The Illegitimate Who Devours Weapons

Chapter 6

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Lucky]

Chapter 6

Boundless.

This was the nickname of my third eldest brother, as well as the rare title given to the weapon itself.

Boundless’s ability was simple yet remarkable.

A sword, a spear, a bow—whatever I desired.

Even within the same weapon, its weight could be adjusted to be heavier or lighter. Its length, hardness, and countless other properties could be freely manipulated.

I watched Boundless for a moment before cautiously channeling my mana into it.

As Boundless absorbed my energy, its shape began to shift.

Beads of sweat formed on my forehead.

My entire body burned with heat.

My mana circuits were overheating.

I stared at the slowly transforming Boundless with regret before cutting off the mana flow entirely.

“Hah.”

A hollow chuckle escaped my lips.

The handle and overall shape remained that of a dagger, but the blade had awkwardly elongated by about a hand’s length, throwing off its balance. Worse still, parts of the extended blade were sharp, while others were dull and misshapen.

I lacked both the necessary mana and the technique to control it precisely.

But that was something time could fix.

Only one thing truly mattered.

‘Boundless is mine now.’

I recalled the sight of my third eldest brother wielding Boundless with effortless mastery.

At mid-range, he wielded it like a spear.

In close quarters, it became a sword.

At long range, it transformed into a bow or throwing knives.

He adjusted its weight, extended or retracted its length, and even altered its hardness and durability at will.

Every movement flowed seamlessly, swift and natural.

With that overwhelming versatility and unpredictability, my brother had earned the respect of countless warriors.

For someone like me, who could read the memories of all weapons, there was no weapon better suited than Boundless.

Then, suddenly, I caught myself.

…I really had changed.

I gazed down at Boundless in my hands.

The me of the past—drowning in helplessness and defeat—would never have even considered such a thought.

But now, I felt like I was walking down a road stretching infinitely before me.

The uncertainty remained, but it was different. This time, it was an uncertainty filled with anticipation and hope.

“…Tch.”

I felt a strange heat rise in my nose. Clearing my throat awkwardly, I bent down to pick up Boundless from the ground.

Then, after struggling for quite some time, I infused my mana once more—finally shaping Boundless back into the form of a dagger.

"Forget about surpassing my brother—I need to learn how to wield it properly first."

Feeling the complete emptiness of my drained mana, I let out a hollow laugh.

Just then, I heard the sound of a door opening near the entrance.

"Young Master, it’s time."

I hurriedly tucked Boundless into my clothes.

Then, I pulled out an object I had hidden in my inner pocket.

"Young Master? Where are you?"

"I'm here."

As I spoke, I placed the object back onto the stand as naturally as if I had just been inspecting it.

It was a dagger identical to Boundless in appearance—except for the fact that it showed no signs of rust.

In the underground floor of the secret warehouse, many items had remained sealed and abandoned, their true nature never revealed. Over time, they became nothing more than ordinary relics.

I had relied on my past-life memories to request this fake from my nanny. While there were some minor differences in appearance, this would suffice.

"It’s time to leave, Young Master. Your session is over."

"Understood."

I adjusted my collar and walked out at a steady pace.

There was no need to worry—I wouldn’t be

“So, you’re the eldest brother’s son. And you speak so formally for someone so young! But I thought he had a daughter? Did your gender change?”

That was an absurd thing to say, but she didn’t seem to be joking.

She genuinely didn’t know.

Calmly, I clarified,

“I came from outside. I’m the ninth child.”

“Oh, just like little brother!”

—meaning I was an illegitimate child.

Even at those words, she didn’t show any reaction.

It had been a long time since I’d met someone, aside from my uncle, who didn’t treat me differently because of my birth.

That, in itself, was a strange feeling.

---

“Little one, my name is… Ah, what was it again? Oh! Right! It’s Lee Gyeongha! Nice to meet you!”

She beamed and stretched out her hand.

I stared blankly at it, and she suddenly pouted.

“You’re supposed to shake hands when you greet someone!”

“…Oh, yes. Of course.”

The moment our hands met, Lee Gyeongha vigorously shook mine with an almost ferocious energy.

My shoulder screamed in protest.

As soon as she let go, I clutched my aching shoulder, barely suppressing a groan.

“Does it hurt?”

“I’m fine.”

“Hmm, you must be weak.”

I barely stopped myself from grinding my teeth.

“Oh, by the way, kid.”

After grinning at me for a while, she suddenly stepped closer as if she had just remembered something.

“Yes, Aunt?”

“Where did you learn that?”

Her transparent brown eyes locked onto mine.

I saw my reflection in her gaze.

“Why do you ask?”

“That ancient martial arts. Your dear auntie here old martial arts.”

“…What?”

“You see, back in the day, magic techniques weren’t developed, there were no awakenings, no special abilities, no science… But back then, ancient monsters still roamed the land. And in those times…”

She had asked me so suddenly, but now she was rambling on about something completely different.

I had no choice but to play along.

“…So that means it’s quite an impressive sword technique, huh?”

“Yes! That’s why it’s so fascinating. Auntie loves it! By the way, your name was… what was it again? Oh, right! Lee Yeol!”

“…It’s Lee Young, Aunt.”

“Same thing.”

She grinned mischievously.

Then, all of a sudden, she tilted her head.

“Hmm… But why did I come here again? Do you know?”

“…How would I know that?”

Talking to her was exhausting.

“Oh! Right! I saw you swinging a sword while I was passing by. But why did I come home again? Hmm…”

She furrowed her brows as if genuinely struggling to recall.

Then—

She abruptly turned her head, staring blankly into the air.

“Oh, my brother’s calling me. That’s right, I came to see him! I have to go now. It was nice meeting you, nephew. And here—this is a gift. Keep it safe! I’ll come back for it!”

Before I could react, she shoved a thick, well-worn notebook into my arms.

It was old, with Post-it notes and scraps of paper sticking out from between the pages.

I glanced down at it briefly.

And in the moment I looked back up—

I whipped my head around, searching for her.

But she had vanished without a trace.

Like a ghost.

I could only shake my head in disbelief.

Without much thought, I flipped open the notebook.

And the moment my eyes landed on its contents—

I clenched it tightly.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Lucky]