Chapter 51

25th of January

Squad 15 is currently patrolling the streets of the capital. They're looking around for anything suspicious, despite the fact that a week has gone and no suspicious activity has been reported in the capital.

"It's already lunch, let's eat at a pub," Idris muttered, clutching his stomach.

"He's right. We've been walking for hours now, let's have a break." Aeries said.

They went to a nearby pub to have lunch.

"AHAHAHA! You're funny old man!"

When Squad 15 recognized the speaker inside the tavern, they exchanged glances. They didn't waste any time and slammed the door open.

"Nash?!" As soon as he spotted her, Idris exclaimed. "Huh?"

"Oh?! What brings you here?!" Nash approached her squad and hugged them. "I really missed you!"

"What... what happened to your hair?" Aeries asked.

Nash let go off her squad and grinned. "I cut it short. It was a burden."

From butt-length hair she cut it to shoulder length hair.

"Burden..." Jaxael uttered.

Nash realized what she just said. 'Why did it have to be 'burdened'?'

"Well, I did labor work, my hair was being a burden to me. It'll grow fast, maybe in a month it'll be long already."

"When did you arrive?" Yjhan asked.

"It was an hour ago. I went right here to eat after telling the knight commander of my arrival before meeting you back at the inn. I never expected to see you in the capital."

"We've been tasked with patrolling the capital. Other knights have traveled to distant villages and towns. Except for this, we were not given a mission." Aeries stated..

"Eh? That's unfair."

"It's because we are incomplete and they said that we will be called as a reinforcement." Aidan explained.

"I see..."

"I'm starving!" Idris exclaimed, taking a seat and placing an order for food.

"Me too!" Nash exclaimed and sat beside Idris.

"Lady! You have just eaten!" the old man at the counter said.

"Old Man! You have no idea how hard it was for me to eat only vegetables for 3 mo--weeks!"

"Where's your sword?" Yjhan asked. He saw that Nash wasn't bringing anything.

"It broke," Nash laughed, "I will go to the weapon shop and ask them to forge me a sword."

"How did such a sword break?" Idris asked in shock. Nash's sword is ostentatious and constructed of high-quality steel.

Nash shook her head and lifted the corner of her mouth "It's not as powerful as you think. I'll tell you something later."

...

As soon as they finished eating inside the pub, they went straight to the weapon shop where Nash's old sword was forged.

"Oh? It's been a long time, lady," Sero, the owner of the weapon shop, and a weaponsmith greeted each other.

Nash grinned, "I see, you remember me?"

"How could I not? I always brag about the sword you asked before," The man's face looks smug, "So what is your purpose this time, lady?"

Nash held up a folded piece of paper in front of the swordsmith. Slowly, the swordsmith unwrapped it, revealing a long, large piece of paper.

The material required for the sword is written in the paper. It also described how the sword will appear.

As he examined the paper, the swordsmith gulped. "My lady... the resources required for your sword are rather extensive..."

Nash placed three money pouches containing silvers and golds.

"I will do my best to manufacture these swords," the swordsmith said with joy as he looked at the lady.

"Swords?" Aeries whispered, but Nash could hear her because Aeries was behind her.

"There are seven different swords sketched on that piece of paper."

"What?!" Idris exclaimed.

"You can choose whether or not to replace your swords, and I will respect your decision, but you can't stop me from requesting the swordsmith to manufacture those weapons. Please understand that I will tell you the rest later."

Her members did not ask for anything and simply followed Nash's instructions. Nash's expression was different from before; it was more serious than usual, indicating that what she said was important.

"How many days will all that be finished?" Nash asked.

"Approximately 5-6 months?" The swordsmith said. Nash's forehead creased.

"How 'bout a month and a half?" Nash requested.

The swordsmith was shocked, "That's not possible, lady! The materials you need are mixes of the strongest and hardest metals, which are difficult to obtain."

"Haa... I came here because I heard you were the best swordsmith in the empire... but I guess not," Nash lamented.

Squad 15 looked at Nash weirdly for being dramatic.

"I suppose I have no choice except to look for ano—"

"I'll do it! A month and a half! Come back here after a month and a half and I promise you it will be done just the way you like it to be."

"Really?!" Nash's face lit up. "Then please add 50 arrows made of those as well. You really are the best swordsmith in the empire! I'll pay you for it after."

Nash clapped slowly, clearly pleased with the swordsmith.

The swordsmith blushed and felt shy. "Oh... hohoho, I guess I am the best!"

"Then, I'll see you!"

...

Nash's bright face fades as soon as they exited the shop.

"What was that?!" Idris exclaimed.

"Shhh... let's go back to our inn first. It'll be hard if others would hear."

...

They're seated at the dinner table, looking solemn as Nash explains the situation.

"The winter is over, and I'm sure the heads are well aware of the creatures lurking nearby. Isn't that why the squads are sent to villages far away?"

"You're quick," Aeries said.

"I learned about creatures that invaded the empire years ago while I was away. The creatures who attacked before are the same as they are now, and our metal swords are useless against them. Yes, it will kill a creature, but only for a short while."

"Why?" Yjhan asked.

"The creature's skin is thick, super thick, and rigid. The reason my sword broke was because of that."

"You fought a creature?!" Idris' eyes widened.

"Yes, I did. 5 of them to be exact. My sword killed three of them."

"How 'bout the other two?" Aeries asked.

"As soon as I killed the third one, my sword snapped into pieces, leaving only the hilt," Nash exhaled deeply before continuing, "Fortunately, I have my dagger, it killed the other two. Take note, the creatures I fought were the normal ones and the second in level. There will be much bigger and tougher creatures."

--Flashback—

"Now that your physical training is done, it is time to view the fruits of your labor," Chrollo grinned evilly.

Nash looked at the demon lord anxiously.

'That grin doesn't look good.'

"Release them!"

One by one, horrible creatures began to emerge from the jail in front of Nash. The first was a wendigo, then an Anubis, a Leaper, a Lycan, then a little Minotaur.

"Wait, what?!" Nash yelled, his gaze drawn to Raum, who was dodging Nash's glares.

'This fucking demons.'

"Show me the results of your training. These are only five evil creatures, what more when the war starts?" Chrollo said.

Nash gulped and gripped her sword firmly. 'Here goes nothing.'

Nash began to charge forward, slicing the wendigo. Her blade became entangled in the wendigo's skin. 'It's tough.'

Chrollo's laugh could be heard from afar. Nash's brow furrowed. 'He's making fun of me.'

She noticed it was difficult to withdraw the blade as if it were stuck to the wendigo's skin. She trusted herself and jumped to kick her sword, which sliced the wendigo in half.

"It worked," Nash whispered. 'I need more strength.'

For the next two monsters, she used her gravitational power to put force on her strike, making it a little easier to slice the creatures, but her sword shattered just as she was about to wield it again.

"My sword!" she exclaimed looking at Chrollo.

Chrollo's laugh could be heard once more, but this time it was louder.

'Tsk.'

She attacked the Lycan with her dagger without hesitation. She was surprised to feel it more easily than previously, yet unlike her sword, it had no effect on the blade. She could feel the blade become lighter as she slashed the first one.

'Is it really the blade? or is it because the Lycan's skin is thinner that the first three?'

The fight ended quickly, and Nash proceeded to the Demon Lord. The Demon Lord inquired first, before Nash ever asked a question, "Did you notice?"

"Is that why you used to laugh at my sword?"

"Yes, that is right. Your sword is no match for those evil creatures."

"But my dagger..."

"That dagger contains a good quality blade, it's much better than your sword."

"What should be used to have such a blade like my dagger?"

The Demon lord grinned widely, "The three strongest and heaviest metal in the world."

---End---