NOVEL NEXT chapter 25
25 – Please Endure! Endure!
A sword. My brother. Our cute little brother, even when he was young, even as he grew up.
Whenever I close my eyes, I recall the times when he would run to me saying, ‘Nunaaa,’ and cling to me.
He was so adorable that he was more loved than our father or mother.
As time passed, and even though he grew a head taller than me, he was still just a sword.
I can’t imagine how much my heart sank when I heard he had enlisted as a soldier out of the blue.
It’s not something he should get hurt in. Please, I wish he had just given up and come back.
No matter what it took, I wanted to pull him out of the training camp and keep him by my side.
Meanwhile, Father, without knowing my feelings, simply said, ‘Son, be strong!’
Mother, respecting Kal’s decision, tried to show a reassuring appearance.
Ultimately, Princess Hwangnyeo even pleaded, ‘Please endure it,’ so I endured.
At first, I thought I would be fine. But then, the war broke out right after.
The militant faction of the elves. Mapa. Luzence. They were up to no good.
And, tragically, it was our Kal who went out in that war.
From then until the end of the war, I was haunted by nightmares for almost three years.
Every time I heard Kal calling me ‘Nuna,’ I woke up drenched in sweat.
Is he eating well? Did he get seriously hurt anywhere? Every day was hell.
As time passed, the war finally ended. And Kal’s suffering came to an end.
I also stopped having nightmares. Finally, my brother came back.
Then one day, quite unexpectedly, Princess Hwangnyeo, who had become close, delivered some news.
“Your brother. He’s going to be decorated with an honor medal. Rika.”
I was shocked. What on earth does that mean? Why our Kal?
I found out that he had achieved something incredible and kept it a secret.
At first, I was a bit upset, but soon I understood. Kal must have had his reasons for doing so.
My job was to hug my hardworking brother and tell him he did well.
However, our talented younger brother made another significant contribution after receiving the medal.
He thwarted a train kidnapping, an incident that could have easily escalated into terrorism.
In a brief moment, he subdued the elves of Lucens and rescued numerous individuals.
Once the news of Karl’s exploits spread, everyone applauded for our younger brother.
It was good. It was happiness. I was overjoyed that our Karl had become such an outstanding person.
Though it was a bit disappointing that he didn’t share more details about the incident…
However, to our dear brother, to our incredibly remarkable Karl.
“Even if you chew on him, it wouldn’t be enough! That scum! Did he call himself Karl?! I will curse him to death even in the afterlife! Disgusting offspring of the empire! An enemy who slaughtered his own kind! Rot in hell!”
“…?”
A moment later.
After coming to my senses, I found myself arranging flowers for the gnomes.
*
To cut to the chase, the perpetrators of the train kidnapping and attempted terrorism spilled everything.
From their names, ages, and addresses to the reasons behind their targets and the approximate command structure.
Why they volunteered for such a task and the entire process leading up to this point!
‘They even proudly revealed the color of their underwear, adding a touch of humor, huh?’
When Sister Ricata asked one question, they automatically answered with enthusiasm.
I wanted to do more, but since I didn’t know anything, I just trembled uncontrollably.
“Is that all? Nothing more?”
“Yes, yes! There really is nothing more! I swear!”
“Hmm.”
“I-I’m sorry! I apologize! Spare us, please. Spare us!”
So, when responding with a smile, it’s good to be careful. If the special forces agent had sensed the atmosphere when speaking so kindly, this wouldn’t have happened.
At the very least, don’t curse in front of your sister. It makes me unnecessarily sorry.
“Alright. This should be sufficient. Oh, that thing stuck in your shoulders. Can I take it out for you?”
“Eh? This, this thing? Us, really?”
As the gnomes questioned, my sister glanced at them, and they replied confidently, ‘We’ll give it to you!’ and respectfully handed over the daggers that were stuck in their shoulders.
Even though it must have hurt, they couldn’t even scream properly.
With a look of relief that seemed to say, “I’m alive!” she sighed deeply.
Once again, the proverb crossed her mind: “A gun and a good word are more effective than just a good word.”
“As expected, the Queen of Blades….” Meanwhile, Eloise, with an expression of admiration, was mumbling something.
Hey, enough with that title. Even if it’s another world, it keeps bothering me.
And the image of our sister’s hair turning into a horse’s tail is something I’d rather not imagine!
Creak―
“Karl, Nuna’s here!”
“Uh, uh… I’m here, sister?”
It almost caused cognitive dissonance, but if that happens, it will surely be irritating… Let it go! Endure it!
Think positively. It’s better than uttering the famous phrase, “Come. Karl. Quickly.”
“But it’s fortunate that those swamp guys aren’t completely incommunicado.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. I’ve seen guys who really couldn’t communicate. At first, I gave them a lot of chances, but those who won’t talk won’t talk no matter how many chances you give.”
“….”
Maybe those hundred chances I gave were the right thing. I glanced at Eloise next to me, a sly wink to confirm if my thoughts were correct.
Then she, who seemed to know our sister better than I did, closed her eyes and nodded.
Nod―
…It seems what I thought is correct. She really gave those hundred chances, not just twice?
The title “Queen of Blades” wasn’t coined for nothing.
I should listen to my sister more from now on. I’ve always listened well, but now I have to listen even more.
Whether I get married or not, if I have a child, I’ll warn them to be polite to their aunt, if she becomes one.
I want to avoid the future of a hedgehog, whether I become a parent or a child.
“Ugh, ugh.”
“I-I’m alive….”
Meanwhile, the two swamp guys were leaving the interrogation room, blood flowing from both shoulders.
Although they looked terribly hurt, the relief of being alive seemed to outweigh the pain.
“Are you okay, sister?”
“Huh? What’s going on, Karl?”
“Well… They said it was an inspection, but having a dagger stuck in my shoulder is a bit…”
She was part of the Special Operations Execution Unit, but not currently active—retired.
So, it could be seen as a noble intervening in official duties, turning ‘prisoners’ into ‘interrogation subjects,’ considering her background.
“Oh, don’t worry. The Special Forces side labeled it as a ‘minor incident caused by excessive resistance from the inspection targets during the inspection.'”
“Really? That works?”
“You know where my sister used to work. Since I’m familiar with both sides, there are many people here I’ve known since then. Naturally, they hold high positions. That’s how they cover for each other!”
“…”
“They said they would take care of it, so our Karl doesn’t have to worry about anything. Hehehe! But seriously, why was my sister so worried? Huh? Come on. Does our Karl like my sister that much?”
He does like her sister. Where else can you find someone who treats their younger brother so horrifically?
But, sister, everything is fine, so could you please refrain from the excessive doting?
I’m turning 50 the day after tomorrow. I’ve even been to the military, received a medal…
“Licata Adelheit.”
As I worry that she might embrace and give me a peck on the cheek.
Right on cue, Eloise calls for my sister and extends her right hand.
“Thanks to you, it was a great help. I was confident they would eventually make a move, but I never imagined it would be so soon. It saved me the trouble of looking for them.”
Despite appearing as an elf wearing tattered clothes, Eloise is the leader of the Hygens Extermination Unit.
In simple terms, an elf in a position similar to our sister in the past.
It’s obvious who the target will be when a woman like her says, “I’m going to find them.”
“Well, Eloise Loengran. The sooner Hygens catches the remnants, the faster peace will come to the Empire.”
“My brother is a medalist, and my sister is no slouch either.”
“Thank you. It’s not easy on your side either, so don’t be too disheartened.”
Eloise extends her hand, and my sister shakes it.
The handshake of the Blade Queen and the perverted elf… No, no. No, it’s not that. Former and current agents’ handshake.
It started a bit awkwardly, but now there’s something connecting them. A kind of camaraderie—
“By the way, just curious. Can I have Karl?”
“Get lost, you crazy nymph.”
“Ahaha! How about a half-elf niece then?”
“How about I split you in half right here?”
“Aw, come on! Can’t even make a joke! Hehehe!”
Since I have obtained everything I need, Éloïse declares that she will go and check and then return first, disappearing. It feels like something swept through like a storm. Strangely, I’m more exhausted than when I prevented the train incident.
Staring blankly at the sight of Éloïse disappearing, my sister calls my name from beside me.
“Karl.”
“Yeah, sis. You called?”
“Should I bury it all, regardless of the consequences?”
“…Huh?”
“That Kämpf. It seems like it’s going to become quite troublesome. Just say the word.”
So, she means assassinating the Hizens Division Commander… right now?
“Hold on, sis. Please.”
“If our Karl says so, then there’s no choice.”
Is she not doing it because of diplomatic issues or her own safety concerns, but because I told her not to?
“…But still, asking you to do something about the Kämpf issue, isn’t that crossing the line?”
“Oh. A bit!”