Sword Emperor, Becoming the Young Lady of a Viscount House

Chapter 8

“Heinrich.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“What is the meaning of this?”

Beatrice was visibly displeased.

She did not like it.

-Clatter.

She set down her fork with a sound.

“…Is there something that troubles you?”

“Do I look like a goat to you?”

“How could I compare you, my lady, to a mere goat?”

“Then explain yourself.”

Beatrice glared at Heinrich as if she intended to kill him.

She looked ready to hurl her fork if he gave the wrong answer.

“Why is the dining table full of grass? Where is the meat?”

Beatrice fundamentally had a carefree style.

She rarely scolded her subordinates unless something unusual happened.

However, there was one thing she never forgave, even in her past life.

And that was meals.

Even on the battlefield, she always had to have meat with her meals.

If she could manage it under harsh conditions…

Then, as a noble, to have only vegetables on the table was unacceptable.

It was a recipe for dissatisfaction.

“My lady, today is the most central day of the moon, a sacred day.”

“…And?”

“The great Solid would fast whenever the crescent moon rose.”

“So?”

“…As a noble of Krapos, inheriting his lineage, you must eat lightly today. It is a minimal courtesy and a long-standing tradition.”

“……”

Tradition.

Courtesy.

These were the things Beatrice hated most.

Because no matter how much she despised them, they had to be upheld.

They were foundational.

Unable to argue, she quietly rose from her seat.

“My lady, but you should still eat something…”

“No. Just looking at vegetables makes me feel foolish. I cannot bring myself to eat them.”

Beatrice would rather die than eat vegetables.

‘It can’t be helped because of tradition… but when I become the head of the family, I’ll change this first. Or perhaps I should become Emperor.’

Beatrice was already plotting a detailed rebellion over the lack of meat in her meal.

* * *

Back in her room, she sat alone and resumed her mana internal technique training.

She adopted the same method as before.

The process of accumulating mana was extremely arduous and taxing.

Beatrice sincerely thought so.

Because it was boring.

“-!”

At that moment.

Beatrice allowed herself a small smile.

“It appeared.”

A tiny thread of mana had formed.

It was a good sign.

She had secretly been worried.

Mana was not a blessing given to everyone.

Rarely, there were unique constitutions that couldn’t accumulate mana even when practicing internal techniques.

…It seemed she wasn’t one of them, fortunately.

She smiled in satisfaction.

Now, all she needed was a bit of time.

A thread was hardly enough.

She would need at least a handful of mana to survive a battlefield.

‘With this, can I wield it once?’

Mana served various purposes.

It could lighten heavy objects.

It could envelop a sword, enabling a stronger strike.

The most iconic example was ‘Aura.’

In the East, it was also called Sword Qi.

This technique, which condensed a large amount of mana onto a blade, allowed for strikes that humans could not normally produce.

The slightest touch could slice through steel, so describing what it did to human flesh was too gruesome.

Beatrice judged that she could wield this aura exactly once.

‘It’s a start.’

Beatrice grinned brightly.

They say the beginning is half the journey.

Though she could now wield aura only once…

Mana would continue to accumulate over time.

Of course…

It would take an incredibly long time.

-Knock, knock.

“Who is it?”

Training in internal techniques required intense concentration.

That’s why Beatrice had sent everyone away.

She had strictly instructed them not to interrupt her unless it was something critical.

Knowing that Heinrich, who acted like she might receive a ‘spirit’s call,’ would obey her every word…

The fact that someone knocked meant something very important had happened.

‘If this is trivial, I’ll show them my wrath.’

She would reprimand them harshly.

If it was for an insignificant reason, that is.

Training was sacred.

Interruptions were intolerable.

“My lady, it’s time for your massage.”

“……”

It was Lilith’s voice.

Beatrice let out an incredulous laugh.

“Why are you late today? You should’ve come earlier.”

-Hurried footsteps.

Beatrice quickly opened the door.

…In truth, she had recently discovered Lilith’s usefulness.

Lilith, whose mouth was excessively talkative.

And who was comically bad at housework, constantly causing accidents as a clumsy maid.

But, as they say, even a dung beetle has its talent.

Seemingly useless Lilith turned out to be…

A master of massage.

Her hand techniques were the best across both lifetimes.

It felt as if any fatigue disappeared.

So massages were, indeed, an important matter for Beatrice.

Luckily, Lilith narrowly avoided Beatrice’s severe scolding.

* * *

“What is that child doing?”

“She has been fully dedicating herself to training lately, my lord.”

“…She’s never held a sword in her life. So how is she training?”

“She seems confident in herself… She said she learned from books.”

“Have you tried persuading her?”

“She has already made up her mind. No matter what I say, she won’t change.”

“I see.”

Francesco, head of the Cenci family, set down his warm tea and rose to his feet.

Heinrich stood in a fixed posture.

“Is what you said last time still valid? If you retract it now, I’ll let it slide.”

“…How could I speak twice with one mouth to my lord?”

“Even if I permit it?”

“I must decline.”

“Really now.”

Francesco let out a hollow laugh.

“Do you truly mean to walk that path, knowing everything?”

He had decided to kill Beatrice.

Francesco had cruelly come to this conclusion.

To him, Beatrice was just a “pawn.”

Not a child, but merely a piece he could discard at any time.

If the family had been in a stable position…

The defiance of a mere “pawn” wouldn’t have mattered.

But the Cenci family was like a candle in the wind.

If left unattended for even a moment, its small flame would be snuffed out.

In such dire circumstances…

He could not afford to carry along a rebellious Beatrice.

The budding seeds of discord had to be cut out early.

That was Francesco’s resolution as the head of the family.

The problem lay elsewhere.

Heinrich had decided to follow Beatrice into the battlefield.

He was a man of great loyalty.

Francesco could easily predict that Heinrich wouldn’t approve of his plan.

At first, he thought Heinrich’s declaration was mere curiosity and let it slide.

But he never imagined that he was serious.

What kind of person values their “pride” over their “life”?

“You are capable.”

“Thank you.”

“…How many years has it been? Since you’ve served our family?”

“Ten years.”

“Short if short, long if long.”

Heinrich was competent.

He was a loyal servant.

He never questioned orders twice, nor had he ever delivered disappointing results.

Francesco was quite fond of such a Heinrich.

Losing him like this… was a painful conclusion to accept.

But no matter how disposable a “card” Beatrice was…

If Heinrich witnessed her death up close, he could not be allowed to live.

“Heinrich. Let me make this clear. I have no intention of keeping that child alive. Even if it means losing you.”

“……”

“I will give you a week. Remember this. Temporary pride… If you let it go, you can live the rest of your life in comfort. Only fools kick away an opportunity handed to them.”

‘Stop now, and I will forgive you. Retract your statement.’

This was Francesco’s offer.

“I wouldn’t normally forgive such a thing. But considering the merits you’ve accumulated for this family, I’m giving you this ‘opportunity.’”

“My lord.”

“Yes. Have you changed your mind?”

Heinrich knelt on one knee.

“I, Heinrich, would like to make my first and final request to my lord.”

“…What is it?”

“‘The Vault,’ specifically the weapon storage section. Please grant me the right to borrow a single weapon.”

-Crunch.

Francesco’s brow furrowed deeply.

The Vault.

The Cenci family’s history was long.

Four centuries.

It was a family that had participated in the founding of the Kingdom of Krapos.

The Vault, where all the treasures accumulated over generations were stored, represented that legacy.

Francesco’s frown wasn’t because of the value of the items in the Vault.

It was because he realized something.

Heinrich had no intention of retracting his statement, not in a week, not even in a year.

“Do you truly have to do this?”

“I will return alive.”

“You will be eliminated.”

“…On the battlefield, I will achieve merit. Wouldn’t that be a satisfactory outcome for you, my lord?”

“That’s impossible.”

“Trust me. I…”

Heinrich spoke with a chilling glint in his eyes.

“…was once a knight, as you know.”

* * *

“The armory?”

“Yes.”

“…Ahem. So you figured it out.”

“Whenever you sigh while looking at swords, how could a butler miss it?”

Heinrich allowed a faint smile.

Beatrice coughed awkwardly in succession.

She had made it far too obvious.

“So, does the armory have it? The sword I’m looking for.”

“There will surely be at least one weapon that suits your liking.”

“…Really? But is the armory that impressive? Isn’t it a place for common soldiers’ gear?”

That was Beatrice’s knowledge of armories.

A collection of mass-produced items.

But Heinrich shook his head.

“The Cenci family’s armory is different.”

“Our family isn’t a military family. Isn’t it full of weaklings?”

“…Where did you hear that?”

“I do have ears, you know.”

Beatrice smiled proudly.

It was proof she hadn’t been wasting her time.

Of course, her source was…

‘Once again, Lilith proves useful.’

Lilith, the chatterbox.

“The history of the Cenci family is more than you imagine.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Over 400 years, it has collected rare and precious artifacts from across the continent. The Vault stores those treasures, and the armory holds the weapons among them.”

“Oh.”

Beatrice’s heart began to race at Heinrich’s serious tone, as if he were describing something monumental.

“There will definitely be something. A sword you seek, after all, is still just a sword. Somewhere, it exists.”

“That’s true. It’s bound to be somewhere.”

The history of swords ran deep.

They had evolved in countless forms over time.

Even in this world, as Heinrich suggested, it must exist.

A massive cross-shaped sword.

“Then, let’s go. To the armory. You’ll find what you’re looking for.”

Today, Heinrich seemed unusually reliable.

“Wow, Butler! You’re so cool. Don’t you think so, my lady?”

Lilith, who had been silently listening, finally chimed in.

“Lilith, we’re having an important conversation here. Could you be quiet?”

Heinrich scolded her lightly, shooting her a glare.

But Lilith wasn’t one to back down.

“No way! Hehe.”

“……”

‘Should I send her back to the laundry for another punishment?’

Beatrice seriously considered it as she watched Lilith’s carefree smile.