Tale of the Fake Hero

Chapter 25 – Origin, Kaisen Alter Aradamantel (8)

“Cadet Isla, step forward.”

The first person to be called out by Rachel was Isla, the 3rd cadet of class 997. The instructors and field leaders watching began whispering to each other.

“Is she the direct disciple of Dame Runelle?”

“Then, of course, there is only one holy sword she is aiming for.”

“The hammer-type great holy sword… it must be Gaumris.”

Indeed, that was the case. Isla walked excitedly toward the far left alcove.

The holy sword hanging in the rack was pale and silvery. The weapon was a combination of an axe, a spear, and a hammer—the right side was a hammer, the left side was an axe blade, and there was a spear point at the end.

Gaumris was a holy sword that could subdue attacks of all types

「Child, please make your wish. Pray to the sword. The holy sword will answer.」

Kaisen saw Isla take a deep breath as she clenched her left fist in front of her chest.

Was that the sword’s prayer?

The Fake Warrior prayed to the holy sword, and the spirit of the holy sword resonated and responded to it. He remembered Tarcio’s explanation.

“The prayer will be with the Fake Warrior all their lives. Because by reciting the prayer, you can awaken the holy sword.”

The deciding factor was whether the wish of the Fake Warrior candidate matched the will held by the capricious holy sword.

“I will kill you all.” Kamila’s sword prayer had been extremely violent, though it suited her.

“Isla prays to you, Gaumris.” When Isla grabbed her teacher’s holy sword, a magnificent sound spread over the hall. The holy sword resonated with the suitable person’s magic and replied in kind.

“The air currents are swirling…”

“Indeed, it’s also emitting light…”

Gaumris emitted a heavy wave of power. The light emitted was dull yet noble.

Olliere Dune Jeraye said, “Kelly, what is the compatibility level?”

“87%. It’s incredibly high. There’s no need to check other holy swords.”

Inheritance of the holy sword was recognized at 70% or higher, and a compatibility of 80% or higher was considered confirmed.

「Isla, that’s enough. Gaumris is yours.」

Isla’s hand trembled as she placed Great Holy Sword Gaumris back on the shelf.

Although everyone’s attention was focused on her, Isal was jumping around cutely with both hands clenched into fists. The joy of inheriting her master’s holy sword filled her whole body with excitement, and even the dragons smiled happily.

“Congratulations, Isla.” Isla smiled brightly as her best friend Seira stroked her head after she returned to the ranks of cadets.

“Seira will also definitely succeed.”

Next, Seira, who was the head of the 997th class, inherited Solang, a longsword-type holy sword and her teacher’s sword. The compatibility level was 89%.

Naturally, it was not her, but Ophelia, the 2nd-ranking competitor, who made Kaisen’s heart sink.

“Oh, is that the cadet who beat Dame Runelle’s student and took 2nd place?”

“She’s the daughter of Prominent Sword Crowell.”

“But just because you have good skills or a good bloodline doesn’t mean you will be chosen by a holy sword.” The evaluation was split in half.

She went around the cache of holy swords and tested her compatibility with each, her evaluation gradually became more and more biased.

“Compatibility with Solang is 68%.”

“Compatibility with Gaumris is 69%.”

Kelly read the numbers on the measuring stone.

Isla seemed to be breathing a sigh of relief. She was a girl with an honest expression, like a child.

“Compatibility with Verumpeira… huh, 77%.”

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Soon, exclamations flowed from among those who were watching the succession process in the hall. Even though she was not a direct disciple, her suitability was quite high.

Great Holy Sword Verumpeira had a unique form—it was a serpent sword. A serpent sword was a sword with dozens of blades intertwined with iron pieces that could move like a snake.

The sword also had a unique purple color. The dragon engraved on the blade flashed purple and danced in the waves of overwhelming power.

Since the previous proxy wielder had died along with her disciple, there was no need to wait for the compatibility of the immediate disciple to be assessed.

“Would you like to check your compatibility with Aradamantel?”

“Of course.” There was no hesitation in Ophelia’s answer. Verumpeira was a good sword, but it was no match for Aradamantel.

Aradamantel was a symbol—a symbol of peace achieved by Raminea Alter Aradamantel. Inheriting that sword was like becoming a symbol of peace.

“…” Ophelia, who was standing in front of Great Holy Sword Aradamantel, glanced back at Kaisen. With a contemptuous smile on her face, she grabbed the hilt of the sword.

“No…!”

“Such a brilliant light…!”

Breathless exclamations erupted, and the exclamation that escaped Kelly’s mouth as she examined the measuring mana stone added to the shock. “Compatibility is 82%.”

Raminea’s score of 98% and Camilla’s score of 91% were simply unreasonably high. 82% was an extremely high figure, especially if they were not direct disciples.

‘82%?’ Kaisen felt heart-stopping pain. ‘Aradamantel… Are you saying you’re going to choose that girl over me?’

“If Kaisen weren’t a direct disciple, the tests would have ended there,” Olliere said.

Kelly Dune Jeraye nodded. “That’s right. Ophelia’s suitability is 82%. Without succession priority… Hmm.”

“Kaisen is a direct disciple, so if the score exceeds 80%, he will unconditionally inherit the sword, no matter how high the opponent’s score is.”

“More than 80% is not easy… I wonder if Aradamantel will do it for a man.”

It was Kaisen’s turn. He walked diagonally to the right. As befitting a disciple of a Fake Warrior, he didn’t even glance at the other holy swords.

“…” He stopped, of course, in front of Great Holy Sword Aradamantel, which was hanging on a shelf.

It was a longsword, and the scabbard and hilt were the pure white of an early winter snowfield, while the unique energy the sword emitted was red.

「The son of Raminea Alter Aradamantel, wasn’t it?」

「He is also the disciple chosen by Kamila Alter Aradamantel.」

「I wonder… How will it end up…?」

A heavy silence fell. While the cardinals were talking on the distant thrones, Kaisen just looked up at Aradamantel in silence for a long time.

Yoshhar spoke. 「State your prayer, Child.」

‘What are my aspirations?’ Kaisen continued to stare at the sword. His wish did not come easily to him. ‘Rather than just killing, should I look beyond that?’

Sharon Alter Tas Alfo’s disciple Lia knew the prayer of the sword and practiced it even before inheriting the holy sword. He regretted not asking about it properly and laughing at her.

“You don’t have to think too hard about it.” Kaisen thought back to the advice Tarcio had given him earlier. “What do you want to achieve with that holy sword…? You just have to wish for it earnestly.”

The ashes of his teacher hung around his neck, and a keepsake of his mother was on his belt. For some reason, the two objects felt as heavy as lead.

“Kai, how do you want to use this sword?”

What did he want to do?

As he picked up the holy sword from the shelf, he suddenly remembered the mocking laughter of the stars in the night sky on the day his mother died and the wet smell of the rain that poured down on the day his teacher died.

“Really? Thank god…”

The sound of laughter was so clear and transparent that it reminded him of his mother’s smile, the one she always smiled while holding him in her arms.

In the early morning of the day she died, Kaisen remembered the tears of his teacher, her laugh, and how she’d had the same sort of smile.

“Mom, I’ll be leaving now…”

He remembered the salty tears he’d shed the night he buried his mother and the tears he’d shed the morning he burned his teacher, all mixed together.

“Let’s take her… to the leader’s side…”

Kaisen remembered the miserable tears flowing from Wolf’s eyes after losing the woman he loved and the dampness of the man’s shoulders during their hug.

He knew very well that, in their miserable world, death spread out like a disease, and no matter how much he cut and cut, one death couldn’t undo another.

In death, there was no equivalent exchange.

Still, even if he had to build a mountain of corpses on that ruined land stained with blood where his hometown used to be…

That anger…

Those tears…

His enemy…

He wanted to repay them with the same blood.

“I pray to you, Aradamantel.” The boy drew the holy sword.

* * *

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Whooooooonnnnnggggg…

The sword cried out like an animal as it escaped its scabbard.

The crowd felt pain as if their eyes were burning from the divine brilliance exploding from the blade.

“How can this be…?”

In that wondrous explosion of light, everyone watched with wide eyes, mesmerized.

‘How could it be so bright that even the shadows in the corners of the temples disappeared…?’

‘The boy doesn’t want Aradamantel…’

‘Aradamandel wants that boy…?’

The blade was pure red, oscillating with and firing waves of light in all directions. Those who were touched by the breath of its power felt the sword’s anger.

“Kelly, what is the stone measuring?” Olliere asked in confusion.

Kelly, who was watching the illusion floating above the mana stone used to measure compatibility, couldn’t believe her eyes. “Chief Instructor, measurement is not possible.”

“What?”

“Look, the mana stone cracked during measurement just now… This is the first time this has happened since the founding of the Temple of the Sword of Bravery.”

Kaisen held Aradamantel’s blade straight in front of his eyes.

The holy sword cried quietly. It seemed as if the blade was whispering to him, telling him to cut down every enemy before it.

「Wasn’t it like this when Raminea held Aradamantel?」 Cardinal Parrem asked

Cardinal Yoshhar shook his head. 「No… This can’’ be compared to that. The great holy sword has never longed for someone so much.」

Yoshhar thought, ‘A hero’s blood cannot be faked, Raminea. It seems that even Aradamantel wants revenge for you and your disciple…’

“…”

An image of a flame burning the abyss danced and glowed within the blade. Kaisen choked up when he saw it. It was the sword of his mother, whom he treasured more than any other in the world. It was the sword of his teacher, who was clumsy and aggressive in expressing affection.

‘You chose me too…’ He thought about how his mother and teacher must have felt when receiving the holy sword, but his thoughts did not come together.

When Kaisen put the blade back into the pure white sheath, he even had the illusion that the world had gone dark for a moment.

Perhaps they were overwhelmed by the holy sword’s cries, so no one dared open their mouths.

Eventually, Cardinal Enricht raised his large draconic body from where the five pillars sat on their thrones. 「Now that we know who was selected by the holy swords, those who have been chosen as heroes should come forward one by one.」

The first to come forward was Isla, who had been chosen by Great Holy Sword Gaumris.

「Isla Deris, disciple of Runelle Alter Gaumris, will you abandon the past, present, and future and walk the path of a hero as Gaumris leads you?」

“I will!”

「Seira Slaton, disciple of Arecia Alter Solang, will you cut ties with your past and walk the path of a hero with Solang in hand?」

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

「Daughter of Kevan Crowell, Ophelia Crowell, will you throw away your past, wealth, and lineage and walk the path of a hero with Verumpeira in hand?」

Ophelia’s reply was late. Kaisen caught her gazing alternately between Great Holy Sword Verumpeira and Great Holy Sword Aradamantel.

‘Losing Aradamantel to a man…’ Victory and defeat were so clear that there was no room for a retrial. She swallowed a sigh, and her vow before the cardinal was filled with regret. “Yes, Your Excellency.”

Enrich’s gaze finally landed on Kaisen. In the past, Enrich had advised the Light Dragon that military discipline should be established for a deserter like Raminea.

In the end, Yoshhar had put a stop to that. “Please do not forget the contributions of Raminea, who sacrificed her life to make spring flowers bloom on this land.”

Yoshhar appealed that, since Kaisen was Raminea’s blood, he would definitely bring about some change in their world of tears.

‘Indeed… I will watch until the end to see what kind of change this child, to whom you gave up even the little remaining life source left in you, will accomplish, Yoshhar.’ Enricht, immersed in his memories, did not speak.

Yoshhar, who had been sitting silently on the throne and suppressing his trembling, spoke instead, and he asked the same question that Kaisen’s teacher and mother had been asked when they held the holy sword and became heroes.

「Disciple of Kamila Alter Aradamantel, Kaisen…」

Olliere felt sorrow well up in her heart and clenched her fists.

“A disciple? Why would I accept such trash? It’s easier to go alone.” In their days at the , she remembered the day of the investiture ceremony, when she was separated from Kamila. That was what she had always said.

“Still, if something like that comes up, I’ll send them to you.”

“What?”

“You know my personality is so bad. How can I be a good teacher?”

“Hehe, I know very well.”

“Sharon, shut your mouth. Olliere, even though you have an irritating personality, you are diligent, so I’ll entrust their education to you.” Kamila had hesitated and extended her hand, as if embarrassed, and Olliere held her hand in her last goodbye to her old friend.

‘Kamila, are you watching…?’ She didn’t know who it was who said that, no matter what happened, she wouldn’t accept any disciples. ‘Today… your disciple inherited your sword and became a Warrior.’

As Olliere Dune Jeraye wiped away tears from her eyes amidst the echoes of the past, Yoshhar continued to speak.

「Do you pledge to abandon your past, present, and future, and follow the path of a hero under Aradamantel’s guidance?」

Kaisen’s response was quick. The answer was already decided five years ago, when he buried his mother’s body and cried while planting acorns by her grave.

Cut and cut again… He wanted to make a path out of the corpses of his enemies.

‘Since the day Mother died, I may have been praying to you, Aradamantel.’

“I will definitely see the end of the road,” he said. Thus, the era of war began in the boy’s life again.

* * *

“Kaisen…” After the investiture ceremony, where he received his assignment to the front line and left the Imperial Court, Olliere Dune Jeraye went out to see him off.

Their goodbyes weren’t long. Olliere looked Kaisen up and down with a new emotion in her eyes, and then she placed her hand on his shoulder. “Because of your unique use of the dragon spirit, you will operate as part of another Fake Warrior corps instead of having your own corps.”

Kaisen nodded. “I received word. First, I will be assigned to the Black Rose Corps and go to the Eastern Front.”

“Yeah, I checked. You used to be under Kamila, and now you’re going under Sharon. Your luck is terrible.”

Kaisen’s changed appearance and attire gave Olliere a new thrill—quilted armor that emphasized mobility and the majesty of Aradamantel sheathed by his side… His appearance was very similar to Kamila’s when she had left.

“If Kamila could see you now, she would be very proud, but she’s dishonest with her feelings, so her expressions would have been extremely rude.”

Kamila was an inviolable, sacred bond that linked Olliere and Kaisen. With that one string, they were able to share memories beyond joy and sadness in that short time.

There was nothing they could do as the sadness washed over them like a wave of water and eroded the facade of calmness on their faces.

Kaisen lowered his head.

Olliere continued. “I was happy to be able to personally teach Kamila’s student. I have driven many children out of here and into limbo with absurd rhetoric, but… I don’t think there has ever been a day as difficult as today.”

“Instructor…”

“Don’t make that kind of face. Just smile. To be a Fake Warrior, you have to know how to smile. You’re telling everyone not to worry with such a smile. Now, smile like this.”

“…”

“Is it still difficult? You just have to practice little by little… unless you’re going to spend your whole life frowning like Kamila. Then you’ll end up with wrinkles, right?”

She smiled bitterly. She had no choice but to. The sound of a steamship’s whistle rose high from the distant port. “Okay, it’s time to go now. If you have time, send my greetings to that sneaky girl, Sharon.”

Kaisen, a young man who had grown taller than the chief instructor, saluted politely. “I will never forget your grace in guiding me with all your heart for half a year. May you be blessed.”

He turned around, placing his hand on the hilt of Aradamantel, and whispered to himself. “Come on, let’s go.”

It was time to return to the summer.