Chapter 1093 — Book 2: Chapter 290: Cale-nim over Dragons (4)
13 min read ·
However, Clopeh could not see Cale, Choi Han, and Raon take a step back.
He was hearing an odd voice in his ear.
It was a clear and seductive voice.
– …Offer it……
– Offer your life to the only great existence in this world… The Dragons……
– …You are an existence that is ready to offer your life at all cost for your liege… Offer your life to the Dragons-
But the wooden voice could not continue.
"Should I break it?”
-…….
The wooden sword suddenly became quiet.
However, Clopeh gently mumbled with a calm smile on his face.
‘But I guess I shouldn't break it. The problem is that this sword is too chatty.”
Choi Han had told Clopeh that his heart beat quickly when he held this wooden sword. There was no mention of hearing a voice.
This made Clopeh believe that it was not a soul in the wooden sword but a device or illusion that only activated based on certain conditions.
‘It said at all costs.’
Someone who was willing to offer their life at all costs.
This wooden sword seemed to be able to look into the heart of the wielder.
‘What a shitty feeling.’
Unlike Choi Han, he did not feel his heartbeat becoming rapid.
In fact, he felt an odd and uncomfortable sensation crawling up the hand that was holding the sword.
Most people would think this sensation was refreshing and clear like the breeze in a forest, but… Clopeh found something that was not his coming into him like this to be uncomfortable.
His instincts told him what it was.
‘It’s an Elf.’
This sensation made him think of Elves.
“Pfft.”
Clopeh couldn’t help but laugh.
‘Did they say this was a sword for the Guardian Knight of the Dragon Lord?’
Maybe this sword brainwashed or modified the mind of the individual who meets the qualifications to offer their life only for the Dragons.
This was naturally just a hypothesis he could not confirm, but…
‘I have a feeling I'm right.’
This clear and seductive voice had a way of shaking a person’s heart.
Maybe it was a secret Elf skill or the magic of a Dragon.
Regardless of what it was, Clopeh had to find his own way of dealing with it.
“The way to deal with it is simple.”
He smiled warmly and gently caressed the wooden sword.
He then talked in an affectionate voice.
“I will cover your body with the blood of Dragons. I will offer the lives of Dragons, their blood to you. Then you know what to do, right?”
Clopeh didn’t notice Cale's face turning unsettled as he warmly caressed the shaking wooden sword.
He then gently continued.
“A sword should exist as a sword. You should know not to run that mouth of yours.”
Yes.
A sword was only a sword.
A sword was to move according to the will of the wielder.
A knight did not change his master because of his weapon.
“Hoo hoo.”
Clopeh subconsciously chuckled.
-…Crazy bastard……!
The wooden sword was shaking.
Oooooong– oooooong–
The movement became intense. It was trying to get out of Clopeh's grasp.
However, Clopeh could not let go of this sword that was his symbol of being Cale-nim’s Guardian Knight.
He held it closely against his chest.
– …Dragon, offer your life to the Dragons……!
“I'll drench you in their blood.”
– …C, crazy bastard–!
Clopeh channeled his aura and slightly sliced his palm.
The injury became covered in blood and the blood soon covered his palm.
Clopeh caressed the wooden sword with that palm.
“Uhh, mm. You just had to put a drop or two of blood on it-”
Cale’s truly flabbergasted voice reached Clopeh's ears but he simply smiled.
He spoke as if he was responding to Cale.
“I do not want to hand off something you gave me to anybody else, Cale-nim. I want to make sure to leave a clear mark that this is mine.”
– …Oo…ooooooo……..!
The wooden sword groaned in pain but Clopeh ignored it and drenched the wooden sword with his blood.
Shh, shh.
Red blood covered the wooden sword every time his palm caressed it.
The wooden sword, which was not oiled, turned dark red as Clopeh's blood seeped into it.
“Hoo hoo-”
Clopeh laughed.
“H, human! Clopeh's palm doesn’t seem to hurt at all!”
He ignored the young Dragon.
Clopeh caressed the wooden sword some more before moving his palm away.
He had bled so much that the wooden sword was completely dyed red with his blood.
“Now I like it a bit.”
Tap tap.
He tapped on the sword.
“I'll drench you with Dragon blood next time.”
It was at that moment.
– Oo–…….
The wooden sword no longer said anything.
Ooooooooong-
Instead, it started shaking again.
But instead of trying to escape from Clopeh's hand, it simply remained in place.
Ooooooooong-
The dark red blood that dyed the wooden sword slowly seeped into it.
Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-
The wooden sword let out a refreshing breeze.
The breeze started to fill the area.
‘Forest.’
Cale could smell the forest in the breeze.
– Sniff sniff.
The Sound of the Wind suddenly reacted.
The moment Cale flinched because the ancient power that only reacted to divine items suddenly popped out, the Sound of the Wind said a few things before disappearing.
– It is not at the level of a divine item, but what an amazing item.
– It’ll be fun once the seals are fully removed.
Cale's eyes clouded over.
He looked toward Clopeh and the wooden sword.
Shaaaaaaaaaaa-
The wooden sword that released the breeze finally absorbed all of Clopeh's blood.
Raon shouted after seeing what happened.
“It’s white!”
As Raon mentioned, the surface of the wooden sword turned white.
It resembled the color of Clopeh's aura.
However, this white sword was not releasing any light.
In fact, it looked dark despite being white, as if it had oddly swallowed the light.
“It’s exactly you.”
Cale subconsciously looked at Clopeh and made that comment. Clopeh looked away from the sword and smiled at Cale.
“You are right, Cale-nim.”
“Is the seal removed?”
Clopeh nodded his head.
“Yes, Cale-nim.”
A concept filled Clopeh’s mind the moment the wooden sword turned white.
“I think I'll need to use it to figure it out, but… The name of the power is simple.”
"What is it?”
“Equal exchange.”
Cale, who had been anticipating a cool name, scowled.
Equal exchange.
He thought of something as soon as he heard that name.
As someone who had read this genre of novels for a very long time, Cale shared his interpretation out loud.
“So it is a sword that will exchange a portion of your life for power or something? Is that it?”
“Hoo hoo.”
Clopeh Just chuckled and Cale sighed.
“What a useless power.”
“Hoo hoo.”
Cale found the laughing Clopeh to be annoying and scowled as he warned him.
“Hey, don’t use such a power. It’s so disgusting.”
“Hoo hoo.”
Cale got extremely annoyed hearing Clopeh laugh again.
Clopeh stopped laughing and answered.
“Cale-nim, unfortunately, you are wrong.”
“…Huh?”
‘I'm wrong?’
“The Equal exchange sealed in this sword is a bit different.”
Clopeh spoke in a gentle tone.
He shared the new concept in his mind with an extremely peaceful tone.
“My power will temporarily amplify based on the strength of the enemy I kill.”
Cale flinched.
But Clopeh was not done.
“And in cases of emergency, I can offer up the blood of Elves in addition to the blood of my enemies to get stronger. Haha-”
Clopeh laughed.
“It looks like this wooden sword was made so that Elves could offer their lives to protect the Dragons. Haha!”
Cale subconsciously gulped.
The wooden sword given to the Guardian Knight Elf protecting the Dragon Lord…
Cale realized that he had some preconceived notions.
He thought it would be an honorable and cool knight-like power because it was the power of an Elf.
‘It gets stronger the more it gets drenched with enemy blood?
isn’t that a crazed warrior and not a knight?’
“…Is this really okay?”
Cale subconsciously mumbled while Clopeh answered that question calmly.
“Please don’t worry, Cale-nim. I am not foolish enough to get swept up in the lunacy of blood and death to grow my own powers. Furthermore, a knight lives for their conviction, not strength.”
Clopeh looked extremely reverent as if he would not be shaken by anything.
Cale quietly watched him before hearing Raon shout urgently in his mind.
– Human, human! Isn’t Clopeh already crazy? He's already full of lunacy so why is he saying he won't get swept up in lunacy? In my opinion, it is this wooden sword that was already dyed by Clopeh's craziness!
Cale pretended not to hear Raon.
“…Was I wrong……”
He ignored Choi Han’s sigh-filled mumbling as well.
‘Can’t be helped.’
There was no point crying over spilled milk.
Cale walked over to Clopeh, placed his hand on Clopeh's shoulder and spoke in a serious voice.
“I really like you choosing to push forward in your own way as a shadow. Don't forget that.”
Basically, it meant don’t come to the front and run wild.
“I have not forgotten, Cale-nim.”
He would not dare to stand in the way of the legend.
Clopeh smiled.
‘We may fight gods in the future.’
He gained a power that would turn him stronger against strong enemies, albeit temporarily, in such a situation.
‘I like it.’
It was hard to defeat strong enemies from the front.
He would be the shadow that hides in the bright lights, as he had always done, to aim for any openings the enemies revealed.
And he could use that strengthened power to protect Cale-nim.
‘I like it very much.’
The smile on Clopeh’s face slowly became brighter.
‘But this does not seem to be all of the sword’s powers.’
Clopeh's eyes fired up as he looked down at the wooden sword.
Cale, Choi Han, and Raon, who were watching, slowly took one more step back.
Despite the situation, the Guardian Sword of the Elves ended up in Clopeh's hands.
* * *
Crack!
A glass orb instantly cracked.
“Are you okay, Grand Elder-nim?”
"I'm fine.”
The old man looked down at his arm that was sliced by a piece of glass and scowled.
The Elf who was watching him cautiously opened her mouth.
"The fact that the orb broke-”
“Yes.”
The old man didn't even let the Elf finish as he answered.
“The master of the Guardian Sword has changed.”
The old man’s face was reflected on the broken glass orb.
He himself knew that he was an old man but his outer appearance was that of a young man in his twenties.
“Grand Elder-nim, which Elf-”
"Who knows? It doesn’t seem to be an Elf on our side.”
The old man’s voice sank deeply. It was as if he fell into despair.
“…But regardless of which Elf it is, the sword for the Dragon Lord has finally been born. We had done what we could to seal it, but I guess that seal is now useless. Maxillienne-nim has failed.”
He waved his hand.
Shhhh—
The pieces of glass on the floor gently floated up and landed inside a trash can.
“When is the meeting time?”
The Elf immediately answered the Grand Elder.
“We were told that the first meeting will take place upon the Pope’s arrival tomorrow.”
“Hmm. And the Pope has betrayed us?”
“Yes sir. That is what I have heard.”
“Are the Inquisitors also coming tomorrow?”
“Yes sir. I heard that Inquisitor 1 was leading everybody over.”
The inquisitors.
They were part of the extremist faction of the Elves who agreed to follow the Dragons.
The Grand Elder closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them back.
“…A human who fought against the First and Second Saint Dragons has appeared.”
He nonchalantly commented.
“The World Tree does not have the strength to last anymore.”
“…Grand Elder-nim-”
“And a majority of the Elves have sided with the Dragons. I as well-”
He trailed off for a moment before continuing.
“I have sided with the Dragons as well.”
“That was to protect our race-!”
The Grand Elder shook his head at the anxious Elf’s voice.
“I have made up my mind to see the end of this world with the World Tree-nim.”
Peek.
He quietly observed the glass orb in the trash can.
“You and I are the only ones who know about this glass orb. As such, the fact that this orb broke is also a secret just between us. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Grand Elder-nim.”
“You can also stop calling me the Grand Elder. I am no longer a Grand Elder.”
The Elf could not hide the sorrow visible on her face as the Grand Elder gently smiled.
“I can’t do that, Grand Elder-nim.”
She bit down on her lips.
“Grand Elder-nim, you are one of the greatest Elves. The Guardian Sword. You are the only descendant of the master who forged the sword.”
“That is all in the past now.”
The young-looking old Elf picked up a bag from the corner of the room and hung it over his shoulder.
The bag contained pruning scissors and other gardening tools.
The bag was shabby. It was similar to the room he was in right now.
Axion’s castle…
There was an old and shabby looking place even in the castle that was as beautiful as something straight out of a fairytale.
This wooden house that was almost falling over… The Elf residing there addressed the young Elf who came to see him.
“I am heading out now. Don’t come here that often anymore. You are the child who will let our race shine in the future. You have a lot to lose if others see you with me.”
“I don’t care, Grand Elder-nim. I will come often to see you.”
The old man sadly smiled as he left the room.
The young Elf spoke behind him.
“I will come to explain the contents of the meeting, Grand Elder-nim.”
“…I told you that you don’t need to come. What good will it do to see a powerless old man?”
The old man sighed and started to walk.
The large flower garden located behind Axion’s castle…
The young Elf watched as the old man headed that way and then returned to Axion’s castle.
“Inquisitor 3-nim.”
She turned her head after hearing someone calling out to her as soon as she entered the castle.
“What is it?”
“Inquisitor 1-nim has called for you.”
“Okay.”
Her face looked extremely cold without any expression on it as she walked.
But her gaze headed out the window toward the rear garden of Axion's castle for just a moment.
She saw a tall wall covered in numerous vines.
The World Tree was inside that wall.
There was one old Elf gardener who protected the World Tree by its side.
Inquisitor 3 quietly mumbled.
“…Lies.”
The old gardener had said…
‘…I told you that you don’t need to come. What good will it do to see a powerless old man?’
Inquisitor 3 did not believe him at all.
‘I'm sure that the Grand Elder-nim is hiding his strength. I'm certain that he is preparing for one last something.
Just like how I got involved in this dirty mess and became Inquisitor 3.’
She was sure that the Grand Elder was hiding a card up his sleeves just as she was doing.
‘Pride.’
In order to restore the pride that the Elves had lost.
Inquisitor 3 looked away from the rear garden.
She then started walking deep into Axion's castle.
* * *
“How long do we have to do this?”
“Hmm?”
“…Sir.”
Rasheel grumbled and avoided Eruhaben’s gaze.
“…Old fart……”
“What?”
“I didn’t say anything, sir.”
“Haa.”
Eruhaben sighed before looking at the faintly visible Axion's castle in the distance.
“Cale should have moved to Axion's castle with the Pope by now.”
Eruhaben and Rasheel had come to an area around Axion’s castle in advance.
Of course, it wasn’t just Rasheel.
Ssss, ssss.
Sword master Hannah was calmly wiping her blade next to the two Dragons.
Eruhaben sighed and quietly waited while looking at the two troublemakers on his sides.
He was waiting for Raon to contact him once they arrived at Axion’s castle.
Paaaat.
At the same time, there was a bright light and Pope Casillia entered into Axion's castle with her two attendants, Cale and Clopeh.
—
Translator's Comments
Let's enter the Tiger, I mean, Dragon's Den!
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