Crownless Consort-Chapter 47 - : Lux Sword Style

Artemis sat apart from August in the grass, who had begun to stride back and forth, massaging his chin as he ran through his train of thoughts.

"I applaud you hesitating to use your Spirit Contract. It would have been difficult to determine your level of skill if you had done so..."

Artemis blushed slightly, glancing away. This wasn't something he had done to help August, moreso to admonish himself... he felt a bit odd, being praised for it.

"To be honest, there's many things that are both right and wrong... some things could be applicable in certain scenarios... you're missing a whole foundation, though. You really weren't taught to fight at all, were you? I suppose you could get through with your overwhelming size... I'm certainly jealous of you.."

"You? You're jealous of me?" Artemis looked a bit shocked.

"Well, yeah. You're handsome, tall, and brutishly strong... not like a giant, but more like... some mythical figure... it's quite adorable."

Artemis couldn't tell whether he was being complimented or slighted. But either way, it riled him up, and not in a negative way...

"So what will you teach me?"

Instead of answering his question, he asked one more.

"Do you know what the Lux Sword Style is?"

Artemis shook his head. "Another state secret?"

"Indeed." August chuckled. "You see, there is really only a handful of principles to the Lux Sword Style. This was an offshoot of a style that my predecessors created, but I had never learnt its name. My father died before he could teach it to me formally, I only learned it through witnessing his training sessions..." August smiled bitterly as he raised the blade.

"I'm sorry..."

He shook his head. "No, that's not important, sorry for losing myself in a tangent. What I mean to say is that these principles are something I had to determine myself. I was basically using the scraps of my ancestor's style to create something new, and so that is its main focus. This is a style that is constantly adapting, constantly shifting and refocusing itself. It is instantaneously realised, and it is incredibly precise- precision is key above all things. Just like like light is."

Just like light is...

He realised he had witnessed this 'Lux Sword Style' before. That blinding brilliance in cooperation with his Aspect abilities during the Mimic Shades attack showcased it well.

"So you want me to learn this Sword Style?"

To Artemis's surprise, the Witch-King shook his head again.

"No, actually, I want to teach you fragments of it, just like I learned from my father many years ago. I will teach you the foundation of sword-craft, and then I will leave you be. I hope you can use these fragments to piece together your own style, something that works for you most of all. You're not in Margraves anymore, you're in the Capital of Swordsmanship. Surrounding you nearly all day are dozens of soldiers at the pinnacle of the art, and you're married to a man who has never been bested in combat. I think for you, this is quite achievable, you certainly have all the resources."

August's thoughts were quite simple.

This determination of yours... I'm afraid to snuff out its embers by leaving you in the dark, but I think it burns brighter than I can imagine... creating your own sword style, or using someone else's, it really doesn't matter... but doing it yourself, I think you can stoke that determination further! 

I want you to grow beyond what I can imagine, my dearest Consort! 

He reached out a hand to the black wolf, smiling warmly.

"Do you think you can do it, Arte?"

Artemis ruminated on this. Create my own style? This feels like more work than I've ever done in my life, is this actually something I can feasibly handle? 

Or is it the case that it's something I need to handle, regardless of whether I can do it or not?

Artemis furrowed his brows, frowning as he replied, "I'll do it."

August grinned wildly upon hearing this, beckoning for Artemis to stand.

"Pull out your blade, hold it as you would normally."

Artemis followed his instruction, removing the rapier from its new silver-patterned sheath. He raised his arm outwards, his cloak billowing underneath like a wing.

August stared at his posture for a moment, before making several comments.

"That stance leaves your arm open. While it's quite good for intimidation, any learned fighter would see right through you. They would think you novice, but in many cases, that may just be a fantastic mislead. However, if you can't react as fast as they can attack you, you're going to lose that arm."

"How should I stand, then?"

August mimicked the rapier with his bastard sword, holding it loosely and fluidly as he turned to the side, still facing Artemis as he raised his blade, his other hand raised near his chest.

"You make yourself a smaller target by turning yourself, while standing in preparation to lunge forward. While a rapier can cut, many of your greatest strikes will be piercing, precise, and this is exactly why my sword style is perfect for you. Like light, which can focus itself into one exact point, you're absolutely fit for this. It's why I initially recommended teaching you. Otherwise, I might have sent you to Lysia... no, maybe Gwennaude... or Wolf? I'm not quite sure..."

"Wolf?"

"Ah, you haven't met Wolf yet, have you?"

August chuckled wryly.

"He's the strongest Archknight, and certainly the oldest... he's been out on leave due to a shoulder injury, but he should be set to return very soon, if he wants. Even if all other Archknights, including Gwennaude and Lysia were to team up and fight against him, I think he would still win..."

"Is his Spirit Contract that good?"

August shook his head.

"That man does not use a Spirit. In fact, he's the only Archknight who has never Contracted with a Spirit."

An Archknight that didn't contract with a Spirit? Isn't that a requirement for the Seers that come out of the Institute? How strange...

Gradually, the sun began to set, and darkness enshrouded the mystical illusion within the grand hall. They had spent the entire day within it, or perhaps that too had been an illusion.

Over the course of hours, they had practiced together, and slowly, they had become exhausted. The two of them lay in the grass, holding each other close.

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you, August." Artemis spoke in a soft, distant tone as he stared up at the sky of glimmering stars.

"What is it?"

"It pertains to the Corvo family."

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There was no real need for him to pursue the matter of the Corvo family anymore. Having made suitable connections with the Sequoia family, Artemis had all he needed to worm his way into higher Noble society, all at the cost of Lieger putting himself forward.

Still, after learning of the mystery surrounding the Corvo family, it left Artemis quite curious. And August was no longer too busy to be bothered, he didn't feel bad for at least prying slightly into the matter.

"The Corvo family? What about them? Why are you mentioning such a dust-shrouded name?" August chuckled, glancing over at Artemis.

"I just... thought it odd, for a long time, and yet could find no answer to it, that the Corvo family would abandon the Adebeuren District and vanish into the shadows. Why would they give up everything in order to obtain secrecy? Were they doing something for you that required absolute silence amidst their ranks? Not a single member falls out of line, it's like the Corvo family as a whole has agreed to such an insane proposition..."

"You're aware that the Corvo family is like a subsidiary of the Lunastre House, right? Despite its status as a Lightseeker-affiliated House, which was purposeful, they are a direct branch of my Lineage."

Artemis nodded. This much was known throughout the Blackbaast. If the Lunastre House were to fall, the Corvo Family would be next in line to take their place.

"Well, in truth, I don't really know what they're up to. Foster Corvo, the head of the Corvo House, won't tell me. He says it's for my benefit, and he assures me he's acting in my interest, so I believe him. His history has earned that much. It's not like I mind, either. Instead, I meet with a subsidiary member of the family each month, and he tells me of where I can find their family's hideout if I really wished to. Otherwise, they continue their operations as if nothing had changed at all."

"Don't you find it suspicious in the slightest? Wouldn't someone working against you say the opposite to mislead you? How can you trust them, and not fear what they could possibly be plotting?"

"Because it really doesn't matter."

August's tone had grown unusually cold.

"If they work against me, I'll kill them all."