Chapter 56
The Flower That Bears a Sword - Chapter 56
Translation: godsn
From that day on, Yurien and Echinacea began their night watch rotation. Since they took turns staying up all night, they didn't spend excessively long hours facing each other. They mostly shared meals in the morning and evening. Yet even those brief moments were enough. They had many conversations.
Yurien learned that Eki's younger brother Lancelid harbored romantic notions about knighthood but lacked talent with the sword, so he only practiced swordsmanship at a cultural level while focusing on learning estate management. Apparently it suited him well - Lancelid showed keen interest in commerce, trade, agriculture and even mining.
He also heard stories about Nicole from Eki - how Nicole was like family to her, an older sister figure, and how Eki used to throw tantrums at Nicole when she was little. When the conversation turned to how Eki's parents had married for love and still maintained a happy relationship, Yurien's cheeks faintly reddened for some reason.
Eki learned that Yurien was quite close with Dietrich as friends, and that Vice Commander Baron had been his lord. She also heard how Dietrich originally came from commoner origins before being sponsored by a noble who recognized his talent, eventually receiving a noble title and entering the military academy. It was news to her that Baron was a married man with a young daughter.
She also learned that Yurien had left the imperial palace at sixteen to live in Agenka, spending nearly two years there alone until reaching the military academy's minimum enrollment age of eighteen. Yet he never spoke of his father hating him or being forced to choose between his brothers.
During her free time, Eki discovered that Yurien whittled wood to pass the time. With nothing else to do while keeping watch over the valley shelter all night, boredom was inevitable - during those hours, Yurien would select small wood blocks and carve them into shapes with his dagger.
Animal figures like horses or rabbits, miniature swords, shields or armor, tiny trees or houses. Even as rough carvings, they were surprisingly intricate. Perhaps because it was just to pass time, Yurien never kept his carvings. Whenever Eki took over his watch and searched near the tree stump where he sat, she'd find small carvings casually discarded.
During her own watches, Eki would either converse with the magic sword or examine the carvings Yurien left behind to pass time.
On the seventh day, she discovered a familiar-looking miniature sword among the pile of carvings. The palm-sized sword was unmistakably Langiosa - it could practically be called a scaled-down model.
Eki fiddled with it for a long while. Seeing the holy sword naturally made her think of Yurien. He and Langiosa resembled each other remarkably. This carving seemed too precious to discard. She eventually wrapped it in a handkerchief and kept it. Watching this, the magic sword pouted and spoke up.
[Hey, master. Why do you treat only Yurien so specially? Giving him special treatment, treasuring even the sword he gave you. I don't understand.]
"Because he's special."
[What's so special about him? It's not like he's the only one you killed before, and he's not even your family.]
Eki rested her chin on her hand and gazed downward, pondering. Should she be honest? Would the magic sword understand? As she remained silent, Valdergiosa whined persistently.
[What is it? Tell me! I'm really curious. My previous master wasn't like this.]
"Didn't he have anyone special?"
[He cherished his family immensely. But beyond family, no.]
"...Do you know why people cherish their families?"
[Hmm, my previous master taught me about this... He said since humans are born from other humans, it's natural to treasure those who gave birth to you or those born from the same womb. But there are also humans who want to kill their family, right? Among the murderous intent I accumulate, there's plenty of that kind too. So honestly, I don't really know. Do humans truly cherish their families? Does everyone both treasure their family yet also want to kill them?]
It was a difficult question to answer easily. Echinacea found herself staring at her right palm with fresh eyes. The pattern concealed beneath her glove was so familiar she could trace it with her eyes closed.
Though she'd spent over nine years with Valdergiosa, she could never bring herself to like the demon sword. If she could discard it, she would have. Yet she couldn't bring herself to outright hate it either. Even when it urged her to kill people, the demon sword behaved like an immature child.
She'd heard that Giosa's consciousness fundamentally remained dormant. Unless awakened, that consciousness neither wakes nor experiences anything. In that case, Valdergiosa—having only awakened twice counting her current incarnation—might truly be no different from a child.
Clenching her right hand slowly, she explained:
"Humans aren't simple creatures. It depends on their personality, their upbringing, their beliefs—even the same person isn't always consistent. Some change completely based on what they experience, while others never change their essence no matter what happens..."
[Ugh, what kind of answer is that? So complicated! I don't get it at all!]
The demon sword grumbled in a clearly irritated tone. Echinacea gave a small smile.
"You'll understand someday."
[Tch, empty words. My previous master said the same thing...]
"Some things are hard to explain with words. You have to experience them yourself."
[Hey, then at least teach me this much. Why do you treat someone who isn't family so specially?]
Echinacea's face flushed red. Resting her chin in her hand, she gazed down toward the rest area. After working her lips silently several times, she finally answered in a tiny voice:
"Because I like him. Even if they're not family, someone you like becomes special."
[Because you like him? I don't really get it. Is that feeling similar to pleasure?]
"No, it's very different. Liking someone can also bring you pain."
[What? That's weird! Why would you treat someone who makes you suffer as special?]
"It's... hard to explain."
As Echinacea shrugged, the demon sword spent a long while whining as if trying to understand on its own. Eventually it sighed like it had given up completely.
[Will I understand this too if enough time passes?]
"Maybe?"
She answered with a slight smile when rustling footsteps sounded behind her. She knew without turning—Yurien, who should have been sleeping in the barracks, was approaching her.
"My Lord? Why aren't you resting?"
"Sleep eludes me tonight. It seems I napped too much during the day."
His calm reply came as he perched on a rock beside the stump where she sat. Echinacea naturally accepted his presence beside her—a comfort born from sharing many conversations over this past week. Compared to the days when merely facing him would make her tense and half-lose her mind, this was remarkable progress.
"The rest area?"
"Still quiet."
"I see."
Though the conversation ended there, the silence wasn't awkward. Echinacea looked up at the night sky—stars twinkled densely across a full moon's glow. The spring air carried just the right crispness in its final days. A beautiful night.
Lowering her gaze from the sky, she glanced sideways. The campfire they'd lit in a location invisible from the valley flickered behind them, casting shadows. Half-veiled in darkness, Yurien gazed downward with a stillness like the night itself.
She fidgeted with the Amethyst sword at her waist. Then, abruptly, she spoke.
"Lord."
Yurien didn't answer, only tilted his head slightly. The darkness couldn't obstruct her vision—she could see as clearly as broad daylight even by moonlight alone—but his expression remained obscured by the cascade of his hair. On impulse, she asked:
"Would you like to spar right now?"
Half of it was impulse, but half wasn't. She'd been thinking about sparring all along, and now seemed the perfect moment. She couldn't very well ask during meals, nor was it easy to request a match from someone who'd kept watch over the campsite all night. That's why she hadn't found an opportunity for the past week.
At her suggestion, Yurien stiffened with a start. The movement made his hair sway, revealing his face. Beneath his trembling silver lashes, his sky-blue eyes widened enormously. His breath caught, his lips parting slightly.
In that state, he didn't even blink for a long while. Moonlight pooled over his disheveled hair. Then, slowly, as if unable to believe it, he asked in return:
"...Are you serious?"
That soft question felt to Eki like a cold blade piercing her solar plexus. She hadn't meant the sparring request in earnest, yet he was this shaken. It might be worse than lying. Should she take it back now?
But she needed to know. She wanted to understand why he showed interest in her. Without that, she couldn't move forward. Otherwise, she'd just keep circling in place—fluttering when she saw him, doubting, building unreasonable expectations only to snap back to her senses and deny everything, repeating the cycle endlessly.
"Yes. If it's alright with you, Lord."
Avoiding his gaze as she answered, Eki rose from the tree stump. She took a few steps inward where there was enough space to spar.
Yurien didn't follow immediately, remaining seated for a while longer. Then he stood and approached her. His steps were slightly unsteady.
Eki waited quietly until he stood properly opposite her. He was empty-handed, but since he could summon the Holy Sword, he didn't need another weapon. She placed one hand on Amethyst's hilt and spoke.
"I'll—"
Her voice cracked with tension. After several false starts and finally steadying her voice, she tried again.
"I'll take the first move."
"...Understood."
"I'll begin when you draw your sword."
"Very well."
Despite the distance between them and the late hour, Eki could see him clearly. He looked dazed, as if he couldn't believe this moment was real.
He let his right hand hang limp. A golden pattern on his palm shimmered, light spreading outward to form the white Holy Sword. As he moved to grasp it, his fingers missed their mark.
"Ah."
Langiosa silently embedded itself in the ground. Yurien let out an unconscious groan, running his left hand over his face. Then he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his right hand before reaching toward the sword on the ground. His outstretched hand trembled visibly.
'Why...?'
The leader of the Azure Sky Knights—shaking so badly he dropped his sword? Why was he trembling? From fear? Joy? What emotion could make him this tense? She couldn't tell. Couldn't even guess. But one thing was certain.
'No matter what feeling made him anticipate this spar, he'll be disappointed when it's over.'
It felt like having ice water dumped over her head. He'll be disappointed. Because from this moment on, she'd be lying with her sword. She might even hurt him. The thought made her eyes burn. Something surged hotly within her chest. Eki barely suppressed it.
'No, if I fight him sincerely... he'll see right through me.'