Chapter 216

Chapter 216

***

In most cases, fortune and misfortune take turns visiting. If there were bad days, there were also good days.

Travelers knew this well, and thus they were accustomed to accepting misfortune. They knew that if there were gloomy days, clear days would follow.

The distance between Neuschafen and Nibelungen was roughly two days, so it wasn't that far. In the forest near Nibelungen, there was a place that served as a resting area for travelers.

No one officially ran it, but travelers naturally began to gather at a long-abandoned monastery, and it became such a place.

Merchants and pilgrims, those setting out in search of dreams or hope, or people born with a temperament that prevented them from staying in one place for long were all gathered there.

Among them were Rickart and the three young adventurers. The four of them were spending the night around a fire they had lit in a corner of the spacious monastery courtyard.

There were other travelers settled both near and far, but no one paid attention to their group.

Perhaps because the place had once been a monastery, even though it had lost its function, a lingering atmosphere of self-restraint remained.

Rickart and the three young adventurers had only a cloak and a single sword each. Ah, and the Codex.

The trio read the Codex together whenever they had time. By the light of the fire that cut through the darkness, they pored over the Codex, their heads practically touching.

Rickart sat with his back against a wall and his eyes closed, as if sleeping or meditating.

Lena and her two friends whispered to each other, sharing their opinions on passages filled with similes and metaphors.

"Isn't the reason mana is deliberately compared to things like fire, water, and wind because it's difficult to define it as a single thing?"

"I understand that there’s no choice but to use metaphors since we can't see or touch it, but it's hard to get a feel for it."

"This is just something I heard somewhere, but I heard mana flows along the blood vessels. The problem is what those blood vessels look like. Does anyone know that for sure? Doesn't most of it just depend on imagination? So, in the end, saying mana flows along blood vessels is also a metaphor."

"If you look at the last chapter, it clearly says that swinging a sword and the operation of mana should not be separated. If that's the case, there should be some explanation about swinging a sword first..."

Lena spoke with a somewhat disappointed tone. Everyone expected to gain immense power just by possessing the Codex, but it wasn't as simple as they thought.

As Rickart said, must we take our time and learn it slowly? Then was the Codex even necessary?

It was then that Rickart spoke with his eyes still closed.

"It begins with questioning. Questioning the things you have taken for granted. Deconstruction must come before reconstruction can occur. If you keep trying to fit it into your common sense, you won't even be able to stand at the starting line."

"What kind of things should we question?" Graf asked.

"Everything."

"Is that how you learned it, Uncle Ricky?"

"I had nothing from the start. So I had nothing to deconstruct, and nothing to discard."

"By the way, it's a coincidence that the name Ricky appears in the Codex," said Ravenna, who had a face like a squirrel despite her tall stature.

"It's a common name."

"Looking at the author's name, the surname is Adelorn. Hasn't the dynasty changed now?"

"Could this Caldebert be that Caldebert? You know, Caldebert 'the Breakthrough'?"

Caldebert was a historical figure. He was the man who had achieved military distinction in the Eastern Expeditionary Land, received a fief from the Emperor, and founded the Caldebern family.

However, the trio only knew history at a level they had picked up here and there; they lacked detailed historical knowledge.

And even if they had known, it would have been difficult to deduce that Rickart, the current King of Adelorn, was from the Caldebern family. While it was no great secret, such personal details were rarely known unless one was a close acquaintance.

Nevertheless, Rickart proactively blocked them from becoming curious about Caldebert or himself. There was no particular reason; he was just a bit embarrassed.

"Don't think about useless things. Focus on the content."

"Then what do you think, Uncle? About the way mana flows."

"Wind, or fire."

"It's not that it flows along the blood vessels?"

"From the moment you become conscious of it, it blows within the body, so I don't operate it centered around the heart like others do. It's more influenced by one's emotional state. Emotion is an extension of the soul. It's not something handled by reason."

"Emotion?"

"Yes. For power to be contained within it, you must first empty yourself. Not fill yourself."

"What do you mean, empty ourselves?"

"......This is why I don't often teach."

Rickart opened his eyes and showed a bit of annoyance. To him, it felt like the trio was asking nonsensical questions, just like everyone else. Why did they keep asking about things that were so obvious?

"Please don't be like that and just teach us a bit..." Graf said like a whimpering puppy. He knew that Rickart was an incredibly strong person, and at the very least, his level was higher than their own.

"From what I've seen, there isn't necessarily only one path. It seems each person has their own way of mastering and realizing it. So don't necessarily think that my way is the correct one."

Marie, Ice, and Bori each had their own unique individuality. Rickart had seen this firsthand, so he did not rashly force them to follow his way.

But from the perspective of the learners, it was bound to be frustrating. They needed something clear.

In the end, it was a repetitive cycle. He told them, but they didn't understand; since they didn't understand, they kept asking, and he had to say things they likely wouldn't understand again.

That was why Rickart’s only disciple was Roy. Roy didn't particularly ask questions; he simply watched and learned from Rickart’s side.

"Who are those individuals?" Lena asked.

"My friends."

"Do they also operate high-level mana drives?"

"You could say that."

"If they are reliable people, would you mind introducing us?"

Rickart thought for a moment before thinking of Marie—his wife and the Empress. Once they set out at dawn, they would be able to arrive in Nibelungen by mid-morning. His wife and children were there.

"Alright. There's one nearby. I'll introduce you tomorrow."

"Can we know their name?"

"Marie."

It was a common name, one frequently used even by commoners. However, that was because it was a nickname, not her real name.

"Is it a woman!?"

Lena and Ravenna asked simultaneously, their eyes wide. They never imagined she might be the Empress; they were simply glad that a person of considerable skill was a woman. After all, a female swordsman of high skill was rare.

"Yes. Marie is busy with other things lately, but in my opinion, she’s better than my other two friends. She’s been systematically trained since she was young, so she seems better at teaching."

Marie had been adopted and became an Imperial Princess later on; originally, she was someone who had trained with the sword in the Kelbron family.

While the Kelbron family had its share of problems, it was also true that they were pioneers in systematically establishing swordsmanship and building training methods.

"But do you think those who are after the Codex have given up?"

"Unknown. I should have caught that merchant and squeezed him. Still, they won't be able to act rashly in the capital. But don't let your guard down completely."

Rickart closed his eyes again. He seemed to be drifting into meditation while listening to the sound of the campfire.

Graf watched Rickart and then leaned his back against the wall and closed his eyes, as if imitating him. Lena and Ravenna followed suit.

Naturally, the things that had been submerged within them began to rise like bubbles. Past memories and the emotions attached to them, future expectations and anxieties, and useless thoughts blew into and out of their minds like the wind.

The young adventurers did not yet understand what those things meant, but they simply observed them as the Codex instructed. Regardless of whether they understood or not, that much they could did.

Even though Rickart’s eyes were closed, he smiled faintly, as if he had seen the three of them imitating him.

It was a quiet night, even though there were quite a few travelers around.

Just as there was misfortune if there was fortune, there was morning if there was night. Rickart and the three young adventurers set out on their journey from early morning.

From a certain point on, knights on horseback and soldiers were scattered along the roadside. They simply glanced at the passing people without conducting separate inspections.

Occasionally, a knight would see Rickart and offer a nod, but none came over to speak to him.

Seeing this, Graf tilted his head. Was it because this was the capital? What a kind knight. Most knights were bound to be blunt and overbearing, but these were not.

After passing through a relatively wide and open forest path, buildings began to appear one by one, and before they knew it, the four of them had reached the capital.

Rickart led the three of them to an inn located in a somewhat secluded area.

"Get a room and wait. I’ll introduce you to the person."

"Pardon? Ah."

Lena remembered the conversation from last night and said she understood. She figured the female swordsman lived in the capital.

The inn wasn't particularly flashy, but it was clean, although the accommodation and food were a bit expensive. Still, since they had plenty of money from resolving the back-alley request for the Codex, it wasn't a burden.

One thing they liked was that getting a room provided them with hot bathwater for a one-time use. After a long time, the three of them soaked their bodies in the hot water to wash away the fatigue of their travels.

After washing up and feeling refreshed, they gathered in one room and looked at the Codex together again.

"As the Uncle said, let's not rush. Let's take our time and master it," Lena said. The other two nodded in agreement. But as was often the case with studying, if it’s hard to understand, one was bound to wander onto other paths.

After racking his brain for a long while, Graf looked away from the Codex as if it were painful and spoke. "But I think I've heard that name, Marie, somewhere."

"Where?"

"You know. A long time ago, the female Sword Masters. The Black Sword, the White Sword, and the Purple Witch."

"Isn't that too long ago? Aside from the White Sword, no one knows where they are or what they're doing."

The Council of Six was so shrouded in mystery that few people knew their detailed whereabouts. Only Ice was clearly active in the Michela Sword Monastery, so the three of them only knew about that.

"Who knows? Maybe the Uncle is friends with her."

"No way."

When Graf mentioned the possibility, his two friends showed a skeptical reaction at the same time.

She was a Sword Master. Those who had reached the pinnacle of the sword, superhumans themselves. There were only a few such beings in the entire world.

"Wait, the current Empress is a Sword Master," Lena said. At that, Graf and Ravenna burst into laughter simultaneously.

"Hey, this is the capital. You especially shouldn't speak carelessly about Her Majesty the Empress."

"I don't think I said anything bad."

"Still, just in case, let’s be careful. There are many skilled people in the world, and among them, there must be female swordsmen we don't know about. The person the Uncle knows must be someone like that," Ravenna said realistically. But just because one spoke according to reality didn't mean it was the correct answer.

The three of them felt hungry and went down to the dining hall. By now, the sunlight coming through the window held the red of the sunset.

Since Rickart, who had left in the morning, hadn't returned for quite a while, the thought briefly crossed the three of them that perhaps he had abandoned them. But no one voiced such a thought.

It was possible that it was taking a long time because he was having a conversation with an old friend.

For their meal, they ordered bean soup, apple pie, and some light beer to clear their palates. While they were waiting for the food to arrive, the entrance door of the inn opened.

The sound of heavy footsteps was heard. A heavily armed knight, even wearing a helmet, glanced around the interior before his gaze stopped on the three young adventurers.

He then looked away and approached the other customers in the dining hall, gesturing for them to leave. Lena, Ravenna, and Graf stared, blinking their eyes.

The people in the dining hall left with stiff expressions and without saying a word.

But there wasn't just one knight. Several more entered the inn and walked toward the back door and the upper floor. They then opened the room doors at will, inspected them, and stood guard as if watching over the place.

The other travelers staying in the rooms hurried out. The inn quickly became as quiet as a dead mouse, and Lena, Ravenna, and Graf were bewildered, not knowing what was going on.

A moment later, a woman with a sword at her waist entered. She was an incredible beauty, but her expression was somewhat sharp. She came straight toward Lena’s group.

"Are you the adventurers from Kalitz Academy—Lena, Ravenna, and Graf? "

"......Y-yes, that's us."

"I am Becca. An illustrious person will be arriving shortly, so please disarm yourselves."

"......I-illustrious? Wh-why?"

"If you do not disarm, there may be some degree of coercion."

"Pardon?"

Disarming was a request that was difficult to comply with. For what reason should they hand over their swords to someone they didn't even know?

When the three showed reluctance and didn't readily hand over their swords, Becca’s gaze turned cold. It was then that one last person entered.

Her blonde hair was tied back, and she was dressed in somewhat loose silk clothes. In contrast to her flashy attire, the sword at her waist was rather plain.

Her pale face literally seemed to shine. Since it was dusk, the inn’s dining hall was a bit shaded, but the woman’s smooth cheeks were as red as apples as they caught the light from the lanterns and candles on the walls.

Her eyes were like those of an eagle or a hawk, and her irises were blue. She wasn't particularly glaring, but her gaze was intense.

"That's enough. There's no need to disarm them."

"But there are procedures."

"It's a bother. Only follow them when necessary. This is a private meeting."

The woman named Becca shrugged her eyebrows as if she were displeased and stepped aside. Nevertheless, her eyes closely watched every micro-movement of the three.

The woman in the flashy silk clothes dragged a chair from another nearby table, placed it in front of the table where the three were, and sat down comfortably. Her somewhat arrogant behavior seemed to resemble someone.

After sitting down, she scanned the three of them and then stopped her gaze on Lena.

"Hmm, you're quite pretty, aren't you?"

"Pardon?"

"Do you have a thing for older men?"

"......Pardon?"

"Your taste doesn't run toward married men with wives and children, does it?"

"......Wh-what."

"Never mind. I’ve heard the story, so show me the Codex."

The woman in the flashy clothes looked displeased for some reason.

The three were dazed, but they quickly realized that the female swordsman Rickart was to introduce was this person. But the knights and all this, what on earth...

Receiving this level of protection, it wasn't difficult to infer that the woman before them was the Empress, but that very fact was so far from common sense that it was hard to tell what was going on.

Lena recognized that the current situation might be extremely dangerous. However, at the word 'Codex', she hardened her gaze as much as possible and spoke, trying to act as if nothing was wrong.

"Is that what the Uncle said?"

"Uncle?"

"That we have the Codex."

"Yes."

"How disappointing. We trusted him. It's not something to be spoken of carelessly. First, let us introduce ourselves formally. I am the adventurer Lena, and these two are Ravenna and Graf. And who might you be, milady?"

She knew the name Marie from having heard it, but she was saying that since she was showing courtesy first, the other should introduce herself formally as well.

At that, Marie simply chuckled. And as if her bewilderment wouldn't fade, she chuckled several more times in succession.

"This is absurd. Forget it all. Let's see your skill. Come out to the backyard."

Marie spoke as she stood up from her seat. The sword hanging at the lady’s waist was no decoration.