Chapter 67: The Blade Emperor (1)
Excavation efforts continued day after day, yet the mages of the Tower and I were completely excluded from participating, even though we had been the first to discover the site.
I didn’t care much. Avoiding blame for collapsing the mine was enough for me to feel fortunate.
However, the mages from the Tower didn’t seem to share my indifference. They formally lodged a complaint with the kingdom.
The result of their protest was immediately clear: the mages had to hastily prepare to leave the kingdom.
Though the official reasons were unclear, it was evident that a minor conflict had arisen between the mages and the dwarven kingdom.
It was the mages’ characteristic inquisitiveness that had brought this trouble upon them.
Early in the morning, while the Tower mages hurriedly packed their belongings, I headed to the annex’s training grounds and unsheathed my sword.
Shrrng—
The blade slid out of its scabbard with a chilling sound, catching the gentle light of dawn and shimmering brilliantly.
Along the pristine white blade, a crimson line ran vividly, filling the cracks that had once spread like spiderwebs.
I recalled the face of the dwarf who had grinned confidently as he handed it to me.
“Hoo…”
Exhaling lightly, I began to move. My motions were neither fast nor elaborate but stayed true to the basics. The foundational swordsmanship of Azure Wings, the Empire’s Dawn, unfolded in my hands.
The sword’s balance had shifted. The moment I recognized this change, I adjusted the distribution of strength in my grip.
By applying more force with my middle and ring fingers and extending my index finger to widen my grip, I could guide the shock from rotation more smoothly by slightly lifting my center of gravity.
It was a small adjustment, but it felt much more comfortable.
Though I couldn’t immediately adapt my grip technique to the altered sword, continuous training would allow me to wield the newly reforged White Dragon Sword as skillfully as before.
Clack.
After finishing my practice, I sheathed my sword and moved on. A cold chill swirled faintly beneath my feet.
By noon that day, the Tower mages had finished preparing to leave. A long line of carriages formed, with mounted mages following behind them in procession. I was also set to join the group.
My notably small stature made me stand out.
Riding my horse, I approached a group of mages who were clearly of high rank. Most of them were ether-class mages.
“You’ve been quite busy, it seems,” I remarked, subtly criticizing their decision to split the group and leave early.
The mages, however, were shameless. A middle-aged mage stepped forward, a broad grin on his face as he laughed heartily.
“It was an important matter. What could we do? Did you enjoy your sightseeing, though?”
His response left me momentarily at a loss for words. I hesitated, my lips twitching, before nodding slightly.
I could have called them out for cutting off the bridge, but without solid evidence, my complaints would sound like childish whining to anyone unfamiliar with the situation.
“It seems things wrapped up nicely. Since you’re leaving so soon after arriving…”
This time, my words struck a nerve. The middle-aged mage’s expression twitched ever so slightly. It was a fleeting moment, unnoticed by most, but my sharp eyes caught it.
The area was bustling with people. In front of the royal palace, in particular, crowds had gathered, their curious gazes unavoidable.
Because of this, the reception for the Tower was nothing short of extravagant. Key figures from the palace, accompanied by soldiers, had come out to greet them.
The discord between the two factions remained a secret to the public. On the surface, they maintained friendly relations.
‘I wanted to see the palace up close…’
I swallowed my disappointment. Since I hadn’t come as an official guest, I wasn’t allowed entry into the royal palace. I never got to see the craftsmanship of the artisans who had shaped its grandeur.
That fact left me regretting.
“Move out!”
At the signal, the gates opened, and the carriages and horses began to move down the straight road ahead. I followed behind them.
We were retracing the path we had taken to arrive. The scenery felt familiar, and yet, it seemed new. Perhaps the difference lay in the weight I felt on my hips and back.
The Mage Killer.
The Moonlight Sword.
And now, the newly reforged White Dragon Sword.
Unexpectedly, I had gained significant strength. It felt as though I was one step closer to my revenge. A faint smile lingered on my lips.
Across the wide plains, a biting wind swept past us.
“Next time! You have to visit me next time!”
It was the moment of parting from the Tower. Envy clung to my hand, teary-eyed. Her hands were slender and soft. I recoiled in distaste, stepping back.
The cold and distant attitude she had shown at first was nowhere to be found.
Having crossed life-and-death situations together several times, any sense of distance between us seemed to have vanished.
“I’ll visit next time.”
“Really? No, wait! I’ll come find you next time!”
There was a high chance she wouldn’t find me even if she did. Members of Azure Wings rarely stayed at headquarters. We spent over eight-tenths of the year away on missions. I didn’t bother explaining this to her.
“Well… it’s unfortunate, but I can’t keep a busy person tied down.”
Shave, too, expressed his regret at parting with Saeorin.
But what could be done? Meetings inevitably led to partings. Though this farewell wasn’t permanent, it was uncertain when they might meet again. Without a word, I turned my back and walked away.
Now alone, I continued on my journey. There was no strict time limit attached to my mission, so there was no need to rush, but there was no reason to take my time either.
Winter passed, and spring arrived. Across the lands ruled by the empire, fresh sprouts emerged.
The frozen ground thawed, softening and absorbing the moisture. It was a sight rarely seen in my homeland, and I found myself gazing at it in awe.
Why had my ancestors chosen to settle in such a harsh, frozen land? It was a question I had never considered before, but one that occasionally crossed my mind now. If they had blended into the societies of the civilized world, life surely would have been much easier.
On my way to the imperial capital, I had to change horses about twice. I remembered fondly the sturdy horse I had borrowed from the Tower.
Reflecting on this faint memory, I approached the massive gates of the city and passed through without issue.
The soldiers guarding the gates exchanged only light nods with me. They were used to such situations and didn’t stop me.
It wasn’t just me—members of the Azure Wings Imperial Knights were granted free access to the capital.
Even though I wasn’t wearing the full Azure Wings uniform, they recognized me thanks to the badge pinned to my shoulder.
Finally, I had returned to Azure Wings Headquarters.
The headquarters were quiet, as expected. The familiar scenery welcomed me like a second home. It felt cozy, as though my mind and body had begun to recognize this place as my new sanctuary.
“Who are you?”
A strange voice called out. I turned my head to see who it was.
A tall young man stood there, radiating kindness. His fair skin and well-groomed hair suggested noble birth, though I didn’t recognize him.
“Are you lost?”
Lost? What an absurd question. How could I possibly be lost in a place I had come to see as a second home? My head tilted slightly to the side.
“And who are you?”
The young man’s eyes lit up, as if he had been waiting for that question. He straightened his back and adjusted his collar. His finely tailored Azure Wings uniform glinted under the sunlight.
“Doma Price. Knight of Azure Wings.”
An unfamiliar face claiming to be a knight of Azure Wings. Given that he was walking around the headquarters wearing the uniform, it didn’t seem like he was lying. Still, his shoulder bore no badge.
“Oh…”
After staring at him for a while, I recalled something I had forgotten. Before leaving on my mission, I had heard that the recruitment exam for new members was underway. It seemed my mission had coincided with the selection process.
Apparently, I now had a junior without even realizing it. The thought felt strange.
“Hm…”
“Where are the parents who came with you?”
His follow-up question made my expression sour. My small stature often led to me being mistaken for a child, but being treated like one was annoying.
At that moment, Price pulled a piece of candy from his pocket and offered it to me.
A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips.
“I came alone. Perfect timing, actually. I need to visit the administrator, so guide me there.”
“Uh… well… um…”
Leaving the flustered Price behind, I walked past him. As a senior, I decided to test my new junior. Did he know the layout of the headquarters?
It had been less than two months since he joined. That should have been enough time. If he didn’t know his way around, I would consider giving him a small punishment.
“What are you waiting for? Hurry and guide me.”
Snapping out of his daze, Price quickly ran to catch up. As he walked ahead of me, something about the situation felt off.
My authoritative demeanor seemed to suit me oddly well. The sense of intimidation that I had only ever felt from my seniors was now radiating from me, a small girl.
‘Now that I think about it, she’s carrying three swords…’
One sword at each hip and another on her back. Suspicious. This girl was suspicious.
Just as Price was about to stop in his tracks, a man appeared from the opposite corridor.
It was Kanok, the deputy commander of Azure Wings.
“Oh! When did you get back?”
Price froze, his body stiff with tension. Kanok’s charisma during the entrance exam had been overwhelming, so it was only natural for him to feel intimidated.
However, Kanok walked right past Price and approached me. Feeling puzzled, Price turned to look back and saw Kanok chatting with me warmly.
“Did you just get back?”
“Yes, I’ve just returned.”
“Where’s your uniform? And what’s with the new swords?”
“A lot happened.”
“Care to share what happened?”
“I’m tired…”
At that moment, Kanok and I both noticed Price staring. We turned our heads to face him.
“Uh, Deputy Commander… Who is that—uh, who is she…?”
“What? You two didn’t introduce yourselves?”
Kanok’s question made Price visibly flinch. His gaze darted to the badge on my shoulder, which bore two feathers, marking me as an intermediate-ranked knight.
Realizing his mistake, Price’s face turned pale as he swallowed hard.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Saeorin.”
A gentle breeze brushed past me, lightly tousling my hair. A soft smile played on my lips.
The unexpected encounter had brought an abrupt end to my game with the new recruit, leaving me slightly disappointed.