Chapter 39 –  The Sword Saint of the South I

13 minutes

Note before reading:

This novel continues from where the previous translator stopped, so be sure to read the previous chapters here if you’re new to the series or need a refresher! Also, I’m going to attempt to stay consistent with the names and style since the previous translations were quite good. With that said, enjoy!

After the world of men was isolated by the Gray Forest, humans pierced through that world, where monsters ran rampant, with a new possibility called the Alabaster Road.

The path brought about positive changes such as invigorating trade and promoting cultural exchange, but it also had a negative side, causing tension between nations.

As time flowed on, the spoken language became shared, and even though food and supplies were stably exchanged from the west end to the east end, the sparks of conflict originating from territorial disputes were always smoldering around the world.

Even in a life surrounded by the natural enemy known as the Rabidaemon, the greatest enemy of humans was still their own kind after all.

*

Centered around the great mountain towering in the center, human society prospered in all four directions. In the royal capital of the great nation Murakumo, which governed the entire eastern side, officials clad in Bright uniforms had gathered in the council room of the Crystal Palace, which housed the main executive functions, since early morning.

Ten people each sat on the left and right sides of the long table, and at the head sat Gwen Vlad, the chief executive, with his adjutant, a female Bright with brown skin named Isaiah, seated behind him.

In normal times, the heads of each department would simply convey necessary matters to Gwen and receive instructions in a businesslike manner, but today, the air in this place was more tense than usual.

The person responsible for shattering the usual atmosphere by opening the door with a flourish was the next ruler of Murakumo, Sa’salia Murakumo, who boldly faced Gwen accompanied by Shi’shi’Jishi Amai, the head of the royal guard.

“What did you just say?”

Gwen asked Sa’salia in a heavy voice.

“I said I will participate in this meeting.”

Sa’salia declared to the person before whom everyone in this country would bow their heads while being shrouded in the aura of a ruler.

“There is no need.”

Gwen, who told her curtly, was gazing at Sa’salia in a dazed manner, as if being invited to take a nap in the middle of the day.

“That is my wish. I should at least have the right to be interested in important national decisions.”

Sa’salia retorted, strengthening her tone.

The officials lined up on the left and right all had their eyes wide open, looking bewildered by this strange situation that had suddenly occurred.

“This place is merely for taking care of small matters. For discussing important national decisions, there is the Council of Four Stones. However, Your Highness does not even have the qualifications to attend that.”

In response to Gwen’s words, Amai, who was waiting behind Sa’salia, reacted immediately.

“No, Princess Sa’salia is the only one who will inherit the Murakumo name and has the qualifications to intervene in each and every matter. Your way of speaking could be taken as an overreach of authority.”

At Amai’s provocative words, the gazes of the lined-up officials sharpened. Among them, a strong-willed-looking woman expressed her displeasure even before Gwen.

“Professor, saying it’s an overreach of authority against Lord Gwen… isn’t that going too far?”

Amai pushed up his glasses with his middle finger and raised his chin.

“I am no longer your professor. And I don’t believe anything I said was incorrect. Lady Sa’salia is the one who will rule over Murakumo as the monarch. Therefore, I must say this to you all–whose permission did you obtain to continue being seated in Her Highness’s presence?”

A wave of agitation ran through those lined up.

They hurriedly stood up from their seats and assumed the Bright’s posture of respect by kneeling on one knee.

Gwen slowly surveyed the scene, then stood up and prostrated himself alone. However, his adjutant Isaiah, who was waiting behind him, did not move an inch. It was unclear where her gaze was directed, and beads of sweat were forming on her forehead.

“Adjutant, is there some reason behind your actions?”

When Amai pointed this out, Gwen responded on her behalf.

“She has been running a fever since the other day. I brought her here despite her condition, so please forgive her disrespect.”

Taking Amai’s glance this way as a cue, Sa’salia gave a small nod and spoke.

“I forgive you. Everyone, rise.”

Gwen stood up first, and the others followed.

“Please use my seat, Your Highness.”

Perhaps affected by Amai’s words, Gwen showed a willingness to accept Sa’salia’s demand. He shifted his seat by one and offered the head position.

While Gwen’s adjutant awkwardly changed her standing position, Sa’salia settled into the central rear seat.

Sa’salia addressed the group, which had fallen dead silent.

“Proceed as usual.”

Upon receiving that instruction, their gazes focused intently on Gwen.

–This is reality…

In front of the princess, the one they looked to for the next course of action was Gwen. This behavior of theirs clearly showed the situation she, as royalty, was placed in.

Gwen received the gazes of his subordinates and gave a small nod in return. Taking that as a signal, the meeting that had been interrupted by Sa’salia’s sudden appearance resumed.

Certainly, as Gwen said, the individual decisions such as considering the replacement of the aging Alabaster Road and the distribution to the recently increasing unemployed were important matters, but not to the extent of determining the fate of the nation.

As she listened to the discussions, Sa’salia couldn’t hide her surprise at the fact that Gwen had been making judgments on such detailed issues himself without leaving them to others.

Once the main topics were settled and a brief silence fell, one official offered a letter as if to take advantage of the pause. Gwen furrowed his brow upon seeing it.

“What is it?”

“It’s a request from Brigadier General Al Baden for additional troops and budget expansion.”

Gwen exhaled heavily through his nose.

“Again? I believe I told you to reject such petitions of the same content submitted without a gap in time.”

The official who made the report looked embarrassed at being scolded.

“Yes, I am aware of that. However, this time it’s a request not in his capacity as a general officer, but as the governor of ‘Ode’.”

Hearing the name Ode, Sa’salia had a strong internal reaction. She remembered that place as the new military post where Shuou, the commoner youth who had saved her life when she was attacked by Rabidaemon and shipwrecked, had been assigned.

After being briefed, Gwen read through the letter, then crumpled it up and tossed it onto the table.

“How shallow-minded… I reject it. The defense of Ode will continue with the current troop strength and–“

Amai cut into Gwen’s words as he was speaking.

“Why is that?”

The officials’ gazes turned to Amai.

“What do you mean by ‘why’, Solid Bright Amai?”

“Well, I just couldn’t see the reason for rejecting the request for reinforcements. Both the Imperial Guard and the First Army should have a considerable number of surplus troops idling. Besides that, it would be easy to request dispatch from the Solid Left and Right Armies. I heard that the Ode Defense Corps is mostly composed of low-quality mercenaries. Isn’t it too harsh to tell them to protect the territory without providing weapons?”

To Amai, who pointed this out with a leisurely smile, Gwen spoke without showing any sign of being swayed.

“Both swords and shields have been provided as needed. In fact, that alone has been sufficient for the defense of that land.”

“You seem to be solely obsessed with defending, but isn’t it only natural to consider dealing a blow to the enemy? Brigadier General Baden’s request is likely out of a desire for a foothold to break through as well.”

“The ‘Coral’ faction, which aspires to recapture Ode, is one of the Southern Mountain Alliance. Despite their alliance, they lack unity, but if they recognize that Murakumo has begun an invasion, they will likely join hands tightly. Like all things, a nation is not one-sided. If it turns into war, this country will needlessly wither in proportion to the people and money lost. I am not senile enough to make such a decision based on mere momentum.”

Amai laughed off those words.

“Murakumo has an abundance of both people and money. If we show that we can take down the Coral faction in one fell swoop, even the skirmishes with the north will settle down. Here, I propose that under Princess Sa’salia’s command, it would be wise to dispatch a large-scale army to Ode in the near future,” Amai declared powerfully.

Gwen glared at Amai in an intimidating manner.

“For a mere Solid Bright to discuss the pros and cons of war, that in itself is an overreach of authority, isn’t it? Lady Sa’salia has not yet ascended to the throne. She does not have the qualifications to attach her name to the dispatch of troops.”

“Then, allow me to speak not as a Solid Bright, but as the captain of the royal guard. The Celestine succession ceremony should be carried out promptly.”

When Amai made this forceful statement, Gwen couldn’t immediately come up with a response.

With everyone’s attention still captivated, Amai continued.

“In the first place, it’s strange that you alone know the whereabouts of the Celestine. That stone is, in the truest sense and not just metaphorically, the King’s Stone. It’s said that everything regarding its handling was entrusted according to the late Queen’s will, but from the very beginning, the fact that you were the only one present at Her Majesty’s death makes this whole story as elusive as grasping at clouds.”

Several chairs clattered as a few officials stood up with agitated expressions.

“Captain Amai of the royal guard, please stop this nonsense. The way you’re speaking is as if–“

To bring back the atmosphere that was drifting in a strange direction, Sa’salia clapped her hands on the spur of the moment.

“Amai, that’s enough. We didn’t come here to argue.”

Amai stepped back upon receiving the order.

As Sa’salia was about to tell those who stood up in excitement to calm down, she broke into a violent coughing fit.

Seeing this, Gwen offered Sa’salia a handkerchief.

“Your Highness, I have heard about your condition from the chief medical officer.”

Sa’salia had long been addicted to the ‘Flower of Lucaine’ that bewildered the mind and induced a state of ecstasy. She had thought that if she stopped taking the flower that had been eroding her body, she would immediately return to a healthy state, but her body couldn’t keep up with the sudden change. She was plagued by symptoms such as severe mood swings, headaches, nausea, and occasional violent coughing fits.

After putting the received handkerchief to her mouth and coughing for a while, Sa’salia looked at Gwen with tear-filled eyes.

“Gwen, I want to hasten the Celestine succession.”

Gwen put his hand on his chin with a grim expression.

“The Radiantore succession places a tremendous burden on both the body and mind. I don’t believe Your Highness’s current condition can withstand it. I humbly suggest that resting and improving your health is the most necessary thing at the moment.”

Sa’salia looked at Amai as if to confirm. Although he seemed displeased, he nodded in agreement.

“I understand. So you will approve the succession once I regain a body that can endure it.”

“…Yes.”

Sa’salia stood up and headed towards the exit. Just before leaving the room, she turned back and spoke softly to those looking at her.

“I apologize for the interruption. However, I intend to participate in such meetings from time to time in the future. Because nothing will change if I just sit still.”

Gwen stood up and stared at Sa’salia.

“You seem like a different person from before you stood on Adulelia. What has changed you so much?”

But Sa’salia didn’t reply, simply giving a faint smile.

*

“I, apologize, for…”

In the now empty council room, Isaiah apologized to her foster father with shallow breaths.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s a miracle that you’re even maintaining consciousness with a body infested by commander beetles.”

Isaiah, who learned her foster father’s secret and had insects parasitize her body, soon regained consciousness and was getting used to this situation to the point where she could return to work as before, albeit with a sense of discomfort.

According to Gwen, because she had thoroughly accepted the parasitic insects that eroded her body from the inside, a strange symbiotic relationship had formed. Normally, her ego would have collapsed in an attempt to escape the insects’ control, leading to a mental death and becoming Gwen’s living puppet.

Isaiah still believed in her foster father, who had become an unfathomable being interacting with the Rabidaemon. She had convinced herself that her resolve to accept everything he did had created the current situation.

“To think you would come to my side, even knowing my true nature.”

“Regardless of who you are, the fact that you picked me up and raised me doesn’t change. Rather, if you had told me from the beginning, I would have assisted you without saying a word.”

Gwen let out a rare sigh.

“You’ve been a troublesome girl since you were young. But now, with those insects dwelling in your body, I can finally trust you for the first time.”

Being called his daughter, Isaiah was delighted. She tried to smile, but with a body that had just begun symbiosis with the insects, she couldn’t properly form an expression.

Gwen turned his body and stared at the head seat where Sa’salia had been sitting until earlier.

“The Princess has truly changed. I’ve seen her up close many times, but today was the first time I made eye contact with her.”

“…Indeed. But a person’s true nature doesn’t change so easily. That girl must have some strong purpose. Otherwise, there’s no way she would desire the throne succession that she had shown no interest in until now.”

“Could it be related to her appointing that man as the captain of the royal guard?”

Gwen widened his nostrils.

“Shi’shi’Jishi Amai. A troublesome man has taken his place beside the Princess. From now on, any rash actions will be difficult. One mistake will snowball into the next, and if we’re not careful, it could lead to an irreversible situation. In this situation where only the final move remains, where did I go wrong…?”

Gwen muttered as if talking to himself.

Isaiah thought it was strangely endearing to see her foster father’s true face, which she had longed to see but couldn’t until now, right before her eyes. Above all, she felt grateful for the terrifying experience she had undergone.