Chapter 36
The Flower That Bears a Sword - Chapter 36
Translation: godsn
Working together, they soon filled the sack with oil-soaked cloth bundles. Eki lit the candle inside the lantern. Then she cradled the lantern carefully, using the ample fabric of her blouse and skirt to prevent any light from leaking out. Their eyes met.
"Shall we go?"
"Let's."
Baraha pulled out one cloth bundle from the sack. He brought it to the candle flame inside the lantern she was holding. The oil-drenched cloth immediately caught fire.
With all his strength, Baraha hurled the burning bundle outside the tent. A guttural growl sounded as two monsters lurking near the tent began chasing the flaming projectile. Seizing the opportunity, they swiftly slipped out of the tent.
They moved between tents, repeating the process whenever monsters loomed nearby—lighting cloth bundles and throwing them. Though neither spoke a word, their coordination was seamless, communicating through glances alone.
The camp's center was an empty clearing. A pool of red liquid had collected there, surrounded by more than ten prowling monsters. Around the perimeter stood the tents of the Captain, Vice-Captains, and their respective squires.
Eki's tent had already collapsed into smoldering ruins. Ian's corpse inside had either turned to ashes or become food for the monsters drawn by her fire. Her gaze lingered there briefly before she turned away.
Baraha quickly ducked into the nearest Vice-Captain's tent from their position, with Eki following close behind. They set down their lantern and sack, catching their breath.
"Too many monsters in the clearing," Baraha muttered, rubbing his temples in frustration. Eki peered outside through a gap in the tent fabric. As she studied the scene intently, Baraha moved behind her, resting his chin atop her head to look over her shoulder.
"Senior," she said quietly, "over there."
"Hmm?"
"That three-horned monster's head—look at the air above it... Can you see?"
"...That thing? The starting point you mentioned."
A strange mark hovered in the air—an elongated crease like paper that had been folded and smoothed. The fissure began above the clearing, stretching long and thin toward the crimson sunset sky. Its edges wavered like heat haze—an uncanny sight.
"Getting there is one thing, but... should we even touch it? Those book theories were just speculation..." Eki murmured the question more to herself. Above her head, Baraha exhaled something between a groan and sigh. Then a large hand plopped onto her head with a soft pat.
"Staying put won't get us out either. We've got to try something."
"That's... true."
"Let's see."
Baraha scanned the tent's interior before drawing his sword. With a mischievous grin, he muttered:
"My apologies, Lord. I'll be doing some damage."
"Senior?"
He smashed the makeshift bed with his sword, then began gathering the broken wood pieces onto the bedsheet. Eki understood his plan—cloth bundles wouldn't be enough firepower to distract so many monsters, so they needed larger wooden fuel.
She helped him pile flammable materials onto the sheet. Within moments, the Vice-Captain's tent looked ransacked. Baraha bundled the sheet into a bulky sack of kindling. Before he could ask, Eki had already collected the oil bottles. Seeing this, his eyes crinkled with amusement.
"I hate to say this... but I find myself thanking the gods you're out here with me."
"Am I that reliable?"
Eki laughed as she replied. Baraha chuckled low and nodded.
"Absolutely. But there's something more important than that."
"What is it?"
"That I might have gone mad if it weren't for you."
"...What?"
She couldn't immediately grasp his meaning. Baraha passed by her and casually added,
"If I'd been left alone here, I mean. Come on, we need to light this somewhere nearby. Some distance from the clearing—yes, Sir Dietrich's barracks would be perfect. Honestly, I've wanted to set that bastard's quarters on fire at least once anyway."
Eki fell silent for a moment before following him. Instead of heading toward the clearing's entrance, they lifted the rear tent flap and slipped out, moving stealthily toward the targeted barracks while avoiding detection by the monsters. The entire time, she kept turning his words over in her mind.
I at least have the strength to resist and some experience with the bizarre phenomena inside Nodes... But Baraha senior has no means to fight for survival, and he was dragged into this Node without warning.
She glanced at the ground beneath her feet. The thick, pooling red liquid unmistakably resembled blood. The once-intact camp was now submerged in gore, with gigantic monsters she'd never seen before roaming about. The sky burned crimson, and the shadows of soldiers stabbing and devouring each other looked like pure madness.
If she'd been left alone in such a place—with no way out, no strength to fight—just waiting helplessly for death... she might have truly lost her mind. So to Baraha, Eki's mere presence and the sliver of hope she offered must have been an immense comfort.
And in this situation, the fact that he suppressed his fear as much as possible, telling her to trust him and that he'd protect her—she could only imagine how strong his resolve must be.
People grow stronger when they have something to protect, rather than when they're alone.
In a different way from Alice, he was someone who truly suited knighthood. She watched his broad back as he walked ahead. In the erased past, he had died without becoming a knight. This time, she found herself wanting to see him survive and earn that title. Just like Alice.
I'm glad I tried to save him.
Unconsciously, Eki smiled.
Dietrich's barracks stood in a position clearly visible from the clearing. They encountered monsters a couple of times on the way, but they skillfully avoided them using the remaining fabric scraps.
Baraha tossed the bundled firewood he'd carried into Dietrich's quarters. Eki poured oil over it, then found and emptied all the oil flasks inside Dietrich's barracks as well. Afterward, they slipped out and hid elsewhere before hurling a lantern toward the structure.
With a whoosh, flames erupted violently. Nearby monsters flinched visibly. They began creeping toward the blazing barracks, drawn like moths to a massive bonfire.
Eki and Baraha didn't waste the opportunity. They ran without a word. The rough strides splashed the red liquid beneath their feet, soaking their clothes, but there was no time to mind such things.
They reached the clearing. It was empty—their monster diversion seemed successful. But they wouldn't have much time. Monsters were drawn to fire because it often signaled human presence; once they confirmed no humans were nearby, they'd quickly lose interest.
The Starting Point hovered high in the air. Baraha swiftly grabbed a flagpole standing at one edge of the clearing. A banner embroidered with a four-winged hawk fluttered at its tip. He extended the flag-end toward Eki.
"Climb on! I'll lift you up!"
He wasn't even using mana—how could he possibly raise a flagpole with a person hanging from it? Stunned, Eki turned to look at him, but the moment she saw his forearms, she understood.
Without answering, she immediately climbed onto the pole. Baraha took a deep breath and hoisted the flagpole straight up. The banner drooped, the Blue Sky emblem fluttering wildly. His muscles swelled as if they might burst. From her newly elevated vantage point, the entire camp sprawled clearly in Eki's vision. The monsters were still rummaging through the burning barracks.
"Be careful! Don't use your hands—try touching it with your sword first!"
Baraha shouted from below as he adjusted the flagpole. The node's starting point was drawing near. Gripping the pole with one hand, Echinacea stretched her upper body and drew her sword. The scabbard fell with a splash below. She thrust her blade into what appeared to be a folded seam in the empty air.
The moment her sword pierced through, an instinctive dread told her something had gone terribly wrong.
Kyaaaaah!
Grrruuk! Grrruuk!
From every direction, the monsters roared in unison. Hundreds of eyes—bloodshot, hollow, twisted, or bulging—snapped toward the starting point, all fixing their gaze on her at once. Even for someone as composed as Eki, the sight was enough to send shivers crawling down her spine.
Baraha, still below, immediately realized things had gone awry. He began lowering the flagpole, then abruptly tossed it aside and spread his arms toward her.
"Eki!"
Understanding his signal, she leaped toward him. Baraha caught her midair, the hem of her dress billowing wildly before settling. Bracing herself against his shoulders, Eki spoke urgently.
"Senior, this doesn't seem—"
"Run first."
Cutting her off, Baraha broke into a sprint, still carrying her. The ground trembled as heavy footsteps—thud, thud, thud—closed in from all sides. The crimson liquid beneath them rippled violently with each impact. Peering over Baraha's shoulder, Eki saw the horde of enormous monsters charging toward them. At least hundreds. Every single pair of eyes was locked onto the two of them.
"Put me down!"
"I'm... faster... than you. It's fine... if we hide... somehow..."
Baraha panted between words. Eki glanced between the arms holding her securely and the monstrous tide crushing tents underfoot as they advanced. Waves of scarlet liquid surged in their wake. Though Baraha's speed was astonishing for someone who wasn't a Master, each of the monsters' strides covered five times the distance of his. It was only a matter of time before they were overtaken.
Echinacea shut her eyes tightly, then opened them again. Her violet irises darkened.
I'm sorry, Senior Baraha.
Apologizing silently, she struck the back of his neck with the edge of her palm—hard enough to knock him out instantly.
"Ugh—"
With a short groan, Baraha's body slumped forward. The moment his grip loosened, Eki dropped down and caught his falling weight. Even braced for it, the impact nearly wrenched her arm out of its socket. She couldn't help but grumble.
"Ugh, damn, you're heavy..."
[Well, he's huge. A mountain of muscle would weigh even more. But Master, what now?]
"What else?"
Eki hoisted Baraha onto her back. The height difference was so severe his feet dragged limply across the ground—an unavoidable problem.
She broke into a run. Mana surged explosively through her, and despite carrying a man far larger and heavier than herself, her speed far surpassed Baraha's. The distance between them and the monsters steadily widened. Escaping like this would have been ideal, but she knew better—it wasn't possible.
At some point, after leaving the camp behind, Eki came to a sudden stop.
[Is this the edge of the node?]
"Yeah, it's the barrier."
Nodes were isolated spaces. Naturally, they had boundaries. Eki pressed the tip of her shoe against the empty air—it met resistance, unmoving.
"This is enough. With our backs to this, we don't have to worry about attacks from behind."
She propped Baraha against the invisible wall, then turned to face the approaching horde. Gauging the distance with her eyes, she slid the cheap longsword back into the folds of her dress.