Chapter 59: I Became a Swordsman in the Middle Ages

Demon King’s Army Subjugation (4)

Northern Expeditionary Force Camp.

The command tent of the expeditionary force, led by Duke Faust, was enveloped in heavy silence.

“Your Excellency, no matter how we look at it, without the Windsor Knights…”

“Inflicting a devastating blow is impossible.”

“Ugh…”

Faust clutched his head in frustration.

A hesitant adjutant cautiously spoke up.

“Perhaps… an apology…”

“Are you joking?”

Faust shot him a glare, and the adjutant immediately shrank back.

“But… it’s also true that we have no clear alternative, Your Excellency.”

At that moment, the commander of the Mage Division, Nemesis, stepped forward and pointed at a map.

“This is where the Windsor Knights crushed the enemy. Do you see the Rocky Mountains just beyond?”

“Yes. I’ve heard they’re infested with monsters so wild that even the demons can’t control them. And beyond that lies the demon realm itself.”

“Correct. In human terms, that area is what we’d call a ‘natural fortress.’”

In other words, it was a position that didn't need to be defended with troops.

“If you were the enemy commander, would you station your army outside such a location?”

“…”

Of course not.

There was no need to guard it. The mountain range itself acted as a natural barrier against invasion.

Still, some minimal troops would likely be stationed to monitor any enemy’s movements.

“In short, the Windsor Knights' so-called victory is a ‘mirage’.”

“Hah. I hadn’t thought of it that way. So we’ve been dancing after a mirage?”

“Not entirely meaningless, however. Look here, at the outermost flank of the Demon King’s army.”

Nemesis pointed to the farthest edge of the demon army concentrated in the center.

A faint smile played at the corner of his lips.

“In chess terms, that’s where the rook was positioned. And they just snatched the rook from outside the board.”

The captured mid-ranking demon was the rook. In other words, the Windsor Knights had orchestrated their strategy with that goal in mind from the start.

“…So what exactly are you trying to say?”

“Isn’t it incredibly dirty play?”

“?”

Nemesis grinned.

“This isn’t refined strategy, where you anticipate your opponent’s moves. This is tampering with the board from the outside. If they’re about to lose, they’ll just flip the whole table. That’s the kind of despicable player we’re dealing with.”

Yet the corners of his smile didn’t falter.

He seemed to find the situation genuinely amusing.

Faust, on the other hand, was at his limit. That smile looked more like mockery than amusement.

“And how exactly does this lead to ‘we have no better alternative’?”

“In short, she’s the kind of person who won’t rest until she gets what she wants, even if she has to cheat.”

“…What?”

“Just wait, Your Excellency. She will definitely make her move at the right time. And if we act in sync with her, we stand to gain a lot. Isn’t there a saying? Ride the wave while it lasts.”

It was, indeed, a well-known saying.

It was easier to gain merit by jumping on a winning battlefield than fighting a losing one.

A phrase passed quietly between commanders.

But what could be more dishonorable than that?

Just as Faust’s face hardened—

With a commotion, a knight burst into the tent.

“M-My Lord! It’s urgent! The Windsor Knights are advancing toward the front!”

***

"Achoo."

Cecilia sneezed and sniffled.

Beatrice, standing beside her, offered a handkerchief.

“Are you catching a cold, Lady Cecilia?”

“No. This is... Someone’s definitely talking about me.”

‘Probably saying all sorts of pervy things. Damn sexual harassment.’

But Cecilia wasn’t offended. After all, people making inappropriate remarks meant she was that pretty.

“By the way, Lady Cecilia... how far are we going?”

Pretty Beatrice asked in a cute tone.

Her lips were turning blue, probably from the cold.

Cecilia, eyes fixed on the ever-approaching tens of thousands of Demon King’s troops, replied calmly,

“A little further.”

“Umm… this seems a bit too close for a recon mission.”

“Hmm? We’re not scouting. We’re going to fight.”

Beatrice’s brain momentarily short-circuited.

After a long pause, she asked again,

“...Pardon me?”

“Well, I realized we haven’t done any practical training yet. And look, so many demons, just perfect.”

‘These mobs are all grouped up nicely for us. Would be a waste not to take advantage.’

This was what you’d call a golden EXP farming opportunity.

A bit of a shame to hog it all, though—so Cecilia had decided to let Beatrice have it.

‘Seriously, how can someone be this generous, cute, and kind?’

Cecilia pondered deeply.

There really weren’t many superiors who’d go out of their way to help their subordinates level up.

Beatrice must be grateful—

“...What are you doing?”

Beatrice had started to sneak away.

Cecilia’s cold voice froze her in place.

“Desertion is punishable by death, you know. Get back here before I fold you in half and use you as a toilet mat.”

“Uh, I-I just thought I saw something over there… Hehe.”

Beatrice quickly scurried back to Cecilia’s side.

But through the blizzard, the Demon King’s army loomed like a living wall—so massive that its presence stung her skin.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

“I’ll just be the mat…”

Cecilia blinked and glanced down at Beatrice’s chest.

‘At least it’d be soft.’

Still, if she had to have a mat, Cecilia preferred it to be level 99.

She paused, then unbuckled the choker strapped around her thigh.

She fastened it onto the terrified retriever of a girl.

“T-This is… what is this?”

“An artifact.”

“A-An artifact?!”

“Yeah. Cute, right?”

It was from the ‘Maid Thigh Choker Collection’, a perfect fashion item.

Its effect? Doubles skill proficiency gain while equipped.

She had acquired it from the Queen of Succubi.

Originally, its purpose was to double the user's ahem “certain techniques,” but Cecilia, being a seasoned veteran, knew better.

It also doubled combat skill experience.

“And this—”

Cecilia lifted the right side of her skirt just enough to reach the hidden dagger holster.

She undid the strap and personally fastened it around Beatrice’s thigh.

“Y-You were wearing something like this under there…?”

“Yup.”

Equipping hidden sub-weapons on your thigh—an iconic privilege reserved for female characters!

Naturally, Cecilia wasn’t one to miss such stylish power moves.

“This one boosts your ATK. It’s a bit powerful.”

“ATK… boost?”

Artifacts could quiet even crying babies.

Baby Beatrice, who had been on the verge of tears, instantly stopped and looked up, eyes sparkling.

“It increases your attack power. But whatever you do, never draw it. Even a slight cut from this will trigger instant death.”

“I-Instant death?!”

“It’s a mini Muramasa. Just equipping it gives you a bunch of buffs. Let’s see… Courage, immunity to confusion, cursed effect added to all skills… and… umm, there was more, but I forgot.”

Cecilia, now of an age where her memory wasn’t quite what it used to be, shrugged it off.

Anyway, she’d brought it along because the northern region was cold, and now she was glad she had.

“Achoo.”

Cecilia sneezed again. The courage buff had worn off, and the cold hit her even harder than before.

“Thank you! I feel… confident now. It’s like I’ve become Lady Cecilia!”

“Hmm? Oh. Sure.”

Now equipped with the Muramasa, Beatrice looked remarkably more gallant.

She felt like a retriever who had just evolved into a German shepherd…

Suddenly, Beatrice grabbed Cecilia’s wrist and took the lead.

“Let’s go.”

Cecilia, taken aback by this instinctive heroine moment, blushed and followed hesitantly.

But realizing this was no time to be swept away, she blinked and quickly returned to focus.

“Stop right there.”

“Huh?”

Splaaash!

Beatrice looked down.

Something black and slimy—like tar—was writhing at her feet.

Up ahead, in the distance so far that their face was barely visible, a demon waved with a grin.

“Hiccup.”

Beatrice hiccupped as she turned back, startled.

Cecilia calmly explained.

“We’re within the demon army’s casting range. They use magic, so their range is much longer than ours.”

“Y-You should’ve told me that earlier! I almost died!”

Beatrice shouted back without thinking.

Something she would never do under normal circumstances—but the courage buff from the Muramasa was clearly working wonders!

“Hmph. You’re the one who wasn’t paying attention, Betty.”

But Cecilia’s heroine energy was still a level above hers.

Now sweating nervously, Beatrice had to scramble to appease a pouting Cecilia.

Eventually, Cecilia relented and gave her a solution.

“Use your Flash Cut here.”

“But… the distance is too great!”

Cecilia leisurely unsheathed her sword as she spoke.

“Don’t worry. I’ll support you.”

“Yes!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Beatrice placed her hand on her sword and closed her eyes.

‘Visualize striking down the entire demon army in a single slash.’

She calmly formed a vivid image in her mind—

And then released it.

“Issen!”

At the same time, Cecilia shouted toward Beatrice’s Flash Cut:

“Tempest!”

The Sword Aura that Beatrice unleashed in a single, straight line collided with Cecilia’s Tempest and spread far and wide.

BOOOOM—!

The demons struck by Flash Cut were split in half.

The shockwave triggered a raging snowstorm.

“I-I did it!”

Beatrice shouted with a bright smile.

Meanwhile, Cecilia was already sprinting off—

Headed toward the Windsor Knights’ camp.

“...Huh?”

Beatrice turned her head again in a daze.

From beyond the veil of snow, the Demon King’s army—now truly enraged—was charging toward her.

Each one held enormous spheres of condensed mana in their hands.

“W-Wait for me!!”

Beatrice fled, tears streaming behind her.

Even the Muramasa’s courage buff had its limits.

***

And so, the hit-and-run tactic—affectionately dubbed “Smack and Dash”—was repeated over and over.

Beatrice continued the drill every day until she had exhausted all her mana.

Roughly 20 full-power Flash Cut per day.

The effect was immediately apparent.

“Betty, you’re glowing,”

Cecilia commented while brushing her teeth.

A faint golden shimmer was indeed glowing softly around Beatrice’s body.

“Why is this happening…?”

“Is it that time of the month? Sorry, no menstrual leave during wartime.”

“...Please refrain from talking about such things in front of the men.”

Spit.

Cecilia rinsed her mouth and finally explained Beatrice’s condition.

“You evolved. Like Pikachu into Raichu.”

Of course, no one in the Windsor Knights had a single clue what that meant.

Thankfully, the senior knights stepped in to congratulate and explain.

“You worked hard defeating all those demons over the past few days. What you're seeing is your rank rising.”

“My… rank?”

“Well, it varies from person to person, so it’s hard to explain precisely—but in short, Betty, you’ve finally reached the stage where you can wield an ‘Ultimate Technique.’”

“A-An Ultimate Technique?!”

Beatrice gasped in shock.

The senior knight gave a small chuckle.

“Normally, even after reaching this state, it takes 30 years to actually use an Ultimate Technique. Just having the qualifications doesn’t mean you’ve had the enlightenment. Plenty of knights go their whole lives without ever using one.”

“Still, that’s pretty fast timing, huh? You’re around 20?”

“I’m 19.”

“7 years ahead of the curve then. Not unheard of in the Windsor Knights, but still.”

“Even so, it’s a huge achievement. Keep at it. From now on, start forming a rough image of what your Ultimate Technique might look like, and get used to visualizing it regularly.”

“But for now, can you dim that glow a bit? It’s hurting my eyes.”

Roughly 70% of the Windsor Knights could wield Ultimate Techniques.

Even so, most of them remained regular-ranked knights.

After all, using an Ultimate Technique didn’t automatically promote you to a high-ranking knight.

But for now, it was enough to guide Beatrice.

Cecilia smiled in satisfaction.

‘Glad I managed to grow Betty this much within the time limit.’

With the relief of finishing her homework, Cecilia wandered the camp in good spirits.

She was planning out her secret “kill the Demon King early and end it all” route.

That’s when she ran into a suspicious-looking mage.

It was Nemesis, Commander of the Northern 1st Mage Division.

“So… are you finally preparing to move?”

“…”

Cecilia came to a halt.

‘Is this the mastermind villain?’

She eyed Nemesis warily, suspicion flashing in her gaze.

He raised both hands in mock surrender.

“Please, don’t misunderstand. I merely deduced it from the series of operations you’ve conducted so far.”

‘He’s clearly an intelligence-type character…’

Cecilia tensed up.

One slip here and her carefully plotted plan could unravel like a caught fish wriggling free.

“The fact that you’re not denying it only confirms my guess was right.”

Cecilia didn’t quite know what he was talking about—but she nodded slightly anyway.

“…To think it might really be true. I suspected as much, but still… Remarkable.”

“…”

Nemesis looked utterly astonished.

‘What the hell are you even talking about?!’

Cecilia was thoroughly confused.

“This is… frankly terrifying. To possess such overwhelming martial prowess and this level of strategic acumen? I now fully understand why the phrase ‘master of both sword and strategy’ exists—it was clearly made for you, Lady Cecilia. Then, what we must do now is—”

Cecilia was starting to get scared.

Nemesis’s face turned serious.

“It has to be… ‘that’, right?”

“…”

“Ah, no need to confirm. Your silence says it all. I’ll take that as a yes. Looks like things are about to get very busy.”

Nemesis gave a knowing smile.

“Don’t worry. Your grand plan will most certainly come to fruition.”

‘What grand plan?!’

Cecilia was so frustrated that she made a mental note to wear a ponytail when she got back.

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