I Became a Crazy Swordsmanship Instructor in the Game

Chapter 50:

“I don’t know,” Philip replied, deliberately feigning ignorance, even though he was well aware of the situation. 

Altaire Eloy nodded, as if she expected his response.

“Of course, it’s natural not to know. We are not an organization that operates openly. Let me explain briefly; we exist to prevent internal conflicts within humanity. Our role is to ensure that humanity’s power remains focused on dealing with the demons. My becoming Lady Eloy was also a part of that role. Of course, I never slept with…”

Felicia was taken aback by the Countess’s words and nervously swallowed.

“What about Bleuhan Eloy, then?”

“That scoundrel did not come from my womb. Can’t you see the obvious differences between us? He is an illegitimate child, born to the lady of a trading firm with whom Adrian Eloy had an affair.”

Altaire Eloy let out a deep sigh.

“It’s the story of an unfortunate woman who devoted her youth to duty and conviction.”

With that, she began to narrate a somewhat more extended account, resembling a mother telling a fairy tale to her child.

—

“In simple terms, Adrian Eloy is a man who must die. He made a contract with the Archduke of the Netherworld, Dehetra. After causing significant turmoil in human society, he is destined to be reborn as a powerful demon.”

Philip blinked in bewilderment at the information revealed by Altaire Eloy.

“What does that mean?”

“Originally, Adrian Eloy’s goal was to incite a war. He believed that, as a princess, I would provide a compelling reason to start one.”

“Then, in the end…”

“Yes, he failed. But I couldn’t bring myself to kill him. If I did, there would still be a war in the western region of Calaria. Soon after, the Great Sage, one of the senior members of the Genesis Society, informed us that he had made a contract with a demon. Someone had to keep an eye on him.”

“I see.”

Philip finally grasped the complexities of the situation.

“Originally, the plan was to imprison Adrian Eloy somewhere no one could find him. However, he wasn’t that simple. He had devised various schemes, using his life as leverage. They couldn’t properly uncover those schemes. So, that’s when I stepped in.”

As a princess, Altaire volunteered to become a victim. She persuaded her father, the King, to make the Eloy family a Count, and she became a countess herself and watched over the Eloy Family for twenty years.

It might have been a shrewd decision or perhaps an imprudent one.

However, a lingering question remained.

“But why on earth did Adrian Eloy strike a deal with demons?”

“He wanted to become a king. While the Eloy family possessed enough wealth to establish their own kingdom, they lacked the loyal nobility needed to support an illegitimate lineage. At some point, he told me that if I could make him a king, he would annul the pact with the demons.”

“He made a pact with demons just to become a king? What a foolish endeavor.”

“There might be more to it, but I don’t know. At first, all I desired was to swiftly eliminate Adrian, but as the years passed, being the Countess didn’t seem so bad after all.”

However, such a scenario seemed unlikely. Phillip wanted to inquire why she stuck with the Elot family for two decades, but he didn’t believe she would provide an answer.

“… So, what do I do now?”

In response to Phillip’s question, Altaire chuckled, as if questioning why he would ask such a thing.

“Killing Adrian… No, our Adrian. Isn’t that what you want to do? Proceed with your plan, but exercise caution.”

“It mustn’t lead to war. It seems easier than I thought.”

“Easier, you say?”

Phillip refrained from answering Altaire’s question and bowed deeply.

“I’ll meet you again under more favorable circumstances.”

* * *

“Why have you returned?”

Privia greeted Phillip’s visit with a quizzical expression.

“You know about the conflict between the Eloy Family and me. The thing is…”

Phillip explained all the information he had gathered to Privia, realizing it involved demons and could give her a reason to intervene.

After hearing the entire story, Privia snorted, seemingly finding it hard to believe.

“I can’t get involved in this matter. It exceeds my jurisdiction, so don’t expect me to meddle in such affairs.”

“No, why?”

“Why should I care whether Adrian Eloy becomes a demon after his death or not? Similarly, whether a war breaks out in human society is none of my concern either.”

‘Well, that’s disappointing.’

Phillip closed his eyes tightly. With Privia’s help, he had planned to deal with Count Eloy, but now it seemed impossible to execute his plan.

“I can only get involved in a very limited way. If you end up confronting the demon directly in this incident, I will twist his neck. But that’s not the case, is it?”

Privia could only intervene in matters directly related to demons. In the previous case with the Incubus, she was able to lend her power because the Incubus revealed its true form.

“… That’s true.”

“I didn’t expect you to take advantage of my goodwill, so I’ll let it go this time. Handle it yourself.”

After being turned down, Phillip left the faculty dormitory with a gloomy expression.

“There’s nothing I can do now.”

Phillip knew a way to kill Adrian Eloy without starting a war. However, since nothing was certain, he couldn’t choose that method recklessly.

He returned to his mansion and picked up some parchment and a pen.

“Sure. Since things have turned out this way, there’s no escaping it. Let’s give it a shot. After all, I was the one who started this quarrel, right?”

He was working on a document for a duel trial.

If Adrian Eloy’s true purpose was indeed the war itself, he couldn’t refuse the duel trial.

“… Ultimately, I’ll have to diminish his political influence. I need to strip him of the ability to incite wars or similar conflicts. First and foremost, winning this dispute is a priority, and then I’ll seek assistance from Count Baroun and Marquis Morrela.”

The disputes among powerful nobles ultimately boiled down to matters of legitimacy. No matter how mighty a family’s power might seem, without the loyalty of their followers, they couldn’t exert much force.

The reason Count Eloy pursued the matter of the broken leg of his second son, Bleuhan Eloy, was also to gain legitimacy.

The loyal followers under the Eloy family had no choice but to cooperate, and that legitimacy would vanish if Philip triumphed in the duel trial.

Philip had made up his mind to finally undertake the training he had postponed for so long.

As he headed to the bedroom, he embraced Neria, whom he hadn’t held in a long time, and lay down.

“I can’t postpone it any longer. It feels like the time has come to confront your first owner.”

‘Are you sure you’ll be okay? My first owner is the Aura Master. Even though it’s a dream, losing your sanity every time you die is an unavoidable consequence. Repeated deaths could lead to serious consequences.’

Neria expressed her concern, but Philip only let out a sigh.

“It’s unavoidable. To resolve this quickly, I have to be prepared to make some sacrifices. Hopefully, it won’t take too long.”

‘Then, let’s get started.’

As Philip closed his eyes and took deep breaths, like he was about to fall asleep, he soon found himself entering the virtual space created by Neria.

The background was a simple field.

A female knight clad in white armor with a faint glow was looking at Philip.

‘That’s Neria’s first owner.’

Unlike his previous owners, this female knight had a gentle demeanor. However, Philip recalled the moment he first challenged her.

‘I just stared at her and died without even knowing what happened.’

Challenging her had been futile due to the vast difference in skill. He had left her alone, just like the others. She gazed at Philip and smiled mischievously, and in that moment, his neck was sliced off.

“Now, things might be different. At least this time, I should be able to put up a fight.”

As Philip faced her, he felt his entire body trembling. Holding onto the sword Neria had crafted, he widened his stance and prepared for her imminent attack.

The female knight smiled at Philip, just as she had before.

And this time, Philip could foresee how he would die.

“She faked a strike and then went for my neck.”

The experience of having his vision suddenly flipped by having his neck severed was always horrifying.

‘Looks like you failed on the first attempt.’

When he woke up from the dream, Neria spoke in a comforting tone.

‘Let’s go for the second attempt right away. Maybe after about 150 attempts, I might be able to face her sword at least once.’

Philip mumbled, perspiring heavily.

The duel trial was scheduled for two weeks from now, as mentioned in the letter. Within that time, he had to grow as much as possible.

‘I might be facing death soon.’

Philip stepped back into the virtual space, carefully assessing the hands, feet, and gaze of the female warrior. The difference in skill level was staggering, leaving him doubting the reliability of the information he had gathered.

However, he held onto one certainty – if he could elevate his abilities enough to somewhat match the female warrior, he believed he could secure victory in the duel trial.

“Please guide me going forward,” Philip humbly addressed the female warrior.

‘The first owner was a remarkably kind person. Since Neria’s awakening, she shared fascinating stories with her every day. And during her prime, she was an unrivaled force on the continent. She’s not someone you can challenge recklessly.’

Neria’s advice lingered in Philip’s mind.

Despite the cautionary words, Philip adjusted his stance and readied his sword. A whip-like aura surged from his blade.

‘As long as I maintain distance, I should be fine.’

He launched an attack from afar. However, the female warrior effortlessly deflected his strikes and swiftly crushed his upper body.

“Agh!” Philip winced upon waking up, his heart racing.

‘You should try about 400 more times.’

Neria teasingly remarked.

Philip managed a smile despite the exhaustion and frustration he felt.

He believed he had improved since his first attempt, but the reality was far beyond his expectations. Even if he were to swap positions with Emil Phanoy, he knew he would still struggle to stand against her.

“Well, let’s start with a light 100 more tries and then decide if we need to approach this differently.”

After numerous deaths, he finally embraced the broken mental state and drifted into a troubled sleep.

——-

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