ILSCA 10

Chapter 10.

What you pursue is merely the shadow of the sun.
It is like walking in darkness while chasing the light.

After being selected as one of the final three to become Ark at the Lumiel Research Institute,
Ruin took Alec, Theo, and me to the temple of the goddess Esca.

Bzz— Bzz— Bzz—
A strange sound came from inside the temple. It was like the sound of holding a conch shell to your ear.

“Ugh……”

Though I staggered, covering my ears, Ruin forced me to my knees before the altar and commanded.

“Offer your blood to the altar, now!”

I cut my right hand with the dagger I carried and clenched my fist tightly.
My blood seeped slowly into the black velvet cloth covering the altar.
Ruin, watching the scene with wide eyes, laughed ravenously and shouted.

“Now, speak the oath!”

Bzz— Bzz—
The sound grew progressively louder.
Suppressing the urge to cover my ears, I frowned and barely opened my mouth.

“Henceforth, I, Logy, shall become an Ark for the Iblis Empire by the will of the goddess……”

I looked up at the goddess Esca.
But her eyes were obscured by darkness, unseen.

“…For the new heaven, I willingly offer this life.”

And I received no answer.
Not even… until the moment I lost my life.

Bzz—
Only the sound, loud enough to tear the ears, grew ever louder.

The next morning, someone visited Eclipsia Palace.

“Good day, Your Highness.”

He was a tall man with a thin build, thinning hair, and a mustache groomed at an artistic angle.
The moment Calix saw him, he sprang to his feet in welcome.

“Please, come in.”

I quietly observed Calix, who seemed unusually tense.
Just then, the man with the haughty expression lifted his chin and asked.

“Hmm, are you the maid who assisted Sir Harbor, the Head Librarian?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“I see. I am here at the request of Her Majesty the Empress to serve as His Highness’s swordsmanship instructor. Remember my face well from now on.”

“Understood.”

“For your information, Her Majesty holds me in very high esteem. She grants my audience requests more than three times a week. So, it would be best not to disappoint me.”

Finally, I understood why he was so arrogant.
So he’s a close associate of Her Majesty the Empress, which is why he acts so high and mighty even in front of the Crown Prince.

But something was strange.
Lienne was currently in seclusion, officially to treat her alcoholism. She wasn’t even granting Calix’s requests for an audience.
Yet, she grants audience requests to this Windsor fellow?
Moreover, I had memorized the lineages and faces of all the major nobles in Castium.
This was in case urgent assassination orders were issued.
But he wasn’t among them. Surely, someone qualified to teach the Crown Prince and considered a close associate of Lienne should be a major noble.

‘His Highness probably doesn’t want to disappoint his mother, so his tense attitude is understandable.’

Is my memory wrong? Or…

Just then, the man, stroking his mustache, spoke in a pompous voice.

“Well then, Your Highness, shall we begin the swordsmanship lesson?”

We headed to the back garden for the lesson.
In front of everyone, Calix drew his sword with a tense expression.
Swish— With the sound of the blade cutting the air, the sharp edge gleamed.
Windsor, arms crossed, narrowed his eyes and looked Calix up and down.

“Swing the sword as I taught you yesterday.”

Calix swung the sword several times.
But before the count even exceeded three, Windsor snatched the sword from him irritably.

“Your Highness, I told you that’s not how it’s done. When did I ever teach you that?”

Windsor swung the sword broadly in front of him.
He put so much force into the swift swing that it made a ‘whoosh’ sound.

“Didn’t I tell you to swing it like this! Quickly! With force!”

“…I’ll try again.”

“Watch my demonstration properly.”

He shrugged and boasted.

“If you just copy my demonstration exactly, you can become an excellent swordsman. I was called a martial prodigy since childhood. I won the Youth Swordsmanship Tournament at 10 and even the National Swordsmanship Tournament at 15.”

“I am well aware… of Sir Windsor’s excellence.”

“Yet, even learning from someone as exceptional as myself, you make such little progress.”

Looking down at Calix with disdain, he uttered a cold remark.

“Like this, how will you ever be able to protect even yourself, Your Highness?”

“……!”

His eyes widened, and he froze on the spot.
I, too, stared quietly at Windsor, then picked up the sword that had fallen to the ground and examined it closely.

‘Hmm, just as I thought.’

Furthermore, ‘Windsor Noarain’…

Standing up with the sword in hand, I looked directly at Windsor.

“Sir Windsor, may I ask one thing?”

“……?”

“Is this sword truly intended for instructional use?”

“What? You, are you interrupting my lesson? Are you insane?”

His roar pierced my ears, but I continued unfazed.

“Full metal sword. It must weigh at least 1.5 kg.”

“So what?”

“The length is about 2 meters. The hilt is excessively ornate, throwing off the balance with the blade.”

“What on earth are you talking about…?”

“But why,”

I asked with a blank face.

“are you unaware that this sword is utterly unsuitable for instruction?”

“Wh-wh-what did you say?”

“From someone who supposedly won tournaments twice.”

Windsor’s mustache trembled, and his face turned bright red.
Furious to the tips of his hair, he pointed a finger at me and shouted.

“You! A mere maid, what do you know, daring to try and teach a noble!”

“Moreover, your method of handling the sword is also incorrect.”

I drew the sword and continued my explanation.

“A sword isn’t swung using only the strength of the shoulder and hand. You must extend your arm forward, move your wrist smoothly, and rotate your shoulder and waist together to swing the blade.”

“…Huh?”

“Also, observing your stance, your center of gravity remains in your chest. Maintaining a low center of gravity is fundamental for swinging a sword.”

“You, what are you even…!”

“Finally, your hand position is also wrong. After gripping the sword with both hands, you must maintain it in front of your torso’s center.”

“How dare you, in front of whom do you think you are…!”

“Then, you can swing it like this.”

I tossed an apple from my pocket into the air and lightly swung the sword.

Thud-thud-thud-thud!
The apple was perfectly sliced into 12 pieces in mid-air before falling to the ground.
The mouths of both Calix and Windsor fell open. I looked at them and asked.

“Do you understand?”

He seemed momentarily shocked but soon returned to a stern expression and asked.

“Are you, a maid, trying to teach me right now? So, what exactly are you trying to say?”

“Well, to put it in one word…”

Sheathing the sword, I spoke with a nonchalant face.

“You are quite untalented as a swordsmanship instructor?”

“Your insolence knows no bounds!”

Stomping his foot, Windsor shouted.

“If you know so much about the sword. Fine, face me in a duel!”

“Are you serious?”

You’ll die.
My eyes flashed instinctively. Just then, Calix stepped in front of me.

“Wait. Sir Windsor. Calm down.”

“……?”

“This maid is new to the palace and doesn’t know any better. She probably spoke without knowing. If Sir Windsor would show mercy just this once, I promise nothing like this will happen again.”

He glanced back at me and nodded slightly. As if telling me to apologize quickly.
I looked down at him without answering.

‘Why did he step in front of me?’

He’s much younger and weaker than me.
Did he think I would get hurt if I dueled Windsor?

I looked up at Windsor.
He seemed pleased that the Prince was taking a humble stance, shrugging and smirking.
The moment I saw that smile, my stomach churned.

‘I know that smile well.’

Back at the Lumiel Orphanage, there were children who were unusually large and strong.
They moved in groups, intentionally bullying and killing weaker children.
I saw that smile then.
The thrill of confirming one’s superiority.
The pleasure of crushing those of lower status…

My stomach churned involuntarily, and my teeth gritted audibly.