Until that breathtakingly beautiful flash, Rose had been resolved to die. If she herself is captured and used, then there’d be no meaning in her father’s death. That alone, she can never allow to happen.

Death is frightening.

However, that is her only venue of escape. She got to live as a princess, and had so many wishes fulfilled. And in turn, she believes she’s carried out her duties as befits her station in life.

So that’s why this is her final duty.

So she had resolved.

“Y-, you are……”

But the instant she saw the sword that deflected all swords, and the young man who wielded that sword, a memory from her youth rises unbidden in Rose’s mind.

“The time for lies is over……”

Then Jimina places his hand on his face, and tears it off.

Shock runs through the audience.

Beneath the peeled off skin is a mask familiar to Rose.

Then a black mass bursts out in a spiraling cloud that envelopes him.

When the black spiral settles, it reveals a man wearing a jet black longcoat.

“Shadow……”

So whispers someone.

However, for Rose, he goes by a different name.

He is the reason why Rose had started on the path of the sword, he is the one who wields the beautiful sword that has captured her heart.

“Shadow, don’t tell me you…… you are Slayer-san?”

A flashback plays in Rose’s mind.

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Long ago, just once, Rose had been kidnapped.

When she had accompanied her father to Midgar Kingdom on official business, she had secretly slipped out to play. While playing with the commoner kids, her world had suddenly gone black.

The next instant, she had lost consciousness.

When she came to, she found herself in a dim room, bound.

Her hands and feet were both tied up with straw rope, and her mouth was gagged.

Despite the lack of any external wounds, the fear and unease made her shake uncontrollably.

“Here I was, thinking that she was a brat with a well-groomed appearance, and she turns out to be the princess of Oriana Kingdom!”

The bandits were talking in the next room over.

They probably searched her personal belongings. Rose’s identity had been exposed.

“As expected of Big Bro! You sure are lucky!”

“Stoopid, this is my own ability!!”

Coarse laughter rang out.

Rose considered her situation, and despaired. There were two options available to the bandits. They could demand a ransom from Oriana Kingdom directly, or sell her to someone else who understands her value.

She knew they would choose the latter. Rose’s usefulness is high, but it’s too much for lowly bandits to handle.

They would sell her, and safely get the money. Then Rose herself would be used by enemies of Oriana Kingdom……

That train of thought plunged Rose into further despair.

She wriggled around, desperately trying to slip out of the ropes.

She shouted through the mouth gag.

However, her struggle was in vain.

“Oh, our dear princess has woken up.”

“You, go take a look.”

Footsteps drew near.

Rose’s shouting turned to screams, and tears fell from her eyes.

But the instant right before the door to the room was opened.

“Hyahaa!! Cough up all your money right now!!”

The out-of-place voice of a child rang out.

“Wh-, what’s with this brat!”

“Where did you come from?! Never mind, kill him!!”

“Ora ora ora ora!!”

There was the sound of something slicing through the air.

Then screams rang out.

“Wh-, what’s with this brat!! He’s strong!!!!”

“This can’t be happening! Three people in one instant?!”

“You people will become the practice targets for my stylish sword.”

Once again, the sound of cutting wind.

A thick stench of blood reached Rose’s nose. She fearfully peeked through a gap in the door.

The scene that greeted her eyes is that of a child wearing a sack and bandits running about trying to escape.

“Those who run are bandits! Those who can’t run are bandits that I’ve practiced on!!”

“Hi, hiiiiii!”

“St-, stop ittt!!”

The boy wearing a sack brandished his sword.

“——?!”

The beauty of that trajectory stole Rose’s eyes and caused her to forget her situation. Rose didn’t know much about the sword.

But this sword…… it was more beautiful than any art that Rose had ever come into contact with in her life.

The sword brilliantly decapitated the bandits, interrupting their screams.

Rose simply gazed at the child wearing a sack in blank amazement.

“I even went to the trouble of going on an expedition, but you guys have no money? Nn, wait, there’s one more.”

Upon noticing Rose’s gaze, the child wearing a sack opened the door of her room.

Light shone into the room, and Rose’s eyes met the child’s.

“A kidnapped child, huh. Seems you’ve had a tough day.”

The child wearing a sack brandished his sword. That sword was just so beautiful that Rose’s eyes were fascinated by it.

“Take care on your way home. Bye bye.”

The child in a sack quickly made his departure.

Rose suddenly realized that her ropes had been severed.

“Wa-, wait!”

Rose desperately called him to a halt.

“Yea?”

The child in a sack stopped and turned around.

“Wh-, who are you?”

“Me? I’m, well, lemme see. I’m still in training but…… you can call me the passing Stylish Bandit Slayer.”

“Stylish Bandit Slayer-san…… Umm, Rose wants to do something to thank you.”

“Nnn, then don’t tell anybody about me. Can you do that for me?”

“O-, ok, yes I can.”

“‘K, seeya then.”

So saying, Stylish Bandit Slayer-san disappeared.

“Stylish Bandit Slayer-san……”

He had saved Rose in her despair, and changed her fate. His beautiful sword had stolen her heart, and became the reason for why she stepped onto the path of the sword.

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

That memory from her childhood is a precious, precious thing for her. It’s a secret only for her, something that she had not told anyone, ever.

But today, for the first time, Rose speaks of the secret.

“Shadow…… so you were Stylish Bandit Slayer-san all along.”

Shadow remains silent.

But for Rose, his silence is his answer.

So he has been fighting against evil even from his childhood. Just like that day when he had saved Rose, he had been saving many others.

Rose recalls Shadow’s words: ‘true strength comes not from power, but from the way you live.’ Indeed, it is Shadow’s way of living that is his true strength.

Rose feels ashamed at how she had easily chosen death.

She can still fight. However, living on is too hard, failure is too scary, so she had wanted to end it all.

Death is merely a cop out.

Rose can still fight.

Because she has fallen for his beautiful sword——and his way of living.

“Your fight is not yet over……”

Shadow thrusts his jet black sword.

As a result, a large hole appears in the arena wall.

“Go……”

“Thank you!”

Rose picks up her rapier, then jumps through the hole without hesitation. She still has much left to do.

“St-, stop right there!!”

“None shall pass……”

So saying, Shadow stands before the hole.