Blooming Knight

“Ho…”

Rhys was rubbing under his chin as he observed Rionara prepare herself. Instead of a wand or her bare hands, she held what seemed to be a tong with flint and steel attached to each side.

The high elf aimed the tool at a nearby training post and clacked the tool together. Sparks flew in front of her. The air compressed forward and ignited into a volatile explosion that sent the training post flying through the air into the wall of the building. The wood splintered across the brick wall with a few pieces embedded into the stone. The smell of burnt wood and ozone filled the air as Rionara turned around to face Rhys.

“Can you control its power to be less lethal?” She nodded. “Alright. Then test it on the other one. Use just enough power to crack the post.”

She turned to the next training post and aimed the tool at it. Her hand was trembling with anger. In one firm clack she did it again. But this time the resulting explosion was just shy of snapping the pole in half.

The guards around them were focusing less and less on their own training as it continued.

“Can you torch an area on fire?”

She nodded. Aiming at the ground in front of her, she clacked the tool and instead of an explosion—a wave of fire coated the dirt as if it was burning oil.

“I think I can pierce armor as well, given enough distance.”

“No, that’s fine. We’ll end it here.”

‘What a waste.’ He thought. ‘Someone with so much skill shouldn’t be a mere guard.’ But then he bit his lip slightly. ‘But then he would take notice of it as well…’

He glanced briefly at Priscilla, who was still just groaning quietly holding the polemace tight in her grip.

“Go back to the mansion and get something to eat. Come back here when you’re done.”

She nodded without looking at him. She then turned to Priscilla.

“Drop the weapon and follow me.”

With a thud, the knight left the weapon on the ground before shambling after her. Rhys watched her leave before turning his attention to the other guards looking at her direction.

“Listen up!” He shouted. “If any of you discuss what you’ve seen today here, I will personally punish each and every one of you regardless of intent and outcome! Am I clear?!”

“Y-Yes Sir!”

They hurriedly returned to training and Rhys walked back to his office. He sat down on his chair and brought both hands near his face.

“This is a mess…” He let out a quiet exasperated sigh as he massaged the space between his eyes. “She’s too powerful for a backwater city like this…”

His rising concerns were cut short by a knock on his door.

“What is it?”

“Sir, we have a recruit.”

“A recruit?” He readied a dagger under the table as he said. “Let them in.”

After the door opened, a fully armored knight came into the room. After the door closed behind him, the man removed his helmet before sitting down on the chair across from Rhys.

“What is your name?”

“Reinhardt, Sir.”

Back in the mansion, Rionara finally had time to meet the other maid that had helped her earlier in the day.

“W-welcome back, Miss Jeanne…”

Despite the human maid towering over her, being almost twice her size, her kind and timid voice made the high elf feel somewhat at peace.

“Thank you, but I don’t remember your name. Can you tell me again?”

“A-ah, it’s A-Amelia.”

“I see, thank you. Amelia.”

“Um… is she okay?”

She shyly pointed at Priscilla, whose head was bobbing back and forth. For a moment, Rionara felt a sting in her heart as she forced herself to smile.

“Yeah, she is. Thank you for asking.” She turned back to her. “Could I have lunch?”

“Oh, o-of course. D-do you want me to bring it to your room?”

“No need, I’ll find somewhere to sit and eat.”

“O-oh, in that case, m-maybe we could e-eat together?”

Rionara saw a brief flash of Priscilla’s face as she extended her hand to her while saying.

‘Having a meal together makes food taste better.’

She brought her hand over her chest as her fingers dug deep into her clothes as she said with a strained voice.

“We… can…”

Amelia’s eyes lit up in delight as she stumbled with her words more.

“U-umm… o-okay, let me go prepare the table.”

Despite her large frame, the maid turned around and vanished into the corridor beneath the staircase with surprising speed. Rionara followed her footsteps and Priscilla shambled behind her.

At the end of the short hall was the kitchen. Yet another spacious room inside the mansion. Rionara looked around. It had way more variety of utensils than the inn’s kitchen while also boasting a variety of preserved foods hanging from hooks near the far counter. Smoked meat shanks, herbs, sausages—it was a well maintained kitchen for a house with only three people.

Adelia was by the firewood stove and turned around once she heard her sister come in. From the corner of her eyes, she noticed the high elf as well and smiled at Amelia.

“So you managed to convince her to join us.”

“I-I just thought it would be better like this.”

Her older sister let out a short chuckle before turning to Rionara.
“Take a seat, I’ll finish roasting this and the food will be ready.”

There were tall wooden stools around the center counter. The high elf sat on the nearest one and looked over her shoulder at Priscilla.

She still had the same vacant expression on her face with her crimson eyes staring right back at Rionara’s. It pained her heart to see the knight reduced to such a state. That lingering pain made her chest tighten and eyes trail down to the floor.

‘Rio, I will ask you once again. What is it that you wish to do? It is not too late for me to arrange someone to take you to Arcadia.’

The knight’s voice rang clear in her mind as she raised her left hand towards Priscilla’s face. She trailed the silhouette of her cheek without touching her face before lingering for a moment in the air, then finally clenching her hand.

‘I want you to be known, Priscilla… not for what you are, but for who you were… my knight. My family. My hero.’

She calmly retracted her hand and turned around only to see a plate of bread in front of her. That sight surprised her as she glanced up and noticed the two maids smiling as they placed the food on the table. A pot of vegetable stew, roasted lamb shanks, and a healthy serving of porridge were placed across the table.

“E-eat as much as you want.” Amelia spoke sincerely. “W-we have enough for seconds.”

“Or thirds as well.” Adelia commented with a chuckle.

“Ah…” Rionara looked as the sisters eagerly started to put bowls, plates, and cutlery for her. “Thank you.”

The two of them started to slowly eat their portions while the high elf was at a loss for words. There was a long pause before Rionara finally started to eat. She still avoided picking up the cutlery, but at least she was now eating with her own free will.

Her body yearned for sustenance. Seconds, thirds, even a fourth serving before she eventually stopped with her stomach full to the brim.

“Thank you for the food.” She bowed slightly. “It was great.”

“Good to hear it.” Adelia smirked before turning to her sister. “Isn’t that good Amelia… why are you crying?”

The towering human maid couldn’t hold back her sniffling and runny nose as she grabbed a nearby handkerchief to clean her nose.

“It’s j-just… I have never seen s-someone eat my food so happily like that…”

“You don’t need to cry like that. It was obvious that she would like your food.” She quickly turned to Rionara with a glance that begged for help. “Isn’t that right, dear guest?”

The high elf smiled faintly.

“Y-yes, your food is honestly the best I ever had.”

“Uwaaaah! Miss Jeanne…!”

“Sis! Calm down!”

After Rionara spent a few more minutes with the two maids, she decided to go back to the barracks to conclude her training. She was preparing to go to the door but before she could reach for the knob—Adelia stepped in and grabbed it for her.

“Safe travels, dear guest.”

She then opened the door for her. With a short nod, Rionara stepped outside as she could hear Amelia’s voice from behind her.

“I’ll make sure to prepare a great dinner for you, Miss Jeanne!”

The high elf smiled. As she passed through the door, Priscilla followed right behind her. Both Adelia and Amelia looked at the knight with widened eyes as she walked through the doorway.

Rionara still felt regret in her heart, but her footsteps were firm as she carried herself not as a poor soul seeking redemption, but as a woman that carried the burden of her own choices.

The guards patrolling the noble district often turned their heads towards her direction, at first she pretended to not see it, until it became consistent with every single person she walked past, even inside the training grounds.

One look behind her was enough to tell her why.

Instead of shambling and groaning behind her, Priscilla stood upright with her hands slightly tensed. Her shoulders were firm, her eyes held a menacing glare—it was still a far cry from the proper knight she once was, but the undead had clearly been influenced by Rionara’s actions.

She held her breath for a brief moment before uttering quietly.

“Pris…”

“Priscilla…?!”

Rionara looked from the corner of her eyes to the sound of a clattering weapon. A tall brown haired man stood with widened eyes at the undead knight. The high elf recognized that man.

“Sir Reinhardt…?!”