Chapter 13: Adhara's Royal Swordstyle

Cael Horais Sirius POV

“Cael, it’s morning.”

Fragarach’s voice pulled me out of my sleep.

I slowly opened my eyes and stared at the unfamiliar ceiling above me.

For a few seconds, I simply lay there.

My body felt strangely stiff despite the fact that I had been sleeping on one of the softest beds I had ever experienced.

I moved my arms and legs slightly, trying to loosen my muscles.

“How does it feel to watch a year’s worth of memories?” Fragarach asked.

“It feels weird,” I replied.

I stared blankly at the ceiling.

“It almost feels as if none of it was real.”

The memories were still fresh in my mind.

A whole year.

A literal year spent talking with Fragarach and experiencing the memories he had shared with me.

It was strange knowing that I had only gone to sleep last night, yet I had experienced something that should have taken an entire year.

“I never asked, but how is it possible that I can browse a whole year’s worth of memories in just one night?”

I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

“The time difference is quite great.”

“Telepathy not only allowed me to talk to you,” Fragarach explained. “I can also share my memories.”

I listened carefully.

“Didn’t you realize that, for communication alone in real time, it only took us a second to exchange a minute’s worth of conversation?”

I blinked.

Now that he mentioned it, that did explain quite a lot.

“I just accelerated both internal times by a thousand times,” Fragarach added.

“A thousand times…”

I stared at my hands.

That meant what felt like a year to me had barely been a night in the outside world.

“But I think we should refrain from doing it unless it’s necessary,” Fragarach said.

“Why?”

“Because there is a price.”

I immediately became more attentive.

“Status,” I whispered.

My Status appeared before my eyes.

Mental Age: 11.

I stared at it.

“Wait…”

“It seems that your Mental Age does increase even with just memory sharing,” Fragarach said.

I couldn't help but smile.

“We did spend a literal year, so I really don't feel bad about it.”

I looked at my Status again.

“Plus, I learned a lot during that whole year.”

“But…”

Fragarach sounded hesitant.

“Even a decade of my Mental Age would be worth exchanging for what I gained from that whole year browsing the Twilight Hero’s memories.”

I smiled.

“There’s no better teacher than the First Hero’s experiences.”

The knowledge I had gained was simply too valuable.

Swordsmanship.

Magic.

Battle tactics.

The experiences of countless battles.

The things Vesper had learned throughout his life.

All of it was now part of my memories.

I didn't suddenly become Vesper.

But I had gained access to the experiences that had shaped him.

That alone was worth far more than a few years of Mental Age.

“I should get ready,” I said as I finally got out of bed.

“I’d love to have breakfast before I meet the King of Cygnus.”

I stretched my arms.

“Hmm. I can’t wait to eat breakfast.”

“You’re easygoing as usual,” Fragarach commented.

“Of course.”

I walked toward the door.

“We did everything we could last night. We’re well prepared, and we might as well enjoy the moment.”

I placed my right hand around Fragarach and opened the door.

“Cael?”

Mom’s voice immediately reached me.

She was standing outside.

She was wearing different clothes compared to last night, while Dad was leaning against the door of their room.

I looked at Mom.

Then at Dad.

I guess Mom had been pondering whether to wake me up for a few minutes now.

“Mom, are you and Dad going to get some breakfast?”

“One of the female servants told us it’s ready,” Mom replied.

“And I told her that I’d be the one waking you.”

“Your mom is really a very considerate person,” Fragarach commented.

His words immediately reminded me of Lena.

Vesper’s wife.

After spending an entire year browsing Vesper’s memories, I had seen countless moments involving her.

It was strange.

Even though I had never met her myself, I felt as though I knew her.

“Did you rest well, son?” Dad asked.

Mom and I walked toward him.

“I slept pretty well.”

I paused.

“The bed is okay, but I do miss my old one.”

Dad and Mom almost laughed.

They knew I was being sarcastic.

But I really did miss my old bed.

The wooden bed back home was stiff and sturdy.

This one was the complete opposite.

It was so soft that it felt as though it was shackling me in comfort.

If I gave in to it, I could probably sleep until noon.

And today was definitely not the day to oversleep.

We left the room and headed toward the eating area.

It only took us a few minutes to get there.

Uncle Ray and Talya were already waiting.

Neither of them had started eating.

They seemed to have been waiting for us.

“Good morning,” Uncle Ray greeted us.

“Good morning,” I replied.

Talya smiled at me.

As soon as we were seated, a female servant approached.

She placed a large loaf of bread in front of me.

Then came a plate full of meat.

Then a huge bowl of steaming soup.

Finally, she placed a large glass of milk beside it.

“Please enjoy it,” the maid said politely.

I stared at the amount of food.

I wasn't sure whether I should be happy or worried.

Eating this much would definitely bite me in the long run if I didn't burn it off.

Still, I ate everything.

I might really need that breakfast to get through today.

It might even be my last meal if things didn't work out.

After all, a secret meeting with the King meant only a few things.

And most of them didn't favor me or my family.

I should really leave Talya and Uncle Ray out of this.

I'm worried about Mom and my future sibling.

But I think it's best to bring Mom with me since the letter specifically said to bring my family.

I could easily argue against bringing Uncle Ray and Talya.

Mom was a different story.

Leaving her behind could easily give the impression that I didn't trust the King.

And considering that this was supposed to be a secret meeting, creating unnecessary suspicion would be a bad idea.

I drank the last drop of milk.

Just as I placed the glass down, a familiar person appeared through the doorway.

Faust.

Looking at his attire, I could immediately tell that he was dressed for some kind of formal occasion.

“Good morning, Cael,” Faust said. “Are you done with breakfast?”

“Just finished it.”

“Gavis!”

A moment later, Gavis appeared.

“Make sure that Cael and his family are presentable to the King.”

“I’ll prepare appropriate clothes for them,” Gavis replied.

“Sir Faust,” I interrupted.

He looked at me.

“I’m not going to bring Uncle Ray and Talya.”

I turned toward them.

Uncle Ray looked at me with understanding.

Talya, however, looked confused.

She clearly had no idea what was happening.

I walked toward her and placed both hands on her head.

I gently patted her.

“I’ll be back later.”

“I’ll be waiting,” Talya replied with a smile.

Her expression was calm.

That made me feel a little better.

“Gavis, bring them downstairs when they’re ready,” Sir Faust ordered.

“Yes, Sir Faust.”

It only took a few minutes for Gavis to prepare my clothes.

When I looked into the mirror, I couldn't help but stare.

I looked like a pampered rich kid.

Fancy clothes.

Properly arranged.

Perfectly fitted.

It definitely didn't suit my taste.

Still, I had no choice.

If I was going to meet the King of Cygnus, I couldn't exactly show up wearing whatever I wanted.

Gavis and I headed toward the room where Mom and Dad were waiting.

They were already dressed.

Dad looked as though he had been forced into the clothes.

They were noble attire, but they clearly didn't suit him.

Mom, on the other hand…

She looked perfect.

Her fancy dress suited her so naturally that she looked like she belonged in a noble household.

Dad noticed me staring.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

We followed Gavis downstairs.

He stopped in front of a bookshelf.

Then he moved it aside.

A hidden door appeared.

My eyes widened slightly.

Behind the bookshelf was a normal-looking room.

Except for the enormous magic circle glowing on the floor.

“That’s a magic circle, right?” I asked Fragarach telepathically.

“To be exact, a teleportation magic circle.”

I looked at it carefully.

Faust was standing just outside the circle.

He smiled before signaling for us to enter.

“As you can tell, this is a teleportation magic circle,” Sir Faust explained. “It’s directly connected to the Kingdom of Cygnus Castle.”

I stared at the magic circle.

“Fragarach, this is safe, right?”

“If you mean the teleportation magic circle, it is.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s the same magic circle that Vesper made.”

That immediately made me feel better.

“But that doesn't mean the place you're heading to is safe.”

I paused.

“Right.”

I slowly stepped toward the circle.

Mom and Dad were reluctant.

But once I stepped inside, they quickly followed.

Faust entered after us.

“Gavis, make sure to keep our guests safe until we return.”

“I will, Master Faust.”

Gavis stepped closer to the magic circle.

“Transfer.”

The lines engraved into the floor began glowing brighter.

Light spread across the entire circle.

Then…

It swallowed us.

My vision turned white.

For a moment, I felt as though my entire body had become weightless.

Then everything stopped.

The light faded.

I opened my eyes.

We were inside a large hall.

Mom and Dad were standing beside me.

But Sir Faust was already far ahead.

He was standing beside a middle-aged man wearing a golden crown.

The man's clothes immediately told me who he was.

He was someone of the highest rank in the Kingdom of Cygnus.

Louis Xiphos Cygnus.

The Warrior King.

King Louis was sitting upon a decorated marble throne.

I looked around.

We were definitely inside the castle of the Kingdom of Cygnus.

But something was strange.

There were no visible windows.

No visible doors.

The entire room was wide and spacious, yet it felt as though we were underground.

Like I was standing inside a gigantic stone box.

The air was thin and stale.

Fortunately, the room was well lit by several burning torches mounted on the walls.

“Fragarach, do you have a spell that will give us decent air to breathe?”

“I already cast it on your mom and dad.”

“Thanks.”

I stepped forward.

Then I looked directly at the Warrior King.

“What can I do for you, King Louis?”

King Louis stared at me.

“I’m just curious whether or not I will acknowledge you, young Hero.”

I narrowed my eyes slightly.

“You see, I prepared quite a few tests to measure your strength, young Hero.”

Several silhouettes stood behind him.

I tried to inspect their Status.

Nothing appeared.

Some kind of interference.

“Most likely a powerful magical barrier,” Fragarach said.

King Louis continued.

“If you manage to defeat this, I’ll acknowledge you as a Hero.”

“And if not?”

King Louis smiled faintly.

“You don’t want to know.”

“Cael, it seems that they fully prepared for you,” Fragarach commented.

I glanced around.

Three large magic circles suddenly appeared on the floor.

Their designs were different from the teleportation circle we had used earlier.

“What are those?”

“Those are summoning circles.”

The magic circles began glowing.

Something started appearing inside them.

Large silhouettes slowly formed.

As their bodies became completely visible, I immediately recognized them.

Golems.

More specifically…

Dark Iron Golems.

D36 PA321 P4S1E4F1

Dark Iron Golem

Vitality: 17080
Psyche: 4270
Power: 1708
Speed: 427
Endurance: 1708
Fortitude: 427

My expression became serious.

I had seen these before.

The same monsters had appeared in Vesper’s final exam.

Master Cid had specifically used Dark Golems because they were almost completely immune to magic.

The only way to destroy them was through Master Cid’s Sword Technique.

One of the Dark Iron Golems suddenly charged toward us.

I immediately unsheathed Fragarach.

“Aegis, Shield-form.”

The scabbard transformed.

In an instant, Aegis morphed into a bracer around my arm.

The Dark Iron Golem continued charging.

I ran toward it.

I cut off its path before it could reach Mom and Dad.

The Golem immediately locked onto me.

Its enormous arm swung toward my body.

I raised Aegis.

BAAM!!

The impact shook my entire body.

I planted both feet firmly against the stone floor.

Even with Aegis, the force was incredible.

My Psyche began draining faster than expected.

Three hundred.

Already gone.

If my Power Aspect hadn't improved, that single attack would probably have killed me.

But I endured.

The Golem's gigantic fist remained pressed against Aegis.

I quickly reached out with my other hand and touched its hand.

“Little Hand: One Hundredth Weight.”

The effect activated immediately.

The weight of the Dark Iron Golem's attack became drastically weaker.

I took advantage of the opening.

“Long Hand: Five Steps.”

My body moved instantly.

In the blink of an eye, I was within arm's reach of the Dark Iron Golem.

I planted my left hand against its massive body.

Then I pushed.

With all my strength.

The Golem was launched sideways.

Twenty meters.

Its body crashed into the stone wall.

BAAM!

The impact shook the entire room.

The Golem became embedded in the wall.

But as expected…

It was completely unscathed.

“So it really is that durable,” I thought.

I tightened my grip around Fragarach.

Then I sensed movement.

The other two Dark Iron Golems were already charging toward me.

I raised Fragarach with both hands.

I remembered Vesper.

His movements.

His stance.

His technique.

Everything I had seen during that year flowed naturally through my body.

“Adhara’s Royal Swordstyle, First Form Twin Fang.”

I swung Fragarach.

Two horizontal slashes crossed the battlefield.

The blades passed through both Dark Iron Golems.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then…

Both Golems split apart.

Each body was divided into three distinct pieces.

The massive chunks of Dark Iron fell onto the stone floor.

I slowly lowered Fragarach.

A silhouette approached the destroyed Golems.

I immediately recognized him.

Mephisto.

He crouched beside the remains, carefully inspecting the pieces.

“Cael, watch out!”

Dad's voice echoed through the hall.

I turned.

Several arrows were already flying toward me.

But they stopped in midair.

Every single one.

My Wind Protection had already activated.

I stared at the arrows suspended before me.