Chapter 10: The Valley

…The sunlight is dazzling.

It seemed I had overslept today.

Well, after what happened last night, what could be done?

Usually, when I overslept, it wasn’t my fault.

Still, blaming others stemmed from my lazy disposition, so I suppose I should take the blame just this once.

Knock, knock—

“…Come in.”

Rubbing my eyes once and stretching, a servant enters as if on cue.

It was precisely time for my medicine, so the physician’s concoction of various herbs was placed on the tray.

It wasn’t time for the old medicine to run out yet, so the amount was likely the same.

After stirring it once with a silver spoon and seeing no color change, I drank it down.

It’s a procedure I do every time, but it’s incredibly bothersome because I doubt there could possibly be poison in it.

It’s true I dislike the physician, but I don’t think she’s the type to kill me.

In the first place, if that old woman had decided to kill me, she would have drawn her sword the day she found out I intended to become the Duke.

Although her prime had passed, the rank of Sword Master doesn’t just disappear.

Among grandmothers, she’s likely the overwhelmingly strongest human around.

In conclusion, as a person strong enough not to need cowardly methods like assassination, there was no reason she would poison this.

“…You’re working hard from early morning again today. Isn’t it difficult?”

After wiping my mouth with a handkerchief, I address the servant who stands stiffly with a polite posture, glancing at me furtively.

“………Ah, yes. Thank you for your concern.”

Perhaps surprised that I spoke to her, she hesitated for a moment before answering.

Right, I wasn’t the type to talk to servants often.

Considering that servant was probably my exclusive lady’s maid, it was a level of sociability that surprised even myself.

“Then that’s fortunate. Ah, if it’s not rude, could you tell me your name? I think you introduced yourself, but I don’t remember well.”

“…It’s Mary.”

So, I thought I might as well learn her name this time.

Since this is the third time, I’m starting to reach my limit, so I should at least know her name.

“Right, Mary. I’ll remember this time. I’m a bit poor at memorizing people’s names, so please understand.”

Surprisingly, unlike my previous words, this statement contained a fairly high amount of truth.

I really wasn’t very good at remembering people’s names.

I think she definitely mentioned it during introductions, but later on, I tended to only memorize titles and faces.

Therefore, I still don’t know the physician’s name.

More accurately, I heard it but can’t remember it, but anyway.

“No, not at all. I am grateful just for your effort to remember.”

The servant, hastily bowing her head, looked so flustered that for a moment, her expression visibly crumbled.

Usually, she maintained a fairly good poker face, but from the perspective of a fellow actor, she looked much the same to my eyes now as she usually did.

“There’s no need to be excessively polite; you’re quite courteous, Mary.”

“…You praise me too highly. I am simply observing what must be observed.”

‘What must be observed’, she says.

There must be countless things a servant must observe; what a ridiculous statement.

Does she herself not think so?

Well, if it were me, I’d surely have scoffed inwardly after saying that.

“Pfft, there’s no need to be so stiff. Anyway, work hard today too. I hope you have a good day.”

“…May the young lady also have a good day.”

She seems to think she’s walking calmly, but even at a glance, her steps betray her desire to leave this place quickly.

Did she want to escape here that badly? It’s simply incomprehensible to me.

There’s still time left until breakfast.

Although I woke up late by my standards, applying my standard to others meant it was still quite early.

Taking medicine according to seizure times and swinging my cane around in the middle of the night meant I couldn’t always sleep long, but since my body naturally required little sleep, waking up early was unavoidable.

Usually, since I spent most of the day in a chair anyway, the waking time didn’t matter, but that wouldn’t be the case for my daily routine from now on.

If I’m going to actually work, some level of body condition management would be necessary.

So, shall we start small?

The cane doesn’t seem to need polishing.

As for the test, well, the design is finished for now, so there’s nothing more to look at for the time being…

Ah.

Should I go see my brother?

***

Philip’s day begins before the sun rises.

He wasn’t originally one to start so early, but he had resolved many things after the Grand Duke’s death.

Training already occupied a large part of his day, but compared to his father, he felt he was severely lacking.

It’s not that he lacks talent.

There were already no rivals for Philip in his age group, and though he couldn’t take the Knight Examination because he wasn’t yet an adult, he had already surpassed the skill level of an official knight.

However, if asked whether his skill was sufficient to be the leader of the Weiss Grand Duchy without fault, the answer was still no.

The Valley.

A demonic realm located at the northern edge, from which unimaginable monsters pour out every year, it was once a place so prosperous it threatened to swallow seventy percent of the continent.

Having keenly experienced the terrifying power of monstrous beings lacking any command structure or hierarchy, someone had to block the Valley.

The Empire at the time, unable to face near-extermination again, had to haphazardly recruit those renowned for strength and send them to the Valley.

And naturally, the one who showed the most prominence among them was the first Grand Duke Weiss.

Despite his humble origins as a s*ave, he single-handedly reached the pinnacle of human strength and, even without the Holy Sword, drove the demonic beasts emerging from the Valley back into it.

Yet still loyal to the Emperor who was his former master, his merits were recognized, and he instantly rose to the rank of nobility.

His duty as a Baron was to seal the Valley, ensuring such a catastrophe never happened again.

Afterwards, those wishing to follow him, who had also been chosen by the Holy Sword, flocked to him, and soon his power rivaled the Empire’s military strength.

The Emperor, rather than persecuting him, granted him the status of an independent Grand Duchy, and thus the duchy remained in the peculiar state of being both a vassal and independent of the Empire.

That is the history of the Weiss Grand Duchy.

And in line with that history, all successive Grand Dukes Weiss bear the duty of suppressing the Valley, which periodically erupts.

Naturally, as the birthplace of monsters transcending human comprehension, it is not a position that can be handled with ordinary strength.

All previous Grand Dukes Weiss were individuals who had reached the pinnacle of martial prowess.

Therefore, even though he was still young, he had no choice but to increase his efforts.

To become stronger and stand as a perfect Grand Duke, and to protect his sister, who had now become his only family.

Thump—

Someone’s footsteps register on his highly sensitive senses.

This training ground was usable only by those of Weiss blood, so it was definitely someone intentionally coming here.

However, there was no one expected.

There was still quite some time left until mealtime, and the footsteps were too slow for someone delivering urgent news.

Rather, they sounded like someone trying to approach stealthily, as if trying not to be detected by him.

Then it must be one of two things: an assassin or a spy.

As soon as that thought finished, Philip’s mind raced.

He had never experienced such a situation.

But he had to deal with it somehow.

If he too fell, his sister would be left alone.

Having only received kindness until now, he couldn’t afford to fail to protect even himself and fall pathetically.

To protect his frail sister, he had to know how to protect himself first.

He couldn’t do nothing in such a situation and merely ask for help.

‘Think calmly.’

The possibility of an assassin was low.

The footsteps weren’t those of such a type.

It was likely closer to someone who had secretly entered with an accomplice’s help.

Nevertheless, reaching this far meant there was someone nearby skilled enough to bypass the Grand Ducal family’s security.

Even if he didn’t know the skilled person’s location, dealing with the opponent before him first was the correct course of action.

He gathers his energy.

He had to move first, before they noticed they’d been detected.

Still swinging his sword, his focus is directed towards where the opponent is.

When the distance is sufficient, leap forward and—

Thwack—

………?

……Sister?

***

Startled by my sudden appearance, I lose my balance, and my brother catches me.

…What a surprise.

I tried checking if I could approach stealthily, but indeed, a knight seems to be a knight.

Must I assume it’s impossible to hide my presence using ordinary methods? Quite difficult.

It seems necessary to reflect this in the design later.

“…Sister? Why are you here, Sister…… Ah, a-are you alright?”

My brother, who had inadvertently gripped my wrist tightly to prevent me from falling, suddenly lets go hastily.

Perhaps he was stronger than expected, or maybe I was weaker; my wrist was stained red.

“…Oh dear, I intended to watch quietly and leave, but it seems it’s no use against a knight after all. Sorry for interrupting, little brother.”

Ah, right.

He told me not to apologize.

Surely he won’t nag me about this again, right?

“No, it is I who should apologize. Not realizing it was you, Sister, I accidentally, your, your wrist, is it alright?”

Fortunately, he didn’t harp on it, which was a relief.

But his flushed face suggested I had interrupted his diligent training.

“Hmm, it’s fine. It just turned red. It doesn’t hurt much.”

“That’s a relief, but, uh, it’s cold out, and being out so early in the morning—”

My brother, still seeming apologetic, kept glancing at my reddened wrist, then his gaze stopped around my shoulder before he suddenly dashed off somewhere.

He ran off, grabbed the outer coat he had temporarily taken off, and returned.

I came out dressed quite warmly; does even this attire look cold?

“You must be cold. For now, you should wear this at least—”

“…There’s no need to overdo it like that, little brother. I’m already dressed warmly. Putting on more will just make it heavy.”

“Is, is that so?”

……Oh, honestly.

How on earth am I supposed to mold this incredibly naive kid into a great Grand Duke?

He resembles the previous Grand Duke, but his timid side still shows here and there, and his fundamental nature is like that too.

Seeing my brother standing awkwardly holding the coat, I sighed inwardly and offered one hand with a smile.

“…Alright, give it here. It wouldn’t hurt to dress warmly just in case.”

At those words, my brother’s face seemed to brighten again, and he quickly handed over his coat.

Draping it over my already thick clothes created quite a ridiculous sight.

My brother in a thin shirt, and his sister bundled up cumbersomely.

Even at a glance, it looked like I had snatched his clothes, leaving me no choice but to inwardly scoff at the situation.

As long as I’ve taken the medicine, my senses are temporarily numbed during the time an attack might occur.

More accurately, it was closer to becoming extremely dulled.

Since the physician’s medicine was primarily a means to simply get through the seizures rather than a cure.

As pain affects the whole body, the senses throughout the body shut down, leaving slight gaps, allowing me to pass it off as just a headache.

Of course, there are minor side effects like being unable to smell or taste food during that time.

Perhaps this wrist is also quite sore.

Maybe I just can’t feel it thanks to the medicine.

Well, that’s something I’ll find out later.

More importantly, I originally intended to watch quietly and leave—

“…Hmm, since it’s come to this, could I watch you train? I haven’t gone out much usually, so I was curious about seeing you wield a sword.”

“Ah, training, you mean. I can show you, but, uh. Will you be alright? It must still be very cold…”

“It’s fine. Just because I don’t come out often doesn’t mean going out itself is a problem. And with me wearing your coat, it would be a bit much for me to just dash inside, wouldn’t it?”

‘While I’m at it, maybe I should observe how a knight uses a sword a bit.’

Despite the Weiss Grand Duchy being famous for its military might, I had never actually seen them wield swords.

Considering most of the people I’d have to deal with as Grand Duke later would be former knights, I needed to use this opportunity to use my brother as teaching material.

“…I wouldn’t mind if you took it inside… but for now, I understand. Since you, Sister, are also taking the Knight Examination anyway, you probably need to know, a little.”

There was no need to specifically ask ‘know what?’.

Since our last conversation, my brother’s psychology had become easier to read.

Right now, that kid was somewhere between resolve and melancholy.

Presumably, based on my brother’s naive nature, the very fact that I had to take the Knight Examination didn’t sit well with him.

In his eyes, I am a frail young lady who should be cooped up at home, and simply taking the Knight Examination itself would be considered a burden.

Therefore, what he probably means by showing me is—

—a fragment of the trial I must face?

A sword, chillingly cold, moves towards the dummy placed in front of my brother.

Since I’m not entirely ignorant of swordsmanship, I could roughly tell what that was.

Vom Tag, a downward cut following a high guard.

And—

……I can’t see it.

My brother’s movements were so fast that my weak eyes could never follow them.

Other than the final diagonal cut ending in Wechsel, I couldn’t see the numerous sword strikes my brother must have unleashed.

It was a short time, less than a few seconds, but the swordsmanship displayed likely spread out in many directions, creating an intricate pattern.

Seriously considering that this wasn’t some secret technique, but simply basic longsword fencing… I hadn’t really seen anything properly.

I just stared blankly at the scenery.

In the first place, it’s absurd to think that I, who have never once received such training, could succeed in observing it.

Although I suffer from Grace, my talent lies elsewhere, not in swordsmanship.

“…Incredible, little brother. Was that just now, using mana?”

“No. I didn’t particularly use mana. It was purely physical strength.”

‘Hmm, if that was achieved with sheer physical strength… I might need to set the standard higher than expected.’

Honestly, if I could bring Batory, it would be easy, but since I explicitly stated I wouldn’t, the difficulty has increased somewhat.

“…The examiner will likely be weaker than this, and will also hold back, but… it will probably be a significant threat to you, Sister.”

As I was stroking my chin, thinking about revisions to the design, my brother approached and spoke with a worried expression.

“Sister, I understand well the intention behind your proposal, but… the church will likely acknowledge it just by the fact that you attempted to take the examination itself.”

‘That’s probably what he’s thinking,’ I speculate.

Worry that I might diligently try to take the Knight Examination to avoid causing trouble until the very end.

Worry that in the process, I might get injured, or my illness might worsen, leading to some misfortune.

“…Therefore, even if you forfeit right from the start, no one can find fault. Just standing before a knight without training requires tremendous courage.”

As if proving my prediction right, the kid finished his sentence.

A thought truly fitting of a naive kid.

“…Your advice, I accept it gladly, little brother. Thank you.”

In any case, training diligently from early morning as the next Grand Duke is certainly a good thing.

Looking at me with those eyes full of determination, likely filled with the resolve to protect me or something similar, wasn’t a bad thing either.

“Even so, I’d like to see a bit more of your swordsmanship. It’s a sight I’ve never seen in my life, so I find it incredibly cool.”

‘But still, isn’t he too naive?’

“…Ah. If that’s the case, I’ll show you more. This time, using mana—.”

‘Not even trying to properly grasp what kind of person his sister is, every single thought is too soft.’

‘Fairy-tale like, possessing the mindset of a knight from a fairy tale is certainly good from an external perspective, but realistically, it’s just a pathetically naive way of thinking.’

‘That’s why I can’t help but worry.’

Seeing him unable to hide his seemingly joyful expression, thinking he’s maintaining a poker face, I can’t help but deepen my contemplation.

Resting my chin on my hand, watching my brother’s sword dance, I quietly thought about just one thing.

I wonder if my brother, outwardly the younger brother of a frail older sister.

…even knows that last night, it was his sister who cut down the five assassins who bypassed the Weiss family’s security and snuck in, leaving not even a trace.

Thinking that, a dizzying sensation seemed to arise in the center of my chest, but I moderately ignored it.

I had already given that kid, Mary or whatever her name was, her final warning.

Right now, pursuing pleasure was less important than… education, anyway.

“This time, mixing in the family’s secret sword techniques—”

…There was a long way to go.