Chapter 1106
Promoting the Sin Scholar
While a trace of nostalgia for the Golden Sword lingered in her heart, Haibasha was a remarkably clear-headed and rational person.
She knew with absolute certainty that Hermes was dead and would never return. Furthermore, the Golden Sword was neither a weapon forged by Hermes nor one he had personally wielded. It had merely served as a conduit, a messenger, passing it from one hand to another.
It could not even be considered a keepsake to mourn a departed loved one.
And most crucially, its holder was Eivass, not herself. She had little interest in how others chose to spend their wealth, and even less so when Eivass was the very benefactor who had saved her daughter.
A living person, standing right before her, was far more important than a dead sword that had long since been given away.
Therefore, Haibasha hesitated not in the slightest.
After confirming Eivass’s genuine disinterest in the sword’s power, she personally proceeded to dissolve it.
Her fingers lightly brushed over the top of the Red-Hilted Sword. Countless intricate dark gold runes emerged from the hilt, then dimmed, as wisps of flowing light gradually seeped into the blade. As if sensing something, it began to vibrate and struggle fiercely, emitting a low, pitiful hum… like a trembling young beast.
As a slight divine radiance emanated from the Red-Hilted Sword, a brilliant yet ethereal blade gradually condensed. In a momentary daze, it felt as if a holy song was resounding in her ears. Gazing at the sword, Haibasha felt it was not a lifeless object… but rather a little girl dressed in a red dress, appearing to be about thirteen or fourteen years old.
She was looking at Haibasha with expectant eyes, her skin etched with markings symbolizing destruction.
These were precisely the Self-Destruct Runes that Haibasha had infused… a spell capable of making matter self-disintegrate and collapse.
This was a Rune Magic popular during the Sky-Piercing Tower era, a truth-seeking art remarkably close to the Origin River. Only by thoroughly understanding the structure of the subject could one precisely inscribe the method of self-destruction.
It was a skill now long lost, something only an Elf mage from two thousand years ago could possibly master. It was not about destruction or violence, but about dissipating the fundamental basis of all things.
With sufficient understanding of gemstones, even a fine gem could turn to dust under the Self-Destruct Rune; with enough knowledge of trees, a thousand-year-old giant would wither and decay, vanishing in an instant.
Given Haibasha’s profound understanding of the Golden Sword, she could easily destroy it.
Not by cutting, nor by melting, but by thoroughly “disposing” of it—without affecting the spirit within, as she lacked sufficient knowledge of that particular entity. The Self-Destruct Rune she inscribed targeted the sword itself.
But at this moment… Haibasha vaguely felt as if she wasn’t destroying a sword, but killing a person. An innocent child, a newly born consciousness.
—Did she truly possess such authority? To extinguish a brand-new life…
“…Alas.”
Haibasha sighed. “I originally thought Eivass was overreacting… but now, it seems he was truly right.”
She had already held a considerable fondness for the Golden Sword, even earnestly persuading Eivass to accept it. Yet, just as the Golden Sword was about to be destroyed, it truly began to influence her mind.
This led Haibasha to reflect—had she already been beguiled by it years ago? Was that why she had spoken so favorably of it? And… could Hermes’ death also be connected to this sword?
Regardless, the eyes of the young Elf maiden remained calm.
There was no emotional fluctuation within her gaze.
“—Regrettably, that trick won’t work on me.”
Haibasha looked down at the Golden Sword and said so.
As an Apostle of the Path of Wisdom, she had long since learned to view the world with absolute rationality. Her apparent emotions were merely an act of self-deception, a desire to feel emotion in that moment.
The Golden Sword seemed to realize this belatedly.
Its pretense of helplessness and fragility vanished completely, its facade of goodwill instantly torn apart by itself.
The young beast’s innocent whimpers, delivered in a childlike voice, immediately transformed into the furious roars of a wild animal.
The humming intensified a hundredfold—to a degree where a single finger extended would be instantly severed. Placed on a stone, it could turn the stone to powder. If one forcibly attempted to grip it, even a High-Tier Extraordinary would have their internal organs pulverized within seconds.
It dropped the act, but it was too late.
Regardless of how the residual consciousness of Malmidor fought back, it was still powerless against Haibasha.
As the final rune was infused, it ceased its struggles. As if enduring thousands of years in an instant… the Red-Hilted Sword lost all its luster. The guard decayed and shattered, and the hilt encased in amber rapidly dissolved into nothingness. The entire sword was reduced to a small fragment in the center…
It resembled a star-shaped cuttlebone, possessing a transparent and soft texture.
Looking at it, Haibasha’s expression showed a flicker of surprise.
Clearly, even Haibasha was unaware that such an object was hidden within the Red-Hilted Sword. It was precisely because of this that her Self-Destruct Rune had failed to affect it.
But having lost its “weapon” shell, this flexible, soft bone no longer posed any threat.
Haibasha reached out and dissolved it into a wisp of nothingness, releasing the hazy light cluster sealed within.
At this point, however, she paused.
Haibasha turned to look at Eivass and asked earnestly, “You wish for me to transfer this spirit intact into that Holy Sword… are you intending to sign some kind of contract with it?”
“That’s right.”
Eivass nodded and explained in detail to Haibasha, “This is my Professional Heritage—the special ability of a Sin Scholar. I can capture Phantom Demons and incorporate their entire power, or a portion of it, into Tarot Cards, making them my summoned beings, personal guardians, or transforming them into spells, items, or weapons.
“During this contract-signing process, there will be a stage of mutual recognition. I will see a portion of its memories, and if it agrees, it can become my Guardian Spirit.
“And within my team, I require a role that can provide defense and survival. It must be a light-attribute High-Tier Phantom Demon, and the materials I could find were these two Holy Swords. Therefore, I need to ensure this spirit can properly utilize the Clarent Holy Sword, inherited by the Moriarty Family, ideally maintaining sufficient rationality and retaining its complete swordsmanship and combat awareness…”
As the party of the first part, Eivass naturally understood that “requirements” were always better communicated in detail.
Just as a patient shouldn’t withhold information or deliberately conceal details, forcing the doctor into a decryption game—setting aside the doctor’s blood pressure, the patient ultimately suffers when the illness is delayed.
Moreover, given Eivass’s current status and position, he no longer needed to conceal the secrets of the Sin Scholar profession.
Rather… he was even preparing to start promoting this profession.
(End of this chapter)
