Ch.32Lieutenant Priest Volkmann (3)

“Would you like to try joining the Order of the Sword?”

Najin remained silent at Volkman’s proposal.

Though his tone was light, Najin knew this was not a casual suggestion.

It was a good offer.

He couldn’t deny that fact.

The priest named Volkman standing before him might be special, but through their sword exchange, Najin had formed a good impression of the Order. He could sense pure aspiration from the priest before him.

Even when Najin copied his techniques right in front of him, even when he dismissed a lifetime of training in an instant, Volkman didn’t mind at all and instead showed even more diverse techniques.

As if saying, try copying this too.

Having absorbed all those techniques, Najin couldn’t help but feel grateful to Volkman. He even felt a kind of reverence. Volkman’s complete immersion in the sword—as if dwelling on feelings of inferiority, jealousy, or emptiness would be a waste—was worthy of respect.

…Indeed, an attractive proposal.

Of course, not everyone in the Order would be like Volkman, but at least it was a place where only those truly dedicated to the sword gathered. A place that didn’t care about background or origin—if he joined, he might be able to grow steadily under their protection.

-……

Najin pondered, and Merlin remained silent.

Merlin was merely a guide who didn’t force any path. Choosing which road to walk was entirely up to the one walking it.

An attractive proposal.

An easy and stable path.

Looking at the well-paved road before him, Najin smiled bitterly. Because he knew.

“I’m sorry.”

He knew well that he couldn’t reach where he wanted to go on such a path.

“I cannot accept that offer.”

Najin bowed his head to Volkman.

Joining the Order of the Sword and raising his level by training while facing a wall would be an easy and simple path. But that wasn’t what Najin wanted.

Najin had just entered the world.

He needed to see many things and experience many things.

Only by experiencing the world and learning from it could he move toward broader horizons. Only by walking a rough and dangerous path, not an easy and simple one, could he reach higher places.

‘Just as King Arthur did.’

Arthur’s path.

That was the path Najin had sworn to walk. When Najin raised his head again, Volkman was looking at him with a smile.

“If that’s your decision, so be it. It’s a shame, but you must have your own way.”

He didn’t seem disappointed by the rejection.

Rather, as if he had expected it, Volkman stroked his beard. Then, with a short “Ah,” he spoke.

“Ivan, you’re planning to stay in this city, right?”

“Yes, I plan to stay for at least a year.”

“That’s quite specific. Do you have a goal?”

After a moment’s consideration, Najin spoke. There was no need to be shy about revealing his ambition.

“To reach the White Horn rank.”

White Horn rank.

The pinnacle of Cambria, City of Opportunity. The rank where Sword Seeker-level powerhouses belonged. Hearing Najin’s ambition, Volkman burst into laughter.

The young man before him had just received a black-dyed badge, a complete novice among novices. Yet this novice was saying he would stand at the city’s peak in just one year.

It was an absurd fantasy, something anyone would laugh at.

But Volkman didn’t mock Najin. Instead, he laughed heartily and patted Najin’s shoulder with his rough hand.

“Well, dreams should be big.”

Because the young man before him had talent.

Of course, reaching the White Horn rank within a year might be impossible. But it wouldn’t take that long for this young man to reach the city’s peak.

‘He seems close to being a Sword Expert…’

Not having seen him draw sword energy, Volkman couldn’t be certain, but how much time would this young man need to reach Sword Seeker? Trying to estimate that time, Volkman shook his head.

It would be foolish to apply ordinary standards to a genius.

And above all, he seemed to be hiding a lot. Neither his name, nor his age, nor even his level could be confirmed with certainty.

‘Suspicious, but…’

That didn’t matter.

After all, he was a young man sincere about the sword.

Volkman could tell while crossing swords with Najin. His attitude toward learning the sword was serious, and he could feel the young man’s determination to push himself to the limit without settling for his talent.

“In that case.”

Volkman liked Najin.

That’s why he made him an offer.

“Let me help you.”

“…Pardon?”

“I occasionally visit this city looking for opportunities to test my sword. Not often, but about once a month. Each time, I’ll review your swordsmanship.”

“That’s…”

“I’m offering to be your swordsmanship teacher. Well, it seems I’ve already been cleaned out today.”

Volkman smiled bitterly and shrugged.

“Things will be different once you can draw sword energy. You haven’t shown me swordsmanship using sword energy yet.”

“I’d be truly grateful, but…”

Najin hesitated.

“Why would you do this much for me?”

It seemed too good to be true. There was nothing in it for Volkman. Seeing Najin’s questioning look, Volkman curled up the corner of his mouth.

“Don’t you know all the precepts of the sword? Surely you didn’t just memorize the ones useful for challenging me to a duel?”

Najin lowered his gaze, feeling caught, while Volkman chuckled. He already knew Najin had drawn him into the duel with a shallow trick. Knowing this, he had still shared his sword because he had no reason to refuse.

“There’s a line in the precepts of the sword.”

Volkman touched his sword hilt.

“There is no high or low in seeking teaching.”

Whether the opponent is an unparalleled genius, a back-alley vagrant, or one’s own disciple… if they hold a sword, there is something to learn from them.

“Our duel was helpful to me too. Thanks to you, my sword feels sharper. So, I’m actually the one who should be asking you.”

“If that’s the case.”

Najin smiled.

He shook the hand Volkman offered.

“I look forward to working with you.”

“That’s my line, Ivan.”

2.

“I’ve unexpectedly gained a swordsmanship teacher.”

-The Knights of the Round Table really liked guys like that. Especially Bedivere, he went crazy for guys like that.

Merlin muttered as if in disbelief.

-Something about romance or whatever. Said his heart stirred when he saw people obsessed with and living for one thing?

Anyway.

Merlin took a short breath and said.

-You did well earlier.

‘What?’

-You know, when you rejected that priest Volkman’s offer. That was good.

Seeing Najin’s confused expression, Merlin replied awkwardly.

-What you said to yourself. That difficult and rough paths have value. That part was good.

‘You heard that?’

-I can hear almost everything you mutter to yourself. So don’t think about badmouthing me.

What a sinister wizard.

-I can hear that too, you know? Do you really want to die?

Najin laughed at Merlin’s threat.

While chatting with Merlin, Najin entered the guild counter. He submitted the sack containing the orc’s head and received the reward for completing the request.

Click.

When he inserted his badge into the magical device at the guild counter, numbers rose as the information updated. Operating the device, a list of all the requests Najin had completed so far appeared. Still just a list full of mundane errands.

‘I should start taking proper requests soon.’

It was time to raise his rank.

Raising his rank would allow him to receive higher-level requests and experience more diverse things.

Black. Purple. Blue. Green. Red. White.

Six ranks in total.

The method to reach the next rank, purple, wasn’t particularly difficult. If he kept accumulating requests like this, he could reach it soon.

But he had no intention of taking it slow.

He had acquired basic knowledge about the outside world. He was steadily building up his mana cultivation method and swordsmanship, and he had roughly grasped how this city operated.

This is enough, Najin thought.

He had no intention of hiding his strength forever.

Nor did he plan to settle for accepting simple requests. After all, what mattered to him now was experience. Experience gained from actual combat.

While he would hide Excalibur and the platinum sword energy, he could at least draw out fragments of sword energy.

‘I wish I could receive higher-rank requests.’

The problem was that Najin was unverified.

He could accept simple requests, but mercenaries and adventurers ultimately lived on trust. It meant he needed to build up some achievements before he could receive proper requests.

But Najin currently had no achievements.

Even if he suddenly showed fragments of sword energy, without achievements, no one would entrust him with important requests.

‘Still, if I look around, maybe one…’

As Najin was examining the request list at the guild counter, he sensed someone behind him. Someone approached and tapped his shoulder.

Najin turned his head.

There stood a girl with a familiar face. Unlike last time when her hair was loose, her light brown hair was now neatly tied in a single braid. And those gleaming yellow eyes.

“We meet again here?”

The owner of Dieta Trading Company.

Dieta Albania was smiling at Najin.

“It seems you’re looking for a good request.”

She pointed at the badge on her chest.

The guild-certified head of one of the city’s top three massive trading companies. Najin hadn’t known during their first meeting, but now he understood how much power the girl before him held in this city.

“Would you like to make a deal with me?”

She took off her gloves.

Then she extended her bare hand to Najin.

“You won’t refuse this time, right?”

3.

The headquarters of the Order of the Sword.

Returning to the Order late at night, Volkman unpacked his belongings and headed straight to the training room. He had mentally replayed his duel with Najin several times during the carriage ride.

‘I want to swing my sword!’

An insight that might disappear with a single breath.

Wanting to immediately engrave that insight into his body, Volkman rushed to the training room and swung his sword. In the late night, in the empty training room, Volkman swung his sword for a while.

The young man he encountered in Cambria, City of Opportunity.

While he might have been a turning point for the young man, the young man was also a turning point for Volkman. Thanks to their duel, Volkman felt that the trajectory drawn by his sword had become much more precise.

“Whew.”

As he was satisfactorily swinging his sword and wiping away sweat, a voice came from behind.

“Training as soon as you return. That’s just like you.”

“…You were here?”

Volkman turned around.

Though he hadn’t sensed any presence, his old friend was standing there. A swordsman who was around his age in his forties but could pass for someone in his 20s. He narrowed his eyes while stroking his chin.

“Your sword has become sharper? Did you gain some insight?”

Saying this, he shook the bottle of alcohol in his hand.

It meant let’s have a drink. While drinking in the training room would surely earn them a scolding from the high priests, Volkman laughed and accepted the cup he offered.

Even the high priests wouldn’t dare say a word to that man who was offering the drink.

“I gained insight by seizing a good opportunity.”

“Oh? A good opportunity?”

“Yes. I met a young man in Cambria…”

While tilting his cup, Volkman spoke.

Ordinarily, he wouldn’t have thought to tell anyone about the young man he met in Cambria. The young man’s talent was dangerous, and someone might envy that talent and try to force him to join the Order.

But it was different with the man before him.

He knew he wasn’t that kind of person, nor was he small-minded enough to envy someone else’s talent.

“He was an extraordinary young man. He claimed to be in his late twenties, but he looked like a teenager to me.”

“Is that so.”

“He cleaned me out, you know? It was astonishing how he copied the swordsmanship I’ve trained my whole life right before my eyes. He’s going to be great. He has a strong will to learn.”

The man listened with interest to Volkman’s words. Tilting his cup, he smiled.

“That’s interesting. If you speak so highly of him, he must be no ordinary person.”

The man knew. He knew that his old friend Volkman rarely spoke like this. Volkman was a priest who wielded his sword plainly, without exaggeration.

“You said you’ll visit monthly?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Then next time you go to that city, I’ll accompany you. I’d like to see this young man at least once.”

“…You would?”

“Cambria, City of Opportunity, is a place I once passed through as well. It would be nice to visit after so long.”

Beyond the wide-open window of the training room.

In the vast night sky, six stars twinkled. They were stars that shone only for the man looking up at the sky.

The master of the Order of the Sword.

The pinnacle of the Order of the Sword who had broken all records to become the youngest Sword Master.

“You never know.”

The swordsman with six stars.

Charon, the Star of Sword, smiled.

“That young man might become a turning point for me too.”