“…You felt it, didn’t you?”
“Of course.”
“It was undoubtedly Steel. Not the clumsy imitation wielded by those who merely inherited the name, but the Steel we remember…”
“Yes. The Maverick.”
“Why has that spine-chilling power reappeared instead of vanishing?”
“It seems the Heavenly Sword has been derelict in his duties.”
“He was never fit for the seat of the Heavenly Sword to begin with. Is he not the one with that idiotic rule engraved upon his soul—that he cannot kill any life that has not yet seen eighteen years?”
“So, what is the plan?”
“Liam Caravan hasn’t truly returned, has he? If that soul has fully manifested, I would rather take my own life and leave the Mortal Realm forever. The mere thought of it is unbearable. The second coming of the Maverick…”
.
.
.
“It is likely not him. Compared to Liam Caravan’s Maverick, this sword was far too clumsy and soft. It has not yet ripened.”
“In other words, it will ripen soon.”
“It means that before long, another true Caravan will be born.”
“Then there is only one answer.”
.
.
.
“We must crush it out of existence before it ripens.”
* * *
The world was burning.
The demons who once prowled the steppes now galloped across a peaceful land. Having slaughtered every innocent resident, the warriors of the plains were now killing the city itself, for no lives remained to take. They butchered lifeless corpses, razed buildings, and incinerated every trace of daily life. It was as if they could not endure a single moment without destruction.
In the midst of that death, we were searching for a way to survive.
“I’ll get straight to the point, My Lord. Even if the Descendant of Khan were to appear before us right now, I can preserve my life.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“It is because of a treasure that exists in my hometown.”
A treasure in his hometown? As I stared at him, Zeppelin quickly answered.
“The Gold family treasury houses the continent’s greatest riches. To ensure that her descendants, who roam the seas of the world, do not die a senseless death, our Matriarch placed a certain treasure there. It is a treasure called the ‘Eternal Ember,’ once gifted by the Emperor of the Sky Empire.”
“The Eternal Ember…”
“So the elder knows of it.”
It seemed Tom knew exactly what treasure Zeppelin Gold was referring to. Zeppelin nodded and continued his explanation.
“If a descendant of the Gold family loses their life outside the Black Archipelago, the ‘Eternal Ember’ activates, and they are resurrected at the Golden Mansion within the archipelago.”
I sometimes forgot due to his easygoing nature, but Zeppelin Gold’s family was one of the five most powerful on the continent. Specifically, the Gold family—the wealthiest of them all. It wouldn’t be strange for such a house to possess a treasure like that.
‘Come to think of it, that Great Warrior earlier had a magic tool that let him resurrect. There’s no way a young master from such a prestigious house wouldn’t have a safety net.’
He was different from a Caravan, whose only possession was an old blade inhabited by a cranky old man. This was what one could truly call a ‘treasure.’
“Originally, I intended to refuse resurrection and accept death as it is. I planned to depart for the spiritual world and find rest. I didn’t have the confidence to face this sense of loss, despair, and horrific sorrow head-on.”
“…”
“But your words changed me, My Lord. I intend to live on, enduring whatever pain comes my way. And I will have my revenge on those demons. One way or another.”
“…”
Zeppelin Gold’s eyes burned with intensity. There was something familiar in his gaze.
Revenge.
It was the same thing that had once dwelled in my own eyes. It was a flame that had not vanished from my sight even now.
“And I do not wish to see my friend die any longer. Lord Caravan, to me, you are more than just a friend.”
“…”
“If I could, I would give you my ‘Eternal Ember,’ but the mystery of that object is only permitted to those who carry the blood of Gold. In your hands, it would be nothing more than a small pebble.”
Zeppelin Gold let out a long breath.
“That is why I intend to be the bait.”
“The bait…?”
“I will be resurrected even if I die. So, I will draw the attention of the Conquest Army, including the Descendant of Khan. While I do that, Lord Caravan, you must run to the port of Vicente. There should be a small boat there, large enough for two people. Take it and cross the sea.”
Zeppelin Gold’s eyes sparkled.
“Are you telling me to return to the Western Continent in a small boat?”
“That is impossible. The boat at the port is just a sailboat I kept for my fishing hobby. It’s impossible to cross the sea from the Southern Continent to the Western Continent without a crew. You would simply drift into the middle of the ocean and die.”
“Then…”
“Ride the waves and follow the brightest star,” Zeppelin Gold said. “In the sea between the Southern and Western continents, there is a place called ‘Honest.’ It is known as a mystery of the continent, alongside the Sky Mountain Range, the Crevelin Great Forest, and the Northern Continent’s Monster Land.”
“What is there?”
“There—”
“Wait,” Tom, who had been listening silently, cut in. “Young Master, Honest is a graveyard for explorers. Before the Southern Continent was discovered, many famous explorers were sucked in there and went missing. It’s too dangerous. Unlike the Sky Mountain Range or the Great Forest, there is almost no information about that place.”
“But we have no other choice right now, do we?”
“Even so…”
“Zeppelin, what is your basis for saying that going to Honest is the path to my survival?”
At my question, Zeppelin answered.
“As the elder said, Honest is famous as a graveyard for explorers. However, it is not a place where only death exists. Among the old captains of the Black Archipelago who roam the seas of the continent, there are those who have returned alive from there. They all said the same thing.”
“…”
“‘No one was ever truly alone upon those waters. Those who foolishly cast away hope shall meet their end there, but those who do not abandon hope will surely find their way back to land.’”
It was an abstract statement—the kind of words found in legends sung by bards.
“They did not speak with bravado. And you, My Lord, are not one to ever abandon hope, no matter the situation. If it is you, you will surely return alive even if you go there.”
“…”
“Furthermore, every captain who went to Honest said this: they reached it by following a bright star while drifting lost at sea. Lord Caravan, you recently saved the City of Stars and rescued the girl closest to the stars. Regardless of how the Nine Goddesses and Seven Chief Gods view you, the stars alone will lead you to the right path.”
Hearing that, I nodded. “I understand. I’ll do it.”
Tom looked at me with concern, but there was no more time to deliberate.
The sound of footsteps was drawing closer. Even at this moment, the Conquest Army following the Descendant of Khan was scouring Vicente to kill even one more soul. The demons on horseback craved to kill more, to burn more. We had to leave this hell.
“But Zeppelin, even if we launch the sailboat, what if the Conquest Army sets sail and pursues us? I don’t think a small sailboat can outrun their warships.”
“You don’t need to worry about that. The Conquest Army cannot set sail.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Didn’t you say they came with the Descendant of Khan? A legion accompanied by the Descendant of Khan can never cross the sea by boat.”
“What does that mean?”
They can never cross the sea by boat. Why? Zeppelin Gold soon resolved my confusion.
“I’ll tell you a secret known only to Swordmasters and the descendants of the Great Families.”
“…”
“In exchange for absolute power, every Swordmaster bears a restriction befitting that strength. The moment they forge a sword within themselves, a rule is engraved upon their soul. That rule is absolute and cannot be broken under any circumstances. Just as Carlos, the Foremost Sword of the Continent, cannot harm a life that has not passed eighteen years.”
Zeppelin Gold looked at me.
“The Descendant of Khan is one who has inherited the will of ‘Khan,’ a Swordmaster of the Eastern Continent who existed in the distant past. And by claiming to be his descendant, he has inherited the rule as well.”
“And Khan’s rule is…?”
“He cannot leave the land. Ever.”
It was a fact I hadn’t known. When I turned my head, my Master nodded.
「It is true.」
I wanted to grumble about why Liam always told me such important information so late, but I didn’t have the luxury for that now. Letting out a breath, Zeppelin Gold’s eyes shone with determination.
“Now then, since you’re convinced, let’s all get out of here alive.”
“…”
“I spoke boldly about being the bait, but honestly, I’m terrified of throwing my life away. You see, I’m the kind of person who makes a huge fuss even if I just cut my finger on a kitchen knife.”
Amidst the distant snorting of horses, Zeppelin Gold spoke with an awkward smile. The corners of his mouth were trembling.
I could understand. The Conquest Army of the Great Land never gave those they captured a peaceful death—especially not someone they found after the battle had already concluded. Zeppelin Gold would have to cause a scene to act as a decoy and draw their attention, and once captured, he would die in agonizing pain. For Zeppelin Gold, who had lived a peaceful life without any connection to the sword, it would be a pain beyond imagination. A truly horrific agony.
Even if he were to be resurrected, he couldn’t help but be afraid.
“I will overcome it.”
“Zeppelin.”
“So don’t worry and run to the port.”
His lips trembled, but they soon formed a smile.
“Let’s meet again. Definitely.”
With those final words, Zeppelin Gold let out a powerful shout and disappeared into the darkness.
“The descendant of the Gold family, Zeppelin Gold, is here—!”
In the darkness, his voice rang out loud and clear.
“You demonic things! I cannot forgive you for killing, harming, and wounding the innocent! I, Zeppelin Gold, a legitimate descendant of Gold and one with the duty to protect the weak, challenge you, Descendant of Khan, to a duel!”
Truly, it was incredibly loud.
Watching his hunched back as he ran toward the enemies, shouting with such exaggeration, I somehow saw the shadow of a man I had seen in the past.
A man who had never properly swung a sword in his life, a pathetic and shabby man. A man who seemed to have lost his mind after reading too many chivalric novels, speaking nonsensical things as he stood against the most powerful Swordmaster on the continent.
My father.
“Let’s go, Young Master.”
“…He’ll be okay, right?”
“Yes, he will be fine.”
It was only much later that I learned the truth: there was no such treasure as the ‘Eternal Ember’ in the Gold family treasury.
