Chapter 125: Weak Convictions Are Meaningless (4)

“I wish I was born as a noble.”

Most commoners, whether young or old, have thought this at one point: if they could be born again, they would want to be born into a noble family. They envied the ability to eat whatever they wanted without ever feeling hunger, go on vacations no matter the season or hour, stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and live a safe life away from bandits or monsters.

Even being born as the child of a lower noble allowed one to enjoy such luxuries—so what would it be like to be born as the child of a lord, one of only four in this entire country? Of course, nobles had the duty of noblesse oblige to uphold, but such a rule did not apply to Eslow.

Eslow granted absolute freedom to his children. He did not impose any obligations or responsibilities as the child of one of the Four Lords upon them. The public speculated that Eslow’s actions—disregarding noblesse oblige—were a means of flaunting his authority.

Regardless, Eslow’s children lived successful lives from the moment they were born. They indulged in pleasure without responsibility.

However, there was one exception: Henya, Eslow’s third child. From the moment she learned to speak and think, she began to question her own existence. She led a life without any deficiencies. Anything she was curious about, she could learn. Everyone in the palace worshiped her like a god.

At first, Henya accepted this as natural. But soon, she realized that because she had everything, she possessed nothing. The gold and honor in her hands had already been given to her. She felt that her life was meaningless. She experienced this emptiness at the tender age of seven.

From that moment on, she began learning swordsmanship. It was not because she feared for her safety, nor because she wanted to become stronger. She was simply sick of it all—the perfection of her life, the way reality bent to her every whim.

Eslow’s order of knights included not just Masters, but even Grandmasters. Beyond them, the nation’s most distinguished swordsmen volunteered to be her teachers. But Henya refused them all.

“Stop trying to give me anything more. Don’t take away my enjoyment.”

She filled her hollow life with grueling training and swordsmanship practice, until, one day, she hit a wall. It was not a limit to her growth, but a sense of overwhelming boredom. So she put down her sword and began attending social gatherings, meeting various people.

But the boredom never left her.

Everyone feared her and praised her, spouting empty words of love. Yet she knew those expressions of fear and adoration were mere flattery directed at her father, Eslow. The love they proclaimed was not for her, but for the power she held.

She despised being trapped under her father’s shadow. She wanted to be recognized—not as Eslow’s daughter, but as Henya.

So she picked up the sword once more.

Using her own twin sword technique, she fought monsters on the front lines to prove her existence. She single-handedly cut through hundreds of orcs and slew the Knight Slayer, the B-tier Named Monster, earning herself a title: the Sword Witch. It was given to her as she slashed through enemies with her twin sword technique, wearing jet-black armor and completely expressionless.

She thought it would be enough, but of course, it wasn’t.

People dismissed her accomplishments, saying her skill came from the swordsmanship bestowed by Eslow, or that she must have had knights protecting her. These baseless rumors became accepted as true. Naturally, no one dared say such things to her face; that was what angered Henya the most.

So she fled the palace. A hundred maids and thirty knights relentlessly pursued her, insisting on serving her. It was only when she threatened to take her own life if they followed that she finally managed to shake them off.

Now alone, Henya dipped her feet into a secluded stream on the outskirts. She lamented her situation, as even strong liquor couldn’t get her drunk. Thousands of people praised and revered her, yet there was no one who could genuinely console her or empathize with her. Tears welled up in her eyes at that realization.

That was when a thin boy approached her. He looked cute, but he was wearing ragged clothing and reeked of fish.

Henya’s eyes turned cold in an instant.

Is he a beggar?

Everyone wanted something from her. She assumed this boy had come to beg as well, and her mood soured. Her hand instinctively reached for the sword at her waist. Having grown up watching Eslow treat commoners’ lives like insects, she had developed a similar perspective.

“It’s dangerous to be out alone at night, miss.”

“...”

Hearing the boy, Henya frowned. Even though she wasn’t wearing her armor, she still carried her sword. Yet he dared to look down on her?

“There’s a gang around here called Lux’s Gang. Nasty folks.”

He wasn’t begging. Henya let go of her sword hilt and sighed.

“Kid, I’m a knight. It doesn’t matter how many of them come.”

“

Ah!

My apologies, I didn’t realize you were a knight!”

The boy bowed his head in apology. Henya ignored him—a silent command to leave.

But the boy spoke again, “Even so, I think it’d be best if you went back. A knight like you shouldn’t have to dirty your hands with thugs like them.”

“Go mind your own business.”

“I’ll stay here with you. If Lux’s Gang shows up, I’ll scare them off.”

“Hah.”

Annoyed by his persistence, Henya took off her right earring and tossed it to the ground.

“Take that and get lost.”

It was a black pearl earring, which was rarer than diamonds. It looked so luxurious that even a fool would recognize that it was expensive.

“...!”

The boy quickly picked it up, but he didn’t leave. Instead, he carefully washed the earring in the stream and held it out to her.

“I wasn’t looking for money. I’m sorry if I offended you. Please take it back, and I’ll leave.”

“You expect me to wear something that fell on the ground? Forget it. Keep it or throw it away—do whatever you want.”

“Then I’ll hold onto it. If you ever change your mind, I’ll return it to you.”

“That won’t happen.”

Henya turned away. The boy clasped his hands together politely, bowed, and walked off.

“...Strange kid.”

Henya had met countless nobles and commoners alike, yet she had never encountered anyone like that boy before. He didn’t hesitate to speak to her or show concern, even without knowing who she was.

From then on, Henya returned to the stream every night. She told herself it wasn’t because she wanted to see the boy again—just that the cool water felt pleasant.

And every night, the boy was there, and they casually chatted.

“I caught a fish as long as my arm today! I thought my fishing rod was going to snap!”

“Aren’t you afraid of me, a noble?”

“Why would I be? Knights like you protect this country and people like me. I admire and respect you.”

“Now that I think of it, what’s your name?”

“Wid.”

“I’m Henya.”

“Oh! That’s such a beautiful name.”

“...Hmph. Don’t flatter me.”

“I mean it! It’s the most beautiful name I’ve ever heard, and it suits you perfectly. I swear on my soul.”

“You really don’t know who I am, do you?”

“Pardon? Oh... I’m sorry. I don’t know much about noble families. I’m sorry if that’s rude.”

“No. It’s actually better that way.”

Henya found herself enjoying her conversations with Wid. That was all it was—just enjoyment.

Then one night, as usual, Henya splashed around in the water with her feet waiting for Wid . But no matter how long she waited, Wid never showed up.

“Well, if you couldn’t come, you could’ve at least said so. How dare a commoner make a noble wait?”

Since Henya had always seen which direction Wid came and went from, she followed the stream upstream. The water quickly grew deeper and wider, and the stream turned into a river. Eventually, a decent patch of land came into view. There was a small dock and a shabby hut.

To Henya, it wasn’t a house fit for a person—barely even large enough to raise a dog—but she instinctively knew this was where Wid lived.

Henya opened the door without knocking. The inside of the hut was a complete mess. Furniture and belongings were all broken, and the smell of blood was thick in the air. She found Wid collapsed on the floor, cradling something tightly in his arms like a hen protecting an egg.

“...!”

Henya flipped Wid over. He was unconscious, clutching something in his hand. When she forced his fingers open, she found the black pearl earring, the one she had told him to throw away.

“Ugh... Miss Knight?”

With a bruised face, Wid coughed and opened his mouth. And the first thing he did was apologize.

“I’m sorry for not coming today without saying anything.”

“What happened to you?”

Henya didn’t even realize it herself, but her voice was filled with anger.

“It’s nothing. You don’t need to worry.”

“Don’t talk back. I asked a question—answer it.”

“...There’s a debt. It’s not mine, but one my late parents left behind. I have to pay it back. Lux’s Gang came to collect. I already paid this month’s amount, but Lux saw the earring. I told him it wasn’t mine and that I couldn’t give it to him, but he tried to take it by force, so I had no choice... Hehe, and now here I am.”

“Idiot. If you had debt, you should’ve sold it and paid it off, or just given it to that Lux guy. You wouldn’t have gotten beaten.”

“You told me to throw it away, but I said I’d keep it. A promise is a promise.”

“You said Lux’s Gang, right? Where can I find them?”

Henya drew her sword. Wid, still injured, quickly tried to stop her.

“Please don’t, Miss Knight. I didn’t keep your company to get your help on this sort of thing.’

“I’m just frustrated that you took a beating without fighting back.”

“Haha, I get that a lot. But I’m okay. No matter what others say, I’ll do what I believe is right. If that makes you dislike me, I’ll stop coming to see you.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Huh? Oh, no! I would never! It’s just... since you said I was frustrating... But I can’t leave this place either—my parents left it to me.”

“What if Lux comes back? Are you going to get beaten to death?”

“If that happens, then so be it. I’ll fight back.”

“Even though you’re that fragile?”

“Even if I’m weak, I can still try, right? Haha.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“I hear that a lot, too.”

It was hard to stay true to one’s beliefs, especially for those who had nothing—beliefs tend to sway with the wind. In contrast, noble beliefs seemed solid, but they were rooted in confidence in their power, not in themselves. Wid truly believed in himself. He had a spirit of steel, committed to his values. Henya was intrigued by him.

It wasn’t until the next day that she realized that her intrigue was actually fluttering excitement. Wid really did stand up to Lux’s Gang, and surprisingly, he wasn’t seriously injured. Lux, frightened by Wid’s desperate resolve, ended up fleeing.

Wid was different from the nobles who only spoke grand words. He kept his promises and never lied. Henya liked that about him. The cute face was just a bonus.

“You’re eighteen? Seriously?”

“I hear that a lot, too. I look young for my age. I didn’t get to eat properly when I was little.”

Wid’s head was about the level of Henya’s chest. Henya was tall, but even so, Wid was short for his age. She had assumed he was around twelve, but they were only three years apart.

Thank goodness. Wait... why do I feel relieved about that?

She began noticing her strange feelings. At first, she was confused by it and avoided thinking about it. But after six months, she realized what it was: love. Absurd, but it was true. No matter when she came, Wid always welcomed her with a smile, never expecting anything in return. Henya’s heart would flutter every time.

One day, she casually asked him what he thought of her, and his answer left her shocked.

“You’re really cool, Miss Knight!”

“...!”

What Henya had wanted to hear were words like beautiful or pretty.

But cool? That is something you say to a man, isn’t it? Does... Does he not see me as a woman?

That was when Henya, who had never cared about makeup or feminine fashion, started paying attention. But obviously, she wasn’t used to any of it, as she had ignored it for decades. She was clumsy and awkward. She practiced makeup and tried dressing more femininely, working hard in secret.

Of course, she couldn’t let anyone see her like that. To the world, Henya was the Sword Witch, a ruthless female knight who knew nothing but swordsmanship. She was too embarrassed to let anyone know anyway. So she made sure no one could enter her room—and even created a hidden space where she secretly practiced being more feminine.

But then, she got caught by a man she had never seen before. He had silver hair, golden eyes, and a brazen attitude.

She panicked, but one thought flashed through her mind. Her father, Eslow, was in this palace. There was no way someone could infiltrate this place without his permission, which meant this man had entered with her father’s approval. He might not be an assassin, but that didn’t mean she could forgive someone for sneaking into her room and witnessing her secret.

I need to eliminate the evidence.

She didn’t know who he was, but he had seen enough to die. She created her Aura Sword and swung at his neck with maximum speed and the shortest possible route. It looked like the man didn’t react at all.

Ahh!

He didn’t dodge. Instead, he lifted a doll to protect his neck. Logically, a doll made of cloth and stuffing shouldn’t be able to block Aura Sword, but Henya screamed internally. It wasn’t just any doll—it was the one-and-only Wid doll she had made herself, stitch by stitch.

No!

She had hugged it to sleep every night, to comfort her empty heart. It was more important than this intruder’s life.

Henya twisted her sword upward. The ceiling tore apart like paper, but the doll remained unharmed.

“You just swing a sword at someone with no warning?” brazenly spoke the intruder.

Henya was dumbfounded.

“Put the doll down. Now.”

“You’ll cut me the moment I do.”

“I won’t. Just put it down.”

“I’m Keter. What’s your name?”

He introduced himself casually. Henya had never heard that name before.

“You don’t know my name?”

“Would I be asking if I did?”

“...Henya.”

“Nice to meet you, Henya.”

“Not nice to meet you. How did you get into the palace? Why did you sneak in here? Confess now, and I might spare your life.”

“Mmm, explaining all that wouldn’t be very sexy.”

“What?”

“That’s just how I am.”

Keter tucked a business card into the doll’s hand and held it out to her.

Henya took the card, muttering, “Solver...?”

* * *

The tense atmosphere eased. Henya lowered her Aura Sword and listened closely to the surroundings. Though she had sliced the ceiling, she had controlled her strength, so it hadn’t made much noise. And since she hadn’t stationed guards nearby in case something like this happened, there was little chance anyone would hear and come running.

“You said you could solve my problem?”

Henya cautiously confirmed Keter’s words.

She did, in fact, have a concern weighing deep in her heart. But there was no one she could talk to about it. She had no friends, her siblings were more like strangers, her father was difficult, and her mother had been off traveling for years. Oddly enough, because Keter was a stranger, she felt more comfortable opening up to him.

Making a heart with his hands, Keter grinned and said, “When it comes to romantic relationships, I’m practically an expert. Want a consultation?”

“I-I guess? I mean, it’s not really just about romance... I’m just curious about relationships in general.”

“Things not going well with that guy Wid?”

“What?! How do you know about him?!”

“You wrote his name on the back of the doll’s head.”

“Ah...”

Henya twisted in embarrassment, but Keter ignored her and continued.

“Just from looking at you, it’s obvious: your issue is that things aren’t going well with Wid, right?”

Keter was an unknown intruder to Henya, but his relaxed tone and overwhelming confidence made Henya let her guard down.

“It’s not that we’re on bad terms. I just... I don’t know if he sees me as a woman.”

“What nonsense. Where else are you gonna find a guy with breasts as big as yours?”

“What I mean is, I don’t think he sees me as someone of the opposite sex.”

“Then he’s gotta be impotent. But that’s weird. Who the hell is this Wid guy that he can turn down the daughter of the Lord of the South?”

“...He’s not a noble.”

“A commoner? Well, this just got interesting. A noble—basically royalty—falling for a commoner? This Wid guy must be something else.”

“Wid isn’t just any commoner. He’s amazing—someone who would make a model noble if he ever became one.”

Hearing that, Keter became certain of one thing.

This is gonna be fun.

A romance between a noble and a commoner wasn’t rare. But this case was different. Henya wasn’t just a noble; she was the daughter of the Lord of the South, and she was in love with a commoner. Who wouldn’t want to know more?

“But... it doesn’t seem like he loves you back?”

“Yeah... I don’t think he hates me, though. He’s always nice. He smiles. He worries about me.”

“That’s not the same as love.”

“Then what is love?”

“This.”

Keter made a circle with one hand and moved his index finger in and out of it. Henya’s face turned bright red.

“Wid would never do something so indecent!”

“If he doesn’t, then he doesn’t love you.”

“Ah...!”

Henya clearly didn’t want that.

“Just to be sure... have you actually asked him?”

“How could I ask something like that? What kind of woman goes around asking if a guy loves her?”

“Huh. So where does he live?”

“Hmm? There's a dock near the river on the outskirts. He lives there. Why?”

“Why do you think? The quickest way to solve this is to ask the person involved.”

“Huh?!”

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Henya didn’t have time to stop him; Keter had already walked out. Frozen in place, she was confused at first, unsure why he had left so suddenly. But then her eyes slowly widened.

“N-No!”

Henya finally realized what Keter was about to do. She rushed for the door but then hesitated. She was still wearing a messy dress, her makeup clumsily applied. If she went out like this, she would draw attention. More than just embarrassment, the bigger issue was what would happen if the world found out about Wid’s existence.

Not yet.

She didn’t plan to hide her relationship with Wid forever, but not now. Now was not the time.

Henya hurried to take off her dress, but the countless buttons and her frantic hands slowed her down.

S-stay calm. I didn’t give him an exact location. It’ll take time for him to find it.

Eslow’s fief was vast. The river wound through half the city, and the hut was small and hard to spot. Unfortunately, it didn’t take Keter long to find Wid, thanks to his habit of observing everything around him. He had already memorized the city layout when he entered.

There are six likely spots for docks. If I go with the most secluded one, where someone might live alone... it’s gotta be here.

Using quick intuition and logical deduction, Keter found Wid on the first try.

A shadow fell over the innocent-looking boy fishing at the dock.

Wid turned his head and saw Keter standing there, smiling down at him.

“Hey there, Wid.”