Chapter 31
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Achievement Accomplished (5)
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Trond was a character who didn't appear in Savior of World.
That was why his secret technique felt so fresh the first time I saw it.
The method of weaving mana into threads, binding them to a weapon, and controlling it.
Depending on how you applied it, it seemed incredibly useful.
That's why I closely observed him using the technique on Kirigumo.
"Haaah!"
Kirigumo drove his fist into Trond's face and moved to follow up with another strike.
I tried to pull the dagger back further to help Kirigumo's punch land cleanly.
But...
"Kuhk!"
He retrieved his remaining dagger and dodged Kirigumo's attack.
At the same time, the pulling sensation from the dagger I held vanished.
'Did he release the technique just on this side?'
"Hand it over!"
Trond, having evaded Kirigumo's assault, kicked off the ground and charged straight at me.
Runes had appeared on his body now, and waves of evil god energy poured from him.
On top of that, his durability seemed significantly enhanced, so plain punches wouldn't cut it.
Slicing him with a sword would be ideal, but I didn't have one at my waist right now.
I did have his dagger in hand, but I hesitated to use an unfamiliar weapon.
So instead, I went with the next best thing I was familiar with.
Whoosh!
Magic, of course.
"What?!"
I unleashed a fireball packed with mana straight at the charging Trond.
It was a basic spell that required no incantation, but with all that mana loaded in...
"Kaaak!"
It would threaten even his enhanced state.
Trond, struck dead-on by my magic, screamed as he flew backward.
But it wasn't enough to finish him; smoke rose from his body as he glared at me.
"Magic? The Ninth Prince uses magic? How can you use magic?! Weren't you supposed to be utterly hopeless at it?!"
His outburst made me realize just how widespread the rumor was that my former self truly had no talent.
"I picked it up recently."
"That's ridiculous...!"
"Your Highness!"
"Y-Your Highness!"
"My lord!"
"Lord Aren! The sword!"
At that moment, Gillek, Amelin, and Tenka burst out from inside, heading toward us, while Ridel tossed a sword my way.
I caught it with one hand.
"Kuhk!"
Trond, who had been charging with murderous intent to slaughter everyone in the mansion, suddenly bolted toward the main gate.
"Stop, Trond!"
Kirigumo pursued him, and I followed suit, but with the runes on his body boosting his speed, catching up wouldn't be easy.
He'd probably dodge any magic I fired now, too.
In that case...
'Shall I give it a shot?'
I'd only seen it a few times, but I had a rough grasp of how it worked.
I condensed my mana into thin threads, bound them to the dagger, and hurled it.
The dagger I threw flew past Trond as he ran.
"Can't throw worth a damn!"
"You think?"
Mimicking the motions he'd used to control his dagger, I swung my arm. The flying dagger curved sideways.
The mana threads I'd created snagged on his body, and with the dagger, they whipped around him repeatedly, binding tight.
"No way!"
I clenched my fist on the hand connected by dagger and threads, leaped high, and yanked.
"Kuhuk!"
His body, wrapped in mana threads, was pulled upward and lifted into the air.
I couldn't win a direct tug-of-war with him, but hoisting his weight briefly into the air was doable.
And then.
Shing!
I drew the sword Ridel had given me and unleashed Eagle Pursuit at him while he hung suspended.
Splurch!
The blade pierced his gut. I yanked it free and kicked him toward the ground.
Boom!
"Kuhk! You bastard!"
He swung his left hand, gripping his dagger, for a counterattack.
But...
"Haaah!"
Splurch!
Gillek unleashed Eagle Pursuit, skewering Trond's left wrist and slamming the blade into the ground.
"Kaaaak!"
And on top of that.
"Trond!"
Gillek followed up, slashing down at his right wrist.
Crack! The sound of bone shattering rang out.
Both hands were out of commission.
But his legs could still carry him to escape, so the moment I landed, I severed his ankle.
Slash!
"Kurrk!"
With his wrists already gone, his ankle was sliced clean in one stroke. He foamed at the mouth, screaming.
I inspected the wounds closely, but there was no sign of regeneration.
His toughness and strength had surged, but not his healing.
"Y-Your Highness! Are you alright?!"
"Amelin, bind this guy with magic. As tightly as possible."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
"Recover the equipment he took from Kirigumo."
"Understood."
Kirigumo retrieved his dagger, and Amelin used earth magic to encase and restrain Trond's body.
"Ridel, fetch a priest. Since a heretic's appeared, bring an inquisitor if possible."
"Yes, Lord Aren."
"Kuh... ugh! Uuugh!"
Trond grimaced and writhed, but Amelin's restraints didn't budge an inch.
Judging escape impossible, he turned to me.
"How... how did you do that?! That's my secret technique! Mine!"
"Just did."
"What?"
"Worked on the first try. Way easier than Kirigumo's."
I stated the plain truth.
"Kaaaaah!"
His face flushed even redder as he howled.
"Uncle Trond... why?"
Tenka stared down at Trond in disbelief.
"Tenka, don't call this scum 'uncle.' He's the one who hurt you. And the moment you recovered, this heretic tried poisoning you again!"
"Poison... right. Poison! Kuhk! Heh... hehehe! Hahahaha!"
Hearing "poison," he suddenly burst into laughter.
"What's so funny?!"
"Yes! The poison's still in you! Damn Ninth Prince! Foolish Ninth Prince! You'll... you'll die soon!"
"His Highness will die?"
"What? What nonsense is that?!"
Amelin gasped in shock, while Gillek pressed him.
"The poison you drank most of! Kuhk! Cough! It has slow symptoms leading to inevitable death! Same grade as what I fed Tenka! No more Manlenesia anyway! You'll... tremble in fear as you die! No matter your poison resistance! You can't overcome this! Ha, ha! Hahaha!"
"...Is that all?"
"What a needless worry."
"My lord, any injuries?"
"None, so relax."
"Wh-what?!"
He'd smugly proclaimed my doom, but no one took it seriously, leaving him flustered instead.
Kirigumo addressed him.
"His Highness is completely immune to poison."
"Ha! Don't make me laugh! Even with resistance, that poison can't be nullified!"
"And even if symptoms appear, no need to worry. We still have plenty of Manlenesia."
"Wh... what?"
"Saying it was gone was just a lie to prevent pointless conflicts."
"Kuh! Ugh! Uwaa! Uwaaaaaah! Damn it! Damn iiiit!"
Realizing he could no longer harm me and that his plan was ruined, Trond shrieked like a madman.
"Die! Die die die! Drop dead, you damned Ninth Prince! You ruined my plan! Diiie! Damn it! My pleasure! Watching that fool Kazuki struggle to save his idiot daughter's life while falling for my tricks! You stole my joy!"
"Shut your mouth!"
Tenka kicked him in the jaw.
"Now I get it. You're no uncle of mine. You poisoned me to make my father weep blood and threaten my lord, my savior. You're a vile, loathsome heretic."
It was the first time I'd seen Tenka's face twisted in such disgust toward anyone.
Lately, all she'd shown me was a big puppy eagerly awaiting orders, eyes sparkling.
"Don't dirty my lord's ears with that filthy voice anymore."
"Tenka...! You filthy wretch, carrying the blood of that damned Kazuki and the bitch who abandoned me!"
"Hmph!"
Thwack!
Tenka kicked his jaw harder, and he blacked out.
And then.
"Ah! S-Sorry, my lord! I knocked out the heretic without orders!"
Her expression flipped instantly from rage to a cowering puppy fearing punishment.
"No, he wouldn't have spilled anything useful anyway. That kick was satisfying, so good job."
"Yes, my lord!"
Tenka's face lit up immediately.
"Y-Your Highness. Shall I prepare to make him confess? I'll... I'll do my best!"
"You know how?"
"No. But... if a little mental damage is okay, I could use summoning magic to force out info. Haven't tried it, but can I experiment?"
"No, leave this to the experts. You might hear all sorts of filth from him otherwise."
"Heh... hehe. Understood, Your Highness..."
That hint of disappointment—was it my imagination?
Afterward, the priest Ridel summoned brought inquisitors to the mansion.
Verifying Trond as a heretic required no effort.
His facial runes were still there.
"This is the mark of heretics who worship the evil god!"
"A heretic!"
"Worshipping some evil god, of all things!"
"We must interrogate him immediately!"
"This is before His Highness! Do your duty quietly!"
I explained what he'd done to Kirigumo and his daughter while releasing the bindings. The inquisitors' zeal for interrogation visibly surged.
The unconscious Trond was carted off by the priest's inquisitors. I asked them to share any info they uncovered.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
"If this fiend plotted anything else sinister, we'll inform you at once!"
The moment the priest and inquisitors left the mansion...
You have saved the fates of Kirigumo Kazuki and Kirigumo Tenka.
As salvation reward, Magic Power and physical abilities have increased.
Some perk information has been unlocked.
'What?'
Seeing the notification that I'd saved those two's fates, my first reaction wasn't joy at saving them or surprise at the unexpected reward.
'What about Amelin?'
It was doubt over why no notification had appeared for saving her fate.