episode_0048

“I knew you would understand… but if you’re getting in the way, there’s nothing I can do.”

A sinister energy seeped out from within Laura’s body like tendrils.

A concentration of dark magic incomparable to that of an ordinary member.

The black mist rising enveloped Laura’s entire body, undulating.

Soon, she lifted her foot.

-Swish!

Her movements were agile, incomparably faster than before.

Abnormal and explosive physical movements, blending magic and dark arts.

She circled Iris like drawing a circle around her.

Moves so swift that they were hard to track with the naked eye. Afterimages formed.

“Not even aware of how rotten the foundation is crumbling! Just living a peaceful life while turning a blind eye, that pig!”

-Shiik!

-Chaeng!

Iris swiftly parried three daggers thrown by Laura in both directions.

Sparks flew as the daggers clashed. They were thrown and caught in such a split second, the aftermath of Iris’s defense.

“As if the slaughter of your family wasn’t enough! Did you really join the ranks just to protect them?”

“I have no desire to converse with monsters who turn human lives into a source of power.”

“…Haha.”

Laura leaped forward.

-Kyaah!

Iris’s honest sword clashed with Laura’s crossed twin daggers.

-Gagak!

The swords locked in a struggle of strength.

The tremendous forces clashed, causing Iris to sink deeply into the ground where she stood.

In that moment, Laura spoke.

“So, in the end, are you no different from them… I had hoped for reconciliation, but it seems inevitable.”

“Think as you wish. I will only act upon what I believe is right.”

“….”

Upon hearing the response, Laura fell silent and distanced herself.

Then, she stepped on the ground.

The pinnacle of the North Swordsmanship.

This attack was meant to end Iris.

Sensing this, Iris adjusted her stance.

A straightforward move typical of the Inner Blade style.

Was she planning to withstand Laura’s attack head-on?

Only the sound of the wind was heard, and in a brief moment of sudden stillness, the two swiftly moved.

Laura leaped.

Iris remained still, moving her arms subtly.

-Shyaaaah!

The outcome was swift.

*Clang!*

As Laura moved back, clutching her wounds, she knelt down, blood trickling from both knees.

“I… can’t… believe…”

Without a sound of groan, she collapsed.

She could no longer speak.

“Phew…”

Iris, composed, nonchalantly sheathed her bloodied sword.

Unlike Laura, who was a mess, not a single labored breath escaped Iris.

Cyan couldn’t help but admire Iris’s strength once again.

Two identical swordmasters, yet the difference was striking.

If Iris had to face not Laura, but Cyan…

Just imagining it made his spine tingle.

Iris walked over to Cyan, who was lying on the ground, sheathing her sword.

“….”

“Are you… alright, Iris?”

Iris silently took Cyan’s hand as he lay there.

A faint blue light appeared where their hands met.

“….!”

Cyan felt magic circulating rapidly.

It felt like his body was getting lighter, aiding in the recovery of his magic.

“Thank you…”

“….”

“…? Iris?”

Even after the magic treatment, Iris continued holding Cyan’s hand.

Cyan wondered if there was a reason behind it, but no further changes seemed to occur.

Just as Cyan was about to voice his confusion, Iris let go of his hand and spoke.

“It’s been a while since I’ve done something other than mundane tasks.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s nothing. But, Grandmaster, have you been chosen?”

Cyan didn’t quite grasp Iris’s abstract question.

Chosen… what did she mean?

As Si-an continued to gaze at Iris in puzzlement, Iris pointed to a certain spot with her finger and spoke.

It was the Magic Stone Sword.

“It means you have been chosen by the Holy Sword.”

“The Holy Sword…? That’s not the Holy Sword.”

“…Not?”

Iris shook her head.

Approaching the Magic Stone Sword lying on the ground after recovering, Si-an picked it up and showed it to Iris.

“It’s the Magic Stone Sword. I had it crafted from a magic stone I found in the Labyrinth.”

“Magic stone…?”

“More importantly, now is not the time for this. Iris. My comrade is in danger…! Did you happen to see a woman left behind in the underground waterway?!”

“……”

Iris couldn’t find her words.

She too had followed the trail to the underground waterway.

In the process, she could see a woman lying there.

A woman lying forward with a sword in hand.

Naturally, Iris checked her pulse.

But….

“The woman with white hair… Was she a comrade of the Master?”

“-Did you see her?! How is she?!”

Iris hesitated for a moment before telling Si-an, “It would be best for you to see for yourself.”

In the dark and damp space, only the sound of water trickling from the central canal could be heard.

Amidst that, there was a stillness.

Si-an couldn’t say anything, his fist clenched tightly.

…A woman with snow-white hair lay fallen, still holding onto her sword.

From her appearance of not letting go of the sword until the end, one could glimpse the determination of a knight.

The end….

Yes, it was the end.

“Emil….”

Given the amount of blood she had shed, it was obvious she wouldn’t survive.

Indeed, she wasn’t breathing, and her skin was pale.

But she clung tightly to the idea of protecting someone.

Si-an lifted Emil’s body and headed towards the exit of the underground waterway.

Iris simply followed silently, offering no words of comfort.

***

“Thank you for saving us, Iris.”

After escaping the turmoil.

Handing over Emil’s body and Rozaria to the safe Imperial Knights.

Thinking that everything had been taken care of, I reunited with Iris after a long time.

The current time was the beginning of the night when the moon was just rising.

This was a tavern in a village located at the edge of the Liana Empire.

It was an upscale establishment serving food that paired well with wine, and thankfully, Iris footed the bill.

“I should be the one paying… Is it okay for me to freeload like this?”

“What money does a student have to speak of. It’s on me.”

On me.

At the familiar jest, a chuckle escaped naturally.

Even when Iris was teaching me at the Academy, she often made light jokes like this.

It hadn’t been that long since I entered the Academy, but it felt nostalgic somehow.

It was when Iris took a sip from her wine glass.

“Iris. I must ask now… What led you to come and rescue us?”

Upon hearing that, Iris set down her glass and said, “I received a request.”

“A request?”

“Yes. It seems even the palace was in a hurry as they sent me a letter. It was a rough request to investigate and rescue the princess who had been kidnapped.”

“Ah….”

Perhaps a Swordmaster near the Empire had been requested by the palace because Iris was the only one available.

Iris is currently in charge of tutoring my older sister Sara.

Therefore, our ability to move around is limited while we attend the Academy.

It might have been a fortunate coincidence.

If Iris hadn’t been able to make it due to being far away, what would have happened….

The situation escalated to the worst-case scenario, and I couldn’t finish off Laura by a hair’s breadth.

Emil suffered, and Rozaria was still unconscious.

Imagining a situation where Iris wasn’t there was chilling.

While pondering these thoughts, Iris said to me, “I never imagined I would encounter an old friend turned traitor there.”

“May I ask about the circumstances between you and Laura?”

Laura strangely fixated on Rosaria.

In the midst of that, she seemed to know Iris.

…Iris casually swirled her glass.

The wine swirled in circles.

Iris, staring intently at it, finally spoke.

“Do you know that I come from a family with no lineage?”

“I had a rough idea.”

Iris is just a name without a surname.

Therefore, it was easy to deduce that she was not of noble descent.

“I grew up in an orphanage. Laura and I grew up together there.”

“…Ah.”

“When the Fourth Princess turned five, the Emperor granted her the title of governor of the empire’s border territory… It was the territory of the orphanage where I lived.”

After that, Iris continued to recount the past for quite some time.

In summary, the youngest Fourth Princess feared power struggles and conflicts with her siblings as they grew in influence.

As a result of her indifference, those in charge of the territory failed to prevent widespread corruption.

Upper officials openly began trafficking drugs, engaging in illegal activities, leading to a deterioration in security within the territory.

The orphanage, at some point, stopped receiving proper support from the state due to severe financial difficulties and eventually fell into ruin.

…The outcome was as expected.

Now adults, Laura and Iris went their separate ways.

It is said that the children of the orphanage and the director met a dismal end.

“Laura was particularly fond of the orphanage. She truly considered them family and devoted herself to them.”

“…Aren’t you resentful towards Rosaria?”

Laura detested Rosaria profoundly.

While not to the extent of Laura, Iris too could harbor resentment towards Rosaria, who had made the orphanage what it was.

“Of course, I resent her. However… the unfortunate fate of the orphanage’s family was largely due to those who took advantage of the territory. While they turned a blind eye… how can one hold a grudge against a girl who just turned five? I haven’t fallen so far as to join hands with evil for revenge against such a girl.”

Iris smiled weakly, tinged with resignation.

Much could be gleaned from her expression.

Having grown up in the orphanage, becoming a swordmaster, she must have faced numerous trials and tribulations.

The sorrow of losing family, something I too have experienced when losing a younger sister, but beyond that… hardships unimaginable to me.

Moreover, due to the commission, Iris must have also been tormented by meeting her old friend Laura in this manner.

Feeling heavy-hearted, I sincerely spoke to her.

“…You’ve been through a lot.”

“Sigh, are you trying to comfort me now?”

At that moment, Iris lightened the mood.

Her calm, doll-like face returned.

“Let’s stop with the heavy talk for now. More importantly, you’ve changed a lot. Confucius. You’ve actually kept your promise to lose all that weight.”

“Yes… It doesn’t seem like much of an achievement.”

“No, it is. Isn’t it proof of your consistency? As your teacher, I am truly proud.”

“……”

Teacher…

Does Iris consider me her student?

I only spent a few weeks learning swordsmanship due to the academy’s start date… In reality, it could be said that she merely gave me a few lessons… Yet, her consideration unexpectedly touched my heart.

“Just to mention, I don’t take just anyone as my student.”

“I understand.”

“Haha…”

Iris tilted the glass on the table again.

I raised my glass as well.

Mine contained milk.

Whether she was treating me like a child… In this world, it seems that even at my age, drinking alcohol is allowed.

It was still early for her to order milk.

-Thud.

Iris placed a glass on the table.

Her face seemed slightly flushed, whether from drunkenness or something else.

While I had only a few sips of milk, she had consumed over ten glasses of wine.

Unless you were a seasoned drinker, getting drunk was inevitable.

In that state, Iris spoke to me.

“Master.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s hug once.”

“…Pardon?”

Her request seemed a bit strange, so I asked in return.

For a moment, I thought she might be joking, but she sat there with her arms outstretched.

It was a gesture for a hug.

“Um…”

“What’s the matter? Are you defying your teacher’s words?”

“No, it’s just that…”

Unable to follow the situation, I could only stare wide-eyed as if an earthquake had struck.