I Will Retire
The space rippled softly with a gentle breeze, light swirling around it. Amid winds too fierce to keep one's eyes open, noble silver hair fluttered as she slowly descended.
"I bury it."
A beautiful yet resolute voice sliced through the air. With a graceful motion, she knelt and planted her sword into the ground. Her shining silver locks slid over her shoulders.
"Are you... my Master?"
Beatrice coolly peeled a flying document off her face, courtesy of Sisilia's wind.
"Lady Sisilia. Please don't step on the papers. And turn off the wind."
"Master, where's the enemy?"
But Sisilia ignored her, glancing around wildly.
Beatrice sighed and grabbed the back of Sisilia's neck, forcing her to face reality. From experience, she knew Sisilia couldn't do a thing when held like that.
"The enemies are right here. Tons of them."
Agenda Items
• Vice-Captain Succession Documents
• Filling High Knight Vacancies...
• Operational Manual for Supplying and Resolving Issues for Otherworlders
Murderous paperwork!
Sisilia-nyang was terrified.
"M-Master, the enemies are too strong. This is an insult to your Servant!"
"……."
Beatrice shot a glance at Sisilia, who was trembling in her arms.
"The Captain said to tell you he'll cut your allowance if you don't listen."
"……."
Sisilia's eyes clouded over as she shut her mouth. Then she quietly sat down, picking up the papers with a very sulky face.
"Just look at a little. I've been working hard lately. See? Already cleared a hundred sheets."
"……Lady Sisilia, you were just lounging around eating cake."
"……."
And I did all that.
Sisilia whistled awkwardly. Of course, she couldn't whistle, so no sound came out.
'Lady Sisilia feels a pang of conscience!'
A rare chance. Beatrice seized it.
"I'll handle the rest diligently, but the otherworlder documents... I just can't. Please."
Beatrice was pure desperation. Even with her best efforts, she was still just a newbie knight, and Sisilia's high knight duties were overwhelmingly heavy.
"Even one sheet... please work on it...!"
"Haa."
Sisilia crossed her arms and sighed.
"Gotta go that far, huh?"
Beatrice's lips quivered, but Sisilia was super dominant.
"……Please."
"Well, if Betty wants it that bad, no choice."
Sisilia rolled up her blouse sleeves.
"Shall I do one sheet?"
"……If you're at it, more would be great."
'No helping it. Gotta knock out a few newbie papers.'
Sisilia picked up a pen and pulled one sheet from the mountain. She wrote without hesitation. Sometimes speed-reading before signing briskly.
Incidentally, Sisilia's signature was '> _ < !' She loved it.
Beatrice watched tensely, lest Sisilia bolt.
'……Why's she so good at this but hates doing it?'
Most tasks were giving 'opinions' or making 'decisions.' Windsor work always tied to lives. Beatrice agonized over each one.
But Sisilia decided without a hint of hesitation, writing opinions. Seemed sloppy, but checking revealed brilliant insights like 'Why didn't I think of that?'
Sisilia was exceptionally talented. She just loved cake and clothes a bit too much.
But then, Sisilia stopped writing. Rare indeed.
'Hit a tough one?'
Curious, Beatrice peeked at the paper.
• No guarantee that otherworlders dropped into an unfamiliar world will cooperate.
• Friendly approach: High chance they'll just demand to be sent back, refusing to fight demons.
• Coercive approach: Breeds resentment. Might have to watch otherworlders instead of demons.
• Devise an appropriate solution.
"Ah, this one……"
Beatrice groaned.
"No answer no matter how I pondered, so I left it on your desk, Lady Sisilia."
"Betty. Dumping your work on others is bad."
"……You're saying that?"
Incidentally, Beatrice was slated to be adjutant, not yet. No reason for her to handle Sisilia's work.
"Tough problem."
Sisilia stared blankly at a blank page.
"Yeah... They were summoned from their world without consent."
"Yeah."
"I'd refuse too. Terrifying, confusing."
'……?'
Sisilia blinked. Why scary? People preferred life-risking games over boring routines. Proof: Russian roulette, ancient human pastime.
That wasn't Sisilia's worry.
'My debut scene has to be perfect.'
Heavy duty: Captivate newbies with the world's coolest Sword Princess entrance!
Beautiful sword princesses must motivate newbies.
• Too pretty!
• Cute and lovable! Gotta risk life slaughtering demons!
• Aaah, to talk to a beauty like her, gotta be a hero at least!
Morale boost! Perfect motivation! World at peace already.
"Heh."
"What's to be proud of...?"
Sisilia eyed the paper again.
'But can't write 'entrance scene will charm them.'
Surprisingly, Sisilia had that much social sense. Queen wouldn't accept it. So, do it properly.
"Thought of a good way?"
"Yeah."
Beatrice beamed purely as the three-day headache cleared.
"As expected, Lady Sisilia. I couldn't even start, but you finish without pause. Can I see?"
"Betty only."
"……You have to show Her Majesty."
Curious inside, Beatrice read. One line:
• That's for the goddess to handle.
"……."
Unthinkable answer. But... irrefutable.
"Solved."
Sisilia slid it away.
"Even so, one line's too much!"
"Yeah, overkill."
Sisilia eyed the remaining paper mountain with cloudy eyes. Most newbie-related? She'd dive in gladly. Sadly, mostly vice-captain handover stuff. Not gripping enough.
"Too many papers."
"……That's not what I meant. Will Her Majesty accept one line?"
"Ah."
Suddenly, genius idea struck Sisilia.
"Leave it in front of the vice-captain's office!"
"Lady Sisilia? Listening?"
Sisilia tuned out bad news.
**
"St. Michael's 500th is soon."
Chiron tidied the captain's office. Didn't fancy Edward much. But handover: exactly as on his own captain inauguration day.
Joined Windsor at 38. 55-year journey ends. No disorder till the last.
"Precisely 12 days, 9 hours, 38 minutes, 7 seconds, and 02 remaining."
"……That precise?"
Sisilia sipped green tea. Chiron chuckled watching.
"Vice-captain now. Feelings? In 10 years, highest ever—and only—you."
"So-so. Retirement ceremony when?"
"Same as you and Edward's inaugurations. No time for lavish parties now."
Chiron's insistence and Queen Lydia's approval: Simple ceremony. Chiron wanted none, but Lydia refused firmly.
And the date—
"Three days from now, midnight. Worry: Can you stay awake?"
"Sleepy already."
"Didn't raise you with 11 PM bedtime for nothing."
Chiron sighed at unexpected snag. No regrets. Sisilia knighted young; early bed for proper growth.
"Push bedtime back from today. You're nearly adult."
"Curfew lifted too?"
Sisilia hoped slyly. Dream: Alley night market. Heard they sold illegal slaves... Time to wreck it. Hehe.
"Curfew."
Chiron pondered. Set for young knight her. Kidnappings too frequent. Self-defense from 6, but still bad for psyche. Adults kidnapped too? Scammed yesterday.
Especially— 'Who might target Sisilia.'
No dating till dust in eyes.
"Curfew stays."
"Yesss... "
Sisilia obeyed Chiron surprisingly well.
"Post-retirement plans?"
"What'd you like?"
"Open a little shop?"
Retired Windsors varied. Peak passed, white cloaks down, still elite. Old wolves bit jackals' necks.
Not all wielded swords post-retirement.
"Captain'd make great tutorial weapon merchant."
"Merchant. Not bad. Blacksmith fun too."
Chiron just found Sisilia cute. He was Sword Sovereign. Windsor or not, duke minimum. Already high noble. No smith reason.
'Tell her, she'd say 'Dukes can't smith?'
Sadly, prior commitment.
"Remember? Officer academy headmaster. Her Majesty's order."
"……Still on?"
"Building done. But unlike planned, teach otherworlders."
"!"
'Academy!'
Sisilia thrilled. Sounded fun.
"Problem: Teachers. Her Majesty bans side gigs. Full teaching focus. Find skilled ones. Doubt retirees come."
Teacher! No need more. Sisilia bolted up, saluting.
"I retire."
"What nonsense!"
That day, Sisilia endured Chiron's three-hour lecture, slumping home.