The Knight Commander of the Second Male Lead [Novel] Chapter 14

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 14

Chapter Title: Sun and Winter

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Nina's question made both spirits fall silent at once. Thinking she might have phrased it poorly, Nina waved her hands.

"It's not flirting or anything like that—it's just that it feels really familiar. Um... Is it always like this when you meet spirits?"

The armored spirit replied.

-This time is the first.

"This time?"

Before she could ask, 'Then there was a last time?', the horned spirit spoke up cheerfully first.

-Dedicating your body and soul... it almost makes us feel like corrupted spirits ourselves.

Nina felt awkward.

"Is that no good?"

The armored spirit nodded.

-If you trust us, that is enough. We don't require corrupted spirits or anything else.

"That's the simplest... and yet the hardest thing."

Nina let out a hollow laugh before pointing at herself with an "Ah."

"Then that means I'm not dead, right? I'm perfectly fine?"

Wearing a strange expression, Nina alternated glances between the two spirits.

"You don't mean that since I've seen you both, I can't go back now..."

-The living cannot see or sense spirits.

The horned spirit added playfully.

-But it's rare for a human to offer their soul as well, so we wanted to see your face. We bent the rules just a little.

-Knowing us will make borrowing our power far easier.

Nina nodded.

If trust was required to borrow a spirit's power, seeing them with her own eyes was the surest way.

Nina tilted her head.

"But I have one question. What kind of spirits are you two?"

The atmosphere grew subtly tense.

There was a strangely bitter air to it, so Nina hurriedly spoke up.

"This one... I get it. You're the one I called last, right?"

As she pointed at the female spirit, she nodded.

An eternally blazing colossal flame.

"Sun."

Even from beyond the heavens, Nina could sense her elegant smile.

A golden aura swirled around her like a corona.

"But this one... isn't North Wind or Frost."

It was a greater existence than either of them. At Nina's words, the armored spirit seemed somehow deflated and sullen. Sun quickly interjected.

"The master of North Wind and Frost. The one who came willingly when you called them your longtime allies—the being who wields North Wind and Frost as shields."

Nina racked her brain for a moment before cautiously speaking.

"Winter...?"

Her voice trailed up just a bit at the end, but at her words, Winter squared his shoulders.

-That is correct.

"Oh my god."

Nina let out a groan.

Spirits with more associated concepts were higher-ranking ones.

Sun and Winter.

It was tantamount to saying they were supreme spirits. In common mythology, such beings were treated as divinities.

-Your body was insufficient to fully withstand my power, leaving many damaged areas.

Sun reached out and gently brushed Nina's hair.

-I prevented damage to your soul, but your body must be reconstructed.

Nina nodded at Winter's words. After all, Winter also connoted defense and shields.

"Then it's a good thing Winter came first..."

Otherwise, she really would have been burned down to her bones. Sun nodded.

-Because Winter arrived first, your body endured even my descent. Still, restoring it fully will take considerable time.

"How long?"

-Quite a while.

Sun made a swishing motion, and a golden switch materialized in her hand.

-So in the meantime, how about I teach you the sword?

"Pardon?"

The remark was so out of nowhere that Nina's mouth fell open.

-Your swordsmanship... it doesn't seem like you've been properly trained by a master.

"Well... I'm just a farmer's daughter. Everything I know, I learned in the knight order."

Even so, her skills were among the best in the order.

I have talent, she thought, puffing up proudly—only for Sun to say mercilessly,

-I can't bear for my contractor to have such abysmal swordsmanship. Isn't that right, Winter?

Abysmal!

As Nina gaped at the rebuke, Winter nodded.

-Indeed.

Sun swung the switch with a whoosh.

-We have time on our hands, after all. Let's do this properly.

Winter added quietly.

-In the interim, I'll oversee the reconstruction of your body. I'll boost its durability as well. Since it's being remade under our influence, it may differ slightly from before.

"Differ how?"

-Eye color or hair color, for instance. Other aspects might vary a little too.

Nina grew anxious.

"To the point where others won't recognize me?"

-Not quite.

Winter continued.

-Your hair will turn silver-white like mine, and your eyes golden like Sun's.

"But I can't check either one myself."

Sun burst into laughter.

-Don't like it?

"Can't be helped at this point."

Sun stroked her own horn and said,

-Then shall I be a bit more generous? We're reconstructing you anyway—I'll densify your bones and muscles to make them tougher. Sound good?

"Sure, works for me."

Nina nodded nonchalantly. Sun giggled and swung the switch once more, transforming the background again.

It was a training ground arrayed with all manner of tools.

-Shall we begin?

Sun's instruction was merciless. She drilled Nina to the brink of death—but never quite over it.

Her utterly spent body returned to pristine condition with a mere flick of Sun's finger.

Not just swordsmanship, but spearmanship, anti-magic counters, archery, and even horsemanship...

By the time Nina thought that this level of training would turn even a fool into a sword master,

-It's complete.

Winter appeared.

-Pity. I still had mountains left to teach.

Sun let out a deep sigh. Overwhelmed with the joy of survival, Nina dropped her sword.

Winter spoke in a low voice.

-As I mentioned before, significant time will have passed once you open your eyes.

Nina felt a twinge of unease.

"The training felt like at least a century... but surely that much time hasn't gone by, right?"

Sun tilted her head.

-Hmm, in human terms... about two years?

"Ah..."

Was that less time or more than she'd expected...

"Everyone must be worried. But if it's two years in human time, how long was it for me here?"

Sun and Winter fell silent for a moment. At the quiet, Nina cried out in shock.

"You don't mean I actually trained for a hundred years?!"

Winter responded swiftly.

-Since everyone's worried, best you hurry back and check.

-Now, open your eyes.

Caught off guard by the sudden prompting, Nina floundered.

"Pardon? Huh? How?? They're already open!"

Nina blinked as she spoke. Sun reached out and covered her eyes. Even through the cover, light dazzled.

-Breathe in deeply... and out. Aren't you curious?

"About what?"

-Why you have these memories, things like that.

Nina chuckled.

"No. I already know the answer."

-Oh?

"It's all to meet Adrian."

Laughter rippled at her confident reply. With it, Sun's hand withdrew.

"Can I open my eyes now?"

No answer came. Cracking her eyes open just a sliver, she found herself standing in the Violet Forest.