Chapter 2
My name is Adamas.
I guided those chosen as masters to the path of the sword
Once as a holy sword that pacified a turbulent era, another time as a magic sword that quelled a chaotic world.
I was called by various names depending on the era, but my essence was that of a tool that granted someone's wish.
And I thought that in this life too, I would awaken beside a new friend.
So I had thought.
***
Killian Eurasia.
The fourth son of the Eurasia family, a child born to the head of the family and a woman of the continent.
He was pointed out as the sole blemish of the current family head, who had made a name for himself across the continent as a 7-star knight.
Whether his mother was unknown or he was a descendant of my friend, the birth of my reincarnated body was not important.
The problem was that Killian Eurasia's mana sensitivity was abysmal.
“His childhood was like that too…… he was quite a pitiful fellow.”
He didn't know his mother's face, and the family head was indifferent to his talentless child.
The only ones he had a semblance of a human relationship with were the acting head of the family and the head chamberlain.
“He has three older brothers with different mothers.”
The faces of three men came to mind.
The first was a prodigy, one of the best on the continent.
The second had enough talent to be called a genius.
The third was an ordinary man.
The head of the family dreamt of Eurasia's rise by using the maternal families of those sons.
“……”
The body reflected in the mirror.
A long scar was etched from the heart to the navel.
“He's afraid of the third son…… was it because of extreme fear that he recklessly swallowed the elixir?”
The third son, who, despite being ordinary, held a distinct position in the family.
To him, the powerless and incompetent fourth son was a good toy to bully.
“Haa……”
A sigh escaped me as I tried to piece together the puzzles floating in my head.
That was why the fourth son, who hadn't even formed a mana heart, had relied on something like an elixir.
If he had digested it properly, he could have explosively increased his physical strength and mana sensitivity.
On the other hand, it was a gamble where failure meant death.
“He was reckless.”
Killian had failed in his life-and-death gamble. His blood vessels throughout his body were damaged, and he had been in a coma for the past month.
“Normally, he wouldn't just be in a coma, he would already be dead, but……”
I stroked my lackluster chin.
I had lived for thousands of years as a sword, and now I had suddenly been reincarnated into a human body.
This was originally the time to preach my greatness to a new partner.
It was the moment to grasp their desires, whether they were good or evil, and discuss where to begin to make them a hero.
“Hmmm……”
My brow furrowed on its own.
I had finally been released from my seal and obtained a reincarnated body, but the targets of my revenge no longer existed.
This was an era thousands of years after the gods had hidden themselves away.
When I was a sword, I could faintly feel a disgusting energy, but now that I had a human body, I couldn't sense anything at all.
‘Is it because I lost my Authorities?’
The power I possessed as Adamas originated from mana.
It might be absurd to even try to sense the aura of the gods with a body that hadn't even formed a mana heart.
“Huuuum……”
I was lost in thought for a moment, sifting through hazy memories.
“First of all……”
Dreams and goals aside, I would have to regain my strength first to survive in this harsh world.
Killian Eurasia was a dunce, but what filled him was the legendary magic sword, Adamas.
If given enough time, it would be no trouble at all to apply my enlightenment to this body.
“Mana heart.”
My primordial power that had once reached the Authority of the gods.
I recalled that the legend of humanity, which had become the hegemon of the continent, began in that small heart.
“It's a long way to becoming a superman.”
Forget being a superman, I needed to improve my constitution just to form a mana heart.
I was so weak that it was difficult to even move without drinking a stamina recovery potion.
‘Haman. He's late today.’
The diligent servant who had gone to prepare the decoction had not returned.
‘It's not like he's brewing it himself…… come to think of it, why is the head chamberlain moving on his own? Don't tell me the head chamberlain doesn't have a single servant…….’
I was having a rather absurd thought while rummaging through my unclear memories.
Slam.
The door opened.
I hastily put on the robe I had taken off to check my body's condition.
“Haman, no matter how late you are, knocking is basic courtesy.”
I was just turning around, tying the ribbon of my clothes.
“Ugh……!!”
A scream burst out from the pain I felt in my abdome
“Cough……”
I rolled on the floor, gasping for breath.
Blood mixed with my saliva, as if I had suffered an internal injury.
‘What crazy bastard…….’
I lifted my contorted face to identify my opponent.
A man with thick eyebrows, blue eyes, and impressive silver hair was looking down at me.
“Hahaha…… this fellow has learned a few tricks after coming back from the dead.”
“……!!”
Just seeing the man's face made cold sweat run down my back and my body stiffen.
The memories in my head were quickly pieced together.
Julian Eurasia.
The third son of the family whose only pleasure in life was tormenting his half-brother.
Behind Julian's agitated face, I saw his head chamberlain, Rhodos, and Haman, whose collar was in his grasp.
Shaking off the hand, Haman stood in front of me and bowed his head.
“S-Sir Julian…… Young Master Killian's body is not yet fully recovered, and his memories are…… Keuk!!”
Haman rolled on the floor from Julian's kick.
The bowl of decoction he was holding also rolled away, wetting the floor.
“How dare a wretch like you step forward? ……Rhodos.”
“Yes, Young Master! Head Chamberlain Haman! How dare you not apologize to the Young Master right away!!”
Rhodos started kicking the fallen Haman.
Haman, unable to offer any resistance, let out a groan.
“……”
A young master attacking another young master for no reason, and a head chamberlain attacking another head chamberlain for no reason?
Moreover.
‘This is my bedroom……?’
Something that lacked reality was happening.
Belatedly, I pushed myself up and glared at Julian.
“What is the meaning of this?”
“……Meaning?”
“Julian Eurasia. For someone who is supposedly a young master, you're acting like a child.”
Wiping the blood from my lips, I met the eyes of my friend's descendant.
“Ha.”
Julian, who had been snorting as if in disbelief, scowled.
“This bastard, his memories really aren't intact, are they?”
Julian rolled up his sleeves and approached me.
It was a clear sign that he was about to slap me.
‘Did their home education go to shit after they were demoted from a kingdom to a family?’
It seemed I would have to thoroughly fix this brat's habits today.
The Adam's apple, the two eyes, the groin, and other parts of the body that a human would rightly call vital points, were not properly defended at all.
Against a careless opponent, I could inflict hellish pain even with this flimsy body.
‘Fortunately, he's not wearing armor. The eyes are at risk of blindness, so I'll crush his Adam's apple…….’
Contrary to the plan that came to my mind.
‘Uh……?’
My arms and legs wouldn't budge, as if they were nailed down.
While I was flustered by my body that wouldn't move as I intended.
Julian, who had already approached, was raising his hand.
“W-wait……”
CRACK!!
Thunder roared in my head.
Thud.
My legs bent powerlessly.
“Kueooh……”
A strange sound escaped my lips.
“You moron, you've become more of a crybaby than before. Don't move. What are you going to do if you break a bone?”
Julian raised his palm once more. This time, it was the other side.
‘If I get hit properly, my jaw might break……!!’
I hurriedly raised my arm to cover my face.
However.
Crack.
“Ack……!!”
The arm I raised was twisted in his hand.
I raised my arm to block a slap, and my arm broke?!
“This bastard…… I told you to stay still. Why don't you listen to me?”
A blue haze rose from Julian, who had spat out his words.
It was the mana of a brat who had not yet even acquired his own color.
As Adamas, I could have blown it away with a snort, but.
“Heo-eoh……”
Shiver, shiver.
Killian's body began to tremble violently, regardless of his will.
Was that all? Even my stiffly held head was involuntarily bowing. It was due to the fear that had been ingrained in this body for over a decade.
How should I accept this ridiculous situation?
Sadly, I was not given the time to think about such things.
Thwack.
“Ugh!”
Crack.
“Wait……”
Crunch.
“Listen to…… me……”
Julian's kicks continued relentlessly.
I curled up my body against the one-sided beating and desperately covered my head and face with one hand. It was a judgment that I could really die if I allowed a hit to a vital point.
After about a minute of this beating.
“Kkeueo-eok……”
A sound that could have come from a monster escaped my lips.
“Young Master, let's stop here for today. Any more than this, and even the priests will have a hard time healing him.”
Rhodos said, bowing to the panting Julian. He too had finished beating Haman at the right time.
“Kkeueo-eoh……”
“Heo-eoh……”
The groans created by the young master and the head chamberlain created a harmony.
Julian's spit fell in front of Killian's eyes, who was cowering and trembling.
“Recover quickly. I'll help you regain the rest of your lost memories.”
“Haman, make sure the fourth young master doesn't do anything foolish.”
With a grim warning, Julian and Rhodos left the room.
It had all happened in less than 5 minutes after they had entered the room.
“Ugh…… Young Master…… are you alright……”
Haman asked with a pained voice.
“Kkeu-euuk……”
Killian could only answer with a pained voice as well.
My eyes felt wet, as if tears were flowing.
‘Am I…… crying……?’
I had never shown such a pathetic side, not when I was sealed by the gods, nor when my friends died.
"Sniff... this damn body... acting on its own... hic... all on its own..."
The fear ingrained in the body stimulated the tear ducts and dominated his emotions.
“Adamas, fulfill my dream in my stead.”
“Look after my descendants.”
It was as if I could hear my friend's voice from somewhere.
‘Ah, Edan…….’
My dying friend had asked me to fulfill the dream he could not.
Thinking of his final moments, my confused head grew cold.
Revenge as Adamas and my friend's dream.
‘……Yes, I have been reincarnated.’
It was the perfect situation to achieve both goals.
And on top of that, the minor grudge that had just formed.
Julian Eurasia.
A descendant of my friend who had forged a 2-star mana heart, and Killian's half-brother.
‘That damn brat…….’
I saw the stamina recovery potion soaking the floor in front of me.
I forced my immobile body to twist and grabbed the bowl.
Drip.
A minuscule amount of liquid flowed down my throat.
I felt the illusion of the pain subsiding as the recovery potion's energy circulated.
I am tired. My body is heavy, and my eyes keep closing.
Thud.
With no strength to even support my head, I buried my face in the puddle of decoction.
The decoction and blood mixed, creating a peculiar color.
“Ah…… Young Master……”
Haman watched such a Killian with a pitiful gaze.
***
“Julian, you damn bastard……”
My gaze, which had been checking my bruised face, scanned the naked form in the mirror.
Forget muscles, my gaunt ribs and collarbones were so prominent they looked as if they would pierce through my skin.
Even this was thanks to the priest who had visited a while ago and painstakingly healed me.
“My, what a shabby reincarnated body.”
From the body to the face that looked dazed no matter what expression I made, it was hard to find a single useful part.
Throb.
My brow furrowed at the sudden headache. It was because the body's memories were flooding into my head.
“Killian.”
I quietly murmured the name the owner of this body was called.
The fourth son of Eurasia, which had fallen from a kingdom to a family.
“……”
Because the gods' seal had been broken by the Grotesquery's curse, I had ended up being reincarnated as my friend's descendant.
Surprisingly, it wasn't difficult to adapt to the current situation, but that wasn't the problem.
“Eurasia is a family……”
All kingdoms begin as families. A family grows to become a kingdom, and a kingdom grows to become an empire.
Eurasia was already a kingdom even back in Edan's time.
The center of a kingdom alliance that resisted the tyrannical empire, a foundation for a new empire.
And yet.
‘Now, it has been demoted from a kingdom to a family on the frontier.’
The scattered memories were incompletely assembled.
The Kingdom of Eurasia, which had enjoyed its golden age with Edan Eurasia at the forefront, had walked the path of decline since the battle with the Grotesquery, and the position as the focal point of the alliance had gone to another kingdom.
Afterward, the kingdom alliance was scattered due to the empire's continuous attacks.
Even if it stumbled, the empire was still the empire, and the history of the last 200 years was that the kingdoms of the alliance had fallen one by one into frontier families under their relentless pressure.
“So that Eurasia is now a family.”
The face of my friend, who had tried to contain the three curses within his own body, was vivid.
For the price of such a sacrifice to be the downfall of the kingdom. What a truly bitter reality it was.
“Ha…… I can't turn back time that has already passed.”
Even in the days when I mimicked the Authorities of the gods, I couldn't use something like an Authority of Regression.
And now I had been reincarnated after losing all my Authorities.
Now, I would just have to adapt to my current body.