“Those people up there are probably still fighting. It wouldn’t be strange if they argued for a month just about who and how many should be in the advance party.”

Utu chuckled at Ir’s sarcastic comment. He agreed with Ir’s words. Honestly, among the current imperial family, there wasn’t anyone worthy of being the next Emperor. They were all mediocre, and their abilities could hardly be called excellent.

‘That’s why the succession dispute keeps getting more intense.’

Utu was worried about this situation. After all, he too was a citizen of the Empire. And right now, the Empire was incredibly stable and prosperous. So he hoped this peace and stability would continue as long as possible. For that to happen….

“It would have been better if His Highness Nergal had accepted the succession rights.”

Utu unconsciously blurted out his true feelings. At that moment.

“Ugh.”

Ir wrinkled her face in disgust and pretended to gag.

“Wow, that’s the most chilling thing I’ve heard all year.”

Ir made retching motions several more times while rubbing both her arms vigorously. Her already distorted face became even more fierce with her grimace, causing the shepherd to completely turn away now. Utu clicked his tongue once and asked.

“Why? Everyone knows His Highness Nergal’s abilities are the most outstanding?”

“Who said anything about lacking ability? It’s that personality that’s the problem. Just imagine if that person became Emperor. I’d have to spend all day bowing my head in front of his office instead of you all.”

Utu burst out laughing at Ir’s words.

Even when only the 9th Knight Order was present, Ir always referred to troublesome royalty politely as ‘them’ or ‘their highnesses.’ But there was one royal whom Ir would grind her teeth and call ‘that person,’ and sometimes even ‘that crazy bastard.’ That person was Nergal.

“His Highness Nergal does work us pretty hard.”

“You call that ‘pretty hard’?”

“I heard you just had to stand there?”

“Yeah, I stood there. All day long in a spot where I’d meet his eyes every time he looked up! I’m not some office decoration… I already feel bad making everyone who comes and goes flinch in surprise, but do you think it’s easy to silently endure that person’s stare all day?”

“At least he doesn’t throw documents at your face like he does with the vice-commander.”

“I’d rather have him throw things and tell me to get out quickly.”

She was serious. Every time she saw officials getting hit with words and documents before scurrying away from his office corner, Ir was genuinely about to go crazy with envy. But Nergal would order her to stand and wait there, keeping her in place for hours.

There was a chair next to Ir. The fact that only a chair was placed there made it clear it was meant for her. But Ir never sat in that chair. Judging by Nergal’s personality, she suspected the moment she sat down, he’d say “Comfortable, are you? Why don’t you stay all day then?” and really keep her there all day.

Just imagining it gave her chills, so Ir shook her head and muttered.

“Still, how fortunate that he only torments me.”

“True… Last time when the vice-commander wasn’t there, the commander went himself, but he just received the report and left right away.”

Ir let out a long sigh at Utu’s words. She quietly muttered, Should I hit him, really….

“But why does His Highness Nergal only pick on the vice-commander? Honestly, we’re all here too.”

“Don’t know. Maybe he thinks I’m the easiest target since he saw me when I was young. Though I don’t understand why he’d want to keep this appearance in his office….”

“Huh? Vice-commander, you’ve known His Highness Nergal since you were young?”

Ir briefly froze at Shulat’s surprised voice. Seeing Ir’s reaction, Utu glared at Shulat.

“Why are you curious about such things?”

Shulat looked bewildered at Utu’s unusually sharp tone. He seemed to wonder if he had said something wrong.

“Stop it, Utu.”

Ir stopped Utu from pressing further with a bitter smile.

“I guess Shulat didn’t know. I’m from the Kingdom of Levant. His Highness Nergal stayed briefly in Levant when I was young.”

Shulat closed his mouth at Ir’s explanation. The Kingdom of Levant was a kingdom that fell to the Empire 15 years ago. It was also the country that the Empire had conquered most easily, with the least casualties.

“But how did you meet His Highness Nergal? Were you a noble too, Vice-commander?”

“Hmm… my father was a noble. And while Levant didn’t recognize succession rights for women so I wasn’t technically nobility, I still frequented the palace. I just saw him often back then.”

It was half truth, half lie.

“Enough of that, get some rest. Shulat, you’re included in the group going up with the shepherd.”

“What? Why?”

“Why? Your lips have turned blue. And, Utu. Check the condition of the others too. Some seem particularly incompatible with the Holy Sword and aren’t doing well.”

“Understood.”

“Shulat, even if you cry and beg to stay, I’m sending you up, so don’t even think about pleading.”

“Tch.”

Having his intentions seen through, Shulat grumbled as he returned to his sleeping bag. After Utu left to check on the others, Ir finally found herself alone and turned to look at the Holy Sword.

Though called a Holy Sword, it wasn’t made entirely of gold or decorated with brilliant jewels on its handle.

The Holy Sword was a smooth sword made of a dark blue material.

‘When I was young, I thought it would be made of pure gold and jewels.’

The Holy Sword illustrated in the storybook she had secretly read behind her father’s back was an incredibly ornate sword. Back then, she had gaped at how magnificent it was, but now she wondered if there could be anything more useless than that.

Ir stood up and approached the line she had drawn. Standing at the boundary line looking at the Holy Sword, she thought about trying to grab it. But soon she just smiled wryly.

‘What would I do with that thing anyway?’

If you have a desire, grasp this sword.

The words she had seen in the records echoed in her mind. That’s why Ir had no intention of grasping the sword. Because she didn’t particularly desire anything.

‘I just want to go back.’

She wanted to return to the palace and collapse in the familiar knights’ quarters. Then, like always, she wanted to spend her days completing missions with the knights of the 9th Order, joking around, eating together, and occasionally throwing punches.

That was what Ir desired now.

***

After an hour passed, Ir called out Shulat and several other knights who looked exhausted.

“Go up with the shepherd and report that you’ve found the Holy Sword. We’ll organize and come up when the second party arrives.”

“So you’re telling the weaklings to get out, right?”

Ir cackled as Shulat spoke with a dejected face.

“Stop whining and go up quickly. It’s just a guess, but the path up shouldn’t take that long. The fact that the Holy Sword revealed itself to us in the first place means it’s willing to receive people. You might even reach the outside in 10 minutes?”

“Then can I come back down?”

“What for?”

“I’m curious about who the Holy Sword will choose as its master too. In legends, when the sword is pulled out, the earth shakes, light flashes, and the sky shines auspiciously….”

“Will you get going already?”

Ir made a motion as if to kick Shulat’s behind. Still pouting, Shulat practically dragged the shepherd along as he headed up. The departing knights bid farewell to those remaining with eyes mixed with relief and regret before moving on.

Soon after, the clearing became quiet again.

“Everyone wait at your positions. Set one person from each group as lookout and take turns resting.”

Ir counted the number of knights. Twenty-five in total. Out of the 35 members of the knight order, they had left only five in the capital including the commander, so there would be a shortage of people to handle the palace’s annoying tasks.

Ir’s eyes gradually closed as she thought about the work waiting for them when they returned to the capital.

“…!”

Startled by herself nearly falling asleep, she snapped her eyes open.

‘What’s this?’

She could normally go without sleep for over three days. Yet she was falling asleep just from leaning back a bit?

“What’s going on…!”

As Ir tried to stand up, she staggered and braced herself against the wall. Blinking several times didn’t clear her vision; instead, it became even blurrier. When she managed to turn her head, Ir held her breath.

All the members of the 9th Knight Order who had been waiting while lying down collapsed unconscious.

‘What is this? What’s happening!’

As she tried to turn her head wondering if this was also the Holy Sword’s doing.

Something came rolling down from the path they had descended and stopped at Ir’s feet.

“…Shulat?”

What had fallen at her feet was Shulat’s severed head.