TDSWM Chapter 17

Chapter 17

“Despicable tyrant!”

At Sinclair’s accusation, Gerald was dumbfounded.

After Emperor Hereis von Jaier ascended the throne of the Beatria Empire, the empire executed all demons living within its borders and burned every book related to the Demon Realm and magic.

They called it the Burning of Magic and Demons.

From then on, anyone found in possession of such books was executed, and their families and clans were enslaved.

Was it Sinclair who summoned the mist of the Demon Realm last night?

She had even dispelled the study’s protective ward. Someone who could do that might indeed be capable of such magic.

But Gerald shook his head.

That mist had seized her mind. It had threatened her very life.

And yet—she could break through a ward?

In the empire, no magic of any kind was permitted anymore.

Wizards and witches had long since been eradicated from the empire.

She was the daughter of a bloodline supremacist. She shouldn’t have been able to break a ward at all.

Unless… she was planning to destroy him?

The small doubt he held began to spread like wildfire.

Fine. If she intended to keep secrets, then he would simply uncover them.

Gerald held up the forbidden books she had been reading and questioned her sternly.

“What were you planning to do with these?”

“Th-that’s…”

Sinclair could only stammer.

How do I explain a water purifier in this era?

“I wanted to make something.”

“…?”

“Clean water.”

“Water?”

“Theodore…”

“Theodore?”

“Theodore drinks wine.”

“And what of it?”

Gerald dropped the book onto the desk as if the matter was trivial.

“Alcohol is harmful to a child’s health.”

Gerald thought she was mocking him. In his world, drinking wine instead of water was normal. He couldn’t imagine otherwise.

“As excuses go, that’s a poor one, isn’t it?”

He pressed his hands against the table and leaned in close to her.

Startled by his sudden nearness, Sinclair pulled back.

“So that’s why you pressed Mori earlier? Because of the wine?”

Only then did Sinclair realize the reason for his fury.

Ah, it’s because of that woman.

Perhaps this was for the best.

She had no intention of deepening ties with him anyway. Her plan was to turn Theodore toward goodness, break the curse, and leave this place.

“I’ll handle everything regarding Theo.”

“Stay out of it.”

Sinclair’s eyes widened, and her mouth fell open.

“I cannot.”

Stay away from Theo? If something happens to that boy, I’ll die—and Alfred will be ruined too!

“I am Theo’s mother.”

Sinclair decided there was no point continuing the conversation. She gathered up the books to leave, but Gerald seized her wrist.

“Where do you think you’re taking those books?”

“Where else? To my room.”

She tried to pull free, but Gerald’s strong hand wouldn’t let go.

At that moment, the voice of her old martial arts master echoed in her ears.

“Do you know what the foundation of martial arts is? Survival. Survival!”

For survival’s sake, she couldn’t let him restrain her any longer. She had to escape this dangerous situation with minimal force.

Sinclair braced herself against his pull, then twisted her elbow inward to slip her arm free. She clutched the books tightly to her chest.

“Don’t you dare put your hands on me.”

She raised her eyebrows and glared at him.

He doesn’t seem to realize how serious this is.

“Why are you trying to take forbidden books to your room?”

“Forbidden books?”

At his interrogating tone, Sinclair’s voice rose.

“…?”

“These are forbidden?”

She stared wide-eyed at the books.

Gerald’s brow twitched at her reaction.

Sinclair slapped both hands over her mouth as she remembered the forbidden archives in the underground library of the Beatria Empire—accessible only to Emperor Hereis and Alfred.

Information monopolized. Knowledge controlled.

Forbidden books meant the extermination of whole families and clans. To possess one was to challenge imperial authority itself.

Only then did she understand Gerald’s anger.

But the storybooks had never listed which volumes were considered forbidden. From her perspective, she had no way of knowing.

“I’m sorry. I only knew there were forbidden books. I didn’t know these were among them.”

Didn’t know.

It was a convincing reply.

“But… having them means extermination, doesn’t it?”

She lowered her voice, as if afraid someone might overhear.

Gerald flinched when her soft breath touched his ear, and he pulled back slightly.

A bouncing ball… unpredictable, unforeseeable.

And her seeming indifference to his words irritated him.

“Didn’t you say you set a ward on the study?”

As his voice rose, Sinclair suddenly realized—

“Ah…”

So that’s why Gerald grabbed my hand the moment he entered? To confirm who I really was?

Her hair bristled at the thought, and she quickly hid her palm behind her back.

Could it be? Did Sinclair truly have such power, like a witch?

But if he discovered she was a witch, it would be disastrous. She had to get away, fast.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I’ll leave the books here.”

She placed the volumes neatly on the desk and slipped out of the study.

Gerald’s expression grew grave.

Before his eyes, she had casually opened a door sealed with a protective ward and walked out.

“…!”

He crossed his arms, rubbing at his lower lip.

“Huff… huff… huff.”

Terrified, I ran straight out of the castle.

If they discovered I was a witch, I could be executed. If I died in a witch hunt, everything would be lost. I had to be cautious, endlessly cautious.

Leaving the study, I had greeted the servants, then glimpsed the river beyond the windows. I came outside, wanting to feel the river breeze—but it turned out to be farther away than I thought.

Still, I had already come out, so I trudged on until I reached the river.

On both sides, the May plane trees shaded me with their fresh green leaves.

From behind them, in the flower garden, bees buzzed busily, soothing my racing heart.

Splash, splash.

The silver-scaled river shimmered, surging gently and carrying the scent of water. Mangroves held hands and waded calmly into the stream.

Plop.

A nameless fish leapt above the surface and fell back in.

Slowly, my fear subsided, and calm returned.

I looked around carefully.

An ash tree with gray-brown bark swayed its opposite leaves gracefully. Beneath it, bluebird flowers thrived happily in the shade. Wild roses tangled their vines, budding red and yellow blossoms.

Above them, dark butterflies scattered sunlight with their fluttering wings.

The cool breeze chilled my overheated heart.

I closed my eyes for a moment and spread my arms wide like the willow tree beside me, inhaling deeply.

Fresh air filled my lungs, and my body, starved for photosynthesis, clamored with delight.

When I was afraid, martial arts always worked best. My body was begging to move.

Alright, just a little…

First, I checked the area. It wouldn’t do for castle folk or villagers to see me. Thankfully, no one was around.

Time to loosen up.

I tilted my head from left to right several times until my neck cracked.

Stiff… too stiff.

I put my hands on my hips and rotated my waist three times left, three times right. My hips cracked loudly.

Just because I haven’t moved enough, surely.

I bent forward, bracing my hands on my knee, stretched my leg, pressed my heel into the ground, then pushed forward again—my joints cracked again.

“Ow…”

A groan escaped me.

I’d have to restart my morning runs and martial arts training soon.

I set my stance and jabbed into the air—jab, jab, jab.

I raised my guard, then jab, straight, hook, uppercut!

Now for the legs.

I did thrust kicks—at forty-five degrees, at seventy, finally at ninety. Then I spun my right leg around and slammed it down hard.

Even after loosening my arms and legs, I felt unsatisfied.

Tsk.

Suddenly I spotted the poplars stretching tall into the sky. Their sturdy trunks made my heart race.

Perfect for taking a beating.

Good.

I sprinted over and slammed a flying sidekick into the tree.

The tension from nearly being exposed to Gerald began to melt away.

Then I spun and pummeled it with my other leg. Bam-bam-bam!

Front kick, back kick, side kick, spinning side kick, hook kick, back hook kick, axe kick, turn.

Finally, a spinning roundhouse.

“Hup, hup, hup.”

My breathing grew heavier.

Kicks weren’t enough. I let my fists fly—jab, power jab, flicker jab, straight, short hook, long hook, overhand, even a wild-swinging hook!

Sweat beaded on my nose.

Leaves rained down from above, but who cared?

I poured all my pent-up frustration and resentment into martial arts.

Then—

“Clap, clap, clap! Bravo!”

A strange male voice startled me. I whipped around, scanning the area.

“How rude. Show yourself.”

A man leapt down from a tree nearby.

Startled, I stepped back and took a fighting stance immediately.

His silver hair gleamed in the sunlight. Unlike Theodore’s, his transparent red eyes glimmered mysteriously. He bowed courteously.

“My apologies, if I startled you. I was resting in the tree. Quite by accident, I became a scoundrel peeking at a lady.”

Who is he? A man from the castle?

“And you are?”

“I am Curtis, a broker in trade.”

I gave him a small nod and turned to leave. Whether castle-born or not, it was too dangerous to form ties carelessly.

But then—

“If it isn’t too presumptuous, might I ask for a spar?”

What? A duel?

My feet halted at his invitation.

He’d said he was a trader, hadn’t he? Which meant he wasn’t part of the castle or the domain.

So… if I beat him up, there’d be no consequences, right?

A smirk tugged at my lips. He must have mistaken it for annoyance.

“I assure you, no hidden intentions. It’s simply that your stance differs greatly from the combat styles I know. I’m curious.”

That made sense. This wasn’t their world’s fighting style.

“Very well.”

I needed a partner anyway. Gladly, I accepted his challenge and readied my stance.

“Let’s begin.”

“Haha, fiery spirit indeed. Still, even in a spar, should we not at least exchange names? May I have the lady’s—”

“Bona.”

Since he had been watching me the whole time, I snatched up the first thing that came to mind: Bona? What are you looking at?

“Bona… what a lovely name.”

I ignored his flirtation, tightened my guard, and beckoned him forward.