LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 227
TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 227
Dawn at the estate where everyone was asleep.
After defeating the Desmond Household in a drinking contest, I was swinging my sword in the empty estate yard.
-Bang──!
It wasn’t an elegant sword dance.
It was a crude and monotonous sword dance. Even as a Sword Master, it was difficult to instantly change habits ingrained in my body. To others, I must have looked like I was performing a clumsy sword dance.
-Squelch.
Holding Tirbing in my hand, I wiped the sweat dripping down my forehead with the back of my hand and smiled lightly.
“It’s different.”
It was distinctly different.
The sensation I felt.
The stability in my grip on the sword.
The mana I could sense around me.
Compared to before, it was honed to an incomparable sharpness. As if my entire body had become a weapon, the explosive strength coursing through me made me smile faintly.
“I might even be able to contend with an Apostle.”
While I wasn’t at the level of the ultimate boss in this world, I felt reassured knowing I had the strength of at least a mid-level boss. With this, I could avoid an untimely death.
Assuming the compatibility was favorable, I could handle two Apostles.
Under normal circumstances, I felt I could take on one Apostle within my range of capability.
I erased the smile of arrogance creeping onto my face and shook my head.
“I must remain humble.”
There was still a long way to go.
Even as a Sword Master, there were levels and differences in experience. If I became arrogant prematurely, I could meet an untimely death. Olaf was a case where compatibility worked in my favor, so I couldn’t afford to grow conceited.
Thinking I could win wasn’t enough. I needed to win first before I could afford any confidence. I calmed my rising shoulders and exhaled steadily.
“Still, well.”
“I think I’ve become a master who won’t embarrass his disciple.”
Now that I had reached a level where I wouldn’t be overshadowed by Rowen, perhaps I could afford some pride. From the perspective of the novel, I would now be considered a monster.
Perhaps it would be written like this: ‘The Knight of the Fallen Villainess.’
“What nonsense.”
Letting out an empty laugh, I recalled the upcoming events in my mind.
-The Academy Riot.
-Mikhail’s growth.
-Pascal’s appearance.
Pascal. It was already a name from over a year ago.
It had been a year since I sent the villain who manipulated human bodies and loved strange art to prison.
Though he appeared as a significant antagonist in the novel, thinking of him now, reforming in prison to fill his empty coffers, brought a bitter smile to my face.
-Why are you only doing this to me!
He really was a good guy.
I felt like I could never forget the benefactor who had allowed me to repay my debt. If not for me, he’d probably be living grandly as an archbishop by now.
Nodding, I thought of the mantis suffering in prison and wished him good fortune.
‘If we meet again, I’ll make sure to put you in a collection jar.’
To be honest, neither Mikhail nor Yuria could handle the archbishop yet. It was true in the original work, and even now, the archbishop’s strength was too much for mere Academy students to bear.
Ruin had long since retired, and the Crown Prince only began to grow stronger in the latter half of the novel, so his practical strength was minimal.
At this point, the ranking of strength would be Mikhail, the Crown Prince, Ruin, and Yuria in that order.
They weren’t falling behind. If anything, they were growing stronger than in the original timeline. Though the explosive growth from hardships was lacking, the steady time to improve ensured they weren’t left behind.
Especially Mikhail, who had grown immensely after the last battle, and Yuria, who had begun her awakening as the Saintess, seemed poised to contribute even more to their strength.
With Hanna at the Academy, Ruin’s absence could be sufficiently filled. If necessary, Hans was there, so there was no lack in positions.
The only concern was one thing.
Mikhail’s sword hadn’t broken.
Thinking of Mikhail’s worn-out sword, I let out a sigh. I couldn’t understand why he still carried around that piece of scrap metal.
He’s incredibly stubborn about the most unnecessary things.
“Sigh…”
Mikhail’s sword should have broken long ago. It was supposed to shatter when he encountered the heretics. That event was necessary for him to learn to wield a sword suited to his physique and let go of his stubbornness.
He was doing well, but only in the context of the current situation. As the novel progressed into its midsection, the enemies he would face would grow stronger. With Mikhail’s current sword, there were too many limitations.
Even looking at the High Priest of Oblivion right in front of us, it wouldn’t be surprising. At that time, Mikhail had become that man’s plaything.
I knew it too. How much Mikhail cherished that sword,
and that it was the first gift he received from the sister who raised him in the nunnery like his biological parent.
But if he kept moving forward stubbornly without breaking that attachment, what would change? Smiling bitterly, I pictured Mikhail in my mind.
“…”
I couldn’t think of a good solution.
If I could have broken his stubbornness, I would have done so long ago. Still, I hoped everything would work out since only good things had been happening lately.
Yuria had begun her awakening as the Saintess, and Mikhail was achieving appropriate growth. All that was left was for me to live well.
I was relieved to finally be able to let go of my worries.
Smiling faintly, I called out a familiar name in my heart.
-Status Window.
[Ricardo Lv. 92]
[Job]
Swordsman – (Sword Master)
Butler – (Household Master)
[Stats]
Physical Strength: 251↑
Stamina: 301↑
Agility: 223↑
Mana: 400↑
[Traits]
◈Offensive
[Swordsmanship Lv.7↑], [Combat Skills Lv.5], [Dagger Techniques Lv.5], [Greatsword Techniques Lv.5], [Spear Techniques Lv.5]
▣Defensive
[Poison Resistance Lv.5], [Fire Resistance Lv.4↑], [Magic Resistance Lv.5↑], [Lightning Resistance Lv.5↑], [Cold Resistance Lv.4↑], [Dark Magic Resistance Lv.6↑], [Curse Resistance Lv.5↑], [Mental Resistance Lv.7↑]
◉Skills
[Aura (A)]
[Genius of Weaponry (S)]
[Regeneration (A)] ▶ [Body Regeneration (S)]
[Limit Break (L)]
[Rain Thunder (L)]
[Rehabilitation’s Touch Lv.2]
└ Vitality consumption is drastically reduced.
└ Fundamental healing becomes possible.
It had been a long time since I last opened the Status Window.
It really felt like ages since I’d last opened it. When I first arrived in this Another World, I used to check it daily to confirm if my training methods were correct. But at some point, I stopped looking at it, a privilege of being a possessor.
Knowing I had such abilities, jotting them down like notes, and calling it a simple manual or a kind of wrong answer notebook, the Status Window had been a great help. But now, it was an element I rarely checked.
I couldn’t see others’ Status Windows—no, I couldn’t view others’ information at all. Since the concept of a Status Window didn’t exist in this world, I naturally stopped using it. I had blended into this world seamlessly.
The mirror that only reflected me now showed numbers different from the past.
Compared to a year ago, my growth was steep, and the resistance stats had strengthened significantly in the time I hadn’t checked.
Smiling with satisfaction, I swung my sword again.
To slowly adapt to the unfamiliar strength and to ensure the Young Lady would never use Dark Magic again, I diligently swung my sword.
And as morning broke.
-Air Raid Alarm!!!!
As always, the estate resounded with a thunderous shout of spirit.
*
-Tick.
The stopped clock hands began to move again.
Yuria, standing on a chair, replaced the battery in the broken clock and smiled.
-Tick.
-Tick.
Yuria stepped down from the chair with a satisfied smile as the clock hands finally began to move.
The current time was 10 p.m.
Waking up alone in the hospital, Yuria carefully sat down after neatly covering James with the blanket he had tossed aside in his sleep.
“Dad.”
-…
“Are you asleep?”
Yuria gently touched her father’s cheek and smiled. Despite it being only 10 p.m., an early hour, Yuria’s father was already asleep. He couldn’t win against his daughter’s insistence that he focus on his recovery.
Leaning close to her snoring father’s ear, Yuria whispered softly.
“Dad, you know…”
-…
“There’s someone I like.”
-I know. That handsome guy.
“He’s incredibly handsome.”
-Don’t cry.
“He’s so kind.”
-Who is it? The one who made you like this.
“He takes such good care of me.”
Yuria held her father’s hand tightly as she spoke. His calloused hand bore the scars of the years he had spent raising her alone.
Tickling the rough palm of her father’s hand, Yuria smiled and said,
“You know…”
Then, with a small laugh, she added,
“I think I really like him.”
Very much.
Yuria’s clock began to move.
*
Words were being written on white paper.
To the Noble of the Outskirts.
To the Nemesis of the Academy.
To the memories I once thought were friends.
Olivia was writing a letter.
-You are invited.
Darbav anticipated that Olivia’s letter would become a topic of gossip and cause a great uproar.
-A ball will be held.
-Yes.
-At your house.
-No.
-Then at our house.
-Fine.
Desmond is alive and well.
Olivia is a member of Desmond.
Darbav’s plan was to solidify Olivia’s position by hosting a ball in her name.
Watching the young lady sit at her desk and write invitations for the first time in a long while, I asked,
“Young Lady.”
“Eeeek…”
“Young Lady?”
The young lady, who had wiped her runny nose on the letter paper, glanced at me and gave a shy smile.
“Ricardo.”
“Yes.”
“I have no friends.”
Darbav was making the biggest mistake.
“Here! Invitations.”
“Oh…”
Looking at the young lady’s invitations, I gave a bitter smile.
“Shall we write one to Hanna too?”
“Yes.”
“And to the boss as well.”
“Let’s do that.”
“And…”
The young lady was unaware that she had no friends.