Royal Palace, Royal Office
Strictly speaking, the goal of annihilating the Three Great Kings and the Four Great Calamities was not for anyone else's sake. It was merely a goal established by gaining self-awareness. Of course, Alain Kingdom and humans wanted the complete eradication of monsters, so the process overlapped.
“Sorry, but I won't wield a sword. I made that decision.”
Before becoming known as a thief, Caden had trained as a swordsman. However, he soon found it futile and vowed never to use a sword again.
“…Even the queen did not ask you to wield a sword. The Violet seems to know about you but doesn’t talk. Is there a reason?”
“There is. I explained the reason to the queen, and the Violet already knows.”
“You knew the Violet?”
“We weren't acquainted at that time. I found out about our connection a few years ago.”
“……”
A distant and restrained aura emanated from Caden. It was clear that something had gone wrong while he was wielding a sword. The Violet Divine Archer must have witnessed the incident, and the queen learned about the secret while recruiting the Silver Phantom Thief.
“I can help with reconnaissance or gathering information. But I won’t fight. Even the queen agreed to this.”
“…The Abyssal King might attack Alain Kingdom.”
Enrite relayed what Zion Laird had told him. Caden responded quickly, listening intently.
“I thought he failed once.”
“Failure doesn’t mean he won’t attack again. There are still battles ongoing in the border regions.”
“I find that hard to believe. If that were true, I would have known first.”
“I asked you to keep an eye on the Shadow Dragon's location. What happened then?”
“……”
Caden couldn’t refute and fell silent. Enrite had indeed anticipated the Shadow Dragon’s invasion and had warned Caden to keep a close watch. As a result, Caden had been able to communicate quickly.
“I’m heading to the border regions now. I have secured military support from the queen and cooperation from the Kinesien Sacred Order. There’s no harm in being cautious.”
“…Who provided this information?”
“It’s more of a prediction than solid information. It’s not certain, but I’m choosing to believe it.”
“You can fight without me, can’t you? You defeated the Shadow Dragon…”
“The Abyssal King is likely stronger now. That much is certain.”
Enrite had learned from Oz that the Abyssal King possessed the Earth Magic Sword, Gerkanver. The Abyssal King had likely grown significantly stronger while amassing his forces, and wielding the Earth Magic Sword could turn the situation critical.
A powerful beast becoming even more dangerous with the Earth Magic Sword was unimaginable.
“So, you think I should help?”
“Even the queen couldn’t kill him. We might not be able to handle him alone.”
“Won’t the Violet come to help?”
“The Violet has a specific role. So do the queen and the Blue Sage. That leaves only you and me. Your mission is important, but can’t you step in during an emergency?”
Enrite didn’t believe they would lose to the Abyssal King. With five Magic Sword users, an awakened El Tesoykve, the Violet Divine Archer, and the forces of Alain Kingdom, they had a good chance. However, unexpected situations could arise during battle, and a single mistake could result in severe casualties. Minimizing allied casualties was crucial, so focusing solely on victory wasn’t an option.
“…Even the queen can’t force me to wield a sword.”
“Was it a condition for becoming a Setinos Quasar?”
“I became a Setinos Quasar out of my loyalty to the queen, but I cannot wield a sword. That’s a royal decree and a pact with Alain Kingdom.”
Caden could dedicate himself to the queen but refused to use a sword. A precious life had been lost because of one sword, and it became an unforgettable nightmare. That’s why he became a Setinos Quasar under the condition of not using a sword.
“Will you only pick up a sword when monsters reach the capital?”
“Monsters can’t reach the capital. No monster has ever breached the front-line walls.”
“That’s true so far. But who can predict the future? Do you think you and I, and the other Setinos Quasar, can protect this country forever? When will talents like Zion Laird or Hanette Adelaira appear again?”
Enrite feared losing this moment and opportunity. Now that he was human and couldn’t live forever, he had to act quickly before time stole that possibility. Strong humans would eventually die. He needed to resolve this before time ran out.
“Even if you’re right, I can’t pick up a sword. My mind won’t change until I die.”
“If that’s your will, I respect it. You’re human too.”
Enrite turned and walked away slowly. There weren’t many who wanted to fight just for the sake of fighting. Though Caden was faithfully fulfilling his duties, it was regrettable that he concealed his true strength. But as a fellow human, Enrite couldn’t entirely deny Caden’s feelings.
“Human, huh…”
Caden watched Enrite leave and recalled memories of the past. Exceptional talent, relentless effort, a glorious future, and a supportive family. Yet, one mistake had shattered it all.
‘How can I protect humans when I’ve killed my own family?’
Caden tried to bury the memory in darkness. Until his body crumbled, he wouldn’t pick up a sword. Holding a sword, even for a moment, would bring back unwanted memories and feelings.
‘If Brandish is in danger…’
He had lost his family and couldn’t bear to lose his beloved too. If the queen were in danger, he would definitely wield a sword to save her. But the queen was not weak enough to need his intervention.
‘The Golden Sword Saint doesn’t need my sword. She’s stronger than I am.’
Duke Adelaira's mansion, indoor training hall.
Zion was practicing swordsmanship with Seran. What started as a light training session to check each other’s skills had gradually turned more serious as the frequency of their sparring increased.
They both wielded wooden swords, engaging in swordplay without using magic.
‘…It ended up like this again.’
Seran struggled, backpedaling while swinging the wooden sword. Initially, they had traded blows evenly, without feeling overwhelmed. But the tide quickly turned, and Seran found himself caught in Zion’s rhythm.
‘It’s hard to counter.’
Zion’s swordsmanship seemed straightforward but had subtle feints. Blocking an attack would lead to a swift retreat from Zion, and evading would be met with a redirected assault. It felt like Zion conserved energy and struck at openings as needed.
‘In a real fight, I’d have died multiple times…’
Seran focused and stepped forward with his left foot, thrusting the wooden sword and anticipating Zion’s next move. Zion retreated swiftly while instinctively swinging his wooden sword.
“Hup!”
Seran twisted his body to deflect Zion’s strike. However, Zion’s wooden sword was easily deflected, and he had already stepped back.
‘I wouldn’t want to face him as an enemy.’
Seran advanced quickly, following Zion. If he allowed Zion to maintain the upper hand, he would continue to be pushed back. Though Zion wouldn’t remain passive, taking the offensive would significantly change the dynamics.
‘Am I already at my limit?’
Zion, feeling disappointed, watched Seran. They had sparred regularly, and it hadn’t been a short period. Yet, Seran hadn’t progressed beyond his current level. Pushing harder might result in Seran’s defeat as usual.
‘As I thought… Seran might not be the protagonist.’
Zion pretended to block and cautiously moved his feet. If Seran were truly the protagonist, he would have shown some sign of growth by now. However, Seran’s progress was sluggish, reinforcing his identity as a Magic Sword user rather than a protagonist.
‘Is Hanette the protagonist after all?’
Zion hesitated momentarily and shifted his body in the opposite direction. Seran noticed his movement and adjusted his stance. Zion could pretend to fall for the feint and counterattack or simply evade and close the distance.
‘If the protagonist is limited to Magic Sword users…’
Zion, about to swing the wooden sword, suddenly retreated. He felt an inexplicable lack of motivation. The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.
“I’m a bit tired. Shall we stop here?”
“Oh, yes.”
Zion caught his breath and glanced around. Two noble ladies were watching him and Seran. One had an indifferent expression, while the other seemed slightly disappointed as she fetched a towel.
“Can I have one?”
“…Here you go.”
Oz handed Zion a towel, subtly gauging his reaction. Although considerable time had passed, there hadn’t been any significant change. They conversed normally and followed instructions as needed. While Zion didn’t seem displeased, he maintained a somewhat distant demeanor.
“Do you need a towel?”
“I don’t need one, but I’ll take it if it’s from you.”
“Haha! That’s not even funny.”
Hanette laughed for the first time that day and handed Zion a towel. Zion took it and wiped his face and hands.
“Today ended quickly?”
“Well… I feel a bit tired.”
“Suddenly? Do you want to rest?”
“It’s not that bad. A little walk might help.”
Zion lied naturally, mindful of Seran. Hanette scrutinized Zion’s face before taking the towel from him.
“You didn’t wipe properly.”
Hanette spread the towel and gently wiped Zion’s forehead and chin. Zion watched her for a moment before speaking.
“You’ve been much gentler lately… Is there something you want from me?”
“What could I possibly want from you? You’re still a kid, aren’t you?”
“I’m 20 now. Will you keep calling me a kid?”
“That doesn’t change the fact that there’s a three-year age gap, does it?”
“But can’t you tell me the reason? It’s not like you’re being capricious, right?”
“…Maybe I just started liking you.”
Zion hesitated, not comprehending her words. In all their time together, Hanette had never said something like that. Could it be a joke?
“What did you just say?”
“I said, maybe I started liking you.”