Chapter 24

I PULLED OUT THE EXCALIBUR

Chapter 24 – The Staff of Selection (3)

Najin blinked in a daze.

Instead of the forest landscape he had been in moments before, a vast night sky filled his view. Staring at the night sky, Najin blinked several times.

‘…Have I returned?’

Had he returned? Or was it all just a dream? Slowly rising to his feet, Najin instinctively lifted his hand. The hand that had shaken with Merlin, The Wizard of the Lake. It seemed like a constellation had been engraved on the back of his hand, but now there was nothing.

‘Was it really just a dream?’

It was strange for a dream.

‘Anyway…’

Najin slowly stood up. He didn’t know how much time had passed, but he couldn’t let his guard down. Pursuers might be following along the river he had drifted down.

As he erased the traces he left behind, Najin’s gaze drifted towards a distant city.

Perhaps a city built above the Underground City, Artman. Although he felt a sense of wonder looking at the massive city, he couldn’t view it positively.

Knowing all too well what foul things filled that place, Najin glared at the city’s spire visible even from afar.

The spire adorned with symbols like those of the Order. Was that the Order’s Lighthouse, the one he had only heard rumors about? Memorizing its appearance, Najin resolved to eventually bring it down and turned away.

There was no time to dwell on the past. He had to move forward.

‘But, where should I go?’

It was Najin’s first time in the outside world. He had no knowledge of it. He didn’t know where to go or how far to flee. The world had suddenly become vast for the boy, but in this vast world, he felt as lost as a child.

The vast world.

The wide-open fields.

Where to go, where to walk? Feeling lost and about to take his first step away from the city, something happened.

Twinkle.

Najin’s hand lit up. The constellation that had been invisible until just a moment ago was now rising on the back of his hand.

“Did you call me, Merlin?”

Shortly after the boy disappeared from Merlin’s realm, a new visitor set foot there. A Constellation like Merlin, with stars in the same realm, and a knight who stayed at the Round Table until the end.

The oldest knight.

Bedivere of the one arm.

A knight who, out of sheer loyalty to Arthur, still guards the shattered Round Table. Merlin smiled at this knight who could be trusted more than anyone else.

“I have something urgent to discuss.”

“Is it about the Sword of Selection, Excalibur? I have some information about that too.”

Bedivere sat on a stump near the lake.

“It’s hard to intervene inland, so the information is limited, but first, it seems the Starblood Faction doesn’t know about Excalibur’s new wielder.”

“The Faction?”

“Yes. A close associate of the Starblood Faction confirmed that the worst-case scenario of them pulling out Excalibur didn’t happen. Their god directly negated it… so it’s probably true.”

He also contacted others, but…

As Bedivere trailed off with a sigh, he added,

“Honestly, the information is too limited. We should have started a Faction or something.”

The land of stars, the battlefield of stars, even the vicinity of Camlann – it’s extremely difficult for ascended Constellations to intervene in the inland where humans live.

That’s why some Constellations started Factions to intervene, and others created armed groups to fight for themselves in the inland. However, Merlin, Bedivere, and the knights related to the Round Table didn’t do that.

To be more precise…

“We didn’t start one, we couldn’t.”

Merlin sighed, her gaze drifting beyond the horizon. As she flicked her finger, the net of stars stretched out, trapping the writhing dragon and slamming it into the ground.

Koom…

Turning her gaze away from the dust rising beyond the horizon, Merlin continued,

“It’s hard enough to keep those cursed beings in Camlann in check. How can we pay attention to the inland too?”

“You seem quite invested lately, hearing voices and such.”

“…That was an abnormal phenomenon.”

Merlin averted her eyes slightly. Bedivere smirked and shrugged.

“So, what information did you find?”

“I found the owner of Excalibur.”

“Ah, that’s great. Who is it? The Empire’s Sword Master? The Sword Saint of the Order of the Sword? Or their disciple?”

“None of them. It was a brat I’d never seen before.”

A brat who seemed barely twenty, or perhaps even younger. A brat who had achieved nothing yet had pulled out the sword, Merlin recounted.

“Such a rude brat. Staring with wide eyes, talking back without hesitation…”

Listening to her, Bedivere glanced at Merlin’s face, feeling something off.

‘She’s complaining, but…’

There was a clear amusement in her voice.

As if she found it interesting. Bedivere noticed a smile on the corners of Merlin’s lips. It was odd considering Merlin would usually be the most reluctant about a new successor.

She had witnessed Arthur’s death up close and heard the prophecy of the traitorous knight. She had hoped the prophecy wouldn’t come true, which is why Merlin used to be wary of potential candidates for Excalibur, right?

‘But now…’

She was smiling. It was like the old days when she traveled with the king. Though Bedivere didn’t fully understand, he soon came to realize why.

“He said the same thing.”

Merlin continued,

“The same answer as Arthur. Can you believe it?”

Hearing the story from Merlin, Bedivere also found himself smiling. The tale of ‘the boy who pulled out Excalibur’ was interesting enough to remind him of past memories with the king.

“Remarkable indeed. An unremarkable brat with not a single star, right?”

“That’s right. He has nothing, truly just an ordinary brat.”

“But he withstood that vision… just like our king?”

Merlin nodded.

Bedivere smiled.

“I’d like to see him myself.”

“That’s why…”

Merlin grinned mischievously, the smile of a strategist and a guide who had plotted incredible plans by Arthur’s side. Bedivere should have been happy to see Merlin’s smile after so long, but instead, he felt a chill down his spine.

Whenever Merlin smiled like that, she usually caused trouble. Though things always turned out well, Bedivere remembered how hard the process was.

“Wait a minute…”

Before Bedivere could interrupt,

Merlin, with her playful smile, spoke first.

“I’m going to bring him here, to this place.”

“What? Who?”

“That brat. We can’t intervene where he is, at least not until he reaches the stars’ battlefield. There, we can talk properly, give trials, and so on.”

Why wait until then?

What if other bastards snatched him in the meantime?

“So, I’m going to move my consciousness down there.”

“Wait, hold on. What are you…”

“By using Excalibur as a medium, I can move my consciousness to that brat. Then I can see and hear the same things as that brat.”

Which means…

“I’ll guide him directly. He said he’s ready, he’ll aim for the highest place. Then there’s only one path to take.”

Merlin’s decision to become the boy’s guide was evident.

“The same path our king walked.”

The king’s path.

Or, the path of a hero.

“I’ll make him walk that path.”

Bedivere silently observed Merlin, who spoke of transferring her consciousness. He knew what it meant.

A Constellation’s power comes from the realm where their constellation is placed.

Moving the consciousness somewhere else meant leaving behind all the power and might of a Constellation, becoming a being that can only intervene in reality through voice.

‘Sure, it’s the only way to intervene inland, but…’

It wasn’t an easy or safe decision. If something happened to the boy who housed Merlin’s consciousness, her consciousness itself could be in danger.

You must choose wisely.

Bedivere intended to advise her, but seeing her determined face, he held back his words. She had already made up her mind.

“…You won’t listen to more, will you?”

He sighed and shook his head.

“I know why you called me. To take over the duties while you’re gone, right?”

“It’s not hard. Just press down the dragon whenever it squirms. I’ll leave a star behind, so it won’t be too hard.”

“It sounds like the hardest job to me.”

Suddenly burdened with a task, a wrinkle formed on Bedivere’s forehead, but he soon stood up with a sigh.

“I can’t do it for long.”

“It won’t take long.”

It might seem long to humans.

But for constellations that have guarded this place for hundreds of years, it’s just a fleeting moment. With those words, Merlin closed her eyes and her body dissolved into starlight.

At the lakeside where Merlin disappeared,

Bedivere, left alone, touched his armor. Engraved there was the symbol of the Round Table. It’s been centuries since the Round Table lost its master and was shattered. The knight, who had been guarding the Round Table alone for centuries, exhaled deeply.

Having waited for hundreds of years, waiting a decade or two more seemed insignificant. Although Bedivere thought this way, he couldn’t help but be curious about the boy who might become his new master.

Pondering the appearance of the boy who could be his master, Bedivere clenched his fist in the air. In his grip formed a pure white spear, a weapon bestowed upon him by Arthur. Holding the spear, Bedivere left the star domain.

He wasn’t sure when the boy would reach this place, but until then, he would stand guard.

Bedivere set off to tidy up the cursed beings of Camlan, trying to slip through the seal’s cracks.

Najin squinted his eyes, looking at his palm where the constellation had flickered momentarily. The constellation, which had seemed to etch itself on his hand just a moment ago, had now vanished.

“What’s going on?”

Najin rubbed his palm, puzzled.

– Rubbing it won’t make it visible. I’ve hidden the other constellations too.

A voice echoed in his ears.

Startled, Najin looked towards the source of the voice, but there was nothing to see.

– Stop turning around; it won’t do you any good.

With a chuckle, the familiar voice continued. Recognizing the voice, Najin realized who it was.

“Merlin?”

– Seems like you’re quite startled?

“What’s this? I hear your voice in my ear.”

– What do you think it is?

The voice laughed scornfully.

– I told you I’d be watching.

Najin blinked, and the voice continued.

– And if you’re to compete with Arthur… shouldn’t the conditions at least be the same? That’s fair competition.

The same conditions as Arthur.

Najin, not immediately grasping the meaning, was about to ask what she meant when Merlin responded.

– You need a guide, too.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

A guide to show the way for a hero.

Najin then understood what Merlin was implying. Arthur’s journey always included an advisor and guide. While many knights followed Arthur, the place by his side was always reserved for one person.

The guide, Merlin.

Always showing the right path.

That’s how Merlin was introduced in the fairy tales. Najin, however, responded with a slightly reluctant tone.

“So… you’ll be my guide?”

– That’s the plan.

“But didn’t you dislike me?”

– Yes, I do.

“Still?”

– Disliking is one thing, but recognition is another. You’ve proven your worth by overcoming the trial I set.

Merlin spoke calmly.

– Those who are worthy deserve appropriate opportunities.

「Opportunities for those who are worthy.」

A line Najin remembered from “The Chronicles of Arthur.”

Slowly nodding, Najin accepted the offer. Whether he liked it or not, there was no reason to refuse.

‘Honestly, I was at a loss.’

Although he had managed to escape from the underground city, Najin knew nothing of the outside world. With no knowledge of what lay beyond, he had no idea where to go or how far to flee.

“I appreciate that.”

– No need to thank me. It’s only right.

“Then, let me ask for your advice right away.”

There was no intention to refuse the help.

Use everything you can, as Ivan had taught him. Najin exhaled briefly and spoke.

“One, I’m currently being pursued. If caught, I’ll likely be killed. I’ll explain the details as we move, so just listen for now.”

Najin pointed towards the city behind him.

“Two, it’s best to keep as far away from that city as possible. The pursuers are from there, and my appearance and characteristics are probably already exposed.”

– …Did you commit a crime or something?

“Well, it’s hard to explain. I’ve been a criminal since birth, kind of.”

I’ll explain that later, too.

“So, we need to flee immediately. Is there a safe route?”

Following the path guided by Merlin for a while, Najin finally caught his breath after entering a densely wooded forest. The city was now a good distance away, and the towering trees provided perfect cover. Although he had only been guided for a short time, he had to admit:

Merlin was quite a capable guide.

Finding a place that was ideal for hiding and resting was done in an instant.

‘It’s convenient.’

Although it felt like using a person, or rather a constellation, as a tool, Najin didn’t feel much guilt. She offered help, so why refuse? With that thought, Najin looked up at the dense trees.

‘So this is what trees look like.’

There were trees in the underground city, but none as large as these. Admiring the trees several times his height, Najin marveled at everything being so new to him.

-So.

Noticing

Najin had caught his breath, Merlin spoke.

-What’s this about being a criminal and having pursuers?

“Well, it’s…”

Just as Najin was about to answer Merlin’s question, he stopped abruptly. The night sky he had been looking up at through the trees had changed. Where there had been darkness, now there was a glow. The blackness that had painted the sky was receding, replaced by twilight. Soon, a round object burst forth from beyond the horizon, glowing bright and warm.

That thing.

Najin mused to himself.

“That’s the sun.”

Najin witnessed his first sunrise.

The rising sun. Watching the sky brighten and the twilight fade, turning blue, Najin was mesmerized by the breathtaking sight.

-The sun, really?

Merlin sounded incredulous.

-Like you’re seeing the sun for the first time.

“I am. Just today.”

-What?

Najin chuckled.

“I’ve never seen the sun or blue sky before today. Where I lived, neither the sun nor the sky was visible.”

-Did you live in some kind of tunnel?

“Something like that.”

How to explain it?

Najin hesitated to speak. It wasn’t easy to summarize 18 years of life in one place. As he was pondering how to start,

-If it’s hard to explain, let’s move while you talk. No rush.

“Should we?”

-Yeah. Though it wasn’t intentional,

Merlin said,

-Your desired conditions seem to match the destination I had in mind.

A place far from this city.

Somewhere to escape the pursuers and to start anew. Coincidentally, the destination Merlin had chosen matched all these criteria.

-The City of Opportunities, Cambria.

Do you know that place?

At that question, Najin’s eyes widened. Cambria, that name was familiar to him.

‘I’ve read about it in fairy tales.’

The story in “The Chronicles of Arthur” began right after the prologue, where Arthur pulls out Excalibur. The main story starts in the first chapter, set in Cambria.

‘The place where Arthur and Merlin first met.’

And the city where Arthur began to rise to prominence. The city’s other name was…

“The place where two dragons are buried. The Tomb of Dragons.”

-You know who did that, right?

Of course, he knew.

“You and King Arthur.”

The legend that started their story. Two warriors, a swordsman and a mage, brought down two dragons. That’s where Arthur and Merlin’s tale began.

Although it wasn’t the time, Najin felt his heart beating faster. The stories he had only read in books were unfolding before him.

-Before heading to Cambria, let’s do one thing.

Merlin suggested.

-Let’s check your abilities. I need to gauge your level.

“My abilities?”

-Yeah, nothing major. Can you handle mana? Just seeing that should give me a rough estimate.

After a moment of thought, Najin drew his sword from his waist. It was a sword he owed to Hogel, having used it extensively during his escape from the underground city. Holding the sword, Najin drew out his sword energy.

Woosh.

A white glow formed over the sword, followed by golden particles.

“Will this do? It’s about all I can show right now.”

-……

There was silence from Merlin.

As if words had failed her.