Sisilia-nyang and Ed-ppi's Adventure (1)
“I thought I'd used up all the miracles I'd ever need in this lifetime when I got Betty.”
The damage to the Schwartzfeder territory was minor. The territory's only three or so knights had survived by freezing up the moment they encountered the demon—too weak for it to even notice them. Fortunately, the Demon of Choice didn't have powers that sacrificed multiple people at once, so the harm was limited to a few collapsed fields and buildings.
“Thank you. That's all I can say.”
Leopold expressed his pure gratitude. Edward shook his hand with a diplomatic smile.
“We've merely done what the Windsor Knights ought to. I'm almost embarrassed by the praise.”
Look at Ed-ppi, no shame at all.
Sisilia marveled at Edward's ironclad social skills, thick as five steel plates.
“Oh my, what a handsome knight captain. Do you have a fiancée, by any chance?”
Her boobs are huge. …Is this genetic?
Sisilia's eyes spun at the impressive size. Anyway, Selena seemed interested in Edward. More precisely, because of Betty on the verge of getting delisted from the marriage market.
—By Sisilia's standards, turning twenty was a danger signal—
“If not, then our Betty…”
“M-Mom…!”
“You still need to get married this year, right…? Even if he's a knight.”
“I-I wouldn't marry the captain even if I did…!”
“……”
Edward, suddenly hit with his fifth zero-confession, looked oddly hurt.
“You're Sisilia, right? I've heard a lot from Betty. I owe you so much.”
Sisilia bowed her head politely.
“Betty's the one I owe big time to.”
“Haha, no need to feel bad. I heard she's like a little sister who needs a lot of hand-holding.”
Leopold patted Sisilia's shoulder as he said it. Something felt off, so Sisilia blinked.
“……What did Betty say?”
“Hm? That you can't even go to the bathroom alone so she always has to go with you, or that you begged her for a whole month to be your adjutant since you said you couldn't do without your big sis—though she kept refusing.”
The first part was true, but the second wasn't. For reference, Beatrice had been overjoyed to the point of bawling when asked to be adjutant—a total pushover.
Sisilia stared at Beatrice, who turned beet red and looked away.
Leopold turned to Edward next.
“And you—lost to newbie Betty in a spar and moped in your room with depression for a while, right? Haha! Don't be too down; she's our Betty. She's had no rivals since childhood. That's why she's already a high knight.”
Edward blinked and glanced at Beatrice, who bowed her fully ripened face.
“You're the saint who lost the Saint Battle, aren't you? Haha. Don't be too disappointed. Our Betty's just that faithful.”
Sisilia, grasping the situation, grinned. Betty must've bragged wildly in her letters.
“Right. Without big sis Betty, I'm just a useless idiot girl who can't do anything.”
No way Sisilia-nyang would miss the chance—she beamed and chimed in.
For reference, Edward went even further.
“Even I, a Sword Sovereign, can't stand up to Beatrice's brilliant swordsmanship. I doubt there's a better knight in all Liannen than Betty.”
Edward smirked slyly.
“So, she'll surely handle the Four Heavenly King Lumia subjugation all by herself.”
“!!”
Color drained from Beatrice's face. Sisilia was fascinated at how fast a person's complexion could change.
**
Leopold manor.
“I-I'm sorry.”
Beatrice knelt and prostrated before everyone, trembling violently.
“I-I just wanted to be a daughter you could be proud of, so…”
Sisilia-nyang covered her mouth with her blouse sleeve, amused by Beatrice.
“Eep, I-I'll commit seppuku.”
Unable to bear the shame, Beatrice chose ritual suicide. Sisilia drew her sword to honor the noble choice—severing her neck painlessly.
“This time, believe me.”
Seraphina was oddly serious. Edward, spectating the seppuku show, scoffed dismissively.
“……Are you sane?”
Still, Edward chuckled.
“The Schwartzfeder family is quite the cheerful bunch. The villagers look happy, and Baron Leopold's a rare fine noble.”
Surprisingly, Edward thought well of Leopold. That included evaluations of Beatrice's usual conduct. Without such great parents, he couldn't overlook Sisilia's antics.
“Beating me in a duel was insolent, but I'll play along.”
Beatrice's head snapped up.
“Really…?”
“Not hard. First, tell me exactly what you wrote in those letters. Then I can match it.”
Beatrice brightened. She'd worried her parents would be disappointed if the lies were exposed—always fretting over their far-traveling daughter.
“Only one thing about the captain… Sisilia has more.”
“It's fine, Betty. I'm in a mood to be your big sis for the day.”
Sisilia said generously. Beatrice glanced slyly and confessed.
“……That I turn your socks right-side out every day, soothe you when you whine, and the Windsor Knights can't function without me.”
Sisilia crossed her arms, frowning.
“That's some fabrication.”
“S-Sorry.”
Edward said gravely.
“……That's all true.”
“?”
Sisilia tilted her head—had it been like that?—but shrugged since it didn't matter and hiked up her skirt.
“Sisilia! The captain's here…!”
Beatrice panicked to stop her, but a dress hem popped out from under Sisilia's skirt.
“…?”
She'd already been wearing a dress underneath. Sisilia pulled a big straw hat from her bag, plopped it on, and headed out.
“Sisilia.”
Edward, eyes closed, called. She peeked back through the door crack.
“Let's tour Betty's territory.”
“……What the hell do you even think about all day?”
Edward was genuinely curious. But he sighed.
“One day off should be fine. We've been in nonstop battles.”
“Aren't we in a rush to Carmot…?”
“Without knowing the demon king's target, going ahead just means wandering lost. Better to regroup here and wait.”
Edward lay back on the bed, smiling faintly.
“I'll call if it's urgent. You're the specialist for that.”
He meant Lydia. Sisilia's eyes sparkled as she told Beatrice.
“Guide me, Betty. First time in such a backwater countryside.”
Beatrice bristled—it was her territory, after all.
“It's not that rural! Fine, I'll show you properly.”
Thus began the impromptu territory tour. The result?
“Total countryside.”
Edward nodded at Sisilia's words.
“Countryside, indeed.”
Beatrice urgently glanced at Seraphina.
They've always been in the city, so unavoidable. But…
Seraphina, from the Holy Nation, had nearly fainted at her first train—trapped in stuffy rooms most of her life, a true rural(?) girl. Beatrice expected a good reaction from her—
“Wow, such a backwater countryside—first time seeing one.”
“……”
As Beatrice deflated, Edward sat on the grass, gazing at the sky. Clear, no clouds. No city clamor, villagers all smiling. His mood wasn't bad. Maybe the cool breeze.
“Still, nice territory.”
Sisilia was surprised seeing Edward smile purely.
Captain can make that face too.
He always seemed pissed off.
—Of course, she never imagined it was her fault—
My dress must be cute enough to melt even grumpy Ed-ppi.
Sisilia resolved to fix Edward's rotten personality this time.
**
Where did it all go wrong with Edward?
Sisilia would say you had to go back eleven years for the answer.
Truth was, Sisilia and Edward's relationship started off great.
“Sisilia, you don't hold a fork like that. Relax your wrist, grip it lightly at the end. There, good.”
Back then, he'd overlook her mistakes as cute. Unlike now—once-a-month head pats—he did it daily.
“Sisilia. Don't use the fork like a spear picking only my food. Before you grab my neck and hurl it out the window.”
Sulky. He wasn't as irritable or snide(?) back then.
Becoming vice-captain, then captain, distanced them—so the change hadn't hit hard until—
Hero business started, and Sisilia's complaints grew. Especially.
“Good outcome this time, so forgiven. But remember: don't use your sword for worthless things.”
—Sisilia. Listen well. The Windsor's sword exists for the weak. Skill doesn't give you the right to hurt others.
He used to beat down anyone weaker who acted up without mercy. Why so soft now? Just last week, he forgave a pickpocket kid and gave him all his pocket money. Beatrice worried about funds.
—If pickpocketed, just let it happen. I'll cover the gold.
……Edward hadn't always been this 'bad' person. Least of all one who'd hesitate when a comrade's territory had even 1% risk.
The cause? That incident eleven years ago.
Murphy's death killed Edward's humanity.
Sisilia knew but let it be—it was a result too. Changing one person's hard-earned life was too selfish.
But after seeing his smile yesterday in the territory, she changed her mind.
She preferred past Edward over now. So, she'd fix him.
Sisilia was selfish, after all.
“Seraphina's fixing the ruined wheat fields, Beatrice is with her parents. Don't bother them, just in case. Otherwise, do whatever.”
“Play with me, Ed-ppi.”
“Ed-ppi needs rest too, no time for a worthless kitten.”
Edward finished eating and stood. As he turned away without lingering, Sisilia stood too.
“Then.”
Edward turned to refuse preemptively. Sisilia extended her chubby right hand in cute pajamas.
“Let's date.”
Sisilia was confident. No man or woman could refuse such a cute girl in cute PJs asking for a date.
But.
“I refuse.”
“!”
Sisilia was greatly shocked.