E-Rantel.
The members of the Death-Spreading Sword Band were handed over to the E-Rantel guards, bound one after another in a long line.
Former adventurers.
Retired soldiers.
Runaway serfs.
Mercenaries turned criminals.
Remnants of bandit gangs.
To a man, they could barely hold themselves upright.
Those with broken arms.
Those limping on shattered legs.
Those with dislocated shoulders.
Those who had been struck in the jaw and could no longer speak properly.
They were led into E-Rantel by the guards.
However, none of them were dead.
That fact, more than anything, shocked the onlookers.
"I thought they said the band was annihilated?"
"They weren't killed, they were subdued."
"That many of them?"
"And by one person?"
"The Death-Spreading Sword Band... those are the bastards who raided merchant caravans and murdered adventurers."
"I heard Brain Unglaus was with them, too."
The mention of that name caused the surrounding commotion to swell.
Brain Unglaus.
The swordsman who had once dueled Gazef Stronoff in the Kingdom's tournament.
Though he had lost to Gazef, his skill was considered among the finest in the Kingdom.
A man known for the absolute truth of his blade.
That same Brain had been handed over to the E-Rantel guards.
Not dead.
Unable to flee.
With his sword shattered.
The people were struck with disbelief.
"He subdued Brain without killing him?"
"Is that even possible?"
"The same Brain who fought Captain Gazef?"
"Then just how strong is this woman named Iel?"
The citizens of E-Rantel had already witnessed Iel's power the night before.
The magic that had swept away thousands of undead.
The power that had cornered the black follower, Nivs.
But that had been too unrealistic.
Too vast.
Too distant.
Because of that, the people hadn't truly grasped it.
Power that looks like myth often lacks a sense of reality.
But this was different.
The Death-Spreading Sword Band was a familiar terror to the people.
A bandit group merchants dreaded.
A criminal organization adventurers guarded against.
A tangible threat that had long given the guards a headache.
Iel had subdued that tangible threat alone.
And she had done so without taking a single life.
Now, there was hardly anyone in E-Rantel who doubted Iel's strength.
---
The Adventurer's Guild.
Guildmaster Ainzack reviewed the report brought by Iel and the guard's confirmation documents.
Subjugation of the Death-Spreading Sword Band.
Capture of Brain Unglaus.
Securing of the bandit hideout.
Recovery of looted goods and ledgers.
Direct clues linking them to Zurrernorn were still limited.
However, it was clear that a significant threat to the security surrounding E-Rantel had been removed.
And above all else.
Iel had been alone.
No support.
No official subjugation force.
Despite that, she had annihilated the Death-Spreading Sword Band.
Without killing a single person.
Ainzack pressed his stamp onto the document.
Thump.
The Guildmaster's seal left a vivid mark on the promotion papers.
Iel.
Special examination passed.
Official recommendation from the E-Rantel Adventurer's Guild.
Rank.
Adamantite.
Numerous adventurers were gathered in the guild hall.
Unlike usual, the sound of clinking glasses was quiet.
Even the adventurers standing before the request board were turning their heads.
Ainzack stood before them.
In his hand, he held the promotion document.
"Last night, Lady Iel saved the city during the E-Rantel defense battle, and today, she single-handedly subdued the Death-Spreading Sword Band."
The hall fell silent.
"By the authority of the Guildmaster, I recognize these achievements and her skill."
The adventurers held their breath.
Ainzack declared in a clear voice.
"The E-Rantel Adventurer's Guild hereby promotes Lady Iel to the rank of Adamantite."
A stir ran through the hall.
Someone began to clap.
Someone gaped in disbelief.
Someone quietly bowed their head.
Adamantite.
The pinnacle of adventurers.
A name that allowed one to cross national borders with a single sword.
A status that even nations and nobles could not treat lightly.
That name was now attached to Iel.
The receptionist carefully held out the Adamantite tag.
"Lady Iel... congratulations."
Iel accepted the tag.
The cold, hard sensation of the metal touched her fingertips.
She gazed at it for a moment.
The gazes of the people gathered once more.
Respect.
Awe.
Curiosity.
Fear.
Expectation.
All those gazes pierced Iel at once.
Iel let out a small breath.
Being elevated was still uncomfortable.
But for now, she had to accept it.
With this status, she could obtain more information.
She could go further.
She could save more people.
Iel raised her head.
"Thank you."
At those short words, the guild hall fell silent again.
Ainzack looked at her.
He knew.
E-Rantel had just gained a new Adamantite adventurer.
And at the same time.
They had invited an entity far too immense into the city.
---
The Royal Capital.
The night in the tavern was noisier than usual.
The Thousand Kingdom.
Caesar.
The purple-haired mage of E-Rantel, Iel.
Those names drifted over the drinking cups.
Drunken mercenaries talked as if they had personally witnessed the demon disturbance in the capital, even though they hadn't seen a thing.
Merchants crunched numbers, discussing commissioners, trade, and tariffs after the treaty was signed with the Thousand Kingdom.
Servants of noble houses brought rumors heard in their masters' mansions and spilled them along with the ale.
"I heard Caesar drove the demon away with a single blow."
"That was in the capital. In E-Rantel, they say a woman named Iel stopped a death ritual."
"A death ritual? It was probably just a few undead popping up."
"A few? I heard it was thousands. What's more, she single-handedly took down the bandit gang that Brain Unglaus was a part of."
"Brain? The same Brain who fought Captain Gazef?"
"They say she subdued him without killing him."
"Then isn't that woman stronger?"
"Caesar is stronger! He descended from the heavens and defeated a demon!"
"I'm telling you, Iel is stronger! They say she fought something close to a god!"
The voices in the tavern clashed.
Rumors, swollen like beer foam, were already becoming larger than the facts.
In a corner of that clamor.
Blue Rose, the famous Adamantite-rank adventurer team of the capital, was seated.
On the old wooden table sat ale cups, plates of meat, thick bread, cheese, and dried fruit.
Even though it was a corner of the tavern, a strange empty space had formed around their seat.
No matter how drunk a mercenary was, they didn't easily intrude on Blue Rose's space.
Blue Rose.
A team composed of five female heroes.
The leader, Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra.
A genius faith-based magic caster with ties to royalty and the owner of the demonic sword Kilineiram.
The twin assassins, Tia and Tina.
Those who had once tried to kill Lakyus but were defeated and became her companions.
Gagaran.
A female warrior who roamed the battlefield with a massive body and overwhelming strength.
And Evileye.
A small-statured mage who hid her face behind a mask.
However, her true identity was an undead magic warrior reaching level 50, capable of wielding 5th-tier magic.
That day, Gagaran and Evileye were the first at the table.
Gagaran gripped a large mug in one hand and gulped down the ale.
The mug looked almost like a bucket, but to her, it seemed like an ordinary cup.
She wiped the foam from her mouth with the back of her hand and turned toward Evileye.
"Hey, Evileye. How's your mood lately?"
Evileye remained silent under her mask for a moment.
Then, she moved the mask just a fraction with her finger and put the cup to her lips.
It looked like she was drinking, but in reality, she barely touched it.
"Not good, Gorilla."
"Gorilla? Your mouth is as foul as ever."
Gagaran laughed boisterously.
Evileye set down her cup and spoke.
"Anyway, what's the situation in E-Rantel?"
At those words, Gagaran's expression turned a bit more serious.
"Ah, that newcomer? The woman named Iel or whatever?"
She rested her chin on her hand and tilted her ear as if listening to the surrounding rumors.
"They say she saved E-Rantel from a death ritual and was promoted to Adamantite for annihilating the bandit gang Brain Unglaus belonged to..."
Evileye spoke in a low voice.
"What do you think of that achievement?"
Gagaran set her ale cup down for a moment.
When she stopped joking, the atmosphere changed slightly.
Though she had a large build and rough speech, she was also an Adamantite-rank adventurer.
She was not a woman who didn't know the dangers of the battlefield.
"Thousands of low-tier undead..."
Gagaran tapped the table with her finger.
"I could clear them out too. It would take time, and there would be collateral damage, but it's not impossible. Low-tier undead are just low-tier undead, after all."
She tilted her head slightly.
"But defeating someone performing a ritual to sacrifice all of E-Rantel? That's a different story."
Gagaran's voice dropped.
"A ritual like that isn't handled with just one or two spells. You need an altar, souls, catalysts, a conductor, and the bastards guarding it all."
Gagaran crossed her arms.
"Moreover, subduing Brain Unglaus without killing him is nonsense."
Evileye asked quietly from behind her mask.
"Why?"
"Brain is a madman, but his sword is the real deal."
Gagaran's voice grew even lower.
"He's a guy who ground his own body down just to beat Gazef. For an ordinary person, killing him might be possible, but subduing him is difficult. To subdue him without killing him, you have to be overwhelmingly stronger. You have to read his blade, leave him with only his breath, and rob him of any room to escape."
Gagaran glanced at Evileye.
"This woman, Iel... I'd say she's at least on your level."
"..."
Evileye did not answer.
The eyes beneath the mask deepened for a brief moment.
Iel.
That name stuck in her mind strangely.
She recalled something from a very long time ago.
The era of the Thirteen Heroes.
The hero from Yggdrasil who had repelled the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord.
The former leader of the Thirteen Heroes.
The days when a powerless commoner picked up a sword, trained, fought, and eventually became a hero.
Those memories were not light for Evileye, either.
The name Iel could be a coincidence.
But this woman who appeared in the world now was also far too sudden.
Right after an unidentified transcendent named Caesar appeared, another transcendent mage appeared in E-Rantel.
It was too strange to dismiss as a coincidence.
Just then, the tavern door opened.
A cold night wind blew inside.
Under the tavern lights, a yellow-haired boy appeared.
A sword was strapped to his waist.
His posture was straight.
However, there was an air of tension about him.
Climb.
He was the young warrior serving Princess Lana.
As soon as she saw him, Gagaran raised her hand high.
"Yo! Look who it is, if it isn't the virgin boy!"
Climb's face turned red in an instant.
"I, I am..."
He tried to say something in response, but the words wouldn't come out easily.
Evileye immediately glared at Gagaran.
"Stop it. You've startled the boy. Don't you know when to quit teasing?"
Gagaran clutched her stomach and laughed.
"It's a joke, a joke. I didn't think you would, but you seem to care for young Climb quite a bit?"
Evileye set her cup down with a thud.
"I am simply saying what needs to be said."
"You say that, and yet you're the one who dotes on him most."
Before those words could even finish, Evileye grabbed Gagaran by the collar.
The sight of the small-framed Evileye grabbing the massive Gagaran by the collar was strangely comical.
However, Gagaran did not take that strength lightly.
Inside her small body, Evileye harbored monstrous strength and magic.
"Shut up, muscle-brain."
"Hahaha! How scary!"
Climb looked at the two of them with a troubled face.
"Um... are you two arguing because of me?"
At those words, Evileye released her grip.
"Sigh... sit down, Climb."
Climb carefully took a seat.
Gagaran patted him on the back.
The gesture was meant as a sign of friendliness, but to Climb, it felt like being hit by a blunt weapon.
"Greenhorn, how's the training going?"
Climb hunched his shoulders but answered politely.
"Yes... I've been focusing my training on overhead strikes."
Gagaran nodded grandly.
"Overhead strikes, good! They're honest and carry weight. But you should think of a tactic for when an overhead strike is blocked."
She tapped the table with her finger.
"When the overhead is blocked, you can use your feet. Aim for the knees, or break the opponent's posture. The sword isn't your only means of attack. Your whole body is a weapon."
Climb listened intently.
Gagaran continued.
"And this is the most important part: if you get your hands on a magic item or a potion, keep it close. It's meaningless if you die while saving it. It could be your lifeline."
"I will keep that in mind!"
Climb bowed his head deeply.
He took it to heart.
There was no effort he wouldn't make to protect Princess Lana.
In fact, he trained harder than anyone.
From morning until night.
Until his muscles screamed.
Until his palms tore.
He swung his sword.
But.
Evileye spoke coldly.
"Greenhorn, you have no talent."
Climb's face stiffened.
The moment he heard those words, the air above the table turned cold.
Even Gagaran stopped laughing for a moment.
But Evileye did not stop.
"From the start, those with talent and those without are divided."
Her voice was thin and cold.
"Some speak of the hollow hope that talent is something everyone possesses, and that anyone can bloom depending on their effort. But from what I have seen and felt, it is all nonsense."
Climb lowered his head.
Evileye saw his expression but continued anyway.
"There is no effort that surpasses talent. You can see it if you compare yourself to Gazef. Gazef is a human with talent. Because he added effort to that, he reached that level."
She looked straight at Climb.
"On the other hand, what are you?"
Those words were like thorns.
Climb clenched his fists on his knees.
He couldn't refute it.
It was exactly right.
He had no talent for the sword.
He made the effort.
He worked harder than anyone.
But his progress was slow.
He knew better than anyone that he could never reach a realm like that of Captain Gazef.
Evileye toyed with her cup as she continued.
"The leader of the Thirteen Heroes was originally a powerless commoner."
At those words, Climb raised his head slightly.
Evileye spoke as if looking at a distant memory.
"But he swung his sword and swung it again, until he became a human whom no one could oppose. Such exceptions do exist. But an exception is just an exception."
She tapped the table with her finger.
"The world is generally cruel."
Evileye went on.
"What about demi-humans? They are born with bodies that Gazef would have to train a lifetime to obtain. Humans themselves are not a particularly capable race. On average, they are weak, their lifespans are short, and their bodies are soft."
Climb's face grew even darker.
Seeing that, Evileye said,
"Greenhorn."
Her voice dropped slightly lower.
"Do not do anything that casts aside your humanity in your desire for power."
Climb raised his head.
Because of Evileye's mask, her expression was invisible.
But there was a strange weight to those words.
Gagaran suddenly burst into laughter.
"I knew it, you were worried about Climb after all! You're such a tsundere!"
Evileye jumped to her feet.
"Muscle-brain! I told you to shut up!"
"Hahahahaha!"
Gagaran laughed even louder on purpose.
Climb watched the two of them and gave a small laugh.
Though he had heard painful words, strangely, he didn't feel completely despondent.
Evileye's words were cold.
But they weren't lies.
And her final words were clearly advice.
Do not do anything that casts aside your humanity in your desire for power.
Those words remained in a corner of Climb's heart.
The atmosphere relaxed again.
The noise of the tavern returned.
Somewhere, a minstrel was plucking an old stringed instrument.
The smell of grilled meat wafted from the kitchen.
The sound of beer mugs clinking.
Someone's laughter.
The owner's shouting.
All of it mixed together.
But when Evileye spoke again, the air around the table grew heavy once more.
"By the way, what's the atmosphere like in the capital, Climb?"
Climb straightened his posture.
Evileye asked,
"I heard the Kingdom has signed a treaty with a strange power called the Thousand Kingdom?"
Climb's expression turned serious.
"Yes. There was a major disturbance in the capital."
He began to explain slowly.
A high-level demon, estimated to be around level 84, had appeared in the heart of the capital.
The palace guards and the private soldiers of the noble houses had been unable to respond properly.
The city had fallen into chaos.
The citizens had fled.
At that moment, a figure in a black robe had descended from the sky.
Caesar.
He had inflicted a fatal wound on the demon and driven it back.
After that, the military forces of the Thousand Kingdom had appeared on the outskirts of the capital.
A disciplined force of automatons.
An order and sense of intimidation that could not be compared to the Kingdom's soldiers.
As a result, Ramposa III had signed a treaty officially recognizing the Thousand Kingdom.
"From what I have heard, the treaty consists of three points."
Climb spoke carefully.
"First, the Kingdom officially recognizes the Thousand Kingdom."
He folded one finger.
"Second, as long as the Kingdom does not violate the principle of good faith, the Thousand Kingdom will dispatch troops to aid the Kingdom."
Another finger.
"Third, the Thousand Kingdom will send an automaton commissioner to the Kingdom."
Gagaran furrowed her brows.
"Whether that's protection or interference is a bit ambiguous."
Climb nodded.
"Opinions are divided in the palace as well. Some of the Royal Faction believe they can use the Thousand Kingdom's forces to control the Noble Faction. But others worry that they have invited an external power into the Kingdom."
Evileye asked,
"What about the Noble Faction?"
"They are anxious that the traditional order is being shaken. Especially after Terriuss Assis, who received a recommendation from the Thousand Kingdom, became the Acting Commissioner, the Reformist nobles have been moving."
"Reformists?"
"Young nobles who are dissatisfied with both the Noble Faction and the Royal Faction. Terriuss Assis is rallying them. They are gathering weapons, mercenaries, and retired adventurers."
Gagaran gave a low whistle.
"A new game is being played inside the capital."
Climb spoke bitterly.
"Yes. Princess Lana is also closely monitoring the situation."
Evileye fell silent for a moment after hearing that.
Princess Lana.
At the mention of that name, Climb's eyes changed ever so slightly.
Evileye saw the change but chose not to point it out.
Climb asked tentatively,
"Has a situation like this ever happened? In history?"
Gagaran looked at Evileye.
Evileye did not answer.
Instead, she pulled out a small magic item with her fingers.
It was a small metal disc placed on the table.
Evileye pressed it lightly.
In an instant.
The surrounding sounds vanished.
The laughter in the tavern.
The clinking of cups.
The noise from the kitchen could no longer be heard.
It was as if a thin membrane had wrapped around only the table.
Climb asked in surprise,
"What is...?"
Evileye spoke.
"Don't be startled. I've only activated a trivial item. It's just enough to keep our conversation from leaking to the surroundings."
Gagaran said playfully,
"Calling it trivial... isn't that a rather expensive item?"
"Shut up."
Evileye turned toward Climb.
"In the past... there were great sinners."
Climb swallowed hard.
Evileye's voice was low.
"They were called the Eight Greed Kings. They were so greedy that they swallowed everything. They soon established an empire and ruled the whole world."
Gagaran was no longer joking.
Evileye continued.
"So the Six Great Gods, the True Dragon Lords, and those who wielded ancient magic fought against them. It is said they were terrible days."
Climb listened quietly.
It was a history different from what he knew.
It was much heavier and darker than the heroic tales he had read in the Kingdom's official history books.
Evileye spoke slowly.
"Eventually, the Six Great Gods and the True Dragon Lords killed the Eight Greed Kings and formed a World Treaty."
"A World Treaty...?"
"To stand together if a threat to the world ever came."
Climb grasped the context of her words.
"Then, is that man named Caesar the same kind of being as the Eight Greed Kings?"
Evileye did not answer immediately.
The eyes beneath her mask sank into darkness.
"I do not know."
She said.
"But it is said that the Eight Greed Kings and the Six Great Gods spoke thusly."
A moment of silence.
Evileye's voice dropped even lower.
"When the Celestial Emperor comes, no one can stop him."
Climb's body stiffened.
Evileye went on.
"Only..."
Gagaran also held her breath.
"...the future of livestock remains."
As those words finished, the air above the table sank heavily.
Because of the magic item, the surrounding sounds could not be heard.
So the silence was even deeper.
Climb clenched his hands tightly.
"Then... humanity is..."
Gagaran asked in his stead.
"Then, even that woman named Iel is no match?"
Evileye gave a bitter smile.
"Who knows?"
She looked into her ale cup.
"Judging by her achievements in E-Rantel alone, she is a monster. If the being named Nivs was truly on the level of a high-tier Yggdrasil player, then Iel, who overwhelmed him, is already outside the human category."
"Then there's a possibility, isn't there?"
Gagaran asked.
Evileye shook her head.
"The problem is that we don't know just how strong Caesar is."
Her voice was low and cold.
"The military force he revealed in the capital cannot be everything. Rather, it's closer to what he deliberately chose to show. And the name 'Thousand Kingdom' itself is ominous."
She spoke slowly.
"If they are truly the absolute power that comes after the Eight Greed Kings..."
Evileye stopped speaking.
Climb asked quietly,
"Do you think even Lady Iel would be unable to oppose that Celestial Emperor?"
Evileye spoke cynically.
"Probably."
Those words were sharp.
However, fear was mixed in them rather than complete certainty.
Climb lowered his head.
Caesar.
The Celestial Emperor.
A being who might be even greater than the Eight Greed Kings.
Such a being had signed a treaty with the Kingdom.
He had sent a commissioner to the capital.
He was shaking the balance between the nobles and the royalty.
Climb thought of Princess Lana.
Her smile.
The warmth she had shown him.
His own heart that had sworn to protect her.
No matter how strong this Celestial Emperor was.
He had to protect Princess Lana.
Even if he had no talent.
Even if he could not become like Gazef.
Even if he could not fight the battles of gods like Iel.
Within the distance his sword could reach.
He had to protect her.
Climb clenched his fists on his knees.
Gagaran saw that and gave a wide grin.
"You've got a good look in your eyes, greenhorn."
Evileye quietly deactivated the magic item.
In an instant.
The sounds of the tavern rushed back in.
Laughter.
The clinking of cups.
The smell of roasting meat.
Voices arguing over whether Iel or Caesar was stronger.
The world was still flowing like any ordinary night.
However, the air above Blue Rose's table no longer held only the atmosphere of a light drinking session.
Iel.
Caesar.
The Thousand Kingdom.
And the words that had been passed down like a prophecy from long ago.
When the Celestial Emperor comes, no one can stop him.
That night.
The lights of the capital's tavern were warm.
But a cold shadow was cast over the hearts of those sitting within.
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