A Smile for the Eternal Bloom

“Let’s just see.”

The bandit leader lunged forward, slashing his sword at me. Since his movements were predictable, I dodged easily. But to my surprise, despite his bulky frame, he moved with the swiftness of a rat.

“Dance! If you stop, my blade will cut you down.”

“Sorry, but…”

I swung my katana forward to block his strike. The clash of our weapons echoed loudly, and I pushed with all my strength to cut through his sword.

“RRRAAAAAHHHH!”

“Oh, that’s not good for me.”

The bandit pulled his sword back and leapt away. I noticed several cracks running along his blade from my strike. A pity. If he hadn’t realized it, the fight would already be over.

“I didn’t expect you to still have that much strength. Got any more?”

“Why don’t you find out for yourself?”

I dashed forward, unleashing a flurry of strikes with my katana. My stamina was nearing its limit. The longer this fight dragged on, the worse it would be for me. I had to uncover the secret behind this fat bandit. There was no way he could keep dodging like this without something aiding him.

I studied him—his movements, his expression, his eyes, even his clothing. Nothing seemed suspicious until…

“Fire Ball!”

A blazing orb shot toward the bandit, forcing him to dodge. In that brief moment, I spotted something hidden beneath his shirt: a ring that glowed faintly under the firelight. I wasn’t certain, but my instincts told me that ring was the source of his rat-like agility. I’d have to thank Silva later.

“Damn it, that witch has started attacking me. Which means my men have already been defeated.”

“If you know that much, why not just surrender?”

I leapt into the air, bringing my katana down in a vertical slash.

“I still have my pride.”

He dodged, just as I expected. Inside this cave, the ground wasn’t covered in snow. If I struck hard enough, the dust and rubble from the earth and walls would be enough to cloud his vision.

“What—?”

While he was distracted, I grabbed his shirt with my left hand, tearing it open. The ring flew out behind me, and with my right hand I drove my katana straight into his throat.

As the dust settled, his shocked expression became clear. Blood dripped from his mouth, flowing down the blade.

“Cough… cough… How… did you know…?”

After hearing his final breath, I pulled out my katana and flicked the blood away.

“It’s over.”

“Rei!”

Rin came running from behind and hugged my leg, her face full of worry. I could only smile and pat her head.

“Thank you for helping me, Rin. Since when could you use magic like that?”

“Hehe, I learned it from Silva back at the inn.”

Silva walked over and picked up the bandit’s fallen ring.

“I didn’t expect a mere bandit to possess such a high-grade artifact. Either he stole it from a noble, or a noble gave it to him.”

“Wherever it came from, it would be dangerous if it fell into the hands of another scoundrel like him.”

“You’re right, but… you look terrible right now. Covered in cuts, your clothes filthy—like a child who got hurt while playing.”

“Yeah. Sorry about that.”

I wanted to flick her forehead, but considering how much she had helped me in the fight, I held back. Not to mention she had already taught Rin magic. I never knew she had the talent for teaching.

“How did you even notice Rin had potential for magic?”

“Set that aside for now. Don’t forget our goal—the Eternal Flower.”

“You’re right…”

“And don’t forget the punishment you’ll receive once we return to Motar Village.”

“W-what…?”

“Woof!”

Wufy padded forward, sniffing the ground. It seemed we were close to the flower. After a short walk, a bright light appeared at the end of the cave. As we stepped out, we saw a white flower resembling a rose, its leaves patterned with tiny stars. The flower stood tall, unmoved even by the fierce wind. I pulled out the sketch Sally had given me.

“It’s identical. That must be the Eternal Flower.”

Suddenly Silva dashed forward without hesitation. Though the snow outside covered the ground and the wind howled violently, she pressed on. She carefully plucked the Eternal Flower and placed it into a pouch. The worried look she had carried since the carriage ride was gone, replaced by a radiant, joyful smile. A pure smile born from finally obtaining the flower.

And somehow, seeing it made me happy too.