Chapter 12 - She who will fight

“I don’t think you should be exerting my craftsmanship like this.”

“I didn’t choose to do so.”

“This will be expensive.” Lucian continued counting the numerous damages to her armaments. Unfortunately, he hadn’t designed them to include tolerances for Cestela to fly.

“… No discount?”

“Since when have I ever given you a discount? You’re my biggest customer.”

Cestela cursed a certain medic under her breath.

“So do you just want me to repair this?”

“… I think I need you to make enhancements.”

“So you could fly around like the Vulture of the Battlefield?” It was a new epithet rumored to being used for Cestela. Although most people argued that it didn’t encapsulate her most sinister trait and voted to keep the Puppeteer.

“Hm…” Lucian thought. For a moment, Cestela wished he would think faster as his workshop was broiling. “If I reinforce the alloy rings on your fingers, wouldn’t it feel heavier and awkward to use?”

“… What if it wasn’t on my fingers?”

Lucian looked down at her feet.

“Eyes up, freak. Not my feet.”

“Where else were you thinking?”

“How about an attachment around my waist?”

“Your waist? Could you channel mana into them properly?”

“I never tried, but I’ll just need to practice.”

Lucian shook his head in bewilderment. He always knew Cestela was incredibly proficient with mana control but her common sense was the cost. Expert knights were able to channel mana into individual pieces of their armor in order to preserve the energy. Most knights accept channeling mana into all of their armor as it was easier despite being extremely cost inefficient. Weapons were much easier as channeling mana into ones hands came natural to people. And yet, she was suggesting the ability to channel mana into individual threads from her hip. “It’ll take a while. I’ll send you a letter once I have some blueprints ready.”

“Sounds good.”

“Ah- before you leave.” Lucian started readying his tools. He didn’t necessarily mean to start working on her weapons right away. He just needed an excuse to avoid her eyes. “Did you hear about the recent Horizon Seekers?”

“How it’s the largest group of fools in history?”

“… Well, yes, actually.” Lucian supposed it would had been weirder for a major to not hear of such news. “Heard they gathered up to a whole battalion’s worth.”

Cestela sighed. “Where do you think those people came from? We barely sustain three battalions at each front and somehow they found an extra battalion for a suicide pact?”

“I don’t suppose you agree with their mission.”

“Ha.” Cestela started perusing Lucian’s other works. Outside of her threads, Lucian worked just as hard as any other blacksmith mass producing weapons and armor for the Defenders. However, Cestela still wondered why she was the only one who had to pay for hers. She too was a Defender. What grudge did Lucian hold against her?

“I heard the higher-up motivated the whole lot of them.”

“Hmm… the higher-ups, huh?” Cestela considered the stiff older officers at headquarters. “That’s probably not right.”

“No?”

“No. If I had to guess, General Pauma and that First Lieutenant Garde are probably the culprits.”

“First lieutenant already. Congratulate him for me the next you see him.”

“Haha. Sure. If I ever see him again.”

“I haven’t met the guy but heard he’s quite a charmer.”

“Him? A charmer? He’s the one being charmed.”

“You leading him along?”

“He’s leading himself.” Cestela flicked each weapon on the shelf with each word. “Straight. To. The. Grave.”

“…”

“But I suppose you’re right. He somehow charmed the Broken Sword and probably the rest of his battalion.”

Lucian knew that his words would not be well received, but he still wanted to say them. “You know, I think the Horizon Seekers might find something this time around.”

Cestela glared at him. He smiled back. Even if the two spent most of their adolescence together, Cestela had rarely saw him stand his ground against her. It wasn’t out of fear like most others. If anything, it seemed like it was out of pity. “Maybe they will find some corpses.” A grim joke and one Cestela did not earnestly wish for. Lucian knew that as well.

“Interested in my other wares?”

“Better than the stock weapons the squires hand out.”

“You know, my work is a part of those stock weapons.”

“Better for me to ensure your handiwork then. I’ve never been lucky. I probably would draw a third-rate sword.”

“Wait. Why do you need weapons?”

“What do you mean? You said it would take a week to fix those.”

“I said a little less than a week.”

“That’s about the same.”

“No- wait never mind that.” Lucian shook his head. “Are you fighting still?”

“Right? Unfortunately, I’m still a Defender.”

“But a medic supporter.”

“You know I can’t heal well without your threads. Guess I’ll play one of those knights this time.”

“…”

“I’ll take six of these.” Cestela held a light short sword in hand.

“You sure? What kind of Stéle are you against?”

“Mantis-class.”

Lucian shuddered. “You can’t heal yourself without your threads, right? Can’t the battalion handle it?”

“Maybe. But I would like to keep my job.”

“There’s not a single soul out there who would fire you.”

“Ha. You’re right on that. But still…” Cestela offered no more explanation or reassurance. “How much?”

“For those, free.”

“Oh, in that case, we should probably make a spare set of threads.”

“Yes. Better than sending you out with those.” Lucian started sheathing the weapons. “Ah, but the spare won’t be free.”

Cestela double cursed a certain medic.

To Cestela’s reluctance, Lucian resumed, “You could still support in the back even if it’s not your usual work.”

“And do what? Wrap some bandages around some injured knight? A real difference maker.” Cestela spoke harshly but still respected the efforts made by the other medics and squires. Realizing her words, she chose a different target. “The general assigned me.” She blamed the general.

“… Okay.” Lucian accepted it painfully. Cestela considered being a little nicer to Pauma the next time she saw him. “But you have to review my blueprints for that hip attachment.”

Normally, she would’ve been dismissive of such a sentiment. But even she felt terrible doing so to Lucian. So she just silently nodded and left. For she was defending the South.