by Virlyce
Somehow, without me knowing, we entered a forest. I didn’t even see it on the horizon. One moment, we were walking on a road and I looked at a rock on the ground; then, bam, we were surrounded by trees. After a bit of intimidation, Lucia admitted we were lost. Sometimes, I forget she’s not the Godking. I’ve only ever had one owner—it’s a reasonable mistake.
When I traveled with that asshole, he always knew where he was going. He knew the best places to plunder, to hide his spoils, to escape from the law and criminals alike. I’ve seen him use a map a few times, but he never let me touch it. ‘You’re a weapon spirit; you won’t understand. What do you need a map for anyway? Are you going to roll it up into a paper sword?’ What an asshole, right? He wasn’t always that way, but puberty happened, and he became unbearable.
I wonder if puberty works differently for different races. Lucia still seems like a child. Now that I think about it, I have no idea how old she is. But the Godking never cried in front of me, not even when he was only up to my waist. I let out a sigh and stroked Lucia’s head. It wasn’t fair of me to compare her to him. At least Lucia is much easier to deal with than Roland. Ninety percent of the time, she’d forget her problems and feel better if I rub and scratch her ears like this. But why does her face always become so perverted? I should probably stop. “Do you have a map?”
Lucia’s eyes brightened, and she dug through her bag before handing me one. Alright, Roland, let me see what’s so hard about reading a map. I unfurled the piece of paper and stared at it. …And stared at it some more. I have no idea what any of these symbols mean. I’m sure if someone explained it to me, I would understand, but there’s no way I’ll be able to interpret this by myself. Just like those times I practiced alchemy and enchanting.
Although I used up all the medicinal ingredients in the miniature dimension, my success rate in creating pills is a whopping zero percent. The enchantment-weaving was slightly better with one successful low-grade strengthening rune inscribed on a sword. It took about thirty million tries. As for weapon-forging …, let’s not talk about that. For now, I’ll put this map away. I’ll figure it out eventually. Why was Lucia staring at me like that?
“Do you know which way to go?”
Hell no. But I’m not going to admit that to her. My image would be ruined. “Of course.” Maybe she’ll figure it out by herself if I stay silent.
Her head slowly tilted towards the side. When her ear reached her shoulder, she asked, “Which way do we go?”
“South.” It’s called the southern pass for a reason, right?
“And … which way is that?” She blinked twice.
Alright, distraction time. What would…, oh! “I said I’d teach you swordsmanship, right?”
“Yes!”
Ah, this almost feels like bullying. “This is how it begins. A swordsman must rely on their intuition.” I made sure to make eye contact so she knew I was serious. “Sometimes, you won’t be given a chance to think about your actions, and you’ll be forced to make a move. This is an exercise to train your intuition!” Did I stare too hard? I think I froze her again. “You will trust your instincts to find the way south.”
She seemed to be deep in thought. Of course, any random words of mine would be enlightening. Thousands of people would line up to hear me speak about the sword. Well, I bet they would. Roland never let me make any public appearances.
“You’re lost too, aren’t you?”
She saw through it? Was I looking down on her too much? “This. Is. Training.”
Lucia froze like a stunned deer. This killing intent is really handy. “I, I understand.” After saying that, she did something inexplicable. Did my aura damage her brain? Was she struck stupid? She spun around and around until she fell on her head. When I was about to say something, she sat up and said, “That way’s south.”
Maybe I really did damage her…. Isn’t she a bit too emotionally frail for a slave?
“If I’m wrong, tell me. I’m sure you know the way.”
Never mind. It seems like she’s back to normal. “This is a test of your intuition. If I tell you you’re wrong, you won’t trust your future judgments. And it isn’t pretty when an honest and simple person second-guesses herself.” I’ve seen it happen before. His brain literally exploded. Well, that’s because a unicorn kicked his face, but still, if he hadn’t stopped to think, he might still be alive.
“Stop calling me stupid!”
Yup. She’s completely back to normal now. “I said simple. There really is a difference.”
She didn’t say anything, so I followed after her. “Can’t you teach me anything else other than intuition?”
“I really did want to save it for when we found a suitable training ground.” A waterfall would be nice. There also had to be plenty of dangerous beasts. A few swinging logs. Maybe some bamboo poles. But I guess we won’t be finding a place like that for now. I should start her training soon. I wouldn’t be surprised if people discovered I was found. She did kill a prince after all. How much training with a sword did she have anyway? It’d be best if she didn’t have any. I asked her, but she didn’t reply.
“Lucia? Hello?”
“Yes?”
This girl. How does she get distracted so easily? “How much experience have you had with the sword?”
“Well, if you count that one time I used you in the miniature dimension, then … I’ve used a sword one time.”
Excellent. “Everyone has to start from somewhere. It’s great that I get to train you from the very beginning.” Maybe if I rub her ears while talking about training, she’ll associate training with pleasure. “I look forward to teaching you.” I’ll definitely make you into the next Godking, Lucia. Even if you want to run away, I won’t let you. My owner can’t be mediocre. What should I start with? Oh, if I make her do that, we can begin right now. It’s been a long time since I felt this excited.
***
I’m going to die. I’m really going to die. I’m dying. Ah, the ground feels so cold. It’s nice.
“D-Durandal.”
“Yes, Lucia?” Was he smiling? He really is a sadist. Why did I agree to this? Wait, no. He didn’t even give me a chance to disagree!
“H-help. Please.”
“Aren’t I helping you get stronger? No need to thank me.”
You know that’s not what I meant! “I can’t feel my legs.”
“Just your legs? It seems like you need to work a bit harder.”
A whimper escaped from my lips. “No more. I can’t do this.”
“Really? Then I’ll stop,” Durandal said and crouched over my fallen body. “But are you sure you want me to? Since you killed a prince, there’s bound to be people chasing after you. Not to mention that if any rumors spread about you owning me, then thousands of people will want to rob you.”
You’re the one who made me kill the prince! I have to admit he does have a point, but I really can’t move. My body feels like it’s on fire.
Durandal sighed. “How about this?” he asked and stood up. Where was he going? Was he abandoning me after leaving me in this state? “Come over here, and we can stop this training for the day.”
Eh? That’s too far! He only walked three steps away, but three steps seem like three miles when you have a four-hundred-pound sword on your back. “I really, really can’t move my legs.”
“Then crawl with your arms. I believe in you, Lucia. You can do it. If you couldn’t, I wouldn’t have asked.”
Please stop looking like you’re enjoying this. Shouldn’t a weapon spirit listen to his owner? Why does it seem like I’m the subordinate? How can someone so handsome be so cruel? What ever happened to chivalry? Wait. Did he say he believed in me? No one’s ever said that to me before. I can’t let him down!
Ah, my clothes are getting dirty, but that doesn’t matter. This isn’t the first time you crawled on the ground, Lucia, but this time, it’s so you’ll never have to crawl on the ground again. It really is painful thou
gh. There’s only one step left. He’s not going to move away at the last second, is he? No one can be that cruel. My fingers reached his toes.
“Well done, Lucia,” Durandal said and squatted down. His hand ran through my hair and rubbed my ears. The numbness in my body was temporarily replaced by pleasure. His voice was soft and soothing. “You really did a good job. I’m proud of you.”
I’m sorry for calling you a devil. You’re definitely an angel.
His weapon body became as light as a feather, and Durandal turned me over onto my back. “You can rest now,” he said and covered me with a blanket. “I’ll make sure you’re safe.”
What about a mattress? At least give me a pillow. “Lap pillow.”
Durandal’s face blanked. “Huh?”
“Be my pillow!” That’s the least you can do for making me suffer!
“Like this?” Durandal asked and raised an eyebrow. He sat on his ankles before lifting my head onto his lap. Perfect.
“Yes.” I exhaled and closed my eyes, relishing in the feeling behind my head. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine myself using the Godking’s legendary weapon as a pillow. How many people would want to kill me for this simple action? Too many to count. It’d be best if I got stronger, but I just wish it wasn’t so painful. “Head rub.”
His fingers ran through my hair and massaged my scalp. Why does this feel so nice? I almost forgot the pain he put me through. Almost. “You were really mean today.”
“Was I?” His hand scratched behind my ears. “What do you want to eat for dinner tonight? I’ll make it for you.”
“Pork chops! Beef stew! Walnuts!” Wait. Stop distracting me! I’m trying to be mad at you.
“If that’s what you want, then that’s what I’ll make.” His smile is a cheat. How can I be mad at something so beautiful? Maybe I should just give up. I can’t stay angry at him.
Hold on. Isn’t he a weapon spirit? “You can cook?”
“I can do anything.” Really? You didn’t know how to read a map. “Then I want a salad too. And grilled tomatoes with bell peppers, and three scoops of ice cream for dessert.”
“I’m not sure we have all those in your bag,” Durandal said as he stroked my tail. A shiver ran up my spine to the base of my head, causing me to flinch. Don’t do that without warning me! “Does that feel nice?”
My face is definitely on fire. I’m not going to answer him. I wish my arms would work, then I could lift this blanket over my face. Maybe if I close my eyes, he won’t be able to see me. What were we talking about? I think it had something to do with food.
Before I could say anything, Durandal asked me, “Why aren’t you circulating your qi?”
Huh? I opened my eyes. Why does he look so confused? “My what?”
“Your qi? Internal energy? Lifeforce?”
“I have that?” What is he talking about? Please stop staring at me like that. Your face is turning scary.
“You don’t know what I’m referring to?”
I instinctively swallowed my spit. “N-no. Um. Should I?” Tears pooled in my eyes, and his face turned blurry.
“I’m sorry, Lucia,” Durandal said. He resumed massaging my head. “I made a mistake.”
Mistake? Did he mean choosing me? Was qi or lifeforce really that important? He’s going to abandon me? I started to cry.
“L-Lucia? What’s wrong? Does your body hurt that much?”
Liquid ran down my nose. I sniffled, but it didn’t help. My body screamed at me, but I forced myself to turn around and grab Durandal’s leg while burying my face in his thigh. “Don’t leave me.”
“I’m not leaving. You’re my owner, remember? I’ll always be by your side.”
Does he really mean that? “You called me a mistake.”
“Did I? When?”
“Just now!”
“I was referring to the training…. If I knew you couldn’t control your qi, I wouldn’t have started with something so … physically intensive.”
What? “You’re … not leaving?”
“No. Where would I even go? I can’t go too far away from my weapon body. Silly, Lucia.”
Oh. Okay. Did I overreact? Maybe just a little. The tears stopped falling, and I raised my head. “Sorry I yelled. I didn’t want to be left behind again.” Was that really my voice? It sounds so frail.
His hand stroked my back. “Don’t worry, Lucia. I’m not mad or disappointed.”
What did I do to deserve a weapon spirit like him? Ah, I’m going to pass out. That training really was too much.
***
I screwed up. Poor, Lucia. She looks so tired. For her training, I decided to increase her strength with the simplest method available—pure weight training. I manipulated the weight of my weapon body to five hundred pounds and had her carry me as we traveled. Of course, I told her I only weighed four hundred pounds to make her feel better. To make sure she didn’t cheat, I used her qi to power my transformation, making her rely mostly on her body. Some qi was definitely necessary to prevent injuries from occurring.
What I didn’t account for was the fact that she had no idea how to manipulate her qi. Who doesn’t know how to do that? Evidently Lucia. I should’ve asked her, but I thought she knew. Qi exists in every living creature, unlike mana, which is why another name for it is lifeforce. Us weapon spirits can only exist by absorbing our owner’s qi which is why all of my friends disappeared in that miniature dimension. I only survived because I used spirit stones as a substitute.
With qi, carrying my five-hundred-pound body would’ve still been difficult for Lucia, but she would’ve been in a much better state instead of this half-dead one. Seriously. She can’t even move her body without tearing a few muscles. Wouldn’t it be super embarrassing for me if my master died due to overexertion? I really did screw up, but the surprising part was how long she lasted. Roland would’ve collapsed before her when he was her age. I think. I still have no clue how old Lucia is. I tried asking her, but she said something about women and their secrets.
The smell of burning entered my nose. How did these walnuts catch on fire? That doesn’t make any sense. And the pot is melting? That’s never happened before. Then again, I’ve only cooked one meal in my life. Roland never let me cook again after that. How was I supposed to learn without some practice? I’m sure a decent meal would’ve been created after a couple thousand tries.
“Durandal?” Oh. She’s awake.
“I’m right here.”
“Is something burning?”
Does molten metal count as burning? “No.”
Lucia stood up and waddled over to the campfire before collapsing, landing face first in the grass with the blanket still draped around her body. The moon shone down on her head, lighting up her brown hair. “It hurts.”
Sorry. “You shouldn’t be moving around. It’ll take a while for you to recuperate.”
“Eh?” Lucia sat up and tilted her head to the side. “But I’m perfectly fine?”
Huh? “What do you mean?”
“I always feel better after sleeping.” Lucia stared at me with her big, round eyes. Her stomach growled, drowning out the sounds of the campfire. “Ugh. It hurts.... So … hungry.”
The ladle in my hand fell out of my grasp. It passed straight through the bottom of the pot and landed in the fire with some liquid metal sticking to it. Her body recovered already? How is that possible?
“D-Durandal?”
I think I startled her again. Oops. “You shouldn’t be able to move. Weren’t you dying just a few hours ago?” I squinted at her before placing my hand on her head. Huh? Her qi is overflowing! “Didn’t you say you couldn’t circulate your lifeforce?” Was she lying to me?
“I don’t know how to do that,” she said with a pout. “But more importantly, the food’s inedible! How did you melt a pot with water in it!?”
Her priorities are definitely skewed. “Forget about the food for a second. Do you know that your qi is already replenished?”
“You haven’t even told me what my qi does. How am I supposed to know if it’s replenished or not? …Is this a burnt walnut? You know you don’t have to cook these, right…?”
Alright, I can’t cook! Sue me. Let’s pretend this fiasco never happened.
“Don’t destroy everything!” Lucia yelled and stopped me from getting rid of the evidence. She sighed and picked up a slightly burnt tomato that I seasoned. “At least one thing is fine.” She bit into it, and her face immediately turned red. “Hot sauce!? Why!?”
“It’s good for your circulation.”
Lucia threw the tomato into the fire. “I can’t believe I trusted you. I never thought a weapon spirit would try to kill its own master.”
Hey, hey. My cooking isn’t that bad. Forget it. Let’s change the topic. “Lucia.”
“Mm?” She was rummaging through her bag, taking out new cooking utensils.
“Do you know how to incorporate your qi into your attacks? Have there ever been times where your strike did a lot more damage than you thought it would?”
“Maybe a few times when I was angry.”
Hmm. Wasn’t there a test that Roland did that related to his qi? There were a few books on it too. “Have you done the water test?”
“Are you asking me if I can swim? Because the answer is no.”
“That’s not what I meant.” I took a cup out of her bag and filled it with water. “Hold out your hand, palm up.”
“Why?”
When did she become so suspicious of me? I’m a completely trustworthy person. “I want to see what category of qi manipulation you belong to.” Maybe I should release some killing intent. There we go. I placed the cup on her stiff palm. “Now close your eyes. Imagine there’s a ball of water below your belly button. Do you see it?”
“Yes.”
“Now try to imagine a strand of water rising up to your chest, then to your right shoulder, then down to your palm and into the bottom of the cup.”
Lucia’s brow furrowed as she bit her lower lip. I peered at the surface of the cup. When qi entered water like this, there were a few things that could happen. The water level could rise or lower. The cup could expand or contract. For Lucia, the cup exploded, splashing water onto both of us.