The Elemental Sword Demon King
Episode 89: Change of Purpose & Determination
POV: Kirigaya Kaizo
_____________________________________
It was night time. Small-Town Academy Square was crowded with crowds of people. A sweet aroma tickled his nose.
At the temple, delicious-looking roasted sweets were stacked like mountains and the princesses sent from the academy performed sword dances that entertained the spirits.
As his gaze fell toward the chocolate Victoria had thrown away, Kaizo sighed in despair, "However, where did the girl go?"
Together with Eve and the other two, they pursue Victoria. But in the middle of the road, the time of the patrol change arrived and they had to give up. With that, they started their rounds around the «Angin» area.
Eve walked right beside him with a complicated expression and continued to stare at the chocolate Kaizo was carrying. He looks like he's nervous about something.
"What's up, Eve?"
"N-no, it's okay. There seems to be no problem in this area." Eve coughed and threw away her face.
Indeed, there seemed to be no signs of suspicious activity in this area. While there may be fights between drunkards and pickpockets, such issues are left to be dealt with by vigilante teams in the city.
Instead, what Kaizo and the others needed to be aware of were things that the townspeople, who were not accustomed to interacting with spirits, inflicted spirit fury unknowingly. During the ritual worship of transcendental beings, such incidents often occur.
"It's almost like, a date."
"Hm, did you say anything?"
"Nothing at all, concentrate more on patrol!" Eve's face flushed with anger.
"I'm so sorry" Kaizo apologized.
(Wait a minute, isn't Eve the one who isn't concentrating?)
Since a moment ago, Eve who was unable to calm down, once in a while she stole a glance at Kaizo's face from the side. Somehow, the way he walked seemed shaky and uncertain.
Their shoulders came so close that he was not sure if they touched, and then he shouted, "Fuwaa" and once again moved away from her.
That kind of thing keeps happening over and over again. And because of that, they bumped into the people they passed by so many times.
"Eve, walking like that is dangerous."
Unable to see any longer, Kaizo grabbed Eve's hand.
"W-what are you doing, you brash fellow!"
"No, since a while ago, you've been a little shaky, and it's become dangerous, and also your hands are a little hot. Do you have a fever or something?"
"Who do you think that's wrong?!"
When Eve's hand joins Kaizo, she hits him on the shoulder. "I will hold you responsible for taking my first time!"
"What!?"
Hearing the words of Eve whose face was dyed bright red, The people pacing the street turned around with beaming faces.
They glared at Kaizo with disdainful gazes and muttered in a soft voice together.
"Eve, don't say anything that would invite misunderstanding!"
"This-this is not a misunderstanding! Really, i-this is the first time I've joined hands with a man!"
Kaizo suddenly began to understand the reason behind his statement earlier. Thinking about it, Eve was also a princess with a prestigious noble background.
Now that he thought about it again, Victoria and the others seemed hesitant to join hands with him when they left yesterday.
For those who were princesses of nobility, joining hands with a boy was probably an even more shameful act than he had imagined.
"I'm sorry, it's my fault."
Just as Kaizo was about to let go of her hand, Eve refused, "Ah, no, I don't mind, and I don't mean to scare you." Eve timidly looked away, she tightly squeezed her hand back.
It was a gentle feeling from the hands of a girl. The reason the calluses formed here and there was definitely proof that he was seriously practicing martial arts. Exactly like that, Eve walked stiffly like a spring toy
"Here, a man's hand"
He was immediately startled by Eve's usually dignified facial expression.
"It's more embarrassing than I thought, to hold hands."
"Ah, that's right." Scratching his cheeks with one hand, Kaizo faintly nodded.
To be honest, he was a little confused. From a moment ago, Eve's huge chest pressed against her arm.
Although, she did not directly touch him because her Knight chest protector was there, her elasticity sensation was transmitted whether she received it or not.
The reason why his eyes had unconsciously moved to a body intentional was beneath his armor was something that was inevitable for a boy in puberty.
(De-with such a stiff personality, her body is really soft,)
With their hearts pounding and full of excitement, the two walked down the main street filled with the bustle of the festival for a while.
The beautiful stone path was illuminated by the spirit crystal light. Pointing at the softly decorated toy bear in the display case, Eve's eyes sparkled, and she stared at the beautiful party dress in front of the clothing store.
As Kaizo discussed the incident of the maid outfit yesterday to tease her, her face turned crimson as she said, "Hmph! Besides, I'm not cut out for such beautiful clothes!"
"There's nothing like it. Eve in her usual knightly attire is also attractive, but I also want to see Eve wearing this kind of outfit."
"W-what are you talking about?" Flicking her lips, Eve timidly looked down.
The action was not from the usually dignified knights, they seemed like ordinary girls. Seeing him like that, Kaizo suddenly had something he wanted to try asking.
"Hey, Eve, why are you planning on becoming a knight?"
While she was the daughter of a top military family, the Veilmist family, she felt that her obsession with the way of life of a knight was not just for that reason.
Eve slowly turned her face towards him and replied quietly, "Initially because of my admiration for big brother."
"Lucia Eva is that?"
"That's right. Brother is a great knight. He is a man who is self-disciplined, hates injustice, earnestly polishes his sword skills, and always aims for such a way of life as achieving people's goals."
As if gazing into a distant place, he looked at the sky that was colored by the dim sunset.
“Since childhood, I've always thought of wanting to be a knight like big brother. As the successor of the Veilmist family, I want to become a spirit knight that protects many people. So, when I joined the academy, I immediately made an application to the Hybrid Knight that brother served as Captain."
Suddenly, Eve's reddish-brown pupils darkened. Eve continued, "But when I joined the academy, big brother had already changed. As if he was being pushed by something, he had turned into someone who was just pursuing power."
Sighing Eve looked up at the night sky, "Of course, I can't say that the way of life is completely wrong. Pursuing superior strength was also an appropriate way of life as an elementalist. However, at least, that person right now is not the knight I admire."
"What made him turn that way?" Kaizo asked.
Eve bit her lips tightly and replied, "This may have something to do with the match against Rei Assar three years ago."
"I'm not sure what happened either. However, after that match, the fact that big brother had changed was obvious."
Without thinking, Kaizo had raised his voice. He dropped his gaze onto his left hand which was tucked in a leather glove. The spirit seal, which bound him with the contracted spirit earlier, was engraved there.
It was the left hand that defeated Lucia and won through the Sword Style Festival three years ago. It was the left hand that had cut off a lot of «Wish» for the sake of victory.
(I didn't see anything three years ago)
Kaizo just fought for him. He earnestly collected the victory and knocked down many opponents with a pure heart. There was practically no opponent whose face he remembered.
At that moment, he did not have the spare time to think about things like what kind of thoughts the opponent defeated by Rei Assar had when participating in the Sword Style Festival. She remembered her opponent was Lucia Eva who was like ice.
(Did I change the purpose of the respected knight Eve?)
Eve dropped her gaze from the crazier red sky, and turned towards Kaizo. His reddish-brown pupils harbored a strong desire.
...
*Connected.....
*Note: This story is fictitious. If there is a similarity in the name of the character, the scene, or the story, it is a mere coincidence and there is no element of intentionality.