Chapter 92

“It’s just as you said… I want to ask something before I die.”

[…….]

“So, you said you handed everything over to me, right? Everything? What does that mean exactly? Techniques? Methods?”

And then.

“Why didn’t Grandeous use his full strength in the final battle against my father?”

[Did it look that way to you? But how would you know? You’re speaking as if you witnessed it firsthand.]

“…Because I did witness it.”

I don’t know if you’ll believe me or not.

[So, you possess such an ability, do you?]

Still, the Sacred Sword calmly replied.

[Even the fact that we’re having this conversation now is highly unusual. It must be related to the abilities you possess.]

“This situation?”

Never heard of it before.

[The answer isn’t difficult. The Grandeous from back then used me instead of Elbat, which is why he was bound to lose.]

As a fellow Sacred Sword.

[The Sacred Sword wielded by Ruelde is undoubtedly unparalleled. It’s not just any Sacred Sword—it’s a Divine Sword (神劍), a blade sharpened by a god itself.]

“…….”

What the heck is this…?

[Even if he had wielded Elbat, defeat would’ve been certain. But at that time, even that wasn’t an option.]

“Wait. Aren’t you Elbat?”

[I have never referred to myself as such—not even for a single moment.]

“…….”

What’s going on here?

If this isn’t Elbat, then what exactly *is* Elbat?

-Ask him already.

“…….”

Following the Demon King’s instructions, he asked.

“If so, why did Grandeous need you? For what purpose?”

[The enforcement of justice. The protection of honor. And… the promise to eradicate great evil.]

Precisely.

[He offered me the right to slay the Demon King himself.]

-That makes sense now. Guess even the big baddies cower in fear of him. Still, this clears things up. I suspected as much, but…

“Demon King?”

[Had it not been someone of that caliber, how could I have possibly fallen into their hands? Someone who defied the natural order of the Demon Realm.]

“Who defied the natural order?”

[Ordinarily, anyone who grasped the Sacred Sword should’ve melted away instantly. But this being… it couldn’t happen to them.]

Because they lacked…

[A physical body.]

“…?”

A body? Are they talking about physical form?

-Since some point, they’ve always stuck to wearing armor. I had my suspicions, but they sure hid it well. Their concealment skills are top-notch.

The additional explanations from the Demon King barely registered in his ears.

“How could someone without a body move around?”

[There’s the armor.]

It continued.

[Their willpower was extraordinary. By sheer force of will, they managed to manifest and control a body that shouldn’t exist—a monstrous embodiment of sheer determination. A will that gained sentience and acted toward its purpose. It’s nothing short of miraculous.]

-In the Demon Realm, stuff like this isn’t unheard of, but usually, it stems from grudges or malevolent intent.

Like Grandeous’ strange case.

-Not justice or anything close to it.

[An unmatched beacon of righteousness. But excessive righteousness can be poisonous too.]

It might’ve been someone else’s idea of justice, but it wasn’t the greater good. Not kindness, and certainly not malice.

[Yet, there was one thing they knew: someday, they were destined to fade away.]

But the will must endure.

Even if their own sense of justice crumbles and fades…

They yearned for someone to carry on their will.

[However, planting one’s will into another is no easy feat. It’s a difficult task.]

In the Demon Realm.

After coming to the Middle Realm.

Only they remained steadfast.

Among those influenced by them.

Not a single person fully inherited their will.

Though they might’ve inherited techniques.

Their intentions and methods were selfish and individualistic.

Instead, the will became corrupted through transmission.

[He personally gathered all of it. Like a farmer collecting improperly grown crops, he cleaned it all up himself.]

Yet.

One remained.

A seed they didn’t expect.

…grew lushly.

Surpassing all expectations.

Despite teaching them rather loosely and formally.

[Even so, Grandeous couldn’t believe it.]

Grandeous gained enlightenment through a conversation with a traveler.

The traveler said:

Once upon a time,

When missing clothes disappeared, I first suspected the neighbors nearby.

Later, when I saw the marks of wild beasts,

All doubts vanished.

At the end of doubt, what I found was… myself doubting.

[He stopped doubting himself. But others were another matter entirely.]

So.

He returned to the Demon Realm.

And after a long time passed.

He came back again.

To confirm this.

Under the guise of a Legion Commander in the Demon Army.

At the urging of a comrade who had become his lord.

…Thus, he explored how the sprout he once nurtured had blossomed into a flower—and how it eventually withered.

If the flower had faded,

He was prepared to fulfill his duty as Legion Commander.

But then.

“The Knight in obsidian armor observed the journey of That Child.

A youth striving to cultivate hope amidst chaos.

A man who, despairing of reality and losing everything precious in his homeland,

…clutched onto his last remaining hope and sought to start anew.

There was no glory or honor in it.

Just simple, small… desires.

And even though all his hard work to build a village was negated…

Rather than cursing the world or the heavens,

He treated every moment with desperate intensity, as if wasting even a second was too costly.

Why, even in such a state, with only a frail human body and spirit,

…does he refuse to give up?

What is truly precious?

What does it mean to harness something worth protecting?

I don’t understand that.

And yet.

When he burned himself out and emptied everything, he died—but because of that,

he managed to protect everything.

Grandeous…

…entered the church building known as the holy site of Carriel.

Upon seeing the statue there,

Examining the sword, a relic left behind by him,

He glimpsed the memories.

It was the journey of a pure-hearted but earnest young man.

Years later, many followed in the footsteps of that man.

The will endured.

I see.

You were not wrong.

I doubted. I didn’t trust.

The Demon King said:

I trust in everything.

That they’ll fall into pits of their own making.

That they’ll suffer from their own foolishness and crash.

That their moments of success are fleeting, and their falls swift.

That their suffering and misfortune stretch endlessly.

Rarely, there might be exceptions.

Exceptions aren’t even worth worrying about.

Most will perish and despair.

So we must place our faith solely in that.

Based on that premise.

Whether we rule them, kill them, eliminate them, deal with them, manipulate them, destroy them, care for them, nurture them, or raise them…

All of that depends on the hearts of those who possess and awaken to it.

Thus, in this world.

Only your hearts matter.

[He was an exception.]

So.

Grandeous.

Wished to regard him as both disciple and teacher.

So.

Even though taught by him,

He rekindled the lost will and chivalry.

Focused on protecting the weak.

[That’s why Grandeous came to be known not as a Legion Commander but as a Knight.]

“…….”

[You know the source of that reason. That’s why you’re the successor. Those calling themselves the Relief Knights are merely followers. He understood he couldn’t save the world alone, and also helped them stand on their own. Still, he couldn’t trust anyone—not even himself.]

Nevertheless.

[Among them, there were some with potential. So Grandeous gave them tasks. Who knows, maybe among them, another miracle could bloom.]

And if you’re the true heir…

[If they stray from the path, it’s your duty to gather and recover them. To continue his legacy means taking on such responsibilities.]

“…But even I am about to die soon, right?”

A chuckle escapes.

On one hand, his chest feels heavier.

Grandeous nurtured Fortress Carriel.

Ultimately, the one most moved by his footsteps wasn’t someone else—was it Grandeous himself?

If.

Had Fortress Carriel not carried on his will…

Wouldn’t Grandeous have allied with the Demon King of Wisdom as a Legion Commander?

[As you suspect. If that were the case… Even if your father, the warrior Ruelde, exerted all his strength, it would’ve been impossible.]

Grandeous is…

[Someone who originally burned everything for the sole purpose of slaying the Demon King. When the Demon King disappeared and his purpose was lost, he weakened—but even the Golden Demon King couldn’t treat him lightly, for he was still far too powerful.]

-I fight him? In a straight-up fight? Nah, he’d be crazy to do that.

…Judging by how the Demon King talks, his power is guaranteed.

That is to say, due to the existence of such a being… even surrounded by Sacred Swords and relics,

Plus, the fact that he didn’t use his specialties.

For me, it remains a mystery.

-If Grandeous had been my pawn, wouldn’t the continent’s conquest have succeeded despite his reluctance? Then the current political landscape of the continent would’ve taken an interesting turn. This is kind of regrettable, huh?

“…….”

-Misgivings aside, one thing has become clear.

What?

Does my expression give it away?

-What that guy entrusted to me was, in a way, ultimately prepared for you.

“…….”

-Yeah. That guy could glimpse the future. But it was fragmentary. And just now, that confused sword mentioned it—he handed over part of it to the Relief Knights. So, doesn’t that make the prophecy stuff kinda obvious now? It was pretty clear, but not completely confirmed, so I stayed silent. Now it’s so blatant, I almost feel bad keeping my mouth shut.

[This is all I can tell you. I don’t know where Elbat is. But…]

But?

If you don’t know, then what’s with the “but”?

[Elbat wasn’t complete. That’s why Grandeous borrowed my body temporarily for a long time.]

“…?”

-Huh?

What’s this supposed to mean?

[Awaken the Black Star. At that moment, the constraints of time and space vanish. Everything has already been handed over to you. The rest depends on whether the heir and inheritor, you, awaken to it or not. Are you still planning to doubt?]

“…….”

Is this a lecture?

A wry smile escapes as he recalls the earlier conversation.

“A thought crossed my mind while listening to your lecture.”

With half-abandoned eyes, Carriel laid bare the inklings within.

Partially confident.

He questioned, answered the Sacred Sword’s queries,

And thus, their brief exchange of questions and answers continued.

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