I Tried To Be Her Loyal Sword

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213 Chapter

“……It seems my escort knight is acquainted with several commanders from the North?”

Helios, with a dazed expression, alternated his gaze between me and Zigmund, struggling to form words for a moment before finally speaking.

“What kind of relationship do you have?”

His icy blue eyes fixed on me, demanding an explanation.

‘What should I say?’

I rolled my eyes, trying to avoid Helios’s scrutinizing gaze. I had managed to dodge the first blow, but there was no solution to Zigmund’s nonsense that turned him into a diabetic snot-nosed goldfish with a cute name. Perhaps pondering if I should pass it off as an old friendship, Zigmund beat me to it.

“Oh, we share a very special bond. We once lived and thrived together, trusting each other with our lives.”

“……What?”

The revelation caused a stir in the room. Eyebrows shot up and eyes burned with disbelief.

Caesar, with his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, pierced me with a stare that asked if this nonsense was true, while Diego glared at Zigmund with an icy detachment.

Having just experienced the consequences of the revelation, I gritted my teeth and forced a smile.

There was no lie in his words. In fact, the expression fit quite well. However, the intentionally vague terminology made it easy for anyone overhearing Zigmund to mistakenly think we were lovers.

‘The problem is, the joys of our shared experiences were 196%, while the pains were 500%. We risked our lives just to survive in front of monsters, and the times we tried to kill each other were far more frequent than those we supported one another.’

He might as well have said that sharing a meal together means we’ve shared life’s most crucial experiences. I wanted to call him a sorcerer of language, no, a devil wielding words.

“So, the two of you, that……?”

Helios, still struggling to process the shock, stumbled over his words.

Zigmund flashed a mischievous smile, looking stunningly beautiful. He didn’t provide an answer, but his silence seemed to imply agreement.

“……I did work alongside the Northern Commander when we were mercenaries.”

I eventually sighed and revealed the truth. It was far better to be mistaken for former business partners than to be thought of as lovers.

A collective sigh of relief escaped from the crowd at my response.

Indeed, if rumors started circulating that the Empire’s trainer was romantically involved with the Northern Commander, it would tarnish the Empire’s reputation.

“I never thought we could be defined as business partners.”

“Haha. Now that you know, it’s settled.”

I forced a smile at Zigmund, who clearly hadn’t grasped the seriousness of the situation.

It was indeed inappropriate, but we weren’t business partners; we were enemies.

“Well, I never thought that since you killed Karasho.”

And like the highest-ranking bastard of my life, Zigmund managed to make my blood boil with such nonchalance.

‘Did he really just say that?’

Doubt crept into my mind as I gazed at Zigmund. My emotions were shifting the atmosphere of the room, and it was quickest to feel it that Caesar and Noah were now inspecting me.

Zigmund knew. Even if the world was oblivious, he knew what had transpired in that snowy expanse. He understood the emotions I felt when I drove my sword into Karasho and the agony that tore through me.

For someone who knew that, he should never have spoken like that.

‘Don’t get caught in it.’

I gradually regained my composure. It was such an obvious provocation. If I lost my temper now, it would erupt into an international incident, with all blame landing on my shoulders. He seemed to want to sow discord between the Empire and me.

“I no longer see the Commander as a business partner. At least, partners acknowledge one another’s presence, but the Commander…”

I smiled as I responded, wanting to show I wouldn’t be rattled by such a flimsy attack.

I had learned not to lose my cool just from hearing Karasho’s name. It wasn’t that she had become less valuable to me; rather, I had learned patience.

A tense air hung between Zigmund and me. After eyeing him briefly, I realized most attendees felt discomfort and confusion over our silent struggle, prompting me to sigh lightly and bow my head.

“It’s good to see you again.”

It was an insincere lie, but it was necessary to smooth over the situation. This was an important meeting, and I was merely a shadow escort, not a formal participant here.

I shouldn’t have the spotlight pointed at me any longer.

“Hah. Sure.”

Zigmund flicked a dismissive smirk and nodded. Had he pressed further, I might have lost control and lunged at him, but thankfully, he stepped back.

“Then…

Returning to his original poker face, Zigmund flicked his gloved hand.

Without hesitation, I drew my sword. The blade glinted in the light.

Our violet eyes met through the shimmering edge.

At the sword’s point stood Zigmund.

“What do you think you’re doing…!”

“Enough.”

The woman standing behind Zigmund, enraged by my actions, attempted to draw her own sword, but Zigmund held her back.

With an expression unchanged despite the blade before him, he cocked his head at me.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“Remove your hand from the hilt.”

I stated firmly, glancing down at the third drawn sword of Zigmund. It was risky to threaten a foreign leader during negotiations, but this time, I had a valid reason.

“I have a duty to protect His Majesty the Emperor. Please sheathe your sword.”

The first rule given to escort knights in the Empire was to prioritize the person they were protecting.

Zigmund clearly intended to draw his sword, and Helios stood right before him. Whatever his intentions were, it posed a threat to Helios, so I had to counter.

I had acted to prevent it, but Noah and Caesar still kept their hands poised over their swords, ready to intervene against Zigmund.

“You haven’t explained. Regrettable. I meant to draw my sword to conclude this meeting peacefully. We signify the seriousness of this by plunging our swords into the ground.”

Zigmund said calmly while throwing a glance at Helios. Helios, who had remained passive until then, finally sighed.

“Lord of Crisis. Stand down.”

I grimaced slightly, but I sheathed my sword. As Helios’s escort knight, his command was absolute to me. Once the blade was out of sight, Zigmund smiled faintly and drew his own sword.

It was remarkable that he could create such a threatening atmosphere while delaying explanations he could have provided sooner.

“Even if the earth freezes, may the will embedded in the sword remain intact.”

Thud.

With a forceful strike, Zigmund thrust his sword into the table, burying it deep into the snowy ground. The table shook violently as a large hole was punctured, echoing like a drum.

I glared at Zigmund, protecting the now-exposed Helios from the shock.

Zigmund behaved like a remarkably wild fool. There were only two reasons a person could act as recklessly as he did.

They were mad or perhaps felt invincible.

“The meeting ends here.”

Zigmund stood up without hesitation. His one-sided, rude conduct left no one in a position to point it out.

The muted Northern guests followed suit and stood as well.

“You’ll see me on the battlefield next time.”

His voice was chilling and resolute, as if all decisions were already set in stone.

The fluttering black cloak obscured my view. Then, he disappeared into the tent’s exit, followed by his followers.

Once the Northern guests vanished, and the external commotion seemingly teleported away, silence fell over the room.

“What kind of bastard is that?”

El furiously swept her bangs aside. With a voice sharp as the cruel cold, she muttered, looking like she might spew vulgarities at any moment.

“……The North has gained a mad leader. A mad and clever leader.”

Helios rubbed his face dryly, looking troubled.

As we faced this new duality, everyone appeared lost in thought, while I sighed and gazed at the dimly visible landscape outside through the tent’s seam.

The falling snow thickened, thickening the scent of winter in the air.

“Shoosh. It’s cold. Let’s get going.”

As I took a brief moment of respite before teleporting back to the Empire, I stood in the snowy field and stared into the distance.

Tap.

A coat was draped over my shoulder, cool from the snowflakes. I smiled softly. The scent of rosewood lingered there.

“Reiner. I’m fine.”

“I’m not fine. No matter how immune you are to illness, I hope you aren’t getting used to enduring discomfort.”

Reiner added, “Just because you don’t catch colds doesn’t mean you can’t feel the cold,” tenderly fastening the buttons of his coat for me. His coat felt like a large, warm blanket.

Wrapped in its warmth, the chill in my chest started to melt away. I grinned at him, making eye contact.

“What will you do once the war breaks out?”

“Ugh.”

Reiner gave a brief groan, seeming to ponder over my question.

He reached out his big hand toward me, as if inviting me to take it. As I grasped it cautiously, he sought my agreement and gently held my hand. My fingers that had grown cold from the exposure began to thaw in his warmth.

“Many things would change, but I believe nothing will change.”

In the completely pale world, those golden eyes lost none of their shine as they reflected me. I relished the warmth spreading through my hand while gazing at him.

“The surrounding environment may change. But my resolve to live for this country and its justice, and my commitment to fulfill the duties given to me, remains unchanged.”

His rough fingertips slightly grazed my palm. Snowflakes fell onto our clasped hands, making everything feel doubly ticklish.

In that moment, Reiner smiled.

“I’ll still be here, doing my best from wherever I stand.”

The North Star sparkled consistently, regardless of changing seasons or passing time. In its constancy, I found great comfort and reassurance.

Even in the toughest times when the light seems extinguished, a glance to the North would remind me that he would still be there, shining bright.

“So, please don’t worry. Even if a blizzard sweeps through taking away many things, I will remain here.”

Reiner whispered as if he understood my thoughts completely.

I closed my eyes briefly in comfort at his voice. The falling snow felt like a gentle embrace in a serene snowy landscape.

“……I will too.”

Even if a blizzard roars, I will be here.

Here, I will protect the things I love.

Some time later, the first invasion from the North began.