Chapter 47
The Flower That Bears a Sword - Chapter 47
Translation: godsn
That night, she had a long dream.
"You probably didn't want to do this either."
Yurien whispered as he pressed Langiosa against her throat, pinning her down. A low, quiet voice that never rose in volume. The very words she had wanted to scream at the countless people she had cut down, at all those who wailed and cursed before her.
'I didn't want to do this either.'
The moment he gave voice to the scream she had wanted to release but couldn't utter aloud—from that instant, he became an indelible mark upon her soul.
"She's still fighting."
"The Magic Sword and her will."
"I'll give her a chance."
He recognized her resistance—something no one else could have possibly known—that she hadn't yet given up. And he gave her a chance. A chance that would bring him nothing but loss.
Beyond the iron bars, those icy blue eyes watched over her. He waited for her—for the woman who had lost everyone who might have waited for her, having slain all her loved ones with her own hands. Continuously, endlessly, through sunrise and sunset, through changing seasons, even as her condition remained unchanged, he kept coming to see her. To the slaughtering demon whom no one else visited, whom even the jailers avoided—only leaving food bowls beyond the double-locked door before quickly departing.
For half a year in that cramped underground cell, chained in solitude, he was the only one who came to her. The sole person who waited, hoping for her victory. The only one who supported her. There was no one else. She endured by thinking of him. As she overcame the Magic Sword, she gathered all the words she wanted to say when they'd meet.
'Why did you give me a chance?'
'Thank you.'
'Thank you for waiting. Thank you for watching over me.'
'I wanted to prove your choice was right.'
'I'll definitely win. So please don't leave. Keep watching over me. Because there's no one else...'
'It was because of you that I could win.'
'My name is Echinacea Roaz. My hair is black now, but it used to be pink. My parents named me after the color of echinacea flowers. I know your name—Yurien. I've always wanted to call you by it.'
'Do you know how much I wanted to smile at you with a body moving by my own will?'
'I want to show you my smiling face. Not the howling beast-like appearance. That's not the real me. See? This is me. How is it? I hope I look pretty to you.'
'I want to meet you. Do you want to meet me too? Is that why you're waiting?'
Those words became her strength. She endured by imagining the day she could say them to him directly. Through all those lonely, painful, empty hours.
During that time, the mark he left on her life gradually transformed into an emotion. Taking root, sprouting, ripening.
The flower had already begun blooming from that moment.
Echinacea took one more day to fully recover. The following day happened to be the first club meeting for Wisdom.
During this time, no news had come regarding Yurien's engagement. The Azure Sky Knight Commander remained silent, while Lady Diassant quietly stayed in the VIP quarters assigned to her at the knight headquarters. Only rumors that the engagement might proceed spread throughout Agenka.
Eki headed toward the 6th Training Ground where Wisdom's club meeting would be held, walking alongside Alice. Alice glanced sideways at her companion with slight concern. Though the pale sky-blue dress with white lace trim looked bright and cheerful, the expression of the girl wearing it was troubled and dark.
"Eki."
"......"
"Eki?"
"Ah, yes? Did you call me?"
"Are you still running a fever?"
"No, you know I've fully recovered."
"You've seemed out of it all day yesterday and today."
To be precise, ever since Nicole Sizton had visited. Alice studied her closely. Echinacea shook her head with a smile.
"It's nothing. Just... something I've been thinking about."
"What kind of trouble? Can I help?"
"Thank you, but it's fine. It's a mix of personal feelings and family matters."
A very large-scale family matter and very complicated feelings—but it wasn't a lie. Alice still seemed doubtful, but she wasn't the type to rudely pry into someone else's family affairs. She nodded obediently.
"Sometimes, just talking to someone can make a burden feel lighter. If you ever need that kind of help, don't hesitate to ask."
A straightforward face, a straightforward tone. Echinacea glanced up at Alice walking beside her. One corner of her tangled heart warmed like a thick, bubbling stew. She remembered Nicole asking if Alice was her friend. On impulse, she linked arms with her.
"Eki? Why all of a sudden—"
"Just because. Do you mind?"
"...No."
"Let's hurry. Senior Fatima must be waiting."
Arm in arm, they arrived at the 6th Training Ground. Located a short distance from the girls' dormitory, it was a medium-sized open space bordered by tall, thick-leaved evergreens in place of a fence.
Beneath the evergreens were benches—each packed with cadets. Those who couldn't claim a seat leaned against the trees or sat on the ground. Some had even brought mats to spread out.
"Ah, they're here."
"They came! They really did join Fatima's club!"
"That's the Lady."
"She's with the second-ranked cadet."
"They're roommates."
Murmurs spread as Echinacea and Alice approached. All eyes turned toward them at once. Since entering the military academy, Echinacea had grown accustomed to attention, but today's gazes were distinctly different—admiration and envy tangled together.
"She survived the Node..."
"Must've been luck. Probably Baraha did all the..."
"Didn't you see her in the Freshman Ranking Tournament? She was incredible."
"During the monster subjugation, she..."
"They say all geniuses are eccentric."
The hushed whispers clung to her like shadows. Her sharp hearing caught even the faintest murmurs, making the whole thing unbearably awkward. Though many remarks dripped with jealousy, the fact that she had proven her skill meant the uglier rumors had noticeably dwindled.
"Welcome, Alice, Eki!"
Fatima, who had arrived earlier, greeted them. Alice lowered her voice as she asked,
"Senior, why are there so many cadets gathered?"
"Well... Some might just be spectators, but look over there."
Fatima gave an awkward laugh and pointed to one side. A bench was piled high with papers—club application forms. Alice's expression turned incredulous.
"Are those all applications?"
"Ever since word got out that you two joined our club, interest skyrocketed. Half the cadets here probably submitted one. We can't accept everyone, so... well, that's why I wanted to ask you something."
Fatima shrugged, then flashed a sheepish grin.
"Before we spar, let's discuss how we'll pick new club members!"
Just as Alice and Echinacea were about to respond, a rough voice cut through the air, and a group of cadets swaggered into the training ground. Their noisy entrance instantly drew the crowd's attention—and their own gazes snapped toward the newcomers.
Four or five burly cadets shoved others aside as they marched in. Echinacea recognized the one leading them—Bread, the cadet who had spouted nonsense at her before. He strode straight toward the center of the training ground, but instead of glaring at Echinacea, his eyes locked onto Fatima.
"Hey, Fatima."
"What brings you here, Senior Bread?"
"I've heard some extremely unpleasant rumors. Is it true that you're poaching members from other clubs by luring them away?"
"No?"
Fatima's dark eyes widened into perfect circles. Bread snorted through his nose and picked up the stack of application forms on the bench. Fatima frowned in warning.
"Senior, looking through another club's applications is—"
"Shut it."
With rough movements, he flipped through the papers before thrusting the stack toward Fatima. Then he shook them threateningly right in front of her nose.
"Look at this, take a good look. You're going to pretend you don't recognize these names? With such blatant evidence right here? Women are all the same, I swear. Thinking others won't notice your schemes, how stupid."
As he spoke, Bread's eyes flickered toward Eki before snapping back. Eki, noticing this, barely restrained the corner of her mouth from twisting upward. Come to think of it, this bastard had done the same thing before—walking around obviously wearing a dress while pretending not to know anything.
'How self-centered can you be? I guess people only see what they want to see...'
Meanwhile, Fatima took the applications being shoved in her face. After checking the name on the first page, she looked up.
"I don't know who you're referring to, Senior."
"He's right here—Cadet Mihail von Franc Almari. Mihail was supposed to join our Noblesse Club, so why is his application here? Why are you stealing new recruits meant for other clubs?"
Bread tapped the application in Fatima's hand repeatedly, baring his teeth. Fatima blinked before responding with genuine confusion.
"But Cadet Mihail isn't currently affiliated with any club, is he? That application was written and submitted by Cadet Mihail himself. Is there some problem with that?"
"Plenty of problems, actually. Are you seriously playing dumb?"
"Yes, I really don't understand."
Smaller even than Eki, Fatima tilted her head like an innocent child as Bread glared at her with eyes that promised violence. Bread glanced around at the surrounding cadets before heaving an exaggerated sigh.
"Fatima Toya. There are courtesies that must be observed between clubs."
"What courtesy have I violated?"
"Didn't I just say? Don't you understand how rude it is to accept applications from cadets who are meant for other clubs?"
"Did Cadet Mihail submit an application to the Noblesse Club? Or did he make any verbal promise to join?"
Fatima's question left Bread momentarily speechless. Neither was true. The Noblesse Club had simply unilaterally marked Mihail—younger brother of a Giosa Owner—as their target. Finding himself at a loss for words, Bread's face began turning red and purple in turns.
"Hey, who do you think you are, questioning your senior like this?"
"Cadets are free to apply to whichever club they choose. And Senior, even if they were already in a club, aren't members free to withdraw and transfer as they wish?"
"Ha... This is exactly why we shouldn't allow primitive barbarians to establish clubs. You just don't understand common decency. Isn't that right?"
Bread muttered irritably and looked back at his fellow club members for support. They burst into laughter as if on cue.
With her dusky skin and petite frame, Fatima Toya hailed from the western nomadic tribes. The nomads, who traveled the grasslands in tribal units, maintained loose alliances rather than forming structured nations like other countries on the continent. Because of this, they were often subjected to rude prejudices—being called barbarians or uncivilized.
Eki's brow furrowed sharply. But before either she or Fatima could respond, an angry voice swiftly cut in.