Translator: Darling | Editor: Coming soon…

They arrived just outside the Fenkool district, on the exact place where the Blue Blade was done in by the Swordsman Gang.

Alongside the old church, there were many other old buildings, which made the area good for tourism.

For the sake of this place being the chosen battlefield the knights have been clearing out the area, but I wonder how the battle will go.

After our breakfast this morning we made our way here. As we arrived it was just me, Iris, and Alia in the vicinity.

We were standing on a hill so that we could look out over the area.

Alia was a bit further away to lie in wait hidden.

Iris said she wanted to talk with me about something, so this was the chance for her since we were now alone.

“I’ve never really been here. How about you, Mr. Schweiss?”

“I come here from time to time. Part of my job, I suppose”

“Every time you mention something about work, it does feel weird, you know?”

“Because I look like a child?”

“Well, basically, yes” 

My answer made Iris laugh.

Still, Iris’ expression darkened soon after that.

“I’m sorry. I even told you I had something to discuss”

“I don’t mind. It might be good to lower the tension a bit”

I should try to match Iris’ pace – Even when I thought this she already started talking.

“Can you feel my tension, then?”

“I would say so, yes”

I could feel that her behavior was different than usual.

I would love to say it was due to the fact that she saw me in new clothes, but that was sadly far from the truth.

She’d been like this ever since we met up this morning.

“..Even though it was me that proposed it, it still feels like I am the one most anxious for what’s about to happen. I mean, I might die here”

Prior to this, when we were talking about her becoming the decoy, she said that her life was not something to be thrown away so easily.

Of course, she doesn’t want to die.

There are few people who are in bliss when they are about to die.

Iris continued talking, as she balded her fist.

“Since we also took Alia with us I feel like I really have to be on my best today, and that gives me the creeps. I am the Swordmaster Princess, for goodness sakes. Yet I still feel as anxious as this!”

Ever since this morning – No, this is something that has been on Iris’ mind for a while now.

You can’t really live a normal life when someone is hunting you down at the same time.

Someone that isn’t surprised to meet an enemy at potentially every step is all the rarer.

And Iris is no such exception.

“I am doubting myself. Did I actually become stronger at all? The Swordsman Gang aren’t my enemy is what I want to say…!

Also, why can’t I just become strong like you, Mr. Schweiss…..?”

“Like me, you say?”

“Yes. I really wanted to ask you…”

Iris aspired to be a knight and one that surpasses her father at that.

But for Iris that might not actually be her goal.

But if Iris doesn’t put to words what she feels, then I am never able to understand her.

Naturally, she feels like she is lacking a few things as a person.

If only she could put it into words.

“You don’t need to get as strong as I”

“…hm?”

“The strength you’re after is the strength to protect another. To put it simply, you don’t need raw strength to save someone else”

“But, I have to get stronger…”

“What I am about to say might not sound pretty. For the sake of protecting another, you need a certain type of strength – But as of now, I wouldn’t say you don’t have it”

I stood before Iris and continued.

“It doesn’t matter if you look like you have concerns to you. You were already very brave to come to this place.

Though all we do is wait, for now, you still came here to fight. That’s already a type of strength.  

Recklessness and strength are two different things, yet you chose the latter when you came here. That’s what I think”

“Mr. Schweiss…”

Iris seemed to brighten up a bit.

Seems like she found some relief by my words.

This type of thing could really only be said by me of now.

Before all of this, I could only perceive Iris as the Swordmaster Princess after all.

Yet, now I stand here as her teacher, trainer, and as her escort.

Seems like our bond has deepened over the past time.

“Rely on me if need be. That’s what I am here for after all”

“…Thank you! But.., that won’t be necessary. I am sorry for saying such weak words”

Seems like she again chose not to rely on me.

Still, she talks much about her fears.

“Well then, where would Alia be right n—“

After Iris and I stopped talking we had lost sight of Alia.

She was meant to position herself a little bit away from us, but Alia’s level of camouflage really seems to be beyond even me.

“Alia…? We’re already done talking!”

“Playing hide and seek at a time like this. What’s she thinking….”

I could only think of the fact that her skills in finding the enemy were very high. 

“What if…!”

Iris seemed to have noticed as well, and we started searching around us.

What if instead of waiting for the enemy she went out to search for them instead.

Together with Iris, I moved out to search for Alia.

***

A man and a woman were hiding in the shadows of the buildings.

They were non other than Adyl Grash and Fiss Medien – The last two Swordsman Gang members.

“They’re really just playing around, huh”

“Yes, no doubt about it, they’re waiting for us”

They were watching Iris and Alta from the distance.

Both of them knew that they were actually waiting for them right there.

“If that’s what they’re doing, shall we go and meet them soon? Just watching doesn’t really suit me”

“We’ll have to eventually. Not like we really strategized this time around”

“We capture the Swordmaster Princess. That’s our battle plan”

“Hihi, sounds simple enough” – Fiss left out a laugh at Adyl’s strategy.

It was now their time to move.

“Wait, where did the third one go”

Adyl stopped walking.

Seemed there was one more little girl near Alta and Iris just before. But she seemed to have disappeared.

Adyl never meant to lose sight of her either, yet that is exactly what happened.

“—“

Fiss made her move.

She pulled out her “Sword with no blade”, and she struck down the two daggers that came flying at Fiss and Adyl.

Adyl looked up at the building above them.

“Seems like you teamed up with quite some people – The Swordmaster Princess and the youngest knight. Yet, you really thought you could defeat us? 

That’s quite the estimation you’ve made there”

“Are you two the “hit-men” that are after Iris?”

By the sunlight, her hair and skin seemed to be lighting up.

Alia was totally unwavered by the fact that she had found these two.

Still, the fact that a girl with such a young-looking face had found them really surprised Fiss and Adyl.

It wasn’t just going to be Iris and Alta who they’d have to fight – There was one more opponent right here.

“Who are you?” – Fiss instigated.

As she looked down on the two she took out her two “Black short blades” and said – 

“An Assassin.”