Yuter had chosen Barhen as a strategic marriage partner and presented her plan to the king. She wanted to ensure she had control over her future in such an arrangement.
‘He isn’t greedy for power.’
If someone was to be her lifelong partner, they needed to be competent and supportive. Barhen fit this role perfectly; he was loyal and willing to forsake his family for her.
‘He said he’d leave his family for me.’
Of course, Barhen wouldn’t abandon his family out of personal desire. Once allied with the royal family, he had to prioritize them, or suspicion would arise.
‘I must support Marquis Laird’s house.’
This support wasn’t just for Barhen but also to strengthen her own base of power. She didn’t want to force Barhen to sacrifice too much. He would always be her protector, and she couldn’t alienate him from his family. However, she needed to maintain a balance so that neither the royals nor the nobles would feel threatened.
‘Marquis Laird’s house will support me.’
Currently, Marquis Laird’s house was untouchable by other nobles. This was possible due to the black knight, the strategic marriage with Duke Adelaira’s house, and now, a potential marriage with the royal family. The king was aware of this, but he couldn’t oppose the trend.
‘I didn’t expect the black knight.’
For Yuter, the black knight was both a target of envy and an unexpected boon. Achieving at a young age what she aspired to made her envious. Yet, knowing he was on her side was a stroke of luck.
‘We both wield Magic Swords, but I feel nothing from him.’
Yuter intuitively understood why the black knight was so powerful: a peculiar Magic Sword, something beyond magic, a strong will, and deep attachment to his fiancée. All these elements combined to create the black knight.
‘I can never be like the black knight.’
She accepted this truth but didn’t want to yield to it. She believed she just hadn’t been given the opportunity to prove herself. Still, if she didn’t accept reality, she’d miss other possibilities.
‘I’ll prove my worth as the king. In my own way…’
In the second cardinal’s office of the Kinesien Holy Order’s cathedral, Enrite was sifting through a pile of documents in a quiet atmosphere. He was often away, so the pope had reduced his workload, but it still accumulated.
Though he could leave the Kinesien Holy Order using his duties as Setinos Quasar as an excuse, he needed to retain his cardinal position to mobilize the holy knights when necessary.
‘Cardinal Frandique is still doing well.’
Laina, who had sworn a martyr’s vow, was performing her duties smoothly at the cathedral. She seemed to enjoy her work and treated even the lower-ranked holy knights with humility. Consequently, she was well-regarded among the cardinals, and even the older knights didn’t treat her disrespectfully.
Given her smooth adaptation, her martyr’s vow might not have been a misguided choice after all.
‘The king has also quietly accepted things… Now we just need everyone to gather.’
Enrite dipped his pen in ink and signed the document at the bottom. Zion had claimed the Three Demon Kings were annihilated and that Demon God had suffered a critical blow. The Four Calamities, preoccupied with their own battles, wouldn’t approach Alain Kingdom for a while.
‘Everything is in place. We won’t lose, but…’
Enrite hesitated, lifting his pen again. Not everything always goes smoothly. Unexpected events can occur, and if not overcome, they can lead to significant damage. There was no guarantee another situation like the Abyssal King wouldn’t happen again.
‘The Slime Dragon has that kind of power.’
If things went as Zion predicted, the Slime Dragon would have become stronger by absorbing the Chimera Dragon. It would be the most threatening of the Four Calamities, potentially even consuming the Bone Dragon. It might even surpass Demon God, remaining the sole Four Calamities.
‘Once the Four Calamities are gone, it will be over.’
The long-awaited time was near. Zion Laird was about to accomplish what Enrite and Lesia couldn’t. If all the Magic Sword users and Setinos Quasar combined their strength, they could indeed defeat the Four Calamities.
‘We can win. We’ve done well so far…’
“It’s a bit boring… Can’t I go out alone?”
Lesia, sprawled on the table, turned her head. Enrite, with a piercing gaze, was staring at her. Initially, she found his expression unpleasant, but now she accepted it with ease.
“You should consider your position.”
“Think about it. If I were going to betray you, I would have done so already. I could have fled during the fight with the Ocean King.”
“What are you holding?”
“I have nothing. Without you, I’d be sleeping on the streets.”
“……”
Enrite waited for a different answer. Lesia, after a moment of contemplation, channeled her magic into her right hand.
“Is this what you mean?”
“It was dangerous before, but now it’s even more so. It’s not easy to suppress it anymore.”
Enrite, feeling uneasy, stared at the Magic Sword Lesia held. Though modeled after the seven Magic Swords, its power was bizarre and profound. Having seen Lesia use it, his wariness only increased.
“You intend to kill me because you can’t suppress it?”
“That Magic Sword made you stronger, didn’t it?”
“You think you can kill me?”
“If it’s to fulfill my duty, nothing is impossible.”
This time, Seran flinched and glanced at Enrite. It meant he was ready to do whatever it took to stop Lesia. Of course, Enrite wouldn’t intervene unless Lesia caused trouble.
“You’re willing to die with me?”
“That’s how I fulfill my duty.”
“So, you think my mistakes are your responsibility?”
“I promised the black knight I’d watch you. If you cause harm, I must fix it, even at the cost of my life.”
“Ah… that’s harsh. Why don’t you trust me?”
“I’ll ask in return. What can you do to earn my trust?”
“That’s… um…”
Lesia, unable to find a suitable answer, fell silent. While she usually listened to Enrite, she acted on her own in critical moments. The outcomes weren’t always bad, but her process often led to reprimand.
“You always act on your own, so how can I trust you?”
“Should I have just stood there?”
“Helping doesn’t mean acting on your own! You almost ruined the plan!”
“But it worked out in the end! The Ocean King is dead, and the other one is injured…”
“We needed to kill him too! We don’t know what will happen now!”
Enrite didn’t intend to blame Lesia. Her presence allowed them to prepare for the Ocean King’s attack and deal a crucial blow to Demon God. However, her missteps overshadowed her successes, leading to his reprimand.
“I tried to kill him too! I tried, but it didn’t work!”
“That’s why I told you to follow orders. We could have killed him if we waited a bit longer!”
“I needed to use this to kill him. If I waited, I couldn’t have even attacked!”
“That was the black knight’s task. I or the deputy commander of the Lychness Knights could have handled it. You acted on your own!”
Enrite, aware of his deviation from rational action, rebuked Lesia out of frustration. Lesia, feeling instinctively defiant, couldn’t completely deny his words.
‘…I want to leave.’
Seran, caught in the middle, quietly lowered his head. Enrite and Lesia argued daily, sometimes intensely. Watching their constant bickering, Seran felt mentally drained.
‘Is enduring this the only way to become stronger?’
Determined, Seran tried to absorb their heated exchange. Though it seemed like mere arguing, both were exceptionally strong. Considering Zion and Hanette’s example, he needed to understand their dynamic.
‘Just half as strong as the black knight…’
In the royal palace’s training grounds, all the Magic Sword users finally gathered. Brandish, having coordinated schedules, secured the safest and quietest place. Without the queen’s permission, no one could enter the royal training grounds.
“Black knight, what should we do now?”
“Summon your Magic Swords and imbue them with your power.”
Following Zion’s instructions, the Magic Sword users summoned their swords simultaneously. Zion exchanged glances with Enrite before channeling his magic into his sword. Only Hanette, unable to summon her sword, released her magic.
‘It’ll be embarrassing if nothing happens.’
Feeling pressured, Zion glanced around. Aside from the Magic Sword users, no one was present. Brandish had agreed that keeping the Magic Swords’ existence a secret was wise, even barring the royal guards.
‘We’ll see soon enough.’
As Exceed Rain and the other Magic Swords began to glow in their unique colors, the training grounds fell into a tense silence. No changes occurred initially.
‘There must be an issue.’
Zion knew the problem: the awakening of El Tesoykve and Exceed Rain, and Hanette’s inability to recognize Brecht. These changes possibly disrupted the balance of the seven Magic Swords.
‘I need to find another way…’
Just as Zion was about to give up, the colors of the Magic Swords intensified. Hanette’s magic turned crimson and grew stronger. As they reached their peak, a mysterious voice resonated.
- The one who connects the five origins shall create salvation.
- The one who holds light and darkness shall destroy evil.