Chapter 28

May My Sword be Clothed with Power I (3)

Translated by Wook

Edited by Wook

After receiving the report from the inspection team, the monsters subjugation squad led by me headed to the East Island Vandarium.

“Has Caesar ever been to Vandarium?”

Inside the moving carriage, I asked Caesar, who was riding with me.

“Once a few years ago for inspection. At that time, it was not infested with so many monsters.”

“It’s kind of weird. From what I heard, in addition to Vandarium, there seem to be quite a few monsters in the frontier area these days.”

Said Leonard, who was sitting next to Caesar. I pondered for a moment at those words.

500 years ago, monsters had been common. However, these days, the number of monsters had decreased to the level of extinction, so the only task of the frontiers was to be on the lookout for barbarian invasions.

It could be said that only the title remained and the karma disappeared.

‘So, no one can properly deal with the monsters.’

All knowledge and skills had disappeared. There was nothing to be embarrassed for, though, seeing the change.

“Small-sized monsters in groups kept appearing, so it seems like monsters are not extinct.”

Caesar said, resting his chin on the armrest.

“Did it increase again because of something like climate change?”

“Who knows. The reason why the number of monsters drastically decreased in the first place is unclear.”

Caesar gave an ambiguous answer to my question, so Leonard added an answer.

“There is a theory that it was influenced by the extinction of dragons.”

“Dragons?”

“The timing when the number of monsters decreased and the time when the dragon went extinct was similar.”

That’s pretty interesting.

Whether Leonard’s story was plausible or not, Caesar added.

“Come to think of it, it was around that time that the number of mages plummeted, probably.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“That’s interesting. Do you think dragons and monsters have something to do with it?”

I said with a grin. Leonard and Caesar smirked at my words. Everyone thought it was just a joke.

Caesar raised his head slightly and looked at me and said teasingly.

“Anyway, I hope the beast we have to subjugate isn’t a dragon. It’s impossible for people nowadays to hunt dragons, isn’t it?”

Isn’t it, I wonder?

In my previous life, to be honest, dragons were a bit unreasonable. In particular, the evil dragon Krusech I had barely managed to seal.

“Well, there’s no way a dead dragon can be resurrected.”

I laughed and turned my head over the carriage window.

Vandarium was drawing near.

***

Elder Ben was an unmarried, middle-aged man with a low voice and few words, so he had a very gentle impression.

“I feel so reassured to have such wonderful people here.”

Well, there was no doubt that he was someone who knew how to be polite.

“I never thought that your highness would come personally.”

“I participated as a member of the crew today. The leader of the subjugation squad is Princess Peresca.”

Caesar quickly threw the ball back to me. The elder looked at me with softened eyes and said.

“Yes, what more could I ask for? I’ll be sure to thank the Duke for letting his two children come.”

“Father will be delighted to be able to help.”

“So, speaking of the monster in question.”

The elder omitted the long greeting and brought up the main topic relatively quickly.

“Our scouts have found traces of monsters in the forest two days ago. Would you like me to fetch a guide for tomorrow?”

“Yes, we will gladly accept your favor.”

Hmm, it’s surprisingly smooth.

I tilted the teacup with satisfaction.

Since then, there had been exchanges of nonsensical information and frivolous gossip.

‘He’s a better person than I thought.’

I didn’t think it would be too bad to take him to Caesar’s side. Well, we would have to wait and see.

At that time, an old butler entered the room.

“Pardon me for disturbing your conversation.”

The butler bowed to us, then went up to the elder and whispered something.

I looked at the elder’s expression, but I couldn’t guess what the content was because he kept a calm expression.

“Oh, no. I’m sorry, I think I’ll have to leave for a while.”

After asking us for permission, the elder left the room. Only me, Leonard, and Caesar were left in the room.

Breaking the silence that had lasted for a while after the elder had left, I asked the two of them.

“What do you think?”

At that short question, Leonard and Caesar looked into each other’s eyes and looked at me again.

“He is not rude.”

“He seemed to favor Helena.”

Caesar and Leonard’s also gave positive answers. I leaned against the back of the chair and folded my arms.

“Hmm, is that so?”

“I guess Helena doesn’t think so?”

“No, I think so, too.”

That’s why it was even more bizarre.

Regardless of whether it was rude or not, I convinced myself and spoke my thought.

“Isn’t he being too kind to me?”

“He must have heard the rumor that you are my and Leonard’s teacher.”

“Do I look like a man of rumors?”

At my question, the two of them frowned at the same time and mumbled mm.

“… I’m going to get some fresh air.”

I felt uncomfortable with the strange silence after I had thrown that question, so I got up and left the room.

I was about to go outside, but I had to stop just before I went around the stairs on the first floor.

“I don’t know what’s the difference between this and looking down on me.”

‘Mm? Elder Ben?’

I heard Elder Ben’s voice from downstairs. His voice was still calm, but the content was quite thorny.

I stopped in the blind spot and focused on his voice.

“Yes, are you saying that there’s no one to send and that’s why you sent me a girl who is less than twenty?”

… Mm, so that’s how it is.

As expected, you didn’t like it.

“Princess Peresca has the skills, Marquis.”

He seemed to be talking to Hamilton.

Good! Stay strong, Hamilton! Fight for my honor!

“It’s not about the skills, it’s about the back story. Are you planning to give Young Lady Peresca a position, that’s why you’re giving a chance to make a good achievement?”

“What, how could I—?”

Hamilton asked in amazement. Oh, that idiot! Even if that’s true, how could you react like that?

“I knew this would happen! Right now, even just the monster is a pain in the ass, now I have to pay attention to the escort of the princess as well.”

“No, the princess doesn’t need anyone to escort her. I can testify with my life.”

“Would you risk your own life?”

“Hey, that’s too much.”

“You can’t give me any evidence or proof, how am I supposed to believe you?”

That’s not wrong.

It is rather commendable that he managed to be polite in front of me even with such thoughts.

After taking a deep breath, I went down the stairs and appeared in front of the two of them.

“Evidence. Proof. Should I bring it before Marquis?”

“… Princess!”

The elder and Hamilton looked at me in amazement at the same time.

“Have you been eavesdropping?”

“You’re right, but you called me a ‘girl’, so let’s say it’s a tie.”

I tilted my head and said. The elder frowned and shrugged at my unabashed attitude.

“… I don’t know how you’re going to prove it.”

“What’s so hard about it? You can accompany me in subjugating the monsters.”

I said with a smile.

“I will show you how great the person who’s been sent to you is.”

***

The next day. It was sunny.

We headed out to the nearby forest with the elder, some of the enlisted men, and my three disciples. As the purpose of the search was not large, we did not bring many people.

“Even though it is just a search, it’s hard to comprehend that you’re bringing a servant with you.”

As we were walking down the forest path, the elder said to me. He probably meant Agoth, who was walking next to me.

I laughed out loud at those words towards Agoth, who was obviously holding a sword.

“You will soon understand.”

“I hope so.”

While we were having such a conversation, the enlisted soldier in front stopped and shouted at us.

“There are the footprints!”

As one of them said, large footprints were scattered in the shade.

“The footprints of the Black Dog. It’s been around for a long time.”

The elder calmly explained about the monster. As I had already heard from the inspection team, I just nodded.

“There are a lot of them.”

“Well, they don’t appear this early in the day, so don’t worry.”

Perhaps he misunderstood my words, and the enlisted man smiled and said reassuringly to me.

But Caesar, standing next to me, crossed his arms and denied those words with a serious expression.

“Well. It seems to me that they are not far away.”

“Yes? Why did you say that?”

“There was morning dew, but the footprints were not disturbed. It means these footprints were made after dawn.”

At Caesar’s calm explanation, the soldiers’ faces hardened.

“I think I’d better go back now.”

The elder seemed to have the same thoughts as Caesar, so he recommended it with a slightly more urgent voice.

But I denied him.

“What’s the point of coming out to search and just looking at the footprints?”

“It is unreasonable to deal with a large number of Black Dogs with this number. Moreover, if even larger monsters appears…”

“Huaaaaakh!”

It was then.

A young soldier’s scream erupted from behind.

We looked back quickly as if we had made a promise and drew our swords. A monster that came out of the grass trampled on the fallen soldier and climbed on top of it.

“It’s a Black Dog!”

Another soldier shouted. And starting with that cry, a group of Black Dogs appeared with their eyes radiating from all directions.

“W-why at a time like this…!”

Yeah, that’s weird.

As far as I know, Black Dogs were nocturnal. They were active only from late afternoon to early morning when the sun set.

But now it was broad daylight, and a clear day on top of that. So why were so many Black Dogs moving?

‘… Well, let’s think about it later.’

“Haaaah!”

Leonard struck at the head of a Black Dog as it was about to bite the fallen soldier. Kwack! And the Black Dog fell to the floor.

“Now what? Retreat right away? Or fight?”

Caesar said to me with a watchful eye.

I said with a snort.

“I’ll show it to the marquis. Why this princess is the leader of the subjucation force.”

Those words soon became orders.

“Let’s cut them down without leaving a single one.”

The enlisted men looked at me with a tired expression as if thinking, ‘With this number of people?’

However, as soon as the order was given, Leonard and Caesar rushed towards the monsters.

And I, too, raised my sword high towards the monster that was running towards me.

***

“No… No way…”

After about 20 minutes.

The elder murmured with despondency.

He had drawn his sword, but had never swung it once. No, there had been no need to swing.

Because my disciples and I slaughtered all over thirty Black Dogs.

“We missed a few.”

I brushed off the body fluids of the monsters that had stained my sword and said regretfully.

The corpses of the demonic beasts I had cut down were already piled up like a mountain under my feet.

“That’s too bad. I wanted to show you my skills, you must not be reassured at this level, right?”

I tilted my head and asked the elder.

The elder stared at me with shaky pupils.

“Some of the runaways might bring a large one over. Shall we go and check it out, Elder?”

“W-what? Wouldn’t that be too dangerous?”

“But I still think you don’t believe me too much…”

“No, no! What do you mean I don’t believe you! That’s impossible!”

The elder shook his head enthusiastically.

His eyes looking at me were filled with trust.

“I made a big mistake. Let go of your anger and return. I have something to tell you.”

Something to tell me?

‘There are things he couldn’t tell me because he didn’t believe me. This is what he meant.’

Alright, so we return, prepare the other guys to come back out…

“Watch out!”

Just then, a soldier shouted at me.

Upon hearing that call, I immediately looked back. A Black Dog jumped up after me.

But I did not raise my sword.

I wasn’t even flustered.

I just stared at the Black Dog.

“Princess!”

The elder drew his sword and shouted.

But the Black Dog did not cause me a single scratch.

This was because the ‘servant’ Agoth, who was by my side, cut the Black Dog in two in an instant.

“Huft… Huft…”

Everyone looked stunned when the young woman, who was nothing more than a servant of mine, slashed over the Black Dog without blinking a single eye.

“Then, shall we return first?”

I said with a smile in a voice that had no tension whatsoever.

My disciples stood by me as if they were protecting me.

Surrounded by three disciples, the frontier guards and the enlisted men looked at me as if they were looking at a general leading a large army.

I didn’t think I need to explain how much the elder relied on me ever since then.