Sword Emperor, Becoming the Young Lady of a Viscount House

Chapter 48: The Suspicious Girl (5)

"Young Lady, where are you off to this time?"

"...The indigestion has passed."

"Your recovery speed is impressive."

Beatrice hastily fled.

She thought it would be easy, but seeing Miya crying her heart out made her uneasy.

[Wise choice. There is nothing scarier than a crying child.]

However.

"Beatrice! Where do you think you're going?"

Beatrice was caught by Seria.

"Ha! Were you seriously trying to run away because you didn't want to babysit?"

The knight watching the scene laughed heartily.

Beatrice bit her lip slightly.

"Please... save me."

"...."

She simply couldn't ignore Seria's desperate plea.

Beatrice had a naturally kind heart.

"...Alright."

'This is better than straining my wrist.'

She decided to stick to her original plan.

Her wrist still tingled and throbbed. If she fought any longer, she would be risking further injury.

"Monsters ahead!"

An urgent voice rang out from the front.

Although Beatrice was stationed at the rear, the monster was so large that it could be seen from her position.

'A Lycan.'

The monster was a creature Beatrice recognized.

A Lycan.

Where she was from, they were also called "werewolves."

Their wolf-like appearance and massive size, exceeding 4 meters, were distinctive features.

However, they weren't particularly difficult to deal with if one knew the proper methods.

Judging by the knights' skills, they could easily handle it.

Even the cadets could take it down without much trouble if they worked together.

While it was a mildly intriguing situation that she wanted to observe—

"Waaaah! Waaah! I'm scared, sister..."

Miya's loud crying made it impossible to concentrate.

"It's alright. The knights are incredibly strong, so Miya is safe."

Seria lowered herself to Miya's eye level and comforted her.

"Really...?"

Miya blinked her large eyes. Her eyes were red from crying so much.

"Of course! Besides, you see this sister here? She's super strong. If any monsters threaten Miya, she'll punish them."

"Wow...! Is sister strong?"

Miya looked at Beatrice with a bright smile.

Crossing her arms, Beatrice nodded solemnly.

"Very strong."

[Are you boasting to a 10-year-old?]

'I never lie.'

[...Impressive, young Beatrice.]

'So you only realized that now? Gods aren't much, after all.'

[....]

"How strong? This much?"

Miya stretched her arms wide. However, Beatrice was not satisfied.

She shook her head firmly and pointed at the sky.

"That much."

"Gasp...! As strong as the sky?"

Miya's eyes widened in disbelief.

Seria watched the scene, feeling proud and thinking, 'They get along surprisingly well.'

Despite initial reluctance, Beatrice was playing along quite nicely.

"That's amazing!"

"Yes. I am amazing."

'...But this feels a bit childish.'

Boasting in front of a 10-year-old did seem somewhat absurd.

-Crrraaaack!

At that moment, a deafening howl echoed from the front.

Beatrice tilted her head and looked ahead.

The enormous Lycan was collapsing.

It seemed they had successfully subdued it.

"Wow, the rookies pulled it off."

"Was it the cadets who defeated it?"

"My comrades stood around watching idly. It was entirely the cadets who took it down."

'Looks like they understood my instructions. Remarkable kids.'

It seemed her stern words from earlier had worked.

Those unpolished cadets had actually taken down a Lycan.

The news filled her with satisfaction.

'Good. Keep growing. That way, you'll be somewhat useful.'

Beatrice hoped the cadets would gain experience and grow rapidly—like bean sprouts.

**

With the obstacle removed, the hunting party resumed its journey.

As they passed the slain Lycan up front, Miya muttered absentmindedly.

It wasn't a pleasant sight for a child.

Beatrice grabbed Miya's arm and spoke.

"The wolf is pitiful..."

Miya crouched down and stared at the dead wolf.

Beatrice frowned and turned to Seria.

"Seria, cover Miya's eyes. This isn't something a child should see."

The corpse was gruesome.

It was not appropriate for a child.

"Miya, come here."

"...But, the wolf is so pitiful."

At that moment, Beatrice had a sudden thought.

'How can a child who cried out of fear of monsters talk so calmly while looking at such a brutal corpse?'

Just as she was pondering the peculiarity—

"Ahhh!"

"...!"

A sudden attack came.

It was Adam.

Beatrice swiftly drew her sword to block it.

-Clang!

A terrible screech of metal rang out.

Deflecting the sword with one motion, Beatrice quickly advanced and delivered a powerful blow to Adam's abdomen.

"Urgh-!"

"You bastard—"

Beatrice grabbed Adam by the collar and landed a couple of punches.

Infused with mana, the strikes left Adam's face a complete mess in no time.

"What are you trying to pull?"

Beatrice glared coldly.

Her anger wasn't just because of the ambush.

'This scumbag aimed for Miya, not me.'

Even if he fooled others, he couldn't fool her.

Adam's sword strike had been aimed squarely at Miya's neck.

...Had she not blocked it, Miya's neck would have been severed.

Pinned under Beatrice's foot, Adam groaned in pain and spat out his words.

"That girl... She's a witch. A witch, I tell you!"

Beatrice frowned.

"What?"

She lifted her foot, thinking she needed to hear more.

Adam coughed and staggered, pointing a trembling finger at Miya.

"A witch...! Last night, she tempted me. No doubt about it!"

"Beatrice! What's going on?"

The commotion drew Reiser over.

Beatrice, however, replayed Adam's words in her mind.

—A witch. She's a witch!

The expression on his face as he said it was as if he'd seen a ghost.

A witch.

That term likely meant...

'A black mage?'

[Typically, black mages are referred to as witches.]

Her guess was correct.

Adam was accusing Miya of being a black mage.

A mere 10-year-old girl.

"Last night, she asked me if I wanted to become stronger. That was...! The whisper of a demon!"

"Calm down. What are you talking about?"

"Didn't I tell you? That girl approached me last night and proposed something! She claimed she had a way to make me stronger and that I could kill Beatrice if I listened to her!"

Reiser looked at Miya in shock.

"Sc-Scary..."

Miya, frightened by everyone staring and whispering about her, hid behind Beatrice.

Beatrice calmly asked, "Miya, is that true?"

"I've never done that...! I don't even know that man!"

-Sniff.

Tears welled up in Miya's eyes, making her appear utterly harmless.

It was difficult to believe she could be a black mage.

Adam's claims seemed to lack credibility.

But Beatrice continued to gaze at Miya with a cold, calculating look.

'Solid. What do you sense?'

[...Nothing at all.]

'What are the chances of you failing to detect a black mage if Miya were one?'

[If that were the case...]

[It would require someone far above your current level of mana mastery.]

Beatrice knew it was realistically impossible for a 10-year-old to possess more mana than her.

"Use your common sense. Hey, rookie. How could a little kid like that use black magic?"

One knight waved dismissively at Adam's words.

"It's true! I'll stake my entire honor on it!"

Adam shouted, veins bulging in his neck.

"Waaaaah! Scary! That man is scary!"

In the midst of it all, Miya burst into tears.

Adam was yelling about witches, the child was crying, and chaos reigned.

"What on earth is this..."

"...I don't know much about black magic, but one thing's clear."

Beatrice glared coldly at Adam.

"Your behavior right now is anything but normal."

If he had suspicions, he could have voiced them confidently.

But attacking to kill out of nowhere?

'Is this what they call a witch hunt?'

Unfortunately, Adam seemed unfit to lead such a frenzy.

If it had been someone like Gareth or Argos, perhaps people might have been swayed.

"If you truly believed that, you should have consulted us.

Instead of suddenly trying to kill Miya.

Why? Why did you attack her out of the blue?"

-Step.

Beatrice approached Adam.

He panicked and stammered, "S-She kept talking to me!

She whispered to me, invading my thoughts, threatening me endlessly.

Even now...! She says she'll kill me if I don't listen to her.

I feel like I'm going mad. Please, believe me, Beatrice."

He clutched his head in agony.

"...Perhaps he is under the influence of black magic."

"This is also black magic?"

"I've heard black magic isn't just about reviving the dead; it can also perform mental attacks on living beings.

It's hard to believe that girl is a black mage, but maybe he's been cursed by black magic."

"No! I'm still fine!"

"And how can you be so sure?"

Doubt and unease began to spread among the group.

"So, Reiser. How should someone afflicted by black magic be dealt with?"

"...They must be killed. Black magic is contagious."

"...That can't be...! No, no! I'm fine! I'm normal!

Why won't you believe me? Who has been with you this whole time?

And who's this suspicious stranger?

She's clearly the suspicious one! Trust me—!"

"Waaaaah!"

Miya cried so hard she seemed ready to faint.

One question loomed in everyone's minds.

'Who should we trust?'

Adam's words made sense.

He was the one they had traveled with and considered a comrade.

On the other hand, Miya, though she seemed cute and harmless on the surface, was a stranger.

A foreign presence that appeared out of nowhere.

Moreover, Adam was a noble.

Not from a prominent lineage, but a noble nonetheless.

Miya, on the other hand, was not even a commoner; she was a slash-and-burn villager.

Essentially, a serf.

Comparing the words of a noble and a serf seemed pointless.

Yet Adam's frenzied appearance and the girl's innocent demeanor made it hard to take sides.

As everyone hesitated, looking back and forth between Adam and Miya—

"I-I have an idea!"

Seria cried out urgently.

All eyes turned to her.

Seria swallowed hard and spoke.

"I heard that holy power is the antithesis of black magic...

And I happen to have a few vials of holy water in my bag.

If we have them drink it, we should find out, right?"

"Y-Yes! Holy water! Let them drink it!

That girl will surely vomit blood and die!"

"Waaaaah!"

Beatrice silently took the holy water from Seria.

'Is Seria's claim true?'

[It is accurate. Black magic is extremely weak against holy power.

If someone consumes holy water, it will clearly reveal the truth.]

So it was.

Beatrice nodded and approached the girl first.

"Beatrice! Let me have one."

She lightly tossed a vial of holy water to Reiser.

The small glass vial appeared ordinary, like clear water.

"Miya. Will you drink this?"

Miya glanced at the holy water and whimpered.

"Sniff. I don't want to..."

She refused immediately.

Beatrice calmly continued.

"If you drink this, I'll punish the scary man who's frightening you."

"Punish...? That strange man?"

"Yes. I promise."

Miya extended her small hand.

Beatrice handed her the holy water.

At that moment—

-Flinch.

'...What is this?'

[Beatrice. This child...]

'I know.'

Beatrice fixed her gaze intently on Miya, as if realizing something.

"Alright... Miya's scared, but she'll be brave."

Miya, holding the holy water, swallowed it with her innocent, wide eyes.

"......"

A moment of silence.

The group watched anxiously, their eyes darting between Miya and Adam.

The reaction was immediate.

-Gurgle.

"Tie the cadet up!"

"Urgh...! Ack."

Adam coughed up blood and collapsed.

It was an undeniable reaction to black magic.

Despite his agony, he pointed at Miya and shouted.

"No... It's not me!

It's her! That girl!

She's the witch—!"

"Silence. Any further resistance, and you will be executed immediately."

"...!"

"Bring the ropes!"

In the chaos of knights retrieving ropes, Beatrice kept her focus solely on Miya.

"...Are you alright?"

"Yes! Miya is fine."

Beatrice's golden eyes fixed on Miya's small frame.

They looked like the eyes of a god piercing through the truth.

"Of course."

She stroked the hilt of her sword.

"You must have used a suppression device to restrain your mana."

-Slash!

Miya's body was split in half.