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[Translator - Night]
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Chapter 13
The blue moonlight bathed the royal garden, and Princess Jane, the first princess of Brillant, gazed at a completely withered flower in the garden, lost in worry.
“Sigh...”
As she let out a long sigh, her bodyguard stepped out from the shadows.
“Is it because of Lord Louise?”
“Yes. The southern continent is very dangerous.”
Prince Louise, the third prince of Brillant, had been sent on an expedition to the monster-infested south due to interference from the first and second princes.
Jane, who supported her third brother, was so worried about Louise's deployment that she couldn't sleep and took a walk under the night sky.
“Sica, can you go and protect Louise?”
“That is not possible.”
“Why not? I'm safe here in the capital.”
“We don’t know when we would return. Even if it were a short trip, the only person I am meant to protect is you, Princess.”
At her firm answer, Jane grew sulky and looked toward the distant Kinish Bluff.
“They say there’s a cemetery of past heroes over there, right?”
“That’s off-limits. It’s dangerous.”
“I never said I was going, did I? And what’s so dangerous about it? You’re with me. Are you saying you’re too weak to protect me even in a place like that?”
“...That’s not the case.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“There could be unforeseen circumstances—”
“Oh please, like this place is so safe? Do you know how many schemes and plots are brewing in this palace?”
Jane seized the moment to throw a tantrum at her.
Usually, she obeyed Sica’s words, but tonight, she desperately wanted to go out and clear her head.
“The outside and inside are different, Your Highness.”
“What’s different? Staying here is actually driving me mad. It’s suffocating! Do you even know what it feels like to have your little brother dragged into a deathtrap?”
“...”
Sica silently stared at her, then turned to look at Kinish Bluff.
Truthfully, that area was still within Brillant territory and wasn’t particularly dangerous.
There were no known enemies targeting Jane either.
If it was just a short outing during the night, it might be doable.
More than anything, Sica believed in her own skills.
“Understood.”
“Wow! Really? I can go?”
“Yes.”
“Great! Let’s go right now. Who knows? Maybe there’s some kind of answer waiting for us there.”
“Yes.”
Although Sica responded affirmatively, he didn’t think there was any such answer.
Going there to find a solution to the third prince’s predicament was less likely than dying and waking up in the past.
* * *
Late at night, at Decaine.
I was hoping to take a rare moment of rest, but sleep wouldn’t come, so I came up to Decaine.
Raymond, who had been overworked for over a month, was told to take a solid two days off, so he wasn’t around.
“Feels strange to leave it empty like this.”
I stared blankly at Decaine.
On the surface, it looked no different from before, but something about it felt empty.
It was probably because I had moved all the remains from inside without asking.
I had relocated the bones of my ancestors to a grave slightly away from Decaine.
Since I spent so much time here, my ancestor had complained of boredom and nagged me until I gave in.
— Why are you looking at me like that?
Was he reading my mind?
My ancestor was giving me a disapproving look.
“It’s nothing.”
— I don’t like your expression.
“I’m just tired. That’s all. Constantly carrying a sword and getting no rest will do that to you.”
— Tsk. Your mindset is weak. Back in my day...
Here we go again.
Another story from the old days.
I’d grown pretty used to it by now, so I used his lecture as background noise and continued training.
It was actually quite motivational.
“Haap!”
With a gust of wind, my sword tore through the air.
[Havenberg Swordsmanship proficiency increased by 0.4116%.]
“Haah...”
I had only swung the sword once, but it felt like I’d concentrated and swung it ten more times.
The sensation in my hand—
That strike had been pretty good.
A 0.4% increase in swordsmanship proficiency...
Lately, my proficiency gains had been slowing down, so an increase like this from one swing was huge.
[Havenberg Swordsmanship – Beginner]
[A swordsmanship that contains the entire essence of Havenberg. As proficiency increases, so does your understanding of the sword.]
— Proficiency: 30.3475%
Proficiency increases with each swing of the sword.
It had already risen quite a bit.
The more it increased, the more naturally my sword moved—
I could feel it.
Let’s swing again.
As I raised my sword to hold on to the sensation—
A faint feeling tingled through my body.
Startled, I instinctively turned my gaze toward a specific spot.
What was that?
I wasn’t sure what it was.
Something from beyond the trees outside Decaine had triggered my senses.
But I saw nothing.
Maybe it was a false alarm.
Ever since gaining spiritual energy, this had been happening occasionally.
My senses had become sharper, maybe overly so.
Tilting my head, I raised my sword once more.
“Haap!”
Whoooosh!!
Crack!
A clean, vertical slash from top to bottom.
It was so perfect, it felt like my ancestor himself had possessed my body for a moment.
[Havenberg Swordsmanship proficiency increased by 0.8706%.]
A 0.8% increase...
Wasn’t that basically a flawless vertical cut?
— Tsk, tsk, tsk.
The sound of someone clicking their tongue echoed nearby.
I thought it was pretty good, but clearly, my ancestor wasn’t impressed.
My face scrunched up at the sound.
“Sigh...”
How much better do I have to get before he’s satisfied?
“Again—”
Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.
Just then, someone approached the entrance of Decaine, clapping their hands.
A woman dressed neatly in black, with blue eyes and silver hair tied up in a clean braid.
The moment I saw her, I gasped inwardly.
She was someone I had seen countless times in the past.
Princess Jane.
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[Translator - Night]
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The first princess of Brillant.
But why was she here all of a sudden?
“Wow, that was impressive. I happened to see you while passing by, and your swordsmanship was really sharp.”
Princess Jane, who had quietly approached me, let out a soft exclamation of admiration.
This was the first time we met in this life.
She likely had no idea who I was—not my face, not my name.
Somewhere nearby, her bodyguard “Sica” was probably hidden from view, glaring daggers at me.
Does she know anything about me?
Princess Jane rarely left the royal castle, so she probably wouldn’t know who I was.
But Sica?
She would’ve surely looked into me before coming up to Decaine.
“Huh? Oh…”
Suddenly, her eyes twitched, and she glanced at me.
And in that moment, a hint of wariness flickered in her gaze.
What the…?
Her bodyguard was stronger than most knights.
There was no reason for someone like her to be cautious around someone like me.
“Who are you?”
Feigning ignorance, I asked who she was.
“...Just someone passing by.”
So she wants to hide her identity...
“A young woman, wandering around Decaine at this late hour? Just passing by?”
“I came out for some fresh air.”
“This place is dangerous, especially at this hour. You shouldn’t be out here alone.”
“Then who are you? What’s your identity?”
“I manage this place.”
My honest reply seemed to put her a bit more at ease.
“Oh! The gravekeeper of Decaine? From the Arzen family…?”
“You’re well-informed. I’m not exactly a famous person.”
“How could I not know? It’s all over the place—about how the disgrace of the great Arzen family is digging graves in the mountains.”
…Did she come here just to poke fun at me because she was bored?
I wanted to throw back a retort, but it felt a bit risky since she was the First Princess.
“Did you come to pick a fight or something?”
Even though I tried to hold it in, some irritation slipped into my voice.
Hmm…?
Suddenly, that same dangerous sensation crawled up my spine.
What is this?
— There’s something odd hiding nearby.
My ancestor's voice made my head turn toward the direction.
At the same time, I instinctively tightened my grip on my sword and shifted into a defensive stance.
There’s nothing there?
I couldn’t see anything—but my ancestor clearly sensed something.
Could it be…?
Most likely, that “something odd” was her bodyguard, Sica.
They say she’s incredibly skilled in stealth… I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of her.
— Raise your sword! Guard your abdomen!
My ancestor shouted suddenly.
At that exact moment, I felt a chill of murderous intent from the side.
Just as I recognized it, I saw the glint of a blade.
My body was already on edge, so I reacted instantly.
I parried the dark blade aimed at my abdomen.
Clang!
“Ugh…!”
It was just one block, but it felt like my muscles had been torn.
What the hell?!
I was forced back several steps, and as I looked at the now-visible Sica, I checked her status.
You’ve got to be kidding me…
Last time she was just knight-class.
Now she’s some upper-class knight-level monster?
I cursed under my breath.
Of course, on the outside, I kept a straight face and didn’t let it show.
* * *
Sica, Princess Jane’s bodyguard, knew who Ren Arzen was.
Gravekeeper of Decaine.
Bastard son of the Arzen family.
Disowned.
No talent in swordsmanship.
Just a pathetic man who chose Decaine as his place to rot, digging dirt.
That was what people said about Ren.
Recently, a squire named Raymond was said to be working there as his assistant.
One odd bit of news was that a grave robber had intruded into Decaine, and supposedly, Ren Arzen had driven him off alone.
The problem?
Ren claimed the grave robber had used aura blade.
Naturally, Sica had dismissed it as bluffing nonsense—but still, she remained slightly cautious, since protecting the princess was her top priority.
While keeping watch over Decaine’s mountain paths, Sica happened to witness Ren’s sword training.
It’s said a skilled warrior recognizes another.
Sica immediately realized Ren’s swordsmanship was anything but ordinary.
He was no mere gravekeeper.
In fact, his second vertical slash alone surpassed what most mid-level knights could manage.
Could it be true that he really defeated an aura-wielding grave robber?
If so, then why would someone like that be digging holes and cutting weeds in a place like this?
A strong foe is dangerous, yes—but someone whose intentions are unclear is even more so.
Sica’s alertness skyrocketed.
And when Ren’s gaze turned directly toward her, the perceived threat level rose sharply.
‘…Incredible instinct. To pierce through my stealth from this distance.’
Though Ren quickly turned his gaze away, Sica was sure of it:
‘He knows exactly where I am. That was a clear warning.’
“Princess, that man is Ren Arzen, the gravekeeper of Decaine.”
Jane had received a brief report from Sica about him before arriving here.
However, the swordsmanship she just saw didn’t match the description.
Even she, with little knowledge of swordplay, could tell Ren was highly skilled.
That’s why Jane tried to hide her identity and dig for more information.
“Did you come to pick a fight or something?”
But Ren clearly didn’t seem pleased—and he had his sword drawn.
Sica had to decide.
She wasn’t sure if she could protect the princess if Ren turned hostile.
‘Damn it, this is why I hate leaving the castle—’
At that moment, Ren’s gaze once again turned toward Sica.
As expected, his earlier glance hadn’t been a coincidence.
Ren pulled his sword arm slightly back.
Sica made her decision.
She had to strike before Ren made a move.
‘Damn it, I didn’t want to start a fight like this…!’
Sica lunged in a surprise attack.
She had rarely met foes who could track her movements while she was cloaked, so she was confident this strike would land.
Clang!
But it was blocked—cleanly.
Most knights couldn’t even react to her blade while she was stealthed.
‘…To meet a swordsman of this level in a place like this…’
Upper-class knight.
Wearing shabby clothes, holding a crude blade, his face emotionless—this gravekeeper was undoubtedly a true master.
There was no disgrace here.
No lack of talent or will.
No coward.
Just calm, lake-like eyes staring silently but intensely at Sica in the breaking dawn.
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[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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