Chapter 60
The Flower That Bears a Sword - Chapter 60
Translation: godsn
While she was still flustered, the real Shai cautiously approached Eki, reading the situation. The girl pointed to Eki's left hand hidden beneath her skirt.
"Um, sister... that hand... It's hurt, isn't it? I can heal it for you."
"Oh, this? It's fine—it's not even a serious wound."
"Still... Does it... bother you? Being healed by me?"
"No, absolutely not."
Eki let out a quiet sigh. Then she pointed at Shai's shoulders. The slender shoulders were visibly trembling. As if exhausted.
"That power isn't something you can use indefinitely, is it? You're already worn out. There's always some kind of price to pay, isn't there?"
"Uh... It just feels like I've been running for too long."
"See? Shai, conserve your strength. You can heal me later."
It wasn't her right hand, just the left—and not an urgent injury either. There was no need to exhaust Shai further when she was already drained. She could always ask for healing once Shai had recovered some stamina. Eki shook her head decisively and retrieved Amethyst, which she had thrown earlier, sheathing it again. Shai kept staring at Eki's left hand with lingering reluctance but couldn't bring herself to insist further.
As she secured her sword, Eki glanced toward the unconscious old man. Knowing he was one of the villagers who had branded Shai a witch, she felt little inclination to care for him. Part of her wanted to leave him behind—whether he lived or died inside the Node was none of her concern. But if she actually abandoned him, that overly kind girl would probably cry. Given that Mud Giants were roaming around, leaving him here would be a death sentence.
Eki sighed and approached the old man. Not in the mood to be gentle, she kicked him without hesitation.
"Eek!"
Shai hiccuped in surprise at the sudden movement. Ignoring her, Eki stomped on the man a few more times with the heel of her boot until he finally stirred. Once she confirmed his eyes were open, she lowered her foot.
"Get up and walk."
"Ugh... Wh-what the—?!"
"If you want to live, walk and follow us. And thank Shai."
The old man floundered, still disoriented. Eki left him with only those words before taking Shai's hand.
"Let's go, Shai. We need to find that shelter first."
"Ah—y-yes!"
Shai cast a hesitant glance at the old man but allowed herself to be led away. After a few steps, Eki turned back.
"Not coming? You might die if you don't follow."
The old man, who had been staring blankly at the bizarre surroundings, jolted upright as if struck by a whip. Confirming his unsteady movement, Eki resumed walking. This time, she left marks on the wooden pillars at every fork in the maze as they advanced.
'Yurien won't be in any real danger here.'
Separate from her concern for him, she knew his capabilities. In truth, aside from herself, there was virtually nothing that could threaten him. He didn't become the leader of the Azure Sky Knights and a Giosa Owner for nothing. A few Mud Giants or a maze of fire weren't enough to injure—let alone kill—him.
'In that case, it's better to dismantle the Node without running into him.'
Against Shai and the villagers, who knew nothing of swordsmanship, she could reveal just enough skill while still concealing her status as a Master. Right now, for instance, she was leaving marks on the pillars by channeling a faint trace of mana into her sword at every intersection. But if she reunited with Yurien, that wouldn't be possible.
'Find the Starting Point. Once Shai uses Elgiosa to break the Node, Yurien will return safely.'
Her resolve firm, Eki quickened her pace. But before long, she noticed a problem—Shai's stamina.
"I-I'm okay......"
Shai shook her head while gasping for breath. Her face was flushed red, and her entire body was drenched in sweat. The strength had drained from her eyes. The elderly man following behind was also panting heavily, his tongue lolling out. It was impossible for an old man and a child to keep wandering endlessly through this maze. The blazing leaf embers and scattered flames filled the area with sweltering heat, making exhaustion set in even faster.
[Ugh, this is so annoying. Can't we just kill them all and get out of here?]
The Magic Sword grumbled. Echinacea pretended not to hear as she scanned their surroundings. It might be better to leave Shai behind and search for the Starting Point alone. Was there anywhere even briefly safe? They needed a secure spot, even if a Mud Giant appeared. But nowhere in the maze seemed suitable.
If she couldn't find one, she'd have to make it herself.
"Step back for a moment."
Echinacea moved away from Shai and the old man, then secretly used Sword Energy to slice through the trees. Earlier, while cutting through the woods searching for Shai, she had noticed something. She lightly pressed her already burned left hand against the cross-section of the felled tree.
"Just as I thought—the heat disappears once it's cut down."
She stomped the ground a few times before leaping into the air in an instant. Behind her, the old man gasped in shock, sucking in a breath of empty air.
Reaching a height where even a Mud Giant's outstretched arms couldn't reach, she swung Amethyst horizontally in a wide arc. Simultaneously, two trees were cleanly severed, creating enough space to sit. Thanks to the extreme compression of her mana, the faint glow characteristic of Sword Energy was barely visible.
Echinacea landed gracefully, the hem of her dress billowing before settling. Ignoring the slack-jawed old man, she turned to the dazed Shai and spoke.
"I'll lift you up there, so wait there. Don't touch the trees on either side—they're extremely hot."
"Y-yes......"
She carried Shai and placed her atop the felled tree, then grabbed the old man by the scruff of his neck and tossed him up as well. As she set him down, Echinacea left a warning.
"You won't lay a finger on Shai while I'm gone, will you? I trust you're not that stupid."
The old man, having witnessed her leap and the way she sliced through the trees like steel pillars, paled and nodded frantically. Her actions were clearly impossible without mana, but with witnesses as ignorant as an old man and a child, she could always claim they were exaggerating if questioned.
"I'll be back."
She gave Shai a reassuring smile before sprinting into the maze. With no one to protect, her speed increased dramatically. Thanks to the markings she left on the pillars, the area where she could get lost gradually narrowed. She occasionally encountered Mud Giants but avoided engaging with them.
'Once the Node collapses, they'll return unharmed anyway—so whatever.'
Thinking that these were the same villagers who had tried to kill Shai, she felt no particular urge to help them. They should be grateful she wasn't killing them. She scoffed as she evaded the giants.
Inside the Node, there was no way to track the passage of time, but judging by her growing hunger, it felt like well over half a day had passed. After wandering for what seemed like an eternity, Echinacea finally stumbled upon a resting area. Around it, burning oil had spilled in a circular pattern—a boundary seemingly created intentionally. Inside, a few injured villagers lay collapsed here and there.
'Those people... No way.'
Echinacea leaped over the wall of flames and stepped inside. The villagers were all unconscious. Their wounds, treated just enough to keep them from dying, were unmistakably from sword slashes.
'So it was Yurien.'
When Yurien encountered the Mud Giant, he must have gone through a similar process as her and realized there were people trapped inside. That's why he had gathered them here. The moment that thought crossed her mind, she sensed a familiar presence.
Eki turned her head toward the source. Yurien was approaching, carrying an unconscious young man on his back. The moment he spotted her, his steps halted abruptly. A breath caught, his expression faltered—then his pace quickened as if breaking into a run.
She didn't flee but waited for him. As Yurien crossed the flames and reached the shelter, he hastily set the young man down and strode toward her. Her eyes flickered over him. Unharmed, as expected. She had assumed as much, yet an unconscious swell of relief spread through her.
In contrast, Yurien's face twisted as he scrutinized her. His gaze landed on her left hand, crudely wrapped in cloth.
Eki winced inwardly. She should've asked Shai to heal it, even if it meant pushing the girl. By her standards, it was barely an injury—something to fix later when they were safe. It hadn't occurred to her that Yurien would worry. Even though, as his squire, it was only natural for him to.
To be precise, it had been so long since she'd fought while considering that someone might fret over her condition. Her priorities had always been resolving the crisis or obtaining Giosa—her own well-being secondary as long as she survived.
As long as I don't die, it's fine.
Part of it was confidence in her abilities, but more than that, there had been no one left to worry about her for far too long.
She tried to pull her hand back, but he seized it. His eyelids trembled at the sight of the blood seeping through the cloth. Flustered, she yanked her hand free, tucking it behind her back with a laugh.
"It's nothing serious, Lord."
"...You—why do you always—!"
His voice rose. Eki's eyes widened in shock, and Yurien visibly swallowed back the words surging up, his expression strained as if suppressing a flood. He swept back his disheveled hair with one hand, steadied his breath, and spoke again, his voice lower.
"Why did you enter the Node?"
"Huh?"
"I asked why you entered the Node. You had ample time to avoid it."
His tone was rigid. So was the look he fixed on her. He was angry—Eki had never seen him angry before. Not even when she'd met him atop a mountain of corpses. She fumbled for an excuse.
"My apologies. I tried to evade it, but somehow..."
A lie. She'd entered deliberately, worried for him and Shai. Of course, she couldn't admit that. What kind of madness would it be for a mere officer cadet—a squire—to willfully step into a Node out of concern for her Master, her Lord?
Yurien stared down at her with icy blue eyes, then slowly closed and reopened them. Whether it helped temper his simmering emotions, his expression cooled slightly. She stole a glance, then quickly spoke.
"Lord, I found the Owner of Elgiosa. I left her somewhere safe for now. As for escaping the Node, I have a theory—"
Yurien said nothing. Eki swallowed and pressed on, offering the excuse she'd prepared.