Tessa watched Luther face off against the man larger than himself by an entire meter.
'What makes a sword king?'
If someone else said it then it would've sounded stupid. But this was someone who was recognized by their demon god, Baal. Being able to detect danger, death and see the descriptions of items meant he gained an SSS rank skill.
Tessa couldn't understand why their god chose Luther when he saw the mangled up corpse come through those castle doors. Was he that special in the timeline he came from?
There were many regressors in this world but only one overshadowed the rest with power alone. He was the strongest Demon Lord in the demon world.
Asmodeus.
'How could he even compare to Lord Asmodeus?'
Even if his level was 99, his abilities were that of a level 30 demon. Judging by the amount of power he lacks to qualify for level 99, anyone can see he was not born with talent.
Training every day but still not seeing results.
'You should've realized sooner.'
Even though he spat out such cool words, he was getting pushed back by the man who is the leader of the bandits.
Tessa clicked his tongue.
Even with the recognition of their demon god, Luther was still a piece of shit in his eyes. Without the blessing of Baal, he would've been an ordinary guy with dreams he couldn't hope to reach.
Crack
Veins burst beneath Tessa's hands as his claws came out. He was ready to strike the leader down if Luther failed.
When he was about to take a step forward, he saw a change.
Clank—!
The giant great sword landed a hit on Luther's weapon but…
'Why didn't it break?'
Normally when an opponent aims for your weapon then it should break apart.
'Why?'
Tessa looked closer at the sword in Luther's hands.
A bit of silver energy was surrounding the sword's blade. It was the same energy Dáinsleif always releases.
"Guh! What the fuck!? Why is that toothpick so damn hard!?"
Even though they shouldn't be equal in strength, Luther was taking the man's blows head on. The latter was being pushed back by someone far smaller than himself.
Tessa saw Luther's leg muscles bulge.
"!?"
His figure then disappeared.
Thump
His gaze shifted towards the man.
"Huh?"
Luther was behind the man's back holding his arms with his foot on the man's back.
"Huh? Huh? What the hell!?"
The man tried escaping but couldn't do so. He just wouldn't budge.
'No way.'
"Partial Awakening. It couldn't be…"
Partial awakening. It refers to when regressors are able to tap into their powers for a few moments in time.
Luther's entire body was covered in a thick silver aura. His eyes were glowing in a silver light.
It was so overwhelming and bottomless that Tessa couldn't gauge his true strength.
How much power was he able to awaken?
Level 200? 500? Or maybe the level cap of this world which is 999?
Luther's hand formed a blade motion.
WHOOOOSH
Thicker silver aura surrounded his hand as he coldly gazed at the man on the ground.
"No…"
She heard an emotionless voice come out of his mouth.
"What makes a Sword King isn't just the blade he wields..."
"Huh? Huh?"
The man who felt the approaching danger tried escaping. Luther was holding both his hands with one of his own.
"His entire body is a weapon."
BOOM—!
The silver light ascended into the sky, brightening the entire area in silver. A warm wind touched Tessa's cheek as the silver light blinded him.
It was like seeing a Holy Sword in action.
"!!!!"
With a ferocious roar, Luther swung down his arm and following that, the light descended as well. The entire ground rumbled as the flames of silver burned the entire forest.
RUMBLE—!
"GYAAAH—!"
The man screamed before his body was cut into a million pieces and disintegrated.
…
A few minutes passed after the chaos happened. Tessa could see the damage Luther was able to cause with his last attack.
Nearly everything which was there earlier was destroyed in the blast. The trees of the Dark Forest were blasted away by the silver light.
Tessa saw silver flames left over from the blast from earlier.
"Lord Luther…?"
He saw Luther still standing but he wasn't conscious. His eyes were peeled back and his mouth open as he stood there like a statue.
He fainted after forcing his body to break a seal temporarily.
"Wow…"
Tessa couldn't hide his bewilderment as he walked towards Luther.
"Her highness was right."
He laid Luther down and rested Luther's head on his lap.
"He may become someone equal in strength to a demon lord…"
**
I felt my body was floating on the surface of water when that power rushed into my body. My body wasn't my own to control anymore.
I had a feeling it was someone else who took over my body.
Before my consciousness sank back then, I saw someone's back.
It was like a mountain that could protect all of his comrades. In his hand was a silver sword that flowed with divinity.
He wore armour which had a powerful aura to it and a blue cape which fluttered in the wind.
The man turned towards me back then.
I saw his face and was shocked to see who it truly was. Maybe I was hallucinating too much.
Because that man looked exactly like…
"Guh!"
I woke up with a loud gasp as I sucked air into my lungs.
"What…"
My entire body was covered in sweat.
"Hmm…."
On the bed next to me was Lilith. Naked as usual.
'I'm back?'
What happened after I lost control of my body?
"Ugh… I'm aching all over."
When I removed my hands from my face I saw a familiar thing in front of me.
'Huh?'
--
Name Luther
Race Dragon human
Level 104
---
"My level increased?"
Was it because I killed all those bandits that I was able to level up?
"You're awake."
A familiar voice came from the door when it opened.
Tessa came inside the room with a smile.
"What happened…?"
"Well, it's been three days since the battle. Needless to say it was a success. I cleared out any remaining wanderers so there shouldn't be anymore trouble from bandits again."
He sat down on the chair next to the bed and started peeling fruits.
"You underwent a partial awakening."
"So that was why I was in a trance which I couldn't escape…"
'That power was partial awakening huh…'
Tessa held out a piece of fruit towards me. I took a bite and savoured the sweet juices in the fruit.
"You should rest for a while. Her highness was worried about you so she has been staying with you ever since you came back injured. The dragon restoration abilities doesn't seem to be working at the moment. Don't throw Dáinsleif away next time."
Tessa bonked my head.
"Ouch."
"You almost got yourself killed by trying to look cool."
"…"
I remembered the cringe-worthy words I spouted when I fought that guy. My face grew hot.
Tessa laughed at my reaction.
"Anyway, the academy starts in two weeks. You need to rest so you can be ready for your first day."
Tessa fed me another fruit.
I sighed.
"Her highness said in a letter that the person going to the academy with you will meet you at the academy."
"How am I supposed to know who it'll be?"
"She's not hard to miss, Lord Luther. Just be careful as she's not a social person."
"Y-Yeah."
A few weeks passed by in a blink of an eye.
◇
Celeste looked out the window with hollowed eyes.
It's been about two weeks since she returned from the undead zone.
As expected, no remains were left. That caused her to go on a rampage and kill any monster which landed in her sight.
Either he was dead or he made it out.
She was hoping it was the latter. Even if he was alive, he shouldn't come back to the kingdom due to the heroes on the lookout for him.
Anna unfurled the bandages around Celeste's arm.
"Goodness..."
Her wounds were infected from cutting her skin with dirty razors.
"Lady Celeste."
Anna sternly spoke.
"Look at me."
Celeste slowly looked up at Anna. Her expression was pale like that of a dead person.
"You must forget about that boy. The two of you didn't even know each other that long so why brood over him?"
Celeste wanted to throw a spell in Anna's face.
'Why the fuck does that matter!?'
She's been hearing the same thing from the servants as well. The very servants who hurt him. Celeste couldn't face them and decided to stay in her room all day. She didn't want to read the thoughts of such people.
They'd openly show concern but ridicule her in their minds.
–(Lucky bitch. You must enjoy being a lap dog.)
–(You have a wealthy master yet you stay in your room all day. I wish I was a slacker bitch like you who doesn't work.)
–(Why don't you just die like that worthless trash, Luther?)
Those were but some of the many thoughts she read whenever the servants interacted with her. No one else besides Luther knows that she can read minds. She wasn't planning on telling anyone either.
"Come. Today is your first day. I will prepare breakfast."
-(This room stinks. When was the last time Celeste took a bath?)
Today, the academy will be reopening for the new year. Since the academy was built on an island, Celeste will have to stay in the dormitory and can only come back to the manor every holiday. The island was actually constructed and is artificial. The purpose was that the students of that academy be isolated from the rest of the world from distractions and focus more on their studies.
During exams then the entire academy is under lockdown. Barriers block off any contact from the real world and technology gets cut off.
The only time the academy is open to the general populace is when special events like festivals or tournaments are held.
"..."
Celeste silently got off the bed.
Since she hasn't been eating properly for the last few days, her head felt lightheaded.
The headaches she frequently experienced got worse. She could not remember the last time she had a good night's sleep.
Celeste took off all her clothes and silently looked in the body sized mirror.
She silently touched the large scar on her stomach. She can never have children with such an injury which was inflicted by those sadistic people who tortured her before assaulting her sexually.
"...."
Tears streamed down her eyes as she traced her hands over all the injuries which caused her such trauma.
She can never become someone's wife with scars like those. People always took one look at her in the slave market before deciding to not buy her. Their eyes were repulsed by what they saw.
She can still have intercourse but she was sure no man would stay hard when he sets his eyes upon the mangled up mess her privates turned into. Syliva made a request to the Holy Temple to have Celeste's injuries healed. Only Holy Water enhanced potions can regenerate organs, limbs and any other body part. It might take an entire year until a High Priest decides to accept the request. They are not only expensive, there are also long lists of people of high status who also make requests to the holy temple.
She'll need to endure those scars for a little while longer.
"I'm so hideous..." Celeste spoke as she saw the patches of hair which was still growing. She had to wear a wig for the time being to hide her balding head.
She took hold of the dress Luther bought her back then. Whenever she dresses herself up she feels like an entirely different person.
Celeste closed her eyes.
'No one knows my past.'
If that was the case then she would be able to make friends at the academy. Like a normal girl. She'll make a best friend and tell that person of her experiences.
'And a lover...'
Maybe that wouldn't be possible but at least she could dream. What would it feel like to be loved?
She forgot that feeling when her mother was killed four years ago during the war. Her bastard of a father escaped from their kingdom with his tail tucked between his legs.
Celeste looked in the mirror at the depressed figure of herself. Her eyes were dead and her skin was pale.
"..."
She lifted the ends of her mouth upwards with her fingers to make a smile. With a sigh, she massaged her cheeks to change her expression.
"Hellooo~ I'm Celeste~!"
She spoke in a cute voice towards the mirror. Her entire face changed when she acted as a different persona.
Her smile might have looked bright but her eyes were still dead.
"Are you ready to go?"
When Celeste stood before the carriage, Sylvia approached from behind. She was dressed in a mage robe custom to the academy's teachers.
"….Yes."
"You'll do great. Don't worry."
Sylvia patted Celeste's head before climbing aboard the carriage.