Chapter 4 – Episode 4. Astrid Is Annoying
Just, tap, tap, just.
Astrid’s fingernails were tapping lightly on the wooden desk.
A red flame was burning in the fireplace covered with layers of wire mesh.
A great empire boasting vast territories, especially the residence of the Duke of Mitterien, which occupied the northern territories.
Although it was a climate where snowstorms raged for more than half of the year, thanks to that fireplace, Astrid’s room was not cold, only warm.
“None either.”
Astrid closed the little booklet she was looking through.
This booklet, with the name Astrid von Mitterien engraved in black on the cover made of well-tanned deerskin, was originally a diary that Astrid had written from time to time, if not every day, from when she was very young and just learned to read.
“Doesn’t exist… Doesn’t exist. Nowhere.”
Astrid opened the drawer and pushed the diary in.
Year after year, dozens of diaries are stacked one after another in a drawer.
Astrid sighed heavily as she pushed the diary she had been reading into the drawer.
10 years ago.
That incident from 10 years ago, which I heard even while returning to the mansion yesterday with his father, Wolfgang.
The more I looked through the diary, the more it became a labyrinth.
Obviously, starting from that incident ten years ago, it was clear that his relationship with Leopold had rapidly deteriorated.
Even in the diary, it was a diary full of girlishness, saying that tomorrow was the day I was going to meet Leopold, and that I wanted to meet him soon, but immediately the next page was changed to something full of hatred, saying that I would definitely kill Leopold.
What the hell happened
Since it was impossible to ask openly, not only the servants but also the nanny were told about it 10 years ago—- she was frightened and shook her head saying she didn’t know anything, so she couldn’t bear to speak further.
If you can know that…
‘I wonder if anything will change.’
Getting along with Leopold?
It wasn’t something I really wanted. Are you getting along better? I? With him? No, it’s an emissary.
I was already not on good terms with Leopold.
It’s a fact that can be easily understood by looking at Astrid’s diary, but the reason why she looked at the diary from time to time was to prevent Leopold from becoming interested in Astrid, that is, turning into a crush.
In other words, it was to prevent Leopold’s feelings from changing from bad to good–
– Troops, be alert!
Astrid’s thoughts were broken by the sound of a powerful command from outside.
When he pulled back his thick blackout curtains and looked outside, he could see the parade ground through the hazy love.
There were times when I thought that the scenery right outside the girl’s room was a parade ground, what kind of bad taste this was, but looking at the diary, it was understandable.
The fact that it was Astrid who always accompanied Wolfgang in the raids of her strangers, and that Astrid was the one who surpassed her Wolfgang, made her laugh.
It seems that there are still raids by foreigners.
She didn’t say that Wolfgang would compete with her, since it’s only been half a year since Astrid woke up from her sick bed, and she’s going to head to the academy next week. Should be, she was worried too.
Astrid slowly turned her gaze to the greatsword hanging right behind her desk.
Even at her length, she was the same as Astrid’s height, and the width of her blade was about the same as Astrid’s waist.
It was so heavy that she wondered if she could lift it with her two hands, but Astrid reached out and grabbed her handle.
Because it has been hanging for a long time, thanks to the warmth in the room, you don’t feel the cold at all.
I grabbed the handle and lifted it up.
Weak weight.
The greatsword, which was only weak and only felt moderately, lightly followed the movement of the hand and drew a trajectory.
The greatsword, which was obviously optimized for actions such as slashing, slashing, and slashing, excluding stabbing actions, shimmered red as it reflected the light of the flames in the fireplace.
‘Divine power… ‘
One of the two blessings of the star that dwells in Astrid, divine power.
The blessing of the stars, which grants the power of a giant, gave Astrid the power to wield this great sword with only one hand, which most people could not hold with two hands.
– Tadak.
Step your left foot forward half a step.
Step your right foot forward wide again.
– Huung.
The greatsword drew a trajectory and cut down from the top to the left.
Then, the left side was combed and the back was cut.
Using the stepping right foot as a pivot, turning the body—-
– Tung.
The greatsword stopped just before it hit the floor.
The greatsword came to a close stop, leaving only the thickness of a book.
The greatsword stopped, but the wind pressure crushed by its weight hit the floor of the room, eliciting a dull echo.
‘Shinmu.’
The second of the two blessings of the star that dwells in Astrid, Goddess.
Like a wild beast roaming the snowfield, instinctive martial arts.
A sense of battle like a ghost where the body moves first without thinking with the head.
The nature of becoming stronger the more you fight is inherent in Astrid.
The best divine protection for a general in a country, both of which resided in Astrid.
However, it is different from the original Astrid.
Not enough for a while
No matter how much the body remembers martial arts, it is of no use if the consciousness cannot support it.
Even if her body remembers basic martial arts, fighting is impossible for Astrid now, whose consciousness is not in harmony.
‘Maybe good… ‘
Astrid’s concerns deepen as she maintains the dangerous sword until just before it touches the floor of the room.
“You seem to be itching, sister.”
At some point, beyond her open door, a man clapping her hands and smiling at her.
Astrid withdrew the greatsword she had swung down and said with an expressionless face.
“Ashley. I told you to knock.”
“I did. Your sister didn’t hear it.”
Having said that, I had nothing to say. He might have been distracted by other things, so Astrid didn’t say anything more.
“So, the business is.”
A man one head taller than Astrid strode into the room.
The iron greave approached with a clattering sound.
The man standing in front of Astrid.
Short cut hair and thick cuts across the face.
The man, reminiscent of a black bear, with a huge body that looked like two Astrids standing side by side, was smiling at Astrid.
“Another intrusion. It’s about to go out, but I was wondering if my sister would be bored.”
Ashley Mitterien.
A man with the surname Mitterien, but not Mitterien, so he is not given his name.
An orphan picked up by Wolfgang out of a simple remorse in the occupied territories, he was one year younger than Astrid and grew up with him as his stepbrother…
“So. Thank you for thinking about it.”
Along with his father, Wolfgang, it was also the only family that Astrid was comfortable with.
Astrid von Mitterien, called the snowy white leopard.
Ashley Mitterien, called the black bear of the snowfield.
Although their personalities are as different as their titles, Astrid thought of this bear-like man who warmly followed Astrid as her own younger brother.
“Yes, the ceremony is in full swing, so why did you come here?”
“You still have Father’s speech left. It’s going to be a boring speech anyway, but if you’re standing there listening… Oh, may I sit down for a moment, sister?”
“…”
Astrid didn’t answer, but took a step aside and opened the way.
Unspoken permission to come in and sit down.
Ashley went into the room with the words “Excuse me” And sat down on the sofa.
“How many times have I told you to sit down when the sofa is down?”
“It’s become a habit, I’m sorry. Sister. Well anyway, standing there and listening is cold and cold, isn’t it something you can do by going down anyway?”
‘It’s hard to stand in the cold.’
The memory of standing at the parade ground, stomping his feet, waiting for the battalion commander’s speech at the start of training in the cold weather suddenly came to mind.
Shaking his head to blow the memory away, Astrid nodded towards Ashley.
“Okay. Be at ease.”
Ashley stared blankly at Astrid walking to the back of her desk holding the greatsword and hanging the greatsword on the cradle.
“To swing that heavy thing around with one hand like that, your sister’s strength is truly amazing. The more you look at it, the more amazing it is.”
“So.”
The conversation was cut off.
If there is a going word, there must be a coming one, so when I said that, the conversation was cut off.
“Ugh… Seriously, when a person speaks, respond so that the conversation continues. How come you talk in such a short answer? Prince Leopold, too, will have a hard time waking up.”
For a moment, Astrid’s gaze turned to Ashley.
With her mint-colored eyes cold, she glared at Ashley, showing off her distinctive features.
“Say that one more time.”
Ashley, who was sitting on the sofa, trembled and avoided Astrid’s gaze, while Astrid stared at Ashley for a while before opening her mouth.
“Sorry, sister.”
I don’t like people who admit their mistakes and apologize.
Thinking that this was enough, Astrid pulled out the desk chair and sat down.
“Okay, take care and have a good trip. Be careful not to get hurt.”
“Yes.”
– Sons of Mitterien!
A voice so loud that it could be heard even through Astrid’s room through a fairly thick window.
Wolfgang seemed to be giving a speech to the soldiers ahead of the campaign, so Astrid pulled back the curtains again and looked out the window.
Soldiers lined up full of federation.
In the front row stood a rider holding the family flag of Mitterien, and five ranks of soldiers stood in line with each other.
Wolfgang von Mitterien on the podium.
Rather than a full plate that would freeze with sweat and hinder movement in severe cold weather, Wolfgang, wearing a Mitterien armor filled with cotton for warmth and glued together like fish scales, had a shield in one hand and a shield in the other. He was giving a speech to the soldiers with the Morning Star in his hand.
“Ashley, why don’t you go down now too. If you are late, you may be scolded for being late.”
“Oh, it’s because my sister’s room is so comfortable that I don’t want to go out. Aye, but I can’t leave. Then I will go.”
“Okay. Be careful.”
“Yes.”
Around that time, the sound of Ashley’s greave was getting farther and farther away, and finally even the sound of going down the stairs was getting farther away.
Astrid closed the door and looked out the window again.
Not long after, through the door of the parade ground, the soldiers, including Wolfgang and Ashley, were seen advancing.
