I Became a Swordsman in the Middle Ages.

TN: Changed Suitable dungeon to moderate. In my head, it's moderate, but apparently, I put suitable.

Okay scratch that. I scanned it real quick, and it says moderate on the description page. I have no clue why I put suitable in the first place. If there was some mention, please mention it cause I'm so lost.

"To think you even failed the mission, how incompetent!"

If you had to summarize the meeting in one sentence, it would be this.

But the staff officers were quite capable, so they clearly explained, based on the data so far, 'Why Windsor needs to be operated independently'.

The nobles' response to that...

"In the first place, no group in any country can act independently while having the title of the strongest knights!"

"What if those with such superhuman power even stage a rebellion? What will you do then?"

"Even for Her Majesty the Queen's sake, such an illegal group must disappear!"

Mm. You could say there's no answer.

Anyway, Sisilia could only be released after being scolded for about 4 hours.

"But it's a bit more bearable with the two of us listening."

"..."

"Don't look at me like that."

Cairon also seemed to feel a bit sorry this time, as he couldn't easily meet Sisilia's eyes.

"Anyway, we're in trouble now."

Cairon seemed to be thinking deeply in the carriage on the way back.

Sisilia just wanted this situation to end quickly so she could rush to Beatrice.

"Sisilia. Tell me your thoughts."

Of course, Sisilia still correctly perceived the situation.

At this rate, the Windsor Knights will be disbanded.

The nobles are going this far for only one reason: They wanted to tear Windsor Knights' limbs and split them into different parts.

Because a lord who leads strong knights has power.

That was troublesome.

The Windsor Knights had to become a reliable windbreak for the newbies who would come in the future.

"If we simply think about it, we just need to establish a merit that's hard for them to deny, but,"

Sisilia wanted something faster and more definite.

"They won't acknowledge anything we do."

"...They wouldn't go that far."

"If those in power don't acknowledge it, it becomes a nonexistent fact. No matter what actually happened."

Cairon was at a loss for words for a moment.

Although Sisilia seemed to only have flowers in her head, there were times when she was this sharp.

"It's becoming really troublesome."

Cairon's expression slightly hardened.

"I was thinking of ordering Edward to subjugate a 'special-class dungeon.'"

'... Isn't that the same as telling him to go die?'

Special-class dungeon.

A dungeon judged as 'unclearable.'

She realized anew how much Cairon hated Edward.

Because even Sisilia had to use her 'zenith' to cleanly clear that.

'But if I use my real zenith, it'll probably be noticed.'

A nasty nickname would immediately be attached. She'd inevitably have to reveal her 'true name' too, and the risk would be high in many ways.

Sisilia desperately shook her head.

"We need to know the essence of this incident."

"Essence?"

"Even if the demon's escape was inevitable, it was fatal for a high-ranking knight to fail their mission without a fight."

Sisilia spoke firmly.

"We have to make that a nonexistent fact."

"...Is that possible?"

"We just need to reveal the spy. Then naturally, the dishonor of mission failure will be directed at the spy."

Then, the nobles will lose their justification.

Rather than simply establishing 'merit,' if we eliminate the cause itself through investigation, it becomes ambiguous to deny it.

Even if they deny it, they can just entangle them with 'Are you also on the demons' side?' and it'll be over.

"Excellent."

"It's nothing much."

Sisilia immediately became conceited. And that was her worst misjudgment of the year.

"Immediately order the Vice-Commander to investigate according to this plot..."

"Sisillia, you do it."

"..."

After a brief silence, Sisilia opened her mouth.

"The Vice-Commander's status as royalty will greatly help the investigation, and in fact, his ability too..."

"You do it."

"..."

Sisilia expressed a strong intention to protest to the Commander, who ignored her design based on perfect reasoning.

"Vice-Commander Edward is more suitable than me."

There was no lie.

If you convert Edward into stats, it would be Insight A+, Combat Power A+.

For reference, Cairon was Insight B+ Combat Power S+.

If Cairon was a power-focused character, Edward was an all-rounder character without anything particularly outstanding.

Originally, this kind of mission suits all-rounders better.

"I strongly object."

"You do it."

"..."

But Sisilia's Authority C- was crushed by Cairon's Authority SSS+.

"...Okay."

Only then did Cairon nod his head with a satisfied look.

Sisilia now resented Cairon.

But having received the order, she had to do her best as a perfect Sword Maiden.

Sisilia took out an artifact she had prepared just in case this situation arose.

"Detective Sisilia, heading out."

"I don't know what a detective is, but that monocle doesn't suit you."

Sisilia was greatly shocked.

***

But Sisilia was a righteous knight who didn't succumb to external pressure.

"Sisilia. I'm asking just in case, but what's with that monocle...?"

"Please call me Detective Sisilia."

"Damn, you got addicted to something weird again."

It wasn't an unfamiliar sight for Zeriway. Because she showed this kind of absurd appearance once or twice a year without fail. Of course, playing along well at times like this was an unspoken rule within the Windsor Knights. Even the alcoholic Zeriway kept that.

- 'What, Sisilia, you don't know that? Dragons are already extinct.'

He almost made 7-year-old Sisilia cry and got beaten to near death by Cairon.

"It is a ruins-type dungeon. It had the form of an ancient city."

Zeriway began the story. Sisilia listened intently.

"We tried to draw the map first from an undetectable distance, you know? But... we were ambushed. They were blatantly lying in wait."

"Hmm."

"I judged that further subjugation was reckless and gave the order to retreat. I decided to buy time."

"So that's why you thought there was a spy."

"Yeah. I pondered over it even after returning, but there were no mistakes on my part."

Although Zeriway was a very pathetic human with an alcohol and gambling addiction, he was a Sword Emperor.

Moreover, his class was Thief, and he was an expert in exploring such ruins. It was strange for him to be ambushed and defeated.

"Was the opponent a Named?"

"No, it wasn't a Named. But... they seemed to know our movements. It was as if they knew our retreat route in advance. I got a bit injured trying to block that."

'There must be a culprit among those who participated in this dungeon raid.'

Of course, that suspect list included Zeriway too.

"Thank you for your cooperation."

Sisilia bowed her head without showing it. The moment she was about to leave, Zeriway spoke.

"...Sisilia."

"Yes."

"This is really, really just my personal opinion."

"Please speak."

"First, know that there's definitely a culprit among the 10 who went together."

Zeriway held in his mouth what he had been hesitating about.

Honestly, if the investigator was someone other than Sisilia, he would have hesitated to say this.

But if it was Sisilia, she wouldn't be biased even if he stated his opinion.

"About Vice-Commander Edward. He said this to me before I left."

"What?"

"If a dangerous situation comes, abandon the others. At first, I was offended. Does he not trust my skills? But now that the situation turned out like this when I think about it..."

Zeriway's pupils shook slightly. And looking up at Sisilia with a face saying it shouldn't be, no, hoping it wouldn't be, he spoke.

"Why did Edward say that to me?"

Sisilia's eyes turned cold.

***

"I hope it's not the case."

Sisilia sat on the headquarters' rooftop and watched Edward leaving work.

Her silver eyes reflected in the moonlight seemed particularly bright today.

'I don't have any ill feelings towards the Vice-Commander.'

Edward got on the carriage, brightly greeting everyone as usual.

The carriage departed, and Sisilia, sitting for a while, got up. And she turned around and walked.

'But if—'

Actually, after hearing Zeriway's words earlier, one possibility came to mind.

The Royal Knights Commander objected as if he were prepared.

The nobles' interests intricately intertwined with that, and the mission that failed with good timing.

The mission Sisilia was entrusted with was also one that would have failed without her.

'If you're using the Windsor Knights for political purposes...'

Those two dungeons. Coincidentally, the initial discoverer was the same person. Edward Windsor.

Nevertheless, she didn't particularly suspect Edward because there was no reason to.

In any case, the next Commander was Edward. Why would he take a risky move to harm the Windsor Knights?

But, she suddenly thought.

What if Edward Windsor, no— What if Prince Edward had infiltrated from the beginning, aiming to disband the Windsor Knights that might hinder him in the future?

What if he leaked information to the demons on purpose for that?

'If he's such a foolish man,'

Sisilia opened the drawer in Edward's office.

'I'll be disappointed.'

[ Top Secret - Dungeon Management Log ]

Sisilia looked through the files and stopped at one point.

====================

[Tomb of the Skilled]

Rank: Moderate

====================

====================

[Ruins of the Ancient Old King]

Rank: Very Difficult

====================

Dungeons bundled together.

Sisilia first checked the 'Tomb of the Skilled' dungeon.

There was nothing particularly unusual except for just one thing.

: Minimum condition for the guide - Sword Emperor or higher.

※ Caution: A very special dungeon. 90% fatality rate. All successful missions were under the guidance of a Sword Emperor.

In the mission document she received, the minimum condition was Sword Demon.

Edward had falsified the mission document.

"Gotcha, Your Highness."

Sisilia's head gradually tilted.

'That's troublesome.'

For now, she checked the next document as well. This time, the dungeon Zeriway went to. 'Ruins of the Ancient Old King'.

: Single dungeon. A Sword Emperor or higher must raid alone without fail.

※ Caution: There is a gimmick where the difficulty increases exponentially the more people you lead.

"..."

Sisilia silently took out only those two documents and put the rest back in.

And when she was about to go out after putting them away in her bosom—

Thud- Thud.

The sound of someone walking in the hallway was heard. Sisilia immediately knew who the owner was.

'How? I shouldn't have left any traces.'

Sisilia looked around. There was no particular space to hide. She hurriedly hid under the desk.

Creak—

The sound of the door opening is heard. The presence gradually approaches. Sisilia covers her mouth with her hand to block her breathing and suppresses her presence to the extreme.

"The window should be closed properly."

Sisilia immediately drew her sword and blocked above. At the same time, Edward's sword strike was thrust above Sisilia's head.

Bang! The table shattered, and their swords clashed.

"To think a stray cat would come in."

Edward smiled as if he would devour Sisilia.