Chapter 46
The Flower That Bears a Sword - Chapter 46
Translation: godsn
"Why on earth? This has nothing to do with us!"
"The magic sword that was supposed to carry out a massacre has disappeared without a single death. Who else but the Azure Sky Knights, who manage Giosa, could make something like this happen under normal circumstances?"
"Are you saying they suspect Captain Yurien was the one who dealt with the magic sword sent to the Roaz family?"
"That's a far more reasonable suspicion than the delusion that the daughter of that house could hold a magic sword without consequence due to some special constitution. Besides, didn't you become the Captain's squire? It would be stranger to think there's no connection at all."
It was an irrefutable argument. Echinacea let out a pained groan. Nicole heaved a deep sigh and continued.
"Quietly, there are factions within the Empire supporting the Third Prince—even though Prince Yurien himself has no interest in the throne. His popularity, reputation, influence over knights, and the military might of the Azure Sky Knights, the strongest order on the continent... Both the Crown Prince's faction and the Second Prince's faction have no choice but to view him as a threat."
"So the Third Prince has grown too powerful to leave alone... That's what this is about."
"Exactly. Regardless of the Third Prince's own intentions, he has few options left now."
Nicole raised a finger.
"Either accept the engagement and submit to the Crown Prince, or use Agenka and the Azure Sky Knights to oppose the Empire."
"......"
"And the latter choice would inevitably lead to war. The first to be sacrificed in that scenario would be Count Roaz's family, already under suspicion for their connection to Captain Yurien. Even if it doesn't come to war, they'll find some way to use the Roaz family—to draw out Captain Yurien."
The color drained from Echinacea's face. Nicole added in a dry tone:
"So we can only pray that he obediently accepts the engagement and hands his leash to the Crown Prince. That's the most peaceful path."
Silence lingered for a while. Nicole, her throat parched, reached for her teacup only to find it had gone cold. She excused herself to Echinacea and used magic to reheat the teapot. As she sipped her tea, she gave Echinacea time to process everything she'd just heard.
Echinacea's thoughts swirled in chaos. The first thing that surged up was rage—a murderous intent so deep even Valdergiosa, who usually reveled in such emotions, was watching her warily. Whether it was the Second Prince's faction or the Crown Prince's who had sent the magic sword to the Roaz family, she wanted to cut them all down. The knowledge that she had the power to do so made restraint even more agonizing.
Reflexively, Echinacea mentally calculated the numbers of mages and Royal Guard Knights she'd fought in her previous life. It was possible. She might collapse afterward—this time not just with body aches but possibly falling unconscious—but as long as her mana held out, she could cut her way straight through to the Emperor's throat in a blitzkrieg.
[If you can do it, why hold back? It's revenge! They're bad people! Aren't you suffering because of them, tangled up with me? Let's go kill them, okay? If we wipe them all out, you won't have to worry about murderous urges for a while!]
The magic sword, sensing an opportunity, chattered sweetly like a demon seizing its chance. Echinacea glanced at her gloved right palm. The sword kept talking impatiently.
[They sent me, so it's their karma to die by me, right? Let's go kill them! You have to take revenge, revenge! Don't you want to see the blood of those who threw you into such suffering? If you're worried about cleanup, just leave no witnesses! Kill every last witness too!]
The last words snapped her back to her senses as if doused in cold water. Kill people just for witnessing? A shiver crawled up her spine. Echinacea pressed a hand to her forehead.
'Just now... I was seriously considering killing mages and royal guards who have nothing to do with this—all under the pretext of revenge. I've gone mad.'
Royalty never stands alone. To kill a royal, she'd have to slaughter every guard blocking her path and every attendant in her way. She wasn't an assassin. Though she could mimic one to some extent with mana and skill, she was nowhere near capable of assassinating the Emperor. She could cut them all down, though.
[Master, is it because of that red-haired woman that you're not answering? Huh? We're going to kill them, right? Let's go kill them! We have to take revenge!]
'This isn't a battlefield where it's kill or be killed. Doing that would be massacre. How would I be any different from the Demon of the Magic Sword?'
Reason returned. Eki channeled mana into the sigil on her right palm.
[Ow! Hot! Ah, ah! Why are you tormenting me? Does this mean we're going to kill them? When? Today? Tomorrow? After two nights' sleep?]
Irritated, Eki clenched her fist. Then she channeled another surge of mana, letting her own energy strike against the Magic Sword's mana flowing through the sigil.
[Ouch! Ah! That hurts! Why!...Ah, so you're telling me to shut up. Tch.]
This was different from dealing with Ian. He had directly tried to kill someone close to her. If Eki hadn't been there, Baraha would have certainly died. But the royal guards were different. They were simply doing their duty.
She knew all too well what would happen if she swung her sword as she pleased. She knew exactly what it meant to kill a person. That was why, in this life, she had resolved not to cut anyone down. But circumstances had not been so kind, and in the end, she had made her decision.
Whoever delivered the Magic Sword to the Roaz family—no, whoever orchestrated it—she could kill without hesitation. Yet she wasn't even certain who among the Emperor, the Second Prince, or the Crown Prince had masterminded it.
If someone threatened those around her, she would deal with them. If the Royal Guard Knights stormed the Roaz estate, she would wipe them out cleanly. But nothing like that had happened yet. Was she supposed to kill them all just because it might happen? Because she was angry? She didn't want to become a demon.
Eki closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
After all that suffering to turn everything back, why? Don't drown in anger. Don't let yourself be swept away by bloodlust.
Gradually, calm returned. As the rage and bloodlust receded, other thoughts surfaced. So what should she do now?
As Nicole had said, the best course was to stay still and hope Yurien quietly went through with the engagement. Then, she needed to find out exactly who had ordered the Magic Sword sent to the Roazes and plan her revenge afterward. She had no intention of forgiving that person—even if it was the Emperor himself.
Yes, that's the way. Pray the engagement goes smoothly, uncover the mastermind behind the Magic Sword... and take revenge.
Even as she reached that conclusion, a persistent sense of rejection lingered. He—Yurien—has to get engaged. Has to marry. A hollow, sinking sensation. A sharp ache in her chest. A bittersweet sorrow, mingled with something else—something too complex to define—seeped through her entire being.
Would she feel like this if she saw someone other than Yurien wielding the Holy Sword Langiosa—the sword she could never grasp, not even in her dreams? That sense of violation, of something untouchable, something that should never be touched, being trespassed upon so easily.
Eki stared distantly at her right hand. Back when she had been collecting Giosas, she had often gazed at Langiosa. Since she could never touch it barehanded, she would always wrap it in cloth before pulling it out, propping it against something or setting it on the floor, and just staring at it blankly for hours.
An untouchable sword. An untouchable person. Something she should never reach for. And yet, in truth, from the very beginning, she had wanted to touch it—
Something surged, threatening to overflow. What she had suppressed for so long now pushed against its restraints, rising violently.
Why don't I want him to get engaged? If he gets engaged, the Roazes won't be dragged into this. Is it because I pity the life he'll lead, being used by the Crown Prince?
Yes, she pitied him. His trapped circumstances, the fragments of his past she could piece together—it all ached. She wanted him to be happy.
But if he didn't get engaged, her family might be in danger. Wasn't her family the most important thing?
Peace. A peaceful life. Happiness. Suddenly, the question Yurien had abruptly thrown at her after the appointment ceremony resurfaced.
"If—just if—there's something you desire, could you sacrifice your peace for it? Could you endure being caught in chaos to obtain it?"
Had that question been about Yurien himself? Was he torn between resistance and submission? Did the "chaos" he mentioned refer to the war that would erupt if he refused to bow to the Crown Prince? Then what was it he wanted? What was worth sacrificing peace for? Freedom from the royal family?
...Then, what do I want? Why, at this moment, even when the logical conclusion is right in front of me—even when my peaceful life might be at stake—do I still feel this rejection? What is it I desire?
Why had I been so unsettled by the news of his fiancée's arrival? Why had I felt a surge of anger the moment I saw his face at the Squire appointment ceremony after hearing of his engagement? Why do I keep obsessing over what he's thinking, how he sees me? Why had I wished he never knew his erased past? Why do I always grow tense standing before him?
Simple guilt? No, that's not it. Why was I afraid of misinterpreting his expressions or smiles? What was I afraid of misinterpreting?
'That he might love me... That I might delude myself into thinking so...'
Why was that delusion so terrifying?
'Because it's too unbearably happy. A delusion so blissful that the moment I realize it's false will shatter me. And it has to be false. Him loving me is impossible.'
If he loved you, would that make you happy? Why would that bring you happiness?
'Why? Because I...'
Because I love him.
I had reached the truth I'd been desperate to deny. Something long suppressed finally overflowed, drowning my reason. Like a sandcastle crumbling under waves, Echinacea forgot to breathe.
Before the bloodstained fountain, the emotions she thought had long shattered had quietly taken root in the depths of her heart. Now those roots were exposed.
The one who had looked into her soul and believed in her at her most desperate, most hopeless moment. Those blue eyes that had watched over her through long, painful, lonely battles. Silent support and encouragement.
The one who had faced ruin for that faith, yet never once cursed her with his final breath.
His gaze. Unexpected warmth on her shoulder. Careful consideration. The scent of ginger tea. Tension. An unguarded smile. Concern. A desperate embrace. A trembling voice. An expression caught between sobs and joy.
Her own turmoil in the face of it all. How she had fixated on every word and action of his, things others might dismiss as insignificant.
She had told herself she had no right to love him, so she didn't. Self-deception. The heart cannot be governed by logic or reason. Turning a blind eye doesn't erase what exists. No amount of resolve can wipe it away.
Those feelings had never been broken at all. Only her fear—of the weight of her sins, of the consequences they would bring, of the changes that acknowledging this love would unleash—had made her believe they were shattered and turn away.
Echinacea Roaz had never stopped loving Yurien de Harden Kyrie.
From the moment he first found her within the Demon of the Magic Sword, through the long years and the reversal of time to this very day, those feelings had only taken deeper root, never once withered.
Now she could no longer look away. Eki pressed a hand to her mouth, her face deathly pale. Moments later, crimson bloomed from her nape upward until she burned scarlet. Nicole, startled, set down her teacup.
"Eki? What's wrong?"
"...Nicole."
Eki's voice wavered halfway to a sob. Nicole's eyes flew wide. She'd known Eki since childhood—heard her grumble plenty—but never this fragile, trembling tone. Flustered, Nicole pushed the teacup aside and leaned close, scrutinizing Eki's face.
"You've been unwell, but is it worse? Do you need rest? I thought you should know, but don't force yourself. You're already burdened with the Magic Sword's troubles—why would I heap more on someone so young? The Roaz family's problems are mine too. I'll handle—"
"Nicole, what do I do?"
"...Huh?"
"I... think I love him. Someone I shouldn't."
The rest tumbled soundlessly in her mouth, impossible to voice. Echinacea pulled her legs onto the chair and buried her burning face in her knees. Her heart pounded as if it might burst, yet at the same time, terror wrenched it like a vise. The exhilaration was matched only by dread.
Nicole, alarmed, kept stroking her shoulders and asking where it hurt. It took Eki considerable time to calm down and fabricate a plausible excuse for her reaction.