Chapter 28: I Became a Swordsman in the Middle Ages

Long Business Trip (6)

"He was the first one I killed."

Without preamble, Marcher Lord Aldred, who had told her he had something to show, began speaking as they walked.

"He was a knight who returned after 5 years."

Cecilia listened silently.

"He was... my son."

“……”

"He acted just like he had really come back. He even appeared on the central steps, of all places. At first, I thought I was hallucinating."

‘…A demon appearing like that out of nowhere?’

Normally, that shouldn't be possible.

Even Cecilia’s Must-Read for Newbies #17: The Demon Encyclopedia didn’t cover anything like that.

Cecilia resolved to start writing the moment she got back.

"But not everyone can make the same choice I did. At first, I tried to hunt them down, to kill them."

Count Aldred came to a stop.

"But it wasn’t easy. And eventually, I realized it was meaningless."

Yet even if he hadn’t stopped, Cecilia already knew this was their destination—

And why he’d brought her here in the dead of night.

"No matter how many times I kill him, he keeps coming back. That demon you killed earlier? He’ll be back at the apple stand by tomorrow."

Inside the underground prison, a single person was imprisoned.

A young man, bearing a clear resemblance to Aldred.

Wearing old clothes, he rushed to the bars as soon as he saw Aldred.

"Father—!"

"…Are you managing alright?"

"How could you do this to me!"

‘No wonder people fall for this.’

Demons don’t usually express emotion.

But this one, his voice was full of bitter resentment.

A son who keeps coming back to life no matter how many times he's killed.

Even knowing it’s a demon, the psychological toll of killing him again and again—

It would crush any human.

"I’ve decided to accept your proposal."

"Really? Truly? Thank you! If only you’d meet Lady Priscilla just once, I’m sure your perspective would change!"

At this point, it felt like he wasn’t mimicking a human—he was a human who had become a demon.

"There’s no need for us to fight the demons! They’re capable of reason, they understand us! If we form a peace pact, no one else has to die!"

"Lie."

But demons will always be demons.

No matter how much they try to hide it, they always slip.

In a flash, Cecilia grabbed the demon by the collar through the bars. Looking down on him with disgust, she muttered:

"You don’t even know what peace is. You’ve never felt it, never wished for it."

The demon’s eyes darted toward Aldred.

"And who is this woman?"

"No need to concern yourself. She’s a newly appointed knight… though she seems to have some prejudices."

Priscilla of Deception, was it?

Cecilia didn’t know who gave her that name, but it was fitting.

She let go of the collar and stepped back.

"Do I need to keep watching this farce?"

"…No, that won’t be necessary."

"Then I’ll take my leave."

"Wait. Just listen to this."

Count Aldred opened the cell.

The terrified demon’s face brightened as he stepped out of the prison.

"Tomorrow at 2 p.m. Tell her immediately. I’ll accept all terms, so let’s talk."

"Yes! Of course!"

The demon ran off with a beaming face.

Count Aldred stood there for a moment before his knees buckled.

Cecilia, who was next to him, caught him.

"Are you alright?"

"…I’m fine. I must’ve shown an ugly side. No matter how many times I see it, I can’t get used to it."

"How many times have you killed him?"

"17. It got hard after 10. I thought I’d become numb to it…"

‘I’ll have to request a few priests be sent once I return to the capital.’

Even after the mission ended, the psychological wounds of this territory wouldn’t simply vanish.

***

Morning came to the territory of Gartane.

Though many of its people lived on false hope, their smiles this morning seemed real—at least for now.

But not everyone looked cheerful.

One such person was Beatrice.

Cecilia had heard "I’m sorry" about 50 times already, and responded with a mouthful of bread,

"It’s fine."

"B-but… I dared question your judgment, Lady Cecilia…"

"Technically, it qualifies as insubordination. But you’re still a trainee."

Beatrice’s lips turned pale.

‘That definitely came off as benevolent leadership just now’, Cecilia thought proudly, pleased with her own grace.

Suddenly, they heard calls outside.

"Lord Aldred has something to say to the townspeople! Please gather quickly in the square!"

Soldiers were running around calling people. As soon as the people of the territory heard the words, they gathered in the square.

It was fast—probably thanks to the frontier nature of the region. In the capital, just getting everyone together might take half a day.

"Beatrice."

"Y-Yes, ma’am!"

For some reason, Beatrice had turned into a fully disciplined soldier overnight.

Cecilia swung her legs lightly from atop a nearby wall and said:

"Upon manifestation, my Wind Shear can drop a target exactly where I choose. The duration is 2 minutes."

‘To defeat a high-ranking demon alone, you'd need to be at least Sword Emperor level.’

Some plausibility was necessary. After all, Cecilia had a duty(?) to protect the honor of her title as Sword Princess, at all cost.

"So when Wind Shear ends, pour all your power into one precise point. Maximum output. Announce that to everyone the moment Wind Shear begins."

Of course, Cecilia planned to kill the demon herself.

But it was important to make it look like a "barely won" victory.

She glanced at Beatrice to see if she understood well.

But the girl looked shocked.

"Why… would you tell me this?"

"It’s a high-ranking demon. A skilled mage who’s successfully infiltrated nearly an entire territory. Odds are, I’ll lose."

"B-But… there’s still a chance you’ll win, right?"

"Even if I succeed in killing it, I’ll likely be critically wounded."

"Then I’ll go with you!" Beatrice blurted out.

"If it’s just a matter of lacking firepower, I can make up for it with my buffs! Please let me into the domain—"

Cecilia gently pressed a finger to Beatrice’s lips.

"Only the living and the dead may exist within Wind Shear. The result is determined the moment the domain ends."

…Well, technically, that was just lore she’d come up with.

‘…A beautiful Sword Princess using an “Ex—calibur”-style ultimate sounds cooler anyway.’ (TL: Intense Saber’s stare in the distance!)

This was the one blemish on Cecilia's otherwise perfect record.

Her ‘true’ Secret Art couldn't be controlled in terms of power output. So, she had planned to fabricate a more manageable "pseudo-ultimate" later to show off as needed.

But then, one day, she encountered a monster far beyond what even the Windsor Knights could handle.

Unwilling to give up her beloved title of Sword Princess even if she died, Cecilia improvised a “veil” technique on the spot and wiped it out.

That impromptu veil was misunderstood as her ultimate move, even mistaken for a domain, and to this day, the tragic legend lives on...

“I’ll kill the demon,” Beatrice said.

“...?” Cecilia blinked.

“That’s why its deception is so powerful, right? If I reduce the number of its minions, you’ll be able to win.”

Beatrice's eyes were wet with tears, but her aura was steely. A fury that mere sorrow couldn’t explain.

‘Huh—?’ Cecilia thought, blinking again.

Why is she suddenly like this...?

“That part’s up to the Lord. You just need to focus on the combat, Beatrice.”

— “Father!”

‘It’s starting.’

Cecilia popped the last of her bread into her mouth and turned toward the square, chewing.

Lord Aldred stood on a platform in the square, townsfolk gathered before him.

A man—his "son"—rushed up and began explaining something to him fervently.

Cecilia could hear the demon's voice perfectly well but intentionally blocked it out.

She just didn’t want to hear a demon speak. They were much more tolerable when silent.

Aldred nodded once and began his speech.

“You’ve all suffered a lot. Because of an incompetent lord, you endured hardships you should never have known.”

He paused, eyes closed briefly, then reopened them.

“Did your dreams bring you joy?”

“To some, they were sons, daughters, parents, or siblings. Those illusions were built on the sacrifice of real people, true heroes who died for the rest of us to lead better life. But...”

Aldred said in a somewhat subdued voice.

“Now, it’s time to wake up from the dream.”

Swish—!

Aldred drew his sword and slashed down the “son” standing beside him.

Even as he died, the boy wore a face of disbelief. Aldred didn’t flinch. He stared right into the false son's eyes as he fell.

“Leave the ties of the past behind. We must move forward. Today, I will end this long nightmare.”

Tears silently streamed down the townspeople's faces.

Guards wearing pitiful faces approached with ropes, offering them to the people.

Some, seeing the watching children, offered them an awkward, brave smile. Others took the ropes in trembling hands and tied them on themselves.

They had been moved by their lord’s heartfelt plea.

“It’s okay, Mom.”

Surprisingly, none of the demons resisted.

Cecilia found herself wondering—

What separates a demon from a human?

If a revenant shares the same memories, the same face, and acts the same way, is it a demon or a human?

To Cecilia, the answer was clear: they were demons, no matter what.

But to the people at least... maybe not.

‘What choice would I have made in their shoes?’

Cecilia hates demons.

She would have killed them the moment they appeared—over and over—until the villagers grew numb to the slaughter.

But now...

She felt like she might understand Lord Gartane a little.

Maybe he was just... deeply sorry.

Sorry for waking the townspeople from their sweet dreams.

Dreams he, himself, likely never got to have.

***

Before issuing the order to march, Count Aldred sought out Cecilia.

“Knight Cecilia.”

“Yes.”

“All preparations are complete.”

“I’m ready as well.”

“Would you like me to transfer command to you? If you wish, I will.”

Cecilia shook her head.

“They would rather hear your orders than mine, my lord.”

“...You’re saying I shouldn’t shy away. Very well.”

Marcher Lord Aldred met Cecilia’s gaze with unwavering conviction.

“I will create the opportunity, even if my body and soul are torn apart in the process.”

Logically speaking, trusting Cecilia would be difficult. The title he knew her by was Sword Princess.

A knight on the level of a Sword Demon could never, under any circumstance, face off against a high-ranking demon. Even if her specialty was AOE techniques, her chances would at most rise from 0% to 10%.

Yet Aldred was putting his complete faith in that slim chance.

So Cecilia decided she would place her trust in him too.

“I will end Priscilla the Deception. That’s my mission.”

“When the Windsor Knights have a mission on the line, they’re scarier than any demon.”

Aldred chuckled. But as soon as he turned away, the laughter vanished from his face.

He walked among his soldiers, stopping at the very front. With a swift motion, he drew his sword and raised it toward the sky.

“All of you—listen well.”

“We end this wretched nightmare today.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Our forces are few. The enemy includes not only a high-ranking demon, but thousands of monsters. And so—”

Creeeeeeak—

The gate of the fortress opened.

Beyond them, monsters could be seen.

The soldiers steeled themselves with resolve.

“Lay down your lives!”

WAAAAAAAH—!

With thunderous battle cries, the forces of Lord Gartane charged forth.

Knights riding on horseback at the front with their lord were perfectly coordinated, as though they had long awaited this very moment.

Their advance was relentless.

Cecilia observed them from atop the keep wall.

“Lady Cecilia.”

“Yes?”

“If I were to cut down all those monsters, would that be even a little help to you?”

Beatrice stood precariously close to the edge of the wall, the wind fluttering her golden hair.

Cecilia answered with a slightly conflicted look.

“Well... yes, it would.”

“Then I’ll give it my all. So please...”

Beatrice leaned forward, body tilting into the wind.

“...make sure to praise me afterward.”

As she dashed away, Cecilia blinked.

That’s adorable—but why does she sound so grim...?

More importantly...

‘...Praise. What should I even say?’

Cecilia found herself genuinely pondering the question.

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