Starting With an SSS-Rank Swordsmanship Talent

“Your Majesty, I think you should stop taking that medicine.” The Grand Commander suggested with a look of concern.

Hearing this, the empress frowned. “Why? It’s the only thing that keeps me sane. You know it too, Lord Grand Commander.”

The Grand Commander sighed helplessly. “Your Majesty, I thought about it for a long time and I believe that woman has something to do with your hallucinations.”

“You mean Samantha…” The empress found it incredulous.

“I have been friends with her for a long time. She will never do something like that!” She reasoned with a trace of anger.

The Grand Commander shook his head. “I have been by your side even before you became the ruler of Veronica. That woman has never been your friend. She just appeared recently. Don’t you find it strange? How come she has the right medicine for your hallucinations?”

The empress was in shock. “What are you saying?”

She had memories of Samantha, but when she tried to recall how they had met, her head suddenly started hurting.

She grimaced and rubbed her temples.

“Your Majesty, is it acting up again?” The Grand Commander became even more worried. The empress’s hallucinations were becoming more frequent lately and it was starting to affect her image.

The constant changes in her personality were already known to some officials and some of them even believed that she was ill.

If news of this were to spread, the whole nation would fall into chaos and some rebel groups might rise for an opportunity to take the throne.

He even heard of rumors that some aristocrats were starting to make unusual moves in their territories.

If there were no improvements to the empress’s condition, she would lose the trust of her subjects.

“I’m fine. Just bring me the medicine.” Yskaela shook her head and waved her hand.

The Grand Commander didn’t budge and just stared at her with a stubborn look.

Seeing this, the empress frowned. “Didn’t you hear me?”

“I apologize, Your Majesty, but I think you should stop taking that medicine. I will find another way to dispel your hallucinations.” The old man replied.

“You…” The empress wanted to say something, but she suddenly grabbed her head, her face filled with pain.

The Grand Commander quickly grabbed her hand and infused his mana into her body. “Please excuse me.”

The empress was startled. The face of the Grand Commander in front of her suddenly changed and turned into someone that she had long forgotten. It was the face of the late Veronican Emperor whom she had killed.

“You! It’s you!”

She was furious.

She unleashed her mana and released a punch with full force!

Whoosh!

“Your Majesty, it’s me! You need to wake up! Don’t let those apparitions control your mind!” The Grand Commander defended himself while trying to calm her down.

Their battle caused the imperial palace to shake.

The empress’s study room collapsed under their overwhelming power.

The imperial guards were alerted by the commotion and they quickly rushed to the scene. However, they were stunned when they saw the empress attacking the Grand Commander.

“Lock down the palace and don’t let anyone in!” The Grand Commander shouted to the imperial guards.

However, the imperial guards hesitated. They found the situation very confusing so they didn’t know what to do.

Left with no choice, the Grand Commander could only lie. “Hurry! Her Majesty is under a strong curse!”

Hearing this, the imperial guards finally reacted. Some of them chose to follow the Grand Commander’s orders, but there were still some who chose to remain to observe the situation.

The Grand Commander didn’t bother to explain. He focused his attention on the empress and shouted.

“Your Majesty! Please wake up!”

“Shut your mouth! I already killed you! How are you still alive?!” The empress ignored his words and continued to attack him relentlessly.

The protective engravings on the palace were forced to activate, temporarily keeping everything from collapsing.

The Grand Commander was passively defending himself and this gave the empress the chance to exploit his openings.

A sword suddenly appeared in her hands.

With a mighty roar, she brandished her sword and swung it with incredible force!

Whoosh!

The Grand Commander didn’t bring his halberd so he could only use his secondary weapon, his trusty sword.

He lifted his sword and infused his mana into it to block the empress’s attack.

CLANG!!

He managed to block the empress’s sword, but he was sent flying by the residual force behind her attack.

He crashed into the wall and fell on the floor.

“Lord Grand Commander!” A few imperial guards rushed to help him, while the others frowned, and continued to observe, unable to make a decision.

“Get away from me!” The Grand Commander shouted to the imperial guards. They might be killed by the empress so he harshly ordered them to leave.

At this moment, the empress suddenly charged towards him, preparing to stab him with her sword.

“Yskaela Veronica, wake the fuck up, you stupid girl!” The Grand Commander roared, his words shocked everyone in the palace.

His rude words stunned the befuddled empress. She stopped in her tracks, her mind in disarray.

In that brief moment, her mind momentarily cleared up. She looked around and saw that her study had become a mess with all the broken walls and scattered items on the floor.

She saw the confused imperial guards and the Grand Commander who was kneeling on the floor with blood leaking from the corner of his mouth.

“W-What happened here?” She muttered in disbelief.

She looked down and realized that she was holding her sword. She subconsciously threw it away when she realized what had happened.

Clang. Clang.

“I…I d-did this?”

The Grand Commander stood up and approached her with cautious steps. He then kneeled before her and spoke emotionally. “Your Majesty, please punish me! This is all my fault!”

The empress stared at him, not knowing what to do.

The Grand Commander lifted his head and gave her a secret signal.

Realizing his intentions, the empress opened her mouth and spoke in a cold voice.

“Lord Grand Commander, you will be…”