The Sword Of Salvation
Ch. 3 — Encounter and a Deal (2)

Mariel's lips curled, but in her head she drew a quick conclusion: she had a keen intuition.

“You are so young, how can you be so confident to enter that tournament?” ask back Mariel—ia did not answer a single question of the girl. “You're not afraid of failure? By the way, my name is Mariel.”

Mariel's hand was greeted by the girl. “I Selena Hellvia Pendragon,” she said cheerfully. “I am a candidate for the Knights of the Round Table, the one who will behead the Primordial Devil Lukhiel who had killed Miss Guinerhea three months ago.”

Mariel did not show any excess expression as Selena said that. Instead, he focused on Selena's soft hands. In a dream he once touched the spirit hand of his, but touching the hand of a woman in real gives a different sensation. Selena's hands were so soft that Mariel refused to take them off.

Not surprisingly women became the cause of the fall of the majority of rulers, inner Mariel while pulling his hand. They are dangerous. It is very easy to be attracted to the beauty and beauty of the body. If I can't control my hormones, I can be a woman craze. Maybe I need to learn a little about the meditations of hermits.

“I'm confident because I'm strong. You see the sword on my back?” Selena pointed at the sword on her back with her right thumb. “This Holy Sword Caliburn. I inherited the blood of Emperor Arthur Pendragon; I am the nephew of King Arthur IV. I just got back to training from my grandfather's place, he's a former Knight of the Round Table. This sword he passed on to me. I have no reason not to be confident.”

“Wah, you must have been great. Trained former members of the Round Table Knights directly…. It's worth it that you're so sure. I was hesitant about the tournament. I can't stand a chance against you. I thought I'd be in the Sterminatore Organization.”

Mariel has to admit she's a bit confused.

Why did Selena reveal such important information so easily? Was he not worried that his sword would be stolen? What if that information would get her kidnapped? Was he too sure of his strength to believe that no one would ever be able to take the sword or even kidnap it?

If so, he can understand.

However, what if this girl had other motives. He was carrying the name Lukhiel. Is there any chance that Selena suspects that she is connected to the devil?

“Eh, you can't!” selena exclaims while gently hitting Mariel's left shoulder. “When I said I felt you were strong, I was serious. Moreover, I saw your own speed. We can't deny that I'm very strong, but if you try, you might be able to take me seriously. We don't know if we never tried, do we?”

“Ah, you're right. But still, I don't like to do things that are obvious failures. What's more, I'm now more willing to support you than participate. After all, nobles like you are very friendly and considerate to ordinary people like me. I'm so flattered.”

“Ha-ha-ha. You could have been.” Selena slapped Mariel's shoulder. “Oh!” suddenly swoop. “Look, how about you go through the selection to become the personal knight of Princess Marryphimia Pendragon? He will be the fifteenth birthday next month. It was a tradition for princesses and royal princes to appoint a knight of—who would ensure their safety wherever they were—on their fifteenth birthday. I can register you directly. How?”

Mariel let her head think about the offer.

If he wanted to build a career that his mother would surely love, he could consider the offer. Ah, he could directly participate in the tournament that Selena wanted to participate in. Mariel did not doubt her own strength. There is a very big chance for him to win the tournament. However, he was only fifteen. Even if he won, he would at least be appointed a Round Table Knight on his seventeenth birthday.

The Western Continent is different from the Eastern Continent. In the Eastern Continent, the minimum age a person is considered to be an adult is fifteen years. In the Western Continent, seventeen years was the adult age of a person. Age below that will not be allowed to hold an important position. Not even a king can take the throne if he is not seventeen. Whether Selena forgot this fact or she ignored it, Mariel had no idea.

However, clearly, his future would be bright if he followed either of those two options. Moreover, the Great Kingdom of Camelot did not have a high inequality between nobles and commoners. In this kingdom, the ability of the individual takes precedence over social status. Of course Mariel understood that there were some barbaric nobles, but they were a minority.

However, Mariel personally had no interest. Rather than being elevated to nobility and having a land of power, he wanted to adventure with Lukhiel. He wanted to find the Tower of Babel and asked Merlin to share his knowledge. The world is too vast to bind itself to one place.

“Oh, how about you join me?” ask Selena before Mariel can answer. “But we will stop in Londinia two days before leaving for Pendragon. You're bi—”

“Nona Selena!” A man in his twenties suddenly came cutting off the girl's words. He's the coachman carrying the horse carriage that Selena rode in, but it's clear he's a multitalented waitress out of her clothes. “There is important information that my members sent,” he explained while pointing at the eagle standing on his shoulder ‒ there is a letter there.

“Wait a minute, Mariel.”

Mariel just nodded, looking at Selena who was pulling the paper roll tied to the eagle's feet.

Likely unprovoked, Mariel's inner self dispels the possibility that Selena suspects her of being in contact with Lukhiel. Selena happens to be interested in her speed and thinks she is strong, so she comes out to make sure. Being friendly is perhaps his true nature, and this is increasingly supported by his rather tomboyish attitude. Selena is sensitive when her feminine side is praised.

“Oh, so they finally found the hideout Lukhiel.”

Mariel looked at the paper Selena was holding, then turned her gaze to the sky. Lukhiel never told her about her activities outside, so Mariel was a little interested in Selena's remarks. Where did the devil go? What exactly did he do without his knowledge?

“Nona will go?” ask Selena's subordinate.

“Of course! Even if I win the tournament, Uncle Arthur will ask me to wait a year until I turn 17 to be appointed a Round Table Knight. But, if I bring the head of the Primordial Devil Lukhiel before him, he and all the members of the Round Table Knights will have no other choice.”

“But, Miss, it's too dangerous.”

“Did you forget who you were talking to?”

“Haaa. Changing your intentions is like coloring water. But I'm used to this. Therefore, I have asked them to investigate developments in Birmithan. We can go straight there without having to stop in London. My subordinates will meet us before we get there.”

“It's great, Ferguso, you are indeed reliable.”

Contrary to Selena's energetic smile, Ferguso sighed while massaging his forehead. As if understanding what his master was going through, the eagle on Fergusa's shoulder rubbed its head against Fergusa's head. The bird was quite attentive.

“Ah, Mariel, forget about my offer!” Selena's attention has refocused on Mariel. “I have a better offer. What if you were just my guy? I'll pay you ten thousand escal a week. How?”

But—

“It was a very good offer, but with all due respect I have to turn it down. Besides, you still don't know anything about me. What if I'm a spy that Neiracia sent? Worse, what if I'm a follower of Doctor Lergen? You have to be more careful in recording.”

—Mariel does not like to obey others. He was ordered by Lukhiel. Although this was her first time meeting Selena, Mariel could imagine she would be made to work hard. He could imagine Selena telling him to do reckless and dangerous things. He even just talked about finishing Lukhiel.

“I'm so the more want to recruit you. 20 thousand escal, how?”

“Didn't you hear what I just said? It could be that I am a mercenary paid to snatch that holy sword from you. You still sure you want to recruit me?”

“Ha-ha-ha-ha.” Selena handed the letter back to Fergus and pulled out her greatsword. “You really believe that this is the Holy Sword of Caliburn?” he asked with a mysterious pretentious expression.

Mariel did what Selena wanted him to do: look at the sword with observation.

It was a double-bladed sword whose color was predominantly platinum. The handle is round and very fit to hold. The sword is large at the base and shrinks at the end. On both sides of the sword body was coated in copper. In the copper section there are unique carvings that Mariel did not know. And most obviously, the aura that the sword emitted was truly dangerous.

“With the aura that the sword radiates, no one will meno—!”

Mariel reflexively jumped backwards avoiding the slash that Selena suddenly lay down.

“What are you la—”

Mariel was not allowed to ask; selena was already in front of him in an instant. Mariel tilted her head avoiding the sword thrust, but Selena quickly pulled her sword and twisted her body while releasing a right-footed kick.

Mariel crossed both hands blocking the kick from hitting her shoulder. However, a sudden burst of lightning enveloping Selena's legs sent Mariel crashing down. And not stopping there, Selena shot lightning balls from her five fingers. All of the lightning balls hit Mariel, sending her crashing quite far from the uneven road.

However, Mariel was able to land on both feet. He was also unharmed – his body was layered with wind armor that bent the lightning before hurting him. Mariel bounced off due to the shock wave that the lightning balls released when it exploded. Mariel removed her windshield when Selena landed roughly a few meters in front of her.

“Why did you attack me?”

“You are not hurt,” comment Selena— completely ignore the question of the teenager. “You are as strong as I thought. So, this is my last offer. 25 thousand escal per week. This was the same fee that the Round Table Knights received. Think carefully.”

“If I refuse?” mariel asked, her lips curled.

Selena held out a sword. “I will force,” he replied. “Only someone equal or stronger than me can refuse my offer. I am greedy. I'm interested in you, so I want to have you.”

“…?”

“Ja-Don't get me wrong, hmph! I mean, I'm interested in your power. I like to surround myself with strong people. Fergus, Clarent, Eliza, Axel, Jimmy. They're my men I recruited directly. You'll be the sixth. I have ambitions to find Miss Merlin and force her to return the Holy Spear of the Rhongonomyiad. Your strength will be of great help in defeating Miss Merlin.”

Ah...this girl..doesn't she realize she just said the information that should be hidden?

Although this was good for Mariel, but he was not happy. He and Lukhiel have the same habit: they are always careful of what they have to and do not have to say. So, hearing Selena easily tell me that the Rhongo-nomyiad Holy Spear was in Merlin's hands was unusual.

But knowing the reason, maybe Selena thought it would be more fruitful if it was straightforward.

“It is difficult to reject your offer,” Mariel replied after some time. “But the thing is, I don't like to be ruled, let alone by people weaker than me.”

“Oh, weaker? Didn't you say you hesitated to win against me?”

“Women like to be praised, don't they? Ah, but I'm not lying that you're so pretty. Maybe we can eat together sometime?”

“Oh, so? Alright. If I can make you bleed first, you're gonna have to be my man. But if you make me bleed first, I'll invite you to dinner together at the most luxurious restaurant in Pendragon. How?”

“You're serious?”

“I'm always serious.”

Mariel smiled elegantly. “Then I hold your word, Selena.”

“So much as you.”

Mariel nodded. “Majulah, I'm ready anytime.”