novelnext Chapter 179 : Chapter 179
Chapter 179 : Chapter 179
Translator: AkazaTL Pr/Ed: Sol IX
***
“The foundation of business is running on your own two feet!”
The teachings of the Red Bank were true.
All those problems that couldn’t be solved by brooding in the mansion had vanished the moment he visited the Karavan lord in person. Zeppelin Gold was quite satisfied with his own initiative. Of course, without Voltimo’s advice, he probably would’ve been agonizing for much longer…
***
“The Great Warrior of the Cross Order, Ismael, whom I killed with my own hands, was abandoned by her god in her final moment. I believe she began to doubt the very deity she served. The moment she felt doubt, her god stripped her of the title of Great Warrior.”
And so, Zeppelin Gold was finally able to hear the truth about that day from the Lord of Karavan.
Arhan Karavan claimed that the Great Warrior of Judgement, Ismael, had been forsaken by her god. It was shocking—almost unbelievable. Ismael had been famous throughout the Southern Continent for her devout faith. Within the Cross Order, her followers were beyond count.
Yet, unbelievable or not, if Arhan’s words were true, the puzzle finally fit.
‘That’s why they refused the corpse. That’s why they called her a traitor. Their most pious believer had betrayed their god…’
No wonder the Cross Order had remained still even after a Great Warrior’s death. It wasn’t that they wouldn’t move— they couldn’t.
A new Great Warrior must have already been appointed to replace Ismael, but they couldn’t celebrate yet.
‘The revered Great Warrior Ismael was forsaken and died. The chaos among her followers must be spreading. The Order now has to focus on internal control rather than the holy war. If they’re careless, even their faith will collapse.’
He recalled the lessons of the Red Bank. Reality was always stranger than books.
The world was a chaotic place where impossible things happened casually.
A divine warrior abandoned by their own god? Unbelievable— but Zeppelin Gold knew all too well that reality was often far worse than fiction.
After all, that’s just how the world worked.
And besides—‘Heads.’
Zeppelin still had a precious tool for discerning truth from lies. After hearing the Karavan lord’s account, he flipped his Maiden’s Coin. It landed on heads—the side that signified truth.
“Thank you, my lord. Thanks to you, I know what to do next.”
“What do you mean by ‘what to do next’?”
“I’ll proceed as planned. I thought the risk had grown with Ismael’s death—but it’s the opposite. The Cross Order can’t make any big moves until the new Great Warrior’s position stabilizes and they reveal him to the world. They have too much internal cleanup to do.”
“……”
“Before the Cross Order starts moving again, I’ll secure Visente as my trade hub. It’ll be smooth sailing. None of the other powers will know that Ismael died abandoned by her god. While they hesitate, I’ll act decisively with solid information. All thanks to you, my lord! Hahahahaha!”
Zeppelin Gold laughed heartily. And then.
“The story doesn’t end there.”
“Doesn’t end there?”
“How do you think I learned that Ismael was abandoned by her god?”
The Karavan lord’s eyes glimmered.
“In her final moments, Ismael confessed to me. She said the Son of Sin and Punishment had abandoned her and stripped her of her title as Great Warrior. And at the same time… she confessed something even more shocking.”
“Something shocking?”
“That’s the reason I’ve been shut away here since being rescued from beneath the rubble. And the reason I asked you to make that oath, Zeppelin.”
“May I ask what it was?”
“Of course. We’re partners, aren’t we?”
Partners. A pleasant word indeed.
“What did she tell you?”
Zeppelin smiled faintly, balancing the Maiden’s Coin on his finger.
“She told me the true purpose of the Seven Lords and Nine Goddesses. That the gods intend to eradicate all transcendents, destroy anyone with the potential to transcend, and annihilate the Five Great Houses—those who could give rise to new Swordmasters. She said the holy wars sweeping the South, and the growing tremors of war across the continent, are all for that final goal: a world where no being can ever threaten the heavens.”
Ting! The coin spun and landed on the back of his hand.
Zeppelin stared blankly at Arhan Karavan.
“…What you just said—are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“That’s… absurd…”
More absurd, even, than hearing that a Great Warrior had died.
The Seven Lords and Nine Goddesses want to erase the transcendents, their potential successors, and even the Five Great Houses? Impossible.
The Five Great Houses and the Swordmasters were divine agents who maintained order in the world under the gods’ will. Why would the gods destroy their most faithful servants? It made no sense— and as a descendant of one of those houses, Zeppelin knew that better than anyone.
He looked down, dazed. The Maiden’s Coin on his hand showed heads. Truth.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
“…I can hardly comprehend it. But if what you said is true, there’s still one thing that doesn’t fit.”
“What would that be?”
“You said you learned the true purpose of the gods. But how does that connect to why you needed me to make an oath? Why stay shut in here for two days? You’re neither a Swordmaster nor a member of the Five Great Houses.”
“Ah, right. I didn’t explain that part.”
At those words, I—Arhan Karavan—spoke.
“Zeppelin Gold.”
“Yes?”
“Do you know about Karavan?”
Karavan. Zeppelin swallowed nervously.
“Your family name, my lord—the name of your domain as well, isn’t it?”
“Have you ever heard of the Karavan family before?”
A persistent question. Had he heard of it? He had.
“Yes. I’ve heard of it.”
“From whom?”
“From our Matriarch.”
“And what did she say about Karavan?”
“She said it was a legendary house that once aided her long ago.”
“Ah. So that’s why you came to invest in Karavan territory—because you already knew. The reason the ‘Black Archipelago’ appeared was this, then. Just as my master said last time…”
“W-wait, my lord—what does your family have to do with what you just said?”
Zeppelin asked. And I answered.
“I’ll explain everything now, partner.”
***
I told Zeppelin Gold everything. That once, there had been a house called Karavan, one of the original Five Great Houses. That one of the current five had taken Karavan’s empty place. That the Karavan line was erased from history— and about the humiliation I suffered and the vengeance I now sought.
Zeppelin listened in silence, his face drained of all color. He muttered to himself, “So that’s why… Carlos the Swordmaster… that’s why revenge…” After a long pause, he finally spoke again.
“If everything you’ve said is true, I can understand it all. Why you locked yourself in this room, why you made me swear that oath, even the true purpose of the gods. If such a great Swordmaster once existed, then perhaps… the gods wish to erase everything and build a new world. They would be capable of that.”
“……”
“If I may, my lord, you don’t need to doubt the Gold Family. My family cannot be one of those ‘false Five Great Houses,’ nor would we ever follow the gods’ will. As you know, our family head has lived since the Age of War itself.” Zeppelin’s eyes gleamed. I nodded.
“I know. That’s why I trust you.”
“I do have one question, my lord.”
“What is it?”
“Why… tell me all this?”
A fair question.
“Yes, the Gold Family may be the most trustworthy of the Five. But that alone can’t be why you told me something of this scale.”
“We’re partners, aren’t we? We’ll be working together.”
“…Don’t joke, my lord. Even partners don’t share this much. Not unless there’s a binding magic or a soul-brand to ensure silence and loyalty—”
He stopped mid-sentence, his face freezing.
“No… don’t tell me…”
“You made an oath, didn’t you?”
“But that oath—it was something I’ve never even heard of.”
“Even so—it was an oath.”
Zeppelin’s eyes shook violently.
“Don’t worry. As long as you never reveal our talk to anyone, never lie to me, and never betray me, nothing will happen to you.”
“……”
“But if you do break it… something interesting might happen.”
Sweat beaded on Zeppelin’s forehead.
“Just in case you ever take this oath lightly, let’s give you a little preview. Go ahead, Zeppelin—say any lie you like.”
“…Are you going to kill me to keep me quiet?”
“No. Just a small warning, to strengthen our trust.”
Zeppelin hesitated. But under my gaze, he finally opened his mouth.
“I-I’m not scared at all.”
And then.
“──!”
In that instant, Zeppelin Gold’s body froze solid, like ice. Time itself seemed to stop around him. His eyes were wide, motionless— and three seconds later, his body shuddered violently.
“U-UWEEEEEKK!”
He toppled from the chair and collapsed onto the floor, vomiting everything in his stomach. Rolling and retching, he lay sprawled on the ground, trembling uncontrollably. His fine clothes and disheveled hair were drenched with sweat, his exposed skin covered in gooseflesh. As if he’d just returned from a monster’s maw.
“…What did you do, Master?”
Hmm. That seemed… a bit much. At my question, Liam answered curtly.
「I did nothing.」
“……”
「I merely looked at him.」
Just looked? Really? Zeppelin remained frozen, trembling for a long while, unable even to lift his head. He looked completely broken.
Eventually, he regained his senses, but couldn’t even meet my eyes. He muttered apologies for his “unsightly display” and fled the room in a panic. Watching him go, my master murmured casually:
「That reaction is… fairly normal for those who meet my gaze.」
…That was normal? Catching my expression, my master added:
「You should know, I’m being rather gentle with you, young descendant.」
Perhaps a bit excessive— but undeniably effective.
After seeing the result with my own eyes, I couldn’t deny it. I had gained a new weapon— and quite a useful one at that.
Of course, there was still another weapon I mustn’t forget to claim.
“…You’re saying I should use the Golden Star?”
“Yes. We’re partners, aren’t we?”
A new sword.