The Swordmaster Who Returned After 1,000 Years

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]

Chapter 139

A so-called envoy of the empire had suddenly demanded that the kingdom change its name.

Rather than being angry, Kaylen found it absurd.

"What did you just say?"

"The name 'Meier' is not something mere humans are permitted to use."

Kaylen looked at the imperial envoy.

The envoy, dressed in black ceremonial robes, met his gaze with a calm expression.

However, his hollow, gleaming eyes carried a faint hint of madness.

"I am a descendant of Meier, so it is rightful for me to use this name. What connection does the Geysir Empire have with Meier that it dares to interfere in such matters?"

"A descendant of Meier…? That is impossible."

The envoy sneered, curling his lips.

Kaylen responded with a smirk and gestured with his hand.

"Leave. The kingdom's name will not be changed."

"Our empire has issued a clear warning to your nation. From here on, the consequences will be yours to bear, Your Majesty."

With those final words, the Geysir Empire’s envoy turned to leave.

But the knights, unable to suppress their anger, grabbed the hilts of their swords and roared.

"Insolence! How dare a mere envoy behave in such a manner before His Majesty?!"

The envoy's actions were so audacious that immediate execution would not have been unreasonable.

"Your Majesty, please grant me the honor of punishing this insolent wretch!"

If Kaylen merely nodded, the envoy's head would roll in an instant.

However, Kaylen raised his right hand with a calm smile.

"Enough."

"But, Your Majesty…!"

"What is the point of striking down one who is already dead?"

At those words, the envoy’s face immediately turned ashen.

"How… How did you…?!"

"I can sense no life from you. Naturally, I would know."

An undead, serving as an envoy of the Geysir Empire?

The officials exchanged shocked glances.

He had seemed completely human…!

"…Regardless, our empire has delivered its warning!"

The envoy hastily withdrew.

Kaylen watched his retreating figure before turning to his attendants.

"The Geysir Empire… What kind of place is it?"

"Well… It is known to be an empire located in the western region of the continent. However, given how distant it is from our nation, contact has long been severed…"

Not a single official had proper knowledge of the Geysir Empire.

Ever since dungeon portals began appearing, even domestic travel had become restricted—let alone gathering information on a distant foreign land.

"I’ll have to ask through Sanctuary."

If anyone knew something, it would be those who had established dungeon guilds across the world.

With that thought, Kaylen made his way toward the grand cathedral in the capital.

"Your Majesty… May we ask what brings you here today?"

The innermost part of the cathedral.

The paladins standing guard before the bishop’s chamber, where the saintess resided, asked with wary expressions.

'As vigilant as ever.'

Ever since lending them the replica of the Holy Sword…

The individuals dispatched from Sanctuary to the grand cathedral were highly wary of Kaylen.

Rather than being grateful for the loan of the Holy Sword, they felt as if it had been taken from them by force.

They also disapproved of the saintess being stationed elsewhere, to the point that she spent less than three days a month in the capital.

"I’ve come to see Theresia."

"Your Majesty, please show proper respect to the Saintess."

"She may appear young, but she is a sacred being who has lived for a thousand years. You must not address her so casually, Your Majesty."

As the paladins sternly warned him, the door to the bishop’s chamber suddenly swung open.

"You all do realize I can hear you, right? What kind of rudeness is this toward His Majesty?"

"A-Ah… S-Saintess…"

"And to think you’d speak ill of me right in front of my door. Calling me an old hag who’s lived a thousand years?"

"T-That’s not what we meant…"

"It’s just that His Majesty called you by your given name so informally…"

"It’s fine if he does."

Glaring at the knights, Theresia then turned to Kaylen with a bright smile.

"Your Majesty, I apologize for their rudeness. Please, come inside."

"Now that I think about it, they do have a point. Saintess, you are far older than me, after all."

"I’m begging you… Can we please drop this topic already, Ka—Kaylen?"

"Alright, alright."

Theresia caught herself before speaking the name "Ernstine."

Kaylen’s eyes gleamed as he observed her reaction.

‘She’s still keeping my identity a secret.’

Since Theresia had already learned his true identity, Kaylen had assumed it was only a matter of time before Sanctuary knew that he was Ernstine as well.

Yet, even within Sanctuary, only a select few were privy to that information—it was being tightly controlled.

—The Holy See has issued an order to keep Lord Ernstine’s identity confidential.

That was what Theresia had told him three months ago when she returned from Sanctuary, her expression unsettled.

Even though the hero who had slain the Demon King a thousand years ago had returned, rather than welcoming him, they seemed more wary of him.

‘I need to keep an eye on the Holy See as well.’

Though Kaylen believed there was no one in the world he could truly trust, he maintained an outwardly friendly relationship with Sanctuary.

For now, at least, he still needed their network.

"Kaylen, so what brings you here today?"

"An envoy from a place called the Geysir Empire arrived, and they were spouting complete nonsense."

"The Geysir Empire?"

Theresia tilted her head before fully opening the chamber door.

"Please, come in and tell me everything in detail."

"So the envoy from the Geysir Empire actually said that? I can’t make sense of it."

Theresia’s expression was one of pure confusion.

"What kind of nation is Geysir?"

"The Geysir Empire is a powerful nation located in the western continent. Even after the dungeon portals appeared, it has remained one of the few countries that managed to maintain stability."

"Like how Bormian used to be?"

"Yes. But compared to Bormian, Geysir is much more stable. The emperor’s authority is said to be absolute."

"Then why would an envoy from such a distant nation come all this way just to make such a demand?"

In the past, wars between nations were frequent.

But in the current era—where dungeon portals had thrown the world into chaos—just maintaining control over one’s own territory was already an overwhelming struggle.

In an international society where diplomatic relations were nearly severed, issuing such a declaration akin to a proclamation of war was incomprehensible.

“What does Geysir have to do with Meier…?”

“On top of that, the envoy was undead. No one else recognized it, but I did.”

“Undead? No way. Could the Bormian Kingdom be experiencing something like the Black Skull incident again…?”

Theresia’s expression hardened.

An envoy of a nation being undead?

And if only Kaylen could recognize it in broad daylight, that meant at the very least, it was at a vampire level or higher.

“There are more than a few suspicious things here.”

“Can you look into them?”@@novelbin@@

“Yes. Since there is a Dungeon Guild branch in the Geysir Empire, I’ll investigate their recent movements.”

The presence of Dungeon Guilds spread across the continent was no exception in the Geysir Empire.

Theresia walked over to the blue crystal orb set in the bishop’s office and infused it with divine power.

Ssshhh—

–Dungeon Guild, Geysir branch. Who is calling?

A middle-aged man with a clean-cut appearance appeared within the crystal orb. He smiled as he spoke.

“This is the Guild Headquarters. We’re contacting you to gather information regarding the Geysir Empire.”

–Ah, Guild Headquarters. Yes. What information are you seeking?

“Has there been any unusual activity in the empire?”

–No. Thanks to His Majesty the Emperor’s firm rule, we continue to enjoy a peaceful daily life. It is all due to His Majesty’s divine grace.

The Geysir branch head of the Dungeon Guild immediately launched into a string of praises about the emperor in response to the question.

Rather than a member of the Dungeon Guild, he seemed more like a direct subordinate sycophant of the emperor.

Theresia frowned at the sight.

A guild branch head in the capital should have had direct or indirect ties with the Sanctuary and was expected to swear loyalty to the Holy See.

Yet, he was behaving like this.

Finding it odd, she continued her questioning.

“I see. Then… an envoy from the Geysir Empire recently demanded that the Kingdom of Meier change its name. Do you know anything about this?”

–The Kingdom of… Meier?

“Yes.”

At the mention of the Kingdom of Meier, the branch head’s face contorted.

Thud!

The sound of a desk being slammed echoed from beyond the crystal orb.

–How dare you! How dare you! This is blasphemy!

“Blasphemy…?”

–How could a nation dare to use the sacred name of Meier? That name is reserved solely for the divine!! To think they were merely advised instead of being obliterated on the spot… Ah, His Majesty the Emperor is truly merciful!

Ranting in fury on his own, the branch head concluded once again with reverent praise for the emperor.

Theresia’s expression froze completely.

“To claim that ‘Meier’ is a name reserved only for the divine… Are you truly a member of the Dungeon Guild?”

–Ah, of course. Yes, I am indeed a member of the Dungeon Guild.

The branch head bared his white teeth in a chilling grin.

–I am the Dungeon Guild’s branch head—under the direct command of His Majesty the Emperor, not a pathetic fugitive from the Sanctuary.

“…You. You’ve betrayed us.”

–Betrayal? Hah! Following one who is far greater is the natural choice for a lowly creature. The Celestial God is nothing compared to the Absolute Deity, Meier.

“To dare deny the Celestial God and the Holy See… From this moment forward, the Geysir Empire’s Dungeon Guild branch will be considered heretical, and all support will be cut off.”

“Haha. That’s why I tried to keep it hidden… but hearing you dare mention the Absolute Deity’s name, I simply couldn’t hold back. I will gladly become a heretic.”

When did Meier become an Absolute Deity?

Hearing this absurd statement, Kaylen, who had been listening with a bewildered expression, suddenly thought of something and asked the branch head,

“The ‘Meier’ you follow—does it have any connection to Helmeyer of the Demon Realm?”

At the mention of Helmeyer, the branch head simply shrugged.

–What is that?

Click.

With that, the branch head of the Geysir Empire’s Dungeon Guild cut off the communication.

Saintess Theresia had only intended to gather information on the empire’s movements, yet she found herself stunned at the betrayal of the empire’s guild branch.

“The Dungeon Guild branch committing treason… This is the first time something like this has happened.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Normally, branch heads—especially those in capital cities—earn the right to enter the Sanctuary if they achieve enough merit. That grants them eternal life, and they stop aging.”

Reaching the position of branch head was practically a step away from entering the Sanctuary.

To abandon that privilege—the chance to enjoy eternal youth—and instead betray the Sanctuary?

It was something that should have been impossible.

But this time, things were different.

“The other Geysir branches aren’t even answering communications. Whatever the capital’s branch head did…”

Not just the capital.

All branches within the empire had turned their backs on the Sanctuary.

They had betrayed it long ago but pretended otherwise.

Now, they had revealed their true colors and cut off communication entirely.

“Meier as an Absolute Deity…”

Considered heretical in some places.

Worshipped as a god in others.

What a mess.

Kaylen let out a bitter chuckle and turned to Theresia.

“So, is there no way to investigate Geysir?”

“…Not at the moment.”

“But spatial travel is still possible, right?”

“Yes, that is possible.”

“Then send me to the empire. I need to see them with my own eyes.”

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]