Ch.20Chapter 20: Encouragement and Gifts

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As I listened to what Director Belpheus was saying.

“…”

My mouth, unable to find the right words, maintained its silence.

It was understandable.

I had just heard from another thousand-year-old hero who had lived in the same era as my ancestor—someone I had always idolized—that the swordsmanship I displayed resembled another style left behind by Lord Lumen Ranos.

I was bewildered, yet at the same time deeply moved.

If I had been told my talent for the sword was ordinary, I would have considered it a very modest assessment.

It was the highest praise I had ever received regarding my swordsmanship—I who had always been told that I showed no talent whatsoever for the sword and might be better off wielding a different weapon.

As the emotional whirlwind from those few words still hadn’t subsided, a faint smile appeared on Director Belpheus’s lips as he looked at me.

“Hehehe.”

His gentle laughter accompanied it.

“Judging by your expression, you seem too surprised to speak.”

Though I still couldn’t think of what to say, I wasn’t incapable of answering a direct question, so I responded to the Director’s query in a composed voice.

“That’s correct.”

After hearing my answer, the Director’s expression showed an enigmatic smile, then:

“You must have had a difficult time.”

Difficult. Difficult, huh…

As soon as I heard the word “difficult,” memories from my childhood and the previous timeline flooded back, all mixed together.

“I know well that you struggled, trying to devise a swordsmanship style that suited your body when the family’s style didn’t fit you, making little progress and facing frustration.”

As the Director said, I was born with a handicap and couldn’t learn the Ranos sword style, which had reached an untouchable realm in the field of swift swordsmanship over a thousand years, even if some aspects had been lost.

“I also know that you suffered because you weren’t born with the characteristics that people of Ranos are born with now, like their hair color.”

Despite being a member of the Ranos family, whose members are born with silver hair regardless of what blood they mix with, I was born with red hair.

“And as I mentioned earlier, due to your poor physical condition, you were in a position where you couldn’t properly fulfill the dream you had since childhood.”

Not only was my hair color different, but because of my “broken vessel,” I was placed in a position where I couldn’t become a superhuman despite being a member of the Ranos family, whose members are recognized as superhumans from birth.

Knowing I had no talent but still harboring a desire since childhood to display swordsmanship like my revered ancestor, I had experienced frustration as I realized with each swing of my sword that I had no talent for the swift swordsmanship that Ramos prided itself on.

As time passed, I lived each day with desperate hope that everything would be resolved once I received systematic education in the Cradle and awakened as a hero. I dreamed of a sword that could deliver fatal strikes without using fighting energy.

I tried to create a patchwork swordsmanship by repeatedly simplifying and adapting the Ranos sword path—which could only be drawn through extremely swift swordsmanship—to suit me, but I faced frustration when it didn’t come easily.

Finally, after failing to awaken and become a hero, feelings of inferiority gradually accumulated.

Eventually, those suppressed feelings of inferiority erupted when I saw someone I thought was just like me actually shining brilliantly and moving far ahead of me.

It was a memory full of misery and wretchedness, filled with experiences I never wanted to go through again.

Those were days I thought would never come again since I had traveled back in time, but as I recalled those events that were still vivid in my memory, I felt a few things:

Regret for not being able to repay the people who still valued me when I was about to collapse from feelings of inferiority, and a desperate desire to express only gratitude and never do anything to be sorry for again, now that I had returned against the fate that would have seen me turn to ashes without even being able to express that regret.

That’s why:

“It’s not that I suffered—it’s the people who tried to make something of someone as talentless as me who really suffered.”

I responded appropriately to the Director’s kind words by expressing gratitude toward those who had truly suffered more than I had.

It was a sincere statement meant for all those in the timeline who could no longer receive my apology, and those in the current timeline to whom I should express gratitude rather than apology.

As the Director heard my words, his expression showed even deeper approval than before.

“Your demeanor has become much gentler than when I observed you a few days ago.”

…A few days ago?

I feel my sense of time has dulled due to the regression.

What the Director referred to as a few days ago was like years ago to me.

“When you say a few days ago…?”

So, pretending not to know, I tried to grasp the situation by listening to what Director Belpheus had to say.

“When you almost got into a fistfight with a cadet who was teasing you about entering the martial tournament despite your poor grades, but it was smoothed over thanks to Cadet Excel stepping in to stop you.”

“…Ah.”

As I heard about this embarrassing memory that I only just recalled, the events flashed before my eyes.

The Director called it teasing, but it wasn’t really that.

It was just concern—wondering if it was too dangerous for me to participate in the martial tournament where formidable fighters would be competing.

It wasn’t wrong, but due to my inferiority complex, I didn’t take the concern well and almost got into a fistfight before Excel pulled us apart and smoothed things over.

It was an incident born from a moment of youthful impetuousness and foolishness.

“…It happened because I was too narrow-minded. I was planning to find him and apologize before it was too late.”

“Make sure you do apologize later.”

“Yes.”

Since it was a mistake I couldn’t justify, rather than making excuses, I acknowledged my wrongdoing. The Director didn’t press the matter further and simply urged me to apologize, then looked at me with an increasingly approving expression as he slowly began to speak.

“I called you here to congratulate you on your successful awakening, but seeing how you’ve matured mentally as well makes me feel quite pleased.”

The atmosphere in the Director’s office suddenly changed.

The heavy, solemn atmosphere that had been filled with the presence of a great hero who had lived for a thousand years became considerably lighter as the Director’s mood improved.

A superhuman of overwhelming caliber has the power to completely transform the atmosphere of a space with just a simple action.

‘Not much left now.’

There wasn’t much left to do in the Director’s office.

Soon, as is customary, the Director would congratulate a cadet who had successfully awakened their ability, express expectations for future activities, and then it would be over.

So I should have just waited for more words of congratulation from Director Belpheus, but:

“I’ve seen people change overnight a few times in my thousand years of life, but the catalyst is always different. So tell me, what was your catalyst?”

This transcendent being who had lived for a thousand years seemed surprisingly interested in trivial matters, as he asked what had triggered what seemed to him like a sudden change in me.

“Getting hit on the head with the flat of a sword by someone better than me really knocked some sense into me.”

Having no reason to lie, I honestly told him what had been the catalyst.

In the previous timeline, getting hit once didn’t bring me to my senses, and I continued to act foolishly until I committed an irreversible mistake and was fated to turn to ashes.

Only after traveling back in time just before death and getting hit in the same spot once more did I finally come to my senses.

Though I spoke sincerely, my words must have sounded quite amusing:

“Not only has your demeanor softened, but your sense of humor has improved too.”

Director Belpheus’s expression showed a hint of playfulness.

“It’s not a joke. I really had an epiphany while staring at the ceiling from a hospital bed after getting hit.”

“Well, since you say so, I won’t press the matter further.”

From his response, it seemed the Director wasn’t taking my words seriously.

Well, if I heard someone who had been acting like a delinquent say they came to their senses after getting hit on the head once, I would doubt the credibility of the story too. So what could I say?

I should be grateful that he’s viewing my changed behavior positively.

“I think we’ve strayed too far from the topic. Let me get back to discussing your awakening.”

Now it seems the conversation that had veered off course is finally returning to the main point.

“There must be some reason why the technique my friend tried to perfect but ultimately couldn’t, along with my friend’s signature ability, has manifested in you, a distant descendant.”

The super-regeneration ability said to have been possessed by my great ancestor, Lumen Ranos.

And fragments of a sword technique she had conceptualized and dreamed of perfecting—not her signature swift sword style Gwanghwi that she wielded with her holy sword as a hero to achieve immortal fame—have been passed down to me, the most atypical descendant of the Ranos family after a thousand years.

Director Belpheus’s voice regained its solemnity as he conveyed this fact.

“So I’d like to give you a small gift that might help you, having suddenly experienced such a significant event.”

“A gift… you say?”

The sudden mention of a gift made me blurt out a light response, but the Director didn’t seem to mind my attitude.

“Yes, a gift. It should be arriving soon.”

I was curious about what kind of gift he wanted to give me and was about to ask a question, but:

Knock, knock, knock

My mouth, which had opened to ask a question, was silenced by the sound of knocking on the office door at regular intervals.

“Hmm… right on time.”

Noticing the knock, Director Belpheus brightened up, then brought his right thumb and middle finger together.

Snap

With a light flick and a clear sound, the office door opened smoothly with an elegant sound.

In the gradually opening doorway appeared a girl, still young but almost a woman, wearing a maid’s uniform and bearing an expressionless face.

‘That person…’

Her attire was different from what I remembered, and her face looked younger than I recalled, so I almost didn’t recognize her at first, but soon I could identify her.

If my memory serves me right, the maid-uniformed figure who entered the Director’s office is someone I know well.

Someone with deep bad blood between us in the previous timeline after I had become a monster after much time had passed.

The Director’s proxy who carries out his will when he cannot act outside the Cradle, and the only disciple he has accepted in his nearly thousand years of life…

And though I’m not sure about now, later she would capture the heart of Director Belpheus, who had lived for a thousand years without love.

Her name is…

“Master… Director. I’ve brought the item you mentioned.”

My thoughts were interrupted by her voice as she reached the desk with modest steps.

Judging by how she started to call him “Master” but quickly corrected herself to “Director,” despite her forced expressionless face, she didn’t seem accustomed to this role yet.

However, the girl’s movements as she reached the desk were quick and well-ordered, unlike her earlier awkwardness.

There was no wasted motion as she naturally placed the wooden box she held in both hands onto the desk, and her greeting to the Director as she clasped her hands in front and bowed respectfully was flawless.

“You always arrive at exactly the right time. Thank you for your hard work, Reirin.”

The Director gently accepted her respectful greeting, praising her as he called her name.

‘As I thought.’

I had suspected it, but hearing the girl’s name from the Director’s lips confirmed her identity.

Cheonkwon (Heavenly Fist), Reirin.

Like Shizu from the previous timeline, she is one of humanity’s great heroes.

A peerless martial artist with skills just slightly below Shizu’s in comparison.

Even now she seems impressive, though I don’t yet feel the tingling fighting energy I sensed in the previous timeline, but I could tell at a glance:

Before long, she would reveal her full potential and emerge as a hero who cuts away the malice threatening humanity.

“Thank… you.”

Even at the Director’s brief praise, she seemed flustered, showing a slight blush typical of a girl her age, which seemed almost unnatural given what I knew of her.

“Thank you for bringing it. If I need you, I’ll contact you, so until then, rest in the secretary’s office.”

“Then…”

The Director’s voice was strangely affectionate for addressing a subordinate, and Reirin responded with equal gentleness, giving a slight bow to Belpheus before leaving with silent, quick steps.

Creeeeak

The heavy office door closed once again.

As I turned my head to carefully observe Reirin’s retreating figure, seeing the still-immature appearance of great heroes who had not yet revealed their heroic aspects compared to when I had faced them in the previous timeline, I was struck by the true feeling of having regressed in time.

Snap

Once again, the sound of Director Belpheus’s right thumb and middle finger meeting gently reached my ears.

“This is the gift.”

Something amazing happened.

The wooden box that had been on the desk until just now disappeared without a trace with the Director’s gesture.

In its place, a sword revealed its presence.

A scabbard made of leather that clearly showed the passage of time yet was extremely well-maintained.

A dark brown crossguard and grip caught my eye.

The sword’s size was a bit small to be classified as a two-handed greatsword.

Yet it was too large to be classified as a one-handed longsword.

It was a sword of the size that would fall into the category of what’s called a bastard sword.

As I unconsciously tried to swallow dry saliva, tense from the energy emanating from the sword whose nature was difficult to judge by appearance alone:

“This is the weapon my thousand-year-old friend used when performing the swordsmanship I mentioned earlier.”

Words revealing the sword’s history came from Director Belpheus’s lips.

Gulp

And then I ended up swallowing not just dry saliva but actual saliva with a loud gulp.

The astonishing history of this unidentified sword, not recorded in a single line of my family’s traditions, gave me a fresh tension unlike anything I had experienced in the previous timeline.