The Initiation Ceremony (1)
I was walking indifferently, not even bothering to avoid the puddles as the heavy rain beat down on me.
The sky was thick with dark, rumbling storm clouds.
As I stepped past the fence, I met a woman who, like me, wore a hood pulled low over her head and was mounted on a horse.
She was sheltering from the rain beneath a massive, ancient tree.
Spotting me, she called out.
"Yo, you're early!"
Ecklin's energetic voice pierced through the sound of the rain.
Today was the day I was to be introduced to the local branch of the Silver Wing Knights near the academy.
I had already coordinated the meeting place and time with Ecklin beforehand. When she had asked how I would manage to arrive on time, I had simply replied that I could just ask the people around me.
Even though it was a rare weekend off, I had plenty of things to do.
"A-A-Achoo!!"
Before I could even reply, Ecklin let out a loud sneeze and sniffled.
"Vice-Commander Ecklin, how long have you been waiting? I thought I was quite early myself."
I asked, pulling back my hood.
Ecklin had tried her best to shelter under the tree, but she couldn't escape the downpour entirely; her robe was completely soaked.
"The Saintess told me to leave even earlier. She said you're the type to show up early and wait. Sniff, a little cold is nothing. I can just ask the Saintess to heal me, hehehe."
Ecklin wiped her nose and grinned mischievously.
Her adoration for Bernice is as strong as ever.
She possessed the same innocent, carefree personality I remembered from the game.
Sierra's voice, observing Ecklin's face, echoed in my mind.
Indeed. This youthful-looking girl was the Vice-Commander of a knight order.
The silver armor peeking through the gaps of her robe proved her identity.
At a young age—comparable to Bernice and myself—Ecklin had reached the position of Vice-Commander through sheer effort and grit, without any extraordinary natural talent.
Perhaps because of this background, she was highly regarded within the order. I knew she was especially looked up to as a role model by the rookie knights.
Her swordsmanship didn't have any flashy characteristics, but her fundamentals were incredibly solid, making her strikes precise and concise.
This was the extent of the information I had on Ecklin.
"By the way, is the Saintess at the branch we are heading to?"
I stepped through the mud with a squelch, drawing closer to her.
"Of course. We still have the initiation ceremony, after all."
"An initiation ceremony?"
"Did you think we'd just hand you a badge and say, 'Welcome to the knights!' and call it a day? Well, given the circumstances, it won't be a grand official ceremony, so it'll be held quietly."
I nodded at Ecklin's explanation.
An initiation ceremony... nothing too strange about that.
Just then, my gaze fell on Shady, who was rolling around in a puddle. Unlike Sierra, Shady didn't float around, but it was capable of touching the ground.
However, because it was ultimately a spiritual entity, neither the puddle nor the falling rain had any physical effect on Shady's fluffy body.
Perhaps because of the darkness from the lack of moonlight, I could sense its energy growing stronger. It seemed its power increased the more darkness surrounded it.
In any case... Bernice would likely be able to sense at least a faint trace of this furball's energy.
Even Priscilla, whom I had met recently, had detected its energy, though that was through direct physical contact.
She had whispered to me in a voice too quiet for Yuri, who had accompanied me to the infirmary, to hear.
"You've brought back quite a few strange things in the short time I haven't seen you."
It had indeed been quite a while since we last met.
Because of the past she wished to hide, Priscilla avoided the Holy Kingdom—and especially the Saintess—so we hadn't run into each other during the open classes.
Priscilla hadn't pried any further.
Still, it's better to keep my distance from Priscilla...
Since I couldn't predict Bernice's reaction with absolute certainty, I had prepared various countermeasures.
The crucial point was that even though dark spirits were closely associated with demons, the Magi of a demon and the energy of a dark spirit were distinctly different.
At the very least, there was no risk of being mistaken for a demon.
In any case, I had certainly built up favor with Bernice, and if I utilized her 'authority' wisely to respond flexibly, there would surely be a way out.
Whinny.
The horse Ecklin was riding tossed its head and let out a soft whinny.
Ecklin then patted the space behind her saddle.
"Shall we get going? I assumed you wouldn't know how to ride, so I didn't bring an extra horse... Don't tell me you can ride a horse too?"
Ecklin asked with a skeptical look, extending her hand toward me.
"I cannot ride a horse. ...At least, not yet."
I took her hand and mounted the horse behind her.
Horsemanship was ultimately a skill, and since I hadn't specifically learned it, this was the truth.
I had no place to keep a horse anyway, and considering my 'condition,' it was much more practical to use carriages.
Well, learning the skill wouldn't be too difficult, so it might be worth picking up eventually.
"...You make it sound like you can ride one the moment you decide to learn."
"Haha, who knows?"
As I chuckled playfully, Ecklin grabbed my arms from behind her and pulled them forward.
"...Hold on tight to my waist."
Following her cautious instruction, I wrapped my arms around her waist. Even with her armor on, her waist was so slender that there was plenty of room to spare.
But I wasn't the only one mounting the horse.
Sierra naturally glided up behind me and wrapped her arms around me.
"Kereung."
Shady, who had been in the puddle, scrambled up and clung to my leg.
It looks like it's going to fall off at this rate...
Just as I was wondering if Shady would teleport back to me like Sierra did if it drifted too far away...
Sierra grabbed Shady by the scruff and placed it on top of my head.
Following Sierra's gentle voice...
"Kereung!"
Shady let out a satisfied squeak.
On top of my head, huh.
I felt like it would fly off even easier from up there, but I supposed it would manage somehow.
Ecklin soon spurred the horse forward.
As we rode through the pouring rain, I asked her.
"Are we heading straight to the branch?"
"No, there's something we need to do first."
"What is it?"
"An initiation test. I told the Commander it wasn't really necessary for you, but she insisted we couldn't break tradition."
"An initiation test... I assume it's a demon subjugation."
"Yeah. We've already located one beforehand. Normally, four or five recruits would band together to subjugate a single demon and bring back its horn for the ceremony... but you should be more than enough on your own, right?"
"Yes, that is more than enough."
The demon assigned for an initiation test wouldn't be a strong one, and with Reverse Heaven, there wouldn't be any issues.
Listening to the heavy thud of hooves and the rushing rain, we traveled swiftly.
To conduct Zeto's initiation test, we had arrived at a pre-scouted demon hideout.
"Is the barrier still intact?"
I questioned the knight who had been monitoring the hideout, and she bowed as she answered.
"Yes, Vice-Commander. The 'target' entered the hideout and has shown no movement since. There have been no other entries or exits. The evacuation of nearby residents has been fully completed."
"...Hear that?"
Listening to the knight's report, I turned to Zeto beside me.
"You are more thorough than I expected."
Zeto murmured softly as he dismounted.
"Normally, we wouldn't go to such lengths for a single demon... but since this is a test, we had to be sure. Usually, just casting a barrier before the fight is enough."
"A barrier? I do not know how to cast barriers..."
"Pfft, same here."
Zeto's slightly dejected tone was somehow endearing, causing a chuckle to escape my lips.
"Here, catch."
I tossed a small pouch containing crystal fragments to Zeto.
If it's Zeto, he'll catch it easily.
That was my thought when I threw it.
Thud.
Contrary to my expectations, however, the pouch struck his chest and fell limply to the muddy ground.
"...Vice-Commander?"
The nearby knight gave me a bewildered, disapproving look.
It was a look that clearly asked, What on earth are you doing to a blind man?
"Ah... well... I thought you'd catch it... Sorry."
Embarrassed, I scratched my cheek.
Zeto bent down and picked up the pouch from the ground.
"Haha, it is fine... I was just distracted for a moment. So, what is inside this pouch?"
Zeto laughed it off lightly and reached into the pouch.
"They're mana stones that let you cast a simple barrier. The principle is similar to a magic scroll. Just infuse the stone fragments with mana and drop them on the ground. Simple, right?"
"Hmm... and what is the effect of the barrier?"
Zeto asked, fiddling with the mana stone he drew from the pouch.
"Nothing fancy. Just a soundproofing spell... and a bit of physical force to prevent the demon from easily escaping the boundary."
"It must react to magi."
"Quick on the uptake. But keep in mind, it won't do much if the demon is exceptionally strong."
"Understood."
After that brief explanation, Zeto and I quietly approached the building where the demon was hiding.
Since the residents had been evacuated, it was best to wrap this up quickly.
As we drew closer to the building, Zeto remained silent for a while.
Was he nervous?
"Don't be too nervous. The demon should be on the weaker side. Weak ones can't conceal their magi and leave a trail everywhere. It makes them easy to deal with."
Zeto nodded, listening intently to my voice.
With the swordsmanship he had displayed during the open class, I figured he would finish this quickly without much trouble.
Just as we reached the building, Zeto, who had been silent, finally spoke.
"Vice-Commander, you said there was only one demon, correct?"
Zeto asked a rather loaded question.
"The one we tracked was definitely alone. Why? Did you notice something?"
"Well..."
He trailed off, placing his palm against the entrance of the hideout.
Pulling his hand back, he spoke again.
"I felt something with my Qi Sensing earlier, but I thought the rain was playing tricks on me. Now, however, I am certain. There is not just one demon in this building—there are six."
"Six?"
I immediately voiced my doubt at his claim.
Qi Sensing...
I had heard it was Zeto's unique ability.
I didn't know exactly what kind of sensory perception it was, but it was at least the sense that allowed a blind man to live normally and even fight.
But the monitoring knight had reported no other entries.
Judging by the leaking magi scattered around the building, it was definitely a demon hideout.
Even for me, determining the exact number of enemies inside was impossible without actually entering.
I quietly observed Zeto.
Standing in the rain with his hood up, his white blindfold and his rare, ink-black hair stood out starkly.
A blind swordsman.
That alone made him extraordinary, but he was also the very first 'man' the Saintess had ever taken an interest in.
A talent handpicked by the Saintess herself, and perhaps, a man who might one day stand by her side for the rest of her life.
Assuming Zeto's words were true...
"...Is it a 'nest'?"
Not all demons that infiltrated human lands were strong. There were plenty of weak demons who crossed over just to gather strength.
Sometimes, those who realized they were weak would band together to survive.
In such cases, their hideouts were referred to as nests.
"A nest might be a bit much for an initiation test..."
I muttered, scratching my head.
No matter how weak they were, an increase in numbers naturally raised the difficulty of the subjugation.
Just as I was about to offer my help...
Shring.
Zeto suddenly drew the sword at his waist.
"No. I believe it is a fitting number for a 'test'."
He spoke with a faint smile, slowly running his fingers along the blade. As I had seen before, he held his sword in a reverse grip.
I already knew that this was the preparatory stance for his bizarre swordsmanship.
One thing that puzzled me was that he hadn't even entered the building yet.
Standing motionless in front of the door under the pouring rain, Zeto finished tracing his blade.
Immediately after, the flow of his mana warped.
It was an utterly nonsensical phenomenon, but having witnessed it before, I was no longer surprised.
I decided to simply watch him.
Deep down, I was filled with anticipation for what he was about to show me.
Despite the torrential rain, he maintained an incredible level of concentration.
Then, Zeto swung his sword with immense force.
Is he going to use that invisible sword qi that severed the wyvern's wings...?
Watching him, I cried out in a hushed, urgent voice.
"Zeto, surely you don't need to destroy the building...?"
"..."
Ignoring my shout, Zeto smoothly continued his movements without a single tremor, slashing exactly five times.
The only problem was that he was slashing at empty air.
By all accounts, the sword qi should have flown forward and shattered the door...
...Yet, even after several seconds passed, the building remained completely unscathed.
What... did he really just slash at nothing...?
I watched him, wondering if he had failed to execute the "sword qi that wasn't sword qi" I had seen before.
Then, my eyes drifted to the sword in his hand.
Demon blood...
For some reason, the dark, distinctive blood of a demon was smeared across Zeto's crimson blade, slowly being washed away by the falling rain.
"Haha..."
"Haha..."
Once the reality of the situation finally registered, a hollow laugh escaped my lips.
It was absurd, utterly ridiculous.
The presence of demon blood meant that Zeto, standing outside, had somehow slashed the demons residing inside the building.
And he had done so without leaving a single scratch on the building's exterior walls.
At this point, is this even swordsmanship...? It's more like magic...
While I was reeling in awe of his swordsmanship, Zeto remained standing casually in front of the door.
He seemed to be waiting for something.
What on earth was he waiting for?
Before long, the sound of frantic, heavy footsteps echoed from inside the building.
Zeto, who had been listening quietly, swung his sword toward the door just as it burst open.
Bam!
The door was kicked open, and a split second unfolded.
First, the face of the demon that opened the door came into view.
With a bright red horn growing from its forehead, the creature's face was twisted in sheer terror.
Before the demon could even register Zeto and me in its sight, its outstretched neck...
Slash.
...was cleanly severed by Zeto's blade.
The severed head tumbled to the ground, and as the headless torso collapsed forward, Zeto took a light step aside to avoid it.
Thud.
Only after its head and body were separated did the demon fully exit the building.
Swoosh.
Time, which had seemed to slow down, returned to its normal pace alongside the roaring sound of the downpour.
It was a flawless, waste-free movement.
As I stood there, utterly speechless, Zeto turned his head toward me. With the crisp sound of his sword clicking back into its scabbard, he spoke.
"I have finished cleaning them up."
"I-I see...?"
Answering in a dazed voice, I stepped through the open door and entered the building.
Inside, the musty smell of rain was mixed with a pungent, sickening stench.
It was the scent of demon blood, a smell all too familiar to me.
I slowly surveyed the surroundings.
Scattered throughout the house were the corpses of demons, their heads severed before they could even let out a death rattle.
There were five corpses in total.
Every single one of them had a Red Horn growing from their forehead. While demons could conceal their horns in life, they were forced to reveal them upon death.
Including the one that had died at the entrance, there were exactly six, just as Zeto had said.
"What in the world..."
I muttered, swallowing the rest of my words.
A monstrous sensory perception capable of pinpointing the exact number of enemies before even stepping foot inside.
A ranged slash capable of bypassing physical obstacles to strike its target.
And considering what had happened with the wyvern, this wasn't even the full extent of his abilities.
Zeto, who had followed me inside, asked. In his hand, he held the severed head of the demon.
"Vice-Commander, do you happen to have a dagger?"
"Ah..."
He must have needed a dagger to harvest the horns.
Without a word, I handed him the dagger from my waist.
Watching Zeto carve out the demon horns without a hint of hesitation, a thought crossed my mind.
No matter how I look at him, he's absolutely perfect husband material for the Saintess...