Chapter 66: One Should Live Kindly
Two women clashed.
Sand sprayed skyward in repeated bursts from the deck, and within the swirling haze Audrey and Bella traded blows without pause.
Blade edges flashed. Mana detonations erupted everywhere.
I was about to join the fray when the princess and the freed crew approached.
"Do you have a plan?"
"I intend to assist Lady Audrey first. Once we've subdued the enemy, I'll think through the details at leisure."
"Understood. The rest of us will do the same."
They began disembarking. As Tanya passed me, I caught her wrist.
Even in the middle of a battle, one must make progress, no?
"What are you doing?"
She tried to yank her arm free, then froze. The memory of moments earlier had clearly surfaced.
Only minutes ago I had saved her from a near-fatal blow. One by one the others descended until only the two of us remained on deck. I pulled her sharply toward me.
She half-fell into my arms. The golden-haired married knight stared at me, startled, her attractive features twisted in surprise.
When I cupped her cheeks with both hands, her wide eyes shifted from shock to outright fluster.
Cute reaction.
I'm already excited! I wonder how her backdoor tastes♥
Her hands shot up to seize mine. As she tried to pry them away, I resisted and spoke.
"Stay still. I'll cast a cleanliness spell for you."
"Ah..."
Only then did she stop resisting. Tanya's face was still streaked with Audrey's urine from earlier. As a knight she had endured far worse, and the situation had been dire, so she had postponed cleaning up. Still, she was a woman. She could hardly ignore her appearance.
Once I finished the spell and left her spotless from head to toe, the golden-haired knight bowed her head deeply. The usually confident, arrogant woman looked almost shy.
Her strong attraction to me was plain to see.
"There. All done."
"That... earlier, and now... th-thank you, Kael."
"Not at all. It pained me to see your beautiful face in such a state. I'm relieved now. You truly are... stunning."
As I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her cheeks flushed an even deeper red. Judging by her reaction, she was unaccustomed to such treatment. Understandable. Who would dare act so boldly toward a knight of the imperial guard? Most men would be grateful simply not to wet themselves under her glare.
Could her childless marriage to her husband stem from the same reason?
"Ahem."
She's about to die of happiness. Not bad, Aslan! Heh-heh.
This much was easy. Spending so much time with Beres had sharpened my tongue around women.
I looked her over slowly. The renowned married knight was practically broadcasting her delight, rubbing her thighs together.
Time for the finishing blow.
"Had I met you even a little earlier, Lady Tanya, I would have proposed."
"E-eh?"
A small explosion seemed to go off in the air. It might have been distant battle noise, yet the way she stared at me, hands clamped over her mouth, suggested the blast had originated somewhere inside her chest and head.
"Once we return safely... would you join me for a private meal?"
"A-are you asking me on a date?"
Instead of answering, I smiled. The flustered married knight stammered.
"I... I have a husband. I'm older. Men don't exactly flock to me... Are you sure?"
"When one likes and loves someone, do such things truly matter?"
She had no reply. Only the trembling of her pupils and the faint smile on her lips betrayed her feelings.
Tanya spun around and climbed the ladder. At the top she glanced back.
"...If the food is bad, I'll complain."
Then she slid straight down to the deck. Whether from embarrassment or not, she didn't look back before charging straight into the battle.
Cute. Bet she'll make the cutest noises when I pound her backdoor♥
"Enough nonsense. Let's move."
I turned my gaze toward the ship's interior. A living presence lingered inside. From the moment we entered the waters, one woman had remained motionless within.
Leisha Bisain.
The sinister mana confirmed it. No doubt.
Whether she was too frightened to emerge or had another reason, I couldn't tell. I glanced toward the ongoing fight. Surprisingly, our group and Audrey were evenly matched. In that case, I could afford a quick check.
What exactly was she doing in there?
***
"Kuh. For a human, you're quite capable!"
Praise slipped from Audrey's lips. Though unspoken, the imperial knights on her side shared the sentiment.
Bella, her body reinforced by magic and layered with dozens of buffs, had become a war goddess incarnate. Even with the enhancements, her speed and strength were inferior, yet the sheer volume of devastating spells she unleashed across the battlefield sent shivers through everyone who witnessed them.
Audrey's expression gradually hardened. Bella noticed and smiled sweetly.
"Your eyes keep drifting over there. Getting desperate? How about showing us something better than urine this time? Maybe a nice big dump? I'll even watch and grade you~"
"If that is what you desire, I shall oblige. I'll paint your face most thoroughly~"
"Kek. You whore. Think you have the skill?"
Boom, boom, boom. Shockwaves erupted with flashes of light. Despite the bravado, Audrey felt the bitter truth: subduing the one-eyed woman would not be easy.
Elven magic relied on echoes and melody. Casting took time, yet the spells grew stronger with each layer. The longer an elf maintained distance, the more devastating the eventual strike. Humans, however, inherited the dragon's tongue of will. Their magic manifested instantly through desperate will and understanding. Though individually weaker, that instantaneity was lethal.
Spells and blades alike materialized in the blink of an eye. Under Bella's overwhelming magical barrage, Audrey felt a headache forming.
This is troublesome. I have no time to cast.
Worse, Bella's physical prowess was exceptional. Knocking her down was impossible. Seven knights circled, stabbing at every opening. Audrey was on the verge of madness.
Bella smiled, sensing her advantage. The Hardrens family's specialty was multi-casting. From childhood they trained their minds for simultaneous spells. With the Sage's Stone granting her limitless mana, Bella unleashed her full talent. In ten seconds, roughly thirty different spells bloomed and vanished in an absurd display.
Kuh. I have no choice. Even if I lose an arm...!
The elf's eyes flashed. At the same instant a gap appeared. Bella took her left arm without mercy.
Shhhk. Blood sprayed. Biting her lip, the elf began to chant.
"By the goddess's tears like morning dew, my heart, once stone, has stirred! (Elvish)"
***
Dark-blue hair swayed gently. Sweat trickled down the woman's forehead. She wiped it away with her sleeve and resumed her work.
A massive mana crystal, five meters in diameter, was covered in intricate patterns carved in blood. The woman was still filling the remaining empty spaces with painstaking care.
The person performing this mysterious task was none other than Leisha Bisain. She had come here specifically for this purpose.
After discovering records of the ancient elven warship Yordan in an old stone tablet, she had descended to southern Florian the moment vacation began. She had approached Audrey naturally, secured passage, and waited for her chance to seize the ship.
That chance had finally arrived. The moment Audrey leapt overboard, Leisha began her work. She tampered with the special mana crystal that served as the vessel's heart. If successful, the ship would obey her will instead of its current captain's.
The special magic circle was nearly complete. All that remained was to inscribe the final pattern onto the fist-sized mana crystal in her hand.
She carved each stroke with extreme caution. One final dot...
"Ha, hahaha... It's done! It's finally done!!"
She raised the small crystal high, triumphant. With this ship, anything was possible. Perhaps even conquering the world.
"Now, if I just infuse my mana into it...!"
At that moment, a familiar mana wave slammed into her. The sensation was so recognizable that her eyes flew wide. It felt like a cool summer breeze—refreshing, unmistakable.
It's him.
No doubt. That mana signature belonged to the man who had crushed her ambitions in her previous life as Iselei Samaha. How could she ever forget it?
She whirled around. A debuff struck her, further distorting her already compromised vision. The man moved with the same terrifying speed as before. A presence appeared at her side, then pain exploded at the back of her neck.
Aslan...!
She collapsed. A heavy sensation filled her head for a brief moment before coolness spread across her cheek. That was her final memory.
The man laid the unconscious woman on a bed inside the cabin, then plucked the mana crystal from her hand. He poured his own mana into it.
"So I can control the ship with this?"
What a windfall. Truly, one should live kindly. Saving Tanya's life had moved the heavens to grant me this blessing.
From now on, I'll live even more kindly! With the support I've received, I'll fill Tanya's womb with plenty of seed for the sake of her and her husband's happiness!
The moment we returned, I would arrange the deed. Good deeds were best done quickly.