Stray Cat
"What an utter failure of a mission—incompetent fools!"
That summed up the entire meeting in one sentence. Still, our staff officers were fairly competent, laying out a airtight case based on past data for why the Windsor Knights must operate independently.
The nobles' responses?...
"No nation allows its so-called strongest knight order to act alone like that!"
"What if those superhuman freaks rebel? What then?"
"For Her Majesty's sake, this illegal group must be disbanded!"
Hmm. Yeah, no reasoning with that.
Anyway, Sisilia only got released after four grueling hours of verbal thrashing.
"At least it's better with two of us."
"...".
"Don't look at me like that. Gotta get your face out there early if you wanna be vice-captain someday. No choice."
Chiron seemed genuinely sorry this time, avoiding Sisilia's gaze.
"This is a real pickle, though."
Back in the carriage, Chiron brooded deeply. Sisilia just wanted this mess over so she could rush to Beatrice.
"Sisilia. Tell me your thoughts."
Of course, she was fully aware of the situation. At this rate, the Windsor Knights were done for—disbanded.
The nobles were pushing this hard for one reason: they wanted to carve up the order and claim its limbs for themselves. A lord with strong knights under him gained that much more power.
That couldn't happen. The Windsor Knights had to be the sturdy shield for future newbies.
"Simplest fix: rack up achievements they can't deny."
But Sisilia wanted something faster, surer.
"They won't acknowledge merits anyway."
"...You think they'd go that far?"
"If those in power don't recognize it, it didn't happen. Doesn't matter what it is."
Chiron fell silent for a moment. Sisilia might look like she had flowers for brains sometimes, but she could cut sharp like this.
"This is truly troublesome."
His expression hardened slightly.
"I was planning to order Edward to clear a special-grade dungeon."
...Isn't that just sending him to die?
Special-grade dungeon: Any dungeon deemed off-spec. It hit Sisilia anew just how much Chiron despised Edward. Even she would need her Extreme Art to clear it cleanly.
If I use my real Extreme Art, it'll definitely raise flags.
She'd get some shady epithet slapped on her. Inevitably unlock her True Name too—major risks all around.
Sisilia shook her head desperately.
"We need to grasp the root of this incident."
"The root?"
"Even if the demon duke was unavoidable, a high knight failing a mission is fatal."
She stated it firmly.
"We make that failure vanish."
"...Possible?"
"Expose the traitor. The dishonor shifts to them naturally."
The nobles lose their pretext. Not just earning merits—eliminate the cause via investigation, and denial gets tricky. Even if they deny it, drag them in with "Are you a demon sympathizer too?" Done.
"Brilliant."
"No big deal."
Sisilia puffed up instantly. And that was her worst misjudgment of the year.
"Order the vice-captain to investigate along these lines right—"
"You do it."
"...".
Sisilia paused, then spoke.
"The vice-captain's royal status would aid the investigation greatly, and his skills are—"
"You do it."
"...".
Sisilia lodged a fierce protest against her captain, who ignored her flawless deductive blueprint.
"Edward's more suited than me."
No lie there. Stat-wise, Edward was Insight A+, Might A+. Chiron? Insight B+, Might S+. Power build vs. balanced all-rounder. These quests suited all-rounders better.
"I strongly object."
"You do it."
"...".
But Sisilia's Authority C- got crushed by Chiron's SSS+.
"...Fine."
Chiron nodded, finally satisfied. Sisilia just resented him now.
But orders were orders. As the perfect Sword Princess, she'd give her all.
She pulled an artifact from her bosom—prepared for exactly this.
"Detective Sisilia, deploying."
"No idea what a 'detective' is, but that monocle doesn't suit you."
Sisilia took a huge hit.
But Sisilia was a righteous knight who wouldn't bow to outside pressure.
"Sisilia. Just to check—that monocle is...?"
"Call me Detective Sisilia."
"Damn, she's hooked on something weird again."
This wasn't too awkward for Jerryway. Once or twice a year, she'd pull some absurd stunt like this. And the unspoken Windsor rule? Play along.
Even gambling addict Jerryway followed it. He'd nearly made 7-year-old Sisilia cry once—got beaten half to death by Chiron for it.
"It was a ruin-type dungeon. Shaped like an ancient city."
Jerryway began his tale. Sisilia listened intently.
"Planned to map from undetected range first. But... ambushed. They were blatantly lying in wait."
"Hm."
"Judged further push impossible, ordered retreat. I held them off to buy time."
"That's why you suspected a mole."
"Yeah. Thought it over after. No mistakes on my end."
Jerryway was an alcoholic gambler and utter mess of a man, but a Sword Emperor. Rogue class too—ruin exploration expert. Him getting jumped was fishy.
"Named boss?"
"Nah, not named. But... they knew our moves. Predicted our retreat path. Got nicked blocking it."
Mole among the dungeon raiders.
Jerryway included, naturally.
"Thanks for cooperating."
Sisilia bowed subtly, hiding her suspicion. As she turned to leave—
"...Sisilia."
"Yes."
"This is purely my personal take."
"Go ahead."
"First off, the traitor is definitely among the ten who went. Know that going in."
Jerryway voiced his long-held hesitation. If the investigator weren't Sisilia, he'd have stayed mum. But her? She'd stay objective.
"Before heading out, Vice-Captain Edward said something."
"What?"
"If things get dicey, ditch the others. Pissed me off at first. Distrust my skills? But now, with this mess..."
His pupils trembled faintly. Looking up at Sisilia with a face praying it wasn't true—
"Why'd Edward say that to me?"
Sisilia's eyes chilled.
"Hope it's not."
Sisilia perched on the HQ rooftop, watching Edward clock out. Her silver eyes gleamed unnaturally bright in the moonlight.
I hold no grudge against the vice-captain.
Edward waved brightly to everyone as usual, boarding his carriage. It departed. Long after, Sisilia stood.
Turned and walked away.
But if—
Jerryway's words sparked one possibility.
A royal knight captain objecting like he'd prepped it. Tangled noble gains. Perfectly timed mission flop. Her own assignment? Would've failed for anyone else.
If you're using the Windsor Knights for political ends.
Those two dungeons. Coincidentally discovered by the same person: Edward Windsor.
She hadn't suspected him because—no reason to. Next captain anyway. Why sabotage his own order?
But it flashed: What if Edward Windsor—no, Prince Edward—infiltrated to dismantle it later, seeing it as a future obstacle?
Leaked info to demons on purpose?
If you're that foolish a human.
Sisilia opened Edward's desk drawer in his office.
I'll be disappointed.
Sisilia scanned the file, freezing at one point.
Dungeons bundled together.
She checked Tomb of the Adept first. Nothing odd.
Except one thing.
Guide Requirement:Sword Emperor or higher.
※ Caution: Extremely unique dungeon. If guide insufficiently skilled, 90% fatality rate—highly lethal.
Her mission brief said Sword Demon minimum.
Edward forged it.
"Busted."
Sisilia's head tilted slowly.
That's... a problem.
Next doc: Jerryway's dungeon. Ruins of the Ancient King.
Solo Dungeon.Sword Emperor or higher must participate alone.
※ Caution: Gimmick scales exponentially with group size.
"...".
Sisilia silently pulled just those two files, stowed the rest.
Pocketed them neatly, heading out—
Thud. Thud.
Footsteps in the hall. She knew instantly: Edward.
How? No traces left.
No hiding spots. She ducked under the desk in a pinch.
Creeeak—the door opened. Footsteps neared.
Sisilia clamped her mouth, suppressing breath and presence to the limit.
"Windows should've been locked tight."
She drew her sword, blocking overhead. Edward's strike plunged down simultaneously.
BAM!
Desk shattered, blades clashing.
"Never thought a stray cat would sneak in."
Edward grinned like he wanted to devour her.