“M-Master. Jerry Selfit was… a true mage. A terrible man, certainly, but a mage through and through.”
“…….”
“Mages are petty and never forget a grudge, but they never forget a debt of gratitude, either. The fact that he kept me alive while dragging me all this way is proof of that.”
“What’s your point?”
I looked at Hailyn as she spoke in a pitiful tone. What was she trying to say all of a sudden? Was she praising the dead Black Mage? Had she developed some sort of twisted attachment to him after traveling together for so long?
As I stared at her with a look of bewilderment, she slowly raised her hands.
“When Jerry Selfit took me as his servant, he taught me magic.”
As she spoke, grotesque creatures began to emerge from the distance. Massive beings, numbering at least several dozen.
“I-If you let me stay here, I’ll fulfill my duties as a mage. Please… accept me as a resident of your territory.”
The golems moved in perfect sync with Hailyn’s gestures.
“W-What do you think?”
I could see the trembling in Hailyn’s eyes. I locked eyes with her for a moment, then broke into a grin.
“Welcome to your new home.”
And so, a mage who knew nothing of the world became the newest resident of our territory.
* * *
Hailyn—a strange girl who had lived a tragic life as the servant of a former Black Mage—had joined us. I had intended to set her free if she wished. Since Jerry Selfit was dead, I had no reason to hold her.
However, Hailyn chose to become a resident of this village of her own accord. I still had a few lingering questions, though.
“Why did you choose to stay here when you have magical abilities?” I asked her straight out, not hiding my curiosity.
With the skills of a mage, living a life of luxury in the Iron Kingdom wouldn’t be difficult. Now that the Black Mage who bound her was gone, her life could be much happier. Yet, Hailyn chose to stay.
Her answer was simple.
“If I used this magic out there, I’d be killed.”
The magic Hailyn used was far from ordinary. Most of what Jerry Selfit had taught her was forbidden, and her mana carried an ominous aura. If she continued to use such magic in a city and got caught even once, the mages of the Sky Empire would hunt her down.
And on this continent, no one can hide from the eyes of the Sky Empire forever. You might run for a while, but eventually, you will face the Sky’s Judgment. That is why the empire is called the “Sky Empire.”
“B-Besides, there’s so much I don’t know. I’m scared to wander the Iron Kingdom alone, and I’m too young to know how to survive on my own.”
Hailyn’s other reasons were also quite plausible. She had lived as an innocent girl before being captured by the Black Mage and led around like a slave. She didn’t yet know how to be independent.
“And… this village reminds me of my hometown, so I like it here….”
Children are easily influenced by their surroundings. Having been led around for so long, the girl had inevitably developed a dependent personality. On top of that, the warm scenery of our territory seemed to soothe her trauma. Ultimately, rather than gambling on an uncertain future, Hailyn felt a sense of security with us—the ones who had killed the Black Mage and liberated her—and decided to entrust herself to our care.
That was the objective conclusion my Doubt reached.
From a purely informational standpoint, the situation was excellent. A mage, regardless of their level, is high-level talent. I had gained a mage with plenty of potential for growth. Furthermore, she was young and lacked a strong will of her own, meaning she would follow my orders faithfully. A traumatized young girl wouldn’t easily betray me or leave….
「Things have turned out well for you, young descendant.」
Yes, as Liam said, the situation was good.
“Indeed.”
However, while I am full of suspicion, I am not a purely cold and rational person. The part I liked most about accepting Hailyn as a new neighbor lay elsewhere.
“Our territory is a wonderful place to live. Above all, the scenery is magnificent. The fact that you recognize that means you have more than enough potential to be a resident.”
「…….」
Our territory is quite wonderful, after all. To appreciate the beauty of our land—she truly is an excellent child.
“When Seol-yoon first arrived, she said it looked livable but had nothing. But our territory actually has quite a lot to be proud of. Hahaha.”
「You petty brat. You remember every single word, don’t you?」
“I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”
「Your grudges are as deep as a mage’s, young descendant.」
Master gave me his blessing again today.
“Thank you for the compliment. Hahaha.”
「Hahahaha.」
As Hailyn became my new neighbor, the landscape of the territory began to change little by little.
“T-This is the Guardian Stone you received from a high-ranking Orc Shaman, right? You can’t place it like this. It won’t perform at its best. This needs to be facing west—”
First, the security of the territory improved significantly. Mages are masters of defense. They are difficult to deal with under any circumstances, but once they settle down and establish a base, they can provide a more terrifying defense than anyone else. Hailyn installed magical formulas throughout the territory, albeit somewhat unrefined, and repositioned the Orc Elder’s Guardian Stones.
Along with that, she stationed several golems as guards for the territory. Inanimate objects that required no sleep stood watch, needing no shifts.
“I’ll have the remaining golems repair the old houses or work in the fields. As I walked around, I noticed there’s quite a lot of fertile land just sitting idle.”
At the same time, our stagnant territory began to come back to life. Whether she was trying to prove her worth or it was simply her nature, Hailyn worked quite diligently. Thanks to her, I was able to see the territory regain its vitality for the first time in a long while.
“…….”
I felt a strange sense of emotion. For a moment, I was reminded of the dear old days.
The view that used to spread out below when looking down from this mansion, the highest point in the territory. The days when everyone worked together simply, if not grandly. Feeding the livestock, milking the cows, sharing milk and meat, and on kingdom holidays, holding feasts where we drank, danced, and played through the night.
— Arhan, come here! Your father has a story to tell you.
I found myself thinking of those times. It felt as if I could smell that era from my father’s shirt that I wore. In front of a warm campfire, leaning against my father’s chest while listening to his tall tales. My father laughing like a boy, and my mother giggling with joy. The barbecue that would burst with juice at every bite, and the stew cooked by the kind Mrs. Herpe. The butler who would bring a blanket when I dozed off, and the fireflies that would gently land on my cheek….
“Small Gladiator.”
But those days will never return. Time that has passed cannot be turned back.
“All the urgent matters are finished now, right?”
When I closed and opened my eyes, the flickering scenery vanished. In its place was the empty village and Hailyn moving busily. Instead of the people I missed, I saw Seol-yoon, tilting her head with an expressionless face.
“I’m curious how much stronger you’ve become. Let’s clash swords.”
Right. A moment is always enough to indulge in memories. In the end, what I must do is already decided.
“Very well.”
To move forward. Higher, and higher still.
* * *
Quite a bit of time had passed since Hailyn became a new resident. While she worked diligently, I didn’t idle away my time either. My days were mostly comprised of training and sparring.
“That’s tricky.”
Even after obtaining a superior physique, I never stopped my daily training. Liam said that if you let go of the sword for even a day, your body becomes stiff. I took my master’s advice to heart.
“The weight is different when our swords clash. Even without using those strange techniques, you’re not easy to handle anymore.”
I spent my remaining time after training sparring with Seol-yoon. She was an excellent sparring partner and, at times, acted as my teacher. As I always felt, she was a genius. The way Seol-yoon viewed the sword was different from mine, and that often proved to be helpful.
“I hope to be able to defeat you with pure skill someday.”
“That probably won’t happen.”
As a result of repeating this routine, my swordsmanship gradually became more stable. I adapted to my rapidly grown body, learned how to utilize 「Wildness」 when facing another swordsman, and mastered various minor tricks.
“Small Gladiator, your growth is certainly fast, but you still reek of a novice.”
I sparred with Seol-yoon numerous times. Those sessions were conducted in various ways: real combat sparring where we used live blades and everything at our disposal, practice sparring with wooden swords to exchange techniques, and guided training where she adjusted to my level to help me develop my skills.
In practice sparring with wooden swords, I never once defeated Seol-yoon. Her talent and technical perfection were incomparably higher than mine. However, in real combat sparring, I won more often. The Line contained within the Steel Blood was an ability that bordered on cheating, and the physical gap between Seol-yoon and me had widened as I devoured 「Wildness」.
One day, Seol-yoon said this:
“You have a talent for dogfighting.”
“Dogfighting?”
“You’re like a different person when we’re exchanging techniques under rules versus when we aren’t. In a desperate fight where both sides have to pour out everything they have, you become insanely strong.”
I knew that myself. Seol-yoon spoke as she brushed the dirt off her clothes.
“Let’s go again.”
“Gladly.”
As time flowed, I was steadily growing. Seol-yoon’s sword also grew sharper by the day. I wonder how much time had passed like that.
「Young descendant.」 Liam suddenly spoke to me. 「Isn’t it about time you headed to a higher place?」
“A higher place?”
「Wings.」 Liam spat out a short but powerful word. 「How long do you intend to just run? You must fly.」
Those words were enough to completely seize my attention. Having said that, Liam grinned. Then, he repeated the words he always said.
「It is time to devour a new sword, young descendant.」
* * *
Late at night after the sun had set, Liam completely shook the sleep from my eyes.
「Steel blood flows through our bodies. And in that steel blood, mana as hard as steel takes root. To become a Sword Beginner, you forged a Heart of Steel. A heart so hard that not even a scratch can be made, no matter what it strikes.」
“Yes, I remember.”
「And what about after you became a Sword Walker? You drew a Line. A Path of Steel that no one can block, incomparable to any other.」
Just as Liam said, the things I gained as I reached each realm were not ordinary. The characteristic of ‘Steel’ passed down through the Caravan bloodline brought various special powers.
「It will be the same this time.」
“…….”
「And it will be far more dramatic than before.」
As I always say, Master never lies when it comes to the sword.
「Because the steel blood in our bodies only reveals its true power once wings have sprouted.」
Naturally, it would be the same this time.
「But if the gain is great, the process of getting there is bound to be arduous.」
“When has it ever been easy?”
「True. However, from here on, it will be incomparably harder than before.」
Liam looked down at me. His gaze was colder than usual. Like steel.
「Do you know? The Sword Runner is the wall where countless swordsmen face frustration. This is where the realm of true talent begins. The word ‘Wings’ carries that much weight. For mortals who have not been chosen by God, they may never fly even if they devote their entire lives to it.」
Liam’s words were not unfamiliar. I knew a certain knight who had devoted his entire life only to be crushed by that wall. Petel, the former master of Gale, who had been my kind neighbor, became a part of me, and never managed to move beyond 「Sword Walker」 until the moment he died.
“I know.”
Because I had glimpsed his memories, I could understand Liam’s words. Because I had devoured the life and end of a despairing knight, I could answer. Hearing my response, Liam remained silent for a moment before speaking.
「In the case of us Caravans, flying is even more difficult. Because the steel blood in our bodies never grants power without hardship. It will be incomparably more painful than for ordinary swordsmen.」
“It’s fine.”
「I warn you. It will be a hellish time. It will be difficult to endure even with your mental strength. You will want to give up like crazy, and you will regret ever picking up a sword.」
“Perhaps. But it’s fine.”
Master doesn’t lie about the sword. He had never given such a chilling warning before. At this moment, the being before me was not the friendly master I joked with, but my distant ancestor and the great Swordmaster, Liam Caravan. His warning, cold as a blade, brought a sense of fear.
I was tense. I was afraid because I didn’t know what would happen. But I couldn’t back down. Even if I was afraid, I had to move forward.
“Even if I want to give up like crazy, even if I bitterly regret starting this revenge, I will not let go of the sword until the very end. Even if I fail to fly, I will draw my last breath while holding a sword.”
That is the way of the Caravan I have learned so far.
“There is no paradise in the place you flee to.”
That is the way of the Orc I learned through 「Wildness」.
“I must become a Swordmaster.”
「…….」
“Because only a Swordmaster can kill a Swordmaster.”
Arhan Caravan. That is my way.
「I like your spirit, young descendant.」 Liam, who had been still for a moment at my words, nodded. 「Good.」
And then.
「You must devour three swords from now on.」
Thus, my new goal was presented.
「Those three blades will be quite different from the ones you’ve eaten so far.」
“…….”
「You’d better keep your wits about you.」
This time, Master spoke seriously, without any hint of a joke.
「From now on, if you slip up even once, you will be the one devoured by the sword instead.」
* * *
The next day dawned. I finished my preparations to leave.
The next destination is Steel City Ferma.
In other words, 「The Arena」.
