Patriot and Queen – Part 04
Her target vanished—no, not quite. Luke had sunk so low it felt like he’d disappeared. Practically crouching, he sprang up, his wooden sword slashing diagonally upward. The strike was impossibly precise, knocking the bottom of her hilt, and her sword flew from her hands.
“Ah.” Cecily heard the clatter of the wooden sword hitting the ground behind her. “Huh?”
She stared blankly at her empty hands. Her fingers, worn from repeatedly blocking strikes, hung open weakly, quivering. Swish. Turning toward the sound, she saw Luke already standing at a distance, idly swinging his sword. She was no longer on his radar.
“Did I lose?” she muttered.
She didn’t need an answer. The moment the words left her mouth, reality hit her hard. She was purely on the defensive, unable to land a single strike. A complete and utter defeat.
“Your instincts aren’t bad,” Luke remarked, pausing his swings, perhaps out of pity. “Honestly, that last thrust caught me off guard. And that second strike—I thought I dodged it, but it came so close. I could barely see it.”
“Spare me the flattery,” Cecily grumbled, hanging her head. “Ugh, I’m still very, very, very…”
She was still very far from where she wanted to be. Though she had long since stopped agonizing over her powerlessness, she couldn’t help but wonder when she’d finally be able to stand proud.
“For what it’s worth, skill-wise, you’re actually pretty capable,” Luke added.
“I said, enough with the flattery. Wait, what?” Lifting her gaze, she saw him regarding her with an exasperated look.
“For someone so self-assured, you’ve got zero self-awareness. How many times have you been at death’s door by now?”
“That’s because I’m weak.”
“No. Think about the enemies you’ve faced. Demons, Inhumans, things that would’ve torn normal people to shreds. But you’ve taken them down, one after another.”
“That’s only because I had Aria with me.”
“No, it was because of you. Give yourself some credit.”
“B-But…” She tried to say something back.
Luke chuckled. “You’re strong. At least, much stronger than before.”
His words started to sink in, slowly warming her from the inside. She couldn’t help but ask, hesitantly, “D-Do you really think I’ve gotten stronger?”
“Yeah. But don’t let it get to your head. There’s still a lot you need to improve on. For starters, your field of vision is too narrow. Focus on seeing the whole picture, not just isolated parts of your opponent. It’ll help you read their movements, react faster, and keep you from getting stuck on the defensive. And stop charging in recklessly. Adjust your style to suit your rapier. You’re not a wild animal. Fight with more finesse and use your head.”
“Are you complimenting me or criticizing me? Make up your mind.”
Despite her words, she felt happy. Luke had acknowledged her. That simple recognition filled her with joy, and the realization that she had indeed grown stronger finally sank in.
“Thanks,” Cecily muttered.
Luke snorted in response, his usual, awkward way of brushing off gratitude.
Cecily stared at her palm. Her right hand, slick with sweat, bore burn marks.
I see. I’ve gotten stronger.
She clenched her hand into a fist, testing her grip. “But this isn’t enough. I’ll get even stronger. Someday, I’ll surpass you. I swear it.”
“That last part’s impossible,” Luke said. “It’ll never happen.”
“What?”
“I won’t let it.” He flashed a wicked grin.
A chill crept down her spine. But rather than fear, it sent a thrill through her veins, twisting her lips into a grin of her own.
“You’re on,” she said.
The challenge in his words lit something inside her. She would surpass him. The moment she thought it, she knew it was possible. Surpassing him was the only way she could ever stand tall. Somewhere along the way, Luke had become the compass she was meant to follow. She’d been, after all, watching him for months now.
“Can I ask you something?” Cecily said.
“Hmm?”
“What are you so worked up about?”
Luke’s face tightened just a bit. “What do you mean?” His voice was low.
“You’ve been acting strange lately. Take this spar for example. Unusually aggressive. Even before we left the city, you locked yourself up in the workshop, absorbed in your smithing. You seem… in a hurry.”
Only she would’ve noticed it. Cecily Campbell constantly wrestled with her own powerlessness and her desire to grow stronger. She couldn’t help but recognize that same restlessness in him.
“Did something happen? Wait, don’t tell me…”
Was something about the incident with Siegfried bothering him?
“Don’t jump to conclusions. It’s not what you think,” Luke said with a frown. He loosened his grip on his sword, letting it hang from his hand. “I just… realized I’ve been too casual.”
“Casual? About what?”
“Everything,” he muttered. “Everything around me, everything I’m responsible for. I didn’t mean to neglect anything… but I wasn’t really committed. I convinced myself I was doing my best, but in reality, I was half-assing it. And I’m only seeing that now, when it’s too late to fix it.”
He bit his lip, gripping his sword so tightly it creaked. His right eye stared at empty space, at some invisible foe.
“I should be capable of more. This isn’t enough. I can do more.”
He rambled on like he forgot Cecily was even there. She smiled, nearly letting out a sigh.
He’s so stubborn, or maybe just hopelessly awkward.
“So you are worked up,” she remarked.
Luke shot her an indignant look, but it only made her more certain. Something was definitely eating at him, leaving him restless and frustrated. What exactly that was, she didn’t know since he never got to the point.
“Is that why you agreed to this trip?” she pressed.
Their journey to the Militant Nation, the exchange of forging techniques, and the mission to recreate the Sacred Sword—it all seemed tied to whatever was gnawing at him.
Luke clicked his tongue and turned away. He looked like a petulant child. Cecily couldn’t help but chuckle. But she knew if she pushed too far, he’d clam up completely.
“I don’t know all the details, though,” Cecily admitted.
“Then stop prying if you don’t.”
“Nope, not gonna happen. I just… believe you’ll be fine, that’s all.”
“Fine with what?”
“Everything, of course.”
Luke gave her a skeptical look, but Cecily just puffed out her chest.
“I trust your skills and potential. I don’t know what’s making you so anxious, but you’ll be fine. You’ll pull through. You’ll figure it out. I’m sure there’s no such thing as too late or beyond repair for you.”
“I appreciate your confidence in me,” Luke scoffed, “but you’re talking like this has nothing to do with you. No matter how much you believe, I—”
“Are you doubting yourself?” Cecily interrupted.
“What?”
Her lips curled into a provoking smile. “What, are you saying you can’t do it?”
Luke’s eye widened, locking onto hers. He looked like he’d been struck by a simple, obvious truth.
“So? Can’t do it, Luke Ainsworth?” she repeated.
“I can.” The words came out instantly, and when he realized he was manipulated into doing so, he added, “Of course I fucking can.”
“Good.” Cecily beamed.
Honestly, she didn’t even know what exactly he was supposed to be capable of, but Luke said he could do it. That meant, somewhere deep down, he already had a clear goal he was confident in achieving. So, there was no reason to worry. Right, Luke?
Luke let out a long breath, as if a weight had lifted from his shoulders. “Talking to you makes my worries sound so silly.”
“How rude. Are you calling me simple-minded?”
“At least have enough self-awareness to admit it,” he said with a faint smile.
But his teasing didn’t bother her in the slightest. How could it? This was the closest they had ever been.
“And just so you know, I mean it,” Cecily said. “I really do believe in you.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Enough already.”
He waved her off, a touch of embarrassment coloring his face. The tension that had clung to him earlier had clearly eased.
Realizing they’d stayed outside too long, they decided it was time to head back to the inn. They fell into step naturally, walking side by side.
Cecily decided to poke at him one last time. “By the way, why didn’t you aim for my face earlier?”
Luke grimaced, turning away. “Because you’re a woman,” he muttered under his breath.
Honestly, she hated it when the Knight Guard or her mother treated her like she was made of glass. But coming from Luke, it was so unexpected—and somehow, it didn’t feel bad at all.
So, Cecily just laughed.
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