Published: August 1, 2025
A two-part story. A slightly complicated tale.
“Ah... Ms. Kaede, you really are...”
She affirmed it much more easily than I had expected, and I faltered.
In that brief moment of hesitation, Ms. Kaede shoved me away. Had her previously quiet and ladylike demeanor been a façade? She spun around like a startled rabbit—just then, her body floated in the air. Lord Cyrus had reached out and grabbed the back collar of her outfit.
“Ugh!”
Even as she screamed, Lord Cyrus showed no mercy. He pulled her close, wrapping his arm around her neck to restrain her. With one arm he held her firmly, while the other hand gripped his sword—
Ms. Kaede gasped sharply. I shouted,
“Lord Cyrus, no!”
Before I could stop him, his blade was halted much faster than I could react.
It was Mr. Angelo who arrived like a gust of wind and grabbed it.
He grasped the unsheathed blade with his bare hand and stopped it!
“Ah, Mr. Angelo...!”
Though it was a decorative dagger for self-defense with limited killing power, grasping a blade with bare hands wouldn’t end without injury.
Thin streams of red blood dripped from between his fingers. Yet on Mr. Angelo’s face, there was not a trace of pain or fear.
He was a different man from the gentle smiling figure I always knew—his expression was that of an angry demon god, glaring fiercely at Lord Cyrus.
“What are you doing to my lord?”
His voice was calm but clearly furious and low.
Compared to him, Lord Cyrus was much calmer.
“Don’t worry, it’s just a threat. I restrained her so she couldn’t escape, not intending to hurt her.”
“No reason whatsoever justifies this. Threatening a woman with a blade is disgraceful.”
“Let go, or your fingers will fall off!”
“Unlike Mizuho’s katana, Western swords are dull. Their sharpness is secondary; they are meant to stab. They won't sever my fingers.”
“Though blood’s already flowing. Just let go.”
“You drop your sword and step back. My blade is neither a noble’s ornament nor a merchant’s bargaining tool. Anyone who harms Lord Kaede will be cut down without warning.”
“...Oh?”
A murderous intent clouded Lord Cyrus’s eyes. Usually sweet, kind, and beautiful green eyes now gleamed with a malevolent light—
“Stop it, Lord Cyrus!!”
“Stop, Deputy Minister An!”
My voice overlapped with Ms. Kaede’s.
Mr. Angelo obeyed the command immediately, releasing the dagger and showing all five fingers. Then he smiled gently.
“Lord Cyrus is indeed a gentleman. The moment I grasped the blade, it froze still, as if trying not to deepen my wound.”
Indeed, the blade had only grazed the skin. Ms. Kaede jumped onto his hand and wrapped it tightly with a handkerchief. Once done, she lightly tapped his head,
“I keep telling you not to do dangerous things, you foolish samurai, you kill-hungry, death-wishing fool!”
“Ow, sorry about that. Old habits die hard.”
“You’re my bodyguard now! Business isn’t a place for sword clashes as greetings!”
“Usually, a samurai greets with a ‘Good day.’ Permission to cut down without warning happens only when you’re truly fed up.”
“Enough chatter! Just be quiet. I’m talking business now.”
Pushing Mr. Angelo aside, Ms. Kaede cleared her throat and faced Lord Cyrus seriously.
“But you’re impatient too. Pulling a blade on someone so suddenly is dangerous.”
“...She shoved Marie and tried to run. I could have slit her throat then and there.”
“Stop useless threats. The princess behind you looks like she’s about to faint.”
Indeed, my face had gone pale from the men’s struggle and the trickle of blood. Lord Cyrus had noticed too. Sheathing his dagger, he scratched his head and sighed.
“Marie, you said these two are industrial spies, right? Have you found any proof?”
“Well... more like the conditions have aligned rather than outright proof...”
“—Wait. Let’s change locations.”
Just as he started, Ms. Kaede interrupted with a chop. Lord Cyrus’s expression grew more severe for a moment, but the distant sound of children’s voices made him relent.