Chapter 17

Small pieces of stone that splattered in all directions hit Judith, but there was no time for pain.

In front of her, the stone floor of the gymnasium cracked like a paddy field in a drought.

The power to tear and split everything from your feet to the other side.

The aether, which stung just by brushing by, swept away Judith. Her skin felt numb.

‘The aether master who does not know the fear of death.’

Judith realized once again that he was the one who climbed to the highest position with a single sword.

He is a man wrapped in aether, tearing up mountains and streams. Who dares to tell him the horror of death?

Giryu’s aether was not of ordinary strength.

The dented window frame could not hold out and fell to the floor.

A dead silence came along with the sound of glass shards breaking. It was a sight where literally not a single rat could survive.

“This power… it’s amazing.”

“It’s not as powerful as usual.”

Giryu, who spoke up to that point, suddenly looked back at the broken hall with a fearful expression on his face.

…. I’m doomed.

Giryu scratched his ears in embarrassment, but it was already over.

He sighed and said.

“The emotions that can amplify the power of the aether are different for each master.”

“Do you know any other Masters?”

“I know. But not everyone is social.”

It means that they are not close enough to do something like an aether research group.

“The person I’d like to talk to is the Commander of the White Knights, but he’s really, uh…, he’s the most faithful idiot I know, so I don’t recommend him.”

“Is that so?”

Judith recalled the commander of the White Knights in her memory.

She had never talked to him but the White Knight commander she knew was a really good-looking person.

That was the only impression she had.

But ‘faithful fellow’…

She was a little curious.

“At any rate, I would be the only one whom you could talk to. There’s one in Rosetta, but I’m having a hard time with the Empire right now.”

Judith’s expression hardened slightly.

Rosetta was a kingdom bordering the Veritas Empire. Five years later, it was also the place where an all-out war broke out.

“There really are few Aether masters.”

“Of course. Even if you’re lucky to awaken aether, it’s not common to deal with it again. I’m exhausted after using it in battle once or twice.”

There are knights who awaken the aether, but most of the time they’re not enough to be called masters.

Even in the knights who are geniuses, the number is small.

Using it effectively in practice was another matter.

“It’s not like there’s a separate training method, it’s not easy, is it?”

“Well, it’s hard to agree.”

Judith disagreed. For her, dealing with aether was easier than eating.

Giryu was a little jealous of the genius, but he said without expressing it.

“As far as I can see, the dame’s aether still has potential for development.”

“You mean it’s not good enough”.

“I’m saying you can grow further. Don’t take it negatively.”

The appearance of Giryu correcting her words was very serious.

“For now, find an emotion strong enough to strengthen your aether.”

“Intense emotions…”

Could it be anger?

Judith quickly jumped to conclusions.

“And the next step is… mental training is essential.”

“Mental training?”

“You’ll know if you try it.”

Giryu didn’t say much.

It’s easy to say, but it’s difficult. It was hard for him too, so he felt terrified for her.

When his subordinate, who had been laughing with him until yesterday, was thrown in the mud with his arms and legs lost, and had to endure somehow in the barren battlefield, Giryu felt an indescribable loneliness.

That feeling of loneliness and helplessness became his driving force, becoming aether, breaking through the bones of his opponents. pg 9

The problem is that even after breaking it up like that, the emotions don’t go down easily.

It took quite some time for Giryu’s emotions to become still.

“Even if the emotions come from your heart, you must not lose your reason. Only when you swing your sword with a clear purpose will the aether become stronger.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Come and see me whenever you need advice.”

Giryu spoke lightly, but not all new knights could simply go to the commander’s office.

Judith bowed her head.

“Thank you. Thank you for showing me.”

“Yes. Thank you for listening.”

It is not enough to deal with it today, and the 1st training hall should be closed for the time being.

Giryu decided to put his sword in its scabbard and stared at Judith.

Judith was looking closely at the traces of his aether.

Although it was covered by his uniform, his neck was sticking out, so the line of aether there was particularly prominent.

‘I thought it would look good on you.’

At a time like this, her thoughts on the tiara come out of nowhere.

Although she is still hesitant of even a handful of goodwill…

She will definitely shine.

She dazzles more than a tiara.

“Dame Judith.”

“Yes.”

“Dame will be a good knight.”

Knowing that he would be dragged to the commander’s office room in a little while for destroying the training hall, Giryu chose to face Judith and smile instead of running away.

***

The current offender was the commander, but when he asked to save face because he was in front of a newcomer, Deschamps showed his last mercy and dragged him away.1

He said he was the main culprit of cutting down on the budget, and the kick on the shin to Giryu was quite fierce.

“I don’t know why you’re doing such a stupid thing. The training hall is a pretty mess.”

“Thank you, you’re the only one who thinks I’m cute.”

“I want to make your face pretty too. Shut up and follow me.”

Deschamps, who was grabbing Giryu’s sides, turned his head.

“The wounds seem to have healed well enough to blow away the gymnasium like this. From tomorrow, don’t come to the commander’s office and participate in training for new knights normally.”

“All right.”

Judith nodded.

‘But how did he know I broke it?’

She had a small question.

She was about to leave the hall, which had been temporarily closed, behind her, when Giryu called out to her.

“Oh, Sir Judith, I’m saying this from the bottom of my heart.”

“Yes, captain.”

“If anything happens, don’t keep it to yourself and come talk to me anytime.”

“What do you mean?”

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“Uh… What… Many things?”

Giryu did not give a pointed example and hesitated.

Unintentionally, Judith was unable to participate in the new knights’ joint training due to an injury.

She can’t help it, but she was worried that she couldn’t be mixed up with the knights.

‘Am I worrying too much?’

Judith only blinked as Giryu went in.

If something happens, don’t keep it to yourself  and come to the captain…….

‘…..It’s probably to sound polite.”

Already, she had received enough and overflowing favor from Giryu.

It’s at the level where Jermel turned a blind eye to his indulgence.

But she’s going to be more indebted here?

“Okay, thank you.”

Judith didn’t pay much attention to his words and greeted him lightly.

She walked straight down the road to her quarters.

If you get attached to it, it’s your home, and now, the dormitory for the Red Knights has become a very comfortable place.

Judith took off her uniform slowly.

She hung her loose-fitting uniform on her hanger, and then she hung it on the wall so that it could be seen well.

So that she can wear it right away. So she can wear it tomorrow.

‘…..Tomorrow.’

Oddly enough, this uniform makes people sentimental.

Like a leader who reached out to choose this uniform.

‘The imperial knights do not bow their heads anywhere.’

When was the last time you wanted to twist your hair when it was upright?

Judith laughed at Giryu’s words.

At any time, the past that will swallow her will come to the tip of my chin, but that desperate moment was not now.

Judith admitted to feeling a little lighter. It was thanks to Giryu.

“Vice-captain.…”

If you’re a leader, you’re a leader, and what is a vice-captain?2

While thinking so, I laughed because I was dumbfounded by my shameless idea.

She was able to laugh. To her surprise.

It’s time for her to stop being swayed. Judith decided to sleep.

She headed to the washroom.

After brushing her teeth with salt, washing her face with soap, and shaking off the excess water from her hands.

‘The bandage … can be loosened slowly.’

If you’re sick, you’ll spend money. A lot of that, too.

Judith didn’t like being sick, and the cost of treatment was a waste. So I kept what I heard during the treatment.

She carefully untied the bandages with her wet hands. The area around the neck became cool in an instant.

And soon after, she noticed something strange.

“…This…”.

The wound mark that crossed her neck was as faint as a solid line. It was red and swollen, but that was all.

There shouldn’t be anything other than that….

Judith’s fingers traced over the mirror.

First the mirror. After that, the fingers that used to run through the back of her neck moved quickly.

But no matter how many times she tried, nothing changed.

“……a lie, this…….”

She had a tattoo she had never seen before on the back of her neck.

An hourglass-shaped tattoo.

It was the power of God, Stigma.

Judith stood in front of the sink for a while.

It felt as if ice water had been splashed over from her head to her toes.

For the past few days, she had become accustomed to the fact that she had returned to the past and had forgotten a fundamental question.

Why didn’t she die?

Why, out of so many people, did she return?

Did God Karnak want to bring up the forgotten question?

“Why do I have a stigma…”

Stigma.

A stigma is called the power of God.

Judith knew nothing of theology.

Although she learned basic reading and writing, she thought that theology and other non-monetary studies were only taught by noble people.

She didn’t even wonder, and she had no reason to wonder.

As a result, she did not even know about the god Karnak, who formed the basis of the Veritas Empire.

Still, the reason for recognizing that this tattoo is a stigma is simple.

It’s because she’s seen Stigma in person in the past.

“Calipa…”

It was thanks to her that Judith recognized Stigma.

Calipa Impenor.

Calipa was famous for wearing a black mourning dress even in the Knights Order, and she was just as famous as the only survivor of the Duke of Impenor.

Lady of the Duke of Impenor.

Calipa suffered the horrific events of her family being murdered by an unindetified assailant.

What is surprising is the fact that after that day, the lady, who had never held her sword in her life, turned into a murderous genius who boasted of her great swordsmanship. 

It was possible because of the stigma that Calipa possessed.

“…Stigma of Slaughter.”

Judith saw directly the skull-shaped stigma carved on Calipa’s back.

The two, who entered the same Order, took a bath together after their mission. It was to wash blood and stained dirt.

The lady had a black tattoo on her smooth back.

Calipa found it quite uncomfortable.

It’s like the stigma of a survivor.

‘What do I do…….’

Confused thoughts subside one by one.

Actually, it’s an hourglass-shaped stigma.

It was not difficult to predict what it meant.

Judith has returned and is alive.

As if turning an hourglass upside down.

The stigma of slaughter that Calipa possessed was also similar. A skull, just as meaningful as that pattern.

Calipa Impenor is a murder genius.

The slaughter of all 70 intruders in the Castle was the work of Calipa and her skull-shaped Stigma.

Although Calipa’s hands were blistered after the mission was over, she excelled at killing people.

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Judith was the one who witnessed the miracles of the stigma.

The problem is, 20-year-old Judith shouldn’t be aware of that.

——————

TL notes ( ´ ▿ ` )

manhwa: chapter 12 – 13