Chapter 1 - At The Precipice

Militiawoman Rachel Goldenhorn was nearing the end of her patrol in the western district when she heard the cranking and screeching of what could only be described as two things; a rusty golem being tortured to death or a very old carriage.

She concentrated on [Detailed Senses] and tried to pick up any other accompanying sound.

Heavy hooves... It must be an oxen carriage.

However, she quickly realized that the pauses between steps were longer than they should be. Either these oxen had very long legs or they weren't oxen at all.

Dad?

After she and Samuel took a right turn, her suspicion was confirmed. A camel cart, the size of a small house, came toward them. A middle-aged half-elf with broad shoulders and a well-groomed beard drove the carriage, her father.

Traveling merchant, retired elite sellsword, gambler, and womanizer Ronald Goldenhorn.

He always boasted about how his family name was Green but after slaying a golden-horned unicorn with nothing but his bare hands and the horn he broke free from the creature's head the system changed his last name to Goldenhorn. A reward for performing such a remarkable feat. The location of this legendary battle and the current whereabouts of the unicorn horn changed every time he told the story to a crowd of drunk women since lying bullshitters aren't restricted by silly things such as 'consistency'.

They met in the middle after a short walk.

"Sam, I want to have a private chat with my father. you can go directly to the barracks and have some sleep after sending over the next shift. they should be ready by now I will check 23rd, 24th, and tanner street before they start."

"Are you sure? You know we are supposed to patrol in pairs."

Rachel smiled, "No offense but my dad is probably better protection than 3 musclebound idiots combined."

"I am too old to fight." Ronald tried to protest from the side.

"You know just beginning with 'no offense but' doesn't make it ok to blatantly insult people right?"

"And?"

"Nothing. See you at the noon bell."

She jumped to the passenger seat of the cart without answering and signaled her dad to continue.

"Were you looking for me to say goodbye dad?"

"Don't flatter yourself girl I was trying to skip town without bumping into you and forgot you were on patrol tonight."

"City gates are that way." she pointed to their backs

"I took a wrong turn." the old merchant smirked

"For sure, for sure"

"Out of all 17 daughters I have throughout the continent you are by far the weirdest one you know that? Usually being absent for most of their life is enough to make them hate me. If not flirting with their best friend does the trick but not you. You have convinced yourself with a leap of logic a mere mortal like me can never understand that deep down in my heart I care about you."

"All 17 daughters you are aware of and Claire basically threw herself to you after hearing the unicorn story." she corrected the man.

"Even I can't tell if this constitutes severe daddy issues or lack thereof and I am the continent's foremost expert on them."

"Are you saying you don't care about me?"

He didn't answer.

"That's what I thought. besides, it's hard to blame you when I have mom for that."

Her mother was the definition of a bad parent. Isabella Bulwark, Royal Guard to Princess Marie Harland, and one of the most famous Knights of the Harland Kingdom. The Princess gave her last name per tradition since one had to cast away their family name and take a new one to serve as a Royal Guard. She wasn't the strongest in the kingdom but her defenses were impregnable.

Her uterus on the other hand not so much... Thus the existence of her abandoned daughter, Rachel.

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"You are being stupid staying here with the doomed princess. King's health worsens every day and once he dies Prince Peter will march with the ducal forces and root you from the mountains. He has numbers and the war beasts on his side."

King Albert the second was terminally ill and unconscious most days. When the news about his condition reached them Princess Marie was on a humanitarian mission to the Barerock, rebuilding the town after a devastating rock slide and bringing the medical and food supplies Lord Alvin requested.

Barerock was a mining town in the mountainous region of Harland. mostly devoid of plant life and circled by miles of unbreachable, hard terrain. Connected to civilization only by a narrow canyon with steep walls. If it weren't for the abundance of precious metals in the area there wouldn't even be a small military post here let alone a city. Beyond the region lay the lawless steppes but terrain made any concerns of border security obsolete.

Her soldiers left their awakened war horses at the Tibris Castle and entered the canyon walking beside supply carts to the disaster zone. It would be a pain to feed war beasts in Barerock and they were useless anyway with no enemy to fight or no monsters to slay.

After two weeks of hard work, a messenger from Tibris brought the bad news.

the king fell ill and Prince Peter quickly moved to tibris and captured their awakened horses, effectively cutting them from the rest of the country.

"You don't know that," Rachel said. "King Albert might get better."

"Fat chance lass"

Rachel thought of other answers but didn't feel like voicing them. she wasn't hopeful of their fate either.

"Regardless I have a duty to the homeland and our future queen I can't just turn my back on it."

"Ok then. I hope you win."

"Oh? is this it?" She asked, surprised he didn't press the issue

"What do you mean?"

"I thought you would try to convince me with a passionate monologue about the arbitrariness of patriotism and how we should denounce our sense of duty to our fellow men to achieve real freedom. It's all you talk about when you drink too much kumus."

"I would do that if I didn't know how stubborn you are," Ronald said "I also know the real reason why you are staying and it's not this bullshit about the queen and the land." Her father replied.

"What is it then?"

"You won't leave your mom here with the princess. After everything she did, you will stay and die with her."

"I am a soldier sworn to serve her majesty, Princess Marie Harland." Rachel said "There is no reason for me to stay other than loyalty." she bit her lip

"For sure" her father smiled bitterly and stopped the carriage next to an empty area between two houses and went inside the carriage.

"Why did we stop here do you need to pee?"

"I wanted to give you something before I leave. Wait here for a second it won't take long."

"is it a bag of pistachios again? I told you I like walnuts more."

Ronald jumped out from the carriage with a weird sword in hand.

Rachel quirked an eyebrow.

"Did you buy me a sword?"

"It's mine but I never used it due to its flower-themed design." he smiled and moved the weapon closer to her. It was a wave-bladed broadsword with a ridiculously long handle, big side guards, and wide side rings. Its pommel had an embedded pink crystal shaped like a pentagonal flower.

"Is that a magical crystal?"

her eyes opened wide

"Where did you even find an enchanted sword? even some of the Royal guard here doesn't have them."

"A Baroness gifted it to me years ago to spite her husband. it's a long story and frankly not that interesting so don't ask about it."

"Ok Ok, I won't but spill it old man what does the enchantment do? Is it sharpness? obstruction? I hope it's not heat because I hate those. Who in their right mind cauterizes wounds second after they inflict them?

He shook his head. "It's not any of them. Here, take it and swing it for a few minutes while focusing on the crystal."

She took the sword and slowly started to practice basic two-handed attacks and stances.

Swing down from the upper left

Back up

Stab

It's as heavy as a greatsword but has a normal size blade so why... oh I see waves in the blade making it broader but shorter for its weight. It will be hard to manage but extra punch would help to wreck some dipshit in armor. Side guards didn't need to be this extensive blade isn't long enough to justify the width but I admit It kind of looks intimidating.

Now let's see what this enchantment can do

.

.

.

Hmm, there is a subtle shift but it's not quick enough for me to make sense of it.

Her sword scraped the ground after a downswing

What!?

"What?"

She looked at the sword and the stone ground it hit during a downswing.

I did the same swing a few times already with no problems so why now...

She brought the blade close to her face and observed for a few seconds. She saw the sword straighten itself from a wavy blade at normal length to a zweihander taller than herself in less than a minute.

"I saw how the other talentless brats bully you from the range at the training yard just because you are short. My old heart just couldn't take it."

She ran and hugged him. "Thank you! I don't have to carry a stupid shield anymore now that I have a longer sword."

"Shields save lives you stupid girl It's almost always better to have them." He said while trying to push her away.

"I will get another one even longer than this, cast away my armor too, and march down the mountain with two swords at hand wearing a summer dress." Rachel danced and sang about the adventures she will go with her new sword.

After having her fun she started to practice again, doing one-handed forms with her shield.

"Weight makes it a bit harder to control but I won't be jumping around with a shield on my other hand anyway."

"How about the enchantment? You mostly used one-handed swords before do you think you can learn to switch mid-battle?" Her father probed.

"It will be hard to resist but I won't be using it until this conflict is over. I need to stick with what I know best until we are safe."

"What if I told you I could teach you? You are old enough to travel with me now. We could train on the road with no distractions."

Rachel froze

"Are you asking me to live with you? Why? I know you never took one of my half-sisters with you no matter what happens."

"Yeah I don't and If you are going to come with me you will not tell a soul. When people ask you will say you are a prostitute understand? If the others learn I made an exception for you they would kill me."

"Why me?"

"Look, I never felt much responsibility for my kids and honestly I don't feel bad for it. Their mothers are well-off women who wanted a child without suffering a marriage and gave them plenty of love and a good life. You are my only daughter who grew up in an orphanage since your mother backpedaled on our deal. I don't feel guilt over my way of life but I am not heartless either."

Rachel couldn't believe this was happening.

This is all I ever wanted! to live on the road with dad and see every corner of the continent. Exploration, Adventure, Freedom! I just need to say yes and...

Her heart sank

"I need to leave mo- Barerock behind with you now. The offer won't stand next year."

"Yes."

What a masterful trap. The kind that you see from a mile away and still want to walk in because the bait is too attractive to give up.

"You are only doing this to save my life."

"Is it working?"

She took a deep breath and considered for a few seconds

I can't... Not before I make her acknowledge me.

"No."

"It was worth a try." He said disappointedly

Rachel fasted the sword to her belt

"Thanks for trying. I really should go now. They still make us participate in the afternoon training after a night shift and I haven't slept for a day."

"I need to go as well If I want to reach Tibris before sunset tomorrow." Ronald jumped back to the driver's seat and turned his camel back towards the city gates.

"Does it have a name? All good enchanted swords have names."

"Yes, it does. Do you see the magic crystal on the pommel? It resembles a flower that unfurls in the morning like the blade does. Apparently the enchanter named the sword after it."

Ronald said grinning from ear to ear.

"Morning Glory."