Arriving at the Lord’s chambers, I see Theo sitting in his chair.
I approach him, kneel down, and offer a polite greeting.
Even if you are a douchebag, shouldn’t you at least be polite if you are gaining an item?
‘Furthermore, for so reason, Theo took my side in the conversation with Grine earlier. Maybe he’s up to sothing.
“Co.”
“I heard you had sothing for .”
I didn’t drag it out but cut straight to the chase.
Theo’s character in the ga.
I rember very well what that was like.
Unless it’s about work, he doesn’t enjoy talking at length. It’s better to keep it short and to the point.
“Yes, it is. But whether you get it or not is up to you.”
I knew there was going to be an event.
Perhaps Theo was trying to test .
Before he gives a certain artifact, he wants to make sure I can handle it.
He wants to make sure.
Naturally, I have no choice but to comply.
I’ve already co this far.
Even if he’s disappointed, I can only do my best.
“If you’re giving a trial, I’ll take it.”
“Very well. Rodwell, fetch it.”
Rodwell, back in his chambers by now, brought a wooden box.
It was long, with the family’s signature black sword emblem engraved on the outside. I could tell it was more than it seed.
“This is the sword of the founder of House Rinehafer.”
The sword of the first patriarch.
I can feel my heart tighten at Theo’s words.
Pounding.
It beats hard, sending shivers of excitent up my spine.
It’s the sword of the first lord of House Reinhafer.
‘It has never been seen in the Inner Lunatic.’
In other words, I don’t recognize it.
An item that even I, a deceased man who had beaten the ga a whopping 27 tis, didn’t recognize.
Theo was about to hand it to .
…with a little trial, of course.
“I don’t know what’s going on……. but I have to get it here.”
My gar senses were telling so.
I calmly took the box and opened it.
I opened it,
not at all what I expected. There was an unsightly sword. {1}
“Is this the sword used by the first patriarch?”
A white, chipped-toothed blade.
The hilt is barely covered with cloth, and the sword’s appearance is frankly ugly.
Unfortunately, I might as well have taken a random blade from the training center.
“Why would he hand sothing like this?
The question burns deep in my chest.
But Theo must have had a reason for showing this. There must be a reason he said he would test it.
So I calmly wait.
For Theo to speak.
“Yes, it is. It’s the sword you first held as a child, and it’s been with all my life.”
“Tell what test you’re going to do with it.”
“Hold the sword.”
I obediently grasped the cloth-padded handle as Theo instructed.
Then I lifted the sword lightly.
It wasn’t difficult, as my recent training had improved my strength stats considerably.
However, there was one peculiarity.
‘It’s… absorbing my magic.
The First Lord’s sword was absorbing the magic in my body.
If other swords were designed to fight by absorbing magic, this was the exact opposite.
Moreover, the blade was gradually turning black as it absorbed the magic. It seed to be an artifact that used magic to change its color.
A sword that takes away the user’s power… What kind of artifact is this?
“You’re already starting to feel it.”
Theo poked in the eye, as if he had anticipated my reaction.
I could only nod.
“It’s just how it happened.”
“Yeah. You felt it.”
Theo rose from his seat and took a step toward .
“This sword absorbs its master’s magic power and releases it… multiple tis over.”
Definitely.
If so, it could be quite useful.
If a normal sword accepts magic and uses it to slice through enemies. It could absorb it and release it many tis over.
But I frowned at the twitching arm.
“It doesn’t look like a sword you can use casually.”
The words were true.
Even as I speak, the sword seems to be eating alive. It continued to ravenously feed on my magic and life force.
The result.
[Player’s magic is rapidly being drained!]
The warning was unmistakable.
Theo confird my words.
“If you want the sword from , you have to hold it for ten minutes.”
I was stunned by his words.
Ten minutes…?
In my current state?
‘Theo, you son of a……!’
I gritted my teeth.
[Talent ‘Master of Smoke’ triggers].
“Of course.”
I said, though there wasn’t an ounce of tension or pain in my expression.
Theo looked down at and spoke in a cold voice without a hint of emotion.
“The sword’s na is Stormbringer.”
With his words, the artifact’s detailed status window popped up.
__________________
[Basic Info]
Na: Stormbringer – Weakened Status
Category: Equipnt
Tier: dium-low → grows to a higher tier later.
Attribute: Darkness
Stats: 2 Dexterity
Equip Limit: Knight class
Special Effects: Whenever you kill an enemy, you absorb their magic and replace it with your own stats.
*This sword absorbs a large amount of the player’s magic before releasing it to unleash its power.
*Raises the player’s rank by 3 ranks.
*Caution: If the sword is not energized, it cannot be used.
__________________
I couldn’t afford to care less.
I was going to die of disenchantnt right now. Does it matter?
I’ll just have to live and see. …….
It was then.
[All the magic in your body has been used up. Replace the energy consud].
[Forces the player’s health to be replaced with magic].
[Player’s life will rapidly decrease!]
What?!
My lifespan is decreasing?
I’m already hitting rock bottom…!
I was about to pull my hand away when I realized this wasn’t right.
Suddenly, the sword stuck to my body and wouldn’t let go.
Like a blood-sucking mosquito. It began to gnaw away at my life force.
One more son of a bitch.
Oh well.
I’m not going to die here, am I…?
* * *
Theo von Reinhaber watched his youngest son, Nox, take up the sword of the First Lord for a long mont, and he could not help but be deep in thought.
‘The Stormbringer… what a sword it is.’
The sword in Nox’s hand was a demonic sword nad Stormbringer.
A demonic sword is an artifact from the mythical past that is said to lead a swordsman to his doom.
But it is real.
From the very first founder of House Reinhafer. His sword was actually passed down through the generations.
But.
No one, not even the successive patriarchs, thought anyone could wield it.
The reason was simple.
It absorbed too much of the wielder’s magic.
Nine out of ten would collapse from exhaustion the mont they held it.
Those who managed to reach the level of a master could barely last more than a dozen minutes. Even the greatest Patriarch of history, himself, can only last an hour.
And yet he’s asking this of the youngest, who hasn’t even begun to blossom.
There’s a better than 9% chance he’ll give up.
Theo knew it, but he made him clench his teeth once.
So unknown sense of anticipation was slowly expanding within him.
‘Nox von Reinhaber. He’s growing. More than I realize. And he’s hiding his power.
From the recent rescue of the maid to the family scandals, Nox has been at the center of every storm.
Theo was convinced none of it was a coincidence.
He had also co to believe that Nox might indeed be as gifted as the Three Swordsn.
So he decided to test him.
What if he could hold this sword for ten minutes? If he could, Nox would be the greatest Patriarch of all ti.
If he could.
‘He will surpass , and finally succeed in killing .’
It was a long-held desire of Theo’s.
And so it was.
The next ten minutes flew by like arrows.
Theo had to admit it now.
That my son Nox’s talents were now too great to ignore.
* * *
“……Hmph.”
[Talent ‘Master of Smoke’ begins to shake].
[User’s lifespan has been reduced by 91 days].
[Returns the circulation of magic power in your body to its normal state].
Thanks to my lifespan sacrifice.
Ever since Theo’s story ended, I’ve been concentrating on holding onto the sword for dear life. Now, even my traits are faltering.
I stood speechless, gripping the blade still. I gritted my teeth as I felt the energy drain out of .
After about sixty days, I thought, “Whatever this thing is, it doesn’t matter anymore.
Whatever this thing is, it doesn’t matter anymore.
I’ll take it, no matter what!
I’ll take it, even if it’s rotten!
I finally got to the point where my brain couldn’t make a good decision.
Well, it worked out in the end.
“Enough.”
I heard Theo’s heavy voice, followed by a clang.
I finally let go of the tangled sword in my hand and let it fall to the floor.
Theo looked at and nodded.
“So… you had a power you were hiding.”
“What do you an?”
It seems that the [Master of Smoke] talent has returned to its original state.
I feel the greatness of the talent again.
I can’t even hear myself gasping for air.
My body is screaming, but my exterior is nonchalant, as if I’ve accomplished sothing almost effortless.
My upright posture, straight back, and cool legs stretched out below are still intact.
He’s barely holding it together, and Theo says in a tasteless tone, “The sword is yours now.”
And with that, he walks away.
I felt the urge to grab him in anger.
For fuck’s sake, I want my life back!
* * *
A few days passed, and the morning dawned for the Chasers’ slaughter.
I packed up my things with Zitri, stuffed them into my subspace pouch, and strapped them on.
The pouch was Theo’s paycheck.
Apparently, the Stormbringer wasn’t the only thing he was going to hand over.
To , that’s not a bad thing.
No doubt more ans of survival is always a good thing.
I glance to the side and see that Grine has also received a lot of supplies. His pockets seem to have been enriched by the support.
It’s a bit much for what he received in exchange for taking with him, but at this point, it’s all mine anyway.
I’m going to use the Grine to do all the heavy lifting.
Heehee!
I’m riding a full-grown (well, not quite full-grown, but still) Carl with Zitri.
We’re following behind Grine and the Knights as they form a long procession.
All the while, Zitri is morizing the surrounding landscape and marking it on a map.
She says it’s so she can find a good place to camp and a water source, but I think it’s great.
Still, I can’t believe a maid can be so helpful in battle.
I stroke my sword, wondering where the boundaries of the realm lie. He whined and snorted in amusent.
It was about two hours later when he heard the voices up ahead.
“…No, it’s not! It’s this way!”
“No! I said this way…!”
“Uh-huh! I said this way…!”
“Ron, didn’t you say you could find the way?”
Amidst the commotion, Grine’s voice is heard as well.
Beside him, the leader of his hired knights, Ron, scratched his head and replied in a disheveled voice.
“I’m sorry… I’ve never been this way before….”
Imdiately, the situation beca clear.
This is so ridiculous….
They’re… lost.
“Crazy assholes…….”
“Master?”
“Oh, I didn’t do it to you, I did it to those incompetents.”
Slowly, he drew his sword and moved to the front of the halted procession.
As I did so, I caught sight of Grine, his face crumpled into a grimace. I smiled nonchalantly and asked.
“Brother, sothing must have happened to you.”
“None of your business.”
I dismissed the answer, gesturing lightly around.
“You’re lost.”
“I thought I told you clearly that it was none of your business!”
“I did.”
I interrupted him appropriately, then smiled sheepishly.
“I can help you find your way.”
“……what?”
For the first ti, Grine’s expression was colored with bewildernt.
How could his youngest brother, who had been confined to the family mansion for most of his life, talk about being able to find his way around?
At most, he’d read about it in books…
“You should try hiring as a Pathfinder, the vassals have said I’m pretty good at it.”
Of course, the vassals never said that.
They just know as a bastardized bastard.
Grine was half-heartedly dismissive of my words, but he began to rack his brain diligently.
‘Being late is certainly a problem, but… if we can break Nox’s montum here, it might not be such a bad idea to go back a bit.’
“…Since you’re so confident, I’ll leave it to you for a while.”
Grine finally agreed.
“Everyone gather here and pay attention to . I will be your guide.”
I smiled weakly and gathered my people.
Then I scanned the procession with a wary eye.
‘So non-gars sotis ask ,’ I said, ‘so what’s so different about being an Inner Lunatic?’
There are two key elents of being a deceased person.
‘Wayfinding. And hidden pieces.’
It had to be sothing that any deceased individual could do.
What demons are there.
And what treasures or artifacts are hidden, because that’s the key to getting gars to play the ga deeply.
In that sense.
The Chasers area is a strategic location that I’ve been to hundreds of tis.
To put it simply.
I could find it with my eyes closed.
I smirked.
“This way.”
T/N
{1} : 볼품없는 검 / bolpum-eobsneun geom
{2} : ok so “gazoo” has always been used to refer to Theo as either patriarch or lord and is used as a noun here
‘inner dialogue’ vs “exterior dialogue”
This inner map knowledge dow ring close to heart, If I close my eyes I can still see ancient COD maps from my childhood.
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