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I Kidnapped the Hero’s Women Chapter 191

The Sword that Cuts the Past (8)

“Becoming a Sword Master is the key. To be more precise, once you learn to wield Aura, the rest will naturally follow.”
“What…? Your Majesty…?”

 

Sylvia’s jaw dropped.

Empress Sister, smiling faintly, continued.

 

“What do you think Aura is?”
“It’s something shiny and sparkly!”
“Pfft… Well, that’s not entirely wrong. Since the essence of Aura hasn’t been fully defined, any interpretation can be considered correct.”

 

Charlotte’s bold answer made Empress Sister burst out laughing, though her expression quickly turned strict and composed when she looked in my direction.

…Why do I feel so unjustly treated?

 

“However, one common trait of those who wield Aura is that their method of sensing mana changes.”
“Sensing… mana?”
“Normally, mana generated within the body is consumed as fuel, the only way it could be utilized. But with Aura, energy is created through a cycle of inhaling and exhaling mana both internally and externally. This essentially opens a new method of handling mana.”
“Then… does that mean…!”
“Yes. Aura can replace the function of damaged mana-sensing organs destroyed by mana erosion. So, if you awaken your Aura and become a Sword Master, your youthful… no, your current condition will naturally return to normal. I’ve experienced it firsthand, so no further guarantees should be necessary.”
“…!”

 

Sylvia’s eyes sparkled with hope, and her face lit up.
So becoming a Sword Master was the answer.

Awaken Aura, and the problem resolves itself.

A simple solution, yet simplicity does not equate to ease.

 

If Sylvia hasn’t become a Sword Master yet, it’s not because she lacked the desire.

Even after pouring sweat and blood into her training, she had yet to reach that level.

 

“Thank you so much, Your Majesty! Thanks to you, I now have a clear direction!”

 

Even so, Sylvia was overjoyed to the point of tears, far from feeling discouraged.

To her, who had been in a fog without a clear path forward, it must feel as though the road ahead had finally become visible.

At least now, she knew which direction to focus her efforts.

 

“Good. Put in your best effort. If you wish, I can assign the Captain of the Knights to guide your training.”
“I am deeply grateful, but… I will accomplish this through my own strength from here on.”
“…”

 

Empress Sister seemed momentarily taken aback by Sylvia’s firm response but soon smiled faintly and stood up.

 

“Do as you wish. Now, could you step outside for a moment? I have something I wish to discuss privately with Count Vermont.”
“Oh, yes… Of course.”
“It was wonderful seeing you again, Your Majesty… Sister!”

 

Sylvia left the office with Charlotte, Julia, and Yuri.

Empress Sister waved with an angelic smile until they disappeared from sight.

But the moment the door closed, her expression turned cold, sending chills down my spine.

 

“You sly man. Using the fact that I’m weak to children against me. I was happily wondering what you’d ask for in return for the favor I just granted…”
“I had no intention of exploiting you. You’re welcome to demand compensation, if you wish.”
“Enough! I’d rather die than take back my word once it’s been spoken!”

 

Empress Sister crossed her arms and turned her head sharply, clearly sulking.

Even though she was the one who melted under Sylvia’s charm and waived the debt, now she was taking it out on me.

 

Still, since Empress Sister seemed genuinely upset, I decided to appease her a bit.

 

“Please, Your Majesty, don’t be like that. Tell me what it is you wish for. I owe you so much already; it’s the least I can do.”
“I haven’t even repaid you for cleaning up Reinhardt’s mess, yet now I owe you even more. It’s absurd!”
“Adding a little more to that debt wouldn’t make much difference, would it? Please, just tell me.”
“Flattery… You’re making me reconsider whether I should keep you as a vassal. Sweet talkers like you should be kept at a distance.”

 

Empress Sister shuddered as though disgusted, then let out a deep sigh before speaking again.

 

“I want you to find someone.”
“If it’s a matter of locating someone, wouldn’t the Imperial forces be better suited for the task…?”
“Not if they’re a member of the Vermont family.”
“…!”

 

Empress Sister was searching for someone from the Vermont family?
Could it be that my sister had caused some kind of trouble?

No, there’s no way that angelic woman would have done anything wrong…
I swallowed nervously, my throat dry.

 

“If they’re from the Vermont family, most of them scattered across the country after my father’s execution. If they were born before that, their name should at least appear in the family records. I can look into it and provide you with a list.”
“I don’t have much information. All I know is that, eight years ago, they were a young, well-groomed adult male with a strikingly unpleasant and rough face—so much so that children would instinctively recoil from him. Ah! He looked just like you!”
“…Is there any other clue?”
“That’s it. At the time, I was struggling to adapt to inheriting the Royal Treasure, and he helped me. I’ve been searching for him ever since, but I’ve yet to uncover his identity.”

 

The Royal Treasure… could she mean the Spirit’s Eye?

It seemed Empress Sister received help from a member of the Vermont family during the time she acquired the Spirit’s Eye.

 

“Since the details are so vague, I’ll comb through the family records and provide a list of names that fit the age range. Fortunately, our family isn’t particularly large, so there shouldn’t be too many names.”

“Alright. That will suffice.”
“But how did you know that the person is from the Vermont family?”
“Hmm… I have my ways.”
“…?”

 

Empress Sister glanced at my sleeve and smiled.
The crest of Vermont embroidered on my sleeve?

Could it be that she deduced it from that back then as well?
Her mysterious smile left me puzzled.

 

“By the way, about your knight.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“That person… could they already be at the level of a Sword Master?”
“…?”

 

Empress Sister asked with a serious expression.

At first, I thought it was a joke, but there was no hint of humor in her demeanor.
Why was she asking something like that?

 

“Just to confirm, is the awakening of Aura the definitive criterion for becoming a Sword Master?”
“That is correct.”
“Then Sylvia is clearly not at the level of a Sword Master. She has not yet awakened Aura.”
“That can’t be… How peculiar. From what I observed, her spirit, posture, and everything else were flawless. She seemed like someone who could unleash Aura at any moment. Above all, it’s strange that she declined the guidance of the Captain of the Royal Knights. The process of awakening Aura varies greatly from person to person, so receiving guidance from another Sword Master is often meaningless. Yet, she already seemed to understand that…”

 

Empress Sister tilted her head, clicking her tongue repeatedly.
Given her evaluation through the Spirit’s Eye, it had to be accurate.

It was a testament to Sylvia’s immense potential as a Sword Master.

 

She was skilled enough to spar with Reinhardt, a Sword Master, so it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say her abilities were close to that level.

If that’s the case, she might indeed be on the verge of becoming a Sword Master.

It was news that would undoubtedly thrill Sylvia, but I chose not to tell her.

She might grow complacent if she believed she only needed a little more effort.

 

“I’ve also considered her to be a near-Sword Master and have regarded her as such.”
“No, that’s not what I mean. She isn’t just close to being a Sword Master; she’s someone who should have already surpassed that level.”
“…!?”

 

The alarming statement made my heart sink.

Wait a moment. If her skills are already beyond the level of a Sword Master but she still hasn’t awakened Aura… could it be due to external factors rather than her own limitations?

 

For instance, what if an injury to her heart has made it impossible for her to awaken Aura?

If that were the case, it would mean Sylvia could never become a Sword Master.

Anxious thoughts began to swirl in my mind, and cold sweat started to trickle down my back.

 

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I’ll take that into consideration. As for the matter of my family, I’ll look into it and report back to you soon.”
“There’s no need to come back personally. Just send it via mail.”
“Considering the matter of security, wouldn’t it be better to deliver the information in person?”
“If you doubt the security of the Imperial mail system, there’s nothing in the world you can trust. Tch. If you come here, I’ll have to prepare from the morning, postpone my work, and deal with a lot of inconveniences. That’s why I’m telling you to just send it by mail! No more arguing!”
“Understood…”

 

Empress Sister dismissed me as though I was a nuisance.
As I left the office, I couldn’t shake off my confusion.

Why was she suddenly so insistent on handling the matter via mail when she had always encouraged me to visit freely before?

 

Now that I think about it, when I used to visit her office, she would greet me with her hair tied messily, wearing casual clothes, glasses, and dark circles under her eyes from working.

But today, there were no dark circles; her light makeup and neat attire stood out, and she wasn’t even working when she greeted me.

What’s going on?

 

“Could it be… she doesn’t want to show me her bare face anymore…?”

 

Does she want to present a well-groomed appearance to me instead of a fatigued, work-worn face…?

If that’s the case, it would explain everything.

 

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I Kidnapped the Hero’s Women

I Kidnapped the Hero’s Women

용사의 여자들을 납치했다, 저 빌런 아닙니다
Score 7.4
Status: Ongoing Type: , Author: Released: 2024 Native Language: Korean
I’ve possessed the mid-boss who tortures the protagonist and receives true education. Am I crazy? How dare I do such a thing to the person who is supposed to be the protagonist? I even planned to treat all the protagonist’s friends hospitably…   “Everyone, wait for me! I will definitely become stronger and come to save you!”   Oh. Running away.

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