The hero suddenly jumped in front of us and used a shield spell.

He made it break before we collided with him and were blown back a bit by the shock wave.

“Greer move back. You, who are you?”

He swept his gaze over me repeatedly with great caution.

“Just a traveler who came to see Foren’s hero”

I said while putting on my most innocent smile.

“LIES” He shouted as he drew his sword.

“Huh?” I was surprised.

I didn’t expect to be rejected like this.

Maybe I’ll have to skip this city as well.

“I know what’s wrong now, it’s that sword. You never used it, but I can feel it. It has a dark, demonic aura about it. No

wonder you’re so strong”

Several people started to jump in to the field from the stands.

They slowly approached us and soon surrounded us.

The crowd started to clear out when they saw the hero act all serious.

“Guards, back off. She’s too much for you”

They moved back a couples of paces.

“Wait, I’m not possessed by this weapon or a demon. I just made it from some metal I found”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“I’ll show you. I can part with it”

Cursed demonic weapons would always possess someone and grant them immense abilities in exchange for their minds.

I guess it was easy to blame my strength on this sword.

But I didn’t think he would notice, I tried my best to hide it.

“Come with us then”

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Arthur casted a healing spell on Greer, sheathed his blade and started to walk out of the coliseum.

I started to follow and Greer with the guards came as well.

We went outside the arena and Arthur had a carriage come to pick us up.

It was then Arthur, Greer, me and three guards.

The carriage ride was in silence with two guards sitting next to me and one in front.

We pulled up to a lake outside the city and Arthur motioned for me to get out.

Everyone else walked behind me until we got to the lake’s edge.

“I had thought you were an assassin, but you might be a demon. This is lake Maria; her holy waters can burn away any

dark specter”

“What do you want me to do?”

“It’s simple, walk in to it and place the sword down. If you are not a demon and not possessed then you won’t burn”

“Heh, thought you were going to test if I would sink”

I took everything off except for my shirt and pants.

I approached the lake slowly barefooted and stuck my foot in.

It felt cold and yet . . . I wasn’t affected by it.

With the sword in my palms, I walked further in.

I knelt down to submerge both the sword and my body.

Suddenly I saw visions of . . . something.

It looked like a forest, it felt overflowing with magic.

It was teeming with life but sensed a strong feeling of being trapped by it.

Then I saw a desert, barren and desolate.

I felt worry and fear from this place, like there always was a looming threat.

Somehow, I was in both these places at once.

They were so different, yet they still felt familiar.

Out of nowhere, voices called out to me in both visions.

In the forest, they were calling out a name.

I realized that it was mine and I turned towards the voice.

I saw only darkness but I felt . . . . unhappy.

The feeling could only be described as being caged, like a bird.

In the desert, when I turned towards the voice I saw darkness again.

But this time I felt joy . . . . .only it was followed by a great sadness.

As if I lost something that was more important than anything else.

‘Gasp’

I broke the surface of the water and started to cough out water.

“You were in there for a while”

I turned around and saw Arthur with a slightly concerned look.

But it was only slightly though.

“Well? I went in, did what you want happen?”

“Yes, look”

He pointed at the sword and I saw the pitch-black steel slowly fading to silver.

“You satisfied? The sword has been purified and I’m still the same person”

“. . .Hmm, yes it appears that way. Where did you acquire this blade?”

“I fought a demon and took it after it died”

“WHAT?”

Arthur was taken aback a little.

“Yea, there was a demon torturing people at a castle. So I waited until it’s minions left and took care of it”

“Tch, it can’t be”

“?”

“We received reports about a demon staying in a castle. But to think the missing people were there. Can you lead us

there?”

“There’s nothing left. In the middle of our fight, he started to make the castle fall around us. Anything left is buried under a

lot of rubble. I only managed to get the sword. And that was so that I could prove I took him out”

“Well, demon slayers are worthy of my time. Come, if you want to assist me I won’t say no. But you must adhere to the

laws of Foren and her king is that clear?”

“Yes”

I nodded to show my confirmation.

The sword had lost what made it interesting to me.

All the negative energy the demon had collected felt gone.

The sword wasn’t even fit to be a weapon anymore, it felt worn.

So, I walked behind a bush near the lake and stabbed it in to the ground.

Then Arthur led me back to the carriage and we all went back to the city again.