Sword Pilgrim

"There's an old saying."

There are two things that can devour an abyss. One is a bigger abyss.

And the other –

"Is a flame that can light up the whole world."

Bernard, who'd lost one of his arms, spoke thus, leaning on his Thunderbolt Sword like a staff.

“What're you going on about all of a sudden?”

I came to see how things were going.

But as soon as I arrived, he started spouting something odd.

Those deep eyes, as if glistening with some deep sense of duty, were quite burdensome.

"Callius. Become a flame."

"So. What is this out of the blue?"

Cheok.

Bernard handed over the Thunderbolt Sword – Rakan that he'd been carrying.

"I saw a spark in you."

Did you read some weird book recently or something?

You're just keeping on talking about fires.

Callius looked at Bernard and the Thunderbolt Sword alternately with a frown on his face.

"A small spark that will protect the North and the great Carpe Kingdom. Although small now, you will one day become a great blaze that will cover the continent."

So.

"Take this sword. It's not a vision sword, but it's at the very edge of entering that rank, so it'll be useful in the future."

"No way. Have you been drinking?"

"You'll probably say that you don't need it. I already know that you'll reject me because I only have one arm left. But take it. This is…"

"Thank you."

Tak.

Callius grabbed the Blue Thunderbolt Sword.

But Bernard's hand holding the sword did not let go for some reason.

"I'm not finished yet."

"It's superfluous. Just give it to me."

“You'll refuse… won’t you?”

"Why would I refuse something I'm given?"

This is the sword I've been coveting and waiting for, for so many years.

Why would I be willing to give it up?

"I only have one arm left, if I don't even have my Thunderbolt Sword, how am I supposed to live!"

Callius' eyes turned cold.

"What do you mean?"

"You should reject it for a while worrying about me and then reluctantly agree! That should cement my prestige!"

"What the hell."

What's going on in that head of yours?

Callius relinquished his hold on the Thunderbolt Sword.

Bernard, who clutching it with his remaining left arm, coughed in embarrassment.

"Hmm. This Thunderbolt Sword. My best friend, Rakan, once fell into a crisis. After a bloody battle that ended with his self-sacrifice, he became a carcass according to his own will."

Pilgrims, before their succession ceremony –

All of them sign one pledge.

That their own souls shall not ascend into the arms of God, but remain behind a while for the sake of the Church.

They pledge that they shall have no objection to becoming a carcass after their deaths.

A ‘Mortal Vow.'

The Thunderbolt Sword had also been made the same way.

"The enemy was strong. One who'd ruled the northern countryside. It was so strong, that the fight went on for three days and three nights…. In the end, we won, but a lot of blood was shed."

Of course, Callius knew the details.

Thunderbolt Sword – Rakan.

The existence of the man called Rakan, and the background behind Bernard acquiring his moniker, the Blue Thunderbolt, Callius knew it all.

A group of pilgrims who'd been dispatched to the North.

Bernard and Rakan being the best of them.

The strongest, and the most faithful among the pilgrims.

But a sudden crisis called for a sacrifice.

By the time Bernard arrived, the situation was already hopeless, and Rakan became a carcass sword as he had hoped.

"I took revenge with this Rakan by my side. A victory after fighting for three days and three nights. The king of the demonic beasts that made the North tremble… I remember being so scared at the time."

"How long do I have to listen to this?"

As the story stretched longer and longer, Callius couldn't help but interject with a bored tone.

Bernard's eyes stung him with a sharp glare, but then softened.

"Will you continue carrying the will of my friend, Rakan?"

"Yes."

Tas. The gazes of Bernard and Callius, who each held one end of the sword, intersected.

And soon –

“…”

“…”

Shake, shake.

The struggle began.

"Can't you just give it to me?"

"My warrior's blood is boiling. I think I can still use it…"

"Don't bullshit."

"What bullshit! I'm still alright! I wake up full of energy every morning!"

With a, kwang!

Callius, who had seized it by force, hurriedly hung the Thunderbolt Sword at his waist.

"Energy my foot."

"Ah…"

Did I lose my sword? Bernard looked at the Thunderbolt Sword with sad eyes.

Conversely, Callius patted the sword with a reassured face.

"Actually, I have another reason for entrusting you with Rakan."

"What's that?"

"The beast that killed my friend, Rakan. Its cubs are still alive."

"…?"

That was then.

[Epic Quest]

[Seed of the Aftermath]

Grade: A+

• Nip the aftermath in the bud.

Reward: Blue Lightning (牢靑).

System messages began to arrive.

Callius was startled.

‘Again…'

This was a part that he hadn't set.

Seed of the Aftermath.

"You mean… a cub of that beast?"

"Yeah. I only caught one glance, but there's no way I'd ever mistake its appearance. I've never been able to forget its mother's appearance or her blue lightning."

The beast that had killed Rakan.

The background had been set only that far.

"It's a cross between a dragon and a wolf. It has dragon scales all over its body, and there're two horns on its head sparking with blue lightning."

I've never set anything like that.

A descendant of a dragon and a wolf…

"Why not just kill it when you saw it on the battlefield?"

"I was going to! But it just looked at the battlefield from afar and didn't come closer. As if it came to sightsee for fun."

Considering Bernard's testimony and the new quest message, it has to be true.

A descendant of the dragons.

One of those bastards is still alive.

"Callius. It's a very clever creature. Make sure you never allow it to escape. If you leave it alone, it'll one day rule the beasts of the northern forest like the old days and become a threat to us."

"What's its name?"

I don't remember setting it.

But Bernard would know.

Even if it's never been set.

Because it's a past he's lived through.

"I used to call it the thunder wolf dragon (雷狼竜)."

Thunder wolf dragon, eh.

A wolf with dragon blood.

Hence the name.

"Actually, Rakan has one more secret. Do you want to hear it?"

"You mean that this sword is a demon sword?”

"!! How did you know!"

Who would know if I don't?

The reason why Bernard spends all his time catching beasts in the North is partly because of this sword.

Thunderbolt Sword – Rakan.

This sword is a demon sword, crafted by mixing the half-melted carcass of Rakan with another demon, in the belly of the thunder wolf dragon.

‘Dragon blood is also mixed, so it's a dragon demon sword.'

Anyway, it is a sword that the Church is bound to hate.

"So that's why you're giving it to me. So I'll take it and get arrested."

"What are you talking about! It's time to pass it on, that's all. This sick and weary old man no longer has the strength to lift a sword, so the embers of the burnt torch should be passed on to new ones."

He turned his face away and spoke thus.

While constantly coughing as was his wont, be it winter or summer.

Rousing himself from such bittersweet thoughts, Callius considered the quest reward.

Reward from the『Epic Quest』.

Blue lightning.

Literally translated, thunderbolt.

‘It will strengthen the electric power of the sword.'

A quest for a sword, with a dash of history mixed in.

There's no reason not to accept it.

Callius, grabbing the sword's handle, slowly pulled Rakan's blade out.

[Thunderbolt Sword – Rakan]

Grade – Spirit

Infused Soul – Ra??kan

Unique Ability – Blue Lightning

The infused soul had a question mark. It wasn't a normal magicborn, but the demon had probably been too corroded by the digestive juices to persist.

‘I can't take it out in front of those people.'

The same went for the Predator Sword – Loas.

Strong Sword – Gwydd. Thunderbolt Sword – Rakan.

All the swords Callius had were demon swords, so he couldn't take them out in front of the inquisitors.

Anybody sensitive to demon magic would will probably notice.

‘They aren't heretic inquisitors for nothing.'

Besides, the guys who'd come here were the commanders of the Inquisition Squads.

Even a minor nitpick might end up being something quite annoying.

Cheok.

Callius, who put the Thunderbolt Sword – Rakan back in, looked at Bernard and asked.

"What are you going to do now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Going forward."

"What can an old man do? Just listen to the confessions of the villagers as a pastime… and occasionally teach swordsmanship."

He'd been in the North for a long time.

For him, the North was now home.

This land is cold and barren.

That's why one yearns for warmth.

"When I first came to the North, someone told me. There are times when even the cold can feel warm."

At first, I thought it was bullshit.

"For me, the harsh cold wind that blows all year round has long since felt quite cozy."

Falling snowflakes that glinted beautifully in the sunlight.

– Spar! Haha!

Through the falling snowflakes, one could see children, training their swordsmanship.

The corners of Bernard's lips drew up in an arc.

"Is that so."

"Callius. I've traded my arm for the future of the North. If you've saved the damn North, didn't it come cheap? Besides, this is a saga that's worth drinking about for the rest of my life."

So.

"Don't be too sad. I just lost an arm, that's all."

Hearing Bernard's quiet words –

Callius licked his lips a few times before responding.

He didn't know how to comfort a loss he had never felt.

But.

"Master! I invented a new sword art!"

"Oh! Is that so? Let's see!"

Even after losing an arm and letting the sword go, Bernard was trying to move on.

So, just…

"May God not watch over Bernard's path ahead."

Just a small wish floated in the wind.

A banquet hall in the inner city of Jevarsch.

A long rectangular table, lit by soft lighting.

Candlesticks lighting up the darkness.

In a place overflowing with food, the air was taut with tension.

"It's not much, but please eat to your heart's content."

A middle-aged man sitting at the top of the table, savouring wine.

Elburton, pretended not to notice the needle-sharp momentum of those present at the dinner.

"I hope the northern food will please your palate."

On the right were the commanders of the Inquisition.

And on the left were Callius and Emily. His knights, Allen and Orphin, stayed standing.

Allen and Orphin, who were standing behind Callius, as well as Emily, did not show any facial expression, but they exuded a heavy and burdensome aura.

Because of the mighty pressure covering them, aura quietly leaked out of their whole bodies.

"It is an honour for us to be invited to a Jervain family dinner."

"Is that so."

"The lord's eyes are evidence of the stigmata of God. Just seeing them can be called an honour."

"We have merely received the grace of our ancestors. There is no achievement for me to boast of."

"Haha, you are too humble. Protecting the northern lands is the same as protecting Carpe. We only took a small part in the glorious battlefield, but it's still a great honour for us."

A friendly conversation ensued.

Rivon was good at sabotage, so, clever as a snake, he put Jervain and the northern lands on a pedestal.

‘You're a smooth talker.'

He didn't know what kind of story he was trying to weave, but there had to be reason behind praising Jervain so excessively.

Callius couldn't let it go.

"Inquisitor Ryburn."

"Yes, Master Callius."

"If it's such an honour, you wouldn't hesitate to help the North a little more, would you?"

"Of course. To help the North is to help Carpe, and what is for the Carpe is for the Church."

The Church exists for God.

So, it could be said that this was a work for God.

"This war has left us with enough orc corpses to build a few mountains. How about saving them by turning their filth into carcasses?"

Ryburn's brows twitched.

"You mean all of them…?"

"Why not? It's not too difficult. Since you have hundreds of troops, the Church can give them a chance to wash their fallen souls with the carcass ritual."

"Of course, that's true, but…"

Ryburn glanced at the captains next to him. They nodded their heads and raised their glasses in response.

"Alright. Then we'll have to adjust the proportions."

"Adjust? What kind of adjustment are you talking about?"

"… That, of course, what to do with the carcasses."

It must've been about deciding the Church's share with the North. But Callius had no intention of allowing that.

"They are the ones who ripped the flesh and blood of the Northern Army, who'd been born and raised in the North. Naturally, the people of our North have to carry them and wash their corrupted souls with blood. Or, does the Church intend to again send reinforcements for the North like they did this time? "

Ryburn was speechless.

What he was hearing was that they would make more than ten thousand orcs into carcasses and the North would take them all.

If so, who would pay for their labour? Even if it was the Church, nobody works without pay.

‘It's said that an idiot is forever an idiot. I didn't know you'd be so bold.'

Ryburn licked the insides of his mouth and gave a cold smile.

A serpentine scheme flashed through his mind.

It was a way of putting pressure on Callius and the North and reducing their effort.

"When I think about it again, what Master Callius said is right. If you promise me one thing in return, I'll gladly do it."

"Tell me."

"If Master Callius returns to the Church with us, we will honour everything you have said."

"You mean me? Why?"

"We of the Inquisition Squad highly appreciate Master Callius' skills, so we will recommend you as a new inquisitor."

Of course.

"Before that, you have to go through the test of heresy first… Of course, if it's Master Callius, there should be no problem."

As long as there is no sin, that is.

Editor's Notes:

None for this chapter.

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