Knight – Part 02
Luke’s gaze was fixed outside the window, toward the direction of the Ashen Woods.
“It’s a decision I made a long time ago. So, I’m sorry, but you’ll have to leave.” There was a hint of regret in his voice.
Cecily felt an invisible barrier that prevented her from pressing further. She struggled to find the words. Lisa, feeling guilty for bringing them together, bowed her head apologetically.
Silence fell. Cecily stood there, unsure of what to do next.
As she had told him, Cecily was captivated by his sword. Choosing any other blade was out of the question now. She wanted a sword forged by him. It had to be his work. But how could she convince him?
After some thought, Cecily made up her mind. She’d have to get serious. She would have to lay her true feelings bare.
She didn’t know why Luke refused sword orders, nor did she have any way of knowing what had led him to make that decision. All she could do was be upfront with him. She didn’t like the idea of exposing her vulnerable side, but this was the only way to get through to someone as stubborn as him.
“Actually,” Cecily began. Luke and Lisa turned to her. “I may seem like I have it all together, but I’ve only been a knight for a month.”
She could sense their confusion, wondering where she was going with this, but neither of them interrupted her. Grateful for that, she continued.
“My father was a member of the Knight Guard, but he passed away from illness two months ago. As soon as we finished his funeral, I followed in his footsteps and joined the knights. Part of the reason being our family needs a breadwinner, and as the new head of House Campbell, I had no choice but to carry on his legacy.”
Her mother, frail to begin with, had become bedridden, and they had hired a servant to care for her. Cecily had no time to grieve.
“Have you ever heard of House Campbell?”
“No.”
“The Campbells were once nobility. During the dark age of the Valbanill War, when Housman laid the foundations for the Independent Trade City, my grandfather—his comrade in arms—served by his side as his right-hand man. Like Housman, my grandfather was a proud man who worried over the beleaguered continent, renounced his noble status, and devoted himself to the city’s independence and development. Since then, House Campbell has served as members of the Knight Guard, dedicating their lives to the protection of this city.”
“Not many people know that, though,” Cecily added with a wry smile. “Needless to say, I take pride in joining the knights. It’s been hectic, but I don’t regret it. It’s just that… everything’s happened so fast.”
Her father’s death, her rushed enlistment, today’s incident.
“Facing that thug earlier was my first real fight.”
She shut her eyes tight, and the vagrant’s face appeared in her mind—his howls, his crazed, bloodshot eyes, his genuine attempt to crush her.
“My legs were shaking. I couldn’t do anything.”
It was so much more than she had ever imagined. She was far more inexperienced than she had thought.
“That’s why—I need something to rely on.”
Cecily looked at Lisa, then Luke. She finished her tea, handed the cup back to Lisa, and after giving notice, drew her sword. It had snapped at the middle.
“This sword has been passed down in House Campbell for generations. It was never of great quality, and years of use had worn it down. But it’s important to me—it’s a keepsake from my father and grandfather. I wanted to keep fighting with it, but…”
It had shattered today.
“I want an unbreakable sword.”
Cecily stared straight into Luke’s eyes. He said nothing, only returned a quiet gaze. His left eye was icy, while his right eye was gentle. Cecily held her ground.
“Today, I realized just how weak I am. My mind is fragile. I’m not looking for a sword to make up for my lack of skill. I need one that will be my strength. I need a sword that can defend my honor and protect this city. I need a partner, a blade that can be my other half.”
An unbreakable spirit. An unbreakable sword.
Cecily believed that associating one’s mind with their weapon was an outdated notion. On this continent, where the mass production of swords through molds had become the norm, no one—not even knights—found meaning in each individual sword anymore.
During training, the Campbell family sword developed cracks. When Cecily took it to a blacksmith, she was told it had reached the end of its life. And in her first real fight against a vagrant, Cecily’s spirit broke along with her sword.
Then, she met Luke and saw his sword. Cecily found meaning in that.
“I want you to forge a sword like that for me.”
A sword that would be hers alone. A sword that embodied an unbreakable spirit.
Cecily finally paused, catching her breath. Her cheeks were slightly flushed. She felt she might have said too much, but there was nothing to be ashamed of. What she said held great signifance for her.
“Just to clarify,” Lisa said hesitantly, “unbreakable swords don’t exist.” She shrank back under Cecily’s gaze, but continued anyway. “No matter how sturdy a thing is, it’ll eventually break. Continued use wears down the material. Blades that cut through flesh rust from blood, and even well-crafted swords break easily depending on how they’re used. Luke’s katanas are indeed superior to other swords out there, but even they would snap if struck from the side—”
“Lisa,” Luke said, and Lisa abruptly fell silent. “You know that’s not what she’s trying to say.”
Lisa turned to Luke in surprise, blinking rapidly as if she had seen something unusual.
“What?” Luke scoffed, before turning back to Cecily. “Is that all you have to say?”
“No. Everything I said just now was my own desires.” Cecily shook her head, placing a hand over her ample chest. “So, I want you to look at me.”
“Huh?”
“What?”
Curious about their odd reactions, Cecily analyzed what she just said. Her cheeks turned red. Her statement could easily be interpreted as a declaration of love.
“I-I didn’t mean it like that!”
“You’re quite bold, Cecily.”
“It’s not what you think! I’m not interested in this antisocial guy!”
“That’s uncalled for.”
“Th-The Third District’s Knight Guards are heading out on an expedition tomorrow,” Cecily rambled on, her face flushed. “Our mission is to eliminate a gang of bandits attacking travelers near the border between the Independent Trade City and the Empire. We’ve hired mercenaries to locate their hideout and, if possible, capture them. Needless to say, I’ve been selected as a member of the expedition.” She stopped, panting.
“So?”
“I want to hire you, Luke Ainsworth, as one of those mercenaries.”
“What?”
“I want you to evaluate me.”
“Oh, so that’s what you meant.” It finally clicked for Luke, though Lisa still seemed lost.
“Come with us on the expedition. See if I’m worth forging a sword for. You’re skilled with a blade yourself, so you’ll be paid for your service. What do you say?”
Cecily didn’t know why Luke refused to take sword orders, and at this point, she didn’t care. She just wanted an opportunity, a chance to prove herself, for him to judge if she was worthy of breaking his oath.
Luke folded his arms, thinking it over, and after a moment of silence, he agreed.
“R-Really?”
Lisa was even more surprised than Cecily. This was an exceptionally rare occurrence. Glancing at his assistant, Luke smiled for the first time in front of Cecily.
“Why not? It sounds interesting.”
Comment (0)