Kalcion Northwind
Kalcion Northwind. The great grand duke who guarded the vast northern territories of the empire. He stood out even among men with his towering height and broad shoulders, black hair and gray-white eyes, and a handsome face that anyone, young or old, man or woman, had to acknowledge. As the supreme commander who was always racking his brains blocking monsters, the fact that his skin was smooth and his hair thick could only be seen as God's cheat.
His martial prowess was on par with the emperor in the capital—a swordmaster. But he wasn't just some sword-obsessed fool; he was a capable administrator. Realizing the Great Wall's defenses had been breached, he was inspecting his territories when he spotted one incredibly suspicious thief. That was why Gil-dong got pursued by the grand duke the moment she left the city.
"Halt there, suspicious one. What did you steal from the city?"
Am I that obvious as a thief?
Not all suspicious people are thieves, even if all thieves are suspicious. Gil-dong was flustered at being pegged as a thief in an instant.
Don't chicken out. I didn't do anything wrong.
Truth be told, she had the confidence to escape. If not for the girl bundled at her side like luggage.
But shaking off Kalcion while dragging along a girl who might burst like tofu was impossible. So Gil-dong hurled the slave ledger she'd stolen from the mayor's mansion secret room at Kalcion.
And out of habit, Kalcion sliced the incoming object clean in half.
"What the hell, slicing it like that!"
"Wasn't it a magic scroll?"
In this world, there were magic scrolls that exploded on impact, so Kalcion's reaction was natural.
A swordmaster should at least tell the difference!
Maybe the gap wasn't as big as she thought. Gil-dong downgraded her assessment of swordmasters.
"Still, you cut it so cleanly I can probably read it if I stick it back together."
Gil-dong picked up the halved slave ledger from the ground and pieced it back. No glue, so it wasn't fully restored, but the clean cut meant it was still readable.
"This is Blackfall's mayor's slave ledger, you incompetent duke. I even brought you easy evidence a dummy like you could understand, so be grateful."
Gil-dong declared boldly. She'd flinched at first from the swordmaster's intimidating pursuit, but thinking it over, she'd planned to deliver the ledger to the duke anyway. Her plans had gone awry rescuing Amelia, the future villainess-in-training she'd found in the underground dungeon.
But if the duke came right to her? Perfect, thanks.
"I already knew the mayor was a slave trader."
"What?"
"If I moved too rashly, the core of the organization would scatter. I was preparing a careful sweep. To think a single ledger would solve everything—you're a naive woman."
Gil-dong flinched. She couldn't argue; she'd acted without much thought. If not for the Rogue Master's Legacy giving her that absurd quest to steal something that would change someone's life, she wouldn't have touched it.
Just a snap decision that robbing villains was better than random pickpocketing. But if that let the real culprits behind escape?
"He's just a city mayor. You saying there's a bigger black curtain?"
"I suspect the Demon Church is behind them."
Demon Church. Weirdos who were human yet dreamed of reviving the Demon King. Whenever something strange happened on the continent, pointing at them was usually right.
"Doubt it."
But Gil-dong denied it. If the mayor was a Demon Church puppet, the novel would have said so.
"Evidence?"
"Gut feeling."
Kalcion's expression turned to one reserved for idiot blockheads at her answer.
I've read this world's original story!
Saying that out loud would just get her called crazy, so Gil-dong fumed in frustration.
Then suddenly, Kalcion's surprise attack flew at her.
"What the—?!"
Good thing she'd set Amelia down to pick up the ledger. If she'd still had the girl at her side, she'd have been bisected.
In truth, Kalcion had only meant to slice her magic from the start. But from the target's view, hard to predict where the blade would stop.
Kalcion's swordmaster blade cut away the Disguise Lv1 skill hanging over Gil-dong's face. The hazy impression, like viewing through frosted glass, sharpened into clear features.
And Kalcion froze in shock.
A gap in his guard?
Gil-dong didn't know why he panicked, but she seized the chance, scooped up Amelia, and bolted.
Deeply rattled, Kalcion stood frozen, unable even to pursue, just blankly watching her vanish.
Much later, he muttered.
"She resembled Mother..."
His mother, who died when he was young—the most beautiful woman in the world, surely. He stood dazed for hours in the harsh northern night chill before snapping out of it and returning to the grand duke's castle.
Instead of going to the marquessate myself, I hired a coachman and entrusted him with a letter and Amelia. My appearance had changed so drastically it would be hard to prove I was the daughter of the house.
This kid has amazing talent in math and business, so raise her as a great merchant.
Even as a runaway adult daughter, he'd grant that much, right?
"Lady Erika."
...How to trust a total stranger coachman? I'd secretly tailed the carriage after handing off the kid, ending up right at the marquessate gates—where I ran into my swordmaster teacher, Erph.
"Don't know her."
"I see things differently from ordinary people. No matter how much your face changes, I can recognize you."
What was that, fairy tribe magic?
"You've improved a lot in the meantime."
"You can tell at a glance?"
Did this woman peek at my status window or something?
"Will you give me a chance to check my disciple's growth?"
A duel challenge not even 30 seconds after meeting. Now that's my teacher.
"If you grant me one favor."
"What is it?"
"I sent a kid to the marquessate. One with the makings of a great merchant. Please make sure she's accepted properly."
"You take after your father."
"Suddenly?"
I'd resembled him big time. Everyone but Dad knew my pre-transformation wreck of a face was his clone.
"I was picked up by the marquess that way too."
"You won't suddenly make me call you stepmom, right?"
"Nothing like that happened."
Good, no trashy affair plot. Even with new family, nearly 20 years of bonds built up.
No family drama soap opera there.
"Understood. As you wish. I'll take responsibility for that child."
"Meet at Kannin Mountain summit in three days. Fighting here would cause a huge fuss, and you couldn't watch over the kid either."
"Then, until then."
The name Amelia means "diligent worker." The girl had been saddled with that expectation from birth.
Work like a dog to feed our family.
But it never happened. She was sold to slavers before she even grew up.
Her exceptional looks caught merchants' eyes. Her parents nodded eagerly at triple the price of a normal kid.
That was her last memory of family.
She was slated for auction. Call it luck? Sold to an elite crime syndicate with solid backing and tight control.
They preserved her value, keeping her safe until auction.
But it was only a matter of time. Just another slave.
Then the twist: a ridiculously beautiful female thief appeared in the underground prison.
She knocked out the guards in seconds, checked Amelia's name tag, paced in front of the bars like pondering.
Finally, unlocked the door with the key and kidnapped Amelia.
Reeling from shock, Amelia's aphasia left her speechless.
Hey, kid. Wanna live?
Even to that obvious question, she couldn't answer she wanted to.
Then the woman said:
Since I'm your benefactor, live your life for me.
Amelia didn't know then how her fate had changed.
From the cold, barren northern empire lands to the warm, bountiful west.
From cursed laborer of a lowly commoner family to educated merchant under the marquessate.
Living safe and cozy in the castle, receiving top education, Amelia wondered.
Live for me forever—does that mean she'll keep me by her side forever?
It had been less than three days. What an absurd lady.
Saying that then vanishing without a trace.
But it was the most important encounter of her life.
So Amelia hoped. For the day they'd reunite.
She promised.
She didn't know how the lady knew her merchant talent.
But with such expectations placed on her, she'd repay double.
Exceed them.
The girl vowed.