Foreigner Volume 7, Chapter 95

Volume 7 Chapter 95, Magic Sword ~ 03

　After Sheryl left, saying that she would check on the team, the head of the Holy Sword Clan finally took a breath, put the sword aside, and sat down on her bed. She looks momentarily puzzled at the feel of the soft, well-washed mats. There is no relaxed atmosphere there.

　Without removing her mask, the head of the Holy Sword Clan breathes again, this time heavily. She can't take this mask off, because she doesn't know when Sheryl won't come back again. She strokes the surface of the rugged mask with her white fingertips.

「My Lord」

　Out of nowhere, a man's voice rang out. The head of the Holy Sword Clan is alone in the room, but there is no sign of agitation on her part.

「Sayasute?」

「Indeed」

　It is hard to tell where the voice of the man called "Sayasute" is coming from: under the ceiling, under the floor, or over the wall. The man's form is splendidly concealed, but the head of the Holy Sword Clan, who controls the western part of the continent, knows where the man's presence is. She cannot assume the position of head of the Holy Sword Clan without being able to see this much.

「I have accepted the offer of the Academy of the Wise. Tell that to the Place of Beginning.」

「Ha!」

　She heard Sayasute's straightforward reply.

　This is an unusual departure, but with the Holy Sword Clan, there is no wonder. As long as the opponent is of the Demon King class, which is beyond human control, and it is not an internal conflict between nations such as a power struggle, there is no reason for them to refuse. The same is true of the Demon race, for the clan exists to exterminate beings with strength that deviates from the norm.

「How many members of the clan can move in this land?」

「8 including myself」

　The head of the family exhaled heavily when Sayasute reported.

「Not many.」

「The West has been relatively peaceful in recent years.」

　Fumu, the head of the family breathed.

　Although the Holy Sword Clan is called a clan, the connection is not primarily by blood. Most of them are from refugee or slave backgrounds, and they are an organization that gathers children under the age of five with a soul of 130 or more, a body of intermediate level or higher, and a talent of beginner level in the art of rijutsu, and nurtures them, making it their mission to defeat the Demon race.

　The children thus gathered are given strict training in a hidden village called the "Place of Beginning" until they reach the age of 20, when they are dispersed throughout the world. Those who have completed the training have the ability to identify children who possess the abilities necessary for the clan. They pick up or purchase gifted children from slaves and send them to the villages to train the next generation.

　The Holy Sword clan is extremely selective in its focus on a few. There are 60 members of the clan spread across the continent, and 40 members in their village, called the Place of Beginnings, for a total of only 100 members. Too much power disturbs the balance of the world. It is neither desirable nor desirable for the Holy Sword Clan, which also plays the role of arbiter, to have more power than necessary. Therefore, they are an elite few.

　It is said that five members can destroy a small country. They are so strong that when they destroyed the great northern power of Yorkor, which had defied an ancient pact not to intervene in intra- and inter-state disputes, they did so with only 30 men.

「We have one of them mixed in with the army of Baron Dantes and his men, who will march on the city tomorrow.」

「That was quick. As expected.」

「We've got another one in the raid team investigating the massive explosion.」

「.........」

　Sayasute's leadership is quintessential for the clan's control of the western part of the continent. If the head of the clan remembers correctly, Sayasute has been in charge of this region for 25 years, and he is a strong man who has seen the upheavals in this region since before the head of the family was born. He has been gathering information using his scattered clansmen as if they were his hands and feet.

　At the invitation of Graham Coogan, head of the Academy of the Wise, the head of the clan ordered Sayasute to first confirm that it was not a civil war. If it was just a power struggle, even the Academy of the Wise would be subject to annihilation.

　However, the result was clean. Although there is a certain amount of internal strife within the Academy of the Wise, the High Mentor is still alive and well, and Sayasute judged that the possibility of such a conflict was extremely low, and reported the matter to the head of the school. At that moment, it was decided that the target would be a human, but his soul was not a human at all, and he would be the target of the subjugation.

「I have only heard the story, but the target is extremely dangerous. It will not be a simple task.」

「Yes」

　While not quite as well known as the Academy of the Wise, the Holy Sword Clan also has its own information network. One such case, an explosion of pure magic power that could have been mistaken for a Starfall, was reported to her when she accepted the invitation and headed this way. It was a horrifying experience for the head of the clan.

　The explanation given by the High Mentor of the Academy of the Wise and his subordinate Sheryl made her realize the danger of the target in detail, so much so that she felt it was a challenge that surpassed the many defeats accomplished by the previous heads of the clan.

「In the meantime, the four of you should be able to follow the High Mentor around. We'll talk to the old man as well.」

「Understood.」

　It is tough to say that I am not enough on my own. The head of the clan calmly analyzed the situation. That is why she asked the High Mentor to contribute a forbidden art that would weaken her opponent.

　Reversal Magic Circle. An art that was perfected in the days of the Ancient Magic Kingdom, but was once lost when people entered the modern age of swords. She never thought that she would be using this art, which was revived by the Academy of the Wise, against a human being.

「That leaves two. Sayasute, you are in charge. The remaining one will be a scout and liaison. You are to do your best to gather information on the target.」

「Understood」

　Suddenly, the tension that had been building up shook. Sayasute must have moved to skip the instructions as soon as possible. Even in the depths of the Academy of the Wise, which rings with great renown, it is easy for those who have mastered the clan's inner workings to break in.

　Knock-knock, a knock sounded. The head of the clan knows who is on the other side of the door. It is Sheryl. She has already understood the waveform of her soul. There was no way she could mistake her for someone who was just one wall away. Sheryl tilted her head as soon as she entered the room with a plate of dinner.

「......Is there someone in the room just now?」

「Who knows..」

　―Hou, you guessed it.

　The head of the clan muttered inwardly. Sayasute's 【Hiding】 is no joke. At least, if it's only about 【Hiding】, he's probably better than the head of the clan. It could be said that this is because the head of the clan does not need to hone her skills, but it is not something that an amateur would be able to notice.

　Sheryl raised her eyebrows, glanced at the head of the clan, and placed a plate on the desk. White bread, fried lamb, salad, stew, and fruit ― a very blessed meal.

「.........You say horrible things without hesitation. Because it's a very good idea to break into this place, which is close to the deepest part of the Academy of the Wise.」

　The patrolmen who guard the Academy of the Wise are a first-class organization. The place is so full of information that it cannot be leaked to the outside world, and many secret agents from various countries have been chased away when they have tried to break in. Nevertheless, the clan in the legend easily sneaked into this place close to the innermost part of the country.

　Sheryl is still a member of the patrol, albeit in a different unit. She muttered halfheartedly in dismay while burning herself with the sensation that the pride of the troop was being torn apart. The head shrugged her shoulders.

「I didn't say anything, though?」

「Well, then, I guess that's that.」

　Sheryl returned nonchalantly, pointing to a plate of dinner and smiling.

「I don't know if it will suit your palate. Oh, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't leave any leftovers.」

　―A woman to be on her guard.

　The head of the clan stood up from the bed, saying this in her mouth.

　Sheryl, at least somewhat, understood what she was doing, accepted her intentions, and let it slide. It would have been natural for her to alert the High Mentor or the commander of the patrol to the fact that an intruder was allowed to enter the women's dormitory, which is located near the white Chalk Tower near the innermost part of the Academy of the Wise, a secret fortress, but she did not do so and let it slide. An attitude that says that she's not wary of the head clan. They are trying to buy our trust. It's a brilliant attitude, but at the same time, it's tricky.

　Well, if they're trying to win us over, we'll take them up on it. If they plan to take down another target, I will follow the old rules and give them a reward apart from that. The head of the clan ate her meal, muttering this in her mind.

　If there is a problem, it is that this bed and the dinner served to her, are the height of luxury for the head of the clan. To be accustomed to luxury is to be corrupted. The head of the clan is surprised by the taste of the stew she has just tasted, but she also thinks that it is difficult not to be seduced by this stew.

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