“There’s something I’m curious about.”
I spoke up in the middle of the meeting, posing a question that had been bothering me.
“Why did they bother to declare war? Instead of giving us time like this, wouldn’t it have been better to send their elites immediately and crush everything in their fury?”
I asked because I was genuinely puzzled.
If it were the high and mighty Five Families, they could have turned this estate into a wasteland just by dispatching a few truly powerful knights. Hugo Rhapsody himself could have even made an appearance. I knew better than anyone the kind of catastrophe a single Swordmaster could cause. I knew it all too well.
“Because of the Continental Law.”
It was Tom who answered.
“An average family would have done exactly as you suggested, Young Master. They would have mustered mercenaries or knights for a surprise attack. But the Five Families cannot. If they did, the other four families would hold them accountable for breaking the law.”
“……”
“The authority and power held by the Five Families transcend your imagination. However, that power always comes with responsibility. Noblesse oblige . They cannot move recklessly—especially a family that possesses a Swordmaster.”
Tom explained patiently.
“A family with a Swordmaster must not act without cause. In particular, it is strictly taboo for a Swordmaster to personally interfere in the affairs of the world. If they did, the other Swordmasters would not stand idly by, and above all, the Nine Goddesses and the Seven Chief Gods would not permit it. The gods would hold them responsible and deliver divine punishment.”
“……”
“There are only five living Swordmasters currently, but many more are recorded in history. If the law is broken, the Swordmasters who have left the Middle World to wander the spiritual realm, or those who have departed to the side of the gods, will hold them accountable. It is a rule that has existed since the continent was created: with great power comes great responsibility.”
With great power comes great responsibility.
That sentence explained why 「Rhapsody」 acted the way they did. They established a justification to kill a lowly person like me, declared war, and announced in advance that they would trample this land. An old saying came to mind: A tiger does its best even when catching a single rabbit. Even if it was just for show, Rhapsody had created their pretext.
However, as I listened to Tom’s explanation, one question continued to smolder.
“Then why does the Iron Prince’s executioner roam so freely?”
The Iron Prince’s executioner.
Swordmaster Carlos.
“Swordmaster Carlos wields his power so openly, yet why does no one judge him? Why don’t the Nine Goddesses and the Seven Chief Gods deliver divine punishment? Why does no other Swordmaster hold him accountable?”
Swordmaster Carlos’s actions directly contradicted Tom’s explanation. He wielded immense power, but he didn’t seem burdened by any responsibility at all. Hearing my barrage of questions, Tom closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head.
“I do not know either. It is one of the great mysteries of the continent.”
“……”
“Perhaps only the gods know the truth.”
That wasn’t the answer I wanted.
“Regardless, Rhapsody will not be able to move recklessly. The Continental Law and their responsibilities will bind them like chains…”
*
「Hugo Rhapsody, one of the Seven Swords.」
“……”
「Why do you break the law and roam as you please?」
The head of the Rhapsody family, Hugo Rhapsody, heard a voice echoing through a pitch-black world. The moment he heard it, he knew he was dreaming. To be precise, he had been invited into another’s spiritual world while he slept. And the only beings on this continent capable of pulling a Swordmaster into a spiritual world were those of his own kind.
A Swordmaster, or…
“It has been a long time since you called, Bystanders on the Clouds.”
Gods.
The Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses.
“Why have you summoned me?”
「Did we not tell you? Because you have broken the law.」
“Did you come all this way just because I swung my blade at a few insignificant clowns?” Hugo Rhapsody asked, standing tall before the divine presences. “Are those clowns precious to you, while the bloodline of Hugo Rhapsody—who devours himself for the sake of the continent—is not?”
「…….」
“What were you doing while my son suffered such a terrible fate? Answer me, Seven Chief Gods and Nine Goddesses. When my son screamed, he surely cried out your names. So why did you not help? Why do you only hold me responsible, and not the lowly fighter who committed such a foul deed?”
Hugo Rhapsody spoke while glaring into the empty void.
Soon, an answer returned.
「…We shall overlook the killing and threatening of the clowns. Because instead of rushing to that fighter and slaughtering him instantly, you acted like a noble and declared war according to the Continental Law.」
“Just answer my question.”
「But let it end there. A Swordmaster must not interfere with the flow of the world. Do not leave your territory, Hugo Rhapsody.」
“I told you to answer my question!”
The voices of the gods grew heavy.
As the Nine Goddesses and the Seven Chief Gods each manifested their presence, Hugo Rhapsody dared to face them with his human body.
Amidst the flowing silence, the voices of the gods poured down like lead.
「Uphold the law.」
“……”
「There is only one Swordmaster on the continent who is not bound by the law. And that is not you, descendant of a lazy idler.」
*
The uninvited guests had spoken.
They would give us ten days.
Those ten days were no different from the time remaining until an execution. The uninvited guests called themselves a vanguard, but they likely knew the truth. Even if this estate had gained some semblance of form, burning down a single backwater village on the outskirts was far too easy for them.
What if Tom, the Sword Expert caretaker, hadn’t been here?
What if Audrey the Witch hadn’t been here?
What if there were only the original residents of this estate?
Me, Seol-yoon, and Hailyn.
If the place were filled only with elderly residents who had never held a sword and peaceful country folk who knew nothing but farming, the result would have been catastrophic.
They wouldn’t have needed the mage they called a Wave Catcher. They wouldn’t have needed Rhapsody’s second son to declare war. A mere group of thirty knights would have been enough to erase this village from the map. The innocent residents would have died horribly, and my land would have been stained with blood once again. Just as it had been in the past.
I don’t believe that violence can solve everything. No matter how much I train with the sword, I cannot manage an estate as excellently as Hailyn. I cannot rebuild this blood-soaked land, gather people, and recreate a warm, friendly landscape.
Everyone has a role to play in this world.
Violence is merely a part of that role.
However.
“Master.”
If others use violence against what is precious to me…
If the unreasonable elements of a broken world exercise violence, the only thing that can stand against it is violence. Those who value power above all else ignore philosophical questions. Those who value power above all else refuse logical conversation. The only thing that can stand against power is power.
“Can I face them?”
And so, I ask myself.
To stand against the unreasonableness of the world… is my strength enough?
“Can we overcome their vanguard, and the army of the Great Family that will swarm here in ten days? No matter how much I think about it, I can’t picture it. I just can’t…”
No matter how many times I weigh it, it isn’t enough.
I will be broken.
I will be snapped.
The things precious to me will disappear once again.
I do not want that to happen.
“Please give me the answer.”
So I ask. I ask my Master, who is always right.
“What must I do?”
Liam looked at me slowly.
My Master’s eyes were shining brilliantly, just like his portrait that hung proudly in the Caravan mansion. His gaze was full of majesty, like that of a lion.
「Ten days.」
“……”
「Spread your wings within ten days.」
His tone was commanding.
「If you do not, you will lose everything once again.」
His voice was heavy.
「There are no second chances, young descendant.」
「That is the way of the world.」
*
Audrey the Witch said she could handle the Wave Catcher, the mage brought by the vanguard. It was likely true. A Witch was a being who had reached the very pinnacle of the various magical entities that practiced the mysteries.
But the vanguard were not fools. Once they confirmed Audrey’s presence, they would request support from the main force. Magical beings more than capable of facing a Witch would come—beings hired by a Great Family that was currently gnashing its teeth.
Tom said he could hold back Edan Rhapsody, the second son of Rhapsody. That was also likely true. According to my Master, Tom was a Sword Expert of a mature realm. Whether mature or not, the title of ‘Sword Expert’ alone solved many problems. They were not mere war heroes; they were beings compared to legends and myths. Tom was more than capable of backing up his words.
I had reliable allies.
But the enemy was far too strong.
About thirty knights.
How was I to face thirty knights who were all Sword Runners? If that was merely a vanguard for a declaration of war, how powerful would the army arriving in ten days be? I didn’t know the full extent of the power a Great Family could muster. I didn’t truly know the strength of the Five Families.
So I asked Tom how powerful the legion they would bring with full intent would be.
The answer?
“I will be honest with you, Young Master. If you want to end this situation, it would be best to finish it before their army arrives.”
“Is it that bad? No matter how powerful they are, they are still just a ‘family.’”
At my question, Tom cleared his throat.
“Young Master.”
“Yes.”
“You were born and raised here, so you haven’t received a formal education. You likely don’t know history, nor do you know the various powers that exist on the continent. So I will explain it bluntly.”
Tom spoke in a tone devoid of any humor.
“The armies of the Five Families are at a level where they can compete on equal terms with the militaries of any nation, excluding the Sky Empire and the Great Land. You must not think of them as a ‘family.’ They possess power no different from an independent nation.”
Damn it.
「There is no exaggeration in those words.」
“……”
「In fact, the ‘Black Archipelago’ and the ‘Machine Empire’ have both fought wars against the army of a single one of the Five Families and suffered crushing defeats. How do you think ‘Rhapsody’ became the master of the Six Free Cities in the first place?」
“Ah.”
「Rhapsody pacified the Six Free Cities with a single sword.」
Yes, the enemy was too strong.
Truly, far too strong.
To the point where it was impossible for me to handle alone.
The vortex stirred up by the Iron Prince was far too large. To endure this godforsaken storm, I needed more than just personal growth.
I had to expand the board.
“Hailyn.”
I had to stir up another vortex to counter theirs.
“Climb the mountain right now.”
“Pardon? What do you mean…?”
“Climb to the peak of the mountain and cry out for help. Shout for aid from a place close to the heavens.”
“……Wait, surely.”
To survive, I had to gather every connection, whether shallow or deep.
“I am going to call the Orcs.”
The Orc Elder had said: If you are in trouble, climb to the peak of the mountain and cry out for our help from a place close to the heavens. If you do, we will come to help our friend from anywhere. Whether the opponent is a Dragon that rules the Sky Mountain Range, a Dragon King who dominates the vast sea, or an Emperor of a renowned empire.
I knew the Orcs well.
No matter who the opponent was, they would truly come.
It didn’t matter if the opponent was the army of a Great Family led by a Swordmaster, or if the Swordmaster himself made an appearance. There was no ally in the world more reliable than an Orc.
And…
“Phew.”
I took out an object I had kept in a corner of the mansion.
The reward for fighting and winning as the Proxy Warrior for my kind neighbor. Because I didn’t think it was truly mine, I hadn’t even touched it until now. This should have belonged to the loyal Petel. It should have belonged to the man who lived as a knight until the very end.
‘This is a reward for sending my dear friend off so he wouldn’t be lonely.’
But now, it seemed I had to use it.
‘When you are in desperate need of help, break the medal. If this medal is split, I will come to help you. No matter what danger you are in, I will come.’
To oppose the Five Families, I had no choice but to call upon the Five Families.
‘The Watchers will guard your future.’
With a sharp crack , the pure white medal broke.
The moment the medal shattered, a blinding white light exploded. The light gathered in one place and soon took the form of a beautiful bird. The bird made of light flew high into the sky, moving so fast it was almost invisible.
Following the bird with my eyes, I recalled Petel’s words.
‘For some reason, I feel like you’ll leave your name in the history of this continent.’
The longing was brief.
With this, I had gathered all my connections, long and short. It would have been perfect if I could have called Dwight the Dwarf, but I didn’t know how to reach him. After tidying up the pieces of Daisy’s broken medal, I slowly stepped outside.
My Master spoke.
「Young descendant.」
“Yes.”
「You have just stirred up an absurd vortex.」
I looked at my Master calmly.
“This is only the beginning.”
With that, I slowly gripped my sword.
The sun was hot.
“Master, with my abilities, I cannot spread my wings no matter how much I train during the remaining ten days. I can feel it myself. It is an impossible task.”
「…….」
“So, I will stop training. Instead, I will choose the Caravan way.”
My Master had said it once: Caravans are special. We don’t need ignorant training. A Caravan becomes great in the midst of battle. Like a sword that grows harder the more it is hammered.
I hadn’t forgotten those words.
“I will fight.”
I am a terrible dunce.
However.
“In the Caravan way.”
Steel blood flows in my veins.
