Chapter 31
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: The Swordmaster in the Mountains
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The Anantasasha Mountains were home to a wide variety of monsters.
From those that hunters wielding bows and traps could take down, to beasts that even the knights of the Storm Knight Order found tricky to handle, countless monsters had made their home in the range.
And among them were individuals even stronger than the Giant Black Bear—the most powerful monster they'd faced so far.
'The Giant Black Bear was near the direct territory anyway.'
Being adjacent to the direct territory meant it was an area frequently cleared of monsters.
That prevented them from surviving long enough for steady growth and breeding.
The Giant Black Bear he'd gifted Yelena back then probably hadn't been roaming the wilds for very long either.
That was why the deeper parts of the mountains were so dangerous.
Without other monsters or the natural environment interfering, and with no deliberate suppression of their growth and breeding...
If you ventured all the way to the heart of the mountains... You might trip over something like a Giant Black Bear.
'And yet, she's set up camp in such a place.'
From what Kind had said, it wasn't just a matter of staying a few days.
It felt more like she planned to hole up in the Anantasasha Mountains for the entire winter.
"...Why?"
"Well... I'm not entirely sure myself."
I'd assumed he'd feel some camaraderie or understanding as a fellow Swordmaster, but apparently not.
Kind wore the same baffled expression.
"Even for a Swordmaster, aren't the mountains dangerous?"
"Any single monster is no issue. But constantly maintaining heightened vigilance is exhausting."
No matter how strong you were, you needed to eat and sleep to fight.
And with hordes of monsters inside the mountains... it was like being deep in enemy territory.
"Some of the cunning ones wait for you to tire before striking. Those are the trickiest, if you ask me."
"...I see."
A Swordmaster would naturally have confidence in their skills.
But I'd heard becoming one wasn't just about personal prowess.
Objectively assessing the battlefield, exploiting situations, reading the flow of combat... Those abilities were equally vital.
So why had someone like that plunged into a monster-infested mountain range? It made no sense.
"Why are you looking for her, anyway?"
"Ah, I was considering recruiting her as a guard knight."
"...Pardon? My lord, that's a bit hurtful. Even with me here, you still...?"
"Not for me. For Lena."
"Ah, you mean Her Grace the Grand Duchess. That makes sense."
Kind switched attitudes the moment he heard the reason.
It was probably because the Storm Knight Order had no female knights.
Of course, that wasn't the only reason he'd wanted to recruit her.
It was also to prevent her from potentially becoming an enemy in some unforeseen situation.
But if she was holed up in the Anantasasha Mountains like this, there wasn't much to worry about.
"Anyway, got it. I'll have to think more about Lena's guard knight."
"My lord, if it's urgent, there's not no solution."
"What?"
"You just stay by Her Grace the Grand Duchess's side."
"..."
"What could be a more perfect guard? Haha!"
Kind was great in every way, except when he spouted nonsense like this.
"I'm kidding. The best option is still to recruit talent."
"Talent, huh."
"Yes. The Storm Knight Order is sorely understaffed as it is."
The Storm Knight Order consisted of just thirty-one members, including Kind.
They were all at least Sword Expert level, so their combat power was high, but it was still a small number for a grand duchy.
'Is this another of Cassius's karmic debts?'
It wasn't just the Storm Knight Order. Many mansion servants had left too.
Things were limping along for now, but to avoid overworking the ones who remained, they needed more hands.
But hiring right now was impossible.
More precisely, they couldn't do the usual widespread recruitment after advertising to draw crowds.
"Not possible at the moment."
"Why... Ah, the rebels, right?"
"Yeah."
Hiring the wrong people now would be like planting spies inside.
It could make things worse than not hiring at all, so caution was key.
'...Gotta put it off for now.'
But a few days later, I had to revise that thought.
Yelena had been incredibly busy lately.
"Your Grace, what are your thoughts on this part?"
"Ah, for that section, we should highlight northern characteristics..."
"Um, some ingredients are delayed in delivery..."
"When negotiating with the merchants, focus on this point..."
With the massive wedding fast approaching, every detail required meticulous preparation.
Especially since it was her wedding—not just a celebration of two people tying the knot.
'It'll essentially reshape the grand duchy's future.'
She recalled Cassius's words, delivered with an apologetic look.
[While I was lost to mania, some families plotted to oust me. So, a purge seems necessary.]
If it went wrong, Cassius wouldn't just lose his position—he could die.
To preempt that and declare his mania cured, they were using the wedding.
Yelena had pushed hard for this approach.
Surprisingly, the stoic Northern Grand Duke had resisted involving the wedding.
[No, a wedding should be a happy day. Even if it's a facade.]
'Tch, why tack on "facade" there...'
But that gave her an opening to persuade him.
[It's a facade, so we should use every tool available. Oh? Does Your Grace want a happy wedding?]
[Hah, think what you want. Fine, I'll handle them during the post-ceremony banquet.]
Yelena knew it wasn't just talk.
Someone might get hurt—or even die.
And it could be Cassius.
She knew he was strong. But he wasn't invincible, nor guaranteed victory against numbers.
That day would change much in the grand duchy, and she'd witness it all at the center.
"...Haa."
Yelena closed her eyes briefly, lost in thought.
What if—just what if—
Cassius was injured or killed... What should she do?
'...No.'
That wasn't the question she wanted to ask herself.
It was something more direct, more brutal.
'If Cassius is in danger of injury or death... Should I use the spirits' power?'
She knew exactly what that implied.
It would be dragging spirits into human wars and battles, just like in the old days.
No amount of justification could change that fact.
Of course, she couldn't imagine Cassius losing, no matter how she thought about it.
She'd never seen his power firsthand, but everyone who'd witnessed it agreed on one thing.
Especially after chatting with Kind, the Swordmaster and knight order captain.
[The family head... Even I struggle against him.]
The empire boasted fewer than ten Swordmasters.
For one like Kind to lack confidence in victory spoke volumes about Cassius's strength.
'...Well, his hand did feel sturdy whenever we held them...'
Anyway, if such a Cassius ever needed help—
What choice should she make?
Yelena pondered that from time to time.
"Your Grace."
"Natasha!"
Natasha Kreuz approached.
They'd had a personal misunderstanding once, but now she was as trustworthy as Cassius or Lucia—perhaps closer, like the big sister Yelena had never had, especially with her few years' age gap and greater height.
"People and supplies for the wedding prep have arrived. You should check them."
"Yes, of course!"
Managing every person and item was part of the lady of the house's duties.
With experience, you'd delegate, but Yelena chose to handle it herself.
"By the way, where's His Grace?"
"Ah, yes. He went on patrol with the knights to check monster reports."
Stepping outside the mansion, she saw lines of people and wagons, just as Natasha said.
'But... more than I expected?'
As she headed to the wagons with a puzzled look—
Natasha suddenly blocked her path.
"One moment, Your Grace."
Natasha's usual gentle demeanor had sharpened.
Her gaze wasn't on Yelena, but on a few wagons at the very back.
"...Those aren't from the merchant group you contracted."