Against Sen no Tsurugi, who wielded magic swords, a long-range attack strategy was launched.
“Haa, haa, haa.”
In the frozen time, only Cecilia’s breathing could be heard. The fire, having served its purpose, vanished with a puff of smoke.
Cecilia sheathed her sword in front of Sen no Tsurugi. Upon closer inspection, a single red line marked the girl’s neck. This was clearly a victory. She might indeed be the best swordsman, given her elven blood.
Cecilia, with her back to the enemy, walked away, then suddenly stopped.
“Ugh, n…”
“What’s wrong, Cecilia? What?”
To her surprise, a knife was plunged into her back. This was bad; the enemy hadn’t given up.
“Cecilia, don’t move!”
I had to rescue her quickly, but how? I recalled that it was generally better not to remove a knife that had been plunged in. The best course of action would be for Philiana to rush her to the hospital.
Cecilia ignored my words and reached for the knife in her back.
“Arghhhh!”
She then forcibly pulled it out and slammed it onto the ground. Bright red blood dripped, staining her feet.
“You! That’s enough! Don’t you understand?! We’re going easy on you!!”
Cecilia’s furious shout echoed through the dark forest as she turned around.
“Because you are still a child. I thought you didn’t want to kill me for real! Fine, if you want to get serious.”
No one could move due to her overwhelming presence. Cecilia roughly drew her sword and charged. Her opponent countered by manipulating three swords.
Clang, clang. Blades clashed with brute force. Sparks flew, and blood splattered. Cecilia’s usually neat hair came undone and stuck to her face with sweat.
Under the relentless barrage of attacks, the elven sword seemed to scream. It was suffering; the thin blade creaked with anger and pain. Even if I weren’t an elf, the air carried the feeling.
Why? Why was Cecilia so angry? Was it because she was stabbed from behind?
“Hah hah, unngh…”
Apparently, she had reached her limit. Cecilia’s movements faltered. Sen no Tsurugi watched with a blank expression. It looked like the end.
“Go on, you’re going to kill me, aren’t you? Try it, but then you’ll be a fine murderer.”
The tips of the three swords floating in the air pointed towards Cecilia. Her back soaked in red, Cecilia laughed.
“Fufu, it’s cowardly not to do it with your own hands.”
“Wait, Cecilia!”
*Kachin*
An incoming blade was deflected by Philiana just before it could pierce Cecilia’s chest. Oh, thank goodness, that was close. She’s so reckless.
“I didn’t need your help.”
“I cannot afford to lose you here. Sen no Tsurugi, listen carefully: once you step onto this path, there’s no turning back.”
Whether Philiana’s words reached her or not, the girl returned the deflected sword.
“Actually, I’ve never killed anyone directly before. Well, maybe after a battle, they might have died. I know it’s pathetic, but…”
“No, it’s not pathetic at all. I remember mocking you before, saying you couldn’t even kill someone.”
Come to think of it, a long time ago, I had killed a black Centaur, a kinsman of Philiana’s. At that time, Cecilia had declared Philiana unfit to be a knight when she nearly fainted.
“At that time, I thought being a superior swordsman meant being able to take lives carelessly. Abandoning all emotion, becoming cold-hearted. But that also means abandoning one’s humanity. I am already a murderer.”
“I still clearly remember the first time I killed someone. I was fourteen when I killed an adventurer who intruded into the forest. Begging for my life? Of course, I was young then. A novice adventurer, who had only come to gather herbs…”
A tear fell, mixed with blood. Cecilia’s shoulder trembled slightly.
“I wanted to justify my actions, I didn’t want to admit it was wrong! Even after that, I took several more lives. Even so, I still wanted to be human because I found true companions. Because they gave me a chance. It was good that I didn’t kill the Boa Orc then.”
Boa Orc. Yes, Elana had stopped Cecilia from delivering the finishing blow at that time. She had argued that a truly superior warrior is one who forgives.
“Don’t end up like me, you fool. You are strong, so don’t waste that power…”
“Cecilia-san!”
With her last words, Cecilia collapsed. Philiana hastily caught her. Then, she spoke her final words to the girl.
“No matter the situation, it is you yourself who carves out the future. Think and act for yourself.”
Carrying the fallen Cecilia, Philiana turned her back on the enemy. The three swords dancing in the air remained suspended, as if awaiting their master’s command.
Cecilia had been fighting herself all along. I too wished for the day she could shed the moniker of Sen no Tsurugi.
“Guaaaah!! Ugh…”
At that moment, as if to blow away the heavy atmosphere, Cedric’s scream resounded.
