I’m The Only Granddaughter Of The Strongest Duke [Novel] Chapter 48

Chapter 48

“But Eve, if your sword happens to choose him as its master…”

“Oh, that won’t happen.”

I hopped down from my chair again and trotted toward the door. The servant
waiting there opened it before I could even reach for the handle. I gripped the
frame with both hands and poked my head out.

[Eve, pick me up already.]

“Excalibur, I have a question.”

[Ask away… I shall answer.]

“I’m your master, right?”

[Indeed.]

“That’s not going to change, is it? Even if a swordsman with much better talent
shows up?”

[I cannot speak for other ego swords, but I do not second-guess my decisions. If
you do not possess the greatest talent, then I shall draw out your potential to
the absolute limit and make you the greatest. I will prove my choice was not a
mistake.]

“Good, good.”

[So just take me with you, please…]

I pulled the piteously vibrating Excalibur into a precious embrace and returned
to the dining room. I climbed back onto my chair with a little “heave-ho” and
sat down.

“Grandfather, an ego sword is a blade that chooses its master, and it can only
communicate with that master.”

Of course, Lemartes was the exception. He wasn't the master, yet he could
understand Excalibur perfectly. Even Excalibur said he had no idea how the boy
could hear him. Anyway.

“And Excalibur has already chosen me. There’s no way for that Hero to have him.
Unless I die, the master won't change.”

[Hey, hey! You shouldn't go around giving out information like that!]

But since it was only Grandfather and Dad here, it was fine. As I spoke with
confidence, Grandfather nodded.

“If you are certain, then I shall speak with His Majesty. Eve, do you truly hate
the idea of your father making those swords that much?”

“Mhm. Fourteen is way too many. If only seven people need swords, why make
fourteen?”

“…How did you know seven people needed them?”

“Uh… mhm?”

Right, I’m not supposed to know that yet. I secretly wiped a cold sweat and
answered with a straight face.

“Dad told me in his sleep. Because I kept pestering him to tell me stories about
the Heroes.”

“Is that so…?”

“Anyway!”

I clapped my hands together.

“Conversation over. We’ve settled this, right? Dad doesn't make the swords, and
we just let the Hero try to take Excalibur once!”

I firmly wrapped up the situation before Dad or Grandfather could change their
minds. They both nodded, seemingly intent on following my lead completely.

Not long after Grandfather sent the letter to the Emperor, a reply arrived.
It stated that it was a “splendid idea” and requested that I be brought to the
Imperial Palace. It seemed he intended to have me face the Heroes directly.

“Eve, are you alright with this? If you don't want to go, you don't have to,”
Grandfather said, gently stroking my hair. I shook my head vigorously.

“No! I’m fine. I’m not scared of stuff like this at all. I just have to be
polite to His Majesty, right?”

“Yes. And appearing before the Emperor is equivalent to announcing your
existence to the world. It’s happening earlier than planned, but I was intending
to move quickly from the start, so it doesn't matter much.”

“It doesn't matter to me either, Grandpa.”

Right now, my first, second, and third priorities were all "Dad's life." If
Excalibur saw the Hero and had a change of heart, I’d be incredibly sad, but…

[Hey, I can hear you!]
Excalibur sounded thoroughly annoyed.

Ignoring him, I peered at the Imperial letter in Grandfather’s hand. I was
eight, and since the only literacy training I’d had was from Dad, I couldn't
read the whole thing.

“When are we supposed to go? Grandfather, when do I meet the Hero?”

“The morning of the day after tomorrow. It says to prepare and come then. Eve,
are you truly sure? You don't have to force yourself. I could still try to find
another weapon master and…”

“Then we’d be lying to His Majesty.”

I let my eyebrows droop.

“I don't want you to lie because of me, Grandpa. If you get caught lying to the
Emperor, you’ll get in big trouble. Besides, considering that Hero mister said
he wanted the sword even though he knew it had a master, he definitely wouldn't
be satisfied with Dad’s other swords anyway. He’d just keep coming after mine.”

Rather than letting that cycle repeat, it was much better to stamp a clear “You
aren't the one” into his mind.

“Excalibur, you’ll do a good job, right?”

[…Why do you ask in such an unsettling way? What are you planning?]

“Oh, nothing in particular…”

Just some discipline. Discipline.

Since the showdown was set for two days away, I had to make sure Excalibur’s
loyalty was ironclad by then.

‘I’ll show him a thing or two by taking down that Hero’s ego. I’ll make sure he
never looks at my sword again!’

This was a special blade Dad had forged by melting down Mom’s sword. It had
taken him seven long years to finish, and he had finally been able to gift it to
me on my eighth birthday. Why should I hand it over to some random people?

Absolutely not.

I glared at the calendar with narrowed eyes. I grabbed a red pen from
Grandfather, ran over, and drew a massive circle around the date two days away.

The day of battle. I was going to finish things with that Hero once and for all.

“What do you do if the Hero tries to pull you out?”

[Stiffen my body and hold my ground… Eve, this is the three-thousandth time.]

“No, it’s a misunderstanding. It hasn't been that many. It just feels like it.”

[No, I counted. It was exactly three thousand and one.]

Regardless, I had no intention of letting him off the hook. As I glared at him,
Excalibur gave his three thousand and second answer.

[Stiffen my body and resist. And if that fails, shake the guy off and fly back
to you.]

“Good. Well done. You have to do exactly that when we get there, okay?”

I slid Excalibur back into his scabbard.

The sound of the long steel blade sliding into the metal of the sheath echoed in the
room.

“Eve, have a safe trip!”

Dad reached his arms through the carriage door and cupped my cheeks.

“Just in case, don't do anything dangerous. Don't wander the palace alone; stay
with your knight uncles!! And don't lose sight of Grandpa! The palace is huge.”

“Oh, honestly, Dad. Do you still think I’m a baby?”

“Of course you are. Even when you’re twenty or thirty, you’ll always be my
little girl.”

Dad whispered with tenderly and blew me a kiss. I blew one back through
the window and settled into my seat. The carriage was lined with plush cushions,
making it as comfortable as a bed.

“I think this carriage is softer than my bed back in the village.”

[Is that not obvious?]

“Hey.”

[…Understood.]

Excalibur shut his mouth. Shortly after, Grandfather climbed inside. As soon as
he was in, the knight standing outside closed the door.

The door locked, and the carriage slowly began to move.