Chapter 93 : Blake’s Outlaws

I set the coffin lid back over Ophosis’s peaceful face and returned to the chamber.

A thought struck me, and I asked, “Old man. Were you really waiting here all these decades?”

Ophosis followed me out, answering,

{ No. That would be torture. I only awakened when you opened the door. That’s how I designed it. }

“And when I leave?”

{ I’ll sleep again. }

“I see.”

It was time to go.

I took the empty scabbard from the display and fastened it to my belt, sliding Vlad inside.

Now I wore two swords at my waist.

…Cumbersome.

I also pulled the dagger out of the altar’s keyhole and tucked it back into my robes.

Ophosis watched me fumble with my things, then spoke.

{ One request, if I may. }

“I’ll hear it first.”

{ If ever you meet all Eight Sword Masters and cause the blade to bloom, could you return here once more? }

“Well… coming back itself won’t be difficult.”

It’s just the part before that which is impossible.

Ophosis smiled faintly.

{ Thank you. }

“Don’t thank me yet. I may never return.”

{ Thank you. }

“…”

I stared at him, and he only met me with that stubborn, gentle smile. In the end, I sighed.

I couldn’t win against this old man’s obstinate kindness.

“I’ll try. Now, open the door.”

{ Very well. }

The door slid open noiselessly, just as when I’d first entered.

Blinding light poured through, stabbing at my eyes.

From outside came cries of “It’s open!” and hurried footsteps.

I squinted against the brilliance and asked Ophosis,

“Old man. About the treasures in here—may I take them? I haven’t touched anything, worried they might be cursed.”

{ Take whatever you want. The dead have no use for treasure. }

“Then I’ll put them to good use, as someone still alive and kicking.”

Ophosis laughed heartily.

{ By the way, your name was… }

“Ashuban.”

{ That’s right. Ashuban. }

I noticed his form was beginning to blur. Perhaps because I’d taken the dagger, or because of the glaring light spilling in from beyond the door.

Still smiling, Ophosis said,

{ Farewell, Ashuban. It was a pleasure to meet you. }

“Likewise.”

{ Please, tame that savage sword well. }

I gave him a small smile in return and stepped toward the radiant portal.

It felt like walking the boundary between life and death.

Just as I crossed the threshold where light met shadow, a voice called from behind.

{ Ashuban. }

I turned.

Ophosis was little more than a wisp now, smiling faintly.

{ Tell Hans… that I’m sorry. }

I didn’t know what to say.

So I simply nodded once, then walked into the light.

Shhhh—

The door closed behind me.

“Devil! Devil!”

Linda came sprinting and threw her arms around me.

“I thought you were dead, Devil!”

“…?”

I looked down at the green-haired girl clutching my chest, then gently pushed her off.

“Why such fuss? I wasn’t gone long.”

“Not long, you say?”

Shushruta appeared at my side, glaring daggers.

“You were in there for seven whole days!”

My mind blanked.

“…What? Seven days?”

“Yes!”

I turned toward Sir Curtis. He met my gaze and nodded.

“It’s true. Seven days have passed since you entered.”

“…!”

That couldn’t be.

I’d thought, at most, only a few hours had passed.

I looked quickly at the sealed door.

There hadn’t been any inscription like, ‘Warning: time may flow differently inside.’

Not even in tiny letters.

“That damned old man…”

Well, I should’ve known. A space where the living could commune with the dead would hardly be ordinary.

Still, to twist time itself so roughly…

The Heavenly Demon’s warning echoed in my mind. Good thing I’d left when I did. Stay longer, and the war for the throne might have ended before I returned.

The Heavenly Demon mused with interest,

[ Hm. I can’t discern the principle. Perhaps a type of magic. ]

While Sir Curtis went off to fetch Walpole and Schneider, I spoke with my master.

“Master. You didn’t see the intruder who barged into my inner world?”

[ Ah, there was one. Insolent fellow, so I cuffed him a little. ]

“Oh? That so?”

[ Pathetically weak. Even without me, you wouldn’t have been consumed. ]

So that explained Vlad’s unnatural silence. The Heavenly Demon had smacked him down.

Good. The result was what mattered.

While I spoke with him, Linda and Shushruta exchanged their own chatter.

“Huh? Devil! Who are you talking to?”

“Pay it no mind. He does this often.”

Hearing that, Linda twirled a finger at her temple.

“Oh, spinning?”

“Indeed. Spinning.”

Shushruta mirrored her, finger circling her own temple as she nodded gravely.

‘These little brats…’

Moments later, Walpole and Schneider returned—no longer in armor, but with harpoons strung with fish.

They looked less like knights and more like hunters.

Walpole greeted me brightly.

“Lord Ashuban! You’ve returned! I knew you would!”

Schneider gave a silent bow.

I eyed the fish skewered on their weapons.

“…And the fish?”

“Ah, we ran out of food. We’ve been catching fish from the lake and roasting them.”

So while I’d been gone, they’d been forced to live off the land.

No wonder their appearance was even more ragged than before.

In the end, though, they had endured, believing I would emerge.

I regarded their weary figures and said simply, “Good work.”

The words made my face itch with embarrassment. Why had I said that?

Walpole chuckled.

“To be honest, we almost left. But without the dagger, we couldn’t exit the lake. Ha ha ha.”

“…”

“…Ha ha…”

The air cooled instantly. Walpole coughed and hurriedly added,

“Just a joke, of course.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.”

“Confirmed.”

At last, Sir Schneider spoke, his gaze on my waist.

“Lord Ashuban. That sword you wear…?”

Only then did they notice the new blade hanging at my hip.

All eyes locked onto it—especially the knights.

“Could it be…?”

Their gazes glittered.

I nodded.

“Ophosis’s Ninth Sword. The Crimson Sword, Vlad.”

“…!”

“The Crimson Sword, Vlad…”

I drew it for them.

Shiiing—

As expected of a masterpiece, it slid free without the slightest resistance, smooth as a drunkard gliding across ice.

In the light, Vlad gleamed differently.

Its crimson blade looked like it had been hammered straight from molten lava, radiant and magnificent.

Its razor edge, sharp enough to slice light itself, sent chills down the spine.

“Wow…”

“So this is the Ninth Sword…”

The knights stared in awe, spellbound.

Then Walpole flinched back slightly, eyeing my expression.

“Are… are you well, my lord?”

He was asking if I’d lost myself to the cursed sword.

I only shrugged.

“They call it a cursed sword, but it’s surprisingly tame. Seems the rumors were exaggerated.”

“…I see.”

Sir Curtis nodded gravely.

“Then it was a grueling seven-day struggle to subdue it. You’ve endured much, my lord.”

Sir Schneider offered solemn congratulations as well.

“My respects. You’ve accomplished a great ordeal.”

Even Sir Walpole looked at me with awe.

“Truly, congratulations. I can hardly imagine what a dreadful battle it must have been.”

“I told you, it was nothing.”

“Yes, of course. If you say so.”

“…”

They thought I was being modest.

But really—it was nothing.

Shushruta joined in, nodding.

“I expected no less. A mind like yours would never be dominated by a mere demon sword.”

“And what about my mind, exactly?”

“Must I spell it out?”

“….”

Meanwhile, Linda bounced happily at my side, unable to contain herself.

“Heeheehee! Spinny! Spinny!”

“….”

As for the part about conversing with the long-dead smith Ophosis, or receiving a living serpent-like bracelet… better to keep that to myself. They’d never believe it anyway.

“Time’s been wasted enough. Let’s head out.”

“Yes, my lord!”

The knights answered in unison, spirited.

“Oh, before that.”

“…?”

“Take as much treasure as you like. No curses. He said so himself.”

We left Ophosis’s tomb and climbed the stone steps.

As soon as we all emerged, the massive door shut with a resounding boom.

Mist and the smell of damp earth welcomed us back outside.

The sphinx was nowhere to be seen. According to the others, even while foraging for food during my absence, they had never spotted it again.

We boarded the small boat we had hauled onto the bank and pushed off into the fog.

The dagger, strangely, now shone not toward the island’s center, but outward, guiding us to the far side of the lake.

We rowed slowly, following the beam of light.

“Devil, look! Pretty, isn’t it?”

“Mm. Pretty.”

“Want it?”

“No. You keep it.”

“Heeheehee.”

Linda clutched a handful of glittering gems as if they were pebbles.

Sir Curtis refused over and over, but finally accepted a single gold coin, saying it was enough.

Sir Walpole tried stuffing his pack full, only to be scolded by Curtis; he grudgingly cut down his share.

Frankly, if he’d carried it all, his horse would have collapsed midway, so I didn’t stop Curtis.

Sir Schneider took a necklace, while Shushruta…

“What’s that?”

“Can’t you see? A treasure.”

“…That? A treasure?”

“Yes.”

To me, it looked like nothing more than a battered old compass.

But she carefully tucked it into her robes as if it were the greatest of prizes.

“Well… suit yourself.”

She claimed it, so what could I say?

“Later, I’ll give you the dagger. If you want more, come back and take it.”

“Understood.”

We’d already agreed she would get half, so I wasn’t worried. Without her, we never would’ve reached this place anyway.

She’d likely return with her thieves’ guild and pick the tomb clean in due time.

I pocketed only a few valuable gems for travel expenses. If I needed more later, I could always ask Shushruta.

All in all, the mission had been a success, and my mood was good.

Even the eerie mist of the lake now seemed romantic.

I recited a little verse as we rowed.

“The fog clears, yet the fog remains. The fog blossoms. A thousand blossoms of fog.”

“….”

Soon we reached the shore.

Whistle! Whistle!

Curtis whistled, and from somewhere came the sound of whinnying. Hooves thundered as our horses galloped toward us.

Seven days apart, and they hadn’t strayed. Faithful beasts indeed.

I stroked Thunder’s neck as he snorted, then swung into the saddle.

“Devil! Lift me up!”

Linda struggled to climb behind me, only for Shushruta to shove her aside and take the spot.

“That’s my seat. Find another.”

“What? That’s my spot!”

The two of them bickered over my back seat.

I solved it quickly.

“Both of you off. I’m riding alone.”

“….”

“….”

And so, in peace, we rode back toward Stavanger lands.

“…Strange. Why hasn’t anyone attacked us?”

Two days out from the Misty Lake, I chewed on dried meat, troubled.

Thankfully, the provisions left in our saddlebags meant we hadn’t needed to hunt or stop at villages.

That was good.

But…

“No one’s after us. Not one ambush.”

Beside me, Walpole gnawed on jerky and shrugged.

“Isn’t that a good thing, my lord?”

“Good, maybe. But it feels… empty somehow.”

Curtis, listening, offered,

“The ones hounding us were all soldiers of the Second Prince. Perhaps something happened to his faction.”

“…Meaning?”

“If, while we were in Ophosis’s tomb, the Black Prince crushed the Second Prince’s forces… then they’d have no reason to chase us further.”

“Hm.”

Before leaving, I had struck a bargain with the Black Prince: I bring back the cursed sword, you topple the Second Prince.

If he had kept his word, then this made sense.

But not entirely.

“The Second Prince aside… where’s the First Prince’s lot? Why haven’t they shown their faces?”

“That… I cannot say.”

“Fine, say the First Prince is busy. But what about all the others who coveted the dagger? We were swarmed before. And now—nothing? That makes no sense.”

Walpole ventured cautiously,

“Perhaps… it’s because of the rumor.”

“What rumor?”

“The rumor that you defeated the Frost Knight.”

“That rumor spread?”

“Yes. Such a great incident travels fast. They say he returned wounded. By now, everyone knows.”

I blinked.

“Wait. Wasn’t he said to be the strongest of the royal knights?”

“He is.”

“Then what’s the crown’s response?”

Curtis stroked his chin.

“Hmm… that, I cannot guess. No one foresaw such an unprecedented event.”

Walpole added,

“The crown has no means to restrain you now. How could they apprehend the man who felled the Frost Knight?”

Sir Schneider, silent until now, said evenly,

“In truth, Lord Ashuban, you may now be considered an outlaw within Blake itself.”

“…An outlaw?”

Walpole smiled, clapping his hands.

“Congratulations on becoming an outlaw, my lord.”

One by one, the others joined, a ripple of applause surrounding me.

“Congratulations.”

“Congrats, Devil!”

“…I don’t know why this is cause for celebration, but… congratulations nonetheless.”

Clap clap clap.

I stood amid their applause, lost in thought.

“…Is this something I should be happy about?”

(End of Chapter)

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