Chapter 54

‘The Sword Ghost of the Abyss can only be killed with Excalibur.’

“Could it be some sort of demon then? I heard demons can only be completely eradicated with Excalibur.”

-That’s not what I meant. The Sword Ghost of the Abyss doesn’t have immortality or demonic traits. The reason I said Excalibur is needed…

Merlin added,

-…because that guy also wields a holy sword.

“A holy sword?”

-A sword that becomes holy or demonic depending on its user, the sword Gramr. The only weapon that can withstand his sword is Excalibur.

Essentially, a capable weapon was needed. But this didn’t quite make sense to Najin. If ordinary swords don’t work, what about magic or arrows… Aren’t there various methods? There seemed no need to confront it with a sword specifically.

-You wouldn’t mention them if you knew that man.

Merlin chuckled wryly at Najin’s inner thoughts. The Sword Ghost of the Abyss is a being beyond common understanding, a figure who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Arthur and accompanied him to the end of his journey, even though he wasn’t a Knight of the Round Table.

The final destination reached by the First Sword Saint.

Remembering this, Merlin sighed deeply. It wasn’t a memory she wanted to revisit. Changing the subject, her voice returned to its usual tone.

-There’s no need to know about the Sword Ghost for now. Forget about it. It’s a problem for much later, a foe you’ll meet eventually.

That aside,

She murmured and chuckled.

-You got yourself a proper swordsmanship teacher, huh? No need to look for another one now. Learn swordsmanship from the Sword Saint and magic from me.

Najin, about to nod, suddenly tilted his head. A word caught his attention.

“…Magic?”

-Yes, magic.

“I can use magic too?”

-Why not?

“But it’s common knowledge that swordsmen can’t use magic…”

-That’s just what ordinary people say.

Merlin smirked.

-At the very least, basic magic is a matter of culture. It’s good to learn. It helps when dealing with mages.

Learning how to counter mages.

Indeed, Najin hadn’t yet encountered a mage. Rubbing his chin, he sighed deeply.

“There’s a long way to go.”

-You know it’s been only two or three months since you pulled out Excalibur, right?

Listening to Merlin’s incredulous voice, Najin chuckled. Sword Saint and Volkman had left long ago. Left alone, Najin lay sprawled in the field.

“That’s what I mean.”

It had been just a few months since he left the underground city. Recalling the events of these months, Najin looked up at the sky. The rain had stopped, and the dark clouds parted, revealing the blue sky. What he once struggled to see was now familiar.

The high sun.

The stars in the night sky.

He had made connections with the city’s magnate, left a good impression on the city’s top adventurers, defeated the Demon Knight, and even made connections with the Knights of Atanga. And now, he was about to learn swordsmanship from the Sword Saint.

“Time really flies.”

Such events were unimaginable in the underground city.

He had experienced so much in such a short time. Just when he thought it would take long to adapt, he found himself accustomed to the new experiences.

-Is it just time that’s flying?

-Your growth rate is absurdly fast too.

With Merlin’s amused voice in the background, Najin stood up. The day wasn’t over yet, even after the Sword Saint’s storm-like visit.

It was time to head back and look for new quests.

Najin walked towards the City of Opportunities, Cambria, with light steps.

The day after the duel with the Sword Saint, at noon.

Najin stood in the square, waiting for someone. He had agreed to meet someone there. As he stood under the clock tower, many eyes were drawn to him.

That was to be expected.

From his accomplishments in the Dochzenberg Forest skirmish, to his promotion to a heretic, to being the hero of the Demon Knight skirmish, Najin was the man of the hour. At this point, it would be strange if he didn’t attract attention.

The most notable adventurer in Cambria.

The first choice for recruitment by many merchants and medium-sized guilds, his stock had skyrocketed beyond measure.

That was Najin’s current standing in the City of Opportunities. With him standing in the middle of the square, it was natural to attract attention. Yet, no one dared approach him easily.

…Because they knew who had their sights set on Najin.

Just then, Najin turned his head, looking at a corner of the square. Those watching him followed his gaze. There stood a girl, accompanied by a single knight, stepping into the square.

The Snake that Swallows Gold, Dieta Arbenia.

With her flowing, silky light brown hair and captivating yellow eyes, Dieta’s beauty stood out, even among many noble ladies at a ball. Even after being abandoned by the Arbenia ducal family, her beauty didn’t fade. Instead, she seemed even more radiant, walking confidently.

However, her outfit was different than usual.

It was not the uniform of Dieta Trading Company, nor the luxurious dress of a noble lady, but a casual dress. Accompanied only by a shawl and a parasol, her relaxed appearance was unfamiliar to the adventurers of Cambria.

It was as if she was dressing to meet a close friend.

Dieta stopped right in front of Najin, under the clock tower.

“Am I late?”

“I’ve only been waiting for a short while.”

Watching them, the merchants clicked their tongues.

They thought he was marking his territory. Showing off that he’s close enough to Dieta to meet her privately, dressed in casual clothes. To them, Dieta’s actions implied such intentions.

But to the guard Pasion, it appeared differently.

Having served Dieta the longest, Pasion saw in her smile not just an act. There might be some intent to show off their closeness, but…

“Shall we go then?”

Dieta looked genuinely relaxed and happy.

Her body slightly relaxed, not just putting on an act of enjoyment.

‘Above all…’

Pasion vividly remembered how Dieta, frowning while dealing with business early in the morning, suddenly brightened up the moment it was time to meet Najin. It was an unusually pleasant sight of her mistress.

‘What exactly happened during that last escort…’

Though he had heard rumors about shattering a noble, it was clear there had been more to their interaction.

Pasion cast a wary glance at Najin and clicked his tongue. Regardless, Dieta hummed a tune, strolling through the square with Najin. Her mistress seemed happy, so Pasion soon withdrew his gaze.

After all, seeing Dieta smile so comfortably was rare.

After the meal, sipping her tea, Dieta suddenly looked up. Across from her, Najin was sipping his coffee, puzzled.

Why anyone would drink such a bitter thing?

Amused by his expression, Dieta asked,

“Should I order something sweeter for you?”

“No need. I’m getting used to it.”

“You didn’t have to follow my choice.”

“I was just curious.”

Najin set down his cup.

“Why do people drink this? I knew someone who was always sipping coffee. In a place where such luxuries were hard to find, I wondered why they would drink such a bitter thing. So, I’m just trying it out of curiosity.”

Nibbling on the served snacks, Najin spoke. Listening to his story, Dieta idly played with her teacup. She had been interested in the man before her from the start, but as the ‘Snake that Swallows Gold’, her interest was of a different kind.

A human who seemed like a profitable venture. An adventurer worth befriending for future benefits to her trading house.

Through Dieta’s eyes, which converted everything into gold, Najin was an unmined gold mine. A treasure trove that promised gold with just a few strikes of a pickaxe. Hence, her interest as a merchant… but then:

“I hear you vanquished the Demon Knight recently. Could you tell me about it? I’m curious.”

After their last joint venture, after the day she had dropped her mask in front of Najin, Dieta found herself intrigued by the human being he was.

His personality. His habits. His mannerisms.

Simply put, she wanted to know more about the man before her. Whether this was a merchant’s desire or just Dieta’s own curiosity, she couldn’t distinguish.

“The reason I didn’t wait for the Knights of Atanga? Nothing extraordinary. I just didn’t like it, that’s all.”

“Didn’t like it?”

“I mean the story of the knights. The Demon Knight, Verheigen, as he spoke…”

As Najin continued, Dieta nodded along, sometimes smiling. She felt she had a good grasp of how he thought and acted.

‘Like last time…’

He was quite impulsive.

Seemingly without plans, often acting on the spur of the moment. For him, the most important thing was his belief, even if it meant dealing with consequences later.

The recent battle against the Demon Knight was an example.

Waiting for the Knights of Atanga, coordinating an attack with them would have been strategically sounder, but he plunged in alone. Why? To hog all the glory? When asked, his reason was simply ‘just because’.

Such emotional reasoning, leading to such rash actions, made her think he was refreshingly straightforward or foolish. Either way, Dieta knew she couldn’t possess such traits.

“Ah.”

As Dieta listened and laughed, a question suddenly piqued her curiosity. What was Najin’s goal? She paused, teacup in hand, and asked:

“By the way.”

“Yes?”

“What’s your goal?”

“To inscribe a star.”

Najin replied without hesitation, declaring his goal to inscribe a star in the sky. Dieta was momentarily speechless at his straightforward answer.

“A star, you mean…”

“The stars held by Constellations. Inscribing a star in the sky is my goal.”

It wasn’t a goal you’d casually mention.

Too grandiose, almost fantastical.

Owning a star meant achieving feats worthy of becoming a Constellation. A childlike fantasy, really.

“…Are you serious?”

“Yes. There’s no reason to lie about this.”

Yet, Najin was earnest about it, indifferent to others’ opinions. And then he added:

“And besides, I promised to do so.”

As he spoke, Najin wore a bittersweet smile, one that spoke of many stories.

“What about you? What’s your goal?”

The same question was posed back. Dieta sipped her coffee, replying easily. Her goal was straightforward, wasn’t it?

“To amass gold. To grow my trading house and gather more gold. That’s my goal.”

“Isn’t gold just a means?”

“Sharp of you.”

Dieta put down her cup, her narrow eyes fixating on the coffee residue. Yes, Najin was right. Gold is a means, not an end.

So, what was her end goal?

Dieta pondered over her surname, Dieta Arbenia. The Arbenia Duchy. The cold mansion of her childhood. Recalling it, she spoke:

“It’s how I raise my worth.”

Warriors raise their worth with swords, achieving titles like Sword Expert, Sword Seeker… Status and treatment change with rank.

Not just warriors.

Mages, rangers, and knights do the same.

They prove their worth through self-improvement. A very tangible means – personal combat prowess.

But not everyone is born with martial talents. So how do they prove their worth?

For some, it’s politics.

For others, knowledge.

Or amassed power.

Dieta knew there was a more tangible measure of worth. Something even more straightforward than combat prowess.

“Gold. Money. Wealth. Assets. Isn’t it the most direct measure of worth? The more you have, the more your worth increases.”

The origin of all value.

Politics, knowledge, power – they all require money. Throw enough gold, and everything else follows.

That’s why Dieta swallows gold.

To increase her worth. To become undeniable. That’s the snake that swallows gold’s purpose.

“Gold is my value. Just as you inscribe stars to increase yours… to me, stars are just gold.”

Increasing her worth.

A plausible life goal. But listening to her, Najin narrowed his eyes. He sensed more to it.

Collecting gold.

Raising worth.

These seemed mere means to an end. He didn’t ask further, sensing she didn’t want to delve deeper. Perhaps it was related to her sensitive spot.

“Well, that’s just how it is.”

Dieta shrugged, exhaling deeply.

But before she exhaled, Najin saw it. The venom in her eyes, in her breath, when speaking her goal.

A venom common in those who’ve crawled from the bottom.

Dieta, too, harbored that venom. Its true nature was beyond Najin’s knowledge.

“Then, see you again.”

At dusk, Dieta waved warmly at Najin and walked away. Pasion, who had kept his distance, joined her side.

“It seems you’ve taken quite a liking to that young man.”

“Of course. It’s so interesting to hear him talk. It’s like watching a novel’s protagonist.”

Dieta chuckled.

“He acts spontaneously, ambitiously aiming for the top. If he dislikes something, he confronts it head-on. He’s refreshing and romantic.”

She sighed as she walked.

“I thought we were alike, but only our childhoods were similar. He’s completely the opposite.”

Someone similar yet different.

Similar childhoods, yet entirely different life approaches. Dieta felt an indescribable emotion toward Najin.

Someone living in a completely different world.

Whether it was admiration, envy, or simple curiosity, Dieta couldn’t tell. But it wasn’t unpleasant to feel this fluttering emotion. At least with him, she could be just Dieta, not Dieta Arbenia.

Someone who knew her true self.

She enjoyed talking to such a person.

As Dieta returned to her office, still somewhat elated, she was greeted by her sweating secretary, holding a letter. The ornate lettering on the envelope spoke of its luxurious origin.

“…”

Taking the letter, Dieta’s smile vanished. The mask she had relaxed during her conversation with Najin clicked back into place, her eyes turning ice-cold.

Arbenia Duchy.

The letter was from the family she had fled from.