Episode 33
The eldest sister is very patient, but there are two things she never tolerates.
One is anything related to my health, and the other is her pride in her work.
Just like us, our eldest sister took great pride in the fact that she had risen to the rank of Commissioner in the Maritime Defense Bureau at a young age.
Not because of luck or family background, but purely through her own skills.
She had spent countless days battling against fierce waves on stormy seas.
She endured the life-threatening dangers of the ocean to protect the nation from ruthless marauders who thrived on plundering and killing.
That kind of pride is something only those who have truly faced the vast and terrifying sea can understand.
“Shall I show you personally whether I was just doing paperwork or actually hunting pirates?”
“What?”
“I’ve been curious to see how the Empire wields its sword. Before being His Majesty’s fiancée, I was a commander who led pirate extermination missions. I’d love to test the strength of the Sun Knights.”
“Lady Alice, you are a woman. How can a knight fight a woman?”
“On the battlefield, there are no men or women. Only allies and enemies. Only those who are stronger or weaker than me. That’s all there is to it.”
This is bad. My eldest sister was truly furious.
I understood the cultural differences between Trovancha and the Empire, but belittling my sister’s abilities in this way was unacceptable.
At this rate… I had to set the stage for her.
“Regina unnie, who’s stronger? The Maritime Defense Force or the Sun Knights?”
The equally furious Regina unnie played innocent and smiled as she replied.
“It’s not about who’s stronger between the Maritime Defense Force and the Sun Knights. Unnie wins against anything.”
With that, Regina unnie set boundaries to prevent this from escalating into a national pride dispute and took my eldest sister’s side.
If Derek refuted her, he would become the villain who crushed the innocent belief of a six-year-old child.
I took advantage of that and pushed Derek’s buttons further.
“Right? Uncle Derek, our big sister could fold you in half.”
How dare he underestimate our big sister!
Just as my eldest sister never compromised when it came to my health, I could never stand by when someone disrespected my sisters.
You’re done for, trapezius muscles…
Anyone who messes with our incredible and amazing big sister will return to nature.
“Our sister even won the Trovancha Swordsmanship Tournament! Edgar, wouldn’t you love to see Big Sister duel Uncle Derek?”
“Yeah! I want to see it. It sounds fun!”
Two children whose eyes sparkled with anticipation, and one adult hiding behind the excuse of professional curiosity.
And Regina unnie subtly grabbing the arm of the one adult who should have stepped in to stop this.
The perfect setup for a duel was complete.
***
The Sun Knights were in an uproar as the duel between my eldest sister and Vice Captain Derek began.
While waiting for my sister to change into her combat attire, I sat beside Edgar and happily accepted the snacks offered by the knights.
“How strong is Lady Alice?”
“Big Sister has taken down pirates and single-handedly dealt with illegal smugglers. How many times do I have to tell you? She’s got fists like hammers.”
In the original story, she died because of Leopold.
But that tragedy would never have happened if she hadn’t tried to save a young soldier in danger.
“I won’t attack with full force. You are His Majesty’s fiancée, and you are a woman. To draw my sword against someone I should be protecting is disgraceful…”
Tch. I scoffed.
He said that, but he would have no choice but to fight seriously.
“Are you that confident that Lady Alice will win, Little Nut?”
“Huh?”
When I turned my head, I saw Marius crouching behind us.
The knights all shot to their feet and bowed at his sudden arrival.
I was so startled that I let out a shriek.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.”
“I only came to see my fiancée. No need for formalities—carry on as you were.”
Even now, his imposing presence felt unfamiliar.
His voice dropped, making his tone sound even more refined.
“Hup.”
Marius effortlessly lifted me up and placed me on the jacket he had spread on the ground.
Edgar watched his display of manners.
When their eyes met, Edgar quickly turned his head away.
I had suspected for a while—those two didn’t seem to get along very well.
“Uncle, when did you get here?”
“I flew over as soon as I missed you. Didn’t you miss me?”
“Uuuh, of course not. You’ll have to wait at least ten years before we can be friends.”
“Cold-hearted as always. Wow… Lady Alice looks incredible.”
At Marius’s exclamation, I turned my head to see my eldest and Regina unnie returning.
My eldest sister wore the training uniform she often used during her time in the Maritime Defense Force.
The Empire wasn’t used to seeing women in pants—several knights cleared their throats awkwardly upon seeing her attire.
Regina unnie, preparing to watch the duel, greeted Marius.
Leopold, unable to stand seeing Regina unnie sit on the ground, brought over three chairs—one for her, one for me, and one for Edgar.
“Shouldn’t we offer this to His Majesty first…?”
“No need. His Majesty can sit on the ground.”
“Hey, Leopold, this is insubordination.”
Ignoring Marius’s protest, Leopold approached my eldest sister and Derek.
She borrowed a sword from a nearby knight.
“It must be heavy.”
“This much is nothing.”
Whoosh. Whoosh.
She effortlessly spun the sword in her hand, her years of experience evident in her movements.
Regina unnie patted her lap, signaling me to sit with her.
Marius retrieved his now-useless jacket, and Edgar silently observed the scene.
One of the knights brought a chair for Marius, but Edgar had been watching him intently for a while now.
‘Now that I think about it, he really does admire his older brothers.’
I adored my sisters, but Edgar’s admiration for his brothers was on another level.
The way he looked at Leopold and Marius was the very definition of hero worship.
‘Oh, it’s starting! I just hope Big Sister doesn’t get too excited.’
The duel began.
Clang! The clash of swords sent a ripple through the air.
Despite Derek’s larger build, my sister showed no signs of being overpowered.
Derek, as if considering it shameful to exert full strength against her, was noticeably hesitant even to my eyes.
But instead of relentlessly attacking him, my eldest sister capitalized on his underestimation, striking at the openings his hesitation created.
Rather than seizing victory immediately, she deliberately irked him by tapping at his legs and getting under his skin.
If it had been any other woman, he wouldn’t have even flinched.
But my eldest sister had monstrous strength.
So every time she tapped his leg, Derek’s body wobbled.
“Derek, you should do more lower-body training. I know a great workout—would you like me to teach you?”
A vein popped on Derek’s forehead.
Whoo! The knights whistled in support.
She mocked Derek, telling him to try harder.
Her long black hair, tied in one, fluttered in the wind. The sunlight reflected off the blade, sending flashes of light onto the ground.
Clang! Screeech! The sound of metal clashing against metal pierced the air.
“Ugh.”
The sharp noise made my ears ache.
Under the sun, her toned muscles were clearly visible beneath her clothes.
Her well-defined back muscles and solid arms—no matter how many times I saw them, they were always impressive.
As the fight continued, my older sister became more composed, while Derek grew more serious.
His flushed face, beads of sweat, and, above all, his frustrated expression told the whole story.
“Hoo… You are quite skilled.”
“If I only had ‘some’ skill, I wouldn’t have made it to Chief Inspector. Perhaps it’s time for you to take this more seriously?”
She had been holding back so far, but now she was inviting him to the real fight.
Feeling belittled, Derek clenched his teeth.
At my sister’s slight nod, Derek swung his sword.
At times, she pressured him with overwhelming force that left him flustered. Other times, she effortlessly deflected his attacks with incredible flexibility.
It was obvious to anyone watching—she was the superior fighter.
Like a cat toying with a cornered mouse, she forced Derek back, step by step.
And then—
“Wow!”
Edgar let out an excited cheer.
The tip of her blade was aimed precisely at Derek’s throat.
Victory belonged to my older sister.
The knight order fell into silence.
Everyone had seen that Derek had fought seriously from the middle of the match, yet she had effortlessly overpowered him.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Marius was the first to applaud, and soon, cheers erupted like a dam bursting.
Even though his pride must have taken a hit—losing to a woman—Derek seemed genuinely impressed by my sister’s skills.
“It was an amazing match.”
She lowered her sword.
Derek, staring in disbelief at the woman who was a full head shorter than him, opened his mouth in shock.
His face, already red, looked like it was about to explode as he asked,
“I heard you possess a special ability. Did you perhaps use it during our duel?”
“Of course not.”
With a playful smile, she squinted her eyes—just like our younger sister always did when teasing someone.
“There was no need to use a special ability for something this minor.”
“Then… how? Besides the captain, there’s no one in the order stronger than me.”
“It’s the result of grueling training combined with natural strength. My mother was incredibly strong, you see.”
On our maternal side, powerful strength and bodies as tough as steel had been passed down for generations.
Among our family, our older brother and sister had inherited it completely.
My sister had always dreamed of becoming the Chief of Maritime Security, just like our mother.
A warrior of the sea who eradicates pirates and fights off foreign invaders.
Derek stared at her with a strange expression.
I was about to rush over to the knights and brag about my sister—”Isn’t she amazing?”—but Edgar beat me to it.
With bright, eager eyes, he ran up to her, clasped his hands together, and asked,
“Lady Alice, how did you become so strong? I want to be a great warrior like you!”
Leopold let out a small chuckle.
And Marius… I had never seen his eyes so dark before.
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
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