The Training Ground
Elda: "Let's talk about this later." 😐
Noel: "Huh? Okay..." 🫤
Noel obediently stepped aside.
Meanwhile, Aaron stood quietly, holding the legendary sword in his hands.
His gaze softened as he looked at it.
Aaron (thinking): I thought I'd never see this sword again... 🥹
He gently ran his fingers over the familiar design.
For a moment, he forgot about everyone around him.
Aaron (thinking): Father... ❤️
His eyes glistened slightly.
Across from him, Noel stood with her hands by her sides, looking at everyone with a confused expression.
Noel (thinking): Why is everyone acting so strange? 😶
It's just a sword, isn't it?
Okay, fine. It's a shiny sword.
But why does everyone look like someone has just resurrected the dead?! 😭
After the soldiers finally moved away, Elda turned toward Noel.
Elda: "Listen carefully. There's something you need to understand about that sword."
Noel nodded.
Noel: "Okay." 🙂
Elda took a deep breath.
Elda: "That is the Asmodius Sword."
"It belonged to Aaron's father."
Noel's expression slowly changed.
Elda: "When his father died in his final battle, even his body was never found."
"The sword was the only thing left for Aaron to remember him by." 🙂
Noel: "Oh..."
She glanced at Aaron.
He was still looking at the sword with an expression she couldn't quite describe.
Then something suddenly occurred to her.
Noel: "WAIT..." 😱
Noel: "YOU MEAN THIS SWORD BELONGED TO HIS FATHER?!"
Elda: "Yes." 😐
Noel: "AND I WAS JUST SITTING THERE HOLDING IT LIKE A RANDOM PIECE OF METAL?!" 😭
Elda: "More or less."
Noel: "..."
I'M GOING TO GET ARRESTED FOR TREASURE THEFT, AREN'T I?! 😭
Before Noel could panic any further, the commander stepped forward.
Commander: "There's something else you should know."
Noel turned toward him.
Commander: "The former Queen placed this sword inside the puzzle game."
"She deliberately assigned it to the hardest level so Aaron would never obtain it." 😤
Noel: "Huh? Why?" 😶
The assistant answered this time.
Assistant: "Because the Asmodius Sword is extremely dangerous."
"When Sir Aaron was young, the sword injured him."
"So the former Queen decided to seal it away until he was older and could handle it safely."
He paused before continuing.
Assistant: "Usually, Lady Elda was the only person who managed to reach the hardest level."
"But this time..."
He glanced at Noel.
Assistant: "The reward went to someone else." 😑
Noel: "Ohhh..."
Everyone waited for her reaction.
Perhaps she would feel proud.
Perhaps she would finally understand the significance of her achievement.
Perhaps she would ask to keep the legendary sword.
Instead—
Noel: "But it was pretty easy, though." 😁
Everyone: "..."
Everyone: 😶
Commander (thinking): Easy?!
Assistant (thinking): I spent three days trying to solve that puzzle! 😭
Guard 1 (thinking): I couldn't even solve the first question! 😭
Guard 2 (thinking): I thought the fish was a trick question! 😭
Elda: "..."
She slowly turned toward Noel.
Elda: "You do realise that the hardest level was designed to challenge the greatest minds in the kingdom, right?" 😑
Noel: "Really?"
Elda: "YES."
Noel: "Oh. My bad." 😅
Everyone: "..."
HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO REACT TO THAT?! 😭
---
Aaron's Side
Aaron continued holding the sword carefully.
His expression had grown quiet again.
He looked at the blade as though he were seeing a piece of his past that he had long believed was lost forever.
Aaron (thinking): Father...
How are you now? 🥺
His fingers tightened slightly around the hilt.
If you're still alive somewhere...
I wish I could see you just once more.
Noel noticed the sadness in his eyes.
Her smile faded.
Noel (thinking): He looks like he might cry at any moment... 💔
She didn't know what to say.
She wasn't good at comforting people.
Usually, she'd make a joke, change the subject, or say something ridiculous.
But this time, she didn't feel like joking.
She quietly stepped closer.
Noel: "Your Majesty?"
Aaron looked up.
Noel: "If you want it, you can take it."
Everyone nearby went silent.
Noel glanced at the sword before shrugging.
Noel: "Anyway..."
"I don't even know how to use this thing." 🫤
Everyone: "..."
Then—
Everyone: "WHAT?!" 😱
Guard 1: "SHE'S GIVING AWAY THE ASMODIUS SWORD LIKE IT'S NOTHING?!"
Guard 2: "THAT'S THE GREATEST TREASURE IN THE KINGDOM!" 😭
Guard 3: "DOES SHE EVEN UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH THAT SWORD IS WORTH?!"
Commander: "I DON'T THINK SHE DOES!" 😱
Assistant (thinking): She just handed over a legendary weapon more casually than someone returning a borrowed spoon! 😭
Noel looked around at their reactions.
Noel: "What?"
"It's not like I need it." 🤷♀️
Everyone: "..."
Aaron stared at her.
For a moment, he couldn't find the right words.
She had no idea how much that sword meant to him.
Yet she was willing to give it up without asking for anything in return.
Slowly, his expression softened.
Aaron (thinking): Noel... ❤️
---
The Asmodius Sword
The Asmodius Sword was the greatest treasure of the Kingdom of Oseose.
A rare, legendary weapon said to possess enough power to bring the entire kingdom under its wielder's control.
For generations, countless warriors had dreamed of wielding it.
Many had tried to claim it.
None had succeeded.
But the sword had one absolute rule.
It would never obey just anyone.
The Asmodius Sword could only be activated by:
- A member of the royal family.
- Or the royal family's chosen partner.
Without that connection, even the strongest warrior would struggle to awaken its true power.
And now...
For the first time in years, the sword had responded to someone unexpected.
Noel.
A woman from a future where the very concept of secondary genders no longer existed.
A woman who didn't understand the kingdom's rules.
A woman who had casually lifted a boulder, climbed a rope, and solved a puzzle that had defeated countless soldiers.
And a woman who had just offered the greatest treasure in Oseose to its King...
Because she thought it looked like a nice sword.
The Asmodius Sword had chosen someone unexpected. 😶❤️
But why?
And what did that mean for Noel...
And Aaron?
To be continued...