I Obtained Sword God Level Talent - Chapter 26

Snow Flower (2)

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!

The carriage sped along.

The carriage, racing down the empty road, only began to slow down after a considerable amount of time had passed.

“Frey. The horse is exhausted. We should rest here for a bit before moving on.”

“Alright. If the horse collapses, things will get even more complicated.”
T h i s wa s co p i e d f r o m k in g m t l. org

“Phew… Phew. Thank goodness. It seems like those strange people aren’t following us anymore.”

With Ariel’s words, we decided to take a short break.

Crack.

I climbed down from the carriage roof and looked around.

There was nothing around the road. Perhaps there were no villages nearby, as the only sounds were the occasional cries of animals and birds, the silence heavy and oppressive.

“It’s quiet. Too quiet.”

That was my brief impression. I didn’t feel the same indescribable anxiety that I had felt when entering the village, but something felt strangely unsettling.

I gripped my sword tightly and quickly surveyed the surroundings.

‘Sword Dad’s’ profound enlightenment, the ‘Roaming Cloud Steps,’ unfolded through my legs. The distance closed rapidly, and the forest scenery was imprinted on my retina.

“…What? Am I being paranoid?”

Having confirmed our safety, I returned to the carriage. Was my intuition wrong? There was no sign of human presence within a few hundred meters.

“Frey. Take a breather too. We don’t know what kind of trouble might come our way next.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

I replied briefly and walked over to the driver’s seat, plopping down. I then looked at the two of them. It was clear that they were still shaken from the earlier events.

‘…Ariel’s mana depletion seems to be greater than I expected.’

Ariel’s face had been pale since she used her magic. Was it because she used a large-scale spell that her mana consumption was so severe? I could see her hands trembling slightly.

“Ariel. Are you tired?”

“H-Huh? No. I’m just a little… shocked.”

“…Don’t worry too much. You don’t think this happened because of you, do you?”

“Ah……”

Was she perhaps thinking that she was the cause of our troubles? Ariel’s trembling hands finally stopped shaking.

“…Thank you.”

“What are you thanking me for? There’s nothing to thank me for.”

And then, Ariel expressed her gratitude.

Our recent feat of escaping from that hellish situation wasn’t achieved alone. Me, Lancelot, and Ariel. All three of us had done our part flawlessly.

“It’s just… everything. Thinking about how we were suddenly in danger… I guess I got a little emotional. Hehe.”

“Woman, don’t let your guard down. Their reach might still threaten us.”

“…Okay.”

Ariel hung her head at Lancelot’s scolding, though it wasn’t really a scolding.

Did she have something to say?

Her small fist clenched around her collar. The pristine white Helios uniform wrinkled instantly, but Ariel didn’t seem to care.

“Even in the past…”

“…?”

“Something similar happened. You probably don’t remember, Frey, but a long time ago…”

A nostalgic look passed over Ariel’s face.

“A long time ago, when I was being abused by my aunt, Frey came to rescue me.”

“I did?”
T h i s w a s c o pi e d f ro m k i ng mt l. o rg

“Yes! And I remember when you secretly freed me, and we ran away together, without looking back… just like today.”

Ariel chuckled and kicked her feet in the air.

Her voice was unnatural. Her laughter, words, actions, facial expressions, everything felt strangely light. As if she was desperately trying to lighten the mood.

“You were so cool back then, Frey.”

“….”

“Like a prince on a white horse. Exactly like that.”

A prince on a white horse? That’s a far cry from who I am.

“Anyway, Ariel.”
T h i s w a s c o p i e d f rom k i n gmt l . or g

“Yes?”

“Are you really not going to tell me about the promise we made and the blessing you possess?”

“Hmm… A little… Just a little later. You’ll find out naturally.”

“From what I see, you’re avoiding the question.”

Oh, really? I didn’t know that, Lancelot.

“How difficult can it be to talk about?”

“…It’s just… Well… It’s a bit awkward, you know?”

I couldn’t say anything more as I watched Ariel scratch her cheek.

I had already been rejected twice. A man has his pride, so now I had no choice but to wait patiently until she was ready to tell me.

T hi s w a s c o p i ed f ro m k i ng mt l. o rg
‘It’s not like it’s a trait like (Murderous) or (Gluttony), right?’

I took a step back and looked at Ariel with an intense gaze.

An irregular who didn’t appear in (Silver Ring). But with extraordinary abilities. Naturally, I couldn’t help but be curious about her true identity.

‘At least she doesn’t seem like a bad person.’

My old friend, Ariel, was clearly a sensitive person. I hadn’t noticed it when she first appeared, enveloped in blue mana, but after talking to her for a bit, I could tell she was a kind and rather cute girl.

‘Time… Time will tell.’
T h i s w a s c o p ie d fr om k in g mt l. org

Th i s w a s c o p i e d fr o m k in g mtl. o r g
I tilted my head back and looked up at the sky. The sun had begun to glow red, signaling the approaching evening.

After that.

We rested for about thirty minutes and resumed our journey.

We still hadn’t decided on a direction to head towards. We didn’t know where the remnants of the Blood Cult were hiding.

“…Maybe… we should turn back.”

Ariel spoke, her face a bit gloomy.

“That might be best. We don’t have a guide who knows a detour, and it’s too risky to head towards Helios like this.”

“…You’re probably right.”

Rustle!

We were having a serious conversation about our next move when a strange sound reached my keen ears.

“Hold on. Shh.”

I raised my finger, signaling them to be quiet, and slowly moved towards the driver’s seat.

“Lancelot. Something… is following us.”

T his w as c o p i ed f ro m ki n g m t l .o rg
“…Damn it.”

Lancelot’s face crumpled, knowing full well what those words meant.

I discreetly turned my head and scanned the surroundings. It was already past afternoon and approaching evening. The setting sun cast an eerie glow on the forest.

Crackle!

“……!”
Th is w as co p ie d f r om k in gm t l .o rg

The noise pierced through the space and reached my ears once more. I leaned my arm against the front of the carriage and spoke softly,

“Full speed.”

“Understood.”

Snap! Neigh!

The reins in Lancelot’s hand snapped sharply. And as the whip struck the horse’s flank, the carriage began to move at high speed.

Rustle! Crackle!

“…Damn it. They’re guys who have properly trained in mana.”

It wasn’t hard to figure out the identities of those chasing us through the dark forest.

Their affiliation was obvious. The Blood Cult, they had finally caught up to us. We had taken a direct route away from the village where the massacre had occurred, but it seemed we couldn’t escape their notice.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

But we had no intention of complying with their will.

The carriage, racing at full speed, cut through the air.

“F-Frey? What’s going on?!”

“It’s them. Be careful not to hit the carriage walls, just in case something happens.”

Ariel nodded solemnly.

Even I couldn’t predict what would happen next. The bastards, having caught our scent, might attack the carriage, or they might let us go.

But.

Crackle! Crackle!

Seeing them chasing us through the forest, it was clear that the former was more likely.

“….”
Th is w a s c o p i e d f ro m k in gm t l. o rg

I gripped the hilt of my sheathed sword. The setting sun cast a heavy shadow on my heart. Avoiding a fight seemed impossible.

“What’s that?!”

It was at that moment that Lancelot, who was driving the carriage, cried out in alarm.

“…Frey! Watch out! Woman, hold on tight!”

Lancelot’s urgent warning shook the carriage.

I tightly embraced the frail-looking Ariel. It was a precaution, in case the carriage overturned.

“Impact imminent!”

“Impact?!”

Ariel shrieked. She probably couldn’t see what was in front of the carriage. So she couldn’t understand what we were about to collide with.

‘…A person?’

But I was different. I could see the silhouette of someone dressed in red through the gaps in the fine fabric covering the passenger compartment.

Th i s w a s c op i e d f rom k i n g mtl .o rg
He was standing right in the middle of the road. As if he had been waiting for us.

Shing!

The figure in the distance drew his sword. It wasn’t a ‘sword’, but a ‘saber’ with a single edge.

And then.

“Here it comes! Hold on tight, everyone!”

Lancelot’s scream echoed down the road.

Boooom——!

The next moment, something incredible happened. The carriage we were riding in was lifted high into the air. I felt a momentary sensation of weightlessness, then the carriage, which had no flight capabilities, plummeted towards the ground.

Crack! Crash! Booom!

Snap!

“…?”
***
The Duke picked up the broken pen. He hadn’t applied any particular force, but the nib of his favorite pen was shattered.

“Y-Your Excellency!”

As if on cue, a familiar voice called out from behind the door.

Thud!

The attendant rushed into the office. Normally, he would have reprimanded him for his rudeness, but seeing the urgency on his face, the Duke simply stared at him.

“U-Urgent report! Y-Young Master Tristan… has run away from home!”

“…Run away?”

The Duke’s eyes narrowed.

It seemed his son had finally caused trouble. He had always known it was only a matter of time, considering his son’s righteous and impulsive personality.

He had warned him to be wary of the Blood Cult’s agents, and yet he had run away to find them?!

“I understand. Send out the knights and find him.”

The Duke gave a brief reply and returned his attention to the documents. He had a mountain of work to deal with. It was best to deal with his son’s transgression later.

“Th-That’s not all!”

“…?”

The Duke’s eyes turned back to his attendant, who spoke urgently.

“Lady Maria… Lady Maria has also run away from home!”

“…What? She did?”

Maria had never caused any trouble… no, she had never even been rebellious in her entire life. And she had run away?

The Duke’s face contorted.

What were those two up to?