I Swear to Protect You Forever

The Sword Bestowal Ceremony had finally arrived. The procedure was simple. I would personally select one of the 'swords' given to me with my own hands, ascend the platform, and perform just a short ritual. ...The problem was that this 'short ritual' was far too sacred.

Only the sword and its owner—just the two of them—were to climb the platform. And from the moment I set foot in the palace, a chilling, fishy presence seeped into my skin like a stab from a blade. The scent of razor-sharp edges permeated the air.

If the bestowal proceeded normally like this, something was going to explode. That intuition hit me with crystal clarity. And the prime candidate for victim in that explosion? Me, down to my bones.

Refusing the ceremony outright would just spark outrage for ignoring imperial authority, wouldn't it? Who was I, after all? The child of those who had led this era of peace between monsters and humans in the empire. If a child like that—a boy, no less—refused the sword bestowed by the palace? Could I even handle the fallout...?

'Even if Mom and the emperor are close friends...'

In the game, the emperor and Mom were practically childhood sweethearts. Same age, same hobbies, even similar ways of training their bodies. But a thick wall of bloodline had always separated them—emperor and imperial guard.

No matter how close they were, if I, her son, pulled something like that, it could twist even their relationship.

'But... there's a way.'

Who am ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I? The guy who knows every last backstory of this world without needing to be taught by anyone! Of course I knew Mom's former affiliation and the life she'd lived. And it wasn't just anything—the game's protagonist, the one I controlled as the player, was Aurelia. My mom.

"I want Mom as my sword!"

"...Huh? What do you...?"

"Mom was a sword too! I choose Mom! Yeah? Can't I? I wanna be with Mom..."

"Th-that... It becomes whatever you want..."

The strongest, most reliable person I knew. The one I trusted most. The one I loved and relied on, who never made me uncomfortable no matter how close she stayed. One of the former princess's swords, the hero personally chosen by that princess.

See? Who could fit better?

I grabbed both of Mom's hands—fidgeting anxiously with her sword scabbard—with mine, holding them tight.

"...!"

Mom looked flustered in a way that was totally unlike her. I gazed at her expression, mixing in a bit of aegyo as I whined and pleaded.

"B-but I'm not a sword anymore. Not imperial either..."

"Uuu... I want Mom! Don't wanna pick any other sword if it's not Mom... Ueng? Your Majesty... Cool Emperor, can't I pick Mom...?"

"Ashtoret... This is..."

If I just threw a clueless tantrum like this, it could even backfire on Mom. She never showed this side of her son, yet she let him act so improperly before the emperor? Did she even teach him manners properly? That's no noble upbringing. She could face criticism like that.

But considering the emperor's personality that I knew...

"...Pardon?"

As expected! The emperor clutched his belly, bursting into laughter, then leaned back on his throne in a relaxed pose. He lifted the arm from the armrest and propped his chin.

The emperor I knew was the type who, no matter the formality or situation, gladly accepted anything that piqued his interest. Of course, that didn't make him a tyrant or negligent ruler. If anything, burdened by this vast empire, he sought laughter in these little moments to ease his fatigue.

And Mom had always been expressionless and stoic before him. There was even dialogue where he asked if she had emotions at all.

So this situation? It had to be pure delight for him!

"Uh, th-that... Then the swords you prepared..."

The emperor hummed with his eyes closed for a moment, then slyly lifted his eyelids, casting his gaze downward. The interest in his eyes dripped like honey.

The emperor clapped lightly a few times, then turned to Mom.

"...Ashtoret."

"Pardon...? Alley... What are you saying about my son—"

The emperor felt Mom's gaze turn icy and frantically waved both hands to correct himself.

The emperor's daughter... He meant that princess from earlier, right?

...That princess had straight-up kidnapped me outta nowhere. Sure, she'd stroked me the gentlest, softest way, so it felt nice! But if I could, I'd wanna marry a woman like Mom.

...Or just Mom herself.

"Yup yup!"

"Totally~!"

"Hehehe~! Mom! He says it's fine!"

"......"

...Was I actually clicking with the emperor pretty well?

As the emperor and I chattered boisterously, Mom clamped her mouth shut without a word. Her gaze slowly dropped.

And then she let out a long sigh.

"Huu..."

Mom gently pried my hands away from hers.

"Eh, Mom...?"

"...Huu."

- Thud

That instant.

- Flutter!

Her cloak billowed dramatically. Mom took one more step forward, placing herself right before me. Slowly, so slowly. Then, ever so gently, she bent one knee to match my eye level.

Every motion was so graceful, overflowing with such dignity that it seemed to shift the very air. An overwhelming sight, worthy of the name.

The scene from when I first started the game—the one where she looked so breathtakingly beautiful and cool, radiating glory like a burst of light. That radiant, light-pouring image replayed perfectly.

Mom silently gazed at me like that, then quietly extended both hands to warmly envelop my right hand.

And...

- ...Kiss

She tenderly pressed her lips to the back of my hand.

The emperor's gaze shifted to the scribe, then back to us.

"...Sword. Aurelia La Elion."

Mom spoke. One hand placed over her left breast, she lifted her head to gaze at me. Her sparkling blue eyes—so like mine—rippled, soothing my heart.

"...Hehe."

Laughter bubbled out on its own. My mood fluttered lightly. I felt weirdly, insanely happy. What to do. I love Mom too much. Way too much, abnormally so. The thought that Mom was completely mine now was driving me crazy.

"Mom! I love you!"

- Kiss!

I threw myself into Mom's arms, pressing my lips firmly to her soft, pale cheek.

It was the happiest ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'd ever felt.

"Kuhuk!?"

"Puh... Kuhahat! That son sure has exceptional love for his mother!"

"Damn it!"

- Bang!

The desk slammed down as if it would shatter.

Everything had gone to hell.

"Fuck, the hero ruins my plans every goddamn time! Why?!"

An era of peace between monsters and humans? No such bullshit existed.

One of the lined-up imperial guards bit his lip, spewing his rage.

He had no backing. This empire was pure meritocracy. Even ancient nobles got booted without results.

In the monster-human war era, merits were easy to rack up. No—easy to fake.

All monsters were filthy. Revolting, loathsome things. So kill them. Whether they harmed you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠or not. Just kill them. Offer the corpses to the palace for credit.

That's how he'd climbed this far.

Honor? Glory? Justice? Who gives a shit. Just eat well and live well.

But...

'If only the war... that fucking peace...!'

That bitch and that bastard had ruined it all.

Now he couldn't kill monsters without justification. Justifications had limits. Even after killing them that way, his position was shaky.

So killing the kid of the Demon King and Hero? It would shatter this peace era. Restart the war. Give him all the justification he needed.

But...

- Bang!

"Why... why didn't it work... Haa..."

Just behead him the moment he stepped on the platform. He'd already prepared the monster hide.

'A monster killed the hero's child.' Spread that rumor, and done.

But...

All of it ruined.

"...It's fine. As long as the Founding Festival continues, there'll be plenty of chances. No chance at all...? Ahaha..."

He laughed. His eyes saw nothing. His heart pounded. Trembling like mad. Every breath came out ragged and urgent.

...Weird. Heart racing too fast. Breaths heaving.

"...Huu... Huu... Koop... Cough...!"

Coughing up blood.

Strange. Why? Body... blood... drip... Red lines streaked his eyes. Thick blood oozed from his nostrils. Blood poured from every orifice.

- Collapse...

His body twisted. Staggered. Lost balance and crumpled.

That was when it happened.

"Cough... Y-you... Wh-what... Cough... Ugh... Urk..."

He raised his head. A woman with jet-black hair and purple eyes.

Human... no, different. His eyes—seasoned from hunting monsters countless times—told him. That wasn't human. Something wearing human skin.

"M-monster... F-filthy...! E-even if you k-kill me, won't f-forgive...!"

- Crunch

Something burst. Deep inside. Something vital to life crushed, split, exploded.

"?! Kuhuk...! Krheeeuk...! Kraaa...! Vomit...!"

The being flicked her finger lightly and turned away.

The being blinked and swallowed.

Slowly. The door closed.

His body trembled. Yet it wouldn't move. Fell to the floor. Soaked in blood. Couldn't move. Wouldn't move.