Swordmeister of Rome

"Did you know?"

Stiel replied, "No. I didn't know about the other side."

She expected the red sphere to create something more interesting, but it did not. She couldn't understand why it was created in the first place. Walking into it might've meant something different, but no one in their right mind would walk into it anyway.

Instead, the gigantic mountain approaching from the sea was unexpected as a whole.

"I will lose."

Stiel grimaced. Even with the <Armor of the Seven Stars>, she had no chance. Sian glanced at both sides and turned to Kelvin.

"What will you do now? I did make a promise so…"

Kurin looked at Sian with disbelief and spoke.

"What are you trying to do? Don't say that you're going to beat that monster up."

Sian looked at her with a weird expression.

"What do you mean? We should run away. Why would you want to fight a monster like that?"

"…"

Everyone was dumbfounded at such a correct answer. It seemed like they were able to run away if that woman helped them. Stiel seemed to think differently.

"Huh? Why aren't you fighting Sian? I might lose, but you can win."

The four of them were shocked as they turned to Sian. Stiel didn't look like she was joking either and their faces became pale. Especially Kurin, she felt a shiver running through her spine as she had been provoking Sian until now.

Sian looked at them and answered casually.

"With that? Oh no… it's not like I've got anything to do with that."

'What a character.'

Stiel couldn't understand. Even she had the urge to try fighting with the monster even when she knew she would lose. She would've probably already gone to fight it if she didn't have her target of interest already.

Sian would be a good match for it.

She couldn't understand why Sian wasn't interested.

After hearing them talk, Reka became angry and asked, "Are you saying you will not fight it even when you can defeat it?"

"I can't say for sure, but probably…"

"Won't thousands of people survive if you defeat that monster?"

"Uh… I guess so," Sian answered. Many will die anyway if he decided to fight, but more will survive if he did defeat it.

"And you're not fighting it! You're so irresponsible!"

Reka and other women looked at Sian with disgusted looks. They were trained in chivalry from Kharan's Knighthood and they couldn't understand the strong not protecting weak. Sian didn't care.

"So you three are going to fight him? Then, I'll just be on my way. Are you going to stay here too? Miss Stiel?"

Stiel shook her head and smiled.

"Oh, no-no. I'm going with you, of course."

"You looked like you wanted to fight."

"Haha, no way."

'You cold bastard.'

Stiel ranted from within.

"Good. So Miss Stiel is coming… and you all are staying behind, right?"

Sian spoke casually and the three of them panicked.

"N-no. I mean…"

"Huh? Didn't you just say you wished to protect the city?" Sian asked as he was curious as to why they were changing their position.

"We can't even rescue one person!" Reka shouted.

Sian replied coldly, "So, you won't do it if you can't get good results?"

"But…"

"Anyone can do it if good results are guaranteed, right? I don't think that's taking responsibility."

"…"

"It's only when you do it regardless of the possible outcome."

'Wow, you've learned how to speak now.'

Stiel was impressed, but this was possible since it was what Sian had been taught since he was very young.

"Besides, I'm not responsible for all those people. Why would I? At least I'm being responsible for the four of you."

This was Sian's thought process.

"No… a man of your power must be responsible!" Rinna shouted with rage.

"You did learn well. I respect your righteousness."

Sian spoke to the women who were speaking of same thing as his father.

"But you are mistaking one thing. Great power brings great privilege. Why does power bring responsibility? Power and privilege are the same thing. It's just that others wish for the one with great power to be responsible for a lot of things."

"…"

"I guess common people have no way to do away with such responsibility… but I can't explain too much. I'm not your teacher and it's my personal opinion. So, what are you going to do?" Sian asked. There was not much time left if he wanted to run away with ease. They looked at each other and bowed.

"…Help us."

"I knew you would say that."

What was followed wasn't what Sian expected.

"Take Kelvin. We will stay behind."

"Huh…?"

Sian was surprised. They just chose to honor their virtue over their lives.

'This isn't what I wanted…'

It wasn't because of the promise. It was because of his inner conscious was growing stronger.

<What are you doing? Go kill that monster.>

<That's not enough. Just jump into that hole.>

<One isn't enough. Go in together with that monster.>

<Kill all of them.>

His conscious tempted him even now, but he was barely ignoring it. It was really dangerous this time. He never feared death until now. Stiel was worried about that gigantic monster, but that was because she couldn't feel the monsters inside the red sphere. That Six-Horn was like a baby compared to the monsters inside the sphere. Stiel wouldn't last a second if she jumped into the sphere. Sian couldn't understand why it was even opened.

'Why was that opened in first place?'

It was too much to kill the Six-Horned. That was why Sian was pushing down his temptation. He wanted to ensure his survival.

The city was in chaos. People were running in all directions for their lives.

Sian scratched his head and found the resolution.

"Whew."

"Huh? What are you doing?"

Stiel turned to Sian. He was walking out.

'Is he trying to help them?'

It seemed impossible to Stiel who had been observing Sian for a while now.

'Does he like them that much?'

Stiel thought that was a possibility, but Sian's hand flew at that moment.

"Ugh…"

And three women who were walking toward city fell to the ground.

"…"

"Let's run now."

Sian picked up the four of them like a pair of sacks and turned to Stiel.

"Weren't you trying to help? You can just make it turn around."

That was what Stiel expected. She was sure that Sian wasn't going to pull his sleeves to make work of the monster, yet the monster didn't seem to be interested in the city either. It would only require a few smacks to make it avoid the city on its way to the sphere.

"Oh. Yeah, I did think about that, but it really feels bad this time."

Sian did consider it, but he decided to follow his instincts. He did not want to go near the bomb. He wanted to stay as far away as possible from the sphere.

"Is it that dangerous?"

"Yeah. And the owner of necklace is him. I thought it would be good to keep the promise to the owner."

Sian could've let ladies follow their wishes, but he decided to keep the promise to the owner of necklace. The man's wish probably did not include the death of those three women. Even at expense of the lives of the Kerbal citizens.

"So… you wish to save these four?"

"Yeah. It's because of your promise, so you should take two of them."

Sian asked Stiel to share the work.

"No-no. I'll take them all. You do have good sense."

"Huh?"

Sian was surprised by the unexpected answer.

"I was going to help you… but you want to save these four so… I will have them be escorted to safety. Good luck!"

"What do you-"

Stiel began darting off into the mountain, to the opposite side of the ocean.

"Huh…?"

Then a blue energy ray struck against Sian.