Suspicion of the Northern Grand Duke
The war in the blizzard was, of course, a victory for my side.
'Of course it was. I've got this!'
The soldiers collapsed to the ground in exhaustion before they could even savor their triumph. Their faces were filled more with relief at having survived than joy at the win.
A brief truce. I mingled among the regular troops, plotting my next moves.
'Racking up merits is still the fastest way, right?'
If I piled up enough achievements to reach the ears of the great Northern Grand Duke herself, maybe I'd get to see her face? In a way, getting summoned to this battlefield might be a stroke of luck.
As I hashed out my plans, a man's voice called out.
"You... you're one of the new conscripts, right?"
Shiny armor screaming 'I'm the commander~'. The man on horseback looked down at me as he spoke.
I didn't like being looked down on, but my status here was that of a commoner. I had to show respect.
"Yes, that's right. Name's Sigurd."
I bowed properly and answered his question.
"Right, Sigurd. The Grand Duke summons you. Follow me."
A smile crept across my face at the commander's words.
'Nice. Already making my mark.'
As I followed him, I mentally sorted through what I knew about this dimension's heroine, the Northern Grand Duke. Northern Grand Duke—technically, the Northern Grand Duchess... or Grand Duke? Whatever.
Anyway, the heroine Elina Veronica wasn't originally in line for the position. The previous Grand Duke's son should have succeeded him.
'But they both died at the same time.'
In the absurd situation of simultaneous deaths on different battlefields. The previous Grand Duke had no other heirs besides his son.
The North was thrown into chaos. Right in the middle of a war, the seat went vacant.
So after a long search, they settled on Elina Veronica. She was the previous Grand Duke's illegitimate daughter.
Being a woman and a bastard doubled the backlash, but they couldn't leave the position empty forever. In the end, she ascended to Northern Grand Duke.
'A figurehead, though.'
When you think Northern Grand Duke, you imagine someone cold and iron-willed... so it was ridiculous that she was just a puppet.
And once the war ended, she'd probably be assassinated by those eyeing her seat. Elina had to know her precarious position.
That's why she was out here on the battlefield, racking up merits herself. And now she'd summoned me?
'Trying to recruit me?'
Someone in her shoes desperately needed talent.
'Things are falling into place right from the start.'
After getting screwed over in that Murim dimension, it felt like compensation—everything going smoothly now.
I couldn't stop grinning at the thought of breezing through this commission. I arrived at the tent all smiles, only to find a beauty with icy eyes waiting.
A figure around eight heads tall. Long, flowing white hair.
And frozen blue eyes to top it off. Elina Veronica, the epitome of the ice-cold beauty, had it all.
If I had to pin down her style, it was the aloof big-sis type.
'First time for this vibe.'
The complete opposite of Baekhyang's energetic big-sis energy.
'How to break the ice?'
First impressions matter. Overthink it, and I'd look bad, so I was about to speak when—
"Kneel."
The ice beauty spoke first.
'Nice voice.'
Exactly as I'd imagined. But...
'Kneel? Who?'
Now that I thought about it, something was off. Sure, nobility meant knights around, but...
'Way too many.'
Far more than mere escorts. As I racked my brain, someone kicked the back of my knee.
The unexpected blow buckled my leg.
Thud—!
I hit the ground on my knees. Then a knight pressed a sword to my throat.
The others drew theirs, all aimed at me. This was beyond wrong—something was seriously messed up.
"So, your name's Sigurd?"
Elina asked for my name—not from me, but from the commander who'd brought me.
"Yes. His appearance and behavior match the reports. And he's a commoner with nothing to his name."
The commander trailed off meaningfully.
"I'll confirm it myself."
She approached slowly. Not the click of heels, but the clank of metal greaves.
The sound of footsteps befitting a Grand Duke who led from the front.
"A mere commoner ends the battle? You think that makes sense?"
Cold tone, colder gaze. The eyes she fixed on me were for an enemy, not an ally.
'Ah, she suspects me.'
A commoner—no, a freshly conscripted one—rampaging on the battlefield? I'd suspect myself too.
My grinning face hardened.
'Fine. Clear the suspicion, and it'll turn to my advantage.'
To flip suspicion into gain, I'd have to defend myself hard.
"What are you? Enemy spy? Black mage's thrall?"
Elina stared into my eyes as she spoke, waiting for my answer.
'Got a good excuse lined up, but...'
Perfect for a fantasy world. One classic line came to mind.
"I've been chosen by the holy sword!"
From what she'd said earlier, this was a fantasy dimension with black magic. Where there's darkness, light's a given—standard trope.
And fantasy screams holy sword! So I went for it.
"Holy sword?"
Elina furrowed her brow at my response.
"Delusional ravings. Black magic corruption, clearly."
She let out a hollow laugh.
"Execute him before he affects the others." "Yes!"
The sword at my throat rose high. Elina turned away, interest gone, heading back to her seat.
I could pulverize these guys in a heartbeat if I wanted, but I stayed put and spoke.
"I can prove it!"
My words halted Elina's steps. A knight beside her whispered,
"Madman's babble." "..."
Elina shot back a silent, icy glare. The knight holding his sword aloft froze solid.
Unable to decide whether to swing or hold, he just stopped.
"Prove it, you say..."
She stroked her chin thoughtfully, then continued.
"Fine. Prove it. But remember this."
If it's fake, torture so bad death will seem a mercy.
If glares could kill, I'd be dead a dozen times over. She raised her hand, and the knights backed off.
"Hoo..."
Kneeling briefly had my legs numb. I stretched slowly, meeting Elina's eyes.
"Do it quickly."
At her cold command, I drew Gram.
"Is that the holy sword?" "Yes, it is."
Elina examined Gram closely.
"Fine blade, but no holy sword."
"Because its holy power hasn't awakened yet."
I handed Gram to her hilt-first. A knight tried to stop her, but she gripped it without hesitation.
"Indeed, a fine sword."
She swung it a few times, then handed it back.
"As you've seen, Gram right now is just a good sword."
I summoned the Solar Holy Sword Gram. Light began to emanate from it.
"That light?!"
Knights swiftly surrounded and shielded Elina. Peering through them, she watched Gram with intrigued eyes.
"When a chosen one wields it, Gram awakens as a holy sword."
Proof enough?
At my question, Elina ordered a knight to fetch a priest. In case of poison or curse, a high priest waiting nearby entered the tent.
"Ahh...! Goddess..."
He dropped to his knees at Gram's light the moment he saw it. Tears streamed down his face.
The knights panicked at the old priest's manly tears.
Amid them, Elina's lips curved slightly upward.
"No need to see more. All suspicions against you are cleared."
With that, the knights sheathed their swords and left the tent. Just Elina, me, and her adjutant now.
I sat facing her.
Silence flowed coldly between us until Elina spoke first.
"I've done what I had to. No apologies or rewards."
She was right. I'd suspect too in her shoes.
"Yes, I think you did what you had to, Lady Elina."
I affirmed her actions. It wasn't really dangerous anyway.
"...Call me Veronica." "Understood, Lady Veronica."
Silence again. I wanted to talk more, but...
'Not the vibe.'
Time to withdraw.
"Then I'll take my leave."
She nodded permission.
"I expect great feats from you."
Just as I turned to go, she called to my back.
"Hoo..."
My breath fogged in the North's chill air.
'War here too, in the end.'
Elina's final words were like a quest in game terms.
Rack up merits on the battlefield. Then I'll make you one of mine.
Piling merits was easy. The problem came after.
She'd test me, over and over. To see if I fit as her subordinate.
Only after passing all that would I become her man. And then the protagonist...
'Long road ahead.'
Facing the North's biting wind, I envisioned the future.