Ch.89The Fishing Hook Made of Gold (1)

“About the attackers targeting you.”

Inside the carriage returning to Cambria.

Dieta began speaking with her arms crossed.

“In Cambria, only white-ranked adventurers could pose a threat to you, right?”

Najin nodded.

Excluding Sword Seekers, there was no danger. It would be dangerous if dozens of Experts came together, but if such a large group moved as one, Najin had means to counter them.

So, hit and run tactics.

Escape, pursuit, and turning the tide to counterattack were Najin’s specialties.

“There are five white-ranked adventurers in total. With Kapman Theosis dead, four remain. And three of those would never target you.”

“Why is that?”

“First, Roseline Askarlo. You’ve met her, right? She’s pure, for better or worse. She’s not the type to engage in such dirty business.”

Dieta folded one finger.

“Second, Richard Polsen, former knight commander of the Xenobels family. This person cannot be recruited by the Order. He has connections with the imperial family, so… every action he takes is reported to them. He wouldn’t initiate something like this.”

Another finger folded.

“Third, Bashen Korte. A white-ranked adventurer who hasn’t disclosed his information. He absolutely despises the Order. He lost his knighthood for allegedly killing a high priest of the Order. Again, unlikely to be involved.”

Above all, she said.

“Bashen Korte is an exclusive adventurer for our company. We might even get help from him in this situation.”

Three candidates eliminated.

Pointing to her last remaining finger, Dieta continued.

“Grizel Parament. This person… there’s almost no public information, so I can’t be certain. If someone targets you within Cambria city, Grizel would be the likely suspect.”

“What weapon does he primarily use?”

“A halberd.”

A halberd—a weapon Najin had never faced before.

“But this is all speculation… I think the threat will come from outside the city rather than inside.”

“I’ve been thinking similarly.”

“And if I were the Order, I’d unleash all my hunting dogs this time. Kapman has already fallen. The Order must be convinced that you’re not someone to be trifled with.”

What happens then? Dieta muttered, tapping her forearm with her index finger.

“For reasons unknown… you said the Sacred Host ‘absolutely won’t move their holy knights directly,’ right?”

“That’s likely. They wouldn’t want to be exposed.”

“Assuming that’s true, there aren’t many routes for outside forces to enter the city.”

Dieta unfolded a map.

“If someone at the Sword Seeker level wants to visit the city through ‘normal’ means, they must go through reporting procedures. And a visit without reason would stand out. It would leave records too. They won’t try this method.”

She pointed to the back gate rather than the main entrance.

“So they’ll disguise their identity and enter through the back gate. Or climb over the wall. But even then, it won’t be easy for them to target you. Your residence is adjacent to the central church, right?”

“Yes.”

“That area is only accessible to adventurers of green rank or higher. People with uncertain identities cannot enter.”

In other words.

“Assassinating you within Cambria is not easy. Especially considering your skills. If a fight breaks out in the central city, adventurers would join in, and things would escalate.”

“Indeed… that’s true.”

“So they’ll try to lure you out.”

Outside the city.

Najin stroked his chin. Should he stay within the city for a while? But that would mean…

“But we don’t have to just take it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Have you forgotten?”

Dieta shrugged her shoulders.

“I’m the head of a major trading company that dominates Cambria. In terms of gold and goods circulation within the city, no company surpasses mine.”

She flicked a platinum coin from her chest.

Just as a swordsman wields a sword, an archer shoots an arrow, or a mage scatters mana, the merchant swiftly caught the coin she had flipped into the air.

“Gold makes more things possible than you might think.”

The Snake that Swallows the Gold Coins smiled.

2.

One day after returning to Cambria.

The first thing Najin did was move his residence right next to Dieta’s trading company. Dieta had strongly insisted that “while your current place is fine, it would be better to move closer.”

“As it happens, there’s a great property ‘about to become available’ near my company at a very reasonable price. How about moving there?”

“Being close to the company would be nice! We could see each other often. Just bring yourself. I’ll have people move your belongings in advance.”

It seemed the reason wasn’t just about ‘safety,’ but Najin couldn’t deny Dieta’s claim that this location was secure. After completing the move, Najin briefly greeted Dieta before heading out.

With Dieta’s help, he had formulated several plans.

But ultimately, Najin’s personal strength remained crucial. In the final moment, the only thing he could truly rely on was the sword in his hand. The need to reach the Sword Seeker level as soon as possible remained unchanged.

‘However…’

Thanks to Dieta, he now had some breathing room.

With this newfound space, Najin could reflect on his training thus far, concluding that blindly swinging a sword wasn’t particularly helpful.

His swordsmanship and physical abilities were already approaching the Sword Seeker level. What he needed was something else.

Knock knock.

To understand what he lacked, Najin sought someone who could advise him. Fortunately, there was a suitable person. After knocking on the door and waiting briefly, it opened with a creaking sound.

“What is it? So early in the morning…”

Scratching her disheveled hair, the figure emerged.

White-ranked adventurer Roseline Askarlo recognized Najin and opened her eyes wide.

“What is it? What do you want, kid?”

“The one-time favor you mentioned before.”

Najin said.

“I’m here to use it.”

“So suddenly?”

“Yes, suddenly.”

Despite the unexpected visit, Roseline went back inside, telling him to wait. After a few minutes, she returned wearing casual clothes, dragging her slippers as she came out.

“Well, what’s your request, kid?”

“I’d like to spar with you. As close to real combat as possible.”

“Spar? With me?”

Roseline laughed.

“Look at you. Hey, this sister has been a Sword Seeker for over 10 years. I’m quite skilled, you know.”

“I’m aware.”

“And you want me to make it close to real combat?”

“I think that’s how I’ll get a feel for it.”

Roseline blinked.

A feel? Come to think of it, Roseline had heard rumors. Didn’t he survive an encounter with Knight Commander Griffin? She narrowed her eyes.

“Are you perhaps in the middle of transformation?”

“Pardon?”

“Don’t you know? Transformation?”

“What’s that?”

“Hmm. Have you awakened fragments of your mental image?”

Najin silently raised his sword.

Above the sword energy, a cluster of pure white stars bloomed. Sword energy that had transcended Sword Expert, approaching Seeker.

“Heh. This kid is crazy.”

Roseline let out a hollow laugh.

At his age, approaching Sword Seeker level? Wasn’t he just an Expert until recently? Has he grown this much in just a month or two?

“Tell me what’s going on first.”

Roseline sat on a bench, crossing her legs and lighting a cigarette. While smoking, she listened to Najin’s explanation. After he finished.

“Well… I understand.”

Roseline nodded, saying she had expected as much.

“You know that to reach Sword Seeker, you must completely break down and reconstruct your sword energy, right?”

“I know.”

“Yes. That process is sometimes called transformation or molting, because it’s like a butterfly breaking out of its cocoon…”

She brushed her hair back.

Her black hair swayed with her fingers.

“The process varies from person to person. Some are extremely fast, others extremely slow. Do you know why?”

“Why?”

“Because each soul matures at its own pace.”

Between her swaying hair appeared red eyes. Just like the last time Najin faced those eyes, he heard Merlin gasp in his ear.

“Sword Expert, Seeker, Master… ultimately, the whole process means one thing. Removing impurities from the soul and becoming complete. Sublimating to reach transcendence.”

“Transcendence…”

“Yes. It’s not noticeable at the Expert level, but from Seeker onwards, the soul aspect has quite an influence.”

Roseline drew her sword from her waist.

As she twirled it lightly between her fingers, fierce sword energy rose above it. Like a beast’s claws.

“It has to be that way. A Sword Seeker is one who can imbue their mental image into sword energy. It’s the level of projecting the form of your soul onto the sword. If your soul isn’t mature enough, that process will naturally take longer.”

Roseline pointed her sword tip at Najin.

“From what I see, that’s exactly your case. If you’ve awakened fragments of your mental image but aren’t progressing, it means something is holding you back.”

“Holding me back…?”

“Yeah. Like lingering attachments, distracting thoughts that interfere with visualizing your mental image, things like that.”

She withdrew her sword energy and exhaled deeply.

“I know because I experienced it. It took me 3 years to reach Sword Seeker after awakening my mental image. Others usually do it in a few months at most.”

With a slight smile, Roseline stood up from her chair.

“So, in this case, I can help you. Let’s take a look at your sword first, shall we?”

3.

During their extended sword duel, both Najin and Roseline felt surprised. Najin was astonished to discover that Roseline was far stronger than he had imagined.

Knight Commander Griffin of the Albania family.

Fallen Knight Bernhagen.

The Ranger, Kapman Theosis.

Najin had fought several Sword Seeker-level opponents. Among them, Griffin was the strongest, someone Najin was certain he couldn’t defeat even now.

‘But…’

Roseline before him was stronger than Griffin.

He couldn’t know exactly, but he felt she was a level above Griffin. The speed of her sword thrusts, the trajectories she drew, and above all, the freedom of her sword energy were incomparable to Griffin’s.

Though Najin had no way of knowing, his intuitive assessment was accurate.

The three stages a Sword Seeker must go through to become a Sword Master: Sprouting, Blooming, and Full Bloom. Roseline Askarlo had completed the Sprouting stage.

KEEEEEEENG!

Her sword energy, like a beast tearing into flesh, gouged the space. Like a net spread out, it ensnared, clawed, and bit at its prey. Her precise control of sword energy was astonishing to Najin.

‘Well, look at this guy.’

Simultaneously, Roseline Askarlo was also feeling surprised—surprised that Najin was responding to her techniques. He had been an exceptional youngster when she first saw him, but now he was on a completely different level.

Back then, he was just a skilled Sword Expert.

An exceptionally talented young genius…

Now he was infinitely close to becoming a Sword Seeker, soon to be a warrior who could stand shoulder to shoulder with her. His physical abilities and reaction speed already matched those of an average Sword Seeker.

‘This much progress in just 2 months?’

An impossible rate of growth.

‘This guy is completely insane.’

He had said he awakened fragments of his mental image but couldn’t progress further, so she had seriously counseled him… but from her perspective, this seemed like a problem caused by growing too quickly.

Different from my case.

Roseline felt a slight bitterness at this realization. Of course, who else would be like her? Who else would have half their soul covered in soot? This cursed bloodline.

‘Anyway.’

Roseline stuck out her tongue.

Najin’s movements—instantly diving in, occupying blind spots, escaping from the net of sword energy—these weren’t movements that came from mere talent.

‘What kind of monsters has he been fighting in such a short time to become like this?’

Experience. She could feel his experience.

Najin’s movements contained the experience of facing numerous powerful opponents. After their extended duel, Roseline wiped the sweat from her forehead.

“Wow, you’re really something interesting.”

With a pleased smile, Roseline approached Najin. He was catching his breath with his sword thrust into the ground. Roseline knelt beside him.

“From what I see, what you need isn’t swordsmanship or physical training. Rather, you need meditation—time to yourself to organize the landscape you envision.”

The one who spent three years reflecting on herself in solitary confinement.

Roseline Askarlo patted Najin’s shoulder.

“Think carefully. The answer is often closer than you expect.”