Chapter 26: TBSL

Chapter 26

One might wonder what goes through the mind of someone who has been running with a single goal all their life and suddenly loses it.

Shock? Confusion? Blank emptiness? Or perhaps…

‘Yeah, of course it feels like absolute shit.’

Rishikida’s only goal had been one thing.

To devote everything in her life to the man she called her master.

It was a rather peculiar kind of goal, but people’s preferences should be respected, so I’ll leave it at that.

‘The King of Nudia was already the type who might suddenly grab any woman he fancied without warning, but…’

But to discard a knight who insisted nothing had happened and tell her to die—that was a bastard beyond saving.

He should’ve just killed her himself. After using her all this time, the moment rumors started spreading, he told her to go die.

For Rishikida, who had lived her entire life in loyalty, that was already a death sentence.

‘Thanks to that, I ended up catching a fish I never expected.’

Most capable individuals in this world were already tied to factions or masters.

Lilith had been a lucky encounter, but the rest were uncertain whether they could be kept.

In that sense, Rishikida, an upper-rank knight, was like a “new recruit with experience.”

Moreover, in a year Nudia would disappear from the map entirely, and the upper knights who used its sword style would vanish with it.

‘The only place preserving Nudia’s knight techniques is the Clausen March. This is basically a jackpot.’

Just as he was thinking of heading back—

“Si-on.”

Lilith grabbed his wrist.

When Si-on asked if she had something to say, Lilith smiled brightly.

“If I catch you hugging another woman, you die.”

“….”

“Don’t even think about keeping other women while having a succubus. That’s disrespecting me, the Queen of Incubi. Don’t tell me you plan to divide what belongs to me?”

“A-ahaha… t-that’s not what I meant… I don’t have anyone besides Lady Lilith…”

“Not yet? That word is suspicious. You said ‘not yet’? Nnoooow?”

“….”

He immediately realized he had chosen the wrong words.

Lilith screeched and lunged at him. Si-on quickly escaped and returned to his room.

Recently, with Lucia sticking close to him more often, Lilith had become extremely sensitive. Now, with the female knight added to the mix, her jealousy had clearly intensified.

‘Please understand, sis. This is just survival.’

He entered the room.

Inside, Rishikida was sitting and examining something—she quickly hid her notebook when he came in.

“…What were you doing so frantically?”

“Ah, n-nothing.”

“Your face says ‘this is definitely something.’”

“…Is that so?”

‘Why are you agreeing so easily?’

“Anyway, have you decided? There’s still time until midnight, but I doubt you’ll make a decision even if I gave you ten hours.”

“…I don’t know what I should do.”

He had worried she might say “kill me” or “give me a sword,” but fortunately her answer was more hopeful.

She began speaking.

“I was born in the slums. I was meant to live and die there. But by chance I became a knight, and I was taken into a noble house. I thought I would live and die there as an honorable knight.”

“Life doesn’t go as planned.”

“How ironic it is… that I, who was loyal to my master, now stand beside you, my enemy’s noble son. I who have killed so many soldiers of Hispania…”

Si-on felt that if he let her ramble, she would just loop back to the beginning.

Sometimes truth hits harder than comfort.

“Up until yesterday you wanted to die, and now you’re hesitating? That’s faster than I expected.”

“….”

“Rishikida Amchel. ‘I don’t know’ isn’t ignorance. It’s when your heart understands but your brain can’t keep up.”

He tilted his head.

“Your master abandoned you. That’s your situation. So here’s the correct answer: stop crying and abandon him first. Why are you dying just because some bastard told you to leave?”

“…That…”

“If it were me, I’d have stormed the royal palace or started a rebellion. If someone treated my people like that, I’d lose my mind immediately.”

Rishikida sighed in pain.

She understood what he meant.

He was telling her to abandon her master.

To bite back at the man who discarded her.

“…But I swore loyalty to him.”

“Break it.”

“…What?”

“Sometimes you have to lie to yourself a little. We’re not saints.”

He leaned forward.

“Let me ask you something.”

“…What is it?”

“Is your loyalty really about duty… or is it because you wanted to be loved?”

“…What are you saying?”

“If you truly had loyalty, you would’ve died. If you didn’t, you would’ve already cursed him and moved on. You’re neither.”

Rishikida flinched.

“You’re like a stray cat begging someone to pick you up.”

“Enough of your insults!”

“The insult isn’t mine. It’s your master’s.”

His tone turned sharp.

“Stop lying to yourself. The one who betrayed your loyalty is him. I’m the one giving you a place to live.”

“….”

“Come under me.”

“…I am from Nudia.”

“So what?”

“I am an enemy knight of the Clausen house.”

“So?”

“I’ve killed your soldiers…”

“Then even more reason to take you.”

He smiled coldly.

“If I like something, I take it. I don’t care about country or origin. If the king or emperor touches my people, I’ll revolt immediately.”

He leaned closer.

“You’ve already been abandoned. So abandon him too.”

“…Time until midnight: 5 minutes.”

Rishikida trembled.

“1 minute.”

“W-wait… just one thing…”

She looked up desperately.

“Promise me… don’t abandon me.”

Si-on gently patted her head.

“I’m the guy who jumped into hell to save a single soldier.”

“Ah…”

“You think I’d throw away a capable knight like you?”

“Ah… ahhh…”

Her tears finally broke free.

“Don’t… don’t abandon me… please…”

Si-on looked down at her in satisfaction.

Then—

A cold chill ran down his spine.

He turned his head slowly.

Lilith was staring at him.

“You’re dead.”

And then—

“Eek.”

Rishikida suddenly clung to his chest.

“Ma-master…!”

“….”

Si-on slowly realized.

He might have awakened something very dangerous inside her.