The White Aura's Grim Reaper
I had always wielded a sword. Not the half-hearted beginner's fencing that noble children picked up as a cultured pastime, but the real, lethal swordsmanship required for those who walked the true path of a knight. I had learned it and made it my own from a very young age.
Born into a respectable house, I could have lived a comfortable life without ever needing to struggle, but I simply could not choose that road. There was no other reason.
When the dragon roared, half the continent turned to dust, and with every flap of its wings waves surged up to swallow the land.
It was because the memories of my previous life remained perfectly intact. In other words, this world was destined to be destroyed by the Holy Empire's imperial princess—the one fated to become the Worst Evil Magic Dragon.
Knowing a future that held neither dreams nor hope, I had no choice but to grip my sword with even greater ferocity. Before the magic dragon could awaken, cutting off its life at the source was the only way to stop the coming end. And that was not all.
From the moment I gained some mastery over aura, a translucent blue window began to appear. At first I assumed it was a system message or status screen. But it was nothing more and nothing less than a challenge. It simply acted as a milestone: do well and you might get to go home—so keep trying harder.
…As if it were mocking me.
At any rate, after more than twenty years of swinging a sword for the sole purpose of survival, these titles clung to me wherever I went:
Youngest Sword Master
White Aura's Grim Reaper
Master of All Swords
They were rather embarrassing names, yet they were the fruits of my labor, so I could not entirely dislike them. Even so, I had no intention of being satisfied. My goal remained the elimination of the Holy Empire's princess—the Worst Evil Magic Dragon.
I could not be content as a mere imperial knight tasked with guarding the royal family. I needed to rise to a position where I could stand close enough to strike. Honestly, for the youngest Sword Master in the empire, the task itself was not particularly difficult. The only obstacle was a world that could not ignore seniority; reaching the proper station simply took time.
I don't especially want to return to my original world… but killing the princess would surely mean I couldn't survive the aftermath.
I muttered the words while kneeling before the emperor. At last, my goal stood right before my eyes. From today onward I would no longer be an ordinary imperial knight.
"Lineage of the Elios priests, I see. A man from a devout house. Truly an outstanding talent."
The emperor himself stepped forward and offered me a sword.
"Armand Elios. Raise your head and take up the blade of the Imperial Guard."
The empire's living legend. The hero who had saved humanity from the demon race. Marzeta von Alex. Now an aged elder, the emperor commanded me to grasp the golden-glowing sword of the Imperial Guard.
"It is an honor to become the sword of the empire."
"Not the empire's sword. From this moment on, you exist as a blade for my daughter Violetta alone. Do you understand?"
"Yes. I will keep it firmly in mind."
I accepted the sword with both hands at once. It was a truly honorable and deeply moving moment—the day I rose from ordinary imperial knight to personal escort of the imperial family.
And not just any escort, but the princess's personal bodyguard. What incredible luck.
The heavens themselves were aiding me. Selection for the Imperial Guard could be earned through effort, but a post dedicated solely to guarding the princess was not something one could simply request and receive.
"Haaam—."
Into that profoundly emotional instant came a languid yawn. Its source was none other than the princess, Violetta.
Still wearing her human form, she was so ethereally beautiful that the title Worst Evil Magic Dragon seemed almost absurd. Long silver hair that fell to her waist. Purple eyes like polished quartz. Skin that looked impossibly soft for a creature of reptilian blood.
"I'll be counting on you from now on."
The princess spoke with a bored gaze, her voice carrying no expectation whatsoever.
"I will devote this entire life to protecting you."
"Whatever. Do as you like."
Her tone remained dismissive, but it did not matter.
It's truly almost over now.
After all, my one and only goal was Violetta's assassination.