Flower of Steel

Eventually, I stopped reading an adventure storybook. The story was about a sword master, a magician, and an elementalist teaming up to defeat a demon king. I read it because it was a novel my brother Harry likes, but it wasn’t my type of book.

“Ah, I wasted my time. There’s no way such a thing exists in real life.” I mumbled to myself, almost pretending I was the famous critic Viscount Haut until I heard a knock.

“Marin, is it a good time to talk?”

“Yes, Uncle. You’re always welcome.” I got up from the bed as I answered the call from outside. I opened it and saw Uncle standing there.

“Oh, were you reading? Is it an adventure book?”

I nodded at his question, “Yeah, but I lost interest while reading it. It was just too unrealistic. A sword master, a magician, and even an elementalist! They were going to defeat a demon king, so I lost my interest.”

Uncle laughed at my rant, “Well, I don’t find it all that unrealistic, to be honest. Anyway, why don’t we go to the drawing room? I arranged for some tea and cookies there.”

I headed for the drawing room with my uncle right away at the word “cookie.” As I sat, the maid came with tea. Uncle kept asking me about my schedule for the day while fiddling with his teacup, looking very nervous.

“Is there something wrong?” I asked.

At my question, he brought up a long sigh and let out a long breath. After keeping silent for a long time, he looked at me with his green eyes and asked, “Marin. What do you think of a woman who trains in the art of the sword?”

I thought about it. Wielding a sword is worshiped as a male-only practice, meaning a female doing so would bring many prejudices. But I have seen my mother regret not achieving her dream my entire life. I have seen the training ground since I was young, and there, she shined brighter than usual. My answer came easy.

“It’s amazing.”

Uncle smiled bitterly. “Right. Well, you have your maid who I can’t say she’s ordinary, and there’s your mother… I can see why you can think of it that way,” Uncle replied with a deep sigh. Then he added, “I guess I wouldn’t have to feel so troubled if there were a lot more people who think like you.”

“What’s wrong?”

Hearing my question, Uncle took a sip of the tea and hesitated until he opened his mouth, “In my life, I have seen two geniuses.”

“Geniuses?” I asked.

Uncle’s eyes seem to shine at my question. “Yes. They hide their sharp claws, pretending not to be predators. But both are smart enough to shake this whole country.”

Then I became curious. What part of them made my uncle, dubbed the best swordsman right now, make such a claim? “Are they that amazing?” I asked him.

Uncle laughed, took another sip, and answered slowly, “You shouldn’t think of them as ordinary human beings. Whatever you think of, they’re beyond that.”

“Hahaha. You make me think of some sword masters that I read from the books.”

Sword masters. They cut stones, swing swords at speeds that can’t be seen, and can fight against 100 trained swordsmen. They were beings from books. There were records of them existing from history books… but I believed that they were exaggerated by the people of their times to honor their heroes.

“Hmm…”

I was just joking, but Uncle seemed strange. It was as if I was right… Wait. No way. “Are you saying such beings exist within the country? And we have two of them?” I almost yelled, and Uncle slowly nodded.

“They far exceed my level, but that’s what I am guessing. And sword masters aren’t so far-fetched, to be honest. They exist, although hidden.”

It must be true, if my uncle, dubbed the best swordsman of the empire, claims it so. But to think such beings truly exist. That is so…

“Amazing! It’s like an adventure novel!” Was it my answer or the tea that made my uncle look more bitter? I didn’t pay much attention, however, and kept asking more questions in excitement. “Who is it? Can you tell me who?”