I Became a Crazy Swordsmanship Instructor in the Game

Chapter 49:

Late into the following night, Phillip received an unexpected visit from Stella, the chief of the Shadow Cat tribe. She slipped into his bedroom unnoticed, and gracefully knelt before him.

“While investigating the Count Eloy family as you requested, we’ve made significant progress.”

“Already?” Phillip’s surprise was evident. Achieving results so quickly either indicated the Eloy family’s lack of vigilance or the extraordinary capabilities of the Shadow Cat Tribe.

“We were fortunate. One of the informants held captive by Crescent revealed the identity of a former servant in the Eloy household. He was known to have been an assassin several years ago. We promptly pursued him, and that’s how we came across the information you sought.”

Stella was clad in a form-fitting leather outfit. Through the opening in her clothes, she extracted a hidden piece of paper, momentarily revealing more of her body. Nevertheless, Phillip remained composed.

“Here it is.”

As she handed him the document, her eyes narrowed slightly.

‘How is it that your composure remains unfazed?’

Though Phillip was a young man known for his self-discipline, it was only natural for any man to notice a woman’s body. Yet, he showed no reaction, not even a flicker in his eyes.

‘Does his mental strength transcend imagination? No, that can’t be it…’

After carefully reviewing the document, Phillip asked in astonishment, “… Seriously, how did you manage to obtain this?”

The contents of the document were shocking. It bore the seal of Count Eloy and was an assassination request made to Crescent.

As Phillip read the name of the target, he touched his forehead and let out a deep sigh.

“Altaire Eloy… This is the Count’s wife’s name.”

“That servant seems to have found his own path after Crescent’s disbandment. Given his background as an ex-assassin, we anticipated he’d be discarded quickly. However, it led us to something valuable.”

“More than valuable. While it may not be enough to bring down Count Eloy on its own, it holds the potential to be a devastating trigger.”

Phillip marveled at the audacity of the plan to assassinate the wife who had royal blood flowing through her veins.

“Why would anyone put their faith in such absurdity? How many implausible feats is he attempting to achieve?”

It was a perplexing move that defied common sense.

From the very beginning, the link with the princess had not followed a conventional path. Amidst it all, if the princess were to meet her demise, the king would never tolerate it.

They would even be determined to exact revenge on Count Eloy, even if it meant temporarily withdrawing from their confrontation with the demonic forces in the north. If they weren’t dealing with demons, this would have happened much earlier.

‘Why would he seek to marry the princess, secure the position of the Western Count, and subject me to pressure, all while attempting to assassinate their own wife?’

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There was nothing substantial to be gained by needlessly provoking Phillip. Using Bleuhan’s broken leg as a pretext to declare war officially against the Oswald family held little weight.

‘… It’s fascinating. I often feel so burdened that I wish to die, yet when I see how well I’ve managed to survive until now, I can’t help but wonder about the extent of my luck.’

‘That’s true.’

Neria mumbled. As Phillip silently responded in his mind, he was struck by a peculiar thought.

“… What if everything I’ve done thus far was not to achieve success, but rather to incite chaos?”

“… What do you mean?”

Stella looked at Phillip with curiosity, having overheard his murmurings.

‘I must meet the Countess as soon as possible.’

Phillip made up his mind.

* * *

It was a street in the city of ‘Paloam,’ approximately three hours away by carriage from the Academy.

Felicia playfully punched Phillip’s shoulder. Though it wasn’t a forceful blow, Phillip winced, feigning pain as he lowered his head.

“… You make my life so complicated. Really.”

“I apologize. But I must meet her.”

As Phillip anticipated, Felicia had maintained a friendly relationship with Countess Altaire Eloy, the former princess and current wife of the Count. They met at the designated spot a few times each month, and that was sufficient.

Eventually, he convinced his sister and arranged a meeting with Altaire Eloy. 

Phillip was entirely in disguise.

He donned a robe that wasn’t a cadet uniform, but loose enough to blend in. He even wore glasses, and with the aid of makeup, his appearance transformed, leaving no trace of any sharpness but instead presenting him as a gentle and handsome scholarly gentleman.

“Out of respect for the profound admiration and affection I hold for her, I hope you do not commit any breaches of etiquette.”

“What image do you have of me, anyway?”

“What image? Perhaps that of a troublemaker who recently dealt a severe blow to a young student, leaving them bedridden.”

Phillip and Felicia strolled through the unfamiliar streets of the city, engrossed in conversation. As Felicia had mentioned, Altaire Eloy occasionally visited a tea shop situated in the shopping district.

“Here it is. The princess is probably here ahead of us.”

As Felicia remarked, the door of the tea shop, a place where nobility or a princess should be seen, was closed. However, there were indications of activity inside, suggesting they had reserved the entire place.

“… Huh?”

Philip stood in front of the tea shop like a statue. The aura inside was secretive. It was a kind of presence that only those who were highly sensitive could feel, and he looked at Felicia with a stern expression.

“Huh? Why?”

“Is it possible that Princess Altaire is a strong warrior?”

“What are you talking about? Did you eat something wrong?”

Felicia poked Philip’s cheek with her finger, meaning for him to come to his senses. Philip then opened the tea shop door.

‘No, I definitely felt it.’

In the center of the small tea shop with only about eight tables, there sat a beautiful woman in a dress, accompanied by a middle-aged man who seemed like her escort.

The woman elegantly sipped her tea and looked at Philip and Felicia.

“Come in. You look lovely. How long has it been since we last met?”

“Half a year, Your Highness. It’s great to see you again.”

Felicia’s expression brightened. Philip realized that the woman was Princess Altaire Eloy.

“Please sit, don’t stand. I’ve been really looking forward to meeting you. Is this your younger brother next to you?”

“Yes, Philip. Please say hello.”

Altaire Eloy, who was close to forty but looked young and beautiful enough to pass for someone in her twenties. Besides, there was something special about her, which made her seem like a main character of a tragedy.

“I saw you when you were still a baby. Back then, I was just a young girl myself. I can’t believe how quickly time has passed.”

“… You still look young. If my sister hadn’t told me in advance, I might have mistaken you for her substitute.”

Philip’s soft and gentle voice had a genuinely charming effect. Altaire Eloy nodded with great satisfaction.

“You’ve charmed the young ladies with your way of speaking. If I weren’t already married, I might have fallen for you too. So, you said you wanted to meet me. What are you curious about?”

After taking a deep breath, Philip opened his mouth with a deeply tense expression.

“… Why do you spare the life of Count Eloy?”

“What are you saying, Philip?”

Felicia was taken aback by that question. She glared at Philip as if she could kill him, but noticing Altaire’s nonchalant reaction, she widened her eyes in surprise.

Altaire Eloy looked at Philip with an interesting gaze. Philip felt pressure from her stare and gulped nervously.

“You’re stronger than our Senior Professor. Does that make any sense?”

The strength he felt from her was at least beyond that of Emil Phanoy.

“I thought our pretty girl would be the first to figure it out. You were already sensing it, weren’t you?”

“At first, I thought it was the presence of the escort standing next to you, but it didn’t feel right. Now that I’m facing you directly, I’m sure. Is Countess an Aura Master?”

“Before I answer your question, can I ask you one first?”

“Of course, please do.”

Altaire Eloy raised her elegant eyebrow and inquired with subtle lip movements, “Are you, by any chance, affiliated with the Sword Saint Guild?’

“No, I am not. I have no desire to join such a group of lunatics.”

Philip promptly responded, seemingly pleasing Altaire Eloy.

The expression on Altaire’s face softened as she covered her mouth and chuckled. 

“You truly intrigue me. Yes, you asked if I am an Aura Master, correct? Indeed, it has been over a decade since I attained that level. As for why I spared Count Eloy’s life, it’s rather straightforward. He must not be allowed to die.”

Felicia struggled to follow the conversation between Philip and Altaire.

“… I’ll excuse myself for a moment.”

Altaire gently restrained her, saying, “No need, my dear. Your brother is truly remarkable. I thought I concealed it well for twenty years… It’s not like he realized it because I leaked my aura; he must have said he wanted to meet me because there was something suspicious.”

“Count Eloy’s actions were far too peculiar. It seemed as if he was forcing matters. So, I shadowed him discreetly, and this is what I discovered.”

Philip handed Altaire Eloy a request form bearing his name. After reading it, Altaire Eloy smirked.

“You managed to find something like this.”

“As soon as I saw it, I had a feeling. I believed that if the Countess was harmed, Your Majesty wouldn’t overlook it this time. There’s no way Count didn’t make my guess. Even so, requesting the assassination was a move that was too reckless.”

After a brief pause, Philip continued, “Now, even the process of becoming the Count seems like a reckless gamble, with little regard for the future. Doubts began to surface. Perhaps Count Eloy’s goal was rather a failure I thought. It fit well when I considered it, and the only person who could obstruct it was the Countess.”

Altaire Eloy’s eyes widened in surprise as she praised, “You are an exceptionally talented individual.”

“… Truth be told, until I sensed the Countess’s aura, it was all mere unfounded delusions.”

“I wanted to see how much our charming one had improved. Yes. Since things have unfolded this way, allow me to share the story from 18 years ago. It might be a bit lengthy.”

After dabbing her lips with some lukewarm tea, Altaire Eloy continued, “Have you ever heard of an organization called Genesis Society?”

——-

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