Sword Pilgrim

Pitter, patter.

At the empire’s western border –

The faces of the soldiers with torches who were tasked with keeping a strict watch, were full of dissatisfaction.

The reason was nothing other than –

“Has the princess gone crazy?”

“Shh. What if she hears you?”

“No, you tell me, does this make sense? The western border is closer to the Saharan Holy Land, so it’s common sense that this border is already stricter than other places; but suddenly ramping up like this…”

It wasn’t by the emperor’s order, nor the saint’s request. Not a suggestion from the Spears of the Empire, nor the prince’s bidding – purely by the princess’ whim.

The soldier had no choice but to call it so bluntly.

“Yeah, the princess is dead set on catching whoever tries to cross here – be it the pilgrims or the lizards.”

“Honestly, I don’t think they’ll try to pass through here unless they’re just plain crazy. If they’ve got working brains, they’ll turn around and go somewhere else. I’m not that smart either, but even I know the principality would be the safer route.”

“That’s the rub, they aren’t normal. Pilgrims are people who find meaning in suffering…”

– The fact that the soldiers didn’t like the current situation much.

Not only did their long working hours increase even further, but newcomers had also barged in and were wandering around asking questions, giving them a headache.

“I heard she went and failed to beat some lizards, if you can believe it. That’s why she’s making all this noise now.”

“The princess really seems power-mad. Does she really think she could be the next to rule the empire?”

Even to the soldiers, it sounded absurd.

Her strength was weak and her skills, low.

Besides, she was a woman.

Did she really want the emperor’s throne despite all that?

“If I were the emperor, I would’ve nominated either the prince or the saintess as my successor. Not the princess, who keeps running around excited like a pig in heat…”

“Hehe, I won’t mind calming her down myself.”

At that lowbrow attempt at humour, the man’s companion smirked.

“Keep dreaming, Arthur. That little finger of yours isn’t up to the task.”

“Have you ever seen it? Want me to show you? I guarantee your eyes will bug out, you son of a bitch.”

“Oho, oho! Fine, let’s see ‘em!”

“Just stand there and watch, you bastard. It’s as big as half the continent!”

The moment the speaker was about to loosen his trousers –

“Tighten the watch. If even one ant escapes, you’ll pay with your heads.”

“A-ah! Yes!”

Blond hair that shone brightly even in this pale pre-dawn –

Flowing golden locks that vied for supremacy against the full moon in the night sky –

As well as the crimson armour, and the pure white spear in her hands, lent the imperial princess’ visage a cast that might not look sacred, but at least gave a glimpse of the noblest bloodline on the continent.

Even the border guards, who’d been insulting her liberally just now, couldn’t help but express their loyalty for a moment.

“Tch.”

She didn’t like them very much, but it couldn’t be helped.

As the imperial princess turned and walked away, she found Princess Rebecca there to greet her as if she’d been waiting.

“How is the situation, Grand Princess?”

“Well… I don’t like it. We’ve deployed four times as many troops along the border, and the patrols are now every quarter of an hour instead of hourly. But I’m still a little worried.”

“Why is that?”

“Because of the pilgrim who hurt you.”

Or rather –

“Because of Callius von Jervain.”

The ducal princess’ eyes widened.

Princess Rebecca gulped.

Princess Lavian’s strict interrogation had left her no choice but to explain the pilgrim’s overall appearance.

And his black hair and sword had been enough for Princess Lavian to identify him.

From one of the four great noble houses of Carpe –

A scion of the family that ruled over their northern frontier –

The so-called Supreme Ruler of the North –

Or the Northking –

Once known as a scapegrace of the Jervain family, but now as the Hero of National Salvation –

And finally –

‘The one who uses Stella’s swordsmanship.’

The grand princess’ lips curved up.

“You’re making an unlucky face.”

“How rude.”

“Are you thinking of doing something reckless?”

“Tsk, Rebecca. If me and that wolf fought, who do you think would win?”

“Well, of course I think you’d win.”

“Don’t play around, Rebecca.”

“… Thirty percent.”

Only thirty?

The grand princess’ smile faded.

“That’s my odds of winning?”

“No, odds of him winning.”

Rebecca thought.

Compared to the imperial princess –

Callius’ power was still weak.

Of course, only if –

‘If I’ve seen all he’s got.’

The thunder wolf dragon he commanded.

A brief glimpse of his swordsmanship.

Poor divine power and bizarre divine magic.

If that was all –

Callius would be slaughtered as soon as he met the imperial princess.

But if not –

The one to die might be Princess Lavian.

“Maybe there isn’t much difference between him and me.”

“Is that so?”

The imperial princess gestured with her fingers.

“The Callius you met had poor divine power, but his divine arts were unusually strong. As far as I can remember, the only one who could use such sacred arts in Carpe was Cardinal Sullivian of Valtherus.”

Sullivian.

Her skills in the divine arts had been so great that people called her half the reason why the empire had failed to bring Carpe to heel.

Even the empire was helpless faced with her spells which shined the brightest in large-scale battlefields.

“He knows how to use Stella’s swordsmanship and Sullivian’s divine magic, and commands a thunder wolf dragon. Besides, you said he has poor divine power, but that’s probably a ruse. He must be hiding his power for some reason.”

“Huh? But that’s only possible if…”

Masters.

Those who’d torn down the wall and reached the realm of inaction (무위).

“He must be infinitely close.”

Somebody close to the Masters’ realm –

‘And he also subdued the Light Dragon.’

– After fully embracing the Light Dragon, could he not have taken a leap further?

To wield power comparable to a Master, if only for a time?

Still, the princess was not afraid.

On the contrary, excitement was raging inside her.

She felt like she could break down her wall, achieve a breakthrough, if she could just caught that man.

And if she managed to that wolf from Carpe, her reputation would rise, and she might even be able to wipe out the lizards he’d helped at the same time.

But one thing at a time.

Princess Lavian was focused on her immediate goal.

“But is he really going to come?”

“Anyone who has confidence in their skills, will definitely come here. My intuition tells me so.”

“Grand Princess, your intuition has a terrible track record.”

“It’s real this time. See this wound?”

“Don’t just bare your skin like that…”

“It’s hurting right now. This wound is the medal I got from killing a strong enemy. I deliberately didn’t mend it with holy water, and now each time I’m in danger, this medal aches in warning.”

“That sounded a lot like how mercenaries brag.”

“Anyway, he’s definitely coming.”

Her hands and feet were already itching.

She wanted to fight him as soon as possible.

The man Carpe called the Hero of National Salvation.

“But what about the guy you called?”

“That eunuch bastard? He said that he’ll come by a different route, or something, and he knew what to do. I’ll just leave him to his own devices. If he gets upstaged by me, that’s his own problem.”

Anyway, all they has to do now is wait.

“Today, the moon is really…”

The grand princess looked forward to when the enemy would arrive, while the ducal princess looked at the moon rising in the night sky.

The moon was exceptionally bright today.

And the shadows reflected below it felt particularly large.

“Huh? That’s a big bird.”

“Yeah. It looks a bit odd.”

However, it was none of their concern.

Whoooooosh.

Sharp wind stung at their skin.

The sky was dark, and the air, chilly.

However, Serena’s face was flushed red.

Her body was hot too.

“Are you alright? You feel hot.”

“It’s fine, fine!”

Serena was currently gliding through the night sky. What let her do so was an ancient relic, an artifact of the Vira Tribe of old.

Or rather, who was gliding was Callius, owner of Leteti’s Wings.

Normally there would’ve been no need to blush, but it was a ring from which wings unfurled, and there was no harness attached to it.

Therefore Callius couldn’t carry everybody along, and he was now flying over the border with Serena, the lightest, in his arms.

A strong arm was wrapped around her waist.

She was held to the bosom of a man she’d met literally a few days ago.

It was tight, and warm.

In addition, by the light of the bright moon his face could be seen very clearly, and there was even a mellow scent.

Enough to make her feel drunk!

Even an elf who is called the Incarnation of Beauty had no choice but to get drunk on Callius’ appearance.

A moonlit night with the full moon rising.

A man and a woman were flying in the sky.

A bewitching fragrance wafted around them, as the picturesque landscape passed beneath.

‘Those eyelashes…’

A sharp-bridged nose and a diamond-cut jawline –

And those dark eyes –

Serena’s heart was pounding, pounding, pounding like it would burst.

“It must be your first time flying. Are you afraid?”

“Ah, no. I’m fine, perfectly fine.”

“I think your heart is beating too fast to say that.”

“…”

Serena’s face turned red like a ripe tomato about to burst.

Her heart sped up even more.

On second thought, even though she was held tightly in one arm, there were so many places where their bodies were pressed together.

It was an unfamiliar experience for Serena.

But she wouldn’t say anything.

“Hug me tighter. Or you might fall.”

“Eh? Ah, yeah.”

She wrapped her arms around Callius’s neck and hugged him close, their faces about to touch.

Serena and Callius’ eyes met.

But only for a moment.

Their heads turned sideways as if they were trying to reflectively mimic each other.

Serena rested her head on his shoulder, and Callius looked over at the border.

‘Her body temperature is higher than I expected. Do elves have a higher body temperature than humans on average?’

He would’ve expected the opposite, but apparently that was wrong.

‘Her waist is thinner than I expected. Does she really only eat leaves?’

Then how did her breasts get so big?

While he was about to get lost in a maze of thoughts and hypotheses –

Callius’ eyes twitched.

They’d already crossed the border.

His original plan had been to fly over the border with Leteti, and land on the mountain opposite.

It was a low mountain peak near the border. They could slowly walk down from there and head towards the Holy Land.

Callius’ eyes looking at the peak turned cold.

“Who is it?”

The clouds covering by the moon moved away.

And the light returned, revealing a man whose appearance had been hidden till now.

Standing there at the mountaintop, several spears stabbed into the earth by his side, looking at him with eyes like that of a starving wild beast.

With golden hair –

Blue eyes –

Wearing black armour –

And holding a red spear in his hand –

“Lutheon.”

It was Lutheon the traitor.

‘How did he know and wait for me here?’

But there was no room for such worries. As soon as Lutheon caught Callius in his gaze, he immediately took action.

Dozens of spears, that’d been embedded into the ground, were pulled out in an instant and thrown like javelins.

“Selena!”

“Yes!”

Whiz!

The flying spears came at them at an amazing speed.

‘Have you grown further?’

Indeed, Lutheon was a genius who’d been considered second only to Esther, back in Carpe.

There was no way he would stand still.

His right hand carrying Letetti’s Wings –

And holding Serena in his left hand –

Callius had no hands left free.

‘Shit.’

He couldn’t even grab a sword.

He had to either drop Serena or take those spears head-on.

A clear smirk appeared on Lutheon’s face, as if he’d already sensed his own victory.

However, Serena’s hands were free.

As Callius grabbed her tighter –

Serena took out her bow and pulled the bowstring as if responding to him.

Her power was concentrated in her arrow.

“Even if it’s weak, I’ll show you what an elf’s archery is like.”

The spears were still homing in on them.

Serena’s ‘weak’ arrow screamed through the air in answer, aimed back at them.

The contest was one against many, and yet –

Twaang!!

That single arrow quickly split into dozens of arrows of light, and struck the spears down with hideous strength.

It was a truly amazing feat of archery.

However, that wasn’t the end of it.

“Iki.”

At the same time, as Serena called upon her fairy –

Her bow blazed bright.

“Wrath of the Forest.”

A strong squall of spiritual power seemed to be unfurl, and a fiery arrow strong enough to light up the night sky left her fingertips.

Rooooaaaaarrrrr!!

The very air burned hot and dry, cracking her lips.

As the arrow left the bowstring –

Callius watched.

– Lutheon’s face distorted.