ã€ŠI Became a Childhood Friend With the Villainous Saintessã€‹


 Chapter 0: Prologue

    <b>Chapter 0 - Prologue</b>

    These days, readers have no interest in the backstories of viins.

    They¡¯ve alreadymitted their misdeeds, and only after tasting failure do they startying out their excuses like a defense.

    ims like ¡¯viin was actually a good guy¡¯ or ¡¯it was the world that was evil¡¯ are met with nothing but disdain.

    Not even the finest performance by an A-list actor can save a lousy script or melodrama.

    Attempts to sell sentiment through clumsy writing find no empathy from the audience.

    Especially in an era like today¡¯s.

    If you can¡¯t win the hearts of readers, even the fate of the heroine could twist and turn, leading to her demise.

    It was a time when even prettiest of the girls had to struggle to survive in the world of fiction.The world was no longer kind enough to patiently listen to every detailed story of the viins.

    I, for one, was not the least bit curious about such matters.

    But perhaps I should have thought differently.

    It was not only the era of intensepetition but also the era of random possession metas, where readers could find themselves transported into the novel.

    In this meta, being possessed typically meant bing an extra or a viin, as the chance of bing the protagonist was virtually nonexistent. It was essential to be aware of one¡¯s surroundings.

    But still, to be honest, it felt unfair.

    Just knowing you¡¯re in a novel gives the possessor a tremendous advantage.

    The world can¡¯t always work in my favor, so it¡¯s okay topromise on who gets possessed. There¡¯s no rule saying possession has to happen to someone well-off.

    Besides, in this day and age, being the final boss pretty much guarantees afortable life for the possessor.

    But what if this isn¡¯t a well-written novel?

    What if it¡¯s one of those mass-produced romance fantasies where the female lead spends all day flirting with the handsome male leads?

    What if all I¡¯ve seen is the female and male leads showing off their love, but I¡¯m destined to be the viin?

    People these days really don¡¯t care about the viin¡¯s backstory.

    The author of this novel knew that well enough not to include a single line about the viins¡¯ stories in the book.

    Even as the formidable enemies fell on the battlefield, and the wicked woman was beheaded at the gallows, they didn¡¯t utter a word about their own stories.

    Not even in theirst words did they beg for a sliver of mercy.

    Thanks to that, I knew what dessert the princess from the neighboring country liked, but not how the youngdy before me would transform into the saint of an evil god. I knew about the crown prince¡¯s childhood, but not why burn scars appeared on my body, though I knew why the noble youngdy had a scar on her wrist.

    My knowledge was all like this. I didn¡¯t know what I needed, and even if I did, I couldn¡¯t prepare for it.

    No. Perhaps I was starting to understand a few things.

    After all, a giant fireball was hurtling towards me from afar.

 Chapter 1: The Shabby Cabin (1)

    <b>Chapter 1 - The Shabby Cabin (1)</b>

    The novel ¡¯Saintess, Reverse Harem is Impure!¡¯ was as explicit as its title suggested.

    A generic mass-produced romance fantasy novel that wandered the obscure corners of the tform.

    The unfortunate heroine dies a lonely death, only to awaken as the saintess of a medieval fantasy world¡ªa typical isekai reincarnation clich¨¦.

    Naturally, the reborn saintess was besieged by confessions from all manner of handsome men, establishing her own reverse harem.

    In retrospect, it seemed almost like a fairy tale.

    In a bad way.

    There were viins who seemed born solely for wicked deeds, amassing corpses and blood.

    There was a crown prince, almost perfect in hispetence and kindness, and the heroine moved forward, oveing her own wounds.By the end of the novel, the deep-seated war between humans and demons had concluded.

    Viins fell to the prince¡¯s sword or were executed once their crimes wereid bare. And the prince and the saintess were finally married, living happily ever after.

    An absurdly simplistic story.

    A happy ending so sweet it could rot your teeth.

    If one had to live inside a novel, it wouldn¡¯t have been a bad choice.

    If only I hadn¡¯t been the viin fated to fall in the final battle.

    I, Razen Berthus, was the antagonist who menaced the protagonist throughout the story.

    I was the killer who imed the most lives until a confrontation with the male leads ended with my heart pierced.

    The siblings of the Eilencia Ducal Family, whom I had been with since infancy, met simr fates.

    The eldest, Terion, died of illness abroad, and the second, Sirien, was captured and executed alongside me for plunging the empire into chaos.

    Of course, I had no intention of dying as in the novel.

    I couldn¡¯t just leave the siblings, who thought of me as their own blood, to die. I too wanted a piece of that foolishly sweet happy ending.

    But the moment I regained my memories was far toote.

    The day I remembered, Eligor, the fifteenth Demon King, invaded the Eilencia Duchy.

    * * *

    It was a night shrouded in a hazy halo around the moon.

    Breathing in, the cold and damp air seemed to moisten the lungs, and the thick darkness was cloaked in fog.

    When the wind blew, the rustling leaves made a chilling sound. In the gloom of night, they appeared to me as undting dark shadows.

    On such a night, there were those who ran along a path invisible even a foot ahead. It was an old carriage.

    The carriage raced like a ghost along the road, without even a singlentern hung, a silent pact among all aboard.

    It was a sudden journey. The mor of the bells signaling air raids, the sight of knights marching out with stern faces, refused to leave my mind.

    The sounds of magic shing, explosions, the watchtowers melting into red-hotva, soldiers impaled by spears. The domain turned battlefield was unforgettable.

    The expressions of the siblings inside the carriage were somber. Despite being barely over ten, they seemed to feel the gravity of their situation.

    After what felt like an eternity of silence, a familiar voice spoke.

    "Uncle, please tell us now. Where are we going?"

    "I cannot tell you anything yet."

    "What about Father? What happened to him?"

    "I cannot tell you that either. It¡¯s for your own good."

    How many times had those questions been asked?

    The eldest of the siblings, Terion, wore a face of frustration.

    The handsome young noble¡¯s face was deeply furrowed. Normally quick to anger, this time he was met with a formidable opponent. Count Roxen, their uncle, was considered one of the most trusted men by the Duke of Eilencia.

    If Count Roxen said he could not speak for the sake of the children, then it must be so.

    That¡¯s why Terion couldn¡¯t press him further.

    "Cough, cough!"

    "Miss, are you alright?"

    "Mhm, I¡¯m fine. Just a bit of dust."

    "Just wait a moment."

    Perhaps the carriage wheel caught on a stone; each jolt sent dust flying inside.

    It seemed what I thought was the smell of old wood was actually dust.

    The youngdy of the ducal family was unustomed to such an environment.

    Even covered with cloths from all around, she huddled against the cold, and the airborne dust inevitably triggered her pitiful coughs.

    A maid riding with us sent me a look asking for help. Fortunately, there was still plenty of water in the sk.

    "Drink some water first."

    "I don¡¯t like the smell of the leather from that sk. And I don¡¯t want cold water either."

    "Just bear with it and drink. It¡¯s not that cold."

    "Ugh..."

    Thedy, Sirien, grumbled but drank the water handed to her.

    Wrapping a handkerchief around her nose and mouth helped ease the coughing a bit.

    If only we could slow down the carriage a bit, things would improve significantly. But given the circumstances, such words couldn¡¯t be spoken.

    Instead, the urgent sound of the coachman¡¯s whip was almost wee. We needed to end this unwee journey as quickly as possible.

    "It should get better now. Breathing might be a bit difficult, but bear with it."

    "Thank you. Razen, what about you? I have a handkerchief too."

    "I¡¯m fine. The knight¡¯s armory is dustier than this. And I¡¯m not that thirsty."

    It was a lie.

    I had been training right up until I was called here. I was both hungry and thirsty.

    But, not knowing when we could refill the sk, it was necessary to conserve water.

    I couldn¡¯t say such things to the young girl.

    Even at a nce, the situation was dire.

    The assault by Demon King Eligor was unusually swift and sharp.

    As a result, the direct descendants of the Eilencia ducal family were hiding in an old carriage, fleeing with only a handful of guards.

    And I, who had been told I would soon gain real battle experience, was not sent to the battlefield.

    ¡¯Either way, it seems like the worst-case scenario.¡¯

    The first implication was that an enemy chasing us is so threatening that having escorts would be pointless.

    It suggested that rather than clumsily attaching escorts and attracting attention, it would be better to choose to remain inconspicuous from the beginning. In other words, being discovered meant certain doom.

    The second implication was that the situation on the front lines was extremely unstable.

    Despite everything, I was the heir of a major vassal. Although not a direct descendant, I received a certain level of treatment.

    I wouldn¡¯t be sent to just any battlefield, especially not to one that was exceedingly dangerous or disadvantageous. This meant the current military situation must be either very perilous or unfavorable.

    As expected, Sirien seemed troubled too. Her gaze towards one corner of the carriage was empty.

    Despite often being whimsical, Sirien was the smartest among us. She might have understood the situation even quicker than I did.

    Soon, she spoke.

    "Razen?"

    "Yes?"

    "Do you think our other siblings are alright? I¡¯m a bit worried."

    No, they were probably faring much better than us.

    The Duke and Duchess only had two children. So, the ¡¯siblings¡¯ Sirien referred to were likely distant rtives or the children of cadet branches and vassals living with the ducal family.

    Even in a life-threatening situation, Sirien was considerate enough to worry about them.

    I had never seen a young girl of about ten look so mature. I found myself reflecting on her name anew.

    Sirien Eilencia.

    The legitimate daughter of the Duke of Eilencia, known as the Empire¡¯s Shield. Always with a fresh smile on her lips, kind not just to her siblings but also to the servants.

    However...

    There was a high likelihood that her ¡¯siblings¡¯ had been used as decoys.

    Although this was a logical deduction, I had to push it from my mind for now.

    "Focus on your own safety. The Duke and my father are with them, and all the seniors went that way too."

    "But that¡¯s..."

    "I understand what you¡¯re thinking, but no matter what anyone says, you¡¯re the most important right now. We don¡¯t know what might happen next, so try to get some rest now. I¡¯ll wake you upter."

    "Huh... Uh, okay."

    This was no time to worry about others. The Demon King¡¯s forces could be on our heels at any moment, and the future I knew from the novel was bleak.

    We had only ten years left. Just ten years until the original protagonist reincarnates and rises as the saintess.

    ¡¯Ten years from now, Sirien will be apletely different person.¡¯

    In the original story, Sirien was the quintessential viiness. None of her current kindness and gentleness were to be found. Her concern for her other siblings was also absent.

    Her first move in the story was to purge her own blood rtives. She personally saw to the execution of many distant rtives.

    The problem was that I had no idea what would happen to Sirien and me during these ten years. That damned, or rather, doomed story had scarcely a word about us.

    In the worst-case scenario, the Sirien of the present might have died long ago, and the Sirien in the original story could have been her substitute.

    Thinking about it, this seemed much more usible. If the original Sirien was a stand-in, it would exin why she killed her rtives.

    She wouldn¡¯t have wanted anyone who knew her true identity to live. This was far more likely than the idea that the kind-hearted girl suddenly went mad.

    ¡¯Still, it¡¯s too early to tell. I just don¡¯t have enough information right now.¡¯

    Others who found themselves in simr situations had memorized every detail of the world and its characters, turning it to their advantage from the start.

    Meanwhile, I seemed to be heading straight for a dead end from the beginning, despite remembering every single letter of the original story. None of it was of any help.

    If I had to pick one piece of useful information I knew, it would be that Count Roxen liked cookies with Ramuris petals in them.

    Ramuris flowers,mon in the western part of the empire, yield a sweet and tangy taste when their petals are baked. But how could this knowledge be of any use? I couldn¡¯t see how.

    If pondering won¡¯t yield answers, it¡¯s pointless to dwell on it.

    The first step is to get out of this situation. If possible, I nned to take better care of my health and try to prevent Terion¡¯s death.

    As for Sirien... all I could do was watch over her as best as I could. Even that might change a lot.

    For Sirien. And for me as well.

    Just then, Sirien whispered her thanks.

    "Thank you. I¡¯m counting on you."

 Chapter 2: The Shabby Cabin (2)

    <b>Chapter 2 - The Shabby Cabin (2)</b>

    It was a very old and shabby cabin. There was no other way to describe it.

    It was so aged that cobwebs clung to the edges of the roof. The wood, which once must have been a deep brown, now bore the dark marks of time, and the stairs in front of the door creaked.

    In modern times, it might have been considered an old log cabin.

    Because I was a petty bourgeois. It was old and worn out, but it didn¡¯t look particrly narrow to me.

    It could be seen that some effort had been put into making it. At the very least, it gave off the impression that it was a ce where people could live.

    But that was just my point of view.

    From the standpoint of the nobles of the Eilencia Ducal Family, the story was different.

    Sure enough, a few steps away, the siblings stood with stern expressions.¡°Uncle, where is this ce?¡±

    ¡°Um. I guess you could call it a hideout. A ce hardly known even within our family.¡±

    These were children who, simply by growing up safely, would one day sit on thrones. Their lives were so luxurious that a single meal involved the efforts of dozens of servants, and the cost of one set of party clothes could buy a house.

    To these children, this cabin might as well have seemed like a pigsty. Even the servants¡¯ quarters in the ducal mansion were far more luxurious than this cabin.

    To think that the end of their long escape was this shabby ce. It was clear that, though it hadn¡¯t been stated outright, they would be staying here for quite some time.

    To the soledy of Eilencia, it seemed tears were on the verge of falling at any moment.

    ¡°Uncle, I don¡¯t like it here. It smells weird and looks dirty.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sirien. There¡¯s no helping it. Can you bear with it for a little while?¡±

    ¡°Really? Is there really no other way? Does it have to be here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Her voice was tinged with the threat of tears, yet Count Roxen remained unmoved.

    Considering what Sirien¡¯s tears usually signified within the Ducal household, it was a significant matter.

    The Duke of Eilencia¡¯s treasured daughter.

    The child who received the most love within the Ducal family.

    Whenever Sirien cried, it caused amotion among the servants.

    It would usually fall upon her family or myself to soothe her. But how could mere servants sway the members of the Ducal family? In the end, I was the only one the servants could rely on.

    Not yet holding any title myself and known for my amiable rtions with the servants, I was their go-to. The snacks I received as bribes were quite sweet. Though half of them ended up going back to Sirien.

    Regardless, whenever her cries were heard, I would be called upon, and it seemed Sirien had grown ustomed to my presence.

    I could feel the small girl¡¯s presence behind me, and the back of my shirt felt oddly damp, as if she was trying to hide her burst of tears.

    Sirien, even much younger than now, wouldn¡¯t resort to tantrums or crying easily.

    She must have sensed that convincing Count Roxen was futile. She seemed to realize that crying wouldn¡¯t change the situation. So, she seemed to be holding it in.

    My role was simply to pretend not to notice, ensuring her efforts weren¡¯t in vain.

    ¡°I wish I could hide you somewhere better, but this is the safest ce for now.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s because of Eligor, haven¡¯t wee quite far already?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we have. This ce is quite far from the Duchy.¡±

    Fortunately, Sirien¡¯s tears weren¡¯tpletely ineffective. It seemed Count Roxen was internally conflicted as well, for the normally reticent man began to speak.

    ¡°As you may have guessed, the situation is dire. The gates were ambushed, and...¡±

    The point was made, albeit long-windedly.

    The situation was dire. Eilencia¡¯s Ducal residence was naturally a primary target, and Eligor¡¯s forces were rampaging throughout the Duchy. Moreover, the Duke and Count Roxen suspected that there was a traitor inside. Without such betrayal, such swift and precise ambushes would have been impossible.

    ¡°In times like these, if anything were to happen to you, it would be beyond control.¡±

    Thus, he must hide these two.

    In a ce unknown to all, where no one can find them, the safest ce.

    That¡¯s what Count Roxenstated with his words.

    Ultimately, the siblings had no choice but to agree.

    ¡°So, are we certain this ce is safe?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely. Despite appearances, it¡¯s a spot that¡¯s never been discovered. Even your ancestors have evaded danger here on several asions.¡±

    ¡°What about the animals living in the forest? What if theye here?¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. I should tell you about that too. Look around.¡±

    Count Roxen gestured around.

    Surrounding the cabin was a snow-covered in, which seemed quite deliberate in itsyout.

    A circr expanse of snow, as if drawn in a painting, with a coniferous forest encircling the tranquility.

    It appeared as though the in and cabin had emerged in the midst of a vast forest.

    ¡°Consider this circle your home for the next ten days. Think of the field as being protected by ancient magic. So, never stray outside this circle or venture into the forest.¡±

    ¡°Te-Ten days?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We can¡¯t keep you in a ce like this forever.¡±

    Count Roxen offered a smile.

    It seemed like an attempt to reassure the siblings, but it was clearly in vain.

    Their expressions had already darkened.

    Count Roxen, feeling awkward, returned to a more solemn demeanor.

    ¡®Ten days.¡¯

    It was a time that could feel both long and short.

    But for the siblings, even a single day here would be too much. It was bound to feel like an eternity.

    Still, Sirien was not one to throw tantrums by nature.

    Despite her face being filled with dissatisfaction and injustice, her words conveyed something else.

    ¡°Okay, but promise you¡¯lle back soon?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll sort everything out and return within ten days.¡±

    ¡°Ten days... Okay.¡±

    Sirien nodded with a tear-streaked face, a blush of red tinging her pale skin.

    Soon after, Count Roxen departed. We watched his retreating figure for a long while, perhaps harboring a faint hope that he might turn back and take us with him.

    Of course, he never once looked back until he disappeared from our sight.

    That marked the beginning of our life in the cabin.

    * * *

    Fortunately, the interior of the cabin was not in bad shape.

    A good cleaning today seemed like it would stave off any major issues for about ten days.

    In other words, it didn¡¯t seem like it would leak rainwater or anything was about to break.

    The interior was more spacious and pleasant than it appeared from the outside.

    The Eilencia siblings, Terion and Sirien, along with me, a squire, and Hena, the maid, found it to be sufficiently roomy for the four of us.

    Though aged, the cabin was furnished with all the basic necessities.

    The first floor was arranged like a family living room, designed formunal use, while the second floor was an attic room touching the roof.

    The attic contained four beds, indicating that we would likely be sleeping there. Lastly, there was a basement. It wasn¡¯t damp but was particrly dusty.

    It appeared to be used as a storeroom, stocked with various preserved foods, seemingly prepared in advance.

    After inspecting the entire cabin, including the basement, Hena emerged from the kitchen. Since cooking would presumably be her responsibility, she seemed to have examined it most carefully.

    ¡°Good news. Most of the cooking utensils seem usable. Razen, do you have a whetstone?¡±

    ¡°In my backpack. Want me to get it out now?¡±

    ¡°No,ter is fine. Can I just take it out when I need it? I¡¯m going to start with cleaning.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Hena rolled up her sleeves with determination. As she pushed up the sleeves of her maid¡¯s outfit, her slender but firm arms were revealed.

    In such circumstances, Hena was the most reliable person we could count on.

    A maid who had been serving Terion since a very young age.

    Besides me, Hena was perhaps the only person the siblings could interact with as if she were a friend.

    That must be why Count Roxen trusted her enough to bring her along.

    In this world, all servants were specialists in household tasks. Mediocre skills wouldn¡¯t meet the meticulous standards of the nobility.

    Especially when it came to a ¡®female attendant,¡¯ it was needless to mention their expertise.

    ¡®But I can¡¯t expect her to clean thisrge ce all by herself.¡¯

    Even if Hena was capable, there were limits. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to ask the delicately raised young lord anddy to mop floors, and being of noble status myself, it would be difficult for Hena to ask for my help. So, volunteering was the only option.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡±

    ¡°What? No, it¡¯s alright. This is my job.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I want to finish quickly and rest. It¡¯s hard to rx and sleep in a ce like this.¡±

    ¡°Then... I could use some help. I think I saw a well outside earlier, could you fetch some water?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I think I saw it too. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    I remembered the well, standing alone on the snowy in. It was easy to spot, with nothing else around.

    As I set out to fetch water, I noticed someone following me.

    It was Sirien.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have toe.¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to get out. It¡¯s stuffy inside. And I¡¯m thirsty.¡±

    ¡°Is it cold outside?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Hena found me some wool gloves earlier. I want toe with you.¡±

    Alright then,e along.

 Chapter 3: The Shabby Cabin

    <b>Chapter 3: The Shabby Cabin</b>

    It seemed she was really thirsty.

    Sirien gulped down the water eagerly, perhaps the dust had made her throat dry.

    Only after drinking her fill did she let out a refreshed sigh, breathing out deeply.

    Sirien¡¯s hair fluttered in the wind, the piled snow shimmering in the sunlight, and her long, silvery hair sparkled once more under its glow.

    Her red eyes captured the surroundings ¨C the vast expanse of the snowfield and the forest, under a cloudless, clear sky.

    Her gaze finally settled on me, her head tilting slightly in curiosity.

    ¡°Why are you helping, though?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Are you talking about helping Hena?¡±¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Just because. It¡¯s better if things are finished quickly, right?¡±

    It didn¡¯t seem like there was any special intent behind her question, more like a pure curiosity.

    So I answered without much thought.

    However, Sirien seemed to have been pondering over it while I fetched the water.

    Her eventual response was quite unexpected.

    Her eyes sparkled as if she had realized something.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay because there are no adults around!¡±

    ¡°Why bring up adults all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Whenever I tried to do something Hena was supposed to do, the adults would get mad, especially at Hena. But there are no adults around now, so it should be fine, right?¡±

    ¡°Um... Does it work like that?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    It was a sudden realization, but in this cabin, it was just us.

    And for young children, ¡®time without adults¡¯ held a special significance, a universal truth that even Sirien wasn¡¯t exempt from.

    If I think about it, such an asion had never urred in her life before.

    Though she still didn¡¯t like this shabby cabin, the fact that it was just peers around her age here was somewhat pleasing.

    The situation, having to do everything without adults, made Sirien¡¯s heart race.

    Being a nobledy, there were so many things she was told she couldn¡¯t do.

    The strict social hierarchy, the dignity she had to maintain as ady ¨C Sirien realized that all the constraints that had been binding her were gone.

    Excited, Sirien ran ahead of me towards the cabin.

    She flung open the door and shouted, causing Hena quite a concern.

    ¡°Hena! I want to help clean too!¡±

    ¡°Eeeek?¡±

    * * *

    The social hierarchy in this world was quite stringent.

    Perhaps it¡¯s a characteristic of female-targeted romance fantasy novels.

    Unlike male-targeted novels that often feature a more rxed ss system, the social divide in this story was much more pronounced and difficult to cross.

    This was especially true because the nobility in this world possessed truly special powers through their bloodlines.

    Take, for example, the earlier question.

    If this had been the Grand Duchy of Eilencia¡¯s castle, Rehaim, Sirien would never have been able to help a maid.

    Doing so would have been a strong statement that she no longer deemed it appropriate for the current maid to handle her tasks.

    By allowing a nobledy to undertake such menial work, the maid¡¯s position would be untenable.

    Such was the gap betweenmoners and high nobility.

    Nobility among the nobility. In this vast empire, only the royal family stood above this esteemed lineage.

    The Lady of the Eilencia Grand Duchy spoke,

    ¡°I might actually have a talent for this.¡±

    This was from ady who, just ten minutes prior, had been coughing up a storm while dusting off old bookshelves, someone who could have lived her entire life without ever needing to clean.

    Hena wore an expression that seemed full of things she wanted to say, forcing a smile instead.

    As a maid of the Grand Ducal family, she appeared eager to snatch the damp cloth from those delicate hands, but s, shecked the courage to dampen Sirien¡¯s spirits, especially with such a bright smile on her face.

    ¡°Ah, ahaha. You did really well.¡±

    Meanwhile, Hena¡¯s fingers glided over the table.

    The very table Sirien had just wiped.

    Sure enough, a bit of ck smudge adhered to her fingers, and the professional in household chores couldn¡¯t help but briefly raise an eyebrow¡ªa moment so fleeting it was almost missed.

    ¡°Hmm, I feel like I should give you a reward. How about you and the young master go on an adventure? Let me know if you find anything interesting!¡±

    ¡°Huh? But I saw brother sleeping earlier.¡±

    ¡°What? He¡¯s sleeping? Where?¡±

    ¡°In the bed upstairs. I didn¡¯t want to wake him, so I just came down.¡±

    Hena¡¯s thought process came to a sudden halt.

    Bed?

    Which bed was she talking about?

    Surely not the one that had been left in the attic, untouched.

    The bed that hadn¡¯t been touched, let alone cleaned.

    The kind of bed that would cover you in dust the moment youy on it.

    Logically, no one would choose to sleep in such a ce.

    No, that wasn¡¯t it.

    Hena also knew that Terion was someone for whom suchmon sense did not apply.

    After all, such a nobleman had no need to concern himself with the concept of dust gathering on beds or nkets!

    ¡°Master Terion, Master Terion!¡±

    Hena called out to Terion as she hurriedly ran up to the second floor.

    That day, I learned that Hena¡¯s face turns quite red when she tries to hold back her anger.

    .

    .

    .

    ¡°I was sleeping so well, what¡¯s this sudden disaster?¡±

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re a well-trained person, you could get sick sleeping in a ce like that.¡±

    ¡°I was really fine. I have a body that¡¯s been trained, you know.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem, don¡¯t you understand?¡±

    ¡°Ah, whatever. Yaaawn.¡±

    Terion yawnednguidly.

    I followed by his side, and Sirien tagged along, trailing behind us.

    In her indignation, Hena eventually chose to chase us all out.

    Her ability to smile through gritted teeth could have been a model for all maids, but even she couldn¡¯t hide the sharp anger in her eyes.

    Terion, noticing the fury of the long-time maid, quickly made his escape.

    Officially, Hena asked us to check outside, but her true message was more like, ¡®Please, just go away and stop bothering me!¡¯

    It seemed that Sirien was the only one who didn¡¯t grasp that fact.

    Sirien, grinning broadly, pointed at Terion¡¯s back.

    ¡°Brother, there¡¯s something ck on your back.¡±

    ¡°What? Really? But I liked this one.¡±

    ¡°Your neck¡¯s ck too? Ahaha! You look silly.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got ck on your cheek too, you know?¡±

    ¡°Eek? No way!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±

    Sirien swiftly turned her head towards me.

    I sensed the me shifting in my direction.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see it. You¡¯ve been behind me the whole time.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t admit that I found it amusing to watch them covered in smudges and had therefore said nothing.

    It seemed to have happened when we were leaving the cabin, so it wasn¡¯t an old issue.

    I skillfully redirected the conversation.

    ¡°There¡¯s a stream over there. Let¡¯s wash up there.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    There were plenty of wide stones near the stream.

    Terion found a suitable spot to sit, and I used the stream water to wipe Sirien¡¯s cheek.

    I didn¡¯t want Sirien¡¯s hand to touch the water because it was cold. Even the slight touch of water made Sirien flinch.

    ¡°Is, is it all gone now?¡±

    ¡°Just a moment. There, it¡¯s all clean.¡±

    ¡°Uh, thanks. When did I get this on me?¡±

    ¡°No idea. I¡¯ll wet a handkerchief for you, so you can clean your hands too.¡±

    It seemed that this hideout had everything one might need.

    Judging by its appearance,undry could be done here, and firewood could be chopped from the surrounding trees.

    Water woulde from the well, and there was enough food in the storeroom tost not just ten days, but easily a month.

    However, spending a month here would likely leave the siblings¡¯ expressions turn gloomy.

    And I had no desire to continue staying in such a ce when I had my own room back in Rehaim.

    ¡°Hey, Razen. We¡¯ve got plenty of time. How about a sparring session?¡±

    ¡°Sparring sounds good. I¡¯ve been itching for a bit of action anyway. Shall we start right away?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll watch.¡±

    There was no need to prepare a woodensword.

    Although we often used wooden swords for training in the castle, we had plenty of experience sparring with real swords.

    Sirien usually showed concern that someone might get hurt, but by now she seemed to have grown ustomed to it and didn¡¯t make any objections.

    She naturally found a spot a little distance away to sit.

    The ground looked cold, so I gave her my coat to use as a cushion.

    There were unspoken rules between Terion and me when it came to sparring.

    Firstly, the initiative was always Terion¡¯s.

    This was because I was objectively the better swordsman.

    Just as a sword does not choose whom it cuts, we agreed to treat each other as equals in our duels.

    It was Terion¡¯s way of acknowledging his inferiority and epting the right to strike first with a sense of pride.

    ¡°Here Ie!¡±

    Terion charged, kicking up snow and dirt behind him, leaving a trail in the wilderness.

    A heavy longsword swung in a wide arc towards me.

    It was a clean, practiced move.

    Terion, like his father, the Duke of Eilencia, aspired to be an exceptional knight.

    His dedication to the sword was genuine, apanied by relentless effort.

    Even in defeat, he never let it turn into a sense of inferiority.

    Instead, he used it as motivation to strive harder, to throw himself more fiercely into his training.

    I had great respect for that aspect of Terion.

    <i>ng!</i>

    Our swords shed, ringing out a clear metallic sound.

    ¡°What¡¯s this? You¡¯ve improved?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I have!¡±

    The moment our swords met, Terion shifted his weight to one side.

    A natural follow-up low kick came, but I preempted it by kicking at Terion¡¯s shin.

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you¡¯re too predictable!¡±

    That was our second rule.

    As long as the injury wasn¡¯t severe enough to prevent training the next day, anything goes.

    The rationale was that it should be as close to realbat as possible.

    Hence, our duels often included a wide range of tactics, not just swordy, making it look less like a noble¡¯s duel and more like a brawl.

    This was also why Sirien, who had little interest in swords, often found our sparring matches worth watching.

    To outsiders, our duels must have seemed quite unsightly.

 Chapter 4: The Shabby Cabin (4)

    <b>Chapter 4: The Shabby Cabin (4)</b>

    In the novel, I, Razen Berthus, wasacharacter equivalent to the final boss.

    With unrivaled martial prowess, I was depicted as the zenith ofbat within the story. Wielding ferocious sword energy with precision and scattering immense powers, I was formidable.

    Even the most perfect male lead, the crown prince, couldn¡¯t beat me in a one-on-one battle.

    This held true up to the final showdown. It took a considerable struggle and coboration of several male leads to even attempt to bring me down.

    It was only natural for someone like me to be talented with the sword.

    I never cked off in my efforts.

    <i>ng</i>

    Our swords shed. Terion and I tirelessly worked to break through each other¡¯s defenses.The two des screamed as they scraped against each other, a moment of intense power struggle, until I shifted my grip, altering the de¡¯s trajectory.

    A sword is merely a line, but our world is three-dimensional, with width, length, and height. A slight change in direction can create an opening.

    The moment Terion¡¯s defense faltered, he wisely retreated.

    Creating distance was a sound decision; had he stayed, victory would have been mine.

    Still, the advantage hadn¡¯t slipped from my grasp.

    ¡°Time for a hit!¡±

    Striking a guarded opponent is challenging.

    So, let¡¯s start by breaking his stance. I quickly closed in, feigning a sword strike, and then kicked Terion.

    It was a direct hit.

    So, once more.

    My low kick exploded against Terion¡¯s leg.

    Seeing Terion stagger back significantly, Sirien¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    ¡°Wow! Well done, well done!¡±

    ¡°Hey, whose side are you on?¡±

    ¡°Obviously Razen¡¯s side. I wouldn¡¯t support my brother!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with youter!¡±

    Sirien giggled.

    Modern siblings are programmed to be at each other¡¯s throats, they say.

    It wasn¡¯t much different for noble siblings of this era. Terion was always brimming with energy from a young age, and Sirien had an air of innocence.

    However, there weren¡¯t many around to be the target of their ¡®jokes.¡¯ This fact became a tragedy for the siblings.

    Well, more precisely, Sirien¡¯s tragedy.

    Regardless of time or ce, a younger sister in her growing years could never beat her brother.

    Of all the tears Sirien had shed, Terion was responsible for half of them...

    ¡°You should be watching me now!¡±

    ¡°Razen! More, do more!¡±

    Once I had disrupted his stance, I focused on attacking mainly with my sword.

    Instead of engaging in a de-to-de struggle, I kept swinging my sword, maintaining pressure.

    Terion wasn¡¯t just on the defensive either. asionally, he wouldunch a brilliant counterattack.

    Utilizing those counterattacks was a skill in itself, but it didn¡¯t always go smoothly.

    After all, the strongest version of me depicted in the story wasn¡¯t the current me but the me ten years in the future.

    Between then and nowy a vast gap of experience. Or perhaps, it was more ack of experience?

    Terion¡¯s lips curled up in a smug grin as he lunged forward like iron.

    ¡°Got you!¡±

    * * *

    Sirien let out augh.

    ¡°Pfft, pff-haha...¡±

    ¡°So, how did the two of you end up rolling around in the snow together?¡±

    It was a voice, cool and collected. Hena still wore her kind, gentle smile, but her eyes held a chill more biting than the winters of the north.

    Behind Hena, Sirien munched on snacks, her face full of mirth, as if thoroughly enjoying the situation, leisurely watching us from her seat.

    That girl had a sly side to her, pretending not to.

    ¡°Well, Razen was being particrly annoying today...¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re ming this on me?¡±

    ¡°Sir Razen, do you have something to say?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Hena added ¡®Sir¡¯ before my name.

    Usually, Hena would just call me by my name. After all, I was still but a squire, not yet a fullymissioned knight.

    We had known each other long enough to not need to be so formal.

    The only time she addressed me like this was when she was very angry.

    And I was afraid of Hena when she was angry.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that...¡±

    The root cause of the incident was as follows.

    I was enthusiastically swinging my sword when I left an opening, which Terion didn¡¯t miss.

    It was an acknowledged fact that I was several levels above in terms of swordsmanship andbat. However, Terion had one area where he didn¡¯t fall shortpared to me.

    Specifically, there was a domain I wasn¡¯t good at.

    That was soft martial arts. Swordsmanship and soft martial arts were closely rted enough to be considered as one, but strangely, I never excelled in soft martial arts.

    Thinking back, the me in the novel was highlighted for my exceptional sword skills, sword energy, and formidable powers.

    No matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn¡¯t recall a scene where I overpowered an opponent with soft martial arts. There were only scenes of cutting and shing.

    Perhaps the author of <Saintess, Reverse Harem is Impure!> was unaware that soft martial arts were a fundamental skill for knights.

    Since it wasn¡¯t mentioned in the novel, it was unlikely I had any special talent in it.

    When I wilted before Hena, for some reason, Terion¡¯s spirits revived.

    Did he think Hena was taking his side?

    Today¡¯s events were indeed a cause for celebration for Terion.

    His win rate against me in duels was dismal. But today, he had managed to achieve a ¡®draw¡¯!

    ¡°Well, I had grabbed Razen¡¯s arm, you see? When knights grapple...¡±

    Once my arm was caught, I had to desperately dodge his sword while entangled.

    My sword was blocked, and Terion still had the freedom to swing his.

    The most effective tactic for me then was to throw Terion off bnce. In the process, both of us had to let go of our swords.

    The moment we hit the ground, it essentially became a brawl. It was a fierce struggle for dominance, either to overpower the other or to retrieve one¡¯s sword first for an attack.

    Terion disyedmendable skill today.

    But there was a problem.

    Snow is essentially frozen rain. Beneath the snowscape wasn¡¯t grass but dirt.

    To the snow of the snowfield, we, heated from the duel, were like warm bodies. The snow melted away under the heat of growing boys.

    The snow naturally turned into water, and the waterlogged dirt, naturally, turned into mud.

    And what Hena was truly curious about wasn¡¯t ¡®how we dueled¡¯ but ¡®how we managed to cover our expensive clothes in mud¡¯.

    Every time Terion excitedly opened his mouth, Hena¡¯s kind smile drooped further.

    Her eyes had already cooled.

    ¡°I had Razen¡¯s leg pinned first, but then Razen flipped over to escape. I still had the upper hand, though...¡±

    Terion.

    Stop.

    ¡°But I¡¯m stronger, right? I saw Razen trying to grab his sword in the meantime!¡±

    Stop.

    ¡°By doing this with my arm...¡±

    Please.

    I¡¯m begging like this.

    I¡¯m only pleading in my heart due to Hena¡¯s presence, but how can it not work with such earnestness?

    ¡°Young master.¡±

    ¡°I was thinking today was really... Huh?¡±

    ¡°I have something to say, may we go upstairs together?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, okay.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go up first.¡±

    Terion endured a full hour of Hena¡¯s lecturing.

    Fortunately, she was more lenient with me, sparing me after about 10 minutes.

    The sun was already setting.

    Terion, with his spirits dampened, pretended to read a book while sneaking nces at Hena, who was tidying up the table downstairs.

    On the second floor where we were, there was a window in the attic.

    Looking out the window, one could see the setting sun disappearing into the deep forest.

    The sky blushed crimson, and the shadows of the conifers stretched as long as the distorted sunlight.

    Sirien seemed to like that window.

    Or maybe she found the view incredibly fascinating.

    Her beautiful red eyes gazed endlessly into the distant sky.

    ¡°It feels strange. Thinking about it, I believe this is my first time sleeping outside the castle.¡±

    The sunset streamed in through the window.

    It tinted Sirien¡¯s white hair with the same hues. Even in such a humble ce, her pure white skin didn¡¯t lose its color.

    A delicate and fragile-looking girl. She was destined to be loved by all, both now and in the distant future.

    The servants of the Eilencia Ducal Family often said that years from now, when Sirien stepped into high society, she would captivate the hearts of men across the empire.

    They weren¡¯t wrong.

    In the novel, Sirien was depicted without sugarcoating her cruelty, yet many men were enchanted by her beauty and willingly became her followers.

    The original female protagonist was a gentle and warm sunflower. Sirien, however, was portrayed as a beautiful but dangerous poison.

    The illustrations reflected this as well. A finely crafted beauty with pure white skin. But the background was always dark, never without bloodstains.

    ¡°Have you ever slept outside the castle, Razen?¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°Probably when I joined the knights for training.¡±

    ¡°How was it? Tell me, tell me.¡±

    That Sirien wasn¡¯t someone who could wear such a beautiful and innocent smile.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy. It was training after all. The senior knights did look out for me, but I was already exhausted. As soon as it was time to sleep, I just passed out.¡±

    ¡°Well, you do fall asleep as soon as you hit the bed.¡±

    ¡°How would you know that?¡±

    ¡°Um... The nanny told me!¡±

    ¡°Really? Well, I guess the nanny would know.¡±

    Sirien stretched.

    The way her cheeks were squished by her arms looked quite cute.

    ¡°Ugh, I miss the nanny. I wonder if everyone¡¯s doing well.¡±

    ¡°We can go see them in ten days.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s definitely do that.¡±

    As we chatted, the sun, which seemed to linger, had almostpletely set.

    I was worried Sirien might have trouble sleeping in a new ce, but she fell asleep before even the first verse of the luby was over.

    A long yet short span of ten days.

    For those ten days, we lived fully yet uneventfully, passing the time with yfulughter.

    And Count Roxen never came.

 Chapter 5: The place I want to leave (1)

    <b>Chapter 5: The ce I want to leave (1)</b>

    The promise was broken.

    Count Roxen, who had vowed to return after ten days, failed to appear even as the sun set on the tenth day.

    The siblings gazed endlessly into the forest, only to reluctantly ept his breach of promisete into the night.

    A sticky unease enveloped the inside of the cabin.

    Our endurance here over the ten days hinged solely on Count Roxen¡¯s promise.

    It was the belief that Count Roxen would honor his word that allowed us to live carefreely with smiles. Now, with that belief shattered, the siblings¡¯ anxiety was beyond imagination.

    They were children who seldom mingled even with nobility.

    They were direct descendants of Eilencia, reputed to have the purest bloodline on this continent, and even members of the royal family hesitated to speak lightly before them.Simply growing up unharmed meant one of the siblings was destined to inherit the archduchy.

    When it came to marriage, the partner had to be at least from the empire¡¯s high nobility, if not a royal heir from abroad.

    It was unthinkable to have such children live in this shabby cabin.

    Thrusting such a lifestyle suddenly upon children who had been raised like delicate flowers in a garden was an abuse in itself.

    These children had done nothing wrong.

    ¡°Sob, sob...¡±

    Terion was seething with anger, while Sirien wept.

    Hena prepared the meal with a gloomy expression but couldn¡¯t bring herself to call them. She knew the meal would not console them.

    I didn¡¯t want to send these young ones to bed on an empty stomach. Nor did I want to see them cry and rage until they fell exhausted into sleep.

    It was time to intervene.

    ¡°I understand you¡¯re upset, but let¡¯s have a meal first. Hena has been waiting for a while.¡±

    ¡°I said I don¡¯t want to eat!¡±

    ¡°How long will you keep this up? Till tomorrow? Forever?¡±

    ¡°Until we leave this ce...¡±

    ¡°When do you think we¡¯ll leave? Do you have any assurance?¡±

    Terion reacted sensitively as expected.

    It was predictable; he always had a fiery temper, easily irritated.

    So, I knew his anger would turn towards me if I acted this way.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that.¡±

    ¡°Will it change if I don¡¯t speak?¡±

    ¡°Stop it, I said!¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop too? How long are we going to keep this up?¡±

    Terion was at a loss for words, with no suitable response.

    When people are speechless, they often resort to anger, and those already angered tend to turn to violence.

    An irritable voice was heard.

    ¡°What do you know!¡±

    <i>Thud!</i>

    My vision spun in an instant.

    There was no need to ponder what had happened. The cause and effect were clear. Terion¡¯s arm had extended, and my eyes didn¡¯t miss the motion.

    I could have dodged or blocked it. But I chose to take the hit.

    The thought of a counterattack was unnecessary.

    Terion was a child of the Archduke¡¯s family, and I was the son of his vassal.

    No matter how close we were, there were boundaries that had to be respected.

    ¡°Quite spicy.¡±

    It seemed one hit wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy Terion.

    The boy charged at me aggressively. He grabbed my cor, and another punch came in.

    I was born rather sturdy, so I used to not feel much when hit, but now Terion had grown, and his punches had be significantly fiercer.

    Had he acquired some punching skills? That much I couldn¡¯t tell.

    Anyway, it seemed I couldn¡¯t just take all the hits, so I raised my guard.

    Terion¡¯s fists, filled with rage, keptnding on me.

    I figured if I let him hit me for a while, he¡¯d tire himself out.

    Terion, for all his fiery temper, never crossed the line.

    He was quite affectionate and wouldn¡¯t keep hitting a close friend like me.

    It was the same now.

    He only started putting force into his punches when he saw me blocking properly. Initially, even in his anger, he instinctively held back.

    I thought it wouldst only a few minutes. But even that estimate turned out to be too generous.

    Something rushed at us.

    The body that had been on top of me was pushed off, and Terion¡¯s barrage of punches ceased.

    Then, a voice filled with sobs was heard.

    ¡°Stop it!¡±

    It was Sirien.

    She had thrown her small body against Terion, pushing him away.

    When I lifted my head, I saw Terion standing at a distance with a dumbfounded expression, while Sirien was sitting beside me.

    Sirien didn¡¯t stop there. Her tiny fist struck Terion¡¯s forearm.

    Terion¡¯s face lookedplicated.

    I couldn¡¯t quite tell whether he was shocked because his tender-hearted little sister had thrown herself at him or because it was the first time he saw Sirien crying so pitifully.

    What was clear, however, was that he wasn¡¯t so despicable as to remain unaffected by Sirien¡¯s tears.

    ¡°Why, why are you hitting Razen? What did Razen do wrong?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that, you see.¡±

    ¡°Brother is bad. It¡¯s always brother¡¯s fault! Brother is just taking out his anger on Razen. Because Razen can¡¯t hit back. Brother knows Razen will take the hits, that¡¯s why he did it.¡±

    ¡°......¡±

    <i>Thud. Thud.</i>

    Sirien climbed atop Terion and hit his forearm.

    Her punches,cking in strength, were directed not at his face, which she couldn¡¯t bring herself to strike, but rather at his forearm or shoulder.

    It was Sirien who was shedding tears, making it seem as if the one doing the hitting was in more pain.

    ¡°Since Razen can¡¯t hit brother, I will. I¡¯ll make sure you can never do it again. Never. I won¡¯t let you.¡±

    It didn¡¯tst long.

    Midway through her punches, Sirien burst into tears and buried her face in Terion¡¯s chest.

    She cried so much that not only her own face but also Terion¡¯s clothes were soaked with tears.

    Terion, as if struck by the most painful punch in the world, said,

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. It was my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have done that to you two. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    After thete-night drama was quelled by Sirien, enough time passed for everyone to calm down.

    We sat side by side at the dining table, chewing on dry bread.

    Terion hung his head like a guilty man, saying nothing.

    Sirien had just stopped crying, and Hena was fidgeting, only ncing at us.

    It seemed I was the only one who could break the silence.

    ¡°As expected, it tastes awful. I guess even Hena¡¯s skills can¡¯t make bad ingredients taste good.¡±

    ¡°Ah? I¡¯m sorry. I did try my best.¡±

    ¡°No need to apologize. If Hena can¡¯t make it taste good, no one can. If I had made it, Terion and Sirien wouldn¡¯t even have touched it, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Well, Razen can¡¯t cook. Can¡¯t even make tea. There was this one time Razen made tea and I almost threw up after drinking it.¡±

    ¡°Hey, it wasn¡¯t that bad to make someone vomit.¡±

    ¡°I really almost did.¡±

    It was an incident at Rehaim Castle.

    Sirien usually enjoyed ck tea, but just then, the maids were away. It would have been just a short wait, but pride got the better of me.

    Making tea seemed simple enough: just boiling water with tea leaves. So, I thought there was no reason I couldn¡¯t do it.

    Sirien showed interest when I offered to make the tea myself. And truly, she couldn¡¯t even take a single sip.

    ¡°The tea had a weird taste, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I tried it too, and it wasn¡¯t that bad.¡±

    ¡°Razen just doesn¡¯t know the taste of tea.¡±

    ¡°Tsk. So picky.¡±

    The castle truly offered a plethora of delicious dishes.

    Who said medieval foodcked vor? The culinary standards at Rehaim were quite high, even by the standards of someone who had experienced modern cuisine.

    Nheless, it was unlikely that a tasty meal could be prepared from the ingredients here, chosen solely for their longevity.

    Mentioning the old days seemed to spark a memory for Sirien, who murmured,

    ¡°I want cake... with whipped cream and strawberries.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d go for beef. A thick one would make me wish for nothing more.¡±

    Sirien had a particr fondness for sweet and soft things.

    Her love for cake was exceptional.

    The maids of the Archduke¡¯s family often used cake as a lure to coax Sirien.

    Eventually, they prepared several small cakes in advance to give to Sirien whenever she desired.

    And my preference was undoubtedly steak.

    For some reason, the steak here felt much more vorful and richer than anything I had eaten in the modern world.

    Was it the result of top chefs using carefully selected ingredients, or was my growing body craving protein more intensely?

    It was a mystery.

    ¡°Hena, is there anything specific you¡¯d like to eat?¡±

    ¡°Me? No, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Hena shook her head, but this time Terion interjected.

    It seemed he wanted to take care of his maid.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. You have plenty of favorites. Like that time, you were secretly snacking on the leftover cookies...¡±

    ¡°Yo-Young Master!¡±

    ¡°Ahem. Anyway, isn¡¯t there something you¡¯d like to eat? Once we get out of here, let¡¯s eat it together, for sure.¡±

    ¡°Um, well, if I had to choose, I guess honey milk, and cookies.¡±

    ¡°Is that all? When we get back, let¡¯s all eat something really delicious.¡±

    ¡°Yes... that would be nice!¡±

    Hena smiled, a rare sight.

    I was d to see the expression ofughter return to her face.

    We decided to hold on to hope again.

    It was no small matter; the Demon King had invaded, after all.

    The situation couldn¡¯t possibly resolve smoothly.

    We epted that a dy of a few days was inevitable and decided to view it in that light.

 Chapter 6: The place I want to leave (2)

    <b>Chapter 6: The ce I want to leave (2)</b>

    Life at the cabin continued on.

    Ten days passed, and the next day came without any sign of Count Roxen, and the following day was no different.

    During this time, we had fully adapted to our life in the cabin.

    The first day here felt akin to the first day at a modern military training camp.

    That feeling of disbelief, wondering how this could be reality. It was a mix of confusion and unease, but now, looking up at the wooden ceiling in the morning sparked no particr thoughts.

    We had established a sort of routine in our daily lives.

    Hena and I were always the first to start our day.

    I would immediately go for a run in the snow to exercise, while Hena prepared the meals and washing water.After working up a sweat, it was time to chop firewood.

    Chopping turned out to be quite the physical activity, more so than expected.

    A sense of pride would wash over me after a vigorous session of axing, especially when it felt like my muscles were growing.

    We used a lot of firewood since Sirien was particrly sensitive to the cold.

    It was better to have an ample supply as it would diminish quickly.

    ¡°Are you awake?¡±

    ¡°Mmm...¡±

    By the time we returned to the cabin, the siblings had started their morning.

    Sirien was washing her face with Hena¡¯s help, while Terion left marks with his knife on a secluded part of the cabin wall, counting the days we had spent here.

    ¡°Is it day 17 today?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s have breakfast and then spar.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    An unspoken agreement had formed among us.

    We no longer spoke of wanting to return quickly.

    It was a shared desire, and mentioning it only made it more painful. Dwelling on that wish only brought difort, so we deliberately avoided the topic.

    Terion and I sparred daily.

    There wasn¡¯t much else to do here, and a sword, if neglected, would soon rust.

    And it wasn¡¯t just the de that could rust; people could too.

    Without continual effort, it was impossible to maintain a honed body and skills.

    Our training sessions felt short,sting from an hour to two at most. Due to Hena¡¯s fearsome presence, we refrained from ground techniques, focusing solely on swordsmanship.

    After sparring, we¡¯d head to the washing area to rinse off the sweat.

    It was just Terion and me during these moments, and unusually, Terion wore a serious expression.

    ¡°Razen, I¡¯ve been thinking.¡±

    ¡°You, thinking?¡±

    ¡°Cut it out.¡±

    I mean, it¡¯s surprising when he thinks.

    ¡°I¡¯m notpletely foolish. I have my thoughts, not as much as Sirien or you, but still.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I got it. So what were you thinking about?¡±

    ¡°The war with the Demon King isn¡¯t going well, right? Worse than we could imagine. So, I¡¯ve been considering the worst-case scenario.¡±

    ¡°I thought we agreed not to dwell on negative thoughts.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it. Just hear me out. I¡¯ve given it some serious thought.¡±

    Terion gulped down water, his throat parched from sweating profusely.

    He spoke as if it were nothing significant.

    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve always thought that Sirien is far more important to me than myself.¡±

    ¡°Because she¡¯s your sister?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s part of it, but I also keep feeling that she¡¯s just better than me.¡±

    His tone was matter-of-fact, as if stating something as obvious as ¡®after onees two¡¯.

    It was clear he had alreadye to this conclusion in his heart.

    ¡°That¡¯s hardly a revtion.¡±

    ¡°Do you know you can be really annoying sometimes?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡±

    ¡°Even that response is annoying.¡±

    Terion cracked a smile.

    Despite washing off the dirt, numerous small scars were visible on his body.

    No matter how cautious one might be, minor injuries were inevitable when swords shed.

    For all hisints, Terion never whined about the wounds acquired during sparring. He was serious when it mattered.

    I didn¡¯t dislike this side of Terion. It allowed me to be patient even when he acted less maturely than expected for an elder sibling, without holding any grudges.

    ¡°A few days ago, on the day Uncle didn¡¯t show up, I was wrong. I¡¯m truly sorry once again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already epted your apology.¡±

    ¡°But I never apologized to you directly. What I did was cowardly. It wasn¡¯t right towards you, Sirien, or Hena.¡±

    He apologized earnestly.

    It seemed best for both of us if I simply epted it without furtherment.

    Terion¡¯s expression rxed noticeably.

    ¡°At some point, I started thinking. Even if we manage to leave this ce, it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean we¡¯ll be safe. The fact that we haven¡¯t been taken back yet could mean it¡¯s still too dangerous outside.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a possibility.¡±

    ¡°So, I thought we should be prepared for really dangerous situations, like, the worst-case scenarios. If Sirien and I were both in danger and only one of us could make it, who should it be?¡±

    ¡°I feel a bit hurt. I learned to wield a sword to prevent such situations. Do you think so little of my skills?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because I trust you that I¡¯m saying this.¡±

    Being trusted always had a way of lifting one¡¯s spirits.

    I didn¡¯t want to show Terion how pleased I was by his words; it would be too embarrassing.

    I pretended it was nothing, though it seemed there was a spot on the de that hadn¡¯t been properly sharpened.

    It probably didn¡¯t matter, but I feltpelled to sharpen it right then.

    ¡°No matter how skilled you are, you can¡¯t ovee every danger. But I believe you could protect at least one of us.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    ¡°If ites down to it, Sirien must be the priority. Promise me.¡±

    ¡°Would you be okay with that?¡±

    ¡°I have to be. I¡¯m an Eilencia. A noble must make decisive choices at crucial moments and bear the consequences. That¡¯s how I was raised.¡±

    The whetstone and de sang together in a mournful harmony as they rubbed against each other.

    ¡°Sirien is more thoughtful than I am. It¡¯s a bit of a blow to my pride as her brother, but she seems much more mature. Her perspective seems broader too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s something everyone but you already knew.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to keep this up?¡±

    ¡°Ha, sorry.¡±

    Iughed awkwardly, catching Terion¡¯s eye.

    He seemed to be waiting for a proper promise from me. So, I feltpelled to say what he wanted to hear, even if I didn¡¯t want to.

    ¡°So, what do you want me to do?¡±

    ¡°Promise me, no matter what, you¡¯ll protect Sirien.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I promise.¡±

    It was a promise that didn¡¯t need to be made.

    Just as Hena was to Terion, I was Sirien¡¯s knight.

    The original n had been to gain experience andmendations on the battlefield following the senior knights, and then be formally appointed as Sirien¡¯s guard.

    ording to Sirien, the Grand Duke of Eilencia had already promised as much. It seemed like a done deal, as both the head of the knights and my father were aware.

    Still, I didn¡¯t want to continue with such a heavy atmosphere. I added something unnecessary.

    ¡°If needed, I¡¯ll use you as bait, so don¡¯t hold it against me. Even if youe after me in death, I won¡¯t deal with you.¡±

    ¡°Do you have to say it like that?¡±

    ¡°Does that bother you?¡±

    ¡°No. Just make sure to keep your promise. And take care of Hena too if possible.¡±

    * * *

    After sparring with Terion and spending some time, it would be time for Hena to prepare lunch.

    Sirien often read books from the old library during her free time. She found the books, which weren¡¯t avable in the Duchy, quite interesting.

    It seemed this ancient ce housed some books that were no longer avable elsewhere.

    Nothing out of the ordinary happened here.

    asionally, wild beasts lurked nearby, but it seemed true they couldn¡¯t cross the magical barrier. Even a beast muchrger than myself that prowled around once couldn¡¯t enter the snowy expanse.

    In the end, our only respite from the monotony was engaging in word games or crafting crude toys to alleviate the boredom.

    As time passed endlessly, we found ourselves frequently staring nkly out the window.

    Thendscape here never changed, always presenting the same view. So, when something new appeared, it immediately caught our attention.

    Today, it was Sirien who was gazing out the window. She had been grumbling about how exceptionally dull her chosen book was, and had just closed it a few minutes ago.

    Sirien eximed loudly,

    ¡°A carriage!¡±

    It was the most cheerful voice we had heard in a long time.

    Terion, who had been dozing off, sprang to his feet, and Hena, who had been wiping the table, also stopped and looked over with wide eyes. I happened to be near Sirien, so I could see outside as well.

    It was true.

    Though the g of the Grand Duchy of Eilencia was not hoisted, a carriage that we had often seen within the walls of Rehaim Castle was approaching.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go see!¡±

    The excited siblings hurried down from the cabin. I lingered a little longer to watch the carriage.

    From what I could see, the carriage was not empty. It seemed to beden with something.

 Chapter 7: The place I want to leave (3)

    <b>Chapter 7: The ce I want to leave (3)</b>

    The siblings approached the carriage with feigned indifference, their spirits secretly soaring.

    Despite the unsightly and distressing experiences we shared, it seemed they wanted to maintain their dignity in front of others.

    Unaware of their true feelings, Hena and I followed them from behind.

    Earlier, a bright smile had adorned Sirien¡¯s face, a sight I hadn¡¯t seen in what felt like forever.

    For 17 long days, a shadow seemed to linger over the siblings¡¯ expressions.

    ¡®I hope those shadows never return to their faces.¡¯

    The carriage, having ventured into the snowy expanse, came to a halt.

    The person who alighted was none other than Count Roxen, apanied by a number of knights that hadn¡¯t significantly changed, suggesting they were brought in secrecy.What troubled me was the absence of any familiar faces among them.

    It was curious.

    I had thought I was acquainted with most of the Duchy¡¯s knights.

    Could there be someone I didn¡¯t know?

    Their robes were too shabby to reveal any armor, but their vignt demeanor was unmistakable, indicative of trained individuals.

    Perhaps they were from the border guards, pulled in from all directions due to the urgent circumstances.

    What was Count Roxen like in the original story?

    Despite trying to recall, there was no mention of him.

    Everything I knew about Count Roxen came from what I had seen and heard within the Duchy.

    This meant there was a high likelihood he was deceased a decadeter.

    In the original storyline, his position and those of his rtives had been taken over by others.

    Although most of the Duke¡¯s rtives met their demise at the hands of a vindictive Sirien, the descendants of Count Roxen were not listed among the victims.

    ¡®Did Sirien, ten yearster, not hold a grudge against Count Roxen?¡¯

    Nevertheless, the Count Roxen I saw again seemed to have not enjoyed pleasant times.

    His face was etched with fatigue, dark circles under his eyes, and his skin looked more sallow than before.

    He resembled an office worker worn out from overtime, evoking a sense of sympathy.

    ¡°Uncle!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve arrived quitete.¡±

    Sirien approached Count Roxen and embraced him.

    The count reciprocated the hug and gently patted her back.

    However, his expression was far from rxed.

    ¡°You two must have endured a lot. You shouldn¡¯t be in a ce like this... It¡¯s all due to my inadequacies. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t say such things, Uncle.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a relief to see you both healthy. Razen, Hena, your efforts must have contributed to this. I owe you my gratitude.¡±

    ¡°I just did what I had to do!¡±

    ¡°We merely fulfilled our duties.¡±

    Count Roxen offered polite words, but as is often the case, what follows is usually more significant than what precedes.

    ¡°So, Uncle, are we returning now?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the situation outside?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you must be curious about the outside world. Don¡¯t be too shocked when you hear it.¡±

    Count Roxen spoke gravely.

    ¡°There has been a rebellion within our family.¡±

    * * *

    The Eilencia family was a founding contributor to the empire, having been there since its inception.

    The empire itself did not start as one, hence it boasted a long history.

    This meant that the Eilencia lineage was not one of recent origin. At times, they defended the borders from humans, and at others, from demon lords, bestowing upon them rights and powers that seemed excessive for a mere family.

    Thus, the term ¡®rebellion¡¯ did not seem entirely out of ce.

    Eilencia was the empire¡¯s greatest shield, making it the most troublesome wall for its enemies.

    If only Eilencia could be brought down, the enemies of the empire were ready to offer any reward.

    ¡°We have some suspects in mind... but the main instigator is still under investigation. What¡¯s certain is that several of the coteral families have joined forces with Eligor.¡±

    ¡°How dreadful!¡±

    ¡°What about mother and father? Are they safe?¡±

    ¡°Thedy has been evacuated to a safe location, and His Grace the Duke is currently leading the family¡¯s forces in a standoff against Eligor.¡±

    The news meant both were safe, bringing relief to the siblings.

    That¡¯s when Count Roxen¡¯s gaze turned to me.

    ¡°Not everyone was fortunate.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°Razen, I regret to inform you that Count Berthus has fallen in battle. He remained alone at the rear, facing the enemy. He was a model knight.¡±

    The first grievous news Count Roxen delivered was of my father¡¯s death.

    My mother had passed away shortly after giving birth to me, leaving me without any close kin or siblings. I was nowpletely alone in this world.

    Yet, I didn¡¯t feel particrly saddened.

    Count Berthus, my father, was a man detached enough to speak lightly of his own death.

    He was not particrly devoted to family life. A stoic man, awkward with emotional expression, but I knew his concern for my future wasn¡¯t devoid of paternal affection.

    Knighthood was a profession where death coulde at any time, anywhere. He used to say, if the day came when he died, remember not the death itself but how it came.

    ¡°Was it honorable?¡±

    ¡°More so than anyone I¡¯ve witnessed.¡±

    ¡°Then that¡¯s enough. It¡¯s befitting of my father. Thank you for delivering the news.¡±

    ¡°Yes. When you return, you¡¯ll be Count Berthus. My condolences once again.¡±

    I bowed my head in thanks to Count Roxen.

    And calmly braced myself for the next piece of grievous news.

    ¡°And as I mentioned earlier, the situation remains unclear with the main instigator still unidentified. We don¡¯t know who else might be involved in the rebellion. His Grace the Duke is treading on thin ice, proceeding with utmost caution.¡±

    Count Roxen said that upon my return, I would be Count Berthus. Such a qualifier would not be necessary if we could return immediately.

    I looked again at Count Roxen¡¯s carriage.

    It seemed heavy, evident from the deep ruts left by its wheels on the path it had traveled.

    Indeed, there was never meant to be space for us in that carriage from the start.

    ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry... but under these circumstances, I cannot bring you along. It took a long time just to make the necessary preparations to return here discreetly. That¡¯s also why I couldn¡¯t keep the ten-day promise.¡±

    ¡°So, we need to stay here longer?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I know it will be tough, but please bear with it a little longer. We are making efforts to get you out of here as soon as the situation allows.¡±

    ¡°Uh... okay, understood.¡±

    As the conversation ended, Count Roxen signaled to his knights.

    The knights began unloading various boxes from the carriage into the cabin, likely provisions and essentials for our prolonged stay.

    Sirien, her eyes filled with tears, bit back her words as she resentfully watched the knights, yet her gaze ultimately rested on me.

    She might unjustly resent them, seeing them as the cause of our extended stay in this cabin.

    Yet, just like before, Sirien never threw a tantrum, avoiding actions that would inconvenience everyone.

    She swallowed her shadows alone.

    Her white hands trembled. It was pitiful to watch, so I took her hand.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah, I¡¯m okay... How about you? Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Me? What¡¯s there not to be okay about? Oh, are you talking about my father?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°I guess it was just his time to go. That man, he never did take good care of himself. I always thought he¡¯d end up like this someday.¡±

    Who wasforting whom?

    Even though she was struggling with the current situation herself, Sirien still looked out for me first.

    Her small hands wrapped around mine.

    It must have been quite cold outside. Sirien¡¯s hands felt unusually warm today, their gentle heat enveloping mine.

    It was as if all the warmth in the world was concentrated in Sirien¡¯s hands, making me unaware of anything but the heat emanating from them.

    It was so hot it felt like it might burn, yet it wasn¡¯t painful.

    Terion asked,

    ¡°I understand the situation. It would have been nice to receive updates if it was going to be dyed like this, but I guess it can¡¯t be helped now.¡±

    ¡°Ah, updates... Yes, I¡¯ll see what can be done about that.¡±

    ¡°Do you have an estimate of how long it might be? Surely, you don¡¯t intend for us to stay here indefinitely.¡±

    Terion¡¯s question was logical and sharp, befitting a noble.

    He gently reproached the past while using it as a pretext for his next request, crafting an atmosphere where it seemed natural to get what he wanted, leaving no room for alternatives.

    It was the rhetoric of someone ustomed to dealing with people from birth. Had he grown even here?

    Count Roxen fell silent for a moment, pondering how much longer we would need to stay.

    ¡°Three months. I stake my name on this promise. No matter the dy, I will get you out of here within three months. And I¡¯ll ensure updates are sent every week.¡±

    The time was longer than expected. But having received a promise sworn on his name, he didn¡¯t press further.

    Thus, our cabin stay was extended.

 Chapter 8: The place I want to leave (4)

    <b>Chapter 8: The ce I want to leave (4)</b>

    Count Roxen brought mostly essential items like food supplies, daily necessities, and clothing, things one absolutely needs to live.

    However, it wasn¡¯t just the essentials. There were also items like cards and books to pass the idle time, and even snacks that, while not quite as good as those at the castle, would surely delight Sirien.

    Thanks to this, the siblings forgot they were to stay here for three months, engrossed in treasure hunting within the boxes.

    I now had a sword of my own.

    It was a familiar shape: a dull gray de that didn¡¯t reflect light, with a simple, unadorned guard and pommel.

    It seemed to embody the idea that a sword¡¯s sole purpose was to be sharp and strong.

    While it felt good in hand, it was still a bit toorge and heavy for the body of a twelve-year-old boy.

    This sword was a relic of my father, Count Berthus.A knight¡¯s sword might seem meaningful at first nce, but I¡¯m not so sure.

    There was no rule that family members had to use the same sword.

    My swordsmanship was taught by my father, yet our swords were distinctly different.

    Sitting and looking at the sword, I felt a peculiar gaze.

    It was Sirien, who had paused, fork midway to her mouth, as she turned to look at me with a happy expression.

    ¡°Do you... want some?¡±

    ¡°No, call me when you¡¯re eating the meat you mentioned earlier.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    I didn¡¯t dislike sweets, but I feared that eating them might earn me a deep-seated grudge from Sirien.

    The mere fact she offered it so readily was astonishing enough; Sirien preferred sharing things like cookies, but she had a particr greed for cakes.

    It had been days since she had tasted anything sweet, so to her eyes, that sweet roll must have seemed as precious as a cake.

    ¡®Am I causing her concern?¡¯

    My father¡¯s death seemed to cast a shadow over their spirits.

    While I appreciated their consideration, they needn¡¯t have tiptoed around me.

    I was genuinely fine.

    Staying there any longer felt like it would only dampen the mood further, so I went upstairs.

    Lying on the bed, it took a few minutes before I could start hearing the siblings¡¯ voices again.

    Their chatter was like white noise, pleasant to the ear, almost like the chirping of birds.

    ¡®That man wasn¡¯t a bad person.¡¯

    I didn¡¯t have many memories to speak of.

    Most of my time with my father revolved around the sword¡ªlearning theories, training, sparring.

    After sparring, we¡¯d gulp down water, cool off with cold water, and then devour meat at the dining hall.

    He was a good teacher, but whether he was a good parent, I couldn¡¯t say.

    He was a man of few words, and since I had been an orphan in the world before, I had no one topare him to.

    Lost in these thoughts, I heard footsteps.

    Tap, tap, tap¡ªlight, childlike steps, but not frivolous, climbing the wooden stairs.

    It was Sirien, who hade to lie beside me, with bread crumbs on her cheek, bringing us face to face at a surprisingly close distance.

    ¡°Razen, want some? I brought a few from downstairs.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Dried apples. Try it, it¡¯s good.¡±

    Sirien didn¡¯t seem to care much for my opinion.

    Her hand moved stubbornly towards my mouth, and I had no choice but to ept what was given.

    Naturally, it tasted of apple.

    ¡°Not crying, huh?¡±

    ¡°Did youe here to tease me?¡±

    Oh no, that came out sharper than I intended.

    There was no reason for it. Why did I react so sensitively for no reason?

    I felt bad, as if I had dampened her spirits, but Sirien only smiled more brightly.

    It was a fresh and beautiful smile.

    ¡°No, I came because I thought Razen might cry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not crying.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Do I have to cry?¡±

    ¡°Um, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Our eyes met directly.

    Her eyes were a vibrant shade of red.

    Contrary to what novels often depict as ominous or dangerous, such descriptions were nonsense.

    There couldn¡¯t possibly be a prettier smile in the world.

    If the author had seen this, they couldn¡¯t have described it in such terms.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking, if something happened to our parents, I¡¯d be so sad. I¡¯d probably cling to Razen and cry my eyes out. I might cry so much that I¡¯d soak your shirt through.¡±

    Sirien moved closer.

    The small girl wrapped her arms around me, her chest rising and falling with each breath, her heartbeat softly echoing.

    The girl who always clung to me and whined was now patting my back.

    I could hear her breathing.

    The breath that entered, the thin breath that was exhaled.

    Through her breath, I could feel her warm, small body heat.

    ¡°If I ever cry like that, I hope Razen would do this for me. It would be really nice to be hugged and patted on the back like this. So, I¡¯ll do it first now. You¡¯re my only knight, after all. I can do this anytime.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay to cry, and it¡¯s okay not to. I think you should do whatever makes you feel at ease.¡±

    It was strange.

    My emotions, which had been calm, suddenly began to churn.

    It was because unnecessary memories suddenly surfaced.

    Trivial things.

    Things that weren¡¯t very significant.

    When we crossed swords, when I pushed back my father¡¯s sword with all my strength, he would pretend to be surprised but would lift the corners of his mouth.

    The water we drank together tasted better than usual, the water for cooling off felt truly refreshing, and the meat in the dining hall was exceptionally rich and vorful.

    The realization that those insignificant times were now gone struck me.

    Drinking water alone, cooling off alone, eating alone, everything seemed just a bit, just a tiny bit less vorful.

    Suddenly, I felt utterly alone in this world.

    An unexpected loneliness constricted my breath.

    My vision darkened, and I struggled to breathe.

    It felt like I couldn¡¯t breathe properly, though I was breathing just fine.

    An inexplicable feeling of suffocation overwhelmed me.

    It was agonizing, a terrible torment that wouldn¡¯t let me go, like a swamp.

    The thing that reached me in my turmoil was a single pat. The gentle touch that had beenforting my back pulled me out of the mire.

    When I returned to reality, it wasn¡¯t anything grand.

    Just the cozy, worn interior of a cabin.

    Regaining my senses, I realized my eyes were hot and wet.

    ¡®Ah. This...¡¯

    I had cried.

    In front of this girl, smaller than me, I had cried.

    Unlike me, who retained memories of the modern era, I had wept in front of this child, who was truly just twelve years old.

    It was mortifying beyond measure, but somehow, my heart felt at ease.

    At least for today, it seemed unlikely I¡¯d fall into distress again.

    ***

    It seems I fell asleep unknowingly.

    When I woke up, I was alone under the covers.

    Judging by the slowly setting sun outside, it seemed I had been asleep for at least a couple of hours.

    Sirien must have left earlier, as I could hear voices chattering downstairs.

    I could easily imagine her covering me with a nket and quietly descending.

    I was scared to leave thefort of my nket.

    The memory of crying in front of Sirien brought a bted wave of embarrassment.

    For me, once a proud young man of Berthus, it was an unbearable shame.

    If Sirien used this incident to tease me, I might have drawn my sword to end my own life on the spot.

    After all, a knight¡¯s honor was to be upheld...

    I wanted to stay hidden under the nket forever.

    But that wasn¡¯t possible.

    My steps felt heavy.

    ¡°Slept well?¡±

    ¡°Oh, perfect timing. Come down and join us.¡±

    Fortunately, Sirien didn¡¯t tease me.

    Seeing her grin as if nothing had happened eased my mind.

    By keeping her mouth shut, our kind and benevolentdy had be the savior of my life.

    ¡°Were you ying Catch the Thief?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The loser gets a punishment.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s the punishment?¡±

    ¡°Singing.¡±

    ¡°Great. I¡¯ll make sure everyone loses their voice.¡±

    As I approached, a spot was quickly made for me.

    We sat in a circle: Terion, Hena, me, and then Sirien.

    I took the opportunity to shuffle the cards.

    Once everyone had their hands, I surveyed their expressions.

    Terion couldn¡¯t hide his yful smile.

    His lips twitched up in a grin, then he consciously tried to conceal it.

    Clearly, he had the joker.

    Hena fumbled with her cards in confusion.

    It seemed she was not familiar with card games, which made her difort obvious.

    She must have been dealt a particrly bad hand.

    Lastly, Sirien... was a formidable opponent.

    In the novel, Sirien was portrayed as harsh and cold, with exceptional political acumen.

    An expressionless face, as if frost had settled upon it, giving no hint of her thoughts¡ª a woman like an abyss.

    I hadn¡¯t expected her to embody that image, but given her background in psychological warfare and politics, I thought she might at least maintain a solid poker face.

    And I wasn¡¯t wrong in that assumption.

    It was just different from what I had imagined.

    She was smiling the entire time, making it impossible to guess her thoughts.

    Was it because she had a good hand? No, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case.

    Sirien kept smiling, even when she was losing...

 Chapter 9: The place I want to leave (5)

    <b>Chapter 9: The ce I want to leave (5)</b>

    The thick night nketed the sky in darkness.

    Stars and the moon descended from the cloudless, pristine sky. Their dim light faintly illuminated the white snow and the coniferous forests.

    The moonlight slipped through the window, gently caressing the faces of the siblings.

    Was it the soft, stroking touch that pleased them? Terion let out a chuckle in his sleep.

    The night in this world was serene.

    It might not be the same elsewhere, but in this northern night, the quiet was such that one could hear the breathing of sleeping children.

    I tried to fall asleep several times but ended up getting up.

    Sleep just wouldn¡¯te.¡®I slept too much during the day.¡¯

    I carefully stepped outside, making sure not to wake the children.

    The snowy wilderness at night was colder than usual. Despite being dressed warmly, I could feel the chill.

    Each breath I exhaled turned into a white mist.

    ¡®But this is just right for me.¡¯

    What else was there for me to do outside? The only thing I could do was to wield my sword.

    I didn¡¯t n to sweat it out, just to tire myself a bit before heading back.

    Drawing my sword, the moonlight reflected off the steely blue de.

    That was it.

    My sword was utterly pragmatic in appearance. It hinted that it didn¡¯t possess any mystical power that could effortlessly slice through steel.

    Such a realm was still far beyond my reach.

    ¡®I feel like I¡¯ve caught a glimpse of a clue, though¡­¡¯

    The concept of mana was still challenging for me. Perhaps my modern, rigid thinking made it hard to grasp.

    It wasn¡¯t that I wascking. It was said that even those who had been trained in swordsmanship since they were very young often didn¡¯t awaken to mana until they were well into their twenties.

    And those were the stories of geniuses. Many try and fail to awaken mana, and those who do before their twenties are considered potential future Swordmasters.

    Reaching the level of a Swordmaster was deemed impossible without absolute talent, effort, and a miracle.

    In my case, I had only recently stumbled upon a clue.

    An extraordinary physical ability that surpassed ordinary humans. I could sense something within me that fortified my body.

    Objectively, my growth was by no means slow. Yet, there was no room for leisure.

    The world moves on, even in ces unknown to us. I knew that this world harbored malice towards us.

    ¡®When Razen first appeared in the novel, he was already recognized as a Swordmaster.¡¯

    There were roughly ten years left before the original female protagonist would be reincarnated into this world.

    Sirien and I had some time before we would appear in the story.

    But it wasn¡¯t enough time to rx.

    ¡®I need to be stronger, faster than Razen in the novel.¡¯

    I spent a good while swinging my sword.

    I corrected my stance on my own, checking for any bad habits.

    If I wasn¡¯t satisfied with my stance, I repeated it until I was.

    Memories of my father were a great help during such times.

    His sword was already perfected.

    The sword that had faced countless foes continued to move in my mind.

    My father was not just a formidable opponent. Some days he was stronger, other days faster. Sometimes he imitated skilled opponents or used tricks.

    All these memories became my textbook.

    How long had I moved my body?

    There was a rustle from behind. A familiar silhouette.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you sleep?¡±

    ¡°I ended up waking up.¡±

    It was Sirien.

    She held simple snacks and a drink, likely something Hena had prepared during the day.

    ¡°You should¡¯ve stayed in bed. Whye out in the cold?¡±

    ¡°Just couldn¡¯t sleep, and I was bored.¡±

    ¡°You hate the cold.¡±

    ¡°Not so much right now.¡±

    Sirien took a seat on a nearby rock and tapped the empty space beside her, signaling for me to join.

    I was worried I might smell of sweat, but it didn¡¯t seem to be the case upon closer inspection.

    Relieved, I sat down next to her.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been at it for a while. I didn¡¯t want to interrupt since you seemed so focused. I came down when it looked like you were taking a break.¡±

    ¡°I was just loosening up a bit.¡±

    ¡°Really? I was watching from the attic. It reminded me of what I used to see at the castle.¡±

    ¡°At the castle? You hardly ever saw me practice, did you?¡±

    ¡°Huh? No. I mean, yes. It reminded me of how hard Razen worked at the castle.¡±

    It felt like she was dodging the question. It wasn¡¯t a topic that needed lying about.

    Sirien pushed a snack into my mouth again.

    I felt like refusing would just lead to being refused, so I epted it.

    Dried peaches this time?

    The fruit¡¯s natural sweetness lingered on my tongue.

    Sirien exhaled, her breath forming a white cloud in the cold air.

    She giggled as she watched it rise.

    ¡°I was just thinking about the card game earlier. It was fun. And I enjoyed singing too.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve always enjoyed singing.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I loved dancing and singing alike. I learned to y various instruments too, but I haven¡¯t practiced in so long it would be a struggle to start again.¡±

    In social circles, while one¡¯s lineage, appearance, and attire were deemed important, the dignity of a noble was equally valued.

    This dignity often epassed manners, dance, and refined speech.

    It mighte as a surprise, or perhaps it was expected, but Sirien excelled in all these aspects.

    She had received a proper education from a young age and possessed a natural talent and passion for it.

    Everyone in the ducal family looked forward to Sirien¡¯s debutante ball.

    They said the whole empire would be abuzz with excitement.

    That anticipation came to fruition, albeit in a slightly different way.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t the parties at the castle fun? Like during my birthday.¡±

    ¡°I remember. Terion spilled juice on you as a prank.¡±

    ¡°That idiot brother of mine. I¡¯ll never forgive him for that.¡±

    I thought it would be an unpleasant memory for her, but surprisingly, a smile lingered on Sirien¡¯s face.

    It was during Sirien¡¯s twelfth birthday party.

    Terion had caught a bug in the forest and, nning to tease Sirien, he hid it and then showed it to her, causing her to spill juice on her dress in fright.

    What Terion hadn¡¯t anticipated was that the dress was Sirien¡¯s favorite.

    The cherished garment was stained with yellow juice, and to make matters worse, the startled Sirien fell to the ground.

    The fall must have been painful enough for the young girl.

    Her precious dress stained yellow, and the shocked onlookers staring at her only added to the pain and humiliation.

    The birthday party was ruined, and Sirien sulked for over a week.

    Terion got a stern scolding from their parents, and I was caught in the awkward middle, trying to mediate between the two.

    ¡°At first, I really hated being here. There was nothing I liked. I even hate the clothes I¡¯m wearing now. The texture feels odd and ufortable. I really don¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°Really? You neverined, so I thought you didn¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°How could I not? It¡¯s just that being together with everyone made it bearable. When we¡¯re all having fun, I¡¯m so happy that I forget about it.¡±

    It seemed genuine.

    People can be incredibly strong when they have something to rely on.

    During our game of caught the thief, Sirien was undoubtedly beaming with joy.

    That must have been possible because she saw our presence as a pir of support.

    Suddenly, the faces of Terion and Hena came to mind.

    What had happened to them in the original story?

    It was mentioned that Terion died from an illness, but the specifics of the disease were not detailed.

    Was it a severe epidemic?

    It¡¯s hard to say since the original text didn¡¯t mention it.

    However, there were too many things left unmentioned in the novel to be certain.

    The answersy with the original versions of Sirien and me, but even in times of good rtions with the heroine, it was a topic too sensitive to broach.

    Naturally, it wasn¡¯t described in the novel.

    If Terion and Hena were to disappear as they did in the original story, would Sirien be able to withstand it?

    Could her delicate and gentle heart endure such turmoil?

    No. It was a needless worry.

    The solution was to prevent such events from happening.

    ¡°With Razen, brother, and Hena around, I¡¯ll wait diligently for three months. If I wait patiently, I¡¯m sure our parents will praise me, and then I¡¯ll ask to have a puppy in the castle. Oh, and I¡¯d like to have a parrot too.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they refuse? Don¡¯t you remember themotion when you cried after being bitten on the finger by one before?¡±

    ¡°That was when I was young!¡±

    To my eyes, she still seemed young.

    But voicing that thought would surely ignite the mes of hell in the eyes of the youngdy.

    ¡°Anyway, I couldn¡¯t do it earlier because we were singing, but there¡¯s something I want to do.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Dance. Would you mind asking?¡±

    Her eyes held a hopeful gleam.

    I couldn¡¯t disappoint her, so I let out a smallugh.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it. Shall we have a dance, mydy?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡±

    We synced our movements in the empty field.

    It wasn¡¯t perfect.

    We asionally stepped on each other¡¯s feet.

    Without music, our rhythm was all over the ce.

    Yet, Sirienughed joyously as if she didn¡¯t mind at all.

    This happened 20 days before we were to leave the cabin.

 Chapter 10: The Place I Want to Leave (6)

    <b>Chapter 10: The ce I Want to Leave (6)</b>

    Hena was the only one among us who came from amoner background.

    My father, despite his unassuming nature, was undeniably a nobleman, holding the title of a count.

    Although he owned nonds, his nickname ¡®The Sword of Eilencia¡¯ was more esteemed than the calling cards of many nobles.

    Naturally, as his son, I too was of noble birth.

    Not to mention, the direct lineage of Eilencia, Terion, and Sirien, was beyond reproach.

    None of us ever looked down on Hena because of her social status.

    I had inherited my father¡¯s easy-going nature and had always gotten along well with the servants, and with memories from my time as a modern-day person, I felt no regret about hermoner origins.

    Surprisingly, the siblings felt the same, likely due to their exceedingly high social status.From their perspective, there wasn¡¯t much difference between the average noble and amoner.

    Thus, they could afford to be either extremely arrogant or exceedingly magnanimous, and fortunately, they chose thetter.

    However, the barrier of social status was an insurmountable wall.

    In private, we could interact more casually, but under the scrutiny of others, strict adherence to the social hierarchy was a must.

    This included the time after our cabin life ended.

    To maintain her position as a maid in the future, Hena had to fulfill her duties even now.

    Therefore, Hena was invariably the busiest among us.

    Initially, her role was to serve Terion, but it had evolved into tending to all our needs.

    Sirien, being a twelve-year-olddy, required a lot of attention, and Hena had her work cut out for her.

    ¡®Terion and Sirien are ying chess, and Hena is nowhere to be seen.¡¯

    It seemed Hena was diligently working somewhere, but she was not in the cabin.

    Like anyone else, I asionally slept inte.

    It seemed fatigue had umted without my notice.

    This was the first time I had overslept here, and there was nobody to wake me.

    Because of this, I woke up muchter than usual.

    Thete start didn¡¯t change the day¡¯s tasks.

    Waking upte meant I just had to start my taskster.

    After some basic physical training, I practiced with my sword.

    By the time I finished, the sun was already setting, several hourster than usual.

    So, all of this was a coincidence.

    ¡®What the? The shoulder of this garment is torn!¡¯

    It was purely coincidental that I overslept today, causing a dy in my daily tasks, and out of all the clothes I could have chosen, I ended up wearing one that was in poor condition.

    It was also by sheer coincidence that I found myself entering the basement storage, a ce I usually had no reason to visit.

    After all, Hena was the one who picked out our clothes every morning.

    There was no need for me or the siblings to venture down there.

    ¡®When I helped with moving the luggage, did we store the clothes here? It seems likely.¡¯

    Though we casually referred to the basement of the cabin as a storage area, it wasn¡¯t just onerge space.

    In fact, the basement was divided into more rooms than the first or second floor.

    There were as many as six rooms, each too small for anything but storage purposes.

    And, as luck would have it, I ended up in one of those six rooms.

    ¡°Uh, ah. Young master. Ah.¡±

    As soon as I entered the room, an excited voice reached my ears.

    It was a familiar voice.

    The delicate moans of a pubescent girl. The slightly desperate, heavy breathing tickled my ears.

    Even though there was no contact, it felt as if I could feel the heat of her breath.

    In Hena¡¯s hand was a piece of clothing, one that I recognized.

    It was the same garment Terion had been wearing earlier.

    He must have changed by now, so the garment would still carry his sweat and scent.

    Hena held it to her mouth, while her other hand was directed downwards.

    The suggestive sound of water stopped momentarily.

    In the brief moment I hesitated, Hena noticed me.

    Our eyes met, and an awkward tension filled the air.

    ¡°Uh, huh...?¡±

    I had no choice but to close the door and leave.

    * * *

    After some time, Hena came looking for me.

    Her face was flushed with embarrassment.

    I knew this moment was inevitable.

    ¡°Um, Razen. I have something I want to talk about. Do you have a moment?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Shall we go outside?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯d like to take a walk.¡±

    The possibility of the siblings overhearing was something we¡¯d rather avoid. We quickly dressed and stepped out.

    The topic of our conversation was, of course, predetermined.

    I wasn¡¯t petty enough to dredge up Hena¡¯s embarrassing moment, nor was she so peculiar as to provoke her own shame.

    Yet, there was a matter that needed addressing, given she had been secretly calling out to Terion in the basement.

    I decided to approach the subject with as much tact as possible.

    ¡°Hena, you probably already know what I¡¯m getting at. Do I really need to state the obvious?¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need. I¡¯m well aware already.¡±

    ¡°Then isn¡¯t that settled? I¡¯m known for keeping things to myself, not for spreading words around.¡±

    ¡°I trust you, Razen. You¡¯re good at keeping secrets. But, could you listen to me for a moment?¡±

    ¡°Of course, take your time.¡±

    Hena harbored feelings for Terion. No, it might already be something deeper, perhaps love.

    However, it was a love that could never be. Even if by some miracle it could happen, it shouldn¡¯t. It was like a forbidden fruit.

    Hena, more than any of us, understood why forbidden things were so named.

    ¡°Just as Razen trusts me, I haven¡¯t forgotten my ce. If I had, I wouldn¡¯t be here. I¡¯m very much aware of my station.¡±

    A position like the head housekeeper or butler of a duke¡¯s household wasn¡¯t something just anyone could ascend to. If the grand duke was nobility among nobility, the head of his servants was the pinnacle among them.

    Such individuals wouldn¡¯t let personal feelings interfere with the selection of the duke¡¯s blood rtives. Hena had the credentials to be here.

    And part of those credentials surely included ¡®never forgetting one¡¯s station, no matter how well the siblings treat you.¡¯

    ¡°His lordship is a kind person, truly. He¡¯s shownpassion even to someone of low birth like me. Of course, being who he is, he¡¯ll end up with someone far better than someone like me.¡±

    Nobility doesn¡¯t marry just anyone.

    A son of the empire¡¯s grand duke could even consider a marriage alliance with royalty from another country.

    At the very least domestically, a match with ady from a duke family would be expected.

    So, the higher one¡¯s status, the more marriage became a distant dream, its significance too great.

    If Terion were to marry foreign royalty, it would signify a diplomatic alliance.

    Naturally, this would involve the emperor himself.

    Disregarding such a marriage would not end well.

    Imagine promising to marry a princess from another country, only to elope with amoner?

    It would be a grave insult, suggesting the princess was less worthy than amoner.

    The Emperor would surely repay such a diplomatic slight with a punishment worse than death.

    ¡°Therefore, I would never confess my feelings to his lordship, not even in a million years. I couldn¡¯t bear to see him suffer because of me. It¡¯s a wish more important to me than my own life.¡±

    It seemed Hena had long since resigned herself to this reality.

    Her face was determined, though it briefly softened as if the mere thought brought her some happiness.

    ¡°Even if, by some chance, his lordship were to harbor feelings for me, the result would be the same. Despite the tears and regret I¡¯d surely face every day, I would never reciprocate his feelings. I would have to refuse.¡±

    A shadow of sadness passed through Hena¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°All I want is for his lordship to be happy. Should he find someone wonderful one day, I would sincerely celebrate his joy.¡±

    It felt like an old emotion, a sorrow refined and whittled down over a long time, quietly stirring.

    I could do nothing but offer silence, unable to soothe such a deep-seated grief.

    Our steps crunched softly in the snow.

    With each step, the snow beneath our feet quietly perished.

    Hena, like the snow, silently killed off her feelings.

    ¡°If I were to harbor one selfish wish, it would be for the day his lordship has a child. I¡¯d want to personally attend to that child, confident I could care for them better than anyone else in this world.¡±

    Hena paused for a moment.

    When she resumed, she was smiling, a smile forged through harsh trials.

    ¡°So, if such a dayes, I¡¯d be grateful if you could subtly suggest to his lordship that I would be the best person to look after the children. I promise to do my utmost not to let you down.¡±

    ¡°I suspect he would ask you without my saying. From what I¡¯ve seen, the only reason he manages to look remotely human is all thanks to you. He knows it too, doesn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Ahaha, Razen, you have no idea how sweet those words sound to me. But since we¡¯re on the subject, let me make this clear: don¡¯t speak ill of his lordship in front of me, okay? It would make me angry.¡±

    ¡°Ah... Yeah. Sorry.¡±

    Henaughed lightly.

    ¡°That¡¯s where my heart lies. Knowing where the boundaries are, it¡¯s okay to hold affection, right? Love doesn¡¯t have to culminate in a rtionship to be beautiful. I¡¯ll cherish my feelings, and someday, the pain I¡¯ll have to bear as well.¡±

 Chapter 11: The Place I Want to Leave (7)

    <b>Chapter 11: The ce I Want to Leave (7)</b>

    A week passed, and Count Roxen kept his promise.

    As expected, he didn¡¯te in person.

    Nor did he send anyone with news.

    If he could have sent someone every time, he would have done so long ago.

    I was curious about how the Count wouldmunicate, and the answer turned out to be a courier hawk.

    It wasn¡¯t a pigeon, so should it be called a courier hawk instead?

    The original courier pigeons could only send messages in one direction and couldn¡¯t be sent to untrained locations. I thought it wouldn¡¯t be possible to use them.

    To solve that issue, something with a geometric pattern, possibly a ring, was attached to the hawk¡¯s leg.It seemed to be some kind of magic.

    I hardly knew anything about magic.

    After receiving and releasing the letter, the hawk flew off somewhere again.

    Sirien seemed to be seeing such a sight for the first time too, her eyes wide with wonder.

    Or not. I¡¯m not sure.

    Sirien said it was amazing to see the hawk flying. But hawks are meant to fly anyway...

    Still, our main interest was undoubtedly in the letter from Count Roxen.

    - From Count Liwood Roxen.

    - I hope you are in good health. Despite the harsh conditions, I believe you can ovee them.

    - As promised earlier, I send this letter with news from here. It¡¯s a relief that I can share some good news.

    The beginning of the letter was more concise than expected for a noble.

    It seemed to reflect a more businesslike character.

    Count Roxen could be considered the steward of Eilencia.

    Areas untouched by the Duchess, such as the family¡¯s finances, private soldiers, and the management of the knights, mostly went through Count Roxen¡¯s hands.

    From what I heard during my time at the castle, he was known to be quite rational and pragmatic.

    The impression I had received was indeed that of a staid bureaucrat.

    He began his duties when the current Duke of Eilencia took over the family headship.

    Count Roxen was also the Duke¡¯s half-brother. He had given up on the session early on and chose to support the Duke instead.

    Being capable as well as rted by blood, the Duke had every reason to trust him deeply.

    - There have been some developments in the past few days.

    - We found and executed traitors hiding within our territory, and His Grace¡¯s army is advancing smoothly. Even the Demon King Eligor has been pushed back quite a distance.

    - At this rate, we might be able to secure your safety sooner than expected. It might not even take three months.

    The siblings were overjoyed upon reading this letter.

    What Count Roxen conveyed was nothing short of hope¡ªthe hope that they would soon return to the castle.

    ¡°We might be going back soon!¡±

    The expressions on the siblings¡¯ faces brightened noticeably.

    I was pleased to see them smiling so radiantly.

    Days seemed to fly by more quickly than usual.

    With the thought of returning soon, the siblings spent their days much more energetically than usual.

    It felt as if winter had passed in the meantime. The weather had started to warm up, although not enough to melt the snow, but it was much more pleasant to roam outside.

    Thanks to this, Sirien began to go outside more often.

    Today, she was so insistent on taking a walk that she begged me to join her.

    ¡°I just came in and am tired.¡±

    ¡°Shall we rest a bit before going? Do you want to sit here?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we just not go?¡±

    ¡°You were fine going out with Hena just the other day. What¡¯s wrong with me?¡±

    Hena, who was baking cookies in the distance, flinched.

    I didn¡¯t have the courage to face the resentment of the two women.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that we can¡¯t. Alright, let¡¯s go out once I¡¯m full.¡±

    ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll get ready right away. Just wait a bit.¡±

    Sirien scampered off, likely to fetch a warm scarf or coat.

    Seeing her so excited about a walk reminded me of a puppy in some ways.

    A gentle, people-friendly puppy.

    Soon, Sirien returned and took my hand.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go for a walk!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t run. You might fall.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t fall. Do you think I¡¯m a child?¡±

    Well, you are a child at twelve, aren¡¯t you?

    I bit my tongue to hold back the words that nearly slipped out.

    ¡°It looks like winter is ending.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel quite like spring yet.¡±

    ¡°But spring is on its way, right? Talking about spring makes me want to visit the garden at the castle. Rehaim is warmer than here, so maybe the spring flowers are already blooming.¡±

    Sirien always loved taking walks, even at Rehaim Castle.

    Given her lively nature, it was no surprise. She made it a point to go out for a walk at least once a day, however brief.

    Her favorite walking path was, naturally, the garden.

    Although it wasn¡¯t easy for Sirien to go out often, Rehaim¡¯s garden was renowned for its beauty.

    The winter garden of Eilencia, where flowers bloomed all year round, was one of the few luxuries of the Duchess.

    Especially the central flower garden, famous for its beautiful colors in full bloom at any time of the year.

    Sirien rarely ventured into the central part of the garden, where flowers were in full bloom. Instead, she preferred to walk around the outskirts of the garden.

    The periphery of the garden was encircled by trees, almost as if cradling the flowers within.

    Perhaps it was a memory from that time?

    Sirien still enjoyed walking in a loop around the coniferous forest, having once mentioned she liked the scent of the trees there.

    ¡°We even went on pics with delicious cookies and cakes. Ah, now that I think about it, I¡¯m craving cake. I shouldn¡¯t feel this way.¡±

    ¡°We might not know about cake, but a pic should be doable, right?¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°If the situation outside has improved, we don¡¯t need to save the food in the storage anymore. We have plenty, so it should be fine to enjoy ourselves for a day.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea!¡±

    It seemed our pic ns were set.

    Sirien looked ready to dash back to the cabin that very moment to call Terion and Hena.

    The only reason she hesitated was because of a lingering concern.

    ¡°If we start preparing now, will it be toote in the night? Maybe it¡¯s better to do it tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°We could just build a big bonfire.¡±

    ¡°Oh my. I didn¡¯t expect Razen to be this clever!¡±

    And here I thought I was being helpful.

    I wanted to give a cheeky retort right away, but Sirien, brimming with excitement, was too quick for me.

    Not daring to follow, I trudged back.

    Inside the cabin, Terion was already in agreement.

    * * *

    <i>Crackle, crackle.</i>

    The firewood zed.

    The glowing crimson seemed to spread warmth throughout the world.

    As the light flickered with the wind, our shadows danced along.

    We were already making quite themotion.

    It was hard to tell whether it was us or the wind dancing by the shadows alone.

    Though it was Sirien who initiated this pic, Terion was the one enjoying it most fervently.

    Our dignified young lord was shouting, a ss filled to the brim with orange juice in hand.

    Naturally, Sirien followed suit.

    ¡°We¡¯re going home soon!¡±

    ¡°Homeeeee!¡±

    ¡°Going, going homeee...¡±

    Even Hena joined in, shy as usual but caught up in the excitement.

    There¡¯s something about an outdoor fire that exhrates people.

    While the three of them shouted at the top of their lungs, I pulled skewers off the fire.

    The skewers were sizzling, emanating a deliciously roasted meat aroma.

    Indeed, when ites to food, nothing beats meat.

    Meat never disappoints, no matter the asion.

    ¡°Oh, these are cooked perfectly.¡±

    ¡°Already? I want some too.¡±

    ¡°Come and take a bite. Be careful, it¡¯s hot.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Terion joined in, searching for the meat, and Hena personally selected the skewers.

    We sat around the campfire, chuckling and enjoying the moment.

    It was delicious.

    The meat was iparable to anything we had at the castle, and the ingredients we often ate at the cabin felt unexpectedly new.

    I wasn¡¯t the only one who felt this way.

    Terion and Sirien devoured the meat, forgetting their manners in their delight, and even Hena smiled softly, seemingly surprised by the taste.

    ¡°I never imagined we could have such fun at night at the castle.¡±

    ¡°We couldn¡¯t even touch candles there, let alone a bonfire.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve handled a torch before.¡±

    ¡°Really? How was it? Was it hot?¡±

    ¡°It was warm enough to feel the heat if you got close, but not too hot.¡±

    Sirien gave me a pointed look.

    It was easy to understand what that meant.

    ¡°Even so, I won¡¯t make it for you.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even say anything yet!¡±

    ¡°Just saying.¡±

    We continued to enjoy our night.

    Eating, drinking, singing, dancing, joking, andughing.

    We were intoxicated by the atmosphere, even without alcohol.

    With genuine joy, yet with utmost seriousness, Terion dered,

    ¡°Indeed, you all are the most precious to me. You are my closest friends.¡±

    ¡°Me too?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re my sister, silly. I¡¯m talking about Razen and Hena.¡±

    Instead of words, I clinked my ss with Terion¡¯s.

    Hena, seeing us, btedly extended her ss, and Sirien wouldn¡¯t miss out on this.

    So, we toasted twice.

    ¡°Even if we leave here, the four of us will always be special. We¡¯ve gone through the toughest times together, so we should also share the sweetest moments. Therefore, I promise, on my honor, there¡¯s something I want to promise.¡±

    ¡°Right!¡±

    ¡°Stop, it¡¯s embarrassing to say such things.¡±

    ¡°My lord. I was just doing my duty...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense! If I make a promise, it¡¯s to be kept.¡±

    The four of us were special.

    Why did those words resonate so much with me?

    Even as I grumbled, I wasn¡¯t upset.

    ¡°Let¡¯s promise toe together like this again someday. When we all do, I¡¯ll grant each of your wishes. Anything within my power! By then, we¡¯ll be able to do so much more, so look forward to it.¡±

    ¡°Brother, you know I don¡¯t forget promises like this, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m making this promise on my name! I won¡¯t forget either.¡±

    ¡°Then I want a promise too. I bet I can fulfill it better than you, brother.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need topete over this.¡±

    It was an easy promise to make.

    But in the world, things often don¡¯t go as nned more than they do.

    The promise made that day was never fulfilled.

 Chapter 12: Catastrophe (1)

    <b>Chapter 12: Catastrophe (1)</b>

    Change alwayses unexpectedly.

    It was true when we fled from Rehaim Castle, and the same when a carriage appeared at our cabin without warning.

    It was probably around the time Hena was preparing dinner.

    It was an ordinary day. I was ying chess with Sirien.

    The oue of the game was already determined.

    It wasn¡¯t a game for mere entertainment. In fact, I was quite serious.

    It¡¯s just that I had never managed to win against Sirien, no matter how hard I tried.

    To be honest, it hurt my pride.At first, it seemed like I might win, but as I got better, I realized Sirien had been holding back.

    Yet, this infuriating girl would never concede victory.

    In the end, Sirien dered checkmate.

    I knocked over my king.

    ¡°I lost. Ah, just once I want to win. y along a little.¡±

    ¡°No. If Razen wins, I think he won¡¯t y with me again. Win with your skill.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    How did she know?

    It seemed it would be a while before I could tell Sirien, ¡®You¡¯re not good at chess.¡¯

    Our rule was that the loser had to pick up the chess pieces.

    As a ve to mypetitiveness, I began to gather the pieces.

    Suddenly, there were urgent footsteps from upstairs.

    Having lived with the siblings for so long, I could identify who it was just by their steps.

    It was Terion.

    ¡°The carriage! The carriage has arrived!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    As soon as Terion shouted, Sirien jumped up.

    Hena also stopped her cooking and wiped her hands on her apron, and my head turned sharply.

    It was only natural for us to rush out to greet the carriage.

    Indeed, the silhouette of the carriage could be glimpsed through the woods.

    It was a familiar sight.

    The old cargo carriage we had arrived in.

    The very one that reeked and was dusty. Initially, it looked like junk, but now it seemed endearing.

    The difference was that this time, the canvas was removed, allowing us to see the people on the carriage.

    The coachman was different from before, and there were a few men wearing hoods.

    Including the coachman, there were six of them.

    Their faces were hard to make out from a distance.

    Terion had set off before me, leading the way.

    The men on the carriage waited quietly for Terion.

    ¡®Something feels off.¡¯

    A strange unease washed over me.

    I paused for a moment, ced my hand on Sirien¡¯s shoulder, and whispered,

    ¡°Sirien, go back to the cabin with Hena.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why?¡±

    ¡°Just do as I say for now. I¡¯lle for you.¡±

    Sirien tended to trust me in these situations.

    She asked no further questions and followed my instructions. Leaving Sirien behind, I hurried after Terion.

    I had to catch up to him.

    * * *

    This world was rife with power struggles.

    Deep-seated animosity existed between demons and humans, and, just as it was between Sirien and the female protagonist in the novel, conflicts among humans themselves were endless.

    Thus, it could be said that this was the era of knights.

    Powerful individuals had the strength to change the course of wars, and every noble was desperate to have an outstanding knight in their service.

    However, not all nobles went to war.

    Times of war were naturally shorter than times of peace.

    The battlefield was where knights shone the brightest, yet their mostmon use was on escort missions.

    Therefore, to be a knight, one had to learn the art of escorting others.

    The Sword of Eilencia.

    Being born the son of Count Berthus was unquestionable.

    That¡¯s why I was certain.

    ¡®At the very least, those guys are not knights.¡¯

    The essence of escorting is vignce. No matter how well one wields a sword, a stab from behind means death.

    Failing to properly survey one¡¯s surroundings puts everyone¡¯s lives at risk.

    Yet, those people seemed to be casually chatting atop the carriage, showing no sign of vignce.

    Even as Terion approached, they did note down from the carriage.

    It meant theycked even basic manners.

    They were clearly not the right choice to escort the siblings to the fortress.

    The one who seemed slightly better was the man who appeared to be the leader of the group.

    He stepped down from the carriage and walked steadily towards Terion.

    By that time, I had also caught up with Terion. The man scanned us.

    ¡°Are you His Grace, Terion?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Are you sent by my uncle?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The person beside you must be Sir Razen. It¡¯s an honor to greet you. My name is Ludbeck. I have been ordered to escort you.¡±

    Terion¡¯s guard was lowered.

    Because he knew our names.

    Count Roxen had called this ce a hideout.

    The information that we were hiding here was supposed to be highly confidential, so these men must have been sent by Count Roxen.

    Moreover, Ludbeck knew not only our names.

    ¡°I heard there were four of you. Is thedy inside?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? I thought she came out with us. Must have forgotten something.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then we will bring her to you. Hanson, Trang, go fetch thedy politely. Do not do anything rude.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±

    Ludbeck knew of Sirien and Hena¡¯s existence as well.

    At his gesture, two subordinates headed toward the cabin.

    I felt uneasy, but I had no intention of stopping them.

    After all, they seemed to be people sent by Count Roxen.

    There must have been a reason he didn¡¯t send the family¡¯s knights or private soldiers.

    For all I knew, they could be mercenaries of some renown.

    But as the two men passed by me, a familiar scent wafted through the air.

    I had to make a decision.

    ¡°Cough...¡±

    I drew my sword.

    And shed.

    I finished one of them off in a single blow.

    Terion looked taken aback, but there was no time to exin.

    Bright red blood sttered on my cheek. The warmth of human blood felt surprisingly hot.

    In the corner of my vision, a human body copsed.

    <i>Thump. Thump.</i>

    My heart raced.

    This was my first kill.

    My hands seemed to tremble slightly.

    It¡¯s fine.

    It wasn¡¯t enough to interfere with swinging my sword.

    The illusion of blood flowing swiftly was actually wee. Sharpened senses would aid in battle.

    Years had passed since I learned to use a sword and now to my first kill. But it seemed a few seconds would suffice for the second.

    ¡®With this momentum, just one more...!¡¯

    Just as I was about to deal with another defenseless foe, a cold metallic sound rang out.

    It was Ludbeck.

    A heavy iron sword charged towards me.

    Discarding his polite demeanor, he curled one corner of his mouth.

    ¡°You¡¯re a quick-witted kid. It was a carefully prepared act. How did you know?¡±

    ¡°No matter how you dress up your words, guys like you always give yourselves away. It reeks of decay.¡±

    ¡°Ha. Is that so? Such arrogance. Don¡¯t be mistaken. It wouldn¡¯t have mattered whether you noticed or not.¡±

    Of course.

    There were too many clues.

    Their attention never once strayed outside.

    They never considered the possibility of wild beasts or unnoticed trackers.

    Their gaze was fixed solely on Terion and me.

    The way they looked at my sword was particrly irritating, as was their assessing nce at the calluses on my palms.

    It was as if they were looking at an enemy they needed to kill.

    The decisive factor was the smell.

    A foul odor emanated from the subordinates as they passed by me.

    I had smelled it before.

    It was the scent sometimes emitted by criminals caught by senior knights of the order. A mix of cheap liquor and drugs.

    Those who smelled like this were invariably trash.

    In the novel, the female protagonist would shudder at this.

    - Smoking cigarettes made from mulette flowers emitted a fishy smell. People called those addicted to this drug ¡°sewer rats.¡±

    - For the hopeless sewer rats, mulette flowers were quite expensive. And the addictive nature of mulette flowers could instantly break a person¡¯s will.

    - Naturally, the sewer rats would be ves who would do anything for money. They were easily expendable.

    No matter what, these men were unfit to serve as escorts for the siblings.

    Though, if it were the other way around, perhaps.

    ¡°If you had followed obediently, you wouldn¡¯t have had to die a painful death.¡±

    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t have been the case, would it? Traveling with stinking guys like you would be torture itself. Even a half-used rag would smell sweeter than you.¡±

    ¡°Quite the foul mouth for a noble¡¯s son.¡±

    I exchanged a few blows with Ludbeck.

    Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t exceptionally skilled, but I wasn¡¯t at an advantage either.

    This is dangerous.

    My rational mind sounded the rm.

    Honestly, I couldn¡¯t be sure of victory.

    Even one-on-one, he wasn¡¯t an easy opponent, and he had his men with him.

    The movements they made to nk me prevented me from recklessly charging in.

    It seemed worth trying. However, I couldn¡¯t shake off the impression that it was a tricky situation.

    I couldn¡¯t afford to be tied down here.

    After all, if this was Count Roxen¡¯s intention, difficulty was to be expected.

    I had held my own against the knights of Eilencia.

    Count Roxen must have had some idea of my abilities, so he wouldn¡¯t have sentpletely incapable men.

    At the very least, he would have included one useful person. I could only hope that Ludbeck was the only one.

    Terion was also engaging with some men nearby.

    A decision was needed once again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll clear a path for you, so go protect Sirien and Hena. I¡¯ll handle things here.¡±

    ¡°What? But you are... Can I trust you with this?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    As promised, I desperately cleared a path and sent Terion off.

    I managed to injure one of their arms, even if it meant taking risks. Two had slipped away earlier, and the remaining two surrounded me.

    As a result of sending Terion away, I was left with wounds on my left shoulder and thigh.

    There was bleeding, but it wasn¡¯t deep.

    Ludbeck sneered.

    ¡°Do you know? My employer said this. To erase you from this world.¡±

    ¡°Do your best.¡±

    ¡°But you know, there was nothing in the request about killing you nicely. That means as long as the job is done cleanly, anything goes. I¡¯ve heard the youngdy is quite beautiful. I wonder what her cries will sound like?¡±

    ¡°Your mouth reeks of rag. I¡¯ll make sure to clean it up properly.¡±

    I had intended to stay calm.

    But that was no longer an option.

    My head went cold.

 Chapter 13: Catastrophe (2)

    <b>Chapter 13: Catastrophe (2)</b>

    A sharp pain emanated from my side.

    It was a trace of the enemy¡¯s de that had grazed me earlier.

    Each time my muscles contracted or rxed, the wound unted its presence.

    It felt as if a hot iron te was pressed against my body.

    My body screamed in agony, yet it moved more agilely. Thus, I cherished my pain.

    I spurred myself on.

    Faster, even if just slightly. Sharper, even if just slightly.

    Ignoring the pain, I moved.It seemed as though blood was oozing from the open wound.

    It was hot blood.

    As my body heated up, my eyes opened wide.

    I could clearly see every move of the enemy.

    The shifting of their weight as they stepped back.

    The tightening of their arm muscles before thrusting the sword.

    Their gaze fixing on where they would strike next.

    Everything appeared to move in slow motion.

    ¡®Ludbeck¡¯s next attack will be a thrust. Dodge to the side. What about that nameless foe? A horizontal sh? Predictable, easy to block.¡¯

    I never stopped thinking.

    Anger is a powerful motivator, but it must be controlled by cold, hard reason.

    I contemted the most efficient way to end my opponent.

    A slight hesitation.

    I seized the gap between attacks for a counter-strike.

    Ludbeck hurriedly parried my sword.

    If not for his interference, his subordinate would have lost an eye.

    The subordinate quickly retreated.

    ¡®Luckily, the sun hasn¡¯t set yet.¡¯

    With a slight shift of my eyes, I could follow the shadows of the enemy.

    This time, I attacked Ludbeck aggressively. Meanwhile, the distance between me and the subordinate trying to nk me increased.

    Both wererger than me, meaning they had a reach advantage.

    That was the limitation of my still-growing body.

    To ovee this risk, I had to force a brawl.

    Dozens of sword strikes exchanged. Whenever they tried to create distance, I dove into the breach; conversely, if they gave me room, I tried to grapple.

    Martial arts is aplex discipline. Despite my youth, a formally trained member of a noble house like me couldn¡¯t possibly be at the same level as a street swordsman.

    Ludbeck was wary of my grasp.

    An upward sh. Blocked.

    I twisted the de direction to stab.

    Good. Ludbeck twisted his body to dodge, leaving his leg defense vulnerable.

    I kicked his shin and jabbed the pommel into his wrist.

    If I had gone deeper, I might have drawn some blood.

    Without hesitation, I rolled to the side.

    A momentter, and a knife would have pierced my stomach.

    It wasn¡¯t a vital spot, but I wondered if I should let it hit, uncertain how much more my body could endure.

    ¡°Tsk. Didn¡¯t hear you were this good.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to shut up? Your mouth reeks like a sewer.¡±

    ¡°Arrogant brat. Let¡¯s see how long you can keep yapping.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t see much with your skills.¡±

    The sh of swords sounded irregrly.

    Steel struck with lethal intent, growling with murderous rage.

    Yet, there was hardly any bloodshed. My attacks were continuously disrupted, and their strikescked sharpness.

    I couldn¡¯t see an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow.

    It was a stalemate. I made a cold, calcted judgment.

    It wasn¡¯t good. The longer I dyed, the more it disadvantaged me.

    If Terion had managed to kill the two enemies in the cabin ande to support, perhaps it would have been different, but realistically, that was unlikely.

    In that cabin were Sirien and Hena.

    Fights where you have something to protect always put you at a disadvantage.

    If Sirien were to be taken hostage, it would all be over.

    I needed to hurry and help them.

    ¡®There might just be a solution... not impossible.¡¯

    Scanning my surroundings, a risky strategy came to mind.

    Blocking Ludbeck¡¯s sword and dodging an enemy¡¯s kick, I calcted the odds.

    It seemed worth a try.

    Once decided, there was no reason to hesitate.

    Targeting Ludbeck¡¯s subordinate seemed a better option.

    He appeared less guarded.

    Taking out even one could turn the tide of battle.

    I swung my sword broadly, forcing Ludbeck to step back.

    Arge attack came at a cost. A broad move meantrger openings¡ªa basic principle of swordy.

    Ludbeck¡¯s subordinate attacked as if it was expected.

    It wasn¡¯t particrly fierce.

    A slight move would probably end with just my left forearm being stabbed.

    ¡®I¡¯ll give it.¡¯

    I¡¯m right-handed.

    As long as I could move my sword, I could afford to take that hit.

    A swordsman is most vulnerable after an attack.

    His stabbing my arm meant his sword was momentarily caught. A sharp pain shot through my forearm, likely tearing the wound open.

    My counterattack was blocked with a clear sound.

    He wasn¡¯t foolish, quickly withdrawing his sword to focus on defense.

    But the position where he blocked was advantageous for me.

    Next would be a stab.

    Pushing forward from here could reach his throat.

    My shorter stature made the distance slightly insufficient.

    It didn¡¯t matter. This was what I had aimed for from the start.

    I thrust my sword forward with all my strength, like spearing, and let go at the right moment.

    ¡°Krgh!¡±

    The sword, briefly airborne, lodged itself in the opponent¡¯s throat.

    A fatal blow. He wouldn¡¯tst long in a fight, much less breathe for much longer.

    There was no need to check on him anymore.

    I hadn¡¯t forgotten there were two enemies.

    Below me, Ludbeck¡¯s shadow appeared.

    Having thrown my sword, I had no means to respond to his attack. I sprinted a few steps and rolled on the ground.

    My target was the corpse of the first man I had killed.

    I pulled a sword from the dead man¡¯s belt and, relying purely on instinct, swung around.

    ng!

    Something blocked the tip of my sword.

    A sessful defense.

    Ludbeck¡¯s expression contorted.

    ¡°Now it¡¯s one-on-one, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    * * *

    ¡°Haa. Haa...¡±

    It felt like my heart was going to burst.

    I must have lost a lot of blood.

    The drain on my stamina was severe.

    The edges of my vision seemed to blur.

    My hands were also losing strength.

    Many injuries had urred as I tried to regain my posture.

    Although I had avoided fatal wounds, bleeding from various parts of my body hadn¡¯t stopped.

    It seemed dangerous if not treated soon, but there was no time for that yet.

    Feeling as if my legs would give out, I used my sword as a cane.

    I paused to catch my breath before moving again, my legs feeling unusually heavy.

    Thud. Thud.

    How many times had thebored sound of my steps echoed?

    A pathetic voice reached my ears.

    ¡°Sa, save... please save me.¡±

    It was Ludbeck.

    The one with a severed ankley sprawled at my feet.

    It was a ghastly sight. Just like my body bore many wounds, his condition was no different.

    We were both drenched in blood.

    Perhaps the difference was, I could still fight.

    It seemed Ludbeck had tried to flee.

    A long trail of blood marked his path.

    Thinking he must have crawled like a worm, I felt a twinge of regret.

    I should have witnessed that sight. My foot had crushed his waist.

    The original n was to make Ludbeck die painfully.

    First, I would tear his mouth, then slowly think of the next step.

    That desire had not faded.

    If possible, I wanted to torture him right there and then. But there seemed no leisure for such indulgence.

    ¡°Stay still. You¡¯re shaking.¡±

    ¡°Please, please save me. Don¡¯t you want to know something? I¡¯ll tell you everything. Anything!¡±

    ¡°Information?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll tell you everything, just spare my life. It¡¯s all my fault!¡±

    No. I didn¡¯t need it.

    I was briefly tempted.

    Keeping him alive to extract information didn¡¯t sound like a bad idea.

    But it seemed unlikely that Count Roxen would have entrusted such an individual with important information.

    Even if this guy had seeded in killing us all, wouldn¡¯t he have been disposed of by the count eventually?

    There was no reason to save a used disposable.

    At least, I would have done the same.

    After all, we had already discovered his betrayal.

    There was nothing more to learn.

    ¡°I¡¯m not interested. I have a lot to do. Let¡¯s just keep it to the promise and finish this.¡±

    I grabbed Ludbeck by the hair and lifted his head.

    He sent me a desperate look. It seemed he was screaming something¡ªit sounded like begging or cursing, but it was hard to hear.

    My head was ringing, and I couldn¡¯t understand anything.

    Whatever he was saying, it wasn¡¯t my concern.

    If he wanted to live, he should have been more careful with his words.

    I pried open his mouth and slowly inserted the de.

    Into the mouth. From the mouth to the throat. From the throat to the esophagus. From the esophagus to the heart.

    As the de plunged deep, blood backflowed from his mouth.

    When the sword pierced his heart, his breath stopped.

    I only removed the sword after confirming the focus in his eyes hadpletely vanished.

    I wiped the smeared blood on his cloak.

    ¡®I need to go help Terion now.¡¯

    The sword dragged heavily on the ground.

    It felt as if all strength had drained from my body.

    Still, I walked mindlessly and eventually reached the vicinity of the cabin.

    ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaah!¡±

    Would it have been better if I had arrived a bit earlier?

    I heard Hena¡¯s scream.

 Chapter 14: Catastrophe (3)

    <b>Chapter 14: Catastrophe (3)</b>

    As soon as I entered the cabin, what I saw were dense bloodstains.

    The floor we all frequented was stained red.

    There were dark red stains on the carpet Hena maintained daily.

    I vividly remember her shaking off the dust every morning, but now it was a mess, covered in mud.

    The dishes we used daily were shattered into pieces, and the sofa where Terion ofteny had its leather torn.

    It was disgusting.

    It felt as though our precious haven had been desecrated.

    This cabin was a ce everyone wanted to escape from, a prison and ce of exile we couldn¡¯t have endured without each other.Yet, it was not a ce to be entered with filthy, muddy boots.

    Painful as the memories might be, they were our memories.

    This was where we had lived. Perhaps one day in the distant future, we could return and reminisce about this moment.

    There was a body in the direction of the kitchen.

    Thankfully, it was not a face I recognized.

    The body was silent.

    It couldn¡¯t be that this was the only body here. Yet, the cabin was eerily quiet.

    ¡°If you¡¯re there, answer me.¡±

    No response came.

    All I could hear was my own breath exhaling sharply.

    A cold feeling settled in my chest.

    It seemed the enemy was still hiding.

    If Terion had taken out all the opponents, someone would have responded; if not, it meant there were still enemies left.

    In that case, it was highly likely that Terion was incapacitated.

    My teeth ground together in frustration.

    Fortunately, there was no sign of Hena or Sirien.

    I could only hope they were well-hidden.

    ¡°It¡¯s Razen. If you¡¯re okay, just say something.¡±

    ¡°......¡±

    ¡°Fine. Sirien, Hena? If you hear me, stay hidden. I¡¯ll finish this soon.¡±

    Still, no words came back.

    I gripped my sword tightly.

    I thought I had reached my limits, but it seemed there was still strength left in me.

    Was it anger?

    Or perhaps a sh of returning light before the end?

    Whatever it was, it didn¡¯t matter. If it gave me the strength to fight, then that was all that mattered.

    My eyes quickly scanned the inside of the cabin.

    The first thing to note was the signs of a struggle.

    Chairs and tables were overturned and in disarray.

    Chess pieces Sirien used to y with were scattered like trash.

    There were quite a few bloodstains from injuries inflicted during the fight.

    However, the footprints covering them were not numerous enough to ount for three people.

    ¡®Was the fight brief?¡¯

    No.

    There were knife marks on the curtains hung in the kitchen, not high up, suggesting a sneak attack by Terion was sessful here.

    This must have been where the fight started one-on-one.

    Thanks to that, Terion must have managed to buy some time.

    I could picture him fighting desperately.

    He was prone toints, but he was tough inbat.

    He would have fought without sparing himself, leaving wounds on his opponent.

    The remaining enemy must have been quite strong. Yet, I doubted Terion had faced him unscathed.

    What troubled me was that Terion¡¯s sword was broken.

    ¡®That sword wasn¡¯t easy to break. Terion didn¡¯t neglect his sword maintenance.¡¯

    The remaining sword marks were unusual.

    They looked like they were made with tremendous force.

    That¡¯s when I heard it. A faint sound from behind the wall.

    The sound of fabric brushing. It was especially loud in the silence.

    I didn¡¯t hesitate and ran towards it.

    In the very moment I swung my sword, my eyes widened in shock.

    ¡°Terion? Hena?¡±

    No enemies were in sight.

    Only Terion and Hena, slumped against the wall in a corner, were visible.

    Hena appeared unharmed.

    She was breathing evenly, and there were no bloodstains.

    She must have been knocked unconscious. It was incredibly fortunate.

    ¡®Did they deem her of no value as a hostage because she was wearing a maid¡¯s uniform?¡¯

    The problem was Terion.

    It looked like his neck had been shed; his body was drenched in crimson blood.

    There were numerous minor wounds, but the injury on his neck was gravely severe.

    He was still alive, barely.

    His breath was so faint, it could cease at any moment.

    Something seemed to snap in my head.

    I needed to stop the bleeding right away. But then, footsteps sounded from behind.

    If I hadn¡¯t spun around to defend myself, my body would have been split in two.

    The sh of steel roared ferociously.

    ¡®What kind of strength is this...!¡¯

    It was a familiar downward strike.

    The defense was easy, but the opponent forced a power struggle while our des were locked.

    His face was hard to see. The robe he wore was so bulky that it was difficult to determine his build, though glimpses of his bulging muscles could be seen through the torn fabric.

    My physical ability was monstrous enough to be notable among my peers, but that was just among those of the same age.

    I was not equipped to handle a brute force confrontation like this.

    My sword screamed in protest.

    The wounds on my arm suddenly became more bothersome.

    The pain was bearable, but it was a significant hindrance to exerting strength.

    I was mistaken.

    Even if I had been in perfect condition, engaging in a strength contest with this brute was a bad move.

    I decided to give up on the fight quickly.

    As I tried to withdraw my sword, a kick flew at me. I blocked it but was pushed several steps backward.

    ¡°Argh!¡±

    ¡°You look miserable. I¡¯ll end your suffering soon.¡±

    The voice was deep.

    Normally, I would have retorted, but I genuinely had no room for that.

    I was at a severe disadvantage.

    The space was too confined indoors to use outfighting effectively. Given that my body was smaller, it wasn¡¯t going to be easy.

    He gleefully hammered down his sword.

    The noise was unbelievably loud for just swords shing

    ¡ªng, bang, crash!

    The strain went through my arm as the des scraped together.

    ¡®It¡¯s only been a few blocks, and already the de is deteriorating.¡¯

    It meant the sword couldn¡¯t withstand much more.

    Pretending I couldn¡¯t hold on any longer, I took a step back, quickly lowered my posture, and darted to his side.

    A direct confrontation was out of the question. All I managed while switching positions was a cut on his calf.

    It wasn¡¯t a deep wound. The feedback felt shallow.

    His expression hardly changed at all.

    ¡®If only my body were in better shape, I could have inflicted a deeper wound.¡¯

    At this rate, the tide of battle wouldn¡¯t change.

    If I let him keep attacking, I would end up dying helplessly.

    Bang! Crash!

    Each time our swords shed, a severe pain shot through my arm.

    I gritted my teeth and endured as my consciousness began to blur.

    On the fifth attack, my sword cracked.

    ¡®Can itst two more strikes at most?¡¯

    I had to make a decision before that.

    But how?

    Swordsmanship wasn¡¯t the answer.

    I might have been better technically, but my condition rendered that advantage meaningless.

    Jujitsu or hand-to-handbat wasn¡¯t even worth considering.

    Trying to engage in close-quartersbat with this guy, in this state, would be foolish.

    There was no proper angle to throw my sword like before.

    That left only one option.

    A mutual destruction without regard for survival.

    ¡®Let go of the desire to live.¡¯

    If I was prepared to die, maybe I couldnd a decent attack.

    After all, he was thest one.

    Even if I died, Sirien and Hena could survive and escape.

    Just as I braced myself for death,

    a miracle urred.

    ¡°Ugh! Gah?¡±

    He suddenly stopped and spat blood.

    A broken sword de was embedded in his neck.

    I thought I saw a staggering figure in the background.

    Terion. It was you.

    I didn¡¯t miss the opportunity. My sword thrust straight towards his heart and hit its mark.

    I heard his sword drop to the floor.

    He wasn¡¯t dead yet.

    I stabbed his heart several times more. By the time my face was covered in blood, his body copsed.

    At the same moment, Terion also slumped to the ground.

    ¡°Is, is he thest one...?¡±

    Terion asked in a barely audible voice.

    I quickly supported him.

    I hadn¡¯t seen it clearly before, but the cut on his neck was serious.

    Even stopping the bleeding now might not save him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk! You¡¯ll lose more blood.¡±

    What should I do?

    Was there a way to treat such injuries in this cabin?

    I didn¡¯t know.

    We needed help.

    Then I saw Hena copsed nearby.

    She was the person most likely to think of something for Terion.

    Hena was the most reliable person at this moment.

    I urgently woke her up.

    ¡°Hena, Hena! Wake up. Hena!¡±

    Thankfully, after shaking her a few times, her eyes fluttered open.

    ¡°Help. Terion is in danger. We have to do something.¡±

    Her eyes, cloudy at first, scanned the surroundings as soon as she regained her senses.

    Soon, Hena¡¯s gaze must havended on Terion. Her face turned pale instantly.

    ¡°Oh, no... Young master. No, I can¡¯t bear it, not the young master!¡±

 Chapter 15: Catastrophe (4)

    <b>Chapter 15: Catastrophe (4)</b>

    <b>[Hena¡¯s POV]</b>

    I didn¡¯t want to believe it.

    I blinked several times, trying to deny what I had seen.

    I hoped I had seen wrong.

    Everything should¡¯ve been a grim hallucination of this wicked year. It would have sufficed if it were just a bad dream.

    I would have apologized over and over again, hoping that once he came to his senses, the young master would be well.

    But nothing changed.

    The young master was still bleeding profusely, and Razen, covered in wounds, was supporting him.I hated this cruel reality.

    My throat was choked up, and I could hardly speak properly.

    Gulp, gulp.

    Only after pushing through my constricted throat did something resembling words finally escape my lips.

    ¡°Ah, no... Not the young master. Please, no!¡±

    His injuries were too severe.

    It had to be the throat, of all ces.

    The throat through which Master Terion¡¯s precious breath and beautiful voice once flowed.

    How painful it must be for him.

    He never showed it, suffering even from the smallest wounds.

    He was also the type to fear blood so much that he would never look directly at his injuries.

    I could see Master Terion¡¯s hands trembling.

    I wanted to hold them if it were alright, but I needed to stop the bleeding.

    It felt as if the world was turning upside down. The air around me choked my breath, heavy with despair.

    Did he notice how I was feeling? The young master¡¯s hand moved slightly.

    Yes. He was still alive.

    I managed to steady my heart.

    Let¡¯s do what we can now.

    ¡°Razen. If you can move, could you call thedy? She must be hiding in the basement. There are bandages and herbs nearby.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be quick.¡±

    Should I wait for Razen to return?

    I couldn¡¯t afford to. Not even a moment could be wasted. I had to attend to the young master¡¯s wounds immediately.

    I ripped my garment.

    Fortunately, it tore into a usable shape.

    I immediately started bandaging the wound on his nape.

    Again and again.

    I wrapped and pressed it repeatedly.

    Once Razen and thedy returned, and after I entrusted Razen to her,

    I kept cleaning the young master¡¯s blood and trying to stop the bleeding, even as Razen was being bandaged.

    All the while, the relentless red blood soaked my hands.

    No matter how much I wiped, the blood seemed endless.

    I had to somehow close the wound, but it was toorge and deep.

    The pain seemed to radiate visibly.

    Suddenly, a pained groan escaped the young master¡¯s lips.

    My heart sank.

    The air around felt heavy.

    I couldn¡¯t lift my head.

    ¡°The blood, the blood won¡¯t stop. No, what do we do? Our young master... Ah, oh... sob.¡±

    I shouldn¡¯t cry. Tears would only blur my vision.

    But I couldn¡¯t hold back.

    The guilt of staining my hands with the young master¡¯s blood was unbearable.

    Unable to treat him like this, I wiped away my tears.

    The blood from my hands touched my face, feeling as if the young master¡¯s warmth was transferring to me.

    With blood on my hands and face, it felt as if I had killed the young master myself.

    I¡¯m sorry, young master. I¡¯m so sorry.

    It should have been me who died.

    You should not be lying here like this.

    Such a fate would be more fitting for a lowly maid like me.

    ¡°It must hurt a lot. It must be frightening. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s all my fault... I¡¯m sorry for being no help.¡±

    I wish I could take your ce in suffering.

    It¡¯s excruciating to see you like this, and it feels like my heart is being torn apart. I wish I could bear your pain.

    Cruel fate, I haven¡¯t been one to pray often.

    I know I have been a faithless believer. So I won¡¯t ask for much.

    Just save the young master, somehow. I will dly ept any consequence.

    Even if it means my body shatters a thousand, ten thousand times, even if I have to wander in agony through hell forever.

    If it allows the young master to rise again, I am willing to do anything.

    You didn¡¯t do anything when my parents died. You remained silent even when I climbed to the mansion¡¯s window to end my life.

    It was always the young master, not the divine, who saved me.

    And now he is the one who is suffering. He is far more precious than someone like me.

    If things continue this way, the young master might even die.

    Please. Please, help.

    Anyone, please help the young master.

    Take anything from me, just please don¡¯t take him away.

    ¡°Young master, young master... Ah, sob. Sob¡­¡±

    As much as I hate to admit it, I must acknowledge it.

    I have been of no help to the young master.

    All I know is how to tend to minor wounds. For serious injuries like these, I was only taught to call for the nearest soldier or knight.

    They would ride out and bring a priest. Until then, all I knew was to push forward these ragged pieces and wipe away the blood.

    Stupid, foolish maid.

    I¡¯ve spent my life serving my master, yet when it truly matters, I am utterly useless.

    And yet I dared to speak of love.

    I despised myself so much I couldn¡¯t stand it.

    My vision blurred again. Tears seemed to keep flowing.

    The young master grasped my wrist.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Hena.¡±

    How can it be okay after all this?

    You didn¡¯t speak up in front of Razen because of your pride, but you suffered every day after training.

    Why won¡¯t you say you¡¯re in pain now?

    Thedy was crying beside me. I cried too.

    But it was as if all the sounds of the world had stopped, except for the young master¡¯s voice.

    ¡°You can stop. It looks like I¡¯m in for a tough time.¡±

    Please don¡¯t say that so calmly.

    I¡¯m terrified at the thought of you leaving.

    You are everything to me. Without you, I have nothing.

    ¡°Hena, you¡¯ve done enough.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything!¡±

    ¡°No one could have done anything. For me, just having you here at the end... that¡¯s enough.¡±

    The young master was holding my arm. I could feel the strength of his grip weakening.

    Please don¡¯t let go. I don¡¯t want this.

    I would have done anything for you, young master.

    I buried my affection, endured the pain, let go of my jealousy, and chiseled away at my own heart.

    I could do it all because I was able to see you. Just seeing you was enough for me to persevere.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t die. I don¡¯t want to live in a world without you.¡±

    ¡°Hena.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯m to me for everything.¡±

    ¡°Why would this be your fault, Hena? Don¡¯t say such things.¡±

    No. It¡¯s my fault.

    Honestly, I didn¡¯t hate life here.

    I hated that you, young master, had to be in a ce like this, but that was all.

    Preparing meals for you every day, falling asleep in the bed next to yours, it made me happy.

    The thought of always being with you excited me.

    It was like the scenes I had dreamed of. A dream I shouldn¡¯t have wished for.

    I imagined us living together in a little house, having a cute child, and asionally smiling and locking eyes.

    So this must be my punishment.

    Because I dared to dream such wicked dreams.

    ¡°Stop crying... Ah. I¡¯m a bit cold.¡±

    ¡°Please, please. No. I don¡¯t want this. Young master... please.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Razen, please keep your promise.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry and rest. I haven¡¯t forgotten the promise.¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±

    The young master let go of my hand.

    Emotions overwhelmed me. Razen and thedy were watching as I broke down crying.

    I cried so much I didn¡¯t even realize when I had copsed.

    My eyes were swollen and painful.

    When I woke up, the young master was lying peacefully. His eyes closed.

    Not breathing.

    I was by his side. Razen and thedy were nowhere to be seen.

    It seemed like they had stepped out for a moment.

    Had they gone to gather wood?

    In the Grand Duchy of Eilencia, they cremate the bodies.

    Razen was unwell, so he could have woken me, but perhaps he was being considerate.

    He knew I loved the young master. Maybe he wanted to give me some time alone with him.

    I tidied the young master¡¯s hair.

    It was something I always did, but today his hair felt stiff. Normally, I would make a shampoo from steeped petals, olive oil, and egg yolks.

    That would soften it right away. He was always such a fine man.

    ¡°Yes, young master. I meant what I said to Razen. I loved you, but being by your side was enough for me. But now, I can say it.¡±

    His skin was pale, and there was no warmth.

    Still, it felt like there was a little warmth left, so I hugged him tightly.

    ¡°I love you, young master.¡±

    I finally said what I wanted to.

    ¡°I loved you more than anyone else in this world. I loved you even though I knew it could never be. Every night I cherished every word you said to me. I would have loved you until my dying day.¡±

    It was ironic.

    The words I most wanted to say, why did I have to say them at the moment I least wanted to imagine?

    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to let you go, young master.¡±

    A world without you seems too cold.

    I want to see your asionally clumsy expressions.

    Sometimes dignified, sometimes childlike, sometimes mature. I can¡¯t live without the various faces you showed.

    ¡°I could not be connected with you through love.¡±

    But, young master.

    Do you know?

    I still have onest chance to be with you.

    ¡°Just wait a little longer.¡±

    I¡¯ll be following you soon.

 Chapter 16: A Perilous Journey (1)

    <b>Chapter 16: A Perilous Journey (1)</b>

    When we returned, the cabin was filled with an eerie stillness.

    Even the wind had ceased, allowing the silence to settle ominously.

    We hadn¡¯t expected the same liveliness as yesterday.

    Too much had happened.

    We just hoped that Hena had found some peace on her own.

    The overly quiet space made Sirien and I uneasy, and our unease soon became a reality.

    Was it too unbearable? Hena chose to take her own life.

    It seemed she had grabbed a sword lying on the floor and plunged it into her heart.The de was deeply embedded in her fallen body.

    Strangely enough, it seemed she did not suffer.

    Hena¡¯s expression appeared quite peaceful, almost as if she had woken from a nightmare into a restful sleep, a serene smile lingering on her lips.

    In her final moments, she seemed to want to keep Terion in her sight. Her eyes, now unfocused, remained on Terion¡¯s face.

    After a brief moment of sce, we cleaned Hena¡¯s blood together.

    I exined to the bewildered Sirien the emotions Hena had harbored.

    It turned into a long story of unrequited love.

    Sirien listened quietly before suggesting we cremate the two together.

    We took them outside andid them side by side on a white cloth.

    I made sure they held hands, something I thought they would have wanted.

    They looked like a young couple that way.

    Would Hena have been happy to hear that?

    It was their decision to face death together.

    Though it was a sorrowful end, we chose to respect it.

    There was no other way.

    Terion had cared deeply for Hena.

    He would have noints.

    Today, the weather felt particrly cold. It felt like the spite ofte winter or the mourning of spring.

    The wind that circled the snowy field sang a mournful tune. Leaves rustled in the darkness of night.

    ¡°Shall we light it?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    We arranged firewood densely around the two and set it aze.

    Funerals in the Grand Duchy of Eilencia were always solemn and quiet.

    While the deceased¡¯s body ascended in mes, the living closed their eyes in silence, reminiscing about their memories with the deceased.

    It was believed that the gods of the heavens would read these memories and guide the departed.

    If you recalled good memories, the gods would lead the deceased to a good ce. If you recalled sad memories, they would console the deceased.

    I chose to believe in these words. The gods of this world were tangible concepts. They granted power to their followers or conveyed their will through oracles.

    If they had any sense of justice, they would not abandon Terion and Hena. Though it was just the two of us at this funeral, our time spent was deeply meaningful.

    Thest time we lit a fire here, it had been a joyous asion.

    We ate delicious food, danced, sang, andughed by the bonfire. But now, Sirien could not even shed a tear, biting her lip instead.

    As the fire consumed both of them, we maintained our silence.

    When their cremation wasplete, we were of one mind.

    ¡°We have to leave this ce.¡±

    * * *

    We have to leave.

    The cabin is no longer safe.

    Count Roxen¡¯s betrayal was certain.

    Since we killed all of his men, the news likely hadn¡¯t reached him yet.

    He would soon send stronger ones, and they wouldn¡¯t be the same weaklings as before.

    A force capable of killing us for sure.

    I couldn¡¯t handle them with my power alone.

    So, we had to run now.

    The problem was that we didn¡¯t know exactly where this cabin was located.

    When we first arrived, we spected it was somewhere in the northwest of the empire.

    In other words, we had to embark on a journey without knowing the way.

    We relied on Count Roxen more than we realized.

    Now that he was our enemy, Sirien and I were thrown into the wild with nothing.

    Even the words he had spoken couldn¡¯t be trusted.

    Was it true that the Grand Duke and Duchess were safe? What about my father¡¯s death?

    Who was the traitor who aided Demon King Eligor¡¯s invasion? Was there such a traitor? Or was Count Roxen himself the traitor?

    The questions were endless.

    It was a problem without an answer.

    Sirien and I decided to focus on survival first.

    The most pressing decision was our destination.

    A roughly drawn map of the empirey before us.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we head northeast? It¡¯s the opposite direction from the Grand Duchy.¡±

    ¡°I agree. If any pursuerse, they¡¯ll start from there. Is there any ce we can get help in the northeast?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite far, but there¡¯s the Count state of Eloran at the end. My grandfather... I mean, the Count has always been on good terms with our family. He will surely help us.¡±

    I had met Count Eloran briefly before.

    He was a kind old man. They said he was quite fiery in his younger days, but he always turned into a doting grandfather around Sirien.

    Indeed, the Count wouldn¡¯t ignore Sirien¡¯s peril. So our destination was decided.

    We packed as much as we could.

    The knowledge from my time in the knights¡¯ order came in handy.

    We couldn¡¯t carry much since we weren¡¯t strong enough to bear heavy bags for long.

    ¡°The problem is getting to the Count state of Eloran... The north is full ofwless areas and barbarian tribes, making it very dangerous.¡±

    ¡°First, we need to get out of this forest. You¡¯ve seen them too, right? The monsters living here.¡±

    ¡°Ugh... I didn¡¯t want to think about that.¡±

    We had spent quite a long time in this cabin.

    Thanks to Count Roxen, the hideout itself was well-protected, so we hadn¡¯t been directly attacked, but this coniferous forest was full of dangers.

    While running around the snowy fields or taking a brief look around at night, we asionally saw giant beasts or monsters.

    Now, we had to make our way through a forest teeming with such creatures.

    How vast is this forest?

    We don¡¯t even know where the exit is.

    ¡°Did you pack everything?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, double-checked. How about you, Razen?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got everything I need. Let¡¯s get some sleep now and leave as soon as the sun rises.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Our attic room wasn¡¯t too disturbed. The fight had taken ce on the first floor.

    The second-floor attic was rtively untouched.

    We had thrown the bodies of our enemies outside, leaving us with a lingering unease.

    So now, it was just the two of us in this cabin.

    As wey in our beds, the absence of Hena and Terion was palpable.

    The empty spaces between the four beds stood out.

    Terion had a terrible habit of tossing and turning in his sleep.

    Even if Hena made the bed neatly, it would soon be a mess.

    A clean bed felt like an invitation for Terion toe lie down.

    In the midst of this emptiness, a soft voice broke the silence.

    ¡°Razen, are you asleep?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Can I sleep with you tonight?¡±

    I almost asked, ¡®Are you scared?¡¯ but stopped myself.

    Even saying those words might unsettle Sirien.

    ¡°Sure. Come over if you want.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. I just can¡¯t seem to sleep.¡±

    ¡°Want me to sing you a luby?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a kid... Alright, just for tonight.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    I patted her back and sang a luby.

    It was one Sirien liked, a song the maids used to sing to her when she was young.

    She didn¡¯t need lubies anymore as she grew older, but tonight it seemed appropriate.

    As I sang, I felt a dampness in my embrace.

    Her small body trembled.

    I remembered a recent moment.

    Sirien hadforted me with these words on this very bed.

    - If that day everes, I¡¯ll cling to you and cry my eyes out. I might cry so much that your shirt gets soaked.

    - When I cry like that, I want you to do this. Hug me and pat my back; it would feel really nice.

    Sirien wasn¡¯t sobbing uncontrobly, nor was my shirt soaked.

    But holding her and patting her back seemed to be what she needed.

    Her slender arms wrapped around my waist.

    ¡°Razen, you know¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to get revenge. I¡¯ll avenge my brother and Hena. I don¡¯t care why my uncle did it. Whatever the reason, it¡¯s sure to be worthless.¡±

    Her voice was fragile, yet her deration was heavy.

    ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive him. No matter what he says, I won¡¯t listen. He made my brother and Hena die in this ce, so I¡¯ll make sure he dies in a ce where no one will know.¡±

    ¡°So no one in this world will ever know?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll erase him and everything he cares aboutpletely.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s do that. Everything will go as you say.¡±

    I¡¯ll make sure of it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±

    ¡°Promise me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I swear on my name, I¡¯ll keep this promise.¡±

    In the novel I knew, there was no mention of Count Roxen.

    There were no records or mentions of him, suggesting that Sirien seeded.

    She must have killed Roxen and buried the truth in darkness.

    Just as Terion and Hena died in obscurity, Roxen would meet a lonely and deste end.

    The difference was that Roxen would leave nothing behind.

    Only then would this anger and sorrow be appeased.

    We would remember Hena and Terrion to the end, but no one would remember Roxen.

    ¡°Thank you, Razen. Now you¡¯re my everything. So please, don¡¯t ever leave me.¡±

 Chapter 17: A Perilous Journey (2)

    <b>Chapter 17: A Perilous Journey (2)</b>

    The blue light of dawn was gradually fading in the forest.

    The sun, still drowsy, lifted its head hesitantly.

    As if embarrassed by its disheveled face, the dawn sulked.

    The wind was particrly harsh today. The sturdy trees swayed, whispering mischievous jokes among themselves.

    I could almost hear their inaudibleughter echoing in my ears.

    The forest opened its enormous maw toward us.

    As if it might swallow us whole at any moment.

    ¡°They¡¯re still following us, aren¡¯t they?¡±¡°It¡¯s alright. They¡¯re still far enough away. Be careful where you step there. Give me your hand. I¡¯ll help you.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    It hadn¡¯t even been an hour since we entered the forest. Something started trailing us from a distance.

    We didn¡¯t sense any immediate hostility.

    Even if it suddenly rushed at us, we were at a manageable distance, and it showed no particrly aggressive behavior.

    We even pretended not to notice it a few times, giving it a chance, but it kept its distance thoroughly.

    It seemed more interested in observing us than attacking.

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    ¡°Careful! Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Thanks to you.¡±

    Sirien, who had been walking well, stumbled. Fortunately, I had been watching and managed to catch her in time.

    We were walking a path that hadn¡¯t been used in a very long time.

    It was a stroke of luck we encountered early in our journey.

    We didn¡¯t know where the path led, but it didn¡¯t seem too far off from our destination.

    We decided to follow it for now, hoping to meet someone along the way.

    The only problem was the many unkempt roots and stones.

    Still, it was better than trudging through the middle of the forest.

    ¡°I thought this forest was quiet. Seems I was wrong.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s more lively than it looks.¡±

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a fox! I want to pet it.¡±

    Sirien looked around curiously.

    We hadn¡¯t realized it when we were at the cabin, but this forest was teeming with far more life than we had imagined.

    There were many small animals like birds and rodents, and asionally we spotted foxes and snakes.

    Thankfully, we hadn¡¯t encountered anything that posed a threat to humans yet.

    We would only know how many of those kinds of creatures were around when night fell.

    Surprisingly, Sirien¡¯s senses were much sharper than I had thought.

    ¡°You can see all that?¡±

    ¡°Should I say I see it? I see some things, hear others. But you find things better than I do, Razen.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been trained since I was young. Just being able to do what you do is impressive.¡±

    ¡°Really? Being told it¡¯s impressive makes me feel good.¡±

    Sirien grinned.

    Mypliment wasn¡¯t empty. My body benefits from mana. Plus, I¡¯ve been trained by the knight order to be observant of my surroundings.

    In contrast, Sirien was just an ordinary girl of her age. She possessed all those keen senses naturally.

    ¡°Are you tired?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I can manage. We need to go as far as we can, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Then let¡¯s move a little further before we rest.¡±

    Sirien smiled brightly.

    Since she said she could endure, we decided to move a bit further before taking a break.

    How much time was left before Count Roxen sent a pursuit team?

    The time it took for him to realize he had failed, to form a new team, and for them to reach the cabin, and finally, to track us from the cabin.

    Evenbined, we didn¡¯t have much leeway.

    The pursuit team would undoubtedly be on horseback.

    At most, they would be upon us within a week. And facing the pursuit team meant certain death.

    We hated Count Roxen with a passion, but we never thought he was ipetent.

    The fact that we were still alive was clearly just luck.

    Killing four kids shouldn¡¯t be hard for him. He probably chose easy targets to send hisckeys after.

    Even those who arrived were not easy to deal with. If Terion hadn¡¯t risked his life to help me at the end, I wouldn¡¯t have survived either.

    ¡®I wish we could erase our tracks¡­¡¯

    That was too much to hope for. No matter how careful we were, we couldn¡¯t move without leaving traces in the grass and dirt.

    Even skilled rangers find it challenging.

    It was better to move as quickly as possible.

    This forest wouldn¡¯t go on forever. Once we reached a vige, things would improve.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never walked this much in my life.¡±

    ¡°Are you tired?¡±

    ¡°I can still manage. I can walk more.¡±

    We kept walking.

    Tall conifers receded endlessly behind us.

    asionally, birds flew past and animals prowled nearby before scurrying away.

    Sometimes, Sirien would pick a pretty flower and smile bashfully, saying it was the first time she¡¯d seen one like it.

    But at some point, Sirien began to breathe heavily.

    We had already been moving for quite a while, and it seemed impossible to continue.

    ¡°Hah¡­ Hah.¡±

    ¡°Are you very tired? Let¡¯s rest here for a bit.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do that. I¡¯m a bit exhausted.¡±

    ¡°Your face looks pale. Are you hurt somewhere? Be honest with me.¡±

    ¡°Uhm, it¡¯s just that my feet hurt a little.¡±

    Your feet hurt? I felt a chill run down my spine.

    ¡°Let me see.¡±

    ¡°Ouch. It hurts when you touch it.¡±

    I sat Sirien on a suitable rock and took off her shoes and woolen socks. As expected, her delicate feet were covered in blisters.

    She winced in pain even with the slightest touch.

    How had she managed to endure this?

    Had she not felt it while walking?

    The thought that she had foolishly endured the pain broke my heart.

    ¡°I told you to tell me if you were struggling. If your feet are this bad, you should have told me earlier. Let¡¯s apply some herbs while we rest.¡±

    ¡°Is it that bad? I didn¡¯t realize it myself.¡±

    ¡°It might not hurt now, but if we leave it, it will get worse. Stretch out both your feet.¡±

    Both feet were red and swollen. I sighed involuntarily.

    Would she be able to walk properly tomorrow?

    No. This was my fault.

    If I had been more attentive, I would have noticed.

    Saying I didn¡¯t expect her to endure this much was a narrow excuse.

    Sirien, unexpectedly mature for her age, wouldn¡¯tin unless she truly couldn¡¯t bear it.

    She must have tried to hold out until thest possible moment.

    It was all because of my negligence.

    ¡°This will sting a bit.¡±

    ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. You¡¯ll have to endure it even if it does.¡±

    ¡°Ahh!¡±

    I soaked the cloth in water and cleaned her feet. Her toes wiggled slightly, indicating the pain she felt.

    Each time the soft soles of her feet touched the cloth, Sirien whimpered.

    Her faint breaths were shallow and strained as I ground herbs and wrapped her feet with bandages.

    ¡°Let me stretch your legs a bit too. Lie downfortably.¡±

    ¡°Lie down? Here?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better than lying on the ground.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true¡­ Alright. Like this?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Just stay like that.¡±

    I lifted Sirien¡¯s legs onto my thighs. It was like giving her ap pillow, but for her legs instead of her head.

    I pressed her calves to release the tight muscles.

    As soon as I pressed down, Sirien jolted as if she had been shocked.

    ¡°Ahh!¡±

    ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it hurts¡­ Not enough to make me cry, though.¡±

    Taking that as a sign she could endure it, I continued massaging her calves.

    Sirien¡¯s legs were slimmer and softer than most girls¡¯.

    Every time I applied pressure, her soft flesh pressed against my hands.

    The sensation was quite pleasant.

    Though I knew I¡¯d get scolded for saying it, watching her twitch was amusing.

    I felt like I was developing a bad habit.

    Today¡¯s journey must have been extremely harsh for a girl who had lived in a greenhouse-like environment.

    If I didn¡¯t loosen her muscles now, she would undoubtedly suffer from muscle pain for days.

    Her small hand grasped my cor.

    ¡°Razen, can you be a bit gentler?¡±

    ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±

    ¡°No, it feels just right. It doesn¡¯t hurt as much now.¡±

    Sirien quickly turned her head away.

    She seemed embarrassed, but her flushed cheeks were impossible to hide.

    I could understand. Calves are not a ce usually touched by others.

    Especially for a girl like Sirien, raised with utmost care, having a man¡¯s hands on her would be a rare urrence.

    Visiting adyte at night, touching her body without permission¡ªall these were strictly forbidden by the noble family rules.

    Even Grand Duke Eilencia himself had to be cautious.

    The Grand Duchess held conservative views on male-female rtionships, and the maids were fiercely protective of Sirien.

    ¡°Ah! Ahhh! That spot feels weird.¡±

    ¡°Does it feel good?¡±

    ¡°Good? Now that you mention it, I guess it does.¡±

    Sirien¡¯s toes curled tightly.

    Did she realize how red her face had be?

    She quickly covered her face with her hands.

    Her exposed ears twitched slightly.

    ¡°Razen.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Stop staring at me¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡±

 Chapter 18: A Perilous Journey (3)

    <b>Chapter 18: A Perilous Journey (3)</b>

    The days of Count Roxen had not changed much from past to present.

    A life buried under piles of documents. There was always a mountain of tasks to tackle.

    Even now, with the ducal seat vacant, his days remainedrgely unchanged.

    If anything, his workload had increased, deepening the shadows under his eyes.

    Despite effectively ruling the ducal household, there was no luxurious life for him.

    He was originally a senior official of Eilencia. He had long since achieved material abundance.

    Count Roxen was physiologically not a person who indulged in luxury.

    The delicacies of the entire continent?Admiring fine cuisine is a novelty that wears off in a day or two, and after his youthful days, no dish evoked much emotion in him.

    Moreover, the Empire¡¯s cuisine had too many meat dishes. Count Roxen had a sedentary lifestyle, and meat was not easily digestible.

    At some point, he resolved most of his meals with bread, vegetables, and a bit of fruit.

    Such a diet was manageable even for a baron¡¯s household in the countryside.

    Vast amounts of gold, jewels, or fancy clothes held no meaning.

    He was nearing fifty. What use were such things to a frail middle-aged man?

    It would be fortunate if he didn¡¯t lose his hair from the stress of future bills.

    He was a man who was an administrator to his core.

    Nothing pleased him more than a neat ledger.

    ¡°Count. It¡¯s Yulen. May Ie in?¡±

    ¡°Proceed.¡±

    A voice so familiar it felt like part of the daily routine.

    As usual, his aide entered and ced documents on the desk.

    Normally, this would be the end of it, but today he had something else to ask.

    ¡°What about the children?¡±

    ¡°The report from the street rats is dyed. They are quite overdue.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean they failed or fled?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Count Roxen sighed deeply.

    By now, his aide should have brought a report of the children¡¯s deaths along with proof.

    The proof being the siblings¡¯ heads, which he intended to verify and burn.

    He tapped the desk a few times with his fingers, a habit when organizing his thoughts during moments of frustration.

    The image of the siblings flitted through his mind.

    They were children who had trusted him implicitly.

    Innocent and young enough to walk into a death trap unknowingly.

    He had attempted to kill such children but had failed.

    ¡°What do you think happened?¡±

    ¡°I believe they failed. If they had taken the money and tried to flee, we would have caught them by now.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense. They weren¡¯t clever enough to deceive us.¡±

    Razen. Could that little brat have been the problem?

    He had heard the boy was quite talented, estimating his skills at the level of the household¡¯s knight.

    But it seemed that was not enough.

    It was indeed unexpected.

    It was true that he used the lowest scum avable. He intended to dispose of them as soon as the job was done.

    But Roxen didn¡¯t just pick any random trash. They were somewhat skilled.

    Mostly mercenaries on the run aftermitting crimes somewhere.

    In other words, they were somewhat familiar with the de.

    And yet, Terion and Razen managed to handle them all.

    A dry voice expressed his sentiment.

    ¡°This has be quite a nuisance.¡±

    Yes.

    It was a big deal, but for the Count, that was all there was to it.

    Even if the siblings survived and escaped, it didn¡¯t change much.

    He was always pressed for time, but this time, he had ample leisure.

    He was confident he could catch and kill those brats before they caused any trouble.

    Or rather, could they even get out of that forest in the first ce?

    Although he didn¡¯t mention it explicitly, the forest where the siblings were trapped was extremely dangerous.

    It was a ce so rarely entered that even rumors about it had died down. It was a cursednd that could swallow four children whole in an instant.

    While he would send a pursuit team, it seemed far more likely they would return after searching for corpses rather than living siblings.

    His aide asked.

    ¡°What should we do? It¡¯s difficult to use the family¡¯s forces.¡±

    ¡°I know some people suitable for this kind of work. I didn¡¯t want to use them, but there¡¯s no choice.¡±

    Since the task had started, it had to be finished cleanly.

    From the Count¡¯s perspective, the siblings had to die in that forest.

    Without anyone knowing.

    For that, he needed a silent and skilled group.

    A group that excelled in tracking to quickly follow the escapees and could execute an ambush without any unnecessary fuss, ensuring the siblings¡¯ demise.

    Nameless assassins. They weren¡¯t cheap, but Count Roxen could afford them now.

    ¡°Noter than ten days. Within ten days, I want the heads of the Eilencia siblings before me.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    As soon as the order was given, amotion arose outside.

    Count Roxen frowned for a moment, but then his lips curved into a smile.

    ¡°Count, Young Master Glen is here.¡±

    ¡°Let him in quickly!¡±

    * * *

    After a short break, we moved a bit more but couldn¡¯t go far.

    Sirien insisted she could keep going, but I firmly dismissed her.

    The youngdy had been raised too delicately to understand the aftermath she might face tomorrow.

    ¡°Enough. Prepare for camping. We¡¯ll sleep here tonight.¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s still time before sunset.¡±

    ¡°If we start preparing when it¡¯s dark, it¡¯ll be toote.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±

    We had a simple meal with the food we brought from the cabin.

    Was she that hungry? Sirien ate more than usual.

    Even so, our supplies were not abundant, and I needed to pay more attention to our food.

    ¡°If we ration carefully, we have enough for about three more days?¡±

    We had packed as much as possible, but our food situation was still not generous.

    There was no guarantee we could get out of this forest in three days, so starting tomorrow, we might need to hunt or gather simple food.

    Fortunately, this forest was full of wild animals. If we kept walking, opportunities would arise.

    So, the most important issue wasn¡¯t food.

    ¡°Are we really sleeping like this? Ugh, the ground is so cold and hard.¡±

    Sirieny down on the nket and immediately frowned.

    Even though we had brought the thickest and warmest nket we could carry, it still didn¡¯t seem satisfactory to her.

    The cold could be somewhat managed with a campfire, but the hardness of the ground was beyond my control.

    ¡°Razen,e in quickly. Won¡¯t it be warmer if we stay together?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯lle in after I start the fire.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Need any help?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can really help with, but¡­¡±

    There was a big problem.

    How was I supposed to exin this? My mind was already full of concerns.

    From now on, I had to make Sirien understand the concept of night watch.

    Could Sirien ept the fact that she couldn¡¯t sleep soundly through the night?

    Ady who found it hard to sleep on such a hard ground.

    A girl who was scared to walk alone in the corridors at night, now had to keep watch in the dark forest.

    Even I couldn¡¯t handle the schedule if I took all the night watch shifts.

    Maybe for a day or two, but we had no idea how long we would be here.

    Starting today, while I sleep, you have to keep watch over the dark forest alone.

    Wake me up if you can¡¯t keep your eyes open any longer.

    I couldn¡¯t muster the courage to say it¡­

    ¡°Why? Is there something wrong?¡±

    Sirien approached me as I hesitated.

    Her clear red eyes. Her wless, clean face was now quite close.

    She looked adorable, tilting her head in curiosity, but it felt like the calm before the storm, making me uneasy.

    I needed a lot of determination to bring up the topic.

    ¡°You know, there might be fierce beasts lurking in this forest.¡±

    ¡°W-why are you saying that all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Well, these beasts usuallye out at night.¡±

    ¡°Oh. So¡­?¡±

    ¡°If a beast approaches and we¡¯re both asleep, what do you think will happen?¡±

    Sirien¡¯s expression hardened.

    Or perhaps it would be more urate to say she froze.

    Her face, filled with anxiety, became motionless and silent.

    Since Sirien was smart, she must have quickly arrived at the correct conclusion.

    The problem was that this conclusion was a reality she absolutely couldn¡¯t ept.

    Sirien attempted to negotiate.

    ¡°Maybe if Razen notices early and wakes up...?¡±

    ¡°No matter how sharp I am, I don¡¯t have that kind of ability.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, ugh! What about magic?¡±

    ¡°If I could use it, that would be the best solution.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t use magic.

    And she?

    Of course not.

    Sirien had never learned swordsmanship or magic.

    ¡°What should we do, then?¡±

    ¡°We need to take turns keeping watch. Alternating between the two of us.¡±

    ¡°Alone?¡±

    ¡°Of course alone. What¡¯s the point if we both stay awake?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but!¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long for Sirien to understand.

    If you could call saying ¡°Alright...¡± with a tearful expression understanding.

    She wore that familiar look of holding back tears. It had been a while since I¡¯d seen it, and it made me feel both nostalgic and guilty.

    ¡°If it gets too much, you can wake me up.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll try to endure.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t pass out from exhaustion, okay?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t!¡±

    Sirien retorted sharply.

    Then she averted her gaze and muttered in a small voice.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine... Just hold my hand while sleep.¡±

    She extended her white hand toward me.

 Chapter 19: A Perilous Journey (4)

    <b>Chapter 19: A Perilous Journey (4)</b>

    The rock used as a screen at the campsite was quite cozy.

    Night had fallen, casting shadows over the forest.

    Looking up, the sky, vacated by the sun, was adorned with the shimmering moon and stars.

    Somewhere, insects were chirping, but it wasn¡¯t overly noisy.

    Close by, there was the sound of gentle breathing.

    Sirien, who had been fussing about the sleeping arrangements, surprisingly fell asleep in an instant.

    Despite the hard ground, there was nothing she could do against the overwhelming fatigue.

    Since it was the first night, I nned to let her sleep as much as possible.¡°Mmm, no. I want more...¡±

    She seemed to be having a happy dream, and I felt sorry to disturb her.

    After vowing revenge with tearsst night, she deserved a sweet dream today.

    A cold wind blew briefly.

    The campfire¡¯s mes flickered wildly in the wind.

    The flickering light made the shadows in the forest retreat a step back. In the vacated space, no threatening enemy was visible.

    It was just the traces of our campsite preparation that were briefly revealed.

    Still, there was only one presence that could be felt.

    ¡®Persistent little thing. It¡¯s about time to give up and retreat.¡¯

    Although the movement was small, the presence was distinctly felt.

    It was some distance away.

    The thing that had been following us from the edge of the forest was still trailing us.

    It wasn¡¯t particrly threatening. Even as night fell, it showed no significant movement.

    It was just watching us from a ce where its appearance couldn¡¯t be discerned with the naked eye.

    I wanted to see what it looked like at least once, but since it wasn¡¯t even trying to hide, it seemed like it would continue to act this way.

    I wished my eyes were a bit sharper.

    I wasn¡¯tpletely blind in the dark, but my night vision wasn¡¯t particrly good.

    ¡®In the original story, Razen could see well even in the dark. Was it an ability he acquiredter?¡¯

    I was strong in the original story, but particrly powerful in the dark.

    A human who could skillfully utilize darkness better than demons, there was no need for further exnation.

    I wondered if bing a Swordmaster would grant enhanced vision, but it didn¡¯t seem to be the case.

    Other Swordmasters didn¡¯t try anything simr.

    As expected from a trashy novel, there were no detailed exnations.

    It seemed like a unique ability that only I possessed... and there was one likely source.

    ¡®The Church of Rest. The Hibras Church.¡¯

    Hibras was the god guiding all life to rest.

    The god of rest. Also known as the god of death.

    In the novel, the god of rest chose Sirien as a saintess, and I joined the religion following her.

    Razen didn¡¯t seem particrly devout, yet wielded immense power.

    Hibras wasn¡¯t a god of night or darkness, but it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if there were some unknown powers.

    After all, the apostle of the sun god had many seemingly useless powers too.

    Like the ability to make half-baked cookies delicious.

    In the novel, male leads would often use their great powers to cater to the female protagonist¡¯s tastes...

    Anyway, Hibras was branded as an evil god in theter parts of the novel.

    The cults gathered around the female protagonist dered a holy war after confirming the evidence.

    Now, it¡¯s dismissed as a long-extinct cult, but it must still have some remnants left somewhere for the novel¡¯s content to be usible.

    ¡®But that¡¯s the strange part.¡¯

    In the novel, the Hibras Church was depicted as an incredibly powerful force.

    By the final chapter, it had seized control of nearly half the empire, starting from the Grand Duchy of Eilencia.

    The speed at which it expanded was so fast that other Churchs grew wary of it.

    However, the Hibras Church of the present was nowhere to be found.

    The knowledge of it being an ¡®Church that perished long ago¡¯ was something I had read in passing from an old book in Rehaim Castle.

    It was never mentioned by anyone else.

    If not for that book, I wouldn¡¯t have had the slightest clue about what Hibras was doing or where it was.

    A god whose name was unfamiliar even to ordinary people. The novel¡¯s content still wasn¡¯t helping me.

    How much time would it take for this knowledge to be useful?

    I couldn¡¯t be sure if I would still be alive by then.

    ¡®Maybe we need to find them ourselves?¡¯

    Come to think of it, that might be the better option.

    The Church, barely hanging on in some secluded ce, would be struggling just to keep themselves afloat.

    They wouldn¡¯te looking for us, iming to serve the saintess.

    We were the ones in immediate need of power.

    Even the power of an evil god who openly demanded human sacrifices would suffice.

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    Had the deep night made me think too much?

    There was a rustling sound from a short distance away.

    I held my breath as I reached for my sword.

    The direction of the sound was clear.

    With half of our surroundings blocked by arge rock, I only needed to watch one area.

    ¡®It wasn¡¯t the wind. Too quiet to be a monster, likely a wild animal. Should I wake Sirien just in case?¡¯

    The first possibility I considered was a small wild animal.

    Seeing her sleeping soundly, I didn¡¯t want to wake her yet.

    I lit a branch I had set aside earlier to make a torch.

    I looked around, but saw nothing immediately.

    Shadows cast by the weeds and trees. Rocks that appeared pitch ck.

    In the silence of the forest, the sound of a beast echoed.

    - Grrrrr.

    A growl filled with obvious hostility.

    It wasn¡¯t going to ambush us; it wasing straight at us.

    Though it wasn¡¯t close yet, I couldn¡¯t be sure how fast the predators in this forest were.

    No matter the distance, I couldn¡¯t afford to becent.

    I needed to prepare forbat immediately.

    ¡°Sirien, wake up!¡±

    It was our first battle in this maze-like forest.

    <b>* * *</b>

    - Grrk, gck.

    From top to bottom.

    My sword pierced through the beast¡¯s head.

    Blood sprayed like a fountain, drenching me.

    It was a close call.

    Just before its sharp teeth could bite me, my sword struck its vital point by a hair¡¯s breadth.

    Two beasts resembling wolves had attacked us.

    Though they appeared to be canine predators, I didn¡¯t know their exact names.

    We were lucky there were only two; if there had been even one more, I would have certainly lost an arm.

    ¡°Ugh. Blood got in my mouth. It¡¯s too fishy.¡±

    ¡°Are you okay? It looked like you got scratched earlier. Are you hurt badly?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It doesn¡¯t hurt much, so I don¡¯t think the wound is deep.¡±

    The beasts were about a meter in size.

    They weren¡¯t formidable enough to be considered a major threat. I had faced such creatures several times during knights¡¯ training.

    The difference was that those were in a safe environment, while this was not.

    And it seemed like these ones were slightly bigger.

    Perhaps it was because I couldn¡¯t handle the beasts without injury.

    Not to make excuses, but my movements were a bit sluggish due to lingering injuries.

    No matter how good my body¡¯s recovery was, a wound from a sword couldn¡¯t heal overnight.

    I got wounds that I wouldn¡¯t have sustained if I were in perfect condition.

    Even though I couldn¡¯t see it, I knew there would be three w marks on my right side.

    The stinging pain was bing more pronounced.

    ¡°I can¡¯t see it because it¡¯s on your back.¡±

    ¡°Can you take a look?¡±

    ¡°Sure,e here.¡±

    By the campfire, I turned my back and took off my top.

    The warmth of the fire and the cool breeze mixed as they brushed over my body.

    ¡°Just as I thought. You¡¯re bleeding. Let me clean it. What should I use?¡±

    ¡°There should be a clean white towel in my backpack.¡±

    ¡°Is this it? I¡¯ll start cleaning, okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I thought the ws were sharp, but they seemed rougher than I expected.

    The pain was worse than I imagined, and I almost cried out.

    When I flinched, Sirien quickly pulled the towel away.

    ¡°Did it hurt a lot? Sorry. This is my first time doing this.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Keep going. If you don¡¯t clean it now, it might get infected.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Just bear with it a little. I¡¯ll be gentle.¡±

    Sirien took the word ¡°gentle¡± very seriously.

    If it had been an older knight, they would have scrubbed carelessly, but Sirien¡¯s towel moved delicately, avoiding the wound.

    I let her continue, having no desire to endure unnecessary pain.

    A brief silence fell.

    During that time, I looked at the corpse of the dead wolf.

    It was too dark to handle it now.

    I nned to disassemble it tomorrow without Sirien noticing.

    I figured the kind-hearted nobledy might faint if she saw it.

    Though I was inexperienced, it was something I had to do.

    I needed to salvage some meat and fur if possible.

    ¡°By the way, where did you put the spare sword I gave you?¡±

    ¡°That? I left it next to the backpack.¡±

    ¡°Well done. I¡¯ll take care of itter.¡±

    I had given Sirien a sword just in case.

    Though I hoped she¡¯d never need to use it, it was better to have it than not in the worst situation.

    ¡°Speaking of that, teach me how to use a sword starting tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°A sword? That might be difficult.¡±

    ¡°Still, I want to learn. Even just the basics.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Did Sirien ever use weapons in the novel?

    I couldn¡¯t recall. As the saintess of the Church and the grand duchess of Eilencia, Sirien never had to be on the battlefield.

    She always had protection, so there were no scenes of her fighting directly.

    She wasn¡¯t depicted with a weapon in her hands at all.

    Sirien¡¯s role was mainly strategic or supportive.

    Still, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to teach her some self-defense.

    Tomorrow. I never imagined that Sirien would discover an unexpected talent.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 20: A Perilous Journey (5)

    <b>Chapter 20: A Perilous Journey (5)</b>

    Afterst night¡¯s attack, I managed to get a bit of sleep.

    Sirien held out for quite a while on the first watch. Longer than I expected.

    When she cautiously nudged me awake, she looked like she was about to cry, but she seemed to have endured well on her own.

    However, she was quite scared of the night until she fell back asleep.

    ¡°Ugh, the leaves keep rustling in the wind¡­ and there are strange noises too. I¡¯m sorry, but could you stay with me for a bit? Just for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Why not just sleep? You¡¯ve done enough.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then just for a little while, hold my hand again.¡±

    So, I spent the night with one hand held captive, and Sirien, who had fallen into a deep sleep, woke up to a painful morning.- Teach me how to use a sword starting tomorrow

    - Even just the basics.

    The bold words she spokest night came to mind, but it seemed unlikely I¡¯d be teaching her any swordsmanship today.

    The youngdy was groaning in pain from severe muscle aches.

    This might be the first time Sirien had ever experienced such pain.

    Crack!

    ¡°Eek?¡±

    Sirien froze as she tried to get up.

    The sound of her bones cracking was loud enough to be heard clearly.

    It probably wasn¡¯t painful, but the sounding from her body seemed quite shocking.

    Her slightly open mouth seemed to say, ¡®I¡¯m shocked right now.¡¯

    Her bright eyes widened, and her red pupils looked at me with desperation.

    Sirien was in an awkward position, neither sitting nor standing.

    She seemed afraid to fully get up and equally scared to lie back down.

    I was curious to see what she would choose next.

    ¡°Razen! Is there something wrong with my body?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably just muscle soreness. Where does it hurt?¡±

    ¡°My whole body hurts. I can understand why my legs hurt, but my shoulders, back, and waist hurt too. Even the slightest movement feels like my body is being squeezed. What should I do? Is it serious?¡±

    What else? You just need to move to relieve the soreness.

    For an ordinary person, I would have said that and made them move, but unfortunately, she was a precious youngdy.

    I should show some sincerity on my part. Even a simple stretch could help.

    It was not that I wanted to y a cruel joke on her.

    Massaging sore muscles hurts more than you¡¯d think, but that¡¯s beyond my control.

    ¡°Come here. I¡¯ll help you stretch.¡±

    ¡°Ugh! Okay, I¡¯ming.¡±

    Sirien walked like a rusty, creaking robot.

    Her steps were unnatural and awkward.

    She must have been trying to move in the least painful way possible.

    It was pointless. I was nning to force her to stretch anyway.

    Besides, she could have just called for me, but that didn¡¯t seem to ur to her.

    I decided to wait. Watching her was entertaining, and there¡¯s a saying that effort is beautiful.

    Eventually, Sirien made it to me with more bone-cracking sounds. She looked like a dejected puppy as she trudged over.

    As soon as she arrived, I grabbed her and started stretching her body. Without mercy.

    ¡°Eek! Ra-Razen, gently! Gently!¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t work if I¡¯m gentle.¡±

    ¡°Aaah! I¡¯ll hate you! I¡¯ll never forgive you! Well, maybe not never, but I won¡¯t forgive you easily! Aaah!¡±

    So, she would forgive me after all?

    They say forgiveness is easier than permission.

    I massaged her legs again, which I had loosened up yesterday, and pressed hard on her back and waist where she said it hurt.

    Sirien pouted a lot afterward, but after some coaxing, she calmed down quickly.

    Sirien had always been surprisingly easy to deal with. Now, she was blushing a little and staring off into the distance.

    That¡¯s where the one following us was. Was she still worried? I didn¡¯t think too deeply about it.

    I asked Sirien to prepare breakfast while I processed the wolf I had killed yesterday.

    It was less of a meticulous process and more of a rough hacking and tearing at the skin and meat, so I didn¡¯t get as much out of it as I hoped.

    Sirien was startled when she saw me covered in the beast¡¯s blood.

    By lunchtime, we were back on the road.

    Our pace was slower than yesterday¡¯s because Sirien had developed many blisters on her feet.

    I increased our rest breaks to make the walking less painful for her.

    This proved to be a good decision. Sirien seemed to struggle less than she had the previous day.

    The increase in her chatter was proof of that.

    ¡°Oh! I just remembered, you were going to teach me how to use the sword today. Can we start after lunch?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Sirien chatted away, noting how the weather was better today and how there seemed to be a fragrant smell in the forest.

    Her characteristic unfounded confidence was still there.

    It seemed Sirien believed she had a knack for physical activities, and she thought she¡¯d improve quickly once she started learning the sword.

    But, as expected, Sirien showed no talent for the sword.

    Not only did sheck talent, but she also struggled to wield the sword properly.

    The sword felt quite heavy and substantial even to me, so it must have been overwhelming for Sirien.

    However, it wasn¡¯t just a matter of the sword or strength. Surprisingly, her physical strength wasn¡¯t the main issue.

    Until now, we hadn¡¯t realized Sirien¡¯s physical strength because she never had to use it directly.

    Her strength was just enough to pass muster. After all, the Grand Duchess of Eilencia had no reason to toil.

    There were always people around to do the heavy lifting for her.

    But thinking back, there was no reason for Sirien to be weak. Before we entered the cabin, Sirien always ate well and moved actively around the castle.

    Her elderly maid could hardly keep up with her.

    This meant she had a good diet and high activity level, resulting in Sirien having the body of a very healthy twelve-year-old girl.

    So, when she first swung the sword a few times, I wondered if this might actually work.

    When I told her that her initial swings were okay, Sirien¡¯s eyes sparkled.

    ¡°See! I might have talent! They always said I was quick to learn anything!¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ you certainly were good at studying.¡±

    ¡°Not just studying. It was the same with dancing. If I get good at using the sword, I might eventually be better at fighting than you, Razen.¡±

    The Grand Duchess of Eilencia spoke grandly, but as mentioned earlier, the results were disappointing.

    Her initial swings were fine, but even after correcting her posture, there was no noticeable improvement.

    She only improved as much as she was taught, which was still not enough to be considered good.

    Sirien, who always excelled in everything, was surprisingly average with the sword.

    It was hard to shake off the thought that she was just mediocre at this.

    Her technique for applying force was not refined.

    She used too much force when swinging strongly and couldn¡¯t stop when she needed to.

    She did well with what she was told, but only exactly that.

    Her movements were too stiff, and there were too many things to correct.

    She especially struggled with linking more than two actions together.

    It seemed she couldn¡¯t adapt well on the fly, resulting in unnatural movements.

    She had never been good at quick thinking.

    If she continued, she would improve, but it seemed unlikely that either of us would be satisfied with the progress.

    ¡°Ugh! I quit!¡±

    In the end, Sirien threw down the sword in frustration.

    Even then, she didn¡¯t throw it hard, worried about damaging it.

    Somehow, the Grand Duchess¡¯s anger had be cheaper than a single sword.

    ¡°Is there anything else?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Anything else. There wasn¡¯t much.

    We didn¡¯t have many weapons.

    I used one sword, and Sirien had a spare, both of which were simr in size and weight.

    Other than that, there was¡­

    ¡°A dagger and a hand axe? I have the dagger with me right now.¡±

    I had taken them from the bodies of those who had died in the cabin. They hadn¡¯t even put up much of a fight.

    Neither seemed particrly appealing.

    The dagger was easy to handle but impractical.

    To use it, Sirien would have to get closer than with a sword, making it difficult to face even a wolf like the one we encountered yesterday.

    Sirien fighting a wolf with a dagger didn¡¯t seem likely to end well.

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to fight at close range anyway, the axe is probably better than the dagger.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll try the axe first.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? There¡¯s a reason it¡¯s not our primary choice.¡±

    The axe is easy to use and quite powerful, but its short range is a significant drawback.

    Especially if the opponent is not human but a monster with superior physical abilities.

    I didn¡¯t want to give Sirien such a weapon for self-defense.

    Using it as a throwing weapon might be an option, but whether it was knife throwing or axe throwing, teaching a beginner wasn¡¯t going to be easy.

    Even I wasn¡¯t very confident with axe throwing.

    I had only learned the basics, just enough to be cautious if I ever had to fight barbarians.

    I think the movement went like this.

    ¡°Can you follow along? Hold the handle at the end, and move your wrist like this¡­¡±

    It had been a long time since I had tried this, so I wasn¡¯t sure if I could demonstrate it well.

    Fortunately, when I tried, the axe somehow embedded itself into the tree.

    And when Sirien threw it. I was on high alert, expecting it to fly in a strange direction, but that wasn¡¯t necessary.

    Sirien¡¯s throw embedded the axe into the tree even more sharply than mine.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°This is it!¡±

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 21: A Perilous Journey (6)

    <b>Chapter 21: A Perilous Journey (6)</b>

    It has now been four days since we entered this forest.

    Suddenly, an old story came to mind.

    They said there was a forgotten forest in the northwest of the Empire.

    Once, it was called the Demon Realm by the Empire and became a subject of fear, but even that fear was forgotten, and no one cared anymore.

    And where dangerous monsters lived but held no particr value.

    There were no special resources, nor was it of anymercial or military strategic importance.

    Maybe if one looked, they might find a mine or two, but even now, the Empire was a resource-rich nation.

    There was no reason to waste money developing such a dangerous forest.Because it held no value, not even humans or demons ventured close.

    Thus, the forest in the northwest of the Empire disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight.

    Even the Empire only asionally included it in its territory, without ever managing it practically.

    Naturally, in novels, it was only mentioned as ¡°a forest in the northwest.¡±

    But we were acutely aware of why this ce was once called the Demon Realm.

    KAAANG!

    A clear, resonant metallic sound echoed.

    ¡®This is crazy! I thought I blocked it.¡¯

    The shock that traveled through my hand was unusual.

    My sword was instantly knocked aside, and its path skewed.

    In a way, it was fortunate.

    If I had tried to withstand it, the de would have been cut off instantly.

    Even though the de grazed my wrist as I retrieved it, it didn¡¯t seem like a direct hit.

    This time, the opponent was a monster.

    What would partially hardenedva look like if it took human form?

    Red hues were visible all over its ashen, hardened body.

    It looked more like blood than mes, but its appearance inevitably reminded one of coolingva.

    It basically walked on two legs like a human and swung its two arms like weapons.

    Its lower body was ordinary, but its upper body was massive.

    First of all, its arms were absurdly long.

    If it spread its arms out, they would probably be close to 4 meters long.

    The arms were thick too, giving off an impression of brute strength.

    Its fierce nails made one think of ws. I saw a tree get effortlessly cut down a moment ago.

    We had exchanged blows several times, but it wasn¡¯t easy.

    However, I recently gained a useful card to y.

    ¡°Sirien. Now!¡±

    ¡°Take this!¡±

    The axe thrown by Sirien lodged into the monster¡¯s crown.

    A clean, wless hit.

    Sirien¡¯s ¡®unexpected talent¡¯ was disyed without fail.

    The praise I had given her recently for hitting anything she could get her hands on paid off.

    Even though I had to scold her when she threw a fork, Sirien¡¯s throwing skills had undeniably improved.

    If it were human, it would have been dead the moment a chunk of metal lodged into its head.

    But that wasn¡¯t always the case with monsters.

    The monster became wildly agitated by the sudden intrusion of the metal.

    It let out a scream that could make the entire forest tremble.

    With murderous intent in its eyes, it red at Sirien, but she no longer had a weapon.

    There was no reason to fight such a monster without a weapon.

    Naturally, Sirien ran without looking back, and I didn¡¯t allow pursuit.

    ¡°Well done! I¡¯ll finish it, so stay hidden.¡±

    No answer came. She had learned not to reply when told not to.

    She learned quickly once taught.

    There was no need to reveal Sirien¡¯s position to the enemy since I could call her once the fight was over.

    Unlike beasts that sometimes lived in packs, monsters roamed alone.

    Unless under the control of a powerful Demon King or Dark mage, that is.

    Although they were significantly more dangerous than most predators alone, their solitary nature made them easier to handle.

    But we were two.

    Even though we had only one axe, giving us just one chance to use Sirien, one chance was all I needed.

    Just one moment of distraction, one break in its stance, and I couldnd several blows.

    The monster¡¯s ck blood sttered everywhere.

    Moreover, this monster couldn¡¯t understand humannguage.

    Its guard was up in anticipation of a second or third attack.

    In contrast, I only had to focus on this one creature.

    ¡®Its ws are as sharp as well-honed des. Its strength seems to be above most predators. If I get hit even once, I might die.¡¯

    Considering the difference in physical abilities, I was no match.

    Strength, reach, speed¡ªall of these were disadvantages for me.

    But martial arts are designed to counter such enemies.

    The opponent had a far superior body but cursed intelligence.

    Its vision was short, and its movements were excessivelyrge.

    Since it moved more by instinct than intellect, I had the upper hand in tactical maneuvers.

    It was the same now.

    The monster¡¯s arm lunged straight at me.

    A thrust is difficult to defend but easy to dodge.

    I ducked, and its ws embedded in the tree behind me.

    Given its strength, it would soon pull them out, but my strike wouldn¡¯t take long either.

    - KIEEEEEK! KIEK! KRRRRAAAK!

    With a slice, I cut off one of its arms.

    The monster howled in pain and went berserk.

    While it iled meaninglessly in the air, I stepped back to catch my breath.

    ¡°It¡¯s really angry.¡±

    The monster looked ready to charge at me with its eyes wide open.

    It was fortunate.

    The severed end of its arm was already twitching and starting to regenerate.

    Dragging this out would be troublesome for me.

    Despite its human-like appearance, I must not be deceived.

    It was no different from a beast.

    Monsters were creatures driven purely by instinct and aggression.

    Just once. If I could dodge just once, counterattacking wouldn¡¯t be difficult.

    I watched its movements intently.

    I confirmed something while dodging its attacks.

    Its body structure was definitely simr to that of a primate.

    The muscles from its back pulled as it moved its arms, and the pushing motion from its chest was identical.

    Both eyes clearly focused on me, revealing its intentions without any hesitation.

    ¡®Here ites.¡¯

    Its leg drew back like a bowstring.

    I didn¡¯t miss the movement of its muscles.

    Theunched attack was fast, nearly impossible to track with the naked eye.

    Nearly impossible didn¡¯t mean it was impossible.

    Its remaining right arm approached as if to crush me.

    Defense was pointless.

    Trying to block its ws with my sword would only result in my body being shattered along with the sword.

    What I had to do was use its speed against it.

    Its uncontrolled speed would turn back on itself.

    While desperately dodging, I gripped my sword firmly.

    The moment my sword intersected its trajectory, a jarring recoil hit both my arms.

    ¡°Urgh!¡±

    It was a sess.

    The bisected monster¡¯s body tumbled pathetically through the forest.

    There was no time to stand still.

    If it were a monster that could die just because its lower body was severed, it would have died when Sirien¡¯s axe struck it earlier.

    When engaging with monsters, a definite finish was essential.

    You had to assume they could regenerate anytime until they werepletely dead.

    I chased after the shattered body, cutting off its head and stabbing its heart. The heart was the key.

    Feeling something hard with the tip of my sword, I stabbed several times until I broke it.

    Only then did the monster stop screaming and its body stiffened.

    But I didn¡¯t expect this.

    - KIEEEEK!

    The monster¡¯s body exploded, and ck blood gushed over me.

    * * *

    ¡°Ts. This will leave a scar too.¡±

    The impact of the explosion wasn¡¯t severe.

    Half of the monster¡¯s body was already blown away, and its heart was destroyed, after all.

    Even its final desperate struggle wasn¡¯t fatal.

    Some acidic liquid, possibly from its insides, sshed out, but it only slightly corroded my skin.

    Since I reacted quickly, only my left arm was somewhat injured.

    However, it seemed a scar would remain.

    The deep wound I received in the fight at the cabin had also scarred, and this wouldn¡¯t be any different.

    I was beginning to understand why Razen¡¯s body in the novel was covered in scars.

    ¡°There are no more bandages. What should we do?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to untie the one wrapped around my right arm.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Give me your arm. I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    From the cabin to this forest, the battles had been relentless.

    New wounds appeared faster than my body could heal the old ones.

    As a result, we were now running low on bandages.

    Sirien gritted her teeth.

    She red at my wound as she wrapped the bandage around it.

    ¡°Damn it... Don¡¯t get hurt. It makes me sad.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I can control it. Ah, make sure to wrap the clean side of the bandage around it.¡±

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll be careful.¡±

    Before long, Sirien¡¯s first-aid skills had be quite proficient.

    A girl who used to freak out at the sight of blood from a needle prick was now handling blood-soaked bandages without flinching.

    While it was a good change for survival, it didn¡¯t make me particrly happy.

    If I had been stronger, could I have kept her as a sheltered flower? It was something I couldn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s blood here too.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What? Did I get hurt there too? Must have gotten scratched by a tree. Just leave it. It¡¯ll stop bleeding on its own.¡±

    A small wound had appeared on my other arm.

    Blood was trickling from a cut.

    It wasn¡¯t deep, and the bleeding was minimal.

    So, it was really okay to leave it alone.

    But Sirien¡¯s sudden action made me flinch.

    -Smooch.

    Her soft lips touched the wound, and I felt a slight suction.

    Sirien was sucking the blood from the wound.

    ¡°What, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°What does it look like? I¡¯m sucking the blood.¡±

    ¡°Why...?¡±

    ¡°To make it heal faster...?¡±

    Does that even make the wound heal faster?

    I was utterly baffled, but Sirien looked at me with a puzzled expression, as if not understanding why I was reacting this way.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 22: A Perilous Journey (7)

    <b>Chapter 22: A Perilous Journey (7)</b>

    In this world, there existed bloodlines with special powers.

    Among them, the House of Eilencia, alongside the Imperial family, was considered a prime example of such a ¡°special bloodline.¡±

    In some respects, Eilencia¡¯s lineage was even more renowned than that of the Imperial family.

    Supreme Purity.

    The noblest and purest blood.

    While the Imperial family inherited the most distinguished blood, Eilencia received the purest.

    In a world where gods and mana existed, pure blood was like a nk canvas.

    From the perspective of mana, all humans were tainted. Because of these blemishes, some humans found it difficult to ept divine power, while others had unstable mana flowing through their bodies.asionally, some people manifested peculiar abilities due to these distortions in their mana.

    From the moment of birth, everyone had a certain twist in their mana. Just as a river meanders around mountains, everyone¡¯s mana flow had its own unique blemishes.

    Even I was no exception to the influence of these blemishes.

    I was blessed with mana to the extent that I had the perfect talent to be a knight.

    Although I had never tested it, based on the descriptions in the novel, I likely had no shortage of ability to ept divine power.

    However, magic was something I could never use, no matter how hard I tried.

    It was a disastrously poor match for me.

    Despite not being theoretically difficultpared to modern mathematics, I couldn¡¯t cast even the simplest illumination spell.

    In Eilencia¡¯s bloodline, there were no such blemishes.

    They were like a pure white canvas with no color.

    The moment a color was added, Eilencia¡¯s canvas turned into beautiful, clear colored paper.

    Had Therion grown up healthy, he would have be a swordsman with the purest, densest aura.

    If Sirien had pursued the path of a mage, she would have mastered all elements.

    At Rehaim Castle, Sirien studied theology. She hadn¡¯t formally approached the Church for baptism, though.

    This was partly because she hadn¡¯t decided to join, but also because she might immediately be a candidate for sainthood.

    The priest¡¯s power depended on how well they epted divine power, and Eilencia¡¯s bloodline was well-suited for this.

    In fact, a direct descendant of Eilencia who was formally baptized was guaranteed at least the position of a bishop.

    ¡°In that sense, the mana in my body right now is in its purest form.¡±

    Ahem. Sirien puffed out her chest proudly.

    Her expression somehow exuded a sense of pride, provoking a mischievous urge.

    It was hard to resist the temptation to flick her forehead.

    ¡°Healing people¡¯s wounds ultimatelyes from the power of mana. My body fluids contain a bit of mana, so doing this helps!¡±

    ¡°Where did you hear that?¡±

    ¡°Huh? I heard it from Mom on my room¡¯s balcony!¡±

    It turned out that the culprit who had instilled this strange knowledge in Sirien was none other than the Duchess.

    I remembered her as a strict person, so it was surprising she had shared this with her daughter.

    It felt like my understanding ofmon sense was being shattered.

    ¡°And she didn¡¯t say to do this with anyone?¡±

    ¡°She said not to do it for just anyone. But it¡¯s okay for someone precious. You¡¯re my precious friend, Razen. As long as no one sees, anyone would appreciate it. How about you? Do you like it, Razen?¡±

    ¡°Uh... yeah. Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Hehe. This should help you heal a bit faster. Should I blow on it too?¡±

    ¡°No, that won¡¯t be necessary. This is already enough.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    Was it her final act of kindness?

    Sirien¡¯s tongue lightly grazed the wound before withdrawing.

    Even though it was just a brief touch, the sensation of her soft, warm tongue lingered.

    It was hard to look at Sirien¡¯s smiling face.

    My face felt hot.

    I stood up, trying to act nonchnt.

    ¡°We¡¯ve rested enough. Let¡¯s get going again.¡±

    <b>* * *</b>

    As our journey continued, one thought kept circling in my mind.

    It seemed like we were heading deeper into the forest.

    No, the issue wasn¡¯t that we were heading there; we were already quite deep.

    And we were beginning to feel firsthand just how dangerous the deeper parts of this forest were.

    Suddenly, the surrounding trees became taller and thicker.

    It was unimaginable how long these ancient trees had stood.

    Looking up to see their tops made my neck ache.

    To make matters worse, fog began to set in.

    The more we moved, the more frequently we encountered threats.

    On the first night, we faced a pack of gigantic wolves while keeping watch, and once, we fought against a self-destructive monster.

    We also asionally came across fierce beasts and colossal monsters that we had never seen or heard of before.

    We couldn¡¯t fight all of them.

    My body wouldn¡¯tst.

    Even now, I was covered in wounds.

    I didn¡¯t hesitate to engage in unavoidable battles, but I tried to avoid fighting whenever possible.

    Fortunately, it seemed therger creatures were less aggressive.

    Did they only hunt when necessary?

    Due to their size, we could sometimes spot them first and hide. Most of our battles urred with creatures that saw us as small prey.

    However, there was one exception.

    In the foggy forest.

    Thud. Thud.

    A heavy sound shook the ground like an earthquake.

    The branches of ancient trees snapped with a loud crack, falling and shattering under tremendous force.

    ¡°Razen¡­¡±

    ¡°Shh. It¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    Sirien and I held our breaths simultaneously.

    Sirien was so frightened that I tucked her into my arms, covering her mouth gently.

    I didn¡¯t hold her too tightly, just enough to let her know I was protecting her.

    That was enough to keep her from screaming.

    We hid between rocks and trees, looking upward.

    What we saw had the form of a human.

    A dark shadow moved slowly through the white mist.

    It didn¡¯t have the massive upper body or sharp ws of the previous monster.

    Its skin, with visible veins glowing red, resembled that of a human.

    But it was excessivelyrge. I couldn¡¯t gauge its height. It looked to be over 10 meters tall.

    I used my finger to trace words onto Sirien¡¯s palm,municating my thoughts slowly and carefully to avoid any misunderstanding. Sirien focused intently on my message.

    - Its vision seems poor.

    A few birds flew near the giant. It should have seen them, but it didn¡¯t react.

    - The problem is its hearing. We need to be cautious about sound.

    Yes, the issue was that the giant had keen hearing. Its head turned at the slightest sound of the wind.

    There was a beast nearby, prowling as if it were nervous.

    It resembled a bear. Like me, it seemed to have noticed the giant and was trying to retreat but wasn¡¯t cautious enough.

    Crack!

    Something broke under the beast¡¯s foot.

    I couldn¡¯t tell what made the noise.

    The only clear thing was that the giant reacted to it and became extremely aggressive.

    - KRAAAAAAAAH!

    Thud! Thud!

    The giant charged straight at the beast that had made the noise.

    Despite its heavy movements, it was fast.

    Its sheer size allowed it to cover ground quickly with each stride.

    In no time, the giant closed the distance and seized the beast in its grasp.

    I made sure Sirien didn¡¯t see what happened next.

    Watching a living creature being devoured wasn¡¯t something she needed to see.

    We had to hold our breath for a long time until the giantpletely disappeared from view.

    The thick fog made it hard to trust our eyes, so we waited even longer.

    When we finally decided to move again, neither of us looked happy.

    ¡°Do you think there are more of those things in this forest?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to find out.¡±

    ¡°I never want to see one again¡­ I just want to get out of this forest quickly.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. We can¡¯t fight monsters like that.¡±

    Sirien¡¯s reaction was cold. She seemed to think my statement was obvious.

    ¡°If we could fight, would we?¡±

    ¡°If we get spotted, we have no choice. In that case, you should at least try to escape.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that again. I¡¯ll get mad.¡±

    ¡°Then what should we do?¡±

    ¡°We run away together.¡±

    She was essentially saying that if escape wasn¡¯t possible, she would draw her sword.

    There was no point in arguing over something that hadn¡¯t happened, so I just nodded.

    Only then did Sirien smile in satisfaction.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s starting again. That scent. Razen, can¡¯t you really smell it?¡±

    ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t smell anything. My nose isn¡¯t bad, you must be imagining it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s strange. It seems to be getting stronger.¡±

    ¡°Does it bother you a lot?¡±

    ¡°Not really. It¡¯s just like the scent we smelled when we visited the mausoleum.¡±

    Come to think of it, when we first entered this forest, Sirien asionally mentioned smelling a scent.

    I had never smelled it, and it didn¡¯t seem to fit this forest, more appropriate for a funeral.

    Maybe she was picking up on some nt scent I couldn¡¯t detect?

    After all, funeral incense is made from certain nts.

    Despite our confusion, we kept moving forward.

    And the next day, we reached the border.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 23: The Boundary (1)

    <b>Chapter 23: The Boundary (1)</b>

    Dark silhouettes navigated through the night.

    The goddess of night had veiled the forest.

    The race of the galloping hooves added to the silence that had settled on thend.

    The sleeping animals had to endure the illusion of the world turning upside down.

    The sound of ten horse hooves was as sudden and threatening as thunder in a clear sky.

    Even if there were any humans nearby, they would have thought an army was moving and cowered in fear.

    They were all dressed in ck.

    Masks covered their faces, and hoods draped over them. The men seemed to blendpletely into the night.In reality, it was no different.

    They only moved at night, even outside the forest.

    Those who hid from the moonlight under the cover of deep darkness.

    Professionals in the art of taking lives without anyone knowing.

    In the underworld, they were called ¡°Crescent Moon,¡± a name not easily spoken aloud.

    ¡°There¡¯s a monster approaching from the right. It seems to have been provoked by the noise. What should we do?¡±

    ¡°Deal with it. Two should be enough?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s plenty.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long to deal with the monster.

    If they were so weak that they couldn¡¯t kill a mere monster or two, they wouldn¡¯t have been chosen as subordinates in the first ce.

    How long had the men in ck been disturbing the deep night?

    The leading man relied on a crude map and abandoned forest paths to navigate.

    The guiding tools were inadequate, but the man had confidence.

    He was sure they were following the correct path.

    He could see traces that others couldn¡¯t.

    Very old wagon wheel tracks.

    Traces of peopleing and going a few times.

    Judging by the time the traces were left, they roughly matched the time his client had mentioned.

    Following those wheel tracks should lead to the cabin where the target was supposed to be.

    He was a former ranger. He had an affair with the wife of his unitmander and killed the enragedmander when he was caught.

    Honestly, it was a despicable thing, but he enjoyed it.

    For those who needed someone to handle ¡°discreet matters,¡± that fact wasn¡¯t a w.

    Rather, he saw his crime as a kind of badge of honor.

    Deserting a ranger unit was generally impossible.

    Rangers were strict in their discipline and equally strict in their punishment.

    So killing the unitmander and deserting implied something else entirely.

    It meant he had killed all the pursuing unit members and erased his trackspletely.

    His outstanding skills and clean handling of the aftermath were acknowledged in one go.

    This time, too, his skills were navigating smoothly.

    A smile curved on his lips as he extended his right arm and gave an order.

    ¡°Stop.¡±

    They had arrived.

    An artificial scene unfolded before their eyes.

    A circr clearing in the middle of the forest.

    In the center of that clearing was a cabin.

    His eyes quickly scanned the surroundings.

    There was a pile of burnt logs around the cabin.

    Such an arrangement of logs was a trace of a cremation ceremony from the Grand Duchy of Eilencia.

    A little further away, bodies that seemed to belong to adult men were scattered.

    They were ipetent predecessors.

    ¡°This is the cabin the client mentioned. Search this area thoroughly. I¡¯ll check inside the cabin.¡±

    ¡°When do we regroup?¡±

    ¡°In fifteen minutes.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    As if they had nned it, the subordinates dispersed.

    He rode his horse up to the cabin, tied it nearby, and immediately began searching inside.

    For an old ce, it bore the heavy marks of use.

    First, he headed to the basement.

    The items in the underground storage were meticulously organized, as if someone had taken great care.

    So, he only needed to check the disturbed items.

    There was no need to look too closely.

    Most of what had been taken were preserved foods and emergency supplies.

    It seemed they had wisely taken what they needed for a long journey.

    They weren¡¯tpletely clueless, it seemed.

    It made the chase more interesting.

    While the four of them lived here, they hadn¡¯t seemed to rely much on preserved foods.

    The consumption of other ingredients and preserved foods was markedly different.

    The preserved food probably tasted bad. With other options avable, there was no reason to eat the preserved stuff.

    He knew from his ranger days how awful preserved food could taste.

    Excessively salty, hard, and tough¡ªit was never appealing.

    He could surmise that the preserved food had been taken for the journey ahead.

    For a group of four, it seemed enough for only a day or two?

    It was woefully insufficient.

    ¡®For a group of four, the number of items taken is too few. Probably two of them died. There were traces of a funeral, so the exact number should be confirmed by the subordinates.¡¯

    His eyes caught sight of scattered boxes. The contents seemed to have been rummaged through haphazardly.

    If the person who organized these boxes had been alive, they wouldn¡¯t have allowed such a mess.

    It was clear who managed these boxes.

    Nobles¡¯ children wouldn¡¯t have organized the storage themselves if a maid was around.

    ¡®If two died, one of them must have been the maid. At least one of the siblings must have left here alive.¡¯

    This was very fortunate for him.

    If both siblings had died here, it would have been difficult to retrieve ¡°evidence.¡±

    His client promised additional payment depending on the oue. Bringing back at least one of the siblings¡¯ heads fresh would be a matter of pride.

    He continued to search the cabin.

    On the first floor, dried bloodstains were visible in several ces.

    The bloodstains were inconsistent in location and quantity.

    Sword marks were scattered everywhere.

    He concluded that the fight here must have been a brawl.

    In such a fight, both sides are bound to get hurt.

    Out of the four, only two seemed capable of fighting.

    At least one of the two must have died or been severely injured. And in such a remote ce, a severe injury was practically a death sentence.

    Even if they were alive, they would be a walking corpse.

    There were quite a few blood-stained bandages and scraps of cloth scattered around.

    It seemed they tore their own clothes to use as makeshift bandages, with torn pieces of fabric lying around.

    It looked like it belonged to the maid.

    It appears that the situation was critical.

    In this case, it would be more correct to assume death rather than serious injury.

    ¡®One of Eilencia¡¯s young lords or the Viscount Berthus must be dead. It¡¯d be better if the Viscount survived.¡¯

    His client had mentioned that this forest was quite dangerous.

    And the Viscount was supposedly quite skilled with a sword.

    He was advised to consider him to be of a higher caliber than most knights.

    Having at least one capable protector with them was better than imagining two clueless youngsters wandering into the forest.

    This way, they would stay alive until he arrived.

    It would be even better if the surviving direct descendant of Eilencia was a girl.

    ¡®That seems like the most likely scenario. Very satisfying.¡¯

    He was very fond of his job.

    Given the nature of his work, he often found himself shedding the blood of nobles.

    Every time he killed those who lived in luxury without a care in the world, a thrill boiled deep within him.

    Especially when it was women who were revered as nobledies.

    Seeing their pretty faces stained with tears was exhrating.

    He wanted to sever their crying necks and preserve them as trophies.

    What must it feel like for those who looked down onmoners all their lives to die by the hands of one?

    How miserable must they feel as they die?

    Relishing the emotions of his victims was the joy he found in his work.

    And this time, it was the daughter of the Grand Duke of Eilencia.

    A noble among nobles whom most people would never see in their lifetime.

    Would a girl with such noble blood shed tears when in pain?

    Would she beg for her life?

    Would she lick his boots if he promised to spare her?

    If there was a protector, he hoped the Grand Duke¡¯s daughter was fond of him.

    The despair when a trusted knight dies is very particr.

    ¡®Well, I¡¯ll get to meet her soon enough. Let¡¯s see each other soon, Grand Duke¡¯s daughter.¡¯

    Just as he finished gathering the necessary information, his subordinates returned at the appointed time.

    By then, he had already memorized even the smallest habits of the fugitives.

    Comparing it with what the subordinates found, his predictions were mostly urate.

    Two had died here. Judging by the skeletons, one was a woman and one was a man.

    As he was being briefed, the most satisfying news reached his ears.

    ¡°We found tracks of the escape. There are two sets of footprints.¡±

    ¡°Theposition?¡±

    ¡°Not much different from our expectations. One is a woman, one is a man. They seem to have headed northeast.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    A sinister smile crept up his face. A deep-seated killing intent smiled menacingly.

    ¡°Keep pursuing. We¡¯ll see them soon.¡±

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 24: The Boundary (2)

    <b>Chapter 24: The Boundary (2)</b>

    It was a sight I had never seen before.

    Even with everything I had seen and heard since being born into this world, even recalling the contents of countless books, I had nevere across such a story.

    In the middle of the lush forest, a long line had been drawn.

    It was a long line, extending so far that its end couldn¡¯t be seen with the naked eye.

    This boundary was so conspicuous that it was harder not to notice it.

    Outside the boundary, where we stood, the forest maintained its usual vibrant colors, but inside the line, it looked as if it were dead, tinged with a grayish hue.

    It was as if one corner of the world had beenpletely inverted.

    To put it in modern terms, the scene beyond the boundary looked like a ck-and-white movie.We had no choice but to stop in front of the boundary.

    I stopped Sirien as she reached out her hand out of curiosity.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it. We don¡¯t know what might happen.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. Something could happen.¡±

    It felt unsettling to just go in, but the line was too long to go around.

    We couldn¡¯t even tell where the outside of this line led to.

    This path coincidentally stretched northeast towards the Empire, directly in the direction of our first destination, the County of Eloran.

    Leaving this path would mean taking a longer and more arduous route.

    Even now, someone might be tracking us, even if they were not yet within sight.

    What should we do?

    Should we go in?

    Sirien, intrigued yet anxious, couldn¡¯t hide her unease.

    I gave her a reassuring pat on the back.

    ¡°Ah! You scared me.¡±

    ¡°What are you worrying about? We can just find out one step at a time.¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to step in myself.

    You know how sometimes there¡¯s that clich¨¦. Like a trap spell that sucks you in if you touch it.

    It was the kind of event the original female protagonist experienced.

    Was it an ancient dungeon back then?

    There was no guarantee that simr traps weren¡¯t here.

    First, I picked up a stone nearby and threw it.

    The stone passed into the boundary without resistance and lost its color.

    Thunk. Roll, roll.

    It didn¡¯t seem like any physicalws had changed, nor did the stone get damaged.

    Next, I picked up a nearby branch.

    I didn¡¯t want to risk one of the few swords we had for testing.

    I had Sirien step back a little and then slowly pushed the branch into the boundary.

    ¡°Wow...!¡±

    Sirien eximed in genuine awe.

    The feared urrence didn¡¯t happen.

    At least, there wasn¡¯t a trap sucking people in or anything like body corrosion happening after passing through.

    The branch that entered the boundary simply turned ck and white.

    Exactly from the point it crossed the line.

    Pushing the branch further in made it lose more color, and pulling it back restored its original color.

    Could such a powerful boundary have no effect at all?

    Even someone like me, who didn¡¯t know much about magic, could tell this was an extraordinary phenomenon.

    It was hard to imagine what kind of effect it could have.

    This time, I gathered some courage and stuck one arm in.

    My arm also changed color, but there was no special sensation.

    ¡°Eek! Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°For now, it seems fine. Just stay there for a moment.¡±

    It was impossible to tell what kind of spacey inside this boundary.

    It seemed right that I go in before Sirien, so I took a bold step forward.

    The world inside looked no different from the forest I had seen up until now.

    The grayish world had returned to its original state, and conversely, where I hade from.

    Sirien appeared ck and white.

    Had there been no need to worry from the start?

    It seemed I was free to leave the boundary as well.

    When I came back out, the ck-and-white world flipped again.

    It seemed that from this line, inside and outside viewed each other differently.

    Alright. I made up my mind.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go in. If we keep moving, we¡¯ll be able to leave this boundary eventually. We can always get out before anything happens.¡±

    Anyway, this forest was dangerous enough even without this suspicious boundary line.

    Adding a bit more danger now wasn¡¯t going to make me bat an eye.

    ¡°Ugh. The smell. It¡¯s much stronger.¡±

    Sirien frowned.

    * * *

    In the end, there wasn¡¯t much difference between inside and outside the boundary.

    Both were equally dangerous.

    Monsters that threatened our lives lurked everywhere inside the boundary, just as outside.

    Naturally, our optimistic hope was shattered.

    We gave up the hope that this boundary line would ward off external threats, like in the cabin.

    The biggest problem we faced was confirmed when we saw the giant we had encountered in the mist.

    Where did it detect us from?

    We couldn¡¯t tell. It might have been sleeping somewhere.

    The crucial point was that by the time we spotted it, it was already charging at us in fury.

    - ROOOOAAAR!

    A massive storm surged beside us.

    It wasn¡¯t a natural wind. It was air pressure.

    The air pressure caused by the giant hurling a rock.

    The insane giant¡¯s stone-throwing wasparable to a catapult.

    An ancient tree hit by the flying rock copsed helplessly.

    The aftermath of the stone throw was relentless.

    Debris from the shattered tree, unearthed soil, and fallen leaves showered over us.

    ¡°Aaah!¡±

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    I quickly wrapped my arms around Sirien and turned my body. Though the giant¡¯s uracy was poor and the stone fell quite far, I could still feel the fragments hitting my back.

    Luckily, my coat was made of tough material.

    If it wasn¡¯t, I would have had numerous small injuries.

    In any case, we had to keep running.

    The abundance of thick, ancient trees here was a constion.

    Even with the giant¡¯s massive body, it couldn¡¯t smash through all the trees as it chased us.

    It felt like an eternity as we fled, but it wasn¡¯t actually that long.

    The tension made time seem to slow down.

    My mind remained rational.

    At most, we had five minutes. No matter how fast we ran, it would catch up in five minutes.

    Hadn¡¯t the beasts hunted by this giant experienced the same?

    No matter how sluggish its movements appeared, each step it took covered a vast distance.

    Running away was pointless.

    Make a choice.

    No, don¡¯t hesitate, make a decision.

    I already knew the answer.

    I changed direction while running.

    The giant was already close.

    ¡°Sirien, keep running.¡±

    ¡°Razen?¡±

    ¡°Leave marks with your axe as you go! I¡¯ll follow! If I don¡¯te back in an hour, don¡¯t wait for me.¡±

    ¡°No, Razen, Razen! Don¡¯t leave me, Razen!¡±

    Sirien called out my name.

    Even though I told her to run immediately, she didn¡¯t.

    For the first time in a while, she disobeyed me. But the situation had already unfolded, so she would move soon enough.

    Since I yelled and approached, the giant focused on me first.

    A heavy kick came flying. I slid to the ground to dodge it.

    I saw the sole of its foot pass overhead, dragging dirt, gravel, and tree roots in its wake.

    Wind followed the path of the giant¡¯s kick, and I had to brace myself against the ground to avoid being blown away before I could start running again.

    Insane power. No need for a long assessment.

    Getting hit by that would be instant death.

    I¡¯d be smashed beyond recognition and left to rot as a lump of meat.

    Though I hade prepared to risk my life, I didn¡¯t want to die.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see if my de can pierce you!¡±

    I didn¡¯t usually talk to myself, but this time was different.

    I needed to be loud and annoying to give Sirien a chance to escape.

    One of the few advantages of this massive creature was that it scared away all the other beasts and monsters around.

    At least for now, Sirien wouldn¡¯t be attacked while running away.

    I could focus solely on this giant.

    ¡®Let¡¯s start with one strike.¡¯

    My sword hit the giant¡¯s foot. It didn¡¯t pierce through.

    Well, it was expected.

    The skin supporting that huge weight couldn¡¯t be soft. It wasn¡¯t surprising.

    Still, other giants in stories had skin so hard that des couldn¡¯t prate at all, but this one wasn¡¯t quite that tough.

    If I applied the right force and angle, it seemed I could get through.

    - ROOOAAAR!

    The noise from its mouth wasn¡¯tnguage, but I could understand the meaning.

    It must be annoyed. I probably felt like a buzzing insect to it.

    Thinking about mosquitoes buzzing in the summer, I could understand its irritation.

    I dodged its massive fist as it came down.

    While the terrifying gust of wind surged again, I aimed for the spot under its ankle.

    I struck the Achilles tendon precisely.

    The wound wasn¡¯t deep, but for a human, it would have been a critical hit.

    The giant reacted immediately.

    It seemed to be in considerable pain.

    Maybe if I focused on attacking its feet and kept dodging, I could survive?

    Just as I thought that, a huge shadow loomed over me.

    The giant was throwing itself at me, intending to crush me.

    Dodging... seemed impossible.

    Its body was sorge that there was no escaping death, no matter where I moved.

    ¡°...Sirien.¡±

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 25: The Boundary (3)

    <b>Chapter 25: The Boundary (3)</b>

    Death was approaching.

    Though it was an expected event, the reality of it flooded me with a sense of regret.

    ¡®Was there no other way?¡¯

    Weak thoughts brushed through my mind, questioning.

    Fortunately, I wasn¡¯t as pitiful. Upon reflection, I concluded that this was the best course of action.

    Yet, there lingered a trace of regret.

    What will be of Sirien if I perish?

    Can she survive in this perilous ce? Soon, pursuers will be on our trail, subjecting her to danger.A sense of helplessness entwined around me like vines.

    If only I were a bit stronger. If I hadn¡¯t been this weak, much would have been different.

    In the novels, someone like Razen could have protected Sirien. It¡¯s bitter to admit.

    I counted the moments until death.

    One.

    Two.

    Three.

    Thud!

    The sound of a heavy weight crashing onto the ground echoed.

    Soon, my body would be gruesomely mangled.

    I¡¯d be another unimed corpse.

    Perhaps it¡¯s a blessing that my tracks will be obscured to the pursuers, but is that the only silver lining?

    However, the anticipated death did not arrive.

    It took a few more seconds for me to sense something amiss.

    For some reason, my death took too long.

    The body that should have crumpled immediately seemed intact.

    Did the giant miscalcte its leap? Absurd thoughts crossed my mind.

    Did it fail to cast its shadow upon me? Impossible.

    Then what happened?

    I cautiously opened my eyes.

    There, in front of me,y a colossal corpse.

    It was undoubtedly the body of a giant.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°I heard quite amotion. You seem like an unwee guest.¡±

    A stifling pressure filled the air. From behind me, a low, ominous voice sounded.

    Turning hastily, I saw a man in ck attire sheathing his sword.

    ¡°When. And how?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t even muster a bitterugh. I hadn¡¯t sensed anyone else during my battle with the giant.

    Was it possible for someone to intrude at that moment?

    Yet, the man seemed nonchnt as he adjusted his coat.

    At first nce, the man¡¯s appearance seemed unremarkable.

    Thick, dark-green hair almost ck. Dull gray eyes. A face that seemed indifferent to everything, yet somehow exuded an imposing aura.

    Was he wearing some kind of uniform? It initially reminded me of the regalia of the Knights, but it was a style unfamiliar to me.

    So, he undoubtedly wasn¡¯t affiliated with any military or knightly order within the empire.

    While he exuded a well-contained aura, there was an ominous air about him.

    Approaching him recklessly was unwise.

    He was not an adversary to be underestimated.

    Instinct sounded the rm.

    The man casually tapped his sword¡¯s hilt.

    His grim voice reverberated once more.

    ¡°Do you intend to keep holding that sword? If you aim it at me, I won¡¯t hesitate to intervene.¡±

    ¡°...No. I acknowledge that you saved my life. I am not so shameless.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Yourpanions must be trembling behind that rock. Hurry, tend to them and leave this ce. I do not wee you here.¡±

    ¡°By here, do you mean within the boundary?¡±

    ¡°Boundary? It may seem that way. In that case, your task is to go outside that boundary. It shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to understand.¡±

    I beheld the fallen giant¡¯s corpse. Its massive body neatly cleaved in two.

    The cut surface was impably clean. There was no hint of hesitation as the rigid exterior was sliced away.

    This was an impossibility with an ordinary sword¡¯s hardness.

    Naturally, thoughts of the existence of sword ki came to mind.

    A Swordmaster. Perhaps my father could have aplished something simr.

    But this man was no Swordmaster, and such individuals didn¡¯t just emerge from anywhere.

    Even if the empire were to crumble and extend across the entire continent, I had never heard of a Swordmaster with such an appearance.

    Even in the novel, including those Swordmasters who wouldter y an active role in the novel, there was none like him.

    Once again, the knowledge of the possessor was of no help...

    Then suddenly, my thoughts drifted to that possibility.

    If we could receive help from him, could we safely reach Count Eloran¡¯s domain?

    Even if he didn¡¯t apany us to Eloran, it would be much better than our current situation.

    I cautiously broached the subject.

    ¡°I would like that, but this ce is too dangerous for us. We have to pass through here to reach our destination. If you could assist us, we would be deeply grateful...¡±

    ¡°Enough. I already said I don¡¯t wee you. Whether you live or die is of no concern to me. I merely dealt with the disturbance here, and you just happened to survive in the process. Don¡¯t plead for mercy from me anymore.¡±

    ¡°Still, I must ask. Can you not offer assistance even within this area?¡±

    ¡°No. If you hadn¡¯t been so bothersome, I would have dealt with you as well. Considering that you survived, that should be enough luck for you, shouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    The man¡¯s demeanor was incredibly firm. It seemed pointless to say more; it appeared there was no room for negotiation.

    He harbored no friendly sentiments toward us.

    If anything, hostility emanated from him.

    He had shown mercy due to his own reasons, but there was no reason for him to do more than that.

    Whatever those reasons were, it was clear they were beyond my capabilities to address.

    ¡°Yes. Then we shall leave as you¡¯ve said. We have no intention of staying here any longer.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what you should do.¡±

    It was regrettable, but there was no lingering attachment.

    For now, just surviving was to be considered fortunate.

    After all, this man could have killed me without saving me from the giant.

    It seemed more prudent to depart, ensuring Sirien¡¯s safety, rather than harboring regrets about what couldn¡¯t be.

    The standard didn¡¯t seem too strict.

    Though the man told us to leave, he didn¡¯t specify a particr time.

    If we continued as we had been, we would eventually depart from this boundary once again.

    Showing that level of courtesy should ensure we wouldn¡¯t be enemies.

    ¡°Remember. There won¡¯t be a second chance.¡±

    With those final words, the man vanished.

    I couldn¡¯t even properly catch his departure. There was no indication of movement, so it seemed he was adept at using magic or some other ability.

    Now I was thinking of going towards the rocks the man mentioned, but it seemed unnecessary.

    Sirien was already running towards me, her face streaked with tears.

    ¡°Razennnnn¡ª!¡±

    ***

    The rock where Sirien had hidden wasn¡¯t far from here.

    Just sticking my head out would afford a clear view of our fight with the giant.

    It wasn¡¯t too distant, so if the giant gave chase, it wouldn¡¯t take long to reach.

    Though he had clearly told us to leave, it seemed we weren¡¯t doing so.

    Well, that was an irresponsible request to begin with.

    How was Sirien supposed to escape this forest alone?

    Sirien, who had run over, threw herself at me.

    It hurt quite a bit when she copsed to the ground, but I couldn¡¯tin; I had my own sins to bear.

    Don¡¯t leave me behind.

    The image of Sirien sitting with outstretched hands shed through my mind, and guilt washed over me.

    ¡°Ugh. Sob... Sniff!¡±

    Sirien¡¯s hands gripped my cheeks. Tears streamed down her flushed cheeks, dripping onto the bridge of her nose.

    She sobbed as she gingerly inspected my body, one limb at a time.

    Her hands, almostpulsive in their actions, traced over my features, checking for injuries on my face, neck, shoulders, arms, and chest, one by one.

    Finally, she pressed her ear against my chest to listen to my heartbeat.

    Since I wasn¡¯t dead, of course, my heart was still beating.

    Sirien breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Thank goodness... It¡¯s not a dream.¡±

    A dream, huh?

    I asionally suffered nightmares, but evidently, the wounds from that day ran deep.

    I didn¡¯t want to imagine what kind of dream it was.

    Anyway, after taking a breath, she seemed angry this time. Sirien red at me with moist eyes.

    When I turned my head away to avoid her gaze, she forcefully grabbed my face, making our eyes meet.

    ¡°We agreed you wouldn¡¯t do that! You lied to me, Razen!¡±

    ¡°Well, uh... I felt like I had no choice.¡±

    ¡°I said you wouldn¡¯t do it! We promised... I hate you!¡±

    Sirien¡¯s fist struck my shoulder.

    It didn¡¯t really hurt, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to stop her as she kept hitting me.

    Was this what it felt like when Terion did this before? It hurt even though it didn¡¯t.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t ept your apology.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t ept it...¡±

    Like back when she was exacting revenge on Terion, Sirien soon crumbled under her own emotions.

    The girl who had been angry with me now sobbed bitterly.

    The tears she had held back when we lost two people finally burst forth.

    ¡°I... I was so scared. I thought I was going to lose you too... I was so scared that even you would disappear from me, just like my brother and Hena.¡±

    ¡°I made it through somehow.¡±

    ¡°You almost died! You, you almost died. If the man in ck hadn¡¯t shown up, you would have died for sure. You¡¯re the only one I have left now.¡±

    Sob.

    Sirien¡¯s sobbing didn¡¯t stop.

    Patting her back didn¡¯t seem to provide anyfort.

    ¡°My brother and Hena are dead, and I don¡¯t know what happened to Dad and Mom. Everyone in the castle, the rtives who used to visit asionally, they¡¯re all gone. I don¡¯t even know who the bad people are anymore. You¡¯re the only one I can trust.¡±

    ¡°......¡±

    ¡°You promised we¡¯d get revenge together... Don¡¯t ever, ever do that again.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ever die. Don¡¯t leave me behind alone.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 26: The Boundary (4)

    <b>Chapter 26: The Boundary (4)</b>

    We spent another day within the boundary.

    The green-haired man did not show himself before us again.

    Since there was neither a way nor a reason to find out where he was, it seemed unlikely that we would encounter him again.

    Our journey was smoother than before.

    There were no more giant creatures like the one we encountered previously.

    Although this forest still harbored many threats, none were beyond our ability to handle.

    Fighting urred about two or three times a day.

    Perhaps we were gaining some know-how. While the frequency of enemy encounters increased, our ability to evade them also improved significantly.Many of the enemies that discovered us and charged were weaker than before.

    Naturally, the injuries to my body also decreased.

    Not entirely absent, as battle inevitably involves injury.

    ¡°Can you still keep moving?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t hold back likest time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±

    One significant change was that Sirien and I spoke less frequently.

    We always spoke in whispers, a lesson learned from our previous encounter with the giant.

    Even a small piece of idle chatter could attract enemies. There was no guarantee our senses would always be superior to theirs.

    Naturally, we became more cautious of the sounds we made and our surroundings.

    We should have been like this from the beginning.

    It was due to ourck of experience. Since I was always the first to spot enemies from the edge of the forest, I had becent.

    The knight training focused more on vignce andbat rather than stealth and evasion, which didn¡¯t help our current situation.

    But it wasn¡¯t as if we spent the whole day with our mouths shut.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s a cave.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°At the end over there. No, not that way, the ce with the cliff. Yeah, there.¡±

    We conversed when we discovered something new.

    There really was a cave where Sirien pointed.

    Even from a distance, it seemed spacious enough to serve as a good base.

    If we were to set up camp today, it would be an optimal spot, but unfortunately, it was too early.

    We didn¡¯t want to waste time, so we just passed by.

    ¡°Our family shrine was also in a cave. It was filled with a simr incense smell.¡±

    ¡°Do you still smell that now?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It gets stronger inside the boundary.¡±

    ¡°Is there really something there?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t smell the incense Sirien mentioned at all.

    Her sense of smell was sharper than mine, but was it really this much better?

    Sirien said it was just a smell and nothing particrly strange, but I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was something more.

    ¡°If it gets faint and then strong again, it probably means we¡¯re getting closer to somewhere.¡±

    ¡°How is it now?¡±

    ¡°Not extremely strong, but it feels pretty close.¡±

    ¡°Can we avoid it? I¡¯d rather not approach if we don¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll let you know if we get too close.¡±

    By now, it was hard to dismiss the thought that the man from before might be connected to the incense.

    I didn¡¯t think it would be beneficial to encounter him again, and all I wanted was to get out of this forest as soon as possible.

    We decided to take a break after walking for a bit.

    We unpacked our belongings under a suitable tree.

    ¡°It seems much smootherpared to a while ago, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Maybe we¡¯re moving away from the forest¡¯s center. If we keep going like this, we might be out soon.¡±

    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll see people when we get out? I want to eat some good food. The meat here smells too gamey.¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, you¡¯ve held up pretty well.¡±

    ¡°We ate simr things at the hut, too. At first, I secretly threw up to avoid eating it. But I got used to it over time.¡±

    Sirien smiled wryly.

    It seemed like a serious story to hear while smiling, but now it was something relegated to the past.

    She used to hate going outside, yet she would always sneak out of the hut.

    When I looked at Sirien silently, she shook her head in denial.

    ¡°Not anymore!¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    ¡°Really!¡±

    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s just eat for now.¡±

    Although when it came to food, it was just a matter of choosing between tasteless meat and preserved food.

    We had tried gathering herbs or fruits from nearby, but eating unknown nts was too risky a gamble.

    Especially mushrooms, which even experts avoid handling carelessly.

    Unless we were absolutely certain about the vegetation, we didn¡¯t touch it.

    ¡°What will you do when we reach the Eloran?¡±

    ¡°Hmm. First, I want to find out about my parents. I can¡¯t trust what my uncle said.¡±

    ¡°And after that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll reim everything.¡±

    No matter how formidable Count Roxen was, Sirien was the legitimate heir.

    If Sirien sought help from Count Eloran and he dered to suppress the rebellion in the Grand Duchy, we would have the just cause.

    In a battle with clear legitimacy, many opportunists smelling money would join us.

    Given the Grand Duke¡¯s involvement, the Imperial family would certainly intervene, ensuring we wouldn¡¯t be outmatched in force.

    Of course, in the process, Sirien would incur a significant ¡®debt.¡¯

    The reimed Grand Duchy would be weaker than before.

    ¡°The Count Eloran has connections to the Countess of Hintz, as she is from the Hintz family. We could leverage that connection as well.¡±

    ¡°The Hintz family... Oh, Sir Revan. The miraculous Swordmaster.¡±

    There were two ways to be a Swordmaster in this world.

    One was the orthodox way: reaching the pinnacle of swordsmanship. It was said that through extreme refinement of one¡¯s skills, an epiphany would be reached, allowing one to wield sword energy.

    This was the typical depiction of a Swordmaster in many stories.

    The other way was through a literal ¡®miracle.¡¯

    This rare phenomenon only urred to exceptionally talented swordsmen and was extremely rare even among sword masters.

    Though it sounded impressive, it wasn¡¯t always so.

    Swordmasters who became such through a miracle possessed somewhat anomalous power. They were strong in some areas but weak in others.

    Simply wielding sword energy didn¡¯t make one the strongest.

    Without a solid foundation, one would inevitably be outmatched by other Swordmasters.

    If one had enough talent to be a Swordmaster through a miracle, they would eventually reach that level on their own.

    Thus, those who didn¡¯t follow the orthodox path were often considered inferior Swordmasters.

    They were known as ¡®half-rate¡¯ Swordmasters.

    Sir Revan was a Swordmaster by miracle.

    The weakest among Swordmasters, yet a knight who could wield sword energy remained a significant force on the battlefield.

    Meleebat was fundamentally about formations. A person capable of cutting down cavalry and infantry with a single stroke was akin to an embodiment of disaster.

    ¡°Even the Demon King wouldn¡¯t be able to rampage in the Empire forever. Eligor wasn¡¯t that formidable of a Demon King. By the time we reach the County, the demon army would likely have retreated. I trust that the knights of our family will eventually side with me.¡±

    ¡°The seniors I know would definitely help if they knew you were alive.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. The real issue is the Imperial family...¡±

    Listening to Sirien, it was evident that she had devised a rather detailed n.

    Despite her young age, her lineage showed its true colors.

    Unlike Terion, who spent his time honing his swordsmanship and physical training, Sirien had dedicated herself to theology and other studies.

    Even the Grand Duke Eilencia seemed to have passed down various political insights to her.

    No matter how you look at it, she and I were both destined to y the final boss roles in this novel.

    When we were first thrown into the hut, I wondered, ¡®Could this delicate and gentle child really change so drastically?¡¯ But her talents, as depicted in the novel, were clearly proving themselves.

    Moreover, by now, I hade to understand a few things.

    The reason Sirien ruthlessly killed her own kin.

    It was also the first point where she was contrasted with the novel¡¯s heroine.

    The original story. It was an incident in the capital.

    A branch family of Eilencia hadmitted a crime, and Sirien executed them in a brutal manner.

    The heroine, shocked by the sight, confronted Sirien.

    - ¡°How can you kill people so carelessly? They are lives, precious lives. There were ways to avoid bloodshed. Besides, they weren¡¯t even strangers to you! Why did you choose such a cruel method?¡±

    - ¡°If you¡¯re done with your foolish talk, why don¡¯t you return to your cage, Lady of Light? Your job is to chirp sweetly in your cage, not to speak out of turn.¡±

    - ¡°You killed a child who wasn¡¯t even twenty yet!¡±

    - ¡°In the Empire, one is considered an adult from the age of sixteen. It seems you¡¯recking in your studies, perhaps you should punish your tutor. If you¡¯re too soft-hearted to do it, I can assist you, as my hands are already stained with blood.¡±

    - ¡°You!¡±

    A saint chosen by the Light and a saint chosen by Death.

    A woman who died protecting her family and a woman who killed her kin.

    The paths of the heroine and Sirien were endlessly contrasted. They were each other¡¯s antithesis.

    The imperial family¡¯s stance at that time... was ambiguous.

    It was before any events had urred between the heroine and the crown prince.

    The crown prince didn¡¯t immediately be part of the heroine¡¯s reverse harem. Initially, his rtionship with Sirien was quite amicable.

    The current crown prince must be having his own share of unhappy times.

    If I had been transported in another way, I could have raised my favorability with him in advance, but stuck in this forest, there was no way to do that.

    Lost in thought, I noticed Sirien pointing to the sky.

    ¡°Hey, Razen. Those dark clouds look like it¡¯s going to rain soon, don¡¯t they?¡±

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 27: The Boundary (5)

    <b>Chapter 27: The Boundary (5)</b>

    Suddenly, the sky threw a tantrum.

    -Rumble. Boom.

    A cry filled with fury transformed into thunder.

    The sun sighed, looking at the thick ck clouds.

    Looks like today is not the day. As the sunlight took a few steps back, the world quickly grew dark.

    Clouds unleashed rain into the darkness. It was a torrential downpour.

    Was it greedy because it hadn¡¯t rained in a while? The ground hungrily devoured the water.

    The soil, after drinking its fill, naturally turned into mud. The sticky mud clung to our feet, like regrets.With every step, the effort increased. It felt like my energy was being drained.

    To make matters worse, our rain-soaked clothes quickly became heavy.

    The rainwater wasn¡¯t too cold, but it was only ¡®for now.¡¯

    Rain, apanied by wind. If we continued like this, we¡¯d soon lose body heat.

    Catching a cold here would be dangerous; we had no medicine.

    Sirien already looked exhausted.

    ¡°Hah, hah... Ugh!¡±

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Thanks. I didn¡¯t get hurt because of you.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there. Just a little more.¡±

    I barely caught Sirien as she nearly fell.

    A misstep meant her focus was wavering. It was a sign she was reaching her physical limits.

    As soon as the rain started, we decided to turn back. It was a wise choice.

    Our destination was a cave we¡¯d seen earlier.

    The cave was spacious enough to serve as a base. It seemed we¡¯d be spending the night there.

    It might actually be a good thing. It would be cozier than staying under rocks or trees.

    Ending the day early and conserving our strength wasn¡¯t a bad idea.

    As we continued walking, the cliff we had seen earlier came into view. We were about 10 to 20 minutes away.

    But Sirien¡¯s condition was concerning.

    She was already out of breath, and now her lips were trembling.

    At this rate, she¡¯d soon be suffering from hypothermia. We had to hurry.

    ¡°As soon as we get in, we need to start a fire. Are you very cold?¡±

    ¡°I can, manage.¡±

    ¡°Watch your step!¡±

    ¡°Eep!¡±

    Was I pushing too hard? Sirien twisted her ankle on the slope.

    She quickly regained her posture, but seeing her rub her ankle, it must have hurt quite a bit.

    In this case, there was no choice.

    ¡°You need to be carried.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Get on my back. Moving with an injured foot will be slower.¡±

    I had been conserving my strength almost obsessively on this journey.

    If I were exhausted when facing monsters, it would be troublesome.

    Sirien¡¯s condition was important, but so was my ability to fight.

    But this was an emergency.

    I couldn¡¯t let Sirien walk any further.

    I took off my backpack and crouched down.

    The shadow behind me hesitated, but a wave of my hand urged her toply.

    Her small body climbed onto my back.

    She wasn¡¯t heavy. With her increased activity andck of proper meals, she¡¯d lost weight.

    She was already skinny, and now she felt even more frail. It pained me.

    I didn¡¯t want her to get any wetter, so I covered her with my coat.

    A bit of warmth reached me. Our bodies touched, and it felt a little warmer.

    I could clearly feel her chest rise and fall with each breath.

    Her now steady breaths touched the back of my neck.

    ¡°Am I heavy...?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    ¡°Sorry. Because of me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You¡¯ve done well to hold on this long.¡±

    Her voice was close. How long had it been since I heard Sirien¡¯s voice this close?

    Her skin was quite cold. This wasn¡¯t the time for warmth talk.

    I quickened my pace.

    ¡°Do you remember when you carried me like this before, Razen?¡±

    ¡°When you got hurt sneaking out of the castle?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Small talk. Her whispering voice tickled my ear.

    She must be feeling more rxed.

    ¡°It was my right ankle that time too. It hurt so much I cried a lot.¡±

    ¡°You used to cry easily back then.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I can¡¯t cry as freely now.¡±

    Sirien had pestered me to help her sneak out to a field where fireflies appeared at night.

    It ended in aplete failure. We couldn¡¯t even escape the castle properly and had to return crying.

    I think she got hurt trying to climb over the wall.

    ¡°Do you know I got scolded to death then?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I helped a noble girl run away and came back with a broken ankle. Do you think I was fine? I had to run around the training field in armor for days.¡±

    ¡°Pfft. I wish I had seen that. I guess I missed it because I was getting scolded by my mom.¡±

    Now, most of the stories Sirien liked were from the old days.

    When she was in the castle, wandering around energetically, and Terion causing trouble almost every day.

    I couldn¡¯t shake off what Sirien said a while ago.

    She said I was the only person she could trust.

    I¡¯m the only one left who can share those memories from back then.

    Even after we leave this dreadful forest, that won¡¯t change.

    It¡¯s not like my situation is any different.

    What exactly was the rtionship between Sirien and Razen in the novel?

    They definitely cherished each other. When Razen died on the battlefield, Sirien nearly lost it.

    She abandoned her usual calm defensive strategy and startedmanding the army very aggressively.

    It was as if she no longer cared about the future. Sheunched suicidal attacks aimed solely at killing as many enemies as possible.

    Without Razen there to steady the spear, it didn¡¯tst long.

    Their rtionship was described in a way that felt both deeply emotional and like a simple lord-vassal bond.

    At least on the surface, they didn¡¯t break the knight and lord rtionship.

    The novel was indifferent to the viins. There wasn¡¯t much reliable information about us.

    It all depends on what I do.

    The arm around my neck somehow felt significant.

    ¡°Ah, we¡¯ve arrived. Thanks. I can move on my own now. You can let me down.¡±

    ¡°Can you help start the fire? I¡¯ll gather some wood.¡±

    ¡°Sure. I hope the flint isn¡¯t wet.¡±

    ¡°It should be fine; I wrapped it in a leather pouch.¡±

    The inside of the cave was cozier than expected.

    Contrary to the preconceived notion that caves are damp, the interior was filled with dry leaves, soil, and twigs.

    It felt more like a spacious hollow than a cave.

    It wasn¡¯t deep enough for any enemies to be hiding, so we didn¡¯t have to search the inside.

    I gathered some branches from the pile of leaves.

    Snap. Snap.

    Sparks flew from the flint in Sirien¡¯s hands.

    It used to take forever to start a fire, but now she could do it skillfully.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s lit.¡±

    Sirien and I huddled close to the fire to warm up.

    Now that we were sheltered from the rain, the endlessly falling rain seemed quite picturesque.

    It felt like looking out of arge, round window from the castle.

    The castle.

    By now, Count Roxen must be coiled up in the castle, right?

    If there¡¯s a pursuit team, they should be close by now. Would this rain erase our tracks?

    It might be optimistic thinking, but hoping for something isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing.

    As long as we¡¯re not careless in our preparations.

    Whether fortune favors us or not.

    They wille soon.

    * * *

    After warming up a bit, Sirien quickly fell asleep.

    It was still too early for the night. Feeling it was too soon to sleep as well, I decided to practice with my sword alone.

    Perhaps seeing a strong swordsman¡ªsomeone I didn¡¯t know¡ªhad stirred something within me.

    I wanted to take this opportunity to assess my swordsmanship.

    I hadn¡¯t had much timetely, so now was my chance.

    ¡®I¡¯ve gotten a bit faster. My movements are much smoother too.¡¯

    Days filled with countless battles. It seemed my body bore not just scars but a wealth of experience.

    The hands-onbat experience acted like a lubricant.

    Even starting with the same movement, I could seamlessly transition into various other actions. The crises I navigated with improvisation made my movements more fluid.

    The increase in speed was likely because the sword felt lighter.

    Whether I had simply gotten used to the weight of the new sword or if my body had grown stronger, I wasn¡¯t sure yet.

    ¡®Well, I¡¯ll figure that out by swinging the sword more.¡¯

    The de, tinted crimson in the firelight, moved roughly.

    Is this a downside?

    My movements had berger. I was using more strength.

    It probably stemmed from recently facing only massive opponents. Developing the habit of overpowering their immense toughness must have ingrained some bad habits.

    It¡¯s never good to get too ustomed to a particr way of handling the sword.

    However, I couldn¡¯t dismiss the changes in my swordsmanship as purely negative.

    It wasn¡¯t that I couldn¡¯t use the precise techniques I used to.

    I just needed to ease up on the excessive force.

    The aggressiveness of my sword strikes had definitely increased.

    Am I starting to resemble the Razen from the novel?

    We are, after all, walking the same path.

    Fortunately, there was a lot of description about Razen¡¯sbat style.

    - Count Berthus¡¯s swordsmanship remained fierce. His sword aura roared ferociously, gnawing away at everything around it, like a beast shing its fangs, sometimes like a bolt of lightning.

    - Ferocious attacks stormed from his jet-ck sword. Razen Berthus stubbornly adhered to an all-out offensive style. He shredded through magic spells, shattered unyielding divinity head-on, never halting his advance for even a moment. Relentless murderous intent surged through the entire battlefield.

    After swinging my sword for a while, sweat beaded on my forehead.

    Satisfied, I sheathed my sword. I had certainly grown faster than I had been back at the castle.

    I felt like I could see the path to the next level.

    Once you grasp the path, all that¡¯s left is to run.

    The destination was clear. I knew the possibilities.

    All I needed was time.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 28:The Boundary (6)

    <b>Chapter 28:The Boundary (6)</b>

    <b>[Sirien Eilencia¡¯s POV]</b>

    Even on rainy days, night came without fail.

    The forest, already darkened by the rain clouds, was now drenched in a pitch-ck hue.

    It was a sight I had grown so tired of seeing.

    I hated the forest at night.

    I didn¡¯t always wish for the sun to shine brightly, but still, I didn¡¯t want to spend nights in this forest.

    It was better when we were in the cabin. At least then, we could share anything together.

    But when Razen fell asleep and I was left alone, I felt overwhelmingly lonely.It felt like being thrown into a world all by myself.

    Razen seemed to think I was simply afraid of the dark.

    ¡®Fool. I¡¯m not a child.¡¯

    Anyway, tonight it was my turn to stand guard first.

    I had fallen asleep during the day, so I was quite alert now.

    ¡®Not that that¡¯s the only reason.¡¯

    There was something, just a little something, that was bothering me, making it hard to fall asleep.

    For instance, our discarded clothes.

    We couldn¡¯t keep wearing our soaked clothes, so we hung them neatly on the wall.

    We didn¡¯t have any spare clothes.

    Naturally, both of us were left in our underwear.

    If I were to remove the nket wrapped around me, Razen would see me in my barest state.

    That was... Just imagining it was incredibly embarrassing.

    This was the first time I had revealed so much of my skin. Even now, I was anxious about the possibility of being seen.

    Even though it might be okay if Razen saw me, for some reason, I didn¡¯t want to show myself to him so easily.

    Moreover, this nket itself caused problems.

    It was an unwritten rule that the person sleeping used the nket.

    But now, I was using the nket, and Razen was half-naked.

    The flickering campfire made Razen¡¯s body very visible.

    It was hard to believe we were the same age.

    He was always the boy standing in front of me.

    ¡®So many scars.¡¯

    I had seen some when I bandaged him, but I hadn¡¯t realized it was this bad.

    The fresh red scars were new. The slightly faded ones were still healing from a short while ago.

    The ones lighter than his skin tone were all scars.

    Scars that would never fade.

    No matter where I looked on his body, I saw scars and wounds.

    There were so many that it hurt just to see them.

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry. You must have taken all those wounds for me.¡¯

    I barely resisted the urge to touch the scars gently.

    Instead, I slowly called out his name.

    ¡°Razen, are you asleep?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. I¡¯m about to fall asleep. Why?¡±

    ¡°You look ufortable sleeping like that. Come here.¡±

    His drowsy voice responded.

    I patted the ground beside me, and Razen sluggishly crawled over.

    He seemed too tired to even stand up. I should let him sleep soon.

    I quietly slipped my leg out from under the nket.

    My white leg was fully exposed.

    Was it a mistake? No, this should be fine. After all, his eyes are closed right now.

    I gently lifted Razen¡¯s head and ced it on my thigh.

    Razen slowly opened his eyes and met my gaze.

    His blue eyes were clouded with sleep.

    He looked surprised, making the corners of my mouth lift.

    Razen¡¯s body temperature was always slightly higher than mine.

    So he felt warm, sometimes even hot.

    ¡°What¡¯s this all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t this morefortable? Go to sleep. Should I sing you a luby tonight?¡±

    ¡°A luby? No thanks.¡±

    I was seriously considering singing if he had asked.

    He always pushes back at the weirdest times.

    Even though we¡¯re the same age, he acts like he¡¯s the only adult.

    ¡°Your legs will hurt.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I want to do this.¡±

    ¡°Wake me up if it gets too hard.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Despite his grumbling, Razen didn¡¯t move off myp.

    I was relieved he didn¡¯t dislike it. If he did, I might have felt a little hurt. I had gathered a lot of courage to do this.

    I held my breath and stayed quiet until Razen fell sound asleep.

    Indeed, I dislike the night, but it¡¯s not unbearable.

    The darkness is frightening. I hated it even in the castle. Whenever the lights went out, I would inevitably have nightmares.

    When the wind blew, it felt like ghosts were wandering nearby, and when I heard footsteps, it felt like they wereing straight for me.

    To be honest, I still can¡¯t look at the corner of that cave.

    I know there¡¯s nothing there, but it¡¯s too dark and unsettling.

    But you need the night, don¡¯t you? During the day, you seem so tense, so stiff.

    At night, I can see you sleep so peacefully, and I like that.

    Seeing you makes even the scary night bearable.

    ¡®Thank you for everything.¡¯

    How should I repay you for all you¡¯ve done?

    Thinking about it overwhelms me. It makes my chest feel tight.

    You know, I¡¯m no longer the preciousdy of the castle.

    All I can do is offer myp like this from time to time.

    You keep protecting me, but I have nothing to give you in return. I hate myself for that.

    When I strip away everything I was born with, I¡¯m just a small, insignificant girl.

    ¡®I should have learned magic in the castle. Or joined any order. Wouldn¡¯t that have been useful to you now?¡¯

    Thinking back, learning theology was a good choice.

    If I had, Razen wouldn¡¯t have so many scars on his body.

    I could have healed his injuries. Maybe the God of Light would have been the best for that.

    ¡®Although, it seems wrong to use a deity so casually.¡¯

    In my memories, my father always said that we must repay the loyalty of our retainers.

    I believed that was true.

    Their loyalty is never something to be taken for granted. It is a devotion that demands a fair price.

    I learned that knights risk their lives for us because they believe we will reward them in kind.

    I took my father¡¯s words to heart.

    And Razen was my only knight.

    Although he wasn¡¯t officially knighted, such formalities didn¡¯t matter in the slightest.

    Razen had already protected me countless times. If he wasn¡¯t a knight, then no one could be.

    But I had nothing to give him in return.

    In a ce like this, my name was utterly useless, and there was no guarantee things would change even if we left the forest.

    So I couldn¡¯t make any promises lightly.

    ¡®I might not be able to keep them. I never want to lie to you.¡¯

    When thinking rationally, there was no certainty that everything would go well even if we reached the County of Eloran.

    It seemed like the best possibility, but nothing was assured.

    That old man, in the end, was still a stranger.

    If I failed to meet his expectations, he would undoubtedly discard me without hesitation.

    Uncle. No, Count Roxen had shown that humans are creatures who can betray others at any time.

    The demons constantly wage war, and humans break their trust.

    So, I decided not to trust anyone anymore.

    I had always been quick to learn. Having been hurt once, I wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake twice.

    Razen was the only exception.

    I will trust no one but you.

    Without thinking, my hand reached out to Razen¡¯s hair.

    As I gently stroked it, his expression seemed to be more rxed.

    He seemed to like it, so I continued.

    Gently, so as not to wake him. Very softly.

    ¡®Your hair has grown quite long. You look better with it short. It makes me sad.¡¯

    If his hair poked his eyes, it would probably be itchy.

    While I was at it, I tucked his hair behind his ear to tidy it up.

    It had been a while since Ist saw his forehead, and it looked much better this way.

    Razen would probably never know. He wouldn¡¯t know that he looks quite cute when he¡¯s asleep.

    Moreover, my knight had a rather handsome face. Seeing him like this made me smile with satisfaction.

    People in the castle used to say Razen looked too fierce, but they didn¡¯t know what they were talking about.

    The reason I didn¡¯t refute them was because I wanted them to remain ignorant fools.

    Idiots who couldn¡¯t recognize a treasure even when it was right in front of them.

    They could live their whole lives without knowing. I¡¯d never tell them.

    Razen was the greatest treasure I had.

    And I don¡¯t unt my treasure. Others would covet it.

    ¡®My knight. The most precious in the world... my one and only knight.¡¯

    You are everything to me. You made it that way.

    So, if the day everes when I can give you something in return,

    I will give you everything I have. My life, the life you saved.

    ¡®Oh, you must be having a nice dream. I¡¯ll have to ask what you dreamed about when you wake up.¡¯

    I waved my hand lightly in front of Razen¡¯s eyes.

    My knight didn¡¯t react at all. He seemed to be in a deep sleep.

    What was I thinking?

    Before I knew it, I was kissing Razen¡¯s forehead.

    Smooch.

    The sound was louder than I expected.

    ¡®Ack! I shouldn¡¯t have done that. What was I thinking?¡¯

    My face grew hot just from my lips touching his forehead.

    My cheeks were burning so much that even touching them didn¡¯t help.

    If someone had seen me, my face would probably...

    No. No, that would be disastrous.

    My head was spinning, and I was so embarrassed that I couldn¡¯t lift my head.

    Even though there was no one to see, I couldn¡¯t bear it.

    It felt like something was poking me in the back.

    Tonight seemed like it would be particrly long.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 29: The Boundary (7)

    <b>Chapter 29: The Boundary (7)</b>

    The rain that had been pouring all night finally stopped at dawn.

    I had been worried that the cave might flood, but thankfully, it hadn¡¯t rained that much.

    The old campfire hadpletely consumed the firewood at some point.

    I decided to gather more branches to keep the fire going.

    When I pulled out arge branch that was buried, a loosely packed wall of dirt copsed.

    Underneath the fallen wall, things I hadn¡¯t noticed before were revealed.

    My brows furrowed instinctively.

    ¡°Of course. It would be strange if there was nothing in such a nice cave.¡±What had been uncovered was a pile of bones.

    Most of them were old, not something that could have umted overnight.

    It seemed like this cave had a long-time resident.

    A monster came to mind, but I quickly shook my head.

    The cave was too narrow for that giant to fit.

    It must have been some other creature.

    There were plenty of thick,rge bone fragments in the bone pile, indicating that it wouldn¡¯t be an easy fight if it came to that.

    Should I leave now?

    No. That¡¯s too hasty.

    ¡®It¡¯s too early to leave right now.¡¯

    It hadn¡¯t been long since Sirien fell asleep.

    Waking her up now would mean she¡¯d struggle with fatigue all day. Besides, it was still dark outside.

    I didn¡¯t want to be swinging my sword at nocturnal predators in poor visibility.

    If my sword got stuck in a tree during a fight, that would be the end of me.

    Navigating this dangerous forest at night was practically a death sentence.

    On the other hand, the threat in this cave was still uncertain.

    I didn¡¯t know why it was vacant, but perhaps its inhabitant had gone hunting or something.

    As long as it didn¡¯t return before we left, we¡¯d be fine.

    Let¡¯s just borrow it until sunrise.

    * * *

    Nothing happened until dawn.

    On the contrary, it meant that something did happen when it was time for us to leave.

    ng!

    I struck off its sharp front leg with my sword. A clear and clean sound rang out, causing the hair to flutter slightly.

    ¡®Its body and sword shed, but it sounded like metal. That must mean its outer shell is incredibly tough.¡¯

    The creature we faced this time resembled a spider. Judging by how it scurried around on its eight legs, it didn¡¯t seem like the type to hunt with webs but rather used its legs and jaw strength to catch its prey.

    Thinking about it that way, its fangs might be venomous.

    I must avoid getting bitten at all costs.

    It didn¡¯t seem too difficult a task.

    The enemies I faced here always had weapons that could kill me in an instant.

    If you get bitten, you die. If you get hit, you die. It¡¯s not a surprising thing.

    After all, it¡¯s the same with humans; if you get stabbed with a sword, you die.

    I had a close brush with death not long ago.

    Actually, calling it luck would be more urate, as it wasn¡¯t my skill that saved me.

    Anyway, the spider¡¯s main attack was striking down with its two front legs.

    Its body structure didn¡¯t allow for many attack methods, but this alone was powerful enough.

    ¡°Still, it feels a bit too easy.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t weak enough to be taken down by such an attack.

    It seemed this opponent would be easy to defeat.

    I wasn¡¯t being overconfident, though.

    Objectively, this spider was just not as formidable as the monsters I¡¯d fought in the past. Plus, I had grown stronger since then.

    The spider had a hard exoskeleton, but it wasn¡¯t thick.

    If I stabbed with enough force, I could pierce through it in one go, and a strong blow with the pommel would shatter it easily.

    There was even the option of half-swording, where I would grab the de and use the crossguard like a warhammer.

    But I refrained from doing so purely due tock of practice.

    I had tried it before, but that was while wearing armor.

    I wasn¡¯t confident I wouldn¡¯t injure my hand by gripping the sharp de.

    ¡®This creature probably has nothing to do with the cave. We just ran into each other by bad luck.¡¯

    The bone fragments in the cave... some of them weren¡¯t prey this spider could have hunted.

    The giant spider continued to attack with its hard, sharp front legs, using its superior mass.

    Every time its legs struck the ground, the earth dented.

    But that was all.

    I had been wary of it spewing venom from its mouth, but there was no need to worry about that now.

    If it could use venom, it would have done so already.

    Before its front legs got cut off, that is.

    I swung my sword horizontally in a wide arc, leaving a faint light blue trail against the sky.

    - Kiieeek! Kiek!

    One of the eight legs was cleanly severed.

    It was worth the effort of continuously breaking its exoskeleton.

    The spider¡¯s front legs were now cracked, and the results of my efforts were finally showing.

    The condition of the other leg wasn¡¯t much different.

    It was only a matter of time before I cut off the right leg as well.

    A grotesque and painful scream erupted from the spider.

    Its remaining legs iled helplessly, and its multiple eyes flicked around, seemingly assessing the surroundings.

    It looked like it had given up fighting and no longer saw me as prey.

    ¡®Could it be trying to escape?¡¯

    It seemed ready to flee at the first opportunity. That wouldn¡¯t do.

    How could I know if this spider would hold a grudge?

    I wasn¡¯t sure if it was just an oversized spider or a spider-like monster.

    The important thing was that some monsters had a tendency to seek revenge.

    Whatever it was, killing it here would prevent future trouble.

    Dead creatures can¡¯t take revenge.

    The spider wildly swung its remaining front leg, resembling a panicked novice wielding a sword for the first time.

    Its frantic shes were effective in creating some distance between us.

    Even I wasn¡¯t foolish enough to walk into that frenzy.

    However, exaggerated movements tend to be predictable, and a weapon swung in panic doesn¡¯t anticipate the next move.

    I timed it just right and struck once.

    A clean arc of my de cut through the air. Blueish blood sttered on the ground, and the giant leg fell limply.

    Now, the spider was left with no weapons. With its current body structure, a head-on charge was its only option.

    Therge creature slowly retreated.

    I advanced in tandem, keeping our distance constant.

    I forced a decision upon it.

    Would it continue to fight, even after losing two legs?

    Or would it turn and flee?

    Either way, I had no intention of letting it live.

    With a scraping sound, my sword lightly dragged across the ground. The creature flinched.

    Its decision was to flee.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the wiser choice.¡±

    It made things easier for both of us.

    I didn¡¯t miss the moment it turned around.

    I drove my sword into its body and, pulling on the hilt, left arge gash.

    Blood gushed out, spilling what should have remained inside.

    To avoid getting the spider¡¯s blood on my clothes, I sidestepped and climbed onto its back.

    What followed was a one-sided ughter.

    Like a cowboy in a western, I bnced on the thrashing spider, shing at it.

    The creature crashed into trees and cliffs, causing therge trees to shake but not fall, thanks to their deep roots.

    Its hard exoskeleton was softer on top.

    Eventually, the creature¡¯s thrashing didn¡¯tst more than three minutes.

    My sword pierced its neck and head, ending its life.

    As its body went limp, I sliced its neck further to ensure it was dead.

    Only when it waspletely still did I withdraw my de.

    From a distance, Sirien peeked out, likelying to check after the noise had ceased.

    Our eyes met by chance.

    ¡°Razen! Is it over?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s safe toe out.¡±

    ¡°Good job. I¡¯ve got some jerky ready, want some?¡±

    ¡°Sure. I¡¯m hungry after that. Just a few pieces.¡±

    The meat we¡¯d hunted was finished yesterday, so we had to eat the preserved rations we¡¯d brought.

    The jerky was tough and salty, not meant for taste, but there was no avoiding my tongue¡¯s disdain.

    ¡°How much jerky do we have left?¡±

    ¡°Not much. We need to ration it.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just have this for now.¡±

    As I chewed on the jerky, I reflected on the battle.

    The spider had been formidable, but in the end, I hade out on top.

    The forest was full of dangers, but each victory made me stronger.

    My eyes drifted over to the spider¡¯s corpse. After all, it was still meat, and there are countries even today that eat spiders.

    But the thought of eating it was unappealing.

    ¡°Eating a spider feels a bit unsettling. Maybe we should just leave it.¡±

    ¡°Ugh! Eating that? No way. I can¡¯t eat that, no matter what.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t make you. Besides, I can¡¯t even identify the venom sacs, so it¡¯s not worth the risk.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, good point.¡±

    We continued chewing on the jerky leisurely. It wasn¡¯t long before I heard the sound of heavy footsteps in the distance.

    ¡°Sirien, get inside!¡±

    ¡°O-okay¡­!¡±

    The ground-shaking vibrations were intense.

    The increasing intensity of the sound and tremors indicated that whatever wasing was headed our way.

    Hidden by the trees for now, I steadied my breathing and gripped my sword.

    Soon, the creature emerged from the forest.

    - KIAAAAAAAK!

    Seeing the monster, its purpose became clear. It was almost an exact replica of the spider I had just killed, only muchrger.

    The grief of a parent who had lost its child enveloped us.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 30: Awakening (1)

    <b>Chapter 30: Awakening (1)</b>

    ¡®It¡¯s horrifically heavy.¡¯

    A single block. The weight on the de was extraordinary.

    Is it impossible to defend head-on? Even deflecting and redirecting the attack required extreme caution.

    A mistake could shatter the de.

    The mother, having lost her young, was literally rampaging mad.

    Her red spider eyes gleamed with madness.

    She was on a different level from before.

    Unlike the previous spider, which only swung its two front legs, the mother spider¡¯s attacks were far more varied and threatening.She didn¡¯t easily expose the weak parts of her exoskeleton and knew how to fully leverage her mass.

    Yeah, to be honest, it was overwhelming.

    Though not as daunting as facing a giant, there was no clear solution.

    The attacks weren¡¯tnding properly. More precisely, finding a ce to attack and seizing an opportunity to do so was incredibly difficult.

    ¡®Her exoskeleton is much tougher. I can¡¯t even scratch it with regr attacks. I¡¯ll have to aim for the weaker spots, even if it¡¯s hard.¡¯

    ws driven by fury tore at the world.

    Thick wooden splinters flew from an ancient tree, hundreds of years old.

    Her massive leg was blocked by the tree, but just as humans have two hands, the spider had eight legs.

    The jointed parts of the exoskeleton¡ªthese were the only visible weaknesses I could aim for, but I had to retreat without gaining any ground.

    Another leg came crashing down where I had been standing moments before. If I hadn¡¯t retreated, I¡¯d have been crushed.

    ¡°It¡¯s creepy.¡±

    The ground where the spider¡¯s attack hadnded was deeply gouged out.

    If I got struck by those front legs, there wouldn¡¯t even be a need for a grave.

    It was a morbid joke.

    Anyway, she was indeed a skilled foe.

    Surely, she was the true owner of this cave, and I had killed her offspring which had arrived early.

    An experienced resident, she knew her own weaknesses well. Even in her frenzied attacks, shepulsively covered her vulnerabilities.

    When the softer parts of her leg insides seemed exposed, another leg would immediately guard it.

    The only ces where a viable attack mightnd seemed to be the insides of the legs, the eyes, or the lower abdomen.

    Attacking the abdomen risked being crushed if done poorly, making it impractical, and the insides of the legs were well-defended.

    The eyes...is there any creature whose eyes aren¡¯t a weak spot?

    It must be the most guarded area.

    Several attacks slipped by without improving the situation.

    While I couldn¡¯tnd a proper counterattack, each of her blows was lethal.

    I nced around. Scanning the surroundings as if taking in the scene.

    ¡®The situation is reversed from earlier.¡¯

    If it¡¯s hard to confront one-on-one, find another method.

    The young spider earlier had chosen to flee, ending in a gruesome death.

    To me, fleeing didn¡¯t seem like an option either. That would only be possible if I were faster or had a way to immobilize the enemy.

    In a sh, I noticed the tree that had been struck by the spider¡¯s attack earlier.

    Although it had been severely chipped, it was a massive tree with a diameter that had to be measured in meters.

    A single gouge wouldn¡¯t bring it down.

    If the tree trunk was that thick, it would also be sturdy. The spider¡¯s immense strength couldn¡¯t topple it in one go. And this spider was blindly fixated on me.

    It didn¡¯t care about its surroundings.

    So, I had no choice but to use that to my advantage.

    I intentionally moved the battlefield into the forest among the trees. The spider¡¯s leg scraped another tree.

    Crack.

    With a grotesque sound, part of the tree trunk was torn. It didn¡¯t fall in one go.

    That didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡®If we fight where there are many obstacles, it ultimately works in my favor.¡¯

    Every time the spider¡¯s legs collided with the trees, I persistently aimed for the inside of its legs. The spider¡¯s defense was solid, but not perfect.

    When necessary, I hid behind an old tree. Using its obstructed vision as a weapon, Iunched surprise attacks.

    I didn¡¯t inflict any major wounds. However, several scars were left on the inside of its legs where my strikes hadnded.

    Shhwaak!

    I shook off the blood from my sword.

    ¡°Annoying, isn¡¯t it? I get it. It¡¯s always the mosquitoes that appear and disappear that get on your nerves the most.¡±

    Although I was out of breath from constantly running around, I had gained something in return.

    Before I knew it, the forest was bing a wastnd.

    Crack! Crunch!

    The spider¡¯s attacks, fueled by anger, were growing fiercer.

    This was what I wanted. If I couldn¡¯t kill the enemy with my strength alone, I had to use its own strength against it.

    It wasn¡¯t bad for me if it kept using its strength like that.

    How long had I been running through this forest?

    Eventually, my efforts paid off.

    There was an old tree, damaged in various ces. It swayed precariously, and the spider¡¯s strike became the trigger.

    I thought it would be difficult to hit it precisely. Luckily, fortune was on my side.

    As the trunk fell, it struck a part of the spider¡¯s body.

    The tree that had been standing alive until just now.

    A tree that had absorbed a lot of water from yesterday¡¯s rain.

    No matter how monstrous the spider was, it couldn¡¯t remain unscathed after taking on such weight and impact.

    - Kiyaaaak! Kiyaak! Kiyaak, Krarlak!

    ¡°Yeah. After all this, you should be bleeding too!¡±

    Sure enough, one side of the spider¡¯s body was leaning, and two of its legs were badly crushed.

    The fallen tree swept through the forest like a disaster. The giant trunk made a racket as it collided with other trees.

    The tree soon stopped, but I didn¡¯t.

    I had to solidify my advantage while I had the chance.

    I closed in on the spider¡¯s body, which had just endured a major shock.

    Even the tough exoskeleton couldn¡¯t handle such a physical blow; there were quite a few crushed spots.

    I stabbed into the cracks in the exoskeleton and shed the exposed flesh. The spider writhed in pain.

    The massive difference in size made its thrashing threatening, but it was just that¡ªa threat.

    The legs on the still-intact side targeted my lower half.

    It was an opportunity. Swinging the leg on the opposite side meant it had to turn its body.

    The spider, its bnce disrupted, would be weak to quick counterattacks.

    I chose to close in even further.

    I saw a small gap.

    It was a gap that naturally formed because of its massive body.

    It was worth the risk.

    Right before my eyes, the spider¡¯s head came into clear view.

    The target was the eyes.

    One sh wouldn¡¯tpletely blind it, but eyes are naturally sensitive.

    Getting hit would be excruciatingly painful.

    In this crucial moment, time seemed to freeze.

    My sword did not disappoint. It drew a perfect horizontal line. Without any resistance, the de shed cleanly.

    Several protruding eyes spilled greenish blood. Another howl erupted, and I easily dodged the swinging front legs.

    It seemed like I was solidifying my victory.

    ¡®If I do this right, I might be able to sh it one more time.¡¯

    The spider¡¯s head was still close. It was almost facing me directly as it writhed in pain.

    A few more steps forward, and I would be close enough to strike.

    But why?

    A strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu washed over me.

    It wasn¡¯t logic, but a primal instinct or gut feeling that sounded the rm.

    I was forgetting something crucial.

    ¡®What is it? What¡¯s the problem?¡¯

    I saw the spider¡¯s neck retracting.

    Was it merely because of the pain? Somehow, I doubted that.

    It looked more like it was preparing to spit something out.

    Right. This was a spider.

    ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be strange if it had venom.¡¯

    Even if it was just a hunch, I trusted my instincts and dodged.

    Even if it meant giving up the perfect opportunity, I had no regrets.

    At that moment, a jet of yellow-green liquid sprayed out.

    I couldn¡¯t dodge it all, and some of the toxic fluid sttered on my left arm and back.

    ¡®So this is it. The burn scars from the original story!¡¯

    Razen¡¯s body in the novel had burn scars.

    I had always wondered how those scars came about. Apparently, this was the moment.

    I thought it ended with the self-destructing attack of thest monster, but had I becent?

    What the spider spat out wasn¡¯t just venom.

    The highly acidic fluid made contact with my clothes and skin.

    As my skin began to melt, a noxious smell rose from my body.

    Horrific pain seized me.

    My mind went hazy, and for a moment, the world cked out.

    When I regained my senses, a wounded front leg was swinging toward me.

    It was toote to dodge. I braced myself for the impact.

    ¡°Aaaaagh!¡±

    My body flew a dozen meters through the air.

    The injuries I¡¯d inflicted must have been effective, as the blow wasn¡¯t as lethal as it could have been.

    Rolling down the slope helped to some extent in cushioning the impact.

    That didn¡¯t mean my body was unscathed, though.

    Pain coursed through my veins, making it hard to stand.

    I had collided with more than a few objects, causing my entire body to ache.

    In time, I¡¯d be covered in bruises.

    But I could still move.

    Both my arms and legs were functional enough to fight.

    That meant there was no problem.

    Difficulty breathing due to a tight chest? So what?

    I probably cracked a rib or two.

    As long as I could breathe, it didn¡¯t matter.

    This wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯d fought while battered and bruised.

    Even in the cabinst time, I hadn¡¯t fought in perfect condition.

    ¡°Hah.¡±

    The cabin.

    Thinking back to that shabby wooden house made my blood boil.

    It felt like something snapped in my mind. A metallic taste filled my mouth.

    How great would it have been if I had been bolder back then?

    If I hadn¡¯t hesitated to endure pain or take a few stabs, what might have happened?

    Thinking that made the intense pain almost wee.

    It felt like another chance. A chance to correct my mistakes.

    I gripped my sword tighter than ever.

    The pain flowing through my veins only fueled my resolve, my hand tightening around the hilt as if it were fighting back.

    I raised my sword again.

    The mother spider, still staggering, red at me.

    Yes.

    This was a fight that would only end when one of us died.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 31: Awakening (2)

    <b>Chapter 31: Awakening (2)</b>

    It was chaos.

    The spider attacked recklessly, indifferent to its own body being torn apart, and I retaliated with all my might.

    A battle of endurance was not an option.

    My body was too battered to keep up the hit-and-run strategy from earlier.

    However, the spider was slower than before, and I was faster.

    -Thumb. Thumb. Thumb.

    My heart pounded fiercely.

    Hot blood surged through my veins from one end to the other.As time seemed to slow down, my body elerated.

    I sliced off a chunk of the spider¡¯s flesh and switched my grip on the sword.

    I pierced its dented exoskeleton and retrieved my weapon. I stepped back two paces, bending my waist to avoid an attack.

    A refreshing breeze followed the spider¡¯s leg as it narrowly missed my face.

    ¡®Is it not using its venom again?¡¯

    It made sense. The telltale signs before it spat venom were clear.

    While it was a threat when unnoticed, I had no reason to get hit if I was cautious.

    If it tried that again, I was confident I could counter it effectively.

    My eyes had already captured every subtle movement of the spider.

    The spider¡¯s w aimed for my shoulder.

    It wasn¡¯t hard to dodge. Even if it hit, it wouldn¡¯t be a severe injury.

    No, upon closer thought, this was actually an opportunity.

    ¡®Don¡¯t fear pain. Consider wounds as badges of honor.¡¯

    Did I have so much time to spare?

    Can I engage in a clean exchange of blows and leisurely exploit the openings?

    Someone, somewhere, has a de pointed at me right now.

    ¡¯Think of the pursuers. Fighting this loudly, do you think they won¡¯t follow? ¡¯

    Do I think the trackers will just sit idle after seeing these massive traces?

    If there¡¯s no chance to attack, create one. Even if I have to throw my body into it.

    What do I have besides a sturdy body?

    It¡¯s enough if I can keep fighting. As long as I can fight the next battle after this one.

    ¡®I¡¯ll take the hit.¡¯

    My left shoulder was torn open.

    I severed one of its legs. It was my first major sess after a prolonged battle.

    We fought fiercely, like animals.

    In the slow-motion world, I constantly swung my sword. Blood sttered. Whose blood it was, I couldn¡¯t tell.

    Blue blood mixed with red, indistinguishable.

    There seemed to be much more blue. The absence of the leg I cut off was significant.

    Its defense became noticeably sloppy. That was the cost of not giving up the attack.

    I relentlessly targeted the spider¡¯s damaged half.

    Then my leg momentarily refused to obey.

    It was from breaking the exoskeleton near its head earlier.

    The pain was bearable, but the torn muscle was troublesome.

    It was a brief moment. Less than a second. That shortpse became poison.

    A heavy leg struck one side of my body.

    I didn¡¯t go flying helplessly like before.

    I managed to stay standing, but the impact was significant.

    The problem was what came next.

    My stance waspletely broken, leaving me unprepared for what was toe.

    ¡°Razen!¡±

    A familiar voice called out.

    Something whistled through the air.

    The ¡®next¡¯ attack that should have struck me disappeared.

    Thwack!

    A familiar-looking hand axe was embedded in the spider¡¯s eye.

    It was a gap created by Sirien.

    Now?

    There was no time for lengthy thought.

    My actions preceded my judgment.

    I faced the spider head-on, a move that would have been suicidal until now, but this time was different.

    Crack!

    My sword pierced through the thin exoskeleton and urately prated beneath the spider¡¯s jaw.

    Sticky, hot blood flowed down my arm.

    ¡®Please. Just die already.¡¯

    I drove my sword in as far as it could go.

    It felt like it was piercing through thick flesh endlessly.

    Just a little more. Just a little more, and I couldpletely sever its lifeline.

    But nothing in this world ever goes as nned.

    My sword hit something with a dull thud.

    The sensation in my hand was despairing. It was too solid to break through.

    As I was blocked, the spider¡¯s fangs touched my shoulder as if it had been waiting.

    Something hot and cold entered my body.

    I wasn¡¯t foolish enough to not realize it was venom.

    The poison spread quickly.

    In an instant, my body grew heavy, and my mind started to drift.

    I barely managed to stay upright as my staggering body tried to copse.

    ¡®Is this a failure?¡¯

    No. That can¡¯t happen.

    I had to finish this before I couldn¡¯t move.

    I pushed my sword further towards the obstructed head. Of course, it didn¡¯t budge.

    Still, I had to do it. If once wasn¡¯t enough, then again. I had to muster everyst bit of strength to end this spider¡¯s life.

    I couldn¡¯t let it live.

    The moment I thought that©¤©¤

    A ¡®miracle¡¯ happened.

    <b>* * *</b>

    [ Excerpt from ¡°Saintess, Reverse Harem is Impure! Vol. 7, p. 127¡å ]

    The sword aura of Count Berthus was fundamentally ck.

    It was a deep, dark ck that stood out even in the dead of night, surrounded by blood-red lightning that roared fiercely.

    It was said that a Sword Master¡¯s aura contained everything about that person.

    And the most influential factor was the belief held at the moment they reached the pinnacle of their swordsmanship.

    If that were the case, then Ellis could not help but be horrified every time she saw that cruel sword.

    Why was Razen Berthus¡¯ sword aura so ominous and foreboding?

    It was a sword that seemed to harbor only murderous intent.

    It contained nothing but malice aimed at destroying and breaking others.

    Belief? What belief could be found within that?

    Even if it did contain some belief, Ellis felt she could neitherprehend nor ept it.

    A Pure evil.

    Somehow, those three words became indelibly etched in Ellis¡¯ mind.

    At that moment, she felt a strong conviction. To achieve the world everyone desired, this man must be eliminated.

    For the first time, Ellis thought about someone who had to die.

    <b>* * *</b>

    Kill It!

    Reason and instinct screamed simultaneously.

    Right after the miracle found me, my mind was bleached white.

    All I could think about was killing that spider.

    I had to kill the enemy.

    Even if I had to burn myself alive, I had to kill it.

    My body felt light. It was as if the poisoning from earlier had been a lie.

    The venom was still rampaging inside me, but it had no effect.

    Never before had my sword felt so much like an extension of my body.

    Wherever I intended to cut, the sword was already moving, and my eyes seemed to predict the optimal path, foreseeing moves two or three steps ahead.

    ¡°Haaaah!¡±

    A spark shed before my eyes.

    It was a faint flicker.

    Compared to the descriptions of how it would engulf its surroundings when drawn, it was pathetically weak and insignificant.

    My sword aura was just as feeble. It barely wrapped thinly around the de, my utmost limit.

    But right now, this was enough.

    A dark mist enveloped the steel de. As my sword moved, the night sky opened amidst the morning sunlight.

    That tough, durable exoskeleton was sliced like paper.

    I shed the spider¡¯s body recklessly.

    Cutting off its legs. Slicing through its eyes. Stabbing deeply into its outstretched head and then severing it, slicing through the jaws that were about to spit venom.

    The spider was rushing towards death in an instant. That it was still alive meant it wasn¡¯t dead yet.

    It¡¯s not dead until it¡¯s dead.

    The blood boiling within me cried out.

    - Kill it!

    - Move your arms and kill the enemy before you.

    Destroy anything that gets in the way, cut down everything that hinders.

    All the strength in my body was for this purpose alone.

    Suddenly, I didn¡¯t like the sword I was swinging.

    A heavier,rger sword would be better. How great would it be if a single sh could leave a bigger wound?

    Right. If one isn¡¯t enough, then use another.

    I spotted the axe Sirien had thrown earlier. I pulled it out and swung it down.

    Crack! Crack!

    The contents inside the spider¡¯s head scattered wildly.

    Eventually, the spider copsed.

    My eyes didn¡¯t miss its still twitching legs.

    ¡®It¡¯s still alive.¡¯

    Then I had to finish it.

    I beheaded the spider.

    The severed head got in the way, so I kicked it aside.

    Scalding breath poured out of my mouth.

    I understood.

    Why Razen¡¯s sword had to be so extremely aggressive.

    This power came with terrible overload on the body.

    Every time mana flowed through my bloodstream, it felt like it left tiny wounds inside me.

    This was the price of bing a half-baked Sword Master.

    In exchange for the destructive power I gained, this was the price I had to pay.

    There was no need to announce this.

    Razen was strong enough and had enough talent.

    No one doubted he became a Sword Master through the standard path.

    The Razen in the novel alsocked time. To survive, he needed power, even if it was iplete.

    How many more times did I swing the sword and axe?

    I stopped swinging the weapons in a state of trance.

    ¡°Haa... Haa...¡±

    As I regained my senses, a horribly mangled corpse was left.

    It was a relief. I was reaching my limit, too.

    As soon as I withdrew my sword aura, the venom eagerly tightened its grip on my throat.

    Thest thing I saw as I copsed was Sirien¡¯s figure rushing towards me desperately.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 32: Awakening (3)

    <b>Chapter 32: Awakening (3)</b>

    <b>[Sirien Eilencia]</b>

    Bad memories surfaced.

    Memories that I don¡¯t want to forget, but ones I never want to experience again.

    The sight of my brother bleeding. His shallow, faint breaths that seemed like they could stop at any moment. His unmoving hand. His limp body.

    The memories of that day seemed to ovep with Razen¡¯s current state.

    A dark hand rose from deep within the ground. It was the hand of anxiety. Anxiety gripped my legs and ankles, trying to drag me into the depths.

    No. This is too much to handle. Get your hands off me.

    Not yet. I managed to shake off the anxiety in my heart.¡°Razen. Snap out of it, Razen.¡±

    ¡°......¡±

    Razen lost consciousness.

    My heart felt like it was dropping.

    But listening closely, I realized he was still breathing well. This situation was better than when my brother passed away.

    I could still save him. As long as I stayed focused, I wouldn¡¯t have to let Razen go.

    With some effort, I dragged Razen into the cave.

    I didn¡¯t want him to be caught in the rain outside. The forest was still full of monsters, so the cave was much safer.

    Razen was taller and bulkier than me. There was no way I could lift or carry him with my strength.

    By the time I dragged him to the cave, I was drenched in sweat. But it wasn¡¯t a big deal.

    Razen was a bit safer now.

    ¡°I¡¯ll clean the wounds first. Sorry. It might hurt a bit, but please bear with it.¡±

    Thankfully, I had learned a few things while tending to Razen¡¯s wounds.

    The first thing to do when you get a wound is to clean the surrounding area with a clean, damp cloth.

    Luckily, I had a towel I had washed earlier. I used my drinking water to clean the wounds, removing the torn pieces of cloth.

    Razen groaned every time the towel touched his wounds.

    He usually said it was nothing, but he had been enduring the pain all along. My heart ached.

    ¡°Bandages... I don¡¯t have any bandages. What should I do?¡±

    We had already used up all the bandages we took from the cabin.

    I had been reusing old bandages by only recing the parts that touched the wounds, but I had finally thrown them away recently.

    Then, a memory of Hena shed in my mind. She had torn her clothes to bandage wounds.

    This time, it would be best to use the cleanest part possible.

    Though I didn¡¯t understand the logic, Razen never allowed anything dirty near his wounds.

    He would rather burn the wound than let a dirty cloth touch it.

    I couldn¡¯t bring myself to put a fire to Razen¡¯s body.

    Using the dagger from Razen¡¯s belongings, I tore my clothes.

    I had to cut away a lot to find a clean part.

    As a result, my clothes turned intoplete rags. Razen might tease me when he wakes up.

    I wanted to hear those teasing jokes.

    ¡°Thank goodness. It looks like the bleeding is stopping.¡±

    Aside from the injury on his shoulder, the rest weren¡¯t too severe.

    Once I carefully wrapped the new bandage around the wounds, the bleeding quickly subsided.

    The problem was Razen¡¯s body temperature was rising.

    It was as if he had caught a severe cold; his face was burning up, and he was sweating profusely.

    His expression grew increasingly pained.

    But now, there was nothing more I could do.

    Helplessness. Anxiety. Those were the emotions I was feeling.

    My lips felt parched.

    The fact that I was doing nothing weighed heavily on me.

    ¡°Oh, right. Water. I should fetch some water. Hold on. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    He might be thirsty.

    I drank a lot of water when I had a fever too.

    There was a spring nearby where we used to fetch water, so that would be my destination.

    I gathered everything that could hold water: blood-soaked cloths, towels, and even blood-stained des.

    I wasn¡¯t sure how I managed to get to the spring and back. It felt like I was doing everything on my own.

    Slowly, I let the water trickle into Razen¡¯s mouth.

    Little by little. Very slowly.

    Thankfully, Razen swallowed the water with a gulp.

    ¡°My knight... my treasure. I won¡¯t let anyone take you away. I won¡¯t let you die.¡±

    I spent the entire day wiping Razen¡¯s sweat and making him drink water.

    Not knowing which herbs were effective, I applied the ones I was most familiar with.

    However, even after a day had passed, Razen¡¯s condition did not improve.

    No, it seemed to be getting worse. I hadn¡¯t slept at all, but I didn¡¯t feel like sleeping either.

    I buried my face in my knees. I held back tears.

    I gave Razen more water.

    This time, I gave him a lot, as I would be away for a while.

    There seemed to be nothing more I could do in this cave.

    But it wasn¡¯t true that I could do nothing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Razen. I¡¯ll handle everything. All of it. When you wake up after a nap, you¡¯ll feel better. I¡¯ll make sure of it.¡±

    Just one thing.

    There was one way to get out of this crisis.

    <b>* * *</b>

    When I stepped out of the cave, it was already dark.

    Though Razen preferred not to move at night, there was no other choice this time.

    Thankfully, there was no fear of losing my way.

    The path might be treacherous, but at least I knew the direction.

    I just had to follow the scent that had started to waft through the forest at some point. Razen couldn¡¯t smell it, but it was clear to me.

    To follow the scent, I had to retrace our steps.

    Even in a forest that looked the same everywhere, there were a few memorable spots.

    There was the ce where Razen fought the giant.

    The signs of the giant¡¯s fall were still evident. For some reason, the body was no longer there.

    When I thought Razen had died there, it felt like I had lost everything.

    I never wanted to feel that way again.

    The further I walked, the stronger the distinctive scent became.

    The only concerns were the rough path and the potential encounter with monsters, but neither proved to be significant problems.

    Maybe because of the deep darkness obscuring my vision, my hearing and sense of smell seemed more sensitive than usual.

    That didn¡¯t mean the journey was easy.

    - Grrr! Thump. Grunt...

    ¡°These damn beasts just keeping. Ugh, what a pain. What kind of suffering is this after days of this?¡±

    ¡°Hey, do you think the kids are already dead? There haven¡¯t been any signs for a while.¡±

    ¡°How should I know? The boss says to keep going, so we keep going. We¡¯re going to end up dead without any pay at this rate.¡±

    ¡°Ugh. Let¡¯s stop. If we get caught chatting, we¡¯ll get another earful.¡±

    There were strangers in the forest.

    It was the right decision not to approach them recklessly upon seeing them.

    From their conversation, it seemed they were a tracking party sent by Count Roxen.

    ¡®I knew they were close, but...¡¯

    I didn¡¯t expect them to get this close.

    Even though I had been moving diligently to avoid the trackers, the de was already at my throat.

    ¡®If these people get near the cave, Razen will be in danger.¡¯

    I needed to hurry.

    I waited for the men to leave and then quickened my pace.

    My clothes were torn in several ces, allowing twigs and grass to scratch my skin.

    Thin cuts appeared on my arms and legs. My thigh got scraped by a thorny bush, making it sting.

    If Razen were nearby, I might have whined to get somefort.

    This is nothing.

    Razen is much more injured than I am right now.

    The scent grew stronger as I walked.

    Then it happened.

    Rustle.

    Something moved a bit far behind me.

    Having encountered many wild animals and monsters, I sensed something was off.

    It wasn¡¯t a natural sound; it seemed like someone tried to move quietly but made a mistake.

    The faint sound quickly disappeared.

    ¡®I¡¯ve been discovered¡­!¡¯

    Panic set in. I ran without looking back.

    Running up a steep slope quickly left me breathless.

    Huff. Huff.

    I nearly slipped on the wet rocks.

    No. I slipped after a few more steps and really hurt my knee.

    I remembered how my knee had bled red when I fell at the castle.

    I wanted to sit down. I was scared of how close those men might be.

    If they hade shouting ¡®Catch her!¡¯ it would have been less frightening, but the quiet footsteps following me were terrifying.

    It felt like an invisible shadow was chasing me.

    ¡°Hah, ha! Ouch...! Hah.¡±

    I kept running.

    I slipped and fell, trying not to, cutting my hand on a nt¡¯s thorn, wiping away the tears that threatened to fall.

    I ran harder than I ever had in my life.

    I was gasping for breath. My chest and throat felt like they would burst.

    I wanted to rest, even for a moment.

    But no. Get a grip, Sirien Eilencia.

    Razen is in danger. Razen has endured pain like this all along.

    Don¡¯t whine over this.

    Did my desperate running pay off?

    Something orange glowed in the dark forest.

    ¡®There¡¯s something there. It¡¯s a light!¡¯

    If I could get up that hill, might I find the man who killed the giant?

    That same scent came from him.

    I studied theology at the castle.

    Though I hadn¡¯t thought of it when I first saw the man in ck or since then, I knew of a Church that might have settled in a ce like this.

    It was an ancient name I had learned was long extinct, so I didn¡¯t recognize it immediately.

    Why had that man, despite his reluctance, saved Razen?

    What was the presence that had followed us from the edge of the forest?

    And most importantly, what was the scent I kept smelling?

    A scent.

    It too obviously hinted at death and rest.

    ¡®Hibras Church¡­ I¡¯m almost there.¡¯

    Chills ran down my spine. Footsteps were close behind me.

    The trackers were nearly upon me. But at the same time, I heard a voice I wanted to hear.

    ¡°I told you, no mercy a second time. Didn¡¯t yourrade tell you?¡±

    ¡°Hah, hah. Hah...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you one chance. Exin why I shouldn¡¯t throw you to those rude guests.¡±

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 33: Awakening (4)

    <b>Chapter 33: Awakening (4)</b>

    <b>[Sirien Eilencia]</b>

    The man in ck spoke in a cold and blunt tone.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you one chance. Exin why I shouldn¡¯t throw you to those rude guests.¡±

    ¡°Huff, ha. First¡­ let me¡­ catch my breath¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Haaah, phew. I came to make a deal.¡±

    The fundamental rule of negotiation is to never show intimidation, regardless of the opponent.

    However, it seemed I had misjudged the starting line.The man stared at me intently.

    My face felt hot, but I decided not to lose myposure.

    Fortunately, the man seemed disinterested in pointing out my physical state.

    ¡°A deal? You, who can¡¯t even take care of yourself, think you have something to offer me?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I can give you something much bigger than you think. Rather, let me ask you this¡ªwhy did you save Razen back then?¡±

    It was a crucial question.

    Why had this man saved Razen?

    Despite saving our lives, why did he maintain such an indifferent attitude?

    Without knowing the answer, I couldn¡¯t move forward.

    ¡°Could it be that you are mistaken about that? I didn¡¯t particrly have any sympathy for you. As I said, I didn¡¯t care whether you lived or died.¡±

    ¡°So, why did you save us despite being so indifferent?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your decision, was it? Someone else told you to keep us alive, right?¡±

    The man fell silent. He seemed to be contemting whether to speak or not.

    ¡°I don¡¯t particrly want to talk about it.¡±

    ¡°Just say it. Killing me wouldn¡¯t be hard for you, right? Even if you just leave, I¡¯ll die.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong. Fine. Your guess is correct. I received a few requests. One of them was to help you in a critical moment, just once.¡±

    ¡°Let me meet that person.¡±

    ¡°Impossible.¡±

    His response was firm, drawing a clear line.

    He didn¡¯t seem like someone who would make a cheap deal.

    Despite everything, I was the one being dragged without any leverage.

    If the conversation dragged on, this man would leave immediately. I needed to reveal my hand first.

    ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to say it. There must be reasons within the Hibras Church too, right?¡±

    ¡°Hmmm.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about the Hibras deity. All I learned outside was that Hibras is the god of rest. The priests usually oversaw funerals, and naturally, the Church lost its power and disappeared.¡±

    ¡°Uninvited guests are nearby. They are wary of me now, but it would be better for you to get to the point quickly. I don¡¯t intend to get involved in troublesome matters.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to get involved now. I can solve the reason why your Church had to disappear.¡±

    No Answer Came Back,

    But neither did a denial.

    That meant it was as good as an affirmation.

    If what I said was just an absurd fantasy, that heartless man would have disappeared without listening to the whole thing.

    The mere fact that he was listening meant he was quite interested in my words.

    This was not just any topic, but one concerning the deity he served.

    A baptized priest or pdin couldn¡¯t ignore this subject.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have a saintess to receive the power of your god. Forget a saintess, you didn¡¯t even have a proper priest to handle the power. It¡¯s only natural. How could a tainted mortal fully ept ¡®death¡¯?¡±

    Theology teaches that mortals who receive stigmata are influenced by the divine.

    A ruthless mercenary bes a benevolent priest, and a war priest bes a fine soldier.

    However, Hibras¡¯ divinity is death.

    It was inherently difficult to find a priestpatible with it.

    Even if they did find one, they often died young.

    In the end, the Hibras Church remained a textbook example of ¡°how a Church that cannot show miracles copses and disappears.¡±

    The god bestows mercy on thisnd, and the believers offer their faith, bing the foundation for the god. It was the fundamental teaching of all faiths.

    Conversely, a god who does not bestow miracles and does not receive faith is bound to be forgotten.

    ¡°A vessel that can receive the divinity of rest is rare. If you can¡¯t receive the divinity without resistance, you¡¯ll be consumed by death. I can solve that problem.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an interesting proposal, but it doesn¡¯t seem like something you can do.¡±

    ¡°The way you¡¯re talking, you haven¡¯t heard who I am, have you?¡±

    I felt his gaze travel from my head to my toes, assessing me.

    There was a hint of mockery in his eyes. As if to say, someone like me was nothing.

    ¡°Indeed. I don¡¯t know you. Just as I don¡¯t ask for the names of corpses.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re cold. If I be a corpse, it¡¯ll be troublesome for you too.¡±

    I proudly puffed out my chest.

    Though I wore tattered clothes and looked wretched, it didn¡¯t matter. I believed that dignity didn¡¯te from appearance.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know me, so let me introduce myself.¡±

    Expensive jewels are priced based on their rarity rather than their beauty.

    People talk about the beauty of jewels, but in reality, they¡¯re intoxicated by their value.

    And I was the only one of my kind in this world.

    ¡°My name is Sirien Eilencia.¡±

    Look at me.

    This mud-covered girl will be your jewel.

    ¡°The Sword of the Empire¡ªthe legitimate daughter and rightful heir of Duke Eilencia.¡±

    Though useless in this forest, my status hadn¡¯t vanished.

    My name alone had the power to sway the western dominion of the Empire.

    If I sat on the throne and poured in strong support, I could forcibly revive your Church.

    ¡°The sole heir of the highest and purest blood.¡±

    Is that all?

    If a member of House Eilencia received divinity, they would at least be a bishop, and in some cases, even a saintess or saint.

    The imperial family interferes with our baptism ceremony, fearing that the grand ducal house will be too powerful with the church¡¯s help.

    That¡¯s how unparalleled Eilencia¡¯s suitability for divinity is.

    Divinity corrupts mortals because the vessel isn¡¯t pure. The natural blemish of mana¡ªlike a winding river eroded by water currents, the flow of divinity erodes and changes humans.

    Hibras¡¯ divinity also drove priests to death in this process of corruption, but it wasn¡¯t because the god harbored malice. However, I had no such blemish.

    ¡°...A pureblood, you say. Are you confident you can fully ept divinity?¡±

    ¡°In theory, it¡¯s possible. From a divine perspective, I¡¯m the cleanest vessel in this world. I can receive the baptism of any god and ept all divinities perfectly.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a theory.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t done it yet. But I assure you, if I can¡¯t do it, no one can. And I¡¯m the only direct descendant of Eilencia left.¡±

    The Man in ck Fell Silent

    In the meantime, I felt movement in the bushes.

    Those who had been pressuring me with time were now the ones running against the clock.

    The man¡¯s eyes wrinkled as if the noise annoyed him. I feignedposure, watching his reaction.

    Yes. Try killing me.

    If I die, Razen will be in danger too, and if Razen dies, I have no intention of living either.

    Though I couldn¡¯t follow Hena immediately... after offering Count Roxen¡¯s head to everyone, I could rest peacefully.

    The man snapped at me.

    ¡°If you cannot ept the divinity, the price will be death. A death without even a final word.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. But neither of us has a choice, do we?¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what the Hibras Church was doing, holed up in this forest. But I knew they wouldn¡¯t be pleased with the situation.

    The reason Hibras became a ¡®textbook example of Church extinction¡¯ in theology was because they tried every effort to revive the Church.

    They were quite passionate about expanding their influence.

    Even now, if they could, they would want to go out and spread their faith.

    So, this man didn¡¯t really have a choice. If he was associated with the Hibras Church, he could never ignore my proposal.

    Of course, I didn¡¯t have a choice either.

    I needed their help. This man¡¯s strength and the divine power or healing that could save Razen were crucial.

    Especially if saving Razen meant bing this wretched Church¡¯s saintess, I would do it as many times as needed.

    ¡°It¡¯s not up to you to decide whether to ept my deal. It¡¯s up to the god you serve. From this moment on, you are obligated to guide me to the altar.¡±

    ¡°Do notmand me. You are not yet the saintess of this Church.¡±

    ¡°But I will be. I will be your saintess.¡±

    The man slowly drew his sword.

    His gaze had shifted beyond me, likely towards my enemies.

    I pulled a dagger from my bosom and held it to my neck.

    He told me not to, but I had no choice but tomand him.

    ¡°If you understand, kill all those chasing me. If not, I¡¯ll take my own life right here.¡±

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 34: Sanctuary of Hibras (1)

    <b>Chapter 34: Sanctuary of Hibras (1)</b>

    It felt like I had been asleep for quite a long time.

    It was as if I had dreamed, yet it didn¡¯t feel like a dream.

    In my dream, I asionally saw Sirien. She would get angry at someone, or sometimes look at me with a face on the verge of tears.

    As my mind, which had been submerged for so long, floated up to the surface, I realized that those scenes were not just dreams.

    Perhaps I saw those things as I woke up and fell asleep again.

    When I lifted my heavy eyelids, my vision was blurry.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    My body creaked as if the joints were rusted.My fists wouldn¡¯t clench properly, and my consciousness hadn¡¯t fully returned, making it feel as though I were still dreaming.

    It was a bit warm. As I pulled the nket down from my neck, I felt morefortable.

    ¡®A nket?¡¯

    A slight sense of incongruity reached me.

    We never had such soft nkets. All we had was a multipurpose nket, and the floor was never thisfortable.

    Come to think of it, the ceiling was unfamiliar. Not just the ceiling, but the whole space felt foreign.

    I was lying in a bed in an unfamiliar room.

    I managed to lift my stiff body and saw Sirien sleeping beside me, near my side.

    She must have woken up from my movements because she was rubbing her eyes.

    She seemed to have just fallen asleep, as it looked painful for her to wake up.

    As our eyes met, the curtain fluttered from the breeze outside.

    Morning sunlight streamed into the modest room.

    Under the warm sunlight, her sleepy face opened its eyes wide.

    Soon, her small, pretty lips curved into a smile. Her red eyes sparkled withughter as she spoke.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake? How are you feeling?¡±

    It was the sweetest morning greeting I had ever heard.

    <b>* * *</b>

    To be honest, I was still bewildered by the changed environment.

    Right after fighting the spider, it was as if the world had changed when I opened my eyes.

    But I could guess what had happened.

    It must have followed the original story.

    The ce I reached with all my might was the same ce where Razen had arrived in the original story.

    Sirien must have done the same. Her best efforts ultimately led us here.

    I didn¡¯t know the details of the process, but eventually, Sirien became the saint of Hibras here.

    A saint of a god who would someday be called a demon god.

    To be frank, Hibras beingbeled a demon god wasn¡¯t solely due to nder.

    Of course, there wasn¡¯t such a thing as a demon god in the first ce. Each god had both beneficial and harmful aspects for humans.

    Therefore, the deration of Hibras as a demon god was merely a promation by several mainstream religious sects.

    However, there were usible grounds for Hibras being called a demon god.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry? Let¡¯s have a meal first. I¡¯m hungry too.¡±

    Right after Sirien went out briefly to call someone, a person dressed in ck came in and brought us breakfast.

    The clothes weren¡¯t particrly luxurious; they were closer to mourning attire.

    I had heard that the general followers of Hibras wore such clothes. For once, the knowledge from the novel came in handy.

    ¡°They said you shouldn¡¯t push yourself today and should rest well. They¡¯ll check on your condition tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Is there a doctor?¡±

    ¡°No. There¡¯s someone who can do something simr. You¡¯ve seen him before.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that guy from back then.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    It seemed that the man¡¯s clothes were the ceremonial attire of Hibras¡¯ holy knights.

    That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t recognize it. How could I have known the rituals of the long-gone order of holy knights?

    In the original story, it was simply described as a ¡®ck robe,¡¯ so there was no way to know.

    There are countless ck robes in the world, after all.

    Anyway, the breakfast I received was mushroom soup and milk sweetened with honey.

    Given that even a stranger treated me like a patient, it was clear what my physical condition was.

    In fact, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to eat anything else even if it had been brought, so I had noints.

    Sirien had a sd consisting mainly of fruits and vegetables.

    Now, she could have been a bit more selective with her food. It seemed she didn¡¯t particrly like the food here.

    ¡°Is the chef here not very good?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why do you ask all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Your meal doesn¡¯t require any cooking. You have a sweet tooth and like sweet things.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just¡­ right now, this is what I wanted.¡±

    ¡°Really? I guess I was wrong then.¡±

    At that, Sirien chuckled.

    She burst outughing just as she was about to take a bite of her vegetables.

    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not that great. I asked them to bake cookies a while ago, but they were too hard and didn¡¯t taste good.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯ve been eating only sds since then?¡±

    ¡°No. The ordinary baked bread is okay. It¡¯s what everyone normally eats. The vegetables and fruits are fresh because they¡¯re grown nearby, so they taste good.¡±

    ¡°So the chef is more like a cook, huh.¡±

    ¡°Pfft. What kind of analogy is that? But it seems about right. They¡¯re not exactly a chef.¡±

    Even so, the soup was quite ptable.

    The honey milk was sweeter than what I used to have at the castle. It might have been influenced by Sirien¡¯s preferences.

    Sirien liked sweet things. Come to think of it, Hena wanted to drink honey milk too, so I should bring some to her when I get the chance.

    While eating, I heard about what had happened so far.

    It was about what happened right after I killed the spider.

    It wasn¡¯t much different from what I had expected. Sirien received the baptism of the Hibras church and was recognized as a saint.

    Although there were many ceremonies left to perform in the future, she said she could spend the free time preparing for them as she wished.

    She didn¡¯t tell me why she decided to be a saint. I could only guess that she secured protection here and my life in exchange for performing the rituals.

    The stigma of Hibras appeared on her left hand. In the original story, the protagonist, Ellis, had it on her right hand, so even such things were opposites.

    Seeing her once smooth and white skin marred like this made me feel uneasy.

    ¡°The people here are very pleased now that I¡¯ve be a saint. They say they¡¯ve fulfilled a long-cherished wish.¡±

    ¡°Are there many people in a ce like this?¡±

    ¡°Not many. Maybe seven in total? I¡¯m not sure if there are more.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you regret it? You never received a baptism when we were at the castle because you didn¡¯t know which god to serve yet.¡±

    ¡°I do feel a bit of regret, but I don¡¯t regret the decision. Even if time went back, I would make the same choice.¡±

    As soon as Sirien finished her meal, she nestled into my arms.

    I was forced to lie down, bearing Sirien¡¯s weight. She seemed lighter than before.

    Her soft cheek rubbed against my chest. I was about to say something, but seeing the sheer happiness on her face, I stopped.

    Her eyes, curved like a crescent moon, were filled with joy. Her smiling lips, and arms that seemed to want to hug me tight, yet hesitated as if afraid of hurting me.

    Sensing her emotional struggle, I gently patted her head.

    Sirien liked this the most.

    The motion of lowering her bangs onto her forehead. She didn¡¯t like having her hair messed up but enjoyed being patted on the head.

    Sirien savored my warmth for a long time before she was satisfied.

    Wey entwined, looking up at the ceiling. The wallpaper, faded with time, came into view.

    Sirien suddenly reached out her hand.

    ¡°Razen, I¡¯m a saint now. Look, I can use holy magic like this.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I heard. You¡¯re good at it. All that studying paid off.¡±

    A reddish light flickered above her hand.

    It was a soft,mp-like light. A warm light that seemed to radiate heat.

    In the novel, Sirien used to wield dark divine power to bring death, but it seemed that such power could also be used this way.

    ¡°I can use healing magic now, too. The first thing I did after receiving the baptism was to heal you. Every day, I poured all my divine power into you. So when you woke up, I felt like I could fly.¡±

    Sirien¡¯s hand gently touched my arm. Then she found my wrist and held it with both hands.

    Despite all the hardships, Sirien¡¯s hands were still soft and tender.

    ¡°Hey, Razen.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°I tried really hard. Just like you did for me, this time I fought with all my might. I put everything on the line and protected both of us. So, praise me.¡±

    ¡°You did well. This time, I really survived thanks to you, Sirien. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°I really wanted to hear that? Tell me a bit more. And I¡¯d be even happier if you hugged me.¡±

    If she asked, I had to oblige.

    I wrapped my arms around her small waist. Sirien ced her hands over mine and giggled.

    The hands we held felt warmer than usual.

    My chest and Sirien¡¯s back resonated with our heartbeats.

    Thump, thump. Thump, thump.

    Our alternating heartbeats felt as though they had merged into one.

    We stayed like that for a long time, listening to the sound of our hearts. The asional breeze felt pleasant.

    ¡°Razen, as a saint, I can now knight someone.¡±

    Suddenly, Sirien gulped.

    In the quiet room, the sound was distinct.

    ¡°Of course, you¡¯ve always been my knight. Just as you protected me without asking for a vow, I think of you as my knight without needing any formal vow.¡±

    Her clear voice continued without hesitation, as if she had thought about this for a long time.

    The girl, who always seemed delicate, suddenly sat up.

    ¡°But I want to do it once. I don¡¯t care if the world acknowledges it or not; I want to officially make you my knight. Even if it¡¯s just our own ceremony. No, it¡¯s better if it¡¯s just the two of us.¡±

    The girl who stood up first reached out her hand to me.

    ¡°Please, Razen. Will you be my knight?¡±

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 35: Sanctuary of Hibras (2)

    <b>Chapter 35: Sanctuary of Hibras (2)</b>

    Following Sirien, we arrived at a slightly elevated hill.

    From here, we could overlook the surrounding coniferous forest and the paths we had fought along.

    In particr, I could see the cave where we had fought the mother spider from a distance.

    In thest battle, I had definitely unleashed my sword aura.

    Though I am a half-baked swordmaster, my skills had improved nheless.

    As soon as my body recovered, I wanted to test my sword again.

    Out of habit, I scanned the surroundings for any beasts or monsters, but at least in this area, there seemed to be no need for such worries.

    Was it because the believers were here and the ce was thoroughly guarded?Thanks to that, I could climb the hill asfortably as if I were walking up a neighborhood back hill.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there. Are you managing okay?¡±

    ¡°Did you really think I¡¯d hear you ask if I was managing okay?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so surprising? Besides, Razen, you¡¯re a patient.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not so weak that I can¡¯t walk. On the contrary, moving a bit makes me feel refreshed.¡±

    It was true. I guess I am the kind of person who needs to move my body daily to feel satisfied.

    Just walking a little made me feel much better than lying in bed.

    My body was already itching, and I almost wanted to exercise a bit before going to bed.

    If I did that, I¡¯d probably get nagged quite a bit. Could I do it secretly from Sirien?

    I¡¯d have to look for an opportunityter.

    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived. This is the ce I had in mind. It looks different up close than from below.¡±

    Sirien spread her hands proudly. This was the end of the hill, where it abruptly ended in a high cliff.

    Below the cliff, a dense forest spread out in a single view.

    Old trees painted thend green like a horizon, merging with the white snow and ins behind them.

    There might be a vige where people lived far away, but it wasn¡¯t high enough to see that far.

    The blue sky blended with white clouds above, and a breeze made the wild grass smile.

    ¡°I actually thought about it a lot. I imagined building a splendid pce one day and holding a grand ceremony in front of everyone. Something magnificent.¡±

    ¡°I think I like this ce better.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, me too. I prefer keeping precious things to myself. And no one else needs to be involved in our contract.¡±

    ¡°Two spectators would be enough. They might sit there without us knowing.¡±

    ¡°That would be nice.¡±

    Our lives changed the moment we entered this forest. We lost Terion and Hena and fought desperately in this ce.

    We resented the events that happened in this coniferous forest to the point of death, but we didn¡¯t hate the forest itself.

    If Sirien and I were to conduct a knightly ordination or some significant ceremony, it was only right to do it here.

    I didn¡¯t need a luxurious pce either. This ce, where Terion and Hena¡¯s spirits rested, was far more meaningful than any pce celebrated by the masses.

    Sirien sat on a rock at the edge of the cliff. In her small hand, she held a ceremonial sword adorned with intricate designs.

    Despite its weight, she had carried it all the way up here herself.

    ¡°Shall we begin?¡±

    I knelt on one knee in front of Sirien.

    Sirien drove the silver de straight into the ground.

    Hoo.

    The sound of a shallow breath. Her long silver hair fluttered elegantly as she exhaled, releasing her tension.

    Her blood-red eyes settled into an icy gaze. The priestly robe, a bit toorge for her, billowed like a cloak in the wind. Her hands rested on the pommel of the sword. Behind the sharp longsword, the girl had suddenly be a dignified ruler.

    Thud.

    The de struck the ground. In a calm voice, she began the ceremony.

    ¡°You, Razen Berthus, havee here to be a knight. Do you understand that at the end of this oath, you must bear the weight of conviction and honor?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The oath is but a moment, but its binding is eternal.¡±

    ¡°Then engrave loyalty upon your heart. Swear upon your soul to never retreat before the enemy, never speak falsehoods, and remain brave until your journey¡¯s end.¡±

    The ceremony I had learned long ago came back to me vividly.

    I brought my right fist to my chest.

    The first tap was an oath to my heart, the second to my soul. Loyalty until either my body or Sirien¡¯s perished.

    The conviction I must uphold as a knight would remain until my soul was shattered.

    Sirien extended her right hand to me.

    I kissed the back of her hand.

    Despite her attempts to maintain a dignified expression, I noticed her cheeks subtly flushing.

    ¡°...The gods will always watch over your oath.¡±

    After the knight¡¯s vow, it was the lord¡¯s turn. She had to dere the birth of a new knight in her name.

    Normally, this would be the moment when the lord would bestow a sword, but we had no suitable sword.

    So Sirien had boasted that she would have a special sword made for me someday.

    Honestly, I didn¡¯t mind using an ordinary iron sword, but she insisted that it wouldn¡¯t satisfy her, so we postponed it.

    ¡°I, Sirien Eilencia, the rightful ruler of Eilencia and the saintess of the Church of god Hibras, dere before all gods that you have be a noble knight.¡±

    Sirien tapped my shoulders with the sword, first on the left, then on the right.

    Finally, she touched the sword to the crown of my head.

    It was the end of the ceremony. Naturally, a knight¡¯s ordination ceremony wasn¡¯t a long process.

    Sometimes dozens of knights were ordained at once, and if the ceremony were too lengthy, it would be dreadful for everyone involved.

    A small smile yed on her lips.

    ¡°As my knight, you shall annihte enemies with your life. I will reward your bravery with honor and be a witness to your convictions. The loyalty you have sworn upon your heart, I will engrave upon my bones and remember forever.¡±

    Sirien extended her other hand, the one bearing the sacred mark.

    ¡°Rise, my noble knight.¡±

    As I took her hand and stood, Sirien embraced me. This wasn¡¯t part of the ceremony.

    ¡°Haha. I did it. Now you are truly my knight. No one can say otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Should I call you my lord, then?¡±

    ¡°No. I prefer being called by my name!¡±

    <b>* * *</b>

    <b>[Sirien Eilencia]</b>

    Even after the knighting ceremony ended and quite some time had passed, my heart still pounded.

    My lips couldn¡¯t stop curling into a smile as we descended the hill.

    It felt like I had stamped my seal on something that was rightfully mine.

    It felt like the world had acknowledged it.

    Razen was my one and only knight, and I was Razen¡¯s one and only lord. It felt as though a dream I had vaguely held since childhood hade true.

    But before the euphoria could even fade, I had to separate from Razen under the pretense of returning the ceremonial sword.

    After that, it felt like the world gradually lost its color. The bright and warm sunlight no longer felt the same. It hadn¡¯t been long since I left Razen, but I already felt a chill creeping over me.

    It wasn¡¯t particrly strange. The building I was heading to was in the exact opposite direction of Razen¡¯s quarters.

    In this deste ce, the cold air really did flow.

    The ce I needed to find was a dimly lit basement.

    Click. ck.

    The sound of my footsteps echoed off the stone floor. In the basement, I saw rusted iron bars and a man within.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake? Perfect timing.¡±

    I opened the cell door and stepped inside. The creaking sound caused the man to lift his head, and our eyes met. I spoke softly as I did my work.

    ¡°Listen, today something very good happened to me.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Really. It¡¯s so good that having toe see someone like you is dreadful. So, I don¡¯t want to look at you for long. I hope this ends quickly.¡±

    The man was tied to a shabby wooden chair.

    His tendons were already severed, and there were many signs of torture I didn¡¯t want to look at.

    The smell of blood hung around him. I didn¡¯t get too close, worried that the scent might cling to me.

    I didn¡¯t want Razen to catch even a whiff of such a stench from me.

    I pushed aside all the clean des that seemed prepared just for me.

    ¡°Let me tell you upfront, you¡¯re going to die anyway. It¡¯s necessary for the ceremony. They say the god who presides over rest and death requires death in the ceremony. Apparently, the person must be someone tied to fate, and luckily for me, there¡¯s you.¡±

    What I picked up was a branding iron. I ced it on the hot brazier. After a few minutes, the iron turned a glowing red.

    They say you should always give a preview of the pain that awaits.

    I heard that you must start by branding them at least once.

    Without asking any questions, I pressed the iron against the man¡¯s thigh. The sickening smell of cooking flesh rose.

    ¡°Be grateful. If it weren¡¯t for you, I¡¯d be in quite a bind. So, I¡¯m giving you this chance to save us both some time. I¡¯ll remove the gag now.¡±

    ¡°Kuh. They said you were like a delicate flower in a greenhouse, but it seems none of the information was urate.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t exactly a lie. People change depending on their environment. I¡¯ve just changed a little.¡±

    The betrayal of Count Roxen taught me never to trust anyone. Losing my brother and Hena taught me that my enemies always target my loved ones. I was always a quick learner.

    Having decided not to trust anyone, almost everyone became either meaningless or an enemy to me.

    I must show no mercy to my enemies. Therefore, I no longer hesitate to harm others.

    As expected, Razen was the only exception. I had lost the only other two people who could have been exceptions.

    This man was the leader of the pursuing party that had been chasing me.

    Under normal circumstances, he would have seeded in catching me by now, but reality had turned out this way.

    The green-haired man, the guardian of this sanctuary, was quite capable.

    He had killed all the other pursuers but had captured this man alive.

    The reason he was kept alive was because he was needed for the ceremony.

    However, I had my own reasons for dealing with him.

    Starting tomorrow, I nned to travel around with Razen, so today was my only chance.

    ¡°I promise you this: if you answer my questions well, I won¡¯t harm you.¡±

    I meant it. I had no interest in torturing people for pleasure. In fact, such scenes made me feel nauseous.

    Even now, it was painful to see the man¡¯s injuries.

    But I would do what needed to be done.

    ¡°The questions aren¡¯t that difficult. You¡¯re going to die anyway, so there¡¯s no harm in answering. Here¡¯s the first question. What happened to my parents, the Grand Duke and Duchess of Eilencia?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re dead.¡±

    ¡°I figured as much. Do you know when and how they died?¡±

    ¡°I heard they died in a battle against Eligor. I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s true. That¡¯s all I know.¡±

    ¡°Alright. I believe you. Now for the second question. There¡¯s no direct bloodline left in the Grand Duchy, so how is Count Roxen maintaining his power? He¡¯s not of the main bloodline, just a distant rtive.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s...¡±

    His answer made me frown.

    ¡°That¡¯s disgusting. That man definitely needs to be killed.¡±

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 36: Sanctuary of Hibras (3)

    <b>Chapter 36: Sanctuary of Hibras (3)</b>

    While Sirien went to return the ceremonial sword, I decided to get baptized.

    It wasn¡¯t a decision driven by a sudden surge of faith.

    Although this Church did save my life, the person who did it was Sirien.

    This Church was merely a tool for Sirien. Just as one doesn¡¯t thank the surgical scalpel for a sessful surgery, I didn¡¯t feel much gratitude towards Hibras.

    So, my decision to join this Church was purely my own.

    If this Church reveres Sirien as a saint, then this Church is our strength as well.

    I¡¯ll take what I can get.

    After all, the original Razen wasn¡¯t a devout believer either.My personality isn¡¯t great, but the original Razen¡¯s personality was even worse.

    He wasn¡¯t someone who would serve a god with sincerity.

    What mattered to me was the power I could receive from Hibras.

    Since Sirien became the saint of this Church, I won¡¯t pretend not to know.

    I am serious about protecting the saint, so Hibras will grant me powers as well.

    Our interests align. The gods in this world were quite businesslike.

    ¡°With this, you are now a follower of the God of Rest. There used to be a custom of giving baptismal names. It was quite a long time ago, though. If you wish, I can give you one.¡±

    ¡°No, thank you. I like my name as it is.¡±

    ¡°A wise choice. I¡¯m told I¡¯m not very good at naming things.¡±

    ¡°I thought so.¡±

    The baptism wasn¡¯t particrly difficult.

    Whether due to the author¡¯sck of imagination or not, it still involved the use of water.

    A dark room where all light was blocked out. Being submerged in holy water three times under the light of amp was all there was to it.

    I wondered if, like the protagonist, the god would directly convey something to me, but the baptism ended without incident from start to finish.

    It seems Hibras isn¡¯t so frivolous.

    The God of Light had said quite a few vague things while reincarnating the female lead.

    The person who conducted my baptism was the green-haired man from before.

    ording to Sirien, he is the guardian of this ce, the sanctuary of Hibras. From the boundary we entered, everything inside is considered a sanctuary.

    Now that my status has changed from ¡®outsider¡¯ or ¡®uninvited guest¡¯ to a follower, his attitude had softened considerably.

    ¡°Encourage the saintess before she enters the ritual. It¡¯s not dangerous, but it¡¯s not easy either. It will be arduous and challenging.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Thank you for your words.¡±

    However, his taciturn nature hadn¡¯t changed.

    While I dried myself with a towel, he was already preparing to leave.

    I didn¡¯t know what kept him so busy in this small ce, but if I let him go now, it would be hard to meet him again in the future.

    ¡°As you said, I¡¯ll take good care of the saintess, so how about you spar with me from now on?¡±

    ¡°Why should I?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it my job to seed you as the guardian?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t said anything about passing on the role. I¡¯m not weak enough to need a sessor yet.¡±

    The man smirked.

    It was a condescending smile.

    But I looked him straight in the eye.

    In the original story, Razen did serve as a guardian in the Hibras Church.

    I never heard of any friction between him and this green-haired man during that process.

    In the first ce, this man was a mysterious figure never even mentioned in the original.

    ¡°Are you just a jerk by nature, or are you testing me? You can¡¯t even leave this ce, can you?¡±

    ¡°Who told you that?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear it from anyone; it¡¯s obvious. There¡¯s no reason for a Church with a Sword Master like you to be holed up in a ce like this. Do you know how well Church with Sword Masters as guardians thrive?¡±

    ¡°Hmm. You¡¯re not entirely stupid, at least.¡±

    His eyes scrutinized me.

    ¡°Come to think of it, you didn¡¯t let go of your sword until the very end. Impressive.¡±

    ¡°Against the giant?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It was a pity you closed your eyes, but it was enough to pass.¡±

    His gaze mostly lingered on my right hand.

    The hand I used to grip my sword.

    ¡°So, you¡¯ve managed to wield sword energy. Have you gained confidence? Think you can beat me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m challenging you because I don¡¯t think I can win. If I thought I could, why would I bother? It¡¯d be a waste of time.¡±

    ¡°Good. I like your attitude. I¡¯ll check your sword skillster.¡±

    I cheered inwardly.

    I was about to stand up when the man reached out to stop me.

    ¡°But not today. There¡¯s still poison in your body. Let¡¯s meet again in two days at noon.¡±

    ¡°Is that a promise?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t break my promises. I just have other matters to attend to.¡±

    <b>* * *</b>

    Even after I returned from the baptism, Sirien didn¡¯te back for a long time.

    I considered going to find her, but then remembered her strict instruction to stay in the room until she returned.

    If we missed each other, I¡¯d have to listen to herints all day.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got a task to do, anyway.¡±

    I held a thick book in my hand.

    It was the holy scripture detailing the doctrines of Hibras. I was told I must memorize it if I aimed to be the guardian.

    To think I¡¯d have to study the doctrines of a god I had no interest in.

    I hated the idea, but it wasn¡¯t wrong.

    What would people say if a guardian didn¡¯t know his Church¡¯s doctrines?

    I might not need to spout persuasive words like the priests who proselytize, but I should at least be able to recite the contents.

    The problem was the itchiness that came with studying after such a long time.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing particrly problematic if I read through it.¡±

    The God of Rest.

    Or the God of Death, Hibras.

    Hibras preferred to refer to his divinity as rest rather than death.

    This was because his duty didn¡¯t end with bringing death to life but with ensuring that wandering souls found rest.

    Thus, the symbol of the Church wasn¡¯t a sickle representing harvest but antern guiding souls.

    Antern in the dark night. This was the true significance of the Hibras Church, leading lost souls.

    Most of the doctrines reflected this.

    No matter how sinful a soul was, it had the right to rest after death. All sinsmitted in life are cleansed by death.

    And...

    ¡°Humans, and all living beings, possess both soul and body, but Hibras only respects the soul.¡±

    The reason a follower of Hibras should respect the living is that they possess a soul.

    Guiding the dead is also because every soul deserves rest.

    Therefore, a body without a soul... like a corpse, doesn¡¯t need to be respected.

    Although this wasn¡¯t explicitly written, it was a usible interpretation based on the doctrine.

    No, it wasn¡¯t just a matter of ¡®it could be interpreted that way.¡¯

    When Hibras became known as an evil god in the original story, Sirien didn¡¯t hesitate to raise an army of the dead.

    Up until now, she hesitated because of the external perception. But without such constraints, she could do it anytime.

    There were also several other sinister powers beyond just raising corpses.

    ¡®No wonder he¡¯s called an evil god in the future.¡¯

    Not that other gods didn¡¯t have their own issues.

    The God of Light, the God of War, the God of Faith, the God of Compassion¡ªall had aspects that were difficult to understand by modern standards.

    These were often exined as humans being unable to fully grasp the will of the gods.

    Eventually, I couldn¡¯t finish the scripture and closed it.

    My head felt like it was pounding.

    Iy down on the bed, and not long after, Sirien returned.

    ¡°I¡¯m back! What were you doing?¡±

    ¡°I was reading a bit and then justy down. Did you take a bath? You smell like flowers.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I can do it every day now. If you tell them in advance, they¡¯ll even warm the water for you and sprinkle flower petals.¡±

    The petals had a familiar scent, but I couldn¡¯t identify the flower because I knew nothing about flowers.

    In the castle, we lived sovishly that they might have mixed several types.

    Anyway, the scent was quite different from what I used to. Since my natural body odor was faint, the new scent quickly permeated.

    ¡°That¡¯s great. You always loved bathing.¡±

    ¡°Once I got in the water, I felt my whole body rx. It¡¯s a bit cramped and old-fashioned, but it¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯tpare to what you used in the castle.¡±

    Her white face beamed with a smile.

    She looked even more radiant after a pleasant bath, with her skin appearing smoother.

    Considering she had been through a lot recently, it seemed she was naturally resilient.

    ¡°What¡¯s that in your hand?¡±

    ¡°Some fruits I got for us to eat together. There are strawberries too. Try them.¡±

    As soon as Sirien put down the basket, she picked up some fruit with her fingers.

    Her hand moved directly towards my mouth.

    Her fingers brushed against my lips momentarily before pulling away. The warmth lingered longer than the brief touch.

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    ¡°How is it? Sweet? I think the fruits here are tastier than those we had in the castle.¡±

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re right. They are delicious. Maybe I¡¯ll ask for some fruits tomorrow too.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s do that. Want another one?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it myself.¡±

    The basket Sirien brought had apples, grapes, and strawberries in small quantities.

    We sat on the bed, eating the fruit piece by piece.

    ¡°I heard today that the ritual preparations will take about three days.¡±

    ¡°What will you do until then?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow, I want to walk around with you. I¡¯ll introduce you to some people. I got quite close with them while you were asleep for a week. Since this building is used only by you and me, there might be some people you haven¡¯t met.¡±

    ¡°The room next to mine is yours?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Want toe in? It¡¯s nothing special.¡±

    ¡°...Your room? No, thanks.¡±

    Even in Rehaim, I had never been inside Sirien¡¯s room.

    Aside from when we were babies, even Grand Duke Eilencia never set foot in there.

    There was no way I could have.

    And frankly, I didn¡¯t feel like entering now either. For some reason, I felt a strange sense of guilt.

    Sirien¡¯s eyebrows twitched in displeasure.

    ¡°Then feed me those grapes.¡±

    ¡°Eat them yourself.¡±

    ¡°Feed me! I fed you earlier!¡±

    ¡°Why are you acting like a child all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care! Feed meee!¡±

    Unable to withstand her whining, I fed her.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 37: Sanctuary of Hibras (4)

    <b>Chapter 37: Sanctuary of Hibras (4)</b>

    One positive change since entering the Sanctuary of Hibras was that we no longer needed to keep watch through the night.

    With the constant threat of beast and monster attacks now behind us, we could sleep soundly in our room.

    You only realize its value once you lose it¡ªadequate sleep was an incredibly precious thing.

    Looking back, having to keep watch with just the two of us on the road was too harsh.

    I vowed to acquire proper travel gear for our next journey.

    Something enchanted with magic.

    Anyway, with my fatigue gone, I started my day with physical training.

    Staying cooped up in a room, even as a patient, didn¡¯t suit my personality, and physical fitness deteriorates if not maintained daily.As long as I had a good environment to eat and rest, my body would continue to grow.

    There happened to be a suitable open space near my lodging, which I used as a training ground.

    With the environment set, there was no reason not to put in the effort. Even now, my future enemies wouldn¡¯t be cking off.

    ¡®Even as a Swordmaster, I can¡¯t afford to becent. I must treat this as just the beginning.¡¯

    The original novel of this world was a reverse harem story.

    This meant it prioritized character appeal, with various male leads surrounding the female protagonist like trophies.

    Each one bore grand titles like Archmage and Sword Saint.

    Knowing I¡¯d eventually face such adversaries, I had no time to rest.

    I had to surpass even the original Razen.

    After running for a while, I was drying off after a wash when I heard a slightly annoyed voice behind me.

    ¡°I knew it. I told you to rest until I got back.¡±

    Sirien was ring at me with eyes full of dissatisfaction.

    Her cheeks puffed up slightly, as if she were about to sulk.

    I expected some scolding, but I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d get mad so quickly.

    ¡°This is nothing, really.¡±

    ¡°But you promised me. You could¡¯ve waited to run until after your treatment.¡±

    ¡°The morning air was just too refreshing.¡±

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    Sirien pouted at my nonchnt answer.

    Her small hand pped my back with force.

    The sound echoed crisply, and my back burned with pain.

    ¡°That¡¯s your punishment for not listening.¡±

    ¡°Your hand¡¯s gotten quite strong, huh?¡±

    ¡°If I hit lightly, you wouldn¡¯t even pretend it hurt.¡±

    ¡°Ahem.¡±

    Even when she was furious, she used to throw soft punches.

    Now she¡¯d grown enough to deliver a p that actually hurt.

    It seemed I¡¯d raised a beast.

    Well, Sirien¡¯s worries weren¡¯t baseless. My body still had traces of poison.

    After moving around a lot, I felt some difort in my limbs.

    I got out of breath quickly, and my body didn¡¯t move quite the way I wanted it to.

    But it wasn¡¯t too bad. At this rate, I¡¯d be fully healed in a few days. Maybe even by tomorrow.

    It made sense, given that the Church¡¯s saintess had used all her divine power to heal me.

    Though Hibras¡¯ divine power was not well-suited for healing, sheer quantity could ovee inefficiency.

    Just like this.

    ¡°Hibras, grant me your light.¡±

    After a bit of a tussle, I sat with my back to Sirien.

    With a calm prayer, she ced her hands on my back.

    Starting from where her hands touched, a warm energy spread through my body.

    The divine power entered me slowly, like ink spreading in water, meticulously healing every part it touched.

    Both mana and divine power carry the will of their users.

    Sirien¡¯s divine power was this careful and thoughtful because it reflected her personality.

    ¡°I can feel that most of the wounds are healed, but... it¡¯s still notplete.¡±

    ¡°Considering I was hurt by such a monster, this is a quick recovery. It¡¯s fine if the treatment takes a bit longer, as long as there are nosting effects.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. That should be okay. They said it was partly turned into a curse because the spider¡¯s lingering thoughts were so strong.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s kind of creepy.¡±

    Sirien poured her divine power for over ten minutes before finally lifting her hands.

    By then, my body was filled with warmth. She tapped my back gently.

    ¡°All done! How do you feel, any better?¡±

    ¡°Thanks to you. I feel much better than before.¡±

    ¡°Hehe. I¡¯m working hard on my studies.¡±

    Her lips curved into a gentle smile. Lately, Sirien seemed even more susceptible to praise than before.

    She couldn¡¯t hide her happiness, even while brushing aside her hair bashfully.

    Sirien stood up first and grabbed my arm, pulling me along.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go outside now! I haven¡¯t had a chance to explore this ce yet. I¡¯ve been wanting to look around with you!¡±

    <b>* * *</b>

    Within the Sanctuary of Hibras, there were about ten people living there, including us.

    In truth, it wasn¡¯t much of a properly organized Church.

    The only one continuously handling Church affairs was the guardian, while the rest were practically civilians.

    It was more like a small vige with a few devotees.

    Even those involved in the Church¡¯s work had only recently started to put things in order.

    Due to ack of personnel, one person often took on multiple roles.

    The woman in front of us was a prime example.

    ¡°We met briefly yesterday, right? This is Melissa. She¡¯s currently our only nun and will be assisting me exclusively. She¡¯ll also help with Razen¡¯s duties.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Razen. Please take care of me, Sister.¡±

    ¡°Please, speak informally. I heard you¡¯re from a noble family. I¡¯ll do my best to serve you wholeheartedly.¡±

    ¡°Melissa also prepares our meals. That soup we had yesterday was her doing.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it was delicious. Thank you.¡±

    Melissa had a quiet demeanor, appearing to be in her early to mid-forties.

    A gentle smile yed on her lips, entuated by the wrinkles around her mouth.

    Yesterday, she had worn a devotee¡¯s robe, but today she was in a nun¡¯s habit.

    The habit showed no signs of wear, likely made after Sirien received her blessings.

    It seemed she had only just finished sewing it in time to wear it today.

    After the brief introduction, Melissa continued to walk around, cleaning various parts of the building.

    Sirien and I headed to the dining hall, where she grabbed an apple. We walked leisurely, munching on the fruit together.

    ¡°This is the vegetable garden. Bigger than it looks, right? They say it¡¯s maintained by everyone here.¡±

    The vegetable garden looked much like the ones I was used to seeing.

    A low fence, barely knee-high, marked the boundaries of the plots. Tender green sprouts peeked out from the carefully cultivated soil.

    Sirien crouched down and gently touched the leaves of a sprout with her fingers.

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s been a really long time since I¡¯ve seen such tiny sprouts. The garden at home only had fully grown flowers.¡±

    ¡°But they did nt new ones every spring in the back garden.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I saw thatst spring. So, it¡¯s been a year since I saw new sprouts. They¡¯re so cute and tiny now, but they¡¯ll grow so big by autumn.¡±

    It seemed Sirien had forgotten that she herself was once very small, and even now, she wasn¡¯t very big.

    It was a strange feeling, like watching a child who thinks they¡¯re already an adult.

    Given the stinging pain in my back from earlier, I decided to keep my mouth shut.

    She caressed the sprouts gently, as if afraid she might harm them. Once satisfied with her exploration of the vegetable garden, she stood up.

    Next, we headed to the temple, the most splendid ce in this secluded area.

    It was where we had gone for the baptism yesterday.

    The temple¡¯s interior wasn¡¯t much different from what we had seen, but it was my first time entering the sanctuary and prayer rooms.

    They were quiet, modest spaces without much adornment.

    I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be visiting them often, so I just took it in with my eyes. After offering a candle with Sirien, we returned.

    ¡°This is fun. It feels like we¡¯re on an adventure.¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t we had plenty of adventures? Aren¡¯t you tired of them by now?¡±

    ¡°Ugh. Those weren¡¯t adventures. Adventures should be fun.¡±

    ¡°Like in the fairy tales?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with fairy tales? I like them. Anyway, Razen, you¡¯ve always been like an old man.¡±

    My eyes widened.

    An old man? You¡¯re just a kid!

    I swallowed the retort that rose to my lips.

    As a transmigrator, thest thing I wanted was to argue with a child over something like this.

    It was, in my opinion, far too undignified.

    On our way out of the temple, we encountered a child.

    The child¡¯s name was Luan.

    At most, he was about eight years old, with a bright and innocent face typical for his age.

    His expression was full of mischief, making him seem like he could cause as much trouble as Terion.

    I was surprised to see a child in this ce, but even more surprising was how cheeky and impolite modern kids could be.

    After a brief greeting, the first question out of Luan¡¯s mouth was this:

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the rtionship between you two? Are you dating?¡±

    ¡°W-w-wha... what?¡±

    Sirien was at a loss for words.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 38: The Sanctuary of Hibras (5)

    <b>Chapter 38: The Sanctuary of Hibras (5)</b>

    <b>[Sirien Eilencia]</b>

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the rtionship between you two? Are you dating?¡±

    ¡°Wha-wha-what...what?¡±

    ¡°Are you two dating? Have you kissed?¡±

    ¡°Kissed? You shouldn¡¯t say such things carelessly!¡±

    What is this kid saying right now?!

    A shrill noise came out of my mouth. My face flushed hot, and I fanned myself with my hands.

    I wanted to scold this impudent brat immediately, but Razen just stood by with an indifferent expression.¡°We¡¯re not dating. We¡¯ve just been childhood friends.¡±

    ¡°Ra-Razen is my knight. So-so... is it strange for a saint to be with her knight?¡±

    ¡°Oh~ I see. I was just curious. You two are always together, so I thought you were dating. Even when I first saw the saint, you were together.¡±

    ¡°That was because Razen was sick then!¡±

    When I first saw Luan, it was right after I had made a deal with the guardian.

    In other words, it was a time when Razen was in danger.

    Looking back, I had been quite on edge.

    I had even harshly pushed Melissa away when she tried to wipe Razen¡¯s sweat.

    It felt like I was surrounded by enemies on all sides, unable to let my guard down for even a moment. I feared losing Razen if I took my eyes off him for even a second.

    - Don¡¯t you dare touch him!

    - I thought he was sweating a lot¡­

    - I¡¯ll do it myself. Move. If Razen gets hurt any further, I¡¯ll never forgive you.

    - Then I¡¯ll bring some warm water.

    It was just an expression of my fear.

    I didn¡¯t want to lose Razen again. He was my precious knight. My only friend and mutual confidant.

    But they thought we were dating?

    Does that mean others see Razen and me as a couple?

    My mind became tangled. I couldn¡¯t think straight, and yet a flood of random thoughts crowded my head, making it spin.

    I felt strange noises in my ears.

    The world spun around. I wanted to stamp my feet, but I held back, fearing it would look odd.

    The sun¡¯s rays suddenly felt harsh.

    Somewhere in my chest. Or maybe my cheeks. Sometimes it was the inside of my throat that kept tingling.

    Calm down. At least I¡¯ve managed to cover it up for now.

    Razen said we were childhood friends. I said Razen was my knight, so we were together.

    ¡®Cover up? Was this something to cover up?¡¯

    I didn¡¯t like it.

    The child who had asked nodded quickly in understanding, but I was still in turmoil.

    I felt irritated. I couldn¡¯t exin it specifically, but it was annoyingly frustrating.

    I bit my lip without thinking. It hurt. If only it was just pain, but I felt an unjust resentment toward the whole world.

    The tree next to me seemed to mock me.

    Should I just cut it down? Does it know that my only weapon is an axe?

    An axe is a weapon meant to cut down trees. No matter how sturdy you are, you wouldn¡¯t withstand my chopping.

    Behave before I get angry.

    The impudent, rude, and irreverent brat was a problem too.

    Luan, who had messed up my head like this, quickly turned his attention elsewhere.

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s Aunt Melissa. I think she¡¯s calling me. I¡¯ll go!¡±

    ¡°Okay. Be careful not to trip.¡±

    ¡°Sure...¡±

    Is he running away? Should I not let him go?

    Razen let Luan go, as if nothing had happened.

    I felt annoyed by that as well.

    In the end, I was the only one who was agitated in this situation.

    This made me look like a petty woman.

    Razen cautiously stepped into my line of sight.

    ¡°Sirien? Are you angry?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. There¡¯s no reason for me to be suddenly angry. Right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that your expression didn¡¯t look good.¡±

    ¡°How did it look bad?¡±

    ¡°Never mind... I must have been mistaken.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You must have been.¡±

    I don¡¯t know.

    I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m like this, or why I got angry at the kid¡¯s words.

    What do I want to be with Razen?

    At first, I wanted Razen to be my knight alone. So yesterday, we held a private knighting ceremony.

    I was happy. It felt like I had fulfilled a long-cherished wish.

    The hill we were on felt like a cloud, and every step was like walking in a dream.

    In that moment, my world consisted only of Razen and me.

    In such a world, I felt I could live forever.

    ¡®Why did I feel embarrassed when asked if we were dating?¡¯

    Being asked if we were dating obviously implied something. It meant asking if we were in love.

    Love. I¡¯ve heard the word often, but I don¡¯t really understand what it means.

    My parents were undoubtedly in love. You could tell just by looking at their eyes. Their gazes dripped with affection.

    And they loved me too. I definitely grew up receiving love.

    Both were love. The love between a man and a woman and the love between parents and a child are said to be different, but how exactly?

    A night when the stars scattered brilliantly.

    I heard something simr while sitting in my mother¡¯sp in a rocking chair.

    It was when I asked how she and my father first met.

    - We met at a debutante ball. We were already engaged, and I fell for him first.

    - Really? What was Dad like back then? Was he incredibly handsome?

    - Your father was as sharp as the winter wind. He acted as if he had gathered all the world¡¯s chill. I don¡¯t know how many noble girls he made cry.

    - Was he like that to you too?

    - No. I thought I was engaged to a scary man, but he treated me warmly. Since I was so scared, he always kept a distance of about three steps. I never imagined I would fall for those mere three steps.

    I was about five years old then.

    My mother smiled warmly as she looked at the sky. It was a smile that radiated cozy happiness.

    I envied my mother¡¯s smile.

    I wanted to be someone who could smile like that someday.

    - Sirien. Love is an emotion that can change your entire life. It can block your eyes and ears, make what you thought was natural seem unnatural, and turn what you liked into something you dislike.

    - Turn what you liked into something you dislike... Huh?

    - I thought the three steps he rigidly maintained were a protective barrier. I felt safe as long as he kept those three steps. But as time passed, I began to hate those three steps.

    - Did Dad do something to make you hate him?

    - No. Dad was the same as always. He was a very polite fianc¨¦. I liked that. I thought there should be manners and dignity between a man and a woman. I still think so. But it wasn¡¯t always pleasant.

    My mother sped my hand tightly.

    Maybe because of that memory, I grabbed Razen¡¯s hand too.

    Razen, though flustered, silentlyplied.

    Only then did the knot in my heart begin to melt away. It was absurd.

    A heart soplicated and tangled unraveled so easily.

    It felt like my mother¡¯s voice was clear in my ears.

    - After getting to know each other so well, I thought it would be okay to get a little closer. Not three steps but two. Maybe even one step. I hated the barrier that had protected me so much.

    - So did Dade closer?

    - No. He¡¯s always been like a stone. He was so clueless that I suffered a lot.

    - You said that before too. That Dad is clueless.

    - Yes. He¡¯s really clueless. My heart was always fickle, but he never wavered. I wanted him close but also wanted him far. Still, Sirien. Hearts are like that. They waver andin, and through that, theye to understand.

    Sometimes, I resented Razen, but in truth, I couldn¡¯t hate him.

    Even when he called me a ¡®childhood friend.¡¯ No matter how Razen introduced me, I wouldn¡¯t have liked it.

    Honestly, Razen wasn¡¯t at fault at all. It was all my childishness.

    - The important thing isn¡¯t your heart¡¯sints, Sirien. It¡¯s why your heart wants toin so much. When you only see one person in the whole world, when you only hear one person¡¯s words no matter what music you listen to, then you¡¯ll understand.

    - Understand what?

    - Love.

    ¡°Razen, I have something to say.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Well... I, I...¡±

    ¡°I?¡±

    ¡°You jerk, slow down a bit! My legs hurt.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡±

    Even now, I couldn¡¯t admit it.

    That I... that I like Razen? Not as a childhood friend, but as a woman?

    That I love Razen?

    I absolutely couldn¡¯t admit that.

    If I did, everything I¡¯ve done for you so far would turn into a courtship and confession.

    That can¡¯t be. My pride won¡¯t allow it.

    So, I¡¯m not the one who fell first.

    Razen, if you confess to me, I¡¯ll consider epting it.

    Just wait. I got you as my knight in the end. Getting you entirely shouldn¡¯t be too hard.

    ¡°Give me your arm, not your hand. I¡¯m tired, so I want to hold onto it.¡±

    ¡°Oh... okay.¡±

    At that time, I didn¡¯t know.

    That even after more than four years, our rtionship would not progress.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 39: Sanctuary of Hibras (6)

    <b>Chapter 39: Sanctuary of Hibras (6)</b>

    Noon the next day.

    The appointed time had arrived.

    I had prepared in advance and waited, so the Guardian arrived right on time.

    It was his usual teleportation.

    No matter how many times I saw it, I couldn¡¯t get used to that power.

    If such power could be used outside, the empire¡¯s politicalndscape would have been reorganized around the Hibras Church.

    If a Swordmaster went around slicing enemymanders with that power, there¡¯d be no countermeasures.

    That man looked at me with a peculiar expression.¡°Did something happen between you and the Saintess yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me? Isn¡¯t that too abrupt?¡±

    ¡°She seemed a bit off. Like she couldn¡¯t sleep.¡±

    ¡°Ah... well, it¡¯s nothing significant.¡±

    The Guardian¡¯s eyes twitched.

    He seemed suspicious, but it was hard to exin in detail.

    After being questioned by that kid, Luan, yesterday, Sirien had been out of sorts all day.

    She looked a bit angry, so I couldn¡¯t approach her easily.

    But would she really get mad over something like that? Understanding the mind of a girl that age was impossible.

    It slightly reminded me of bad memories from the modern era.

    Don¡¯t make your friend¡¯s boyfriend your own.

    Both of you will get hurt, you inconsiderate brats...

    ¡°Really, it¡¯s nothing significant. We didn¡¯t even fight.¡±

    ¡°Alright. As long as it doesn¡¯t affect the ritual, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°Is the ritual that difficult?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not difficult, but it can be painful. I can¡¯t tell you the details.¡±

    Seeing him like that, I figured no amount of prying would get me an answer.

    He hates tiresome arguments. It might be better to change my approach altogether.

    ¡°So, what would be the best thing to say?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do. Just stay with her until the ritual. Cheer her on.¡±

    ¡°Yes, well, let¡¯s do that.¡±

    ¡°Pick a sword. Let¡¯s check your skills first.¡±

    On the appointed day, the Guardian brought several swords.

    None of them had sharp edges, fitting for training, but all were made of steel.

    ¡°Can¡¯t I just use my own sword? I brought it with me.¡±

    ¡°No. You¡¯re too used to that one.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve used it for that long.¡±

    ¡°Just pick one.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    My primary weapon was a sword just under 1 meter in length.

    It wasfortable to hold with one hand. So far, it had often been advantageous to keep one hand free.

    Depending on the situation, I¡¯d hold a shield, draw a dagger, or use it to grab an opponent.

    I handled each one, choosing the one whose length and bnce felt most familiar.

    The sword I lightly gripped fit perfectly in my hand.

    ¡°But I¡¯ve been wondering, what should I call you? I can¡¯t keep saying ¡®you¡¯ or ¡¯that guy.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Call me whatever you like.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ufortable for me.¡±

    ¡°Just call me whateveres to mind.¡±

    ¡°Really? Anything?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    He could¡¯ve just told me his name.

    What an unnecessarily exhausting person.

    But he messed with the wrong guy.

    I knew exactly how to deal with people like him.

    Daring to put on airs in front of me, a member of the humorous race? It would only take three words to get his name.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Hey?¡±

    ¡°You jerk.¡±

    -Whack.

    A strong impact struck my head immediately.

    He used the sheath as a club to hit my crown.

    It was ridiculously fast. I even braced myself for retaliation, but couldn¡¯t react in time.

    ¡°What? You said to call you whatever I want.¡±

    ¡°I said call me whatever you want, not to be disrespectful.¡±

    ¡°Then just tell me your name. What¡¯s so expensive about it?¡±

    ¡°Tch. Call me Edwin. You don¡¯t have to be formal, but show at least a minimal amount of respect.¡±

    ¡°Yes, understood.¡±

    At least I got his name.

    Satisfied with that, I distanced myself appropriately from Edwin.

    I began to slowly analyze my surroundings.

    First, this clearing was quite spacious.

    There wasn¡¯t any sand like a training ground, but there was enough room to swing a sword freely.

    Of course, there weren¡¯t any particr objects to use or avoid. The only things worth noting were Edwin¡¯s cor or hair?

    In a real fight, he¡¯d be wearing armor or a helmet, so those weren¡¯t useful targets in a sparring match.

    I used to employ such tactics with Terion asionally. This time, it would be challenging.

    Edwin¡¯s sword was simr in size to mine.

    From his stance, he seemed to favor an out-fighting style. Given his height advantage, I was at a slight disadvantage in terms of reach.

    He didn¡¯t seem like the type to rely on brute strength, but I¡¯d find out soon enough.

    I didn¡¯t think optimistically about it.

    ¡°Do you use Sword aura?¡±

    ¡°Use it to your heart¡¯s content. I¡¯ll only use as much as I need.¡±

    ¡°You sound confident.¡±

    ¡°Well, you won¡¯t even touch my cor at your level.¡±

    I¡¯d heard this kind of confidence before.

    I felt an urge to scratch that arrogance.

    ¡°Really? How about a bet?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re not confident, just be honest. Come on, it¡¯s not like I¡¯d tease you for it.¡±

    ¡°If I ept, you¡¯ll gamble everything just to tear my cor, right? There¡¯s no reason to damage my intact clothes. I want to see your skill, not how crazy you are.¡±

    I was at a loss for words.

    ¡°If you¡¯re done with idle talk, let¡¯s begin.¡±

    <b>* * *</b>

    My opponent was a Swordmaster, clearly stronger than me.

    No need to test the waters. I lunged with Sword aura from the start.

    Crackle.

    Red sparks flew before my eyes.

    Thanks to my improved condition, the light was much stronger thanst time.

    ck Sword aura sliced through the air multiple times. Edwin didn¡¯t use his usual teleportation, but his movements were still fast.

    Slowly, I pressured the space, making it impossible for him to only dodge.

    Eventually, he had to move his sword.

    When our des met, a powerful shock made us both step back.

    For the first time, Edwin¡¯s lips curved into a smile.

    ¡°Good. You¡¯ve got talent for an outsider.¡±

    ¡°Is that apliment?¡±

    ¡°Halfway. It would¡¯ve been much better to be a normal Swordmaster.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I had a choice.¡±

    Edwin¡¯s Sword aura was a gloomy gray.

    The gray energy thickly enveloped his de.

    It seemed he found it burdensome to use thin Sword aura.

    It was a good sign.

    Every sh of our energies created a strong shock.

    At first, my arms felt numb, but soon my body adapted.

    The overload from my own Sword aura was more painful than these shocks.

    ¡°Fundamentally, when Swordmasters fight, it¡¯s hard to sh des directly. Their energies repel each other.¡±

    Though his teachings were helpful, I didn¡¯t feel the need to respond.

    Edwin didn¡¯t seem to expect an answer either.

    Instead, I decided to show him through my actions.

    I decided to take a more aggressive stance. Using my back foot for propulsion, I delivered a powerful blow with my entire body weight.

    It was a mid-cut that was difficult to avoid with mere body movement.

    The moment my sword rebounded from the repulsive force between our auras, I reentered using the momentum.

    Five times in total. I attacked as if a battering ram were pounding on a castle gate.

    ¡°I have an extra dagger. Can I use it?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s sharp.¡±

    ¡°You worry too much.¡±

    ck energy enveloped the dagger in my hand.

    It was like a ck mist, or ink staining the air.

    I slipped the dagger in a fraction of a second before our swords shed.

    If our energies repelled each other, I¡¯d use that repulsive force to my advantage.

    I pushed Edwin¡¯s sword away with the dagger. The forced movement rendered his de meaningless as a barrier.

    It seemed like I could seize the momentum with this attack.

    But my sword lost its strength.

    ¡°Principles are just that, principles. Just because energies repel doesn¡¯t mean the fight bes purely about skill. It actually gets moreplex.¡±

    His gray energy began to engulf my de.

    The electricity that seemed capable of tearing everything lost its power, and the ck mist dissipated.

    I had to retreat quickly before my sword waspletely overtaken.

    ¡°Novice swordsmen often think that wielding Sword aura means they can cut through anything. They focus solely on the aura of a Swordmaster.¡±

    It¡¯s true that the allure of Sword aura is undeniable.

    It can cut through magic or even the divine if the levels aren¡¯t equal. How could a swordsman not desire it?

    But Sword aura isn¡¯t the entirety of a Swordmaster.

    ¡°That perspective is fundamentally wed. A Swordmaster reaches a domain only by seeing the extremes of the sword. To think they be mere machines wielding Sword aura is absurd.¡±

    You don¡¯t need to be a Swordmaster to slice through the weak.

    A sword enchanted with powerful magic can allow even an ordinary swordsman to perform simrly.

    There¡¯s no need forplex techniques just to wield a sharp de.

    Thus, the significance of a Swordmaster lies in their use of Sword aura. The aura itself.

    In a duel between Swordmasters, one must use all the skills they¡¯ve learned along with their aura in various ways.

    ¡°Sword aura is merely a tool. Just as you¡¯ve paid attention to every move and breath of your opponent until now, you must now pay attention to Sword aura. A Swordmaster isn¡¯t the end of the path. It¡¯s a new beginning.¡±

    Sword auras fundamentally repel each other. But depending on their use, they can also consume each other.

    When Sword aura is consumed, you lose control. It became difficult to handle my own sword. It felt as if Edwin¡¯s movements controlled both my sword and body.

    As my de was forced outward, my defense opened wide.

    Edwin¡¯s sword reached my throat.

    It was aplete and utter defeat.

    ¡°I¡¯ll overhaul your basics from scratch. Any objections?¡±

    ¡°...None.¡±

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 40: Sanctuary of Hibras (7)

    <b>Chapter 40: Sanctuary of Hibras (7)</b>

    After training with Edwin, my swordsmanship had undergone significant changes.

    First and foremost, I had solidified my strategy.

    I used to rely more on technique and speed rather than sheer strength inbat.

    But recently, I had begun to be more aggressive.

    It was a kind of transition phase.

    After all, I was still just a boy.

    To stand against robust knights, I had no choice but to depend on skill rather than brute force.

    However, things had changed now. My swordsmanship had be too destructive to rely solely on skill.The power that devoured not only my enemies but also myself.

    Ever since I learned how to properly wield sword aura, even Edwin could not carelessly counter my sword strikes.

    It was a force honed with extreme killing intent. Aggressive like a famished beast, there was no match for it in terms of simple destructive power or force.

    ¡°If your power burdens your body, then just don¡¯t use it for long. Practice using sword aura only when necessary. Otherwise, aim for a quick, decisive battle.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that obedient to turn on and off at will. I¡¯ll give it a try, but it probably won¡¯t work.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to learn to end it quickly.¡±

    A quick, decisive battle.

    Like Razen in the novel, my swordsmanship transformed to heighten its aggressiveness.

    It was a form that forced my opponent to bleed, at the cost of giving up some defense.

    And I changed my sword.

    It was a muchrger straight sword than what I used to wield. The de was about half as long again, and its width was nearly a span.

    To exaggerate a bit, it was the size of a greatsword, though I could still manage to swing it with one hand.

    I had to use my shoulder and back muscles together, so my movements becamerger. But with arger de to channel the sword aura through, its destructive power was doubled.

    ¡°In that case, wouldn¡¯t it be better to just use a greatsword? I don¡¯t see why you need to wield this with one hand.¡±

    ¡°If you grip the sword with both hands, do you n to cast holy spells by putting the sword down? I guess you¡¯ll need to find polite enemies who will wait while you form hand seals.¡±

    ¡°Using sword aura as a holy knight feels kind of funny. I can¡¯t quite imagine it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not something you need to worry about. What¡¯s important is that you, even as a swordmaster, epted holiness. It¡¯s rare for a holy knight to be a swordmaster, but the opposite is even rarer. Since you¡¯ve been blessed, it would be a waste not to use it.¡±

    Just as true mage swordsmen were rare, so were holy knights who used sword aura.

    Usually, swordmasters were bodies that couldn¡¯t use magic or holiness, and even if they could, it was often to a minimal extent.

    There were instances where holy knights reached a high level through training, but their pure swordsmanship was generally weaker than other swordmasters.

    However, I received holy blessings after bing a swordmaster.

    Although I was somewhatcking, it was an unprecedented event significant enough to be recorded in history books.

    With this, my growth potential was fundamentally different from other holy knights.

    ¡°I assure you, this is an unprecedented event. If you don¡¯t settle for mediocrity, the world will soon revere you.¡±

    ¡°Even if you suddenly praise me like that, I have nothing to give you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need anything. As I¡¯ve always said, just support the Saintess well. Also, help expand the faith while you¡¯re at it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do that without being told.¡±

    To me, Edwin was the perfect sparring partner.

    Having someone to exert my full strength against without worry was rare. In typical sparring, I had to hold back to avoid injuries.

    But with Edwin, there was no such concern. He was far stronger than I was, an overwhelming force whose origin I couldn¡¯t fathom.

    Even at full strength, I had no fear of injuring him, and he even provided guidance.

    Thanks to him, my skills were improving rapidly.

    Every time I unleashed a full-force strike, I adjusted my sword technique, refining it with each exchange of blows.

    Sometimes, I tried to imitate Edwin¡¯s swordy, and at other times, I aggressively encroached on his techniques.

    ¡°It¡¯s best if you give up on trying to copy me. It¡¯s not something you can easily mimic.¡±

    ¡°I feel like I could get the hang of it if I keep trying.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be tough.¡±

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s impossible, right?¡±

    I clearly distinguished between what was possible and what wasn¡¯t.

    Just because I decided not to rely on technique didn¡¯t mean I was abandoning it entirely.

    There¡¯s a clear difference between choosing not to use something and being unable to use it.

    And so, day by day,

    I swung my sword with Edwin for hours.

    Surprisingly, he sparred with me as much as I wanted.

    <b>* * *</b>

    Melissa bowed her head politely.

    ¡°There¡¯s still some time before the ceremony begins, Saintess. In the meantime, would you like to greet the others?¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡±

    In front of the only temple within the sanctuary,

    the deep night had settled over the temple.

    Severalnterns hung in front of the gray temple.

    The crimson light from thenterns rippled like waves over Sirien¡¯s silver hair. Under the ethereal glow, her hair was more beautifully arranged than usual.

    Her side hair was neatly braided and tied back, and her wellbed locks cascaded down to her waist.

    Melissa ced a ck veil over Sirien¡¯s head.

    The translucent veil spread wide over her back.

    The ck fabric covered half of her delicate face. From my angle, I could only see Sirien¡¯s lips.

    Sirien smiled slightly.

    Having seen that face for so long, I could tell. It was a fake smile.

    She was forcing herself to smile to hide her trembling emotions.

    ¡°They say the ceremony will take quite a while. About a month.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait outside. If it gets too hard, you can give up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not giving up. What do you take me for?¡±

    Sirien grinned mischievously.

    Thankfully, this time, it was a genuine smile.

    Unlike the shabby clothes she wore after leaving the castle, Sirien was now properly dressed in the robes of a saintess.

    The pitch-ck silk, like the night sky itself, softly wrapped around her body.

    Through the wide sleeves, I could see the evening gloves she wore, with one finger hooked through.

    So, when I held her hand, I could feel both the silk and her skin at the same time.

    -Haa.

    I heard her take a deep breath.

    ¡°Razen, this might sound strange all of a sudden, but do you remember my cousins who were at the castle with us?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I remember. You were worried about them even when we went to the cabin.¡±

    Several branch families of Eilencia were staying at Rehaim Castle.

    Sirien cared deeply for the younger cousins from those branch families.

    She had never considered social status when forming attachments.

    Even when her own life was in danger, she was more concerned about her younger cousins.

    Sirien¡¯s hand squeezed mine tightly.

    There was a desperation in her grip, like someone clinging to a branch at the edge of a cliff.

    I wondered what she was about to say that made her hesitate so much, but what came out of her mouth waspletely unexpected.

    ¡°Those kids... Could you kill them if I asked you to?¡±

    ¡°Even the children of Count Roxen?¡±

    ¡°Yes. All of them. Some of them might be the ones you¡¯re close with. If I asked you to kill them too, could you do it?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t answer immediately. There were a few faces that came to mind, and I needed a moment.

    But ultimately, my conclusion was the same.

    ¡°If you wish it.¡±

    ¡°¡­Thank you. I needed to ask, even if just once.¡±

    ¡°Why so suddenly?¡±

    ¡°When you were asleep, I sent some people out to gather information. They returned today.¡±

    Sirien nodded towards the side of the temple.

    Two robust priests bowed their heads. Though I couldn¡¯t see their faces well, their builds were unfamiliar.

    These must have been the ones who had gone out.

    Sirien bit her lip slightly.

    She looked as though she was about to say something she didn¡¯t want to. She sighed briefly.

    ¡°It seems Count Roxen is quite capable. I sent one person to the Grand Duchy, and they said everything seemed peaceful as if nothing had happened. At least, that¡¯s how it appeared on the surface. But from my perspective¡­ it¡¯s likely there was already a bloodbath.¡±

    ¡°So, they¡¯ve been preparing for a long time. They anticipated this and nned thoroughly for what woulde after.¡±

    ¡°Yes. It seems finding allies within the family will be difficult now.¡±

    The people in this forest couldn¡¯t have suddenly brought back such secret information from within the family.

    So, they must have only brought back what was visible on the surface. But even just from what they heard, there were things we could infer.

    Count Roxen had already seized control of the Grand Duchy.

    Considering the time we spent in the cabin and wandering in this forest, it was not surprising.

    He waspetent. He would have perfectly nned the aftermath long before sessfully leading the rebellion.

    Even if we returned to the Grand Duchy now, we wouldn¡¯t have any allies within the family.

    If there were any, they would be very few or already dead.

    This meant that if my beloved cousins were alive now, they could be our enemies.

    They might have been aplices from the beginning.

    Sirien seemed to lean towards the likelihood that they were traitors from the start.

    ¡°And before we go to the Marquisate of Elloran, we have something to do. The old marquis died of illness. Now the young marquis is waiting to seed.¡±

    ¡°Are we changing our destination entirely?¡±

    ¡°For a while. We¡¯ll visit eventually. We¡¯ll keep heading northeast. There¡¯s something we need to take care of there.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Sirien came close to me. She stood on her tiptoes, and I bent one knee to match her height.

    Soon, our foreheads touched, and I heard her whisper.

    ¡°This one order alone is not enough. Let¡¯s gather people who will be our strength.¡±

    From the streets.

    Those who, like us, were abandoned by someone and wounded.

    Those who, having endured terrible pain, had turned into blind beasts.

    A monthter,

    Sirien sessfullypleted the ceremony.

    And four years passed.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 41: Requitas, the Lawless Zone (1)

    <b>Chapter 41: Requitas, the Lawless Zone (1)</b>

    Requitas, the Lawless Zone.

    A city now more famous by its nickname, ¡°the Lawless Zone,¡± than its original name.

    In the slums of Requitas, rumors spread that you could kill someone for a mere handful of bread.

    In the alleys reeking of musty smells, corpsesy around like stones, and people regarded them with indifference.

    To them, a corpse was no different from the trash scattered on the streets. In fact, they didn¡¯t see themselves as any different either.

    More than half of the city was an evil den of crime.

    Criminals who couldn¡¯t live in ordinary ces. Mercenaries who broke contracts, deserters who feared the battlefield, and the like flowed into this societal sewage dump.

    Even the Emperor, who fancied himself the father of the Empire, had lost interest in thisnd, leaving it steeped in the stench of alcohol.¡°Give him another hit!¡±

    ¡°Goddamn bastard! Already down after a few punches? If you lose me money, I¡¯ll rip your mouth apart!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s right! Gouge his eyes out!¡±

    A dive bar selling cheap liquor.

    On the worn wooden floor, two men were throwing punches at each other.

    Their faces were already marked with red scars and bloodstains from the repeated blows exchanged.

    Not only did the onlookers show no intention of stopping the fight, but even the bar owner seemed to wee the sudden brawl.

    Frankly, the liquor he sold wasn¡¯t very good, and to sell more of it, he needed some entertaining spectacle.

    As a result, fights broke out in this bar every single day.

    It wasn¡¯t particrly unusual to see two rough men fighting; it wasn¡¯t arge-scale brawl involving dozens of people.

    Thus, something out of the ordinary referred to a different type of event.

    For instance, seeing a well-dressed man and woman enter this shabby ce.

    A swordsman exuding an aura of danger. Ady so valuable she wore a veil to hide even a single strand of hair and the slightest hint of her eyes.

    As soon as the two entered, the bar fell silent. Even the men who had been punching each other stopped their fight momentarily.

    In the halted time, the two moved leisurely.

    The swordsman took a seat close to the owner, and thedy silently followed to sit beside him.

    Three silver coins were ced in front of the owner.

    ¡°Give me a drink of whatever you¡¯re best at. Thedy next to me will be fine with just cold water.¡±

    ¡°That seems like too much money for that.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to receive more?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re just nning to buy drinks.¡±

    The owner was a seasoned man.

    In a rough ce like this, running a ¡°bar¡± naturally required experience.

    Instead of hastily grabbing the silver coins, he picked up a ss first.

    ¡°If you order what we¡¯re best at or the most expensive, there¡¯s always one drink I serve. It¡¯s called ¡¯Tomorrow¡¯s Tears.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about the origin.¡±

    ¡°It means if you drink it, you¡¯ll wake up tomorrow. It¡¯s pretty strong.¡±

    A chuckle escaped from under his white beard and wrinkled mouth.

    Suddenly, he took one of the silver coins.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to look like an aplice, so I¡¯ll earn my keep. Watch your back.¡±

    With those words, the swordsman reached back.

    It seemed he hadn¡¯t even checked properly, but his hand precisely grabbed and took away a club.

    The whole process looked as easy as taking a toy from a child.

    The owner decided to divert his attention from the swordsman.

    The future events were too predictable to bother being curious.

    ¡°It seems there might be somemotion.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just don¡¯t let too much blood stter. It¡¯s hard to clean up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    The swordsman swung the club he had taken as if it had always been his.

    The first strike was to the arm, the next to the ribs, and finally to the temple, all in an instant. Each hit was precise.

    The fluidity of his movements left no room for awkwardness.

    At his waist hung an ordinary longsword.

    If what he had in his hand had been that sword¡­

    As this thought crossed the attacker¡¯s mind, his feet instinctively stepped back.

    It was a meaningless act.

    The swordsman closed the gap in one swift move and knocked the man out with a single blow.

    Two meny sprawled on the floor in a ridiculous state.

    ¡®Does he refrain from killing?¡¯

    The owner wondered.

    Even though they had made the first move, the swordsman had not killed them.

    If it had been a mutual fistfight, it might have been different, but such an ambush was akin to robbery.

    Had he killed them, it wouldn¡¯t have been a blemish in thiswless Requitas.

    ¡°Here is ¡®Tomorrow¡¯s Tears.¡¯ Since you seem busy, I¡¯ll just leave it here.¡±

    A drink ced on the table. For the first time, thedy, who had been quiet until now, showed interest.

    Tomorrow¡¯s Tears appeared to be an elegant cocktail.

    Though it was mostly filled with cheap rum, its turquoise color gave it a mystical look.

    It was at that moment when thedy picked up the ss.

    Her attention was entirely on the drink, and the swordsman was moving the unconscious men to a corner.

    In other words, it was the perfect condition for another ambush.

    Several thugs approached thedy from behind, and soon the sound of a chair hitting the floor was heard.

    The chair had fallen with a person.

    The owner nced over.

    ¡°Cleaning up three bodies in one night is quite the task. Can I take another silver coin?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got quite the skill for an old man.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t run this ce without it.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    One thug had a dagger precisely embedded in the back of his head.

    But were there three fallen men? It seemed thedy had whispered something quietly.

    Still, how could that result in death? The owner felt curious, but his old instincts held him back. In the end, no one dared to touch the man and woman.

    He was a man who knew the virtue of restraint.

    The swordsman sat down again.

    He was breathing normally, as if nothing had happened.

    ¡°If I give thatst coin back, could you pour a drink for everyone in the bar?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s plenty of money, but why the affection for them?¡±

    ¡°Think of it as a bribe from us. If they cause more trouble, consider it as a drink for their graves.¡±

    ¡°You want them to keep quiet. Understood.¡±

    The owner knew well how to handle the patrons of Requitas.

    His fist mmed into the bar with a loud bang.

    ¡°The gentleman here says take a drink or draw your swords ande at him! He¡¯s kindly offered to take your heads himself!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t recall saying it that way.¡±

    ¡°Think of it as industry pance. Just as thedy uses refined speech, we have our own ways of speaking. They need to hear this to understand ¡¯Oh, he¡¯s just here for a quiet drink.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Interesting. It seems we chose the right bar. But who drank this?¡±

    ¡°Thedy here.¡±

    The swordsman met thedy¡¯s eyes.

    Though her face was veiled, the owner felt that their eyes truly met.

    For the first time, her sweet voice rang out.

    ¡°It tasted awful.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m curious about.¡±

    ¡°You always stop me from drinking. I was especially curious this time.¡±

    ¡°Your drinking habits are problematic. Last time at the mercenary camp, you clearly...¡±

    ¡°If you say any more, I might kill everyone in this bar. For the sake of my honor.¡±

    ¡°......¡±

    Just because she¡¯s a noblewoman doesn¡¯t mean hernguage is always refined.

    The owner chuckled.

    He noticed the swordsman¡¯s hand in his view.

    Though his palm was covered by fingerless gloves, calluses marked his fingers.

    And his nonchnt attitude toward everything. Despite looking young, there was no doubt he was an exceptionally skilled swordsman.

    Certainly not someone the thugs around here could challenge.

    Come to think of it, this kind of thing happened asionally.

    Formidable individuals would sometimes wander into thiswless city.

    Whenever that happened, bloodshed was inevitable. The owner decided he would close the shop for a while.

    Fortunately, he saw an opportunity for a substantial amount of money right in front of him.

    ¡°If the drink was disappointing, perhaps this old man¡¯s stories might interest you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m willing to pay well for good content.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s music to my ears. As one gets older, one tends to know quite a bit about the happenings around here.¡±

    ¡°Then, are you good at finding people?¡±

    People.

    The owner sensed a strong whiff of blood from that word.

    Getting too involved would surely end badly.

    ¡°My body is too old to run around. You, being young, might find it easier to search yourself.¡±

    ¡°For someone who talks like that, you seem quite fit. Your arms look thicker than mine.¡±

    ¡°Just a bit of morning exercise. So, who are you looking for in this dump?¡±

    ¡°The name is quite old. About four years. Can you recall?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t gone senile yet. Four years is still fresh in my mind.¡±

    At that moment, the swordsman and thedy exchanged nces.

    A silent conversation. The owner decided to wait patiently.

    In his mind, he was already nning his vacation.

    Maybe he should start packing slowly and leave by tomorrow?

    In fact, the three silver coins they gave him were more than enough to cover a month¡¯s revenue for this shabby bar.

    ¡°The name... I¡¯m sure it was Kirux. A former ranger deserter, a tough guy in this city.¡±

    ¡°Familiar name. About four years ago, right? Heard he took a job and got killed.¡±

    ¡°I have some connections with Kirux. I¡¯d like to know about the people involved. The reward will be generous. More than enough.¡±

    The owner finally understood the two of them.

    They were avengers. Ones with a deep-seated thirst for vengeance.

    He revised his ns.

    Leaving this city as soon as possible would be wise. Maybe even tonight.

    A very quiet storm was brewing before his eyes.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 42: Requitas, the Lawless Zone (2)

    <b>Chapter 42: Requitas, the Lawless Zone (2)</b>

    The territory of Requitas, awless zone, became a yground for the greed of every criminal.

    One might wonder what kind of benefits could exist in such a decrepit, rundown city, but there was a certain allure¡ªa taste of sweet rewards that lingered in the air.

    Evil, long umted, naturally called forth gold and desire.

    A pleasure district overflowing with alcohol and drugs, women and violence¡ªa primal city where only instinct thrived.

    Countless individuals threw themselves into this city, driven by their desires.

    It was a fight where the only alternative to gaining everything was death. In this wilderness, two factions emerged as the final survivors.

    The ¡°Sewer Rats,¡± who grew powerful through the drug trade, and ¡°Crescent Moon,¡± who thrived on handling secret information, were the two dominant forces.

    They each survived by eliminating their rivals through their own methods. Naturally, those who grew this powerful had no reason to leave each other alone.For a long time, these two titans tore at each other. It was a prolonged battle where the bnce of power shifted back and forth, sometimes turning into a cold war-like stalemate.

    The reason this old conflict is now spoken of as a thing of the past is simple: the recent strife between the two factions had essentiallye to an end.

    Even the tavern owner didn¡¯t seem to know the full details. He only mentioned that at some point, the tide turned sharply.

    A monster-like figure had appeared, and thanks to him, the Sewer Rats had essentially taken control of Requitas.

    Now, the Crescent Moon was little more than a ragtag group of survivors.

    ¡®Ha. Take over the city with those trash? I don¡¯t know who this guy is, but I¡¯d like to see his face at least once.¡¯

    The Sewer Rats. Drug addicts high on Mulett flowers. The stench of blood and water that came from their side effects was likened to the smell of sewage, which is how they earned their derogatory name.

    To the public, ¡°Sewer Rats¡± referred to such depraved lives¡ªpeople who sold their souls for a fleeting pleasure, trading their freedom for an addiction so strong that they became ves to it.

    Without their drugs, they were no better than corpses, utterly incapable of getting involved in the city¡¯s power struggles.

    Yet, in this city of sin, the term ¡°Sewer Rats¡± was used in a broader sense. It epassed everyone, from those who made and sold drugs to the dealers who sometimes even sold the addicts as goods, and the higher-ups who reaped all the profits from behind the scenes.

    In a way, the derogatory term had be the name of the organization itself. Sirien and I had made all those Sewer Rats our enemies.

    ¡®I¡¯ve got a debt to settle with those Sewer Rats.¡¯

    On the day Terion died and Hena set out on her long journey, our first enemies were those Sewer Rats.

    We recognized them by that distinct stench of blood and water, knowing they hade to kill us.

    The Sewer Rats were the most direct enemies of Terion and Hena.

    And that wasn¡¯t all.

    Even though Edwin had killed him, we still had a debt with the pursuer who had chased us. Crooks, the tracker, had been paid by the Sewer Rats. This meant that the ones who worked alongside him in the same ce were still alive.

    Even though those scum were now corpses, our resentment hadn¡¯t disappeared.

    It was too deep a pain to swallow. The memory of that day remained in our hearts like a thorn that hadn¡¯t yet been pulled out.

    Even now, just touching that thorn made my chest ache as if it were freezing.

    Especially when I thought of Terion and Hena, it felt like something inside me was being sliced open by a knife.

    This was a pain that only Sirien and I shared in this world.

    There might be a way to avoid aggravating the thorn. If I don¡¯t think about them, it won¡¯t hurt. Perhaps that¡¯s one way to live. But we decided to boldly pull the thorn out.

    - You know, my employer said something interesting. He told me to erase you from this world.

    - But here¡¯s the thing, there were no instructions to kill you gently.

    - I¡¯ve heard the youngdy is quite beautiful.

    The voice, vivid in my memory, seemed to echo in my ears. The words were worthless, but there was something that stuck with me.

    The phrase ¡°erase you from this world.¡±

    Luckily, we weren¡¯t erased. So now, isn¡¯t it time for us to erase them from this world?

    A turquoise cocktail slid down my throat.

    ¡®It¡¯s definitely not a vor Sirien would like.¡¯

    I had expected a bit more from a cocktail, but it wasn¡¯t particrly tasty. Itcked the sweetness that Sirien might have enjoyed, tasting instead like a mixture of strong liquors.

    The pungent scent of alcohol stung my nose, with no trace of any fruity, aged, or woody notes.

    Drinking something like this would surely have me bedridden the entire next day.

    There was probably a reason why the drink was named ¡°Tears of Tomorrow.¡± In the end, I didn¡¯t finish the drink. But it didn¡¯t matter, since the drink wasn¡¯t my goal anyway.

    ¡°Thanks for the valuable information. Is this enough for payment?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s more than enough. I¡¯ll put it to good use.¡±

    Having heard everything we needed, there was no reason to stay in the tavern any longer.

    Silence saw us off as we left the establishment.

    On the way out, I caught a glimpse of the owner. He was cleaning up the three corpses that Sirien and I had created.

    I had killed one, and Sirien had killed two. At least in that tavern, there wasn¡¯t anyone who could recognize the power of Hibras.

    To the untrained eye, it must have looked like we killed them without even lifting a finger. There are plenty of skilled swordsmen, but not many could deliver such a death. The unknown would surely be fertile ground for fear to grow.

    ¡®Come to think of it, Sirien seemed a bit upset about the drink earlier.¡¯

    I should probably buy a snack for her on the way. It looked like she wasn¡¯tpletely over it yet.

    As our mercenary life went on, Sirien had grown ustomed to eating all sorts of things. In fact, even back at the cabin, she was less picky about food than Terion. However, it didn¡¯t mean she had lowered her standards.

    Just like in the Forgotten Forest, Sirien¡¯s senses were sharp. Even though my physical abilities had improved drastically since bing a Swordmaster, I still couldn¡¯t surpass Sirien in terms of sensory perception.

    That¡¯s why, even when we moved through battlefields, it was always Sirien who conducted the searches relying on her keen senses.

    Though, with the divine power now dwelling in her, she couldn¡¯t really be called an ordinary person anymore.

    Sirien¡¯s misfortune was that her blessed senses extended even to her taste buds. So when I say Sirien had be a better eater, it was really not much different from saying she had learned to endure unpleasant meals.

    The only exceptions were foods with sweetness, fruits, or vegetables.

    She seemed to do well with foods that were close to their original state. Up until recently, fruit wine was included in that list, but after a recent incident, she had been forbidden from drinking alcohol. And I had no intention of giving her any more alcohol in the future.

    ¡°I noticed they were selling something like fruit soaked in honey outside earlier. Do you want to try that?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s¡­ huh?¡±

    ¡°I saw it too, but I¡¯m not eating it. That wasn¡¯t honey. They mixed in something weird, and the smell was awful.¡±

    Sirien waved her hand near her nose. Even though I couldn¡¯t see inside the face mask she was wearing, I could almost feel her grimace.

    If Sirien refused something sweet, it meant it was truly inedible.

    I had considered stealing a bite if she bought it, but it was a relief I didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Is the smell here bothering you much?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better than before. Over there, the stench was so strong it felt like my nose was going numb. The back alleys were especially bad.¡±

    ¡°Specifically?¡±

    ¡°The ground reeks of neglected sewage, and the people smell like a mix of sweat and alcohol. In the back alleys, there¡¯s the scent of blood and old corpse rot. Oh, and I heard a scream just now, though that¡¯s not a smell.¡±

    ¡°I hear it too. Three men, no, make that two men and one woman, right?¡±

    There was a small scuffle going on in a nearby alley. It was likely two or three alleys away from where we stood.

    In awless zone like this, just being a woman made you prey. As pitiful as the situation might be, we weren¡¯t obliged to help. Besides, judging by the fact that the men screamed first, it seemed the woman could hold her own.

    Since arriving in Requitas, we¡¯d witnessed such fights more than once. If we tried to intervene in every brawl here, ten bodies wouldn¡¯t be enough. It was wiser to mind our own business and focus on our own survival.

    ¡°Should we find an inn in advance? It¡¯d be better than sleeping rough. I¡¯ve heard there are some decent ces if we go deeper into the city.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯d prefer to sleep in a bed and take a bath.¡±

    So, originally, we had no intention of getting involved. The n was to find a suitable inn and start our real work tomorrow.

    There was no reason to interfere in a fight between strangers whose faces and names we didn¡¯t even know.

    That was until the men involved said something we couldn¡¯t ignore.

    - We¡¯re both tired, so why don¡¯t we just call it quits? It was hard enough finding you anyway. You¡¯re all going to die soon enough. Rumor has it your father ran away too.

    - Who knows? Maybe the boss will take a liking to you and keep you as a pet in the Paper House.

    - We get paid, and you get to be our boss¡¯s little pet. Everyone wins.

    Paper House.

    That was the nickname for Crescent Moon, the group that sold information.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 43: Requitas, the Lawless Zone (3)

    <b>Chapter 43: Requitas, the Lawless Zone (3)</b>

    It wasn¡¯t something particrly surprising.

    After all, most beliefs are meant to be broken.

    Trust, from the beginning, was always a raremodity that seldom rewarded those who gave it.

    If that weren¡¯t the case, the word betrayal wouldn¡¯t even exist, so it was only natural that the inevitable hade.

    It wasn¡¯t exactly a new urrence, but a bitter taste lingered in the girl¡¯s mouth.

    Her green eyes scanned the lifeless body lying before her.

    It was a woman¡¯s corpse, one she was all too familiar with.

    A childhood friend with whom she had spent her early years, the very person she had relied on during the most perilous moments, had just been killed by her own de.In this hellish ce devoid ofw and morality, childhood was synonymous with the time when you were the weakest.

    A friend who had been her sce through harsh training and constant threats from enemies who sought her life.

    Perhaps that¡¯s why she had been too soft.

    She had known for some time that her friend was up to something suspicious but hadn¡¯t questioned it.

    She didn¡¯t want to believe that her only friend had betrayed her.

    Maybe she was simply too afraid to hear the truth, running away from reality like a coward.

    In the end, she had to pay the price for being a coward.

    Her friend¡¯s betrayal led to the exposure of their hideout, and in that moment, the girl had no choice but to kill the enemy closest to her.

    The image of her friend¡¯s face, blood pouring from her mouth, was not easy to forget.

    Had their eyes met at thest moment? She couldn¡¯t quite remember. Suddenly, the girl felt a tightness in her chest.

    At times like this, it was almost better to feel physical pain.

    ¡®Get a grip, do you really have the luxury of idle thoughts right now?¡¯

    Should she consider this a blessing?

    It was all too easy for the girl to cause herself pain.

    All it took was a little movement.

    Her thin leg took a step forward.

    Even with just that slight motion, a sharp pain shot through her thigh. It was from a wound she had received earlier.

    Blood trickled down her leg, soaking her clothes, which clung to her skin in an irritating manner.

    ¡°Are you going to continue?¡±

    Her nce caught sight of three men.

    The man at the front had a mocking smile on his face.

    Just a while ago, the girl had shed at that man¡¯s chest.

    It wasn¡¯t very deep. She had aimed for his neck but failed, resulting in a fierce counterattack.

    Thanks to that, the girl was still bleeding from several parts of her body.

    She hadn¡¯t sustained any fatal injuries yet.

    But the difficulty of moving was increasing, and her breathing was bing strangelybored, possibly due to the blood loss.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just make this easy? At this point, it seems like you¡¯re not even fighting the boss but rather ying around with us.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, if that¡¯s the case, you should¡¯ve said so earlier.¡±

    The men acted as if they had already captured the girl.

    They made crude jokes, spouting obscene remarks as if they wanted her to hear.

    But the girl didn¡¯t pay much attention to their words.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time she had been threatened like this.

    Living in Requitas, one would hear threats like ¡°We¡¯ll kill the men and rape the women¡± at least once a week.

    Somewhere else, there might be people who spoke the opposite, but here, such threats weremon.

    Yes. Their words were of no consequence.

    In fact, their stupidity was almost pitiable.

    These men had probably only ever encountered prostitutes in the southern pleasure district, yet they seemed to believe that all women were embarrassed by such vulgarities.

    However, despite their stupidity and vulgarity, the real problem was that their skills couldn¡¯t be underestimated.

    ¡®Their coordination is too tricky...¡¯

    The training she had undergone so far did not betray the girl. With her skills, she could at least take down one of them.

    But there were three enemies, and their coordination hinted at experience.

    Coordination¡ªit meant they weren¡¯t just thugs relying on brute strength.

    ¡®Then they must be mercenaries...¡¯

    The most frequent visitors to Requitas were usually mercenaries.

    Thiswlessnd was close to the frontlines where they were in conflict with demonic forces.

    There was a reason why vast amounts of gold flowed into this insignificant city.

    Being a mercenary was a well-paying job.

    But whether one would survive the next battlefield to actually receive that payment was uncertain.

    Since wealth was useless if you died, many of them lived recklessly.

    Mercenaries who had received their pay would spend their time indulging in thewless zone.

    When their money ran out, they would head back to the battlefield, and Requitas would periodically bribe the surrounding nobles.

    The bribes would then be used to pay the surviving mercenaries.

    That¡¯s why, besides the simple-minded thugs, there were often seasoned mercenaries in Requitas.

    Some of the visitors, realizing how profitable the business here was, chose to stay.

    Those men must be one of those cases. This time, the usual empty threats might actually be a reality.

    ¡®If things be impossible, I¡¯ll have to take my own life.¡¯

    If she were captured like this, the girl would be nothing more than a war trophy.

    She had never heard of any family members of rival bosses being treated well in Requitas.

    The mostfortable ending was death, but even then, they often mutted the body as a lesson to others.

    If she couldn¡¯t preserve her honor after death, she at least had to avoid the disgrace she would face while alive.

    Just as the girl steeled herself, the men¡¯s swords began to close in on her throat again.

    Despite their crude jokes, they didn¡¯t leave any openings.

    The girl tried swinging her sword several times, but each time, they blocked it and counterattacked.

    The more their swords shed, the more apparent it became. There was a significant power gap between the girl and them.

    By now, the girl couldn¡¯t deny it. The only reason she was still alive was that they hadn¡¯t killed her yet.

    Their goal wasn¡¯t to kill her but to capture her alive, which was the only reason she could resist at all.

    But that luck seemed to be running out.

    ¡°This is getting annoying. When you think about it, you don¡¯t really need both arms, do you?¡±

    The attack intensified immediately. As the men pressed harder, the girl had no choice but to retreat.

    She couldn¡¯t even attempt a counterattack, and the narrow alleyways of the slums didn¡¯t give her much room to maneuver.

    How many minutes had passed?

    No, had it even been a few minutes?

    It wasn¡¯t a long exchange. When she blocked their swords, a kick would follow, and if she dodged the kick, a cut would appear on her arm.

    When she came to her senses, the girl was battered and cornered.

    There was no more room to retreat. She desperately fought back.

    The result wasn¡¯t good. One of the men¡¯s swords stabbed into the girl¡¯s side.

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    ¡°Damn, that was a mistake. I think I went too deep.¡±

    It was a fatal wound. Intense pain and weakness enveloped the girl¡¯s entire body.

    The strength in her arms vanished in an instant, and her body staggered.

    One of the mercenaries didn¡¯t miss the opportunity. The girl¡¯s sword was taken from her, and her hair was grabbed.

    Despair spread across the girl¡¯s face.

    Regret surged within her. She should have slit her own throat the moment she was cornered.

    The mercenary drew back his arm as if to p her.

    If his palm had connected, it would have left a bright red mark on her cheek, but his intention was thwarted.

    A hatchet suddenly flew out of nowhere and lodged directly into his head.

    ¡°Guh?¡±

    ¡°What the hell?!¡±

    The mercenaries, though flustered, quickly assumed a defensive stance, while the girl, now forgotten, copsed to the ground.

    She frantically scanned her surroundings. Her pretty green eyes seemed to whirl.

    Beyond the corpses, a man in ck clothing had approached within arm¡¯s reach.

    He had a rugged appearance. For a moment, his ck attire fluttered, and then, in an instant, he decapitated one of the mercenaries.

    Having wielded a sword herself, the girl could recognize it immediately.

    It was an astonishingly beautiful sword stroke. The act of drawing the sword from his waist alone was a technique that sliced through the mercenary¡¯s body.

    For a brief moment, she glimpsed the unrealistically smooth cut, before the two halves of the corpse copsed to the ground.

    Thest remaining mercenary fared no better.

    The man strode over and grabbed the mercenary by the neck, lifting him off the ground.

    A faint smile yed on the man¡¯s lips.

    ¡°Now that I¡¯m up close, I can tell. You must¡¯ve only just started using the drug? I was wondering why there wasn¡¯t any stench of blood from afar.¡±

    Crunch!

    The mercenary¡¯s neck snapped as if by magic.

    It was the mercenary¡¯s end, leaving not a single word behind.

    Was a human neck really something that could be twisted so easily?

    Even a chicken¡¯s neck wouldn¡¯t break that easily. The girl swallowed hard.

    Time stretched, every moment feeling eternal. Three lifeless bodiesy sprawled on the ground, and finally, the man turned and looked at the girl.

    She saw his dark ck hair and piercing blue eyes.

    The moment their eyes met, the girl felt like she couldn¡¯t breathe.

    ¡°Gasp...¡±

    To the girl, the man seemed to embody death itself.

    It was a rough and ferocious death. His mere presence seemed to evoke a primal fear deep within her.

    She clenched her toes so hard that she curled them up, fearing she might lose control of herself otherwise.

    No amount of coarse insults or threats she had heard so far couldpare to the terror of the man¡¯s gaze.

    Death scanned her up and down, then tilted his head slightly to the side.

    That gesture made him seem like a predator contemting whether to devour its prey, causing the girl¡¯s fingers to tremble once more.

    Then, death spoke. His deep voice resonated as if it was reverberating inside her mind.

    ¡°You¡¯re badly hurt. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Isha... My name is Isha.¡±

    ¡°Isha? Are you the Isha of the Crescent Moon?¡±

    ¡°I... I didn¡¯t hear you well, but yes, my name is Isha.¡±

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 44: Requitas, the Lawless Zone (4)

    <b>Chapter 44: Requitas, the Lawless Zone (4)</b>

    [Saintess, Reverse Harem is Impure! Excerpt from Volume 3, Page 208]

    A gray arc traced through the air.

    The eerie de sliced through the void, leaving behind a distorted afterimage, like rain-soaked ss where the de had passed.

    Cut grass des fluttered in the wind.

    Isha¡¯s sword strikes were so swift that they were nearly impossible to follow with the naked eye, yet they made no sound.

    The sounds that humans naturally make¡ªthe heartbeat, the blood flow, the air splitting with movement¡ªwere conspicuously absent in her.

    Because of this, Isha¡¯s sword seemed almost formless.

    Since the battle began, everything felt surreal, as if in a dream.Her presence was so faint and indistinct that her position kept slipping away. Even when my neck was nearly severed in an instant, I didn¡¯t realize it until it was toote.

    Isha¡¯s figure vanished from sight again. Where would she be next? Behind me? Above? Or perhaps below? My mind and senses couldn¡¯t keep up.

    The shadow¡¯s de struck at us once more.

    * * *

    At a nce, she seemed a few years younger than Sirien.

    Isha was a girl with striking gray hair and vivid green eyes.

    Her first impression, if you could call it that, reminded me of a small, skittish animal like a squirrel.

    Given that she was the daughter of the guild master, I had expected a fierce, feline-like appearance, but instead, she exuded a gentle and calm aura.

    ¡°Hiik...¡±

    The girl shrank back.

    Was it because she had been saved just before death? The moment our eyes met, her anxiety surged.

    Well, it was a natural reaction. Anyone could panic when they were on the brink of death.

    And even more so for a young girl.

    I tried to speak in the calmest voice possible, hoping not to startle her further.

    ¡°You¡¯re badly hurt. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    Ah, I should have softened my tone more.

    It was a mistake. Lately, the only people I had encountered, aside from Sirien, were rough folks, so my usual manner of speaking slipped out.

    But perhaps it wasn¡¯t entirely ineffective? The girl with the gray hair slowly revealed her name.

    It was the first time I heard the name of a character who would y a significant role in the original story.

    ¡°Isha... My name is Isha.¡±

    ¡°Isha? Are you the Isha of the Crescent Moon?¡±

    ¡°I... I didn¡¯t hear you well, but yes, my name is Isha.¡±

    In the original work, Isha held the position of a mid-level boss.

    She was known as Isha of the Crescent Moon, the head of the assassin¡¯s guild operating in the heart of the empire.

    It waster revealed that she was the silent de of Razen.

    Though she appeared early on and died, she was the viin who came closest to killing the heroine.

    In fact, one of the heroine¡¯s reverse harem members, ¡®Dershian,¡¯ was pushed to the brink of death by Isha.

    At that time, the heroine, Elise, had no means to counter Isha.

    In short, she drove both the heroine and the male lead into a corner simultaneously.

    The problem was, Isha wasn¡¯t the protagonist of this novel.

    If Elise, the heroine, died, the novel would end right there.

    So the author didn¡¯t allow Isha to win.

    The author chose to make Isha a sacrificialmb for Dershian¡¯s awakening episode.

    In the final moments, Dershian awakened his power and struck down Isha.

    From that day forward, Dershian became known as the Sword Saint, and he held Isha in such high regard that he measured every strong opponent against her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start by treating your wounds. One of mypanions is on their way over.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any reason to help me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just naturally kind-hearted.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see...¡±

    Isha avoided my gaze.

    I couldn¡¯t see her expression, but I guessed she understood my excuse.

    Maybe she epted it because, in truth, I am kind-hearted.

    In the meantime, Sirien approached.

    She looked at me, then at Isha, before extending her pale hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll start with the healing. Is this where you¡¯re hurt?¡±

    ¡°If you touch me, your clothes will get stained with blood.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Sirien¡¯s divine power flowed over Isha¡¯s wounds.

    It was a grand and sacred power. Just as I hadn¡¯t been idle these past four years, Sirien had honed her skills as a saint.

    Therge wound visibly started to heal. At the same time, Isha¡¯s eyelids seemed to slowly close.

    It was the power of repose.

    Hibras¡¯s divine power wasn¡¯t well-suited for healing, but once the patient was asleep, its efficiency improved significantly.

    It seemed that sleep was considered a form of rest.

    ¡°Suddenly, I feel... sleepy...¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re probably feeling drowsy. It¡¯s okay to sleep. Once you¡¯re well-rested, we¡¯ll talk.¡±

    Sirien ced her hand on Isha¡¯s forehead.

    Soon, Isha fell asleep with a peaceful expression, her breathing soft and steady.

    * * *

    Requitas was a ce teeming with crime, so much so that its nickname, the Lawless Zone, wasn¡¯t an exaggeration.

    But if every part of the city was dangerous, there would be no customers bringing money to this ce.

    In the south, where the red-light district was located, the streets that had been bustling during the time of the ruling noble family still maintained a semnce of order.

    Though the legitimate noble house had vanished, the people who ruled the city hadn¡¯t disappeared.

    No matter who held power in thiswless zone, their goal was always the gold that Requitas attracted.

    But without a minimum guarantee of safety, customers wouldn¡¯te here with their money.

    Someone had to maintain order in this city.

    In Requitas¡¯s red-light district, it was the criminal organizations that kept the peace.

    ¡°Did you settle her in?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Iid her on the bed in that room over there. Just to be safe, I tied her arms loosely. When she wakes up, she¡¯ll understand the situation.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    We took the sleeping Isha and found lodging in the southern part of Requitas.

    We had plenty of money, so there was no need to choose a shabby ce.

    As a result, the Saint was in high spirits for the first time in a while.

    ¡°Oh? Razen! Come lie down on this bed quickly. It¡¯s so soft andfortable!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I didn¡¯t expect it to be this nice.¡±

    Sirien sprawled across therge bed, rolling around with a smile that rarely appeared when she was outside.

    The pleasure district of Requitas offered mercenaries an experience akin to that of nobility.

    Of course, to a real noble, it might seem a bitcking, even garish, with its excessive opulence bordering on vulgarity.

    But mercenaries were ustomed to wallowing in mud, smelling the burnt flesh of theirrades on blood-soaked ramparts.

    To them, a bed stuffed with soft cotton, fresh-smelling linens, and a room filled with pleasant scents was nothing short of a sweet dream.

    And what of the food they had never tasted before in their lives? The alcohol that actually had vor instead of a cheap stench, the sweetly doting beauties, and even the drugs that could numb their minds.

    These would only be memoriessting a few days, but they were ones that would be etched into their minds for a lifetime.

    To them, this was an irresistible temptation.

    A mercenary who was submerged in this memory would find themselves returning to this pleasure district every time they had enough money.

    ¡°This bed is spacious and big. I wonder how long it¡¯s been since I¡¯ve seen one like this.¡±

    ¡°Really? It seems about the same size as the one I used when I was a child.¡±

    For Sirien, these indulgences seemed to evoke a sense of nostalgia rather than novelty.

    It wasn¡¯t like she was experiencing them for the first time; rather, it was as if she was encountering something simr to what she once had.

    Still, it didn¡¯t seem likely that Sirien would be lost in this city.

    ¡°Hmm, but this pillow isn¡¯t great. It looked fine, but the material isn¡¯t quite right.¡±

    ¡°Do you like the rest?¡±

    ¡°Well, overall, the aesthetic iscking. It feels like they just stered everything together without understanding what¡¯s truly beautiful.¡±

    As the youngdy of duke house and the saintess of Hibras, the standards of the grand duchess were far too high for a mere inn in Requitas to captivate her.

    While I sat on the edge of the bed, Sirien ate grapes beside me,menting on how nice it was to have such delicious fruit. Her delicate lips curved into a rounded shape.

    Smiling softly, Sirien then moved closer to me, leaning against my back.

    ¡°Want to try one?¡±

    Her words were phrased as a question, but as usual, Sirien didn¡¯t really care about my opinion.

    Her soft fingers brought a grape to my lips.

    It was ced in my mouth before I could respond.

    She¡¯d always liked sharing snacks like this, so it wasn¡¯t anything new.

    But what followed was a little unexpected.

    Familiar arms wrapped around me from behind, and it felt as if Sirien¡¯s breath brushed against my back, as though she had buried her face there.

    ¡°Why this all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Just felt like it. Is that a problem?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d prefer if you said I could do as I please at times like this.¡±

    ¡°You can do as you please.¡±

    With a yful yet gentle tone, Sirien chuckled at my response. It was a genuine, unrestrainedugh, the kind she often made back at the castle. Hearing it again was pleasant.

    ¡°So, give me a piggyback ride.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You carried that girl, Isha, so easily. Do you not want to carry me?¡±

    ¡°She was injured, and you¡¯re the one who put her to sleep.¡±

    ¡°So, are you saying no?¡±

    ¡°No, ma¡¯am. Please, climb aboard, Lady Grand Duchess.¡±

    As I got down from the bed and prepared myself, I soon felt her weight settle on my back.

    Sirien seemed satisfied, resting her cheek against my shoulder.

    When was thest time I gave her a piggyback ride? It was probably on a rainy day, when we were returning to the cave in the sanctuary¡¯s forest.

    Compared to then, Sirien had grown a bit taller.

    Perhaps her heartbeat had grown louder too, as the steady thumping seemed to reach my ears.

    Her warmth, however, remained the same, radiating softly against me.

    As I carried her, Sirien¡¯s fingers idly traced circles on my shoulder, her voice lowering as she spoke.

    ¡°I just remembered something from when I was little. When I couldn¡¯t sleep, the nursemaid would carry me like this and sing me a luby.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to sing you one too?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s okay. But could you just stay like this for a little longer? At least until I fall asleep.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. After all... you¡¯re still mine. You¡¯re my knight.¡±

    What a thing to say, as if it were anything new.

    And so, I continued to carry Sirien around the room until she drifted off to sleep.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 45: Requitas, the Lawless Zone (5)

    <b>Chapter 45: Requitas, the Lawless Zone (5)</b>

    Isha didn¡¯t wake up until around noon the next day.

    I leisurely yed chess with Sirien when we heard movement from inside.

    The timing was perfect. I was on the verge of losing my seventh game in a row, but thanks to the interruption, I only lost six.

    A saintess should be merciful, after all.

    But Sirien still showed no mercy inpetition.

    It felt like I might win if I tried just a little harder¡­

    After a light knock, we entered the room to find Isha sitting quietly on the bed.

    The loose bindings were still intact, so she untied them herself.Sirien, who had followed, sat down next to Isha.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m better, thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. But don¡¯t overdo it just yet. You¡¯re not fully healed. The god I serve isn¡¯t particrly skilled in healing.¡±

    ¡°So you really are a priest?¡±

    Isha touched the side where she was injured yesterday and stood up.

    The girl standing solemnly before us bowed deeply.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have the chance to properly thank you yesterday. Thank you so much for saving my life.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t just out of the goodness of our hearts. We had our own reasons for helping.

    ¡°I know. What do you need me to do?¡±

    Sirien and I exchanged a nce.

    What we wanted from Isha was already decided.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start by hearing your side of the story. Can you eat?¡±

    There was no need for her to answer.

    The moment I finished speaking, Isha¡¯s stomach growled loudly.

    Sirien chuckled, and Isha¡¯s face flushed red as she looked down at the floor.

    ¡°Looks like you can. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    Crescent Moon was a guild that dealt in information throughout the empire.

    But how did this guild gather its information?

    Unlike in modern times, where technology was advanced, almost everything in this world was done by people.

    No matter how powerful a noble or the imperial family might be, they still needed people to survive.

    Therger the household, the more servants they employed. The information Crescent Moon dealt in came from the mouths of these people.

    Even the smallest, most trivial information was valuable if it was interesting or seemed important, and they paid well for it.

    Themon folk, always buried in work, wanted money, and the wealthy nobles needed information.

    Crescent Moon had branches all over the empire and made money by selling information or keeping secrets.

    ¡°It makes sense. I¡¯ve heard that some servants are like that. They sell information as soon as they learn something.¡±

    ¡°But it would be risky if they got caught.¡±

    ¡°If they could catch them, they¡¯d be kicked out, but that¡¯s easier said than done. Just in our castle alone, there were hundreds of peopleing and going. You can¡¯t keep track of everyone.¡±

    Isha nced at Sirien.

    There weren¡¯t many families in the empire that employed hundreds of servants.

    She seemed curious about Sirien¡¯s identity, but that question never made it to her lips.

    Sirien rested her chin on the table.

    With a small jab, she speared a piece of cheese with her fork.

    She seemed quite satisfied,menting that it had been a while since she¡¯d had food worth eating.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t try to keep tabs on every servant either. That¡¯s impossible. But breaking down the information buyers, that¡¯s something you can do.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, you¡¯re right. Most of our clients were nobles, but the ones who attacked us were also nobles.¡±

    ¡°You were just too good at what you did. It¡¯s easier to use a greedy rat than Crescent Moon, which knows too much.¡±

    That was the crux of the matter.

    Ever since nobles had existed in this world, they had always stuck their noses into anything profitable.

    The ecosystem of Requitas was no different. There were definitely nobles who had backed Requitas in exchange for money.

    Or rather, it wasn¡¯t just possible¡ªthey likely used Requitas as a proxy war at some point.

    Crescent Moon, which once held equal power in Requitas, was no exception.

    Though they grew under the patronage of nobles, they had grown too big and be a thorn in their sides.

    And there were always those who would make a more convenient recement for Crescent Moon.

    ¡°So, who were the nobles that supported you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t share that¡­¡±

    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter anymore, does it? The support has been cut off, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re in this situation.¡±

    ¡°Still, there¡¯s a matter of trust.¡±

    Sirien¡¯s brow furrowed.

    ¡°They didn¡¯t lift a finger to help you while you were cornered like that?¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s not betrayal, is it? I¡¯ve learned what true betrayal feels like. It was an absolutely horrendous experience. So, I don¡¯t want to be the kind of person who betrays others first.¡±

    ¡°Sounds noble enough.¡±

    Come to think of it, Isha had kept her word until the very end.

    She hadn¡¯t died instantly when she was struck down. The tenacity of a Swordmaster¡¯s vitality became her curse.

    And then there was the heroine, Elise, the Saintess of Light. The Inquisitors hunted down anyone guilty of trying to kill a saintess with a vengeance.

    Isha endured terrible, brutal torture¡ªso much so that the Swordmaster eventually sumbed to the aftereffects and died.

    To die from torture in a temple where healing arts were practiced meant that her mind, not her body, had been shattered.

    Even so, Isha had remained silent.

    It was clear that she wouldn¡¯t open her mouth easily now, either.

    ¡°Think about it. Are you really sure you weren¡¯t betrayed?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You might not be able to turn traitor, but the noble who supported you is different. If they decide you¡¯re no longer useful, they could switch sides at any moment. Are you absolutely certain you weren¡¯t betrayed?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ But I don¡¯t have any proof that I was betrayed, either.¡±

    ¡°Fine, if that¡¯s how it is, we¡¯ll leave it for now.¡±

    Sirien didn¡¯t press Isha any further.

    Seeing her trembling hands was pitiful, and having been betrayed herself, Sirien didn¡¯t want to force her.

    The next question Sirien posed was one I hadn¡¯t considered.

    ¡°Why are the rats so desperate to find you?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t it because my father was the leader of Crescent Moon?¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be the only reason. They¡¯re not like the royal family, who are obsessed with bloodlines. You¡¯re on the run without any protection, so you¡¯re hardly a threat.¡±

    ¡°Could it be out of revenge? To set an example?¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯ve already wiped out their enemies in Requitas. They¡¯ve won sopletely that it would make more sense to appear as merciful rulers.¡±

    Isha had been betrayed by her childhood friend.

    Betraying someone isn¡¯t easy. Whether through coercion or persuasion, it¡¯s a tedious andbor-intensive task.

    Despite going through that trouble, the rats had still sent people after Isha.

    This was obsession¡ªa fixation on finding Isha at all costs.

    There had to be apelling reason for going so far as to manipte her childhood friend to capture her.

    But it seemed Isha couldn¡¯t guess what that reason might be.

    Then it was up to us to find out.

    ¡°Crescent Moon was a guild that dealt in information.¡±

    Sirien fell into deep thought.

    I decided to wait for her to think it through.

    When it came to brain work, Sirien was much better at it than I was.

    The viiness who had served as the final boss alongside me in the original story.

    My saintess had not let me down.

    ¡°Since it was information from all over the empire, there¡¯s no way they could remember everything. They must have recorded and stored it somewhere, and they would¡¯ve categorized the important stuff separately. Who knows the location of the archive?¡±

    ¡°Only my father and a few select employees knew. I doubt any of the employees survived.¡±

    ¡°That must be it.¡±

    * * *

    When the sewer rats first emerged as a group, they weren¡¯t even aware they were one.

    The name was nothing more than a derogatory term people used for them, a name they ironically adopted while acknowledging the grim reality of their existence in the filth.

    At that time, their base was indeed near the old sewers. Though now it¡¯s a ce of indulgence and pleasure, back then, it was a breeding ground for rats and insects.

    In a dimly lit, dark room, only the red glow of the lights cast a faint, sensual hue, mingling with the curling tendrils of cigarette smoke. A woman¡¯s whining voice echoed from near someone¡¯s feet.

    A man, Milrun, lit his cigarette, exhaling a short sigh.

    ¡°Ha.¡±

    His hand absentmindedly stroked the woman¡¯s head, but his gaze was elsewhere.

    Where his cold eyes settled, a man knelt, battered and bruised. His voice dripped with anger.

    ¡°Did I give you a difficult order?¡±

    ¡°N-No.¡±

    ¡°Or was my support insufficient?¡±

    ¡°No, not that either.¡±

    ¡°Right. So, isn¡¯t it strange? It wasn¡¯t a difficult order, and I gave you plenty of support, yet you let that defeated woman escape. And three of the men I sent after her are dead?¡±

    A cloud of white smoke billowed from his mouth, a pungent aroma wafting through the air, swirling like a dream.

    The women in the den seemed entranced by the haze. When the man stood, the bare bodies on the floor squirmed in response.

    ¡°Phew. Any idea where she might be?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. She vanished without a trace. We searched the entire city, but we couldn¡¯t find her.¡±

    ¡°You searched everywhere?¡±

    ¡°Yes, absolutely. We searched everywhere except the south, but there was no sign of her.¡±

    ¡°Then you didn¡¯t search everywhere, did you?¡±

    The man smirked.

    Milrun reached out with his thick, scarred hand and shoved something into his subordinate¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Useless fool. I¡¯ll find her myself now.¡±

    ¡°Aaack! Gurg¡ªkyaaaaaah!¡±

    That day, a headless corpse was tossed into the sewers.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 46: Requitas, The Lawless Zone (6)

    <b>Chapter 46: Requitas, The Lawless Zone (6)</b>

    Just because the southern part of Requitas was called the pleasure district didn¡¯t mean every shop was tied to crime, prostitution, or drugs.

    Where there are shadows, there must first be light. During the day, Requitas had a fairly respectable shopping district¡ªa ce where the street rats collected ¡®protection fees¡¯ to keep the peace.

    Sirien and I ventured out to the shopping district alone. We needed to buy some clothes.

    Right now, Isha was borrowing Sirien¡¯s clothes, which left Sirien short on outfits.

    Sirien already had to carry her holy garments, so she was always running low on spare clothes.

    After lending some to Isha, she didn¡¯t even have anything to wear tomorrow.

    We had agreed to cooperate with Isha until we found her father.

    We were intrigued by the information that the rats had their eyes on her, and Isha¡¯s life was in immediate danger.The rats¡¯ eyes were everywhere outside, so we needed to gather the necessary supplies for her.

    Fortunately, Isha¡¯s build was only slightly smaller than Sirien¡¯s.

    If we bought clothes that fit Sirien, they would be decent enough for Isha to wear too.

    ¡°Wow. There are so many clothing stores here.¡±

    ¡°Why are you acting like you¡¯ve never seen a shopping district before?¡±

    ¡°Because I haven¡¯t? When would I havee here?¡±

    ¡°You had plenty of clothes in the castle.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but why would Ie to a ce like this back then? They¡¯de to me to make my clothes.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    I was at a loss for words. Maybe this was what you¡¯d call the difference betweenmoners and the elite in modern terms.

    It was only natural that Sirien had a lot of clothes in Rehaim Castle.

    I¡¯d never once questioned where all those clothes came from.

    During the day, I was busy training with the knights, and by the time Sirien came to visit, she¡¯d be showing off a new outfit.

    So, I just assumed that clothes were something you bought at a store.

    But I guess for someone like Sirien, the daughter of a grand duke, it was only natural that she wouldn¡¯t wear anything frommon shops.

    Sirien, who had been ncing at each of the clothing stores, pointed to one. It was a store called ¡®Fairy¡¯s Thread.¡¯

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with that one.¡±

    She grabbed my arm and led the way, a smile ying on her lips.

    I followed her into the store without resistance.

    ¡®Fairy¡¯s Thread¡¯ was muchrger inside than it appeared from the outside.

    There was a wide variety of clothes, from fancy dresses that seemed to mimic high society fashion, to fairly luxurious casual wear.

    A stern-looking woman inside noticed us and brightened up immediately.

    ¡°A pretty youngdy hase in. Wee. Which of you is looking for clothes?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking to buy a few casual outfits. I didn¡¯t bring many clothes with me.¡±

    ¡°Would you also like to buy undergarments?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, for now.¡±

    Sirien began to examine the clothes one by one, guided by the shopkeeper.

    Meanwhile, I sat in a chair that the attendant had brought over, watching Sirien pick out clothes with a newfound sense of wonder.

    In the Empire, thew defined adulthood at sixteen. But in Korea, where I was from, adulthood began at twenty.

    If we counted by the same method as here¡ªby international age¡ªit was neen.

    In my eyes, Sirien still had the look of a girl who hadn¡¯t quite shed her youthful innocence.

    She was at an age where she should be focused on adorning herself. And Sirien had grown up in a ce where she could have as many expensive jewels and extravagant dresses as she wanted.

    Yet, she had lost everything she once held in her hands. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, she¡¯d been wandering the battlefield with me for years now.

    Thanks to her efforts, Hibras had managed to gather a small but growing number of believers, and we had a fewrades¡ªor should I saypanions¡ªwithin our mercenary group with whom we shared our meals.

    But still, Sirien¡¯s hands were devoid of any decent jewelry.

    Lost in thought, I noticed that Sirien seemed to have made a decision.

    The silver-haired, red-eyed girl stood before me in a new outfit.

    ¡°How about this one? Does it suit me?¡±

    She was dressed in a pure white dress, with a wide-brimmed hat atop her head, and delicatece trimming that fluttered at the edges of the fabric, giving her an ethereal appearance.

    Her wless, fair skin and long silver hairplemented the outfit perfectly.

    As they say, it¡¯s the face thatpletes the outfit, and Sirien could pull off anything with ease.

    ¡°It looks good. White has always suited you.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then I have to get this one.¡±

    Mypliment seemed to hit the mark. Sirien grinned and turned away, clearly pleased.

    Even from behind, I could tell she was in a good mood. Despite trying to act indifferent, ourdy of the house had a surprisingly easy-to-read side.

    While Sirien went off to choose more clothes, a shop attendant happened to be waiting beside me.

    ¡°Do you sell essories here by any chance?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Are you looking for a gift?¡±

    ¡°Yes, for that person over there.¡± I nodded toward Sirien.

    The attendant smiled knowingly. For some reason, women tend to get genuinely involved when picking out gifts, even if it¡¯s not for themselves.

    ¡°A bracelet might be a good choice.¡±

    ¡°As it happens, we just got some new ones in. Would you like to take a look?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please.¡±

    ¡°Just a moment.¡±

    Soon, the attendant returned with a cart, disying several luxurious boxes while whispering to me.

    ¡°Take your time choosing. The manager won¡¯t be able to watch us right now. She¡¯s probably brushing someone¡¯s hair as we speak.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Can you rmend something that might suit her?¡±

    ¡°Of course. How about this one?¡±

    The bracelet I was rmended was interwoven with silver threads, with rubies embedded between them.

    Silver and red¡ªthe colors that symbolized Sirien.

    While using hair and eye color as a personal color might seemmon, true beauty often lies in how well the obvious can be executed.

    ¡°Since her frame is quite slender, I think a finer thread like this one suits her better than something thicker. I¡¯ll show you a few more options.¡± the attendant said.

    She showed me several other bracelets afterward, but none of them felt quite right.

    There were some with densely packed gemstones or intricately woven gold threads, but they didn¡¯t resonate with me.

    I doubted Sirien would prefer something so shy.

    Rather than overwhelming the eye with a clutter of essories, it was better to let her own presence shine.

    The most valuable masterpieces often exude a calm, sophisticated beauty.

    In the end, I decided to purchase the first bracelet I had chosen.

    Even though it made a significant dent in my funds, I didn¡¯t regret it at all.

    After all, it was money I was allowed to spend personally, and I wasn¡¯t in a situation where a few coins would make me struggle.

    ¡°She¡¯ll be back soon, I assume? Shall I take the cart away?¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Not at all. I hope you two have a wonderful rtionship.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    We¡¯re not like that. I mean, there¡¯s nothing like that¡ªyet.

    Before I could respond, the attendant had already walked away, pushing the cart with her.

    After waiting a bit longer, Sirien returned, dressed much more boldly than before.

    This time, she wore a ck evening dress that revealed her shoulders and corbone.

    Her hair, neatly brushed, cascaded softly, with one side delicately braided to entuate her look, making her appear irresistibly beautiful.

    Her corbone, sculpted like a piece of art, held a soft, pale hue. Her chest rose and fell with her breaths, the contours of her body shifting subtly with each movement, radiating a sensual allure.

    Sirien could be seductive just by exposing her arms, shoulders, and neck.

    Although I had seen her face countless times, it felt like I couldn¡¯t breathe just by seeing her dressed up a little.

    Her cheeks flushed a deep red as she shyly looked down.

    ¡°H-how is it? Does it look a bit too empty? With my shoulders exposed, it feels a bit bare... If you don¡¯t like it, I can change into something else right now.¡±

    ¡°No. No, it¡¯s fine. You look beautiful. It really suits you. Yes, it suits you perfectly.¡±

    Sirien suddenly became talkative, and I stuttered, my wordsing out in fragments.

    My mind was overheating, and I couldn¡¯t think straight. There was no way I could stay calm.

    I tried to look away, thinking I was staring too much, but I couldn¡¯t help but nce back at her.

    Luckily, our eyes didn¡¯t meet. If Sirien and I had made eye contact at that moment, I might have been teased for life.

    ¡°Re-really? Then maybe I should get this one too? I actually picked out a few others earlier, but I wanted to show you this one. I also did my hair a bit differently. Normally, I just leave it down.¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah¡­ let¡¯s do that. Since we¡¯re here, you should get everything you like. Do you want me to carry that bag for you?¡±

    ¡°Mm, thanks.¡±

    Sirien¡¯s expression softened. Her cheeks, blushing like apples, seemed to quiver with a faint smile.

    I noticed it but didn¡¯t dare to point it out.

    It was a relief that Sirien was too flustered by mypliment to look at me properly.

    I couldn¡¯t even look at her directly, unlike usual.

    So, I used the excuse of paying for our purchases to turn away.

    Our little farce was brought to an end by the shop attendant¡¯s mischievousment.

    ¡°You two haven¡¯t been dating for long, have you? You¡¯re so cute together.¡±

    ¡°N-no no no, it¡¯s not like that!¡±

    ¡°Oh, my apologies. Not yet, then? You just look so perfect together.¡±

    ¡°Hic-¡±

    Sirien huped.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 47: Requitas, The Lawless Zone (7)

    <b>Chapter 47: Requitas, The Lawless Zone (7)</b>

    <b>[Sirien Eilencia]</b>

    ¡°It looks good on you. White has always suited you well.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then I definitely have to buy this.¡±

    It was when I bought the pure white dress and hat.

    As I picked out a couple more clothes that Isha might like, the shopkeeper approached me with a subtle expression, trying to lure me in.

    Was she trying to make a sale because it looked like I was going to buy a lot?

    If she said anything bothersome, I was ready to refuse immediately.

    ¡°Miss, would you like me to brush your hair? Just for a moment, why don¡¯t you sit over there?¡±¡°My hair? That¡¯s not really necessary...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take full responsibility for making you look stunning. So much so that the gentleman with you will be shocked.¡±

    ¡°Razen... shocked?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to hear him say you¡¯re beautiful? Let¡¯s make it so he can¡¯t help but say it.¡±

    ¡°Beautiful, you say...¡±

    Before I knew it, I was following the shopkeeper to a chair.

    At some point, two clerks had already started brushing my hair.

    When I was young, the maids used to brush my hair every morning.

    Warm water, towels, and fragrant oils. When the maid styled my hair, I would wander around the castle like a knight fully prepared.

    At the cottage, I relied on Hena¡¯s touch. After parting with Hena, I had to manage it myself.

    In the forest, I didn¡¯t have the luxury to care. Even after that, brushing my hair on my own was the most I could manage.

    I had shown Razen my disheveled hair too many times.

    Maybe that¡¯s why?

    Other men on the street would develop ulterior motives just by ncing at my face, but Razen had never shown such feelings towards me.

    I don¡¯t wish for my treasure to be like other men.

    But what if it¡¯s because I¡¯mcking in charm?

    What if I can never appear as a woman in Razen¡¯s eyes?

    Just the thought of it was enough to make my heart ache.

    The shopkeeper smiled warmly.

    ¡°Do you usually wear that style of clothing?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°It seems you prefer calm and modest clothing. The clothes you were wearing when you first arrived were like that too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed to show too much skin...¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ve hardly shown any skin to that gentleman?¡±

    Showing my skin to Razen?

    My head instinctively lowered.

    It wasn¡¯t that I entirely disliked the idea.

    If another man saw my bare skin, I¡¯d feel disgusted and ufortable, but if Razen were to see it, it might be different.

    But I¡¯m not ready for that yet. Just a little slower. So I can prepare my heart.

    Prepare? For what?

    Suddenly, my face felt hot. My heart started beating wildly, making me flustered.

    I had no idea why I was feeling this way.

    This has been the problem for the past four years.

    I needed to make Razen fall for me, but whenever I stood in front of him with that intention, my body and heart wouldn¡¯t listen.

    No matter how determined I was, it only took a moment. My heart would crumble so easily, creaking like a broken doll.

    ¡°Well, that is to say...¡±

    ¡°Your reaction just now was answer enough.¡±

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it actually a good thing? Men are weak to a woman¡¯s transformation. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll make him fall head over heels.¡±

    The shopkeeper subtly signaled to someone.

    In response, one of the clerks brought over an entire disy rack.

    ¡°I picked out some items that I think would suit you. Would you like to try this one on first?¡±

    It was a ck evening dress, one that would fully expose my corbone.

    A type of dress I would never choose under normal circumstances.

    I had always felt ufortable with revealing clothing, and I couldn¡¯t easily wear anything that was difficult to move in.

    ¡°Just trust me this once. I¡¯ve seen countless men and women here in Requitas. If there¡¯s anything I understand, it¡¯s a man¡¯s heart.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t resist the witch¡¯s temptation.

    ¡°Oh my goodness. You¡¯re the type that looks slender when you put on clothes.¡±

    ¡°Ow, don¡¯t touch!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just been so long since I¡¯ve seen such a beautiful figure. And your skin is so smooth. Do you know this is the first time I¡¯ve seen skin this wless? There are so many women here in Requitas who make a living off their looks. How do you manage it?¡±

    ¡°Not, not really?¡±

    ¡°They say the world isn¡¯t fair. You should probably avoid saying that anywhere else.¡±

    The feeling of the underwear constricting my chest was slightly overwhelming.

    I didn¡¯t dare to look down at my own body.

    Had it be a habit? Out of embarrassment, I kept wanting to lower my head, but I knew if I did, something I couldn¡¯t handle would be waiting for me.

    Where did it all go wrong?

    I only intended to undress briefly to try on the clothes, but the shopkeeper suggested changing my underwear as well.

    Since I needed to buy a few for Isha anyway, I made the mistake of agreeing to look at some.

    I hadpletely forgotten that this ce turns into a pleasure district at night.

    So, among the underwear the shopkeeper brought, there were some that were so scandalous they made my head spin.

    Even the other pieces weren¡¯t exactly modest.

    Provocative might be a good word for them¡ªsensual lingerie wasid out in full disy before my eyes.

    The shopkeeper had even picked out a few she thought would suit me well.

    I couldn¡¯t allow this.

    This was something I had to stop!

    ¡°Even if no one sees them, you should always pay attention to your lingerie. It¡¯s like a woman¡¯s secret weapon.¡±

    ¡°A secret weapon?¡±

    ¡°A face veiled in mystery is more alluring than one that¡¯s openly visible. The same goes for lingerie. It might not be today, but someday, something unexpected might happen, and you¡¯ll end up showing it.¡±

    Her words brought to mind the Sanctuary in the forest. That rainy day in the cave.

    My clothes had gotten soaked, and I had to hang them up to dry on one side of the wall.

    Back then, I was so young that all I felt was embarrassment.

    Looking back, I wanted to punch something¡ªanything¡ªwith my fists.

    Does Razen remember that day too? He shouldn¡¯t. I¡¯ll make sure he forgets it.

    ¡°When that timees, the attention you paid to your lingerie will steal a man¡¯s soul. It¡¯s a mysterious ce they¡¯ve never been allowed to see before. They¡¯ll be utterly captivated by you.¡±

    ¡°A-Are all men like that?¡±

    ¡°Of course. A hundred out of a hundred.¡±

    I suddenly imagined Razen blushing. It wasn¡¯t easy to picture, but the thought inexplicably lifted my spirits.

    Once again, when I came to my senses, the lingerie the shopkeeper had chosen was already on me. It was a defeat, and calling it humiliating wouldn¡¯t be far from the truth.

    As I tugged down the hem of the ck dress, I feared that the white flesh beneath might peek through.

    On the way to meet Razen, I adjusted my cor countless times, worried that something might show.

    Would I look strange?

    Would heugh at me, thinking I was being ridiculous?

    If Razen reacted that way, I felt like I might cry, unable to keep myposure.

    ¡°H-how is it? Does it look a bit too revealing? With my shoulders exposed, it feels a bit bare... If you don¡¯t like it, I can change into something else right now.¡±

    What am I even saying? I¡¯m talking too much.

    Stop stammering and speak clearly. This isn¡¯t like me.

    But when Razen spoke, I couldn¡¯t stop the smile creeping up on my lips.

    ¡°No. No, it¡¯s fine. You look beautiful. It really suits you. Yes, it suits you perfectly.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    .

    .

    .

    On the way back after buying the clothes, neither Razen nor I said a word.

    But I was the one who reached out first, and as always, Razen took my hand.

    That¡¯s why it was so unexpected when Razen suddenly stopped.

    We had just passed a in bench. There had been no signs of what he was about to do.

    ¡°Sirien. Could we sit over there for a moment?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll just take a second.¡±

    Razen knelt on one knee before me, pulling out a small red box from his pocket.

    The box was wrapped elegantly, immediately making it clear that whatever was inside was a gift.

    No way.

    No way.

    My heart began to race.

    ¡°R-Razen?¡±

    ¡°I realized I¡¯ve never really given you a proper gift before. It¡¯s not anything too expensive, but I thought you might like it.¡±

    From the box, Razen pulled out a beautiful bracelet, silver and red.

    He gently took my arm, slipping the bracelet onto my wrist himself.

    The sparkling bracelet looked surreal to me, as if it didn¡¯t belong to this world.

    Am I dreaming?

    The happiness I felt was so overwhelming that it almost didn¡¯t seem real.

    Time seemed to slow down around me.

    The people walking by, the gentle breeze brushing through the street¡ªeverything seemed to move in slow motion, as if to embellish my joy.

    The bracelet Razen had given me sparkled in the sunlight. The rubies scattered across it looked like the most precious gems in the world to me.

    I¡¯ve never been one to unt my treasures. But right now, I wanted to shout from the rooftops, anywhere, everywhere.

    Look at this.

    The most beautiful bracelet in the world is on my wrist.

    I wondered if I even deserved to be this happy.

    I was scared that I might suddenly wake up, that this was all just a dream.

    Please, if this is a dream, don¡¯t let me wake up. Let this moment repeat forever, just as it is, in reality.

    ¡°I¡¯m d it suits you. Do you like it?¡±

    ¡°Hnn, hnnn¡­ sob¡­¡±

    Oh no, this was bad. I wasn¡¯t supposed to cry.

    My vision was blurring. I needed to capture every detail of this moment in my eyes, but now I was being foolish and crying uncontrobly.

    Before I realized it, my body moved on its own.

    Since it hade to this, I decided to embrace Razen and fully savor this moment.

    The warmth of his body was the only thing grounding me in the reality of this moment.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 48: The Sinister Sword (1)

    <b>Chapter 48: The Sinister Sword (1)</b>

    After giving her the bracelet, Sirien started crying, so I ended up staying with her a bit longer.

    At first, I wondered if I had done something wrong. I was so flustered that I even thought maybe she saw the gift as an insult rather than a present.

    For a brief moment, I nearly cursed the shopkeeper who sold me the bracelet.

    Fortunately, Sirien reassured me that she was crying out of happiness.

    The shopkeeper in my mind went from being a sworn enemy to a capable and kind salesperson again.

    ¡°Why are you crying if you like it so much?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to cry¡­ It just happened all of a sudden.¡±

    ¡°Your face is a mess now, even though you did your hair so nicely.¡±¡°Shut up. Just lend me your arm again. If you make fun of me for crying, I¡¯ll hold a grudge forever.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not making fun of you.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long for Sirien to calm down.

    Once her cheek, which had been resting softly on my cor, lifted, her expression quickly changed, and a smile spread across her face.

    It was a smile that looked a little foolish yet purely innocent.

    Just seeing such a bright smile made the bracelet worth every penny. Sirien hugged my arm, and I could hear her whisper clearly.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll cherish it.¡±

    ¡°If I knew you¡¯d like it this much, I would¡¯ve bought it for you sooner.¡±

    ¡°There weren¡¯t many chances until now, right? But I¡¯m so happy right now.¡±

    The way she held the bracelet close to her chest was truly beautiful.

    Sirien reached up to the sky, making the bracelet sparkle, and then she fiddled with it in her hands, smiling bashfully.

    After enjoying the gift to her heart¡¯s content, it seemed like it was time to head back, so I got up.

    Sirien, not wanting to show her tear-streaked face, covered it with a veil as she usually did.

    ¡°She must¡¯ve been waiting inside for a long time. Let¡¯s go back now.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    On the way back, something was different from when we first arrived at this street.

    I started noticing women dressed provocatively and men with rough appearances.

    Among them, there were some who looked like sewer rats¡ªquite a few of them, actually.

    We hadn¡¯t walked far, yet I felt like I had already seen four of them.

    They were hiding in ces where they wouldn¡¯t be easily spotted, but they couldn¡¯t escape my eyes.

    It seemed like they were watching each passerby carefully.

    Looking at them now, their intent seemed pretty clear. They were probably searching for Isha.

    Especially when they nced at Sirien, their startled reactions were obvious.

    Sirien had a simr build to Isha, and in this Requitas, young girls were a rare sight.

    Naturally, she drew their attention.

    They hadn¡¯t started searching the street indiscriminately yet, but the situation might change soon.

    Sure enough, before long, about four sewer rats blocked our path. Their intentions were as clear as day.

    One of their filthy fingers pointed at Sirien.

    ¡°Hey, sorry to bother you, but could we take a quick look at that girl¡¯s face?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not show it to you.¡±

    ¡°Just once is enough. It¡¯s not like it¡¯ll wear out if we see it, right?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not feeling it. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re looking for, but get lost.¡±

    My words made the sewer rat¡¯s face contort in anger.

    This time, the stench of blood was strong on them.

    It was even worse than the smell of the ones I¡¯d encountered a while ago.

    Back then, you could only smell it when you got close, but with these guys, the stench lingered even when they were just nearby.

    I really didn¡¯t like that smell. It kept bringing back unpleasant memories.

    Two of them looked like they had some skill. Not extraordinary, but they seemed to have some experience in realbat.

    Of course, Isha¡¯s current skills were also at a decent level.

    They wouldn¡¯t have sent out small fry alone. After all, I did kill three of them yesterday.

    It wouldn¡¯t be strange if they were more cautious now.

    ¡®So, if I provoke these guys, will their higher-ups show themselves?¡¯

    These goons were sent out to find someone. They probably had a system in ce tomunicate if something happened.

    If I stirred things up, the stronger thugs would undoubtedlye out.

    Maybe then I could meet someone worth my time. But I had to be careful not to draw too much attention just yet.

    I nced at Sirien, but she gave no reaction.

    Her silence was a form of agreement. If she didn¡¯t want to get involved in a scuffle, she could have simply removed her veil.

    Our saintess wasn¡¯t that fussy.

    ¡°What¡¯s so special about her face anyway? This street is full of¡ª¡±

    I didn¡¯t need to hesitate any longer. I didn¡¯t want to hear what he might say next in front of Sirien.

    I grabbed his carefree face and mmed it into the ground. I didn¡¯t kill him, but I didn¡¯t hold back much either.

    My intention was to put him out ofmission for a few days, at least.

    A bit of blood trickled onto the ground.

    Was there a rock? I couldn¡¯t guarantee he¡¯d be fine when he woke up, but that wasn¡¯t my concern.

    He should¡¯ve watched his tongue.

    The guy next to him didn¡¯t hesitate to draw his knife. It was a dagger he¡¯d been carrying under his clothes.

    As if I wouldn¡¯t have noticed.

    I snatched it away and sliced his finger.

    It was the finger that dared to point at Sirien.

    ¡°Aaaargh!¡±

    ¡°You bastard! Do you know who we are?!¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Why don¡¯t you tell me who you are? I¡¯ve been curious myself.¡±

    It took about 10 minutes.

    That was the time it took for me to deal with the four thugs and for Sirien to perform a ¡°minor trick¡± before the rest of the sewer rats showed up.

    I even sat down nearby to make it easy for them to find us, but it still took a while.

    Ten minutes was enough time for me to think, ¡°This chess game with Sirien might be a lost cause.¡± I had never lost a game in just 10 minutes... well, maybe once.

    But the guys who showed up this time were a more respectable bunch.

    Their numbers had increased, and their quality had improved as well. The most noticeable were the two beastmen, one lion and one bear.

    Beastmen were a race celebrated as mercenaries due to their superior physical abilitiespared to humans.

    Among them, those who took on the form of predators were almost naturally born killers.

    With beastmen inheriting the traits of the animals they resembled, predator-type beastmen were practically living weapons.

    Just from a nce, both of them were bigger than me.

    Even considering my age, I was already quite tall. I¡¯d often seen such hulking figures tear through their enemies.

    A bunch of mean-looking faces moving together naturally created an intimidating atmosphere.

    The people on the street began to part for them.

    Now, if they came up to me and said something like, ¡°We¡¯ve got a score to settle,¡± they¡¯d be indistinguishable frommon thugs.

    I was curious to see what their opening line would be.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got a score to settle.¡±

    ¡°Well.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯reughing?¡±

    The one who picked the fight first was the lion. I¡¯d heard that feline beastmen had nasty tempers.

    Whether that was true or not, he seemed more aggressive than the bear.

    The lion looked furious, while the bear¡¯s expression shifted into something moreplex when he looked at us.

    Was itplex? It was hard to read beastmen¡¯s expressions urately. But that was the impression I got.

    The lion grabbed my shoulder.

    ¡°No one has ever defied us in Requitas and lived to tell the tale.¡±

    ¡°And no one who¡¯s messed with me has lived either. Well, actually, that¡¯s not entirely true. A few are still alive, but I¡¯ll be paying them a visit soon¡ªthey¡¯re just a bit far away.¡±

    ¡°This bastard still doesn¡¯t get it, does he?¡±

    My dilemma was whether I should use my sword against these beastmen.

    Drawing my sword would likely result in excessive bloodshed, but not drawing it meant I¡¯d have to deal with their formidable toughness.

    Yeah. I didn¡¯t really want to kill them.

    What I wanted was to help Sirien carry out her ¡°minor trick,¡± not to make sworn enemies right away.

    At that moment, something caught my eye¡ªa club hanging from the bear¡¯s waist.

    If I could just grab that and beat them with it, it would feel pretty satisfying.

    I could save the conversation for the next group that showed up.

    Just as I was about to reach for it, the bear let out a frightened sound.

    ¡°Could it be the Sinister Sword? Why is someone who should be at the Arctania Gate here?¡±

    He had recognized me and Sirien.

    <b>* * *</b>

    [Saintess, Reverse Harems are Impure! Excerpt from Volume 11, Page 121]

    One of the most challenging aspects of our confrontation with the Duke of Eilencia was the inability to gather mercenaries.

    No mercenary in this empire wanted to fight against Count Bertus.

    During the early stages of the war, we went to great lengths to recruit them. Their strength was crucial to bolstering our insufficient forces.

    To counter the reluctance they might have about allying with demons, we offered them unprecedented terms.

    The rewards we promised were so extravagant that no one but the Golden Duke could have even imagined offering them.

    Yet, despite all this, the mercenaries steadfastly refused to oppose Count Bertus. Only a scant few responded to our summons.

    - Saintess-nim, that man is like a legend among us mercenaries.

    - Among those who¡¯ve fought in the northern conflict zones, there isn¡¯t a single soul who doesn¡¯t know Hivras¡­ and Count Bertus.

    - Call us cowards if you must, but the thought of crossing swords with that man¡­ we don¡¯t even want to imagine it.

    When Eilencia ¡¯s holy forces crumbled, many mercenaries deserted the battlefield.

    But by the end of the war, those who had dared to oppose Count Bertus could be counted on one hand.

    To the mercenaries, Count Bertus was nothing short of a living nightmare.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 49: The Sinister Sword (2)

    <b>Chapter 49: The Sinister Sword(2)</b>

    Vester, a bear beastman, was originally a mercenary active in the Northern conflict zone.

    He didn¡¯t work alone. For some reason, there was a stereotype that beastman mercenaries must be solitary, but despite their appearance, beastmen were just as civilized as humans, not mere animals.

    They knew how to live in society like anyone else.

    At that time, Vester had joined a mercenary group as a rookie.

    This group had long been under contract with the demonic forces, a name infamous enough to send shivers down the spine of many humans.

    He had no personal grudge against working with demons. The simple fact was that the demonic faction had more warriors capable of ending the life of a beastman warrior.

    In other words, it was much safer to have humans as enemies.

    At the time, the war was going exceptionally well.The frontlines between the demons and humans were always in flux, but during his rookie days, the momentum was heavily in their favor.

    Humans retreated time and again, drowning in despair, while the demons chased down the stragglers to the ends of the continent, eager to tear them apart.

    Even as they approached the long-desired Arcatania Gate, the tide remained in their favor.

    Vester remembered the conversations his seniors had by the campfire.

    With Meat and alcohol, It was idle chatter as they casually ate and drank.

    Some words passed by without much meaning at the time.

    ¡°Word is, we¡¯ll reach the gate tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good news. At this rate, the attack should be easy.¡±

    ¡°Have you been there before? The Arcatania Gate. It¡¯s supposed to be infamous.¡±

    ¡°Quite some time ago. But don¡¯t worry too much. Things are going well now, so it should be fine. We¡¯ve pushed this far, and there¡¯s no sign of the White Rose banner. That means Count Eloran is dragging his feet. Without those guys, the gate is nothing special.¡±

    His seniors were veterans, recognized in the mercenary world.

    They had fought alongside the demon forces for a long time and had a pretty good understanding of the human forces as well.

    Though he didn¡¯t know all the details, it seemed that reinforcements that were supposed toe from the human rear hadn¡¯t arrived on time.

    They said that the ones waiting at the gate wouldn¡¯t be much different from before. Vester still remembered how they mocked, wondering what those who always ran away could possibly do.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, I heard there are some strange guys on another front.¡±

    ¡°Strange guys? What, some new supernatural ability users popped up?¡±

    ¡°Something like that. A new cult we¡¯ve never heard of got involved. Forget about their religion; it seems they¡¯re pretty handy in a fight.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re probably just making that up because they¡¯re embarrassed about losing to humans, right? Anyway, those winged bastards sure know how to be slippery. Best in the continent at that.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly it. Anyway, we might run into those cultists this time.¡±

    Vester decided to keep his senior¡¯s words in mind, just in case.

    His senior might have been strong enough to brush it off, but Vester was still just a rookie. At that stage, even a kitten¡¯s ws could be dangerous. He figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be cautious.

    Even a beastman mercenary only has one life.

    Vester could easily take down ordinary humans, but he knew well enough that not all humans were ordinary.

    Looking back, that day¡¯s decision was one of the best he ever made in his life.

    .

    .

    .

    The melted walls bubbled and frothed.

    The familiar scent of blood and dust filled the air, emanating from the fortress humans had built.

    It had been a battle that should have gone smoothly.

    The overwhelming firepower of the demons¡¯ magic had brought down the fortress walls, and the battlefield quickly turned into closebat. Up until now, every step had promised a decisive victory.

    But now, things were different.

    Wounded soldiers, battered and broken, crawled across the ground in a desperate attempt to flee.

    Those with functioning legs trampled over their ownrades in their rush to escape, and asionally, a brave warrior who charged ahead was cut in half, his torso and legs separated.

    The ground was littered with so many corpses that it was hard to avoid stepping on them.

    The sight of his seniorrades who had gone ahead was nowhere to be seen.

    A sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu washed over Vester¡ªhe recognized the arm that had been rolling across the ground.

    - A night lost in confusion. The cries of a soul. Antern to soothe them.

    A calm, haunting voice echoed in his mind.

    It was a voice of such beauty that he had never heard before in his life. A voice that, though soothing like a luby, brought with it an inexplicable fear, casting a shadow over the battlefield.

    To Vester, it seemed as though one side of the world had suddenly fallen into night.

    A singlentern flickered in the pitch-ck darkness.

    Some were drawn to it like moths to a me, while others saw the girl behind thentern¡ªthe owner of that voice.

    She was a sight too delicate for the battlefield.

    Silver hair that seemed noble, and eyes of a red so deep they reminded one of blood.

    The girl, d in ck holy robes, held antern in one hand and arge axe in the other.

    ¡°It¡¯s her! We have to kill her!¡±

    One of the demons charged at the girl, determined to take her down.

    It was a cold and precise judgment. If the girl died, this night would end, and her axe seemed terribly slow.

    With such clumsy movements, it looked like she wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the demon¡¯s grip.

    Yes, that¡¯s how it looked.

    With one slow swing of her axe, the demon¡¯s head was severed cleanly.

    Vester couldn¡¯t quite follow the sequence of events. It was as if the oue¡ª the demon¡¯s death¡ªwas predetermined, and the world had twisted itself to fit that conclusion.

    - At the end of the journey, may you find peace. May a quiet, sweet dream apany your weary soul.

    The girl swung herntern again, as if nothing had happened.

    Thud.

    Someone beside him copsed to the ground.

    Blood trickled down from their neck, and Vester saw that it looked as if the man had taken his own life.

    His instincts screamed at him: do not look at that light.

    But the girl was not the real problem.

    A beast lurked in the night. A beast wearing the guise of a man.

    A man with ck hair. Every time his de shed, someone¡¯s blood sttered.

    The darkness clung to him, making it impossible to track his movements.

    But those blue eyes¡ªVester knew he would never forget them.

    Eyes that resembled a ferocious predator. The ominous aura that seemed to flow from his de.

    How could he ever forget a sight so terrifying it would haunt his dreams?

    Later, Vester would learn that this man came to be known as the Cursed de.

    The Sinister Sword.

    ¡°Kuh...!¡±

    ¡°Gah!¡±

    Was it mere coincidence?

    When the endless screams finally ceased, a head rolled across the ground.

    Thud. Roll, roll.

    It was a face Vester knew well.

    It was the captain of his mercenary group, a warrior whose name had once resounded in the industry.

    Now, hey dead, his expression frozen in shock.

    And then, a de was pressed against Vester¡¯s neck.

    There was no doubt¡ªit was the beast¡¯s sword. Death was upon him, an unavoidable death.

    What saved Vester at that moment was the girl with thentern.

    The voice he had resented so much now filled him with gratitude.

    ¡°Stop. Let this one go.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Fear is contagious. If we kill them all, there¡¯ll be no one left to spread it.¡±

    the beast obeyed the girl¡¯smand

    When Vester regained his senses, there were fewer than ten survivors, including himself.

    The one thing they all had inmon was that they had lost the will to fight and had dropped their weapons.

    Using every ounce of strength he had left, Vester fled.

    <b>* * *</b>

    I looked carefully at the bear beastman who seemed to recognize us, but his face didn¡¯t really ring a bell.

    I wasn¡¯t the type to remember every face I encountered on the battlefield.

    Whether they were friend or foe, it didn¡¯t matter much to me. Unless it was someone particrly important, I didn¡¯t usually pay attention.

    Sirien, on the other hand, had a knack for recognizing people.

    This time was no different. She stared at the bear beastman intently, then a smile curved on her lips.

    ¡°Oh, I remember now. You¡¯re that beastman from back then, aren¡¯t you? The one we spared at the gate.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes¡­ that¡¯s right. I¡¯m surprised you remembered.¡±

    ¡°You were the first one to wet yourself in fear. I figured if you were that scared, it was worth sparing you.¡±

    The bear spoke to us with a tone of respect.

    It seemed like he genuinely remembered something from that time.

    On the battlefield, Sirien would often show mercy to the enemy.

    She could have chased down and killed those who fled, but she chose not to.

    The main reason was to spread fear. The more our enemies feared us, the faster our reputation would grow.

    After all, they say there¡¯s a fine line between infamy and fame.

    So, ording to Sirien, this bear survived because he wet himself?

    It seemed like a rather dishonorable reason to have survived.

    ¡°Well, this makes things easier now that we¡¯ve been recognized. Are you still curious about what ourdy looks like?¡±

    ¡°No, no. I¡¯ll make sure to exin everything to those above me.¡±

    The bear was quite deferential now. Even the lion, who had previously looked like he wanted to devour us, had calmed down considerably.

    ¡°Now that I think about it, I¡¯m curious. The fact that we spared you means you were an enemy back then. How did you end up here?¡±

    ¡°Well, you see, we have our own sources of information, don¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°I suppose you do.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Our sources have been rmending jobs in this areately. It turns out to be quite profitable.¡±

    ¡°But weren¡¯t you in the demon territory? How would you hear about this ce?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yes, that¡¯s correct¡­¡±

    It doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ or maybe it does.

    Beastmen are a neutral group that can side with either humans or demons.

    They follow the money, not the race, so it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if word of mouth spread even to them.

    But still, something felt off.

    Especially since this Requitas affair involved the nobility.

    And when ites to anything involving the nobility, there¡¯s always something rotten at the core.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 50: The Sinister Sword (3)

    <b>Chapter 50: The Sinister Sword (3)</b>

    I didn¡¯t have much of a conversation with Vester, the bear beastman.

    After all, he was just a hired hand, and I wasn¡¯t his employer.

    Even a rotten mercenary is still a mercenary. As cowardly as Vester might be, he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to spill everything he knew in a crowded ce like this.

    If I had tried to force it out of him, I could¡¯ve gotten some information, but that would¡¯ve only caused more trouble. What I did find out was that there were several other beastmen involved in this, and the one managing them was a man named Millen.

    But I didn¡¯t need to dwell on that for long.

    The person I was curious about had just appeared before my eyes.

    Perhaps he was on edge from searching for Isha, because as soon as he got word, he came straight over.

    Millen. The bronze-skinned man shot a sharp re at Vester.¡°You two seem friendly. I take it you know each other?¡±

    ¡°Mi-Millen, sir? I didn¡¯t expect you toe in person. I think there¡¯s been a misunderstanding here. We were just starting to talk things through. This isn¡¯t the person you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    ¡°So it seems. The woman I¡¯m after doesn¡¯t have silver hair.¡±

    Millen was an imposing figure. He stood just about as tall as me, maybe a bit taller. His short, dark brown hair framed a body packed with muscles that bulged like armor in all the right ces.

    One could tell he¡¯d trained hard to achieve that physique. If we were to fight, he¡¯d likely move faster than his appearance suggested.

    There were scars on his light brown skin, though they didn¡¯t seem toe from the battlefield. They weren¡¯t the kind of wounds caused by swords or spears, and they weren¡¯t in spots you¡¯d expect from an arrow, either. If I had to guess, they were left by some sort of concealed weapon.

    It confirmed my suspicions¡ªhe must¡¯vee from the underworld.

    His scars stretched across his body, front and back, a testament to the dirty battles he¡¯d survived. The blood on his hands was anything but light.

    Now that I was facing Millen directly, I was sure. Everything lined up with what the tavern owner and Isha had told me. This man had been one of the key yers in the destruction of the Crescent Moon.

    I can sense the distortion of mana. And at a high level, too.

    Though every human carries traces of mana from birth, there are rare cases where the distortion goes far beyond normal limits. These people are born with special abilities, like controlling the wind at will or spewing fire from their bodies.

    They¡¯re often referred to as ¡®gifted.¡¯

    A swordsman who uses mana needs to train their body. A priest who uses holy power must receive the blessing of a god through baptism. Magic requires rituals¡ªthough it might seem like a limitless force, it¡¯s a science ofplex theory and precise calctions.

    But for the gifted, none of that was necessary.

    They could train to wield their power more effectively, but using it was a matter of pure mana consumption, nothing more.

    The most irrational and mysterious power on the continent.

    Those with abilities were as dangerous as they were enigmatic. The strongest of them were powerful enough to rival swordmasters and archmages.

    ¡°Millen, sir? Just a moment.¡±

    Vester approached Millen and whispered something. He was trying to be discreet, but it was a futile effort. The senses of a swordmaster are unparalleled. At this distance, I could expand my senses just a little and easily eavesdrop.

    Poor Vester didn¡¯t realize this, and I had no intention of correcting his misunderstanding.

    - That man¡¯s the Cursed de, a swordsman notorious in the conflict zones. The White w mercenaries were wiped out by him.

    - I think I¡¯ve heard of him. What about the woman next to him?

    - I¡¯ve heard she¡¯s called the Saint of Rest, but I don¡¯t know much else. She¡¯s as dangerous as the Cursed de. I doubt they have anything to do with the kid you¡¯re looking for.

    - Understood. I¡¯ll get the detailster.

    Just as I had observed Millen, he was sizing me up too. His eyes flickered over my arms, legs, and shoulders, as if assessing an opponent.

    It didn¡¯t seem like he was about to attack recklessly. Millen didn¡¯t appear eager to fight in such a crowded ce. If he had already found Isha, it might be different, but spilling blood here would only scare the patrons.

    Still, he was clearly ready to draw his sword at any moment. Against someone with special abilities, even a moment of carelessness would be fatal.

    ¡°My apologies. While we were the ones who acted rudely first, my men have taken some damage. How about we act like today never happened?¡±

    ¡°...Only if you apologize to the Saintess.¡±

    ¡°Hm. Was there an insult?¡±

    ¡°You were about to. I stopped you.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware. I didn¡¯t hear any such thing.¡±

    Millen¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ncing between me and Sirien with a cold gaze.

    I could sense a bit of hesitation. Was it a sh between his pride and practicality? The pause didn¡¯tst long, and his decision was to concede. Millen bowed his head slightly.

    It was an awkward gesture, as if an apology didn¡¯t suit him.

    ¡°I offer my apology, youngdy. Could you forgive our discourtesy?¡±

    ¡°Since it was a proper apology, I will. As you said, we¡¯ll consider today¡¯s events as if they never happened.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful for your grace.¡±

    Sirien epted the apology with ease. Since it was her decision, I had nothing more to add. Besides, a skirmish with these Sewer rats could wait for another day. I had already aplished my goal, after all.

    Earlier, I had left traces of divine energy on a few of the stragglers and Vester. It was a minor trick only Sirien could use.

    A trivial and barely noticeable blessing¡ªlike a blessing to ensure a sneeze happens in one try. If you poured an excessive amount of divinity into something as insignificant as that, the residual divine energy would linger like a stain.

    Think of it as leaving a special kind of paint on the rats. They would inevitably return to their hideouts, and when they did, the paint Sirien had left behind would mark those ces.

    Later, we could track the trail and find their hideout. The method had its drawbacks, such as a limited detection range and a short duration, but... it was good enough to catch rats.

    I was constantly amazed by how she came up with such ideas. Just memorizing holyws forbat gave me a headache. Was it a matter of aptitude? Or brains? I didn¡¯t want to admit thetter.

    In any case, with the apology over, Millen turned his attention back to me. It seemed inevitable that we would fight one day, but for now, I decided to take a more conciliatory approach.

    ¡°Are we truly clear of any bad blood now?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s say we are.¡±

    ¡°Then, purely out of curiosity, may I ask why you¡¯vee to Requitas?¡±

    ¡®Purely out of curiosity, my foot.¡¯

    It was a tant lie. Millen was far more interested now than he had been when mentioning his injured subordinates. His tone might be polite, but underneath ity a cold, sharp suspicion.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to hear more. I¡¯m quite skilled at finding people, you see.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± I pretended to ponder for a moment, diverting my gaze.

    At just the right moment, Sirien stepped in.

    ¡°There was something I needed to entrust to someone named Kirux. But I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s already dead, so I¡¯m in a bit of a bind.¡±

    ¡°Then, does the Saintess n to just return?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯ll have to entrust it to someone else.¡±

    ¡°I heard that one of Kirux¡¯s subordinates or colleagues is still in this city. If possible, I¡¯d prefer to leave it with them.¡±

    Kirux was the reason we had firste to this city. He was the Sewer rat who killed Terion and Hena. The same Kirux who had sent the hunters after us in the forest. Wiping out any trace of them was the first step in our revenge.

    To be honest, Isha and Crescent Moon were just side issues.

    So, this wasn¡¯t a lie. We genuinely wanted to find them. Millen nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask around. Let¡¯s meet again then.¡±

    <b>* * *</b>

    As Razen and Sirien made their way back to the inn, Millen turned and headed back to where he¡¯d originallye from.

    His expression wasn¡¯t particrly pleasant.

    ¡°Vester, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Um, Millen, sir? Are you... upset?¡±

    ¡°I have no reason to be. They weren¡¯t the kind of people you were supposed to deal with from the start, so you didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±

    Relief washed over Vester, and he exhaled deeply.

    But Millen¡¯s next order wasn¡¯t one Vester wanted to hear.

    ¡°Have them followed. Find out where they¡¯re staying, where they eat, and bring me everything you can learn about them.¡±

    ¡°W-what?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you didn¡¯t hear me. I said to have them followed. Watch their every move.¡±

    Vester¡¯s vision darkened. The thought of being pitted against those two was unbearable.

    He hade to Requitas after the traumatic memories of the battlefield left him terrified of war, yet he still needed to make money. Meeting those two again was already nightmarish enough for him. But it didn¡¯t seem like Millen had any intention of understanding his situation.

    ¡°They¡¯re formidable, so I assume they could¡¯ve wiped out three people in an instant. And it doesn¡¯t seem like they¡¯ve been in town for long. The timing is suspicious.¡±

    ¡°You mean¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll watch for now, but I don¡¯t like the feeling. Better to be prepared.¡±

    Millen clenched his fist tightly.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 51: The Sinister Sword (4)

    <b>Chapter 51: The Sinister Sword (4)</b>

    When I returned to the inn with Sirien, Isha was curled up asleep in the corner.

    Judging by her appearance, it seemed she had been anxious the whole time we were gone and finally copsed from exhaustion.

    Well, from her perspective, it was understandable.

    If someone had suddenly opened that door and walked in, her life would have been in immediate danger.

    Even though Requitas¡¯ inn was known for its strict confidentiality regarding its guests, there was no guarantee that it would remain so under these circumstances.

    Of course, we had the confidence to rescue her immediately if the worst happened.

    We had reassured her that everything would be fine before leaving, but it seemed she hadn¡¯t fully believed us.

    Sirien gently tapped Isha to wake her up.¡°Isha? We¡¯re back.¡±

    ¡°Ah! I wasn¡¯t sleeping!¡±

    ¡°Uh, it¡¯s obvious you were.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Such an awkward sight.

    Sirien looked at Isha with a nk expression, while Isha averted her eyes, embarrassed by the scrutiny.

    ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s get you changed.¡±

    Isha followed Sirien more easily than she did me.

    It wasn¡¯t that she ignored or disrespected me¡ªafter all, I was the one who had directly rescued her, and she clearly felt gratitude and tried to be polite.

    But there was a subtle fear in her demeanor, as if she found me difficult to approach.

    She tried hard not to show it, which made it hard for me to ask about it.

    Still, it was fine for now, as Sirien was taking good care of her.

    Even back at the castle, Sirien had always been good at looking after her younger siblings.

    Despite pretending otherwise, she had a caring nature.

    Isha soon returned in fresh clothes, and weid the food we had brought onto the table.

    Isha nibbled on her sandwich, while Sirien and I, having already eaten on the way back, sipped tea with light snacks.

    Sirien had brewed the tea herself.

    She still wouldn¡¯t allow me to make it.

    Honestly, I didn¡¯t think there was that big of a difference.

    The only difference was that my teacked a bit of aroma and had a slightly bitter taste.

    But Sirien had the nerve to call it ¡°sewage water.¡±

    ¡®Maybe next time, I should brew it and trick her into thinking it¡¯s from somewhere else. Even she wouldn¡¯t be able to tell the difference.¡¯

    After all, tea is tea¡ªhow different could it be?

    Even though Isha must have been hungry, she was only picking at her food.

    It looked like she had something on her mind.

    I waited patiently, and eventually, she opened her mouth to speak.

    ¡°Um, I have something to confess.¡±

    ¡°C-Confess? Out of nowhere?¡±

    Sirien jumped in surprise.

    Isha looked even more startled.

    ¡°No! Don¡¯t do it! Absolutely not!¡±

    ¡°Huh...?¡±

    Despite Sirien¡¯s outburst, Isha gathered herself and decided to continue.

    She hesitated, ncing nervously at Sirien, who was now avoiding my gaze, her face flushed.

    With a small nod from me, Isha found her courage again.

    ¡°I know a way to contact my father.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say all contact methods were cut off?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying. All the usual methods we used within the guild were blocked. We don¡¯t even know how they were discovered, and most of the people who managed thosemunications are... dead.¡±

    Just 1-2 weeks before we arrived at Requitas, Crescent Moon was hit by arge-scale attack from the sewer rats.

    Isha¡¯s father, the guild leader, Russell, barely escaped with his life after suffering a severe injury from Millen. The guild itself had been decimated.

    Although some of the survivors might have gone into hiding, just as Isha said, all of the guild¡¯smunication methods had be useless.

    It was now uncertain whether the remaining guild members would even respond to a summons¡ªfrankly speaking, the situation seemed hopeless.

    Sirien assessed the situation coldly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what methods you were using, but you¡¯d better give up on them. Anyone who¡¯s been caught has probably spilled everything by now.¡±

    ¡°I know. The captured guild members must have been tortured, and I¡¯m sure someone has already talked.¡±

    ¡°Yet you¡¯re still telling us this. That must mean there¡¯s another way, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. This method isn¡¯t one we used within the guild.¡±

    While Crescent Moon was known as a guild that dealt in information, they also dabbled in assassinations.

    The difference was that Crescent Moon¡¯s approach was far more sophisticated than other organizations.

    They employed assassins with skills so refined that they were difficult to find anywhere else.

    This was all thanks to Russell, the guild leader.

    He had always kept his past tightly sealed, so even Isha didn¡¯t know what he had done or where he came from.

    But one thing was clear¡ªhe was a true assassin.

    In hindsight, it was only natural.

    In the novel, Isha had definitely been active as an assassin, and someone had to have taught her the craft.

    It definitely wasn¡¯t me or Sirien.

    ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing, but this¡­ this is something I used when I fought with my dad as a kid. It¡¯s really personal, so no one else would know about it. I¡¯m not even sure if my dad would still remember.¡±

    * * *

    As a child, Isha hated her training.

    From the simplest things like walking and breathing, to finding blind spots in human vision, and swinging a sword silently¡ªevery bit of training seemed to reshape her actions, making it grueling and utterly boring.

    At first, it wasn¡¯t too bad.

    She liked the praise she received from her uncles in the guild. They said she had talent, which motivated her.

    But motivation alone couldn¡¯t erase the pain.

    For some reason, Russell wanted his daughter to be the best assassin, but that was never Isha¡¯s dream.

    The reason she participated in the training despite hating it was that she hade to terms with the environment she was born into.

    In Requitas, weakness meant death. Especially for someone like Isha, whose weakness could also lead to the death of those around her.

    The stronger Isha became, the more brutal the training became.

    Her initial enthusiasm had long since died out. The onlyfort she had left was one childhood friend.

    The exhausting days repeated endlessly, like they would never end until the moment of death.

    Eventually, one day, Isha¡¯s patience snapped.

    She decided she¡¯d rather leave for some unknown ce than live like this. And so, she ran away.

    She headed to a hill outside of Requitas, a ce her mother, who had died of illness when Isha was young, had once told her about.

    It was her first time running away, so of course, she had no n.

    When night fell, she was cold and hungry.

    Even so, she didn¡¯t want to return, so she sat crying in front of a snow-covered camellia tree.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for a while. You¡¯re too old to be throwing tantrums like this, you know.¡±

    ¡°Why did youe? To scold me?¡±

    ¡°I should scold you, but I¡¯ll put that off for now.¡±

    Russell draped a thick coat over Isha¡¯s small body.

    Then, he wrapped his arms around her.

    For once, his tone wasn¡¯t harsh. His voice was soft and gentle.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve pushed you too hard. Has it been difficult for you?¡±

    ¡°...Yes. I don¡¯t want to train anymore. I don¡¯t want to fight and get hurt, and I don¡¯t like how the uncles look at me like I¡¯m some kind of monster.¡±

    They talked a lot that day.

    Isha had expected to be scolded, but instead, Russell shared a meal with her and spent time together.

    For the first time in a long while, Isha truly felt happy.

    The next day, training resumed as usual.

    But Isha could endure it, because of one promise.

    If the day ever came when she couldn¡¯t take it anymore, she would leave a message on the rock on that hill.

    And her father promised he would listen earnestly.

    <b>* * *</b>

    The ce Isha led us to was an untended field.

    There were a few small hills and the asional sh of red camellia flowers.

    Camellias were Sirien¡¯s favorite.

    A flower that blooms even in winter. When they bloomed in the snow-covered garden, people in the castle would whisper that the flowers resembled thedy of the house.

    The Duchess used to watch the scene with satisfaction, and Sirien never shied away from the affection she received.

    In Rehaim, there was never a winter garden without camellia trees.

    Remembering that, I picked a flower and handed it to Sirien.

    At first, she looked surprised, but soon enough, she broke into a wide grin.

    There¡¯s truth to the saying that women appreciate flowers as gifts.

    ¡°Razen, do you know what the camellia flower symbolizes?¡±

    ¡°No idea. Other than the famous ones like roses, I don¡¯t know any. Why, is it something strange?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not strange. But I¡¯m not telling you. If you¡¯re curious, find out yourself.¡±

    Sirien was in an unusually good mood.

    She tucked the flower into her hair and wore a bright smile all the while.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to keep this flower when we return. I¡¯ll press it and use it as a bookmark.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you liked flowers so much. I thought you preferred trees when we were kids.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why would you think that?¡±

    ¡°Well, you rarely went into the flower-filled parts of the garden. You always walked toward the trees.¡±

    Even when we stayed in the cabin, Sirien had said she liked the scent of pine trees.

    That¡¯s why I always assumed she liked trees more than flowers, but her response to the camellia was surprisingly positive.

    ¡°Our garden was always filled with a strong floral scent. That¡¯s why I preferred walking along the edges where the trees were. You remember that?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that long ago.¡±

    ¡°Hehe. True. Still, you deserve a reward for remembering. Come here.¡±

    What I received was another camellia, just like the one she¡¯d tucked in her own hair.

    She gently ced it in my hair, mimicking her own gesture, and for some reason, I felt embarrassed.

    With Sirien¡¯s softughter and smile, I didn¡¯t have the heart to take it out.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 52: The Sinister Sword (5)

    <b>Chapter 52: The Sinister Sword (5)</b>

    As we walked a little further, the end of the hill came into view.

    There was also the camellia tree that Isha cried under as a child, and at the end of the path, arge rock stood.

    Though it was a massive rock, it was hidden between the trees, making it difficult to spot.

    Despite no markings to guide us, Isha found the rock with ease.

    It seemed her memories of this ce were so vivid that she navigated it like it was her home.

    ¡°Even after all these years, nothing here has changed.¡±

    With a fond touch, she removed the vines clinging to the rock.

    As the green stems fell away, the backside of the rock was revealed.¡°There are a lot more nts now though. They¡¯ve grown so much in the meantime.¡±

    ¡°nts grow endlessly unless you take care of them. Ah, is this it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It was our promise to write on the back. The rock is softer than it looks, so it¡¯s easy to carve.¡±

    Just as Isha said, there were several inscriptions on the back of the rock, as though carved with a de.

    The older carvings were near the bottom, while the newer ones were higher up.

    Could they have been carved as Isha grew taller? It felt like glimpsing pieces of her past.

    Isha¡¯s writing was crooked,ining about how hard her training was, while Russellforted her.

    Her handwriting was uneven, while Russell¡¯s was written in stiff, formal letters.

    When she wrote that she was lonely, he responded with, ¡°Let¡¯s meet tomorrow.¡±

    And when she mentioned her friend¡¯s birthday, he promised to prepare a gift.

    Russell must have been a stern father, just like mine.

    At the very top, thetest inscription caught all of our eyes.

    It had been carved recently.

    - I¡¯m sorry. You must leave Requitas.

    - I¡¯ll take care of everything.

    - Dig beneath the rock.

    There had been a premonition.

    It seemed that Russell had thought of Isha¡¯s childhood memories first.

    We followed Russell¡¯s instructions and dug beneath the rock.

    There, we found an old wooden box buried underneath. It didn¡¯t seem like it had been ced there recently.

    It had been buried for at least five years, if not more.

    ¡°It seems this was nned long ago.¡±

    ¡°Dad¡­ was always a prepared man. He must have anticipated something like this.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to open it? If you¡¯re not ready, we can do itter, or you can open it when you¡¯re alone. No pressure.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I can open it now with you.¡±

    With Isha¡¯s permission, the box was opened.

    Inside, there was a thick leather pouch, a map, a letter, and a worn ne.

    The leather pouch was filled with the finest gold coins.

    It was enough money to settle anywhere, to livefortably without working for the rest of her life.

    If she was frugal, it wouldst a lifetime.

    The map depicted the area surrounding Requitas, with a spot marked in red.

    It was far enough away that checking it out immediately wasn¡¯t possible.

    I wondered if it was the location where some important information was stored, but I had no desire to im it.

    If she survived, she would one day rise to the rank of Swordmaster.

    And she was someone who would never betray until the very end.

    If we left on good terms, it would one day benefit us both.

    ¡°This ne was my mother¡¯s. I remember seeing it when I was younger, but I haven¡¯t seen it since then. I guess he ced it here.¡±

    ¡°You must¡¯ve been close.¡±

    ¡°More than with Dad. I cried a lot when she passed away. I was so angry at Dad because he didn¡¯t cry, just drank. Looking back, I was too harsh.¡±

    It seemed that fathers everywhere were the same.

    They despised showing any weakness in front of their children.

    My father had been the same. My mother passed when I was young, yet he never once spoke of her.

    I¡¯d heard he had loved her dearly.

    That old man had been just as obsessive about teaching me the sword.

    Looking back, it seemed like he believed the only thing he had to give me was the sword.

    Since the sword was his entire world, he wanted to give me everything he had.

    Russell¡¯s letter contained only a short message.

    Considering it had been ced in the box so long ago, there wasn¡¯t much else to say.

    - I hoped you¡¯d never have to receive this box.

    - But if you¡¯ve found it, leave far away.

    - Don¡¯t look back.

    - Even if you hate me, know that I love you. ¨C Dad

    Isha bit her lip slightly.

    Her curled-up body seemed like it was either holding back anger or suppressing sadness.

    Only Isha knew which.

    ¡°What will you do?¡±

    Sirien asked.

    ¡°He says you should leave Requitas. Are you going to do that?¡±

    ¡°Can I even leave if I want to?¡±

    ¡°If we help you, yes. It¡¯s not like they¡¯re maintaining the city walls properly. If we search, we can probably find a gap or two.¡±

    The walls of Requitas were, in reality, practically useless.

    Though they may have been sealed up to prevent the Sewer rats from finding Isha, Sirien and I could easily help her escape.

    Even if anyone got in our way, I was confident we could eliminate them quietly.

    Helping Isha escape would be thest favor we could offer her.

    It wasn¡¯t that I had any affection left, but I just didn¡¯t want to see her captured by the Sewer rats.

    That¡¯s all there was to it.

    If I¡¯m being honest, Isha wasn¡¯t really necessary to us anymore.

    Given the message left behind, it was clear that Russell didn¡¯t n to have any further contact with Isha.

    The meaning of ¡°I¡¯ll clean up everything¡± was all too obvious.

    There were only two ways for the Crescent Moon to be ¡°cleaned up.¡±

    Either the Sewer rats all die, or Russell does.

    There was no need to guess which was more realistic.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    <b>* * *</b>

    For now, we decided to return to the inn.

    Since the situation had changed, we started considering the option of tracking down Russell ourselves.

    But first, we had some business to take care of.

    Behind a small tree at the edge of the hill, where the moonlight barely reached, a faint shadow loomed.

    From the outside, the forest looked calm, with not even the wind blowing through, but I nced over, sensing something different.

    From deep within, I could hear faint breathing.

    It had been following us since we left the inn.

    At first, I thought I would kill it after it reported back, but since it continued trailing us, I had ignored it.

    Now, as we were returning to the city, it seemed like a good time to get rid of it.

    ¡°Sirien. Should we clean this up now?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s. Killing it here means we won¡¯t even need to deal with the body.¡±

    With her approval, I made a simple hand sign.

    The holy arts and abilities I possessed were far simplerpared to Sirien¡¯s.

    Maybe it was because my role as the protector was lessplex than hers?

    She had to lead, while I only needed to protect her.

    Unlike Edwin, I couldn¡¯t teleport anywhere at will. That was a power only granted within the sanctuary.

    So, the abilities I received were mostlybat-rted.

    For example, the most basic of them allowed me to temporarily create a weapon.

    A small amount of divine energy flowed out from my body.

    The divine energy gathered and solidified into a dark-colored spear in my hand.

    I wasted no time, throwing it without hesitation.

    The spear flew through the night and pierced straight through a tree.

    Thwack!

    A muffled scream was swallowed by the impact.

    There were two followers. The other figure, moving swiftly on the opposite side, opted to flee.

    Sirien took care of the other one. After years of working together, we didn¡¯t need to exchange a single word to coordinate.

    Her massive axe embedded itself perfectly in the back of the fleeing target¡¯s head.

    It was always impressive to see her uracy.

    ¡°How do you throw it so well?¡±

    ¡°I just throw it.¡±

    ¡°Tch. Geniuses.¡±

    Sirien¡¯s natural talent, discovered in the wilderness, was being put to excellent use.

    After she had more leisure time, she experimented with a variety of weapons¡ªdaggers, spears, throwing knives¡ªbut she always favored the axe.

    Apparently, it suited her best. Since she said so, who was I to argue?

    The axe Sirien used now came from a cksmith in the Barony of Isquente, where the border conflict first began.

    It had absorbed so much divine energy over time that it was practically a holy relic by now.

    The axe pulled itself free from the corpse and flew right back into Sirien¡¯s hand with a thud.

    The blood that had stained it was absorbed into the axe.

    I flinched at the sight.

    ¡°What the¡­ Why is it drinking the blood?¡±

    When we bought it, it had been just an ordinary axe.

    It was made of steel and wood, with no strange enchantments or magical properties.

    The only thing that had changed since then was the immense amount of divine energy it had absorbed.

    Watching the axe drink blood, though, was something I could notprehend.

    ¡°This way, it even repairs any nicks or dullness in the de. Pretty convenient, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah, but¡­ It¡¯s still kind of unsettling.¡±

    ¡°Why? I think it¡¯s cute.¡±

    Of course, it didn¡¯t look cute. It looked like a regr axe¡ªa short-handled hatchet with arge, heavy de.

    I was starting to worry about Sirien¡¯s taste.

    Maybe she had spent too much time on the battlefield.

    Perhaps I should try steering her toward a more girlish preference?

    I should start gifting her things like flowers or dolls from time to time.

    We checked the bodies of the spies but, as expected, found nothing of interest.

    They had been following us since shortly after we met Millen.

    Still, I had a pretty good idea of how things were going to y out on their end.

    We encountered two, and we killed two.

    Since no one made it back, they wouldn¡¯t know if we had Isha with us or not.

    Even if they did find out, it didn¡¯t matter.

    Whether or not Millen brought more of Kirux¡¯s men, we would just track them down ourselves.

    I just wanted to make my job a little easier.

    It was about time we cleaned up this city and moved on.

    With that thought, Sirien and I returned to the inn, just the two of us.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 53: The Sinister Sword (6)

    <b>Chapter 53: The Sinister Sword (6)</b>

    <b>[Sirien Eilencia]</b>

    News came from that guy, Millen, first.

    The sessor to Kirux. He said he found our oldrades and told us to meet at the appointed time.

    And on the day of the meeting, as the sun began to set, I decided to help Razen put on his armor.

    ¡°I told you I can do it myself.¡±

    ¡°I saw what happenedst time when you tried alone. Your shoulder guard came off. It¡¯s better if I help you than seeing you fumble with it.¡±

    ¡°That was just a mistake.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s to say it won¡¯t happen again? Razen, you really need to be more careful.¡±Armor wasn¡¯t designed to be put on alone.

    The armor we had wasn¡¯t any different, and Razen didn¡¯t have a squire to help him.

    On the battlefield, there was always someone to assist him, but now it was just me. So, I had to do it.

    ¡°How can I ask you to do what a squire should be doing?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? You¡¯re my knight, so it¡¯s my job to make sure you don¡¯t get hurt. Stopining and sit down already.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll treat you to somethingter to make up for it.¡±

    ¡°You better! I won¡¯t forget, you know?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±

    It¡¯s funny how a few words like that can make you feel so motivated.

    I couldn¡¯t keep the grin off my face. I quickly averted my gaze, afraid Razen might notice me smiling.

    But the excitement didn¡¯tst long.

    As I started dressing him in his armor, one piece at a time, the scars he bore began to surface in my mind.

    ¡°Here, give me your left foot first.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I at least do my feet myself?¡±

    ¡°Left foot.¡±

    ¡°¡­Fine.¡±

    There were burn scars on both of Razen¡¯s feet.

    Once his socks came off, the reddish-brown marks would be clearly visible.

    I thought back to that battlefield where the enemy¡¯s magic rained down like a storm.

    The ground had melted and flowed like moltenva, and even just breathing felt like it would set our lungs on fire.

    In that searing battleground, we had to retreat. Razen carried me on his back and ran across the inferno.

    By the time we sessfully retreated, his boots, made from the hide of a magical beast, had melted.

    Of course, Razen¡¯s feet didn¡¯te out unscathed either.

    I had poured all the divine power I had into him until I copsed from exhaustion, but the scars stubbornly remained.

    ¡®All those injuries should¡¯ve been mine.¡¯

    Every wound Razen bore should have been mine.

    They were either the injuries I should have sustained, or ones he wouldn¡¯t have suffered if it weren¡¯t for me.

    If he had left me behind and flown off, Razen¡¯s life would have been much more peaceful, morefortable.

    Maybe then those hard muscles would¡¯ve rxed a bit.

    Although¡­ that would be a bit of a shame. He has such an impressive body.

    Razen, rxed and living quietly in the countryside¡­ I can¡¯t really picture it.

    If he gained a little more weight on his face¡­ Hmm, that might be cute in its own way.

    It¡¯d be fun to stretch out his cheeks.

    No matter what he looked like, to me, Razen would always just be Razen.

    ¡°Pfft.¡±

    ¡°Did I get something on my calf?¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing. Pffthaha.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer and burst outughing.

    This isn¡¯t good. I need to focus, focus!

    Each piece of armor for his legs was secured with leather straps and fastened with pins.

    I made sure to check every part, ensuring nothing was loose before I felt at ease.

    Razen moved with such intensity that I had to be meticulous in dressing him.

    ¡°How is it? It¡¯s not too tight, right? Let me know if it¡¯s ufortable.¡±

    ¡°No, it feels just right.¡±

    Razen moved his feet a few times to test it out.

    I was relieved. Though I¡¯d only observed from the sidelines, I had worried whether I¡¯d done it right.

    ¡°You¡¯re more skilled at this than I expected. Did you learn how to do it somewhere?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve seen you put on armor. I figured one day I might... well, might need to help.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unlike you. Why are you stuttering all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    A Swordmaster¡¯s body isn¡¯t invincible.

    No matter how skilled Razen was, there was always a chance that a stray sword or arrow could hit him.

    That¡¯s why we had this armor made¡ªto protect him from such mishaps.

    The metal tes of the armor were infused with divine silver, a rare metal that best absorbed divine energy.

    It wasn¡¯t as pure or solid as what other orders might use, but it was the best we could get at the time.

    I guess squeezing Baron Esquente dry had its rewards.

    ¡®I never regret spending money on you. If it can reduce even one of your scars, I¡¯ll pay any amount of gold.¡¯

    I infused the armor with my divine energy, but because of Hibras¡¯ ck-colored divinity, the armor had turned a deep ck.

    Razen didn¡¯t know it, but I had even inscribed blood symbols with my own blood on the inside of the armor.

    I truly poured everything I could into it.

    Most of the divine inscriptions on the armor were meant to support Razen¡¯s abilities, but the symbol I carved was purely for protection.

    I didn¡¯t expect it to have miraculous effects, but I hoped it would offer some small help.

    ¡°How about your arms? Does it feel alright?¡±

    ¡°The spot you¡¯re tying now, just a bit tighter.¡±

    ¡°Like this?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s perfect.¡±

    I had been bedridden for a day after inscribing the blood symbols.

    The power I had drawn from my very life force left me weak, and I had to live off thin porridge for a while.

    Razen thought I had caught a cold that day.

    It¡¯s fine.

    I can endure something like that.

    If you¡¯re hurt, I hurt too. If your body bleeds, I feel like tears of blood would stream from my eyes.

    Suffering for a day like that is far better than seeing you in pain.

    ¡°Now all that¡¯s left is the breastte and the helmet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll put the helmet on myself.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Stand up, and I¡¯ll fasten everything.¡±

    Razen¡¯s body¡ªhis chest and back¡ªwas covered with scars.

    They were from the times when I was at my weakest, the injuries he had received before we even reached the sanctuary.

    There was nothing I could do about the scars that had already formed.

    The only thing I could do now was to rece those painful memories with better ones.

    I promise you, I¡¯ll make sure you never regret choosing me.

    And¡­ you better start catching on soon.

    You fool.

    ¡°Sirien?¡±

    After fastening his armor, I gently kissed the back of Razen¡¯s neck.

    My face felt warm from embarrassment, but it didn¡¯t feel bad.

    In fact, the slight burning sensation was rather pleasant.

    There was a lingering feeling of regret. But sensing Razen¡¯s flustered reaction made me smile.

    I quickly grabbed onto his head, holding him in ce, so he couldn¡¯t turn around.

    ¡°When a knight departs, thedy is supposed to send him off with a kiss. I read it in a fairy tale.¡±

    ¡°Usually, it¡¯s done on the knight¡¯s hand.¡±

    ¡°We already did that during your knighting ceremony.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind doing it again.¡±

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll send you off that way next time.¡±

    I liked how Razen always yed along, no matter how mischievous I was.

    Now fully dressed in his armor, Razen looked even more imposing than the knights I¡¯d seen in Rehaim.

    With his helmet on, I couldn¡¯t see his face anymore.

    I wondered, if I kissed his helmet now, would he finally understand?

    <b>****</b>

    The meeting ce with Millen was in a secluded corner of Requitas¡¯ red-light district.

    It was a quiet area, far from the bustling crowds. The kind of ce where a body could disappear without leaving a trace.

    We entered what seemed to be a long-abandoned restaurant.

    The guide nced at me.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to show up in full armor.¡±

    ¡°I thought I might need it.¡±

    Inside the restaurant, arge table stood prominently in the center.

    There was no sign of Millen. If he had been here with me, things would have gone much more smoothly.

    Still, I had to make do and finish the task at hand.

    ¡°Needless to say, I¡¯ve been told you have a job for me.¡±

    ¡°If things go well here, you¡¯ll leave Requitas in one piece. If they don¡¯t¡­ well, I¡¯ll have to kill you. No choice in the matter.¡±

    ¡°Huh, I see. Well, good luck with that.¡±

    The man guiding us gave a nod. His demeanor exuded confidence, almost overflowing. If only he could keep that up for long.

    I sat in the chair I was directed to.

    Across from me sat four men, waiting.

    No, counting the guide, it was five. Thest seat must have been his.

    As soon as everyone was seated, the conversation began.

    ¡°Let¡¯s skip the pleasantries. Let¡¯s hear the details of the job first.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. Kill a few young nobles. They¡¯ve fled after things gotplicated.¡±

    ¡°Do you know their exact number?¡±

    ¡°Four. Doesn¡¯t matter if you kill them all. No bodyguards, so just hunt them down and finish the job. I¡¯ll give you their location once you ept.¡±

    As soon as I finished speaking, a sly grin spread across the men¡¯s faces.

    It was a look I¡¯d seen many times before. Lust, greed¡ªfeelings drenched in those base desires. It wasn¡¯t a pleasant sight.

    Yeah, this job must seem easy to them.

    Killing a few kids would feel like nothing.

    That¡¯s why they didn¡¯t hesitate to ept.

    ¡°Any other questions?¡±

    ¡°Since you¡¯ve asked us to kill unguarded children, the ¡®how¡¯ of it isn¡¯t really the issue, is it? It¡¯s better we don¡¯t know too much, right?¡±

    ¡°So, no questions, no reasons, and no traces? Just kill them?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a reason. We¡¯re getting paid, aren¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Right. I understand how this goes now.¡±

    I rose from my seat.

    The only reason I bothered with this tiresome act was to get to the bottom of one thing: how exactly did they n to kill us?

    Maybe, just maybe, something had changed?

    No. It was pointless to dwell on it.

    ¡°Sirien. The weapon, please.¡±

    Instead of a verbal reply, a massive sword dropped at my side.

    It was mine. Sirien usually held onto it for me.

    Sirien vanished in a cloud of dark mist, and I gripped the sword tightly.

    The men in front of me sighed, each one drawing their own weapon.

    ¡°Well, I figured it¡¯de to this. I may as well ask¡ªwhat grudge do you have against us?¡±

    ¡°Revenge.¡±

    ¡°Ha. There are so many ways to die, huh? You didn¡¯t think we¡¯de here unprepared, did you?¡±

    des surged toward me from all directions.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 54: The Sinister Sword (7)

    <b>Chapter 54: The Sinister Sword (7)</b>

    Just as we had no intention of sparing anyone from the beginning, Millen didn¡¯t trust us either.

    I didn¡¯t know exactly how their conversation went, but one thing was clear: they were ready to kill us at any moment.

    Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have hidden so many people in such a cramped building.

    It seemed like the entire building was designed as a trap.

    There were people hiding not just beneath the floor where I stood, but even in the ceiling.

    Old furniture and walls were rigged with various setups, designed for an ambush or tounch arrows at us.

    It was a clever n.

    If you couldn¡¯t win in a head-on fight, setting traps like this was the right move.¡°Yeah. Everyone¡¯s got a solid n¡ªuntil they get punched in the face.¡±

    I kicked the table and scattered the five men in front of me for a moment.

    I kicked it too hard, shattering the table, but the impact was enough to send the five men tumbling away.

    I¡¯d bought myself some time.

    First things first, let¡¯s deal with the ones hiding behind me.

    I nced back and drew my greatsword.

    I readied myself for a wide sh. One guy hiding behind a pir lunged at me with a short sword.

    As I heard before, there were plenty of ways tomit suicide.

    ¡°You idiot! Do you think you can swing that thing in a cramped space like this?¡±

    ¡°I pulled it out because I can.¡±

    Big weapons usually suffer from spatial constraints.

    We were in a cramped,plex indoor space, and naturally, pirs and other obstacles stood in the way of my sword¡¯s path.

    For a normal swordsman, the moment their de hit a pir, it¡¯d stop with a hard thunk, halting the attack.

    And once that happened, it was over. With both attack and defense stopped, only death awaited.

    But I wasn¡¯t an ordinary swordsman.

    Craaaaack!

    My de tore through everything in its path as if grinding them to dust, without a trace of sword energy.

    I could feel the resistance from the obstacles, but the sword never stopped moving.

    The eyes of the suicidal fool widened in shock.

    I granted his wish, and his bisected upper body rolled lifelessly across the floor.

    ¡®I won¡¯t use sword energy.¡¯

    There was no need for it.

    If I used sword energy, I could slice through everything like tofu, but for now, my holy power alone was more than enough.

    More importantly, it wasn¡¯t time to reveal my sword energy in front of others yet.

    A well-fighting mercenary and a Swordmaster carry vastly different reputations.

    If word got out that a new Swordmaster had emerged, even the imperial family wouldn¡¯t stay idle.

    That would throw a wrench in our ns.

    ¡®Besides, if they run away scared right from the start, it¡¯ll be annoying.¡¯

    These guys seemed like they¡¯d put up a decent fight.

    Especially the first five I encountered.

    Their movements were solid, and I liked the way they tried to exploit weaknesses.

    Even for me, shing through obstacles slowed my sword down.

    A weapon as heavy as a greatsword inevitably hadrge, sweeping motions.

    If I missed, the other side would get an opening, which could turn into a vulnerability.

    Judging by their movements, it seemed like they were trying to guide my attacks toward the walls or pirs.

    Were they trying to force a two-way choice, relying on their numbers?

    Their intentions were obvious. Then again, it was the most effective approach they could think of.

    I admired the effort, so I decided to y along.

    ¡°You¡¯re as skilled as they say. Your reputation precedes you.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯d only live up to my reputation?¡±

    ¡°But do you think you¡¯re the first mercenary in Requitas who thought they could rely on their skills and rampage?¡±

    My greatsword scraped along the wall as it rushed toward them.

    A high sh aimed at chest level. Most of them dodged out of its trajectory, but one of them ducked underneath.

    He must¡¯ve thought it was hard to change direction with such a heavy weapon. A sharp decision.

    Mana shimmered around his sword. It wasn¡¯t sword energy, but it looked like he was enhancing the sharpness and durability of his de.

    For any other swordsman, this would¡¯ve been a perfect chance to exploit, and even for me, that attack could¡¯vended.

    It was what you¡¯d call a perfect counterattack.

    But it was a fatal mistake.

    Once again, I wasn¡¯t an ordinary swordsman.

    I stopped my swinging sword with sheer force and shifted its trajectory.

    The man let out a short sigh, sensing his impending death.

    ¡°Hah.¡±

    My sword came crashing down, and his body was gruesomely split apart.

    The impact of my greatsword cracked the wooden floor beneath it.

    His body, now beneath the shattered floor, found its grave in the rubble.

    It seemed I had taken too long to finish him off.

    My lengthy series of movements had left my right side vulnerable.

    They weren¡¯t going to let this opportunity slip. I had expected that much.

    I left it open on purpose.

    ¡°Well done.¡±

    There was no time to retrieve the sword for a counterattack.

    In that case, I would slowly retrieve the sword with my left hand while defending with my right.

    I lunged forward, swinging my right arm out forcefully.

    My hand connected perfectly with the enemy¡¯s head.

    Crunch!

    His skull caved in, and his already ugly face became even more grotesque.

    I had to catch the body with my hand before it flew away.

    ¡°What... kind of strength is that...?¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the weapon. I¡¯ll put it to good use.¡±

    The man, now missing half his face, no longer needed his longsword.

    Gratefully, I epted his gift and drove it into the floor beneath me. Blood and unidentifiable chunks of flesh stuck to the de as it pierced the wooden floor.

    One more to the side. It took less than three seconds to clean up the two on the floor.

    Now that things were cleared below, the ceiling was next.

    The sword wasn¡¯t particrly great, so I just threw it up to handle the enemies above.

    Still, there was some use left in the corpse, so I grabbed its neck.

    A gush of blood poured out, seeping into the gaps of my gauntlet, warming my hand.

    I sshed that blood in the face of the enemy in front of me.

    For just a brief moment, his vision was obscured.

    It¡¯s hard to maintain an attack when you can¡¯t see, and a split second was all I needed.

    ¡°You¡¯re such a generous friend. Don¡¯t you think?¡±

    I hurled the body forward, charging in with my full weight.

    With my height and heavy armorbined, I delivered a substantial mass-based assault.

    The angle was perfect, as if guided by luck. The man crashed into hispanion behind him, and my sword swept through them in a horizontal arc.

    Two down. Two weapons left. Two enemies still on the ceiling.

    The numbers matched up nicely, so I sent them all off to Hibras together.

    The sword I threw had knocked down part of the ceiling, and three bodies came crashing down.

    ¡°Your words are slowing down. But is it just a coincidence that you¡¯re the only one left alive?¡±

    Thest one standing was the guide. The one who had been running his mouth the entire time.

    There were a few others behind the wall and in the next room, but¡­

    I didn¡¯t need to worry about them.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. What do you gain from this?¡±

    ¡°I already told you. Revenge. And I¡¯ve already gained plenty.¡±

    ¡°But what for? No matter how much I think about it, we¡¯ve never had any dealings with you before!¡±

    ¡°Kirux was involved.¡±

    He looked confused, as if this wasn¡¯t his problem.

    He probably thought that since it was Kirux who took the job, it didn¡¯t concern him.

    But he had it all wrong.

    He wasn¡¯t the unlucky one; in fact, he was lucky.

    He should¡¯ve been dead long ago, but he was still alive¡ªfor now.

    ¡°I know two people who wouldn¡¯t rest peacefully as long as scum like you are alive. I¡¯m just cleaning up so nothing like this ever happens again.¡±

    ¡°Cleaning up? What right do you have to do this?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve sure gotten talkative now that you¡¯re about to die. Since when did thiswless zone care about rights?¡±

    There are some things you can never forget.

    For example, the sight of Terion with blood spurting from his neck.

    It must¡¯ve been around here.

    His neck had been sliced about halfway, and blood was gushing out in torrents.

    I couldn¡¯t be bothered to draw a dagger. I tore into the man¡¯s neck with my fingers, ripping it open, just as Terion had been injured.

    No more, no less¡ªexactly as far as Terion¡¯s wound had been.

    It was a meaningless act of revenge, but it made me feel a bit better.

    I heard a familiar sound from the adjacent room. Footsteps I recognized.

    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re done here.¡±

    Sirien nced at the dying man.

    She didn¡¯t linger. Just like one wouldn¡¯t stare at trash on the street for too long.

    ¡°It¡¯s all clear on my side. I also killed one who was trying to escape.¡±

    ¡°Did I miss someone?¡±

    ¡°Well, not really. He was outside from the start.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t think that far ahead.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I say youck attention to detail.¡±

    Had we cleaned up all traces of Kirux?

    I wasn¡¯t certain. Millen didn¡¯t trust us, so he might have set us up using whoever he thought was expendable.

    We¡¯d figure it out as we went along. If there were more, we¡¯d just clean them up too.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you check those bodies? There¡¯s probably some money on them.¡±

    ¡°How do you know?¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯te after us for no reason. Millen must¡¯ve paid them off to take this risk.¡±

    ¡°Then we should spend that money on something nice.¡±

    Just as Sirien had suggested, I searched the bodies and found a pouch of gold coins.

    It wasn¡¯t as hefty as the one Isha had received, but when it came to gold, the more the better.

    I pocketed the pouch, and when I looked up, Sirien was already approaching me.

    ¡°Hold still for a moment.¡±

    Where she had gotten it from, I didn¡¯t know.

    Her small hand wiped the blood off my armor with a cloth.

    It was going to get bloody again soon anyway, but I kept quiet, knowing she wouldn¡¯t appreciate being interrupted at a time like this.

    ¡°Do you think Russell will make a move?¡±

    ¡°We can only hope. If he doesn¡¯t act while we¡¯re shaking things up, then when will he?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to keep Russell alive if possible. Are you still against it?¡±

    ¡°Not sure. He¡¯s not exactly indispensable. Honestly, it¡¯d be easier to deal with if Isha were the only one left standing.¡±

    Once we cleaned out the sewer rats, naturally, wolves would gather to fill the power vacuum.

    We weren¡¯t nning to leave Requitas unattended.

    We had no intention of letting go of this money stream. The idea was to establish an organization and use it as a straw to siphon Requitas dry.

    Sirien intended to put Isha at the head of that organization.

    With Isha indebted to us, she¡¯d serve as a figurehead while we absorbed the remnants of the Crescent Moon.

    We¡¯d send in our people to seize control behind the scenes. That was the n.

    For Sirien, Russell was unnecessary.

    Russell was already a skilled leader. He could rebuild the Crescent Moon without our help.

    If that happened, our cut of the gold would be significantly smaller.

    ¡°But if you really want to save Russell, go ahead. You¡¯re much more important to me than he is.¡±

    ¡°Trust me just this once. I¡¯ve got a good feeling about this.¡±

    ¡°When have I ever not trusted you?¡±

    Sirien shed a small smile.

    [ Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 55: Beyond the Original (1)

    <b>Chapter 55: Beyond the Original (1)</b>

    Up until now, I haven¡¯t been able to fully utilize the information from the original story.

    As someone who was reincarnated into this world, it was like I had failed in my role, but there wasn¡¯t much I could do.

    The events in the original novel were still years away from happening.

    The heroine, Elise*, hadn¡¯t even crossed over into this world yet.

    Right now, she was probably living somewhere in modern-day Korea, supporting her younger siblings.

    It was impossible to meet the characters connected to her at this point, and the path ahead of us remained uncharted.

    All I could do was look far into the future and make rough guesses.

    During that time, Sirien and I had certainly done our best.Looking back, there wasn¡¯t much more we could have done to get better results.

    But despite all our efforts, we seemed to be following the exact plot of the original.

    If we had made even a small mistake, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep up with the original¡¯s pace.

    Now, to change the flow, giving our best wasn¡¯t enough. Something had to change.

    Russell¡¯s name had never been mentioned in the original.

    There was a high probability that he died this time too, just like Terion and Hena had.

    ¡®But what about Isha?¡¯

    It was something I found outter, but Isha had be one of our closest confidants, both to me and Sirien.

    There was no doubt that this bond was formed during our time in Requitas.

    Even so, I couldn¡¯t throw away our ns just to save Isha.

    No matter how we felt, the cleanup of the sewer rats had to bepleted.

    We needed to have at least a rough idea of the location of their base.

    In the process, it was inevitable that we drew some attention from Millen.

    On the day we parted ways with Isha on the camellia-covered hill, Russell had told Isha to leave, but Isha chose to stay in Requitas.

    We couldn¡¯t help her any further. By then, Millen¡¯s eyes were already on us.

    Even if we had shaken off the tail, it was impossible to continue looking after Isha.

    The danger was one thing, but we also had the goal of eliminating the remnants of Kirux.

    Kindness had its limits, and it had to end there.

    ¡®But is this really enough?¡¯

    There were only a few years left until the story of the original began.

    If things didn¡¯t change soon, all that awaited us was tragedy.

    That was something I absolutely could not allow.

    I didn¡¯t want to die. And, of course, I didn¡¯t want to see Sirien die either.

    At this point, Sirien was more precious to me than my own life.

    Even the smallest change in the flow could bring about a better oue.

    Hadn¡¯t we suffered enough?

    There was no need to endure another tragedy like the one at the cabin.

    Then, my eyes fell on the sword hanging at my waist.

    It wasn¡¯t anything special, but it had been used for so long that my divine power had soaked deep into its de.

    Sirien could track her own divine power.

    I couldn¡¯t intentionally leave traces of mine like Sirien could.

    But if it was power that was already imbued into the de... couldn¡¯t I track it as well?

    <b>* * *</b>

    Russell had a gut feeling.

    To be more precise, he couldn¡¯t help but sense it.

    ¡°I see this as an opportunity. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    The officer nodded. He had served Russell for a long time.

    They usually saw eye to eye, and today was no different.

    Tonight seemed especially chaotic.

    It wasn¡¯t unusual for the nights in Requitas to be noisy. In fact, a quiet night was more out of ce in thiswless zone.

    A city of luxury and indulgence. Just as bright lights cast deep shadows, Requitas had a dazzling night alongside its darker side.

    But tonight¡¯s disturbance was different.

    Instead of desires and pleasures, blood and death swept over the city.

    There were no flirtatious moans from women, only horrific screams echoing through the streets.

    ¡°Are you going to make a move?¡±

    ¡°I must. If we miss this chance, there might not be another.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still not fully healed, though.¡±

    ¡°Even at my best, I couldn¡¯tpete with that knight.¡±

    A soft chuckle followed.

    It was the officer¡¯sugh.

    ¡°That much is clear. Isn¡¯t it time to retire?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that old yet.¡±

    ¡°I can already see gray hairs. Quite a lot of them, too.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    An unknown knight was ruthlessly destroying the sewer rats¡¯ base.

    It was an extremely violent and crude method¡ªone that Russell could have never imagined using in his entire life.

    Yet, he couldn¡¯t deny that the method was effective.

    The knight, d in ck armor, charged into the building¡¯s outer wall.

    Aside from the entertainment district, most of Requitas¡¯ buildings weren¡¯t particrly sturdy.

    And the ce the knight attacked was a den where the sewer rats gathered to smoke drugs¡ªa shoddy hideout, to say the least.

    The wall crumbled pathetically, granting the knight easy ess.

    Strange, unreadable symbols glowed blood-red on the knight¡¯s armor.

    Wielding a massive sword surrounded by a crimson aura, the knight unleashed unstoppable violence, turning the interior of the building into the same blood-drenched hue.

    It took only a few minutes for one of the sewer rats¡¯ strongholds to be reduced to ruins.

    At this point, Russell wondered if calling this creature a knight was even urate.

    It fought less like a human and more like a beast. Its overwhelming strength and destructive force took the lives of anything that stood in its way.

    Death, or perhaps murderous intent, had taken physical form and wielded a sword. That¡¯s what it looked like.

    And that blood-red glow¡­ Russell felt an ominous dread from the color.

    Yet, somehow, it also seemed divine, though he couldn¡¯t understand why.

    Could such terrifying power truly be holy?

    It was hard to believe.

    ¡°Has the world ever seen such a foreboding form of divinity?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not even sure if that¡¯s divine at all.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I feel the same. All the knowledge I¡¯ve umted now feels as fragile as a sandcastle.¡±

    Still, none of that mattered. The identity of the knight or the nature of his power wasn¡¯t important.

    Russell was someone willing to sell his soul to the devil if necessary.

    They say the enemy of your enemy is your ally.

    And if that ally is this powerful, Russell was more than ready to wee him with open arms.

    Russell raised a red g atop a rundown building, and the officer lit it on fire beside him.

    It was the signal tounch the counterattack.

    He didn¡¯t know how many members of the Crescent Moon Guild were still alive. The odds were likely grim.

    And even if they survived, there was no guarantee they¡¯d answer this call to arms.

    In the worst-case scenario, Russell might be the only one charging into battle. His officer had no talent for fighting, after all.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be off, then.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Please return safely.¡±

    Even so, Russell strapped two swords to his waist.

    He no longer ced much value on his own life.

    There was no hesitation in his quick steps.

    ¡®One of us¡ªeither me or Millen¡ªhas to die.¡¯

    This was thest thing he had to do as a father.

    If Russell died, Millen would stop pursuing Isha.

    The person who held the ¡°dangerous information¡± would be gone, and Millen would have no reason to waste money and time searching for Isha.

    On the other hand, if Russell killed Millen, Isha would no longer be hunted.

    He wasn¡¯t sure how far that knight would go in tearing apart the sewer rats.

    Maybe the knight¡¯s goal was only to destroy a few bases, or maybe he intended to kill Millen as well.

    However, Millen was a cunning man.

    If the situation turned unfavorable, he would likely hide in a safe ce to wait out the storm, just as Russell had done before.

    That might buy some time, but time was just that¡ªtemporary.

    Unless Millen left the empire entirely, his ws would eventually reach out again.

    There was no real peace in that.

    ¡®I couldn¡¯t even love my daughter properly after all the effort of bringing her into this world.¡¯

    It was all because he wascking, because he was foolish.

    In Russell¡¯s mind, he was a broken man, capable only of killing people and gathering bits of profitable information. Anything else seemed beyond him.

    He shouldn¡¯t have trusted himself.

    They say that a truly foolish man doesn¡¯t even know he¡¯s foolish. That fit him perfectly.

    Looking back, it had been a simple, misguided thought process.

    Even to him, Requitas was a dangerous ce.

    Weakness meant death, and so he had been harsh with Isha.

    He feared that if he showed her too much affection, his daughter¡¯s heart would grow soft.

    How could he have been so foolish?

    It was, of course, utter nonsense. All are just excuses.

    The truth was, he simply didn¡¯t know how to love.

    When his wife was alive, he thought everything would be fine.

    He assumed she would be the one to be a good parent.

    But eventually, Russell had to face the harsh truth¡ªthat he had been too ipetent to even protect his own wife.

    After her death, it had been easier to be a strict father than a good one.

    It was a pathetic and cowardly escape from reality. He had sworn never to make the same mistakes again, yet here he was, repeating them.

    If there was one thing Russell had done right in his life, it was not turning away from his daughter¡¯s desperation.

    When Isha ran away, he searched for her like a madman.

    And when he finally saw her, crying under the camellia tree, his heart nearly stopped.

    He should have realized it then. He should have taken one more step toward her.

    Instead of waiting until she was at her breaking point, he should have told her he loved her every now and then, whenever it crossed his mind.

    Maybe that alone could have made a difference.

    Russell regretted his past deeply.

    [TL: I¡¯m renaming Ellis to Elise as I think that Elise would be more correct spelling. Any other suggestions are also wee. Do share them in thements.

    Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 56: Beyond the Original (2)

    <b>Chapter 56: Beyond the Original (2)</b>

    The dust I had swallowed made my throat itch.

    Even after opening my helmet and spitting, I still felt something stuck inside.

    This was one of the side effects of tearing down buildings.

    I¡¯d been roaming around in areas thick with drug smoke, with dust swirling all over the ce.

    If I had known this would happen, I would have asked Sirien for some water before she left.

    By now, our dear saintess is probably cleaning up the ruins I left behind.

    ¡®I should also ask her about those red symbols on the armor.¡¯

    When the sudden red light red up on my armor, I was more than a little startled.I thought it might be an attack I wasn¡¯t aware of, so I hastily gathered my divine energy.

    Luckily, these red letters were protecting me.

    It was probably something Sirien had prepared.

    I saw her startled expression when we briefly crossed paths.

    Even she hadn¡¯t expected it to glow like that.

    Now, to everyone else, I must look more like a viin. But, who cares?

    As long as the armor is sturdy and moves well, that¡¯s all that matters.

    ¡°R-Run! Run for your life!¡±

    ¡°Ahh, nooo!¡±

    As time passed, more people ran as soon as they saw me.

    Since our goal¡ªmine and Sirien¡¯s¡ªwasn¡¯t just senseless ughter, I didn¡¯t chase them down relentlessly.

    But if they were too deeply intoxicated, reeking of filth, or dared toe at me, I showed no mercy.

    Mullet flowers are a poisonous herb by nature. If poisoned, you experience mild delirium and hallucinations.

    The drug the sewer rats refined from it is just as addictive as modern drugs.

    A swamp you can never escape from. The addicts here weren¡¯t even trying to climb out¡ªthey were sinking deeper without a care.

    That made them easy to distinguish.

    No matter how brave a warrior is, they¡¯ll retreat when the odds are clearly stacked against them.

    But those high on drugs? They charge in without thinking.

    My greatsword sliced through the swamp.

    Bodies bloomed like flowers across the filthy ground.

    ¡®How many have I killed?¡¯

    Quite some time had passed.

    I had already destroyed the hideout Sirien found.

    I¡¯d even tracked down those who fled, but now, there was nowhere else to go.

    After causing this much chaos, it was strange that Millen hadn¡¯t shown himself.

    Could he really be hiding, nning to stay out of sight?

    Just when my nerves were about to get the best of me, I faintly sensed my divine energy from afar.

    The sword I had passed on to Isha had been drawn.

    The location wasn¡¯t too far, nor too close.

    ¡°Found you.¡±

    Those sewer rats really lived up to their name.

    The ce where my divine energy surged was near the sewage where the waters of Requitas converged.

    The closer I got to the sewers, the morepetent enemies appeared.

    Those who knew how to handle a sword, or the beast mercenaries Millen had hired, showed up.

    Among them was a bear beastman who recognized me¡ªVester.

    Apparently, I had earned his grudge.

    From my blind spot, a wolf hidden around the corner lunged with its ws out.

    ¡°Atst, we meet, you filthy human!¡±

    ¡°Have we met? I don¡¯t remember you.¡±

    ¡°The Gate of Arctania! You dare pretend not to know my brother?!¡±

    ¡°Sorry. Honestly, I don¡¯t remember.¡±

    I¡¯ve killed my fair share of beastmen, after all.

    Still, I respected his right to revenge. At the very least, I was willing to give him a proper fight.

    Besides, even if I walked away, he¡¯d probably chase me down to the end.

    I blocked the iing ws with the de of my sword. There wasn¡¯t an opportunity to cut throughpletely.

    Greatswords, for all their power, are fairly useless in closebat.

    The movements are toorge, leaving plenty of openings. I pushed him back with the de I had used as a shield to create some distance.

    Could my armor withstand the beastman¡¯s ws?

    I estimated the odds, but they didn¡¯t seem favorable.

    His ws were too sharp to test without risking too much.

    The sharpened aura surged toward me again.

    It seemed this beastman was more skilled than the brother I had apparently killed.

    No matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn¡¯t recall any wolf beastmen that stood out.

    ¡°Graaah! I am from the Forest w tri¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need your full introduction.¡±

    The only tricky part had been his first attack.

    Now that I knew his position and had adjusted my distance and stance, there was no reason to hold back.

    With a mighty swing, my greatsword cleaved the wolf beastman in two.

    Despite its many drawbacks, there¡¯s a reason people use heavy weapons.

    Most can¡¯t defend themselves against my greatsword.

    I stepped over the wolf¡¯s corpse and kept moving forward.

    <b>* * *</b>

    I cut through the enemies as I advanced, but I had arrived toote.

    As soon as I spotted Millen, I thrust my greatsword at him, but his reaction was quick.

    A powerful shock rippled through the t of my de as if he was trying to knock it away.

    I retrieved the sword and stepped back.

    Millen red at me coldly.

    ¡°Ha, you¡¯ve finally crawled your way here.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that. I¡¯ve always intended to take your head from the start.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead, try it. In fact, I wee it. Once I kill you all here, I won¡¯t have any more headaches in the future.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of nerve for someone who¡¯s been hiding in fear.¡±

    I scanned my surroundings.

    Isha was unconscious, lying sprawled on the ground, and a man with ashen hair stood guarding her.

    That must be Russell. With the same hair as Isha, he was easy to identify.

    But Russell was in terrible shape.

    It seemed like he should¡¯ve been knocked out of the fight a long time ago, but he was forcing himself to keep going.

    His body was covered in blood, and his arm was twisted grotesquely, nearly torn off.

    Even if things went well, it seemed unlikely that his arm could be saved.

    His breathing wasbored, and every exhale was mixed with pain.

    He¡¯d clearly coughed up blood several times already¡ªthere were still droplets falling from his mouth.

    Russell looked at me, his lips moving as if to speak, but no sound came out.

    I stepped between Millen and Russell.

    ¡°Take your daughter and leave the way I came. When youe across a silver-haired woman, politely ask for help. Isha will know what to do.¡±

    I didn¡¯t look back.

    I vaguely saw Russell gather up Isha, but that was it.

    Millen was not the kind of opponent I could afford to lose focus on.

    ¡°I see you¡¯re not asking if I¡¯ll let them escape.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just kill you and chase after them.¡±

    Millen¡¯s weapon was a pair of knuckles. Bloodstained metal glinted from his clenched fists.

    The power from his strong physique was evident, as the force of his punch earlier had been no joke.

    Without a weapon, his offense and defense were more fluid, and he was faster than he looked.

    His abilities didn¡¯t seem to be as shy as fire or ice.

    If they were, I would have seen the evidence in Russell¡¯s wounds. There had been no reason for him to hold back until now.

    Something definitely felt off.

    The more we exchanged blows, the more I sensed something strange.

    ¡®Is he moving a beat faster?¡¯

    Reacting to my attacks was perfectly usible.

    When humans move, there are always signs, and I¡¯m no exception to that rule.

    Especially with a weapon like a greatsword, which doesn¡¯t allow for much finesse.

    The problem was that it didn¡¯t seem like Millen was reacting to me.

    It felt like he already knew what I was going to do.

    Instead of reacting, it was like he was countering, as if he had the answer sheet right in front of him.

    Because he could read my intent so clearly, I missed several chances to strike first.

    Had I lost the psychological battle?

    No, that wasn¡¯t quite it.

    Millen thrust his fist toward me but then quickly withdrew.

    Had he followed through, I could¡¯ve grabbed his arm. Yet, even though I hadn¡¯t made a move, he already knew what I was nning.

    The only result was that it dyed the timing of my next sword strike.

    I had to lower my left arm slightly to block Millen¡¯s punch. The impact left a stinging sensation.

    Still, my defense wasn¡¯t too bad.

    Millen hade in too deep.

    No matter how well he could read my moves, it wouldn¡¯t matter if he couldn¡¯t avoid my strikes.

    At this rate, I could cut him in half with my greatsword.

    As my de rushed toward Millen, a powerful shock struck the de¡ªwithout it hitting anything.

    The trajectory twisted, and the sword missed its mark.

    That left my defense wide open. In an instant, I felt another blow hit my left arm, and Millon¡¯s fist was suddenly right in front of me.

    ¡°Guh!¡±

    A clean hit. His punchnded squarely in my sr plexus.

    The impact wasn¡¯t something I could ignore, even through my armor.

    So that¡¯s why Russell had been so thoroughly beaten.

    I could taste a bit of blood in my mouth. My insides had taken some damage.

    ¡°I can¡¯t understand you,¡± Millen sneered. ¡°Do you really think you can run rampant in Requitas and get away with it? You think I jumped into this massive business without any powerful backers?¡±

    ¡°And you think I came to this stinking city just to kill a few people for fun? You¡¯re a real joke.¡±

    Millen clearly thought he had the upper hand.

    Thinking he was winning, his tongue got looser.

    All he¡¯d done wasnd one decent hit, and he was already running his mouth.

    He didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d just revealed his hand.

    Thatst attack had shown me exactly what his ability was.

    I wouldn¡¯t fall for the same trick twice.

    Let him keep talking.

    As someone descended from the people of Eilencia, I wasn¡¯t one to lose in a battle of words.

    Pointing my greatsword at Millen once more, I shouted:

    ¡°This is a request from Baron Esquente, Third Commander of the Northern Front.

    He asked me to clean up the trash selling drugs behind the front lines.

    Looks like you¡¯re first on the list.¡±

    Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 57: Beyond the Original (3)

    <b>Chapter 57: Beyond the Original (3)</b>

    It all began with a trivial incident.

    A minor incident where a mercenary in the conflict zone caused a ruckus within the camp.

    It wasn¡¯t umon for mercenaries to be unruly.

    They were people who lived with death on the line. It would¡¯ve been strange if they weren¡¯t rough.

    Fights often broke out as they tried to establish their own pecking order.

    So, when Baron Esquente first received the report, he simplyughed it off, thinking it was no big deal.

    But when that ruckus led to murder, he could no longerugh.

    When Baron Esquente found out the cause of the incident was withdrawal symptoms from drugs, he deemed it a ¡°serious matter.¡±His efforts soon bore fruit. He uncovered the culprits secretly supplying drugs within the camp.

    That day, the thirdmander of the Northern Front executed no less than twenty-seven men.

    There was no mercy.

    All twenty-seven heads were put on disy as a warning.

    ¡°You idiot. You should¡¯ve known your limits. Did you really think themanders would sit idle while drugs spread all the way to the front lines?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Millen red at me as I spoke.

    That¡¯s how it was.

    Just like Crescent Moon had be a thorn in the nobles¡¯ side due to its excessive growth, the Sewer Rats had crossed a line at some point as well.

    It was only natural that the drugs they dealt had made their way to the front lines.

    Greed always leads to ruin.

    Just as Crescent Moon fell, the Sewer Rats met a simr end.

    It¡¯s fine for mercenaries to indulge in alcohol and women.

    Those two were practically considered virtues among mercenaries.

    Alcohol, if used well, could boost morale, and women didn¡¯t distract them during battles.

    But drugs were a different story.

    A mercenary high on drugs was useless in battle. And the ¡®Mullet Flower¡¯ was known for its severe withdrawal symptoms.

    A drug addict was nothing more than a ticking time bomb, liable to cause problems at any moment.

    Fortunately, the situation at the time was manageable.

    We had a longstanding grudge against the Sewer Rats, and we had the strength to deal with them.

    No matter how long the internal feuds of Requitas had been going on, there was no way even a master-level knight and a saintessbined couldn¡¯t resolve this.

    In a way, it was almost inevitable that this issue would fall into ourps.

    Millen took a few steps back.

    He must¡¯ve known by now that Sirien and I had already destroyed their base.

    With their foundation ruined, they wouldn¡¯t be able to operate in this city any longer.

    ¡°...It doesn¡¯t matter. Even if I fail this time, I¡¯ll juste back and start over again. I¡¯ve always done better the next time.¡±

    ¡°You think there¡¯ll be a next time? You¡¯re going to die here.¡±

    Millen seemed hopeful, but I had no intention of letting him walk away.

    I had to kill him here and now.

    Letting someone with powers like his sharpen a de of revenge against me was not a pleasant thought.

    It was a iprehensibly precise and swift prediction.

    A blow dealt without any forewarning.

    Even Edwin, the seasoned sword master, couldn¡¯t pull off something like that.

    How could the mere leader of a gang in Requitas manage what even a guardian in the ¡®Sanctuary¡¯ couldn¡¯t?

    I could say for certain¡ªit was impossible.

    Millen wasn¡¯t someone to be underestimated, but he was nowhere near Edwin¡¯s level.

    If he had such skill, he would¡¯ve been living as a master-ranked fighter in the Empire by now.

    ¡®He can see it. He¡¯s seeing my future moves.¡¯

    If Millen¡¯s ability was tied to time, and he could see the future, then his movements made sense.

    Looking back, the attacks I couldn¡¯t avoid were all ones where his fist had touched me once before.

    It was likely a form of replicating the same attack. He probably couldn¡¯t use it too many times.

    If he could, he¡¯d have just repeated the same blow indefinitely earlier.

    It was a meaningful ability when I didn¡¯t know about it.

    But a mere trick is still just a trick. The path I¡¯ve walked wasn¡¯t so easy that it could be destroyed by such shallow tactics.

    Even if he sees it, if I make it impossible to dodge¡ªif I make it so he can¡¯t react¡ªit¡¯ll be over.

    A sudden thought crossed my mind.

    ¡®There are no witnesses here, should I use my sword aura?¡¯

    If I struck with power that couldn¡¯t be countered, this fight would end easily.

    Whether I used an overwhelming force or my sword aura, the result wouldn¡¯t be much different.

    But I decided against it.

    Even experiences like this would help me grow.

    I needed to be stronger than the original story. As a miracle-born sword master, every bit ofbat experience was valuable to me.

    And an opponent who could read my moves and respond? That made Millen an excellent sparring partner.

    ¡°Kugh!¡±

    ¡°As expected, you¡¯re not much of a fighter, huh?¡±

    ¡°You arrogant bastard!¡±

    I thrust my greatsword, imbued with divine power, straight toward Millen.

    Of course, he dodged to the side, but I let go of the sword, using the same forward momentum to throw it.

    The heavy sword crashed to the ground with a loud ng.

    Right now, something faster and lighter than a greatsword would suit me better.

    Two longswordsy on the ground where Russell had dropped them earlier.

    With his arm in that condition, he must¡¯ve left them behind to carry Isha.

    I spread divine power to retrieve the two swords, then began shing at Millen alternately with them.

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you that dual-wielding wins sometimes too.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something like that, you idiot!¡±

    If the enemy could read my intentions, then all I had to do was change my intentions.

    A strategy that anticipated the opponent¡¯s response from the start.

    A feint that could target a vital spot at any moment, a well-honed strike that would suddenly transform into a trick and vanish.

    Illusions of real and false moves shattered like ss.

    Read me all you want.

    There¡¯s no way you can react to every possible move, out of the tens, hundreds, or even thousands of possibilities.

    The skills I¡¯ve umted won¡¯t betray me. Even in the smallest movement of my feet, or the way I grip my sword, there was intention behind every action.

    Until now, I¡¯ve focused on destructive power because it matched well with my sword aura. It wasn¡¯t because Icked confidence in technique or strategy.

    I gave up onnding the first strike.

    Instead, if Millen dodged, I chased him down relentlessly. If he tried to counter, I twisted my sword in reverse grip to parry andunch a counterattack.

    The swords in my hands whirled with endless variation.

    ¡°This is fun!¡±

    ¡°You crazy bastard. Are you enjoying this?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    An enemy who could read all my moves? How could I not be thrilled!

    Defeating him would mean my swordsmanship had reached a level where even someone who could foresee the future couldn¡¯t handle it.

    Yes, a sword master should naturally be capable of that.

    Millen¡¯s fist grazed the side of my helmet.

    I could hear the sound of the wind as it passed by, that¡¯s how close it was.

    As I narrowly dodged, my de surged toward his arm. I twisted the reverse grip back to normal and aimed for his forearm.

    Even though the swords weren¡¯t mine, they felt like they¡¯d been with me for decades.

    At this point, it felt like any sword I picked up would feel the same.

    It was as if the sword had been part of my body from the beginning.

    From the slightly off-center bnce that had been present since its creation, to the grip of the hilt and the shape of the de.

    Everything, down to the trajectory cutting through the air, flowed into my mind.

    ¡°Gah!¡±

    ¡°It hit!¡±

    Finally, Millen bled for the first time.

    The sword had only grazed his arm, but now that I hadnded a hit, I could do it again.

    Faster. Sharper. So fast he wouldn¡¯t have time to think of countering.

    At some point, the battle between Millen and me ceased to be a contest.

    I was attacking endlessly, and Millen was just desperately dodging and blocking.

    His face began to show signs of panic, anger, and even a little fear.

    My sword left another wound on Millen¡¯s body.

    This time, it was his thigh, and the cut was deeper than before.

    ¡®I feel like I can do it now.¡¯

    I could sense the sword moving the wind.

    It was something Edwin could do, but I never could. It was the most frustrating part during our training.

    I always used a bigger sword, but Edwin had the advantage of distance by sending des of wind.

    - How do you do it? You just feel the path of the sword.

    - Once you sense it, you¡¯ll naturally figure out how. It¡¯s like pushing force into empty space. You¡¯ll understand once you try it.

    Back then, I thought he was spouting nonsense. But now, I think I finally understand.

    I slightly twisted the path of the sword, tearing the air roughly. The sword¡¯s sharp aura pushed force into the empty space.

    Following the clean stroke, a de of wind rushed forward sharply.

    ¡°Hah, so this is how it feels.¡±

    ¡°What... what was that just now?¡±

    ¡°Just be grateful. You¡¯ve helped me quite a bit.¡±

    Millen lost his right arm.

    The wind I sent had severed Millen¡¯s arm and continued on, carving a long scar into the wall.

    That was the end.

    With a fatal injury, Millen¡¯s movements slowed.

    In an instant, my swords stabbed and shed all over his body.

    Once I hadpletely neutralized him, only the finishing blow remained. My sword, without the slightest hesitation, sliced through Millen¡¯s neck.

    Naturally, the dead don¡¯t utterst words.

    ¡°Now that this is settled, I should go back to Sirien.¡±

    Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 58: Beyond the Original (4)

    <b>Chapter 58: Beyond the Original (4)</b>

    <b>[Russell]</b>

    Was it because of my age, as the officer suggested?

    My legs felt heavy. I hadn¡¯t walked much, yet I was already drained.

    I had allowed Millen too many hits.

    There wasn¡¯t a single part of my body that wasn¡¯t battered.

    I staggered as if I might copse at any moment, and my head throbbed.

    It felt like the vibrations from my footsteps were rattling my brain.

    My vision had already passed the point of being blurry¡ªit was darkening.Even so, I couldn¡¯t afford to fall, because my young daughter was on my back.

    ¡®Look, Isolet. Our daughter resembles you so much. She won¡¯t listen, no matter what I say. Once again, she¡¯s causing me endless worry.¡¯

    I had no idea how far I hade.

    It felt like only a few minutes had passed, or perhaps it had been drifting for countless hours.

    When I regained my senses, I saw a girl dressed in ck sacred robes.

    Beneath the veil covering her head, vivid silver hair caught my eye.

    Along with blood-stained gloves and an axe in her hand.

    ¨C Take your daughter and leave the way I came. When youe across a silver-haired woman, politely ask for help. Isha will know what to do

    She was a strikingly beautiful girl at a nce.

    Her long silver hair exuded nobility, and her crimson eyes radiated an otherworldly aura.

    The axe in her hand was a bit unsettling, but not as much as her emotionless gaze.

    There wasn¡¯t a trace of emotion in the way the girl looked at me.

    Like she was staring at a pebble by the roadside.

    The girl, who had been mechanically raising her axe, flinched when she saw me and lowered her arm.

    That knight had mentioned Isha¡¯s name. Could they have met before?

    Whether it was coincidence or not, my body had reached its limit. My legs gave out, and I copsed to my knees in front of the girl.

    Luckily, I didn¡¯t drop Isha from my back.

    ¡°Please, help me.¡±

    ¡°You must be Russell.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry about me; please help Isha first¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    I should promise her a reward. My words were stuck in my throat.

    What could I even offer right now? Nothing came to mind.

    At that moment, a wave of eerie killing intent washed over me, then vanished.

    Startled, I looked up at the girl, but the aura I had felt was gone, and she had already stowed the axe at her waist.

    The same divine aura I sensed from the knight now enveloped the area.

    It was unsettling, yet somehowforting.

    Perhaps noticing my unease, her cold voice echoed again.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re nervous, buty Isha down on the ground. It¡¯s natural for you to feel uneasy. That¡¯s just how this divinity works.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like an exnation, just a little¡­¡±

    ¡°This divinity isn¡¯t for the living. It¡¯s only natural for life to fear death. Unless you¡¯re that curious to hear more right now?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±

    As soon as Iid Isha down, the girl ced her hand on my daughter¡¯s forehead and radiated her divinity.

    It was far more overwhelming than anything I¡¯d felt from other priests.

    Only then did I feel relieved. I silently watched Isha¡¯s face.

    As the divine power flowed into her, her breathing became calmer. Even the asional pained moans seemed to ease.

    Seeing her like this always tore at my heart, but now I felt a bit of peace.

    ¡®You were like that too. You never listened to me. Not even at the end. You have no idea how much you broke my heart.¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of resentment towards myte wife.

    Yet I was still the samecking and foolish.

    Even now, I was so d to see my daughter¡¯s face.

    Though my heart ached, I was secretly happy. I was as spineless as a child.

    I couldn¡¯t even remember thest time I¡¯d seen her sleep so peacefully.

    Even though we lived so close, I realized I hadn¡¯t even cared this much.

    I should have stroked that forehead one more time.

    At the very least, I should have made sure she didn¡¯t feel lonely.

    As a father, I¡¯ve done absolutely nothing.

    What was I clinging to all this time?

    I wanted to brush away the hair stuck to her cheek, but I was afraid¡ªcould I even dare to touch her now?

    A few minutester, the priestess girl stood in front of me.

    Her gloved hand once again held the axe.

    I had managed to sort through things in my mind to some degree.

    The murderous intent she had briefly shown me, the axe, and the situation we were about to face in Requitas¡ªeverything became a little clearer.

    ¡°It seems I¡¯m of no use to you after all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I didn¡¯t really have any reason to keep you alive. Plus, I don¡¯t like using divine power meant for my knight on someone else.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You¡¯ve saved my daughter. You can take this worthless life of mine as many times as you need.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need it. I don¡¯t want to lie to my knight just because of you.¡±

    Her voice was cold.

    Except when she mentioned ¡®my knight.¡¯ The sweetness practically dripped from her words when she said it, even though she had just casually let it slip from her lips.

    It made sense. This youngdy must be quite caught up in her romantic affairs.

    Then it happened. The girl grabbed one of my arms and lifted it.

    It was the arm that had been mangled by Millen.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to cut it off.¡±

    ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    ¡°I said, I¡¯m cutting it off. If you keep this attached, you won¡¯t survive.¡±

    Her axe moved without hesitation.

    <b>* * *</b>

    As I retraced my steps, I soon encountered Sirien¡¯s divine aura.

    The thick darkness that had been looming vanished as soon as I stepped into it, like a lie dissipating.

    All that remained were crimsonnterns. I followed the flickering lights ahead of me.

    There were many bodies along the way. Some were killed by me, but a few had taken their own lives by stabbing themselves in the neck.

    I thought I¡¯d cleaned things up thoroughly, but it seems I missed a few.

    Maybe that¡¯s why Sirien always scolds me for being careless.

    ¡°Sirien?¡±

    ¡°Over here.¡±

    Her voice came from a bit of a distance.

    It seemed she had hidden away as soon as she ran into Russell.

    Isha was sound asleep, and Russelly on the ground, having received only the simplest of first aid.

    One of Russell¡¯s arms was lying on the ground nearby.

    It must¡¯ve been beyond recovery, so they¡¯d cut it off.

    That makes sense. If they had left it attached, it would¡¯ve drained his divine power and endangered his life.

    ¡°How are they?¡±

    ¡°Neither of them is in any mortal danger. They¡¯ll just have a rough time recovering.¡±

    ¡°If they¡¯re alive, that¡¯s good enough.¡±

    Russell had survived.

    I had saved someone who was supposed to die in the original story.

    It might seem like a small difference, but I was quite pleased with how things had turned out.

    For the first time, I had caused a distortion in the original plot.

    Who knows what effect Russell¡¯s survival will have on the future?

    It won¡¯t necessarily be a positive one. Now that Isha has some peace of mind, she might not be a Sword Master like in the original.

    As Sirien mentioned, we didn¡¯t really need Russell.

    I had already epted the small cost of keeping him alive.

    But living humans are unpredictable.

    And there¡¯s no rule that says things always have to turn out for the worse.

    We had be Russell and Isha¡¯s benefactors, and while others might, Isha wouldn¡¯t betray us.

    I was already looking forward to what kind of change this small distortion would bring.

    Sirien patted the spot next to her with her palm.

    It seemed like she wanted me to sit, so I did as she indicated.

    ¡°Let¡¯s rest a bit before we go. There¡¯s no rush anymore.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    No sooner had I sat down than Sirien stood back up.

    She nced beside my helmet and furrowed her delicate brow.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you get hurt?¡±

    ¡°No. Not really.¡±

    ¡°Not really? It looks like you did. Take off your helmet.¡±

    Despite telling me to take it off, Sirien reached over and removed the helmet herself.

    Her eyes, filled with suspicion, stared at me intently.

    Then she brought her finger to the corner of my lips.

    Come to think of it, Millen hadnded a hit on me during the fight.

    I¡¯d tasted blood in my mouth, so it must¡¯ve dripped outside.

    How did she notice something even I¡¯d forgotten about?

    Her worried expression suddenly crumpled.

    ¡°I knew it!¡±

    Sirien¡¯s hands came down to punish me.

    She pinched both of my cheeks between her fingers and shook them back and forth.

    ¡°Ow, ow, that hurts! Hurts so much! Aaaaagh!¡±

    ¡°Youe back all cocky, but you¡¯re injured again! And to top it off, you lied about it!¡±

    ¡°If I just eat well and get a good night¡¯s sleep¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    ¡°Aaaaagh!¡±

    Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have said anything.

    Sirien, now thoroughly angry, violently shook my head.

    My pinched cheeks stung.

    Somehow, this hurt even more than when Millen hadnded a blow on me.

    Lately, Sirien¡¯s hands seemed to be getting harsher and harsher.

    Where had the delicate youngdy who used to throw soft punches in the cabin gone?

    I really missed that version of Sirien...

    Only after tormenting me for a good while did Sirien finally let go.

    I felt divine energy flowing from her fingertips, so my body was probably healed, but oddly enough, I hurt even more now than before the healing.

    My cheeks were burning.

    ¡°Hmph. Let¡¯s rest a little longer, then head back. We need to see Baron Esquente.¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t we originally nning to rest for a few more days until someone came to clean things up?¡±

    ¡°That was the n, but I think we need to meet him as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Did something change?¡±

    ¡°You were right about saving Russell. I thought at most he¡¯d have a few dirty secrets about the central nobles, but it turns out to be far more than that.¡±

    I thought it was just a small twist in the story.

    But it seemed a much bigger crack had formed already.

    ¡°Count Eloran is colluding with demons. And Russell has the proof.¡±

    Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 59: The Barony of Esquente (1)

    <b>Chapter 59: The Barony of Esquente (1)</b>

    Northern Front, 3rd Commander. Ne Esquente.

    A young man in his mid-20s with striking looks and a perpetual, charming smile.

    Known moremonly as ¡°Baron Esquente¡± than by his name or title, he liked to call himself a small-minded person.

    He never exined why, but people spected that it was due to hisck of ambition. Outwardly, he seemed entirely unburdened by any grand dreams or goals.

    A man who believed in protecting what he already possessed rather than coveting more. Though notcking in ability, he was easily content and quick to settle. His actions were casual, and his words carried little weight.

    ¡°Ah, you really went through a lot! Both of you! It¡¯s worth entrusting things to people you can rely on. Thanks to you, the whole region around Requitas is in an uproar. The rumors are flying thick and fast!¡±

    ¡°Rumors?¡±

    ¡°They say the gods sent a demon to purify Requitas! People swear they saw a monster from hell ripping throats out with a ¡®crunch, crunch,¡¯ breaking bones as it fed. Did you really do that?¡±¡°Should I demonstrate right here?¡±

    ¡°Haha! Let¡¯s hold off for now. Surely there are tastier things to devour than a scruffy guy like me, don¡¯t you think? In your honor, a meal is ready for you. I even hired a new chef this time, so I¡¯m sure the Lady Saintess will be pleased!¡±

    However, his true worth only became apparent when it came to protecting what he cherished. Because he valued what he had, he cared deeply for those under him.

    Light in words and action, he was sharp and flexible, ready to adapt at any moment.

    The Baron of Iron and Gold. The true face of Baron Esquente was a monster curled up in the paradise he¡¯d built.

    With a beaming face, the baron led us to his mansion. Though amander on the front line, or more urately, a nobleman, he was lighthearted and approachable in manner.

    ¡°Hey, Jackson! How¡¯s business today?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d you think? As you can see, just a bunch of flies buzzing around.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t do! Hand me an apple, would you?¡±

    ¡°Here ya go!¡±

    The fruit seller tossed an apple, which the baron caught smoothly with both hands, flipping a coin from his pocket.

    ¡°Would you like an apple? I buy from him all the time; he¡¯s got a real eye for picking fruit.¡±

    ¡°Sure, just cut me half.¡±

    ¡°Here you go! I¡¯ll have the other half myself.¡±

    Sirien bit into the apple. The crunch echoed, and her pretty eyes widened.

    ¡°This is delicious! It¡¯s so sweet.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? Make sure to drop by before you leave. It¡¯s too good to waste.¡±

    ¡°Razen, try it! It¡¯s really good.¡±

    ¡°Fruit is best enjoyed as dessert.¡±

    ¡°Hurry!¡±

    ¡°Seems you¡¯re not listening to me. But that must mean it¡¯s that tasty. I¡¯m d!¡±

    Eventually, I ended up epting the apple Sirien offered. It was as sweet and vorful as the baron had promised.

    As the three of us finished our apples, we arrived at the baron¡¯s mansion.

    It had no sense of strict formality but retained a lively atmosphere. The expressions of his staff were far more rxed than in most noble households.

    When the baron passed by, rather than giving him a formal bow, the gardener simply nodded with a smile.

    ¡°Wee back, my lord. The chef is waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll head there now!¡±

    ¡°Good to see you both again. Please take care of our lord.¡±

    Even as we walked down the hall, the baron didn¡¯t stop chatting.

    Before we even sat down, we¡¯d already heard histest news.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be shocked by the chef¡¯s skill this time. I found him on a recent trip to the capital. His cooking was so memorable, I kept going back the whole time I was there!¡±

    ¡°You were in the capital?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I only returned a few days ago. I left the day after entrusting you with the task. The capital was as impressive as ever! Every time I go, the view seems to change, but of course, my territory is still the best.¡±

    ¡°You usually look like you¡¯re about to die when you leave the estate. Did you actually enjoy yourself this time?¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t get me started! It was exhausting, as usual. The capital¡¯s packed with old men who raise hundreds of vipers in their stomachs. I thought I¡¯d suffocate!¡±

    The baron waved his hand dismissively but continued to shower endless praise on his territory, saying how the water outside tastes different or how itcks the scent of life.

    Even if exaggerated, he never told outright lies.

    The meal he had meticulously prepared was so luxurious that even Sirien was left wide-eyed.

    An array of delicacies from mountain and sea was spread across the table.

    ¡°Now, please have a seat. Anything¡¯s easier to deal with over a good meal, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±

    It had been a while since I¡¯d seen it. Sirien, smiling happily while eating.

    ¡°Amazing! This fish has no odor at all. It must¡¯ve been a long journey to get it here. How did you manage?¡±

    ¡°As expected, the Lady Saintess notices such things! That¡¯s what makes our chef remarkable. He brings out the natural vors of every dish while removing any ws.¡±

    ¡°The roasted turkey is good, too. All I taste is butter and herbs, and the aroma is perfectly bnced. The texture is tender.¡±

    ¡°Haha! That¡¯s our chef¡¯s signature. I was so taken by his cooking that I pleaded to hire him exclusively! To think someone of his talent had been hidden away until now is absurd!¡±

    The two of them were fervently assessing the food. As for me, I wasn¡¯t exactly a gourmet, so I simply enjoyed it as a particrly delicious meal.

    It was great simply to eat as much meat as I wanted.

    The drink was also well-bnced, with a perfect mix of sweetness and tartness.

    Honestly, it might have been even better than the juice I drank in modern times.

    It seemed like it was made from a blend of cranberry and something else, though I couldn¡¯t be sure. I¡¯m hardly a refined pte.

    After thoroughly enjoying a long and happy meal, the servants cleared away the remaining dishes, and we waited for dessert.

    Now that we had a moment, it was time to discuss business. Sirien spoke up first.

    ¡°How¡¯s the front line these days? Feels like we¡¯ve been away from the gate for quite a while.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s calm. The newly appointed 2nd Commander has been working tirelessly, so things have been quiet. Thanks to him, it¡¯s been nothing but peace on our end.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. The baron might not be able to return to the front for a while.¡±

    ¡°What? That sounds unsettling. What do you mean by that? Didn¡¯t we just clean up the mess in the rear?¡±

    ¡°Here, take a look at this.¡±

    Sirien handed over a document written by Russell himself.

    It was something like a report, detailing the dealings with the Count Eloran and the activities of the Crescent Moon group.

    The main focus was on the point at which they discovered the count was colluding with demons.

    As soon as he read the first page, Baron Esquente¡¯s expression darkened.

    His ever-smiling face turned pale, and his hands holding the document began to tremble.

    ¡°This¡­ Where did this informatione from? Who¡¯s the source? How reliable is it?¡±

    ¡°If you keep reading, you¡¯ll see it¡¯s quite convincing. The source ising in person, so you¡¯ll meet them soon enough. As for reliability¡­ well, I don¡¯t think they have any reason to lie to us.¡±

    ¡°If the Lady Saintess says so, then it must be almost certain¡­¡±

    As the baron continued reading, the life seemed to drain from him.

    He looked pitiful, unable to even touch the dessert prepared by the chef he¡¯d praised so highly.

    In the end, Baron Esquente tried to escape reality.

    ¡°P-proof! We need proof! No matter how trustworthy the Lady Saintess may be, for something this serious, we need solid evidence!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re already securing that proof. We parted ways north of Requitas, so it should arrive in three or four days at most. It¡¯lle under the name Russell, so inform the guards in advance.¡±

    The baron was utterly defeated.

    He stared nkly at the ceiling, as though his soul might drift away if Sirien waved her hand just right.

    The statement ¡°The Count Eloran is colluding with demons¡± wasn¡¯t just a matter of an internal betrayal.

    The Northern Front¡¯s army was simple in structure.

    Commanders like Baron Esquente managed the defense on a regr basis, and if things got too intense for them, the Count Eloran would step in. Structurally, the count was effectively the baron¡¯s superior.

    And this superior had taken a strong disliking to Baron Esquente.

    In fact, it seemed he¡¯d held a grudge for quite some time, but now he was actively colluding with the enemy to have him killed.

    If Baron Esquente wanted to survive, he¡¯d have to alert the central government to this fact and remove Count Eloran from power.

    One of them was bound to die.

    It had be, quite literally, a duel to the death.

    ¡°Evidence¡­ What am I supposed to do if the evidence arrives?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯ll have to figure that out.¡±

    ¡°How can you say something so heartless! Lady Saintess, aren¡¯t we seated at the same table here? Are you really going to turn a blind eye to my crisis and hardship?¡±

    ¡°Who said I¡¯d ignore it?¡±

    Sirien replied casually.

    ¡°Just confront him head-on.¡±

    ¡°Aaagh! I¡¯m trying to avoid that! Count Eloran is a grand noble¡ªsomeone leagues above the likes of me!¡±

    Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

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 Chapter 60: The Barony of Esquente (2)

    <b>Chapter 60: The Barony of Esquente (2)</b>

    Thest dessert served was a pudding filled with fruit. Sirien¡¯s face lit up as she took bite after bite of the pudding.

    ¡°Do you want to have mine, too?¡±

    ¡°Is that okay...?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not really craving sweets right now.¡±

    ¡°Then, yes! Thanks!¡±

    She wore a bright smile. Seeing her that happy made it worth giving up the pudding. Meanwhile, I gnawed on a bit more meat to fill up, while Sirien was lost in bliss, savoring her pudding.

    The baron, on the other hand¡­ was still swimming in a sea of despair.

    ¡°Should I first recruit some of the more amicable nobles...? But then, how many nobles would actually oppose Count Eloran ...?¡±Baron Esquente was often considered a maverick in noble society. Up in the northern frontlines,moners who achieved great feats in battle sometimes became nobles, and some of the more established aristocrats didn¡¯t take kindly to this new ss of nobles.

    Count Eloran, it seemed, felt these neers were a threat to his position.

    Well, it wasn¡¯t entirely baseless. If the northernmanders gained more influence, Count Eloran ¡¯s voice would indeed diminish. The former Count Eloran ¡ªmy grandfather¡ªdidn¡¯t seem to care much for these power struggles, but it seemed this generation was different.

    After a long silence, Baron Esquente suddenly let out a wail.

    ¡°Ahhhh! Oh, heavens! Why have you burdened me with such trials? I can¡¯t see anything! My future is pitch dark, not a glimmer of hope! I¡¯m doomed; I¡¯m bound to die like this!¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re not eating, I¡¯ll take yours, too.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not, Saintess. I¡¯ll eat it right away.¡±

    ¡°Tsk.¡±

    Sirien clicked her tongue. She must¡¯ve been eyeing the new dessert all along. It had been a while since I¡¯d seen her indulge her gluttony.

    ¡°Ha. I suppose I¡¯ll give it some more thought. Eventually, a good idea shoulde to me. How much does Count Eloran know about this?¡±

    ¡°Hard to say. It¡¯s pretty clear he knows about the leak.¡±

    ¡°So, the rest is uncertain. Still, thinking that we might¡¯ve been blindsided sends chills down my spine. That¡¯s quite an unexpected gain.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re that grateful, then perhaps...¡±

    ¡°No. I told you, I¡¯m eating it now. But I did secure that book you asked me forst time. Consider that my thanks this time.¡±

    Baron Esquente rejected firmly, quickly devouring his pudding, as if worried it might actually get taken. Though, I doubt Sirien would go that far.

    The Saintess pursed her lips and popped a grape into her mouth.

    ¡°Too much greed will get you punished.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not hear that from you, Saintess. Ah, Sir Razen, are you heading straight to the training ground?¡±

    ¡°Unless somethinges up. Is Sir Malon there?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he was there before I came to greet you. Now that we¡¯ve finished the meal, shall we meet shortly? Saintess, please follow me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    I waved goodbye to Sirien and headed toward the manor¡¯s backyard.

    <b>* * *</b>

    <b>[Sirien Eilencia]</b>

    After sending Razen off, I followed Baron Esquente to the study.

    He often went out of his way to obtain books I needed. There was a history book I¡¯d requested earlier, and he managed to get it sooner than expected.

    He mentioned it might take a few more weeks due to its rarity, but Baron Esquente could always find a way if you pressured him enough.

    As we walked down the long corridor, I noticed it was unusually quiet. Then, his chatty mouth opened again.

    ¡°Saintess, I¡¯m curious about something.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°How far have things progressed with Sir Razen?¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡±

    Baron Esquente looked at me as if he couldn¡¯t understand my reaction. I was utterly bbergasted.

    Shouldn¡¯t I be the one feeling embarrassed here?

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it obvious? Normally, you¡¯d have to mind others, but this time it was just the two of you heading to Requitas. Are you telling me nothing progressed there?¡±

    ¡°Progressed? What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Seriously, Saintess. Did nothing happen at all? You went to Requitas with a man, just the two of you, and you¡¯re saying you only worked? Aren¡¯t you interested in getting closer to Sir Razen?¡±

    ¡°G-Get closer? Shut up!¡±

    I nced around hurriedly, but luckily, there was no one nearby. If even a single servant overheard this conversation, I¡¯d have to eliminate everyone for the sake of my honor and dignity.

    How could he say something like that without even batting an eye? I was so embarrassed, I didn¡¯t know where to look.

    Maybe I was wrong to tolerate this guy. I should¡¯ve just ignored him, no matter what happened to him.

    Making a deal with Count Eloran would¡¯ve been better!

    ¡°You. Do you seriously have the time to worry about things like this, considering what happened earlier?¡±

    ¡°Oh,e now, that¡¯s that, and this is this. There¡¯s no point in brooding over something that won¡¯t be solved just by worrying. I¡¯ll just sit at my office desk and think it over properly when the timees.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re insufferable.¡±

    ¡°So, do you need my help or not?¡±

    ¡­But, Baron Esquente was my ally. Since he¡¯d noticed my feelings with that sharp intuition of his, he had subtly been lending me his support.

    The fact that I liked Razen was supposed to be an irond secret. How in the world did he figure it out?

    In any case, I was in desperate need of help right now. I¡¯d even borrow a cat¡¯s paw if it could help me.

    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s not like nothing happened.¡±

    ¡°Finally! Atst!¡±

    ¡°Shh! What if someone hears you?¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯d be that careless? There¡¯s no one around here, I assure you. So, care to share what happened? Of course, no need to be too specific. Haha! I¡¯m not that shameless.¡±

    Shameless? Is there really anything shameless about this conversation?

    Anyway, I was d to have a chance to boast a little. I¡¯d been itching to share this. I reached out my wrist toward the baron.

    It was almost disappointing that he hadn¡¯t noticed this yet.

    ¡°Look at this bracelet. Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­? Yes, it¡¯s, uh, quite a lovely bracelet. Not all jewelry needs to be covered in expensive gems to be valuable... It suits you very well.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it? You really have an eye for things. Razen got it for me as a gift. I think he bought it while I was busy picking out clothes!¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I see¡­.¡±

    For some reason, the baron¡¯s energy deted visibly.

    But that was none of my business. Razen¡¯s bracelet still sparkled on my wrist, and I loved the way it gleamed.

    Honestly, it was the perfect bracelet, something that had be my sce whenever I had a moment to myselftely.

    ¡°So, did you and Sir Razen¡­ kiss?¡±

    ¡°K-K-Kiss?! How improper!¡±

    ¡°So, I guess you didn¡¯t. I figured as much. Not surprised at all.¡±

    ¡°Razen and I are not in that kind of shallow, vulgar rtionship. It¡¯s much, much more¡­¡±

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t want to?¡±

    ¡°U-ugh.¡±

    And just like that, I ended up imagining it.

    My face burned, and I rubbed my face with my hands to cool down. I couldn¡¯t get any words out.

    If I said anything wrong now, I might just bite my tongue and look like a fool.

    Even I understood the basics of rtionships between men and women by now. It was impossible not to, having spent so much time among rough mercenaries.

    I¡¯d even witnessed a kiss or two in real life.

    So, would I someday kiss Razen, too? Lips meeting lips, pressing against each other as if to devour each other, glistening with a hint of slickness¡­

    And then, maybe I¡¯d even feel his tongue¡ª

    ¡°Eek! No, not yet!¡±

    ¡°Whoa! What on earth were you imagining?¡±

    ¡°Shut up. It¡¯s all your fault for saying those useless things!¡±

    ¡°Ouch! Not the shin! That really hurts, you know!¡±

    Even after hitting the baron¡¯s shin five times, my anger didn¡¯t subside. Watching him hop around, clutching his leg, only irritated me further.

    ¡°Ow, I¡¯m bleeding here! I was only trying to help out of pure goodwill. This is too harsh.¡±

    ¡°The only thing too harsh here is that mouth of yours. Try saying something out of line one more time, and I won¡¯t let it slide.¡±

    ¡°Hiss¡­ Understood. I may have been a bit too hasty. I underestimated the strength of your bond.¡±

    After giving the baron a beating, my pounding heart finally started to calm down.

    Razen was probably out there swinging his sword without a care in the world,pletely oblivious to the trouble I was going through.

    Just thinking about it made me feel slighted. I¡¯d make sure he gave me a shoulder massageter today.

    The baron, who had been clutching his leg for quite a while, finally managed to stand up again. When we arrived at the study, there was a luxurious-looking book ced on the shelf. The baron handed it to me with a smug smile.

    ¡°By the way, Saintess, it¡¯s not like you have much to do for the time being, right? You¡¯ve got some time to kill until that informant arrives.¡±

    ¡°True.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll need some time myself. I can¡¯t finalize my next moves until I¡¯ve sorted everything out.¡±

    He was right. The baron would need to assess his connections and tally up any funds he could raise from the merchants.

    All of that would take quite a bit of effort; it wasn¡¯t something that could be done in a day or two.

    As for me, this was probably my most rxed time. Now that I¡¯d informed the baron, the matter with Count Eloran was halfway out of my hands.

    It¡¯s not like I had absolutely nothing to do, but I definitely had some spare time.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re asking for help?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll need the Saintess¡¯ help eventually, but that¡¯s a conversation for a few days from now. For now, why not take this opportunity to enjoy the festival here in my territory?¡±

    ¡°A festival? Here?¡±

    ¡°The harvest is over, and the frontlines are quiet. If not now, then when? I¡¯d say it¡¯ll probably start tomorrow.¡±

    The baron leaned in closer. Even though there was no one around, he lowered his voice as if he were about to share something important.

    ¡°Well, about this festival¡­¡±

    [TL: Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 61: The Barony of Esquente (3)

    <b>Chapter 61: The Barony of Esquente (3)</b>

    Sir Malon was a seasoned old knight.

    His prime had long passed, and it was a time when it was a relief that things hadn¡¯t worsened further.

    He still boomed with a loud voice, iming he was hale and hearty, but, in truth, he had already stepped back from the frontlines.

    Without his armor, wearing ordinary clothes, Sir Malon looked like just another boisterous old man.

    Yet, the passage of time hadn¡¯t diminished his worth.

    An old knight who had survived countless battles in his youth.

    He was a man whose life was an embodiment of experience, beyond just the usual scars.

    Baron Esquente had employed him as the territory¡¯s training instructor, and he had much to teach me in swordsmanship as well.¡°Hohoho! You¡¯ve improved since Ist saw you. This old man¡¯s hands might not be enough now.¡±

    ¡°You tter me, sir. I still have much to learn from you.¡±

    ¡°Ha! Even just hearing that makes this old heart happy!¡±

    So, each time I visited Baron Esquente¡¯snd, I¡¯d request a sparring match with Sir Malon.

    He was always willing, and sparring with him benefited me in many ways.

    I could rely on him to respond predictably¡ªa textbook example of technique, so to speak.

    ¡°Especially impressive, the unorthodox moves. Have you found some extraordinary partner recently?¡±

    ¡°I met a good opponent.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! Ah, youth! I envy you. Thatst move, in particr, was sharp. Hard to counter.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go a bit longer. It¡¯s been a while, and I¡¯m enjoying this.¡±

    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll go first this time.¡±

    How long did we exchange swords? Eventually, we concluded a satisfying session.

    I could see my improvement and noted a few things to work on.

    After bidding farewell to Sir Malon, I noticed Sirien on a bench beside the training grounds, flipping through the pages of a book.

    As I approached, she nced up, closed her book, and smiled¡ªa crescent moon smile.

    ¡°All done?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think that¡¯s enough for today.¡±

    ¡°You worked hard. Want some water? I fetched some earlier.¡±

    ¡°Sure, thanks. I¡¯ll drink it dly.¡±

    Sirien truly knew me well.

    Just in time, I was feeling parched, and I gratefully took the drink.

    Once I finished, my eyesnded on the book she had been reading.

    On the wine-colored leather cover, the title read ¡®A Study on Ancient Religious History and the Paradox of Divinity¡¯.

    It was a title I knew I¡¯d never have any reason to touch.

    ¡°Curious about the content?¡±

    ¡°A little, but I don¡¯t really want to read it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty much what the title says. It¡¯s like this¡ªif the light in the world bes too strong, everyone would go blind, right? Then no one could see the light. That¡¯s the paradox¡­ but it¡¯s not all that important.¡±

    Sirien giggled and pushed the book aside.

    Her hand naturally pulled me closer, and I followed, sitting beside her.

    Once seated, I realized we were quite close.

    Our arms were touching, sharing a bit of warmth. Sirien¡¯s body was still warm.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the training tiring? You never skip a day.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s something I¡¯ve always done. You need to keep at it if you want to improve.¡±

    ¡°To me, that¡¯s impressive. I hated studying in the castle every day. I would have rather yed with you than done boring studies.¡±

    ¡°And yet, you worked hard too.¡±

    ¡°There wasn¡¯t much else to do.¡±

    When I was younger, Sirien often visited the training grounds to watch the knights.

    She never got too close, just silently watched from afar before leaving.

    I hadn¡¯t known it then, but she¡¯d done it because she wanted to spend time with me.

    I realized now how oblivious I¡¯d been.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s why you always lingered near the training grounds?¡±

    ¡°Uh, y-yeah? You saw me back then?¡±

    ¡°Of course, how could I not notice you? I just thought you came out of boredom to watch.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ so you were watching me back then too.¡±

    Sirien mumbled softly, a small smirk tugging at her lips.

    She suddenly seemed to be in a much better mood.

    Her head leaned slightly and rested on my shoulder.

    Her radiant silver hair brushed against me, tickling lightly, and her soft cheek settled on my arm.

    Her fingers traced small circles on my knee, brushing back and forth.

    ¡°Hey, did you hear? They¡¯re holding a festival here starting tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°I heard a bit from Sir Malon.¡±

    ¡°Really? There¡¯ll be lots of delicious treats and interesting sights. The baron sounded pretty confident about it, said he invited many merchants.¡±

    I nced at her, subtly watching her expression.

    She wasn¡¯t looking directly at me, but I knew exactly what she was hoping for.

    Her flushed cheeks, her gaze averted to the side, her lips opening and closing as if unsure what to say.

    I wasn¡¯t oblivious enough to miss this. She was expecting me to ask.

    Sirien could be shy at times, so it felt right for me to suggest it.

    ¡°Would you like to go together tomorrow? I¡¯m curious to check it out.¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go! I heard they have bread with plum jam. That¡¯s something I must try.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll each get one. You love plums, after all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already looking forward to it.¡±

    It seemed I¡¯d given the right answer.

    I felt her cheek move a little against my arm, twitching as if in joy.

    She probably thought I couldn¡¯t see her expression, but when Sirien let her guard down, she could be utterly endearing.

    She seemed to know quite a bit about the festival, too.

    Baron Esquente must have been eager to tell her all about it.

    He was a man overflowing with pride in hisnd, so he probably couldn¡¯t contain himself.

    Sirien, while pretending to be indifferent, must have listened carefully.

    ¡°Shall we take a walk? I¡¯d like to look around the vige. They must be preparing for the festival now.¡±

    ****

    The vige was already brimming with the festive atmosphere as soon as we arrived at the outskirts.

    Though everything wasn¡¯t fully set up, the excitement filling the entire vige was enough to make it feel as if the festivities could start any moment.

    Various stalls were being arranged from the vige entrance, and I saw numerous merchants, just as the baron had promised.

    Arge stage was also being set up, probably for some performances.

    Since we were near the front lines, there were many mercenaries and soldiers roaming around.

    Among them were followers of Hibras, distinguished by theirntern-shaped pendants. Some recognized Sirien and greeted her.

    ¡°Ah, Lady Saint! Thank you so much forst time. Thanks to you, my friend was able to rest peacefully.¡±

    ¡°I was simply doing what was necessary. I¡¯m d you were able to find peace in your heart as well.¡±

    ¡°Lady Saint, I¡¯m not well-versed in prayer or anything, but¡­ could someone like me join the faith?¡±

    ¡°Prayer is about your heart. If you carry a sincere heart, the form isn¡¯t what matters. If you¡¯d like more guidance, the temple priests would be happy to help.¡±

    The Hibras doctrine was popr among soldiers near the frontlines.

    For those constantly facing death, having someone who could provide a ¡°proper burial¡± was naturally reassuring.

    The promise of leading souls to peace in the afterlife was also an appealing aspect.

    For the faith, the battlefield was an opportunity to spread divinity, making it a mutually beneficial rtionship.

    This is why the Esquente territory, near the front lines, even had a Hibras temple built here.

    The baron of thesends showed respect, as the saintess of this faith was regarded at a noble level in the empire.

    For now, the baron didn¡¯t know that Sirien was a direct descendant of Eilencia.

    After exchanging greetings with those who recognized us, we walked through the bustling street preparations until we reached the vige center.

    The center, havingpleted its preparations, was unexpectedly quieter than before.

    Arge stack of logs arranged like a bonfire drew our attention.

    It was obvious what those logs would be used for.

    ¡°Look at that. On thest night, they¡¯re going to light a huge fire. Do you remember? We used to make bonfires outside the cabin and have fun. Those were such good times.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it just because we could y outside at night?¡±

    ¡°Well, to me, nighttime was like the end of the day. It was the first time I realized that quiet, empty time could be enjoyable.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I enjoyed it too. We¡¯d shout in excitement about going home, dancing offbeat, and Terion, who only drank orange juice, acted like he was tipsy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, he did. Do you remember the promise the four of us made?¡±

    ¡°How could I forget?¡±

    Terion had made a bold promise.

    He said that when the four of us¡ªSirien, Terion, Hena, and I¡ªmet again, he would grant a wish for each of us.

    Caught up in the atmosphere, Sirien added her promise as well, saying she would grant a wish too.

    Though it seems unlikely now.

    ¡°When I think about it, in all my first memories, you, Razen, were always there.¡±

    ¡°We were childhood friends. And now I¡¯m your knight.¡±

    ¡°Of course. You are my knight. You have to stay by my side, always.¡±

    Sirien wrapped her arms around mine.

    The warmth from her body and her soft touch made my heart race.

    It felt liketely, the physical distance between us had grown closer and closer.

    ¡°Even though the other two aren¡¯t here, you¡¯re still the most precious person to me.¡±

    ¡°Well, I feel the same way¡­¡±

    ¡°Mm, I¡¯m happy to hear that. Then I¡¯ll keep my promise, too.¡±

    With her gloved hand, she gestured toward the pile of dry logs.

    ¡°Come here with me on thest night, and I¡¯ll grant your wish.¡±

    [TL: Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

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 Chapter 62: The Barony of Esquente (4)

    <b>Chapter 62: The Barony of Esquente (4)</b>

    I couldn¡¯t sleep well that night.

    The face of Sirien, smiling as she promised to grant my wish, lingered in my mind.

    The more I tried to shake it off, the more it stirred unease within me.

    That dazzling smile. The sunlight streaming down as she held my hand, guiding me forward.

    And those eyes, as if waiting for an answer.

    My thoughts grew so tangled that I found myself runningps around the training groundte into the night.

    It was only after exhausting myself that I could finally clear my mind of such needless musings.

    Regardless of my restless night, time marched on, and the day of the festival arrived.The vige, brimming with anticipation since the day before, was bustling with cheer.

    Merchants, their wagons piled high, shouted loudly to promote their goods, and the fragrant aroma of delicious food lured passersby.

    The streets were festively decorated, appearing both quaint and vibrant.

    Just as the baron had boasted, it felt alive with the spirit of the people¡ªa sight that wasn¡¯t unpleasant.

    ¡°Razen, let¡¯s start over there! I want to try that!¡±

    Sirien couldn¡¯t hide her excitement, her voice filled with joy.

    It seemed I was the only one still caught up inst night¡¯s conversation.

    Through the crowded streets, Sirien moved ahead of me, pulling me by the arm.

    It felt strangely out of ce to follow her lead like this.

    I had always thought of myself as the one standing guard in front, but at times like these, simply keeping up with Sirien felt overwhelming.

    ¡­ I wasn¡¯t oblivious.

    At some point, I had noticed that Sirien¡¯s feelings toward me had grown beyond mere childhood friendship.

    But I couldn¡¯t help hesitating.

    The girl I had grown up with. Someone I felt responsible for protecting.

    To share romantic feelings with her felt like a transgression.

    Moreover, Sirien hadn¡¯t had the chance to experience other rtionships.

    Wasn¡¯t it possible that she simply had no one else to project her emotions onto but me?

    If Sirien had walked the grand path of a duke¡¯s daughter as she was meant to, she and I would never havee to this point.

    So, if I were to selfishly ept Sirien¡¯s feelings without hesitation now¡ª

    Wouldn¡¯t that mean I was taking advantage of her circumstances?

    I couldn¡¯t allow that. I couldn¡¯t stain our journey with such selfishness.

    ¡°This must be it. The bread with plum jam. It looks pretty¡ªso round and neat.¡±

    ¡°Shall we try one each?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Two of these, please!¡±

    The bread Sirien had eagerly anticipated was more of a pie than a bread.

    It was a small tart-like dish baked in the shape of a tiny te, filled with plum jam.

    Though its appearance was a bit rustic, it could easily pass as a tart.

    As soon as we received the plum jam tarts, we each took a bite.

    The sweetness was almost overpowering, a vor so intense it was nearly violent.

    Sirien, chewing happily, looked at me with sparkling eyes.

    She pointed at the tart with her finger and spread her hand wide open.

    ¡°She says it¡¯s delicious and wants five more.¡±

    ¡°Haha! Thank you!¡±

    I handed over the money to the vendor and received a paper bag.

    As I considered taking out another, I noticed a crumb lingering on Sirien¡¯s cheek.

    Unaware of it herself, I supposed it fell to me to brush it off.

    When I brought my hand close, her lovely face turned to me, curious but waiting.

    As I flicked the crumb away, my finger brushed against her lips.

    They were soft and slightly damp.

    For a brief moment, Sirien blushed and averted her gaze.

    I, too, felt too flustered to look her way, so I took the lead and walked ahead.

    It was easier to carve a path through the crowd from the front, or so I told myself.

    We walked the streets in silence for a few minutes.

    ¡°Razen,e here for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°Pfft. Try this on.¡±

    Curious about what she was up to, I turned to find a street vendor selling headbands with animal ears.

    Sirien picked out one with cat ears and ced it on my head, bursting intoughter.

    ¡°Hahaha! What¡¯s this? Why does it suit you so well?¡±

    ¡°Hey, this is embarrassing. What is this?¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t take it off! It looks great on you. Pfft. Just keep it on for a bit longer.¡±

    ¡°Fine, but then you have to wear one too.¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡±

    Thus, I ended up wandering the streets with cat ears on my head, while Sirien donned fox ears.

    Whenever one of us tried to take off the headband, the other would fiercely object¡ªleading to a battle with no winner.

    Or perhaps¡­ I was the winner all along.

    After all, animal ears on a guy like me held no particr charm.

    But Sirien¡¯s fox ears? That was an entirely different story.

    Therge, fluffy white fox ears blended perfectly with her lush silver hair.

    The tips of the ears drooped slightly,plementing her flushed face in a way that was downright devastating.

    If it meant seeing her like this, enduring my embarrassment was a small price to pay.

    Our yful argument continued even through lunch, onlying to an end when wemissioned portraits from a street artist.

    ¡°Hehe, this is amazing. How can they draw it so urately?¡±

    For once, I felt grateful to the original author.

    After all, artists sketching portraits on the spot didn¡¯t exist in this era¡ªit was a detail added solely for the date scene between the protagonist and the crown prince. ????£Î??¦¢¨¨?

    We were simply reaping the benefits of that added world-building.

    We waited patiently, sitting for about thirty minutes to an hour.

    Oncepleted, the artists framed the portraits in wooden frames.

    Sirien, brimming with excitement, tipped them generously and hugged the frame tightly to her chest.

    We decided to exchange the portraits.

    I received the one of Sirien, and she took mine.

    In her portrait, Sirien wore a bright smile, her gentle eyes crinkling into a soft crescent shape.

    ¡°Look at this! The eyes are just like yours. Especially here¡ªthis part is perfect.¡±

    ¡°Really? I¡¯ve heard people say they look too sharp.¡±

    ¡°Who said that nonsense? They clearlyck taste. Next time someone says something like that, I¡¯ll set them straight.¡±

    <b>***</b>

    We stopped by the baron¡¯s manor to drop off the portraits.

    After admiring the newly tended garden and napping on a bench together, we returned to the festival, which was still in full swing.

    As evening approached, the atmosphere seemed to grow even more lively.

    The scent of alcohol began wafting through the streets.

    At the heart of it all was a performance that had just begun.

    ¡°Razen, over there where the crowd¡¯s gathering¡ªdoesn¡¯t it look like the show¡¯s starting?¡±

    ¡°Looks like it. Let¡¯s go before it gets even more crowded.¡±

    The stage we¡¯d seen the day before was indeed prepared for performances.

    By the time we arrived, clowns were already performing tricks atop giant balls.

    Their antics were surprisingly gripping, teetering on the edge of falling but never quite losing bnce.

    Sirien, especially, clenched her hands tightly whenever it seemed like they might fall.

    Which meant, at that moment, Sirien was holding my hand as we watched the performance.

    Her innocent eyes were fixed on the stage.

    At some point, I found myself watching Sirien more than the show.

    Her lips parted slightly, then closed again, as exmations of ¡°Oh!¡± and ¡°Wow!¡± slipped out repeatedly.

    Her smile was radiant¡ªpure, like the one she used to wear back when we were at the castle, before heading to the cabin.

    She still had that smile.

    Somehow, it made my chest feel warm.

    ¡°Razen. Do I have something on my face?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, uh, just a little dust.¡±

    ¡°Really? I thought you were staring. Well, go ahead and brush it off for me.¡±

    ¡°Hold still.¡±

    I must have been staring at her without even realizing how much time had passed.

    Awkwardly, I brushed away some nonexistent dust with a flimsy excuse.

    Sirien blinked a few times before pulling something out of her pocket.

    It was a piece of candy.

    Without warning, she popped it into my mouth.

    A burst of grape vor spread across my tongue.

    ¡°That candy¡¯s really good. I figured you¡¯d regret it if you didn¡¯t try it.¡±

    ¡°Th-anks.¡±

    ¡°Haha! You can finish it before you talk, you know.¡±

    After the clowns¡¯ performance, a band took the stage.

    Various instruments were set up, and soon the music began.

    It wasn¡¯t the subdued kind of music you¡¯d hear at a high-society ball. It was fiery and lively.

    Some of the songs were ones I¡¯d heard before, tunes meant to encourage listeners to dance.

    Clearly, this setup had been intentional.

    There were no chairs near the stage, just a wide open space.

    Before long, people around us began pairing up and dancing.

    Sirien had always loved music and dance.

    Even back at the cabin, she¡¯d often sing to herself, and at the castle, her talents had been the subject of gossip among the maids.

    I remembered the night we¡¯d lit a bonfire¡ªSirien had danced joyfully then too.

    A bonfire¡­

    As my thoughts began to wander again, Sirien suddenly leaned into my view.

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±

    ¡°Nothing much.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then are you just going to leave me here? It¡¯s the gentleman¡¯s job to ask for a dance, you know.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m probably rusty. It¡¯s been so long since Ist danced.¡±

    ¡°Since when have we cared about things like that?¡±

    Sirien giggled, brushing it off easily.

    Yet her gaze lingered on me, expectant in a way that felt like silent urging.

    Ask her to dance? What should I even say?

    At the cabin, it was simple. We¡¯d just grab each other¡¯s hands and move however we wanted.

    But we weren¡¯t children anymore. Sirien had grown into a properdy, someone who could be addressed as such.

    I didn¡¯t want to treat her carelessly.

    No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn¡¯te up with the right words.

    In the end, I found myself uttering the most clich¨¦d, overused, and embarrassingly corny line imaginable.

    ¡°¡­Would you honor me with this dance, mydy?¡±

    ¡°With pleasure, my knight.¡±

    [TL: Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

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 Chapter 63: The Barony of Esquente (5)

    <b>Chapter 63: The Barony of Esquente (5)</b>

    I never imagined it.

    That I would feel nervous about moving my body.

    It wasn¡¯t as if this was my first time dancing, nor was it my first time with Sirien as my partner.

    I, too, was raised in a noble household. Even as the son of a martial family, dancing was considered a basic skill.

    Whether or not I cared for it, I had always assumed I¡¯d attend social events at least once.

    And yet, every nerve in my body was on edge, afraid I might misstep, afraid I might make an embarrassing mistake.

    At least for this moment, I couldn¡¯t afford such blunders.

    I wouldn¡¯t let this moment be ruined like that.My eyes followed Sirien¡¯s every movement.

    The gentle rise and fall of her arms, like a bird¡¯s wings.

    The deliberate, easily followed steps.

    Even the yful flourishes and subtle changes in direction¡ªeverything drew my gaze.

    Each time Sirien moved, the distance between us closed and widened like a tide.

    Our joined hands clung together, unwilling to part.

    I found a strangefort in that unyielding connection.

    ¡°You¡¯re doing well for someone who said they were clumsy. You could have a little more confidence.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying not to mess up. I¡¯m terrified I¡¯ll make a mistake.¡±

    ¡°So what if you do? I¡¯ll cover for you.¡±

    ¡°Funny, it feels like you¡¯re hoping I¡¯ll mess up.¡±

    ¡°Maybe just a little? It¡¯d be cute.¡±

    A turn together, spinning as one.

    Following Sirien¡¯s lead, I turned and reached out, my hand instinctively settling on her waist.

    Her slender, petite frame fit perfectly in my grasp.

    A soft scent wafted up¡ªmild and gentle, like milk, with a hint of sweet vani.

    Her deep,ughing eyes met mine before shifting directions again.

    Perhaps it was the familiarity born of countless shared moments.

    Without a single word, I could sense what Sirien wanted, how she wanted me to move.

    Before I even thought about it, my body responded on its own.

    Her movements caused the edges of her dress to flutter, like the wings of an angel.

    ¡°Ahaha! You almost stepped on my foot just now.¡±

    ¡°Sorry. I thought I was being careful.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine¡ªI dodged in time.¡±

    The purpose of a ball gown¡¯s voluminous skirt is to highlight every motion, to draw attention to each movement.

    From above, it resembles a blooming flower, and the way it flutters with the rhythm is mesmerizingly beautiful.

    But Sirien didn¡¯t need an extravagant dress to stand out.

    She had an innate radiance.

    Every finger extended toward the air seemed to exude its own charm.

    The delicate veil that swayed with her movements, the perfectly sculpted curves of her figure,

    Even the smile on her face, brimming with joy¡ªit all blurred the world around us into abstraction.

    In this ce, there was only the two of us.

    Everything else dissolved into a swirl of indistinct colors.

    ¡°Hold me steady. If I fall, I¡¯ll cry and me you.¡±

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a scary kind of threat.¡±

    I supported her sensuous, arched waist with my arm.

    Sirien braced herself by holding onto my back, and her face appeared in the space between our arms¡ª

    A familiar face, yet it felt strangely new.

    It was as beautiful as ever. Perhaps even more so than usual.

    My heart thudded, sending waves of dizziness to my ears.

    ¡°See? You didn¡¯t let me fall.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d hate to hear yourints if you had.¡±

    ¡°Idiot. Like I¡¯d ever me you for something like that.¡±

    This time, it was Sirien who pulled me closer.

    The distance between us narrowed.

    As our arms ovepped, the space between our bodies became no more than the width of a fist.

    My breath mingled with hers, tangling in the small space we shared.

    The heat between us seemed to rise all at once.

    Was this what they meant by fleeting joy? How had so much time passed already?

    The music was nearing its end.

    As the crescendo peaked, I lifted Sirien and spun her once before gently setting her down.

    Her ruby-red eyes widened momentarily before curving into a crescent,

    And with Sirien¡¯s radiant smile as the finale, the music came to an end.

    <b>* * *</b>

    The original novel ¡°Saintess, Reverse Harem is Impurel!¡± was a run-of-the-mill romance fantasy.

    I couldn¡¯t quite recall the author¡¯s pen name, but one thing was clear¡ªthey certainly wrote to match the title.

    A vague and overly simplistic reverse harem.

    The original work of this world revolved around the protagonist, Ellis, the Saintess of Light, basking in the endless love of her many male leads.

    There was no need for detailed cause and effect when it came to that ¡°love.¡± Instead, the author prioritized writing as many romantic advances from the male leads as possible over crafting the plot.

    Which meant, for the sake of the protagonist¡¯s romantic escapades, this world was filled with all kinds of intricate settings and devices.

    The painters who worked tirelessly during the day to draw portraits were one such device, as was the prop now disyed on stage.

    After one song concluded, a man in mboyant attire stepped onto the stage.

    He was the host of the event. Captivating the crowd with witty jokes, he skillfully guided the festival forward.

    First, he briefly introduced the orchestra, then transitioned to the main event by announcing a prepared activity.

    Every event needs prizes, of course, and the host seemed particrly confident in the one he unveiled.

    What he brought out was something I instantly recognized.

    ¡°A camera?¡±

    It was a boxy contraption resembling an early prototype of a camera, mounted securely on an ornate tripod.

    A few individuals, who appeared to be mages, inspected the camera and gave a signal indicating it was in working order.

    The host scanned the audience from the stage.

    For a moment, I thought his gaze lingered in our direction, but it was probably just my imagination.

    That camera had originally been used by the wealthiest man in the Empire during the protagonist¡¯s encounter with the ¡°Golden Duke.¡±

    It was described as a device that took years to develop, and yet here it was, before my eyes. I hadn¡¯t expected to see it here of all ces.

    Its performance was likely decent enough¡ªmagic was nothing if not versatile.

    The real issue was its maintenance. It was a costly andbor-intensive device.

    Taking a single photo could cost several gold coins, and without mages to operate it, the machine was practically useless.

    The Baron must have gone to great lengths to bring this here.

    The host began shaking a few pre-printed photographs as he exined the camera to the audience.

    I didn¡¯t need to listen, but Sirien¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

    ¡°For those whoe up to the stage, you¡¯ll be given an opportunity! But not everyone will get their picture taken. You¡¯ll need to pair up in twos,plete a given task, and only those who seed will have their photo taken!¡±

    It was no surprise that Sirien immediately started nudging me.

    ¡°Razen, let¡¯s go! Please? Hurry! That looks so cool!¡±

    ¡°What? Uh¡­ okay¡­¡±

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get in line! Over there, right?¡±

    Unable to resist Sirien¡¯s enthusiasm, I found myself heading toward the stage.

    The line had already grown long as soon as the host finished speaking.

    As we stood in line, I noticed something.

    Everyone here, aside from us, was a lovey-dovey couple.

    Even while waiting, some pairs couldn¡¯t help but exchange kisses or disy their affection openly.

    This was probably the intent all along.

    Most people seeking to create a special memory like this were bound to be couples.

    Given that people had flocked here not only from the Barony but from neighboring areas, there were plenty of them.

    Noticing the atmosphere, Sirien seemed a little deted.

    Maybe she felt self-conscious.

    When I held her hand, her expression softened just a bit.

    Then, she spoke in a quiet whisper.

    ¡°Razen.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Thanks for always humoring me, for everything. Since we were kids until now.¡±

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re making me blush.¡±

    The host had promised a total of five photographs.

    Sirien and I were somewhere in the middle of the line, and ahead of us, people were already attempting the missions as per the host¡¯s instructions.

    The nature of the missions ranged from merely diverse to outright whimsical, dictated solely by the host¡¯s fancy.

    However, they weren¡¯t exactly easy.

    Some required coboration between the two participants, while others demanded one partner perform something akin to a stunt.

    Even the ones that sounded simple often had a low sess rate, which suggested that the host intentionally made the challenges difficult.

    Still, with so many participants, chances were disappearing one by one.

    Sirien grew visibly anxious, but fortunately, luck wasn¡¯t entirely against us.

    By the time it was our turn to go on stage, onest photo opportunity remained.

    The host¡¯s eyes lit up the moment he saw Sirien.

    Her beauty was undeniable¡ªa saintess whose stunning appearance always captivated attention wherever she went.

    Even from the audience below, I could feel the shift in focus, as if all eyes were on her.

    ¡°This time, we have a lovely youngdy joining us! So, how long have the two of you been dating?¡±

    ¡°D-dating?! We¡¯re not¡­ not yet¡­ we¡¯re not!¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see! Understood perfectly.¡±

    That ¡®not yet¡¯ lingered in my mind, sticking like an itch I couldn¡¯t scratch.

    It seemed the host had picked up on it as well, given his yful smirk.

    His expression, for some reason, reminded me of Baron Esquente, and a shiver ran down my spine.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s about time to move on to the next challenge, so let¡¯s make this one straightforward. How about a kiss?

    Right here, on this stage¡ªif you kiss each other, I¡¯ll capture the moment for you!¡±

    My thoughts ground to a halt.

    [TL: Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

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 Chapter 64: Wish (1)

    <b>Chapter 64: Wish (1)</b>

    ¡®What should I do?¡¯

    My mind had short-circuited.

    A broken train of thought screeched in chaotic disharmony, spiraling out of control.

    A kiss? Me, with Sirien?

    I should refuse. But¡­ am I even allowed to refuse in a situation like this?

    No. I couldn¡¯t do that. Sirien would undoubtedly be hurt.

    The thin thread of rationality I clung to spared me from making the worst choice.

    Then¡­ should I ept it? But is that really okay?Caught between a rock and a hard ce, my indecisive heart bound my hands and feet.

    Before I could do anything, Sirien moved first.

    The girl¡ªor rather, the woman¡ªI had always known turned to face me.

    For a moment, the world seemed toe to a halt.

    Even the wind stilled, waiting for Sirien to speak.

    Her eyes, crimson like jewels, stared up at me with unwavering determination.

    Her cheeks, which always flushed red with embarrassment, were no different this time.

    But something had changed. Normally, she would have avoided my gaze. Now, she was looking straight at me.

    ¡°S-Sirien?¡±

    ¡°Razen. Do you¡­ not want this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want it. Not at all. What I mean is¡­¡±

    ¡°I see. That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    As the sun set, its amber hues danced across Sirien¡¯s silver hair, her delicate face softening into a tender smile.

    Huff. Haah.

    I could hear her deep breaths, each inhale and exhale painfully vivid in this noisy festival.

    Every part of Sirien etched itself into my mind.

    She stepped closer.

    Sirien took a single step toward me.

    The meaning behind her action was clear.

    Her hand gently cupped my chin, and my heart began to race wildly.

    The pull of her hand left me powerless to resist.

    That faint strength, fragile as a dream, bound me more tightly than any spell.

    I must look like an utter fool right now. Perhaps my face is frozen solid.

    I didn¡¯t want this moment immortalized in a photo¡ªSirien would tease me about it for years toe.

    One thing was certain: when Sirien leaned in, I responded in kind.

    ¡°Huff.¡±

    And then, our lips met.

    At first, there was a sweet fragrance. Then came her exhrated breaths, blending into mine, and her yearning hands pressing firmly against my back.

    Her lips, small, soft, and moist, explored mine.

    Sirien¡¯s hands gripped my hair, pulling me closer.

    I encircled her back¡ªand her flowing silver locks¡ªin my arms.

    Her wless skin brushed against my lips, her gentle, pleasant scent unchanged.

    Her tongue¡­ No, I can¡¯t.

    Not yet. That would be crossing a line I couldn¡¯t bear.

    ¡°Haah¡­ Hah.¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±

    As our brief kiss ended and we pulled back, I saw something unfamiliar in Sirien¡¯s eyes.

    Her crimson orbs held an emotion that resembled heartache, glistening like ss beads.

    She was so beautiful, I couldn¡¯t look away.

    It felt as if everything had changed between us, as though our kiss had redrawn the boundaries of our rtionship.

    Sirien stared at me with trembling eyes, a face caught between tears andughter.

    ¡°Razen.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t hold back anymore.¡±

    Sirien¡¯s lips descended upon mine once more.

    <b>****</b>

    <b>[Sirien Eilencia]</b>

    It was all part of my n.

    ¡°For this festival, I¡¯ve brought something special: a camera. Do you know what that is? It¡¯s a device that captures precious moments for eternity. It was no small feat to acquire it, let me tell you.¡±

    ¡°What are you getting at?¡±

    ¡°If you take a picture with Razen, that moment will be preserved forever on paper. Something you can always look back on. And since I¡¯m hosting this festival, I¡¯ve ensured everything is perfectly set up. After all, a festival shoulde with a memorable event, don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    ¡°Exin yourself clearly!¡±

    From sharing a stage with Razen to that kiss, none of it was left to chance.

    Even yesterday, my detour to the vige had been solely to prepare for this moment.

    ¡°So, in summary, here¡¯s the n: if there¡¯s an event calling people to the stage, make sure to go up there with Sir Razen!¡±

    ¡°And if I do? What¡¯s in it for me?¡±

    ¡°Hehe. Naturally, a kiss. I¡¯ll create the perfect opportunity for you, so don¡¯t miss your chance to make your move!¡±

    ¡°What about other arrangements? If this goes well, I¡¯ll ensure the Count Eloran issue gets all the support it needs.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Saintess! I¡¯ll do everything in my power to assist!¡±

    I had already scouted the perfect spot.

    A ce where we could naturally watch the stage and dance together.

    There was no room for coincidence in how I ended up here, next to Razen, watching the performance unfold.

    And so, the first step bore fruit.

    Each time our lips intertwined, an electrifying thrill coursed through my body, carried by my blood.

    My fingers and toes tingled. I knew I¡¯d never forget the joy of this moment.

    I once said, didn¡¯t I?

    That I had imed you as my knight. So taking all of you,pletely, wouldn¡¯t be that hard.

    See? Even now, I¡¯ve taken your lips.

    It won¡¯t be long until I im your heart as well.

    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t hold back anymore.¡±

    Though, truth be told, I hadn¡¯t nned for this much.

    Originally, I was content with just a light kiss.

    I thought even that would bring me immense happiness, and that I wasn¡¯t yet ready for something deeper.

    But as soon as my lips met Razen¡¯s, a fiery heat surged through me.

    A zing sensation roared within my chest, almost unbearable.

    Preparedness? It turned out I didn¡¯t need that at all.

    When our lips parted, Razen was looking at me¡ªas a woman.

    His expression mirrored my own, his chest rising and falling with rapid, nervous breaths.

    How could I stay still after seeing that?

    So I dove in again, capturing his lips once more.

    ¡°Mm¡ªhaah, hmph.¡±

    This time, it was more passionate. Far more fervent.

    I let go of all restraint and followed my heart¡¯s desires.

    The dam of patience I¡¯d built up over years finally copsed.

    Everything that had held me back¡ªmy pride, my reason¡ªcrumbled into nothing.

    An uncontroble torrent of emotion drove my body. I couldn¡¯t stop myself anymore.

    I slipped my tongue into Razen¡¯s mouth first.

    Caught off guard, his stiff tongue hesitated before tangling shyly with mine.

    It was sweet. So sweet, no dessert I¡¯d ever tasted couldpare to this moment.

    How unfair of you, hiding something this soft inside that firm, muscr body.

    As our saliva mingled, it became impossible to tell whose was whose.

    It felt like rain in a drought, and my chest swelled with overwhelming contentment.

    ¡°Sirien¡ªmmph, mmph!¡±

    ¡°Just a little¡­ just a little longer.¡±

    This hadn¡¯t been a short wait.

    I had waited for today far longer than Razen could ever imagine.

    When did I start waiting for you?

    Was it when I realized my feelings in the sanctuary of Hibras? No, that wasn¡¯t it.

    Was it when I felt possessive of you in the cave? Still no.

    It wasn¡¯t during our aimless wanderings through the forest or the days spent locked in that shabby hut.

    No, I¡¯d been waiting for this moment far earlier than that.

    Perhaps it was from the day I first met you.

    When the adults introduced you as a friend I would one day grow close to.

    My first friend. My first knight. And my first love.

    You have no idea, do you?

    Even at the castle, my eyes were always on you.

    After boring lessons, I would wait for your training to end. And when I couldn¡¯t bear waiting anymore, my feet would instinctively lead me to you.

    Every moment spent walking through the gardens with you was pure bliss for me.

    Knowing you were looking at me too filled me with a joy so boundless it felt like flying.

    ¡®How could I not fall in love with you?¡¯

    Everything I have ultimately revolves around you.

    You were the beginning of all my experiences, and you risked your life for me countless times.

    I want to give you everything¡ªmy life, my past, my future, my heart, and my body.

    So no, this wasn¡¯t just four years of waiting.

    I¡¯ve waited more than ten years for this moment. Perhaps, I¡¯ve been waiting for my entire life.

    I pressed against Razen¡¯s lips for as long as my heart refused to calm down.

    Our kiss grew so prolonged that even the people around us seemed to hold their breath, watching.

    I didn¡¯t care. My mind was consumed with satisfaction, and only when I felt truly content did I pull away.

    A clear, glistening thread of saliva stretched between us before falling to the ground.

    Wiping the corners of my mouth with my hand, I couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    ¡°Ahaha! Haha, ahaha!¡±

    I did it. In front of so many people, I actually did it.

    I was so embarrassed I wanted to die, but I couldn¡¯t stopughing.

    ¡°So? How was it? It was my first kiss.¡±

    ¡°Me too¡­ Of course, it was my first. You know that.¡±

    ¡°Good. That makes me so happy. So, so happy.¡±

    Get ready, my love.

    For now, I¡¯ve only taken your lips, but the rest won¡¯t be far behind.

    I¡¯ve waited long enough.

    ¡°Hey, Razen. Don¡¯t make me wait any longer.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Your wish. If you don¡¯t choose carefully, you¡¯ll regret it for the rest of your life.¡±

    Because I¡¯m going to be the most valuable woman in the world.

    And you¡¯ve just been given an incredibly rare chance to im me so easily.

    You¡¯re smart, my knight. I trust you¡¯ll understand exactly what I mean.

    [TL: Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 65: Wish (2)

    <b>Chapter 65: Wish (2)</b>

    After a stormy day, the second day of the festival began.

    I wasn¡¯t sure if I should feel relieved, but I finally had a bit of time to myself.

    Russell hade to the barony with Isha.

    He¡¯d mentioned bringing various documents from the Crescent Moon archives, and it seemed like he¡¯d arrived right on time as promised.

    Thanks to him, Baron Esquente was in a state of emergency. Sirien had also volunteered to assist the baron today, making it a busy day for everyone.

    In the meantime, I decided to take a moment to collect my scattered thoughts.

    Sirien, Baron Esquente, and Russell¡ªthese three entered the meeting room immediately after the meal and didn¡¯te out.

    ¡°First, here¡¯s the list of nobles friendly to our side.¡±¡°All mediocre names. I doubt any of them will be of much help.¡±

    ¡°This list is different! What about these people here?¡±

    ¡°Get a grip. Maybe you can¡¯t gauge it because you¡¯ve lived so casually, but our opponent is a count family with a history spanning over a hundred years. Gathering minnows like these won¡¯t do you any good.¡±

    ¡°T-That bad?¡±

    At first, I had been in the meeting room with them.

    But as expected, politics and such were far from my realm of expertise.

    Sirien, as if it were second nature, began tossing documents to the floor.

    Meanwhile, I had nothing I could do to contribute.

    I thought I could at least serve them tea, but instead, I was scolded and told to call for a maid.

    ¡°Don¡¯t expect imperialw to treat you fairly. If the authorities are imbnced, you don¡¯t even need to open thew books. The judge will bow his head in court if the count so much as looks angry.¡±

    ¡°Good grief. Then what should I do? The so-called minnows you dismissed are the only connections I can muster.¡±

    ¡°If youck connections, then make new ones. Start by investigating the grudges against the Eloran County. There¡¯s bound to be something if you look to the eastern region. Oh, and scratch this name off. They¡¯re tied up in the ironworks business and will never side with you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll handle that part.¡±

    Eventually, I made my escape.

    Even listening in, I couldn¡¯t keep up with the flow of conversation. Staying there would be useless.

    I didn¡¯t want to embarrass myself by chiming in with some uninformed remark.

    Sirien would undoubtedly reach a much better conclusion than I could ever devise with my fumbling.

    I trusted her judgmentpletely.

    ¡­Not that I left because I felt awkward facing her after yesterday¡¯s incident.

    Luckily, I wasn¡¯t the only one who couldn¡¯t follow their discussion.

    ¡°Hyaaap!¡±

    Thwack! Isha¡¯s attacknded but was deflected.

    Her wooden sword flew weakly across the training yard, rolling on the sandy ground.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t bad. But you should¡¯ve hidden your intent a little better.¡±

    ¡°Where did I give it away?¡±

    ¡°Your eyes. Adding a feint was smart, but you were staring right at your target.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? You can notice even that? Let me try again.¡±

    There¡¯s nothing quite like swinging a sword to clear your mind.

    This time, I was sparring with Isha, my equally uselesspanion, as she honed her skills.

    Though my assessment had been a bit harsh just now, I couldn¡¯t deny her potential.

    Her growth was astonishing¡ªnot just grasping one concept when taught, but constantly adapting and improving as if rewriting her own approach entirely.

    It was as if she had a natural fluidity in transforming herself.

    Especially her ¡°silent sword¡± technique¡ªit was a style so unique it felt like a realm of its own.

    Even I couldn¡¯t replicate it. I could mimic the moves to an extent, but I couldn¡¯t erase the faint sound of wind entirely.

    Her current abilities might not be remarkable, but with a little push, her growth could be explosive.

    ¡°Good. You¡¯ve improved since earlier.¡±

    ¡°You say that, yet you haven¡¯t taken a single step back.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll need more practice before you get to that point. My skills didn¡¯te from cking, you know.¡±

    Thwack! Thud! Thwack! The sound of wooden swords rang clear, stirring my thoughts.

    ¡°I was looking forward to the festival, but it seems my father has no intention of attending. I wanted to go so badly. Sir Razen, have you been?¡±

    ¡°The festival¡­ Yes, I¡¯ve been. I had too good a time, to be honest.¡±

    Tomorrow would be the final day of the festival.

    When the sun set and the night fell, the bonfires I¡¯d seen before would be lit aze.

    In front of the roaring mes, Sirien would ask me to make a wish.

    What should I wish for¡­? I already knew.

    Even someone as dense as me couldn¡¯t go through yesterday without understanding.

    Though my internal struggle hadn¡¯t been resolved, it was impossible to keep hesitating when Sirien was waiting so earnestly.

    I had to make a decision, one way or another.

    ¡°Isha.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Did I mess up again?¡±

    ¡°What kind of gift should you prepare when confessing to a girl?¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    <b>* * *</b>

    It was such a relief to have Isha with me.

    Normally, in situations like this, a younger sister or a friend would help pick out a gift. Of course, I had neither¡ªorcked them both.

    The three people in the meeting room were, naturally, out of the question.

    As for the people I knew in this barony, most were stern men, and the few women I was acquainted with were all at the frontlines.

    Sirien had sent a messenger this morning, but even then, it would take at least two days for them to reach the barony.

    No matter how hard I looked, the only person I could ask for help was Isha.

    ¡°R-Really, is it okay for someone like me to help with this?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t me you if it doesn¡¯t go well. I¡¯m not that unreasonable.¡±

    ¡°A-Alright¡­ This is for the Saintess, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m trying to figure out what kind of gift would be best.¡±

    Isha still seemed a bit nervous around me, but it felt like she¡¯d rxedpared to before.

    Back in Requitas, she was terrified of me, as if I¡¯d done something unspeakable.

    I wasn¡¯t sure if time had eased things or if the sword training I¡¯d given her recently had helped, but either way, the change was noticeable.

    Isha obediently apanied me to the vige, and we began exploring the festival together.

    ¡°Do you have anything in mind already?¡±

    ¡°At first, I thought about buying some jewelry, but I already got her something like that back in Requitas. It feels a bit too predictable.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I know about that! She showed it off to me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, did she?¡±

    Apparently, Sirien had boasted about it to Isha too.

    She¡¯d seemed happy with it at the time, but I hadn¡¯t realized it had left such asting impression.

    Was she showing it off to everyone she met?

    Regardless of tomorrow, I figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to prepare another pretty essory.

    If I¡¯d known she¡¯d treasure it enough to brag, I would¡¯ve chosen something much fancier. The thought left me feeling a bit regretful.

    ¡°I think the Saintess would be happy with any gift you gave her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not how I want to approach this.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ What about something she¡¯s liked before?¡±

    ¡°Something Sirien likes¡­¡±

    The Sirien I knew wasn¡¯t drawn to shy or expensive things.

    She was a noble among nobles, born into one of the most prestigious bloodlines in the vast empire.

    Gold or jewels wouldn¡¯t move her in the slightest.

    What she genuinely enjoyed were sweet desserts and simple things, like walking with me or chatting about trivial matters.

    She also seemed to like books, but I didn¡¯t have much confidence in my ability to pick something suitable from that realm.

    ¡°Take your time. This might not be the most helpful advice, but women often appreciate the atmosphere. If a gift shows effort or sincerity, it usually leaves a strong impression.¡± ?

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    We wandered through the market together, but nothing stood out.

    It was all stuff Sirien and I had already seen the day before. What had seemed novel then now felt dull and uninspiring.

    As a token of appreciation for Isha¡¯s help, I bought her a snack. I also picked up plenty for the three people stuck working hard in the meeting room.

    While browsing, I came across some pretty bracelets and other essories. Isha picked out a few, but none of them felt right to me.

    ¡°I should¡¯ve worn thicker clothes. The wind¡¯s getting cold already.¡±

    ¡°Should we head back if you¡¯re cold?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. There are so many people around that it¡¯s bearable for now.¡±

    Sincerity. Effort.

    Isha¡¯s words echoed in my mind, sticking in my throat like a stubborn lump.

    It was such a difficult concept.

    Not because I didn¡¯t understand it but because there hadn¡¯t been a single moment with Sirien where I wasn¡¯t sincere.

    The challenges we¡¯d ovee together were the kind that couldn¡¯t be faced without absolute trust and genuine feelings.

    If I hadn¡¯t risked my life to protect her, Sirien would¡¯ve died in that cabin.

    And if she hadn¡¯t risked her life for me, I¡¯d have sumbed to spider venom.

    Even on the battlefield, it was clear that neither of us would¡¯ve survived without the other.

    So being told to express sincerity felt like an impossible task.

    I¡¯d already been doing that¡ªhow could I possibly do more?

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    A memory suddenly shed through my mind.

    ¡°Did you think of something?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Sorry, can you hold this and wait here for a bit? I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait. Take your time.¡±

    I¡¯d been overthinking it all along.

    I was making it far tooplicated. When had Sirien and I ever needed to verify each other¡¯s sincerity?

    For us, sincerity and trust were as natural as breathing.

    With that thought, I dashed off, cutting through the bustling market.

    [TL: Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 66: Wish (3)

    <b>Chapter 66: Wish (3)</b>

    <b>Excerpt from [Saintess, Reverse Harem is Impure!, Page 175]</b>

    Winter cast its furious chill.

    Frost settled atop blood that had not yet dried, and white puffs of breath escaped fragile, faltering lungs that seemed on the verge of stopping altogether.

    The harsh cold pierced to the bone.

    It was the perfect season for death. Corpses frozen solid do not decay quickly, after all.

    Until they were tossed into arge pit, they did not emit the unpleasant stench of rot¡ªhow convenient.

    Especially when the one to die was a sinner unlike any the world would ever see again.

    A viiness who served the evil god and plunged the empire into despair.For Sirien Eilencia, such an icy winter was a fitting end.

    ¡°That vile wench. She didn¡¯t offer a single apology to the end.¡±

    ¡°My brother died because of that filthy viiness!¡±

    Thud. Blood sttered as a stone struck her.

    It was a stone hurled by an enraged crowd. It struck the sinner¡¯s brow, rolling across the execution tform smeared with dark blood.

    No one could tell whether the blood on the stone came from the sinner or was already there on the execution ground.

    The sinner, Sirien Eilencia, did not turn to look at the one who had thrown the stone.

    She had no eyes to see them. Her eyes had already been gouged out by the hands of an inquisitor.

    Where once crimson irises should have been, only roughly bound bandages remained.

    Ellis stood closer than anyone to witness Sirien¡¯s final moments.

    With just a few steps between them, Ellis saw the utterly pitiful state Sirien was in.

    The once-proud and dignified bearing was gone, leaving only a broken body reeking of blood.

    She had chosen silence, even as she was told the torture would stop if she confessed everything.

    Her mouth had produced nothing but harrowing screams throughout the merciless torment.

    No, she had spoken. Just once.

    On the day the inquisition dered Sirien Eilencia ¡°broken,¡± Ellis had been allowed to see her.

    The Sirien she had known would have coldly dismissed her, but the response she received was unexpected.

    ¨C ¡°Sirien Eilencia, the date of your execution has been set. Do you have any final words? If there¡¯s something you want, I¡¯ll grant it, as long as it¡¯s within my power.¡±

    ¨C ¡°The bracelet¡­ Please give me back my bracelet. The one I was wearing.¡±

    ¨C ¡°If it contains any divine or magical power, I cannot return it.¡±

    ¨C ¡°It doesn¡¯t. It¡¯s just an ordinary bracelet. Please¡­ Let me have it with me, at least until I die.¡±

    The bracelet turned out to be just as ordinary as she imed.

    It was hard to believe such a in object had once adorned the Duchess of Eilencia.

    Despite its age, it was well-maintained, as though it had been cherished for a long time.

    When Sirien received the bracelet, she wept with joy.

    She stroked it a few times, as if confirming it was hers.

    ¨C ¡°Thank you¡­ Could you put it on for me? I can¡¯t see anymore.¡±

    ¨C ¡°Of course. Was it precious to you?¡±

    ¨C ¡°It¡¯s the only treasure I have left.¡±

    Seated on the cold prison floor, clutching the bracelet tightly, Sirien looked pitiful.

    Bloody tears seeped through the bandages, staining them a deep red, and trailed down her pale skin.

    To Ellis, her appearance was both unsettling and strangely poignant.

    ¡°The sinner, Sirien Eilencia, is hereby sentenced to execution by beheading¡­ Her head and body shall be disyed¡­ All titles and properties are revoked¡­¡± ?

    The bracelet remained sped on her wrist, even now, as she knelt before the executioner¡¯s block.

    She showed no resistance, no sign of protest. She simply bowed her head slightly, as though resigned to her fate.

    As the verdict was read, she asionally touched the bracelet with her fingertips.

    ¡°Anyst words?¡±

    ¡°Hah. As expected. Proceed!¡±

    Ellis couldn¡¯t bring herself to watch as the executioner¡¯s de fell.

    In that final moment of death, Sirien Eilencia¡¯s voice came, faint as a whisper.

    Her final words: ¡°It¡¯s cold.¡±

    [Saint¡öess, ¡öha¡ö¡öms are ¡ö¡ö¡öpure! ¡ö¡ö¡ö ??

    <b>[Sirien Eilencia]</b>

    The icy de grazed the nape of my neck a few times, testing its mark.

    The executioner seemed to be a young boy, judging by his shaky breaths and uncertain grip.

    The de that touched my skin was terribly dull, and the boy had no experience, not even the faintest semnce of it.

    It seemed unlikely he would sever my head with a single stroke.

    But it didn¡¯t matter.

    Swish¡ªCrash!

    Death found me soon enough.

    As expected, it wasn¡¯t a clean death. Agonizing pain red from my shredded neck.

    Fortunately, the pain didn¡¯tst long.

    It took five attempts to sever my headpletely, but I felt nothing after the second.

    My body grew light, and for a fleeting moment, I noticed the bitter cold of winter.

    Razen¡­ I¡¯m so cold. Where are you?¡¯

    I can¡¯t see anything. The world is pitch ck, and I¡¯m scared.

    Please, hold my hand. It¡¯d be even better if you hugged me from behind.

    I¡¯m so cold right now. I miss your warmth.

    ¡­Ah. I remember now.

    I¡¯m sorry. If only I¡¯d done better, I wouldn¡¯t have lost you.

    If I hadn¡¯t, maybe it wouldn¡¯t be this cold. It¡¯s all my fault.

    But could you forgive me, just this once?

    I can finally see you again. If you¡¯re angry, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to bear it.

    I¡¯ll be there soon.

    ¡®Oh, the bracelet¡­ I can¡¯t let it get stained with blood¡­.¡¯

    <b>* * *</b>

    The Last Day of the Festival

    For once, Sirien overslept.

    Though I was usually the early riser between us, this was rare even for her.

    She must have stayed up all night, having mentioned ate meeting yesterday.

    When she didn¡¯t wake even past lunchtime, I decided to wait outside her room.

    I¡¯d never understood why people of the old days liked books so much, but in moments like this, there was nothing better to pass the time than reading.

    Even an uninteresting book was better than sitting idle.

    It was only when I had finished one book cover to cover that Sirien finally emerged.

    ¡°Good morning¡­?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not morning. How tired were you that you ended up taking a nap during the day?¡±

    ¡°Not that bad, really. I just went to bedte. Did you wait long outside?¡±

    ¡°Not really. Take your time.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Sirien rubbed her eyes, still not fully awake.

    Her slightly disheveled hair and the sleepy smile on her face were so endearing that I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    Soon, the maid assigned by the baron arrived, and Sirien returned to her room.

    When she came out again, all dressed and ready, she looked even more beautiful than yesterday.

    The cheerful smile on her face was lethal to my heart.

    Ever since that kiss on stage, I had been painfully aware of every little thing she did, and my heart wouldn¡¯t stop racing.

    ¡°You must have been bored waiting. Shall we go?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Our first stop was, of course, the dining hall.

    No matter what, neither Sirien nor I ever skipped a meal.

    We¡¯d once been so desperate for food that we had to debate eating monster meat.

    Throughout the meal, I felt as though I were in the eye of a storm.

    Eating with Sirien, spending an ordinary moment together¡ªit all felt strangely tense.

    Her lips, slick with a light sheen of white from the soup, captivated me as she sipped another spoonful or chewed on a small piece of meat.

    The way her mouth opened slightly and then closed as she chewed was impossible to look away from.

    Those lips had once been on mine.

    Not just touching but exploring, intertwined with my own.

    Even though time had passed, the memory of that heat hadn¡¯t faded¡ªin fact, it only seemed to grow stronger.

    ¡°Razen, you don¡¯t seem to have much of an appetite today. You didn¡¯t eat much.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I was just¡­ lost in thought.¡±

    ¡°Are you feeling unwell? Should I feed you next time?¡±

    ¡°Ugh. No, thanks. I¡¯m not a child.¡±

    After the meal, as we walked toward the vige, Sirien continued to toy with my emotions, teasing me in her own way.

    ¡°Why? I think I¡¯d like it if you fed me when I¡¯m sick.¡±

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s different.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Her yfulughter.

    Even such a small joke made my throat feel tight.

    The entire way to the vige, I felt as if my heart were being squeezed.

    I was scared, of course.

    But nothing good had evere from putting off a decision.

    I had to muster my courage.

    ¡°Sirien, there¡¯s a ce I want to visit before we go to the festival. Is that okay?¡±

    ¡°Sure. I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Just a short walk from the vige where the festival was held, there was a small forest.

    It was painted in shades of yellow and red.

    It waste autumn, and the fallen leaves formed soft mounds underfoot, crunching softly as we stepped.

    A gust of wind swirled some of the leaves into the air.

    Onended on my head, and Sirien gently plucked it off.

    She lightly tapped my cheek with the leaf, smiling all the while.

    ¡°So, what is it you wanted to say, bringing me all the way out here?¡±

    ¡°Well, this seems like the perfect spot.¡±

    Behind Sirien, the forest trail stretched wide.

    We¡¯d stumbled upon this ce during a walk through the baron¡¯s territory in spring. Back then, the trees had been green, and the wildflowers blooming beneath them were stunning.

    Now, with the magic of autumn fading and the cold of winter creeping in, the vibrant foliage framed Sirien like a painting.

    ¡°First, take this. I wanted to give it to you myself.¡±

    At the festival, I didn¡¯t purchase anything extravagant.

    What I hurriedly ran to get was a simple white scarf. Winter was approaching, after all.

    I wanted to make sure Sirien wouldn¡¯t feel cold.

    While I wrapped the scarf around her, Sirien remained silent.

    But there was something I needed to say.

    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about this a lot. I know it¡¯s not something you took lightly, and I couldn¡¯t respond carelessly either.¡±

    ¡°Mm. I¡¯m happily waiting.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t know if I even deserve to do this. I think it¡¯s far too much for me. You¡­ you could have had a much better future.¡±

    Sirien parted her lips slightly, as if to speak, but stopped.

    She was holding back, probably for my sake. Her kind heart hadn¡¯t changed.

    ¡°Even now, that thought hasn¡¯t left me. Can I really be so selfish as to want you? I couldn¡¯te up with an answer.¡±

    In the original story, Sirien¡¯s final words before her death were that she was cold.

    After the execution scene, she was never mentioned again, but her end was undoubtedly tragic.

    So, this scarf was like a vow to myself.

    A vow that I would never, under any circumstances, let Sirien meet such a fate.

    No matter how cruel the malice of this world or the shackles of fate might be, I swore to protect her.

    If necessary, I¡¯d sell my soul. Even if I were to be cast into the deepest pits of hell, it wouldn¡¯t matter as long as Sirien was safe.

    So, I hoped, just this once, my greed could be forgiven.

    ¡°You once said you would grant my wish. But I don¡¯t want to rely on a wish. I¡¯ll face this head-on, fair and square.¡±

    I knelt before Sirien on one knee.

    We didn¡¯t need a grand setting, like a coronation ceremony from the past.

    All we needed was each other. That had always been enough.

    We didn¡¯t need extravagance or grandeur¡ªjust time spent together.

    I had always been honest with Sirien, so now, the only thing I needed was courage.

    ¡°I love you, Sirien Eilencia. I¡¯ll give you everything I have. Please, officially be my partner.¡±

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 Chapter 67: Wish (4)

    <b>Chapter 67: Wish (4)</b>

    Sirien response came not in words, but in actions.

    The hands that had hesitated until now suddenly pulled me close.

    Her small frame nestled into my arms, her flushed cheeks pressing against my chest.

    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ been longing to hear those words. Why did it take you so long?¡±

    Her grip tightened, almost suffocating, her trembling body desperately clinging to me.

    As expected, Sirien voice quivered with the hint of tears.

    ¡°I love you too. I loved you first. More than you love me, I love you so much more. I¡¯ve dreamed of having you like this more times than I can count.¡±

    ¡°Why are you crying now? Don¡¯t. Come on, stop, okay?¡±¡°Tch. I¡¯m not crying. I told myself I wouldn¡¯t cry this time. I haven¡¯t even shed a tear yet, so it doesn¡¯t count.¡±

    At this point, having to justify herself was as good as admitting she already was.

    The mischievous thought of teasing her for a moment flitted through my mind¡ªa terribly mean idea.

    Thankfully, I managed to resist.

    A sidelong nce revealed the truth; she had indeed cried.

    The faint shimmer on her eyshes gave her away, unmistakably the result of wiping away stray tears.

    I feltpelled to say something, anything, to calm her down.

    ¡°Did you know? They say tears shed out of joy taste sweet.¡±

    ¡°¡­How do you even know something like that?¡±

    ¡°Just something I picked up. They say tears of anger are salty, and tears of sadness are sour.¡±

    ¡°Then, these must be sweet. So sweet they could melt my tongue.¡±

    Sirien looked up at me with a bashful smile, her tear-streaked face now lit up by a radiant grin.

    The strangebination of tears and joy made her face profoundly beautiful.

    Without thinking, I reached out to touch her cheek.

    A brief meeting of our eyes was all the spark needed.

    Our faces were already close, close enough.

    Without hesitation, our lips met, blending together in a deep, fervent kiss.

    It was a kiss full of passion.

    As we parted, wiping away the sticky thread of saliva, Sirien lips curved into a bewitching smile.

    ¡°I love you, Razen. From now on, you¡¯re mine.¡±

    Sirien arms tightened around me, a possessive embrace that hinted at obsession.

    Her possessiveness only made my lips curl into a satisfied smile.

    ¡°Since you¡¯ve given yourself to me, I¡¯ll never give you back. Be prepared for that.¡±

    <b>****</b>

    The path once walked by a knight and a saint was now tread by two lovers.

    Autumn was leaving, and the sun sought its rest early.

    The crumpled twilight nketed the fallen leaves like a quilt, and the dusky orange glow spread like mist.

    Hand in hand, we walked down the maple-lined path.

    The festival vige bustled with life once again.

    A crowd had already gathered in the town square, perhaps anticipating the lighting of the bonfire.

    Among them, merchants were feverishly vying for attention, desperate to sell off their goods.

    Sirien eyes sparkled as she took in the lively scene around her.

    It was a bit early to be hungry, so I wondered if she was looking for a snack.

    My guess waspletely wrong.

    ¡°Razen! Let¡¯s drink this together!¡±

    Her choice was alcohol.

    Given that it was a festival, the streets were lined with stalls selling drinks.

    Some even sold strong liquors, though it didn¡¯t seem like Sirien had chosen anything too fancy.

    Beer, in particr, was a popr choice, with nearly everyone passing by holding a ss.

    Surprisingly, the beer here was better than what I¡¯d had in the modern world.

    Paired with the abundance of festival foods, it was indeed a fine choice for the moment.

    The problem was the person sitting in front of me was Sirien.

    ¡°No way. That¡¯s alcohol.¡±

    ¡°Why not? I¡¯m an adult too! I have every right to drink as much as I want.¡±

    ¡°You promisedst time you wouldn¡¯t drink.¡±

    ¡°That was¡­ an unfair agreement! You took advantage of my embarrassment to force me into an unjust deal, so it¡¯s invalid!¡±

    As expected, sheunched a strong protest.

    But no matter how much she twisted her logic, I couldn¡¯t back down.

    It¡¯s not that Sirien couldn¡¯t handle alcohol.

    Unlike the heroine of the original story, she didn¡¯t pass out after just a couple of drinks.

    Her tolerance was slightly below average¡ªa drink or two wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    The real issue was her drinking habits.

    Sirien drinking behavior was¡­ problematic, to say the least.

    ¡°Really, I¡¯ll only drink a little. Think about it¡ªI¡¯ve only ever slipped up once. Besides, I¡¯ve been holding back for so long.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to celebrate today, Razen? I want to clink sses with you andugh as we drink together.¡±

    My resolve began to waver.

    Sirien clung to me, her small, soft frame pressing close.

    The warmth and tenderness of her touch made my mind go nk.

    Then there were her hands, gripping my arm.

    The way she kneaded and pleaded with them broke through my defenses. I couldn¡¯t resist any longer.

    ¡°Fine, but only a little, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay! I love you!¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    *****

    You could call this an inevitable oue.

    Naturally, the promise wasn¡¯t kept.

    Overjoyed at finally drinking again, Sirien predictably overindulged.

    At first, everything was fine.

    We began with fried chicken and beer, the unbeatable pairing across all times and cultures.

    Now that we were officially ¡°a couple,¡± we chatted freely,ughing and sharing trivial stories.

    The conversation grew more sincere as we opened up about feelings we¡¯d held onto since childhood.

    ¡°I loved it when you came to find me whenever I cried. For some reason, you calming me down always worked like magic.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why the servants always came to me first whenever you were upset. But I didn¡¯t spoil you too much, right?¡±

    ¡°Not at all! You just didn¡¯t notice. I held back in front of you because I didn¡¯t want to seem spoiled.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s why you always cried when I wasn¡¯t around.¡±

    ¡°Well, I was a kid back then. I don¡¯t even remember what upset me so much. But even when I was sobbing uncontrobly, I¡¯d calm down the moment you patted my back. Isn¡¯t that strange?¡± ?

    It was a pleasant time.

    Revisiting our shared memories and piecing them together felt like crafting an entirely new story.

    At this point, Sirien was still sober, giggling at jokes or asionally delving into more serious topics.

    ¡°The year¡¯s almost over, huh.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Winter wille, and the year will pass before we know it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why¡­ I think I¡¯ll finally be able to do it next year.¡±

    ¡°Do what?¡±

    ¡°Take back everything that¡¯s ours. The ce we used to be, where we belong. Once this is over, let¡¯s go back.¡±

    The long and perilous journey was finally nearing its end.

    Sirien spoke of our return home, a ce we had both longed for deeply.

    It was as significant as the bond we had formed today.

    On the day we cremated those two precious people, Sirien and I made a vow. That vow still held firm.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it. Everything will go just as you said.¡±

    Everything had been going so well.

    The problem, as always, started with the ¡°sweet-tasting alcohol.¡±

    At the festival, there were merchants selling fruit wine.

    The festival would end today, and any unsold wine would inevitably be leftover stock.

    Their enthusiastic sales pitch ultimately reached Sirien.

    Just as a cat can¡¯t resist a fish market, Sirien couldn¡¯t ignore the sweet aroma.

    She begged me to let her try the fruit wine, insisting it smelled divine.

    It was stronger than beer, but I figured a few sses wouldn¡¯t hurt and agreed¡ªa decision I would soon regret.

    ¡°Razen! That one looks tasty too. Can we try it?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just get one? It¡¯s not even finished yet.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ca

    Sigh. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a special day. Let¡¯s get one bottle, just one.¡±

    ¡°Yay!¡±

    One bottle quickly became two, and before I knew it, Sirien was sipping exclusively on fruit wine,pletely ignoring the beer.

    As we drank, I started to feel the alcohol creeping in as well.

    Fortunately, my unusually resilient body seemed to handle alcohol just fine.

    By the time we added another bottle, I couldn¡¯t help but feel concerned.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you had enough?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not drunk yet, so I¡¯ll just have a little more.¡±

    ¡°Well, you do still look fine, I¡¯ll admit¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, I know! How about I kiss you after this drink? I¡¯ll have fruity breath, and I bet you¡¯ll love it.¡±

    I¡­ couldn¡¯t resist Sirien temptation.

    Ever since we officially started dating, she had be unusually cunning.

    That¡¯s when I should have noticed.

    The fact that she could promise a kiss so easily should have tipped me off.

    The Sirien I knew wasn¡¯t the type to say such bold things without a second thought.

    If she did, she¡¯d be blushing furiously, trapped in her own embarrassment.

    But I let my guard down, and the result was bittersweet.

    I ended up buying every wine Sirien asked for, and together, we drank them all.

    The aftermath? Sirien was now clinging to me, her cheeks flushed, giggling uncontrobly.

    ¡°Hehe¡­ Razen, squish my cheeks.¡±

    ¡°Sirien¡­ are you drunk?¡±

    ¡°Noooope! Not drunk at allll! But squish me, hurry! You¡¯re mine now, so you have to do it!¡±

    Her hands grabbed at me insistently.

    When I gave in and kneaded both of her cheeks as she demanded, she let out a funny ¡°Eheheheh¡ª¡±ugh, like aplete fool.

    It was adorable, but when Sirien reached this state, the best course of action was to put her to bed as soon as possible.

    ¡°Alright, hop on. We¡¯re going back to the manor.¡±

    ¡°Okayyy! Piggyback! Let¡¯s gooo!¡±

    ¡°Sirien, you have to let go of my hands first if you want me to carry you.¡±

    ¡°Nooo! Carry me like this. Lift me up likest time!¡±

    ¡°This is driving me crazy¡­¡±

    ¡°Me too! Let¡¯s go crazy together!¡±

    Unsurprisingly, getting her to bed was no smooth journey.

    I had to coax and calm her down just to get her on my back, and even then, staying still wasn¡¯t in her nature.

    As we walked, something warm touched my ear, followed by a loud smooching sound.

    ¡°Chuup, chuup¡ª¡±

    ¡°Gahhh! What the¡ª?¡±

    ¡°Pffft, did you like it?¡±

    This¡­ was definitely not easy.

    [TL: Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

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 Chapter 68: Northern Mountains (1)

    <b>Chapter 68: Northern Mountains (1)</b>

    The next day, Sirien was suffering from a hangover.

    Though not as bad as the day before, she still couldn¡¯t avoid sleeping inte. Her temples throbbed as she pressed them with her fingers.

    It was the most haggard I¡¯d seen Sirien in recent memory.

    And no wonder¡ªshe¡¯d gotten drunk out of her mind after drinking heavily for the first time in ages.

    In a way, she was just paying the appropriate price.

    ¡°Ah, good morning¡­ Razen. Did you sleep well?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I slept just fine.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good. Ugh, my head hurts.¡±¡°That¡¯s what you get for not knowing your limits.¡±

    But Sirien still had one more consequence left to face.

    From the morning onward, Sirien kept stealing nces at me.

    It was obvious why¡ªshe must have retained some memories from the night before.

    Even while I carried her on my back, Sirien hadn¡¯t stopped her antics.

    My left ear had spent a good portion of the night inside her mouth, and she even tried slipping her hands inside my clothes.

    I managed to stop her mischievous hands, but I couldn¡¯t save my poor ear.

    Even as I tried to fall asleep, the phantom sensation of her licking my ear wouldn¡¯t leave me.

    ¡°By the way, I kept hearing a rustling sound in my ear while I was sleeping.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ Razen, you!¡±

    ¡°What? Should I pick you up and carry you like before?¡±

    ¡°Eek!¡±

    Still, it was fun teasing Sirien.

    Her face turned bright red, and she looked as if she might kick the nket in frustration at any moment.

    I knew the feeling all too well. I was just relieved it wasn¡¯t happening to me.

    I wanted to tease her all day long, but I held back, fearing she might actually burst into tears.

    Not because holding her hand had made me feel self-conscious.

    No, that wasn¡¯t it. We¡¯d held hands before, so why was this any different?

    Now that our rtionship had officially changed, I thought it would be easier.

    But instead of growing ustomed to it, I seemed to be losing whatever tolerance I had.

    Even the smallest actions felt new and strange when I thought of her as my ¡°partner.¡±

    ¡°Good morning to you both!¡±

    On the way to the dining hall, we ran into Baron Esquente again.

    The man¡¯s face clearly showed signs of exhaustion. Ever since we arrived, he seemed to be suffering from ack of sleep, with dark shadows under his eyes. ??

    That didn¡¯t mean his chatty nature had diminished in the slightest.

    The baron stared at Sirien and me, a sly smile curling his lips before his expression morphed into one that begged to be punched.

    ¡°The atmosphere between you two has changed quite a lot in just a few days, hasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°And so has your appearance, Baron.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true. Hahaha! It¡¯s because I haven¡¯t been getting any sleep. Still, I attended the festival on the final day, didn¡¯t I? It wouldn¡¯t make sense to skip it when I organized it just to have some fun! I lived three days¡¯ worth of life in one!¡±

    Despite his exhausted face, he grinned like a madman.

    Should I call him energetic or just insane? Either way, I had to acknowledge the baron¡¯s entricity.

    Clearly, he wasn¡¯t entirely normal.

    ¡°By the way, did the saintess mention anything to you?¡±

    ¡°What about?¡±

    Had Sirien told me something important?

    I couldn¡¯t think of anything significant. As I reyed our conversations in my mind, nothing particrly noteworthy came to mind.

    I nced at Sirien, who had an expression that screamed, ¡°Oops.¡±

    It seemed she had forgotten something.

    ¡°Sorry, Ipletely forgot. It¡¯s just¡­ I was so out of it yesterday.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. You can tell me when it¡¯s convenient.¡±

    ¡°As soon as we¡¯re ready, we¡¯ll head to the capital.¡±

    <b>****</b>

    The capital of the Edelmar Empire. Edelmarion.

    A city that had prospered throughout the empire¡¯s long history and served as the birthce of all wealth and power.

    True to its reputation, Edelmarion was a den of scheming power yers.

    It was also where the main storyline of the original work would begin, just a few yearster, with the heroine¡¯s reincarnation.

    The Crown Prince, the Main Male Lead, Resides in the Capital

    By now, the Swordmaster and the new talents of the Mage Tower must also have established themselves there.

    In the original story, both Sirien and I frequently visited the capital, and the Holy Church of Light¡ªthe reborn heroine¡¯s domain¡ªhad its headquarters near Edelmarion.

    It was truly the main stage of ¡°Saintess, Reverse Harems Is Impure!¡±

    ¡°Razen! Two on that side!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it right away!¡±

    However, the journey to the capital was anything but smooth.

    Of course, the Empire wasn¡¯t a strong nation from the start, bold enough to dere itself an empire.

    Back in its early days, there were nations far stronger than the Empire, and its capital hade close to falling multiple times.

    Each time, the Northern Mountains became its saving grace.

    The Northern Mountains served as the dividing line between the central and northern regions of the Empire and acted as its second shield.

    While not as sacred as the forest of Hibras, they were home to ferocious monsters and wild beasts, making it nearly impossible to deploy an army.

    In truth, it wasn¡¯t just armies; the region was dangerous for any human traveler.

    ¡°One¡¯s escaping over there!¡±

    ¡°Sirien!¡±

    ¡°On it!¡±

    A pack of monsters attacked our carriage convoy.

    They were creaturesmonly known as Blood Wolves. Though they resembled wolves, they weren¡¯t true wolves¡ªthey were closer to beasts of evil.

    Unfortunately, they were far from easy opponents.

    Monsters like these were far stronger and more aggressive than ordinary wild animals.

    The knights¡¯ manual instructed trained soldiers to face these creatures in pairs.

    For a safer confrontation, groups of three were rmended.

    Considering that Blood Wolves roamed in packs, it was easy to see why they were considered a traveler¡¯s nightmare.

    But they¡¯d picked the wrong group to target.

    We weren¡¯t mere soldiers; we were seasoned warriors, jokers on the frontlines against the demonic forces.

    In fact, we¡¯d pulled some of our strongest members from the northern gates before heading to the capital, making this encounter with mere monstersughably manageable.

    ¡ª Krrrrrk!

    ¡ª Kgek! Yipe!

    A greatsword crushed the body of one wolf.

    Its hide was tough, so it couldn¡¯t cut through two at once. One died instantly, while the other recalibrated itself before lunging again.

    I decided to handle the second one carefully.

    A tough hide meant its pelt would fetch a high price.

    The first one was beyond salvage, but at least one should be taken down cleanly for profit.

    I drove my de under the wolf¡¯s body, piercing its heart in one precise strike.

    The creature struggled briefly before sumbing to its fate.

    Moments like this make me jealous of Sirien¡¯s powers.

    Sirien¡¯s strength worked best on creatures with little to no reason.

    To be precise, the lower their soul¡¯s quality, the more effective her abilities became.

    She could enforce death itself by channeling her immense divine power.

    While this didn¡¯t work on higher-order beings capable ofmunication, it was quite effective against mindless beasts and monsters.

    For humans or demons, there were other ways to handle things, but to an observer, all deaths probably looked the same.

    Humans consumed by fear behaved no differently from beasts.

    As for the wolves targeting Sirien, they simply dropped dead as if falling asleep.

    The one that tried to flee was struck by a thrown axe, which whistled through the air before returning, dripping blood.

    Watching the axe absorb the blood as it was gripped again was eerie, no matter how many times I saw it.

    ¡°Shall we take a short break here? We need to clean up the corpses and rest after the fight.¡±

    ¡°That sounds good.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll take care of the Blood Wolf pelts and ensure they¡¯re properly ounted for. You have my word as Nelloa Esquente!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just saying that because we¡¯ll catch youter if you try to cheat us in the records.¡±

    ¡°Come now, Saintess, that makes it sound like I¡¯m out to cheat others! I have my honor to protect!¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure.¡±

    Our caravan had a 40% share in Esquente¡¯s trade group.

    In essence, it was a joint operation, but Sirien was meticulous in her inspections of the ounts.

    This made Isquente rather wary of her.

    ...No, actually, it was fair to say that the baron was downright afraid of her.

    After casting a thoughtful nce at Isquente, Sirien walked over to me.

    Together, we moved to the back of the convoy, inspecting the aftermath of the skirmish.

    ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be any major damage. No injuries, either.¡±

    Our convoy consisted of over thirty people, including guards.

    In addition to Sirien, myself, Russell, Isha, and Baron Esquente, there were the baron¡¯s staff, trade employees, and three mercenaries we¡¯d recruited from the Arctania Gate.

    Among them, our people stood out the most.

    Technically, they weren¡¯t just mercenaries¡ªthey were all initiates of Hibras. Calling them either mercenaries or devotees wouldn¡¯t be wrong.

    As we reached the rear of the convoy, the scent of charred flesh filled the air.

    At the center of the burnt corpses stood a woman with fiery red hair.

    Next to her was a man holding a bow, and nearby, a massive white tiger beastman waved at us with his hammer in hand.

    The red-haired woman¡¯s face lit up as she saw Sirien.

    ¡°Wee back, sis!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Captain.¡±

    Over the past four years, theserades had shared many battlefields with us.

    They were our people, nurtured by Sirien and me through blood, sweat, and trust.

    [TL: Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

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 Chapter 69: Northern Mountains (2)

    <b>Chapter 69: Northern Mountains (2)</b>

    Excerpt from [Saintess, Reverse Harem is Immoral! Volume 9, Page 105]

    Dersian calmly caught his breath.

    The Swordmaster. His growing skills had even earned him such a grandiose title¡ªit seemed the world truly was vast.

    He never thought he¡¯d be held back in a ce like this.

    ¡®At this rate, it¡¯ll be hard to finish before Count Berthus arrives.¡¯

    The roaring mes showed no signs of dying down.

    The once-fertile earth had ckened into lifelessness, and every gust of wind scattered coarse ashes into the air.

    The flickering embers danced like blossoms blooming at dawn.As a massive force surged forward, Dersian¡¯s sword met it with a sharp counterstrike.

    Within the ashen world, his silver de gleamed brilliantly.

    ¡°Gahhh¡­!¡±

    Thud.

    The mighty beastman warrior finally fell to his knees.

    Blood poured in torrents from his grasped neck¡ªa fatal wound, no doubt about it.

    He wouldn¡¯tst long like this.

    For Dersian, that was a relief. This opponent had dyed him endlessly, standing like an unyielding wall.

    Truly, he had been a formidable and tenacious foe.

    ¡°©¤

    Was the beastman¡¯s fall a turning point?

    A woman¡¯s voice, more a shriek than proper words, erupted nearby.

    The high-pitched sound reverberated with fury, apanied by a storm of mes.

    It was less like the crack of a whip and more like waves crashing violently upon an open sea.

    After a brief deliberation, Dersian chose to evade. Not because he couldn¡¯t confront it head-on, but because there was no need.

    The firepower wouldn¡¯tst long anyway.

    If such strength had been avable from the beginning, it would have been unleashed earlier.

    Clearly, the woman had overexerted herself to increase her output.

    As he moved deftly to avoid the scorching mes, Dersian had a thought.

    ¡®It¡¯s shallow.¡¯

    Each wave was undeniably terrifying in its intensity,

    but it couldn¡¯tpare to the sword strikes of ¡°Shadow Moon¡±.

    How could he ever forget?

    The eerie silence, the almost ethereal quality of that de.

    A terror so profound it felt as though ten lives wouldn¡¯t be enough to survive it¡ªand yet, breathtakingly beautiful.

    That day¡¯s memory was etched deep in Dersian¡¯s mind, never to be erased.

    Thus, this was a risk worth taking.

    Compared to Shadow Moon, this was a danger he could endure.

    Dersian pushed through the zing inferno.

    The searing winds felt as though they would melt his skin. Felt, but ultimately did not.

    In an instant, he closed the distance.

    The red-haired woman red at him, her face contorted with rage.

    As Dersian moved to strike her down, three sharp arrows whistled through the air.

    Though unharmed, he had missed a golden opportunity.

    ¡®It seems I¡¯ll need to deal with the archer first.¡¯

    The arrows weren¡¯t particrly powerful, but their precision was disruptive, constantly breaking his momentum.

    A quick nce revealed the beastman warrior, whom he thought incapacitated, slowly rising to his feet.

    ¡®This is troublesome.¡¯

    From the beastman, Dersian could sense the divine power of the dark god, Hibras.

    A ck, sticky aura¡ªan ominous force cloaked the white tiger beastman¡¯s body.

    Every instinct as a living being screamed of its danger.

    One of Dersian¡¯s lingering doubts was resolved.

    He had been skeptical when the Church of Hibras had been dered a heretical cult, but faced with such a sinister divinity, it was hard to argue otherwise.

    The beastman warrior spoke in a voice that seemed on the verge of breaking.

    ¡°I am not¡­ done yet. I, Galedin, will not¡­ die.¡±

    ¡°That much seems true,¡± Dersian replied. ¡°But it won¡¯t be long.¡±

    ¡°My children¡­ will never be touched.¡±

    ¡°Those you¡¯ve killed surely felt the same.¡±

    Dersian steadied his stance calmly.

    ¡°Ha

    He flicked the blood from his sword.

    With the woman¡¯s final death throes, the raging mes vanished as though they had been a lie.

    They had been far tougher opponents than expected.

    The beastman warrior, Galedin, had clung to him relentlessly until the very end, and the archer had disrupted him even at the brink of death.

    The supernatural mes had, albeit briefly, rivaled the spells of a grand mage.

    But now, there were only three corpses left behind.

    Was this the strength of those beneath Eilencia?

    Even beyond Count Berthus, there were warriors of such caliber under their banner.

    To wield such power and devote it solely to war¡ªit was horrific.

    Perhaps it was their might that had driven them to cry out for war in the first ce.

    ¡®The current age is marching toward peace, yet here we are.¡¯

    There was no time to dwell on such thoughts.

    Eilencia¡¯s source of power¡ªit was now his to confront.

    ¡°Dersian Esquente!¡±

    A Crimson Aura Pierced the Air

    A crimson-ck aura shed through the space, surging forward.

    The ferocity of the energy screamed like a wild beast, and the massive greatsword bared its fangs.

    There was only one person on this continent capable of exuding such an overwhelming killing intent.

    Razen Berthus¡ªa masterpiece crafted by the dark god.

    From within a helmet resembling a demon, faint crimson light seemed to gleam ominously.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve finally arrived, Count Berthus. Your nemesis is here.¡±

    ¡°Nemesis? Hah, such arrogance. Do you truly consider yourself my equal?¡±

    ¡°Even so, I¡¯ll manage to buy some time, won¡¯t I?¡±

    Silver steel shed against the fangs of the beast-like greatsword.

    As expected, Dersian was already beginning to feel the strain.

    Now it was time to change tactics and wait for reinforcements.

    ¡®Please don¡¯t take too long, Elise.¡¯

    <b>***</b>

    The Beastman Warrior Galedin.

    The Pyrokic Ability-User Mary.

    The Sharpshooter Hakon.

    These three were individuals we had saved from the battlefield.

    At the time, Sirien and I were stationed near the gates, acting as the proverbial fire brigade.

    We were deployed after receiving an emergency request for reinforcements, but by the time we arrived, the situation was grim.

    A half-destroyed outpost littered with corpses.

    Demons rampaging unchecked.

    Even the survivors we managed to save were mostly beyond help.

    Galedin stood there, blood-soaked, shielding two young ones.

    Mary and Hakon had been boy soldiers back then, much like we once were.

    It was a sad yetmon urrence¡ªmercenary groups using children to fill their ranks.

    For the mercenarypanies, headcount equaled payment, and the world had no shortage of abandoned children.

    It wasn¡¯t unusual for these boy soldiers to die alongside their olderrades.

    Galedin had originally been part of another mercenary group, only to find himself with just the two kids left after the chaos.

    From that day on, the three of them stuck together, with Galedin effectively raising the two as his own.

    He was, in practice, their adoptive father.

    ¡°Why is it so hard to see you, unnie? I¡¯ve missed you!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been very busy. You¡¯ve grown so much!¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re even prettier than thest time I saw you, unnie!¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I am?¡±

    Mary adored Sirien.

    Ability-users like Mary often had difficulty with education and self-control, leading to frequent injuries caused by their own powers.

    Sirien, capable of wielding immense power while protecting Mary from harming herself, naturally became her mentor.

    Through this, they grew close.

    Galedin, on the other hand, had been a seasoned warrior from the start, so there wasn¡¯t much to teach him. Hakon was mostly trained by Galedin himself, although I asionally stepped in when asked.

    Hakon, always quiet, gave a polite nod of respect.

    Galedin grinned and pped Hakon on the back.

    ¡°This kid¡¯s improved a lot. You¡¯ll be surprised the next time you see him in action.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡±

    There was no need for an extended reunion.

    We hadn¡¯t been apart for long, and we¡¯d surely see each other again soon.

    Galedin, especially, was meticulous when it came to work.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll head out for a patrol. Mary, save the catching up forter and start by surveying the area.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir! See youter, unnie!¡±

    ¡°Alright, see you.¡±

    It seemed they¡¯d prearranged their tasks, as the three headed off to scout the surroundings.

    I waved them off as they disappeared.

    In the original story, these three hadn¡¯t been given much prominence.

    They were one-time characters, obstacles meant to dy Dersian¡¯s journey until my arrival.

    Their deaths had urred within the span of a few sentences¡ªbrief and final.

    If Galedin¡¯s name hadn¡¯t been mentioned, I might not have remembered them at all.

    Back then, Dersian was already renowned as the Swordmaster.

    Even within the heroine¡¯s reverse harem, he was among the strongest.

    The fact that these three had given him such trouble was like striking gold.

    They were allies worth investing in.

    I suspected that, even in the original story, they were meant to be valuable assets.

    Razen¡¯s fury after witnessing their deaths certainly suggested as much.

    Though, to be fair, my character in the novel always seemed angry, so it was hard to say for sure.

    The three faded from view, and I finished checking on the state of the procession.

    There was nothing more for us to do here.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head back to our post.¡±

    ¡°Okay. By the way, Razen?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Sirien smiled brightly, her small frame pressing close to my side.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you holding my hand today?¡±

    ¡°Ahem. Well, you know¡­ people might notice.¡±

    ¡°Why does that matter? You¡¯re mine now. If anything, I should make sure no one else gets any ideas.¡±

    ¡°I doubt anyone¡¯s interested¡­¡±

    ¡°Wrong! I¡¯m sure there are. Sneaky little cats. I won¡¯t let them near you.¡±

    Well, if she insisted.

    Our hands sped together, and Sirien finally looked satisfied.

    ¡°Hehe. Good. Let¡¯s go back now.¡±

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 Chapter 70: Northern Mountains (3)

    <b>Chapter 70: Northern Mountains (3)</b>

    Ever since I regained the memories of the original story, there was something I had been pondering.

    Was it about how this world was designed? Or perhaps the way things not mentioned in the original work operated?

    Take the seasons, for example.

    In the original story, it was stated, ¡°Early winter is the season when the monsters be most aggressive.¡±

    However, the exact ecology of these monsters was never explored.

    ¡®Well, that was probably a hastily thrown-together plot point.¡¯

    The author likely wanted to write a scene where the female lead is saved by the male lead.

    Thus, they created the setting of monsters bing dangerous in early winter. Without much thought, the female lead ventured into the forest and was rescued by the crown prince.The trigger was that trivial, but the setting introduced in the story became absolute.

    That particr rule had to manifest into reality.

    Thus, this world was designed in reverse.

    The essential settings were established first, and the unexplored areas were twisted and filled in to make everything else seem usible.

    At least, that was my theory.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The strongest evidence was none other than myself and Sirien.

    We were supposed to be the quintessential viins, yet Sirien was the Grand Duchess of Eilencia.

    It was nearly impossible for someone of such noble status to end up as the Saintess of Hibras, with its murky reputation.

    Therefore, destiny had to weave an abundance of tragedies just for us.

    ¡®In the end, both of us joined Hibras side by side.¡¯

    Anyway, because of that wretched setup, monsters during this time of year were exceptionally ferocious.

    Normally, they wouldn¡¯t dare attack due to the overwhelming disparity in strength. But today, they hadpletely lost their minds, throwing themselves recklessly at us.

    We had been attacked by monsters exactly six times today.

    And more than ten times, fiery pirs of me had erupted from the rear of the procession, courtesy of Mary.

    And we weren¡¯t the only ones enduring the assaults of these frenzied monsters.

    I didn¡¯t know which fool decided to venture into the northern mountain range at this time, but they must¡¯ve been desperate like us. Normally, people would detour around the mountains to save time.

    ¡°Sirien, do you see that up ahead? The ones fighting the monsters?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I see them. Looks like nobles.¡±

    ¡°Can you recognize their crest? I can¡¯t see it from here.¡±

    ¡°Wait a moment¡­ Now I see it. A sword entwined with vines¡­ It¡¯s quite famous. That¡¯s the Ashik Count¡¯s household.¡±

    The Ashik Count¡¯s household.

    The name was all too familiar¡ªit was the family of the Sword Saint, Dersian Ashik.

    ¡°For now, let¡¯s help them. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to have a debt owed by such a household.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    ¡°Razen?¡±

    ¡°¡­Fine, let¡¯s go.¡±

    The Sword Saint.

    Dersian Ashik was one of Razen¡¯s greatest adversaries in the original story.

    Living up to his grandiose title, he was depicted as a formidable warrior, one of the few capable of facing me head-on.

    Though he suffered countless defeats, he yed a crucial role in my eventual demise as my most formidable foe.

    Looking back, Dersian killed more of my allies than the crown prince did.

    Though the prince stole many of the spotlight moments, Dersian quietly imed numerous impactful scenes for himself.

    The author clearly had a soft spot for him.

    And now, that same man was groveling before us.

    ¡°Thank you so much for your assistance. If not for you, we would have been in serious trouble.¡±

    ¡°It was mere coincidence that we crossed paths.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the fact that you helped us. I will ensure you¡¯re properly thanked when we reach Edelmarion.¡±

    Dark blue hair and violet eyes.

    A man whose appearance could only be described as the embodiment of the word handsome, befitting the male lead of a romance novel.

    Dersian Ashik bowed repeatedly in gratitude.

    Yes, Dersian was bowing his head¡­ to Sirien.

    The sight was enough to cause a sense of cognitive dissonance within me.

    In the original story, even after Sirien became the Grand Duchess of Eilencia, Dersian never failed to act stiff and defiant toward her.

    At the same time, my thoughts grew darker.

    ¡®Should I just kill him?¡¯

    This was Dersian before his awakening.

    He wasn¡¯t yet the Sword Saint, nor even a Swordmaster. He was currently weaker than Isha, who was still in her early stages of growth.

    Right now, I could kill him in three moves without even using sword energy.

    Moreover, this man was different from Russell.

    Russell was a character who perished before the original story began, but Dersian was destined to be our enemy in a few years.

    Not just any enemy¡ªhe would be the most troublesome adversary I¡¯d face in battle.

    Killing him now would drastically alter the power dynamics in the future.

    But for now, it was better to hold off.

    I could figure out how to deal with the aftermath, but there were simply too many witnesses.

    There were ordinary employees of the merchant guild all around, and silencing all those mouths was impossible.

    If I acted rashly, it would only make things difficult for Sirien.

    Besides, there would be plenty of other opportunities to kill Dersian Now was not the time.

    ¡°Ah, Saintess, who might the person behind you be?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s my dependable knight. He¡¯s also a protector of our Church.¡±

    While I was lost in thought, the conversation shifted toward me.

    Dersian, catching my gaze, smiled with the most innocent expression imaginable.

    ¡°I see. It¡¯s an honor to meet you. May I ask for your name sir?¡±

    ¡°Razen. You can simply call me Razen.¡±

    ¡°Understood. As I mentioned, my name isDersian Ashik. I¡¯d be grateful if you¡¯d address me by name as well, Sir Razen.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Somehow, I ended up shaking hands with Dersian.

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel deeply ufortable about the whole situation.

    ¡°You must¡¯ve known how dangerous the northern mountain range is this time of year. What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°Well, I was originally headed to a trading city in the northeast. However, urgent matters in my household forced me to take this route over the mountains.¡±

    ¡°I see. I hope it¡¯s nothing too serious.¡±

    ¡°It should be fine. It wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected, just poorly timed.¡±

    I had a rough idea of what might have happened.

    There weren¡¯t many matters urgent enough topel someone to traverse the mountains at this time of year.

    Dersian still introduced himself as the ¡°heir¡± of the Ashik family.

    That meant the current head of the Ashik family, the Count, must have passed away.

    In the original timeline, Dersian had already inherited the title by this point, having lost his father early on.

    I had thought he¡¯d already established himself in the capital after taking over the title.

    It seemed we had arrived a little earlier than in the original timeline.

    Since no specific dates were mentioned in the story, I couldn¡¯t be certain.

    ¡°So, I¡¯d like to ask¡ªwould it be alright if I joined you on the way to the capital? I will properly express my gratitude once we arrive, of course. This request is separate from the assistance you¡¯ve already provided.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not something I can decide on my own. I¡¯ll need to discuss it with Baron Esquente, but he¡¯s just arriving now.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I appreciate it.¡±

    In the end, Dersian joined our group on the journey to Edelmarion.

    Baron Esquente seemed particrly interested in the ¡°gratitude¡± promised by the Ashik family, and Sirien appeared to take the pragmatic approach of epting the situation withoutint.

    In the original story, Dersian¡¯s personality was portrayed as upright and polite, a truly virtuous young man.

    His friendliness quickly won over the group, especially among the female employees of the merchant guild, who were particrly impressed by him.

    As night fell, the group stopped for dinner.

    Sirien and I sat side by side near a campfire, eating skewers of roasted meat.

    Suddenly, Sirien created a thin barrier of divine power around us.

    It seemed she had something she wanted to discuss.

    ¡°Razen, you don¡¯t seem to like Dersian very much.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go so far as to say I dislike him. Was it that obvious?¡±

    ¡°No. No one else would¡¯ve noticed. But I can tell just from looking at your face. You seem to dislike him.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t bother hiding it from you.¡±

    From what I had observed, Dersian wasn¡¯t a bad person.

    That much was only natural¡ªif anything, he was meant to be on the side of justice.

    If he weren¡¯t destined to be my enemy, I might¡¯ve thought highly of him.

    But I had no intention of growing attached to someone who was bound to die.

    Sirien chuckled softly.

    ¡°Maybe we should¡¯ve told him not to follow us. Honestly, I don¡¯t like him much either.¡±

    ¡°Why? Everyone else seems to like him.¡±

    ¡°He looks too feminine for a man. And for a swordsman, he seems too feeble. I bet he¡¯s not even that skilled.¡±

    ¡°Not a great first impression, huh?¡±

    Sirien¡¯s head naturally leaned toward me, her warmth blending with the heat of the campfire.

    It felt as though the winter chill was melting away.

    From a distance, I noticed Dersian and Isha standing not too far apart.

    As always, Isha maintained her wary demeanor, though she didn¡¯t seem to be outright avoiding Dersian.

    Her posture was more like a cautious stray cat keeping its guard up.

    It was remarkable to see the two of them together without conflict.

    In the original story, their first meeting involved them drawing swords and trying to kill each other.

    One thing was clear¡ªthis encounter had never happened in the original timeline.

    Sirien, still leaning against me, lifted her head. The divine barrier around us dissipated like grains of sand scattering in the wind.

    This typically happened when someone was approaching.

    ¡°Looks like he¡¯sing our way.¡±

    I had been too focused on eating to notice, but sure enough, Dersian was walking toward us.

    He nced at both of us, then his expression shifted as if he hade to some sort of realization.

    The look on his face was one of utter rity and relief.

    What was that?

    What exactly had he realized?

    [TL: Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 71: Northern Mountains (4)

    <b>Chapter 71: Northern Mountains (4)</b>

    <b>[Excerpt from Saintess, Reverse Harem is Corrupt! Volume 6, Page 79]</b>

    A massive tremor reverberated underfoot.

    Staring at the distorted ground, Dersian thought to himself:

    ¡®Strong.¡¯

    The destructive power was chilling.

    However, it was still no match for Razen Berthus.

    It wasn¡¯t as fast or stealthy as Isha of the Shadow Moon.

    After all, Dersian could read its attacks.This was an opponent he could handle with rationality, not just raw instinct.

    In that case, he wouldn¡¯t lose.

    Dersian was confident he would never lose to an enemy weaker than the Shadow Moon.

    ****

    Dersian hesitated for a moment, then approached.

    Despite everything, he was still a high-ranking noble.

    With a feigned smile of courtesy, Sirien greeted him warmly.

    The reason for the ¡°feigned¡± part was the artificial undertone that was impossible to ignore.

    It was a beautiful smile, but there was a faint hint of annoyance.

    Was it because their time alone had been interrupted?

    It seemed even I had be adept at reading Sirien¡¯s expressions.

    Well, considering how much time I¡¯d spent around Sirien, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess what was on their mind just from a nce.

    ¡°What brings you here, Sir Dersian?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to have a brief conversation. Could you spare me a moment?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, sure. I don¡¯t have anything pressing right now.¡±

    He wants to talk? That must mean he wanted to speak to Sirien alone without me.

    The weather was cold. Sirien disliked the chill, so it would be better to keep them by the fire.

    It seemed I would have to step aside.

    Whatever they talked about, I could always hear it from Sirienter.

    As I was tidying up and preparing to leave, Dersian scratched his head awkwardly.

    ¡°Ah, I should have said this from the start.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°The person I wish to speak with isn¡¯t the Saintess but rather Sir Razen.¡±

    The Sword Saint wanted something with me?

    A million question marks flooded my mind.

    I couldn¡¯t begin to understand what was going through Dersian¡¯s head.

    What could he possibly have to say to me?

    Could it be that he overheard me badmouthing him? No, that was unlikely.

    ¡°May I ask for your understanding for a moment? I promise not to go far. After all, I wouldn¡¯t separate the Saintess from her guard.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ sure.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Sirien nodded in approval, though their brow furrowed slightly, as if their mood had worsened.

    I¡¯d have to smooth things over with themter.

    Dersian moved first, and I followed.

    True to his word, Dersian didn¡¯t go far.

    He stopped at a spot where our conversation would be drowned out by the chatter of others but where I could still keep Sirien in sight.

    It was the farthest I could reasonably go as their guard.

    ¡°Is this distance eptable?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Now, please state your business. As you can see, I was in the middle of a meal.¡±

    ¡°First, I must apologize.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    Dersian bowed his head.

    Naturally, he had done nothing that required an apology.

    I couldn¡¯t fathom what had prompted this.

    Fortunately, the exnation soon followed.

    ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t sure at first, but now it¡¯s clear. When we first met, I sensed killing intent from Sir Razen.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    I had debated whether to kill this man when I first saw him.

    But I hadn¡¯t thought I¡¯d let any killing intent slip. Apparently, I had.

    It was nothing more than a fleeting thought, a passing whim.

    Even Sirien hadn¡¯t noticed, yet this man, at his level, had?

    Was this heightened awareness a perk of being a main character?

    ¡°I wondered why. After all, it was our first meeting. It didn¡¯t seem like you had any personal grudge against my family.¡±

    ¡°No, I hold no personal feelings.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I was curious why someone who helped me at the forefront would act this way. But I just figured it out moments ago.¡±

    Dersian had a look of sudden realization earlier, and this must have been it.

    It had piqued my curiosity at the time, and now I was about to find out.

    Though not maniptive, his thoughts were impossible to predict.

    At that moment, I came to a realization of my own:

    This man is the same type as Baron Esquente.

    The type whose thoughts zigzag unpredictably.

    Was it because he was more mature in the original story that I hadn¡¯t noticed before?

    ¡°So, what conclusion did youe to?¡±

    ¡°Well, I tend to get close to people without hesitation, which often leads to misunderstandings.¡±

    No need to ask what kind of misunderstandings.

    Even as he awkwardly scratched his head, Dersian continued.

    ¡°Especially with women. I¡¯m frequently misunderstood as making advances, even when it¡¯s not my intent.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    I stared nkly at Dersian¡¯s face.

    The kind of face you¡¯d find in a romanceic¡ªa perfect prince.

    Judging by the reactions of the female staff and basically every woman on Earth, it was easy to see how his looks alone could cause misunderstandings.

    ¡°So you¡¯re here to exin to me that you weren¡¯t flirting with the Saintess?¡±

    ¡°Exactly! I have no intention of interfering in your rtionship. I¡¯m not that kind of person. Whew, I feel relieved now that the misunderstanding is cleared up.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡±

    No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn¡¯t figure out a way to exin,

    ¡®Actually, I debated killing you because you¡¯re a future enemy.¡¯

    It was better to leave him with the misunderstanding.

    ¡°But was it really that obvious we¡¯re together? I don¡¯t recall mentioning it.¡±

    ¡°At first, I wasn¡¯t sure, but the way the Saintess looks at you¡ªit¡¯s unmistakable. Unless someone¡¯spletely oblivious, they¡¯d notice.¡±

    ¡°Is that¡­ so?¡±

    Dersian truly had a great personality.

    To put it kindly, he was optimistic; to put it less kindly, hecked a sense of personal boundaries.

    Now that he believed the misunderstanding was cleared, it seemed he thought we¡¯d be friends.

    ¡°I was deeply impressed watching you face the monsters earlier. Your skills are so exceptional that I¡¯m surprised your name isn¡¯t well-known in the capital.¡±

    Well, that was because Sirien and Baron Esquente had tightly controlled the flow of information.

    It wouldn¡¯t do for our names to reach Count Roxen.

    Since we were so young back then, few nobles knew of us.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    We hadn¡¯t gone so far as to use aliases, but we certainly didn¡¯t want our names spreading in the capital.

    I gave Dersian a suitably vague excuse and asked him not to casually mention my name in the city.

    ¡°Understood. I owe both of you my life, after all.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Then, can I consider your business here concluded?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ actually, I do have one more thing to ask.¡±

    ¡°Go on.¡±

    Dersian scratched his head again.

    In the original story, this was described as his habit whenever he had to say something difficult.

    Though his thoughts were hard to predict, his emotions were easy to read¡ªthey always showed inly on his face.

    Which only made my feelings moreplicated.

    Why does he act like a romanceic protagonist experiencing his first love in front of me?

    The difort in my chest made me want to run away from this conversation.

    ¡°I heard you¡¯ve known Isha-nim the longest here. Ah, excluding Sir Russell, of course.¡±

    This guy even added the honorific ¡°-nim¡± to amoner¡¯s name?

    Whatever. It wasn¡¯t an incorrect statement.

    I hadn¡¯t known Isha for very long, but within this group, I¡¯d been around her the longest¡ªby a matter of days.

    ¡°It¡¯s not as long as you might think. But why are you asking about Isha?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Dersian coughed awkwardly. ¡°This is embarrassing to ask, but¡­ does Miss Isha have someone special in her life?¡±

    ¡°¡­By someone special, do you mean in the romantic sense?¡±

    ¡°Yes, exactly.¡±

    My mind went nk.

    So, what Dersian was asking me was whether Isha had a lover.

    Aren¡¯t you two supposed to hate each other?

    Shouldn¡¯t there be some kind of instinctive hostility bubbling up between you two?

    In the original story, you were at each other¡¯s throats the moment you met!

    ¡°As far as I know, she doesn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great to hear!¡±

    The confusion in my head only deepened.

    Now Dersian, full of excitement, began to gush about Isha.

    ¡°This is such a relief! I¡¯ve met many women before, but I¡¯ve never felt my heart race like this. It must be fate. I can¡¯t get her emerald-green eyes out of my head!¡±

    ¡°¡­So, you¡¯re saying it was love at first sight?¡±

    ¡°Love at first sight? There¡¯s no better way to describe it.¡±

    The world truly was an unpredictable ce.

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 Chapter 72: Northern Mountain (5)

    <b>Chapter 72: Northern Mountain (5)</b>

    When you think about it, Dersian alwayspared his opponents to Isha whenever he faced a formidable enemy.

    ¡°This one¡¯s slower than Isha,¡± or, ¡°This one¡¯s more manageablepared to Isha.¡±

    It never struck me as odd. After all, Isha¡¯s strength was described as extraordinary in the story.

    Even Dersian, who defeated Isha, admitted it was pure chance and suggested he was still inferior to her.

    Among all the swordsmen¡ªexcept me¡ªIsha was often regarded the highest.

    So, I just assumed that Dersian¡¯s image of a ¡°formidable opponent¡± had naturally solidified around Isha.

    After all, he was part of the reverse harem surrounding the heroine, Elise. It was only natural to think he would like Elise.

    Well, what can I say now that he¡¯s made his feelings clear?The words ¡°love at first sight¡± and the raw emotions written across his face¡­

    It seemed that all those mentions of Isha in the original story weren¡¯t just about her strength.

    Come to think of it, for someone who appeared so early in the story, it took Dersian quite a while to be romantically entangled with the heroine.

    ¡°I heard it while teaching her swordsmanship¡ªapparently, she enjoys baking. It¡¯s been a hobby of hers since childhood.¡±

    ¡°Baking... I see. I¡¯d like to try it myself someday.¡±

    Feeling a little sorry for him, I tried tofort him somehow.

    If Dersian really did fall for Isha at first sight in the original story, then his life must have been quite tragic.

    To think, his first love was an assassin who tried to kill him.

    To survive, he had to cut her down. And in the end, Isha died in the torture chambers of the Inquisition.

    Just as he came to terms with his feelings, his second love was snatched away by the Crown Prince.

    In the epilogue, when the heroine was married, Dersian departed to train and be stronger.

    Now, I think I understand what that ¡°training¡± really meant.

    Well, behind every happy ending, there are stories like this.

    Especially for those who lose in the game of love, bitterness is inevitable.

    Dersian bowed his head to me again.

    ¡°Thank you so much, Sir Razen. I¡¯ll be relying on you in the future as well!¡±

    ¡°...But don¡¯te too often.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    It didn¡¯t seem like he understood.

    In any case, as soon as the conversation ended, I returned to my seat.

    Waiting for me was Sirien, her cheeks puffed out in what could only be described as a sulk.

    My beloved had a knack for adding to my worries with just a few words.

    ¡°Razen cheated on me.¡±

    ¡°What? Where did thate from? I was right beside you and just had a quick chat.¡±

    ¡°I saw everything. That person lookedpletely smitten with you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s... that¡¯s an awful misunderstanding. I don¡¯t even want to imagine it.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. Really? Well, hurry up and sit next to me.¡±

    ¡°I let my guard down. I never thought even men would start going after you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what¡¯s happening. I already exined.¡±

    Sirien rubbed her face against my chest.

    Her soft, squishy cheeks left a warm trace behind.

    ¡°That was truly shocking. I thought only women would covet you.¡±

    ¡°Such misunderstandings only make things harder for me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not prejudiced.¡±

    ¡°Would it be so bad to have just a little?¡±

    ¡°Who knows. Just reassure me quickly.¡±

    When I nced at her face, I noticed the corners of her lips curving into a faint smile.

    Fortunately, her words seemed to be a joke, and she just wanted to stay close to me.

    Sirien nced around briefly before shifting to sit on myp.

    Naturally, my arms wrapped around her waist.

    Even though someone passing by might see us, she was unusually bold in situations like this.

    I couldn¡¯t figure out her standards. Was it okay as long as no one was looking at the moment?

    But if someone did see, she¡¯d probably be mortified.

    ¡°Alright, alright. You¡¯re the only one for me. Where would a knight go, leaving their liege behind?¡±

    ¡°Hehe, exactly. Rub my stomach for me. I think something I ate isn¡¯t sitting well. Mmh, like that.¡±

    ¡°Some people nibble ears in moments like this. Should I try that too?¡±

    ¡°Th-That¡¯s off-limits!¡±

    Sirien whipped her head away.

    It was fine to ask me to rub her belly, but the idea of my lips touching her ear was too much?

    The whims of a woman¡¯s heart were truly baffling.

    ¡°To be honest... I¡¯m a little scared.¡±

    ¡°Scared of what?¡±

    ¡°When we go to the capital, someone who knows us might see us. Maybe even Count Roxen. If I run into him, will I be able to stay calm?¡±

    Sirien¡¯s voice trembled slightly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    The Sirien I knew grew colder when she was angry.

    The day we lost Terion and Henna, we bottled up our volcanic rage and whispered of revenge in a low, steady tone.

    It¡¯s me who needs to be careful about letting emotions ruin things.

    Even today, Dersian noticed the killing intent I¡¯d been holding back.

    But for now, it was more important tofort Sirien.

    I pulled her delicate frame closer to mine.

    I knew how to console Sirien. After all, I was the one who alwaysforted her when she cried loudly in the castle.

    From long ago, Sirien had always foundfort in my warmth.

    Whenever I held her hand or patted her back and whispered reassurances, she would quickly calm down and stop crying.

    Though she wasn¡¯t crying now, the soothing effect would be the same.

    ¡°It¡¯s already been four years. We¡¯ve spent over four years preparing to finish this so Roxen won¡¯t have any chance to intervene. Your revenge will be wless.¡±

    ¡°What if I make a mistake?¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll handle it somehow. I promised to help, didn¡¯t I? From the moment we were at that cabin.¡±

    We were always two halves of a whole.

    If I made a mistake, Sirien would cover for me, and I would do the same for her.

    That¡¯s how it had always been.

    <b>*****</b>

    Our procession headed toward the capital without any issues.

    We had finally left the wretched Northern Mountains behind, and it seemed we¡¯d reach the capital in a day or two.

    With some leeway in our journey, neither Sirien nor I were assigned guard duty today.

    It gave us time to rx together inside thefort of a carriage.

    Sirien seemed intent on using this opportunity to discuss our ns for the capital.

    The conclusion Sirien and I reached regarding our situation was simple and straightforward:

    Wecked sufficient evidence and power.

    ¡°Listen. There are two ways we can bring down Count Eloran.¡±

    Inside the rattling carriage, Sirien began sketching on a small piece of paper.

    She drew scales, representing the Imperial Court, and an eagle, symbolizing the Royal Family.

    ¡°One is the Imperial Court. The other is an imperial decree, right?¡±

    ¡°Correct. If it¡¯s just circumstantial evidence, it¡¯s already enough. Even if we took it to a fair court, we¡¯d have a good chance of winning, and the Emperor isn¡¯t foolish¡ªhe likely suspects the count¡¯s betrayal.¡±

    ¡°I thought court battles weren¡¯t an option.¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t. The Imperial Court is corrupt. If I stood at the forefront, it might be possible, but it¡¯s too dangerous for now.¡±

    Sirien drew a bold X over the scales.

    A court so corrupt that a duchess would openly call it rotten¡ªthis empire was hopelessly broken.

    In contrast, she circled the eagle.

    ¡°So an imperial decree would be the cleanest option?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The problem is the Emperor.¡±

    Politics isn¡¯t about truth or justice alone.

    This was especially true in an ancient empire like this one.

    The tangled web of vested interests had rusted the empire in every corner.

    ¡°Think from the Emperor¡¯s perspective. What does he stand to gain by following our n?¡±

    ¡°Baron Esquente and the vacant position of Count Eloran?¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t appeal to him much. Outwardly, the marquis isn¡¯t loyal to either the Emperor or the other nobles. That vacant position would have to be split between the two sides.¡±

    The House of Eloran was a prestigious family with deep roots in the empire.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Naturally, they held considerable influence in central politics.

    Their value couldn¡¯tpare to a mere frontier garrisonmander, especially one like Baron Isquente, who came frommon stock.

    ¡°What if the Emperor quietly removed Baron Isquente and ckmailed the count with his weaknesses?¡±

    ¡°Then he¡¯d gain a strong and obedient dog.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why we can¡¯t approach the Emperor directly right now.¡±

    Sirien added a triangle over the circle.

    She drew an arrow from the circle to a new symbol¡ªantern, representing the Hibras Church.

    ¡°But we can buy ourselves some time. We¡¯ll ask the Emperor to officially recognize the Hebras Church within the empire.¡±

    ¡°What would that change?¡±

    ¡°The royal family would send officials to our temple. That would keep Count Eloran in check for a while.¡±

    ¡°Is that why we need to go to the capital as well?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s part of it, but¡­ there¡¯s one more reason.¡±

    Sirien reached for my hand and pulled me closer.

    ¡°We need undeniable proof. Something so incriminating that the Emperor won¡¯t be able to cover it up. We¡¯ll make the incident explode in a way that no one can ignore.¡±

    As she leaned in, Sirien¡¯s fingertip yfully tapped my lips.

    Her mischievous smile was close¡ªso close I could feel her breath.

    ¡°What do people need tomunicate?¡±

    ¡°Words¡­ or letters, if not that.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. For secret conversations, they need to meet in person even more.¡±

    ¡°So there must be a messenger. Are they operating in the capital right now?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the luck you¡¯ve uncovered. It¡¯s information only Russell knew.¡±

    Sirien finally pressed her lips to mine.

    It was a light kiss, yet the warmth of her breath seemed to linger on my face.

    ¡°This is your reward. Thanks to you, everything¡¯s going more smoothly.¡±

    Sirien¡¯s radiant smile was, as always, the most beautiful thing in the world.

    [TL: Join Patreon to<b>support the trantion</b>and to<b>read up to</b><b>4 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I Became a Childhood Friend With the Viinous Saintess</b><b>"</b>and<b>5 chapters ahead</b>of the release of<b>"</b><b>I identally Created a Viinous Organization</b><b>"</b>:/Jade43]

 Chapter 73: The Imperial Capital, Edelmarion (1)

    <b>Chapter 73: The Imperial Capital, Edelmarion (1)</b>

    Once we passed through the northern mountain range, a peaceful journey ensued.

    There were no monster attacks, nor was this region infested with bandits.

    No matter how decayed the empire might be, it wasn¡¯t rotten enough to neglect the security of the capital¡¯s surroundings.

    By some stroke of luck, we encountered rangers at the mountain¡¯s base.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Though they gave us the kind of look reserved for lunatics when they realized we had crossed the mountains during this season, it was a fair reaction. There was no counterargument to their perfectly reasonable disbelief.

    The rangers, who were monitoring the mountains to ensure no monsters emerged, provided their escort thanks to the authority of Dersian and Baron Esquente.

    One of them, perhaps out of concern, shared some advice about the area.

    ¡°It¡¯s better to take a detour around the mountains during this season. I can see you¡¯re skilled, but the northern mountains are unpredictable right now.¡±¡°There were a lot of them, sure, but not to the degree you¡¯re describing. Even hiring mercenaries from the capital should suffice to travel safely.¡±

    ¡°You were lucky. The situation has changed a lot recently. Justst year around this time, an entire caravan of considerable size was wiped out.¡±

    The rangers, often referred to as the protectors of the Empire¡¯s forests, were an elite force known for their strict discipline and their role in patrolling the mountains and hunting monsters. Their reputation extended across the empire.

    People who live their lives on the battlefield aren¡¯t prone to exaggeration.

    When I asked for more details, they willingly borated.

    ¡°Is there something out there?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There¡¯s a cunning one. It has killed dozens of people that we know of. We¡¯ve found its traces a few times but failed to track it down. We suspect it¡¯s a monster with red feathers, but we¡¯re not certain.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll heed your advice. Escaping the rangers¡¯ pursuit means it¡¯s no ordinary foe.¡±

    ¡°Unless you have a Swordmaster with you, please detour next time.¡±

    ¡°Haha¡­¡±

    The rangers escorted us until Edelmarion came into view.

    Even from afar, the capital was a grand and majestic city that dwarfed the distance.

    The opulent imperial pce was visible even from here, and the temples of various orders lining the river caught the eye with their splendor.

    Seeing in person the scenes that had only been described in the original story was a moving experience.

    The novel¡¯s author had little interest in world-building beyond the characters, so details about the capital were sparse. The settings seemed pped together whenever necessary.

    What a garbage novel.

    ¡°Well then, we¡¯ll be returning to our post.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±

    ¡°Safe travels ahead.¡±

    After the rangers departed, we continued on.

    With well-paved roads ahead, our pace was much faster than in the mountains.

    As a result, we arrived without issue and were now waiting for the inspection to proceed.

    The line was a bit long, leaving us with nothing to do but chat idly.

    ¡°Wow¡­ They weren¡¯t kidding when they said the capital¡¯s walls are so tall they strain your neck just to look up.¡±

    ¡°Right? They really are massive.¡±

    Isha Isha and Sirien shared simr yet different impressions.

    Isha acted like a country girl seeing a city for the first time, while Sirien seemed mildly surprised but otherwise unimpressed.

    My reaction wasn¡¯t much different from Sirien¡¯s.

    The walls of the Grand Duchy of Eilencia were slightly shorter, but not by much.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯d seen such things, so I wasn¡¯t particrly awed.

    Besides, I¡¯d seen far taller structures in my modern life.

    If I tried to recall¡­ Hmm.

    Vague memories of skyscrapers came to mind, but nothing specific. It felt like trying to recall a dream¡ªhazy and indistinct.

    Had it been too long since Ist thought of them?

    ¡°Razen, what are you thinking about? Your expression doesn¡¯t look good.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. More importantly, will this take long?¡±

    ¡°The baron went to check. He said inspections are taking longer than thest time he was here.¡±

    Skyscrapers didn¡¯t matter anyway. I wouldn¡¯t be seeing any in this world.

    What did concern me was the uneasy look on the guards¡¯ faces up ahead.

    At this rate, we wouldn¡¯t make it through the gates before sundown.

    ¡®We¡¯ve got two nobles here, so you¡¯d think they¡¯d expedite things.¡¯

    In this world, status was immensely useful.

    Once Hibras was officially recognized by the Empire, Sirien would likely make good use of her saintly status.

    Though that would also draw the attention of the Empire¡¯s pantheon, potentially branding Hibras as a evil god, as in the original story.

    We stood in line for what felt like hours, shuffling forward step by step.

    Isha Isha was restless, constantly fidgeting.

    Even Sirien, normallyposed, seemed a little irritated by the wait.

    ¡°This is taking too long. Should we send the baron again?¡±

    ¡°No need. If we overstep here, we¡¯ll just cause unnecessary trouble. Let¡¯s wait.¡±

    Dersian responded with his characteristic calmness, but there was a faint edge to his voice.

    Finally, we reached the inspection point.

    The guards meticulously examined every document,paring them to the faces of our group one by one.

    ¡°These are the travelingpanions of Baron Esquente.¡±

    ¡°And what business do you have in Edelmarion?¡±

    The guard¡¯s tone was formal but slightly suspicious.

    Dersian stepped forward and answered with confidence.

    ¡°We are here on behalf of the Grand Duchy of Eilencia. The baron has a letter of introduction for the imperial court.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Please wait while we confirm.¡±

    The guard disappeared into the gatehouse with the letter.

    Momentster, a figure in imperial robes emerged.

    ¡°Baron Esquente, wee back. And these must be your distinguishedpanions.¡±

    The man¡¯s tone was warm, but his eyes lingered on me and Sirien longer than wasfortable.

    ¡°Indeed. They are emissaries from the Grand Duchy.¡±

    ¡°I see. Everything seems to be in order. Please proceed.¡±

    With that, the gates creaked open.

    The city of Edelmarion finally unfolded before us, and even I couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by the view.

    ¡°So this is the heart of the Empire¡­¡± Isha whispered.

    Wide boulevards teeming with people stretched out in all directions.

    Shops lined the streets, their colorful signs advertising everything from exotic spices to thetest magic tools.

    The scent of freshly baked bread mingled with the aroma of roasted meats, creating a strangely nostalgic feeling.

    ¡°Stay close. The capital is bustling, and it¡¯s easy to get lost,¡± Dersian warned.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    But Isha¡¯s Isha excitement was already evident in her darting eyes.

    Sirien, on the other hand, was alert and focused, her gaze scanning the crowd for potential threats.

    As we made our way to the lodging prepared for us, a group of street performers caught our attention.

    A fire-eater was juggling mes while acrobats leaped through rings of fire.

    The crowd erupted in apuse as coins clinked into their collection boxes.

    ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Isha breathed, her eyes wide.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing special. You¡¯ll see much grander performances if we attend a noble banquet,¡± Dersianmented dryly.

    But I couldn¡¯t help but agree with Isha.

    The vibrant atmosphere, the energy of the performers¡ªit was something you couldn¡¯t replicate in the sterile, polished halls of nobility.

    ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving,¡± I said, pulling Isha along before she could get too distracted.

    As we turned a corner, amotion broke out nearby.

    A man in tattered clothes was arguing with a merchant, his voice rising above the din of the crowd.

    ¡°You cheated me! This isn¡¯t worth the price you charged!¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! You agreed to the price. Now leave before I call the guards!¡±

    Sirien¡¯s hand instinctively moved toward her sword, but I stopped her with a nce.

    This wasn¡¯t our business, and drawing attention now wouldn¡¯t do us any favors.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    We continued on, leaving the argument behind.

    But I couldn¡¯t shake the uneasy feeling that the capital, for all its grandeur, hid a darker side beneath the surface.

    By the time we reached our lodging, the sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the city.

    The inn was modest but well-kept, with a warm fire crackling in the hearth and the scent of stew wafting from the kitchen.

    ¡°We¡¯ll rest here for the night and visit the imperial court tomorrow,¡± Dersian announced.

    As we settled in, I couldn¡¯t help but reflect on the day¡¯s events.

    Edelmarion was everything I¡¯d imagined and more, but it also felt¡­ overwhelming.

    For someone like me, thrust into this world with knowledge of whaty ahead, the capital was both a promise and a threat.

    ¡®I need to stay vignt.¡¯

    Tomorrow, the wheels of fate would begin to turn, and there would be no going back.

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