Hero’s Downfall Report

89 – Things that can only be said when looking back (Complete)

Cain really wanted to rest today.

“Lily. “I’m sorry, but I really don’t remember a thing.”

“… If I’m being honest, I’m a little disappointed. “Didn’t you say that an agent must be prepared for any situation at any time?”

Lily is still expressionless.

“But when she got sick, she also told me to take care of myself first.”

As soon as her words left her mouth, Lily dragged Cain by the arm. The reason was that there was no better solution than sparring for her hangover and temporary memory loss.

“Wouldn’t it be helpful to relieve a hangover if you sweat a bit? And I’m just doing what you said last night.”

Cain was quite embarrassed. She wasn’t the kind of drunk who would drink, do her best, and then forget about her. But seeing as Lily was talking like this, it seemed like she had something to do with it.

Maria was also present at this sparring. Cain followed her with a decoding disk and a coded letter in her leather bag, so Cain could not even make the excuse of ‘protecting her valuables.’

The rules were the same as two days ago. Even the penalty was the same. Instead, she said, considering the condition of Cain’s body, she did not wrap her in a blanket.

And Lily pushed harder than two days ago.

“You are more sluggish than two days ago. “This won’t be your first time seeing the Imperial Army’s standard swordsmanship!”

It was as she said. Lily’s swordsmanship is an orthodox imperial military ritual. However, her wooden sword flew from a place about half a head higher than that of the average Imperial soldier, buzzing at twice the speed.

She had such a force that one could believe she was wielding a log rather than a wooden sword. Lily, seeing Cain’s shaking eyes, pushed her fiercely.

“The Knight of the Sheath fights from a much advantageous position over us. So we need to learn how to deal with them when they are most at a disadvantage! “Didn’t you tell me last night that there’s no way to always fight when you’re at your best?”

Lily’s upper thrust. Cain responded by twisting her body and stabbing her with his training sword. She desperately tried to remember what the hell I had said last night, but she couldn’t remember until her wooden knife broke in two and her limbs cramped and she collapsed.

Lily did not leave Cain lying on the floor. She placed her training sword on the floor and she kneaded Cain’s limbs. When she got cramps, she knew she had to get rid of them right away, but Cain was so hard and painful.

Her arms were so weak that she couldn’t even properly eat the sandwich she brought for lunch.

But when she saw Lily’s afternoon schedule, she forgot what to say. Lily swung her sword wildly at Maria, and with her bare hands Maria was practicing dodging every single blow.

Perhaps out of fear of getting hurt, instead of using her training sword, Lily picked up a handful of reeds from the side of the lake and held them up like a sword. It was twice as difficult to avoid as it was curved like a whip, but Maria twisted her body this way and that, sometimes even sending sharp counterattacks at Lily’s limbs.

After an hour or so, Lily and Maria’s eyes met. This time Lily sat down to rest on a rock, and Maria brought out her two wooden swords and placed one of hers in front of Cain.

“Hey. Let’s give it a try? You won’t say you’re tired in front of me, right? “You got enough rest.”

“… “What’s wrong with everyone today?”

“You are so funny. “Don’t you remember what you said last night?”

“What did I say?”

Maria gently stabbed Cain in the shoulder with her wooden sword as if making a fuss. Cain stood up, holding her wooden sword.

“I don’t know how the Empire duels, so let’s change the rules a little. Whoever stabs or cuts the opponent first wins. “It doesn’t matter if you kick or punch, but it doesn’t count as a victory.”

Maria’s posture was standard. But she was picky in a different way than Lily. If Lily was so destructive that no one dared to touch her, Maria used her flexible body movements to attack from unimaginable angles.

Even though she rested for an hour, her limbs were still cramping. Mary teased Cain by hitting him with the back of her sword or playfully pushing him to her side.

“You remember, right? The one who ‘stabs or cuts’ with a sword wins. It’s not like hitting it with the back of a knife or pushing it to the side. So wake up right now!”

When I forced her body to move, her body relaxed. Of course she knew that tomorrow she would be unable to move. Cain was so completely exhausted that he couldn’t even smell the sweet smell coming from her mouth.

Before three o’clock in the afternoon, Cain and Mary almost collapsed. If it had been a real fight, Cain would have been slain alive.

“What? “I’m really disappointed?”

Mary lifted her chin haughtily and looked down at her Cain. Judging by the way her hands were shaking, she must have been quite tired.

“What a disappointment.”

“They say that a security agency agent must be fully prepared at any time and in any situation. But what are you going to do if you end up like this?”

Cain had nothing to say. It was something he himself always emphasized to Lily. Maria smiled widely and sat down, offering her hand to Cain.

“Can you hold on and stand up?”

“Of course.”

Because of their weight difference, Mary was almost dragged upside down, but Cain managed to stand up. Lily packed her leather sack and training equipment, and Maria supported Cain, who could not even walk properly.

“… “What on earth did I say last night?”

“You were so mean last night.”

Mary pinched Cain’s arm.

“Do you know how frustrated Lily and I were? She told me everything that the professor had told her. Even though he seemed quite drunk, he delivered it well.

She clearly seems very angry with the professor, but she doesn’t answer at all when I ask her. “She just fussed and drank to herself.”

It felt like her leg muscles were torn, but Cain stopped her.

“… Then last night… “

“Okay. “I didn’t say this.” Maria giggled and hit Cain’s leg. Cain forcibly suppressed her screams and grabbed her legs.

“That’s why me and Lily decided to do it. ‘That guy can’t live up to his expectations, so let’s relieve the stress by moving my body as much as possible.’ “There were also things I needed to check.”

“You make fun of people and then check.”

“Well. It’s related to swordsmanship, so Lily will answer it. Still, hey. Do you feel a little cool? Can you relieve your anger? So tell me. “Why were you so angry last night?”

Mary nudged Cain with her elbow. Cain swallowed a laugh.

“… It’s just that the professor has no courtesy towards people. It was something someone else had experienced, but they really talked about it like it was someone else’s problem. Furthermore, he used it as his… She has freely used it to elevate her status. Well, really… “I didn’t want to see it.”

“It seemed like that. Look out for the protruding stones there… “Is that what made you so angry?”

“I can’t bear to tell it to you.” Cain shook her head. “I was a little disgusted just hearing it. I got scolded for holding back. And seeing this lack of control, I think it’s time for her to retire.”

“Think positively. If I hold back my anger, I won’t be able to kill myself. And… hey. What does it mean to be a good friend? We just listen to each other say things like that and what do we do? How long are you going to keep your distance?”

Friend.

These words were thrown around very lightly, but they were extremely burdensome to Cain. So Cain was silent throughout her return. She’s almost home

“Thank you.”

Was all I could say. Maria smiled and shook her head.

“Let’s take a shower and have dinner.”

* * * * *

Time to go to bed after dinner. As expected, there was a knocking sound. Cain opened the door. There stood a pale-faced Lily, hugging her pillow and blanket tightly.

“An article just for you has arrived.”

Cain, whose limbs were still numb, stepped behind her. There was also fatigue on Lily’s face, but she still smiled brightly as she straightened the blankets.

“I’m telling you this just in case, but I will be putting my knightly honor on the line again tonight. So you don’t have to worry. “Her limbs and body will be so tired, she won’t even be rolled up in a blanket.”

“… “Sparring was your idea too, right?”

“It was Maria and I’s idea.”

The name has also changed. From Maria to Sister Maria. Cain understood what that subtle difference meant.

Lily laid her body down first, and Cain lay down next to her. True to her knighthood, Lily did not rub her body or put her hands under Cain’s clothes. Instead she hugged him tightly.

Lily’s clothes were thin, but Cain and Lily each covered themselves with their own blankets, so nothing embarrassing happened.

“And this is just my opinion. Last night… Actually, I really wanted to hug you. “I couldn’t do that.”

“Does it smell like alcohol?”

“No. As she was sad, she was angry. She described her conversation with the professor dryly and said that all she had to say was, ‘People shouldn’t say things like that to people.’ “I asked her what she meant, but she never explained.”

“I really don’t remember that.”

“So, I want to know what’s going on so you can’t even tell us and just keep it in your heart. Also, I want to help you in this way… “I screwed with her sister.”

“I think it’s a bit childish.”

“That’s why it’s more effective.”

Lily hugged Cain. The pleasant smell of her flesh eased Cain’s tension little by little. She shouldn’t have melted, she thought.

“Again… “There was something to check.”

“What is it?”

“That wand skill they said they learned in the East. “Is that correct that you learned it from someone who originally used stabbing?”

Startled, Cain pulled away from her. Although her back and spine muscles were numb, she couldn’t run far.

“How did you know?”

“I knew it from my posture. The defense is decent, but the offense is rough and unstable. “Especially in the upper lunge posture, my posture completely collapsed.”

“… Okay?”

“Yes. Even though he was supposed to stab the upper body, he didn’t bother to switch to a middle or lower slash. A staff is fine because it is light and easy to change direction, but an imperial sword is longer and heavier than that, so it is cumbersome. “If what you were holding was a rapier, or even if it was a rapier, such a sudden change would be inefficient.”

Lily touched Cain’s shoulders and arms.

“Because her posture keeps leaning forward, she naturally pushes into the other person’s arm. Fortunately, Cain’s physical fighting skills are top-notch, but if she were to wear her armor all over her body like a knight in her scabbard, she would be pushed to her limits. “No matter what, it’s hard to beat her iron armor by punching and kicking.”

“Then what should I do?”

“The most urgent thing is to start with the stabbing posture. I think that if you get that posture right, everything else will also be balanced. “Why are you forcing me to change my posture?”

Cain hesitated. In that hesitation, Lily read her answer. But Lily stroked Cain’s hair instead.

“Reason. “You know that, right?”

“Yes.”

“That… ” Lily bit her lip for a moment. He continued speaking only after swallowing dry saliva. “Is this story related to the person from the Eastern Allies?”

“We were running away.”

Cain answered in a hushed voice.

“Venelucia’s alleys are narrow, and the buildings and fences are high. Opposition assassins continued to descend from rooftops and balconies into the alleys, forcing us into dead ends. We knew that if we continued like this, we would both die.

Luckily, being narrow isn’t necessarily a bad thing. No matter how many opponents there are, in the end, only one or two people can crowd in at the same time, and me too… She said she was confident enough to stab her too. But there were too many.

She was eventually captured by some scoundrel. She told me to run, I was so tired… I was arrogant. With one thrust, she thought she could rip his uvula open. But the aim was too easily missed. I am… “

From Noble mtl dot com

Cain could not say any more. Lily came closer to her, burying Cain’s head into her chest and running her arms through her hair.

“Sorry.”

Cain’s oppressed voice. Lily kissed Cain’s forehead.

“Can I be honest with you?”

“Yes.”

“In my heart, I want to rip out all traces of him.”

Cain could not speak. Lily continued her words with a forced laugh.

“You said that compared to me, she is a woman who is lacking in many ways. But… That woman left marks on Cain’s body like this. A trace that cannot be erased. I don’t like that. On the first day of sparring, I pushed myself to the point of persistence… “It is actually one of the means of blocking the Eastern Allied swordsmanship.”

It seemed somewhat emotional, but there was a reason.

“But, I can’t do that. As I said before, the swordsmanship, which is a strange combination of imperial and Eastern style swordsmanship, is the way to defeat the Knight of the Sheath. So let me help you perfect that technology.

It won’t be easy. I will use every sword technique I know, and just looking at it makes me feel like a fireball is rising in my chest… They will treat you mercilessly.

So. Please complete it quickly. Before I tear off all traces of it. “Please show me Cain’s uniquely completed technique.”

“Why do you even want to see that?”

“Because I also want to watch and learn.” Lily quietly stared into Cain’s eyes.

“If that woman left an indelible mark on Cain’s body. And if she can’t rip it off. Then please leave that for me too. For me too… “Please leave an indelible mark.”

Cain hesitated. Lily’s true feelings were hotter and more intense than he thought. A heat that feels like it will burn and melt if you get close to it.

“I don’t know if I can do it or not.”

“You don’t have to worry about that part.” Lily smiled brightly.

“If you can’t stop it, it will push you hard enough to break an arm or a leg. Can do. I’m not saying it won’t happen, you will do it.

If you don’t complete it quickly, I will beat you severely every time I see traces of that Eastern-style swordsmanship. I won’t even dare to do it again. Posture correction is also possible that way.”

“Aren’t you teaching too strongly?”

“I think it is better than death, Cain. “As it is now, it’s too unstable and dangerous.”

“It won’t work today.” Cain burst out laughing at her. “My arms and legs are so numb. I’m also tired. “I feel like I just want to sleep for two days.”

“I’m tired today too.” Lily also smiled. But soon she asked seriously. “But I guess you can kiss me at least once before you go to sleep.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than Cain kissed her. Lily pulled Cain’s body closer to hers, pressing her lips together. In her warm arms, Cain fell asleep.

* * * * *

The next morning. Maria patted her blond hair and gently opened Cain’s door. After making sure Cain and Lily were sleeping, I leisurely ate breakfast alone.

“They seem like stiff people… “

Judging by the fact that there were no clothes on the floor, it looks like he slept fully clothed and covered with a blanket. It wasn’t fun.

“Tree of life.”

But soon she fell back into the story Cain told. This is the first time I heard that the Tree of Life Church was behind the Boys and Girls Crusade.

“… “I need to find more people who might know.”

Maria touched her heart without realizing it. But she shook her head. In order to awaken the ‘mother’ within her, she must die at least once. It may be okay if the leash is infinite, but that is not possible when there is not much left.

Lily woke up a little later, and Cain woke up much later. Maria went to get her groceries, and Lily packed her luggage in her mail coach. Since she couldn’t ride the carriage for the time being, she had to return it to the Capital Security Bureau.

Cain wrote coded letters and reports to Anna despite her muscle pain. I wrote down everything I saw and heard, the code I deciphered, and Professor Osland’s words and actions. She also enclosed the coded letter and interpretation that William had sent to Arianne.

The next morning. Cain left the shattered code decoding plate to Allen, an undercover Guard agent, a package of code reports to Anna, and a repair bill addressed to Bernays. She also did not forget her advice to Bernays that if she was going to write anything, she should write ‘Invoice for Artwork.’

The head of security who received the invoice will be scolded, but that’s none of Cain’s business.

The three rode on horseback under the bright sunlight. To the hunter’s forest where the kindest woman in the world awaits.