Chapter 202: The Swordsman and the Witch - 6
Chapter 202: The Swordsman and the Witch - 6
Waris.
The elves' residential district.
The Seven Council had gathered for the first time in a while.
Quority Rosen, seated at the head, tsked in irritation.
"It's been quite some time since we last all met, hasn't it?"
"What is this about?"
Before the others could speak, Guason Lochek cut in sharply.
Quority frowned.
By family rank, Guason was at the tail end of the Seven Council; he wasn't in a position to blurt things out like that.
"Ahem. Naturally, it's because there is something to be dealt with. Shouldn't we retrieve Yormun?"
"......."
Guason stared at Quority, utterly dumbfounded.
The other five shared the same expression.
"What? Rosen, are you serious?"
"What, were you planning not to? Are you saying we should just let Yormun act so insolently?"
Quority's anger only made Guason more frustrated.
He knew Quority was an idiot who had become the head of this group through family influence alone, but right now he felt as if he were staring into a black pit.
"How exactly do you expect us to bring back Lady Leticia?"
"Ahem, address her as Yormun."
Quority scowled, and Guason, losing his temper, slammed the table.
Quority flinched in surprise before immediately scowling again.
"No, has this man lost his mind...?"
"Aren't you the one who's lost his mind? You saw that fight and you're still talking like this?"
The Seven Council had watched the bloody duel between Jiha and Lungtao.
All seven were Rare Grade and could handle Mana, but that battle had far exceeded their common sense.
Lungtao had been formidable, and Jiha, who defeated him, was overwhelmingly powerful.
The Seven Council, who had inwardly dismissed Jiha as a mere human and a Common, realized that even if they all banded together, they could never defeat him.
Quority tsked.
"Hoho, this is something. Anyway, I've come up with a plan. So listen and show some respect. Not that you have any right to be Yormun's fiancé anymore anyway, Lochek."
Guason shook his head vigorously.
"From the start..."
If you're going to consider Jiha an enemy, why try to stick to the rules set by the enemy? Quority's behavior was utterly ridiculous.
And was he blind?
If he'd seen Leticia run over and throw herself into the victorious Jiha's arms, there was no way he wouldn't know they were already in a relationship.
The other five clearly seemed to know, but Quority alone wore a blank expression.
"That man is already the chairman of the Investigation Committee. He's the leader of an organization that includes four Uniques from both Blue Seal and Purple Liberation. And you're talking about challenging him again?"
"Wasn't it said that all seven have a chance? Lochek, your chance disappeared when that Tiger Beastman died, but the six of us still have ours."
"Fine. Whatever. Go ahead, say what you have to say. Let's hear it."
Guason, too tired to stay angry, just waved his hand dismissively.
His plan now was to find out what crazy scheme Quority was cooking up and pass the information to Jiha.
For the future of the elves, it was better not to oppose Jiha. Guason had already reached that conclusion within himself.
Because Jiha was a far superior man to all seven of them put together.
'If anything, using Leticia to pave the way for the elves' future would be ideal... If they really are in a relationship, that's actually the most hopeful outcome.'
Jiha was a big shot now.
The Committee's organization included four Uniques, and he was rising to its leadership.
According to rumors, even Narsha Russellarms's Escort Guards had already placed themselves under his command.
'There's no force left in Waris that can defy that Common now...'
Guason could feel it in his bones: Jiha was the man who now controlled Waris.
If Quority made even one misstep here, the elves would be ruined.
He had to stop it.
Guason waited impatiently for Quority to speak.
"I intend to ask the Species Alliance for help."
"...Only now you say this?"
The Species Alliance was specifically an association formed by the representatives of the species affiliated with Purple in Waris.
If the Seven Council was the decision-making body for the elves residing in Waris, then the Species Alliance was the decision-making body for those among the Purple-affiliated species who lived in Waris.
Real power and military force lay with the Uniques, but the Species Alliance's political authority was not something to be ignored.
"As it happens, they'd been saying they wanted to meet as well. So I'm planning to meet with them."
"Ah, that's a little..."
"I'm not too keen on that."
"This is an elven matter..."
The other five, excluding Quority, wanted to stay out of it, because they sensed that Jiha was not a man they could just challenge.
Oblivious to that, Quority grew angry.
"What, so you're just going to let that brazen Yormun flit around so frivolously? What will the other elves think of us? They'll think we're fools who can't even keep a woman in line, won't they?"
"...Haa."
Guason massaged his forehead.
He felt like punching Quority, but given the Rosen family's influence, he couldn't.
"Fine. The rest of you can stay out of this. I'll accompany Rosen and meet with the Species Alliance. Will that suffice?"
The other five said nothing, but their faces showed they were thoroughly pleased.
They'd wanted to wash their hands of this matter, and now Guason was effectively stepping up to handle the aftermath.
Quority, utterly oblivious to the mood, basked in delight.
"Is this really all right? Since Lochek has no claim, if we win, I automatically become Yormun's fiancé, you know?"
"Yes, well."
"I hope it turns out that way. Hohoho."
Though they all spoke nicely, they were inwardly laughing at Quority.
But Quority, puffing himself up, spoke as if sharing a great secret.
"Since you all say you won't do anything... I'll tell you this. It seems the Species Alliance has contacted a Purple Unique. Have you heard of Barjet Dark? The Unique Witch."
"A Witch, huh..."
They were a race that had branched off from humans long ago.
They looked like human women, but they were a race with powerful Mana and strength, bound together not by blood but by Mana.
A race that wandered the land, raising disciples and passing on their power, coming and going between Blue and Purple without discrimination.
Though the current Unique was affiliated with Purple.
As the mood in the room grew heavy, Quority smiled smugly.
"And that Barjet has agreed to lend us her strength. Then that Common would be done for with a single blow, don't you think?"
"......."
Given the fight with Lungtao, Jiha didn't seem like he'd be pushed back even against a Unique.
Even if a Unique did somehow overcome him, didn't Jiha have four Uniques under his command?
Guason could only heave a deep sigh. Of all people, a dimwit like him was the representative leading Waris's elves.
"...So, who from the Species Alliance asked to meet?"
"Don't be surprised. It's the Alliance Chairman... the celestial, Lord Alex. He says he will arrange the meeting with Barjet."
"......."
Guason's face stiffened.
Quority was an idiot.
There was no way someone of the Species Alliance Chairman's stature didn't know that Quority was a worthless fool.
If he still made a point of meeting with him, then there was only one answer.
'Is he planning to use the elves and then throw them away?'
If so, it was no small matter.
Guason quickly spoke.
"Understood, Rosen. I will absolutely accompany you to the meeting with Lord Alex."
He had to gather information and inform Jiha.
That was the only way to save the future of the elves.
Jiha was at the training ground.
To check what Special Ability he'd gained after Bloodsucking Narsha.
His Mana now filled both arms and both legs completely.
"Is this it...?"
Jiha infused Mana into the Gladius he was holding and swung it.
The blade then extended an extra sixty centimeters.
Originally it only extended by thirty centimeters, and pouring Mana into it hadn't increased that before.
"So I can now draw out a weapon's Special Ability a bit more. I'll call this Weapon Enhancement."
Jiha took out a Grade 2 dagger, held it in his hand, and channeled Mana.
The blade immediately frosted over, and its temperature dropped sharply.
He tested it by cutting a nearby tree; the cut area froze lightly.
"It turns Grade 2 weapons into Grade 1 weapons."
Originally, a Grade 2 weapon only had the effect of piercing Mana defenses, but now Jiha could temporarily grant it a Special Ability as well.
But the fact that all the other daggers produced the same freezing effect meant there were limits.
"In the end, I need a proper Grade 1 sword."
The Gladius's Special Ability to extend its blade was well-suited to Jiha's tactical fighting style.
But it was inferior to Bran's sword that fired water jets or Lungtao's sword that struck multiple times with each swing.
"I need to find a weapon..."
Up until now, Jiha hadn't been particularly hung up on weapons.
But the battles ahead were going to become more intense, so he wanted to prepare properly.
The best option was to have Narsha make one.
He was Narsha's Helper, and he had the right to demand a Grade 1 weapon.
"...But I can't rule out the possibility of her deliberately ruining it. That would just be a waste."
Narsha currently hated Jiha.
Thanks to Lijin sticking close and looking after her, she'd started eating, but her feelings hadn't softened.
Getting a weapon from Narsha would have to wait until her emotions had cooled to some degree.
"Besides, Grade 1 weapons don't just appear easily."
As he pondered, Jiha turned at the sound of footsteps.
This training ground, set up in a corner of the barracks, was Jiha's personal space, so people generally avoided entering.
He thought it might be Uben bringing information, but the footsteps were different.
A woman with her dark blue hair tied up stopped when she saw Jiha.
She had a clean, serene beauty, and her odd eyes instantly captured a man's gaze. She was the type whose allure was enhanced by her neat appearance and peculiar irises.
Jiha spoke immediately.
"What do you want?"
"A match."
Pairan answered just as bluntly.
This was the first time anyone had answered him like that.
"What are the stakes?"
"If you lose to me, break up with her."
"With Asira?"
"She's not someone you deserve."
Jiha gave a short laugh.
"On what grounds? Because I'm a Common? Or because I'm human?"
"That doesn't matter. But Lady Asira thinks she's doing something wrong."
Pairan replied flatly.
"She seems to think she's stolen you, Yura's man."
"......."
Jiha hadn't ordered Pairan to hide it, so that was only natural.
Pairan spoke firmly.
"No matter what, she's not that kind of person. That means you must have played some trick."
She had hit the nail on the head.
Jiha had invested a great deal of effort to take Asira in, and in the end he had succeeded in taming her.
He was now just one final step away from fully taming her, and of all things, someone who had figured out the truth had shown up.
Pairan grasped the hilt of the longsword at her waist, a blade with a knife-like hilt, and spoke.
"If you agree now, I can end this with words."
"......."
A threat from a Unique, and it seemed she had come with firm resolve.
Smiling, Jiha took hold of the Gladius.
"I prefer to finish things with my body."
Whatever happened, he couldn't let Asira go now.
"Then it's a breakdown."
Pairan drew her sword.
"Come on, you demon-slaying bitch walking around in that skin-tight bodysuit."
Jiha drew his sword as well.
An abrupt fight.
If he couldn't avoid it, then winning was all that mattered.