Chapter 21: Unsettled Matters
Siriel Siriel Siriel
Even while being attended to by the maids, Shiron couldnt stop thinking about his younger cousin.
Perhaps it was because he just had a bath? Even before his transference, his mind tended to wander, especially when washing up.
She was probably the same age as Lucia.
Siriel Prient, Hugos only daughter, was one of the key figures in Reincarnation of the Sword Saint, with the splendid title of Whale.
The expectations for her after she finished her coming-of-age ceremony and grew to a certain extent were so high that she could even overpower the top-tier demons, a level far beyond Shiron Prient.
Siriel was an NPC. To be precise, a cooperative character for your party. Yet she was stronger than the playable character, Shiron. What a trashy game balance.
Given that it was impossible for Shiron to clear the game for various reasons, this moment, free from the systems constraints, was an opportunity.
It was only natural now to slowly devise a plan to capture her from when she was young and both physically and mentally immature.
However, there was one issue.
Siriel was so damn rude in the game, enough to make the player swear out loud.
Suddenly,
Thinking of the original Siriel, Shiron unconsciously gritted his teeth.
Should I just not capture her?
The more he thought about her game counterpart, the angrier he became, in gradient increments.
But it was not unreasonable for Shiron to think this way. The original Siriel often disregarded Shiron, who held a higher rank and told him to step down from the successors position. She was utterly ridiculous.
She even challenged him to a duel. She also captured beasts not allocated to her. There was no need to even mention her frequent insubordination during large-scale operations.
With her being so uncooperative, its no wonder Shiron cant clear the game.
It was fortunate that the current time was 10 years before the original storyline. Bad habits could be corrected, after all.
Shiron sketched a rough blueprint in his mind.
Whether she had the innocent nature of a child or displayed the unruly tendencies of a brat was uncertain. He made sure to leave room for adjustments in his plans.
I hope shes child-like.
However, this was merely a contingency. Regardless of her unpleasant nature, he needed a surefire way to secure her as an ally.
Ugh
Shiron felt a throbbing pain in his head and shifted uncomfortably.
Master, please straighten your back. If you keep hunching, I cant dry your hair properly.
Ah, right.
Upon Encias suggestion, Shiron straightened up.
If you dont dry your hair thoroughly, you might end up bald like that annoying man. No matter how cute or handsome the Master is, its useless without supporting hair.
Encia, while drying Shirons hair, seemed quite irritable.
Was she that bothered by Hugos comment?
Instead of using Hugos name, Encia referred to him as that annoying bald guy. Such harsh words.
Shiron fixed his gaze on Encias reflection in the mirror.
In truth, contrary to her words, Hugo wasnt bald. He merely had a receding hairline.
Thanks to a mischievous childhood friend, Shiron, who had experienced stress-induced hair loss in the real world, felt a pang of sympathy for Hugo.
Encia. My uncle is not bald.
Shiron, feeling an urge to defend Hugo, turned his chair towards Encia.
So?
He just has a slightly receding hairline, right? Most men his age are like that. Being teased for an inevitable act of nature seems rather sad.
Ah, well, I suppose.
Encia seemed taken aback by Shirons sudden defense. Her eyes widened at his unexpectedly profound reflection.
But whether she was startled or not, Shiron didnt care. Ever since he first played Reincarnation of the Sword Saint, he had taken a liking to Hugo.
How admirable it was to feel inferior to a superior individual and to overcome that feeling with effort.
What a remarkable testament to humanity!
I have a question, Master.
What is it?
It wasnt just Encia, who was attending to Shiron, who had a question; Ophilia, who was ironing his shirt nearby, also spoke up after getting permission.
I noticed the head of the family had an abundant head of hair when I met him a while ago. Considering he is Hugos biological brother and their age difference isnt significant, why is there such a disparity?
Well
Shirons thoughts momentarily stopped.
Indeed, just like Encia, Ophilia had a devilish streak. Even for an example, she had to compare Hugo to his nemesis, Glen. Shiron racked his brain for an appropriate response.
Our father is exceptional. Hes special.
I see!
Was it a satisfactory answer? Ophilia beamed. But in contrast, Shiron furrowed his brow.
It was absurd to have these discussions inside a game. Knowing the truth made him feel uneasy.
Glen was designed as a wandering swordsman-like character. A middle-aged character counting stars by a campfire - that was Glen Prient.
Its all Shin Yuras fault. Poor Hugo.
What could Hugo do? The creator designed him that way.
However, now that the game had become reality, he felt a sort of relief.
Hair loss was highly determined by genetics. The probability of Shiron going bald might be non-existent. If anything happened, he could try to finish the game before losing his hair.
If I can defeat the Demon Lord, things might change.
His determination flared up after a long time.
I think its all dry now. I should be on my way.
Shiron, after checking his hair, hurriedly dressed and headed for the corridor.
Walking through the corridor as he was preparing to meet Siriel, Shiron unexpectedly encountered someone.
Berta?
Master?
On the second-floor central corridor balcony was Berta, casually draped in a coat and sipping coffee.
What are you doing there? Werent you going to speak with Uncle?
Yes, we did talk. But it ended much quicker than expected.
I see.
I thought it would at least take a couple of hours. Even if there was not much to talk about.
Shiron guessed that Berta might have been disregarded, but contrary to his concern, Berta spoke with a surprisingly relaxed expression.
Im just relieved I wasnt rejected. Surprisingly, Master Hugo didnt mind sharing the familys rituals with an outsider. I got permission to accompany the succession ceremony, so I was just enjoying the breeze.
After finishing her words, Berta took another sip from her now lukewarm coffee. There was something model-like about her, so Shiron quietly admired her.
When shes silent, shes quite appealing.
Being quite tall for a woman, Berta had a cold and proud look, which made her loner-like image seem appropriate. Perhaps people felt somewhat inferior in her presence.
Suddenly, Shiron remembered something.
Speaking of which, didnt I mention I had a proposal for you?
Ah!
It was a comment that he had thrown to lure Berta when they met inside the Brothers Tomb. She seemed to have forgotten, as her eyes widened when Shiron brought it up.
Ill tell you about it. Come to my room tonight.
On Dawn Castles third floor, inside the bathroom in the middle of the central corridor.
Lucia settled into the bath with the water at just the right temperature and stretched out her legs.
After much movement, being covered in water felt extraordinary. The warm sensation seeped into her slightly fatigued body, allowing her to relax.
Sigh
Lucia gently touched her slightly flushed cheeks and leaned back. Perhaps the fastest way to become vulnerable was by taking a bath? A smile naturally formed on her lips with the illusion that her entire body was melting away.
But her good mood wasnt just due to the bath. Today, she began teaching Shiron swordsmanship. Including her previous life, Shiron could be considered the first disciple of the unparalleled swordmaster, Kyrie.
Disciple.
What a beautiful-sounding word!
Who would have thought Id be teaching someone. Its really, as Seira said. You never know whats coming next.
Even in her past life, she had either self-realized or learned from others. The emotions of having her first disciple hit her profoundly. The more she pondered over it, the more Lucias heart fluttered.
Swish-
However, that joy was short-lived.
An uninvited guest appeared.
Whos this?
Ah.
The person who opened the door was Berta, who came in confidently while wearing a towel around her neck.
Without intending to, Lucia ended up seeing Berta without a shred of clothing on.
Yet, she didnt purposely avert her gaze. Instead, Lucia shot a fierce glance towards Berta, who had disrupted her peaceful time, wondering why she was there.
The maid said shes staying on the 2nd floor. Why did she come up to the 3rd floor?
Not wanting to stand there under Lucias gaze, Berta used the towel on her shoulder to cover herself and quietly entered the bath where Lucia was.
Excuse me.
Berta took a seat quite far from Lucia. The bathtub was spacious enough to have many seating areas.
Then, for a moment, silence enveloped the two.
.
.
Though in the same space and immersed in the same water, there was no conversation between the two.
The reason was simple. Berta was uncomfortable around Lucia, and Lucia wasnt exactly the friendly type.
It wasnt long ago that Lucia had a sword to Bertas throat. It was strange that Shiron could act so casually even after their recent conflict.
However, unlike Berta, who avoided eye contact, Lucia continued to stare at her.
Black hair that fell just to the shoulders tinged with a slight blue hue. Sharp eyes that gave a fierce impression yet harmonized with her small face.
Moreover, her body seemed well-toned without an ounce of extra fat, and despite being quite muscular, her skin was nearly pale with no blemishes.
Suddenly, Lucia recalled something Shiron had said inside the cave.
Indeed She is sexy.
Feeling it was odd to just keep staring, Lucia stirred the water and spoke.
Why did you come here? In this huge mansion, there arent just one or two bathrooms.
Perhaps Berta hadnt expected the lady of the Prient house to speak first. She scratched her wet hair.
Ah well, about that
Berta submerged herself a bit more before replying.
The baths in the mansion were filled with knights. Having no choice, Master Shiron pushed me in here.
Shiron did? Why on earth?
Im not sure, but perhaps he wanted me to bathe quickly?
Berta said this with an awkward smile.
I was commanded to visit him later tonight.