Chapter 76

Chapter Forty-Nine – Fragments

Clang—, clang—, crash—

The clashing of weapons echoed throughout the entire Shunter Fortress.

In the large training ground, a towering figure wielded a heavy ice sword, launching fierce attacks one after another. The massive sword, as tall as a person, was swung with great vigor, generating billows of frost mist that hissed as it surged forward. Wherever it passed, a layer of frost formed, and dust and ice chips scattered with an ear-piercing thud.

Despite the terrifyingly dense assault, the petite girl danced gracefully amidst the wind created by the heavy sword, her agile movements akin to a light dance. As soon as she seized an opening, she unleashed even fiercer counterattacks.

The two figures continuously darted in and out of each other’s range, the fighting rhythm so intense it was heart-stopping. At its peak, ice crystal fragments burst out, flying dozens of meters away from the arena.

“Pepe, watch your back!”

“Beautiful!”

“Keep going, win this!”

“Ooh!”

The hunters, led by Hoover, cheered from afar, their poses reminiscent of enthusiastic fans at a concert.

I slowed down, turning my head to glance at them, feeling slightly embarrassed.

“Focus!”

Taking advantage of this moment, the Duke raised his ice-blue giant sword, slashing down from above.

A massive shadow descended, bringing with it a suffocating pressure.

My pupils contracted sharply, and I instantly shifted my footing.

Moon Step!

Whoosh—

Gale-force winds whipped past my ears, causing my skirt to flutter violently.

Without relying on the push from ice columns, my body moved at extremely high speed, covering a dozen meters in an instant.

I landed lightly.

In the next moment, the dust beneath my feet exploded outward.

Bang!

The Duke’s heavy sword struck the ground, creating an explosive sound. Dust and smoke erupted, spreading fine cracks.

I took a deep breath, pushing off with my toes and ankles.

The entire process took less than half a second; I charged back into the fray.

White mist rose from my left hand.

Hiss—

In the blink of an eye, a short, deep blue blade formed on my forearm, releasing frigid frost mist that enveloped half my body.

It clashed with the massive blade emerging from the smoke.

Clang!

After the deafening impact, I stepped back, briefly losing balance but quickly regaining it.

Then, I stepped forward and swung the ice blade horizontally.

Clang! Clang! Clang—

“Hahaha! Incredible! Amazing!”

A hearty laugh rang out, and the Duke’s eyes glowed brightly with blue light.

“Side waist! Lower abdomen! Head!… Watch your feet!”

The onslaught came like a tidal wave, each strike carrying unparalleled force. For someone accustomed to using their right hand, switching to the left made wielding the weapon incredibly difficult in the short term.

But this was necessary training.

While gritting my teeth and fiercely blocking, I searched for opportunities to counterattack. Ice collided with ice, the ground beneath our feet frozen solid, and frost covered the air.

Crack.

A sharp sound startled me, and I hastily retreated two steps.

The blade in my hand shattered.

… Is the strength still insufficient? Why can’t I match the Duke’s heavy sword…

“Alright, alright, let’s stop here. If we continue, we might lose control.”

The Duke pointed to his heavy sword, which bore a clear crack.

… It seems there’s progress after all.

Let’s call it a day.

“Okay.”

I nodded obediently.

My body already trembled with excitement. If we continued, I wasn’t sure I could control my strength.

“How is it? Is everything working well? Any discomfort or inconvenience?”

Hearing the Duke’s question, I looked down at my hands.

Wearing a pair of pure black lace gloves, exquisitely designed with sunflowers in round shields—symbols of the highest craftsmanship from the Central Workshop.

The gloves featured multiple layers of ruffles for added beauty, extending to the bend of the forearm. Blue sapphires adorned the backs of the hands, and the palms were specially treated to prevent the weapon from slipping.

At first glance, they seemed as thin as silk, but they were actually highly advanced lightweight chainmail, soft and comfortable to the touch. According to the Duke, the material included a small amount of melted moonstone, making them nearly impossible to penetrate with ordinary weapons.

In addition, matching leg armor covered from the toes to the knees. Externally, they resembled black lace stockings more than leg armor.

Paired with a high-defense black knee-length skirt made of the same material as the hunters’ coats, the overall look was that of a… Gothic maiden.

It had to be said, it was very much in the style of the City of Winter… perhaps even the style of the Month of Winter.

In short, this armor was tailor-made for me… saying that didn’t seem quite right either; in any case, it was a combat suit. The Moon Crystal was leftover from the Thirteenth Month’s use; there wasn’t much of it, barely enough to make gloves and leg guards. However, quite a few similar skirts were custom-made, with all kinds of styles. I no longer had to worry about ruining my clothes during training.

Actually, there was one more piece of chest guard, hidden away in a secret place.

This was also why the Duke dared to launch a full-scale attack on me.

“No, I really like it. Thank you.”

Who wouldn’t love such beautiful and practical clothing?

The Duke laughed happily upon hearing this.

“It’s good that you like it; you don’t have to thank me… The crafting of weapons is nearing completion, and it should take another two days. As for the mastery of ‘Ultimate Ice,’ there’s nothing more I can teach you; from now on, you’ll have to rely on your own practice.”

I brushed off the dust on my body and nodded again.

Ultimate Ice, or deep blue ice, I had almost completely mastered. Although the Duke always praised my innate talent, I knew deep down that it was his tireless and meticulous guidance that allowed me to grow so rapidly.

Throughout this period, whether it was the Duke, Lady, or even Pasifal, their care and affection for me came from the heart, the purest form of kindness.

These were people who truly cared for me, just like Grandma Claire.

I must repay them; it had nothing to do with whether I was Peylo or not.

“After the weapons are made, you will leave, right?”

I looked at the Duke and nodded slightly.

“Uh-huh.”

“…Time really flies by.”

The Duke surveyed the empty space around him and smiled with a touch of nostalgia.

“Do you… remember this place?”

I hesitated for a moment and slowly shook my head.

After this, the Duke’s eyes dimmed a bit.

“This place… used to be a forest, probably over ten years ago. Back then, you were still young, and Schantel Castle wasn’t as big as it is now.”

Hearing this, I keenly sensed that something had changed.

The Duke no longer called me Miss Silviga.

He had always treated me as his daughter, which I naturally knew. So much time had passed that I had come to accept it, because there was no possibility of overturning the facts.

But to say it so clearly now was the first time.

The dust scattered with the wind, and I shrugged slightly.

The Duke continued speaking.

“In the past, your two older brothers liked to explore and would always venture into these woods, bringing back all sorts of strange gadgets… At that time, you were probably only up to my knee… small and constantly bobbing your head and running behind them. Every step you took, the braids on your head would bounce up, and I remember that vividly.”

“Sometimes, they would compete to see who could climb higher, leaving you out because you were too young. You didn’t listen and insisted on competing with them. But after climbing a few times, you got anxious and fell, scraping your knee, and cried so hard you couldn’t get up. You insisted on riding on my neck and walking through the woods, and only then would you stop crying.”

“…You loved listening to me tell stories about knights and heroes, admiring them greatly. For a while, you would shout at home every day that you wanted to become a female knight when you grew up. Then one day, your sword master grandfather visited the castle, and you were so embarrassed that you hid behind your mother, too afraid to speak to him… Now, you’ve really become a knight…”

“…When you were younger, I always liked to touch your head. Your hair was soft, your eyes wide open, innocent and doll-like. Seeing you like that broke my heart; I wished I could hold you tightly, but I was afraid I might hurt you because I’m rough… I truly liked you so much.”

These words were like fragments of memories, even though they were jumbled, I listened intently.

At this moment, he was no longer the formidable Pope’s Knight, nor the magnanimous Duke of Schantel.

He was just a father.

“I remember the first time you walked, the first time you called me Dad… the first time you rode a horned carriage, the first time you slept alone, the first time you ate cake, the first time you saw the sea, the first time you argued with me… I remember your tears, your laughter… I remember all your expressions.”

“…There are so many things I remember clearly… but you, you remember nothing…”

He didn’t look sad, but his words made me feel sad.