The next morning, Louis woke up to a beautiful girl sleeping next to her.
Soft azure locks, an ample body, and clothes that didn't seem ordinary. Robes made out of the finest material, with golden embellishments.
From the very first sight, it didn't take Louis long to realize that this woman was the sword that he talked to yesterday. There was no other plausible conclusion because, well, he was 'that' Louis.
Who would dare to approach him, let alone sleep with him?
'..Azure, was it?'
He randomly decided on a nickname that best suited the sword.
Louis stood up from his shabby bed before stretching his body. He walked to the door and opened the cabin.
The exposure of light made the woman squirm in her sleep. Within seconds, she began to open her eyes.
"You're awake." Louis said.
"How rude! To awaken a lady's from her slumber without warning in this beautiful morning.. I won't accept this!" With half-closed eyes, the woman spoke.
"Perfect. Since you're so lively and all, get up and chop some vegetables for me." Louis handed her a knife and pointed to the row of vegetables ready to be cut.
"Ha? Why should I.."
"Get to work." Louis commanded, this time with a stronger emphasis.
Perhaps it was due to the connection between them, but the woman's back straightened up.
Whimpering, she obeyed the order and cut the vegetables.
Louis was fond of cooking. He basically had nothing to do everyday, so cooking was one of his hobbies.
He had a restricted selection of ingredients, but due to his years of experience, his culinary skills was high.
He made a simple stew using the ingredients he had hunted and collected, and enjoyed the piping hot delicacy.
After finishing the dish, he collected some scraps in a bowl and fed it to his captive rabbit.
When he reentered the house, he saw a pitiful sight of Azure salivating over the stew he had made.
She looked so eager to have a taste, but couldn't bring herself to do it.
Louis' firm tone earlier frightened Azure.
"..Since you helped, you can dig in." Louis said, sighing.
"Really?! Alright, you said it! I haven't eaten a good meal in a long time!"
Azure picked up Louis' spoon and began to eat with a ferocious appetite.
Seeing the woman's eyes light up in joy over such a simple meal was a contrast to her previous unpleasant antics.
"T-this.. For a caveman's standard, this is unexpectedly tasty..! It must be because of my carefully cut veggies."
'Never mind.' Louis immediately retracted his earlier thoughts.
Even in such a moment, the haughty sword didn't miss a chance to praise herself.
As Azure finished the stew, Louis stared at her listlessly.
"By the way, you.." Louis muttered.
"Huhum~ Did you think I didn't notice your heated look? See, aren't you impressed by my beauty? Even in the world of Egos, few can compete with my visage! Since you served me such a good meal, I shall allow you to have a close look!"
Rubbing the tip of her nose, Azure puffed out her chest and boasted.
"..Do you know how to be serious for once?"
Due to his past, Louis had never sought vain things like beauty. More like, he was never properly introduced to such a concept.
Thus, Azure's appearance didn't have an effect on him, who was inept in such departments.
"Yesterday, you talked about.. saving your kind or whatever. Explain more about that."
Azure's expression turned sour. She dropped her utensils before calming herself and looking at Louis.
"Before that, let me start with a story of mine first. Egos.. used to rule the world. Before things like 'Classes' suddenly appeared, it was the reign of Egos."
"People treated us like treasure, since we were akin to an express ticket to power. Moreover, in the times I remember, there was no such thing as the hostile monsters we see today. Everyone had their own territory, and fights could occur when one crossed the line too much, but a war- bloodshed triggered for no reason.. It was not a thing back then."
'To think that a world where monsters could coexist with humans existed..'
Monsters. Creatures who had a corrupted mindset and sought for destruction all over the world.
They kept appearing, so humans had to actively fend them off. Humans with combative Classes and those who could support the fighters were called Hunters, and were honored above all occupations.
They were the ones tasked with keeping the society safe, after all.
Humans painted the monsters to be the villains of the world. That they were 'cursed' and needed to be eradicated.
'Just like me.' Louis thought.
"I.. don't know what happened, but one day.. The world shifted. Time seemed to stop, and all Egos were frozen. More like.. someone turned off our consciousness using an unknown force. Egos of all ranks were deprived of their power and put into slumber.. Turning into nothing but regular swords. Including me."
"Thousands of years passed, just like that. I woke up one day and knew that what happened was not normal."
"Using my senses, I followed a faint trail of energy. An energy that was unlike anything I've ever seen before, coming from your direction. As such, I gunned you down and travelled far and wide just to reach you."
"I also don't know why you emitted such a power, but that's not important. What's important is that I've found you right now."
"I won't allow my kind to perish just like this. Now that I am awake, and I have met you.. My goal is to revive the reign once more and bring balance to this world."
In short, the current state of the world was unlike what it's supposed to be, and the return of Egos could be the key to reverting this condition.
'Honestly, it's a win-win situation.' Louis hummed.
Although it's true that trials were probably eagerly waiting to jump on him, it was still acceptable for the reward he would receive.
He hadn't tested Azure's power in real combat yet, but he had felt an abnormal surge of power when he held her in his hands.
The sweet taste of power made him quite delirious. It was his first time, after all.
If he 'saved' Azure's kind, and unlocked more Egos.. That power would ultimately fall into his hands as well, right?
'Ego swords, huh?'
'What a nonsensical concept. I like it.'