I Was The Hero, But I Woke Up as a Phoenix Princess! – Chapter 36

Chapter 36 chapter 29 Old Name
“I didn’t expect that a young mage like you, Miss Verafia, would be so skilled in swordsmanship… As a noble lady with such talent, you must be famous throughout the continent!” Helia cast a meaningful glance at the young girl.
Verafia’s smooth golden hair, which had been perked up like a proud little swan, suddenly drooped down softly, mirroring her mood.
“Ah, I’ve only learned a little, hehe. As for my family and reputation, they are not worth mentioning.” The girl touched her hair tip with her fingertips, smiling shyly.
Helia simply assumed the young lady was boasting, so he chuckled and said no more.
“Actually, the reason young Igger could endure under Reske’s attack for so long was not just his swordsmanship and footwork.” As a gentle male voice spoke, Ronald also walked up to them.
The Paladin raised his pair of azure eyes to look at the Dou Qi surging on the young man’s sword edge, and said with a smile.
“This hardened Dou Qi, its sharpness is even more so, and I can even feel that he is still suppressing and accumulating his strength… I think what he is using might not be ordinary Dou Qi, but… ‘Sword Qi’, which I’ve only heard of in records and rumors.”
“Sword Qi?” Many members of the adventuring party who had witnessed the young man’s performance and dropped their condescending attitude suddenly looked dismissive again, smiling disdainfully.
“That imposter’s useless Sword Qi? There are still fools like this in the Kingdom!” Some busybodies even laughed at Verafia:
“Miss Verafia, I don’t know why you chose such a good-for-nothing as your attendant, don’t you know that this is…”
“I am willing, and it’s none of your business!” Verafia glared at him fiercely, scaring the mercenary back half a step and forcing him to swallow the words he was about to say.
To mock her inheritance right to her face was simply outrageous! Do you think I can’t burn you to death! Verafia’s small face flushed red, showing shame and anger born of being looked down upon. She simply ignored this person and turned to look at Helia beside her.
“Helia, what are this impostor and Sword Qi you are talking about?”
“Miss Verafia, you don’t know?” Helia looked at the beautiful girl with large, confused eyes with slight surprise, but then he immediately understood when he thought of her identity.
“Oh, you are from the Empire, and you are this young. Things like this are just idle chat. Perhaps your parents didn’t intend to tell you… However, since this matter is related to His Majesty the King, it is quite enthusiastically discussed by many citizens of the Kingdom.”
“Your King… that Lancaster, the hero who saved the world in the Demon Race War a hundred years ago?” Verafia suppressed her disgust, blinking her curious large eyes and asked with a confused tone.
“Exactly. This ‘imposter’ Lothelser Tlaesis was a companion of His Majesty at that time, and the ‘Sword Qi’ that Ronald mentioned was also the cultivation technique practiced by this person back then.” Helia said.
From his expression, it was obvious that he held great respect for this legendary hero who saved the entire continent. Even as an unruly adventurer, he used the honorific “Your Majesty” even when chatting in private.
“However, the fate of this ‘imposter’ was not good. Although I don’t know what means he used to usurp the divine decree that should have been given to His Majesty by the gods, by concealing it from the Emperor, the old king, and the Pope…” Helia suddenly snorted dismissively again.
“This ‘imposter’ was ambitious, greedy, and arrogant, but how could a divinely appointed hero be so easily disguised? In the end, he was backlashed by the Sacred Sword and died, his flesh and blood scattered, even the fragments of his soul and will were completely submerged… Hmph, may the gods protect us, how can they allow such lowly beings to act presumptuously!”
“So that’s how it is…” Hearing the girl’s slightly light and soft voice, Helia realized his tone had become a little agitated and turned to apologize to the girl.
“Miss Verafia, I apologize. Speaking of this despicable villain, my tone became a little agitated. However, I wish for his soul to fall into the deepest hell.”
“It’s nothing… If I met someone like that, I would also be very angry.” Verafia bit her silver teeth lightly, but without showing it, she nodded in agreement. The girl suddenly turned her head and asked again.
“Then what about this ‘Sword Qi’ that Ronald just mentioned?”
“What good can come from a cultivation technique practiced by this deceitful villain? It’s not that no one has tried it over the decades, but at best their cultivation is ruined, and at worst they are backlashed and die. Tsk… this ‘imposter’, he really doesn’t rest even in death’s condemnation.” Helia sneered coldly, clearly harboring great malice towards Lothelser, who “falsified the divine decree” and attempted to usurp the name of the true hero.
“Actually, Helia, in my opinion, this Lothelser Tlaesis and his ‘Sword Qi’ may not be as worthless as you say.” Paladin Ronald stepped forward, smiled at the gazing girl, and then turned to his companion.
“No matter what, that Lord Lothelser was also a companion of His Majesty in the past. And the ‘Sword Qi’ he practiced did allow him to break through to the legendary realm.”
“Perhaps.” Helia said noncommittally, crossing his arms and snorting coldly to the side. Verafia couldn’t help but look at the young man who had said a few fair words for her again. Ronald had a handsome face, a tall and straight figure, and his face under his golden hair, which seemed to be forged from gold, was as dazzling as the bright sun, a perfect standard image of a Paladin.
“Then, Lord Ronald, why is it that to this day, no one has been able to cultivate his technique to a higher level?” A slender and faint girl’s voice suddenly rang out. Verafia turned her head and saw the half-elf mage girl who had suddenly emerged from the crowd. The half-elf girl had soft, light green hair, and her emerald blue pupils gazing up at the young knight were full of adoration, clearly harboring feelings for the Paladin. Verafia blinked her long eyelashes and looked, her eyes thoughtful towards this half-elf girl she had noticed before.
“Little Grisia, I don’t know about that either. Perhaps this former legendary swordsman was too protective of his knowledge, or perhaps his inheritance was completely damaged and lost with the passing of his successor and the scorn of the world.” Ronald turned to face the girl, and his head-shaking expression was not without regret.
“Ronald, since this Lothelser Tlaesis also has a noble surname, did his family not preserve his inheritance?” Verafia suddenly raised her delicate face, and a hint of curiosity appeared in her large eyes again as she asked the Paladin.