Chapter v4ex3: V4 Extra 3

At the end of her sixth life, it was a long sword with a black blade that pierced Rishe's heart.

The sword was slender and beautiful to the eyes.

Although it was too long for Rishe, it was perfect for its tall owner. It had a moderate weight, perhaps to ensure the power of its attack. However, it was not so heavy as to impair her delicate swordsmanship.

She was only able to know this because she held the actual sword in her present life.

After finishing her morning ablutions, Rishe presented it to Arnold, who had also finished his morning preparations.

"Your Highness, I'd like to return your sword."

"...Okay."

She had borrowed the sword from him.

Yesterday, Rishe carried Arnold's spare sword around her waist to escort Harriet, the Princess of Sigwell.

It was a heavy and long sword for Rishe to wield, but she couldn't serve as an escort, unarmed.

Therefore, she gratefully borrowed it and put it to good use.

It was with this sword in hand that she was able to confront Raul in the back alley.

In her life as a knight, she had always taken good care of the sword lent to her.

Besides, this was the first time in her seventh life that she had used a long sword properly. Perhaps that was why she felt a strange attachment to it.

"Have you experienced any inconveniences or injuries while using it?"

"No. After all, I've just been carrying it around for a long time, and never used it, so I've never had any problems with it!"

"..."

After hiding her lie behind a smile, she took a step closer to Arnold, who stood in front of her.

But as soon as Arnold reached out and took the sword, Rishe blurted out.

"――――It's a beautiful sword."

"..."

His hand froze.

"You said it was a spare sword, but it's the same make as the one Your Highness usually uses, right? The scabbard and hilt are elegantly decorated, but simple and easy to handle. I'm sure it's easy to clean."

"..."

"I pulled it out of the scabbard for a moment, and the structure is nothing short of magnificent. I've heard that the smiths in Garkhain are excellent, and the more I look at it, the more I'm convinced of it."

"..."

"The edge of the blade must be very sharp if it has been forged with such care."

Rishe had experienced the sharpness of the blade firsthand.

At that moment, it was almost as if she couldn't feel the significance of her heart being protected by her ribs.

"The blade is black, smooth, and clear as wet ice..."

"――..."

Rishe stared at the sword in both her hands.

Then, after a silence as if something was given thought, the expressionless Arnold spoke.

"...Do you want it?"

"!!!"

Rishe's head snapped up and asked Arnold in a fluster.

"How did you know what I'm thinking?!"

"You're looking more covetous than you've ever been in the past."

"...!"

She was surprised to hear that she was that transparent to Arnold, but he was right.

(It's because I've never seen such a beautifully made sword, not even in my life as a knight!)

But that might be justified.

Garkhain was a military power. It was a sword forged for the Crown Prince, a genius in swordsmanship, by a blacksmith nurtured in this land.

"E-Excuse me. I was just admiring your lovely sword, but I didn't mean to beg for it."

"Why not? I told you, if there's something you want, you can ask me for it."

"Because, for all intents and purposes, it's precious..."

Arnold lent it to her without hesitation, but it was not an item that she could be taken lightly. Whether it was the pocket watch she borrowed before or the sword she borrowed this time, they made her nervous.

But to Arnold, such things were probably insignificant.

"It's always a pain in the neck to give you stuff, you know?"

"Uh..."

When Arnold looked into Rishe's face with a broad grin, she demurred a bit.

"When I asked you to tell me what you want, you said that 'a field' would suffice. You seem to have a lot in mind, but whatever you say at the end of it is too modest."

"...The sweets that I eat with my maids and the flowers that I decorated my room with are splendid luxuries!"

As Arnold said, it was very rare for Rishe to ask him to buy her something.

However, she was often asked if there was anything she wanted, so she had rack her brains every time.

She just didn't feel comfortable being given a gift for no reason, so she had no choice but to beg for something cheap.

"Let me ask again...Do you want the same sword as mine?"

"Uhhhhh...!"

She felt it unfair to stick his beautiful face so close to hers and ask so cheerfully.

Although Rishe was troubled, she could not resist in every sense of the word, and in the end, nodded.

"Yeah, I want it..."

"Pfft."

Arnold gave her a satisfied smile and picked up the sword that Rishe had been holding.

"All right. I'll have them make it."

"Eh...!"

"I will assign a top-notch blacksmith to prepare something suitable for your strength and stature. It will be after our return to the Royal Capital, but until then――"

"..."

While listening to Arnold, Rishe looked at her feet.

Then, without thinking, she reached out and grabbed a small handful of Arnold's sleeve.

"Not a new sword."

She mumbled to herself, her voice sounding like a petulant child.

"I would like to use the sword that Your Highness has as a hand-me-down..."

"........................"

At that moment, silence settled in the room.

Rishe was facing down, so she couldn't see Arnold's expression.

But after a few seconds of pause, Rishe gulped.

I feel like I've just made a very embarrassing mistake!!

Realizing this, she felt a burning heat at the tips of her ears.

"It's not what-what you're thinking!! I don't mean that in a weird way. It just feels special to me because it's the sword that Your Highness actually uses!"

"..."

"I mean, it seems like it would bring me luck and strength! How can I say it? Right, a talisman! A talisman!"

"..."

The more she explained, the more she felt like she was as clear as mud.

Arnold gazed down at Rishe, his expression wooden and unfathomable.

However, before long, he said quietly.

"Okay, I get it."

"!"

A large hand landed on Rishe's head with a plop.

Rishe blinked as he stroked her head.

"A-Are you sure?"

"If you want it, there's no reason for me to refuse...Are you sure this sword is okay?"

"Ye-Yes! You said this sword is a spare..."

She could see traces of use, so she guessed it wasn't brand new. It was a genuine hand-me-down that Arnold had used before the sword he was now using.

"Here."

"...!"

Rishe hugged the sword that Arnold gave her tightly.

Strange.

Her argument was a spur-of-the-moment explanation, but it really made her feel empowered.

She felt as if all kinds of good fortune were pouring down on her, just by having the sword that the strongest swordsman had used at hand with her.

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

"..."

For some reason, Arnold's eyes widened a little when she thanked him with a joyous grin.

But then he sighed and patted Rishe's head as he added.

"...I'm forbidding you to actually use it. It's not a sword for your size, so keep only as an ornament."

"I'm fine with that. It's not every day that I need a sword to lead an idle life!"

"..."

"Wh-Why do you look skeptical?!"

Despite her panic at the prospect that he didn't believe her, Rishe's goal was to live a slothful and idle life. In such a life, of course, swords wouldn't come into play.

Regardless...

Rishe gazed at her precious sword with excitement bubbling deep inside her.

This is a treasure to me.

She then looked at her ring, her first treasure in this life, and was beside herself with joy that both of them were given to her by Arnold.