My Desertion Would Be Faster Than Heros' Obsession-Chapter 33Vol 2.

“W-Wait a minute. Isn’t this a little too radical?”

Sure, I’d joked about wanting to see a Red Revolution in action before—but I never thought someone would actually say it out loud!

While I was panicking, Gavle continued explaining as if this was the most natural thing in the world.

“A self-governing nation run by its citizens. A democratic and autonomous system.”

“C-Can something like that even work?”

“There have been city-states in history where the people held power, even in the medieval era. And if it’s not possible yet, we’ll make it possible. That’s our rule, isn’t it?”

‘If it doesn’t work, make it work.’

Yeah... I was very familiar with that philosophy.

“And it’s not like we’ve been doing nothing all this time.”

“...Then what have you been doing?”

“We’ve been writing and distributing books on the ideology.”

...So that’s why it seemed like they weren’t taking action! They had just been working in a completely different field!

I had the sudden urge to grab the back of my neck. So I did.

At the same time, though, my mind felt incredibly clear—like a problem I’d been agonizing over had suddenly been solved.

Honestly, I had compromised before by supporting a noble-led republic, but it never really sat well with me. Wasn’t that just another form of entrenched power?

But a self-governing state led by the people—now that was truly revolutionary. That was the kind of revolution I had dreamed of.

Maybe... maybe the failure of our previous uprising had been a blessing in disguise. Because now, I understood what I really needed to fight for.

“...You’re right, Gavle.”

“So you agree with our ideology? As expected, your hair is red, after all.”

“T-That has nothing to do with it! Anyway, if possible, could you send me one of those books next time?”

“I’ll make sure to do that. And now, I’ll teach you how to use the cipher.”

From that day forward, I learned how to encrypt messages in letters, ensuring a safe line of communication with Gavle.

“Then, I hope you stay safe.”

“You as well, Miss Salvia.”

***

Meanwhile

Aquila had finished preparing to leave for Egott Village. Just as he was about to step out of his quarters, someone called out to him.

It was Winter.

“Aquila, wait. Let me go instead.”

“...Are you saying you don’t trust me? I can handle this just fine.”

Aquila coldly dismissed Winter’s offer.

Right now, the Special Black Magic Investigation Unit had agreed to regroup in the capital. If two of their key fighters disappeared at the same time, it wouldn’t be ideal.

Even if this mission was to retrieve Salvia, it would be best for only one of them to go.

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Truthfully, Aquila was also worried—worried that Winter might get too close to Salvia again.

But Winter’s expression remained firm.

“No. It’s because I’m worried about Salvia.”

“...You think I’m not?” Aquila countered.

“That’s not what I mean. I have a hunch.”

“A hunch about what?”

“Egott Village is where my parents live. They remember Salvia’s face. If she was lucky, she might have met them and is staying with them.”

But then, Winter’s face darkened instantly.

“However... she might also be going through hell right now.”

“What do you mean?” Aquila’s tone sharpened.

Winter exhaled slowly before answering.

“Because if she’s with my parents... then without a doubt, they’ve—”

***

"I will teach you swordsmanship."

I blinked, staring at Winter’s father.

What... what did I just hear in the middle of my meal?

Having to stay in the North for an additional two weeks, I had been making the most of my time.

"Ah, the indoors are so warm and cozy..."

Enjoying a life of pure relaxation.

I had already done everything I needed to do here. Now, all that was left was returning safely. Until then, I could afford to let my guard down and take it easy.

Or so I had thought.

"You’re going to teach me swordsmanship?"

"That’s right. You’ve spent time in the Border Defense Army, so you’re probably already quite skilled with the sword. But for your future, you should refine your technique even further."

"Hmm..."

I trailed off, contemplating my swordsmanship skills.

Objectively, I was good with a sword. The type of weapon that would have been too heavy for an average imperial woman was one I could swing with ease. At one point, I had drilled thrusts and slashes into my body, repeating the movements hundreds of times a day until they became second nature.

But ever since I started using firearms, I had let my sword gather dust. I had picked it up occasionally, sure, but I couldn’t claim to be among the strongest swordsmen even among the Arkons.

"I primarily use firearms. Do I still need to train with a sword?"

"That makes it even more necessary. In close combat or stealth missions, you will need a blade."

"Stealth missions..."

If I were to join the revolution, there would definitely be moments where I would need to infiltrate somewhere.

Which meant... he was right.

I sighed and nodded, albeit reluctantly.

Later, in the Training Grounds

I stood in the back courtyard of the estate, gripping a sword. Both Winter’s father and mother scrutinized my stance with sharp eyes.

"Her basic form is solid."

"She just needs more live combat experience."

...Wait. Why did this feel familiar?

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It must be in their Winter Family DNA—they were born instructors. Their synchronization was uncanny.

I swung my sword under their watchful gazes, demonstrating thrusts, blocks, and slashes.

"Not bad. Now...."

Winter’s father stepped forward, drawing his own blade.

"We’ll have a sparring match."

...Did he really think I could stand a chance?

My main weapon was a gun, while he was the father of a male lead in a romance fantasy novel—a man who never neglected his training. How in the world was this supposed to be a fair fight?

But, unfortunately, my military training had drilled obedience into my bones. Orders were orders.

I gripped my sword tightly and took a stance.

And thus, the sparring session began.

Clang—! Clang—!

The sound of metal clashing echoed as our swords struck each other. Every time our blades met, I had to struggle to keep hold of my weapon against the force of his strikes.

But it didn’t last long.

He found an opening and placed his blade at my throat, bringing the match to an inevitable end.

"I... lost."

"Hmm."

Seeing my dejected face, he seemed to ponder something.

"Your skills aren’t bad."

"Really?"

Compared to his, my skills were laughable. I blinked in surprise.

He nodded and offered his assessment.

"You lack experience fighting against humans. You also don’t know how to respond to different attack styles. That makes your defense weak. But...."

But? Did I have some [N O V E L I G H T] kind of redeeming trait?

"You’re very good at using your brain. You attack at shamelessly dirty timings."

...Was that a compliment?

"If you were a knight, such tactics would be unacceptable. But in real combat, no one can complain. It’s a good habit."

I hesitated. Was this something I should feel proud of?

Well... thinking about it, I had used some underhanded moves. I had tried to slam my hilt down after failing an attack, and I had aimed for moments when he was catching his breath.

Now that I thought about it, Winter’s father was right. I was far too accustomed to fighting monsters. Those battles were about group strategy, not one-on-one duels.

Which meant I needed more sparring practice. If I were going to infiltrate places, I had to be prepared.

"I’ll train harder. Thank you for your instruction."

"Don’t worry, Miss Salvia. I’ll help you plenty."

"...What?"

"We still have plenty of time. Before you leave, I’ll make sure you get extensive training."

"......"

Thus began Winter Household Training Arc, Part 2.

***

That Night

"Ugh, my body is aching...."

I groaned, rolling around on my bed.

This guest room felt so comfortable at this point that I was starting to consider it mine.

Winter’s father was truly ruthless in training. His teaching style was identical to Winter’s. Thanks to that, my swordsmanship had improved significantly in a short time.

It honestly felt like they were treating me as their daughter. But why did that mean forcing me through brutal training?

When I finally mustered the courage to ask, Winter’s father had simply said:

"Our family must be skilled in swordsmanship. It is tradition."

So he really was treating me like his daughter...

Well, it was better than hostility, at least.

As I lay there reflecting on my miserable sore body, I suddenly heard a familiar sound echo through the house.

Ding-ding—!

The distinct sound of a bell.

"What...?"

I sat up, my expression serious.

Since arriving here, I had learned that Winter had installed security wires in our home.

The mechanism was simple: if an intruder stepped on an invisible wire near the estate’s perimeter, bells would ring in both this house and Winter’s.

And this estate had the same system.

Meaning—someone had broken in.

"Who would invade this place? A thief?"

The estate didn’t actually have much gold or treasure, but from the outside, it probably looked worth robbing.

But this was a small, secluded village. There weren’t many outsiders who would attempt something like this.

I frowned.

Then, I suddenly remembered something Winter’s mother had once told me.

"Occasionally, monsters appear in this area."

"Oh, do they come down from the mountains?"

"Yes. Especially flying monsters."

"What do you do when that happens?"

"The villagers here are used to dealing with them, so it’s rarely a major issue. We also participate in exterminating them regularly."

Could it be... that the intruder wasn’t human, but a monster?

If that was the case, this wasn’t a burglary—it was an attack.

I shot up from the bed, grabbing my sword.

At the very least, I needed to earn my keep for all the free meals I’d been eating.

Downstairs

By the time I reached the first floor, Winter’s father, mother, and even Lily were already there—all armed.

Winter’s father held a sword.

Winter’s mother held a sword.

Lily... was holding a frying pan.

"Did you all hear the bell?"

"Yes. It’s probably a monster."

Just as I suspected.

But... my gaze drifted to Lily’s frying pan.

"Um... Can you really fight with that?"

She laughed, spinning it effortlessly.

"I’ve spent years in the kitchen. As long as I have a frying pan and a knife, I can cook anything."

...That was terrifying.

Was she actually some hidden martial arts master? This was a romance fantasy world, after all.

With tense determination, we headed outside.

Winter’s father led the way.

Winter’s mother guarded the rear.

I walked between them with Lily.

...It was a strange feeling, being protected like the weak one.

Then, Winter’s father stopped in his tracks.

"This is..."

In the snow, there were fresh footprints.