The relentless training continued through the night, with little regard for sleep.
He couldn’t allow himself to settle for the sense of accomplishment from breaking through the Heavenly Swirl Star. He had to push forward to an even higher realm.
At the center of his dantian, where the breakthrough had occurred, black Stella steadily accumulated.
Since he had already confirmed that using Ascal-style swordsmanship posed no issues despite the Stella not being pure white, he decided not to dwell on it any longer.
I don’t know what’s different about it.
Having never participated in real combat before, he had no way of knowing how his Stella differed from an ordinary one.
Ed raised his sword. The familiar sensation settled into his grip.
For decades, he had never even held a sword, yet now, he could wield it without hesitation.
He took a deep breath.
Ascal-style, First Form—Fading Star.
He tilted the sword diagonally from its raised position and an illusion flickered. The blade seemed to split into several copies.
What followed was a single razor-sharp attack.
A trail of starlight-like afterimages scattered along the sword’s path.
It was a dark light flowing like a nebula.
The fact that his Stella wasn’t white didn’t disrupt the technique in the slightest.
The only difference was that the trajectory of his sword, infused with black Stella, cast a shadow rather than a flash of light.
Ed withdrew his sword.
Fading Star was a technique that could be used consecutively if he wanted, but for now, he lacked the necessary Stella.
“Haa…”
Ed let out a slow breath and adjusted his stance once more.
Now that he had broken through the Heavenly Swirl Star, he could fully grasp the true power of Ascal-style swordsmanship.
Its strength was incomparable to before.
Unlike ordinary sword users, who were still unable to infuse their weapons with mana, Ed, having pierced through the Heavenly Swirl Star, could directly channel Stella into his sword.
But that alone was not enough.
Since I’ve started late, I’ll just have to work even harder.
The sword traced its path once more in the darkness. Ed’s movements showed no signs of fatigue as he continued his training throughout the night.
***
That day, as always, Ed was practicing hand-to-hand combat with the children.
Versilia, Calix, Lina, and Ed stood in a row, while Deron observed their stances with his arms crossed in front of them.
At some point, as if it had been naturally decided, Lina always trained beside Ed. There had never been a conversation about it, but over time, that became her usual spot.
Near the front gate, Carter who was stationed as the orphanage’s guard occasionally cast glances their way, perhaps out of boredom.
It was an ordinary day.
The overall atmosphere in the village wasn’t good, but the daily routine remained the same.
The orphanage continued its usual schedule. The only difference being that the children were no longer allowed to leave after sunset.
Seven days had passed since the bodies of the townspeople were discovered in a pile.
During that time, the captain of the guards had personally visited the orphanage.
Ed had told him everything he knew, and the captain had left with a satisfied expression as if he had obtained a significant lead.
However, there was still no news of the culprit being caught.
Ed couldn’t even be sure if the investigation was progressing properly.
“Director…”
Amidst all this, Deron called out to Ed in a low voice.
When Ed looked at him curiously, Deron shook his head in disbelief.
“Don’t you think your progress is ridiculous? How did your body suddenly become this flexible?”
Ever since Ed had broken through the Heavenly Swirl Star, his body had become as solid as stone. With each of the seven stars he would unlock in the future, his physique would only grow stronger.
Not only that, but his overall physical abilities had improved significantly. Ed was now capable of crushing a person to death with his bare hands.
It was only natural that his proficiency in hand-to-hand combat, which relied on raw physicality, had skyrocketed.
“Honestly, as much as it pains my pride to admit it… if this continues, you’ll surpass me in a year.”
Deron’s frank assessment left Ed with a strange feeling.
“In a year?”
It wasn’t Ed who asked again. It was Versilia.
Her tone carried a hint of sarcasm as if mocking Deron’s words.
Ed’s gaze shifted toward Versilia.
“I told you to watch what you say.”
“….…”
It was a brief but firm warning.
Ed wasn’t always kind to the children. After all, they were destined to throw the world into chaos one day. Early education was crucial.
Lina would be upset if she heard this.
Versilia flinched, then quickly shut her mouth with a small gasp. She then started stealing glances at Ed.
Wasn’t that reaction a bit excessive? She looked as if she had accidentally let slip a forbidden secret and was now panicking.
Well, being cautious isn’t a bad thing.
Ed considered comforting her but decided it wasn’t necessary.
To prepare for the increasingly cold weather, he went to the market to buy clothes for the children.
That was when he noticed something strange about the atmosphere.
People were openly avoiding him.
If their eyes met, they flinched and quickly turned away. The moment he tried to approach someone, they scattered as if fleeing.
Ed let out a quiet sigh. He knew exactly why.
Rumors had spread that he was closely connected to the people who had been murdered recently.
They probably feared that getting involved with him would put them in danger as well.
Walking silently through the market, Ed overheard a conversation nearby.
“They say anyone who enters that new orphanage is cursed and never comes back alive.”
“And… I heard a demon lives there.”
That’s a bit much. Just how twisted have these rumors become?
“Um, excuse me…”
“Ah! I-I’m so sorry!”
As soon as he spoke, the person bolted in a panic. He didn’t even give him a chance to explain.
I can’t just sit around waiting for the investigation to be over.
At that moment, Ed made up his mind.
In the end, feeling chased by the wary gazes around him, he quickly bought the clothes and returned to the orphanage. When night fell, he headed to the backyard to train once again.
And just as Ed stepped into the backyard—
Lina who should have been asleep was still lying in bed, wide awake.
Then, without any warning, shadows swallowed her whole.
The same happened to Versilia who was lying in the bed next to hers, and to Calix who was in another room.
When the three of them opened their eyes, they were no longer in the orphanage.
The walls, the ceiling, and even the floor lacked clarity. It was a space completely drenched in shadow.
At its center stood a small table, upon which a single delicate candle flickered.
The faint glow illuminated their faces.
None of them looked surprised. Instead, they each took their seats as if this was the usual routine.
Versilia leaned back in her chair and spoke first.
At some point, she had begun to idly toss a severed head that belonged to a man wearing a silver mask between her hands, as if it were nothing more than a ball.
“Bold little fools, daring to step into the orphanage.”
Lina picked up where Versilia left off. Her tone was calm and detached.
“Any traces?”
“Nothing.”
The meaning behind Versilia’s curt response was simple.
She had eliminated the intruders without leaving any evidence behind, and they, in turn, had left nothing useful to trace.
Yet even in such circumstances, Versilia showed no sign of unease.
“Should we find out where they came from?”
“You don’t have any tracking abilities.”
When Lina pointed it out in her usual dry manner, Versilia tilted her head with a smile.
“We can just summon the dead and extract the information from them.”
She stopped idly tossing the head like a toy and instead held it out in front of her in a quiet and deliberate way.
“Shall I call him?”
Lina fell into brief thought before giving a small nod.
“It’s better to summon him and get whatever information we can, just in case. But remember, we only take action when Ed gives the order.”
At that, Versilia frowned and muttered in annoyance.
“Stop saying his name so casually. It’s disrespectful.”
Lina gave no response to the irritated warning.
She had heard similar complaints before, and just like then, she didn’t bother answering.
The three of them had gathered in this space for one purpose. That is to eliminate anyone who stood in Ed’s way. And it was Lina who had brought them together.
But unlike Versilia and Calix, she didn’t see Ed as some mysterious and untouchable figure.
Having followed him like a shadow for so long, she knew he wasn’t a flawless, godlike being.
If anything, he was a man struggling to uphold his beliefs in a world that constantly challenged them.
Of course, Lina had no intention of correcting their misconceptions.
As long as she alone knew Ed’s true nature, that was enough.
Though lately… I’m starting to wonder if I even know the real him anymore.
And how could she not? From the moment Versilia and Calix arrived at the orphanage to the way he mastered that mysterious swordsmanship—
Everything had fallen into place far too smoothly.
These weren’t the actions of an ordinary monk.
Wasn’t it too much of a coincidence to dismiss as mere chance?
At some point, Ed had begun moving forward without hesitation, as if he knew something.
Maybe thinking like Versilia and Calix isn’t so strange after all.
Perhaps he had never been ordinary from the very beginning.
But for Lina, who prided herself on knowing Ed better than anyone, that was a hard truth to accept.
As she fell silent, lost in thought, Versilia broke the brief pause with a bright smile. A smile so natural that it was hard to believe she had just been wearing a look of displeasure.
“But how do you know what he wants?”
Lina replied flatly.
“Can’t you tell just by looking? You just know.”
“You just know?”
Versilia’s eyebrow twitched slightly.
Calix who had been listening from the side also turned his gaze toward Lina.
Lina added casually.
“Mhmm. The moment Ed makes up his mind, we’ll act.”
At Lina’s words, both Versilia and Calix fell into serious contemplation.
***
At the same time—
The brilliant light pouring from the chandelier bathed the luxurious parlor in a dazzling glow.
A space where even the darkness of night seemed unable to intrude.
Beneath it, Duke Zest and Count Montrant sat facing each other.
The plush red velvet chair enveloped their bodies in comfort, yet their expressions were far from at ease.
A voice broke the heavy silence.
“Duke Zest, is it true that traces were found within my territory?”
At Montrant’s question, the old man called Zest gave a slow nod. Though deep wrinkles lined his face, his gaze remained sharp.
“Yes, it seems they had been using the dark guild there as a source of funds.”
Zest spoke in a low, composed voice.
Although Duke Zest held a higher rank, the two had recently become in-laws.
Because of that, they maintained formalities with each other.
“If you give the word, I will do my best to assist you. I’m just glad I can be of help in any way.”
At those words, Zest hesitated for a moment. A trace of guilt crossed his face before he spoke again.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t offer any help with the unfortunate incident last time. If you had told me, we could have postponed the wedding.”
Montrant waved a hand dismissively.
“There’s no need. We safely got the children back. There’s no reason for an apology.”
Sensing Montrant’s sincerity in his composed demeanor, Zest was the first to shift the topic.
“After searching for so long, finding a clue this easily… It’s only natural to feel suspicious.”
Montrant took a sip of his tea before responding.
“Someone once told me this. If you hesitate in uncertainty, you’ll only be swept away. Isn’t time better spent figuring out how to take revenge?”
Zest thought those words struck at the heart of the matter and let out a calm smile. Yet that smile held no warmth. It was filled with an eerie coldness.
“You’re right.”
He slowly moved his fingers, murmuring in a low voice.
“The Silver Veil. The followers of Dawn…”
Killing intent seeped into his tone.
“I must also consider… how to tear them apart so my son can finally rest in the embrace of the Goddess of Mercy.”
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