Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 272

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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One-Strike Kill Swordmaster Episode 272

Episode 272. Bad Karma (5)

* * *

Creak, thud-.

The guest room door closed.

Adelia leaned her back against the door and slumped down to the floor.

She gripped her knees tightly with both hands, but the trembling wouldn’t stop.

“Huu…”

A long sigh escaped her.

When she lifted her head to look at the ceiling, she could see shadows created by the dim candlelight flickering above.

‘Ravenhil.’

The moment she heard that name, her entire body froze. Her heart raced madly, and her fingertips turned cold.

Thump-.

Memories of the past came flooding back vividly.

The corridor stained red. The thick scent of blood that pierced her nose and the corpses scattered everywhere.

And those bastards standing in the middle of that corridor.

─…

They had stared intently at Adelia across from them while holding their swords, then leisurely disappeared into the darkness.

Step, step-.

The sound of their footsteps as they slowly walked down the corridor was still vivid in her ears.

‘Why…?’

She couldn’t understand the reason.

Why the Twelve Sword Masters had attacked the Goldhart Family. Why they had spared just the minimum number of people needed for the family to continue.

Even when the Sacred Inquisition was held, she still couldn’t understand the reason.

Adelia was too young and couldn’t even enter the courtroom. She could only wait outside and hear the results.

And.

The Twelve Sword Masters received a not guilty verdict.

─N-not guilty?

All young Adelia could do was vent her anger at the priest who came to deliver the news.

─H-how does that make sense? Those bastards massacred our family members! How can they receive no punishment at all…!

She remembered it clearly.

The appearance of the Twelve Sword Masters as they exited through the gates of the holy city.

Their expressionless faces showing no guilt, regret, or any emotion whatsoever. They walked out indifferently as if they had simply stepped on some insignificant bug.

The Traditional Faction councilors following behind them fawned with disgusting expressions. Rejoicing that a prominent figure from the Reformist Faction had disappeared.

That day.

Young Adelia realized.

That the Holy City was rotten, and Middletemple was corrupt.

“…”

Slowly-.

Adelia slowly opened her eyes.

Before she knew it, the candle had burned down to half its size.

She slowly stood up and walked to the window, where she could see stars embedded in the night sky.

In the direction of Middletemple, the Holy City, thirteen stars were shining particularly brightly.

‘Indeed…’

Adelia thought to herself.

‘…Can I turn those stars into twelve?’

* * *

Creak-.

I closed the door to the guest room the Relic Investigation Team had provided.

Compared to the accommodations at Middletemple, the facilities were clearly inferior, but it was still livable. There was a bed, a desk, and the ventilation through the window wasn’t bad.

I took out microfiber cloth and mineral oil from my bag.

This had become a routine since Yeonwoo’s true name revelation ended. Once a day, I would wipe the blade and oil it.

While divine weapons could maintain themselves, having the owner personally care for them helped build a bond with the sword.

It was also one of the few times I could have an open conversation with her.

[Actually… I’ve often had that thought too.]

At Yeonwoo the Feathered Sword’s somewhat unexpected words, I immediately asked back.

‘What thought?’

[About what Miss Goldhart said earlier. That you don’t see us as the same kind of people, but rather like chess pieces.]

“…?”

[Even I’m a person with my own personality, but sometimes I feel like you treat me as a tool.]

Pause-.

I stopped wiping the blade for a moment.

‘If I didn’t treat you as a proper person, I wouldn’t be maintaining you like this.’

[That’s not what I mean, I’m saying… hmm, how should I explain this.]

After thinking for a moment, Yeonwoo the Feathered Sword slowly continued.

[You not treating us as equals is similar to how an adult doesn’t truly engage with a child but mixes in some pretense.]

“…”

[Playing along with their level, changing your tone of voice. That kind of feeling. Not really treating them as an equal person, but just accommodating them appropriately.]

Yeonwoo the Feathered Sword’s voice became even calmer.

[But that’s natural. How could someone who has seen this world’s future 199 times accept others as they truly are?]

Yeonwoo the Feathered Sword mistook me for a regressor. Considering that I had repeated game cycles multiple times, it wasn’t entirely wrong.

[The memories you built with other people. The time you spent with them. All of that disappeared and only remains in your memory.]

“…”

[It would be difficult to treat such people as proper individuals. In a way, you naturally have no choice but to treat them like tools.]

A strange emotion mixed into Yeonwoo the Feathered Sword’s voice.

Neither pity nor blame. Just a calm tone as if stating facts.

[So what Adelia felt, and what I felt, it’s all natural.]

“…”

Swish, swoosh-.

I didn’t answer.

I just silently continued polishing the sword.

Yeonwoo didn’t continue speaking either. Only the sound of the microfiber cloth brushing against the blade echoed quietly in the room.

‘Actually.’

The emotions that Adelia and Yeonwoo felt were natural.

Thinking about it, until recently, they were nothing more than game characters to me.

Not actual living, breathing beings, but just chunks of code beyond the screen. Devices that led me, the player, to the ending.

And even now that the game had become reality, that approach hadn’t changed.

I drew the big picture. I made plans, calculated variables, and chose the optimal route. The people around me each took on their assigned roles within that framework.

I thought that was for the best.

As someone who had experienced 199 cycles, I knew what was efficient. I could calculate which choices were optimal.

But.

‘…Was that really the best way?’

My hand stopped.

Suddenly, recent events flashed through my mind.

Adelia reaching the realm of unity between self and object during her sparring with Jeungmu. She had awakened to a realm much earlier than expected, one she only reached much later in the game.

Pean becoming obediently compliant to my instructions. Originally in the game, Pean was a character who moved independently. He would cooperate, but never showed such loyalty.

Right.

Since the game had become reality, the degree of freedom had also become infinitely higher.

I could now choose paths that didn’t exist as options in the original game, and learned facts I had never known before.

This was certainly the world of Lost Elder that I had played 199 times.

But at the same time, it was also a world where I didn’t have to choose only according to predetermined correct answers.

‘If that’s the case.’

Wouldn’t it be arrogant to try to control all variables as if this were still a game?

Would treating the people around me still like NPCs, like tools, really be the best method?

“…”

My head was complicated.

Perhaps it was because I had seen Adelia looking so confused.

I wanted to go find Muwolcha in the next room. I wanted to share these complex worries and seek her advice.

While Strawberry Latte felt like an immature younger sister, Muwolcha was different. She was mature and seemed like someone I could share this kind of concern with.

But.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have that luxury.

Knock knock-.

Because a visitor came in the middle of the night.

* * *

Creak-.

When I opened the door, two people were standing in the corridor.

It was Jeungmu and Pean.

“I apologize for visiting so suddenly in the middle of the night, Lord Gaon.”

I nodded briefly and let them inside.

Pshhhh-.

Jeungmu entered the room and quietly released steam. The sound was heavier and more subdued than usual.

Silence settled over the room.

Before long, Pean got straight to the point.

“I was just discussing with Meister Jeungmu until a moment ago…”

“…”

“It seems it would be better to exclude Miss Goldhart from this expedition.”

I said nothing.

I just looked back and forth between the two of them.

“Gaon, you’ve been through the Sacred Inquisition yourself, so you know…”

“…”

“When a Sword Master is a defendant in the Sacred Inquisition, three other seekers must observe. To be able to subdue the defendant in case of emergency.”

That was correct.

During my trial as well, three Sword Masters – Heukgol, Tyrant Dragon, and Pean – had been present as observers.

Jeungmu caught his breath for a moment, then slowly opened his mouth.

“Over ten years ago.”

His voice dropped a level.

“The Twelve Sword Masters were brought to trial for the crime of attacking the Goldhart family. At that time, I was present as an observer.”

Jeungmu fell silent for a moment. He had an expression as if recalling something.

“The contents of the Sacred Inquisition are top secret. The testimonies and evidence exchanged there, even the basis for the verdict… I cannot freely divulge any of it.”

He tapped his monocle with his finger.

“But I can say one thing for certain.”

Jeungmu’s eyes sharpened.

“There was a reason for the Twelve’s massacre.”

“…”

“Of course, I cannot say it was ‘justified’. Innocent people were sacrificed. But at least it didn’t violate Middle Temple’s regulations, which is why a not guilty verdict was rendered.”

Jeungmu spoke again.

“Separate from that, I fully understand that Miss Goldhart has no choice but to harbor feelings of hatred toward the Twelve. A child who lost her parents cannot forgive that enemy. That’s only natural.”

“…”

“However, that’s precisely why it becomes even more problematic. Exploring the Rashutku Ruins this time isn’t just a simple relic investigation.”

That’s right.

We had to secure many things from this expedition.

Securing the manufacturing methods of Lost Technology, mining resources from the ancient empire, and preparing for the defense of Wintershield based on all this.

While moving from Middle Temple to the Relic Investigation Team headquarters, I had explained all these plans to Jeungmu.

“But in this situation, if the Twelve and Miss Goldhart meet…”

Pshhhh-.

A rough steam sound echoed.

“Certainly, an incident will occur.”

Jeungmu’s voice was filled with conviction.

“Miss Goldhart is still young. She’s neither at an age nor a level where she can perfectly control her emotions. If her emotions explode, it wouldn’t be strange for her to commit any kind of act. Don’t you know what happened during her sparring match with me?”

“…”

“Even if she endures it, we can’t rule out the possibility that the Twelve might say something provocative. They’re not exactly gentle in temperament either. If that happens, the situation will deteriorate beyond control.”

Jeungmu looked straight at me and said.

“So…”

Then he firmly reached his conclusion.

“For this expedition, it would be better for everyone to exclude Miss Goldhart.”

Silence flowed.

Only the sound of the candle burning filled the room. Jeungmu and Pean were waiting for my answer.

I looked at the two of them for a moment, then briefly opened my mouth.

“Adelia will come with us.”

Jeungmu’s eyes wavered.

“Gaon, what I just said…!”

Huu-.

Jeungmu tried to speak urgently, but soon sighed and looked at Pean.

His gaze seemed to ask him to help persuade me.

However.

“Haha.”

Pean smiled gently and declined.

“I’m sorry, Meister Jeungmu. If Lord Gaon’s will is like that, I too have no choice but to follow his opinion.”

“…?”

“Lord Gaon must have his reasons. This time will be the same. So I will trust and follow him.”

Pshhhh-.

Rough steam erupted from Jeungmu’s body.

He sighed as if frustrated and turned to look at Pean.

“I also acknowledge Gaon’s abilities. I know how excellent his insight and planning are.”

Jeungmu’s voice dropped another level.

“But if we blindly trust his abilities even in a situation like this, something terrible might happen. Don’t you know well what happened between the Twelve and the Goldhart family?”

“Yes. I know.”

Pean nodded his head.

“But I trust Lord Gaon more. After meeting the Intruder this time, that trust has become even more certain.”

“…?”

Jeungmu asked in a bewildered voice.

“Why are you suddenly bringing up the Intruder here?”

“Well.”

Pean paused for a moment, glancing at me before speaking.

“I don’t know how you knew I had encountered the Intruder… but at that moment, Lord Gaon took away my supersense.”

“…?”

“To be honest, I felt an impulse to cross swords at that time. But the moment my supersense disappeared, I came to my senses and was able to flee immediately.”

“What are you even….”

“That’s when I became certain. Lord Gaon knows everything and has every plan. Finding out my true name and sharing authority was surely to prevent such disasters. So this time too, he must be deliberately trying to make us meet Miss Goldhart and Lord Bun-hon.”

“W-wait a minute. What on earth are you talking about…?”

Jeungmu wore a confused expression.

His face showed he couldn’t understand what Pean was saying at all. His eyes, visible through his monocle, wavered as they looked back and forth between Pean and me.

And.

I was just as flustered.

‘What kind of nonsense is that.’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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