SMSK 53

Chapter 53: Sacred Oath (3)

Adelia looked around anxiously.

‘Wh-what should I do…?’

The council chamber was filled with shouting.

Ever since Arwen had stepped out, the atmosphere had only grown more hostile.

The opposing faction raised their voices, questioning Sir Gaon’s qualifications.

“We can’t let it end like this! Further verification and restrictions are necessary!”

“How can you acknowledge a Swordmaster after just one day? Does that even make sense?!”

Their arguments were as follows:

First, Gaon’s answers during the Holy Tribunal had been too vague.

Didn’t he say that the Elder chose him for his “unparalleled swordsmanship”? That response was fundamentally different from those given by past Swordmasters.

“Why are you only now disputing his answers? You didn’t say a word when the Blackbone was present…”

“Oh right! Speaking of Blackbone!”

Second, the trial that Blackbone set for Gaon was too unconvincing.

They hadn’t even crossed swords; they had simply stared at each other until the trial ended.

“Councilors, allow me to explain.”

It was Sir Sikan Bauer who spoke up.

“Both Sir Gaon and Blackbone have reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship. At such a level, they can determine the outcome of a battle with nothing but their will—”

“Be quiet, Sir Bauer! Can’t you see the councilors are talking amongst themselves?!”

“…”

And third—

The most critical issue: the ambiguity of the sacred oath between Gaon and the Elder.

Swearing to “save the world” was too abstract. There was no practical way to hold Gaon accountable.

“This is dangerous. There’s no mechanism to regulate the Seeker’s power—how is that not a problem?”

Grit—

Adelia bit the inside of her lip every time a rebuttal came up.

She couldn’t understand why they were so vehemently opposed.

“No restrictions? So what?”

After all, everything Gaon did would be premised on saving the world. Why would restrictions even be necessary?

She had seen Gaon’s skill and noble character with her own eyes. He was undoubtedly a true Seeker.

But with the stubborn opposition deaf to reason, she had no idea how to persuade them.

“W-what are you doing?”

Then suddenly, the entire situation flipped on its head.

“Which of you was against it?”

“…”

“Raise your hands. I can’t remember.”

Arwen von Goldheart.

The chief paladin of Middle Temple and eldest son of the Goldheart family.

Returning from a brief walk outside, he immediately declared he’d cut down the opposing councilors.

‘Wh-what is going on…?’

Adelia couldn’t hide her shock.

The tension in the chamber had collapsed in an instant as soon as her brother returned.

And the way he ended the council session was absolutely outrageous.

─From now on, anyone who disputes the Holy Tribunal’s verdict will be considered a heretic.

The opposition had complaints?

Too bad. The great ones had already approved it.

From now on, anyone who contradicted Arwen would be branded a blasphemous heretic. Got it?

Just like that, Arwen crushed the opposition with an uncharacteristically aggressive logic—backed by open threats.

─Arwen von Goldheart! How dare you try to sweep this matter under the rug like this?!

─Excuse me, councilor? This isn’t just my opinion. It’s the will of the great ones.

─…

─The Seeker and the Elder have already made their sacred oath. Who are we to object?

No one could refute Arwen’s logic.

Thus, the council ended.

Everyone acknowledged that there was no problem with the Holy Tribunal.

Afterward—

Adelia returned to the Goldheart estate.

Arwen sighed deeply and sat on a chair by the balcony.

Looking at Adelia, he gave a wry smile.

“Adelia.”

“Y-yes?”

“You left with nothing but a note. Do you know how worried I was?”

“Ah…”

Adelia lowered her head. She had no excuse.

“I’m sorry.”

Arwen chuckled softly, shaking his head as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket.

“Still, you came back quickly. Your note made it sound like you wouldn’t return for years.”

“That’s…”

“It’s because of Sir Gaon, isn’t it? You were worried he might not be recognized as a Seeker.”

“Yes.”

Adelia nodded faintly.

She had followed Gaon because she feared for his safety.

If not for him, she likely wouldn’t have returned to Middle Temple for years.

“But brother…”

“Hmm?”

“Was it really okay to end the meeting like that?”

She couldn’t understand it.

Branding the opposition as heretics and threatening them—wasn’t that too extreme?

Yes, the opposition was frustrating, but Arwen’s response had been too radical.

Especially since he usually handled conflicts calmly and rationally.

“Wouldn’t the council retaliate?”

“Hmm.”

Arwen blew out smoke, then looked at Adelia and began to explain.

“Little sister.”

“…?”

“The real target of that meeting wasn’t Gaon—it was you.”

“What?”

Adelia was stunned as Arwen continued.

“The opposition just wanted to drag things out. They knew they couldn’t invalidate the sacred oath blessed by the Elder. So they hoped to at least delay Gaon’s recognition as a Swordmaster.”

“Why delay it?”

“Because you left the family without a word. The traditionalist faction was planning to use that as an excuse to exile you.”

Adelia’s face turned pale.

The Goldheart family wasn’t the only holy house. Other families were always vying for influence.

They feigned grace on the surface but fought vicious political battles underneath.

“But if you were officially recognized as a Seeker’s disciple, their plan would collapse. Being taught by a Seeker is a great honor for a holy family.”

“…”

“That’s why they wanted to delay Gaon’s official recognition—for just long enough to get you excommunicated.”

“Ah…”

Adelia sighed. It all made sense now.

Why the opposition made ridiculous arguments.

Why Arwen took such extreme measures.

She recalled the earlier council.

The opposing members had all belonged to families hostile to the Goldhearts.

The supporting ones were allies of their family.

“This is politics, little sister.”

Arwen gave a bitter smile.

“Those pompous fools aren’t stupid. They’re sly. They’ll pretend to be fools if it serves their own gain.”

Adelia kept her lips tightly shut.

This was why she hated the Holy City of Middle Temple.

The world was in crisis, yet the people here only cared about personal profit.

That was why she had broken free—why she wanted to see the greater world.

To shatter the wall in front of her and change the rotten system.

To find others who shared her ideals.

‘And…’

By some miracle, Adelia had met a true Seeker.

Someone who genuinely wished to save the world.

Someone willing to stake everything to prove their faith.

“Don’t worry.”

Arwen spoke.

“Sir Gaon will be recognized by all as a Swordmaster.”

“…”

“Who would dare deny a Seeker who swore to save the world?”

After some thought, Adelia nodded.

“…You’re right.”

She felt reassured hearing her brother’s words.

“By the way, where’s the youngest?”

To her question, Arwen scratched his cheek.

“He’s a bit busy right now.”

“…?”

“He’s escorting Sir Gaon to the Saintess’ Sanctuary at dawn.”

After Adelia returned to her room—

Alone on the terrace, Arwen stubbed out his cigarette and sank into thought.

He recalled his conversation with Gaon a few hours earlier.

“Ha…”

He let out a hollow laugh, shaking his head.

The reason he had approached Gaon during the council was simple.

‘I needed a definite answer.’

He wanted Gaon to clearly acknowledge Adelia as his disciple.

That would give Arwen the justification he needed to aggressively confront the opposition.

But instead—

─Don’t worry about useless things. Just go finish the meeting.

‘…How did he see through my intent so quickly?’

Gaon had seen right through him in a single meeting.

His icy expression masked a frightening level of insight.

Just how much had Gaon already figured out?

Could he have already seen through Middle Temple’s tangled political structure?

‘He’s truly different.’

Arwen finally understood why Adelia and Sikan Bauer trusted Gaon so deeply.

‘If this is the kind of Swordmaster he is…’

A faint trail of smoke rose from his cigarette.

‘…Maybe he really can change the world.’

Knock knock—

A knock at the door woke me from sleep.

It was already 4 AM.

I sat up, got dressed, and straightened my clothes.

‘Looks like the meeting ended well.’

The fact that the meeting with the Saintess was still on meant the council had recognized me as a Swordmaster.

Arwen must have handled things smoothly. If the opposition had won, this meeting wouldn’t even happen.

Creaaak—

Opening the door, I found a boy standing there.

Probably in his early teens, a cute kid who looked just like Arwen.

He held a lantern and bowed politely.

“Good morning, Seeker.”

“…”

“I’m Amonde von Goldheart, an apprentice cleric.”

Amonde.

That was the name of the stoic boy before me.

He was named after a white almond tree that appeared in his mother’s dream.

The youngest of the Goldheart family, Amonde was a prodigy with immense healing potential.

He was also one of the few people allowed to enter the Saintess’ Sanctuary.

“I will safely escort you to the Sanctuary.”

“…Alright.”

I followed behind Amonde as we walked.

In a somewhat flat tone, he listed off the Sanctuary’s rules:

No conversation longer than 6 minutes. No trying to peek under the veil. And so on.

As we walked through long halls and down stairs, I listened intently.

I already knew the rules from playing the game, but better safe than sorry.

“Oh, and you must never try to fight the Saintess.”

“…”

“According to records, one Seeker once challenged the Saintess to test her strength… It ended badly.”

Incidentally, that lunatic was the Mad Dragon.

He charged the Saintess on sight, and she was gruesomely killed without even resisting.

Her “body” was just a normal human—she had no powers except as a conduit for divine will.

“You don’t have to worry. I have no intention of fighting her.”

“Understood.”

We descended deeper underground.

The white marble corridor slowly gave way to cave-like walls.

The walls shimmered wherever the lantern’s light touched.

“Please take this.”

At the entrance to the underground sanctuary, Amonde handed me an hourglass.

“Remember: six minutes. You must leave before the sand runs out.”

“…Got it.”

Amonde stayed behind with the lantern.

“I’ll wait here.”

Taking the hourglass, I walked alone into the depths.

Step. Step.

My footsteps echoed in the cave.

A faint blue glow came from deep within.

As I walked farther in, the symbols carved on the walls began to glow.

“Hello.”

A girl’s voice greeted me.

A girl veiled in white stood before me.

She smiled faintly and said—

“It’s our first time meeting in person, Possessor.”