Published: January 4, 2026
After stroking my head for a while, Your Majesty’s gaze shifted to the demonic sword at my waist.
“So that is the current... Leviathan, huh? I see, it really has shrunk.”
From His Majesty’s tone, it seemed he had already caught wind of Leviathan’s shrinking.
That means there are people who relay information from my residence directly to His Majesty.
Well, that makes sense, of course.
“Noah.”
“Yes?”
“Is it possible to make it larger again?”
“I wonder… I wonder if it is.”
Although I heard His Majesty’s words, Leviathan didn’t respond until I asked it directly.
Thinking it had become more and more like a loyal dog, I relayed the answer as it was.
“It seems it can.”
“Show me.”
“Yes.”
I drew Leviathan and thrust it into the ground.
Placing my hand on the pommel, I concentrated, willing Leviathan to grow.
Then, Leviathan began stretching rapidly.
From the length suitable for my six-year-old body, it returned to the length it had when we first met — a size fit for an adult to wield comfortably.
“Oh…”
His Majesty watched the transformation before his eyes in amazement.
“I see, indeed unprecedented. And also…”
“?”
“You have it completely under control, that demonic sword Leviathan. Considering its cursed history, that is truly impressive.”
Cursed history, huh.
Well, I know this mad dog’s wildness quite well.
At a party hosted by the third prime minister, Raidok, if I hadn’t stopped it, Leviathan might have killed not just a man who spoke out of turn, but possibly everyone present.
Without someone to stop Leviathan, I understood how one cursed history after another would certainly be created.
“That will do.”
“Yes.”
I nodded, adjusted Leviathan back to my custom size, and sheathed it.
“It suits you in appearance as well. Now, I must assign you a master.”
“A master?”
“A swordsmanship master. You should learn techniques for wielding the demonic sword. Cruise.”
When His Majesty called, an imperial eunuch, his confidant, appeared silently from who knows where.
“Did you summon me?”
“Go fetch Noble, immediately.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Cruise accepted the order and left promptly.
While chatting with His Majesty in the garden, I waited.
About twenty minutes later, a middle-aged man clad in knight’s armor arrived.
The man knelt before His Majesty.
“Damian Noble, at your service.”
“Good, you have come. There is something I want you to do.”
“Anything, sir.”
“You know Noah, yes? Teach him swordsmanship.”
“Yes, I will do my utmost.”
Having received the order, Damian stood and faced me.
Though he knelt before His Majesty, he only nodded slightly to me.
“I am Damian Noble, appointed as Your Highness’s instructor. I look forward to working with you.”
“Noble is the empire’s finest swordsman — renowned as unmatched in swordsmanship.”
“Honored.”
Damian bowed lightly.
His expression was stoic, so it was hard to tell if he was pleased or not.
It seemed usual, as His Majesty did not mind.
“Work hard under Noble.”
“Yes.”
“Without delay, Your Highness. First, I wish to assess your aptitude.”
Damian drew his sword and pointed its tip at me.
Even His Majesty was surprised.
“He is still a child who hasn’t learned anything.”
“Rest assured, I’m only judging aptitude, not technique.”
“Hmm.”
His Majesty accepted this easily.
I wondered if it was too easy, but perhaps it was His Majesty’s trust in “the empire’s finest swordsman.”
“Attack from anywhere you like.”
“Understood.”
I drew Leviathan and struck at Damian.
My overhead slash came down, and Damian raised his sword horizontally to block.
Keen!
A light metallic clang rang.
“...Eh?”
Damian was astonished.
His sword flew off in an unexpected direction, spinning wildly before embedding itself in the ground.
My casually swung strike, upon clashing with Damian’s sword, wrapped around it and twisted upwards.
The blades seemed to cling together, and Damian, whose wrist would have bent the wrong way if he held on, had no choice but to release his sword.