The Swordmaster Who Returned After 1,000 Years

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]

Chapter 60

The day after a death occurred within the Starn family, Kaylen met with Lioness by the lakeside.

“It’s been a while, Kaylen. Good to see you.”

“It has been a while.”

“Please, have a seat.”

A luxurious table, seemingly brought from somewhere, had been elegantly set up. As Kaylen sat down, Lioness lifted a wine glass with a smile.

“Even if unpleasant things have happened, the atmosphere here is still quite charming. It’s a beautiful view. Let’s start with a toast, shall we?”

“What brings you all the way out here?” Kaylen asked.

“You’re quite direct. Straight to the point, I see.”

With a light clink, Lioness placed his wine glass down, savoring the taste before speaking slowly.

“Let me be frank. Kaylen, will you join the Second Prince’s faction?”

As expected, this was the reason for the meeting.

Whether it was the First Prince or the Second, who became king was a matter Kaylen had little interest in.

“As you know, I belong to the Fairy Tower. The Tower maintains strict neutrality.”

“I’m aware. But that’s merely the Tower’s official stance. It doesn’t mean they control the personal political views of their members.”

“I, too, intend to remain neutral. I have no interest in the royal succession dispute.”

When Kaylen’s response remained firm, Lioness gave a faint smile.

“Well, I didn’t expect you to agree right away. But since you’re here, at least hear me out.”

“Kaylen, how much do you know about the First Prince?”

Kaylen searched his memory. While he had heard much about Princess Violet, the de facto leader of the First Prince’s faction, he knew little about the First Prince himself.

“It seems you don’t know much. You haven’t even met him, have you?”

“That’s correct.”

“As expected. You see, the First Prince...”

Lioness lightly tapped his temple.

“He’s a fool.”

“A fool?”

“Yes, his mind remains as underdeveloped as a child’s.”

Lioness drained his wine glass and continued.

“To be fair, the First Prince’s position is impeccable. He’s the eldest son, his mother was the former queen from the powerful House of Duke Revrin... Under normal circumstances, our ties to the Second Prince wouldn’t even give us a chance in the succession race.”

“But he’s utterly unfit to rule. Especially considering the current state of the kingdom, we need a ruler with sound judgment.”

Lioness’s argument carried some merit. However, Kaylen simply shook his head.

“Even if the First Prince is a fool, my stance remains unchanged.”

Kaylen had never intended to involve himself in the royal succession battle. After witnessing Drake and the demonic magic circle from the Otherworld, his resolve had only strengthened.

It didn’t matter who ascended to the throne.

‘If the Dragon Legion, which annihilated the Black Anvil Tribe, reappears, this kingdom will fall.’

The current system, which focused exclusively on supporting magic, was incapable of overcoming the demonic magic circle’s threat.

What the kingdom needed was a paradigm shift. Choosing between the First and Second Princes would be a waste of time.

“Haha, of course, I’m not asking for your support just because the First Prince is a fool,” Lioness said with a chuckle.

Lioness offered Kaylen an extraordinary proposal:

“It would be shameless to ask a talent who has demonstrated the potential of a 6th Circle mage without something to offer in return. I promise unwavering support.”

He laid out lavish terms—a massive amount of gold, countless mana stones, a custom mana suit, and the support of the Civil Squad, all without conditions.

It was an offer tempting enough to sway almost anyone, but...

“That won’t be necessary.”

Kaylen, who had received similar overtures from the Tower Lords of the Fairy Tower, declined outright.

Lioness, however, appeared unfazed, as though he had anticipated the rejection. He raised another finger, adding to the offer.

“In addition, I’ll promise you a title and territory.”

“In this day and age, such things hardly hold much meaning.”

“I was under the impression that the Fairy Tower has always desired independent territory.”

“That’s merely the Tower’s position, not mine.”

“Is that so?”

Lioness grinned at Kaylen’s response.

So, the Tower isn’t fully aligned with him yet.

“Even so, a title and land could hold great significance.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because we’re going to make them meaningful again,” Lioness said, swirling his wine glass.

“It’s been years since dungeon portals began appearing, and humanity has gathered considerable strength in that time. Mana suits have improved, and the number of Civil Squads has increased significantly.”

“Yet, the royal family has been far too passive.”

“Passive, you say?”

“Do you know the current strength of the royal family’s Civil Squads? They have enough power to clear every neglected F-grade dungeon portal in the kingdom.”

Kaylen mentally calculated the number of F-grade dungeons—abandoned because their subjugation wasn’t cost-effective. The sheer quantity was staggering. And yet, the royal family had the capacity to eliminate them all.

“The royal family has initiated only the bare minimum of subjugation operations. Instead, they’ve stockpiled their strength without using it.”

“Hmm...”

“It’s wasteful. Outside the capital region, the provinces are deteriorating. Roads are frequently paralyzed, monsters invade farmlands, and people are starving to death.”

Despite possessing sufficient power, the royal family refused to act. While the capital prospered under the protection of formidable forces, the neglected provinces faced utter ruin. Regions under the control of noble families with their own Civil Squads fared better, but those in areas ruled by weaker or indifferent nobles were essentially living in hell.

“The Second Prince has promised to launch a full-scale dungeon-clearing campaign once he ascends the throne. Then, titles and territories will regain their value.”

Kaylen studied Lioness. His eyes were brighter than ever.

This young man, just barely shedding his boyishness, was passionately advocating for his beliefs.

The eyes of a young reformer, Kaylen thought.

To leave dungeons unchecked despite having the means to eliminate them—this was a crime.

“This can’t continue,” Lioness argued. “Instead of the unstable First Prince, the Second Prince, who will become the next king, is the one we should support. We’re willing to pay you handsomely to stand with us.”

Lioness’s words painted a compelling picture. Kaylen listened calmly before finally speaking.

“Lord Lioness.”

“Yes?”

“When did the royal family become so passive about dungeon subjugation?”

“It’s always been this way. The previous king, and the one before him—they were all obsessed with hoarding power.”

"The royal family has been too focused on preserving their authority," Lioness remarked.

Kaylen, however, thought differently.

The annihilation of the Black Anvil Tribe, silencing Myorn, and deliberately stockpiling power without clearing the dungeons—if this behavior was part of a policy handed down through generations of the Bormian royal family...

'Something is suspicious about the royal family.'

Why would they need to conceal the existence of the demonic magic circle? What could be the purpose of controlling dungeon subjugation?

Individually, these might seem coincidental, but together, they were too calculated to ignore.

'I need to investigate this further.'

As the conversation continued, it reached no resolution.

“I appreciate your offer, but I will maintain my neutrality,” Kaylen stated firmly.

“Well, there’s still plenty of time. Take your time to think it over,” Lioness replied, clearly not expecting Kaylen to agree immediately.

With a subtle motion of his hand, a maid standing behind him stepped forward, presenting a small box.

“This is a gift from me.”

Inside the box lay a high-grade mana stone, an excessively generous token for merely having a conversation.

As Kaylen gazed at the box in silence, Lioness smiled.

“It’s just a token to keep in touch while at school. Don’t feel burdened by it.”

“Aren’t you a graduate?”

“I’ll be staying on for another year or two for collaborative research with the professors.”

As one of the eight Superior Mages, Lioness had the privilege to work alongside faculty on magical research.

“Speaking of research, I heard you’re working with Professor Myorn. What kind of project are you planning with someone so eccentric?”

“We’re working on something interesting,” Kaylen replied with a hint of amusement.

“Really? Well, if you change your mind during the research, let me know. I can pair you with highly skilled professors.”

Myorn had a reputation for conducting bizarre experiments, which explained Lioness’s suggestion. However, Kaylen accepted the box with a calm smile.

“That won’t be necessary.”

“I think you’ll be impressed by the results.”

Lioness leaned back, still curious but content with Kaylen’s resolute tone.

***

On the day Myorn left the clan, her determination was unyielding.

“Myorn, are you really not going to ride the Drake?”

“I cannot ride behind the creature responsible for our clan’s destruction,” Myorn replied firmly.

Meanwhile, the conversation shifted between Kaylen and his allies.

“Lord Kaylen, are you truly going to ride the Drake?”

“Yes,” Kaylen affirmed without hesitation.

“Wow!” exclaimed Alkas, his voice brimming with excitement.

'A Drake!'

Alkas recalled his days at the Knight Academy, where he had stared in awe at a taxidermied Drake, dreaming of one day riding such a majestic creature. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that day would come.

“Did you say your farewells to your mother?” Kaylen asked.

“Yes, my lord. Although...”

While Alkas was buzzing with excitement, Royen stood silently, his expression dark.

“I said my farewells, but... she still can’t believe it.”

"Does she not believe you're Royen?"

"Yes. Not just that... She sleeps most of the time, and when she wakes, she screams... Her mind is not well."

After Zaik Baldur managed to calm Ruhos and left, Kaylen kept his promise to remove the lingering dark mana from the baroness.

While the baroness regained her senses soon after, a troubling issue emerged.

—"You... Who are you?"

—"You claim to be Royen? That... That’s impossible!"

—"My child had beautiful silver hair... not like this monster!"

The moment she saw Royen's current appearance, she had a violent fit and collapsed. She despised the sight of him and began searching elsewhere for her "real" son.

It was a devastating blow. The mother who had once been his greatest source of love and trust now denied his very existence.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

—"I’ll care for your mother, so don’t worry. Go and follow your brother."

—"…Yes."

The baron, Starn, stepped in to console Royen, but the weight of his mother’s rejection lingered heavily.

Kaylen placed a comforting hand on Royen’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry too much. The dark mana is gone from her body now. In time, she will recover, and her mind will return to normal.”

“Yes,” Royen replied softly.

“At times like this, flying can clear your thoughts. Royen, let’s grow the Drake.”

At Kaylen’s suggestion, Royen focused, and the small sparrow-sized Drake began to grow. It rapidly expanded, regaining its original majestic size.

“Wow!”

—Krrrrr!

“Don’t stand up. Stay seated so you can ride comfortably,” Kaylen instructed.

—"Yes!"

The Drake lowered its body, and Kaylen leapt onto its neck, securing his position near the nape.

“Climb on,” he beckoned.

“...Where should I sit?” Royen asked hesitantly.

“Hm. Fly.”

The Drake’s body was too large to climb without assistance, so Kaylen used a levitation spell to lift both Royen and Alkas onto its back.

Meanwhile, Myorn, who had been tense and wary ever since the Drake began to grow, was now staring intently at the magnificent creature.

"Myorn, we’ll be off now. See you in the capital," Kaylen said with a wave.

“...W-Wait!”

As Kaylen bid his farewell, Myorn suddenly extended her tendrils to latch onto the Drake.

“I... I want to ride too!”

“I thought it was the enemy of your clan?”

“That’s exactly why. It’s an enemy, so I need to study it up close!”

Laughing, Kaylen used his levitation spell once more to bring Myorn onto the Drake.

“Alright, then. Let’s go.”

With that, the Drake spread its massive wings, letting out a powerful roar, and soared into the skies

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]

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