B ) Work out her problem and give her advice.
Katachi patted the red-haired girl's head.
K : "..."
R : "... Don't touch me..."
The warning hinted with anger and grief didn't make him flinch.
The hunter girl smacked his hand away from her head, ran toward the fixated wind blade, and gripped it tight.
R : "... Don't touch me! If you are going to kill me, do it quickly! I accept only a warrior's death; Not a prostitute's!!"
The winds howled and enveloped the sword and her body, lifting her up ever so slightly. A bolt of wind, writhing and tunneling through the air like a serpent, shot out towards Katachi.
Yet, the 定 on his body rendered the attack ineffective.
Roberia gripped the handle even tighter than before, and the currents engulfed her, flowing outward from her center, through her arms and feet. The energy focused onto the limbs and the muscle's streamlined alignment.
She shot out, jabbing her fist against Katachi's cheek.
Surprisingly, his face didn't absorb the full blow of the punch, and he was knocked backwards and over, falling onto his butt. Roberia's body kept going, and she rolled along the ground, properly catching her own weight while landing safely.
R : "!?" (My punch... connected?)
Her knuckle throbbed. The veins on the back of her hand stretched to a maximum, Roberia felt the pain on her knuckle, which had reddened from hitting an object hard. She then looked at the black-haired boy, sprawled out over the ground. His cheek, too, exuded the same redness.
R : (He... He felt that, too, then. Ah, right. If he had magic that powered him up when things weren't in his favor, then it must also be a curse to be weakened when he had the upper hand. I hit him bare-handed, while he had... Nothing?... It doesn't add up that well...)
*Cozy's Notes : Feminists are gonna rush in here, saying I'm sexist for making that 'advantage' Katachi had based off the fact that he's a 'superior' male while Roberia is an 'inferior' female. Dem butthurt feminists. That isn't even true to begin with. And this is just Roberia thinking that he had a power like that. (Besides, if I ranked them accordingly, Roberia's 1st Tier with Ian Bloodcrust and Aozu Makoto, while Katachi is 3rd Tier with Cillian and Jullan.)
See, she doesn't know Chinese wo- I mean, Anikan words, so she doesn't really know what Katachi's Word of Power is capable of. It's natural to assume an advantage like that because Katachi's dagger is wooden, which already puts him in a great disadvantage against people to begin with. The unconscious mind games be strong with this one.*
R : (... No... His Word of Power faded right as I punched him... I think. It's not there anymore...)
K : "..."
R : "..."
The silence between them had become awkward.
*** ***
K : "... So, uh..."
R : "What?"
K : "... Are you, uh..."
R : "What is it? Speak your mind."
K : "... Are you okay with me not killing you? I can't kill you - Segus forbids killing, so..."
R : "You've said that already. Are you trying to reinforce that my defeat is a humiliating one by grinding the fact against my face?"
K : "No, no, I don't mean to-"
R : "Then speak not, unless it is important."
K : "But... It is important. I want to help you in any way I can."
R : "? What do you mean?"
K : "... Well, I've caused this grievance of yours, so I feel responsible to put an end to it."
R : (... It's unpleasant, but at least he's doing it earnestly. I ought to respond to him properly.) "Sympathy from my foe... Hmph. How exactly do you propose that? I won't agree to cowardly, insidious means like pretending to be weak, or attacking you when there is a handicap."
K : "... I don't know. I was about to propose that I lose to you on purpose."
R : (This guy... Seriously? He's not being serious, is he?) "Do you really enjoy mocking me so? I've already told you that me getting stronger is what's important. If I can't even beat you, then how would I face the countless soldiers and warriors of other countries?"
K : (Right, she's doing it for her family...) "... I... I didn't mean to mock you so. Sorry about that."
R : "This is so humiliating. This is the absolute worst. My opponent isn't even serious when he's fighting me."
K : "But I'm serious when I fight! It's not humi-!... Ah, what if, just what if, uhm... your loss isn't humiliating?"
R : "? What do you mean?"
K : "Oh, er, I meant it as in, well, if you could, you know, be defeated without losing face."
R : "What kind of fighting or dueling would possibly not be disgraceful for the losing end? What are you proposing here?"
K : "... A sort of skirmish, a... A sort of... Sparring, I guess..."
R : (... Sparring?... That... Could actually work. I could potentially spar for a countless number of times, and even if I lose, it is merely to gauge and hone my combat ability, so it works really well.) "That is an interesting idea. I could lose to you for countless of times without fear of any penalty."
K : "Ye- yeah."
R : "So, in practice, that means we have to keep sparring. Continually sparring... Until the day I beat you in fair combat."
K : "... I suppose, if you'd... Put it that way..."
Roberia stood up, and walked towards her fixated wind blade.
R : "Kotsuba Katachi."
K : "Uh... Yes?"
R : "Undo this seal on my sword. I wish not to waste it."
K : "... Okay."
Katachi undid the 定 on the sword...
R : "Wha-?!"
K : "!!!"
... And the sword fell apart. The bladed portion broke apart completely.
R : "... What..."
K : "... It broke?..."
*** ***
*Cozy's Notes : Science time! Okay. An object, when fixated in place, has nowhere to redirect the incoming forces toward it. This applies to every physical object in existence. Every object about us vibrates, to release and radiate the potential energy encased within from those forces. This is true for all matter above absolute zero.
When a fixated object, e.g. Roberia's wind sword, is not given the ability to vibrate, all the incoming forces from all angles will press against the raw blade itself. The blade takes in all the incoming forces, from air pressure, heat, even basic compressions of air known as sound, without vibrating to disperse the energy outward. As such, a 'fixated object' is actually very fragile.
Fixating position is simply to set an object in that position - It is still allowed to vibrate in physics terms, and if it's a switchblade or a weapon, it can still be swung around. Fixating the object itself, however, causes its durability to be significantly reduced, while removing the ability to move it about. Imagine if you're in a room, and the ceiling comes down and the floor is solid. Obviously, you will be squashed - You're unable to redirect the elastic potential energy away as kinetic energy, which, if possible, you would be flying a few hundred meters like an arrow.*
*** ***
R : (It broke? It breaks the weapon when you unseal it?)
K : (How did that break?! That... How?!)
Roberia was shocked that it broke, and baffled further by Katachi's stunned expression. It seemed as though Katachi himself had not predicted that it would shatter, too.
R : "... Ahh, forget it. I've lost enough as it is- ? What are you doing?"
Katachi took out the small pouch on him, and emptied the little gold he had onto his palm.
K : (I ought to compensate for it.) "... Here. It's not much, but I hope you can use this."
R : (Why is he giving me gold? Me, the princess of Rugnud and prominent heir to the throne, wouldn't need these pea-sized grains!) "Wha- What's with you?"
K : "That weapon was probably really expensive! I don't have much, but please accept this."
R : (What's with this guy? I don't need that gold at all. I can easily get that replaced for a far superior weapon if I go back to Rugnud... Going back to Rugnud after just a... Month's journey...)
Roberia just remembered why she set off on this journey in the first place.
R : "... Okay then. Thank you."
With a soured expression, Roberia accepted the few scraps of gold from Katachi reluctantly.
R : (As much as I don't want to take this meagre amount of gold, I'd probably need as much as I can get. If I go back right now, it would truly be disgraceful on my part.)
K : (... I'm worried for her family. She's here, and the gold I gave is with her, not her family. Will they hold out, I wonder?) "I don't think it would help your family much, but I hope for their safety and peace."
R : (Offerings to the king? From an Ohdean like him? Father would be pleased to hear of this... If only he deserved such praise.) "I'll relay your blessings to them."
K : (... She's acting like it's nothing big. Doesn't she care about her family at all?..) "... I've been meaning to ask... Well..."
R : (What is it this time?) "What?"
K : (... This might be a really bad idea. For all I know, maybe her family's already dead, and she's the sole survivor, but if she's not admitting it then perhaps they are alive?...) "... How's your family's farm holding out?"
R : (Farm?... Farm? What farm?) "... ?"
K : (... I'm not going to hold back if she's not saying anything...) "I- uh, I mean, well... This may be awful of me to ask, but I hope that your family is safe. There were a lot of stories about these Rugnud bandits whom, well, often hunt the weak in groups to grow in influence and strength and gradually become king, and they start out harassing many innocent families and pillaging their crops, and the like... So I hope your family stays safe. Segus bless them."
R : "..." (Is... Is he a fool or something? Pillage my family? Who does he think I am, a farmer's daughter or something?! Sure, there are indeed such crimes being committed in Rugnud, and that is not something to be proud of, but still- !?!...)
That was when Roberia came to a startling realization.
R : (... Does he... Not know who I am?...)
K : (What's with her blank face? She looks like she's... Reminiscing, or thinking about something important...)
It started connecting.
R : (Come to think of it, he's never called me by my name. But, if he really doesn't know who I am, then... It makes sense! He gave me gold, believing that my family is poor and run-down, with a farm to get by. He doesn't know I am a princess from Rugnud, which is quite expected, seeing how I am in Findel and all. And, he is unfamiliar with Rugnud's laws and code of conduct, which is why he avoided confrontation from me, not because he is cowardly or in a rush for time. I wouldn't know what a person stronger than me would do, but one not of a noble, pure heart would surely, surely... Take advantage... Of me...)
Roberia's eyes widened.
K : (?... Oh dear. Did... Did I bring up something I ought not to? It was a bad idea after all?) "What's... What's wrong?"
R : (... But... He didn't take advantage of me, did he?...) "... Do you know..."
K : (Know? Know what? Know... Know something about her family or... ?) "... ?"
R : "... Kotsuba Katachi."
K : (Am I in big trouble? Did I... Did I flip a switch I ought not to have?...) "Y-yes?..."
R : "Answer me truthfully. Do you know who I am?"
K : (? Know who she is? That's a weird question...) "... Not really, I guess. I know you as a really strong, slender-looking red-haired hunter whom can swing a gigantic broadsword without wasting strength, whom has a really... Dynamic way of fighting, I guess? Other than that... No. I wouldn't know you personally. I... I think." (... Unless... Could she have been someone from Sage Raufid Magus Academy? That would be so embarrassing on my part to not recognize her...)
R : (His expressions... Pure! Unclouded! He's not lying! He really doesn't know who I am. He really, really doesn't know. Somehow... This makes me happy inside.) "..."
Roberia flashed a wee smile on her face.
K : (No, that wouldn't make sense. I haven't seen a student from Sage Raufid Magus Academy being this... powerful. This strong in raw, brute strength. But it can't hurt to ask, can it? I mean, she could have infused her muscles or her swords with magic, to make them stronger, or more maneuverable. That's a possibility, isn't it? Even though I've never actually read tales about people doing it...) "... By chance, are you from Sage Raufid Magus Academy?... Or... Something...?"
R : (Asking a question like that... He's actually doubting my identity. That seals the deal. This boy... He doesn't know who I am. He really doesn't know.) "No. I am not a magus."
K : (She's... Looking at me funny... Really, really funny... It's kind-of uncomfortable... It's making me embarrassed.) "... What? Is... Is the linen on my shirt coming apart?"
R : (For the first time in my entire life... I'm talking with somebody who doesn't recognize me as Matalpalhallafaelladrapahamo Roberia... This... This light, fleeting feeling...) "Kotsuba Katachi."
K : "... Yeah?"
R : (... I'm probably never going to get a chance like this. Ever again. He doesn't know who I am. He knows absolutely nothing about me. A clean slate, where I am seen not as the princess of Rugnud, but the daughter of a simple farmer.) "I have a request."
K : (I don't like where this is going... Somehow...) "... What is it?"
R : (I will never let this go. This exhilarating, uplifting sensation, throbbing through my entire body...) "As Ilpoh says, life is short. Therefore..."
Taking a deep breath, Roberia walked towards Katachi, bent down and buried herself in his arms.
R : "... I would like you to be my consort."
A moment of silence formed between the two.
K : (Consort...!? CONSORT!? THEN, THAT MEANS... !!!) "!!!"
R : (Father, Brother, Jullan... Forgive me. I believe that I too, must follow my ideals, just as Ilpoh has.)
K : "I WHAT!?"
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