Fool – Part 15
“I thought you didn’t like clashing blades. I remember during that run-in with those bandits, you kept your distance to avoid damaging your katana.”
“If my opponent lets me do that, sure.”
“Hmm? All right, it’s done.”
“That took a lot longer than I expected for just a bandage.”
“Honestly, I’m surprised that’s all it took.”
Cecily sighed as she studied Luke, now covered in bandages.
The two remained in the ballroom. A while ago, the place had been noisy, but all the dignitaries had already left, including Siegfried, leaning on Francisca. The furnishings, dishes, instruments, and even the jewel steel lighting had all been cleared away. Now, it was just an empty hall.
Sitting by the window on the floor, they could only see each other in the moonlight.
“Where did those two go?” Luke wondered.
“They went to the kitchen. Looks like they’re planning to bring back some leftovers.”
Cecily realized that Lisa and Aria were giving them some space.
Luke looked a mess. The formal clothes he’d borrowed from Mayor Housman were charred along the sleeves, slashed in several places, and torn all over. His skin was covered in bandages, and his face was so swollen it was almost painful to look at. His left eye socket, normally fitted with an artificial eye, was empty and covered in a bandage.
“For heaven’s sake, you really overdid it this time.”
Cecily gently touched his cheek. He winced slightly at the sting but didn’t push her hand away.
“Sorry. I couldn’t kill him.”
“Don’t say that. I don’t want you to kill anyone.”
“All right, then. Guess that’s a relief.”
“Uh, right.”
She had stopped caring about anything else the moment he showed up.
“Thank you, Luke,” she said with a small smile, then asked what she’d been wondering. “How’s Lisa? You know, after all that.”
“Nothing’s changed on my part.” He closed his eyes. “The rest depends on how she chooses to handle it. She seems all right.”
“I see. Is there anything I can do?”
Luke gave her a slightly exasperated look. “Why do you always feel like you have to shoulder other people’s problems?”
“Is that so wrong? I have a lot I want to protect, and I don’t think wanting to keep it all safe is a bad thing.”
She knew she could be arrogant and stubborn. She tended to overthink. But she couldn’t let go of her desire to help and protect those she loved.
“No, it’s fine. I don’t expect everyone to understand or agree. I will just follow my own path and do what I believe in. But I…”
She didn’t mind if others ridiculed her. If they didn’t believe in her.
“There’s only so much you can actually do.”
Cecily lowered her gaze.
“I wanted your validation, at the very least.”
Saying it took courage, but she had to let him know. She wondered if the moonlight hid the flush in her cheeks. What kind of expression was he wearing right now?
“You said you’d do anything, right?”
“Huh?”
Luke pushed himself up, leaning against the wall. He wobbled, and Cecily rushed to support him. When she met his gaze, she found an oddly gentle expression on his face.
“Will you really do anything?”
“I-If it’s within my ability.”
“All right, then.” Luke reached out his hand. “Dance with me.”
“What?!”
Cecily was taken aback, but the seriousness in his eyes made it clear he wasn’t joking. Her ears flushed bright red.
“Wh-Why? I mean, it’s not that I mind, b-but I’m not exactly dressed for a dance. It’s dark without the lights, so it’s dangerous to move around, and there’s no music, which makes it hard to keep a rhythm. Plus, I’ve never learned how to dance, and honestly, you’re all battered up—”
“Hey,” Luke interrupted wearily, but she couldn’t stop.
“And Siegfried defiled me.”
“I’ll make you forget.”
“A-Also, I said some terrible things to you last time. I regretted it afterward. I’m really sorry! I’m a horrible person. I’m so selfish, and I always cause you trouble. You were right about me. I’m—”
“Oh, just shut up already.”
“Am I…”
Cecily lifted her chin and looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears.
“Am I not pretty?”
Luke’s eyes widened, and the tip of his nose turned slightly red. He bit his tongue for a moment before deciding to press on.
“I’ll keep it short.” His voice pierced her mind directly. “Dance. That’s an order.”
“Okay,” she answered in a very soft voice. She almost died from embarrassment.
She let down the hair she had tied back. Though some curls remained, she hoped it looked decent. Perhaps she couldn’t just cast aside her womanhood, after all.
Gently, she took Luke’s hand, and he pulled her in surprisingly softly. The closeness caught her off guard, and she couldn’t lift her face. But the steady heartbeat resonating from his chest felt so comforting.
Under the quiet moonlight, they found their rhythm, and their overlapping shadows slowly began to sway.
Right off the bat, Cecily stepped on Luke’s toes, and he let out a yelp.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
“I-I’ve never danced before, okay?!”
Cecily apologized, tears in her eyes. Luke couldn’t stop himself from laughing.
Epilogue
As soon as Luke’s injuries were somewhat healed, the four went to the Brew Bonanza in the Second District to continue where they left off last time.
The plaza, ravaged by the battle against demons, had been repaired. Thanks to the efforts of city officials and the cooperation of citizens, the cracked cobblestones were repaved with a mix of natural and artificial stones, while repurposed old wood replaced the missing seating. It took a lot of labor to return the large clock tower bell back to its original position. Despite the series of violent incidents, the community had grown accustomed to the chaos, and restoration work progressed surprisingly well.
The Brew Bonanza had regained its lively atmosphere. The four raised their glasses in a toast.
“I think I’m starting to get why people like alcohol.”
“Really? That’s great! Now you can drink with me and Fio.”
“You better hope the angry drinker doesn’t show up.”
“Hey, Luke. You dropped ash into your glass again. Ugh, what a waste. You’re pretending to be sober when you’re clearly drunk. I’ll go get the staff to replace it.”
“Oh. I’ll go grab some more drinks.”
Cecily chuckled as she watched Lisa and Aria leave the table. “She’s like a devoted wife. I’m glad to see her doing well.”
Luke shrugged, puffing on his cigarette.
As Lisa received a new glass from the staff, Aria suddenly hugged her from behind.
“Hyah! A-Aria? What’s going on?”
“If you can’t tell Luke or Cecily, you can always tell me,” Aria whispered in her ear.
Lisa froze.
“We’re the same, you know. You have complicated roots, and so do I. We’re both demons.”
“A-Aria.”
“If things get tough, just let me know. Let’s share everything.”
The moment caught Lisa off guard, and she couldn’t hold back her tears.
“I-I can be proud about being Luke’s assistant, right?”
Aria wiped the tears from Lisa’s cheeks with her fingertip. “Of course. Didn’t you say you’d be assertive?”
“I did.”
“We’ll get through this together. We’re going to assert ourselves to the world.”
Yet as she spoke, Aria harbored a nagging concern.
If Lisa had Valbanill’s blood running through her veins, would her cursed blade one day cut through Lisa’s skin?
I won’t let that happen. I will fight against my fate.
Aria held the warmth in her arms tightly.
While waiting for Lisa and Aria, Cecily watched Luke exhale tobacco smoke from across the table.
Since the night of the ball, their relationship had remained largely the same. Cecily continued to visit Atelier Liza frequently for sword orders, while Luke still treated her brusquely. No dramatic shifts had occurred.
Yet there was a sense of ease between them now. The distance that once felt insurmountable had narrowed considerably. Still, neither of their attitudes had changed. Conversations carried a slight tension, but it didn’t feel painful. It was like taking a risk in a high-stakes game.
What did he think of all this? Why had he asked her to dance that night? A part of her wanted to know, and a part of her didn’t, leaving her in a state of uncertainty. There was an infuriating sense of distance between them.
Cecily wanted to linger in this relaxing space for a while longer.
“Siegfried apparently disappeared the day after the ball,” she said.
“I see,” Luke replied dismissively.
“What? You’re not even a little curious?”
“We’ll run into him again someday.” He frowned in genuine distaste. “Thinking about him will only piss you off.”
“Fair enough. Oh, but he did mention something.”
“Huh?”
“He said conjuring Infernal Blades takes a toll on Lisa.”
“Damn that guy,” Luke muttered, clenching his teeth.
Cecily’s tone sharpened. “Why didn’t you say anything? Are you hiding something?”
“There it is. I didn’t tell you because you’d start reading into it and blow things out of proportion.”
“What?”
“It’s true that conjuring Infernal Blades uses Lisa’s flesh. The more flesh consumed, the stronger the blade. But it can be regulated.”
“Really?”
“I’ve kept it minimal. That’s why the katanas are brittle.”
Just as Siegfried had claimed, conjuring Infernal Blades required Lisa’s flesh to bind Aetheria to the material, taking a piece of her each time. But it wasn’t a wild, uncontrolled drain. Luke carefully limited the amount, making the katanas just durable enough for a few strikes.
“The amount taken from Lisa is incredibly small. Even after conjuring a hundred blades, she’d look no different. As long as she consumed Aetheria, she could practically live forever. Besides, she agreed to it.”
“So, Siegfried was lying when he said you were forcing Lisa to sacrifice herself?”
“A bald-faced lie.”
“You both agreed to it?”
“Of course.”
Cecily felt a wave of relief. Siegfried couldn’t be trusted after all.
I just need to stick to what I believe in.
She’d prepared herself. She would never waver again.
“Is that all he said?” Luke asked.
“Hmm? Yeah, that’s it. Why, is there more?”
“No. Just don’t want you tangled up in his lies.”
He looked off into the distance, puffing out smoke.
Growing suspicious, Cecily pressed, “So, there’s really nothing to worry about?”
He nodded. “Nothing.”
“We’re already in this together, remember? We swore we’d lose everything together.”
“Luke, you’re dropping ashes again.”
“Ah, sorry.”
“Seriously.”
Luke watched absentmindedly as Cecily brushed the ash off the table into the ashtray.
He rubbed his right eye, blinking to make sure he wasn’t seeing things, and then let out a small, bitter smile.
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