Ch.41Ordination Exam

The sun rising from beyond the mountains illuminated the world brightly. The vast expanse of farmland sparkled with a golden glow under the sunlight.

The blowing wind seeped over the bodies of soldiers, creating an eerie sound. It was like the sobbing of the dead.

But the dead do not speak. The sound resembling the sobbing of the departed was merely a coincidence created by the faint wind passing through the soldiers’ armor.

Four Blue Wings looked down at the bodies of the soldiers.

“They were killed cleanly.”

“Their expressions barely changed. They didn’t even realize what was happening to them until the moment of death.”

“There’s much to learn here.”

Se-eorin observed the three carefully. They were people who had devoted their entire lives to the sword. Despite nearly dying themselves, they were eager to absorb the traces left by a master.

Hatred for the Reincarnator and the ambition to reach greater heights. Which came first for them? Se-eorin didn’t bother to ask.

By the time Se-eorin’s group arrived at the Silverhill domain, the situation had already been resolved. Gerald had eliminated all remaining personnel in the mansion.

Those who resisted with weapons had their heads cut off and displayed in the city square. Once everything was settled, Gerald mounted the griffin he had arrived on.

Theo asked, “A-are you leaving already?”

“Matters related to Reincarnators fall under the jurisdiction of you Blue Wings. My role is finished.”

With those words, a massive gust of wind erupted. The enormous griffin began flapping its wings and soared into the sky. Known as the ruler of the skies, the griffin charged through the air, quickly creating distance.

It was about two weeks later when people from the Empire arrived. During that time, Se-eorin’s group stayed at the mansion, thoroughly investigating everything related to the Reincarnator.

They set aside suspicious items that needed to be confiscated and imprisoned those who knew about the Reincarnator’s identity but pretended not to know in the dungeon beneath the mansion.

After the handover was complete, their return date approached. Se-eorin’s group mounted their horses.

***

She had been floating in a deep dream for a long time. Her head felt heavy. She knew she had dreamed a long dream, but the remaining memories were faint.

Rising from her bed, Se-eorin headed to the window. Thick curtains were drawn, blocking the sunlight.

Swoosh-

With a light gesture, she pulled back the curtains, and the headquarters’ training ground, no different from usual, filled her view. The morning routine had already begun, with seniors running around the field.

Members who had just returned from missions could be exempted from training routines. Opening the window, she took a deep breath. As fresh air filled her lungs, she felt a dull pain throughout her body.

Mana carrying coldness observed her internal state. The meridians throughout her body were severely damaged. The aftermath of forcibly pushing out the internal energy that had penetrated her body still remained.

Her muscles were in even worse condition. They were torn in various places, creating extreme pain during the recovery process.

‘I overdid it.’

Se-eorin leaned against the window, tracing her hazy memories. Her last memory was returning to the Blue Wings headquarters in a half-conscious state.

She wasn’t sure if she had written the report properly.

‘I hope my merits weren’t reduced…’

It was hard to say she had properly completed the mission. After all, she had sent a request for support to the Empire at a crucial moment. Still, disappointment was disappointment.

Using the White Dragon Heart Sutra to dull the pain in her body, Se-eorin picked up a short sword placed on the table. A trophy from this mission—a blue steel sword that had been used by the Baron of Silverhill.

Shing-

As the sword was drawn, it scattered a chilling blue light. Looking at the gleaming blade, Se-eorin rotated her wrist and extended the sword.

Swoosh-!

The tip of the sword wavered as it cut through the air. The balance between the sword and her body was off. The center of gravity was misaligned, and the handle was excessively large.

It was to be expected. This sword had been crafted specifically for the Baron. No matter how much of his memories she had absorbed, she couldn’t wield it properly if her physical body didn’t match.

Se-eorin sighed and sheathed the sword.

Swoosh- Clack-!

She felt no regret. After all, she only needed the memories contained in the sword. She had taken something more valuable than the sword itself.

The lofty status of a prestigious sword family, built up over a long time, constructs the user’s mental world and reveals itself through the sword.

A technique that reveals one’s world and dominates space itself—it was closer to sorcery than swordsmanship.

It was when the sun was high in the sky that Se-eorin left her room. Heading to the dining hall to have lunch, she encountered her peers.

Judging by the direction they were walking, they seemed to be heading to the dining hall as well. A natural smile spread across Se-eorin’s face. She immediately ran over and squeezed between the two.

“Let’s go together.”

“Se-eorin?”

“Huh?”

The three conversed as usual. What they would do on their next day off, how they would divide their limited time. Besides Se-eorin, Theo, and Flora, there were no other new recruits. Moreover, they were similar in physical age. It was only natural for the three to get along.

Se-eorin thought differently.

‘Since I’m the adult, I should take good care of them.’

The small girl thought of the two larger people as her younger siblings.

It was during their peaceful mealtime. The dining hall entrance became noisy, and several people who had been eating hurriedly left.

The three naturally turned their attention to the entrance of the dining hall.

“What’s going on?”

“Everyone just left. They hadn’t even finished eating.”

Se-eorin chewed on her bread while focusing on the wind. The gentle breeze carried several words.

‘Mission, return, death, failure.’

A series of words with strongly negative connotations. Se-eorin abruptly stood up. She had an ominous feeling.

“Se-eorin?”

“Just a moment…”

Her ominous feeling was not wrong. What Se-eorin and her peers encountered were seniors who appeared to have just returned from a mission.

Their usually immaculate uniforms were torn, and some had broken swords. Additionally, they were wrapped in bandages from head to toe. They seemed injured all over.

Reynard’s condition was particularly strange. Se-eorin’s gaze went to Reynard’s empty left hand. Where his arm should have been was loose. The empty sleeve fluttered like a cape in the wind.

“Oh, rookies. Having lunch?”

Feeling the trio’s gaze, Reynard greeted them cheerfully as usual. His eyes curved gently. The casual wave of his intact right hand made his empty left side all the more conspicuous.

“Senior… that’s…”

“Sorry, Se-eorin. I let your enemy get away.”

She felt breathless. With one hand missing, he was apologizing for letting her enemy escape. How could he be so composed? How could he smile like that?

Reynard was a dual-wielder. For someone like him to lose one hand meant losing more than half of his combat effectiveness.

“What, what exactly happened? And your arm…”

“Reynard senior… your arm…”

“Hmm. He was very strong…”

Reynard briefly told the trio what had happened.

The subjugation mission had failed. Members had been dispatched to eliminate a Reincarnator named Hayato, but all had to return after suffering a crushing defeat. Not everyone returned unscathed.

Reynard, a mid-level knight, had lost his left arm, and two high-level knights who went with him had died. Even the vice-commander, who was the highest-ranking officer present, had returned with severe injuries.

After delivering the shocking news to the three, Reynard rose from his seat.

“Well, I’ll be going now. I haven’t written my report yet.”

The three couldn’t move from their spots for a long time. Se-eorin, in particular, was deeply shocked.

She had thought the Blue Wings were the strongest group. An invincible force that would never lose. She believed her enemy, Hayato, would die at their hands.

But that wasn’t the case. Even the vice-commander with his overwhelming divine rank had returned defeated.

Se-eorin asked Flora.

“Flora.”

“Yes…”

“Didn’t you say all vice-commanders have similar abilities?”

“That’s right…? Vice-Commander Karnok told us. Other vice-commanders have similar abilities to his.”

She had asked just in case. Wondering if the vice-commander who went on this mission was unusually weak. But that wasn’t the case. The revenge that had felt close now seemed impossibly distant.

That evening, Se-eorin went to the training ground. Her snow-white hair, returned to its original color, sparkled in the moonlight.

She couldn’t gauge how strong her enemy was. But now she knew.

‘It’s not enough.’

Her skills were woefully inadequate. Even a vice-commander-level figure with tremendous divine rank couldn’t defeat Hayato.

Moreover, he hadn’t gone alone. High and mid-level members were with him. It meant they had been defeated despite launching a combined attack.

‘By just one person.’

She needed to become stronger. Stronger than the vice-commanders of the Imperial Knights.

A predatory energy infused her rapidly extending sword. As the blade, which had been emitting white frost, traced a blue sky, a piercing cold spread to fill the empty space.

Se-eorin, swinging her sword in anger, sensed a presence. A familiar one—it was Flora who appeared.

“Se-eorin?”

Se-eorin’s gaze scanned Flora’s attire. She was dressed lightly for ease of movement, with her hair tied up to keep it out of the way, exposing her nape.

Seeing the sword at her waist, it seemed she too had come out for training. Their purpose was the same.

Se-eorin stepped aside and pointed her sword.

No further conversation was necessary. They understood each other. As Flora, smiling lightly, kicked off the ground, the two swords clashed with a crisp sound.

Clang-!