The Branded Female Fencer

In the downpouring sun, two shadows intersect on the roof of the mercenary regiment quarters where the Alphilis and the others live. Two shadow names, Renatica and Layer, which move at very unlikely speeds.

In the hands of the two, respectively, a knife and a sword. Lunatica fights oddly in and out with two swords she's good at, while the layers compete with the aggressiveness of stuffing all the time, not knowing they're going back. Two people who keep fighting silently, but in time the hands of the lay begin to be pushed by Renatica's multidirectional attacks. And a few moments later, Layer's sword was bounced off.

That's it for today.

"... ok"

Lunatica clings a small knife to her throat, and the layer takes a surrender position. When Renatica holds the knife in a familiar motion, she teaches him as he walks toward the sword that was bounced and stabbed to take the layer's sword.

"The layers stick to the sword. You can say I'm too preoccupied."

"Really?"

"Diverse weapons lead to a multitude of options. Even an opponent who can't win with a sword, a spear or a flying tool could win. Besides, I can think of enough fights in a situation without a sword."

"There's got to be a word for instrumental poverty."

"Indeed."

When Renatica pulls out her sword, she throws it on the layer. And he urged the sword to fall into the sheath of his hips.

"The thing about masters is horrible. I've had about four people named masters of swords, but none of them seemed to win if they did it properly. How do you think I ended them?

"Surprised."

"The two of you. But they fought from the front without surprise."

Layers often worry about questions like Lunatica's.

"... I don't know"

"I'll tell you. Through the sword."

That's what I said. The moment Layer tried to pull out the sword, Renatica held the pattern down with her feet. The layers would have stopped at a good fit to draw the sword. And the look on his face is irritating.

"Got it? What you call a sword involves a sheath. The sword that remains unplugged, etc. rusts quickly, and most importantly, it is dangerous. So I can't help but have a sheath, but whatever swordsman it is, it doesn't make a big difference in what it is called the action of pulling the sword out of the sheath. Will the sword hang on your hips or bear it on your back? The operations that can be taken from it are roughly limited. It's not just a sword, it could be any weapon."

"... I see"

"So I plant all sorts of weapons all over my body. It looks seemingly unmade, but it's a fairly calculated way to plant it. Stay standing, sitting, in the back, long live, in the middle of shaking hands. I can take out some kind of weapon in every condition. Diversity won't beat me first. And if you put a blow in it, the poison turns around. That's how I fight."

That's it. Renatica took her foot off the sword. Layer was silently listening to her explanation, but eventually turned to her as he was convinced.

"But I still want to stick to my sword."

"Right. It's personal freedom, and I'm not telling you to force me to stop doing anything. Just know the drawbacks. But listen to one thing. Why stick to the sword?

"Because the sword is all I have."

Layer pulls out his sword and answers with his fullness in the sun. Layers glared at the reflected light.

"The first time I killed someone was when I was 6. The target is a slave trader. He's terrible when it comes to general concepts, but I think he was very decent as a slave trader. But he was a total pervert. I'm happy to strangle people in the middle of an array - he was like that.

One day he was drunk. I got my hands on my products with a drunken momentum, and some of them died. But he didn't care, and reached out one after the other. As the boy next door strangled and bubbled, I thought I was next.

That's why I tried to kill him by hitting the lead. I was confident I would endure any terrible blame, but my instincts refused to do anything but get killed. I held the sword in his merchandise. [M] The moment I grabbed the sword, it seemed like some kind of force was pouring in. I felt my blood go through my sword. I felt blood coming through me for the first time. [M] I'm sure it was my fault, but the sword seemed to give me infinite power.

From there, what was ahead was too natural. He slew with his sword, and wiped out the merchant and his men. I thought some mercenaries stood up in arms, but it just wasn't that different from amateurs as targets to kill. But killing too much, I knew it would stand out. [M] So I've hardly ever waved a sword since. Whether you get kicked or kicked, it's better not to use a sword. "

"I see."

Renatica was convinced. It's an unbelievable story for everyone, normally, but it was an event that remained in her industry. Occasionally present, a natural killer who just seems to have been born to kill people. Renatica thought that the layers must be similar.

Layer was somewhat awesome in motion when he wasn't actually holding the sword, he was a silent, seemingly dodgy boy. Still their friends, Elsia and Gayle, don't seem to notice either, and they don't let any signs drift like murderers. This demonstrates that he has made killing a part of his routine and has no more hesitation than hair in taking his life.

The way emotions are sealed is acquired with ordinary training. But at a stage when layers were perfectly in control of them without anyone telling them, he was a monster enough.

"Then you have nothing to say from me. Be creative and outsmart me with your sword."

"Okay. strive."

"At that rate. But only one. That power, aren't you willing to say anything but me?

"Right... right. If Captain Alphilis finds out about this, will she hate it?

To Layer's question, Renatica twisted her neck.

"I don't know... it's too hard for me to do that. It's best to ask Lisa, but at the time I hear it, I can tell."

"Our training chooses place and time, too. When Lisa is around, she can't even train in the open."

"Yes, I always whimper that Lisa won't find out, although it seems to be a good idea now that we're all ready to go on another request with Alphilis"

"Sure. We need to find more places where her sensors won't work. Then let's still keep it a secret for a while. It might be more convenient."

Layer put his sword away and looked up at the sky. Spring is already upon us, one morning when the warm winds flow between them. Layers pursued as much strength as they could to protect their families while being taught by Renatica, who was specially trained by layers to be driven by strange instincts that they could not even explain themselves.

At first I was surprised by the behavior of the layer, but nothing inconvenient for him. Layers sharpened their blades in unknown places.

Continued