Reincarnation of the Sword Master - Chapter 39

Chapter 39 – Captain of the Imperial Guard (4)

Translated by : betterdays

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“You mean Balbacca.”

“Yes, one of the heroes that disappeared was from the Belturia Estate, where you were involved in the expose on the doppelganger.”

Balbacca had died 20 years prior and a doppelganger had taken his place for those two decades unnoticed.

“You may wonder what’s strange about the heroes disappearing.”

“No. I’m not. I know what it implies.”

Asher was well aware of what it meant. They were role models of countries, public figures of hope and earned positions of nobility.

Ian the Brave, was a country icon, and the slayer of the Dragon, took the position of a Count within the Empire. Even the free-spirited Van Ester was a swordmaster that was widely known throughout the Empire as the swordmaster closest to the Imperial Family.

Of the heroes from the past era, only one or two were still active.

“Of course, more than twenty years ago, a lot of heroes disappeared as well, but then their successors started to pop up around the Empire. However this time, there are no successors that have been found.”

Without saying anything, the heroes had disappeared and had not left any successors. With this happening, it was bound to cause conflict and strife.

“We’ve been suspicious of each other, and the other nobilities are in uproar. I’m only helping out with duties that are ordered by the Emperor, so I don’t know much.”

“…how many heroes have disappeared?”

Asher, who was listening silently, spoke up and asked Ariana. Ariana laughed bitterly as she replied.

“Well, I can’t even count the remaining heroes on my two hands. Those who had a great influence were Ian the Brave, the Dragon Slayer, the Giant, and Lepenia, the Queen of the North Sea. I guess it’s only that many to count from.”

Asher’s eyes narrowed slightly to the final name. Ariana sighed as if it was hard to hold back information as she continued to speak.

“The world is in chaos right now. It’s rare for the population and other countries to notice, but they do. They’ll soon pick up on the discrepancies… but we won’t have much time before then.”

“Hmm.”

What would happen? Asher tapped his knee with his finger in a pensive manner.

Fifty years ago. It was a time when the world was overflowing with conflict and was full of war. There were heroes that had become known throughout all corners of the world at that time.

One by one, the heroes defeated the enemies of humanity, sealed the Devil to the other side of the world, and knocked down the existences beyond the darkness that were manipulating society from the shadows. The world became peaceful because of those very heroes.

But… the Devil had returned, and the heroes disappeared for good. What would happen now? The future looked bleak.

No matter how hard he thought about it, Asher couldn’t picture a very good future.

“This is the truth that the Empire is desperate to hide. The news was delivered by Van Ester and we were able to minimize the damage somewhat. What are you going to do now though?”

Ariana wanted to know whether Asher would chase the trails of the heroes. Or would he go defeat The Devil directly like the heroes did in the past. Asked with that question, Asher quietly opened his mouth.

“Nothing.”

“What?”

“I’m not going to do anything about it.”

Asher spoke with an indifferent look. Ariana looked at Asher with a confused look on her face, but her expression remained unchanged.

Even in the warring eras, he had just swung the sword silently while the world was engulfed in flames and turmoil. He fulfilled his responsibilities as the Captain of the Imperial Guard, but that was it. He didn’t do anything more than that.

He did not seek praise for intervening and taking an active part for the Empire amidst the war, nor did he seek out duels with knights for honor. He did not walk on the path of magic like the elves or mages, nor did he walk the path of flamboyant swordsmanship.

When the Devil went crazy and wreaked havoc, he did not travel to save the suffering and dying people, nor when the Devil descended and half of the world burned, did he throw away all his positions and leave to defeat evil. Even when comrades, his friends, were widely honored in the world as heroes, he wielded only the sword alone.

What he wanted was simply the sword. He didn’t intend to turn towards anything else. He could travel around the world, meet heroes, knock down knights and climb ranks, but wielding his sword was all he did.

His purpose hadn’t changed in his past life and not would it change now.

“…you don’t want to be one for glory and honor.”

“I don’t want to waste my time on such meaningless things.”

Ariana looked at Asher with a shocked face. Soon, she laughed and muttered in a despondent voice.

“It was as Mr. Van Ester had said.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I mean, you’re consistent or rather…a stubborn person. He said you were a person who wouldnt change their mind no matter what…. you two really are similar.”

Asher didn’t need to ask who she was referring to. The answer was obvious from her facial expression.

She shook her head for a moment and cracked a faint smile. The serious atmosphere slowly began to dissipate.

“It’s your choice. I don’t mean to force you into anything.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

“No, the world is in crisis and there’s nothing more ridiculous than letting go of one’s own purpose…. However, I’m asking out of sheer curiosity. What are you going to do in the future? You aren’t going to be here forever, are you?”

“On the day when the youth come of age, I’m thinking of heading to the capital on that day.”

“To the capital…? For what?”

“To attempt the Gates of the Sword.”

“The Gates of the Sword?”

Ariana tilted her head. Asher groaned as if he had expected her to understand what he meant, but shortly after, Ariana realized what Asher was referring to.

“Oh, that’s where you wanted to go. But… why? It doesn’t hold much meaning to the world anymore.”

Asher murmured at Ariana’s words.

“Has anybody opened the seventh and final door yet?”

“Yes… as far as I know, it hasn’t been opened for around a hundred years. No one has even reached the sixth door, let alone the seventh one..”

Ariana wondered what Asher was trying to do, by going to such a place. It was rather out of the blue.

“Why do you want to go there?”

“It’s for personal purposes.”

He couldn’t go past the fifth door in the past. Nobody had. It was something he was truly curious about since he wanted to know what laid beyond the seventh and final door.

It was amazing when he thought about it. In his previous life, he was not a swordmaster until the very last moments before his death. But not even the swordmasters of the past had been able to go to the seventh door. He wasn’t that curious about it in his previous life, but he was, for some reason, fascinated by it in this life.

‘We’ll see when we get there.’

He thought that if he could reach the seventh door, it might answer some of his questions about everything that had happened to him. Ariana seemed suspicious and curious as to why Asher wanted to go, but she didn’t pry.

“Things vary from person to person inside of those doors. If it’s you, I think you’ll be able to reach the 5th one.”

Ariana smiled and spoke as she lifted herself up.

“Are you leaving now?”

“Yes, I’m the Captain of the Imperial Guard. I don’t have enough time to stay longer. But before that, let me make you a suggestion.”

Ariana’s serious eyes met his. Her mouth slowly opened.

“Joining the Imperial Guard. Do you have any thoughts of doing that?”

***

“You’re welcome. Thank you, Lord.”

“No, I was afraid of becoming a nuisance. So, did you find out everything you wanted to know and investigate?”

“Yes, it was very helpful.”

“That’s a relief.”

Lord Halvark glanced at Asher, but soon turned away. If it was just the two of them, there should be a reason. He didn’t mean to pry into the reason why Ariana and Asher went alone though.

Behind Ariana was the variant Head Goblin. The Goblin, with a sinister laugh, cracked a smile and ridiculed them.

“Kakaka! You’re being too wary of just one little Goblin like myself.”

“I don’t care what you say.”

Ariana said with a cool face.

“You will be held in the Empire’s questioning facility and later on, be imprisoned. You’ll never get away with your actions.”

“That sounds interesting coming from a fake child of elven lineage. You know what? I’m going to make a prediction.”

It was a rude thing to say, but the Goblin smiled nonchalantly.

“I will return the world over to its true rulers.”

“What a bunch of bullshit.”

“You’re too much.”

The Goblin turned to Asher and spoke. He continued with a giggle.

“Sending me to be interrogated by a fake like this. That’s too much. It would be an honor to die by your own hands, but to leave the treatment in the hands of these fakes is really too much.”

“Shut up and do as I say. I practice the rights of the winner, and you’ll obey them.”

“Yes, the loser must obey the winner.”

The Goblin walked proudly, tied to a rope.

“Here we go….. For the first time ever, a goblin will be able to experience human prison.”

“…that’s very unusual.”

Ariana shook her head while looking at the Goblin. She was an elf. Having experienced goblins before, she could see first-hand just how strange the goblin was.

“Thank you very much for your help, Lord Halvark.”

“Yes, the monsters might show up on the way back to the capital, so be careful.”

“All right… Asher, what’s your answer to my question earlier?”

Ariana’s eyes turned to Asher with anticipation. Asher seemed troubled for a moment and shook his head.

“I’m sorry.”

“As expected….”

Ariana murmured with a glum face. Asher honestly contemplated whether to become an Imperial Guard again, but ultimately declined.

He was going to live this life for the purpose of seeking the pinnacle of swordsmanship only. Even if the Imperial Guards were given a lot of training time, they were useless in front of orders from above.

Asher was given a second lifetime. He didn’t want to waste it like that. He wanted to put everything in this life towards seeking the pinnacle.

But…it wasn’t just that.

Asher’s gaze turned to the disappointed Ariana. He couldn’t become a subordinate to his adopted daughter. No matter how much she asked him to become a guard, he couldn’t help but have to reject it.

“Then….”

Ariana agonized a little and took a piece of paper out of her arms as if she had decided. The guards in the back began to buzz and clamor.

Ariana handed the paper to Asher.

“Take this. It’s a recommendation letter from myself, as the Captain of the Imperial Guard. With this, you’ll be able to go anywhere but inside the Royal Castle and other nobility private estates.”

“…thank you.”

Asher took it with a grain of salt. It was a familiar piece of paper to him.

‘I didn’t expect to receive this.’

He had rarely given out recommendations as well when he was the Captain of the Imperial Guards. In fact, it was a letter of recommendation with authority just below the Captain position, itself. It was only for those who were trusted beyond familial or blood ties. Asher had never given this kind of authority out before, even to his adopted children.

He knew it was a favor, but he didn’t know it was this much.

It seems Van Ester had interfered again this time, Asher thought. He was likely going to ask Asher to do something troublesome again since he was paying forward a favor like this.

‘Come to think of it, you’re just trying to get something out of me.’

He also gave him a wrist brace with spatial magic, and this time Asher even received a letter of recommendation from his adopted daughter. Asher felt strange and folded the paper in half as he stored it in his brace.

“Well, I’ll see you later. Do you have two years left until you become an adult? You said you’d come to the Gates of the Sword. I’ll see you then.”

Ariana stepped into the carriage and the door closed. Eventually after a few minutes, the carriage departed and was no longer in view.

Lord Halvark sighed as if he had just relaxed all the tense muscles in his body as he readjusted his collar.

“Wow, a lot has happened for this small little countryside territory. Good job Asher. Get some rest for today.”

“Yes sir.”

Asher’s gaze was directed in the direction in which the carriage had left.

He didn’t tell Ariana the whole truth.

He explained that there was a goblin with intelligence, human speech, and outstanding skills regarding the spear.

However, he did not explain to Ariana what the Goblin meant when it said, “Fake.” It was because she would not be able to understand the grave problems implicated with the words and just how truthful the words of the Goblin were in regards to its personal history.

‘What else are you hiding?’

And… he could tell Ariana also had something she didn’t tell him.

***

“Whoa.”

Ariana leaned her back in the carriage. Her goosebumps settled as she rested her posture.

‘It’s a talking goblin.’

Ariana looked at the cage behind the wagon. It was worth the precious time to come out here. Now they had to return to the Empire to dig up more valuable information from this variant.

“…….”

She raised her hand blankly. Her skin color under the lamp had become slightly tan.

When she was very young, her skin would have been white, like snow, before the forest was destroyed. Her original hair color was not meant to be ashen grey, but rather a brilliant purple.

But she didn’t remember her past clearly. Her memories truly started after she met her stepfather. The tan skin and gray hair were given to her as a cover as she grew up to become more beautiful and to avoid unwanted attention.

‘I almost made a mistake.’

She almost said what she knew she shouldn’t have said. The two of them were so alike that she naturally let her guard down. She giggled.

“I’m not in a position to talk.”

Van Ester had been suspected of being brainwashed or possessed, but she had also been suspected of being possessed. But… It wasn’t a bad feeling. She was just his daughter, not an elf. Laughing alone, she tapped her fingers on the door outside, pondering to herself.

“No….”

‘Yes.’

The people surrounding her had moved away from her vision as she muttered to herself.

“The Gates of the Sword…”

Chapter 39 – Fin