The "Master swordsman” who was reincarnated, wants to live freely - Chapter 78

Translator: Darling | Editor: Nebosuke

When I arrived at the battle, I looked at Iris, and then at Alia.

Alia, who couldn’t move due to being restrained, looked at me as if she saw something she couldn’t believe.

“Why…?”

“What do you mean, why?”

“Didn’t you come here to save Iris….?” Alia asked.

She assumed that I came here to fight Qufirio. 

However, it was Iris who picked up her blade again. I too knew that she was going past her limit.

Yet, I left the fighting to her.

“The one I came to save is you, Alia. Iris came to save you too. I am not here to save her.

“That doesn’t make any sense! Don’t care for me! You should go and help Ir–“

“I cannot not care for you. If we managed to save you sooner, it wouldn’t have come to all this, correct?”

“That’s… The fact that Iris got involved…”

“Back when Iris was hunted down, you were set on throwing your life away to save her. Yet when the roles are reversed, you can’t understand it?”

That was precisely why I could understand why Iris was so angry.

“….”

Alia’s expression became cloudy by what I had said.

Iris was set on saving Alia from the very beginning. Alia too must’ve known this. Even though she wanted to end all ties, it was still Alia, so the choice was rather obvious.

And Iris of all people was bound to take on that burden all by herself.

“I too am a bit angry you know. Did you think that I wasn’t able to save you?”

“I believe in your power, Mr. Schweiss. I believe in it, but I just wanted you to keep Iris safe.”

“I see. Well then, let me teach you one thing.”

“!”

I cut the chains that restrained her with my blade and covered her naked body with my coat.

Then I placed my hand on her head.

“I don’t just protect one person. I am able to protect you too – That much I can do. Though I am a knight, as of now I am also your homeroom teacher. You can at least rely on me like that, right?”

“…So you’re saying you will protect me?”

“A teacher should protect their students, right? Though I might not know all my students as well, I should as a teacher. And that’s why I will protect you too.”

I looked at Iris’s fight.

Though she was still fighting Qufirio, she was losing consciousness.

She might not have her full strength to swing her blade anymore.

She still fought on. It was very much like her to keep on going, to make sure that she would save Alia – That was the choice she made after all.

I wouldn’t be surprised if she collapsed soon.

Even though this was the case, Alia wasn’t moving out to help her.

“Qufirio is your father, and Iris is your family. If you don’t state your stance on this, it won’t start.”

“I—!”

Iris’ Purple Lightning was deflected. Qufirio lept at her.

His attack was aimed at her heart, but it didn’t connect.

Just in time, Alia’s short blade managed to deflect his attack and stop Qufirio’s movements.

Surprised, he looked at Alia.

“Alia…”

They stared at one another.

Alia was brimming with anger I’d never seen in her before. …That might mean that she had made a choice.

She couldn’t make this step before – But she severed her ties with the Shadow Apostles.

“Don’t lay a finger on Iris from now on. …The only family I have are Brother and Sister that came to save me. You are not my family~”

“…Alia…”

Far beyond her limit, Iris finally collapsed from the wound in her back. I supported her body with mine and stood before Qufirio.

Considering the amount of blood that came out of her and the wounds, it was quite strange that she could’ve moved so much.

“Alia, I leave Iris to you.”

“Yes, understood.”

Firmly shaking her head, Alia supported Iris’ body.

Iris had already lost consciousness – I want to praise her for being able to fight until this point. 

“So you actually do come out in the end… I thought you were just a mere spectator.”

“Not particularly. I just promised her that I would look over her until she had become the strongest knight. Thanks to you, she managed to make progress. So this time I have to actually act as her teacher.”

I quickly looked over towards Alia’s position.

I put my finger on my mouth to relay a message. I did so as to say, whatever you see next, you can never tell Iris.

With my summoning magic, I called forth my shining silver blade. All foes that met this blade had been cut down by it in a single strike. 

Swordmaster Raul Izalf’s blade: Silver Soul.

“Mr. Schweiss, that’s…”

“Alia, you said that you trusted me, didn’t you? Then I will return the favor. In order for you to have no more doubts at all – I will release you from your curse.”

Those words were to prove the fact that I was indeed Raul Izalf. A truth that absolutely no one should ever know about.

However, it was something that Alia needed to know in order for us to strengthen our reliance on one another.

And so that she wouldn’t leave us again.