Twin Sovereigns.
The two powerhouses who dominated the Ciencia Continent possessed strength that was clearly one step—no, overwhelmingly superior to even the Ten Pivots.
Naturally, they were disgustingly strong.
Even in the Reca Chronicles world, where power inflation had progressed endlessly, these two were undoubtedly among the absolute strongest.
Considering that the character sheet for the Demon King—who had seemed like the final boss—was never properly revealed even by the end of the original work, their actual combat power might have been higher still.
One of them was the Witch Emperor Apsaras Habara, whom we had already discussed at length.
The second person, whom I had not yet mentioned, was Jin Sohon, known by the aliases Heavenly Disaster Emperor and Martial God.
Jin Sohon, unable to contain his overflowing power and talent, still wandered the entire length of Ciencia in search of a martial artist who could give him a thrill.
By the time the original novel concluded, that longing had never been fulfilled.
There was no need for a long explanation.
The single fact that he possessed the Sword God (EX) trait—the ultimate upper compatibility for every swordsmanship-related trait—was enough to convey his greatness.
Naturally, he was regarded as the strongest swordsman in the world.
Yet both in the setting and in the story’s treatment, he was depicted less as a human powerhouse and more as something akin to a natural disaster, perfectly fitting his nickname of Heavenly Disaster.
Thanks to that image, even after Jin Sohon’s appearance, the status of Regenshauer and Edval had not dropped significantly.
On the contrary, their value had risen in Part 4.
Beings stronger than the two absolute swordsmen existed even among the Ten Pivots, but they were all cases who had lived for several hundred years at minimum or were inherently alien from birth, like Iris Schnifelt.
It once again proved that the Thousand-Man Slayer stood near the pinnacle among pure human powerhouses.
So why had I suddenly brought up the Heavenly Disaster Emperor?
It had simply come to mind while we headed toward Jusk Mountain, the main headquarters of Dearside.
In the original work, the Martial God had shown momentary interest upon seeing the Fire-Light Qi that Epio used.
He had dismissed it, saying the technique’s completion was still lacking.
There had been a behind-the-scenes setting that Jin Sohon only showed interest in techniques that carried even the slightest chance of threatening him.
Considering that, the moment felt quite significant.
I had once speculated that it might have been foreshadowing related to the ultimate technique Edval had never used in the original story.
But since the novel had been on the verge of collapse by Part 4, the fandom had paid it little attention.
“Aiden-nim! Aiden-nim!”
I had been quietly reminiscing when a cheerful voice suddenly rang in my ears.
The one calling me was, of course, Clara.
“Why are you calling me again?”
“Here, this is the Robe Territory of the Persen Kingdom, right? The one famous for Robe tea!”
Linia suddenly joined the conversation.
“Ah… now that you mention it, Young Master used to enjoy drinking Robe Mountain tea quite a lot back then.”
“Aiden-nim drinking that super sweet tea? Really?”
“Yes. In the past, he used to stockpile mountains of it in his personal storage. But after he started proper training four years ago, he completely quit it.”
“Wow~ I can’t believe it. He seems like the type who’d only eat jerky and water.”
Robe tea was definitely the cocoa-like drink Linia had given me right after possession.
It was the commemorative beverage that had marked the beginning of my isekai life.
Clara pleaded with earnest eyes.
“It’s a specialty that only grows in the Robe Territory, so I’d like to try it this time. Is that okay, Aiden-nim?”
“Hmm….”
Hearing it after so long did make me crave it a little.
Right after possession, Aiden’s body had been in such terrible shape that I had been forced to eat only tasteless nutritional foods like Processed Yin-Yang Tea (A).
Thanks to that, I had rarely had the chance to enjoy real gourmet fare.
“…All right. Let’s go out for a bit and look around the market too.”
I stepped down from the carriage.
And walked along the road.
The soil of Robe Territory was special.
Not only the Robe tea mentioned earlier, but many plants that grew only in this land existed because the special ore buried underground drew in all the mana of the area.
Those who could utilize this special soil inevitably became wealthy farmers.
Naturally, Robe Territory ranked among the richest places on the Prima Continent.
They had enough leeway to use large magitech tools with poor fuel efficiency to their hearts’ content.
The difference from ordinary villages where people plowed fields with simple plows was vast.
“How much for a handful of Robe tea powder?”
“Three silver coins, sir.”
Hearing that, Epio—who had been standing quietly behind us—tilted his head.
“Is tea originally this expensive?”
“No. When we bought it in bulk before, it was a much more affordable luxury item. That’s strange. At this price, even a low-ranking noble would find it burdensome….”
Linia looked slightly flustered as well.
The entire party was stunned by the high price of Robe tea.
But I, who had memorized the timeline thoroughly, had an idea about the background of this phenomenon.
“Clara. What are you doing not paying quickly?”
“Eh?! Weren’t you going to buy it for me, Aiden-nim?”
“I’m going to pay separately for what I eat. And you were the one who wanted to eat it. It shouldn’t be a burdensome amount for you, right?”
“Ah, no… I’m completely broke right now.”
“…What?”
I gave monthly allowances personally to kids like Epio and Clara.
Adding the request rewards to that, there should have been a considerable amount left for each of them.
When I asked where they had spent it all, Clara whistled and avoided answering.
“Th-that’s a maiden’s private life, so it’s hard to talk about.”
“………”
It was obvious she had spent it on useless things.
Still, the Blispiel Clan’s finances were essentially my finances.
Considering our clan’s current financial power, even if the price here were ten times higher, it would not have been a big burden.
I let out a small sigh, took out a money pouch from my pocket, pulled out one gold coin, and placed it on the wooden counter.
Clink!
“Thank you. Here is your change—seven silver coins.”
“Take it, Clara.”
“Wow! Thank you!”
Clara took the Robe tea powder from me, dipped a bit to taste it, and soon wore a happy expression.
It was a common sweet flavor on modern Earth, but apparently not so common in this world.
“Try it quickly too, Chesa-nim!”
“I’m not really in the mood.”
“Ray-nim too!!”
“Thank you, I’ll enjoy it.”
“Epio-nim!!!”
“It’s sweet…. Similar to sugar but a bit different.”
Clara darted around in all directions, showing off her unique affinity.
But Visanya was the only exception in that lively atmosphere.
I approached her—she had grown forlorn—and held out the pouch containing the Robe tea powder.
“You eat too.”
“S-Sub-Master…”
I looked at Visanya’s face.
In the original work, her long bangs had made her look gloomy, but now that Epio had bought her a pin to sweep them aside, she no longer gave off that impression.
“Clara, come see me for a moment.”
“Yes?”
I briefly separated from the group and led her to a secluded spot.
“Why do you dislike Visanya so much? Contrary to your worries, she has already proven that she possesses abilities helpful to the group.”
“Y-you’re very direct.”
“I’m asking as the Sub-Master of Blispiel. Tell me the reason as honestly as possible.”
“Hmm….”
Clara looked troubled.
I chuckled and asked her.
“Are you worried she’ll interfere between you and Epio?”
“That’s…”
Clara’s face turned bright red.
This… was a green light.
Contrary to what I had been worrying about all along, it seemed her feelings toward Epio were deepening smoothly.
“Visanya has an extremely passive personality. Unless something big happens, she won’t approach Epio readily. Clara, if you just handle it well on your own, everything will be resolved.”
“If I handle it well on my own….”
“Yes. How common is a beautiful girl like you in this world? If that guy gets his head a little thicker, he’ll fall for you completely.”
Actually, Visanya’s innate foundation was nothing to scoff at either, but I did not mention it.
“B-beautiful girl? Even in Aiden-nim’s eyes? Actually, since Chesa-nim is always by your side, my confidence had dropped a bit.”
You were thinking that?
I had never imagined.
I was momentarily stunned, then cleared my throat and said.
“And I’m always on your side, Clara. Since I have to lead the clan, I can’t openly take sides… but I can look out for you subtly.”
This was completely sincere.
I did not particularly dislike Visanya.
Honestly, among all the characters in Reca Chronicles, I quite liked her.
But not as much as Clara or Epio.
If I had to choose one, I would pick Clara without a moment’s hesitation.
That remained true even setting their abilities aside.
She said with sparkling eyes.
“Aiden-nim… I have a favor to ask.”
“What is it that you’re twisting your body like that for?”
“Um… From today, can I call you Oppa?!”
“…Huh?”
“Hehe~”
Clara hummed a tune.
Seeing that, Linia asked me.
“Young Master. Clara seems oddly excited. Did something special happen?”
“I just decided to make her my foster sister. Since it’s come to this, I’ll ask Father to add her to the family register via letter.”
“Wh-what?!”
“Looking at her, that kid has no family or anything. The Sun Cathedral in her hometown was pretty much destroyed by some guy.”
“Indeed… Tying her into a community with the clan’s key members seems like a reasonably practical judgment.”
As we chatted, we eventually entered a mountain path densely packed with trees.
Here at Jusk Mountain, a well-maintained paved road had been laid.
Thanks to that, we had been able to travel by carriage all the way near the private land.
“Where are you from?”
A young man who appeared to be a disciple of the Dearside sword school, which had established its base here, blocked our way.
I answered him indifferently.
“Blispiel Clan. We have already notified our intention to visit in advance.”
“…Hup!”
The young man gasped, and the expressions of the surrounding martial artists hardened.
I had expected it, but the reaction was exactly as anticipated.
I had shown myself using Thunder-Light Qi and Regenshauer’s beloved sword Ure in the knight battle against the Caracol Clan.
I had allowed rumors of association with the Thousand-Man Slayer to spread in order to gain fame, but as with any reputation, it did not always work positively everywhere.
The martial artists settled on Jusk Mountain were a group within the Dearside school that pursued the righteous sword.
They were in conflict over legitimacy with the variant sword faction that operated Thunder-Light Qi.
There was no way a friendly reaction would come.
The news that we had visited spread inside the grounds, and soon a rather strong-looking martial artist jumped out.
“Why has a disciple of the frivolous variant sword faction come to this humble place?”
The man spoke mockingly.
It seemed he had no intention of hiding his hostility.
<Grimolt Lowell>
[Level: 37/42]
[HP: 15][STR: 13][AGI: 12]
[MP: 10][INT: 06][SENS: 11]
[Divinity: 02]
[Trait: Swordsmanship Genius (A), Indestructible Body (B), and 2 others]
[Skill: Dearside Dual Heart Method (A+), Dearside Strong Swordsmanship (A), Dearside Defensive Swordsmanship (B), Northwestern Martial Arts (C), and 3 others]
[Description: 38 years old, human race. Third son from the Lowell Count family, called a sword prodigy in the Persen Kingdom. He is also the top disciple of Nils Nordal, the current head of the Dearside Strong Swordsmanship school.]
A disciple of the head Nils… Then he was clearly a person with considerable status within the school.
I tilted my head and said.
“I came to propose a business that could improve the position of the Dearside school… but it doesn’t seem like you’re very pleased.”
“Hah, you—who learned Thunder-Light Qi? What a ridiculous joke.”
“I sent a letter notifying our visit to Duke Edval in advance. Where is he?”
“You cheeky brat. Do you think I’d send someone suspicious like you to my master? Get lost before my patience reaches its limit!”
“Hmm….”
I roughly understood the situation.
At this time, the Sword Saint was in solitary closed-door training in a cave somewhere on Jusk Mountain.
In other words, the ones antagonizing me were acting on their own initiative within the school.
It did not seem like Grimolt would come out boldly alone… It must have been an agenda agreed upon by Nils, the Sword Saint’s disciple, or the elders.
They did not even want to mix words with variant sword users?
A chuckle escaped me involuntarily.
I was not even a disciple of the variant sword faction, yet I had been thoroughly misunderstood.
But there was no need to make pathetic excuses.
“…Hey. Right now, I am visiting this mountain as the inheritor of the Seal of Struggle and as the Sub-Master of the Blispiel Clan. If you’re not going to give me the corresponding treatment, then I have no choice but to resort to force.”
“Haha! The Dearside school that did not yield even to the pressure from one of the four major clans, Dayorbek. Do you think we’d blink at the threat from a brat like you?”
“You’re willing to risk armed conflict?”
“If that’s how you want it.”
At the same time Grimolt smiled sinisterly.
Recording via the Third Command, <Third Mouth>, has been completed, Spare.
The Nano Eater sent a telepathic message.
Chesa had taken care of it in advance so they could not make excuses later.
Well done, my love.
“Ray, clear the path. Keep in mind that killing is strictly prohibited, at least for the sake of our relationship with the Sword Saint Duke.”
Instead of answering my difficult request, he drew out a long staff specialized in suppression.
Immediately after, he converted the curse dwelling within him into output and kicked the ground.
BOOM!!
“Aaaargh!!”
A streak of meteor pierced through the formation.
At the same time as the roar, the martial artists who had been guarding this side scattered into the air, and the main gate of the Dearside school was shattered to pieces.
“Let’s go.”
I and my party leisurely walked along the path that Ray had opened.