Chapter 11
The Flower That Bears a Sword - Chapter 11
Translation: godsn
At those words, Nicole's expression shifted slightly. Eki lowered her gaze. Nicole quietly studied Eki's face before finally speaking with a sigh.
"I don't know what you're hiding, but I can tell you're serious. Since you're openly saying you can't talk about it, I suppose I shouldn't pry."
"Later... Maybe someday I'll be able to tell you."
"Fine, do as you please. If you're trusting me enough to show me the Magic Sword, then I should trust you too."
Nicole tossed out the words casually as she picked up the monocle she'd thrown aside earlier. Though her tone was light, the sentiment behind it carried undeniable weight.
Eki suddenly felt a lump form in her throat. It struck her that all the hardships she'd endured were nothing compared to the price of everyone being alive. The emotion inevitably seeped into her voice.
"Nicole... thank you. Really, thank you."
"Nothing to thank me for. Whether it's investigating or protecting you, these are things I would've done even without your request. Did you forget? I'm a mage sponsored by the Roaz family. Helping Roaz is only natural."
Nicole chuckled softly as she rummaged through the haphazard pile of papers on the table, pulling out a blank parchment and quill.
"First, tell me more details about how you discovered the Magic Sword. Squeeze out every clue that might help. When are you leaving for Agenka?"
"As soon as preparations are complete. The Officer Cadet exams are coming up soon."
"But what are you going to tell your parents? You said you wouldn't mention the Magic Sword. Surely you're not planning to run away?"
Eki took the quill and parchment from Nicole's hands. As she meticulously recorded the circumstances of finding the Magic Sword, she murmured as if talking to herself.
"If I honestly say I want to become a Knight, my parents would be shocked, right?"
"Just shocked? Their carefully raised daughter suddenly declares she wants to be a Knight. The Count might faint."
"I guess I should just say I'm going on a trip then."
"A trip? What excuse?"
"Well... I'm at the age where marriage talks start coming up, right? Since I'm an adult. I'll say I want to take one trip before marriage. That I'll go on a trip to Agenka and get married after returning."
"...And then actually take the Officer Cadet exam when you reach Agenka? How is that different from running away?"
"Once I become a Knight, I'll return home, so it's still a trip. Just... a long one."
Nicole pressed her fingers to her forehead in disbelief. Eki continued nonchalantly.
"Contact me in Agenka if you make progress in your investigation or if anything happens, Nicole. Be careful not to get hurt. If things seem dangerous, don't charge in alone—contact me immediately."
"Now who's worrying about whom... And you're speaking as if passing is a given? What if you fail?"
"That won't happen."
"Even with the Magic Sword, you'll have to hide it. Geniuses who've spent their entire lives honing their swordsmanship will be gathered there. Are you really confident?"
"It's fine because I'm more of a genius than them."
Nicole's face twisted in exasperation. Though Eki didn't particularly like her own talents, this moment felt rather pleasant. She laughed aloud—a genuinely cheerful laugh she hadn't experienced in what felt like ages.
One week later, Echinacea Roaz departed on a month-long journey. Her travel itinerary included Agenka, the sacred land of Knights.
Act 2. The Unknown and the Possible
The Agenka Military Academy accepted around fifty cadets each year, aged between eighteen and twenty-five. The maximum duration as a cadet was three years. If one failed to become a squire or junior knight within that period, they had to graduate and leave the Azure Sky Knights. The officer cadets resided in the academy dormitories, taking turns attending to the needs of official knights and junior knights who lacked squires of their own.
Alice Winterbell, the second-place freshman, was on her way to the dormitory. She felt uneasy. Deep down, she had been confident about entering as the top student—yet here she was, second. Moreover, strange rumors swirled around the freshman who had taken first place instead of her.
'Wearing a dress? That's absurd.'
She hadn't seen the top-ranked entrant since their exam halls were different. Still, she was certain—no frivolous, empty-headed girl who wore a dress to the exam hall could possibly outrank her. It had to be baseless gossip spread by those who disapproved of both first and second place going to twenty-year-old women.
'Well, I'll see for myself soon enough.'
The dormitories were shared between two cadets, and according to her acceptance letter, her assigned roommate was none other than the rumored top-ranked freshman. Alice, having packed all her belongings into a single large bag, headed straight for the room she had been assigned in advance.
'Room 101... This must be it.'
The academy's facilities were decent. Alice glanced at the wooden door with its brass nameplate bearing the engraved number, then knocked. If her roommate had already arrived, barging in would be rude.
"Yes? Who is it?"
"Alice Winterbell, assigned to Room 101."
"Come in. It's open."
Alice opened the door—and froze the moment she did.
Boxes. Boxes. More boxes. Countless bags left open. Dresses hung in neat rows. Piled-up jewelry cases and silk scarves in every color. Extravagant hats strewn across the bed. Amidst the chaos, a pink-haired girl was organizing her belongings, dressed in a fluttering skirt, lace gloves, and even a hat adorned with fresh flowers.
"...What in the world...?"
At Alice's involuntary muttering, the girl turned toward the entrance with an apologetic expression.
"Ah, I just got here too. It's a bit of a mess, isn't it? I'll clean it up soon. I picked my bed first—hope that's alright?"
"You are... who?"
Alice asked with a sliver of hope. Maybe this person was her roommate's sister. Or a maid—though far too extravagantly dressed for one. Or perhaps someone who had simply wandered into the wrong room. Anything but her actual roommate—this year's top-ranked entrant.
But the girl crushed Alice's hopes mercilessly, extending a hand.
"Echinacea Roaz. Nice to meet you."
It took Alice Winterbell just thirty minutes to unpack. In stark contrast, Echinacea Roaz had been organizing her belongings since morning and still hadn't finished by lunchtime.
'Good grief, there's so much. Why did she pack this much?'
Nora had been the one to prepare Echinacea's luggage for the roughly month-long round trip. She had packed enough for Echinacea to wear a different outfit every single day. This was the result. Trying to sort it all alone felt endless. The thought of her luggage swelling even more with seasonal changes made her head spin.
Of course, the Count and Countess hadn't sent their beloved daughter off alone with all these belongings. Two of the family's knights had accompanied her as escorts, and Nora had come along as well.
Echinacea had obediently traveled with them all the way to Agenka. Then, under cover of night, she slipped out of the inn to submit her application for the selection exam. She ditched her escorts to take the preliminary rounds and kept delaying her return date until the results were announced.
What came next was simple. With the words, "Well, what do you know—I ended up becoming an officer cadet. Since things have turned out this way, I'll do my best here in Agenka. Please explain everything properly to my parents," she sent Nora and the knights back home.
At first, they were utterly unconvinced. They tried to persuade her, insisting it must have been some kind of accident or mistake. But after seeing the list of successful candidates posted at the entrance of the military academy, they could no longer say such things. After all, Echinacea's name wasn't just barely on the list—it was at the very top. They left with faces as though they'd seen a ghost.
Truthfully, Echinacea hadn't intended to rank first. She had only planned to place somewhere safely in the upper ranks, but the average skill level of the cadets turned out to be lower than she'd expected.
During the preliminary round—where they split logs—and the first test, where applicants sparred against each other, she had been able to observe the other examinees and adjust her performance accordingly. The problem arose during the second test, where she had to spar with a junior knight from the Azure Sky Knights.
Echinacea's body, having only recently regressed in time, wasn't particularly well-trained yet. She had to compensate for her weaker physique with technique and mana, but if she secretly used mana during her match against the Azure Sky junior knight, the risk of getting caught was high. So she tried to rely solely on technique—only to slightly lose control. Another factor was that the second test was conducted individually, so she hadn't been able to see how the other examinees performed.
'A telegram from home will probably arrive soon.'
They'd be furious. Worried sick, too. And they'd find it hard to accept. But there was nothing she could do about it. The only way forward was to become a knight as quickly as possible, seal away the Magic Sword, and return.
"Excuse me, Miss Roaz."
Echinacea turned her head from where she was packing away a jewelry box. Alice Winterbell stood there with the expression of someone who had steeled their resolve.
Alice was a beauty with neatly trimmed, pale blonde hair. She was quite tall—Echinacea wasn't short by any means, but she still had to look up at her. Though Alice gave off a somewhat rigid impression, Echinacea didn't dislike people who were a little uptight.
"Yes, Miss Winterbell?"
"...What is all this luggage?"
Alice's gray eyes swept over Echinacea's belongings. There were still unopened bags piled up. The way her pupils trembled as she looked at them, it was as if an earthquake had struck.
"My clothes and accessories."
"You mean all of this?"
"Yes. Is something wrong?"
A flash of contempt crossed Alice's face. She gritted her teeth as though suppressing something before finally speaking.
"A cadet whose goal is to become a knight has no business needing this many clothes."
"I need them."
"Need them? Cadets are issued uniforms, you know."
"I have no intention of wearing something so drab. Officer cadets are allowed to dress freely, aren't they?"
"So you're saying you'll wear this kind of thing even when handling a sword?"
"Yes. What's the problem?"
At Echinacea's breezy reply, Alice could no longer hold back. Her voice rose sharply.
"Is this a ballroom? Or a tea party? Do you even have any awareness that this is the sacred Agenka Military Academy?"
"The academy regulations don't say anything about not wearing dresses, Miss Winterbell."
"There's no way such a ridiculous rule would exist—because it's common sense!"
"And why is that common sense?"
"Because it's unbecoming of a knight!"
Alice's cheeks were faintly flushed with anger. Though they were technically the same age, to Echinacea—who had regressed from the future—Alice seemed much younger. To be honest, the way she got worked up over what was "unbecoming of a knight" was kind of cute and refreshing.
But cuteness aside, having a roommate who constantly nitpicked would be exhausting in the long run. She needed to put her in her place, at least a little. Smiling, Echinacea asked:
"And what, exactly, does Miss Winterbell think makes someone knightly?"