A Noble Gentleman Does Not Run
The Schwarzfeder Territory was small and cozy, but a good place to live.
"Uncle, have an apple."
"Hey now—what kind of way is that to talk to your lord?"
"Haha, it's fine. I've reached the age where being called 'uncle' doesn't sound off."
Though life there wasn't easy by any means— it was because Baron Leopold, the lord, was a noble beloved by all.
He only collected the taxes that were truly needed, never indulged in luxury, and loved to give to others. There wasn't a single resident who disliked him. It was a place where peasant escapes—common in other territories—never happened.
Then, in that peaceful Schwarzfeder Territory, something unimaginable occurred.
"The Demon King's army is here?"
"...Yes."
"...Some new Harvest Festival joke?"
It was simply unbelievable. Sure, monsters appeared occasionally, but demons never wandered these parts.
But Leopold realized the knight wasn't joking when he saw the barrier protecting the village from small monsters shatter.
"My lord, you must flee right now. Our knights can't hold them off."
"...All those years raising knights, wasted."
"Frankly, considering the pay you give us, we'd have no complaints if we just cut and run."
"Fair point."
But the knights didn't flee.
"Dying for our lord in a moment like this? It's what we dreamed of as kids. Now go."
Leopold donned his most expensive formal banquet attire from the closet. The one he'd bought thinking he'd wear it if Beatrice ever got married someday.
Then he smashed the display case holding a "heirloom sword that's actually worthless," picked up the decorative blade, strapped it to his waist, and reclined in his office chair.
"My lord, one more time: no time for posing. You need to run."
"A noble gentleman doesn't run. A lady, maybe."
The knight understood Leopold's intent. He was about to drag him out by force.
"I've wondered since childhood why being born a noble meant living a life so different from others."
Leopold smiled faintly.
"Maybe nobles exist for moments like this—to lay down their lives."
"M-my lord."
"Go. Your family, the maids in this manor. Oh, and my wife—take care of her."
But the knight hesitated until Leopold phrased it as an order. Only then did he bow deeply.
"...I will never forget your grace."
He bit his lip so hard it bled.
Leopold spoke calmly.
"Will you pass a message to Betty?"
"Tell her this is a death befitting a father whose daughter serves in the Windsor Knights—not a shameful one."
"That her father faced the demons without a hint of fear."
Alone in his office, Leopold opened a drawer. Inside were stacks of letters from Beatrice and a single cigar.
He'd been a heavy smoker once, but quit because Beatrice hated it. To always remember why, he'd kept the cigar atop her letters.
Leopold put the cigar in his mouth, lit it, and inhaled deeply. His hand trembled faintly.
"I'm afraid."
Death. Who isn't afraid? You just suppress it.
He knew that, but now that it loomed, he wanted to bolt from the room more than anything.
'You'll feel this someday too.'
Thinking of his daughter who faced such terror daily, Leopold smiled. He'd raised her well.
"So kill me painlessly, nameless demon."
"What a curious human. Aren't you afraid of me?"
Leopold looked up as if hearing nonsense. Before him stood a peculiar demon with arrow-shaped pupils.
"Terrified. To the point I might wet myself. Too much for a rural lord."
"...Then why not flee?"
"Demons might not get it, but humans have moments we can't run from. This is mine."
The demon of choice, Belleus, took a great interest in Leopold.
"I like you. So I'll give you a choice."
And the situation that followed— was now.
"Right: 300 territory folk. Left: your beloved wife."
"Your choice?"
Leopold laughed weakly. His choice was decided from the start.
Just like in that banquet hall full of noble daughters, when he'd chosen his wife—Selena.
Leopold walked to Selena and asked.
"Do you regret marrying a lowly rural baron?"
"I told you."
Selena smiled. In her mid-thirties now, she looked no different from the girl in Leopold's eyes.
"I accepted your dance because you were handsome. Better than being sold to some fat count in his fifties, even if you were a baron with no prospects."
Her voice cracked with tears.
"That hasn't changed. But you—why choose me out of all those girls?"
"...Big breasts."
Selena laughed through her tears.
"I'll hit you."
"Haha."
Leopold turned to the demon.
"This is my choice. Take my life and my wife's—spare the villagers."
Belleus clapped.
"Didn't expect you'd stake your own life too. Impressive. You're a rare human."
But Belleus's choices weren't over.
"Next choice."
"...Next?"
"Life is a series of choices, remember?"
Of course, this was mere amusement. Choices continuing until Belleus got his desired result.
"Left: Kill Selena here, painfully, with your own hands."
"Right: Those same 300 villagers."
"Your choice?"
An unacceptable dilemma. A situation beyond duty or reason.
The despair humans feel then—that was what choice demon Belleus craved most.
The moment despair filled Leopold's face—
"Correct."
Whoosh—!
With a bright girl's voice, a sword flew and embedded precisely in Belleus's forehead.
The silver-haired knight who arrived on the wind pointed boldly at Belleus.
"The bald demon in the middle."
Behind her: Edward gripping a flaming sword.
Serephina on the verge of collapse.
And—
"Betty!"
Beatrice, sprinting with tears flying.
As she rushed to embrace her parents— Belleus, sword in his brow, raised a hand.
"Akrýphos Dikē. -Unblinded Justice-"
Belleus's Authority unfolded.
**
Edward believed saving one exceptional human was worth more than a thousand ordinary ones.
By his values, heading to Schwarzfeder Territory was foolish. With a legion commander rampaging just upstream, no news from Schwarzfeder was reason enough to skip it.
Unless Sisilia stressed Beatrice's value and warned it might impair her duties—then he'd consider it.
But Edward permitted the trip without argument.
-If we don't check Betty's hometown, she'll cry out loud.
...Better to do something stupid than see Sisilia cry.
"Glad we came in the end, but it makes me feel like the villain."
Edward steadied his breath, scanning around. Somehow, he was floating on the sea.
"Am I the winner?"
Recognizing the domain, its effects flooded his mind naturally.
Belleus's Authority forced one of two choices, making it inevitable. Though illusory, choices here manifested in reality. No option ever saved everyone—a potent demon domain.
"...You really underestimated us."
Edward was quite annoyed. Sisilia ignored the choices entirely, so they'd dragged him as backup. It felt like she saw herself as stronger.
Edward sneered.
"Come on, insolent demon."
As Edward wished, Belleus presented choices.
Two boats. Left: Windsor Knights. Right: Sisilia kneeling alone, hands and feet bound tight.
"The right boat—"
Before Belleus finished, Edward obliterated the right boat with max-output flames.
"So mean."
Sisilia sank with a hurt expression.
Belleus asked, baffled.
"...Why kill her? You value Sisilia Windsor above all. You'd never sacrifice every knight here for her."
Edward stated the obvious.
"Sisilia Windsor wouldn't die that easily."
As his words ended, Sisilia unleashed Wind Shear, blasting all the seawater skyward.
Hated sinking? Blow the sea away.
What footwork.
Exactly as Edward imagined Sisilia.
He glanced at the demon.
"Your Authority: 'No choice saves everyone.' But everyone lived—so contradiction."
Ting!
Belleus's pupils widened in shock. His domain crumbled.
The world acknowledged the paradox, nullifying his Authority from the start.
"What nonsense is this!"
Of course it was absurd. Contradiction itself was the folly of humans defying a higher being's law.
How arrogant. How absolute the faith in that 'Sisilia Windsor'?
Far beyond camaraderie or trust—some transcendent 'something.'
"...Ridiculous human."
As the domain fully collapsed, Edward smirked at Belleus.
"Tell that to the girl you'll meet soon."
"!"
Belleus, trying to reactivate his Authority, dropped into an unexpected place, confused.
A wind barrier surrounded him. Familiar—one he'd seen in the domain: Wind Shear.
Belleus stared blankly at Sisilia.
"...Regrets?"
A probe for his Authority, but Sisilia blinked, misunderstanding.
"I don't regret much."
Realizing his Authority was dead, Belleus hastily deployed the domain.
"Unblinded Justice—!"
But it failed. His voice cut off.
Sisilia now held his severed head in her hand.
Sisilia eyed his arrow-pupils disapprovingly.
"Why steal the blindfold from someone trying to sleep."
What a total jerk demon.
Sisilia scowled and dispelled Wind Shear.