Ch.82Sword Master, Juel Lazian (2)

Cephalon, the Black Mage of Seven Rings.

About 60 years ago, he was a traitor who attempted to overthrow the state using the city of Regenoff as his base. Although his plan failed, it nearly shook the Empire’s thousand-year history, which is why the Empire trembled at anything connected to Cephalon.

The “Transcendence Ritual” that Cephalon attempted in Regenoff City was decisive, but even before that, Cephalon was like a worm eating away at the Empire, perpetrating numerous massacres.

Therefore.

When Cephalon’s workshop was discovered intact in the underground of Regenoff City, the Empire and the Order of Sacred Blood could only stare wide-eyed in disbelief.

“Didn’t they claim responsibility for burning it down?”

“It’s written right here. ‘Eradication of records and traces, carried out under the command of Adrian, Master of the Red Tower.’ My memory doesn’t seem to be wrong…”

“What are you doing?”

“Bring in the person responsible.”

The young Emperor personally summoned the Master of the Red Tower.

The former Red Tower Master, who had retired about 13 years ago and was enjoying a leisurely retirement life farming on his estate, was dragged to the Imperial Palace due to this untimely summons and had his shins kicked. He also had to undergo ideological verification while they were at it.

While the Emperor personally dealt with the former Red Tower Master, the Order of Sacred Blood dispatched their executioner directly to Regenoff City to conclude the matter.

…And that’s how the situation has reached this point.

2.

Witness and first discoverer of the series of incidents.

Since Najin was deeply involved in this case, the Order’s executioner had requested a meeting with him while visiting Regenoff City. Of course, Najin was not obligated to comply with this meeting.

He was merely a witness, after all.

But just because there was no obligation didn’t mean he could refuse. When no less than the Order’s executioner, a Sword Master, specifically requested a meeting, refusing could bring about unknown consequences.

‘Unless I belonged to the Imperial family or was from a duke’s household…’

This wasn’t a meeting that a mere adventurer could refuse. That’s why Najin remained in Regenoff City, waiting for the Order’s executioner.

And so he came face to face with the Order’s executioner.

The first impression was chilling.

Skin so white it was pale, and snow-white hair. At first glance, she appeared to be in her early to mid-twenties, but Najin reflected on the fact that she had lived for at least 150 years.

‘It’s hard to determine age just by appearance.’

-Of course. Even at the Sword Seeker level, one’s appearance remains fixed at their younger age. By the time you reach Master, you become completely free from the constraints of lifespan.

Merlin answered indifferently.

-150 years is just the prime of life.

Prime at 150? Najin decided to ignore the words of a magician who had lived for over a thousand years. Their sense of time was clearly different from his own.

Tap.

From a distance, Juel Lazian moved her steps.

Her gait didn’t show the formality typical of those in high positions. Rather, it was a light step, somewhat lacking in strength.

‘Ah, this…’

The direction of those footsteps. And where Juel Lazian’s red eyes were looking. Najin groaned as he realized that it was precisely where he was standing.

‘It seems I’ve been marked.’

-It does seem that way, doesn’t it?

Leaving behind the city lord, the inquisitor, and Hite who had been responsible for the Faube subjugation operation, Juel walked straight toward Najin.

Then, tap.

She stopped in front of Najin. She still appeared expressionless and emotionless. As if the movement at the corner of her mouth he had seen earlier was just an illusion, Juel up close felt like a well-crafted doll.

Rustle.

She tilted her head. As she tilted her head, her hair flowed down. Through the white hair flowing like waves, Juel looked at Najin.

“What is your name?”

A question thrown abruptly.

For a moment, Najin couldn’t recognize that this was the voice of the person in front of him, and he tilted his head in confusion. That’s how alien Juel’s voice was.

A voice thinner and closer to a falsetto than he had imagined.

It wasn’t a voice that suited a murderer who had killed people in the tens to hundreds of thousands. Belatedly catching his breath, Najin answered.

“Ivan.”

“Ah, so you’re the witness in this case. I’ve heard about you. Pleased to meet you.”

Juel continued to speak formally.

However, those around didn’t seem to find this particularly special, and Najin belatedly remembered one piece of information about Juel Lazian.

Juel Lazian speaks formally to everyone.

Because to her, everything is simply the same.

She speaks formally to the Emperor, the sun of the Empire, and to the beggar rolling in the street. There were some who pointed this out, but…

‘No one who pointed it out still has their head attached to their neck.’

So that’s why no one showed any discomfort. Quickly understanding, Najin gracefully accepted Juel’s formal speech.

“There’s no need to waste time.”

Juel said calmly.

Besides being close to a falsetto, her voice had no inflection whatsoever. That’s why Juel spoke with such an alien voice.

“Please guide me.”

She pointed at Najin.

Originally, what she had requested from Najin was a meeting, and there was supposed to be a separate guide, but… as if that didn’t matter, Juel pointed at Najin and continued.

“I will receive guidance from this person. Everyone else, go about your business. It shouldn’t take long.”

The inquisitors bowed their heads as if accustomed to this and dispersed. Only the lord and Hite remained, staring blankly at Juel.

“Do you have something to say?”

“Well, that is…”

The lord glanced nervously, and Hite spoke.

“Perhaps you might need separate companions, or knights, or such personnel…”

At that question, Juel tilted her head.

With an expressionless face, she tilted her head and opened her mouth.

“Pardon?”

A questioning voice.

In response to her reaction, which suggested she didn’t understand why such a question was being asked, Hite belatedly realized his mistake. Bowing his head, Hite cleared the way, saying it was a slip of the tongue.

From the beginning, Juel Lazian didn’t need companions.

Nor would she need knights or such personnel.

As is typical of those who have reached the transcendent realm, Juel Lazian is a powerful being beyond the category of humans. This means one shouldn’t try to measure her by common sense.

Even if all the forces stationed in this city—that is, all knights and all magicians, as well as the remaining mercenaries and soldiers—were to rush at her, they wouldn’t be able to make her shed a single drop of blood.

Because that’s what a Sword Master is.

Juel tilted her head, then began walking toward the underground waterway, accompanied by Najin.

3.

“This is the place.”

While guiding Juel, Najin slightly revised his impression of her. If the impression of Juel he had formed while listening to Merlin’s stories was that of an unpredictable madwoman obsessed with blood…

Tap.

The impression of Juel following behind him now was that of an emotionless doll. The intense killing intent he had felt when she got out of the carriage was not felt at all now. As if what he had experienced then was just an illusion.

After walking for some time.

Najin arrived at the deep part of the underground waterway, the place he had reached while pursuing Faube. Turning his head to look at the wall, there was a passage leading to Cephalon’s workshop. It was a passage that the inquisitors had unsealed.

“That’s the place.”

Juel moved her steps with a tap.

She stood ahead of Najin. Now it was Najin who followed behind Juel. As they walked down the passage to the workshop, Juel spoke.

“You said your name was Ivan.”

“Yes.”

“Your age?”

“Twenty-eight.”

“I don’t like lies.”

Her voice still lacked inflection. That made it difficult to grasp the emotions and intentions behind her words.

“Twenty-eight is my official age.”

“You mean it’s a disguised identity. Under Imperial law, the crime of identity disguise is not light, but that’s a matter for Imperial administrators, not my jurisdiction. I mean I’m not interested.”

Juel stopped walking.

She turned her head to look at Najin, and even in the darkness, her eyes glowed red.

“I asked for your age. This is personal curiosity, and I have no intention of harming you.”

Najin sensed it. That was a warning. If he told another lie, there was no telling what might happen. Nevertheless, Najin took one more step forward.

“If you promise or swear not to disclose it anywhere, I will reveal my age.”

“Do you know that I have the authority and power to make you reveal your identity? I also have many means to force your mouth open.”

“I know.”

“And yet, you want me to swear?”

“Yes.”

Juel looked at Najin.

Her glowing red eyes stared into the sunset-colored eyes that did not waver even when meeting her gaze. After a few seconds had passed like that.

Smirk.

The corner of Juel’s mouth moved slightly.

“Very well. I swear. In the name of the Order of Sacred Blood’s deity, the Matyr of Thorns, I swear. The conversation we are having now will not leak outside.”

Is that satisfactory?

To Juel’s question, Najin nodded.

“Your age?”

“Eighteen.”

“You’re young.”

“Am I?”

“Yes, rather than young, you’re a child. Considering your level, you’re surprisingly young. I’m amazed.”

Juel clapped with a stoic expression.

Clap, clap, clap. The dry sound of applause echoed. When Najin looked at her with a dubious expression, Juel stopped clapping and tilted her head.

“Don’t you like receiving applause?”

“I’m confused because I don’t understand what you’re trying to say. I don’t know your intention either.”

“Applause is my way of expressing surprise. There is no other meaning, so please smile.”

Juel lifted the corners of her mouth with both hands.

“Applause from a Sword Master is precious. My surprise is even more precious. So be happy.”

Najin forced a smile.

Seemingly satisfied, Juel turned her head and moved forward. She seems like a somewhat strange person.

-Would a murderer who killed people in the hundreds of thousands be in their right mind?

That’s true. Ignoring Merlin’s words, Najin followed Juel. Even as they descended into the workshop, Juel continued to speak to Najin.

“If this fact were made public, the Empire would be turned upside down. Charon, the Star of Sword, might come looking for you right away. If it were him, he certainly would.”

The voice that had lacked inflection now gradually gained some. Najin noticed that Juel’s voice was becoming tinged with ecstasy.

“But it is none other than I who met and discovered you first. Remember this. The fact that Juel Lazian is the first Sword Master you’ve encountered.”

“It’s an honor.”

“Is it an honor?”

Juel stopped walking.

They had entered deep into Cephalon’s workshop. Faced with all sorts of horrific sights spread out before them, Juel didn’t even blink. There was no sign of bewilderment.

“It’s also regrettable.”

Juel sighed.

Her sigh was filled with heat. As if unable to bear it, she put her hand inside her uniform. What she took out was a water bottle.

As if unable to bear her thirst, she opened the cap of the water bottle and poured it into her mouth.

Najin frowned. A strong scent of potent alcohol wafted over. It wasn’t water but alcohol. After emptying the bottle in one go, Juel exhaled deeply.

“The fact that I have no justification to wield my sword against you is truly regrettable.”

“…Pardon?”

A statement that came out of nowhere.

While Najin was bewildered, Juel continued to speak.

“Under Imperial law, identity disguise is a serious crime. But since you are sponsored by the Cambria Foundation, an exception applies, and I cannot punish you.”

That was a soliloquy, and.

“Under Imperial law, I have the right to summary judgment, but I cannot wield it against you. The same goes for the power I hold as the Order of Sacred Blood’s executioner. I can interrogate you, but this must be done through dialogue, not force. Because you have committed no crime yet.”

It was also a question she was asking herself, looking for a reason to wield her sword.

“On the way down here, I observed the qi in your body. Abnormal achievement at a young age. I suspected a contract with a demon. If even a little demonic energy were detected, I could wield my sword against you as the Order’s executioner. But there was none. It’s very clean.”

A long sigh.

“If I were to wield my sword against you, it would be clearly illegal and against the doctrine. That fact is regrettable. I thought it was a good opportunity…”

Sighing, Juel reached out into the empty air.

Then, crunch, the moment she grasped the air, the scenery distorted. The distorted scenery eventually took a form and rippled in her hand.

Juel had grasped the empty air, but suddenly a greatsword was in her hand.

The moment she grasped the greatsword, Najin instinctively backed away. Intense killing intent, incomparably stronger than what he had felt when she got out of the carriage, filled the space. The killing intent pressed down on the space from above as if it had mass.

Blood vessels appeared in Najin’s eyes. All his senses were on edge, and when he came to his senses, he had drawn his sword.

“Mental strength to withstand killing intent, instinct to create distance, reflexive action to draw a sword as a swordsman. Excellent. It’s truly regrettable.”

With her sword drawn, Juel turned only her head to look at Najin. She was smiling. Ecstasy and regret mixed in her blood-red glowing eyes.

“Under Imperial law, death in a duel conducted with mutual consent is legal. If I challenge you to a duel, would you accept?”

A duel with a Sword Master.

If the Star of Sword had proposed this duel, Najin would have gladly accepted. The Star of Sword would naturally hold back and propose the duel to examine and teach Najin’s swordsmanship.

But the person before him is different.

This person’s purpose is singular. A duel where blood is spilled and they aim for each other’s lives. A life-or-death battle that doesn’t stop until life and death are decided. The moment he accepts, his head would fall.

‘What if I draw Excalibur?’

No, even then he would definitely lose.

The realms are different. The experiences are different. The dimensions are different. Najin knows that even if he calls forth Excalibur, he cannot narrow that gap.

“I decline.”

“A duel with a Sword Master is a valuable experience.”

“That experience only has meaning if I survive.”

“That’s not wrong.”

Juel nodded.

“Then I will postpone the duel.”

As if regretful, she exhaled and turned her head to look ahead. There, Cephalon’s workshop was spread out. As the Order of Sacred Blood’s executioner, Juel had the authority to cleanly dispose of that workshop.

“In lieu of that, I’ll have to cut those at least.”

She swung the greatsword she was grasping with one hand.

And Najin saw it.

Like cutting newspaper with scissors, the things in front of him were cut out from the world. The phenomenon occurred first, and the sound followed.

SCREEEEEECH!

A sword cry resembling a human scream echoed.