Strike 102

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Lying in bed, Bella looked at her own arm, which had become nothing but bones.

As she threw off the blanket, her emaciated form was revealed.

Bella smiled faintly and got up.

Her bedroom was filled only with tools for training, armor, and sharp blades.

Among those, there was a dress she had never taken out.

She opened the wardrobe.

Bought for a few dozen gold at the market, perhaps?

A clean dress she had never worn.

She took out a dress adorned with bright lace.

It was the first time in her life she was trying on a dress.

Silver long hair and beautiful eyes. A beauty that seemed decadent because of her emaciation.

And a necklace once given by King Bard.

“It’s a birthday gift, Bella.”

She casually tried on the necklace embedded with emeralds.

It was astonishing.

Because she looked far more beautiful in the mirror than she had thought.

She smiled awkwardly.

She had lived her life as a knight. Once a blacksmith’s daughter, and at another time, she lived in an arena.

There was no life for her as a woman.

“It’s enough now.”

Bella smiled faintly.

For the first and last time, she had lived as a woman for a few moments.

She took out a pill she had kept well stored on one side.

This pill, if swallowed, causes immediate death if captured or in similar situations.

Bella’s loyalty to Bard, who had saved her, was tremendous.

If Bard asked, she could actually commit suicide.

“I’ve heard the stories.”

Bella’s senses were informed by the stories of the servants.

That Bard was making efforts to save her, even at great cost.

It was an unwelcome thing.

To the king, a knight was something to be used and discarded.

Bella planned to swallow the pill this evening.

“I’m not scared at all.”

Bella smiled slightly.

As a knight, wouldn’t this be a truly noble death?

If she was going to die anyway, wouldn’t it be better if the king was a bit more comfortable?

And what she could do was to ensure that the king would not be discomforted by discovering her in such a state.

Bella was about to change her clothes again when a man entered.

It was Hyun-soo.

***

Hyun-soo was certain.

‘If Bella is saved, His Majesty Bard will return that much.’

The Bard he knew was such a person.

Therefore, he did not regret using the Saint’s Prayer, which can only be uttered twice in a lifetime, for her.

As he walked to Bella’s bedroom, he recalled one strange thing.

Sudden Quest: Because of a woman prepared for death.

“A woman prepared for death?”

Hyun-soo couldn’t help but be puzzled by the significance of it all.

Suddenly struck by a thought, Hyun-soo ran towards Bella’s bedroom.

Entering her bedroom, Hyun-soo saw her in an unusual state.

Seeing the pill in her palm, he instantly understood.

She, with a momentarily perplexed expression, calmly reassured him.

“Will you keep it a secret from His Majesty?”

Looking at her bitter smile, Hyun-soo shook his head.

He also mentioned that the saint he brought was there.

Instead, she said:

“That’s good. Hyun-soo, being recognized as a benefactor by Saint Aria. Now that you’ve become a noble of the kingdom, please use that power to prosper the kingdom.”

Chivalry.

That was the problem.

For the country rather than one’s own life.

Hyun-soo saw her stubbornness.

He seemed to be in a dilemma. Suddenly, he remembered a conversation with Nel.

“Hyun-soo, you have a special power besides your blacksmith skills.”

“A special power? What is it?”

“You’re good with words.”

Yes, Hyun-soo had that power, just as Nel had mentioned.

Just then, a notification appeared.

[Bella was destined to die. However, by bringing Aria, her fate might change.]

[A new episode that you’ve never seen before may begin.]

‘A new episode involving Bella and me might start?’

Hyun-soo looked puzzled.

It was a story he couldn’t quite grasp.

Could there be a story starting between her and him?

‘Let’s set that aside for now.’

Hyun-soo simply intended to change this stubborn lady’s mind in his own way.

***

It was only natural.

As a knight, wishing for the prosperity of the kingdom and the peace of the king rather than just one’s own life.

That’s why Bella had not an iota of regret.

Then, the blacksmith man in front of her asked.

“…Aren’t you afraid?”

His probing question sent a shiver through Bella’s heart.

But trying to be as calm as possible, pretending it was nothing.

“I am a knight. A knight finds the happiest rest in death when dying for the kingdom.”

Bella hypnotized herself.

I am not afraid.

It’s a knight’s duty.

Then, Hyun-soo looked outside the window. It was raining.

Looking at the cold winter night’s rain, he said,

“Spring is coming soon.”

Bella’s face twisted miserably. She knew.

A beautiful spring she would not see, wishing for the kingdom’s well-being while refusing the saint’s prayer.

Thinking about him mentioning the spring she would not see, she wondered,

Is he mocking me?

“We’ll go on an outing when spring comes.”

“You…”

Yes, how could a mere blacksmith man understand her heart?

Could he understand the noble heart of a knight, how beautiful it is for a knight to die for the kingdom…

“On that day, Lady Bella wishes to stand by Your Highness as always.”

“…?”

No, it wasn’t so. Bella looked into the eyes of the blacksmith with wavering eyes.

At first sight, he was a novice.

The second time, he was the creator of a legendary sword.

Upon seeing him again, he had saved a territory.

And now, he speaks as a nobleman.

He is not mocking her death or disregarding chivalry.

He is embracing her, a knight who fears revealing the last woman she cherished.

Bella imagines in her head.

Fields beautifully blooming with flowers and bushes.

Knights aligning with Barad, standing in front of a large tree, looking at her.

Her figure, walking among them in silver armor with a sword at her waist, comes to mind.

As always, His Majesty Barad will smile at her with a blind faith.

Standing beside His Majesty, she will feel the trembling bushes and look over the world beyond the hill.

“Isn’t it such a pity?”

Bella slowly collapses.

“For a beautiful flower like you to wither.”

He respected her as a knight with the word “beautiful” and protected the heart of a woman with the word “flower.”

Eventually, it bursts out.

“I want to live…”

To continue surviving and silently stand by His Majesty’s side as always.

“I want to live…”

Again, on a very pleasant day.

She wants to secretly wear this dress and stroll through the market.

The crumbling Bella asks,

“Why, why…”

The blacksmith smiles beautifully.

“Because His Majesty needs you.”

Yes, it awakens Bella.

To survive and continue to be by His Majesty’s side is the right thing to do rather than dying after swallowing a pill.

Clinging to a worthless chivalry.

At this moment, Bella regained the will to live.

And…

[A new story begins.]

[This story is about a knight who will risk their life for you in the distant future.]

[Knight Bella harbors another sun in her heart.]

In the end, Hyun-soo steps forward, and Saint Aria approaches Bella.

Beyond the closing door, Bella looks at the back of a man until the last moment.

He brought Aria to heal the plague and also instilled the will to live.

At this moment, she made one resolve.

“As much as my lord…”

The vow to protect him.

Saint Aria’s prayer began. Divine light filled the entire church.

That warm energy resembled the warmth in Bella’s heart.

***

Stepping outside, Hyun-soo saw the most brilliant and beautiful light emanating from the room.

[This story is about a knight who will risk their life to protect you in the distant future.]

[Knight Bella harbors another sun in her heart.]

And he remembered the astonishing notification.

‘Bella might be able to join our Bright Future?’

Hyun-soo knows Bella to have surpassed even the captain of the knights in talent.

The strongest after Barad, recognized by the Kingdom of Goyard.

‘To bring her over, I’ll need to grow the Bright Future.’

Barad is a friend, but annoyingly stingy. He doesn’t give in easily.

‘Is the reward I received this time a possibility?’

Yes, that reward could possibly be the chance to bring Bella over.

But that alone was enough.

That possibility carried astronomical value, immeasurable even in money.

And then Aria came out.

“I will now meet with the Pope to discuss the value of the Holy Sword.”

“Understood.”

The saint and the paladins left again.

And the value of the Holy Sword was very important to Hyun-soo, too.

‘How much money is left?’

In fact, Hyun-soo knew that with that Holy Sword, he could solve all the remaining medical bills and have money to spare.

But what Hyun-soo needed was money to start anew.

He was an ordinary man.

He longed for a good house, a good car, a good life.

The value of the Holy Sword would be the first step towards that life.

***

The Papacy of the Church of Ares.

The Pope holds power comparable to the Emperor.

Pope Carsele of the 16th couldn’t understand.

‘Saint Aria, how could she make such a unilateral decision…’

Aria is the wisest person the Pope knows.

Yet, Aria independently dispatched the holy child, Bellia.

And what was more absurd was in the papal bull Carsele received.

‘I wish for the Holy Sword to be designated as a sacred relic. The Church of Ares must prepare a reward for the said blacksmith, and I have promised to add 30% more to the value.’

Carsele’s head throbbed. He had heard that the blacksmith was a lifesaver.

But wasn’t this too much?

Moreover, a sacred relic signifies the most holy object representing the church.

‘The Holy Sword?’

It was preposterous.

A proposal to make such a sword, not even bestowed by the god Ares, into a sacred object?

Aria might have hit her head.

He resolved to give Aria a piece of his mind!

And then he began to examine the signet sword Aria had handed over.

***

“…I did act too independently. 30% was indeed too much.”

Aria, who had decided on her own to add 30% to the value, looked guilty.

To that, Carsele said,

“Right, for an artifact of this level, we should have offered more! What’s this about just 30%!”

“…Excuse me?”

Aria was taken aback, and Carsele finally understood her reasoning. Our church must maintain a close relationship with Hyun-soo at all costs.

“Let’s add another 10% and make it a total of 40% extra.”

The Pope, Aria, and the blacksmiths together assessed its value.

Even those who appraised it were amazed.

“To think a single sword could be valued this much.”

“But it’s worth it.”

Carsele could not deny Aria’s words.

And not long after sending the formal document, Hyun-soo came and left with a look of amazement as he received the reward.

***

Bank of Korea.

Bank teller Lee Da-som was handling her usual counter duties.

Ding-dong-

With the cheerful sound of a notification, Da-som saw a young man approaching.

“Wow…”

Though his face was covered with a mask, he was quite tall and had good proportions.

He must be around 23? 24?

“I’d like to check my deposit details and organize my bank book.”

Da-som, as usual, inserted the bank book into the machine.

Zzzing-

The machine printed the transaction and balance details into the bank book.

For people of this age, if they save well, they might have ten million won, or at least one million.

Da-som was surprised as she checked if the bank book was organized properly.

[1,600,000,000 won.]

Because a whopping 1.6 billion won had just been deposited.

“Exchange money?”

Da-som was greatly surprised.

However, as a bank clerk, she did not show it overtly and handed it back.

The young man looked down at the bank book for a while, then suddenly started to cry.

“They’ve sent it all…”

Confused by his cryptic remark, Da-som looked puzzled.

Then, an old man at the next counter said,

“He must have had debts? Congratulations, it’s rare to see a grown man cry. Now you only have happiness left.”

To this, the young man responded with a bright smile,

“That’s right, only happiness remains now.”

Da-som joined in,

“Congratulations.”

And the young man, wiping the tears from his eyes, left the bank with a happy smile.

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