Translator: AkazaTL
Pr/Ed: Sol IX
***
Chapter 187 – The Little Prince (6)
The middle-aged woman climbed the Observatory. She ascended to the highest point in the faded city. No one there knew why Frey was running toward the top of the Observatory. Did she intend to finally fulfill her duties as a Priest of the Star? To sing the Song of the Stars beneath the night sky? But what aning did that hold now?
The Song of the Stars had been nothing more than a ceremonial event—a performance, the finale of the festival that once comforted the people of Antoine. It had never contained a miracle.
“……”
Yet, for so reason, at that mont, the people of Antoine felt overwheld. A woman who had long lost her blinding youth and beauty was running toward the stars. No—under the pitch-black night, she didn’t seem to be running toward the stars. She looked like she had beco a star herself. A guiding light for the lost, pointing the way forward.
“……Ah.”
Only then did the people of Antoine realize what Frey intended to do. She wasn’t climbing the Observatory just to sing the Song of the Stars in madness. She was speaking to those born and raised in the City of Stars.
I will beco your star. Do not lose your way.
“Even on the darkest night, the stars remain.”
Do not fear the darkness before you. We still have the stars.
“The stars never disappear……”
So of the residents of Antoine watched Frey with eyes shining. Those older among them rembered that she had once been the most brilliant Priest of the Star —the greatest among them. And in the Order of the Star, which had no ranks above Priest, being the greatest Priest of the Star ant being the one closest to the stars. In other words, the one closest to their god.
“……We must protect her.”
Doctrines may differ. Values, beliefs, and dogmas may vary across religions. But there is one universal truth: Every faith grants two rights to the one closest to their deity.
“Protect Priestess Frey!”
The right to communicate with the god one serves. And.
“Protect the Primordial Observatory—!”
The right to be appointed as a Proxy Warrior.
“……W-why are these heretics suddenly—!”
Inquisitor Abel’s face twisted in confusion as the people of Antoine erupted. He frowned for a mont, then quickly realized what was happening. Why were the people going wild? Why was that middle-aged woman desperately climbing to the top of the Observatory?
It wasn’t hard to figure out. Abel was a religious man, too.
“……Guests from the East.”
“What is it?”
“Seize that woman climbing the Observatory—now!”
Abel shouted urgently. But.
“No.”
“What?”
The Conquest Army of the Great Land— They were not ones to obey so easily.
“Why should a warrior of the Great Plains move to catch a single old woman? No.”
“This is important!”
Even at Abel’s shout, the warrior from the plains didn’t budge.
“If it’s so urgent, let those useless armored ones go. They’d be perfect for crawling up there.”
“Th-the Crusaders must guard against the incoming sinners! And you—you promised to help us! You agreed to protect us and support the Crusaders’ mission…!”
“We agreed to help only if enemies beyond your control appeared, or if a crisis broke out that you couldn’t manage. Can’t you even handle a single old woman? Just imagining climbing that rickety plank makes nauseous.”
“Wha—”
“This isn’t a rightful request, hothouse flower. If I climb that structure to catch her, I’m not fulfilling a duty— I’m running your errand. And a warrior of the Great Plains has no intention of being an errand boy for a hothouse flower. Understood?”
Inquisitor Abel couldn’t press further. If he kept pushing, he had no guarantee that the man before him wouldn’t kill him. No—not even just uncertainty. If Abel insisted again, the man would surely kill him.
‘Damn barbarian from a savage land.’
Yes. The Great Land had always been that kind of place. It was written all over the man’s face.
That he wanted to slice weakling Abel in half right now. If not for his lord’s orders, he would’ve slaughtered everyone the mont he arrived. Feeling a sharp murderous intent, Abel had no choice but to shut his mouth. The warrior from the plains scoffed at Abel’s trembling lips and then said:
“If it’s that urgent, you go.”
“……What?”
“If your useless armored brutes can’t do it, then you should. Or is tricking people the only thing you’re good at? Are you the kind of man who doesn’t know how to act himself?”
Abel said nothing. Then, without another word, he turned and began running up the Observatory.
The warrior of the plains scoffed once more as he watched Abel ascend.
“A pathetic land. Truly pathetic.”
He turned his gaze forward. The armored brutes, the feeble ones who looked like they’d never fought in their lives— Two kinds tangled together, pushing and pulling. To him, their scuffle looked more childish than the coming-of-age duels back in the Great Land. If it weren’t for the Khan’s orders, he would never have co to this pitiful place. Never.
“Won’t even need to draw my sword here.”
Snorting, the warrior returned his sword to his belt. He doubted he’d need to unsheathe it at all while stationed here.
But then.
“……Hm?”
Through the chaos, a young man leapt forward. Different from the greenhouse flowers of the Southern Continent. The mont their eyes t, the plains warrior caught the scent of blood.
“This one…”
He was one of their kind.
“Stop, heretic!”
Inquisitor Abel shouted at the top of his lungs as he ran up the worn Observatory. But no matter how loudly he shouted, Priestess Frey didn’t stop.
‘Damn it.’
He forced down his rising anxiety and pushed himself to run harder, breathless. Throughout the long history of the Star Order, a Proxy Warrior had rarely been born. Even when one did, there were no records of them ever acting. So within other Orders even joked,
“Perhaps a Star Proxy Warrior just dances a little more beautifully than the rest.”
That might have been true.
The Star Order, even when facing hardships, never once retaliated.
They embraced those who killed their own priests, preaching forgiveness and reconciliation.
But Abel couldn’t allow even the smallest variable now.
‘I have to succeed in this mission.’
The Order had emphasized it— Antoine must beco the City of the Cross. Only by successfully erecting the cross could they stabilize the shaky foundation of the Order of the Cross.
As an Inquisitor, Abel could not afford to fail. Never.
The Holy See had even granted him reinforcents from the East— Barbarians from the Great Land. Though only a small unit, just five warriors of the plains could raze entire peaceful Southern Continent cities to the ground. They were wolves among sheep.
“Stop… I said stop!”
Abel activated his Authority. Chains of punishnt, the miracle of the Cross that bound sinners. But his authority didn’t activate. The divine power gathered and then scattered like smoke.
“What—”
Just as Abel faltered, starlight poured down in torrents. For that mont, it was brighter than day. And Abel realized— his Authority had failed because the Star Goddess had intervened.
‘Sacred Ground… this Observatory is her Sacred Ground.’
It wasn’t uncommon for Authorities to fail when cast in another god’s domain. But until now, nothing had blocked him atop the Observatory. Why now, of all tis, did the Star Goddess protect her servant? Why had she remained silent while so many Priests of the Star were slaughtered? Why now…?
‘I don’t know. But this isn’t good.’
No, it wasn’t. If the Star Goddess was actively protecting Priestess Frey, then this woman was no ordinary priest. And soone special couldn’t be allowed to act freely. Absolutely not.
“……Huff!”
Abel gave up on his Authority. Instead, he drew a whip from his robes—a tool for interrogating heretics—and resud his climb.
Frey’s pace was slow. She was still a middle-aged woman, after all. And Abel was a healthy, full-grown man. If they both kept running, it was only a matter of ti before he caught up.
With the whip in hand, Abel charged upward. The distance between them steadily narrowed…
***
「She’s preparing to invoke her right.」
“Right?”
「The right to appoint a Proxy Warrior.」
Liam spoke as he watched Frey ascend the Observatory.
“……Are you saying Priestess Frey is becoming the Star Proxy Warrior?”
「No. It’s slightly different from that.」
“Why did you stop speaking halfway?”
「I thought it would be better for you to see it for yourself than to hear it from .」
Slightly different? What did that an?
“Hm… if she were making herself the Star Proxy Warrior, I could understand why she told not to intervene. But in that case, I didn’t need to co here at all, did I? It would’ve been better if I’d just wandered in the desert a bit longer and arrived late. Then I wouldn’t have been threatened by the Crusaders.”
「That’s not true.」
“What?”
「If you’d arrived even a day later, you would’ve gained nothing.」
Gained… nothing?
「Young descendant, you’ll understand soon enough.」
“……”
「Why the sword called you.」
Listening to Liam’s cryptic words, I looked toward the citizens of Antoine, locked in a struggle with the Crusaders. Now that everything had descended into chaos, simply watching from the sidelines wasn’t a good idea. Priestess Frey was still climbing the Observatory. Inquisitor Abel was chasing her, gaining ground. Soone had to help her.
And at this point, the only one who could do that… was .
The people of Antoine were steadily pushing the Crusaders back. It wouldn’t be difficult to slip through them.
Even though my strength had waned, my senses remained sharp.
But the real problem was the reinforcents behind the Crusaders.
‘What do I do about them?’
The Conquest Army of the Great Land. The warrior from the plains radiated dense killing intent. He was at least a Sword Runner. In my current state, I couldn’t beat him even if I ca back to life.
‘And it’s not just one of them.’
Only one was visible, but Abel had said “guests from the East.” There had to be more. And most of them were likely Sword Runners too. If I charged blindly, I’d be cut down without even realizing how I died.
“……”
As I was deep in thought, beyond the crowd, I spotted the robed girl still bound to the cross.
She wore a sorrowful expression, silently watching this scene unfold.
Her face showed an emotion I knew all too well: helplessness.
“Phew.”
That helplessness of being unable to do anything.
The horror of watching sothing precious be destroyed before your eyes.
The sorrow of a crumbling world. The naless, unbearable injustice.
It was all too familiar.
It was… sothing I could never turn away from.
“Master.”
「Yes?」
“In my current state, can I break through that crowd… and defeat that warrior who seems to be at least a Sword Runner?”
「It will be difficult.」
Difficult—that was the answer. So I said:
“But not impossible.”
「You’ve understood well.」
I gripped my sword.
「This will likely be the final trial of the Golden Star.」
Smaller and lighter than the sword I used to wield. But now… far heavier than ever.
“Please help , Master.”
Yet
「It will be incredibly difficult.」
“……I can do it.”
Even if it’s too heavy. There are monts when you must lift your sword.
「That’s the answer I was waiting for, young descendant.」
Hearing my response, Liam… smiled brightly—truly, joyfully.
「Arhan Karavan.」
“Yes.”
「Until now, I’ve taught you many steels—Forging, Polishing, Polished Light… the swords passed down in Karavan.」
“……”
「But those swords I taught you… weren’t the ones I personally favored.」
“Then…?”
「They were blades cut and shaved from my original steel, so my descendants could wield them.」
Liam’s eyes shone with a light I had never seen before.
「Young descendant. Final heir of Karavan. Do you rember the promise I made to you?」
“……”
「That the first Karavan would grant you the true sword of Karavan.」
Perhaps… This was the true light in the Master's eyes.
「Now feels like the perfect mont.」
“……”
「You’ve lost what you clung to. You’ve hit rock bottom. And you face an enemy you could never hope to defeat. A truly satisfying situation. For my steel was forged to cut what cannot be cut, defeat what cannot be defeated, kill what cannot be killed.」
The playful deanor was gone. The light mask had been cast aside. And the hidden sharpness was revealed.
「Raise your sword, young descendant.」
The warm teacher from before was no longer here. Instead
「At this mont, you draw one step closer to transcendence.」
The first and mightiest Swordmaster.
The first and strongest Karavan.
「Rember this well. The na of this sword.」
“……”
「It was also another na the world once used to call .」
Only Liam Karavan remained there.
「Dokbul.」
「The One Who Cannot Be With Others.」
「The Indomitable.」
User Comments
0 comments from readers