Chapter 153: The Man - 10
Chapter 153: The Man - 10
The visitor Okram had guided took a seat before Jiha.
A hood was pulled low and a cloak concealed their form, but a flash of silver armor was visible.
It was the armor he'd seen before—Bran, without a doubt.
"I'll take my leave, then...."
As Uben rose, Jiha stopped him.
"No. You stay and listen."
"......"
Uben looked puzzled but sat back down.
Jiha's standard policy was to fragment information and not disclose everything even to his advisor Uben, but this was an exception.
If he was going to oppose Lungtao, Uben needed to grasp at least part of the blueprint.
Bran cleared his throat and lowered his voice.
"What kind of hospitality...."
"Don't bother with the fake deep voice. Take that off. I already know it's you, Bran."
"......"
Bran removed the hood.
A face of androgynous beauty emerged, brow deeply furrowed.
If they just grew out their hair a little, anyone would assume they were a woman.
Actually, could they actually be a woman?
Jiha stared openly at Bran.
'Dirgas are said to select only men as escort guards. And yet, somehow, this one feels like a woman....'
If they were hiding their gender, that was a weakness.
Something he could exploit.
"You have a remarkably unpleasant way of looking at people. You're suspecting I'm a woman, aren't you?"
Bran smirked coldly.
It was the expression of someone who had heard that a thousand times.
Just as Bran opened his mouth, Jiha struck.
"Are you a virgin?"
"Why you...."
Bran froze mid-sentence.
Jiha's verbal jab had shattered Bran's entire frame of reference in an instant.
"...First of all, I am not a woman."
"Prove it. Show me."
"Is this the place where I must prove my gender? There's absolutely no reason for that, is there?"
As Bran's displeasure mounted, Jiha grew irritated in return.
"Hey, when you submit a résumé, you ought to list your gender properly. So I can judge whether to hire you or not. Take your ambiguous gender identity games somewhere else. Now—are you a virgin, or not?"
"...I am a man."
Bran ground out the rebuttal through clenched teeth, and Jiha nodded.
"Sure. Though behind your back, everyone's snickering at you like a little girl."
The escort guards were all men.
And Jiha knew very well how males behaved when they gathered in a pack.
Bran's face stiffened at the bullseye.
"If we proceed, I won't be able to remain ignorant anyway, so why hide your identity? If it were Lungtao, he would've just walked in with his face bared, wouldn't he?"
At the comparison to Lungtao, Bran looked deeply offended.
Jiha pressed on.
"Having a male gender doesn't make you a man. Men who are manly earn the respect of other men. In that regard, at a glance, you lose to Lungtao."
"On what grounds...."
"It's obvious at a glance. Out of the 2,300 Dirga escort guards, how many actually follow you?"
Jiha's pointed jab left Bran visibly flustered.
"Four or five hundred, at best?"
"...No. About three hundred."
"......"
Isn't that the point where you're supposed to bluff?
The deflated look on Bran's face suggested it was no lie.
"Looks like a real little girl, this one."
"You—mock me as a woman one more time and...."
As Bran bristled, Jiha held out a hand to block the protest.
Then he turned toward Uben, who had been listening quietly.
"Uben, explain to this guy in some detail what happens if you get cheeky with me."
"...Pardon?"
Jiha gave no further instruction, simply closing his eyes.
He was sorting his thoughts.
'I did predict this, but Bran's vessel is far too small....'
Out of 2,300, a mere 300 followers?
The quality of those followers would be nothing impressive either.
'Better to leave Bran aside and concentrate on Lungtao.'
When Jiha opened his eyes again after deep contemplation, whatever Uben had said to soothe Bran had worked. Bran's mouth was shut, and he sat listening.
Jiha summarized the situation.
"Bran, you think you're equal to Lungtao? He's just leaving you alone."
"What? On what possible grounds...."
"Because I'd do the same."
A small fry like Bran, who could be crushed at any time, was simply left alone.
An external enemy keeps a group united, after all.
At Jiha's conviction, Bran protested.
"You're underestimating me far too much. I've crossed blades with Lungtao once. Several witnesses watched, and I was not pushed back in the slightest."
"You probably gave it your all that time, but Lungtao likely just matched your pace accordingly."
Bran hesitated.
Jiha hadn't witnessed it, yet his phrasing carried absolute certainty.
Enough to make Bran himself briefly wonder if it might be true.
Jiha kept driving the point home.
"Let's be generous and assume you and Lungtao are equals in personal combat. But what happens in a group showdown? If his followers clash with yours, who wins?"
Two thousand versus three hundred.
The outcome wasn't even worth discussing.
Combat ability aside, the gap in leadership was immense.
Jiha delivered his conclusion.
"Lungtao can eliminate you at any time, but he's using you as a foil to make himself stand out more. If you weren't around, he'd just prop up someone else."
"So—about things you know nothing of—on what grounds are you even...."
Jiha tsked.
"You have eyes but can't see? Lungtao is good-looking."
"......"
Bran looked at Jiha as if he were insane.
But Jiha meant it in earnest.
"Maybe it's because he has a tiger head? He carries weight and dignity. Not easy to deal with."
"Are you spewing the nonsense that battles are decided by appearance?"
"Idiot. This is a group conflict."
Jiha's rebuke shut down Bran's objection.
"Line you and Lungtao up side by side without saying a word. Who do you think people will flock to? If you went out onto the streets of Waris right this moment and each held a separate banquet, which side do you think would draw a bigger crowd?"
"......"
Sensing something, Bran fell silent.
Jiha stated it flatly.
"It's advantageous for a leader to be good-looking, too. Appearance is part of your specs—a capability that's immediately recognizable. Whereas you, you're merely pretty, but you don't look solid or dependable. Good to have around at a drinking party, but not cut from the cloth a leader is made of."
"Now you've really...."
Bran's hand moved toward his sword, and Jiha spoke icily.
"Draw that and you die today, understood?"
"Threatening me with such absurd...."
"No, I'm serious. Think carefully."
Jiha's tone was resolute.
"Because if you die, Lungtao would have to take responsibility for it, wouldn't he? Once I kill you and hide the body, the opposing Lungtao becomes the prime suspect. And then I imagine I could steer the situation to my advantage rather nicely."
"......"
Watching Jiha rattle it all off so smoothly, Bran's face went rigid.
Jiha's manner was too calmly unnervous to dismiss as a mere threat.
"What use is a guy who comes begging for help but can't hold his tongue for a moment and draws his sword? I'd just lop off his head and use it to corner Lungtao."
"What kind of...."
"Do I look like an easier mark than Lungtao to you right now?"
"......"
Bran's mouth clamped shut.
It was true they had come because they'd thought Jiha would at least be a more manageable opponent than Lungtao.
Jiha was informing them just how colossal that misconception was.
"Your proposal is obvious. Join hands with you to keep Lungtao in check, or if you're more extreme, try to overthrow him—something along those lines. So what's the benefit for me?"
"It is not you, but the power of the Unique behind you—Enril Woniak—that I wish to borrow."
"......"
Their intelligence-gathering was lacking, too.
Annoyed, Jiha looked over at Uben.
"Hey, Uben. Is this guy actually good in a fight?"
"Ah, yes. Bran Dillema is one of two warriors Narsha Russellarms granted a Grade 2 Dirga weapon. Among the 2,300 escort guards, judging solely by combat ability, his place in the top two is indisputable."
"And the other one is Lungtao? Lungtao's physical specs alone are no joke—what is this one so good at?"
"I've heard they excel at the practical application of swordsmanship, and harmony with Mana weapons."
To hold this conversation with the subject seated right in front of them, Bran rose from his seat and drew his sword.
"If you're so curious, you can verify it yourself. Besides... you seem to be looking down on me far too much."
"Hey, what now. Looks like they're angry."
When Jiha asked Uben in mock concern, Bran swung his sword without hesitation.
Whik!
A lightning-fast thrust!
But Jiha had anticipated it, dropping backward to land smoothly on the floor while kicking the chair he'd been sitting in upward at an angle.
The chair floated up, blocking Bran's line of sight.
"Huh?"
Bran's attention reflexively fixed on the obstacle. Meanwhile, Jiha pushed off the floor and lunged in a beat later.
It was a strike designed to exploit the fact that the table would conceal his movement.
"Kuh?!"
Bran, who had been about to cut the chair, hurriedly raised an arm to block Jiha's strike.
Boom!
A Mana-reinforced fist rang out as if hammering a lump of iron.
Bran staggered backward but emerged unscathed, protected by the armor.
"That's no ordinary armor. Is it a Dirga creation as well?"
Lungtao had worn similar armor, impervious even to Mana-infused punches.
Bran leveled his sword at Jiha and replied.
"Yes. Both Lungtao and I wear Grade 2 armor crafted by Lady Dirga herself."
"And that weapon is Grade 2 as well?"
A Dirga's Grade 2 weapon generally matched or exceeded an ordinary Grade 1 weapon.
And Grade 1 Mana weapons possessed Special Abilities.
'Kamain could manipulate flames more effectively. I wonder what this one's weapon does?'
Just as Jiha was inwardly studying the weapon, currents of water began swirling around Bran's blade.
Fluid streams undulated along the sword.
'Water, after fire?'
Still processing, Jiha ducked his head immediately.
Fwoosh!
The water coiled around the blade erupted outward with force.
The stream, expelled under high pressure, became a terrifying blade.
Jiha dodged, but a hole the size of a bookshelf panel was punched clean through the library shelf.
Destructive water pressure—a direct hit would mean serious injury.
"If surrender is what you...."
Bran had started to crow, then quickly ducked.
Jiha had thrown a dagger a beat later.
Daggers looted from the gnolls. They weren't much as a primary weapon, but they were useful to mix in this way, so Jiha kept several on hand.
Trickle.
The dagger grazed Bran's cheek and a thin line of blood slid down.
Jiha straightened up and sneered.
"Why is that guy menstruating from his face?"
"......"
Bran kept a wary gaze fixed on Jiha.
They didn't rise to the bait he'd thrown to make them angry.
At least they weren't completely clueless in direct combat.
Just as Jiha was about to make his next move... an unexpected figure appeared.
It was Bisel, the librarian, who had approached with calm footsteps.
She looked once each at Bran and Jiha, locked in their standoff, then swept her gaze across the room, now in shambles.
"This is... a library."
Bisel addressed them both in a low voice.
Bran hesitated, then lowered his sword.
Bisel's manner was calm and rational, leaving the relatively reasonable Bran with little choice but to relent.
Bisel looked at Jiha and added,
"If this continues... I won't permit you entry from now on."
"Fine. This idiot will clean up the mess."
"Why should I...."
As Bran objected, Jiha grinned.
"So you do know you're an idiot. That's some relief, at least."
Bisel raised a finger to her lips toward the two of them.
"You mustn't... fight in the library. I'll have to chase you out."
Her voice was quiet, yet strangely firm.
Having found the library rather convenient for various reasons, Jiha simply nodded.
"I have no hobby of fighting idiots. I won't fight."
"Just this once...."
Bisel stated it calmly, then scurried back the way she came.
Bran was incredulous.
"What on earth is with that woman?"
"Don't go setting your sights on our librarian, you horny bastard."
"......"
Never mind whether Bran was scowling or not. Jiha wrapped things up concisely.
"Just do as I tell you. You came asking for help because you can't stop Lungtao's faction on your own anyway. So why does the one asking for help keep playing hard to get?"
"I am a man...."
"Show me, then."
After lightly shutting them up, Jiha checked in with Uben.
"Tomorrow evening, where are those seven comedians meeting Lungtao?"
"Will you be going?"
Jiha nodded.
"To make the problem a little simpler."
Having said that, Jiha issued a command to Bran.
"You admit you can't handle this alone, right? Time to bring your superior into this."
"What...."
"I'm telling you to bring the Dirga you guard—Narsha Russellarms."
After the fight with Lungtao, she would be necessary to finish things.
A clash among men who had come to understand one another.
It was the start of the second round.