WeTried Translations

Translator: Coughing Baby

Editor: Coughing Baby

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◈ Reincarnation of the Sword Demon

Chapter 100

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Good and Grateful

"A Martial Star Medal."

Gerhard stepped out of the imperial hall and stared at Kyle's left chest in disbelief. Pinned there was a magnificent decoration trimmed in red stars and gold.

"Know that it is an honor. Among the current generation of purebloods, only Karthan-hyung, Katarina-noona, and Barkas-hyung have ever received the Martial Star Medal."

"Does Uncle Gerhard not have one?"

It was a simple question born of curiosity, but Gerhard's eyes went wide. He glared at Kyle for a moment, then straightened his monocle and answered.

"I received the White Tower Medal. It ranks one step below the Martial Star Medal, but it is awarded to the pillars of the Empire who excel in both civil and martial affairs."

"Impressive."

"Are you mocking me?"

"Me? Why would I?"

Kyle looked genuinely offended, and Gerhard let the sharpness drain from his gaze. Kyle shrugged and unfolded the citation he had been holding.

Black Sword, Kyle Alastor.

At the very top of the citation, that name was inscribed in brilliant gold. He had reached the point where feeling embarrassed seemed like the wrong response. If anything, being embarrassed about it would be the embarrassing thing.

"I wonder what Grandfather and His Majesty are discussing."

Kyle glanced back at the closed doors of the hall. Julius had stayed inside for a private audience with the Emperor.

"The future of the Empire and the continent, I imagine."

Gerhard also cast a glance at the closed doors.

"With Mother awake, the Family Head is free to move again. An imperial edict may come down."

"Putting him to work on everything that piled up while he was away?"

"In a manner of speaking."

As he said it, Gerhard's eyes drifted to the Martial Star Medal on Kyle's left chest.

"So. How does it feel, receiving that medal?"

"Good. And relieved, honestly."

"Relieved? Why?"

"Because if I had received it in the middle of the party, there would have been too many people watching. It would have been embarrassing."

"Don't get your hopes up. Your medal will come up plenty at the party, with congratulations to match. Even if His Majesty cannot attend in person, other members of the imperial family will be there. Many people with an interest in you will come looking to speak with you as well."

Gerhard snorted and continued.

"When strangers approach and want to make conversation, what topic do you think they'll reach for? The medal, of course."

Well, naturally. Kyle kept his expression neutral and flicked his fingers. Jade, who had clearly been bracing himself, walked over and stood beside him with his hands behind his back.

Thwack.

Kyle's elbow drove into Jade's ribs. Gerhard clicked his tongue and shook his head.

"The party is tomorrow. Rest well in the rooms you were given today, and do not wander out unless something urgent comes up. This is the imperial palace."

Even for Alastor, strolling through the palace at will was not done. Palace attendants soon appeared and led the group away.

They parted from Gerhard, then from Roel and the Sword Spirit Knights. The Sword Wolf Knights were led to a detached palace near the main residence.

"You may use this building. If you need anything, please call for us."

The entire detached palace had been given to the Sword Wolf Knights as their lodging. The attendants withdrew, and Bruno looked around in open amazement.

"I didn't think they'd hand over an entire detached palace."

"The Emperor of the Empire certainly does things in style."

Jade rubbed his sore ribs and grinned.

"Being given the detached palace is honor enough, but I never expected they'd give us medals too."

A fifth-rank medal was not something to look down on. It was an imperial decoration, personally awarded by the Emperor himself.

"This must be why picking the right side matters. No matter how I think about it, I'm glad I listened to the Commander and joined the order."

Jade touched the Crescent Moon Medal on his left chest and murmured. A quiet heat stirred in his eyes.

Born an illegitimate son of the Krase family, told he lacked the talent, he had left home and spent thirteen years adrift. He had earned a knight's license in Ransel and made a decent name for himself in the dueling circuit, but that kind of recognition had never filled the hollow place in his chest.

That hollow came from being shut out by his family. In thirteen years of wandering, Jade had never once received so much as a letter from his father or from the house.

An illegitimate child being ignored and treated as if they did not exist was common enough among noble families. Krase was a martial family, so if he performed well and built his reputation, maybe someday, maybe someday, the family that had left him no choice but to leave would look his way again. He had held onto that hope.

The Crescent Moon Medal, awarded personally by the Emperor of the Empire, was more than enough of a reputation for Krase to take notice. Jade blinked several times as his eyes trembled faintly.

Narua was also looking down at her medal. A native of the southern Avara Plateau with no tribe to return to, she had always thought of herself as an outsider, but as a member of the Sword Wolf Knights she had received an imperial decoration.

Something in that resonated with her. She ran her fingers slowly over the medal, then glanced at Kyle's back. A medal was a mark of honor. The reason she, who did not belong to the Empire, had received one from the Empire was because she had become part of the group Kyle led.

In a way, Kyle was to Narua what a chieftain was. Through the medal, she accepted that fully.

"Commander."

Narua, having quietly sorted through her thoughts alone, suddenly spoke. Kyle turned at the unexpected call.

"What?"

"Narua's tribe was destroyed."

"...?"

She had sorted through this alone. Everyone who had been exploring the detached palace turned to Narua with confused expressions.

"Why are you all looking at Narua like that?"

Her expression made it clear she had no idea her statement had come out of nowhere. From her own perspective, she had thought it through carefully before saying it, so naturally she felt it made perfect sense.

"Commander said you wanted to know Narua's secret."

"That's... true. But didn't I say that to share secrets, we first need to know each other well?"

"Narua thinks we know each other well enough by now. Was that only Narua who felt that way?"

More than a month had passed since the Sword Wolf Knights was founded. They had completed a mission together, ended up risking their lives along the way, and been awarded medals for it.

"If Commander hadn't been there that day, Narua might have died. No,even if it wasn't Commander specifically, if any one person had been missing, Narua would have died. Narua is the weakest."

"That might be true."

"But Narua didn't run. And none of you abandoned Narua. Narua received a great gift because of Commander. This gift brings Narua closer to the goal."

Narua placed the back of her right hand over her head and bowed to Kyle.

"Alastor gave Narua a gift. The Emperor gave Narua a gift. All of it is because of Commander. Narua is grateful for that, and thinks of Commander as a chieftain."

"What's the difference between a commander and a chieftain?"

"Whether Commander gives an order or a chieftain gives an order, Narua stakes her life on it either way. But the feeling inside is different."

Narua's eyes flickered like flames.

"Narua keeps no secrets from a chieftain. That is why Narua is telling you this. Narua's tribe was destroyed."

"By whom?"

"Don't know."

Narua shook her head.

"Narua's tribe was called the Tarba. Three years ago, when Narua came back from a hunt, everyone in the Tarba tribe was dead, and the tribe's greatest ash, Ember, had vanished."

Ash was the native word for dokkaebi.

"Narua doesn't know who destroyed the Tarba or who took Ember. But the Tarba was not the only tribe destroyed that day. Many tribes were wiped out, and their ash disappeared."

The goal had not been to hunt the natives. The goal had been to secure their ash. Kyle's eyes narrowed as he listened.

"Are you the only one who survived?"

"No. Others survived besides Narua. But Narua was the only one who left Avara."

"Why did you leave alone?"

"Because Narua is the daughter of the Tarba chieftain."

Narua's voice roughened.

"The Tarba tribe and Ember were meant to be inherited by Narua. But someone killed what Narua was supposed to inherit and stole it away. So Narua left the plateau and came to Alastor. Because coming here meant strength and information."

"As soon as we return to Gladiheim, I'll look into the destruction of the Tarba tribe."

Julius had mentioned once before that the Secret Shadow Corps had already learned why Narua left the Avara Plateau. Whether they had identified the culprit was unclear, but if Kyle made the request, the corps would move on it.

"Thank you, Commander."

Narua placed the back of her right hand over her head again and bowed.

"Narua has a question. If the enemy is found, will Commander help?"

"I thought you wanted to take revenge yourself."

"Narua is still weak. The enemy is surely stronger than Narua."

"Then making you strong enough to take revenge yourself is my job."

Kyle grinned.

"And if that still isn't enough,if you try and fail,then I'll carry out Narua's revenge for you."

"You're saying you'd let Narua die first?"

"I'm saying I'd step in before you died. Or do you think it's more honorable to throw everything you have at revenge and die failing?"

"Death is death. Failure is failure. Who the enemy dies to doesn't matter to Narua. Narua wants to live and eat tomorrow's meal."

"Wise."

Kyle had lived as fully as anyone could ask and died, then been lucky enough to be reincarnated. But for most people, death was the end. Revenge didn't have to come by your own hand. It was wiser to push as far as you could, step back, and survive than to fail and take yourself down with it.

"Since we're talking anyway, let's train. The party isn't until tomorrow."

"Tr... training? Here? This is a detached palace inside the imperial palace?"

Bruno recoiled in shock. For just a moment, something like fear flashed across his eyes.

A month had passed since Kyle drew Baal. In that month, Bruno had been put through training so brutal that dying would have felt like a mercy.

Learning swordsmanship from Kyle was nothing new, but the sword he was being taught since Kyle drew Baal was in a completely different class from what he had learned before,vicious and ferocious in a way that defied comparison. The sword itself was one thing, but the killing intent Kyle poured out during every session was enough to fray his nerves down to nothing.

"I have no intention of radiating killing intent all over the place given where we are, so relax."

The sword of Astaroth that Baal had revealed. As promised, it had been reported to Alastor, and with permission granted, Kyle was now teaching it to Bruno. Bruno's weapon was a greatsword, and Kyle felt the nature Bruno was born with suited Baal's style well.

One small problem was that Baal's sword was so ferocious that simply drawing it was enough to overwhelm anyone nearby. Bruno had grown a stronger backbone compared to his younger days, but withstanding the full killing intent that came with Baal was still beyond him.

"You'll need to dance at the party too, so I'll go easy and make sure you don't get hurt. Come on out."

He said easy, but crossing swords had a way of getting the blood up on its own. Even when Kyle tried to hold back, the order members came at him with growing stubbornness, so the training ended up a little rough regardless.

The training began in the detached palace garden, and before long the order members were spent, collapsed face-down on the ground. Kyle rested Fenris on his shoulder, clicked his tongue at them, then snapped his head toward the detached palace wall.

"Rather than peeping, why not watch openly?"

"H-how dare you?!"

An indignant voice burst from behind the wall, followed immediately by a shriek and a loud thud,the sound of someone tumbling down.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Are you hurt?!"

"I'm f-fine."

"I'm sorry! I've committed an unforgivable offense!"

"I said I'm fine..."

That exchange drifted over from the other side. Kyle tilted his head and walked to the wall to look over.

He saw a girl who had landed hard on her backside, and a boy lying flat with a footprint on his back, pressing his forehead to the ground in apology. Curious, Kyle watched the two of them, and the boy suddenly jerked his head up and glared at him.

"Im-impertinent! Without permission, how dare you,how dare you!"

"Ah."

Only then did Kyle recognize who the girl on the ground was. Ludmia Valhart. The Emperor's youngest daughter, said to have been sickly since birth. Youngest or not, she was an imperial princess,a bloodline Kyle had no business looking down at.

"Forgive my rudeness, Princess Ludmia."

Kyle immediately vaulted the wall, dropped to one knee, and bowed his head before Ludmia, who was still sitting on the ground. Ludmia looked flustered rather than offended and got to her feet.

"R-raise your head. I take no offense."

Permission granted, Kyle lifted his head.

Ludmia was very small. Kyle was tall for his age, which made her slight frame stand out all the more.

She was fourteen, from what he had heard. Even being an imperial princess can't do much for a constitution you're born with.

Compared to Lucia or Erika at that age, Ludmia was a full head shorter. The Ascendant may have rewritten the laws of the species for humanity, said to be the weakest of all races, but somewhere in the world there would always be humans born frail.

An imperial princess would have had unlimited access to elixirs, magic, and healing from childhood.

He felt a pang of pity, but showing sympathy to an imperial princess was not appropriate. Kyle composed his expression and spoke.

"What brings you here?"

"Insolence!"

The boy who had been kneeling shot to his feet. Given that he had offered his own back as a stepping stool for the princess, Kyle had assumed he was her personal attendant, but the uniform he wore resembled a palace guard's.

Resembled, not matched. Given the boy's age, he was probably a palace guard candidate.

"This is the imperial palace of Grandiqa, and the person before you carries noble blood! Within this palace, there is no place Princess Ludmia cannot go, and Her Highness's movements require no special reason!"

"You are right, and I apologize."

The boy's point was technically valid, so Kyle nodded and accepted it.

"And you are?"

"I am Efor Vandemion!"

The youngest son of Guard Captain Leonar Vandemion, and the younger brother of Garen Vandemion. The information Kyle had memorized surfaced in his head.

"I am Kyle Alastor."

"I... I know your name."

Ludmia said it with a slight stammer. Her eyes moved between Kyle's face, the Martial Star Medal on his left chest, and the sword Fenris at his hip, her fingers fidgeting.

"I already knew your name before you entered the palace. Your reputation has reached even here..."

"It is an honor."

"Is... is that sword Fenris?"

"Yes, it is Fenris."

"So... that is the sword that earned you the epithet Black Sword."

"..."

"I, well,I came because I was curious about you."

Ludmia's cheeks flushed red. She kept fidgeting with her fingers as she continued.

"I have been very interested in your deeds. That is to say... the story about defeating Erebos's Fist Demon. I heard you are only one year older than me..."

"Yes. I am fifteen this year."

"That's remarkable..."

Ludmia swallowed and looked up at Kyle. As her gaze rose, Efor's eyes sharpened. Before he could say anything, Kyle dropped to one knee on his own, bringing his eyes level with hers.

"Did you come to commend my achievements?"

"Not for anything so grand. I simply came out of curiosity about you."

Ludmia's gaze settled on the Martial Star Medal.

"The Martial Star Medal... a decoration awarded only to heroes of the Empire."

"It is more than I deserve."

"Don't say that. You... you earned the right to receive the Martial Star Medal. Ah,it seems I've interrupted your training. I'll take my leave, please don't mind me..."

"If you wish, Your Highness, you are welcome to observe."

Kyle caught the spark in Ludmia's eyes. The princess who had been sickly her whole life seemed to have a deep interest in the sword Kyle wielded.

"Is... is that truly all right?"

"Of course."

Kyle glanced at Efor as he said it.

"Watching from inside will be far more comfortable than standing on Efor-gyeong's back to see over the wall."

At that, Efor let out an awkward cough. His eyes had been drifting to the Martial Star Medal on Kyle's chest and to Fenris as well.

When Kyle brought Ludmia and Efor inside, the Sword Wolf Knights members who had been sprawled on the ground all rose at once and dropped to their knees. Ludmia startled and waved her hands.

"There is no need for such formality. Please... please sit and rest."

Who could actually sit and rest after hearing that from an imperial princess?

One person could. Narua dropped straight to the ground and worked on catching her breath, which still hadn't settled. But Bruno, Jade, and Lucia could not do the same. The three of them held themselves stiffly at attention, watching Kyle and Ludmia for cues.

"Hm."

Kyle scratched his cheek and spoke.

"You came to watch sword training, but the members are still exhausted, so... if you wish, I can show you my own sword."

"No, there's no need to go that far. I simply stopped by out of curiosity about you..."

"Is it not my sword that Your Highness is curious about?"

Kyle smiled and tapped Fenris.

"I did not expect my reputation to reach the imperial palace, nor did I expect His Majesty to award me the Martial Star Medal. But everything that brought those things about came down to my sword, in the end."

"Mm... that is true."

Ludmia seemed to think it over for a moment, then her eyes lit up as something came to her, and she turned to Efor.

"Efor-gyeong. Spar with Kyle-gyeong."

"I... I beg your pardon?"

Efor's eyes went wide with alarm.

"Kyle-gyeong. Efor-gyeong became a palace guard candidate at only sixteen, which speaks to just how exceptional a swordsman he is."

Ludmia recited this proudly with an utterly guileless look.

"Among the swordsmen my age that I know, I think he is the finest. I imagine Kyle-gyeong will be surprised by Efor-gyeong's sword."

Efor's eyes began to shift rapidly. He was not someone who overestimated himself. He was talented, the youngest son of Vandemion,that was true,but he was nowhere near the level of someone who had defeated Erebos's Fist Demon and been awarded the Martial Star Medal.

"Kyle-gyeong."

He was certainly curious about how remarkable the sword of the famed Black Sword truly was, but not curious enough to want to spar in person. Because he would lose without question. Vandemion and Alastor were grouped together as the Three Great Martial Families, and Efor had pride in being a Vandemion.

Even in a spar, losing to Kyle,who was a year younger than him,would mean bringing shame to the Vandemion name.

But with the princess saying it so plainly, how could he refuse?

"I will... take this as a chance to learn."

Efor forced his resolve into place.

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