#501. It’s the end, and it’s the beginning.
* * *
Grab Charlotte’s wrist and wait for a pulse.
Maia spoke calmly.
“It looks pretty good.”
“So you said it was okay, but Maia, you really have a lot of doubts.”
“Every patient says that.”
“Are you treating me like a patient?”
“It’s free to cheat, but don’t forget that it’s your loss, Charlotte.”
“Hey, you’re really cheeky.”
As it was only yesterday that I woke up after falling into the main fire, there is no way my body will be fine yet.
Charlotte snorted arrogantly.
And I turned my head.
“so.”
Behind Maia.
Come find yourself with her.
Looking at the woman who was waiting for the treatment to end, she asked languidly while sitting on the bed.
“What is the story you want to hear even after you deliberately get permission from Maia to visit me, Hasneti?”
If he wanted to see himself weakened, it was because he chose the wrong number.
Looking at Charlotte, who speaks vaguely.
The red-haired princess opened her mouth in a muffled voice.
“I have a question for you.”
“If it’s a question, can’t you do it tomorrow?”
“If possible, this is something I would like to confirm beforehand.”
“What are you so curious about?”
Information provided by Li Qingyu.
Even sudden incidents there.
Yesterday’s Chilryong Branch meeting was temporarily suspended due to several overlapping events.
If so, the meeting of the Seven Dragons will resume tomorrow, but I can’t wait for that day, so I want to ask myself what it is.
To Charlotte, who is intrigued.
Hasneti asked coldly.
“If the remnants of the Liberation Brigade really resurrect the other sword masters, our odds.”
“…A really Hasneti-like question.”
Charlotte snorted.
It’s shocking that another sword master might have resurrected.
How can you count the odds on the premise that it’s true?
It was an action worthy of a red dragon princess.
But it was reasonable.
It has been 32 years since the Age of Heroes ended.
Now, few have experienced the power of the Sword Master, and all they did was watch Limon’s fight.
In that respect, Charlotte, who had met and competed with sword masters other than Limon, was the most appropriate person to ask this question.
Of course, there were others who could give a clearer answer than that, but
Charlotte didn’t bother to point it out.
I just lazily opened my mouth.
“First of all, what you should keep in mind is that it is close to impossible to defeat the Sword Master one-on-one, even for us who have evolved.”
“…Even you, Charlotte?”
“Didn’t you tell me? Say ‘we’.”
“…”
Hasneti was silent.
Maia, who was listening by her side, also raised her eyes when she heard those words.
“Charlotte, you admit the impossible. It’s a big deal.”
“I never said it was impossible. I just said it was close to impossible.”
Charlotte snorted.
It was true that he was defeated, even though it was because he was caught in an unexpected surprise attack in a careless situation.
Of course, winning or losing is a sick boss.
He had no intention of giving up, considering the Sword Master a wall he could never overcome just because he was defeated once.
But…
“But at least if there is no Yellow Dragon, I will refrain from competing with the Sword Master again.”
“…Does that mean that if you don’t have the support of the Seven Dragons, it will be difficult for you to defeat the Sword Master?”
“I can’t say the odds of winning are high.”
I don’t know if I can’t avoid it like this time.
I have no intention of risking my life to challenge the Sword Master alone.
Charlotte said languidly.
Maia raised her eyebrows.
Of course, Charlotte is no fool.
It is natural for a princess before she is a warrior to not risk herself.
However, just letting this arrogant Charlotte make such a natural choice was enough to make her feel the dignity of a sword master.
“If you are at that level, even if we mobilize all the clans, it will be difficult for a single sword master to handle.”
“If the Seven Dragons were together, it would be possible to escape, but…”
Charlotte paused.
And, uncharacteristically cautious, he warned.
“If you fight the sword master head-on, it will be difficult for Maia and even Rose to survive.”
Even Maia, who is most skilled in foreign affairs.
Even Rose, who is the strongest one-on-one.
He said that he would not be able to compete with the Sword Master.
It’s been a while since I narrowed my eyes even more at the evaluation of the strongest princess of the Seven Dragons.
Maia said suddenly.
“Hasnetty, this place is non-smoking.”
“…”
Is it a habit?
Or maybe it was because he was thinking deeply about Charlotte’s words.
Hasneti, who was about to light a cigarette he had casually taken out, nodded silently.
and after smoking.
said in a hoarse voice.
“You don’t look like you, Charlotte.”
“Do you feel that way?”
“Because you, the Golden Dragon clan, have defeated Geomrang in the past.”
War is not a duel.
No matter how strong your opponent is.
How to win if you use strategy and weapons well.
That’s why the sword masters, except for Limon, couldn’t touch the Seven Dragons recklessly.
However, the shock of being defeated by the King of Swords was so great that he was judging based on the fact that he would fight head-on too honestly.
Without any hint of suspicion.
Still, I’d like to check it out.
Looking at her cold question, Charlotte smiled languidly.
“Yes, my family has definitely defeated the Sword Master.”
“…”
“But don’t forget.”
The Golden Dragon clan recognized as the strongest of the Seven Dragons by defeating a sword master without being a sword master.
But that’s not bragging.
To put it bluntly, the opposite.
“Even in our clan, the only thing we could do in the end was to drive out Geomlang.”
Of course, it was advantageous with Geomrang’s swordsmanship.
In the stronghold where the barriers were laid.
Mobilizing hundreds of masters.
Even receiving the support of the Yellow Dragon Corps.
Such as the princess fighting directly.
The failure of the Golden Dragon clan, which is said to be the strongest of the Seven Dragons, was unable to kill even a single sword master in the end even after exerting their full strength.
And…
“In return, we lost nearly half of our clan’s masters and even our base was razed to the ground.”
…As long as the clan eventually suffered devastating damage due to the revenge of Geomlang who fled to the end of the continent.
It’s a win not a defeat.
It’s just a history of humiliation.
Watching Charlotte speak coldly, Hasneti couldn’t help but be silent.
* * *
Another hospital room in a different ward from Charlotte’s.
Seeing the opponent squatting in the hallway in front of him, Li Qingyu calmly opened his mouth.
“…you mean you haven’t woken up yet.”
“huh.”
After nodding.
Yekathrice scratched her head.
“Anyway, even my sister can’t stop it. Taking a nap during a meeting”
“….”
“Well, since Maia said she would be fine, shouldn’t there be any need to worry?”
Yekathrice laughed lightly.
Yesterday during the Chilryong branch meeting.
Precisely, as if it were a lie that after seeing Li Qingyu’s bombshell statement, she suddenly fell unconscious and rushed at the speed of light.
Well, it’s just a mental thing.
It’s good that Maia diagnosed that there’s nothing wrong with her body and that she’ll wake up soon.
If it didn’t happen, the entire Seven Dragon Branch would have been overturned.
Is that why?
Actually, Yekathrice was more worried about other people than Ainsha.
“How about your brother?”
“…Are you curious about the state of the swordsmith?”
“Honestly, at that time, my older brother seemed more anxious than my younger sister.”
On an insane subject.
At this time, Li Qingyu smiled bitterly at Yekathrice’s surprisingly sharp words.
Well, it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t notice that fact.
The moment when Li Qingyu confessed the truth.
atmosphere that flowed around him.
Even though it seems infinitely calm.
It was heavy enough to suffocate.
That bizarre air made even the superhuman princesses of the absolute class feel terrified.
“You are still there.”
“Has the whole night passed?”
“According to Rose, you haven’t come down since yesterday and haven’t eaten yet.”
“Does that mean Rose is still there too?”
“yes.”
“Huh… No matter how neutral you are, you’re deliberately taking on the role of a gatekeeper. Rose is also sincere.”
“It would be for the swordsmith rather than us.”
Ainsha collapses.
Although the Seven Dragons Association has been discontinued.
I thought of Limon, who was left alone in the Floating Garden after confirming that she was okay.
Li Qingyu muttered bitterly.
“Right now, the swordsman will need some alone time.”
Sword Master.
There were only 13 superhumans in history.
They must have been special to Limon, who had seen and experienced countless people.
either as a disciple.
whether it’s the enemy
However, after the sword king, the belongings of as many as 9 sword masters disappeared.
No matter how much Noh Kang-ho is…
No, rather, he has lived a long life, so it would be more difficult to control his emotions.
The reason why Rose dares to stay up all night guarding the entrance to the Hanging Gardens must be because of his feelings.
That’s why when Li Qingyu, who couldn’t help but feel even more bitter, let out a slight sigh.
“princess!”
Tata’s cry erupted from inside the hospital room.
Yekathrice’s reaction was swift.
It’s like when you’ve been squatting.
He jumped up from his seat and, before blinking an eye, ran into the hospital room.
It was truly the terrifying speed of a silver dragon princess.
“Ainsha is awake!”
It was thanks to that.
A white-haired girl who has been asleep for over a full day.
Li Qingyu was able to see Ainsha open her eyes.
“Are you okay? Are you sick anywhere? If I’m hungry, will this unnie feed me? Anything you want to eat, just tell me!”
I wonder if Ainsha was worried because she collapsed.
As soon as Catherine saw her awake, words poured out like a rapid-fire cannon.
However, Ainsha did not even pretend to see Yekathrice.
As if still wandering in a dream.
Or as if looking at something.
At the end of staring at the empty space with blank eyes.
I just opened my mouth.
“The future is gone.”
“what?”
“The sky is falling. Destiny changes. Countless stars fall and the true specter returns.”
“Wait Ainsha?”
“…This is the beginning.”
“Ainsha? Ainsha!”
That was the end.
It seems like you’ve said everything.
Because Ainsha fell asleep again.
Yekathrice, who grabbed the girl and shook her head, was kicked out by Tata, telling her not to disturb the princess’ stability.
While restless, he said he would call Maia and quickly disappeared.
Left alone, Li Qingyu was lost in thought.
“The future is gone… Is it?”
ambiguous and ambiguous.
unclear and opaque
Ainsha, who always clearly foresaw the future and was called the world’s best prophet for that reason.
others, of course.
Perhaps even Ainsha herself did not know the meaning of the words.
“okay.”
But Li Qingyu was not confused.
I just went to the window.
Could it be because of Brazil’s capricious weather?
Looking up at the sky covered with dark clouds, as if it were a lie that until yesterday it was clear without a single cloud.
Lost in thought alone, she quietly closed her eyes.
To stop the Liberation Brigade.
Li Qingyu has been doing his best.
But she knew.
It may not be an opponent to be ignored, but the ghosts of the middle and lower ranks that they have defeated so far are abandoned words that have not even appeared on the stage.
That he was an opponent that was nothing more than a rehearsal.
Because…
“Now the tutorial is over.”
…because the real game has just begun.
