Reborn As A Maid

Chapter 37: Chapter 37 - Seven Divine Blades ( Part 1)

Two weeks passed without any problems.

Or, at least...

Without any noticeable problems for Jennie Queens.

Every morning started before sunrise.

She prepared Princess Lilia’s breakfast.

Scheduled her class routine.

Studied lectures in the company of the princess.

Listened to the professors telling about mana theory which was outdated eight centuries ago.

Nodded politely.

Did not utter a word.

And then polished silverware in the evenings.

Gradually, Jennie accepted another harsh truth.

To be a maid was much more exhausting than to be the Sword King.

---

The Royal Academy adapted to its new routine.

No student hissed anymore each time Jennie walked down its corridors.

Well...

Not as much as before.

Professor Gareth still tried persuading her to enroll into Sword Department.

Professor Elric from Magic Faculty still kept accidentally running into her in the library.

Sophia Everwinter kept appearing out of nowhere with a stack of books in her hands and innocent questions leading to lengthy conversations on mana.

Aiden Drakon still greeted her every morning with the same sentence.

"Wanna spar?"

Jennie’s reply never changed.

"No."

His smile did not disappear.

"I will ask you tomorrow."

"...Sure."

Princess Elena Valefor had become another source of Jennie’s trouble.

Unlike Lilia, she did not speak loudly.

She just appeared.

First, Jennie could see a pile of tea cups in front of her.

Then...

Elena would already sit next to her.

"Jennie."

"Yes, Princess?"

"I decided."

Jennie immediately became alert.

"...Usually it means some kind of danger."

"I like you."

"...Thank you?"

"I will visit you every afternoon."

Jennie looked up at the sky silently.

Goddess...

Save me.

In the meantime...

Lilia observed everything with narrowed eyes.

Every time Elena smiled at Jennie...

Lilia smiled as well.

The difference was...

Lilia smiled frightening everyone who was around her.

Once...

After fulfilling all her responsibilities...

Jennie quietly escaped from the Academy dorms.

She climbed the soft hill above the campus grounds.

It had become her favorite place.

Quiet.

Lonely.

Far from paperwork.

And far from Martha’s training lessons.

The moon shone high in the sky.

The silver light was covering the grass.

The cool breeze was blowing in her long white hair.

Jennie took off the dragon-shaped hairpin.

The ornament slowly flew into the air.

The ancient mana ripples were passing through the hill.

The small hairpin was gradually growing.

Metal was stretching.

The runes were becoming active.

And, soon enough...

The legendary holy sword was in her hands again.

Excalibur.

Its dark blade was reflecting the moonlight like the still water.

Jennie smiled.

"It’s been a while."

"Sure, Master."

The sword’s voice carried the same elegant calmness as it used to.

"I’ve been busy."

"I noticed."

"I’ve been making tea." freeweɓnovel.cøm

"...An honorious duty."

Jennie laughed.

"Really?"

She carefully assumed sword stance.

And then...

She made a strike.

One strike.

Clean.

Simple.

The blade was cutting the air.

Another strike followed.

Yet another one.

Her movements were elegant.

Without any unnecessary movements.

Without any unnecessary power.

Exactly as Leonis had trained so many times under the other moon.

She was not training herself to become more powerful.

She was training to remember.

To remember the sword which had become a part of her soul.

Half an hour passed.

Jennie finally put Excalibur aside.

"...I missed it."

"So do I."

The night went silent.

Only the wind was moving.

And then...

Suddenly, Excalibur started trembling.

Slightly.

Jennie’s face changed instantly.

In five years...

The legendary blade never trembled like this.

"Excalibur?"

The sword was silent.

But then...

Its voice sounded.

Lower than usual.

More serious.

"Master..."

Jennie squeezed it a bit harder.

"What happened?"

The slight trembling traveled through the blade.

Almost as if...

Somewhere...

Very far away...

"...I can hear them."

"Them?"

"My brothers."

Jennie’s crimson eyes became wide.

Seven Divine Blades.

Memories from Leonis’ soul were coming back to her.

Seven weapons.

Forged in the Era of Heroes.

Each holding a piece of the Divine Authority granted by the Goddess Miasa personally.

Weapons which were never supposed to exist all together.

Because, together...

They had the power to shake the kingdoms.

Jennie’s voice became soft.

"...It is impossible."

"They are sealed."

"They are."

The emphasis made her heart jump.

The cold wind was sweeping across the hill.

The stars seemed dimmer than usual.

"The seals are fading."

Jennie said nothing.

Centuries ago...

After so many wars...

After witnessing how nations fought over divine weapons...

Leonis made a decision.

No king.

No empire. frёewebηovel.cѳm

No church.

Should own all seven blades.

Thus...

He had constructed the hidden sanctuary.

A huge underground mausoleum.

Protected by countless seals and traps.

Filling with ancient tests.

The place which history called...

The Ancient Sword Tomb.

Only one man knew about the place.

Leonis.

Or...

Jennie.

She slowly closed her eyes.

"...I’ve completely forgot."

The sword was almost sounding amused.

"You’ve forgot the greatest secret of your previous life."

"I forgot more terrible things."

"Such as mana core of the Green Serpent."

"...We’re never going to talk about that."

The sword’s tone became serious.

"Master."

"This is not our problem anymore."**

Jennie looked towards the northern horizon.

Past the mountains.

Past the forests.

Past the kingdoms.

Now she could feel it.

The slight pulse.

The ancient mana.

Sleeping...

And waking.

Like the heartbeats of something that had slept for centuries.

"How many?"

Jennie asked silently.

Excalibur responded after a long silence.

"Six."

Jennie’s breath was caught.

Six.

Six Divine Blades.

Answering the same call.

If Excalibur was the seventh...

Than all the legendary swords from Leonis’ Era were awakening.

One after another.

"The tomb..."

Jennie whispered.

"...is opening."

The sword’s voice became solemn.

For the first time since their reunion...

The ancient blade sounded almost scared.

"Master..."

"The Seven Divine Blades have awakened."

At that very moment...

Past the Royal Academy...

Past the Kingdom of Seraiya...

Deep under the forgotten mountain...

The ancient stone gates with runic engravings cracked for the first time in eight centuries.

The beam of the silver light pierced the darkness of the night.

Then another.

Then dozens.

The sky was trembling.

And the Era of Heroes...

Called once again.