Princess – Part 05
“You best stay sharp,” she said boldly.
Lisa swallowed hard. She had never seen an Infernal Blade other than Aria, and hadn’t known there were others, demons just like her. The magnitude of their abilities was beyond measure.
“I challenge you to a duel.”
Charlotte raised the flaming Infernal Blade Evadne, fixing her gaze squarely on Luke.
Luke groaned, scratching the back of his head. His right eye betrayed nothing but disinterest in Charlotte’s theatrics.
“I don’t see any reason to fight.”
He was right. Even Lisa, caught up in the moment, realized how absurd the challenge seemed. Without any valid reason, no sane person would just accept a duel out of nowhere.
“I told you. I want to test your skill.”
“And I’m asking why.”
“Successor of the blacksmith.”
Luke’s right eye narrowed sharply.
Charlotte’s lips curled. She pointed at Luke’s katana.
“I want to know if your katana is truly worthy of being called a Sacred Sword.”
“You…”
“No more talking.”
Charlotte swung the Infernal Blade down in a high arc, black flames trailing behind it. The massive sword, nearly as tall as she was, cut through the air before her. Darkness surged, carving into the ground as it rushed like a predator ready to devour.
“Get back!” Luke barked, shoving Lisa aside.
Just as the black mass reached his feet, he switched his grip on his katana and stabbed downward.
Impact. The black mass burst apart, dispersing like a thick mist, filling the air with smoke.
Through the haze, Luke stood unharmed, his blade gleaming.
“A normal sword would’ve shattered from that,” Charlotte murmured, a hint of admiration in her voice.
“State your purpose, brat.”
Charlotte didn’t respond. She lowered her Infernal Blade and charged at him. Foul energy seeping from the blade scorched the grass beneath her feet as she dragged its tip along the ground. Her low stance made her approach faster than expected.
She swung upward, wielding the sword like a heavy club. Luke leaned back just in time. The black flames singed the tips of his hair as they passed. Clicking his tongue, he leaped backward, but Charlotte was relentless. She shifted her sword into both hands and thrust forward.
The blade didn’t connect, but the black energy coursing along its jagged edge expanded, releasing a torrent of darkness right at Luke at point-blank range. It snarled, filling his entire vision.
“L-Luke!” Lisa cried.
Then she saw it.
Luke lowered his stance, twisting his body. His upper body, gathering power in the left side, swiveled just as he stepped forward with his right foot. The blade, pulled along by the motion, surged straight ahead with the speed of an arrow.
The world instantly cleared. The black mass dissipated, torn asunder by the force of the swift strike. As the smoke cleared, Charlotte’s eyes widened, stunned to see Luke standing before her, unscathed.
“I can’t stand it,” Luke muttered. The last wisps of blackness dispersed. “You talk just like that wimp.”
The force of the rushing wind swept away the black dust. In a fraction of a second, Luke closed the distance to Charlotte, his steps barely touching the ground, leaving only a blurred afterimage in his wake.
“It ticks me off.”
His blade cut through the air, aiming straight for her throat. Charlotte’s eyes couldn’t follow the attack, but her instincts kicked in. She unleashed the power of her Infernal Blade, and a burst of black energy erupted from the weapon like wings unfurling, forming a barrier around her that deflected Luke’s strike.
But Luke wasn’t done. Luke flowed seamlessly into a relentless barrage. Vertical, horizontal, diagonal—his sword slashed in every direction. Each strike chipped away at the black barrier, tearing it apart, until his final downward strike shattered it completely.
Charlotte stood amidst the ruins of her defense, dazed. Luke, taking a moment to steady his breathing, leveled his sword against her throat.
“Impossible. Such difference in power.”
“It is said that katanas have the power to ward off evil,” Luke said, wiping the sweat from his throat with his free hand. “Jewel steel, which is used in modern Prayer Pacts, was originally meant for bladesmithing. Forged through the tatara method, jewel steel reacts with Aetheria, and katanas made from it cut through any Aetherial phenomenon. For Infernal Blades—creatures made of flesh and Aetheria—this is their worst enemy. End of lesson.”
“Speaking of which, the Tatara Workshop is at the foot of Blair Volcano,” Lisa added. “They supply jewel steel of varying purities within the city and beyond. End of extra trivia.”
Luke shot a sharp glance at Lisa with his right eye, but quickly returned his gaze to Charlotte. His eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Charlotte trembled, but not with fear. Her cheeks flushed as she stared fixedly at the blade at her throat.
“A blade that cuts evil. I see. So this is a Sacred Sword!”
Luke sighed, his tension fading. “This is no Sacred Sword. It’s just a regular katana.”
“Really? So, this isn’t enough for the Emperor.”
Lisa inwardly winced. Charlotte had just stepped onto dangerous ground. “Emperor” referred to a certain individual, and it was a word that Luke Ainsworth despised.
Luke knocked the Infernal Blade from Charlotte’s hand with the pommel of his blade, then grabbed her by the throat. He didn’t apply much force, but the gesture alone made Charlotte freeze in terror. Luke’s right eye bore into hers.
“You have ‘E’ in your name, and you just mentioned the Emperor. You’re from the Empire.”
“Ugh…”
“Why are you here? The meeting’s not for a while. Are you trying to outmaneuver the other nations?”
“No! Th-The Emperor has nothing to do with this! I came here… of my own accord,” Charlotte coughed.
Luke released his grip, but his right eye still held dark emotions. Watching from the side, Lisa felt a pang in her chest.
“I came to negotiate. I apologize for testing your skills,” Charlotte said, catching her breath. “I want to invite you to the Empire as a blacksmith.”
“I see you’re quite the idiot,” Luke replied.
Charlotte’s breath seized.
“Do you even understand the delicate balance that holds this continent together? You came here of your own accord? You think that will fly? Inviting me to the Empire means stealing a march on both the Militant Nation and the Crowd Powers, as well as this city. I don’t mean to sound arrogant, but I’ll put it bluntly: it could lead to war.”
Charlotte stood frozen in shock. “War?”
Luke furrowed his brow, feeling a headache coming on. “You had zero understanding, huh? Yet you know about Sacred Swords and blacksmiths. Did someone feed you half-truths? I don’t know your situation, but going home would be the wisest choice.”
“That won’t do!” Charlotte snapped back. “I need to be recognized by my father. For that, I need you. Not just you, but the Infernal Blade Aria as well.”
Luke’s right eye widened in surprise. Lisa leaned forward.
Startled by their reactions, Charlotte shrank back.
“What of Aria? What do you mean?”
“Wh-What I mean is… I need the Infernal Blade. My attendants are heading to meet her now. I heard a knight is accompanying her.”
“It doesn’t sound like a negotiation.”
Charlotte nodded awkwardly.
“How many attendants are there?”
“…”
“Answer me!” Luke kicked the Infernal Blade Evadne across the ground and stepped closer to Charlotte with unusual urgency. “They’re trying to steal the Infernal Blade. They can’t just be ordinary attendants. Speak.”
“Three,” Charlotte confessed, cracking under Luke’s pressure. “And they’re all…”
Lisa gasped at the revelation. Was such a thing even possible?
“Lisa.” Luke turned to his assistant. “Bring jewel steel and a hilt.”
“O-Okay!”
“Wh-What are you doing?! Wait, wait!”
Luke grabbed Charlotte by the scruff of her neck and took off, ignoring her protests. He sprinted as if he were carrying nothing at all. Lisa hurried into the forge. She retrieved jewel steel and a hilt without a blade, clutching them to her chest, and rushed after her master.
The Infernal Blade left behind trembled. Black flames rose, taking on a human form, turning into a woman. She watched them go, tilting her head.
“They left me behind.”
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