WeTried Translations
Translator: Hydrogen B
Editor: Hydrogen B
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Sword Master of the Fallen Kingdom
Chapter 57
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Two Exiles (4)
There were nine mercenaries pursuing Kyle and Elysia. All of them were on horseback.
Twenty cavalrymen. One knight who had joined in a hurry. Nine mercenaries, including a Silver-rank mercenary. And around ten hunting hounds specialized in tracking. The hastily formed pursuit party split into three groups and chased after Kyle and Elysia. The cavalry, divided into two groups, and the mercenary group used Mana Compasses and released the hounds to widen the search area as much as possible.
“This is driving me insane. Just how far did they run?”
After crossing the gorge beyond the gate without rest, one mercenary grumbled in an exhausted voice. He had been dragged into a sudden muster, and now he was even chasing people on horseback. Of course he was annoyed.
“Calm down. They can’t have gone far.”
The mercenary at the front said, trying to soothe him. He was a spearman, the only one among the Silver-rank mercenaries left at the gate who could ride. Holding the reins, he lifted his gaze. Several well-trained hounds were weaving through the trees and climbing the mountain.
“Still...”
“That traitor is tired too. And they’re on foot.”
“...”
“No matter how skilled they are at mana control, keeping Body Reinforcement active all the time is impossible. The traces of magic are broken here and there too. This direction is certain. Looks like they were using Wind Magic, then had to stop midway because of stamina.”
“But weren’t there two targets, not one?”
Another mercenary suddenly spoke up. The spearman at the front narrowed his eyes.
“Right. His name was Kyle, wasn’t it...”
A Silver-rank mercenary just like him. A stupid turncoat who had refused to cooperate, said he would move alone, then suddenly attached himself to the traitor. Hugo, another Silver-rank mercenary who used a sword, had died by his hand. The five mercenaries under Hugo, all of the same rank or lower, had met the same fate.
Damn idiot. Six men got beaten by two people.
In a way, it was fortunate. Thanks to those fools dying first, they had been able to wear down the traitor. He did not know how strong a mage that traitor was, but she should be exhausted by now. The mercenary stuck beside her would be no different.
“Just worry about the reward. This job is going to fill our pockets.”
The spearman said it casually. Color returned to the faces of the mercenaries following behind him.
“That’s... true.”
“Let’s see how generous our wyvern knight lord is.”
“If we capture her first, won’t we get a whole chest of Gold Coins?”
Greed filled the mercenaries’ eyes. Twenty cavalrymen and nine mercenaries. There was even a knight with them. Capturing one traitor who had fought a fierce battle and crossed the mountains all night should have been easy.
Their minds were already full of the reward they would receive after the chase.
Woof! Woof, woof! Woof! Woof, woof, woof!
That was when the hounds running ahead grew excited. They had caught the scent. The mercenaries looked at one another and grinned.
Got her.
A person could not outrun a horse in a short chase. That was even more true if they were badly exhausted. The hounds, already fast, picked up even more speed. Around then, an invisible slash cut through the darkness and rushed in.
Splurt!
Something sprayed blood up ahead. Two or three short hound yelps rang out. The mercenaries did not panic.
They already knew the traitor was a mage of considerable skill. This was a last struggle. Nothing more than her squeezing out the last of her strength. The hounds that had charged ahead all tucked their tails and ran back toward them.
The mercenaries pulled on their reins again.
Before long, they saw the person they were after. Bright yellow hair that seemed made of melted gold. Golden eyes that looked as if they could draw someone in. A white robe glowing faintly in the moonlight. Everything matched the description. Even the fact that her mask had shattered and vanished.
“There she is! The traitor is over there!”
“We found her first! Catch her!”
The mercenaries, their eyes wild, rushed at the traitor without waiting for one another. The horses, excited by their riders’ rising emotions, neighed and kicked harder with all four legs. The spearman at the front was the same.
A bloody smile curled his lips. But when he saw the traitor’s face, the smile vanished. The woman was not looking at the charging mercenaries. She was looking somewhere else. Only then did the information he had forgotten, blinded by the reward before his eyes, come back to him.
One person?
There should have been another Silver-rank mercenary beside the traitor, the one who had turned. The traitor who had killed Hugo and slaughtered every mercenary under him of the same rank or lower. He was nowhere to be seen. The spearman hurriedly looked around, and only belatedly did his eyes catch a shape.
A figure sliding through the darkness as if swimming in it. The hem of a black cloak fluttering beneath the pale moonlight.
Claaang!
A clear metallic ring sounded. A white light was drawn from the waist of the pitch-black figure. Pure white flames rose over the drawn white light. The blooming white fire advanced as if cutting the darkness apart.
Sword Aura?
The spearman urgently raised the spear in his hand. The black figure had already closed in. His teeth clenched on their own. Reflexively, he thrust his spear. The pure white flame was right in front of his nose. He had no time to be shocked. By instinct, he drew up as much mana as he could.
Slice.
The spear shaft was cut cleanly. The spearhead fell uselessly to the ground, and the shaft, now only a pole, brushed past the cloak. The spearman’s face twisted in horror. The white blade did not stop. It dug into the neck of the charging horse.
This is impossible...
Slash!
A fountain of blood burst up. The white light cut through the horse’s neck in a single stroke and split the rider beyond it in two. The horse’s headless body crashed to the ground. The corpse, its upper body severed, slid down and collapsed.
“...Huh?”
“He’s in front! The traitor is in front!”
The mercenaries charging in a beat late shouted in shock. The weapons aimed at Elysia turned one by one. Kyle, still in the same posture after cutting down the lead spearman, lowered his body and stepped forward. He focused the ring’s mana into his legs. His right hand gripped the sword hilt hard enough to crush it.
Asherad Royal Swordsmanship, Second Form.
Dance of Embers.
Fwoooosh!
The flames clinging to the blade swelled. As the sword advanced, a long tail remained along its path, like the afterimage of a falling meteor.
Sword Aura resembling moonlight.
Fire danced. Using the pitch-black darkness as its canvas, the pure white flames carved white light in every direction. Every time the sword moved, the weapons thrust toward him were cut apart as if in unison. Split in two.
On both sides of the black cloak rushing in a straight line, blood burst out with terrible screams. Elysia stared blankly at the sight. A flowing spiral strike. From the draw to the chain of attacks, everything formed one Sword Path. Every time the flame swung, a mercenary and the horse he rode died and collapsed.
“No...!”
The last remaining mercenary flinched and stretched out his empty left arm. Kyle’s sword did not stop. The pure white blade cut down the mercenary along with his horse.
By the time Elysia came to her senses, no mercenaries remained. All of them lay dead on the ground. Not a single horse was still alive. Kyle took a short breath, then looked around with his black eyes. He could clearly feel other presences not far away.
The pursuers numbered roughly thirty. The split groups totaled three. The mercenary group he had just killed was one of them.
He had to kill them all here. He could not leave future trouble behind. So they could not follow anymore. So they could not leave testimony. So he could delay the wyvern knight’s pursuit even a little.
His judgment took only an instant. Kyle looked back. Elysia was there, leaning against a tree trunk and staring at him with trembling eyes.
Their eyes met briefly. Kyle looked forward again. Faint lights were flickering below. After looking up at the black sky for a moment, Kyle melted into the darkness.
***
“They are right nearby. The last trace of magic ends here.”
A cavalryman holding a Mana Compass spoke. The cavalry captain listening to him looked to the side.
“We are almost there. This is fortunate. With Sir Dren joining us, this should be easy.”
“It is nothing. A traitor must receive proper punishment. This matter is important to the kingdom as well, so of course I should lend a hand.”
The knight in steel armor answered with a humble attitude. The cavalry captain smiled bitterly and looked around. Hounds had their noses pressed to the ground nearby. Ten cavalrymen were waiting for his order too.
We’ll catch them soon.
There were ten cavalrymen here right now, one knight, and himself as the cavalry captain. A little farther to the side were ten more cavalrymen split left and right, along with the mercenary group made up of people who could ride, led by a Silver-rank mercenary.
The difference in force was overwhelming. A pursuit party of over thirty against two fugitives. The fleeing side had fought a fierce battle since early evening and was now escaping without horses. No matter how strong a knight and mage were, that kind of forced march had to drain their stamina badly.
On top of that, perhaps due to the backlash from using a large spell to cross the gate, their speed had dropped sharply after crossing the gorge. The traces of Wind Magic were also becoming shorter and more scattered. It was to the point where he wondered if they even had the strength left to fight. The outcome was effectively decided already.
“We must finish this before the wyvern knight arrives. Only then will Viscount Leonard be at ease.”
The knight put on airs. There was no sign of tension in him. The cavalry captain glanced at him and thought to himself.
Better than nothing.
A knight from some decent noble house. He valued profit over honor. That was because of the large reward. But neither the cavalry captain nor the knight bothered to say that out loud. What mattered was catching the traitor.
They had gained one knight-level combatant. That was enough. He briefly wondered if this was excessive, then soon pushed the thought to the back of his mind. There was always the chance of something unexpected, so being thorough was fine.
“But I heard there was not only one traitor. Did you not say there was one mercenary who turned and was beside her?”
The knight asked while staring beyond the trees buried in darkness. The cavalry captain gave a small nod.
“A Silver-rank mercenary attached himself to the traitor for reasons unknown.”
“Huh...”
“It should not be a big problem. The unusual note said he uses magic like the traitor, but it should be a moderate level at best.”
“What a fool. To make an enemy of the Empire. No, perhaps I should call it a choice fitting of a lowly mercenary who sells his life for coin.”
What gold and treasure had that traitor promised for him to make such a choice? As the knight clicked his tongue, the hounds abruptly raised their heads. It was the signal that they had to move.
“Looks like we should depart.”
“Mm! My hands itch at the thought of catching the traitor and devoting myself to His Majesty. I believe we were told we may kill the turncoat mercenary, yes?”
Instead of answering, the cavalry captain replied with a look. The cavalrymen exchanged glances and were about to pull on their reins again.
Woof, woof! Woof, woof, woof!
Barking came from the opposite side. Almost at the same time, another hound appeared.
“A hound? Why is it here...”
“It is one from the mercenary group. It seems they found the traitor, but why would it come here...”
The cavalry captain was voicing his doubt when it happened.
“Aaaaaaargh!”
A terrible scream rang out not far away. It was not a sound from a dog’s throat, but clearly a fear-soaked scream bursting from a person’s throat.
“Did they encounter them first?”
The knight grabbed his reins with an excited expression.
“No!”
The cavalry captain stopped him just as he was about to charge out.
“What is the matter? The enemies are over there!”
“It is already too late. There is not just one scream. There are several.”
“So?”
The knight asked back, displeased.
“There are two traitors. The screams I hear are at least five or more. In short, they were counterattacked. Even if we follow now, they will have already left by the time we arrive. Right now, we should not go toward the mercenaries. We should join up with the remaining cavalry.”
The cavalry captain spoke without caring about the knight’s glare.
He judged the situation coldly.
The traitor and the turncoat mercenary beside her still had the strength to fight.
The mercenary group of nine had already been taken out. They had been a fairly elite group made up of mercenaries who could ride, including a Silver-rank mercenary, yet it had happened anyway.
Their target was to defeat the pursuit party one group at a time.
Splitting the groups and spreading them widely for tracking had turned against them. More precisely, he had not expected the fugitives to have enough energy left to kill all nine mercenaries. It was absurd skill and stamina. The cavalry captain frowned without realizing it.
Was that mage called the traitor really this strong? Or did the turncoat mercenary have skill surpassing most knights? Even after the two of them crossed the gate by themselves and climbed the mountain for hours without horses, they could still counterattack? Was he truly Silver-rank?
The cavalry captain cursed inwardly. He had tracked countless criminals until now, but never one like this.
Damn it.
“The mercenary group is already lost. We need to join up with the remaining cavalry.”
The cavalry captain did not hesitate. As soon as he finished speaking, he pulled his horse’s reins.
The cavalrymen followed behind him. The knight muttered quietly, but did not go against the cavalry captain’s judgment. The hounds and twelve horses moved again. They rushed quickly through the brush.
And then.
“Aaaaaaagh!”
Another scream rang out. This time, it was much closer than the mercenary side from before.
“S-Save me... Kuaaagh!”
“He’s a monster! A monster!”
“We’re all going to die... Gah!”
Voices sounded one after another. The fear-filled screams felt horribly real. The echoes rode the cold air, and the hounds at the very front instinctively shivered and stopped. The cavalrymen behind them did the same.
Saaaa...
An eerie wind blew. The branches and leaves swaying overhead made a chilling sound like waves. It felt like a cold hand was stroking every part of their bodies, all the way to the crown of their heads. Everyone stared at one place with trembling eyes.
Under the moonlight, between the darkened tree trunks.
A single figure was slowly walking out. The man who appeared beyond the brush had black hair and black eyes. His pitch-black cloak, long enough to reach his ankles, fluttered faintly in the blowing wind. A drop of blood that seemed to have just splashed onto the silver blade in his right hand slid down smoothly.
Gulp.
Someone swallowed. Not only the cavalrymen, but also the cavalry captain and the knight felt their bodies stiffen. Faint moonlight and flickering torchlight mixed together, casting trembling shadows everywhere.
“Are you the mercenary who turned? Where is the traitor?”
After a brief, suffocating silence, the knight twisted his mouth as if pushing away his fear and rode forward proudly. The black eyes, which had been calmly sweeping over the cavalrymen, pierced straight into the knight for an instant.
“Are you the last ones?”
Kyle spoke quietly. The knight flinched, and his face twisted with rage.
“What did you say?”
“You are the last ones. I do not sense anyone farther behind.”
“You mad turncoat bastard! Not only do you shield a traitor, you dare mock the kingdom army? Do you know what you are doing right now?”
Shielding an Imperial traitor. Even directly helping her on top of that. Even if he was only a mercenary with no relation to the Kingdom of Brendel, the Empire would hold the royal family responsible. It was unfair, but that was how it was. Everything had happened on Brendel land. There was that much of a gap between the Empire and the southern kingdoms.
“Surrender now. If you do, I will at least spare your life.”
The cavalry captain barely steadied his voice and spoke. Kyle did not react. Instead, he asked back.
“Has the wyvern knight arrived at the gate?”
“That is...”
“I see. The sun has not risen yet, after all.”
That hesitation was the answer. Kyle did not speak any further. Silence flowed through the night wind blowing again. Somewhere, a grass insect chirped.
A half-moon was visible between the branches. The silver blade shone brightly under the settled moonlight. The knight facing Kyle glanced back. The cavalry captain quietly signaled to the tense cavalrymen.
With determined eyes, the cavalrymen slowly moved their horses, preparing to charge straight in.
Kyle felt all of it. He knew without looking.
The moment he twisted the wrist holding his sword, the silver blade gave off a sharp, cold light.
“Hit him all at once!”
The cavalry captain shouted. The knight drew his sword with fierce speed. The cavalrymen holding their spears charged all at once. Over a dozen blades rushed in to kill one man.
Kyle did not panic. Slowly, he stretched out his left foot. Right after his foot touched the ground, a fierce blade wind spread in every direction. The cavalrymen who had closed in to arm’s reach vomited blood and were flung away as if in unison. A knight pushed through the gap between them.
“Die, turncoat!”
A blue light surged over the knight’s sword. A beat late, the cavalry captain clenched his teeth and charged. Kyle stretched out his remaining right foot and gripped the hilt of his lowered sword with both hands.
Asherad Royal Swordsmanship, Fourth Form.
Flowing Moonlight.
A pure white light coiled around the star iron blade. The coiled light compressed to its limit. Following the trajectory of the blade rising diagonally, the light shot forward. Sword Aura curved into a half-moon like a crescent crushed everything blocking its path and rushed on without pause.
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