I Became a Swordsmanship Instructor in a Romance Novel

Night fell, and everyone was sound asleep.

Julie stealthily opened her eyes.

She glanced around, her eyes darting back and forth.

The soldiers on night watch stood vigilant, their eyes wide open, but Julie found herself with more freedom of movement than ever.

The reason, without a doubt, was Zeke Clayman.

He had declared that he would personally oversee her.

The knights, afraid to disobey his orders, kept their distance cautiously, inadvertently leaving Julie completely unnoticed.

However, this didn’t mean that Zeke Clayman, that man, was by her side 24/7.

As soon as night fell, he disappeared into his tent as if she was a nuisance.

‘But I can’t try to escape…’

The moment she attempted to flee, her head would be separated from her body.

The reason she was still alive was probably either because they believed she had secrets she hadn’t revealed yet, or it was all just a whim of Zeke’s.

Although Julie had been spared from starvation thanks to Zeke’s whims, there was no telling when his fickle nature might decide to end her life.

Despite receiving food, Julie still held no ounce of goodwill towards Zeke.

Absolutely none. Truly none. She meant it.

‘But that was insanely delicious… Gulp.’

Just the thought of the bread she had eaten made her mouth water.

‘No, no, this is not the time. I need to leave a record!’

Julie banished the hazy look from her eyes.

Since she had gone missing, Lost Hope would surely sense something was wrong and dispatch a search party.

Therefore, she needed to leave a record that only Lost Hope would recognize.

After glancing around and confirming once again that no one was watching her, Julie contorted her shoulders, bringing her bound hands from behind her back to her front.

Crack—

Crack—

With that, her hands regained a sliver of freedom.

Julie bit down hard on the tip of her thumb.

Using her bleeding finger, she drew the mark of Lost Hope on the ground and quickly covered it with dirt.

‘They’ll send out bloodhounds when they track me. They’ll find it for sure.’

Then, Julie carefully tore a long strip from her clothes.

With the sharp tip of her nail, she began to carve a message on it, making sure to be as quiet as possible.

It was the secret language used for covert operations.

Since a single character could contain multiple meanings, it was her preferred form of writing.

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《 Secret Journal of Lost Hope 》

Author: Combat Bishop, Julie de Lost Hope.

Date: From the twenty-seventh day of the Red Moon, until further notice.

◆ The following is a record classified as 《Top Secret》, written every night before sleep.

Emergency secret markings have been left.

Survival beyond a few days cannot be guaranteed.

Upon discovery, deliver this to a Hope of Bishop rank or higher.

— For the sake of Lost Hope.

Refer to Decryption Method 17-5 for 『His Great Will』.

◆ Information.

I was tasked with inspecting the sacrifices prepared by the Adventurers’ Guild Master.

It seems there were concerns about the unsettling tone of his recent letters.

With the day of the Demon King’s arrival drawing near, it was only natural to proceed with caution.

I willingly accepted the mission and headed to the Adventurers’ Guild.

Without informing him of my visit, I initiated a day-long surveillance operation.

During my observation, I detected suspicious activity.

The Adventurers’ Guild Master was visiting various shops, seemingly preparing for a journey.

It wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume he was preparing to transport the sacrifices to the Lios Mountains.

However, he was purchasing travel supplies for someone else in addition to his own.

This was the first instance that raised my suspicion towards the Guild Master.

He had even procured duplicates of items that wouldn’t necessitate a backup.

Continued surveillance seemed necessary.

The next day.

The Adventurers’ Guild Master departed hastily on horseback at the crack of dawn.

And the place he headed towards was a deserted forest.

I initially suspected it to be a hidden location for hostages, but I was mistaken.

Awaiting him at that location were none other than Yohaiden’s White Tiger Knights, disguised as hostages.

That’s right. The Adventurers’ Guild Master had betrayed us.

I immediately revealed myself and questioned Duke Yohaiden.

And that’s how I uncovered this shocking information:

— Yohaiden was involved in the disappearance of Faith Bishop, Hollyburn, and the other believers.

— They possessed the technology to break through the ‘barrier.’ The method involved applying magic stones to their swords.

As soon as I learned this, I activated my divine power, [Lost Space], and engaged in combat.

Although I had anticipated skilled opponents due to Faith Bishop’s assassination, their combat abilities were utterly pathetic.

Of course, swords imbued with magic stones were a threat, but the Yohaiden Knights were so weak that they were all defeated by mere untransformed Shadows.

As I continued to interrogate them with growing suspicion, he appeared, tearing through my Lost Space.

A young man with jet-black eyes and hair.

He had a handsome face, a tall stature, and a muscular build.

In his hand, he held a curiously shaped sword that resembled a loaf of bread.

To cut to the chase…

I was defeated.

By his overwhelming power.

I wasn’t careless.

But nothing worked.

He was too strong.

Like a hammer… Like the Demon King.

The man’s name was…

Zeke Clayman.

He called himself a hero.

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Julie’s hand, which had been diligently writing, came to a sudden halt.

Recalling that moment sent shivers down her spine as fear washed over her once more.

A distant terror clouded her mind.

‘I’m scared… Terrified… Monster… I don’t want to fight him. I don’t want to face him… Black eyes, black hair. Why do such things exist in this world…? No. I have to escape…’

Julie’s pupils dilated, and her breath quickened.

Tears mixed with cold sweat streamed down her face.

As panic threatened to consume her, she shook her head vigorously, attempting to regain control.

‘Calm down! Right now, the important thing is to leave a record!’

Julie wiped her trembling, sweat-soaked hands on her knees and gritted her teeth.

With trembling fingertips, she resumed writing.

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I attempted a surprise attack with a single Shadow while engaging him in conversation to create an opening, but it was dealt with in an instant.

He merely lowered his gaze, looking down at me like an insignificant insect, as if daring me to try everything I had.

Unfazed by his taunts, I remained vigilant, cautiously preparing for my transformation.

Zeke Clayman patiently waited for me to complete my preparations.

He simply observed me with his cold, indifferent eyes until Shadow’s transformation was complete.

And so, I unleashed the most powerful attack at my disposal.

But it was neutralized in the blink of an eye.

Just a casual step.

He merely walked towards me, and Shadows were reduced to tiny fragments of flesh.

I couldn’t even perceive when his sword had moved.

I had no idea how or when Shadows had been struck down.

In the end, I was defeated.

And what followed was excruciating torture.

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Julie meticulously documented the torture inflicted by Zeke, including how she had been forced to divulge Lost Hope’s secrets under duress.

She wanted to atone for her actions, even if it was just a little, by conveying the information truthfully, not by making false excuses.

As she finished writing, Julie tilted her head slightly.

‘But for some reason… there’s a lot about bread…?’

Of course, it was only natural since she had witnessed a scene that directly contradicted Lost Hope’s doctrine of “there is no healing magic.”

And since she had the opportunity to actually consume the bread, recording her impressions was undoubtedly crucial.

Julie reread what she had written.

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The bread that Zeke Clayman tossed to me as if doing me a favor… it tasted like nothing I had ever experienced in this world.

Delicious. Absolutely delicious. Insanely delicious.

The first thing that struck me upon encountering the bread was the bombardment of its savory aroma.

The fragrance was so potent that I could have tracked it down from a kilometer away.

Lost Hope must take note of this.

As for the texture, the crispy exterior, shattering with each bite, was simply divine. The inside was soft and yielding, melting on my tongue like a baby’s skin.

Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.

The taste was both savory and sweet. However, I dare say the sweetness wasn’t artificial or derived from added sweeteners.

With each chew, an explosion of flavor and sweetness filled my mouth. I wanted to savor it endlessly, but before I knew it, I had swallowed it whole.

How can I even begin to describe its taste?

I could eat this for the rest of my life. No, seriously, I could. I want to.

No other food even comes to mind. Or rather, no other food is allowed to enter my mouth because I need to preserve this lingering flavor.

Thinking back, it pains me that I hastily swallowed those pieces of bread with water when my throat felt momentarily full.

Perhaps the reason I’m able to write this report with a clear mind is because of that bread.

Could it be that it truly possesses healing properties?

No, no, that’s impossible. Lost Hope teachings clearly state that there’s no such thing as healing magic.

Anyway! The bread was incredibly delicious.

And I crave it even now.

It’s so good that I wouldn’t need anything else as long as I had that bread.

I wonder if Zeke Clayman will bring me more tomorrow?

Will he? Or won’t he?

There’s no way to know.

But I do hope he brings more.

May his capriciousness continue tomorrow.

I want to eat that bread…

I want to eat it again…

I really, really want to eat it…

If he gives me more bread tomorrow, I’ll make sure to savor every single bite.

It’s just that delicious.

Too delicious.

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She reread her own words, but there was nothing particularly strange about them.

She had written honestly about her experiences, and her descriptions of her feelings and emotions were genuine.

The part about the bread, where she wondered if it truly possessed healing properties, caught her eye for a moment, but surely Lost Hope would understand it as an expression of her amazement at how delicious it was.

Especially the concluding remarks about the bread, upon rereading, made her mouth water as if her true feelings had been perfectly captured.

Although her initially serious report had somehow transformed into a culinary review, Julie found no awkwardness in it.

Yes.

Julie nodded in satisfaction at her writing and buried it where she had left Lost Hope’s mark.

“Bread… I want more.”

Rumble—

Her stomach growled at the sight of the moon.