Sirius, the swordswoman known as the Six-Armed Sword Demon. She is undoubtedly one of the most talented people in the Demon Realm.
At the same time, she is never conceited about her abilities and has a stoic heart in pursuit of strength. That’s why, Sirius understands.
Indeed, she’s one of the strongest people in the Demon Realm, able to compete with the Six Kings’ executives, but even if that’s so, she understands that she’s far from the Six Kings who reign at the top of the Demon Realm.
But even when she’s not her opponent, she thought the tip of her sword could at least reach her opponent……
[……That’s…… what I thought…… Haahhh…… D*mn it…… For the difference between us to be this big……]Collapsed on her back on the ground, no longer having the strength to stand up or even grip her beloved swords, Sirius was breathing heavily.
Sirius had challenged Isis, and in just a few minutes, she had been beaten to the point where she could no longer stand. Sirius, who boasts an enormous amount of magic power and physical strength that it wouldn’t have been a problem even if she were to fight her peers for a month straight, is so exhausted that she can’t even stand up in just a few minutes.
The difference in power between the two of them was just that great.
(……Even though I knew this would happen…… I had been too conceited. I thought I got stronger. I thought I had become strong enough that I wouldn’t be as unsightly as I once was…… but in the end, this is what had become of me…… Moreover, this is even when “she considerably held back”……)
This was the second time…… that Sirius had experienced such an overwhelming defeat. The first time was against a mysterious swordsman who became her lifelong goal and made her determined to devote herself to endless training.
And now, even though Sirius thought she was much stronger than she was then, the feeling of defeat she experienced for her second defeat was the same as then.
(In this case, even if I found the swordsman back then…… The result would probably be the same as back then. Ahh, why am I so weak?)Feeling more frustrated with her own weakness than her defeat, Sirius mustered the last bit of her energy to get up and bow to Isis, who was looking at her.
[……Thank you for accepting…… this rude request of mine. I’m prepared to be punished for my disrespect.]
[……Punished? ……More importantly…… If we’re done with this bout…… Let’s have you healed.]
[Wha……]
Holding up her hand, Isis casted Recovery Magic on Sirius. As she was being healed, Sirius had an astonished expression on her face.
I suppose her surprise isn’t that strange. From how she saw it, she felt that her actions were beyond disrespectful and that she couldn’t complain even when they got rid of her.
She made it sound like she came here to test her strength, an actual match, but she ended up just becoming a punching bag, so she knew she deserved the hostility Polaris directed at her when she first arrived.
However, Isis didn’t feel that way, as she looked genuinely concerned about Sirius’ injuries.
[……I think that…… Sirius is very strong…… however…… I think you’re……a bit too tense.]
[I’m too tense?]
[……Unnn…… A lot like me before…… I didn’t have any composure in my heart…… thinking that I was going straight to my goal…… but it felt like…… I was dragging myself down…… more than anyone else.]
[…………………..]
Seeing Isis say that with a gentle smile, Sirius had an indescribable expression on her face…… and then, in a small voice, she spoke.
[……Indeed, there was one such goal.]
[……Unnn?]
[I don’t know her name, and I don’t even remember what she looked like now. However, I’m sure I fought a swordsman who was much stronger than I am now. I have been training relentlessly to challenge that swordsman again. But no matter how hard I searched, I never heard of the existence of such a swordsman…… but I’m sure, she definitely exists.]
Isis didn’t know about Sirius’ past. From her words alone, she couldn’t clearly understand what she was trying to say.
But even so, she knew what she had to do then.
[……I see…… Then…… By the time you fight that swordsman again…… I think it would be bad…… if you don’t get stronger than now…… Do your best…… If there’s anything I can do to help…… I will help you.]
[!? You…… believe in me?]
[……I’ve never met that swordsman either…… but if Sirius exists…… then she definitely should exist out there……. perhaps…… she may have been in another world…… There are people from another world…… among the people I know after all…… and Trinia isn’t the only world……
[……You’re right. If she’s that skillful…… she could have gone to another world in search of even stronger opponents.]
Isis didn’t know the details of the situation, but still, what Sirius needed now was affirmation and some composure in her heart…… just as how she understood that it was the same thing that she lacked before she met Kaito.
Sirius closed her eyes and was silent for a few moments, trying to process the meaning of Isis’ words, before she opened her eyes and bowed to Isis again.
[Death King Isis Remnant-sama. I’m sorry to have to put you through so much trouble, but could you please grant me one more wish?]
[……Unnn? ……What is it?]
[Please allow me to become your subordinate..]
[……Eh? ……Eeeehhhh!?]
Isis looked surprised at Sirius’ sudden announcement that she wants to be her subordinate. Kneeling on one knee in front of Isis and giving her a knight’s bow, Sirius continued.
[I admit, I had no intention of asking this until now. I had received several intentions from several camps. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to cut down on my training time to serve someone or belong to some organization, so I kept on turning them down.]
[……E- Errr…… then…… why?]
[I don’t have any logical reason for this decision. It’s not logic, but my soul, my heart that cries out this desire. I want to serve you…… I’m sure it must be because I was attracted by the brief glimpse I had of you as a King.]
Holding no falsehoods, that was Sirius’ true feelings. Isis’ willingness to accept her rude challenge, her overwhelming power, the kindness she showed her after the fight, the words she used to guide her…… Before she knew it, Sirius became charmed with the King, Isis Remnant.
[……Are you…… really fine with me?]
[I can’t think of serving anyone else but you. Inexperienced I may be, but please allow me to offer you my swords.]
[……Unnn…… Alright…… I’m in your care from now on…… Sirius.]
[Yes! Isis-sama!]
Thus, Sirius, who would later be known as the Celestial Blade Star, one of the Death King’s Executives, the Pleiades, joined Isis’ camp.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [How should I say this…… I feel like Isis is actually mentally growing quite a bit.]
? ? ? : [After meeting Kaito and being saved by him, I guess she was able to hold herself straight. That’s why, she was able to lead others in her own way, which has inevitably attracted some people to her.]
