Chapter 88 – Idle Talk: Two Knights and a Broken Sword (1/2)

Two years before the destruction of the royal capital, Bulgia, known as the Golden City, by the Demon Dragon.

“It’s a capital crime…”

In the royal capital of Bulgia, about ten knights had gathered in one corner of the castle.

“Are you sure you didn’t mishear!?”

The first to react to the subordinate’s report was a man whose body was so well-trained that even his armor couldn’t hide it. He carried a large sword with a reddish blade on his back.

His name was Russell, also known as the leader of the Dragon Knights who protect the royal capital.

“There’s no mistake. I received it as a royal decree from the Prime Minister.”

Even the messenger knight had sweat on his forehead.

“This is unbelievable! Ian-sensei is the greatest swordsman in the country and even served as His Majesty’s swordsmanship instructor, right!?”

“Calm down, Russell.”

The woman who intervened was Greer. She was the vice-captain of the Royal Guard and wore a rapier with a pale blue blade at her left waist.

“Can we really stay calm!? Our mentor has been sentenced to death! Both you and I! No, everyone who joined this knight order has been under Ian-sensei’s care!!”

“I know. But…”

Vice-captain Greer, as if crushing a bitter worm, placed the broken sword on the table.

It was the Griffon-wing-adorned sword, the “Radiant Flash Sword.”

The blade laid on the table was broken near the base, with most of its edge lost.

“The subjugation of Chiyou was a life-threatening mission, Russell. You knew that too.”

Targeting a specific monster for subjugation was almost unheard of. It meant there was a slight chance, and that was it.

One of those special-grade monsters that actively preyed on warriors was Chiyou in the east.

Despite being a target for a long time, no one had ever succeeded in defeating it.

Three weeks ago, realizing his impending death due to illness, Ian-sensei went to the east to subdue Chiyou, to end his life as a swordsman in glory.

The result was defeat.

And with that, the magic sword was also broken.

“But subjugation and a capital punishment are completely different matters!”

“This ‘Radiant Flash Sword’ was one of the three swords given as a goodwill gesture from the Republic. It broke. It seems they were concerned it might escalate into a diplomatic issue.”

The remaining two swords were held by Captain Russell and Vice-Captain Greer respectively. Each sword had been passed down to the most skilled knights in the order.

“It’s just a sword.”

“Just as we have rituals with monsters, for the Republic, magic swords are not just ordinary weapons.”

Captain Russell glared at the broken magic sword.

It had a beautiful cross-section.

It indicated not a break, but that the sword had been cut by a sharp blade.

“Could it be repaired if we ask the dwarves?”

“There are remnants of the spell pattern remaining, but most of its power has been lost. Even if we patch it up, it’ll probably only be usable for ceremonial purposes. There’s already a proposal to decorate it and reuse it as a ‘treasured sword.'”

“But still! Just because the magic sword broke, sentencing a hero of the nation to death? Does His Majesty really think like that!?”

Ian-sensei’s achievements were numerous. He had faced national crises many times, such as repelling castle-devouring beasts, quelling the Tower Bell Incident, and defeating fierce gods caused by the collapse of a temple.

“…It’s not His Majesty but the Prime Minister, precisely. It seems the Prime Minister instigated His Majesty, citing diplomatic issues. According to the dwarves, even the three magic swords themselves are nothing more than low-grade items. The likelihood of the Republic saying anything even if we lose them is low.”

Captain Russell clenched his fist so hard his nails seemed to dig in.

“Anyway, let’s go see Ian-sensei once.”

The captain and vice-captain left the knights’ base and headed towards the north side of the castle.

The corridor had a smooth floor, crafted by dwarves without a single step.

From the opposite end of the corridor came a fat man and his entourage, all adorned with jewels and precious metals.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the captain and vice-captain of the Dragon Knights. To see you strolling around here, you must have some free time.” 

The fat man said with a smirk, and his entourage chuckled mockingly.

“…Prime Minister.” 

Captain Russell barely restrained himself from clicking his tongue and bowed his head.

“By the way… I hear you’re advocating for an increase in military budget again. It’s truly lamentable. Military officials always want to expand the army at the expense of the commoners’ taxes, thinking it’s like water.” 

Russell grimaced noticeably.

“We’re not expanding needlessly. I’ve heard that a major power to the east of the Empire has sunk into the Corrosive Sea. The world situation is becoming increasingly unstable.” 

The Prime Minister sighed in exasperation at the childishness of it all.

“Hmm, between the Corrosive Sea and the Kingdom lies the Empire. It’s inconceivable that monsters would suddenly come to Bulgia. Rather, I’d be happy if the Empire were to perish. We could create several new states.” 

The entourage chimed in with deliberate agreement.

“If the conflict between the Empire and the monsters escalates, there is a possibility of widespread warfare.” 

“A possibility… indeed. It seems they can’t even imagine the taxpayers paying for such a thing. That detestable Ian was the same. Train not only in martial arts and techniques but also in intellect.” 

The Prime Minister sneered, and his henchmen smirked behind him.

Something snapped inside Russell. Unconsciously, he took a step forward.

“Is building a palace just to indulge in forcibly captured concubines a worthwhile use of taxes!?” 

Russell exclaimed.

The Prime Minister’s smirk disappeared, replaced by veins bulging on his forehead.

“How disrespectful of you, Russell. Don’t forget, we have a parliament meeting soon, don’t we?” 

“Hmph! Y-yes, that’s right. It’s a waste of time to deal with these barbarians.” 

The Prime Minister, clearly displeased, walked away down the corridor.

As he disappeared around the corner, Russell grumbled.

“Ian only saved those damsels because the prime minister wanted to exploit them himself, then when he got bored, he’d sell them off to other nobles to shut them up. That’s why he resents him.”

“Being related to one of the Four Great Noble Families in the south, he can do as he pleases. He’s just particularly vile, but the others aren’t much better. They’re all interested in how they can get what they want easily. The only decent ones are probably the scholars.” 

“We should pay more attention to the outside world. The Corrosive Sea is expanding.” 

“The dwarves have proposed that once the Labyrinth is destroyed, the areas sunk by the Corrosive Sea will never return. Maybe one day there won’t be any habitable land left in this world.” 

“Probably not for hundreds of years, though. They probably think it doesn’t concern them.” 

“The fact that habitable land will become zero is inevitable. But many things will happen before then. Let’s enjoy this peaceful era while we can, but they’re only thinking about the pleasure of this moment, not the future.” 

The two continued their somber conversation as they descended the spiral staircase.

By the time the sunlight had completely disappeared, they arrived at a damp and dimly lit place.

It was the dungeon where criminals were held.

At the back, an elderly man was detained.

He lay on the floor, scratching his buttocks and yawning.

It was Ian, the master.

He turned around at the approaching footsteps.

“Hey! Russell and Greer, huh? I’ve been waiting for you.” 

The old man grinned.

“Ian-sensei… do you understand your current situation?” 

“I’m waiting to have my head chopped off by some unsavory guy. Isn’t that right?” 

Ian chuckled.

Captain Russell sighed, and Vice-Captain Greer stepped forward.

“Ian-sensei, I’ll plead with the king. You were a mentor to him as well.” 

“Nah, it’s fine. Besides, I’m already dying from illness. Just get it over with. I already had my bout with that Chiyou. No regrets. Well, my magic sword got sliced, copied, and whatnot, though.” 

Ian laughed joyfully.

“There are still many who seek your teachings. Remember what you taught me? Don’t look away, look ahead, and then you’ll see what needs to be done.” 

Greer reminded him.

“I never look anywhere but ahead.” 

Ian said, crossing his legs and stroking his chin.

“I never told anyone, but actually, when I was young, I once fought Chiyou.” 

Captain Russell was taken aback. 

“That’s news to me.”

“I said I never told anyone, but I just told you now. Pay attention.” 

The old man retorted.

“What did you say!?”

“Russell, calm down. Please continue, Ian-sensei.” 

“At that time, I was just a cocky young brat like any other. I believed without a doubt that I would become a swordsman on par with the Four Saints of the Republic. So, I set out to slay monsters with great determination.” 

“What happened?”

Ian chuckled heartily.

“I got beaten. Badly.”

“Still, you survived facing a first-class monster. Truly impressive, Ian-sensei.” 

Ian smiled, but there was a hint of melancholy or anger in his eyes.

“No, Chiyou took one look at me lying there, and just left for the mountains. Said I wasn’t worth killing.”

“The monster just left in front of someone it fought? A monster?” 

Greer asked.

“Yeah, that’s right. It pissed me off to no end. So, I honed my sword skills until my hands were blistered beyond count. And then, I decided to challenge it again before I died,” Ian said.

The two stared at the old man before them.

“It was exhilarating.” 

Ian said proudly, gazing up at the sky.

“We fought for a day and a night, and I had the upper hand in the beginning. Served him right, I thought. But that monster kept absorbing my sword techniques. In the end, it disarmed me effortlessly. Chiyou had honed its skills and understood I would return.” 

Ian reminisced.

“Ian-sensei…”

Ignoring the sympathy from the two, the old man’s eyes gradually glazed over, as if recalling a night with the finest woman.

“It was amazing. Time seemed to contract, yet the sun raced across the sky as time passed. My life as a swordsman was meant for that moment. I may have had lousy disciples, but I trained one talented disciple in the end. Well, it was a monster, though.”

Russell banged on the cage.

The sound echoed in the empty basement.

“You were lousy and useless! Both I and Greer trained hard! So did the knights from other squadrons! We wanted to catch up to you!”

“Russell, stop it.” 

Greer pleaded, trying to calm him down.

“Ian-sensei, no matter what you say, the Knight Order will save you.” 

“I doubt it, but give it a try.” 

“You won’t know unless you try. Even the prime minister won’t be able to voice his opinion on the king’s decision.”

“The Prime Minister, right? The problem is that we’ve had peace for too long. The whole country has been deluded into thinking that peace will last forever.” 

“Is it because of the era?”

“Look at the Knight Order, and you’ll understand. In times without war, things like authority, lineage, and chivalry are valued. In times of conflict, strength, camaraderie, and true loyalty are emphasized. I’ve heard that knights in my great-grandfather’s time were hardly different from mercenaries except for their loyalty.”

The fastidious Vice-Captain Greer narrowed her eyes.

“Forgetting chivalry is unacceptable for a knight.”

“It’s about where your priorities lie. The Dragon Knights of Bulgia might be okay, but do you know the knights from other provinces? Duels have become nothing but cold displays of ego, and the guys sweating it out to dance with noblewomen rather than train in swordsmanship.”

“…That may be true.”

“Knights are always the last to adapt to the times. In other words, it’s the end of an era. Chivalry sounds nice, but they’re more concerned about honor and service, always worrying about what others think.” 

Ian’s gaze turned stern.

“We want to survive, we want to defeat our enemies, that raw emotion is necessary for us knights.” 

“I understand your point. But how does that relate to the fact that we can’t save you?” 

Greer asked.

Ian chuckled self-deprecatingly. 

“I told you. It’s a time of peace now. Instead of keeping old warriors around, they’d rather get rid of troublesome things to protect someone’s honor or appearance.”

“…Knowing all that, why did you challenge Chiyou? A magicsword is just a weapon. It breaks when its time comes.” 

“Before I’m a knight, I’m a swordsman. I’ve contributed enough to the country as a knight. But I wanted to die as a swordsman at least in my final moments. Well, I ended up surviving again.” 

Captain Russell looked at the arms of his mentor, now thin and ravaged by illness. It was obvious that the arms once as strong as steel and as flexible as water were deteriorating.

“Anyway, I’m glad I could see you two. I have two requests before I go.” 

“What are they?” 

Russell asked.

“Russell, Greer. One of you has to behead me. I can’t ask anyone else.” 

The expressions of the two stiffened.

“And my execution. If I have to beg for my life, I want you guys to do it.”

For a magician who contracts with a familiar, there are two types of execution sentences depending on the severity of the crime.

One, after the execution, the body is given to the familiar.

Two, after the execution, the familiar is slain on the spot.

Needless to say, the second sentence is heavier.

In a world where it is believed that the soul of the contractor returns to nature along with the familiar, killing the familiar meant eternal extinction.

And the sentence given to Master Ian was the second type.

“If you spare my life, you might see something interesting after I’m gone. And it’s just my intuition, but it might even be a meaningful familiar for this country.” 

Ian was a true swordsman at heart. He didn’t care much about familiars, so despite his high magic power and skill, the familiar he contracted with was the most common species of wyvern.

“Anyway, pleading to His Majesty comes first.” 

“Please.”

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