Chapter 14 : The Disciple of the Greatest Sword Under Heaven

Chapter 14: The Disciple of the Greatest Sword Under Heaven

Was I found out? Really?

Countless thoughts flashed through my mind in that brief moment.

Should I run?

Should I take the mages hostage first?

If I stabbed his leg somehow with that same strike that killed Kxias, wouldn’t he be unable to chase me?!

If it came down to it, I could sacrifice an arm…!

Every thought that exploded surged to the extreme.

It was because my instincts feared the man before me that much.

‘Calm down. Get a hold of yourself.’

I barely managed to suppress my runaway thoughts.

‘It’s fine. Even if I’ve been exposed, he’s not hostile. No, he’s actually being very friendly, isn’t he?’

Yes.

When he had silently watched me, there had been no way to tell what those distant eyes contained, but once he began to speak, everything became different.

Curiosity and an irrepressible joy seeping out. And when he said, ‘I look forward to it,’ there was even camaraderie.

‘Just what does he know to be reacting like this?’

I couldn’t understand at all with my common sense.

If it had been me…

If someone unknown suddenly intruded at my side…

In other words, if a stranger suddenly appeared out of nowhere and claimed to be my sibling, and my other siblings treated that stranger naturally as though they had always known him,

No, in that case, wouldn’t the first thing to do be to draw my sword?

Why was this man acting like this?

Confusion overwhelmed me. Not good.

Already in this utterly unfamiliar ancient era, being swept around blindly like this could be truly fatal.

I had to grasp the situation.

Though I trembled.

Though I feared the man before me.

I took a deep breath and looked him in the eye.

Yes. If I thought about it,

This might be a chance to uncover the true identity of the Book of Fate.

“Master. I, too, am honored to be able to be with you. But… are you truly fine with this? You don’t know me, do you? And yet, you do know, don’t you? That I am someone who appeared suddenly.”

It was to probe his true intentions.

To others, it would sound like I was simply asking whether it was alright to take on someone of unknown origin as a disciple.

But between us, it meant something else.

A question of whether he knew that I was someone who had suddenly ‘intruded.’

As expected.

“That’s true. That’s why I also find these feelings I have now to be quite strange.”

Even in Grand Duke Laitena Celsius’s answer, there was a subtle nuance only the two of us could understand.

He looked at me intently, with eyes that held a faint smile, and spoke.

“But there is one thing that is clear. What is happening now aligns with my purpose… perhaps it is something I had already agreed to long ago.”

“...Pardon?”

“I don’t know the details either. It’s simply something I feel instinctively. That’s why it amazes me.”

It seemed as though he had explained something to me in his own way… but as I listened, I only fell deeper into confusion.

What was that supposed to mean? Speak plainly. Do you know or don’t you?

What was it that you felt instinctively?

I blinked at the Grand Duke, but he only gave a faint smile, patted my back, and spurred his horse forward ahead of me.

As if to say, loosen up and don’t worry.

Wow, really… this was driving me crazy.

Why are you like this?

*         *         *

Grand Duke Laitena was subtly kind.

Even if he seemed to lose interest in me and ride indifferently ahead, he would suddenly toss out a few words, offering me bits and pieces of information.

Thanks to that, I learned several things.

For instance, the city of knights we were heading to, ‘Glowingsteel,’ was like his home.

Though he ruled vast lands as a Grand Duke, he didn’t seem particularly interested in wealth or power.

He left that enormous territory in the hands of trusted retainers, while he himself lived apart in Glowingsteel, teaching disciples.

Not only did he share such broad background stories, but he also dropped hints about common knowledge or etiquette of the ancient era, helping me adapt.

For example, he recited the prayer said before meals slowly and clearly so I could easily follow along, or he demonstrated the knightly salute—which his status didn’t require him to perform—at a careful pace for my sake.

Honestly, it was a huge help.

Thanks to him, others didn’t find me strange.

But I didn’t let my guard down.

Because I didn’t know.

This could all be nothing more than a ploy to make me careless.

I knew nothing of this man or of this world.

‘If I spoke honestly… I’d rather say I’m going to relieve myself and then run away…’

But there was a reason I couldn’t.

‘It’s because I’m his disciple. His.’

Greed.

An immense greed that boiled within me, enough to make my chest seethe and burn.

Grand Duke Laitena Celsius.

A man of immeasurable strength.

The greatest under heaven in this era.

To him…

The desire that I might be able to learn the sword from him made my heart swell like a balloon.

And with good reason…

With nothing more than a fragment of ancient swordsmanship I had picked up by peeking over shoulders, I had cut down Kxias.

I already knew what kind of absurd things could happen when ancient swordsmanship and modern swordsmanship were combined.

But if I were to properly learn from the greatest master...?

Just imagining it made my breath quicken.

If I ran away with such an opportunity before me, I wouldn’t even deserve to be called a swordsman.

That was why, even in my conflict, I kept following the man.

‘...By now, my siblings must be in chaos from my disappearance, right?’

I was supposed to bring order to Kushan City after the Count’s death threw it into confusion...

The territory’s army, not to mention the larger families, would all be scrambling to seize power...

Even so,

I felt sorry for my siblings and for Mr. Rivera.

Even so...

‘Wouldn’t a day or two be alright...? In this time, that would mean I could stay for five or ten days....’

I secretly wished for it as I followed behind the man.

After all, it would take some time before I could learn anything.

If I hadn’t come, that would be one thing, but since I was here, I had to gain something real like I did last time.

Besides, I didn’t even know what conditions were needed to return to my original time.

I should just focus on the present.

The fear that this could all be a trap,

the worry for those who must be struggling in my original time,

I had all of it. Yes. But.

The greed I held as a swordsman pierced my chest like a harpoon.

*         *         *

A day and a half passed.

We arrived at our destination.

I was still dwelling in the past.

Glowingsteel, called the City of Knights, was a modest city of about two hundred thousand, but it was vibrant.

Taaang— Taaang—!

The walls of the buildings were white, without visible seams. Such refined houses climbed the hills in layers, creating a tiered landscape. Every street was neatly paved with black stone, and every forge was filled with the sound of hammering.

‘Wow...’

This was my first time visiting an ancient city.

Last time, I had been stuck inside a dungeon where even sunlight didn’t reach.

And seeing an ancient city with my own eyes—it was shocking.

‘What’s that? A carriage that moves on its own? Why are there so many tall towers? Is that construction? They’re using magic to build?’

Everything had a different hue to it. Beautifully painted signboards and ornate building details caught my eyes immediately. Even the clothes people wore glimmered in refined colors.

‘That’s a color I’ve never seen before... Was dyeing like that even possible? The whole city feels like an art gallery.’

Should I call this truly the Age of Magic?

It had already been revealed through many ruins and artifacts that the Ruceras civilization was highly developed... but experiencing it in person, I realized... even that had been a massive underestimation.

The streets were so splendid that they made the modern era I had lived in seem shabby, and everyone walking by looked wealthy.

Tak-tak-tak-tak—

We rode our horses slowly through the city.

The citizens who spotted the Grand Duke offered him light bows in greeting.

“The weather is fine today, Your Grace.”

“Have a good day, Your Grace.”

People didn’t even stop walking; they just dipped their heads slightly and passed by.

Even their greetings were casual and ordinary.

‘...Strange.’

In my time, such a thing would have been unimaginable.

The highest of nobles, a Grand Duke, was walking the streets, yet people didn’t stop?

Even in Roberland, which was called a lawless land, whenever a Count walked the streets, people would halt and bow their heads deeply.

‘But this… this is kind of nice, actually. Simple. Cheerful.’

When I founded my own kingdom one day, should I make it like this? The more I saw, the more warm and appealing it felt.

As we passed through the city, one peculiar fact stood out: a remarkable number of the people we passed were knights or aspiring knights.

The name “City of Knights” wasn’t just for show.

“Chung!”

“It is an honor to see you, Your Grace!”

Their salutes were clearly sharper and more formal than those of the citizens.

They stopped in place, placing both hands over their sword hilts, left hand on top, to pay respect.

The Grand Duke acknowledged them with a brief glance and a small nod.

Each time he met their gaze, their cheeks flushed red with joy, and their eyes overflowed with reverence.

Well, what else could be said? He was the Greatest Sword Under Heaven.

After parting the waves of greetings, we finally arrived at the Lord’s Keep.

It was called a Lord’s Keep, but it was very different from the keeps I knew.

It wasn’t a true fortress built of towering stone walls. Instead, it was a large mansion surrounded by high barriers.

In front of the mansion, a group had gathered to welcome the Grand Duke.

“Master!”

At the head of that group, a woman with golden hair and sparkling blue eyes beamed brightly.

But then—

“...Huh?”

Astonishingly, she was someone I knew.

To meet someone familiar here, ten thousand years in the past? A coincidence? Could that even be possible?

“Uh...? You are…?”

The woman widened her eyes as if she, too, had recognized me.

Yes. That face.

She was undoubtedly the female knight I had encountered at the Cultists’ Secret Chapel, the one who had come to rescue the children.

“You two know each other?”

Sensing the strange tension between us, Grand Duke Laitena asked.

“Yes, Master. Do you remember? Around a year ago, I told you about the man who helped me at the Cultists’ Chapel. That man is him.”

“Ah, right. You said he used a peculiar sword energy, didn’t you?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Well, that’s fortunate. Since you know each other, he is now your junior. As his senior, you should guide him well.”

“…What?”

Her blue eyes widened even further.

“I have just taken him in as a direct disciple.”

“M-my junior?!”

“Yes. I did take him as a disciple, but as you know, I’ve been rather busy lately, haven’t I? So for the time being, you shall teach him. Swordsmanship, etiquette, whatever it may be.”

“W-what?”

Her blue eyes rolled back and forth between me and the Grand Duke in utter bewilderment.

But I was just as shocked.

I had thought there might be other seniors… but who would have imagined it would be someone I already knew?

We blinked at each other in disbelief.

What kind of fate was this…?

Were we going to keep encountering each other like this?

I couldn’t make any sense of it,

And yet, some strange fragment of emotion struck my chest—whether it was joy, gladness, sorrow, or something else entirely, I couldn’t tell.

‘What was that just now?’

Meaninglessly profound.

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