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Chapter 60
The Reason That Villainess Took Up the Sword
“What are you talking about! Erin hasn’t held a sword for long. As long as I’m awake, nothing like that will ever happen! You know how fragile that child is!”
“Why are you getting so angry? You didn’t really care about Erin anyway.”
At Corelia’s words, the Marquis took a step back. Carefully, he reached for the sword placed beside his desk.
As soon as the Marquis grasped the sword, Recken, who was standing beside him, drew his own and shouted,
“Marquis! Do not move from there! If you come any closer, I will attack!”
Corelia ignored his warning and slowly advanced toward the Marquis, step by step. Recken was no match for her anyway.
“Don’t worry, Lloyd. Charlotte behind me is an excellent dark magician. Her puppet techniques are remarkable as well. Even if you disappear from here right now, no one would notice.”
“…Recken!”
Even as the Marquis signaled his knight to attack, he trembled with a sense of betrayal toward Corelia.
“Oh, by the way, did you know this?”
Corelia easily dodged the sword aimed at her. Gripping the sword Charlotte handed her, she continued,
“Your daughter… Erin Liscus, that child.”
“…”
“The truth is, she was chosen by the sword. Not Caron.”
“W-what did you say?”
“It’s no longer a matter that concerns you, but Erin will never return alive from the Western region. Even someone as skilled as Duke Asily would find it difficult.”
“What are you planning to do to Erin!”
The Marquis shouted at her while pointing the sword at himself, and Corelia tilted her head slightly at the sight.
“Shall I make it simple for you? You will be locked in the underground prison… and your daughter will soon die.”
“…”
“But don’t worry. If Erin dies, I’ll make sure you receive the news.”
Corelia said this with a cruel smile.
At that time, Ferdin was in his office with the prospective knights when Derek rushed in, shouting,
“Is it true that Erin Liscus is going to the West for her promotion trial?”
At the question, Ferdin immediately sprang to his feet.
Frantically moving to find Erin, he recalled the first day he had awakened his ability.
The first past he had ever seen was his mother’s past.
A princess and saint of the Holy Kingdom, which had been occupied by the Empire. A woman forced to marry a man she did not love.
In the past Ferdin had witnessed, his mother had never known happiness.
He still could not forget her reaction when he told her he could see the past: pale, terrified, hands trembling uncontrollably. She had held Ferdin and wept for a long time.
“Ferdin, you must never tell anyone that you can see the past. Apart from Helix and Isis, trust no one.”
From that moment, Ferdin became skilled at lying. To prevent anyone from discovering his ability, he naturally grew adept at hiding his emotions.
To this day, only Duke Asily, Princess Asily, and a few close people of the Holy Kingdom who served his mother knew the truth.
Even Derek did not know that Ferdin possessed “the eyes that see the truth.”
If only Dietrion had awakened with it, everyone would have congratulated him.
The secret he could not even reveal to his closest allies sometimes weighed heavily on his chest. He had often wanted to tell someone the truth.
But if the Emperor learned that Ferdin—not Dietrion—possessed this ability, he would not survive.
I never wanted it.
He hated his ability. “The eyes that see the truth” were proof that the Emperor’s blood flowed in him.
Yet, at this moment, he was grateful for his ability.
Before going to find her, his ability allowed him to recall fragmented memories about Erin.
As always, a sharp, stabbing headache accompanied it.
I have to tell her when I return.
Return? From where? That wasn’t important now. Before him, a fork led to the front and back gates.
Prospective knights taking promotion trials usually leave from the front gate, cheered by everyone. But Erin would not want that.
He could not claim to know all of Erin, but the Erin he knew carried her burdens alone and walked her path silently.
Without hesitation, Ferdin headed to the back gate—and, as expected, saw Erin.
She looked at him, shocked. She could not believe he had appeared here.
She was going to leave without saying a word.
She had intended to bear that arduous journey alone, without a word. He could not tolerate it.
Step by step, Ferdin approached Erin.
“How…?”
“Sir Erin, are you heading to the West? Will you obey His Majesty’s orders?”
“…”
“Please don’t go, Sir Erin. You don’t need to follow such a ridiculous command.”
The information he had was limited, as though shrouded in fog.
But one thing was certain: Erin was relentlessly pushing herself.
She was trying to twist the fate she knew was predetermined.
“If you don’t want to go, I will help you.”
It was similar to what Dietrion had said—but carried a different weight.
Erin felt her chest tighten.
Erin knew well how difficult it was for Ferdin to defy the Emperor.
As always, he was willing to sacrifice himself for her.
“No, I will go. This is something I must accomplish. Even if I abandon this mission with your help, His Majesty will surely assign another task—perhaps even more difficult than going West.”
Ferdin looked down at Erin.
“Sir Erin, if you don’t mind me asking, why haven’t you revealed the truth?”
“…”
“You’ve already reached an incredible level. If you revealed it, you could easily gain honor.”
“…”
“All the knights would admire you. You could even refuse the Emperor’s unjust orders. That’s the position of a Sword Master.”
“…”
“Then why hide it… and push yourself so hard?”
Seeing herself reflected in Ferdin’s eyes, Erin stepped back hesitantly.
What could she say? That he had died in the past—and that she was certainly involved? That she was going now to prevent it?
Could she say that?
The next day after the party, Erin regretted letting herself be swept by impulse, trying to make Ferdin understand everything.
She hated herself. She felt no better than she had in the past.
“I… I…”
Erin could not continue speaking. Ferdin took her hand firmly and met her gaze.
Startled by the sudden contact, Erin opened her eyes wide. But his hand over hers was surprisingly warm.
Ferdin’s blue eyes were only for her.
“Sir Erin, there is a secret I cannot even hide from those closest to me.”
“…”
“I can actually see the past. It’s an ability that manifests in those with strong blood from the Lexia Empire.”
“Why are you telling me…?”
In the past, Ferdin had never told her about his ability. She had only learned of it after the Emperor had realized it.
“I’m sorry, Sir Erin. It wasn’t intentional, but I saw your past.”
Erin felt fear. Had the past he saw involved the moments with Corelia, who said everything was her fault?
“And the unknown past I saw before… in that memory, I was surely with you.”
“…”
“So the future you know… it is your own past. Am I right?”
Hearing this, Erin recoiled as if wanting to escape.
Ferdin could not bring himself to grab her.
“I cannot guess what you have endured or what you are trying to change. But I… I do not want to see you hurt. I do not want to see you suffer.”
