Chapter 53
The Flower That Bears a Sword - Chapter 53
Translation: godsn
After saying those words, Yurien carefully observed Eki's reaction. Sensing his probing gaze, Eki suddenly realized—if she showed any sign of knowing about the Elgiosa incident here, Yurien would recognize her as someone who knew the erased past, meaning she was Valdergiosa's Owner.
He was testing her. By speaking like this, he was hinting that he remembered while checking if she had those memories too. A shiver ran down her spine. Eki mixed a bit of surprise and fluster to create an expression of disbelief.
"Elgiosa? Wasn't that sword lost? And you're saying its Owner...?"
"...Once we reach our destination, we'll lay low for a while. I don't know the exact timing, but around this period, Elgiosa's Owner will appear at that location."
"How do you know that?"
"I can't disclose my source."
Yurien gave a bitter smile. An expression tinged with inexplicable sorrow. Too anxious about her memories being discovered, Eki failed to notice his demeanor.
'So this is when and where the Saintess was murdered. Afterward, Elgiosa was found on the dead Saintess's body, and when the Azure Sky Knights came to investigate based on the report, they learned the Saintess—Elgiosa's Owner—had been killed... He's going there early to save that child.'
Though she didn't know the exact age of the murdered Saintess, she knew she'd been just a child. Twelve years old at most. Yurien was willing to abandon his post during this critical time of important decisions to save that child. That was just like him.
She couldn't let on that she knew anything about this incident. Eki nodded with an expression of intense curiosity.
"Understood, Lord."
"We'll have to sleep rough while waiting. Will that be alright?"
"Yes, of course."
"Your body is weaker than you think. Don't push yourself."
His meaningful words sounded as if he knew about the imbalance between Echinacea's skill and physical condition. But before Eki could question him, Yurien brought up another matter.
"Speaking of which, about your sword."
"My sword?"
Yurien's gaze fell upon the cheap longsword she'd placed on the sofa. The stiff leather scabbard was half-worn, the hilt unbearably crude. Even without drawing it, the blade's poor condition was obvious. Hesitating slightly, he cautiously asked:
"Is there some special reason you use that sword?"
"Ah, this..."
Eki pulled the sword closer as if to hide it. Should she tell the truth? She didn't want to lie to Yurien if possible. With no other choice, she answered honestly.
"I didn't want to maintain a sword. I deliberately chose a cheap one to use carelessly and replace when needed."
"Is your aversion to sword maintenance simply because it's bothersome?"
When Baraha Islaf had asked why she carried an ugly, cheap sword despite liking pretty things, she'd answered that maintaining it was troublesome. That had been half true. But there was another half to that truth. Yurien's piercing blue eyes seemed to see straight through her soul. Meeting that gaze, Eki confessed the remaining half:
"Holding a sword... often puts me in a bad mood. I wanted to minimize the time I spend holding one."
It had gotten better compared to before entering the military academy. After meeting Alice and sparring with her, she'd realized crossing swords could actually be enjoyable. The sparring sessions with Fatima during Wisdom Club meetings hadn't been bad either. Even talking about swords afterward had been quite fun.
Yet even so, she still hated holding or touching a sword when alone. Sword maintenance was naturally out of the question. To care for a blade meant having to stare at its edge continuously—and that very process often became a trigger that summoned horrific memories to the surface.
Memories of slaughter and destruction. The people who had died by her sword. The countless bloodstains that had clung to its blade.
Among them, the memory of staining the white-haired man now breathing before her with blood remained one of the most painful scars. As it resurfaced anew, a chill crept into her chest. How could she claim to love him after committing such atrocities? The thought made her feel vile.
Her emotions must have flooded her expression for a moment. Yurien's gaze flickered as he watched her. Echinacea hastily smoothed her face and forced a lighthearted laugh.
"Though the biggest reason really is that sword maintenance is just too bothersome."
"So you... truly dislike swords, then?"
"......"
His voice was heavy as he asked, his eyelids trembling faintly. She should have denied it—should have said she didn't hate them—but the words wouldn't leave her lips. The silence grew awkward in her hesitation. Struggling, she finally managed a reply.
"There are times when it's... enjoyable."
"What times?"
"During sparring... Sometimes, it feels like holding a conversation through swords. In those moments, it's... pleasant."
Yurien's expression brightened faintly. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly as he murmured,
"Then someday, I'd like to have that kind of conversation with you."
Another sparring request. Without realizing it, Echinacea stiffened. He noticed immediately and hastily added,
"I'm not pressing you. My apologies."
"N-No, it's fine."
"Still, then..."
Yurien trailed off, hesitating. The awkwardness lingered even after Echinacea had fully calmed down from her earlier fluster. She watched him in puzzlement until she noticed the faint reddening of his ears, barely visible through his silver hair. What was this about?
"If—if your reason for using that sword is... something like that, then..."
Stumbling over his words, he cleared his throat. There was something almost... shy about him. It felt strange to describe a man taller than her as bashful, but no other word came to mind.
As she waited silently, Yurien bit his lower lip slightly before abruptly standing. He opened his travel bag and pulled out a long, wrapped bundle.
It was rolled tightly in white leather, its edges embroidered with golden thread. Sitting back down, he placed it on the table between them. He hesitated, staring at the bundle, then took a deep breath before pushing it toward her with a quiet murmur.
"It's yours."
Dazed, Echinacea blinked between the bundle before her and him.
"This is...?"
"It doesn't require maintenance. No need for special care. It's enchanted."
Magic? Maintenance? Wait—could it be? As if entranced, she reached for the cord binding the bundle. The knot loosened with the slightest tug, slipping free as the embroidered gold thread brushed roughly against her fingertips. The white leather unfurled on its own, revealing what lay within.
Inside was a single sword.
The blade was entirely white. Its scabbard, also white leather, bore purple embroidered characters:
—Amethyst.
It seemed to be the sword's name.
True to its name, a vivid amethyst slightly larger than a finger joint was embedded in the guard like a pupil. Around it, a magic circle had been carved into the metal, its grooves filled with powdered amethyst to form purple lines. The enchantment on the sword likely functioned through this magic circle.
The scabbard was adorned with a white leather strap connected to beads of finely crafted amethyst. It resembled a belt—delicate strands of leather intertwined with amethyst beads in layers, so beautiful it wouldn't look out of place draped over a dress. It seemed designed from the start to allow the sword to be worn over a gown.
Eki stared at it, entranced, before gripping the hilt. The white hilt, engraved with a magic circle, felt pleasantly snug in her hand, as if it clung to her. The weight was lighter than it looked.
Holding it horizontally, she slowly drew the blade. A mirror-like gleam slid out from the white scabbard, the smooth metallic sheen undeniably sharp at a glance. The shape of the blade itself wasn't much different from a standard longsword. The only distinctive feature was the fuller—a long groove running down the center—inside which the sword's name, Amethyst, was delicately inscribed.
It was an exquisitely beautiful sword. Clearly a custom-made, handcrafted piece. And likely made for her. Eki traced the letters inside the fuller with her fingertips.
"Amethyst is the sword's name, right?"
"Yes....Do you like it?"
Yurien's voice carried a hint of nervousness. Eki couldn't answer immediately. A whirlwind of emotions and thoughts burst like fireworks in her chest before fading away. She struggled to steady her rapidly pounding heart.
'It's not uncommon for a lord to gift a sword to their squire.'
A sword was the most typical present a knight could give their squire. So this couldn't possibly carry any deeper meaning. For someone of his standing—the leader of the Azure Sky Knights—commissioning a custom-made, magically enhanced sword for his squire wasn't even particularly extravagant.
'Don't let your imagination run wild. He simply gave his squire a sword. That's all.'
Eki finally steadied herself, suppressing the flutter in her chest at receiving a gift from someone she admired. As she hesitated, Yurien spoke again, slightly impatient.
"It's enchanted to repel impurities from the blade's surface. There's also a spell to maintain the edge's sharpness. You'll only need to recharge its mana once every six months. You can ask a mage to do it, or..."
Yurien trailed off, averting his gaze before finishing quietly.
"...I could recharge it for you."
Eki lifted her head. Yurien's ears were still tinged red as he looked away, his expression uneasy—as if worried she might dislike his gift. She smiled. Without meaning to, the corners of her lips curled deeply, her eyes softening.
"Thank you, my lord. It's truly beautiful. I'll use it well."
Though her words were few, with each one, Yurien's face gradually brightened. He met her gaze, unable to suppress the joy spilling over, filling his expression with life.
A smile more vivid than a hundred words. For those few seconds, her heart lurched violently in response.
"I'm glad you like it."
"...Did you have this specially made?"
Yurien flinched slightly before asking cautiously. Eki shook her head.
"No, it's just... It doesn't look like something mass-produced."
"I commissioned it when I decided to appoint you as my squire. It was only completed recently. I was waiting for the right moment to give it to you..."
His voice had risen with excitement before he abruptly cut himself off, schooling his expression into something more composed. But Eki had already heard enough.
"You were waiting for the right moment to give it to me?"