Chapter 78
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Festival - 7
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"Then, let's resume."
Koon let out a rough breath.
The break wasn't long enough to fully steady his ragged breathing, nor to sort out his mind.
Still, the brief conversation had helped a little. His body no longer tensed up excessively like before.
He periodically glanced at Deina, never forgetting his goal.
"Delion's still..."
"It's not that his passion keeps him from staying calm, but at this rate, the outcome is obvious."
The match had paused briefly, cooling their tempers, but the conflict remained unresolved.
Redness crept across Delion's face, veins bulging on the arm gripping his sword.
Koon tried to protect Sua carefully, but Delion showed no intention of slipping past him.
There was no need to block Delion's paths aggressively.
Unlike before, Koon wasn't forcefully parrying Delion's aggressive strikes. Instead, he deflected them slowly, creating space.
Naturally, Delion's stamina drained one-sidedly.
He had no choice but to yield advantageous positions easily.
"It's over."
"Agreed."
Depleted stamina, and the two now closer to Deina.
Koon recognized the opportunity.
The moment Delion's sword missed and traced a wide arc, Koon dashed forward swiftly.
Delion couldn't reach Sua faster than Koon, nor block him in time.
The initial chaos felt meaningless in this one-sided, clean finish.
Koon's wooden sword hovered before Deina's eyes.
Just one more handspan, and it would touch. Held horizontally, straight and steady.
No need for injury—everyone knew the match's result.
"Deina, Delion's protectee, has been captured. Koon wins!"
Delion left the arena not with regret, but with eyes still blazing.
Deina seemed more flustered than him.
"I was sure he wouldn't move, but he really stayed put the whole time until the end."
Protecting Deina wasn't even on Delion's mind.
He'd charged like a berserker rather than a guardian knight, and the brawl had kept distance from the protectees.
No close shaves had happened right in front of her, and with his stamina gone, Koon's open charge ended it—her tension had been brief.
"Haa—! That was fun."
Sua's body stretched lazily, belying her words.
"What was fun about doing nothing?"
"That's what's fun. Watching up close without lifting a finger. Feels great now."
"Both Koon and Delion... I've never seen them so emotional."
The guards, who silently did their duties, had reputations as stoic even in the village.
Their feud had been unexpected.
"Really? Guess smiling at them a few times worked."
"You smiled? How?"
"Like this."
It wasn't a gentle smile.
If I were Delion, I'd mistake it for mockery and get even angrier.
"That's what I was going for?"
"What?"
"Why would I smile nicely at someone griping and picking fights?"
The grudge was mutual.
Raymond called me and Ellie over.
The finals were next.
Me, victor over Tiana, versus Koon, victor over Delion.
"Now you'll face off?"
"It's me versus Koon. You can't attack anyway."
"We'll see... Hmhm."
Sua wore a meaningful smile.
"I volunteered as protectee for two reasons. One's done. One left."
The final match was about to begin.
"Fighters, greet each other!"
They bowed lightly in mutual respect.
Ellie, behind me, poked my back.
"You won't do something risky like before, right...!"
"I won't put you in danger."
In the match with Tiana, I'd made her run around, then thrown myself at the spot where Bell and Tiana clustered to force a ring-out. That had startled her.
Also catching her mid-air so she didn't hit the ground outside.
"How long do you think Koon can hold out?"
"At least five minutes?"
'Talking like my win is already certain.'
The voices around were too blatant to ignore.
Raymond's irregular format added spectacle, but most judged it couldn't bridge the skill gap.
I was confident of victory, but...
"Why do I feel so uneasy...?"
Sua wouldn't stay quiet.
Her remaining goal targeted me, so she wouldn't just play protectee.
"Begin!"
Raymond signaled the start.
Both took defensive stances.
No one rushed first.
"How about moving forward bit by bit?"
"Pardon? Forward?"
Sua directed Koon, who slowly advanced per her words.
Sua followed at a slight distance.
Staying in his protection range while closing on us.
"Ellie, let's move too. Follow slowly."
Standing still would push us to the edge.
We shifted toward the center.
As distance narrowed suitably, I stepped one pace ahead.
- Thwack!
Wooden swords clashed lightly.
On his obvious path, Koon met it with this force.
Not pushing back, just enough to stalemate.
'Push hard and fast first—Huh?'
- Grind!
Koon's wooden sword pressed down on mine.
Not easing pressure—he even shifted weight downward.
'Was Koon this strong?'
Not overwhelming, but the unexpected weight surprised me briefly.
"Uh? Huh?"
"...?"
'Why are you more surprised?'
- Grriiind!
Something was off.
Pressing harder now.
Not arm strength...
'Magic?'
Faint mana layered on Koon's sword.
Acceleration? Telekinesis?
Magic regardless.
I glanced past Koon's shoulder.
She flashed that same smile at me.
'That's cheating.'
Not direct attack, but supporting the knight with magic from protectee role broke rules badly.
Raymond and villagers just hadn't noticed the magic.
Sua's lips moved silently.
No sound, but I lip-read syllables.
'God... free... no?'
Blatant provocation.
Tell Raymond about Sua's magic, and it's instant disqualification.
I wanted victory, but not over festival fun.
Everyone enjoyed it—no desire for anticlimax.
Above all, I wouldn't lose even with her magic.
She provoked knowing that.
Countering growing pressure, I lifted my sword with equal force.
When it overwhelmed Koon,
"Urk!"
I yanked my sword in, tripping him instantly.
Now just dash to end it.
- Thud!
My foot was stuck.
Not figuratively—the ground literally bound my feet.
A good chance slipped away lightly.
Sua mainly used fire magic, her trademark in skill and fame.
But she handled others too.
Like telekinesis on ground now, boosting Koon's speed, adding sword power.
- Ting!
Mana shield blocked an attack Koon missed.
Wood on wood never clangs like that.
Transparent mass outline visible up close.
Fireballs too obvious, but various magics could harass me.
Sua adapted to Koon's moves, support escalating bizarrely.
I blocked low hip strike.
Pushed with strength, raising Koon's sword overhead to right.
Flow into diagonal slash.
- Ting!
Shield blocked flatly.
From afar, looks like Koon endured.
Now Koon's attack.
Obvious path—I planned back of sword block.
- Ting!
'Again?'
Not protecting Koon—this interfered my sword path.
Yielded shoulder strike as result.
"Wh-what? Why?"
Koon clueless why his attack landed.
To fight accounting for Sua's magic, needed different approach.