WeTried Translations

Translator: Coughing Baby

Editor: Coughing Baby

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Reincarnation of the Sword Demon

Chapter 86

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Starting Today

"..."

Kyle straightened up from his hunched position.

Before fully rising, he checked his clothes. His uniform was soaked in blood and torn all over, hanging in tatters.

'At least I'm not naked.'

That altar just now had apparently been some kind of ritual space.

[Master. Where did you go?]

Jor hadn't been dragged along this time. If Jor had been pulled in, there would have been a great deal of screaming, so that was a relief.

He was also relieved he hadn't flown off naked and failed to return. He was just about to stand when,

Clink.

Something felt off at his neck. Kyle raised a hand and touched it.

'What's this?'

A necklace he had never worn was hanging around his neck. Puzzled, he tried to take it off, but he couldn't. The chain was loose enough that his head could slip through without trouble, and yet it wouldn't budge.

"What is this now?"

A brooch was attached to the necklace. He carefully opened it and found something like a tiny pearl bead inside. He had no idea what it was either. Something appearing out of nowhere like this,it had to be a reward from the wind.

'Could it be.'

He had been told his wish to undo Lucia's Inscription was impossible.

But he had never been told it was impossible to find a way to wake his grandmother. He had also never gotten a direct answer to whether Ruin Alastor was an Ascendant, but given the circumstances, this seemed like a way to wake her.

"Whoa!"

A loud voice rang out from behind him,a shout full of shock and disbelief. Kyle turned his head to see what was going on and,

He stopped cold. Gold and jewels were heaped in piles throughout the heart of the Secret Realm, where before there had been nothing but demon corpses. All kinds of weapons were scattered here and there, along with materials he couldn't identify.

"How does this make sense?! This is a grade-four Secret Realm!"

Jade shouted, his face a picture of astonishment. Rewards from a Secret Realm naturally followed its grade. The highest-grade Secret Realm Jade had ever entered was grade three, and even there, nothing like this had ever dropped.

"..."

Everyone's eyes turned to Kyle. He had been frozen in an awkward half-standing crouch, but he composed his expression and straightened his back.

"It seems the god of the Secret Realm has taken a liking to me."

Strictly speaking it was an angel, not a god of the Secret Realm. But since that being had taken a liking to Kyle and given these rewards, it wasn't a lie.

'Taken a liking to... well, it was a little different from that.'

There were kinds of adoration,fondness, affection, finding something endearing. They weren't all the same.

Kyle was certain of this much.

The feeling he had sensed in the angel's eyes and smile was close to the fondness one directed at something small and cute.

'I shouldn't be the sort of person who gets treated like that.'

The other party wasn't human, so there was nothing to be done about it, but being treated that way to his face left him with a strange, unsettled feeling.

Still, there was nothing he could do. He had been treated that way because he was weak. And thinking about it again, being treated that way hadn't cost him anything.

'I got something that might be a way to wake my grandmother. And treasures... an incredible number of them.'

Born into too fine a family and raised without lacking for anything, Kyle had no particular attachment to wealth. That had been true in his previous life as well, born a mercenary.

That didn't mean he had a monk's indifference to possessions. He had an eye for valuables and wasn't entirely without desire. Even at a glance, the worth of the treasure heaped in the heart of the realm was staggering.

"This would more than repay everything I've ever received from grandfather."

Kyle said it with a satisfied smile.

"Before we deal with the demon bodies, let's sort through the treasure first."

"I have the dimensional pouch, but I don't know if all of this will fit..."

"Worry about that later. Just start sorting."

Jade rolled up his sleeves as he spoke. His face had been pale from the beating he'd taken from Lizet earlier, but the excitement of seeing treasure had brought the color back. Narua wasn't making it obvious, but she swallowed hard and helped with the sorting.

Setting aside the gold and jewels, there were five weapons, and every one of them was a sword. Kyle reached out with his senses just in case, but he felt no trace of any Dokkaebi from those blades.

"That greatsword goes to you, Bruno."

"M-me? Why me?"

"What do you mean, why. You're the only one among us who uses a greatsword."

Bruno's eyes wavered. He hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.

"I didn't do enough to deserve a reward like this."

"That's for me to judge, as commander. You charged at Lizet Beliar earlier. Even knowing she was overwhelmingly stronger than you."

"..."

"The old you would have been shaking where you stood, maybe even pissed yourself. You've grown."

He meant it without mockery. Kyle had known Bruno had been working to change himself, but he hadn't expected that change to go as far as charging at Lizet.

"I did it because I had to."

Bruno said it with a dry cough. Kyle grinned and clapped him on the back.

"I'm giving it to you because you deserve it. Jade, what about you,anything you want?"

"Elixirs."

Jade's eyes lit up.

"I don't need a sword. I've already got one. Just give me elixirs."

Beyond the gold, jewels, and swords, there were plenty of elixirs too. All of them were raw, unprocessed, rare things that money couldn't buy.

"Pick what you want."

"Mm... I don't really know much about elixirs. Even less about raw ones."

"Then I'll sort it out for you when we get back to Gladiheim."

Kyle said it easily. Elixirs came in two kinds,ones better consumed raw, and ones better consumed after processing. That sort of thing was best left to an expert.

"Narua, you don't need a sword either, right? Want elixirs?"

"You're... giving some to Narua too?"

Narua turned to Kyle with a startled look. She hadn't said anything, but she had been troubled in more ways than one. Of all of them, Narua had killed the fewest demons on the way here, and she hadn't personally taken down any Red Masks. She hadn't been able to support Lucia and get Kyle out of there either.

"Narua doesn't deserve any. Narua did the worst, and Narua failed."

"Kyle thinks it's fine to give some. So take what you're given. You have to eat well to get strong."

Kyle mimicked Narua's way of speaking. At that, Narua's eyes sharpened.

"Commander. Are you mocking Narua for not being imperial?"

"Sorry, that was just a joke."

"Narua was joking too. Yeah, Narua understood what Commander said. It is true that you have to eat well to get strong."

Narua's expression shifted, and she placed the back of her right hand on top of her head and gave Kyle a bow. It was the greeting the tribal people of the Avara Plateau used to show genuine gratitude.

"Thank you. Commander is strong and generous. Narua respects Commander more today than before."

"Kyle understands."

"Commander, don't."

Narua's eyes started to change again. Kyle quickly turned to Lucia.

"Lucia, you..."

"I don't need elixirs. I've done nothing but receive help from Kyle-nim, so I don't want to take anything more."

"I knew you'd say that. I'll figure out what to do for you separately, take my time with it."

There was a great deal to think about regarding Lucia.

::Demon Tribe are born strong but die consumed by that strength::
::There is an Inscription in the midst of the law the Demon Tribe is rewriting, so I do not interfere::
::If the Inscription is not desired, it must be cast off by one's own hand::

He didn't know exactly what those words meant, but they sounded like Lucia had to manage it herself.

'Humans are... freer than any other race, and yet the most fragile.'

He turned those words of the angel's over in his mind for a moment.

They weren't wrong. An ordinary human lived less than a hundred years. Throughout that life, illness plagued them endlessly. There were countless cases of people dying from a small scratch that got infected.

The period of physical immaturity was long, and the period of aging and decline was long too. The Demon Tribe alone could maintain their physical prime for over a hundred years, while humans held their prime for twenty or thirty years at the most.

'If your level is high enough they say you can hold your prime for longer... but that's an extreme few with the talent and the dedication.'

Even that had been difficult five hundred years ago. Back then, humans had no Spirit Root. But starting three hundred years ago, all humans began awakening Spirit Roots and became able to cultivate mana.

::For the humans who needed it, power was given because a human Ascendant rewrote the law of the species.::

Ascendant.

'The story about Ruin Alastor having ascended. At first I thought it was just ordinary propaganda,a legend, a myth...'

The founding ancestor of the Empire descended from the heavens. The founder of some kingdom was half-divine. Stories like that were everywhere in the world.

But hearing the angel's words... it seemed like Ascension was a real thing after all.

He still hadn't gotten a direct answer that it was Ruin Alastor.

The god of the Secret Realm.

No,the angel. It was certain the angel had favored Kyle. The proof was that among the accessories was a tool that opened a dimensional space. Thanks to that, Kyle didn't have to worry about how to carry all this treasure back.

There had been artifacts with dimensional storage on the bodies of the Red Masks and Ruzan too, but the dimensional space in the accessory from the treasure was far larger and outperformed them.

"This is an Out-of-Place Artifact."

Jade said it with a wide smile, already looking forward to the elixirs he would soon be taking. The difference between a magic tool and an artifact was who made it.

What a mage,that is, a human,created was a "magic tool."

What a Demihuman such as a dragon, elf, or demon created was an "artifact." Back before humans awakened Spirit Roots, human mages had been so rare that the distinction made sense, and the terms had carried over to the present day. Even now, artifacts were rarer than magic tools and superior in performance.

"Among those, Out-of-Place Artifacts are in a class of their own. Out-of-Place Artifacts can only be found in Secret Realms. Nobody knows who made them."

Then were the rewards from the floors in the capital Out-of-Place Artifacts too? Kyle glanced at Lucia's Blood Fang and Bruno's belt. Those he wasn't sure about,but the boots and cloak that had let him survive in the sea seemed like they qualified.

"Commander. I heard the Island Lord of Gladiheim said you could keep everything obtained from the Secret Realm. Are you still going to present it all to him?"

"If I offer it to him, he'll be pleased."

Kyle said it while looking at the approaching coastline below the Sword Ridge Mountains.

"He'll be pleased, and then he'll give it back to me."

"Brilliant...!"

Jade nodded, impressed. That way you got both the appreciation and the treasure.

"If he says he won't return the treasure, make sure you at least hold onto the dimensional Out-of-Place Artifact. Anything dimensional is absurdly expensive even for ordinary magic tools."

The convenience was unmatched. Jade glanced at Bruno, who was focused on steering, and leaned in to whisper.

"I've heard the young lords of Alastor carry their swords in dimensional pouches from childhood. Commander doesn't have one. So definitely keep the dimensional Out-of-Place Artifact. Understood?"

"Yeah, yeah."

Jade had said this several times already. Kyle nodded along and turned his thoughts to the report he would be making when they returned.

'The Beliar family demons. Nasdel's hounds...'

He planned to report everything that had happened in the Secret Realm without leaving a single thing out. A simple grade-four Secret Realm suppression had gotten tangled up with demons,and demons of royal blood at that.

What could have turned into a complicated mess had actually been cleaned up neatly by Lizet's involvement. The fact that the defensive barrier had been breached was serious, but that wasn't Kyle's problem to worry about. It was a matter for the imperial Ministry of Defense and Gladiheim to resolve.

The submarine that Azel and his hounds had used to breach the barrier would be there to help with that resolution, and Kyle's contribution would be substantial. On top of that, the Secret Realm Core, and the treasures received as a blessing. And,

Kyle touched the necklace. He didn't know how it would help in waking his grandmother, but he found himself nursing a hope that he might actually get to see Julius cry.

"Commander, think of an epithet."

After docking at the port and heading toward the Sky Carriage, Jade spoke up with a grin.

"An epithet? What epithet?"

"With the credit you've earned this time, you've more than got grounds for one. Gladiheim will probably,no, the Empire will actively spread your name around."

"The island got breached by demons. Is that something to boast about?"

"That's a shameful thing, but it's a problem that can be fixed. What's worth boasting about is that a fifteen-year-old boy made the Demon King's heir, the Fist Demon Lizet Beliar, back down. It also sends a warning to Erebos."

"It's not like I won."

"You're oddly rigid about things like this. In the end, who was it that showed mercy to Lizet Beliar last?"

Jade had a point. Kyle thought about it for a moment and nodded.

"An epithet... alright. Jade, who gave you yours? Split Fang."

"The guys who saw me kill opponents in duels started calling me that on their own."

"Someone else gave you yours, so why do I have to come up with my own?"

"Because the epithet you'll be getting this time is for imperial propaganda. If you don't think of one yourself and put it out there first, the Empire will come up with something... incredibly burdensome. One you won't like at all."

Jade leaned in close and whispered.

"Now that I mention it, I actually liked the name Sword Wolf Knights quite a bit. It's simple, you know? Narua said she hated it, but that's just because she's from the Avara Plateau."

"..."

"Think of a good epithet. Your naming sense is solid. If you mention it to the Island Lord first, the Empire will hear it and spread it on their own."

"Fine, fine. I'll give it some thought."

Kyle had taken no emotional damage whatsoever from the Sword Wolf Knights name being disliked. The sensibilities of five hundred years ago and today were different, and the one who had hated it most, Narua, wasn't exactly fluent in the common tongue. Besides, Lucia had said she thought the name was cool.

'An epithet... an epithet...'

Come to think of it, the title of Sword Demon had been given to Raikal in his past life when he had been tearing through battlefields like a madman. Back then, so many people had witnessed Raikal fight that the title had arisen naturally,but Kyle's situation was different. The only ones who had seen the fight in the Secret Realm were his order members and Lizet.

'So I'll have to come up with one myself. Lizet doesn't seem the type to give me one.'

What would be a good epithet. Sword Demon had been used plenty in his past life. Since he was young, maybe Young Sword Demon? That felt like a step down, so no.

[Master, how about Sword Serpent?]

Jor offered in a faint voice.

[The knight order is called Sword Wolf, so your epithet should be Sword Serpent, Master.]

'Jor.'

Jor had shed her Husk for him and was completely drained, so Kyle felt a little sorry for the spirit,but some things still had to be said.

'You have absolutely no talent for naming. I'll come up with my own epithet, so just know that.'

[Th-that's too harsh...]

'Too harsh? I'll make Sword Serpent your epithet later. That settles it, doesn't it?'

[I get an epithet too?]

'Fight alongside me long enough and you'll get one. Unlike that mongrel Fenris, people can actually see you.'

[W-whoaaaa...!]

Jor let out a cheer.

It had taken half a day to reach Beltua Island from Gladiheim, and after closing the Secret Realm, another half a day to return.

A full day in all. Kyle and his order members arrived at Gladiheim in the morning and walked briskly toward the Sword Tower. Normally only the commander needed to appear when making a report to the Family Head, but this situation was so unusual that Kyle brought all his members along.

"You're back."

Standing at the entrance to the Sword Tower was Gerhard, the third son. As the chief of the Secret Shadow Corps, he handled Gladiheim's administrative affairs. Gerhard narrowed his deep-shadowed eyes, let out a long breath, and gave Kyle a slight bow.

"I'm sorry."

"Uncle? What are you apologizing for all of a sudden?"

"A short while ago, I received word that the defensive barrier had been breached. Near Beltua Island."

Gerhard raised his head and looked at Kyle. His uniform was soaked in blood. He was walking, but with a slight limp. And it wasn't just Kyle,all four of his order members were a sorry sight.

"It seems you engaged the Demon Tribe. The moment I received the report I tried to dispatch our elites, but when I contacted the Island Lord of Beltua, I was told all members of the Sword Wolf Knights had already left the island. So I've been waiting here."

"This isn't something for you to apologize for, Uncle."

"No, it is. I am Gladiheim's administrator and the chief of the Secret Shadow Corps. I was the one who assigned this mission to you. This happened because my eyes and ears were not sharp enough, so I must apologize."

Gerhard said it in a hoarse voice. True to his Alastor pureblood nature, his pride ran deep enough that he knew how to acknowledge his own mistakes and take responsibility for them.

"Understood. I accept your apology, Uncle."

Kyle nodded.

"I'd like to report everything that happened in the Secret Realm on Beltua Island, with all my members present. May we go in?"

"Come in. The Family Head and all the knight order commanders are already waiting in the Sword Hall."

Gerhard had come out first specifically to apologize. He opened the door, and the full Sword Wolf Knights, Kyle at their head, entered the Sword Tower. Jade and Narua, setting foot inside for the first time, swallowed hard.

The atmosphere in the Sword Hall was grave. Julius sat on the throne with a rigid expression, and the five,no, six,knight order commanders standing below him wore the same. They drew sharp breaths when they saw the state Kyle and his members were in as they entered with Gerhard.

Passing through the entrance, Kyle thought it over. The atmosphere was too heavy. Nobody had died, nobody had been crippled, and they were all walking in on their own two feet. A report delivered in this atmosphere would feel more like an interrogation.

"Four members of the Sword Wolf Knights."

Kyle walked in with his head high and spoke.

"Sword Wolf Knights Commander, Black Sword Kyle Alastor. Returning safely."

The epithet he threw out without warning made Jade turn in startled confusion.

"...?"

The gravity in Julius's expression eased, along with that of the knight order commanders.

"Black Sword?"

Julius was quiet for a moment before speaking.

"You are Black Sword?"

Something about the reaction felt off.

Kyle glanced at Jade. Jade immediately looked away. He had pushed Kyle into coming up with an epithet thinking it would be amusing, but he hadn't imagined Kyle would actually announce it in an atmosphere like this.

"Yes. I am Black Sword."

That bastard Jade played me.

Kyle thought that, but he turned back to face Julius. Words already spoken couldn't be taken back.

"Since when...?"

Julius asked with an expression that said he couldn't quite follow.

"Starting today."

Kyle decided to just brazen it out.

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