I Tried To Be Her Loyal Sword

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Chapter 28

Tailor stared at me with big eyes. The servants were in a frenzy, and the knights were confused about whether to point their swords at me or not. Their eyes were filled with chaos, but I had no energy to care about that.

“I won’t say it three times. Take me to my father.”

With a cold voice devoid of inflection, I infused explosive aura into the tightly gripped sword. The aura of a sword master, one that could split mountains, surrounded my blade and surged forth. The people retreated once more.

“Anyone who stands in my way…”

My vision turned crimson. Perhaps it was the same blood-red hue as Caesar and his sword.

“Will all perish.”

The eyes of Tailor, confronting my blood-stained gaze filled with murderous intent, were seized by terror.

“Step back, Tailor.”

Then I heard a low, sweet voice tickling my ear.

I whipped my head toward the direction of the sound.

‘Ah.’

The moment I faced the swirling crimson eyes, my whole body froze.

Thud, thud.

The sound of shoes echoed loudly in the now silent hall. A man, dressed in a disheveled shower robe as if he had just emerged from bed, leisurely descended the stairs.

Tap.

Black shoes came to a halt right in front of me.

‘A harbinger of doom, holding a sword wrapped in darkness, with chillingly numb crimson eyes staring down the battlefield.’

Just my mere presence was enough to make my knees go weak.

Caesar Khalad Kenis Crisis. My father.

“Hmm.”

Caesar exhaled a weary breath, unleashing a sudden killing intent.

The black aura, which had already thickened in the hall, was suddenly covered by red smoke. The sanguine killing intent surged as if marking his territory, and I instinctively held my breath.

‘As expected from the Crisis Duke, fighting for the title of the strongest in the continent.’

If my own killing intent felt like it would devour everything, then Caesar’s was far more restrained and mature.

‘This is dangerous.’

My instincts flared, and unknowingly I unleashed my aura even more fiercely.

“Huh…”

The two sword masters intentionally unleashed their killing intent, causing the onlookers to cover their mouths. Some collapsed with their eyes rolled back. I flinched.

I couldn’t clear away the bodies here. Gritting my teeth, I retracted my killing intent. I dropped the sword I was holding to signify that I wasn’t here to fight.

“Interesting.”

A heavy smile bloomed on his face as he gazed intently at me and Aria.

“Mercenary Mir.”

Even though we were already close in distance, he stepped forward, narrowing the gap and lifting my chin with his index finger.

“Are you my daughter?”

His crimson eyes sparkled with curiosity as they met mine.

The question left me breathless. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to steady my precarious body and mind. I couldn’t collapse here.

“Yes.”

I opened my eyes again, determined to show no wavering. I firmly nodded in affirmation, standing my ground against him. Caesar slowly blinked.

His crimson gaze slowly examined me.

Despite his relaxed demeanor, there was a sharpness in his eyes; I felt like I was being dissected alive, and I desperately wanted to break free from his stare but held myself back.

“You resemble me… and that woman.”

After finishing his observation, he lowered his hand that had raised my chin. I slowly exhaled the breath I had been holding. The phrase ‘that woman’ made my eyebrows furrow slightly, but I pushed the thought away, questioning what kind of feelings a duke might have for a courtesan.

“You visited the Duke’s Mansion a few days ago, didn’t you? As a mercenary.”

His voice sounded like it was calibrated to exactly 0 degrees. It had no warmth, yet it wasn’t so cold as to freeze. It felt as if what was in front of me was as lifeless as minerals.

Caesar’s crimson eyes bore down on me.

“Back then, you certainly said nothing, so why come to say this now?”

His indifferent tone made my heart drop. I steadied my fluttering mind by embracing Aria once more.

For Aria, I was willing to do anything.

“I am the Duke’s daughter. I may be a child born out of wedlock, but I surely carry your blood.”

“I know that. I’ve been looking for you.”

‘…You were looking for me?’

I shot my head up to look at him. The circumstances of how Caesar became my father were never explained in the original story.

With countless questions swirling in my mind, I stared into the mysterious emotions reflected in his crimson eyes and bit my lip. This was not the time to be caught up in useless sentiment.

“However, my being your bloodline is not important.”

“…What?”

Caesar narrowed his eyes. His expression asked why ‘however’ had come into play. His slowly rolling eyes seemed to scrutinize my intentions.

Thud.

I simply knelt before him, crushing all my pride.

“…What do you mean?”

Caesar frowned deeply as he asked for clarification. I swallowed my trembling breaths and looked up at him.

“Please. Save my younger sister.”

I wanted to say it casually, but my voice trembled desperately. Slowly, Caesar turned his gaze between me and Aria. His apathetic demeanor sent chills down my spine.

“Is that child on your knee your younger sister?”

“Yes.”

“She’s not my daughter.”

“…Yes. She is my half-sister.”

“Then…”

Caesar blinked slowly.

“Why should I save someone who isn’t my bloodline?”

His voice, devoid of any compassion, felt like it had no temperature at all. The look in his eyes when he glanced at Aria was as indifferent as if he were staring at a rock.

‘Why should I save Aria?’

I considered the answer to his question, contemplating again.

But there was nothing. Caesar had no reason or obligation to save Aria.

‘This man, who seems to have no interest in me as his bloodline, would he show mercy toward Aria?’

My conclusion was, ‘Of course not.’ The duke, driven mad by blood, would not save Aria.

‘But.’

Nevertheless, even knowing all of this, I came to this place, risking my life as a Kashmir, for the sake of Mir’s identity.

“Because, as your daughter… I love this child too much.”

I love Aria, too much.

A heavy silence hung in the air. I couldn’t bear to look at Caesar’s face, holding my breath and bowing my head. The droplets falling from my eyelids soaked the marble floor.

‘I didn’t plan on loving her this much.’

A life that was destined to be rough from birth. When I first peeked at the newborn child through the narrow crack of the door, I never imagined I would come to love her this much.

“You! Come with me!”

In a childhood long abandoned of purity and aspiration, the birth of Aria felt like an additional burden, forcing me to confront the enormous world with my small stature. I had enough trouble just providing for another mouth.

“You’ve done well. Go drink some water!”

“Sister! Look, a flower has bloomed!”

“Yup, you’re the best, sis.”

“I’m always sorry. I’m so grateful.”

The reason Aria became precious to me was that she was the only splash of color in my monochrome world.

Aria was the only one who acknowledged my struggles after wandering through the dark alleys. She was the only one to remind me of the changing seasons and told me she loved the miserable me; looking at her with sad eyes, she expressed her gratitude and sorrow.

‘I didn’t want to love her this much.’

That small child, had grown into my whole world.

I lowered my head, overwhelmed by the rising misery. My broken figure reflected on the clean marble floor.

That image resembled a filthy rat. A powerless human unable to protect even one thing I loved. I couldn’t bear the disgust and wiped my tears away with my flowing eyes.

“But I know that this won’t be enough of a reason for Duke.”

Being Caesar’s daughter was merely a hollow bait. Just because I loved someone didn’t mean Caesar had to save her.

To him, both Aria and I were perfect unwelcome guests.

“I don’t intend to beg for your mercy as a bloodline.”

Gritting my teeth, I swallowed my tears and looked up at Caesar. My vision blurred, making it hard to see his expression. Taking a deep, strained breath, I slowly opened my mouth.

“I merely wish to propose a deal, if you allow it.”

“…A deal?”

I nodded slightly at his expression of disbelief.

I was relieved that he didn’t dismiss me as nonsense but only frowned, and then I picked up the sword I’d dropped earlier.

What I did best. Born as a worthless, disgusting human, the only skill I knew how to hone; my sole purpose in life.

Cling—

The darkness I had faced at the brink of my limits. The shadows of struggling moments buried in the swamp. My despair, which had to be extinguished to shine.

The dark aura full of the abyss I had gazed into engulfed the sword.

Bang!

The sword, overwhelmed by the maximum aura I could output, shook uncontrollably. With a chilling sound, a crack appeared on the blade.

“If you spare my younger sister, I will become the loyal sword of the Duke’s Mansion.”

With the sword’s tip planted on the ground, I bowed my head as if submitting myself before a deity.

A heavy silence pervaded the hall. It was hard to predict what emotions were in Caesar’s eyes as he looked down at me.

“Ugh, cough!”

Aria, who stirred in my arms, coughed up blood again.

‘Please.’

I bit my lips to the point of bleeding. Her body, which had calmed somewhat, began to tremble anew. I turned Aria’s head, ensuring the blood wouldn’t flow back down her throat.

“Cough! Kur cough!”

“Duke, please…!”

I crawled desperately toward Caesar, pale at seeing Aria spitting blood, and clung to him. This was all I could do.

“I am a sword master! I have wielded a sword all my life! If you take me in, I can be of great use!”

“Of great use?”

Caesar’s response, incredulous, came as disbelief. The whispers of the servants followed in sequence.

‘Is it hitting home?’

Thinking that he might be interested, I nodded my head fervently.

“Yes! I learned swordsmanship by being trampled by monsters! I’m skilled in actual combat and truly confident in monster hunting! If you command me, I could charge into battle as a meat shield!”

“A meat shield…”

Caesar’s voice grew dangerously cold, yet I was so blinded by desperation that I didn’t notice.

If he would just give me a sword, I was confident I could survive going into battle as a meat shield alone. I might return half-dead, but for Aria’s sake, I could endure that much.

Even with my desperate pleas, Caesar showed no firm response. Cornered, I clung to his shoes.

“Duke, please… I can truly be of use. If you just let Aria live, I will forever be the loyal sword of the Crisis Duchy. I don’t intend to overstep and take the name of Crisis! I will be a dog exclusively for Crisis, and if you command me to die, I will die…”

Tears welled up again. Amidst my fading vision, I caught a glimpse of the Duke of Crisis and the servants’ shoes.

My figure, kneeling before so many, reflected on the clean marble.

‘I want to die.’

It was wretched and pathetic. But for Aria, I would kneel a thousand, ten thousand more times, no matter how worthless and cheap it made me feel.

I raised my tear-filled eyes, desperately looking at Caesar. His expression was unreadable.

My father.

“Please… save Aria…”

My voice cracked desperately.

Yet still, Caesar remained silent.