Chapter 82 : Swordsmanship (1)

“Wow~ Ruina, look at that!”

Reina beamed, pointing excitedly out the window.

She pressed herself against the carriage window, her eyes glued to the view outside as her silver-white hair swayed gently in the breeze that slipped through.

Watching her, I felt a warm sense of contentment.

“Don’t lean too close to the window. It’s dangerous.”

But more than that, I was worried she might accidentally fall out.

“Okay~”

Reina nodded slightly and moved a little away from the window.

Satisfied, I turned my gaze back to the front.

We were inside the carriage on our way to the northern regions.

After Bliss informed me about the journey yesterday, I had hastily packed my things that evening. Thankfully, I didn’t have much to bring—just a few changes of clothes and a small pouch of coins.

The swords I had acquired in Birren were left behind; the fight with the hero had damaged their blades beyond repair.

When I asked if they could be restored, I was told they were irreparable, so I had no choice but to leave them behind.

They fit my hand perfectly, and I had really liked them… such a shame.

Damn that hero.

“Ruina, is your seat uncomfortable?”

Lost in my thoughts, I sighed deeply, prompting Olivia, seated across from me, to ask cautiously.

“No, it’s just… I’m a bit worried. It’s my first time traveling to the North, after all.”

I replied with a smile, fabricating an answer to ease her concern.

“Oh, so it’s your first time in the North? Well, at first glance, it can certainly seem like a dangerous place,” said Agnes, arms crossed and nodding confidently.

“Have you been there before, Agnes?”

“Plenty of times. It’s my homeland, after all.”

She replied with her usual air of self-assurance.

Currently, the passengers inside the carriage were Agnes, Bliss, Olivia, and me.

The rest of the group—the hero and Artorius—were on the driver’s seat outside, managing the horses.

Artorius was a new addition to our group. He had joined us under the pretense of having something he needed to find during this journey.

After a brief discussion, we decided to let him join, much to my dismay. While I wasn’t keen on the idea, there was no valid reason for the others to reject him.

After all, he was a paladin—someone capable of fulfilling the roles of tank, healer, and warrior all at once.

Everyone else, especially the hero, was thrilled about his addition. The hero even joked that he was no longer the only man in the group, grinning widely. It seemed being the lone male had bothered him.

Seeing his reaction, I could understand why.

Now, Artorius and the hero were laughing heartily on the driver’s bench outside.

“Hero and Artorius seem to be having such a great time,” Olivia remarked, curiosity written all over her face.

Bliss responded, “Well, the hero might be genuine, but as for Artorius… he’s probably chatting about meaningless things, like who’s stronger or weaker among the paladins.”

I love those kinds of conversations… I wish I could join in.

That thought had been nagging me for a while now.

Honestly, this space felt stifling. Five women in a confined space, with no other men present?

For someone like me, who had once struggled to even talk to a cashier, this was overwhelming. My mind went blank every time I tried to think of what to say.

Moreover, I couldn’t relate to their conversations. My outward appearance might align with theirs, but my mind was more attuned to the discussions happening outside.

It was a cruel irony, leaving me feeling out of place.

Leaning back against the carriage wall, I could hear the hearty laughter of the hero and Artorius from behind me.

They were clearly enjoying themselves.

‘Damn, I’m jealous.’

I swallowed my words and looked ahead, only to find Bliss, Olivia, and Agnes staring at me.

This is where I belong, huh…

I barely managed to suppress a sigh.

The journey to the North was far from over.

As night fell, we began searching for a campsite.

Though I’d hoped to rest in a village or town, Agnes and Artorius insisted on continuing without pause to make it to the Hunt Festival on time.

We reluctantly decided to camp for the night.

After eating some rations I’d brought from Birren, I sat with Reina in a quiet spot, resting when Agnes approached.

“Could you spare me a moment?”

I glanced at Reina, who was playing nearby, then at Agnes, who stood with a serious expression.

“Pardon?”

“I have something to discuss with you. Remember what I mentioned before?”

Her words brought back a past conversation.

Ah, the one where she’d said she wanted to speak with me privately.

So, today’s the day?

I hadn’t expected it to be so soon.

Rising to my feet, I asked, “Can I bring Reina along?”

“No, this is a conversation for just the two of us.”

Her firm response left me puzzled.

What kind of discussion could warrant excluding even a child?

“Could it be that she’s about to reveal some sort of secret that must not be known?”

Thinking along those lines, I started to understand why she insisted on privacy. Kids are prone to spilling secrets, after all.

But why would she share such a secret with me? That, I couldn’t understand.

I glanced back at Reina. She was crouched by the campfire, mesmerized by the flickering flames in front of her.

‘Well, it shouldn’t be a problem if I step away for a short conversation.’

I turned to Agnes and said, “Let’s go.”

“Follow me,” she replied, taking the lead.

I followed as she walked into the forest surrounding the campsite.

It didn’t take long for the camp’s scenery to vanish, concealed by the dense woods. At this point, it was unlikely anyone could see us.

“How much farther do we need to go?”

“A little more.”

She clearly thought this wasn’t the right spot for a conversation yet.

‘Just how secretive does this topic need to be?’

At this point, I was starting to feel uneasy. Two people, alone in a dense forest at night—it was the kind of setup that could ignite all sorts of wild imaginations.

Mostly bad ones.

Agnes finally stopped after we walked a bit further, just as she had said. Her timing interrupted the increasingly absurd scenarios playing out in my mind.

I looked around.

We had stopped in a small clearing, an open space in the middle of the forest.

The clearing was surprisingly well-lit. The moonlight was exceptionally bright tonight, and the absence of trees blocking the light left the area bathed in a bluish glow.

Thanks to the moonlight, I could clearly see her standing ahead of me without needing to use magic.

“So, what is it you wanted to discuss with me alone?” I asked lightly, trying to ease the heavy atmosphere that had settled over us.

Despite the serene setting, the mood felt cold and oppressive.

Under the moonlight, in a secluded spot, a man and a woman sharing secretive words—it sounded like the setup for a romantic, heart-pounding story.

And yet, despite being in such a scenario, I felt no excitement—only a suffocating tension.

Perhaps it was because, physically, we were two women, not a man and a woman. Somehow, this setting seemed less about passion and more about foreboding.

“Ruina.”

“Y-Yes!”

Startled by Agnes suddenly addressing me, I stammered slightly.

“I have something to ask you.”

“Ask me?”

“Yes, and I would appreciate it if you could answer truthfully.”

“Understood.”

I nodded, agreeing to her request for honesty.

“Ruina, I want to ask you about the swordsmanship you use.”

“My swordsmanship?”

“Yes, the techniques you employ with the sword.”

Swordsmanship?

The unexpected topic made me tilt my head in confusion.

Why would she bring up swordsmanship here?

“What exactly do you want to know?” I asked cautiously.

“The name of your swordsmanship. What is it called?”

“The name… of my swordsmanship?”

What an unusual question.

I hesitated to answer immediately, weighing the implications. After a moment of consideration, I decided to refuse her question.

I didn’t trust her enough yet, and even if we were close, revealing one’s cards so easily was never wise.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t answer that.”

“Ah, I see,” Agnes replied, her expression shifting from surprise to understanding.

“It makes sense for a swordsman to be reluctant to reveal their techniques. My apologies for asking carelessly. Allow me to rephrase my question.”

She paused, then looked at me again.

“Ruina, the swordsmanship you use… Is it called the Wind Dragon’s Sword?”

My expression faltered before I could stop it.

Though I quickly corrected it, I knew she had caught the brief moment of surprise on my face.

Agnes began approaching me slowly, speaking as she did.

“Judging by your reaction, I’d say I’m correct.”

“How did you know?”

I asked, doing my best to keep my voice calm as she drew closer.

“Because…” she said, her tone steady, her golden eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

“That technique is ours.”

“Ah, that makes sense.”

Agnes’s explanation cleared up all my questions in an instant.

Of course, the one who taught me this swordsmanship, Redros, was a half-dragon. He had always referred to it as a dragonkin’s swordsmanship.

It wasn’t surprising that Agnes, also a dragonkin like Redros, knew of it.

With that realization, I felt at ease.

She then asked, “Ruina, as someone who has inherited the same swordsmanship, may I ask you something?”

“Of course! Please, ask me anything.”

I replied cheerfully. While I had felt uneasy when she recognized my swordsmanship, knowing that she shared the same lineage made her familiarity feel reassuring.

It was rare to meet someone else who had trained in this art, especially in the demon realm. Encountering such a person in human territory was akin to finding a fellow countryman abroad.

But that sense of relief didn’t last long.

“Alright, then let me ask you this: who taught you this swordsmanship?”

Her next question shattered my composure.

“Uh…”

I hesitated, unable to answer her. The reason was simple and obvious.

Who taught me this swordsmanship? None other than Redros, the First Duke of the Demon Realm.

And therein lay the problem.

While he was a revered guardian among demons, to humanity, he was a sworn enemy—a figure to be eradicated.

Let’s think about this. If I told Agnes, a member of the hero’s party, that my mentor was Redros, their sworn adversary, how would she react?

No matter how I spun it in my head, I couldn’t see this revelation going over well.

So I kept my mouth shut.

But it seemed Agnes wasn’t willing to accept that.

She approached until she was right in front of me, her sharp gaze piercing through me as she demanded, “Why are you silent?”

I pressed my lips together, refusing to answer.

“I see… So you can’t answer.”

Her voice carried a hint of disappointment, and it was clear she was disheartened by my silence.

Seeing her dejected expression pricked at my conscience, but what could I do? Telling her the truth wasn’t an option.

‘I guess I should at least apologize.’

“Um…”

I began cautiously, hoping to convey my regret for not being able to answer.

But before I could finish, I felt it—a sudden surge of killing intent.

At the same time, a flash of silver streaked toward my neck.

Her sword.

I reacted instantly, raising my hands defensively, but it was futile. Unlike her, I was unarmed.

Her blade stopped just shy of my neck, and I let out a mental curse.

‘Damn it, I shouldn’t have left my sword behind.’

I deeply regretted leaving my weapon in Birren.

“Speak the truth!” she shouted, her blade trembling at my throat.

“The swordsmanship you’re using—Dragon King Style—is the royal swordsmanship of the Dragon Kingdom, Draken!

This swordsmanship has only ever been passed down among the Draken royal family and their sworn knights!”

“Wait, what?!”

Her shocking revelation left me dumbfounded.

Ignoring my reaction, she continued.

“I am Agnes Magnolia, the last surviving member of the Draken royal family. I know every remaining successor of Dragon King Style by face!”

“Hold on!”

“But I’ve never seen your face before! That means you’re a new successor!”

“Well, that’s true, but—!”

“And yet, none of the successors in the Empire have ever taken on an apprentice, except for those who sided with the demons.

And those demons are our enemies!”

She leaned in closer, her golden eyes blazing as they filled my vision.

“Ruina, who are you? How did you learn the royal swordsmanship? And who taught it to you?”

Her face was so close that I could feel her breath.

Ordinarily, such proximity might cause both parties to blush and feel awkward, but all I could do was stare blankly and stammer in disbelief.

“W-What…?”

What the hell is going on here?!