A quaint villa nestled in the port city of Vicente.
Among the many properties owned by Zeppelin Gold, the one known as the “House with a Sea View” boasted a magnificent vista from its master bedroom. Even in this affluent city, a renowned tourist destination, the “House with a Sea View” stood out for its sheer opulence. Of course, by Zeppelin Gold’s standards, it was merely a “shack with a decent view”—old, cramped, and unremarkable.
Still, looking out at the crashing waves and the endless horizon always made him feel refreshed. It was his personal philosophy that artificial beauty could never truly compare to the majesty of the natural world.
“Sigh.”
Today, however, Zeppelin Gold did nothing but sigh as he sat in the living room. Seeing this, his personal secretary, Baltimore, spoke up.
“Why do you look so drained, Young Master?”
“…Do I look that bad?”
“Yes. You look even more dejected than you did a few years ago when you bought that massive stockpile of Black Herb. You believed the rumors that it was good for virility, only to find out it was a total scam.”
“…I knew Black Herb didn’t actually help with virility. I only bought it because the rumors were hot and I wanted to make a quick profit by following the trend. It’s just—”
“—That you tried to sell when the price was at its peak and missed your window?”
“……Yes.”
Zeppelin Gold, who had been about to argue, scratched his head awkwardly. Seeing her employer at a loss for words, Baltimore gave a refreshing smile.
“It’s because of Lord Caravan, isn’t it?”
“…….”
“You finally rescued him two days ago, but he’s been holed up in his room ever since. You’re worried about him, aren’t you?”
“Baltimore, did you study psychology at a university in the Sky Empire by any chance?”
“I did study it, but I don’t even need a degree to see what’s written all over your face. To my eyes, I can see exactly what the Young Master is thinking.”
“Gasp… B-Baltimore. I think you should be the one to inherit the Red Bank, not my brother. To have the ability to read minds…”
Baltimore let out a giggle at Zeppelin’s remark.
“You and your jokes.”
“……Anyway, you’re right.”
Zeppelin Gold admitted it readily.
It was just as Baltimore said. Two days ago, Zeppelin had mobilized his entire mercenary group to rescue Lord Caravan, who had been buried deep underground. In the process, the mercenaries had also recovered the body of Ismael, the Great Warrior of Condemnation. After entrusting the critically injured Lord Caravan to the priests, Zeppelin found himself buried in work. No matter if the Great Warrior had initiated the fight, it was an unwritten rule that the high and noble did not take each other’s lives. In that sense, taking the life of one of the most exalted beings in the Crusader Order was a grave matter.
“My head is killing me, in more ways than one.”
To prevent a major war from breaking out, Zeppelin had dispatched an envoy flying the flag of the Black Archipelago to the Crusader Order. He sent them Ismael’s body, a suitable amount of compensation, and war supplies they would immediately need. Surprisingly, the envoy returned in just a single day.
“Lord Caravan is one thing, but what is wrong with those people…?”
The Crusader Order refused to accept Ismael’s body. Instead, the Crusaders of the Holy See drew their swords and ruthlessly desecrated the corpse. According to the envoy, they flew into a rage the moment they saw the body, repeatedly shouting the word for “traitor” in the Southern Continental tongue. Zeppelin couldn’t understand it. No matter if she was dead, she was one of their own—how could they do that? And “traitor”? Did losing a fight make one a traitor? Or had something happened between Lord Caravan and the Great Warrior of Condemnation? There were too many unknowns.
“I wish the Lord would at least say something.”
The problem was that Lord Caravan, who likely knew the full story, remained silent. Since his rescue, he had been as mute as a stone. The priests said his physical wounds were already healed, but even in perfect health, he refused to leave his quarters.
“I have so many questions. But it feels rude to go and pester a man who just came back from a life-and-death struggle two days ago… and I have no idea what the Crusader Order is plotting. It feels like the risk to my stable business has suddenly skyrocketed.”
“Like five years ago, when a sudden storm capsized the ship carrying your goods and everything was lost?”
“Yes! It feels exactly like that. Ah, if only that venture had succeeded, I would have made a fortune… No, no, that’s not what’s important right now.”
Zeppelin Gold scratched his head.
“Anyway, the situation has changed drastically. The port city of Vicente has gone from a stable trading post to a battlefield where the Crusader Order might descend at any moment. They said they wouldn’t make an issue of the Great Warrior’s death, but people are like the weather—you never know when they’ll change. They could suddenly use her death as a pretext to attack this place. Vicente is a strategic stronghold, after all.”
“That’s true.”
“I brought the Lord here and was in the middle of shaping public opinion starting with Vicente. If I withdraw now, the losses will be too great. The Matriarch always said that war is the oldest and most profitable business. My brothers and sisters are bound to jump in; I can’t be the only one to back out.”
Zeppelin let out a long sigh.
“I need information to move forward. What on earth happened between Lord Caravan and the Great Warrior of Condemnation? If I knew that, I might understand why the Crusader Order is acting so strangely. Then I could clearly decide how we should respond.”
“You’re right.”
“But I’m still hesitant to ask him directly. The Lord is the one who dealt with the Crusaders and the Great Warrior. I just stood back while he did all the work. Dammit, if I’d known it would come to this, I would have learned the sword of the Gold family!”
“Young Master, including just now, you’ve said ‘I should have learned the Gold sword’ over five hundred times.”
“Ahem, cough!”
He felt awkward again.
But what could he do? Zeppelin Gold had no talent for the sword, and more than anything, he hated the idea of swinging a blade and sweating more than death itself. He found it much more enjoyable to spend that time earning a single extra gold coin. In fact, the Matriarch had even told him, ‘A person must know how to live according to their station,’ and ‘You learning the sword would be the greatest waste of time in the century.’
“Do you think the Lord is holed up because he became afraid after his life was put in danger?”
“The man who stood alone against the Legion of Rhapsody like a hero?”
“Y-you’re right. I witnessed the Lord’s resolve myself.”
“Then what could the problem be?” Baltimore asked with a smile.
Zeppelin replied, “C-could it be that he wants to break the contract because he doesn’t find me reliable?”
“Hmm.”
“O-or maybe psychological trauma? He was buried underground with a corpse for nearly half a day. Maybe he has PTSD.”
“Huuuum.”
“R-right. All of those are a bit unlikely, aren’t they? Give me a hint, Baltimore. This business is really important. The war between the Crusader Order and the Holy Empire will soon reach its climax. That’s when my role begins. I need to put the Lord forward as a hero and use the heroes I’ve recruited so far to shift the tides and become the key to the Southern War. There are signs of war everywhere, so this could become my core business. So—”
“I don’t know,” Baltimore said with a beaming smile.
Zeppelin was momentarily stunned.
“I really don’t know. How could I know what’s inside someone’s heart? You just said it yourself, Young Master. People are like the weather—unpredictable. The only heart I know well is yours.”
“……Even if you say that, I’m not making you my sixth wife. It’s already hard enough soothing my third wife sometimes.”
“It would be an honor even if I were the tenth. Regardless, no matter how much we debate and worry here, we can’t look into someone’s heart from behind a desk. Even the sages of the Sky Empire can’t do that.”
“Then…….”
“You have to go and ask him yourself, Young Master.”
Baltimore spread her hands and blinked.
“Go to him and ask. Ask for the things you need.”
“……Will he answer me?”
“Oh, Young Master. What’s gotten into you? Have you forgotten everything you learned while working as an assistant at the Red Bank? The basis of business is legwork! The one who runs first, wins. Besides, it’s not about ‘will he answer.’ It’s about making it so he has no choice but to answer. The world is give-and-take! If there’s something you want, you give them what they want. Isn’t that the basic rule of a transaction?”
“…….”
“Now, now, don’t just sit there. Go on. Cheer up. Even a man selling fruit smiles brightly just to sell a single apple. No one buys from a gloomy person. You haven’t forgotten the Gold’s Maxim, have you?”
Zeppelin Gold let out a short laugh at Baltimore’s words.
Right. If there was something he wanted, he just had to give the other party what they desired. Lord Caravan was a mercenary hired by Zeppelin Gold, but his duty was limited to combat. It was written right there in the contract. It felt a bit cold considering he thought of them as friends, but now was not the time for sentimentality. His essence was not just Zeppelin.
“……Give if you want, and if you have given, then take.”
He was a Gold .
“I’m going, Baltimore.”
“Yes, don’t worry too much.”
A mask settled over Zeppelin’s gloomy face. At the same time, his eyes began to glow with a golden light—the light that symbolized the descendants of Gold.
* * *
Two days had already passed since I shut myself in the villa.
My mind was still a chaotic mess I couldn’t untangle.
‘Carlos, the Sky Sword, the purpose of the gods.’
There was too much information.
In her final moments, Ismael had said that the purpose of the Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses was to annihilate transcendents and those with the potential to transcend. And in this continent, there was only one kind of being referred to as a ‘transcendent.’ Swordmasters. Those who had reached the end of the sword.
‘The gods’ goal is to eliminate Swordmasters. And to wipe out the Great Five Families who have the potential to produce them. Is this the truth?’
As far as I knew, the Great Five Families were loved by the gods. Born during the Age of War, the five families were called ‘Great’ for protecting the order of the Middle-world and fulfilling their respective duties. This was a fact one could find in any history book. Swordmasters were beings loved by the gods, divine representatives who carried out the gods’ will alongside the Great Warriors. Some history books even mentioned that only those chosen by the gods could become Swordmasters.
But the Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses wanted to eliminate them? It was a contradiction. Why would they break their own strongest blades, the ones loyal to them? Yet, a sudden doubt surfaced.
‘……Hugo Rhapsody.’
The head of the Rhapsody family.
What had he shown me? Did that Swordmaster look like he had a friendly relationship with the gods? No. Hugo Rhapsody’s behavior as he went berserk in front of Toma Rhapsody was anything but friendly; it was hostile. And that hostility didn’t seem like something formed in a brief moment. The words Hugo Rhapsody spat out then flashed through my mind.
‘The gods’ favoritism… everything changed after Carlos appeared… I’m exhausted now… you shall pay the price for not rewarding my devotion… the swords of the six masters reach even the heavens….’
Hugo Rhapsody had looked directly at the Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses and rebelled. The Swordmaster who openly insulted them was not judged. The gods merely warned him. At the time, I didn’t find it strange, but now I felt a sense of dissonance. Why didn’t the Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses judge Hugo Rhapsody immediately? Was it because they loved the world and didn’t want to disrupt order? No. They…… they couldn’t.
‘Because a Swordmaster’s blade can reach even the gods.’
White had severed Hugo Rhapsody’s arm.
Under the duty of protecting the Northern Land, they appeared to serve the gods. But were all five families truly friendly toward them? As Hugo Rhapsody mentioned, weren’t there families who felt disillusioned by the gods? Various hypotheses swirled in my head.
Then, another question arose.
‘……The Great Five Families were born with the Age of War. The founders of the five families were all Swordmasters. But in the current Five Families, the Caravan family does not exist. Then, the family that filled the vacancy left by Caravan is…… what?’
I had no way of knowing. My head was still spinning.
What was the gods’ purpose? If Carlos was the ‘Sky Sword’ acting on the gods’ orders, was the reason our territory vanished and my loved ones died simply because he was the ‘Sky Sword’? Then, are the beings I must take revenge on not just Carlos, but all the Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses? Does Carlos intend to slaughter not just the Caravans, but all five families and the five existing masters besides himself? Does he plan to wipe their traces from history just as he erased the Caravans? Is such a thing even possible? No matter if he is the Foremost Sword of the Continent, can an individual defeat five masters and erase the five most powerful families on the continent……?
My head throbbed. It was a dull, persistent ache.
In the midst of the complexity, I doubted everything. I couldn’t trust anyone. That was why I holed myself up in the villa. I couldn’t even trust Zeppelin Gold. What if the Gold family was one that followed the gods’ will? What if they were one of the families that participated in erasing the Caravans? What if his appearance in the Caravan territory to help me was all a ruse?
「……Get a grip.」
What if Gold was a ‘fake Great Family’ that took Caravan’s place? What if they intended to take my life while pretending to help? Where did the fake end and the real begin? Was everything surrounding me even real? Was Seol-yoon, who suddenly became my reliable ally, truly an ally? Hadn’t she appeared too conveniently? Could an enemy I fought really become a friend? What about Tom? Could the manager of the Hall of Fame really be that favorable toward me? What about Hailyn, Audrey, and Sancho, who fled and then returned? Was there anything I could truly believe in? The suspicion wouldn’t stop.
「Get a grip, young descendant.」
“……Ah.”
Amidst the chaos, I heard Liam’s voice.
When I opened my eyes, I found a clump of hair clutched in my hand. It was the result of the unbearable headache and extreme stress—I had pulled it out myself. My body wasn’t unscathed either. Clear nail marks were etched into my forearms and neck. I wiped away the blood trickling into my dry eyes.
“……It’s been a long time since my head hurt this much.”
It was a familiar feeling. At least, it used to happen often before I took up the sword. A boy who lost everything and spent a year alone in a blood-soaked, abandoned territory, obsessed only with revenge. In such a situation, it was hard for a boy to maintain his sanity without going mad.
“I’m confused. It’s hard to fully trust Ismael’s words, but if they are true, things become quite complicated.”
「Complicated, you say.」
“If Carlos was an executioner acting on the gods’ orders, then the Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses will also be targets of my revenge. I’ll have to re-evaluate the Great Five Families as well. There might be a family among them that participated in erasing the Caravans. If they helped Carlos, they too must face my blade.”
Swordmaster Carlos.
What he did was clear, but the circumstances behind his actions remained murky. In that situation, the hypothesis that Carlos was the ‘Sky Sword’ emerged. An executioner who eliminates transcendents and those with the potential for transcendence on the gods’ orders. If that were the case, it would explain why the strongest blade on the continent sought out and killed everyone in the already fallen Caravan family. Because the Caravan family was the one that inherited the legacy of the first Swordmaster. From the gods’ perspective, ‘Caravan’ would be a nuisance, whether they were fallen or still flourishing.
Of course, this hypothesis wasn’t perfectly clear either.
‘A being who received the gods’ orders. There’s no reason for a Swordmaster with such a sublime purpose to play the role of an executioner by Ian Chervil’s side. There’s still too much I don’t know.’
If it wasn’t clear, it was one of two things: either the hypothesis was false, or there was a hidden truth.
Of course, whatever the reason, the goal remained the same. Whether I kill only Swordmaster Carlos, the five families who aided him, or even the Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses, I must ultimately become a Swordmaster. Because only a Swordmaster can kill a Swordmaster.
However, one thing would change depending on the truth that would eventually be revealed.
‘Where my sword will be pointed, and how far it will go.’
That was a very important matter. I turned my head to look at Liam.
“Master, I have one thing to ask.”
「What is it?」
“Do you believe what Ismael, the Great Warrior of Condemnation, said was the truth?”
「Hmm.」
Liam stroked his chin for a moment.
「What she said about the gods’ purpose sounded plausible.」
“The purpose of killing all transcendents and those with the potential for transcendence. But isn’t that contradictory? Weren’t the Swordmasters and the gods in a cooperative relationship?”
「A cooperative relationship, you say. Perhaps. Some existing Swordmasters might think so too. But would the Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses think the same?」
“…….”
「Young descendant, look at humans. Humans pet and adore a cute puppy, but if a large dog bites someone and causes injury, they immediately trample it to death. If a wild beast harms a human, they hunt down and exterminate the entire species. Humans will care for something as long as it isn’t a threat, but the moment there’s even a slight possibility of being harmed, they reveal their true nature.」
Liam gave a smirk.
「Humans cling to life so desperately despite their short lifespans of less than a hundred years. Then what about the Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses, who have existed since the moment this land was created?」
“…….”
「You can see it just by looking at the elves. Beings with long lifespans fear death, and furthermore, they are extremely loath to be harmed even in the slightest. Because they have never had to worry about death, they are instead terrified of anything that brings them even a little closer to it.」
Fear. It was a word that didn’t seem to suit their title of ‘gods.’
「Since the creation of the first land, they have existed without knowing injury, let alone death. That time must have been incredibly long. And those beings living under eternity and immortality encountered me during the Age of War.」
“…….”
「They realized that a being capable of killing them could be born. Can you even imagine the fear the gods must have felt then? You cannot. And the gods likely still haven’t forgotten the terror of that day. Hundreds of years have passed since the Age of War, but to the Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses, hundreds of years are but a fleeting moment. To them, it probably feels like only a day or two has passed.」
Liam looked at me.
「In the past, I saw a strange sight in the Sky Empire. It was a woman walking through the city; she had pulled out all the claws of her pet cat and ground its teeth down until they were blunt. Why did she do such a thing? She said it was because she didn’t want the cat to scratch or bite her and make her bleed. Also, the dog she kept had its vocal cords destroyed so it couldn’t make a sound. She said she did it because she was scared when the dog barked.」
“…….”
「To the gods, a Swordmaster is like a cat’s claws and teeth. They don’t just want to trim the sharp claws that threaten them; they want to rip them out so they never grow back. I guarantee it. The gods do not want Swordmasters to exist—never.」
Liam’s eyes glittered.
「Trust me, for I have faced the Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses, and I have pointed my blade at them in the Celestial Realm. They have not forgotten my sword. And they never will.」
These were the words of the very man who had taught the gods the danger of a ‘Swordmaster.’ I couldn’t help but believe him. I could understand why the Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses were uprooting not just Swordmasters, but any family or swordsman with the potential to become one. At least, looking at it from their perspective.
The remaining issues were Carlos and the Sky Sword. Was Carlos truly the Sky Sword? If so, why was he living as Ian Chervil’s executioner? What could the Sky Sword, Carlos, possibly gain by staying with Ian Chervil? Those questions remained unanswered.
「I don’t know much about the Sky Sword myself.」
“…….”
「You’ll have to ask your other ancestors about that. In the first place, the Sky Sword didn’t exist in my era, and even if it did… honestly, there’s no way I would remember it.」
“No way you’d remember? What do you mean by that?”
「Because I was far too strong when I was alive.」
Too strong? It was hard to grasp, but I soon understood.
「…Young descendant, you remember the descendants of Rhapsody or Seol-yoon. But you don’t remember every uninvited guest who came to your territory, nor do you remember every person you’ve cut down in a single stroke, do you?」
“Yes, I suppose… wait, are you saying…?”
「That was how it was for me.」
Liam Caravan. The First Swordmaster. And—
「Once I achieved Perfect Steel, whether they were street thugs, Sword Walkers, Sword Runners, Sword Experts, or Swordmasters… they all felt the same to me.」
The strongest Swordmaster in history.
「So, seek the answer to that question elsewhere.」
“Elsewhere? But where…?”
「He arrives just in time.」
Just in time? Just as I wondered if he was joking, a knock sounded at the door.
“Lord Caravan?”
It was Zeppelin Gold’s voice.
“Lord Caravan, please open the door.”
Hmm, I didn’t really want to open it right now. My thoughts weren’t fully organized yet. Ever since hearing that Carlos was the Sky Sword and learning the gods’ true purpose, I had become more suspicious than usual. It wasn’t just rational suspicion; it was a flood of doubt. In other words, I was practically a ‘paranoiac’ right now. It was difficult to face others in this state.
「Don’t worry,」 Liam spoke as I hesitated. 「The other families might be different, but Gold is fine.」
“…Is that trust based on anything?”
「In the Gold family, is there not one who has lived since the Age of War? Among the Swordmasters who experienced that era, not a single human would side with the Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses. Not one.」
If Master was that certain, then so be it.
「Besides, Gold will be of help to you now.」
“By help, do you mean financial support?”
「No. I am talking about their true power. The golden bloodline that flows through the Gold family. A weapon far more powerful than their vast assets or precious information. I am talking about the Authority of Gold that flows through that great bloodline.」
“…….”
「The world knows it as an eye for finding pearls in the mud or discerning valuable items, but that is not the essence of their power. The Authority of Gold is the ‘power to find what is most needed at this moment.’ The small lives of the Age of War used to call that power by a name full of awe: the Golden Star .」
What I need most right now.
Did he mean Zeppelin Gold could find the truth about the Sky Sword, the secrets Carlos was hiding, or information about the gods’ goals and plans? As I thought that, Liam snorted.
「I can see right through your thoughts. That’s not it, young descendant. Why would you need those things right now? You’ll need to know them eventually, but they are not what you need this instant.」
“Then…”
「First, you must qualify. You must stand on equal footing with those you have made your enemies.」
Qualification.
「As you drew closer to the Southern Continent, you felt the voice. Gold’s distant descendant will lead you to that voice.」
“…A new sword.”
「Yes, young descendant. Isn’t it about time?」
Liam was right. Secrets, hidden truths, and information about enemies were important, but knowing them now wouldn’t change anything drastically. I was still lacking the strength to make use of such knowledge. If I was lacking, I had to fill the void.
「It is time to devour a new sword, young descendant.」
As it always was. In the Caravan’s way.
