Chapter 55
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Chapter 55
Perhaps it was because my mind had grown rigid every time I spoke with Yurien de Harden Kirie. I had thought only of earnest sword practice, of crossing blades in genuine dueling.
'After we duel... he said he would tell me everything—why he made me his squire, and even the personal interest he claimed to have in me during the birthday banquet.'
I was curious. Desperately, maddeningly curious. What was he thinking? How did he view her? What had he seen in Echinacea Loaz that made him keep turning his attention toward her?
If he merely suspected her of being a cadet who didn't exist before the regression, if he was observing whether she was the demon of the Demonic Sword, then why did he show her those expressions? Were they all merely tests and lies?
'I want to duel. No, precisely—I want to duel so I can hear his thoughts.'
Without realizing it, I touched the Amethyst hanging at my waist. The sword he had prepared solely for me, as white and beautiful as he was. The sword embedded with an amethyst the color of her own eyes.
"I wish that someday we could converse with our swords."
His words from inside the carriage echoed in my mind. I remembered dueling with Alice Winterbell. The first duel where I had felt genuine joy. With Yurien de Harden Kirie, perhaps—far more than with Alice—it might be even more enjoyable. If we crossed blades with true intent.
But it couldn't be. There was far too much I had to hide before him. I would accept the duel and lose miserably. With that resolve, I quietly gripped the hilt and then released it.
After eating lunch midway, we reached a small valley between mountains in the late afternoon. Because the mountains weren't high, the valley wasn't deep either. Looking down from the ridge, I could see what appeared to be a ramshackle shed among trees that had grown lush and verdant as summer approached.
"That's the place."
Yurien de Harden Kirie stopped and pointed to the shed. When I looked up at him with confusion, he added an explanation.
"It's a shelter used communally by hunters and herb gatherers in this area. We must continue watching that shelter and wait."
"There... at that place..."
I had almost asked if the Saint was murdered there. I barely stopped myself, biting my tongue lightly.
"What will happen there?"
At my hastily rephrased question, Yurien de Harden Kirie turned to look at me. Those piercing, crystalline sky-blue eyes seemed to see right through me. He watched me quietly for a moment, then smiled with a hint of bitterness.
"Yes. The incident will unfold noisily in the night, so you'll easily notice it. It could happen within four days if we're fortunate, or it might take up to ten days."
"How do you know such things, Lord?"
He spoke as though prophesying, and it seemed odd not to question it, so I asked deliberately. Yurien de Harden Kirie didn't look at me but turned his gaze toward the bundle of supplies we'd brought, answering.
"I'm sorry, but that's a difficult question to answer right now. First, let's set up the Tent Camp here."
"...Yes, Lord."
We had brought Tent Camp supplies when we departed from Agenka. Yurien de Harden Kirie and I selected an appropriate spot that wouldn't be noticeable when viewed from the valley and each set up our own tent.
Yurien de Harden Kirie finished his tent before me, then built a fire and began preparing dinner. I was unpacking my belongings inside my tent when a pungent food aroma wafted in, and I poked my head out in surprise.
"Lord, I should prepare the meal..."
"Finish organizing first. It's not done yet."
He answered without even turning around, stirring the pot. A stew bubbled inside, releasing a savory aroma. I hurried over to him. I looked for something to help with, but all the ingredients had already been prepared and added to the pot. The only remaining tasks were laying out bread and stirring the stew. And the ladle was in Yurien de Harden Kirie's hand.
"Why don't you have me do it?"
I protested softly, embarrassed. A knight preparing a meal when he had a squire? Yurien de Harden Kirie smiled faintly.
"Don't you trust my cooking?"
"That's not what I meant. This is work a squire should do."
"Don't worry about it. I simply had time, so I did it."
An adeptness that seemed impossible for someone of Imperial Family descent emanated from him. Casually, he scooped some stew and poured it into a small bowl, offering it to me.
"Would you taste it for me?"
"Y-yes, of course."
Yurien de Harden Kirie's eyes gazing at me were remarkably gentle. I accepted the bowl in a flustered state. I blew on the steaming contents several times before swallowing. My eyes widened slightly.
"I had no idea you were so skilled at cooking, Lord."
I murmured the words. My gaze toward him naturally carried admiration. Yurien de Harden Kirie quietly averted his eyes. His cheeks flushed faintly as he answered softly.
"...I'm not particularly skilled. I can only make it edible. I was a squire once myself, after all."
"What?"
I startled visibly. So he had once served as a squire beneath someone else. It was utterly difficult for me to imagine. Yurien de Harden Kirie let out a low chuckle.
"Is it really so surprising?"
"It's just that... Lord, you seem like you must have been a perfect knight from the very beginning."
"That couldn't be further from the truth. I made mistakes, experienced failures, and wandered aimlessly."
He spoke gently as he ladled the finished stew into bowls. I retrieved the bread I'd purchased from the village, sliced it, and arranged it on a platter. After pouring the low-alcohol wine I'd brought as a water substitute, a modest feast materialized atop our makeshift table.
"It's hard to imagine you ever wandering, Lord."
"Dietrich would laugh if he heard that."
"Do you mean Dietrich Sarua? The one with red hair and red eyes?"
I'd almost said "Giosa Owner." I bit my tongue again. Yurien de Harden Kirie handed me my bowl of stew and answered.
"If you're referring to Knight Instructor Dietrich Sarua, then yes. We've known each other since our cadet days."
I recalled the words Dietrich had scattered while setting up the Tent Camp with Baraha Islaf during the White Raven Gorge monster subjugation. He'd mentioned being Yurien de Harden Kirie's roommate. And that all geniuses were lunatics.
'So if Dietrich called him a lunatic back then, does that mean Yurien de Harden Kirie falls into that category too?'
It made no sense. I couldn't fathom it. Yurien de Harden Kirie, unaware of my thoughts, continued speaking.
"When I first entered the Military Academy, my heart was turbulent. So I caused Dietrich considerable trouble."
"Trouble? In what way?"
"...Let's eat first. It's getting cold."
He handed me a spoon. Though his story was far more captivating than the meal itself, I obediently accepted it.
The freshly made stew and bread purchased from the village that morning were almost excessive for a meal in these mountains. The low-alcohol wine served as our drinking water, but alcohol was still alcohol—as its warmth spread through me, my tension eased.
I stole glances at Yurien de Harden Kirie sitting across from me. Even the way he ate was refined and elegant, and I simply couldn't reconcile that image with his past of wandering and troubling his roommate.
The moment we finished eating, I snatched away the bowl he was reaching for.
"At least let me handle the washing up."
"There's nothing else to do anyway, so let's do it together."
He quickly grabbed the platter I hadn't managed to collect, countering my offer. It seemed pointless to argue. I relented and moved alongside him.
A small spring formed by pooled stream water lay some distance away from where we'd pitched the Tent Camp.
With Yurien de Harden Kirie beside me, I couldn't remove my gloves, so I dipped the dishes into the water while still wearing them. Knowing he'd surely point out how odd it looked, I prepared an explanation—something about my hands becoming wrinkled if they got wet. But Yurien de Harden Kirie asked nothing.
We washed the dishes in silence. Whether it was me crouching in my dress or him in his white uniform, neither of us looked suited to the task. Yet despite appearing ill-suited, we both moved with remarkable efficiency. He had gained his skill through his days as a cadet and squire, while I had become a master of outdoor living through nine years of wandering alone during my Demonic Sword collection period.
"Lord, what kind of trouble did you cause Knight Instructor Dietrich Sarua?"
I asked suddenly while shaking the water from a dish. Yurien de Harden Kirie hesitated. He lowered his eyes, moved his lips slightly, then exhaled a shallow sigh.
"Are you really that curious?"
"You brought it up first, Lord. How could I not be curious?"
"Since you're speaking to me, I become excited and keep..."
Yurien de Harden Kirie reflexively answered before trailing off. Excited? What? He becomes excited when I speak to him? My face went blank as I caught the meaning behind his unfinished words. Upon seeing my expression, Yurien de Harden Kirie hurriedly averted his gaze and shot to his feet.
"Let's return to the Tent Camp. The sun is beginning to set, and I need to keep watch over our shelter."
"Lord?"
"I'll go ahead. I'll stand watch through the night, so you should rest. Tomorrow night will be your turn."
"Lord, wait..."
Yurien de Harden Kirie gathered the cleaned dishes and vanished from the streamside in an instant. I watched his white retreating figure disappear like he was fleeing, left in stunned silence.
[He's acting really strange. Why is he like that? Did he want to talk to me?]
"...I suppose so."
[Why? What for? Are you trying to find my weaknesses through conversation? Or are you hoping I'll slip up while talking?]
"Slip up?"
[You're trying to get me to accidentally reveal that you're my master! You want to talk as much as possible to make that happen! Oh, I just made a brilliant deduction! Didn't I? That has to be it! There's no other explanation!]
If I set aside emotion and thought purely with logic, the Demonic Sword's words might hold merit. But the tone, the expression, the gestures, and the content of what had carelessly slipped out kept pointing to something else entirely.
"No, it was personal interest."
His words from the Stable echoed in my mind like a bell tolling.
That couldn't be right. Echinacea Loaz and Yurien de Harden Kirie had only seen each other once at a banquet, and they'd never even spoken before. It made no sense. I couldn't understand it. There was no reason for it. I clutched my head as my thoughts grew tangled and muttered to myself.
"I need to spar."
[Huh? A spar? With him?]
"Yes. I need to."
I had to spar and get answers. If I didn't, I'd keep spiraling into these other thoughts. I steeled my resolve.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org