7th Demon Prince Jilbagias’ Chronicle of Demon Kingdom Toppling

４９． Elven Sword Saint

Good day, this is Jilbagias who got stupefied after seeing the night elf spy showing off his special swordcraft.

Sword saint.

They’re the people who study swordsmanship and could execute paranormal special skills without aid of magical power.

They were the ultimate weapon in the fight against the demon king army, the trump card of humanity along with the 【Holy Attribute】 .

――Or so it was supposed to be.

For some reason, the elf before me was chosen by the sword.

「It took me more than 50 years of training in my human form for me to reach this state.」

Verossa was smiling lightly, yet obviously proudly as he returned his sword back into the sheath.

Yes. Even a genius needs thirty years to become a sword saint. The chance for a normal person to become one was even smaller, they might not even catch a glimpse of that territory in their entire life.

Verossa must’ve been training like a madman to reach that territory.

Nevertheless I couldn’t help but to think of this matter as 『Unfair』.

If he was a human, it means that he became a sword saint right at the end of his golden age, what followed next would be a decline. It was unfair for a long lived elf to get this kind of talent. This guy could live for at least another hundred years unless something happen to him――

「――That’s…. awesome. This is the first time… An elf became sword saint.」

I was trembling in awe as I spoke.

「I’m the only one in my tribe.」

Verossa shrugged his shoulders as he released his transformation magic and returned to his night elf figure.

「As a night elf, I should’ve chosen bow as my main weapon alas… I’m not talented in using bow.」

Verossa scratched his cheek as he spoke. It seems he did training to use the bow but, he simply wasn’t blessed with talent to use the bow.

「So that’s why you’re using a sword.」

「Yes. I keep swinging my sword during my infiltration mission as a human. But still, I was still half-baked back then. It isn’t as flexible as a knife, and lacking the range of a spear――」

What? You bastard… Are you mocking humanity’s sword?

「――But as I got used to it, I came to love it. It’s such an irony though.」

He let out a self-mockery laugh as he tapped on the sheath of his sword. I could only curl my lips vexingly upon hearing that. But well, it wasn’t by choice that he became sword saint…

「But… I’ve never heard of a sword saint blessed by the logic of the world.」

He might be of a different race but still, he managed to become a sword saint while having such powerful magical power.

Properly speaking, a sword saint couldn’t become a spellcaster.

Reason being is them being rejected by the logic of the world.

『Logic of The World』 was really strict, take throwing a stone for example, the stone would fall down in accordance to the logic of the world, or water, they would flow from a higher place to a lower place.

The world was filled with those kinds of logic as if it was an absolute law.

And those absolute laws in nature were what we call the “Logic of The World”.

But, people with strong magical power, otherwise known as spellcasters could change the logic in accordance to their will with words and willpower.

And when those spellcasters took the sword, they would unconsciously strengthen their muscle power and increase the sharpness of their sword with magical power.

They would incite the rage of the logic of the world.

Those spellcasters were something that the logic of the world saw as ruffian… A detestable being.

On the other hand, on rare occasions, the logic of the world would smile―― At those who honed their skill everyday without changing the natural law.

And that blessing was known as special arts.

It came in various forms such as the ability to split rocks with a wooden sword, or the ability to close in the distance to your foe in less than a moment, or the ability to slip through your foe’s attack like a ghost.

It was a magical ability, which was closer to that of a 『Miracle』.

Those loved by the law of nature are known as―― Sword Saint.

By the way, there was a bow saint among the night elf who wasn’t blessed with magical power, and among the beastfolk who tempered their body and grappling skill, there was a fist saint. Just like sword saint, those two created 『Miracle』 without the aid of magical power.

And one of the absolute requirements to become the king of the beastfolk tribe was for them to become a fist saint.

At any rate, spellcasters who got looked down by the logic of the world could only create pale imitations of the phenomenon caused by a sword saint no matter how much they tried it.

The logic of the world would never smile upon them.

And as the race with powerful magical power and affinity, who can use magic with a flip of their hand, the demon race ―― Had never gave birth to 『Spear Saint』 no matter how much they polish their skill.

「――When I’m in my human form, I can’t use my magic except for the one to cancel the human transformation magic. That’s rather convenient since it allow me to blend with my surrounding as your average guy.」

Verossa looked at the horizon with a melancholic smile while brushing on the sheath of his sword.

「During my infiltration mission, the only things I used are my body and my weapon. That’s why I’m learning swordsmanship―― I’m learning from an expert, stealing their technique, and making it my own. But I had never expected back then that I would have come all the way up and become sword saint.」

According to Verossa, the turning point of his life happened around 20 years ago.

During one of his infiltration missions, a stray holy attribute burned his skin, thus revealing his identity, forcing him to fight against the hero in broad daylight.

「Since it was during the day, I would not be able to escape if I canceled my human transformation. Ma~n, that was such a close call. My talisman failed to protect me from the hero’s magic, I got burned alive with fire from the holy attribute. I used my arrows, poison, everything at my disposal until only my was sword left.」

That hero was strong, and extremely cautious. He strengthened himself with holy the attribute and didn’t neglect his defense, he tried to corner Verossa to catch the latter.

「I got pushed back in terms of strength, and even when I tried to slip past into his range, he kept his distance with magic. In desperation, I threw my sheath at him to create an opening but―― I was still one step behind the hero, one more step is all I needed to kill him.」

But then, the moment I pushed my sword in desperation.

「Something, I felt a weird sensation. It’s as if the time flow around me was slowing down, and I felt as if someone gave me a push on the back――」

And before he noticed, the tip of his sword which shouldn’t reach the hero… Had already pierced the latter.

「That moment still appears in my dream even now. The hero also could not hide his shock as he died. He was as shocked as me.」

――O nameless senior hero of mine who died somewhere out there back then, may your soul rest in peace.

「Ever since then, I―― Became what you call a sword saint. Limited to when I’m in my human form though.」

「How about when you’re using your sword in your real form?」

「I have no idea. Honestly I’m too scared to try that.」

Verossa replied with a serious look on his face. Scared eh, such contradictory words had actually come from the virtuoso spy whose life is constantly brushing with danger.

「Though I never neglected daily workout with my sword even in my real form, I only drew my sword from its’ sheath after I transformed into my human form. I just got this feeling that the logic of the world―― will stop smiling at me once I bend from my path.」

「Well, that must be correct.」

The one called the logic of the world was an oddball after all.

Rather, I had no idea why they took a liking to Verossa who bent reality with the magic of human transformation.

Was it because he desperately used his sword skill without relying on magic back then?

But surely, my sword saint acquaintance had also told me that they become a sword saint at the end of a deadly combat. It was something that couldn’t be explained….

「Anyhow, it’s just as you see, Your Highness. The human race might be weak but they can use all kinds of strange tricks. The same goes for the fist saint of the beastfolk. That’s why you must not let your guard down during the battle.」

「Makes sense. I also read in the report that many of the demon race warriors died on the blade of a sword saint.」

Many of the reports I read during my study with Sofia wrote something along the line of 『○○ from certain clan killed in action due to surprise attack of the sword saint who hide themselves among the small fries』. or 『×× of certain clan, killed in action after fighting against sword saint』.

I doubt there was such a self centered sword saint.

I mean, the so-called sword saint basically was always moving in tandem with the hero or spellcaster. No matter how strange their sword skill, they were powerless against large-scale spells such as spells that burn the air. They only displayed their full potential after they’re assisted by a powerful spellcaster or hero who can protect them from the demon race or the devil’s magic.

In short, it was literally impossible for a sword saint to be hidden among general soldiers. The alliance didn’t have that leeway.

Firstly, no matter how I look at it, there were too many cases in which the case was written as killed, or defeated by a sword saint. I mean, humanity wouldn’t have to suffer from so many losses if there were that many sword saints. I mean, the alliance barely managed to put up a good fight.

In my opinion… The reason why it was written as “Sword Saint” in the report  might be in fact because it was too embarrassing if it was written as 『Killed By Small Fry』  since they in fact got killed by your average soldier due to to their own negligence.

Well, not that I could really confirm the truth since the person in those report had already been slain. Even if I tried to revive a sword saint with necromancy, they would become nothing more than a puppet who couldn’t utilize their special arts.

Those sword saints were the most wonderful talent who had finally arrived at the truth after long, and painstaking training. Nevertheless, even those rare sword saints would pass their golden age in ten odd years, or die on the battlefield…

Even the experts who revered by people during the peacetime, had vanished during the turbulent era ――

「――Maybe I should get your signature while I still have the chance.」

I unintentionally blurted such a remark while pondering about that matter.

「My… Signature?」

「Yeah. You’re the man who trained in the weapon of another race, loved by logic of the world while being a spellcaster. Properly speaking, your name should be carved in history. Even if it just a scrap of paper, your signature might become a heirloom someday.」

Verossa laughed loudly the moment I told him so.

「Your Highness. I’m a spy, people who hide in the shadow of history. Showing ourselves in the front stage of history is a disgrace to our tribe.」

I could only smile wryly upon hearing that since he was right.

But Verossa, I didn’t lie about you being an important personnel.

You’re even more important than me in my previous life, a hero.

I was already convinced of this matter.

I had so many things to learn from this fella. At first, I lamented in the fact that I had to heal the virtuoso spy who would bring a disaster to the alliance――

Only to find out later that I actually hit the jackpot.

「Maste~r! Meals are ready~!」

Thus, Garounya’s voice interrupted our conversation.

「Shall we have a meal first? I still have a lot of things to ask after our meal.」

「With pleasure, Your Highness.」

I would learn everything that I could learn from him.

I would do so while this guy is still under contract with me.