Swordmaster’s Youngest Son

C331 - Record of the Past: Chief Steward, Leuth Damiro Yul (1)

The Shadow Energy Pearl that Lueth had taken out looked slightly different from what Jin had seen before.

There was a faint black light flowing through it, and it was smaller. Upon close inspection, Jin could see people and landscapes inside it.

Instinctively, he knew it was an intact recording device.

The visible landscapes inside the Pearl were records of the past.

"I won't be able to remember Miss Lueth anymore, what does that mean?"

[Exactly as it sounds. Zipple, his manipulation of history remains effective.]

Jin had heard a lot about Zipple's manipulation of history, but he had not yet experienced it firsthand.

He had only seen issues with other people's memories, especially those related to the ancient Runcandel.

That's why he couldn't easily accept it. If it was so vivid, would he really forget Lueth's existence once he left this subspace?

As if reading Jin's thoughts, Lueth gave a bittersweet smile and took out a feather from her embrace.

"Give me your hand for a moment," Lueth said.

She reached out her hand and wrote her name on the palm of Jin's hand.

After a while, Jin felt a chill seeing his name written on the palm of his hand.

Lueth Damiro Yul.

...Damiro Yul, ...Yul, ....

'The writing of Miss Lueth's name on the palm of my hand is disappearing...!'

A chill ran down his spine.

Jin already knew that Zipple possessed the ability to manipulate history.

However, experiencing it firsthand was a completely different matter.

[The Thousand-Year Contractor, Sir Jin, must have visited two tombs before. You must have encountered the Guardians there.]

"Yes, I met the Guardians who looked like Sir Silderay and Lady Sarah."

[Indeed, it seems that those individuals have also disappeared from my memories. Unlike them, I am not a Guardian formed from Shadow Energy and soul. That's why I will keep fading from Sir Jin's memories.]

She was not a Guardian formed from Shadow Energy and soul, but a living person. Therefore, unlike Silderay or Sarah, who had already faced death, she was continuously being erased from history.

[It would have been nice to share many stories about the Runcandel of a thousand years ago, but unfortunately, I have very few memories of that time.]

The time granted to Fairies is as fleeting as that of Dragons, if not more so.

No existence in this world would want to endure a long period of a thousand years without even having complete memories.

That's why Jin found it hard to choose his words.

[There's no need to be saddened by that, Sir Jin. The loss of history regarding me is nothing more than a scar of the honor I earned as part of Runcandel, as a protector of the clan and the world.]

Lueth spoke calmly. She had lost most of her memories of the ancient Runcandel, but her blind affection remained intact.

"...The price paid to protect the clan was too cruel."

[But if there hadn't been such a price, Runcandel would have been completely erased from the world. How is Runcandel now?]

"After Zipple, it's the second most powerful clan in the world."

Upon hearing that, Lueth beamed with joy.

[See, it was a sacrifice worth making!]

Like an excited child, Lueth spoke with enthusiastic voice.

[I told you, Temar. We can surely protect the clan...!]

Jin's gaze met Lueth's.

Lueth looked at Jin for a moment and then lowered her head.

[Oh, I made a mistake. I'm sorry.]

"It's alright, Miss Lueth."

There was a moment of silence.

Jin was becoming increasingly uncomfortable witnessing the pitiful state of this unfortunate Fairy.

[In my time, the Runcandel clan was almost erased from history. The most powerful clan of Magic Swordsmen disappeared. Since we made an oath back then, the current Runcandel wouldn't be able to use magic.]

"That's correct."

[However, Sir Jin, as Solderet's Contractor, the curse that Runcandel received back then won't apply to you.]

Hwaaa...

Jin formed a mana sphere in the palm of his hand. Lueth stared at the sphere in fascination.

"It's the light, the one we saved."

"Now I'm the only Magic Swordsman of Runcandel."

Lueth also conjured magic.

At that moment, a peculiar wave emanated from the Shadow Energy Pearl, and Jin remembered seeing that magic in the past.

"Recording Magic?"

The magic that Lueth was using resembled History Recording Magic.

Histor had been active between 1400 and 1500. It was known that Fairies had perished long before that.

Buzzzz...

The Shadow Energy Pearl began to activate, producing a familiar and soft sound.

Could there be any connection between Fairies and Histor?

Just as he was reflecting, Lueth spoke.

[You seem a little surprised, Sir Jin.]

"I've seen similar magic before."

[It's not magic but a special ability unique to our Fairy tribe. My kind, we were born with a lifespan close to immortality, but in exchange...]

Wiiii...

The unstable noise of the Shadow Energy Pearl gradually transformed into a smooth sound.

It was a sound that the damaged Shadow Energy Pearl had never made before.

[We have the duty to observe the world and record it.]

Observing the world and recording it.

That was the purpose of the Fairy's existence.

[Although we possess enough power, we have rarely interfered in human affairs. Even when tyrants arose to ravage the world or when human cultures veered in the wrong direction, we merely observed and recorded. That's our role.]

"In that case, Miss Lueth, as a Fairy, you became a member of Runcandel because Zipple was manipulating history."

Jin understood the context and responded, causing Lueth to nod.

[That's correct. If they hadn't distorted history, I wouldn't have met Temar or become the chief steward of Runcandel.]

Lueth Damiro Yul was originally the noblest being among the Fairies.

The name "Yul" was reserved only for the Fairy King.

[But at some point, I was influenced by Temar and began to consider myself a member of Runcandel. The Storm Castle felt more like my home than the Primeval Forest, which was my original homeland. Compared to the time spent in the forest, the time spent here feels like nothing more than a dream in a midday nap...]

Now, even that feeling had been nearly erased from her memories, and Jin couldn't even begin to imagine the sense of loss Lueth must be feeling.

[Hahaha, it seems it's not the time to reminisce forgotten memories.]

"Miss Lueth."

[Yes, what is it?]

"By any chance, do you know of a clan called Histor?"

[This is the first time I've heard that name.]

"The members of that clan possess abilities similar to yours, History Recording Magic. They were destroyed and disappeared at the hands of Zipple, but it turns out I know the last surviving member of Histor. Maybe I can ask that person to restore your memories, Miss Lueth."

[It's an intriguing story, Humans using magic similar to ours... However, restoring my memories would be impossible.]

"Nevertheless, we should try."

[I can't leave this place, and if you leave this space, you will forget everything about me. Therefore, even if you were to ask that person to restore my memories, it wouldn't be feasible. Even if that person indeed possesses such abilities.]

Lueth placed her hand on Jin's, resting it on the Shadow Energy Pearl.

[Still, that doesn't mean a person's existence is completely forgotten. As far as I know, flashes of my appearance also appear in this recording device. I can only show it to you once, so please take a closer look.]

Oooong!

The magic waves emanating from the Shadow Energy Pearl intensified.

At the same time, Jin felt as if his consciousness was being drawn into it, allowing him to examine the memories recorded inside the Shadow Energy Pearl.

It was a place where storms raged throughout the seasons, but that day was unusually turbulent.

The expressions of the people seated in the conference room of the Storm Castle were grim.

On one side of the room, stacks of blank paper, thousands of sheets, were piled up.

However, the papers were already slightly crumpled, as if they had been touched by human hands.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...

Stewards and scholars tirelessly wrote something on new sheets of paper.

They were recording the latest events related to the Fairies.

Hundreds of individuals were simultaneously transcribing the same content with different phrases and interpretations.

(On March 3, 797, Runcandel recorded Zipple's manipulation of history regarding the Fairies. On March 4, the Fairies Shil Damiro, Beka Tishke, Mulias Mon, Trica Tredos, and Zen Mainu were forgotten among the Fairies...)

(..., on March 3, Runcandel recorded Zipple...)

While stewards and scholars were recording, the writings were also being erased.

It was like pouring water into a leaky jug. However, the stewards and scholars continued to desperately transcribe the same content.

They did it out of fear that if they didn't, the Fairies would fall into complete oblivion.

However, this fear was not imaginary. It was a fear that arose from witnessing something being erased in such a way.

But what was even more terrifying was the fact that if the Fairies completely disappeared, there was a possibility that Runcandel would be erased from history in the same way.

"Would Zipple, those insane bastards, really erase the Fairies, who lived and breathed... in such a way?"

Diana, one of the Ten Great Knights, erupted in anger. Everyone else in the room shared her feelings.

They all knew.

In this way, they could only delay the Fairies' disappearance from history and barely postpone their extinction.

Even though they were living beings.

Once erased from history, they became nonexistent from the beginning.

No one would recognize them, and they would also be lost.

Zipple's power to manipulate history went beyond mere "distortion of the truth" and entered the realm of obliterating the truth itself.

"How can mere humans wield such power, a power that not even the Gods possess... If it weren't for the Fairies' abilities, we would have never known that Zipple's manipulation of history reached this level."

Padler, one of the Ten Great Knights, spoke.

As he said, if it weren't for the Fairies' "recording abilities," the Runcandels would have never known the truth.

But at this rate, the Fairies would soon disappear.

No one would be able to record the truth for Runcandel, no, for the world.

Crunch!

The chief steward, Lueth Damiro Yul, entered the conference room.

"She's here, chief steward."

Diana greeted her with a bow, and Lueth opened a translucent window in the air using her Magic.

"Everyone, look at this. There is hope. I have discovered that even Zipple's manipulation of history has its limits...!" Lueth exclaimed with a triumphant voice that contrasted with her haggard expression.

Recorded on the translucent window were these words.

<A total of 3,026 Magicians, including Elona Zipple, attempted to manipulate the history of Temar Runcandel but failed to bend the Power of Existence he possesses.>