Chapter 250
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Kawaii]
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Chapter 250: Aftermath (3)
***
Damien hesitated to reach out for the fragment of Erebos that lay before him.
“You know what this is, and yet you’re offering it to me?”
Erebos was a weapon of unknown origin.
All that was known about it was that it could never be destroyed and that even a small fragment contained immense power.
“I know it’s a dangerous object if used wrong.”
“And yet you want to give it to me?”
The Imperial Supreme Sword raised his head slightly, his gaze fixed on a distant point.
“Because the destiny of this is linked to you.”
For that reason alone, giving away a fragment of Erebos seemed like the act of a madman. But he couldn’t refuse it. The fragment that the Imperial Supreme Sword had brought was quite large.
Absorbing it into Erebos would undoubtedly greatly increase its power. Perhaps even new powers would be unlocked.
It was a gift too precious to miss, considering the upcoming battle with the Weapon Master.
“I accept it gratefully.”
Damien grasped the fragment of Erebos. He could feel the Erebos tattooed on his wrist reacting to the fragment.
“Damien Haksen, do you still have the sword you received from the Emperor?”
The Imperial Supreme Sword asked a strange question as Damien accepted the fragment.
Damien had already grown accustomed to the presence of the Imperial Supreme Sword, so he spoke calmly.
“That’s right.”
“You used that to impersonate the Emperor’s authority.”
“I’ll take the punishment gladly.”
“No, continue to do so from now on.”
“…What?”
Damien’s face was incredulous as he looked at the Imperial Supreme Sword.
“The conversation with His Majesty has already ended. You can borrow His Majesty’s authority to achieve your goals freely.”
Not only Damien but also the Sword Saint was stunned.
The Imperial Supreme Sword’s words meant that the Emperor would be Damien’s guarantor, which was a privilege that transcended the imperial family.
“Additionally, even if it becomes known to others that you’re the Dark Knight, I’ll permit you to use the Emperor’s sword. At that time, not only His Majesty but also I will protect you.”
“…Is that okay?”
“Correcting the distortion is more important.”
Using dark magic was a taboo among taboos. That’s why Damien had only used it when others weren’t watching.
But if the Emperor and the Imperial Supreme Sword were to vouch for Damien, the situation would change.
Of course, he didn’t plan to recklessly use dark magic in front of others. It was too dangerous and would only lead to unnecessary trouble.
‘But if an unavoidable situation arises, I can use it without worrying about others.’
He had gained the right to use dark magic without worrying about others’ opinions. There would come a day when it would be useful.
“Oh, and His Majesty said to convey that you must come to the palace.”
“I’ll go right away after the investigation is over.”
“No, it’s better not to go.”
“What?”
“If you go to the palace, you’ll get caught up in His Majesty’s and the officials’ affairs. But you have a lot of things to take care of, don’t you?”
Leaving those words behind, the Imperial Supreme Sword turned around and left the room without even saying goodbye.
“……”
Damien gazed at the door with a stunned expression. He had thought he was familiar with the Imperial Supreme Sword’s personality, but it seemed he had been mistaken.
“That guy just left without saying a word.”
Sword Saint clicked his tongue as if he had expected it.
“More importantly, is what that he said true? Are you really a Dark Knight?”
“Yes.”
“…Are you joking?”
Since he had already been caught, there was no need to hide it. Damien took off his bracelet and released a little dark mana.
And he showed Sword Saint how he could move the dark mana around with his fingers.
“…Oh my God.”
Sword Saint wrung his hands together. His face was full of shock.
“You can use dark magic too?”
“What? You’re really going to turn me in?”
Sword Saint let out a deep sigh.
“Will you execute me?”
“No, I won’t.”
Sword Saint said in a firm tone.
“That guy is a bit strange, but he never compromises on dark mages and Dark Knights. He killed them as soon as he saw them. But the fact that he spared you… there must be a reason.”
Sword Saint seemed to trust the Imperial Supreme Sword more than Damien had thought.
“It’s true that I know how to use dark magic, but I’ve never killed anyone to gain dark mana.”
“Then what about this?”
“I killed the dark mages and extracted dark mana inside them.”
“So that’s why that guy let you be.”
Sword Saint scratched the back of his head.
“I should go too. I’m worried about leaving that guy alone.”
Before leaving the room, Sword Saint said.
“Oh, and I also recommend that you don’t go to the Imperial Palace. It seems like he was right, and His Majesty won’t let you go anywhere.”
With that, Sword Saint left the room as well.
But not long after the two men left, there was another knock on the door.
Damien thought that the two men had come back. But the person outside the door was neither the Imperial Supreme Sword nor Sword Saint.
“Thank you for opening the door, Sir Damien.”
It was Altman Bedepullity, the chancellor of the academy.
***
Upon their first meeting, Altman Bedepullity had taken an immediate dislike to Damien. No, it went beyond that, to the point of openly displaying his hostality.
“May I enter?”
But now, things were different. He looked at Damien with a defeated air.
“Please come in.”
“Thank you.”
Damien guided Altman into the room. The two of them sat down across from each other at a table.
“I have decided to step down from my position as chancellor.”
As soon as he sat down, Altman said this. Damien blinked several times.
“That’s sudden.”
“It’s only natural. Not only did Sla infiltrate the academy, but I also allowed several students to be sacrificed.”
Sla had kidnapped academy students with special lineages and used them as research material.
All of these facts came to light during the investigation into the remaining traces of Sla at the academy.
“So it’s right for me, the chancellor, to take responsibility and step down. It’s not just me; there will be a major shakeup in the faculty as well.”
There was no hint of regret or resentment in Altman’s voice.
“On the contrary, I feel like it’s not enough. This is all my fault.”
If anything, he was filled with guilt.
“Stepping down as chancellor is no ordinary matter, and I’ll be busy starting tomorrow. That’s why I came to see you before then.”
Altman rose from his chair. Then he knelt down on one knee and bowed his head.
“Thank you,”
Altman said in a small voice.
“Thanks to you, we were able to stop Sla. Otherwise, more students would have been sacrificed.”
Altman’s gratitude didn’t end there.
“And thank you for saving the kidnapped students from Class 13.”
“I thought you hated Class 13.”
“I don’t like them, but no instructor wants their students to die.”
Altman slowly rose from his seat. Then he took a small vial from his pocket and held it out to Damien.
“Please take this.”
The vial contained a golden liquid. Damien asked with a puzzled expression.
“What is this?”
To Damien’s question, Altman replied softly.
“Elysian Elixir.”
***
The moment he heard that, Damien almost dropped the vial.
Elysian Elixir.
A legendary elixir said to be able to revive the dead.
Of course, it didn’t actually have the power to revive the truly dead. But it was undoubtedly a mythical elixir, enough to spawn such a legend.
Even if one’s heart was ripped out or their lower body was completely severed, if they consumed it ‘just before their last breath’ everything would be regenerated.
“I heard that only the Alchemist sect has succeeded in restoring the elixir,” Damien said.
“I have a personal connection with the head of the Alchemist sect. It was an item even I had a hard time in obtaining it.”
Altman held out the elixir to Damien and added.
“The Elysian Elixir is such a great elixir that it is called a spare life. But it has other effects as well. If a healthy person consumes the elixir, their body will be reconstructed.”
Body reconstruction.
Damien’s eyes lit up at those words.
“You mean metamorphism.”
Metamorphism referred to the extremely rare awakening of the body that occurred during the process of Master Class knights breaking through their limits.
It was not about the growth or mutation of the body. It was about reaching a higher level by completely reconstructing it from the root.
That was called metamorphism.
“However, it’s not like you can experience metamorphism unconditionally just by drinking it. I’ve heard that it varies depending on the individual’s ability.”
That was fine. Just the possibility of metamorphism was an incredible opportunity.
“May I take this?”
Damien asked.
“On the contrary, I’m the one who should be asking you to take it. I think it will lighten the burden on my heart a little.”
Damien nodded and put the elixir into his subspace. The chancellor’s face relaxed slightly.
***
It took a few more days for the investigation to be completed.
Once the investigation was over, Damien prepared to leave the academy.
He packed his bags and left his dorm room. But instead of heading to the main gate, Damien went to a different place.
The place Damien arrived at was the scene of Blanca’s death.
The building was completely burned down. All that was left was a pile of black ash and debris.
“Stupid woman.”
Damien muttered to himself.
He told the investigators everything about Blanca Roche. He didn’t hide a single thing.
He didn’t care if Blanca Roche’s reputation was tarnished and she was forever branded a traitor.
She had collaborated with Sla to save her child and sacrificed countless students.
She couldn’t atone for her sins with just death.
“What did I tell you? You would lose everything.”
Damien said to himself.
He opened his subspace and took out a spear. He then thrust it into the ground.
“I have avenged my enemy.”
The reason Damien kept Blanca’s spear was to use it to finish off Sla.
It wasn’t because he pitied her.
Her actions were unforgivable, and Damien had no intention of forgiving her.
But he saw his past self in her. How she was manipulated and killed by a dark mage.
That’s why he showed her his last kindness.
“Rest in peace.”
He turned and walked towards the main gate to leave the academy.
But he saw familiar faces gathered at the gate.
“What are you guys doing here?”
Oliver, Penelope, and the students of Class 13 exchanged glances. Then one of them shouted.
“T-thank you for everything!”
This was followed by shouts from one or two others.
“W-we got our first good grades because of you, instructor!”
“M-my family contacted me! They asked if it was really me!”
“I-it’s been a while since I’ve been praised like this!”
Damien looked at Class 13 with a surprised expression.
He never thought these brats would wait for him to thank him.
It seemed like they had finally matured a bit during that short time.
“…Instructor.”
Oliver and Penelope walked out from the group of students. They couldn’t raise their heads as if they had done something wrong.
“I-I’m sorry.”
“What’s the matter? Did you do something wrong again?”
“W-we know you saved us, but… we…”
It seemed that they were still haunted by the fear they felt when they saw Damien.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”
Damien said sincerely. But their expressions remained grim.
“Come here.”
Damien gestured them to come close.
The two approached hesitantly. Damien hugged them and said.
“Oliver, you have a talent for swift swordsmanship. Keep practicing hard.”
“Yes, yes!”
“Penelope, to be honest, you’re average. You’ll only be able to reach great heights if you work to the bones.”
“I-I will…”
Damien released them from his embrace.
A bright smile appeared on Damien’s lips before he knew it.
***
“I don’t know why you insist on walking.” Sword Saint grumbled as he walked down the road.
“You were running in a hurry when you came here. But why are you so slow when you’re returning?”
The Imperial Supreme Sword didn’t respond at all. No, it didn’t seem like he could even hear Sword Saint’s words.
“…Huh?”
Then, the Imperial Supreme Sword stopped walking. Sword Saint spoke bluntly.
“Why? Did you see another fate?”
“Yeah, I did.”
“What? Really? What did you see?”
“It’s strange. New fates have appeared. The distortion has been slightly relieved. What’s going on here? Did Damien Haksen do something again?”
The Imperial Supreme Sword muttered and started walking again.
“At least pretend to listen when someone is talking to you.”
Sword Saint grumbled and followed behind the Imperial Supreme Sword.
***
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Kawaii]
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