The death of the emperor who had ruled the empire.
The entire empire was plunged into great sorrow.
The nobles and imperial family of the capital donned black mourning clothes and paid tribute to the emperor, and the emperor’s long, long funeral began.
It could be called the beginning of an invisible war.
* * *
“Hey, Vitalianus.”
At the arrogant voice calling him, the Sword Saint lowered his head slightly.
“Speak, Your Highness.”
The man before the Sword Saint was someone who stood in such a position.
An arrogant expression that ill suited the cold silver hair symbolizing the imperial family.
Callias Verden.
The Crown Prince of the Empire.
“I’ll promise you the position of my guardian knight, so come over to my side already.”
The knights following the Crown Prince lined up behind Vitalianus as if to pressure him.
From the Sword Saint’s point of view, it was utterly laughable.
Just what did the Crown Prince think he was?
Did he think the Sword Saint, who had commanded the continent with a single sword, would feel pressured by a mere handful of knights like that?
How could he be so arrogant and ignorant?
“I am a Royal Knight.”
“I know. That strange order of knights who even gave up noble titles, wasn’t it? They say knights dream of entering that place? I truly cannot understand it.”
The way he crossed his legs and spoke as though he knew everything was pitiful beyond measure.
A man like this, who knew nothing of a knight’s honor, was to become emperor.
The Royal Knights, an imperial guard order loyal only to the imperial family and obedient only to the emperor’s command.
Even the late emperor, now passed, had respected the Royal Knights and had not treated them carelessly.
……How dare he.
“The Royal Knights must maintain strict neutrality. We obey only His Majesty the Emperor’s orders.”
“And I am soon to ascend the throne, am I not? Am I not the next great emperor recognized by Imperial Father?”
“Once the coronation ceremony is held, the Royal Knights will naturally obey Your Highness the Crown Prince’s words.”
“Hah…… Have I ever seen such a frustrating man? Is the coronation ceremony what matters? I’m saying I am soon to be emperor! Emperor!”
The Crown Prince pounded the table, obsessing over the word emperor.
Even so, when Vitalianus did not so much as twitch an eyebrow, he smiled broadly as if he had never been angry.
“I grew a little excited for a moment. Listen, Sword Saint, think carefully. It is the seat of guardian knight. And not just anyone’s, but the guardian knight of the man who will become emperor. Surely you know more than well what that means?”
A guardian knight, like the imperial guard, was not a position of power that came with a title.
However, if one became the personal guardian knight of an imperial family member, the honor itself changed.
It was a kind of honorary position appointed personally by a high noble or a member of the imperial family.
A post and decoration granted only to the single most skilled and most trustworthy individual.
Because of that, though the position of guardian knight itself held no power, power and honor naturally followed depending on which noble one served as guardian knight.
Of course, those words would not work on the current Sword Saint.
“I am the commander of the Royal Knights. Please return now.”
“……Fine. Let us see how long that lofty pride of yours can last.”
At the dismissal, the Crown Prince shot to his feet and turned to leave, then stopped as if something had suddenly occurred to him.
“Ah, Sword Saint. By any chance, did you spirit Sylvia away?”
“……If you are referring to Her Highness the Princess…… please take back those words.”
“Yes, it couldn’t be you. Sylvia has disappeared. When the emperor’s funeral isn’t even over yet. If this isn’t an act of unfilial treason, what is?”
Still in the posture of leaving, the Crown Prince turned only his head and showed a chilling grin.
“If you happen to find Sylvia, be sure to tell me, Sword Saint.”
“I will.”
“Good. I’ll see you next time. By then, we will be facing each other as emperor and subject.”
To the very end, the Crown Prince left the room with an arrogant attitude.
He likely had not come thinking he could truly persuade the Sword Saint.
It was a kind of performance, and a warning.
He was trying to leave not even the faintest possibility that Vitalianus would side with the Second Prince.
‘……How tiring.’
As expected, this sort of political contest of nerves did not suit the Sword Saint.
‘The funeral has only just begun.’
What sort of disgraceful behavior was this before mourning clothes had even been removed?
The Second Prince bared his teeth as if he had been waiting only for the emperor to die, and the Crown Prince struck back as if refusing to be outdone.
And.
‘Her Highness the Princess has disappeared.’
The Crown Prince’s cruel expression as he asked to be told if Sylvia was found came to mind.
He was surely trying to kill the princess.
‘You should have named the princess as your successor instead, Emperor.’
She would have become a far better emperor than her two arrogant, greedy elder brothers.
Still, it seemed there was at least someone helping the princess, and that alone was fortunate.
If not, it would have been impossible for her to flee the imperial palace while avoiding the eyes of the Crown Prince and the Second Prince.
Of course, all she had managed was to barely save her life.
She would not become a variable in the current situation.
“A guardian knight…… It has been a long time since I heard that term.”
He, too, had once dreamed of becoming an honorable guardian knight.
A glorious position in which one swung the sword for only one person, and one’s lord placed infinite trust in such a knight.
When had it been that he had taken up the sword for such honor?
Even his memories had grown faint. The Sword Saint quietly looked down at his sword.
With what heart had he swung his sword in the past?
And for what should he now take up his sword?
“A knight.”
He did not know.
* * *
“Irina, are the preparations complete?”
At Cardinal Herald’s words, Irina, who had been looking out the window, nodded.
“Yes, Grandfather.”
All their business in the city of Sauer had concluded, and now it was time to depart.
“You were thinking of that mage again.”
“……The mage is doing well, right?”
At Irina’s worried question, Herald showed a benevolent smile.
“Even the Sword Saint of the Empire acknowledged that person’s strength, so do not worry too much.”
She knew that well enough, since she had heard it so many times during their stay that her ears nearly wore out.
That was also why she had not stubbornly insisted on following the mage until the end.
She was far too shabby to accompany someone so extraordinary.
“Can I really become someone so…… amazing?”
Even thinking about it again, did it not make no sense?
A saintess.
At first, she had not even known what that was.
A holy one chosen by the Goddess.
A person who received the respect of all and had to become the hope of all people.
Once she learned that fact, she could not help but feel burdened.
“Do not worry too much. You are a child who becomes light simply by existing. You need not feel burdened.”
The reason she had not refused despite that burden was nothing special.
Because they said her friends would no longer have to wander the streets.
And because, if she became such an amazing person, perhaps someday there would come a day when she could be of help to Hio.
Remembering her goal once more, Irina smiled brightly and tugged on Herald’s hand.
“Yes! Let’s hurry and go, Grandfather!”
The two of them gathered their luggage and headed outside.
The first thing they saw was a crowd too vast to count.
Starting with the lord of the city of Sauer and his retainers beneath him.
Even the servants glancing over from afar, and the residents who had heard the rumors and gathered outside the castle gate.
Pure white carriages stretched in a long line, and dozens of priests surrounding them bowed their heads.
All of them looked only at Irina and bowed their heads.
A wave of pure white parted for Irina and opened a path.
As Irina walked through it, there was only firm resolve in her heart.
“Grow accustomed to it. You are the noblest and most sacred child on this continent.”
“……Yes.”
Irina headed for the Holy Kingdom.
* * *
Unlike before, Hio’s journey was quite comfortable.
Because the count of Sauer had watched Hio’s mood while sweating profusely from his massive body.
‘It’s not like I’m going to eat him.’
As for the clown show he had put on in front of the count, that had been for the sake of raising his patience, so he did not particularly hold it against him.
But the count, who had no way of knowing that, had shown an unprecedentedly sycophantic attitude and supported everything from a carriage to travel expenses.
Thanks to that, Hio was able to arrive comfortably at his destination, the village of Duberrow.
An ordinary village, neither particularly large nor small.
In this village, which had no special features to speak of, there existed a hidden piece Hio had discovered.
“Hey there, young man. Are you a traveler?”
“Yes. Well, I’m wandering here and there.”
“Heh heh…… It’s a good village, so rest comfortably before you go. Ah, I say this just in case, but don’t think of going to the hill behind the village.”
The hidden piece was on the hill behind this village.
“They say ghosts appear there.”
It was a haunted house.
* * *
Originally, when people told you not to go somewhere, it only made you want to go more.
And since that had been his destination from the start, how much more so?
Hio’s steps headed toward the hill behind the village without hesitation.
Because the rumors were so ominous, the villagers did not go anywhere near the place.
Did it not look, at a glance, as if something hidden might be there?
Back when it had been a game, it was a place where users’ footsteps never ceased.
But not one person had discovered what was hidden here.
That was only natural, because what existed in this haunted house was nothing more than a single ghost with a faint, indistinct form.
On top of that, neither skills nor physical attacks worked on it.
Even if the house itself was destroyed, by the next day it would be perfectly intact again, as if it had never been broken.
A priest’s holy power would work, but what high-ranking priest would come to a village like this?
In an era when holy power was weak, high-ranking priests were precious, and an average priest could not exorcise it, so the ghost of Duberrow Village had lived for many long years in that state.
Until it met the Supreme Heavenly Demon, that was.
Creeeak— The door opened with an unpleasant sound, and the moment Hio stepped inside the house, a wail rang out.
—Kyaaaaaak!
Malice surged.
The scream that tore through the air sent goosebumps prickling across his skin.
A wind that had no reason to blow indoors swept in fiercely.
—Kyaak!
A whitish figure suddenly approached right before Hio’s eyes.
Without even being startled, Hio simply turned his head and avoided the ghost’s attack.
No, could that even be called an attack?
It would not particularly matter even if it hit him, but would it not feel unpleasant?
“Now, hurry up and die, then hand over the item.”
In truth, though it was called a hidden piece, it was not hidden in any terribly complicated place.
All he had to do was extinguish the whitish ghost.
The method of extinguishing it was simple as well.
Back then, it had vanished without leaving even a trace under the high-grade flame skill, “Incineration.”
Now, he had a skill even higher in grade than that.
「Skill — ‘Blue Flame’ has been activated.」
A blue flame bloomed beside Hio.
The Blue Flame, formed to the size of a human head, understood Hio’s will and moved at once.
Without hesitation, the Blue Flame blazed against the ghost.
—Kyaaaaaaaaak!
The ghost’s ear-splitting scream filled the haunted house.
A little time passed like that.
—Kyaaaa……
The wailing gradually subsided.
It would not be able to endure for long under the flames of Blue Flame, so it would end soon.
When the ghost was extinguished like this, an artifact would drop in its place.
What Hio was after was that artifact.
Among artifacts that could currently be obtained naturally, it was probably the highest-grade artifact.
Was that not why Hio had deliberately chosen Fire, evolved it into Blue Flame, and come all the way here?
“Now, hurry up and drop the artifact.”
The chilling wail that had come from the ghost wrapped in Blue Flame could no longer be heard.
Nor was there the crackling sound of Blue Flame, as if it were burning something.
Its weakness was fire.
Not some half-baked flame, but at least a high-grade or higher flame could extinguish the ghost.
It had been annihilated even by the Supreme Heavenly Demon’s “Incineration,” so it should not have the capacity to withstand Blue Flame, which was a higher skill than that.
He cut off the mana he had been pouring into Blue Flame, and the blue fire, severed from its mana, gradually faded.
“Hurry up and come out.”
With an excited heart, he waited for the artifact that would soon appear.
But.
—Finally……
What appeared in the place where Blue Flame vanished was not an artifact.
—Have you finally appeared!
It was the ghost.
—My benefactor, who burned away my malice! My savior! My light!
And not in its previous whitish form, but with the clear face of a person, eyes, nose, and mouth distinct.
—Thank you! Truly, thank you! Hahaha! Just how long has it been since my mind was this clear! Ah, my introduction is late.
The ghost was excitedly shouting something, but its words did not quite enter Hio’s ears.
The ghost that should have died was alive?
Then what about my artifact?
—I am Purnell Penchev. In life, I was a necromancer.
Nowhere on the ghost’s body was there any trace that looked like the artifact.
“Ah, artifact……”
—Hm? Is that your name?
Hio glared at the ghost, who was beaming brightly, and charged at it.
“Give me the artifact!”
Do you have any idea how good that artifact is?
An epic-grade artifact…… one that can’t even be obtained……
“You fucking ghost!”
—W-what is wrong with you!
The plan had gotten a little strangely twisted.