Death Falls Victim to a Paradigm Shift!?
……………
"She threw her shield! That woman threw her shield!"
"She beat the Empire's undefeated female mercenary!"
"Who is that?! Is she one of the Citadel Guard, perhaps?"
I walked slowly over to Hildegard, who lay sprawled on the ground. She was clutching her chest, groaning in pain as she struggled to push herself up.
"Are you all right? I'm afraid I threw it rather hard. If you're injured, I'd be happy to help."
I asked in a worried voice from inside my helmet. When I extended a hand, Hildegard hesitated a moment before accepting it.
"I'm... I'm fine. Really, I am."
She managed at last. Her face was pale, but what struck me more was the emotion welling in her eyes — shock, disbelief, and a kind of hollow emptiness all tangled together, perhaps because she had just been defeated by a shield hurled like a discus.
"What kind of shield... just how heavy is that thing, exactly?"
"I can't say precisely, but I'd estimate it's around five or six times heavier than an ordinary one."
"Ha... a human being can carry that into battle, and throw it, no less?"
Hildegard pulled herself upright and stared hard at my helmet, her gaze seeming to bore straight through the visor.
Just then, a young man in plain clothes approached us and, with practiced ease, produced a leather pouch.
"By the rules, the purse goes to the winner! Twenty silver marks!"
Only then did it dawn on me that this hadn't been a mere exhibition match — there had been money riding on it. Glancing around, I noticed a great many spectators conspicuously fiddling with their own purses. Most of them, presumably, had bet on Hildegard.
Have I really become as naive as some sheltered noble lady? Overlooking something this obvious...
"Ahem. I'm not... I mean, I'm not entitled to that. I simply wished to test myself against a strong opponent, nothing more."
When I declined the prize money, the young man's face twisted in disbelief.
"What?! You're refusing twenty silver marks?! Just how wealthy must your family be, to toss aside this kind of money— oh, dear me. Ahem, hm. Well, if that is your wish, milady. The prize shall be reclaimed by the organizers, then—"
"Hold it right there. Stop trying to skim off the top."
Just as the young man — who for some reason looked immensely pleased with himself — was slipping the silver pouch into his coat, Hildegard seized his wrist with lightning speed.
"Aaargh! The Imperial mercenary is killing me!"
"I didn't even grip it that hard. Save the theatrics... Now, hand over the prize money. Quickly."
Hildegard recovered only the pouch of silver, let the man go, then sighed and came over to me.
"Take it. This is the just reward of victory. Just as I've earned my living by defeating challengers, this time it's your turn."
I wavered, but in the end accepted the pouch. Refusing, I sensed, would wound Hildegard's pride more than anything.
"Your identity... I believe I have a fair guess. Someone from the Citadel. An absurdly strong woman."
What do I do? Revealing myself here would be madness.
After a moment's deliberation, I leaned toward Hildegard and lowered my voice to a whisper.
"I can't say who I am here. But I would like to talk a while longer. Shall we find somewhere quieter?"
Hildegard's blue eyes glinted with subtle interest.
"Very well. I have a room at the 'Two Beans' Inn. We can speak there."
She raised a hand and waved to the crowd.
"That will be all for today! I look forward to seeing you all again tomorrow!"
A few spectators wore visibly disappointed expressions, but most nodded in understanding and began to disperse.
……………
As we left the square, I shot Bielka a meaningful glance. She swiftly fell in behind Hildegard and me.
We wound through the narrow alleys of the lower city until we reached the 'Two Beans' Inn. Hildegard pushed open the door, and we stepped into a weathered but spotless timber building.
Inside, the rich aroma of ale and the salty tang of dried meat tickled my nose. It was still early, so the tavern was nearly empty.
"This way, please."
Hildegard gestured toward the stairs. We climbed the creaking wooden steps to a small room on the second floor.
Her room was modest but neatly kept. An Imperial-style dagger lay on the bedside table, and a rack stood against the wall for her poleaxe. Hildegard carefully hung the poleaxe she'd carried on her back onto the rack, handling her weapon like a precious treasure.
"I think you can take that helmet off now," she said.
Bielka, standing behind me, looked at me with a nervous expression.
I suppose it's time to show my face.
At Hildegard's urging, I removed the helmet. Golden drill-curls — wound fresh every morning by Eliza's magic — spilled down over my shoulders, and my ruby eyes came into view.
The corner of Hildegard's mouth lifted.
"I knew it... You're the Grand Duke of Eisenmark's daughter. I recognized you from the very first glance."
"Is that so? Was my disguise really that poor?"
I asked as I unbuckled the arm guards of my armor. Bielka hurried over to help with the straps.
"The disguise itself was fine. It's just..."
Hildegard paused, studying me carefully.
"I saw it with my own eyes, you see — the standoff with the Sergen delegation, when you subdued that enormous warrior with your bare hands. That scene isn't something one forgets."
I was slightly taken aback.
"You were there?"
"Yes, as one of the onlookers in the square. I've never fought a Sergen warrior myself, but even a glance was enough to tell that one was strong. And then to watch you, my lady, bring him down like that... it was truly striking."
Hildegard took out three cups, set them on the table, and lifted a bottle of wine.
"Shall we have a drink? It's Imperial vintage — a specialty of my homeland."
"Bielka, are you all right with that?"
At my question, Bielka nodded.
"Oh — yes! It would be an honor, my lady."
Hildegard poured the red wine into the three cups. When the glass reached my hand, a sweet fruitiness mingled with a faint whisper of spice at the tip of my nose.
"That technique you used — choking out that Sergen warrior... it was unlike any martial art I've ever known. Where did you learn it?"
I hesitated at the question. How on earth does one explain modern mixed martial arts?
"Mm, I picked it up bit by bit here and there."
I answered vaguely. Thankfully, Hildegard didn't press further.
"After watching that duel, I decided to stay here. I figured there'd be trouble with Sergen before long, and that meant plenty of work for a mercenary."
A brief silence settled over the room. Then Hildegard spoke again.
"So then — may I ask why the Grand Duke's daughter herself would go to the trouble of disguising her identity, come down to the lower city, and fight me?"
The moment had come. I set down my cup and looked Hildegard straight in the eye.
"I need your strength. Become one of my personal guard. And if you'd like to serve as an instructor within it, I'll give you that post as well."
Just as it had been with Natasha and Milena — in this world, fighting someone with everything you had and winning made you friends. That was simply common sense here. So recruiting Hildegard this way ought to have been as good as done.
Surprise flashed across Hildegard's face at my proposal — then immediately gave way to puzzlement.
"Your personal guard? Hmm... an interesting offer. A little abrupt, but..."
Good, this is going well.
"Your spearwork is of a style that doesn't exist in the North, and I find it remarkably potent. It would be wonderful if you taught that spearwork to my handmaiden Bielka. She's a girl of extraordinary talent, and she has much to learn from you."
Bielka, who had been quietly listening this whole time, cut in with tremendous enthusiasm.
"Lady Hildegard! I use a halberd too! I'd love it so much if I could wield a long weapon the way you do!"
Hildegard glanced at Bielka, visibly startled for a moment, then turned her gaze back to me.
"I see. So you intended to gauge my skill in the square match first, and then recruit me."
"A remarkably astute read."
By this point, Hildegard looked for all the world like a fish nearly reeled in. Except...
"I don't recall ever saying I would accept your offer. And yet you seem to be treating it as a foregone conclusion?"
Huh?
At that question, I faltered — a little... no, a great deal. Had my victory in the match not sealed Hildegard's recruitment?
"Well, you see... we fought, we bared our hearts against one another in earnest combat... I thought that would naturally bring us closer together."
Hildegard's expression shifted strangely. She took another sip of wine, then slowly shook her head.
"I'm sorry, but a match is just a match. I'll grant that you're strong, my lady, and yes, I lost. But that doesn't give you any claim to my service."
Those words knocked me completely out of my senses. Everything I had experienced in this world until now stood in perfect opposition to Hildegard's reaction at this very moment.
Her tone made it sound as though I were the one laboring under some bizarre delusion, and I could feel my own confusion growing.
"Th-then... even though I defeated you, you're saying you have no intention of joining my personal guard?"
Hildegard crossed her arms and gave a single, firm nod.