Chapter 104

It won’t hold. I can’t keep this up! “Hide me, Dark Storm Winds!” Before my weapon splintered under the strain, I called upon the power of the wind to catapult myself high into the air, out of the reach of Leticia’s technique, while also leaving dark winds and lightning in my wake that obscured her sight and stifled her movements. “Interesting response,” she said. “However…” “Wh-what?!” Leticia suddenly appeared behind me like something out of a manga, swinging a foot that crackled with electricity. “…you’re still a little weak to be facing me.” I can’t respond in time! Rgh! The only thing I could do was raise my weapon in the vain hope it would protect me. But as if to mock my feeble attempts, Leticia’s foot sparked, sending lightning coursing down my weapon’s handle. “Aagh!” The powerful blow sent me crashing into the ground. “What…on earth? That’s just…not…fair.” “But worry not,” said the girl. “I’ll teach you a thing or three!” Leticia puffed out her modest chest with pride, looking for all the world like a triumphant child. I don’t have the luxury of thinking about anything else, I realized. If I let my guard down for a moment, she’ll wipe the floor with me! We had exchanged over two hundred slashes at this point. I was using “Control Mana” and “Control Body” skills to strengthen my limbs with magic, “Air Step” and “Godfoot” to boost my mobility, “React” and “Enhanced Senses” to push my reflexes to the limit, and “Stealth,” along with the abilities of my soul blades, to cut down on my opponent’s reaction time. “Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!! This is fun! This is so much fun! Tra-la-la! ” “Well, I sure ain’t enjoying it!” I couldn’t push through. Our blades clashed endlessly. I was still holding back, of course, but Nonorick had forced me to display more of my combat skills than I’d bargained for. Mai and Yuuto were fighting their opponents bravely and, more importantly, impressively. On the other hand, I was struggling to bypass Nonorick and get close to Leon, like I’d planned. What now? Do I go all out on the basis that Nonorick will be ready for it? Then in the chaos, I get close to Leon and…no, it’s too suspicious, especially while Lilia’s watching. If they both suspect me, it’s all over. I tried to piece together a plan in the small windows of time I got while keeping up the offensive. However, no brilliant ideas came to mind, and I was running out of tricks to keep Nonorick occupied. Dammit, if only Nonorick hadn’t shown his creepy face—oh, crap! Amid the clanging blades, I heard the telltale sound of an imperfect strike. I had swung too fast, or perhaps too slow, and ended up missing the mark. “See? If you keep looking over my shoulder, you’re going to make mistakes!” cried Nonorick with glee. The balance of the fight shifted dramatically. I was now only seconds from meeting my end at his blade. I can’t hold anything back! I have to move the fight over to where Leon is, no matter the cost! Nonorick had already won this battle, but there was one fight I was never going to lose—the fight for my vengeance. But just as I steeled my nerves and prepared to do what was necessary, a voice reached my ears. “Nyah-ha-ha! Still having trouble, are we, Nonorick? Here, allow me to give you a hand!!” The next instant, I was being bombarded by dozens upon dozens of supercharged fireballs, each about the size of a ping-pong ball. “Whoa?” “Mmrgh!” Both Nonorick and I had to leap away from each other to dodge the blasts. Is Mai out already? …Wait, the fireballs! Having missed us, the projectiles continued on their trajectory…directly toward Prince Leon. “Hrm.” “Whuh-oh!” Realizing her mistake, Leticia bent the fireballs’ trajectory upward. Consequently, they missed Leon…but crashed into the roof above the seating area instead. The explosion dislodged huge chunks of the building, which came plummeting down toward Leon’s head. “Watch out!” Seizing my chance, I ran toward Leon, as though in an attempt to save his life. The prince, of course, wasn’t the kind of man to be fazed by a little structural collapse. “Hmph! Lion’s Cannon!!” His fists glowed with a mystical light, and then Leon punched the sky. A ball of magical energy flew from his outstretched arm and took on the appearance of a lion’s face before colliding with the falling rubble. The whole building shook, and I felt the vibration in the pit of my stomach. When the dust cleared, not only was there no more rubble, but Leon’s move had blasted a hole clean through the ceiling, and we could see the sky outside. “Are you all right, Your Imperial Highness?!” cried Valeria. “That was nothing,” Leon replied. “Apologies, Mr. Ukei. I appear to have interrupted your match.” “No worries,” I reassured him. “As long as you’re okay.” I had used Air Step to reach the raised seating area. “Then again,” I remarked. “This has kind of messed with my flow. Maybe this is a good place to stop?” “Indeed,” said Valeria. “If nothing else, we can risk no further damage to the building. I believe we’ve seen enough to make our assessments.” Once again, the whalefolk’s booming voice echoed throughout the arena. “The test is over,” he said, with markedly less pomp than before the battle began. “Let us move to safe environs before the whole place collapses around our ears.” It looked like Leticia had knocked Mai out cold. Yuuto was still in the middle of his fight with Lilia, and both sides seemed to have taken their fair share of punishment. The two of them tidied their outfits. Leticia and Nonorick, on the other hand, were brimming with energy and ready to go again at the drop of a hat. In fact, they kept on play-fighting in the background, even though the test was over. “Now, I’m afraid my business takes me elsewhere,” said Leon to me. “Valeria will let you know of the results in due course…though that is merely a formality at this point. I look forward to seeing you on the battlefield, Mr. Ukei.” “Likewise. And thank you.” My response elicited a chuckle, for whatever reason, and Leon departed. I also gave a friendly smile, but only a superficial one. Internally, I was grinning to myself. I’d been flying by the seat of my pants for a while there, but everything had come together at the very end. With that, I have a sample of Leon’s mana, and nobody suspects a thing. Now I have everything I need. Just a little more time. Just a little more… …and I would drag you down into the depths of the darkest chasm to be with me. “…Mmh…Where am I…?” “Ah, you’re awake.” My mind came to life like a light switch had been flicked, and the very first thing I saw was my dear brother’s face. “Kaito? Where are we? What happened?” I sat up. The bed was of a simple make, and the room was one I didn’t recognize. “We’re at the guild,” said Kaito, sitting in a chair by my bed and flipping through the pages of some tome. “You were knocked out during the battle. We were all killing time, waiting for you to come around.” “Knocked out… I see. I’m sorry, dear brother, I really am…” I thought back to the last thing I remembered. I just couldn’t get through… That Leticia girl slapped me silly without letting me land so much as a single blow. I couldn’t even look my brother in the eye after that shameful display. “It’s all too easy to guess what’s going on in that head of yours, dear sister. You don’t need to apologize for losing to her.” “Ow!” Kaito pulled me by the hair, forcing me to look him in the eye. “You did a great job. Don’t ever be ashamed of that.” It was the first time Kaito had ever handled me roughly. My chest tightened. What if I’d disappointed him? What if he was going to leave me? I couldn’t shake the fear; tears formed in my eyes. However… “I know what you’re feeling,” he said, “and I know you’re not going to listen to excuses. Things like Oh, we weren’t fighting as I planned, or It wasn’t a real battle, so who cares? You’re embarrassed. Ashamed that Leticia made a fool of you in front of everybody.” I was wrong. My dear brother would never leave me. His voice, deep yet soft, filled my ears, and his eyes pierced my very soul. Meanwhile, I recalled the things Leticia had told me during our battle. “Worry not. I’ll teach you a thing or three!” “Look, you’re swinging your weapon all over the place! That’s because you aren’t thinking!” “Broaden your mind. Watch everything. You need to train your observation skills until they become unconscious.” “Keep your eyes on your opponent. If you’re only thinking about yourself, then you can only beat yourself!” “It’s time to finish this. Give some thought to what I said, okay?” It was like she could see. She could see the presumptuous little girl I was. “Keep your head up,” said Kaito. “You can hang it when you’re weary. You can hang it when you need a break.” I could never disappoint him. He would never leave me. But neither could his words heal the damage to my heart. “But never hang your head in shame! Look up. Look forward. And keep looking at yourself. Because if you don’t, this world’s going to eat you for breakfast, just like it did to me. The path we walk is not an easy one. It doesn’t leave us time to sit around and lick one another’s wounds.” “Mhh…” I needed to keep moving onward, with such force that nothing could stand in my way. “I’m not going to say, Well done. I’m not going to say, It’ll be okay next time. If you’re the one who’s disappointed in your performance, then it’s not me you need to say sorry to, is it? It’s you.” “…You’re a bully, Kaito. You’re making your little sister cry.” I tightened my lips, as if to seal off what was trying to escape them. “I thought you were kind. I thought you were always nice to me.” “Sorry,” he said. “We sold out of kind brothers a long time ago.” “…That’s not true, Kaito. I know it isn’t.” “Do you, now?” A gentle smile crossed his face. “So, what did you think? Leticia’s not just a pretty face, eh?” “…I’ll beat her next time, Kaito, I swear.” “That’s the spirit… I really didn’t want you fighting her this early, though.” “Hang on,” I said. “Why are you suddenly going heart-eyed for your ex when your injured sister is right here? I never knew you could be so cruel.” “Oh, well, um, there’s a good reason for that,” Kaito replied. “And that reason is…I don’t know.” “Nice try, dear brother… Silly Kaito.” I hugged him so that he couldn’t see my tears. Using the hand he’d tugged my hair with, he gently stroked my head. My dear, loving brother stroked my head until I was feeling better. It felt even more calming than usual, perhaps because he had been so rough only a few seconds before. Actually, you know what? It wasn’t so bad being treated roughly from time to time. “All right, I guess it’s time to go,” he said. I looked around. “Come to think of it, where’s Yuuto?” “He’s headed back to the inn already,” replied Kaito. “Fighting Lilia alone took a lot out of him.” The guild had plenty of spare beds, but it wasn’t like they let anyone use them. They were supposed to be for people too injured to move, like me. “Oh, and by the way, we passed. This proves you’re an S-rank adventurer. Don’t lose it.” Kaito hung something around my neck. It was a red plate with a green metal border. “These are our tickets onto the battlefield,” he explained. “Now we just have to wait for our efforts to bear fruit.” I rose from the bed, and we both left the room. Descending the creaky wooden staircase, we arrived back in the guild’s main hall with the reception desks and the bar. There, a pair of familiar voices reached my ears. “Wah-ha-ha-ha-ha! Another plate of this delicious meat if you please, barkeep!” “Hey there, big boy, come to show Nono a good time?” One belonged to Leticia, waving a mug of ale around in one hand. The moment I heard it, I jumped, as the trauma of the fight flooded back to me. But I had to be strong. Kaito was behind me all the way. “Ah, there you two are!” she said upon our arrival. “Are you guys having lunch?” Kaito asked. “Of course! It is vital we replenish our strength after such a taxing match! Come join us, my new friends! The food here is quite scrumptious!” Leticia laughed and tore a strip of meat off the bone in her other hand. I could smell spices, along with a slightly burned sauce. “I think we’re fine for—,” began Kaito, when a loud rumble echoed throughout the hall. “…On second thought, let’s eat.” Th-that wasn’t my stomach, I swear! I-in fact, I didn’t even hear anything. What sound? That said, my goodness, just look at the time! It’s the perfect opportunity for lunch! We both ordered something from the kitchen and took our seats. We didn’t have to wait long before our food arrived. “I apologize for earlier,” said Leticia to me. “I may have overdone it a slight bit at the end there. Are you all right?” “I’m fine,” I replied. “Just a few cuts and bruises. It’s nothing to worry about.” “I see. Well, excuse me for a second…” Suddenly, an emerald light enveloped me, and in a few moments, the aches and pains went away. I could have sworn it made my skin sparkling smooth as well. “That should do it,” said Leticia. “Hey, that’s not fair!” cried Nonorick. “Cast that on me, too! I want my skin to be all sparkly smooth!” “Get your hands off me! If you want it, then you’re going to have to sit still!” “Mmm! Ooh, that’s the good stuff!” “Good grief…” I watched as the same emerald light engulfed Nonorick. “So, what does the future hold for you three?” Leticia asked. “We are planning to head to the front lines as soon as we are done collecting enough materials.” “We’ll probably stay in town a little longer,” answered Kaito. “Your battle showed us just how much we still have to improve.” “Aww. I thought we might be able to travel together with our new friends. Oh well, no matter. Burp.” Leticia threw down her spoon onto her empty plate. “If you’ll excuse us, we must be off,” she said. “Hopefully, we shall meet again on the battlefield. Come on, Nonorick.” “Aww…I don’t wanna move yet. Can’t we just chill here a bit more?” “No. Lilia just messaged me with Soulspeak. She’s done with the shopping. Come on, now.” Leticia threw some coins onto the bar countertop and dragged Nonorick from the stool. “Stay well, friends,” she said. “Bye-bye!” chirped Nonorick. Kaito waved good-bye, and I quickly followed suit. The bell on the door rang, and then the two of them were gone. Kaito let out a sigh. “…Phew. I knew they were both still here, but I didn’t expect them to call out to us like that.” “So you know this Nonorick as well, dear brother?” “Yeah. I’m pretty sure I killed him, actually. Not sure why he’s still alive. He didn’t seem to hold a grudge, either, which is strange.” “What are we going to do, dear brother? About Nonorick, Lilia, and Leticia?” “We don’t need to do anything about them. We don’t have the power to take on Leon and those three at the same time. Leticia said they plan on leaving town soon, so let’s just wait for that to happen first.” “…” “We’ll set the trap tonight. By the time Leon notices it, Leticia and the others should already be way out of town. We can think how to deal with them later; right now, we have more important things on our plate.” Kaito placed a spoon in front of me. We ate our meals, and by the time we were full, our plates were both empty. “Let’s go back to the inn,” said Kaito. “A good opportunity has just come around.” “A good opportunity?” I asked. “I’ll explain when we get back.” We both stood and headed for the door. However, as we were about to leave, we passed an unassuming old man, and Kaito froze. “Hmm? Dear brother?” The man ignored us and headed over to the counter with the other quest-givers. “Back again, old man?” said one of them. “…My request…,” replied the man. “My request… Has anyone accepted it?” “Nope, still on the wall. See for yourself.” “Oh…” Then the old man slunk over to the bar and took a seat on one of the stools there. “Is there something strange about that gentleman’s actions, dear brother?” I asked. “No,” replied Kaito. “No, there isn’t.” And with that, he turned, and the two of us left the guild. “Phew. That’s dealt with.” On the upper floor of the Adventurers Guild, in the guildmaster’s office, Valeria let out a deep sigh. He had just finished organizing the paperwork for six new S-rank adventurers. “That should do it for now,” he said. “I can finally enjoy a brief respite.” Valeria was already plenty overworked, owing to the war, when this new problem had fallen into his lap. It was a huge weight off his mind now that it was done and dusted. “I suppose I shall pop downstairs and get myself a bite to eat.” However, just as Valeria stood from his chair, a bird ornament on his desk fell from its pedestal. “…Oh, dear. Just my luck…” Valeria gave another sigh, even deeper than before. Then he reached into his desk drawer and opened a mana-shielding box containing a crystal sphere. It glowed with a faint light. “Valeria. Valeria. Answer me, Valeria.” “Yes, yes. I’m right here, Your Sylvan Highness.” The voice of the Fey Queen herself came through the mystical device. “You must prepare for me a sacrifice. Bring me souls bountiful in mana, the purest you can find.” “As you wish,” said Valeria, sighing, knowing very well there was only one purpose for which the queen would use the magic item she’d provided him. “How many? Five, like before?” “You must bring me thirty,” the queen replied. “Th-thirty?!” Valeria squealed. He had not been prepared to hear such an outrageous number. “Yes.” “Wh-whatever could require the use of so many? You must know these will not be easy to procure.” “They are necessary. For what, you need not know. You must simply bring them to me before the next full moon. Farewell.” With that, the light from the crystal ball faded. Valeria let out his deepest sigh yet. “Oh, back to busywork again, I suppose. The full moon fast approaches, and the prince is busy petitioning the nobles for troops. It very much looks like I will be enjoying a few more sleepless nights yet.” Valeria put the crystal ball back where it belonged and left the room, ignorant of the little mouse that had been listening in on his every word.