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Chapter 52

“We should be good now, right?” she asked.

“It makes me wonder if you’re being too excessive, in fact,” Marianne said, looking exasperated by Frances’s exaggerated level of caution. “Your cabin is thoroughly soundproof, and even if someone in the Fifth Degree External Force Tier reaches this place, they will have difficulty listening any farther than ten meters away. I do not know how highly you think of that boy, but if he can hear us from here, he has already reached the Transcendence Tier.”

“You think? Well, I suppose it would be ridiculous to think he’s a Swordmaster at that age,” Frances admitted.

“Those who reach the External Force Tier before their coming-of-age ceremony are already considered geniuses. I believe he is around that level,” Marianne explained.

Frances’s eyes widened. “Did you just say Leonard was a genius?”

“Yes, he is,” she said without a moment of hesitation. “My lady, you are aware that I changed him out of his clothing after you pulled him out of the sea.”

“Did you enjoy it?”

“He had an impressive physique... Ahem! What I mean to say is that his body was unbelievably refined! This is not a comment about him as a member of the opposite sex!” Sure enough, that little joke was enough to set her off. Marianne barely managed to calm herself. She explained in more detail, “He has undergone systematic training from a young age and has been fed just the right amount of nutrients. No more, no less. He has spent years concentrating on basic sword techniques so that he won’t create any bad habits—I’m sure of it. And of course, he was born with innate talent.”

Frances’s eyes softened, and she said calmly, “So you’re saying he’s from a noble family? And his manners are very refined. There’s only one family in the Arcadian Empire known for their swordplay. So he must be...”

“Yes, it is very likely that he is of the Cardenas bloodline,” Marianne confirmed.

The Ducal House of Cardenas.

They were part of the great Arcadian Empire, which dominated more than half the world. They were the family with the most military prowess and were famous for being a family of swordsmen. In fact, people often said that the Empire wouldn’t have been able to obtain more than half its territories if it weren’t for the Seven Orders. Their knights were scattered all across the Empire, acting as both sword and shield as they cut down anything that threatened the Empire’s citizens. The House of Cardenas was like a guardian angel to the people and the most terrifying entity to bordering nations.

“Do you have any solid proof? I don’t think you would say that if you only had circumstantial evidence,” Frances pointed out.

“It is merely an educated guess.” Marianne began slowly, but then she cautiously started to feel more sure of herself. “A guess based on his sword.”

Frances hadn’t seen that coming. “His sword? Isn’t it just a normal sword?”

“Yes, but everything about it is flawless. There is no trace of casting in the metal, and the distribution of weight is impeccable. It’s hard to believe a single piece of steel could be so pure.”

“But you can buy a good sword even if you’re not from the Cardenas family,” Frances pointed out.

“No. That sword is not something meant to be put on the market. There is no seal of a master craftsman or the logo of a workshop. It was something that was mass-produced with uniform design.” Marianne could deduce as much from her observations. “There is no other family that can mass-produce swords that are only for internal use and don’t get circulated. The Archducal House of Jehoia may be capable of doing that, but their descendants are easily recognizable.”

Frances actually clapped. “Wow! I always knew you were so smart, my dear Marianne. But some people just think all you do is stand behind me and swing your sword.”

“I am uncertain whether to take that as a compliment or an insult.”

“Anyway, that means there’s a good chance that Leonard is a descendant of the Cardenas family, right? His skills are already impressive, and he doesn’t seem like the type to mistreat his savior, so he should stay on my side for now.”

Frances had been lacking manpower, so Leonard was a pleasant surprise. The only thing that bothered her was that his identity was still only half confirmed. If she asked directly, he would probably answer truthfully, but if she took that approach, it would ruin any good impression he had of her. Though she was a naturally cheerful and straightforward person, she was also clever enough to know how to make use of her image.

“Please do not try to get too close to him,” Marianne warned quietly. “He has too many secrets.”

“Does Leonard seem that dangerous to you?”

“Yes, extremely dangerous.”

The immediacy of her bodyguard’s response made Frances’s eyes widen. Marianne was already at the Sixth Degree External Force Tier, and she wasn’t even thirty yet. She was a powerful fighter who’d slain thousands of people at sea. Before she joined Aquamarine and became Frances’s bodyguard, there were rumors that she could kill with one look. However, this very same Marianne was already saying that this boy was extremely dangerous despite the fact that she’d never fought him.

“I am in a higher Tier, and if we are forced to fight, I have no intention of losing, but the stench of blood he gives off is terrifying. It’s as if he’s killed several times, perhaps tens of times, more people than I have.”

“At his age? Is that possible?”

“It makes no logical sense. However, the Cardenas bloodline transcends reason. There is nothing wrong with being careful,” she said with sincere concern. At some point, Frances had become like a younger sister to her.

Having been in the killing business for a long time, Marianne knew that death came for everyone, whether or not they were geniuses or in the External Force Tier. Moreover, those who survived gave off a similar aura as the boy.

They were monsters who couldn’t even be defined by the Tiers of mana cultivation.

“I knew it! I should recruit him to my team!” Frances’s declaration shattered the heavy mood.

Marianne looked at her, horrified. “Pardon? Did you not hear a thing I said?”

“If he’s strong enough to put you on edge and is a Cardenas swordsman at that, he’ll be the best of the best! If we get him on our side, we won’t have to worry about having him as an enemy. Isn’t that a good thing?”

“I think I’m slowly losing my mind, so please take some time to think about it alone. I do not wish to speak any further on this.”

“Oh, come on. Don’t be like that!”

The two stepped onto the deck, bickering like siblings as they always did.

It was another day of smooth sailing for Aquamarine.

***

The Atlantis Maritime Alliance wasn’t a nation but a transnational coalition of islands and archipelagos. It operated on the basis of countless ships and ocean currents. Due to how far removed it was from the Arcadian Empire, they had very different customs.

This was part of the reason Arcadians had trouble adjusting within the Alliance’s borders, especially because they were used to living under one vast state. While Arcadians understood what it might look like to lack noble ranks and titles because the idea of a republic had once been popular, they were unfamiliar with the concept of open borders and a lack of centralized national identity.

Despite all these differences, the Alliance was thriving. It had claimed the waters south of the Arcadian Empire and found numerous Rifts and enormous amounts of natural resources scattered around the region, so it consistently churned out astronomical profits.

“The Alliance is divided into six Sea Districts,” Marianne explained. It appeared that Frances was busy—Marianne had stayed behind to talk with Leonard after bringing him his breakfast. “The First Sea District is home to the capital, Atlantis City, which lies at its center. It is the safest region, and most of the richer and highly acclaimed expedition teams have residences there. We call it Orichalcos. Maritime combat is also strictly prohibited in their waters.”

“No maritime combat... In that case, are land invasions allowed?” Leonard asked.

“Well, there are guards stationed all over the capital. If someone is strong enough to take all of them out, it wouldn’t even matter if fighting were prohibited.” Marianne paused. “An enormous amount of capital passes through Atlantis City. That is why so much force is needed to protect the wealth.”

“I see.” He immediately understood. Whenever there was a large amount of money, it was inevitable that those who wanted to steal it and those who wanted to protect it would clash. Even in his past life, there had been many times when a scuffle between merchant groups and escort agencies escalated to the point they were employing entire sects. A mere thief would die the moment they tried to even touch the money.

“Of course, there are expedition teams from other districts and people all the way from the Empire itself who are powerful in their own right. But there are two groups who are the most dangerous,” Marianne warned. “The first is the mages of the Magic Tower. They had come from faraway lands to build their tower, and now, they are in charge of all the magical security measures in the city.”

“And the second is the group Bermuda. They are the leading member of the Maritime Alliance and have the highest profits,” she added. “All expedition teams are required to register with them as well. Bermuda is similar to the Adventurers’ Guild on the Empire’s mainland, but they are known to have frequent internal conflicts. Because someone’s loss equates to someone else’s gain.”

“Is that why Miss Frances needs me?”

“I do not have the right to speak to that. Please ask her in person when she comes.”

Unlike her employer, Marianne was an honest person, and she couldn’t hide anything from Leonard even if she wanted to.

He was able to grasp a basic understanding of the situation Aquamarine was in, and it actually made him a little happy. Rather than taking the side of the strong and crushing the weak, taking the side of the weak and standing up against the strong was the right path for a martial artist.

An old memory of fighting at sea came to him.

I don’t have much experience in maritime battle, but there was something I learned from the South Sea Sword Sect. I should review it. It’s been a while.

The South Sea Sword Sect, or rather, the Hainan Sect, had once briefly employed him as a bruiser. Most of his opponents had been pirates who emerged from distant seas, and they used a style of swordplay different from the styles in the Central Plains. The sight of them swinging long, thin knives was still etched into his memory. Though, their lack of skill made it so that their swordplay didn’t make much of a difference.

The Hainan Sect had some good techniques. There weren’t many other types of swordplay that applied reverse sword arts and left-handed sword arts to that extent.

Other techniques, such as the Hainan Thirty-Six Swords and the Four Seas Sky Piercing Tempest, had also enlightened the Sword Emperor to no small extent. They were part of the reason he’d been able to reach the level of mastery he had now. They’d also helped him develop the White Tiger Form’s Whirlwind Step, which allowed him to ride the winds.

“It would be better for you to hear about the five other districts from the lady herself. I am merely a bodyguard, and I lack the knowledge and experience to speak more broadly about these issues,” Marianne advised. When she finished telling him about the First Sea District, she stood up. “That is all from me. I shall be on my way.”

“Thank you for your time,” Leonard said politely.

She paused and turned back around. “One more piece of advice.”

As she met Leonard’s gaze, her eyes stood out against her bronze, tanned skin. They were worn with blood and death. The boy had the same eyes.

Marianne was at the Sixth Degree External Force Tier, and she was approaching the Seventh. She’d grown up in the wild, not in a prestigious family like the Cardenas. She’d only survived due to her innate talent and her willingness to spill blood over and over again.

However, even though she knew that the handsome boy in front of her was dangerous, his statue-like features and elegant manners didn’t allow her to suppress her feelings of goodwill.

“The Aquamarine will soon arrive at Atlantis City, Orichalcos. I advise you not to mention your background once we arrive. There is not an insignificant number of people who are hostile toward the Arcadian Empire.”

“I understand. I hope you have a good day, Marianne.”

Her words reminded him of something he’d forgotten.

The Empire is a hegemon. Of course other countries resent it as the Kurdish Kingdom did. It would be wise to stay cautious.

It was troublesome enough when another martial artist harbored resentment toward him on an individual basis, so he had no desire to get caught up in foreign affairs or anything else he wasn’t really involved in.

He slayed because he wanted to slay.

He killed because he wanted to kill.

The Sword Emperor Yeon Mu-Hyuk had never felt any sense of belonging or allegiance to any groups he’d been a part of.

If I was on my own, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to use my nationality to bait new enemies...

But Frances, Marianne, and the entire Aquamarine team would get caught in the crossfire, so he discarded the idea.

They would have been horrified if he had told them this thought.