Chapter 138 Sword of Inferno (1)
dense woodland.
In the forest, where the monsters might be hiding, Celine and Chloe were moving by using ceremonial techniques.
“sorry. In the end, there was no harvest from this search either.”
“There’s nothing to worry about, Sir Serene.”
Chloe smiled at Celine’s apology.
“That’s because it means that my father is hiding well.”
“yes… … .”
In the meantime, Celine and Chloe were looking for Just Bastian.
Serine’s father, Just, is hiding from the Ignias family’s attack, because the academy had to keep him safe.
“Father will be fine. If it had been obtained from the Ignias family, it would have been widely announced.”
“I guess… … .”
“I will go back and report to Professor Yols. And we discuss what to do next.”
Currently, the two belong to the detached university led by Professor Yols.
Professor Yoles was in charge of protecting Justus while keeping the Ignias family in check, separate from the main university led by Professor Valentiano.
“Come to think of it, I don’t know if Aernas-sama is doing well.”
“Aernas?”
“Did you join the main unit?”
“well… … .”
After the war with the Shreyer family ended, Aernas returned to the academy, leaving Serine and Chloe behind.
After that, the fight with the Ignias family was decided, and Serine and Chloe immediately headed east, so they didn’t see Aernas for a while.
“Serine-sama, when I bring up the topic of Aernas these days, the reaction seems strange.”
“Is that so?”
“What happened?”
“Well, not at all… … .”
Serene averted her gaze at Chloe’s sharp question.
“Nothing happened with Ernas. I wish I hadn’t overlooked it.”
“Hmm, then it’s not a problem between Serine-nim and Aernas-nim… … .”
Chloe made a mischievous face.
“Has Berisrize-nim confessed to Aernas-nim by any chance?”
“Uh, how did you… … !”
“Oh, I guess my guess was correct?”
“Ugh… … .”
Also, Chloe has a good sense.
Seeing that it would be difficult to gloss over, Serine let out a sigh.
“Strictly speaking, it’s not like a confession.”
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“Then what?”
“Beris Lize said. If we make the imperial authority stronger, Aernas will not have to officially marry Her Highness.”
“Well, maybe.”
“If I go then and cancel the engagement with Her Highness, and Aernas becomes free… I was asking you to consider me as a marriage partner.”
“It’s a confession.”
“Oh, because it is not.”
Serene hurriedly denied it.
However, as Chloe said, the confession might be correct.
Because Serine had noticed from before that Berithlyse had feelings close to love and hate for Aernas.
After living as roommates for a few months, I was able to catch a glimpse of Berrisse’s inner thoughts.
“Actually, it’s the best choice for Verisrize-nim. If you marry Aernas-sama, the future of the Schreyer family is also guaranteed.”
“that… Yes.”
With the defeat in the war against the academy and the death of the head of the household, Claubice, the Shreyer family suffered a serious blow.
It won’t be easy for Berithlyse to rebuild the Schreier family on her own… The surest way is to marry Aernas, who became the Grand Duke of Lichtenau.
“So, what did Aernas-nim say?”
“It’s too late… And he avoided answering, saying that he was not in a situation where he could discuss such a thing.”
“Hmm, it’s an ambiguous answer unlike Aernas-sama.”
“yes?”
“When I think of Aernas-nim’s personality, it’s natural to refuse with a single stroke if you don’t have any feelings. But that kind of ‘holding’ is… Wouldn’t that mean you’re thinking about it to some extent?”
“Eh, do you think Ernas is positive about marrying Berithlyse?”
“At least not negatively.”
“then… Aww!”
Celine tripped and crashed into a tree.
Seeing this, Chloe put on a pathetic expression.
“Serine-nim, aren’t you too agitated?”
“Ha, but… … .”
“Well, it could be Aernas-sama’s own consideration.”
“Caring?”
“Aernas-sama killed Berisrize-nim’s father. So it might have been difficult for you to be harsh with Verisrize-nim.”
“ah… … .”
“Or maybe she was considerate because she was Serene-nim’s friend. There could be many reasons, so there’s no need to worry about Aernas-nim assuming that she is positive about marrying Berithlyze-nim.”
“Isn’t Chloe the first to say that… … .”
“Oh, I don’t deny that you were worried.”
“… … !”
Serene felt heat rise in her face.
“Kh, Chloe, I don’t mean anything else… … .”
“You mean something else? What does it mean?”
“Chloe… … !”
When I raised my voice while crying, Chloe let out a sigh.
“Serine-sama, I understand your reluctance to admit it. Are you going to be honest?”
“So, being honest… … .”
“There is a past where you wanted to cancel your engagement to Aernas-sama, but now you don’t want to admit that you’ve changed your mind.”
“Chloe… … !”
“Doesn’t it make you feel like you have no shame even thinking about it? In fact, there are aspects of it.”
Chloe said without hesitation.
“So, I have no intention of helping Serine-nim with this part either. So decide for yourself.”
“… … .”
Serene bit her lip.
It is true that, as Chloe said, it is shameless.
Having hated Aernas so much, it would be too shameless to say that he changed his mind now.
“I am… I really thought Aernas was a substandard person.”
“… … .”
“But after entering the academy… Ernas started to show a completely different side from what I thought.”
Has Aernas changed?
Or did he show his true self that he had been hiding?
I don’t know which one.
What is clear is… After entering the academy, Aernas was a person enough for Serine to have a crush on.
“To be honest, I am still confused. so… I don’t know what to do.”
“… … .”
Chloe sighed.
“As I said before, I am not going to give you advice on this. So judge for yourself.”
“Chloe… … .”
“About this part, it would be more advantageous for me if Serene-nim hesitated.”
“… … !”
Hearing Chloe’s words, Serine was startled.
“Chloe, that means… … .”
“Why are you surprised? Just like Berithlyze-sama, marrying Aernas-sama is the best option for me.”
“… … .”
Chloe has a strong lust for power.
It is not a desire to rise to the pinnacle of power by oneself, but a desire to occupy a position that supports power.
So marrying Chloe Ehrnas is the best option.
If she could assist Aernas as Archduchess of Lichtenauer, it would be the best ending for Chloe.
“Chloe… Is that all there is to it?”
“What?”
“The feeling of liking Aernas as a man… Is there?”
“… … .”
At Celine’s question, Chloe was silent for a moment.
Then he put his finger to his lips and smiled.
“That’s a secret.”
“Kh, Chloe, that’s gross!”
“There’s no need to tell Serine what’s on my mind.”
“but… … !”
“and.”
Chloe looked around and opened her mouth.
“It looks like you made a fuss by wasting too much time in one place. Monsters are starting to come in.”
“… … !”
Huge gray monsters, reminiscent of boulders, were coming this way.
It was a troll, a monster that lived in this forest.
“Serine-sama, trolls move slowly… … .”
“I know. We get out quickly, dealing with only those who get in our way.”
Just a moment ago, they had been chatting with a man, but now both of them had returned to their swordsman form.
“Trrr… … .”
The trolls let out low cries as they prepared to charge.
However, it was faster for Serine and Chloe to throw themselves away with Lichtenau’s renewal technique.
“Trrr?!”
The heads of the two trolls fell at the same time as Celine and Chloe’s blades.
Trolls are troublesome monsters with strong regenerative powers, but… He was no match for the two who had already reached the intermediate level of the graduates.
“Get out of here quickly, Chloe!”
“Yes, Sir Serene!”
Serine ran through the forest with Chloe and broke through the trolls.
While longing for Aernas, who was fighting somewhere else, in his heart.
* * *
The atmosphere in the main base of the Ignias family was subdued by the pessimistic news that kept coming.
This was because Valentiano’s main unit and Yoles’ detached unit were pressing from both sides.
The outside recruits, ‘Sword King’ Gardius and ‘Sword Guard’ Isabella, were also defeated by Aernas, and now they were clearly at a disadvantage.
“Then, are there five top performers in the academy right now?”
“Professor Valentiano, Prof. Angela, Prof. Ferdinand, Prof. Yols… If you include Ernas Landstein, there are five of them.”
“The head of the family can’t deal with all five people. Isn’t that a no-win?”
“No matter how many times we have troops, if the number at the peak is so different… ah!”
The whispering soldiers flinched and shut their mouths.
The son of the lord, Carleon… It was because Rufus, the heir of the Ignias family, was approaching.
“… … .”
Rufus listened to everything the soldiers were saying.
Since Rufus had reached the Graduate Intermediate not too long ago, he could hear even the slightest whisper.
However, I did not intend to criticize the soldiers.
It is true that the current situation is unfavorable.
‘Soldiers will be anxious too.’
Feeling confused, Rufus continued on his way.
It was very lamentable that there was nothing he could do in the family crisis.
“Father, it is me.”
Rufus entered the small temple.
After being taken over by the Ignias family a while ago, it was used as a lodging for Carleon.
“What did you call me for… … .”
“Rufus.”
Seeing Carleon’s appearance, Rufus was startled.
It was because he was sitting cross-legged with his top off.
“Were you practicing magic?”
“Rufus, there is something I want to ask for your understanding of.”
Without answering Rufus’ question, Carleon went straight to the business.
“Do you remember the keel you took from Marquis Verdier last time?”
“Yes, I remember.”
The keel is the dragon’s bone… Among them, it refers to the sternum area where energy is condensed.
It is a very rare material, but the Verdier family has kept the keel as an heirloom for generations.
It was not the keel of a ‘lesser dragon’ that occasionally appears in the world, but the keel of an extinct ‘elder dragon’ long ago.
“It was secured for you.”
“yes… I know.”
Rufus is still far from being the Grand Duke of Lichtenau.
Even if the Ignias family defeated Aernas and the Academy and took control of the empire, putting Rufus in the position of Grand Duke of Lichtenau would not look very good.
That’s why Carleon planned to use the keel to greatly increase Rufus’ magic power.
“Ordinary graduates can’t control the energy of the keel, but I thought that if you mastered our family’s secret practice, you would be able to gain enormous magical energy from the keel.”
“yes… … .”
Graduate Advanced.
Carleon wanted Rufus to reach that level.
“but… I am sorry.”
“yes?”
“I will use the keel.”
“… … !”
hear that
Rufus understood everything.
“Rufus, I’m sorry. this is all… … .”
“No, Father!”
In front of his apologetic father, Rufus bowed his head.
“Father take it! For the victory of the Ignias family, it must be taken by my father, not by me!”
“Even if magic is absorbed from the keel, it will not permanently settle in my mana heart.”
Carleon put on a bitter expression.
“My mana heart has already stored magic to the limit. I don’t know if I’ll get a bigger realization… Even if you try to get magic from the keel, it will all come out in the end.”
“Still, with my father’s ability, I should be able to keep it for a few days!”
“Rufus… … .”
“It is not important to save my face later! I can reach the advanced grade level by working hard! so… Father, please use it!”
Rufus put his hand on his chest and said.
“If my father could gain the power of the keel and amplify his fighting power even for a few days… You can unleash the true power of Ignias’ infernal swordsmanship!”
The true power of Ignias’ infernal swordsmanship.
It is the power of the first Duke Ignias, who slaughtered numerous enemies with the Iron Blooded Sword Emperor a thousand years ago.
It is said that the first Duke of Ignias, who was also called the Prince of Flame Jade (炎獄公), annihilated thousands of enemies with a single attack… … .
It is said that the blow was like a breath of flame from a fire dragon.
“So Father, please use the power of the keel! Unleash the true power of Ignias’ infernal swordsmanship… Take down the academy’s advisors and Ernas Landstein!”
“… … .”
Hearing his son’s voice, Carleon nodded slowly.
“Okay, Rufus.”
“father… … !”
“For the victory of the Ignias family, I will burn my body.”
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Carleon made eye contact with Rufus and spoke in a serious voice.
“For your future, I will burn and kill all enemies.”
Infernal Jade Sword, Carleon Ignias.
He started to challenge a new level for the final reversal.
This was the only way to defeat the academy’s advisors and Ernas Landstein.
* * *
After leaving the commercial city of Brencia, the academy graduates attacked the fortress controlled by the Ignias family.
However, I did not participate in the siege and waited in the rear.
On the surface, it was probation for causing a commotion in Brencia, but in reality, I personally requested to stand by the rear.
‘I obtained Marteris’ two-wheeled sword technique from Isabella and created a lightning sword technique, but this alone is not enough for a decisive battle with Carleon.’
Waiting in the quiet rear, I held the true silver sword with both hands.
‘so… I have to complete this.’
A true silver sword with concentrated magical power.
On that silvery white blade… A cold white air flowed out.