I Became A Slave To The Mastermind

A man with a healthy physique and a handsome face.

His name was Dylan.

Known as a promising talent among the knights, he had long admired Athena's indomitable spirit and overwhelming strength.

As soon as he was promoted to the Expert level, he joined the Dawn Knights, the order that served her.

Since joining under her command, Dylan had experienced many things.

But he thought nothing had ever been like this.

'Did I hear that wrong..?'

"Is there anyone who would spar with me…?"

A woman suddenly appeared amidst the knights' training session.

She was the lady of the rumors, the one their lord had brought with her.

The entire order paused momentarily at her arrival.

It was likely because of her appearance.

Skin so white it seemed almost pale.

Eyes with a blood-red hue, chilling yet beautiful.

A woman whose beauty seemed inescapable.

If he hadn't had a beloved wife, he might have stared blankly at her for a while.

'Sparring, of all things.'

This delicate-looking lady?

As he was left bewildered by her absurd request,

The commander approached the lady.

"So, you're the one from the rumors. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Braum, the commander of the Dawn Knights."

The commander greeted the lady with courtesy.

"I'm Hera,"

She replied.

When the lady extended her hand, the commander bowed and lightly kissed the back of her hand.

Startled, she quickly withdrew her hand.

Her expression showed she wasn't pleased.

Did the commander do something wrong?

His face showed a hint of bewilderment, but he quickly masked it with a smile.

"Haha. Is there anything you need from our order?"

At the commander's words, the lady's eyes lit up as she made a request.

"I would like to spar with one of your knights."

"S-Spar, you say?"

"Yes! Even just for a short while, please…"

At her words, the commander's eyes wavered.

I would have been equally bewildered.

Aside from her frail appearance, she was someone whom the lord cherished dearly. We couldn't afford to touch her carelessly.

"Sigh… Lady, sparring is no game. You could get hurt."

The commander tried his best to persuade her. But she instead provoked us.

"I'm stronger than I look. I might even win, you know?"

Her bold words caused the commander's eyebrows to furrow.

His smile started to crack.

"Haha… It seems you are quite confident, my lady."

"So, will you spar with me? Or are you scared..?"

Crack-

It felt like something broke inside the commander's head at her insulting words.

He hesitated for a moment and then spoke.

"…All members of the Dawn Knights, attention."

"Yes!!"

He called the order to attention.

At his command, everyone stopped sparring and focused on his words.

"The lady wishes to spar. Is there anyone willing to volunteer?"

His words caused the atmosphere to grow quiet.

As no one stepped forward, the commander looked at the lady and said,

"It seems everyone is too afraid that you might get hurt, haha."

"…Are you all scared of a woman like me?"

Despite her rude behavior, as if mocking the order, no one dared to step forward.

As knights, it was improper to harm a lady out of mere annoyance.

Knights who valued honor seemed to prefer dismissing her insolent words as the actions of an immature girl.

But I was different.

"Commander, if you permit, I will do it."

The commander's eyes widened at my words.

"Dylan, you mean to say…?"

"Yes. Isn't she the person our lord brought? I would like to test myself against her."

How foolish it is to judge based on appearances alone.

Just thinking about our lord is enough to realize that.

Overwhelming strength hidden beneath a beautiful exterior.

This woman might be the same.

She looked too delicate to lift even a stone. But there had to be a reason she stood so confidently.

'Could she be a significant mana user?'

If so, that would be fortunate.

A battle against a strong opponent is always welcome.

All those experiences would become nourishment to help me grow.

"Hmm… Alright, got it."

The captain patted me on the shoulder and said,

"She's someone the lord cares about. Make sure to go easy."

He whispered this and stepped aside.

Thus, a sparring match was arranged with the lady.

She looked at me with an expression filled with emotion.

"Thank you… I've always wanted to spar with you."

"Haha, it's nothing. It may not be much of a reward, but may I ask you a question?"

"Yes, feel free to ask."

"Do you happen to know how to use mana?"

After pondering for a moment, she replied.

"No, I'm a unique ability holder."

She dropped a bombshell with that statement.

Her words caused a stir around us.

"A… unique ability holder?!"

"So, that's why the lord brought her here."

"Damn it, Dylan really hit the jackpot with her."

Just like my comrades said.

Normally, I would have dismissed it as nonsense.

But she was the first person the lord, known as the strongest human in the empire, had ever brought to his mansion.

It was a convincing claim.

A unique ability holder.

I had never even imagined it.

I thought she might just be someone who knew how to use mana, but I was wrong.

She was the third unique ability holder in the empire, following the Saintess and the Crown Prince.

And I was the one fortunate enough to face off against such a person.

'I never thought I'd get the chance to spar with a unique ability holder.'

My heart began to race.

I was curious to see how effective my sword would be against someone blessed by the gods.

"Thank you for answering, my lady. Shall we begin right away?"

Knowing she wouldn't be an easy opponent, there was no need to hold back, just as the captain had advised.

After bowing my head to show respect to her, I raised my wooden sword and pointed it at her.

"Alright. I can't wait any longer, either."

She said as she began to approach me, one step at a time.

Before I knew it, she was right in front of me.

It was as if she was suppressing something; her face was flushed with a deep blush.

Her slightly disheveled appearance, breathing heavily, was excessively captivating.

I stared at her in a daze for a moment, then quickly turned my head.

'Get a grip. I have someone already.'

After closing my eyes to meditate and calming my mind, I looked at her again.

Her small mouth seemed to be moving, as if she wanted to say something.

In the tense atmosphere, she finally spoke.

"Then…"

"Could you… slap me on the cheek?"

Tap—

Huh?

"This isn't enough! Harder!!"

"N-no, I can't!"

I was at a loss.

She suddenly asked me to slap her on the cheek.

At first, I thought she was joking, but she was seriously requesting it.

How could I slap a lady on the cheek?

But with her persistent request, I reluctantly placed my hand gently on her cheek.

"Why are you so scared, man?! I told you to hit me harder!"

As if this wasn't nearly enough, she actually got angry at me.

She kept insisting that I hit her.

Could it be that this is her preference?

"How could I possibly slap a lady's cheek…!"

"Just do it! Like this! Smack, smack!"

While saying this, she slapped my shoulder with her palm.

This hard?

I'm sure there would be a mark.

There was absolutely no way I could do it.

"… With this level of timidity, can you even call yourself a knight? Just give up your manhood."

Gulp—

'Wha… what was that just now…'

I almost struck her without realizing it.

It felt like something inside me was triggered without my knowledge.

The shame of being unable to handle such a provocation as a knight.

"Do you think women will like you if you live like a coward?"

"...…"

"Have you ever even had a girlfriend, old man? I mean, being this unmanly…"

"… Ha."

Never had a girlfriend?

I wanted to scream at her right then and there.

I have a woman who is like no other to me, a truly lovely one.

But when I looked at her,

The goddess-like image from before was nowhere to be found.

There was only an irritating woman standing before me.

"If you can't hit me, just call someone else. I can't fight with someone so scared."

"…You were the one who asked for this, miss."

I couldn't take it any longer.

Hadn't I endured enough humiliation already?

I wanted to give this woman, who was trampling all over a man's pride, a taste of her own medicine.

But, She seemed unfazed. Instead, She extended her white cheek towards me.

"Yes! Hurry up and hit me. Right here."

I didn't care anymore.

I raised my hand high.

Slap!

"Hic!"

I struck her cheek hard.

Her head whipped around sharply along with my hand.

"A-are you alright?"

My handprint was clearly visible, reddening on her cheek, and tears were beginning to form in her eyes.

But her mouth…

"Well, then I'll counterattack right away."

…was smiling, as if pleased.

"…!"

In an instant, her foot

Swung towards my solar plexus.

Instinctively, I raised my arm to block.

"Ugh!"

With a thud, an intense shock ran through my body.

For a moment, I felt a sensation like floating in the sky.

When I lowered my arm, I realized I was much farther away from her than before.

'Did I get thrown this far?'

For an ordinary person, maybe not, but I was an expert — not a low-ranked one, but a mid-level knight.

I always surrounded my body with mana, capable of blocking any ordinary attack at any time.

But her kick had pierced through and sent me flying.

"So, this is what they call a unique ability."

She kicked a wooden sword on the ground towards me.

"Pick it up. It wouldn't be fun to just beat you one-sidedly."

Her provocation made me chuckle.

But I wasn't angry.

No, if anything, I felt excited.

In the Order of Knights, I had always faced the same people.

It had become so familiar that it was almost boring.

But standing before me now was a new formidable opponent, unlike any I had fought before.

Suppressing my trembling chest, I gripped the wooden sword tightly and looked at her.

"It won't be easy for you, miss."

And then I launched myself toward her.

"Ugh!"

How many exchanges had passed?

Her attacks were more powerful than I had anticipated.

Because of that, the strategy I chose was evasion, not defense.

But she possessed not only strength but also speed.

If I lost sight of her for even a moment, I'd find myself on the ground before I knew it.

'To the left!'

I shifted my body to the right,

And as she aimed for my left side,

I swung my sword toward her flank without hesitation, but it was easily blocked by her foot.

To catch my breath, I kicked off the ground to widen the distance between us.

While I was breathing heavily, her face still looked full of excitement.

"Huff… Haha… You're rougher than I thought, miss."

"Hehe… I don't know why I'm like this, either. My excitement just won't die down."

It seemed the lady had the temperament of a warrior.

But in the heat of fierce battle, I was just as exhilarated.

"Looks like I have to settle this once and for all."

My stamina had already reached its limit.

If this continued, I would inevitably be overwhelmed and defeated.

I squeezed every bit of remaining mana from within me and infused it into my sword.

One strike.

I would decide this match with one final blow.

"I'm coming at you again."

As soon as she finished speaking, she extended her foot to the ground—

And disappeared from my sight in an instant.

But I was able to react immediately.

I dodged her fist, which cut through the wind as it flew toward my back, and launched a kick at her right leg.

She lifted her leg to avoid my kick.

I planted my foot on the ground, readying my stance to give myself more strength.

Then, gripping the wooden sword tightly with both hands,

"You won't be able to block this!"

I swung the wooden sword with all my might toward her upper body.

"…!"

For a brief moment, she widened her eyes in surprise, and my sword steadily closed in on her.

'It's going to work..!'

I thought to myself with a smile.

But. I was wrong.

It was just a fleeting moment. But I saw it.

Her eyes flashed for an instant.

BOOM!!

An overwhelming impact hit me, as if a bomb had exploded.

For a brief moment, I seemed to have lost consciousness.

When I came to, I felt an emptiness somewhere in my upper body.

Looking down, I found a gaping hole in my chest.

"Ugh…"

Blood gushed out of my mouth.

My vision blurred, and my hearing started to fade.

In the fading light, I saw the commander and my comrades running toward me.

And her, staring at me with trembling eyes.

"…Cough."

In that fleeting moment, I clearly saw it.

When she delivered that final attack.

Even if only for a brief moment, in her eyes—

There was a glimmer of that same brilliant golden color as his.