From that day on, I focused on my father's voice in my ear.
[This iron is mixed with impurities. Iron mixed with impurities becomes weaker when quenched.]
I learned more from my father in the five years since that day than I did from him in the 14 years I had been with him.
I traveled throughout the empire in search of solid, unadulterated iron, and in the process I heard much Information.
"I heard that His Highness the Second Prince eventually kicked out His Highness the First Prince?"
"Are you talking about using that fortune teller?"
"Yes. His Majesty the Emperor is also indifferent. To believe that ridiculous fortune telling and banish His Highness the First Prince."
It was mainly information about Walter and Armin.
After obtaining the famous sword 'Gram', 2nd Prince Walter won a battle that was important for the defense of the Empire.
Walter, who had won the Emperor's favor through that victory, did not stop there.
He began to manipulate the Emperor by using fortune tellers who could read the future through the constellations.
After several of the fortune teller's readings came true, the Emperor began to believe the fortune teller's words unconditionally.
Even the divination that the first Prince will assassinate the Emperor.
"Because of that fortune telling, His Majesty banished His Highness the First Prince to the harsh northern lands."
Now he could no longer officially use the Imperial Family's surname, 'Kainen'.
He was just Armin Wilhelm.
Grand Duke Wilhelm.
"But I heard that His Highness was very active during the Monster Wave. He could have become a millionaire as a byproduct of that, but even that byproduct was all taken away by His Majesty. Rumor has it that he even had dragon skin."
"That means...!"
"Grand Duke Wilhelm is a dragon slayer! After all, he is the best auror inspector in the Empire."
Auror test.
My eyes sparkled when I heard those words.
Perhaps Armin Wilhelm was the only swordsman who could recognize my sword.
Even if you create a truly great sword, it is of no use if there is no inspector to recognize it.
Above all else...
'To defeat Walter with 'Gram', an auror inspector with strong powers must come forward.'
From then on, I thought about Armin Wilhelm.
A royal family member with black hair and golden eyes.
A man who claims to have killed a dragon and can use an aura within his body to wield a wooden sword as an axe.
[And they said he was pretty handsome.]
Father.
Why does my father talk nonsense so often?
I was hammering hot iron when I heard my father's voice and my brow furrowed.
After my father passed away, I found the iron I liked the most, and I made swords by providing labor and begging for food at a blacksmith shop near the iron source.
It had to be greater than the black 'Gram' I was making.
Because that's the only way to be at 'Gram'.
While I was lost in thought, my father's voice was only saying strange things.
['Gram' is not a great sword. A sword filled with anger cannot be a great sword. So rather than 'Gram', let's talk about the handsome Armin.]
Please.
Shut up, Father.
***
My father didn't shut up.
Even when I was being chased by soldiers under the moonlight.
In my arms was the sword I had made.
A sword greater than 'Gram'.
It was a week ago that I finished it.
And on that day, a civil war broke out as Armin and Walter attacked each other.
The second Prince. Walter, assassinated the Emperor and locked the first Empress, Armin's mother, and Armin's full sister, the third Princess, in a dungeon.
'In the end, the fortune telling was a lie.'
The Emperor, who was anxious that the first Prince would kill him, ended up dying at the hands of the second Prince.
Armin, enraged, led the northern army, which had just fought a battle for territory, and marched on the imperial city.
The odds were even between Armin and Walter, but considering that the northern army was very exhausted, it was a battle that was unfavorable for Armin.
I knew that this fight would be the last chance for Armin and for me.
When this war ends, either Armin or Walter will have no choice but to give up their lives.
If Walter wins, there is no way he will spare Armin, who dared to march on the imperial castle, and if Armin wins, there is no way he will spare Walter, who killed his father and imprisoned his mother and sister.
In the end, either way, once this war is over, any chance to see my sword defeat 'Gram' will be gone forever.
I was getting anxious, so I walked and walked for a whole week in the direction Armin was advancing.
[Diana, listen to the voice of the sword.]
And from then on, my father's voice became a little strange.
My father kept telling me to listen to the voice of the sword.
Over the past five years, I've wished for my father to shut up more than once, but this time, I really wanted him to shut up.
So that I can come to my senses.
But my father would not listen, and I almost reached Armin's northern army barracks when I was discovered by Walter's imperial army.
"Catch her!"
I ran and ran toward the Northern Army flag that seemed within arm's reach.
But over the past five years, my body has deteriorated and my sword has become too heavy.
The cloth covering the sword was released, revealing the scabbard.
The rough soldier's hand grabbed the back of my neck and I fell to the ground.
"What kind of woman is as fast as a deer!"
The soldier grabbed my hair and let out a ragged breath.
"What is this? What kind of sword is this..."
The soldier reached for the sword I was holding.
That was when.
A sharp voice rang out from behind.
"A woman running through the battlefield naked. How fearless. Are you a spy?"
As I raised my head. I saw familiar golden eyes.
Two eyes sparkling under the moonlight.
Those cruel eyes resemble 'Gram'.
It was Walter.
"...!"
I froze, my eyes wide open.
"What is that you are holding in your arms? Take it from me."
The soldiers snatched the sword from my arms.
I resisted with all my might, but it was no use.
Walter accepted the sword and drew it out of its scabbard without hesitation.
Whew.
An unknown wind blew.
You came to me.
A voice I had never heard before rang in my ears.
Not my father.
This is not my father...
But he is imitating my father's voice.
[But Diana, you can't win against the black blade filled with rage.]
That was when.
Walter's eyes widened.
Walter recognized the brilliance flowing through the sword.
"It's not a sword that a beggar woman would be holding. Where did you get it?"
Walter asked in surprise.
I didn't answer.
Where have I seen a sword like this...
It was when Walter furrowed his brow.
I looked at the sword belt Walter was wearing and muttered to myself.
"Gram..."
Walter's eyes widened at those words. He crouched down in front of me as if he was interested.
"Do you know Gram?"
There's no way I wouldn't know.
It's the sword I hate the most.
Instead of answering, I spat in Walter's face as he approached me.
"....This bitch!"
Slap!
One cheek went numb with a sharp friction sound.
It felt like the thing that hit my cheek wasn't a palm, but a blunt object.
My head was spinning because I hadn't eaten properly for a week.
For the past five years, I have lived to fight Gram with that sword and kill Walter.
But the way to achieve that has now disappeared.
A rustling sound was heard from behind.
Walter's soldiers said.
"I think they sensed the ambush. They're coming this way!"
Walter's face darkened with disappointment when he heard those words.
Are Armin's soldiers coming?
My heart started beating fast.
Armin should recognize my sword.
It has to be that way...
Tears welled up in my eyes.
"You can't leave footprints. Kill her."
Walter looked at me and said.
It was at those words that the soldiers grabbed the handles of their swords.
I ran towards Walter.
To be exact, I rushed towards my sword that Walter was holding.
I held the sword.
My body embraced the sword with every fiber of my skin, every bone, every muscle.
I held the sword tightly as if it were a giant scabbard.
Walter was startled and tried to draw his sword.
But the sword was not pulled out.
Because I was holding out so as not to get picked.
My pale hand overlapped Walter's hand, which was holding the sword hilt.
Walter let go of his hand in shock at the cold sensation, like a corpse.
I glared at Walter, shaking.
This sword... is not yours.
It couldn't last long.
I slowly fell to the ground with my sword.
In the meantime, Walter tried to pull out the sword stuck in me several more times.
But despite Walter's kicks and insults, my body did not spit out the sword.
Finally, Walter, unable to resist the soldiers' urging, spat on me.
"Poisonous."
After Walter left with his soldiers.
I stayed where I was.
With a sword in my hand.
Tears fell from my eyes.
I lay there, letting out a thin breath.
With a large scabbard.
I felt my body cooling down, but I had no intention of spitting out the sword.
Because I have to give this sword to Armin.
It was while I was enduring my blurred vision with such thoughts.
A torch was seen flickering somewhere.
The sound of footsteps is approaching.
Even in the dying moments, I hoped it was Armin.
"I feel like I love him somehow."
And finally, something that looked like a human face appeared before my eyes.
"Your Highness! There is a dead woman here."
I thought about it and smiled faintly.
I'm not dead yet, you punk.
Damn it.
Damn it.
I could hear the sound of approaching boots crunching fallen leaves.
And then a man's face appeared clearly before my eyes.
Black hair.
Golden eye.
Quite handsome.
[Passed.]
I smiled faintly even as I vomited blood.
In the midst of all this, my father... is just talking nonsense.
[Nonsense. Don't you admit it? Didn't your vision just now suddenly feel blurry and then clear?]
Yeah, I admit it.
Handsome.
Armin Wilhelm.
The master of my sword has come to see me.
Now I can finally die...
I closed my eyes.
A darkness that seemed to suck me in began to swallow me up.
And during all this time, my father did not shut up.
[Next time. I really want to be held in the hands of a man like that... Fighting...]
Yes?
Are you father?
That nonsense was the last thing. I heard before I died
***
And when I opened my eyes, I was sitting in a carriage.
Someone was calling me cautiously from outside the carriage window.
"...Lady Diana."
I opened the window as if possessed by that voice.
Then a knight I had never seen before spoke to me.
"We have arrived at Wilhelm's estate. You must wake up now."
Wilhelm's Estate?
Are you talking about the cold and barren land where Armin Wilhelm lives?
I unconsciously wrinkled my face at the cold air I felt outside the window.
But the knight continued talking whether I understood him or not.
"The wedding will begin as soon as you get off."
"Ah, marriage."
I nodded, thinking that I had just arrived at the afterlife.
Even in the afterlife, there is such a thing as marriage.
"Who is marrying whom?"
The answer to that question came after quite a long silence.
"...Lady Diana and Grand Duke Wilhelm?"
"...?"
Huh?
Who, with whom?
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