The World Has Become Kinder to Her

Even Theodore, who was well-versed in all sorts of rumors, had heard about the two types of people who dealt with Kenneth Zahard: those who had seen him on the battlefield and those who had not.

Such duality was necessary to some extent. If Kenneth had maintained his righteous and upright demeanor from daily life in battle, he would never have gained the merits that once elevated the Owen County. Instead, he would have been another headless corpse lying on the battlefield.

*But this…*  

This wasn’t just a difference in demeanor—it was as if Kenneth’s entire personality had shifted.

Theodore had witnessed it a few times before, but he still couldn’t fully adjust to it.

**”Brutal,”** Salia muttered as she observed the gruesome scene. She existed in her natural state, unseen by anyone except Theodore, her voice trembling with shock and sorrow.

“Humans come apart more easily than I thought. It seems the metaphors in literature aren’t exaggerations after all,” Kenneth commented coldly.

“The same principle applies no matter what you cut. Once you find the grain, it’s easier to split,” he explained, methodically opening a bloody path with just a single sword.

His face was devoid of any warmth, and the sapphire eyes that noblewomen usually praised for their beauty were now shrouded in darkness, resembling the deep, cold abyss rather than a sparkling lake.

Behind them lay bodies, sliced from head to toe, scattered across the floor. These were the soldiers and knights of the Marquisate of Zahard, who had been alive and breathing just moments ago.

The Zahard family, one of the Seven Great Houses, held considerable power. Though the law established by the Third Emperor limited the number of private soldiers a noble family could raise, their knights were well-trained, and their soldiers highly disciplined. They shouldn’t have been a force easily overwhelmed by one man.

But their adversary was none other than Kenneth Zahard, known as the Empire’s Greatest Sword.

At Kenneth’s request, Theodore had subtly manipulated two distant relatives of the Zahard family who resided in the capital. Those fools had unknowingly ensured that, on this particular evening, the Marquis of Zahard, his heir, and many of the house’s key figures would be gathered in the estate, along with a significant number of guards.

For anyone else, attacking the Marquis of Zahard on such a night would have been suicide. But for Kenneth and Theodore, tonight was the perfect opportunity to wipe out the entire family in one swift move.

Blood drenched the surroundings, but Kenneth and Theodore’s clothes remained impeccably clean, protected by an invisible barrier. This only deepened the survivors’ sense of unease and dread.

“Ugh…”

The overwhelming terror left one knight, who should have had a steadfast mind from rigorous training, speechless.

Kenneth merely spoke in a calm voice.

“Move, or you’ll be cut down.”

One, two, three.

Exactly three seconds later, Kenneth’s sword sliced cleanly through the man, splitting him from head to toe. The crimson blood and entrails spilled out of the lifeless body in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, one life had been snuffed out effortlessly.

From this sight alone, it seemed as if human flesh and bone were no more than a sponge soaked in red paint.

Kenneth’s skills were more than capable of killing without spilling blood, yet he chose to strike in such a visually brutal way for one reason only: fear. He intended to fill this small battlefield with overwhelming terror.

The young knights and soldiers who had stood behind the now-dead knight were consumed by fear, which spread like a plague across their faces.

“Aaaaaah!”  

A crazed scream from one of the soldiers triggered the panic.

From the soldiers to the knights, they began to flee like cockroaches exposed to light.

But Theodore knew full well that none of them would make it out of the Zahard estate alive.

The vast estate of the Marquis Zahard was encased within Kenneth’s sword barrier. While it didn’t carry lethal intent, those who were weak of mind or body would likely faint upon contact with it. And even if they didn’t, no one would escape.

“Now that those blocking our path are gone, all that remains is to find the Marquis and Kallian,” Kenneth said.

Like Lotus, Kenneth did not refer to the Marquis and his half-brother as “father” or “brother.” He had cut down dozens of men, yet there was no sign of weariness in his voice. Neither anger nor excitement at having killed people was present—only a chilling calmness, as if such brutality was routine for him. His blue eyes, now cold and devoid of light, seemed more like the depths of the ocean than the brilliant sapphires so often praised by noblewomen.

Corpses, split from head to toe, littered the ground behind him. The bodies belonged to the soldiers and knights of the Zahard family, people who had been alive just moments before. The power of the Marquis Zahard, one of the Seven Great Houses, was not insignificant. Although the law of the Third Emperor restricted the number of private soldiers, the family’s knights were highly skilled, and their soldiers well-trained.

At least, they were supposed to be no match for a single individual—unless that individual was Kenneth Zahard, the greatest swordsman of the empire.

At Kenneth’s request, Theodore had subtly moved two distant relatives of the Zahard family, who resided in the capital, to manipulate events from behind the scenes. Thanks to those two fools, the Marquis, his heir Kallian, and other key figures of the house had gathered in the estate tonight, along with a significant number of guards.

For anyone else, tonight would have been the worst time to launch an attack on the Marquisate. But for Kenneth and Theodore, it was the perfect opportunity to eliminate the entire family at once. They had acted quietly and swiftly.

Although the ground was soaked in blood, Kenneth and Theodore remained spotless, protected by the invisible sword barrier. This stark contrast only heightened the sense of dread among the few survivors.

“Ugh…”

The overwhelming terror had silenced one knight, who should have been mentally strong from rigorous training. Kenneth spoke to him in the same calm voice as before.

“Move, or I’ll cut you down.”

One, two, three.

Exactly three seconds later, Kenneth’s sword cleaved the man from head to toe. Blood and organs spilled from the bisected body, the life drained from it in an instant.

It all happened so fast—so effortlessly—that one might think the human body was nothing more than a sponge soaked in red paint.

Kenneth could have killed the man without spilling any blood, given his skill, but he chose to strike brutally for one reason: fear. He wanted to fill this small battlefield with overwhelming terror.

The faces of the young knights and soldiers behind the slain man were soon infected with that fear, which spread like a plague.

“Aaaaaah!”

A soldier’s crazed scream was the catalyst. Starting with the soldiers, then the knights, they all began to flee like roaches scurrying for safety.

But Theodore knew none of them would escape. The entire estate was surrounded by Kenneth’s barrier.

As Kenneth noted, there was no point in keeping the majority of these men alive. It was better for the House of Zahard to lose its military strength than to let it fall into enemy hands. Political superiority was more important now.

After clearing the garden, Kenneth and Theodore moved into the mansion. Kenneth’s approach remained unchanged—he left those who stepped aside, but anyone who blocked his path was cut down, regardless of who they were.

Only one servant died within the estate: the old butler who had served the Zahard family faithfully for generations. He was the same man who had secretly cared for the outcast boy—Kenneth.

“Young master… I beg you, have mercy. Show mercy to your family and your brother.”

“…Move, or I’ll cut you down.”

Once again, Kenneth gave the man three seconds. When the old butler did not move, he was struck down, though this time the wound was minor—a cut to the chest, rather than splitting him in half.

“If killing him bothers you, you didn’t need to,” Theodore remarked.

“Hesitation on the battlefield only leads to failure,” Kenneth replied coldly, more emotionless and rational than Theodore had ever seen him. His blue eyes, though tinged with exhaustion, held no trace of guilt or tears. It was as if such feelings had long since been forgotten.

The air was thick with the scent of blood, and the fear and trembling of others hung palpably in the atmosphere. Theodore watched Kenneth’s unwavering back as he led the way. If Kenneth remained this composed, they might stand a better chance when facing Gaap, the demon they had been targeting.

Water was everywhere. With the guidance of Salia, the spirit of water, they soon located the Marquis, Kallian, and five knights who had been trying to escape through a secret passage in the first-floor reception room.

Without hesitation, Kenneth swung his sword, shattering the entrance to the secret passage. The walls crumbled, blocking the only exit.

The Marquis, Kallian, and their knights drew their swords, but their hands were visibly trembling. If they were going to resist, they should have hidden their fear. If they were so terrified, they should have given up entirely. The fools could do neither.

Theodore couldn’t help but smirk at them.

「Theodore, we have a problem.」  

The sudden voice of the spirit king interrupted his thoughts. Otherwise, he would have flashed them a more disdainful smile.

「She’s outside, and that guy is with her.」  

The smile disappeared from Theodore’s lips. As irritating as the situation was, it was still within his expectations. If they acted quickly, they could contain it before things got worse.

“Lord Kenneth, I’ve received word that she and that man are both outside. It seems she’s gotten closer to the truth than we anticipated, and our actions may have been exposed as well.”

“As I suspected… our encounter must have left an unintended impression on her. My mistake,” Kenneth replied.

For the first time since the massacre began, Kenneth’s calm expression cracked. His deep blue eyes, once dark as the abyss, now held a glimmer of light, like a lake catching sunlight. It was a rare sight—almost miraculous.

Lotus Estelle, the strange and mysterious woman. Without even realizing it, she held power over some of the most formidable individuals. Salia, shaking her head in disbelief.

“One of us needs to move toward them,” Theodore said, implying that Kenneth had a choice to make. Now that most of the soldiers and knights of the Marquis Zahard had been neutralized, Theodore could easily handle the rest of the situation on his own. If Kenneth left the cleanup to him, he wouldn’t have to deal with his relatives or get his hands dirty with their blood.

*But…*  

Since taking command on the battlefield, Kenneth had never relied on others to finish what he started. This was something he needed to overcome himself. Clearing the crack in his resolve, he returned to his usual impassive expression and asked, “Do you think he’ll cause chaos in the capital?”

“For now, I believe he’ll remain patient,” Theodore replied.

“Then, you can go,” Kenneth said in his usual indifferent tone. Their eyes met—Kenneth’s blue and Theodore’s violet. Adjusting his glasses, Theodore asked, “Are you sure?”

“If a show of force is needed, it should be me who goes. But if that’s not the case, the place I need to be is here, where the battlefield has not yet been fully settled.”

Kenneth’s gaze shifted away from Theodore and back to the people in front of him, slowly assessing them. His stance, the way he surveyed the scene, reminded Theodore of someone else.

In the past, Theodore had handed Lotus incriminating documents about the Estelle family, enough to shake the foundations of the Marquisate.

No noble family that had risen to such heights could be free of corruption. It was more believable for a magical creature that helped humans to exist than for a high-ranking noble family to be spotless.

*—Why are you giving me these?*  

*—Because I want you to do as you wish with them.*  

*—Is that so? Then…*

With a cold smile, Lotus had torn the documents to shreds, without a moment’s hesitation.

*—Are you trying to provoke me? Trying to overstep your bounds? This is something I need to handle on my own.*

Her beautiful green eyes had turned ice cold, and Theodore had sensed that she was contemplating leaving him. In that moment, his heart had sunk, and for the first time in his life, he felt a desperate need to apologize.

*—…I overstepped, Lotus. I was wrong.*

Kenneth’s expression, as he bit down on his lip now, mirrored the same frustration Lotus had shown at that moment.

“I’ll take care of it, then,” Theodore said, giving Kenneth a slight bow before swiftly disappearing. The powerful aura of water that had been lingering nearby faded with his departure, leaving no reason to worry about his safety.

Once again, Kenneth’s eyes darkened like the deep ocean as they focused on the Marquis Zahard and Kallian. During his conversation with Theodore, he had paid no attention to the five knights who had launched a surprise attack.

“Die!” they shouted, as killing intent and sword strikes rained down on Kenneth.

His sword rose into the air, as if it had a will of its own, effortlessly countering the five blades and sending them clattering to the ground. Then, with precise and lethal force, it pierced the hearts of each knight, skewering them like meat on a spit.

Five lives were extinguished in an instant.