Chapter 37: Song of the Sword Emperor

Kiri the Lady (a self-proclaimed title), a student of the famous Ranger "Sandstorm" Belyt, is a veteran of the Arden Highlands. She possesses a cheerful, albeit occasionally scatterbrained, personality. During a duel with Cato the "Righteous" (a man whose defining trait is an uncompromising, absolute sense of justice that tolerates no evil), both fell into the Sea of Sky and arrived on the Arad Continent.

She is now a woman of wealth, formerly the root of all evil, and an equipment destroyer! Whether it is an Artifact, Legendary, Epic, or Mythic item, Kiri can easily reduce it to a pile of scrap metal. As the first person to fall from the Celestial Realm, Kiri has received many privileges in Hendon Myre. Especially with the sudden appearance of the Sky Tower, which made travel to the Celestial Realm seem possible, the De Los Empire has been hesitant to act against her without fully understanding the Celestial Realm—even after she smashed the weapons of their officers.

Sia's background needs no introduction. As for Paris, she grew up in the slums. While scavenging for food as a child, she was mocked by a noblewoman as a "lowly wild dog," leading her to develop an extreme hatred for the nobility. Her language is crude and her methods often underhanded, yet she is naturally beautiful, earning her the nickname "Princess of the Sewer." Many wealthy merchants and nobles have offered high prices to make her their mistress, but they are often knocked out by a brick before they even enter the slums.

It is said that "three women make a play," and when these three most troublesome women gather, the people of Hendon Myre are all on edge.

"Tomorrow, I will go and probe Kiri's intentions."

Yelin crossed his arms, his gaze cold. Even the usually flippant Tana was astonished. What was wrong with him? Such an intense emotional reaction.

"I'm full!"

Mello patted her stomach, looking completely satisfied. She had finally had a full meal.

"Do you want more? Just eat as much as you like, just let me know if it's not enough."

Sia looked at her with affection. After careful observation and noting Mello's pointed ears, she was certain that Mello was also an Elf—the third one she had encountered.

"No more, no more. Migao... huh?"

Everyone's gaze sharpened. Migao was next to Sia, standing by a bottle of red wine, having taken a swig.

"Migao! No drinking! Where did you learn that!"

...

"Xiat, I have something to tell you."

"Speak."

At night, in the guest room, Xiat was wearing a white cotton bathrobe, drying her wet hair with a towel, and sat down on a stool.

"I will give you the gold coins. Tomorrow, you and Seria can go pick out a shop location and handle the renovations. I need to go to Kiri's enhancement shop."

A home is one thing, but a shop is another. It is better not to have Sia pay for it; there is no telling if she might suddenly produce a bill years later with 200% interest.

"Oh, okay, no problem."

Xiat nodded and stood up to head to her bedroom.

"Wait."

"Anything else? What?"

"Do it!"

"Heh, shameless!"

"You've been acting strange lately. Is something on your mind?"

Xiat was momentarily dazed. A strange feeling washed over her. She thought she had hidden her emotions well; how was she discovered?

"After we get settled, I plan to head to the Sky Tower in West Coast. You are coming with me, and I don't want to bring along a burden with a heavy heart."

"Tch, who’s the burden? Don't you have any self-awareness?"

Xiat suddenly laughed, but her mood plummeted immediately. She whispered, "After the incident with Bone Prison, I understood even more how insignificant my strength is. Thinking of overthrowing the De Los Empire... it’s truly laughable."

A sense of sorrow washed over her face. "I won't hide it from you. I feel a bit hopeless. I broke into Vilmark back then precisely because I was desperate for power. If I hadn't met you, I would have died."

"I am truly lost. Although the Resistance's 'Saint's Voice' causes trouble for the De Los Empire everywhere, it is ultimately nothing more than a scratch."

"We need someone with peak strength to lead us against the Empire. But whether it's Captain Root, Ludmilla, or that other Swordmaster, Natalia, their strength is far from enough—far from enough."

Xiat covered her face, her emotions slightly crumbling. The De Los Empire stood right there, yet they could only scatter like bandits, creating insignificant nuisances.

"Wind erodes the heart, stars pierce the clouds,
Starlight reflects the shadow of the sword.
The scorching sun falls, a journey of ten thousand miles,
My sword cuts through injustice."

Yelin recited softly, as if it were a poem.

"What are you saying? I never expected a shameless person like you to recite poetry. Are you a goblin playing at being a noble?"

"May the heroic souls not weep,
Severing the brotherhood of comrades.
The cold blade carves the enemy's heart,
Weeping blood on the pillow to comfort the dead."

"Do you understand?"

He grabbed her hands firmly. His serious gaze left her heart trembling. When she came to her senses, she carefully savored these seemingly cryptic lines.

"You have no problem wishing for a powerful existence to lead the Resistance, but just as you dared to venture into Vilmark alone, why can't you be that person?"

"This is the 'Song of the Sword Emperor,' and also a prophecy. It foretells that a powerful Sword Emperor will arise, wielding a Sword of Vow that no one has ever been able to lift, striking the first blow of the rebellion against the De Los Empire!"

Xiat's eyes grew brighter and brighter until her despondency was swept away, replaced by a renewed luster. Sword Emperor—what an imposing title. If anyone else had said it, she certainly wouldn't have believed it, but since Yelin called himself the "Thirteenth Apostle," it ignited a spark of hope within her. She didn't know much about the formidable beings known as Apostles.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Take your claws off my leg."

"No."

The pleasant floral scent from her post-bath skin drifted into his nose. His right hand moved, gently wrapping around her waist. She offered a few symbolic protests, but then seemed to surrender.

After leaning in, she felt her heartbeat accelerate violently, and she could feel the same rapid rhythm from the person behind her.

"Let me go, you shameless man!"

"Let you go at a time like this? Do you think I'm a eunuch?"

In truth, he was panicking. Hugging her was a heat-of-the-moment decision, and he had been prepared to be hit. The fact that she only offered symbolic resistance was unexpected. Could it be...?

The moon was bright and the stars sparse. A lone man and woman, one having just provided the other with firm spiritual comfort and becoming their emotional pillar, having both endured hardships together—everything seemed to follow its natural course. What Dragon Knight? Now it's time to change jobs to Sword Knight!

"Do you know... about justice?"

"Shameless, hooligan."

"Listen to me, the scale of justice, besides being innate, is said to be stimulated by external factors as well..."

"Shameless! If your claws move any higher, I’ll chop them off, believe it?"

"The prophecy also says that this Sword Emperor must possess a heart of great justice, just like Mello."

Just as he bit down on her reddened earlobe, at the most intense moment of ambiguity, a small head poked out from behind the door. "Yelin, did you call me... oh?"

"Sorry, sorry! Σ(°△°|||)︴"

*Bang!*

Mello's cowlick stood straight up. She hugged the tipsy Migao and closed the door, fleeing at top speed. She seemed to have interrupted a very special scene.

"I'm going back, you shameless man!"

She was startled and deeply embarrassed. After breaking free from his embrace, she wrapped her bathrobe tightly around herself and kicked Yelin in the abdomen, causing him to curl up like a shrimp, his face twisted in agony.

"Don't go yet, there's more... damn, you almost crippled me."

"Speak. Now."

"After helping Seria buy the shop, please go to Feng Jino’s dojo and find a loafer—no, find a Nen Master. Then go to the Lemidia Basilica and find a Healer; if you can't find one, a Crusader will do. But make sure to avoid anyone with blue light on their fists, anyone walking a dog, or anyone who can shapeshift. We are forming a party for the Sky Tower."

After Xiat slipped away, he hammered his pillow in regret. "Why did I have to include Mello when I was making up that prophecy?"