Category: The Second Coming of the Legendary Sword God

Shhk—

I swung my sword horizontally, aiming to slice through Galsvint’s thigh.

I had put all my strength into cutting it clean off, yet her body was far tougher than expected.

Rather than flesh being severed, all I managed was a shallow wound on the surface of her skin.

“Your body is like steel.”

Galsvint wiped the wound with her palm, smiling faintly.

“Because I’m a monster.”

Thanks to inheriting Brunhilde’s blood, aura had no effect on her. Not only that, but she could absorb an opponent’s mana and turn it into her own strength. The only way to fight her was through pure swordsmanship.

Galsvint loosened her hair tie and wrapped it around her thigh.

Pak.

“…You’re not ordinary either. Do you carry the blood of Strange?”

“That’s right. My name is Verdin, youngest son of Lois de Strange.”

“A child of a prestigious swordsmanship house. Why are you looking for Lady Brunhilde?”

“I need her.”

“Who does?”

“I do.”

“…You?”

She tilted her head, disbelief written all over her face.

“You have a spiritual guardian with you, don’t you? Then how—”

“I don’t have time to explain everything. What I can say now is this—hand over Brunhilde, and I’ll spare your life.”

“Hah? Just because you know how to use a sword, your arrogance is through the roof.”

“Then should I be humble instead?”

“…Fair enough.”

That was the end of our conversation.

After that, we exchanged countless blows.

The thunderous roar of her punches and the sharp whistle of my sword cutting through the air blended into a violent symphony.

“Not bad, little knight of Strange.”

“This isn’t the time to be relaxed.”

Clang!

Galsvint blocked my blade with her bare fist. Her steel-like body was harder than a knight’s shield.

“Stay strong, Lady Galsvint! If needed, we’ll fight alongside you!”

An ogre shouted, and the others chimed in.

“Hey, don’t be stupid! She told us not to interfere.”

“Yeah! And as if Lady Galsvint would lose to some human!”

They were certain of her victory. Their eyes held not a trace of doubt, as if the outcome had already been decided.

Idiots.

She could never defeat me.

If they didn’t step in now, this battle would soon be over.

This wasn’t a contest of endurance—it was a fight to the death.

Clang!

For someone with such an exceptional body, her martial skills were disappointingly lacking.

Had she received proper training, she might have reached the pinnacle of mastery.

Kaang!

I twisted my sword mid-strike and slashed upward.

Shhk!

The blade narrowly missed her face.

Without stopping, I pushed forward, slamming my foot against the ground.

Pah!

My next strike would end this fight.

How tough her body was didn’t matter.

The fact that aura and mana had no effect on her didn’t matter either.

Right now, the one inside my body was a man who had once reached the peak of swordsmanship.

“Finish it, my disciple.”

A thrust aimed at her throat.

Too fast for her to react.

Even if she blocked it, the impact would still destroy her insides.

Kwaduk!

The sword struck her squarely in the throat.

Though the thick cord around her neck prevented the blade from piercing her skin, the internal damage was evident.

For a brief moment, her face twisted in pain.

“Kuh.”

Galsvint staggered back a step.

I glanced at the necklace that had fallen from her neck. At its end, a sharp stone shimmered with a strange light.

That’s it.

An ogre who had been cheering for her let out a desperate cry.

“T-That’s impossible!”

The others erupted in an uproar.

Uwooooh!

I gave them no time to act, continuing my relentless assault.

By now, her arms and legs were covered in countless bleeding cuts.

It was clear the battle had already tilted in my favour.

With a thud, Galsvint fell to one knee.

I placed my sword against her neck.

“If you hand over Brunhilde now, I’ll let you live.”

She spat at me.

Ptuh!

“Screw you.”

“Seems like you want to die. Then let’s finish this.”

“…….”

“Any last words?”

“None. Do it.”

She glanced around, then clenched her lips and lowered her head.

I had expected her to make a final stand for the sake of her pride. But for it to end this easily…

“You fought well, Galsvint.”

I raised my sword for the final blow.

At that moment—

“Stop!!”

A small, trembling voice cut through the air.

Everyone turned to look.

I followed their gaze and saw a young human boy, panting and gripping a club.

“……A child?”

Galsvint furrowed her brows and staggered forward, clutching my pant leg.

“Stay out of this. Rox! I told you never to leave the hut!”

Emerald eyes. A sharp, furrowed brow.

He was unmistakably her child.

“Is he yours?”

“Stay out of it.”

Hmm. If he’s Galsvints blood, he must have talent. And since he’s still young, shaping him to my will wouldn’t be difficult…

I had never heard of this child from Edward.

More and more, this life was straying from what I knew.

“M-Mother, it’s not—”

“Shut up and go back to the hut! Now!!”

“Ah… Y-Yes, ma’am!”

An ogre rushed forward, grabbed Rox by the collar, hoisted him onto his shoulder, and dashed away.

“Young Master! Now is the time to run!”

“But…!”

“Close your eyes and keep your mouth shut, Young Master!”

After confirming the face of the boy called Rox once more, I slowly withdrew the sword pointed at Galsvint’s neck.

Swish—

“Hmm, I’ve changed my mind, Galsvint.”

“What do you mean—”

Whoosh— Bang!

I raised my sword and struck Galsvint’s head with the flat of the blade.

---

I had knocked Galsvint unconscious with a blow to the head.

Then, after instructing the surrounding ogres to take care of her, I left the area.

Of course, I made sure to take the necklace containing Brunhilde, which had been hanging around Galsvint’s neck.

Now then…

Brunhilde’s bloodline hadn’t been severed yet. And more importantly, there was someone else I hadn’t known about.

Brunhilde, who carried the blood of the gods, her descendant Galsvint, and the emerald-eyed child who seemed to be her offspring.

Siegfried leaned in close to my face, his brows deeply furrowed.

“Ah? So what you’re saying is… you want to take Galsvint’s son into your party?”

“Yes.”

“Are you out of your damn mind? Think logically! After you tore through his village and nearly killed his mother, you think he’ll just follow you around?”

“I’ll make it so he has no choice.”

“And how exactly do you plan to do that?”

I picked up Galsvint’s necklace from the table and slowly swung it through the air.

Whoooom.

“By showing him the power of Strange.”

“The power of Strange?”

“Yes. If I raise an army and burn down the entire forest, he’ll have no choice but to comply.”

“W-What kind of insane nonsense is that? That’s your own territory!”

I shook my head firmly.

“Yes, but who would suffer the most if the forest burned down?”

“…The monsters, obviously.”

“Exactly.”

“Wait, hold on. Do you really think that will work? That woman… She didn’t hesitate to cut down her own allies and didn’t even flinch when you were about to kill her.”

“It doesn’t matter. What they’re protecting isn’t the fortress—it’s the forest itself.”

“The forest?”

“Yes, the forest.”

Siegfried tilted his head in confusion.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Master, think carefully. What is the ogres’ nickname? And what is their reason for existing?”

“They’re called the Guardians of the Forest. They were born to protect the forest.”

“Exactly. The ogres exist to protect the forest.”

“…Fine, I get the ogres. But why would Galsvint care about protecting the forest?”

The answer was simple.

Because the key to reaching the top of the tower was hidden within this forest.

Siegfried either already knew this or would soon realize it.

If he had truly made Brunhilde his spiritual guardian in the past, there was no way he wouldn’t know why she became one and what her ultimate goal was.

I deliberately put on a clueless expression.

“I have no idea.”

It was the kind of answer only a five-year-old would give.

“Bullshit.”

“…Master, I’ve been meaning to say this for a while, but don’t you think you speak too harshly to a child?”

“A child? Hah—now you’re just saying anything. Hey, brat, do you really think you’re just a kid?”

“Of course.”

“You’re a knight.”

“A knight?”

“Yeah. What kind of ordinary kid trains swordsmanship with a Seven-Star Knight, hacks off an assassin’s and a mage’s arms, and takes on the leader of an ogre stronghold?”

When he listed out my accomplishments like that, even I had to admit it sounded absurd.

I had been trying to keep my power hidden as much as possible, but the sheer amount of strength I possessed made it impossible to fully suppress.

But it was fine.

This was a problem that could be solved with a single sentence.

“I’m a Strange.”

A clean and perfect answer.

Siegfried nodded in approval.

“Well, if you inherited my blood, I suppose this much is expected.”

Rather than looking displeased, he actually seemed satisfied.

“But what are you going to do now that you didn’t bring Brunhilde back?”

I placed Galsvint’s necklace on top of the map.

Tap.

“I did bring her.”

“What?”

“She’s right here.”

Siegfried glanced around in confusion.

“Where?”

“Right here.”

“Are you messing with me? You little—!”

“I’m not joking. Look closely—it’s right here.”

I raised my eyebrows and gestured.

Following my gaze, Siegfried inspected the necklace. Then, suddenly, his eyes widened, and he clapped his hands together.

Clap!

“Don’t tell me! Brunhilde is inside this necklace?”

“That’s right.”

“For real?”

“If you don’t believe me, check for yourself. You’ll sense a strong demonic energy coming from the crystal in the necklace.”

At first glance, it looked like an ordinary stone with an unusual colour, but upon closer inspection, it was clearly a gem.

A gem containing an overwhelming amount of demonic energy—the very spiritual guardian that was Brunhilde.

“Where did you find this?”

“It was hanging around Galsvint’s neck.”

“Around Galsvint’s neck?”

“Yes. I pretended to go for her throat, but instead, I cut the necklace’s cord. Then, when the child appeared, I used the distraction to snatch it up.”

Siegfried stared at the crystal for a long moment, lost in thought. Then, shaking his head, he muttered under his breath.

“But… do we really have to work with her? You’re not considering taking any other spiritual guardians?”

“No.”

“If you want, I could introduce you to some better ones—”

“I don’t need them.”

“Yeah, I figured. Of course, you wouldn’t listen to me. But listen, kid, there’s something you need to know.”

“What is it?”

Siegfried hesitated, his face clouded with concern.

Then, after a deep sigh, he turned his back to me.

“Brunhilde… she’s not a mage.”

A long, narrow valley not far from the forest, with a hidden entrance leading somewhere concealed within.

I had never even considered coming here before, but to think an ogre fortress was hidden in a place like this.

Crackle.

An invisible barrier brushed against my senses. Had I come alone, I might have turned back at the ominous feeling it gave off.

After all, I had no way of knowing what lay ahead.

So this is where they were hiding.

Following the wounded Giant Ogre inside, I saw large tents made from animal hides.

There were at least several dozen, possibly over a hundred, though their numbers weren’t as large as I had expected.

Which meant there weren’t many ogres to begin with.

Grrroooar.

The wounded Giant Ogre let out a groan.

Grrroooar!

A regular ogre with a single head rushed over.

Thud, thud, thud!

Unlike the wandering monsters in the forest, this one was fully armored, dressed almost like a human knight.

“You’ve returned, Captain. Thank you for your efforts in reconnaissance… Huh? A human?!”

The ogre guarding the village entrance recoiled in shock upon noticing me. The Giant Ogre glanced around nervously before stepping forward to block my path.

“He’s not just any human. He saved my life.”

“Saviour?”

“It’s complicated to explain… No, I don’t even need to explain. He’s my saviour!”

“…Captain, saviour or not, bringing a human into the village is forbidden.”

“I—I know that.”

“Then send him outside the fortress. You remember what happened last time.”

“I do, but…”

“If the chieftain finds out about this, it will not end well.”

“Hah! It’s fine! I’ll tell the chieftain myself. I’ll say my savior wishes to meet him!”

“What? That human wants to meet the chieftain?”

“Yeah! He said he wants to form an alliance with us.”

I meant it.

If things could be resolved peacefully, I had no intention of fighting the ogres.

A brief silence followed.

Then the regular ogre scoffed.

“Hah! A human, allying with us?”

“That’s right.”

“That’s absurd… Captain, wake up! You can never trust humans!”

“It’s not absurd! I’m telling you, it’s true!”

Siegfried, watching in frustration, gripped the sword at his waist and spoke irritably.

“My disciple, why don’t we just kill them?”

I shook my head slightly.

I was here to find the jar containing Brunhilde, not to wipe out the ogres.

Looks like I’ll have to handle this myself.

I needed to return before my nanny came looking for me.

“Move.”

I walked forward, releasing as much mana as I could muster.

Step, step, step.

The two ogres unconsciously stepped aside, clearing the path for me.

As I walked deeper into the fortress, more ogres began to emerge from their tents.

But none of them moved to stop me.

They only tilted their heads, expressions questioning why a human was here.

Siegfried whispered as he quickly scanned our surroundings.

“Wow! You’ve got guts, disciple. Aren’t you scared with this many monsters around?”

Why would I be?

I had fought countless battles in my past life. I knew all their weaknesses.

If I exaggerated a little, I could probably take them down with a twig.

Standing at the heart of the ogre fortress, I waited for their leader.

It didn’t take long before dozens of ogres gathered, encircling me at a distance.

And then, from their midst, someone noticeable appeared.

A figure far too small to be an ogre—one with the build and size of a human woman.

The descendant of Brunhilde, born between a human and an ogre.

The queen of the ogre village.

Galsvint.

She was a woman in name only. Her unyielding physique and honed muscles radiated power, an undeniable masterpiece of nature.

She was born to be a warrior.

“…How did a human find this place? I placed a spell at the village entrance.”

She looked me with a puzzled expression.

“Are you Galsvint?”

“…How do you know my name?”

“That doesn’t matter. I don’t have time for long explanations. Hand over Brunhilde.”

Galsvint tilted her head, looking utterly baffled.

“What?”

Her reaction was natural.

An unknown human had suddenly appeared and was demanding their treasure.

Of course, she’d be dumbfounded.

But I had no time to concern myself with the ogres’ feelings.

I needed to finish this before sunrise and return.

“I said, hand over Brunhilde. If you do, I will spare your lives.”

“Our lives?”

“Yes.”

“Hah.”

I wasn’t negotiating.

I was warning them.

Because I knew there was no other way.

Galsvint glanced around.

Then, looking into the distance, she suddenly shouted.

“Did you bring this human here?”

The Giant Ogre who led me in lowered his head.

“W-Well… I was attacked by a mage in the forest, and… that human saved me, so—”

“So you brought him here?”

“…Yes.”

The moment he finished answering, Galsvint sprang into the air.

In a flash, she moved behind the Giant Ogre.

“I told you never to bring a human into the village!”

Thud!

She thrust her hand forward, stabbing his heart with a knife-hand strike.

“Guh…!”

It was over in an instant.

The mighty Giant Ogre collapsed in a single blow.

Boom!

She hadn’t used aura or mana.

Only raw physical strength.

No matter how much a human trained, they could never reach this level.

Galsvint turned her gaze to me.

“Human, I don’t know how you learned of Lady Brunhilde… but now that you’ve come this far, you won’t be leaving alive.”

Blood dripped from her fingertips, proving she wasn’t joking.

Interesting.

I knew words wouldn’t be enough, but the reaction was more extreme than I expected.

So, negotiations really won’t work, huh?

I stretched one arm forward and whispered.

“Master, come forth.”

Siegfried transformed his entire body into crimson smoke and roared in excitement as he was absorbed into me.

“Yeaaaahhh!!!”

Hissss.

A powerful energy surged through my body.

Whoosh.

At the same time, the power of the Awakened surged, triggering changes in my body.

Flash!

My hair turned golden, and flame-like patterns spread across both arms. Anyone could tell at a glance—I was wielding the power of the Sword Saint, Siegfried.

Hooah!

I took a deep breath.

The time I could withstand this descent was five minutes.

“My name is Verdin de Strange.”

And within that time, I would finish everything.

“I shall take the vessel containing the spiritual guardian Brunhilde and ‘Galsvint,’ the current ogre chieftain.”

---

A small church on the eastern outskirts.

Two men, each capable of altering the fate of the continent, met.

Edward, heir to the Glazer family, clad in a white cloak, and Gunter, a prominent successor of the Strange family, wearing golden armor.

The two sat across from each other at a round table.

“I don’t think you betrayed us.”

Edward spoke first. Gunter hesitated briefly before answering.

“If I truly had, I wouldn’t have told you to cut my arm—I would’ve told you to take my head.”

“That’s what I thought, too.”

“…What did he look like?”

“A kid wrapped in a black cloak. He had the same blonde hair as you.”

“A kid? Blonde?”

“Yes. At first, I thought he was just disguised as a child, but when I looked closer, he really was just a kid.”

“……”

“He had the same golden hair as you and your father.”

Gunter’s mind became tangled with confusion.

Among the direct descendants of the Lois bloodline, he was the only one with blonde hair. That meant the mastermind behind this incident had to be from a branch family. But the deeper he thought, the more mysterious the answer became.

No matter who he imagined, no one matched Edward’s description.

And for good reason—Gunter had never seen Verdin in his awakened form.

He had never witnessed him wielding the Sword Saint’s power, turning his hair golden.

“I don’t know. I really don’t.”

“There hasn’t been any recently born child in our family with blonde hair.”

“It might not even be someone of Lois blood.”

“Then?”

“The kid used mana. That means he could be a Strange bloodline that grew up beyond our sight.”

“Mana, huh… Did he use magic?”

“No, he infused his sword with mana. He was so skilled, I didn’t even have time to counterattack.”

“A sword?”

“Yes, a sword.”

Edward pulled back his cloak, revealing his right arm—severed below the elbow.

“And that sword did this to me.”

Gunter’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“?!”

“That blonde brat didn’t just take my arm—he was skilled enough to evade an entire gathering of mages, all of whom were at least fifth-circle or higher.”

“…Was he alone?”

“No idea. I don’t know if he came alone or had someone nearby.”

Silence lingered for a few moments before Edward let out a dry chuckle and continued.

“But one thing is certain. Even if you scoured the entire continent, you wouldn’t find many like him. Especially not someone that young.”

“Then he won’t be hard to track down.”

“That’s why I’m asking you. It won’t be difficult, and besides, that area is Strange territory.”

Gunter clenched his fist tightly.

“I’ll find him within a week and bring him before you.”

“Don’t underestimate him.”

“You think I’d lose to a kid?”

Edward waved his severed arm.

Whoosh. Whoosh.

“No one knows for sure. I didn’t think I’d end up like this either. Ah, by the way, one of your younger brothers has been causing trouble in the east.”

“My brother?”

“Yes, since you’ll be there anyway, I’d appreciate it if you handled him too. He goes by the name Hysteria. That lunatic seems to have set his sights on our people.”

Gunter’s eyes turned cold.

“Hysteria.”

“He’s been razing villages, saying he’s searching for an assassin.”

“He’s looking for an assassin?”

“Yeah. I heard he annihilated Baron Raiden’s forces single-handedly. When asked why, he said their faces annoyed him. He’s a total madman.”

“…I see. I’ll deal with him quickly.”

That concluded their conversation.

They walked out of the church in opposite directions.

Dozens of mages awaited outside the left entrance, forming a protective formation around Edward as he departed.

On the right, a regiment of knights greeted Gunter with disciplined precision.

“Summon Gernot and Giselle.”

God is helping me.

That’s the only way I can explain it. Otherwise, there’s no way I would have witnessed this scene today.

I only came here to meet an ogre, but an opportunity like this presented itself.

The next head of the Glazer family.

Edward von Glazer.

The greatest adversary of the Strange family, and a rival who, like me, is after the legendary spiritual guardian, Brunhilde.

“Nobody move a finger. If anyone does, I’ll sever this man’s neck on the spot.”

A cold, gleaming blade pressed against his throat, cutting shallowly into his skin. A drop of blood trickled down.

This wasn’t an idle threat. The mages, recognizing that, didn’t dare to make a reckless move.

“Who are you?”

Without answering, I pulled him backward to create distance from the other mages.

Thump.

Edward’s gaze shifted, moving just his eyes to look at me.

“…Mana on a sword? Are you a mage?”

“I’m a knight.”

“A knight? A knight using mana?”

“Why not? There’s no rule against it.”

High-ranking mages like Edward always surround themselves with a mana barrier—a defense thick enough to withstand even the claws of a beast, prepared for attacks from any direction.

“Do you know who I am?”

“Edward von Glazer. The prodigy of the Glazer family, known as their rising star.”

“And you still dared to pick a fight with me? You must have a death wish.”

Even with my hand gripping his back, he remained unflinchingly confident.

His reaction was natural. After all, opposing the Glazer family was a fool’s errand. A mere provocation could lead to the destruction of an entire kingdom overnight.

“If anyone’s showing arrogance here, it’s you.”

“What?”

“This is Strange family territory. That means I can kill you here without consequence.”

Edward’s brow twitched at my words.

“You? Kill me?”

“Depending on the situation.”

“If you do, you’ll die too. Do you know how many mages are standing here right now?”

I scanned each of them carefully before answering.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t matter?”

“That’s right. Let’s stop the pointless talk and get straight to the point. Release the ogre you’ve captured.”

“The ogre?”

“And leave this land. This is Strange family territory. You have no right to be here.”

“……”

“If you comply, I’ll spare your life.”

A mage with a thick beard raised his voice in protest.

“Y-you insolent fool! You must be a mercenary from the Strange family! How dare you give orders to Lord Edward—”

“Shut it, old man.”

“What?!”

“If you don’t want to see your master’s head roll, stay quiet.”

Releasing an even stronger surge of mana, I continued.

Shhhh.

“If you think I’m bluffing, say one more word. I’ll cut his throat right here.”

Silence filled the air.

Edward, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up.

“I’ll agree to your terms. But first, lower your sword.”

“Release the ogre first.”

“You think I won’t keep my word?”

I didn’t reply, simply giving him a cold, unwavering stare.

Edward let out a long sigh before addressing the oldest-looking mage.

“Release it.”

Following his command, the mage issued orders to the others.

“Release the ogre!”

The mages ceased their spells binding the ogre and stepped back.

ROAR!

The now-freed ogre scanned the humans’ faces before quickly fleeing the scene.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

‘It worked.’

Now, the chance to secure Brunhild was within my grasp.

Once the ogre was out of sight, I turned to the mages and shouted.

“I’ll honor my promise!”

Then I kicked Edward’s back.

Thud!

“You can keep your life.”

As he stumbled forward, off balance, I swung my blade.

Slash!

With a sickening crunch, Edward’s right arm was severed.

“You can keep your life.”

Edward let out a bloodcurdling scream as he collapsed to the ground.

“Arghhhh!”

Blood gushed from his severed arm, staining the ground.

The startled mages tried to retaliate, but compared to my preparations, their reactions were far too slow.

“Burn.”

A burst of violet light radiated from my hand, spreading in all directions.

Boom!

The blinding light obscured their vision.

This operation was a massive success.

Not only did I discover the ogre’s hideout, but I also injured the future head of the Glazer family, Edward.

“Why’d you let that mage live? Isn’t he supposed to be the next head of the Glazer family?”

Siegfried asked while picking his nose.

“Not now, but he might be useful later.”

“Useful? Him?”

Years from now, I’ll have the chance to become the head of the Strange family through a war.

And the one who starts that war will be Edward von Glazer.

“There’s a saying: today’s enemy might be tomorrow’s ally.”

“Really? Why not just kill him today and tomorrow?”

“That’s your style, not mine.”

‘Still.’

Meeting the Glazer mages today was a stroke of luck.

While they were busy with the ogre, I hid and memorized their spell incantations and mechanisms.

It’ll take time, but I now have valuable knowledge of advanced magic.

And on top of that, I severed the arm of Edward, the only mage on the continent capable of dual-wielding magic.

The Glazer family has suffered a tremendous loss.

“Perfect.”

Siegfried tilted his head curiously.

“What’s so perfect?”

“Nothing,” I replied.

“You’re no fun. Anyway, what about that ogre? If we leave it like that, it’s as good as dead.”

I looked at the ogre we had tracked. It had collapsed not far away, clearly exhausted from its fight against the mages.

“Can you move?”

The three heads of the giant ogre eyed me warily. Typically, its left head smiled, its middle head remained expressionless, and its right head cried. But now, all three faces were grimacing in pain.

Well, considering what it had endured, the agony must have been immense.

“Grrr… Human. Kill! Kill!”

“I’m human too, you know. Do you intend to kill the one who saved your life?”

“Grrr…”

“The ones you should seek revenge on are the mages, not me. Even a fool should understand that much.”

“Grrr!”

“And my question was, ‘Can you move?’ Stop wasting words and answer me.”

“Grrr… Y-yes, I can move.”

“Then get up. We don’t have all day.”

Dawn was approaching. I needed to finish this and leave before the sun rose. Whether or not the ogre was in pain didn’t matter; it had to move.

“Ugh…”

The ogre groaned as it staggered to its feet. One glance at its wobbling stance revealed a broken right shin.

The injury was likely from the magical chains. For something to fracture the bones of an ogre, which were as tough as steel… those mages must have all been high-ranking.

I handed the ogre a thick branch to use as a crutch.

“Head back to your village. I’ll protect you until you get there.”

“You’re not going to kill me?”

“That’s right.”

“…Lies.”

“Lies?”

“Yes, lies. The knights of Strange don’t protect us. They hunt us.”

It was true that slaying monsters was a knight’s duty. And as a monster, the ogre would naturally be a target.

If not for my objective of finding Brunhild, I might have slain it on the spot.

“If I intended to hunt you, I’d have done it already. Killing you while you’re barely standing would be trivial.”

The ogre sized me up with its three heads.

“You, just a child…”

“This ‘child’ saved your life.”

“…”

“Stop the pointless chatter and head to your village. Unless you want to die here and now.”

“…Fine.”

The ogre’s eyes narrowed briefly, but it said no more and started moving. It didn’t have much choice, after all.

---

The Glazer family was in an uproar.

An entire squad of mages had spent a month hunting in the field, only to lose their quarry at the crucial moment.

Not only that, but Edward von Glazer—renowned as the only mage on the continent capable of double casting—had lost an arm.

To a nameless knight.

“Damn it all!!”

Edward slammed his fist against the wall.

Boom!

His mana-enhanced strike left an imprint of his fist on the granite, with spiderweb-like cracks radiating outward.

“Why? Why was a Strange mercenary there? And one who could wield mana at that!”

No matter how much he blamed himself, the situation was humiliating—a disgrace so severe it couldn’t be made public.

A middle-aged mage standing nearby spoke cautiously.

“Master Edward, please calm yourself.”

“Calm? You expect me to calm down?”

“Mages must remain composed, no matter the circumstances. You are the future of the Glazer family. If you lose your judgment to anger, it could spell disaster for all of us.”

“…”

“Take a moment to recollect yourself and think back on what happened. Do you remember the Strange mercenary?”

“The mercenary?”

“Yes, the blonde one.”

Edward took a deep breath and sank onto the sofa.

Thud.

“That damn face… I’ll never forget it.”

“Do you also recall the purple pillar of light that struck us?”

“The purple pillar?”

“Yes, the one that subdued us all in an instant. What did you feel when it struck?”

Edward tried to recall the moment. It had happened so quickly that his memories were hazy, but he clearly remembered sensing mana.

“Mana.”

“And?”

“And… I think I felt a faint aura as well.”

“That’s why I’m asking. There was definitely mana and aura at the same time. But there was only one enemy before us.”

“Are you suggesting there was more than one?”

“That’s what I think. Otherwise, it means the enemy could wield both mana and aura simultaneously—a ridiculous notion.”

“True. It’s impossible for one body to channel both mana and aura.”

“Exactly. And no matter how strong that mercenary was, they wouldn’t have come alone. They’d know they couldn’t win against us all.”

The middle-aged mage fell into thought before continuing.

“Could it be that Gunter betrayed us?”

The conversation with Hysteria was successful.

In the end, he had no choice but to accept my proposal.

Well, I wouldn’t have been able to refuse either. Opportunities to take down Gunter are rare.

Siegfried picked his nose as he asked,

“You’re more impressive than I thought. How do you manage to hold your ground against someone like that? It felt like he’d chop your head off if you slipped up.”

Strolling slowly through the rose garden in the center of the estate, I replied,

“He wouldn’t have done that. My brother doesn’t kill without a solid justification.”

“Really? He looked like a plain murderer to me. Especially when he licked the blood off his blade… wow, I never imagined I’d have a descendant like him!”

Hysteria is indeed a killer.

However, his targets are limited. His madness only manifests against those the family has explicitly marked as “enemies.” He doesn’t swing his sword recklessly without reason.

Though,
he has no mercy for those outside the family.

“Really? I heard the Sword God was also called a demon on the battlefield.”

“That’s different! I earned that nickname for my skill. That guy? He’s just outright insane.”

“Sure, if you say so.”

From the perspective of the people on the receiving end, it’s all the same.

“By the way, when are you planning to find your second spiritual guardian?”

“My second spiritual guardian?”

“Yeah. The estate’s empty today, isn’t it? Why not sneak into the warehouse and smash another jar? There are probably some decent ones in there.”

A second spiritual guardian, huh. It wouldn’t hurt to act quickly before someone else snatches one up.

I waved Siegfried away and continued walking through the garden.

“I won’t be searching within the estate.”

“Why not?”

“There’s no one suitable here.”

“Then where are you going to find one?”

Since obtaining Siegfried, I’ve been considering my next spiritual guardian.

Who would best complement me? It didn’t take long to find an answer.

In my past life, I hadn’t even had the chance to witness this particular guardian since its master disappeared when I was young.

But it was a guardian as extraordinary as the Sword God, Siegfried.

“Sword God, do you know who the strongest magician in history was?”

“The strongest magician?”

“Yes, the one who waged a hundred-year war against the Strange family.”

“The Hundred-Year War…”

“The half-demon who was called the strongest monster in history.”

“Half-demon… wait, what?”

Siegfried’s eyes widened as he pointed at me.

“Don’t tell me…”

“Brunhilde von Glazer.”

“?!?”

“The founder of the magical Glazer family. How about bringing her in as my second spiritual guardian?”

---

That night, having resolved to obtain my second spiritual guardian, I snuck out of the estate.

Avoiding the knights’ eyes wasn’t difficult. I knew every path in the area like the back of my hand, including hidden passages unknown to mere guards.

“Do you even know who Brunhilde is?”

Of course, I did.

She was known as the greatest adversary of the Strange family.

“Yes, I heard plenty about her from my nanny when I was young. She was in every bedtime story she read to me.”

“Bedtime stories?”

“Yes, about how the great ancestor of the Strange family finally defeated the demon Brunhilde and brought peace to the continent!”

Siegfried shook his head in disbelief.

“…What a load of nonsense. Killing Brunhilde didn’t bring peace, that’s absurd.”

“Why not?”

“She might’ve been a demon and had a terrible temper, but she wasn’t a villain.”

“You speak as if you knew her personally.”

“Of course! I didn’t just meet her—I fought her, too.”

“You’re lying. Brunhilde died before you were even born.”

Siegfried’s face twisted with anger as his body expanded.

Fwoosh!

“Who’s lying, you brat? She was my spiritual guardian!”

I was shocked. So shocked I couldn’t close my mouth.

This was new information, something I hadn’t learned in my past life.

Or was it? The fact that he revealed it so easily made me doubt whether it had been a secret at all.

Well.
I hadn’t asked about it in my previous life.

Back then, I didn’t care who his spiritual guardian was.

And frankly, we didn’t talk much. He’d treated teaching me as a disgrace, constantly raging at me.

Though after I entered the academy, he acknowledged my talent and actively trained me, those early days were filled with nothing but his insults: “You idiot!”

“So, did you learn swordsmanship from Brunhilde?”

“Do you think that makes sense? She was a magician, not a swordsman.”

“Then why did you choose her as your guardian?”

“…I had my reasons.”

Siegfried stared into the distance, lost in thought, then clenched his fists as his face contorted.

Crack.

It was clear something unpleasant had happened.

“Hey, forget it. Can’t you just choose a different guardian?”

“Why?”

“She doesn’t fit well with me. If you bring her here, I might run away.”

I firmly shook my head.

“Don’t be ridiculous. A spiritual guardian can’t leave without their contractor’s permission.”

“…”

“And whatever happened between you two, I’ve already decided to bring Brunhilde back.”

Siegfried let out a long sigh before nodding slightly.

If he wasn’t strongly opposed, then the issue between them couldn’t have been that severe.

“Do you even know where Brunhilde is? She’s not the type of guardian to stay in one place like me.”

“No, I don’t.”

“What? You don’t know?”

“Correct.”

Of course, there was no way I could know.

Brunhilde’s whereabouts were a mystery, not only to the Strange family but also to the Glazer family.

“No! Don’t tell me you came here planning to bring her back without even knowing where she is!”

“Yes, but I can find her.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“There are descendants of Brunhilde in this forest. If we use their abilities, we’ll find her quickly.”

“Descendants of Brunhilde… don’t tell me you mean those Glazer people.”

I shook my head lightly.

“Do you think I’d come all the way here at this hour to meet a mere magician? Besides, this isn’t Glazer territory—it’s the land of the Strange family.”

“Then…”

Siegfried’s expression shifted as if something dawned on him, and he let out a sigh of exasperation.

“You’re seriously out of your mind, aren’t you?”

His reaction was completely reasonable.

The one I intended to meet wasn’t human but a being known as the owner of this forest.

“Yes, I wouldn’t have come all the way here if I were in my right mind.”

---

The forest, shrouded in darkness, was a dangerous place.

Not only were wild beasts abundant, but monsters also roamed freely.

Yet even at this hour, some moved under the cover of night.

A group clad in white cloaks prowled through the woods like ravenous hunting hounds, disturbing the silence of the sleeping world.

There were at least a dozen or so, moving stealthily and suppressing their presence.

“Did you find it?”

A young man with a crescent moon mark on his forehead asked. An elderly man with a thick beard nodded slightly.

“Yes, Young Master Edward.”

Edward von Glazer.
Heir to the Glazer family, renowned as a magical powerhouse and ruler of the eastern continent.

At just fifteen years old, Edward had graduated from the Academy as a prodigy.

It was said that only Hagen, the family head, surpassed his strength as a magician.

“Where is it?”

“Approximately 500 meters northwest. It seems to be moving in search of prey.”

“How many?”

“One, moving alone.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes, it’s been a long wait.”

“…Finally, the opportunity has come.”

“Before it rejoins its group, we should act quickly.”

“Then let’s not delay. Begin immediately. This is Strange family territory.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

At Edward’s hand gesture, the magicians moved with seamless coordination, like migratory birds adjusting their formation to suit the terrain.

Before long, they reached a location where the forest’s so-called ruler, the “Giant Ogre,” awaited.

The Giant Ogre was a mutant with three heads, unlike typical ogres.

Its monstrous strength allowed it to crush ordinary ogres with a single blow and even take on a 3-star knight battalion alone.

Yet, the magicians showed no fear.

Instead, they spread out, forming a circle to prepare for combat as if they had been waiting for this moment.

“Do not kill it. Capture it alive.”

With Edward’s command, the group sprang into action.

“First squad, bind it. Second squad, prepare confusion spells.”

“Impact Chain!”

“Chaos Smoke!”

Clink!

Chains formed from mana coiled around the Giant Ogre’s limbs, restraining its movements.

Simultaneously, a gray fog engulfed its faces, obscuring their vision.

Roooar!

The Giant Ogre thrashed wildly, but the chains tightened, and the fog thickened.

The more it struggled, the stronger the binding magic became.

The spells in use were from the curse-type branch of magic, distinct from ordinary spells.

Every magician present had opened at least five circles of mana.

“Frozen Arrow.”

Edward’s hands emitted blue smoke that solidified into a large bow made of ice.

He took a deep breath, then released an arrow aimed at the Giant Ogre’s chest without hesitation.

Thunk!

The ice arrow pierced its chest with precision.

Crack!

“Graaargh!”

The hunt was over in an instant.

Though the Giant Ogre was formidable, it was powerless against such overwhelming magical might.

The magicians quickly verified the creature’s condition.

A middle-aged magician checked its pulse and breathing before turning to Edward with a meaningful expression.

“Young Master, we’ve succeeded.”

Edward clenched his fist triumphantly and smiled.

“Well done. I’ve made you stay in this forest for a month because of me.”

“No need for thanks! It was merely our duty.”

The middle-aged magician stepped back and bowed deeply with both hands clasped.

As they spoke, the lower-ranking magicians worked to bind the Giant Ogre with mana chains.

Their month-long effort culminated in this moment.

Even as they rejoiced, a purple pillar of light descended from the sky.

Boom!

Suddenly, a golden-haired boy appeared, grabbing Edward’s back and pressing a blade to his neck.

Swish.

“That’s enough. If anyone so much as moves a finger, I’ll cut his throat right here.”

For a new era, the revolutionary who rebelled against the Empire:

Hysteria de Strange.

In my past life, I thought this guy was insane.

After all, he killed his father and declared war against his entire family just because he found peace boring. Had his brothers not banded together to kill him, who knows how far his madness would have reached?

If left alive, he could have easily plunged the entire continent into chaos.

Now, that very Hysteria was looking at me with a ridiculous expression.

“You’re an amusing one, aren’t you? Did you come here knowing who I am?”

“You’re my second brother.”

“Then do you know why I’m here today?”

“Well, because of the assassin who infiltrated the castle this time—”

Shing!

Hysteria’s sword stopped just next to my neck.

Even though I could have blocked or dodged it, I didn’t move a finger.

How I reacted now would dictate the course of the conversation that was about to unfold.

He stared into my eyes with a cold gaze.

“Hey, little brother. The reason I came to the castle today isn’t because of the assassin. It’s because of you.”

I glanced down at the blade and responded.

“Is that so.”

“Yeah. Father told me to return to the castle no matter what today. Thanks to that, I missed an exciting fight.”

“…….”

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have had to attend such pointless meetings. Not only did I miss out on an interesting battle, but I also had to meet those repulsive branch family members.”

Hoo—

Hysteria let out a long sigh before glaring at the fat one among the branch family members behind him, who looked utterly defeated.

He must have had his reasons for capturing him, but his state was too pitiful to ignore.

A beast-like collar was fastened around his neck, and shackles bound his arms and legs.

Family in name, but more like a toy in practice.

Still, I felt no particular emotion about it.

“Enough of that. I have something to show you, brother.”

“…What?”

“That.”

My sudden shift to the main topic without any preamble left Hysteria momentarily flustered.

He turned his head toward the yellow cloth draped over the table where I was pointing, then lowered his sword.

“…What is it?”

“You’ll understand once you see it.”

“You’re saying I’ll understand by looking?”

“Yes.”

That was the extent of our conversation.

With a curious expression, he glanced at the branch family member and gestured with his chin.

“Uncover it.”

The fat man jumped to his feet and removed the cloth.

Rustle.

“Uwaaaargh!”

Upon seeing the contents, the man screamed and staggered backward.

Under the cloth was the arm of the assassin who had tried to kill me.

Hysteria frowned deeply and asked,

“Is that… what I think it is?”

“Yes. It’s evidence that could reveal who was behind the attempt on my life. And it’s an item that will give you a justification to fight Gunter.”

A heavy silence fell.

We locked eyes, gauging each other. His gaze drifted upward as if in deep thought before returning to me.

“…You’re no ordinary brat, are you?”

No explanation was necessary.

We both understood the situation.

“This is basic, really.”

“Who told you? That I’m targeting Gunter?”

“No one told me. It’s just the answer I arrived at myself.”

“You figured it out on your own?”

“Yes, because I’m a Strange as well.”

I smiled brightly, but Hysteria’s face twisted for a moment before breaking into a wide grin and roaring with laughter.

“Kahaha!

“Five years old, and already this cunning? No wonder Father is so worked up over one assassin.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“A compliment? Well, it could be one. Hah… Little brother, what should I do about this? I think I’ll have to return your gift.”

“Why?”

“I don’t need it. I already have enough reasons to start a fight with him without that.”

It was true.

Hysteria could fabricate any excuse to challenge Gunter at any time.

But he wouldn’t. Or rather, he couldn’t.

Because Hysteria’s blade would never reach Gunter.

And that was why I could make him an offer.

Something no one else could do, but only I could.

I glanced at the family portrait hanging above the door to the conference room and continued speaking.

“Of course. Even without this arm, you could create a justification. But you wouldn’t be able to fight Gunter one-on-one.”

“…What?”

“I know you’re waiting for the right moment. But it’s impossible to get close to Gunter because of the two powerful knights guarding him. Gernot and Giselle—aren’t they the branch family’s skilled blood relatives?”

For a fleeting moment, Hysteria’s brow twitched.

It was the only part of him that betrayed his true feelings.

Without pausing, I pressed on.

“You can’t handle all three at once, so you’re trying to deal with them one by one, aren’t you? But things never go as planned.”

Hysteria glared at me, his expression stiffening. Silence followed again.

The fat branch family member glanced nervously between us.

This time, I spoke first.

“If you help me deal with the assassin and expose the mastermind to Father, I’ll make sure you get a chance to fight Gunter one-on-one.”

“Is that possible?”

“Yes, for me.”

“How?”

“I’ll tell you once you bring me the assassin’s head.”

“So, you’re proposing a deal with me?”

I smiled brightly and replied.

“Yes, brother. I’m here to make a deal with you today. A very important deal that benefits us both.”

Hysteria smirked, then suddenly stabbed his sword into the fat man’s side.

Crunch!

The sound of breaking bones was chilling.

“Argh! Spare me, please… please!”

He grabbed the man’s hair roughly and spoke.

Thud.

“A deal, huh? Okay, interesting. But how do I know I can trust you? That you can actually make it happen, or that it’s even true?”

“Trust is your choice, brother. But if I were lying, wouldn’t you kill me later? Surely, you wouldn’t think I’d take that risk.”

He smirked again and twisted the blade deeper into the fat man’s side.

Crunch.

“Argh!”

“You don’t seem to know me very well, little brother. I don’t need deals. If I wanted, I could cripple you like this pig and get the answers myself.”

It wasn’t an idle threat.

Hysteria was fully capable of doing just that.

Without hesitation, I grabbed the hilt of the sword at my waist.

“Then, this deal is over?”

Hysteria pulled the sword lodged in the fat man’s side and aimed it at me.

Thud!

“Yes, the deal is over, and so are you today.”

“The deal may be over, but I am not done today.”

“Are you saying you can beat me?”

“No, I’m just saying…”

I released my aura and spoke to him.

Sssss-

“If I explode my aura right now, Valentine will be the first to rush in and smash your head, Brother.”

Enforcer Valentine—she was still in the castle. If the aura exploded, she would undoubtedly arrive first.

Hysteria’s eyebrows twitched.

“And if you and I end up fighting now, who do you think would benefit the most?”

“…”

“It would probably be Brother Günter. He’d pin this assassin incident on you and seize the opportunity to deal with his most troublesome enemy.”

Swaaah.

Siegfried entered my body. With my combat stance ready, I threw him a challenge.

“Brother, this is my final proposal. Will you join hands with me—or draw your sword?”

A pale, white-skinned clown with a towering frame juggled as he spoke.

“Hey, why’d you let that kid live? You could’ve killed him before Valentine even realized what happened.”

Hysteria kicked the corpse of the fat branch family member as he replied.

Thud!

“Should I kill him? My youngest brother?”

“Normally, you’d have beheaded him on the spot. That kid’s smart face was especially annoying!”

“And then what? Did you not hear what he said? If I kill the youngest now, Gunter will reap all the benefits.”

That wasn’t the only reason.

In his mind, he saw not only Gunter but also Verdin, now merged with the Sword God Siegfried.

…Incredible. Truly a gem worthy of Father’s praise.

The mere presence of that boy unsettled him.

“Is that kid really five years old?”

“Yeah, an unbelievably sharp five-year-old. I’d heard the youngest was extraordinary, but I never imagined he’d come to me like this.”

“Incredible. Why is it that all your siblings are like that? One of them threatens to cut your head off, and another risks his life to propose a deal. Are they even siblings?”

“That woman? Oh, you mean Valentine?”

“Yeah, that enforcer or whatever. She warned you not to mess with the kids in the castle.”

Hysteria shrugged.

“Leave her be. Valentine doesn’t desire the family head position, and she’s tougher to deal with than Gunter. It’s better to keep our distance for now.”

“She’s stronger than Gunther?”

“Sure, I might handle a sword better, but Valentine’s spiritual guardian isn’t ordinary. We’re poorly matched. You can’t beat her.”

The clown burst into smoke with a poof, reappearing in front of Hysteria with a grotesque grin as he laughed maniacally.

Kya-hahaha!

“Saying that makes me sound useless, doesn’t it?”

“Enough. Let’s stop wasting time. It seems we need to move quickly.”

“Huh? Why? I’m having fun.”

“Find your entertainment elsewhere. Before Gunter hides the assassin, I need to capture him first.”

“The assassin?”

“If he disappears, our youngest’s little ‘gift’ becomes useless. And the deal will fall apart.”

“…Well, if you say so. Shall we begin?”

“Yeah, come on in.”

Hysteria stretched out his right arm.

The clown’s spiritual guardian turned into smoke and entered his body, emitting countless threads that connected to the assassin’s arm.

Fwoosh!

“Rise, puppet.”

Hysteria’s aura poured out, forming a humanoid figure that attached the assassin’s arm to its body.

Thud.

As the aura puppet took shape, the clown’s spiritual guardian moved from Hysteria’s body to the puppet.

Ssssh.

It bent its joints back and forth, testing its condition.

Crack, crack, crack.

With a bright grin, it handed Hysteria a sword.

“Target located! The eastern coastal cave, about half a day’s journey from here! Per the master’s command, the hunt begins immediately!”

The eldest son and the one closest to becoming the next head of the family.

Gunter de Strange.

Ever since I was reborn, I’ve been mindful of his existence.

When I considered the future ahead of me, it was clear that he posed a far greater danger than the trio of Tony, Johnny, and Ronnie.

But I had no idea when he began to see me as a threat. Even after recalling my past life, I couldn’t pinpoint it.

Well.

Knowing Gunter, he must have acted with precision and subtlety, so my younger self in the previous life wouldn’t have noticed.

In my past life, there were a few attempts by assassins to infiltrate the main family. Each time, they were stopped and killed by the guardian knights.

None of those attempts succeeded in reaching my room like this one did.

This means that this life is more dangerous than the last.

It won’t be easy.

The path to reclaiming the title of Sword King.

Gunter’s level of threat surpasses what it was in my previous life.

While this assassination attempt wasn’t life-threatening, there’s no telling what tactics he’ll use next. I need to remain alert.

Gunter is someone who plans meticulously and acts with utmost caution.

This assassination attempt made it clear: this life won’t be any easier than my previous one.

Though some events from my past life repeat, others diverge entirely from the flow of causality.

This incident proved as much.

It served as a strong reminder that I stand in a position where even the slightest lapse in attention could lead to death.

If anything, I should be glad the assassin came before something bigger happened.

At least now I have the chance to prepare for what’s to come.

---

“Emma, do you know who’s attending today’s meeting?”

The nanny began folding her fingers as she answered.

“The master of the house, the eldest young master, the second young master, the third young lady, and all the lords of the branch families will be gathering.”

“Even the branch families are attending?”

“Yes, the master urgently summoned them. I believe it might be because of the assassin who targeted you.”

Not only the direct descendants—first, second, and third—but even the branch families. This was akin to preparing for war.

A gathering so dangerous that its mere existence could threaten neighbouring nations. Even the emperor, commanding the imperial army, would have reason to be on edge.

…The heavens are on my side.

I hadn’t expected such an opportunity to keep Gunter in check to come so quickly.

---

“Are you sure both my brothers will be attending?”

“Of course. The young masters and young lady have already arrived.”

“My brothers and sister?”

“Yes, they’re waiting in the garden for the master’s arrival.”

“I didn’t know they were here, so I haven’t greeted them. Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“Well… I thought it might be better for you to stay here.”

Her expression alone made it clear what she meant. In the Strange family, siblings competed to the death.

She probably thought I’d face harassment from my brothers.

Just like the useless trio of Tony, Johnny, and Ronnie.

After a brief moment of thought, I gave the nanny a gentle smile.

“Emma, could you bring me the item I asked you to store in the cold storage?”

---

“Greetings to the master of the house!”

The voice of Beth, the captain of the guardian knights, echoed through the castle. The other knights repeated her call in unison.

“Greetings to the master of the house!”

The current head of the Strange family, Lois, entered the castle with a stern expression.

Following behind him were two men and one woman.

A muscular man with slicked-back golden hair, a yellow cross-emblazoned suit of armor, and a massive two-handed sword slung over his shoulder—Gunter, the eldest.

A thin man with short blue hair, a blue suit of armor with a cross insignia, and two swords strapped to his waist—Hysteria, the second eldest.

A woman with long red hair, blood-red armor adorned with a cross, and a sword with a handle as long as its blade strapped to her back—Valentine, the third.

Three individuals, powerful enough to destroy an entire nation within half a day, had gathered.

For one purpose: to uncover the mastermind behind the assassin who dared infiltrate the Strange family’s estate.

Upon arriving at the meeting hall, Lois was the first to pull out a chair and sit down.

Scrrrk.

The first, second, and third children each took seats, keeping a deliberate distance from one another.

The elite knights of the Strange family, who had followed, filled the remaining gaps.

Scrape.

Seated around the circular table were the head of the family, the three direct descendants, and the members of the branch families who had grown up in their respective territories.

After a long silence, Lois finally broke the tension.

“The assassin?”

The eldest, Gunter, answered.

“We’re pursuing them.”

His voice was deep and resonant, like it had emerged from the depths of a cave.

“Based on what we’ve uncovered so far, it seems they belong to the guild known as Redworm, which has made a name for itself in the East.”

“Redworm?”

“An assassination organization.”

“And their motive for targeting us?”

Lois rested his chin on his hand, his expression intrigued, as Gunter cleared his throat and continued.

“They were likely after the youngest’s head. The rumor that the Sword God’s spiritual guardian has returned to our family has already spread across the continent.”

The Sword God’s return.

That single phrase explained well enough why the youngest had been targeted by an assassin.

Numerous guilds across the continent were lying in wait, eager for an opportunity to devour the Strange family.

“Father, Redworm is merely a small organization of just over a hundred assassins.”

“A hundred?”

“Yes, they’re not nearly a match for us. But I believe they were acting on orders from a larger power.”

“A larger power?”

Gunter’s gaze hardened as he nodded.

“A force so significant that they’re prepared to take us on.”

“To take us on…”

Lois’s eyes flared with anger as he unleashed his aura.

Sssss.

“You’re referring to Glazer.”

“Yes, Father.”

“But the war with Glazer only ended recently.”

“They must think lightly of us. Ever since Hagen took over as their leader, they’ve pulled stunts like this every year.”

“Phew…”

The gathered blood relatives exchanged uneasy glances and nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, the second son, Hysteria, let out a wicked laugh.

“Kahaha! Brother, do you really think that makes sense?”

“…What?”

“Does that even sound plausible to you? You’ve no idea what state Glazer is in and yet you make such claims?”

Lois turned his gaze toward Hysteria, who seized the moment, rose from his seat, and began circling the round table as he spoke.

“Father, as you know, Glazer is at odds with the emperor right now. They’re in no position to wage war against us.”

“……”

“In a situation where they should be lying low, why would they provoke us? What could they possibly gain?”

“……Hmm.”

“To turn both the Strange family and the imperial army into enemies simultaneously? That’s nothing short of suicide. No matter how extraordinary the youngest is, who would be insane enough to risk a war over killing a single child?”

Hysteria’s sly grin grew as he draped an arm over the shoulder of a fat, sweat-drenched member of the branch families.

“What do you think? Am I wrong?”

“You’re… you’re right.”

“See? Even you think Brother Gunter’s opinion is ridiculous.”

“N-no, that’s not what I meant! Lord Gunter, I would never—”

“Don’t deny it. Just tell Brother Gunter. ‘How did someone with a head like yours end up as the next head of the family? You’ll probably get killed by one of us soon anyway.’” Hysteria laughed uproariously.

Gunter glared at Hysteria with a displeased expression.

“Stop it, Hysteria.”

“Oh, my. Our future family head is already starting to issue orders, huh?”

“It’s not an order.”

“Then, is it a request?”

“It’s a warning. Stop here and sit down quietly.”

Hysteria didn’t avert his gaze from Gunter.

“What if I don’t want to?”

Gunter gripped the hilt of his sword.

“You know what will happen, don’t you?”

Hysteria’s lips twitched into a faint smirk as he grabbed the hilt of his own sword.

“No idea. Why don’t you show me, brother?”

As the tension between the two continued to rise—

Snap!

Lois snapped his fingers.

Both Gunter and Hysteria flinched involuntarily before retreating to their seats and turning their backs.

“Silence.”

With a single word, the meeting hall fell into order. The piercing tension caused the blood relatives to break out in a cold sweat.

Family head Lois turned his gaze toward Valentine.

“Valentine, what do you think?”

“…I agree with Hysteria.”

“Do you now?”

“Yes. The culprit is probably not Glazer but someone within our ranks.”

“Within?”

“If Glazer had acted, as Gunter said, their target would not have been Verdin but rather your life, Father.”

“……”

“If Glazer had truly acted, their goal wouldn’t have been Verdin but the head of our family—you, Father.”

“Indeed, that is logical.”

Royce closed his eyes and sank into deep thought.

Though Gunter was the eldest son, he couldn’t ignore the differing opinions of the second and third.

“Gunter.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Return to the east immediately and annihilate that Redworm assassin group. Kill not only the group but also their families, relatives, and anyone even remotely connected to them. Burn everything related to them and erase their existence.”

“…Understood.”

“Valentine, you will re-examine this castle’s security to ensure no assassin can infiltrate again.”

“Yes, Father.”

Lois exhaled deeply, surveying everyone gathered in the hall before speaking in a sharp, cutting tone.

“Ensure this never happens again. Show the world what happens to those who dare to point a blade at the Strange family.”

---

The meeting concluded.

When the doors opened, Lois was the first to leave, followed by dozens of collateral relatives sweating profusely. They quickened their pace as if they couldn’t wait to leave the castle.

Despite being family, their frightened expressions made one wonder if such tension was necessary.

In any case, the castle would soon be empty.

For the time being, only Valentine would remain.

Step, step, step.

Once all the collateral relatives disappeared from view, a familiar figure emerged from the meeting hall.

A muscular man with slicked-back blonde hair and thick eyebrows.

‘Gunter.’

He walked past me with a blank expression and spoke.

“So, you’re Verdin.”

Gunter recognized me immediately, even though we were meeting for the first time.

“Yes, brother.”

I raised my head and met his gaze. Gunter found my demeanor amusing and flashed a faint smile.

“Just as I’ve heard.”

“Just as you’ve heard?”

“Yes, you’ve got impressive eyes. It’s no wonder Father favors you.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“……”

That was the extent of our conversation. Gunter lightly patted my head before leaving.

Shortly after, Valentine appeared. She glanced at me, offering a slight smile before her expression turned cold again. She didn’t say a word—not even a greeting. She simply nodded faintly and left.

I stood in front of the meeting hall for a long time, waiting until everyone who had attended the meeting was gone.

I vividly remembered this.

From when I was a child until I became an adult, one person always stayed behind until the very end whenever a meeting concluded.

Today was no different.

As soon as I thought everyone had left, I cautiously entered the meeting hall.

“…Huh? Who are you?”

A man with blue hair, lounging with his legs propped up on the table, greeted me with a lopsided grin.

“Hello, brother. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Verdin.”

He was a strong individual who could keep Gunter in check until I was strong enough.

“Verdin?”

The one who would later be called a revolutionary—the family’s second son.

Hysteria de Strange.

“Yes, I’m that Verdin.”

He was the strongest card I could play at this moment.

The man in the black mask was flustered.

He was sure he had struck the back of the boy’s head with a pouch filled with iron balls. How was it possible that he wasn’t knocked out?

Did I miss? No, that can’t be it.

He had used this weapon to kill people dozens, hundreds, even thousands of times before. He distinctly felt the impact against flesh—a solid, heavy blow.

The only explanation for his target surviving was sheer luck.

This weapon was powerful enough to instantly kill small monsters, and even orcs, known for their toughness, would be rendered senseless if hit by the pouch.

…Could Strange kids be naturally thick-headed?

The man in the black mask had no way of understanding how Verdin had withstood the blow. If he ever found out the reason for his failure later, he would be utterly shocked.

In that split-second moment, not even a full second, Verdin had sensed the danger and enveloped his body in aura.

“Why, why won’t you die, you little brat!?”

Shhkt!

The man in the black mask drew his sword.

If blunt force wasn’t enough, then he would just cut him down. It was a simple solution.

But he didn’t understand why the boy before him was smiling.

“An assassin?”

“……”

“No need to answer if you don’t want to.”

Swish.

Verdin unsheathed his sword. It was a blade he had barely finished training with, and while it was somewhat dull, it was still sharp enough to cut someone down.

“What are you waiting for? Not going to attack?”

The boy’s expression was calm, almost casual.

In contrast, the man in the black mask was breathing heavily, overwhelmed by tension.

He had thought he could easily deal with a mere child and leave, but now he found himself in an unexpected duel. How could he not feel bewildered?

I need to hurry.

If this dragged on any longer, the guardian knights protecting the castle would show up.

Damn it. I need to finish this quickly before things go sideways.

The masked man infused his sword with aura and spoke.

Swoosh.

“Don’t get cocky.”

Tatatat!

The man in the black mask charged at Verdin, aura surrounding his feet. His movement was impressive.

It was no wonder he had managed to infiltrate the Strange family’s castle by bypassing the guardian knights. A certain level of skill was necessary for an assassin to survive in this world.

Clang!

Their swords clashed with a clear, ringing sound. It was so precise it almost seemed like the same spot had been struck intentionally.

He’s holding his sword backward?

The assassin’s blade pointed toward the ground. His proficiency with weapons was apparent, as he had switched his grip on the hilt seamlessly.

But even such skill couldn’t reach Verdin, who was hailed as the Sword King in his previous life.

Clang!

“For an assassin, you’re pretty good with a sword.”

The assassin’s blade, which had been cutting in an arc, suddenly shifted into a thrust.

Verdin’s mind began piecing together the assassin’s identity. There weren’t many who could use swordsmanship refined to the level of a secret technique.

“Shut up, brat. What do you know to be spouting nonsense?”

“I’ll show you what I know.”

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

They exchanged exactly four strikes. That was enough for both to gauge each other’s skill. The man in the black mask realized he couldn’t defeat this child with his sword.

Even after just a few exchanges, the edge of his blade had started to chip, and the shock traveling through his weapon made his arm tingle all the way to his elbow.

Damn Strange family monsters, are they born like this?

If a sword wouldn’t work, he would just have to use another weapon.

The masked man extended his left hand, pointing his sword forward, while his right hand reached for the small crossbow strapped to his back.

“Die, you little brat!”

Without hesitation, he loaded a bolt and aimed at Verdin. But this was his biggest mistake.

Perhaps it might have worked against anyone else.

But the opponent before him now was someone who, in his previous life, had wielded his sword as if it were an extension of his soul—a former Sword King.

Swish!

A slicing sound echoed past the assassin’s ears, barely audible. He couldn’t even see what had happened.

The moment he pulled the trigger to load the bolt—

Thud.

His right arm fell to the ground.

“……?”

With a sickening sound, blood gushed from the severed arm.

“Aaaargh!”

The pain was unbearable, and he let out a scream.

Before he knew it, Verdin, whose hair had turned golden, was holding the severed arm.

“If you’d only used your sword, I wouldn’t have cut your arm off.”

“……”

“Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter since you were trying to cut my head off anyway.”

The man in the black mask felt a chill run down his spine.

How could a mere five-year-old say such things?

The moment he locked eyes with Verdin, his entire body froze. Those golden eyes held an overwhelming killing intent he had never encountered before.

It felt like he was standing before a predator—paralyzed, unable to move.

The assassin’s ragged breathing filled the room, while the blood pooling from his wound had already soaked the floor.

The outcome was clear.

An assassin skilled enough to bypass the Strange family’s defenses had been defeated by a five-year-old child.

“…Damn it!”

The masked man frantically scanned his surroundings before leaping toward the window.

Crash!

Verdin didn’t chase after the fleeing assassin.

He simply held the severed arm, watching through the shattered window as the man disappeared.

Moments later, the guardian knights arrived and pounded on the door.

Bang, bang, bang.

“Young Master, may we enter?”

“Sure, come in.”

Three guardian knights entered the room. The leader of the group scanned the blood-soaked floor and asked with wide eyes,

“What… what happened here?”

“An assassin came.”

“An assassin?!”

“Yeah, he escaped that way.”

Verdin pointed out the window toward the forest. One of the knights rushed over, spotted the assassin’s trail, and shouted toward the castle guards.

“Assassin! Guards Pursue him!!”

---

The assassin ran through the forest at full speed. He must not be caught by the knights of the Strange family. If he were caught, death would not be the end of it.

As he ran, he loosened his belt, stretched it out, and used his mouth and left arm to pull it tight. He then tied it around the upper part of his severed right arm.

Pop.

The bleeding reduced significantly. Taking a mysterious powder from his pocket, he sprinkled it over the severed area. With a sizzle, the blood stopped coming from the wound.

The blood trail on the ground became fainter, and the knights’ pursuit slowed. Over time, the distance between them grew until, finally, the knights lost the assassin.

Had the sun risen even slightly earlier, they might have caught him. The overcast sky, heavy with dark clouds, had aided his escape.

“Phew… That was close.”

The assassin who had shaken off his pursuers hid himself in a nearby cave.

This place was deep within a forest where large monsters roamed—an area avoided not only by adventurers but even by veteran merchants.

“Damn brat,” the masked man muttered, biting his lip in pain.

As he steadied his breathing and held his severed arm, a middle-aged man with a face full of scars emerged from the shadows.

“You’re late,” the man said.

“…Commander,” the masked man replied.

The one referred to as the commander looked at the assassin’s severed arm and sighed.

“Did you fail?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Was it the guardian knights?”

“No.”

“Then who?”

The masked man hesitated to admit he had been bested by a child. Feeling humiliated, he merely lowered his head.

The commander slowly approached and pressed his finger against the assassin’s forehead.

Thunk.

“Explain why you failed.”

“…I managed to attempt the assassination, but the target didn’t die.”

“What?”

“I… I successfully infiltrated and waited for the guardian knights to leave. I even managed to strike the brat’s head with a blunt weapon.”

“And you’re telling me that the kid survived a blow to the head? A five-year-old child?”

“…Yes. I’m sorry.”

The masked man dropped to his knees, casting nervous glances upward.

The commander clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead.

“What about the pursuit?”

“I evaded all of them.”

“Did they discover your identity?”

“N-no. I only lost an arm, nothing else—”

“You fool! That means your arm is now in the Strange family’s hands?”

“…Yes.”

“Why didn’t you retrieve it?”

“I didn’t have the time….”

Slap!

The commander struck the masked man across the face. Drawing a dagger, he pressed it against the man’s throat.

“There’s someone in that family who can track people by their voice alone. And you left your arm there? Do you even understand what you’ve done?”

The commander fell into thought. If the Strange family launched a full-scale pursuit, capture would only be a matter of time.

“…You, head east.”

“East? Do you mean back to Glazer’s territory?”

“Yes. Explain the situation to our client. They’ll arrange for someone to smuggle you to another continent by sea. If things go south, the client’s life will be forfeit anyway.”

“To another continent….”

“Hurry. Find them and disappear from this land before the Strange family makes their move.”

---

“Interesting,” a voice said.

From the way he handled his weapon, it was clear the intruder was an assassin.

His grip on the sword’s hilt matched the techniques of assassins from the East. The person who ordered the hit must have ties to Eastern assassins.

If it’s someone from the East…

It had to be him.

Siegfried furrowed his brow, scratching his head.

“Why didn’t you chase down that assassin, disciple?”

“I wouldn’t have caught him anyway,” the boy replied.

“Why not?”

“The assassin who came after me was a veteran. And I’m only five years old. Even if I gave it my all, I couldn’t keep up physically.”

The boy placed the severed arm of the assassin on the table and continued.

“Besides, he’ll be caught soon enough.”

“Huh? How do you figure?”

“I know who he is.”

“You know who he is?”

“Yes. Assassins skilled enough to infiltrate the main Strange estate are rare.”

Siegfried picked his nose with his pinky as he replied, “True enough.”

“And the number of people capable of ordering such assassins—or at least commissioning them—and who have reason to keep me in check is small.”

“Who is it, then?”

The boy glanced up at the portraits hanging above the door—pictures of the Strange family’s current direct lineage.

Led by Lois, six brothers were pictured beneath him, excluding the youngest: himself.

One of them is targeting me.

And it was none other than the family’s most likely heir.

“…Gunter.”

The eldest had made his move.

“Come in.”

The spiritual guardian Siegfried entered Verdin’s body as if being absorbed.

A technique in which the contractor opens the door of their heart to become one with the spiritual guardian.

Descent—all adventurers on the continent referred to this moment as a divine blessing.

After all, a spiritual guardian with astonishing power had descended to aid a human.

As expected.

I looked at the mirror placed in one corner of the training ground, satisfied with my reflection.

My eyes and hair had turned golden, and crimson flame-like patterns stretched up to my elbows.

These were changes only a select few could undergo.

God’s Knight.

It referred to those chosen by the gods.

Whoosh—

As Siegfried entered Verdin’s body, an indescribably radiant energy enveloped him.

Is this “Burn”?

The first words he muttered after experiencing “Burn” for the first time were filled with deep admiration.

“Unbelievable!”

It was only a faint trace of “Burn”—enough to merely sense the flow of energy—but even so, it was sufficient to deeply move someone like Siegfried, who had walked the path of a Sword Saint for countless years.

“Burn” didn’t provoke the impulsive rage, the fatal flaw of aura, nor did it trigger the alien sensory states brought on by mana.

It simply provided explosive power akin to a volcano and a serene mind like a still lake.

“Kid, this is truly incredible!”

Siegfried’s voice echoed in Verdin’s mind.

“Is that so?”

“Yes! If I could have learned this ‘Burn’ in the past, I would’ve conquered the tower ages ago!”

Verdin wanted to reply, No, you wouldn’t. Swordsmanship alone can’t conquer the tower. But he bit his tongue and nodded in agreement instead.

“I see.”

It was a wise response.

Siegfried would grumble all day if even a slightly negative comment was made about him.

“Hey, are you planning to go to the tower?”

“Not yet.”

“Why not?”

“I’m five years old.”

A short answer sufficed without further explanation.

Children of the Strange family weren’t allowed outside the castle before the age of seven. Even if he wanted to go to the tower, he couldn’t.

Siegfried knew this too. He’d already asked to go outside the castle a hundred times since becoming Verdin’s spiritual guardian.

“I didn’t mean now! I meant later. You can go when you’re older!”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Cheeky brat! If your master tells you to go, you go!”

“All right, Master. Now, show me some swordsmanship, please.”

It was almost time for Beth to arrive at the training ground.

Knock, knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door of the training ground. Even without them entering, Verdin knew who it was.

There was only one person in the castle with this level of presence.

“This is Beth, Captain of the Guards.”

“Come in.”

At Verdin’s nod, two guards opened the door.

Beth entered, wearing formal training attire. The crest of the Strange family—a crossed sword—was prominently displayed on his chest.

“Are you ready, Young Master Verdin?”

Beth slowly looked Verdin over from head to toe. His appearance made it clear that he had used a spiritual guardian.

Beth clenched his fists before walking toward the center of the training ground.

“I heard you used a spiritual guardian?”

“Yes, and that’s why I asked for you.”

Verdin responded with a cheerful smile.

“Correct. The other knights wouldn’t be able to handle the Sword Saint’s techniques.”

“That may be true, but even I may not be able to withstand them.”

“You’ll do fine, Beth. And I’ll be using a real sword instead of a wooden one.”

Beth replied firmly, his voice dropping low.

“That’s unacceptable. Unlike a wooden sword, a real sword can be lethal. If I make a mistake and injure you—”

Verdin scratched his head, exasperated.

A seven-star knight making a mistake during a duel? Impossible.

If Verdin were truly injured, it could only mean deliberate intent.

Beth’s swordsmanship was so exceptional that even the head of the family, Lois, acknowledged it, granting him the position of Captain of the Guards.

In short, Beth was being overly cautious to an unreasonable degree.

“What are you saying, Beth? Your sword won’t harm me.”

“But if an accident were to occur…”

“I am also a member of the Strange family. Excessive protection isn’t necessary, Beth. Draw your sword.”

Beth  hesitated.

Though unlikely, what if the young master got hurt?

He knew Verdin was extraordinary. But training with a real, sharpened sword was different.

It was reckless to engage in such training with someone who hadn’t even formally learned swordsmanship.

Even with a spiritual guardian, it felt too dangerous.

If this attitude stemmed from overconfidence, it was Beth’s duty to correct it.

“…Young Master, then promise me one thing.”

“A promise?”

“If you sustain even a scratch during this duel, you’ll train with wooden swords from now on.”

Beth seemed resolved to see this through.

Verdin smiled brightly and drew the dagger he’d received from Valentine.

“Deal.”

---

Beth couldn’t believe it.

Even with the blood of the Strange family, Verdin was still only five years old.

This is absurd.

Even with the aid of a spiritual guardian, such an overwhelming disparity in skill was unthinkable.

Not once could Beth fully extend his sword. No matter his stance, Verdin’s blade reached a vital spot before Beth could complete his form.

Beth felt as if he were standing at the edge of a cliff. The gap between their abilities was so vast it was incomprehensible.

…Amazing.

He hadn’t let his guard down.

He’d gripped his sword with complete sincerity, yet he couldn’t fend off Verdin’s attacks.

Though his eyes could follow Verdin’s movements, his body couldn’t keep up.

The faint tremor in his fingertips betrayed his emotions.

Is it simply speed? No, this is different.

It was as if Verdin could predict his every move.

He’s different.

Beth had trained every child born to Lois, the head of the family. None had shown such talent.

Even with the aid of a spiritual guardian, this level of mastery was unparalleled.

Today, Beth, a seven-star knight, keenly realized just how extraordinary the Strange family’s bloodline was—through a single five-year-old child, Verdin.

“Young Master, have you ever learned swordsmanship?”

Beth was stunned further by Verdin’s answer, spoken with a carefree smile.

“No, I haven’t.”

“And yet, even without your spiritual guardian… Your swordsmanship is outstanding.”

“Is it?”

“Yes, it’s hard to believe.”

“Oh, come on.”

“It’s true.”

“Thank you. But all I did was follow the Sword God’s instructions.”

It wasn’t a lie.

After all, in this life, Verdin hadn’t formally trained in swordsmanship.

“…I’m not sure what to say. Even with the Sword God assisting you from behind, it’s remarkable that you, who just started wielding a sword, could spar with me at all.”

“Was I lacking in any way?”

“Not at all! Now I understand why Young Master Tony calls Young Master Verdin a monster.”

“….”

“This was the most outstanding first training session of anyone I’ve ever taught. The head of the house will be thrilled to hear about today’s session.”

“That’s a relief. If time permits, could I trouble you for another session later? I’ll make sure to learn more from the Sword God before then.”

Beth forced a smile as he replied, “Yes, I’ll be waiting.”

It might have sounded like a casual remark to Verdin, but for Beth, it was a solemn vow. He was curious about how far Verdin could grow.

At this rate, not only would he have a shot at becoming the next head of the house, but becoming the continent’s greatest swordmaster would only be a matter of time.

That day, Beth carved a firm resolution into his heart.

…I must protect the Young Master.

If word about today’s sparring session spread, the other siblings would ramp up their efforts to keep Verdin in check.

Beth scanned the guards in the training grounds. Undoubtedly, some among them were connected to those who might threaten Verdin.

I need to tighten the castle’s defenses.

To ensure the future of the Strange family, Verdin had to grow safely.

Verdin, drenched in sweat, slung his practice uniform over his shoulder and said, “Well, that’s it for today. I’ll be off to rest now.”

“Please rest well, Young Master.”

“See you later.”

As Beth watched Verdin walk away, he turned to the two guards nearest to him and issued an order.

“You two, starting today, stay by Verdin’s side. Do not let him stray more than a hundred steps away from you. Stop any threats, and if necessary, you have permission to kill.”

---

The training session with Beth was a success.

Once again, I successfully summoned Siegfried, the spiritual guardian, for the first time in this life. I also confirmed that my swordsmanship could hold its own against a seven-star knight.

Now, I just have to wait for my body to grow stronger before hunting a dragon. In the meantime, I’ll plan with Siegfried on what to prepare.

From now on, no one will be able to stop me.

That is, unless the magical powerhouse Glazer family decides to intervene.

“You did pretty well. You managed to disarm that knight’s sword without my help, and you didn’t even use aura,” Siegfried remarked, eyeing me suspiciously as if I were hiding something.

I casually picked up a chocolate cookie from the table and replied, crunch “I just remembered the movements you demonstrated and copied them.”

“You bastard! You copied my swordsmanship just by watching it once?”

“No? I copied it after watching three times.”

“Once, three times—what’s the difference!”

“Calm down and think about it. How exactly did I block that knight’s attack earlier?”

There was no need to think. I had definitely blocked the attack using sword techniques Siegfried had taught me—all the moves he demonstrated today. Of course, I didn’t pick them up on the spot; they were skills I mastered in my previous life.

Siegfried rolled his eyes and then let out a long sigh.

“Ugh—damn it! They’re all techniques I used, aren’t they?”

“Exactly. I told you I was just copying what you showed me.”

“That’s impossible! These techniques aren’t something you can just copy by watching… Ah, wait. Maybe for you, it’s different. Right, you’re not ordinary. After all, the guy who invented Burn can probably do anything!”

Siegfried really was straightforward. He didn’t even question how a five-year-old could mimic his techniques so quickly.

How did someone with that kind of brain reach the realm of the Sword God?

“Starting tomorrow, let’s extend the summoning duration little by little.”

“Are you sure about that? You overdid it today. You shared my body for ten minutes. Anyone else would’ve passed out.”

That was true. Even in my past life, maintaining the summoning for five minutes would leave me dizzy.

“I have to adapt. I need to get stronger.”

“Oooh! I like that determination. Makes it worth teaching you!”

“But, Sword God… how did… uh… w-what is… this?”

Suddenly, my vision blurred, and my body staggered. A wave of dizziness swept over me.

Don’t tell me…

Was the cookie poisoned?

As I grabbed the table to steady myself and blinked my eyes, something dull struck the back of my head.

Whoosh—

Thud!

It hurt—a lot.

What the hell hit me?

Though the pain snapped me back to my senses, I had no idea what had struck me.

When I turned around slowly, I saw a figure in a black mask.

The masked individual flinched, took three steps back while waving their hands nervously, and then…

Shing—

They suddenly drew a sword.

“Why… why aren’t you dead, you little brat?”

A heavy yet heartfelt voice echoed in my ears.

[Let us commence the contract.]

Following that, crimson smoke enveloped my entire body. With a swoosh, an endless scroll unfurled in all directions.

[I, Siegfried, hereby transfer all my knowledge and skills to Verdin as per the contract.]

Brilliant light cascaded down upon me.

Flash!

[I vow to do my utmost to guide the contractor in surpassing the divine chart and reaching the realm of selflessness.]

In my previous life, I never understood what Siegfried meant by “the chart.” He always claimed to be leading me to divine heights, but I thought it was just empty flattery meant to motivate awakeners.

Who could have known?

That he genuinely intended to make me the strongest Swordmaster in the world.

I stretched out both hands, savoring the contract’s radiance.

Thanks to the contract with Siegfried, the aura dormant deep within me began to awaken. Its intensity was so overwhelming that anyone untrained would struggle to remain conscious.

Could it be?

This aura was far more refined than when I had contracted with him in my past life. It was incomparable—much stronger.

The crimson energy spread out, filling the room, writhing like the tentacles of an octopus.

It resembled the aura I possessed when I was hailed as the Sword King.

Perfect.

I respectfully bowed my head toward Siegfried.

Having completed the contract, Siegfried, with a benevolent expression, patted my head.

We exchanged gestures of respect. I offered deference to the legendary spiritual guardian, and Siegfried showed gratitude to me, his contractor who had freed him from his confines.

Of course, this sentiment was fleeting—lasting mere seconds.

Siegfried’s expression suddenly shifted, and he swung his hand forcefully at the back of my head.

Whoosh.

Instinctively, I ducked, evading his strike. My body reacted on its own, preempting his movements.

This damn master!

“You insolent descendant!”

I raised an eyebrow.

How could we still react to each other like this?

Nothing had changed between us. We were already on the verge of fighting.

Calm down.

I took a deep breath, steadying my mind. Starting a fight now could ruin everything.

“‘Insolent,’ you say? That’s harsh, elder.”

“Harsh? You damn wretch! How long did you make me wait?!”

It had only been a day.

“If this Sword God personally chose you, you should have hurried to finalize the contract!”

“……”

“I’ve turned away scores of others like you each year, yet you, a mere child, dared keep me waiting?!”

I wanted to curse him out, but I couldn’t make the same mistakes I did before.

I held my tongue and let him continue.

“And what is this nonsense about reaching a new realm? Opening both mana and aura? Ridiculous!”

“……”

“With the time you wasted, I could’ve taught you one of my sword techniques by now!”

Siegfried raged, gesturing wildly in the air.

It made sense. He had never encountered a dual-awakened before, so his reaction was understandable.

Watching him, I smiled warmly and raised my hands.

In my right hand, I manifested the crimson aura gained from the contract. In my left, I summoned the blue mana I had unlocked on my own, showing them both to Siegfried.

Whoosh.

This time, I bowed politely, my posture dignified and expression soft.

“Please, calm yourself and observe, Sword God Siegfried. I’ll now demonstrate the new realm I spoke of.”

Boom.

The two energies swirled and roared like boiling water in a kettle. As the crimson and blue began to merge, they stilled momentarily, forming a rapidly spinning purple orb.

Buzz.

“Behold the fusion of aura and mana—a technique I call ‘Vern.’”

---

Whoosh.

Mysterious energy began spreading through the castle.

Alarmed by the sudden surge of power, the knights tasked with guarding the estate sprang into action.

There were no signs of an intruder, yet this overwhelming presence had appeared out of nowhere.

Beth, the captain of the guard for the Strange family’s main estate, immediately issued an evacuation order.

“Escort the young masters outside!”

Beth was a warrior estimated to be at least a 7-star level—a rarity even in the Empire’s military. Few across the continent could surpass him in skill.

Yet even he felt overshadowed by the presence he now sensed.

Whoever it was, he couldn’t win.

Thus, he resolved to lay down his life to ensure the young masters’ safety.

With determined eyes, Beth entered the estate, nodding as the knights scattered to fulfill his orders.

Their mission was twofold: protect the Strange family and identify the intruder.

“…The training hall.”

He drew his sword from his back, prepared to strike.

Against an opponent stronger than himself, defense was futile. His only option was to aim for a decisive blow.

They must not pursue the young masters.

With that resolve, Beth headed toward the training hall, moving cautiously like a predator in the wild.

Mana? No… aura?

As he approached the training hall, he felt something strange—something blazing like aura but flowing cold like mana.

Does this mean there are two enemies?

He swallowed dryly. Who would send assassins to the Strange family?

This is war.

If the mastermind were uncovered, it would inevitably lead to conflict—perhaps even full-scale war.

Even if it was the Glazer family, known for their mastery of magic.

Beth took a deep breath and kicked the door to the training hall open.

Bang!

He was ready to strike—

“Master Verdin?”

Standing in the center of the hall with a composed expression was none other than Verdin.

“Beth?”

“M-Master. Is there… anyone else here?”

Beth expanded his aura, wrapping it around the training hall.

As he pinpointed the source of the mysterious energy, his knees gave out involuntarily.

Thud.

Is this truly Master Verdin’s aura? No… then what about the mana?

Beth couldn’t comprehend the scene before him. A mere five-year-old child wielded an aura far surpassing his own 7-star strength.

The only explanation lay in the bloodline of the Strange family.

But how could this child also exude mana?

“What’s the matter, Beth?”

Even that question shattered and disappeared from her mind with just one sentence from Verdin.

Whether or not mana could be sensed didn’t matter. It could simply have been a misperception caused by the immense aura.

“…It’s nothing. My apologies for causing a disturbance!”

“Are you alright? You suddenly burst in, and it startled me.”

“I’m sorry!”

“There’s no need to apologize. If there’s nothing urgent, could you leave? I was in the middle of training.”

“…Understood!”

---

Beth, the captain of the Guardian Knights, left the training hall.

It was a huge relief. The ‘Burn’ hadn’t been discovered. Just before he entered, I separated the mana and left only the aura. If I’d been even a little slower, he might have noticed.

Beth is a veteran knight, after all.

Once I confirmed that his presence had completely vanished, I minimized the size of my aura and mana as much as possible, fusing them into something nearly imperceptible from outside.

Buzz.

This technique would later be known as ‘Burn.’ It was a new power created by igniting and merging two types of energy.

Of course, in this life, I would continue to call it ‘Burn.’ While it didn’t matter what others called it since I was the only one who could use it, the name was my own creation.

Burn. That name is better left unchanged.

Siegfried, with a look of disbelief, extended his hand toward the violet energy swirling before him.

As his soul approached the Burn, it seemed distorted, only to return to normal when he drew back. Judging by his expression, it was as if I could hear Siegfried’s thoughts: This is incredible!

“Other than you, has anyone else unlocked two types of energy?”

Without hesitation, I shook my head.

“No.”

“Then, are you saying you’re the only one who can use both aura and mana simultaneously?”

“That’s correct. I’m the only one who knows the method for dual awakening.”

“And how did you learn it?”

“I was taught by the keeper of the archive.”

“The archive keeper?”

“Yes, the one managing the collection of secret tomes gathered from across the continent—my family’s keeper of the Strezeg Library.”

“Who’s that?”

“A man named Johann. He wasn’t a member of our family, so you likely wouldn’t know him. I heard he was called Joseph in his hometown.”

“Joseph, huh… The name sounds vaguely familiar.”

I shrugged.

“Well, Joseph or Johann—it’s a common name.”

“Did that man also unlock two types of energy?”

“No. He failed and died. Thanks to that, I’m the only one alive who knows this technique.”

Siegfried didn’t ask further questions about how I gained this ability. Whenever the word “death” came up, he tended to grow thoughtful, and our conversations would abruptly shorten.

Knowing this, I deliberately mentioned Johann. It was true that he had taught me the method to fuse aura and mana in my past life. It was also true that he died from failing to do so. There wasn’t a single lie in my explanation.

Still, I’m relieved.

It was comforting that Siegfried was the same as in my past life.

Even so…

He sometimes had a sharp edge in his words. It would be best to avoid unnecessary conversations with him.

“Anyway, you’re saying that this technique can only be used by you, my contractor, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“…Good. Then your father doesn’t know about dual awakening either?”

“No, I haven’t told anyone.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s uncertain.”

“Uncertain?”

“Yes. Until today, when I met you, there hadn’t been a single other dual awakener. How could I speak of something I hadn’t confirmed?”

I continued with a resolute expression.

“And in the future, I won’t tell my father about dual awakening. In fact, I won’t tell anyone.”

“Why not?”

“Because this power isn’t for the family—it’s for me.”

A smile spread across Siegfried’s face. He seemed satisfied with my answer. With his fists clenched tightly, he gazed at the swirling Burn in my hands. He was astonished by this unprecedented ability and kept expressing admiration for his descendant and disciple, born with extraordinary talent.

“Kid, since we’ve sealed the contract, don’t you want to try using me?”

“Right now?”

“Yes, that knight who was here earlier. He seems like a decent practice opponent.”

Siegfried looked through the window toward the castle gate, where Beth was heading.

“I also want to feel your Burn directly.”

After a brief moment of hesitation, I extended my right arm and spoke to Siegfried.

“Come in.”

A knight clad in crimson armor, with long, aged red hair.

Valentine de Strange.

Known as the “Red Crow of the West,” she had come to the castle.

Her sudden visit threw the entire castle into a frenzy. The air inside grew tense, as if bracing for a storm on the horizon.

Not just the steward, but even the caretakers hurried to greet her. Every guardian knight she passed offered a formal salute.

“Welcome, Lady Valentine!”

Without so much as a glance, she acknowledged them with a curt nod and continued down the corridor, her expression icy.

Her sharp gaze was so piercing that anyone it brushed against felt paralyzed. Knights below the rank of three stars, unable to reinforce their bodies with energy in time, collapsed, foaming at the mouth.

Under normal circumstances, she would have restrained her aura out of “consideration” for others. But not today.

Why had Valentine come to the castle unannounced? It wasn’t a special day.

The head guardian knight, leading her path, was filled with questions but kept them to himself.

A mere knight captain knew better than to speak out of turn—especially with someone like Valentine. After all, there was only ever one reason for her visits.

Someone in the castle was about to die.

Wherever Valentine de Strange, the executor of the Strange family, appeared, death followed. Her nickname, the Red Crow, stemmed from this very reputation—her arrival heralded blood and demise. Not just for enemies but even members of her own family. Her name carried weight and fear alike.

“…From here on, I wish to walk in silence. Skip the formalities.”

Valentine’s voice was a soft murmur, yet it demanded absolute obedience.

The head guardian knight bowed deeply.

“Yes, my lady!”

She stopped on the fourth floor of the castle. Above, on the fifth floor, were quarters reserved for children not yet ready to leave the castle—newborns or those who hadn’t yet enrolled in the academy.

From the point where salutes were skipped, Valentine concealed her aura completely and walked straight to the triplets’ room without hesitation.

Knock, knock, knock.

Three short knocks.

Creak.

The door opened, and her calm, low voice resonated.

“Follow me.”

At her command, the triplets—Tony, Johnny, and Ronnie—silently obeyed.

Though siblings, none of them dared to greet her or even ask questions. The youngest, Ronnie, was so overwhelmed he wet himself in fear.

Who could blame him? A figure known as the death harbinger of the family had come for them. How could they not be terrified?

Valentine led the three to the underground levels. At some point, the guardian knight who had been guiding her stepped aside.

When they reached the end of the underground passage, Valentine began her execution.

No matter how young, those who broke the family’s rules faced punishment.

The triplets clasped their hands together, praying silently. Their lips didn’t move, but their desperation was evident in their expressions.

Swish.

Valentine drew a dagger from her waist. Known as the “Blade of Judgment” within the Strange family, it was an executioner’s tool.

“Be grateful for the Lord’s mercy. By all rights, I should take your heads. But today, I will settle for your fingers.”

---

Having completed the punishment, Valentine and the triplets arrived at Verdin’s room.

Valentine took a deep breath before lightly knocking on the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

She entered the room in the same manner as before.

Creak.

Verdin, seated at a desk reading a book, looked up. Unlike his siblings, he didn’t seem startled by her appearance.

Instead, he greeted her with a warm smile.

“You’re here, sister.”

Verdin’s gaze swept over the four figures in his room. In that brief moment, he understood everything.

Valentine stood with her Blade of Judgment still at her side, and the triplets, their fingers wrapped in bandages, stood beside her.

So that’s how it is.

There was only one thing that puzzled him.

If Valentine, the Red Crow, had personally intervened, someone should have died. Yet the triplets were all alive.

Does this mean she has another reason for visiting the castle beyond her duties?

Despite realizing this, Verdin remained composed.

Valentine’s lips twitched briefly into a smirk before her expression hardened once more. She took a seat across from him.

This brat…

Even in her presence, his confidence remained unshaken. His clear, observant eyes seemed to peer straight into her thoughts.

It was as if he’d anticipated her arrival.

In stark contrast to the triplets, who had collapsed in terror at the sight of her, he appeared utterly unperturbed.

“Have you been well?”

Such a simple greeting.

For most, it was a mundane exchange, but the triplets were astonished.

Valentine, who never shared pleasantries with anyone outside their father, had initiated small talk.

When she had summoned them, there hadn’t even been a greeting—just a cold, low command to “follow.”

Their sense of grievance swelled, but they dared not voice it.

“Yes,” Verdin replied, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

In his previous life, she hadn’t even shown her face when he entered the academy. To see her acting like this now was strange.

Though they had exchanged only a single greeting, it felt awkward and unnatural.

An awkward silence ensued.

To the triplets, the seconds stretched into an eternity.

Valentine appeared to speak, hesitated, then closed her mouth again. She tilted her head slightly before falling silent once more.

Why has Valentine come to see me?

Verdin’s mind raced.

The punishment of the triplets was done. His use of the spiritual guardian had been deemed self-defense and wouldn’t lead to punishment.

He had his suspicions but held his tongue. Whatever her reason, he would find out soon enough.

She gazed at him in silence. Even her stare was enough to send shivers down one’s spine.

She truly was the executor of the Strange family, the reaper of death.

She lives up to her name as the Red Crow.

Even I, once known as the Sword King in my previous life, felt stifled by her presence.

Of course, if I had released my aura, it would be a different story. But in my current unawakened state, I had no choice but to endure.

The triplets fidgeted nervously beside her, stealing glances at her as the silence dragged on.

Eventually, Valentine broke it.

“Verdin, do you know why I’ve come?”

The answer was simple. Today was no special day. Father wasn’t even in the castle. So why would the person called the Executor come all this way?

Naturally, it was to carry out the task they had been assigned.

As the family’s “Executor.”

The undeniable proof of that was in the triplets’ hands.

But that’s not all, is it?

Finding the answer wasn’t difficult.

Verdin pretended to think for a moment, gazing into the distance before turning his eyes back to their original focus and giving his reply.

“You’ve come to see me.”

Valentine propped her chin on her hand, her expression intrigued.

“To see you?”

“Yes. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been a need to come directly to my room.”

And with the triplets in tow, no less.

“That’s correct. I’ve come to see you. Do you know why?”

“I suspect it’s simply to see how your younger brother is doing.”

“Couldn’t I be here to hold you accountable for a crime? Yet you think I’m here just to look at you?”

Verdin replied without a change in expression.

“Yes. There’s a saying that whoever chooses the Sword God as their spiritual guardian becomes the next head of the family, isn’t there?”

“…”

“If that’s true, wouldn’t you be curious enough to come see for yourself? To see how much I’ve grown? That’s what I believe, at least.”

“…Ha.”

Bold.

Who else would dare speak to Valentine in such a manner? Among the family’s siblings, many couldn’t even approach her, intimidated by her dignity and authority.

“…Hahaha!”

Valentine couldn’t suppress her laughter.

Her laughter echoed throughout the castle, and the aura that burst forth with her released tension shook the ground beneath them.

Rumble.

Even the Knight Captain standing guard outside the door was startled by Valentine’s reaction.

The Executor, Valentine, laughing? How many years had it been since such a sight? Someone had managed to crack her fortress-like heart.

Even the current family head, Lois, hadn’t witnessed this.

Could it really be Young Master Verdin?

His guess was correct.

In a previous life, when everyone called Valentine a cold-blooded person devoid of emotion, only Verdin had understood her heart.

He knew the truth: Valentine was the softest-hearted member of the family.

But to maintain her position, she wore the mask of the “Executor” and moved accordingly.

Verdin said nothing more, patiently awaiting her response.

His thoughts were merely guesses and not definitive. He still didn’t know the exact reason Valentine had come, so he refrained from speaking further.

Valentine extended her hand, gently patting Verdin’s head.

“Our youngest has grown up well.”

Verdin cheered internally. His prediction was correct. If his response had been wrong, she wouldn’t have reacted this way.

Well, if I were in her position and such an extraordinary sibling was born, I’d come to see them too.

His guess was spot on.

Indeed, Valentine had come under the guise of her duties to see Verdin. To satisfy her curiosity about how much her younger sibling, with the Sword God as his spiritual guardian, had grown.

“Thank you, Sister.”

Valentine nodded slightly and took out a dagger from her belt.

“A gift.”

“…A gift?”

“Yes. To ensure those brats don’t come after you again in my absence, I’ll leave you with this.”

Within the castle, carrying real weapons was prohibited. The same logic applied to spiritual guardians, a precaution against potential assassinations.

Yet the fact that she gave him a sharp blade meant only one thing. She wanted the triplets to see that Verdin was armed with a real weapon.

Valentine truly is wise! With this, they won’t dare lay a hand on me again.

Verdin did not refuse her goodwill. Instead, he accepted the dagger and shot an implicit warning glance at the triplets.

“Thank you, Sister.”

---

Valentine’s visit presented me with a tremendous opportunity. By binding the triplets’ hands, she ensured no one in the castle could interfere with my actions.

Not even the knights or the ever-watchful nanny who constantly lingered by my side.

Now, I wasn’t just a five-year-old child. I was acknowledged as a legitimate member of the main family.

Finally… it’s complete.

I let the mana flowing from my palm drip onto the ground.

Dense, sticky mana. So thick it clung like tar. This was proof that I had successfully opened my pathways.

Siegfried flashed a crooked smile as he handed me the contract.

I smiled back, having waited for this moment.

“Let us begin the contract, Sword God Siegfried.”