Chapter 1: The First Disciple Leilia(1)

The Haisen Family.

Eighty years ago. When the Aion Kingdom lost to the Empire. The Empire demanded a massive amount of wealth from the kingdom as compensation.

The Aion Kingdom, which had suffered countless damages from the war, was already lacking in resources, and it couldn’t provide proper compensation because it was stripped of its wealth by the Empire.

The Empire threatened, saying that if the compensation wasn’t paid, they would destroy the Aion Kingdom.

Naturally, the Aion Kingdom was busy taking care of a country ravaged by war, and thus the kingdom’s chaos accelerated, bringing it to the brink of destruction.

But then. Rönen, an ancestor of the Haisen family and known as the ‘Wandering Merchant,’ suddenly provided the Aion Kingdom with a vast amount of wealth.

The Aion Kingdom suspected the sudden appearance of reinforcements, but since the situation was urgent, they used Rönen’s wealth to satisfy the Empire.

As a result, the Aion Kingdom survived the massacre by the Empire, and in recognition of Rönen’s contributions, they gave him the name ‘Haisen’ and granted him the title of a nobleman of the kingdom.

Much time passed thereafter, and frequent wars occurred, but since the Aion Kingdom was located on the frontier, it suffered no significant damage, and a peaceful time continued for a long period.

‘…So, aren’t they really nobles?’

Although this doubt arose, I couldn’t voice it out.

Because I am a daughter born out of wedlock, and my mother’s background is low.

Reading the book, Leilia quietly put it down and sighed.

Honestly, Leilia was fed up with her current life.

Receiving etiquette training, accumulating knowledge, learning how to appear more attractive to others, etc.

Everything was cumbersome and uncomfortable.

Leilia complained inwardly, but nothing changed. Rather, she just felt more depressed.

Regardless of her will, it was her inevitable fate as a descendant of the Haisen family.

When she came of age, she would be betrothed to someone she didn’t want, according to the family’s wishes.

That was the future that awaited Leilia.

No one in the family was on her side.

Leilia’s mother died of a rare disease when she was young, and her father cared more about the family than her.

The rest of the family was not even worth mentioning.

Even some of the servants regarded Leilia as a thorn in their side, so she had nowhere to turn to for support.

“…Haa. Is there no one to save me like destiny?”

Wishing for fleeting hope, she eased her gloomy mood a little.

Leilia didn’t realize, but an invisible figure was standing at her window.

‘…This is going to be more troublesome than I thought.’

The figure sighed at the same time as Leilia.

It’s good that I got the quest.

It’s been eight years, but it’s good that it came now.

I don’t know why I was put in this kind of world, but complaining wouldn’t change anything, so I tried to complete the quest quickly.

But.

“A Swordmaster is not something anyone can become…”

Even if she’s a daughter born out of wedlock, she’s still a child of a noble family. How am I supposed to raise a noble lady who hasn’t even held a sword to become a Swordmaster?

‘Her hands haven’t touched a drop of water.’

Leilia looked very sickly overall.

A small physique with not even a strand of muscle, along with thin arms and legs that made me wonder if she even ate properly.

And with a lack of concentration, she would stare blankly into space, pretending to read a book.

Of course, her appearance was remarkably beautiful for her age, but in my eyes, which had seen countless beauties from various races, she was just average.

‘Damn system…’

Right now, I was in a difficult situation to reveal my true self.

The many ‘names’ I use all had high reputations.

If I used any of these names, the related grudges would be focused on Leilia, and at the smallest scale, her family, and at worst, the entire kingdom, could be destroyed.

In the end, I had to teach her while hiding my identity…

The problem was that the Haisen family was closed-off like a frontier noble family. It wouldn’t be easy for an outsider to intervene in a place where even the servants were chosen from native villagers.

‘Should I just kidnap her?’

But I immediately erased this thought from my mind.

‘Would she listen to someone who kidnapped her, in the first place?’

I thought of several magic spells like threats or brainwashing, but those magic spells would be useless once she became a Swordmaster, and I wasn’t in such a hurry, so I considered other, more humane methods.

In the end, what was needed was a method that was reasonable, appropriate, and wouldn’t be restricted.

‘Damn it’s complicated…’

There was only one way to meet these difficult conditions.

A way to teach her without revealing my identity and to meet her whenever I wanted.

‘Ugh. I really didn’t want to use this.’

If I used this method, I would inevitably be revealed to the Demon Queen that I was alive.

Because she was after my vital energy.

Brrr-

Remembering the life in the Demon Realm, goosebumps arose.

‘Still, there’s not much else besides this…’

The Demon Queen. Lilith’s magic that I learned directly.

Originally, it was a magic that only the succubus race could use, but with the system’s transcendent ability, I, a human, could learn the succubus’s magic.

I quickly brushed aside my worries about the Demon Queen and waited for the night to come.

I went to Leilia’s room, who was fast asleep.

And I quietly chanted.

“…Illusion Dream.”

As a vast amount of mana drained away, my body also grew languid.

Since I couldn’t fall asleep here, I slept at the nearest inn.

The Demon Queen’s unique magic, Illusion Dream.

To break it down, it’s an ephemeral dream.

It might become my black history, but it would be the greatest opportunity of her life for Leilia.

Leilia in the dream was smiling brightly.

So much so that even the observer was happy.

Everyone in the Haisen family around her smiled at her.

Her stern father looked at Leilia warmly, and her half-siblings, who always despised her, greeted her with a friendly manner.

All the ideals that Leilia desired were being fulfilled in the dream.

Leilia thought that even if it was a dream, she didn’t want to wake up again.

But, her fantasy began to shatter one by one at the sudden voice.

The people who loved her disappeared one by one, and finally, even her mother’s form became blurred.

“Ah, no…!”

‘Only my mother, only my mother!’

Despair and a sense of emptiness came over her all at once.

“…Give it back.”

She whispered softly, but nothing changed.

“I know this isn’t reality! Ha, but it doesn’t matter as long as it’s in the dream! I can be happy now!”

She shouted into the air, but still, nothing changed.

While she was in a state of indignation. Another voice came to her.- So,are you satisfied?

“…!”

-Because it’s a dream. Because it’s not reality. Because you don’t like your current life. Aren’t you just trying to make things easier?

It was a remark that pierced Leilia’s heart without hesitation.

Leilia, who was shocked and stood still for a long time, finally couldn’t control her emotions and began to shed tears.

“Y-you, what do you know…ugh… I, I also… want to try, but reality is…”

-Try? Are you trying to say that staring blankly while reading a book and daydreaming is trying?

“Don’t judge me as you please, not knowing anything about me! I, I also, if I had a chance…”

“…What?”

-The chance to choose your freedom. If you give me that chance, what can you do for me?

“Don’t be funny. This is just a nightmare, and I…”

“Dream? Nightmare? It is, but I’m not an entity without substance.”

Leilia was surprised by the voice behind her and turned around.

“Y-you are… what…?”

A boy stood behind Leilia.

The boy laughed as if it was amusing.

“The one who will grant you freedom, and

The one who will be your teacher from today.”