An Unavoidable Storm
A falling sun, a setting sun.
"A field test for Cheonram... did you say?" Arcel Libern asked back a beat late. His voice was polite, as always. The angle of his bow was flawless, and his posture as he stood before the desk was perfectly straight. Yet, Ena could tell he was currently experiencing a very carefully concealed panic.
Arcel was the type of man who would maintain formal honorifics even in a situation that warranted screaming. Even if his laboratory ceiling were about to blow off, he would first analyze the cause. He was a man who, despite clearly wearing a look of disapproval, would always wrap his objections in the gentlest possible phrasing. He was doing it now. He was visibly anxious, but he was merely holding that anxiety back with utmost care, ensuring it didn't carelessly leak into his voice.
The morning light pooled low in the office. The reports Roen had organized just moments ago were stacked neatly on the right side of the desk. Official documents from the royal family, reports on the Holy Church's delayed responses, plans for reorganizing the eastern front's supply lines, and lists of wounded transfers were sorted into distinct piles.
The morning duties were finished. To be precise, Ena had finished them. A day in the Sword Order rarely permitted the word "end." However, when the Commander-in-Chief laid down her pen, the world could at least pause for a single breath. Arcel had slipped into that brief window. In his hand was a report—the primary analysis of Cheonram. The stack of papers wasn't particularly thick, but the contents written within were by no means light.
On the very top page, the blade of Cheonram was sketched in simple lines. Beneath it, terms like undulating curves, airflow concentration rate, alignment of the sword path, duration of internal turbulence within the cut, and residual airflow reaction post-sheathing were densely packed.
Faint shadows clung beneath Arcel's eyes. His research coat was as neat as ever, but a tiny smudge of ink stained the edge of his sleeve. He pulled an all-nighter, Ena thought, noting the trace.
It was hardly surprising. Yesterday, Arcel had witnessed the sword he had spent ten years researching perform far beyond anything he had ever imagined. Cheonram whipped up the wind along its path. It left lingering turbulence inside the severed flesh of demons. Even after being sheathed, it did not fully fall asleep. The direction of the scabbard's tip, the pressure of the wrist, the micro-movements of the feet—the residual wind reacted to all of these. It would have been stranger if Arcel hadn't stayed up all night after seeing that.
Researchers were a troublesome breed. They writhed in agony when faced with the unknown, yet they ultimately clawed for a closer look.
"Indeed," Ena replied curtly.
Arcel closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them again. His face showed he was carefully choosing his words.
"I understand that we require combat data." He placed the report on the desk, the edges of the paper aligning with a soft rustle. "It is true that Cheonram is no longer a sword to be discussed while sitting idly on a display rack, but..."
Arcel's speech began to quicken. It was a habit of his whenever the topic turned to research. Though he maintained his polite register, the gaps between his sentences shrank. His gaze darted busily, as if re-scanning the figures and phenomena detailed in the report. He paused, looking up at Ena.
"However, Commander-in-Chief."
"Speak."
"The additional verifications I noted in the report were written under the assumption of a controlled environment."
Ena looked down at Cheonram leaning against the desk. Its dark grey scabbard was the color of a storm-laden sky just before a downpour. When she had first seen it, it had looked like nothing more than an old sheath. But now, it was different. The air around the scabbard hung lower and heavier than elsewhere. Even as it stood perfectly still, a faint, thin current seemed to curl inward toward it. It felt as though it were waiting. For the next strike. For the next wind. For the next battlefield.
"A controlled environment is insufficient," Ena said.
Arcel's expression stiffened ever so slightly. He had likely anticipated this answer. But anticipation did not make acceptance any easier.
"If you mean to say that a weapon meant for the battlefield must be proven on the battlefield, you are correct," Arcel replied calmly. "However, there are different kinds of battlefields."
He unfolded a map tucked between the pages of the report. It was of the Eastern Outskirts. Marked upon it were the sighting points of the Demon King's remnants, the recovery locations of observation spell fragments, the Sword Order's supply routes, and collapsed outposts. Tiny, precise markings were stamped across the map in various colors of ink. Arcel pressed his fingertip against one of them.
"This area has been excessively quiet for the past few days."
"Is silence a problem?"
"A quiet place on a battlefield is always one of two things." Arcel raised his head. "Either it is truly empty, or it is crawling with enemies lying in wait."
"..."
"If you appear there carrying Cheonram, Commander-in-Chief, the Demon King's army will undoubtedly notice," Arcel continued in a low voice. "Even more so if their observation spells are still active." His fingertip stopped on the map. "To them, it will look like an opportunity."
Ena did not answer. Arcel observed her silence. A moment later, as if realizing he had already received his answer, his eyes shifted.
"...Or perhaps, is that exactly how you intend to make it look?"
Ena lightly stroked the scabbard of Cheonram with her fingertip.
"It must be so."
The words were brief. Yet, the moment they fell, the air in the office shifted. Arcel froze. Rather than shocked, he looked like a man whose internal calculations had ground to a sudden halt.
"Did you say... it must be so?"
"We must see what the Demon King's army pulls out of their sleeves."
"Commander-in-Chief," Arcel's voice dropped. "That is not a field test for Cheonram. That is an operation where you use yourself as bait."
"That is precisely the goal," Ena said without hesitation. "Cheonram must be tested. And if the Demon King's army deems this their chance to kill me, then I shall test that judgment as well."
Arcel remained silent for a long while. He looked back and forth between the map and the report. The Eastern Outskirts. The condition of not informing the other captains. If one were to dissect it, every single detail had a justification. They were all too logical. Combat data for Cheonram was indeed necessary.
The 5th Squad was in charge of magic swords and spell observation, so there was a clear reason for them to accompany her. Keeping captain-level forces dispersed during wartime was standard protocol. Leaving Roen at headquarters was also entirely natural. There was nothing out of place. And that was precisely why it was strange. These neat justifications locked together too perfectly. Within that seamless alignment, Arcel felt a hidden blade he had yet to see.
"If the Demon King's army truly believes this is their chance to kill you, it won't end with mere remnants," he said. "A Zodiac will..."
"I expect as much."
"Expecting it does not make you safe."
"Ha. Since when did anyone worry about my safety?"
Arcel fell silent. It was a brief, fleeting pause. But within that silence, Arcel's expression shifted once more. He was certain now. The Commander-in-Chief was not simply trying to test Cheonram. She was trying to lure the Demon King's army out. And she was doing it in a way that would make them believe, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they could actually kill her. Arcel understood this. And because he understood, his anxiety only deepened.
"Why are you taking the 5th Squad?"
"Observation is required."
"And besides that?"
Ena looked at Arcel. "I need you."
Arcel froze for a fraction of a second. Ena's voice was flat. She wasn't speaking with grand declarations of trust, nor was she making an emotional plea. She was simply stating what was necessary. That was why it carried such weight.
"You are the one who has observed Cheonram the longest. You must see how I wield it on the battlefield, and what the consequences of that are."
Arcel let out a soft sigh. "As a researcher, it is an honor." Even as he said it, he immediately tacked on, "But right now, I cannot say I am pleased."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Extremely so."
It was a brief exchange, but the weight of what lay between them was immense. There was something Ena was keeping from him. Arcel knew this. Yet, he could not probe any further. He didn't know how deep he was allowed to dig. And perhaps, he feared that the moment he heard the answer, he would realize with absolute clarity that he was powerless to stop what was coming. He dreaded that realization even more.
Arcel stared down at the final page of the report. Press... He squeezed the corner of the paper tightly.
"You do not have to answer my questions."
"Speak your mind."
"But if you choose not to answer, I will make my own preparations."
Ena quietly studied Arcel for a moment. Classic Arcel. He knew what he couldn't prevent, so he was already calculating what he could save. She liked that about him. And because of that very trait, the identity of yet another person she would soon have to deceive became painfully clear.
"Very well," Ena said.
Arcel's eyes narrowed. "You yield far too easily."
"It is a necessary preparation."
"Hearing you say that only makes me more uneasy."
"Anxiety will only make you more meticulous."
"That may be true, but it is hardly comforting."
The corner of Ena's mouth twitched slightly. Even at that minuscule shift, Arcel could not bring himself to smile.
"If the danger level rises past a certain threshold, I will advise a retreat."
"I shall permit you to advise."
"Could you not accept it as a request rather than mere advice?"
"That, I cannot promise."
"I figured as much," Arcel muttered. He didn't get angry, nor did he raise his voice. Yet, beneath his gentle tone lay a distinct layer of exhaustion and frustration.
"You always listen only as much as you deem necessary, Commander-in-Chief."
"Listening only to what is necessary is the duty of a commander."
"And you speak only as much as you deem necessary as well."
Ena did not reply. Her silence was answer enough. Arcel did not press further. He surely had countless questions, but he knew that even if he asked them here and now, Ena would never reveal more than she intended.
He gathered his reports once more. The papers rustled softly against one another.
"I will have the 5th Squad ready to depart by dusk."
"That is quick."
"I assumed you would say there is no need to give the Demon King's army time to think."
Ena looked at him. This time, Arcel managed a faint, genuine smile. Yet, even that smile was tinged with weariness.
"I do not understand everything about you, Commander-in-Chief. But I do know a few things."
"Such as?"
"When you are this quiet, it usually means something massive is about to happen."
He wasn't wrong. Ena didn't deny it.
Arcel walked toward the door. Just before grasping the handle, he paused. Without turning back, he asked,
"How far do you intend to push Cheonram?"
Ena looked at Cheonram. The scabbard was silent, but a low wind stirred deep within it.
"As much as necessary."
Arcel nodded slowly. "I knew you would say that."
"Then why did you ask?"
"I was hoping for a different answer."
The words were quiet, yet resolute. Arcel turned back and bowed deeply. "I will prepare."
The door opened. Just before stepping out, Arcel cast one last, fleeting glance at Ena. The light from the window drifted faintly over her silver-white hair. At her waist hung Ilryun. Beside the desk stood Cheonram. The sword that endured the sun, and the sword that harbored the storm. And standing between them, the Commander-in-Chief of the Sword Order.
Arcel did not linger on the sight. He felt that if he stared too long, he would want to ask. And once he started asking, he wouldn't be able to stop.
The door clicked shut. The office fell silent once more. Ena remained motionless for a long while. The silence felt exceptionally sharp today.
Roen would remain at headquarters. Arcel would accompany her. The members of the 5th Squad would stand on the battlefield. And when the time came, she would have to send them back, by force if necessary. Every single member of the Sword Order, without exception, had to believe it. They had to believe that Ena, the Commander-in-Chief of the Sword Order, was dead.
Ena tapped the scabbard of Cheonram with her fingertip. Click.
"You are the key to all of this."
Because its winds would bring about so many changes. Ena let out a faint, knowing smirk.