The Swordmaster Who Returned After 1,000 Years

Chapter 130

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]

Chapter 130

“The Holy Sword has fallen?”

“Yes. Did it not come here by any chance?”

“Hmm… No, that hasn’t happened.”

Kaylen’s eyes widened at the mention of the Holy Sword falling.

The Holy Sword that was in the Sanctuary.

He had planned to retrieve it once the kingdom’s stability was secured…

But he hadn’t expected the Holy Sword Astella to fall on its own.

“This is a serious problem. It said it was going to meet its master, so I thought it would be here.”

“The last time I used a fragment of Astella, I did hear the voice of the Holy Sword.”

“Exactly. Ever since then, the normally quiet Astella started to rebel.”

Theresia let out a deep sigh before continuing.

“The Holy Sword Astella is one of the four pillars that support the Sanctuary.”

“The four pillars…”

“Yes. Three Divine Relics and the Holy Sword Astella hold the Sanctuary in place, each at the end of a pillar.”

“The Divine Relics… You mean the crown, the staff, and the chalice?”

“You are well-informed.”

Theresia continued, her expression filled with concern.

“Among these, the Holy Sword Astella plays the most crucial role in maintaining the Sanctuary. It was the first relic bestowed upon humanity by the Celestial God. The power of this sword surpasses all other relics.”

“I see.”

“So, if the Holy Sword is removed from the Sanctuary, its stability will be greatly weakened. The primary energy source would be lost.”

“Hmm… And what exactly are you asking me to do?”

Kaylen asked directly.

Theresia lowered her head and pleaded.

“Kaylen, I know this is a difficult request… but please convince the Holy Sword to return to the Sanctuary.”

“That’s strange. Last time, didn’t you tell me to challenge the Holy Sword’s selection? If it’s so vital to the Sanctuary’s stability, why did you encourage me to take it?”

The Holy Sword’s selection was a trial to pull the sword from where it was embedded in the center of the Holy Plaza.

Back then, Theresia had urged both Stein and Kaylen to attempt drawing the sword—

Yet now, she was asking him to return it?

And more importantly, hadn’t she just said the Holy Sword was stationed at the end of one of the Sanctuary’s pillars?

At Kaylen’s question, Theresia bit her lip slightly before answering.

“The Holy Sword chosen through the selection is merely a replica.”

“Like the fragment of the Holy Sword I have?”

“…Yes. In truth, even that is more than enough for a human to wield. No hero has ever fully drawn out the Holy Sword’s true power. No one except the Great Hero of a thousand years ago—Ernstine. That’s why Astella has always claimed that its true master is Ernstine.”

Theresia briefly glanced at the sundered royal palace before continuing.

“But because of your Six-Blade Path, Kaylen… the sword seems to have recognized you as its master and abandoned the Sanctuary.”

“So that’s why you want me to convince it to return.”

“Yes. Please tell the Holy Sword clearly that you are not Ernstine.”

Kaylen responded immediately.

“I refuse.”

“…What?”

“If the Holy Sword has chosen me and come on its own, why should I return it?”

Theresia’s expression hardened.

This was the worst possible answer from Kaylen.

‘If the Holy Sword truly acknowledges Kaylen as its master… the Sanctuary’s future is doomed.’

If she didn’t persuade him here and now, disaster would follow.

Theresia took a deep breath and began speaking calmly.

“Kaylen, no matter how much you have inherited the Six-Blade Path, drawing out the full power of the Holy Sword is impossible. That is something only a Grandmaster can achieve. Instead, I will give you a replica of the Holy Sword. That should be sufficient for you.”

“You’re offering me a replica?”

“And the Sanctuary will fully support the Meier Kingdom. We will station priests from the Holy See in the royal palace and expand the temples.”

Beyond that, Theresia promised many things.

She said the Sanctuary would officially recognize the legitimacy of the newly established Meier Kingdom, which was inherently vulnerable.

She also pledged to send the Holy Order and even offered to accept any of Kaylen’s family members into the Sanctuary, where they could attain eternal life.

It was clear that the Sanctuary was willing to make significant concessions…

But—

‘Compared to the Holy Sword, none of this is worth much.’

Kaylen found the offer unappealing.

He knew better than anyone that the value of the Holy Sword Astella far surpassed such promises.

Keeping the sword was the obvious choice.

However—

“I’ll think about it after I find it first.”

Kaylen postponed his answer.

If he asserted ownership of the Holy Sword now, the Sanctuary might actively try to interfere with him.

‘There are ways I could reveal my true identity, but I have no desire to do so in front of the Sanctuary.’

Back when Theresia had encouraged him to take the trial of the Holy Sword’s selection, the Holy Knights had strongly opposed it.

—“The bloodline of Caius and the Meier clan…

Didn’t the Holy One personally excommunicate them?”

—“Regardless of everything else, allowing an excommunicated descendant to undergo the Holy Sword’s selection is strictly forbidden. Especially… for the Meier bloodline.”

‘I can trust Theresia to some extent… but she is still part of the Sanctuary.’

Even after a thousand years, the Sanctuary remained wary of his lineage.

He had a strong suspicion that it was due to the Helmeier family, but since the full truth hadn’t been revealed yet, he had to tread carefully.

“…Understood. Searching for it comes first, as you said. We’ll look for the Holy Sword in the Demon Realm as well.”

“The Demon Realm?”

“Yes. Do you know how many Demon Lords have fallen to the Holy Sword? To them, it is the ultimate trophy.”

“We must find it before it falls into demonic hands. How do you plan on tracking its location?”

“We couldn’t trace it from within the Sanctuary. But since its goal is to find you, Kaylen, I plan to spread divine power across this land to search for it.”

“Alright. Then I’ll conduct my own search as well.”

As Kaylen turned to leave, Theresia hurriedly grabbed his sleeve.

“U-um, Kaylen… may I accompany you for a while?”

“I’m planning to ride a drake.”

“Yes. From atop the drake, I’ll activate divine detection. Kaylen, if you unleash the Six-Blade Aura, the Holy Sword will be drawn to it. I’ll sense the direction it’s coming from.”

Kaylen gave a small nod.

He had no intention of surrendering the Holy Sword, but finding it before the Demon Realm got involved was the top priority.

—Colony Observation Post, Director’s Office—

In a room where a massive serpent coiled around itself, a demon arrived.

Though humanoid in shape, every visible part of its body was shrouded in darkness.

One of the rare Shadow Clan demons of the Demon Realm, he slowly pushed open the office door.

“The Holy Sword has appeared? Is that information true, Edena?”

Sssss—

In response to the Shadow Demon’s question, the director flicked its tongue and gave a short answer.

[It’s true.]

“Then we should report to the Demon King’s Castle immediately… Looks like the observation post director isn’t doing his job.”

[It’s fine.]

“Just because you’re the former Demon King’s child, aren’t you overstepping? The regime has changed, after all.”

Flick. Flick.

At those words, the serpent’s tongue shot out in an instant, touching the Shadow Demon’s face.

Ssssss—

The shadowy form of his face crumbled, his features disappearing in an instant.

He raised his right hand and placed it where his face had been, restoring his form.

“Tch… So violent.”

[Burial.]

“So you think you can bury me even if the regime has changed? Yeah, yeah, I get it.”

It was always like this whenever the former Demon King was mentioned.

The Shadow Demon shook his head and got to the point.

“Let’s go over the request again. Steal the Holy Sword and keep it here for just one day. After that, I don’t care whether you report it to the Demon King’s Castle to claim credit or sell it off. That’s the deal, right?”

Sssssk. Sssssk.

The serpent gave the faintest nod.

“You’ll also give me the sword’s location using your authority as the director. This is a great deal for me… but honestly, why don’t you just go to the Middle Realm yourself and retrieve it? You’re not hiding something from me, are you?”

[Annoying.]

The observation post director, Edena, spoke with complete sincerity.

“…That’s just like you. Fine. Then I’ll get moving. Just give me the location, and I’ll retrieve it alone.”

[Preparation.]

“Preparation…? What kind of preparation do I need to go to a colony?”

[Humans.]

“You want me to prepare for humans? Ha! Are you serious? You think I, Shadowwill, a Demon Count of the Demon Realm, will be threatened in the Middle Realm—”

[Viscount.]

“My magic is at a count’s level! It’s just my family status that’s lacking!”

The Shadow Demon, Shadowwill, shouted in frustration.

If not for the importance of lineage and noble houses, he would have been a full-fledged count by now.

And yet, of all demons, Edena—the one most obsessed with bloodlines—had just called him a mere viscount. That only fueled his anger further.

“Edena. Don’t humiliate me any further. I could descend alone and slaughter every human in the Middle Realm if I wanted to.”

[Do as you please.]

“Tch. Just have my payment ready.”

With an irritated glare, Shadowwill slammed the door shut and left the director’s office.

Watching him go, the observation post director’s bright yellow eyes darkened into a deep black.

‘The hero’s descendant…’

After awakening from a long slumber, he had observed the changes on the surface for a while.

And soon enough, he had found an unexpected figure.

Kaylen.

The descendant of the hero who had slain his father, the great "Crimson Flame Demon King."

An irregular of that magnitude…

Normally, he should have reported this to the higher-ups immediately.

‘A test…’

But Edena had other thoughts in mind.

Not as the director of the colony’s observation post.

As the child of the former Demon King—

Aboard the Drake.

Kaylen had fully unleashed the Six-Blade Aura, attempting to track the whereabouts of the Holy Sword himself.

‘It’s not revealing itself so easily.’

It had been fortunate that the sword had escaped from the Sanctuary,

but reaching the Meier Kingdom seemed to be another matter entirely.

With no trace of the Holy Sword’s presence, Kaylen turned his gaze to Theresia, who stood beside him with her eyes closed.

“Theresia.”

“Yes, Kaylen?”

“Do you sense anything?”

“I can’t pinpoint its exact location, but I can sense a general direction. If we keep going this way, we should find it.”

“I see…

I suppose being a thousand-year-old saintess has its advantages.”

As that thought crossed Kaylen’s mind, he recalled what Deluna had once told him.

—“Meier has always called themselves the descendants of dragons… That might actually be… true… I don’t know…”

Deluna had been unable to finish her sentence, as though the World Tree’s will had intervened.

But was the idea of being a dragon’s descendant really that significant?

‘Dragons… I’ve only ever known them as legends.’

All records of dragons existed only in ancient storybooks.

No one had ever confirmed their existence as reality.

The only reason the Meier bloodline claimed to be dragon descendants was because their unique ability, Infinity, bore similarities to the traits of a dragon’s heart.

‘I did look into it after Deluna mentioned it… but even a thousand years ago, dragons were already considered part of mythology. I didn’t find anything meaningful.’

But if anyone knew something about dragons, it would be the saintess, Theresia.

“Theresia. Do you know anything about dragons?”

“Dragons? Of course. When the Celestial God brought light to this world, they were the ones who resisted. In the end, the Celestial God descended personally and subdued seventy-seven dragons before peace was restored to the Middle Realm.”

“I see… And after that, there was never another mention of dragons?”

“No. Well…”

Theresia’s expression darkened slightly as she continued.

“The myths of other races, like elves and dwarves, seem to tell a different story. But they are primitive races who refuse to submit to the Celestial God’s will.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. But why are you asking all of a sudden?”

“Riding a drake made me curious, that’s all.”

“Is that so?”

Though skeptical, Theresia nodded slightly—

And then, her eyes widened as she spotted a faint glimmer in the distance.

“Ah! I found it!”

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]