Ch 247
The situation itself was clear.
A Crimson Archmage, seized by madness, was rampaging, and Lisir subdued it.
Shon’s party watched the entire process from the front.
“Wh-What on earth happened…?”
Nevertheless, Shon’s party was confused, as if suddenly thrown into the situation.
“Lisir, you clearly…”
Shon, trying to understand the situation somehow, first looked at Lisir.
He was the first person to accept the proposal—a threat disguised as a suggestion—when Sodin risked the Hero’s life to make it.
The expression he had while urging everyone to hand over the Dark Sword was weak, and his posture was withdrawn.
Everyone who saw it thought that Lisir was worried not about the Hero’s safety, but his own.
Even Sodin, who had been wary of him as an enemy, had thought so.
Lisir was a young man who perfectly fit the description of “youngster” by their standards.
It was only natural that he could not withstand the murderous energy of the Crimson Archmage who had merged with the Dark Sword.
“Could it be, Lisir…”
Of course.
There was also the possibility that Lisir had acted to deceive Sodin.
Moreover, Shon’s party was clearly aware of that possibility.
They were those who had experienced countless real battles.
For them, acting to make the opponent careless was a very basic and obvious deception tactic.
“Was all of that an act…?”
Nevertheless, Shon showed a reaction as if he couldn’t even imagine it.
At that time, Sodin, who had been hit by Lisir’s sudden surprise attack, had shown the same reaction.
Lisir.
It was because of the impression that person gave.
A simple smile and an extremely polite disposition.
How could one connect him with a vile trick?
And even that Assassin’s Blade!
In their eyes, Lisir was a man worthy of the values of honor and conviction.
They thought he would be the victim of trickery and the Assassin’s Blade, not the one wielding them.
‘Could it be… this man… was acting all along…?’
They worried that Lisir might suddenly take off his mask and reveal his true form.
“Whew.”
Then came Lisir’s sigh.
“That’s right. It worked. My hands were shaking even as I watched their reactions.”
He patted his chest and chuckled awkwardly.
A simple smile.
Polite behavior.
Unlike their worries, Lisir remained the same.
However, that made Shon’s party even more confused.
That honest young man, casually used that vile deception and Assassin’s Blade?
“Ah.”
At that moment.
Shon’s party realized.
‘That’s it, that’s how it was…!’
They thought that Lisir had reluctantly resorted to vileness to save people.
He was surely as honest and honorable as he appeared.
‘But, he ended up doing such a vile deed…’
Perhaps, Lisir was now feeling deep self-disgust.
“Lisir. I’m proud of you.”
Shon spoke in a serious tone, wanting to encourage Lisir.
Next to him, the High Priest nodded in agreement.
“I’m not one to say this often, but what you just did was amazing.”
Then Junggeom patted Lisir’s forearm and said.
“What I just did?”
“Yeah. That—luring the opponent into carelessness… creating an opening… then instantly striking… that swift and efficient swordsmanship!”
Junggeom carefully chose his words, watching his comrades’ reactions.
He had toned down the expression, “‘Damn, he’s an assassin! Even an assassin couldn’t do that better!?’” as much as possible.
So that Lisir would feel at ease!
How was it?
It was great!
An exchange of glances passed between them.
Junggeom became even more excited and carried on.
“Wow. It was unbelievable! Even I couldn’t imitate that skill. Surely, your Master gave you very broad teaching!”
Then, he felt the sharp gazes of his comrades.
‘Ah!’
Junggeom was startled.
He belatedly realized.
That the direction of his words, intending to show respect for Lisir’s swordsmanship and the Master who taught him, was wrong!
-Did you learn that Assassin’s Blade from your Master? Your Master must be quite a skilled assassin! A person with the determination to throw honor to the dogs for efficiency!?
Junggeom’s statement could also be interpreted that way.
In fact, if Junggeom had witnessed Lisir’s Assassin’s Blade elsewhere, he would have said it that way.
“No, Lisir—that’s not what I meant…!”
Junggeom fidgeted, watching Lisir’s reaction.
“Ah, you recognize it! As expected, you are amazing!”
“?”
Lisir beamed.
It was truly the look of a swordsman happy to receive recognition of his sword’s worth from a Sword Master.
Junggeom couldn’t help but admire his honest character once again.
Did he take that suspicious statement in only a positive light!?
“As you said, my swordsmanship Master was a master of the Assassin’s Blade!”
“!?”
It wasn’t.
As Junggeom feared, his statement was conveyed in the outrageous meaning of “Your Master is a complete assassin.”
For Orthodox Swordfighters who prioritized honor and pride, it was close to a duel challenge.
But why?
Lisir was quite pleased to hear such words.
“My swordsmanship Master always emphasized efficiency and practicality. Since you felt that when you saw me, it seems his teachings were not in vain.”
“…”
Junggeom was experiencing extreme cognitive dissonance.
Assassin’s Blade.
From what Junggeom had seen and felt until now, those who wielded that vile swordsmanship all had personalities that suited it.
But look at the man before him.
The sight of him boasting about his mastery of the Assassin’s Blade with a personality that perfectly matched an Orthodox Swordfighter—
“Then, the actions you took to deceive Sodin just now… are they familiar to you?”
“Well, isn’t it best to end a battle as quickly as possible?”
“Why do you think so?”
It was a discussion about the sword.
Junggeom straightened his characteristically light posture and asked seriously.
“So that I can protect precious things completely. Myself, of course, and the safety of those around me.”
“…!”
Junggeom’s mouth and eyes slowly widened.
He was too surprised to speak.
His actions were those of a Holy Knight.
However, his way of thinking and beliefs about the sword were those of a truly upright Orthodox Swordfighter.
‘What kind of hybrid is this…?’
Junggeom suddenly felt fear towards the young swordsman—the youngster—before him.
That young swordsman, with those innocently pure and upright eyes, casually wielding the Assassin’s Blade!
‘Old man… it wasn’t for nothing…’
He felt a little pity for the Archmage who had once been his comrade.
Who would think that such an honest young man was a master of the Assassin’s Blade?
And not just any master of the Assassin’s Blade, but a madman who enjoyed the Assassin’s Blade with pure and clear eyes.
Junggeom’s gaze naturally turned to his hands.
Dark Sword.
Holy Sword.
Those two swords that could never be together, casually held at the same time.
Junggeom nodded.
If he was a swordsman who wielded the Assassin’s Blade with clear eyes, surely wielding those two swords at the same time would explain—
“…No, even so, that’s a bit much.”
It wasn’t.
It still didn’t explain it.
He had solved the great question of “Lisir’s identity,” but it was only the beginning.
“What the hell is going on, Lisir, what have you done…?”
“Yes?”
“Why is the Holy Sword, which only allows itself to the Master, the Hero, openly in your hands? And in your hands, the master of the Dark Sword!? No, were you the master of the Dark Sword from the beginning!? Did you not cast off the domination of the Dark Sword—”
Junggeom started rubbing his temples mid-sentence.
The questions, following one after another, brought on a sharp headache.
“Ugh—”
“Ah, Shelloh! Are you coming to?”
At that moment, Shelloh, the Sealed Hero, woke up.
It was the result of the High Priest devoting himself to healing as soon as the situation was over.
“…”
After raising her upper body, she stared blankly for a while, then began to look around.
Glasses.
After putting on the glasses that were lying on the floor, she fell into thought again.
“Ah…!”
Soon, light returned to her eyes, and she was startled.
“Sodin is—”
“Calm down, Shelloh. Everything is settled.”
“…!”
Shelloh discovered Sodin lying on the floor.
She asked in confusion.
“How…”
Shelloh recalled the situation before she lost consciousness.
Sodin had taken her hostage and secured the Dark Sword.
‘How could he have brought about this result in that situation? I was not helpful, but rather an obstacle…’
Shon, realizing Shelloh’s question, explained to her.
“It’s thanks to Lisir’s success in weakening Sodin’s power using the Sealed Holy Sword.”
“Ah.”
I see.
Shelloh nodded in understanding.
Certainly, the power of the seal would completely fill the gap in her—
“Hmm?”
Wait.
“He used the Sealed Holy Sword?”
The Sealed Hero noticed something unusual.
While she, the Sealed Hero, was unconscious, how could the power of the seal have played a decisive role?
“…”
Shon pointed to Lisir with a complicated expression.
“…?”
Thus.
The Sealed Hero discovered the Holy Sword in another person’s hand.
“…!?”
Thus.
The Sealed Hero also discovered the Dark Sword in another person’s hand.
“Lohra allowed herself to someone other than me…? Even to a man dominated by the Dark Sword…?”
“No, Shelloh. Lisir wasn’t dominated by the Dark Sword. Strictly speaking—”
Shon continued with difficulty.
“It could be said that the Dark Sword was dominated by him…”
“He dominated the Dark Sword…? How…?”
“The Dark Sword… seems to fear Dark Magic Swordsmanship…”
Ah.
I see.
The Dark Sword fears Dark Magic Swordsmanship.
“Heh.”
Shelloh chuckled.
“I… died…”
That was the conclusion the Sealed Hero reached.
That she was currently seeing a sweet illusion created by her brain before death.
“A hero who dominates both the Holy Sword and the Dark Sword appears and solves everything… I could have such a foolish fantasy…”
The Sealed Hero laughed sadly.
Her comrades watched her without saying anything.
They couldn’t think of words to correct her misunderstanding.
✦✦✦
“Hero. I’ll return this now.”
-Ah… already…?
“…Lohra?”
Afterwards.
The situation was quickly resolved.
They first recovered Sodin’s body.
The cause of death was not Lisir’s swordsmanship, but the runaway—overload—of energy that had reached its peak.
“…”
The High Priest held a simple funeral for Sodin.
Lisir’s expression was troubled as he watched the end of the Archmage.
“Hey.”
Junggeom patted Lisir’s shoulder and gave a light smile.
“Don’t feel guilty. That old man’s death was entirely self-inflicted. Here, self-inflicted means he killed himself. The cause of that old man’s death was not your swordsmanship, but an overload.”
“Ah. I already know that from the Priest.”
“Really? You seem quite troubled.”
“Ah. It’s just that—I suddenly thought.”
“What did you think?”
“Somehow, the people who die because of me seem to mostly die because of overload—”
“…”
Junggeom, and Shon’s party and Caroer, who were eavesdropping nearby, fell into deep confusion.
‘He committed assassination by overload…? How…?’
They somewhat misinterpreted Lisir’s words and tried to avoid getting carried away by that dangerous curiosity.
After that, Shon’s party’s investigation proceeded.
It was an unavoidable process because Sodin and his comrades had tried to kill the Hero and take the Dark Sword.
“You don’t need to worry anymore, Lisir.”
“Ah, Lord Caroer—”
“Anyone who witnessed the event at the scene would know that they are completely unrelated to Sodin. And, I, Ratsil, and you were all at the scene. Therefore, this investigation is merely a formality. What you are worried about will not happen.”
It was as Caroer said.
-Those filthy humans dared to come to Illathein-…
-Wait! Filthy humans? You—
-Oops, look at my mind.
-It seems we can leave the judgment on this matter to Lisir and Caroer.
Shon’s party, summoned to the Verdant Council and interrogated by the Elders, were free the next day.
Lisir and Ratsil, who were allowed to rest at Caroer’s mansion, were able to meet Shon’s party the following afternoon.
“Oh? Lord Lunadien?”
He was the one who filled the vacancy left by the Crimson Archmage.
The elf with flowing red hair at the head of the group approached Lisir and said.
“Lisir. I hear you solved another case while I was away?”
“Well—should I say I solved a case—or should I say I caused one—”
“Haha. Don’t be modest. As Lord Caroer said, if it weren’t for you, a major incident would have occurred. The Dark Sword, and the former Red Tower Master trying to steal it… even if I, Lunadien, hadn’t been absent, it’s definitely not something that could be easily solved.”
Right.
Yes and no.
Lunadien praised Lisir with her characteristic artificial behavior.
Lisir smiled at that and said.
“By the way, Lord Lunadien. You said you were absent for the past few days, where did you go?”
“Ah, that? I found a trace of that woman somewhere in this city, so I tracked her for a while.”
“That woman?”
“Forest Night.”
Oh.
Yes.
Lisir felt a thrilling thrill（?） and tried to control his expression.
“Th-The Forest Night is a being that was exterminated in the distant past, isn’t it? That such a being’s trace is found in Illathein now. What a strange thing. Ha.ha.ha.”
“That’s right. It’s quite something.”
Lisir shivered.
Lunadien stared blankly into the void.
It was because the energy she unconsciously emitted was terribly heavy.
‘Is she remembering… the battle with Grandmaster?’
Lisir once again realized the weight of Lunadien’s name.
The one who exterminated Forest Night.
The Archmage who had reigned as the pinnacle of Green Mages for hundreds of years.
The energy she emitted was far purer and sharper than that of the fallen Crimson Archmage.
‘Speaking of which-‘
A thought that suddenly came to mind when I heard Lunadien’s name.
Lisir recalled the ‘memory’ shown by the Dark Sword before.
Star of the Flower Garden.
The memory related to Lunadien.
“Lord Lunadien—”
“Dark Sword.”
“Yes?”
“You’re going to ask about that, aren’t you?”
“Ah… yes.”
“Okay. I’ll tell you. It’s a situation where I have to. And, besides that, I have a lot more to tell you. Lisir. Do you know about the Crimson Archmage’s belongings?”
“The Crimson Archmage’s belongings? Ah—”
Lisir recalled the mysterious cube that had been in Sodin’s hand at the time.
“The Legacy of the First Hero…”
Lunadien nodded seriously and said to him.
“Do you have time now? Can you bring the Dark Sword, which is sealed—no, stored—in your room here?”
“Ah! Yes!”
Lisir immediately headed to the room where he was staying.
And as he looked at the place where he had placed the Dark Sword—
“Child.”
A sweet voice tickled Lisir’s ears.
Lisir was startled and turned his head.
“La-Labella Lady…!?”
There, half-opened silver eyes were staring at Lisir.
“I was worried because you were late, so I came to find you.”
She said with her characteristic kind smile.
“How is it, child? How is getting the Seed of Nature Magic going?”
“Seed of Nature Magic? Ah.”
That’s right.
That’s why I came to this city.
As Lisir’s expression became complicated, Labella nodded.
“It didn’t go well, did it? As I expected, there’s no way they would willingly give the Seeds of Nature to a human child…”
Labella proceeded with a serious expression.
“…”
Lisir was at a loss as to how and where to start the story.
✦✦✦
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