We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
The Desert Star.
It was a place with no scorching heat, no dry winds, and no barren sand; a veritable paradise for us.
“Magdalia, with sword strokes like that, you can’t possibly hit me!”
“You’ve got some nerve, Lapis! Then how about this!”
A garden of training where those with the same aspirations gather and sharpen each other.
However, this was not a place for us to hone our skills and compete, not a school.
This was a training ground established solely for Lapis.
We were mere sparring partners gathered for Lapis’s quest for the ultimate.
But that was fine.
We would unite our hearts and guide Lapis’s future.
This was the Holy Knight Academy.
An academy city established in the heart of the desert, where those aiming to become Sword Saints gather.
We gathered at the academy city, holding the same goal and aspirations, and honed our skills daily.
We crossed swords, mastered all combat techniques, and aimed for higher ground.
Leading us all was Lapis, of the Fairy Race.
Lapis danced in the air, fluttering their semi-transparent wings on their back.
At first glance, they might seem to be just joyfully flitting around, but our blades could never reach Lapis.
Like petals drifting in the wind without pattern, Lapis flew elusively, uncatchable by any school of swordsmanship or any technique.
And yet, Lapis’s needle-like rapier cut through everything.
One day, a Sand Yōma appeared in the desert.
Given a request by a traveling merchant, we left the academy to subdue the Sand Yōma.
“I’ll defeat it with a swift strike!”
Just as Lapis said.
Lapis, whose height was no more than my palm, sliced through the giant Sand Yōma that covered the desert, slicing through the world itself.
Lapis’s blade cuts the world.
Whether it be rock, water, or air, there is no world that Lapis cannot cut.
“Lapis, I want to become a Sword Saint someday.”
“Ah, I’ve heard you say that countless times. The Sword Saint saved your country long ago, right?”
“Yes, that’s right! Have you ever seen a Sword Saint? Have you ever witnessed their sword dance?”
“Never. I’ve only heard tales. You’re probably the only one among us gathered at the Holy Knight Academy who has actually seen a Sword Saint.”
“Perhaps. Ah, their sword dance was truly beautiful. Their sword strokes were mesmerizing, impossible to replicate, and their movements captivated everyone. No matter how much we train, we probably can never match them.”
“Hey, hey, don’t say things like that.”
“Hahaha, I’m sorry. But I am convinced. We cannot match the Sword Saint in the same way. But, you know? I believe we can reach the heights of a Sword Saint from a different position.”
With those words, Lapis shivered the semi-transparent wings on their small body.
“Because, Magdalia, there’s something I have that the Sword Saint doesn’t. It’s these wings! Do you know? The Sword Saint’s blade isn’t just the two swords held in their hands. Not only their limbs used in their sword dance, but even their clothes become blades. But if that’s the case, then I too can use my sword. If I train more, I’ll be able to cut the world with my hand chops and kicks. Even the edge of my clothes will become a blade. And these wings too! The Sword Saint has no wings on their back. So, with these wings, I can go beyond the Sword Saint, right?”
“Ah, you’ll surely become a new Sword Saint!”
I believed it without a doubt.
If we worked together, aiming for Sword Saint with Lapis at the center, we would eventually reach those lofty heights.
But then, that day arrived abruptly.
“Magdalia, I’m leaving.”
“Wait, Lapis!”
How many seasons of sandstorms had we endured?
How many new students had we welcomed?
After countless days and nights, what awaited us was a farewell from Lapis.
“I can’t, Magdalia. If I stay here… if I only train here, I won’t become a Sword Saint.”
“But…!”
“Hahaha, don’t be so crestfallen. Hey, isn’t this wonderful? This here is my diploma! I’m the first graduate of the Holy Knight Academy. And you know what? The council members gave me a title. Isn’t that amazing? From now on, I can call myself the Sword King!”
“Lapis… I’m sorry…”
“Hahaha, what are you apologizing for, Magdalia? This is my decision, and you have no reason to feel guilty about it. I’m planning to travel the world from now on… I’m sorry. For leaving you all behind.”
I thought Lapis would continue training at the Holy Knight Academy forever.
Not just me. Everyone gathered at the Holy Knight Academy thought so.
But at the same time, we knew. None of us could be sparring partners for Lapis anymore as they strove for higher ground.
“Cheer up, okay? I’ll write to you often. And someday, I’ll invite you all to my place. So, please see me off with a smile.”
The Holy Knight Academy, for which it was no exaggeration to say it was established solely for Lapis.
On this day, Lapis’s presence disappeared from the Holy Knight Academy.
Lapis, who was cheerful yet also a person of their word, sent letters frequently.
Lapis’s letters, each detailing various adventures, like cutting a giant fish demon in the sea, or discovering a continuously erupting volcano in the depths of a mountain range.
“This time, I think I’ll travel west. They say the demons who were driven from this land long ago fled west. Perhaps there are demons stronger than you, Magdalia? Hahaha.”
Lapis continued their journey, seeking worthy opponents and new techniques.
We remained at the Holy Knight Academy, engaging in arduous training, hoping to catch up to Lapis someday.
But again, it came unexpectedly.
Lapis’s letters, which had been arriving so frequently, suddenly stopped.
“I think I’ve traveled quite far. Maybe I should return to the Holy Knight Academy for a bit? I’m always indebted to the council members, and I want to see how you all have grown!”
That was the last letter.
“Where is Lapis?! You who supported Lapis’s journey must know!”
“Magdalia, calm down. The council members are also saying they don’t know.”
“Karina, are you really going to accept that?! There’s no way that Lapis would disappear without telling us anything!”
“Magdalia, let’s calm down. Shouting here won’t help us find Lapis’s whereabouts, you know?”
“I know that, Zeke! Still!!”
I couldn’t stand still.
Lapis, missing?
Lapis, who continued traveling far west and reported they would be returning to the academy city temporarily?
I couldn’t believe it.
None of us could.
Lapis, who was running so far ahead of us, vanishing without any precursor.
But that was the reality.
No matter how long we waited, no matter how much we worried, all news from Lapis ceased.
After that, how much time passed.
“With this, we can finally pursue Lapis’s whereabouts.”
“Magdalia, congratulations. The second Sword King.”
“You were granted a wonderful sword from the council. It must be a testament to their expectations for you.”
“Expectations, huh… The Heavenly Revelation Sword, it’s a strange sword.”
“But, thanks to the Heavenly Revelation Sword, you can now cut the world too, can’t you?”
“Shut up, Karina. In other words, I still can’t cut the world without the Heavenly Revelation Sword. But Lapis was cutting the world as a matter of course, even back when they were here.”
The Holy Knight Academy does not have a fixed term of enrollment for graduation.
Only those who wish it, and whose abilities are recognized by the council members, can graduate.
For over sixty years since its founding. Except for Lapis, the first to graduate, we were finally recognized as the second graduating class for this very reason.
We continued our journey.
A long journey, tracing Lapis’s footsteps, using their letters as clues.
A pilgrimage for training to become Sword Saints.
In the East, we saw the sea.
We visited a continuously erupting volcano deep in the mountains and met the Dragon Race who lived there.
Deep forests. Vast grasslands that stretched endlessly. A great river whose opposite shore was invisible like the sea. Snow-capped mountain ranges.
We visited various places and continued our training.
In some places, we heard stories about Lapis.
In other regions, we gained no clues at all. Thus, we shifted our journey’s objective towards the West.
“Are there people stronger than you?”
“Yeah, there are. My older brother and his companions are so strong that even Amira and I can’t lay a hand on them.”
“But surely, Lapis is stronger.”
“I don’t know this ‘Lapis’ you speak of. The world is wider than you think. Well, we’ve only just started traveling, so this is just what Old Man Ruldod told us, though.”
At one point.
While traveling, we encountered a peculiar pair of siblings from the Divine Race and members of the Mountain Race.
We, who had been continuing our training journey, seeking news of Lapis while aiming to become Sword Saints. Our pride, having become reasonably strong and able to freely wield the Heavenly Revelation Sword’s Sword Secret Arts, was thoroughly shattered by the divine siblings.
In a duel solely with swords, I could defeat Alf. However, once Alf switched to combat using Divine Arts, we were no match for him.
Is this the power of the Divine Race, who can wield true Divine Arts? We trembled. Then, we were utterly defeated by his sister, Amira.
Unlike Alf, who used Divine Arts skillfully, Amira couldn’t use them at all.
Yet, even combined, we couldn’t lay a hand on Amira.
Furthermore, even though we used our full strength, Amira didn’t even break a sweat.
Truly, we were made to realize the vastness of the world.
‘Amira will surely reach new heights.’
The Heavenly Revelation Sword whispered this to me one midnight when the stars adorned the night sky vividly.
I had heard the Heavenly Revelation Sword’s whispers several times.
When I told Karina and Zeke about it, they were initially skeptical.
But now, after being guided by the Heavenly Revelation Sword’s whispers countless times on our journey, they no longer doubted it.
That Heavenly Revelation Sword whispered.
If Amira, who overwhelmed us with swordsmanship alone, were to learn various schools and countless techniques at the Holy Knight Academy.
Perhaps, she might reach the same heights as Lapis.
“Lapis, who cuts the world. Interesting. If I can use that technique, maybe I can protect Amira even more?”
“Geez, Older Brother, you’re too greedy!”
Alf, who had sworn to protect his sister no matter what.
Amira, who, despite being stronger than Alf, found immense joy in being protected.
The peculiar divine sisters.
We guided them to visit the Holy Knight Academy. And our journey continued further.
“Are there any strong enemies around here that would cause trouble? I’m a traveler, so I don’t know the details, and while they are strong, they aren’t the kind of enemies to direct hostility towards. Hmm… Ah, yes. To the north of my hometown, there’s the sea. A fearsome ruler reigns there, and no one can obtain the blessings of the sea. Surely, if the Ruler of the North Sea were gone, not only our Beast Race but many other races would prosper even more.”
“Ruler of the North Sea, huh? If we’re aiming to be Sword Saints, we should probably defeat such enemies of the world once in a while.”
This is what the Beast Race man we met at a great river with a giant stone bridge, unlike any we had ever seen or heard of, had said.
‘Let’s cut the sea.’
The Heavenly Revelation Sword whispered this on the night we parted ways with the Beast Race man.
“I never imagined it would be you who they were talking about…”
“Amira-san and the others probably kept it quiet because they thought it would cause trouble for us, right?”
And so, I look up at this boy who has reached a yet unseen height, capable of not just cutting the world, but also repairing its wounds.
I sustained a deep wound.
Although I didn’t lose my life, my body, which had lost its power along with my blood, felt heavy, and I couldn’t even move my fingertips.
Those who had been my enemies until just moments ago were now desperately treating me.
“World-cutting Sword Secret Art, huh? Amazing! But I think it’s a difficult technique that needs to be used judiciously. By the way, do Sword Secret Arts have names?”
The Human Race boy, Elnea, asked me with innocent curiosity, as if the hostility he had directed at us earlier had vanished.
“Don’t be foolish. Lapis cut the world not as a secret art, but as a normal sword stroke. From Lapis’s perspective, this is not a secret art but simply the trajectory of their sword. Do you name every flash of your sword?”
“Come to think of it, that’s true, isn’t it? Amazing. So, there are swordsmen in the world who can cut the world just by swinging their sword! And Amira-san and the others are heading to the Holy Knight Academy where that Fairy Race person, Lapis-kun, attended?”
Suddenly, I felt Elnea’s aura change.
“I don’t intend to get involved with the Holy Knight Academy… but, somehow, I’m getting a bad feeling.”
At Elnea’s muttering, the women treating us inexplicably gave a wry smile.
