Chapter 58: Knight
What exactly is a swordsman? Someone who wields a sword? A person who trained with a sword for years? Or someone who happens to have knowledge about sword arts?
Those are indeed requirements one needs to fulfil in order to be called a swordsman, but above all of that, there is one more thing that is crucial to one.
It's something so important that a person who doesn't possess it can't be called a true swordsman. A sword style derived from a steel will, or so to speak.
The will to follow a path solely dedicated to the sword. Wavering and doubting the path one chooses wouldn't allow him to succeed in developing himself.
Every swordsman had a path different from another. Swordmasters and ranks above were also closely related to such paths.
The sword users would always find themselves struggling to overcome the walls if they were feeling unsure of themselves. Not every sword user was a true swordsman, though.
Most people picked the sword as a means to survive in this cruel world. Some were using it to earn some crumbs of bread for themselves and their families. A few had no way of satisfying their entertainment without swinging the sword and so on.
Whichever the world it was, 'survival of the fittest.' was surely its motto. That was the reason people struggled, strived, and lived.
The real swordsmen lived their whole lives dedicated to swords. Letting the sword slip away from their grasp meant death for them.
That wasn't true for everyone, though. There were people who possessed the true essence of an outstanding swordsman, even though they never dedicated themselves to the sword. Some even rose to the rank of swordmaster.
Adrienne was such a person whose example could be very well fitting in this case. The sword emperor, whose sword only swung for three certain motives.
Two of them were actual facts anyone could've noticed when he fought against his enemies for real. Those were 'exacting revenge' and 'devouring skills to get stronger'.
That sword style of his was beyond unique. Almost all swordmasters were able to see through the attack pattern of their enemy sword users, but copying the attacks? That was unheard of.
The type of sword a person wished for was deeply linked to his heart. In rare instances, there would be individuals like Adrienne who would start walking a path with more than a single motive for swinging their sword.
It went without saying that the future of a swordsman would be determined based on his sword style. The more complex it is, the more effort it will take to grow stronger.
Complexity was better than being simple, though. The path, which seemed simple, would be more difficult for people to tread on.
One would even cross the rank of the sword emperor if his sword style happened to be worthy enough to get him enlightenment. It's either enlightenment or the drastic development of skills that helps one raise their rank.
"So... Answer me... Why do you swing your sword?"
Adrienne's serious tone made Jaden fall into deep thinking. He had never wondered why he had allowed himself to continue like that.
At that point in time, Jaden was doing what Aliana had asked him to do. He never thought much about most stuff. The carelessness had cost him his decision-making ability.
For what reason was it that he chose to wield the sword? Surely he sometimes decided when he would fight against someone and all, but that was either on impulse or because he just didn't like their way of doing things.
In total, he had put that sword in use over four times. Two times, it was because Aliana had asked him to do so. And the remaining two times, it was on impulse.
The first was at the training grounds back at the Brimstone Residence. Followed by the time at Lenon's birthday banquet.
The third was when they came across the demon god worshipper in Darrell village. And the last one was when he chose to pierce through Adrienne's test.
'For what reason... do I swing the sword...?'
Thanks to all of that, he had no valid answer for that question. He simply never understood such deep things, even after Adrienne's explanation.
Naturally, no matter how much he questioned himself, there would be no answer to it. That was how things had become by then.
Sigh
Seeing his stiff expression, Adrienne could deduce that Jaden had never thought about it before. Though it might've been better if he had done so before, it doesn't matter currently.
There was still time for Jaden to find out about it. There was no particular reason for them to rush it. If Aliana had mentioned when she was going to return, things would've been a bit different.
"You can think about it later, I suppose. For now, try performing fifty horizontal slashes."
Adrienne had reduced the intensity of training after judging Jaden to be a bit weaker than he had expected. Little did Jaden know about it, and he ended up concluding that Adrienne was trying to go easy on him.
Though that was somewhat true, it wasn't totally correct. Adrienne wanted Jaden to be able to exercise for as long as possible.
One person had made a mistake, though. Blaise will regret leaving the training grounds later on when he hears about that.
The training that Adrienne had put forth for Jaden went on non-stop for a total of four hours. It would've lasted even longer if not for Jaden's passing out after exerting himself.
"It's too calm..."
Sierra was watching over the two from another room she had created using her ability. She was expecting the people Adrienne mentioned while narrating his story, but nothing had yet happened.
Everyone within the Elven Forest was actually on alert upon Sierra and Diona's suggestion. They were expecting something huge to happen.
Time went by, yet not even a single enemy had shown up. They had no clue that certain twin siblings had done something to the enemies they were anticipating.
The unsettling movements at the edge of the forest were unknown to Sierra since she was maintaining the other dimension while keeping an eye on Jaden and Adrienne. Her lips were left gaping as she muttered to herself.
"Maybe a storm is brewing..."
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"Hahaha. I heard Ace's mission got screwed by the 'zodiacs' a while ago."
Her voice made the woman sitting next to her shiver from nervousness. The erratic laughter that she was being graced by wasn't something she wished for.
The black veil covering her eyes made her extended lips look more scary. The woman in front of her was someone who made her blood boil with an unsettling rage.
"You 'probables' are too naive to be failing such easy tasks."
The woman clenched her fist tight upon hearing the remarks being made about her group. The blonde hair was glistening, with a tint of red.
"At least they trie-"
Slap
The numbing sensation on her right cheek intensified following the sound. Her white skin became red-purple after being slapped by the woman.
A tiny line of blood flowed down her rosy lips. That pain never made her gaze falter. She only stared cold daggers at the woman who hit her.
"YOU FORGOT WHO YOU LIVE TO SERVE FOR, KNIGHT? I'M QUEEN. YOUR MASTER!"
Queen's words made the swirling emotions in Knight's heart feel her suffocating. Those words were what left her speechless yet angry.
The slap she had received from her wasn't anything but full of anger. Queen was taking her frustration out on Knight. The echoes of her own cheeks getting slapped made her vision hazy.
'How long will I continue to follow their words...?'
Her blue eyes displayed no emotion as she thought of that. The slaps that could've made one scream and writhe in pain didn't make her let out even a single sound.
After a few seconds, it came to a stop. Queen was breathing heavily, and her white gloves turned red from the blood that got on her hands.
Knight didn't move an inch, and she stared coldly at the person who had hurt her. If it were a normal person, they would've burst into tears right after the first slap.
Knight had managed to not shed a tear after enduring over fifteen of those slaps. Her cheeks had become purple with a bit of swelling.
"I've decided... I'll take care of you before Ace and Jack return."
Queen held her hand around Knight's neck and tightened the grip around it. She could feel her vision slowly turn black, but luckily the grip loosened up the next moment.
If she were to kill Knight, Ace and Jack would get a reason to stop her from becoming leader of the Terminus Consortium. No one would actually care whether Knight died or stayed alive.
What mattered to them was obtaining the power to rule over their organization. Knight herself was aware of the same fact very well.
She would've actually been killed by the Queen a long time ago. There were multiple reasons why Queen had it out on her each and every time.
Knight originally belonged to a totally irrelevant group called the 'guard'. Her sole purpose was to protect the king and queen. The rank of Knight was above Ace and Jack at that time.
But she wasn't satisfied with how the Queen and King behaved against her. In the end, she left that position to join the 'probables' who were searching for another member.
Unlike the rest of the members of the organisation, Knight was someone who valued human lives. She had never murdered an innocent person. Not to mention, she spared the lives of her targets after cutting a limb or two.
What she did was only protect King and Queen in the beginning. Later, things got a bit messy since she was able to complete her tasks without failing once.
"I think there is one way for you to live on..."
Queen's words weren't sounding trustworthy to Knight. She was aware of what kind of person Queen was. To meet her selfish goals, she wouldn't have hesitated to kill her.
Yet again, Knight was already sick and tired of how they treated her in the absence of Jack and Ace. They were the only ones who had been watching out for her since the beginning.
She thought she was doing well trying to meet their expectations, but she had no idea that everyone within that group was trying to eliminate one or another for power.
"What... is it...?"
Her dry voice broke apart as she gasped for air. The sensation of getting her neck strangled had left quite a bit of suffocation behind her.
If the option that Queen gave her was good enough, then she would rather choose it than stay there just to die. She had already made up her mind.
"Resign from your post and leave the organisation."
A blank expression was showcased on Knight's beaten-up face. Hearing those words, she felt a vast mix of emotions swooping her heart away.
She couldn't believe what she was listening to at the moment. Slowly, a burning sensation was felt on her slightly torn lips.
Something was rolling down her cheeks in the form of a stream. Without even realising it, her vision had been obstructed by her own tears.
"Gladly!"
A smile appeared on her face as she rejoiced. Queen's smile faded away witnessing that. This wasn't how it was supposed to have gone.
'You should be crawling on the ground and begging to let you stay-'
Before Queen could put her thoughts into words, Knight, who was just within her sight, had disappeared into thin air.
Swish
Knight was the fastest person within their organisation. That was the reason she had the duty to guard the king and queen.
Using that very speed of hers, she had run away from that place. The tears of happiness she felt for the first time after a long time sparkled in the air.
She had never thought that leaving the organisation was actually an option. At present, she was feeling truly free from all her worries.
"I'M GOING TO DO WHAT I WANT TO FROM NOW ON!"
She yelled before fading into thin air. The true speed she had kept hidden all this while made her invisible to bare eyes.
Knight's resignation will be leaving Queen in quite a trouble. Once Ace and Jack return, they will be doing their best to give Queen a hard time.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
AbyssKun00
AbyssKun00 Next chapter on Thursday. :)
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