episode_0040

Agapé.

How could I forget that name?

Starting with his death, all tragedies began.

***

“Is your swordsmanship training going well?”

“Your Excellency?”

I approached him, who was training late at night, and asked.

“It’s going well.”

“Hmm.”

Even if he says so, it won’t be easy. I had told him never to use aura, so he had to become strong only through swordsmanship, without using aura.

‘Was I a bit too harsh?’

For a moment, I wondered if my words telling him not to use aura were too harsh, but then I shook my head.

‘It’s aura, but it’s not aura.’

Originally, aura is created when a star resides, yet this young man can use aura even though no star resides in his soul. Of course, its nature wasn’t significantly different from other auras, but since its most important ‘source’ of creation was unclear, it was indeed right to forbid it. As his lord and master, I couldn’t just let him use a power whose origins he didn’t even know.

‘Still, it’s something that he’s enduring well.’

He’s growing well despite his unfortunate circumstances, and his swordsmanship skills are improving day by day. Above all, he’s absorbing the swordsmanship I created so quickly, so what I can do is push him to develop his skills even faster.

Although he said it was going well, I decided to ask him again.

“Is it really going well?”

At my words, he remained silent for a moment, then nodded and just kept saying it was going well. Even though his expression clearly showed otherwise.

“Yes, it’s going well.”

“Is that so? For it to be going well, your expression doesn’t look very pleasant.”

“…Is that so?”

Whether he knew my thoughts or not, he tried hard to erase his bitter expression and just forced an awkward smile.

‘He lacks confidence.’

It’s safe to say he has no talent for aura, but his talent for swordsmanship is truly genius. Furthermore, with his unyielding spirit and persistence despite his unfortunate circumstances, and a clear goal, there was no knight whose swordsmanship grew faster than his.

‘Including the more than one hundred years I’ve lived, I probably won’t see anyone who displays greater skill than this young man until the day I die.’

Yet, this young man lacked confidence. He must be wondering if he can achieve the same strength as knights who use aura, no matter how much he trains his swordsmanship.

‘That’s why I want to help him even more.’

Thud.

At some point, I realized I was holding a wooden sword and speaking to him.

“Take up your sword.”

“Your Excellency?”

“I’ll teach you a thing or two.”

***

The result was obvious.

Agapé, drenched in sweat, lay sprawled on the drill ground.

“Hoo…”

In contrast, the Duke didn’t shed a single drop of sweat, leisurely brushing off the dirt from his sword.

“You’ve improved a lot.”

“Is that so…”

Naturally, I didn’t use aura. The spar was conducted solely with swords, and Agapé was brutally beaten, gasping for breath repeatedly.

Then, he uttered what, from my perspective, was an extremely obvious remark.

“I still have a long way to go.”

“That’s stating the obvious.”

If I’m a Sword Master by name, would I truly be a Master if my swordsmanship was inferior to a mere young pup? Seeing him speak with genuine regret, I was once again dumbfounded.

“Were you seriously planning to land a blow on me?”

“……”

“Hah, hah hah.”

Laughter escaped me. Out of sheer disbelief. But seeing him gasping for breath with his arm covering his eyes, I was reminded once again of what his goal was, something I had kept deep in my memory but had momentarily forgotten.

‘Didn’t he say his beloved woman was kidnapped?’

He said the prophets forcibly took her away because she was a hero, and that’s why he became a mercenary, searching all over the continent.

‘Perhaps that’s why.’

The reason I sensed impatience in his sword. And the reason I sensed anxiety.

“Are you anxious that you won’t be able to become stronger?”

“Pardon?”

“Because you might not be able to protect the woman you love, and you might not be able to become strong enough until you reveal yourself as a hero.”

With aura restricted, and trying to become strong solely through swordsmanship. Because you lack confidence that you can become stronger.

“Isn’t that why you’re even more anxious and impatient?”

“……”

He couldn’t say anything, but he wasn’t denying it either. Only a faint smile played on his lips, hidden beneath his arm.

“As a Sword Master, and as the founder who created Oleg’s sword, I guarantee you this one thing.”

Thud.

I said, standing tall at his feet where he lay sprawled.

“Your sword, one day, will surpass mine.”

“Is that really true?”

“Do I look like I’m lying?”

“…I suppose not.”

His words weren’t filled with conviction. Because he had never heard of a case where someone, walking solely the path of the sword without aura, surpassed a Sword Master’s sword. But for some reason, looking at this young man, that unbelievable feat seemed somehow possible. My long-held intuition told me so.

Swish.

I extended my hand. His eyes, previously hidden by his arm, were revealed as he looked at my outstretched hand.

“So, don’t despair.”

As your master, I will make sure the words I uttered with responsibility come true.

“What are you doing? Hurry and take it.”

“……”

“Is your motivation lacking? Then, if you ever defeat me, I’ll give you my sword. How does that sound?”

“Haha… well, that’s incredibly motivating.”

“Isn’t it?”

Clasp.

Clasping hands, the Duke pulled Agapé up. Agapé, staggering to his feet with that help, looked at the Duke once more and spoke.

“You promise?”

“Yes, I promise.”

Would such a thing truly happen? No one knows that. But no matter what, the Duke wanted to keep the words he had uttered. For the young man’s dream, for his goal.

“Ahem.”

As I met his gaze for a moment, I wondered if I was being childish at my old age. Having made a childish promise that only young people would make at this age, a wave of embarrassment washed over me. So the Duke quickly changed the subject.

“Now that I think of it, is that woman truly the only one you have feelings for?”

“? What are you talking about?”

“You know, Helena. That tomboy who always trails after you.”

“Helena does do that. But why…”

Before he could even finish speaking, Agapé realized why the Duke had brought up Helena and shook his head.

“That’s just Helena wanting to learn swordsmanship from me. You know how much she wants recognition from her family because of her status as an illegitimate child.”

“Hmm…”

“…I know it’s incredibly rude to say this, but why are you looking at me with that expression?”

“It’s nothing. Anyway,”

Tap. Tap.

The Duke tapped the pommel of the sword at his waist and said.

“I will help you with all my might, so one day, try to surpass me with your sword. Then I’ll give you my sword.”

“Did you truly mean that?”

“Of course, would I lie?”

CRASH─────!! Rumble──! -It was a sincere promise. So, strive with all your might. If you ever surpass me with your sword.

“Cough…!”

Splat! Drip. Drip. I would gladly give my sword to you.

“Cough, cough…!”

He spat blood onto the stone floor. The battle, which began in Mülifen’s Grand Square, had now extended to the Duke’s castle, turning the entire area into a mess.

Crumble. Crumble.

Even the castle gates that protected the Duke’s castle. And the beautiful garden that adorned its interior. And…

CRASH! Collapse-

Even the Grand Hall, with its enormous chandelier and staircase, visible immediately upon entering the Duke’s castle. The Duke’s castle, with a long history of nearly a thousand years, was terribly damaged by the two men’s fight.

Thump. Thump.

At the approaching footsteps, the Duke raised his head.

“You’ve improved, a lot.”

“Is that so.”

Within the unfamiliar voice was a familiar tone. It was the voice of Agapé, whose appearance had changed.

“Your swordsmanship has become even more perfect.”

“Is, that so.”

“Yes.”

The swordsmanship, forged to protect, was noticeably more perfect compared to the past. There was no excess; each movement contained a profound essence that showed how much the Duke had agonized over creating this sword. But…

“Why have you become weaker?”

“What are you, talking about?”

“Your aura has weakened.”

“……”

The Duke, who had been looking down for a moment, staggered to his feet and spoke to Agapé.

“So, that’s why you’re not using aura against me?”

“I am using aura.”

“Don’t mock me.”

Clack.

Aiming the sword in his left hand, he glared at Agapé.

“You’re only using the minimum aura to maintain the sword’s blade; otherwise, you’re not using any aura at all.” It meant he was essentially fighting a Sword Master bare-handed, relying solely on his swordsmanship.

“……”

“Are you making a mockery of me?”

“No.”

He said nothing in denial, but having known him for so long, I could tell what he was thinking just by looking at his eyes. Even if it had been a long time since they last met, his ability hadn’t disappeared, so the Duke looked at Agapé for a moment and understood the reason.

“If you use it more, you’ll die, it seems.”

“If I overuse it, yes.”

In the past, using that power didn’t worsen his physical condition. Wondering what had happened, that he could now die just by using aura, the Duke recalled Agapé’s appearance from earlier.

‘So that’s why he was wearing that armor.’

That armor, which looked more like a coffin than armor. It seemed that armor was postponing his death.

“Why…”

Why had he changed so much? The earlier anger and bewilderment had vanished without a trace, leaving only despair in the Duke’s heart.

“Is this because I couldn’t protect you when you were dragged off to the penal legion?”

“No.”

The way I dealt with the impudence of the Impurity family’s knight on the day I met Kara was correct. Even if he was a knight of a family almost akin to the Imperial Family, he had insulted the entire Duke’s knight order, and even my parents, who were military administrators. However, when Astolfo swung his spear at me, trying to kill me, I shouldn’t have wielded my sword then. Even if he had unilaterally listened only to his knight’s words and wielded his weapon, trying to kill me, a military administrator. Rationally speaking, it was absolutely right that I should never have drawn my sword against Astolfo. Unlike myself, who was just a mere knight, Astolfo was a hero and also the successor of Impurity. Therefore, I didn’t resent the Duke. No. Far from repaying the kindness of being taken in, I even felt guilty thinking that I had caused trouble for the entire knight order.

“Then, how did you become like this?”

“……”

Countless words I needed to say flashed through my mind at that question. But first, I felt I had to say this, so I bowed and spoke to him.

“I’m sorry.”

“……”

There was no need to explain what he was sorry for. As mentioned earlier, between them, the meaning could be understood through brief conversation without needing any extra words. However, the very first words that came out were ‘I’m sorry’. The Duke wanted even more to hear why Agapé had changed so much.

“You must have known I’m from the Fallen.”

“…Yes.”

There was no need to explain how hellish life there was. The rumor that the City of Destiny had fallen spread across the entire continent, and as much as it garnered attention, the Duke had also heard what was happening inside it.

“Perhaps you won’t easily understand why I’m like this, after being abandoned by a woman I hadn’t even married, but merely promised a future with.” But to me, she was everything. Within the small world enclosed by fences, where only nightmares without dreams or hope continued, she was the only light that came into my life. After my mother’s death, while I continued a life of merely existing, she appeared to me, becoming the reason I could live. To others, the tragedy that befell me might seem trivial, foolish, or even like I’m a madman. But to me, she was my entire world, and that’s why I wanted to protect her even at the cost of my life. …Yes. I wanted to protect her.

“For me, the inability to protect was a greater fear than anything else.” Because I had once experienced the feeling of losing something in vain, of losing my entire world. That’s why I searched for her with lingering attachment, and didn’t give up even after receiving the letter. Because I never wanted to experience that again.

“Your Excellency.”

A tremor could be heard in his familiar voice.

“What should I have done back then?”

Tremble tremble.

The tip of his sword, aimed at the Duke, also trembled.

“Living my entire life in that small world, she was the only one I cherished, and without any discussion or regard for my will, my entire world was suddenly snatched away from me, unprepared.”

Crunch—

“What on earth should I have done back then?”

“……So, is that why you changed like this?”

To the question, uttered with shadows under his eyes, Agapé affirmed and denied at the same time.

“At first, yes.”

What should I live for? What reason do I have left to live? The end of the questions I constantly asked myself, eventually led to one conclusion.

“Your Excellency.” I hate myself for achieving nothing.

“I’m not doing this out of resentment towards anyone.” I’m not doing this out of a craving for revenge against those who took everything from me, nor is it due to a raging sense of loss.

“Now, I simply hate myself and find myself pathetic, wishing to erase it all.”

I wanted to start anew. Erasing the pathetic name Agapé, and starting a new life with a new name. I wanted to achieve something with a new name, with everyone having forgotten me.

“……In the end, aren’t you saying you’ll abandon everything and run away?”

“Your Excellency, you’re no different from me, are you?”

No different. At those words, the Duke frowned particularly hard and looked at him.

“What are you, trying to say?”

“I told you, my aura has weakened.” That meant a great wound had formed in a knight’s conviction, or… …that there had been an act of abandoning one’s conviction.

“Except for the youngest members from my time, I don’t see the faces of the knights I once knew.” Anastasia, Nikita, Helena. I had heard that some of the members had fallen in battle, but I hadn’t heard it was to this extent. Your Excellency. No, old man.

“What on earth did you do to the members?”