NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4
Even though it was an impulsive decision, I felt satisfied with agreeing to change the location and give it a shot.
Aslin’s faint smile slowly formed on her lips, softening them as they appeared towards me. It was incredibly powerful.
Even though she didn’t intend it, her smile still had such an effect on me that it made me want to see it just a bit longer, despite knowing she held my life in her hands through a strategic marriage.
Thinking about it, it’s annoying. This marriage is more like a kind of plunder marriage beyond mere strategy.
It’s unfair that the duchess, in her dominant position, can feign such a smile at me, who’s in a submissive role, even if it’s not genuine.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I wasn’t. Your smile is beautiful.”
Of course, this was something I could only think about internally. So when Aslin noticed my gaze and asked, I hid my true feelings and replied.
“…”
Seeing her expression change instantly after my reply, I felt a mischievous sentiment rise up within me.
I’m sure she made that smile knowing it would sway my heart.
I never imagined she’d be so cunning, not only commanding large forces but also possessing overwhelming power and cleverly utilizing her appearance.
Seeing that smile again, I couldn’t help but recall the first time I saw her on the battlefield.
This woman, called the Sword Demon, seems too beautiful to be associated with someone who is obsessed with swords and unbothered by killing.
What if she hadn’t lived a life related to swords?
But before my thoughts could continue in this quiet space, there was a sudden sound.
“Swish!”
Aslin swiftly returned her sword to its scabbard at her waist, having taken it off her shoulder.
The speed at which she did this, reminiscent of the imperial teachings that emphasize quickly drawing one’s sword rather than swinging it in a defenseless state, was impressive.
Perhaps it’s just my feeling, but saying I sense the grace and dignity of a victorious fighter from her swift sheathing might sound exaggerated.
“If changing the place allows us to compete, then that’s fortunate. Come with me.”
Whether she knew my thoughts or not, Aslin abruptly turned away, her voice now cold, and the faint trace of her previous smile disappeared.
“Where are we going?”
While it was natural to follow her, I grumbled in disappointment after seeing the impressive display.
“To the training ground.”
Aslin responded tersely, brushing past me as if to prevent me from saying anything else.
I could have stayed here or gone a different way, but I wasn’t sure what kind of consequences I’d face if I did.
“Let’s go together.”
Without further hesitation, I followed Aslin, joining her.
The night sky, partially clear now, revealed the stars and moon as Aslin’s long, blue hair fluttered behind her, providing a momentary distraction.
If I could end the day by simply watching her and then going to sleep, it would be perfect.
From her attitude when discussing the competition, it seemed clear that we needed to match skills and declare defeat to satisfy her.
“It looks like you’re enjoying yourself.”
“Of course. Even if it’s not a life-and-death duel, we can still have our unfinished match.”
Her response, even in a stiff tone, conveyed a sense of enjoyment.
Unfinished match…
Recalling Aslin’s casual remark, I pondered what she meant.
She probably considered every instance where we sparred but never truly settled a match as unfinished.
I found it somewhat perplexing. While technically, it was an unfinished match, it felt more like I was showing mercy to her in those desperate moments.
But calling it an unfinished match… in chaotic battles, we never had the luxury of a leisurely duel.
Was this why Aslin felt unsatisfied with these unfinished matches?
“Hmm, I remember always conceding defeat and retreating each time we fought.”
Curious about her feelings, I probed further.
“It’s surprising. I thought you were holding back on me. But even if we struggled in chaotic battles, I always had the strength to turn the situation around if I wanted to.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking. It feels awkward hearing you say that, considering how easily you handled elite knights sent to stop the battles.”
With that, Aslin and I continued our debate as we headed to the training ground.
Though I couldn’t read her true intentions, her mention of an unfinished match kept circling in my mind.
Forced to learn swordsmanship under the authorial hand of my father, and thrown into the Succession War’s most intense battlefields in the southern Zakarat Mountains with only one hastily learned technique.
Against Aslin, I had countless clashes but never won.
Even when I tried to assassinate her with my own hands while disguised under a helmet, my attempts failed repeatedly.
And even though my brother was excellent at commanding large forces, his poor swordsmanship made our encounters feel unresolved.
Every time it seemed like a decisive victory was near, someone would intervene, causing the match to fizzle out.
Regardless of how my battles with Aslin were remembered, she claimed that meeting her sword taught her about the vastness of the world.
The genius like her, coming from a fallen Sword Mansion, amazed her. And surviving countless duels with her felt like climbing stairs steadily.
“Your father would be proud to hear that.”
I replied half-heartedly, knowing my father’s dreams of reviving our house and swordsmanship.
Hearing Aslin’s words, I wondered if he would rise from his grave to applaud and then lie back down.
“Strange reaction for a compliment.”
Noticing my lukewarm response, Aslin questioned me.
“Maybe it’s because I’m hearing high praise from someone I just had a fierce battle with.”
Making up an excuse, I continued.
“I don’t hold back when praising my people. They are the ones I’ll interact with most frequently.”
“Did you say ‘interact’?”
“Just the people I need to interact with.”
Aslin’s unexpected comment momentarily shook my composure.
“… When will we reach the training ground?”
Continuing to talk might expose my cover, and I felt my life was on the line.
Even if it felt unjust to be in this position, standing in for a spouse, the conversation felt surreal.
In war, we only exchanged steel clashing sounds, and in the recent wedding, we exchanged formal vows, maintaining dryness.
But this was our first proper conversation, and it felt oddly new.
—
The place Aslin led me to was indeed the training ground within the Sword Mansion, as she mentioned earlier.
From the mansion’s location, it wasn’t far from the Zakarat Mountain Range, renowned as the continent’s largest mountain range. The polished marble surface, richly crafted and reflecting moonlight, was visible from afar.
“The training ground is impressive. Must be nice to be from a duke’s family.”
Though a bit sarcastic, Aslin shrugged off my comment as we approached.
She seemed ordinary despite her reputation as an undefeated warrior. Her title of a flawless swordsman aside, she appeared to be just another human.
“The royal guard’s training ground is incomparable.”
“Of course. Using something more lavish would upset the royal court.”
“And the training ground doesn’t have to be flashy.”
“I agree.”
“And…”
“And?”
“You’ll understand once you get closer. It’s not just about being flashy.”
“…”
Unable to grasp her meaning, I focused on the training ground’s floor, but it seemed too distant to see anything beyond the smooth marble.
“…Ah.”
“Indeed. You spotted it from much farther away than I expected.”
Giggles
Despite her stern demeanor, a light laugh escaped her lips, landing softly in my ear.
“…”
My eyes remained fixed on the countless marks etched into the training ground floor, evidence of countless duels over long years.
My father once said that the smoothness of a renowned sword family’s training ground was shameful.
The number of scars left by the swords of those who passed through determined their prestige.
Though my father, with his high swordsmanship, keen perception, and worst traits, was an abysmal figure, his words echoed in my mind.
“I thought this training ground was all show…”
Feeling a strange sense of nostalgia, I offered a higher praise.
“Ordinary people only see these traces when they step onto the training ground, which makes it seem merely flashy.”
Aslin responded calmly, revealing nothing of her emotions.
But when she started speaking about her own matters, it became easier to listen without much concern.
“What was your family’s training ground like?”
Answering questions unrelated to her was difficult.
My mind raced. My rationality, which kept me alive in dire situations, urged me to be honest.
I decided against lying poorly.
Yes, I didn’t want to lie about anything unrelated to my true identity.
Given Aslin’s status, she likely knew about the Sword Mansion without needing to hear it from me.
“A training ground filled with straw dummies and wooden swords, would you believe that?”
I calmly recounted the state of my family’s training ground.
Even though the Sword Mansion had fallen, it used to be one of the empire’s two greatest sword families. I was curious about her reaction to this shocking revelation.
Even though I previously argued that the training ground’s beauty didn’t matter,
I imagined various reactions to the impoverished state of the training ground.
“An excellent training ground without pretense. That’s why talents like you emerge.”
Aslin responded candidly, resuming her steady pace towards the training ground.
Now, I felt quite bewildered.
Unlike when I questioned why we didn’t spar, this calm interaction with no hostility from the Sword Demon felt strange.
“Stay sharp, crazy guy. Things might change once we enter the training ground.”
I resisted the urge to succumb to her friendly demeanor, reinforcing my resolve.
The night felt endless. Escaping the bride who threatened me with a sword seemed like a distant memory, yet dawn still hadn’t come.