Chapter 87
Thoughts catch up with me belatedly.
What did that curse-priest just say?
It’s the first time I’ve heard a monster speak. Well, not strictly the first time — a very small number of monsters can speak.
The headless servants could speak. They talked about managing the mansion, that sort of thing.
The thing in the banquet hall — the thing formed from the chefs’ lingering thoughts — it also clearly spoke.
But — rather than seeming like words that naturally welled up from it, it felt more like pre-recorded lines being played back, as if its dialogue had already been prepared.
This was the first time a creature from the otherworld spoke of its own volition. And it sounded like it was making an offer.
‘I don’t know what kind of “Sharon” it took me for.’
A vessel to contain an otherworlder. The part about trying to break free, too.
My thoughts ran their course in an instant and I snapped back to my senses like I’d been doused with cold water.
Yurel is looking at me with red eyes.
A trace of the “slayer” trait.
On this battlefield — a defense game packed with humanoid enemies — Yurel can go wild like a fish in water.
But something’s wrong. It’s as if the slayer trait won’t turn off.
That red glow remained in Yurel’s eyes. The blackish blade-wreathed energy — it wouldn’t fade.
This wasn’t the same as being “consumed.”
Because Yurel seemed clearly lucid.
If Yurel had been consumed, he would have been a beast or a fiend trying to kill the crown prince; now he was a human.
His gaze was calm. The dense black energy still shimmered around his sword, but his eyes were quiet.
Bound by a buff and you can’t get out
Mind control, frenzy, debuff, immobilize, trait removal, trait rampage — it’s a variety.
It might be one of those. Some curse related to traits.
Or maybe Yurel simply perceives me as an enemy.
The curse-priest’s robe was rolling on the floor. Among the ashes of the robe, something glittered — like a red jewel.
I approached it slowly.
I pick up the jewel that glitters among the robes.
Item acquired.
Heart of the Curse-Priest (Rare item): Can lift the ‘Weakness’ curse! Cannot be used on allies affected by ‘Weakness’.
It’s an item that can be used on Evelyn.
For some reason I get the sudden idea that I should give it to Yurel.
It remains only a thought because I realize Yurel has become aware of me.
I think about how long Yurel’s sword is. The very fact that I think about it is, in itself, proof that I’m conscious of Yurel’s blade.
“Sir Yurel.”
I put on an April-like expression and tried to look as harmless as possible.
Whether Yurel has traits or not — he’s originally a knight, after all. He honed his swordsmanship so well he earned a title and escaped slavery—
I’m just a simple, stupid young lady.
Without a trait, I’m just a physically decent ordinary person.
If we fought? I’d probably lose.
If he ran to kill me? I’d die.
Yet strangely I didn’t break into a cold sweat, nor did my heart pound. I felt calm and composed. Clear-headed.
Yurel speaks with that emotionless face of his. It felt like a gray winter sky, like ash falling as snow.
“Lady April. Draw your sword.”
“April doesn’t have a trait, you know?”
Yurel’s mouth twitched in an almost-smile. He looked expressionless as ever.
“It doesn’t matter to you. Your trait has gone berserk. Handle it until it calms.”
It doesn’t matter, he says—
‘Yeah, I guess that’s true.’
As I agreed inwardly, I moved.
April’s body is sturdy and strong, but if you compare her to a knight who’s spent over ten years solely on swordsmanship, she’s no match. She’s outclassed in strength.
For example, if I took a single blow from Yurel I’d be in bad shape.
‘Hmm, maybe that’s not exactly it. April is pretty tough, after all.’
At that moment Yurel swung his sword. I dodged the downward slash.
There was no lethal intent, just a normal sword stroke. “Focus,” he said.
My steps echoed something like Yurel’s.
Actually, it couldn’t be helped — Yurel was the only knight I’d had as a model to imitate until now.
Clang—!
I deflected Yurel’s blade as if flowing it into a dagger.
“Good movement,” Yurel said.
Calmly, I answered him.
“Thank you for praising April!”
A spear or axe is nice, but with a dagger you can slip in wherever you want, so I like it.
No — that’s a lie.
I was doing my best to avoid his emotionless swings. I moved as quickly as I could.
Then I realized this was a ‘meaningless’ drain on my endurance.
The efficiency lessons I learned from Yeniel’s group taught me to weigh value on a scale, but the swordsmanship I’d learned from Yurel — what I’d observed and tried to copy — bordered on a principle: use strength only where necessary.
So, like Yurel, I decided to expend the minimum amount of energy.
Clang—! Bang—!
Yurel’s flashy attacks are easy to respond to, but heavy, unpredictable strikes are hard.
Because I lack power, it’s Yurel who smashes battlefield bricks and towers.
‘When did we get here?’
We’d somehow reached the central defense tower.
I steadied my breath and asked.
“What do you expect of April, Sir Yurel?”
Why show me his swordsmanship and teach me even if my trait is gone? Why approach me as if to interact?
I was mostly in a position of learning from him.
Watching his dazzling attacks, I realized what kind of moves a dagger wielder should use.
Yurel’s strikes didn’t connect with my normal sword.
His breath was calm.
“I expect nothing.”
Slave-knight Yurel’s affection toward you increased by a tiny amount.
‘Wow, “tiny amount” — that’s a first.’
“If it looks to April like he’s expecting something, it’s only because he’s trying to make you stronger. No one teaches endlessly without expecting something. Besides, swordsmanship is very important — my father used to say you shouldn’t show it to just anyone.”
I smiled brightly.
A bit of pride swelled up.
People in Lady Evelyn’s camp are strange.
Evelyn — that’s obvious. I checked my inventory to make sure the red jewel was still there.
Both Duke Kyle and Yurel.
They were approaching as if they really intended to have some kind of interaction with me.
In Yurel’s case, he kept nudging me to awaken an interest in the sword. To make me stronger.
Exaggerating slightly, with my current self I probably could hold my own against a demon.
“Then defeat me.”
Yurel said softly.
“Get strong enough to beat me if you want to know anything.”
We clashed again.
People make mistakes, as I said before.
Yurel hardly makes mistakes. But he wasn’t flawless.
I read a slight tremor in his first move. That subtle crack allowed me to close in on him.
If you’re allowed into that gap, you can be quicker.
I struck Yurel down with the pommel of the dagger.
It was the same posture as when I’d knocked out Yurel when he’d been consumed.
“Sleep well, Sir Yurel.”
Of course, if I actually slept here the next defense monsters would kill me, so I should tell Duke Kyle, but—
I didn’t have the strength to knock Yurel unconscious.
‘Oh, sorry about that.’
I tapped the back of Yurel’s neck several times with the dagger’s hilt.
Yurel, almost as if on autopilot, mumbled while looking at me.
“Grant me rest.”
