The Marquis’ Eldest Son’s Lascivious Story-Chapter 300: The Sword That Was Unleashed

The mansion stood on a hill overlooking the sea.

The location was scenic, with a great view, and beautiful nature spread all around.

The mansion itself was simple and unadorned. However, this brings out its refined beauty. The skill of the craftsmen involved in the construction and the high quality of the building materials used were evident.

There were houses and fields where the workers lived, but there were no private homes nearby. The only man-made object was the narrow road leading to the mansion.

It is like a place where time flows quietly and peacefully, a realm cut off from the mundane world.

That day, the maids working at the mansion were busy dealing with visitors.

Not many people visit this place. And this was the first time that a proper aristocrat had visited.

[Excuse me.]

Tamia, the head maid, entered the room of the mansion’s master.

[How are you feeling, Retired Master?]

[Hh…mmm…]

The old man, who was called retired master, was lying in bed, only looking at her and replied in a growling voice.

It was past noon now, but his condition hadn’t changed much since Tamia had last seen him this morning. The young maids waiting in the room were also waiting with expressions that said, “Nothing in particular to report”.

[…ugh…]

[Does it hurt?]

Tamia approached to activate healing magic, but the old man stopped her with a look.

[M, my…]

He must have felt pain as he tried to sit up, and that one word made her understand. Before he could continue, she put her hand on the old man’s back and supported him in raising his upper body.

[…body is rusty, and rotting… how pitiful…]

The old man, who had the body of a Highlord, had developed a magic malfunction several years ago. He was no longer able to exert magic power, which was the source of his strong life force, and as a result, he was often in danger of losing his life.

However, recently, his magic powers have been recovering. In fact, at this very moment, his old body was filled with the Highlord’s magic power. It would be impossible for him to become so weakened.

The true cause of the old man’s suffering was extremely severe residual magic.

When someone is hit by a murderous attack magic, some of the magic power is imprinted into their body and accumulated. The superficial residues can be brushed away, but once they have seeped into the body’s core, they cannot be exorcised with healing magic.

These residues eventually cause numbness in the limbs, impaired movement, impaired internal organ function, nerve damage, and severe pain. These symptoms, which occur chronically or irregularly, were unbearable even for the Highlords, who boasted exceptional strength.

Residual magic is the most terrifying disease for Lords and Highlords, who spend almost all of their lives in good health.

[My legs won’t move, but I’m not in pain. My mouth can move… Well, it’s not too bad. Who knows what will happen tomorrow. I have to consider this a blessing.]

As if checking the operation of an old machine, the old man slowly moved his arms from side to side to check the condition of his body.

He must be in a lot of pain, as his wrinkled face would occasionally frown.

[Yes. it’s good.]

Tamia didn’t deny his words. She knew that her master hated unnecessary comfort.

In fact, his condition that day was very good. When the symptoms of the residue become severe, it could be so severe to the point where it’s difficult to communicate, let alone eat. It is not uncommon for a patient to be bedridden for several days or even weeks.

And when this is combined with the cycle of magic power depletion due to magic malfunction, it can become a life-threatening situation.

It was only because of the strong body of the Highlord that the old man was able to resist this intense and brutal residual damage. But when his body lost its magic power, becoming no different from that of the serfs, he could not possibly withstand it.

Whenever the old man’s magic powers ran out, the entire mansion was mobilized and worked day and night to deal with the situation.

However, there was only so much they could do. Since the residuals themselves could not be exorcised, the best they could do was to continue applying healing magic to forcibly maintain his life.

[…It’s not as if we can’t do anything about it.]

Magic malfunction is cyclical, so there is an end to the so-called “healing immersion” state during the depletion period.

However, even if the magic powers are restored, the negative effects of the residuals cannot be eliminated. In addition, the older you get, the more likely the effects become apparent and the worse they tend to get.

Just because you’re in the revival period doesn’t mean you can do anything. You end up feeling resentful of your body not being able to move properly, enduring the never-ending pain, and waiting for the next depletion period.

Thanks to the life force of his master and the support of those around him, the old man is able to continue to live, but at the same time, he continues to suffer.

Tamia often found herself thinking that it would be better for her master if his magic were to disappear completely, and that his current state of surviving only half-heartedly was too cruel.

To the serfs and Lords, the “Highlords” are something akin to a symbol of faith. They want the strong to be strong, the rest must be no flaws in them, everyone feels this to a greater or lesser extent.

It is a symbol of strength, proof of a ruler, and the most precious power on this earth. The sight of one writhing in pain on his bed, forcefully tied to life, is the antithesis of that.

Tamia mocks herself for thinking that way so selfishly.

However, she is not the only one who feels this way. The old man in front of her is the one who feels the most helpless about the injustice of his magic malfunction and magic residues.

[…What happened?]

The old man noticed that the mood of everyone at the mansion, including the maids, had been somewhat tense from yesterday to today.

Tamia felt ashamed for making her master worry unnecessarily.

[Pardon us.]

[You’re worried… about something outside?]

[Yes. Pardon me for taking it into your attention…]

Even in the Eruo continent, where there is no word for stress, they know that it’s best not to put mental strain on sick people.

The people at the mansion tried their best to avoid talking about politics with their master, but they couldn’t keep quiet about the visitor this time.

[I don’t care. I don’t know when I’ll decay… I’m bored, very bored.]

The old man spoke in a calm, somewhat lethargic tone.

It had been a long time since the old man had lost the will to live. This was largely due to his decades of fighting illnesses, as well as his recent onset of magic malfunction. Even if he couldn’t move properly due to the influence of the residual magic, the fact that his body was filled with the Highlord’s magic power was necessary to maintain his pride as a “strong man”.

Now that he was losing even his pride due to aging, all semblance of willpower had vanished from the old man’s heart.

The Highlord who had lost his power was no longer worth anything, his role had already been lost, and all that remained was to wait to turn to ashes… Though he didn’t say it, it was clear to everyone that he had reached a state of resignation.

[There may not be a next time… let me hear it.]

The old man treated his own death as if it was someone else’s problem. Perhaps he didn’t want to admit that he had become a “weak person”.

[O, outside…]

This mansion was built for the purpose of providing final recuperation for the old man, who had developed a magic malfunction and was nearing the end of his life. Completely separated from the political arena, so that he could turn to ashes in peace in the natural surroundings of his hometown.

However, rather than distancing himself from the noble society, it might be more accurate to say that he was abandoned by them. No one wanted an old man who was still suffering from the residual magic to come out into the open.

[Sometimes some excitement isn’t bad…]

The old man was in a slightly good mood as he spoke.

He had always believed that living up to the expectations of others was proof of being strong. Tamia thought that he was probably happy that he still had a role to play, no matter what form it took.

[So, what happened?]

[The Princess has come to visit.]

If she was just reporting that she had come to visit, there was no need to sound so serious. With just his eyes, the old man instructed her to explain the circumstances.

[To inherit this land and this family, huh?]

However, Tamia hadn’t heard the details of the situation either. The order had been decided from above, and it had simply come down to the mansion.

It was unclear whether the princess had not provided any details out of concern for his aging body, or whether she had decided that there was no need to explain to the dying former Highlord.

The old man was once again reminded of the reality that he was cut off from the secular world.

However, he was not discouraged and gave his next instructions. Even if their connections were only slight, they were valuable to him at the moment, and he felt a strong interest in them.

[…call her immediately.]

[Understood.]

Following her master’s orders, Tamia brought a girl into the room. She was the old man’s granddaughter, a young Princess with the body of a Highlord.

No noble had ever visited this mansion before. Not only the guards but also the servants were unconsciously nervous.

[I guess it’s been a while since we last met in the Imperial Capital. It’s been a long time, Grandfather.]

Led by the retired, aged former head knight, the girl walked up to the bed.

[Right…welcome.]

The girl had a carefree smile on her face.

Looking at bloodlines alone, they would be grandfather and granddaughter, but the girl was a relative in the so-called collateral line, and was treated a little differently. For that reason, the two had not had many opportunities to talk directly with each other.

The old man wanted to start off with small talk like a nobleman, but he was out of touch with the current state of affairs. He couldn’t immediately think of anything to talk about with the young noble lady.

[I heard you’re feeling well today. I’m very happy to have this opportunity to talk to you.]

The girl, on the other hand, seemed simply happy to be able to talk to him. He decided that it would be easier to get the conversation going if he let his granddaughter take the lead.

[I’ve always wanted to hear some old stories from Grandfather.]

The people around stiffened up and became wary.

The girl had said this to indulge in her respected grandfather, but it was a topic that was almost taboo in this mansion.

The old man, who lived through the most heated period of the turbulent times, had thrown himself into many battles. He could not survive without fighting, and it was because he fought that he was able to survive. There was no way to deny his past.

However, the price he paid was the current situation, where he could barely get out of bed. The servants could not accept it wholeheartedly. It was a topic that made him feel uncomfortable.

The old man did not particularly avoid talking about his past. Those around him were concerned about him and had mixed feelings, but the old man himself rather liked to talk about old times.

[Haha… then… I’ll tell you a little.]

It was time the old man began to talk about the days when he lived his youth frantically.

It was a time when everyone was burned by the flames of turmoil, mourning and suffering, but it was also a time of freedom when everything was burned to ashes and the view became clearer.

It had been a long time since he had leisurely told someone an old story like this. As he spoke, memories and emotions from those times flashed through his mind like a slideshow.

His jaw and throat were not in perfect condition, so there were times when he choked up. But the girl’s eyes lit up as she listened to the old man’s words, and she was drawn to the story she did not know.

[I’m surprised. I can’t believe Grandfather had gone through such a hard time…]

[Of course. Back then, only the strong could live a decent life. They were tough, quirky, and fierce warriors… They shone everywhere. They were so dazzling… sigh.]

The emotion in his voice was a longing for a memory that would never fade.

[…these days, I often remember the last of Purple Demoness.]

The only ones who understood what he meant were Tamia and the old knight accompanying the girl.

Since moving to this mansion, the old man has preferred to use casual language. Purple Demoness was a nickname he had given to a certain someone in his old days.

[Duchess Ayla Vadkite. Was known as the Duchess of Purple Lightning to others.]

The old knight gave the girl a brief supplementary explanation. As a noble of the Zinkaen Empire, she knew the name.

[That purple flash-like lightning… I think now. That was also a monster born and nurtured by the era of turmoil. I doubt that someone with such a light will ever appear again… Is it a pity, or… should we not be sorry…? ]

The western part of the Eruo continent is said to be the place where the war was at its most intense.

In those harsh times, when there was no telling when they would end, people sought heroes. There was no distinction between high and low. Everyone craved the birth of an overwhelmingly strong person who could overpower everything with force and bring the bloody conflict to an end.

And in response to that wish, the era gave birth to many monsters. As if to determine who the monster among monsters, the true hero, was.

Now that the western continent has achieved a certain degree of stability, it may be that no new monsters will appear.

The old man thought this was a happy thing, but at the same time, he felt a sense of emptiness at an age where heroes were not needed.

[That Purple Demoness died for the fight…]

The weight of life and the feeling he felt when he killed Ayla Vadkite with his own hands vividly came back to the old man’s mind. He could vividly recall the feelings he had at that moment, and even the waves of magic power that collided.

[She stuck to her own path and became ashes.]

Ayla was also a true warrior who had continued to fight on the front lines, and in her later years, she had begun to suffer from residual magic due to years of overwork.

However, her condition was not as severe as the old man’s. If she had focused on treatment, she could have lived longer. However, Ayla chose to keep fighting until her last moment.

She had no intention of exposing herself to the shame of living as a warrior and a Highlord. She wanted to live as a monster, and die as a monster. Having faced her and clashed with her many times, he understood her feelings all too well.

[… What a splendid way to die.]

All he wanted was to live in shame and die someday. He didn’t say it aloud, but Tamia and the old knight knew what the old man was thinking.

[Those monsters, I just… miss them now…]

The room was filled with a heavy atmosphere that made it difficult to even breathe.

It was almost a month since the start of the year, but the people at the mansion thought that next year would not come. This is because the cycle of magic malfunction has accelerated and the period of depletion is being extended.

It was probably because he himself understood this that he let out such weak words.

The old man had fought more than enough. Even throughout the war, there were not many cases of such severe residual magic.

Healing magic can preserve the body, but it cannot heal a worn-out mind. The people at the mansion admired his mental strength, and how he was able to resist to this extent.

[I can no longer see a new radiance… how sad…]

Muttering quietly, he closed his mouth.

The girl felt frustrated by his appearance. To her, the old man was a hero among heroes, and a symbol of strength.

She cried out in an earnest wish to encourage him, to cheer him up, to have hope.

[That’s not true, Grandfather! A new hero has surely appeared!]

The old man half-heartedly ignored it, thinking it was a child’s nonsense to encourage himself, an unnecessary consolation.

However, he noticed that the old knight standing diagonally behind the girl had changed in appearance for an instant.

[What happened exactly?]

Normally, no one would have noticed.

However, to him, the old knight was his most trusted confidant, and in some ways, closer to him than a blood relative.

He could sense even the slightest change.

[No, I can’t bother you…]

[There’s no need to be so considerate now… Soyboy.]

Soyboy was the nickname he gave to the old knight when the latter was still but a boy.

The old man wanted him to talk without hiding anything like in the old days… His voice was so weak that it seemed to disappear at any moment, and it was painful for the old knight.

Lords who support their masters tend to be overprotective of their masters. This is especially true if they are bedridden with residual magic. They have a strong desire not to cause unnecessary stress.

The old man looked at Tamia and the old knight in silence.

His gaze was so strong that it made him feel that it would be disloyal to not respond to his request.

[…I understand. Please do not let it upset you.]

[Hahaha, it must be quite a big deal then…Let me hear it.]

With the girl’s permission, the old knight took a step forward and thought about where he should start.

He didn’t know where it all began. However, at least the seeds of this idea first appeared at the beginning of last year.

[It all started with Operation Serpent’s Fang.]

The old knight gave a brief outline of the large-scale counterattack by the Splerzeig family and the launch of Operation Serpent’s Fang, the counterattack against it.

[So there’s been some progress in the battle between the two families…]

The old man also knows about the war between the Quordenze and Splerzeig. But, he couldn’t do anything about it. The old man remembers the days when he was tormented by the helplessness despite him being a Highlord.

The old knight mentions the war, which no one has talked about out of concern for his master. From this, it can be predicted that some big change has occurred.

[Yes. After defeating the Splerzeig army and its general in the battle of Nambonan City, the Quordenze army maintained its momentum and stormed Reisleaf Castle, taking it by force.]

[Im, impossible…! To think the shield actually breaks…]

He opened his eyes wide and stared intently at the old knight.

The strength of Reisleaf Castle, known as Voistra’s Great Shield, is well known. He asked for an explanation of the battle situation after the end of Operation Fang, whether they had taken only a part of it, or whether they had conquered the surrounding area as well.

[The Quordenze army has occupied the entire Reisleaf area in preparation for the next battle on Voistra Plains.]

[Hmm… so the decisive battle will be around Meizoide. Or it could be the Reisleaf region… but if the great shield breaks, there will be movement within the Empire. And… I wonder how Levios will view this…]

With a map of Voistra Plains in his head, the old man began to consider the movements of both armies, but the old knight continued speaking as if to put a stop to his thoughts.

[Then, last summer, there was another movement. The operation was called Serpent’s Jaw.]

[… What about that…?]

[Both Duke Kindlor and Duke Magnis were killed in battle, and the Quordenze army continued its attack on Othelloria without slowing down, and it fell… The Splerzeig family surrendered to the Quordenze family.]

[You mean they reached Othelloria…!?]

It’s no wonder the old man was surprised.

The Quordenze army had occupied the Reisleaf area, but at best it could be said that they had only reached the entrance to the Voistra Plains. And in this situation, there was no way that the Splerzeig side hadn’t prepared to intercept them.

Common sense would tell that a few victories would not be enough to reach the city of Othelloria. That’s why they would need to plan an invasion strategy that would span years. That’s how thick the Voistra plains is, and how powerful the Splerzeig family was.

[There’s no way they could have scoured that vast Voistra. What on earth happened?]

What route did they take? Where did the decisive battle take place? Why were the two Dukes defeated in such a short time? Nothing was clear.

But, he sensed something different from those he had fought before.

It was just a hunch. His intuition as a warrior who had run through the burning western continent told him that the one who had planned this operation was a new “monster” he had never heard of.

[…Who was the name of the General who led this operation?]

The sharpness of his youth had returned to the eyes that asked this question.

[The eldest son of the Quordenze family, his name is Wilk… He has the same eyes as Duchess Cassia, the son of Duke Luxus, and is the next head of the family.]

[Wilk Quordenze…! The grandson of those two…]

Cassia Quordenze and Galfis Quordenze were also monsters born of the era of turmoil. It was only natural that the old man’s mind. He could vividly recall the feelings he had at that moment, and even the waves of magic power that collided.

[Tell me everything, from the fangs to the jaw… everything you know.]

The words were quiet, but there was enough pressure to make it impossible to argue.

[Yes.]

When the attack on Othelloria took place in August last year, it was completely incomprehensible and everyone was confused, but now that the new year has started and it’s already mid-January, it’s becoming clear to some extent what has happened.

The old knight has been trying to gather information through various connections, so he knows the situation better than the average person connected to the Empire.

The unnatural retreat of Galfis Quordenze and the start of the Splerzeig army’s counterattack, Wilk’s sudden march across Arknoa and the mobilization of the entire Quordenze army, his crushing of Kindlor and Magnis head-on, his decisive attack on Othelloria without getting carried away with his tally and securing victory…

The old man saw a brilliance in Wilk’s figure as the old knight described it.

The heat of the battlefield, the dynamism of the soul, the merciless life and death—these were the brilliance of the monsters that he had seen in times of chaos.

[Too much…]

The old man had thought that the monsters had gone when the flames that had been burning in the western continent had gone out, and that an era in which heroes were no longer needed had arrived. He also felt that it was like a dark night.

But, he saw the brilliance of a star in the dark night.

[It’s too…dazzling…]

A yearning so strong that it burned his body, raging in his heart.

By blending in with the light emitted by the monsters and standing his ground against their dazzling light, he has continued to live. He has continued to win. He has continued to prove himself. And he has continued to shine.

I want to shine once more. It was a wish as pure as it gets.

Magic power is greatly influenced by the human heart.

He didn’t care if that was his last moment. He wanted a body that could move satisfactorily, power, and radiance.

[…eh!? Retired Master!?]

Magic power began to bubble up from the depths of his old body, overflowing endlessly.

It was an output far greater than the magic power of a normal Highlord.

[This, this power…! No way!]

The old knight knew this phenomenon.

When a being with magic power is in danger of losing their life, they can sometimes draw out an amount of magic power that goes beyond common sense. It was a state of transcendence, a superhuman strength in an emergency.

Was it the approach of death that made him do this, or was it a strong desire that led him to do so, or was he inspired by the monsters in his memories? The answer is unknown.

It was a scene he had seen many times on the battlefield in the past, but he never expected to see it here.

[Please stay calm, that’s not good, Retired Master…]

Before Tamia could stop him, the old man got off the bed and stood on his own two feet.

The effects of the residual magic had not disappeared. However, the old man’s body was filled with such overwhelming vitality that it was able to ignore that effect.

It was as if he was forcibly overwriting a terrifying negative with an even greater positive. The damage to his body and mind would be immeasurable.

If this transcendent state continued, the flame of his life would soon burn out, so Tamia and the old knight wanted to stop the old man.

However, they were unable to move.

His powerful and manly form was the very image of a great hero that people admired. The two of them could not do anything to make him lose that.

[I’ve walked a strange path.]

When the old man spoke, everyone fell silent.

[Abandoned by my father…]

In times of war, the third son of a weak noble family in the western part of the continent was banished from his home to avoid family conflict.

All he was given was a small amount of money and a single sword.

However, he did not rot away in the place where he was abandoned.

He met many people.

Companions with the same aspirations gathered.

He clashed with countless monsters over his beliefs.

He overpowered everything with his strength, bringing an end to the bloody conflict.

The sword that was thrown brought peace to the western part of the continent.

[Abandoned by my country…]

But, he was cast away again.

The blinding light leaves a dark shadow.

The ruler of the western continent must be a strong man. Everyone turned their eyes away from the hero who had broken his body.

And so, the hero who was enshrined in heroic tales, the fictional hero who would remain strong forever, was praised.

Even though he was in the Imperial Capital, he became a forgotten existence.

[…And now, here I am.]

Cast away from the Imperial Capital, he thought he was just waiting to die.

He thought he would never amount to anything, that he was nothing more than an old sword that would rust and decay.

[But, it is not time for it to decay yet.]

The magic and pride that filled his body inspired him.

[Though cast away, the blade still points into the ground… that is what makes him a hero.]

What had really cast him now?

Who had cast him?

Was it the will of man, the demands of the times, or perhaps fate?

[Nex.]

The old knight, Nex Kanfor, shed tears at the powerful voice.

It was not a fond nickname for the past. It was a call from a hero living in the present.

[Yes…!]

Prostrating himself, he raised his head to look at his master.

There was his master, Emperor Zinkaen, the First Emperor of the Zinkaen Empire.

[Let’s march to Quordenze.]

Now, the sword was unleashed once more.