Kays Translations

Chapter 7 – Types of Arts and Their Use

When the Sky Continent drastically reduced the sunlight reaching that sea, the glacier grew thicker and spread farther.

That was when the Glacier Crossing occurred.

“And then something interesting happens,” Estelle explained. “Certain monsters on both continents become unusually active.”

“Why is that?” Ren asked.

“How could a mere glacier cause so much change…?” Licia wondered.

“Because many monsters cross the icy road and travel between the two continents! Those seeking prey so they can evolve follow their instincts across it—or perhaps they are simply foolish enough to do so!”

Those creatures did not necessarily become perfect predators.

The monsters that crossed the glacier were powerful, but many other monsters regarded those travelers as prey.

“The Lesser Griffons were likely affected as well! They may have sensed the sudden activity of other monsters and had their fighting spirit provoked!”

That was the Glacier Crossing, a natural phenomenon occurring once every dozen years.

A neighboring country lay between Leomel and the affected region, so Leomel rarely considered direct action. The great nation placed its own interests first and would normally intervene only if asked to send reinforcements.

The battle continued. The Lesser Griffons failed to inflict even a single wound on Ren or Licia and gradually fell.

Their refusal to flee and their savage pursuit of prey made it clear why the country designated them for extermination. Insatiable hunger and aggression drove them onward no matter how many were defeated.

Even after their numbers fell sharply, the situation did not change.

Werlich, who had been observing the battle, looked up.

“Hm?”

An especially large Lesser Griffon beat its wings and charged toward him.

It was the leader of the flock, the largest and strongest of them all. The instant it chose Werlich as its target, the remaining Lesser Griffons followed its example.

Werlich did not flinch.

“Boss, I’m counting on you.”

“Indeed. Looking closely, that may be one of the monsters for which a bounty was posted. How convenient.”

Estelle walked forward, her long coat billowing.

She passed Werlich and drew the jet-black greatsword from her back. The famous blade, forged by Werlich, was named Black Might.

A blue-violet wave enveloped the sword.

Sharp sounds like crackling purple lightning occasionally rang from the blade. The wave deepened with every moment, distorting the air around it.

One of the special Arts usable only by Sword Saints was about to be unleashed.

“Perish.”

Estelle swept the wave-shrouded blade sideways.

It was one of the Mighty Sword Style’s supreme injustices: an Art that turned every ordinary sword stroke into a killing blow.

A vast black pressure washed over the Lesser Griffons in the sky. It did not strike them with obvious violence. Instead, the wave seemed to swim through the air and pass directly through their bodies.

Every monster touched by it changed.

The strength drained from their wings. Their vitality faded, the light vanished from their eyes, and without exception they fell from the sky.

“In the end, they were merely birds.”

The cold words left Estelle as casually as a breath.

The Art she had used changed according to its wielder—not only in the color and power of its wave, but in its very nature.

For one swordsman it might increase the user’s strength each time an enemy was wounded. For another it might continuously damage the target. Some manifestations could even prevent the use of magic. A sword wrapped in such an aura looked as though it had transformed into another form.

Among Sword Saints of the Mighty Sword Style, nearly every wielder manifested a unique nature.

The strength of those properties also varied, but Estelle was exceptional even among Sword Saints.

—Death-Eater.

No one but Estelle herself knew the true nature of the Art wielded by the woman who bore that epithet. Not even members of the imperial family were told the full extent of the Director of the Lion’s Holy Office’s power.

Ren and Licia stared at the helplessly falling Lesser Griffons and held their breath.

Werlich reacted differently.

“Boss, there’s something difficult to say…”

He rubbed his beard with an uncomfortable expression.

“What is it, Werlich? Have you fallen in love with my power?”

“Unlike those two, I’ve seen it plenty of times. It’s less surprise and more admiration.”

“Good. Honesty is admirable… Hm? Then why are you smiling like that? If you have something to say, do not hold back.”

“…All right, then.”

Perhaps Estelle had forgotten one of their objectives, or perhaps she had simply wanted to show Ren and Licia her strength.

Werlich scratched his cheek.

“The thing is… if you make them crash like that, the materials…”

The Director of the Lion’s Holy Office—the Sword Saint—answered only after a long silence.

“…Ah.”

Her miserable expression hardly belonged to the woman who had just displayed such an overwhelming Art.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

By the time they returned to Elendil, the night had grown late.

“Well, I’ll be heading back too,” Werlich said before leaving the magic ship and transferring to the magic train.

There was no sign of fatigue on his face.

“At last, I’ve gathered most of what I need. Once I find materials from a Rampaging Tree King—a Treant—and something suitable for the furnace core, Lemuria should be ready for a trial run.”

Still considering substitute materials should the need arise, Werlich returned to the Imperial Capital.

On the way back to the mansion, Ren and Licia discussed the Art Estelle had shown them. She had not appeared to exert herself at all; it looked as though she had simply swung her sword.

Yet she was powerful. Far too powerful.

“But Estelle-sama…” Licia said with a quiet laugh as she looked up at the sky. “To return alone for the materials—she truly is remarkable.”

“She is. I wonder what time she’ll be back.”

“Tomorrow morning, surely.”

Estelle had immediately flown back alone to collect the Lesser Griffons that had fallen into the forest.

The reason was simple. If she delayed, other monsters might devour the remains. Many creatures would leave not even the bones behind.

Ren had offered to help.

“No,” Estelle had refused. “I could not face your guardians if I allowed you to return after midnight.”

“She’s right, Ren,” Werlich had added. “This happened because the Boss got too carried away.”

“Ugh… I cannot deny the truth of that, but what else could I do? I wanted to show two hardworking young people something worthy of their efforts! Allow an elder to look impressive once in a while!”

“Ha ha ha! I understand, Boss!”

Because the materials were needed for Lemuria, both Ren and Licia had wanted to remain.

Doing so, however, would have kept them from returning home before the date changed. Estelle would not permit that.

She therefore brought them back to Elendil, then departed once more in the Drake family’s magic ship.

Whether Estelle herself truly needed to escort them all the way back was another question. She simply wished to fulfill the responsibility she had accepted as their guardian.

“Tomorrow is another day off for me,” she had said. “A hunt will be a pleasant change of pace, so do not worry.”

It would be a good holiday for Estelle.

Ren and Licia accepted her kindness.

“What color do you think ours will be?” Licia asked.

“You mean if we learn the Sword-Saint-level Art Estelle-sama used?”

“Yes! I feel as though mine will be white.”

“It might be. Mine…”

Ren pictured Asval’s flames. More than once, the power inherited from the old dragon had carried him through desperate situations.

Would his wave therefore resemble crimson or golden fire?

There was no guarantee.

“Perhaps red.”

Licia suddenly remembered something.

“Red would resemble the power the Sword Demon wrapped around its swords.”

“…Then I would prefer another color.”

“Oh, Ren.”

Estelle had explained that the color of the wave reflected the user’s character and the nature of their mana.

Ren could not choose a different color simply because he disliked the association. For now, he decided to leave that answer as something to anticipate if he became a Sword Saint.

“Was what you used against the Sword Demon also an Art?” Licia asked.

“Which attack do you mean?”

“The Flame Magic Sword. You used flames that had a power similar to Star Slaying, didn’t you?”

They had never discussed it properly before.

Ren explained the Art he had devised himself—the flames of the Flame Magic Sword that displayed an effect resembling Mighty Sword Art: Star Slaying.

“I treat it as an Art. I was remembering an Art Edgar showed me, and somehow I became able to produce flames with a similar feeling.”

“…Can someone really create an original Art that easily?”

Probably not, Ren thought, but he swallowed the words and smiled wryly.

He had likely succeeded because the Flame Magic Sword’s power happened to be compatible with several other factors.

“The problem is that while I can use that unnamed Art, the Flame Magic Sword makes Star Slaying and similar Arts difficult.”

“Only when you use the Flame Magic Sword?”

“Something like that.”

Ren was capable of using Arts as a Mighty Sword Style practitioner, but the Flame Magic Sword was demanding.

Perhaps because it had evolved from Asval’s magic stone, it constantly tried to make him rely upon fire.

Looking back, Ren realized there had been a difference in the effectiveness of his Arts even when the Mithril Magic Sword was still the Iron Magic Sword. Using them through the Flame Magic Sword also seemed to consume more mana.

“Then Star Slaying is easier with the Mithril Magic Sword?”

“Yes. It may be useful to have different options.”

“Because each magic sword calls for different Arts?”

“That seems to be the case.”

The Flame Magic Sword would use the unnamed Art, while the Mithril Magic Sword would use his other Arts.

In the future, he might devise new Arts for the Great Tree Magic Sword and his other blades. It could be best to assume from the outset that each magic sword would use a different set of Arts.

Licia looked at Ren.

“You know…”

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter