Chapter 29

The woman, with the tip of the sword pressed against her throat, said to Aldis with a satisfied look.

"It's perfect, my lord."

Wrinkles formed between Aldis's eyebrows.

"What are you talking about? You?"

"Do not look so puzzled. A gentleman should have a gentler gaze even towards a lady."

With a smile that even suggested refinement, the woman spoke jokingly.

Judging that the woman no longer intended to fight, Aldis released her arm and lowered the broadsword he had pressed against her neck. As soon as he sheathed the broadsword, he rubbed his forehead with his index finger and asked her again.

"What do you mean by 'perfect'?"

"I did not expect my lord's power to be this great. It was worth the wait."

"Who is this 'lord' you speak of?"

"My lord is my lord, of course."

"No, I mean, who is this lord?"

"How can you ask such a thing? It is you, of course."

"Why would I be your lord? I don't understand at all."

"We seek the potential of humans, their limits, and the future that awaits them."

The woman, with her sky-blue eyes fixed on Aldis, spoke in a way that made no sense.

"My lord has surpassed my power magnificently. You are a vessel worthy of serving as my master. My lord, may I ask—"

Aldis felt like holding his head.

"Not my lord, but what?"

"What is my lord's name?"

"......Aldis."

Aldis, who had been silent for a moment, did not want to get involved. However, the original request was to bring the woman to the Duke of Tria. Although the battle had happened by chance, he wanted to persuade her to come along peacefully if possible.

After they had already fought, it felt a bit late to think about it now. However, it would not be a good idea to further complicate their relationship, and refusing to even give his name would certainly not help build a friendly relationship. Reconsidering this, he reluctantly gave his name.

"And what about you?"

"I have no name. It should be enough to show that I am a servant to my lord Aldis."

While mentally pointing out that this made no sense, Aldis barely managed to hold back his words. Still, his cheek twitched involuntarily, which was understandable.

"Um, let's put that aside for now."

At least, it was progress that they could have a normal conversation. Whether they could have a proper conversation was still uncertain. Aldis convinced himself of this and addressed the self-proclaimed servant with the Alice-blue hair.

"Can we get to the main topic?"

"Of course, my lord."

"I was sent by the Duke of Tria to bring you. It seems the duke wants to speak with you and invites you to the manor. He wants you to come as soon as possible. Can you come with me to the duke's manor now?"

"I would be happy to, if it is a command."

Aldis found the woman's way of speaking incomprehensible. However, if she would come along willingly, he decided to overlook the oddness of her words.

"I'm sorry for the suddenness, but I would like to return today if possible. You might have had some purpose for being here, but—"

"Having met my lord, there is nothing more to do here. However—"

"However?"

"I beg you, my lord. Could you give me a little more time? Although this destruction was not intentional, it is my doing. I cannot leave it as it is."

The woman turned her head, and her Alice-blue hair swayed gently. When Aldis followed her gaze, he saw the ground that had been gouged and caved in by their battle, and the large amount of sand and broken rocks scattered everywhere.

"Ah... indeed, it wouldn't be good to leave the road in this state. I have some responsibility too, so let's fill it in together?"

"No, there is no need to trouble my lord. I can handle it alone."

The self-proclaimed servant, who had declined Aldis's offer, began to level the ground without chanting. The large amount of rocks and sand moved unnaturally, as if pushed by something invisible, filling the holes in the ground.

If asked, Aldis could do the same. However, this was the first time he had met someone who could do this—without chanting. While Aldis was exceptional, the woman was also clearly out of the ordinary by general standards.

Until now, there had been no one in the world who could fight Aldis on equal terms.

But the world is vast. Just because Aldis hadn't met them didn't mean there weren't others who could match him. This time he had been able to overpower her, but there might be even tougher opponents out there.

(I need to be careful not to get too arrogant.)

No matter how strong one is, one can still die.

Aldis recalled the battle just now, including a warning to himself. In terms of raw power, Aldis would likely have the upper hand. If they fought a hundred times, he would win ninety-nine.

But that was if he went all out. If he held back his sword magic and spellcasting to avoid drawing attention from the watching mercenaries, he might eventually make a mistake. He had tried to avoid using sword magic and spellcasting openly to avoid standing out, but if he kept putting such restraints on himself, he might make an unexpected mistake one day.

"It's done, my lord."

While Aldis was lost in thought, the self-proclaimed servant had already finished her work and was bowing before him.

"I am ready to leave whenever you are. What do you want to do?"

The woman straightened up and looked Aldis in the eye. Although he had many things to say, he decided that completing the mission was the priority and led the woman back to the city of Tria.

On the way, the woman followed Aldis on foot. However, from her expression, it seemed she could also float and move like Aldis. When Aldis tried moving slightly with the 'Levistep' to see, she followed without a word as if it were natural.

As a result, they arrived at the city of Tria just as the sun was beginning to set. Aldis immediately took the woman to the duke's manor and informed the guard at the entrance of their business.

"So this woman is the one?"

A middle-aged guard, who seemed to be in charge, came out of the guardhouse and responded, holding a piece of paper.

"Hmm. Slanted blue eyes and long white hair with a bluish tint... Yes, she matches the description."

It seemed they had a wanted poster of the woman. The middle-aged guard, stroking his chin, seemed satisfied.

"Very well. I will take her inside. Please wait here. As for you, your mission is complete. Once we confirm, we will entrust the reward to the intermediary. Keep this ticket as proof of exchange."

The woman was to be taken inside the manor.

On the other hand, Aldis's job was done. A young guard handed him a ticket as proof of mission completion.

"What? My lord is not coming with me?"

The woman asked Aldis.

"My job was to bring you here. I have no business with the duke, and he wouldn't want to meet a mere mercenary anyway."

"That is the same for me. Why should I go alone where my lord has no business?"

While they were talking, a maid who seemed to be a guide appeared from inside the manor.

"I am not going. I have no interest in the duke, and I have no business here without my lord."

"Wait, hold on."

Aldis hurriedly stopped the woman, who was about to turn away.

"If it is a command from my lord, I have no choice, though I am reluctant. But if not, I see no reason to stay. Is this a command, my lord?"

Aldis found the woman's reasoning incomprehensible, but if she left now, he might not only lose the reward but also be considered a failure in the mission.

However, he couldn't go with her as she suggested. If the duke wanted him to, that would be different, but from the guard's response, it seemed that was not the case. If Aldis tried to follow uninvited, the guards would certainly stop him.

Sighing in resignation, Aldis thought:

For some reason, the woman was calling him her lord and showing a willingness to obey. If he gave a command, even if it was just for show, she would likely comply. What happened after that was up to her and the duke.

Most importantly, Aldis was so tired that he had almost given up thinking.

"Ah... yes. It's a command. Go and meet the duke."

As soon as Aldis said this, the woman bowed respectfully without expression.

"As you wish, my lord."

The woman followed the maid and disappeared into the manor. Aldis watched her go and then turned and disappeared into the crowd of the city.

2019/07/30 Change: 引き替え → 引き換え

*Thank you for your correction.