Chapter 5: The Swordsmanship Test
The two witches led Diye to a corner of the cathedral. There, the roots of a massive tree, several meters thick, had broken through the wall, its roots snaking across the worn floor.
“Are we really underground?” Diye looked at the exposed rock and soil beyond the collapsed stone wall where the giant tree intruded.
“Yes, there are few places to hide above ground anymore,” Yoleya said.
Diye wondered where the light from the rows of rose windows came from. Perhaps it was also a form of magic? Her gaze fell upon a rose window depicting a winged female demon, her hand outstretched as if tempting mortals.
Had Cerise really left? Diye no longer sensed the presence of the great demon here. No allure or shame was more unforgettable to her than Cerise’s.
Most likely, she had to leave for some reason.
But it was also possible that the succubus, whose desires were beyond comprehension, was still lurking in some corner Diye couldn’t perceive, watching her. Perhaps, seeing the former peak Temple Knight reduced to a witch hiding underground, despised by the world, abandoned by her former god, and hunted by the very kingdom and people she once protected, was Cerise’s true desire.
“Whether she’s truly gone or not, I must carry out my plan. I have to take this gamble,” Diye thought resolutely.
As for escaping, she could have done so when the ritual ended. But in her current state, where could she go? Sadly, this place was the safest. Furthermore, Diye had to obtain the Night Ring. She couldn’t let Qingruo face the witches’ revenge unprepared.
If there was a trap set by Cerise here, it seemed unnecessary. Cerise could have simply transformed her into a female knight and thrown her in here, or even killed her outright.
“You didn’t kill me, wanting to savor a more thorough revenge through my shame? You’ll regret it.”
“Miss Diye, Diye? Are you alright?” Qinna noticed Diye’s distraction and approached her. She truly didn’t know what kind of monster Diye encountered in the dungeon, what she had experienced.
“Ah? I’m fine…” Diye blushed slightly, shaking her head abruptly. This time, it wasn’t from shame, but from inner anger and determination.
“This way, please.”
Qinna and Yoleya led Diye around the tree roots to the darker northwest corner of the cathedral. Here, a rectangular space was enclosed by stone pillars and dark orange wooden railings, the railings adorned with bloodstained parchment magic seals.
At one end of the rectangular area, there was a circular, broken rock magic circle.
A witch in a dark robe, with long purple hair and gold-rimmed glasses on one side, was walking towards them.
“Sister Isesi, Master Diluowei asked us to bring Miss Diye here for a swordsmanship test,” Qinna said respectfully to the witch.
“Yes, I heard. I was going to practice water magic, after all, the selection trial is in a few months. But I’ll help you with this first,” said the witch named Isesi. It seemed her status in the underground church was higher than Qinna’s and Yoleya’s.
“Thank you for your trouble,” the two girls bowed slightly.
“By the way, what level of test should we conduct?” Isesi looked at Diye. “Since Master Diluowei isn’t personally overseeing the test, it should be beginner level. One of you go get Lusha and Philine. They’ll conduct the evaluation.”
“I’ll go,” Yoleya quickly offered.
“Excuse me, how will the test be conducted?” Diye still harbored an instinctive wariness towards magic circles and incantations.
“Miss Diye, let me explain the test rules. Do you see that magic circle? I’ll use it to summon a monster, and then you’ll use your swordsmanship to fight it. This will allow us to evaluate your swordsmanship skills,” Isesi explained, pointing to the circle in the rectangular area.
“Of course, we won’t summon anything too strong, and we’ll be here to ensure your safety. Remember, you can only use swordsmanship. Using magic would invalidate the test. If you feel in danger, call for help immediately,” she added.
“Oh…” Diye understood. She didn’t know any magic anyway.
At that moment, Yoleya returned with two witches dressed in more active wear, tight tops and short skirts. Their skirts were short in the front but had two long tails in the back, somewhat similar to Diye’s attire. From their gait and posture, Diye sensed they had undergone martial arts training.
However, besides these two, Yoleya also attracted quite a few robed witches, some wearing hoods. Hearing about the swordsmanship test, they came to observe.
The feeling of her female body being scrutinized by so many eyes made Diye uneasy.
“Miss Diye, please choose a weapon,” Qinna led Diye to the railing, where several swords of different types, from rapiers to heavy greatswords, leaned against wooden racks.
“Miss Diye? What’s wrong?”
Looking at the various swords, a wave of emotion washed over Diye.
She seemed to recall herself from yesterday.
Reaching out, she touched the blades, closing her eyes, trembling slightly.
This feeling brought her comfort.
A comfort she hadn’t felt since the fall of her family.
“Diye, choose a weapon. Didn’t you have some basic training? Choose one similar to what you usually use. It’s just a test, no need to be nervous,” Qinna encouraged her.
Nervous? Who knew? But not holding a sword in her hand made her feel even more helpless.
What she usually used? Actually, Yedi had used various weapons, from daggers to greatswords and giant axes. He was truly interested in these things, even obsessed. After all, a man who couldn’t indulge in desires needed other interests to fill the void.
For a moment, Diye wasn’t sure what to choose.
Her gaze landed on a dark red, heavy two-handed greatsword. Nodding slightly, she reached out and grasped it.
“Miss Diye…” Qinna became worried, looking at Diye. Although she had a healthy and tall figure, her slender arms didn’t seem capable of wielding such a heavy and long weapon. “This is for training witches to fight against enemy greatsword users. We girls can’t even swing such a weapon…”
Clang.
Without much thought, Diye, driven by her fondness for these steel objects, lifted the greatsword with one hand.
“Eh? Miss Diye…” Qinna was surprised. She was considered strong among the witches, and although she could lift the sword, it wasn’t this effortless. She didn’t expect such slender arms, such delicate hands, to possess such strength.
“…” Diye held the greatsword aloft with one hand, feeling its weight. Her eyes revealed a hint of melancholy. “Has my strength really decreased this much…”
Diye, holding the greatsword at her side, walked into the arena.
The witches on both sides watched her silently, their eyes filled with surprise, yet they remained quiet. They had fled or been rescued and given sanctuary here, and most had undergone similar tests. Many of them worried for Diye.
Most witches didn’t like fighting, even feared violence and dreaded killing. But they didn’t shy away from the training here, because any slightly older witch knew they had nowhere left to run.
Many of them didn’t even know why they were being hunted, what unforgivable sin they had committed to deserve being burned alive. But they knew that coming here meant preparing to fight.
This was their fate.
The evaluator, Philine, whispered something to Yoleya, then turned to Diye. “Miss Diye, is it? Based on our experience, and for your safety, we must remind you that while you may believe you can lift this greatsword, in fact, most of us here can do the same. But wielding such a heavy sword in combat is a different matter. We don’t know what kind of summoned monster you’ll be facing.”
“Are you sure you want to use this two-handed greatsword?” The other evaluator, Lusha, with short blue hair, asked.
Any warrior with basic swordsmanship training knew that although it was a two-handed greatsword, unlike blunt weapons like axes and warhammers, the position of the hilt and swordsmanship techniques meant its weight couldn’t be compared to those long-handled weapons.
Even the heaviest greatsword could be lifted by an average woman, but wielding it freely and fighting effectively required ten or even dozens of times the strength just to lift it!
“I’m sure.”
Diye gripped the slightly thick hilt tightly with one hand, squeezing, squeezing again, as if this firm grip could provide her exposed female body with the support she felt as a man.
This support was indispensable to her at this moment, clad in a long dress with a front slit, beneath which she wore black lace clinging to her frail and powerless body.
However, the surrounding witches watched with solemn expressions and unease. No one wanted the beautiful new witch to suffer an accident right away.
“Diye…” Yoleya’s face was filled with worry, her lips pursed, her small fists clenched.
“Miss Diye, if you’re ready, I’ll summon the monster. Remember, the summoned monster will only attack those within the arena, meaning you, and it will have a strong desire to attack. Be careful,” Isesi said, handing the old, large magic book to Yoleya.
“Sister Isesi, what kind of monster will be summoned?” Yoleya asked worriedly.
“Of course, I’ll use a standard contract. The summoned monster will almost certainly be an ordinary low-level monster. As for the specifics, that’s uncertain,” Isesi shrugged.
“Eh?” Yoleya’s heart tightened. “Miss Diye…”
“So, are you ready?” Isesi asked.
Diye took a deep breath. She wasn’t nervous, but rather, the feeling of wielding a sword against a monster again, this long-lost sensation, moved her deeply, even as a witch.
“I’m ready.”
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