Solo Swordmaster

#Side Story 31. A fate trampled upon, a blooming flower (5)

* * *

Open your eyes.

What you see is an old ceiling.

Originally, it would have been much neater.

However, looking up at the familiar ceiling, which had become even more shabby after being dented by the enormous impact and not being repaired for a long time.

She thought blankly.

It’s such an amazing thing.

Seeing his vision.

I heard the hallucinations he was talking about.

Every time I dream of him coming back.

Although I was disappointed that it wasn’t reality.

Because today, I so desperately hoped that meeting him was just a dream.

“Are you awake?”

“yes.”

That’s why the familiar voice I heard made me feel more despair as I missed it so much.

Joan of Arc was unperturbed.

I only saw it after slowly standing up.

A white-haired man was sitting on a chair in one corner of the room, far away from the bed, and quietly watching him.

“How are you feeling?”

“I feel fine.”

“….”

After wailing so desperately and screaming miserably, I lost consciousness and fainted, but then woke up.

Looking at Joan of Arc’s unexpectedly calm appearance, Limón cast a dark shadow on her face.

Because I knew the meaning behind the answer that my body was fine.

“Should I call you teacher…?”

“…If you want.”

“thank you.”

After bowing slightly to Limon.

Joan of Arc looked straight at him again and asked calmly.

“Then can you tell me now?”

“….”

“What does it mean that you are from another world?”

Limon did not refuse Joan of Arc’s request for an explanation as if she were asking for a natural right.

I just explained it calmly.

What is a parallel world, how did you come to this place, and what kind of world was it that you came to?

Just like when she told me the story.

He spoke from the beginning.

As he heard.

She listened quietly.

After the death of the Sword Emperor and the Seven Dragons.

Numerous events that occurred during the Age of Heroes.

And the fierce war that ended the Iron Age.

“Is that so….”

And so, after a while.

After all is said and done.

Joan of Arc muttered bitterly.

“You were a teacher from another world who went through a much harder fight than ours and ultimately prevented destruction.”

“…I don’t think I had a harder fight than you.”

“But it is true that, given the conditions, it was originally easier for us to prevent destruction.”

“….”

As a result, he was cut by Limon after the sword demon, Geomrang, Geomhu, and Geomhu went on a rampage.

Unlike his own world where most Sword Masters survived, Limon was the only one left, losing his position as an absolute ruler and falling.

Of course, it was impossible to prevent the spread of star power as the Age of Iron began.

In the end, he also had to fight another resurrected Sword Master.

She pointed out that his world would have been several times more likely to be destroyed than her own.

Limon could not deny it.

This is because I could actually understand the process of the destruction of this world as much as I heard about it.

What an absurd and ridiculous miracle it was that they finally saved humanity.

The constellations are transcendent.

Destroying the world.

He was a being with the power to play with fate.

Even if he cut down all the constellations, it was a natural result that humanity would perish in the meantime.

…just like this world was.

“What do you think was different?”

My world was destroyed.

Why was he able to protect the world?

That was why Limon was able to calmly answer Joan of Arc’s quiet question about the reason.

It was a problem he had thought about for a long time while she was unconscious.

“There are many differences between your world and our world, but I think the biggest difference was the existence of the Seven Dragons.”

“…Are you talking about the Demonic Church?”

“okay.”

Is it because I expected it to some extent?

Limón calmly explained to Joan of Arc, who was calmly waiting for further words.

“Our Sword Master may be absolute, but he is only absolute.”

The Absolute is a being that changes the world alone.

In particular, the Sword Master, who could destroy the world at any time, was truly a being who could only be called the absolute of the absolute.

There are two problems.

They are swordsmen after all.

Ultimately, it was an individual.

“On the other hand, the Seven Dragons are a global force that even threatened us.”

“…It means that the Seven Dragons had an advantage over us in protecting the world.”

“No matter how absolute power and authority they have, just a few people cannot do everything.”

In fact, although the player’s power may have flourished during the Iron Age, the reason why they were unable to conquer the world was largely due to the influence of the Seven Dragons.

This is because the seven clans kept the players in check, even because of the psionics that rejected the power of the stars.

Ten lords or something.

Teen Guildden.

Whether it’s the liberation brigade or something.

That was possible because it was the Seven Dragons Association.

The seven absolute princesses, the Seven Dragons group that controlled all the wealth in the world, and even the history of the time when it was called the Demonic Cult, which ruled all crime.

If it weren’t for the Seven Dragons’ Association, which had everything, the star forces would have taken over the world more easily.

Like a mold that covers everything under the shadows.

Of course, the initial rapid growth of the player force was thanks to the world peace plan of the Seven Dragons.

In the end, it was ironic considering that thanks to him, the Seven Dragons gained the wealth and power to keep the player in check and formed a cooperative relationship with Limon.

“More than anything, the seven clans, especially the princesses, were capable in many ways, regardless of their strength.”

Without Ainsha’s prophecy, the Seven Arcs would not have been taken away or the deaths of other princesses could not have been prevented.

Without Catherine’s genius and the technology of the Silver Dragon Clan, weapons and supplies would not have been provided to all mankind.

Without the nuclear fusion technology and food of the Hasneti and Red Dragon clans, there would have been food and energy shortages.

Without Rose and the Blue Dragon clan’s fleet and space movement, humanity would have been isolated and destroyed individually.

Without the enormous funds of Charlotte and the Golden Dragon clan, the defense line would not have been completed in just a few months.

Without the medicine and medical skills of Maia and the Green Dragon Clan, we would not have been able to handle the numerous wounded and sick soldiers.

Without Li Qingyu’s strategy and the intelligence power of the Black Dragon Clan, numerous conspiracies would not have been prevented.

So he could be sure.

If it weren’t for one of the seven princesses, humanity would have been destroyed.

The fight with the Constellation was that fierce and close.

“Indeed… if the existence of the Seven Dragons was crucial in stopping the constellations, then I understand why our world collapsed.”

And listen to the explanation.

Joan of Arc said a little sadly.

“The Seven Dragons of our world have been subdued a long time ago.”

It was natural.

Even if the Seven Dragons are a threatening force even to the Sword Master, that is only when their opponent is Limon.

In her world, where the majority of sword masters survive and cooperate rather than confront each other, subduing the Seven Dragons is just a nuisance.

Because it was never difficult.

Because he already knew that fact, Limon spoke again after a short silence.

“…The difference between our world and your world is not only the existence of the Seven Dragons. Because there was no death penalty for me in this world to begin with.”

“Do you mean four hundred sword demons?”

“okay.”

Slowly raise one hand.

Touching the scars around my eyes.

Limon continued speaking softly.

“Unlike me, who was able to complete the Yam Dragon Slayer Sword thanks to repeatedly risking his life to challenge my brother, who was the best sword in the world, in this world I only used the Dragon Slayer Sword.”

The Sword Demon is his greatest nemesis in life.

In a sense, he was an opponent more respected than the Sword Emperor, but more threatening than the Constellation.

Even after his miraculous victory, he was able to achieve the mastery of the sword that cuts down all mysteries thanks to his continued training and replaying his duel with the Sword Demon for hundreds of years.

But in this world, sword demons never existed in the first place.

The yam yongsalgeom was not completed.

Even the River Demon Sword was not made.

“That’s why he probably had to go through a more difficult fight after leaving to fight the stars.”

“…So, what you’re saying is that it would have taken several times more time to defeat the constellations than in your world.”

“okay.”

“In the end, the catastrophe of our world is the result of many complex factors overlapping, which also means that there is no clear cause.”

“It is as you said.”

Limon said calmly.

There is no sword demon.

The Seven Dragons Association was subdued.

Geomgwang was a beautiful girl, etc.

No matter how similar they may seem on the outside, they are ultimately different worlds.

Even if just one small factor is added, a lot of things change, so it makes no sense to pinpoint just one of them as the cause.

“Even though you come from a different world, you are still kind.”

And seeing Limon like that.

Joan of Arc laughed.

Grinning.

“Because you know that even if there is no clear cause, the biggest factor is ultimately one, right?”

But it’s even more pitiful.

So sad.

The most crucial and core difference between his two worlds that any Limon from another world would have noticed immediately.

she said

“―The reason the world was destroyed like this is because I changed fate.”

“….”

Because she was alive.

And staying at the sword tower.

Because I assisted Limon back and forth.

The other disciples also did not cross the line, and the Sword and Sword Saint did not dare to cross the Sword Tower’s stronghold.

That’s why they were able to easily subdue the Seven Dragons.

Limon lost the opportunity to grow as he fought not only with the Sword Demon, but also with other Sword Masters.

Likewise, other sword masters did not have the opportunity to develop their sword skills through repeated experiences of coming back from death.

In other words, her life and death was the most important turning point in the history of the two worlds, more than the existence of the Sword Demon or the Seven Dragons.

“Now I understand.”

“I shouldn’t have changed my fate.”

“I realized that dying was the only way for me to atone for my teacher that day.”

I knew it.

Even though he tried so hard to change his fate, instead of protecting his family, he lost them even more cruelly and ended up going mad again and cutting down the Sword King.

How dangerous it is to change one’s destiny and how the results can actually get worse.

but.

It was an illusion.

To cut down on fate means to turn fate into an enemy.

Therefore, a sword master who can cut anything must handle his fate more carefully than anyone else.

That’s why the Dragon Slayer Sword, which allows you to choose your own destiny and future, is special and great.

Because the years I spent with him and my juniors at Geomtap were so happy.

The ordeal of fate is already over. Even if I stayed, I became conceited and mistakenly thought I could overcome it if I was with him.

Not knowing that the cost of changing fate at will continues to pile up.

And…

“This is the price.”

This is the ending.

As a result of messing up fate, not only she but everyone in the world has to bear the price.

You yourself are the main culprit of destruction.

He is the culprit who destroyed the world.

She spoke hollowly.

“It’s because of you…”

“Wait a minute.”

“….”

“Can you please leave me alone?”

Please listen to that request and be silent for a moment.

In the end, even after Limon silently turned and left.

She doesn’t even cry.

I don’t even scream miserably.

I didn’t even shed tears.

Just slowly extend your hand to the side.

All I did was hug the sword that was lying on the side of the bed, quietly lower my head, and shake my shoulders.

quietly.

It’s sad.

So bitter.

The sinner, who could not dare to pity himself with tears, wept so quietly.

* * *

Limon did not know.

Was it really okay to leave her alone?

Those extremely empty eyes were so unstable and dangerous that it seemed as if they would collapse at any moment.

Nevertheless, there is one reason why he came out in the end.

Even if it’s a parallel world.

She is his student.

Because he was a teacher.

Especially in the sense that he knows when his student wants to cry alone and needs to be left quietly.

That’s why he thought as he walked through the empty city.

Indeed, this destruction may have been because Joan of Arc survived, but there was no way for her to save the world.

But no matter how much you worry.

It was difficult to find an answer.

A possibility is just a possibility.

Even if you always make the best choice, there is no guarantee that you will get the best answer, and there are too many cases in the world where wrong choices lead to unexpected results.

so that.

He suddenly remembered something.

Please save all the princesses.

When the Seven Dragons Association was first opened.

A request that Li Qingyu had even given up on as his only fiancée.

At that time, at her request, he tested the qualifications of all the princesses and eventually made them his brides, even if it meant being an asshole.

Until then, he didn’t know why she went to such lengths to ask for other princesses.

…lately.

Until I heard Li Qingyu’s confession.

That’s why Limon had a complicated expression.

This is because I was finally able to intuit a fact that I had vaguely guessed but was not sure of until then.

If this world had lost even one princess, this would be the end they would have reached as well.

If she had seen this far….

[…Blind?]

“….”

[Team leader! Can you hear?]

That moment.

He paused.

Dimly like an echo.

But it can be heard clearly.

So familiar that you can’t be mistaken.

Joan of Arc may not have realized it, but in some ways, she had a greater impact on the fate of the world than she did.

His own pet.

In the voice of the bride and adoptive daughter.

He opened his mouth with a bitter smile.

“I can hear you, so stop yelling, Na-kyung.”