Chapter 89
The Flower That Bears a Sword - Chapter 89
Translation: godsn
"Show them in."
Though it was a whisper, Eki heard every word clearly. She crossed her legs, rested her elbows on her knees, and propped her chin on her hands.
When she had learned how the Magic Sword had been sent to the Roaz family, she had resolved to find out whether it was the Crown Prince or the Second Prince who had delivered it. She needed to know who it was—so she could ensure the Roaz family wouldn't be exploited any further, and so she could plan her revenge.
But investigating the imperial palace was far too dangerous a task to entrust to Nicole. So she had considered other methods. And the one that had come to mind was the Wedge.
The Wedge was an organization full of people who didn't care whether investigating the palace put them in danger or not. Moreover, they had uncovered much about the erased past, making them a useful group to exploit. Eki also had a way to ensure the Wedge would move with their lives on the line—the stolen seal and ledger from the dawn were only part of it.
The executive stared at her, looking both exasperated and impressed.
"You've got no fear."
"There's no reason to be afraid."
"...I saw earlier that you've trained in martial arts, but if you're relying on that measly skill alone, you won't be leaving here in one piece. Well, a girl has plenty of uses, so I won't cripple you."
His eyes roamed over her hooded figure. Eki simply smiled without retorting. The Magic Sword grumbled in her mind.
[This is so pathetic I can't stand it. Mistress, let's just kill them, huh? If we kill them, they'll all shut up and behave! Why hold back? These bastards are just as rotten as that guy we killed in the Node!]
"They deserve a chance to live. If I want to use them, I have to keep them alive."
She answered aloud without hesitation. The executive's eyebrows shot up at her words.
"A chance to live? Use them? Keep them alive?"
"Oh my, did you hear that?"
Though she had spoken clearly, Eki tilted her head as if she hadn't noticed. Then, in a light tone, she added,
"Honestly, you're the kind of people I wouldn't hesitate to kill, but I'd prefer to avoid murder if I can. I have a request to make, and it'd be a bit awkward to start by slaughtering you all."
"What kind of lunatic—!"
The moment the executive roared and tried to rise, Eki vanished.
No one in the room could follow her movement with their eyes. In an instant, she had appeared behind the executive, kicked the back of his knee to force him down, and pressed her sword against his neck. His face turned deathly pale.
"It's not that I can't kill you. And it's not because I like you that I'm holding back. I just want you to understand that."
"I think he understands well enough, dear. Now let that poor boy go, won't you?"
A leisurely voice cut in. The man who had gone to fetch the boss earlier had returned, accompanied by an elderly woman with snow-white hair and a kindly face. Leaning on her cane, the old woman hobbled forward and perched on a chair. Still holding the executive, Eki turned to look at her.
"I was hoping you'd come out personally, but this is faster than I expected."
"You already know who I am, don't you, dear? You don't seem surprised."
"You're the boss of the Wedge, aren't you? Grandma. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Polite too. What a sweet, well-mannered girl. But how did you know about me?"
The old woman smiled warmly. With her cozy aura, she looked like someone who'd be knitting by the fireplace—yet she was the boss of the Wedge, a woman known only as "Grandma," whether that was her real name or an alias. When Eki had first learned the boss's identity, even she had been quite shocked.
Back when she had confronted the Wedge head-on for insulting the Azure Sky Knights and nearly wiped them out, this old woman had suddenly appeared. At the time, Eki had struck a deal with Grandma and had continued to use the Wedge's information while gathering Giosa. Though the organization was scum—involved in loan-sharking, gambling, and even assassinations—they were incredibly useful for gathering intel.
"How I know you isn't important, is it? Shall we discuss the truly important request?"
"Dear, why don't you let that child go first?"
"If I let him go, I'd have to draw my sword before we even start talking. Must I spill your men's blood before you'll hear my request?"
"It's proper etiquette to sheathe your blade during negotiations. Don't worry, I won't harm you."
"You should say that after withdrawing the five men hanging from the ceiling and that clumsy Master hiding over there, Grandma."
She jerked her chin toward the shadows behind the old woman as she spoke. Grandma's wrinkled face stiffened momentarily. Echinacea continued calmly, effortlessly restraining the struggling lieutenant with one hand.
"Have you checked on the missing items? You know what will happen if they leak. Beyond that, I have much to offer as payment for this request. Some things would be troublesome if overheard—wouldn't it be better to clear the area?"
"......What exactly are you offering, child?"
"Well, for example—a promise not to touch your real 'grandchild'?"
Grandma's laughter vanished completely as she studied Echinacea with hardened eyes. It didn't take long for the old woman to dismiss all her subordinates. As the men retreated like the ebbing tide, Echinacea released the lieutenant, who scrambled out of the warehouse in panic. Grandma pointed to the sole remaining man at her side.
"This boy here is like a son to me, so he stays—"
"Your right-hand man, isn't he? He can stay."
"You know entirely too much, young lady."
The old woman's mouth smiled, but her eyes turned icy. Echinacea sat across from Grandma as she replied.
"I know far more than you think. The locations of Wedge's branch offices and safehouses scattered about, the operatives hiding their affiliations, even which city's 23rd District mansion houses your precious grandson. Shall I name the city too?"
"......Speaking such things so carelessly—do you value your life so little?"
"No matter what you do, harming me is impossible. You see... I'm rather strong."
"What a confident child."
"You're welcome to test that."
"......Very well, let's assume you're strong. You're the first to notice my hidden grandchildren."
Grandma chuckled with the cadence of someone humoring a child.
"But what about those around you? We could easily discover who you really are. Normally we guarantee our clients' confidentiality, but you're... a special case."
The threat was blatant. In her previous regression, Echinacea had already lost everything—such threats meant nothing then. But now, she had much to lose.
Yet if she hesitated out of fear of loss, she'd be unable to prepare for anything. She couldn't afford not to know her enemies. Identifying those who manipulated the Roaz family and turned her into a demon was absolutely necessary.
Of course, she only intended to take calculated risks—not actual ones. Echinacea knew exactly what kind of person Grandma was. And she knew precisely the extent of her own power. Her reply came smoothly.
"Then you'd pay the price of complete annihilation—yourself, your grandson, and the entire Wedge organization."
Beneath her gentle tone surged a murderous aura so thick the man guarding Grandma reflexively drew his sword—its tip trembling instinctively against Echinacea's bloodlust. Without even glancing his way, she locked eyes with the old woman.
"Make an enemy of me, and Wedge won't survive. So investigating the White Lion for me is far safer than turning me into your adversary."
The logic echoed words Grandma had once spoken in a erased past—when providing information about Giosa. That it was far less dangerous to simply give the monster what she wanted than to oppose her.
The old woman observed Echinacea with narrowed eyes. Though her hood was pulled low, the youthful curve of her lips and slender neck remained clearly visible. By all appearances, Echinacea was nothing more than a young, delicate woman.
"Arrogant. Are you just a clueless fool, or truly...?"
Grandma pursed her lips, let out a grunt, and rose from her seat. Leaning on her cane, she shuffled slowly toward the warehouse door. Standing at the entrance, she cracked it halfway open and whistled outward as if calling chickens in a yard.
Echinacea remained seated, utterly unperturbed. The man also kept his sword drawn and trained on her, unmoving. After whistling and waiting briefly, Grandma turned back and whispered:
"If you can hold your ground here, I might just believe your words."
"And if I can't?"
With a loud bang, the door swung fully open.
"Then you'll become our merchandise—after spitting out the locations of our missing goods, of course. And only once we've pulled out every last fingernail. Do your best."
From behind the grinning crone, black-clad figures came pouring in. Dozens at a glance. The location was a warehouse the organization used for meetings—meaning it was undoubtedly rigged with traps. Against them stood Echinacea, alone with nothing but a single sword. On the surface, the odds seemed overwhelmingly against her.
Yet as she drew Amethyst, the corners of her lips curled up.
"Since I told you to test me, I'll at least let you keep your lives."
She leveled her sword at the advancing crowd. It didn't take long for Grandma's composed face to turn ashen.
Wherever the white blade traced its path, crimson blood sprayed. Those touched by Echinacea's sword—whether wounded or knocked unconscious—were decisively incapacitated. It was like unleashing a lion upon a flock of sheep.
The arrow traps and snares hidden throughout the warehouse proved useless. She dodged arrows shot at the back of her head with slight tilts of her neck. When a dagger thrust toward her vitals, she deflected it, redirecting the blade into an unfortunate comrade instead.
Even when Grandma's right-hand man—a Master—joined the fray, it made no difference. Amidst the flurry of blades, Echinacea perfectly parried his sword, the one that had crept forward cloaked in mana.
Only in that instant of deflection did a violet mana flicker briefly along her blade. It was terrifyingly efficient mana control. The moment his sword met hers, now tinged with purple mana, the man let out a pained groan. His grip shattered, blood streaming as his sword was sent flying. The difference in the quantity and quality of their mana was like comparing an iron wall to a twig—strike the wall with a branch, and the branch snaps.
"Enough!"
Seeing her Master's sword flung away, Grandma finally called her men back. Echinacea let the retreating figures go, coming to a stop with her sword lowered. Her breathing hadn't even faltered. The robe she wore—not hers to begin with—was now thoroughly soaked in others' blood. Around her, the fallen clutched their wounds, groaning in pain.
"I kept my promise—no one died. Take them and get them treated."
Echinacea jerked her chin toward the scattered bodies. Grandma's face hardened as she waved her cane sharply. The members hurriedly carried the wounded away.
Meanwhile, Echinacea examined Amethyst's edge with fascination. She had easily cut through over twenty opponents, yet the blade remained mirror-smooth. A faint glow shimmered along the magic circle before fading—proof that the enchantment woven into it had activated.
[Master, are you really marveling at that right now?]