At least the Sword Saint didn’t try to cut me down with a real blade. Swoosh!
But the annoying part is that his positive aspect isn’t really that positive for me.
No matter what, even if I get sliced by a real sword, I can just rewind time, so it’s just a matter of “it hurts for a moment.” However, since the sword Lucas wields is a sharp blade worthy of a prince, I didn’t feel the pain immediately after being cut. My brain was probably pumping endorphins right after the cut.
Thus, getting “hit and feeling pain” ended up being more or less the same. In a way, this “clubbing” didn’t even trigger endorphins, making it feel even worse.
Moreover, it was the same that I had to send it back after taking a hit.
Unlike Lucas’ sword swings that usually end after one swipe and I dodge it, the Sword Saint’s strikes came at me repeatedly, making it even more of a hassle.
“Hmph.”
In the blink of an eye, the Sword Saint unleashed a series of strikes, making me rewind time a dozen times, while he rested his sword on his shoulder, raising an eyebrow.
“How strange.”
He muttered something I’d heard a few times before.
“You have no talent whatsoever.”
“Talent…?”
Leo, who was listening beside me, murmured in shock, looking confused.
Whack!
“Gah!?”
The Sword Saint hit Leo on the forehead, causing that sound.
“You, who is supposed to be my disciple, can’t even recognize whether someone has talent or not? This kid, in any way you look at it, has no talent. To be honest, right now, your dodging method just looks like you’re going with the flow.”
That was a very accurate assessment. I was just dodging randomly.
I thought I was being as graceful and neat as possible, but in reality, there was no system to my movements at all. Just flailing around without any style.
In that sense, the Sword Saint was clearly superior to Lucas when it came to teaching. Although Lucas might outperform me in sheer fighting ability, he would probably just think “my physical ability” was astonishing by seeing my movements.
…And he probably declared he would cut me down for that reason.
“Who the hell are you—”
“Um, Master.”
When the Sword Saint bluntly referred to me as “you,” Leo, who was standing awkwardly nearby, flinched.
“Hmm? What is it?”
“T-that….”
Leo approached and whispered to the Sword Saint, likely about my identity. More specifically, about “the identity of the Crown Princess.”
Smack!
“Urgh!?”
However, as soon as the Sword Saint heard that, he slapped Leo on the forehead.
“Does it matter if she’s the Crown Princess or whatever? Have you ever thought about why I’ve set up a cabin here on this cliff? I’m fed up with status and politics. At least in here, only swordsmanship determines a person’s worth. So,”
Sword Saint Frederick pointed his sword at me.
“You’re the lowest of the low here.”
Sure, I have an appearance that definitely doesn’t hide femininity, but I wonder why he still refers to me as “you.”
…Thinking about it, calling me “you girl” feels a bit too harsh. Given that he has a somewhat old-fashioned personality, it could be problematic if he gets seen as unlikable.
Of course, Leo’s face, upon hearing me being called “the lowest,” was turning from “white” to “almost blue.”
Honestly speaking, I mean, I am a disciple after all. Even if my master doesn’t remember me.
In that sense, I’m also a fellow disciple with Leo.
“Understood.”
So, well, for the sake of my fellow disciple, I could say this.
“Oh?”
The Sword Saint raised one corner of his mouth, seemingly amused.
“Well, fine. Since you’ve come all the way here to find me and you aren’t using that weapon, you must not be a small fry. I’ll listen to your story.”
And then he pointed to an empty chair as if telling me to sit down.
*
Sitting down, I honestly laid out the reason for my visit.
Of course, I left out the parts related to my abilities or lineage. It wasn’t something I could just reveal right away. I’d probably have to talk about it eventually, but first, I wanted to resolve the immediate situation at hand.
“So, your stepbrother wants to cut your head off, and you want to find his stepbrother?”
“Yes.”
“And you have something you want to discuss with his stepbrother?”
“Yes.”
“You think his stepbrother is likely stronger than me?”
“Indeed.”
“……Do you want to die?”
The Sword Saint asked with a look of disbelief.
Well, I don’t think this is something I should be saying.
Hearing that I’m after someone stronger than him lit a spark of interest on his face, and when I previously said I’d introduce him to Lucas, he immediately took me on as a disciple. If we’re talking about “wanting to die,” he’s the one treating it way too lightly.
It just felt a bit funny when he said that to me.
I didn’t actually laugh, though.
I can read the atmosphere, after all.
“……”
During our conversation, Leo was standing next to the tea set, his face rigid with tension.
When I didn’t respond, a moment of silence enveloped the cabin.
I silently lifted my teacup and took a sip—so long since I’d tasted something that made me frown purely for its taste, I looked up at Leo.
When our eyes met, Leo made a very distressed expression.
The tea Leo gave me… looked different from what I was drinking. Now that I looked at it, the color was pitch black, resembling more of herbal medicine than tea leaves. Maybe it was brewed from the green stuff Sword Saint had tossed into the basket earlier.
“Is there no sugar?”
“Ugh.”
When I made this bold request, the Sword Saint smirked as if in disbelief.
“Are you seriously asking if you can add sugar to medicinal brew?”
“……”
Upon reflection, that wasn’t a great idea.
I placed the teacup down in silence.
Then I spoke to the Sword Saint.
“I have no thought of wanting to die. However, there is something I desperately need to ask.”
I needed to delve deeper into why Lucas chose me. Moreover, if Lucas had been watching the facility from the start, he would know how I ended up getting in there, or at least how I suddenly popped in.
And about Claire’s arrival too.
I might not get to know everything, but for now, Lucas was the only person I could draw information from.
If things go south, I can just rewind time and make it as if it never happened. Then, I wouldn’t die at Lucas’s hands, and while rewinding, I could cancel the embarrassing history of calling Jayden “big brother.”
The image of me happily introducing myself as “his little sister” to the commander while heading towards the battlefield is… something I want to forget at all costs.
“Hmph.”
The Sword Saint, having heard my story, turned to look at Leo.
Leo’s face was tense and taut.
“However, I’m curious why you came to me specifically to find this Lucas.”
Turning his gaze back to me, the Sword Saint leaned slightly forward, tilting his head.
His face clearly showed an interest that surpassed when he had heard about me.
“……Lucas,”
I slowly spoke, hoping to persuade the Sword Saint with my words.
“Before he can deliver his final blow, he will certainly consider you as an intermediary target and seek you out.”
In reality, in the original story, the Sword Saint’s death was much later.
Also, I don’t know if Lucas is currently chasing after me or not.
So expecting him to suddenly show up in front of me in a few days is unreasonable.
But at the very least, I could make it so Lucas could “show up at any time.”
If I hear that Lucas has appeared in front of the Sword Saint, I just need to rewind to a moment before that and pop myself back in front of Sword Saint.
And to accomplish this, it would be ideal for Sword Saint Frederick to come out of hiding and come down from the mountain. The more he’s out and about, the easier he will be to notice, and it would be easier for me to approach him.
If possible, it would be better to bring him closer to the Imperial Capital.
“Oh?”
At my words, the Sword Saint grinned wider than when I first entered the cabin, showing a wicked smile.
“So you think I would consider you more ‘dangerous’ than I?”
“That’s right.”
“You’re so cocky.”
“……”
I stiffened up with tension upon seeing the Sword Saint gripping the hilt of his sword again.
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