Chapter 101

Sword aura existed in both white and gold. Najin could have mixed the two, but he intentionally separated the colors to demonstrate his control. Revealing a platinum-colored sword aura would leave no room for excuses.

“I could unify it to white, but…”

That would cause the form of the sword aura to waver. While the wavering would be subtle enough for most to miss, Najin was currently under the intense scrutiny of three Sword Masters.

Sword Masters.

Transcendents who have mastered the weapon known as the sword.

With senses far surpassing those of ordinary humans, they would undoubtedly perceive even the slightest fluctuation in Najin’s sword aura. And they would realize immediately.

“Ah, this lad is concealing his strength.”

The Emperor had exclaimed, “Show us your worth.” To deceive by concealing his power in front of him would justify immediate execution without question. Therefore, Najin chose to separate the colors within his sword aura to ensure its form remained stable.

‘Still, it’s undeniable it resembles King Arthur’s sword aura.’

-That may not necessarily be the case.

Merlin commented.

-Arthur’s symbol is the platinum sword aura. However, the existence of gold and white sword auras isn’t historically unprecedented. No one has possessed both at once, though… Anyway.

She sighed deeply.

-Your sword aura, it’s different from Arthur’s. I can guarantee that. I, who have observed Arthur’s sword aura up close, can assure you. It’s fundamentally different. Most people are distracted by the striking platinum color and don’t notice… but.

From the moment he had drawn his sword aura, Najin felt as if Merlin was standing right beside him. This was no illusion. Merlin’s figure, albeit faintly, was visible to Najin’s eyes.

The transformation upon ascending to the realm of a Sword Seeker.

Only visible to Najin, Merlin’s form.

She pointed a finger at the Emperor, the Sun of the Empire, who was watching intently with wide eyes. Pointing at him, Merlin continued.

-The Emperor sitting there is different. Even if not directly descended from Arthur, he hails from the line chosen by Arthur himself, the Wise King.

The wise blood thinned over time.

If it hadn’t stagnated and decayed through the ages.

-He’ll recognize it. The most important quality for a ruler is the insight to see through all things.

What if he fails to recognize it?

If he fears the emergence of Arthur’s descendant and tries to suppress us? As Merlin pondered this to herself, she scoffed coldly.

-Then it must be reclaimed.

What?

-Pendragon’s name and Britain.

Emperor of the Britannian Empire,

Elwin Pendragon.

He stood up abruptly, his eyes wide. Though it was usual for the Emperor to engage in exaggerated actions depending on the situation, this was not an act. He was genuinely startled, moving instinctively.

‘Platinum sword aura!’

No, that wasn’t quite it. It was a sword aura existing in both white and gold. However, the constellation formed by the boy’s sword aura bore the appearance of platinum.

And the shape of a constellation.

Anyone would associate it with the stars of the night sky, and what a starry sword aura symbolized needed no explanation. Historically, only one person had ever possessed such an aura.

‘The true master of Britain, the great hero, Arthur.’

The sword aura the boy had produced resembled his. Had a true descendant of Arthur appeared here, crossing a millennium?

As the Emperor’s mind whirled and his eyes threatened to flicker:

Thump, with a single heartbeat.

The Emperor’s heart turned ice cold.

“……”

Suddenly, the Emperor’s eyes narrowed.

His body had moved on its own in surprise, but he quickly steadied his breath. He cooled the turmoil in his head and swiftly assessed the situation.

It was a habit instilled since childhood.

The sovereign above all must never show panic or excitement, as taught by his predecessors.

Having calmed himself, Elwin quietly observed Najin’s sword aura. His blue eyes moved slowly, and after a few seconds, Elwin made his judgment.

“If one is distracted by the color, one might think it resembles [Arthur’s]. But if one looks at the foundation…”

It was different. The form of Arthur’s sword aura, as recorded in history, was distinctly different from the boy’s. The sword aura embedded in the artifacts passed down through the royal family had a different shape.

The boy’s sword aura formed a constellation.

But Arthur’s was simply a star.

The great King’s sword aura consisted of a single, brilliantly shining, platinum star. One and all, all and one. In contrast, the boy’s sword aura did not symbolize the singular.

“However.”

It was undeniable that it resembled it.

Seeing the boy’s sword aura, the world would first think of King Arthur. That fact was incontestable. The Emperor exhaled deeply.

“Retract your sword aura.”

Najin sheathed his sword.

He slid the blade into its scabbard and knelt again, bowing his head— a perfect display of knightly etiquette. There was no one so petty as to criticize someone who was not a knight for performing such an act.

The Emperor felt a throbbing headache.

When he first heard of the youngest Sword Seeker, he applauded, thinking a treasure had rolled into the Empire. But upon closer examination, what was this?

“18 years old. The youngest Sword Seeker. Active for only half a year. Possesses a sword aura reminiscent of King Arthur.”

Half a year. A smile leaked from the Emperor’s lips.

“What an uncanny half-year.”

Half a year ago, a monumental event shook the heavens and the earth— a historical event in which someone completed the Trial of Selection.

Half a year ago, Excalibur was drawn.

By someone unknown.

One of the inland Sword Masters had drawn Excalibur, and the rumor was that the Empire was hiding this fact, but that was incorrect. Even now, half a year later, the Empire had not identified the owner of Excalibur. They were merely pretending to have done so.

This was a fact shared only by the Emperor and his closest confidants.

“But…”

The Emperor looked at the boy before him.

An 18-year-old who set an unbelievable record as the youngest Sword Seeker, who started his activities half a year ago, and who possessed a sword aura similar to Arthur’s. It was indeed a coincidence that everything overlapped with this individual right in front of him.

It was a reasonable suspicion.

Could this boy be the owner of Excalibur?

This was not a suspicion held by the Emperor alone. Many others would have the same thought crossing their minds. Of course, it was just a strong suspicion; there was no concrete evidence.

“No constellation noticed, and the meticulous examination by the Platinum Tower Master found no connection to Excalibur.”

But sometimes, a strong suspicion is enough.

From the Emperor’s standpoint, the boy was an extremely dangerous being. What was thought to be a treasure of the Empire turned out to be a bomb laden with gunpowder.

He could potentially possess legitimacy that surpasses the Emperor. Even without concrete evidence, suspicion alone can create a cause. If the rebels got hold of him, the boy could threaten the imperial authority.

Lacking a proper foundation.

Of unknown origin.

Not sworn to loyalty to the Empire.

There was no element of trust.

He was full of elements that could sow massive discord. The politically correct decision here would be to leash the boy or eliminate him on the spot. Any ruler of a kingdom or a federation would surely make and execute such a decision without hesitation.

That would be the right decision for a ruler.

However.

For the Emperor of the Britannian Empire, it was clearly the wrong answer.

“……”

The Emperor sat down.

He rested his chin on his hand and looked at Najin. While his mind was rapidly sorting through information and eliminating options, in reality, only a few seconds had passed.

Emperor Elwin Pendragon reminisced.

The will left to the Emperors of Britain… to those who inherited the name Pendragon.

“I merely borrowed His name.”

“I merely held Britain on His behalf for a while; I am not the true master of Britain.”

“The sole master of the Britannian Empire is Him alone.”

The first Emperor, Arthur Pendragon.

The second Emperor, called the Wise King, who had received the empire along with the name Pendragon from that great Knight King, left a will to his descendants. That will had been etched into the heart of the empire for over a millennium.

“The great Arthur Pendragon.”

“One must never tarnish His name. Be righteous. Be just. Be kind. Know honor. Live with pride. Though we are not linked by blood, we are descendants of the great hero. Do not forget this fact.”

“If you do forget.”

“The Round Table will strip you of all qualifications.”

It was a contract, a covenant, and a warning.

The moment one acted unworthy of the name Pendragon, the celestial Round Table would intervene directly and strip everything away.

Therefore, the Emperor of the Empire always had to be righteous and just. Imperial authority could be stripped away at any time by the stars above.

“Refine yourself.”

Do not forget honor and pride. That was the fate of those who inherited the name Pendragon. Recalling the cries that had nearly made his ears bleed since childhood, Elwin smiled bitterly. Really, being an Emperor was damned difficult.

“Raise your head.”

Najin lifted his head as he knelt.

Elwin met Najin’s gaze.

The moment he met those sunset-colored eyes, the Emperor felt as though he was being seen through, as if a tremendous being was watching him from behind.

“The eyes of a mere mortal are not.”

After all, who would call someone who reached Sword Seeker at 18 a normal human?

“I have not yet heard your name in person. I have only read it in lines of text. Speak your name.”

“My name is Najin.”

“Yes, Najin. I must confess to you that I am in great torment.”

The Emperor smirked.

“Your sword aura resembles that of the great King Arthur. Although the underlying nature may differ, it is sufficient to evoke Arthur. You are not unaware of this…”

The Sword Masters gasped at the Emperor’s words.

They had thought the same, but speaking it in front of the Emperor was another matter entirely. Bringing up such a topic in front of the Emperor could lead to exceedingly complex issues.

However, the Emperor had spoken it first.

“If you belonged to a certain family or group, they would have a cause. It becomes a risk. Of course, the current Empire is peaceful and far from strife, thanks to the efforts of the previous kings.”

The Emperor smiled.

“But the flames of rebellion, the discord, start from the smallest of places. And in my view, you are a flame. A flame that might burn down the Empire.”

Whether or not the boy possessed Excalibur, the fact remained. He already had too many similarities with Arthur.

“So.”

The Emperor looked at Najin.

“Convince me. Explain why I should not see you as a flame.”

Normally, regardless of Najin’s wishes, he should have become a knight of the royal court. That would have been the greatest mercy the Emperor could offer.

However, the Emperor gave him a chance.

He told him to try to convince himself.

Najin was well aware of this. He heard Merlin’s whistling near his ear. She murmured that there was no need to mention the covenant. Najin took a deep breath.

This was the moment.

Najin was certain that his life would once again be decided here. The conversation held here would surely be recorded somewhere and engraved in the empire’s history books. It would inevitably be mentioned when telling his life story in the future.

To declare his ambitions to the world.

It was an inevitability for a hero.

This place was too small to be called the world. The only audience for his story was four individuals and one Constellation. Yet considering the presence of each of these individuals, this place was as good as a world to Najin.

Master of the Order of the Sword, Sword Saint Karan.

Inquisitor General of the Starblood Sect, Yuel Razian.

The Empire’s First Pillar, Gerd.

Emperor of the Empire, Elwin Pendragon.

The Archmage of the Lake, Merlin.

Three were Sword Masters, one was a Constellation, and another was the Emperor of the Empire. They were all heavyweights enough to be called so. It seemed unlikely that he would get another chance to declare his ambitions in front of such figures. Najin felt his heart racing inappropriately for the situation.

Isn’t this like a scene from a hero’s tale?

Still, Najin was a boy who idolized hero tales.

“To the Sun of the Empire, I declare.”

In this moment.

He chose the words that would be written into history.

“I have no intention of belonging to any group. If there is a place I must belong to, if there is something that should be called before my name.”

How could his heart not race?

“That is———”