“Yes. Whatever she did, Rahert must have been behind it.”

“Confident, are you? Why would the Southern Duke do such a thing to you?”

“!”

I was speechless.

Probably because I am a princess.

They tried to kill me with black magic, but the magic did not work. They only managed to ruin my face and memory.

Why did they let me live? They could have killed me with a sword.

Did they think no one would recognize me with a monster-like face?

That they could keep me as a monster, and even if my identity was revealed, I couldn’t return to being a princess.

I was unable to say anything.

After a long silence, he spoke.

“But that reason is in the past. Now, when we go to the capital, other battles await us. I’m thinking of holding a simple ceremony for you tomorrow, Esdel.”

“A ceremony?”

I looked at him.

“Yes.”

The Duke smiled at me.

With anticipation in that smile, I returned to the castle.

Many words flowed from my heart.

But there was nothing I could say to him now, in this moment.

I tucked those words carefully under the moonlight and kept them in my heart.

The Duke, who was walking ahead, turned back and smiled.

“We’re a bit, rather a lot late, aren’t we? How about entering through the back door?”

“Yes. We shouldn’t wake the others.”

I nodded.

The word ‘we’ from the Duke.

The fact that I was included in that ‘we’ filled me with an indescribable fullness, and once again, I found myself unable to say anything.

‘Just being together is enough for happiness.’

The white butterfly from my past life drifts further away.

My identity as the Sword Master is a secret of the North.

Therefore, it was decided not to hold an official appointment ceremony. Instead, a modest ceremony with only the Northern Knights was arranged.

The preparation for the ceremony was undertaken by the 4th Unit’s Captain Dag, Captain Moby, and Yora.

I had no idea Yora was preparing such a thing.

Early in the morning, when Yora suddenly came to me for advice, I followed him without any suspicion.

He led me to a small hall attached to the main assembly hall.

As the door opened, I was greeted by the smiling faces of all the Northern Knights.

In the middle of them were the Duke and Arcadia.
Everyone had their swords raised in front of them, bowing their heads towards me.

The Grand Duke rose from his seat and extended his right hand forward. In his hand was the sword of the North.

Guided by Arcadia, who had mastered the history of the Sword Masters, I knelt on one knee under the Grand Duke’s sword.

The Grand Duke placed the sword on my shoulder.

The sword moved from my left shoulder to my right, coming to a stand right before my eyes.

Then, the Grand Duke knelt on one knee before me.

Our gazes met equally in mid-air.

“Your Highness, hand the hilt of the sword to the Sword Master,” said Arcadia.

The Grand Duke passed the hilt of the sword towards me.

“The Sword Master holds the hilt and raises the sword horizontally,” I followed Arcadia’s instruction.

But as I did, the tip of the sword pointed towards the Grand Duke’s heart.

The Grand Duke grasped the blade with his bare hand.

“Your Highness!”

He nodded as if to say he was alright.

I was not alright.

This was like aiming at your heart.

Arcadia read the ‘Words of the Sword’ written in the history book.

“The Sword Master’s sword is connected to the heart of its master.”

All the knights repeated after him.

“The Sword Master’s sword is connected to the heart of its master!”

Arcadia spoke.

“Your sword is your freedom. Whether to protect or pierce the heart is your choice. What is your decision?”

“What is your decision?!”

I looked at the Grand Duke. He was gazing at me with eyes bluer than the deepest lake of the empire.

“You must answer, Esdel,” Arcadia whispered softly.

“I choose to protect the heart.”

“I, your master, trust and will follow your choice,” said the Grand Duke without taking his eyes off me.

Ah, this is the oath of the Sword Master.

Everything is my freedom; my sword is my choice.

I spoke of my own will.

“My sword will protect the master of the North.”

Then the knights silently, unanimously raised their swords high.

It was a short yet intense investiture.

The day to leave the North approached quickly.

And before I knew it, that day arrived.

We didn’t announce our departure.

It was the Grand Duke’s decision, as it would be unwise to inform the Emperor and Rahert in advance.

The Steward Lewine had been bustling since the previous morning.

“No need for portable tents! Warm clothes and raincoats! Simple meal ingredients to General Mobie!”

She efficiently commanded the maids, packing as light as possible.

It was a long journey of nearly a month to the territory. Heavy luggage would only be a burden.

There were five of us setting off for the territory: the Grand Duke and I, General Mobie, Ergo in charge of weapons, and Yora who would take care of the horses.

“Your Highness! Are you sure we don’t need tents? Perhaps we should take a servant at least.”