This Is How Scary the Curse Is
This is how scary the curse is.
After leaving the forest, I headed north. Why? To beat the demons to a pulp, of course. The farther north I traveled, the more naturally I arrived at this northernmost fortress city of humanity—Rosenburg.
It's been a while.
At first, the people were extremely wary of the aura I gave off. Some even mistook me for a demon. It was just like when I first suspected my master. But I proved myself through action—that I was not their enemy, but the enemy of the demon race.
I ignored most provocations and focused solely on smashing monsters. Anyone who still tried to pick a fight after that got a good smack to the head. Not too hard, of course. Just enough to leave an adorable little bump. That's how generous I am.
Now that I think about it, the fact that people's reactions stopped at this level was unexpectedly good news. And it's not just the people…
In the Auvergne forest where my master had stayed, neither beasts nor insects could live. Even the trees and plants only barely clung to life, suppressed by her presence. Here, the animals were wary of me, but they simply kept their distance. They didn't throw fits as if they'd witnessed something forbidden.
At the very least, it seemed I didn't emit as ominous an aura as she had. Did some of the curse dissipate during the inheritance?
That was the only conclusion I could reach for now. In any case, it was good news for me.
I turned my gaze to the last remaining monster. It was quite a strong one. The me from five years ago would have needed considerable time, but with my master's power, it was nothing more than a simple opponent.
Countless stars bloomed from the tip of my Holy Light Sword. Their light surged toward the monster's head. It died without even managing a scream. No living monsters remained.
"You've worked hard."
I greeted Caleb and the soldiers.
"Thank you, Lady Altair!" Caleb replied with deep gratitude.
Altair. That was my name now. I had never particularly liked my original name, Gliese. It felt somehow weak. But Altair? It rang clear and bright, yet carried a hidden blade within its sound. And the deeper meaning—to honor my master. I could only applaud my own brilliant naming sense. Uhahaha!
Besides, since Gliese was the name given by the parents who abandoned me and fled, it was best to discard it quickly when the opportunity arose.
"You've worked hard!"
"Thank you…."
The other soldiers and knights greeted me as well. After returning their greetings, I headed back to my quarters.
The moment I stepped inside, I stripped off the clothes I'd worn in battle. Thanks to magic, they didn't smell of sweat or blood and stayed perfectly clean, but it still felt unpleasant. Now I understand why Master insisted on doing the laundry.
After tossing the clothes aside, I pulled out fresh ones. They were a neatly designed blouse and pants that Caleb had prepared for me. He'd first brought a fully feminine dress, but when I gave him a hard stare, he quickly switched to these. What? I'd worn my master's clothes without complaint, so why the fuss? They were clearly different. Those had no decorations and a much plainer design. Plus, the performance was worth enduring a little embarrassment… Ahem.
"Lady Altair, are you—"
Startled by the sudden voice, I whirled around. I'd been lost in thought and hadn't sensed anyone approaching. A soldier with a familiar face stood there.
"Aack! I'm sorry! I'll gouge out these eyes right now!"
Looking like he'd committed a mortal sin, he dropped to his knees and began slapping his own eyes. Since I was a man on the inside, I didn't feel any shame at being seen naked by another man.
"Stop that. It's my fault for not locking the door."
Just from his reaction, it was clear I didn't possess an aura on the same level as my master. If I had, the soldier wouldn't have been able to approach me so easily. He might have actually gouged his eyes out instead of pretending. …Or was that an exaggeration?
"Close your eyes for a moment."
"I swear on my life that I will!"
"…."
It was rather burdensome when he acted like this, but since my aura was far weaker than my master's to begin with, I decided not to complain.
"So, what brings you here?"
I asked only after fully changing my clothes.
"Sir Guillermo asked me to relay that he has something to tell you. He's currently in a meeting, so please visit him in an hour or two when you have time…."
"Understood."
He scurried out in a hurry.
An hour or two.
That was plenty of time for a sweet nap.
Show the sword.
The sudden voice made my body move on instinct. I drew my Holy Light Sword, then even pulled out the Moonlight Blade that I rarely displayed before others. To unfold the Night Sky Sword Style that transcended stars and moon to perfectly recreate the night sky itself.
Thus, I embroidered the night sky across the empty space. It was still far from my master's level, but I could manage a decent imitation.
"Did you accept that sword of your own will?"
"I did."
"It was not through coercion?"
"Do not make me repeat myself. I accepted it by my own will."
I could easily sense that the opponent far surpassed any ordinary powerhouse, yet I had no choice but to answer firmly. This concerned my master's honor.
Though if I think about it again, I can't claim there was absolutely none.
Heh.
For a long while, the other party remained silent in response to my answer.
"You are still a long way from reaching your master."
The words finally came after a considerable pause.
"I already know that."
"Then train with even greater diligence."
I opened my eyes.
"What a pointless dream."
Sweat covered my body. I swallowed dryly and checked the clock. It was time to meet Guillermo.
"Lady Altair has arrived."
At the announcement, the door opened and I stepped inside.
"You've worked hard today as well, Lady Altair."
"You as well, Sir Knight."
Guillermo greeted me as I entered. He was the commander-in-chief of Rosenburg—a skilled knight capable of overseeing this dangerous yet strategically vital location.
However—
"You look beautiful today as well."
"…Yes."
He was the very model of knightly dignity in battle, yet the way he sometimes looked at me was anything but ordinary. Well, it's because I'm pretty.
Since I had inherited my master's body, beauty was only natural. But thinking about it again, it confirmed anew that Guillermo was truly powerful. Only someone strong could speak so casually while completely enduring this aura.
I eventually adapted to Master as well.
Over time it had grown familiar, but even until the very last moment I had needed constant effort to overcome her presence. Of course, the main reason was that my own aura was weaker than hers.
"But why did you call for me?"
"I have news to deliver. It's truly good news, so I wanted you to be the first to know."
"What kind of news are we talking about?"
"It's genuinely, enormously good news."
He cleared his throat with a loud ahem.
"It's a fact that only I know among everyone here so far."
"So what is it already?"
He leaned in close and whispered into my ear.
"A truce."
"…Pardon?"
"The Demon King has proposed a truce!"
I stared at him with a completely blank face.
"A t-truce? Just like that?"
"Exactly! A truce! Cessation of war! They call it a cessation, but from what I've heard, we may never see war again in our lifetimes! Just like the previous truce!"
He burst into hearty laughter and clapped me on the shoulder. My mouth still refused to close. A truce, of all things. Oh my god!
I clutched the back of my neck and collapsed.
"Ah, Lady Altair! What's the matter!"
Hero Mikhail, representing the Alliance, shakes hands with Hindenburg of the Four Heavenly Kings in historic agreement. A new era of peace may be upon us.
The truce had truly been established. My hand holding the newspaper trembled. It showed the hero Mikhail, representing the alliance, shaking hands with Hindenburg, the representative of the Four Heavenly Kings from the Demon King's side.
"Uwaaak!"
I clutched my head.
When I was young, I had dreamed of becoming a hero. As I grew older, I dreamed of becoming a hero's comrade. After achieving that dream, I spent several years fighting monsters, then the next five years learning the sword under my master. For what? To cut down monsters!
But now a truce? Of course it would eventually end, but as Guillermo said, though they called it a truce, it would likely last for at least several decades. It felt as if one of the very meanings of my life had been denied. What was I supposed to do now?
It's not like I'm some warmonger.
Maybe a conflict would break out somewhere? Of course, the distinction between good and evil would need to be clear….
Don't I sound like a complete lunatic?
To throw a fit like this over such good news!
"What am I going to do about this aura…."
The product of the curse. The ominous energy flowing from my body. During times of war, I could prove myself by slaughtering monsters like I had here in Rosenburg. And since I could simply spend all day beating monsters, there was no need to mingle among people.
But if peace arrives?
Blending into such a world would be far too disruptive.
No matter how much weaker it is than Master's…
It would be impossible to live normally among others.
"Uhahaha! Ahahaha! Uhh! Ehehe!"
"Um… Lady Altair?"
I jumped. At some point a soldier had begun staring at me in fear.
"S-Sir Guillermo invited you to join him for dinner."
Dinner. In my current state, nothing would taste good no matter what I ate, but refusing would be awkward, so I nodded. For some reason, the soldier's face had gone deathly pale as he looked at me.
This is how scary the curse is.