.
Before Ryuu arrived, I had already made a few arrangements. Such as picking a different spot for our entry. Nothing required us to appear on the simulated North Island at the exact location of the simulation facility, so I had set the appearance point to the North Shore, which had a wide expanse of grassland ending in ten-pace-high cliffs falling into the ‘sea’ below.
I also set it up to delay Ryuu in Time Dilation so that I could handle some other business first. Ryuu would already be armed when he entered, while I was just wearing a blouse and skirt, so I needed to prepare equipment. Thus, I appeared in that location alone.
Curator, how much progress have your people had with Durandal? I queried.
Durandal had been in her hands since the previous night, after dinner, Sky Ocean time. His sword body should still be suspended in the Spirit Realm while his mind experienced the simulated world of our training facilities.
He has now spent ten weeks since we integrated him with a human clade simulation format. Commander, Curator responded. By using the same automation as the operating spirits to operate simulated characters, he has been experiencing a human-like existence.
She was speaking Ancient Fairy, which does not normally mark gender, but she had used the male third person pronoun in one of the more complicated sentences, so I finally knew what sex they had chosen. It wasn’t a surprise, though, since Mother had referred to him as a brother.
Spirits, like Immortals, do have a masculine/feminine polarity to a degree. It is for somewhat different reasons than biology, but it does end up with the ‘feminine’ polarity being equated to women of the human clade Immortals. It wasn’t a surprise that it worked the same for a spirit sword.
I’m pleased to hear it. Is he enjoying himself?
I believe so, she answered. However…
She sounded hesitant, which put an immediate damper on my happiness. I had pretty high hopes about this experiment, after all.
However?
Lord Durandal asks to speak to you about it himself, Commander. Can he have some of your time now?
In a moment. First, have you been able to fully replicate my other equipment?
I have. Shall I replace your current attire?
Please.
A moment later, my clothing crossfaded into my armor. I rose three inches as the transformation converted my flats into high-heeled sabatons. Sheaths on my sword harness held my War Fan and my knife, and when I checked inside the belt-wallet, I found the Starfire Jade Writing Brush. To my amusement, I also found my coin-purse and the other random items that had been in the real-life belt-wallet when I handed it over.
Are all the enchantments recreated? I wondered. I needed to kick these high heels off immediately if they weren’t. I wouldn’t be able to move on this grass without the magic that converts them into usable footwear.
All magic items are fully functional, Commander.
I smiled as my newly developing sense for spirits, evidence of Sirth’s continued quiet presence in the background of my mind, informed me that Lucy was even nestled inside the stone inside the little satchel hanging from my neck.
Something felt off, though. I checked behind me, where Durandal’s scabbard was hanging horizontally across my back, and confirmed that it was empty.
Naturally, since he was elsewhere in the system, waiting to join the scenario, right?
Alright, I said. Send in Durandal.
I was a little bit excited to see Durandal appear before me in a human form for the first time.
They had chosen an appearance for him that surprised me a little. From his spiritual voice, I had imagined him as a grizzled warrior in his forties or fifties, but they had made him a tanned, brown-haired man with blue eyes and strong features in the prime of his life, perhaps twenty five years old.
And where was the three days worth of beard growth I had always pictured?
Imagine if a human had been honed and polished like a blade. He wasn’t bulked up like a bodybuilder, but the muscles in his face and neck were sharp and solid, as were those of his exposed forearms. It was the level of muscle tone that went with ripped abs and sturdy shoulders.
Tiana had met sword masters in the Royal Knights with similar builds. It was appropriate for a sword, I think.
In his hand– or more accurately, kept upright by his palm while the tip rested on the ground– was a familiar sword.
I smiled. “Your choice of blade seems terribly appropriate.”
“I find I can’t feel comfortable without my main body nearby,” he admitted with a smile. His voice was somewhat the same, but felt younger, just like his body. “They’ve explained it to me, that the blade isn’t really parted from me, that this sword is somewhat like an illusion, a mere replica of my main body, just as I wear a replica of a human form, but the sword has been my physical being for far too many millennia.”
He gripped the sword, then drove the tip into the ground so he could let go of it.
Stepping aside perhaps fifteen inches or so and folding his arms, he stated, “This is about as much separation as I can feel comfortable with.”
It wasn’t much at all. But if he wore a scabbard, he could keep it on his person, right?
“So, how does mobility feel?” I asked.
He pursed his lips– I had this strong suspicion he was imitating my mannerism– then answered, “Perhaps not as wonderful as you seem to be hoping, My Lady.”
That was disappointing to hear. It must have shown on my face. He immediately smiled an apology.
“I’ve never been mobile, My Lady. And that fact has never bothered me. I was born to be a blade. Although I do understand your reasons for offering it.”
My brow wrinkled. “Are you turning down the offer?”
He shook his head and smiled. “Actually, no. I’ve discussed it with Little Jia and that woman who resembles you… I understand she was once part of you?…”
I nodded. “Kanon is one of my proxies, from the Elder Age. I’m calling her my sister.”
Durandal nodded as if that were a perfectly normal explanation. I don’t know if he knew how unreasonable it was for a proxy to have survived this long.
“I’ve discussed with Little Jia and Kanon, and told them what I would truly find desirable,” he stated. “I’m a sword. I want to fight as a sword, My Lady.”
With those words, the man in front of me faded out of existence.
His spiritual voice came from the blade standing in the soil. All I need is this form, and someone to swing me. The ladies have promised me they can provide me adventures, and I can act as a trainer for those who come here with such an interest. They are interested in having my sisters join me here, as well.
Somehow, I knew immediately that his ‘sisters’ meant the other Holy Weapons. Masculine spirits are rarely interested in the physical world, so he was likely the only male out of the seven.
I thought about it and smiled. “And Curator knew you would tell me this here, and that’s why my scabbard is empty?”
That is correct, Commander, came Curator’s voice. Please carry him in your duel.
I nodded and walked over to where Durandal– the blade– was stabbed into the ground. I took his grip in my right hand and pulled him out.
“I’ll be in your care again, Old Man,” I said. Although the image of the twenty five year old flashed in my memory with the words ‘Old Man’.
Well, in this body, I’m still fifteen for another three and a half months.
At your service, My Lady, he replied as I transferred into my left so I could dig right-handed into my belt-wallet for the little piece of chamois that I keep to wipe blades.
As I brushed off the dirt, I asked Curator, Is there anything else before you bring in Ryuu?
Only that your friends are now in Lady Kanon’s pavilion, to watch your duel.
We’re sparring, not dueling, I corrected. Send him in.
Ryuu appeared in front of me, at a distance of about five paces, with exactly the appearance he’d had a minute ago, minus the sweat. As I promised, he was restored to a fully recovered condition.
“Ready to do this?” I said, with my hand resting on my pommel.
His jaw twisted slightly, then he said, “Not particularly.”
I blinked. “What?”
What happened to all that anger?
“I had a chance to think about it on the way up,” he said while crossing his arms. “Why am I fighting? I’m mad at you, but I won’t be able to do anything to you. Even after training all this time, I still haven’t reached the power you showed against that archdemon. Are you just looking for an opportunity to beat me up, or is there a point to this?”
I dropped my hand to my side and laughed a little. “I was thinking you needed to work off your frustrations, to be honest. And you might be confusing my abilities with my holy sword’s abilities.”
His brow wrinkled. “I certainly still feel a lot of frustration. And I’m still unhappy with you. But I feel like trying to fight you to work them off would be like slamming my fist into a brick wall. All I’ll accomplish is damaging myself.”
“Then I’ll fight without my sword,” I said, drawing Durandal and stabbing him into the ground.
My Lady? Durandal asked, sounding disappointed.
Sorry, Old Man, I replied. We can go beat up a dragon after this, if you want.
Ryuu’s brow wrinkled a little more, as he scowled in thought. Then he asked, “Did your sword really make that big a difference?”
“Frankly, he inflicted most of the damage, Mr. Kowa,” I said. “And he’s a big part of my defensive abilities.”
“Are you going to fight without a sword?” he wondered.
I held out my hand and summoned my mithril longsword from the Dragon Stage. I gave it a couple quick test swings while commenting, “This one has no spirit or enchantments. That should make the fight fair and proper.”
I’m being cheated upon… Durandal grumbled.
Hush, I scolded back.
He must have really wanted to fight. I was going to have to follow through on that promised dragon hunt, I guess.
I thought of something, and sent, Curator, please reformat my scabbard to fit this sword.
I might need to return it to free my hands for another purpose at some point. No point in giving myself an extra problem like a mismatched blade and sheath in the middle of a fight.
Ryuu contemplated the sword in my hand for a bit without saying anything. As his silence continued, Curator answered, It’s done, Commander.
“You said you needed something to do with all that anger you had,” I pointed out.
He twisted his jaw, then nodded. “Yeah.”
“Chiara and the others are watching,” I teased. “You don’t want to disappoint her, right?”
He reached over his shoulder with a wry smile and took the grip of his sword. I honestly don’t know how he manages to bring it over his shoulder from that position, but he did it. His wrist strength must be over the top.
I went into the two handed middle guard position, Atian fencing style, filling my blade with Earth mana [Fortification], as I used the Water-based version of [Body Fortification] on myself. He set up facing me like a samurai ready to do battle, coating his blade with Wind.
“Onegaishimasu,” he said, and charged.
