Chapter 17
Cadet Ekinesia Roaz, Sword-Bearing Flower, Episode 17
'I must be really annoying, but he's tolerating it well enough.'
Eki scratched his sleep-mussed hair and got up to grab the appointment order. The wording caught his eye, filling him with complicated emotions. Especially with Yuriene from last night and the dreams he'd had all night combined. He crumpled the order haphazardly and shoved it into a drawer.
He didn't know how he'd managed to return to the dorm and fall asleep last night. He definitely hadn't been in his right mind.
If Yuriene remembered, there was no way he wouldn't hate her. She had betrayed his trust, annihilated his home, and killed him.
Because of the Demon Sword? That was just her perspective.
If someone killed another person and said it was because of the Demon Sword, and apologized, would that person's family or lover be able to forgive her? Could they look at her, covered in the blood of their loved one, and say it couldn't be helped because of the Demon Sword, that she was innocent? Would it be possible to smile at her, the one who killed their precious person?
If that were possible, they wouldn't be human, but a Saint.
So why was Yuriene acting in such an incomprehensible way? It was more reasonable to think there was another reason, rather than believing he was a Saint who could smile even after recognizing her, the one who had killed him.
Either he didn't remember, or even if he did, he wasn't convinced that she was the Demon Sword's devil.
'The Emperor's birthday banquet...'
If he didn't remember, there was a high probability that she had done something to catch his attention at last year's Emperor's birthday banquet. Yuriene had said he saw her then.
The problem was that for Eki, that event was more than 15 years in the past. He was certain that he had seen Yuriene, but had never encountered or spoken with him. So, had she done something to attract his attention without realizing it? He tried to recall if he had done anything special, but nothing came to mind.
'I don't know. Damn it.'
Eki got up and opened the closet. Taking out the dress he would wear today, he considered other possibilities. What if he remembered, but didn't know that she was the Demon Sword's devil?
'He might suspect. Because a Military Cadet who wasn't in the erased past has appeared. But he can't be sure. My identity is clear, and there's no proof.'
He glared at his right hand, covered by a silk glove. Beneath it was irreversible proof. Eki clenched his fist and took out the corset and petticoat, tossing them onto the bed.
'If he remembers, but is only watching because he has no proof. If he suspects me of being the Demon Sword's devil, who might do something at any moment.'
Eki gave a bitter smile. He took out the jewelry box and muttered.
"He'll keep me as close as possible... and watch me. Until he finds conclusive evidence."
[What's with you all of a sudden?]
"I think I know why Yuriene appointed me as his Squire."
[What, you're saying he made you his Squire to watch you?]
"It's just one possibility."
Was asking for a duel also to be sure? If he became convinced that she was the Demon Sword's devil, what would he do? At least, he wouldn't smile like he did yesterday. His chest ached.
He saw the cloak folded on the drawer. It was the cloak Yuriene had put on her. Eki looked at it with great turmoil, then shoved it deep inside the drawer so it wouldn't be seen. Either way, there was only one thing she could do now. To appear only as 'Ekinesia Roaz,' so that no one would associate her with the Demon Sword's devil.
She began to adorn herself for battle.
Getting ready alone without Nora wasn't easy. Especially putting on the corset. It wasn't originally made to be put on alone, so it couldn't be helped. She used Mana to pull and tie the strings behind her back. It was a sophisticated task that Masters would be horrified to see.
After putting on the corset, she put on stockings and fastened them with a garter belt. She put on a petticoat and then a light yellow dress with abundant ruffles.
She brushed her hair, tied it up in a half-updo, and secured it with an accessory decorated with frills and jewels around artificial flowers. She put on makeup, wore earrings and a necklace, and put on high-heeled shoes.
These were cumbersome tasks, but they were enjoyable in their own way. Watching herself become more and more beautiful in the mirror was a pleasant thing.
Finally, she took off the silk gloves and put on embroidered gloves that matched the dress. The pattern on the palm of her hand, which reminded her of the danger every time she saw it, was hidden beneath the gold thread embroidery.
She finished very quickly for a noble lady getting ready alone, but it still took a long time. It was almost 9 o'clock.
Eki picked up the longsword that she had neglected since yesterday's duel and left the room. She didn't have the concept of cherishing swords. She didn't like swords, and if they broke, she could just buy a new one.
The 4th training ground in the east of the main building was about the size of a small clearing. The walls were high, and there was a gazebo-like structure on one side, so it seemed to have been created as a space where training and discussion could take place simultaneously.
Ian Pelletro was sitting on a bench inside the gazebo, waiting for her. He wasn't alone. A man with reddish-brown hair was sitting across from him.
When Eki entered, Ian smiled and waved.
"Welcome, Cadet Ekinesia."
Now that she knew what kind of person he was, that smile felt unpleasant. When she thought about it, it was suspicious from the start that he was talking about the Squire in the public dining hall full of Military Cadets, even though the announcement would be posted soon, and that he even talked about the time and place of the duel there.
'But there's nothing I can do about it now, so I just have to be careful when dealing with him in the future.'
She clicked her tongue inwardly and greeted him.
"Hello, Senior."
"Yes, did you sleep well? Oh, this is Bread von Poum, a 3rd-year Cadet. Say hello."
"I'm Ekinesia Roaz, Senior Bread."
Ian introduced the man in front of him. The man scanned Eki up and down, then smiled thickly.
"You're quite pretty. Don't worry, I'll teach you well."
It was an uncomfortable smile with uncomfortable words. Eki frowned, and Ian looked apologetic.
"I was originally supposed to do the preliminary training, but I don't think I'll be able to make time today, so I called Bread. Cadet Bread has a lot of experience as a temporary Squire, so he'll guide you well."
"…Yes."
She had a bad feeling. Ian gave his usual friendly smile and patted Eki's shoulder affectionately.
"Then I'll see you later. I have to go."
After he left, she and Bread were the only ones left in the training ground. Bread sat crookedly, crossed his arms, looked at her, and opened his mouth.
"You'll be a formal Squire in a month, right? Time is tight."
"Please take good care of me."
"First of all, you're my Squire for today. You'll attend to me."
"…Yes, Senior."
"You should call me Lord. It's basic."
A Squire called the knight they followed Lord. It was an excessive title to call a Military Cadet who wasn't even a knight yet.
The gaze staring at her was very sticky. Eki barely managed to maintain her expression, which was about to crumple without her realizing it, and obediently lowered her head.
"Yes, Lord."
"Good. Then first, massage my legs."
Bread leaned back on the bench and stretched his legs forward. Eki was momentarily dumbfounded. It was natural for a Squire to attend to a knight, but did that service include massaging legs? A Squire was clearly a prospective knight, not a slave who did everything.
"Massage your legs, you said?"
"Are you questioning the Lord's orders? Do as I say."
"Wasn't I supposed to receive Squire preliminary training starting today?"
"I'm doing it, Squire preliminary training. You, how dare you talk back?"
Bread frowned unpleasantly. The bad feeling she had felt earlier was becoming a reality. Ian Pelletro must have deliberately brought such a guy instead of himself. Eki gritted her teeth and retorted.
"Is practicing leg massages necessary for a Squire?"
"Do as I say, don't talk so much! Are you not going to be a Squire?"
Bread shouted. Eki stood still and looked down at him, then asked coldly.
"How do you want me to massage them?"
"Do I have to tell you everything? Kneel down there, take off my boots, and massage them. Oh, take off your gloves and use your bare hands."
Bread gestured to the floor under the bench and smiled slyly.
"I'll give you customized training, so do it gently."
"…Customized training?"
"It's the perfect training for the service you're going to provide. After all, wasn't that the purpose you became a Military Cadet for?"
"I don't know what purpose you're talking about."
"Fluttering your skirts and pretending not to know. Do you think other people are fools? Everyone already knows that you're trying to catch a good knight and get married. There's no reason to dress up like that unless you're trying to show off to men, right?"
It was a logic that she didn't know where to start pointing out. Catch a knight and get married? Dress up to show off to men? It was such a novel idea that she had never even thought of it.
Eki closed her mouth and watched him, wondering how far he would go. Bread scanned her chest with his eyes.
"You have a good figure and a pretty face, so it's a wise choice. Your entrance exam scores are like that too, right? Everyone realized it after watching yesterday's duel. They wondered how someone with such a mediocre sword became the top student, but it turned out that your other scores weren't great, but your second exam score, the one where you dueled with an Associate Knight, was overwhelmingly high, so you became the top student?"
"…"
"Well, you even seduced that monk-like captain of the royal guard, so an Associate Knight must have been easy. How did you melt him down to get appointed as a Squire on your first day of enrollment?"
"Those rumors are going around? In just one day?"
"It's obvious, isn't it? Well, it was an excellent strategy. You even seduced the captain. That noble captain is still a man. You must have been attending to him since before enrollment? Now that you're a Squire, it'll be easier to attend to him officially. Every night will be very hot."
Eki laughed in disbelief.
During her time as the Demon Sword, she had heard all the insults and curses she would ever hear in her life. When she was gathering the Giosa, she heard obscene jokes among the mercenaries that were beyond the imagination of her, who had been a noble lady. So, she could usually listen to and ignore nonsense directed at her.
But this was too much. It was too vulgar. And he even dragged Yuriene into it.
[Master, you're annoyed right now, aren't you? You're angry? Kill him. It's simple, right? Use me, huh?]
Bardelgiosa, sensing her anger, chattered excitedly. That urging actually calmed her down.
From the beginning, she didn't expect to be inconspicuous and live a peaceful life. Because it was impossible to be inconspicuous. Wasn't the concept she had originally adopted a strange genius knight who insisted on wearing dresses?
So, the fact that she was a foul-tempered and disrespectful person could be added as much as she wanted. It was much better than the dirty rumor that she had earned the Squire position by attending to the captain at night.
Regardless of what was true, she had no intention of putting up with it. She said softly.
"Your words are a bit harsh, Senior."
