I Became a Swordsmanship Instructor in a Romance Novel

In the deep predawn hours, a chilling darkness descended.

Zeke’s eyes snapped open as he lay in bed.

He immediately sat up and stared into the dark, empty space.

“Who’s there?”

A surprise attack in the dead of night when everyone was sound asleep?

Perhaps it was the remnants of Lost Hope, or those sent by the Emperor’s faction seeking revenge for Ilios’s downfall.

There were countless possibilities, making it hard to pinpoint the culprit.

The assassin’s movements were stealthy, but Zeke had been awake since the moment they stepped foot into the Yohaiden estate.

He had merely pretended to be asleep, waiting for them to head straight to his room.

No matter how well they concealed their killing intent, they couldn’t escape the senses of Zeke, who had almost fully recovered his strength.

Thump—

Thump—

As if having no intention of hiding in response to Zeke’s words, the figure revealed themself.

A towering physique, black hair, and black eyes.

She grinned and spoke.

“Sharp senses. You certainly have the skills to give our Black Wolf Knights a hard time.”

“Black Wolf Knights? The Ira Dukedom, then?”

Zeke furrowed his brow, then recalled that it was the name of the knight order belonging to the Ira Dukedom in the North.

“That’s right. I’m from the Ira Dukedom.”

“Ha, I heard that the Princess of the Ira Dukedom was entering the academy… But she didn’t show up on the entrance date, so I wondered what had happened…”

Zeke got out of bed completely and glared at her with cold eyes.

“Ugh!”

Zeke released his mana, pressing down on the assassin’s body.

However, whether it was her first time experiencing such an unfamiliar pressure, she gritted her teeth and resisted, refusing to kneel.

“Intentionally delaying the Princess’s entrance… and trying to eliminate me beforehand. Is that the idea? The Ira Dukedom has gone rotten.

At least the knights were decent, even if they were a bit crazy…”

“Uggggh!”

Her body trembled, muscles quivering.

She fought against her body’s urge to collapse, veins bulging throughout her body.

“Ha… They promised not to make an enemy of me, but they seem to have forgotten who that promise was for.”

That day, he had taken hostages, enduring the inconvenience to avoid further bloodshed.

Duke Yohaiden had intervened, and the Yohaiden side had even suffered losses to reach an amicable agreement.

And yet, they were digging their own graves and building their own coffins.

“I’ll admit, you’re a skilled assassin…”

Zeke, now able to wield a sword freely, felt no thrill facing an assassin like this, even if a truckload of them came at him.

“Still, coming straight to me instead of targeting those around me was the right choice. Otherwise, you would have met a gruesome end. So, are you ready?”

A sword, radiating a bluish light, materialized in Zeke’s hand.

“…Kuuuuugh!! N-No!!! That’s not it!!!!”

The assassin’s desperate cry echoed.

Zeke’s sword stopped just before her neck.

A drop of blood trickled down her neck from a slight cut.

‘…Good thing I held back. Does she have a train whistle in her throat? Why is her voice so loud? And she says that’s not it…?’

Zeke sheathed his sword and tilted his head.

“That’s not it…?”

“…First of all, I apologize for being late.”

As soon as the mana pressure was released, the first words out of the assassin’s mouth were a reluctant apology.

“The Princess’s health is a bit… no, quite frail.

We’ve been delayed longer than expected.

I’ll formally apologize for that.

His Grace, the Duke, will say the same.”

“…You came in the middle of the night, in the dead of night, to tell me that? And you expect me to believe that?”

“No, that’s not it. I just wanted to talk first… I’m usually always with the Princess, but she didn’t go to bed until late tonight, so I had no choice!”

“…”

Zeke stared at her intently.

Indeed, there was no killing intent or any sign of aggression.

He had assumed she was an assassin because he detected concealed weapons on her when she arrived.

However, judging by the lack of wear on those weapons, it seemed she carried them habitually, not with the intent to use them.

“…Still, anyone would think you’re an attacker if you barge in at this hour.”

Zeke said, scratching his cheek with a slightly embarrassed voice.

“No, you don’t need to apologize.

I also intended to test the skills of the one who would be teaching the Princess.

I heard you used underhanded tactics against the Black Wolf Knights… But with such skills, why would you…?”

“Anyway. What do you mean? You could have visited tomorrow during the day. Tell me why you came at this hour.”

“The Princess said she would visit you tomorrow.”

“Ah. That damn Saintess is being stubborn again.”

The woman’s eyes widened at Zeke’s words.

“…How did you know that nickname…? As expected, you’ve known our Princess from before!”

“…Yes, let’s say that’s the case. Would you like some tea?”

Having confirmed that she harbored no hostility, Zeke offered.

“I would appreciate that.”

Since he couldn’t call anyone else at this late hour, Zeke personally made coffee.

He had recreated the taste of the instant coffee mix he enjoyed on Earth with his own recipe.

Clink.

Gulp. Gulp.

She downed the steaming coffee as if it were cold water.

Then, her eyes sparkled at the harmony of sweetness and slight bitterness.

“Ahh— This is truly… hot, sweet, and delicious! Those Southerners!

They were enjoying all the delicious things to themselves! Do you have another cup by any chance?”

“…Yes. Hmm, by the way, I haven’t heard your introduction yet.”

Zeke, looking slightly taken aback, asked as he poured her another cup of coffee.

“I am Karen, the handmaiden who serves Princess Lily.”

“Handmaiden?”

“Indeed.”

With an appearance that anyone would mistake for a bodyguard of the Saintess, and her seasoned movements…

She seemed capable of putting up a good fight even against Zeke’s mana-trained students.

Zeke was slightly surprised that such a woman was a handmaiden.

“…Hmm, I see. Karen. What did you come to talk about?”

“First, I wanted to see with my own eyes the swordsmanship instructor who would be teaching our Princess. And second, I came to make a request regarding the lessons.”

“A request?”

Karen nodded. With each nod, the trapezius muscles connected to her neck twitched impressively.

“Our Princess is naturally very frail. So…”

“Wait, I’m sorry. I won’t accept separate theories about training.”

Zeke interrupted Karen.

It was the same story as the majority of the letters he received every day.

Requests to lower the training intensity, or to make exceptions because their child was frail.

Of course, with Yohaiden and Eustia backing him, they didn’t come in person, but they were all complaining to Zeke.

‘Tsk, did she come all this way just for that? If she can’t handle it, she can just leave.’

“…I see. Haa, alright. I understand. I had a hunch after seeing your energy and attitude earlier, but it can’t be helped.”

Fortunately, Karen was reasonable.

At least she seemed to understand when Zeke made a firm gesture about it.

“My classes are very difficult and hellish, as they say. So… if Princess Ira isn’t confident, she can meet me and just go back…”

“…What!!!”

Karen suddenly stood up, her eyes sparkling.

“Did you say hellish? Difficult? That’s definitely not an exaggeration, right!?”

“…That’s right. Honestly, I don’t think it’s that difficult by my standards, but the students usually can’t move from their spot for about an hour after class ends.”

Zeke replied with a wry voice.

“That’s it! That’s exactly what I want to request!”

Zeke tilted his head, unable to understand what this woman was suddenly saying.

“Our Princess is benevolent, wise, amazing, and extraordinary, just like the Saintess… but! Physically, she’s really weak, frail… and fragile. So, shouldn’t we train her hard to make her body stronger!”

“Aha…”

A cruel smile spread across Zeke’s lips.

This woman knew what she was talking about.

Zeke felt like he had finally met someone who understood his training philosophy after a long time.

“Then… are you interested in hearing a little about my training methods?”

“Ooh!!”

Thus, in the late hours of the night, Zeke’s lecture on training unfolded.

And before him, an enthusiastic student, Karen, absorbed every word with sparkling eyes.

She expressed constant admiration throughout the lesson.

“Oh my…! Such an ingenious method…!”

“Gasp! Th-This is… a revolution!!!”

“Indeed… If you do that… you forcibly tear the muscles apart and make them reattach… Ha, this is amazing! Ha, but, is it alright! The body’s range of motion…!”

“Of course, it’s alright. For that part, you do it like this…!”

“Oh my goodness! Everything is a cycle…! It’s all connected…!”

Perhaps this was how someone felt when they first learned that the Earth was round.

By the time morning arrived, Karen, who had engaged in a passionate discussion about the Saintess’s training with Zeke, had become his faithful disciple.

“…Zeke Clayman-nim, I will never forget the grace you have shown me by pulling me out of the swamp of ignorance. And please take good care of our Lady. Train her hard!”

Karen, her initial attitude nowhere to be seen, bowed respectfully to him.

“Hmm, don’t worry. I’ll make sure to fix that rotten mentality of hers.”

Nod.

Karen nodded with a look of infinite trust.

“…And I will spread the word of your great training methods in the North as well. Then, those who misunderstand you will change their minds.”

“I’d like to ask you to do that as well. Please refrain from visiting in the middle of the night like today. I almost attacked you.”

“…Ugh. I apologize. I failed to recognize a saint of the training world like you…”

“It’s fine. Your Lady must be worried. Go back now.”

“Yes!!! From now on, the North will become even stronger thanks to Zeke Clayman-nim!”

Karen left the Yohaiden estate, having achieved two great feats: the Saintess Reformation Project and the Northern Physique Improvement Project.

And then…

“Instructor…?”

“Hmm?”

Yuri Gilbert’s eyes peeked through the slightly opened door.

Her pupils seemed to lack any light.

“I heard the sound of a woman chatting with you all night… Who… was it…?”

“…I managed to hold back, but how… Ah, no.”

“Who. Was. It? Selena, Iriel, they were all asleep.”

“…”

Zeke desperately turned his head away from Yuri’s chilling smile.