I Became a Swordsman in the Middle Ages – Chapter 6

Early morning.

She puts on a loose-fit cardigan over a white blouse and skirt.

The key is to keep the cardigan halfway off, just before it slips off completely.

She braided one side of her hair boldly, while the other side was left long, naturally covering part of her face.

To finish, she pins a lily-shaped hairpin and equips a short sword with a simple design.

This was Cecilia’s outfit for going out.

“Hmm. Not bad.”

Cecilia stared at the mirror and evaluated herself.

She generally lived frugally, but she didn’t spare any expense when it came to her appearance.

The clothes she was wearing now, including the hairpin, cost 30 gold.

In Korean currency, that’s about 30 million won.

…Most of it was custom-made to her taste, which made it expensive.

“How much money do I have left?”

Cecilia opened her purse and carefully checked.

1 gold and 2 shillings.

It was a pitiful amount for the Sword Heroine of the Kingdom’s top Knight Order.

She couldn’t accept this reality.

“Someone must have stolen it.”

Currently, Cecilia’s monthly income, including her allowance, is 50 gold.

Even though she spent 30 gold on this outfit last week, she was still too poor.

“…This is bad.”

Today was the day the ‘item’ Cecilia had been waiting for was going up for auction.

Originally, she planned to farm for it leisurely, but the situation had changed.

She had to buy it, even if it meant spending a fortune.

Cecilia estimated she would need 500 gold.

An impossible amount.

Of course, since it was an auction, she only needed to pay within a certain period, but the problem was the upfront payment.

If she won the bid, she had to pay 30% of the total amount on the spot.

‘…I need to get money. But first, I need to get out of the mansion.’

**

Cecilia tiptoed through the hallway, carefully watching her surroundings.

“Young lady! Where are you going? Wow, you look so cute today!”

“…Where’s the Captain?”

She really didn’t want to run into Kairon.

It was obvious he would start nagging the moment he saw her.

“The master went to greet Marquis Biarton.”

“Thanks.”

‘I need to get out of here quickly.’

Cecilia hurried toward the central entrance.

As she walked down the stairs at a slightly faster pace, she heard footsteps.

In a panic, she hid behind a pillar.

“I’m at a loss for words that you came out to greet me.”

“…It’s only natural to greet the Kingdom’s greatest mage.”

Cecilia closed her eyes and muttered to herself.

‘Don’t get caught. Don’t get caught. Don’t get caught.’

But contrary to Cecilia’s wishes, Kairon spoke calmly.

“Cecilia. You’re past the age for playing around.”

“……”

‘Caught.’

Cecilia awkwardly revealed herself.

“Oh ho, so you’re the famous Cecilia. Truly, as the Sword Heroine, you are the epitome of beauty.”

“Hello. Thank you.”

Kairon’s face stiffened slightly.

“Marquis Biarton, would you mind waiting in the guest room for a moment? I need to have a word with this child.”

“Haha, of course. Take your time.”

As Marquis Biarton disappeared, Kairon immediately started scolding.

“What’s with that half-off robe? If you’re going to wear clothes, wear them properly. If you’re going to take them off, take them off completely.”

“This is how the outfit is supposed to be.”

“Your skirt is too short. Maintain the dignity of the Windsor Knight Order.”

“The uniform is even shorter.”

“The hairpin… suits you well.”

“I think so too.”

Kairon let out a small sigh.

Cecilia, despite her eccentricities, was generally obedient.

Since she was young, she had always listened well to Kairon.

But strangely, when it came to fashion, she wouldn’t budge an inch.

It would be nice if she dressed a bit more modestly…

As a result, the dresses Kairon gifted her were piled up in a corner of the warehouse.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to buy some supplies for tomorrow’s duty. I think I’ll need a few things.”

The Windsor Knight Order had entered an emergency state, starting 24-hour shifts.

Cecilia was off duty today, so she was free.

In other words, her excuse was perfect.

“…So, could you lend me a bit of allowance?”

Kairon closed his eyes for a moment.

“How much did you say that outfit cost?”

“3 gold.”

Cecilia lied without batting an eye.

Kairon rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache.

“I saw the receipt for 30 gold. Overspending like this is unacceptable for a virtuous knight. Until you learn the value of money, your allowance is suspended.”

“…!!”

**

Well, she didn’t really expect much.

‘Kairon rarely changes his mind once he’s decided something.’

Still, she thought it was worth a try, but it seems it didn’t work out.

But Cecilia wasn’t disheartened. There were still plenty of ways to make money.

“Oh? It’s the youngest.”

“Hello.”

She found her target for the day, Jerryway.

He looked quite normal, unlike during meetings.

“What brings you here? I wouldn’t even go near the patrol area if I were you.”

“I stopped by on my way to do some shopping. You’ve been working hard, and you’re about to retire.”

“Ugh, you’re the only one who understands me in this Knight Order.”

“Then, could you lend me some money…”

Jerryway suddenly had an urgent matter to attend to.

“Darn, something’s come up. Cecilia, I’ll go ahead. Have fun shopping!”

“Astel Champagne, vintage 52.”

“…!”

Jerryway, who had been scrambling to leave, stopped in his tracks.

He turned his head like a wooden puppet.

Then he rushed over and placed his hand on Cecilia’s shoulder.

“H-how did you know about that?”

“I saw you drinking the champagne from the office shelf and refilling it with water. I was on duty that day.”

Jerryway’s face turned pale with despair.

Staggering, he leaned against the wall and slumped down.

He muttered pessimistically.

“If the Captain finds out, I’m dead. No, I might already be dead since you know.”

“Drinking on duty is…”

“Alright, alright! I’ll give it to you! How much do you need?”

Grumbling, Jerryway pulled out his purse.

“Everything you have.”

“…You’re as heartless as a demon.”

Jerryway handed over the entire purse with a nervous twitch.

Cecilia bowed her head and accepted it.

“In return, you absolutely must not tell the Captain, okay?”

“Sure.”

Jerryway’s expression was that of someone who had lost their country.

In tribute, she decided to use this money wisely.

**

On her way to shop, she checked the contents of the purse.

As expected, adult knights are different.

The amount of money she had was enough to surprise even Cecilia.

‘There are 20 platinum coins.’

One platinum coin is worth 10 gold coins.

Which means Jerryway was carrying around 200 gold in his purse.

Come to think of it, Jerryway was the son of a famous merchant family from the south.

Even so, this was…

‘Hmm. This is way more than I thought. I’ll use half and return the rest.’

The poor Cecilia was overwhelmed by the staggering amount!

Suddenly, her purse felt 20 times heavier.

She decided to carry it close to her chest since it was so valuable.

“Welcome to the Ervine Auction House, Cecilia Windsor. What mask would you like?”

“…A rabbit.”

Cecilia, who had safely arrived at the auction house, received the mask and entered.

The auction house had a classic design with marble pillars and a red carpet in the center of the hall.

The second and third floors were VIP seats, while the first floor was for general seating. Cecilia sat demurely in a general seat.

‘I’m a bit late.’

The auction house was filled with a mix of tension and anticipation. The auctioneer standing on the red carpet struck the gavel and shouted.

“Sold! Congratulations! This ‘Tear of Celia’ belongs to the gentleman in the lion mask!”

The item Cecilia was waiting for was the main auction item. The main item usually came near the end, so she had to wait a bit longer.

“Now, let’s move on to the next item!”

The auction continued.

Occasionally, items caught Cecilia’s eye, but she suppressed her urge to buy, saving her money for ‘that item.’

‘That thing would have been really helpful for a newbie… I need to make more money.’

As she watched, occasionally licking her lips, the moment she had been waiting for finally arrived.

“The next item is ‘Elasia’s Pendant’!”

A blue gem hung from a silver chain, shining like a living star.

The intricate craftsmanship and the mysterious light within the gem were simply breathtaking.

‘Found it.’

That was undoubtedly the item Cecilia had been searching for.

“The starting bid is… 500 gold!”

Cecilia frowned slightly under her rabbit mask.

‘Why is the starting price so high? It’s pretty, but…’

A few people around her started raising their hands.

“500 gold!”

“550!”

“600!”

The auction house grew increasingly heated. The auctioneer’s voice grew louder with each bid from the different floors.

Cecilia was a bit bewildered. The price had already far exceeded her expectations.

It was just a pretty accessory. Not some powerful artifact, so she hadn’t expected the price to go this high.

‘…Not yet. I can’t jump in now.’

But it was an item she couldn’t give up on. Cecilia watched carefully, waiting for the right moment to join the bidding.

“600! 600 gold! Any higher?”

For a moment, there was silence, and then Cecilia’s hand shot up.

“700.”

The room buzzed with murmurs. Though her face was hidden, her small stature and firm voice drew attention.

“700 gold! Ah, a new record high for today! Is there anyone who can surpass this incredible amount?”

‘…Surely no one will bid over 700 for that?’

Cecilia’s heart was pounding.

Just then, the auctioneer shouted with a voice full of excitement.

“800 gold!”

“……!”

A man in a snake mask on the second floor had raised his hand.

‘I’m doomed.’

700 gold was already pushing it. 800 gold meant she needed 250 gold upfront. She was way over her limit.

“Amazing! Is there anyone who can top this?”

The auctioneer was ecstatic. The starting bid had been a stretch, but he hadn’t expected it to get this heated.

“Well then—! Let’s conclude with this…”

But then, a leisurely gesture came from the second floor.

“1,000 gold!”

A collective sigh filled the room.

It was the man in the lion mask.

Two women with attractive figures were playfully clinging to him.

‘Who is that…?’

The man in the snake mask, who had been competing earlier, shrugged his shoulders with a glass of wine in hand, looking incredulous.

‘Just how rich is he? No matter how much money I had, I couldn’t beat that.’

Cecilia sulked and stared at the floor.

She stayed in her seat, hoping for a miracle, but—

The item Cecilia wanted never appeared again for the rest of the auction.

**

Cecilia walked away, completely dejected.

‘If only I had that, I could know exactly when the ‘official opening’ would be.’

She had guessed it would be in a year, but a guess was just a guess.

She needed certainty.

But now that she had missed this opportunity, there was no hope left…

“Hey, rabbit.”

A voice called from behind, and she turned her head.

“Who’s there?”

Thud.

She caught something flying toward her.

While keeping an eye on the man in the lion mask, she glanced at what she had caught.

It was ‘Elasia’s Pendant.’

“I knew it was you.”

The man in the lion mask slowly removed his mask.

“Leoric?”

He grinned, showing his teeth.

Cecilia was stunned.

“How did you know it was me?”

“You think a mask would stop me from recognizing you?”

“…This is.”

“I thought something interesting would happen if I bought that pendant. It’s the first time I’ve seen you want something that badly.”

“I’ll pay you back.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Then he casually waved and walked away.

Cecilia stood still for a long time after Leoric disappeared.

‘What kind of interesting thing should I do? Maybe I should do a skit.’

She decided to buy a clown mask tomorrow.

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