The Mercenary and the Novelist

As the rapid expansion of the transcontinental railroad ushers in a new era, thick clouds of steam-locomotive smoke shroud the cities, rendering the age of mercenaries a relic of the past. Amidst this changing world, a down-on-his-luck swordsman named Sword finds himself struggling to secure work until he accepts an unconventional assignment from the renowned bestselling novelist, Verderon. Hired as a bodyguard, Sword embarks on an expedition alongside the author deep into the heart of a perilous, uncharted mountain. What begins as a routine journey soon unravels, thrusting the unlikely duo directly into the middle of a dangerous political and spiritual conspiracy intertwining the church and the state. Set against a backdrop of industrial progress, this captivating narrative chronicles an extraordinary adventure where traditional iron swords clash with the clatter of modern typewriters.