Chapter 53
Having said that, Yuriene observed Eki's reaction. Noticing the subtle probing, Eki suddenly realized:
If she revealed any knowledge of the Elgiosa incident here, Yuriene would realize that she was someone who knew the erased past, in other words, the owner of Bardelgiosa.
He's testing me. By saying that, he's implying that he has memories and testing to see if she does too. A chilling sensation ran down her spine.
Eki put on a slightly surprised and bewildered expression, as if she found it absurd.
"Elgiosa? Wasn't that missing? Besides, the owner of Elgiosa..."
"...Once we reach our destination, we will lie low for a while. I don't know the exact time, but around this time, the owner of Elgiosa will appear in that place."
"How do you know that?"
"I cannot reveal the source of the information."
Yuriene gave a bitter smile. A somehow poignant expression. Anxious that her memories would be discovered, Eki didn't notice his expression.
'The Saintess was murdered at that place around this time. Afterward, the Elgiosa that belonged to the dead Saintess was discovered, and in the process of the Azure Knights investigating after receiving a report, they learned that the Saintess, who was the owner of Elgiosa, had been murdered... He's going in advance to save that child.'
She didn't know the exact age of the Saintess who had been murdered, but she knew that she was still a child. At most, twelve years old.
Yuriene was willing to take a long leave of absence at this critical time to save that child. It was just like him.
She mustn't show that she knows anything about this incident. Eki nodded with a very curious expression.
"Understood, Lord."
"We will have to camp out while waiting, will you be alright?"
"Yes, of course."
"Your body is weaker than you think. Absolutely do not overdo it."
It was a meaningful remark, as if he knew about the imbalance between Ekinesia's skill and her body. But before Eki could question him about it, Yuriene changed the subject.
"By the way, about your sword."
"My sword?"
Yuriene's gaze landed on the cheap longsword she had placed on the sofa. A stiff leather scabbard with half the water drained out, and a handle that was nothing short of crude. Even without drawing it, it was obvious that the condition of the blade would not be good.
He hesitated, choosing his words carefully, and then asked cautiously.
"Is there a particular reason you use that sword?"
"Ah, this..."
Eki pulled the sword closer as if to hide it. Should she tell the truth? She didn't want to lie to Yuriene if possible. She had no choice but to answer honestly.
"I don't like maintaining swords. I deliberately chose a cheap one so I can use it roughly and then throw it away and replace it with a new one."
"You don't like maintaining swords, is that simply because it's a hassle?"
She had told Baraha, who had asked why she was carrying an ugly, cheap sword when she liked pretty things, that it was because she was too lazy to maintain it. That was half the truth. But there was another half of the truth.
Yuriene's eyes, looking at her, were a piercing blue that seemed to see into her soul. Meeting those eyes, Eki spat out the other half of the truth.
"When I hold a sword, I often feel... bad. I wanted to minimize the time I spent holding it."
It had gotten much better compared to before she entered the academy. Meeting Alice and sparring with Alice had made her realize that matching swords could be enjoyable. The sparring she had with Fatima at the Wisdom Club meeting was also good. It was quite fun to talk about swords afterward.
Nevertheless, she hated holding or touching a sword when she was alone. She certainly had no intention of maintaining it. To maintain a sword, she had to keep looking at the blade, and that process itself often triggered terrible memories for her.
Memories of slaughter and destruction. The people who had died by her sword. The countless bloodstains on the blade.
The memory of staining the white man breathing in front of her with blood was one of the particularly painful scars.
The realization of that made her chest feel cold. To have committed such an act and then love him, she felt ugly.
Her emotions momentarily flooded, and it seemed to show on her face. Yuriene's eyes wavered as he looked at her. Eki quickly composed herself. She smiled nonchalantly and said lightly.
"The biggest reason is that I'm too lazy to maintain swords, though."
"So you really... dislike swords?"
"..."
His voice asking that was heavy, and his eyelids trembled slightly. She should answer that she doesn't dislike them, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.
When she didn't answer immediately, an awkward silence arose. Eki barely managed to come up with an answer.
"Sometimes it's enjoyable."
"When is that?"
"When sparring... I feel like I'm having a conversation with the sword. I enjoy it then."
Yuriene's face brightened faintly. He raised the corners of his lips slightly and said as if whispering.
"I hope I can have a conversation with you with swords someday."
Another sparring request. Eki stiffened involuntarily. Noticing that, he hurriedly added.
"I'm not pressing you. I'm sorry."
"Ah, no."
"Anyway, then..."
Yuriene started to say something but didn't continue. He seemed to be hesitating. Even after Eki, who had been flustered by the sparring talk, had completely calmed down, he was still hesitating. She looked at him questioningly and noticed that his ears, visible through his silver hair, were slightly red. What was that?
"If, if the reason you use that sword is, is that..."
Yuriene stammered and then cleared his throat. He seemed somewhat shy. It was embarrassing to use the expression 'shy' for a man bigger than her, but looking at him now, she couldn't think of any other word.
As Eki waited silently, Yuriene bit his lower lip slightly and jumped up. He opened his bag in the luggage compartment and took out a long bundle from it. It was an object wrapped in white leather embroidered with gold thread around the edges.
Sitting down, he placed it on the table between them. He hesitated, looking down at the leather bundle, and then took a deep breath. Then he pushed it towards Eki and said quietly.
"It's yours."
Eki blankly looked back and forth between the bundle in front of her and him.
"This is..."
"That doesn't need to be maintained. No need to manage it separately either. It's enchanted."
Magic? Maintenance? Could it be. Eki reached out to the string tying the bundle as if possessed. The knot slipped off as if by magic with just a slight pull. The gold-embroidered part scratched her fingertips.
As the binding was completely undone, the white leather opened on its own, revealing the object inside. Inside was a sword.
The sword was entirely white overall. Purple letters were embroidered on the white leather scabbard.
Amethyst.
It seemed to be the name of the sword.
True to its name, a clear amethyst, slightly larger than a finger joint, was embedded in the guard like an eye. Around it, a magic circle was drawn with purple lines made by carving grooves and filling them with amethyst powder. The magic on the sword seemed to work through that magic circle.
A white leather strap decorated with processed amethyst like beads was connected to the scabbard. It was similar in shape to a belt, but the thin leather strap was connected in layers with amethyst beads, making it pretty enough to wear over a dress without looking awkward. It seemed to be a belt made from the beginning with the purpose of being able to wear the sword over a dress.
Eki stared at it blankly and then grabbed the handle. The white handle with the magic circle felt good to the touch, as if it was sticking to her hand. The weight was lighter than it looked.
She slowly drew the sword while it was lying horizontally. A blade as shiny as a mirror appeared from the white scabbard. The smooth metallic luster was sharp at a glance.
The shape of the blade itself was not much different from a typical longsword. The characteristic was that the name of the sword, Amethyst, was engraved in small letters inside the fuller, which was a long groove carved in the center of the blade.
It was a very pretty sword. It was a custom-made product no matter how you looked at it. And it seemed to be made for her. Eki ran her fingertips over the letters engraved inside the fuller.
"Amethyst is the name of the sword, right?"
"Yes... Do you like it?"
Yuriene asked with a hint of impatience. Eki couldn't answer immediately. Various emotions and numerous thoughts burst and faded like fireworks. She barely calmed her heart, which was beating faster and faster.
'It's common for a Lord to give a sword to a Squire.'
The most common gift a Knight gives to his Squire is a sword. So it probably isn't an object with great meaning. If he's in a position like the captain of the Azure Knights, it's not extravagant to have a custom-made sword with magic for his Squire.
'Don't have unnecessary fantasies. He just gave a sword to his Squire.'
Eki barely calmed herself down. She suppressed the excitement of receiving a gift from someone she liked. As she didn't answer because she was calming her mind, Yuriene said slightly anxiously.
"It's enchanted with magic that prevents foreign substances from remaining on the surface of the sword. It also has magic to maintain the strength of the blade, and you only need to recharge it with Mana once every six months. Mana charging can be requested from wizards, or..."
Yuriene trailed off. He turned his gaze away from Eki and finished his sentence.
"...I can charge it for you."
Eki raised her head. Yuriene's ears, looking away from her, were still reddish. He seemed anxious. He seemed worried that she would dislike the sword he had given her.
Eki smiled. Her lips curved naturally without her intending to, and her eyes softened.
"Thank you, Lord. It's really pretty. I will use it well."
With just a few words, Yuriene's face gradually brightened with each word. He looked at her. An irresistible joy leaked out, filling his face with vitality.
A smile of a few seconds more intense than a hundred words. So much that her heart fluttered.
"I'm glad you like it."
"...Was this custom-made on purpose?"
"Yes. Is it burdensome?"
Yuriene flinched in surprise and asked cautiously. Eki shook her head.
"No, I just... It didn't look like a ready-made product, so I asked."
"I commissioned it when I decided to appoint you as my Squire. It was completed recently. I was trying to seize the opportunity to give it to you..."
Yuriene, who was speaking in an excited tone, caught himself and mumbled the end of his sentence. He lowered his eyes with an effort to look calm. But Eki had already heard it.
"You've been waiting for a chance to give it to me?"
