I Tried To Be Her Loyal Sword

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I fastened the top button of my uniform. In the mirror, I looked excessively stiff, appearing a couple of years older than my actual age, but that was exactly what I was aiming for, making me quite satisfied.

Today, I shouldn’t look youthful.

“Are you ready, sister?”

I heard Aria’s voice from outside the room. I prepared a natural smile while looking at the mirror and then opened the door.

“Yes. Let’s go.”

Upon stepping out and facing Aria, I widened my eyes in surprise.

“…You’re wearing a uniform?”

Her neatly arranged pink bob cut brushed the golden epaulettes that wrapped around her shoulders. Aria was clad in a pristine white uniform. The contrast with my black uniform made it look like we were dressed as a couple.

‘Should we get matching uniforms this fall? A harness instead of a body chain would be nice too.’

‘…No. I want to wear a dress.’

Aria had stuck to her dress style till now. She wasn’t narrow-minded like the aristocrats of the Empire who thought it strange for a woman to wear a uniform, yet she never wore one herself, even when I subtly suggested it.

Whenever I asked her, she just smiled, leaving me with lingering questions in my heart. But today, Aria suddenly appeared in a uniform.

“What’s wrong? Does it not suit me?”

With confidence, she raised her lips in a smile. From that sight, I felt a strange emotion.

Although Aria was clearly mature for her age, she looked weak and young in front of me. Sometimes she acted spoiled to an extent that was hard to believe—after all, she was sixteen this year, yet even considering that age, she seemed very young—acting like a child.

Even though I thought something was odd, I accepted all her spoiled behavior. I knew it was only for me, and to me, Aria would always be a little girl. Her childishness was entirely natural in my eyes.

‘But slowly, things have changed… nowadays, she doesn’t act spoiled at all.’

I suddenly realized this fact. Aria’s change hadn’t happened overnight but had gradually taken place. It was like discovering that a small sprout in the corner of the window had become a tree one day.

Aria’s laughter was no longer innocent. It wasn’t pure or soft either.

Instead, it was clear and confident. It resembled the smile of an authority figure who didn’t need to look pretty or friendly.

That was clearly growth.

“That can’t be. It suits you too well.”

I chuckled softly as I patted Aria’s head. Yet, the strange feeling didn’t vanish.

While I was happy about Aria’s growth, a complicated emotion tangled within me. I couldn’t pinpoint the name of this feeling.

“I’m glad. Then let’s go.”

Holding my hand, Aria pulled me down the stairs. Among our sisters, I had always been the one leading, so it had been a long time since I saw her back like this.

Her back no longer looked narrow.

“You’re here.”

Kal, who had been waiting with a bored expression on a chair in the hallway, stood up upon spotting Aria and me. As soon as he saw me, the smile that always lifted his lips had stiffened.

‘…For a while, it seems I won’t be able to treat you like usual. I need time.’

The day he declared that he would be going into war and got the family’s consent, Kal had honestly told me and has since been stiff in his demeanor towards me.

He said he needed time to understand why I was willingly entering this war. Until he could accept it without anger.

I understood him and didn’t speak on his attitude.

Life isn’t as simple as a novel, unable to resolve every conflict with a single event. Time for acceptance and an appropriate gap were necessary.

“Since we have some time, we could walk around the capital a bit.”

A figure stepped out of the hallway, and Kaiser smiled faintly. Although his attitude towards me was still awkward, he continued to support me. I smiled back and nodded.

Our carriage set off with the four of us inside. The interior was excessively quiet, but it wasn’t an awkward or heavy silence. I rested my chin and looked out the window.

It had been a week since the Swordsmanship Tournament. Today was the day of the awarding ceremony that hadn’t been completed on that day, taking place at the Imperial Palace.

With the entire continent in turmoil, it was indeed risky to hold such an official event, yet we couldn’t dismiss everything just because it was dangerous, hiding like turtles in their shells. The imperial family had to show the citizens that the Empire was still standing after the Emperor’s assassination attempt.

For a week, Emperor Helios had continuously summoned me to the palace. It seemed he wanted to talk to me separately before the awarding ceremony.

‘The Kashmir Crisis is currently bed-ridden with a cold.’

‘…Could you at least provide a plausible excuse? You know best how ridiculous it sounds for a Sword Master to catch a cold. ‘

‘That’s not true. I suffer from colds every winter.’

‘Is that the same you who, two winters ago, drenched the entire Knights Order in ice water to discipline them, causing everyone to catch colds while you showed up fine the next day?’

‘I’m sorry for not being able to meet. I’ll hang up now.’

But all those summons were abruptly cut off by Kaiser starting with that absurd reason on the first day.

‘Yes. Three days ago it was due to a cold, two days ago it was sleepless from nightmares, and yesterday you said it was because you were harvesting potatoes from the garden. What about today? What has happened to Young Lady Kashmir?’

‘I entered a coma while meditating in the spirit world.’

‘…Are you out of your mind? Change the Young Lady immediately.’

‘I’ll contact you again when her condition improves.’

‘Hey! It’s a divine decree! A divine decree! You little…!’

I eavesdropped on the conversation between Helios and Kaiser while mentally simulating how to respond when the imperial army stormed into our mansion.

‘Kaiser Kalad Kenis, Duke of the Crisis.’

‘Yes.’

‘Todays is the awarding ceremony for the Swordsmanship Tournament, you know that, right?’

‘Yes.’

‘You’re also aware that the Young Lady must be present as the winner?’

‘…Yes.’

‘If you don’t attend the palace today with the Young Lady…’

‘I’ll come visit your mansion personally. Naked.’

At that moment, I clearly saw how blasphemous Kaiser’s expression had been. The expression of someone who had witnessed 120 centipedes performing a dazzling tap dance would have been less bright.

‘You know I’m someone who makes it happen, right? If you don’t attend today too, I’ll take that as you wanting to see me naked.’

With those words, Helios abruptly ended the communication, and Kaiser, scratching his head and grumbling, finally notified me to prepare for going to the palace.

So here we were, on our way to the palace.

‘I hope I can manage this.’

I felt a bit anxious, my fingers fidgeting. It was my first time officially showing up in public after my identity as Mir was revealed, so it was natural to be nervous.

Although I had grown used to the people’s gazes, I was still not completely free from the whispers behind my back. Despite trying not to pay attention, there were times it crept under my skin.

Kaiser had likely cut off all my official appearances this past week knowing this about me.

‘I wonder what they’ll say this time.’

I imagined the words that would pass behind me, and since I couldn’t envision anything good, I half-gave up and stopped thinking.

Squeak.

The carriage stopped in front of the palace. I lightly jumped down beyond the opened door. The palace, which I hadn’t visited in a while, was still resplendent.

“Princess of Crisis, we won’t provide a separate escort.”

As soon as I alighted, a group of palace attendants who had been waiting at the gate approached me in a line.

It was only natural to have a separate escort since I was the victor, but the way they approached me suggested Helios had gritted his teeth and prepared for me not to escape. More accurately, it would be true that Kaiser made sure I wouldn’t escape.

“I’ll go ahead.”

“….Sure.”

I noticed Kaiser nodding but clucking his tongue. Perhaps he really had planned to whisk me away.

Surrounded by the attendants awkwardly, I was led toward the waiting room. Once again, I heard the awarding procedures I already knew, and as the time for the ceremony approached, I found myself standing at the door once more, led by the attendants.

“You may enter after being called from inside.”

The attendant politely stated and then stepped back. I gazed intently at the door to the hall where all the nobles of the Empire were gathered.

I felt a bit nervous, but I wasn’t afraid.

‘Don’t be ashamed of being a mercenary. There’s no lowly profession in this world, only lowly people. Have you ever received unjust money while living as a mercenary? Have you ever turned a blind eye to injustice or robbed the weak?’

‘…I don’t think so.’

‘Then that’s enough.’

Karasho’s teachings still lingered deep within my soul.

“The victor of the Swordsmanship Tournament, Lady Kashmir Kaiser de Dorema Crisis, may enter!”

The name ‘Mir’ was not something I needed to be ashamed of.

As the door opened, eyes poured in like a burst of gunfire. I fixed my gaze ahead and started to walk in.

‘Count Cypros doesn’t look too well.’

As I passed, I noted Count Cypros’s dark complexion and secretly laughed. His eyes, staring at me, seemed like they wanted to tear me apart. Since I had thwarted the capital’s terror plot, it was only natural for him to react that way now that he knew I was Mir.

The assassination attempt on the Emperor of the North likely hadn’t been agreed upon with Cypros. In the original, this incident escalated the succession crisis, leading directly to Diego’s ascension as Emperor. Though Serenon’s position wasn’t strong enough to become Emperor, they had recklessly attempted to assassinate Helios, so the results were predestined.

‘This must be evidence that the North used Cypros as a disposable tool.’

The North probably teamed up with Cypros solely to prepare a way in for the capital terror incident. Cypros must have aimed to kill both the Emperor and Crown Prince that time, so the current attempt, targeting only the Emperor, was likely an unsanctioned discord.

‘This will probably fracture the alliance between the North and Cypros.’

The war the North was trying to instigate was close to a revolution, while Cypros was part of the imperial power structure, so their falling out was expected. It only hastened the timing. I delighted in Count Cypros’s fiery gaze as I halted in front of the throne.

Emperor Helios and Pope Helior sat at the center, and beside Helios sat Empress Tina Cypros. I cast a glance at Tina.

‘Sorry for misleading you.’

Seeing her eyes brimming with confusion, I silently apologized. Although I had cooperated with her as Mir during the capital terror incident, she must have been clueless that Kashmir Crisis and Mir were the same person. I bore no malice, but pretending to be two different people was akin to deceiving her.

“Please kneel.”

Following the attendant’s guidance, I slowly knelt one knee.

This ceremony was to honor my achievements in saving the Emperor from danger as well as to award the Swordsmanship Tournament.

Once the attendant finished reciting the lengthy and formal praises, Helios finally opened his lips.

“Raise your head, Princess.”

While I was counting the dust on the floor, I raised my head at the Emperor’s command.

Helios’s usual light blue eyes bore an unusually complex expression as he gazed at me. After staring at me for a while, he donned a formal smile that one shows at public events.

“Your effort in protecting me in danger is commendable. Thus, I shall ask you.”

His blue eyes deepened.

“What is your wish?”

It was a tradition of the Empire to grant one wish without question to anyone who saved the Emperor or Pope.

In this situation, the implied rule was to respond that merely being saved was enough. After all, heroes in such a nation would have a smooth path ahead, even without special wishes. Framing it favorably would save face for both sides.

“I have a wish.”

Yet I had a wish I needed to ask for, even at the cost of losing face.

Helios’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me. He seemed more curious than displeased. As murmurs spread around, I opened my lips.

“Please make me the military instructor for the impending war.”

That was my wish.