Sword Master of a Fa Chapter 19 : Monster Invasion (1)

Chapter 19: Monster Invasion (1)

Two days had passed since it was confird that the monsters’ movents were unusual.

Aron stayed at Chaplin Castle and prepared together with the castellan to brace for the monsters’ invasion.

At that mont, a knight belonging to Chaplin Castle ran up to Aron and delivered the news.

“The monsters have begun moving south.”

“……Is it possible to determine their numbers?”

“A report ca in saying they exceed ten thousand.”

“That ans their numbers increased even more in just two days. Have you conveyed the seriousness of the matter to the castellan?”

“I’m on my way after delivering it. The castellan ordered us to assu a battle stance.”

At the knight’s report, Aron crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

‘There’s sothing going on. Unless sothing happened inside the Monster Mountain Range, there’s no way monsters of this scale would enter human territory. And when I checked last ti, the monsters looked as if they were being chased by sothing.’

With the conviction that he had to grasp what was happening inside the mountain range, Aron went outside.

As he stepped out of his quarters, Aron sensed that the interior of the castle had grown noisy and looked around.

Just then, a knight hurriedly ran toward Aron.

“Military Strategist, the Ragnar Knight Order has just arrived.”

At his words, Aron turned his head.

When he saw the flag bearing the white wolf—the symbol of the Ragnar Knight Order—Aron smiled.

Aron imdiately hastened his steps to et Kyle.

By the ti he arrived, the castellan of Saie was facing Kyle.

“I heard the news of your return. I apologize for not coming to see you.”

A friend of Pan, and a man who had served as a vassal of Ragnar for a long ti.

To such a castellan of Saie, Kyle stepped forward.

“I won’t ask if you’ve been well. I can only say that I’m sorry.”

“Why would you apologize to ? If anything, I’m the one who should apologize.”

The castellan of Saie bowed his head to Kyle and continued speaking.

“Eldest Young Master, after we put a stop to this monster uprising, I will ask for punishnt for failing to protect the previous Head of the Family.”

“……Castellan.”

“I still had work left to do, so I have not yet received my punishnt, but now I wish to set down the burden on my heart.”

There was a simple reason why Viscount Saie, who originally stayed at the Lord’s Castle and served as a vassal, had co all the way to the front lines.

When all the remaining vassals who stayed behind with the previous Head of the Family were killed in action, among them was also the previous castellan of Chaplin Castle.

In such a situation, the only person who could shoulder the heavy responsibility of defending Chaplin Castle was Viscount Saie alone.

“Don’t say such things. Haven’t you protected Ragnar all this long while I was gone?”

“No. Ragnar could remain intact now only because the Eldest Young Master returned.”

Seeing the castellan of Saie with worry filling his face, Kyle revealed his pity.

“Wouldn’t it be better to hand over the position of castellan to soone else now and return to the Lord’s Castle?”

“To whom would I hand over the castellan’s seat? There is no suitable successor.”

“That is sothing I will speak to the Head of the Family about and have dealt with after this battle is over. Shouldn’t you live comfortably now, at least?”

“……I am a man who has lived his entire life in this bitterly cold north with a sword in hand. A comfortable life does not suit .”

If there had been a way to break the castellan of Saie’s stubbornness, Kyle would not have brought it up in the first place.

Kyle approached him with a faint smile.

“It seems the castellan’s youngest son has grown very well. And I heard the castellan’s eldest son has great talent in letters.”

“…….”

“Chaplin Castle will never collapse in the castellan’s generation. So put your worries to rest now and perform the duties of an elder together with Elder Pan.”

The castellan of Saie glanced at Zero standing behind Kyle, then gently closed his eyes.

Of the six vassals there once had been, only two remained now, including himself, and all three elders had also disappeared.

Lastly, Elder Modello, who had been holding out in Ragnar, was executed by Kyle’s hand, leaving the title of elder vacant.

For the sake of Ragnar, and for the sake of Chaplin Castle, the position of elder could not be left empty for too long.

If the system of the Ragnar Territory collapsed, Chaplin Castle would also be greatly affected.

Although Pan had accepted Kyle’s request and was serving as an elder, it was clear that it was still insufficient.

“……I will think about it, but I don’t believe now is the ti to decide my treatnt.”

At the castellan of Saie’s words, Kyle nodded.

For him, dealing with over ten thousand monsters would co first.

“I know. But, Castellan.”

“Yes, Eldest Young Master.”

“Why do you think I ca here?”

The castellan of Saie pondered for a mont, then shook his head.

“……I’m not sure. Although the number of monsters is large, even if the Eldest Young Master does not step in, we can defend against them sufficiently.”

“We can hold them back, but the damage will be beyond imagination.”

“I believe that is one reason, but it seems the Eldest Young Master is looking even further ahead.”

At his words, Kyle looked up at the walls of Chaplin Castle.

“I have no intention of returning to the Lord’s Castle and plan to stay stationed at Chaplin Castle for a while.”

“May I ask the reason?”

“My father’s long-cherished wish that he left behind as resentnt—I will resolve it.”

Kyle clenched his fist tightly.

It was also the greatest purpose behind swiftly stabilizing the Ragnar Territory and resuming trade with the Rapid rchant Guild.

The mont he heard Kyle’s words, the castellan of Saie realized what he ant and widened his eyes.

“……It is a difficult matter. No, it may even be impossible.”

“There is no such thing as impossible. It is difficult, but it is also sothing that must be done.”

As the castellan of Saie said, without Kyle it would have remained an impossible task, but now things were different.

It was rely difficult—never impossible.

“I ca here to reclaim the Iron Mine, to honor my father’s will.”

---

At the Lord’s Castle Kyle had left behind, Pramo sat alone, tilting his wine cup, and looked out the window with a bitter expression.

At that mont, Elise carefully opened the door, ca in, and sat beside Pramo in her nightclothes.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

“……Just a lot of thoughts crossing my mind.”

“Is it because you feel empty now that your elder brother has left?”

“No, even if my brother were staying at the Lord’s Castle, I wouldn’t have ti to see his face anyway.”

“……Then what’s hurting you so much?”

At Elise’s question, filled with concern, Pramo let out a small, self-mocking laugh.

It had been a long ti since he had felt this pathetic about himself.

An older brother far superior to him in every way.

And an older brother who helped him more than anyone else.

The fact that he harbored such feelings toward Kyle disappointed him.

“I’m jealous.”

“…….”

“He’s an older brother far better than . Even after returning after fifteen years, that hasn’t changed.”

“Dear.”

“I know. I know that my brother is soone I can’t even be compared to. But I can’t help feeling envious.”

Unlike himself, who couldn’t even gather Aura, Kyle possessed the talent to reach the rank of Master.

That alone made Kyle’s talent dazzling.

So he had always envied him, always felt jealous.

“Having these feelings while looking at my brother feels like a sin. He probably knows.”

“Your elder brother will understand.”

“I want to take up a sword and fight at the forefront for the Ragnar Family too. But I can’t do that…….”

Lowering his head, Pramo repeatedly clenched and unclenched his hands.

An inferiority complex.

If only he, too, had the ability to live boldly wherever he went…….

At the sa ti, the re fact that Kyle, who possessed such ability, had returned to Ragnar seed remarkable.

“My brother always put the family first.”

“Your elder brother didn’t put the family first—he put his family first.”

“……Is that so?”

“If he had put the family first, he wouldn’t have left like that. Have you never thought that he returned because family cos first?”

At Pramo’s bitter expression, Elise gently stroked his hair.

She knew what Kyle ant to Pramo.

He was a pillar, and the driving force that had allowed him to endure until now.

“I don’t understand why you tornt yourself. The feelings you have toward your elder brother aren’t jealousy.”

“…….”

“You did your best because you wanted his acknowledgnt.”

“But I’m still far from being acknowledged.”

“No. Your elder brother has already acknowledged you. He just doesn’t show it.”

If Kyle had not acknowledged Pramo, he would have seized the position of Head of the Family the mont he returned.

He was always the kind of person who had to accomplish anything he set his mind to.

Pramo knew that fact as well, but Elise’s words did not sound comforting at all.

“Haa, but it still feels stifling. The Territory has stabilized, and now all that’s left is to move forward, but why does it feel like I’m just treading in place?”

“I learned that feeling that way and learning is how you grow.”

“……From whom?”

“From your late father. Don’t be too disheartened. Just as you said, the Ragnar Territory now has nothing left but to move forward.”

At Elise’s gentle voice, Pramo set down the wine cup he had been holding.

Soon, the words Kyle had said before leaving for Chaplin Castle ca to mind.

― You are my younger brother. That is a truth that will not change even if the world collapses. So don’t be impatient.

Pramo pondered deeply.

Perhaps the feelings he was experiencing now were not jealousy or an inferiority complex.

‘……Am I worried that my brother might disappear again?’

If it were Kyle, once Ragnar stood tall in the future, he might leave without hesitation.

Letting out a small sigh, Pramo looked at Elise and spoke.

“If Ragnar stabilizes and becos an even better place to live than before…… will my brother leave again?”

“……Why are you worrying about such unnecessary things?”

“It just crossed my mind. Maybe I’m afraid that this ti, too, my brother might leave ho because of .”

“Then you just have to try harder. If you show that you’re firmly holding your position, your elder brother won’t leave.”

Fifteen years ago, because Kyle had been in the family, there had clearly been a precarious situation for Pramo.

Elise also knew that the reason Kyle left the family was precisely ‘that incident.’

At her words, Pramo repeatedly rubbed his face dryly and muttered in a low voice.

“So all I have to do is do well.”

“We both have to do well. I’ll help with all my strength too. So don’t worry about things that haven’t happened yet.”

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Elise changed the subject.

“By the way, the situation at the front seems serious.”

“I received the report. They say the number of monsters exceeds ten thousand, right? The signs that small monsters and large monsters—which normally can’t mix—are moving together an that sothing is happening inside the mountain range…….”

“What are you going to do?”

“We may have to move the troops from the rear fortress.”

Despite his words, there was no great sign of worry on Pramo’s face.

In the past, he would have been crushed by a burden so heavy he couldn’t do anything, but now it was different.

“Your elder brother will judge and inform us. The military authority has already been handed over to him.”

“That’s right. I also inford the Rapid rchant Guild of this news, so we shouldn’t have to worry about supplies.”