LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 38
Chapter 38: The Emperor’s Sword (2)
Eyes as vast as the sky scanned me, but unlike other men, there was no lingering desire in his gaze. His appraisal was cold, detached—like evaluating an object.
“Have you recently begun training?”
The question was purely inquisitive. I nodded calmly. He had instantly noticed that I was tempering my body. Hiding my aura would be meaningless now.
Even though we were physically outside each other’s sword range, it felt as though an enormous blade hovered just below my throat.
“Father, training? What do you mean…?”
Rowan was the only one who didn’t grasp the intent behind Baron’s question. His puzzled expression darted between his father and me.
“Impressive…”
A faint smile tugged at Baron’s lips.
What could he see? I looked at the reflection of the small girl visible in his eyes.
There was no hostility. Perhaps he hadn’t yet discerned my true identity.
If that’s the case…
Showing tension or heightened alertness would seem more suspicious. I let out a small, controlled breath and exhaled the tension from my body. My taut muscles relaxed, and the mana pooled at my feet slowly dispersed.
Step.
The sky loomed closer. I swallowed dryly as Baron approached, his imposing presence bearing down on me.
“A pleasure to meet you, Miss Serida. I am Baron Silverhill, the lord of this estate. Please, feel free to call me whatever makes you comfortable.”
“I’m Serida. It’s an honor, my lord…”
It felt like walking a tightrope over a yawning chasm. My gaze flicked to Rowan. There was no way this man was a reincarnator.
Rowan couldn’t even sense the overwhelming aura dominating the space. How could such a clueless person be a reincarnator?
I wanted to smack Rowan’s face next week.
“Rowan has told me much about you. About the herbalist who recently came to our estate.”
“Father…”
A casual conversation ensued, though sharp, probing questions occasionally slipped in.
“So, you’ve been exploring the estate to research the local herbs, correct?”
“Yes…”
“You’ve worked hard. Digging into the earth tends to roughen one’s hands. The calluses on yours speak to your diligence.”
A swordsman knows the hands of another swordsman. The calluses on my hands weren’t from digging in the soil, and Baron knew it. He was pointing it out subtly.
I replied as casually as I could, “Oh, the calluses… They’re from training with a sword.”
“A sword…?”
“What? Serida, you know how to wield a sword?”
Rowan, predictably, was the only one surprised. He gawked and babbled, asking when I had learned.
I answered matter-of-factly, “You never asked…”
“Oh, I didn’t even know… But why would you learn to use a sword?”
“Well… When gathering herbs deep in the mountains, I often encounter wild animals. I learned a bit for self-defense.”
I thought I had handled it well. At least, from my perspective, it seemed plausible.
I wasn’t sure what Baron thought, but for now, he didn’t seem ready to act against me.
The three of us strolled through the garden before heading to the dining area, where a meal had been prepared.
The mansion’s interior was extravagant. A crimson carpet lined the floors, while chandeliers reflected light in every direction, dazzling the eyes.
The dining hall was eerily quiet, occupied by no one other than us. Yet, steaming dishes awaited on the table.
Baron took the seat at the head of the table—a position with an unobstructed view of everything.
The air around him was imposing, almost reminiscent of the emperor I had once encountered.
I was seated with Rowan across from him. As though it had been decided in advance, our chairs were placed uncomfortably close together.
This is unbearable.
I fought the urge to curse under my breath.
“If you have any dietary restrictions, please let me know. I’ll ensure those dishes are excluded.”
“No, I’m not picky with food…”
As I ate, I couldn’t help but wonder: Am I the only one taking this situation so seriously?
I glanced at Baron, who appeared to be a typical father sharing a meal and conversation with his son, Rowan.
Even the occasional sharp question seemed no more than a father carefully assessing the woman his son had brought home.
When the meal ended and the servants began clearing the table, Baron turned to Rowan.
“I need a private word with Miss Serida. Would you step out for a moment?”
“Ah, yes…!”
Once the dining hall emptied, leaving only the two of us, Baron finally broke the silence.
“You’ve done well to evade me so far.”
“…How long have you known?”
“How long do you think?”
His calm tone sliced through the quiet like a blade. Instinctively, I rose from my seat. My body reacted immediately, mana surging through me as my muscles tensed, ready for combat.
Yet Baron remained unfazed.
“Family bonds have complicated matters… The Empire’s sword has begun to point this way.”
“Family bonds…? How laughable.”
He had acknowledged being a reincarnator and dared to speak of familial love.
Reincarnators were those who stole the lives of others, twisting destinies as they pleased. His audacity disgusted me.
Clack, clack.
Baron tapped the table rhythmically as he spoke.
“I’ve lived a long time as Baron. Managed the estate, maintained family ties. Once I recognized the existence of other reincarnators and the Azure Wings hunting them, I became even more cautious—to prolong my life as Baron.”
“You’re not Baron.”
Our conversation didn’t align. Baron continued to speak, indifferent to my words.
“I couldn’t help but notice that child. The one born ill, destined to die young—the real Baron’s son. His body’s energy pathways were so twisted he wouldn’t have survived long. So, I saved him. A child who couldn’t have been saved by this world’s means. My child…”
“He’s not your child.”
“Azure Wings girl, is that so wrong? I saved a life that was meant to end and sustained a failing estate. Are reincarnators truly deserving of death for that?”
His words probed at my convictions, but I couldn’t falter. I recalled the teachings of Azure Wings.
A life that should have ended had been prolonged. Conversely, a life meant to flourish must have ended elsewhere.
My own White Frost Tribe was not fated to perish—it was the actions of reincarnators that destroyed it.
The distortion of fate begins with small changes. Reincarnators disrupt the balance of the world, causing calamities. The balance must be maintained.
“You talk too much, thief. The fate you’ve twisted will bring disaster upon this land.”
My words brought silence to the room. Baron wiped his mouth with a napkin before casually pushing the massive dining table.
Thud!
The table slid forward, imbued with a crushing force. Its finely finished wood splintered as it rushed toward me.
“Hmph!”
Prepared, I didn’t hesitate. My small fist struck the advancing table like a hammer, shattering it into pieces.
Crash!
Shards of wood scattered everywhere. Through the debris, Baron lunged at me, shouting.
“I’ll capture you and make you bear my son’s children!”
A wave of nausea overtook me. Death seemed preferable to such a fate. In this small body, how could I possibly endure childbirth? My stomach would surely burst.
Shaking off the grotesque thought, I invoked the White Dragon Mind Technique.
Whoosh!
My hands met him in midair, grappling with wild, chaotic movements. Each strike carried immense force, and despite my efforts, my small body was repeatedly driven backward.
“Excellent! Strong children will come from you!”
He kept attacking, his words pouring out relentlessly. It was a sign of his confidence—Baron had energy to spare. On the other hand, I was struggling to keep up.
Dodging, deflecting, and absorbing blows, each strike to my body churned my insides.
“Urgh…!”
A line of red trickled from my clenched teeth. In desperation, I punched forward, aiming for his incoming fist.
Boom!
Mana and inner strength collided in a massive shockwave. Using the impact, I flung myself backward, propelling my small frame through the air.
Cough!
The collision had taken its toll. Blood spilled from my mouth as I curled into myself.
My trajectory shattered a massive window, and I was thrown out onto the terrace.
“You think you can escape?!”
Thud!
Baron kicked off the ground, shooting toward me like a missile. His speed far exceeded mine.
But then—
Crackle!
Just before his hand could seize me, a faint blue light flickered. Baron’s gaze swept the area. My hair stood on end, and the grass within the estate bent in a single direction.
What is this…?
An alarm rang in Baron’s senses. Without hesitation, he gathered his inner strength. Energy surged from his dantian, enveloping his body in a sturdy barrier.
Crackle!
The blue light grew brighter, accompanied by an intensifying hum. Then, a brilliant blue bolt of lightning shot straight through the air.
Boom!
Landing on the ground, I instinctively looked up. Time seemed to stand still. Two figures hovered in the sky: Theo, his entire body encased in crackling blue lightning, and Baron, who had caught Theo’s sword barehanded while exuding an eerie power.
“Saeorin!”
Saeorin. A name I hadn’t heard in a long while.
I immediately raised my left hand. The White Dragon Sword flew swiftly toward me, wrapping itself snugly into my small grip with a sharp snap.
As the sword reached me, a black jacket and a cape descended from above, draping over my shoulders. The feather-shaped blue badge on the shoulder gleamed under the moonlight.
Simultaneously, Flora and Andrew landed beside me.
Boom!
A massive thunderclap resounded as Theo fell to the ground ahead of us.
Now, four members of Azure Wings stood together in one place.