Her slender sword solidified and sparkled with a crimson light. Its blade even felt elegant. Jubilia herself gave off an imposing air as she wielded it, making the scene all the more impressive.
“So pretty!” Saya blurted.
“I... Um, thank you,” Jubilia said, blushing.
“You’re quite shy about it, huh?”
“It is said that a blood caliber reflects a noble’s wisdom and everything within them. A blood caliber is the very embodiment of a noble’s pride.”
“So this sword can hurt a noble?”
“Yes. That’s not all, either; this is the embodiment of my heart. So long as my spirit is not broken, it shall never shatter or crumble away.”
Jubilia drew the sword at her waist with her left hand, then threw it into the air. A single slash followed.
Her movements were so smooth, Saya forgot to breathe. How much devotion to training did it take to reach this level? A high-pitched, clear tone rang in the air as the sword Jubilia had thrown was split clean in two.
“It cannot be compared to a normal weapon made of steel.”
“Amazing. You must’ve practiced a great deal.” Saya felt both admiration and envy toward Jubilia. She possessed no such strength herself.
“No... I lost to that man despite my being a noble. My skills are still sorely lacking.”
“Oh, right,” Saya said. She then recalled the one other blood caliber she had witnessed before. “What is Lernaean’s blood caliber? Oh, I guess I’m not supposed to ask.”
“I do not know for myself, but Lord Lernaean’s blood caliber is said to be a whip. It moves at such a speed that it cannot be captured by the eye. Lord Lernaean does not hide it and has freely spoken about it before. I’m sure it’s an indication of how confident he is.”
“A whip, huh?”
At that time, Lernaean had suddenly launched an attack from a distance. If it truly had been an invisible whip, it must have been moving at an unbelievable speed and with devastating destructive force.
“I want to be stronger too. Hey, could you teach me how to use a sword?”
“Of course,” Jubilia replied, but quickly changed her mind. “Forgive me, but with all due respect, allow me to state my opinion. Everyone has their own role to play. I was born as a knight; therefore, I lived to push my sword to its very limits. Lady Saya, you should have a role of your own. There is more than one kind of strength.”
“A role for me? Do you know what that might be?”
“I do not, unfortunately. The only ones who would are those of a higher rank than me. I believe they are the ones who brought you here.”
“Meaning?”
“I’ve been wondering if your escape from the Garden and eventual arrival at the palace was all plotted by someone beforehand.”
“How so?”
It was Nagi who had taken Saya from the Garden. He had done so of his own will.
“I think it was unexpected for you to escape the Garden on your own. However, I feel like... his intrusion was well within somebody’s plans.”
“Why’s that?”
“Do you remember when we first met?”
“You came looking for me at Nagi’s village.”
“That’s right. And that was within a day of your escape. Do you not find that strange? The Garden was hidden. Who informed the capital that an incident had occurred there? The one and only guard was killed.”
“Keele was the one who told Nagi about the Garden. Does that mean Keele instigated Nagi into doing it for some noble’s sake?”
“It probably wasn’t his doing. His resentment toward nobles is very real. However, there was likely someone who fed him the information.”
“Cobalt.”
Saya recalled Crow’s face. That man was terribly well informed about all kinds of things. How had he come across such knowledge? Had it perhaps come from the nobles he claimed to oppose?
“Where in Agartha did they manage to obtain that liquid? ‘Halahala,’ they called it. They say some heretical scholar made it, and a noble’s blood is the core component.”
“Meaning it couldn’t possibly come from anyone but a noble?”
“Yes. Noble society is always in conflict—a den of vipers waiting to pull the rug out from beneath their rivals. It wouldn’t be strange for someone out there to try to make use of you as royalty.”
“You’re saying someone like that brought me all the way here?”
Jubilia nodded. “The original plan was likely to have the guard in the Garden defeat the intruder. After that, a rescue squad would arrive and bring you back to the royal palace because of the attack. Even with Halahala, I believe it was unexpected for a noble to be defeated by a commoner. I still can’t believe it, even now. The one who was stationed there was sluggish, and that commoner boy had rather deft movements. Regardless, it’s hard to believe he defeated a noble.”
“I might’ve done something,” Saya said quietly. She remembered that feeling of exaltation, of omnipotence, of something being born.
Saya looked at the crystallized sword in Jubilia’s hand. The color was vibrant, yet somehow ominous. Its light was dull, yet it shone beautifully.
“Why are you telling me about all this? Your loyalties lie with Lernaean, don’t they?”
Without hesitation, Jubilia replied, “Yes. I owe Lord Lernaean a great deal for saving me.”
That was precisely why Saya found it strange.
“You’re trying to avoid mentioning it, but I believe Lernaean was the mastermind behind all of this. He was suspiciously well prepared. Don’t you think it would be to his detriment for you to tell me all about his plans?”
“I do, but I couldn’t just stand by and watch.” Jubilia averted her gaze. “Lady Saya, it was... it was as if you had lost the will to live. You weren’t even taking a single meal. But ever since Lord Kyou came by, you have been an entirely different person.”
“I wanted to know what I am.”
“And I would like to answer you as best I can. That is why I’ve told you all this.”
“Thank you.”
Jubilia was kind, though it was hard for Saya to consider her an ally. The knight had pledged her allegiance to Lernaean, after all. If Lernaean was the one who had plotted to bring Saya here, then everything had played out in the palm of his hand. Additionally, there could be others who were scheming along with him.
But who? It would be someone overjoyed by her coming here. One such person came to mind.
“Hey, Jubilia. There’s someone I’d like to talk to.”
“And who is that?”
Saya apologized to Jubilia in her heart. She was planning to take advantage of her kindness.
“Kyou. I’d like to meet with my little brother.”