Chapter 16 – Bloodline and Holy Sword
“The warrior of the Sixth Holy Sword and the Clan of Clorand. You’ve brought quite a few of them.”
The magicians of the Clan of Clorand stood frozen in place as if struck by a sudden turn of events.
Their skills were exceptional, but they were not particularly specialized for actual combat. Even the clan head, while blinded by the privileges brought by the warrior’s holy sword, was not so idle as to indulge in his daughter’s caprices at the expense of his power.
“… What is the meaning of this?”
Kim Yoo-seong, the owner of the Sixth Holy Sword, had swiftly used emergency magic to reseal Rebecca’s ankle. Though his incantations and gestures were somewhat rough, the power of a warrior’s magic could even transcend such shortcomings.
I tilted my head loosely and inquired, “What is the meaning of this?”
“Why did you attack Rebecca in the first place?”
“If that’s the case, there’s no need to ask. What are you living for, exactly?”
“… What?”
Kim Yoo-seong pushed the unconscious Rebecca aside. Only then did the magicians of the Clan of Clorand start to bustle about in confusion.
“That… that brat…! Do you think you can get away with attacking the lady?”
“Warrior! Please give the command quickly. There’s only one enemy. Let us engrave the terror of the holy sword into the one who dared to disrespect the Clan of Clorand without even knowing how fearsome it is!”
“Quiet.”
“Y-Your… Your Excellency?”
“I will speak to that person directly.”
The warrior rose from his seat with a stern expression.
“… Who are you?”
“This is quite embarrassing. Did you have your ears plugged as well as your eyes? I am Eugene Sir Nepherna. I am currently serving as an instructor at the academy. But it seems you’ve forgotten attending my classes.”
“…… What a mess, sitting there.”
“The Holy Sword’s warrior, I didn’t expect the creator to be so clueless about the situation. Not to mention that the Holy Sword tolerated it until it came to this point… Should I envy it, or should I fear it?”
“Who are you?” asked.
“The question is broad. If so, my answer won’t change. When asking something, one must strike at the heart. Are you still unaware as a new recruit?”
“This guy… Treating someone as an idiot… Answer the question!!”
Kim Yoo-sung’s face contorted. He muttered in a low voice.
“Nothing was visible! From the margins to the auxiliary margins, even the arrangement of mana! Those who use magic in this world can all be sensed by the Holy Sword. Yet your magic wasn’t detected by the Holy Sword!”
“Then it means Rebecca’s magic could have been easily blocked as well. Were you just idly watching?”
“It’s not about timing.”
“Are you going to vent your anger at me for your and your Holy Sword’s lack of ability?”
“If you plan to play word games… I won’t stay silent.”
“I wondered why you attacked Rebecca, but in the end, it seems that was more intriguing. …Inexperienced warrior, though you’ve come from another world, there’s a concept in magic called ‘stock.’ Preparing the casting and invocation in advance and delaying the release…”
“Don’t think you can deceive the Holy Sword with such clumsy tricks.”
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“Ah… of course not. The Holy Sword is a miraculous creation by the goddess. You can’t evade the Holy Sword’s eye with cheap tricks. However, there was no falsehood in my sequence of actions.”
I shrugged my shoulders and said briefly,
“Draw it.”
“What…?”
“I said draw the Holy Sword. Normally, the sword should be locked in its scabbard, right? Even if I set aside facing you, if the fact that I unilaterally killed a warrior who didn’t resist gets to the chairman’s ears, it’ll be quite troublesome in many ways. After all, this is a workplace.”
“……….”
“You won’t draw it? Why not? Here sits an unrepentant person who severed their lover’s ankle, wounded their pride, and made a mockery of the Holy Sword. It would be a perfect opportunity for the protagonist to step in, wouldn’t it?”
“Shut up! The Holy Sword cannot be drawn against useless brats like you!!!”
“Useless brats, huh?”
As I took a step forward, he quickly grabbed Rebecca halfway and pulled her back.
His movements were far from ordinary, but the most important Holy Sword was still locked in its sheath.
I stared at the Holy Sword with an amused smile.
“……. The Holy Sword is interesting.”
“What’s so amusing?”
“It’s amusing, but more importantly, it’s fun. The conditions for drawing the Holy Sword are simple and clear, which I like. It’s easy to memorize. You know that too, don’t you?”
“……..”
“One. When there is an existence that has caused harm or intends to cause harm to this world.
One. When there is an existence that goes against or intends to go against the meaning of the Holy Sword.
One. Even if the above two conditions cannot be directly observed, if the will left by another Holy Sword is confirmed.
So, draw it.
It will be drawn without any problems.
Now, hurry up.
Hero.
It’s a rare opportunity to be able to draw the Holy Sword, isn’t it?”
Even the wizards of the Clorand family looked uneasy at the mention of the Holy Sword being drawn, but whether it was arrogance or stubbornness, the hero firmly grasped the unsheathed Holy Sword.
“I’m not someone who would be swayed by such words.”
“What kind of hero is this? My, my. The Sixth Holy Sword and even the Goddess have unique tastes. Why bother bringing someone like you to this world? It’s even questionable if this situation can be called a ‘Holy Sword’. It would have been better if the other Holy Swords had the flexibility of your Sixth Holy Sword.”
“…………”
“……. Very well, then let’s start by drawing our swords.”
I spoke calmly.
“Undine. Ignis.”
As I whispered, a subtle aura flickered in response.
They emerged from the darkness as if seeping into the air, just like any other time.
“In response to the call of the noble moon, a glimpse of the moon’s aspect, answering the summons of the new moon, I take my place here.”
Undine and Ignis greeted me in their respective ways.
The most bewildered by their appearance and greetings were the sorcerers of the Clorand family.
“Moon… Aspect…?”
“I didn’t hear it wrong, did I? Talking about the moon’s aspect, or whatever that bloodsucker is blabbering about.”
“No… No, we didn’t hear it wrong… Look at their hair…. Their hair is dyed in red. Those… those are bloodsuckers…! Vampires!!! Sir, please be careful!”
“… Vampires?”
At the word ‘vampires,’ Kim Yuseong stared at the two with vacant eyes.
“They are bloodsuckers!!! Wicked, ruthless demons!!! They blocked the Grand Alliance and harmed the party members, please, Sir, take care of them! ……………. Cough!”
The unnamed sorcerer couldn’t finish his words.
Ssshh… Clatter…!
Icicles formed by frost poured from the air, slicing through him from the forehead to both sides.
Undine, who raised the icicles, gracefully wrapped her hand and collected the frost.
Her beautiful silver hair, more intense than the blazing flames, flowed down her back, dyed in a deep shade of red.
“…. How dare you mock someone without even knowing the subject? Even if you’re a bug, you should behave like one and be content with not being stepped on.”
“… aaah! aaah!”
“Oh, please be quiet. Fits of rage are only enjoyable when they’re controlled.”
When Undine covered her mouth and chuckled softly, Kim Yuseong growled lowly with an angry expression.
“…….. Stop right now, you filthy bloodsuckers.”
“Me, a bloodsucker? Well, that’s surprising.”
I tilted my head slightly and spoke.
“As a hero, you should answer on behalf of your kind. Am I a bloodsucker? If you’re the Holy Sword, you should tell me the truth.”
“… No response.”
“What a pity. Well then, you’ll have to choose for yourself.”
“… What?”
“It’s a deduction problem.”
I clapped my hands briefly. Quickly constructing the margin. Gathering mana.
“My name is Eugene Seo Nepherna. I am the son of Nepherna, the hero who conquered the Eastern Wilderness 30 years ago.”
A kind of extradimensional space, a type of common spatial-temporal magic, appeared, and a sword fell from it and stuck into the ground.
“Whether you believe it or not, as proof, here is the Second Holy Sword my father used. It’s genuine. Even if there’s no response, it shouldn’t be difficult to recognize.”
“……….!”
“Do you know what kind of margin the Clorand family’s mediocrities were trying to depict there?”
“…… It’s a margin that dismantles mental magic. Cecilia…”
“There’s no need to see the flow of truth. If you’re at the center of that margin, you die instantly. In other words, it’s a well-crafted assassination magic that is convincing enough to be bothersome. It might have been enlarged, but it lacks practicality. It seems like they just wanted to deceive your one eye.”
“……….. What?”
“I came here after obtaining information that Rebecca is attempting to kill my disciple. There’s no need to explain the reason for my vengeance against Rebecca at this point. And this is the situation where I’m replacing you. Now, let me pose a question here. Am I truly the blood relative they claim, a clear-cut son of the second sword warrior with evidence to present, simultaneously a certified instructor at the academy securing my status, here only to administer punishment to the one who harmed my disciple? I, unparalleled in goodness, is that what they say about my lineage?”
Kim Yuseong looked at the wizard from the Klorand family with a furrowed brow.
“Discovery…”
“Hmm, is there something wrong with my hair? Are you trying to provoke me because of these friends beside you? It seems the thought process of a warrior is quite different.”
“…Are you mocking me, or do you want to say that I’ve been fooled all this time?”
“It’s hard to find any backbone, but it’s a reasonably logical deduction.”
“Sir Yuseong! Please don’t listen! You must not succumb to the devil’s whispers! Do not doubt Lady Rebecca’s love for you as much as the accusations against her!”
“You must kill them with the Holy Sword!”
Knight Kim Yuseong frowned, glancing at me.
I lightly laughed and cut off their words.
“Of course, that’s incorrect.”
The bound magic gradually unraveled.
The hair, which had been neatly tied, began to tinge with color.
“Finally, a warning. Remove that petty mask and draw the Holy Sword. Let’s not do something we’ll regret.”
Too many talking…