Evernode (2)
"Were you training?" Marianne asked, walking toward me.
I nodded and resumed swinging my sword. I tried reducing the terminal velocity, and I tried making the swinging motion itself more sluggish. I even tried reenacting the entire sequence in extreme slow motion, but I still couldn't get a feel for it.
Shaking my head, I let the blade drop. The sweat I had worked up while moving cooled instantly in the chilly night air. Marianne was staring intently at me as I swung the sword. Turning back to face her, I wiped my forehead with my sleeve.
"...Are you on the late watch tonight too?"
Marianne nodded. The spear she held in one hand let out a metallic clink. I glanced at Marianne's spear. From the shaft to the butt cap, it was made entirely of metal, and its faded spearhead looked exceptionally ancient. It seemed to be a fairly powerful relic.
[It seems to be the Holy Spear indeed. It looks quite powerful.]
It appeared the Holy Church was truly determined to help me. The Holy Spear was a holy relic that Aryen had used in the original novel until he obtained the Holy Sword. I recalled it boasting quite a formidable presence. In terms of value, it was probably on par with the Crown of Thorns I had received.
Did that mean Marianne had also passed some sort of trial imposed by the Holy Spear?
Marianne turned her gaze toward the Holy Sword. To be precise, her eyes were fixed on my right arm, which was gripping its hilt. And then, she seemed to trace the entire trajectory—the lingering afterimages of the swordplay I had just practiced.
"May I ask what kind of training you were doing?"
This was unexpected. For Marianne to ask a question—and to be the first to approach and speak to me—felt like a first. But would it be alright to give her a completely honest answer?
[Seeking answers is nothing to be ashamed of, Elroy. I cannot teach you everything, so ask others as well and find your own path.]
At the Holy Sword's words, I gave a small nod and spoke.
"...Well, it's a bit complicated to explain."
"It looked as though you were searching for something."
It was a sharp observation. Or perhaps my movements had simply been that obvious and simple. I shook my head and sheathed the Holy Sword. It seemed I would be spending tonight's watch talking with Marianne. Gesturing to her, I invited her over to the campfire.
"What does 'softness' mean in martial arts?"
Marianne tilted her head at my question.
"So that is why you kept moving like that."
"Was it a pointless exercise?"
Instead of answering immediately, Marianne lightly picked up her Holy Spear. Then, she thrust it toward a single leaf drifting by in the wind. The thrusting spearhead was fast, yet it also seemed incredibly slow.
When Marianne pulled the Holy Spear back, a thin leaf was impaled on its tip. She had pinpointed the exact center of the leaf's vein and pierced that single spot with the very tip of her spear. My eyes widened in surprise at the display of skill, and I stared at the tip of her spear.
"Incredible. How did you do that?"
"...It is difficult to explain the process in words."
Marianne reached out and plucked the leaf from the spearhead. The wind caught it, blowing it away once more. If I were asked to impale that on the tip of my sword right now, could I do it? No. I would either slice it completely in half or miss it entirely, letting the wind carry it away.
"Still, if you wish, I can show you as many times as you like during our watch."
As she spoke, Marianne swung her spear again, fluidly and concisely. It was the same movement as before, but seeing it a second time, the motion looked slightly different.
"...Could you show me just one more time?"
Without hesitation, Marianne swung her spear again. It didn't look much different from the second time. The third time was the same. It felt like a movement I could copy, yet I couldn't visualize myself moving my sword that way in my head.
[There is a reason they call it 'enlightenment,' Elroy.]
The Holy Sword spoke to me.
[The most minute differences in movement. The spacing of your breaths. The mana circulating and the heart beating at that very instant. To perform all of those conditions naturally without having to think about them—that is what it means to realize.]
Whoosh.
Once more, Marianne's spear swept past my eyes. The tip of the Holy Spear pierced the leaf's vein with absolute precision. I focused, watching Marianne's movements piece by piece, and she patiently repeated the motion without a single complaint.
"Yeah. Thanks for showing me."
I gently pressed down on Marianne's hand to stop her. If I left her be, she would probably keep swinging her spear until sunrise. I let out a sigh and looked up at the sky. Amidst the jagged treetops piercing the night sky, the densely packed stars looked as if they were about to pour down.
"Would you like to try swinging your sword?"
Marianne, who had been watching me, asked. I blinked, then picked up my sword and stood up. Compared to what Marianne had shown me, it might look like nothing more than flailing, but the important thing right now was to learn even one more thing.
"...How should I swing it?"
"Just as I did."
Was she telling me to pierce a leaf? I gripped the sword and took a starting stance. No, instead, I let go with my left hand and relaxed my body. If I swung with both hands, I would probably end up wildly missing rather than piercing any leaves. I waited for a leaf to drift by in the wind.
Flutter.
Soon, a broad leaf fluttered and soared into the air. I tried to thrust the Holy Sword upward in a sweeping motion to pierce the leaf. But...
Snip.
The tip of the Holy Sword failed to pierce the leaf, only slicing off a small piece of it. I smacked my lips as I watched the leaf drift away with the wind. Again. Marianne wouldn't have had me do this just to see me try once. Recalling the movements she had shown me, I swung my sword several times at the leaves drifting by.
"...This is much harder than I thought."
I looked down at a leaf I had accidentally sliced clean in half.
[It is a good training method. Since you possess a decent amount of perseverance, this might actually suit you.]
That makes me feel like everything I've done up until now was pointless.
[It was not entirely pointless. Ultimately, martial enlightenment stems from experience. Any action taken to seek an answer, in whatever form, will hold meaning.]
The Holy Sword said, as if to comfort me. Another leaf drifted by. This time, instead of swinging my sword, I stood still and watched it float away.
"Hold on."
[Y-You...!]
Before I knew it, Marianne had stepped into my personal space and was standing right in front of me. I stood stiffly, watching blankly as Marianne touched my wrist and around my flank. After touching my body here and there from less than half a step away, she looked up. Her emotionless golden eyes, tinged with a faint lemon hue under the campfire's glow, met mine.
"You can relax your body a bit more."
Saying so, Marianne supported my elbow and lightly lifted my arm. I stiffly adjusted my posture according to her touch, then gradually let the tension drain from my body. Soon, Marianne stepped behind me, pressing against my back as she began to adjust the alignment of my feet and hands.
"This is the feeling I had when I swung my spear."
A leaf drifted by. Marianne very lightly pushed my arm and leg, guiding the tip of the Holy Sword toward the leaf.
Tap.
Marianne's hand left my elbow, and without resisting that force, I extended my arm.
Click.
Of course, a miracle didn't just happen. The leaf fluttered down to the ground, only to be swept away again by the next gust of wind. Marianne, who had stepped back, stared intently at me. She seemed to be asking if I understood the feeling.
"It's hard. I can tell it's not a problem that can be solved just because the body knows it."
If not for the Holy Sword's sharpness, I wouldn't have even been able to tear the leaf. Scratching my head in frustration, I answered Marianne. Indeed, it seemed that no thought entered Marianne's mind during her movements. What kind of enlightenment did one need to achieve to create such a fluid, water-like motion?
"If you need help, please tell me."
"...Yeah."
I stroked the Holy Sword and nodded. A star seemed to glint at the tip of the Holy Spear in Marianne's hand. Amidst the hooting of owls, I held the Holy Sword close, staring into the campfire as I sank into thought.
When we finally emerged from the long forest, an absurdly vast plain stretched out before us. Amidst the scattered rocks and wild flowers, a narrow stream split into several branches, babbling as it flowed into the forest. According to the soldiers, if we followed this stream to where it met the main river, we would see Evernode.
The group paused briefly to let the horses drink. The sunlight shimmering on the stream was beautiful. It would have been perfect, if not for the fact that it had been shining beautifully for about twelve hours now.
"What time is it again?"
The lengthening of the days was getting out of hand. I let out a hollow laugh as I looked at the sun, which was still hanging in the sky as if it were early afternoon. Bright sunlight bathed the fields, but my internal clock was already telling me it was evening. I frowned, unable to overcome the cognitive dissonance.
"It is seven o'clock. Evernode is just a bit further, so we should keep moving without taking a long break," Georg said, mounting his horse again.
"I assume you don't mean seven in the morning?"
"Have you been sleeping on your horse this whole time?"
Georg spoke gruffly, but he too was squinting at the sun. I thought it would be fine as long as it wasn't snowing, but to think there would be a problem like this.
"In the winter, there is barely any sun in the North."
"Is that so?"
Georg said. For some reason, this guy seemed to be sounding more and more like an old veteran ever since we arrived here. The fact that a stalwart knight like him habitually shared such experiences meant he had suffered that much here. I leaving behind Georg, who was starting to ramble about his days stationed in the North again, I mounted my horse.
"Just a little further and we will arrive at Evernode's castle. Once we are there, we can meet Duke Strofe and hear about the situation."
There seemed to be a hint of excitement in Georg's voice. He looked like a middle-aged man about to meet an old friend—or rather, a military buddy—after a long time. I chuckled at Georg's words and urged my horse forward along the stream.
The stream flowed down a gentle hill. By the time the sunlight shifted from early afternoon to a late, lazy gold, a knight rode up behind me and pointed ahead.
"Look, Evernode is in sight."
I halted my horse and looked at the two flags flying atop the towering castle spires. The two flags stood side by side. One was, of course, the coat of arms of the Kairos Kingdom. And standing alongside the kingdom's coat of arms, with an almost arrogant aura, was the flag bearing the crest of the rulers of Evernode—the Strofe family.
"...Are they out to greet us?"
The gates of Evernode were wide open. Beside them, dozens of soldiers with their visors pulled down stood in formation. The men who appeared to be knights all drew their swords with solemn expressions and held them to their chests. And at the end of the line, a man was slowly walking out. With every step he took, a chilly northern wind seemed to howl.
The man stood proudly at the end of the line. He was dressed entirely in black. A large cloak lined with grey fur fluttered and billowed in the wind. That was all that could be seen. Everything else was the sheer aura the man exuded. A presence so massive it felt like a towering mountain pressing down. That oppressive weight was terribly, naturally imposing.
The man's gaze lowered, meeting my eyes. A gaze frozen as blue as ice. Without taking his eyes off me, the man spoke in a solemn, authoritative voice. I recalled that in the original novel, he had been quite popular for his rigid, unyielding appearance.
"Welcome to Evernode."
It was the Grand Duke of the North, Kuenor Strofe.