The Swordmaster Wants To Live Peacefully [EN]: Chapter 230

Swordmaster Wants to Live Peacefully – Episode 229

Swordmaster Wants to Live Peacefully – Chapter 229

Ascendant Hunting (4)

When was it?

When I first met that child.

It was when I slaughtered all the bandits I encountered while crossing the mountain at night.

The bandits had apparently already hit a jackpot, as they had hidden carriages nearby.

Yu Seong-woo, short on travel expenses, found the carriages and took what he needed, like a seasoned bandit.

And he met the child in the last baggage cart.

When he pulled back the carriage’s tarp, a girl popped out from inside the luggage compartment, clutching a small dagger, her eyes full of venom, as if she was ready to take anyone down with her.

Yu Seong-woo grabbed the dagger with his bare hand, subdued the girl, and asked a few questions.

“What’s your name?”

“Let go of me! I’ll kill you! I’m going to kill you!”

“It seems like you were attacked not too long ago. Were you traveling with a merchant group… perhaps the daughter of the head merchant?”

The clothes she was wearing were dirty, but quite luxurious.

Judging by the number of baggage carts, it seemed to be a fairly large merchant group, but they were attacked by quite a few bandits.

Seeing that she didn’t seem to be calming down, Yu Seong-woo knocked the girl unconscious for the time being.

And when the girl woke up a little later, she saw Yu Seong-woo sitting in front of a campfire, cooking soup.

As soon as she opened her eyes, the girl looked for something she could use as a weapon, but there was nothing around.

“You’re awake? Come here.”

When Yu Seong-woo spoke without even looking at her, the girl recalled what had happened before she fainted.

Even though he grabbed the dagger with his bare hand, not a drop of blood was shed.

That meant he was skilled enough that escaping would be impossible.

Having made that judgment, the girl approached Yu Seong-woo, not letting her guard down.

“You’re the only one who survived.”

While the girl was unconscious, Yu Seong-woo conducted some investigation, and the things he had only thought about became certainties.

The merchant group was attacked by bandits while crossing the mountain and was annihilated.

There were escorts, but they weren’t very skilled, or perhaps the bandits were too skilled…

“Eat.”

Yu Seong-woo handed the girl a bowl of soup.

The girl carefully took the bowl and cautiously took a spoonful, then devoured it ravenously.

And then she started to shed tears, and soon she was sobbing.

Yu Seong-woo didn’t have the eloquence to comfort the crying girl, so he quietly refilled her bowl with soup.

After crying and eating soup for a while, the girl seemed to have finally calmed down and began to tell her story.

The girl’s name was Veronica.

She was the daughter of a fairly large merchant, and she was crossing the mountain with her only blood relative, her father, for a trade that risked everything.

But suddenly, bandits attacked, killing everyone except her.

“They, they said they were going to sell me to slave traders. Those bastards…”

“I see.”

And just as they were cleaning up and trying to leave, Yu Seong-woo happened to pass by.

They thought he was just one person, so they were going to kill him quickly and leave, but he was at a level the bandits couldn’t handle.

“So, what are you going to do now?”

Yu Seong-woo asked.

Her only blood relative, her father, was dead, and all the merchant members who were like family were also dead.

Even if she wanted to take revenge, Yu Seong-woo had already killed them all.

There was no one to rely on, and she couldn’t find a reason to live.

A young child who had lost everything in an instant.

What should she do?

What should she live for?

Veronica said.

“Kill me.”

“I can’t do that.”

“I, I have nothing left. I don’t know why I should live. So please kill me! Please!”

“…No, there are still plenty of reasons to live.”

Yu Seong-woo looked up at the sky.

The stars in the sky, peeking through the trees, were shining.

It was hard to believe that the world was heading towards destruction; the stars were so beautiful.

“…These bandits have backers. It was a fairly large merchant group. To easily deal with the escorts hired by such a group means these are quite skilled bandits. They usually have a big backer.”

“You’re saying there’s someone behind the scenes?”

“Yes. The mountain is in Beren territory, but it also borders Seredin territory.”

“Seredin…”

Veronica gritted her teeth at the thought that bandits might have been sent by the lord of another territory to keep them in check.

A new goal was added to the life of the girl who had nothing.

To kill all those involved in this.

So, instead of asking to be killed, the girl began to ask for something else.

“Then make me strong! So I can kill them all!”

“…Why should I?”

“You’re strong, aren’t you? If it’s money, you can take everything in our baggage carts!”

It was obvious that things would get troublesome, but Yu Seong-woo had no choice but to accept Veronica’s request.

If he left a child alone in a place like this, she would die quickly.

He was planning to raise her only until she could at least earn her keep, and then send her away.

That way, she would be able to take care of herself…

After this, it was a common story that could be heard anywhere.

Veronica followed Yu Seong-woo, learned the sword, and became strong.

She had enough talent to be unmatched anywhere and finally became independent.

To fulfill her long-held revenge.

***

“…I was really young back then.”

‘You seem younger now…’

While the army was unilaterally annihilating the remaining orcs, Yu Seong-woo returned to the allied camp and was talking with a colleague he had reunited with after a long time.

Short purple hair.

The girl with sharp features had the same face as she did in the other world.

That’s why Yu Seong-woo was able to recognize her at a glance.

“But Captain… I’m a real adult now.”

‘No, you’re still a kid…’

Even in the other world, she was small, but Veronica on Earth was even smaller.

She looked like a middle school student in terms of height and build.

Although her muscles were well-trained.

“It’s been 5 years since I remembered my past life in this world… Captain, I’ve come to see you again!”

“…You haven’t changed.”

Veronica said that, picked up Beyu’s head that was placed next to her, and handed it to Yu Seong-woo.

“This is a gift! You liked orc brain stew, right? Captain!”

“…Did I like that kind of thing?”

“Didn’t you? When I cooked on expeditions, I always mixed it in…”

At Veronica’s words, Yu Seong-woo recalled the past.

When she cooked in the expedition, everyone avoided answering when he asked what ingredients she used.

He just thought that was the way it was back then.

Yu Seong-woo snatched Beyu’s head and burned it to ashes.

“These damn bastards…”

“Ah! The Orc Lord’s brain!”

“Oh, Oppa [older brother, a term of endearment] liked that kind of cooking…”

“I understand. Tastes can be unique…”

Yu Ji-woo and Jeanne, who had finished cleaning up and returned, said a word each.

Yu Seong-woo clicked his tongue and placed his hand on Veronica’s head.

“It’s a reunion where I can’t find any emotion. Veronica.”

“Ehehe. Captain, Captain, I missed you so much! Wow, I really thought you were dead, well, you were really dead.”

When Yu Seong-woo put strength into his hand, Veronica screamed.

The pain was as if her skull was shattering…

“Ugyagyagyagya─!!”

“So, to sum it up, you remembered your past life 5 years ago? Then what have you been doing and where have you been hiding all this time?”

“Ah, it hurts! It hurts!!”

When Yu Seong-woo released his hand after her continued screams, Veronica stroked her head and answered.

“I, I did some training… And I came from Sweden.”

“Training? Sweden?”

“Sweden was one of the most severely damaged by the Great Disaster. I think it’s still being rebuilt? So there’s almost no external activity.”

“Yes, yes! That’s it! And I was too weak… I was embarrassed to see Captain!”

“What does that mean?”

“Captain always said that weak guys are worthless. I, I didn’t want to be abandoned by Captain…”

“Oh, Oppa said those words to such a young child?”

“Would I?”

Did he say those words?

Yu Seong-woo thought back to what happened in the other world.

He seemed to have said those words, but he also didn’t seem to have said them…

‘No, it’s likely that Veronica misinterpreted what I said because she’s the daughter of a merchant and a blockhead…’

He remembered after thinking about it.

What he had said.

“Don’t tell me, you heard the words that you can’t survive in battle if you don’t get stronger like that?”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“…I’m relieved. You’re still a blockhead, Veronica.”

Yu Seong-woo smiled slightly as he looked at her.

It was a gentle smile coming from a small sense of relief that the connection from the other world had continued to Earth.

Veronica, who saw that, smiled brightly and said.

“Captain, Captain, am I number one?”

“What does that mean again?”

“I came to see Captain first among these kids! Right?”

“No. There was one who came before you…”

“Wh, who?! Which one…!”

“Do you remember Maynard?”

“Maynard of the Explosion Sword?! How did that demon-corrupted crazy woman…! We, were you okay?!”

“It wasn’t a big deal.”

“Oppa, stop now. It seems like the two of you have a lot to talk about, but I think it’s time to introduce her properly.”

Seeing that the story was likely to get long, Yu Ji-woo interrupted.

Yu Seong-woo hadn’t properly told them who Veronica was yet.

Even though she had this much ability, she had been stuck in Sweden all this time, so it was necessary to figure out who she was.

“Yes. This kid is…”

Yu Seong-woo hesitated for a moment.

How should he introduce her?

She had many nicknames in the other world.

Orc Lord Slayer.

Demon Head Crusher.

Ground Breaking Purple Sword.

Purple Mad Dog.

Purple Vanguard… and so on.

And among them, the most famous was…

Purple Light Sword Star, the name she was called when she reached the realm of Swordmaster by using purple aura.

Yu Seong-woo, who was annoyed to explain them one by one, shortened it to one word.

“She’s a blockhead I knew in the other world. She was in my expedition.”

“I’m a blockhead… That’s not it! Captain!”

Veronica jumped up from her seat, climbed onto the chair, and introduced herself with a smiling face, folding her arms.

“Needless to say, a Swordmaster who received the title of Purple, that’s me! Veronica!”

“The title of Purple?”

“Well, there’s an imperial system that gives titles based on the color of the aura when you enter the realm of Swordmaster. I wasn’t affiliated with the Empire, though…”

“Yes! I’m Veronica, the Purple Light Sword Star!”

“Even if you say that, the kids here won’t understand. And sit down.”

At Yu Seong-woo’s words, Veronica plopped back down on the chair.

“I picked her up when she was young and taught her a bit. She even chased me to Earth.”

“Hehe.”

“I don’t know if it’s something to laugh about…”

Yu Seong-woo reached out and stroked Veronica’s head.

Like he used to do when he praised her, a little rough but with affection.

As he stroked her head as if reliving a forgotten sensation, Veronica smiled brightly.

It was the feeling of rough hair that she thought she would never be able to touch again.