Chapter 27
The Flower That Bears a Sword - Chapter 27
Translation: godsn
Alice asked. Eki nodded while keeping her gaze fixed on the arena.
"Yes, Alice."
"Thank you, Echinacea."
"Eki."
"...Yes, Eki."
"I told you to drop the formalities."
"That's a bit..."
Alice hesitated, her cheeks faintly reddening. When Eki turned to look at her, Alice spoke softly.
"I-I'm not quite prepared yet."
"...Does it require preparation?"
"Yes. You may drop formalities with me."
"It'd be strange if I drop formalities while you don't. Never mind, then."
The first match concluded swiftly. Alice easily advanced to the second round. Now it was time for the second match. Eki turned to look at Alice, who remained seated rigidly beside her.
"You do know the second match is between you and me, right?"
"Of course. I'm looking forward to it."
"......"
Though Eki had intended to finish it quickly, seeing those gray eyes sparkling with anticipation made it impossible. She let out a deep sigh.
The subsequent duel between Echinacea Roaz and Alice Winterbell was nothing short of spectacular. At the same time, it resembled an instructional spar more than a match between peers of similar skill—a demonstration where the vastly superior fighter guided the less experienced one. Every officer cadet present recognized it as the same experience they'd had when their sword instructors taught them.
Winning is far easier than skillfully guiding and teaching someone. That much is obvious. Teaching others isn't something achievable by mere superiority in skill. It requires looking down from an unfathomable height, as if holding an answer key, and leading them forward.
The prolonged, high-level swordplay finally ended with Echinacea's blade stopping just before Alice's nape. A deathly silence fell over the spectator stands.
The officer cadets were no fools. They, too, knew just how exceptional Alice was. Few cadets present could confidently claim victory if they stood before Alice's sword.
So, just how strong was this 'Lady' who had conducted an instructional spar against Alice—and in the freshman ranking tournament, no less? It was beyond their comprehension. If not for her inability to use mana, her swordsmanship alone might even stand a chance against the official knights of the Blue Sky. And she was just a twenty-year-old woman in an uncomfortable dress and high heels.
"A genius of the century... indeed."
Theo, who had been watching in a daze, muttered as if groaning.
Every officer cadet had been called a genius before coming to Agenka. Theo had heard it countless times—genius, extraordinary talent.
After becoming an officer cadet, he'd thought the world was overflowing with geniuses since everyone was exceptional. There were geniuses among geniuses—like Mihail, whom he'd observed as a roommate, or Alice, whose skills were quietly renowned.
But the 'Lady' had defeated Mihail with a single strike and conducted an instructional spar against Alice. What could such a being even be called? The term "genius of the century" felt insufficient.
After the second round against Alice, everything proceeded without a hitch. Echinacea sent every opponent's sword flying with a single strike. No one could withstand her blade. None could deny that Alice had been the sole exception, nor that Echinacea's skill stood on an entirely different plane.
Now, the other cadets' matches became an afterthought. Most officer cadets strained to catch even one more glimpse of Echinacea's movements. After all, merely observing the swordplay of an exceptional knight could be a lesson in itself.
"The Captain must have known. That's why he made her a squire..."
"Good heavens. Did you see that? How could anyone beat her?"
"Who the hell started that rumor? Illegitimate admission? What a joke."
"Hey, isn't this practically cheating? How is someone like her in the same academy as us?"
"She could hold her own against junior knights, couldn't she? No, she might even take on official knights."
"But she's not a Master. Without mana, it's pointless."
"Still, there are those who remain Junior Knights because they excel only in swordsmanship and lack mana affinity..."
"But isn't she just twenty? Then it's hard to say. She might become a Master within a few years."
"Where on earth did such a monster come from? Does anyone know the Roaz family?"
Murmurs spread through the waiting room and spectator seats. The Freshman Ranking Tournament ended much earlier than expected—all because Echinacea's matches concluded so swiftly. She even finished the finals with a single strike.
"Cadet Echinacea, congratulations. Until the next ranking tournament or duel, you're the top-ranked first-year."
After the tournament ended, Ian approached her with a warm smile.
"I knew you'd do well, but... you exceeded my expectations. Everyone will be on edge during the Overall Ranking Tournament. The upper ranks are going to be in chaos. You're truly remarkable."
"You flatter me too much."
Eki listened to Ian's words with half an ear while inwardly worrying about tomorrow's muscle pain. Having competed in the tournament while still recovering from illness, her entire body might go on strike tomorrow. She had pushed herself a bit too hard during the second match with Alice. Though she had subtly used mana to endure the muscle fatigue...
'I should apply ointment, drink ginger tea, and go to bed early.'
The thought of the ginger tea Yurien had given her made her chest tingle slightly. The attention from the swarming cadets or the results of the ranking tournament against these rookies paled in comparison to the ginger tea occupying her mind. As she drifted into her thoughts, Ian continued speaking.
"Now I understand why the Captain nominated you as a Squire. He must have recognized your talent. What's your secret? The Roaz family isn't particularly known for swordsmanship."
Ian's eyes narrowed. The other cadets, deterred by the Cadet Representative's presence, lingered nearby, hesitant to approach. Eki picked up her sword and replied.
"Well, I'm not sure myself."
"Who trained you? Did you learn from the Captain before?"
"No, I'm self-taught."
"...You mastered the sword on your own?"
"Yes. Senior, may I take my leave now? I'm a bit tired."
"Ah, of course, you must be exhausted. Sorry for keeping you."
Ian stepped back graciously, but his gaze lingered on Eki—not with the lecherous intensity of someone like Bread, but something different, twisted. A well-hidden glint she wouldn't have noticed if she hadn't seen his true nature before the regression.
'I'd rather he just caused trouble openly.'
She wasn't afraid of him. His meddling with the match brackets was trivial, and whatever he did, Ian couldn't pose a serious threat to her. Still, having him hovering nearby was irritating and unsettling.
Once the Cadet Representative stepped away, the officer cadets cautiously approached. They hesitated, exchanging glances, too embarrassed to speak to Eki directly after ignoring her and spreading rumors, only to swarm her the moment the tournament results were out.
Of course, not all cadets bothered with hesitation. Fatima came bounding over, her braids swinging, and beamed brightly.
"Cadet Echinacea! I knew my eyes weren't wrong! Congratulations on first place!"
"Thank you, Senior Fatima."
"I thought Cadets Alice and Mihail would take second and third. The bracket was all tangled up, but in the end, it turned out just as I predicted. See? My foresight? Doesn't this make you trust Wisdom more?"
Her dark eyes sparkled with pride. Without waiting for a reply, Fatima stood on tiptoe and lightly patted Eki's head.
"I'd love to brag more about our club now, but you must be exhausted from the tournament! Rest well! See you next time!"
Chattering away, Fatima waved and left. As she retreated, she shot subtle warning glances at the surrounding cadets—as if to say, Isn't it embarrassing to try recruiting her now, after all this? The cadets, unable to shamelessly crowd Eki anymore, awkwardly dispersed. They broke into small groups, chattering excitedly about the day's tournament.
Eki found herself inwardly grateful for Fatima's actions. A sudden crowd would've been nothing but a nuisance.
Come to think of it, Baraha was nowhere to be seen among the gathered cadets. As the vice-captain's squire, he was a busy man—something must've come up.
She was about to return to her room when she spotted Alice still in the waiting area, polishing her sword.
"Alice, let's go together."
"Ah, yes!"
Alice sprang to her feet and hurriedly gathered her belongings. Eki picked up a scrap of cloth she had dropped and handed it to her.
"Are you alright with your ranking? It's much lower than what your skills deserve."
"It doesn't matter. I gained something far more important than rank. For now, I plan to focus solely on refining my sword."
Alice smiled brightly. Eki couldn't help but inwardly admire her truly knightly response. So upright. Someone like her should become a knight. She couldn't hold back the words that surged up inside her.
"I really hope you become a knight of the Blue Sky, Alice. You suit knighthood perfectly."
It was an impulsive remark, but she didn't regret it. After talking to the revived Nicole, she had regretted not being honest in the past. At Eki's words, Alice blinked at her in surprise. Eki smiled sincerely.
"If you ever need it, feel free to ask me for a spar anytime, Alice. I think crossing blades with you would be enjoyable."
To Eki, a sword had always been an inseparable tool of slaughter, a nightmare she couldn't escape. Gripping a hilt made her feel sticky blood coiling around her fingertips. She had believed swordsmanship was nothing more than a technique for efficiently killing people.
But crossing blades with Alice had been different. When she told Valdergiosa she had been swept up in the moment, it hadn't been a lie. Back then, she had truly felt herself drawn into Alice's earnest, unwavering dedication to the sword.
For Alice, the sword was both the path she walked and the means by which she honed herself. She dreamed of becoming a pure knight, like those in fairy tales. And Eki didn't dislike her stubbornness or her idealism. She recalled Teresa's Dimongiosa, the sword Alice so admired.
Just as Valdergiosa was called a Magic Sword, Dimongiosa was known as a Guardian Sword. Forged by the legendary blacksmith from the sorrow of those who had lost something precious and the desire to protect what remained, these blades would only yield to those who had something they were willing to sacrifice everything to guard.
In Eki's past life, when she had gathered the Giosa, there had been some she could hold but never wield, as she didn't meet their owners' conditions. Yet Dimongiosa had been one of the few she could use—because of the profound grief born from losing everyone dear to her.
There are those who wield a sword not to kill, but to protect. Just as there are those who take up the blade not for others, but to refine themselves.
Straightforward, shining people. Crossing swords with them felt like a conversation deeper than words. That was why sparring with Alice had been enjoyable—enough to push her exhausted body further.
Alice's eyes widened, then crinkled as she smiled, her cheeks faintly flushed. She took Eki's hand—her right, gloved to conceal the mark of the Magic Sword—and Eki felt the warmth of her touch through the fabric.
"Thank you, Eki. I'm so glad to have met you."
"W-why are you suddenly holding my hand?"
"No reason. Is that not allowed?"
"...No, it's fine."
Flustered, Eki grumbled but didn't pull away. The scent of sweat still clung to Alice after the ranking matches, but she didn't point it out. Hand in hand, they returned to the dormitory like children their age.