Chapter 93
The Flower That Bears a Sword - Chapter 93
Translation: godsn
Hiding her true skills and merely sparring at an appropriate level was tedious and uncomfortable for her.
On the other hand, guiding sparring sessions where she adjusted to her opponent's swordsmanship was quite interesting. It even gave her a subtle sense of pride.
'If the entire club improves, it'll only seem natural that my skills have grown too. A win-win situation, really.'
"You've worked hard, Cadet Echinacea. You're as strong as ever."
"Thank you, Cadet Theo."
Eki withdrew her sword that had stopped just before Theo's chest. Unlike Fatima, Theo hadn't noticed Echinacea's skillful guidance during their spar at all. He merely tilted his head in confusion before moving on to prepare for his next match.
Her final sparring partner was Mihail.
Mihail was visibly extremely tense. He stood in his family's signature stance—holding his sword vertically while waiting for an attack—but kept gnawing nervously on his lower lip. Eki studied his defensive posture intently before suddenly speaking up.
"Cadet Mihail, why aren't you attacking first?"
"Don't tell me you don't know the Franc Almari swordsmanship... ma'am?"
Mihail retorted in disbelief before awkwardly tacking on the honorific. Eki raised an eyebrow.
"I do know it. The Iron Wall Franc Almari."
Originally, she hadn't. Among knights, the Iron Wall Franc Almari was so famous that merely mentioning the southern Antuar Kingdom would immediately bring it to mind, but Echinacea hadn't been a knight. She'd learned about the Franc Almari swordsmanship while researching Giosa after freeing herself from the magic sword. Investigating Dimongiosa inevitably meant learning about Teresa, who had been Dimongiosa's owner until recently.
"If you know, then why ask... ma'am?"
[Is he stupid? His way of speaking is weird.]
Eki barely managed to swallow the laugh that nearly escaped her when Mihail scowled and spoke, prompting the magic sword to murmur in amusement.
"The Franc Almari swordsmanship doesn't mean you never attack at all, does it?"
"You don't even know it properly. Stop worrying about that and just start the spar already... ma'am."
Mihail tightened his grip on his sword hilt. His focused green eyes burned like fire, determined not to let this opportunity slip away again. She quietly observed his stance before letting out a shallow sigh.
'I could just spar normally and gradually guide him... But he's slow, and unlikely to change easily.'
The image of Teresa kneeling in a pool of blood, clutching Mihail's corpse and sobbing, flashed through her mind. Eki couldn't even remember the moment she'd killed Mihail. She'd killed so many people, and his death hadn't been particularly memorable—though that was just her own excuse. Saying she hadn't meant to kill him wasn't something she could say to her victim either.
Though she'd made minimal amends by bringing him back to life, she still wanted to atone. With that thought, Eki raised her sword.
Today, her dress was a pale sky blue adorned with white frills and lace. The sky-blue hem fluttered lightly as she took a step forward, lace-trimmed shoes peeking beneath. Her body pivoted halfway as her sword swung in a wide arc to meet Mihail's blade.
Mihail's sword flew from his grip, spinning once in the air before embedding itself in the training ground floor. A déjà vu of their match during the Freshman Ranking Tournament. Mihail stared blankly at his lost sword before slowly turning his gaze back to Eki. She sheathed Amethyst at her waist and spoke calmly.
"You'll never even come close to catching up to Dame Teresa that way, Cadet Mihail."
While Eki was giving her customary "You've worked hard" farewell, Mihail remained standing in stunned silence. Only when she turned to leave did he suddenly raise his voice.
"W-wait!...Ma'am!"
The other club members who had finished their spars were already discussing their matches. Eki, who had been about to join them, paused and turned back to look at Mihail.
"Then stop being formal and just speak casually. Even if there's an age difference, we're both first-years."
"What exactly do you mean by 'that way'?"
[Wow, look at her dropping honorifics just like that. So arrogant as expected.]
Shut up already with your damn chatter, you cursed magic sword. Eki grumbled internally as she turned fully to face Mihail.
"Are you really asking because you don't know? This is the second time you've fallen for the same move."
"Ugh......"
The boy's face flushed red. Mihail clenched his teeth and retorted as if shouting.
"Yes, I don't know! That's why I'm asking!"
"Your shoulders are open."
"...Huh?"
"Your shoulders are open when you're in a defensive stance. And you're supporting your sword with your wrist rather than your arm. That's why you can't hold your ground when I strike upward between your guard and hilt."
Mihail looked dumbfounded, apparently not expecting her to answer so readily. The boy stammered as he asked again.
"S-so if I fix that, I'll improve?"
"No."
"What? Are you messing with me now?"
Mihail's eyes turned fierce.
Before coming to the club meeting, Eki had heard from Alice about the results of the Overall Ranking Tournament held on May 30th, which she hadn't attended. She'd also heard about the Cadet Representative election held the same day, but the cadet who became representative was someone she didn't know well.
Among the club members' tournament results, out of 146 total cadets: Baraha Islaf ranked 1st, Alice Winterbell 6th, Fatima Toya 14th, and Theo von Kreis 28th. And Mihail von Franc Almari had placed 13th.
It wasn't a bad result. For a first-year to place 13th in their first Overall Ranking Tournament was actually remarkable. But considering it was Mihail's achievement, it still felt somewhat disappointing. In Eki's eyes, Mihail should have ranked at least as high as Alice. Given his potential, that would have been normal.
'To improve, he needs to change his entire swordsmanship style. But that's not easy. Plus, he probably models himself after his sister Teresa.'
"Fixing that will make you much better. But that would be your limit."
"What are you talking about?"
"Do you often spar with Dame Teresa? Have you ever successfully landed a single attack against her?"
"S-sister is......"
Mihail hesitated for a long moment before suddenly shouting.
"How could I possibly win against sister!"
"Who asked if you won? I wouldn't expect that. I'm asking if you've ever successfully landed an attack."
"Ugh......"
"You've never even touched the hem of her clothes, have you?"
"W-well, sister only ever told me to block her attacks! Defense comes first—the sword of Franc Almari is an iron wall!"
Mihail had been sickly as a child. So Teresa had only taught the boy defense—more for self-protection than swordsmanship. Though the boy had grown healthier with age, Teresa still hadn't fully acknowledged her once-frail younger brother's potential.
Of course, Eki didn't know these detailed circumstances. All she knew was that Mihail's sword style was extremely defensive, and that it didn't suit him.
"Next time you spar with Dame Teresa, declare you'll attack first and try striking the way I did."
"...The way you did? You're telling me to attack? Would that even work?"
When Mihail asked back in bewilderment, Eki let out a short laugh—almost a scoff.
"Work? What do you mean? Do you think Dame Teresa, a Giosa Owner and exceptional Master, would drop her sword like you did?"
"Damn it, then why should I do that? You've been spouting nonsense this whole time...!"
"What, can't you do it? Don't tell me you can't even replicate an attack I showed you twice?"
"You...!"
Mihail ground his teeth before glaring at her. The boy stomped over to where his sword had been knocked into the training ground, pulling it free. Then he took a large step forward and swung it at Eki.
The blade arced upward, grazing past the tip of her nose before stopping midair. Eki didn't flinch. The wind from the sword made her hair flutter before settling again. The golden-haired boy grinned triumphantly.
"Do you think I can't even do this much?"
His movements were nearly identical to what Eki had done. He had perfectly replicated the sword's trajectory after seeing it only twice. As expected, the fast and dynamic style suited him better. He'd pick it up more easily and naturally. And Teresa would likely realize it the moment she saw it. For Mihail, hearing it from her would be better than from Eki. Eki smiled, pleased.
"Yeah, that's how you do it. Keep at it. A lot will change."
The boy's face went blank. Leaving him be, Eki turned and rejoined the other club members. Mihail stood frozen, staring at her retreating back before roughly running a hand through his hair in frustration.
"Ugh, why do I keep doing this? Am I insane?"
Beneath his disheveled locks, a faint flush rose to the boy's cheeks.
Two days after the club meeting, Eki went shopping with Fatima and Alice. There had been a bit of a fuss before Alice agreed to come.
"Do I really have to go?"
"Alice, do you have a dress for the Sun Festival's closing banquet?"
"My cadet uniform would—"
"Alice, you once told me to wear clothes that suit the military academy. So what do you think would suit a banquet?"
"Hah, but Eki, you're the one who taught me that clothes don't matter!"
"When did I say that? I told you not to meddle with my clothes, not that dressing appropriately for the occasion isn't important."
Alice fell silent and looked down at Eki, who shamelessly lifted her chin, dressed in a soft lavender gown.
"Think about funerals or weddings. Wearing whatever you want in those situations would inconvenience others, but my dresses at the academy might look a bit out of place—they don't actually cause trouble, do they?"
"......"
"I just don't like training uniforms or cadet clothes. They're not pretty. It's not against regulations, and I don't find dresses uncomfortable, so I think it's fine."
At first, it had definitely been a disguise, but as she grew accustomed to it, she began to enjoy it—the smooth silk, the intricate lace, the fluttering frills and shimmering accessories. She had always liked such things, and adorning herself in them had been Echinacea Roaz's hobby before she ever held the Magic Sword.
After suppressing herself for so long, living like an ascetic, she wanted to indulge as much as she could now. Hadn't she turned back time to be happy? So, for the most part, she meant what she said.
Alice pressed a hand to her forehead.
"Wearing a cadet uniform to the banquet isn't inconveniencing anyone either, is it?"
"Do you dislike dresses, Alice?"
"It's not that I dislike them."
"Then why insist on wearing something that doesn't suit the occasion when you don't even hate dresses?"
"Dresses are unbecoming of a knigh—"
Alice reflexively cut herself off. Standing before her was a highly skilled squire wearing a dress.
Echinacea's lord was the leader of the Azure Sky Knights—a knight among knights—and she had recently rescued the Saintess alongside him. It was the kind of deed one would hold up as an exemplar of knighthood. Her swordsmanship went without saying, and as for frugality... Alice's gaze unconsciously drifted to the Amethyst at Eki's waist—a magic sword worth eight high-end mansions, gifted by the very same Azure Sky Knight.
Somehow, everything felt meaningless. If wearing a dress made one unworthy of being a knight, then the Azure Sky Knight himself should resign first. Right, as long as it wasn't vanity beyond one's means, it was fine. Alice surrendered.
"...Never mind. Let's go."
"Thank you, Alice."
Eki beamed, looping her arm through Alice's and pulling her along.