After Story: The Sword and the Maiden
There was a famous sight in Elia’s training grounds.
It was a girl who was barely tall enough to reach an adult’s waist, with jet-black hair and strikingly bright blue eyes.
Leni, now seven years old, swung her sword again today.
She had not yet been allowed to wield a real sword, so she held a wooden one instead. However, that didn’t matter to her.
Because, in the end, it was still a sword.
Even if it was a mere wooden sword, there was no problem in tracing the path of the blade.
Whoosh—.* * Whoosh—.
A sharp, fierce sound followed the sword as it sliced through the air.
Trailing behind it was a radiant golden light of divine energy, and chasing that glow were a pair of icy blue eyes.
Vera stood in the corner of the training grounds, watching.
A deep smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
She’s working hard.
It wasn’t for any particular reason that he was watching her like this.
He had simply come to check on his daughter—worried that she might be overexerting herself or practicing her swordsmanship the wrong way.
The training continued.
Vera watched in silence until Leni finally stopped swinging her sword. Only then did he make his presence known.
“Father?”
Leni turned her head toward Vera.
Vera smiled softly and handed her a towel.
“You are improving day by day.”
“I still have a long way to go.”
Even as she spoke with humility, her cheeks turned red.
Her weakness for compliments remained unchanged, making her even more endearing.
“What brings you here?”
“Do parents need a reason to visit their child?”
“You’re slacking off, aren’t you?”
“Do I look like the kind of person who would do that?”
His eyes narrowed as he asked the question.
Leni burst into laughter and shook her head.
“No! Because Father is a workaholic!”
Freeze—.
Vera’s body stiffened.
He already knew why his daughter answered so confidently without a moment’s hesitation.
— You’re such a workaholic. A total workaholic. Do you really want to be looking at that even at home?
During the busiest times, Vera had to bring his work home.
And each time, Renee voiced her complaints, and their children overheard and picked up on them.
A pang of guilt settled in his chest.
A bitter feeling followed.
Vera ruffled Leni’s hair as he spoke.
“…I don’t live just for work, you know. It’s just that there are times when I’m too busy.”
A father making excuses for neglecting his family—how pathetic it sounded.
Leni blinked, then gave a small nod.
“Yes, Father. You are the Holy Emperor, after all.”
“I’m glad you understand.”
Leni began to laugh, humming softly.
Then, as always, she let out an Ah! and eagerly started telling Vera about today’s achievements, from finally being able to wield sword energy freely to learning how to circulate it within her body to refine her swordsmanship.
As the child chattered excitedly, Vera’s smile never faded.
However, amidst his pride, a concern surfaced.
“Don’t push yourself too fast. The way of the sword is…”
“About building a solid foundation first. Right?”
“…Yes, I’m glad you understand.”
Vera smiled wryly as he complimented her.
In both appearance and talent as well as in her relentless drive for achievement, Leni resembled him more than Renee.
Vera already knew what could happen if his daughter’s nature took a wrong turn.
…She should not get drunk on power.
Overwhelming talent was a double-edged sword, often leading to arrogance.
For now, she had no rivals to compare herself to, but she would inevitably realize how different she was from others as she grew.
Vera could only hope.
That Leni would not be blinded by her own greatness when that day came.
That, unlike himself, she would use her talent for good.
It could be called a senseless worry, or a parent’s selfish desire.
In the end, he was just another parent.
Wishing for his child not to repeat his mistakes, he simply watched his daughter’s bright smile.
In a cabin in the forest.
The early morning sunlight and the chirping of birds stirred the quiet little home as Leni opened her eyes.
Blink, blink.
Staring blankly at the ceiling, Leni lifted an arm.
As always, she pushed Lennon’s foot off her stomach before sitting up.
She climbed out of bed, stretched, and stepped into the living room.
“Oh my, Leni. You’re already up? Wait a bit and I’ll make breakfast.”
This was the moment of crisis that came once every three days, but one she had long since grown accustomed to.
At those words, Leni quickly scanned the room for Vera, then stealthily approached him.
Vera chuckled.
“I’ll take care of her meal since we’re heading out together.”
“Hmm… would you? Make sure she eats well, okay? Leni is still growing.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
Did Renee realize that she was the reason both father and daughter relied on each other this way?
Leni let out a quiet sigh of relief, lowering her head to make sure Renee doesn’t see.
“We’ll be off now.”
“Alright, have a good day.”
“Okay.”
The girl’s day had begun.
To put it nicely, she was passionate.
To put it a little less kindly, she was obsessed with training.
At just seven years old, an ordinary child would be playing with dolls or making mud pies, but Leni loved the sword more than anything.
There were many reasons for this.
Her abundant talent constantly revealed new sights, making it all the more enjoyable.
She loved the way her teachers and the Holy Knights praised her every time she swung her sword.
She also loved the sword itself, which made her feel proud and assured that she was destined for greatness.
However, there was one reason that outweighed all the others combined.
“The Holy Sword, you mean?”
“Yes! The one Father carries!”
Once again, Leni begged Norn to tell her about the Holy Sword.
A dazzlingly white blade, so noble and pure that just looking at it filled her with awe.
There was no need to elaborate.
The reason Leni trained so tirelessly was to one day inherit that sword from Vera.
A smile spread across Norn’s lips.
Unable to hide his amusement, he let out a light chuckle and began telling Leni another story about the Holy Sword.
“It was during the Saint’s journey across the continent. In the mountain ranges of the Western Kingdoms, he met a blacksmith.”
Leni had no idea that Vera was already well aware of her obsession with the Holy Sword.
That Norn would report it back to Vera every time she pestered Norn for stories.
And that the Holy Sword would tremble slightly each time, emitting a warm light.
“The Holy Sword is imbued with a divine authority, right? But does that only apply to Father?”
“No. The Holy Sword is essentially a divine artifact. A masterpiece that, after being constantly exposed to His Holiness’s power and divinity, gained its own unique nature.”
“Then, does that mean the promises engraved on the Holy Sword must be followed by everyone?”
Leni’s questions didn’t stop.
If there was ever a moment when cynical Leni turned into a chatterbox, it was now. Seeing her display a rare childlike curiosity, Norn simply smiled and patiently answered each question.
“Yes. As dictated by His Holiness’s decree, the Holy Sword can never be used for anything impure. The moment someone tries, the sword will resist. But you don’t have to worry. The Holy Sword chooses its own master.”
“How do you know that? Father was the first master, and he still has it.”
“Because His Holiness tested it himself. He wanted to see if others could wield it, so he asked the Apostle of Protection and me to try.”
Leni’s eyes widened.
Curiosity and excitement filled her face.
“A-And what happened…?”
Norn chuckled and shook his head.
“We couldn’t even hold it. The divine power surging from the sword burned our palms.”
Norn opened his hand as he spoke, revealing a large scar from the burn.
“You should have seen His Holiness’s face that day—he looked so guilty. He never gave us time off Normally, but he gave me a whole week’s vacation.”
“W-Wow… that’s intense….”
Leni swallowed hard, her expression tense.
W-What if that happens to me too…?
A sudden surge of fear.
She had always believed that she would one day be able to wield the Holy Sword as long as she kept training.
But what iF the Holy Sword rejected her after all her efforts?
That thought began to creep into Leni’s mind.
In the evening, after the day’s tasks had ended.
Leni glanced at Vera and Renee, who were engaged in conversation, before cautiously slipping into the master bedroom.
“Sister?”
Noticing this, Lennon called out to her.
Leni stiffened and pressed a finger to her lips.
Shhh—!
Lennon tilted his head in confusion but quickly closed his mouth.
He already knew that his sister was someone whose fists moved faster than her words— and that those fists packed quite a sting. So, he obediently complied.
After silencing Lennon, Leni turned back toward the bedroom.
Carefully, she opened the door, slipped inside, and closed it behind her.
The master bedroom.
The place where Vera and Renee slept—and where Vera, who never carried his sword around the house, kept the Holy Sword.
Leni silently praised herself for successfully sneaking in and turned her gaze to one corner of the room.
A pure, white sword rested against the wall.
It was a blade so breathtakingly beautiful that just looking at it filled her with awe.
Leni’s eyes glazed over in admiration.
“So pretty….”
Her whisper echoed through the quiet room.
Without realizing it, her feet carried her toward the Holy Sword.
The moment she unconsciously reached out to trace her fingers along its surface, she flinched and froze.
Norn’s burned palm flashed through her mind.
Touching it recklessly might injure her.
Realizing this, Leni hesitated, then plopped onto the floor and stared at the sword.
She couldn’t even hold it unless it chose her.
Rather than training, she needed to win the Holy Sword’s favor first.
The moment that thought crossed her mind, Leni began to put her plan into action.
“Hello…!”
Leni waved at the Holy Sword.
Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
It was as if she were a woman meeting a suitor for the first time.
…That’s right.
Leni was trying to charm the Holy Sword so that she could wield it.
It was ridiculous, but what else could be expected?
No matter how mature she acted, she was still a child.
A little foolishness in her thinking was only natural.
“I-I’m Leni! I’m Father’s—um, I mean, His Holiness’s daughter, and, um…!”
Her awkward introduction echoed in the dark room.
An odd silence followed.
“Ah! Right! I-I came because I want to be friends with you! My dream is to wield you! You see, you’re so beautiful, so cool, and so mysterious…!”
After much thought, the best Leni could come up with was a barrage of compliments toward the Holy Sword.
She shut her eyes tightly.
Her face was flushed with shyness.
Because of that, she didn’t see it.
The way the Holy Sword shimmered with pure white light, radiating happiness.
Nor did she notice Vera and Renee standing in the now-open doorway, watching her with smiles on their faces.
“I want to be friends with you! I-I’m going to become an amazing knight, so if you choose me, I promise you won’t regret it!”
Her self-introduction had turned into a full-on declaration.
As soon as she finished while panting slightly from excitement, a round of applause filled the room.
Clap, clap, clap—!
“Sister! Your confidence is truly admirable!”
It was Lennon’s applause.
Startled, Leni whipped her head around, only to see her family gathered at the doorway, watching her.
“F-Father…!”
Leni’s face turned bright red.
Her lips trembled with embarrassment, and her eyes spun in confusion.
She was so flustered that she could barely hold herself steady.
Vera chuckled softly and approached her.
“That was an excellent introduction.”
“T-That’s…!”
As Vera looked at Leni, he recalled the words she had spoken just moments before.
The Holy Sword….
He felt a deep sense of joy at the sincerity his daughter had shown toward the sword.
She would live righteously.
She would wield her sword to protect her family.
And she would become a knight who upheld the honor of the sword’s name.
Vera understood.
How important it was for a child to hold such a just dream—and what it meant for an adult to ensure that dream was protected.
Clank—.
Vera reached for the Holy Sword resting against the wall and held it out toward Leni.
“Do you want to hold this sword?”
His tone was playful.
Leni flinched.
The shame that had made her body tremble vanished, replaced by a burning desire.
“Yes…!”
A firm response.
Vera smiled gently and spoke to her.
“Then, go ahead and hold it.”
“But….”
“It will be fine. This sword happens to like you very much.”
Leni tilted her head.
She didn’t immediately understand what Vera meant.
After a brief pause, the meaning dawned on her, and her face lit up.
“Really?!”
“Of course. Your father is not the kind of man to lie, is he?”
Pfft—.
Renee’s laughter broke the tension, making Vera’s expression crumble slightly.
But Leni was too fixated on the Holy Sword to notice.
She swallowed hard.
Her small hands, shaking slightly, reached out toward the blade.
The room was filled with silence and anticipation.
The moment Leni’s tiny fingers tapped against the pure white blade…
Whirrrrr—.
The Holy Sword trembled.
Leni’s eyes grew wide.
Vera’s smile deepened.
“How does it feel?”
Leni couldn’t bring herself to speak, opening and closing her mouth, unable to find the words.
Her entire body quivered with emotion, her face flushed with overwhelming joy.
Vera raised a hand and gently ruffled Leni’s hair.
And then, he spoke.
“It says it will wait for you.”
Leni turned her gaze toward Vera.
“Huh?”
“The sword, I mean. It’s telling you that it will wait for you to grow. That when you’ve become strong and worthy, you’ll meet again.”
“…You can tell that?”
“Of course. I’ve fought alongside it for years—it’s my comrade.”
Leni pondered Vera’s words, staring blankly at the Holy Sword.
A brief silence followed.
Then, at the end of it, the girl smiled brightly and spoke to her dream.
“Okay! I’ll grow into someone amazing!”
“Waaah!”
Lennon clapped excitedly in response.
Renee, too, smiled as she watched the father and daughter.
Vera and Leni looked at each other and shared identical smiles.
In a small cabin in the forest.
Filled with love, this little home radiated warmth once again today.