episode_0049

Cozy and warm.

I realized once again that a person’s body temperature is higher than one might think.

Perhaps it was because she had been drinking.

“Right. Kind. Kind.”

“….”

As I held her, she patted my back.

It felt strange to be treated like a child by someone who used to be the same age as me before the possession, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

Being embraced after so long.

Even before the possession, I had lost my parents early, so it might have been a long time.

But why was she acting like this now?

Although I couldn’t quite grasp the situation, all I could do was hold her in response to her words about defying the master.

…Not entirely comfortable, but her modest affection reached me.

Moreover, there was a subtle scent of soap around her neck.

“You’ve done exceptionally well, Gongja-nim.”

In such a moment, Iris spoke to me.

“Regardless of my friend’s situation, you risked your life to save the princess. If it weren’t for you, my request might have failed as well.”

She patted my back again.

Was it because of this intention that she hugged me?

I sensed warmth in her character once again.

It was the same in the Marquisate.

After work, when no one else would talk to me, she would throw light jokes my way.

She made a lot of effort to offer helpful advice.

For some reason, she seemed to care a lot about me.

“You not only worked hard to improve yourself but also didn’t neglect your training. Still, Laura is a Swordmaster. Even if just a little, to inflict harm on such a person… You were remarkable.”

“…You flatter me.”

While overwhelming someone like Laura.

At that time, Iris’s swordsmanship was truly admirable.

Rather than relying on tricks to become stronger, she, a mere resident of this world, could reach such a level…

Compared to my former self, who was a veteran player, she was weaker, but her strength could be ranked at the top level.

Furthermore, unlike when I clashed with Laura back then, Iris had become even stronger through a dark magic that drew power from human lives.

Her ability to effortlessly withstand and counter Laura’s attacks, empowered by such dark magic, was still impressive.

“I could boast about having you as my disciple anywhere.”

“…Iris, I have a question.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Why are you treating me so well like this?”

A question asked while being embraced.

I was genuinely curious.

She is a Swordmaster.

Revered as the pinnacle of all swordsmen, free from the interference of power, and the object of admiration for all swordsmen.

Being a high-ranking nobleman’s son-in-law, that alone was not a reason for her to treat me well.

It didn’t seem like she was originally this kind of character.

In the story, she seemed more cold and indifferent rather than someone who embraces and cares for others.

“Hehe, do you want to know?”

Her tone seemed to contain a slight smile.

“Yes.”

“It’s my own selfishness.”

“…?”

When I looked puzzled, she continued.

“I felt that everyone in my family viewed you, Gongja-nim, with prejudice and disdain.”

Well, that was true.

Before the possession, Si-an seemed to be a reckless vagabond who caused trouble wherever he went.

“I heard they called you the worst troublemaker.”

That was accurate.

“But the Gongja-nim I saw was different. He always quietly did what he had to do and was a completely different person from the rumors.”

“At first, I was skeptical, but it didn’t seem like an act. The Gongja-nim I saw was an honest person. He didn’t yield to rumors and prejudices but always lived diligently.”

“To be honest, it was admirable. I, too, know how painful it is to be seen through the lens of prejudice, coming from the slums. That’s why I’ve worked hard to break free from that and become who I am today.”

“Confucius deserves to be praised. However, no one seems to do so. …Nevertheless, I wanted to become the sole existence for Confucius who continues to move forward despite that. That was my desire.”

“….”

After hearing Iris’s words, one thought came to me.

She cares about me more than I thought… I thought.

Even within biased perspectives, I could persist in my work because I wasn’t a real Xian from the start.

That’s how I’ve always lived.

She might think that I have been receiving such treatment all this time and changed at some point.

…As mentioned earlier, I am different from a real Xian.

That’s why I could stop acting foolishly, and with the knowledge from my old days, I could become stronger than before.

But it was not my place to convey all these facts as they were.

“Are you moved?”

“…Yes.”

So, I deliberately acted moved by her joke.

But the truth is, I am truly grateful for her consideration.

People like her are hard to come by in the entire world.

“If you want to continue learning swordsmanship in the future, please let me know. If you come back after the break, I will gladly teach you.”

“…I will definitely repay your kindness. Thank you very much.”

I expressed my sincere gratitude to her by bowing my head.

Following this conversation, Iris and I continued our small talk, and a few hours later, we parted ways cleanly, anticipating our next meeting.

…Leaving the tavern, I hired a carriage and headed to the academy alone.

When heading towards Dorudem, there were two of us.

The absence of Emil felt lonely on the way back.

It didn’t take long.

Although this place was close to the edge of the empire, it was still within the empire.

It took just a day to reach the Ariel Academy located in the center of the empire.

By the time I arrived, it had been exactly four days since departing Dorudem.

***

“How many days were you away?”

One minute before the morning class.

Sitting at the top of the pyramid-shaped swordsmanship department classroom, Hedie, who was sitting next to me, asked.

It had only been four days, but it felt like I hadn’t seen her in a long time.

“I went to rescue the princess.”

“…What?”

Her eyes widened in surprise.

I had no intention of hiding it from her in the first place.

When I left, the situation was urgent, so I simply informed her that I would be absent for four days.

“Then, does that mean… the recent news about the rescued princess…!”

“I didn’t rescue her. I just went to help after finding out the location of the kidnapping.”

“Why didn’t you tell me properly?! If I had known that, I would have gone with you!”

In an instant, Hedie raised her voice.

At that moment, all the students preparing for class in the room turned to look at Hedie.

But she didn’t care.

She was the type to not care about others’ opinions and reactions.

“…I can’t take a friend to a dangerous place.”

“You can do it, though?! If you found out the location of the kidnapping, you should have left it to the knights! Why are you throwing yourself into danger, you fool!”

“I had a hunch… If there’s something I can do, I should do it.”

“Do you always have to have an answer?!”

“….”

Hedie was in the middle of speaking when a knock sounded at the classroom door.

“…Let’s talk later.”

“….”

Hedie quickly fell silent and looked ahead.

Soon, the door creaked open, and someone entered.

The students in the classroom began to murmur.

“Huh…? Professor of the Magic Department…?”

“Weren’t we supposed to have swordsmanship class now?”

“What about Laura…?”

Do the students still not know about Laura’s death?

Rumors of Laura’s rebellion and death spread quickly in the upper ranks.

The person who entered was Hans, a male professor from the Magic Department.

Standing in the center of the classroom, Hans spoke to us.

“I assume you all were quite surprised since the usual swordsmanship professor isn’t here.”

He continued speaking, and the students focused on him.

“It might be somewhat surprising, but from now on, Lady Laura will not be appearing.”

“…?”

The students suddenly wore expressions of confusion.

“…Due to sudden personal circumstances, Lady Laura has decided to retire from her position as a professor. There will be no reversal of this decision, and she has already returned to her hometown.”

Are they hiding something behind the scenes?

Of course. The news that a national figure like the Swordmaster orchestrated the royal family’s demise was a shocking revelation that had to be kept hidden from the public eye.

It may eventually come to light, but they must convey a fabricated explanation outwardly to avoid causing chaos intentionally.

In other words, the Swordmaster is a national asset.

Each individual’s power can sway the outcome of wars, so even for political reasons, the nation must conceal their life or death status.

Hence, it was an issue that could never be openly discussed that your mentor, Laura, orchestrated the royal family’s downfall and was promptly dealt with on-site.

…As expected, everyone reacted with shock.

Just a few days ago, she had been guiding them with a limited class atmosphere, only to suddenly disappear without a trace back to her hometown.

Whispers spread among the students.

Those who seemed to have particularly trusted and followed her stared at Hans with puzzled expressions.

“That’s why I’m here to deliver this news. At this point, you all must be harboring the same question. What will happen to today’s swordsmanship class?”

It won’t be self-study.

If it were, they would have given prior notice.

They didn’t gather everyone to announce this news.

“The swordsmanship class will proceed. However, with Lady Laura’s absence, the swordsmanship class cannot continue. Therefore, after urgent deliberation, the Academy has invited another professor to teach you going forward.”

True to being the Empire’s top academy, they acted swiftly.

They cannot afford to skip a day of classes….

“Please come in, Professor.”

Hans said, looking beyond the classroom door.

Soon, the sound of footsteps clacking against the floor echoed – clack, clack.

Judging by the sound of the heels, it seemed to be a female professor.

A silhouette appeared from the door shortly after.

‘Oh…?’

I paused momentarily upon seeing her.

“Welcome, students of Ariel Academy’s Swordsmanship Department.”

The students focused their attention on the incoming female professor.

I, too, tried to concentrate but found myself zoning out.

While I was momentarily flustered, the new professor calmly began speaking to us.

“I am from the Brace Principality and have recently been appointed to the Swordsmanship Department upon the invitation of the Liana Empire. I look forward to working with all of you until the end of this semester.”

“She is a Swordmaster just like the former professor, Laura. So, there should be no hindrance to the level of instruction you desire.”

Hans added from the side.

“Once again, she is one of the seven Swordmasters of the Brace Principality…”

As Hans continued speaking, I simply gazed blankly at the newly appointed professor’s face.

“…My name is Iris.”

“I look forward to working with you.”

Iris smiled subtly as she glanced sideways at me from her seat at the top floor.