Swordmeister of Rome

"It changed a lot. I didn't think five years was that long."

Sian spoke as he swept his glance across the sceneries while running. Stiel agreed. She had lived for hundreds of years, but things seemed to have changed drastically within these five years.

"Is that… a transportation device?"

Stiel mumbled as she saw a metal carriage passing beneath them. It had six wheels and no horses were pulling it, but it was still moving quickly. It didn't seem like it was common as there were only a few of them among the other carriages, but it was still fascinating.

"I guess a lot of things changed after that emperor came about."

"Yeah, but Sian. Why are you moving so slowly?" Stiel asked Sian. She first thought Sian was matching her speed but he was still moving slower than her from time to time. Sian grinned.

"Well… I'm kind of training. But don't worry. It's still in the testing stage."

Sian smiled but it didn't resolve Stiel's question.

"What kind of training do you have to do while running…"

"I'll tell you later. It's not ready yet."

"Yeah. We're almost there though. So, this continent really is much smaller than the other continent."

They were quickly closing in on Chrotia even when they were not going at full speed. It took them a few days to move between the Ciculus Tree on the other continent so it was a lot smaller.

"We'll move quickly. It's been a long time since I've visited my family."

"Yeah."

"Sian… where are you?"

Count Roman sighed as he looked out to the production of weapons outside his window. War had ceased but training and the preparation of armies did not stop at the Great North Wall. Some mysterious group began providing them with mysterious technologies to create weapons.

'Amaran…'

The world had changed because of two things after Sian had disappeared.

One was obvious, which was the birth of the Emperor.

After the Emperor, the world had been united as one nation. Some considered it to be bad, but most people considered it to be a good thing. The Emperor was not interested in much else other than enjoying his time and filling his pleasures. His desires did not exceed that of a wealthy noble so it wasn't that much of a problem.

After Kukutaran came about, the kingdoms stopped fighting each other and the people of the land began to enjoy their peaceful lives.

But there were other beings that came about to change the world.

Some kind of secret organization began to surface and they spread their advanced technology to the world.

One was Amaran, the group shared its technologies about weapons to arm the Great North Wall.

Another was Baroka, which had vast knowledge of magic and other knowledge that helped humans understand the world better.

And finally, Manaka, which allowed the creation of advanced machinery like the transportation device.

People were glad that these organizations appeared but they weren't ready to accept such advanced technologies yet, so it had been a slow process.

Count Roman knew a lot more in detail because of Limainu, the brother of Rian's third wife.

"I wonder if they are living well… Rian, nor Sian are here with me…"

Count Roman sighed and looked outside. Then he found something strange. There were two figures approaching at an enormous speed. Although they were coming in at such a speed, there was not a single dust cloud across the plain. Count Roman brightened up instantly.

"He's back!"

"Father is coming out to meet us."

"Yeah."

Stiel also had a heightened sense after she absorbed Nekra's heart, so she too knew what was going on within the Chrotia Fortress. The one powerful presence within the fortress was coming out.

"He could've just waited in there."

"Well, it's a return of a son who's been missing for five years."

Stiel spoke and soon they were at the fortress. Count Roman quickly came up to him and hugged him.

"Sian! You… where have you been all this time!"

Count Roman spoke, overflowing with emotion. Something did seem to have changed in Sian, but he was still his son. Sian sighed.

"I was at a really far place. I also realized there's no place like home."

"Let's not stay out here. Come in, come in. You should come too, Stantahl."

Three of them walked in and began talking about what had happened.

Count Roman was in awe after hearing what Sian had gone through.

"So… there were humans on the other continent? And all the other superhumans moved there?"

"Yeah. Oh, by the way. I heard that there was a new superhuman here? Kuku… something?"

Sian asked and the Count sighed.

"Kukutaran. He became a superhuman three years ago. He was a Grand Bander from Broshan."

Sian then thought about Narasha.

"What happened to Narasha? He had tried so hard to rule Tian."

Count then smiled bitterly.

"He's still busy. We have been united but… the Emperor isn't really interested in ruling. I think he just united the land because he had other motives. I heard he's created a harem to keep his wives and concubines."

"Hmm."

He was a special kind of superhuman, but it didn't matter. As long as the Emperor didn't mess with his family, Sian was not interested. In fact, it was good to have his family out of danger as there were no more wars between countries.

"But… where's Rian?"

Count then turned grim.

"He's been taken away."

"Taken away?"

"Yeah. By the Emperor."

"What… he has no use for him. Why?"

No superhumans would need a Master warrior. Sian couldn't understand what the possible reasons were.

"He took him because he was handsome."

"…what?"

"He was taken into the Emperor's harem."

"…"

Sian was dumbfounded.

"And he followed without any resistance? What about his wives?"

Count Roman answered, "He couldn't fight when he had his wives. What would you do if superhumans harmed the wives? Rian followed him voluntarily."

"Crazy son of a…"

Sian couldn't believe that this kind of thing happened during his absence. He could not imagine that he would encounter someone with such a weird taste.

'I have been absent for too long.'

Sian gritted his teeth and turned to his father.

"So… where is this Kuku guy?"

"You got a job to do, Sian."

"…"

Sian flexed his fists as he thought about what to do.

"He usually stays at Karan but you won't need to go there."

"Huh?"

"There was a message. He's on his way here, with your brother."

"Rian too?"

"Yeah. It seems that the Emperor calls him a 'baby' and adores him."

Sian laughed bitterly.

"Good. Then I won't need to go too far."

If he had become a superhuman three years ago, he was probably at the Baron level. Sian wouldn't need to destroy the whole place to beat him up, so Sian prepared himself for Kuku-something's arrival.