Episode 198
“The Grand Duke of Lancaster, the Celestial Sword, and Lady Sephilia, the Noble Blade, have officially announced their participation in the ‘Rite of Swords.’”
The whisper traveled through the blue web that spanned the entire empire. Dale, seated at the table, nodded silently after hearing the report.
“Well done.”
The messenger from the ‘Blue Whisper’ withdrew, and Dale quietly rose from his seat.
The Rite of Swords. A tradition from the ancient Teutonia Knights’ Order, meant to determine the strongest sword on the continent. It was a legacy that had been lost with the fall of the order.
In other words, those known as the Seven Swords of the Continent today had claimed their titles in the last Rite of Swords, held many years before Dale was even born.
Conversely, it was possible that there were swordsmen on the continent who surpassed the current Seven Swords. The reborn Holy Sword Aurelia and the Shadow Lord’s avatar, the ‘Black Prince,’ were such examples.
Dale’s own shadow housed the dark Aurelia, and she was no exception.
Unbidden, the image of a girl who had left her lord’s side to grow on her own since that day came to mind.
A contest among the strongest to claim the title of the greatest sword. It was inevitable that the daughter of the Divine Sword would participate in the ceremony held in her former homeland.
Fortunately, the ‘Rite of Swords’ was not something that happened overnight. In the meantime, Dale had only one task.
The Saxon Ducal Castle, with its absurdly large training grounds prepared for the Night Raven Knights.
There, three of the Seven Swords of the Continent had gathered.
Sir Helmut Blackbear, the Light Sword; Master Baro, the Assassin’s Blade; and the Wandering Sword, an unnamed swordsman.
Lastly, the Shadow Lord, who commanded their loyalty, and Lady Shadow, who claimed to be his shadow, were also present.
“It must not have been easy to gather three of the Seven Swords here.”
“Ha! How could we refuse the summons of Prince Dale?”
“Indeed.”
“Damn it.”
Master Baro shook his head, cursing under his breath, while Sir Helmut’s expression hardened.
“An assassin who dares to call himself a knight—how shameless.”
Even though they both resided in the Saxon Duchy, they rarely crossed paths. They were aware of each other’s existence, but that changed nothing.
Sir Helmut served as the Duke’s sword, while Master Baro operated in the shadows as the blade of the Shadow Court.
“Ha, damn it. What can we do about the way the world has turned?”
“Why should we trust someone like you, who knows nothing of oaths, with Prince Dale’s back?”
“There’s no need to worry, Sir Helmut. Master Baro is more trustworthy than he seems.”
“But, my lord…!”
“You are not here for petty squabbles.”
Dale shook his head with a gentle smile, his voice leaving no room for dissent.
With a swift motion, Dale drew the jet-black demon sword, Gluttony, from his waist.
“In the upcoming Rite of Swords, aside from the new, unnamed challengers, there are two to watch out for.”
Dale continued.
“The Celestial Sword, Grand Duke Lancaster, and the Noble Blade, Lady Sephilia. Both have expressed their intent to participate.”
“The Celestial Sword and the Noble Blade…”
Though expected, hearing their names made Sir Helmut swallow hard.
“The position of the Holy Sword is reserved for those who possess a holy blade. But the vacant seat of the Divine Sword is not. Surely, they all aim to claim it.”
Dale stated.
“And I, too, will participate in the Rite of Swords with you.”
”…!”
At Dale’s words, the three swords held their breath.
“But, my lord, only those who can wield aura…”
Sir Helmut began, then paused, as if realizing something, and swallowed his words.
Dale smiled knowingly.
“I must use aura.”
“Indeed.”
“But I’ve heard that in the old Rite of Swords, there were many who wielded both sword and magic.”
Dale said, and Sir Helmut’s expression hardened as he grasped the meaning.
“Surely not!”
“I intend to create an Aura Heart within myself, like the knights do.”
The reason why mages and knights in this world cannot master both arts is simple.
Mages use magic, while knights use aura.
However, both magic and aura are merely different ways of processing mana, the transcendent force present in the atmosphere.
Knowing this, there were many attempts in the past to master both sword and magic. Yet, in this era, mages and knights are strictly separated for one reason.
The efficiency is so abysmal that one ends up catching neither rabbit.
Mastering either magic or aura requires a lifetime of effort for most people, and only a handful can reach the pinnacle. It would be strange not to worry.
“I understand your concerns. However…”
Dale was about to explain his intentions when—
“I understand.”
Without hesitation, Sir Helmut Blackbear nodded.
“Sir Helmut?”
“I trust you, Prince Dale.”
Indeed. What Dale demonstrated was not merely his achievements as a mage. As the avatar of the Shadow Lord, he possessed martial prowess that rivaled the Seven Swords of the Continent, despite claiming to be a mage.
What if he could focus solely on physical enhancement with aura?
As the ‘Black Prince,’ hailed as the empire’s greatest genius, it was believable. When he spoke of catching both rabbits, it was not an empty boast. Those who had witnessed Dale’s endless feats could not help but be amazed.
“Wow, damn. You already have so much, yet you’re so greedy.”
“Mind your words before Prince Dale.”
“Oh, my apologies.”
Master Baro bowed exaggeratedly, and Dale turned his head.
In truth, what Dale sought was not an unattainable dream. It was a state more familiar than his entire lifetime combined.
It was a secret technique of a hero from another world. But what Dale intended to do now was slightly different. The five circles entwining Dale’s heart were no ordinary circles.
“Shub.”
Dale spoke. As if waiting, a grotesque creature from another world, dressed as a young girl, appeared beside him.
“Just as we discussed.”
─ I’ve been waiting for this.
Shub smiled brightly, and Dale nodded. He steeled himself and set the five circles of his heart in motion.
With the three swords, each having reached the pinnacle of aura, behind him, Dale spoke.
“Begin.”
Whoosh!
The five circles, the core of a mage, began to accelerate.
Simultaneously, the ‘Book of the Black Goat,’ fused with the Shadow Lord’s heart, generated new tendrils that slid down Dale’s body.
Like an endoscope descending into the stomach.
Using Shub’s tendrils as a ‘Mana Circuit,’ a path of mana opened from the heart to the lower abdomen.
Mana surged through the circuit, pouring from the heart into the lower body.
Pure mana flowed like a breached dam toward the navel.
A mage’s ‘Mana Heart’ resides in the heart. A knight’s Aura Heart does not. It is located in the lower abdomen, a few inches below the navel, where knights store mana and process it into aura.
Shub’s tendrils slid down to the location of the Aura Heart, forming an intricate mana circuit.
A path of mana connecting the heart’s circles to the Aura Heart.
“Ugh…!”
Dale steadied his consciousness amidst the excruciating pain that twisted his organs.
Simultaneously, raw mana poured through the circuit, exploding into Dale’s lower abdomen.
Strictly speaking, the beginning of a knight’s journey is the creation of an ‘Aura Heart’ within the body.
This is akin to a mage awakening their first circle, the 1st Circle, and as a knight, Dale had yet to form even the 1st Circle.
Thus, like forcing through the boundary where water and oil meet, Shub’s tendrils writhed in the suffocating pain.
Raw mana, endlessly spewing through the circuit, began to form the outer shell of the Aura Heart, accumulating mana within.
The vessel for aura was finally forming in Dale’s lower abdomen, filling with mana.
Who could have imagined such a thing? Yet, the three swords, each having reached the pinnacle of aura, understood.
What was happening within Dale’s body.
The mage crafted a ‘mana circuit’ that stretched from the heart to the lower abdomen, channeling mana through it to create the knight’s heart, the Aura Heart.
“Y-Young Master…!”
“Holy… damn.”
Master Baro couldn’t hide his shock, letting out a curse in disbelief.
It’s no wonder the hero from another world is called a monster. No one else had ever managed to harness the efficiency of a magic swordsman to such an extent.
Yet, until now, Dale had refrained from creating an Aura Heart, focusing solely on being a mage for one reason alone.
No matter how exceptional the eldest son of the Jaxen family was, he couldn’t compare to the physical prowess of that era.
Ultimately, trying to chase both paths would have meant losing both.
But now, having acquired the power of the Shadow Lord, things were different. For Dale, dedicating all his efforts to being just a mage would be like burning down a house to catch a flea.
The ‘Book of the Black Goat’ nestled in his heart extended its tendrils, forming a mana circuit that connected to the Aura Heart, and mana began to flow through it.
The hearts of the mage and the knight were linked, and with each breath, magic and aura were generated from both hearts.
But this was far from the end. It was merely the beginning.
Just as a mage increases the number of circles to advance their mastery, a knight can expand the Aura Heart to accumulate more aura.
Dale had just created his Aura Heart, and he had no intention of stopping there.
Through the mana circuit connected by Shub’s tendrils, an overwhelming surge of mana began to pour from his heart into the Aura Heart.
To grasp the ultimate secret, said to be attainable only through a lifetime of dedication as a knight, right here and now.