Chapter 23: I Became a Swordsman in the Middle Ages

Long Business Trip (1)

Cecilia metaphorically put Jerriway through a washing machine and ran it half a dozen times to clean him up thoroughly.

“D-Do we really need to go this far?”

“We need records that show you went to the temple to pray every day, wracked with guilt. So repent.”

“But... would the Goddess even listen to the prayers of an alcoholic knight?”

“She’s probably a drunkard herself.”

“…Of all places, you had to blaspheme in the temple. Damn, why didn’t I think of that?”

The high-performance temple-washing-machine did stretch Jerriway out a bit, but it completed its job splendidly.

They had successfully reduced his charges.

Next, by appealing to Jerriway’s contributions and internal evaluations from the order, they managed to reduce his sentence as much as possible. After all, corruption alone was already a serious crime.

As a result, Jerriway’s punishment was reduced to a 20-month pay cut, considered under extenuating circumstances.

But they couldn’t end it there.

After all, someone had leaked information to the demons.

She needed to tie up loose ends. Someone else had to take the fall for Jerriway's crimes—to make the story plausible, to keep things tidy.

Yet, not even Cecilia was willing to sacrifice an innocent noble for that. So she turned to someone who would probably know best.

“You want a profile on a noble who’s guilty enough that no one would be surprised if he died today?”

“Yes.”

“That’s not a difficult request.”

Naturally, she went to Edward. But he ended up naming like 10 people, which made Cecilia feel awkward.

Still, she chose the most despicable noble according to her standards and led five Windsor knights to go pay him a visit.

He was a total human garbage pile—child sexual assaulter, serial murderer by habit, and embezzler for good measure.

“Do you know who I am, how dare you—!”

“Charges: High treason and collusion with demons. Count Hendel Marqueon is hereby sentenced to execution.”

Cecilia delivered the sentence emotionlessly. The Windsor knights quickly eliminated the guards protecting the count.

The knights who had been lounging in the count’s peaceful courtyard were no match for an order that fought beings beyond human.

And so, even Count Marqueon’s stiff knees eventually buckled. He even wet himself.

“No! No! I swear on the Goddess, I’ve never done anything like that!”

“I know.”

“W-What?”

“But you did have a hand in the illegal slave trade. I heard about your preferences—how you like little kids.”

Marqueon denied everything to the end—even the crimes he actually did commit. Cecilia sighed and grabbed him by the collar.

When he met her silver eyes, void of all emotion, he turned pale as death.

“Just accept it.”

“It’s not such a bad ending for someone like you, isn’t it?”

“You’re a mere petty criminal, but now you get to go down in history as a traitor to the nation.”

The Marqueon family fell that day.

The nobles who had loudly demanded the disbandment of the Windsor Knight Order until just yesterday suddenly went silent as if they had swallowed honey.

Because they feared they might be the next target of Windsor’s blade.

Marqueon was notoriously evil even among the nobility. But because of his wealth and power, no one had dared touch him.

Now, seeing such a prestigious family fall in just half a day—they would remain meaningfully silent for a while.

Exactly as Cecilia had wanted.

***

“...This concludes the investigation.”

Kairon clasped his hands together after hearing the full report.

“Perfect.”

He glanced at the paperwork.

“The report, the procedures of correcting the issue—no flaws.”

“Thank you.”

“That’s exactly the problem. It’s too flawless. As if you deliberately wanted to make it appear that way.”

“It’s part of my duty.”

Kairon took in the sight of Cecilia. Her uniform was as pristine and unwrinkled as her character. Her firm gaze, unshakable. Yet still, beneath it all—undeniable warmth, and a ponytail.

Something unpleasant happened yesterday, he thought.

With how long he’d known her, Kairon understood Cecilia more than she realized. That she always tied her hair up when she needed a change of pace. That when she had something to hide, she’d glance off at a diagonal angle.

“Are you hiding something again?”

“…”

A faint shift fell over Cecilia’s hair.

“You wouldn’t answer even if I asked, would you?”

“…No.”

“Then just one question.”

“Yes?”

“The direction you’re heading in—does it benefit the Windsor Knight Order?”

Cecilia answered without hesitation.

“Yes.”

“Then that’s enough. You’re dismissed.”

“Thank you.”

With a swift swish, Cecilia exited the commander's office.

Kairon leaned back deeply into his chair, reflecting.

She was a competent subordinate—and a daughter with many secrets.

But he always let it go, because whenever she did hide something, it always ended up helping the Order in the end.

‘Edward… what about you?’

The vice-commander clearly had an agenda.

He didn’t easily reveal his thoughts, but didn’t fully conceal them either.

At first glance, he seemed similar to Cecilia… but something about him felt off.

‘Does your sword truly serve this kingdom?’

Kairon genuinely wondered.

***

“So the girl… really did all that.”

“Yes. She’s quite... no, she’s very thorough.”

Sword Saint Ertherion narrowed his eyes, reading the letter from Cecilia.

[Technically, punishing Jerriway would have been the right course of action. But I prioritized Her Majesty’s command to maintain trust among the nobility. However, if this displeases you, I will correct it.]

“I’ve seen many ways to get rid of inconvenient nobles, but using a royal command this way... that’s a first.”

“Hmph. Nothing builds trust quite like fear. That child’s not wrong.”

Queen Lydia splashed playfully in the bath as she spoke.

“Losing Jerriway would be a waste. He’s nothing compared to Count Marqueon. I think she made the right call.”

Ertherion sighed, watching the Queen soaking in a half-bath while dressed in a maid outfit. If he questioned it, she’d always grin and say, ‘I can’t very well show myself naked in front of you, can I?’ A fair point, he supposed, but… why a maid outfit, of all things?

Her tastes were as eccentric as ever.

He returned to the topic at hand, pondering aloud.

“She could’ve just kept it hidden. How did she even know we were watching her?”

“Maybe your sword’s gotten dull? It has been a while since you were on the battlefield.”

Ertherion flared up immediately.

“Even so, I’m not so rusty that I’d be outmaneuvered by a junior!”

“Oh my, I was just joking, but did that hit a nerve? Are you feeling a little competitive with your ‘far junior’?”

“……”

Ertherion clamped his mouth shut. He didn’t want to admit he was a little bitter that she reached the rank of Sword Demon at a younger age than him.

“Don’t worry. She’ll still take longer than you to reach Sword Sovereign.”

The Queen, as always, had a way of hitting where it hurt.

Scratching his head, Ertherion muttered,

“Still… it is concerning. She’s only 16 and already this skilled in scheming.”

“Mhm. She could go into politics. A brilliant future ahead of her.”

“This isn’t something to brush off so lightly. If I were her political rival, I’d be lying awake trembling every night.”

“Don't you like Cecilia?”

Ertherion shot Lydia a look that said you know that’s not what I meant.

The Queen, generous enough not to punish her knight for daring to glare at her, instead pretended to tremble in fear.

Ertherion sighed—he’d lost count how many times.

“What I’m saying is... even if she stays still, others won’t leave her alone. Should we bring her in for some formal training?”

“Kairon is both an excellent mentor and a father. I trust him.”

“Maybe because she’s a late child, he’s too doting and indulgent. It’s plain as day.”

Queen Lydia rested her chin on her hand, eyes twinkling with interest.

“This is the first time I’ve seen you care so much about someone else like this. Worried she’ll go astray, like someone we know?”

Ertherion remained silent. Edward—once his pupil—came to mind.

Better to be honest. A lie wouldn’t work in front of the Queen anyway.

“…Yes. If I’m being honest, I am.”

“Then shall we test her a bit?”

Lydia smiled playfully.

“Let’s see just how far the potential of Sword Princess Cecilia goes.”

Ertherion looked uneasy. He knew that smile—she was planning something again.

“Didn’t the Marquis of Gartane request reinforcements recently?”

Ertherion’s eyes widened.

“Y-Your Majesty, surely you don’t mean…”

“I don’t mean what?”

“…Wouldn’t that be too harsh?”

The western front of the Lianen Kingdom was particularly fierce at the moment.

There were four territories holding that line—Gartane being one of them.

Normally, not all four would be pressed at once, and they’d cover for each other as needed. But this winter, a massive offensive had begun. No one had spare men.

Under such conditions, the Windsor Knight Order would usually step in.

And when reinforcements were requested in this way, it usually meant a large-scale deployment: at least 10 knights, led by someone of Sword Emperor caliber.

And now she expected just the Sword Princess to cover it?

A solo deployment to a battlefield?

“Of course, I know she has some battlefield experience, but even for the Sword Princess, this is too much—”

“Remember?”

Lydia smiled wistfully.

“You said the exact same thing back then.”

“You mean… Prince Edward?”

“My answer is the same as it was then.”

Ertherion’s expression hardened.

A memory from the past surfaced.

— This is a critical juncture. If not now, we’ll never know… whether he’ll become a hero who can one day save this kingdom… no, this world.

Lydia turned away from him then—just as she did now.

“This is a royal command, Sir Ertherion. Go tell Cecilia… to save the embattled territory of Gartane—”

***

Cecilia was all smiles as she made her way toward the Windsor Knight Order’s training grounds.

‘There’s no one left to get in my way now.’

The mission was done, the meddling nobles cleaned up.

All that remained was melting blissfully into the arms of her cute trainee knights.

‘What should I do first?’

Plan A was simple: Raise the trainees’ level enough to recruit them into the order.

She wanted to bring them in right away, but unfortunately, they weren’t quite ready yet.

But that was fine. That’s exactly why she had compiled a 500-page “Newbie Strategy Guide”, especially for times like these.

Packed to the brim with 10 years of distilled knowledge and pro tips from Cecilia herself.

Everything from how to hold a sword to optimal snack schedules for best morale.

“Oh right, before that… I need to get closer to them.”

Yes, today’s goal would be raising their favorability.

She’d take them all to that bakery she’d been eyeing and let them eat to their hearts’ content.

Then she’d apologize for breaking their artifacts the other day… and gift them better ones.

Grateful trainees! Touched trainees! She’d watch with pride and say, “Another round! Today it’s on me!”

……It was supposed to go like that.

“I’m sorry… For the record, I was really against this.”

That was before she received the royal command.

[Welcome aboard the magical engineering train "Guardianz". I’m Oz, your conductor for today, here to take you safely to your destination. I look forward to serving you—please enjoy a comfortable journey.]

Rumble—

“……?”

Cecilia pressed her face against the window, her soft cheek squished flat against the glass.

“????”

The scenery whipped past. The capital growing distant. Her newbies growing even more distant.

“Th-This is weird. Why am I here?”

Unfortunately, no one was there to answer her question.

Thunk—

Her travel suitcase fell over with a lonely thud.

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