ALL NOVEL Chapter 217
I entrust the treatment of the Holy Sword to the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus Bel.
That news spread across the entire continent, causing great chaos among the people.
“So where is Sorceress Bel right now?”
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t know? Is she there or not?”
“I said I don’t know!”
It wasn’t like everyone was turning into fools, but people were going crazy trying to find Sorceress Bel.
“Damn it, why do we need a witch to decide the treatment of the Holy Sword?”
“I heard that the witch can determine the master of the Holy Sword.”
“What? Is that true?”
“Yeah. According to what I’ve heard, Hero Lucius actually comes from Hero’s Village…”
When a person becomes famous, it’s only a matter of time before people start talking about their past.
Even if that past is completely buried, someone will inevitably dig it up and share it out of necessity.
Arthur Lucius.
A resident of Hero’s Village.
The Holy Sword, which hadn’t been drawn for 500 years (laughs), was in fact the Holy Wind Sword that defeated Great Demon Lord Bel Phegor.
“Hero! How did you end up drawing the Holy Wind Sword?”
“My master taught me how to break the seal. Thanks to that, I became the master of the Holy Sword.”
“So does that mean the other Holy Swords…?”
“Yes. Right now, a ‘Curse of Satan’ has been placed on those Holy Swords. The only one who can lift this curse, or rather, unleash the buried power of the Holy Sword, is none other than my master, the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus.”
The witch can choose the hero!!
“If someone finds my master, she might make them the master of the Holy Sword as a reward. Think about it. I was just an ordinary hunter, and she turned me into this man. With a master, anyone can become a hero.”
The moment that news spread, everyone began searching high and low for Sorceress Bel.
Red hair.
Red eyes.
Slightly below average height.
Big breasts.
That distinctive red hair was not something you’d find everywhere, making it easy to recognize her if you were looking.
Thus, the era of would-be heroes began, embarking on a great search for the witch who could choose a hero.
Meanwhile, the other Holy Swords would be managed by the heroes themselves, while the hero focused solely on searching for Sorceress Bel.
“…Is Emperor Lucius’s plan going up in smoke like this?”
Someone’s ambitions were being crushed.
“Damn, then I’ll become a hero too!!”
Amidst the rising new ambitions.
“Well, this is a mess.”
The clones of the red witch gathered once again to discuss the great search era caused by Hero Lucius.
*
“I didn’t expect Lucius to stake the Holy Sword and seek the original body, but this is also an opportunity for us.”
The four clones, led by Borabel, convened again in the command room of the Bride Ship.
“Anyway, the Holy Sword’s hero is useless until they awaken. It has to be raised like Lucius to work properly. Don’t you think?”
“Honestly, isn’t there no problem if we just hand each party member a Holy Sword?”
“That’s one way to go about it. So they’re also completely consumed with finding the original body right now.”
The day before.
-Rosmas?
-Ah, Blue Witch! Have you found the Red Witch?
-No. Not yet. But I wanted to share something. You know I’m on your side, right?
-…Yes?
-Thinking about it carefully, Lucius will still have the Holy Wind Sword, right? You’re an elf, but you’ll die in a few hundred years. So shouldn’t you prepare a way to spend your life with Lucius?
-Living with Lucius for a lifetime…
-I’ll help you. You find the original body first. Then the original body will surely make you the master of the Holy Sword, thinking of you.
-…I’ll search hard!!
The clones went to find the members of Lucius’s harem.
-Droniel. The Empire is trying to form around Lucius. But you’re just the illegitimate child of an ordinary Count apart from being a hero party member, right?
-You’re hitting home, Green Witch.
-I’m being realistic. But think about it. The Empire existed because the Emperor was the master of the Holy Sword. The citizens would continue to support the royal family if the person was ‘the master of the undefeated Holy Sword.’
-So you’re saying I can become that person?
-Exactly. Destroy the Arpe Empire. Make it the Odrone Empire, where you become the Empress, and Lucius becomes your husband. Then you’ll be the immortal Emperor couple. You can think about having children and passing the Holy Sword to them later. What do you think?
-…Will you really help me?
-Of course! Others may not know, but I’m on your side.
The witches whispered into the ears of the party members.
-Yan. Think carefully. You also like controlling the Holy Sword in the Order, right? You don’t want it spreading randomly.
-But me, as a saintess, being the master of the Holy Sword is a little…
-No way. Setting other things aside, isn’t the Sword of Darkness or the Holy Sword of the Earth worth having? Especially the Sword of Darkness. It could darken the stars in the sky while making only the Blue Moon shine, right?
-That’s quite…
-And you could create a romantic atmosphere with Lucius while surrounding him in dark winds. The Moon Goddess would probably overlook that much. Why would you conduct a confession in a chamber filled with darkness?
-But then Lucius would…
-Just make him a Holy Knight. No, better yet, make him the Pope. That way, you can claim the Holy Sword was created by the Moon Goddess for humanity. What’s important isn’t the truth. What matters is that Lucius is next to you, along with the Order of the Goddess.
-Ah…! What the Orange Witch said is right…! I, Yan Diere! I will make the Holy Sword the Order’s, and at the same time, I will make Lucius the next Pope of the Order!
The witches thus enchanted the party members to find the original body.
And now.
“We need to find the original body quickly. If not, we’ll die from the stomach cramps from Lucius’s gaze.”
“Isn’t that limited to Borabel?”
“What did you say?”
Conflict began to arise among the clones.
“What do you mean by that?”
“I sometimes seem frustrated, and the others have now turned into clones. But your gaze towards me has been different.”
“Only I am different? Why? Is it because I’m farthest from red, being purple? No way, I’ve seen purple a few times before!”
“That could be a reason, or it might be because you’re having an affair.”
“What?”
Borabel scoffed.
“What affair am I having!”
“Liriez Cesarcross.”
“…….”
“I heard rumors that you’ve been acting unusual with Liriez lately?”
“Not at all. Liriez is just someone who borrowed my body!”
“Liriez doesn’t seem to think so.”
The clones pressured Borabel.
“Honestly, admit it. You, Liriez…”
Gulp.
What’s moving down the throat, even if it’s a doll, is certainly magic.
Borabel felt their pressure as the three clones surrounded her, her hands and feet trembling inexplicably.
If they took it the wrong way—
“Are you thinking of it as ‘insurance’?”
“…You’ve seen right through me.”
No matter how much they are clones, they all stem from one being.
“Yes. I viewed Liriez as a countermeasure against Lucius.”
“In case Lucius falls?”
“Yes. I trust Lucius, but it’s hard to trust the Holy Wind Sword.”
History tends to repeat itself.
If Lucius were to act like the previous Holy Wind Hero, a countermeasure to control Lucius would be necessary.
Then who is the current hero of the Holy Sword?
“Among the remaining candidates, Liriez is the best option. I personally checked with my own body.”
Air, wind, earth, and darkness are in Lucius’s hands.
Water is Liriez.
The only ones left are the Holy Sword of Light and the Holy Sword of Illusion.
Instead of searching for the two Holy Sword wielders, whose whereabouts are uncertain, it was much more beneficial to use a hero who could already move the ‘Spirit Device.’
“Think about it. If Lucius corrupts and betrays the original body? He might confine them and try to squeeze out wisdom to unite all seven Holy Swords to become a god in the Intermediate Realm.”
“He’d likely threaten them with magic as well. He’d imprison them somewhere, bind them with the Holy Sword, and forcefully pump magic every night while making threats about ruling the Intermediate Realm.”
“No matter the original body, escaping a barrier made of seven Holy Swords would be impossible. The risks are high. Making Liriez your insurance seems like the right choice.”
“Right?”
All four clones joined their hands together.
“I thought you all misunderstood me as having some relationship with Liriez or something.”
“Hah. Why would we think that?”
“Liriez is the head of the Holy Knight Order. There’s no way we could have that kind of relationship.”
“Right. She’s a person from the Order of the Goddess. Not just any hero, but a Holy Knight.”
The clones pulled out the champagne kept inside the Bride Ship and poured it into their glasses.
“Let’s drink to our grand ambitions.”
“Let’s quickly find the original body, leave everything to them, and then go back to our Magic Core to sleep.”
“Exactly. If the original body is here, we wouldn’t have to think at all.”
“I hope the original body returns soon.”
Cheers.
The night of the four clones occupying the command room of the Bride Ship deepened, accompanied by champagne.
*
And.
On the day when the blue moon hung in the sky.
“I heard you were looking for me.”
Hero Lucius stepped onto the field, drawing the Holy Sword.
“Yes. We’ve been waiting. Hero Lucius. I’m here to take what you have.”
The woman with flowing blue hair, Liriez Cesarcross, aimed her spear directly at Lucius.
“Let’s settle this. You know well what’s at stake.”
“…I didn’t expect you to be that kind of person.”
“You’re a hero, and I’m a hero too. For a moment, even as a clone, I was a hero for that person. And.”
Liriez smirked.
“Maybe not you, but I actually shared the Spirit Device with that person. Ah, you rode with a clone, didn’t you? Hehe, what a shame.”
“…You’re crossing the line?”
“That alone should suffice as an answer, I think.”
“……Really.”
Lucius covered his face with his hand, then sighed as he swept his bangs back.
“I clearly said.”
Clang.
“I am my master’s hero.”
Kah- clang.
Under the moonlight.
Golden and blue trajectories collided.