lord Halvark would be very pleased with you if you do I¡¯m assuming.¡±, Asher mocked at Charon. ¡°Then are you going to stay still as well?!¡± Charon shouted and drew the sword. ¡°I am a loyal knight to Lord Halvark. I can¡¯t watch his daughter being played around with by an old man!¡± ¡°Oh, how loyal.¡± Asher continued to mock Charon and try to get him to think rationally. Charon first called Balbaca a great hero when they were traveling there, and now he was calling him an old man. The visible change of heart made Asher laugh. ¡°There are no more heroes of the past.¡±, Asher spoke bluntly. Charon clenched his teeth and walked to the door. The moment he tried to open it roughly, the door opened on the other side. ¡°¡­Mr. Boros?¡± ¡°Good morning.¡± Balbaca¡¯s son, Boros came in with a gloomy face. He glanced at Charon. ¡°Are you going to my father¡¯s room?¡± ¡°¡­Oh please.¡± Charon looked down at Boros with contempt. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be spoken by a successor who can¡¯t even keep his fiance away from his old man.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me who wanted the engagement in the first place.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about!¡± Charon¡¯s muscles swelled up. Boros murmured again. ¡°It¡¯s an engagement that no one wanted except for my father.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Charon suddenly paused. Boros came inside. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, Mr. Charon. My father is a weak drinker. He won¡¯t even be able to tell the difference between Reika and some maid or prostitute. She will be safe as long as he¡¯s drunk.¡± Boros glanced away at Asher. Charon opened his mouth in embarrassment. ¡°Oh, how can you be so sure then?¡± ¡°Well, maybe it¡¯s because I distrust that man is even my father as well.¡± Boros touched the ornaments on the wall in a melancholic way. ¡°I run an information organization that my father does not know about.¡± ¡°What?¡± Charon asked again with a surprised expression. It was a common perception that information organizations were the work of low-class people. Charon looked in disbelief at Boros, the heir to the Count, who had suddenly said he ran one of these organizations. ¡°I used to like that kind of trade when I was learning my academics when I was younger. But that¡¯s not the only reason. My lord, my father has cut off all interactions with the outside world and for me to get news from the outside, I had to run such an organization to find out anything going on outside the territory.¡± ¡°He blocked the exchange of information himself for the past 20 years? That was Balbaca¡¯s decision?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Boros said with a bitter face. ¡°There¡¯s been no information coming out from us for the past 20 years, our entire territory has been living like this in isolation.¡± ¡°¡­how come?¡± ¡°Why would you ask that?¡± Boros looked at Charon. ¡°You said you had met my father before. Do you think my Lord is the same as he was back then?¡± Boros spoke, without using the term ¡®father¡¯, and instead put emphasis on ¡®Lord¡¯. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Charon couldn¡¯t answer. Boros replied alone. ¡°No, Lord Balbaca is not a hero now. He¡¯s been a different person for over 20 years now.¡± Asher listened quietly to their conversation. Boros looked out the window at the houses outside. ¡°Look at the village. People are starving to death, they are homeless and cold, and my father only wants more jewelry. He just overworks people and raises taxes on them for no just reason.¡± Boros clenched his fist. ¡°My father is as I said, nothing but a simple monster.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But people are still grasping onto the false hope in their minds. That the great Lord, the hero of the past, will come back to his senses one day.¡± Boros laughed at his own words. ¡°What a vain hope.¡± ¡°How can a great hero¡­.¡± ¡°Hero?¡± Boros smiled bitterly. ¡°There¡¯s something my father has always said since I was born. ¡®Son, I will put my name and soul and make an Oath. An Oath that will allow you to marry the one you love¡¯.¡± It was practically impossible for a noble-born child to marry the one they loved. But Balbaca was called a hero because he practiced such ideals and even wanted to let his son have his own freedom from his title as a Count. ¡°I believed that once. However, my father changed and became strange, but I still believed it at that time.¡± Balbaca was a hero that swore at the risk of his own soul burning in the form of an Oath. It could not be a lie. Boros thought so as well. ¡°Five years prior to the 20 years of isolation, He got to know a woman from outside. She wasn¡¯t a noble, but she was a good natured woman he and I both thought. She was the kind of woman that everyone would love. My father brought her to the estate and showed her around.¡± Boros spoke calmly. ¡°But¡­. The next day, she was dead.¡± Chapter 22 ¨C Fin Chapter 23 - The Hero (4) Chapter 23 ¨C The Hero (4) Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 T/N : For patreons, the last line of the previous chapter was re-edited since the pronouns were mixed up on my part (my bad). However, you¡¯ll understand what I mean pretty quick as the author delves right into it. * * * His father killed the woman he loved. The Great Hero, Balbaca Belturia had killed his wife? Why would the great hero do something like that? Charon bit his lip and nodded heavily while listening. ¡°Now my father is not the hero you all once knew. He¡¯s¡­. No it¡­ it is a monster.¡± Boros opened the door. ¡°Go back. I took the role to guide Miss Reika away to the next room to avoid my father. He most likely won¡¯t stay still, but¡­ I¡¯ll do something about that too when the time comes.¡± The door closed with a few last words from Boros. ¡°I¡¯m still his son technically, and for some reason he does listen to me a bit.¡± * ¡°What the hell¡­.¡± Balbaca Belturia killed the woman he loved. Charon murmured with shaky eyes at the shocking information. ¡°Why the hell did Balbaca¡­.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Asher tapped on his wrist brace rhythmically with his indifferent facial expression remaining unfazed. A dagger appeared and Asher caught it in the air. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±, Charon gasped. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®What am I going to do¡¯? I¡¯m going to obviously confirm it myself.¡± Asher opened the door with his dagger in hand. Charon hurriedly tried to stop him. ¡°Do you really want to go threaten Balbaca right now?¡± ¡°You think that¡¯s Balbaca right now?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that you know the real Balbaca?¡±, Charon¡¯s eyes quivered for a moment. Although it was twenty years ago, he clearly remembered the basic face shape and voice. The current Balbaca had not changed much from the past Balbaca in terms of his appearance. ¡°There can¡¯t be a person that could possibly imitate his appearance. Most of all, Boros, his son would be the first to notice.¡± ¡°Yes. That would be the story if we were talking about human beings.¡± Asher muttered. Even if a human being imitated another human being, they may be able to imitate the appearance to a certain degree, but they couldn¡¯t possibly imitate all the memories of the individual, down to the very smallest detail. ¡°But it¡¯s possible if the one posing as ¡®Balbaca¡¯ isn¡¯t a human.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°There are such beasts that make things like the impossible possible. There are several demons that can do such a thing. They can specialize in manipulating dreams, reality and memories among several other abilities.¡± There were many beings that could manipulate and use mana. Humans that were known as magicians were one of them. Another was the demons, whom all of their species, could inherently use it. ¡°I thought I¡¯d driven them all out, but did some of them stay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Charon stepped back and immediately raised his guard at Asher¡¯s sudden words. Putting his hand on the grip of his sword, he immediately knew that this was the ¡®true¡¯ Asher coming out and speaking right now to him. ¡°Who are you¡­?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter does it? Reika is the one we both care about in this situation.¡± Asher¡¯s answer contained resoluteness. ¡°What do you think?¡± Asher grabbed Charon¡¯s faltering shoulder and pushed him lightly to the side so that Asher could get to the door. Charon was pushed to the side with little resistance. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I am. I have no intention of harming you. Isn¡¯t that what matters? Let me ask you a question as the Loyal Knight to the Halvark Nobility, Charon.¡± Asher raised his finger and pointed to the next room over where Reika was currently located. ¡°Does that girl that matter to you like she does to me?¡±. ¡°¡­she¡¯s not a girl, she¡¯s a young lady.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough of a reason you idiot. Go and protect your lady.¡± Asher passed by Charon and pushed the door open ¡°I¡¯m going to clean up the other guy, so you just stay put and make sure nothing happens to her.¡± *** Asher arrived in front of Lord Balbaca¡¯s room and pushed the door open. Asher¡¯s gaze darted around and saw Balbaca drinking on his luxurious bed. ¡°¡­huh? Oh, it¡¯s you.¡± Balbaca clapped his hands together in a loud voice. Asher looked at Balbaca¡¯s reddened face which was not taking the alcohol too well. Boros was right when he said his father was a lightweight drinker. ¡°Yes, have you heard the answer from your Lord? What did he say about the concubine proposal?¡± Asher did not answer. He just walked up to Balbaca and looked at the glass he was drinking. Balbaca¡¯s expression slightly crumpled with displeasure. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°The 43rd moon of Behemonia.¡± It was an expensive drink. It was a popular drink among the heroes and nobles of the past. ¡°I had often recommended it to him. But he refused until the end because he refused to drink such an expensive drink as it went against his beliefs.¡± Asher took the bottle of liquor on the table and poured it all on the carpet. Balbaca¡¯s face began to contort in anger. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Balbaca lifted himself up roughly. ¡°Get out of here.¡± ¡°By what right are you to order me around?¡± ¡°¡­you must be really crazy you bastard.¡± Balbaca rang the bell on the table. The sound of the bell raced out of the room. ¡°Okay, go ahead and drink it. I¡¯ll give you plenty to enjoy the last drink you¡¯ll take in your pitiful and disgusting life.¡± ¡°Wait actually, no.¡± Asher picked up the liquor bottle. ¡°You have no right to do that.¡± ¡°What nonsense do you keep talking about¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re tired of acting, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re not Balbaca Belturia, are you?¡± Balbaca¡¯s face hardened at Asher¡¯s wordsl. At the same time, the door opened. ¡°Lord, my lord! ¡°Did you call for me? Father.¡± Soldiers accompanied by Boros came in. Balbaca pointed to the liquor bottle on the side of the table. ¡°Get rid of him right now!¡± ¡°Oh, Asher? Why would you be here right now?¡± Boros was flustered at the random appearance of Asher in his father¡¯s bedroom. At the same time, Asher grabbed Balbaca by the neck with lightning-like speed. ¡°Hey, you¡­!¡± ¡°Lord, my Lord! Balbaca clenched his teeth as he yelled at Asher, and the soldiers screamed. Their Lord was having his life threatened by a servant of another estate. Boros shouted roughly at Asher with confusion and traces of anger as he still had a belief that his old father might still be there deep down. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting rid of the imposter in here.¡± Asher pushed the dagger in his hand, into Balbaca¡¯s abdomen area. Red blood spurted out all over the carpet and on Asher¡¯s face. ¡°The most human-like appearance demon in the world. Aren¡¯t you curious as to what the true identity of it is?¡± *** Charon was sitting in the room absentmindedly. How many minutes did he count? Charon¡¯s eyes were filled with hostility and anxiety. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t stay like this.¡± He staggered out of the room. He entered the room where the other employees of the Halvark estate had gathered. ¡°Mr. Charon?¡± ¡°¡­everyone, we need to leave.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Get out of this castle right now and stand in front of the carriage. It¡¯s an order.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± The employees nodded reflexively. Charon left the room again and entered the room next to the room he had been inside of with Asher moments ago. Inside, Reika was lying asleep and alone on a spacious bed. ¡°Wake up, m¡¯Lady.¡± ¡°Huh¡­huh?¡± Reika, who opened her eyes, felt shocked and embarrassed when she saw Charon waking her up. ¡°Why are you here Lady Reika?¡± She lifted herself up and looked around. ¡°¡­Huh, I don¡¯t know? I was definitely on my way to our room after finishing my meal¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to explain this to you right now m¡¯Lady.¡± Charon hugged Reika¡¯s body and lifted her up in a princess carry. ¡°We have to leave.¡± ¡°Huh-wait, what are you doing?!¡± Reika struggled, but Charon came out of the room carrying her. The other employees were waiting nervously by the carriage. ¡°Lady?¡± ¡°Here you are.¡± Charon put Reika down softly. Reika smoothed her clothes and frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°We have to leave. It¡¯s dangerous here.¡± ¡°Is it because of the politically arranged marriage?¡± ¡°That is not the problem.¡± ¡°No, wait. What about Asher? Where is he?¡± At Reika¡¯s words, Charon paused. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Asher here?¡±, she repeated once more. ¡°¡­he¡¯s inside.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh for fuck¡¯s sake.¡± Charon muttered a curse under his breath. He was talking to his master right now, but he didn¡¯t have the time to dilly dally with the urgent situation at hand any longer. ¡°Stay right here.¡± ¡°Come on, wait! Charon!¡± Charon ran into the castle to get Asher. *** Coooong! Charon smashed the door and entered the Lord¡¯s room. In his eyesight, he could see Boros, the young heir to the Count, and several soldiers. And¡­ then he saw Asher, holding Balbaca by the neck and pushing a knife into his abdomen. At the sight that Charon could have never imagined happening, even in the wildest of scenarios, Charon muttered blankly. ¡°Crazy.¡± ¡°Boros? Why would you be here? What¡¯s going on with Asher?!¡± ¡°Hello, I¡¯m right here.¡± Boros looked back at Charon and Asher waved to the two of them with a relaxed facial expression. Balbaca screamed. ¡°He¡¯s here to kill me, too! Hold him down! Get him!¡± ¡°Ha-a-ab!¡± The soldiers pushed their spears reflexively. Charon clenched his teeth and pulled out his sword. Kaga-Gak! ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± The soldier¡¯s spears were pushed back by the single swing of the sword from Charon. They grunted reflexively and took a step back. ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Aren¡¯t you the knight of the Halvark Estate?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± There was nothing to refute, so Charon shut up. He glared daggers at Asher, as if to prod him to explain what was going on. Seeing no reply from Asher, Charon finally spoke out. ¡°¡­what are you doing?!¡± ¡°I told you. I¡¯m dealing with the imposter in this room.¡± Balbaca grated his teeth in anger and pain as he looked at Asher¡¯s cold and unfazed eyes. ¡°You are crazy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I heard you correctly Asher. Did you just say my father is an imposter?¡± ¡°Then, do you really see him as your father still? Even in your eyes, Boros, the young heir and son of Balbaca Belturia?¡± ¡°At least he looks the same as before.¡±, Asher muttered. Boros furrowed his brows ast the words Asher muttered under his breath. ¡°You don¡¯t honestly think you will stay alive after stabbing the Lord of the Belturia estate, do you?¡± ¡°If he¡¯s the real Balbacca, then you¡¯d be correct.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think I can tell if he¡¯s my father or not?¡± Boros laughed. But, inwardly he had a similar suspicion. ¡°How can he imitate himself? How can you say he¡¯s an imposter if everything about him is the same, including his memories? If he were an imposter I wouldn¡¯t be able to remember certain things that are unique to only himself.¡± Balbaca had proven to Boros over time, that he remembered the smallest of things he had told Boros when he was a child. However, Asher did not loosen his grip. ¡°There was once a time when there were men who were called the greatest of their trades, heroes of their times, masters in their own right. Balbaca Belturia was such a man. However, during that time, there were also demons and monsters that could imitate the appearances and replicate the memories of humans.¡± ¡°There is a certain demon that can steal and devour the memories and appearances of those it preys on.¡± ¡°What are you saying right now¡­.¡± Boros blurted at Asher¡¯s words. His eyes slowly began to shake at the sudden information that Asher was revealing right now. He had heard stories about the demons when he was much younger, but he had never studied them or known their appearances. ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing?! Kill this man right now!¡± Balbaca shouted harshly and with anxiety visible across his face. ¡°Hold him down right now! Kill him! Kill him!¡± But the soldiers did not move an inch either. Boros grabbed the sword and bit his lips, but his feet did not budge like he was rooted down by a giant tree. ¡°Are you doubting me?! Your Lord?!¡± Balbaca gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. ¡°You. Rayvan!¡± A soldier who was faltering flinched. Balbaca shouted at him harshly. ¡°I gave all my support to you when your mother was sick and having a hard time. And you, next to him; I helped you with your hard times of trying to get your child an education. And Barnia! I visited your wife when she gave birth to your first son!¡± Balbaca looked around the soldiers. ¡°Kron! Did you forget who helped you when you were almost killed by a wolf? Bohem! Who watched your father die with you?!¡± The soldiers faltered and backed away at Balbaca¡¯s angry fit and harsh words. Balbaca shuddered angrily. ¡°I remember everything! Because I am your Lord! Do you dare to doubt me like this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯ve become strange.¡± Boros murmured melancholically and Balbaca snorted as he heard Boros¡¯ words. ¡°Is it because I killed the woman I had brought? You are a noble, my son. I needed to set an example to you to understand we do not marry commoners!¡± Balbacca¡¯s voice then suddenly softened. ¡°When you were a child, you said you had always begged me and wanted to see a hero with your own two eyes. So I took you to go meet the ones I knew.¡± ¡°¡­I remember.¡± ¡°Yes, I also remember. It¡¯s very vivid to me, even to this day as I¡¯m growing old.¡± Balbaca then, shouted in a dignified voice. ¡°They looked at you and said you looked like me. They said that you would be a great man someday. All the heroes loved you Boros!¡± Boros¡¯ hand holding the sword began to relax. ¡°How can an imposter remember? I¡¯m Balbaca Belturia, the Great Hero¡­.¡± ¡°No.¡± Asher tightened his grip on the neck. ¡°Crik! Uck!¡± ¡°You say you have his memories, but you do not have his morals. The Balbaca we all knew, was a man of integrity, not some fucking pig.¡± ¡°What?!¡± For a moment, Boros¡¯ eyes shook at Asher¡¯s rough words. ¡°They didn¡¯t just ¡®love him. Walters clicked his tongue, saying the kid was vulnerable to taking a more violent path like they had, and Van Ester was chewed out by you for asking him to leave Boros as a disciple. Lepenia pretended not to be interested on the outside, but she knew how talented he was. They even were trading artifacts with each other over who would take in the kid as a disciple.¡± ¡°Come to think of it¡­.¡± Boros murmured. He recalled the memory and Asher was right. ¡°How could you know that?¡± ¡°You imitate people and eat the memories of people around you.¡± Asher laughed. Balbaca fumbled with his neck being still held. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡­.¡± ¡°Children¡¯s memories are the hardest to remember since they pass very quickly with time.¡± Children¡¯s memories are often forgotten when they are young. As they grow up their memory becomes more clear just like any other person, but a child¡¯s remains blurry like a mosaic painting. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? You should know that best¡­ since you¡¯re a Doppelganger.¡± Chapter 23 ¨C Fin Chapter 24 - Doppelganger Chapter 24 ¨C Doppelganger Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 * * * ¡°A Doppelganger?¡± ¡°Huh, what¡¯s that?¡± The soldiers murmured. Balbaca, or rather, the doppelganger¡¯s eyes shook. However, it quickly erased the shock on its face as soon as it appeared and clenched it¡¯s teeth. ¡°You¡¯re talking about a type of extinct demon! The demons were kicked out of the world a long time ago. You¡¯re spouting complete bullshit!¡± ¡°Stop acting.¡± Asher put his hand in his pocket and spoke. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no way to prove you¡¯re a doppelganger unless I use a special method. This special method requires some very particular ingredients, and what was interesting when trying to procure the materials in the territory, was that they were long banned from being circulated in the territory. Almost as if Balbaca the Great Hero wanted to shield even a demon. However, no matter how kind Balbaca was, he would never shield demons. Which only leads to one other conclusion.¡± Asher pulled a small pouch out of his pocket.. ¡°Take it.¡± Asher opened the pouch. He dug around inside the pouch and sprinkled some gray dust in the air. ¡°This powder was processed with dried birch. You like it, don¡¯t you?¡± (T/N : Birch is a type of tree just letting you know.) ¡°You! You! You!¡± Balbaca struggled and yelled, but Asher¡¯s grip was as firm as steel. ¡°A Doppelganger is a demon that utilizes mana to mimic humans from their appearances all the way down to their memories. They were active back when the era of war was present, but they were supposed to have been driven out of the continent over 20 years ago. But, there was one fatal flaw with doppelgangers, since no matter how hard they try, they can never fully mimic or imitate another human being perfectly.¡± Doppelgangers were demons that knew how to mask their presence and appearance through the work of mana and were difficult to identify. However, during the warring era, they were eradicated after much difficulty and the humans finally developed a method to identify them easier. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± Balbaca¡¯s figure started to twist and distort. It¡¯s right arm bent outwards in a sharp and unnatural angle and the shape of the human face contorted unnaturally. The soldiers¡¯ faces turned pale at the transformation happening in front of their very eyes. ¡°I thought he was just being crazy¡­.¡± Charon clenched his teeth and murmured under his breath. A dark and murky aura of mana started to creep up from the corners of the room. ¨C ¡­you bastard freak, who are you? A shrill voice rang out. The Doppelganger ¡®s body shook as it spoke through the mana. Asher let go of his hand with a completely different expression of wariness apparent on his face. The Doppelganger frowned in a distorted form at Asher. ¨C How can you remember us, when our kind has been hiding for the past twenty years as you¡¯ve said? ¡°Some people still remember.¡± Balbaca¡¯s appearance finally started to stop the transformation, showing the doppelganger¡¯s original form. The form of the Doppelganger was completely eerie. It had the figure of a human being, but had no facial features whatsoever, and was colored in a pitch black. Its one feature however, was a mouth that was sewn shut. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Oh, my God!¡± The soldiers fell into panic at the frightening appearance. Boros and Charon fell into shock as they couldn¡¯t believe the hideous and sudden appearance of the demon species. The Doppelganger glanced at them and then turned its gaze back to Asher again. ¨C You did a good job figuring that all out on your own. It¡¯s surprising that a mere human being child could do such a thing. The thick and murky dark mana spread around the flesh of the Doppelganger. ¡°Well, then I guess we should reintroduce ourselves properly. I¡¯m Asher.¡± *** ¡®Is this the second time I¡¯ve seen a demon in this life?¡¯ The first one was a minor demonic species that fed off the shadows of individuals, but it was repelled right away by Van Ester, so there was no time to observe it properly. Asher looked at the watery figure of the Doppelganger wrapped around in a coating of mana. There was nothing different from the past. The body and movement of the demonic mana were the same. Asher observed it closely as he didn¡¯t want to jump to any conclusions about it¡¯s strength, as it had been twenty years after all and he wasn¡¯t sure if the demons had evolved in any way. The Doppelganger grinned maliciously and looked towards Boros as it spoke through the waves of mana. ¨C Hello, my proud son. ¡°¡­oh! AHHH¡± Feeling his anxiety heightened to unreal extremes, Boros let out a shriek. ¡°My father¡­ What did you do to my father?!¡± ¨C Your father? Oh that stupid, innocent idiot? The Doppelganger laughed at Boros. ¨C He¡¯s probably just a pile of bones now. ¡°¡­Die!¡± Boros took out the sword from the sheath by his waist and swung it, losing his reason. The Doppelganger blurred it¡¯s figure and reappeared right in front of Boros, as it struck its hand out and grabbed Boros by the neck. ¡°Young Master Boros!¡± ¡°You, you wicked demon!¡± The soldiers grabbed their spears, but their young lord was caught by the Doppelganger and they didn¡¯t want to endanger their lord¡¯s safety by irritating the doppelganger with threatening movements. The Doppelganger lifted Boros¡¯ body by his neck and spoke in an irritated tone. ¨C It was very annoying to imitate your father. I¡¯ve always wanted to kill you since you were such an annoying chore. Ah! but there was one thing that was fun. The doppelganger laughed. ¨C Killing your father¡¯s lover. It was a lot of fun. Especially seeing your reaction to it when you were so horrified. It was so funny seeing you still think I was your father after that. ¡°¡­AHHHH!¡± Boros screamed in anger and resentment at the Doppelganger. As this happened, Charon rushed in. In an instant, he narrowed the distance and slapped the hand away that was gripping Boros by the neck and kicked the Doppelganger square in the stomach. The Doppelganger was struck with the firm kick and flew into the wall behind them as Boros¡¯ figure dropped down. ¡°Father¡­.¡± ¡°Please come to your senses young master, Boros.¡± Charon pulled out his sword with a stern and hardened expression. It was his first time dealing with a demon, but he would not panic. ¡°That¡¯s not Balbaca, that¡¯s a demon.¡± They were their natural enemy as human beings. The Demons had tried to exterminate all of humanity back in the era of wars. The Doppelganger slowly lifted itself up. Boros¡¯ shaky eyes regained stability as he clenched his fist. ¡°¡­all soldiers take up your arms!¡± Cha ja-jang! The sound of the weapons being armed and readied, echoed out in the surrounding area. The soldiers held out their spears and pointed them at the Doppelganger with nervous expressions. ¡°That is not the Lord! That is a demon who has murdered this Empire¡¯s nobility and committed mass treason. He must be killed here and now!¡± Boros coughed up a little bit of blood in his throat but held it down as he shouted. ¡°Kill him!¡± ¡°WOAHH!!!¡± The soldiers seized the spear and rushed in as they yelled fiercely. They were obviously trying to corral their spirits, as they were fighting an entity so frightening and dangerous, and whose presence was only found in history. ¨C How dare you pick up your arms against your master? ¡°You killed our Lord you monster!¡± A soldier threw out a spear as he yelled in fury at the Doppelganger. The Doppelganger laughed and waved his dark hand. The speartip that collided against it¡¯s hand that moved in a simple gesture, shattered on impact. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± The soldier who was stabbed by the shrapnel of his spear, rolled on the ground with a scream. ¨C I was born a pure-bred demon. Do you think you weaklings can honestly even touch me? Doppelgangers were shaped like humans, but that didn¡¯t mean they were anything like them. They were among the lowest ranks of the Demon Species, but they were not weak by any means. Even the weakest of Doppelgangers, could easily kill an average human male. The Doppelganger giggled creepily and enjoyed the sight of the soldier screaming in front of it as blood spurted from the man¡¯s wound. The soldier, who was rolling around on the ground, trying to crawl away, paled. The Doppelganger saw his expression and darted forwards. Grabbing the soldier¡¯s head, he laughed out maniacally. ¨C Ah your name was Bohem right? I always wanted to kill you anyways you dirty filth. Quaddeuk. The Doppelganger¡¯s hand crushed the soldier, Bohem¡¯s head, like a watermelon. Brain matter, pieces of his skull and blood splashed out on the floor. The soldier¡¯s body writhed and spasmed as if it weren¡¯t dead even after it¡¯s head was crushed. ¡°YOU FUCKING DEMON BASTARD!!¡± The Doppelganger approached the soldier who shouted out in rage at his comrade¡¯s pitiful death. ¨C Ah it¡¯s you, Crone. The dark hand smacked the soldier¡¯s chest and his armor was crushed into his chest. The soldier fell with a spout of blood spurting from his caved-in chest. ¡°Stop at once!¡± Charon ran with the sword at the Doppelganger. The sword drew a diagonal line and the Doppelganger turned it¡¯s arm. With the sound of the steel sword clashing with the arm that felt like iron, both of them were pushed back slightly by a few steps. ¨C Oh? It¡¯s a proper human swordsman. The doppelganger wriggled the demonic mana around it, and several arms sprouted from the ground. The arms lashed the air like a whip and shot forward at Charon. Charon took a deep breath as he saw the incoming arm movements. He tensed his nerves and narrowed his eyes, regaining his composure and focus. Kaga-Gagak! The sword moved swiftly and only afterimages were left behind as he slashed through the several oncoming arms made of demonic mana. Charon tensed his muscles, pulled his arms forward with the sword , and exploded forwards with his movement. ¨C What the hell! Charon stabbed forward with his sword and pierced the sticky chest of the Doppelganger that was surrounded in its murky coating of demonic mana. ¡°I am the Loyal Knight, Charon of the Great Halvark Estate.¡± Charon was one of the most prestigious knights active in the Empire. Although he did not rise to the level of a hero, he was a talented and skilled swordsman of a certain level that was rare to see. ¡°You may be a demon, but you are not my match if that¡¯s all you have to offer.¡± Charon spoke with a confident and authoritative voice. ¨C Do you really think so? Suddenly Charon¡¯s body was pushed back out of the blue. Charon barely reacted to the blow and his feet skid across the marble floor. ¨C You don¡¯t know anything. What we demons are, or why people are so afraid of us. If the demonic species had beings without mana, they would just be called monsters that could be found in forests and subjugated. But, just by simply being able to wield mana, made them at least 5 times more powerful than the average monster. This was the same for the Doppelganger. The Doppelganger shot out its claws at Charon, while Charon blocked and parried the sharp movements with a tense expression. Looking for an opening, Charon grabbed the sword and brought it down with a rough and vigorous movement. Quickly, the Doppelganger avoided the sword¡¯s trajectory and wrapped its arm like a snake around Charon¡¯s upper forearm. It¡¯s not my fault. Charon twisted out the Doppelganger¡¯s grip with speed and twisted his sword in a fluid movement and threw it up in the air. Rotating his body and catching the sword in the air with his other arm, he caught it in a reverse grip and slashed down at the Doppelganger¡¯s throat. Kaga Gak! Red blood splattered across the floor. The Doppelganger grabbed the cut and stepped back without any visible worry or panic on it¡¯s face. It¡¯s not my fault. ¨C How futile. Charon ignored the Doppelganger¡¯s murmurs and took a swing with his sword. The Doppelganger¡¯s arm was cut and red blood splashed. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m terribly sorry. I was-I was- I was¡­ wrong. Please forgive me. Charon paused. Suddenly, he stopped moving with a blank expression as if he had been possessed. ¡°What¡­ what are you doing to me?!¡±, Charon suddenly shouted at the Doppelganger. ¨C Brainwashing is a good excuse, isn¡¯t it? Even if you kill your comrades in war, betray their trust, lie to them, kill their loved ones, it all is perfectly fine as long as you brainwash yourself into thinking you were just being a loyal knight¡­ kekekek! ¡°Shut up! Shut up!¡± Charon rushed in with the sword being swung in a completely flimsy trajectory, clearly showing signs of him losing his composure. The Doppelganger continued to mock Charon, avoiding the sword being swung without any grace or intricate movements. ¨C You¡¯re not a knight. Your Lord Halvark has taken you in and made you swear allegiance to him, but what does he really think of you? Do you think he trusts a traitor? Do you think he has no doubt about your terrible deeds of the past? ¡°Shut up!¡± Charon swung the sword; his eyes filled with fury and rage. It was a simple movement that even beginner swordsmen could avoid without difficulty. The Doppelganger stopped moving and caught the sword with its hand. ¨C I am a Demon you fool. Your fear is just a weakness for me to exploit. The dark arm moved in a blur, and Charon¡¯s armor was crushed. Charon coughed up blood as it spilled from the corners of his lips and fell on the floor. ¨C Your fear is quite delicious to feast on. This is why human beings are so weak¡­ kekeke! The Doppelganger stretched out it¡¯s arm. The Demonic mana rose up and formed several thorny vines that shot out at the multiple soldiers standing there, frightened out of their wits. The soldiers struck with fear, had their eyes widen and their complexions pale. Boros clenched his teeth fiercely. ¡°¡­You bastard demon!¡± ¨C Come to your senses my filthy son. ¡°Don¡¯t call me your son, you dirty monster! ¨C But I am your father. And you are my filthy son. The Doppelganger giggled as it teased Boros cruelly. ¨C Didn¡¯t you call me your father? Even if I was acting crazy, even if I killed, raped innocent women in the village, stole money, drank and cursed at my servants; you just thought of me as your father¡­. kekekeke! The Doppelganger laughed at Boros as if he found his reaction hilarious. ¨C After all, you idiotic human beings judge people by their appearances and their pasts. Since I look like your father and have his memories, aren¡¯t I technically your father you little shit?¡­ kekekeke! ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Boros tried to refute the words of the Doppelganger, but his mouth wouldn¡¯t open. He was struck speechless as if his throat was blocked by something. The Doppelganger waved at him as he turned towards the window in the room. ¨C Goodbye, my foolish son. The Doppelganger flew out of the window. *** How long had it been? The soldiers¡¯ groans began to subside. Boros managed to come to his senses. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ for- for this¡­.¡± He was now the Lord responsible for the soldiers. The sense of duty forced Boros to move his body toward the injured soldiers. He lost consciousness earlier but could not stay weak in front of his dead people. He had to wake up and lead his people to safety. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± There was no such thing as the Great Hero, Balbaca Belturia anymore. Everyone was played for a fool after all. Especially him. Boros bit his lip. The soldiers assembled and came from the outside as they were called in to assist the injured guards and soldiers inside the former Lord¡¯s room. Those who came in from outside were shocked, but the one¡¯s involved didn¡¯t have time to explain, so they roughly gave a summary of what happened to the newly arrived soldiers. Boros looked at Charon. ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s not my fault..¡± Charon was constantly muttering something incoherently. It was not an atmosphere where the once proud and chivalrous knight could converse. Boros turned his gaze to the other side of the room and found one person. Or rather¡­ the absence of one person. ¡°¡­huh?¡± Boros became flustered. Asher was nowhere to be found. *** ¨C It¡¯s annoying. The Doppelganger grumbled as it was walking through the forest outside of the territory. The Doppelganger once saw Reika as a beautiful flower to soil, but now it had no intention of touching her. It strolled through the forest with a bored face. It had been stuck imitating an old human for over twenty years. It was not a short time for him to stay hidden in plain sight as Balbaca Belturia. Even if he was a demon, twenty years was not easy to withstand being among humans. He wanted to quit the act many times over and leave, but was stopped every time. It was because he was a lower ranked demon, and he was acting on the orders of someone else. Luckily, his twenty years of servitude and acting as a human had ended, but he never thought it would forcibly end like this. ¨C It was all his fault. The Doppelganger murmured. The young man who knew his identity, his weaknesses, and his characteristics. The Doppelganger questioned itself, trying to gather it¡¯s thoughts. ¨C How did the little human know? ¡°Because I remember your kind vividly.¡± The Doppelganger quickly jerked its head and moved its hand in a defensive posture at the voice from beyond the bushes. The wind started to sway and a murderous and bloodthirsty killing intent poured out from beyond the bushes. The Doppelganger was a demon, but it had never seen a killing intent so vicious and hellbent like the one being emitted from the voice approaching him from beyond the bushes. As the sound of footsteps rang out in the quiet forest, a young man¡¯s figure could be seen. ¨C You. Asher was walking towards the demon with cold eyes. Chapter 24 ¨C Fin Chapter 25 - What they believed (1) Chapter 25 ¨C What they believed (1) Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 * * * -Yeah that¡¯s right¡­ you were the problem. The Doppelganger clenched its fist. Asher walked out of the bushes with a cold bloodlust present in his eyes and pulled out his sword. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± Asher wanted to expose the Doppelganger and let it be found out by the others. He predicted that it would run away afterwards. And that in that timeframe of the Doppelganger trying to make it¡¯s escape, he would intercept it. It was his plan, and so far it was going along as he hoped it would. ¨C God damn it! It¡¯s all your fault! ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for your deeds as a Demon.¡± Asher gave strength to the hand gripping the sword. The Doppelganger grinned. ¨C Oh, you¡¯re going to kill me? The Doppelg?nger¡¯s physical ability fell behind Charon, but made up for it with magical ability with it¡¯s demonic mana. However, Asher was a swordsman who had the physical ability to overwhelm Charon as well as years of experience in fighting with the Demons. However, Asher was no fool and he knew it would be difficult if the Doppelganger read his memories. He felt that he had a strong mentality, but if the Doppelganger somehow escaped, things would turn for the worse. ¨C I was wondering how you knew so much, but it¡¯s great that you came out to me foolishly on your own two feet. It seems you know of us quite well. The Demons were eradicated and hunted down when the Demon Lord was slain over 50 years ago. People didn¡¯t forget, but rather chose to forget over time. But a child under the age of 20 knew them. The Doppelganger¡¯s eyes expanded as it roused the Demonic mana in the air around it. ¨C Show me your memory. All of Asher¡¯s memories slowly entered the Doppelganger¡¯s brain. Asher watched the Doppelganger quietly with an indifferent expression. He knew it was inevitable so he let the Doppelganger have its moment of realization. The Doppelganger burst into admiration. ¨C Oh, wow. What a complete trash of a swordsman. I knew humans were bugs, but you are¡­ you are completely hopeless. ¡°Hmm.¡± The Doppelganger was sorting through Asher¡¯s first life memories and was probably seeing just how much ridicule he faced when he first picked up the sword. Even the Demon species would know just how garbage Asher¡¯s talent was in terms of his learning with the sword. ¡®It must be feeling confused¡­ right about now.¡¯ Asher thought, as he was predicting the Doppelganger to start realizing it was looking through the memories of an entirely different person than the young man standing in front of him. ¨C ¡­you. The Doppelganger¡¯s voice, which was reading through Asher¡¯s memories, hardened. ¨C You- You- It¡¯s not possible! It can¡¯t be! How?! ¡°Are you done yet?¡± ¨C You! You! The Doppelganger backed away in dismay. Asher shot forward and grabbed the Doppelganger¡¯s head. Asher consequently, as he gripped the head of the Doppelganger, pummeled it head-first into a tree. The tree cracked apart and exploded with a roar. ¨C KYAAAA! ¡°I may have never met you until now. But, since I¡¯ve met your kind countless times, it¡¯s always impolite if I don¡¯t give you my greetings.¡± Asher released his hand from the skull of the Doppelganger and straightened his index and middle finger. Asher then stuck his two fingers into the sockets of the Doppelganger¡¯s eyes and ripped the eye out mercilessly ¡°Nice to meet you again. Demon.¡± *** ¡°So what happened?¡± Reika asked with a crumpled face. Asher replied calmly. ¡°I already explained it perfectly well. You have a knack for picking up things at a quick pace like you do with the sword. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll understand what happened soon.¡± ¡°¡­how the hell can I possibly understand all of¡­ this?¡± Reika grabbed her head and ruffled her hair in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s just too crazy!¡± It hadn¡¯t been more than a day since pandemonium had erupted in the Belturia Territory. Charon had brought Reika out to the carriage and then went back to get Asher. Suddenly, he had come back hours later looking like a disabled person along with Boros who looked extremely fatigued and in rags for clothes. It was quite a sight to see in terms of the castle¡¯s appearance. The soldiers inside were groaning, and the Lord¡¯s room was smashed to pieces. Reika had rushed to find Asher, and when she found him, she couldn¡¯t understand his explanation at all. ¡°So let¡¯s sort out the events.¡± ¡°Try me.¡± ¡°¡­Balbaca was a Doppelganger?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°And Boros is now the new Lord of the Belturia Estate.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It seems you understand well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what happened in between though!¡± Reika gnashed her teeth. ¡°You said Balbaca was a great hero! But how could he be a Doppelganger? No, let¡¯s just say you¡¯re telling the truth about that. If so, then when did the Doppelganger take his place?¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± Even Asher could not possibly know that. ¡°First of all, A Doppelganger is a Demon, right? Didn¡¯t they all get eradicated and pushed out of the continent?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± But it wasn¡¯t the case. And this was an incredibly frightening development. ¡®The Hero, Ian the Brave.¡¯ He had been the one to purge the Demon Lord. If so, then why were the demons back on the continent? Reika felt her head ache, as she rolled her eyes and ruffled her hair once more. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy¡­.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk to Mr. Boros for more information.¡± ¡°Of course I have to talk to him as well. I have no clue what¡¯s going to happen from now on with my father¡¯s relationship with the Belturia Estate.¡± Reika spoke with an exhausted face and continued. ¡°I got it for now. But, I have one more question Asher.¡± Reika pointed her finger to the person whose head was lying in her lap, unconscious. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Charon was passed out on her lap, and his blank and murky eyes did not shake or move in the slightest. Reika shuddered as she looked at Charon, her knight who appeared to be brain dead. ¡°Why is he acting like a retard?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Asher also heard the conversation Charon had with the Doppelganger. He could try and guess, but that was about it. ¡°It¡¯s a problem that he¡¯ll have to solve with himself.¡± At that moment, a knock rang out from outside the carriage door. A woman in the blue opened the door. ¡°Ms. Reika, are you there?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± ¡°The Lord is requesting to see you. Would that be all right with you?¡± ¡°Yes, that will be alright with me.¡± Reika followed the maid. The lady¡¯s composure slightly faltered when her eyes laid on Asher. ¡°Sorry, I forgot to mention¡­ it would be you¡­ and Asher¡­ together¡­.¡± ¡°Hm, Asher as well?¡± ¡°Maybe there¡¯s something to talk about.¡± Asher replied to Reika as they stepped out and followed the maid. ¡°Let¡¯s just follow along for now.¡± *** ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Boros was waiting for them, as he sat in the Lord¡¯s office which had also crumbled to a certain extent from the repercussions of the fight with the Doppelganger. ¡°Are you all right Mr. Boros?¡± ¡°Not right now sadly, Lady Reika.¡± Boros smiled bitterly. He was aggrieved, confused, and yet he still had work to do as the sole successor of the Belturia Nobility. He glanced at Asher. ¡°You must have heard the story roughly from Asher.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Boros casually addressed Asher as if he were an equal and Reika briefly exclaimed in surprise. Boros asked back nonchalantly. ¡°Yes, Is there a problem?¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Reika shook her head. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard the story from him as well.¡± ¡°You have my sincerest apologies Lady Reika. You came here to establish political relations with my family and had to see something truly¡­. unsightly.¡± ¡°What exactly happened?¡± ¡°My father was long dead, and he was replaced with a Doppelganger. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡± ¡°Since when¡­.¡± ¡°Well I¡¯m not sure, but I think it was about twenty years ago. My father had been starting to act weird since about then.¡± Boros murmured in a depressed tone. ¡°I¡¯d been calling him¡­ no, ¡®it¡¯, my father for twenty years.¡± Boros laughed to himself. In the gloomy atmosphere present, Reika quietly shut her mouth. Boros soon stopped laughing and opened his mouth to speak once more in his melancholic tone of voice. ¡°First of all, I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t think the political marriage will work.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The marriage was arranged by my Father. But it was a Doppelganger, not my actual father. So it was clearly a ploy made by Doppelganger for some reason, and I have no intention of trying to find out why it wanted it..¡± Boros was not crazy enough to play with fire. That Doppelganger may have been lewd and aggressive with it¡¯s actions, but it was a Demon. Demons were cunning as they were brutal, and there was clearly a reasoning the Doppelganger arranged the marriage. However, now that it was dead, Boros wanted nothing to do with it. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°For that reason alone, I¡¯ve decided to call it off. Once again, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t be.¡± Reika¡¯s face brightened up immediately. She didn¡¯t want to be married away to a noble family and be treated like a chess piece, so there was nothing better for her to hear at that very moment. There was only one point that left her feeling unsettled however. ¡°But what was the Doppelganger scheming?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a question left unanswered for us as well. I¡¯ve been kept in the dark about the movement of the Empire¡¯s politics and Worldly changes, so I¡¯m doing my best to figure out what could have possibly been the motivation behind it. Asher was listening with his mouth shut at the conversation. ¡°So what are you going to do now?¡± ¡°First of all, we have to open trade again with the outside. And I¡¯m also going to send a representative to the Empire to inform them that a Doppelganger had been in place of my father and acting as the Lord for the past twenty years. If anything, the Emperor, himself, at least has to know of what happened.¡± Reika asked carefully. ¡°What will happen if news spreads about this?¡± She was careful to ask, but she was curious what would happen if the Empire knew that the Great Hero, Balbaca Belturia, was murdered and replaced with a Doppelganger for the past twenty years. The aftermath would surely not be small. Even if the Emperor let the other nobles know of what happened, it would not go farther than nobility, as it could be dastardly for the public population to know of such a thing. Boros nodded. ¡°Of course. This may be happening in other Noble households. Not just our territory.¡± ¡°¡­Oh my god.¡± ¡°I¡¯d have to see you off, but¡­ I think it will be hard for me to do so, because I can¡¯t afford to leave the territory right now. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not so ignorant that I would take you away from your time needed to organize your territory in a dire time.¡± The Belaturia estate was on the verge of collapse. Boros had to put all his strength and willpower into holding it together. Reika got up from her seat. ¡°Oh, do you mind if I talk to Asher for a moment?¡±, Boros quickly asked. ¡°With Asher?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Reika wondered what it could be, but she walked out of the room without much hesitation. Only Asher and Boros were left in the room. ¡°I¡¯d like to thank you for now. For getting rid of the Doppelganger.¡± Breaking the silence, Boros opened his mouth. The nobility of the Empire would never speak with a commoner on equal terms, but Boros felt Asher was a person worthy of such trust and respect. ¡°Thanks to you, I realized that my father was truly not my father, but rather a Demon.¡± Boros hadn¡¯t noticed the presence of the Doppelganger for over twenty years. If it weren¡¯t for Asher, it was questionable as to whether he would ever find out the truth later on. Under such chaotic circumstances, Asher not only noticed the Doppelganger¡¯s interference but also revealed it¡¯s identity. It was no exaggeration to say that he was the savior of the estate. However, Boros¡¯ gaze that rested on Asher¡¯s figure, contained complex emotions. ¡°Do you remember when you pointed out the key fact to exposing the Doppelganger? The memories of my father and I, and when we had met the heroes¡­¡± Boros had never shared that experience with anyone other than his father, and it was shocking that a young man, not even at the age of twenty, knew the events that had happened that day to such a degree that not even Boros could recall so clearly until told. It was incredible how Asher had pointed out the discrepancy in the memories between Boros, The Doppelganger, and what had truly transpired that day. ¡°You somehow knew what happened in the past. You, who is younger than me, somehow knew something so detailed that even I couldn¡¯t remember clearly.¡± At that time, Boros had been too young to fully and clearly remember what had happened on that day. However, only the people who were there, would be able to remember it. ¡°So I want to ask¡­.. Who are you?¡± Boros¡¯ gaze of suspicion rested on Asher¡¯s eyes. *** The question addressed the elephant in the room. And it was an expected question from Asher¡¯s point of view. Luckily, Asher already had a prepared answer that would solve everything to a certain degree. ¡°Oh my gosh.¡± Boros was impressed with Asher¡¯s reasoning. ¡°You are a disciple of the Swordmaster, High Count, Van Ester.¡± ¡°Yes, he has been observing and noticing that the movements and events happening right now in the world have become strange. And has his disciple he told me, prior to coming here.¡± ¡°As expected of Mr. Van Ester. But that¡¯s so surprising! I know you are his disciple, but I can¡¯t help but be shocked that he had told you of such things in a relationship focused around learning the sword.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just how strange the world has become these days.¡± ¡°So, he was right to be worried¡­.¡± Boros smiled bitterly. ¡°If Asher is a disciple of Mr. Van Ester, then all my questions are naturally already answered.¡± It was a lie though. However, Boros had no way of knowing. Van Ester had never told Asher about that fateful day when Boros was with his father Balbaca and had met the other heroes. And there was only one reason for that. It was because he was there too. However, it was most comfortable to wrap up the situation, like this. It was fortunate that he would not have to worry about having to explain his reincarnation to someone. The reputation of a Swordmaster in the Empire was absolute. They deserved that much respect. ¡®The position of the disciple that I have given you. You¡¯re free to use it however you wish.¡¯ Asher recalled Van Ester¡¯s words that he had left him, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel this might be a bit troublesome to explain if it reached Van Ester¡¯s ears. ¡°I see, I¡¯m sorry for the unnecessary doubt I placed on you.¡± ¡°No, it was more than reasonable to do so. So, may I ask? What are you planning to do now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Boros looked down at the village outside the window, remaining silent. Looking at the bustling residents, he clenched his fist with determined eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not a mere successor anymore, I¡¯m the Lord now.¡± The Doppelganger impersonating Balbaca had disappeared. Naturally, Boros, the successor, became the rightful Lord of Belturia Estate. ¡°I have to take care of them properly as their Lord.¡± Boros rose from his seat and lowered his knee as he bowed his head in Asher¡¯s direction. ¡°Once again, I must thank you from the bottom of my heart.¡± No noble should even kneel down to anyone but the Emperor. It was an implicit law of the Empire. And now, Boros, a noble, kneeled to Asher, a commoner. There was only one reason for this. ¡°You are the savior of the Belturia Estate. Our estate will forever call and praise your name.¡± Boros uttered in a steady and calming voice. ¡°You are the hero of our estate, Asher.¡± The emperor¡¯s authority was meaningless to the original Great Hero, Balbaca. Asher shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not a hero.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re that kind of person. No matter what anyone else says, you are the hero and savior of this estate. This is not overpraising, but simply stating the truth. As long as this estate remains standing, your name shall forever be ingrained in its history.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was too much for even Asher to know how to react. However, Boros had a firm and resolute face that looked as if he would not allow Asher to reject his words. ¡°Because of this, I will do whatever you wish for, as long as it¡¯s within my power.¡± ¡°¡­.Then there is one thing I need right now.¡± It wasn¡¯t what Asher had originally hoped for. But the world was a dangerous place right now and he had to keep an eye on the happenings of the affairs going on within it. ¡°You said you had run an information agency.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not that big, but I did indeed create one personally.¡± ¡°The agency.¡± Asher spoke quietly. ¡°Can you lend its use to me?¡± ¡°The¡­ information agency?¡± Boros tilted his head curiously. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I have personal matters to attend to, and I need it¡¯s capabilities to achieve what I want.¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t need it anymore anyways¡­ I see.¡± Boros nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll lend it to you.¡± Chapter 25 ¨C Fin Chapter 26 Chapter 26 ¨C What they believed (2) Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 * * * After finishing his talk with Boros, Asher walked out of the office and saw Reika waiting outside. Catching Asher¡¯s gaze, Reika jumped up and approached him. ¡°What did you two talk about?¡± ¡°It was just some trivial cleanup work. It ended up working out well though.¡± Boros readily agreed to let Asher use his intelligence network as he pleased. Although there was a bit of curiosity and suspicion as to why Asher would need something like that, he just ignored it since Asher had become the savior of the Belturia estate. Reika sighed with relief. ¡°Phew, I thought you did something again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She was right to feel that way considering how many incidents had been revolving around Asher when he had gotten involved. Asher turned around towards the exit of the corridor and started walking. ¡°Are we going back now?¡± ¡°Yes, we have to go back to the estate. The atmosphere is already terrible with all that¡¯s happened, so we can¡¯t stay here much longer.¡± Asher knew it was time to leave since he had exposed the Doppelganger and the Belturia estate was bound to get hectic soon. Reika then spoke up. ¡°Charon will probably need to report back to my father as well.¡± ¡°You know well then. Did you get all your stuff?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t have much time when Charon took me to the carriage earlier.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be away for a while while you pack.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°¡­ A memorial service.¡± Asher answered briefly and walked down the hall. He picked up a bottle of wine on the wall and came out of the castle. Asher solemnly walked with a melancholic atmosphere denting his normally indifferent eyes, towards the garden next to the estate. Asher sat on a small rock and opened the bottle. It smelled luxurious. It was a drink that Balbaca once hated and complained about because it was too expensive. He enjoyed drinking cheap alcohol because they had their own unique taste to them. But Asher knew the truth. In actuality, Balbaca liked high-quality alcohol, too. He was just satisfied with cheap liquor because after sharing his territory¡¯s wealth to improve the common welfare of his people, Balbaca couldn¡¯t afford to buy any expensive liquor. Asher broke the bottle against his wrist brace. The liquor overflowed and poured onto the grass from the shattered bottle. ¡°The luxury of alcohol is the least you deserve in death¡­. Good job, Balbacca.¡± Balbaca¡¯s body could not be found. It was practically impossible since he died 20 years ago without a single trace. It was too shabby for the Great Hero¡¯s ending. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Asher clenched his fist tightly. This kind of ending was not something a hero should ever have had. The Great Hero, Balbaca, had accomplished many things. He should have at least had the right to be buried back into the earth and have his soul rest easy. He was a loving father, husband, and friend whom nobody would want to see go. However, the Doppelganger had killed him mercilessly and imitated him for twenty years, without anyone having so much as even a clue. The story felt twisted in Asher¡¯s mind. He felt that there was just the beginning and the ending, but no middle. He felt as if there was something important missing. ¡°I¡¯m just getting depressed at this point¡­.¡± Asher threw the bottle away and left his back facing the garden and the shattered liquor bottle. *** Three days later, Reika and the party returned to the Halvark estate. The nobles were thrown into confusion when the events of the Belaturia estate were let known to the Empire. Everyone began to doubt each other in fear. And the most troubled amongst this news, was Lord Halvark. ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡± Lord Halvark leaned over the chair with his hands rubbing his temples. He sent a Charon to make sure there were no issues with the Belturia Family, yet he had only come back with even bigger news and a bigger problem. ¡°Balbaca was a doppelganger?¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± Charon replied with a blank face. Lord Halvark sighed disheartedly. ¡°Asher¡± was the one who pointed it out. Lord Halvark had seen Balbaca like Charon had. Decades ago, Balbaca¡¯s strong charisma, goodwill and amiable atmosphere, were embedded into his mind. But he had to find out that such a man had been killed unknowingly and a Doppelganger had replaced him in the Empire for over twenty years. ¡°¡­Is the identity of a Doppelganger something Van Ester taught Asher as well?¡± Charon was still in a daze, looking like he was braindead and in shock. Lord Havlark smacked his palm against his forehead in annoyance and called out to Charon. ¡°Charon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already done.¡± ¡°But.¡± Charon bit his lip. ¡°No ¡®buts¡¯.¡± Tsk- Lord Halvark clicked his tongue. Listening to the story from both Asher and Charon, he intuitively knew what was going with Charon. ¡°Charon, I knew everything about you and accepted you regardless of your past. Besides, it wasn¡¯t your fault back then.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Lord Halvark frowned. ¡°The Charon I know would not be one to be bound by his past. Or was he so weak, that only a few words from a Demon shook his mind?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Now¡­ We have a lot to do here at the Halvark estate, and we can¡¯t have you worrying about your past. Especially since you are the only knight of the Halvark Estate.¡± The cold words of Lord Halvark slowly rejuvenated the light back into Charon¡¯s eyes. Lord Halvark knocked his fist on the wooden table getting Charon¡¯s attention. ¡°I¡¯m sure that Ian the Brave must have killed the Demon Lord over fifty years ago. However, it seems like something isn¡¯t adding up with that story.¡± ¡°The information must have been twisted.¡± Charon chipped in his thoughts. ¡°Or it was a complete lie.¡± ¡°¡­I think that might be a little too radical.¡± ¡°Then why are the Demons back?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Charon couldn¡¯t reply. Lord Halvark shook his head. Whatever had happened, it was irrefutable at this point at the fact that the Demons had returned. The good news amongst this tense information, was that now they could prepare for it in advance. Lord Halvark sighed with relief. ¡°I almost sold my daughter off to a Doppelganger.¡± Lord Halvark could not believe that he almost sold off his beloved daughter to a Doppelganger of the Demon Species. However, that wasn¡¯t the only shocking news for him. ¡°¡­ and Asher was the one to identify the Doppelganger?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Charon was firm in his reply. ¡°He knew not only the characteristics of the Doppelganger, but also its weaknesses.¡± ¡°¡­.I really don¡¯t know at this point, who he is.¡± Lord Halvark stroked his chin. For him, the present Asher was a very mysterious person. ¡°He suddenly changed so drastically with his personality, picks up swordsmanship randomly and is taking out assassins and demons like it¡¯s childsplay? Does he even want to hide his suspicious behavior?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more like a kind of indifference, I think.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just uninterested if we suspect him or not?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± That feeling of indifference. It was quite accurate when describing Asher, Lord Halvark thought as he laughed. ¡°Hahaha! Indifference? To the Lord of the Estate? What do you think? Do you think we should be wary of him, or do you think we should back off?¡± Charon closed his eyes quietly. Then, he opened his mouth. ¡°I think it¡¯ll be okay for now.¡± ¡°Are you sure he won¡¯t be hostile to us?¡± ¡°If he were a demon, there would be no reason to identify the Doppelganger in front of everybody. If he wanted to harm us, we already had several chances. As much as it hurts for me to say this¡­ He could have easily killed us all and disappeared without a trace if he so wanted to. However, he didn¡¯t.¡± Whoever Asher was, or whatever he was, he was not someone that was being hostile to Lord Halvark. If that changed in the future, then they would change their relationship in the future as well with him. But until then, there was no reason to antagonize him. ¡°We should maintain neutrality with him.¡± ¡°Even though it¡¯s obvious that someone else is in Asher¡¯s body?¡± ¡°Did the Lord ever care about Asher?¡± ¡°Of course not. I don¡¯t care what happens to him.¡± Indifference emanated from Lord Halvark¡¯s voice. There was only one person in their family who cared for Asher and that was Venicia, not him. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough about Asher.¡± He was just going to treat the current Asher as a new person and judge them based on their actions. And so far, they had a clean slate, so there was nothing to do unless they started something troublesome with the Halvark estate first. Now, there was a more pressing matter at hand. ¡°Van Ester warned me to start building up my forces and tightening my security. Then, shortly after, a Doppelganger appeared in the Empire. If I hadn¡¯t heeded his warnings we could have been the ones in trouble. But, the real question remains the same. What¡¯s going to happen next?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­Demons.¡± Charon groaned as he guessed it. It was likely that the Demons would start appearing in earnest. *** ¡®That¡¯s enough.¡¯ Asher clung to the outside of the windowsill and listened to the two of them talk. After hearing the results of how Lord Halvark and Charon would progress from now on, he lept down. ¡®Nothing will be bothering me anymore.¡¯ Lord Halvark and Charon¡¯s vigilant eyes were constantly grating on Asher¡¯s nerves. Now that they had more or less stopped their surveillance on him, he was free to move more earnestly from now on. Suddenly Asher smiled bitterly as he recalled Lord Halvark¡¯s words about him. ¡®What the hell is he?¡¯ Lord Halvark must have seen the real Asher grow up as he was a child. It didn¡¯t really matter too much to him about Asher¡¯s past¡­. But he became more and more curious about the real ¡®Asher¡¯s¡¯ past; especially since Lord Halvark had such a bitter resentment against him. ¡°You¡¯re late today again, aren¡¯t you? What did you do this time?¡± When Asher went to the training area, Reika was training her sword skills again diligently today. Her movements were sharper than before. It was perhaps due to the fact that she could now focus on the path of the sword without paying attention to anything else. Asher looked at her silently. She, like Lord Halvark, must have grown up with Asher since they were children. But she wasn¡¯t as suspicious of Asher very much in comparison to her father. Putting his thoughts together, Asher suddenly asked her a question while she was swinging her sword. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you think I¡¯m weird at all?¡± ¡°Huh? What the hell do you mean by that?¡± Reika frowned as if she was listening to nonsense. Asher continued. ¡°I¡¯ve clearly changed.¡± Lord Halvark, who had seen ¡®Asher¡¯ grow up from when he was a child up until now, didn¡¯t trust him at all. Because of this, Asher couldn¡¯t help but feel that there was something odd in regards to his relationship with Reika. Reika clicked her tongue. ¡°I mean I already told you before didn¡¯t I? I wasn¡¯t interested in you in any way, shape or form. That means I never cared in the first place.¡± It was a literal explanation. Reika had no interest in him as a human being back then. It was probably because the past ¡®Asher¡¯ acted like a total degenerate. ¡°Whether you change or not, it has nothing to do with me. But, do you want me to pay more attention to you?¡± Asher had changed for the better. Reika had also been the one to accept the new him the fastest. Therefore, she had told him to put his worries about the past behind him, and move forward. When Asher blushed suddenly at her words, Reika burst into laughter. Reika was shocked at his expression and found it cute. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling sick?¡± ¡°N-no.¡± Asher waved his hands in dismay and stepped back reflexively. ¡°Here -uh, just continue your training alone today. There¡¯s somewhere I need to go.¡± ¡°Uh, okay¡­¡± Asher left Reika behind and left the estate to go into the town. The gazes of the townspeople settled on him as soon as he walked out in public and complicated emotions could be felt within their eyes. ¡®There was no one who looked after the original Asher after all.¡¯ The ¡®Asher¡¯ of the past was a troublemaker, but even as a troublemaker he never received any attention from anyone. The only person who showed him such affection was the Lord¡¯s wife, Venicia. ¡®How sad¡­ Even she has changed.¡¯ There was not much of a reaction from Venicia these days after he had reincarnated. Even she, who had once shown affection towards Asher, felt differently. She didn¡¯t give attention or care for him. She was obsessed with his role as an adopted son and didn¡¯t truly look out for him. There was no one who really watched over Asher. ¡®Poor child.¡¯ No, he didn¡¯t feel sorry for ¡®Asher¡¯. Their indifference to the original ¡®Asher¡¯ was his own karma. As they had said, the original ¡®Asher¡¯ more or less, had brought it upon himself one way or another. He was just the previous owner of the body and the old ¡®Asher¡¯ didn¡¯t have any kind of way to change that. ¡®That Doppelganger noticed something.¡¯ Asher recalled what happened back at the Belturia Estate. The Doppelganger had recognized Asher¡¯s identity and reacted in an odd way. The reaction was completely different from Asher¡¯s expectations. They shouted and reacted, not out of surprise, but because they had recognized something about him. ¨C Why are you here?! Asher tried to pry into the unexpected reaction from the Doppelganger, but the Doppelganger killed itself before he could question it. But he could determine one thing from all of this. The demons somehow knew about ¡®him¡¯. Asher continued to walk into the dark alleys of the town. Suddenly, Asher stopped walking and spoke out into the emptiness of the alley. ¡°Come on out.¡± ¡°What a quick-witted boy.¡± At the end of Asher¡¯s words, someone walked out from the alley, replying to him. A man dressed rather frivolously, came out, smiled and bowed his head while asking a question. ¡°You¡¯re my new employer?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your new employer, I¡¯m simply borrowing your skillset and agency.¡± Boros kept his word. In just three days, the intelligence agency that Asher had requested to borrow, had moved their headquarters temporarily to the Halvark Estate. The man in front of him was the owner of the information agency. The man spoke and replied as if it were natural. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re my employer for now, aren¡¯t you? Your name is Asher, right? My name is Kiers.¡± Kiers grinned. ¡°I watched your performance at the Belturia Estate. It was quite impressive. The fact you were able to kill off the Doppelganger without anyone even noticing. Kiers chuckled lightly and continued ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you from the shadows.¡± Asher hadn¡¯t noticed his gaze. He narrowed his eyes at Kiers. ¡°If you want to be able to live in a rough world, you have to be able to hide a couple of things and protect them well. If you listened to what the Doppelganger had said and looked for clues, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s enough reason for you to understand why I needed to borrow your agency.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite bright, aren¡¯t you?¡± Asher frowned slightly at Kier¡¯s reply. Kiers continued to speak, dismissing his nonchalant tone with Asher. ¡°It means that if the information organization can¡¯t do something as simple as digging up clues, it¡¯s pretty much unusable. Well then, what would you like me to do for you, young master?¡± Kiers looked at Asher with interested eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t want to ask me to do something silly like ¡®finding the missing dog next door¡¯, do you?¡± ¡°Before that.¡± Asher clapped his hands and spoke in an authoritative manner. ¡°Give me all of the information that your agency has.¡± Chapter 26 ¨C Fin Chapter 27 - What they believed (3) Chapter 27 ¨C What they believed (3) Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 * * * Kiers¡¯ expression, which was rather forcibly amiable at Asher¡¯s words until that point, hardened slightly. He began to speak in a tone of displeasure. ¡°This is quite offensive. Do you not trust our capabilities to gather information?¡± ¡°You¡¯re rather quick-witted.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Kiers glared sharply at Asher. There was no reason for Asher to ask for their information. If there is, the only reason he would do so, was to test their competence of information, which could easily be deemed as an insult. Information organizations and agencies eventually would learn their top secret information through infiltration of sorts. The classes information agencies were divided amongst each other according to their competence. It was the most basic thing to know when choosing an information agency. ¡°Your agency has been stuck and secluded in a small territory and has not seen much of the outside world. It¡¯s only natural for someone to want to know your capabilities don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Kiers denied it. However, clenched his fist with a face that hurt his pride. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. There is no information in the world that we can¡¯t find.¡± ¡°Yet, you didn¡¯t even notice the Doppelganger.¡± ¡°That was a different case¡­¡± Kiers¡¯ eyes shook slightly and protested. ¡°We gathered information about the world in a closed environment despite the restrictions and scrutinizing eye of Balbaca¡­no- that doppelganger. From the most miscellaneous unimportant things to down to the inner workings of the territory. There¡¯s no such information we can¡¯t find.¡± Kiers spoke up. But, Asher still had a questionable look. ¡°Well.¡± ¡°Such a skeptical little boy.¡± Kiers grumbled. ¡°Fine then, tell me what information you need. Stupid little boy probably wants some information about some pet cats¡­¡±, Kiers muttered underneath his breath. ¡°I want all the Information you have on the heroes.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kiers paused and his eyes widened. Asher calmly continued. ¡°Especially the ones gone or that completely disappeared, find information about them.¡± Since 20 years ago, many heroes had disappeared, and some of them had even reappeared. A more interesting case was Balbacca, who went missing 20 years ago, and came back as a twisted man. If so, then what about other heroes? Originally, it had nothing to do with Asher. But something was bothering him. The sense of worry was gradually creeping up on him and he didn¡¯t mean to stay still about it. It was because they were his few close friends. ¡°Uh- Um.¡± Kiers instead of giving a snarky reply like he had been doing up until now, shuddered at Asher¡¯s words. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that k-¡­kind of information.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I asked if it was possible.¡± Any information about the heroes or their movements, was likely to be top tier information no matter what kind of intelligence agency Asher used. And unless it was a large guild, it would be hard for Asher to assume it was worth using. Asher didn¡¯t think that this tiny little information agency could possibly find the information he wanted. ¡°Hm¡­ heroes, their information?¡­Are there any more specific details you want?¡± ¡°All the heroes that disappeared. The focus should be on the whereabouts of Ian the Brave, who went missing and any kind of information relevant to changes going on in the North.¡± ¡°¡­are you serious?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Kiers completely stiffened at Asher¡¯s brutal first request to his agency. ¡°You don¡¯t have to overdo it since there¡¯s something else I need that you can do instead¡­.¡± It was too harsh a request for a small intelligence organization. But, Kiers shook his head. ¡°No, I can¡¯t just sit here and be treated like an incompetent fool.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Asher murmured, but Kiers clenched his fist with determined eyes as if he could not hear it. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s just information, so it will take quite a while. If it¡¯s only this much, I can definitely do it.¡± ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± Asher wasn¡¯t expecting much because the next requests he planned, would most likely shock Kiers even further. Kiers grated his teeth as if he had read such signs from Asher¡¯s body language. ¡°I¡¯ll accept that you at least seem to know what information is tough to get. I¡¯ll only give you that much though you brat.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t care, do your job and report back to me.¡± ¡°So noisy, I¡¯ll be back when I get the information.¡± ¡®He¡¯s rather easy to deal with.¡¯ Asher murmured inwardly. Kiers tucked himself into the alleyway. He turned his face around just before the shadow gradually covered him and his whole body disappeared. ¡°Oh, I have one thing to tell you.¡± Kiers grinned as he spoke in a taunting manner, still acting like a child. However, his next words were anything but childish. ¡°You¡¯d better get ready soon. The monsters are coming.¡± *** There was only one thing when one thought of the words ¡®Monsters¡¯. Monsters, they were the human¡¯s natural enemy. Asher thought that Lord Halvark would surely be preparing countermeasures. But he couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous that Lord Halvark might not be able to set up his defenses in time. Asher returned to the training area. Reika was huffing and drinking water. ¡°You¡¯re here? You¡¯re very busy these days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Reika was standing gazing at him. Asher opened his mouth again. ¡°How much do you know about Monsters or Demons?¡± ¡°Monsters? I don¡¯t know. I just know of them, not like I¡¯ve actually done research on them. I¡¯m not someone from 50 years ago, and the information you can find on them is pretty limited in the libraries.¡± Asher gave a bitter smile. Monsters and Demons were difficult beings, yet the world almost seemed to want to forget their past with them and didn¡¯t at least prepare future generations if anything else similar to them arose to threaten humanity like they had once done. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s safe to say that you don¡¯t know much, yes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Reika, a noble, was naturally very curious about things she didn¡¯t know or couldn¡¯t find in the history books. But this also meant that if Reika only knew of the name ¡®Demon¡¯, most common folk wouldn¡¯t even know what they were. ¡®It¡¯s not good.¡¯ Demons and Monsters were unknown to the general public. What if the Demons or Monsters, or even both, came in this situation? It was a bleak future, that much was for sure if they didn¡¯t do something soon. ¡°Well, it has been kind of weird these days.¡± Reika murmured as if she was thinking about something odd. ¡°The number of people who are experiencing nightmares has increased. The maids were talking about their nightmares just the other day and I found it weird how many of them were suffering from them. And¡­. I¡¯ve been feeling like there¡¯s something disturbing my father, as he¡¯s been stuck in his room meticulously drafting plans for something. Does it have anything to do with them?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Asher recalled the words left by Van Ester half a year ago. The world was twisted. And when the Demon Lord died, both the Demons and Monsters that were spread throughout the continent, were eradicated off the face of the planet. But, the world was changing once again. Suddenly, there was a sharp, high-pitched scream that rang out from outside the training area. Reika jerked her head along with Asher in the direction of the scream. ¡°What was that Asher?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find out soon.¡± Asher put the sword inside it¡¯s sheath and calmly walked outside the training area. Near the gate leading out from the estate, there was seemingly a band of merchants that were shouting at the people around them, terrifying them. ¡°I know what I saw! And crazy as it seems, it¡¯s true! Those little things attacked us!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±, Reika asked as she and Asher had approached the commotion. ¡°Oh, Lady Reika.¡± As Reika approached, the guards near the gate bowed politely. She was probably the most polite noble these common people had met; a stark contrast to the heir of the estate Luke, who had gone silent ever since the encounter with Asher. ¡°Your name is Luban, right? What¡¯s wrong? And why is the number of people with you so small this time?¡± Reika knew his face because he often came to the top of the estate to do trade with their territory as a merchant. It was normally a fairly large troupe that was guarded by high numbers of mercenaries. But now she couldn¡¯t even see ten people around him. Luban, the merchant atop his carriage frighteningly and unknowingly raised his voice as his face paled, remembering what he had seen. ¡°Monsters, monsters! W-We faced monsters that attacked us!¡± ¡°Huh, monsters? What do you mean?¡± Reika¡¯s face crumpled. It was the first time she had heard something so ridiculous coming out of this man¡¯s mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t even know anymore¡­ahh- ahhh! There were so many of them! Small little ferocious creatures. Monsters I tell you!¡± ¡°Calm down.¡± Reika grabbed the sword by her waist and spat out in a cold voice. ¡°Sit down and talk coherently please. Describe to me exactly what you saw.¡± The shaking eyes of Luban gradually subsided. He slowly opened his mouth. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure either. They weren¡¯t human, but not beasts either. They killed the mercenaries with us and looted our wagon. We¡¯ve managed to escape.. but Ugh¡­.¡± He clattered his teeth. They were neither humans nor beasts? Reika tilted her head in confusion. ¡°That.¡± Asher, who was still listening, opened his mouth. It suddenly became deathly quiet when he spoke. He asked calmly. ¡°Were their skin green and did they have long ears?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. How could you¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a Goblin.¡± ¡°Goblin? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡®It¡¯s already happening.¡¯ Asher sighed quietly. *** Fifty years ago, Ian the Brave had shouted with his sword stuck in the chest of the Demon Lord, who had opened a rift into their world. ¡°You will either die here by my sword, or you will go back to where you came from. Those are your only two options.¡± The Demon Lord at that time replied with a cruel grin on its face, ¡°It¡¯s your victory for now you human, but just wait¡­. Enjoy your peace while it lasts.¡± At the same time, all the demons and monsters that had come through the rift were transported along with the Demon Lord as he fled with his wounds. As the Demons fled with the Demon Lord, the world also forgot the existence of the monsters that had come through the rift. They had been terrorizing humanity for hundreds of years, but when they were eradicated over 50 years ago, humanity wanted to forget the scars they had left, and forced themselves to forget and their future generations. If the peace had lasted forever, it wouldn¡¯t have been bad to do so. However, peace wasn¡¯t and it was clear to Asher. Humanity was going to pay the price for forcing themselves to forget, and it would be huge. ¡°So what are we supposed to do?¡± ¡°Monsters? What are you talking about¡­.¡± ¡°Are they animals or not?¡± ¡°I was told it was a Goblin. I think I heard about them when I was a kid¡­.¡± In an instant, the estate became a loud and crazed atmosphere. Those who vaguely remembered and those who forgot about the monsters completely, began to argue with each other. ¡°¡­do we have to fight them?¡± There was a sudden silence when someone¡¯s words were spoken. The eyes of those who all stopped their squabbling, were filled with fear at those words. The Halvark estate was near the capital, so it was far from being a warzone. There were guards on standby at the territory, but none of them had any actual combat experience and were only managing security. Asher sighed lightly at the sight of the frightened workers and townspeople outside. Maybe the other noble territories weren¡¯t that different. ¡°Just let the guards deal with them¡­.¡± ¡°How could you say that?¡± ¡°My son is a guard! You want my son to fight those things?!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the guards duty you idiot?!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you¡­!¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± Reika frowned and shouted loudly. The workers and townspeople gathered outside the estate went silent. ¡°Nothing is certain for now. They might come here, or they might just be passing by. First, send someone to inform the capital. Everyone else should go back to their places and get some rest. Luban and your people can come with us to the estate since you do not have anywhere to stay right now.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± The people were dispersed. Asher clicked his tongue as he saw the fear in their eyes. Humanity was scared of a fucking goblin? Just how weak had they become? Asher was disgusted at this. ¡®Ian, if you¡¯re still alive, please come back.¡¯ Suddenly, the last words of the Demon Lord that Ian had told Asher about, came to mind. ¡®Humanity should enjoy their peace. But it won¡¯t last forever.¡¯ And the words were now being proven to be true. Asher looked around him and felt his eyes turn cold. Chapter 27 ¨C Fin Chapter 28 - Humanity chose to forget (1) Chapter 28 ¨C Humanity chose to forget (1) Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 * * * An emergency meeting was held with vassals of Lord Halvark as they discussed the information they had obtained from the mercenaries and merchants that had traveled to the Halvark territory. ¡°It¡¯s a monster¡­ I¡¯ve read what kind of beings they are, but I haven¡¯t seen them in person like this before.¡± ¡°You said they had green skin, a short stature, and long ears like elves. If so, it¡¯s a goblin isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Most likely. What kind of beings are they described as in the literature within the library here?¡± ¡°It is said that they attack humans, thieve supplies, apply poison to weapons and rape human women¡­.¡± ¡°¡­It looks like a humanoid creature as well.¡± Lord Halvark laughed at someone¡¯s words. Goblins robbed possessions from traveling groups and used poison to kill others, as well as rape. They sounded just like human thieves to him. ¡°So how do you think we should respond?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± The vassals turned speechless at Lord Halvark¡¯s words. They were also thinking the same question in their minds, but didn¡¯t have an answer either. Lord Halvark sighed. ¡®Is this what Van Ester was trying to warn me about?¡¯ Van Ester had warned Lord Halvark to start arming his forces and tightening the security around the walls of his estate before he left. Lord Halvark wondered at the time what he should do it for, but nonetheless kept the words in mind. It would have been nice if Van Ester had explained in more detail to him about what was coming though. Lord Halvark felt bitter at the unexpected situation. Suddenly, one of the older vassals, sporting a long and white beard, spoke up and broke the silence. ¡°Unfortunately, the characterization of these monsters was written to be quite savage in the literature, but there was no countermeasure written to combat these creatures in the literature. Even if we look through the other books, I didn¡¯t find any specific methods described on how to fight them. I think we should draft a letter up to the capital and wait for a response.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you still alive back in the days when monsters were present in the world? Are you saying even though you were alive back then, you don¡¯t know of any methods?¡± ¡°I do not¡­.¡± At Lord Halvark¡¯s words, the vassal smiled bitterly. He was over sixty. The monsters had disappeared from the world over fifty years ago. It wasn¡¯t wrong of Lord Halvark to wonder why the old man hadn¡¯t known of any methods. But, most humans were hiding in shelters away from the monsters as the warriors and Empire¡¯s forces were the ones to carry out large scale subjugations and were the only experienced warriors that had knowledge of how to combat the creatures. Most people did not even dare to confront one, let alone fight one. ¡°At the time, I was still a child. The battles against the monsters were the responsibility of the adults. Besides, it¡¯s been over fifty years.¡± It was a different time and a different era all together. The years had passed by and the eras had changed with them. This generation was surely different from the past generation and the same might be said for those monsters as well. ¡°That¡¯s why the response method wasn¡¯t written in the literature.¡± The reason for not leaving any records of how to provide countermeasures to the monsters recorded in literature, was because monsters were not fools. They would also adapt and evolve just as much as humans did. New methods and strategies had to be drafted. Back then, the monsters had also not directly clashed with humanity under a unified front. The Demons had done that against humanity, sure. But, the monsters also fought amongst each other, lessening the burden on humanity back then. The conclusion was that none of them knew how to respond. An uncomfortable silence settled in the meeting room. ¡°¡­Are you sure they are approaching and moving in this direction?¡± ¡°Yes. We sent scouts to confirm, but the monsters are coming directly towards this location. A fight will be unavoidable at this rate.¡± ¡°How on earth did these monsters just pop out of nowhere? Not only that, but this is too close to the capital to be called a coincidence. Things could turn dangerous if we do not defend properly.¡± Someone clicked their tongue as they heard the last comment. Since the Halvark Territory was close to the center of the Empire and the capital, it was fortified through several layers of defense from other cities. So if anyone wanted to invade, they had to go through multiple territories to do so. But suddenly packs of monsters had appeared. Something was weird, but there was no time to worry about the details. They had enough things on their plate, having to first survive the monster¡¯s attack. Lord Halvark closed his eyes. His head felt dizzy and light-headed. He needed a break and some sleep. But he couldn¡¯t do so, since if he did at this point the manor would fall into confusion ¡°You sent someone to the capital. Did you get a response yet?¡± ¡°No, they haven¡¯t come back yet. Weird, they would have arrived by now¡­¡± ¡°Is there not enough room for error right now¡­¡± The Halvark estate was near the capital. If this territory collapsed, the threat would directly threaten the capital. Still, if the response from the ca[ital was late, there were only two things that could have possibly happened. Either the Empire intended to abandon the Halvark territory, or the Empire itself was struggling with other similar requests from other territories. Either result was not good news. ¡°Why the hell is this happening! Those bastards disappeared over 50 years ago, why do they have to show up now of all times?!¡± One of the vassals, who seemed to be younger than thirty, cried out, striking the table in anger. There was a subtle trace of fear present in his eyes. ¡®I¡¯m not sure this will work?¡¯ Lord Halvark felt worried about this younger generation facing these monsters. This generation thought swordsmanship was just for showing off, and real armor was cumbersome and annoying. They had never experienced true war and looked rather unpromising as a whole. Their innocence of not knowing the experience of war time was alright, but their mindset was a problem. It was due to them being forced to the frontlines because of the huge generation gap between the generations that had last faced these monsters and demons. That generation was too old to fight, or had all died off. ¡®More than anything¡­ This won¡¯t be the end¡¯ The vassals and residents of the territory were only thinking and worried about the current wave of monsters, but Lord Halvark knew. That the monsters appearing now, were most likely only the tip of the iceberg. There would only be more strife and hardship to come later. It was a bleak future. Lord Halvark felt distressed as he rubbed his temples and kept his gaze down. *** ¡°It¡¯s noisy.¡± Reika muttered while chewing on an apple. Her expression was also not very good. She may be young but she was also the daughter of the Lord. Even if she hated being the Lord¡¯s daughter and the cumbersome tasks that came along with that title, she knew the situation was dire. ¡°Is it a sign of something more to come?¡± ¡°Well.¡± Asher replied, swinging his sword. In the past, he would barely even bother worrying about a goblin, but not right now. To the people here, a goblin was the most terrifying monster in existence. Anyone would be scared if a creature they had never seen before, was trying to kill them. All of the villages were in fear at the presence of the unknown. It was possible Lord Halvark didn¡¯t know yet, but Asher had noticed families trying to leave in the middle of the night. It was already becoming more and more difficult as the days were being counted down till their arrival. ¡°Do you think we can stop it?¡± ¡°Did you hear the number of goblins that are coming?¡± ¡°Well¡­ about three hundred. That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Three hundred is a lot for this territory right now.¡± There were only about two hundred combatants in the territory. Asher did the math, and the odds were against them as of right now. If the guards and warriors were experienced, and not in fear, this amount of goblins would be child¡¯s play. But as it was, it would be a massacre. ¡®You can¡¯t just leave it like this, Lord¡­.¡¯ This was the place that Asher had lived in and grew up in both lives. He did not plan to let mere goblins soil his hometown. He once had some few individuals he cared for, and this was their resting place. He would never allow such a thing to happen. ¡°Then, let¡¯s stop here for today. Take a good rest and don¡¯t try to stay up late. You¡¯ll need all the rest you can get.¡± ¡°¡­I got it.¡± She seemed to feel a bit of worry for a moment, then replied. Reika left and Asher was then left there standing alone in the training area with a serious expression on his face. ¡°Then let¡¯s go give them a visit, shall we?¡± Asher rubbed his forearms. *** It was night time. There was an unpleasant and deafening atmosphere and tension present in the town. It was time to sleep, but very few people in the territory were actually sleeping. How could they sleep when they were worried about if they would even be alive the next day? Asher was walking through the streets quietly as nobody was outside. There was the guard that was supposed to be guarding the gate diligently, but Asher looked at him and saw him trembling with fear. Asher decided to just climb over the wall since it was easier to do so with his own strength and it was more discreet. ¡°Well, where are you going?¡± ¡°Where?¡± Asher picked up his sword reflexively at the sudden voice he heard in the woods. The owner of the voice slowly emerged from the shrubbery. Asher frowned as he recognized the figure. ¡°¡­Reika?¡± ¡°Where are you going so late at night?¡± She smiled and took her sword out of its sheath. She was wearing a leather armor that sticks tightly and flexibly to her body. She assumed a battle posture and looked at Asher. ¡°Did you know I was going?¡± ¡°Hey. If you have such obvious eyes that scream you were going to do something about it, of course I would know. Are you going to go see those monsters called goblins? Can I come with you?¡± Reika asked with a determined voice. Asher tightened his jaw as he thought for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°¡­You accepted it more gently than I thought. If you didn¡¯t allow me to, I was just going to follow behind you anyways.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I allowed you to. If you¡¯re going to be so impulsive, then I might as well take you with me. But we don¡¯t have much time, let¡¯s hurry up and go.¡± Reika was strong. It would be her first time dealing with monsters, but she wouldn¡¯t be defeated by the likes of mere Goblins. Asher had trained her, himself. Not only that, but if the daughter of the Lord directly dealt with the goblins, the fear of the younger people within the territory would be reduced to some extent. ¡°¡­I got it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you want to follow, but I¡¯ll tell you one last thing. You are responsible for your own life.¡± Asher¡¯s voice was heavy. This would be a real battle. It would not end with a light bruise like in their sparring sessions, but rather it would be a battle where her life would be constantly threatened. It was kill or be killed. Reika¡¯s eyes sank for a moment at the reality of Asher¡¯s words but strengthened her grip on the sword she held in her hand. *** Goblins were normally found in very small groups on the outskirts of territories, but they were always the frontline of forces from monsters in times of war when gathered in large groups like this. In terms of the overall distance from the Halvark territory, the group of goblins was quite far. Asher and Reika would need to travel nonstop for the entire night to reach them. ¡°Huff¡­ Hooh¡­ Huff¡­.¡± As a result, Reika was exhausted before even meeting the goblins. Her whole body was covered in sweat, and she had dropped her armor off and threw it in the bushes as they took a brief break. Asher threw a canteen at her. ¡°Drink water.¡± ¡°Thanks¡­.¡± As they had been traveling for a long time and Reika had been sweating a lot of the water out of her body, she would be incredibly dehydrated. ¡°According to the state of your body, the body can¡¯t accept large amounts of water right now, so only squeeze the bare minimum on your lips. Just enough to get your throat wet.¡± ¡°Okay¡­.¡± As Asher had spoken, she was able to finally recollect her breath and safely drink after she followed his instructions. ¡°I¡¯m tired¡­.¡± ¡°You kept up with me quite well. You have a lot more endurance than I thought, so I apologize for not being able to pace myself with you properly.¡± Asher wasn¡¯t sprinting, but he had to traverse through a rough forest for several hours. He was thinking of taking a break in the middle because he expected Reika¡¯s physical strength to not be able to withstand it, but she followed well without complaining. She had better stamina than most soldiers of the Empire. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯ve been following your training every day¡­ It¡¯s made me much more fit.¡± ¡°It¡¯s this much, you definitely won¡¯t have a problem in the future either.¡± Asher had only run for a few hours, and it was not a whole lot comparing himself to his previous life. During the Demon Lord¡¯s invasion, he only ran without sleeping for four days. He almost died back then. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. You just need to work a bit harder.¡± ¡°Wow¡­.¡± While Reika was exhausted, she raised her body up at Asher¡¯s words. After traveling another thirty minutes through the forest, Asher suddenly stopped his movements and raised his hand. Reika took a deep breath in and stopped moving. In front of them, a loud cry rang out. The cry was something that was significantly different from a human¡¯s vocals. Asher stuck to the tree with his body and hid his body from being seen. Reika ducked down in turn. As the bushes that were in front of them started to move, two green and ugly creatures suddenly emerged with worn down armor on their bodies. ¡°Kyareuk. Kyaureuk.¡± ¡°Karreuk.¡± They cried, scouring through the bushes with their spears. They looked like scouts. The number was only two. Asher pulled out two daggers from the wrist brace and held them in both of his hands. They shook their spears through the bushes, poking around and slowly approached Asher¡¯s location. As they touched the tree with a spear, Asher dashed out from the other side of the trunk. ¡°Kyareuk!¡± The goblins became frightened and swung their spears. Asher ducked and avoided the spears as he twisted his body and brought the dagger upwards in a sharp motion. Asher quickly stabbed one of the knives in the neck of the first goblin and quickly pulled it out, letting blood spurt out on the grass. Asher then dropped low, kicking the other goblin¡¯s foot in the air, kicking it away, not killing it. Asher then quickly spoke signaling to Reika who was hiding. ¡°¡­Reika.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Reika, who was staring at the dead goblin and the other goblin who was getting up after getting kicked by Asher, replied in amazement. Asher trapped the goblin¡¯s escape route and then spoke to Reika once more. ¡°You kill this one.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Reika¡¯s eyes suddenly shuddered. There was also a hidden sense of fear that was present in her voice and trembling eyes, but Asher spoke once more with indifference. ¡°You said you want to walk the path of a swordsman. Then there is no doubt your life will be filled with people or creatures that will try to kill you. The only way you¡¯ll survive in the future, will be the same as how you will survive here. You better get used to it now and get it over with.¡± ¡°Geruk!¡± Goblin struggled as it got up and glared at Reika. Reika¡¯s body trembled with fear at the Goblin¡¯s expression. Taking another life. The very action was something that brought chills to her body. She had resolved herself before leaving the estate with Asher but found herself trembling right now, that resolve shaking. Nevertheless, her body responded naturally without her mind being able to. Reika raised the sword. She slowly approached the goblin. The goblin saw this as a weakness and shot forward with crude movements. Reika¡¯s eyes shook for one last moment before turning ice cold as her body reacted on it¡¯s own and stabbed through the goblins neck with ease. ¡°¡­¡± Reika withdrew her sword. There was green blood on the sword. After she started to suddenly realize what she had just done, she hugged herself with her arms and knelt down, shaking violently. Asher cleaned up the bodies and hid them as he spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that sensation. It¡¯s a sensation you¡¯ll feel over and over again in your life.¡± There was no need for encouragement, but rather cold truth. The act of killing something was not easily forgotten with flowery words. The cold hard truth was the only and best option for someone to recover from their first kill. If Reika came out on the other side of this as a determined swordsman, she would be able to continue walking the path of the sword. Still, she would need some time to organize her thoughts. Asher respected her space and gave her time to do so, as he started to wipe their traces from the surroundings. *** After a while, Reika had somewhat calmed her nerves. Still, compared to most, this kind of progress was shocking to Asher. Most of the time it took people anywhere from a day to a week. This could also be a kind of talent in it¡¯s own right he guessed. Asher pondered on it as he signaled Reika to follow him quietly. He started to walk forwards and she followed his footsteps diligently. After a bit of time, no more than a minute, there was a much louder cry coming from out in front of them. ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Reika groaned a little as she saw the scene before her. Asher and her ducked down in the bushes as they looked over at the monsters. They had arrived much sooner than expected. In front of them was a large group of goblins. Chapter 28 ¨C Fin Chapter 29 - Humanity chose to forget (2 Chapter 29 ¨C Humanity chose to forget (2) Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 * * * Some of the Goblins in the pack were deciding to rest by making a hut out of some grass, leaves and pieces of wood. In the middle, some were chewing some raw animal meat raw, and some were fighting each other to take it away from each other despite the meat being covered in dirt, but they sank their teeth into it again because they liked it. ¡°¡­that¡¯s a pack of Goblins. They¡¯re what the territory will be having to defend against.¡± Reika looked at the pack of goblins in front of her with a stiff expression. She had never seen a single monster before in her life up until today, and now on that very same day she was looking at a horde of them. ¡®It¡¯s not much different from my memory.¡¯ Asher thought something had changed since 50 years ago, but it was the same as he remembered it. Their style of living was very crude but it resembled a very vague semblance to the way humans acted, fought and worked in society. Thanks to that it was a relief for Reika to know their intelligence was low. ¡®The distance from the estate is about one to two days by foot.¡¯ Given the speed of Goblin¡¯s movement and the size of the group, it would probably take about that long. For a moment, Asher¡¯s eyes narrowed, considering the location of the estate. ¡®But how are these guys already here?¡¯ This was the center of the Empire, near the capital. Monsters had never come in numbers like this towards the capital even fifty years ago. The only exception was when the Demon Lord had waged war and flooded the Kingdoms and Empire with forces. But here they were, unhindered in their movements and so close to the capital. ¡®I don¡¯t know what the hell happened in order for them to get here so fast without any word from the other cities.¡¯ It was something he had never experienced in his previous life. Asher shook his head and looked around at the goblins. He didn¡¯t understand the situation fully, but it was reality. And since it was, he had no choice but to accept it. ¡®The number is approximately 300.¡¯ Their numbers were exactly as states in the report. Asher wondered what he should do. He thought about it for a while and came to a conclusion. The warriors and guards of the state were not prepared. He had to buy them time. ¡°Let¡¯s shave their numbers off slowly for now.¡± ¡°Kill them? Are you saying to go right in like an idiot?¡± ¡°No way, that would be downright reckless.¡± The goblins were quite well organized at that moment. No matter how many times he thought about it, the two of them against three hundred goblins was far too much. ¡°Wait a minute okay. Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do : The Goblins tend to sleep for long periods throughout the day and don¡¯t wake up easily as they are deep sleepers. We will wait till they fall asleep and stab as many of them as we can without getting caught and then retreat.¡± ¡°¡­you sure know an awful lot about these things, Asher¡­.¡± Reika spoke with suspicion present in her voice. Asher didn¡¯t mind her and prepared himself as he spoke to her quietly. ¡°It¡¯s time to get going.¡± Asher pulled a dagger out of the wrist brace. ¡°Reika, I¡¯m going to go right now, I¡¯ll need you to wait here for a bit.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait. What can I do anyways?¡± Reika grumbled in a sarcastic voice. She was immature, but she knew it was the right decision right now as any screw up could have her killed. ¡°Okay, then hold your breath and stay here.¡± Asher spoke quietly and raised himself up. He hid his traces and entered the goblin¡¯s camp in the silent darkness of the night. Occasionally, the goblins wandered around in their sleep. But their movements were silly and obnoxious because they were incredibly drunk off the human liquor they had stolen. Asher entered one of the huts that the goblins had set up, whilst avoiding waking the hundreds of goblins laying around, silently. ¡°Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± ¡°Kruk Kruk!¡± Inside, some goblins were tangled together and making love with each other. Asher nudged the dagger into the back of the goblins that were making love with one another, skillfully and silently. The goblins that were all inside the hut, were picked off one by one, as Asher slit their throats quickly and silently, until he was the only living being inside the hut. ¡®I¡¯ll have to clean up two more huts.¡¯ More than that, the smell of blood was getting too thick. If Asher played his cards right, he could cause enough chaos to buy at least two more days for the territory. Asher quickly moved to the next hut closest to the one he was in, and killed the goblins in that hut as well before peeking his head out to pick his last target. ¡®That one.¡¯ In the middle of the area, there was a larger hut than any other. It wasn¡¯t just a larger sized hut, but it was also made with a bit more detail than the other makeshift huts. It had kept bothering Asher for quite some time and he decided to check it out. There was only one reason Asher felt bothered by it. ¡®Goblins have no ranks between them¡­. So why is that hut like that?¡¯ Goblins were a very¡­ unique bunch. There were no skilled ranks between them, and in general their species was just too dumb as a whole to even come up with the brains of something like societal ranks. That was why such a hut, bothered Asher about the implications it held. What was rather fortunate for mankind, was that goblins had not a single inkling of intelligence, and neither did they have any kind of ranks between them like shamans or magicians. Goblins were already a very densely populated species with a high reproduction rate, so if they did have these ranks, it would likely be the Goblins being the species that endangered humanity 50 years ago and not the demons. Yet¡­ he couldn¡¯t help but feel like the hut was designed for the presence of a leader. Asher tried to separate these thoughts and push them away, but couldn¡¯t as he approached the hut. ¡°Keruk¡­ Keruk¡­¡± (T/N : I¡¯m gonna assume this is how goblins snore LOL) Inside the hut, there was a slightly darker colored goblin than the ones he had encountered till now, but it didn¡¯t look any more different than that. It wasn¡¯t bigger than any of the others, nor better dressed. Asher stopped his step slightly when he noticed the slight difference in skin color, but soon he took out a dagger and approached the goblin. Asher was right before the goblin, when he stuck the dagger towards its neck to puncture the goblin¡¯s esophagus. But for some reason, right before he could do so, the dagger caught on something. ¡°Shit¡­¡± Asher murmured in surprise. A black thread held his arm back. When Asher focused his eyes carefully, he noticed there were black threads all around Goblin he was trying to kill. He had been fooled and placed in a trap. ¡°Hah.¡± What kind of goblin did this, he thought and chuckled lightly. However, his expression turned cold as he suddenly heard the sound of a horn get blown outside the hut. The other goblins had been found out and sounded the alarm. The sleeping goblin opened its eyes at the sound of the alarm. Its eyes suddenly widened and fixed themselves on Asher, who was in front of it, and howled. ¡°KRUKKKK KREEEE!¡± (T/N : wtf is with these sounds lmao, someone just send me back to reading goblin slayer already lmao) *** Quang! The hut collapsed. Asher bounced off and landed on the floor. It quickly became noisy as the other Goblins started to wake up one-by-one and attacked Asher. ¡°Kerak Kree!¡± Asher found himself in a dogfight. The approaching goblin stabbed with it¡¯s spear and Asher parried it quickly, breaking the wrist of the goblin and stabbing his knife up the jugular of the goblin. Quickly seeing the goblin in front of him fall, Asher grabbed it¡¯s spear that was mid-air and turned his body to throw the spear he had caught into the chest of the nearest Goblin. Yet this was only the beginning of the waves of green monsters starting to close in on him. ¡®Fuck, I¡¯m in trouble.¡¯ Asher clicked his tongue and kicked his foot down onto the ground with a mighty stomp. As if an earthquake had occurred, the earth shook violently as Asher stimulated his unique aura into his foot to make the ground quake. The goblins lost their footing as Asher then sprinted through their ranks cloaking himself in a dark robe as he reached Reika¡¯s location quickly. ¡°Ah, Asher! What¡¯s this¡­.¡± ¡°We¡¯re caught. It was a trap, we need to run right now.¡± Asher normally would never be frightened of such mere goblins. But these numbers were dangerous and he was still not as powerful as he¡¯d like to be in order to slay them all here without raising suspicions. More than that, he needed to get out of here quickly at the sudden appearance of a simple trap. It was just a trap, but everything leading up to that point, indicated something was off. Goblins were a bunch of low-intelligence mongrels that looked like walking snot. They had set a trap? This was rather unique and was not something Asher could bother to explain in detail to Reika right now. ¡°Krahhhh!¡± A goblin suddenly jumped out of the bushes, but Asher didn¡¯t even react or look at it, as he simply brought a spear out of his wrist brace¡¯s spatial pocket and stabbed it. Asher then stood up and kicked the goblin off the speartip into the incoming goblins that were chasing after him. Asher turned his head back towards Reika and spoke. ¡°We need to run away for now. Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡± Asher had spoken this time, with no signs of his indifferent or nonchalant attitude. His eyes had narrowed and turned cold as he looked at the incoming Goblin horde. ¡°O- Okay.¡± Reika hurriedly replied and kicked off the ground in the opposite direction of the goblins and retreated. She cleared the way through the bushes and Asher quickly followed suit. ¡°Kyaaaaaaa!¡± Another goblin suddenly got in his way as he was about to leave but Asher just smiled at it. His arm moved in a blur and the head of Goblin didn¡¯t even have time to react in shock as its head just slipped to the floor spurting blood. Asher turned to look at the goblin and then turned his gaze back to Reika¡¯s figure that was moving on ahead. ¡°It¡¯s really getting dangerous.¡± Not only would it get dangerous for their territory with this odd development, but also for other humans in other territories who did not have capable warriors like Asher. Asher clicked his tongue and started to move again, chasing after Reika.. *** ¡°Oh, my gosh.¡± Reika¡¯s breathing was going in and out at a rapid pace as she felt exhausted. She suddenly swung her sword at an incoming Goblin, who appeared in front of her. Her arms moved quickly and the Goblin¡¯s body was diced into several pieces with one move from Reika¡¯s swordsmanship. She had killed goblin after goblin with Asher as they were retreating. ¡°I think it¡¯s already been two hours¡­.¡± ¡°Reika, one thing to know about these creatures, is that they do not easily give up on their prey. Once they set their sights on a target, there are only two options for them. Either catch it and kill it, or collapse from exhaustion and die.¡± ¡°Araa!¡± Asher avoided the incoming spear from another goblin stabbed his sword right in between the goblin¡¯s eyes. The light from the Goblin¡¯s pupils faded as it fell to the floor with a thump. ¡°Keruk! Keruk!¡± ¡°Kreeeee!¡± ¡°When will it end¡­¡± Dozens of goblins had already been slain by the two as they retreated. Reika groaned with an exasperated look on her face. Seeing this and an incoming group of goblins, Asher clicked his tongue and started to stimulate his unique aura into his right arm that was gripping the sword and slashed sideways. BOOM! The trees on all sides of the forest broke apart and shattered from Asher¡¯s swing, let alone the bodies of the goblins exploding from the sheer power of his strike. The splinters of the bark from the trees that had shattered pierced into the next wave of goblins that were out of range from his blow, as blood spurted out from their bodies. ¡°KEEEK!¡± ¡°KRYAAA!!¡± ¡®There are two more times left.¡¯ Asher gripped his throbbing arm. He had already used his power three times whilst escaping. Reika had seen this but did not speak a word as she was busy just trying to survive. He only had two more times to use it, as no matter how hard he trained, right now he could only use the power 5 times in a day. ¡°There should only be a few more coming. We need to split up and you¡¯ll take care of these ones while I take care of the rest. ¡°Wait what? Why?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re approaching your limit and will only become a hindrance for me at this point. ¡° No matter how talented Reika was, it was only her first time in a real battle. On the contrary, she had endured will till now. However, it was not nearly even close to half the work. Hence why Asher noticed how exhausted she was and told her to head back after she took care of a few more of them. ¡°But-¡° ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn.¡± Asher¡¯s cold reply shut Reika¡¯s mouth up. ¡°You agreed to follow whatever I told you to do if I let you come with me. Are you taking back your word right now?¡± ¡°No¡­ I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m correct, if you leave, they¡¯ll only chase me since I was the one who attacked their base. I can outrun them so I¡¯ll be letting you regain your stamina for a bit. I¡¯ll be back later.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Asher slowly moved through the forestry and disappeared through the darkness. Reika faintly felt Asher¡¯s presence completely disappear as she then realized she was by herself now. ¡°Fucking hell¡­.¡± She cursed out loud. It was a curse that an aristocratic and young lady, would never utter out loud, yet Reika couldn¡¯t help it, ¡°I¡¯m just being a hindrance to you?¡± To help her regain her energy, he forced himself to take the hard path and attract the goblins in another direction. But what about it? She had been the one to put him in such a dangerous situation. She couldn¡¯t help but feel helpless at how selfish she was. ¡°I want to be stronger¡­.¡± She wanted to be stronger so that she could stand side-by-side with Asher. She wanted him to feel proud of her. For the first time in her life, she felt helpless and inferior to someone in so many ways when she met Asher. Yet instead of giving up, she continued to train. But, it was still not enough for her. ¡°Kkkkkaruk.¡± Suddenly, Reika heard a Goblin cry out loud for a moment. She hurriedly lifted her sword. A Goblin slowly approached her, trampling on the pieces of wood that Asher had completely shattered apart earlier. ¡°Kaaaaak.¡± The goblin that came into her view, was not much different in size from any of the other goblins they had faced until now. However, the weapon was not roughly made of crappy and carved stone, but was carrying a sharp, human-made spear. In addition, the body was a bit different from the other goblins, even if it was similar in height. It was slightly muscular, and had clearly developed such muscles from repeated training. The Goblin stared at Reika with a sharp and murderous glint in its eyes. ¡°¡­you want to try me?¡± Reika took a pose as she taunted the Goblin. No matter how tired she was, She could easily handle at least one goblin. But instead of running away from her, the Goblin did something completely unexpected. It stroked its chin with amusement like a human being. ¡°You are a rather interesting human being aren¡¯t you.¡± ¡°!¡± Reika¡¯s pupils dilated with shock. That Goblin could speak the human language? She had never seen that be written down in the literature and books she had studied about the goblins of the past. Even if Asher was here, he would be shocked too. The Goblin snorted with a chuckle at Reika¡¯s shock and started to twirl the spear around itself and took a proper stance. It was unlike any goblin that she had encountered. ¡°You look like a proper swordsman. I hope you won¡¯t be boring like the last human being I killed.¡± The Goblin twisted the corners of his mouth into a malicious grin. Leica swallowed her saliva down, anxiously. Something was seriously wrong with this Goblin. ¡°Oi, take a position already. I don¡¯t want you to die on me without even trying. Tsk.¡± The goblin clicked it¡¯s tongue in annoyance at Reika¡¯s blank stare as he then spoke to her, telling her to get in stance. Reika shook her head belatedly realizing if she didn¡¯t prepare herself properly, she would die here. Shifting her foot into the ground and narrowing her eyes in concentration, Reika took her stance properly. At that moment, the spear moved. Bang! ¡°Ugh!¡± Reika bounced off with a moan as she barely defended herself properly. She managed to hold onto her throbbing wrist and ease the pain a bit. The movement of the spear was incredibly fast and trained. The Goblin didn¡¯t hesitate to wait for Reika, as it thrust the spear again. Hurriedly, Reika brought the sword in position and defended herself as best she could. Kaga Gagak! The spearhead grazed at her whole body as she was trying to defend as best as possible. She couldn¡¯t even think of a counterattack because she was so focused on trying to stop the spear¡¯s movements. She wanted to be able to even scream at least; but, she couldn¡¯t. Why the hell was a Goblin so proficient with a spear? No¡­ why was it like this in general? It was too much! As soon as the Goblin gradually started to realize Reika was not doing much to entertain it, the spear stopped moving. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s all you have, is it?¡± Goblin asked with disappointed eyes as it looked at her haughtily. At that moment, something within Reika snapped. Her fragile ego, completely broke and was reborn anew. Her competitive spirit started to flare up within her as she suddenly shouted out. ¡°Then block this you shithead!¡± Her hand shook. The sword in her hand rushed towards the Goblin with pure precision and stayed true to Lepenia¡¯s swordsmanship, drawing afterimages. There were dozens of sword trajectories drawn in the air from her unique movement due to the flexible nature of Lepenia¡¯s swordsmanship. Anyone who had mastered Lepenia¡¯s swordsmanship to Reika¡¯s degree of mastery, could be counted on one hand. The movements she had contained with her sword, had even left Van Ester bewildered with how talented she was. But something was dastardly wrong here. The Goblin smiled at the sword¡¯s images being drawn in the air that were closing in on it, and moved it¡¯s spear suddenly with a swift movement. Kaga Gagakakakakagak! The spearhead started to paint an afterimage. Unlike Reika, the afterimages created from the spear were due to pure speed and technique, unlike Reika¡¯s that was just pure technique. Due to this, the images of the spear wiped out Reika¡¯s attack in a heartbeat. As they suddenly disappeared in front of her, the view between them became opened up again. ¡°Uh¡­.¡± It was a movement similar to hers. But the power displayed by this goblin was weird. It wasn¡¯t even remotely possible in her mind. That movement that the Goblin in front of her had just displayed, was the movement of those who were at the Peak of Mastery with their respective weapon. It was something that Reika was aiming to be. Yet, she saw this from a Goblin. Reika stared blankly at Goblin with her jaw dropped in disbelief. Chapter 29 ¨C Fin Chapter 30 - Humanity chose to Forget (3) Chapter 30 ¨C Humanity chose to Forget (3) Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 * * * ¡°Kkkkkaruk.¡± With a low cry from the Goblin, the spear headed toward the edge of her neck, drawing a soft line of blood. After looking at the spear blankly, Reika came to her senses in a hurry. Kaga Gak! ¡°Hup-!¡± Reika dodged it by a hair¡¯s breadth, but her wrist was throbbing. She slowly pulled back and tried to get space between them but to no avail. The Goblin was smirking as he closed in on her and did not allow her any breathing room. ¡°¡­Not bad.¡± Whoosh- The spear¡¯s tip closed in on Reika¡¯s hips. Reika shook her wrist in a hurry and the sword twisted in an odd angle. She quickly used her footwork and dodged with skill, leaving an afterimage of her body in the place of where the spear was aiming for, but the Goblin smirked and canceled the afterimage as he charged on her. ¡®What the hell!¡¯ ¡°Hu¡­Huap!¡± Reika swung her sword roughly in a messy attempt to attack, but the spear moved through the flaws in her swordsmanship with a light and elegant maneuver, completely rendering her attack useless. Seeing this, Reika clenched her teeth and kicked the floor with her foot. With her foot, she kicked up splinters and debris from Asher¡¯s move earlier at the Goblin.. However, all the debris was removed with just one movement of the Goblin¡¯s spear. It wasn¡¯t all for naught though, it gave Reika some room. Reika quickly stepped out of the range of the Goblin¡¯s Spear. ¡°Shit.¡± Reika cursed as she was desperately trying to recollect her breath. Her face was starting to turn slightly blue from the lack of oxygen in her body. Even with the time she earned herself, she couldn¡¯t get any breathing room. ¡°You¡­. What are you?¡± Reika bit her lip. The mastery the Goblin in front of her, had over his spear was something she had wanted. It was similar to someone she knew and wanted to be like. Simple, with little finesse, lacking in flaws and true to exploiting one¡¯s weak points. The Goblin was like Asher in a way. Reika grabbed the sword roughly, denying the thoughts that were arising at the moment. ¡°I¡¯m a warrior.¡± The Goblin said as he gripped the spear with both hands. ¡°Then show your strength, Human. We can still tangle can¡¯t we?¡± The spear cut through the air. Reika forced her throbbing hand to move and react to the spear. She was only able to avoid it with a narrow gap and saw an opening. ¡®Finally!¡¯ Reika clenched her teeth and shook her wrist. The sword created several images and spread everywhere. ¡°Oh¡­!¡± The Goblin burst out into admiration. Reika¡¯s sword burst out with pure speed as the trajectory of the sword twisted and turned as it came out looking like a beautiful flower. All of these beautiful techniques were molded into one strike towards the Goblin. ¡°Haaa.¡± Reika smiled. She had recently run into a wall during her training these past few weeks. No matter how hard she had trained, she didn¡¯t feel like she was getting stronger. Asher said it was natural, rather, it was strange that she had not been blocked with a wall so far, but she wanted to move on from it quickly and continue to improve. And now, in a life-or-death crisis, like many other talented swordsmen before her, she had used it to break through her limitations and improve. Her body¡¯s physical limits were still there, but she felt as if she was making full use of every muscle in her entire body, as if all the cogs had been put in place and were allowing her to move ten times more efficiently. ¡°Kruaaaak!¡± The Goblin moved the spear as fast as it could, defending itself from the incoming sword strike. As her sword tore through the air, the Goblin and the area around it was getting chipped apart from her sharp move. As soon as Reika started to smile after looking at her beautiful breakthrough, the Goblin sneakily started to move the spear. Round and round, the spear started to twirl. The spear turned in circles, creating a perfect crescent. Then it slowly started to collide and make small adjustments to parry the sword of Reika that was ruthlessly aiming at the Goblin. Slowly but surely, the momentum of Reika¡¯s sword started to shake and lose it¡¯s stability. ¡°Uk-¡° Reika withdrew her sword in a hurry. If this continued, she was sure the Goblin would start to adjust to her skill and improvement. Thus resulting in it only getting much more difficult. But, the Goblin did not let her get away so easily. The spear pierced through the gap as she tried to step back. Clang- Her sword suddenly shattered upon trying to block the spear. It was futile. ¡°Oh my god¡­ Hup-¡° She was hit by the spear and flung back into the tree behind her. She threw up blood and tried to lift the hilt of her sword, but her hands couldn¡¯t move. She was at her limits now. This time, she really couldn¡¯t move at all. ¡®If only I had a better body¡­.¡¯ She smiled bitterly as she thought. This was just another excuse. Even though she broke through her recent limits during the fight, she was completely overpowered. Even if she had broken through before the fight, she would not have stood a chance against the Goblin. It was too powerful for her. ¡®Am I really going to die?¡¯ She was determined to follow after Asher and improve, but she couldn¡¯t help but fall behind. She was still young. No matter how much of a genius she was, she could not overcome an entire lifetime of hard work within a single year. But she didn¡¯t want to make any excuses right now. She looked calmly at the Goblin who started to approach her, as she lay still and slumped over against the tree. ¡°Hmm.¡± The Goblin stopped and did not approach her further. It stroked its chin as if it were pondering about something deeply. ¡°I see.¡± Goblin nodded its head if it had realized something finally. ¡°You¡¯re not a real swordsman, I see¡­ Quite the shame.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a fake¡­?¡± At that moment, she heard the spear move. Reika¡¯s eyes closed. At that moment, the air cracked apart. BOOM! The spear that was heading for Reika was sent flying. Like a ballista, the spear that struck the Goblin¡¯s spear, made a beeline, demolishing anything and everything in its way. For the first time during the entire fight it had with Reika, The Goblin¡¯s face contorted in confusion and rage. ¡°KERUK!¡± The Goblin could not avoid the blow. It thought about it for a moment, but realized it was impossible. The Goblin brought it¡¯s spear close to itself and tried to block the spear that had flown in suddenly but was flung back with a thunderous roar. Reika looked in the direction of the spear that suddenly was thrown at the Goblin. ¡°That was close, sorry about that Reika.¡± ¡°Asher¡­¡± She was alive. As soon as she saw him, she relaxed. But as she did, she felt all the pain she had been ignoring up until that point and started to lose her balance *** Asher grabbed Reika who was about to hit the ground and checked her condition. Asher examined her and clicked his tongue. Her whole body was in a mess and her muscles were convulsing in pain. Even if Asher could treat her right now, it was clear she needed rest. ¡°It was a little too much for your first time.¡± ¡°He¡­.¡± Reika tried to speak but couldn¡¯t formulate her words. ¡°I¡¯m just glad you didn¡¯t die.¡± As soon as he helped Reika to her feet, a sound could be heard in the direction of where he had thrown his spear earlier. ¡°Kkkkkaruk.¡± ¡°Huh? It¡¯s alive?¡± Asher¡¯s expression changed slightly. The spear he just threw, was thrown with all his might. The Goblin was not at a level that could completely stop the blow, but it was standing in front of Asher without being hurt. ¡®This guy.¡¯ Asher remembered the Goblin¡¯s appearance. He had encountered this Goblin earlier. Asher frowned slightly. ¡°Are you the one who broke into my hut?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Asher stopped his thoughts for a moment. The Goblin was speaking to him in human language? Asher shut his mouth and narrowed his eyes coldly. After a while, the Goblin burst out into laughter. ¡°Ha.¡± It was him, Asher, the one who broke into its hut earlier and killed many of its subordinates. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am the leader of Goblins.¡± The Goblin in front of him, was the one who had played him for a fool and caught Asher in a trap. ¡°Yes, you might wonder what I am, but I am the Leader of these stupid things.¡± The Goblin spoke haughtily in front of Asher, demeaning its own kind. ¡°Then what should I call you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m but a warrior. I walk the path of warriors alike to achieve perfection.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re a Goblin.¡± ¡°What does race have to do with it?¡± The Goblin snorted at Asher and lifted its spear. It then kicked the ground, and shot towards Asher, drawing a clean trajectory with its spear. ¡°Then it seems you are the one guilty of obstructing my duel earlier. You bastard!¡± The spear moved closer towards Asher, and Asher took out his sword. The sound of iron banging against iron, echoed as the two rushed toward each other. Kaga Gak! The sword and the spear collided with precision and speed. The two of them had very unique styles of swordsmanship. It was a technique that was honed through countless years of practice and hard work. ¡°¡­you.¡± Asher looked at Goblin with a shocked face. The Goblin in front of him had a systematic rhythm to its strikes. It was not like any other goblin he had faced, and was following a technique. More than that, there was no way Asher could not notice. The Goblin¡¯s technique and movements were that of a veteran who had practiced for countless years. What Goblin could possibly fight like this? Asher stood there with a blank expression, staring at the Goblin in disbelief. However, the Goblin was doing the exact same as it stared at Asher with shock present on its face. ¡°I see¡­ You¡¯re not a fake.¡± ¡°A fake?¡± The Goblin didn¡¯t bother to answer Asher¡¯s reply as it spoke out with glee. ¡°Today is a good day. I¡¯ve been fighting so long against fake swordsmen up until now! But in front me right now, is a real opponent! I have been cursing my luck, unable to find someone that could satisfy me with a real battle! I must thank you dearly for this opportunity.¡± The Goblin, after speaking, rushed at Asher. The speartip twisted and moved like a snake towards Asher¡¯s shoulder. Asher pivoted his left foot, shifting his weight as he raised the sword and stabbed forward. When the Goblin pushed the spear towards him, Asher lowered his posture and turned his body roughly by bending his ankle. The Goblin retracted its spear and hopped up, avoiding Asher¡¯s stab with the sword. ¡°Haha! Good!¡± Goblin shouted with satisfied eyes. The spear struck the air. *** Reika was watching the fight with a blank expression. The spear drew several and intricate trajectories, as Asher met them all with ease and pure technique. It was something impossible for her to replicate right now, and stood there, leaning against the tree, in awe. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± She already knew it, but the fight in front of her was clearly showing the vast difference between her and Asher¡¯s swordsmanship. Despite Asher¡¯s flawless technique with his sword, she never felt despair about it. Her swordsmanship was a hero¡¯s style of swordsmanship. Thanks to Asher only using the Imperial Swordsmanship, she was sure she would be able to catch up someday. But, that idea was being shattered as she watched the incredible fight unfold before her very eyes. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± The spear and sword flew through the air, clashing fiercely. She felt a wall with Lepenia¡¯s swordsmanship lately and thought she had broken through it just now. She had, but she was already taking a glimpse at another wall before her very eyes. Regardless of her feelings, the technique standing before her was beautiful. Reika looked at the two as if she were possessed and did not dare to miss a single movement with her eyes. *** ¡®A Goblin that can speak human language, and has mastered spearmanship.¡¯ Asher thought as he blocked the spear. It was strong. It was natural for Reika to lose to this Goblin. How strange had the world truly become? Without realizing it, a smile popped out from Asher¡¯s mouth. ¡°This is what I wanted. A true fight with each other¡¯s life and death on the line!¡± Goblin pounded the butt of the spear on the ground as if he was really enjoying it. He then took the spear back and calmed himself. ¡°Come back here tomorrow. Let¡¯s call it a day.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t afford to let that happen.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m just going to run away?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a possibility.¡± The Goblin paused at Asher¡¯s words. At the same time, a fire spread from behind it. A roar of flames were burning the forest in a bright scarlet light. Countless Goblin¡¯s screams rang out everywhere. The Goblin¡¯s pupils dilated in fury, realizing what Asher had done. ¡°Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you say you¡¯re going to fight me again later, you won¡¯t come back here after you let your people burn to their deaths.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The Goblin stared at Asher as if he were going to tear him apart. The Goblin had been relaxed until this entire time, enjoying its fight, but its content and complacency were demolished apart. Asher just smiled at the Goblin as it cursed at him. ¡°You¡¯re a fucking coward.¡± ¡°Is that something you should really be saying to me?¡± ¡°Grrr¡­¡± The Goblin hit the floor with the spear in anger. As soon as the sound of it hitting the ground spread throughout the forest and numerous footsteps could be heard retreating. ¡°My race may be stupid, but we won¡¯t sacrifice ourselves needlessly.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll save a lot of your kind if you back off.¡± ¡°I see¡­ hey, human. You must be a resident of the place we¡¯re going to invade, right?¡± Asher nodded silently. The Goblin raised the corners of its mouth in a malicious grin. ¡°Then you should be looking forward to the future. I won¡¯t be able to run away then.¡± The Goblin went back to the forest and retreated. Asher didn¡¯t move this time and let the Goblin go. Once the traces of the Goblin completely disappeared, Asher let out a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll have to prepare accordingly, this is going to be troublesome..¡± Asher grabbed Reika who fainted and passed out and laid against the tree. He mumbled to himself as he noticed her complexion was starting to regain its color. Asher then picked her up, slung her over his shoulder and started to move out of the forest. *** The gate was starting to come into sight. They finally returned. Asher moved his feet and arrived in front of the gate. The guard on the gate was frightened and came to his senses as he was startled at the sudden appearance. ¡°Stop! Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°¡­Asher?¡± The guard opened his eyes wide when he heard the voice. Asher¡¯s entire body was covered in green blood, so it was not easily recognizable. ¡°Why don¡¯t you open the door for now. I have someone on my back.¡± ¡°Wait, what? Lady Reika!¡± When the guard recognized Reika on Asher¡¯s back, the guards hurried down to Asher¡¯s position. The door slowly opened. Several people were huddled around inside the village. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°She disappeared and everyone was looking for her. What are you¡­.¡± The guard¡¯s words were blurred. Was it because of what he saw next in Asher¡¯s hand? Asher tossed the body of a Goblin in front of the townsfolk that had gathered around. When the Goblin corpse landed in front of them, they backed away in fright. ¡°It¡¯s the body of the things that will be attacking us soon. You can study it or dissect it. But¡­.¡± ¡°But- But what?¡± ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you could open up a path for me. I¡¯m tired. She needs a break, too.¡± Asher pointed to Reika who was sleeping on his back. ¡°Well, yeah.¡± The guard nodded in a hurry and backed up the crowding people to make a path for Asher. No one stood in their way until they entered the estate¡¯s premises. When Asher got onto the premises, he left Reika to the maid who was about to faint and went into his bathroom inside his sleeping quarters. When he took off my clothes and poured water onto his body, the murky and green blood from the goblins he had slain, trickled down. ¡°Whoa.¡± Asher felt the pain he had been suppressing on the journey back. His muscles creaked and screamed in pain at how much he had overworked his body. ¡®It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been in this much pain.¡¯ A full day¡¯s rest would surely make him feel better. His body¡¯s resilience and recovery speed was abnormally quick. Asher thought, as he knew people would eventually storm in, and the Lord would pry him for information, but that was for later. He just wanted to rest for now. Suddenly, Asher recalled his unique experience with the Goblin he had faced. ¡®That Goblin.¡¯ It was a Goblin that defied all common logic he had. It mastered spearmanship, and could speak the human language. Was this part of the changes that were happening? It had trained with the spear, not just to survive, but to chase perfection. It was something that was rather human-like. Goblin walks the path of the spear and had a high intellect. It was pretty funny. What would happen in the future? How would they defend properly? Asher closed his eyes and cleared his thoughts as he soaked his tired body in the warm bath water. Chapter 30 ¨C Fin Chapter 31 - Goblins (1) Possessing Nothing Chapter 31 ¨C Goblins (1) Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 * * * The first thing Asher saw after waking up, was Lord Halvark and Venicia looking down at him. The three looked at each other with their gazes not budging an inch. Asher slowly lifted himself up from his bed covers. ¡°Here you are.¡± Asher knew they would come to him, but he didn¡¯t expect them to actually wake him up. Asher removed the blanket and checked his condition. He still felt some muscle pains, but it was tolerable. ¡°¡­are you all right?¡± Inside the eyes of Venicia, there was a mixture of anxiety and worry unlike usual. Asher could guess why. ¡°That¡¯s all right. I¡¯m a little tired, so please don¡¯t worry about me too much¡­mother.¡± When he put the awkward words in his mouth, fumbling with the word ¡®mother¡¯, Venicia¡¯s face became a little brighter. Asher smiled bitterly at how easy she was to read. ¡°You.¡± The emotions in Lord Halvark¡¯s eyes were distinctly different from those in Venicia¡¯s. Lord Halvark¡¯s eyes contained a blazing and raging fury. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me. Reika only followed me because she wanted to.¡± Asher could guess why Lord Halvark was mad. He and his precious daughter had snuck out and came back with wounds and dirt covered on each other¡¯s bodies. However, Lord Halvark was in no place to pressure or rant at Asher. It was as Asher had said; Reika had come with him out of her own volition and Asher had tried to stop her. ¡°I¡¯m a commoner, so I¡¯ll be afraid if you look at me like that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± At Asher¡¯s relaxed and silly words, Lord Halvark bit his lip. Ever since Asher ¡®lost his memories¡¯, he had a relaxed and secluded atmosphere about him. Lord Halvark turned his eyes away. ¡°¡­you would never be executed by a noble. You¡¯re a disciple of the Swordmaster, High Count Van Ester anyway.¡± Although it was only in name, Van Ester declared Asher the title of his disciple and it had helped him greatly. Being a disciple of a Swordmaster had such merit and authority, even if it was unspoken. Since there was no actual title, Asher could not use it as an excuse to hurt or harm a noble, but it was also very difficult for a noble to harm him because of it. It was a rather peculiar situation, but it worked out just fine for Asher¡¯s purposes anyways. ¡°Is that so?¡± Asher looked up at the sun through the windowsill as he noticed it was currently daytime. ¡°How many days has it been since we returned to the estate?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only been one day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as long as I thought.¡± ¡°¡­and Reika still hasn¡¯t woken up.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about her too much. It¡¯s because her body was at its limit and it¡¯s currently forcing her to rest properly. She¡¯ll wake up in another day or so.¡± It was overall a good experience for Reika despite the unexpected difficulty. She broke through her limits and then also realized another wall. Not only that but, she got to realize just how wide the world was by facing off against a stronger enemy than her current level. She was growing up still, and she had a lot of room to grow, but if she kept up at the pace she was going, she would grow to be amazing. ¡°Then, it seems you have something to say to me.¡± At Asher¡¯s words, Lord Halvark faltered for a moment and soon had his expression turn cold. He wasn¡¯t too mad at Asher, but he was about to speak to Asher, not as the father of Reika, but as the Lord of the territory. ¡°¡­thank you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, the estate would still be in chaos. But the atmosphere had been stabilized to some extent thanks to you hunting them down and bringing a corpse they could see, back.¡± The biggest reason why villagers were afraid of fighting and had such a gloomy atmosphere, was because they didn¡¯t know exactly what the opponent they were facing was, nor what it looked like. All they knew was that the enemies had green skin and long ears. They didn¡¯t know what they ate, whether they ate humans, or what kinds of weapons they used or how big they were. Those were all unknown to the villagers until Asher had brought a corpse back for them to look at. There was nothing more frightening than the fear of the unknown. Just because there were records left behind in literature, it did not mean it was accurate unless they had a first-hand account. Thanks to Asher, they had been able to identify and analyze the opponent to some extent. If anything, they relaxed a bit since they saw how small the goblin was and how ugly it was. ¡°I¡¯ve never experienced a battle myself as a Lord, so I can¡¯t help but fear the unknown¡­ But at least the atmosphere is clear that we will not have to run away in fear. It¡¯s all thanks to you bringing back that body.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± It seemed his actions weren¡¯t in vain, Asher murmured inwardly as he felt relieved. Carrying both Reika and the Goblin¡¯s corpse was quite the heavy toll to carry, even for him. The good news was that not everyone knew of Asher and Reika¡¯s competence. All they saw in their minds, was that a child had gone out and was capable of killing these monsters. Then as adults, what would they feel? Or course, that was the intended effect from the start. Asher had hoped that those kinds of thoughts would be planted in the minds of the villagers and guards. It wasn¡¯t such a bad plan, he thought. ¡°My Lord.¡± ¡°¡­what¡¯s wrong?¡± Asher looked at him with a serious expression. Lord Halvark flinched reflexively. There was a definite and uncomfortable tension lingering in the air. ¡°Do you have any food? I haven¡¯t eaten a whole day, so I¡¯m feeling quite hungry.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll get it right now.¡± (T/N : Lmao maid Halvark waifu?) *** When Asher recuperated a little bit and had his food, he left his quarters with Lord Halvark. Outside, the guards and warriors of the estate were diligently practicing with their spears. However, there was a complete difference in attitude towards their training as there was a fierce and fiery passion that blazed in their eyes. ¡°Are you able to move already?¡± Lord Halvark asked as he stared at Asher. ¡°Recovering a bit of fatigue is never that difficult. How is Reika¡¯s condition?¡± ¡°She¡¯s still sleeping in her bedroom. She¡¯s being tended to by the maids regularly on her condition.¡± Lord Halvark spoke passive aggressively to try and reprimand Asher, but his voice was filled with anxiety. She was his one and only, precious daughter. He couldn¡¯t break her stubborn nature and naggin to learn swordsmanship, so he had eventually caved in and let her, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel his heart break just a little whenever he saw her hurt. No matter how talented she was, he wanted her to grow up comfortably and loved. ¡°It¡¯s because she doesn¡¯t like to be tied up to one place, my Lord. She has a free spirit.¡± ¡°Yes, it would just feel better for me as her parent if she didn¡¯t insist on taking such a dangerous path.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t blame her or yourself for the path she¡¯s chosen to take.¡± Asher could understand Reika¡¯s decision, and that was because he was the same. He simply loved the sword despite having one of the steepest learning curves possible. Because of that love for the sword, he never gave up on his ambitions despite being shunned by others or facing the walls of talent he couldn¡¯t overcome. He could understand to some extent, but that didn¡¯t mean he knew exactly why Reika picked up the sword. Reika was her own individual and everyone who walked the path of a swordsman, picked up the sword for different reasons. Asher looked around at the guards and warriors who were training. There was still some fear present in their eyes, but most of it had been replaced with hostility towards the goblins that had harmed their Lord¡¯s daughter. The atmosphere had changed for the better it seemed. What was truly interesting, was at the front of the gate to the training area, the head of the goblin that Asher brought, was skewered to a pike. It was to help boost morale and get the troops to feel a sense of anger rather than fear. ¡°It¡¯s better working much better than I thought. I think this has given us a good chance at defending ourselves.¡± ¡°¡­Well I think it¡¯s more of the fact they finally know what they¡¯re up against.¡± Lor Halvark looked at Asher with a new set of refreshed eyes. He truly was looking at Asher in a new light due to his actions. He went to catch an unidentified monster for the territory all on his own, which even the grown-ups of the territory were afraid to do, and dragged the body all the way back. Asher was only eighteen. He could barely be called a grown man, yet he had done this all for the territory to survive. This was something even Lord Halvark couldn¡¯t ignore as just a ploy of sorts. Asher was genuinely concerned for the territory. Maybe not the people, but it was something one wouldn¡¯t do if they didn¡¯t feel some sort of sentiment towards the land. ¡®Is it time for me to change my perception of him?¡¯ Despite everything up till now, Lord Halvark was still uncomfortable with Asher. Due to his memory loss, he had changed and become an entirely new person. Something so drastically different it was suspicious. But, his actions this time went beyond words and suspicions. ¡®It¡¯s like something a hero would do.¡¯ Of course it wasn¡¯t really like that since there were rather unique circumstances that Lord Halvark did not know of. Asher had acted so bravely and boldly because he already knew enough about goblins to scout them out safely and even chip away at their numbers. ¡°By the way.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± When Asher suddenly spoke, Lord Halvark was shocked out of his thoughts and raised an eyebrow nodding to Asher to continue. ¡®He¡¯s not a noble. Why am I acting like such an idiot towards a child.¡¯ Lord Halvarlk groaned inwardly and set aside his thoughts. ¡°Why are the people taking off their clothes?¡± The guards and warriors of the territory had taken off their heavy armors and had replaced them with light leather type armor and light pauldrons. ¡°It¡¯s how we decided to change with our armor and to increase mobility in response to the incoming goblins. I wasn¡¯t able to brief you on it since you were still sleeping.¡± Goblins were not human. Therefore, it was only natural there would be some effective changes in how they approached the defense and their measures they would take against them. ¡°It says in the records we have, that their species is rather small and agile. Because of that I made the decision to change our armor to match their mobility in terms of speed while also keeping the necessary amount of defense. What do you think? Is it an effective change?¡± ¡°Well.¡± Asher stroked his chin. He had the experience first-hand both back then, and now. So he knew what would suit them best in terms of defenses and how the territory¡¯s warriors should respond. ¡°It¡¯s actually wrong.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­wrong?¡± ¡°Yes, Goblins¡¯ weapons are not very sharp. At best, they would be equipped with a stone axe or a shank tied to a wooden pole. It¡¯s important to at least have a certain degree of strong-plated armor. It should have even stated that in the records, shouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­Well it¡¯s still better than nothing, plus we only have cheap armor here, I¡¯m not sure what we could possibly use as a better alternative ..¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re misunderstanding something. Human armor was made for combat against other humans. We are not facing other humans, my Lord.¡± A goblin¡¯s attack was mostly consisting of blunt weapons. Despite them being small, it did not mean you could undermine their physical capabilities. ¡°Goblins know they are weaker, but that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re completely stupid. They also use their own secretions to coat their daggers as it works as a poison. Even the smallest hit could be deadly. Also, there¡¯s one more thing¡­¡± ¡°Huh, what else?¡± Lord Halvark asked with a worried look. His heart pounded with insecurity, since the order to switch the armors was his. Plus anything Asher would say would be invaluable. He couldn¡¯t afford to save face and lives at the same time. Asher pointed at the spears that were being wielded by the warriors in the training area. ¡°Goblins are also, as you said, small. They can even crawl on all fours when attacking. Therefore if you want to attack them successfully, you need to prepare and lower the point of attack. ¡° ¡°They did say that in the records¡­¡± Lord Halvark had read it in the literature, but he didn¡¯t realize just how important of a detail it was. As Asher had pointed out, he was putting the soldiers in training as if they were against human opponents. Lord Halvark nodded with a firm face. ¡°Thank you. They could have done a lot more damage if you didn¡¯t point these flaws out.¡± ¡°You can say thanks after the battle.¡± ¡®I didn¡¯t expect this.¡¯ Asher was surprised as well. He knew he had forgotten the characteristics of monsters, but even after fighting against the goblins he hadn¡¯t been able to realize just how much he had forgotten in terms of preparation against raids until Lord Halvark asked him for suggestions. ¡®If this continues, the rest of the world will fall.¡¯ This raid was likely not the only one in the Empire. It was highly likely there were several other raids happening on other human territories at this very moment. However, not everyone would be able to prepare properly like the Halvark territory was doing. The damage to all of humanity was likely to be large. ¡°¡­but it¡¯s rather fascinating. How do you know all of this? I know you¡¯ve fought against the firsthand now, but even so, it¡¯s almost too much.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± Asher¡¯s fell silent as he couldn¡¯t come up with anything to refute Lord Halvark¡¯s murmur. What should he say? Asher thought about it for a while and decided to speak. ¡°Van Ester told me ahead of time.¡± ¡°Oh, the Swordmaster? Him?¡± ¡°Yes, he seemed to know that things were getting weird. Because of that he told me multiple ways of response to monsters of the past in case I ever encountered them.¡± ¡°As expected, he did know something was coming¡­ Ugh, he could have at least told me as well before he left.¡± Once again, Asher had used Van Ester as his excuse. He was unsure what all this would amount to in the end, if Van Ester found out. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ Well, he didn¡¯t have to worry about it for now since there was no immediate threat to his cover yet. The prestige of a Swordmaster was not to be taken lightly. Across all regions of the Empire, the response would be the same. Especially when it came to combat, they were unquestionable in terms of knowledge. Since it was already like this, Asher decided to speak up about one last thing. ¡°I have a favor to ask of you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± When Asher voiced his request, Lord Halvark frowned lightly. ¡°¡­it¡¯s rather difficult.¡± ¡°But it is necessary.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. We need to be able to be prepared for when we step out onto the battlefield.¡± Lord Halvark nodded decidedly. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll let you do as you wish. If it¡¯s with your skill, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know my limits.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Lord Halvark fell silent as he gazed at Asher with suspicious eyes. Chapter 31 ¨C Fin Chapter 32 - Goblin (2) Chapter 32 ¨C Goblin (2) Translated by : betterdays Proofread by : ch17175 * * * Perhaps due to Asher and Reika¡¯s sudden raid on the Goblin¡¯s camp, the territory was given two more days than expected, thanks to their interference with the goblin¡¯s camp. With the extra time they had earned, the territory had been able to calm down and properly prepare with both their weaponry and mentalities. There was only one day left till the day of the estimated time of attack. On that day, Reika had finally woken up. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Reika felt a familiar warmth and softness atop her body. Laying in bed, she opened her eyes and felt the soft covers of her blanket resting on her body. ¡°¡­what¡­ what day is it.¡± She raised her upper body as quickly as she could. She felt searing pain throughout her body as the pain from all of her muscles was still not completely healed up. ¡°Huh- wait, I¡¯m in my room?¡± ¡°Oh, Young Miss!¡± The maid who came in with a change of clothes for Reika screamed. She clung to Reika and desperately examined her body as she hugged her. ¡°Are you okay?! You haven¡¯t been up for days, so the entire territory has been very worried about you Young Miss.¡± ¡°¡­how many days have I been out?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯ve been asleep for about four days.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Reika¡¯s blurred memories of what had happened, slowly started to resurface as she recalled the odd goblin she had been in a duel with. Yes, she had lost and then¡­. ¡°Lady!¡± The maid yelled again when Reika grabbed her forehead with a painful expression. Reika caught the maid trying to call the lord in a hurry. ¡°Hurry up, and call the Lord!¡± ¡°Wait- Please let me ask you one question before then. Someone had to have brought me here. Who was it¡­?¡± ¡°What? It was him. The boy¡­.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Oh, yes it was! I¡¯ll go tell the Lord you¡¯ve woken up and come back. Your father was very worried about you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The maid left the room in a hurry. Reika looked behind the departing back of the maid and lifted herself up from her bed. The fibers in her muscles were torn apart and her strained bones screamed in pain. Standing up with a pained expression, she grabbed the sword with a tight and determined grip. *** Asher moved towards the training area. However as he approached, the sounds being made from inside stopped for a bit. After thinking for a moment, he realized who it was and proceeded to go inside. Booong- Booong- As he arrived inside the quarters of the training camp, Reika was wielding her sword. It was not Lephenia¡¯s swordsmanship. It was a poor-looking sword that was somehow clumsy. Bloody hands moved the sword roughly. ¡°Huh, Asher?¡± ¡°Oh, are you up?¡± Reika hurriedly stopped her sword¡¯s movements. She glanced at Asher with a slight look. ¡°Have you been watching me?¡± ¡°Just the end. It¡¯s a different kind of swordsmanship than Lepenia¡¯s swordsmanship. What made you make the decision? ¡°Ha ha, I just felt like I needed a change of pace.¡± Reika shrugged with a bit of wariness. Asher looked at Reika without saying a word. Sneaking away from Asher¡¯s gaze Reika spoke out in annoyance. ¡°Cha, I¡¯m just going to try some other swordsmanship style to practice.¡± ¡°Stop it. You¡¯ve already learned many other styles of swordsmanship than Lepenia¡¯s swordsmanship. If you try to learn other swordsmanship in this situation, it will just ruin your body even further.¡± ¡°Just as you expected, right?¡± Reika mumbled sarcastically, fiddling with the sword in her arm. Immediately regretting her rude words, she continued to speak. ¡°¡­sorry.¡± Asher was surprised at Reika¡¯s sudden change of behavior and couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You were distracted with something going on in another place. Besides, I was unprepared and didn¡¯t know what to do, let alone help you. I¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Asher dismissed her self sabotaging words. He went and left her on her own briefly, expecting what happened to happen in the first place. No matter how talented she was, she was still immature, and it was her first real time in a duel, let alone raid. On the contrary, it was still a little surprising that such a difficult and uncanny monster happened to be her opponent. Reika glanced at her hand remorsefully as Asher spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in good shape right now. You¡¯d better not overdo it.¡± ¡°What do you really want to say to me?¡± ¡°¡­well.¡± Come to think of it, even he wasn¡¯t really sure what he had to say. Asher clicked his tongue in regret. But what was clear right now, was that they both needed to be doing different things right now ¡°I¡¯m measuring the limits of my body since I just broke through my last wall. But that doesn¡¯t mean you know my body better than I do, does it?¡± She had barely woken up, but her body was still at its previous limit physically. Her bloodied hands were proof of it.. If she did something wrong to her body right now when it was supposed to be resting, she could have had her muscles completely destroyed and never recovered from it. Asher¡¯s narrowed eyes slowly relaxed. His cold and indifferent eyes met with Reika¡¯s gaze. Seeing his gaze, Reika shuddered and spoke. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m speaking as your teacher. Don¡¯t try to cross the line forcibly right now. Your body is a complete and utter wreck currently.¡± ¡°¡­I just want to be strong like you.¡± Reika spat out her thoughts that had been eating at her. Asher¡¯s expression changed slightly as he heard the words. ¡°¡­That¡¯s interesting.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your purpose that you spoke of when you first picked up the sword, was to escape the bondage of your family and politics as a noble. You¡¯ve already accomplished one of those goals, haven¡¯t you? But, you still want to be stronger? ¡°Uh¡­you knew about that?¡± Reika struggled to find the right words with embarrassment plastered on her face. Asher spoke with no interest because it was obvious what she was thinking. ¡°It¡¯s already been a year since you and I have started to practice together. Even if you don¡¯t speak your mind that often, I can know at least that much.¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t hide it from you very well then.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter why you want to, swordsmanship is just a means of escape for all of us.¡± There was nothing noble about swordsmanship in reality. It was what it was. Either a means to an end, a passion, or escape from reality. For Asher, the sword was nothing more than a weapon. Others had spouted things like it was more than their own lives and Asher respected their views. However, he simply wielded the sword because he liked to do so. Because of that, he had no intention of prying into Reika¡¯s life or why she picked up swordsmanship. It was her life and her swordsmanship. Everyone¡¯s reasons were different and it was impolite to interject one¡¯s opinions onto another. ¡°Up until recently, it was an escape for me from responsibilities and a freedom I never knew. But, now it¡¯s different for me.¡± ¡°¡­ I see¡± Asher already knew what she meant by that. She had the same look in her eyes as those he remembered back then. The passion of those who devoted their lives to seeing the pinnacle and end of all swordsmanship. It wasn¡¯t unusual for someone with her kind of talent. She could have the possibility of reaching such a goal. With that, he felt the need to tell her. Asher nodded as he spoke his mind.. ¡°It¡¯s possible if it¡¯s you. If time continues to pass, you¡¯ll be stronger than me someday.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know about that.¡± ¡°What?¡± At that moment, Reika turned her eyes away from Asher¡¯s surprise. She quickly erased her expression and smiled as she waved and played it off. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± He was sure he heard it. Asher didn¡¯t doubt his hearing. But why would a swordsman say something like that? And her of all people? ¡°Young Miss!¡± ¡°Ah shit.¡± Reika cursed as she saw a maid running towards her with a pale face. Lord Halvark was following after the maid with a red face. Reika smiled awkwardly as her father, Lord Halvark, spoke to her ¡°Reika, you¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Reika swung her arm around in circles as if to prove it. Lord Halvark just shook his head, not knowing what to say at the sight. ¡°You¡­ are always in some kind of trouble these days. Luke is a different type of troublemaker, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s any easier to deal with this from you.¡± ¡°I feel bad to be compared to someone like my brother. He doesn¡¯t even have the nerve to come out of his room. He¡¯s stayed like that the past few months and was even worse prior to that.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Lord Halvark sighed as he realized there was no point in even trying to defend Luke at that moment and regretted asking about it, but just shook his head. ¡°Oh, Asher. It¡¯s time to get ready.¡± ¡°I know.¡± At Lord Halvark¡¯s reminder, Asher took out his sword as he asked once more. ¡°Are you confident that you can beat that Goblin that nearly killed Reika?¡± ¡°Lord Halvark¡­¡± The maid moaned. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m fine.¡± It would be the same for the soldiers. Even if they were afraid right now, they would lose all emotions and fears when faced with their lives in the line. Asher walked outside the training grounds. *** ¡°ugh..what are you doing?¡± Lord Halvark grumbled as he asked Asher in confusion. The soldiers had all lined up under the command of Asher. ¡°I¡¯m busy training them as a unit, but what do you think my Lord?¡± Asher wanted the soldiers to feel the pressure of the battlefield in advance, and Lord Halvark agreed. Due to this command, he had called the soldiers up and assembled them to each have a sparring session with him one on one. It was also for them to meet Asher, someone who was naturally going to be doing a lot of work during this defense against the goblins, and for them to get used to fighting against powerful opponents. Naturally, the soldiers protested as Asher was the one leading them. Asher may have been the disciple of the Swordmaster, Van Ester, but that did not mean they thought of him any better since all they knew was that he was still the troublemaker of the estate and recently picked up the sword. Although some of them had a bit better eyes and were evaluating Asher based on his contributions prior to the defense by attacking the goblins and bringing back a corpse, it was altogether still a somewhat unwelcome environment. ¡°How¡¯s it going so far?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so-so. They¡¯re receiving pointers from me, but they should do well overall when the time comes¡± ¡°Well if they mess up even once, it will become critical.¡± Lord Halvark said as he looked at the group of soldiers lined up beyond the training grounds. The soldiers clenched their spears firmly while glaring at Asher. Although he had been the one to catch a goblin, he did not have their trust and many of them thought he was being overrated by the Lord and the townspeople. They lined up each, one by one to spar with Asher and get to know his level. One of the soldiers in the lineup saw his friend come back from the training ground and waved to him, since he knew he had just faced Asher and wanted to ask him how it was. ¡°Brother, did you fight him?¡± ¡°Oh yeah, I did.¡± The soldier nodded to his curious partner with a bewitched look. ¡°How was it?¡± The soldier asked his partner for the details. His partner was a veteran who could be unmatched by the rest of the soldiers. Unless one was at the level of a Knight, they would not be able to best him. ¡°It was nothing to you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°He was¡­.¡± Boham, the curious soldier, couldn¡¯t understand his partner¡¯s response. The soldier then chuckled to himself seeing Boham¡¯s perplexed expression. ¡°Huh, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°No, nothing is.¡± The soldier waved his hand. ¡°Just go look for yourself.¡± The soldier left and waited for his turn with a haggard face. Looking at the faces of the people leaving the training ground, they were all the same faces as the soldiers before them. Their faces all seemed to scream ¡®absent-minded¡¯. Suddenly Boham thought of something weird. ¡°Is he facing all of us by himself?¡± There were more than a hundred soldiers. It was never a number that he could never imagine facing all by himself. Turn by turn, soldiers continued to enter and exit the training ground. And then, it was Boham¡¯s turn. Ca-Clank! The door to the training ground opened and shut with a clanky sound. Boham found his eyes in the center of the training ground. Asher was standing there shirtless and sweaty, but overall, unharmed or showing any fatigue. Boham gulped down his saliva and came closer. He felt an unnerving pressure from just looking at this teenage boy who had barely turned 18. Boham spoke, asking what was next ¡°¡­what are we going to use?¡± ¡°The spear.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Originally, Boham was going to protest at first, but it happened to be the weapon he wanted to use. However, with a reluctant motion, Boham gripped his spear and lifted it up as Asher raised the sword. ¡°Well then, I hope you don¡¯t get scared.¡± ¡°What¡­.¡± Asher moved his feet and shot forwards. Dashing forward, Boham couldn¡¯t even follow Asher¡¯s movements as it was like a blur. Suddenly a thin image of a sword was approaching Boham. ¡°Ah.¡± Boham stared blankly at the sword¡¯s trajectory. It was something completely new to him. Frightening. A sense of helplessness. He could do nothing against this sword, and he knew it at that moment. He felt death itself. Before he knew it, the blurred image of Asher and his sword started to slow down and come to a stop right before his neck. Tooook- Boham couldn¡¯t even collect himself as he collapsed on the spot. ¡°What, what¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s worse than I thought.¡± Asher frowned slightly at the entrance where the other soldiers would be standing in line, waiting. ¡°It¡¯s over. Let¡¯s get you out of here now.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah¡­¡± Boham¡¯s once outgoing face as he left the training ground had disappeared, and he had the very same look at those who were before him. Completely absent-minded. *** ¡°¡­I¡¯m in trouble.¡± Lord Halvark groaned. What Asher did was a test to see whether the soldiers had ever faced a crisis at one point in their lives, where death was imminent. This meant to see if they could hold up in front of fear of death when the goblins came. And the results of the test were very disappointing. ¡°Twenty out of a hundred.¡± The number of people who stopped Asher¡¯s first attack. The other 80 could not do anything and simply stuck out their necks only to collapse right after. Only a few succeeded in stabilizing their minds, but they still had their movements rather sluggish. In other words, if it were a real battlefield, 80 of them would have already died helplessly. ¡°They¡¯ll be fine now. Once someone experiences it, you¡¯ll feel less pressure when it comes up again. But if you¡¯re still nervous about how we¡¯ll do, I¡¯ll permit you to train more.¡± ¡°Thank you very much.¡± ¡°No, now that I think about it¡­.¡± Asher turned away. ¡°How is the young master doing?¡± ¡°¡­he¡¯s still in his room.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Asher clicked his tongue. He didn¡¯t expect Luke to stay in his room and not come out at all. It was difficult for the heir to succeed the title of the Lord if they did not even come out of the house. ¡®I¡¯ll have to wake him up a little.¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t something to do right now. Now that the minimum preparation was complete for the defense raid, it was time to get his own personal time for training in. Asher went to the training area and picked up his sword. ¡®That goblin.¡¯ It was not a weak goblin, and there was even a high possibility that Charon would never be able to do anything in front of it. A difficult opponent. Asher tightened his arm and took a firm grip with the sword. Chapter 32 ¨C Fin Chapter 33 - Goblins (3) Chapter 33 ¨C Goblins (3) * * * ¡°Keurk Keuk!¡± ¡°Kaaaaaaa!¡± ¡°Hiiieeeek!¡± The goblins howled. As they got closer to the territory, the little amounts of intelligence they had, gradually disappeared and only their instincts remained. Some of the goblins could not hold back their excitement and beat their own people barbarically. It resulted in small riots and skirmishes and sometimes a goblin ended up dead. In such a peculiar instance, there was something similar happening to the pack of goblins at that very moment, where another goblin was beating on a younger one. ¡°Kekekeke!¡± Cwooong! With the sound of a spear slamming into the earth and instantly gathering the goblin¡¯s attention, the goblins stopped what they were doing and looked in the direction of the noise. They may have had their intelligence become degraded, but the goblin in front of them had imprinted fear into their minds and a submissive nature into them. If a human saw this in the warring eras of the past, they would be shocked. Goblins were known to not organize themselves or have any kind of class system. Yet, right now with this pack, there was a leader. ¡°kuuuk¡­¡± However, the target of the sudden attention had a grim face and clicked its tongue. Why were his people so stupid? He had worked hard to gain intelligence for himself and was even trying to incorporate intelligence into them, yet in the end they reverted back to their barbaric and idiotic instincts. His people were utterly hopeless idiots. They did nothing with their lives and unconditionally relied upon him. He felt truly hopeless. He wanted to put everything down and leave. But he couldn¡¯t. No matter how stupid and disgusting his kind was, he was of the same race as them. His sense of responsibility was tying him down. ¡°Kkkkkaruk.¡± He looked up and looked at the human territory in the distance. As he looked at the territory in the distance, the dark and screaming voices inside his head resurfaced. [Kill him¡­] He had gained intelligence as a Goblin only thanks to those voices. What was the point of learning to speak and learn martial arts, if in the end, he was nothing but a puppet? ¡°Kkkkkaruk.¡± The Head Goblin grabbed the spear. No, even as a puppet, he had found something worthwhile. That human, the one who also used the spear and the sword. ¡°Keruk!¡± The commands he was receiving inside of his head, did in fact find him something interesting finally. It was a command worthwhile. ¡°Let¡¯s go, my soldiers!¡± ¡°Keraaak!!¡± ¡°Kaaaaaaaaahhk!¡± ¡°Keke!¡± The Goblins marched forth. *** ¡°Here they come!¡± The guard shouted with a pale and frightened expression. The warriors of the territory grabbed their weapons tightly with conviction and a bit of anxiety present in their facial expressions. ¡°Everyone, raise your weapons! This is our land! Will you let those green creatures violate our territory and plunder us?¡± ¡°NO!¡± ¡°For hundreds of years, this land has belonged to us humans and has been passed down from our ancestors all the way down to our current generation! We must tear the heads off of those filthy mongrels who dare to invade us!¡± ¡°YES!¡± After Lord Halvark¡¯s words, the group cry rang out in unison. Immediately after that, the warriors stuck to the wall. The goblins who were in their line of sight, clung to the gates of the territory and tried to climb up the wall. The gate to the territory was pounding with a tremor. ¡°Keyaaaahhhh!¡± ¡°Erghhh!¡± The goblins climbing the wall were stabbed by a series of spears. But the goblins did not care for death and just stepped on the corpses of their dead comrades to continue climbing higher. Asher calmly watched the raid starting from afar. ¡®We can¡¯t be pushed back here.¡¯ The geographical advantage lied with the humans. In addition, the warrior¡¯s faces displayed a fierce fighting spirit, rather than fearful ones. Looking closely at it, Asher saw Charon taking care of some of the Goblins who managed to climb up to the top. The same thing was happening with Reika. She let the sword dance with minimal movement even though her body condition was not normal yet, and each time her blade danced, goblins collapsed one by one. She was making significant progress by pushing herself even further Asher looked at the horde of goblins approaching. There was one specific goblin that was missing right now in Asher¡¯s eyes. ¡®I¡¯ll wait then.¡¯ There was no reason for Asher to intervene right now. The Head Goblin had not appeared yet. The rest were just small problems that they had to solve. He couldn¡¯t help me one by one. He had his own problem to take care of. Asher thought so, as he moved towards the manor of the territory. *** ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Luke was shivering underneath his covers. The more the outside shouts and echoes rung out, the more his body shrank down in fear. Suddenly a different noise rang out. It was a ¡®click¡¯ noise and it came from inside his room. Luke flinched at the sound of the door opening. Luke shuddered and held his mouth with his hand to cover his breath. Trembling, Luke heard the footsteps approach the bed. Eventually the hands of the unknown reached their hands out and grabbed the blanket. ¡°Hik-Hik-Hik-Hik-Hik-Hik! Luke started to hyperventilate in fright. He threw the blanket off his body and shot for the ground grabbing the pillow as his cover. ¡°Wake up.¡± There was a human figure that could be seen over the flowy quilts and blankets that lay on the floor. Luke murmured. ¡°Asher¡­?¡± Luke struggled, but Asher came over to him, picked Luke up by his collar and opened the window to the terrace. Walking next to the open window, Asher moved the struggling Luke over and out the open window, while holding onto him. ¡°Ah, ah, ah, ah!¡± Luke writhed around in fear from the absence of a floor. Asher quietly tightened his hand. ¡°Look at the battlefield.¡± There were shouts, smoke, fire, battle cries and blood. The warriors were fighting to protect their territory. ¡°And look around the houses.¡± Numerous buildings and houses were right behind the battlefield, untouched, but right behind the line of defense. For decades or even hundreds of years, the people who lived here had regarded this territory as their land and had passed their lineage down to live there. ¡°And the manor.¡± The manor of the Lord. The place where all of the guards and the sole knight, Charon, lived. ¡°All of this is yours.¡± Reika was a woman after all. She couldn¡¯t be a Lord and she had no intention of doing so either. ¡°Whether you wish to be the Lord or not, you are their master.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it anymore.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t like it or want it. It¡¯s your destiny.¡± Asher pulled his hand back in, bringing Luke back into the room. When he let go of his grip, Luke collapsed on the floor without giving weight to his legs. ¡°In the end, you hold the fate of this estate in your hands.¡± Luke¡¯s eyes shook. ¡°You¡¯re going to let your people who don¡¯t have anything much left, fall apart? Or are you going to force me to do a population cull?¡± ¡°I, I¡­.¡± ¡°If you really want to go to hell so early, then you¡¯re welcome to do so.¡± ¡°I¡­.¡± Luke murmured to himself quietly. Asher walked back to the door. From here on out, Luke was the one to make his choices alone. He could either rise to become a Lord, or fall into ruin, dragging his people along with him. ¡°¡­what are you going to do, then?¡± Luke asked Asher in a hoarse voice. Asher tapped his wrist brace. ¡°I¡¯m doing my job.¡± *** Spears and knives moved among the numerous bodies on the battlefield. Green and red blood trickled on the floor creating pools of blood, creating a new color. Amidst the bloody battlefield, Reika threw out a knife at a goblin nearby. ¡°Kie-kie-kie-kie-kie-kie!¡± Thawuck! The Goblin¡¯s body fell with a scream and his feet spasming. Avoiding an attack from the front, Reika let her sword dance wildly. The approaching goblins fell as a line slashed through the air and their heads rolled right off of their necks.. ¡°There¡¯s no end to them¡­¡± ¡°Young Miss!¡± As Charon finished slaying one of the goblins near him and caught his breath, he rushed over to Reika. He cut off the goblins in the way of his path and blocked their path towards Reika. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll live. I¡¯m not feeling well, but it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Kie-kie-kie-kie-kie-kie!¡± Reika grabbed a goblin¡¯s spear and put a knife in its neck. Her arms were numb and her breathing short, but she was still able to hold out. It wasn¡¯t really time for her to reach her limit yet. ¡°¡­why don¡¯t you leave? If you have a re-opened wound on your body¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­. I¡¯m okay.¡± Reika waved her hand lightly. She grabbed a spear on the floor and threw it. The spear flew through the air and nailed a goblin right in the skull, exploding it open like a watermelon. ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s got to keep the morale up. I can¡¯t step down now.¡± The daughter of the Lord was fighting in the middle of the frontline herself. In addition, she was killing several goblins with her flamboyant skills. Such a sight was giving several warriors a vigorous fighting spirit to continue. Stepping down here, would result in a downhill battle from here on out. ¡°I¡¯m fine, so hurry up and go continue fighting them off. You are the only knight of the estate so you must not stop fighting, Charon.¡± ¡°¡­I hope you stay careful Young Miss.¡± Charon uttered his parting words and rushed to the endless waves of goblins who were climbing up on the wall. The goblins messily waved their weapons in front of him as he cut them down easily. ¡°Hmm.¡± Reika watched Charon¡¯s movements with her sunken eyes. He was avoiding the attacks with minimal movement, and using the goblins¡¯ actions to make them hit each other. Charon was strong and skilled. Even though he lost to Reika, that was a one-on-one duel. In terms of fighting experience, he was leagues above her, and in overall contribution, he was much more needed for this miniature war. ¡®But it¡¯s¡­ still different.¡¯ Reika thought to herself as she cut an incoming goblin¡¯s neck with ease. Charon¡¯s swordsmanship, like her own, was something different from Asher¡¯s. Her swordsmanship and Charon¡¯s swordsmanship were styles of swordsmanship that the great heroes used in the past and had handed down. Asher was a swordsman who only used imperial swordsmanship, so it was natural that his swordsmanship was different. However, Reika felt there was something that both her and Charon were missing in her swordsmanship, and that ¡®thing¡¯ was something only Asher had. ¡®Where¡¯s that goblin?¡¯ She violently stabbed a goblin in the heart as she thought back to the goblin that had originally put her in this state. His own kind continued to die, but Reika could not see that unique and variant goblin. The situation on the battlefield was tilting in favor of the humans. Most of the deaths there were goblins. The human warriors were not weak enough to die to creatures that had lost all reason and intelligence. Above all, Asher¡¯s preemptive attack on the goblin attack helped a lot as well as his ¡®mentality training¡¯ for the warriors. On the battlefield, the warriors were moving coolly, maintaining their reason with a subdued rage, as much as possible. The difference in their once nervous faces, were becoming different as they started to see hope of winning. *** ¡°Kakkak, you stupid bastards. You¡¯re making a very stupid and ignorant charge just because you¡¯re told to ¡®charge¡¯.¡± Then there was the sound of human words from the rear of the horde of Goblins. The Goblins began to roar in unison once more. ¡°Kie-kie-kie-kie-kie-kie!¡± ¡°Kaaaaaaaaahhh!¡± ¡°Go, what¡¯s up with all of these idiots all of a sudden!¡± The Head Goblin started to emerge from the back of the goblin horde, as the goblins parted, creating a pathway. In the sudden and unusual path created by the goblins, the warriors gulped down their saliva as a sole Goblin emerged. ¡°Here we are.¡± Reika gulped down nervously. An unknown anxiety spread throughout the hearts of the warriors on the battlefield. The Head Goblin, seeing this, spoke up in a condescending tone. ¡°What are you looking at? Hold your heads down, human vermin.¡± ¡°A Go-¡­ Goblin is talking?¡± ¡°No way!¡± There were shouts of shock and surprise everywhere. The Head Goblin smiled, seeing that his presence alone was having its intended effect, opened his mouth as he slammed his spear down onto the earth gathering the warriors¡¯ attention once more. ¡°I, the Great Leader of the Goblins, have come for your lives, humans.¡± Chapter 33 ¨C Fin Chapter 34 - Goblins (4) Chapter 34 ¨C Goblins (4) Translated by : betterdays * * * ¡°Kya!¡± ¡°Kekeke!¡± The goblins raised their arms and shouted a fierce and messy battle cry. Their madness forced the humans to retreat backwards. The Head Goblin strode forward as to see just how the situation was doing. ¡°¡­it¡¯s still only a goblin!¡± Today, lots of soldiers had been gaining their confidence as they killed several goblins and had gained back their spirit. A soldier shouted as more of his comrades came and surrounded the Head Goblin. Seeing this too late, Reika screamed. ¡°NO!¡± ¡°Kyakaka, stupid humans.¡± ¡°Woahhhh!¡± The warriors simultaneously shouted and thrust their spears forwards. The Head Goblin looked at them disdainfully and smirked as it spoke. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be seen from you worms.¡± The Head Goblin grabbed it¡¯s spear and approached the oncoming spears from the warriors. The tip of the spears came right in front of the Head Goblin¡¯s face, but it didn¡¯t even blink and shook its hand. An afterimage was drawn with the Head Goblin¡¯s spear. Kwaduk! The arms and legs of the warriors flew off their bodies at a speed that could be said to be almost at the speed of sound. The warriors screamed and fell limbless on the ground. ¡°AHHHH!¡± ¡°IT HURTS!!!¡± ¡°Back off weaklings.¡± ¡°Uwahhh!¡± ¡°Charon!¡± All pandemonium broke loose. Screams, shouts and disbelief could be heard and seen all across the battlefield. Amidst this, a certain amount of space was made away from the Head Goblin. In this space, Charon stepped forwards. ¡°Next is you.¡± ¡°This is the estate of Halvark Nobility. I can¡¯t let some Goblin dirty it¡¯s name.¡± Charon took a defensive posture with a hardened expression. The Head Goblin held the spear and the trajectory was drawn. Charon hurriedly turned his sword to intercept it. Boom! ¡°Hup!¡± Charon threw up his blood and backed away. His left arm was paralyzed and broken by a single blow. His face, which was calm and cooly hardened, contained only doubt and disbelief.. ¡°Uh, how could a mere Goblin¡­.¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯re a fake one as well.¡± The Head Goblin raised it¡¯s spear. Looking at the trajectory of the spear, Charon moved his right hand with the sword. Wha-boom! ¡°Urgh!¡± Although he was barely able to prevent the blow, the difference in their skills was obvious. A line shot through the air as the spear collided against Charon¡¯s body and blood spurted from his mouth. Reika couldn¡¯t resist watching it anymore, and grabbed the sword. ¡°Young Miss!¡± ¡°Why are so many useless worms crawling around?¡± The Goblin made fun of them and shook the spear in its hands, thrusting it forwards with two projections looking like a blur, both aiming at Charon and Reika. Bang! Bang! ¡°Argghh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± And they both flew out at the same time. Lord Halvark shouted with his eyes wide open. ¡°What the hell?!¡± He couldn¡¯t believe it. Lord Halvark may not know much about swordsmanship, but Charon was one of the best Knights in the Empire, and Reika was a talent that even Van Ester had acknowledged to be monstrous; she even defeated Charon. However, the two of them were flung back by a single blow. ¡°There is only one worthy amongst you worms. Everyone else is worthless.¡± The Head Goblin¡¯s spear headed for Reika as she was down. Charon hurriedly stood in front of her as the vanguard and tried to block it. Seeing this, The Head Goblin nodded as if he acknowledged Charon. ¡°You¡¯re a worthy Knight.¡± The Head Goblin shot the spear with a twisting movement, like a snake. ¡°Then you shall also die a Knight¡¯s death.¡± The spear closed in on Charon. Charon closed his eyes. Screams rang from all sides. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± However, the pain he was expecting did not come. Charon opened his eyes. The spear had stopped right in front of his forehead. ¡°Kakkak. You¡¯re here.¡± Goblin laughed. As if he didn¡¯t care about Charon, he turned away from Charon with the spear, sparing him and looked away. At the end of the Head Goblin¡¯s gaze was Asher. *** ¡°Huh, Asher?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that kid?¡± Asher and the Head Goblin heard the voices of some of the soldiers. None of them thought that Asher could possibly go against the Goblin. Hell, none of them even knew that Asher was leagues above Reika and Charon. They knew he was strong but, they thought what he was doing was nothing short of suicide. One of the goblins nearby couldn¡¯t hold back its urge to kill, and lunged at Asher. ¡°Kaaaaaaa!¡± The Head Goblin saw this and clicked its tongue as it thrust its spear in the head of its comrade mercilessly. ¡°Kakarek¡­¡± ¡°Keruk¡­Keruk¡­¡± ¡°Kyukek¡­¡± The nearby goblins who were approaching Asher slowly, became wary and backed off. Asher laughed at the act as the Head Goblin was an alpha wolf telling the omegas to back off it¡¯s prey. ¡°That¡¯s not very goblin of you, is it?¡± ¡°What a bunch of stupid cretins. I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re of the same race as me. Although I hate them, I can¡¯t leave them alone. You¡¯re the same aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Asking me, a human being, the answer would be obvious.¡± ¡°So it is.¡± The Head Goblin chuckled and brought it¡¯s spear down to the ground, creating a small tremor. ¡°Back off.¡± ¡°Krekeuk¡­.¡± ¡°This is a fight between me and him. You are not qualified to participate.¡± ¡°Kukuaerk!¡± ¡°Kawk!¡± The goblins cried out in protest, but soon slowly moved away. Asher grabbed Reika by the shoulder as she collapsed. ¡°Back off.¡± ¡°But.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not helping.¡± ¡°¡­okay.¡± Reika grabbed Charon and pulled back together. Before Asher knew it, only he and the Head Goblin remained in the center of the battlefield. The villagers¡¯ astonishment and mysterious eyes were directed at Asher as some of them were included as they fought with the warriors of the estate. ¡°You seem to have a face full of questions.¡± ¡°¡­ I really am about to go crazy.¡± Asher murmured softly to himself at the Head Goblin¡¯s spot-on guess. Was it really a goblin in front of him right now? Not just the instincts, but it¡¯s ability to wield a high level of spearmanship as well as completely capable intellect and an idea of ranking somehow. It was easy to call it a goblin purely based on appearance, but everything else about it screamed that it was an anomaly or sorts. ¡°But I have no intention of telling you anything.¡± The Head Goblin grabbed the spear with both hands. It¡¯s fierce gaze set its sights on Asher. *** Luke clenched his teeth. Eventually, he chose to live a life bound by responsibility. ¡°I may not be able to fight, but I should at least be in the same place as everybody else.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. You will eventually be their Lord.¡± Lord Halvark nodded with a bright face. It was a rather good piece of news amongst all the chaos since he was always worried about Luke. ¡°Charon, why don¡¯t we go back to the estate and tend to your injuries?¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Charon shook his head with a white face. He didn¡¯t have any internal bleeding, but it was not a small injury still. Yet, Charon outright refused to do so. ¡°I¡¯ll watch from here.¡± ¡°Leave him be.¡± Reika knew how Charon felt as she told her father off. ¡°As a swordsman, I can¡¯t go anywhere without seeing this.¡± ¡°¡­what the hell.¡± Charon murmured in a voice filled with complex emotions. ¡°What the hell¡­. is that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a question everybody has, isn¡¯t it? I was confused as well.¡± Before everybody knew it, there were no more cries or shouts on the battlefield. All the goblins and humans that were fighting moments ago were just standing still and watching the two fight. ¡°¡­Asher was that good?¡± Both Luke and Lord Halvark, his father, stared blankly at Asher. The sword and the spear moved brilliantly as they clashed multiple rounds. Their movement was clearly visible, but at the same time it was monstrous. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. How is that the movement of someone talentless?¡± Reika grumbled. *** ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaa!¡± The spear was shook in the Head Goblin¡¯s hands. An afterimage from pure speed was being made from Asher¡¯s sword movements as he pressured the Head Goblin. Asher shook his arm. The afterimages of his sword narrowed down into a single image as a clean line drew through the air. ¡°Kakakak! Kkagak!¡± The Head Goblin saw the arc being drawn through the air and forcefully twisted its wrist holding the spear to intercept it. The battle was nearing the speed of sound in terms of the exchanges and flurries of blows being traded. The spear rushed forwards after parrying off the sword and Asher calmly twisted his body and brought his sword back down. Kaga Gak! The spear was knocked off target by the sword. The spear flew past Asher¡¯s cheek; a hair¡¯s width apart from scraping him. Asher threw his sword up into the air and lowered his body by sweeping the goblin off its feet with a kick. ¡°Urgh!¡± The Head Goblin pulled the hand that was holding the spear as it was kicked up in the air. The spear aimed for Asher¡¯s back that was crouched. Asher quickly tapped his wrist brace and a dagger popped up into his hands and blocked the spear as the Head Goblin¡¯s face distorted in confusion. ¡°Hup-!¡± Goblin bent narrowly with a groan, but it was inevitable that the sword came back down into Asher¡¯s hands and he started to pressure the Head Goblin who messily regained his lost footing. Asher immediately put as much pressure as he could on his opponent, cleanly aiming for vital points, forcing the goblin to defend awkwardly. ¡°Keruuuuk!¡± The Goblin dropped it¡¯s spear with enraged eyes and decided to go with hand-to-hand combat. A green muscular fist cut through the air, and Asher looked at the arm briefly before scoffing and twisting it in a bent direction. The goblin, seeing that it¡¯s wrist would be broken at that point, shoved itself off the ground and twisted it¡¯s body in a ninety degree angle and used it¡¯s foot to kick Asher¡¯s grip away from it. ¡°¡­what¡­.¡± Charon groaned in disbelief as he watched the scene. The fight between the Head Goblin and Asher, in his view as a first-rate swordsman, was tough. It was a pure battle of finesse, with few tricky maneuvers and was something only very few swordsmen were able to pull off in a battle. It was such a simplistic movement, and nearly no flaws, that some might not even think it was swordsmanship. But for Charon, he knew that Asher¡¯s level of swordsmanship was something he could only dream of trying to achieve, It was beyond the level of a first-rate swordsman, even a Peak Level Swordsman didn¡¯t have that kind of skill. ¡®¡­We have someone like that to fight with that thing?¡¯ For a moment, Charon actually felt relieved. He was truly fortunate that he was able to live and not even lose a limb for this. He should have died here and he knew it. The best part was that there was someone capable of defeating that terrible monster. It was a boy whom everybody had looked down on until now. He was only 18 years old and was showing skill beyond someone who could be called the best Knight of the Empire. He might even be at the level of those ten¡­. ¡°Whoo-¡° In a brief lull, Asher took a deep breath back in. The Head Goblin was laughing as if he couldn¡¯t stop himself from enjoying what was happening. ¡°Yes! Yes! This is it! What a pleasure! A battle of pure skill and extremity. This is exactly what I wanted!¡± ¡°I see.¡± Asher nodded. He was pretty sure he had finally figured out just what kind of¡­ goblin this was. ¡°You¡¯re like me.¡± The Head Goblin was no different from him. In terms of swordsmanship, Asher was not great at it. Neither was the goblin very good at the technicality of spearmanship. Yet, both of them made up for such a thing with finesse and flexibility to compromise mid-battle. ¡®I¡¯ve never had a fight like this before.¡¯ All the swordsmen Asher had ever seen, had learned the swordsmanship styles passed down from heroes. He only had been the one to give those swordsmen a brutal and nasty fight like this, but had never received one in return like this. ¡°Come on, come on!¡± The Goblin shouted, excitement in its eyes. The spear that had fallen earlier, was picked back up by the goblin as it charged at Asher. Asher quickly summoned two daggers out of his wrist brace and threw them at the goblin while taking his sword out to meet it. Ka-clang! Ka-clang! The speartip thrust itself forward and met the two daggers in the air, quickly stabbing them and hitting them out of the way and aimed for Asher¡¯s neck. Asher pulled away and twisted his body and even threw the sword at the neck of the goblin while retreating back a step. As soon as the flying sword obscured the goblin¡¯s vision, Asher pulled out another dagger and threw it at the goblin¡¯s right ankle as well. But, the Goblin twirled the spear around with a snort. Asher clicked his tongue as the goblin made a semi-crescent movement and blocked both the sword aimed at its neck and the dagger at its ankle. ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t block that?!¡± ¡°Well, it certainly works a lot on others. No reason to not try it on you.¡± Most swordsmen Asher had faced in the past, were unable to take their eyes off of their sword and the opponent¡¯s sword. Asher had used this method of obstructing their vision and throwing his sword to defeat many swordsmen that were stronger or more talented than him. But it didn¡¯t work on the goblin in front of him. The goblin murmured in a displeased voice. ¡°How can you compare me to such fake idiots?¡± ¡°Fake?¡± Now Asher thought he knew why the goblin kept saying ¡®fake¡¯. But, he couldn¡¯t be too sure just yet. ¡°Why are they fake?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask this instead. How come they¡¯re not fake?¡± The goblin spoke in a distasteful voice and cut the ground with its spear. ¡°They rely on their ¡®talent¡¯, don¡¯t train themselves, never want to improve and feel like battles are a chore. What else would explain those people other than ¡®fake¡¯?¡± Swordsmanship itself. The Head Goblin in front of Asher had basically said that all swordsmanship styles were fake. Chapter 34 ¨C Fin Chapter 35 - Goblins (5) Chapter 35 ¨C Goblins (5) Translated by : betterdays * * * Asher could not understand. Why berate swordsmen who followed in the footsteps of heroes. Those heroes had paved the way for several generations to come and ascend to greater heights. Yet, the Head Goblin had called those people ¡®fake¡¯. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter in the end, it doesn¡¯t change that they¡¯re fake. The only thing that matters, is that you are not one of those fakes.¡± The Head Goblin lifted the spear with a face full of excitement and expectation. It was quite odd to see a creature so hideous become so passionate about something. ¡°I opened my eyes to this world and was blessed with the capability of intellect. The first thing I noticed was this was a world full of lies and I despaired. Yet you¡­ you, are worth it!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Asher thought about it. What should he do? His often-used tactics did not work against this Goblin. Was there anything he could use against this goblin to defeat it? His normally cruse methods weren¡¯t working. After a while, Asher stopped moving as he came to the answer. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Asher burst into laughter. Asher, who shook his head, pulled out a sword and grabbed it firmly. ¡°What an irony.¡± He realized just what would work against this goblin, and it was the very thing that this goblin hated. ¡°Finally, I¡¯m coming to the right decision.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.?¡± The Goblin was confused at Asher¡¯s words as he noticed something was wrong. The answer was something so simple, yet something Asher had done for countless decades just to get to where he was right now with his terrible talent. He never thought he would compete with someone like this with pure swordsmanship. It had been ages since he had done this in a formal duel. ¡°Keruuuuk!¡± The Head Goblin swung the spear roughly. *** The spear and the sword collide. There was no such thing as a movement beyond cognitive abilities for the two of them. They just moved their weapons purely to kill each other. The Head Goblin stepped back and thrust the spear as Asher brought his sword down. When Asher turned around and avoided the thrust, The Head Goblin took stance with the spear. The spear shot out violently, drawing an afterimage. ¡°Whoa,¡± Asher breathed, dodging within the flurry of blows the Head Goblin threw at him. His minimalistic movements dodged everything by a hair¡¯s breadth apart, making his way closer and closer towards the Head Goblin. ¡°You and I are the same.¡± ¡°KEEEE!¡± The Head Goblin blocked the sword that approached it in a hurry. In the gap, Asher pulled a dagger out with the other hand, stabbing at the stomach of the Head Goblin. It didn¡¯t quite reach its intended mark, but the dagger still hit nonetheless, as green blood flowed from the wound. ¡°But there¡¯s one difference between us.¡± Asher spoke as he swung the sword. The Head Goblin grit its teeth and blocked it. But gradually it took a step back. Asher dug into that gap and stabbed the sword. ¡°Keruuuuuuk!¡± A solid arc drew through the air with Asher¡¯s blade as it struck the legs of the Head Goblin and blood spattered. There was one difference between the two of them. The fact was that Asher was a better warrior in general as well as swordsman. Asher was not a talented one, but he was hard working so his swordsmanship wasn¡¯t terrible. Yet, this simple change of mindset and adaptability was the key difference between the two. Taking a short step closer, the Head Goblin thrust its spear out at Asher desperately. Asher simply parried it away as if it were futile and shot through the gap once more. The sword moved and a painful groan burst out from the Head Goblin¡¯s mouth. Asher struck through the gap with a clenched fist that seemed to be covered in something white and struck the Head Goblin head-on. There was a sound of a cannon being fired from this impact. ¡°Oh, my!¡± The onlookers shouted in surprise at Asher¡¯s brutal strength that almost seemed superhuman. The Head Goblin soared through the air in a straight line as it crashed into a tree, shattering it to pieces. Seeing this, the other goblins around them all burst out in screams. ¡°Kee-Kee-Kee-Kee-Kee-KeeK! ¡°Kakakaka!¡± Asher moved and went to the place where the Head Goblin had fallen; he was sprawled on the ground vomiting blood. He tried to lift himself up, but he kept falling down like a broken doll. ¡°Cough- I didn¡¯t know you were hiding that.¡± ¡°I was trying to crush your chest, but you didn¡¯t die.¡± At the last minute, the Head Goblin twisted its body again. It was a really brilliant use of technique. The Head Goblin grinned. ¡°A great victory like this was. Winning in such a fashion with a feat like that, it seems I have a lot to learn from someone like you¡­¡± The Head Goblin spoke in a toothy grin. ¡°May I at least congratulate you?¡± Asher lifted the sword at the Head Goblin¡¯s words to congratulate him as the Goblin¡¯s hand was outstretched. This Goblin was pure danger. It was capable of intelligence and was capable as a fighter. He could not leave it alive. ¡°That¡¯s quite cold of you¡­.¡± ¡°Let me ask you a question. Where did you come from?¡± These goblins had suddenly emerged from within the Empire. This wasn¡¯t the first time this had happened. Asher remembered the same happening 50 years ago as well. ¡°Asking questions, there¡¯s no reason for me to answer them, but¡­ I think this is the rights of the winner so I will naturally answer. I was from a fair different kind of place than this one.¡± ¡°Another place? That¡¯s vague.¡± ¡°Somewhere that didn¡¯t make sense to me. There was a door to this world and when I stepped through the door, the orders came to my mind. I had to kill and slaughter the humans. It¡¯s an order that¡¯s still going off in my head.¡± ¡°An order¡­.¡± It was the same as when the Devil had appeared. Suddenly, monsters had appeared out of thin air. They turned hostile towards the humans and relentlessly attacked them without rhyme or reason. (T/N : In the past, author-nim used Demon Lord but occasionally swapped between Devil and Demon Lord. I think ¡®Devil¡¯ suits better.) It wasn¡¯t a good situation. It was likely in other places across the Empire, ferocious and hostile monsters were emerging and attacking the humans. It was highly likely to be the Devil¡¯s work. ¡°The Devil.¡± The predator of humanity. Lord of the Demons. The grim word lingered in Asher¡¯s mouth. ¡®Did he show up again?¡¯ However, Asher recalled that day. The Devil should have been sealed away far beyond the Realm of mortals. That seal wouldn¡¯t be undone for at least another 1,000 years. But what were the chances of it appearing suddenly within only 50 years of being sealed. ¡®Nothing¡¯s certain at this point.¡¯ There could be some type of foreign entity or entirely separate race that opened portals to other realms and brought forth monsters from them with the order to kill humans. Asher slowly approached the Head Goblin. ¡°You must have so many questions for me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Despite the crisis, The Head Goblin¡¯s face was bright. His face was that of a pleased warrior. ¡°It was a good experience. Defeat sometimes brings something more than victory. To be defeated by a man who walks the same path as me and not some fake one, is a great learning experience. And with it, I know the way forwards from here.¡± ¡°The dead cannot walk any kind of path.¡± ¡°Keruk Keruk, You can¡¯t kill me and you know that¡± ¡°¡­you despise humans, yet you¡¯re so similar to them.¡± Asher clicked his tongue. The Head Goblin grinned. ¡°You have so much to gain from me in terms of information. I won¡¯t be the one to die here, and I can even make it easier for you here. However, I¡¯ve already accomplished one of my goals here today.¡± The head Goblin¡¯s strange choice of words made Asher feel wary. The Head Goblin then opened his mouth to speak. ¡°Go back! Go back and wait for your master¡¯s return!¡± ¡°Kee-Kee-Kee-Kee-Kee-KeeK!¡± ¡°Kakakaka!¡± As soon as Head Goblin¡¯s words finished, the other goblins suddenly turned tail and ran. Some of the territory¡¯s warriors ran after them, but couldn¡¯t find them as they had all run in different directions. ¡°I am a Lord who cares about his men.¡± ¡°¡­Alright we¡¯ll take you with us.¡± The Goblin lifted himself back up at Asher¡¯s words. Asher then turned to Lord Halvark and nudged him with his shoulder. ¡°m¡¯Lord.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Ah!¡± Lord Halvark, who was watching everything in a daze, came to his senses and beckoned his soldiers to grab the Goblin and take it with them. The Head Goblin did not resist as the warriors tied him up, but rather spoke. ¡°As a loser, I have to respect the rights of the winner. I need to see what a human prison is like anyways.¡± The Head Goblin walked proudly into the village. He was so confident in his gait, that it was hard to see who was truly the winner and loser in the situation. ¡°¡­won.¡± But in the end, it was the humans and the territory that had won this battle. In wasn¡¯t certain who first said it, but it picked up momentum quickly and the people shouted it in waves of joy. ¡°Victory!¡± ¡°We protected the territory!¡± ¡°Long live, Lord Halvark!¡± People hugged each other and shed tears. Asher, who was wrapping his head with a bandage, put the sword back in it¡¯s sheath. They had won for now, but Asher didn¡¯t get complacent. It was time to acknowledge they had survived and was worth it to let the territory bask in their victory, *** ¡°We won!¡± The warriors of the territory shouted in excitement. They had defended their territory properly, they had survived and won. They were the ones to live and they made it known they did not take their victory for granted. ¡°It¡¯s the victory of the Empire!¡± The excitement soon died down though on the battlefield. They were realizing that victory did come at a cost. Although the number of goblins was smaller in number than they had thought, it did not mean that they came out unscathed. There were several dead bodies on the battlefield and many more that were crippled or injured. ¡°I have a headache.¡± The next person to fall under the weight of responsibility was none other than Lord Halvark. He groaned as he rubbed his temples. He was buried under mountains of paperwork. Even if he refused to eat or sleep for a week and just work on the paperwork, he wouldn¡¯t be able to finish. ¡°Tsk-¡± He was troubled with all of the smaller details and larger ones. Repairs for their broken walls, treatment of the injured, compensation for the families of the dead. All of them were troubles that would seriously expend the territory¡¯s finances and make the budget grow thin. Lord Halvark was reading through a paper as suddenly a knock came upon his door and someone walked inside. ¡°Are you tackling the paperwork again today?¡± ¡°Oh, Asher. Welcome.¡± Lord Halvark¡¯s expression lit up like a man who had found a light within the darkness. Asher burst into laughter at the clearly visible expression from the Lord. ¡°You must have had a hard time. Where¡¯s my portion of the work?¡± ¡°I left it there. Thank you very much for your help. You¡¯ve made things a lot faster.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a responsibility I should bear for the territory. It¡¯s only natural that I, a member of the estate, can help you.¡± Asher sat down. His pile of work was not as much as Lord Halvark¡¯s, but quite a lot of documents were piled up in front of him. With the first page in hand, he began to go through them with skillful hand gestures. Lord Halvark looked at Asher dumbfoundedly. He had expected Asher to have to learn a bit since he was sure it was his first time dealing with this kind of paperwork, but it seemed to be the exact opposite. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had experience with filing paperwork.¡± Asher nonchalantly just handed over his documents that he had finished. ¡®It was the most common thing to do for me, back then.¡¯ He was the former captain of the Imperial Guard. It was only natural for him to understand how to efficiently go through paperwork and legislation. He was someone that managed and oversaw parts of the security within the Empire. Compared to back then, this was child¡¯s play. There were times where he had been surrounded in a warehouse with nothing but paperwork. Over time, a lot of the documents had been getting processed and Lord Halvark spoke up with a hesitant voice. ¡°That goblin.¡± ¡°You mean the goblin in prison?¡± ¡°Yeah, I respected your opinion and put it in prison instead of killing it¡­ But the atmosphere of the territory might turn sour.¡± That Goblin was the leader of the monsters who attacked them. No wonder the villagers wanted to kill it and rid it¡¯s existence from their village. ¡°I had already expected that to a certain extent. But we can¡¯t kill him. As someone that needs to take all of humanity into account, we need information.¡± ¡°I have nothing to say if you put it like that.¡± It was Asher who defeated Goblin. Charon and Reika were forced to look like children in front of it, yet Asher one-sidedly beat it down. In fact, he saved the village alone, so if Asher insisted on something, the people had no choice but to follow. ¡°The change in atmosphere is inevitable.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you speak to the Empire? We¡¯re just locking it up for a while.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, the Empire has called to send someone in to interrogate it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty fast.¡± It hadn¡¯t even been two days and the territory had already got an answer. Lord Halvark spoke, inking his feather pen. ¡°It¡¯s an urgent situation in the Empire. Rumor has it that there are quite a few villages and even some territories that have collapsed under attacks from the monsters.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be hard to respond to everything at once.¡± There were more monsters that had appeared all around the Empire. Their territory could be said to have been extremely fortunate to have someone like Asher, Charon and Reika. That was why Lord Halvark had no choice but to honestly see Asher in a completely new light. ¡°All I have to say is thank you.¡± ¡°It was something I naturally would do to protect my home.¡± ¡°No, besides that. Your help with Luke. He must have changed because you gave him some kind of advice.¡± Luke was visiting each of those affected by the incident and offering words of compensation and encouragement. People expressed their joy and were even slightly reluctant from Luke¡¯s sudden change in behavior, but it was apparent that Luke was serious and starting to seriously mature as a Young Lord. ¡°That kind of combat prowess and mature personality. It¡¯s no wonder than Van Ester took you in as his disciple.¡± Lord Halvark felt incredibly comfortable with Asher now. Asher felt like laughing. If Van Ester knew everything that Asher was putting on his name, it would be quite the sight to see. It wasn¡¯t that the townspeople and Lord Halvark were stupid people, it was just the prestige of a swordmaster was worth that much, Before the two of them knew it, the pile of documents had been completed. After finishing the last document, Lord Halvark thanked Asher once more.. ¡°Good job. Thank you very much.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Asher stepped outside of the estate and went towards the town. Everyone that passed by him, no longer had any gazes that were different than admiration or pure respect. There were no hostile gazes to be seen anywhere. Asher passed through the town and arrived at the secluded area in the forest that he had always used in the past. He took out the sword and started to swing. Chapter 35 ¨C Fin Chapter 36 - Captain of the Imperial Guard (1) Chapter 36 ¨C Captain of the Imperial Guard (1) Translated by : betterdays * * * The sword was moving through the air. Twisting the upper body, bringing the arm forward in a whip-like motion and snapping the wrist to thrust the sword forwards. Finishing with a wide stance and completing the next series of movements, Asher got back into position. The Imperial Swordsmanship was near-perfection, if not already perfected. Anybody watching Asher would be able to pick up Imperial swordsmanship without having to even be instructed properly. ¡®Will Van Ester return back here?¡¯ Then there was a lot to talk about. Was it due to the Devil coming back? Would he be able to show Van Ester the abnormal Goblin they had captured? What happened to Ian the Brave? There were a lot of unanswered questions. It was likely that Van Ester wouldn¡¯t come back yet since he probably still had a few more things to take care of within the Capital of the Empire. Asher was repeating the movements of the Imperial swordsmanship diligently until he realized something and stopped. He took out a spear from the wrist brace. He tightened his grip on the spear and lowered his posture. He was bending his knees more than usual for some reason. Asher moved his feet and kicked the ground. He thrust the spear forwards in a series of movements, growing faster and faster. It kept rising in speed until an afterimage started to blur through the air and dust flew up. Wooosh- The firm movements of the spear cut through the and and Asher continued to move. He was using the movements of the Head Goblin he had faced recently. ¡°Whoa.¡± The spear stopped. There was no real problem with his body other than the usual strain of underused muscles. It was¡­odd. ¡°Can I use it?¡± The Goblin he had faced was more of a spearman rather than a swordsman. Was it because the Goblin used movements that were for the spear that he was able to replicate them so easily? It was never this easy for Asher to pick up something. He traded the power of the spear for pure speed. It was a way he never thought of using when it came to the spear. It could come in handy for the future. Of course he¡¯d have to repeat the motion and engrave the movements to muscle memory. Asher stopped moving and felt something arise within himself. ¡°It¡¯s fun.¡± A small smile cracked open on Asher¡¯s face. He had never had the talent to learn the techniques of others. Even if this might not exactly be a sword technique, it was the first time he was actually able to learn something from another. The sense of accomplishment and surreal pleasure was delightful. He had never found such pleasure like this before in learning. Asher wanted to experiment more, but it was time. Asher took the sword back out of its sheath and placed his spear back into the spatial pocket within the wrist brace. Charon suddenly walked out of the gates to the training ground with a stiff face. ¡°Hi.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Are you not going to say hello?¡± ¡°¡­Good morning.¡± Charon uttered in a trembling voice. Asher just shook his head at this response. ¡°Yes. Good morning to you as well¡± Charon¡¯s face was crumpled in humiliation. *** An Imperial Knight always spoke formally to the common people; it was common knowledge. There was a reason for this as well though. ¡°Hey, pick up your sword.¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± Charon took up his sword from its sheath with an embarrassed face. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what to do with you¡­ tsk-¡± After things had stabilized to some extent since the attack, Charon asked Asher a favor. He asked Asher if he could spar with him once a day. Of course Asher refused outright at first. Like Reika, he had nothing to learn from Charon. But, he felt bad for not acknowledging Charon¡¯s will to grow stronger, so he added one condition. ¡°Speak respectfully to me from now on.¡± Charon was not just a knight, but a man of respect and admiration to the common people. Of course he thought Charon would reject it, but Charon unexpectedly, had said yes. ¡°You are a disciple of the Swordmaster, Van Ester. This is an honor rather than something shameful. Besides¡­.¡± Charon continued to speak with a serious face. ¡°It¡¯s because sparring with you is worth it.¡± ¡°Less talking, and let¡¯s get on with it then.¡± Asher waved his hand. Charon lunged in without anything else needing to be said. Charon¡¯s hand moved and the sword drew a trajectory through the air. It was a fast and flamboyant swordsmanship. For Asher, it was too simple to break. Charon¡¯s movements were flashy but simple if they were cut-off at the root of the rhythm. Charon tried to correct his collapsing technique, but Asher¡¯s feet moved and kicked up Charon¡¯s legs as he grit hit teeth and withstood it. Charon stabbed forward with the sword. Asher leaned over the tip of the sword aimed at his neck and narrowly avoided it. An outstretched sword always had to be pulled back. Asher stretched out his body and knocked his elbow on Charon¡¯s outstretched arm, causing Charon to contort his face in pain. But then Asher came up behind him and knocked him in the back of the throat, signifying a loss. ¡°..Hup!¡± Charon coughed as he choked briefly on his own saliva. ¡°It¡¯s not bad. But you¡¯re not some kind of overwhelming talent.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that I¡¯m not talented though.¡± ¡°That kind of thing is always relative.¡± Charon caught the sword again, standing back up and fixing his posture. *** It had been an hour that had passed by since the start of their sparring session. Charon sat down and was recollecting his breath from the intense sparring. He looked at Asher with wonder. ¡°I¡¯ve traveled the world and seen a lot of people. Very few of them had the upper hand over me¡­ Yet not only do you trample over me¡­ you do it with the Imperial Swordsmanship of all things.¡± Charon also learned the swordsmanship that one of the great heroes passed down. His style of swordsmanship showed very quick and flashy movements to the eye, but was designed to aim at the opponent¡¯s vitals by confusing them with the big movements. However in front of Asher, his swordsmanship was nothing to the Imperial Swordsmanship that Asher wielded. Asher replied nonchalantly. ¡°Your talent is just within the realm of mortal human beings.¡± Charon had probably one of the best talents Asher had seen when it came to comparing him against the ordinary common folk. However, he would not be able to transcend his human limitations and become a swordmaster. On the contrary, he couldn¡¯t go as far as Reika. She was in a league of her own. ¡°Your talent is enough to get you far in life, but Imperial Swordsmanship can still break it down. I wouldn¡¯t know though if it was someone like Reika though.¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­ a monster.¡± ¡°The world is wide, and all the heroes of the past were monsters in their own right.¡± ¡°You¡­?¡± Charon quickly shut his mouth as he realized if what he guessed was right, then he should not speak. However, Asher quickly shut down his thoughts. ¡°No, you¡¯re overthinking it. Our time for sparring is over, now it¡¯s time to do our other duties¡­¡± Asher flicked his finger, pointing behind him. ¡°Let¡¯s get them sorted out.¡± ¡°Do we really have to keep doing it?¡± Charon let out a wry smile. Outside the training ground door, children, who appeared to be about ten years old or even younger, were watching them with sparkling eyes. *** Asher had fought a monstrous goblin from the legends and had defeated it with outrageous strength and skill. Everybody in the village who could fight, saw it. And the rumors were spread for the children and others who weren¡¯t able to witness the amazing fight. That was probably why there were a couple of children following Asher around, everywhere he went. Charon walked up to the gates of the training ground. The children winced but didn¡¯t run away. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Ju¡­Just looking around.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to watch here. Go back.¡± The child turned his head around. Another child lightly pushed the child¡¯s back, urging him forwards. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s a chance. Hurry up and take it!¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± The children whispered to each other nervously, but Asher, who was a distance away, could hear everything they were saying. Soon the child came to Asher as if he had made up his mind. ¡°Um¡­ Asher.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Please accept me as a disciple!¡± The child bowed his head and showed as much respect as possible. Asher looked down at the child with his head down that was quivering in nervousness. ¡°What do you want me to do with you?¡± ¡°I want to be your disciple!¡± ¡°Disciple for what?¡± ¡°Of course for using the sword!¡± The child clenched his fist tightly with passion. ¡°I want to be as strong as Asher!¡± ¡°Like me¡­.¡± Asher murmured with a complicated expression. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t aim to be like me.¡± ¡°Why? I heard you, Asher, defeated the big, and bad Goblin! You¡¯re strong!¡± ¡°That¡¯s..different.¡± His strength was only due to the passage of time in his previous life. It was by no means a strength worthy of this age. ¡°Ask Charon, not me. He¡¯s very strong.¡± ¡°No! He¡¯s weaker than Asher!¡± The child¡¯s face was crumpled horribly, and Asher could not refute the words because they were true. It was just a terribly complicated and stressful situation for Asher. ¡®If you become a soldier later, you definitely have your training doubled for that remark¡­¡¯ Asher thought, as the child had no idea that Charon led the soldiers in their training for the territory. The child still refused to give up on his pleas despite berating Charon. Sadly, Asher had no intention of accepting any more disciples. ¡°One question. Kid, what kind of swordsmanship do you want to learn?¡± ¡°I want to learn the Swordmaster, High Count, Van Ester¡¯s skills!¡± The child replied with sparkling eyes. Asher proceeded calmly. ¡°All the more reason to go to Charon.¡± ¡°Wha-¡­ why?!¡± ¡°Will you want to learn Imperial Swordsmanship?¡± ¡°Empire Swordsmanship¡­?¡± The child replied with a quivering voice. Of course not. The child, like everyone else, wanted to show off his skills by learning some fancy swordsmanship. The child came to Asher because he was the strongest, and thought he could be cool instead of learning Imperial Swordsmanship! Asher coolly cut off the child and spoke with a firm tone. ¡°Then go.¡± The child faltered and shook at the firm words. He was confused at why Asher was saying such things. ¡°You¡¯ll be disappointed with me and leave eventually.¡± The child was sullen and trudged off to his friends because he realized that Asher was probably right. Charon approached quietly. ¡°You¡¯re cold-hearted. You could have at least given her direction.¡± ¡°She was already on her own path. I¡¯m not even a teacher of Reika, I just advise her every now and then.¡± He was the Captain of the Imperial Guard in his previous life. There were several people who asked to become his disciple and he had accepted them. However, almost all of them left since it was not what they were expecting at all. ¡°It¡¯s just annoying now, as well.¡± People had expectations of him and they got disappointed. In the end, he was just tired of it all and wanted to keep to himself. ¡®Only one followed me.¡¯ He¡¯d be forty now, and he had never kept in touch with them since he had retired, so Asher couldn¡¯t know if they were alive or dead. ¡®He wouldn¡¯t be dead.¡¯ His disciple was a rather shrewd kid like himself back then, so there was no way he¡¯d just up and die like that. *** A week later, Reika woke up from her bed. The first thing she did upon waking back up, was get straight to the training ground. ¡°Already back here again?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ hi?¡± Reika gaver her questionable hello as she greeted Asher. Asher slightly knitted his brows. ¡°You need to rest a bit more.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ it¡¯s okay, I swear. Also, I heard you went back to training literally right after the fight. So, it¡¯s not for you to say what I should or shouldn¡¯t do.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It certainly wasn¡¯t his place to say so, and he realized it. Asher swung the sword without even saying a word. Reika, who was watching the scene with her sparkling eyes, suddenly opened her mouth. ¡°Oh, did you hear the news? I heard the Empire has chosen the delegate that will be coming here.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just Van Ester?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you his disciple; shouldn¡¯t you use honorifics? Well anyways¡­. No, it¡¯s someone else.¡± ¡°It¡¯s someone different?¡± Asher stopped swinging the sword and frowned. Van Ester had promised to tell Asher everything he had seen during his journey when they would meet next. But now, that promised time wasn¡¯t coming as early as Asher had expected. ¡°Yes, it seems someone else is coming.¡± ¡°¡­.Who?¡± Reika smiled with a mischievous grin and spoke. ¡°The Captain of the Imperial Guard.¡± ¡°¡­what?¡± ¡°The Captain of the Imperial Guard is coming. I don¡¯t know why, so don¡¯t ask. Dad was flustered about it, too.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I am too.¡± The Captain of the Imperial Guard. The person who had taken over his vacant position. What would they be like? And why were they coming to the Halvark Territory of all places as the delegate? ¡°But wait, why so suddenly? Why would the Imperial Guard Captain want to come to some rural and small territory like ours?¡± Asher asked in confusion. ¡°Have you heard the name of the Captain?¡± Asher was pretty sure that he wouldn¡¯t know. Although he had selected a successor to his position before he retired, that person was probably retired now as well. Therefore, it was likely to be someone new that he had never heard of. He was flustered, but he pulled himself together. However, his composure that he had just gathered, was shattered like glass with Reika¡¯s next words. ¡°The Captain of the Imperial Guard is quite famous. You really don¡¯t know?¡­ Oh wait, you lost your memories. Well anyways, I¡¯ll give you a hint : They¡¯re not a human being.¡± ¡°¡­not a human?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s an Elf. Well, a High Elf to be exact.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Asher closed his eyes, racking his brains quickly. It can¡¯t be. Although the High Elves were very few in number, there was one person Asher could possibly think of. But there was no way ¡®that¡¯ person would be the Imperial Guard, was there? ¡°What¡¯s their name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite a difficult name to say, but it¡¯s Ariana Barsilis. -Wait Asher why so you look like that?¡± Reika saw Asher¡¯s incredibly distraught face and was confused at his reaction. ¡°No¡­. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Asher groaned. ¡®Why is it her?¡¯ Asher in his previous life, had never married. But he had adopted a couple children and had a lot of fun teaching them when he retired. Ariana Barsilis. The last High Elf of the Black Forest. It was one of his adopted daughters. Chapter 36 ¨C Fin Chapter 37 - Captain of the Imperial Guard (2) Chapter 37 ¨C Captain of the Imperial Guard (2) Translated by : Betterdays * * * The monster, as big as the mountain, shook its body. It was so far away that only the outline could be seen, but the aftermath was still left in its wake. The sky split and the ground cracked apart. As if mocking God, both the heavens and the earth had been shifting due to the sheer size and power of the monster. [AWOOOOAR!] Shockwaves reverberated throughout the air from just its howl. At the same time, an explosion covered the monster. A roar of pain sounded out and the monster fell down. ¡°Is the subjugation for the Black Forest over now?¡± The old man muttered. As he grew older, his hair became gray and his wrinkles remained deep, but only the muscles carved into his body were something that looked out of proportion to his age. Someone flew in from the direction of the monster¡¯s fall. ¡°Phew. It was hard.¡± ¡°Van Ester.¡± ¡°Oh, hi. Long time no see, huh?¡± The middle-aged man with black hair and black eyes smiled broadly at him. They were about the same age as each other, but they looked like a child and his father in comparison. The old man spoke heartily. ¡°It¡¯s been ten years since I retired. Did You really need to call this old man? Your heroes can take care of it.¡± ¡°Haha, you know. We¡¯re not good at cleaning up this kind of mess still. It¡¯s always been up to you.¡± ¡°There will be a replacement won¡¯t there?¡± ¡°He¡¯s so unreliable. You¡¯ve been with us the most, haven¡¯t you? It wasn¡¯t even a big deal for you to take down something like this, was it?¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± A roaring voice rang. A woman with blue hair walked with a stark face, brushing the blood off her knife. Can Ester grinned at the sight of her and waved. ¡°Lepenia! Look here, your old friend is here. Take a look at this.¡± ¡°Huh, you? Old friend? You¡¯re just a servant who cleans up the mess.¡± ¡°¡­I was so wrong to ask you for a friendly response.¡± Lepenia spoke in a cold voice, but the other man next to VanEster couldn¡¯t respond. He was just looking at the black forest, where everything was in complete ruin. ¡°The fall of the Black Forest.¡± The most powerful forest on the continent. The safe haven that was protected by both nature and the elves. The forest, which had been around the world for thousands of years and protected the Elves, was now all burning away. There was only one reason. Van Ester just shrugged . ¡°You can¡¯t help it if it can¡¯t be helped. An Elder From the Council of Elves suddenly flapped his gums and summoned something like that. The continent itself was already on the verge of collapse.¡± An Elder Elf in the Black Forest wanted the destruction of all humanity. Was it because his child was kidnapped as a slave or was it the abuse of his childhood as a slave? The humans didn¡¯t know why, but the Elves hated humans and implemented the summoning. He tampered with the seal on the forest¡¯ protection and used the life of the forest as a medium to summon the creature beyond the darkness. It was a monster of molten rock and eyes that shone with an eerie light and made people lose their will to fight just by looking at it. The monster that engulfed the continent¡¯s strongest forest in flames within only 2 days, was truly strong. Some even clamored about the destruction of the world and the apocalypse was coming. But the monster was knocked down in less than a week by those that were surrounded around the old man next to Van Ester. Lepenia rubbed her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s stiff. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve had to work this hard since the devil.¡± ¡°It was strong. I can¡¯t imagine that the power of a single individual could be stronger than that devil.¡± ¡°It was the quantity and intelligence of the humans that the devil was troubled with. To be honest, I still feel uncomfortable. The last word that it uttered before going back into the abyss. What the hell did that mean?¡± ¡°It must have been a loser¡¯s last words.¡± ¡°Still¡­ it¡¯s an incredibly weird thing to say.¡± Leaving behind the two chattering, the old man moved on and got ready to leave. Van Ester was surprised by the act of the older man going back so early and asked. ¡°Already going?¡± ¡°The monster is dead, and the forest burned to death. I think I¡¯m done with my work. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to finish up the rest.¡± ¡°But why don¡¯t you stay for a while? We¡¯re having a celebration in a few hours. There must be a lot of faces you¡¯ll remember. Why don¡¯t you come?¡± ¡°¡­it¡¯s been ten years, hasn¡¯t it? It doesn¡¯t matter if you just stop by for a bit don¡¯t you think?¡± Lepenia also rarely tried to talk to the old man and actually asked for him to reconsider leaving with a nervous face. But the old man shook his head. ¡°There you go with that stuff again. What would a common man like myself need to be among the heroes? Have fun by yourselves.¡± ¡°There are a lot of people waiting for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a coward.¡± Van Ester did not hold onto it any longer. It was because he knew that once the old man made up his mind, he would never break it. Lepenia bit her lip. ¡°What a terrible lie.¡± ¡°So, the next time we meet, it¡¯ll be after we die. See you in the afterlife.¡± The old man walked as he left the coarse and rough words. Every time his foot moved, it rustled and ashes were crushed. Before he knew it, he had grown apart from his friends. There was a bad smell of burnt flesh and bark everywhere. The once brilliant forest now was no more than remains of the deceased elves, humans, monsters and wildlife. Nothing could be recognized or salvaged. It was brutal and deeply disheartening to look at. ¡®You¡¯re going to have a hard time from here on out¡­¡¯ Thinking of his successor, the old man took a step forward. Cough- Cough- At that moment, He heard a cough. The burned ground shook, and soon someone rose up from the burnt pile of ashes and remains. It was a small elven girl. The girl looked around in a hurry. He shut his mouth for a moment in the sight of the poor girl rising from the countless ashes, and suddenly he felt a pull in his heart. The girl¡¯s pupils shook and tears rolled down her cheeks. ¡°Ah.. ah¡­.¡± The old man approached the girl who was slowly bursting into tears. The white and pure skin that the elves had and was envied by many, was covered with ash and had turned gray. ¡°¡­hello there.¡± Judging from her outfit, it was likely that she was a child from one of the Elders. Did the eldernit even take measures to save his own daughter? It went against many traditions and moral beliefs that the elves had. It was highly likely that the kid in front of him was the only survivor. The only survivor of the massacre in the Black Forest. If her existence was known to the world, she would never survive. All the resentment and hatred would undoubtedly be directed at this little child. There was no way that such a small child could bear such a thing. ¡°Oh, boy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The girl slowly backed away from him. However, fireflies and spirits seemed to be revolving around the man in her eyes. He was a human, and it could have just been the light¡¯s reflection. But, the man spoke up once more. ¡°Will you follow me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to you to choose. You¡¯re free to act even if you follow me. Whatever you choose, I won¡¯t stop you.¡± The girl looked down without answering. The old man didn¡¯t rush, he just waited. Dozens of minutes later, the girl reached out and grabbed the hem of the old man¡¯s clothes. ¡°Your name is?¡± ¡°¡­Ariana.¡± The girl muttered with a blank face. ¡°Ariana Barsilis.¡± *** The carriage came and arrived at the Halvark estate. The residents looked on with curious gazes at the guards guarding the carriage. ¡°Wow¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an imperial guard¡­.woahhh¡­¡± The Imperial Guard was a revered position within the Empire. There were many benefits to becoming one including reduced taxes and free meals. Above all, their treatment and people¡¯s perception of them was incredibly respected. There was no reason to not want the position. Thanks to this, the competition rate was quite high, but it was worth it if one was able to become one. The carriage approached the castle and passed the people. The gate opened, and in front of it was Lord Havlark, his three other family members, and his six vassals. The carriage door opened. ¡°Oh!¡± Someone burst into exclamation without realizing it. Out of the wagon, stepped out an elf, not a human. Coming face to face with the Imperial Guard Captain, Lord Halvark swallowed his saliva. ¡°Woah¡­elves really are beautiful¡­¡± The citizens thought elves were like sculptures of God. It was a beauty that ran in a completely different league. It was perfectly symmetrical in its facial features and was perfectly accentuated in all the right places, unlike humans. The fair and white skin reflected in the sun beautifully. ¡°I have come to see the Lord of the Estate on behalf of Van Ester and the Empire. High Count Van Ester could not make it because he¡¯s taking care of some urgent things right now.¡± The silver hair shook gently as the elf bowed slightly. Her purple eyes turned to him, and Lord Halvark hurriedly came to his senses. He nodded. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am the Lord of the Halvark Territory, Revereaux Halvark.¡± (T/N : first time we get his first name in the story.) ¡°I am Ariana Barsilis, Captain of the Imperial Guard.¡± *** ¡°Tsk-¡° Revereaux clicked his tongue. He walked into the conference room with his family members, vassals and Ariana, but there was no sign of a conversation starting. Revereaux eventually waved his hand. ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°Lord¡­¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°Then what are you going to do? Are you going to keep our guest uncomfortable?¡± Revereaux growled as he spoke, and the vassals looked away. The vassals, possessed by the beauty of the Elf, were staring at Ariana rudely, mesmerized. Revereaux knocked on the desk grabbing their attention. ¡°Get out. There will be punishment later.¡± ¡°¡­oh¡­ alright¡­¡± The vassals lifted themselves up. On the way out, a sigh eventually came out from Lord Halvark¡¯s mouth. As the door was finally closed, Araina was looking at the entire exchange with no expression. ¡°That was a terrible thing to do. I am truly sorry for this rudeness.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Ariana spoke indifferently. ¡°It¡¯s just familiar to me anyways.¡± ¡°¡­sorry.¡± Revereaux groaned,not knowing what to do. No matter how much authority he had as a noble, he had different authority than the Emissary of the Empire and Captain of the Imperial Guard. He was, at best, the owner of a rural country-side estate. If it were known how rudely his vassals had acted, it could have thrown the Empire into even more political chaos. That¡¯s why it was somewhat relieving that the foolish vassals had been excused. ¡°Where are you holding the variant Goblin?¡± ¡°It¡¯s inside the prison of the estate. It¡¯s currently only being used for the variant and without any other prisoners.¡± ¡°¡­did you have any problems with it?¡± Ariana¡¯s brow wriggled slightly as she asked the question. ¡°Based on the information you¡¯ve given me, I don¡¯t think that prison alone can stop it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought as well, so I increased my vigilance¡­ It was surprisingly well-behaved. Maybe it¡¯s an attempt to provoke a sense of complacency for it to escape later.¡± No, it was because the Goblin was defeated by Asher¡¯s hands. The Goblin was a warrior true to its values and words as it respected Asher¡¯s orders and rights as the winner of their duel. But it was something Ariana, the Captain of the Imperial Guard, couldn¡¯t have possibly understood or believed so it was not revealed. ¡°He definitely has high chances of escape.¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s talk about how it went down.¡± Lord Halvark explained everything that had happened in detail to Ariana. She hasn¡¯t seen or heard about what happened other than the reports sent to the Empire. She didn¡¯t even know how they had defeated the variant Goblin. The story slowly was explained and came to an end. Ariana, who was listening until the end, quietly opened her mouth. ¡°That¡¯s accurate to what I already know.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, there were some things we didn¡¯t know. It was left in the literature from the past, but I thought it would be inaccurate to trust. And¡­ it seems it was.¡± No matter how well recorded the records of the monsters were, there was always something different for those who had not seen it first-hand. So Lord Halvark had to explain in exact detail to Ariana the process of their preparations before the fight and their actions to secure victory. ¡°¡­.Amazing. I didn¡¯t expect you to use that.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± There was a slight smile on Lord Halvark¡¯s face. There was no harm in hearing praise for their victory, but he decided to correct her misunderstanding of who truly contributed the most to their victory. ¡°¡­ it¡¯s not quite what you think. The person who raided the goblins preemptively, developed the strategy for the battle and defeated the variant one-on-one was not me. It was the disciple of Van Ester.¡± Lord Halvark¡¯s words instantly changed Ariana¡¯s facial expression. But it was just for a very brief moment, and Lord Halvark didn¡¯t notice it. ¡°The kid.¡± Ariana spoke. She hesitated for a moment and then continued with a rather.. determined expression. ¡°¡­can I see him?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t do here. You have my permission for anything you might need during your stay here. He should be training right now.¡± He did wonder what Ariana was thinking, but Lord Halvark didn¡¯t pry further into her thoughts. Rather, he thought it was a good opportunity. If he was able to establish a solid connection with the Captain of the Imperial Guard, it would be quite beneficial for him, too. He got up from his seat and spoke to Ariana. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go ahead and see him now?¡± *** ¡°This is the kid I told you about. Asher, say hello.¡± ¡°¡­May I hear about the situation first?¡± Asher rubbed his temples in slight annoyance at the appearance of Lord Halvark, who suddenly appeared with an elf. ¡°Oh, come to think of it, you don¡¯t know what happened. I thought Reika would¡¯ve told you what was happening.¡± ¡°I did hear it. I just didn¡¯t expect you to bring the Captain here so suddenly.¡± On the way to the training area, Lord Halvark introduced Ariana to him suddenly.. Ariana looked down at Asher with an expressionless face. Asher reached out his hand and bowed slightly. ¡°Nice to meet you Ariana Barsilis, Captain of the Imperial Guard. My name is Asher.¡± It felt strange for him to show some respect to his adopted daughter in the body of an 18 year-old. Asher¡¯s gaze was on Ariana the entire exchange. Twenty years of time had passed. She looked very different from his memory. Her cheeks, which still had some baby fat on them back then, were completely gone, and she grew up to be a mature woman now. She was obviously a breath-taking and beautiful figure, but rather than fascinated by her appearance, he just felt awkward. Elves had always matured their bodies slower than humans, but in a short twenty years, she had completely grown up into a young, mature and beautiful woman. ¡®Sure I guess she could grow up that fast.¡¯ How should he deal with this situation though? It was surely his adopted daughter. Looking at her, Asher thought it would be hard to show a normal reaction for her that she normally received. He just felt uncomfortable already, and there was no way he could show her a typical reaction that she normally received from young boys his age, since he was her father! Any other boy his age would be blabbering with questions at her, blatantly trying to hit on her. But Asher just remained deathly silent and emotionless. Ariana opened her mouth while thinking about how this boy was completely different in all as word that she had expected. Chapter 37 ¨C Fin Chapter 38 - Captain of the Imperial Guard (3) Chapter 38 ¨C Captain of the Imperial Guard (3) Translated by : betterdays * * * ¡°Are you the disciple of Van Ester?¡± The sudden question brought Asher to his senses and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s only temporary, but yes.¡± ¡°I see¡­.¡± Ariana¡¯s eyes that were fixed onto Asher¡¯s body, were unknowingly shaking. Ash didn¡¯t miss the reaction. ¡°Why do you look like that¡¯s it?¡± Asher¡¯s eyes contained a plethora of maturity and indifference. Ariana thought that he would carry the title with pride like any other, but it seemed like Asher treated it like a chore. Lord Halvark misunderstood the situation as he smiled and approached. ¡°He¡¯s a very clever kid. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that our territory can survive because of this child.¡± ¡°At this age, he went against a variant Goblin and an entire pack by himself. There must be a reason for Van Ester to have accepted him as a disciple.¡± Ariana spoke with a stark face. Asher was used to it. She hadn¡¯t changed her expression since she was young. But Lord Halvark had an awkward look on his face that showed he was confused with Ariana¡¯s personality. ¡°Lord Halvark.¡± ¡°Huh, What¡¯s wrong Ms. Ariana?¡± ¡°Can you excuse me for a moment? I¡¯d like to talk to him alone.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I see. I¡¯ll come back later then.¡± Revereaux stepped outside to let them talk. There was only one elf and one human in the training ground. They just looked at each other without saying a word. ¡°How come you¡¯re the Captain of the Imperial Guard?¡± Asher thought to himself for a moment. Ariana was from a tribe of elves that had their forest destroyed by humans. She was the last survivor. That¡¯s why she lived with as little human contact as possible. After retiring, Asher hadn¡¯t expected her to stay as long as a year within the Empire. But out of the blue, she had become the Captain of the Imperial Guard. ¡°Looking at it, is this the first teenage boy who has found my body unattractive?¡± Unlike other children, he was a child of his later years, but he didn¡¯t show any kind of physical attraction towards her like the other humans. Whatever it was though, he was still part of the people who had destroyed her kind. Speaking bluntly, Ariana probably hated him. She had probably only followed Asher in his previous life because she had nowhere else to go. ¡®I¡¯ve shown you something unsightly.¡¯ No¡­. she might have thought it was rather ugly. She knew he was close to the people who destroyed their entire species. Ariana opened her mouth with an expressionless face. ¡°You must be flustered at my presence.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t deny that I¡¯m a little uncomfortable.¡± Ariana was the new captain of the Imperial Guard. It was the position that stood atop all Imperial Guards, and there¡¯s a lot that they take care of in their daily agenda. But¡­ it was not a position that allowed them to leave the capital just because of a Swordmaster¡¯s disciple. Then, there had to be another reason. Ariana sighed and spoke in a somewhat reluctant voice. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you. I¡¯m here because of Mr. Van Ester¡¯s request. He can¡¯t come in person, so I¡¯m the person he sent instead.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± It was his request but Van Ester said at the time of his previous departure that he would explain everything to Asher when he came back. He was supposed to be here and fulfilling his words, but why did he send the Captain of the Imperial Guard? ¡°And he left some strange words.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®This doesn¡¯t sound good¡­¡¯ Asher immediately started to read into it. He was almost sure of what was to come now. ¡°Then let¡¯s get down to business.¡± At the moment Ariana¡¯s entire demeanor changed. The eyes that contained a plethora of complicated emotions disappeared, and the eyes of the cold and radically rational woman were present. ¡°Let me tell you one thing first. The Empire doesn¡¯t trust you.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± He could understand. Even if Van Ester was a swordmaster, he had disappeared for 20 years. It must have been confusing for the Empire if such a man suddenly asked to avoid responsibilities when he returned, in order to go teach a new disciple. Asher had recognized the identity of the doppelganger, but the Empire did not see it in person. A boy who knew about a lower level demon that disappeared 50 years ago? It was strange not to have doubts. ¡°What we need to tell you is that there are a few secrets even within the Empire. Even if it¡¯s information from Van Ester, you can¡¯t say it recklessly in front of the public. The reason why I came is for me to judge you myself with the eyes of an elf to see where your loyalty truly lies.¡± The Elven species was a species that could discern the true nature of things with their own two eyes. ¡°Van Ester judged you to be a human being¡­ but your swordsmanship.¡± Ariana¡¯s eyes shook slightly when she spoke of Asher¡¯s swordsmanship. ¡°Show me the sword technique. That was the request of the Empire.¡± ¡°I see.¡± There was no reason to refuse. It was something he had practiced with due diligence for over 50 years and it was the Empire¡¯s very own swordsmanship. Asher lifted the sword. Seeing him raise his body and get into stance, Ariana bit her lips quietly. Ariana was surprised when Van Ester had returned. For the man who disappeared for twenty years, he came back with many pieces of news and donations for the Empire. But she was all the more surprised to hear what he said aside from all of these things. The one he has taken on as a disciple. He was incredibly similar to her father. A boy of few words and lacking talent in the sword. Ariana stared at Asher as he gripped his sword roughly. Her eyes were shaking and trembling in disbelief. ¡®Someone who is like him? It¡¯s not possible¡­¡¯ After his death, she had fallen into despair and grief. So she became a captain of the guard as if she were escaping reality and taking up his mantle. But out of the blue, a totally unrelated boy to her father, popped up out of nowhere. ¡®Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡¯ It was kind of an inferiority complex. Ariana stared at Asher waving the sword in a rhythmic pattern with her shaky eyes. She was surely going to keep an eye on this boy now. If she was asked why she was following him around so closely¡­ She would just use her position as collateral and say that she needed to as the Captain of the Imperial Guard. Her fierce gaze was directed at Asher, and the sword moved unrestrained. At the same time, Ariana¡¯s pupils dilated. *** The sword¡¯s movement finished and stopped moving. In fact, there was no such thing as delicate swordsmanship in Asher¡¯s movements. Imperial swordsmanship only contained simple straight and curved movements that focused and emphasized on minimalistic movements. She didn¡¯t know what to say as she looked at the movements. It was ¡®his¡¯ swordsmanship. Asher put the sword in its sheath and turned to Ariana.. ¡°Did you confirm it?¡± Ariana was silent. Words barely came out after repeating the opening and closing of her mouth. ¡°You.¡± She was just looking at Asher with enchanted eyes. ¡°¡­What¡¯s your relationship with Gun-Seong?¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± A mysterious look was directed at her. Asher¡¯s look suggested that there was no swordsman that was known by that name in history. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing¡­.¡± Ariana shook her head shaking as if she had come to her senses. She looked embarrassed as if she had said something that she shouldn¡¯t have mentioned. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, I need to take a break. I¡¯ll see you in a bit.¡± Ariana bowed slightly and left the training ground. The figure disappeared after stumbling awkwardly. ¡°What¡®s that supposed to mean?¡± Asher muttered. *** Asher was sitting in a vacant lot in the middle of town looking at a house. It was the place where he had lived in his previous life. The house where he was born, where he grew up, and where his family had lived. But now a bakery was in the lot of land. ¡®The flow of time is brutal to everyone.¡¯ Asher knew that complaining about how much had changed due to time, was pointless. What was his old family doing these days? His sister would¡¯ve died too by now. His nephews and nieces should be in their middle aged years by now. What about grandchildren? Footsteps suddenly could be heard, breaking Asher out of his daze. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry to have troubled you.¡± When he turned around, Ariana was standing there. Her apologetic pupils were still shaking. Asher came to his senses after seeing his adopted daughter like this. ¡°Then let¡¯s talk.¡± Asher went back to the estate with her. Lord Halvark seemed curious, but he did not ask any questions and let Asher return to the training ground. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± There was silence again. But it was a different silence than before. Ariana was restless and unable to stand still. Glancing at Asher, her lips felt glued shut. She continued to open and close her mouth, trying to formulate her words. Asher knew the consequences that would likely come even if he told Ariana of his true identity. There would be a lot of problems to follow even though he really did want to talk to her and tell her everything. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect showing my swordsmanship to change her perspective so much.¡¯ It seemed that nothing would be helpful if the situation stayed silent. Asher gave up and finally spoke first. ¡°May I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Wha-.. Oh yes.¡± When Asher spoke first, Ariana¡¯s expression was relieved. Asher asked with a sigh. ¡°How did you become Captain of the Imperial Guard? You¡¯re an Elf. Such a position would mean nothing to you, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Ariana¡¯s face was incredibly confused when she heard the question. It was something that Asher didn¡¯t understand. She was dedicated to searching for the traces of the elves species. He was sure she would have left the Empire by now in search of other elves. ¡°It was something he used to be.¡± ¡°Who is he?.¡± ¡°Oh, my father. Of course not my biological father but stepfather. My father was a human being; not an elf.¡± It was supposed to be a secret, but for some reason Ariana thought she could reveal it to the boy in front of her. Ariana continued with a longing expression on her face. ¡°He was the Captain of the Imperial Guards. He was a person I am proud to call my father. That¡¯s why I walk along his path.¡± ¡°¡­were you two close?¡± Asher asked with a slightly stiff face. He had thought Ariana had always resented him. Ariana shook her head slightly at the words. ¡°No, well.. I don¡¯t know. I couldn¡¯t express myself to him. Besides, he would have always treated me with compassion, I was always scared of myself saying something wrong though.¡± ¡°If I were him, I would have definitely raised my child with compassion and love no matter what.¡± Ariana was slightly surprised at Asher¡¯s prompt response. She then, actually slipped a small smile from the corners of her mouth. ¡°Thank you.¡± It was just a simple consolation, but the boy in front of her resembled her father¡­..It felt as if it really was him. ¡°Hmm- I¡¯m sorry. I was mistaken because your image overlapped with his for a moment.¡± ¡°Did you admire him?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ariana, nodding firmly, Asher¡¯s feelings became complicated. ¡°It was something closer to respect though.¡± It wasn¡¯t that Asher had asked for respect. In fact many people blatantly belittled him for being untalented and trash relying on dirty tricks instead of flamboyant swordsmanship. However, Ariana found respect in someone who willingly chose the thorny path over giving up like anybody else would have. But Araina¡¯s feelings were actually slightly different than just that. It was a clear feeling of yearning. It was the eyes of someone who saw him and wanted to walk the same thorny path. ¡®How come?¡¯ He was a man of no talent. Society clearly despised people like him for even holding a sword. Come to think of it¡­ Reika had the same expression as Ariana..Why? Why show such respect to such a hopeless individual. He was confused as to why they would defy society¡¯s standards when they were individuals whom all would be amicable towards whether beauty or fame with the sword. Nothing like Asher. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s get down to business.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Araina¡¯s expression became serious as she did a complete 180. It was the voice of someone who carried responsibility for the Empire. ¡°Let me tell you what Mr. Van Ester has to say.¡± *** ¡°Let me tell you first. This is a secret that few in the Empire know. If it¡¯s known to the outside world, the Empire will send a group directly after you knowing you were the one to speak about it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Asher nodded silently. He used to say that to a lot of individuals as well, when he was in her position back then. ¡°As you know¡­ Ian the Brave is gone. He threw away his land and his people; disappearing without leaving a trace. At first, there was confusion but it was limited to only within his territory¡­.But¡­gradually something strange happened.¡± It was the demon that Van Ester had shown Asher a while back. The townspeople of Ian¡¯s territory were placed under a large-scale nightmare. They had died one-by-one in their sleep. It was a clear abnormality. ¡°The Empire had sent a search party. While things were starting to look a bit better, High Count, Van Ester had come back with grave news.¡± ¡°The Devil may have returned.¡± ¡°Oh, you know about that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve looked into it on my own.¡± Asher spoke briefly as it bewildered Ariana. Asher actually knew more than she had thought. Succubuses, Vampires, and even Doppelgangers had started to appear in various parts of the Empire Ariana continued with a stiff face. ¡°But that¡¯s not the biggest problem.¡± ¡°What is the biggest problem then?¡± ¡°Starting about twenty years ago, the heroes have almost all disappeared without a trace.¡± ¡°I know about that.¡± Asher was told by the assassin he had tortured from the Motorola Assassins . Specifically, almost exactly half of the heroes have disappeared since his death. It was something that people living in the present like Reika never would have thought to happen. If they knew this, the Empire might have gone into panic a long time ago. However, even as the old heroes were gone, new ones were popping up around the continent. ¡°It would have been fine if they left for a fixed amount of time or retired¡­.¡± Ariana continued with a sad face. ¡°But¡­This time they¡¯re gone completely without a trace. Chapter 38 ¨C Fin Chapter 39 - Captain of the Imperial G Chapter 39 ¨C Captain of the Imperial Guard (4) Translated by : betterdays * * * ¡°You mean Balbacca.¡± ¡°Yes, one of the heroes that disappeared was from the Belturia Estate, where you were involved in the expose on the doppelganger.¡± Balbacca had died 20 years prior and a doppelganger had taken his place for those two decades unnoticed. ¡°You may wonder what¡¯s strange about the heroes disappearing.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not. I know what it implies.¡± Asher was well aware of what it meant. They were role models of countries, public figures of hope and earned positions of nobility. Ian the Brave, was a country icon, and the slayer of the Dragon, took the position of a Count within the Empire. Even the free-spirited Van Ester was a swordmaster that was widely known throughout the Empire as the swordmaster closest to the Imperial Family. Of the heroes from the past era, only one or two were still active. ¡°Of course, more than twenty years ago, a lot of heroes disappeared as well, but then their successors started to pop up around the Empire. However this time, there are no successors that have been found.¡± Without saying anything, the heroes had disappeared and had not left any successors. With this happening, it was bound to cause conflict and strife. ¡°We¡¯ve been suspicious of each other, and the other nobilities are in uproar. I¡¯m only helping out with duties that are ordered by the Emperor, so I don¡¯t know much.¡± ¡°¡­how many heroes have disappeared?¡± Asher, who was listening silently, spoke up and asked Ariana. Ariana laughed bitterly as she replied. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t even count the remaining heroes on my two hands. Those who had a great influence were Ian the Brave, the Dragon Slayer, the Giant, and Lepenia, the Queen of the North Sea. I guess it¡¯s only that many to count from.¡± Asher¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly to the final name. Ariana sighed as if it was hard to hold back information as she continued to speak. ¡°The world is in chaos right now. It¡¯s rare for the population and other countries to notice, but they do. They¡¯ll soon pick up on the discrepancies¡­ but we won¡¯t have much time before then.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± What would happen? Asher tapped his knee with his finger in a pensive manner. Fifty years ago. It was a time when the world was overflowing with conflict and was full of war. There were heroes that had become known throughout all corners of the world at that time. One by one, the heroes defeated the enemies of humanity, sealed the Devil to the other side of the world, and knocked down the existences beyond the darkness that were manipulating society from the shadows. The world became peaceful because of those very heroes. But¡­ the Devil had returned, and the heroes disappeared for good. What would happen now? The future looked bleak. No matter how hard he thought about it, Asher couldn¡¯t picture a very good future. ¡°This is the truth that the Empire is desperate to hide. The news was delivered by Van Ester and we were able to minimize the damage somewhat. What are you going to do now though?¡± Ariana wanted to know whether Asher would chase the trails of the heroes. Or would he go defeat The Devil directly like the heroes did in the past. Asked with that question, Asher quietly opened his mouth. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything about it.¡± Asher spoke with an indifferent look. Ariana looked at Asher with a confused look on her face, but her expression remained unchanged. Even in the warring eras, he had just swung the sword silently while the world was engulfed in flames and turmoil. He fulfilled his responsibilities as the Captain of the Imperial Guard, but that was it. He didn¡¯t do anything more than that. He did not seek praise for intervening and taking an active part for the Empire amidst the war, nor did he seek out duels with knights for honor. He did not walk on the path of magic like the elves or mages, nor did he walk the path of flamboyant swordsmanship. When the Devil went crazy and wreaked havoc, he did not travel to save the suffering and dying people, nor when the Devil descended and half of the world burned, did he throw away all his positions and leave to defeat evil. Even when comrades, his friends, were widely honored in the world as heroes, he wielded only the sword alone. What he wanted was simply the sword. He didn¡¯t intend to turn towards anything else. He could travel around the world, meet heroes, knock down knights and climb ranks, but wielding his sword was all he did. His purpose hadn¡¯t changed in his past life and not would it change now. ¡°¡­you don¡¯t want to be one for glory and honor.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste my time on such meaningless things.¡± Ariana looked at Asher with a shocked face. Soon, she laughed and muttered in a despondent voice. ¡°It was as Mr. Van Ester had said.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I mean, you¡¯re consistent or rather¡­a stubborn person. He said you were a person who wouldnt change their mind no matter what¡­. you two really are similar.¡± Asher didn¡¯t need to ask who she was referring to. The answer was obvious from her facial expression. She shook her head for a moment and cracked a faint smile. The serious atmosphere slowly began to dissipate. ¡°It¡¯s your choice. I don¡¯t mean to force you into anything.¡± ¡°Thank you for your understanding.¡± ¡°No, the world is in crisis and there¡¯s nothing more ridiculous than letting go of one¡¯s own purpose¡­. However, I¡¯m asking out of sheer curiosity. What are you going to do in the future? You aren¡¯t going to be here forever, are you?¡± ¡°On the day when the youth come of age, I¡¯m thinking of heading to the capital on that day.¡± ¡°To the capital¡­? For what?¡± ¡°To attempt the Gates of the Sword.¡± ¡°The Gates of the Sword?¡± Ariana tilted her head. Asher groaned as if he had expected her to understand what he meant, but shortly after, Ariana realized what Asher was referring to. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s where you wanted to go. But¡­ why? It doesn¡¯t hold much meaning to the world anymore.¡± Asher murmured at Ariana¡¯s words. ¡°Has anybody opened the seventh and final door yet?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ as far as I know, it hasn¡¯t been opened for around a hundred years. No one has even reached the sixth door, let alone the seventh one..¡± Ariana wondered what Asher was trying to do, by going to such a place. It was rather out of the blue. ¡°Why do you want to go there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for personal purposes.¡± He couldn¡¯t go past the fifth door in the past. Nobody had. It was something he was truly curious about since he wanted to know what laid beyond the seventh and final door. It was amazing when he thought about it. In his previous life, he was not a swordmaster until the very last moments before his death. But not even the swordmasters of the past had been able to go to the seventh door. He wasn¡¯t that curious about it in his previous life, but he was, for some reason, fascinated by it in this life. ¡®We¡¯ll see when we get there.¡¯ He thought that if he could reach the seventh door, it might answer some of his questions about everything that had happened to him. Ariana seemed suspicious and curious as to why Asher wanted to go, but she didn¡¯t pry. ¡°Things vary from person to person inside of those doors. If it¡¯s you, I think you¡¯ll be able to reach the 5th one.¡± Ariana smiled and spoke as she lifted herself up. ¡°Are you leaving now?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m the Captain of the Imperial Guard. I don¡¯t have enough time to stay longer. But before that, let me make you a suggestion.¡± Ariana¡¯s serious eyes met his. Her mouth slowly opened. ¡°Joining the Imperial Guard. Do you have any thoughts of doing that?¡± *** ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Thank you, Lord.¡± ¡°No, I was afraid of becoming a nuisance. So, did you find out everything you wanted to know and investigate?¡± ¡°Yes, it was very helpful.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Lord Halvark glanced at Asher, but soon turned away. If it was just the two of them, there should be a reason. He didn¡¯t mean to pry into the reason why Ariana and Asher went alone though. Behind Ariana was the variant Head Goblin. The Goblin, with a sinister laugh, cracked a smile and ridiculed them. ¡°Kakaka! You¡¯re being too wary of just one little Goblin like myself.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what you say.¡± Ariana said with a cool face. ¡°You will be held in the Empire¡¯s questioning facility and later on, be imprisoned. You¡¯ll never get away with your actions.¡± ¡°That sounds interesting coming from a fake child of elven lineage. You know what? I¡¯m going to make a prediction.¡± It was a rude thing to say, but the Goblin smiled nonchalantly. ¡°I will return the world over to its true rulers.¡± ¡°What a bunch of bullshit.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too much.¡± The Goblin turned to Asher and spoke. He continued with a giggle. ¡°Sending me to be interrogated by a fake like this. That¡¯s too much. It would be an honor to die by your own hands, but to leave the treatment in the hands of these fakes is really too much.¡± ¡°Shut up and do as I say. I practice the rights of the winner, and you¡¯ll obey them.¡± ¡°Yes, the loser must obey the winner.¡± The Goblin walked proudly, tied to a rope. ¡°Here we go¡­.. For the first time ever, a goblin will be able to experience human prison.¡± ¡°¡­that¡¯s very unusual.¡± Ariana shook her head while looking at the Goblin. She was an elf. Having experienced goblins before, she could see first-hand just how strange the goblin was. ¡°Thank you very much for your help, Lord Halvark.¡± ¡°Yes, the monsters might show up on the way back to the capital, so be careful.¡± ¡°All right¡­ Asher, what¡¯s your answer to my question earlier?¡± Ariana¡¯s eyes turned to Asher with anticipation. Asher seemed troubled for a moment and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°As expected¡­.¡± Ariana murmured with a glum face. Asher honestly contemplated whether to become an Imperial Guard again, but ultimately declined. He was going to live this life for the purpose of seeking the pinnacle of swordsmanship only. Even if the Imperial Guards were given a lot of training time, they were useless in front of orders from above. Asher was given a second lifetime. He didn¡¯t want to waste it like that. He wanted to put everything in this life towards seeking the pinnacle. But¡­it wasn¡¯t just that. Asher¡¯s gaze turned to the disappointed Ariana. He couldn¡¯t become a subordinate to his adopted daughter. No matter how much she asked him to become a guard, he couldn¡¯t help but have to reject it. ¡°Then¡­.¡± Ariana agonized a little and took a piece of paper out of her arms as if she had decided. The guards in the back began to buzz and clamor. Ariana handed the paper to Asher. ¡°Take this. It¡¯s a recommendation letter from myself, as the Captain of the Imperial Guard. With this, you¡¯ll be able to go anywhere but inside the Royal Castle and other nobility private estates.¡± ¡°¡­thank you.¡± Asher took it with a grain of salt. It was a familiar piece of paper to him. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect to receive this.¡¯ He had rarely given out recommendations as well when he was the Captain of the Imperial Guards. In fact, it was a letter of recommendation with authority just below the Captain position, itself. It was only for those who were trusted beyond familial or blood ties. Asher had never given this kind of authority out before, even to his adopted children. He knew it was a favor, but he didn¡¯t know it was this much. It seems Van Ester had interfered again this time, Asher thought. He was likely going to ask Asher to do something troublesome again since he was paying forward a favor like this. ¡®Come to think of it, you¡¯re just trying to get something out of me.¡¯ He also gave him a wrist brace with spatial magic, and this time Asher even received a letter of recommendation from his adopted daughter. Asher felt strange and folded the paper in half as he stored it in his brace. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see you later. Do you have two years left until you become an adult? You said you¡¯d come to the Gates of the Sword. I¡¯ll see you then.¡± Ariana stepped into the carriage and the door closed. Eventually after a few minutes, the carriage departed and was no longer in view. Lord Halvark sighed as if he had just relaxed all the tense muscles in his body as he readjusted his collar. ¡°Wow, a lot has happened for this small little countryside territory. Good job Asher. Get some rest for today.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Asher¡¯s gaze was directed in the direction in which the carriage had left. He didn¡¯t tell Ariana the whole truth. He explained that there was a goblin with intelligence, human speech, and outstanding skills regarding the spear. However, he did not explain to Ariana what the Goblin meant when it said, ¡°Fake.¡± It was because she would not be able to understand the grave problems implicated with the words and just how truthful the words of the Goblin were in regards to its personal history. ¡®What else are you hiding?¡¯ And¡­ he could tell Ariana also had something she didn¡¯t tell him. *** ¡°Whoa.¡± Ariana leaned her back in the carriage. Her goosebumps settled as she rested her posture. ¡®It¡¯s a talking goblin.¡¯ Ariana looked at the cage behind the wagon. It was worth the precious time to come out here. Now they had to return to the Empire to dig up more valuable information from this variant. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She raised her hand blankly. Her skin color under the lamp had become slightly tan. When she was very young, her skin would have been white, like snow, before the forest was destroyed. Her original hair color was not meant to be ashen grey, but rather a brilliant purple. But she didn¡¯t remember her past clearly. Her memories truly started after she met her stepfather. The tan skin and gray hair were given to her as a cover as she grew up to become more beautiful and to avoid unwanted attention. ¡®I almost made a mistake.¡¯ She almost said what she knew she shouldn¡¯t have said. The two of them were so alike that she naturally let her guard down. She giggled. ¡°I¡¯m not in a position to talk.¡± Van Ester had been suspected of being brainwashed or possessed, but she had also been suspected of being possessed. But¡­ It wasn¡¯t a bad feeling. She was just his daughter, not an elf. Laughing alone, she tapped her fingers on the door outside, pondering to herself. ¡°No¡­.¡± ¡®Yes.¡¯ The people surrounding her had moved away from her vision as she muttered to herself. ¡°The Gates of the Sword¡­¡± Chapter 39 ¨C Fin Chapter 40 - To the Capital (1) Chapter 40 ¨C To the Capital (1) Translated by : awefewrdf Edited and Proofread by : betterdays * * * Quietly seated in the training room, Asher closed his eyes. The muscles of his body seemed like small creatures as they moved throughout his whole body. Controlling the output of power, adjusting the senses of the entire body. Feeling the strength flow throughout the body. Asher slowly raised his fist. It was as slow as a slug, but it slowly but surely moved to the ground. Finally, the ground and the fist connected. Bam! The ground shook. Sand spreads and dust rises above the ground¡ªthe unknown tremble results in bewilderment among the people in the castle. ¡°¡­As expected, this feels awkward.¡± Asher opened his eyes. He gained strength after his reincarnation. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was because he became a swordmaster or because he was reincarnated, but he knew he had to be able to control his newfound power. Power that exceeded all human capabilities ¨C but it was that much harder to control. ¡®It¡¯s already been two years since I lived in this body.¡¯ Nevertheless, he was still unable to fully control his power. He needed a turning point. As Asher was about to lift his fist, the door opened with a burst. ¡±¡­Asher.¡± ¡±What.¡± Asher¡¯s casual response prompted Reika to press her forehead. ¡±You hit the floor again, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡±You¡¯re quick to notice.¡± ¡±It¡¯d be weirder to not notice. Didn¡¯t I tell you to stop that?¡± Reika grit her teeth. ¡±Do you know how surprised I was because of you?¡± ¡±It¡¯s been dozens of times already, you should adapt to it soon.¡± ¡±Damn you.¡± Reika clicked her tongue. ¡°Stop for today. No one was surprised, but I¡¯m afraid something¡¯s going to break.¡± ¡±I¡¯m already taking that into account.¡± ¡±Sure you are, you can¡¯t even control your own power.¡± Reika grumbled as she held a sword. Rather than swinging it, she calmly stretched out her hands and cleared her breath. ¡±How are you today?¡± ¡±The same as usual.¡± Reika frowned as if she wasn¡¯t pleased with something. ¡°There needs to be a change. I think a spar ought to be what I need¡­¡± Reika glanced at Asher with twinkling eyes. Asher declined. ¡±Call Charon instead of me.¡± ¡°Hmph. It¡¯s already been a year. We ought to spar at least once, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± It had been a year since the goblin attack. Since then there were some skirmishes with monsters, but there never were as many monsters as that time with the goblins, so they could be stopped easily. Other than that there were no significant changes, although if a change had to be picked, Asher stopped sparring with Reika. ¡°You and I. We have nothing to learn from each other.¡± His reason for stopping sparring with Reika was simple. ¡±Now I can¡¯t beat you anymore.¡± Growth that was hard to believe was achieved in a mere two years. It was now not an exaggeration to say that Charon was being humiliated by Reika. Every time they dueled, Charon¡¯s face became unclear whether it was happy or sad. However, Reika put on a doubtful face. ¡±I still don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to beat you.¡± ¡±The story is different if it¡¯s a real battle.¡± He gained power unavailable in his past life. If they risk their lives fighting he would be able to win. But looking at it from the perspective of swordsmanship, he couldn¡¯t beat Reika anymore. ¡±You crossed the wall.¡± The only part at which Asher could win was lower swordsmanship. And Reika went beyond that. ¡°Even if I¡¯m asked to fight Charon¡­ It¡¯s difficult to deal with him because he looks like he has a lot on his plate. He¡¯s even talking with his parents about it. What a shame.¡± Reika clicked her tongue. ¡°Whatever. I¡¯ll keep my senses sharp on my own.¡± Reika grabbed her sword and closed her eyes. For the past couple of days she refrained from wielding her sword. She was just quietly adjusting her own condition. ¡°It¡¯s weird. It seems like something¡¯s working but doesn¡¯t work at the same time. My head hurts¡­¡° ¡°It¡¯s astounding everytime I see it.¡± Asher knew what kind of state Reika was in. It was a kind of existential slump. Some of his close friends went through the same condition. They all spent their troubled nights with alcohol. ¡®And the moment they overcame it they became swordmasters.¡¯ It was a speed comparable to other heroes. It was slower than Lepenia, but she herself was an exception. Especially because she became a swordmaster in just a year since she held the sword. Lepenia was an irregular even among heroes. ¡®Swordmaster.¡¯ The state of the great sword. The limit of the ways of the sword. The state that he had barely reached by devoting his whole life, in just a span of two years. The door opened as Asher was admiring Reika. A maid came in and bowed. ¡°Excuse me, Ms. Reika, Mr. Asher.¡± ¡±What is it?¡± ¡°The lord is calling for the young lady.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ okay.¡± Reika followed the maid. *** ¡±What?¡± Reika, who had arrived at her father¡¯s room, exclaimed. With eyes full of astonishment, she asked again. ¡±Is that really true?¡± ¡±Yes.¡± Revereaux nodded and Reika clenched her fists in joy. ¡°Thank you! Father!¡± ¡±Because times have changed.¡± It was currently a time of war. The monsters had returned, and they were not in a time to be picky about women or men for forces available to fight. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from Charon about it. He said you have an innate talent for swordsmanship. I think it¡¯d be the best to make use of that talent.¡± Lord Halvark was not fond of swordsmanship himself, but Charon and Van Ester were both impressed by Reika. As circumstances would have it, he did not intend to waste that talent. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the province. Luke came back to his senses, and the soldiers got stronger through numerous fights¡­ even without you, there won¡¯t be a big problem.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Okay. Be ready. It won¡¯t take that long.¡± ¡±Yes!¡± Reika went outside grinning from ear to ear. There was someone who she wanted to let know of this news first. She ran to the training center and yelled. ¡±Asher.¡± ¡±What.¡± Asher replied calmly. She laughed and opened her arms. ¡±I¡¯m going to the Academy!¡± ¡±¡­What?¡± Asher paused. Reika said without hiding her excitement. ¡°What do you think! It¡¯s the Academy! The place in the capital, the place that produced the great swordsmith, the place at which most of the sword masters graduated from!¡± Reika muttered with a hazy face. ¡±I¡¯m going to go to such a place.¡± ¡±I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± The Academy was definitely a good place. It was a place to meet various people, compete with them, and grow. But Asher had a mixed reaction. ¡°What¡¯s with your reaction?¡± ¡±Would you be able to learn something?¡± ¡±Of course I would!¡± Reika grabbed her sword with an excited face. ¡°It¡¯s a place where all of the talented swordsmen gather, so obviously there must be someone stronger than me there!¡± ¡±Someone stronger than you?¡± Asher laughed. ¡±I doubt that.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s only been two years since I practiced swordsmanship. Isn¡¯t it obvious that there will be a lot of people stronger than me?¡± Reika had never stepped foot out of the tiny province. The only swordsmen she had encountered were the swordmasters Van Ester and Asher, and the first-rate swordsman Charon. Asher replied halfheartedly. ¡±If you say so.¡± *** The atmosphere of the province was not bad. Luke also visited and congratulated, and the people were happy. They all had an intuition that Reika wasn¡¯t a talent to rot in a place like this. ¡±When¡¯s the schedule.¡± ¡±About¡­three days later?¡± ¡±That¡¯s pretty fast. Are you sixteen now?¡± ¡±Right.¡± Asher was nineteen. The Academy had an attending average at sixteen years of age. ¡±You¡¯ll be treated like an elder.¡± ¡±Who cares. It¡¯d be fine if I could just learn. Ah! Right.¡± Reika clapped her hands as if it were a good idea. ¡±Asher. How about you go to the Academy too?¡± ¡±The Academy?¡± ¡°Why not. It¡¯s not bad. There¡¯s nothing much to do anyways.¡± Asher snickered. The Academy. He had already graduated from the academy that Reika went to in his previous life. It wasn¡¯t a very pleasant memory. ¡±It¡¯s true that I will be following you there.¡± ¡±What? Then¡­¡± ¡±But I¡¯m not going to the Academy.¡± He would only accompany her. He and Reika¡¯s goals were different. ¡°I already received permission from the lord. I will leave the province on this road.¡± He had his own goal. The Gates of the Sword. It was a year earlier than the plan, but there were no major issues. ¡±What?¡± Reika stuttered with a shocked face as if Asher¡¯s words were unexpected. ¡±¡­You¡¯re leaving?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. Did you expect me to stay here for the rest of my life?¡± ¡±Not that. Um¡­¡± Reika stuttered. She shook her head as if she had regained her senses. ¡°Okay. You should leave too. It¡¯s unfortunate.¡± ¡°The road is the same so I¡¯m going with you.¡± ¡°Then you and Charon. Is that it?¡± ¡±What about your servants?¡± ¡°No need. Charon is enough as a bodyguard, and since I¡¯m going out of the territory I should start getting adapted to tending to myself.¡± ¡±Rest for now.¡± Asher left Reika and left the training center. Asher chose a secluded alleyway to enter. ¡°Come out.¡± ¡°You sure are calling me out early.¡± Kiers, a man with a gloomy face walked toward him. He ground his teeth as he saw Asher. ¡°Damn you.¡± ¡°You were the one who said you¡¯d do it. You¡¯re putting me in a tight spot if you blame me for it.¡± ¡°Damn it. Why did I say that back then?¡± Kiers regretted what he said a year ago. He squeezed around his eyes. ¡°This is crazy. Damn heroes.¡± ¡°If a year had passed you would¡¯ve at least gotten something. Tell me.¡± He was leaving the province soon. Before that, he had to find out at least some information. ¡°Hm.¡± Kiers scratched his head with a troubled face. ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t have any information.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Really. Not even one. It¡¯s to the point where I¡¯m getting sick of it.¡± Kiers shook his hands. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you know, but it¡¯s not normal to not have any.¡± ¡°I know.¡± If information was searched for an entire year, no matter the quality of the information organization, at least some information pertaining to the request was bound to be found. After all, the subject in question is a living organism, and organisms leave traces. But if nothing was obtained, that itself was information in and of itself. ¡°We tried our best too. Still, this is the first request from the employer so it shouldn¡¯t be in vain. So I started looking for those nearby. The owner of the bottom, Swordmaster Van Ester, And the Dragon Slayer.¡± But, no information came in. Kiers frowned. ¡°You already know because Van Ester visited this province. He left the empire again. We don¡¯t know anything else besides that. And the owner of the bottom.¡± ¡°The owner of the bottom wouldn¡¯t originally come out.¡± ¡°True, but before there was at least minimal exchange. But now there¡¯s not even that. He¡¯s stuck inside without a trace. Most of all, this Dragon Slayer is the most problematic.¡± The Great Dragon Slayer. He killed a Dragon and took the position of a Count and became a Lord of a territory within the Empire. ¡°The Dragon Slayer has a province within the Empire. Therefore obviously more information should be coming in than any other, but that¡¯s it. It¡¯s impossible to access the estate.¡± In the end, that meant he knew nothing. Asher patted his wrist. Kiers grumbled as if he was protesting. ¡°They¡¯re all heroes. They¡¯re the guys that will leave a record around them just by breathing.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s nothing.¡± Asher closed his eyes. He thought for a moment then opened his mouth. ¡°Good. That¡¯s enough.¡± If not the others, he would surely meet the owner of the bottom. More exactly, he had to meet him. The capital was the home of the owner of the bottom. If so, the problem could be solved by meeting in person. Kiers groaned. ¡°For some reason I feel useless. You said you¡¯re going to the capital, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If need be, burn this.¡± Kiers threw a roll of paper. On a more thorough inspection it turned out to be a piece of paper soaked in oil. ¡°The smell from burning that can only be smelled by me. I¡¯ll run to you in a span of two days when that happens.¡± ¡°¡­the paper?¡± Asher smiled lightly. ¡°You were an investigative reporter for the newspaper, correct?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Asher¡¯s murmur prompted Kiers to be dumbfounded. ¡°How did you¡­?¡± ¡°Because I know.¡± ¡°No, I mean how did you know.¡± ¡°Good job. Bye.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Asher escaped out of the alleyway as he ignored the shouting. Chapter 40 ¨C Fin Chapter 41 - To the Capital (2) Chapter 41 ¨C To the Capital (2) Translated by : betterdays Proofread and Edited by : Hogu * * * Spk- Crackle- The bonfire burned brightly in the night sky. The chilly autumn wind rushed around the fire and swayed the flames violently as if to devour them whole. ¡°Ugh.¡± Reika shuddered and glued herself to the bonfire. ¡°It¡¯s quite cold¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s autumn. No wonder it¡¯s getting cold.¡± ¡°Madam, cover yourself with a blanket.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Reika, who received a blanket from Charon, wrapped it around her body. She murmured with a slightly less tense face, perhaps feeling a little better. ¡°It¡¯s hard to travel.¡± ¡°This much is basic. It¡¯s even rarer to ride in a carriage like before in these times.¡± Asher opened the bag of jerky and spoke. Charon was adding more firewood to the campfire with a calm expression. ¡°It¡¯s still good, though.¡± Reika spoke with a bright face. ¡°I¡¯ve been dreaming of this for a long time. Traveling, meeting new people, and taking risks with them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Asher smiled bitterly at Reika¡¯s completely ladylike innocence. Charon was well aware of how far fetched the very idea that Reika had spoken about, was. Charon didn¡¯t say anything to shatter that dream of Reika¡¯s for her. ¡°Wake up.¡± Asher spoke starkly to Reika. ¡°Such a gentle story won¡¯t be found anywhere in the world as it is right now.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s in the heroes¡¯ stories though!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not their true lives, it¡¯s a written epic. An Epic is just the beautiful poetry and storytelling of the heroes¡¯ greatness. They hide the true plight and misery they went through to get there.¡± ¡°But I still want that.¡± Reika murmured with a sullen face. ¡°You mean it¡¯s not impossible because it¡¯s just a story, right? Then there¡¯s still a possibility.¡± ¡°There is.¡± Asher¡¯s curt tone and response made Reika make a rotten face. ¡°Well it¡¯s still my dream since I¡¯m still growing up! How much longer till we reach the Capital anyways?¡± ¡°Three or five days.¡± ¡°Well, it won¡¯t take that long. By the way, Charon. I didn¡¯t expect you to follow us. You refused to go to the capital initially, didn¡¯t you?¡± Charon made a very firm attitude in rejection about returning to the capital for some reason. Yet, this time, he smiled bitterly as he spoke about his decision to go with the children. ¡°I can¡¯t run away forever either.¡± ¡°Run away? From what¡­.¡± At that moment, twigs cracked in the distance and slight footsteps could be heard. Reika shut up, and Charon grabbed the sword. Asher turned away. Tat- Tat- Tat- ¡°What a place for a bonfire like this.¡± A middle-aged man with an amicable expression approached. Following his appearance, there were more footsteps that could be heard behind him as if to explain that he was not alone. ¡°Are you all a group of travelers?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Reika nodded her head. The man approached the campfire with a warm smile. ¡°How unique¡­ traveling in these tough times.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Charon nodded silently. The blunt and wary countenances of Asher and Charon were discouraging, but the man just smiled and sat down. ¡°It seems that it¡¯s meant to be like this¡­ can I borrow some of your embers? I¡¯ll give you some food in return.¡± Charon glanced away at Asher. Asher winked lightly, and Charon nodded. When the man beckoned behind him, the people waiting took out some firewood and borrowed some embers from their campfire. Soon they settled in the area, grilled meat, and started drinking. In an instant, there was a lot of noise around the once silent and cozy campfire. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t like being noisy? Let me get them to quiet down.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Reika shook her head. The man smiled brightly and unpacked his belongings. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s been a bit of time since you first lent me your embers and it¡¯s time I pay you back. It¡¯s time to eat, so let¡¯s go ahead and eat together.¡± The man held out a piece of white bread to Reika. Asher, who was rummaging through the firewood, accepted a piece of bread as well. The old man put a small portion of his bread in his mouth and mumbled. ¡°By the way, it¡¯s quite rare to be traveling at this time of year.¡± It was already late autumn now. It was a time where most travelers had already finished their travels during the easier seasons and the animals started their hibernation. Reika opened her mouth. ¡°I have business in the Capital. So I left town.¡± ¡°Oh, you must be a first-timer to the Capital; come to think of it, I didn¡¯t get your name. My name is Haban.¡± ¡°Mine is Reika Halvark.¡± ¡°Reika, that¡¯s a good name.¡± Haban smiled in a likable way. He was a kind of man that seemed to always be able to lighten up the mood. ¡°It appears to be a name that holds noble lineage¡­ Is that right?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not that great of a place. It¡¯s still just a countryside estate.¡± Reika waved her hands in protest. Her face was full of interest. She¡¯d only been out of the territory once. She wasn¡¯t even able to properly get a grasp of the surroundings since she had been so confused about the political marriage she was getting forced into. These were the first people she had ever met outside of the Halvark territory that were common folk and travelers, unlike the nobility of the Belturia Territory. ¡°Still, nobility is nobility. I can¡¯t believe a noble is traveling like this at this time of year. You¡¯re quite pretty, is there someone out in the capital for you?¡± Haban spoke and looked her up and down with his eyes briefly. It was too subtle for her to pick up, so Reika didn¡¯t notice and just shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. We just need to see something in the Capital.¡± Asher, who had been quiet, answered this time. ¡°And you, It looks like there are quite a few wagons and peddlers with you, are you going to the Capital for sales?¡± There were several wagons behind the men who were drinking and talking at the other campfires. Their number was hidden due to the dark surroundings, but there was certainly a fair number of them. ¡°Yes, we have business in the Capital as well.¡± ¡°How¡¯s your business?¡± ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t even want to know about that.¡± Haban shook his hands in disgust. ¡°It¡¯s been so horrendous lately. In fact, it¡¯s been this way ever since the recession?¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, the world is becoming increasingly dangerous. I think monsters are being reported to be appearing right near the outskirts of the Capital. I¡¯ve seen a lot of similar things myself.¡± Haban began to talk to himself. He continued with a smug look. ¡°The Empire is incredibly powerful and well-manned on the interior but, it doesn¡¯t matter, since outside of the important areas, they are treated like dirt without any support. There are a lot of places like that actually, including the place we are coming from. Have you heard of the Kingdom of Rabia?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a famous place. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°That place is¡­ completely destroyed.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Reika blurted out in wonder at Haban¡¯s words and Asher¡¯s face hardened slightly. Unaware of Asher¡¯s expression, Haban continued. ¡°It¡¯s a rumor, but it¡¯s quite credible. No one who went into the kingdom was able to come back.¡± ¡°¡­What happened to them?¡± ¡°The King went mad and killed all his people. A plague broke out, leaving all the residents dead. There are a lot of rumors about it, but I still don¡¯t want to believe that such a glorious place has been destroyed and razed to the ground like that.¡± Haban clicked his tongue as if he were sorry, but there was no expression of sadness on his face. Asher tore off another piece of his bread without saying a word. ¡°Rumor has it that the Empire¡¯s Capital is¡­ unstable. I don¡¯t know what the world will be like in the future. It¡¯s already hard as it is to make ends meet for a small merchant group like ourselves. ¡° ¡°When the world is in a bad place, there¡¯s always a kind of business that will always thrive in the places that need it most. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll work out for you in one way or another.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Haban grinned at Asher¡¯s words. As silence hung for a moment, the men who were drinking came reeling in towards their campfire. ¡°Leader, are you still eating?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Are these the other travelers? Nice to meet You! Wow. Travelers at a time like this. You¡¯re quite a man of good taste to be living on the edge¡­ Hahah!¡± Starting with the approaching man, the rest of the men that were drinking got closer. A tumultuous atmosphere filled the atmosphere. Reika¡¯s face gradually became more excited by the second. It was pleasant for her, who had never experienced this kind of festive atmosphere before. And apart from her, Charon and Asher¡¯s faces of suspicion gradually subsided. Asher opened his mouth as he looked at them with his ever-stoic face. ¡°By the way¡­.¡± ¡°What is the matter?¡± ¡°What exactly are you selling in the Capital?¡± It was hard to notice, but surely the wagons were moving a little. Haban spoke in a distracting manner, as if it were not important. ¡°We¡¯re just a merchant trope that sells unusual animals. You have no idea about some of the rich people¡¯s hobbies. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s so good about buying such weird things for expensive money. But it¡¯s always nice to have some kind of business.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Reika¡¯s eyes widened in interest. The term ¡°unusual animal¡± intrigued her. ¡°May I take a look?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t allow that.¡± Haban shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re very stressful to manage. That¡¯s why I covered them up with tarps and tents. Each one of them fetches quite the price, so you have to treat them very carefully. Hence why I cannot allow them to be seen anywhere by anybody other than the caretakers and the buyers.¡± ¡°How funny.¡± Asher muttered sarcastically under his breath as he took a sip of water. The other men and Haban, were getting quite drunk as their faces reddened. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come with us, Miss Reika?¡± ¡°Together to the Capital?¡± ¡°Yes,the Capital. We have the same destination. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to be together rather than alone? Besides, it must be dangerous because you don¡¯t have a man to protect you. It¡¯s especially brutal these days with all these monsters and what not moving around.¡± ¡°Is it really so dangerous?¡± ¡°Yes, monsters can come out these days. They are very dangerous and completely different from animals.¡± It wasn¡¯t as if Haban was wrong, but something about his words irked Reika. ¡°I see¡­. I think it will be fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! Then let¡¯s have a drink together to celebrate!¡± Haban smiled broadly and pushed a glass towards Reika. The murky color of liquor was shiny. ¡°It must have been dangerous before for a pretty lady like you, but with us reliable men, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be completely safe with us hehe! Why don¡¯t you take a sip?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t drink¡­.¡± The murky smell left a bitter aftertaste and Reika frowned subtly as she put the liquor up to her nose. But Haban persistently clung to her. ¡°Don¡¯t be so stingy. This is all experience! Yes, an experience! You said you were a child of nobility, yes? Well when people travel like this, everyone is allowed to drink!¡± Charon tried to raise himself up with a stiff face. At that moment Asher grabbed his hand, shaking his head quietly, signaling Charon to step down. Reika stuttered, unaware of the situation going on between the two in the background. ¡°Well, is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, come on, come on.¡± Reika couldn¡¯t say no to the persistence of Haban. She eventually grabbed the glass. ¡°Then¡­ are you sure I can have a sip?¡± ¡°Haha, yes of course! How about your other people with you? Would you all like some drinks as well?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Asher accepted the glass. Along with the sweet smell of meat in the air, the bitter scent of liquor hit Asher¡¯s nose. ¡°Come on, come on, it¡¯s okay!¡± Haban smiled and beckoned. Reika swallowed and put the glass to her mouth. Asher quietly raised his glass as well. And at the same time, there was a sword in his other hand. Shwik! ¡°¡­uh?¡± The sound of flesh getting pierced, rang out in the festive atmosphere. Haban stuttered and looked down at his chest. There was a sword sticking out of it along with blood that started to dye his clothes red. ¡°Hey, this is¡­¡± He tried to pull it out with his hands but his heart was already stopped the moment it was pierced with the sword, and he faltered. Haban¡¯s body sunk to the floor with a thud, as the cold autumn breeze was dyed with a scent of blood. In an instant, silence descended across the campfires. Asher turned the glass upside down and drank his liquor as if it was nobody¡¯s business. ¡°A- Asher?¡± Sluurrrp! The liquor was slurped up by Asher as he licked his lips. Some of the liquor fell down the corners of his mouth and fell into the pool of blood around him. ¡°Asher, what are you doing?¡± Reika screamed and Charon took the glass from her hand as he stood in front of her. ¡°Calm down, Young Miss. These¡­ these people are not the right kinds of people that you think they are.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± ¡°The Empire does not allow for ¡®unusual animals¡¯.¡± Charon gritted his teeth with a scornful look. It was a slang term used in the depths of underworld-type businesses. ¡®Unusual animals¡¯ were terms used by human beings who treated other humans¡­ less than another. Asher laughed as he stared coldly at the other men. ¡°I can¡¯t believe a slave merchant came all the way here. The world seems to be in a state of disarray that even these kinds of idiots come crawling up the door.¡± Chapter 41 ¨C Fin