Chapter 217

Chapter 217

***

In the backyard of the inn, there was a well. And also a single apple tree.

Since it was March it was a long way off from bearing fruit, but the red sunset reminded one of a red ripe apple.

That sunset landed on Marie's bright blonde hair, and on Lena's hair that was already red.

Actually you can tell just by looking at them standing. Whether they handle the sword well or poorly. If you don't know that, if you can't gauge that, your lifespan as a swordsman was bound to be short.

Marie was standing with her body slightly turned towards Lena. Then naturally the sword at her left waist seemed to hide its appearance.

It's just that Marie had been busy running state affairs meanwhile, but she too was a Sword Master.

Even if a swordsman who reached the ultimate briefly lets go of the sword from their hands, it didn't mean there was a big change in their skills. It's just that the familiar sensation swept past from the fingertips to the outside and inside, the whole body.

Posture was posture but in Lena's eyes the 'line' wrapping Marie looked exceptionally thick. That solid line sometimes looked like a barrier, and also seemed to protect Marie.

But in an instant, as Marie brought her hand to the sword at her waist, that line seemed to waver. Was it an optical illusion, or reality?

Soon the masterpiece sword named Ricky revealed its figure holding the red sunset. Perhaps because it was a sword mixed with True Silver, unlike any ordinary sword it seemed to emit light exceptionally redder.

Slide......

As if slow yet fast, the tip of the completely drawn masterpiece sword naturally pointed downward. Holding the sword ordinarily drooping down, Marie said.

"Draw your sword. I will see if you are qualified to have the Codex."

Because her eyes were so fierce it seemed as if she was speaking with her eyes, not her mouth.

As swordsmen, if Bori was a grandmaster, Ice was like a solitary seeker, and Rickart, although different from time to time, reminded one of an overwhelming Demon King when revealing his true power.

Marie as a swordsman, not as an Emperor, wife, or mother, was exactly like a wicked witch just like her nickname.

In the backyard of the inn, besides Marie and Lena who were confronting each other, there were Becca, Ravenna, and Graf.

Only three people were watching the confrontation of the two, Becca was indifferent while Lena's friends Ravenna and Graf felt a chilling sense of crisis.

And when Marie drew her sword and spoke, that sense of crisis reached its peak. Because receiving the murderous intent of a Sword Master wasn't an ordinary matter.

"L-Lena."

Unable to bear saying let's stop, Graf called his friend's name. Then Lena, as if she knew the hidden meaning contained in those words, drew her sword as if rebelling.

As two women drew their swords the atmosphere didn't seem like a spar. Exactly as if facing a life-and-death battle.

In the first place Marie said 'let's see your skills', she never said let's have a spar.

"Think of this as the last opportunity of your life. There is no after this. Attack first."

Marie said. Whether it was the generosity of a senior as an adventurer or swordsman, or a final sentence, it was an unknowable saying. Because her momentum at least exactly seemed like she would kill her.

However at that moment Lena reached the edge of some enlightenment.

If this was the last, if I can swing a sword exactly only once for the last time in my life, what kind of sword will I swing?

However at that edge where it seemed she could reach it or not, she couldn't extend her hand and grasp that string. Perhaps because before drawing a single picture, the sketch wasn't completed.

To Lena, that ticklish feeling was more agonizing than facing Marie's murderous intent. I almost reached it, I feel like it had to be now.

So she hastily thrust her sword. Hoping the long-awaited enlightenment would be at the end of it.

However the gap in reality was heartless. Because the line that seemed to wrap Marie's form burst in an instant. That wasn't protecting Marie, but was a single scabbard.

CHAENGGANG!

A fierce blade wind like the north wind in winter broke Lena's sword in a single breath. On the masterpiece sword Ricky, not even the peculiar light of a Sword Master was dwelling.

Lena fell forward feeling a pain exactly like her wrist would be cut off, and Marie didn't catch her and slightly dodged to the side. So Lena ended up falling to the ground.

The broken sword flew in a straight line and was stuck in the apple tree.

Marie retrieved her sword into the scabbard, and coldly looked down at Lena who had fallen face down forward. If it was a real life-and-death battle she could have killed her more than ten times.

Slide. Thud.

"So utterly weak. I achieved accomplishments when I was younger than you but you haven't achieved anything even at that age."

It was a fact. When Marie became a Sword Master her age was around 14 or 15 after all. Of course, unknowingly Rickart's help was big, and fate guided it that way though.

Lena raised her body while fallen, but couldn't stand up completely. That wasn't because of the pain in her wrist or the pain of defeat, but because of the despair about the enlightenment disappearing to a vain degree.

She could have grabbed it if she just extended her hand, but it ended up disappearing exactly like a mirage.

At that time a knight came to the backyard and handed something to Becca. It was none other than the Codex found by searching the room.

Marie looked back at Becca packing the Codex, then said towards Lena and the two friends again.

"Among those coveting the Codex I have never seen a person who properly achieved accomplishments. Because they try to become strong easily. It's an item that only causes trouble in vain, and since you guys lack the qualification to have it I will take it."

At those words Ravenna and Graf couldn't even open their mouths. Thinking they would be introduced to a person who would give them teachings, they ended up having the Codex snatched away out of nowhere. In front of that haughty and frosty coldness, there was nothing they could did.

Marie tried to snatch the Codex from the greenhorns and return. But a knight approached and implicitly said.

"Found impure items in the room."

Saying so he showed the underwear Graf made. It was just scraps of cloth actually, but strangely bizarre.

"What is this?"

Marie looked back at the three people and asked. Then Graf, exactly like a thief with a guilty conscience, fidgeted then barely answered.

"U-underwear."

"Do you worship paganism?"

"No. It's just something I developed but......"

"After inspecting closely if a crime is found there will be a disposition."

Leaving those words Marie left swiftly. Then the three people Lena, Ravenna, and Graf were left alone in the inn's backyard, and only the white noise of the city could be heard from afar as silence lingered.

While Graf trembled in anxiety thinking 'what becomes of me now', still Ravenna approached Lena who was still blankly kneeling and said.

"Are you okay?"

"......Almost caught it."

"What did you say?"

"I said I almost caught it."

"In my view you wouldn't win even if you died and woke up ten times. She was amazing indeed."

"It's not that, the enlightenment almost came."

"What are you saying? You didn't lose your mind because the Codex was taken right? Actually we survived after almost dying. Let's be thankful for that."

"I am already thankful."

"I ask what you're saying."

Lena brushed herself off lightly and stood up from her spot.

"Now I know. All this time I was just swinging iron rods. Even if I use a single swing of the sword I must put my true heart into it. Only now I know. What the Codex was saying."

"......Didn't you and I train hard? Are you saying that was a lie?"

"That's not it...... Ah, what should I say? Hard to speak."

Perhaps the fact that it was hard to express in words itself meant she stepped up one level.

"Even Mister's words I understand now. He told us to throw questions right. Am I unfolding true swordsmanship? I can answer now. No. All this time I was just imitating."

"......But you know, our Codex was snatched."

"If it wasn't my current state it would have been useless even if I kept looking at it. Let's train with what we summarized and remembered all this time."

Ravenna scanned her up and down with an expression wondering 'why was this kid like this' then said.

"Aren't you too positive? It's good that you aren't discouraged. Anyway why is he like that again?"

Ravenna looked back at Graf and said. It was Graf whose mind seemed half gone.

"Will I be driven as a pagan and receive punishment?"

"Well, but anyway if you're driven as a pagan the people who hung out with you get punished all together so don't worry."

Lena said exactly as if it was no big deal.

"What does that mean? Are you not worried?"

"At least we won't die alone right."

"We might receive severe torture!"

"If we confess everything won't we just skip the torture stage?"

"Did your mind break along with your sword?"

"That's not what's important right now. Let's go to the room first. Telling you I got a real clue."

"Anyway who was that noble lady?"

"Probably a Duchess or someone around there right. I want to express my gratitude even later, but at that time I will win."

Lena said. What was truly good about being young was that, although she lost with an absurd gap, she didn't have much difficulty getting back up again. And grabbing recklessly unfeasible goals too.

"But what happened to Mister that he still can't come?"

As the three returned to the room together Graf said.

"Hmm...... Wouldn't he be doing well? Since it's certain he met his friend."

"Still he could at least give a word......"

It wasn't like they hadn't seen him for a day, they only separated in the morning but Graf felt it was most regrettable.

And actually Rickart was doing well. Since the Crown Prince wasn't his only child.

Hugging the 2nd Imperial Prince Abel and his eldest and third daughter Hildi whom he met after a long time, having a long conversation about how they had been doing all this time, carefully watching his recently born youngest daughter sleep, he was just leisurely roaming the Imperial Palace.

Of course, although he was surprised seeing the underwear Marie wore at night.

"Th-that......!"

"Material aside it's incredibly comfortable. Easy to put on and take off, and comfortable to move."

"Isn't it too decadent?"

"No one is watching so where's the being decadent or not."

"I'm watching."

"It's better because only Ricky watches."

Marie brushed her long hair directly with a comb without receiving the help of a maid, then smiled radiantly while glaring sideways. Even though she was a mother who gave birth to five kids, her pure white neckline was beautiful.

And her eyes were completely different compared to when she saw the three young adventurers, looking exactly like a kitten.

"Even if I'm a bit free-spirited my parents didn't raise me like that."

"What, so are you saying I grew up without parents?"

Rickart almost brought the words 'it's true right' up to his throat but barely swallowed it. And changed the topic as quickly as his swordsmanship.

"How were the kids?"

"Terrible. Have no talent either. So I gave them despair so they would give up early. I brought the Codex too. Because they're kids who don't have the ability to handle it."

"Oh my......"

"But again, I like the underwear. I think he has more talent on this side? Can I get some more. It's a bit much to ask after thoroughly snapping at them."

"I'll go and try talking."

"Anyway you don't have other intentions right? I let Ricky do everything he wants, but if I become anxious the Empire will also become anxious?"

"What kind of Emperor takes the Empire hostage or something. And you know. I don't really like women. I like you because you're Marie."

For a moment Marie's heart pounded. Rickart's peculiar what to call it, the words he said passing by exactly as if it was nothing special once in a while were truly nice. It had been almost 15 years living as lovers, and the 10th year living as a married couple.

Still she didn't explicitly show she liked it. Rather she said the opposite.

"Then prove it."

"What?"

"That you like me because it's me."

"How do I prove it?"

"A sixth."

"......Th-that's not something that happens as I wish either right."

"I can get a feel. Depending on how much effort Ricky puts in."

"......"

There was nothing particular he could say. He just had no choice but to did his best. Rickart did his best to the point he wondered if he had to go this far.

Everything was for myself too, for Marie too, for the family, and further for the Empire too. So I must did my best.

Meanwhile, the trio of young adventurers waited in the inn for three days. Without the Codex they had nothing decided on where to go now, and wondered until when they had to wait for Rickart.

Although it was a short connection, while things like lingering attachments, sadness, or regret grew, Rickart came in the morning. In his hand were a new sword and the Codex.

Rickart looked somewhat haggard and tired somewhere, and handing over the Codex and sword he said.

"Don't lose it from now on......"