A Flower in Each Hand: Dual Wielding #2

This was how the weapon was described in D&A.

It could be obtained almost without fail in Enio’s underworld route. Around the time you reached Act 3, Enio would hand over the sword and say, “There are some annoying pests. I’d like you to take care of them for me.”

It was the feeling of Enio hiring the protagonist Luke as a mercenary to deal with the lawless gang rampaging through Ludens’ Underground Market. After all, by that point Luke was a rising star who had already defeated Enrique in Act 1 and even the priest Torneo in Act 2.

Once you defeated the three outlaws at Enio’s request, she would tell you, “Keep that sword for now. And I’d appreciate it if you’d listen to my requests from time to time.” That was the story.

“In exchange for receiving this Tyrving, Enio, I am to cut down several of the individuals causing you trouble, correct? The ones stirring up problems underground.”

“...Indeed, I was considering making exactly that request. But how did you know the underground matters were giving me a headache?”

“I know far more about you than you imagine.”

My suitably vague answer made Enio’s eyes widen in surprise. Then she narrowed them and shivered. “I do not know what that is supposed to mean, but….”

What meaning could there be? It was literal.

At any rate, that was how I obtained the Demonic Sword Tyrving. Of course it was not truly mine; more of a loan. Think of those franchise stores that lend equipment and materials from headquarters. I had become exactly that.

But if I took it, would that prevent the protagonist Luke from entering Enio’s route? More importantly, what route was that Luke fellow even following right now? From Victorica’s attitude it did not seem to be the student council route.

…Well, as long as he stayed alive the guy would manage on his own. I had my own problems to worry about.

Shing.

I drew Tyrving slightly from its sheath. The moment my face reflected on the jet-black blade, a chill ran through my entire body. Was it the demonic sword’s passive affecting even Victor’s Steel trait? I could not predict how the 10% total HP penalty per turn would manifest in reality, but it was clearly no ordinary object. Holding uranium ore might feel something like this.

“How is it?”

“It is impressive.”

“Most people feel fear just from holding it. As expected, Victor is different.”

“Is that so.”

At any rate, I had obtained Tyrving. Now I might be able to handle even the mid-boss in the Tropical Jungle dungeon with relative ease. Not only that, I would no longer need to rely on the delivery knight duo for the wild monsters that appeared in the field; I could handle them myself.

Perhaps it was only my imagination, but simply having the scabbard at my waist seemed to settle my mind considerably. It felt as though everything had returned to its proper place.

“Victor, you look like you are in a good mood. Your expression has not changed, though.”

“Is that so.”

“Truly, your answers are so concise and refreshing. Would you like to test it by cutting a log?”

“That is not a bad idea. I require time to tame it.”

“Then, in order to investigate the remnants of Fimblevert that may be hiding in Ludens’ underground, beginning next month we will fully authorize entry to the ‘underground’ for both students and civilians.”

Victorica calmly led the meeting in place of the student council president who had not yet arrived at Ludens. The official opening of Ludens’ underground. What changes it would bring remained unknown. However, now that Fimblevert—led by the heralds and others—had begun to act, the Ludens student council also needed to employ strategies the opponent could not counter. New changes. This was one of them.

“Therefore, we will issue a weapon possession permit to Victor of second-year Class A-1, who assisted in this incident. Any objections?”

At Victorica’s question everyone in the meeting room remained silent. Well, almost everyone.

“That Victor fellow…! He is ignoring this Arnoi’s request-it is-dat…! He promised to bring delicious desserts yet there has been no news-it is-dat…!”

The delegate—ditch nymph Arnoi. Also known as the eternally youthful Arnoi. However, no one paid any attention to Arnoi’s words. Eventually, accompanied by the sound of the gavel, Victor’s weapon possession permit was issued.

“Victorica, you must be pleased. Are you not?”

When she was about to leave the conference room, secretary Shadi spoke to Victorica with a sly expression. Victorica simply sighed and asked, “Why would I be?”

Shadi ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠added, “Victor can hold a sword again. At this rate he might even return to the student council. The method would be difficult, but he was not permanently expelled.”

“That remains to be seen.”

“Perhaps your broken engagement could be restored as well.”

“…That is definitely not the case. Who would become engaged to that fellow again?”

“You say that, yet you were quite sincere when persuading the delegates, were you not?”

“That is because Victor is a rather useful asset. If that fellow holds a sword, he may be able ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to cooperate with the student council on future matters—”

“Yes, yes. Victorica. You are correct about everything.” Shadi waved her hand. “Well, I am busy—” and vanished down the corridor.

Thanks to that, Victorica had to carry the heavy stack of documents alone. Then one sheet fluttered down. The paper that fell to the floor was Victor’s newly signed “Weapon Possession Permit.”

‘Will that fellow be happy when he sees this?’

No, he would probably remain as blunt as ever.

‘Besides, a permit is meaningless without a weapon. The sword Balmung that Victor used was reclaimed by the Arclight family.’

A usable weapon for Victor was quite expensive.

‘That fellow said ordinary swords break immediately…’

So Victorica thought it would not be a bad idea to gift him a decent blade. ‘He handled matters in the student council’s stead during the Enrique incident. This is repayment, nothing more. I cannot return Balmung.’

—Use it well.

She stopped by the weapon shop and purchased a sword. Unlike her brother, the family head, or Victor, Victorica knew little about swords, but she believed the one she bought for five million Rene would be good.

‘Although it is not as fine as Balmung. Five million Rene is my monthly living expenses, so it should be a decent item, correct? I will have to economize more next month and the month after…’

Her hands were heavier but her heart was lighter as she headed for the club room where Victor waited.

“It is not particularly for you. I simply brought one that was stored away.”

After rehearsing a suitable line in front of the club room door, she opened it. But the club room was empty.

‘Where did he go?’

Then she heard quiet voices nearby. Leaving the club room and heading toward the clearing, she saw figures standing before a log.

Swish!

“Victor, everything is fine, but must you really shout ‘Light Slash!’ every time? If you announce it so openly, will the opponent not see through everything?”

“It cannot be helped. I must speak the words.”

“What are you two doing over there…”

Victorica, who had been approaching Victor’s back, suddenly stopped. The blade in his hand reflected the moonlight and the bonfire burning in the drum barrel, glowing with an especially eerie light.

‘Is that Tyrving…?’

The demonic sword obtained from Blackstar. She did not know why Victor was holding it, but the one-month living expenses clutched in her own hand suddenly felt utterly shabby.

‘What are they doing?’

Everything she had done until now began to feel foolish, and something hot rose inside her chest as if it might spill from her eyes.

‘…Wait, why am I reacting like this?’

As she tried to hide that heavy feeling and slip away, Enio’s red eyes spotted her.

“Well, who do we have here? If it isn’t Victorica.”

Tyrving’s performance was excellent. So excellent that even a swordsmanship novice like me could slice a log as easily as fish cake. In fact, it was almost too good. …If I swung this at a person, it would surely result in a bloodbath. I absolutely must not draw it on campus. A sword that cannot be drawn—what meaning does it even have?

Of course it had meaning. Simply walking around with a sword at my waist would reduce the number of pointless quarrels by more than half. My survival rate during night ambush events would rise, and it would be extremely useful inside dungeons.

It was then.

“Victorica, what are you doing there?”

Enio called out toward the clearing. When I turned my head, I saw Victorica standing motionless among the cherry blossoms blooming brilliantly beneath the bright moonlight.

“Victorica.”

Had she seen my sword energy just now? The Light Slash, that is. Once during the Enrique incident. Once just now. In the two swings I had made, I realized this Victor character was the type who literally could not cut anything without shouting the skill name. Honestly, past the age of twenty, shouting “Light Slash” felt a little embarrassing.

…Though I personally thought it was rather cool. Using game skills in real life was every gamer’s dream, was it not? Still, the thought that Victorica had witnessed it made me slightly self-conscious.

Enio spoke. “Victorica, what is that sword? Were you not majoring in the magic department?”

Click. Victorica looked down at the sword in her hand. “This is… well. I felt something after the recent herald incident. Relying solely on my magic feels insufficient. Our Arclight family has always been a family of light swords. So… practice? I thought I would try some.”

Even to me it sounded like rambling. Enio narrowed her eyes and murmured, “Hmm—I thought you were planning to give it to Victor now that he is permitted to carry a weapon. It looks like a fine blade. Around five million Rene?”

“It is not like that. It is a cheap junk sword. I will use it awhile and then discard it.”

A five-million-Rene sword? Was that not the most expensive item in the weapon shop? The one with strangely low attack power that made its efficiency questionable? Treating that as junk and using it merely for practice? Was she showing off her wealth in front of me? Bourgeois girl. It irritated me.

“If you are going to discard it, give it to me.”

The demonic sword Tyrving could not be used on campus anyway. But that five-million-Rene superior longsword would actually be convenient precisely because of its oddly low attack power. I could swing it without worry. Yet Victorica stubbornly refused.

“I told you it is junk. Besides, you are holding Tyrving right now, are you not? If you have that, you have no need for a cheap sword like this. This is merely for practice or to be thrown away.”

“No, I require that as well. Moreover, Victorica, magic suits you far better than the sword. You are a person completely unrelated to swords.”

Victorica had seemed anxious ever since the Enrique incident. Was she worried that her skills were not improving? Of course, since that Luke fellow had not entered the student council route, her growth was inevitably delayed. Luke, you bastard, what exactly are you doing right now? You need to grow steadily and clear episodes so the daily-life fields open up properly.

Cursing Luke inwardly, I continued persuading her. “Victorica, these words come from me, who has watched you longer than anyone else. Believe me, for it is a guarantee from no one other than myself. You are suited for magic rather than the sword.”

So if it is something you will discard, give it to me. Come on, hand it over.

Whether my persuasion worked or not, Victorica’s resolve seemed to waver. “If you insist so strongly, I have no rebuttal…. Then what should I do with this?”

Perhaps it was my imagination, but her mood appeared slightly improved. Come to think of it, she had looked strangely upset earlier. I wondered why.

“At any rate, if you have no use for it, give it to me. Since it is second-hand, I will pay only half the price.”

“S-second-hand? It is brand new; I have not used it once!”

“Nevertheless, according ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to Ludens’ item classification system, it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠is considered used.”

I remembered clearly that reselling a five-million-Rene sword you had just bought would only return two-and-a-half million Rene. An extremely unreasonable shop system, especially since it had never been used.

In the end Victorica said, “Then do as you like with it,” and thrust the sword toward me. The moment I took it, Enio’s expression turned strangely sour.

“…Hmph. Victor, are you doing this on purpose?”

“……?”

What had I done?

At any rate, having two swords at my waist felt extremely reassuring. Switching weapons according to the situation was basic for veterans. Victorica’s eyes trembled slightly as she watched me.

“Dual wielding…. You look exactly like my father… the family head.”

The family head would be Kain. Come to think of it, Kain had been a dual-wielding sword saint. In the end he became a bizarre entity who unleashed an ultimate technique with 128 blades, but that was irrelevant for now.

“Tomorrow I must visit the dungeon.”

Should I enter the Tropical Jungle once? If I brought plenty of spice soup, I would have enough potions.

It was then that Enio spoke. “A dungeon? Where monsters appear? Victor, would it be all right if I accompanied you? I have never been to a dungeon before.”

“M-me too! I want to go as well!”

At Enio’s words, Victorica also eagerly requested to join. This time I would not have to scramble to form a four-person party, which was convenient.

“Victorica, were you not busy with student council duties tomorrow? You have no free time even on weekends, correct?”

“The student council president returns tomorrow. Would it not be good to use that opportunity to enter the dungeon and accumulate some experience?”

“Is that the true reason?”

“Then what about you, Enio? I thought you disliked fighting directly. Is it not the Blackstar way to use others to accomplish your tasks?”

Moreover, these two really did not get along. It seemed even worse than I had known.