The greatest sword.
A knight who alone suppresses war.
A lion seated upon a crimson rose.
Arandel Helmut.
His massive frame slowly rose as he gripped his greatsword with force.
That alone was enough to instill a sense of oppression in the challengers.
Just standing before him, sword in hand, required immense courage.
And then—
The first to step forward was his former son-in-law, his black hair fluttering.
It was Isaac.
"Isaac!"
Silverna called out urgently, but Isaac's gaze was already fixed on Arandel.
"I knew you would be the first to come."
As he spoke, Arandel furrowed his brow.
He seemed surprised by his own words, as if he hadn't intended to say them aloud.
"It's proof of the subjugation spell. Thoughts that surface in your mind… will keep spilling out."
"I see."
Arandel remained composed.
If not for his darkened eyes, one would hardly believe he was under the effects of the spell.
"Is your body all right?"
"I won't live long."
"Because of the aftermath of the battle?"
"No."
Arandel was firm.
"It's an illness."
"..."
There were no lies under the influence of the subjugation spell.
Conversations also flowed much more smoothly.
Though Arandel himself seemed visibly displeased by it.
"It's quite bothersome."
Despite his words, Isaac was somewhat astonished.
If he recalled Polo's case, those who succumbed to the spell not only lost control of their words but also their actions.
Yet Arandel was suppressing it all purely through sheer willpower.
Under normal circumstances, the moment they reached the entrance of the mansion, Arandel's greatsword would have greeted them.
"They told me—once you fall under this spell, you become nothing more than a dog obeying their orders."
"…That's correct."
In his past life, Alois had suffered the same fate.
"And as far as I know, there's no way to break the subjugation spell."
His knowledge of sorcery was lacking, but at the very least, no method of undoing it had been found yet.
And whether they could even restrain Arandel until they discovered one was another matter entirely.
Then, suddenly, a question arose in Isaac's mind.
"Where is the Transcendent who cast the subjugation spell?"
"Dead."
"…What?"
"I killed them. Myself."
Though the spell of the so-called Apostles had reached Arandel, he had overpowered their control and swung his sword against them.
Truly, this was Arandel.
Just as Isaac thought that—
"Lord Arandel!"
"Princess!"
Clarice hurriedly followed behind Isaac, with Heirad's urgent voice calling after her.
"Ah, Lord Arandel! Are you all right? H-how is your body?!"
"…Not well."
Arandel's indifferent words darkened Clarice's expression. To the princess, his tone was merely a trivial matter.
"For now! Let's focus on treatment first! We must call the mages of the Magic Tower—!"
"Are you letting the opportunity slip away?"
"What…?"
Startled, Clarice turned to Arandel, who let out a sigh.
"Wise princess, you are letting youthful impulse cloud your judgment."
"What do you mean—"
"Because we were thinking the same thing."
Boom!
"Truly, don't you think this is the perfect moment?"
Arandel's greatsword plunged into the ground. A faint red light flickered within his black pupils.
"Sir Heirad! Take the princess back!"
At Isaac's urgent shout, Heirad grabbed Princess Clarice by the waist and quickly retreated.
Stepping forward to replace them were Liana and Silverna.
Alongside them were the knights who had arrived as reinforcements.
Numerically, they held an overwhelming advantage, and Arandel had already fought an intense battle, making it difficult for him to use his crimson aura.
And yet—why?
'It feels like we're the ones at a disadvantage.'
The more they acknowledged the reality of having to cross swords with the man before them, the more their instincts screamed that there was no advantage to be found.
"…This won't be easy."
Silverna murmured under her breath.
"Father."
Liana drew Ragnavel.
At the same time, Isaac finished his stance, ready to unleash his quick-draw technique at a moment's notice.
And then—
Then, Helmut's entire body erupted with crimson aura, radiating in all directions.
"You, who would inherit my legacy—"
"Urgh!"
The surging crimson aura was like a raging storm, forcing most of them to retreat.
But before it could reach Isaac and Silverna, Liana's greatsword blocked its path, shielding the two.
"Can you withstand this?"
Arandel had already shifted his gaze away from the ones who had been pushed back.
His eyes were now fixed only on the few who had endured his crimson aura.
"The weight I have borne—"
They were now standing upon a trial of sorts.
"The legacy of the one who brought peace with a single sword—!"
Whoooosh!
Arandel swung his greatsword.
A single, decisive strike.
A slash filled with intent to cleave through all those standing before him in one fell swoop.
Claaang!
But before the disaster could unfold, Liana, the eldest daughter, intercepted it.
"Guh—?!"
Even so, the sheer force of the impact made her groan as she was pushed back.
Then, as if to finish it, the veins on Arandel's forearm bulged.
"Do not act spoiled!"
With brute force, he shoved Liana away, sending her flying.
Boom!
She crashed into the remnants of the mansion, buried beneath the rubble.
With a single clash, Arandel had sent Helmut's eldest daughter soaring.
The fierce wind swept up the rose petals scattered on the ground. Concealed among them, Silverna's spear lunged toward Arandel.
She had already anticipated Liana's defeat, launching her strike a beat faster.
It could be seen as an unintentional synchronization.
Crunch!
Arandel caught the spear shaft.
Staring down at Silverna, his gaze turned vicious.
"Daughter of Caldias, haste shakes the tip of your spear."
"…!"
Whoosh!
Silverna, lifted along with her spear, was thrown far away. She rolled across the ground, pushed back by the force.
Arandel's eyes shifted past her, settling on Isaac.
"Can your sword truly sever this Arandel's head?"
The twin swords at Isaac's hips were drawn simultaneously. Electricity scattered, compensating for his lack of speed.
As the rose petals along the sword's trajectory were cleanly severed, the "Wings of Lightning" swung.
Clang!
Arandel's greatsword easily blocked it.
"Too light!"
With a sweeping motion, he sent Isaac flying backward.
"Too weak!"
"Ugh!"
Isaac's feet lifted off the ground as he was pushed back. If Heirad hadn't caught him, he would've been thrown all the way to the mansion's entrance.
"Are you alright?!"
"Yes…"
They had only exchanged a single strike.
Yet his arms trembled uncontrollably, a reaction to resisting overwhelming power.
"He's like a monster."
The knights who followed soon fell just as quickly.
None could last more than a single exchange before being overwhelmed or sent flying.
As Isaac steadied himself and dashed forward again, Liana had already leaped at Arandel, swinging her sword.
Boom! Boom!
The father and daughter's greatswords clashed without hesitation.
Only Liana could match Arandel in combat, but even she was starting to struggle, her expression darkening.
"Did you…"
Even in the midst of battle, Liana spoke.
This was her only chance.
If there was ever a moment to hear Arandel's true feelings, it was now.
She voiced the doubt and question she had long kept buried in her heart.
"Did you love mother?"
Crash!
For a brief moment, Liana felt a slight hesitation in Arandel's sword.
And between the swinging blades, a single, hidden whisper emerged.
"As naturally as breathing."
Liana's eyes widened.
But before she could process the words, Arandel's next strike sent her crashing down.
"What are you doing?!"
His greatsword swung down again.
Silverna, stepping in front of Liana, barely blocked it with her spear.
She couldn't withstand the force, so she planted her spear's shaft into the ground to absorb the impact.
Even so, her back began to bend under the pressure.
"Don't let go of your spear! Hold on!"
"…Silverna."
Liana nodded, steadying herself.
Then, the two noble daughters raised their weapons once more, charging toward Arandel together.
Though the two women's coordination was remarkable, they still could not break through Arandel.
Yet, in the midst of their clash, their combined efforts opened a path.
As the sword and spear veered to the sides—
A single sword smoothly followed the opening and slashed forward.
It stretched and stretched further.
Reaching for the end, beyond it.
It was called the Great Iaido.
The moment Isaac had used to cut down Bricalla now challenged Arandel.
"Hah."
For the first time, a faint smile curved Arandel's lips.
"How beautiful."
With only that single remark,
Arandel extended his left arm, now infused with Crimson Descent—a power he had not used since the opening strike.
Crack!
Isaac's lightning-clad blade clashed against Arandel's Crimson Descent, and his sword let out a wailing screech.
The outcome was decided in mere moments.
The Great Iaido was pushed back by the giant's hand, unable to reach its target.
"...!"
Smoke billowed from the Sword.
The impact had been so overwhelming that Isaac's palm, gripping the sword, felt as though it had been trampled by a horse's hoof.
"Isaac!"
"Move!"
Just as the two women pulled Isaac back, Arandel's greatsword came crashing down, obliterating the spot where he had stood.
"Do not be humble."
Amidst the swirling dust and scattered rose petals—
"Be arrogant."
Arandel's blackened eyes, glowing with a crimson light, fixed upon Isaac.
"And be proud."
Thus—
"Be great."
Boom!
Arandel, who had been holding his ground, took a step forward.
"That is the respect I can offer to those who cross swords with me."
Isaac had heard those words before.
No, rather, he had seen them—written in Arandel's will.
"Do not disgrace the dead."
It was also Arandel's creed.
As a great swordsman, he had cut down countless foes.
Yet, he refused to belittle the deaths of those who had fallen to his sword.
To honor their lives, he bore his pride and arrogance.
And thus, he was great.
As the subjugation progressed, Arandel began to pour out his innermost thoughts.
"Let the world know—"
His voice, filled with rising emotions and frustration, resounded.
"Of the death of Arandel."
He rebuked those who stood before him.
And at last, Princess Clarice realized the true meaning behind his words.
They were thinking the same thing.
The kingdom's sword needed a new generation.
"Because you exist—"
And so, this was—
Abrupt and sudden, yet inevitable.
"Peace remains intact."
The passing of an era.