The humans had successfully expelled the army of the demon world that had terrorized Belias.
However, contrary to expectations, the demons were incredibly strong, and the morale of the allied forces was extremely low as they felt the limits of their power.
In the pressing situation of not knowing when the demon world army might invade again, the humans felt the necessity for sacred artifacts of God.
Despite the continent being wiped out by the Divine War 300 years ago, there are still some traces of the artifacts left untouched.
Humans gathered these small pieces of information and soon uncovered the truth regarding the relics imbued with divine power from ancient times that were hidden throughout the continent.
Of those, the most needed was undoubtedly the holy sword Durandal, blessed by the protection of the God of Light, Lumendel.
Due to the demons' vulnerability to light, the power of Lumendel was potentially fatal to them, so finding Durandal was imperative.
The problem was that no one knew where the sword lay, dormant.
It could only be assumed to be somewhere in the western part of the continent, where the Temple of Light was presumed to have been.
In the end, I found it.
Pure by chance.
It was during a survey of the area around Belias, which we had reclaimed from the demon lord's forces, that I suddenly felt the urge to visit the mansion's back mountain.
I wanted to soothe my weary mind and body after the battles with the demons and organize my thoughts, but lo and behold!
Upon reaching the summit and laying flat on the grass, I sensed something was off.
The flow of mana in my surroundings was abnormal.
It felt as though something deep beneath the mountain was sucking in the energy from the area.
Something that I had not noticed when I was a snotty-nosed kid, I was now certain, lay underneath this mountain.
Could it be that the legendary holy sword is right here?
With a feeling of perhaps, I gathered people to check, and certainly enough, it was revealed that the Temple of Light with the holy sword slumbered beneath the mountain.
A breathtaking coincidence indeed.
It didn't matter who found it—Aschel took the sword.
No one objected, and it seemed only natural that he should possess it.
I felt the same.
It was never a sword intended for my use, and I never thought myself worthy.
I was simply relieved that we could find it, even by chance.
But it didn't end there.
I had completed my goal of recovering the holy sword and was about to leave when I felt an indescribable power seeping out from behind the pedestal where the sword was inserted.
Just as shadows are cast where there is light,.
Yet no one pays attention to those shadows.
Another power that was hidden in the shadow of the holy sword was coexistence.
Drawn by that power, I alone sought out the temple and eventually discovered the chamber of the demon sword, which remained alongside the holy sword.
The demon sword I found, Ceyram, was a sword that governed the world's dark energies, along with the holy sword Durandal.
Only those who discover the truth in endless darkness could possess this other divine artifact.
The black gem embedded in the hilt seemed to lure me, begging to be drawn.
Led by the temptation, I drew the sword, and at that moment, my destiny was once again transformed.
* * *
[You, you?! What in the world are you? [How can you dare to touch my body?]
"Don't pretend you don't know. Isn't there only one reason why this situation is even possible?"
The demon sword embedded in the pedestal was connected to the black-haired woman by a mist of black fog.
She wasn't a living creature but a spiritual entity that absolutely couldn't be physically grasped.
However, my hands were firmly grabbing her throat.
Which meant that I had a special power to control her.
Why does the energy of 'Aer' emanate from you, boy? [Don't tell me you are his successor.]
"I was his successor. I still am, to be accurate."
[A successor… What does that even mean? [I can clearly see the brand he carved into you!]
Honestly, my current state is tough to define with certainty.
Though she doesn't know it and becomes angry, what can I do?
I am merely stating the obvious truth.
"Let's keep it simple, Ceyram. It's annoying to explain everything to you, and in a situation like this, I'm not even sure if you would believe me. So how about you just shut up and follow me?"
Her brow furrowed deeply.
"Hey, brat!, "You keep pushing your luck, and you might die one day."
"Darkness Technique 9th Form: Demon Sword Control."
[Argh!]
Flicking my finger to release the spell, the one who had been glaring at me held her head in pain.
[Ah, ahgh...]
Soon after, she sat down on the ground, struggling to breathe heavily.
Whoosh
As I drew the sword from the pedestal, Ceyram separated from the mist and transformed into a perfectly human figure.
"Sorry, I haven't used my powers in a while, so I couldn't control my strength."
I apologized, thinking it might have been too much.
Even as she covered her face, she yelled at me.
"You, you imp! If you hurt women like that, you won't live long, got it?"
Indeed, if her will wasn't strong, she couldn't be my favorite sword.
I refrained from flicking my finger again out of mercy.
The woman's identity was the soul indwelt in the demon sword Ceyram.
In other words, she's the living personality of this sword.
"By now, there's no need for more proof, right? It's within your purpose of existence to follow Aer's successor. Won't you take my hand and leave with me?"
Gasping for breath, she abruptly stood up.
Sitting cheekily on the pedestal, she scanned my entire body with haughty eyes.
[That's how you actually look, right?]
I nodded.
"Despite your youthful appearance, there's a wisdom emanating from within you that belies your age—10 or 12 at most. It's as if you lead a life beyond the ordinary, leaving me unable to grasp the intricacies of your mind.
People are not always what they seem, concealing layers of complexity and depth beneath the surface.
If there's one thing my past life taught me, it's that truth.
Looking into the sword in my hand,
Here's a reflection of a ten-year-old boy representing my current self:
On the other side, the face of my previous life, full of regret just before death, is reflected.
Which one can truly be said to be me?
There's no need to deny either.
In the end, they are both me.
"Let me explain. I'm someone who has already died once."
[Someone who has died once?]
Her eyes widened in surprise.
"To put it simply, a regression, perhaps? Though I died a sudden death by betrayal in my previous life, I was swept up by a phenomenon I don't understand and returned to the past. During that life, I received Aer's choice and fought battles with you."
[Are you telling me to believe that?]
[A mere little kid like you controlling me?]
Ceyram started to hesitate in her speech.
Truly, it's not a story one can believe just by hearing it once.
However, if we assume my words to be truthful, my current situation of controlling a divine artifact also defines itself clearly.
After briefly contemplating, Ceyram asked again.
[What is your name?]
"Cyan, CyanVert..."
[A name I've never heard or seen before.]
[You were chosen by Aer?]
"Yes. Otherwise, we couldn't be having this conversation right now."
The biggest reason why the incompetent me from my previous life could control Ceyram.
It was due to some god's blessing.
Aer, the God of Black Mist, was even shunned in the divine realms.
The very person who turned my life completely upside down.
[Well, even if he's an oddball, he wouldn't be foolish enough to choose a snotty kid.]
Actions speak louder than words.
She can't just dismiss my words as mere nonsense.
She must clearly feel his energy emanating from me at this moment, in addition to the secret techniques I showed her earlier.
[ But I'm confused. If you can control me with just a finger snap, it looks like you've already mastered all of his powers, so what did you do in your past life to die so early? ]
That hits a sore spot.
But now there's nothing that needs to be hidden.
"Nothing much. I was just betrayed by someone I trusted."
[Betrayal? Ah~ so you got stabbed in the back? Quite a disgraceful end for the master of the demonic sword, right? But then, there's no trade against betrayal—what could you, as a human, do about it?
She laughed mockingly, waving her hand, then spoke sternly.
[But remember this: Whether you've regressed or whatever, I don't care. If I see even the slightest hint of weakness in you, I'll consume you on the spot! Got it?]
Ceyram's finger skimmed my lips.
I tried to reassure her, but her personality doesn't allow it, doesn't it?
My calm heart fluttered slightly at the provocation that wasn't just a tease.
I responded with a smile, showing no hint of the anger within.
"I can assure you, there's nobody else in this land who can handle you properly."
[Ah? On what basis do you say so? Such a great person; why did he die so pathetically?
[PFFTFTFFTTTTTTTTTTTT]
– Snap!
My left hand, which was free, grabbed her hair in an instant.
Unable to resist, Ceyram was now at eye level with me.
"Think carefully, Ceyram. A demonic artifact laying here can't just be picking fights with her master; who knows, I might abandon you here for another decade."
Don't get me wrong.
I'm giving her advice with an infinitely merciful smile.
It is definitely not a warning or a threat.
Isn't that clear from the ever-smiling expression on my face?
[Only time will tell if you are master worthy of me!]
Ceyram also responded with a piqued smile.
Just as expected of my cherished sword.
[But, you know…]
Suddenly, her brow furrowed in annoyance.
Something seemed to greatly offend her.
[Is that idiot still out there?]
"The idiot?"
As I looked back, light from the holy sword entered through the open temple door.
In this empty temple, there was nothing else that could be referred to as an idiot but that thing.
I stepped outside, holding Ceyram in my arms.
Having just come out of the darkness, the light of Durandal seemed even brighter than before.
[Wow! [So it's still here, sleeping?]
[Hasn't its owner appeared yet?]
Ceyram asked in curiosity upon seeing the holy sword.
"Maybe it would be better if they never appeared."
I considered destroying it right there, but then shook my head at the thought that would probably bring a lot of trouble.
Ceyram watched me intently, then suddenly spoke.
[The one from your past life who betrayed you—is that idiot the owner of this holy sword?]
For a moment, my insides twitched, but I didn't let it show.
Turning away, I asked softly, "Why do you think so?"
You don't seem to be the type to scowl at a holy sword unless it's you, throughout all history. [It's written all over your face, 'This is the enemy of my past life'; how could I not notice unless I'm a fool?]
I tried to have a poker face, but I can't imagine it was that obvious.
That demonstrates the extent of my hatred for this sword and its owner.
"Looks like seasoning isn't wasted on the elderly, huh?"
[Cmon, fake indifference.] [So, are you planning revenge on the owner of the holy sword in this life?]
"No, that wouldn't be enough."
I felt a renewed energy in my previously hesitant heart.
Standing before Ceyram, I walked defiantly towards the holy sword.
– Bang!
With a loud noise, the holy sword tilted to one side.
– Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sword, embedded deeply in the pedestal, did not come out easily.
After several kicks, the holy sword finally fell from the pedestal and tumbled onto the floor.
Whether that sword's owner appears or who takes it doesn't matter to me anymore.
A bringer of life's light?
I am one who thoroughly knows the true face of that so-called savior.
Why would I, knowing all this, serve this sword and its owner again?
What I desire is not revenge, but submission.
[...?!]
Ceyram, who had been quietly observing, was shocked.
"Isn't this how it should be?"
By now, my feet were trampling the luminous blade of the holy sword.
The golden gem embedded in the hilt seemed to resent me as it looked on.
The true savior does not borrow the strength of others.
- Plink -
Without much force, the gem easily fell off.
At the same time, the lustrous radiance of the holy sword was reduced by half.
I pocketed the gem.
[What are you planning to do with that?]
Ceyram asked, her expression filled with curiosity.
"Who knows? I can't do much right now, but won't it be interesting later?"
Would they come begging me for that gem, or would they fight with all their might to snatch it away?
Whatever it may be, it's an interesting development for me.
If it's the latter, it would be even more exciting.