***
Benedict gently whispered as he wrapped his arm around Melsia’s shoulders, who was standing dazed.
“Our daughter went and did it well.”
“Indeed.”
Melsia leaned her head on Benedict’s shoulder and closed her eyes. She finally felt relieved after hearing that Cherrya was safe. Only after giving birth did she realize how fearful she could be.
“Balmore’s daughter is the same age as her, seven years old. Why does our Cherry grow so exceptionally fast?”
Benedict chuckled softly at Melsia’s slightly discontented expression. He nodded, agreeing with her.
“Cherry doesn’t give us a chance to be parents.”
They wanted to see Cherrya laugh, cry, and throw tantrums like any child. But Cherrya, like a fully grown child since birth, never showed any vulnerability.
Sometimes, they were upset, thinking Cherrya believed she had to be that way to be loved.
“Still, it was nice to see her becoming more childlike since she started learning the sword.”
“That’s exactly it!”
Melsia nodded enthusiastically. The significant change in Cherrya began after a major fight with Enoch, which led her to take up the sword out of spite. For the first time, Melsia scolded her child, saw her tears, and witnessed her laughing heartily.
Seeing Cherrya act her age made them truly happy.
“But we should be happy about her growth.”
“That’s right. Our Cherry has grown to be a true Emblem.”
“It’s because of how you raised her, Mel.”
“We raised her together.”
Benedict’s eyes widened at Melsia’s words, then he smiled warmly and responded joyfully.
“Yes, we raised her together.”
Melsia and Benedict looked ahead simultaneously. From afar, they heard the loud voice of their long-awaited child.
“Mom, Dad!!”
Cherrya came running towards them with a bright smile. Her hands, waving vigorously above her head, were covered in scars, which struck both parents’ eyes.
However, seeing no hint of defeat or pain on Cherrya’s face, they smiled broadly and opened their arms.
“Our daughter!! You did well!!”
“I’m back!”
Cherrya leapt into their arms with all her might. Hugging her tightly, Melsia asked.
“Did you have fun?”
Cherrya pondered for a moment, then lifted her head and responded clearly.
“You know what? I think I really love sword!”
“Do you?”
“Yes! From now on, I will train harder and learn more!”
Melsia and all the Emblem members looked pleased with Cherrya’s words.
Those who came to see the defeated faces of the Emblem members after Gray’s victory were disappointed by the warm atmosphere and left.
***
That night, Enoch picked up his sword, refusing to rest, to keep his combat senses sharp.
“Hoo, hukk!”
The sword shone sharply under the moonlight as it cut through the air.
The sword, crafted perfectly to fit Enoch’s hand, moved as if it were part of his body. His movements were flawless, seamlessly flowing into the next.
His sword dance became more refined, gradually eliminating any gaps.
‘If you can do it in practice, you must be able to do it in real battle. Gray’s swordsmanship is specialized in strategy and tactics, so if your mind is empty, you can’t exert real power. Do you understand what to do then?’
Enoch kept recalling his grandfather’s words, which he deeply realized during the recent hunting competition.
He could have swung his sword first but was slower than Cherrya.
‘It means you have to train until your body moves before your mind can react.’
Enoch finally understood his grandfather’s words. He had witnessed someone proving it right next to him today.
Cherrya had done it. Enoch had not. This meant that Cherrya had swung her sword tirelessly until her body reacted faster than her mind.
“Haa, haa, haa…”
Enoch stopped swinging his sword and breathed heavily.
The image of red hair passing by him was still vivid in his mind.
For him, that moment felt like one second had turned into a minute.
Cherrya’s eyes, as she passed by, were astonishingly calm. Her gaze was unwavering, and her sword swing was without hesitation.
Enoch was surprised to see the amber eyes, always full of life, turn so cold.
“Cherry did it.”
Enoch bit his lip hard. Cherrya had picked up the sword because of him. Out of spite and competitiveness, just for that.
He thought she would quit soon. Since she could think, Cherry had always been fickle.
But Cherrya had more perseverance than he thought.
‘Your talent is a quick mind and a body that can react accurately.’
As his grandfather said, Enoch had a sharp mind. When sparring with peers, he could calculate the opponent’s sword path by the direction of their eyes and the angle of their ankles.
So it was undeniable that Cherrya was far behind Enoch. He could tell just by watching her.
The official knights of the Gray Knights had unpredictable swordsmanship, while Cherry’s sword was entirely readable to Enoch.
He was confident that he wouldn’t lose a single match against Cherrya.
However, that also meant Cherrya had something Enoch didn’t possess at that moment.
‘Cherrya Emblem is inferior to you, but her tenacity and perseverance are something to be acknowledged.’
Cherrya’s relentless competitiveness, where she had to do better than Enoch in everything from one to ten.
Unlike Enoch, who could execute a move as soon as he understood it in his mind, Cherrya would practice the same move dozens, hundreds of times until it became hers.
Ultimately, this difference made Cherrya take a step ahead today.
“……..”
For the first time, Enoch felt a sense of crisis. His victory, which he unconsciously took for granted, was threatened for the first time.
Complacency was not allowed. It was the most emphasized point from his grandfather.
No matter how outstanding your talent is, you must not become complacent and believe in it.
Enoch understood that his grandfather’s warning was something he wished he had told himself in his youth.
He knew he had to engrave this warning deeply into his bones.
Otherwise, this talent, which everyone called a blessing, would become poison and spread through Enoch’s body without him realizing it.
By the time he realized it, it would be too late. It would silently devour him completely.
