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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Ruby
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The Divine Realm.
“…Incrinew is dead?”
How should one describe this?
Red clouds, mist.
An indescribable existence gazed upon the golden ground where nothing existed.
The being that should have been on the solitary golden throne above was absent.
The extinction of a god.
It was a possible event.
However, it was something only another god could do.
Wars between gods for the enhancement of creation power and authority.
In fact, numerous gods died in the war of gods that broke out thousands of years ago.
And since then, there have been no wars between gods.
There was no need for them.
Because the main gods who started the war, the Eight Evil Gods, all achieved what they wanted.
Overwhelming power over other gods.
If anyone stepped out of line, the evil gods would unite to hunt down that evil god.
“So, this is not the work of a god…”
The red cloud slowly moved over the golden chair.
The red current swirled around the chair.
It wasn’t difficult to figure out where and by whom the god had died.
“The Astes Empire.”
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The morning after hearing from Emperor Agareth of the Astes Empire that Princess Brigitte had been chosen as the heir to the throne,Yuma was heading to the training ground.
It was obvious where Bell would be, having finished breakfast briefly.
Bell was swinging her sword.
[Cherten Style].
The swordsmanship of Cherten Pel Dekan, the 2nd Sword Master of Balmung, was unfolding in Bell’s hands.
Yuma’s blue eyes captured Bell’s movements.
And those movements were also captured in Balmung’s eyes.
-It’s a perfect [Iron].
Yuma slowly nodded.
Then he stepped into the training ground and approached Bell.
“You’re working hard.”
Bell slowly turned her head.
Bell probably knew of his presence since he stepped into this place. She only turned her head after Yuma approached and spoke.
“Yeah, hehe.”
And she smiled broadly.
It was cute, but there was a sense of awkwardness.
‘Strange.’
Yuma felt that Bell had been subtly awkward with him for the past few days.
But it didn’t feel like she was distancing himself either.
That’s why it felt unsettling.
A gap.
It felt like something was blocking the space between Bell and himself.
Yuma opened his mouth.
“Do you have any worries lately, Bell?”
Bell’s answer to Yuma’s question came out immediately.
It seemed like she should have thought about it before speaking.
“No! I don’t have any worries?”
This time too, it sounded like she deliberately raised her tone to answer energetically.
Yuma smiled and wiped Bell’s face, which was staring intently at him, with a soft towel.
It was to wipe off the sweat on her forehead.
“If you have any concerns, you can always tell me.”
A low voice seeped into the ear hidden by long blue hair.
Bell tightly clenched her left hand, which was out of Yuma’s sight.
Her heart ached as if it was being stabbed.
‘Why.’
Why did you care for others so much that your own body was this damaged?
“Evil god, Incrinew was probably an evil god for sure. And it wouldn’t be strange if a few more of such evil gods appeared in this situation.”
Rustle…
Yuma stroked Bell’s blue hair.
Pink eyes met Yuma’s.
“So, there should be no obstacles to your training. There shouldn’t be even the tiniest distraction.”
Obstacle─.
Wasn’t I the one who became an obstacle to you?
To you, who could be considered the savior who saved this empire’s land itself.
To you, who doesn’t have much time left.
Am I a being worth spending this much time on?
Bell couldn’t shake off such thoughts.
She couldn’t easily shake off the anxiety and self-loathing that hung like a thick fog.
“Believe in yourself.”
But why do you trust me so much?
“Your sword is the sword that will save the world.”
Why do you say such things so casually? Why don’t these water-clear blue eyes waver even a bit?
“Continue the transmission of swordsmanship.”
Bell slowly cleared away the doubts and self-deprecation that were piling up like that dense fog.
She couldn’t let these precious moments be buried under such adversities.
That’s why Bell smiled brightly.
“Yes, my lord.”
Swoosh!
Bell raised her sword.
Yuma took a step back.
“First, show me the Cherten Style you learned yesterday again.”
A blue flame of sword energy bloomed on the sword in Bell’s hand.
Light flashed in the shadowy training ground.
And Bell’s movements began in earnest.
The more Bell handled the Dekan’s swordsmanship, [Cherten Style], the more she marveled at the subtleties of destruction and slaughter inherent in the technique.
Self-confidence.
It was a swordsmanship impossible without self-confidence.
The concentration of sword energy. And confidence in physical superiority.
Kuguuuu─!
The blue current that had only surrounded the sword instantly enveloped Bell’s entire body.
The strong energy spread throughout her body wasn’t forcibly operated as if burning.
Like a calm lake.
Like gentle waves.
It rose softly from the body.
It wasn’t fierce, but it was solid energy without any gaps in the body.
“-Bell’s energy operation is excellent. It’s a density that even Master Dekan, who was called the God of War, would admire. As the Master said, she is indeed a genius. A genius bestowed by the gods, no less. Ah, since the god Yuma encountered and the god who tormented me were evil gods, we should say she’s a genius bestowed by the world.”
Balmung’s words echoed in his head.
He said one useful thing.
The rest was all unnecessary.
Yuma tapped the scabbard at his waist twice again.
It was a signal to shut up.
“-I’ll only say what’s necessary. Please spare me.”
The effect was certain.
It seemed he really didn’t want to go into the spatial pocket or divine pouch.
They moved to the vast empty space behind, not the training ground, to perform the last swordsmanship of the Cherten style, the 4th form, Hwangcheon (Yellow Spring), following the 2nd form Pakeom and 3rd form Noeseom.
“-If a genius like Bell unfolds Hwangcheon, this training ground will be split in half and the roof will come crashing down. I can be certain of that.”
Balmung’s brave statement, made even in a situation where he could be put into the spatial pocket at any moment, had to be believed.
“It’s a nice day.”
Bell, who briefly praised the clear sky with a faint smile, looked at Yuma.
“Later. I’d like to look around the capital together sometime. I think you’ve forgotten, but do you know I’ve never even gone out to play once? Yuma.”
Yuma’s eyes widened slightly.
Bell is different.
Different from other people.
Because she was trapped in the land of White night for 20 years due to the karma placed on the White night clan.
Yuma realized that he hadn’t been thinking about that.
Bell had a rightful qualification to make such complaints.
She was a being who had been deprived for 20 years of the outside air that others had naturally enjoyed.
‘I should have shown her around the world a bit.’
Evil god.
Agonizing Mercy, Incrinew.
Since that guy appeared, my mind has been too rushed.
That’s why I’m hurriedly passing on the swordsmanship of the previous sword masters embedded in Balmung’s knowledge.
Yuma opened his mouth.
“I’m sorry. We should go out and look around the capital together soon if we have the chance.”
─I’m sorry.
When words close to an apology came out of Yuma’s mouth, Bell’s face inexplicably turned pale.
“No, no! My lord. I didn’t say it to make you apologize. I said something unnecessary at an important time, I’m sorry…”
From Bell’s perspective, those were words that should never come out of Yuma’s mouth.
Because she thought there was not a single being or reason in this world for which Yuma should feel sorry.
Yuma couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable again at Bell’s words, which were somehow mixed with unnecessary fuss.
‘It seems like she’s hiding something.’
Yuma thought he should really ask about it sometime soon while spending a day together.
Swoosh─
Bell drew her sword again.
The 4th form of the Cherten style, Hwangcheon, is a single horizontal slash.
Unlike the techniques so far, it was a literal one-hit kill technique that concentrates even the strong energy surrounding the whole body into the sword and swings it─
Blue light gathered into the sword.
Zzzzzzt!
The blue currents that had been scattering like heat haze completely gathered into one point.
Kiiiing…
The blade even trembled, crying out at the convergence of such powerful energy.
A sharp light flashed in Bell’s pink eyes.
Kwak!
She stepped forward strongly with her right foot as if throwing her body in an instant.
The blue current stretched out heavily.
Like a drop of black ink falling on white paper, it rose intensely into the sky.
Yuma watched the slash that seemed about to cut even that space and thought.
‘…I might be able to see the sky split in a little while.’
For a moment, Yuma forgot that he himself had already split the clouds with [Absolute Counter] when he parried the dragon breath of the Black Dragon Elkam-Acreon.
He confirmed that Bell could perform the 4th form of the Cherten style, Hwangcheon, almost perfectly.
Yuma and Bell went back down to the training ground.
And slowly transmitted the swordsmanship of the person who was Balmung’s 4th sword master.
“Twist the sword path at the end.”
“Yes, Yuma.”
Rustle
Yuma’s blue clothes brushed against Bell’s white training uniform.
Bell liked all those moments of contact.
The transmission continued like that until just before evening.
The training was over.
Bell sat demurely and looked directly at Yuma with clear pink eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
Bell smiled brightly.
“Mmm, I just like training together.”
“It’s dinner time now. Go and rest.”
“Okay!”
Yuma and Bell walked side by side.
And headed to the dining place of the First Princess’s Palace.
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Brigitte, who had neatly emptied a plate of pasta, looked at Yuma and said,
“I’m thinking of going to look for a place to hold the coronation ceremony. I’m planning to take Michael and Cloney with me tomorrow.”
Coronation ceremony.
The occasion to announce the ascension of the next emperor to the people.
“Isn’t that something the ministers do?”
“I wanted to see and choose for myself. When this moment came.”
Yuma nodded slowly.
It was understandable enough. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event.
“Take Hestia with you too.”
Although there’s the reliable Sword Master Michael, it would be good to have one more capable guard.
Yuma gazed at Bell, who was eating pasta in the seat to his right.
“Then, I’ll look around the capital with Bell. Tomorrow.”
“Oh, tomorrow…?”
Bell, who didn’t expect that the complaint she made a few hours ago would become tomorrow’s plan, dropped her fork with a clatter.
Her face was slightly flushed.
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