Chapter 33

Two days ago in the capital, Elliott and Lloyd returned to the palace, burdened with the disappointment of not having reached the hidden village.

"…Elliott, I have a proposal. The situation is no longer one we can handle alone. Before we visit Lord Goliath again, shouldn't we confide in Lord Agreus, our patron, and seek his advice…?"

Lloyd, concerned for the dejected Elliott, suggested this in a calm tone.

The person Lloyd mentioned was a powerful noble who had supported Elliott, a commoner turned earl. He also served as the guardian of Emily, who was to become the Countess, and had provided her with a lady's education.

Elliott remained bowed, biting his lip in thought. However, he knew they couldn't keep the current situation hidden forever.

"I understand that you're reluctant to reveal the truth, but we should be honest and seek his advice."

"…Yes, you're right."

Pressed again by Lloyd, Elliott finally nodded and stood up.

In a room of a mansion that rivaled the royal palace in its opulence, Elliott and Lloyd stood before a handsome man in his early thirties, who exuded nobility.

"Carrying this burden must have been very difficult. I'm glad you confided in me."

A refined voice, tinged with sympathy, comforted Elliott and Lloyd.

The man's name was Dylan Agreus Jemerald, the next head of the Jemerald Dukedom, which governed a vast territory comprising nearly 70% of the northern region of the kingdom. He currently held the courtesy title of Earl Agreus because the current Duke was still alive.

"However, in truth, I had anticipated that the Holy Sword would lose its power once its mission was complete."

"Mission complete…?"

"The suppression in the north has ended. That is a very real possibility."

Earl Agreus smiled gently.

"From ancient times, the appearance of the Holy Sword has been recorded in legends and folktales, and even in recent history. However, there are no records of what happened to the Holy Sword after its legendary feats. Do you know that?"

"…Indeed. I have never heard of such records. There are many stories about its great feats, but nothing about what happened afterward. So, you're suggesting that these Holy Swords simply returned to their original form…?"

Lloyd asked, and Earl Agreus nodded.

"Could it be that the Holy Sword simply returned to its original form after completing its mission?"

Elliott thought about this for a while, then raised his head hesitantly.

"But recently, even though it was a failed one, an undead beast appeared near the capital."

"I am aware of that. However, the appearance of a single undead beast has been a rare occurrence even before the mass outbreak in the north."

Earl Agreus smiled again.

"Even if that is the case, it's not surprising. This is just a hypothesis, but I feel that it is a strong possibility."

A shadow of doubt crossed Elliott's face. If Earl Agreus's words were true, the source of his current distress might be alleviated. However, would others accept this? And could he himself endure the reality of losing the Holy Sword?

Earl Agreus, noticing Elliott's silence, spoke in a comforting tone.

"…Your efforts have greatly saved my territory. If you hadn't been granted the Holy Sword, neither you nor I would have been able to return to the capital for at least three more years. And many more things would have been lost."

This was true. The northern region, governed by the Jemerald Dukedom, had suffered the most from the recent mass outbreak of undead beasts. That was why he had taken the lead in supporting Elliott.

The Jemerald Dukedom, which had been a small independent country until about a hundred years ago, was now part of the kingdom. Despite the barren northern lands, its capital was prosperous. Therefore, the people associated with the Jemerald Dukedom, including Dylan Agreus Jemerald, the former royal lineage, praised and supported Elliott as a hero who had brought peace to their people.

"The truth about the loss of the Holy Sword is still unknown… but we will not abandon you, who has done us such a great service. And we can help you with the current situation."

Elliott looked up, almost pleading.

"What do you mean by that?"

Earl Agreus smiled at Elliott and signaled to a servant.

The servant brought in a long, shallow box about the size of a person's armspan, covered in fine velvet. When the velvet was removed, inside lay a sword with an ivy relief carved into its blade, familiar to Elliott.

"This is…!?"

"It's a replica of the Holy Sword. As you can see."

Indeed, upon closer inspection, there were some minor discrepancies in the details. But they were so small that they were barely noticeable from a distance.

"Why do you have such a thing?"

A doubt crept into the back of Elliott's mind, wondering how well-prepared this was.

"This was made at my father's request. He was a collector of weapons, which is not uncommon among nobles."

Earl Agreus chuckled.

"Buying famous swords just to display them, even though he couldn't use them. He couldn't keep the real Holy Sword, so he had a replica made early on. It was a foolish hobby, but it seems to have come in handy unexpectedly."

Elliott, still hesitant, reached out and picked up the sword. His hand trembled slightly as he lifted the hilt.

"The king will likely want to flaunt the existence of the Holy Knights to neighboring countries for some time. It's foolish, but just their presence demonstrates authority, so it can't be helped."

In the private room, Earl Agreus allowed himself a cynical smile.

"If we have to go along with this foolishness, the replica will suffice."

At least it would buy them some time. Elliott understood this implicitly and, with his still trembling hand, sheathed the replica— the false Holy Sword— and placed it beside him.

– If we can buy some time…

Elliott suddenly asked himself. If the words "mission complete" were true, it would mean he would have to continue the deception indefinitely. On the other hand, if there was another reason… The image of the damaged sword he had left in his room came to mind. If the truth lay ahead, could he ever reclaim it? A chill ran down his spine, and he refused to think further.

The silence in the room was broken by a light knock on the door. Lady Marianna and Emily entered.

"Marianna, Miss Emily. Thank you for coming here."

"Yes, Miss Emily wanted to greet everyone."

Emily stepped into the room and performed a lady's curtsy.

"Miss Emily, you've become quite the lady."

"Hehe! Thank you, Dylan!"

Emily's face lit up with a bright smile.

"Miss Emily, please call Lord Dylan 'Earl Agreus.'"

"Okay, Lady Marianna! …Ah! Elliott, Mr. Lloyd, welcome back!"

Marianna smiled and sighed softly at Emily's behavior.

"Miss Emily, since this is an informal setting, I'll be lenient. But please try a bit harder before the wedding."

Emily smiled sadly at the gentle reprimand.

– Right… I've been so preoccupied with the Holy Sword these past few days that I completely forgot. Emily has been working hard, too.

Elliott watched Emily perform the lady's curtsy again and took a deep breath to calm himself.

– At the very least, I must protect the glory and position we have built together.

He tried to reassure himself, but the shadow of doubt lingered. The unfamiliar hilt of the sword in its sheath continued to tremble in his hand.