Chapter 12
The day had already faded, and darkness settled everywhere.
Thanks to the barracks and people supported by the Helderios family, the once-bustling barracks had finally become calm.
I was sweating heavily, focused on my work, when Mika came over with some food.
“Senpai! How about going outside and resting a bit? I’ll watch over this place!”
The steaming soup and bread Mika offered made my stomach, empty all day, growl loudly. But I was scared I might run into Lloyd somewhere, so I asked cautiously:
“By the way… did you see Viscount Helderios nearby?”
“Viscount…? Eh?! Are you saying you like him too, Kaede-senpai?!”
Mika’s eyes sparkled like she’d found a friend to fangirl with.
“I thought you didn’t really like that kind of thing, from what Brie-senpai said… but no! He was so amazing! Just now, he defeated dozens of monsters with a single swing of that huge sword! It gave me goosebumps. The best moment of my life. If I had a video stone, I would’ve spent all my money to record it immediately.”
“Ah… I see.”
Mika babbled happily about Lloyd, noticing my reaction was growing cold. She quickly added:
“I wanted to see him up close too, but there were so many important people around… I couldn’t get near. Earlier, Lord Dorkan and other knights from different regions went inside for dinner.”
I wanted to see him too, but thinking better of it, I held back my words and accepted the food she brought.
So basically, the nobles were eating elsewhere—he wouldn’t be nearby.
“Alright, Mika, I’ll go eat outside. Please watch over things for a bit.”
“Yes! Leave it to me, senpai!”
Smiling faintly at Mika’s confident reply, I stepped outside. The night sky was dark, stars glittering above.
I saw people gathered around campfires, eating or drinking. My mind longed to gulp down the bottle of alcohol nearby. But scared of running into Lloyd, I stayed hidden behind a pile of crates near the wall, away from the crowd.
Tearing the bread and dipping it into soup, I thought:
‘I want to go home.’
I wanted to lie on a soft bed and sleep until lunch tomorrow, then go with Brie to a nearby restaurant for Jeronia-style grilled fish…
I kept shoving bread into my empty stomach, thinking of home, when I heard a sound.
Rustle.
Someone was nearby. Distracted by the food, I looked up, and there he was.
“…!”
“Here you are.”
A low, growling voice echoed. In front of me stood a black-haired man, a frighteningly handsome figure, staring with a deadly expression.
His violet, piercing eyes made it hard to breathe. An electric pressure pressed on my whole body. It was a pain I had never felt before, but instinctively I knew.
It was intent to kill.
This man wanted to kill me.
His hand moved toward the enormous sword strapped to his back. Just now, Lloyd had turned hundreds of monsters into chunks of flesh with that sword.
In the novel, that sword could destroy mansion-sized trees and even rocks. That meant if he applied just a little pressure, my neck would be severed in an instant.
Tears streamed down my face from the sheer murderous intent and overwhelming power.
Was I really going to die here?
With a swish, he adjusted his grip and began approaching.
“Return. You learned the sword ready to die.”
The sword in his hand glowed red with aura.
Ah, right. He was the continent’s youngest Sword Master. My life… about 0.1 minutes, huh?
I tried to calm my pounding heart and escape, but my body refused to move.
“I endured the pain of broken bones and torn muscles… compared to the blood of countless lives on this hand for revenge against you.”
All I could do was drag my feet backward as he stepped closer.
What could I do now?
I had only learned healing magic, meant to quietly live without attracting attention. Using healing magic on a man trying to kill me was absurd.
If I showed power, would he just kill me faster?
“I still remember. My burning mansion, my servants, my parents dying painfully from poison, my heart ripped out as I died…”
I froze.
My back was against the cold castle wall. No escape. Trembling, I barely managed to speak:
“Y-you… must be mistaken.”
His face hardened.
“You expect me to believe that?”
His hand rose. I closed my eyes tightly, terrified.
I had lived a righteous life under the Terrina God, yet here I was being targeted by the protagonist, even after saving people moments ago.
Why? I hadn’t done anything wrong. His mansion and servants were fine. Why try to kill me?
I wanted to flee, but his overwhelming intent made me curl up and tremble.
Slowly, his sword moved, and I closed my eyes.
…Huh?
No pain.
Had the overpowered protagonist spared me instantly? Was this heaven?
I peeked. No. Lloyd still stood there.
The sword clanged to the ground. His face was twisted with even more anger.
He grabbed my arms and slammed me against the wall. Pain shot through me, tears streaming down my face.
“Is this how you’ll die? Without any resistance?”
What could I do? I had learned nothing to resist the protagonist. The only thing useful was pain-nullifying magic… so I might die painlessly.
My body trembled violently. I barely mustered the courage to speak:
“P-please… spare me…”
Lloyd’s expression shifted for a moment—pity? compassion?
But then his expression returned to anger. He punched the wall beside me. The stone crumbled.
Luckily my head wasn’t there—otherwise it would’ve shattered.
My legs trembled, and I collapsed weakly to the ground. I needed to escape, but my body wouldn’t cooperate.
Then I heard:
“Kaede-senpai!”
Mika ran toward me, panicked.
“Mi…ka!”
Don’t come! You might die too!
Still, I couldn’t speak, choked by terror. I heard Lloyd mutter softly:
“Kaede?”
Mika helped me up, trembling.
“Ah! Kaede-senpai!”
He glanced at us, then chuckled quietly:
“A healer…”
His violet eyes met mine. I quickly looked away.
He spoke after a moment:
“I must have mistaken you for someone else.”
He turned and walked away. I slowly began to relax.
“Kaede-senpai, are you okay?”
How could I be okay? I’d just been threatened with death by that overpowered man.
I shook my head.
“Why was the Viscount acting like that?”
Mika was full of question marks. I couldn’t tell her that I was the villainess who had once destroyed the empire and tried to kill the Viscount—it would make me look insane.
“Well…”
“Maybe he thought you were a ghost? You’re wearing white in the dark!”
Mika kept chattering about how I might have looked like a ghost, then insisted I should eat with others instead of alone.
Seeing me trembling, she said worriedly:
“You should rest today. I’ll tell the others.”
I let Mika support my trembling body back to the dorm. She immediately left to report to the lead healer, and I was left alone.
“Ugh.”
Lying on the bed, my body ached all over. My arms, grabbed by Lloyd, were bruised and swollen.
“Crazy…”
I hugged my arms and whispered the activation phrase:
“Heal.”
A bright light slowly healed my bruised body. I closed my eyes.
I survived. Even after meeting the protagonist, I survived.
I was mistaken for someone else. I was going to be okay.
I calmed myself, and my trembling body gradually relaxed.
I was okay now.
I collapsed on the bed and fell asleep.
