Knight – Part 08
“Mizubeshi. Kowari. Senbetsu. Tsumikasane. Tanren. Orikaeshi. Orikaeshi. Orikaeshi. Orikaeshi. Orikaeshi. Orikaeshi. Shinkane keisei. Kawakane keisei. Tsukurikomi.
Sunobe. Kissakizukuri. Hizukuri. Arashiage. Tsuchioki. Akame. Yakiire. Kajioshi. Shitajitogi—binsuido, kaiseido, chuunagurado, komanagurado, uchigumorijido. Shiagetogi—kudakijizuya, nugui, hadori, migaki, boushinarume.”
It wasn’t a supplication. The unfamiliar words sounded like an incantation for a Prayer Pact, but were entirely different. Cecily couldn’t grasp much more in her current state, but she understood one thing: Luke was creating something. So she focused solely on being his shield.
“
Tsukaosame
.”
The barrage suddenly stopped, and silence abruptly descended. Cecily staggered.
She didn’t have the strength left to examine her own body, but the burning pain and numbness all over told her she had held her ground. Her outstretched arms fell limply to her sides, and she noticed how light her right hand felt. She looked down to find the sword’s hilt almost entirely shattered. But she felt no loss.
The sword might be broken, but her spirit wasn’t. This was enough.
Thank you, Father.
Her legs gave away, and she collapsed, but someone caught her from behind.
“Luke…”
“Cecily Campbell.”
He kept his eyes fixed forward. He was staring at the ice demon.
“Thanks to you, it’s complete.”
He supported her with one arm, while his other held a katana. Her mind was too hazy to feel surprised. A katana itself was already unfamiliar, but this one was particularly strange.
The blade was glowing red. It seemed to be generating heat, and even from where she stood, she could feel its warmth. Steam rose in thick white tendrils from its entire length.
Where had he hidden such a weapon? The sword he’d wielded had snapped, and the hilt he was holding earlier had no blade.
“I will take it from here.”
No matter the details, it didn’t matter. Cecily gave him a faint, weary smile.
“Go.”
Like a beast unleashed from its chains, Luke charged forward, his steps digging into the ground. In an instant, he reached the ice beast. The steam from his katana trailed behind in a thin arc. The blade glided over the ground, rising sharply, and the steam dispersed the frigid mist that cloaked the demon. With the veil stripped away, the creature was left exposed to the katana’s edge.
Steam erupted, more violently than before. The ice composing the demon’s body melted upon contact with the blade, scattering sparks that seared Luke’s skin. But his strokes remained true. His blade didn’t slice. Instead, it burned its way through the demon, from the upper right leg, across its torso and neck, and out through its left shoulder. The katana burst out of the beast’s body. But Luke did not stop. Using his momentum, he spun, bringing the blade overhead, and as he faced the beast again, he slashed downward in one swift motion, piercing its forehead and driving the blade down through its chest.
Silence fell. Then, cracks splintered from the two sword wounds, spreading rapidly across its entire body. Luke turned his back, and the ice beast shattered into pieces. The demon vanished.
“Phew.”
Luke exhaled and let his shoulders drop.
Cecily sighed in relief, only to feel something odd. She glanced down and saw Lisa supporting her from behind, hugging her waist tightly, pressing her forehead against her back. Cecily gently touched Lisa’s small hands clasped in front of her. Lisa giggled, and Cecily smiled.
A sharp crack drew her attention.
“Ah…”
As if following the demon’s fate, cracks formed along Luke’s katana. In moments, the blade and hilt crumbled, disintegrating into dust and mist. Cecily stared in disbelief, but Luke merely shrugged as if it was no big deal. He didn’t seem bothered in the least.
“What a day,” he sighed, rubbing his shoulders as he returned to them. “It’s been a while since I’ve worked this hard.”
Blood spurted out of Luke’s nose. He frantically tried to stop it, but red droplets still seeped through his fingers.
“L-Luke? Are you all right?! Did that demon do something—”
“I-I’m fine! Just do something about that and don’t come any closer!”
Do something about what? Cecily wondered, then looked down at herself again.
She didn’t notice earlier because of all the blood. After enduring two waves of icicles, her body was covered in cuts and bruises. Her knight’s uniform was shredded, its leather and fabric ripped away. In other words…
Cecily’s ample chest was fully exposed.
The scream that followed was not Cecily’s. It was Luke’s.
“Enslaving Inhumans with drugs and executing Demon Pacts, which are forbidden under continental law. There has to be more to these bandits.”
“…”
“I have to report this to the captain as soon as we return to the city. We also need to question the survivors.”
“…”
“We need to come up with countermeasures quickly. Well, uh, yeah. Ahem, ahem.”
Cecily cleared her throat. Her cheeks were flushed. She was wrapped in Luke’s cloak, which he had reluctantly handed over to cover her chest.
“Anyway, good work out there. I appreciate it, Luke Ainsworth.”
Luke didn’t reply, sulking in silence.
A clear sky hung above. With the demon gone, the mist had vanished, leaving the field bathed in warm sunlight. The sudden change in temperature was almost dizzying.
Cecily kept stealing glances at Luke. His face was covered in bruises, like he had been attacked by thugs.
“I-I’m sorry,” Cecily said, bowing her head. “I lost my cool for a moment.”
“So, when you lose your cool, you knock people over and beat them senseless?”
“Uh, ugh… I’m really sorry.”
“Come on now. Cecily said she’s sorry,” Lisa chimed in gently. She was covered in mud, having slipped and fallen on the damp field still wet from the mist. “Who knew you were so innocent, getting a nosebleed just from seeing a woman’s chest.”
“Shut it, or I’m kicking you out.”
“Still, th-they were quite huge, huh?”
Luke held his nose, while Cecily, blushing furiously, grabbed Lisa.
“I’m jealous.”
“Enough of that already,” Cecily said. “Lisa, I want to thank you too. I really appreciate it.”
Lisa giggled, but her smile soon darkened. “Your father’s sword broke, didn’t it?”
“It’s fine.” Cecily smiled warmly. “It did what it needed to do. I don’t regret a thing.”
The sword had backed her up in those final moments as she faced the demon. Her father’s heirloom—House Campbell’s sword—had served its purpose honorably. Cecily offered a silent thanks and goodbyes to her father and the sword.
“By the way, Luke Ainsworth.”
“What?”
“About what we talked about yesterday. Any chance you could reconsider?”
“I want you to evaluate me.”
Luke turned his right eye toward Cecily. His left eye remained still. It was a prosthetic, after all.
Luke was clearly more than just an ordinary swordsmith. There was the obsolete smithing technique he used, his knowledge of Demon Pacts, his swordsmanship that could match a demon, the black fireball, the steaming katana, and the missing eye. They all hinted at a story.
But Cecily chose not to pry. It wasn’t her place. She only wanted one thing. She placed a hand on her chest and bowed her head slightly.
“Would you forge a sword for me?”
Cecily Campbell was still a rookie knight. At just sixteen, she was young and inexperienced. This mission had exposed many of her flaws. She had acted emotionally, and without Luke’s and Lisa’s help, she wouldn’t have stood a chance.
Was someone like her worthy of his skill?
A long silence followed. Cecily kept her head lowered, holding her breath. Finally, she heard a sigh.
“All right.”
Cecily abruptly raised her head. “I promise!” A bright, youthful smile filled her face. “I’ll protect this city with your sword. So, make it the best you’ve ever forged, Luke Ainsworth!”
Luke’s eyes widened, but he quickly turned his face away.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing. You just reminded me of someone who once said the exact same thing, and—” Luke stopped mid-sentence, shaking his head. “Never mind. More importantly…” He crossed his arms, shifting his tone. “Let’s talk money.”
“Huh?” Cecily froze.
“Don’t ‘huh’ me. Did you think I would make you a sword out of goodwill? Grow up. First off, there’s payment for this expedition. I did a lot of heavy lifting, so I expect to be paid accordingly.”
“Y-Yes, of course. I’ll give a report to the captain and the mayor, and they’ll make arrangements.”
“Good. Next is the price of the katana I’ll make for you. I don’t use ordinary iron. I use jewel steel from the First Tatara Workshop, known for its high purity. My katanas are way pricier than your average sword. Factoring in costs…”
Luke began counting on his fingers.
“Uh… Luke?”
“Besides the forging fee, there’s also the sharpening, the scabbard, and the hilt. There used to be specialists like polishers and scabbard makers, but nowadays, I do it all myself. My sharpening skills aren’t on par with my forging, so I’ll give you a discount. All in all, that would be…”
Cold sweat trickled down Cecily’s back.
“W-Wait a minute! I may be a public servant, but my job doesn’t really pay that much, and most of my salary goes to the household, so I barely have any savings.”
“Not my problem.”
“C-Can I pay in installments?”
“Not a chance. I only take full payments.”
“Wh-What about paying afterward?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Payment upfront.”
“You greedy miser!”
It seemed Cecily Campbell’s new sword wouldn’t be made anytime soon.
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