Blade City, Cherny.
It was the largest metropolis in the Steel Kingdom and the capital at the heart of the Steel Great Empire Chervil. The royal palace, home to the imperial family, was situated here. Consequently, every key figure and high-ranking noble who frequented the court resided within its walls. The core of the power that moved the Steel Great Empire Chervil was concentrated in this single location. It was a city where every walk of life in the kingdom converged. That was Blade City.
“If we travel by carriage, it will take a little over a week to reach Blade City. For any other city, we could simply pay to use a wizard’s Warp Gate… but as you know, magic cannot be used in Cherny.”
“I absolutely loathe that city,” Audrey grumbled.
She was always complaining, but this time, her grumbling felt sincere. It was only natural; Blade City was a place every wizard avoided like the plague.
“I feel nauseous the moment I set foot there.”
The walls surrounding Blade City were forged from anti-magic metal. Because of this, no magic could be manifested within the city or even in its immediate vicinity. Mana would dissipate before it could even be gathered. Wizards often complained of extreme fatigue just by entering Cherny. To use their own expression, it felt like walking around soaked to the bone in freezing water.
“Please bear with it for a little while. We won’t be staying long.”
“You’d better make sure of that. If I have to stay in that trashy city for more than two days, you’ll find out exactly how much of a nightmare I can be.”
“…”
Audrey didn’t sound like she was joking.
What would happen if Audrey, who was already a handful, turned into a full-blown nightmare? I was curious, but I certainly didn’t want to see it with my own eyes. Regardless, I didn’t want to linger in Cherny either. I wanted to proceed with the digestion of Soaring as soon as possible, and above all, Cherny was a dangerous city.
It was a city where the power of the Steel Kingdom was concentrated.
Blade City, where all sorts of people gathered, was a place where blades lurked in every corner, true to its name. There was even a saying in the Verdi region: “In Cherny, they’ll cut your nose off while you’re still staring at them.” As a country bumpkin among country bumpkins, I would have to keep my wits about me.
As I took a breath to steady myself, Tom spoke up.
“It’s going to be a long journey. Shall we talk about Cherny while we travel? Young Master Arhan, do you know why Cherny became an anti-magic city?”
“I’m not sure.”
“No one knows the exact reason. Cherny has existed since the early days of the Steel Kingdom, and parts of its history have been lost over time. According to scholars’ speculations, the Blade Walls were built to prepare for war with the Machine Empire—specifically to block the tactics the Machine Empire favored most…”
As always, Tom wove history into an interesting narrative. Audrey fell asleep less than three minutes after he started talking. It was a sleeping speed uncharacteristic of a wizard who usually overflowed with academic zeal. Seol-yoon seemed to lose interest after a moment, and Sherizik simply watched the scenery outside the rattling carriage.
As Tom’s story continued and the sun began to set, many in the carriage drifted off. When the sound of soft breathing filled the air, Tom eventually stopped talking to be considerate of those resting. In the quiet, Liam spoke.
「Blade City, huh.」
“Is there something you want to say?”
「Something I want to say? I have plenty. It’s just that there’s too much you wouldn’t understand even if I told you.」
“…Is that so?”
As I watched the passing scenery, Liam muttered.
「Young descendant.」
“Yes.”
「As you head out into the wider world, you will encounter many people. Among them will be ancient beings who remember forgotten history, like that audacious Orc Shaman, and those who haven’t forgotten the Caravan , like the dwarf who showed you kindness. On this vast continent, there are those who live for eternity and those who refuse to forget the truth.」
“I suppose that’s possible.”
「You’d better be prepared.」
“For what?”
「Not everyone holds goodwill toward the Caravan .」
Liam stared at the scenery outside. His face, reflecting the darkening landscape, seemed to hold complex and subtle emotions—emotions I couldn’t even begin to fathom.
「I didn’t exactly live a virtuous life, you see.」
*
Not long after the journey began, Sherizik’s true value started to shine. She was, quite frankly, the perfect orc.
“It would be better to take a detour here. If we go this way, we’ll run into bandits. With our strength, we wouldn’t suffer much, but there’s no need for unnecessary variables. The most important thing is arriving quickly, isn’t it?”
. . .
“Everyone, don’t worry and just eat. You don’t need to worry about pests or wild beasts. I brought some supplies for camping—special herbs from the orc lands…”
. . .
“Once we arrive at the capital, we should hire a priest first. Or a healer. In case we fail to hire one, let’s buy these items. With these, we can handle basic first aid and treat most injuries on the spot. Oh, and we need an inventory. The grade doesn’t matter, as long as it has a preservation formula and a storage formula of level 2 or higher.”
As she had advertised before the journey, Sherizik was an excellent ranger and guide, performing a role close to a party leader.
“…How do you know so much?”
“I was always the leader when I moved with my kin.”
With that one sentence, her abilities were proven. A leader who commanded reckless orcs whose brains were made of muscle! If she put that on her resume, she’d be the first pick for any party on the continent. Honestly, I almost felt my heart flutter. If Sherizik weren’t an orc, I might have seriously considered marriage…
Wait. I almost fell for the scheme of that devious Orc Shaman Sherdic. Get a grip. No, I can’t.
Damn it. Why was Sherizik so perfect?
Her smile, which revealed her tusks, didn’t look menacing anymore; it actually started to look quite cool. Furthermore, having led orcs, Sherizik was excellent at managing the party members.
First, there was the witch Audrey, who was responsible for 80% of the complaining.
“How much longer? I want to wash properly. I feel gross.”
“We’ll stay at an inn today.”
“I need something sweet. My blood sugar is low.”
“Would you like something refreshing or something tart? Just say the word, and I’ll get you an armful.”
“Ugh, I want to change my clothes. Aaaah—”
“Then I will—”
Sherizik’s ability to counter Audrey’s complaints—which were on par with a spoiled four-year-old’s—was nothing short of divine. When I asked how she gained such a skill, Sherizik replied as if it were nothing.
“She’s cute compared to my father.”
“…”
“Those with spiritual abilities tend to be a bit sensitive. But there’s no malice behind it. If you treat them delicately, they settle down quickly. Sometimes I want to crack their heads open, but as a lady, I can endure quite a bit.”
What terrifying patience. And she wasn’t just managing Audrey.
“Everyone, the shape of that tree over there reminds me of ancient history. It’s a legend about a spear embedded in the roots of a massive tree, and it’s quite interesting. It goes like—”
“I know what it is,” she cut Tom off decisively when he tried to launch into a boring, unnecessarily long story.
“I shouldn’t practice my sword on the carriage, right? I have some ideas coming to mind.”
“Go ahead,” Sherizik told Seol-yoon. “I was feeling stiff myself, so I should practice my glaive. Surely swinging a glaive on a carriage won’t be a problem? The horse pulling the carriage might die, and the coachman’s head might fall off, but that’s not my problem. In the Steel Kingdom, where the logic of power is law, it’s the fault of the horse and coachman for not being strong enough.”
“…I’ll stay still.”
She easily suppressed Seol-yoon’s occasional impulsive behavior. Watching Sherizik’s flawless performance, I felt like doing a backflip and giving her a standing ovation.
Amazing, Sherizik! Amazing, Orc!
「Young descendant, perhaps a love that transcends the boundaries of race wouldn’t be so bad after all.」
“Don’t cross the line.”
Anyway, thanks to the capable Sherizik, our journey proceeded without a hitch. Just as I was getting used to the violent rattling of the carriage, I saw a jagged wall rising in the distance. It meant only one thing.
We had arrived at Blade City, Cherny.
*
The process of entering Blade City was different from other cities. As the capital of the Steel Great Empire Chervil—a place where core power was concentrated and the royal palace was located—one had to go through proper procedures to enter the walls. Fortunately, the process wasn’t complicated. Sancho had already handled some of the necessary steps, and by using the cover story Tom had prepared, we were able to pass through quickly.
However, the atmosphere here was different.
“You may enter. And there is something you should be aware of.”
The atmosphere of Blade City could be summarized in one phrase.
“Everyone is currently on edge as we prepare for war. Please refrain from drawing your swords as much as possible, and we ask for your active cooperation in case of random inspections. If you fail to cooperate, you will be held responsible for whatever happens.”
The storm before the calm.
“It’s brutal here.”
Just as Seol-yoon muttered, a strange tension hung in the air. The merchants’ carriages gathered near the walls were loaded with war supplies, and the guards at the gate were fully armed and on high alert. Every single sentry here was an elite force. They were real knights, incomparable to the old guards protecting the Caravan estate. The aura emitted by the watchers of the Steel Legion and the Ash Knights was as sharp as a blade.
The atmosphere inside Cherny wasn’t much different. Anxiety was rampant on the faces of the citizens, and knights and mercenaries clad in heavy armor swarmed in front of ordinary shops and inns. There were various knight orders, each carrying different banners. The typical bustle of a large city was absent. The silence flowing through a metropolis filled with countless people created a bizarre, heavy atmosphere.
“…We’d better finish our business quickly.”
Audrey looked exhausted from the moment we entered.
“I’m truly useless in here, you know? Besides, just breathing here is torture for me. So, finish up fast.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Looking at her suffering, I couldn’t bring myself to say, ‘Weren’t you already pretty useless except for complaining?’ I didn’t have the confidence to handle the fallout if I did.
“Young Master Arhan, let’s split up for now. I’ll move with the ladies, so you go to the knight order with the brave orc warrior. By the time you return, I’ll have finished the procedures so our group can head out past the border.”
“Ah, I’d appreciate that. I’m counting on you.”
“Ladies? Ah, that’s the word for female humans. I thought you were excluding me for a second.”
“…”
Thus, the group was temporarily split into two. Sherizik and I formed one group, while Audrey, Seol-yoon, and Tom formed the other. Personally, being alone with Sherizik was still a bit burdensome, but there was no member in the party as capable and reliable as her. I suppressed the urge to run away and forced a smile.
“It’s like a date, then. Hehe.”
…If only she’d keep her mouth shut, she’d be a perfect orc.
「That is a very powerful mental attack.」
“It seems trials never cease for a Caravan .”
「You’re right about that…」
After barely enduring Sherizik’s mental attack, we walked toward the center of Cherny. To submit the supporting documents to the Steel Legion , we had to find Bermartin first. I had heard how to find him a long time ago. The old knight had said: Come to Cherny. And follow the name of Sir Bermartin of Steel. If you say that, everyone will know.
However…
“…?”
There was no need to ask around for the name ‘Sir Bermartin of Steel.’ I found a trace of him in the center of Cherny. To be precise, I found someone else.
That guy… it’s been a while.
The knight who had faced me long ago. My first opponent in a duel of honor. The uninvited guest who had come to defile Petel’s honor, the first Sword Runner I had defeated, and the vice-captain of the knight order Bermartin belonged to.
Yes. That was likely his name.
“Sir Meken.”
When I called his name, his gaze immediately snapped toward me. Seeing him head-on made it even more certain. Compared to back then, his face was gaunt and his complexion had worsened, but it was definitely him. The vice-captain of the Yellow Elephant , Meken.
“You…!”
The moment our eyes met, Meken’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out. Simultaneously, various emotions began to swirl in his large eyes. He looked as if he might do something reckless at any moment. Looking at Meken’s face, I whispered softly.
“Master.”
「What is it?」
“If the current me were to fight that knight, what do you think would happen?”
「Is that even a question?」
Sword Runner Meken. The being who first showed me the strength of a knight. Although I was the winner of that duel of honor, it had been a grueling ordeal for me at the time. I could still remember the urgency of that moment.
But…
「He wouldn’t even be a warm-up.」
I was no longer the boy I was back then.
「Young descendant.」
I had changed.
「You are no longer the weak one.」
Quite a lot.
“It is you, isn’t it, Sir Meken? It’s been a long time.”
“You… how… you…”
“I have something to ask you.”
Meken’s face turned beet red. Was he angry? Perhaps. A knight who had become a Sword Runner in a short time. While he was on the path to success as a vice-captain of a knight order, everything had been torn down by some brat he met in the middle of nowhere. The memory of that time must have become a trauma for Meken, an indelible disgrace, and a hateful moment he could never forget.
“Sir Bermartin of Steel. I’m looking for Sir Bermartin.”
But here’s the thing. The Steel Kingdom is a nation where the logic of power is the order of the day. And now, I am the strong one.
You might be angry and frustrated. But so what?
“Lead the way.”
What can you even do?
