The Branded Female Fencer

Prepare for Crusade, Part 4 – Eve Before Crusade

“… so, who did you ask?

Anorn stares at Alberto with his eyes like he sees his enemies.

“Five generations ago, from the notes of my ancestors”

“You’re that sexually harassing bastard! Not only my hands, but my mouth was light!! There were temple knights.”

“You can be angry, but before you do, can you listen to me?

Alberto responds with a calm voice in an effort.

“Fine! Depends. I’m gonna pull your neck out, okay?

“Please feel free… to know why we Lazar family exist?

“Naturally, protecting the supreme bishop, right? Even in that life.”

“Sure, but it’s not what Miranda thought it meant a little bit”

Moments later, Miranda grabs Alberto’s collar and slaps him against the wall.

“Who called me by that name! The only thing you can call Atashi by that name is the Supreme Bishop!

“I’m sorry… would you like to continue the conversation?

“Shit! Keep going!

Alberto abusively, Anorun leaving badly.

“Our raison d ‘être is to protect the supreme diocese. But life is not the only thing that protects you, and Lazar has been told to protect all of you in every generation.”

“Everything? What do you mean?

“I don’t know what to say… this seems to be the first generation to say when our lineage became the Knights Temple Commander, and what we can’t do is disqualify us from naming Lazar. At the same time, it also means that those without the strength to name Lazar do not have to belong to the Arnelian Church. I can’t tell you the exact reason right now, but does it just mean ‘never leave the Supreme Patriarch alone’?”

“? I don’t know more and more”

Anorn tilted his little neck.

“… in fact, the Supreme Bishop has been alive for over 800 years”

“I know that… wait, you say 800 years? Bye.”

“It was the current supreme bishop who made Arnelianism. You said your exact age is unknown to yourself. 1000 years should be loosely alive, but 800. I also need to know if that’s where it is. You said old memories were gradually obscuring.”

“Was it? I kind of imagined it, but…”

800 years. It is a distracting year indeed. Anorn is actually alive for 300 years, but even that girlfriend was long enough to dislike 300 years.

“(It’s been a distracting year since I became immortal. Even 300 years is enough to get sick of it, but 800 years is…)”

“He’s lonely.”

Alberto continues.

“As you can see, you can’t even tell anyone that you’re immortal, and in a decade-long cycle for official events, you change your appearance and behave as someone else. The Supreme Patriarch is suspicious if he doesn’t look the same all the time. Whether you decided to die before, or simply leave Arnelia… but either way, you’ll be losing everything you know each time.”

“It’s… you know what I mean.”

“This is the oral biography left by the first generation for it. At least tell us to stay on our side so we don’t miss that one more. That’s how we understand it.”

“I know that, but why should it be you guys?

To that word of Anolun, Alberto turns his slightly worried green eyes to Anolun.

“… don’t you notice anything when you look at us?

“… no way!?

“That’s the thing…”

Alberto gave a rare and sad look.

“Of course, some people were not convinced of that mission, but most of them remain in Arnelianism in some way if they knew what was going on with that other guy. But five generations ago, Richard added to the Lazar family’s mission.”

“… what?

“‘The first thing we need to do is serve the side until the supreme diocese runs out of his life. For this, above all, the survival of blood takes precedence’ and ‘our second thing to do is to protect Lord Miranda. This depends on the way the individual thinks, but enough to serve as a knight, and who should never lose it again. That person’s presence is much heavier than our lives’.”

Anolun totally ate his face.

“Uh… Richard’s guy, not a word of that to Atashi…”

Anorn’s memory reminds me of Richard’s flimsy attitude.

“(People’s breasts, asses, scattered. He touched me as he pleases… but only eyes were always kind. When the first Atashi was picked up by the master, the Atashi, who had lost all temper to live, were just like the abolitionists. I saw a dead man’s balls and no one spoke to me. But speaking of which, the first person I spoke to was Richard – when Atashi was depressed by himself, he always spoke to me – well, was he worried about Atashi – then he told me to have a more understandable attitude…)”

Anolun thanked Richard for his care while at the same time solving many years of doubts. Only that he touched my chest and buttocks, though I was really upset.

“But then why didn’t you honestly tell me? I’m glad he cared about Atashi, but at the same time, he’s getting scattered eyes. Thank you. You’re acting inconsistently.”

“… here is the notebook of the fifth generation. I wondered if the answer was in this. After my own death, it was my will to open it when my wife and my concubines all died. Would you like to read it?

“Give it to me.”

Anorn was turning apart the notes he borrowed from Alberto. At first it was Anorn, who was reading the notebook without any concern, but gradually the face turned to a surprising look, and when he wondered if it had turned pale, he eventually shuddered and began to spill large tears.

“Oh, no… no! Atashi… what a terrible thing Atashi was doing. I didn’t know anything about him, about Richard. He always looked at Atashi, worried… and tried to stay beside me!!

I don’t see any signs that tears spilling out of Anorun’s eyes will ever stop. Without even trying to hide his crying wet and squeaky face, Anolun grabbed Alberto.

“Atashi… what should I do with Atashi!? How can I reward him??

“I don’t know… but what I thought after reading the same notes, he probably just wanted you to live normally”

“Normally… live…”

“Yes. Probably live normally, make friends, joke, laugh, make lovers…”

“No… I can’t do that right now…”

Anolun got annoyed. Silence wraps them both up.

“… this is my personal opinion, but I was wondering if it would ever be too late as long as I lived”

“Live… as long as you’re here?

“Yes. You have infinitely equal time. One day I may change my mind again, but I’m going to go get it back now and see if I don’t have enough time.”

“Am I right… am I right?

“Perhaps to me,”

Alberto continues as the knight kneels to his master.

“In order to know the answer, you must fight and survive tomorrow. Whatever you do, Alpha Reese, you will return safely with Lisa. You must never lose those two. For that, please use my life freely… with my honor, pride and sword, I hereby swear that I will not fulfill this promise. When my covenant is broken, and the LORD of the sword recalls, at any time, return my life, my soul, to heaven with this sword.”

In the meantime, Alberto pulls out his sword and slashes his own fingertips, putting blood on his sword and dedicating the pattern of his sword to Anorun. It is a formal knight’s pledge, usually only made to a loyal master.

Anolun, no. Miranda kept her eyes closed and thought about what to do,

“Alberto-Fidelity-Lazar, take your sword. My name is Miranda-Ravenworth. Thou shalt keep thy life and thy soul in the LORD of thy sword. I swear, as you deserve to give me your sword, I will not come to any difficulty with all my soul!

When Anorn slashes his own finger with the same bloody part of the sword, he mouths the pattern of the sword and puts it over Alberto’s head. So for 3 seconds, draw the sword and return the sword to Alberto.

“… now will Atashi be rewarded by Richard?

“It’s up to you.”

“The deviation is no different from him…”

“It’s not nice.”

Anolun laughed powerlessly. It was as if it symbolized the loneliness she held. But at the same time, Alberto was very happy to have met her in his own name.

Honestly, when he was taught his mission as a child, that of the Lazar family, Alberto didn’t know what that meant. My whole life I was trained just to shake my sword more than a child. Why should I let myself get that far until I throw away all the fun? He was also not convinced that his opponent, who used the power gained from his training, was more determined than before he was born.

At 14, he was appointed by the SS of the Supreme Bishop. I wasn’t a captain at the time, but while serving Miriazal, I could feel something called someone I should be able to use. And knowing that Miriazal was a man, she was convinced that she deserved to give her sword. For a knight, he is fortunate to meet someone who bets his life. From then on I encouraged more sword training, but still somehow my feelings remained unsatisfactory.

But Alberto was blessed with talent. Eventually he became an adult at 16, and when Richard’s notes were entrusted to him by his own father, the meaning of his shaking sword became even heavier. There were two people to protect. The notes of the ancestors contained sketches. Miriazal at the time and how a young woman was smiling at each other. When I saw it, I understood, “Oh, I was born to protect this sight, and I’m working out my sword”.

Alberto’s workout from then on became even more harsh. That was tough enough to worry that Alberto might have touched the Lazar family. But Alberto was satisfied. If I was to protect that sight, I would have done nothing to protect my pain. I could also wonder how happy I am, given that there are many who do not meet in their lifetime what they should do and end their lives in a comic way.

And now I can see her now and feel stronger that there are two things worth risking her life for. Plus she wept seriously for her own ancestors.

“(I’m sure I hesitate to protect this woman, even if I don’t have any notes)”

That was Alberto’s untrue heart. Yet another thing I thought when I looked at the notebook, including that, I decided to keep it softly in the depths of my mind now.

“I didn’t know the day would come when Atashi would take the Knight’s vow.”

“Life is all about running water.”

“You’re here?

“It’s not nice.”

Anolun laughs furiously. Seeing that smile, Alberto could be sure that what he did was not a mistake.

“Then it’s your first order as your Lord.”

“Whatever.”

“I want the four of us to go home. Don’t you die, too!

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“And when you two are, you can call me Miranda. I still miss having no one to call me by my real name”

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“Then one more! Three times around, one! Say it!

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Alberto starts getting ready to leave his sword around.

“Hey, wait a minute! The last one is a joke!

“You can never undo a word you utter to your voice once. I say. As knights, we only carry out the word of the Lord.”

“Why are you stubborn to that point!

“A knight dies without any doubt on the spot if he tells his loyal opponent to die. Especially since I’m clumsy.”

“Oh, you, you know what I’m doing!? Knight bokeh and all that crap, so stop it!

This feeling of the two of us making a scene, it’s like Richard and I were kidding each other for days – and Anorn, no, now as Miranda – she thought so.

But the soundproofing magic had run out at some point, and Lisa was listening to this joke. And the next day,

“You were excited last night.”

and Anorn will be teased by Lisa. I had no idea what Alpha Reese was up to.

I stay up late while I do so. They still don’t know the fierce battle to refrain from tomorrow.

Continued