Reborn As A Maid

Chapter 166: Chapter 166 - News From the North ( Part 2 )

Morning rays enveloped the Kingdom of Seraiya in a golden blanket.

The city was bustling with life; merchants were filling its streets, children were laughing in the marketplaces, and builders were working day and night to repair the damage of wars.

The marks of wars were disappearing, making way for the colors of reconstruction and revival.

From the balcony of the royal palace, Queen Lilia Kingheart was watching the awakening of her city.

A delicate smile appeared on her face, softening the majestic appearance of the woman. Her blonde hair was shimmering in the rays of morning light like golden threads.

"Another peaceful morning..."

The phrase could be heard only by the breeze.

But behind her, steps sounded on the marble floor—quiet, measured, and respectful.

"Your Majesty."

Lilia turned around, and her blue eyes met with the eyes of her captain.

Sir Lucas , the commander of the Royal Wyvern Knights, bowed deeply to his queen. He had changed little since joining the army—the only difference was several dark streaks among his black hair that told about years of loyalty to his duties.

"The expedition is ready."

Lilia nodded firmly. "Good."

She put on her white traveling cloak instead of her ceremonial robes—an obvious sign of her bravery and character.

One of the royal ministers became worried, and the wrinkles on his face deepened even more. "Your Majesty... must you personally investigate the ruins?"

Lilia smiled benevolently. "If there are any ancient relics under Seraiya, I should be the first to discover them. A queen that is sending others into the unknown danger while staying in her palace isn’t worthy of the title."

Aruther Queens , the Royal Hand, shook his head. "You always forget about your safety."

Lilia smiled. "My people deserve a queen that would walk with them."

Several hours later, the convoy of knights reached the northern mountain range separating Seraiya from the lands beyond it.

Among the steep cliffs was located the ruins of the ancient royal sanctuary. Nature had taken its toll—it was filled with the giant roots of trees embracing the ruins of the stone pillars, with ivy climbing the weathered sculptures, and with streams of the clear water running along the marble paths.

And yet, despite centuries of abandonment, the ruins retained its majesty. There was an atmosphere of reverence hanging in the air—the atmosphere of respect that this place deserved because of its sacredness.

Lilia slowly entered the ruins, and her breath got stuck in her throat. "It’s beautiful."

Lucas cautiously looked around, putting his hand on the sword hilt. "It feels also... strange."

Another knight nodded. "The amount of mana in these ruins is unusually high—I’ve never seen something like that."

An old royal historian unfolded the ancient map, and his hands were trembling with excitement. "According to the records retrieved from the royal archives, this sanctuary existed long before the foundation of Seraiya."

Lilia examined the old parchment, frowning slightly. "It doesn’t belong to our kingdom?"

"No, Your Majesty." The historian shook his head. "It belonged to the civilization that had disappeared almost a thousand years ago."

Lilia quietly looked at the enormous stone doors situated in the middle of the ruins. They somehow looked strangely familiar, like some kind of long-forgotten dream.

As the expedition went further underground, the glow of the crystals was lighting the ancient corridors. The murals with the heroes fighting with the monsters with the radiant swords decorated the walls of the corridor, and colors were miraculously well preserved.

Lilia stopped before one of the carvings.

A young warrior was depicted at its center—his/her face had disappeared with the flow of time. The seven magnificent blades were floating around the hero.

The historian gasped, his voice trembling. "The Seven Divine Swords..."

Lucas frowned. "I thought these were only legends."

Lilia touched the carving with her fingers, and something unusual was happening in her chest—some kind of warmth started to spread through it. "They’re real."

She couldn’t say why, but she knew it.

The expedition went further underground.

In the end of the corridor was the huge round chamber untouched by time. In its center, there was the stone throne, surrounded with the seven empty pedestals in the shape of the perfect circle.

But only one of the pedestals was illuminated now—other ones had been dark for many centuries already.

The very air seemed to shimmer with anticipation.

One knight whispered. "...Don’t you hear anything?"

Everybody became silent.

The sound was faintly heard through the chamber.

Something was beating.

Slowly and steadily—like the beat of the clock.

It was a heartbeat.

Lilia approached the glowing pedestal carefully, and her feet were ringing on the stone.

When she approached within a few meters—

The whole chamber reacted.

The ancient runes carved in the floor lit with the golden light. The walls trembled. The dust fell from the ceiling in the cascades.

Lucas immediately placed himself before his queen, raising his sword. "Protect Her Majesty!"

The Royal Wyvern Knights raised their swords, protecting their queen.

But nobody attacked.

Instead, the light softened, becoming friendly.

Lilia looked around with amazement, feeling her heart beating. "It isn’t hostile."

The old scholar’s eyes opened wide, his voice filled with amazement. "I’ve read about it somewhere... The ancient divine relics react only to individuals that are recognized by them."

Lucas slowly put his sword back in its scabbard, looking at the glowing pedestal. "You think... that the ruins react to the queen?"

The historian nodded, his voice full of emotion. "I think so."

On the glowing pedestal was lying the sword.

Its brilliance and elegance wasn’t comparable with the radiant glory of Excalibur and the silver light of Tempest. This blade was hidden in the flawless crystal of pale golden color—perfectly transparent, like frozen sunlight. Its crossguard was in the form of the spread wings, while the countless runes were flowing in the crystal like living starlight.

This sword was sleeping peacefully.

As though it was waiting.

Someone.

Lilia’s heart was beating even faster now. She couldn’t understand why—she had never seen this weapon before.

But it felt strangely familiar.

The gentle voice suddenly resounded in her head. Not with her ears—directly to her soul.

"...You finally came."

Lilia froze, gasping. "...Who said that?"

The knights were looking around nervously, raising their swords again.

"No one, Your Majesty," Lucas said, his voice filled with tension.

But the voice came again—gentle, ancient, and full of quiet dignity.

"For a thousand years... I’ve been waiting."

Lilia slowly approached the crystal, being drawn by some invisible force. "I... don’t understand."

The voice answered, soft and patient.

"You will."

The golden crystal, surrounding the sword, started to glow brightly. Fine cracks gradually appeared on its perfect surface, resembling breaking ice on a frozen lake.

Far to the south, throughout the entire continent—

Excalibur suddenly quivered in Jennie’s waist.

Leviathan stirred, flashing with blue light.

Tempest let out a slight gust of air, its silver glow recognizing the presence of another weapon.

Subconsciously, Jennie looked up into the northward sky, holding the sword’s hilt in her hand.

"...Another Divine Sword," she murmured quietly.

Once again, in the royal ruins of Seraiya, the ancient crystal exploded in the burst of golden light.

A forgotten Divine Sword awoke at last.

Shattered crystal scattered into thousands of glittering particles of gold, resembling captured starlight.

The underground sanctuary, which had lain dormant for more than a thousand years, became alive all of sudden. Ancient runes ignited one by one, spreading with the firelight on the walls. The stone floor was glowing with the circles of divine radiance. Broken statues were repaired instantly as the fragments of marble were floating in the air and restoring their original forms with supernatural accuracy.

The very vines decorating the columns bloomed with bright white flowers as though they greeted the rising dawn after the endless night.

The whole sanctuary celebrated awakening of the long-forgotten object.

The queen stood still in front of the pedestal.

The sword hovered in the air in front of her, held aloft by some unknown force.

This was unlike any weapon made by human hands. It shone brightly with the soft golden-white radiance as if it was made of the sunlight itself. The crossguard of the sword looked like the outspread wings of a celestial bird, and a crystal was placed in the center of the hilt—glittering gently like a second heart of the weapon.

Golden light ran through the blade like the liquid starlight, forming the patterns of ancient runes.

Nobody said a word.

The knights lowered their weapons automatically—it wasn’t commanded, but it felt like they were standing before some holy object which didn’t need protection, but respect instead.

Lilia slowly stretched her hand, and it was trembling slightly. "I... May I?"

The voice that she had heard just a few moments ago replied in gentle whisper.

"You have already been chosen."

The Divine Sword started to drift forward, feeling the attraction towards her.

When Lilia touched the hilt of the sword—

The sanctuary erupted with the bright light.

Pure radiance spread through the chamber with the golden wings, whose feathers were formed of the light. Warm breeze circled the queen, filling the air with the scent of wildflowers and distant meadows.

The exhaustion from years of ruling—sleepless nights, countless decisions, the burden of all lives depending on her—had simply vanished.

Each scar from numerous trips, each ache, each burden.

During a single moment, she had become absolutely peaceful.

Outside of the ruins, the sky had changed.

Clouds parted like a curtain. A single column of golden light emerged from the mountains, piercing the sky and going to the very sun.

People of Seraiya looked up with astonishment. Priests stopped praying, and their mouths were hanging open. Children pointed at the distant mountains with their fingers and big amazed eyes.

Wyverns flying over the capital of the kingdom proudly sang, their cries resounding throughout the city as though they were greeting an old acquaintance.

The light in the sanctuary slowly faded.

The queen still held the sword.

She found it unexpectedly light in her hands—it was perfectly balanced like it belonged there. The warmth emanated from the sword, filling her soul with the quiet power.

Lucas approached cautiously. "Your Majesty... Are you alright?"

Lilia looked at the blade with the soft surprised expression. "I feel..." She thought of the appropriate word. "...Complete."

The ancient historian fell to the knees, crying with tears running down his aged face. "It truly exists... The Divine Sword... I never thought I will see it."

The knights exchanged amazed glances, their former caution turning into the amazement.

One of them murmured, "Our Majesty has drawn it effortlessly..."

Another knight nodded in amazement. "The sword accepted her."

The blade suddenly lit up again.

Warm and feminine voice echoed gently in the queen’s mind—beautiful, elegant, ancient.

"Greetings... My new master."

Lilia looked around with surprise. "...Who are you?"

The voice answered, speaking like a lullaby.

"I am Aurelia. The Divine Sword of Light."

The name resonated beautifully in the sanctuary, sounding rich with centuries.

Lilia smiled with warmth. "Aurelia... It is a beautiful name."

The sword seemed happy, and its light strengthened.

"And yours—Lilia Kingheart. I have waited for a very long time to meet you."

Lilia opened her eyes widely. "You knew my name?"

The voice of the sword sounded with the kind laughter, gentle as wind chimes in summer evening.

"I have watched generations of kings. Queens. Heroes. Saints. Nobody of them had the heart I had been waiting for."

Lilia looked down with humility. "I am not the strongest."

"No."

"I am not a legendary warrior."

"No."

"I have committed many mistakes."

Aurelia replied instantly with warm and unwavering voice.

"Yes."

Lilia smiled awkwardly and laughed softly. "You are very honest."

The Divine Sword glowed brightly, and its light pulsed with warmth and affection.

"Strength can be gained. Skill can be polished. But compassion—" The voice softened. "—cannot be forged."

Lilia gripped the hilt of the sword more tightly, and her eyes were shining with the determination. "I will do my best. I promise."

The golden light surrounded the queen once more, embracing her like the warm hug.

The ancient sanctuary replied as though it acknowledged a new era—runes shone brighter, flowers bloomed more abundantly, and the air seemed singing with joy.

Suddenly—Aurelia had gone quiet.

Its light flickered and became slightly weaker.

Lilia noticed this at once, and concern appeared in her voice. "...Aurelia?"

The sword was listening to something very distant—something that was beyond the mountains, beyond the kingdoms, beyond the horizon.

A warm smile appeared in its voice with the recognition and kindness.

"...I know that presence."

Lilia looked surprised, frowning slightly. "What presence?"

The Divine Sword answered softly—a whisper that only she could hear.

"Sword King."

In that instant, hundreds of miles to the south—

Excalibur gave a shudder and pulsed with golden energy, recognising the awakening sword.

Leviathan sent a soft ripple of blue mana, as if it were a sigh from an ancient sea.

Tempest danced happily in midair, its silvery energy swirling with joy.

Jennie paused and raised her hand toward Excalibur’s hilt, the sword in her hand trembling with anticipation.

"... Another has awakened."

Snow looked at her with sharp golden eyes. "You felt it?"

"Yes," Jennie answered with a slow nod, her eyes distant. "... It feels... warm. Gentle. Like sunlight after a winter..."

Tempest chuckled, excitedly saying, "She is awake!"

Leviathan said quietly, recognising another member of its race. "A sister has awoken."

Excalibur sounded quietly satisfied with the news about the sword, finally reunited with its sister sword.

"The Fourth Divine Sword has awakened."

Jennie looked at the far north sky in front of her and felt something in her heart she couldn’t define.

She didn’t even know who owned this sword now.

Nor did she know that the current master of the sword of light was once a frightened princess that she guided under the starlit sky.

Far below the ancient ruins of Seraiya, Aurelia pulsed gently in Lilia’s hands.

The sword’s whisper echoed inside her heart – so softly, hope-filled, warm.

"Sword King... At last... Our family is beginning to reunite."

Lilia smiled but could not explain to herself what made her smile.

But in some way she understood what her sword was trying to say to her.

Something is happening...

Something good.

And somewhere in the south, a silver-haired girl with three Divine Swords on her waist was walking, unaware of the destiny that was slowly weaving them together.

The Fourth Divine Sword had awakened.

And the pieces of the great puzzle started moving.