Chapter 185
Chapter 185
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: A Dance with Alice (7)
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I want to see what you're capable of. Draw your sword. Now.
Perhaps because Renji's declaration was so sudden.
Alice and the others couldn't hide their bewilderment.
After all, he'd shown up without a word, abruptly told her to come home, and then vanished.
Only to reappear and make such a baffling statement. It would have been strange if anyone understood immediately.
‘Still, this is too random. No wonder their relationship isn't improving…’
A classic case of a bad dad who can't even hold a proper conversation with his own daughter, I suppose.
I shook my head as I watched Renji's brazen, expressionless back.
Among them, Raven, with his wealth of experience, seemed to be the only one who could quickly regain his composure.
He gently stepped between Alice and Renji and offered a perfectly sensible reply.
“Please wait a moment. This is a public park. Recklessly drawing a weapon could be seen as a threat to the citizens. Especially for an outsider like yourself… that’s even more true.”
“Hmm, you have a point. It would be a problem to get kicked out so soon after arriving. Then you can tell me. Is there a place nearby where a small disturbance wouldn't be an issue?”
“Well, it’s not that there isn’t such a place, but…”
A quick glance.
Raven looked at Alice, who was behind him.
It seemed he was asking for her opinion, as she looked somewhat intimidated.
Unfortunately, Alice didn't seem to know what to do.
Was being asked to suddenly show her skills just a nuisance to her?
However, to defy Renji's will here, Alice would have to step up herself.
Her hesitation was not a good sign.
In that case, I have no choice but to intervene.
Watching from a short distance, I ran forward and threw my arms around Alice’s waist.
“Yu-Yuria?”
“Alice…”
You can't run away now. I know you can overcome this, Alice.
As if to say that, I clung to her waist and looked up at her earnestly.
Of course, with the mask on my face, she couldn't see my expression…
But perhaps from all our time together, Alice naturally understood what I meant.
In the midst of her confusion, she seemed to regain some composure, and a flicker of determination ignited in her eyes.
Thankfully, having Raven and me nearby seemed to have helped quite a bit.
Soon, Alice looked at Raven and slowly nodded.
It seemed she intended to accept Renji's proposal.
“…Understood. I will guide you to a place where we won't be disturbed.”
“Good. My thanks.”
We followed Raven out of the Spring Flower Festival grounds.
We walked along the road, continuing even after the sidewalk disappeared.
When we finally reached a place where there was no sign of anyone around.
Raven stopped and said this was the place he’d mentioned.
Renji glanced around, his eyebrows arching slightly in surprise.
“It’s remarkably quiet. I didn't know Nighthaven had a place like this.”
“This area has always been avoided because the ground is particularly low, making it a flood risk… and it was recently designated as a new development zone, so even the people who lived here have moved out.”
“I see… In that case, we can get a little rowdy without causing any problems.”
Renji nodded nonchalantly.
Nighthaven was famous for being a boisterous city where capital flowed freely.
Raven’s rational explanation seemed perfectly understandable.
Raven then stepped aside, as if his part was over.
From now on, this was a moment between Renji and Alice—between father and daughter.
He likely judged that his presence would only be a hindrance.
‘I should stand with Raven. It’d be clueless to get in the middle of this.’
At last, Alice and Renji stood facing each other, alone.
Alice held the two swords she had brought with her in each hand.
Renji, as if he needed no weapon, stood with his hands empty, quietly watching her.
In the silence, where time seemed to stretch on endlessly.
It was Renji, who had been staring blankly at Alice, who spoke first.
“The last time I saw your skills was when you said you were going to the Academy. A year has already passed since then.”
“…”
There was no particular expectation in Renji’s eyes as he reminisced.
The last image of Alice in his memory was likely from before she came to Nighthaven.
When she was separated from her childhood friend, Tamamo, and in despair over her own cursed oni nature.
He seemed to think that no significant growth could have occurred in just one year.
“Well then, let us begin.”
“…Yes, Father.”
“Come at me with the intent to kill.”
Otherwise, your own life may be at risk.
He uttered the frightening words in a tone so casual it was as if they were just passing thoughts.
Her life would be at risk if she didn't try to kill him?
It was an excessively brutal thing to say between family members, so much so that even Raven and Karen, who were standing far off, showed expressions of shock.
But perhaps Alice was all too used to it.
With utmost seriousness, she took a stance filled with genuine intent, pointing the tip of her blade at Renji…
And then, without any signal, they rushed toward each other at the same time.
“Haaah!”
“Hmph…!”
*Clang! Clang!*
A series of sharp impacts echoed between Alice and Renji.
The hard steel of her blades and his mana-reinforced fists clashed relentlessly.
Alice's swords were Lily's handmade masterpieces, boasting incredible strength and sharpness.
But surprisingly, Renji was effortlessly parrying them with nothing but his bare fists.
Was he trying to prove he wasn’t just deflecting but meeting her head-on?
Sparks even flew for a brief moment each time their power collided.
To my untrained eyes, it was a dead heat.
It was hard to say either side had the upper hand; they exchanged blows without yielding.
“Tch, that Alice… Is she nervous? She’s not fighting at her usual level.”
“…?”
Not her usual level? She looks like she's fighting well to me…
But in a fight like this, Raven was a far more seasoned expert than I was, so it must be true.
Just as I was about to tug on his sleeve to ask for a more detailed explanation.
Karen, who had been watching the situation with a tense expression, cautiously posed a question to Raven.
“What do you mean by, not her usual level…?”
“That kid, her vision has narrowed. The proof is that she’s taking hits with her body that she would normally react to. Look closely. Renji doesn't have a speck of dust on his clothes… but Alice is already dirty all over.”
“That’s… true.”
Karen nodded as she looked more closely at the scene of the fight.
Was it because she had been forced to roll on the ground to dodge attacks or create distance?
Now that he mentioned it, it was obvious that only Alice's clothes were soiled.
If what Raven said was true, it wasn't good news.
If Alice couldn't fight at her usual level… it meant the chances of her leaving Nighthaven were increasing.
‘…But there’s nothing I can do in this situation. All I can do is wait for Alice to realize it herself.’
Even if I tried to help with my psychokinesis, it would be meaningless if Alice didn't earn Renji's recognition now.
So all I could do was hope she would break through this wall on her own.
I clasped my hands as if in a small prayer, cheering for Alice.
To think I could only rely on something like this now.
My heart was pounding so hard I felt like it might burst.
“Impressive. To have grown this much in just one year. I must admit my mistake in arbitrarily judging your limits. However… this is not enough!”
“Guhk… Kyaaah!”
*Thud!*
Was it because her vision had narrowed from the tension of facing her father?
Alice, her weakness expertly exploited, dropped her swords and rolled helplessly across the ground.
She couldn't immediately get back on her feet, overcome by the rising pain.
Renji, his expression stern, strode toward Alice and continued speaking with a hint of disappointment.
“With that level of strength, you'll be hard-pressed to protect yourself, let alone anyone else. That’s just how this world is. If you’re not strong, you will only experience the pain of having things taken from you.”
“Ugh… Hah, hah…”
“You don't have to get up. You can give up. I will protect the weak girl you are.”
If you don't get up from this pain and just listen to me, you can be at ease.
It was as if he were gently, sweetly, urging her to surrender.
What if Alice listened to him and gave up?
As I swallowed nervously, my heart in my throat.
Alice scraped her fingertips against the ground and forced herself up, her voice coming out strained.
“…no.”
“Hmm?”
“I refuse… I refuse to give up… I’ll get stronger… and I’ll protect them!”
Did the pain that made her grimace suppress the fear that had been dragging her down into helplessness?
For the first time today, Alice looked at Renji with eyes full of determination.
It was an attitude closer to her true self, free from the guilt that had gnawed at her heart since childhood.
It was a declaration of will so powerful that even we, watching from a distance, could feel it.
As if seeing her defy him for the first time, Renji's eyes widened in surprise…
Then, at the sight of her raising her sword as if the fight wasn't over, a grin spread across his face.
“Good. Let’s play a little longer!”
“Haaaaah!”
Alice's movements, now free from unconscious hesitation, were utterly unrestrained.
A full-power strike, as if to say she wouldn't yield even to her stronger father.
It was an aggression unseen in her earlier defensive movements.
However, even so, was Renji still far superior in skill?
Compared to Alice's desperate, heartfelt attacks, Renji simply threw his punches with light footwork, as if he were dancing.
Ten times, twenty times.
When their sword and fist had met nearly fifty times.
Having reached an unavoidable limit, Alice collapsed onto her back, spread-eagled, and stared up at the sky.
“Hah, ugh, khh…”
Alice, covered in wounds, sweat, dirt, and dust, and Renji, who had barely broken a sweat.
The winner was all too clear to anyone watching.
Did he realize that Alice could no longer move?
Renji strode forward, looked down at her quietly, and spoke.
“A pity. If you could use mana, you could have aimed for greater heights.”
“…”
*Grit.*
Alice clenched her teeth, as if she knew that all too well herself.
*It can't be helped since I don't have mana.* How hard had she worked until now to refute that very idea?
And now, to hear it from her own father.
She must have felt like tears were about to stream from her eyes.
But immediately after, Alice's eyes widened at Renji's next words.
Because they contained something she had never expected.
“Still… this is enough to protect yourself.”
“What…?”
“…I'll call off the engagement. It seems I brought up something unnecessary.”
*Swish.*
As if that was all he had to say, Renji turned his back on the fallen Alice.
Did that mean he had truly acknowledged her strength?
Listening from afar, I instinctively met Raven's gaze.
“Are you okay, Alice? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“…!”
“I’m… fine… Just a little, tired.”
We rushed to Alice's side to check on her.
All we saw were minor scrapes and bruises that would likely fade without a trace in a few days.
Renji possessed enough strength to easily break a few bones if he wanted.
It was a clear sign of just how much he had been holding back against Alice.
Thank goodness. I was so worried she might be seriously injured…
As I felt a wave of relief and discreetly put away the Tesseract I was about to pull out, Renji, who was heading toward the alley exit, spoke without looking back.
“I'll be in touch. Let's see each other again.”
They were the words of a gruff father, different from the cold demeanor he had shown until now.
Alice, who had managed to push herself into a sitting position, watched his retreating back and replied for the first time without a trace of fear on her face.
“…Yes, Father.”
The relationship between a father and daughter, estranged by the death of her mother.
It felt as though something frozen solid between them was slowly beginning to thaw.
That aside, he said he’d be in touch…
I recalled Renji glancing my way one last time.
And I had a feeling more trouble was just around the corner.