If you think about it rationally, there was no way I could win.
If I poured everything into it, with magic and demon transformation… then maybe I’d have a shot… but the situation wouldn’t allow that.
“……”
I had to hide my identity, so I couldn’t use magic. The demonic form was out of the question as well.
And not far away, there were spectators watching.
Under those conditions, beating her with pure swordsmanship alone was absolutely impossible.
My opponent was Camilla Bliss of the Knight Department.
The one who stood at the very peak among her peers when it came to the sword.
With the half-baked swordsmanship I’d picked up, I shouldn’t have lasted more than a few exchanges in the first place.
And yet—
“Hup!”
“……!”
I deflected the incoming strike with the tip of my blade. An irregular guard relying purely on reflex.
But when I followed up with my own swing, Camilla easily cut off my line of attack.
It looked evenly matched. I was being pushed back slightly, but still…roughly even.
Something incomprehensible was happening.
Talent? No. That can’t be it.
With that thought, I checked the system window.
And then, in the corner of my vision, a message appeared.
◆ Unique Trait [Total Magical Structure Analysis] has detected a Sister Trait.
…What?
A Sister Trait?
I was startled.
But it wasn’t a name I didn’t recognize.
In the Empire of Kohonbach community, it had been treated almost like an urban legend.
That Sister Trait? Between me and Camilla?
My shock didn’t last long.
Suddenly, Camilla pressed in, forcing the fight into extreme close quarters.
The swords we were holding were about one to two meters long.
At this distance, it became a contest of raw control over the blade itself.
She’s even using half-swording…!
Camilla demonstrated the technique of gripping the middle of the blade to maneuver it.
As I desperately blocked her, our bodies made contact several times, and more system messages followed.
◆ Trait Unlock Condition Achieved! (New!)
◆ [Total Magical Structure Analysis] leads [Trajectory Analysis].
◆ [Trajectory Analysis] has advanced by one stage!
What the hell? Why is Camilla’s trait leveling up?
◆ [Trajectory Analysis] → [Sword-Path Unity: Trajectory Analysis]
◆ New Achievement Unlocked!
◆ NP + 200,000
◆ Sister Trait effect activates [Trait Double Helix]
◆ You can now use [Sword-Path Unity: Trajectory Analysis]!
A sharp, thorn-like pain stabbed from deep inside my eyes.
It felt like a spark had dropped somewhere in my brain and ignited.
Ugh…!
The colors in my vision inverted for a split second. And then—
I could see it.
I could see.
I could see.
The intent behind Camilla’s blade. The trajectory of her strike. It literally became visible.
Her fingers. The tendons linking the back of her hand to her arm. The muscles in her forearm.
The force traveling through them, extending into the sword. Her weapon and extension of self. And from all of that, the single strike that was born.
The unity of offense and defense. Even the next possible choices she might make.
All of it slammed straight into my brain.
It felt as if the world had slowed down.
Claaang—!
The instant I recognized it, everything changed. At the same time, Camilla’s expression shifted as well.
We moved beyond a deadlock. Precise counters began flying from angles even I wasn’t consciously aware of.
“…So you’re finally showing your true colors. How distasteful.”
“No. This isn’t—”
Her blade stormed toward me. It carried the force of a tempest, yet for some reason, parrying each strike wasn’t difficult.
“──!!”
By the time I realized it, Camilla had already slipped to my side, aiming for my ribs during the brief delay in my guard.
Less than 0.1 seconds of vulnerability. A gap in perception that would normally be impossible to react to.
With accelerated blood flow…!
For me, with my reflexes heightened, it wasn’t a problem.
I even raised my right hand and blocked it with Leviathan.
Letting instinct take over, I twisted my wrist, trapped Camilla’s blade, and yanked it toward me.
We’re too close! Then—!
I swung my elbow.
But as if it were only natural, Camilla pulled her sword free and ducked her head, evading the strike.
“……”
“……”
After that exchange, the battle fell into a brief lull.
…Feels like my eyeballs are going to pop out.
The newly unlocked trait had suddenly invaded my vision. It felt like adrenaline was pumping blood straight into my eyes.
As expected of Camilla. Trajectory Analysis… it’s definitely a powerful trait.
It could let someone who knew nothing about the sword wield it, however clumsily.
It allowed you to understand your opponent’s attack.
But in the end, there’ll be a difference in mastery and adaptation.
If this kept up, I was likely to lose.
I need to make a decisive move.
And then, at that moment—
Camilla, who had been staring intently at me, suddenly lowered her sword.
◆ [Trait Double Helix] has been deactivated.
The trait sharing was cut off. Camilla had stopped activating her trait.
My vision sank deeply, as if plunging underwater…
“…Let’s end it here.”
“What?”
“I apologize. My attitude was excessive.”
It was sudden. Truly, completely sudden.
Camilla slightly bowed her head.
“Thinking about it, it probably wasn’t done with such bad intentions.”
“Uh, uh…?”
I was left dumbfounded by her abrupt words.
Why is she apologizing? Did fighting cool her down?
“I can’t believe the excuse about having the same name, but from your perspective, you were trying to comfort me in your own way. Isn’t that right?”
Suddenly, an escape route had opened up for my mistake.
And on top of that, her form of address shifted from “you” to something more respectful.
“I-I suppose so. No…I mean, that’s right.”
With her going that far, I didn’t feel like continuing the fight.
Though the offer of reconciliation was sudden, I decided to take her hand first and think later.
“Hmm. Then perhaps you should lower your sword as well.”
“…Yes. I’m sorry too.”
“You may speak casually. I’m equally at fault for not using honorifics properly.”
“…Th-Then I will. I mean, I will.”
“Isn’t ‘I will’ still formal?”
“……”
When I fell silent, she continued.
“Please don’t be angry. It’s grown quite late… but if you still have plans you prepared, I’ll accompany you from now on.”
“…Ah, ah. Then…”
What is going on? I couldn’t make sense of it at all.
I had no idea why she had suddenly become so friendly.
Is it that? The type who’s only attracted to a man who defeats her?
I recalled a character trope I’d heard about somewhere, but no matter how I thought about it, Camilla wasn’t that kind of woman.
Even in the original story, before she fully matured, she had faced strong opponents several times. Yet none of those encounters developed into romantic relationships.
She had never even shown signs of that.
“First, I’d like to return the sword. Then I’ll go greet the master of the hall.”
“…Yes.”
And so I ended up standing beside the old training hall, utterly clueless about what was happening.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Not at all.”
Camilla let out a small laugh. Beneath the darkening sky, her silver hair glimmered faintly.
“I said you could speak casually.”
“I will once I feel more comfortable.”
“Very well. Then at least stand a little closer. That’s hardly the distance of companions….”
“……Understood.”
***
The course I had in mind afterward wasn’t anything special.
If things went long, we’d have dinner together, treat her to a cup of tea, and walk her back to the academy.
In modern terms, it would’ve been an utterly ordinary date.
But I didn’t have the mental space to think about the newly discovered sister trait or achievements.
The entire time, I was completely at Camilla’s mercy.
In front of the restaurant, she held out her hand expressionlessly, asking to be escorted.
Inside the café, she spotted a couple openly displaying their affection and kept shooting deliberate glances at them.
Of course, thanks to her blank expression, I could tell she was joking, but she seemed far more relaxed than earlier, when she had been so tightly closed off.
On the other hand, I was the one who felt tense.
When I treated her as a younger sister, it had been comfortable, but as a man, I found myself completely at a loss.
It was fine as long as things were fine, but after crossing blades so fiercely, I couldn’t understand why her attitude had suddenly changed.
“……Still.”
Somehow, the day came to an end. Before I knew it, we had reached the front gate of Tane together.
Perhaps it had been the most pathetic day since I fell into this world. In the midst of that self-reflection,
We stood beneath the glow of magical lights.
Camilla, who had been walking a little ahead, turned around lightly.
“We’re here.”
“Looks like it.”
“Today was enjoyable. Thanks to you.”
“I had a good time as well.”
“……I’m not sure how you’ll see me for saying this, but it feels a shame to part ways like this.”
“……Then, well, um… maybe a drink…?”
What did this woman just say?
I forced the words out, inwardly startled.
“A drink… that won’t do.”
“I-Is that so.”
“No. That’s something for the third meeting.”
Camilla’s lips curved upward. It was a smile she rarely showed.
“……The third?”
“My mailing address is the Knight Department’s annex, Robine Dormitory, third floor, Camilla Bliss… though I suppose you already know.”
I couldn’t quite catch the rest. She had muttered it so softly.
“I see…?”
“If you send it there, I’ll receive it. So….”
She stepped closer and whispered in my ear.
“Do that next time. I’ll have to write back, after all.”
“…….”
I froze on the spot.
A whisper against my ear.
It was nothing more than a bit of teasing, but the fact that Camilla had done it left me utterly stunned.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
And that wasn’t all.
Silver hair.
As I stood there dazed by the vivid color so close before my eyes, she wrapped an arm around my neck.
Her face was right there.
“C-Camilla…?!”
“……Don’t be so flustered. This is simply so that you’ll have something to say to Harunsdel as well….”
Avoiding my gaze slightly, Camilla gestured behind me with her eyes.
Following her gaze, I saw a lone figure at the end of it.
In the darkness untouched by the glow of magic lamps, a man was leaning on a cane.
Menemen Harunsdel.
My racing heart turned cold in an instant.
“This should be enough. I’ll be going now.”
With those final words, Camilla released her arm and headed back into Tain.
In full view of Harunsdel’s eldest son, she had made it clear that she stood on friendly terms with me.
Silence.
Insects chirred softly in the grass.
Did Camilla have this side to her?
A strange, complicated feeling suddenly welled up inside me.
The attitude Camilla had shown all along was probably the kind she reserved for a man she liked.
It was never something she would show to a younger sibling.
The problem was that the identity I was currently wearing, “Aide Deran”, did not truly exist. The same went for Butler Adel.
“…….”
There was no way I could reveal that it was me.
If she realized that, even for a brief moment, she had felt romantic interest toward her younger sibling, she would surely be hurt.
Whether as Butler Adel or Aide Deran… I need to wrap up the Harunsdel matter as soon as possible.
It was then.
“Impressive. Truly impressive.”
Clap, clap, clap.
From afar, Menemen stepped out of the darkness, applauding as he approached.
“To think that Camilla Bliss would change her attitude like that in just a single day… What kind of magic did you use?”
Suppressing my displeasure, I replied,
“Have I passed the test?”
“Passed? Of course you have. I’m impressed. I can trust you with the job.”
“I’ll go to the Harunsdel headquarters.”
Menemen flinched for a brief moment. But he soon laughed, putting on a show of boisterous confidence.
“Of course! That goes without saying. You’re more than qualified. I’ll even show you the aide’s office you’ll be using in advance.”
“When should I come?”
“Haha. You’re quite impatient. But I like that. I’m busy as well. Come see me first thing tomorrow.”
Menemen grinned, baring his yellowed teeth.
“I should show you the profile of the next target… Do you need any substances? Even something a little risky is fine.”
I nodded.
It was almost time.
“I’ll prepare a list and bring it tomorrow.”
The time had come to bring down Harunsdel, one of the Empire’s two great merchant houses.
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