Chapter 19
After I killed the man, the Colosseum began to fade away.
…Ah.
I should've gotten some information out of him.
I was annoyed, so I just killed him.
Jeez. I'm such an idiot.
This is what... got first place on the written exam?
As I sighed and sheathed my sword, my face was reflected on the blade.
A familiar figure with red eyes and black hair.
“Oh, right. Transformation.”
It seemed the magic tool's effect had worn off because of the Aura Blade.
This is why I didn't want to draw my Aura Blade.
The moment I draw it, my identity gets exposed.
Of course, each Swordmaster's Aura Blade takes a different form, so I'd be recognized even while disguised, but still.
Once I confirmed the magic tool's effect had taken hold, the scenery outside greeted me as if it had been waiting.
The damage... looks pretty extensive.
It'll take ages to restore everything.
-Step, step.
Just as I was looking around, I heard footsteps behind me.
An ominous feeling suddenly came over me, and I hurried to leave, but unfortunately, it was too late.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
When I turned around, I saw a middle-aged man in golden armor.
Yet the powerful build I could sense through his armor and the scars on his face gave him the air of a battle-hardened veteran.
“You're El, the B-rank adventurer who just lured away two giants, correct?”
More than anything, the Imperial crest pinned to the right side of his chest stood out.
“…It's an honor to meet you, Commander of the Imperial Knights.”
Luke, commander of the Imperial Knights.
One of the five Swordmasters, and the youngest Swordmaster before me.
He even bears that all-too-familiar title, ‘Sword of the Empire.’
“That's right. Anyway, I'd like you to answer my question.”
“…As you said, I lured away two giants.”
“I see.”
Luke grinned as he looked me over.
Don't tell me...
“Still, you know how to show respect? I thought you were like a rude little kid who didn't know how to behave.”
He knows. This old guy definitely knows who I am.
For starters, Uncle Luke had met me before.
Huh? You mean there aren't any people at the academy who've met me? Of course there are.
It's just that the magic tool I'm using is pretty expensive, and it keeps even people who know me from recognizing me.
The problem is, there's no way it'd work on a Swordmaster.
“But since the giants are gone, I take it you defeated them yourself? And the man who looked like a summoner has disappeared too, so...”
The old man went that far, then spoke with an ominous smile.
“Would you mind having a little chat?”
“I'd rather not—”
“For the record, I won't take no for an answer. If you refuse, I may have to send a message to the North.”
“Ask me anything.”
The old man chuckled, apparently amused by how quickly I changed my tune.
This old geezer's really too immature for his age...!
Just as I was about to be half-dragged away by the old man...
“Wait! Uncle Luke!”
“Hm?”
“Huh?”
So there are people besides me gutsy enough to call him Uncle?
When I turned toward the voice, Ian and Arin came running over.
…Ah.
“Ah! You two! Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“That's what we should be asking you! You idiot, El!”
“Mmph?!”
As I rushed toward the two I'd completely forgotten about, Arin yelled at me and pinched both my cheeks.
I killed that man because I was pissed off on their behalf, and yet I'd gone and forgotten about them...
I feel like I've been getting dumber lately.
“You suddenly told us to protect the people and ran off! Then, while we were fighting monsters for ages, you were nowhere to be found! And then I heard you lured that monster away?! Are you crazy? Do you want to die?!”
“Mmph.”
I get it. I'm sorry, so could you let go of my cheeks for now?
It's kind of weird having my cheeks pinched by someone shorter than me...
Meanwhile, Ian was explaining something to the old man.
“Uncle, that's El, my friend. They're definitely not a bad person. During the attack earlier, they were the first to rush out and protect people.”
“Uh... well...”
"And she's in the same class as us at the academy. She's even more skilled than I am. So there's no need to suspect her."
“Uh... Hmm...”
Ian was doing his best to defend me. Come to think of it, he's the Hero's son, right?
Since Uncle Luke had ties to the Hero, there was nothing strange about him knowing Ian.
It was hard to get close to him, but once you did, he turned into an easygoing neighborhood uncle...
“Hey... Ian? Well...”
Uncle Luke looked at me with an awkward expression.
From Ian's perspective, he probably thought I was being dragged off because they'd mistaken me for an ally of ‘Glory.’
In reality, Uncle was just teasing me...
“Sigh... Arin. Give me a second.”
“El needs to take better care of herself... I haven't finished talking yet!”
When I removed Arin's hand and went over to Ian, he gave me a look as if to reassure me.
…Why does that actually make me feel reassured?
“Ahem. Ian? I really only wanted to talk, so you don't have to worry.”
“Uh... Is that so?”
Uncle nodded in response to Ian's question.
Only then did Ian realize he'd misunderstood, and his face grew redder and redder.
…This is my chance.
"Still, thanks for worrying about me. So... ‘She's definitely not a bad person!’ Was that it?"
“Stop...”
When I imitated what Ian had said, he finally couldn't take it and collapsed.
“Pfft. Hahahahaha!”
“…Let's go.”
“Yes, yes~ Arin, take good care of Ian, okay?”
“Hehe. I will!”
I left Ian in Arin's care and followed the old man.
Seeing Arin laughing too, I guess she thought it was funny as well.
…
“It's been a while, Flia. I heard you ran away from home.”
“Sigh... Yeah, it has. How have you been, Uncle?”
Once we were somewhere without many people around, Uncle activated a soundproofing magic tool and spoke to me.
“I'm always doing fine. So, why did you run away from home?”
“I can't tell you that.”
When I answered firmly, Uncle looked at me with a disappointed expression.
Even so, I couldn't tell him I'd run away because I didn't want to get married. I'm a noble young lady.
“Well, I didn't expect you to answer anyway.”
“Then why ask, you old man?”
“Hah! You're still as rude as ever!”
“You told me not to bother with manners.”
“That's true, I suppose.”
What are you even trying to do...?
“Well, I'm glad you're doing well.”
“Just in case, don't tell my parents. Absolutely not.”
“Hmm. We'll see.”
This crazy old man.
“…Please.”
“Haha! I'll think about that later. Let me ask you something.”
His smile faded, and the old man looked at me seriously.
“Do you regret running away from home?”
“Not at all.”
Regret what? If anything, I think it was absolutely the right decision to leave.
At my firm expression, the old man furrowed his brow as if pondering something, then spoke.
“All right. If that's how you feel, then so be it. Are you enjoying the academy?”
“Yeah. It's one unbelievable thing after another.”
Meeting friends like Ian and Arin, losing to Ian once, and remembering the joy of swinging a sword because of it.
“It's really fun.”
“Then I'm glad.”
After that, nothing much happened.
We talked about everyday things or discussed swordsmanship.
“Really? You lost to Ian?”
“…Tch.”
“Hahahaha! How many times have I told you not to let your guard down?!”
“Who could've seen that coming?!”
...And in the middle of all that, he found out I'd gotten trounced by Ian and teased me for ages.
“So, have you found yourself a boyfriend at the academy—”
“I'll kill you.”
“I'm sorry.”
I even let my killing intent loose in earnest at the old man for crossing the line.
After we'd chatted for a while, the old man suddenly asked me with a serious expression,
“Let's get to the point. Do you know anything about this attack?”
“A few things...”
I told him about the conversation I'd had with the man in the Colosseum.
About ‘false peace’ and ‘true peace,’ how he introduced himself as ‘Glory,’ that he originally intended to attack the academy, and everything else I knew.
“...Is that all? Didn't you interrogate him?”
“Well...”
When I told him how I'd lost my temper and killed the man, the old man gave me a look of utter exasperation, but anyway.
“At any rate, ‘false peace’ and ‘true peace,’ huh...?”
The old man pondered for a moment, then spoke with conviction.
“The Baekcheon Church. It's them.”
“The Baekcheon Church?”
What kind of people are they?
“This is top-secret information, so don't go telling anyone, all right?”
“Of course.”
I'm good at keeping my mouth shut, after all.
Since Uncle knew that too, he started telling me about the Baekcheon Church.
“The Baekcheon Church is an organization we discovered recently. The problem is, its history goes back at least several hundred years.”
“Several hundred years...”
Come to think of it, that ‘Glory’ guy said he'd lived for hundreds of years, too.
“The Baekcheon Church is a group that believes the goddess we worship is a false, distorted deity, and that only they worship the true god.”
An organization that openly denied the Goddess Church...
Well, that's something.
That's completely insane.