The Swordmaster Who Returned After 1,000 Years-Chapter 118

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]

Chapter 118

King Kaiten was in an unusually good mood as of late.

Violet had handled things far better than he had expected.

"So, Violet. The man beside you—would that be Kaylen, the one who has accomplished great feats this time?"

"Yes. Originally, he was under Sword Master Stein, responsible for managing his drake, but…"

Violet glanced briefly at Kaylen before continuing.

"Upon discovering that Stein was gathering documents to slander Your Majesty and engaging in acts of treason, he realized he could no longer stand by his side and defected."

"Oh? Is that so? Kaylen."

The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.

"Y-yes! Your Majesty!"

Kaylen snapped to attention as if overwhelmed by the honor of being addressed by the king.

Seeing this, Kaiten smirked.

"I’ve heard rumors about you. They say you’re known for your talent, even being called a Sixth-Circle prodigy."

"I am merely a Fourth-Circle Meister… That title is far too great for me."

"What was your original relationship with Stein?"

"Stein approached me—no, he claimed that we were distant relatives and made contact. Through that, we collaborated on magical experiments, and I managed his drakes… But when I discovered he was collecting documents to slander Your Majesty, I finally realized he was a traitor."

Kaiten examined the documents Violet had handed over, feigning anger as he controlled his expression.

In truth, he was elated that these troublesome papers had fallen into his hands.

"To think! How dare he accuse me of cooperating with the Black Skull!"

The documents contained allegations that he had provided livestock, slaves, and wealth to the Black Skull.

They also accused him of working with multiple magic towers to supply dungeon cores and mana stones to Cesar, the Black Skull leader,

and even conducting human experimentation—claims that seemed utterly unfathomable for a reigning king and the leaders of the major magic towers.

"I don’t know where he obtained these documents, but I determined that Stein’s actions had crossed a dangerous threshold and reported it to the princess."

"Well done, well done! Once all of this is settled, I shall grant you a great reward."

Kaiten patted Kaylen’s shoulder approvingly.

Just this morning, one of these very documents had been pinned to his bedchamber, leaving him terrified that his head might roll at any moment…

But now, an insider from Stein’s faction had willingly brought the documents forward, putting his mind at ease.

"However, Father, obtaining these documents does not mean everything is resolved. I witnessed Stein’s strength firsthand at Viltre Fortress, and it was beyond imagination. If he were to storm the castle alone… we currently have no means to stop him."

"Ahem… I see. Even you, despite possessing an S-rank mana suit, found him impossible to handle?"

"Yes. I apologize, Father. My strength is still lacking…"

Violet lowered her head deeply, her expression filled with remorse.

Seeing her like this, Kaiten felt another wave of frustration rise within him.

‘It’s good that we have these documents, but if that lunatic simply charges into the castle, there’s no one who can stop him.’

A Sword Master appearing after centuries… He truly lived up to the name of a one-man army.

No matter how strong a human could be, wasn’t this too much?

To think that the mighty King of Bormia had to worry about someone storming into his chambers!

As Kaiten rubbed his chest in frustration, Kaylen carefully observed the king’s reaction before slowly speaking.

"Your Majesty, there is something I must tell you regarding him."

"Oh? Kaylen, speak."

"Upon analyzing the documents I obtained from Stein, I discovered that seven major magic towers are involved in this matter."

"Hm. Is that so?"

Kaiten, who had only bothered to read the parts of the documents concerning himself, responded indifferently.

‘Why is he bringing up the other towers now?’

"How about requesting their cooperation?"

"Their cooperation…?"

"Yes. Just like Your Majesty, they too have likely been framed. But regardless, the very existence of these documents means that Sword Master Stein has marked them as his targets."

"Hoh… That’s true."

"If we show them these documents and propose working together to restrain Stein, wouldn’t they be inclined to cooperate?"

"Oh-ho!"

Kaiten was impressed.

Using the documents Stein had stored to request cooperation from the magic towers?

‘Those magic tower bastards won’t be able to refuse. After all, these documents are real.’

Kaiten checked the names of the towers.

All seven of the most influential towers in the kingdom were implicated in this matter.

‘If these key magic towers join forces… even that monster Stein might be eliminated.’

If that happened, there would be nothing left to worry about.

Kaiten felt as if a weight had been lifted off his chest.

"Hahaha! You’re not just talented, you’re sharp-witted too!"

"Stein plans to participate in the capital’s victory ceremony along with the soldiers of Viltre Fortress. At that time, even he will be caught off guard. If we secure the cooperation of the magic towers, we can eliminate him then."

"An excellent plan! Good! We will proceed as you suggested!"

A victory ceremony to honor the soldiers of Viltre Fortress for stopping the monster wave…

If Stein were to be eliminated there?

Just imagining it brought Kaiten immense satisfaction.

‘It will take about a week for the soldiers to reach the capital… That should be more than enough time to pressure the magic towers!’

Kaiten, delighted, continuously praised Kaylen.

"I know my mages are smart, but I’ve never met someone who could clear my worries so thoroughly! Kaylen, how do you understand my heart so well?"

—Hahaha!

As Kaiten burst into laughter, Violet watched him with a cold smile.

‘You don’t have much time left to enjoy yourself, Father.’

The ceremony that Kaiten so eagerly anticipated…

That would be the last day he ever smiled.

She recalled the conversation from a few days prior.

"…Please allow me to cooperate in bringing my father down."

Violet had given this answer to Kaylen, who had been ready to storm the royal palace atop a drake at any moment.

She then lowered her head and added a final request.

"But Lord Kaylen, may I offer my opinion?"

"Speak."

"Just as you faced that giant demon alone, do you plan to cut down the king and the royal army by yourself as well?"

"I do."

At Kaylen’s firm response, Violet spoke calmly.

"I have no doubt that your strength makes that entirely possible. However… in the past, you said that to overthrow a king, one must have the proper justification and legitimacy. Right now, don’t you think that’s still lacking?"

"Violet."

"Yes, Lord Kaylen?"

"Drop the excessive courtesy. Just say what you want to say."

At his words, Violet smirked.

"Very well, Lord Kaylen. If you go to the palace now and personally drag the king down, Kaiten will garner public sympathy. And that is something I refuse to let happen. I want King Kaiten to fall in disgrace—as an incompetent and despised tyrant, utterly loathed by his people."

Violet’s hatred for her father was absolute.

If Kaylen were to overthrow Kaiten by sheer force alone, there was a risk that the king’s incompetence and crimes would be overshadowed.

"That is a valid point, but personally, I don’t particularly care whether he garners sympathy or not."

"Yes, I thought as much. Lord Kaylen, you are not in a position to concern yourself with such things. However, I would like to ask—what do you intend to do after dethroning the king?"

At Violet’s question, all eyes turned toward Kaylen.

A warrior wielding the power of a hero, the one who had slain the demons.

Everyone in the command center was eager to know what path he would take next.

"I will become king."

"Just a day ago, I swore that I would do everything in my power to make you king. But back then, you refused. So why has your decision changed today?"

Kaylen looked at Violet.

She was asking the question as if out of curiosity, but—

deep within her sunken gaze, she sought something else.

"Violet."

"Yes, Lord Kaylen."

"Are you truly curious about my intentions?"

"Yes. I would like you to speak of them. You have declared that you will be king—so why do you wish to take that throne? And how do you intend to rule? I ask that you make your intentions known to many."

Make his intentions known to many.

Kaylen immediately understood Violet’s intent.

‘She wants me to persuade the soldiers here and rally them to my side.’

The Battle of Viltre Fortress.

From beginning to end, without Kaylen, this battle would have been lost.

The people of the fortress had witnessed his overwhelming power firsthand.

And they all owed their lives to him.

Violet was urging him to win over those who already had every reason to be loyal to him.

‘A good suggestion.’

Kaylen turned his gaze toward the fortress soldiers.

Still reeling from the terror of the giant demon, they had yet to fully regain their composure.

Both physically and mentally, they were shaken, unstable.

But at the same time, they had been saved by Kaylen—

and instinctively, they now clung to him as their pillar of support.

Convincing them would not be difficult.

‘A speech, huh? It’s been a while.’

Kaylen had never given one in this body.

But back when he was the Emperor of the Continent, he had given countless speeches.

As he transformed the kingdom into an empire, and the empire into a unified empire,

he had stood before his soldiers time and time again,

stirring their hearts and leading the imperial army.

He knew exactly how to move people.

‘First, a strong visual impact is key.’

Sixfold Sword Arts.

The Throne of Swords.

Beyond the fortress walls, a throne of swords rose into the sky.

It stood upon the very ground where the giant demon had fallen.

Kaylen leisurely took his seat atop the throne, which towered even beyond the walls.

Unlike Eldir—who had once awkwardly sat there while masquerading as Stein—

Kaylen’s presence upon the throne was absolute.

With just a glance, it was clear who the true master of the Throne of Swords was.

‘This is the true King of Swords…’

As the Sword Aura radiating from the throne spread outward,

the knights felt an overwhelming sense of euphoria and reverence.

One by one, they fell to their knees.

When Eldir had sat there, something had felt… off.

But now that the rightful master occupied the throne,

the knights could not suppress the deep respect that welled up within them.

"The King of Swords…"

Even Guntrian, the commander of the fortress, knelt in awe before him.

Simply by sitting upon the Throne of Swords, Kaylen had captured the hearts of the knights of the fortress.

But of course, he did not stop there.

Sixfold Sword Arts.

Second Sword—Illusion.

The Light Sword and the Wind Sword merged, scattering pure white gusts across the fortress walls.

And those who felt the breeze—

‘Ah… this is…’

‘Lord Kaylen?’

It was as if their vision had expanded.

As if Kaylen himself stood right before them.

"What did it feel like to face the demons?"

The voice of Kaylen, standing before them, was gentle.

"You must have been afraid. You must have been terrified.

It saddens me to see how many could not overcome that fear and chose death instead…

But now, it is over.

The demon is gone, and you have survived."

His warm voice resonated in their ears, and for the weary, shaken soldiers, that alone was enough to bring comfort.

Many teared up.

Second Sword—Illusion.

A unique sword aura that projected an illusion of Kaylen himself, amplifying the emotions people felt toward him.

It was an ability that excelled in stirring the human heart.

"But…"

Humans were not always like this.

Even those who knew nothing of aura once stood before the Demon King.

Even women who had never wielded a weapon once blocked the demons’ path to protect their children.

Just because demons now stood before them—

Did that mean they should cower and obey?

His voice was soft, as if he were merely reminiscing about the past.

And yet, shame crept into the expressions of those who listened.

Kaylen had not spoken in a tone of reproach.

But perhaps because of that,

those who had wet themselves in fear or even considered suicide before the demons now felt a crushing sense of humiliation.

"But tell me, is the reason so many have submitted to the demons simply because we are weak?"

From here and there, voices responded—

"Yes…"

"No."

Kaylen immediately denied it.

"This is not your fault.

It is because our land has become a colony of the Demon Realm.

Because our parents have been turned into slaves of the demons.

You had no choice but to yield."

His once-gentle voice now carried undeniable force.

"But tell me—will you continue to live bound by these chains of servitude?

Will you pass this same fate down to your children?

Is that what you want?"

"No!"

"Never!"

Those who had first felt comfort, then shame,

were now rising into a frenzy of passion.

A surge of energy spread among the masses in an instant.

Violet watched, feeling a chill run down her spine.

Kaylen was manipulating the people’s hearts with ease.

‘He is swaying them effortlessly. And on top of that, he is using that strange sword technique to persuade even those who might have resisted with mere words…’

Even those who had collapsed in fear before the giant demon—

Even those who had been paralyzed and unable to lift a weapon—

Were now standing, gripping their swords, and roaring in response to Kaylen’s words.

The atmosphere spread rapidly,

escalating into near-madness as the speech continued.

"I, Kaylen Meier, heir of the Hero Ernstine, proclaim this here and now!

I will overthrow the king who has submitted to the demons—

And I will liberate humanity!"

"Liberation!"

"Liberation!"

"Liberation!"

As the cries of liberation echoed from all directions,

Violet realized that in such a short span of time, Kaylen had completely seized the hearts of the masses.

‘I interfered unnecessarily.’

She had assumed that Kaylen was only thinking of overthrowing the current king by force,

without much interest in securing a support base.

That was why she had advised him to at least rally the soldiers of the fortress if he intended to become king…

But now, she saw that such advice had been unnecessary.

If he so wished, Kaylen could sway people to his side as easily as breathing.

‘He was truly born for this…’

Watching him sit leisurely upon the Throne of Swords,

she couldn’t help but think—

That seat suited him far too well.

"Violet! Violet! What are you so deep in thought about?"

King Kaiten’s voice pulled her from her thoughts, and she responded with a bright smile.

"I was thinking about the victory army from Viltre Fortress."

"Now that you mention it… Those lot… They wouldn’t just start following Stein just because they fought a battle together, would they?"

"No, of course not. The victory army follows their king."

"Hahaha. Indeed, as they should."

At the mention of loyalty to the king, Kaiten smiled in satisfaction—naturally assuming that "their king" referred to himself.

"Then hurry and coordinate with the magic towers to finalize the strategy. We don’t have much time before the victory ceremony."

"Understood, Father."

Yes, I will prepare the strategy—The one that will utterly destroy you.

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]