“This is the person I love.”

The holy sword remained silent for a long time in response to Sion’s words.

After a while, that warm voice spoke to his heart again.

‘Sion Belfast, my descendant. You are living another life.’

“That’s right.”

‘That life… was given to you by the woman you desire. Did you know?’

‘!’

What could this mean?

This new life I’ve returned to was given by Esther?

‘What do you mean by that? Holy sword.’

Too shocked to speak aloud, Sion asked in his mind. The holy sword containing the soul of the Belfast god replied.

‘Surely she brought you back to life. That is all I can tell you.’

A moment later.

Sion doubted his own eyes.

The Lapis that had been floating high out of reach slowly descended towards Sion of its own power.

‘Has my end come at last? Now I can finally find peace.’

“Are you the God of Belfast?”

Sion asked.

‘I have been called the holy swordsman, and called a god, and now I am called the holy sword, but I too am merely a being. Sion, I will answer your prayer.’

Slowly… the holy sword finally came to rest before Sion’s eyes. Then it trembled once, faintly, and lay on its side.

It was the first time seeing the holy sword up close. A sight no one had seen in over a thousand years.

A gray blade that looked like mere stone, or rather appeared to be stone.

A hilt of nothing but black smoke, with no decoration, no form.

Yet the aura surrounding the sword emitted a sacred blue light.

‘Sion Belfast.’

‘Yes.’

‘I feel we will meet again someday.’

“…Yes.”

If it is the will of God, it will come to pass someday, and when that time comes, I will understand the meaning of these words. So there is no need to ask in advance.

Sion knelt before the sword and pressed his forehead to the ground. How could he express this gratitude that words could not convey?

“Thank you… thank you… thank you.”

‘Hurry.’

That was the end of the sword’s words.

Sion grasped the smoky hilt of the sword.

At the same moment, the sword’s blue aurora spread wide and enveloped Sion.

[This is the timeline separator]

Count Infidel Nugent, Count Franz Antoine, the empress’s brother, and others.

All of the dozens of Belfast vassals were gathered on the stairs below the holy sword’s room where the grand duke had gone up.

And blocking their way was the head maid.

“If anything happens to the grand duke, will the head maid take responsibility?! Quickly, bring him down for treatment-.”

At the vassals’ angry shouts, the head maid cried out.

“Is there anyone among us who can open that door?! Will the God of Belfast open it for us?”

Luine glared at everyone.

Lord Arcadia Nugent had ordered her to block this entrance even at the cost of her life. It was also the grand duke’s order.

I, Luine Axel, will follow that order even if it is my young master’s last command.

Franz Antoine spoke in an anguished voice.

“No one… can open the door. Not unless they are a Belfast. But it’s already been half a day!”

“Did you not hear the deputy commander’s words? The grand duke said he would surely return.”

“…”

“Instead of wasting time here, go down and find a way to save Knight Esther. Did you not hear she is a Sword Master!”

Luine pleaded.

Sword Master.

A terrifying being who could conquer the continent with her power alone.

But.

A Sword Master dying from black magic, a grand duke trapped in the holy sword’s room covered in blood and poisoned.

Which of the two should they bet the future on?

Unable to decide, the vassals could only let out anguished groans.

It was then.

“Call more doctors!”

Arcadia’s scream could be heard from the infirmary several floors below.

“Try anything! You useless magician! Anything!”

– Thud

Once again, the sound of the empire’s greatest magician, Eodel, being thrown back by the black magic.

– Boom boom

The shock blasted through the infirmary door and even the stairs in front.

“Esther!”

“Miss Esther! Open your eyes!”

“Waaah! Esther!”

“Esther!”

The knights’ sorrowful cries shook the castle.

At that moment.

– Groooan

The sound of something massive moving could be heard.

At that sound, Luine turned around as if struck by lightning.

The door to the blue sapphire room was opening.

And… the grand duke enveloped in a blue aura was walking out from there.

Holding a sword that looked like gray and black smoke with his left arm that had turned black up to the hand.

Everyone who saw that sight knelt in place.

Luine too knelt, or rather collapsed, trembling at the blue aura emitted by the sword.

A quiet sense of oppression overwhelmed the space. No one dared to even let out a groan.

Unable to even look at the grand duke descending the stairs, the vassals parted to make way.

Only after he had passed did Infidel Nugent cry out.

“Ah… God of Belfast!”

It was a scream mixed with fear, admiration, and awe.

Franz Antoine wailed.

“After a thousand years, after a thousand years the holy sword has revealed itself! Sion Belfast! The grand duke! Has revealed it!”

Thick tears flowed from the old vassal’s eyes.

A cold wind blew over the place where the holy sword’s aura that no human could touch had passed. Luine staggered to her feet.

Esther’s image stone fell from her bosom. But the head maid did not notice.

The image stone rolled down the stairs as if following the grand duke. And stopped in front of the wide open infirmary.

Since it had not yet heard its master’s order to ‘stop’, the green stone began to record everything before it.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Stand back! Lord Nugent!”

At Deputy Commander Moby’s shout, Arcadia turned around.

While holding Esther, who had turned pale, having no more blood left to shed.

Where Arcadia’s gaze landed, Sion stood holding the holy sword.

Arcadia unconsciously rose to his feet.

And like everyone else, he knelt before the holy sword and its master, Sion Belfast.

‘You kept your promise, Sion. No, my grand duke.’

Arcadia said in his heart as he looked up at Sion.

Sion slowly approached Esther, looking like an incarnation of the Belfast god.

Everyone was so overwhelmed by the sword’s aura that they could barely lift their heads.

Sion raised the sword. That sword that looked like smoke, covered in blue aura.

“Holy sword, grant me strength! Save this woman.”

Sion cried out.

Arcadia closed his eyes.

The sword pierced Esther’s shoulder as she faced death.

At the same moment, the black magic that had been strangling Esther dissipated.

Silently and gently. Like darkness helplessly fading before the sun dawning at daybreak.

“Ah, holy sword!”

The boy magician who had been shouting in worship fainted.

Sion pulled out the holy sword that had pierced Esther’s shoulder. At the same time, a beautifully transparent blue light enveloped Esther.

A moment later, the holy sword vanished like smoke, leaving only that light behind.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Esther?”

‘Who is it?’

I slowly opened my eyes in the pitch-black darkness.

“Agnes, who did our daughter take after to be such a heavy sleeper?”

“Are you saying that for me to hear, Michael?”

Lovers who clearly love each other roll each other’s names on their tongues as if savoring a fragrant flower scent.

My dark vision gradually brightened and I could see the person in front of me.

Silver hair so bright it dazzled the eyes, long eyes gently curved as if smiling was their default expression.

Those brilliant golden eyes within gazing at their lover.

A beautiful man resembling the free wind at a glance.

Where his gaze landed was a woman with elegant green hair tied back tightly.

Skin as white as jade, a small face, sky-blue eyes set within.

A beautiful woman in brilliant pastel tones making something.

“Our baby, mommy will finish soon. Just wait a little longer.”

The woman smiled brightly at me.

At those words, the man looked at me.

Golden eyes as dazzling as the sun fill with me. In his pupils is a small, young baby girl.

“Our daughter, you’re awake. Did you sleep well?”

The man gently stroked my cheek.

“You little sleepyhead.”

Then he smiled broadly.

“Agnes, Esther is smiling. How can she have eyes exactly like yours?”

“Is that so?”

The woman smiled.

Ah…

Ahh…

Father, my father.

My mother.

I reached out towards them. My tiny maple leaf-like hand touched father’s cheek. Father smiled like sunlight scattering on a gentle breeze.

‘Beloved father. At last… I remember you.’

“Esther. Esther?”

Someone is calling my name again.

It’s not mother or father.

Who is it?

Slowly, I opened my eyes again.

‘Ah…’

I’ve returned.

I’m alive.

Arcadia.

In a room lit by sunlight. I saw Arcadia’s face looking down at me in that sunlight.

His pure face was now covered in rough stubble.

“Arcadia… Nugent.”

“What, have you gone mad? Saying my name so casually… so casually.”

He couldn’t continue speaking. Because thick tears fell from his eyes.

I blinked in surprise.

“You bastard… who wakes up after three days.”

Arcadia kept crying, like a child.

Without realizing it, I put my hand on his cheek. He grasped my hand.

“Am I not dead?”

“…Yes, you’re alive. You’re alive, you fool.”

“His Highness… the grand duke….”

He stopped crying.

“Even in this situation, that’s what you’re curious about.”

“…Arcadia.”

He laughed.

“Has your mind not returned yet? Or are you speaking informally now because you’re a Sword Master?”

‘Ah!’

Slowly the memories return.

“Deputy Commander. Did I… really survive?”

“…Yes. You’ve come back.”

His green eyes curved warmly and gently.

“Deputy Commander. I… my memories have returned.”

“!”

“They’ve come back.”

My memories have returned.

I could feel it with my whole body. The memories from before I was five that had disappeared and left me empty have returned.

“It must be thanks to the holy sword. The holy sword blew away the black magic eating away at you, as lightly as dust.”

“Holy… sword?”

“The grand duke saved you.”

“The grand duke….”

I sat up. My stomach hurt terribly but not enough to prevent me from moving.

“Where is His Highness?”

“…Before that, there’s something you need to see.”

Arcadia’s voice sank heavily.

[This is the timeline separator]

The place Arcadia took me was a room on the highest floor of the castle.

The head maid, Luine Axel, who was guarding the front of that room, jumped up as soon as she saw me.

From them I heard the story of ‘Lapis’, the holy sword of the north that is the incarnation of the Belfast god.

And the fact that the grand duke had used it for me.

“When the sword disappeared, even this room could be opened by human power.”

As I listened to Arcadia’s words, I entered the room.

The room was completely transparent. Under the only place where sunlight entered high up, I could see my own figure standing as if looking in a mirror.

“Was this room originally transparent?”

“No, it changed like this after the holy sword left.”

I slowly approached the wall and looked at my reflection there.

My face was clearly visible as if reflected in transparent blue water.

For a moment, as if entranced, I placed my hand on the mask covering the left side of my face.

My heart began to race wildly.

I could feel it. My face… my face under the mask.

I opened my mouth.

“My face has returned.”