《The Flower with a Sword》 Chapter 1 Flower with a Sword TL-Mechatronic Prelude. It was technically too much to call The Azenka Academy a school. There were no classes or lectures. There was no training either. Of course, there are no instructors nor teachers. The only thing offered to students was lodging and the status of cadets. ¡°But that only mean just how great that status is. A Squire for the Celestial Knights. No wonder there are so many test takers¡± A new office worker who was looking out the window from the military academy administration office muttered so. The senior officer, who was sitting at a desk and looking at a pile of application documents, frowned. ¡°What are you talking about out of the blue?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just proud to be a member of the Celestial Knights Oder as an officer.¡± ¡°No kidding.¡± The Celestial Knights controlled Azenka, the city where the Azenka Academy is located. The Academy did not belong to any country. This is because the Celestial Knights was an order that transcends the concept of country. ¡°How many of them will become knights for the Celestial Order?¡± ¡°There may be none.¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°If you are not a sword master, you cannot afford to become an official knight of the Celestial Order, how easy do you think it is to become a master?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t all the Knights Master?¡± ¡°Look at him, saying something scary. You are from Azenka, right? Have you been living in here for a long time?¡± ¡°Yes. Why?¡± ¡°Hey, the Celestial Order, where all the knights are masters, is the strange one. Do you think this Order is recognized as the strongest for nothing?¡± ¡°Then do other Knight Orders accept people that are not masters as Knights?¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t even a handful masters in other countries in the first place. But in here, the sword master is someone who can not only gather mana with a sword, they even shed it on top of the blade, and there are even masters who¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, what¡¯s wrong with that person?¡± He cut off his senior¡¯s words in a way that would be absurd for a newly hired officer. The senior who was explaining in full swing, frowned. ¡°Hey, were you listening to me?¡± ¡°Se-Senior, look at that.¡± The new officer floundered and pointed his finger. There was a buzz coming from outside. The senior officer, who was starting to get angry, eventually approached the window at the disturbance. ¡°What is it?¡­. What¡¯s that?¡± When he looked outside, he opened his mouth, and the newbie asked. ¡°Senior, how long have you been working here?¡± ¡°7 years¡­¡± ¡°Have you ever seen a candidate like that?¡± ¡°Do you think I have?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen all sorts of candidates, but I¡¯ve never seen anyone like that kid before.¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes were on a woman. It wasn¡¯t because she was a woman. Although there were more men, there were many women among the applicants, and there were also women knights in the Celestial Knights. Because she was pretty? She was really pretty. She seemed to be around twenty years old. Her face seemed younger than that, but her body was mature. Her skin was milky, her half-up and half-straight hair a pale pink, and her large eyes, which contributed to her youthful appearance, were purple like ripe grapes. Her thick, small lips were as reddish as petals. She was a fine and delicate woman, as if she was a flower, covered in pollen that would fly when touched. However, such appearance was not the main culprit of the disturbance. Since the number of people was near a thousand, there were quite a few more prominent beauties than her. The reason she was getting attention was because of her attire. White lace gloves. A dress perfectly fitted in a patty coat. High heeled shoes for women. Earrings. Necklace. Brooch. Light makeup. Ribbons, ruffles, frills, jewelry. It was not an outfit someone who came to join the Celestial Knights as a Squire would choose to wear, but one suitable for a tea party for noble girls. ¡°I guess she¡¯s crazy¡­.¡± The new officer murmur represented the feelings of everyone who saw her. The senior also spoke in a mesmerized voice. ¡°Right, I don¡¯t know which family the lady is from, but she must have lost common sense because she¡¯s immature.¡± ¡°She knows this is a place to test swordsmanship, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better if she came without knowing. If she came as an Azenka cadet, who flock from all over the world to the best of their ability, to the selection test, even though she knew that¡­.¡± ¡°Has she ever held a sword?¡±) ¡°Sword? The most likely thing is that she ran away from home after reading a lot of romantic novels. Do you want to make a bet? One silver, she drops the sword while drawing it.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t bet that! I was going to choose that!¡± ¡°You can bet that she swings it and drops it.¡± ¡°How can she swing a sword with that arm! She can¡¯t even lift it!¡± The sword was a fairly heavy weapon. Unless it was a light rapier, it was not easy for an untrained woman to wield it or lift it with one hand. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± A cold low-pitched sound came from behind them. The senior, surprised by the voice, turned around and saluted. ¡°Greetings, Chief!¡± ¡°What?¡­Chief?¡± There was only one person in Azenka who would be called the ¡®Chief¡¯. Commander of the Celestial Knights. Since the Celestial Order has a rigorous system based on skill and merit, being the leader of the Celestial Knights is similar to the meaning of being the best knight in the world. The newcomer, who had never met the Commander because he had just joined the administration, looked at the man with a surprised face. He looked as delicate as a flower made of glass. Long silver hair, loosely tied and hung in front of one of his shoulders, bright blue eyes. A face that looks more like a poet than a knight, However, contrary to the appearance, the body under his uniform was thoroughly trained. There was also an unique atmosphere. No matter how beautiful he was, the air around him felt like a sharp blade. He gave out a keen and cold feeling similar to objects made for cutting and stabbing. It may be evidence of living a life that is always close to the sword. That man was the youngest swordmaster ever, the youngest Commander of the Celestial Knights, and the owner of the holy sword Rangiosa, Yurien de Harden Kyrier. He is sure to be the protagonist of epic poems sung by the minstrels in future generations. The newcomer swallowed his saliva without realizing it. ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± ¡°I heard it was a bet.¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± When the new officer couldn¡¯t answer properly and was sweating profusely, the senior closed his eyes tightly and explained. ¡°There was a strange person among the test takers, so I said a small joke!¡± ¡°Unusual?¡± As Yurien raised his eyebrows slightly, the officers quickly retreated and pointed to the window. ¡°There¡­ You will know right away.¡± Yurien approached the window and narrowed his eyes as she looked out. He quickly found a woman with pink hair among the test takers. He recognized her at a glance. She was an acquaintance. He couldn¡¯t help but know. He would have recognized her even if she had been wearing bulky rags. His eyes widened and trembled. Involuntarily, power entered his hand as he gripped the window sill. Numerous memories took over his mind and his stomach was pounding. But he did not reveal his inner agitation. None of the officers next to him noticed that he was shaken. The senior officer sighed, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see a dress-clad candidate at Azenka¡¯s cadet selection exam.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Candidate?¡± Yurien responded as if he had heard something strange. ¡°Yes. I wonder what she thinks the Academy is? ¡­¡­She seems to be an immature girl.¡± The senior thought that it was a natural reaction for the Commander to be surprised. It¡¯s crazy to be a test taker wearing high heeled shoes and a dress. Because of his prejudice, he did not notice that Yurien¡¯s counter-comment had a strange nuance. On the other hand, the newcomer noticed. Somehow, his tone was strange. The commander¡¯s words didn¡¯t mean to say that she was a ¡®daring¡¯ test taker, but it sounded like she couldn¡¯t be ¡®just¡¯ a normal test taker. Did I hear it wrong? While he tilted his head, Yurien quickly returned with a blank expression. ¡°Do you think she will be eliminated?¡± ¡°What? Yes¡­..-isn¡¯t it?¡± In the meantime, it seemed it was the turn of the woman in the dress to compete in the preliminary round. She stepped forward, holding an undecorated long sword that did not match her attire. The preliminary round was a simple test of cutting a log with a sword. The log is harder than people think, and cutting it down at once with a sword and not an ax would be unreasonable if skill and strength did not support the act. A skilled knight could guess the level of his opponent at once by cutting logs, cutting cross-section, speed, etc. Outside the window, standing in front of a log, the woman drew her sword. Yurien didn¡¯t take his eyes off her as she raised the sword. He whispered to himself. ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d bet that she would pass her exams with top marks.¡± The woman swung her sword. The hem of her puffy sleeves fluttered in the sky. Neither her feet in her shoes nor her slender arms swayed at all. The log was cut cleanly in half. It was a neat move, even for officers who did not know sword skills. There was silence throughout the auditorium. Only after the sword entered the scabbard with a rustling sound, the examiner came to his senses. He mechanically checked the cross section of the log, then he stuttered. ¡°Ech-Echinacea Roaz, passed the preliminary round!¡± Yurien turned around without looking any further. He doesn¡¯t need to see any more. She will easily pass the remaining exams. He gave orders to the secretary. ¡°¡±Bring the application.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± The officer, who was mesmerized with the unexpected results, was startled. Yurien chuckled. ¡°That candidate¡¯s application.¡± ¡°Ah, ah, I see. Please wait a minute.¡± The two officers hurriedly searched through the piles of paperwork. After a while, a piece of paper was handed to Yurien¡¯s hand. He glanced at it quickly on the spot. Echinacea was the name of a pink flower. Perhaps she got this name because of that unusual hair color. It was a fitting name. It¡¯s hard to forget once you hear it. ¡°Echinacea¡­.¡± Yurien quietly pondered the name. It¡¯s the first time ¡®he got to know her name. It was also a name he wanted to know so much. He knew her, but he didn¡¯t know her name. In the ¡®future¡¯ he knew, she wasn¡¯t a cadet. But this time she will become a cadet. ¡°It has changed.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It is nothing. Well then, let¡¯s do our best.¡± Yurien returned her application to the officers and left the administration office. * * * At the same time, Echinacea ignored the pouring gazes and left the preliminary examination area. She glanced down at the bottom of her right hand. The palm covered with colorful gloves had a black pattern that should not be seen. [Are you thinking of abandoning me again? Heartless master.] There was no one around her, but a grumbling could be heard in her head. What was hidden in the pattern on the palm of her right hand was that voice which was being heard directly in her soul. Eki laughed. ¡°Of course, why did you think I come all the way here? ¡®I came to dump you.¡± (Hey, thanks to me, you learned how to turn back time!] ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t need that.¡± [Come on, take it easy. Now, nothing happened, right? Let¡¯s not dwell on the erased past, huh?] ¡°Shut up, you damned demon sword.¡± Eki snapped back in a harsh tone that did not match her thin voice. She ignored the devil¡¯s grumbling words in her head and headed to the first test site. The test site was not far away. Those who had passed the preliminaries had already gathered there. Echinacea stopped at the entrance. Grasping her right hand as if she wanted to hide the pattern, she took a deep breath. It starts now. She was going to become an official knight of the Celestial Knights. She has to stand out, but without being suspicious. She will inevitably set the record of being appointed as a knight in the shortest period of time, but in a way that it does not appear to be unusual. As if she was just an ¡®ordinary¡¯ genius. She has to fake it that way and achieve her goals. She, in particular, should never be entangled with that noble knight Commander. Apart from herself that wishes to see him, It¡¯s a new life that she got, she can¡¯t be sentimental and ruin it. ¡®Even if Yurien remembers something¡­¡­ It¡¯s so different.¡¯ Eki looked down at her gorgeous outfit. There was a reason why she wore this dress and adorned herself. Echinacea Roaz was living her second life. At the age of thirty-five, she turned the time of her life back in fifteen years. She erased the past she wanted to erase, by her own hands. Her second 20-year-old life, which started like that, was not an easy obtained luck. It was a miracle she had achieved herself, Chapter 2 Chapter 02 TL-Mechatronic TL Note: Yes, Prelude is Chapter 01. Sorry the confuse numbering. Echinacea Roaz was a genius of wealth. To put it a little more precisely, she had a level of talent that was hard to come by in a century, in both fields of swordsmanship and mana affinity. However, she did not know that she was a genius until she was 20 years old. Because Echinacea, the Young Lady of the County Roaz, was well bred and had never held a sword in her hands. I wish I didn¡¯t know forever.¡¯ Eki thought so. The sensation of blood clotted all over her body was beyond terrible. She was now perfectly accustomed to the sensation, which she could never have imagined until the age of 20. ¡®I didn¡¯t want to know that I was a genius this way.¡¯ She looked ahead blankly. To be exact, she was looking at her own front. Now her body was out of her control. She had been deprived of her body by the magic sword in her right hand. A glass-like transparent blade forged by human blood, and a black hilt made with human malice. The energy emanating from the sword dyed her right arm black, and made black spots all over her white skin. Her pink hair, the reason she was named Echinacea, and the purple eyes she had inherited from her father were all dyed with a vicious black color. There were bursting blood vessels, bloodshot eyes, clots of blood and dust all over her face. Even those who know her well would now hardly recognize that she once was Echinacea Roaz. Eki was the only daughter of a Count¡¯s family that lived in the Empire, and she had a younger brother to succeed the title. Although her family was not powerful, it was quite wealthy and had a long tradition. There was no problem in her family, be it either illegitimate children or adultery. The relationship between the siblings was good, and the counts¡¯ couple had a harmonious marriage. The only thing the Count couple wanted from Eki was for her to get married in a good place and live happily ever after. Eki didn¡¯t have any major complaints about her situation. With the goal of her marriage, she took care of her beauty and learned proper culture. She liked pretty things and hated moving her body and even more to sweat while doing so. For her, a harsh tone was considered offensive, and a modest manner was etched into her body. She was lazy, and she hated anything that was not aristocratic. She was like that until she was only twenty. Magic Sword Verdergiosa. That was the name of the sword she held in her hand, the reason Eki found out she was a genius, and the culprit who completely changed her life and created this tragedy. Verdergiosa takes control over the master¡¯s body, and uses that body to slaughter and destroy anything in it¡¯s path. There were many such massacres, and because of those events, Verdergiosa got the nickname of Demon Sword. The power of this magic sword was great. When the Demon Sword possesses them, humans who had no talent for swords were even able to deal with aura masters ¨C those who used swords with mana on their weapons. However, it was only through the host¡¯s body that the demon sword exerted its power, and because of that, there were obvious limitations. In the end, the host could not withstand the mana of the demon sword, and their body broke down as they used it. Even the demon sword itself knew it, so when strong people approached or the host was broken, he would run away and hide. However, the demon sword that obtained the body of Echinacea was different. ¡®What happened, why can¡¯t anyone stop me?¡¯ An insane level of mana affinity supported her body that was about to collapse because of the mana of the demon sword. Even if there was no training at all, her innate body was soaked in mana, and was instantly optimized for the swordsmanship displayed by the magic sword. The results were very, very terrible. Eki was forced to experience how strong she could be. Famous mercenaries, the Commanders of the Guards Division, the Court mages, and even her family were all but cut to corpses by the blade. Everyone collapsed in front of her. So easily and incredibly simply. ¡®I didn¡¯t have to be a genius to this extent.¡¯ Eki thought so, not with pride, but with all her heart. It was talent she learned by killing countless people, including those who were precious to her. It wouldn¡¯t have gotten to this point if she wasn¡¯t a genius. She didn¡¯t need such talent. Even if she had it, she would have been better off not knowing about it forever. Contrary to her desire to cry, her face was smiling. It was fortunate that no one could see that smile, with dust, blood, and filth intertwined with her hair and stuck to her face. Eki, who used to bathe twice a day, is now insensitive to dirt. There were corpses everywhere. She walked forward, kicking her toes at something unknown, possibly someone¡¯s neck. There was no destination. The Demon Sword was just searching for a life it would kill. A group of knights blocked her front. A coat of arms of a golden hawk with four wings spread out in a white uniform that stands out too much for practical use. They donned a blue cloak, and a white armor plate on their chest. Eki was a noble young girl who was ignorant of the world of knights, but she had heard of knights wearing white uniforms with such a crest. The strongest and most famous Knight Order on the continent and those who do not belong to any one country, they were the Celestial Knights. Looking at that crest, they must have been the Hawks of Celestial Order. Three men, one woman. One of the men took a step towards her. ¡°She is tainted with the magic sword.¡± It was a man with long silver hair tied loosely into a single strand and hung over his shoulders. He looked at her with blue-sky eyes just as his named suggested. Echinacea knew who that man was. ¡®Yurien de Harden Kyrier.¡¯ The third prince of the Kyrier Empire, to which she belongs, abandoned his right to succeed the throne and joined the Celestial Order to become the youngest knight Commander in its history. The Celestial Knights was an Order that does not belong to any country. Therefore, technically speaking, Yurien is no longer a member of the Imperial family or a person of the Empire, but the affairs of the world are not so easily cut off. The imperialists were proud that the head of the Celestial, Knights was from their own imperial family. Of course, Eki was also proud. At tea parties she attended, Yurien was quite often a topic of discussion. Eki had even seen him in person. At the Emperor¡¯s birthday banquet, which she also attended, Yurien visited to celebrate his father¡¯s birthday. At that time, she had secretly blushed her cheeks when she saw a man more beautiful than the rumors. Although she had never danced with him once, she was content to see the famous Knight Commander in person. Because he lived in a world very different from hers. Like a romantic novel, she had once imagined falling in love with the Commander through a fateful encounter. It wasn¡¯t very unusual. Most of the young girls of the Empire must have imagined that. Because it was free to dream, and he was an attractive single man. But she never dreamed she would face him like this. She cannot imagine meeting the Commander of the Celestial Knights, who went out to subdue the Demon sword while being stained with that same sword. She felt intimidation from his approaching steps. The sensation of being aimed with a cold blade came over her. He was the strongest among those four. It is only natural that he is the leader of the Knights who only evaluates people based on their skills, but seeing him with her own eyes, I can clearly feel how strong he was. It was an open sensation thanks to this damned sword. ¡°As the Celestial Knights who protects the Giosa Temple, will subdue you.¡± Yurien spoke while raising his white sword, as if giving out an execution sentence. That sword was his symbol, the holy sword Rangiosa. Echinacea did not answer. The Demon Sword Verdergiosa silently pushed her body, kill it kill it kill it. The echoes of malice resounded in her mind, engulfed by the demon sword. She started the attack first. A black demonic sword and a white holy sword collided. Echinacea did not want to win. She prayed for the longwaited victory of the Commander over her evil consumed being. ¡®This is too much. Really, I am too strong for nothing.¡¯ It has been three years since she was stained with the demon sword. In the meantime, she has been through countless battles. The Empire, which did not want to reach out to the Celestial Knights, sent many Imperial knights to overpower her. And Echinacea killed all of them, becoming stronger and stronger. Not only her body but also her mind. Those experiences were speaking. Yurien will last longer than anyone else so far, but in the end, it is Echinacea who will win. She was that good. And Yurien noticed that too. He slipped her sword and stepped back ¡°That¡¯s amazing. But also a shame.¡± His blue eyes became blurry. ¡°If you were a knight¡­¡­ I would have truly liked to have a duel.¡± ¡°Leader Yurien.¡± One of the three knights who was waiting clicked his tongue and called out to him. Yurien replied with a bitter smile. ¡°I know. This is a subjugation, not a duel.¡± ¡°Shall we join you soon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The other three knights drew their swords. They were all protectors of the Giosa Temple. The strongest Knights inside the Order. After that, it got a little more intense. It was a joint effort of four people. To withstand it, the demon sword pushed Echinacea¡¯s body to the limit. He scraped all the way to the bottom of her potential. However, no matter how much of a genius who wields a magic sword she was, Eki could not defeat the four elite knights, including the commander of the Order. It would be easier to deal with an army. Echinacea was finally defeated. Yurien knocked her down, climbed up, and crushed her neck with his sword. The scarred Echinacea struggled like a suppressed beast. Thanks to instinctively warping the mana around her neck, she wasn¡¯t beheaded yet. In that state, they confronted for a while. The tired knights grumbled around. ¡°It¡¯s horribly strong, really. To endure this much against the four of us¡­.. I can¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s right in front of you, how can¡¯t you believe it? Did you hurt your eyes, Theresa?¡± ¡°Shut up, Dietrich.¡± ¡°You told me to use only the right words like a knight¡­. Teresa does whatever she wants. That¡¯s your charm, though.¡± ¡°Dietrich Saruah. I told you to shut up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame. It would have been great if this had been a knight, as the leader said, but to use that talent to touch a demonic sword.¡± Ignoring the two knights arguing, a large knight murmured. Echinacea wanted to refute those words. She wanted to cry, vomit blood and scream. ¡®Do you think I wanted to be like this? If I had known it was a demonic magic sword, would I have held it? Do you think I¡¯m crazy!? I, I, I just-!¡¯ ¡°She¡­How could she have grabbed this because she wanted to?¡± Yurien said it. It was a clear pronunciation even though he had a rough breath while trying to press down her struggling body. It was what she wanted to shout the most. In front of her, who was slaughtering everything and everyone, no one could or would have said it. Echinacea looked up at him in a bewildered way. As her body growled, she glared at him so she could take a closer look. As she observed him, he also stared straight at her. In him, she did not see the fear, disgust, anger, resentment, and pain she had seen so far. A faint sympathy permeated. It was not for the crazy demon, holding the magic sword, but the gaze towards the person trapped inside. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have wanted to do this.¡± He said, softly enough that only she, who was close could hear it. Chapter 3 Chapter 03 TL-Mechatronic She was numb. A dizzying feeling of falling, or soaring into the sky, flew through her limbs. He was the first person in three years to sympathize with her feelings. He looked into how she felt after killing even her family with her own hands. He recognized the misery she was feeling. Echinacea was thrilled. ¡°Do you understand me? That¡¯s right, I didn¡¯t want to do this. I, really¡­¡­!! The body, which was stolen by the demon sword, immediately sympathized with her intense feelings The resistance stopped. Tears welled up, and one lonely drop flowed down. His eyes looking down at her, grew bigger. Eki thought his blue eyes were dazzling. Every move he made was seen in detail. His lips move slowly. ¡°Tears.¡± ¡°Leader?¡± ¡°She¡¯s crying.¡± ¡°¡­.Who? No way.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true.¡± ¡°You said that if the person is eaten by the demon sword, there will be no ego left. Leader, that¡¯s just an empty body wielded by a demonic sword.¡± The knights refuted one after another, but Yurien shook his head. ¡°She remains. They¡¯re fighting.¡± ¡°Fighting? With what?¡± ¡°The Demon sword and her will.¡± It was as he said. Echinacea fought endlessly with the black stains that were encroaching on her body. She had never won, but she continued to fight. She hasn¡¯t given up yet. Otherwise, she would have lost her ego earlier. No one may know that she was trying to stop the sword and regain control of her body from it, but her consciousness was holding out like that. The fighting was noticed for the first time, by the man who blocked her. It was a feeling difficult to express in words. Eki wanted to burst into tears. She wanted to hang on to someone and cry. It was painful, it was a terrible time, she was sorry to everyone, but the truth was that she didn¡¯t want to die like a demon. ¡®Please anyone help me!¡¯ She wanted to pour out those words. But that single drop of tear was the end. Soon, Echinacea¡¯s body began to struggle with dry eyes. She showed her teeth like a beast and growled. The red haired knight kicked his tongue. ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel right. Let¡¯s finish it quickly and go back.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you say she still has a conscience of self. Because things we have to do don¡¯t change.¡± The blonde female knight urged. Still, Yurien did not move. He peered through the eyes of Echinacea who was struggling around and said. ¡°I can¡¯t do that¡±. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s a possibility.¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡­oh, leader. Hold on. Right now¡­¡­.¡± As if embarrassed, the red hair stuttered. A large knight, who immediately understood what he meant, said honestly. ¡°Captain. It is impossible to defeat the Demon Sword.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s a precedent.¡± ¡°You are not talking about a magic swordsman who one can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s a legend or a true story, are you?¡± ¡°Commander, even if that¡¯s possible, the body possessed by the demon sword has already done something irreversible. You know how many territories have reached the level of destruction in her hands.¡± ¡°Is it just about territories in the empire, the knights that had to join forces to form a squad of subjugation with the city guards and all the magicians on the upper part of the Tower, died, not a single soul left to tell the tale. Some royals and nobles also died, right? This is the death penalty no matter the end result.¡± As the knights took turns speaking, Yurien, who had been silently listening, responded. ¡°The increase in damage is partly due to our late arrival.¡± ¡°Are we late because we wanted to be late? It¡¯s come to this point after the Imperial bastards insisted that they could do it!¡± The red-haired knight protested. Yurien did not respond and removed the sword that weighed down on Echinacea¡¯s neck and swung it before she could react. The pommel at the end of the hilt accumulated mana and hit her solar plexus. Her body, which was already injured and was hit in a vital point, fainted as it was. She listened to their conversation with a blurred consciousness. ¡°You cannot condemn an unintended crime.¡± ¡°This is crazy. Hey Yul, I usually respect such Knights, but I don¡¯t think this is right.¡± ¡°Leader, what are you going to do?¡± ¡°That woman¡­.¡± ¡°Why¡­¡± ¡°Too much¡­punishment¡­¡± While other words were blurred, his voice remained clearly in my mind. ¡°I¡¯ll give her a chance.¡± It was a ray of light that came down like a miracle, It would have been nice to be able to separate the demon sword by cutting off the arm that was holding it, but that was impossible. The Magic Sword Verdergiosa was a sword that was engraved on the soul like other swords of the Giosa series. Echinacea was imprisoned in the dungeon of the Celestial Knights headquarters in the city of Azenka, Just in case, a specially made seal was applied and a chain was attached to her limbs. The Empire wanted to execute the demon of the Demon Sword, but Yurien rejected that opinion. The past remarks of the empire, which insisted that they could handle the demon by themselves, caused a lot of damage and thanks to their powerless state of affairs, they eventually opened their hands to the Celestial Knights. Eki didn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity Yurien gave her. She focused only on the fight to reclaim her body from the demon sword. The sensation of killing people was so intense that it was difficult to escape from it when the demon sword massacred. Now was the right time for her, since the body was unable to slaughter The unconscious was beneath her feet, and the void above her head. Standing on top of her unconscious sleep, she fought herself who was blackened by the mana of the demon sword. She didn¡¯t know how much time was passing. She had suffered hundreds of defeats, and many times she almost fell into the subconscious under the surface. Still, she kept fighting. She didn¡¯t know it would be possible for her to try this hard. She knew herself well, because she was lazy, liked to sleep, and hated to move her body. But now she knows. The essence of oneself that came to be known while being driven to the limit. She doesn¡¯t give up. She couldn¡¯t give up. She didn¡¯t want to lose to that demon sword who ruined everything in her life. The moment she felt so exhausted that she wanted to quit, she imagined after winning. I¡¯m going to break the bloody magic sword and take a bath. After that, I will get a good night¡¯s sleep that never dreamed of. When I wake up, I want to comb my hair, wear new clothes, eat warm soup and soft bread. And then¡­ ¡­¡­ To Yurien, let¡¯s confess everything that happened. If he gave me a chance, wouldn¡¯t he tell me what to do next?¡¯ Strictly speaking, all of Echinacea¡¯s slaughter was not hers, but the demon sword¡¯s, but Eki couldn¡¯t draw a line that all the things that happened had nothing to do with her. After all, it was her hands that were wet with blood. Inside the dungeon, her body growled, screamed incomprehensible words, scraped walls or floors to get the blood flowing, and wriggled like crazy. But it couldn¡¯t kill anyone anymore, and her spirit fought endlessly. Between those days, Yurien occasionally visited the dungeon. ¡°Is it still there?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He would look into her from a distance through a small window above the iron door. Human access was prohibited near Echinacea. The magical sword Verdergiosa is a slaughter sword, and instinctively tries to kill humans. If a person approached nearby, it might stimulate the magic sword. So the guard who brought food and water took the method of leaving the bowl inside the middle of the double door and leaving. Yurien always stood alone in the narrow space, between the gates and watched Echinacea through the iron gates. He never spoke to her. Just watching with calm blue eyes. All he could see was a blackened, chained, beastly woman in his eyes, but each time Eki felt he was looking at her. He seemed to be looking at her own soul fighting the demon sword, not her stained body, ¡°No way. It was nonsense. Despite such denial, whenever Yurien came, she thought the same thing. She was happy when he came. He was waiting for her victory. He watched over her, believing that she would overcome the magic sword. Eki wanted to prove that the choice he made believing in her was right. ¡®When I get my body back, I will meet him¡­¡¯ There were many things she wanted to say when she met him. There were infinite things. She collected the words one by one inside her, and those words gave her strength. I wanted to win. I wanted to greet him, who came to watch her as usual, with a smile not tainted by the magic sword. I dreamed of such a miracle. But no miracle was performed In a way, things were bad. But the results were so devastating that she couldn¡¯t turn a blind eye to them, dismissing it as just bad luck. The guard suddenly opened the double door and came inside. He must have come to check if Echinacea¡¯s body, that had been lying motionless for three days, was dead. It was the work of the magic sword. As soon as the guard approached her arm, Echinacea strangled the guard with a chain that was hanging down. The jailer died in the blink of an eye ¡®No, stop, stop! Please!¡¯ Her screams were meaningless. Because of the powerful seal, her body could not use the main form of the demon sword. So she broke the chains with the sword on the jailer¡¯s waist. I heard that an extremely trained knight could cut metal without mana, but never thought I¡¯d be able to do it myself. Echinacea rummaged through the guard¡¯s arms, took out his key, opened the double door and went out. She killed all those guarding the prison and found the key to the sealing sphere. The moment the seal that suppressed the sword¡¯s mana was released, Eki felt a catastrophe happening. If Yurien had only one more Giosa owner there to help him, he would have been able to stop her. However, Yurien had been away from Azenka for a while, and the only Giosa owner left in Azenka was the Vice ¨C Commander. He was a man named Baron, who was the largest among the knights who came to subdue her. Echinacea went crazy. Baron blocked her while evacuating the others until his last breath, and at the end, he was decapitated. When the interfering man died, she killed every living thing on Azenka. She then waited for the other Giosa owners, whom she perceived as a ¡®dangerous enemy. A few days later, Theresa with blonde hair and Dietrich with red hair returned together from their mission. They encountered Echinacea in the redstained Azenka. Dietrich struggled to protect Theresa, but was saved by her. ¡°Someone has to go and tell the Commander.¡± ¡°If Theresa goes¡­ ¡­ !¡± ¡°If you stay, you can¡¯t last even five minutes, so shut up and go!¡± Theresa said so and sent him away. Echinacea missed Dietrich when she was caught by Theresa, who had done her best. She killed Theresa first, and then chased and killed Dietrich, who was fleeing on the mountain all night long. It was a terrible time. For them and for her. Finally, Yurien came. He saw his home, where bodies piled up, rotting. The stench spread everywhere. Echinacea greeted him in front of the mountain of corpses. The fountain behind her back was dyed red. Yurien turned white, then bit his lips hard enough to bleed, and became as cold as ice. The blue eyes looking at her, seemed to have cracked. Note: it wasn¡¯t clear, but Giosa Owners are called Protectors of the Giosa Temple. And all of them have Swords of the Giosa series. So they are all level master and above. Baron, Theresa and Dietrich all have Giosa Swords, but what kind of sword is still to be seen. Chapter 4 Chapter 04 TL-Mechatronic Eki knew what he was going to say to her. Regret, anger, resentment or a curse. But he stopped there and quietly drew his sword. Yurien couldn¡¯t beat her alone. After a long battle, Echinacea pierced his heart. Eki watched the white man die, stained with bright red blood. His blue eyes, who had trusted her and watched over her, could not even close and lost its light. She couldn¡¯t even close those eyes. The demon sword casually threw his corpse and left the place. Something broke inside her. From then on, Eki stopped even imagining how to survive. She didn¡¯t even think about what to do after she won. Only hatred for the demon sword remained within her. ¡®I will kill you.¡¯ At the boundary between unconsciousness and consciousness, she only thought about that as she saw her own silhouette swaying in black. Now she was able to concentrate even in the middle of slaughter when the demon sword was at its peak. The demon sword moved in search of the next prey, and because of that relentless slaughter, her experience was constantly piling up. She also became more and more proficient in how she handled mana. 2 years from then. It¡¯s been 6 years since she was stained with a demon sword. At the age of 26, Echinacea had crossed a certain level. She knew it naturally. She knew that she had reached somewhere higher than the known realm of being a Master. Since she wasn¡¯t a knight, she didn¡¯t know what to call that realm. At last, she reached above the threshold and finally escaped from the demon sword manipulation. It was in a small fishing village that Echinacea regained her own body. Of course, no one was left alive in the village. She threw away the magic sword in her hand, and tried to move the body that had finally become hers after 6 years. The dark spots had disappeared, and her hair had regained its original color. Her hand. Her arm. A body that moved according to her will. ¡°Ha.¡± Laughter came out. She sat down in the middle of a pool of blood. ¡°I¡¯m late! It¡¯s too late!¡± She shouted, but no one could hear it. All around her was death, and only irreversible things were clinging to her body. Echinacea looked down at the demon sword. She accumulated mana in her hands, and smashed the sword without care. She continued to punch the blade, ignoring the cuts and wounds. Even after all that, she couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears. ¡°Now what? What should I do? I am¡­¡­.¡¯ Although she finally overcame the demon sword, there was nothing left for her. There was no one left to wait for her. She killed everyone with her own hands Her blood, dripping from her wounds, along with her tears, ran down the transparent blade and touched the pattern engraved on the blade. The pattern shone faintly. It was then that a ¡®voice¡¯ was heard. Uf you do that for a hundred day. I might break) A voice that resonated in her soul, not the ears. There was no distinction between male or female, young or old. Eki was terribly surprised. ¡°Who are you?¡± (Me? Verdergiosa. It¡¯s the sword you¡¯re holding now.) ¡°¡­¡­. What?¡± (You are the second person who awakened my ego after my creation.) She stared blankly at Verdergiosa for a while. Her hardened head worked hard and she understood slowly what the words meant. ¡°You¡­¡­a magic sword? What do you mean your ego awakened?¡± (You woke me up. That means you¡¯re finally qualified to be my master. Congratulations!) ¡°¡­¡­Congratulations?¡± Echinacea gritted her teeth. ¡°This cursed demon sword, what did you just say now?¡± [What? I said you woke me up.) ¡°Yes, it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m going to break it down anyway.¡± As she looked down at the demon sword with piercing eyes, a frightened voice was heard. (H-hey, calm down. Uh, it looks like you went through a little trouble.) ¡°A little trouble? Can you speak so easily like that?¡± Hated burned bright blue. Her mana sizzled and flowed out of her body. She chewed on her words as if chewing on blood. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault. Mother, father, Lancel, Nicole, and even Yurien! Everything, everything, you killed it all! Now there¡¯s nothing left! Everything is ruined! Because they¡¯re all dead! In my hands! Because of you!¡± (No, wait, I think you¡¯re misunderstanding something. It¡¯s not ¡®me.) ¡°Shut up!¡± The masters carry mana on the sword and overlay the blade with mana. It was called Aura Sword. No matter how much mastery one has over the skill, it was difficult to make Aura sword without actual swords or sword-like objects. However, Eki collected mana from her bare hands and turned it into a blade. She struck down Verdergiosa with that sword. With a bang, the ground dug and the soil splattered. Even though there was a vibration like an earthquake, the sword did not even crack. (Ahh! It hurts! It won¡¯t break anyway! Calm down and listen to me, master!) ¡°Who is your master?¡± When she responded with a chilly voice, Verdergiosa seemed to be trembling somehow. She repeatedly struck the sword with an expressionless face. If it doesn¡¯t break at once, do it until it breaks. Echinacea¡¯s glowing eyes did not look sane. The magic sword said hastily. [You can turn it back!) She stopped at the strange words. The magic sword hurriedly spoke. (Did you lose your body because you were stained with murderous intent? First of all, it wasn¡¯t ¡®me¡¯ that made you like that, it was the human malice and murderous intent that inhabited me. Hey! Wait a minute! Hey! ¡°Sounds useless.¡± Mana was concentrated again in her hands. The magic sword shouted loudly. (There¡¯s a way to go back to a time when no one killed anyone!) Eki froze. The mana in her hand was scattered, and she asked in a trembling voice. ¡°Now, what did you say? Can you turn it back? That¡­¡­before everything happened?¡± [Yes, it is possible to turn back time. The guy who woke me up before you killed a lot, became my master and turned back time, maybe you can do it too?) ¡°¡­¡­How?¡± It was a desperate situation. I felt like I wanted to grab at any straws that appeared. Verdergiosa¡¯s words were her only hope. [Of course, it is not easy.) ¡°Shut up and tell me. How? Can you save them all?¡± (It¡¯s not about saving life, it¡¯s about turning back time.) ¡°Okay, so tell me how!¡± She desperately grabbed the magic sword. The pattern engraved on the sword gleamed and the magic sword meekly said. (Collect the Giosa series and use Kairos Giosa.) ¡°¡­¡­ What are you talking about?¡± (You know I¡¯m part of the Giosa series, right? Do you know about the legend of the Giosa Temple?) Of course she knew. Because it¡¯s a famous legend. Long ago, there was a blacksmith who was praised for reaching the realm of a god. The blacksmith was convinced that he would not lose to the gods when it came to making his own sword. One day, a god really came to the blacksmith. God lent his powers to the blacksmith. That power was the power to make a sword out of things that could not be seen or touched, such as night and day. God said (1 have given you equal power. You make the best swords out of it. This is my test for you.) The blacksmith struggled for seventy days and seventy nights. And he forged ten swords from special materials over a hundred years. All of those swords were beautiful and had incredible abilities that never existed before or after. The blacksmith proudly showed his work to God. God looked down at them silently and quickly created two swords in the air. There were only two swords, but one alone was more beautiful and stronger than all the blacksmith¡¯s swords combined. The blacksmith then knelt down on his knees. He repented for his arrogance, which had dared to look beyond God. God generously forgave the blacksmith and took him to the divine realm. After the blacksmith and God left, the twelve swords left in the world were called the Giosa series, after the ancient word for ¡®test¡¯. The ten Giosas made by the blacksmith chose those with outstanding talents as their masters. However, the two swords created by God did not accept anyone as their master. It was said that the divine swords lend their power only to those who possess all the other ten Giosas. This was the legend of the Twelve Special Swords, the Giosa series. Those who were recognized as the owner of the Giosa were called the protectors of Giosa Temple. The criteria for choosing a master for each sword were slightly different, but it is said that it was usually possible to be selected by a Giosa only if you are at the Master level. In the past, Giosas were scattered all over the continent. However, as several incidents related to the powerful swords occurred, one day, a group that managed the Giosa series appeared. That was the beginning of the Celestial Knights. Except for lost Giosas, whose location was unknown, most of the swords were under the management of the Celestial Knights. And the magical sword Verdergiosa was one of the lost Giosas. ¡°What does this have to do with that legend?¡± The fact that you can borrow the power of the divine sword if you own all ten man-made Giosas. That¡¯s real.) ¡°The power of the divine sword? Can you turn back time with that?¡± (Sure. My previous master succeeded. Of the two divine swords, you can use Kairos Giosa. This is a sword made of time, so it can manipulate time. Of course, changing the whole world is a huge thing, so once you use it, you won¡¯t be able to borrow the power of Kairos Giosa again.) Hope is cast. Everything can be turned back. Echinacea¡¯s eyes were dizzy and she muttered with trembling lips. ¡°¡­That shouldn¡¯t be a lie. If you lie, I will destroy you.¡± (Hey, why would / lie like this? And it¡¯s impossible to break me. This body is called Verdergiosa.] ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s impossible or not. If you deceived me, I will make you pay the price by any means.¡± (Wow, look at your eyes. Why are you so scary when you look so pretty?) Eki ignored the nonsense words of the demon sword and fumbled her memory. She reflected as much as she could about what she knew about the Giosa series. There wasn¡¯t much that came to mind. The names of the swords she knew could be counted in one hand. There is no way that she, who is not even a knight in the first place, can memorize all ten of the Giosas. She was at a loss as to how to get information and how to collect them. As the demon sword said, it wasn¡¯t easy. It doesn¡¯t matter though.She wouldn¡¯t give up even the tiniest of possibilities. I¡¯ll turn everything around. I will revive everyone who died in my own hands. She was determined to achieve a miracle on her own. Chapter 5 Chapter 05 TL-Mechatronic Nine years after that decision, in the spring of 1644. Echinacea walked inside the broken temple. It was a great temple in Azenka, the city that had been destroyed by her hands. The holy land of knights, Azenka, has now become an ominous uninhabited land. There was little left. However, there was one thing left in the ruins of the temple because there was no way to move it by human hands. The divine sword Kairos Giosa. A sword said to have been made by the gods by quenching time. Unlike the other divine sword, the sword of space, which drifted through space and disappeared, the divine sword of time has been on this land since the past, even before the legend of Giosa was well known. So, the Celestial Knights took up this land, and Azenka, a city that did not belong to any country, was born. Kairos Giosa was embedded in the middle of the ruins, A sleek and delicate sword shining in different colors from moment to moment. The sculptures and altars that adorned it were shattered, but even without them, the divine sword was mysterious. It was proof that there is a God that cannot be seen, heard, or touched. Humans cannot hold that sword. No matter how much they stretched out a hand, it didn¡¯t touch the sword as if it was blocked by a wall. However, Eki had to hold the divine sword. She had her hair cut short, and she wore a worn-out leather robe. Traces of her long journey were all over her body. Her hand reaching out towards the divine sword was covered with scars. At first glance, she looked like a mercenary, but when you look at her in full a shabby figure like a vagrant was seen. In her hand, the new sword allowed her touch Nothing special happened. It was just a sword that no one could hold in their hands. At that moment, a voice was heard in her mind. It was a voice whose gender was unknown like the demon sword. (Deserved human being, what do you want?) ¡°¡­¡­Kairos Giosa.¡± After licking dry lips a few times, Eki said in a hoarse voice. ¡°Take me back to the past where I killed no one.¡± The new sword was silent for a moment and then asked slowly. (Why do you want to go back to the past?] ¡°Because I want to save them.¡± [Who?) ¡°¡­¡­The people I killed.¡± (Are you going to kill with your own hands and bring it back to life?) ¡°I didn¡¯t kill them because I wanted¡­¡­!¡± Her hand holding the sword trembled. A few drops of blood dripped from her jaw. The divine sword read the times she had gone through, and understood her desperate wish. [I understand. Then what next?] ¡°Next¡­ ¡­?¡± Uf you turn back time, all the people you killed will be alive. In the world they live in, what are you trying to do? What will you use the time you got back for?) I was speechless. Echinacea, a thirty-five-year-old who had been running with only one goal of saving everyone, thought about such a thing for the first time. What did I wish for? Why did I want to save them? Why did you want to change the past? She muttered blankly. ¡°¡­¡­ I will just live.¡± (Just living? Is that all? You are still alive right now.) ¡°It¡¯s like being dead now.¡± (Why?) ¡°Now, I¡¯m¡­¡­because I can¡¯t possibly be happy. I can¡¯t even sleep comfortably¡­¡­¡± Words came first before thinking. It was only after she spoke her words that she realized. I wanted to be happy. I don¡¯t know exactly what happiness I want, but it is impossible to be happy now that I killed all the people I love with my own hands So, I had to change it. She frantically gathered the Giosas just for that. She hadn¡¯t slept properly in the past nine years. She can¡¯t even remember the last time she laughed. The divine sword was finally satisfied with her answer, and shone softly. Good. I¡¯ll lend you my strength, worthy human being.) A distant and dizzy sensation dyed her whole body. Everything faded and the divine sword said one last time. (This miracle won¡¯t happen twice. So, do your best and be happy.) The sword moved. Echinacea Roaz succeeded in turning her time back. Fifteen years ago, back to the time when she was still the daughter of an ordinary Count. Act 1. What has changed and what has not It felt fresh and soft to the touch. Eki, who had unintentionally rubbed her cheeks against it, suddenly opened her eyes in fright. She raises her body like flowing water, while at the same time hanging her right hand and lowering her center of gravity to get into a position where she can respond to anything, Shaa. Her long hair, which had floated up with her swift movements, settled down belatedly. Eki looked at it blankly. Light pink hair with soft curls. Although it was disorganized after waking up from sleep, it was managed with sincerity and money. ¡°Ah¡­¡± She grabbed the hair without realizing it. Maintaining her long hair was a hassle. After recovering her body from the demon sword, she went around with short hair. Her hair was so long and yet, it was not black. Her hand, holding the light-colored hair, was white and soft without a single scar. Her nails were neatly trimmed too. She looked down at herself. Wrapped in silk pajamas, her body was slender and soft. She lowered her feet out of the bed. There was not a single callus on her white bare feet. Under the bed were pink slippers with lace. It was something that remained in her vague memory. She put on slippers and lifted her head. She looked at the flying canopy hanging on the bed, then she walked out of it and got out of bed. ¡°M-My room¡­¡± It was a familiar view of a room decorated in a cute, way. Eki walked towards the window with staggering steps. A breeze blew in from the slightly opened window, fluttering the white curtains. She pushed the curtain and looked out of the window. It was spring. She could see a garden full of bright green shoots and flower buds. A gardener crouching in front of the bush was trimming the branches. There was a training field a little further away from the garden. A boy with light brown hair ran through the gym under the guidance of a knight. ¡°Lancel¡­¡­lid.¡± Note: Full name Lancellid Roaz Eki muttered the boy¡¯s name. It was the name of her younger brother, who was three years younger than her. The last words of a boy who drowned in blood and died by her hands. It was one of her vivid nightmares. Her eyes fluttered like crazy. Eki just opened the window and jumped out of her room on the second floor. Her hair was as white as a curtain blowing. Mana moved automatically without her being conscious of it. Her body had not yet been cored and had no mana accumulated, but that didn¡¯t bother her much. She landed like a cat. Her eyes were fixed on the side of the training field. As she started running, her slippers slid off her feet and rolled. She didn¡¯t care. As if flying barefoot, she jumped into the gymnasium. ¡°Lady?¡± Passing the terrified knight, she embraced Lancel as it was. His purple eyes that resembled her fluttered like that. ¡°Huh?¡± The boy couldn¡¯t stand her running and fell on his butt. Eki grabbed his brother¡¯s neck and put his ear to his chest. Ba-dum. The boy¡¯s heart was beating. She was out of her mind. ¡°Sister¡­ ¡­ ?¡± ¡°Lancel, Lancellid Roaz, you are alive.¡± ¡°What are you talking about in the morning? No, you don¡¯t get up at this hour, do you?¡± Bewildered Lancel pushed her away and was startled. Her pajamas were a mess, her round curved bosom, her bare white legs, and her slender shoulders. Echinacea was dressed in a way with nowhere to look. Lancel took off his shirt while shouting back (Note: It¡¯s not the totties, it¡¯s the chest area above it) ¡°No, why are you dressed like this! Are you crazy?¡± ¡°I know, Sister hates sweat. Even if you don¡¯t like it, hold on for a second. So why did you come all the way here at this hour?¡± Lancel recklessly put his shirt over Eki. The knight, who was teaching Lancel, couldn¡¯t look straight at her and coughed in vain while turning his eyes. ¡°Young Master, first of all, the Young lady¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, I have to take my sister to the mansion. Can we finish our morning training here?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll make up for it next time. Thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°You did a great job. Sister, let¡¯s stand up¡­¡­ why are you barefoot?¡± Lancel, who was raising Eki, murmured as if he had frozen. ¡°Did you have a nightmare? It looks like you just woke up.¡± ¡°Nightmare¡­¡± The focus returned to Eki¡¯s eyes, which had been holding Lancel with her dazed face. She suddenly pulled the boy. Originally, her strength was weak like any other well bred noble young lady. But for some reason, Lancel was dragged by her power and almost fell. Before Lancel, who had barely stepped on his foot to support his body, could even say a word, she grabbed the boy¡¯s shoulder and looked straight into his eyes, Echinacea¡¯s eyes were shining brightly like never before. It had a strange overpowering feeling. Lancel had forgotten what he was going to say. ¡°Lancel.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, Sister?¡± ¡°What date is it today?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What year, month, date?¡± ¡°¡­¡­March 17th, 1629. Seriously, why are you like this? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°In 1629¡­¡­.¡± Eki let Lancel go. Her expression was distorted, not knowing whether she was smiling or crying. ¡°Successful. I succeeded¡­¡­.¡± Her legs lost strength, and she floundered on the dirt floor of the gymnasium. She tried to rub her face with her trembling hands. Then, as soon as the palm of her right hand came into view, her movement stiffened. There was something like a black pattern that didn¡¯t match the white palm. She knew very well what the pattern was. She clenched her teeth with a vigorous sound, Lancel¡¯s face turned pale blue at the sound of crunching and the murderous spirit that rose, ¡°Sis-Sister? Sister, you are kind of weird right now. Are you sick?¡± ¡°It seems that you are not feeling well. Lady, excuse me for a moment¡­¡­argh!¡± The knight who approached to pick her up, was pushed away. Eki, who reflexively struck the knight, opened and closed her mouth a few times, then shook her head at random. ¡°Lancel, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m fine!¡± ¡°Sister!¡± Eki, who had thrown out words at will, stood up abruptly and disappeared like the wind. The movement was so fast that both Lancel and the knights missed her appearance in an instant. They looked down at Lancel¡¯s shirt she had dropped with a puzzled face. Chapter 6 Chapter 06 Eki got out of the gym and went into the garden. Even though it was the first garden she had seen in 15 years, Eki remembered the familiar structure. She was so happy that it brought tears to her eyes. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for this damn thing, I could have enjoyed this emotion comfortably.¡¯ She stared at the black pattern on her palm. She entered a grove of tall cypress trees and went deeper where no one else could find her. She was still anxious even with going deeper, and she jumped over the lush trees. She kicked the ground, swung in mid-air, stepped on a tree pole once, and once more on a branch. After she jumped just three times, she landed on a branch near the distant top. She sat on a thick branch and opened her mouth, looking through her palms. ¡°¡­¡­Vel. Answer me.¡± [Call this name properly. This body is Verdergiosa!] A twisted voice like a wobbling drunkard rang out in her soul. She hoped it didn¡¯t answer. Eki grimaced at the familiar feeling the demon sword gave off. She was not pleased in the least. ¡°What kind of stupid tone is that?¡± [Hunf, I¡¯m having a hard time here. Hey, time has turned back. So, I¡¯m going to sleep.] ¡°No, don¡¯t sleep. Since I turned back time, why are you still in my hands!¡± [Various..¡­things have¡­¡­.] ¡°Hey, go to sleep after explaining! Hey! Hey! You damned demon sword!¡± At the end of its mushy voice, the words of the magical sword Verdergiosa were no longer heard. Eki grabbed her palm and screamed, then stretched out her hand in annoyance. Following her will, the sword protruded from the black pattern. The Giosa series mostly uses the soul of its master as its sheath. So it was possible to pull out any Giosa from empty hands at any given time, just like this. Usually it was an advantage, but to Eki, it was disgusting. The fact that she couldn¡¯t even throw it away was close to a curse. ¡°Wake up, Vel.¡± She grabbed its black hilt and tapped the smooth blade. She pricked the glyph and swung it haphazardly, eventually gathering mana into her hand for the purpose of beating it up. ¡°Huh¡­¡­?¡± The mana that was trying to form into a blade did not come together and was scattered. And a sharp pain ran through her body. It felt like all her muscles were twisting. Eki, who crouched down, groaned briefly and quickly understood the cause. ¡°My body¡­¡­was this weak?¡± It was a natural result. She moved her body like she used to do before coming back in time, and with a body that had not been trained at all. Even though Eki doesn¡¯t even have a mana core that master-level knights can form, she¡¯s been forcefully using mana. What would have been impossible in the first place was done naturally by the mind that had reached a level higher than that of a Master. After checking her body, she sighed. It was a body that has never lifted something heavier than a teacup. With only moving this much, the soft soles of her feet were already hurting, her muscles were screaming and a fever was rising in a body that had been forced to accept mana. She was literally back to her old self, a Young Lady who grew beautifully under the Count. ¡°I¡¯ll have to make a core first.¡± Whatever the situation, being strong is definitely better than being weak. She took a stance with the intention of creating one right away. Closing her eyes she focused on moving the mana. It didn¡¯t take long. She drained the mana around her and quickly gathered it in her body. It naturally pooled near her solar plexus, and a mana core was formed. It was freshly made. It was weak because there was not much accumulated mana, but it was a clear core. The majority of knights who would reach the level of master could not make a core even if they tried for a lifetime, but Eki made hers in 10 minutes. It was simple for her, and Eki was even distracted while making it. ¡®The youngest master ever was Commander Yurien. Was he 23-years-old at the time? Even when he was 23, there was so much noise, but my age now is¡­March 17th, 1629, I¡¯m¡­¡­a master at 20-years-old, I will have to hide it for now.¡¯ Then she suddenly remembered something. ¡°March 17, 1629¡­¡­.¡± Today¡¯s date given by Lancel. It was a date she couldn¡¯t forget. Eki moaned and buried her face in her hands. It was the dawn of March 17, 15 years ago, when she got the magic sword. So, based on the current time, I turned back to the exact same morning. It was the most terrible dawn of her life. In the early morning of March 17, 1629, well past midnight, Eki woke up from bed. She couldn¡¯t sleep, so she decided to drink some warm milk. It¡¯s funny to think of it now, but Echinacea back then was a young lady who couldn¡¯t even warm a glass of milk with her own hands. Eki pulled the cord by her bedside to wake Nora, her exclusive maid, to ask for a warm cup of milk. Nora went out to get her milk, but she never came back. Unable to wait, Eki left the room with only a shawl over her pajamas and went down directly to the kitchen. She angrily opened the kitchen door, calling out her maid¡¯s name. It was Nora holding a magic sword that greeted her. I can¡¯t quite remember how I managed to avoid Nora¡¯s attack. The dark kitchen without lamps, the outlines dimly revealed by the moonlight from outside the window, the shaky vision, the screams, and the transparent blade of the sword were the only things that remained in my memory. But the result was unforgettable. Nora fell while trying to stab her, and Eki grabbed the sword, which Nora had dropped to survive the fall. The black, cold, and smooth handle of the sword comes to mind vividly. The moment she held it, she felt a snake-like sensation running up her body. As the feeling led her, she stabbed the sword into Nora, who was attacking her. That was Eki¡¯s first murder. I didn¡¯t want to think much about what happened after that. In the morning after that terrible dawn, no one was alive in the mansion except for her. However, unlike then, on the morning of March 17, the gardener was grooming the garden as usual, and Lancel was being trained by a knight from the family. ¡°It¡¯s changed¡­¡­.how did it change?¡± Eki rubbed her forehead. It was a completely different morning from before her return. But the magic sword was still in her hand. What happened in the early morning? ¡®Nora. I have to check Nora.¡¯ The first person she killed. Her heart raced. Eki jumped from the tree. The pain all over her body disappeared as soon as mana started flowing from the freshly formed core. She headed straight to the kitchen. The kitchen, located on the outskirts of the first floor of the mansion, had a door facing the backyard, made for the daily supply of fresh ingredients. It was morning, so the delivery man and a maid were talking at the door to show that the delivery had just arrived. The maid who found Eki opened her eyes wide. ¡°Miss? At this early hour¡­¡­.Oh my! You¡¯re wearing pajamas.¡± ¡°Nora? Where is Nora?¡± ¡°Nora?¡± The time between the maid tilting her head and opening her mouth felt very long to Eki. ¡°If it¡¯s Nora, she¡¯s over there. Nora! The lady is calling!¡± The maid who was talking to the cook came running. A look of surprise spread across her freckled face. ¡°Miss! Are you up already?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Nora.¡± ¡°Oh my God, the clothes¡­¡­and, barefoot! Come here! You, turn your eyes!¡± Nora grabbed Eki and threw a harsh stare at the delivery man. The man sullenly covered his face with the hat while Eki was led indoors by Nora. She dragged Eki to the bathroom and nagged at her. ¡°If you wake up early, you should call me, why are you walking around like that? I can¡¯t calm down! What if you get a wound on your fair feet? But are you feeling bad somewhere? You woke up this early but you said you couldn¡¯t sleep until dawn? If you¡¯re sick, tell me, I¡¯ll call Mrs. Smith¡­¡­.¡± It was the nagging of her exclusive maid that she had not heard in a long time. I remember vividly how she fell down, bleeding and pierced by a transparent blade, and now Nora was alive, breathing and chattering. Eki listened to the nagging as if possessed, and then woke up in one part of it. ¡°Nora, wait a minute. Did I call you in the morning?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? You couldn¡¯t sleep, so you asked me to bring you warm milk.¡± Same situation as before. I thought my heart would stop. I swallowed dry saliva and asked again. ¡°So, what?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°So, what happened?¡± ¡°I brought it to you¡­¡­? Didn¡¯t you sleep after drinking it? You couldn¡¯t sleep? Lack of sleep is the enemy of your skin!¡± Nora wrinkled her brow and looked at Eki¡¯s face. She let out a sigh of relief as if reassured only when she saw that the skin of the young lady she was serving was as smooth and immaculate as she had cared for with great care. Eki, who was stunned, muttered. ¡°You brought milk? Did I drink it and went to sleep?¡± ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± ¡°¡­¡­So, Nora, did you see anything strange back then?¡± ¡°Something weird? What kind of thing, ah.¡± Nora, who had questioningly asked back, nodded her head as if she remembered something. ¡°There was an elongated package in the kitchen that I had never seen before, so I unpacked to check it because there was nothing written on it. But it was an empty package.¡± ¡°Empty package? Why is that in the kitchen?¡± ¡°I know, right. I thought the others hadn¡¯t cleaned up the empty bag after food or bread was delivered, but when I asked in the kitchen they said they didn¡¯t order nor had seen something like that. So I¡¯m going to bring it to the butler.¡± The empty package originally contained a magic sword. Eki intuitively realized that fact. This time, the demon sword was already within her, that¡¯s why Nora didn¡¯t find anything. So this has become a different morning than before. ¡®I obviously asked to be sent to a past where I killed nobody. So it should have been early in dawn before killing Nora? Why did I wake up when it was already morning, and this damn demon sword is with me instead of being inside of the original package?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­Do you have that package now?¡± ¡°Yes. This is it.¡± Nora rustled and pulled out a folded wad of paper. Eki quickly reached out her hand. ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I will take care of it.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­.¡± Nora tilted her head, but gently held it out. Eki took a step and looked at the paper. It was just plain paper and string used to wrap things in a shopping mall. A length that seems to be wrapped around a very elongated object. I spread it out and measured the length. As expected, it must have contained a magic sword. Who the hell brought a magic sword to Count Roaz¡¯s kitchen? Why? For what? There was no way they would have aimed at her. Echinacea herself didn¡¯t know that she was a sword genius. It was impossible for anyone to know her talent because she was a person who had never even done simple swordsmanship as an exercise, it was even more crazy to think that someone deliberately brought a magic sword to her. Then why? I had to figure this out. ¡®I don¡¯t know who you are¡­¡­but I will not forgive you.¡¯ Chapter 7 She clenched her teeth and folded the package. In the meantime, they arrived at Eki¡¯s private bathroom. ¡°Wash up first, I¡¯ll prepare your clothes. Shall I bring you breakfast, or would you like to have it together at the dining hall?¡± ¡°Together, with whom?¡± ¡°Of course, together with the Master, the Madam, and the Young Master. You often overslept, so if you want to eat together, I¡¯ll have to tell the kitchen in advance.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the Master, the Madam, the Young master¡­my parents? Right¡­my parents. With Lancel?¡± ¡°Then do you have any other parents? You are weird today.¡± ¡°Parents¡­you say.¡± ¡°Anyway, you are going to eat together, right? I will tell the kitchen.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± As she blankly replied, Nora left for the kitchen. Eki creaked into the bathroom. The bathroom had a large full-length mirror. She was reflected in the spotless mirror and stopped her steps. Twenty-year-old Echinacea Roaz was there. She was young, she wasn¡¯t wet with blood, she wasn¡¯t hurt, she was herself. Nora who was not dead even talked about her parents and her younger brother. She asked if she would like to eat together. That simple and ordinary question touched Eki¡¯s heart. Her face in the mirror was distorted as if she were crying. ¡°Everyone is alive. Really alive.¡± Her heart beat like it was going to break. She wanted to run right away to check her father¡¯s face, and get a hug from her mother¡¯s arms. Her whole body was trembling, Eki couldn¡¯t stand still and slumped down on the spot. She saved them. She did it. It really changed. Unlike the morning of March 17th she knew, this morning everyone was alive. Memories of six years of nightmares and nine years of collecting Giosa without resting came to mind in a jumble of memories. Blood-drenched nightmares. Desperate struggles and palpable pains. However, before the outcome she obtained, all those memories felt like nothing. Excitement and relief burst out, and Eki took a deep breath for a while. Her cheeks flushed red and she rubbed them with her hands several times. Tears welled up in her eyes but she pressed tightly against them. If there is any trace of crying, everyone will be worried. Worrying about her, what a sweet reality this is. It¡¯s been too long since she¡¯d lost everyone who cared for her. The single person, who appeared like a miracle and tried to help her but lost everything and died at her own hands. Yurien de Harden Kyrier. The blue eyes stared straight at her. Eyes she couldn¡¯t close as he died at her hands. ¡®That person¡­he must be alive.¡¯ I would like to meet. I miss him. I want to say that I finally made it, and his choice was not wrong. But he doesn¡¯t know anything. Right. Because not knowing is a better memory. No, I shouldn¡¯t even try to know him when I think of the things I had done. Eki moaned and rubbed her face. Then, the pattern on the palm of her hand caught her eyes and gave her goosebumps. A new beginning awaits, but the biggest nightmare still remains. ¡®What should I do about this?¡¯ First, I had to make the pattern inconspicuous. Wearing gloves was probably the easiest way. After a quick shower and looking for thin silk gloves, Nora came in. She dressed Eki in a pale purple dress. It was not for a party, but for everyday use. It was a dress she had wanted to wear for a very long time. Unknowingly, Eki rubbed the smooth fabric. She even swept through the lace as delicate as a spider¡¯s web. It was pretty, soft, and gorgeous. She liked the fluttering hem that fluffed up when she moved. She was excited. Because it really feels like everything was back in place. Nora, who was heading to the dining room together, looked back at her and said, ¡°You must be in a good mood, Miss. I was a bit worried about it earlier because you were acting a little strange.¡± ¡°Do I look happy?¡± ¡°Yes, you are smiling.¡± ¡°Smiling?¡± Eki touched the corner of her lips. She could feel the corners rising. She doesn¡¯t know how many years ago she smiled like that. Eki felt uncontrollably excited and laughed out loud. ¡°A lady must never laugh out loud, Eki.¡± A gentle voice came from behind. Eki¡¯s steps suddenly stopped while Nora bowed her back and said her greetings. ¡°Master, Madam, good morning.¡± ¡°Good morning, Nora. Eki, did you wake up early?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had breakfast with my daughter.¡± Greeting her affectionately, the Count couple passed by and entered the dining room. Lancel, who had already arrived, greeted his parents. After training, his hair, which was washed off, remained wet. The Countess, who was strict with manners, lightly pointed it out, and Lancel shyly covered his hair. The Count brought up that Nicole was due to arrive at the mansion by tomorrow. Nicole was a wizard sponsored by Roaz, who worked in the capital¡¯s wizard tower and frequently stayed at Roaz¡¯s estate on vacation. She, Eki, and Lancel were as close as brothers and sisters. Lancel laughed saying that he was looking forward to seeing Sister Nicole after a long time. Both the Count and the Countess had smiling faces. And they in turn looked at the Echinacea standing at the entrance. ¡°Sister, are you not awake yet?¡± ¡°Eki, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Come in.¡± The morning sun shone through the windows of the dining room. The family members who lived and breathed in the sunlight laughed and called for her. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks At one point Eki was not breathing. Her eyes didn¡¯t even blink. Then, as if a soul had entered a doll, she slowly blinked her eyes. Even when the darkness cast by her closed eyelids passed by, the appearance of her family did not vanish in thin air. It was neither a fantasy nor a dream. It was real. She choked up and barely answered. ¡°Yes.¡± She moved her steps into the landscape she had longed for. Her eyes were filled with the scenery. It was a landscape she eventually regained, a life she would protect at all costs. That¡¯s why I won¡¯t let a demon sword ruin this life I¡¯ve barely recovered. She walked with her right hand clasped tightly. One step at a time, the faces of her family got closer. The more she did that, the more stiff her chest was. Eki muttered unconsciously. ¡°¡­I really, miss you, really, really¡­¡± ¡°Huh? We saw each other yesterday, too.¡± ¡°Sister woke up early and quite strange at that. She must have been dreaming.¡± ¡°Did you have a bad dream, Eki?¡± My parents and my little brother handed each one a word. Echinacea smiled brightly with red eyes. ¡°Yes, maybe I had a bad dream.¡± * * * I don¡¯t know how the day went by. The literature teacher and the dance teacher scolded me for making frequent mistakes today, but I was not offended at all. They deserve to be angry because she was a student who forgot what they had taught her a few days ago. Of course, from Eki¡¯s point of view, it was the first class in 15 years, so there was nothing she could do about it. Even so, the class that used to be boring was enjoyable throughout. She was even happy to hear the scolding. The first day of coming back was over. Eki laid down on the bed after Nora turned off the lights and stepped back. She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep, feeling the still mood. She made sure Nora had completely moved away and then cautiously stood up. There was no need to light the lamp. She opened the curtains and let in the moonlight. Even with that little light, Eki could see around as if it were broad daylight. She sat across the bed and looked into her palms. She wore gloves all day long, but she couldn¡¯t even wear them when she slept, so she struggled to keep the mark out of Nora¡¯s sight. She reached out her hand and looked at the black spot-like glyph. A glass-like transparent sword rose from the pattern. A neat and beautiful sword that raises doubts about whether it is for decoration or not. However, this was a demon sword that drunk tens of thousands of litters of blood. Eki stared at her sword with cold eyes. ¡°Val.¡± The magic sword didn¡¯t answer. She laid the sword horizontally, clutching the handle. She wrapped her mana in her hand and slapped it over the glyph. [Ah! Ah! Hey! Wake me up nicely!] ¡°You finally woke up.¡± She threw her sword away at random. Valdergiosa, who had been with her for the nine years prior to the return, was accustomed to her rough handling. The demon sword grumbled. (Note: changing from Verdigiosa to Valdergiosa. It is closest to the Korean pronunciation.) [I¡¯m tired to death, but this human who is my owner keeps bullying me even now¡­] ¡°Seeing what you¡¯re talking nonsense, you seem to be sane, explain yourself.¡± [What.] ¡°Explain why you are still attached to me.¡± [This was expected. Time has gone back, but your soul remains the same. And I¡¯m a Giosa embedded in your soul.] ¡°There are ten other ten swords that I have collected. What about the other Giosas besides you?¡± [Even though you collected them, you never awakened their ego. You have to awaken their self to become a Giosa true master. Anyway, that¡¯s why I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s engraved on your soul, and if your soul is the same, then, of course, I¡¯m the same.] Valdergiosa chimed in as if this was a pathetic question. Eki¡¯s face became increasingly contorted. The demon sword continued talking without even paying attention. [Hey, the reason you remember everything is because of are an owner of Giosa. If it weren¡¯t for me you would forget everything and become a 20-year-old who knows nothing. Oh, then you might be eaten by me again.] ¡°Wait.¡± Eki¡¯s complexion turned pale while she was muttering ¡®no way¡¯. ¡°Are you saying that if I leave you, I will forget everything? All the memories before the return?¡± [If there are any other Giosa besides me, it will be maintained thanks to them, but if there is none, you will forget it¡­ But, master, do you really want to leave me?] The question came out with a little depressed tone. Eki laughed at the demonic sword¡¯s attitude. ¡°By all means.¡± [A heartless human¡­] Even if the shell that caused her to slaughter and the ego were different, that was essentially a demon sword. It was something she deeply realized when collecting Giosa for 9 years. Valdergiosa was the sword of slaughter. It is a sword made by a blacksmith using human malice and the intent to kill. Even if it acted harmlessly, she couldn¡¯t let her guard down. If she lets her guard down, she¡¯ll be stained with that sword, and she¡¯ll want to kill. There were times when she made such a mistake because of that. Before the return, in the days of collecting Giosa. It was a memory she didn¡¯t want to recall. Eki stared at the demon sword with a fed-up expression. Whether or not it was because she awakened its ego, it wasn¡¯t difficult for her to give up on the Giosa. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only I could have thrown it away as soon as I saw it. I just kept it for fear of it being manipulated by someone else if I threw it away. However, now, there was another reason why she could never let it go. Retention of memory. The demon sword whined that it wanted to kill people, but it did not lie. ¡°I can¡¯t throw it away until I get another Giosa.¡±