Part 45:
The Lady Knight Receives the Sacred Scabbard Arcadia
CATRIA FACED THE DEMON LORD Asmodeus alongside Lithisia and Alan. The lady knight had turned even the pommel of her Holy Knight Blade into a weapon. Against whom, one might ask? Well, against herself, so that she might forget Alan’s words.
“I want to mine everything you have.”
The demon lord Asmodeus had approached Alan with a deal. In exchange for the Purple Orb, she desired Catria or Lithisia for herself. Of course, Alan completely and utterly refused; both women were his own personal gold veins of talent. He wanted to mine everything that lay within Catria.
Wh-wh-what the hell is he saying?! What does that even mean?! How could he say that?!
Depending on how one interpreted his statement, it could very well be taken as a confession of love.
Catria’s heart wouldn’t stop pounding. Or was that the rhythmic clank of a shovel against her heart?
“No! Impossible! There is no clanking here!”
“Hee hee… Hee hee hee. Is this your feeble attempt to resist, my sweet knight?” Asmodeus laughed, reveling in the intensity of Catria’s ultimately futile struggle.
“Dammit! Damn everything!” Catria cursed. C’mon, me! Hurry up and forget what he said! You’re going to lose your mind if you keep thinking of those words! Your heart is going nuts! You’re going to smile as wide as the shovel is long. Your pulse is gonna keep racing! You can’t let that happen! Just forget what he said. As much as you can!
“Haah, haaah, HAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Catria let out an unnerving roar of a laugh as she thwacked herself on the head with the pommel of her Holy Blade, tears in her eyes. “Hee, hee hee hee… O-ow.”
Ow, it really hurts! But, but! Catria grinned. “I think I’ve pretty much forgotten it!”
“Oho!” said Asmodeus. “Fascinating. Miner Alan, this knight managed to resist your attempt to woo her!”
“Woo her? What’re you going on about?”
“Hmph, now I desire her more than ever.” Asmodeus slowly rose to her feet.
In response, Alan straightened and gripped his shovel, placing himself in front of Catria and Lithisia to protect them. The lady knight managed to overcome the throbbing pain in her head long enough to raise her Holy Knight Blade.
Meanwhile, Lithisia happily sang, “Sir Miner, Sir Miner, Sir Miner, love, love, love, shlove, shlove.”
You know, the usual.
Just as Alan had said he felt an obligation toward Catria, he had also confessed he would take responsibility for Lithisia. This had, to no surprise, led to her current state.
“Ugh.” Catria felt a chill run down the nape of her neck. But this wasn’t the time to think of stupid things. We face a new enemy, one more powerful than any we’ve ever confronted.
“Alan, can we win?” she asked.
“Well, in a one-on-one fight, I’d say I had a 30 percent chance of winning.”
Not a reassuring number. Certainly it was ridiculous to claim he had any hope of overcoming a legendary being in the first place, but still.
Asmodeus once again let out a merry laugh. As she did, the eyes of every demon in the throne room glowed a fiery red. “One-on-one, perhaps. But you are in my world, Miner Alan.”
“Hrm.”
“Your shovel is at its most powerful underground. However, there is no ground here to speak of.”
Alan surveyed his surroundings; demons stood everywhere, holding themselves absolutely still, like statues. There had to be over three hundred all told, each and every one of them horrific to behold. Some leaked fire from inflamed green skin, and others were giants covered in needles. Creatures straight out of fairy tales. One beast looked even more intimidating than draconic Pazuzu of the floating city Rahzelfo.
As soon as Asmodeus gave the order, they would all most certainly attack.
“But maybe, Alan…” Catria murmured.
Alan could fight through it all. Even the cursed princess could probably survive using her Shovel Revision.
I’m just a human, thought Catria. I’m going to drag them down…
Even before this battle began, Catria faced off with her lack of self-esteem.
“However, I’m not alone. It’s three of us against all of you.” Alan glanced back at Lithisia and Catria, wearing a confident smile. “I can’t beat you with a single shovel, Asmodeus. But…”
Light blue energy radiated from Alan’s shovel. As if called to arms, Catria’s Holy Knight Blade radiated blue energy as well. Their mutual wave energy shone with incredible power. Even Lithisia’s red shovel emanated faint blue light.
“We’ve got three shovels here. There’s no way we’re gonna lose,” Alan said as the three strands of light flowed into him. “Catria, watch my back.”
“Huh…?!”
WHOOAAAAAA!!!
An intense euphoria washed over Catria. This was the sensation of being relied upon—and by Alan of all people! The strongest man in the world had acknowledged Catria, a knight of meager skill, as someone worth relying on. Here, today, she stood beside him as a shovel wielder of equal—
“No, no, no! What am I thinking?! This isn’t what I wanted! Don’t you dare acknowledge my shovel!”
“Hrm?”
Catria was playing the straight man in her own solo comedy act.
What am I thinking, getting all happy?! Why are my cheeks all puffy and warm?! This means Alan thinks I’m on the same level of shovel nonsense as the princess! He’s definitely not thinking about me as a woman! Why the hell am I getting all frazzled?!
“Wait, why am I even thinking about that?!”
Frazzled?! No, no, no! That’s impossible! Catria’s eyes spun in confusion.
“Calm yourself, Catria,” said Alan. “If you don’t stabilize your shovel, you might not be able to defeat an enemy you otherwise should’ve been able to.”
“Precisely, Catria,” said Lithisia. “We’re going to Tri-Shovel!”
“I so am not! I refuse to shovel a damn thing!” Catria was in shambles.
Instead of taking this opening to attack, Asmodeus simply watched, a pleased smile on her face. She then laughed gently, though it soon turned into a booming roar that seemed to shake the entire throne room before receding into a low cackle.
“I’m done.” And just like that, the killing intent seething from Asmodeus disappeared.
“Hrm.” Alan kept his shovel at the ready.
“If we fight, I would no doubt end up killing the lot of you, which would be unfortunate. I’ve taken quite a liking to you all.” Asmodeus laughed even more. “Especially you, good knight. You’re thoroughly delightful. Truly.”
“Wh-what?”
“You see, I adore watching humans struggle against impossible odds. Over the last few thousand years, I’ve watched this planet very closely. I’ve delighted as humans perished while struggling with starvation and all manner of other sufferings. But you, I’ve never seen anyone quite like you. Someone who strives to struggle against the shovel…but to no end.” Asmodeus let loose a high-pitched cackle. “It is due to that struggle that I gift you this.”
Thunk!
With a single finger, Asmodeus rolled something over to Catria: a gem about the size of the palm of her hand, shining purple. One of the orbs.
“The Purple Orb?!” Catria gasped.
“Shovmodeus? (What are you plotting, Asmodeus?)” Lithisia demanded.
“As I said, I’ve grown quite fond of you, and if we fight, I’ll want to kill you.” Asmodeus laughed again. She looked again at Catria and continued to laugh.
Alan picked the orb off the floor. “You have my thanks, Asmodeus.”
“I never cared much for that trinket to begin with. It was a gift from Burg.”
“Shovel? Zeleburg gave it to you?”
“Likely to try and earn my favor. He plans to become my successor. Foolish.” Asmodeus smiled at Catria. “You are welcome in my domain whensoever you wish, Scabbard Knight of Alan.”
She clearly desired to see more of the lady knight. Truth be told, demon or no, Catria found it felt good to be so valued by one as powerful as Asmodeus.
And yet.
“Scabbard Knight? What do you mean by that?”
“Do you not wish to be mined for all you possess?”
A scabbard. A place to store one’s blade. I’m Alan’s scabbard? In other words…
“?!?!?!”
After a moment of thought, Catria’s cheeks turned crimson. Crap! She made me remember what he said! Dammit all! Forget it, Catria!
Asmodeus continued to chuckle. “Truly a fascinating treat, Shovel Scabbard Knight.”
“Sh-shut up! Shut up, you cursed demon!” Catria’s eyes filled with tears as she shouted at the great being.
“Hee hee hee. Then allow me to present you with a gift. Perhaps this will change your mood.”
“Huh? Another gift?”