With the persuasion of the swordsman, who utilized every gesture possible, I barely managed to clear up the misunderstanding.
Only then did my hand release the beads of sweat that had formed on my forehead. Letting out a sigh, I whispered in a voice filled with trust.
“I… believed in you, Elder.”
The swordsman clenched his petite fist in frustration but refrained from cursing.
He merely trembled in embarrassment.
Even the formidable swordsman couldn’t confess that he had become a small girl in front of his niece and granddaughter.
Perhaps it was because we had shared whispers overly intimate for just the two of us.
Before long, the atmosphere in the sickroom had grown delicate. Especially Shiene’s complexion was continually provoking my instincts.
Though her mouth wore a smile, her eyes were not laughing.
I had already seen that face countless times. One should not provoke a woman wearing such an expression recklessly.
For example, someone like Ceria.
Or perhaps the Lady Virgin Saint.
As nightmares flashed through my mind, I cleared my throat and adjusted my voice. It was to somehow disperse the attention focused solely on me and the swordsman.
“Princess Iris, please forgive my rudeness for not greeting you first… I hope you have been well during this time?”
At that moment, I was halted in my attempt to bend my knee by none other than Iris herself.
Raising her hand gracefully to stop me, the woman then unleashed a bone-chilling jest.
“It’s fortunate that you possess some manners, Ian Fercurus.”
“Because I am a noble of the Empire.”
“A true noble would not dismiss a lovely lady so harshly.”
She spoke while covering her mouth with a fan that she snapped open.
Though I couldn’t see her mouth, I had a feeling I could guess her expression.
She was definitely wearing a chilling smile.
No matter how I looked at it, it was not to my taste. In the end, I had no choice but to offer an awkward smile.
“… Surely, you aren’t still holding a grudge about the last incident, are you?”
“Hmph.”
Princess Iris scoffed and turned her head sharply.
“The last incident.”
It was about a few days ago when I encountered the minions of a vampire while investigating a missing person. At that time, after battling while investigating a missing person named ‘Adella’, Princess Iris had made a proposal.
To share the honor of accompanying her.
Naturally, I had no interest in such power and declined outright. The Dark Cult was not an enemy that could be dealt with while serving the interests of a specific faction.
It seemed I had left quite an impression on her back then.
It appeared that the wound from that day still had not healed.
However, confessing that honestly would be damaging to my pride. During such times, the subordinate usually shared the burden of scratching those itchy spots.
The woman who had taken up that role knew me well.
Before long, Shiene, who had silently stood beside me, began to poke at my side with her elbows.
“Long time no see, Sir Allen Halbert… But why don’t you ask about my well-being?”
“Why don’t you ask that ‘Allen Halbert’ yourself?”
“Wah, you’re so heartless… I nearly got hurt there. Is it alright to be like this toward someone who’s about to be executed? Sir Leon Einhart.”
“No, I mean… Huh.”
Eventually, I shook my head as if to say I wouldn’t say anything more.
She was always a woman with the skill to provoke a headache. Especially the fact that she showed subtle intimacy toward me was the most annoying part.
If things went on like this, I would have to stay trapped here for hours.
It was time to make a decision to save as much time as possible.
“… So, what brought you all here?”
At that, everyone’s attention once again focused on me.
I particularly noted the gazes of two people. Shiene blinked in confusion, while Princess Iris maintained a calm demeanor that obscured her thoughts.
My golden eyes met those of the two women in turn.
“Is there a reason you came here?”
“Perhaps it seems there was a misunderstanding… Princess Iris is the older sister of Prince Shien…”
“I am busy.”
Her tone was calm, but my voice carried an undercurrent of menace.
Naturally, it was something a desk soldier could not handle.
As evidence, the complexion of Shiene, who had been giggling the whole time, turned pale.
Although she couldn’t hide her displeasure.
The fiery intensity blazed from her pupils, where the boundary with the whites of her eyes became indistinct.
“How dare you threaten the royal family and Alphenhausen…!”
“Enough.”
With the sound of a fan snapping shut, I immediately withdrew my aura and cleared my throat. As I turned my gaze away to feign ignorance, the one who had stopped me looked at me with a disdainful expression.
It was Princess Iris.
“Let’s get to the point since time is precious. Ian Fercurus, I will give you another chance.”
“What opportunity are you talking about?”
“A chance to join us.”
That line again.
I subtly turned my gaze to Shien. The girl, who had been glaring at the swordsman with sharp eyes, finally regained her senses.
For the record, the swordsman had been sweating profusely and looking like he was about to die.
It wouldn’t be pleasant to be treated as a ‘bitch’ by his niece and granddaughter.
Shien’s small jab at my side stirred those thoughts.
For now, it meant there was no need for decisions.
Unfortunately, my most trusted aide, Reto, was not here, so following Shien’s judgement would be the best course of action.
I replied in a composed tone.
“Isn’t it something I’ve already answered before? I’m merely a sword and shield for the Empire. I have no interest in internal strife…”
“What if I said it’s an opportunity to realize the ‘Imperial Dream’?”
That retort caught me off guard.
As soon as my words trailed off, Iris finally wore a satisfied smile, as if the proper relationship had now been established.
“It’s not merely about power or glory. It could be an achievement that serves as a stepping stone for our great Empire.”
“… What exactly is this ‘Imperial Dream’?”
To my quiet question, Princess Iris chuckled softly.
It seemed she thought she had gained an advantage in information.
Even though one of the girls standing next to me was one of the Imperial Court’s elders.
“Want to know? Then first, promise your cooperation.”
“Can’t I just ask Prince Shien?”
“No one knows the details. Not even His Majesty the Emperor… at least regarding this dream!”
Surprisingly, her voice carried a heartfelt emotion.
The way she bit her lip revealed her subtle obsession. Frankly speaking, Iris’s desire for the ‘dream’ was so genuine that one could call it blatant.
Look at the green flames burning in her retinas.
Anyone would reach the same conclusion as I did.
Princess Iris began to speak in an infrequently heated tone.
One step, two steps.
The pale complexion of the woman excitedly stepping forward began to flush.
“Ian Fercurus, all you have to do is make Shien a student of the great witch… No, anyone! Of course, it wouldn’t be an easy task for you. But what if you join hands with me?”
“I… that’s…”
“In fact, there’s a secret hidden in the blood of the dragon! Do you know?! If you take my hand, I’ll make Shien a student of the great witch! It may be difficult alone, but with the two of us…!”
“… Princess.”
It was then that I turned my head while letting out a pained groan.
As a result, Princess Iris tilted her head in a puzzled expression. Ultimately, the one who pointed out the problematic situation was Shien, who wore a chilling smile once again.
“Sister, you’re too close… Someone might misunderstand!”
The bewildered blue eyes looked at Shien, then shifted back to me.
And she was right.
The distance between Princess Iris, stepping forward in eagerness, and me had become far too close. We were at a distance where our breaths could mix, and the lady even held my hand tightly with both of her hands.
Realizing this late, a shriek escaped from the princess’s lips.
“… Eek!”
She stumbled backward in a daze.
I coughed, calming my shocked heart. I was the one being victimized here, yet why was she looking at me with such reproachful eyes?
Nonetheless, Iris’s embarrassment did not last long.
Clearing her throat, she regained her composure and returned to her haughty tone.
“R-Regardless! What I mean is, I am offering you a grand opportunity. There are very few whom I, Iris, will propose to twice. Understand the glory of our generations.”
Even with such words, when I showed a lukewarm response to her continuous persuasion, Princess Iris could not conceal her displeasure, feeling her pride wounded.
“You’re not going to refuse again, are you? Think carefully, Ian Fercurus… Without my power, you cannot…!”
“Are you talking about my student?”
Just a single word.
At that low voice, the air within the sickroom froze.
The vacant stares began to focus on that origin. The countless pupils turned toward the ceiling of the room.
There hung a girl with a glum expression, resting her chin on her hand. Shadows of exhaustion and loneliness stained the depths of her greenish eyes.
Even the sound of her yawn was full of boredom.
It felt like I was in a world where gravity was reversed, alone.
No, rather, it felt like everyone including myself was standing on an incorrect principle.
That girl held such substantial weight.
And such a presence could be counted among the top on the entire continent.
A pale voice from the shocked Iris called out one of them.
“G-Great Witch…”
With a snap of her fingers,
The view reversed as everyone on the ground fell toward the ceiling. The furniture remained fixed, creating a peculiar sight where only humans plummeted.
There was only one person who did not seem taken aback by this bizarre phenomenon.
The Empire’s swordsman, the continent’s strongest warrior in the guise of a girl, silently landed while cradling Shien in her arms.
The others all had to scream as they tumbled around on what was now the ceiling.
No, perhaps it was no longer the ‘ceiling,’ but now we should call it the ‘floor.’
I was fortunate enough to roll into a safe position at the last moment. Before I knew it, I ended up with Iris and Shiene, whom I had inadvertently caught in my arms.
Both of them wore pale expressions.
Even after performing such an astonishing feat, the great witch still bore an indifferent demeanor.
“I was thinking of taking a stroll for a change… Little one, were you already selecting a student?”
The first to react to that statement was Princess Iris.
“W-Selecting a student…?”
So surprised she was that her breath was ragged. The heaving of her chest, rising and falling, caught my eye, but I did my best to suppress the male instinct and carefully set the princess down.
“Eek! Rian Berilud, why only me…!”
Shiene, of course, got unceremoniously tossed aside.
Her brief sound of reproach reached my ears, but I shrugged it off as I sought to catch my breath.
The one who stepped in to explain was the great witch herself.
“Daughter of the dragon, didn’t you know? This little one decided to wait on me for a while.”
“R-R-Representative means…?”
“It means for you to inquire about intricate matters like selecting a student, go to this little one.”
After finishing her remarks, the great witch slowly rose.
There was no need for her to say more. A single gesture would be sufficient to convey her intent to me.
It was a sign that it was time to depart.
I nodded in simple agreement, and only then did the great witch turn to walk slowly with her hands behind her back.
The world twisted again right after that.
Unlike before, the people remained still, but there unfolded a surreal scene where only the ceiling and floor flipped. Those sprawled where the bed had been only let out short screams upon colliding with the furniture.
Princess Iris remained dazed. As a noble of the Empire, I made sure to offer her due courtesy.
“Well then, with this, I shall take my leave.”
Just as I took my first step,
“… Wait!”
A trembling voice broke through the lady’s lips.
My gaze flicked back to see the Princess, a look of indignation barely concealed on her face.
The tears welling up at the corners of her tightly shut eyes were proof.
“Y-You could just tell me everything…”
In response to that surrender, I remained silent for a while before finally asking in a tone that suggested uncertainty.
“… What do you mean?”
“Everything!”
The princess cried out, pounding the floor with her hands.
“Just tell me everything… about the ‘Imperial Dream’ or whatever! So please…!”
Help me, she pleaded.
The princess said, and I replied with a faint smile.
“First, let’s listen.”
Because the one taking the loss was always the person who was left wanting.
