Witches.
They were enigmatic beings of magic dwelling within the Sky Empire. True to their reputation for mystery, their way of paying a visit was anything but ordinary. For starters, a witch’s visitation never occurred in reality.
“…You brought me here without a word. If I say I want to leave, will you let me go?”
Meetings with witches always took place in the dead of night—specifically, just as one finally managed to quiet their racing thoughts and drift into a fitful sleep on an unforgiving bed. At the exact moment I closed my eyes and stood on the precipice of a dream, I awoke in a phantasmagorical space. Having experienced this enough times now, I knew exactly where I was: the spiritual world.
“Yes, if you truly wish it, we shall let you out.”
“Is that so?”
“But if you leave now, it will be difficult to speak with us sisters again. We are leaving the Iron Kingdom tomorrow to return to the Sky Empire.”
“…Then you should have come to see me in person. Why do it like this?”
“That, too, is difficult. How can a woman who already has a husband visit a man’s bedchamber at such a late hour? Our husband might become quite angry if we did that.”
What are you even talking about?
I wanted to snap back, but I bit my tongue. Seeing my expression, the witches giggled in unison.
“Well, perhaps such a warning won’t work on a Descendant of Steel. Not when the Master of All Swords himself is watching over you.”
“…”
“Ah. When we received the Arena’s request to transport your mind to the spiritual world, it was truly ecstatic. The presence of that being dwelling within your spirit was simply marvelous.”
It was becoming increasingly difficult to suppress the urge to ask what kind of nonsense they were spouting. There was a reason people on the continent used the expression “talking like a witch” whenever someone said something contextless and incomprehensible. Witches babbled about things only they understood without offering any explanation, then giggled amongst themselves as if it were the height of entertainment. From a listener’s perspective, it was incredibly irritating.
As I clicked my tongue and glared at them, Liam spoke up.
「Witches have always been this way. Their faces are fine, but their heads are completely empty.」
“…”
「It’s all because some idiots can’t help but coddle them whenever they see a pretty woman. Magic-mongers are the sort who need a good thrashing to come to their senses, but because some dark-clothed bastard keeps stopping it, they’ve grown spoiled.」
Liam tsk-tsked, rambling on with his usual lack of restraint.
However.
“Thank you. We’ve been told we are beautiful many times, but to be praised by the Master of All Swords leaves us quite overwhelmed.”
“We shall devote ourselves further to our studies to correct our spoiled habits.”
Strangely enough, the witches responded to every word Liam said, as if they could see him and hear his voice perfectly. At their reaction, Liam’s aura turned murderous.
「Women of the sky, who gave you permission to eavesdrop on my voice?」
Instantly, a chill swept through the dreamlike space as if winter had arrived in a heartbeat. The chattering voices of the witches cut off abruptly.
「Did you think that because that fool treasures you, I would find you precious as well? As expected, magic-mongers have no manners. Remember this clearly: my generosity is reserved for my descendants alone. Only my children, in whose veins the blood of Steel flows, may stand as my equals.」
“…”
「Lower your gaze and close your ears to me. Do not disturb my mood even in the slightest. Do you understand?」
“…Yes, we understand.”
Liam’s voice completely overwhelmed the space.
The sight of the once-chirping witches falling silent and bowing their heads was truly a spectacle. Honestly, I was impressed. It felt as though my master’s dignity, which had been plummeting day by day, had finally been restored. Yes, this was my master. The greatest Swordmaster and the pride of the Caravan family…
I felt a surge of pride for the Caravans welling up in my chest.
Until.
「How was that? To use an expression the youths use these days, wasn’t that ‘totally sick’?」
“…Please, I beg of you, if you’ve done something cool, just keep your mouth shut afterward.”
「Hmph. This descendant has quite a lot to say to his ancestor who is as great as the heavens—」
“You ruin your own dignity every single time with the things you say afterward…”
As always, he just couldn’t help but add that one extra comment.
「Ho-ho, this is what you call charm. Don’t you know? Back when I was young, women used to fall head over heels when they saw this hidden side of me—」
“Please.”
As Liam’s words continued, I saw the witches bowing their heads, desperately trying to stifle their laughter. They were trying their best to pretend they couldn’t hear, even though they clearly could. As my Caravan pride plummeted in real-time, I cleared my throat and changed the subject to shut my master up.
“So… didn’t you say you came because you had something to ask me?”
The witches nodded at my words.
“Let’s talk. Honestly, I was a bit curious.”
*
Before beginning the conversation, the witches snapped their fingers. Immediately, warm black tea and refreshments appeared, neatly arranged before me. It was a mysterious and convenient trick.
“First, I wish to say it is an honor to meet a Descendant of Steel, whom we thought had completely vanished from the continent. We did not expect to encounter you in a place like this, and we feared that greeting you where everyone was watching would draw too much attention, so we could not acknowledge you sooner. For that rudeness, we offer our apologies…”
“Please, enough with the fluff. Just get to the point.”
While sipping the tea, I shook my head with a look of disgust as the witches’ long-winded speech continued. Why did they talk so much? The Orc Shamans, who were also magic-users, always just threw out the main point, making conversations go much faster.
…The problem was that they had nothing in their heads, though.
Anyway, after hearing my words, the witches tilted their heads, clapped their hands, and said they understood. By the time I had eaten about three cookies, the main point finally emerged.
“Descendant of Steel, have you ever fought a wizard before?”
“I once defeated a Black Mage who fled from the Sky Empire.”
“A Black Mage… Ah, Jerry Selfit. We were wondering why his life signal had cut out; we didn’t realize the Descendant of Steel had personally passed judgment on him.”
Jerry Selfit. I didn’t expect that name to come out of a witch’s mouth. Was he a more famous wizard than I thought?
“Then this is perfect. Since you have experience fighting wizards.”
“I’m not sure why you’re using the expression ‘perfect’—”
“We witches would like to ask a favor of the Descendant of Steel.”
A favor?
It was an unexpected word. These were beings treated as honored guests in the Sky Empire, some of the most powerful wizards on the continent, who had even established their own independent power… What could witches possibly have to ask of a lowly Sword Walker in a backwater estate of the Iron Kingdom?
As I turned the thought over in my head, a sense of unease washed over me. Was I getting caught up in something unnecessarily big again? My life was complicated enough as it was.
So, I decided to preempt them before they could speak.
“Uh, I don’t know if you realize this, but I’m still just a greenhorn Sword Walker . So, if you’re asking me to deal with a Black Mage that even you witches find difficult, or to help you in some war…”
“Pardon?” one of the witches replied. “Why would we ask for such a thing? Even if the Descendant of Steel possesses endless potential, aren’t you still insignificant compared to us sisters? Besides, wizards are best handled by other wizards. A Descendant of Steel, whose only skill is swinging a blade, wouldn’t be of any help at all.”
“…”
“Perhaps your self-evaluation is a bit too generous? Sadly, that is not a good attitude. Only by judging yourself harshly and viewing yourself objectively can you become a proper adult. Since the Descendant of Steel is still an adolescent male with an inflated ego, it’s understandable, but it’s not good for yourself or for how others see you. If you aren’t careful, you might hear the sad words ‘how pathetic’—”
As the words poured out in a torrent, I made a decision.
Yeah, I should just shut up.
At the same time, I made one more resolution: I should avoid getting involved with witches in the future. These women had a talent for making people irritated. It was so potent it felt like a form of magic in itself.
「Young descendant, are you sulking?」
“…”
Well, even so, they were still amateurs compared to my master, who could make a person furious with a single sentence.
「I asked if you were sulking.」
“I’m not sulking.”
As I fell silent, the witches finally stated their request. Just like before, it was long-winded and laden with flowery language, making it hard to follow. But I didn’t ask for clarification. If I did, I felt like they would launch into another elegant explanation like, ‘You have potential but you’re still incredibly ignorant, so since you didn’t understand, we older sisters will kindly explain it for your stupid, low-intelligence self.’
So, I summarized what I had just heard in my head—
「They found a map containing a very precious treasure of the witches, but to interpret the map, they need to break a code, and that code is so complex there’s no way to solve it.」
“…”
「But fortunately, they found a blade along with the map… and they want to borrow the power within the Caravan bloodline. Since a Caravan can consume the soul and memories contained within a blade.」
This was something only a Caravan could resolve.
“It is a treasure we sisters have been searching for for a long time. But despite pouring in all our efforts, we could not break the code. We only learned one thing: that the code was designed by a legendary adventurer from the past… and the blade we found with the map was the very sword that adventurer always carried.”
A legendary adventurer. My heart stirred at those words.
“If you lack the ability and cannot do it, please say so. There is no need to overexert yourself. It was a problem even we could not solve. We do not expect the Descendant of Steel to solve it in a flash. We don’t expect it at all, really. If even witches could not solve it, how could someone who only knows how to swing a sword solve it? So, if you can’t do it, you can just say—”
“I’ll do it.”
I answered, feeling a bit piqued by the witch’s words that kept grating on my nerves. That voice, which sounded genuinely sincere without any malice, made it even more infuriating. There was a reason my master hated wizards. Where on earth did they learn to speak like that? It was a miracle they were still alive. If they lived in the Iron Kingdom, where only the strong survived, they would surely be found as a cold corpse within a week…
“…Really?”
“Yes. I can do it.”
“You shouldn’t say that if you can’t. You might not know this, but that blade is the only clue we have left, so it’s important. It’s okay to say no. As I said before, adolescent males with inflated egos tend to try and look good in front of women, so if you’re trying to act cool because we sisters are pretty, we already have a hus—”
“I think I understand why my master dislikes you all, so please stop poking me.”
“…”
Anyway, that was how I ended up agreeing to the witches’ request.
“One of our sisters will visit the Descendant of Steel within three days. She is a clever one. She will help with whatever the Descendant of Steel needs. The item will take some time. We have to undo all the spells we placed on it and go through the proper procedures. Our sister will contact you as soon as she arrives.”
“Ah, right.”
“And no matter how beautiful our sister is, sexual demands are out of the question. Ah, and when I said she would help with whatever you need, I was obviously referring to the procedure for breaking the code. I heard adolescent males tend to interpret any words in a strange way, so perhaps—”
“If you say one more word, I will come to challenge you to a duel the moment I become a Swordmaster.”
The meeting in the spiritual world ended just like that.
“Ah, can I ask one thing?”
“Yes.”
“What is the name of that blade?”
The answer came immediately.
“ Soaring … I believe that was the name.”
*
The events that had arrived like a whirlwind after the war duel passed by quickly. The Iron Prince had not appeared again since leaving with the words that he was looking forward to our next meeting. I remained on guard in case his subordinate, Swordmaster Carlos, appeared, but that didn’t happen. It was a relief. If it were Carlos, he might recognize me even if I were wearing a helmet. Besides, even taking the helmet off was a problem. That monster would surely recognize my face. I wasn’t eighteen yet, but still, encountering him was never a good thing. He was the bastard who had taken everything from me. A man who defied common sense, and there was no telling what whim he might act upon.
I felt a temporary sense of relief since I hadn’t run into him on the streets, but my concern was for what came next. The Iron Prince said he would look forward to my Infinite Duel. And the Iron Prince would certainly not appear in the spectator seats alone. Carlos would be there with him as his most reliable guardian knight. That monstrous Swordmaster would surely recognize me, whether I hid my face or not. I could feel it instinctively.
In that case, should I participate in the Infinite Duel, or should I return to my estate now to plan for the future? I didn’t know. Choosing the latter didn’t mean I would be completely safe. If I didn’t show up, the enraged Iron Prince might find me one way or another. And if the Iron Prince took action, it was only a matter of time before I was caught. Within this kingdom, the Iron Prince could do anything. Truly, anything.
「Participate.」
“…Is that really okay?”
「Yes. Risk follows regardless of what you choose. If that’s the case, do not run away; face it head-on. If he had intended to kill you, you would have died when you first encountered him at the estate.」
“…”
「So, choose to face it rather than run.」
My master resolved that dilemma for me.
「Didn’t you say it before? That you decided not to run away anymore.」
I would participate in the final event, the Infinite Duel . That was my decision.
“It was a good deal. Thank you.”
“Yes, I am the one who is grateful.”
I decided to sell the husk of the Dragon Sword to the Red Bank . No matter how I looked at it, the conditions they offered were the cleanest. A noble title from another country or magitech tools from the Machine Empire were valuable enough, but they couldn’t compare to what the Red Bank offered.
“Please feel free to use our services anytime.”
The Red Bank offered an enormous amount of gold coins and the opportunity to become a Gold Member. There was one reason I was most drawn to them.
“You won’t regret it. No matter what others offered, all those things can be bought with money. And we will help Sword Demon Liam, who has become a Gold Member, to buy whatever he desires in the future.”
By becoming a member of the Red Bank, one gained access to the Black Market, where anything could be bought with money. The magitech tools and noble titles I had been offered… such things were all available on the Black Market at the right price. In other words, I had now gained the qualification to buy whatever I needed as long as I had enough money. Along with a quite substantial amount of ‘money.’
“You said you would keep the gold coins with the Red Bank, correct? Then I will record the amount and give it to you as a document. You can visit any of our branches located all over the continent, present the token, and withdraw physical gold coins at any time. When you withdraw, just tell us the country you want, and we will exchange it for that country’s currency.”
“Ah, yes.”
“We look forward to working with you. Hahaha!”
I shook hands with the man from the Red Bank, who was laughing contentedly. I had no regrets about choosing them.
Originally, ‘banks’ had low credibility on the continent. In a place where anything could happen, a bank could disappear overnight or be wiped off the map entirely. Because of this, people preferred to stack gold coins in their own warehouses or keep gold bars at home where they could see them.
However, throughout the history of such banks, the Red Bank had survived until the end. Becoming a member was difficult and the procedure was complex, but once you became a member, they were reliable. That was because the Red Bank was the oldest bank on the continent, having existed since the Age of War. Furthermore, the Red Bank would never disappear in the future.
Because—
「Is that fellow still playing with money in the secular world?」
The owner of the Red Bank was a Swordmaster. A very powerful Swordmaster who had existed since the Age of War.
「Don’t trust him too much. That guy is a bit of a dimwit.」
“…Haha.”
「He’s almost just like you, young descendant.」
“…?”
Anyway, the deal ended there.
Afterward, the attention focused on me subsided somewhat. The Arena held an auction for the Dragon’s Relic, drawing interest in that direction, and above all, I wasn’t a subject that could hold interest for long. In the midst of that relative quiet, I was waiting for the witch who said she would come within three days. I didn’t know how she would get here since I hadn’t given her my location, but I figured those people who loved mystery would find some extraordinary way to do it.
And then.
“I believe everyone has been waiting for a long time!”
Before the witches could arrive.
“Now, finally, the flower of the Arena! The biggest event that everyone gathered here has been longing for! The true Infinite Duel begins now—!”
The final curtain of the long Infinite Duel rose. Facing this massive event, what I had to do was clear.
“Hup—!”
「Endure more. More.」
Lantern .
Making the Dragon Sword completely mine.
「Now, let’s try it just three more times, for the very last time.」
“You’ve said it was the last time more than ten times now!”
The training method was a bit strange, but…
「One!」
“Hup!”
Well, anyway. The Lantern was now beginning to settle completely within my stomach.
Hotly. Very hotly.
