Infernal Blade – Part 05
After their laughter subsided, Cecily suggested, “Let’s go.”
Aria and Lisa, holding hands, walked off eagerly, looking like close sisters.
As Cecily followed behind, she noticed something in the narrow space between buildings. A homeless man crouching in the shadows, wearing tattered, darkened clothing.
She recognized him. It was the vagrant that caused a commotion the day she met Luke and Lisa.
He was leaning against the wall, staring into the void and mumbling to himself. Drool trickled down his throat. His left hand, lying on the ground like a broken tool, was missing three fingers.
Cecily’s gaze shifted back to Aria and Lisa. Aria was playfully teasing Lisa.
There’s light and shadow.
Aria was a victim of the Valbanill War, and this homeless man was another. His mangled left hand bore the mark of a Demon Pact. If what Luke said was true, this man was a soldier in the war and lost everything—and this was his fate.
Those with a history of invoking Demon Pacts were often shunned. No matter their circumstances, the fact remained that they created demons. To the people, they were no different from war criminals, and they faced persecution even years after the war ended.
“Why… Why am I the only one punished? Why is there no salvation for me?”
The city was full of life and smiles, but its dark side was evident to those who looked closely. Shadows lurked in the corners of this peaceful scene.
“Cecily? What’s wrong?” Lisa’s concerned voice broke her thoughts.
“It’s nothing. Let’s go,” Cecily replied, turning away from the homeless man.
There’s light and shadow. What can I do?
The trio roamed the streets, indulging in food until their stomachs could take no more. They downed fish broth, rolled sugar-coated nuts around on their tongues, quenched their thirst with fresh fruit juice, burned their mouth on piping-hot potato dumplings, and devoured chicken simmered with eggs—consuming far more than they could have imagined. By the time they left the bustling street and reached the public square, they were so full they could barely move.
Cecily and Aria collapsed onto a bench facing the fountain, exhausted from their indulgence. Lisa, however, remained lively, happily scooping fermented milk from a small bowl with a spoon.
Several others were also resting in the square. A cool breeze swept through, and droplets from the fountain splashed on people’s cheeks. Stalls selling fruit juice, shoes, pots, and knives lined the area.
Lisa happily savored her creamy treat. “So soft and sweet!”
“You’re really something, Lisa,” Cecily marveled, both amused and scared of Lisa’s seemingly bottomless appetite. “By the way, is Luke going to check out the fair?”
“Yesh, he ish!”
“Settle down a bit.”
Cecily tapped Lisa’s forehead with her fingertips, and Lisa snapped back to her senses.
“Oh, my apologies. Yes, Luke is going too. Yum-yum.”
“I see. I guess you’re excited about it too.”
“I’ll be staying at home. Yum-yum.”
Cecily stared hard at Lisa’s face. Lisa spoke as if staying at home was perfectly normal. She didn’t know how strange that was, or even questioned it at all.
“We usually only go to the city for work, and Luke isn’t going to the fair to have fun,” Lisa explained.
“Are you going to open up a stall? Like sell knives or something?”
“No, no. Atelier Liza only takes orders. We don’t open a shop at the fair. Luke is just going to watch the auction personally. He’s searching for something.”
“Searching for something?”
“…God.”
Lisa was so excited that she let the words slip out of her mouth.
“Ah, um, forget what I just said!” she hastily said. “Yummy, yum-yum! So sweet and mysterious!”
Cecily caught her words. Lisa clearly said, “A sword that can slay God.”
“God?”
“I-It’s not what you think,” Lisa tried to explain. “He’s looking for a sword so powerful it might as well be able to kill a god! Luke has an eye for swords, you see.”
“R-Really?”
“Really!”
An eye for swords? He doesn’t look that obsessed with them. And why is she so flustered?
“I smell something fishy.”
Even Aria sat up straight. Lisa, laughing awkwardly, tried to avoid their gazes, but they were staring fixedly at her.
“I’m sorry.” She began to tear up.
“Oh, no, I wasn’t trying to press you.”
“I can’t tell you.” Lisa started crying. “Or Luke will get mad at me. Hicc. I’m sorry.”
Aria signaled Cecily with her eyes. Nodding, Cecily dashed to a stall in the public square, bought something, and returned.
“I’m sorry, Lisa.”
She handed Lisa fruit juice. After taking a sip, Lisa finally calmed down, though she continued to sniffle and keep her head down. Cecily gently wiped away her tears with her fingers.
Lisa lifted her face, smiling weakly. “It’s sweet… and refreshing.”
Cecily and Aria breathed a sigh of relief. They decided not to bring it up again and steered the conversation to lighter topics.
But one thing remained in Cecily’s mind.
A sword that can slay God, huh?
It would be quite some time before she understood what that truly meant.
She struck the tree, shifting from slashing to thrusting as she adjusted her footwork and form. With each advance of her left and right foot, she changed her pivot according to the strike, repeating several set movements. The flexible saber left a series of cuts and scratches on the tree’s skin, which was now marked with countless scars from similar practice.
“Already up and at it, I see,” said a voice mixed with a yawn.
Cecily paused, released the tension from her body, then turned around.
“Morning, Aria.”
“Good morning! You’re up bright and early as always.”
Aria stretched widely and squinted up at the rising sun. A clear sky hung above the garden.
In the Independent Trade City’s Third District, nestled in a quiet residential area, houses with earthen walls and wooden boards lined the streets, separated by stone fences. Among them was a modest home—the Campbell residence. It blended so well with the surrounding houses that it was hard to believe it once belonged to a noble family.
Three days had passed, and there had been no major issues living with Aria. Cecily, assigned to guard her around the clock until the day of the fair, shared meals and bed with her. So far, there had been no signs of anyone coming for the Infernal Blade. The only concern was…
“You joined me in bed again today,” Cecily said.
“You’re just so cuddly.”
“I have a bed set up just for you.”
“Don’t sweat it. Your chest is my pillow.”
She had grown oddly attached to her. While not uncomfortable, the constant clinging was incredibly embarrassing. Even now Aria wore a soft smile, as if everything was perfectly normal. Bothered by her bedhead, she repeatedly smoothed her hair with her hand. With a sigh, Cecily resumed her training.
Cecily’s daily morning routine involved practicing her swordsmanship on the tree in their small garden. She would start with running and strength exercises before moving on to sword techniques, many of which her father had taught her before he passed. After countless repetitions since childhood, the movements had become second nature. And still she continued this routine to further refine her skills.
By the time she finished most of her drills, her body was drenched in sweat, but her breathing remained steady. Not wanting to overexert herself before her duties with the Knight Guard, she concluded with some thrusting techniques and wrapped up her session.
Afterward, she would clean up, have breakfast with her mother and their maidservant, Fio, and then head out to patrol the city. Aria, as part of her protection detail, would accompany her. Just as Cecily wiped the sweat from her brow, preparing to start the day, Aria spoke up.
“Have you always used a saber?”
Aria had been watching from the sidelines, leaning against the stone fence.
“No, I used a double-edged longsword before, but it broke. I’ve been using this saber as a replacement.”
“Why switch to a saber? You told that swordsmith you had a reason.”
Cecily nodded. “Let me show you.” She shifted into a stance. “Modern continental swordsmanship assumes you’re holding a shield in your left hand and a sword in your right. You lead with your shield, meaning your left side is forward while your right side stays back. Do you follow?”
“Well, I am a sword.”
“But the stance changes with the type of sword. For instance, with a rapier like you, the approach is different.”
“Exactly. With a rapier, it’s not the left side but—”
“The right side that leads.”
This shift was due to the nature of thrusting attacks. The left side pulls back, the right foot steps forward, and the sword is held straight ahead. It was a more sideways-oriented stance compared to conventional forms.
“All thrusting starts with the right foot,” Cecily continued. “You glide forward, aiming straight for your opponent’s vital points. It’s a completely different technique from what I’ve learned before. Training my body to adapt has been tough.”
“So why the saber?” Aria asked.
“It’s not so much that I chose it because it’s a saber,” Cecily explained, “but because it has a false edge. I wanted to practice stabbing. To be more precise, I wanted to master two things: advancing from the right and the gliding footwork.”
“Is there a reason for that?”
“Luke’s katanas require those movements.”
“Ah, I see.” Aria said, clearly intrigued.
“I once saw Luke fight, and he stepped in with his right foot, not his left.”
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