episode_0099

The petals of flame, swaying and scattering in the wind, were beautiful.

Falling petals in the night sky.

Each of those petals held monstrous destructive power.

Even a mere graze—

The essence of flames that could effortlessly steal a person’s life.

Such was the sensation often felt from those burning petals.

Yet, I sensed something peculiar in them.

Where have I seen something like that before?

The answer came to me in an instant.

“……Plum blossoms?”

Indeed, they were the petals of plum blossoms.

A sight one might expect to see where plum blossoms bloomed in disarray.

But the devastation they wrought was truly horrifying.

“Gyaaaaah!”

The man who had been facing Ermé let out a terrible scream as his body began to burn.

Countless petals melted his flesh, his sword, until nothing but ash remained.

Whoosh.

Scattered by the wind, it vanished.

—How utterly merciless. Though he attained enlightenment in his later years and achieved harmony… the essence of that technique is to use even one’s own body as fuel, sublimating it into flames.

The Holy Sword spoke in a somewhat bitter tone.

—That’s the kind of power those things possess. You should think about it in advance. Not something like that, but the path that suits you best.

‘…You’re saying I can wield that from Level 7?’

—Yes. The power to alter the world’s laws—will. That’s when you truly begin to wield it.

However.

The Holy Sword added one final word.

—But you’ll be different. The Sword Hero can’t be the same as those other so-called geniuses.

‘Your word choice is a bit odd.’

—You, the Sword Hero, wielding the power of will at Level 7? That would just make you an ordinary Sword Hero. With talent comparable to the First, you should start preparing now.

‘To the point where I need to prepare…’

While the Holy Sword and I were exchanging these words as we watched Old Man Volkan’s petals—

The Crown Prince, standing behind us, observed the spectacle with a laugh.

“Uahahaha! Truly a sight to behold!”

Watching it, the Crown Prince spoke thus:

“To witness the single blade of the ‘Blazing Plum Sword,’ once renowned across the Eastern Continent! This alone makes this trip worthwhile!”

Clap, clap, clap.

The Crown Prince applauded as he spoke.

But there was something odd about his words.

Renowned across the Eastern Continent? His epithet is ‘Blazing Plum Sword’?

Something about it didn’t quite fit.

Honestly, for someone with a towering 2-meter frame, you’d expect—

‘Shouldn’t he have a more… wild-sounding epithet?’

That’s what I thought.

“It’s an old name.”

Old Man Volkan, who had trudged over, bowed his head slightly toward the Crown Prince.

“An old name? If you searched the Western Continent alone for those who coveted that name, you’d find enough to fill a mountain.”

“It’s all vanity. The kind of fantasy only those with strange delusions about the Eastern Continent would entertain.”

There was a hint of mockery in Old Man Volkan’s words.

Strange delusions about the Eastern Continent…

That mockery suddenly reminded me of something.

‘Now that I think about it…’

The Western Continent is the world where labyrinths exist.

The Eastern Continent is the world where labyrinths have been unraveled.

Here, there was the Hao Sect Leader.

And the Hao Sect was in the process of relocating here, wasn’t it?

‘…Something’s off.’

In this world, the Eastern Continent was modeled after ancient China.

Odd for a Japanese game to feature China, but I’ll let that slide for now.

If we’re talking about the Hao Sect, it’s the kind of organization you’d expect to find in the Eastern Continent.

In fact, it holds a position similar to one of the Nine Great Sects, like the Beggar’s Sect.

‘The Sect Leader himself was incredibly strong, too.’

I wondered how I’d fare against him now—

But my memories of him from back then were vivid. He had been terrifyingly powerful.

Yet, such a Sect Leader had moved to the Western Continent.

It was bizarre.

Wouldn’t someone like that rather die defending their homeland?

As I pondered this—

The Crown Prince, smiling, spoke to me.

“By the way, you wielded the sword I gave you quite skillfully.”

“Ah, I used it gratefully.”

I wiped the blood off the sword and handed it back to him, gripping the hilt for an easy exchange.

The Crown Prince shook his head.

“Keep it. You’re the one who protected me, after all.”

The Crown Prince spoke as if it were nothing.

Then, he looked at me with a mischievous smile.

“You look uneasy. The effect is better than I expected.”

The Crown Prince studied me as he spoke.

“For the price of my life, it’s a bargain. If you need anything else, just say the word.”

Truly, the Crown Prince.

His generosity knew no bounds.

I nodded with a moved expression.

Seeing that, Volkan made a face.

“Should I really take this guy as my disciple?”

“Didn’t you already know I like money?”

“That’s what makes it good. Guys like you usually need all sorts of justifications to move, but you’ll act as long as there’s money, won’t you?”

Volkan spoke with a look of disbelief.

I stared back at him, equally baffled.

‘Isn’t it obvious to go where the money is?’

—You’re the weird one. Some take the money and vanish, or rarely do the job properly.

The Holy Sword sounded exasperated.

—And the higher their level, the more they prioritize self-preservation. Or they grow lazy.

‘Well, that’s just how people are.’

People are different.

Some never click, no matter what.

Others click endlessly.

Time can turn allies into enemies.

And those who didn’t click might turn out to be decent after all.

—You’re a strange one. Sometimes you’re utterly worldly, other times you act like an ascetic monk who’s honed their spirit to perfection.

“……You have integrity, yet chase material things so fiercely. You act like honor is for dogs. Truly an enigma.”

A familiar voice.

I turned to see a man standing there.

‘Black Nether Duke.’

Soyeonhwa’s master.

One of the pillars supporting the Empire.

He frowned at me. If Old Man Volkan looked like he’d grown up in the wild—

This man was a refined middle-aged city dweller.

Neatly trimmed hair and beard. A black uniform.

I could feel his gaze sizing me up.

“How about learning the sword from me?”

A casually thrown remark. Beside the Black Nether Duke, Soyeonhwa’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“What kind of scheme are you pulling?”

Old Man Volkan’s voice was sharp.

“A scheme? Call it my desire to nurture the Empire’s talent.”

“Your desire to snatch someone another has already marked?”

“Marked?”

As Volkan and the Black Nether Duke bickered—

Soyeonhwa looked at me with curious eyes.

“Is that your type?”

“Nonsense. No, no.”

I spoke as if coaxing a child, then glanced behind me.

The Crown Prince, Volkan, and the Black Nether Duke—their presence had left three people fidgeting uneasily.

Rozante, Ermé, and Diago.

And as for Veronika—

“Let’s hurry back to the clan house and eat.”

She spoke to me in her usual tone.

What meal is she even expecting from me this time?

‘…Well, they did work hard this time.’

They’d contributed greatly to ensuring the Crown Prince remained unharmed in my absence.

Ermé, Rozante, and Diago didn’t seem injured either.

“By the way, why do you always ask my disciple to cook for you?”

Perhaps the sight bothered him.

Volkan frowned at Veronika.

‘Who’s your disciple… Oh, right, I agreed to that.’

Biting back a reflexive retort, I watched the two.

“Hah? It’s only natural that I, the Holy Maiden of the Church, get a meal in exchange for my work. Isn’t that fair?”

“……Huh? You’re telling me you work for just one meal?”

Volkan’s frown deepened as he alternated between staring at me and Veronika.

“Tch, already acting like a spoiled brat.”

Volkan’s voice was full of dismay.

It felt like he was making some terribly unpleasant assumption.

“Don’t you know, Volkan?”

“Hmm? About that kid… Well, given how much he’s been standing out lately, I suppose it’s possible.”

Volkan nodded, stroking his chin.

“This is a secret, but… Han Yuseong has a remarkable gift.”

“A gift, and yet you work for just one meal… Wait, hold on.”

“Don’t tell me….”

The Black Nether Duke and Volkan’s eyes widened.

Then they stared at me.

“You… don’t tell me you’ve acquired it…!”

“That secret technique no human has obtained in the last century…!”

“……?”

What on earth were they talking about, bringing up “secret techniques”?

I was utterly bewildered.

The only things I had that could remotely be called secret techniques were Sword Demon, Thief’s Pinnacle, Absolute Combat, Demon Subjugation, and Thunder God’s Purple Lightning.

But if that’s what they meant, they would’ve said so earlier.

‘Don’t tell me…’

—I told you. An elf’s alchemy has that kind of power.

‘…….’

No way.

There’s no way they’d react like this just because of cooking… right?

“Hah, as a celebration for taking you as my disciple, I suppose I have no choice. I’ll have to eat at your clan’s place today.”

“Since I’m passing by, I might as well help with your sword training. Ahem, if you feel burdened by the favor, a meal would suffice.”

“…….”

A saying came to mind.

The older people get, the more childish they become.

‘Seriously, these guys have no dignity.’

“Hasn’t the mansion become too desolate lately?”

“What can we do? With Lord Cheong Yurang in that state…”

The maids whispered among themselves.

Hearing this, the Beast King’s expression twisted.

‘Tch, how did things end up like this?’

Lately, the Beast King had been in a foul mood.

There was a promising human he’d taken a liking to—one he thought reliable.

The atmosphere between them had been good, so he’d given his tacit approval, only for—

‘To let him slip away without even taking a bite…!’

A colossal blunder.

Had spreading rumors to encourage things been a mistake?

Before he could dwell on it further—

The Beast King arrived at his destination.

Knock, knock.

He rapped gently on the door.

No response.

The presence inside was faint—so much so that an ordinary person wouldn’t sense it.

But the Beast King knew.

There was a reason he’d come here.

“Daughter, it’s me.”

Still, silence.

“I’m coming in.”

He forced the door open.

Creak.

A sliver of light entered, revealing the state of the room.

Her once-glossy white tail and hair had lost their luster.

And her eyes—

No.

‘How did it come to this…?’

Like a doll.

Cheong Yurang stared at him with lifeless eyes.

The sight made the Beast King’s breath catch.