The Corrupt Guildmaster, Raising the Original Heroine
“Gh… just kill me…!!”
Fiel was bound tight, her entire body entangled by writhing tentacles. The prestigious Knight Captain of the Kingdom had been swiftly defeated by a plant-type monster inhabiting the Forest of Death—known as the Death Tentacle.
“To be seen in such a disgraceful state…! Just kill me already…!”
She was restrained in a humiliating pose, her legs spread wide, her face contorted with shame and humiliation, tears welling at the corners of her eyes.
“Sigh… Aron, help her out.”
“Didn’t think I’d be up so soon… alright!”
With his strengthening magic active, Aron slashed through the Death Tentacle in one stroke. The writhing limbs were shredded to pieces and disintegrated. Fiel was thrown to the ground, standing up while brushing the sticky mucus from her body.
“Ugh… that hurt… I didn’t think a monster could be that troublesome to deal with…”
I had left the Guild in Emidia’s care and brought Fiel and Aron with me to revisit the Forest of Death. And there, I learned a shocking truth.
Fiel Valencia, Knight Captain of the Kingdom of Fress—had never fought a monster in her life.
“… Why does a Knight Captain of the Kingdom have no combat experience against monsters?”
“Hmph. Because the Guild takes monster-slaying requests, of course. Our duty is guarding the borders and protecting royalty and nobility!”
Fiel folded her arms and turned away with a huff. So this woman was a complete novice… In the original story, when she met Aron, she’d already awakened her unique skill and spent months wandering. She must’ve gained her combat experience then.
“Haha, isn’t that a good thing, Guildmaster? Means the Kingdom’s been peaceful.”
Aron scratched his cheek, ever the easygoing protagonist.
“I wish I could be as optimistic as you…”
“Well, Guildmaster, you’re always thinking ahead. But sometimes, it’s fine to just… relax a little, you know?”
Relax, huh… maybe he’s right. I’ve learned a lot about Fiel lately. Maybe I can take things a bit easier.
Her skill might not be as legendary as Aron’s, but she still possessed a powerful unique skill—an evolved form of Iron Wall. With that, she could win the upcoming tournament. From the original story, I knew her power awakened through love. Which is precisely why I brought Aron—the original protagonist.
“Fiel. I’ll say this again. This is the first stage of your skill’s evolution training. Do you remember the skill’s name?”
“I-Ize… something?”
She crossed her arms, frowning in thought. Her memory seemed spotty… was she a natural airhead? Or just muscle-brained?
“… Eisen Maiden. It’s similar to strengthening magic, but more specialized—it can nullify most physical attacks upon activation.”
“Incredible! That means I can focus entirely on offense!”
Her eyes sparkled with excitement. Didn’t even sense a hint of the awakening yet. I take it back. This’ll be rough.
“But remember—it only blocks attacks your skill can handle. The strength of your defense scales with your own mastery. Never overestimate it. Learn to judge what you can and can’t block.”
“I see… even the weaknesses, huh… You’re very knowledgeable, Zilkein-dono.”
She nodded in admiration. The skill was unique to her, but her inexperience with monsters might actually work to my advantage.
The plan was simple—have her fight monsters while Aron supported her. Aron was kind-hearted; he’d respect her, just like in the original. And if he did, she’d surely fall for him again.
She’d grown up competing with men as a knight, and her current fiancé, a noble, looked down on women. Being respected meant a lot to her. If I could recreate that dynamic…
“Alright, Fiel. Your training’s decided. You’re going to fight a hundred monsters in this forest.”
“Eeeeh!? A hundred like that one earlier!?”
Fiel looked horrified.
◇◇◇
A week passed.
Fiel fought monsters daily—and lost every time, with Aron always stepping in to rescue her. Worried she might just be hopelessly weak, I had her spar with Aron, only to discover something strange: she was exceptionally strong against people. Strong enough to hold her own against a strengthened Aron. So that was it—knights were experts in human combat.
Fiel often talked with Aron during training, yet there were still no signs of skill evolution.
Why? In the original, she was ridiculously easy to win over—she was even called a “pushover heroine” in the forums before I reincarnated. So why not now…?
As I pondered, Fiel, exhausted from the endless fights, finally collapsed to the ground.
“Guildmaster, I’ll watch the surroundings. You take care of her.”
“You’d be better suited for that.”
“That’s not the point. She’ll be happier if it’s you. She keeps glancing your way, you know.”
… What?
Before I could ask, Aron clapped my shoulder and moved off to patrol.
Fine. Either way, she did need tending. I’ll do it.
I walked over. She lay spread-eagle on the ground, breathing heavily.
“Haah… haah… monsters really are on a whole other level… so fast and so strong…”
I handed her a stamina potion. She sat up, took a sip, then glanced at me—only to avert her eyes with a sad expression.
“You must be disappointed, Zilkein-dono. In how weak I am.”
“I’m not. Your skill in human combat is remarkable. Few could keep up with Aron while he’s enhanced.”
“Thank you… but I know. Aron-dono’s been holding back. I always… fall short somehow.”
She’d lost confidence. Maybe some words would help.
I sat down beside her.
“If you truly lacked ability, you wouldn’t be the Knight Commander. You earned that title through years of effort. It’s your own accomplishment.”
Fiel drew her knees to her chest, her eyes downcast.
“… My father was strict. He never praised me. He even told me, ‘You have no real skill. Your duty is to bear heirs for the family.’”
Her fists clenched, shoulders trembling with frustration.
“I couldn’t say a word back. The moment he said that, I lost all motivation. It felt like everything I’d done until then was meaningless.”
I see. That’s what drives her. Her desire to win at the exhibition match—she wants to prove her father wrong, to reaffirm her own strength.
“I don’t get it. Why should someone else’s words change who you are? They can’t. Were you ever lazy, Fiel?”
“O-of course not!! I’ve trained harder than anyone! I refuse to lose to anyone when it comes to swordsmanship!!”
Her face flushed with anger—good. She hadn’t broken.
“That’s it. That anger? That’s your answer.”
“Huh…?”
She blinked, staring at her hands in surprise, as if realizing her own emotions for the first time.
“When someone denies your effort, you should be angry. That anger proves you’ve lived earnestly. It’s something sacred—no one has the right to trample it. Your fury is proof your strength is real.”
“Zilkein-dono…”
“No offense to your father, but I’ll say this—don’t believe the words of a fool who knows nothing about you. Your worth is real.”
I could say that with confidence—because I’d read the original story. Fiel was strong. She’d become incredibly powerful, and one day, a top-earning adventurer.
And the one best suited to guide her… was me. She was wasted on a foolish noble or a condescending patriarch.
“Heh… No one’s ever said that to me before…”
“Really? Next time your father criticizes you, call me. I’ll crush his argument flat.”
“……”
She stared at me, her blue bangs swaying in the breeze, her green eyes glistening faintly.
“What is this feeling…?”
She pressed a hand to her chest, confused. A faint light flickered within her heart.
◇◇◇
Two weeks later.
Fiel continued her training in the forest. Using lessons from Aron’s prior sessions, we drilled monster habits and attack patterns into her. She studied Aron’s movements and learned how to counter properly.
She still wasn’t winning consistently—but compared to her first day, her growth was astounding.
And then came her hundredth battle—against none other than the Death Tentacle that had captured her on day one.
“Stop it!! I can’t take any more humiliation!!”
She dodged its slithering attacks but couldn’t find an opening to strike back. She’d handled Death Wolves and others fine, but this one still rattled her.
Yet today… something was different.
“Fiel! It’s coming from the right!!”
The moment she looked my way, light flared in her chest.
“What is this…? Something strange is welling up inside me…”
A soft glow spilled from her heart—the same kind Aron had shown when his skill awakened. This was it.
“Fiel! Focus your power in your core—and say the skill’s name!”
I shouted the trigger phrase I’d memorized from the original. She nodded sharply, raising her sword in front of her.
“Eisen Maiden!!”
At once, her body was enveloped in silver light. She blinked in confusion, glancing down at her glowing armor.
“This is Eisen Maiden? I don’t feel any different…”
Just then, the monster’s tentacles lunged toward her again. Aron moved to help, but I raised my hand to stop him.
“Guildmaster!? Why are you—!?”
“Watch closely, Aron. This… is Fiel’s power.”
“Her… power?”
He turned back just in time to see countless tentacles slam into her—
“SHRRRRRRRR!!!”
—and bounce off with a metallic crack.
“They—! They’re being deflected!?”
Aron’s eyes widened as the tentacles recoiled violently.
“Haaah!!!”
Fiel swung in a wide arc, her sword slicing clean through them. The monster’s limbs were severed, then vanished into dust.
“I did it!! I activated the skill you told me about, Zilkein-dono!!”
She leapt in joy. As expected of the Knight Commander—she’d instinctively grasped Eisen Maiden’s properties after a single use.
“Guildmaster? What is that ability? It’s not like my strengthening magic.”
“Eisen Maiden forms a thin magical barrier over the body that reflects physical attacks.”
“R-reflection!? Of physical damage!?”
“It scales with her mastery. She’s a defense-focused vanguard—that is Knight Fiel Valencia’s true strength.”
I approached and examined the cut tentacles. The sword stroke was clean—far sharper than before. Her swordsmanship, honed through years of duels, was blooming beautifully.
“Zilkein-dono…”
Fiel fidgeted, clearly waiting for something. That face… I remembered it from the original. She wanted to be praised.
She kept glancing at me shyly, her cheeks faintly pink. Why direct that look at me, though? Shouldn’t she—
(She wants you to praise her.)
Aron whispered in my ear. The original protagonist, telling me that?
… Fine.
If I remembered right, the line went something like this.
I said the words the protagonist once said to her—
“You did well, Fiel.”
“… Thank you. It’s all thanks to you, Zilkein-dono.”
Fiel Valencia smiled—a radiant, blossoming smile, like a flower finally in bloom.
What do you think about this chapter?
