Vittoria Dracule

Two weeks had passed since Gilgamesh started working for Hank at the forge. On the first, third and last day of the work week, he would help out in the forge. The other days, he would be in the shop helping Valerie with customers or doing some cleaning.

A few people had inspected his sword, but so far that was all they ever did. The way it was designed threw them off, and they opted for a sword that felt more familiar to them.

Even so, Gilgamesh did not mind. He knew that, of the many sword users in the world, there would only be a tiny fraction that preferred to do things similar to him. 

Aside from waiting for this, Gilgamesh had started getting to know Hank and his niece, Valerie.

Hank was bald, with a type of handlebar moustache that barely extended past his mouth. The rest of his face was relatively hairless, aside from thick brows that were perpetually raised. He looked like he was always speculating or closely observing.

He was well-built and taller than average, and when he worked he preferred to take his shirt off and work in the apron, much like Gilgamesh did at first. This exposed his somewhat hairy chest, covered in thick strands.

Valerie looked nothing like Hank, with her garnet-colored hair and eyebrows. Her nose narrowed to a sharp tip, and she often pressed her lips into a small pucker. She had large ears, one which she often wore varying types of black earrings.

When working, she usually wore vests and very loose-fitting pants, but on certain days she would wear a short top and tighter-fitting pants, or a skirt that Gilgamesh realized was altered to be shorter than originally intended.

If he had been more focused on the 'why' instead of the 'what,' he would have realized that she only dressed like this one the days that he was actually working in the shop itself.

As time continued to pass, Gilgamesh was visited by Mariam. She said she was just checking up on him, then proceeded to ask him about everything he had done so far.

Not seeing any reason to keep anything from her, he told Mariam everything. In response, she told him that she just wanted to see whether or not 'His Idea,' as she called it, had acted up in any strange ways.

With a shrug, Gilgamesh told her that it would be hard to discern since he was quite amazing.

Mariam rolled her eyes before telling him that the Great Elders and herself would be taking the time to research the concept of an Impossible Idea. After some more small talk, she left.

That same morning, as Gilgamesh was admiring the trees and fallen leaves, under the light of silver-tinged gold, he felt a peculiar sensation.

Turning to look around, he saw a young woman standing under a tree nearby his cabin.

She wore a black coat that was far too large for her slender body, and heavy black boots with numerous buckles and straps. There was an abundance of cloth that seemed to be strapped around her torso, as if something was affixed to her back.

It was only then that Gilgamesh noticed the odd shape of something behind her, under the coat. He had no idea what it was, but it seemed human-shaped, at least.

When the young woman saw him, she blinked and turned to face him.

Gilgamesh turned to face her, and offered a wave. 

"Beautiful morning."

She shrugged.

Gilgamesh noted that her black hair was long but brittle. Due to the excessive amount of strands that seemed to barely be holding on, he guessed that her hair was falling off in large amounts.

So, as the kind and considerate, helpful person that he was, Gilgamesh offered her some advice in an extremely polite way.

"Your hair's fucked up. Bad too. You should wash it and stuff, and maybe people will be attracted to you one day." He said with a smile.

The young woman just stood there, her pale face showing no reaction. After another blink, she walked along the drying leaves toward the main road.

Gilgamesh followed her until she went over the small hill and descended, no longer in his sight. Shrugging and sighing, Gilgamesh locked up and prepared to leave for work.

"Kids these days."

That day, Gilgamesh was working in the shop. A huge number of customers came in that day asking for swords, spears, shields and simple pieces of lightweight armor. Gilgamesh pointed out to Valerie that they all seemed more young and eager than their usual customers, to which Valerie explained something he had not been aware of.

"Well, G, that's because today is the first day of a month-long trial. The City Lord is looking for potential candidates that she can take with her to the Demon King University's entrance exam."

Remembering that Mariam had once mentioned such a place, Gilgamesh asked about it.

Valeria tapped her lips. "Hmmm..."

As she pondered on an answer, Gilgamesh heard a customer come in and immediately welcomed them. After expertly dealing with them and conducting a simple transaction, Gilgamesh and Valerie bid the young man farewell.

"Right, the Demon King University!" Valeria raised a finger. Gilgamesh just nodded while beginning to listen.

"As you know, we live in the Land of Demons. Although it sounds kinda scary, it's actually pretty chill. The Demon Tribe makes up like 99% of the population- which I guess makes them a lot more than a tribe, heh- and us humans all live here in Conceala."

"The ones that come and go are either adventuring maniacs or servants of demons."

Gilgamesh took a seat behind the counter and took a sip of water from a glass he had there. Valerie turned around and leaned back onto the counter, going on with her explanation.

"The University is really just the capital city of the Land of Demons. It's where all the bigwigs live, and every three years they hold an exam for chosen individuals. Those who can pass the exam can attend the University, and learn a wide variety of things from the very best and most powerful demons."

Gilgamesh suddenly frowned, "But what's the point?"

"To find the next Demon King," Valerie smiled. "It's all about the next Demon King. The demons believe he or she will be born soon, and so they're never going to stop searching."

"Personally, I think the next Demon King would make themselves known, and not have to rely on the University or even the Demon Tribe to gain recognition."

Gilgamesh agreed with this, and they continued to talk some more before he heard something that made his ears twitch.

"You said you wanted a specific kind of longsword, did you? Well I've got just the thing!"

Hank was speaking just outside the door, talking to someone they could only assume was a customer.

Gilgamesh heart went into second gear, and he instantly flashed a smile. 'Finally,' he thought as he rubbed his hands together.

Valeria gave him a soft chuckle and a celebratory nudge before Hank opened the door and walked in.

Valerie watched as Hank walked in, then greeted the person entering behind him. "Well hello there!"

Gilgamesh's smile grew as he watched the person step in from the light of the outside. He did not notice at first, and thus just gave a standard greeting. "Welcome and good day!"

In from the silver sunlight, a young woman entered the store in old sandals and a thin and torn dress, over which she wore a black coat that was much too big for her.

Her skin was pale, resembling a sheet of paper, and her blood vessels could almost clearly be seen beneath the surface. Her eyes were grey and gloomy, barely open but wide enough for them to see her veiny irises.

Aside from the veins, Gilgamesh and Valerie could also see numerous reddish clouds in her eyes, as though her eyes were slowly leaking blood on the inside.

The young woman- at least they thought she was young- looked like a zombie; her hair was most definitely falling out.

Gilgamesh saw the cloth tied around her torso, and could see just a bit more of the object affixed to her back.

Of course, this was the same girl that had walked out of the trees and ended up near his cabin.

"Gilgamesh, guess what?" Hank excitedly offered a rhetoric before pointing at the zombie girl. "This young lady is looking for a specific kind of sword, kinda like the one you made! Why don't you show it to her?"

Gilgamesh swallowed before putting his smile back on and making his way to the weapon rack. He took his sword down from it and brought it over to the girl, all the while Hank and and Valerie looked on.

"Is something like this what you're looking for?" Gilgamesh asked, holding it flatly with both hands and raising it for her to get a good look.

She looked from the hilt to the tip of the blade, and seemed to note the way the blade spread out a bit more than the usual longsword. She licked her lips with a dry tongue, and nodded slowly.

Gilgamesh could swear he heard her neck creak as she nodded.

The young woman took hold of the sword and effortlessly lifted it into the air with one hand. Then, in a hoarse yet brisk voice that vastly contradicted her deathly appearance, she spoke out into the store as if she were alone.

"A sword fit for the next Demon King."

Hank and Valerie's mouths fell open in shock; Gilgamesh tensed up and grimaced, averting his gaze.

'That shit was cringeworthy!'