“We’ve received word from the Cross Order. Have you heard?”
“Of course. They’ve withdrawn from the port city of Vicente.”
“Fools. I had high hopes because they championed such a grand cause, but in the end, they were just southern idiots with their heads in the clouds. Didn’t we warn them repeatedly? Things like Crusaders and Inquisitors are forms of violence that only work in peaceful lands.”
“How could those fools, who know nothing of the outside world, understand just by hearing it? This was bound to happen sooner or later. We should consider it a blessing that they learned their lesson early. If this had happened at a critical moment, the losses would have been devastating.”
“Damn it, it’s frustrating. If it were up to me, I’d do what the Iron Kingdom did to the Free Cities—sweep them all away and rebuild the foundation from scratch. Do you know how valuable that land is? In terms of conditions alone, it’s more precious than the six Free Cities combined.”
“If we did that, the others wouldn’t stand idly by. We must maintain a pretext if we don’t want the entire continent to go up in flames. Above all, the Seven Chief Gods and Nine Goddesses might pass judgment. It’s fine for now, but if we adopt our usual aggressive and direct methods, they might sing of their wrath. Everyone here knows, don’t they? The gods are not equal. They show blatant favoritism—just as the Father of the Sky dotes on his wives.”
“True. We can’t afford to meet the same end as those who touched the witches.”
“At any rate, we need to invest more. The port city of Vicente is a strategic point and the future face of the Southern Continent. It’s a city with symbolic meaning, and more importantly, the Cross Order must be stationed there to ensure smooth logistics. Tsk, do those fools know nothing of basic military science?”
“Let’s leave that aside. Isn’t it the Holy See that commands the Crusaders? They’re the type of people who think the supplies we send down just fall from the sky. They don’t understand how vital logistics are in war, nor how important the administration that facilitates those logistics is. They just take it for granted because things are running for now. They have no way of knowing how great we truly are.”
“Well, the more they let their guard down, the better. If they don’t realize our importance, they won’t care when we eventually disappear. I don’t care what they’re thinking; I just hope they unify the Southern Continent soon. It’ll make it easier for us to swallow.”
“The uniqueness of the Southern Continent has already been largely eroded. Where is the nobility and greatness in a continent where hatred, anger, and conflict are spreading? Paradise will burn and vanish. Then, we can simply gulp down that lusterless land. It’ll be a harvest incomparable to the six Free Cities swallowed by the Iron Kingdom. An entire continent will become a factory that runs tirelessly for our benefit.”
“For that sweet harvest, the Southern Continent must first be united. To help with that, the port city of Vicente is essential. So, even if those fools are obnoxious, let’s help them for now.”
“Who are you going to send? I heard the Cross Order pulled out a definitive card after hearing our warning.”
“A definitive card?”
“The one most favored by the Son of Sin and Punishment—the Great Warrior chosen by him. They say the Great Warrior of Condemnation will reclaim the port city of Vicente.”
“A Great Warrior. It seems they’ve finally felt a sense of crisis.”
“Yes, there’s no need to worry. How could a Great Warrior lose?”
* * *
Magwang —Luster.
A word meaning to polish metal to a mirror finish.
It is a term commonly used in the process of sword-making. After forging, quenching, and polishing, the final step of rubbing the blade to give it a brilliant shine is called ‘Luster.’ Looking at the literal meaning, it felt a bit strange to think of it as a branch of swordsmanship.
Of course, the names of the other Caravan sword techniques are similar.
Forging, Polishing.
It was hard to say that any of them sounded like actual martial arts.
Regarding my doubt, my Master told me this:
「The reason they were given such names? It’s simple. It’s because the Steel of the Caravan was conceived during the process of making a sword. More accurately, it’s because I was originally a blacksmith.」
“You were a blacksmith, Master?”
「Yes. I am a half-blood, but I lived my life considering myself a dwarf.」
A blacksmith.
Right, come to think of it, I had seen such clues in the memory fragments from Liam’s beloved sword. In those fragments, Liam did not seek his sword from others; he made it himself. With small hands, he gripped a hammer and struck heated iron, creating a blade that would cut and pierce the world. Master was a blacksmith.
「It was an era when swordsmanship did not exist. All I saw growing up were dwarves, mountain ranges so high they seemed to pierce the sky, the sound of hammers echoing through those peaks, and blades born amidst howling flames and sparks.」
“……”
「I was born in war, and I grew up watching a world submerged in blood. The era swallowed everything. Strong young men called heroes, boys pushed out by the nation’s call, children who couldn’t even hold a spear properly, women boiling soup, and old hags. Old soldiers who lost their children and children who lost their parents. Everyone died equally.」
Liam looked at me.
「A horrific land where war had passed. In a land where everyone had fallen silent, the only things standing tall were the blades. Above the lives that had returned to the earth, only the blades stripped from them remained.」
Liam’s eyes looked as if he were reminiscing about the past.
「In the middle of the battlefield, amidst the rampant death, there was a single blade that bloomed like a flower. It wasn’t a spear used by soldiers, but a sword carried by officers. The sword, stuck upside down in the soft earth, looked to my eyes like a tombstone commemorating their souls. It also looked like someone’s will, standing stiffly alone and glaring at the sky while everyone else had fallen.」
“Will…”
「The memory of that moment made me. Those who swung blades eventually all died. When the harsh ordeal passed, no one could breathe. Only that which does not breathe—only Steel—remained.」
Liam gave a hollow laugh.
「To my young eyes, incapable of deep thought at the time, that blade looked as if it were alive. It felt as though even if everyone died and vanished, even if the world collapsed one day, it would remain stiff and unbreaking. I thought that even if the sea dried up, the sun fell, or the sky collapsed, the sword alone would remain in its place forever.」
“……”
「That is the origin of Steel.」
Liam’s eyes gleamed.
「That is why I did not swing the sword. How to swing a sword, how to thrust—those things weren’t important. I sought to become one with the sword. To be precise, I sought to become the sword.」
To become the sword.
It sounded like a metaphorical expression.
「Do you understand now?」
But it wasn’t a metaphor.
「Why I was able to become the first Swordmaster. How a mere dwarf half-blood from a blacksmith background could achieve a feat that no one else had accomplished in all of history. Why so many Swordmasters could emerge from our family during the age of glory the Caravan enjoyed.」
‘Sword’ refers to a physical blade.
But the word carries one more meaning.
「The Steel of the Caravan was created with transcendence in mind from the very beginning.」
Transcendence.
The exclusive domain of Swordmasters.
The power that makes them absolute beings.
「The realm of Swordmaster is the fundamental goal pursued by the Caravan. All other Swordmasters, excluding the Caravan, are mere offshoots—nothing more than the struggles of bottom-feeders imitating me. A true Swordmaster refers only to one who has inherited the sword of the Caravan.」
It was an incredibly arrogant statement.
But that arrogance wasn’t mere bluster.
I could feel it in Liam’s gaze.
It wasn’t a lie. Liam was stating an objective truth.
「Pick up your sword, young descendant.」
Always.
Master never told a lie when it came to the sword.
“Yes.”
This time would be no different.
* * *
「The third Steel is different from the first and second you learned previously.」
“In what way?”
「The first Steel, Forging, is a sword that crushes the opponent as if hammering a blade. The second Steel, Polishing, is a sword that strips away the enemy’s mystery and armor all at once, as if grinding a blade.」
I knew those two movements.
‘Polishing’ was a technique focused on stripping the shell of a powerful enemy rather than cutting them down instantly. Because of that, it wasn’t used as a primary move. Instead, I preferred using ‘Forging,’ which possessed overwhelming power to crush an enemy in an instant. Wasn’t it the very move that had even broken Gaia, the Earth Spirit King?
「In the process of making a sword, Polishing and Luster seem similar at first glance. But the two are processes carried out with strictly different purposes. It is the same for the movements of Steel.」
Liam smirked.
「Luster is the task of giving the sword its shine. It is the process of making a smooth blade brilliant, capturing everyone’s attention. Polishing is about grinding it sharp; Luster is about making it shine radiantly.」
“Then, if I use it, will my body glow?”
「Tsk, you ignorant fool. Did you imagine you’d pierce and kill enemies with light emitting from your body?」
“It would look pretty cool.”
「I truly cannot hold back my sighs.」
No.
I was joking.
「Luster is a movement that makes one’s sword shine. By nature, something that shines brilliantly makes everything else besides itself look shabby and pathetic. Therefore… no, never mind. What’s the point of explaining all day to a dullard with no comprehension?」
“……”
「It would be better to just do it yourself instead of listening to an explanation.」
Liam, letting out a deep sigh, said:
「From now on, move according to my words.」
No.
He only explained that Luster is the process of giving a sword its shine and a movement that makes the sword brilliant—what was I supposed to understand from just that? I was on the verge of exploding with frustration, but I couldn’t show my annoyance. Even if I asked for an explanation, I knew the only response would be mockery like, ‘To think my descendant is this stupid,’ or ‘You have the talent of a bug despite having Caravan blood.’
It’s my fault for having no talent.
I slowly swung my sword, following Master’s words.
Performing the third Steel, Luster, wasn’t difficult.
However…
“Master.”
「What is it?」
“I can certainly tell it’s different from the swordsmanship I’ve used so far. But what kind of enemy should I use this against? Honestly, for use in actual combat, this is a bit too…”
This.
How am I supposed to use this?
「Hmm, a reasonable question.」
Master nodded at my inquiry.
The answer came soon after.
「Shining beings.」
“Pardon?”
「Beings that your pathetic sword cannot yet reach. It will be used when you aim at them.」
Shining beings.
It was an abstract expression.
Of course, it might be helpful someday, but…
Would there really be a chance to use it right away?
「Doubt again. I told you to fix that habit.」
As if he had read my mind, Master clicked his tongue.
「You will use it soon enough. It will be especially useful here in the Southern Continent. There is no land with as many shining beings as this one.」
* * *
The port city of Vicente was rapidly regaining its original appearance. The collapsed buildings regained their elegant atmosphere, and the city, overflowing with an ancient vibe, matched the image of the Southern Continent as a ‘blessed land’ perfectly.
“It’s going smoothly. Perhaps because there are so many who serve the gods, everyone is enthusiastic about heroes. Once they heard I was part of the Lord’s party, everyone became friendly. The most important thing in opening a trade is gaining the other party’s goodwill, and since it’s this easy, I can’t stop smiling, ho ho ho. Am I not quite the likable fellow? Ah! Of course, you are likable as well, Lord, ha ha ha ha!”
“You certainly are positive.”
“Being positive in everything is my motto in life.”
Zeppelin Gold was practically walking on air.
“I wonder if this is going to be too big of a hit. The legend of Zeppelin might just begin here in the Southern Continent. Ah, this is a problem. Once the legend begins, I’ll have to write my biography, but my writing skills aren’t great. I should look for a ghostwriter even now.”
“……”
The height of fussiness.
Watching Zeppelin Gold make a genuine fuss, I said:
“Aren’t you even a little anxious? This is strictly a land at war; you never know what might happen.”
“Oh, come on. If it’s stabilized to this extent, there won’t be any big problems. This is the Southern Continent. Small issues will be handled by the mercenaries of the Black Archipelago. Besides, you’re here, Lord.”
“Hmm…”
This guy.
He kept saying dangerous things.
Whenever someone says things like that, some kind of incident is bound to break out.
Nothing ever goes perfectly smoothly.
The port city of Vicente is an important land from the Southern Continent’s perspective. Both for its owner, the Holy Empire, and for the Cross Order, which eyes hegemony over the Southern Continent. Is it really okay? Even if the Southern Continent is a land of peace, would they really not have a single ‘trump card’ to pull out in a critical situation?
“Ze—Zeppelin Young Master—!”
No, of course they would.
“Y—you need to come outside.”
“Pardon? Did another city express interest in trading with us? My, has Zeppelin’s fame already spread that far? Just a moment. In trading, appearance is also a weapon. Let me just slick my hair back neatly—”
“It’s not that. Someone from the Cross Order has come.”
Even a rat will bite a cat when cornered.
“The Cross Order? Did the Crusaders come here to take this place back? Dragging a bunch of Crusaders and priests along?”
“It’s not that, but… the atmosphere is strange.”
Zeppelin Gold tilted his head in confusion.
I went outside Vicente with him. Outside, the mercenaries of the Black Archipelago, Priest Oren of the Sun, and the residents of Vicente were gathered together, staring at an uninvited guest.
“…Just one person?”
There were no Crusaders there.
No priests either.
There was only one old woman, carrying a blood-red cross on her back.
“Is she an envoy here for negotiations? Then I shall speak—”
“No, Young Master. Do not go anywhere near her.”
The old woman was dressed peculiarly.
She wore a pitch-black nun’s habit, which was densely embroidered with red cross emblems. Her attire was different from the members of the Cross Order I had seen before. Amidst the oozing sense of foreboding, the old woman slowly opened her closed eyes. There were no pupils in her eyes. Only a blurry void wavered within the pure white sclera. Like a blind person.
“She’s dangerous.”
The old woman looked at the mercenaries of the Black Archipelago, Zeppelin Gold, Priest Oren of the Sun, the anxious residents of Vicente, and finally, my face, one by one. A gaze that triggered an unbearable sense of rejection. As I met her gaze, Liam spoke.
「They’ve really made up their minds.」
“What do you mean?”
Liam furrowed his brows.
「She is a Great Warrior. A representative of God.」
